I was watching an old episode of “What’s My Line?” and the sponsor was Kellogg’s. That got me thinking about this week’s question.
But first, Philip Howard, of “No Pun at All!,” was first to answer last week’s question about the most important technical innovations of the past 25 years. Congratulations, Philip, and welcome to the Sunday Seven!
On to …

I recently wrote a bit about treating others with respect, even if you disagree with opinions they have or positions they take.
When it comes to writing, treating others with respect strikes me more as not wanting to burn bridges. Why would a writer want to anger a potential reader, a potential agent, or a potential publisher? I don’t …

In response to my last post, I received a few comments that I wanted to address here. The first comes from Dave:
Great post. But I think in the end I have to disagree with your main premise. Reacting violently to someone elses practice of free speech should never be tolerated. And I know you agree that any crime committed …

Here we go with another edition of six questions!
Last week, Carly of “Ellipsis…Suddenly Carly” was first to play last week for the third week in a row! Congratulations, Carly!
Here are this week’s “Saturday Six” questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal…but either way, leave …

I hate writing exercises.
No, you don’t understand. I genuinely hate being handed a writing assignment at a workshop and being asked to write something on the fly. I hate it more than getting up early, eating rutabegas, or going to the dentist.
Okay, so I don’t hate them more than going to the dentist, but they rank right up …

This is one of those posts that almost didn’t happen. I debated over and over again over what I wanted to say, how I wanted to say it, why I wanted to say it and whether I should say anything. Ultimately, I decided there is an important point — a cautionary tale, actually — that I think bloggers and their …

I stepped out onto my patio a couple of days ago to water some plants and I noticed straw in the patio chair. The amount of it suggested that it couldn’t have been blown in by the wind. I looked up over the chair and found a bird’s nest over the light fixture.
I carefully stood on the chair …

This week’s Round Robin Photo Challenge is “Holy.” I took a trip a few months ago out to Richmond’s Hollywood Cemetary, a cemetary that dates back to the middle of the 19th century.
Many of the monuments feature elaborate designs, which suggest that many of those laid to rest there had lots of money. Indeed, the cemetary is the …

Many people on both sides of the political spectrum cannot wait to hear of a reporter being interviewed on a talk show so that they can try to look for any indication of bias on the reporter’s part. If they get the prize they so desperately seek, they use this information as but their latest condemnation of the media.
Their …

Sorry for the lateness of the hour. I was detained at work getting ready for May Sweeps which, regrettably, begin this Thursday. I do take comfort in knowing that as I post this, it is still Tuesday in Hawaii.
For those who have never played, the rules are simple: I offer two different questions, both related to the …

Have you ever looked at a piece of technology and kicked yourself for not coming up with the idea yourself? Techies will enjoy this week’s question.
But first, Cat, of “Sweet Memes,” was first to answer last week’s question about languages you’d like to be able to speak fluently. Congratulations, Cat.
On to the newest challenge!
THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
CNN recently …

I just spent the weekend at Ravencon 2006, a convention for writers and fans of science fiction, fantasy and horror held here in Richmond.
For a first-time convention, I thought that things went remarkably well. I remarked to Michael Pederson, the convention chair and publisher of Nth Degree, that it certainly didn’t feel like it was the first one.
One of …

Sorry for the late posting on this week’s set. I’ve been at a weekend writing conference, which I’ll blog about later.
Last week, Carly of “Ellipsis…Suddenly Carly” was again first to play last week. Carly also became the “first to play on the second time around” for the sixth edition of the Saturday Six, which can be …

From John Scalzi’s “By The Way…:”
Weekend Assignment #107: Which recent piece of technology would you miss the most if it suddenly disappeared tomorrow? By “recent,” I mean in the last two decades or so.
What I think I’d miss the most is the internet. For most of the popular gadgets like digital cameras, iPods, or cell phones, there are less …

The Carillon was erected in 1931 in memory of those who died in World War I.

At the time, perhaps people thought that WWI would be the worst war they would ever see. If only that could have been true.

Sometimes it would be so much easier — or at least it seems like it would be — if we could just read each other’s minds. That way, there would be no possibility of deceit. But would it be worth it? That’ll get you thinking about this week’s question.
For those who have never played, the rules are …

Yesterday, Easter Sunday, represented several endings.
For one, it was the end of Lent, the period of forty days commemorating the time Jesus spent in the desert before beginning his public ministry. It was my first time participating in Lent, and I chose to give up carbonated drinks. It was an ambitious choice, since I can go through a …

One of the recurring topics in writer blogs is Beta Readers, those folks who courageously take on the task of reading your work-in-progress in order to give you feedback.
Beta readers mean different things to different people. Some writers want a beta reader to give assistance with copy-editing, including spelling and grammar checks. Other writers would like to have …