Words & Tricks

8 random things about me - A meme

Recently, Crystal at Big Bright Bulb, a blog chock full of great advice and insight for small business owners and entrepreneurs, tagged me with a blog meme that’s been making the rounds. I was flattered because it makes me feel a bit more like I’m part of the blogging community. The ideas is that someone comes up with a post, writes it, and “tags” a few other people to write a similar post. Everybody reads the others’ posts, and comments on them. Links are exchanged in a friendly way, everybody has fun, and then we move on with our lives.

So, this one is simply a list post of eight random things about me that you may, or mat not, know. I’m supposed to tag 8 other people at the end, but I don’t know 8 people who blog. So, I tagged three people at the end. I guess I really need to stop lurking on all those great blogs I read. I hereby resolve to comment more.

More »

Further Reading on Words & Tricks

• Freelance Clips (0)
• About Chris Pommier (1)
• Interview: Jane Levin shares insight on poetry, surviving cancer and self-publishing [with Video] (0)
• WT Update: Selection of Chris Pommier’s freelance clips online (0)
• Watchdoggin’: Top notch reporters & editors share investigative journalism tips for ethnic media (0)

Tags: Alaska, astigmatism, California, community, congenital nystagmus, Elko, Gay, insight, list, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, poetry, random things, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Seattle, Sitka

Music library getting dusty? 3-and-a-half websites you may not know (but should immediately bookmark)

Finding that you’ve gotten into a rut with you music? If, as my fellow Twitterer BigBrightBulb said (who blogs here and twitters here), you’ve been filling out your 80’s pop collection based on Muzak from your favorite burrito shop,, then I’ve got some tips for you below. Or, maybe, like me, the hard drive that housed all your music crashed beyond repair. The smell of burning plastic does not bode well for my Tori Amos Discography.

Either way, I’ve got a short list of sites you’ll want to check out.

They’re not as famous or popular as Last.fm, iTunes, or Yahoo! Music, but maybe you’ve already tried those, and just maybe they’re boring you to tears. Especially since you want to find music that challenges you, and pushes your boundaries. You want to find music uncovered by the most music-obsessed people on the planet. Music bloggers.

Look no further.

More »

Further Reading on Words & Tricks

• Gift Guide: DoCoppenhagen’s Top 15 (of 50) Music Picks for 2006 (0)
• Freelance Clips (0)
• Check Back Here for Your Holiday Gift Guide (0)
• About Chris Pommier (1)
• 4 differences between Belize and Costa Rica (4)

Tags: Albums, Denmark, DoCopenhagen, hype machine, links, list, Media, mixtape, mp3s, music, Muxtape, recommendation, song, tips, Twitter, yahoo music, zeitgeist

4 differences between Belize and Costa Rica

While Jonah and I braved the winding mountain roads above Arenal Lake on our way to Monteverde, I couldn’t help but think back to our travels in Belize a year ago. I’m admittedly biased against tropical vacations, and I’m easily distracted. Put those two traits together and I found myself wondering, what the hell was I doing here? Didn’t I see this palm tree last year? I swear, didn’t I hear that same bird in Belize?

To take my mind off the dizzying drop to my left, I listed a few of the differences between the two destinations. Our van dipped and lurched and clambered into the foothills as I counted … More »

Further Reading on Words & Tricks

• Travel to the Yucatan, Belize or Costa Rica (0)
• Three Things I learned in Belize, plus One (0)
• Music library getting dusty? 3-and-a-half websites you may not know (but should immediately bookmark) (2)
• You Better Belize It! (1)
• Check Back Here for Your Holiday Gift Guide (0)

Tags: Belize, climate, Costa Rica, food, list, tips, tourism, transportation, tropics

Three Things I learned in Belize, plus One

Here are some things they don’t tell you in the guidebooks:

1. The food in San Ignacio is phenomenal. No one really made much mention of food, generally saying that it wasn’t much to write home about. But Jonah and I beg to differ. The stewed chicken, rice and beans at Hanna’s in San Ignacio is right up there with the ruins at Xunantunich as one of my favorite experiences on this trip. Everything we had at Hanna’s was just wonderful and cheap! Two people could eat top-notch grub for around $20 US or less. We also recommend Serendib for curry and Sri Lankan food and Cafe Sol for some vegan and vegetarian options.
2. They don’t believe in sidewalks in Belize. When walking around town, watch for cars! You’ll get crowded onto the shoulder by speeding SUVs, Honda’s Toyotas (which seemed to be the manufacturer of choice down there) and other various and sundry vehicles. Also, watch the hills. Gravel can send you tumbling.
3. Toilets don’t generally take toilet paper. There’s usually a small waste paper basket near the toilet for your dirty TP. If you try and flush it might not go down. The what are you going to do?

• I just remembered another one. Belizeans like running electricity into your shower. I noticed this my first night when I was in a dumpy hotel in downtown Belize City and reached up to turn the shower head. I thought I felt an electric shock bite my finger. Squinting up through the cascade of water over my eyes I saw a length of electrical cable in a plastic casing running the length of the wall from the ceiling and ending in a dual outlet box right behind the showerhead. I stepped back out of the falling water and noticed, to my amazement the frayed black tape holding the red, black and bare ground wires to white wires going into the showerhead itself. There were droplets of moisture dripping from them. I decided to end my shower. Turns out that’s how most (of not all) showers in Belize operate. When you think about it, why have hot water available in a tropical climate, anyway? Most of my showers in Belize were cool, and I was happy for it.

Further Reading on Words & Tricks

• 4 differences between Belize and Costa Rica (4)
• You Better Belize It! (1)
• Travel to the Yucatan, Belize or Costa Rica (0)
• Music library getting dusty? 3-and-a-half websites you may not know (but should immediately bookmark) (2)
• Check Back Here for Your Holiday Gift Guide (0)

Tags: Belize, list, San Ignacio

Check Back Here for Your Holiday Gift Guide

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah (or Chanukah or Hanukah or Chanuka or Chanukkah or Hanuka or Channukah or Hanukka or Khanike or ???? or ?????), Yule, Kwanza, or perhaps you refuse to celebrate the holiday season at all by not diving into the rampant consumerism that grips the majority of this country, but you know, know, that a certain person will kill you if you don’t buy them a gift … Well, I’ll be posting a series of suggestions for you.

You never know. Maybe I’ll stumble on the perfect gift that you would never have thought of yourself. Better check back often, or better yet sign up for my feed in order to be sure.

Gift Guide Quick Navigation:

• Top Music of 2006 from the blog DoCopenhagen
• How about a book for the Orchid Lover in your life
• Give the gift of charity.

Further Reading on Words & Tricks

• Gift Guide: DoCoppenhagen’s Top 15 (of 50) Music Picks for 2006 (0)
• Gift Guide: Gift Certificates for Charities (1)
• Let it Snow. Let it Snow. Ok, Stop. (2)
• Freelance Clips (0)
• About Chris Pommier (1)

Tags: books, Christmas, gift, guide, Hanukah, holiday, list, magazines, music