Can Social Media Make You a Victim?

Today's social media world has nurtured a landscape in which a level of camaraderie develops online that normally wouldn't be felt in person. Often, a person's identity and information is available because of their business and their desire to gain new clientele. But, when is too much information – too much? When you're writing about being in the airport on Twitter, the world suddenly knows you're not at home. If any of the "pals" you've made along the way know you're single, live alone, and run a business from your home – the fact that a house with office equipment is empty of its occupant has just been released to the world.

So, how can Twitter, or other social media go really bad? This past week, I've talked about stalking a few times. These new means of instant communication are an easy way for someone with ill intentions to gather enough information, to stalk a person and plan a physical attack, harass them, or vandalize their property.

Here's an easy one, the wealthy business person mentions taking the kids to soccer. A few days later mentions going on a trip overseas — have you seen the movie "Taken?" If not, just think kidnapping or some other harm to the partner left at home. Another scenario: men and women, who discuss their toys: jet skis, motorcycles, convertibles, and then Twitter about being away from the house on a trip, or simply at the kid's recital, soccer practice, baseball game, etc. Bye-bye toys. Finding out where someone lives is not hard to do, Polaris systems make looking up anyone's real estate property easier than looking up their phone number. Plus, with the telecommuting capabilities of today, many of us work from home and use our home and business address interchangeably. Again, it's easy for the wrong person with dark motives to find a victim.

Take a clue from some of the stalking prevention tips I gave out over the last few days. Use a post office box or a package and box rental service that will give you an actual physical address. Many of the newer UPS stores are doing this in lieu of PO Box numbers as they know packages are often undeliverable without a physical street address. Plus, a business looks more legitimate with a street address as opposed to a PO Box.

Most people using social media services and tools, have the right intentions and are using them for business networking purposes and to build a list of potential clients. However, for the small percentage of people with the wrong motivations, these tools also have the ability help build their list of potential victims.

Nemanja Vidic's Ban (Finally Learned What it is..>:(

Well, last blog I'd mentioned that I didn't know yet what Vidic's ban was going to be after his red card and send off from the Liverpool game. Here it is, it's ugly and it actually sounds worse than it is but it's pretty bad when you get to the bottom of my blog. The Football Association's official statement on their website confirms that Vidic is "suspended from all football until the Club have completed 2 first team matches for a Sending Off in a match played on 14/03/2009." Basically, he'll miss one match for his offence against Liverpool - denying a goal scoring opportunity for the visitors' skipper Steven Gerrard - and another because he has now been sent off twice in domestic fixtures this season.
So, Vidic won't play the away game at Fulham this coming Saturday, 21 March and the home game against Aston Villa on Sunday 5 April. If United plays on Tuesday, 7 April in the Champions League, the AV game will be held back a day…either way, the Serbian defender will not be where we need him most DEFENDING our keeper!
He's been getting goals, which has been amazing and it's saved our games more than once. But we really need him on the pitch to defend, especially against Aston Villa. These guys beat Hull. Keep in mind, Hull have been doing amazingly well. They aren't the old Hull, it's as if they've been substituted with some parallel team that look like Hull. (I'm happy for their fans, I've seen interviews and they're proud of their team – it's been a while.)

As far as Vidic's send off goes, I really appreciated how classy Sir Alex Ferguson handled it. (He always is such a class act...thus, the Knighthood--well that's how I like to see it.) Sir Alex said that Vidic made a mistake as people do. The team and he understood why Vidic had to be red-carded. SAF said they would have expected the same response against the other team if we would have been fouled against in such a manner. Vidic's previous red card was also against Liverpool, (are we seeing a pattern here?) in the 2-1 league defeat at Anfield on 13 September. Vidic was suspended for one match at that time, which was United's 1-1 draw away at Stamford Bridge on the following Sunday. Knowing that the next game he wasn't in was a draw doesn't make me feel too good about his not being on the pitch against Aston Villa in a few weeks.

Now, I don't mean to down play what Fulham can do. We beat them 4-0 in a recent FA Cup final berth and before that, we took them 3-0 in a Barclay's. But these guys are so up and down--do they know if they should scratch their watch or wind their butt? Get this: They beat Tottenham once and drew a nil with them, they drew a deuce with Chelsea, and drew nil-nil with both Liverpool and Aston Villa. They have been even more sporadic in their performance than that! It gets worse--They won against the Wanderers but lost against the Rovers—and this was during the Rovers' "rough patch." I'm not worried about them and I can only imagine no one else in Red is either...do you thing Nemanja just wanted the day off? But to take a chance with Aston Villa....
His not being there against AV is really nasty as we haven't seen them since our draw in November when we went nil-nil. (It was a cold, stormy, gloomy morning that lasted all day long.) At least this time, we're having them over to our place at Old Trafford but that didn't make a whole lot of difference last weekend against Liverpool, now did it? The game against Aston Villa will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel, at 11:00AM EST Sunday, 5 April.

Footy Saturday 14th March, 2009

(Just an FYI for you, if you're trying to calculate game times. Until the last Sunday in March, Britain is only four hours ahead of us in the Eastern Time Zone [EST]. On March 29, they go into their daylight savings time, when they'll be five hours ahead of us. It's boggy like this for this few weeks every year just in March. In October, when we switch again at different times, they're six hours ahead for a few weeks, then back to the usual five hours ahead.)

Despite Loss, Manchester United Still Tops the League

What a day...there's good news and bad news. The good news is we're still seven points ahead of Chelsea and four ahead of Liverpool. The bad news is...Liverpool took the match on a 4-1 win against us at Old Trafford today, Saturday 14th, March 2009.

It looked good up until an uncharacteristically, bold display at the back allowed Liverpool into the match; and the subsequent 4-1 defeat means the Reds’ lead at the top is chopped to four points, albeit with a game in hand.Cristiano Ronaldo converted a first-half penalty and put United ahead but three defensive mistakes, one of which was made by the man who's praises I'm quick to sing these days, Nemanja Vidic. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has bad days. Many, many days have passed since United have seen so bad a day as this and we really can't berate the fact that it went so poorly. We're still tops in our home league and looking great in the UEFA. This really is only a minor trip up. I don't like that our Vidic was sent off in the second-half at 73 minutes with a red card, which preceded the visitor’s third goal. I've not yet heard about a next game ban.

Other Premier League:

My other team…I used to love and still feel a loyalty toward the players – not so much the staff.

The Blackburn Rovers
What comes around goes around…Arsenal took the Blackburn Rovers 4-0 at Emirates Stadium. As far as I'm concerned, this wasn't much of a surprise but it's always disappointing to see the Rovers go down so badly. I personally feel it's all part of the Paul Ince karma they've brought on themselves…the poor judgement enacted by the Rovers' Board in firing him after only four months at the helm as coach. I've always felt strongly about it, which is why I wrote a passionate comment only this morning (3/14/09), in the Lancashire Telegraph. The article is about Keith Andrews' earning his keep and the wise decision of Paul Ince to have brought him to the team. Ironically enough, Andy Cryer's column is titled, "Blackburn Rovers Midfielder Has Gone Full Circle," which I feel has great symmetry to my karmic evaluation of Blackburn's situation.

Other news in the UEFA Cup run off:

Taking it on the nose -- Danish midfielder Daniel Jensen will have to miss out on the deciding leg of Werder Bremen's UEFA Cup Round of 16 tie against AS Saint-Etienne. In fact, he'll be missing two weeks of play breaking his nose in Thursday's night's collision with an opponent while playing against Les Verts. His surgery was on Friday, 13th March, to repair his broken nose. OUCH!

Catching UEFA Footy

A quick catch-up before the weekend…

Manchester United 2 - 0 Inter Milan

Manchester United will take place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals for the third season in a row, but Inter Milan actually had United's Nemanja Vidic concerned for a moment.

He was the successful and magical first goal of the night's game, making a powerful header into the net that set the tone of the game, and took United into an early lead. Inter Milan put up a good fight until Cristiano Ronaldo slicked the second goal five minutes into the second half.

We'll find out who the Red Devils are up against next when the draw for the last eight is made on March 20.

And as for Serie A…Well, it's not been a good year for the Italians. For the first time in seven years no Italian teams will play in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Yikes! It's hard to believe that all three Italian sides have been completely snuffed out by Premier League clubs. I say it with pride of course but I wouldn't have minded seeing Chelsea lose to Juventus and have at least one Serie A team in the quarter-finals.
ACF Fiorentina were the first out, unable to get past the group stage, Roma tied with Arsenal, which wasn't enough to get them the points needed to get into the quarter finals, either. Serie A is having a hard time the last few years and it's a sad thing. I remember seeing them win the FIFA World Cup in 2006, which was when I was really starting to get into Footy. That was when I first "met" Gilardino and Zinédine "Zi-Zi" Zidane, and began to learn the game.

I'm happy to know that most likely, an England Premiership team will win (oh, come on! Let's be realistic, here.) and that most likely, it will be Manchester United (oh, come on! Let's be realistic, here.) once again taking the cup. However, I can see English Premiership teams play each other all the time in the Barclay's Premiership. The UEFA needs to be more diverse, like the FIFA was. I am hopeful the other three of the Big Four will be eliminated quickly so there is a more international flavor to the last legs of the competition. I'll be keeping you posted…

SLUMDOG OSCAR FOR SALE

While the movie,"Slumdog Millionaire" was sweeping the Academy Awards the other night, the domain name, "Slumdog Oscar" was purchased. It's set to go on auction within 24 hours from now. Hmmm....

How to Start the Job Search ~ Step One

What Do I Do? How Do I Say That?

The Resume

I don't need to begin with statistics or facts about unemployment's alarming growth. We all know about it and chances are you're online reading this now, because you are looking for a job, or freelance project, perhaps you're in preparation of the layoff your company is about to announce. Yeah, we're all feeling it.
So, here we all are, blowing dust off our resumes, breaking out the thesaurus to find power words, figuring out ways to derive our skills from our accomplishments…this is not an easy task to undertake in itself, much less face the entire concept, of looking for a new job or making a career change. Watching our dwindling savings accounts, increasing household budgets, and rising stress factors in the home; all make staying positive and upbeat at the new "opportunity" presented before us – difficult at best.
First things first, take a deep breath and start with the basics. What do you do? What was the title of the last job you held? Not all job titles spell out exactly what their duties are, like Territory Operations Administrator. That can be a job that has wide berth of duties from company to company. Many companies will not have the title in their organizational chart at all. If you're not the Head Payroll Accountant, define your roll. List your natural talents and the ideal job that would highlight your best attributes. In which industry are your skill set and that position best suited?
If you are making a career change or returning to the workforce you'll need to survey what is available to you. Evaluate your talents as above and write down what you believe is the best industry to find the position you want…really look at it and ask yourself. Are you up to date on the latest trends and newest developments in that industry? Do you subscribe to the trade magazines (online or print) and journals related to the field? If not, you need to research everything about it – quickly! Be honest with yourself, start from where your left off and be thorough. Keep in mind a hiring manager who has been inside the industry will be asking you questions, and generating conversation; in an attempt to test your knowledge.
A resume should have an objective or summary statement. Depending on your situation, a paragraph may even be acceptable. The objective gives the interviewer an instant feel of the tone of you, your resume, your intellect, and your skill set. That's a tall order from one statement, isn't it? You have to get it right. Some hiring managers admit, if they don't like the objective statement, the resume goes into the dead file. Your objective or summary also helps you to focus on exactly what you are looking for as you search for a job. Plus, it's a great ten second sales pitch of yourself during the quick handshake and business card swap moment at a networking event.

Now, the meat of the resume is your skills – what you bring to the table. What are your skills? Write them down. One of my skills would be, "Compose comprehensive reading materials." Simple, concise and it can be broad enough that I will elaborate in the body of my resume with my experience through projects such as: Sr. Copywriter and Editor for nationwide company newsletter; Ghostwriter for medical text book, copywriter for email marketing campaign, and so on. Sometimes pulling out what your skill set is can be difficult. You're already feeling down as it is and then you sit there and think, "what am I good at?" Think about an award you've won, or some proud moment when the boss singled you out for moment of kudos. What did you do in those circumstances? Write it down! Did you fix a system or a create savings for the company? Have you ever initiated a sales incentive program, rewards system, or other benefit to employee morale that worked out well?
Next, start listing all of the good things you accomplished at one job, that you will be bringing to the next. For instance, were you the go-to person that helped rookie employees understand the job and did you bring them up to speed? You were good at "training people." That translates to: developing, counseling, coaching, team building, motivating, and much more. Use a thesaurus or the "look up" feature in Microsoft Word. It'll become your best friend.
This same technique applies to your job responsibilities. The level of leadership you held in your last position will determine how well you'll fit into the organization at which you are interviewing. Employers find value in employees that are held accountable for various processes or duties. Responsibility and reliability are two of the most desirable qualities executives say they want in their assistants.
If your education is a greater asset than your work experience, then highlight your degrees. Include any case studies you participated in that had real life impact. In a Campaign Management Class, I spearheaded a Public Relations campaign for our local Area Transit system. The objective was to reeducate the public about public transportation. As I began to see my ideas implemented over the years (local government takes years for a plan to come to fruition), I moved that particular case study to the top of my scholastic experiences.
Frequently, a position that is difficult to fill can be negotiated into your favor. Work backwards with me here: A fellow student and I wrote a grant proposal for a local charity organization that delivers meals to the elderly. Their need was for a $40,000 refrigerated truck, which would enable them to expand their delivery territory and increase the efficiency of the food preparation process. We had a huge success with our proposal, out of the whole class in fact, ours was the only one. A couple of years later, as I was looking for a job, I saw an ad that had been running for a long time, needing an editor for requests for proposals at a particular company. Their experience requirements were way beyond what I had, so I didn't bother to apply. When a friend told me they had a project that had to be completed soon or funds could be lost, I saw an opportunity. My only experience in that particular field was the single grant proposal, nevertheless, I proposed to the hiring manager that judging by how long the ad had been running, if he didn't find someone soon, he was going to be in a bind. He needed a particular job done quickly and I knew how to do the job. I was willing to work on the single project with the looming deadline, on a freelance basis. He would have my quote up front, so he'd know how much he was going to spend, plus I wouldn't cost him the expense associated hiring an employee. The best part would be that he could stop wasting his time interviewing completely unqualified applicants and get to work on the project. I convinced him, the job went smoothly, I earned some money during my job search and I gained some more experience. The supervisor finally had the time available to him to travel and recruit the proper candidate from Boston. The lesson here is do not rule out freelance work while you're job hunting.
Back to your resume, by all means include networking organizations (especially if you've held post as an officer), charity committees, and all career development training. However, make sure the continuing education is pertinent to the profession. If you are applying for a Public Relations position, the fact that you are certified to service the fire extinguisher in the hallway will not be impressive.
Now, at the end of a resume, some folks will put their outside interests to prove they know how to balance work and home life…as if this is some real evidence of a sane and well adjusted individual. Personally, I don't like to put anything personal on my resume. My opinion is that the two should be kept separate. If some parts of our personal lives are illegal to ask, why should we throw in any at all? Isn't that a double standard of sorts? Also, you never know if an organization you belong to may create a bias opinion against you. The gun club member might be offensive to the vegan hiring manager, yet the gun club member could be vegan, too. After you've proven yourself on the job and developed friendships in the department, then revealing who you are outside of work, is a good idea.
I'll take a look at your resume and polish it for you, at no charge. Just subscribe to my blog and send it to me. If you don't have an objective or summary statement, follow the format I've laid out here and let's see what I can do for you! No strings attached! Really.

Beckham, Van der Sar, Rooney ~ Oh My!

1,302 Minutes, 108 Caps & #10 Takes a 3rd

Just when I think I can't be any more proud of Edwin Van der Sar, he makes me want to burst with joy…again! He's hit his 14th successive league clean sheet in the 3-0 win over Fulham on Wednesday, 18 February, 2009. In fact, if he can keep the Blackburn Rovers from making a goal within the first 89 minutes on Saturday, he will beat the current record holder, Dany Verlinden, Belgium's Club Brugge keeper. Dany Verlinden's record of 1,390 minutes, was set in back in 1990, which means that it will have taken nearly twenty years for someone break the record, proving the task is not an easy accomplishment.

Frankly, nothing about our Eddy's job is easy, but he makes it look so! His brilliant height and sticky hands that can catch a ball or smack it away have made him the best keeper in the league. The young guns can learn so much from him, the main lesson being that with years of experience comes a natural grace and flow that can't be forced. His movements are not jerky and rushed. His eyes never leave the ball and his body is like a sound wave reaching from the field outward. It's unseen, this power he has and yet, it's huge and right there for the world to admire. Yes! I admit I gush!

Now, I do like to give credit elsewhere and that is to who is probably Van der Sar's best partner on the field, #5 Rio Ferdinand. His absence was palpable when he had back issues recently and couldn't play. I see these two as a great partnership and Rio defends his keeper and acts as Captain frequently enough, that I believe when Neville retires, the job should be Rio's full-time. I know Giggs sometimes wears the band, but personally, I sense a better communication experience between the refs, Rio, SAF, and Edwin Van der Sar, when Ferdinand is captain. (Just to throw it out there, my favorite ref is Webb and that will be for another blog!)

So, I've gone this far without mentioning the biggest story of the week and that was Becks earning his 108th cap and making his 100th start in Seville. That places him on par with the most legendary name in the history of English football, Bobby Moore. Some people are offended by this. They feel that he doesn't deserve the honor. Why not? Are they afraid it takes something away from Bobby? Peter Shilton broke the record by 17, earning 125 caps long ago and no one seems to be saying anything about that. It's just that the "pretty-boy" Beckham is now level with the only England captain to ever win a world cup. Well, guess what? He's not going to always be the only one. It will happen again and if we want to split hairs, a British team recently won the World Cup…Manchester United. A team for which Beckham once played. (Hair splitting from the other side argues that Becks had late or quick walk ons that shouldn't have counted as caps.)

So, let's congratulate David Beckham for accomplishing something that not many players get to do. He loves the game so much, he's been loaning himself out just so he can keep playing and it has added up. Game after game, we've now reached a point where we can say, "Look Beckham and Moore are equal on caps!" We only count upward from here with Beckham…from now on, his tally goes higher. By the way, in his loaning himself out to keep playing, Beckham has said that his body fat is the lowest it's ever been in his life. Ok, I'm a woman writing this blog, you gotta know that makes me drool a little. (You guys would be the same way if it were Gisele Bundchen that you were writing about.)
Wow! What is wrong with Victoria Beckham? She should be spending every possible moment with him – offering to measure his body fat!

The last and happiest item is that #10 WAYNE ROONEY IS BACK! Yay! He came back from his injury and he scored the third goal of the game…just as we would expect him to do. He looks like little Opie Taylor with the grin on his face, and that's what we've been wanting to see for weeks now! Welcome back, mate – you were missed!

Tips for Better Business Writing

Wendy Wells is a Freelance Writer, Editor and Proofreader
wwells@wendywellswrites.com

Wendy Wells is a Freelance Copywriter, Editor and Ghostwriter. She holds a Master’s of English in Writing and Rhetoric, from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she also completed her Graduate Studies in Communications.

Many MBA's dread when they are forced to do any sort of formal business writing. There's simply no replacement for the written word, even in our technologically advanced age. Sometimes a phone or video conference isn't practical, and an email isn't emphatic enough for what needs to be said. Presentations and projects often require original text, so you're going to need some basic business writing skills. For times like these and when you need more than a memo to get your point across, following these simple tips can make the business writing process easier for you and keep your reader engaged.

• Begin
  
  When you introduce the topic of any sort of business correspondence, consider your audience and their role in the project. How much background information is needed for them to understand what you're talking about? If "very little" is the answer, then keep it short. You can lose your reader very early with too much information, especially if it is only adding flavor to the topic.
  

• Format
  
  Headings in business writing help the reader get a quick idea of the page's topic and content. Use headings to get the message across quickly, allow your reader to skim the page and show emphasis. Headings also create white space, which gives the eyes a "rest" between topics and paragraphs.
  
  Does it have to be words? Business writing is often best communicated when it's not written at all! (Especially for business correspondence, when the reader has quick and easy access to a trash can.) A graph or chart is much more effective than our market shares showed an increase in penetration throughout the summer months, reaching 92%.
  

• Place
  
  Keep business writing and correspondence short! Look for phrases that can be rearranged and shortened. Instead of saying system of inventory, write inventory system. Sentences that start with flourishes such as, "For starters, if you have excessive information that is only adding flavor...” instead, just begin the sentence with what you mean to say. "Excessive information that only adds flavor...”
  

• Cut
  
  Once you've written a draft, go back and look for redundant information to edit. Check to see where things you've written are saying the same thing and cut something out. The two previous sentences are an example, they say the same thing.
  
  Many companies have some sort of internal reference system, abbreviations or nicknames that can shorten your text. If everyone knows the Seattle warehouse is called "S-E2," use it.
  
  Avoid editorializing, save it for a meeting, phone conference, or as a follow-up. Too much space is wasted with: For some time now, I have seen the need to improve the system of inventory control at S-E2, it has grown into a problem, which can deter its progression into a major distribution hub. Instead, get straight to the point of what is best for the company and not what makes you look the best. Before it can become a major distribution hub, the inventory system at S-E2 needs significant modification.
  
  Search for content that steers away from your core subject and remove it. Business writing is not about you but when it's done properly, business communication will make you look great!
  

• Go!
  
  When you've made your point, there is no need to recap. This isn't Composition 101, where your grade depends on the "tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you've told them," formula. Once you've made your point and finished what you have to say, stop writing!

Social Media Works for Hearing Impaired

Going Deaf
Losing Your Senses – NOT a Picnic!

Social media is perfect for someone like me. It's online, I write you – you write me, I can blog, podcast, or video. Don't get me wrong…I love socializing and meeting people in person, and at the Charlotte Twestival last night, I had a blast! If it weren't for the fact that I'm Hearing Impaired, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it even more!



You're probably familiar with the cotton-filled feeling your ears have when you've got a head cold. Sound is muffled, as if it is coming through water, or through the wall of another room. Everyone expects you to hear what they say and comprehend it the first time around…when you don't, they get impatient because you're making them repeat. Music doesn't sound the same…the quality is flatter, something's missing…your own voice betrays you…say a few words, and stop yourself, "do I really sound that way? What's wrong with me? I must be sick." That's the flu. For me, that's life.

My world is growing quieter but my head grows louder. I am going deaf but I have tinnitus. I never have silence. There is no such thing as relaxing, soothing, calm in Wendy-land. There is no, enjoyable conversation that is caught the first time around, where no one ever has to repeat themselves. There is never a day, when someone – a stranger, a friend, a loved one, doesn't become impatient with me because they've had to repeat something twice, three times…'look at me, I need to read your lips,' – they say it again. When I don't get it the third or fourth time they often give up, "oh never mind, it wasn't that big of a deal…the joke's over." So I get left out – frequently. Or, I'm too embarrassed to ask someone to repeat themselves more than once or twice, and I'll pretend I heard them. Smile and nod…I take the cue and laugh when everyone else does (must have been the punch line), then ask Nathan later what I missed. Wendy-land gets lonely and it's an embarrassing place to live. It's the house on the block with the poor kid, who never wants to invite friends over.

Yeah, I know, "woe is me!" Well, there's only so much, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, that I can do. I've had surgery in both ears. Surgeons replaced the bones with metal implants and rebuilt new ear drums. Both surgeries were spaced apart by about ten years, and that's about how much time they'll "buy" me until I go nearly deaf. As long as I have any measure of hearing, aids can amplify sound and I do have one hearing aid. I need two but they're expensive and insurance doesn't cover them. I suppose all six senses are a luxury. Each surgery corrected the vertigo I had at the time. But that grows as the hearing goes. Another embarrassment. I might as well be an alcoholic, for the way I get so dizzy and unbalanced much of the time. If Nathan's around, or I'm standing near something, I can usually inconspicuously lean, or reach out to steady myself. Fortunately, Nathan's used to it. He'll suddenly feel my hand tighten around his waist or his arm,he'll know I'm having a dizzy spell, and that it'll pass. No need to call attention to it.

So, at last night's Twestival in Charlotte, as usual, it was a struggle to participate in conversation, as it always is in a loud venue. (Especially when my Love was on the microphone. We're both radio/TV people, so I get it;~) Inevitably, I will end up asking, "what?" so many times that I get embarrassed, I'll fiddle with the volume on my hearing aid, twist my neck around to try each ear…then, as usual, I'll take a cue from the facial expression of the person speaking to me, or the group I'm in and smile and nod – or, pensively, "hmm, interesting…" I've got to read lips in situations when I can't hear. While I love going out and socializing, social media is perfect for me. I'm reading words, which is even more definitive than lips, it's online, I write you – you write me, I can blog, podcast, or video…I blast the volume, whatever. It's just that going deaf and socializing in public is no picnic. I'm sitting outside watching everyone else eat and laugh…Nathan will hand me a doggie bag later.

My left ear is almost completely deaf, so it has the hearing aid. My right ear has about 60% hearing left in it. I can hear in a relatively quiet room without my hearing aid, especially certain tones and voices. Usually, I can derive from the conversation we're having, what is being said even if I'm not catching every word. Sometimes, I'll get it wrong and it's comical. Eating dinner in front of the telly, Nathan will get up, and take our plates toward the kitchen, I'll hear his voice, and reply, "no thanks, I want to save some room for dessert." He'll stop, turn look at me quizzically, and that's when I know I've done it again. I'll lift an eyebrow silently inquiring, "what did you really ask me?" He'll bemusedly say, "I asked if you if wanted to start the movie yet." Oh, I was turning down a second helping of dinner. You hear that? Going deaf really isn't a picnic!

I'm Your Valentine

For the month of February, I'll review and polish your resume for free. It's my Valentine to you all! (If I get swamped, preference will be given to those with upcoming interviews, according to their scheduled date!)

The Dark Angel ~ The White Knight and The Coolest Hand

Goldie Hawn Doesn't Need My Hug...

...Yet, when someone that I have always adored, like Goldie Hawn is just as moved as I am for the same reasons…I want to hug her. Even now, thinking of the pain she was feeling at the moment when she had to announce that Heath Ledger had won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor, at that moment, her pain…not my own, makes me want to go and give Goldie Hawn a hug....

During the BAFTA's, the other night, I couldn't help but cry in such sorrow that Heath Ledger had to win his Best Supporting Actor award, for the Dark Knight, posthumously. What really got me, was the way Goldie Hawn's voice cracked when she said his name. She still has that, sweet, freshly washed voice she's had since before the days of, " Private Benjamin" or even, "Laugh In." As she said his last name, "Ledger" came out as a painfully, happy whisper that forced its way over swallowed tears. Then, when she introduced the man who would be accepting the award, Producer Charles Roven…she almost couldn't say his name either. I don't know if she had ever met Heath, or worked with him but she obviously feels the way I do…they way so many of us do. He was so talented and there was so much that he had not yet unwrapped to let us see…the bleeding wound of our communal heart was reopened. He was always my favorite actor when I was watching one of his movies. It was then, that I would believe I could never feel the loyalty toward any other actor that I did for him at that moment. That's his power. He makes you watch him, lost in the life of the person he has become. From a priest who becomes a sin-eating, Angel of Death, to an ersatz Knight who finds the royal inner strength and will to make those around him better than they are. And that's what makes, Heath so unique…he really does bring out the best in those around him. Without pointing fingers, look at some of the partners with whom he has acted…up until the time they stood across from Heath, had they ever given so magnificent of a performance in their careers? Some never did again, or have yet to reach that height and are still working to find it. Like a high chased by a junkie…to have felt it once, is to crave it again forever. When the BAFTA's returned from commercial, directly after Heath's award, they gave a salute to those whom had passed away this last year. What a year of remarkable people…gone! And this wasn't even the year that Heath died. The last actor of the clips was the greatest. The hottest cat, the coolest hand...Paul Newman. The only other person who makes me agonize that the world has lost him. I was devastated when he died. Especially because I don't think his death received the immediate respect and attention that Paul Newman deserved. Our two candidates had just held a debate, and that was the top priority of talk and news. I understand that. I get it. But when one of the greatest humanitarians of all time, certainly of OUR time passes away AND he happens to be one of the most talented actors to ever grace the screen, AND he happens to have never once had a whisper of scandal around his loving fifty year marriage to his sweetheart…that deserves the trumpets of angels. Knowing that the bluest eyes…the eyes of an angel, will never look into the camera again, and smile that wickedly, innocent, handsome, grin…or the smile that breaks into his laughter…it's painful. His whole face, so beautiful and perfect…flashing white, lipid blue, the tannest skin; the man was a vocabulary of color on screen. I can't even get through a full sentence now, without stopping to weep. Still, this loss – so great it is, affects me this deeply. That's what these people do…these actors. We let them into our hearts so much so, that we feel as though we have a right to be a part of their lives. Isn't that part of the whole "stalker" psychology? Stalkers can't differentiate between the characters, the tabloids, the interviews and the real person's private life. We don't have a right to their private lives, but because they are "so popular," we end up with a glimpse inside anyway. It's when they're gone that we realize we really didn't know them at all. There was so much that we'll never learn, see, or understand about them because they weren't our friend. Yet, when someone that I have always adored, like Goldie Hawn is just as moved as I am for the same reasons…I want to hug her. Even now, thinking of the pain she was feeling at the moment when she had to announce that Heath Ledger had won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor, at that moment, her pain…not my own, makes me want to go and give Goldie Hawn a hug. But she doesn't need my hug. She has Kurt, Kate, Oliver, Wyatt, Ryder and many other loved ones and many other pairs of arms open to her. But I imagine, out of all the loved ones and arms that could embrace her at that moment, the one she wanted more than anything, to hug – was Heath Ledger.

If I Could Write an Episode of Torchwood...

A peek at my "special" Torchwood episode after the Dr. Who episode where the Dialeks have come back "Turn Left." ~

The entire headquarters of Torchwood is in shambles…it looks like nothing will ever be able to get it back to order. Gwen and Inanto look dead, about six Dialeks are scavenging the equipment, doing what they do…Jack, the re-generated Doctor, Donna and Rose are sneaking in through what looks like a computer desk. It's actually an escape hatch, and secret room with weaponry, rations, etc. Rose and Jack each have a big gun like the one that Rose used when she blew the head off a Dialek in "Turn Left." Donna is gathering items into a backpack and the Doctor is about to "make an entrance," when the "EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!" is screamed but just then…the floor begins to vigorously rumble. During what feels like a violent earth quake, Gwen and Ianto wake up, in pain but not dead. Jack sees them, starts over toward them just, as a sound like a deep voice uttering a steady hum and a bright FLASH of light appears.

THE FACE OF BOE is floating above the Dialeks, OUTSIDE of its protective liquid and jar. The tentacles (dreadlocks, Russell?) stretch out to the Dialeks and the pods at the end of them latch on to them like suction cups. A little bit of powder, then liquid comes out and the Dialek melts away into nothingness. As if it never existed. (Here the Doctor would say, "Oh! That's what those are for!) This Face of Boe is healthier and younger looking than the one that is in New New York later. The Face of Boe is able to settle to the ground, close its eyes and suddenly, everyone injured is healed. The deep voiced hum continues and the Doctor approaches the Face, they are obviously communicating telepathically. After some time, The Doctor nods at the Face, stands up, looks around and says, "Jack has gone, he won't be back for a while."

I Support Christian Bale MORE After Hearing This....

Once again, sound bites put into the context of the editor and producers are all that we hear…which, is the only thing that instant judgment is based on in the court of public opinion. Listen to this whole thing, apparently, it's not the first time Christian Bale has had to tolerate this type of behavior from the DP. This was NOT the first scene that camera man had ruined for Bale, by walking around on the set!
I agree, with Bale...the DP obviously doesn't understand!

Say he's sorry? Christian Bale was in the right!

Good acting isn't "playing make believe." There is a process that stellar performers must go through in order to truly become the role of whomever they are playing. For some, staying in that mode takes heavy concentration, before and through the moment the scene is shot…when they are able to finally release the pent up energy of the character…this other person inhabiting their body. Some actors are more easy going and can snap into character as soon as the scene starts. They have a mechanism that enables their "other person" to inhabit their body with only a thought in their own mind.

Christian Bale is known as an actor who needs to be able to concentrate on being the character up until and into the scene being filmed. When someone breaks the "third wall" and invades the reality of the character, the result can be quite jarring. Keep in mind, the moment the "infraction" occurs, – the actor is NOT themselves. They are the character…and something has interrupted and disturbed THE CHARACTER. The reaction can be very emotional, anything from anger to fear, laughter to tears. The character Bale is playing in the movie would never see a DP taking light readings in the reality he inhabits. A "Terminator" perhaps, but not a camera man…seeing this guy broke the world that Christian Bale had created for this other person, who inhabits his body…the angry soldier fighting Terminators.

Writers are often intense and if one small distraction happens, and entire thread of a storyline we were "seeing" can suddenly disappear before we've had the chance to get it on paper. This is frustrating because sometimes, the exact feeling of, "AH-HA! I've got it!" is never quite the same, even if an alternative and fantastic storyline is created.

No, Christian Bale should NOT have to apologize for his outburst. The crew of the movie set (and all sets) needs to respect and understand that if they break an actor's concentration before a scene is filmed, it's just as bad as if they walked into a scene that is actually being filmed. The character inhabiting the body of the actor doesn't realize it's all a movie. If someone out of the ordinary shows up, or an action occurs that jars the actor's concentration… the character can freak out! Because in that moment, the actor is inhabiting the character… it's the other way around, you see? Perhaps, (not always) a character is the first to react…before the actor has the time to take over the body again.

I'm not saying it was the soldier character that yelled at the guy and not Christian Bale. He has a temper. He worked hard to create an alternative reality in his mind and someone had no respect for it.

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(If you don't scroll down far enough, you'll miss blogs with tips for Better Business Writing, news on Manchester United and some of the dining/food allergy experiences I've had!)

Wendy Wells Writes: Say he's sorry? Christian Bale was in the right!#links

Wendy Wells Writes: Say he's sorry? Christian Bale was in the right!#links

I tawt I taw a Tweety Tat? Twitter Devours Another Twitt-tee

I finally started following people on Twitter. I signed up quite a while ago but haven't done anything until tonight. Things that make you go hmmmm.....

New Blog: Twitter Star Date ~ Sometime in the now

"Power begins with mastering the means of communication. Whomever owns the words conveying the message, is in control."

Hmmm, does it sound insightful, or merely give the appearance of trying to sound profound? Do the quotation marks give it any more credibility than if they were not there? Do they make you wonder who said it? Usually, a phrase in quotation marks implies an erudite, philosophical person from history, or one making history, said something worth repeating.

The two sentences in quotations above refer to power, communication and control. Those of us who write and live in the realm of Public Relations, know that when order has been broken, a breach of an image has occurred, or a disaster needs a leader… conveying the message in the right way can keep the situation under control.

I have no desire to give a history lesson, or to regurgitate recent news. However, I will cite two examples: the 1982 Tylenol® scare and the recent airplane landing in the Hudson River. Within less than a year after the poisonings, Americans were chewing Tylenol like candy because we trusted Johnson & Johnson again. Within moments after the landing, Twitter made Captain Sully a hero.

Anyway, I'm a wordsmith and I've been surfing around Twitter for the first time. This led me to a number of different sites about copywriting, freelancing, getting published, etc. I am disheartened by the experience, because I see so many other businesses similar to mine…and they have REAL websites! (I blame finances and the fact that my boyfriend has his own marketing business. One of his services is to CREATE websites for clients! The shoemaker's children go barefoot, syndrome…get it?)

Fortunately, I have education and experience on my side. Some sites I visited were created by delusional saps who can't write their way out of an avalanche with a hot pen. (Mine, don't steal it.) Apparently, they'd fallen for some "get rich by writing from home" scheme. As soon as the technology is available, I plan to reach through their monitors and shake them by the shoulders. YOU CAN NOT GET RICH THIS WAY! Especially if you have no skill as a writer! Many of us have years of training, education…hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt…all to become great writers and it will happen for us before it will happen for you!

I often hear, "JK Rowling had never written before…." Yes, but she has talent! She has an extraordinary imagination and ability to weave descriptions that transport the reader to another place, where we believe in witches and wizards. The real secret behind Rowling is that she IS Lord Voldemort and we're all under a spell to buy, buy, buy!

I am a huge fan of the series and the novel I am writing now is actually part of a series as well. But that's for another blog entry, on another night. Ciao!

Serious Fun for the Super Bowl!

I'm not endorsing the product or anything, just showing an example of my work. Red Ventures is a marketing company and one of their biggest clients is Direct TV. They hire me to write for them and the content I provide ends up in various places throughout the web! (I've placed the actual text here and the link to where it's published.)

Serious Fun!

On Saturday, January 31, at 1:30 pm ET, the white sands of St. Petersburg Beach, Florida, is where DIRECTV has a day of fun planned for subscribers to see on the 101® Network. Check out the most popular Pre-Super Bowl XLIII gathering in Tampa Bay, Ybor City, Clearwater, or any other town near Raymond James Stadium! The day before the Big Game, the place to be is the Third Annual Celebrity Beach Bowl hosted by Spike HD. It's two, 20-minute halves of a rough and tumble Flag Football Match up, as Hollywood and the NFL come together in the name of fun for a great cause.

Just like any great and super "Bowl" sports game should, the Direct TV Celebrity Beach Bowl will have live pre-game commentary ahead of the 2:30 ET kick-off. During the action, the voice of Andrew Siciliano from Direct TV's NFL Sunday Ticket Red Zone Channel will be calling the plays along with an all-star team of sports analysts who will serve as officials and sideline correspondents. For experts on the field, Maurice Jones-Drew, from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Matt Forte, from the Chicago Bears will officiate the game. Hey, Direct TV isn't messing around…this fun is serious business!

Naturally, the serious fun comes in for the REAL game, and that takes place Sunday, February 1, 2009. The anticipated clash of the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals, in Super Bowl XLIII.

Before all of the football fun begins, Direct TV's HD picture will bring you the best entertainment from some of America's greatest musical talents. The night kicks off with Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson when she sings the National Anthem. For the first time in many months, America will hear this brave songbird sing joyfully at a place of celebration.

Multi-Grammy Award-winner, Faith Hill will sing "America the Beautiful" for pre-game festivities, and the Halftime show promises to be bigger, more dazzling, and better than ever when Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform.

Cristiano Ronaldo World Player of the Year 2008

Cristiano Ronaldo has become THE FIRST Premier League player to be announced the FIFA World Player of the Year!This has GOT to shut up some of the bashers of his talent but of course, it won't. There are too many critics that are willing to tear down an individual based on the fact that they are good looking, young and the focus of a great deal of attention. This is a well-deserved and hard-earned honor for our #7 Winger. Yesterday's match against Chelsea proves that he, Evra, Berbatov and Rooney, can work amazing magic together! Two set-ups from Ronaldo made two of yesterday's goals possible. In the first half, he completed a fantastic goal that was not counted due to a a technicality. (It should have been 4 -0) Congratulations Cristiano Ronaldo! It only makes sense that the Greatest team in the World should have the Greatest Player in the World! ***** Manchester United 2008 World Cup Winners *********** Cristano Ronaldo 2008 World Player of the Year ******

Manchester United Wins World Cup

Manchester United Wins World Cup
December 22, 2008,
Wendy Wells – Charlotte, NC
wwells@wendywellswrites.com

(12.22.08)
When it comes to my favorite football team (what we Americans usually call soccer), I'll admit I'm a bit…passionate. But you have to understand: Manchester United has had a slight hiccup in the Barclay's Premiership League this past season. This blip in their sturdy record of victories has led the uneducated novices of the Football world to think, the team is suddenly no good, or that they've lost their edge. Wrong! Nothing could be further from the truth!

The Red Devils have been busy winning qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup AND taking out the competition in the 2008 World Cup to become the first British team to ever win the title. Do you understand what I just wrote? Let me repeat: Manchester United is THE FIRST BRITISH TEAM TO EVER WIN THE WORLD CUP TITLE.

That means Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, (certainly) Hull City, Everton, Blackburn, (duh), Wigan...NONE of them have ever accomplished what http://www.manutd.com/ has by becoming THE FIRST BRITISH TEAM TO EVER WIN THE WORLD CUP TITLE.

(Now, don't get this confused with England's winning the World Cup in 1966. That's the England National team's win. I am very proud of England. Especially since there are so many ManUnited players on the team!)

I'm so proud that Rio Ferdinand was the Captain (no disrespect to Neville) as the lads took the trophy. I always feel that Rio does a good job of keeping a cool head on the pitch, he communicates well with Sir Alex Ferguson, and he intervenes well on behalf of the players with the referees. Usually. The only disappointment out of all the celebration, of course, is the thing that makes me nearly cry....Nemanja Vidic's send off. In some respects it proves how Manchester United can win a World Cup with only a ten man team. On the other hand, it's heartbreaking to think Vidic might not only have been sent off for such an important game, but he also might be banned for an upcoming match as well.

Apparently, this ban is going to carry over into the UEFA Champion's League when they play Inter Milan in February. Now, I'm not so worried about Inter Milan taking the match as the team that they are now --- but if they get their shoes on the right feet, and run through the gates in the proper direction...they could become a force to be reckoned with, especially with Vidic off the pitch. He's not only an integral part of the Manchester United defense but he's also proven to be the "ace-in-the-hole" on more than one occasion by scoring out of nowhere when we needed it most.

Sir Alex is being the lovely diplomat about it all (at present) and I commend him for that. He says it (the send off and red card) was the right thing for the ref to do at the time. However, I have not yet seen or heard what SAF is saying about the possibility of the suspension carrying over into the UEFA's upcoming match. The elbow is easy to see in slow motion replay, but it's really hard to know exactly what the momentum of their body's inertia was, the velocity in which they were carried, or how hard of a shove off Nemanja was taking as he launched himself up off of the Liga player. As a fan of the man, I see it as his simply his trying to get up after a fall. I'm sure a fan of the other team, would see the incident as an insult to their player. Regardless of the exact motive – we have a red card and have to face the possibility that #15 might not be on pitch against Inter Milan in February.

Now, on to the man of the hour – or rather, the Man of the Match, Wayne Rooney! He scored the winning goal in the 73rd minute of the game to win the trophy 1-0. Whew! Saving the day, that "White Pele." First off, let's rewind a bit to Gamba the other night. Sir Alex Ferguson switched out Tevez and Rooney while we were ahead 2-0. Just as Rooney was coming onto the pitch, Yamakazi. scored for Japan. Rooney's answer to Japan's slicing our lead in half? Within one minute (or less?), he zapped a goal past their keeper like a stone in the ocean! Then, what do we do? BAM-BAM hat trick like nobody's business and the score goes to 5-1. Endo gets a penalty kick and bumps it to a less embarrassing 5-2 for the Japanese.

Now, right here, I must comment on the merits of the penalty kick he'd been awarded. Total bollocks. Neville supposedly had an arm in but it was really a ball that hit his arm from behind. It was a ridiculous call, Neville had no idea the ball was coming at him. One of the game's announcers said there had been an earlier arm ball that was not called out, so this probably balanced out. Phooey on that notion as well. Either a ref makes a call it when it happens or they don't call it at all, that's it. The ball that hit Neville was not from his deliberately swinging his arm into the path of the ball's play. The ball was kicked into Neville's arm, from behind. "Nuff said.

So, Endo gets one by our Eddie. It happens sometimes, even the best keeper in the league, Edwin Van der Sar, can’t swat every fly. I do not think our Dutchman gets enough credit, though. So often, all of the blogs and message boards are about the guys running on the pitch, and it is well deserved praise – I'm right there shouting "Halleluiah" with the rest. I just don't see enough "atta' boys" and "Man of the Match" praises thrown to our Eddie. (I love to call him our Eddie, I don't know if he'd hate it or not!) Anyway, as always Van der Sar played a huge role in this victory…as he always does. He knocked out so many, very close-to-the-post balls, especially once we'd gone down to just ten men after Vidic's send off. This comes as no surprise that Eddie's got the skill for the sweet taste of being the BEST on the planet…this is his second world title, his first was with Ajax in 2004. (They haven't played CL football in, so long…I think since he left, do you see the connection?).

BUT I DIGRESS…..back to our World Cup Title
The Man of the Match, # 10, Striker, Wayne Rooney scored the goal that proved Manchester United is the Greatest team on Earth. This happens to have been his third goal in less than one and a half games! He got two during that Gamba match.

I haven't even gotten into the other amazing players and the plays they made! Perhaps after I've had the chance to study my recording of the game more in depth, I'll add to this. But for now, I'm lovin' Manchester United with the rest of ya'll who do and tryin' to educate those of you who don't YET! ~ Wendy Wells


PS – One final little note to Sir Alex. Please Sir, grab up Michael Owen. We don't need him as a Skipper but can't you just imagine the Striker on our team? Oh, the rhythm he and Rooney, Ronney, Berby, Brownie and the rest would all have together…think about it, please!

Super Bowl XLIII: Attend it or Enjoy it on Direct TV? : Direct TV Satellite TV Blog

Super Bowl XLIII: Attend it or Enjoy it on Direct TV? : Direct TV Satellite TV Blog

This is an example of my work. Since it is on my own business site, let me make it clear that I am not trying to sell the product or content. I am only showing an example of a blog style article that I was hired to write.

When Service Stinks - It Smells Like Wild Dog

Thought I'd include this bad experience I had written about in a previous blog from last year.

Bad experiences I have had occurred at Wild Wing Cafe one night (Ardsley Plaza, Charlotte, NC) when we ordered nachos with NO jalapenos and told the server I am allergic to them. A different guy brought out the platter and each cheesy chip had a jalapeno sitting on it. We told him I am allergic to them and sent it back only to have the same one returned with the jalapenos picked off! We could still see the indentation from them on the cheese AND some droplets of jalapeno juice were still on the chips! Now, it wouldn't have KILLED me to eat them but I would have become tremendously uncomfortable with hives, swollen and runny eyes, asthma coughing and of course, the need to give myself a shot, which I hate to do.
Another bad experience was at the Fox and Hound in Winston-Salem, NC. I handed my allergy card to the waitress and asked her to check with the kitchen staff if the tartar sauce was safe for me to eat. I rarely eat fried foods but the Fish & Chips sounded good. She came back a little while later saying, "they don't know, so you better just not order it." SAY WHAT? I got up and asked for the manager on duty to come speak to me. I handed him my card and asked him to check the label of the tartar sauce and see if it was safe for me. (Often contains mustard powder or mustard flour.) He checked, I couldn't eat it. But to have to go through the hassle of demanding service like that is bollocks! Hello? Is anybody listening? CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NOT A REQUEST, IT IS AN EXPECTATION! I have more than 20 years of food and beverage service under my belt and know this is not the way good business is conducted.

Hard to Feed Lady ~ Loves to Eat at Blue! (Food Allergy Queen)

My most recent experience at Blue was after the Second Harvest Food Bank's Awards Banquet for their "Canstruction" competition, at the Convention Center, Uptown. Local architects and builders created sculptures out of nothing but food products, which were really amazing to see!
Well, at the banquet, there was NOTHING safe for me to eat. (Due to my crazy food allergies that came on just a few years ago, I have to be REALLY careful about what I eat.) Everything had either some sort of mustard sauce or paprika splashed all over it, which would have made me blow up and need a trip to the hospital...yuck! Bad choice. Other options were meat products, which I don't eat. So, I stood there nibbling dry crackers and sipping a glass of wine while everyone else gorged. Nathan said, "We gotta' feed you!" We walked back to the parking garage, took his car around the block and started to drive around Uptown. Neither of us wanted pizza or pasta, so Fuel and Brixx was eliminated. The evening was getting started into "club scene," so sushi at Cosmo's was nixed, we could have gone with one of the big name steak houses; but they usually have only two choices for me. A shell fish of some sort, or a grilled slice of fish, which is often prepared as blandly as possible. I wanted something tasty. We looked at each other and both said, "Blue."

Since it has been a while between this blog and our visit, I'm only going to comment on what I REALLY remember perfectly. (I promise to be quicker with other reviews!) Our server was excellent and I don't remember his name, so I will have to investigate.
A few years ago, Nathan made a laminated allergy card for me and it lists all of the seasonings I'm allergic to, as well as the warning to be aware that cross-contamination of utensils, gloves and other food handling need to be closely observed, when preparing my food. Everywhere we go, managers, servers and chefs LOVE the card. I want him to patent and sell them.
I've gotten so tired of telling servers about my allergies and whipping out the card, that I let Nathan do it when we're out together. (After all, I have to handle it all the times he's NOT around, don't I?)
As we had our drinks, Nathan had a Booker's on the rocks (I think) and I was drinking a split of Moet and Chandon, Champagne (I know), we looked at the menu and studied the seasonings. (Nathan knowes them by heart, too.) Usually what I do is, find a few items on the menu that sound good to me and ask the server to see if they are safe. On this night at Blue I did the same and the server left, with my allergy card in hand, to speak to the chef. When he returned, he told us that Chef Gene Briggs has a relative in his family, who also has food allergies, so he really understands the special needs of a person like me. Chef Briggs had an area cleared away in the kitchen, which would serve as the only place where my food would be prepared. This way, my food is separate from any of the seasonings that can harm me, and there would be great diligence in hand washing and glove changing, he would personally see to it. I almost wanted to cry, or run back to the kitchen and hug Chef Briggs around the neck. The server also said that the chef remembered seeing my allergy card before, on other visits to Blue and that tonight, he took the liberty of making a copy of it to keep it on file. So, from now on, when I know I am going to Blue, I can fax or email Chef Briggs directly to let him know I am coming. He can be prepared and make something special for me.
He has done exactly that twice. One night, Chef Briggs made something VERY special for me with the Jumbo Diver Scallops, and my mouth is watering as I recollect the meal. Nathan and I were going to see The Cure at Bobcat's Arena with our friends, Phil and Sara Harris. We met up at Blue before the show for a quick bite and a drink. I wanted the Scallops so much but they were wrapped in Procuitto and I don't eat meat, don't even like the flavor if it's peeled away. Chef Briggs made a completely different recipe, off the menu for me that night and I can't even describe it. To say it melted in my mouth is so cliché' but it did…the food was so full of flavor but not overwhelmingly so. Incredible. When a Chef is willing to accommodate a diner by going so far "off menu," you know this is the place to eat.
So, on the night of the Second Harvest Banquet that couldn't feed me, I wanted to eat something different from that previous visit, with Phil and Sara Harris. So, I ordered the Whole Roasted Mediterranean Sea Bass, with fresh herbs, artichokes, pear tomatoes and a lemon spinach orzo pasta. This menu description immediately had my attention because I love sea bass, lemon, spinach, artichokes and I'm very fond of orzo. I don't remember if Chef Briggs had to change the recipe at all to accommodate my allergies. There may have been some seasonings he had to leave out or substitute, it doesn't matter to me, the meal was excellent.
The server brought the fish…as the menu says, the WHOLE fish to the table and cordially asked if I would like him to remove the fish's head and bones. I replied that, I would appreciate his doing so. (I don't eat fish very often anymore and I certainly don't want it looking at me while I do! Picking and spitting bones, also not too ladylike.) He worked quickly, so the fish was still hot once I was able to begin eating. Nathan was waiting for me to get my meal before he'd begin eating, so I encouraged him to start without me (isn't that sweet? 8 years later and he's still so chivalrous). He had ordered the Pomegranate Glazed Lamb Loin Grilled over an apricot and toasted pine nut couscous with a carrot, mint salad and a cardamon scented yogurt. Nathan was very happy with it and said it had been cooked to perfection. (He practically licked his plate clean, so I know he liked it!) I remember l loved mine as well and that I had no complaint whatsoever.
Alex Myrick came over and spoke with us for quite a while. He wanted to come over and make sure that everything had gone well with my meal and most importantly, that I felt Ok. From across the room, Alex was simply approaching the table where "the blonde lady with the allergies" was sitting. Once he got to our table and saw us up close, he realized he knew who we are. Alex and Nathan have known each other for a long time, and between Blue and Table, we've seen him a few times over the last several years. However, the topic of my allergies was the main focus at first. We told him how my food allergies came on just a few years ago, in my late '30's….literally out of nowhere, practically overnight. Alex and I agreed that part of the training process in food and beverage related industries, should be based on the topic of food allergies. I have more than twenty years of food and beverage experience, and I can honestly say that very few places I have worked, managed and trained employees; spend enough time discussing the dangers of anaphylaxis.
As for the rest of the meal that night, I remember Nathan had a top-shelf bourbon on the rocks just not positive which one (they have all the best), and I had a couple of Moet & Chandon White Star, Champagne splits. During other visits there, we've had some really great wine.
Alex Myrick has an amazing wine list at Blue and as a former bar manager myself, I'm very impressed with the variety of gorgeous flavors. Not all of them are the highest dollar bottles on the market either. Some of my favorites are really fantastic grapes and they're not the most expensive on the menu, either. The Vignale, Veneto Pinto Grigio is from Northern Italy, it's light, not too overpowering and get this, it's Vegan/Organic! However, Santa Margherita, Valdadige, Pinot Grigio is my personal favorite and it's a bit higher in price. Chardonnay's Rombauer is a MUST on any decent wine list and Alex has it at the top of the Carneros Region wines.
You can check the wines for yourself, so I'll leave them at that, except to say I am surprised at the lack of Sonoma Valley wines he has (that aren't in the Reserve price range). The Napa Valley selection is huge, don't get me wrong – he has an amazing selection. What I was looking for specifically, was either the Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon Rodney Strong (he has the Reserve) or Chateau St. Jean's Cabernet Sauvignon. Now, I know he can't carry EVERYTHING that everyone likes and some wines just have to be left off the list. It's just my personal opinion that the Sonoma Valley gets too little attention and is overshadowed by the Napa Valley, not only by Alex Myrick at Blue – but really, by many other restaurants, too. But I'll get to those at another time!
Overall grade – A+
Awesome job by our server (I really wish I could remember his name and the next time I see him, I will remedy this!)
Fantastic care by Chef Gene Briggs and the rest of the kitchen staff.
Personal attention from the owner and not only because of the previous friendship with Nathan!

Tense Writing

While reading various articles and doing research, I frequently come across business writing and web items that I think I can write better. I'm a proofreader and editor, it's what I do! When trying to write for business or any other sort of correspondence, it is important to maintain a consistent voice. One mistake I find on a regular basis is when web designers do not maintain a common tense. I think the mistake of switching tense is often made when a writer is trying to keep the tone of the text casual. Or, a writer might misuse tense by trying to keep the same tense. A few tips can be pulled from these examples to get you on your way to writing better business correspondence.

This example is pulled from the biography of a professional:

XYZ Company was founded in 2005 by Jane Doe. Ms. Doe's mission was to assist companies in achieving their strategic business goals.

In trying to be consistent, this writer has made an error in tense. The word "was" indicates that particular mission is in the past, which therefore, implies her mission has changed. If the mission has not changed, the sentence should be revised. One option is:

Ms. Jane Doe founded XYZ Company in 2005, with the continuing mission to assist companies in achieve their strategic business goals.

However, aren't most companies goals business related? Is it necessary to spell out "business goals?"

The XYZ Company was founded in 2005 by Ms. Jane Doe. XYZ's strategy is based on Ms. Jane Doe's mission to guide companies as they realize their goals.

If someone has to read something more than once to understand what it means, rewrite it for clarification.

We accept a 25% - 50% up front payment after agreement of project scope and terms, remaining balance is due upon successful completion, unless other terms have been arranged.

Three separate clauses are awkward and have to be re-read in order to be properly understood.

Rewritten:
When the client and our firm have reached an agreement on the project’s scope and terms, we expect a 25% to 50% payment before work begins. The remaining balance is due upon completion. Any other arrangement of terms will be written into the contract. We find this protects your interests, and ours.

Detailed Service Description
Passionate professionals who use the power of the written word to help you achieve your objectives.
Just because there is a header, doesn’t mean the sentence below it shouldn’t be capable of standing alone.
Rewritten:
Our services are provided by passionate professionals using the power of the written word, to help you achieve your objectives.


Obviously, a casual and conversational tone works very well and is expected in certain circumstances. Formal language and technical verbiage can appear snobbish, and frankly, it can look as if the writer is working too hard to prove they know big words. Appearing erudite is not necessarily a bad thing, when it's shown in small doses. – wdw.

Another Semester of School

So, another semester until I graduate. It's my own fault I didn't pass the MA exam. I took on teaching a Film Class at the University because my vanity screamed, "Yes, Professor! Of course I'll teach the class because you think I'm so brilliant and worthy - with high quality lecture skills and vast amounts of film knowledge!"
Then of course, there is the stupidity of my own making where I misread the required list of works to read and study. I thought I already knew over half of them. All summer, I kept saying (not only to myself, but out loud to others), "I really should be studying and reading for my MA exam..."
There is no silver lining yet but there is a silver line. My independent study professor has agreed to continue helping me write my novel next semester. Thank God! I got stuck - or rather, the freaking people in my head got stuck. Oh, they've been busy - don't get me wrong...they're always busy. They were actively trying to escape while I was studying and cramming and STRESSING during the MA exam prep time but NOW?
Now that it is time for them to get out and get on the page, they've started to argue with me. They don't want to do this...they don't want to do that....the water's too cold...the dog wouldn't do that....a snitch wouldn't break so easily....and on and on. They cooperate to some degree, they love me if they're supposed to love me, they creep me out if they're murderers, but their ACTIONS are ........... stalled, on the side of the road with a white flag sticking out of the window.
Then, this other chick came along and had the nerve to create a whole other story line in my head. Not only did she do that but her story line involves TWO separate story lines! Kind of a "Sliding Doors" deal but not really that easy. She doesn't know where she's going either....her name's Shelley...brunette, drives a convertible - which I kind of think is a flaw in her character. It's a grossly vain thing but one of the story lines gets rid of it.
Anyway, the screenplay was no easier to write because the characters took over and barely let me speak at all. See, they were only dialogue. So they got to do, say and take the story where ever they wanted! I couldn't control them at all sometimes, couldn't reel them in. At least with the novel, I can hold them in, suck 'em back, cross my legs and negate their birth...I just can't always make them do what I want them to do...UGH! KIDS! Right?

This New Thing - A VERY old Blog

This is pretty cool. Being able to just write stuff and send it out there. The main thing that I have been going through lately is written below. It's been a hard road since I lost my boy, Spanky. I'll come up with something new next time. For now, I'm still so sad that this is all I'm concentrating on. WDW

Subject: Spanky Doodles
I wanted to let you all know that I am back online from my recent move. While I am happy to be in my new home, the joy has been dimmed due to the departure of my beloved, Spanky. My cat of nearly 15 years has left us to go to a place where there is no pain, no kidney failure, no ulcers, no organs shutting down and no more wasting away. He was very brave as he stared into my eyes when he left to go into the Light. We had been preparing for this for a while now and over the past few days when I knew he was feeling as bad as he ever has, I told him I would do whatever he wanted me to do. If he wanted me to alleviate his pain with eternal slumber, I promised I would. If he wanted a bag of doughnuts, I told him I'd get them. Unfortunately, he had stopped eating for the last few days of his life. Spanky had been losing weight over the past few months and those of you who knew him at his full and gloriously muscular 25 pounds would have been very sad to see him at his final 12 pounds. His robust, baritone voice had turned into an old man's craggy complaint. His naps got longer and his waking time was shorter. He began to instigate fewer and fewer of our "stare down" games with his enormous yellow eyes. He would never lose by blinking first and would only lose if he looked away first. Normally though, it was rare that I would win a game of "stare down" with my boy. He was just too good at it.
Dr. Bissell from the Charlotte Cat Clinic said that she could "fix him up" and send him home with me after teaching me to inject him and give him IV fluids. She said that he would not nor ever be the same cat that I had known and that it would have been merely post-poning the inevitable in order to help myself adjust to his dying. I told her that I loved him way too much to let that be the way he lived his final days. I would rather say goodbye to him than see him in the pain I knew he must have been feeling. Once she gave the first injection that made him sleepy it was 5 to 7 minutes until the final injection that would quiet him forever. During the last few moments we had, I held him, sang his song and Pasha's song to him, and rubbed his belly as he always had loved. He held his gaze in my eyes throughout the entire experience. Instead of me telling him it was OK for him to go, I believe he was telling me it was OK for me to let him go. Even after he had passed, his eyes were still staring directly into mine. He won our very last game of stare down and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

God Bless Spanky Doodles
February 14, 1990 - September 20, 2004

Edwin Van der Sar's Beautiful, Sticky Hands!

This post is from an older blog that I transfer to this new site. It's in praise of our amazing keeper, Edwin Van der Sar.
Aston Villa vs. Manchester United - November 22, 2008

How about that lovely save and keep that our AMAZING Edwin performed during this particular game? With ONE hand on the ball, right at line, his hand stayed on the ball, Milner's foot kicked it, Van der Sar's hand KEPT the ball, then his other hand came around, both hands picked up the ball and Edwin stood up.Incredible! It was a beautiful move. The commentators (the ones I suffered through here in the South East USA) were saying how Van der Sar's gloves must have glue on them....but nope, we all know it's just his fantastic talent shining through.A one-handed ball retention, against Milner's kick! THAT deserves some recognition!(Manchester United is the best team on the planet and they will prove it again this year! - I agree they are having a rough start but you just wait and see - they'll pull it out and take the cup! FIFA can blow Sir Fergie's arse!)
Obviously, we know that now -- the World Cup has been taken by our lads!