Bonham Bytes for June and July 2014

Nature walk at Children's Camp.

• Summer is travel time for Bill and I. I have tried writing and posting to my two Blogger blogs with a Blogger app. The app worked very well. However, electronic equipment and traveling by motorcycle does not always work well. My new method is to write two or three posts and schedule each post to publish automatically. Writing and scheduling blog posts has become second nature to me. 

• My camera is an accessory that I take with me whenever I leave the house. My Panasonic DMC-FZ7 has a padded case that works well for carrying the camera in a motorcycle bag. I also place the camera and camera accessories in plastic freezer bags as an extra element of protection.

• Bill and I rode our motorcycles to Hardy, Arkansas in June. During our ministry trips we camp out, but don't feel bad for us. We have a queen size, double mattress air bed that goes with us. We pitched in and helped the Arkansas Christian Motorcyclists by working in the hospitality tent. The weather was hot, hot, hot until a cold front came in Saturday afternoon and created a bit of excitement in the form of wind and  rain. 

• The next event on my calendar was working at the Gasconade Valley Children's Camp from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM on a Tueday and Wednesday. My center was nature. I enjoyed sharing my knowledge of Missouri wildflowers and edibles. The campers and I went on a Bug Hunt, Nature Walk, nibbled on day lilly buds, and discovered reindeer moss. 

• Other events for June included Father's Day Family Night, a funeral dinner, substituting for the Youth Sunday School class, and babysitting my 2 year old grandson. 

• So, when do I write? I write very early in the morning every day. During the school year I get up at 5:00 AM and during summer break I get up between 6:00 and 8:00 AM. Fortunately, my husband is retired and a night owl. He sleeps much later than I do. I'm usually about done writing when he gets up to begin his day.
  

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The Bonham Portable Palace

• July 2 began like most of my days until I checked my Yahoo! email account. An email from Yahoo Contributor Network was waiting for me. On July 31, Yahoo is closing down the Yahoo Contributor Network and Yahoo! Voices platform. Sadness overcame me at first, but this event was the catalyst for developing this website.

• I celebrated the arrival of July 4th by working on this website. Learning a new format can be daunting, but I just stay calm, use the FAQ list, and use the Help link if I get stumped, or cannot figure something out. Perseverance is a must for an online writer.

• Bill and I travel at least once a month from May to mid August. When I am traveling, I pack a 4"x 6" note pad, my camera, at least three ink pens.and plenty of business cards. My note pad fills with article ideas, poems, notes about the trip,  and random thoughts about writing. Traveling is also a great time to market yourself.

• Practice introducing yourself as a writer, blogger, or author and handing a business card to a person. Practice until you feel comfortable. Remember, if you don't believe you are a writer, no one else will either. 

• Marketing myself as a writer was awkward at first, but practice has given way to a more polished presentation. Don't hesitate to tell a cashier that you are a writer. Cashiers own computers and I phones. Be bold, but not pushy.