daily post – Page 3

Now that’s a spicy lollipop!

Mexican kids are tough!

That’s what I always think when I look at the candy section at my local carniceria. Not only does it carry things like custom-cut meat, tortillas, and drinks, but there is an ever expanding candy section. I feel lucky to be living in Southern Arizona. If I didn’t, I’d be missing out on a lot of great flavors.

Why do I think those kids are tough? For one thing, half their candy has cayenne in it. One of my favorite kinds is a paste made with tamarind, chili powder, and sugar. I also like the lollipops that are fruit flavored once you get through a layer of chili and salt. Another thing I tried recently is candied barrel cactus. That was good, as was the candied sweet potato. Both were chewy and moist on the inside, rather like a good chunk of dried pineapple.

Mexican candy has interesting and unique things in it. I love the goat milk caramel, for instance, which brings back memories of my childhood – I milked a goat every day. I will admit, I haven’t gotten used to the salted, preserved plums, called saladitos. It’s just too much salt for me. I tried, though! Another thing I’ve learned to do is eat jicama strips with chili and lime. It’s also good on apple slices. Go to any Hispanic oriented grocery store and you’ll even find a liquid preparation of brined fruit chili powder just for drizzling over things.

Other candy is made with coconut, peanut, tamarind, various forms of chocolate, and marshmallow. You can even find chocolate dipped corn flakes sold in little bags, the same way M&Ms are sold. I haven’t tried everything there is to try, but there sure are a lot of interesting flavors out there!

I think the coolest lollipop is sort of mango flavored, covered with a spicy layer, and shaped like a chicken. They are fun to eat and a balanced flavor. Really!

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/lollipop/

Max your Writing Moxie

Tips for Writers

Do you want to be the best writer you can be?

If you want to write good stories, read good stories and pay attention.

That looks a little too simple, doesn’t it? It’s still the truest piece of advice I can give. There’s an old programmer’s motto: GIGO. Garbage In, Garbage Out. Put another way, you are what you eat.

I used to think I knew what made a good story. I thought what I watched and read was great. It was not really great though – most of it was simplistic, with hackneyed plots and cardboard cutout characters and it didn’t challenge me at all. It caused my stories to be just as simplistic. Then I started reading and watching really high quality stuff, and found what I had missed. I discovered levels of artistry and complexity that took my breath away. Twists and turns of plot, well written stories, mysteries that were done right, and more. I began to see how my own stories were woefully simplistic. I saw ways of improving them, too. I now have a habit of seeking out the best stories I can find.

With all that said, what makes a good story? I didn’t know how to recognize one reliably, after all, I thought I WAS reading and watching good stuff! So here is a list of general characteristics that can point you toward better stories, whether you are looking for a book, an anime, a role playing game, a movie, or a TV show.

A good story…

…makes you think.

…will give you clues when it’s a mystery, but make them very subtle. It will make your mind work.

…uses good descriptions or dialogue to bring you in to the story.

…avoids stereotypes.

…isn’t always a “classic.” Some classics are woefully bad, but are classics because they are old.

…doesn’t talk down to the audience.

…shows how the characters grow and develop.

…lets the characters change and doesn’t leave them in the same place at the end as they were at the beginning.

…challenges you. A story you can sleep through is no story at all.

…gives motivations behind the character’s actions, beyond “because he wanted to.”

…makes you think.

Finding good stories can be easy or hard depending on what genre you are interested in. Ask for recommendations from people you admire, read reviews on sites like Goodreads, check out forum posts about potential TV shows. Pay attention to why people like things and how they talk about them. If a person writes well when describing why they like a story, then the quality of the story is likely to be higher.

When you find a great story, pay attention to why it’s great! Then think about how you could incorporate the same techniques into your own work. Eventually, you’ll absorb aspects of the great writing styles you love.

Read great stories. Write great stories. Build your moxie.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/moxie/

The Nitty Gritty – Life Lessons from my job

Personal Growth

I don’t know about you, but whenever I’ve started a new office/customer service job it seems like the training is half pablum, half semi/useful stuff, full of platitudes and not really of lasting use to anyone. Not so with this new job, the one I talked about getting a month or so ago.

I started training this week and have been really impressed with the company. Today I had a course in cooperative communication, and another in appreciating diversity. Usually those are prime candidates for the Useless List. This time, though, I was shocked! I actually learned some things, and was reminded of useful advice I’ve heard before but don’t put in practice often enough. I came away from the training inspired, not bored.

Here are some of the things I’ve learned, hopefully they’ll help you too.

“Be responsible for your actions.” More people need to do this. Being responsible isn’t being accountable to a higher authority, it’s recognizing what the right thing to do is, because it’s the right thing, then doing it. I need to do this more too.

“Stay Positive.” This is practically the watchword of the classroom I’m in, and the instructor reminded us on the first day that our jobs will be much more fun if we do this. The material, though difficult, will also be easier to learn. I agree with her 100% and want to do this more in my private life as well.

“Don’t focus your attention on your intention, but on the impact of your actions.” I love this at the same time as I am infuriated by this. It’s so easy to say “but I only meant to…” when a mistake has been made. However, no matter what I might think, the effect of my actions is exactly the same no matter what I meant. Focusing on the impact puts my attention where it needs to be to learn from what happened and do better next time.

“Be creative and flexible in your interactions.” This was great because it reminded me that different people have different styles of interaction, so if you are flexible, you can get the most out of every meeting, be it casual or professional.

“To err is human, but to take responsibility for your part is professional.” I love this. It allows that mistakes can happen, but demonstrates a behavior that is the first step in the path to making amends and fixing the situation.

“The power of the pause.” This is the best of all the tips, really, because it’s the one that lets you follow them. Taking that extra second after you might have said or done something wrong, or someone else did, can be all the difference between a reasonable response and an unfortunate one.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/grit/

Take up your quill and write your own destiny

Personal Growth

I’m approximately halfway through my life, given current longevity rates for a person in my socioeconomic situation. It’s causing me to see that I will never do the things I want to do unless I make them happen. I can’t afford to wait, it’s time to decide what things I want to take the time to be good at. Also, what things I want to do, and how to get there. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.

Growing up, I didn’t have much variety of music to listen to. We had a few cassette tapes of folk music. We didn’t go out and buy albums. We didn’t have Mp3s to download, and I didn’t listen to the radio because I took the bus everywhere. Listening to music on the internet was a total revelation to me when I went to college, but I didn’t do it much because music wasn’t really a huge part of my life.

Fast forward to meeting my wife. She is a metal head. I didn’t like it at first. Gradually I started to and now power metal is my favorite genre. For a long time I had a recurring dream about playing the guitar but I never did anything about it.

Tonight I got to hang out at a friend’s studio. He’s been playing electric guitar for 38 years and wow, he’s good! I haven’t listened to much live music so this was a real revelation. The music touched me as never before. I even liked the songs I normally wouldn’t like, as the sound enfolded me and stirred my deepest nerve endings. I found myself totally comfortable in the studio. I liked the smell of the air, the look of the equipment. I didn’t feel out of place like I have in other musical venues. It felt… right. In fact, I was inspired to do a painting, which I’ll start tomorrow.

This reminded me of my dream of playing the guitar. Perhaps, I thought, I could start playing one! Time’s wasting, there are fewer days ahead than there are behind. I can find a cheap used guitar to start with, and look at lessons on YouTube. I can practice with headphones on so I don’t even bother the neighbors. The point is, if I want to do this, I can make it happen by taking the first step, and then the next, and then the next. I can have my dreams if I go about it in a sensible way. As my guitar player friend said, “you have to decide you’ve already done it and then just get started.”

Is there a dream you’ve had that’s like this? How might you write your own life story?

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/quill/

Mental Snack

Thoughts About Life

Sometimes it’s nice to have a little bite of philosophy to go with the rest of your day, much like a savory snack to get you to your next meal. It’s an interlude, a bit of added flavor, perhaps an enhancement to life.

Here is a good one I heard recently.

One character is asking another what the meaning of life is and what God is. Here’s the answer.

If I take a lamp and shine it toward the wall, a bright spot will appear on the wall. The lamp is our search for truth, for understanding. Too often we assume that the light on the wall is God.

But the light is not the goal of the search; it is the result of the search. The more intense the search, the brighter the light on the wall. The brighter the light on the wall, the greater the sense of revelation upon seeing it! Similarly, someone who does not search, who does not bring a lantern with him, sees nothing.

What we perceive as God, is the byproduct of our search for God. It may simply be an appreciation of the light, pure and unblemished, not understanding that it comes from us. Sometimes we stand in front of the light and assume that we are the center of the universe. God looks astonishingly like we do!

Or we turn to look at our shadow, and assume that all is darkness. If we allow ourselves to get in the way, we defeat the purpose; which is to use the light of our search to illuminate the wall in all its beauty – and in all its flaws. And in so doing better understand the world around us.

So there you have it, a little food for thought. In case anyone is curious, that particular quote is from the character G’Kar, from Babylon 5. His people have decided he’s a religious figure and he’s trying to share some of what he’s learned in his various struggles.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/snack/

The greatest paper I’ve read this month

Personal Growth

Okay, it’s metaphorical paper – the endless scroll that is a webpage. Yet, I’m actually tempted to print this one out. I found it thought provoking, refreshingly non-partisan, and eminently useful. It’s a graphic discussion of core beliefs and how we learn, done by one of my favorite cartoonists. Just click to follow – there’s a safe for work, and a not safe for work option!

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/paper/

Message in a Bottle

Personal Growth

If you could write a message in a bottle to your former self, what would it be?

For the longest time, I didn’t have a clue.

Now, I know what I’d write to myself when I was in high school or early college.

I’d tell myself to find some career mentoring. I’d also remind myself to take very good care of my teeth – those things are incredibly expensive to fix! And I’d tell myself very gently that all this time I was spending in artistic pursuits wouldn’t mean anything if I didn’t push myself to actually improve. I’d tell myself to get into weight lifting and a high protein diet when I went to college, and spend more time in STEM classes even if it meant getting a tutor. Last of all, I’d remind myself that clearcut goals would let me go very far, instead of paddling around in low wage jobs for years after I got out.

I’d have quite a few things to say if I could throw a message to my former self. Maybe she’d even read them and listen. Who knows?

Now, here’s the more interesting question. If you could write a message in a bottle to your future self, what would it be? Put another way, imagine your future self. What things would they have wanted you to know now?

Everything we do right now is a message to our future self. How much care we take of ourself, how much money we save, how much we learn every day, what we do in our spare time, everything.

It can be useful and even fun to think about the future self we are creating at this very moment.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/bottle/

Sparking Your Creativity

Tips for Artists

When looking for ideas for drawing, painting, poetry or sculpture, it can be helpful to think outside the crate. Or think outside the corrugated cardboard container. Or the cube. Or the containment device. Or the little space bounded by roughly equal sides and describable by geometry.

It’s not too useful to just say “be creative,” without having some ways to encourage that in your head! Creativity is like a muscle. Once you get your mind warmed up, you will be more creative with your other projects, not just the little exercises listed here.

My mother, who is a writer as well, gave me a great idea so I’ll mention it here. She has been writing poetry and short works with five randomly selected words. That can be a great way to kickstart creativity! You can even close your eyes, open a dictionary, and point. Or find a random word generator and use that. The idea is to cause new, unexpected input to come into your mind and spark new ideas. Creativity often comes when you take two unrelated ideas and play around with how they could be connected. And it’s hard to get new ideas without new input.

Something I frequently like to do is take some object, natural or created, and examine it closely, perhaps even under a magnifying glass or microscope if you have one. Even a pinecone can be a fascinating thing to explore if you really get into examining all the shapes, shadows, ridges and texture of it. Maybe it could become part of a new creature, or an idea for a structural support on a building? This can work for artists, writers, sculptors, or anyone else who wants to rev up their creativity.

Macro photography on the internet can be a fascinating way to look at the world. So can Google’s “I’m feeling lucky” feature. Take a walk and examine something you’ve never looked at before. Read an article about a subject you known nothing about. Pick a word at random and look up websites about it. Read quotes from famous people you’ve never heard of. That can trigger new ideas too.

Creativity requires imagination. If you open your eyes, literally or figuratively, and get interested in the world, great ideas follow.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/create/

Out of Focus – dark skies, flapping, and Mars

Photography

This week is a celebration of photos that represent focus. I liked seeing the example of an out of focus picture that nevertheless communicates. I must say I have a few photos that re less than sharp. Okay, more than a few! I do keep some of them because they are interesting in other ways. They might make a good abstract background, or sometimes the blurriness helps tell the story. Here are a few.

These quail are really in a flap! The blur makes me think of how active they were.

This moon, though blurry, made a neat background for a poem about Halloween.

There’s something I really like about this one – blurred, it looks like the eye of a great beast, and has an interesting mood.

Although, to be fair, this is what it was supposed to look like!

This last image is probably the best out of focus picture I’ve ever taken. Not only is it the shaky track created by my trying to take a picture of Mars at extreme zoom, but it starts to spell out my name!

via Photo Challenge: Focus

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/out-of-focus/

Job Interview Revelations

Classic Skills

As I go higher into the corporate ranks, I learn that the interview process becomes both longer and less certain.

No longer do I see the exact pay they are offering, they are vague about it till the actual job offer comes. I have to go through more interviews. Sometimes I don’t even know where the job is until I get fairly far into the interview process. Also, I don’t even know if they are passing me farther into the process, except by subtle cues! However, this is the best way to be paid more, especially if you are currently working in entry level customer service and want to get a better job.

Tips and Revelations to get you through Corporate Interviews:

The people hiring you often want to hire you as much as you want to be hired by them. Your job is to make them see you’ll be a good person to work with. So be personable and try to relax as much you can while staying professional.

If you get to the interview and they are already talking about dress code, corporate culture, travel requirements, and where the company is going in the next year or so, that’s a very good sign. They are interested in you.

It’s especially good if you can get them laughing a bit! Smiles are good to see. Keep a gently cheerful expression on your face. A good thing to do during the wait before the interview is a little deep breathing. Think about cheerful things that always make you smile.

It’s a bit stressful for the interviewer too, they are just as human as you are. That’s the number one reason not to be too nervous.

Do a little research on the company – glassdoor.com is pretty good for this – so you know how much salary to ask for in your area.

Wear a conversation piece with your interview clothes. For instance, I wore a black skirt, black blouse, royal purple jacket, and a simple pendant. However, the pendant was a piece of opal that grew inside quartz and is captured in a silver setting. So even though it was understated, it was interesting, and has helped people remember me. Simple and classic clothes are best whether you’re a man or a woman.

Stand up straight, look people in the eye, and act like you are comfortable there. Don’t be informal but at the same time tell yourself “I belong here. I will work here.” It helps.

I am writing these tips because I have just gotten through several successful interviews and have gotten myself a $3.50 an hour raise with at least three companies wanting me to work for them. If you have other tips for potential interviews, post them here!

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/revelation/