Ramblings on a Saturday afternoon,.

One of these days I will think up a brilliant theme for this blog, set it up creatively and have a masterpiece. Until then, I guess, I'll just post things as I think of them.

The How-to Guides on Helium are progressing nicely. I now have 85 completed. Just 15more to go to reach the goal of 100.

The weather contest I entered on Helium was a big disappointment. I was the top contender for a week - right on the top of the leaderboard - then the second week something happened. I got knocked clear out of the running. The seven articles I wrote for it also brought my ratings down when they scored so low. Some different strategy must be used if I enter another one.

Only rambling today. May have something of importance later. At least I did set up a new design for the blog.

My two main hobbies are genealogy and knitting. With that in mind, I have written lots of How-to Guides for Helium. These are the ones I have completed for knitting. Do any of them sound interesting to you?

http://yarn-needle-crafts.helium.com/how-to/10718-how-to-bind-or-cast-off-in-kni
http://yarn-needle-crafts.helium.com/how-to/10429-how-to-avoid-ladders-when-knit
http://www.helium.com/how-to/10385-how-to-cast-on-knitting-stitches
http://yarn-needle-crafts.helium.com/how-to/9180-how-to-control-stitch-tension-i
http://crafts.helium.com/how-to/9367-how-to-join-yarn-and-change-colors-in-knitt
http://crafts.helium.com/how-to/9368-how-to-knit-and-join-yarn-using-circular-ne
http://yarn-needle-crafts.helium.com/how-to/9349-how-to-knit-with-double-pointed
http://yarn-needle-crafts.helium.com/how-to/10255-how-to-make-a-cable-in-knittin
http://yarn-needle-crafts.helium.com/how-to/10224-how-to-make-a-double-moss-knit
http://yarn-needle-crafts.helium.com/how-to/10717-how-to-pick-the-right-knitting
http://yarn-needle-crafts.helium.com/how-to/9348-how-to-pick-up-dropped-stitches
http://crafts.helium.com/how-to/9217-how-to-use-circular-knitting-needles
http://yarn-needle-crafts.helium.com/how-to/10223-how-to-read-a-knitting-chart

I have been furiously making How-to Guides for Helium with the goal of completing 100. If I am one of the first 15 I will get a prize incentive. Maybe a stupid incentive, but I'm on my way. These are the Genealogy How-tos I have done.

http://hobbies-games.helium.com/how-to/10651-how-to-obtain-veteran-service-recor
http://hobbies-games.helium.com/how-to/10654-how-to-organize-your-genealogy-data
http://hobbies-games.helium.com/how-to/10683-how-to-find-vital-records-for-your
http://hobbies-games.helium.com/how-to/10652-how-to-prepare-a-pedigree-chart
http://hobbies-games.helium.com/how-to/10682-how-to-store-your-genealogy-data
http://hobbies-games.helium.com/how-to/10472-how-to-use-the-social-security-deat
http://hobbies-games.helium.com/how-to/9550-how-to-plan-a-genealogy-research-tri

Book signing with Rita Mae Brown

What a wonderful afternoon spent with a lovely new friend from the Columbia Meetup Fiction Writers group. The best thing about the trip to Fulton to buy a book and have it signed by the author was the conversation during the round trip. Maria is such a delightful person and it was so much fun getting to know her.

I did a series of articles about horse racing for the Helium writing contest that just finished. Luckily I was able to place 2nd. I'm coming up a little. The last contest that I placed was in 3rd . Maybe if I keep up I can get to 1st. :)

Here are the links to the 7 articles I wrote. If you enjoy horses and racing, you may like these.

file://http://www.helium.com/items/1795410-moments-in-belmont-stakes-history
file://http://www.helium.com/items/1793471-2010-preakness-week-events
file://http://www.helium.com/items/1792475-best-events-of-the-2010-kentucky-derby-festival
file://http://www.helium.com/items/1792260-horses-that-may-be-contenders-in-the-2010-preakness
file://http://www.helium.com/items/1791605-top-10-kentucky-derby-contenders-in-2010
file://http://www.helium.com/items/1791296-jockeys-in-the-2010-kentucky-derby
file://http://www.helium.com/items/1790290-history-of-pimlico

Short Biography of Anna

My formative years were spent on a farm in North Missouri during the Great Depression. I didn't know how poor we were because our life was just like that of our neighbors.

My elementary education was received at the one-room country schools, common during that era. After marriage and the birth of three children in rapid succession, I completed college. Upon receiving my teaching credentials, I taught high school Social Studies in the tiny high school where all three of my children attended.

Continuing my education, I received a Master's degree in Social Studies, a Specialist in Guidance and Counseling and a Doctorate in Higher Education. However, instead of college teaching, for which I was qualified, I decided to travel. Along with my husband, I joined the Peace Corps and we were sent to Liberia, West Africa. In that assignment I wrote curriculum materials and taught in the Teacher's Extension School

Upon returning to the United States, we sold our belongings, movd into a travel trailer and toured the lower forty-eight states. After a few years we settled in Yuma, Arizona where I took a position as Executive Director of an adult literacy program which provided English language instruction to person's of limited or non-English speaking ability.

After Peace Corps opened sites in Eastern Europe, I had the desire to work in that area of the world. It was not until 2001 that this became a possibility when I was accepted and sent to Ukraine. During my stay in Ukraine I worked as a Teacher Trainer at the Zhytomyr State Pedagogical University teaching methodology classes to university students and conducting seminars for Secondary School teachers

I have traveled extensively in Europe, visiting most of the Western European countries.

http://www.helium.com/items/1349370-dancing-brings-people-together

I tried to post the article here, but wasn't successful so guess you will have to follow the link to the Helium article.

I wrote this article in February a year ago while Gale and I were still dancing. Little did we know then what the next months would bring. Now, a year later, if I go dancing I just have to sit and watch the dancers enjoying themselves.

Gale and I on November 1, 2008 when he still was healthy and robust (or at least appeared to be)

Today I am starting on a new venture by creating a blog. Spring will soon be here and most welcome after a hard winter season. Anything can happen, weatherwise, the rest of March, but a few days of respite from the cold and snow is good.

Putting some of my writing on this blog will happen in a day or so. Helium has opened up a path for me to write on a number of subjects.

More later.