Like many Americans I love to eat fast food and most times, I enjoy walking in and taking it easy before heading back to the day job. One thing I noticed is all fast food places have skinny parking places. Really? What are they trying to do? Keep us from coming inside? Make us use their drive-through?
My car has a ding on the passenger door because of those stupid parking spaces, but I want to eat inside. I don’t want to make a mess in my car.
And of course, like every eating place I’ve ever been to, fast or formal dining, the restrooms have only one to three stalls. What’s up with that? I had to wait in line the other day for one out of two stalls provided. Women have to move clothes a lot to take care of business. Not just a zipper and undies. So it takes time.
I do say, I get tickled seeing men stand in lines for the restroom at an ice rink. Probably because there are often more men than women attending. Oh, yes, I loved walking straight into the restroom during a hockey game. No wait. Awesome!
First, let me say I LOVE the character Jamie in the book and TV series. His character is well-written, manly man with emotions and all the charm of what an American can imagine a Scotsman would be. He’s the only reason I listen to the books or watch any of the TV series. There is a small possibility I would have READ the full series just for him, but only a small chance. Nine hundred plus pages of one story is way too much to me, and really I can’t believe I listened to the series through the third book. Audio is the way to go. Davina Porter is a wonderful narrator.
Nevertheless, so many times I screamed at the audio (in my car alone) for the narrator to hurry the f**k up. The person pattered on about some of the most obvious and boring crap when all I wanted to know was what the person had to say or did or she/he would just die.
Personally, I could’ve deleted one-third, that’s being lenient, and the story would be the same and so much better.
Claire is a woman who lives in the now even if it was more than 200 years before she was born. I get so tired of her believing she must be the one to jump in and solve everything. She never thinks of the consequence beyond her need to be in control. Some would call her a strong-willed woman, personally, I thought she was totally self-centered. There’s a difference between brave and stupid. Claire was often stupid.
I think extremely long books are like soap operas. You get tired of all the angst and nothing going right. You need a break and it takes, if you’re lucky, hundreds of pages before the author thinks to lighten things up. I began to feel bad for everyone in the book along with myself. It is sad how Jamie meets trouble after trouble. No one has that much to go bad, but I understand why the author had to do it. If you’re going to write nine-hundred pages, you have to have something bad to happen over and over and over and over again. Yes. I could’ve dropped a couple of those overs, but I wanted to show how unnecessary they were to make a point. Hell, I could’ve cut half of this post.
Once again, that’s why I don’t love long series with the same lead character.
Latin names of plants, diseases, etc. WHY?! I couldn’t care less. Only interested if that was my field of study. I love history, but I read non-fiction for the details.
There. For almost two years I held up this post because I wanted to see if I changed my mind. Even the TV series didn’t help me do that. I fast forward in Claire’s scenes because she irritates me. All I can say is the only reason Jamie stays with her — when she’s in his time zone – ha! — is because she’s a good lay. There has to be reason.
Of course, what do I know? Just my lowly opinion. Millions of people love this long-ass series. They’re best sellers. Congrats to the author. I do believe the author is a talented writer, and I’ve heard the storytelling improved as the series went along. But life is too short for that much angst between the same two (or twenty) characters, and there are many wonderful — shorter, like 80,000 to 100,000 words — stories out there to read.
Besides, I have to save time to write my poor, pitiful short stories (60,000 to 80,000 words). LOL!
The back of my latest bookmarkThe front of my latest bookmark
I want to mention something I feel strongly about. When my writers group’s luncheon was over, I went to the large trash can to throw away an empty box. I looked in and to my horror were LOTs of bookmarks, booklets, post cards, in other words, paper promo out of at least two giveaway bags. I wonder if those readers noticed a card had a code for a free ebook? To those readers, they thought of it as trash, but to the authors who provided the material that represented money.
But let’s not think of the authors who sent the paper promo to help you decide on what to buy, let’s think of the other readers out in the local area or your area who would have LOVED to have a bookmark or information about a local reader? If you were the reader(s) who did that, please be nice and not throw them away at the luncheon, instead go to your local library and ask them if they are interested in them for their readers? I bet they would be thrilled. Plus they would love to talk with you about the luncheon and who all you met. A good way to make a friend.
That’s what happens when you hear news you don’t want. As a reasonable human being with manners, you know you should never scare the people around you. You should grin and bear it. Never let people see you cry or be upset. Otherwise, you’ll have to explain what happened. When you explain, you relive the devastating reality. Then people give you platitudes you can live without. Usually, they say those things because they believe it’s the proper thing to do. So in other words, they say the words to make themselves feel better.
All you can tolerant is someone who will talk about the nice weather. So you keep your mouth shut and manage a faint grin.
Most people do not understand how I feel, so I rather not hear their opinion or receive their sympathy. I keep the screaming inside until I’m numb and can come to terms with the person I am, not the one who I thought I was.
So you’re planning to speak to a group of writers. Most guest speakers will give a little spiel about themselves. All good. Be sure to tell the things that have relevance to what you’re going to talk about. Sure, you can include a short little story about that time you climbed a mountain, but make sure it’s funny or interesting. Otherwise, drop it.
So you want to enlighten your audience on how your company or organization came to be? Or how the industry changed over the last few years. Be sure to keep it short. Chances are you’re telling your audience what they already know.
I have found that I rarely hear a speech that inspires me. When I do, it is usually because they have told me something I didn’t know, and/or I find it to be of use.
If I can read your slide(s), and they follow along with what you’re saying without adding anything, then they are defeating the purpose. You’ll bore your audience.
You’re probably asking, what should I do? Of course, follow the major key points on the slides, but colored in between the areas with more information or explanations in your speech. In other words, be sure to explain (in an interesting way) why those key points are important.
Include “real life” points. That’s when I love hearing about the speaker’s life and their experiences. Or maybe their friend’s or information about a stranger’s experience that’s been verified. Or a funny or emotional, fictional the-moral-to-the-story point. If you’re not funny (personally, I’m sarcastic, not funny), place unexpected pictures or comics in the middle of your slides. It will wake your audience up. Be sure to keep it relevant, borderline relevant is okay.
Be sure to keep your pace steady, but take a couple seconds in between points. Breathe. Do not over explain. Modulate your voice. NO! Not into a monotone. More into a good rhythm. Stopping and going in a middle of a sentence will make the audience wonder if you know what you’re talking about. UNLESS, you’re using it to make a point or draw attention. Do be sure to practice the presentation. And it’s okay to be excited at times about what you’re talking about. Try to smile though most of the speech. It will come through in your tone.
(Don’t be a dinosaur)
Do you stand behind the podium? Do you stay in a chair? NO! Get up. Move around. Use your hands. Wave them around on occasion. Like everything in life, do not overdo. Spread the love in various ways.
The most important thing to remember is DO NOT READ YOUR SPEECH. 🙂 Print out an outline of the key points you want to tell the audience. If you’re near to being blind like me, blow up the print. And again, practice your speech.
So you’re planning to speak to a group of writers. Most guest speakers will give a little spiel about themselves. All good. Be sure to tell the things that have relevance to what you’re going to talk about. Sure, you can include a short little story about that time you climbed a mountain, but make sure it’s funny or interesting. Otherwise, drop it.
why those key points are important.
