Bleeding Espresso

This month I’ve selected five featured bloggers.

This is because Frances of BlogJem has declared Blog About Five Things Week based on an idea from Ben Yoskovitz based on Problogger Darren Rowse’s Group Writing Project from a while back.

Got that?

[By the way, I participated in the Group Writing Project with Top 5 Italian Words You Don't Want to Mispronounce. There will soon be a new group writing project at Problogger, so stay tuned!]

OK, so the point is that since I was going to feature a blogger or two anyway today, I thought, why not five?

So here are five of my favorite writing related sites–some about the craft, some by my favorite writers:

1. Burnettiquette by Miami Herald columnist James Burnett. The tagline is “Where common sense meets the news.” Love it! I dare you to go visit him and leave without pondering some great social ill, current event or trend. Simply fabulous.

2. NYC/Caribbean Ragazza. This is a gal who packed up her life in Los Angeles as a Hollywood film exec and moved it to Rome where now she’s collaborating with an Italian screenwriter on a new film. Amazing story, amazing woman. Must read.

3. The Golden Pencil by Anne Wayman. So much excellent advice here for writers from technique to the business end, and lots of great job opportunities posted as well. I’d definitely recommend subscribing if you’re a freelance writer.

4. The (Mis)Adventures of a Single City Chick by Christina Arbini. Christina’s was one of the very first blogs I read, and I cannot wait to read one of her books. Publishers, you listening?! Christina has such enthusiasm and passion for writing (and for life), it’s hard to leave her blog without smiling. Don’t you love that?

5. distraction no. 99 by Nova Ren Suma. Nova writes so honestly and openly about her writing process, rejections *and* acceptances that I feel like I’m right there with her. And thank goodness she lets me be–it’s a wonderful ride.

By the way, if you’re looking to spark creativity, making these “five lists” is a great method. You may even find that you want to expand each one and write a whole post about it. Look! A whole week of posts!

How do you come up with blog post ideas?

Buon weekend!

P.S. Can you believe it’s August already?! Gah!

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When I did the Flickr photo meme, I mentioned that my MOO mini-cards were coming via my mom. Well they’re here!

To remind you, mini-MOO cards are about half the size of normal business cards, and you can choose from your own photos on Flickr for the front (or you can get pre-made MOOs as well). MOO makes more than just mini-MOOs, though–you can also get note cards, greeting cards, postcards, and more.

To be clear, I don’t get any remuneration or anything for telling you about these, but I did promise to come back and let you know what I thought when I saw the MOOs in person . . . and I think I’m in love.

(click on photos to see larger versions)

Seriously, how cute are these?

I got these “free” when I upgraded to a PRO Flickr account, but I’m going to have to order more because I find myself not wanting to give these away, and, um, hello? That *is* the point of them.

Anyway, I was planning on writing this post anyway, but then yesterday I got word from the MOOsers that they are offering a special discount to those placing orders for the first time. This was written in the MOOsletter (their word, not mine):

The code 8DN2MP* will entitle a brand new MOO customer
to 15% off their first order.

So there you have it. Go MOO and save MOOlah to boot.

And tell me do, what has MOOved you lately?

OK, I’ll stop.

Seriously though, tell me what you’ve been loving this summer–blogs, websites, books, food? Share your favorites in the comments!

P.S. If you’re looking for La Buona Cucina Americana, you’ll have to rejoin us in September when we kick start the series again; like good Italians, we’re taking a break throughout August (and even a bit of July).

Buon weekend!

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When I started writing this post, it quickly turned into a rant about how some people don’t realize that freelance writing is hard (actual!) work and that just because we can walk our dogs on a whim doesn’t mean we don’t have real jobs with real responsibilities.

Phew.

But that’s not where I wanted to go with this post.

What I *did* want to do was share with you what I’ve been up to lately, some of the writing I’ve done so that you can visit me elsewhere around the web and maybe learn a few things along the way–I certainly did as I was writing these!

I tried to gather a wide assortment of pieces so that there’d be something in there for everyone. Please let me know what you think!

• First, there are two articles at CheapStingyBargains.com:

(1) For those feeling pain at the pump (and who isn’t?), check out 101 Ways to Save Money on Gas.

(2) Looking for fun summer activities with the kiddos? Summer Fun on a Budget.

• Next, two fashion-related pieces at LifeScript.com:

The Fedora Hat: New Old Fashion Necessity

The Messenger Bag: Delivering Fashion and Function

• Some legal fun as well as serious advice at LegalZoom.com:

Top Ten Wackiest Patents on the Books

Top 5 Must Dos Before You Write a Living Trust

• And finally, something I *know* you’ve been dying to know about. From TomatoCasual.com:

The History of Throwing Rotten Tomatoes

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy!

And buon weekend!

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Just a quick Saturday hello to ask you to come visit me at Deb Ng’s Freelance Writing Jobs where I’m guest posting today:

A Freelance Writer’s Secret to Effective Time Management

To celebrate three years at FWJ, Deb has been kind enough to open up the blog to guest posts on freelance writing throughout the month of May. There’s still time to get yours in–see details here!

Hope you’re enjoying the weekend!

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Some of you may have seen George Ella Lyon’s gorgeous, moving poem Where I’m From. If you haven’t, go here but then please come back.

Now, after reading my thoughts below, do yourself, your well-being, and everyone around you a favor and use this form to guide you in writing something of your own.

And then please, please share it with us.

————–

Where I’m From

I am from coal, the black diamond, from the depths of the earth, from the veins of life mined by my ancestors so that I would never have to, those who toiled away sotto terra as their wives worked hard at home or in factories hoping to never hear the whistle call them to the breaker in the middle of a work day.

From Big Ben’s blue birch beer, a taste so unique and delicious, only a chosen few have ever had the pleasure.

I am from a quaint, white house with a brick-colored porch, off on its own on a block of row homes, rebuilt by my family after a fire destroyed it, smelling often of garlic and onions, but also of fresh-baked everything.

I am from the spider fern, launching its branches far and wide, hoping that someone, somewhere will take in a baby off-shoot, plant it and nurture it.

The lily, the gorgeous lily that was a fixture in the house at Easter time, sitting in front of the fireplace, dying with each passing day but bringing such joy to all who saw her.

I am from Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s house, squeezing into the kitchen, eating baked ham, potato salad, cheese, meats, and so many sweet pickles and black olives, I thought I might burst.

And different shades of dark hair from my mom and my dad and my brother.

I am from the daily dinner table shouting (not in a good way) and keeping feelings inside, quiet, and out of view (except for the shouting).

From the “no soda before noon” rule and stories of what is was like to grow up as an immigrant family in America in the 1930s and 40s.

I am from a strong base of Catholics, with a slight dose of agnostic, and have come to follow a similar path. I am from a study of many world religions and finding some of each that bring me at peace with the world, and yet complete failing to understand how so many religious people hate so much and so many in the name of one god or another.

I am from the desire to learn, to understand, to love, to be loved, and from the wish that we all, truly, can live in harmony.

I’m from a small town in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania, from Lithuanians, Italians, and Germans, from pierogies, gnocchi, and sauerkraut.

From the great-great-grandfather who was saved from a bull by his trusty black mutt, the aunt who constantly changed her first name because she didn’t like her given one, and the father who served in Vietnam.

I am from an accordion-file folder back in the States, a wall in my brother’s house, and a small black-and-white photo album here with me—a collection of family pictures, documents, stories, and history that are worth little monetarily, but that couldn’t possibly mean more to me.

A struggle of one family that has moved around the world, been laborers and professionals, helped build countries, fought wars, healed the sick, played professional sports, cooked for the masses, touched the hearts of many, seen the best and worst of people, experienced many successes as well as failures, but, most importantly, persevered as a unit, as a family.

————–

Reminder: check out Judith’s Chicken Pot Pie for La Buona Cucina Americana!

Buon weekend!

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