Newsletter of the East Bay Chapter of STC
November/December 2003

Editor's Message

by Becky Rude
Interim Managing Editor

Hello Readers!

Well, even after my best pitch last issue to entice one of you to become the new editor, I’m still here! Here’s what we’re planning for the remaining issues this year. Instead of a permanent editor, we’d like to try a “guest editor” experiment where you’re editor for one issue only. This idea will allow people to test the waters to see whether they really like being the editor, and will also allow people to become involved without a big time commitment. And, with editing one issue, you can still get your name on Google! If this idea interests you, please let me know.

Procrastinating on the Web

And now, let’s move on to other important things. As we all know, the Web is a wonderful tool and has become an integral part of our lives. We hear a lot about web sites that can help you do your work, but what about those that help you avoid your work? To fill in this knowledge gap, I’d like to share a couple of web sites I visit when I’m procrastinating.

Being One of the DNRC

I’ve received the Dilbert Newsletter for quite a few years now and find that it usually arrives in my inbox just when I need a good laugh. You can sign up for the newsletter on the Dilbert web site. It’s published every couple of months or whenever Scott Adams gets around to writing it (I wonder if he’s a procrastinator?). When you sign up, you become part of Dogbert’s New Ruling Class (DNRC).

My favorite part of the newsletter is Induhvidual Quotes, which consists of hilarious mixed metaphors that are (supposedly) true quotes from the work place. And, as Adams says, even if they’re only urban legends, it’s still funny. Here are a few examples (as you see, I like the animal-related quotes):

“I've been running around like a chicken with my legs cut off!”

“The monkey is in their court.”

“There’s more than one way to lick a cat.”

Indulging in Procrastination

Another site I just discovered is NotWriting.com. Although we know it’s human nature to procrastinate, this site really takes it to a higher plane. The tag line is “What would happen if a writer, unable to write, got the idea to write the things he does when he really should be writing?” The author, Christopher Orcutt, puts into writing what so many of us do (procrastinate), but try to hide.

Take a few minutes to read his commentary section, which is like a Seinfeld episode—it’s about nothing really, but still entertaining. For instance, his very complete review of the fall TV lineup (not everybody loves Raymond), or his journal of a day when he got up at 4:00 a.m. to write, but couldn’t seem to get started and spent the whole day doing anything but writing, or his confession of things he left off his grad school application.

Share Your Favorites

Do you have favorite web sites for procrastinating? I’d love to hear about them. Send them to me and I’ll share them with other readers.

Thanks for taking time to read our newsletter. I hope you enjoy it!

Becky

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