There are as many different attributes of great writing as there are great writers. Many writers have a knack for dialogue. Others have a gifting for character development. Some are expert researchers. While other creatives have a penchant for captivating storytelling and conveying novel ideas. And then there are those that just seem born with an innate ease and unexplainable talent for connecting with readers - this type of writer galls me! That doesn't even address the obvious … [Read more...]
April 6, 2012 By 12 Comments
Our Words Can Rise or Ruin….
Parents often remind kids that, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." That's a great little saying because it rhymes and comes off as conveying profundity - but it's a lie. Name calling and hurtful words can do considerable damage. While words may not actually break a bone, they most certainly can crush a heart, end a relationship or start a war. Words have world-changing power. Unfortunately, people take the power and impact of their words for … [Read more...]
April 5, 2012 By 37 Comments
5 Tips to Break a Creative Block
Creativity Takes Work Anyone who has done any kind of writing for an extended period of time will eventually experience some form of writer's block or creative dry spell. It simply comes with the territory. I used to be a news reporter with multiple deadlines throughout the day and had to deal with writer's block regularly. You might think it would be easy to write about "news of the day" but that's not always the case. That's especially true if I was assigned a low interest, low … [Read more...]
March 29, 2012 By 8 Comments
“Don’t Judge Me…Let Me Judge You”
The Inconsistent Irony of our Judgments One of the profound paradoxes of modern living is the self-proclaimed mantra, "Don't judge me..." - which is often followed by "...who are you to judge me?" Ironically that same accusatory statement of "...who are you to judge me..." is itself a declaratory judgment that "...you're no better than me." Again that's a inconsistent judgment we all make. If we're honest, we must admit that we judge people without basis and misjudge people all the … [Read more...]
March 23, 2012 By 10 Comments
The Psychiatric Couch: Hunger Games
I don't know how to psycho-analyze but I saw the movie "Psycho" with Tony Perkins. I can't distinguish between my "id" and my "super ego" but I do enjoy Eggo waffles. I don't have a doctorate in psychology, but I do have my name "Tor" in the word docTORate. Given those impressive credentials, I believe that I’m more than qualified to dispense clinical diagnoses for fictional characters. That’s why I write this periodic series titled The Psychiatric Couch. Past installments of … [Read more...]
March 20, 2012 By 19 Comments
Cupcake Currency???
It's no secret that the U.S. economy continues to struggle. The country continues to nickel-and-dime its way out of the monetary morass of the past few years, and gold is a favored investment option given the uncertainties surrounding currencies such as the euro, drachma and dollar. However, a recent story I read struck me as a possible savory solution of sorts. It seems a high-end bakery called Sprinkles Cupcakes in Los Angeles has invented a cupcake (automated teller machine) ATM … [Read more...]
March 16, 2012 By 3 Comments
Announcing the Winner of the Kindle Touch…
Deepest and sincerest thanks to everyone who entered the drawing to win a new Kindle Touch by posting a review for The Daily ReTORt on Alexa.com. There were 32 people who took me up on the offer, but only one winner - and that individual is.... … [Read more...]
March 15, 2012 By 9 Comments
St. Patrick’s Day With Cleverbot
Holidays provide a great reason to have a discussion with Cleverbot. What’s Cleverbot you ask? Cleverbot, is a web-based Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) application that supposedly has the ability to learn by conversing with humans via an instant messaging platform. While it’s a stretch to say that Cleverbot is intelligent, interacting with this particular “thinking” software can be mildly entertaining…especially when discussing holiday traditions and history. Here’s the … [Read more...]
March 13, 2012 By 19 Comments
Wisdom: 10 Words or Less…
Here’s a quick-and-dirty ranking of the pithiest, most useful kernels of wisdom I’ve learned in life thus far. Each is actionable and well worth additional study and investigation. Please comment with other concise, worthy insights but remember the actual phrase must be 10-words or less: 10. A Quiet Word Turns Away Wrath – this is perhaps one of the most useful snippets on this list. I don’t care if it’s an argument in the boardroom, classroom or bedroom - next time a discussion … [Read more...]
