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How hard is it to write good? (I know it should be "write well" but this ain't English class, and I'll say whatever I feel like, I are a genius, ok?) Honestly though, how hard is it? Especially to write a fiction piece. Just let your immagination go. I am constantly amazed at the people who tell me that I'm a good writer, and then proceed to tell me that they could never do that kind of thing. I personally think that writing is easy, but maybe I'm special, although I highly doubt that. For those people who say they "can't" write, I think they have one main problem...they TRY to write. Writing well is not something you TRY to do, it just happens. My fellow authors will back me up on that one. Sure, you'll have those spans of writer's block where writing a simple sentence is like a root canal (just don't use an ice skate...read below to understand that reference). But for the most part, words will flow if you let them. You may not be the next Shakespeare, but you may surprise yourself. To get in the mood to write, I write short pieces that make absolutely no sense, just to get me to laugh and loosen up. I turn my immagination loose, and anyone who knows me knows I have one hell of an immagination. One fun thing that I do sometimes is I print out several works I have already done, then cut them into small strips, each strip having only one line on it, then I toss them into a hat (or bowl) and randomly start picking lines, and arranging them in a way to make a totally different story, they usually don't make any sense, but it's fun. Laughter seems to be my solution to anything, if you can laugh, your body relaxes, and you're able to let things flow easier. That's a philosophy that's good for life in general, not just writing. If you got a problem, find something to laugh at, it really puts things in perspective.
   from the mind of Anthony Ackerley written at 10:08 AM

Wow, I got a little preachy towards the end up there, didn't I? I know, it scared me too. But I'd like to switch gears and talk about something that upsets me... that being when some company sees fit to change a product that was perfectly fine, and make it "New and Improved". I'm talking mainly about food products. If you're like me, then you've experienced this. You have a food that you really really like, in my case it was a generic brand of Creamy French Dressing for salads. This was the only salad dressing that I liked, and if I didn't have it, I simply didn't eat salad. Then one day, I read the label, and it reads "New and Improved" taste... when I got home, I found out that only one of those claims was true. It may have been new, but it certainly wasn't improved. This has happened with many other products as well, and I ask you, why? Ok, I understant that some people may not have liked the old way, but can't they reach some compromise? Maybe make half and half, keep the traditional, but also offer the new and improved, that way everybody's happy. That goes back to the old cliche, "If it's not broke, don't fix it." I know what you're thinking right now, "What kind of loser spends his time writing about salad dressing?" and maybe you're right, but if I'm a loser for writing about it, what does that make you for reading about it? Now that's food for thought. Until next time...

Monday, October 1, 2001

***Breaking News - The Poetry Link at the top of the page is opertional***

Merry October everyone, yet again father time has seen fit to bring us to the month of a false hero (Columbus) and the favorite holiday of dentist's everywhere (Halloween). For me, October means something else this year. October now means that we are able to get out of September 2001, the month as we all know, that had that terrible tragedy happen back on the 11th. I have absolutely no disrespect for those working in the rubble, and those who have died since the first attack, but I feel that it is simply time to move on, television is dragging the last possible story line out of this tragedy when we should be left to mourn our losses in peace. The more time that passes, the more I think this kind of exploitation will lessen, and we can FINALLY get back to a somewhat normal life. That time will be for me is when I can turn on a TV, and not hear anything about it, until the allotted news time (be it 5 o'clock, 6 or 7, 10 or 11, or whatever your time for news is). These special reports that break in just to tell us no real changes have occurred, get rather annoying, at least to me, but I am only one man.
   from the mind of Anthony Ackerley written at 8:21 AM

Two Lessons Learned

I have learned two lessons since the September 11th tragedy, first and foremost is a lesson that some people preach constantly, but it takes until something as big and devastating like this happens for it to sink in. That lesson is "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today." And I'm not talking about homework, or housework, I'm talking about the meaningful stuff. Visiting a friend in the hospital, telling your parents that you love them, telling a person you have a crush on them, just hanging out with a group of your friends and having an all night bash. The little things that make life worth living. I myself nearly made a mistake. In high school, I had this friend, her name was Crisan. Now, in high school, I was your traditional wall flower, and in most aspects, still am, but Crisan was one of the few people I actually trusted, and enjoyed talking to. And she was one of the few who would actually make the effort to talk to me as well. I truly appreciated that, and thought of her as a close friend. But graduation came and went, and I didn't tell her that when I should of. That was a mistake. However, thanks to the miracle of computers, I soon got in contact with her over Instant Messenger, and told her what I should have said in high school. And just so she doesn't forget, I want to tell her now, and you all have to deal with it since it's my website and I can do what I want lol. But seriously, Crisan, if you're reading this (and you will be because I'm going to give you the url address so you can), you truly are one of my best friends. I feel I can trust you completely with anything, and that's a feeling I don't get about too many people. And even though we may go weeks without saying a word to each other, you're never far from my thoughts and prayers, and I hope each day brings you happiness and smiles, because you definitely deserve them.
  

Have you ever had one of those days where everything annoys you, no matter what, or who it is? I had one of those days yesterday, it's never fun. You spend half your day praying to God that you don't go off on someone who doesn't deserve it, and the other half of your day praying to God that someone actually gives you a reason to go off, just so you can get it all out. I felt like hitting something, and have a punching bag hanging in the garage for just that purpose, but unfortunately, I was not told that our friends' belongings would be put into our garage to take up space. So if I really wanted to go work out on the punching bag, I would have to squeeze my rather large frame into a space about 2 feet wide, and that my friends, is NOT happening. So I spent most of the day either shut in my room, or relaxing in the bath tub, and while nothing was really solved, it seemed to lessen the feeling, and I'm proud to say that today, I'm doing all right.
   from the mind of Anthony Ackerley written at 12:00 PM

A Little Housework

You'll have to excuse the poor condition of this site, this is just something I've put together today, and am still in the process of setting everything up. The links on the right side of the page all work, but the ones at the top and bottom of the page do not, but I expect they will be operation within the next couple of days, so I ask you to check back often as I will be getting everything sorted, as well as offer you a running commentary on my life, and my thoughts and opinions on current events. One link in particular I urge you to check out is "Gift to America" link. It is a wonderful page created by a dear friend of mine, in which the people of America can send in their words of encouragement, and their thoughts about the September 11th tragedy. It is a truly moving page that is well worth your time. I myself intend on contributing to the page when time allows, and urge you to do the same.