Updates and Flickr BLAH

Conversations about the Flickr accounts changes are running rampant throughout Second Life and on the internet. For myself, it is going to be a no-brainer with some research. I have a free account and with the announcement that free accounts keep a max of 1000 photos, I felt I could continue on for a while. That thought was I had a ways to go but last night I found out I had over 600 photos posted. Wow.

This knowledge has set me out on a search today to find another spot where Second Life Residents are welcome and where I can post to my heart’s content. In looking back through my photos, I realized how precious some of my SL memories are. And how they document my lovely friends I have there. I am so grateful to have a place to escape real life and also one where there are people who are doing the same with me. Some of those people know me so much better than anyone in my real life. SL friendships are very important to me.

So with my search for an online photo place, the first site I found wasn’t just a photo sharing place. It was the Second Life counterpart to Faceboook!!! My little heart has jumped for joy a couple of times since I signed up this morning and with a fellow SL writer as my friend number one, I am impressed with it. Everything you do is just like FB, from posting, liking, commenting, etc. So no learning curve there. The name of it is OnLinker.

The cover of my NaNoWriMo novel that I posted on OnLinker. So easy – I love it. I am now trying to persuade all my SL friends to join. If you are on OnLinker or join, please friend me!!  https://onlinker.com/KatJamez

And let’s not forget about old school posting to your Second Life feed which is pretty much another FB-like feed. https://my.secondlife.com/katjamez/

Imgur is a free place with lots of storage and easy to use. I used the copy and paste URL way of posting a couple of images I had posted on Twitter and it worked – very quick. You can also drag and drop from your computer. Alas, I guess WP blocks it. 😦 And it didn’t play well with Twitter when I tried to share either. But still.. it’s free.

The other “r at the end” site: TUMBLR. This is a blogging site where you can post tons of photos. I did find this site unlike the others will let me copy and paste from my snipping tool. Quick and easy and also with the option that so many of us like about Flickr – it’s public. People can like and reblog your posts too and other sharing options. I forgot I even had this account, but I like this too – it’s easy and feeds my standard operating procedure of snipping everything. My Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kat-jamez

And last is Gyazo. This was introduced to me a few weeks ago by a SL friend. It is quick and easy – a great way to show others you are chatting with inworld something instead of paying $10L to upload a pic. You do have an account and can share the link in chat. Easy. I downloaded it to my desktop and you click on it and use your mouse just like when you are snipping. It immediately gives you the link by bringing up your browser. There are several ways to share: direct link, html, Twitter, etc.

I hope I have given you some viable options and the ability to run away from Flickr. They will not hold me or my photos hostage. Sharing media is an important thing in my second life. 🙂 I can see from the options above that I want to see how OnLinker pans out. I think it will. And my Tumblr blog shows some promise too – something I had forgotten about. Put that link right back on my bookmarks bar!

NaNoWriMo Update: I am enjoying myself so much this year during NaNoWriMo. I have half of the words I should have, in the quest for 50,000. But no pressures, this year. I am so happy that I am able to fully participate with my weekends free and dropping into Milkwood each evening. I have written something every single day this month so far and am proud of that. And the best thing that can happen, has: my characters have started to act on their own. Ha! I was writing last night and the two “good” characters that I love and was planning great things for – well, they turned shady in one conversation and have somehow dragged a new character (a preacher) into it and made him the villain. I just sat there after I wrote it and said, “WTH just happened?!!!” Great FUN, Great FUN 😀

Also Harri changed the table and brought more seats to Milkwood (where I write inworld) and it is just gawjus. I love it. The people I write with all the time have been added to, with a gob of new people, and I have even made a few new friends. Second Life is good ♥

I hope all of you are having just as great of time with your writing and your characters. Good words everybody, good words!

 

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NaNoWriMo – Day One

The first ones at the table this morning 🙂

Word Counter For NaNoWriMo

The best word counter I have found is one you can create for free at https://www.tickerfactory.com. Ticker Factory has a variety of options to choose from. I think they started out with pregnancy tickers first. The option I chose to be able to make mine for NaNo is the Objects/Action one. Click on that choice from the home page. Choose a password/pin (this allows you to update). Put “words” in the objects/actions/stuff box, your current cumulative value is “0”. The target is “50,000” and in the Message, write NaNoWriMo. The next few pages are picking the background and the icon used to show your progress. Pay attention that there are more designs/choices for both backgrounds and icons if you click on the numbers. Cut and paste codes are provided to be able to use in forums, webpages and also the image URL.

FAQ on Ticker Factory site regarding how to update your ticker:

How do I login?
TickerFactory.com does not use any registration system or ask for any personal identification (such as email address). Tickers using data that needs to be updated (weight loss, exercise…) only requires you to know the ticker web address and the PIN protecting the modifications to its data. If you use the code provided on TickerFactory.com, just clicking on your ticker will lead you to its update page. From there you can edit its style and its data.

 

 

Fox Rocks: Halibun

My Halibun poem for Fox Rocks today:     [always thinking about murder haha]

Clouds of air, of smoke, of breath
Float about their moving lips
Action verbs, those projectile missiles
Bounce across a sloshed parking lot

Whats happening? from newcomers
A rubbernecking crowd
Shuffling, whispering
Unaware they are now witnesses
Cold snow swirls down

Opponents glare in awkward silence
While a cell phone trills
Buried in a down coat pocket
Unanswered

A drunken bar fight
Each side’s wobbly stance
Betrays an attendance of bourbon
Words let loose, now lost

Shouting, posturing
You will be sorry!
A lifetime of memories
Lost
Blood moon pink delight
Only some words between friends
Unforgivable murder

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An ekphrastic poem is a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Through the imaginative act of narrating and reflecting on the “action” of a painting or sculpture, the poet may amplify and expand its meaning.  from the Poetry Foundation

We were writing those kinds of poems yesterday at Fox Rocks.

This was the picture prompt I picked:

And this is my poem:

Still wind muggy air
Peace granted within
Meditative practices

I sit quietly
Thoughts run ever deep
Then gone thankfully

Guide thyself focus
Blue calm peace nothing
To myself – breathe, do not breathe

I breathlessly drive
Down the road away from stress
Close my eyes again

Damn it I left the stove on.

Free Scrivener Alternative

Exciting right?!

I actually tried this software out before I ever heard of Scrivener. That was before I was writing in practice – just thinking about writing 🙂  Then I found NaNoWriMo and heard about how wonderful Scrivener was and how everyone wanted Scrivener, you know it is the greatest thing since sliced bread and you have to pay for it but you know, that makes it better!! Yeah all that stuff. I forgot Spacejock and yWriter. I bought into it and literally bought Scrivener – I used the 50% off NaNoWriMo’s winner code, of course.

After using Scrivener for some time and yes, Scrivener is great. I am not bashing Scrivener at all here. It is a wonderful program and the creators are wonderful for the support they give to NaNoWriMo and its people. But not everyone can afford Scrivener so here is something else and believe me, it is a wonderful something else.

Please go to the website and check it out or just jump right in and download it.

Much applause and kudos to Simon Haynes, the designer and programmer. He is a writer himself with published books. He understands what one is looking for in a writing software. I, myself love yWriter. It is so easy to use. I love the way it has ways to keep track of character profiles that you can call up at any time during your writing. Also locations and items. yWriter has places to put these in full detail. And dragging and dropping of them. yWriter keeps track of who, what and where that is used in scenes. But enough talking – here are some screenshots from the software:

A New Chapter

A New Scene

A New Character

 A New Location

Included In The Tool DropDown

The Project Word Count Target (in the Tool DropDown)

As you can see yWriter has plenty of tools to aid in one’s desire to attempt and/or win NaNoWriMo. After using both Scrivener and yWriter, I firmly believe yWriter is just as useful and stands as a great alternative to Scrivener.

yWriter is not the only software that is offered free by Simon Haynes on his Spacejock website. I have not used any of these, but would assume that they are equally exceptional at helping writers with things they want to do.

Click here to go to the Spacejock Software Main Page.
There are many more software downloads than I have mentioned.

 

Day 1: Camp NaNo

I am so excited for Camp this July. While I came up with a story idea late in the game – literally the night before last, it came to me almost as a full outline of events. So I at least have a big chunk of stuff to write about.

Last night, at Milkwood I was sitting by my tent when Lily wandered by and we sat chatting for some time before Ercila and Blitz popped in too!

So we all went over to christen the campsite for tomorrow. It was nice sitting around the campfire with friends.

I posted my first line in the First Lines thread at the NaNoWriMo forum. It needs work and will be rewritten but here it is:

“52 year old, etoh, suicidal ideation,” Josie looked up from the chart at their suicidal drunk, who was chatting happily with staff.

I also found a couple of WordPress blogs to follow too – yes, I was lurking at the forums last night. Hopefully, my WordPress Reader will have some interesting stories for the month of Camp with fellow bloggers sharing their updates.

On the official Camp NaNoWriMo website, I input my real synopsis yesterday. I had a fake one before – made by a generator – as a placeholder so I would be eligible to get into a cabin. My novel is called

Straight Off A Crooked Path

Opening scene is Verona, widow times three – this past time only one year ago, drunk and distraught at a local emergency room. 

The law enforcement officer and social worker are known to her and she to them. You see, Rona is what they call a frequent flyer. She has threatened to commit suicide before and does bear watching to avoid liability. But no one there has ever believed her. More of a tool for attention is how it has come off to them before. She sits around happily chatting to anyone within hearing and is fine to go home, driven by the officer many hours later after she has detoxed. He likes Rona. She may be a well-known call but at least she is one that is easy to manage. The drug overdose calls he has to fight with only serve to wear him out physically, most of the time. He leaves with Rona waving out an open doorway, “I’ll see you next time.” 

But he won’t. Rona, from the later findings, must have walked back into the house and opened a fresh bottle of vodka and started drinking again. Her grief, so absolute she cannot think straight, guides her towards an action that will sadden few, relieve many and only produce questions for one that feels guilt at an unexpected death.

I am the first one to Camp this morning and am a few moments from beginning to write. Yep, just me and the raccoon!

Exciting! I wish everyone a wonderful Camp this July. Please share in comments on my blog, writing on your blog, posting on the forums and of course, in your cabins. Cheer others on and most importantly, cheer yourself on. Follow each other on their creative endeavors including their blogs and GoodReads and other familiar places. Go to writing events and participate – you are welcome to post any writing event here or get in touch with me – you can guest post it on my blog or let me post your Flickr photos. Enjoy this event however you can!

National Novel Writing Month, for me started out as permission to just write something but it has evolved into something I look forward to each year (3x a year now) as a way to connect with others. The people who come to NaNo have often been the most creative persons I have ever met. You guys make my life colorful in a way no one IRL does. It’s a chance to meet up and let it all hang out – to be who we really be without all those surface clothes we wear out there where we have to be who we have to be for whatever place and time it is and whatever bystanders that we are put around (especially at work).

Go forth and write on people!!!
🙂 HAVE FUN 🙂
🙂 HAVE FUN 🙂

Sponsored Rewards (Scrivener) @ Camp NaNo

The peeps over at Literature and Latte are generous in their offer for 50% off of their writing software, Scrivener at every NaNo event. Kudos to them. The code is given to “winners” who meet their writing goal at the April and/or July Camps and also the main event in November. I do have Scrivener and bought it at 50% off way back when (maybe 4 or 5 years ago, I believe). Even if you do not hit your word count, you can still get 20% off. So if you are someone who really wants your own copy of Scrivener, this is the way to get it. If you are someone who would like to try Scrivener out, then click the pic for a trial offer.

Scrivener is the most popular reward at NaNoWriMo events hands down. Lots of people talk about it and also make YouTube videos about it. You will have lots of places to help you figure out how to use it beyond the manual that is included in help. Just Google “Scrivener Help” or “Scrivener How To.”

But Scrivener is not the only offer. Click below to go to Camp NaNoWriMo’s sponsor page and check out the other offers.

*You must be logged into Camp NaNo*

And stay tuned for another post on an excellent Scrivener alternative if you would rather use a free software for writing.

July Camp NaNo Starts Tomorrow

Are you ready?!!

I have had such a time trying to find a story. Plot bunny hunting left me coming home bunny-less and BLOCKED of creativity. My Milkwood friends threw out ideas and we laughed a lot about silly story ideas. Nothing. Nothing.

Until…

Last night. Ha. I went to a meeting I normally do not go to yesterday and voila! the seed of an idea was subconsciously planted. Last night while reading in bed (quite early), it just popped into my head and almost a fully formed story idea. I grabbed a lavender-colored steno pad in my dresser drawer and jotted down some main ideas consisting of the first line, the setting up of the story, many characters and what one would think was happening with the main character. My ending is that the main character is really not the villain she is made out to be (and that she makes herself out to be) but it is another person that has been in outlying scenes all along. That last part is what I need to come up with – and may not think too much of it now, just figure out who as I write. I have already got a bunch of characters to choose from and if a new one appears to be the one, who am I to intervene? So excited to begin writing tomorrow 🙂

I also left the cabin I was thrown into by Camp. A small bit of sadness as I think some of those people would have been real interesting to listen to during July. But I would still rather be with my Milkwood buddies. Zoe made up the cabin and there are eight of us in the Virtual Writers cabin so far. If you would like to join, stop by Milkwood during our write-ins or contact Zoetrope Ocelot on the site. We are all SL Residents, so being inworld adds to the experience. The camp write-ins down by the sea with tents and a campfire will start tomorrow too. Can not wait – I love sitting by the fire.

Here is my tent and me sitting in a chair contemplating mysterious red herrings for my story!

Relay For Life Is In Second Life

Saturday, July 14th is Relay Weekend.
If you aren’t in SL – this is a great time to sign up!!

The Book Island Event raised >60,000 Lindens. It was incredible!

 

Everyone was having a great time dancing to some classic tunes.
I felt like I was back in high school most of the time
– wonderful music blasts from the past.

Zander Greene had the skills – DJ’ing for RFL and giving that extra motivation to donate. It was a great time for all!

Relay For Life  ◄ Please click this link
to go to The Jewell Theatre blog.