Tech Tip — Preparing for the Worst
Nice to see you again! Join in the discussion!Today’s tip is another one of those tips, designed to protect your sanity. We never want to consider the possibility, but in the event of that worst case scenario, it pays to have your action plan in place. The worst possible scenario for a writer is a broken computer.
Only because I’ve been there am I admittedly hyper-cautious. When my computer failure hit, I was only dabbling in freelance. Today, it’d be a major disaster. Of course, your recovery plan includes backups. Backups on your own hard drive are useless. Think of a remote backup, whether to a USB drive, an external hard drive, or a remote backup. If there is a need, consider pulling together a list of sites to got to for powerbook repair or PC repair. Doing your homework before they’re needed will indeed save your sanity should the time come.
As freelancers, we probably already have that mentality to prepare. We save for slow times. We write ahead of time. We keep an idea list. For your more practical needs, develop your worst case scenario action plan. You’ll thank yourself over and over again if the need arises.
National Safety Month–Know How To Swim
In my final post for National Safety Month, I want to address a favorite summer pastime that should always be fun, namely swimming. What great memories you may have a family vacations to the beach. For me, those memories are some the most precious I have.
Naturally, we want to take to the water when temperatures soar. What better way to cool off! However, it behooves all parents to make sure that their children can swim–and the parents as well. Generational Equity worked with MidwestSportsFans.com and DallasSportsFans.com to do just that. The YMCA provided the expertise so children could learn these vital skills.
Living in the land of 10,000 lakes, enjoying the water is a popular summer activity, whether it be swimming at the lake or boating or water skiing. Too often the news are filled with stories of unnecessary loss. As a reminder for this year’s National Safety Month, equip yourself and your children with the necessary life skill of swimming.
Sharing the Link Love
Tips to make your life easier and more productive. Enjoy!
Tech Tip — Charging All Of Your Devices
Today’s tech tip is about staying charged up with your electronic devices. Just in the last year, we became a totally plugged-in family. My husband and I have two laptops and two smartphones between us. The desktop is still there, but seems so big and clunky. It acts as my back up for my laptop files.
I’ll admit it: I’m a geek. I’m on my computer a good portion of my waking hours. Most of the time it is business related. I freelance and write quite a bit. My Blackberry is my constant companion. I think I’ve rubbed off on my husband too, though his computer time at home is primarily for entertainment and personal work. So, to keep us charged and ready to go all the time, I came across this handy surge protector/charger/USB charger.
It’s nice when you need to charge all of your devices and you don’t have enough outlets close by. We’re also a bit more concerned about lightning and power surges than the average bear. Our lightning episode a couple years ago that took out our computer and router was a costly lesson. Now, just about everything in the house is on a power surge protector. For your own peace of mind, pick up this mini surge protector for $17.22 at Amazon.
Writing Tip — Reveal Characters Through Setting
Today’s writing tip is about building character. Following the adage, show, don’t tell, setting description presents many opportunities for writers to delve into the minds of their characters.
I’ve always believed through many moves through the years that plants and pictures make a new home. Add a few indoor planters and you add life and color to a new place. Not only do the plants add life, but they provide details about the occupant. Let’s be honest; plants do take some effort. Clearly, someone with planter or five in the house, with live plants, is someone who is devoted to their upkeep. That says a lot about that person.
Now think of the possibilities. Not only do we have a character that enjoys plants, but what about the degree of care? I seem to recall that a popular belief once was that talking to plants helped them. Certainly, this is something that you can run with. How about a character so obsessed with her plants that she has an unnatural devotion to them? She values them more than people. She talks to them constantly. Your nutty character is complete.
The opportunities don’t end there. The plants themselves can add to a setting. Imagine a few garden planters, filled with colorful peonies or daisies. Never mind the deadly nightshade planted among them. A red herring or a clue? You decide.
Taking the time to develop your setting gives you many chances to explore characters and plot. Taking the time to populate your setting carefully can enhance your story and give it some new life.
Lighting As An Element Of Setting
One vital aspect of any scene in your writing is your setting. How you set up your setting sets the tone for the entire scene. Lighting is a key element.
Consider the different messages/moods that each of these settings convey. Fine Art lamps convey a sense of wealth–or at least the appearance of it. Describing such elements in your scene adds dimension to the characters of it. No more is it ordinary John Anderson. John Anderson has cash.
Looking to set a more contemporary mood? Your character’s study could be decked out in George Kovacs lighting. Here is a person focused on their work. Their surroundings are minimalist. What does that convey about that character?
Even simple elements like a lamp can say so much about your characters. Words are precious in your work. Each word, each sentence has to be weighed for how well it advances a story. Using aspects of your setting is a good way to tell your character’s story with a minimal number of words and with the greatest impact.
Tech Tip–Protect Your Passwords
Today’s tech tip is about protecting yourself. While the Internet is a great place to visit, it’s not place to encourage identity theft, credit card fraud, spam, among other nasties. It’s about being safe online when it comes to your passwords.
It gets frustrating, I know. You sign up for forums, you get a password. You buy something online, you get a password. You set up a blog, you get a password. None of us are super human. With all those sites and all those passwords, it’s easy to fall into ruts. Using the same password across the board is one of those to-be-avoided ruts.
Many workplaces make employees change passwords at some designated time frame. Some even control the creation or re-use of passwords. When was the last time you made a conscious choice to change a password? I’m not talking about forgetting one and having to reset it. As a general practice, we don’t do it.
For a couple years now I’ve been using a program called LastPass, first as a Firefox extension then as a program. You create one master password. LastPass takes care of the rest. The extension is about to detect password fields on web pages. It will offer to create a password. This is where it really shines. Most of the time, I may create a password of six, maybe eight characters. With LastPass, I can generate that ultra-secure, 18-character password that I won’t have to remember. It does it for me.
Don’t fret: you can view your sites if necessary. You can also synchronize your passwords across browsers. You can also use one-time passwords. LastPass also comes with a premium version that includes mobile applications and priority support.
Whatever level of protection you use, protect your online presence. Using a system of unique passwords will go a long way to protecting your identity, your credit cards, and your security.
Subcribe: Listen
While You’re Surfing
Articles
Writing Samples
For Writers and Readers
Extras
BookSwim
