NaNoWriMo, NaBloPoMo—MeNoDoTho

If you’re wondering why some of the blogs you visit are strangely behind in posts, it may be because the blogger at the helm is participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Every November, countless writers start or work on a novel. Their goal: 50,000 words in 30 days. As Haiku Farm blogger says, “50,000 words. One of them is bound to be good.”

Or not.

Other bloggers are taking the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) challenge by posting something every day.

I’m doing neither. My “Thirty days and nights of literary abandon!” (as the NaNoWriMo slogan goes) are being spent reading. The time traveling I spoke of earlier this week has landed me squarely in WWI England and 1880s Paris, peeking into the fictional and nonfictional lives of Mary Crawley (we finally watched Downton Abbey), Katherine Mansfield, and Charles Ephrussi.

I’ve no good excuse for my absence from Lull. But I’ll make it up to you. So keep checking in. Or just sign up for Lull to come to you by way of e-mail.

A Blogger Who’s A Breed Apart

Before renting Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, I knew what I was in for. At least, I thought I did.

But instead of getting drawn in by the unwavering loyalty of a pooch, I couldn’t get past the irresponsible characters (based on real people from 1920s Japan). I went to the Web to see if anyone else had the same reaction.

I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I ended up on a dog blog unfamiliar to me. It appears to be an anti-Pit Bull proselytizer. In one post, it compares the lack of press given to a tortured, mixed-breed dog named Star while Patrick the Pit Bull tugged at a nation’s heartstrings. The blogger’s theory is that Pit Bulls get an undue amount of positive publicity thanks to Pit Bull advocates who can’t see past the pedestals on which they keep these ferocious beasts.

It was a wacky rant that I thought needed an injection of rational perspective. I started writing a comment. Certainly the mixed-breed Star had suffered unconscionable acts, but the blogger seemed to be making the story of abuse into a contest of breed-based oneupmanship. I started to explain that responsible Pit Bull advocates anticipate a day when they’ll no longer have to sway public opinion about the Bully breeds, a day when “Breedism” will fade away.

The more I wrote, the more I realized that to really make my case, I needed to know more about this blogger and his/her readers. I noticed that the other comments were written by bloggers who were listed both on the Blogroll and as Followers of this anti-Pit Bull blog.

Turns out, one person is behind it ALL—different names, same individual. The blogger is his/her own followers, readers, and favorites. Whew! That’s a lot of personalities all wrapped up into one! I wrote Lull under a pseudonym when I first started, but had to drop it because I couldn’t keep track of who I was. (I know: I’m not spy material.)

Probably needless to say, I didn’t bother finishing my comments. I doubted the sanity of my captive audience and thought it unfair to rile “them.”

[Pics from Bad Rap and The Sula Foundation.]

Poor Service—Served with a Smile

Periodically I encounter glitches while trying to publish posts on Lull. Usually this means I curse at Google, curse at myself, and sometimes step away from it all hoping time will heal whatever is broken.
Recently, Google stepped up its game by displaying this window (pictured above) when calamity starts to prevail. Look at it closely. Note that it merely states the obvious: Something’s wrong, they don’t know what or why, and that’s ALL they know.

But you know what? That’s okay. I’m grateful they bothered recognizing the problem at all. I don’t feel so alone in my misery, and the message curtails my stream of expletives. PLUS—and this is critical—that little broken-down robot makes me smile. His/her “cute” factor offsets all the frustration and anger I experience when errors occur.

Thank you, Google.

Coming to Grips with the Age of Snark

Generally, I’m not fond of snarky writing. I know I’m in the minority when I admit this; I realize snark is popular today—defines our culture. And I don’t dismiss it out of hand: I’ve been known to laugh at well-written snarkiness. But when such writing is used for good, then I’m a fan.

Case in point: the Fugly Horse of the Day! blog.

As you might have imagined, my move to the Horse Capital of the World has influenced my Web reading and expanded my awareness of equine racing and rescue. I happened upon Fugly one day and have continued to follow it.

The Californian behind Fugly gets the word out about abuse (in training, in breeding, in care) and horses in need while giving the abusers a well-deserved slap of snarkiness. But more than that, she rallies horsepeople across the country to DO something on behalf of the creatures she profiles. Readers share information with one another, research lineage, call someone who knows someone else who can get the media involved in a situation or who can get the facts about an alleged crisis, help find new homes for ponies destined to become someone’s dinner. She presses readers to press their local politicians to add teeth to animal welfare laws and enforce those laws—not just sometimes but all the time. (All too often, authorities give abusers a pass in order to remove the animals without a fight. This does not prevent the abusers from acquiring more animals, nor does it change the abusers’ behavior.)

Yeah, I know. It’s not like this blogger is mobilizing an entire nation to fight for justice as we recently witnessed in Egypt. But she’s shouting out for one creature on our planet who has no voice (or isn’t listened to). She’s doing what she can where she is. And that MATTERS.

[Pics from Save A Forgotten Equine are Dexter upon rescue (top) and a year later after receiving appropriate care.]

Lull Logs 100!

t's official: Today marks a small milestone on Lull. This is the 101st post.

True, I've not posted every single day; yet some days I've provided multiple articles and tidbits.

If you're new to Lull, you may be interested in:

Why I started this blog

The reason I don't post every day

Why I use a pseudonym

You also should be informed of the topics you'll probably never find on Lull. Here are 5:

1. Scrapbooking & Stamping

While I admire the creative outlet and output of these (mostly) women, it's not something you'll ever find me doing. Truth be told, I can't cut straight. Not even using a straightedge. (You can ask the graphic designers I once tried to help during a particularly hellish period of production in the marketing firm that employed us. My inability stunned them. They could not reconcile this newly discovered side of me with the gifted and anal side that kerned 6 point type, found mathematical mistakes in annual reports, and maintained language continuity throughout each marketing campaign. I can't explain it. I've just learned to accept it.)

2. Motherhood

I don't have any kids now. I most likely won't have any in the future. I may mention kids or mothers at some point, but they're not the focus of Lull or me.

3. Jesus, The Bible, & Home-schooling

Somehow these three topics are often intertwined. I've already written about Jesus once; I may do so again. And I'll post quotes, but they probably won't be taken from a holy book. When I was a nanny, the couple who employed me considered having me home-school their children. After all, I was certified to teach. Horror of horrors! I had been trained to teach high-schoolers, not small children (and SIX of them, no less). I felt hugely unqualified to take the job, though I'm sure I could have muddled through. But many of the home-schoolers who blog about it could/SHOULD scare the wits out of people who care about language. These makeshift educators don't spell or write well or indicate any kind of expertise in academic subjects. Which is not to say that they won't be able to instruct their children, but they're coming out of the gate with a handicap.

4. Sports

Don't watch. Don't play. Not interested. Nuff said.

5. Recipes

I don't cook. Not anymore. And I'm not a foodie, nor do I need to eat fabulous food. However, I like to smell it, see it, read about it, think about it, talk about it. But I don't often indulge.

All of these topics are extensively covered on many fabulous blogs and on many lame blogs, some with hundreds of Followers. And if my only aim was to get more Followers (even angry adversaries), I might take on such topics.

Instead, here are some topics you'll certainly come across on Lull:

1. Job-Hunting, Loss, Motivation

2. Books, Libraries, Reading

3. Editing, Language, Writing

4. Animals, Conservation, Plants

5. Workplace Culture, Leadership

New or not, I hope you stick with Lull. I'd like to think that I'm not alone in this passage of life, and that soon, all of our fortunes will change for the better.

How to Handle Writer's Block Turned Inside Out

At the top of the screen of most Blogger blogs, there is a selection called "Next Blog." Choose it and it takes you to another Blogger blog. It is by this vehicle that I've been traveling around the blogosphere and visiting other bloggers. I've noticed a trend of apologies made for not blogging daily. Some folks say that Life has simply prevented them from time on the blog, while others write that they've nothing to write about. Not writer's block really, but writer's emptiness.

I have an entirely different problem that I haven't seen addressed yet. 

Sometimes I don't write because I have SO MUCH to say. Every time I want to share some little gem I've observed or overheard, it starts connecting to a million other topics and ideas and curiosities roaming through my mind and I worry that I won't be able to stop writing. Or that I won't be able to shape my thoughts into a coherent serving for readers. 

I also feel guilty because during a Lull, I feel that my computer time should be spent on either searching for a job or writing a cover letter for one. Intellectually I know this isn't true, but you know how guilt works. (If you don't, I envy you.)

Anyway, I wanted you to know one of the reasons I don't post every day. At some point I might catch up to the folks who believe they have nothing to write about; after all, I've only just begun blogging. But that will be far into the future. For now, I have lots to share and lots to learn about getting this blog to display the aesthetics I envision to accompany my writing. Lots of experimenting ahead.

Oh. The headline for this post is misleading and pure laziness on my part. I don't know how to handle "Writer's Block Turned Inside Out." But I'm working on it.