A very fun, very addicting game came across one of the yahoo groups I belong to, the Bow Street Runners game.  So if you need a new time waster (I told you it was addicting, right?) pop on over and check it out...

 

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/C/city-of-vice/game/bow-street-runner/game.html

 

 

I decided it was time to add to my Butter Be Happy list.  Since this is going to be a writing day for me, I wanted to start it off with happy "writing" thoughts.

 

1.  Happy endings--even the fictional kind!

2.  Long walks to clear my head and work out those troublesome scenes.

3.  Great advice--even if it came full circle.  ;)

4.  A box of Girl Scout Peanut Butter Tagalongs as a writing reward--thanks Sammie!

5.  Great stories.

What about you?  What makes you happy when you write? 

 

 

THERE is no disease that puzzles Physicians more than the V^APOURS, and H^YSTERICK F^ITS. These complaints are produced by so many causes, and appear in so many various shares, that 'tis no easy matter to describe them.  However, some of the Symptoms are, a Thumping of the Heart, a Croaking of the Guts, and a Fullness of the stomach, which the Patient endeavours to ease, as much as she can, by Belching: Every now and then too, something seems to rise up in her Throat, that almost stops her Breath: She has moreover, a great Heaviness, and Dejection of Spirit, and a Cloud seems to hang upon all her Senses.  In one Word, she has no Relish for any thing, but is continually out of Humour, she knows not why, and out of Order, she knows not where.

 

THIS is certainly a miserable Condition, and the more so, because the Weakness of the Nerves makes the Cure exceeding difficult.

 

BECAUSE the Stomach is suspected to be much in Fault, I would have That Cleans'd in the first Place, with a Vomit of Indian Physick: The next Day, purify the Bowels, by a Purge of the same; which must be repeated 2 Days after.  The rest of the Cure must be perform'd by the exact Observation of the following Rules.  Endeavour to preserve a cheerful Spirit, putting the best Construction upon every Body's Words and Behaviour: Plunge, 3 Mornings every Week, into cold Water, over Head and Ears; which will brace the Nerves, and rouze the sluggish Spirits surprisingly.  Observe a strict Regularity and Temperance in your Diet; and ride every fair Day, small Journeys, on Horseback.  Stir nimbly about your Affairs, quick Motion being as necessary for Health of Body, as for Dispatch of Business, In the mean while, I absolutely forbid all sorts of Drams, which will raise the Spirits only to sink them lower; nor do I allow her one Pinch of Snuff, or one Drop of Bohea-Tea, which make People very lumpish and miserable.

 

HER Food must be fresh and easy of Digestion, neither Salt, nor windy; nor may she eat one Morsel of Beef, which affords a Gross Nourishment, and inclines People, too much, to hang themselves.  And for her Drink, she must forbear Beer, with all windy and fermented Liquors; and stick to Bawn Tea intirely.

 

TO escape this Disorder, she must suffer non of the idle Disturbances, or Disappointments of an empty World, to prey upon her Mind, or ruffle her sweet Temper.  let her use just Exercise enough to give a gentle spring to her Spirits, without wasting them; and let her be cheerful, in Spite of a churlish Husband, or cloudy Weather.

 

^{This remedy comes from Every Man his own Doctor (also known as The Poor Planter's Physician ) 3rd edition, printed & sold by Wil. Parks at his printing offices in Williamsburg, and Annapolis, 1736.}   

 

I don't know about you, but plunging my entire body  into COLD water at least 3 times a week to brace my nerves, would probably do anything but...

 

 

 

I have been working on my regency-set paranormal romance, which is a ghost story.  So, once again I have been trawling the net for info on ghosts.  I came across this Japanese home video.  It shows the spirit of what appears to be a man walking down a set of stairs.  The greatest video―it is not!  It goes dark, light and then dark again, but you can clearly see something there.  I have no idea what they are saying, as I don't speak Japanese, but here's the link nonetheless.  You decide for yourself.  A ghost or a trick of photography?    Ghost Videos:  http://www.ghostvideos.ws/

 

Here's another link to a web site of ghost photographs.  They explain how people can fake ghostly encounters in photographs.  Ghost researchers:

http://www.ghostresearch.org/ghostpics/

 

Did you know, during the early months of 1815 London was swept by reports of a pig-faced lady?  A colored engraving of her was sold for a shilling.  It was said she was born in Ireland twenty years prior and that she was from a wealthy family. 

 

You can read more here:  http://www.nonsenselit.org/wordpress/archives/2008/06/15/the-pig-faced-woman-and-the-limerick/

Last week was a terrible week for me.  I had trouble with my web site and I was feeling under the weather all week.  I just couldn't get it together.  But I'm feeling back on feet this week and I'm trying to get the hang on my new web site, so hopefully this week I will do better with my blogging.  I did miss my contest deadline―dangit! 

 

 

 

I pulled this entry straight from a January 1811 calendar I received from a member on a yahoo writing group list I belong to:

 

Mr. Bradley begs leave to inform the Nobility and Public in general, that he has arrived in London, intends to remain two months, and has taken an elegant apartment at No. 50, Piccadilly (Private door in Sackville Street) where he will feel highly honored by the patronage of a generous public, and flatters himself it will not be thought vanity when he asserts that they will be gratified with the sight on one of the most extraordinary phenomena of nature; being 18 years of age, measures nearly 8 feet, and weighs 26 stone; has had the honor of being introduced to their Majesties and Royal Family, and was most graciously received.  Admittance 1s.  Open from ten till seven.

 

This leaves a lot to the imagination.  What exactly do you think he had to view?  How many people do you think clamored to be the first in line?  I'm not certain it would have been Nobility...but then again neither would they probably be the first in line to stuff their head through a horse's collar, trying to wrench their features into the worst garbled disfigured mug possible.  This game was called the Grinning Match. 

I have decided to get some of my stories out there by entering more contests.  I know writing contests work for a lot of writers, but I just don't seem to be one of them.  My experience in the past has been wildly conflicting scoresheets.  One judge usually likes my work, while the other will pick at it.  Keeping this in mind, I haven't entered any contests for years because of this although I have judged.  Most contests now have it set it to have a third judge look at the entry when there is a wide gap between scores.  My entries would have gone to that third judge.

I have chosen a contest a month over the next couple of months to enter.  Although, I'm not sure I'm going to meet March's deadline. When I came up with the crazy idea the contest I chose for March had a deadline that was only days away and with all I had going on, I'm not sure I can get my entry polished enough to send out.  I might have to choose two contests for April or just place two entries in the contest I decided on for that month.

As I said, I have judged a lot of different contests for many years up until last year when I decided I needed to focus more on my own writing.  I learned a lot from judging those entries.  Hopefully, enough I can place well one or two of these contests.  We'll soon see.  So if you have been thinking about becoming trained as a contest judge and you have the time to give, I would say go for it.  Not only do you learn the writing craft from entering contests, but from judging them also.  However, it can be time consuming, so make certain you have the time to give before you commit.  

I think everything on my web site is up and working again.  There were a few glitches to work out and although I really like my web site host, their tech support leaves something to be desired.   I absolutely loathe having to contact them for anything because I know how frustrated I'm going to become by the end of the chat.  But with any luck I'm done with them for now.

 

Today's is St. Patrick's Day! In honor of that, I thought I would talk about leprechauns. A leprechaun is an Irish fairy taking on the appearance of a miniature old man. Folklore tells us they possess a hidden pot of gold.  Solitary, mischievous, little creatures, they are known to live in remote places.  They spend their time working on a single shoe (brogue). You know you have found him, if you hear the sound of his hammer while he's working.   If you capture a leprechaun, he might reveal the location of his gold to escape. But, keep your eye on him. If you look away, even just for a moment, he might vanish.

To read more:

 

Leprechauns

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprechaun

 

Irish Fairies

http://www.irelandseye.com/animation/explorer/leprechaun.html

 

Leprechaun Watch

http://www.irelandseye.com/leprechaun/webcam.htm

As you can see, I have updated my web site and there have bee a few hiccups along the way.  Hopefully, they are all ironed out now.