Arild Nygard

Archive for the ‘Love Of Writing’ Category

I was asked a question the other day on how to start publishing online and more importantly I guess an underlying question on how to sell the “works” online or make money if you like. Right at first I didn’t quiet understand what was behind this question but I pursued it and found that the person had been writing stories and articles for a while. Trying to get published off line is not easy. I still don’t know at this point what will come of it. I don’t even know what the person is writing about. I guess things will come to the surface eventually. It is a great pleasure for me to help out if I can but I really need some idea on where we are going with this if anything that I do is going to be targeted on the subject. It’s like looking for something in the haystack but not knowing what to look for.
I could imagine a scenario as follows;
So here we are, I have quit my day job and started to write for a living, full time or almost. I have been trying to get published for a while but no success yet. I have sold some articles to magazines and things are going ok for now (the bills are being paid). Sporadic work on other things takes me away from writing and lack of concentration on that is affecting the result. My short stories have been mailed out to publishing companies but are being sent back and I don’t even know if the have red, it doesn’t look like it! So now what? What can I do next? Should I try to contact some people and let them know what I’m up to and ask for help? I don’t know yet. Maybe a little bit of information can be obtained if I’m careful about asking. I have heard about publishing online – maybe that’s the way to go?
So how do I publish online? Is that the right question to ask? Maybe I should ask “How do I sell my work online” type of a question? I don’t know much about this at all do I?

I think the right answer for a person like this will be a multi stage type of answer.
Sitting down and talking about it for a while and maybe explaining what goes into working online might shed some light on the way to go. Draw up a plan, make a budget and last but not least, take action and start.
I will follow this a bit further as things evolve and post back here.

Technorati Tags: publishing, writing

Getting things out of my mind and forget about it. I wonder if it works if I write about it. Sort of emptying the grey matter we call a Brain.
Life is short and going around bearing grudges means wasting time and energy. People talk about backstabbing and that kind of stuff. What’s up folks? Don’t have anything better to do? Don’t like it the way it is? Well, get out of Dodge!
Personally I think my life is richer because of the people I meet and learn from. We are all different and should learn to accept one another the way we are. It doesn’t mean to join the bandwagon but simply accept the difference. I was under the impression that we all could get along just fine but it seems that it is difficult for many people to do just that. Maybe it’s the long winter that is taking it’s toll on peoples state of mind. I just don’t know.
Anyway this is all I’m gong to say about it as I consider it a waste of my time and energy. I just don’t like this sort of things.

Technorati Tags: State of Mind, Writing

It was yesterday, 2007. I think I said the same thing last time around. The year has passed by so quickly and it was like only yesterday that I was overseas for family visit and some r/r with friends and family. Wow, already a full year ago. Oh my, it flew by very fast. Looking back on the year that passed I have to say that it was a year of some learning but mainly it has been a year without focus and not real effort of putting things to work. Let me see if I can do better this year?
The change has to come this year as there is no return after this one. Focus is the name of the game.
Number one on the list is “The List”, a new way of training my self in how to focus. It has been my biggest problem and now I intend to really change it. For the New Year 2008 my motto will be “FOCUS”
I will be blogging about it and it will be part of my daily routine to work on “The List”. The “Theme” for 2008 will be “Focus” and “The List”. I hear it is a lot written about focus and what goes into being successful online. There are many that tries by very few seem to have any success at it. I’m talking about creating a comfortable living online. Take for instance this moment I’m sitting here writing about it and simply not doing it. Well it’s really more to it than that. I’m intending to document the whole process that I’m going through at the moment. From the beginning to the end, if I ever reach there, the end being a time when I’m making a comfortable income from the Internet. So here it is folks, my New Year resolution.

Technorati Tags: Focus, Concentration, Money, Progress

If you are cruising for the first time – congratulations! You are in for a unique, worthwhile experience. As a newbie, though, you probably have questions about some of the do’s and don’ts of traveling aboard a cruise ship. Luckily, there are many die-hard cruisers who are happy to share some tips to make your first time more rewarding.

Before You Leave Home

Have a friend or neighbor take in your mail daily. Accumulating mail is a big sign to thieves and other troublemakers that no one is home. You could also have your mail held at the post office until you return.

Set your lights on timers so that it appears someone is home to deter troublemakers. Tell your neighborhood community patrol to make a few extra passes by your home while you are away.

Preprint labels and stamps if you plan to mail postcards out while you are on your cruise. This saves some time and you won’t have to lug around an awkward address book.

Money Matters

Stock up on traveler’s checks since they are replaceable if lost or stolen. To expedite the replacements should your traveler’s checks be lost or stolen, write down the serial numbers and put them in a safe and separate place. That way, it makes the bank’s job a little easier and speed up the process for your replacements.

Keep a handy supply of small denominational bills, usually one’s and five’s. Tipping is appreciated for porters and stewards at both the airport and docking pier of the ship. This is especially important in foreign countries. Horror stories abound about stolen or “lost” bags that never make it to the ship. Sometimes, you have got to grease their palms with cash. It’s a small price to pay for having your clothing and toiletries aboard for your cruise.

To avoid long lines at the end of your cruise, check out your ending invoice on your account. Check for any errors and resolve them as soon as possible. There is no sense adding the stress of standing in line to pay your final tab after you just had a relaxing vacation.

Take a few rubber bands with you to wrap around your wallet. The rubber will “grab” onto your clothing. This makes it very difficult for a pickpocket to part with your wallet without you feeling it.

Kid Stuff

If you are traveling with babies or toddlers, paper throwaway bibs are perfect for protecting your child from stains and messes at meal times, thus prolonging the wear of their clothing.

Bring a collapsible stroller for your young child. The cruise ship is a happening place and before long you will hear the strains of “I’m tired! Carry me!” This is exhausting to parents. With a stroller, you can just pop your kid inside and roll on.

Pack a few portable, self contained snacks for your child like peanut butter or cheese crackers. These will come in handy and are much cheaper than buying some once you are cruising or at port.

Odds and Ends

Throw inside your suitcase a few of those annoying plastic shopping bags that you usually get from the grocery store. These are handy for storing dirty clothing.

If you have an inside cabin, take a nightlight with you. Darkness is not fun when you are in a strange room. No sense running into walls or stubbing your toe if you can avoid it. Little maglight keychain flash lights are handy too.

Bring a little first aid kits for those minor emergencies. Wet wipes are handy too for those instance were a sink isn’t handy.

There are literally hundreds of cruise tips that can save the sanity of newbie travelers. Think of those little shortcuts or ideas that you use at home. Decide if they are adaptable to the cruise ship. The less you have to worry about, the more relaxed you will be after your cruise.

Technorati Tags: Cruise Vacation, Travel, Vacation

Whether you are a true spelunker, a casual enthusiast, or a completely inexperienced beginner, Jamaica offers a variety of cave exploring adventures, suitable for every skill level. Marvelous geological formations are sure to inspire wonder in even the most experienced spelunker. Carefully guided tours with knowledgeable staff are available for beginners and children to explore in complete safety.

Just outside of Port Antonio, on a 180-acre coconut plantation, is a lovely example of the caves of Jamaica. This fascinating place, called the Caves of Nonesuch, is 1.5 million years old and contains many wonders. Well lit, with walkways, stairs and railings, this multi-chambered underground site is perfect for the casual cave enthusiast, though even the experienced caver – while smiling a bit at the ease of the half hour walk – will find sights of interest, as will those interested in geology and native history. Admission is $8 for those aged 12 and up, and $3 for children 11 and under. The admission price, in addition to a guided tour of the caves, also included a guided tour of the beautiful gardens found nearby. Read the rest of this entry »

I once thought I had a friend and found out that it might not be so.

Have you ever wondered were friendships are going. Did you ever think about friends you had in school and what ever happened to them? Maybe they are dead or have moved far away like I did. I was borne in Norway and all my childhood friends are or was there as far as I know. What ever happened to them? I’m talking about a small Norwegian town called Sandefjord; about 1.5 hours drive southwest from the capitol of Oslo. Growing up in this small town in Norway was a very comfortable life as a child. All you needed for you well being and fun was easily within reach for a young boy on his bike. I could go swimming in the sea during the summer. I could go fishing in the lakes. I could go horseback riding and hiking anytime after school. During the winter there was always lots of skiing available just around the corner. I used to go on my skis to school during the winter months. So where did my friends go? When I was there for a visit last winter during the Holidays I had the opportunity to visit one of them. After 20 some years since last time we met I could not recognize him at all. If we had met on the street I would have walked right by without a clue who it was for sure. This time I was lucky as my brother was present and could introduce me again. What a surprise it was. The skinny long haired boy I remembered was long gone and in place was a adult man with a pot belly and nearly bold, smoking cigars and enjoying life working on his hobby that had become his full time work. Fixing old cars. The man had become a crafts man and had gained a reputation for his excellent work. It goes to show that life deals us card that we have to make do with the best we can. He did very well in his choice and really enjoyed his life as a family man with solid work to go to every day. He had his own shop after all so being the boss made for a flexible lifestyle.  

I guess this is the time of the year when people start staying more inside and find other activities. Hey maybe they will read this Blog –lol guess not.

Anyhow why would someone read what silly me is writing. I have a few things to say and lot’s of living experience behind me from all over the world. When you love to write you just write anything that comes to mid sometimes. Before you know it a page is written and so on. I can sit and do this for hours at the time – most of the time. That is, if my wife let’s me. I think that you have to have a hobby or interest in life or all becomes just a big days work. How is the saying, all work and no play makes for a dull life or something like that. It just so happen to be my favorite pass time hobby and interest. I just love to write. I think living in a large vibrant city like Montreal also makes for a lot of good things to write about. Just the other day while driving to work listening to the radio I was thinking that my blog about writing has to have a voice of sort. What should I concentrate on writing about? Should it be local stuff from this area or should I write about things that has happened or places that I have been or something like that. Maybe just stay general. I think that travel will definitely stay with me as a subject to write about. I also think that day-to-day living should be a part of it. Becoming a blog of interest maybe there will be some comments one day and a conversation can start.

Last night as I went for a drive around I could see that people have started to put up Christmas decoration outside their houses. It’s still a bit early in my mind, we haven’t finished that month of November yet and already people are in full swing. Don’t do like the stores around in the shopping centers, preparing for the big Christmas rush of customers that never comes. Wake up and see the Canadian dollar value! Most people will go south of the border and do their stuff and as a matter of fact it has been going on for a while already. How about that deal that was announced a while ago, buy a car in the USA and save a bundle. Don’t’ you think people will be doing the same for Christmas?

I would if I had the time and could afford to do it. One of my friends told me that the savings on buying a Subaru station wagon south of the border, including the modifications to make it road compliant in Canada was about  $18000. That is one serious amount of savings. Maybe the Canadian dealers are taking notice of this trend?

Time will show.

Yea, I really do love to write. I can write for hours at the time. About anything at all. Writing has been a part of me for a long time but I really didn’t publish anything before the Blogging thing came along. One of my first sites was ShippingTalk.com and it was going very well at one time until the sapmming just got to be too much of a pain in the B-U-T-T and I simply took the site down for a while. It’s back up again and I will gett into it again hopefully…