So, just today, I realized that this year is a Leap Year.
How? Through my checking account draft reminder for my Mastercard—it said that the draft is going to take place on February 29th.
I didn’t make too much progress on those newsletters I’m judging, but they’re from:
- Utah State University (Student Chapter, Logan, UT)
- STC Chicago (Professional Chapter, Palatine, IL)
- Environmental, Health & Safety Community (Special Interest Group, Indianapolis, IN)
- Scientific Communication SIG (Special Interest Group, Quebec, Canada)
Each newsletter has three issues, for each of which I have to assess in these areas:
- Usage:
- Copy reflects accepted rules of grammar (for example, agreement, parallelism, and punctuation), correct spelling, and proper syntax (for example, avoids awkward constructions, misplaced or faulty modifiers, long noun strings).
- Acronyms are spelled out on first reference.
- Text is edited for correct, consistent capitalization and number style.
- Words are hyphenated properly; excessive hyphenation is avoided.
- Style:
- Writing style demonstrates careful consideration of audience and the purposes of an STC newsletter:
- To communicate chapter or SIG and Society news
- To provide meaningful services to members
- Typically, active voice is preferred; passive voice is used if appropriate.
- Sentence structure is varied and not overly complex.
- Words are well chosen and used properly.
- Writing style demonstrates careful consideration of audience and the purposes of an STC newsletter:
- Craftsmanship:
- Articles are written and edited with skill in use of journalistic or narrative techniques (as appropriate) such as the hook, pyramid
structure, point of view, or question-and-answer format. - Text is complete, well organized, cohesive, and coherent.
- Articles are written and edited with skill in use of journalistic or narrative techniques (as appropriate) such as the hook, pyramid
- Originality:
- Original articles are encouraged. However, reprinting an exceptional article from another STC newsletter is encouraged when appropriate. News releases issued by STC are acceptable.
- The newsletter uses a creative approach to topics.
- Overall Impression:
- Articles selected for publication are appropriate to the audiences and purposes of an STC newsletter.
- Text is accurate, complete, and well organized.
- Copy is free of typographical and grammatical errors.
- The organization, selection of material, and style of presentation create a balanced, cohesive, and cogent impression. In general, when an editor creates a theme issue through the careful selection, organization, and presentation of related material, a better overall impression results.
I met Kevin (av8rdude) at the gym again today at 1:30.
Though I tied my burned calorie record today, there is no doubt that I sweated more in today’s 60-minute interval than I ever have to date. It was just ridiculous. Perhaps it was all that chocolate cake and barbecue chips working its way out of my body.
Today’s statistics:
Type |
Duration |
Burned |
|---|---|---|
|
Elliptical |
60 |
1152 |
Tonight was Bill and Carl’s house-warming party.
After picking up Van, and a less-than-smooth drive—in terms of finding the place—we arrived to a beautifully decorated new home, with delicious food, and with company consisting mostly of our line-dancing crowd.
They had hired a guy to serve drinks at the party, and he was clad only in a leather pouch that covered his stuff—oh, and I believe it had spikes on it. Ostensively, he also had on a cock ring that responded, electrically, to a remote control attached to Bill’s waist. His backside was exposed, all but a leather strip in his crack. We were instructed to call him “Boy,” and a tip jar was made available to show him our appreciation.
I spent most of the time sitting on the couch watching and listening to Music Choice, which was set on a country music station. I liked seeing pictures of some artists whose songs I like, but whom I’ve never seen what they look like.
What I didn’t like—and if I were a subscriber to Music Choice, I’d be on the phone complaining or canceling my subscription—were intermittent substitutions in the square on the screen that indicated it was the Music Choice channel, with textual ads for Geico. Okay, Music Choice is a commercial-free pay service, which you pay for, uh, because it’s commercial-free.
Yet another reason to celebrate my sixth anniversary without a television, coming up in March. I’m just saying.