Pat Bean's blog

            “There are different rules for reading, for thinking, and for talking. Writing blends all three of them.” —  Mason Cooley

Pepper keeps me company when I write. Usually she sits on my feet beneath my desk, but lately she’s been scrunching up my new soft throw and keeping an eye on m from my bed. — Photo by Pat Bean

Why Proofreading is Important

I was doing my  tweets for Story Circle Network this morning, and on rereading my 160 characters, I broke into a belly laugh. The tweet was: “One Woman’s Day: The importance of mail in a retirement village has one woman thinking about the future. Read it at: http://tinyurl.com/5tevft5 “

Well, that’s what it was supposed to say. Instead of mail, I had written male. I wonder if I was thinking about an all-female retirement home.

Every write must have time to stare out the window — and if you’re lucky you’ll find something to inspire you. — Photo by Pat Bean

Thankfully, whatever the cause for the typo, or Freudian slip, it was discovered and corrected before I hit the tweet button. That’s not always been the case.

As a journalist writing on deadline, with too hurried, or too complacent, an editor, I’ve been responsible for some goodies, like leaving the first L out of Public Sale, or more commonly using the word there when I meant their; site when I meant sight; or two when I meant too. Although I know the rule well, I also write its when I mean it’s, and iit’s when I mean its.

I’ve often wondered if there is a disconnect between the brain and the fingers.

What I learned as an editor, of both my own and others’ copy, is that you’ll generally find an error in the last paragraph. That’s because many writers are like me, they’re constantly rereading what they wrote from the first paragraph on – and the last paragraph comes up short on the proofreading.

The best thing for me, if I haven’t procrastinated and have the time, is to let my writing sit for at least an hour and then go back and reread it in its entirety. And if I find too many mistakes, repeat the process. That way the brain is less likely to see what it meant to write and instead see what was actually written

The Wondering-Wanderer’s blog pick of the day.

Bean’s Pat: Writers need support: A network of people to inspire them, pick them up when they fall down and kick them in the butt when they procrastinate too much. A few years ago, I discovered the best support any female writer could ever have. It’s an international organization for female writers called Story Circle Network, whose focus is to help members tell their stories. The organization will be holding its seventh women’s memoir conference this April 11-13 in Austin. Perhaps you would like to attend. That is why today I’m giving my Bean’s Pat to this Web page, http://www.storycircle.org/Conference/ so you can check it out. I hope to see you there.

“As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world.” — Terri Guillemets

I’m thankful that this old coot still has a zest for life and a curiosity about it as well. — Photo by Pat Bean

1. That I’m spending Thanksgiving this year with family, including my 2-year-old great-grandson.
2. Belly laughs
3. The Sonoran Desert, where I’ve lived now for almost a year.
4. My resent reunion with my scattered family in Texas, including four children and their spouses and children.
5. Pepper, my canine companion and lap full of joy.
6. Rich African  coffee heavily laced with cream
7. My small RV Gypsy Lee, who is still running and still my only transportation
8. Cool nights that let me snuggle beneath a soft quilt
9. That this old broad is still reasonably healthy and still able to take care of herself and even travel some.
10. Hearty  hugs from people who mean it
11. That my January broken foot is all healed.
12. My Tucson apartment’s third floor balconies that let me see sunrises in the morning and sunsets in the evenings.
13. My association with the awesome women of Story Circle Network
14. A good haircut
15. Scenic “short” hiking trails
16. Achievements  of my kids, grandkids and friends
17. My zest  for life
18. Friends who love playing cards and board games
19. Learning something new
20. The flash  of sun illuminating the tail feathers of an overhead red-tailed hawk
21. Waterfalls
22. That as an American woman I can go anywhere alone and that my vote count just as much as a man’s — and believing that perhaps one day all women can say the same
23. Ibuprofen to relieve aches and pains
24. Discovering a fantastic new author
25. Meet Ups, which have let me gain a community of writers and others who share my interests
26. The hummingbirds, gila woodpecker and verdins that visit my nectar feeder
27. Van Gogh paintings
28. Butterflies
29. My  computer and the Internet
30. That I’m a writer and can live moments in my life twice
31. Rainbows
32. Helen Reddy’s recording of “I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar,” and John Denver’s recording of “Sunshine on my Shoulder Makes Me Happy.”
33. Tono Chul Park
34. Funky,  dangling earrings that belie my age
35. Bra-less  days
36. A stormy day spent with a good book
37. Good memories of my mother
38. Old  friends and new friends
39. A field of wildflowers or blooming cacti
40. My son-in-law’s chocolate chip cookies … hint, hint
41. The wind  blowing through my hair
42. My daily walks with Pepper
43. That I can afford medical insurance despite its big hit on my budget
44. A  wee-morning hours chatter with a long-time girlfriend over Jack Daniels  and Coke.
45. Children who worry about their mother, although their worrying annoys me.
46. The honking of geese as they fly overhead
47. Lake reflections
48. Family meals eaten around a table
49. My curiosity
50. Comfortable  shoes
51. The daily e-mails I share with a daughter-in-law
52. America’s national parks
53. Electricity
54. Pleasant surprises
55. People who care deeply about something
56. The wolf’s  return to Yellowstone
57. The  journey between destinations
58. A comfortable bed and a perfect pillow
59. WordPress for hosting this blog
60. Clean  white  sox
61. Water in  all its forms
62. Scented candles
63. A sky full of stars
64. Glasses that allow me to read
65. Wind blowing through my hair
66. Honest  politicians who truly care about the average American — surely there are some.
67. Bird watching with my bird-watching son
68. My dog-walking and writing jobs
69. For tears that let me know I can still care deeply about people and things.
70. Chocolate milk shakes made with real ice cream.
71. Nice and Easy, No. 99 – so I can forever be a blonde
72. Coyote  howls
73. Wrinkle-free clothing
74. Gentle dentists
75. My  independence
76. The  fragrant scent of a blooming gardenia bush, which always reminds me of my grandmother
77. The diversity I find in people watching
78. Large,  gnarly live oak trees
79. Audible  books
80. Maps
81. A good editor
82. Books with satisfying endings
83. The strong women of the past who fought so I could vote
84. A cup of  Earl Grey tea
85. The color  turquoise
86. Social Security
87. Antibiotics and vaccinations
88. Smiles
89. The gambled quail that frolic in the desert around my apartment
90. That gas is cheaper this year than last year
91. My Canon pocket, zoom camera
92. Air conditioners and heaters
93. Blank  journals to fill
94. The Catalina Mountains that have been my backyard for the past year.
95. A hearty  11 a.m. breakfast for lunch
96. The music  of a humpback whale
97. Stained  glass windows
98. Birds
99. My alone time
100. The family  computer nerds who get the bugs out of my laptop
101. Readers of my blog and other writings