Mutter banned from losthorizons; situation deteriorating

[webhick]

To make my long story palatably short, I became involved in a film production company in September 2007. Your gremlin has been traveling to California and North Carolina and doing a great job of wrenching up my machinery. I have been through no less than eight "deals" where all is golden and we are ready to go but only to find that last minute changes and new conditions send the production back to square one. It seems like everyone in this business is a "powerhouse", an "eminent veteran producer", a mover and shaker as it were... all heroes in their own minds and all absorbed in the glow of their own prestige until its time to sign a contract and take out a checkbook.

I apologize if you've already done this, but do these freaks have references or some kind of resume? You have a right to know who they are and what kind of business people they are long before you waste time on negotiations that are doomed to fall through.

[Mr. Mephistopheles]

webhick, glad to hear you have your high school degree finished. That sets the stage for higher education. As I said earlier, I think you sell yourself short. No one here doubts that you make the decision to move forward. Take Gregg up on his offer. They offer an Intro to Business course that I'll bet you could sail right through. If you're increasing your skills available for your current boss he would be a fool to not help you along as well.

That school is only open to people who have not earned a high school diploma and who are under the age of 21. Besides, I believe I did Intro to Business my freshman year at a brick-and-mortar high school. Because I had great difficulty in getting my transcripts from my old high school, I also did it through correspondence roughly five years back along with a couple other courses.

I see. The important thing is you have the high school degree. If you're able to go on and get a college degree no one will give a hoot in hell where your high school degree was from. The Intro to Business I referred to was the college level course. I'll still bet you could skate through that one.

I hope you don't think we're being pushy. You seem like a very nice person with a ton of potential who is in a tough spot. Best of luck to you in whatever path you choose.

[Demosthenes]

Webhick, check out applying for your own column on http://www.Examiner.com. They pay, they're hiring, they don't require experience, and I think that something along the lines of your recent posts on the running a food pantry would appeal to them.

I also see that the Boston area Examiner is looking for both an "Exotic Pets" and "Pet Rescue" columnists.

Hint: they like humor, and they like human interest.

[Judge Roy Bean]

Been trying the writing thing for about a year now, just taking an hour at about 2am to write a couple pages. Same thing always happens though. I get about ten pages in, and it stops dead because I've backed myself into a corner and can't get out. So I rewrite parts to open things up a bit and it becomes incomprehensible, so I rewrite other bits to fix that, and it just keeps snowballing until I trash it and start over again. I've probably killed a couple dozen trees doing this. I've also tried to do outlines to work around the issue, but I always end up with a product that feels too punch-listy and analytical. And lately, I can barely get further than a paragraph on a blog post before I dry up completely. And I know I have a gold mine with the Slap Chop, but all I keep hitting is lead.

Hint: Giant white board and lots of multi-color dry markers. Start with a short story in your head to get a feel for "boarding it." No dialog - just plot/scene/chapter and characters across a timeline as they come to you. Get all the way to the end - you have to have an end result before you start writing dialog or action sequences. You can alter it (that's why the whiteboard). Again - practice with a short story - maybe even from another author. Once you can board one that way try one of your own.

Worst part is that I know that if I manage to write a book, nothing will materialize simply because that's the way everything goes. Every time I've tried to make things better, there's a fucking wrench-wielding gremlin on the wing. Either people don't do what they promised they would, it's "too little, too late," there were additional requirements or deadlines that I could not have known about, or it's just not good enough.

Hint: Lulu.com - see what's out there. You're not alone.

In the end, because I took time away from other things to do it, I'm worse off than when I started. But I keep banging my head against that brick wall like a moron, thinking that hard work eventually pays off when it obviously doesn't.

Hint: Block out "n" number of minutes each day or hours each week that you devote to writing and stick to it. If something comes to you between those times, scribble a reminder on the white board but don't get diverted.

Good luck!

[Prof]

Been trying the writing thing for about a year now, just taking an hour at about 2am to write a couple pages. Same thing always happens though. I get about ten pages in, and it stops dead because I've backed myself into a corner and can't get out. So I rewrite parts to open things up a bit and it becomes incomprehensible, so I rewrite other bits to fix that, and it just keeps snowballing until I trash it and start over again. I've probably killed a couple dozen trees doing this. I've also tried to do outlines to work around the issue, but I always end up with a product that feels too punch-listy and analytical. And lately, I can barely get further than a paragraph on a blog post before I dry up completely. And I know I have a gold mine with the Slap Chop, but all I keep hitting is lead.

Hint: Giant white board and lots of multi-color dry markers. Start with a short story in your head to get a feel for "boarding it." No dialog - just plot/scene/chapter and characters across a timeline as they come to you. Get all the way to the end - you have to have an end result before you start writing dialog or action sequences. You can alter it (that's why the whiteboard). Again - practice with a short story - maybe even from another author. Once you can board one that way try one of your own.

Worst part is that I know that if I manage to write a book, nothing will materialize simply because that's the way everything goes. Every time I've tried to make things better, there's a fucking wrench-wielding gremlin on the wing. Either people don't do what they promised they would, it's "too little, too late," there were additional requirements or deadlines that I could not have known about, or it's just not good enough.

Hint: Lulu.com - see what's out there. You're not alone.

In the end, because I took time away from other things to do it, I'm worse off than when I started. But I keep banging my head against that brick wall like a moron, thinking that hard work eventually pays off when it obviously doesn't.

Hint: Block out "n" number of minutes each day or hours each week that you devote to writing and stick to it. If something comes to you between those times, scribble a reminder on the white board but don't get diverted.

Good luck!

Or, start with an hour or so each week "just for you"--be kind to yourself for a little while; you can't be kind to the food pantry folks, your animals, and your boss all of the time without reserving a little space for yourself. Blessings and Happy Valentines.

It may help -- and amuse -- to think of JRB and me as elderly guys worrying about a "little girl." (I think Doc Av. is a little younger than JRB or -- for certain -- me!)

[webhick]

Thank you so much guys for the support and encouragement. Demo, Examiner looks promising. Their Nonprofit position is still open, and since I do the books for non-profits as well as handle the pantry, there should be lots of material there to work with, provided I can get the hamster in my head back on his wheel. I'll work on the sample article and the "about me" tonight so I can apply ASAP.

[Mr. Mephistopheles]

It may help -- and amuse -- to think of JRB and me as elderly guys worrying about a "little girl." (I think Doc Av. is a little younger than JRB or -- for certain -- me!)

That is chronologically advantaged (not elderly) concerned about a young woman....... I don't know how old JRB and Prof are, but I was close to 8 years old when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon.

They've both mentioned adult children in the past, if that's any indication. Sounds like you've got me beaten by a few years.

[Judge Roy Bean]

It may help -- and amuse -- to think of JRB and me as elderly guys worrying about a "little girl." (I think Doc Av. is a little younger than JRB or -- for certain -- me!)

That is chronologically advantaged (not elderly) concerned about a young woman....... I don't know how old JRB and Prof are, but I was close to 8 years old when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon.

Our second was born that week.

[wserra]

provided I can get the hamster in my head back on his wheel.

No problem. Just send in a ferret.

Go get 'em, webhick. Good luck.

[grixit]

Webhick: One thing about college. If you stretch it out and you think you might end up getting credit from more than one, i reccommend you go for an AS quickly. That will secure your lower division requirements so you don't end up having your english and social studies (what in CA used to be, and may still be, called Subject A) rejected for transfer.

[Joe Dirt]

To make my long story palatably short, I became involved in a film production company in September 2007. Your gremlin has been traveling to California and North Carolina and doing a great job of wrenching up my machinery. I have been through no less than eight "deals" where all is golden and we are ready to go but only to find that last minute changes and new conditions send the production back to square one. It seems like everyone in this business is a "powerhouse", an "eminent veteran producer", a mover and shaker as it were... all heroes in their own minds and all absorbed in the glow of their own prestige until its time to sign a contract and take out a checkbook.

I apologize if you've already done this, but do these freaks have references or some kind of resume? You have a right to know who they are and what kind of business people they are long before you waste time on negotiations that are doomed to fall through.

I did... and relied on one of my "team member's" background check on a so called financier. His company was Atlantic Capital Resources and he was presented to me as JB Bremont. The same Joseph A. Bremont preserved in Quatloos' archives as a Prime Bank scammer.

I submit myself for the Quatloos Idiot of the Century nomination...