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Archive for December 31st, 2006

Writing quotes

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I am an avid collector of quotes. Something about short snippets of other peoples words inspires me to do more with my own and to be a better person. I’m cheesy. OK? So what?

I saw on Poynter that Chip Scanlan has posted more quotes about writing (or to inspire writing) submitted by writers at a workshop.

Some of these I’ve heard, and in fact the list even includes one of my favorite quotes: “You must be the change you wish to see.” — Gandhi. My favorite quote — the one I have engraved on the back of my iPod as a constant reminder to be a better person — is also by Gandhi; it’s even simpler: “My life is my message.”

For more great writing quotes, check out his entry from last year, “And I Quote.”

Also, I added some of my favorites to the feedback on the post. I’ll post them here also:

“I like the challenge of starting from zero each day and seeing what I can accomplish.” — Martha Stewart

“The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him… a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create — so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency he is not really alive unless he is creating.” — Pearl S. Buck

“Wars and elections are both too big and too small to matter in the long run. The daily work that goes on. It adds up.” — Barbara Kingsolver

“A job on a newspaper is a special thing. Every day you take something that you found out about, and you put it down and in a matter of hours it becomes a product. Not just a product like a can or something. It is a personal product that people, a lot of people, take the time to sit down and read.” — Jimmy Breslin

“No man is a failure who is enjoying life.” — William Feather

“Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it’s just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it.” — David Sedaris

AND FINALLY, I don’t know who said it, but I heard this in a social psychology class a few years back, and it struck me as worth keeping in mind:

“De omnibus dubitandum.”

Translation? “All is to be doubted.”

15 seconds to tell the world anything

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

I just came across this video on YouTube.

Apparently, CBS is inviting people to submit 15 second clips of anything they want to tell the world. Anything within reason. Way more details can be found here.

What will they do with them? They’re going to choose and post some on CBS.com and broadcast some on Superbowl Sunday.

I may put something together. Maybe not. Either way, this is an interesting way to get users interacting with you. It reminds me of the videos of people singing Christmas Carols that the Springfield News-Sun gathered.

It’s an interesting concept that can be used for other things… have an outpouring of support when local troops leave? or after a solider is killed/injured? Let the community either submit their own videos or have a station set up in the lobby or mall so people can come in and record a message for the solider/families. Other uses of course exist, but that’s the one on top of my head.

A roundup of 2006

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Because it is now officially the last day of 2006, I am going to do a quick roundup of some important events/milestones in my life this year:

  • Being named editor of the DKS.
  • Putting out two “extra” editions of the DKS.
  • Living away from home for an extended period of time.
  • Completing my first internship.
  • Turning 21.
  • Graduating from college.
  • Accepting my first “real” job.

It doesn’t look like much, but most of those are huge milestones in one’s life/career. Looking back, I probably accomplished more of significance this year — in one year — than I did in my 20 years before. I’m sure 2007 will be a great year, but I don’t know if any year from here on out will hold as many important events.