1. Makes research a lot easier.
2. The fact that you already know something about a particular subject matter is a strong indication that your new project will be more fun than work.
3. It will increase the probability of success.
4. The final product will be easier to promote because you most likely already have a circle of friends who share this common interest.
5. This circle will serve as an automatic support system which is an essential source of motivation.

I tried to go 14 days without computer, internet and email but failed miserably.  I managed 4 days before giving up.  These are my journal entries:

May 12th
10:00 a.m.  Very difficult not to start my day by reading email and online news.

10:55 p.m.  Happy I made it through the day.  The temptation to turn on my computer was stronger than I thought it would be.  The next 13 days will be difficult.

May 13th
8:26 a.m.  Feeling anxious without access to a computer.  Calm myself by looking at photos.

10:47 p.m.  Depressive unproductive day; not sure if it was caused by the computer restriction.  I did manage to write a poem. 

May 14th
8:08 a.m.  Good feeling about today.  Had a great work out and plan to get a lot of writing done.  Who needs a computer?

10:45 p.m.  Wanted to look up a synonym for the word conspicuous but couldn’t because I don’t own a physical dictionary.  Got some writing done but not as much as I thought I would do. 

May 15th
11:00 a.m.  I dislike talking on the phone but have been forced to rely on it since this experiment. 

10:26 p.m.  This is the dumbest idea I’ve ever had.  Don’t think that I’ve ever felt this lonely – this stranded. 

One label is correct the other is not.  Can you find the mistake?
Hint:  it’s in the word MINZSTARK

“The Timid Lion” is my collection of short stories.

Quantum Nothing
This is a story about a ghost reflecting on his life.

The Lucky Card
Jake received a card for his birthday, by an anonymous giver, which said that it would bring him good luck.   Although he was skeptical of its magical powers he couldn’t resist testing it.  He soon finds that having good luck had a bitter price.

This short story won an honorable mention in the 2005 Bards and Sages writing competition.

Julius Kingsley
Julius Kingsley was hoping that his last days of high school would be a breeze.  Instead, he was confronted by a smart bully, threatened by a crooked teacher and made hostage by a vengeful student.  Through all the chaos, he discovers the shocking truth about himself and others like him. * This story contains harsh language.

Street
This a short story about growing up in a really bad neighborhood. It has a pretty dramatic ending.

Ripple
Kaler’s life is unraveling before his eyes.  He accidentally discovers the source of his misery and his solution is blunt, harsh, and final.

The Surrogate
An anti-social geneticist, driven by her biological clock, explores her baby making options.

My Favorite Shoes
A simple short story about My Favorite Shoes.

We all know how important it is to backup our work, but did you also know that it’s possible to backup a whole blog in Wordpress. 

Here’s how:

Manage ==> Export ==> Download Export File ==> Save

After you have saved the file to your computer then email it to yourself.  This allows for extra security.  The file will be especially safe in a google or yahoo email account.