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I'm writing a textbook to teach court reporting and captioning students how to use our software. Unfortunately, I can't just regurgitate the material I write for professionals; can't make any assumptions as to previous computer hardware or operating system knowledge, and I have to assume that they have no previous experience or knowledge of most of the concepts that professional court reporters take for granted.
So I find myself writing a sentence, then examining it and considering what the reader would need to know to understand it, and then writing 10-20 paragraphs of background to explain what I mean. Very tedious! wish someone could come up with a way to allow people to access or download selected contents of my brain for a fee. It would be much more efficient, I'm sure.
Oh, and in addition to the explanations, for each chapter I also have to have exercises, quiz questions, extra credit activities and an instructor's guide explaining how to teach the stuff.
I've just finished Chapter 4 of what I expect will probably be 30 chapters. I'm supposed to have the rough draft done by July. No worries, after all, nothing to distract me between now and then, except for the new puppy, old sick dog, trips to Boston and New Jersey, etc...
Good thing I don't drink alone and there's no one here to drink with!
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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Put a disclaimer on the cover the book is only for smart people. ( I keep thinking it's the weekend and wondering why you are all working)
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
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another albatross enabler.
maybe we could sit next to each other for the book signings at BEA...
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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Too soon to dream about the book signings and publicity tour.
Just finished Chapter 5. On to Chapter 6 on Monday. Unless I'm bored tomorrow, too.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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Chapter 6 complete, working on Chapter 7.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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You GO, girl - er- Your Majesty!
In the Tudor Period, Fencing Masters were classified in the Vagrancy Laws along with Actors, Gypsys, Vagabonds, Sturdy Rogues, and the owners of performing bears.
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Chapter 7 is done! After the holiday weekend, I start work on Chapter 8 (page 165) of the textbook and (page 43) the accompanying Instructor's Guide.
Oh, and my deadline has been extended; they want to hold off release to time it with the next software release. Which is good because at the annual national convention on August 6-9, we're going to be introducing a new writer which will affect a lot of what I've already written in chapters 1 and 5.
But hey, Section 1 of 3 is close to complete - I'd guess about 3 weeks or so.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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Are you drunk? I though all writers drank all day and all night, forewent bathing, cursed, threw things like crockery, chain-smoked constantly, and basically destroyed their bodies while completely draining their souls to create their various Magna opi. Is that how it's done?
In the Tudor Period, Fencing Masters were classified in the Vagrancy Laws along with Actors, Gypsys, Vagabonds, Sturdy Rogues, and the owners of performing bears.
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yes. That's what I've been seeing. You did forget the Laudanum, though.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
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So that's what I've been doing wrong. Stupid me, working out, eating right...
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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...and TQ is totally kicking my albatross arse. But in my defense, I'm having a rocking summer. 8)
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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Chapter 8 done except for the quiz, extra credit questions/activities and Instructor's Guide - should be able to finish all that tomorrow. Only two more chapters to go in Section 1 (1st year students).
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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...I wanted to get further before summer struck, but failed...
:oops:
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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I blew off the textbook today; wrote a dozen more e-columns for the web site http://www.stenograph.com/pages.aspx?docid=378 instead -- got enough of those now to last through 1st week of November.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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Finally got those last little niggly details of Chapter 8 (quiz, instructor's guide) done. Phew!
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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