theridingwriter

A Shout Out to Those Making a Difference

theridingwriter — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:20:12 +0000

Just when I start to get a little too cynical about things, something happens that reminds that there are good people out there. Very good people. People that give of their time, their expertise, their money, and ask for nothing in return. I’ve seen people with very little money still manage to donate $5. I’ve seen very generous souls believe so much in an organization that they give much, much more than that. It’s because they believe in what that non-profit does. And so many non-profits work so hard and do such good work. They all need help. They all need donations. It’s so hard to pick one, but it doesn’t matter. These non-profits change people’s (and animal’s) lives. In therapeutic horseback riding I’ve seen it happen time and time again. From the non-verbal child who suddenly starts to talk, to the adult that was inspired to get healthy and lose weight to the little girl who was so excited to ride a horse again she couldn’t be still. And as long as there is life breathing into a non-profit it will continue to happen. So, from one volunteer to another, and from the manager of a non-profit organization, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for thinking beyond yourself. Thank you for helping those in need. Whether you give time, supplies, money; it doesn’t matter. Know that the gifts are appreciated. You don’t get enough credit, and sadly you never will. But that’s not why you do it. You do it because you want to make a difference. And in case you ever question that, don’t. You do make a difference every day.

I’m Inspired by the Sacrifice of Others

theridingwriter — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:57:21 +0000

I digress a bit in this post. Recently, I became a charter member of the Chambersburg Civitan. Although I was new to Civitan, I supported their mission of helping others, particularly those with developmental disabilities. One of the first events they talked about at the meetings was a Clergy dinner hosted by local Civitan clubs. I had no idea specifically why Civitan did this, other than to acknowledge and thank the clergy of our area which in and of itself is a worthy reason. Then in the latest Civitan magazine I read the saga of the Four Chaplains that inspired Civitan’s Clergy Appreciation Week. I was very moved by the heroic tale of 4 clergy that gave the ultimate sacrifice on the USAT Dorchester which was sunk by a German submarine in the icy Atlantic waters 150 miles from Greenland in 1943. Before sacrificing themselves they saved many others and gave comfort to those that could not be saved. I would encourage you to take 5 minutes to read their tale. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20565675,00.html

If men such as these can give their lives to save others, can’t we all give an hour or two of our time to a worthy cause? Whether it is a service organization like Civitan, a local non-profit organization or even a friend or neighbor in need, we can all help someone somewhere. You never know what difference you might make in a person’s life. And when you give, you get paid back in so many ways many times over.

Horses are an Important Industry

theridingwriter — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:25:10 +0000

I was reminded of these figures while I was looking around the American Horse Council’s website. This is from a study they published utilizing data from 2005. Granted that was pre-global economic meltdown and I’m sure the figures are different now. But still, the equine industry is a viable, important industry that contributes billions of dollars into the U.S. economy. It deserves some respect and is worth our efforts to keep it afloat and make it strong. Did you realize just how far the equine industry reaches? Consider these numbers from the study:

There are 9.2 million horses in the United States.
4.6 million Americans are involved in the industry as horse owners, service providers, employees and volunteers. Tens of millions more participate as spectators.
2 million people own horses.
The horse industry has a direct economic effect on the U.S.of $39 billion annually.
The industry has a $102 billion impact on the U.S.economy when the multiplier effect of spending by industry suppliers and employees is taken into account. Including off-site spending of spectators would result in an even higher figure.
The industry directly provides 460,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs.
Spending by suppliers and employees generates additional jobs for a total employment impact of 1.4 million FTE jobs.
The horse industry pays $1.9 billion in taxes to all levels of government.
Approximately 34% of horse owners have a household income of less than $50,000 and 28% have an annual income of over $100,000. 46% of horse owners have an income of between $25,000 to $75,000.
Over 70% of horse owners live in communities of 50,000 or less.
There are horses in every state. Forty-five states have at least 20,000 horses each.

So if you hear someone knocking the equine industry or call horses simply “hay burners” (which yes, they are, but that doesn’t stop us from owning them) toss out a few of these numbers. Chances are non-horse people have no idea the reach the equine industry has. A little education could go a long way.

Happy New Year!

theridingwriter — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:49:17 +0000

I considering writing about my New Year’s resolutions, but part of me wondered why anyone would want to read that. Then I say this blog post floating around Facebook, and it sums up everything and more that I wanted to say. http://www.marcandangel.com/2011/12/11/30-things-to-stop-doing-to-yourself/

I was pleased to discover that I do a number of things on this list, but there were a few others that really hit home that I want to take on in 2012. I encourage everyone to read this list and try to follow it. Good luck and have a fabulous 2012!

How do you think?

theridingwriter — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:39:40 +0000

I think in words. I constantly have an internal dialogue going through my head about what to say, how to say it, what words I would use to describe something. (This doesn’t make me crazy, does it?) I find myself trying to anticipate the dialogue while watching movies and TV. When I read, I take note of the words used to create tone of voice and a sense of space. I can get so involved in that aspect that I lose sight of simply reading the story. My husband says that when he designs and draws he sees everything in 3-D and can picture the completed project. Picturing things in my mind is difficult. I was never good in the spatial relationship portion of those standardized tests we took in school. For me it’s all words, which is I guess why writing has always come easily to me. So one might think I learn well by listening or reading, but that isn’t the case. Sure, I can read and understand a concept, but until I do the work myself it isn’t solidified into my brain. I am no doubt a kinesthetic learner. Not sure what that means if anything, but I find it fascinating how people think and how people learn. It’s such a challenge as a teacher to be able to determine a student’s learning style and develop methods to meet those needs, especially if it is a style different from his/her own. And then when teaching disabled individuals, like I do with therapeutic riding, it can be even more challenging. In many cases these students can’t tell you how they think and how they learn so there ends up being a lot of trial and error.

Give it some thought. How do you think? How do you learn? What goes through your head and how do you visualize? Ask these same questions to your family and friends. Chances are you will hear lots of different answers and you may realize why some people are talented in certain areas.

Some Random Horse Facts

theridingwriter — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:37:38 +0000

I do the vast majority of my research online. I vaguely remember the day when I had to go to the library and look up articles and books and take notes directly from there. Then there was interlibrary loan when the book I needed wasn’t carried by my local library. And now most everything is at our fingertips. All we have to do is “Goggle it”. Of course with the advent of blogging and anyone being able to post whatever he/she likes (kinda like this blog right here…) one has to be very careful about what is used for sources. Using accurate, reliable sources and fact checking should still be a vital part of research. But it’s also very easy to get distracted when you are researching online. Invariably I will start clicking on interesting looking links and before long I’m somewhere completely different from where I started and where I should be. I guess it could be considered online ADD. And one of those times I found some interesting horse facts that I thought I’d share. Oh…and FYI…the source that was sited there was The Encyclopedia of Horses and Ponies, by Tamsin Pickeral.

There are about 75 million horses in the world.
Horses younger than 4 years can concentrate for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Horses sleep 2 1/2 to 3 hours a day, but only lay down about 45 minutes a day.
A horse has approximately 205 bones.
There are over 350 breeds of horses and ponies.
Horses have 2 blind spots. One is directly in front of them. The other is directly behind them.
Horses can drink up to 10 gallons of water per day.

Cheers!

Getting Started in Writing

theridingwriter — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:56:59 +0000

Are you at the point where you want to have an article published? Whether you are trying to break into a print or online venue, established publications usually like to work with published authors. So then how do you get established if no one will take a chance and publish your work? It can be a frustrating catch 22. There are websites that will publish most any content, but I’m not sure how much influence that would have for websites and magazines that emphasize content that has been proofed and fact-checked. A well written blog could certainly show people that you have the technical skills and perhaps creativity, but won’t necessarily go into the depth that a publisher might need for a specific article. Another option is to look for a magazine, newsletter or newspaper (yes there are a few still in existence) that would print your article for free or for a small fee. My first publication was a brief story about a personal experience I had. It went into a monthly newsletter, paid $10 and I was thrilled! A piece published with your byline will start to give you “clips” or examples of work that you can share with a publisher.

It is also important to know where you are sending your article. Research the magazine or website before submitting an idea. Check to see if they have done a piece recently on your topic and make sure it is appropriate for its target market. Many publications have writer’s guidelines on their websites. If they do, read them and follow them to the letter. You could also subscribe to Writer’s Market or purchase their annual guide. Do they want a query letter submitted via regular mail? Will they accept ideas via email? Do they want the entire manuscript or just the idea? If you follow the specific guidelines exactly and send it to the correct person, you will have a much better chance of being considered. If you send an email to an entity that wants to be contacted via mail, you will likely never hear from them. And most people do not want to be called so don’t even go there. Becoming an established author usually takes time and patience. Keep trying and eventually you will make it.

Cheers!

Finding Inspiration

theridingwriter — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:33:43 +0000

I’m often curious how people come up with ideas. As writers, we are always having to come up with new ideas, whether it is for a regular column, series of articles or character development for a book. So I ask people how they do it, and most people tell me their best thoughts occur when they are doing something mundane. For one friend it is cleaning the house. For another it is driving. Okay, driving probably shouldn’t be considered a mundane task, but when you’re on the highway with the cruise control set and have a long drive ahead of you your mind wanders. I’ve heard of people waking up with a brilliant idea. They keep a notepad by their bed so they can jot it down right away. Me personally? I agree that driving has given me my share of ideas. Quite often, however, my greatest moments of clarity come when I’m cleaning stalls – a mundane task to be sure – and walking the dog. Whatever works for you, the key is that we are not overwhelmed by outside stimuli. As we go through our daily lives, we are constantly being bombarded by noise, ads, demands from others, the list goes on and on. When we get away from that and do something like mop the floor, our conscious mind tends to go on autopilot and it allows our subconscious to creep in. So the next time you have to come up with a brilliant idea, go do something mundane and see what magic is created.

Remember Letter Writing?

theridingwriter — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:04:18 +0000

I am a member of Generation X. I consider it a crossover generation. We lived in a time B.C. (before computers) so we remember things like typewriters and hand writing letters. I can still remember the anticipation I experienced waiting for a letter to arrive from a special person. But today we are swept up in a world of texting, blogging and social networking. It’s easy and convenient to send an email or text, but there is a large segment of our population that doesn’t keep up with all the technology and still appreciates the handwritten word. That is an important thing to remember, especially when it comes to customer service. Think about it. Do you enjoy getting a card in the mail? Is it somehow different than getting an email? I know I’m always pleasantly surprised to get a card in the mail and enjoy it for reasons I can’t really explain. Maybe it is because in the instant world we live in, I appreciate someone who took the time to pick out a card, write something in it, stick on a stamp and put it in the mail. Chances are if you like it, there are many other people out there that like it. So text away, email general correspondence, but don’t underestimate the power of the hand written word. I challenge you to think of someone special in your life and send them a hand written note. It doesn’t have to be long. It doesn’t have to be fancy or poetic. Simply writing “Thank you”, “I’m sorry”, or “I love you” can be very powerful. It could bring a smile to someone’s face and make them feel better. So spread some good will and send someone a note today.

Cheers!

Writer’s Block

theridingwriter — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:25:00 +0000

Not long ago I needed to get an article written and even though I had my notes sitting in front of me and I had nothing. Nadda. Zip. Zilch. No inspiration at all. After giving it some time, I came up with a few sentences, but couldn’t seem to get any type of flow. What’s a writer to do when she can’t find the words?

Wikipedia describes writer’s block as “a condition, associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task in hand. At the other extreme, some ‘blocked’ writers have been unable to work for years on end, and some have even abandoned their careers.” After reading “Goats With Coats” to a group of second graders, one frustrated young writer said to me “Sometimes I just can’t figure what to say. Then what do I do?” It’s a very good question! Here are a few suggestions…

1. If you don’t know how to begin, try jotting down the main ideas of your piece. Then go back and add other thoughts to those ideas. You will then have the beginnings of an outline.

2. Step away from the computer. Stand up, stretch, go for a short walk if you can. I find fresh air can work wonders.

3. If you’re feeling anxious about writing the piece (or anxious that you can’t seem to get it written), make sure to quiet any negative self-talk going on in your head. Replace “I can’t” with “I will”. Trying playing your favorite, upbeat music to liven your mood or soothing, relaxing music to calm your nerves.

4. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the piece, try breaking it into smaller, more manageable pieces.

5. Remember that your first draft doesn’t have to be the finished product. Sometimes when I’m having trouble with a really technical piece, I just try to get the important points in basic sentences. I know that if I can get a draft down, no matter how awful, I can walk away knowing the hardest part is over. Then later I’ll come back to it with a brighter perspective knowing that I “only” have to edit the piece. Granted, there might be a lot of editing that needs to be done, but in my head that is easier than the original writing part. Sometimes it’s all a matter of perspective.

Cheers!