Depending on one’s perspective, the “how” part of writing is either self-evident or an endless mystery. I offer a few initial thoughts on the topic of “how to write.” Writing Tools First is tools. Writing Mode Second is mode. That may sound funny, but here is what I mean: Writing Process Third is process. Here […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD It recently became time to replace our 24-year old furnace. As the installer wrapped up his work, he began teaching about the critical aspects of carbon monoxide detection. I had placed our lone detector where the furnace and water heater were located; detecting the poisonous gas at its source, I […]
Like physical exercises, which are beneficial for your body, writing exercises are beneficial for developing your skill as a writer. While exercise is seldom pleasant, it is a wise and worthy pursuit. Here are some exercises to consider in developing your craft as a wordsmith: Personally, I have done most of these at one time […]
Being a numbers guy, I want to share some stats about this blog: 3 years, 1 month: the amount time I’ve been blogging 457: the number of posts 123,300: the number of words written (enough for a decent sized book) 1,272: average number of posts viewed per week (the most was 2,954) 14,718: the number […]
Hopefully, you’ve given some thought as when is the best time to write, as well as where is the best place to write. Even if these decisions are works in progress, needing to be fine-tuned, you need to move on. Now we get to the question of what to write. Although, it may seem a […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I’m a huge fan of technology—and the allure of speech recognition (also called IVR or interactive voice response) carries with it great appeal. Yet when it comes to real-life implementations, I find it decidedly lacking and frustration-filled. In the past I’ve been reticent to state my disinclination—knowing that I’m part of […]
Regular readers of this blog (thank you, one and all) have noticed a decided decrease in posting frequency over the past six months. While Musings will remain alive and active, infrequency will become the new norm. When I started Musings over three years ago, it was to provide a creative outlet, connect with others via […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD The telephone answering service industry is a wonderful and close-knit community. Tales abound of one service going the extra mile to help another – even direct competitors providing aid in times of crisis. With that as the general tenor of the industry, it is surprising and hurtful when a scam […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I upgraded some software and paid an extra ten bucks for the installation CD. This makes restoration much easier when it becomes necessary. But for instant gratification, I downloaded the software so that I could begin using it immediately, while waiting for the disk to arrive. (It took 29 days, […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I remember calling Visa with a query about my statement. The knowledgeable rep professionally answered my question. After an effective and otherwise satisfying call, he concluded by saying, “Thank you for calling American Express.” I was taken aback, but opted to say nothing. Either he was oblivious to what he […]