The Big DumpTruck – Page 30 – Throwing Little Thought Pebbles at Your Windshield Since 1996

My Loss is Your Gain

Posted on October 14, 2010December 20, 2015 by The Jody

I entered a writing contest a month or so ago, to get a regular column on a fairly popular and trendy website. I liked the idea I had for the column, but I don’t think it was edgy enough. Or the sample column good enough to be brought forth on the national stage. Plus there were 1000 other people trying for the same 4 spots, and well, I may be pretty good, but out of a thousand people I would expect there to be four if not better, equal to me.

So I’ve decided to start writing up some of them and posting them here, possibly giving them a new heading up in the menu at the top. If you’re good.

photos, stuff

Ready for a Nap, Sir!

Posted on October 10, 2010December 20, 2015 by The Jody

Went into Cambridge to meet some Twitter people for the first time (every single one of them as lovely and wonderful as I’d hoped) and didn’t get home until 2am. And because I chose to drink diet cokes after the P.F. Tompkins show because it was late and I was going to be driving, I couldn’t fall asleep until three.

I am still trying to readjust to daylight. Went to my nephew’s football game to try out the lens I rented: the Canon 70-200mmf/4L (not the IS version). Got some good photos. Right now this one is my favorite, because it really does illustrate the mopping up of the field the opposing team did to us. Number 24 is my nephew. I’m hoping he can still give my sister grandchildren some day.

complaint department

It’s 1am

Posted on September 28, 2010December 20, 2015 by The Jody

Remind me to not upgrade WordPress on a school night. At least I finally FINALLY fixed the broken photography link in the menu above. And to bed I go, battered and bruised by technology.

writing

I’m Not Worthy

Posted on September 27, 2010December 20, 2015 by The Jody

I mean it. I’m being serious. It has been determined that I am not worthy. I was hoping I would be worthy, but there were other, worthier people. So I, and 995 others, will not be giving recurring columns on a popular humorous website. What that leaves me with is the sample column I submitted to the contest, along with the list of potential future topics. I am now free to publish them here, or elsewhere.

I actually recently registered another domain name because I thought it was very clever but right this second, I can’t even remember what it was. So maybe not all the clever. I also found another one that I didn’t register because I was a teensy bit low on cash (what with not winning any contests lately). But I may also register that one (I am not going to mention it here until I procure it, silly!)

What happens then is I have to make a decision – do I want to include those pieces here under the Big DumpTruck to try to drive up traffic from the 20 or so hits a day I get on my archives, or start off on the new domain and become rich and famous over “there.” I’ve had this domain for 14 years. It’s not like I’m going to just drop it.

Does the photography belong elsewhere? I let my photography domain go because I wasn’t really using it and didn’t want to pay the full renewal price. (Lord, am I cheap or what?!)

Okay, enough naval-gazing. I have some superheroing to do.

complaint department

Goodbye, Worcester Telegram.

Posted on September 11, 2010December 20, 2015 by The Jody

The Worcester Telegram, which ticked me off last year by apparently firing all the reporters who covered North Central Mass, has moved to a “pay to read” model. The same model that MUCH BIGGER PAPERS CAN’T MAKE WORK. The funny thing is that their online advertisers, once they get a gander at the complete drop-off in readership, are going to laugh when the Telegram tries to charge their current advertising rates. These advertisers would be better served putting fliers under people’s wipers in a mall parking lot.
No, I’m not going to pay. You hardly ever write anything about my town any more. And half the time, your headlines are so vague that I only clicked through to them to figure out if the news story MIGHT have been for my town.
I dare say, this will backfire badly, and the people who suffer will be the residents of Central Mass.