I've committed now and am Nanobound. One of the stories that has been kicking around in my brain will get its chance in the sun, at least 50,000 words of it anyway. This story is full of quirky character ideas I've been jotting down for about two years, residents of a small town. Anyway, one of them is named Cameron Bellows. The thing about Cameron is that he is quite socially awkward and likes to spout useless, random trivia. Things like that the romans had a room, called a vomitorium, where they would go to purge after eating so they could eat more or that when a coffee seed is planted it takes five years to yield consumable fruit. There are tons of websites that have this type of information and I have a book too.
Lydia Kang's site alone (http://lydiakang.blogspot.com/)could probably fill up most of his conversations. (Will someone tell me how to make it a link when I type someone else's name who has a blog?) A friend of mind in college used to memorize the trivial pursuit cards so that she could never lose. I had previously believed that to be somewhat of a waste of time, now I could put it to good use. I wondered if any of you have any favorites that you'd like to share? What strange facts, that you can think of no good use for, take up part of your brain?
To make a link: Highlight the words you want to link, copy the link (I open the person's blog in a separate window and copy the blog address), then click the little link button (It's next to the alignment line thingies). It will open a box where you can paste the link.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing NaNo too, good luck to you :-)
For whatever reason, I am still having a really hard time. I thought I did it but then nothing changed but I did something. Hopefully Lydia Kang does not get random things from me since I was trying to highlight her name.
ReplyDeleteI have more problems posting to your blog than anywhere else. Always have to try twice - that's dedication.
ReplyDeleteI'm a trivia junkie myself. My desk calendars are dedicated, respectively, to word history and poop.
I do appreciate your dedication Rusty. Feel free to post any of those bits of calender knowledge. Sorry you have to post twice, I wonder how I could make it easier? I tried linking but it just created a new post with the person's name in it. Ergh!! so I deleted that and am now stymied.
ReplyDeleteOr you can use html code to creat a hyperlink so it will open in a new window. I can email you the code if you like.
ReplyDeleteAnd my wife says I am a plethora of useless information. Guess that's why I'm so good at crossword puzzles.
Thanks for the shout out!
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Sarah says for the linky thing.
Good luck on Nano! I don't think my timing is right for it (never is) but I'll be cheering on all the NaNoers!
Hmmm, I don't know if I have any useless facts. I know a lot about sharks, but I don't think that's useless. Did you know the oil in the bladder of a shark is what helps him float? Oh, and the great white can't swim in warm waters. He has to live in cold water because he's cold blooded. Cool, huh?
ReplyDeleteI think my problems posting stem from my phone, it doesn't like some sites since its software upgrade.
ReplyDeleteThe linking thing is easy breezy. If you can't figure it out let me know and I'll send you something via email.
On the linking: If you post your blog in HTML code, you can do this:
ReplyDeletetype:
this is the words you want to link to .
In other words, if I wanted to link to your blog, I'd click the tab so I was writing in HTML, and in HTML I would write
Link To Nancy's Blog and that would show up as a link.
But honestly, if you can't get the little chain-link symbol to work in editing, just say "link is at the end of this post" and then copy the website address. If people don't like it, tough. We've all been spoiled. The pioneers wouldn't have bothered worrying about whether they had to cut and paste a link. They'd have built their own links. Out of SOD. And they were HAPPY TO HAVE THEM!
I digress.
As for useless knowledge, bravo! Yours will be my favorite book character ever.
I'm going to hype me for a second: On my blog "The Best Of Everything" (link down below)(see!?), I talk about NOTHING BUT useless knowledge, a la my recent post on the Secret Origins of Halloween. Go there and browse around and plagiarize at will.
On my blog "Thinking The Lions" (ditto), I have a series of posts I call "Cool Stuff I Never Learned In School." Again, plagiarism is allowed, because facts are public domain.
Anyway, here's the first sample, free, to get you going:
There are in fact THREE KINDS of glockenspiels: The keyboard-played kind, the mallet-struck kind, and the bell lyre.
Too weird to believe? It's NOT:
http://www.troublewithroy.com/2010/09/best-underrated-instruments.html
Sorry I haven't acknowledged helpful comments for a few days. I've been nanoplanning mad. Alex, you know crosswording is supposed to stave off Alzheimers. I may get that code from you yet if I can't figure it out. My husband is a techie but like doctors wives die young so it goes with the wives of computer guys.
ReplyDeleteLydia, you earned it with a great blog.
E.R, I will definately use the shark thing somewhere
Briane P, you will see my following soon. I have been looking at your blogs but found myself unable to commit-actually I've been trying to figure out which one I wanted on my dashboard, maybe I'll do a few. The irony here is the link to your blog didn't highlight but the example link to mine I clicked on from my email and it took me right here. I can't wait to pull some of those facts off of there. I just love writers.