CALLING ALL MUSERS!
Editor Elizabeth Preston writes:
Could you make one more announcement on the MuseBlog about the “Muserology” (readers’) page? We need to have one more in, for November/December, before the first one gets published (September). I only got a few submissions earlier, and then they stopped coming. But various bloggers were talking about ideas they had for articles, which they never sent in. So…they have another chance! (Also, if someone sent something and didn’t get a response, they can send it again–I think some things got unnecessarily deleted from the Muse email.)
what’s this thread about?
(first post?)
Muse is asking readers to write articles based on their own experiences for a new section called “Muserology.” If the explanation at the top of the thread isn’t enough, see the original announcement:
https://musefanpage.com/blog/?p=1372
We’ll be glad to help you with ideas.
Hmm. I might write somerthing.
Cool!
Hey, everyone! You should write now because it’s summer vacation–what else are you doing?? (And if the answer is, “Something really cool,” then write about that!)
5- A summer Honors English and World History report.
Hmmmm, could I write about CTY?
I am writing it still, sorry! It’s about NaNoWriMo… It would be great if it could go in November so I will finish it up and send it in ASAP.
What was the word limit again? Like 500?
300-800 words for the finished article; up to 1500 for the original manuscript.
I’ve got mine done, I just need to extensively edit it.
It’s about how the Internet has changed the definition of friendship, and it uses MuseBloggers as examples.
I’d absolutely love to! I’ve always dreamed of having my writing put in Muse!( Even though I’ve won one of the contests before…) What would be a good thing to write about? Anything? I could write about shadowing my dad’s friend for a day (she’s a vet, you see). Or…could I write about the Museblog? It would be a great way to bring in more neophytes.
Ooh, I have a question! Are we allowed to use quotes in our articles? If so, are any MuseBloggers willing to be interviewed for mine?
12 – I’ll be willing to!
11 – When did you win?
I want to write, but I’m not very good at it.
11: If you check out the previous thread, we talked a lot about what would be a “good thing” to write about. I’d advise against writing something *about* the MuseBlog…people already hear about it on the Muse Mail page, for one thing; and I think it would be more exciting for people to read about something less familiar.
12: Sure, quotes are fine! But try to think of it more as a personal essay, rather than something you’d write for, say, a school paper.
12~ About what?
I’d say most of you have stories to tell, though you might not know exactly what they are. For example, MF, very few people have had your sorts of experiences with historical reenactment, sailing ships, and music. speller73 competed in a spelling bee on nationwide television and tied for fourth through seventh place in the whole country. Alice went from being a home-schooler herding sheep to an ordinary high-school student, and escaped from a house fire in the process. Many YA novels have plots less exciting than that.
Basically, the things that interest you about one another are the things that would interest other Muse readers in you.
14 – What if we’re writing about MuseBlog in a roundabout way? Mine is on how the Internet has changed the definition of friendship, and I use MuseBloggers as examples. Would that be considered writing “about” MuseBlog?
13, 15 – Just sort of about what you consider friendship to mean, particularly online friendshipes on sites like MuseBlog.
13- The issue with the octopus, where we had the message in a bottle things. I wrote the Elizabethan poem.
16 – Eh, that makes me question my choice of topic.
I mean, I guess I have a story too, with my dual immersion education and my eCyberMission nationals story. I don’t know what I would write about either of those, though.
18 – Wow! *is impressed*
17 – I shall have to think about that.
20 – Yeah, me too. I read my article again and it doesn’t seem as good an idea as it did when I first wrote it.
16 – Well put, Robert!
I should write an article……I’ve wanted to forever, but i never got around to it, I’ll write one, and ask my mom if shes ok with it because it might be “dangerous” in her opinion.
16~ Oh. Okay.
I guess I could write something about ships, hee, hee, I could just copy my dissertation on ratlines from the Movies thread……….. well, no, maybe not.
Hmm, if I were to write something, what would you all be interested in?
What I know of tall ships? (Including but not limited to, maritime music, knots, RATLINES, weapons……may be a good excuse to do some research on some of those topics.)
18th century music?
Clothing in the French and Indian war period?
Horses?
How not to cook??? (Five words: the way I do it.)
I may be persuaded to do something along those lines. (But not the cooking, that was a joke.)
oh man I want to write something so bad but I can’t think of anything! gah someone bonk me on the head…rrrrrgh
It’s still summer vacation where you live? *dies* I’m sorry, the homework load is too much. Maybe I can manage something over Thanksgiving vacation…
Hmmm… Things I could write about:
China
Peru
Math
Taekwondo
Stress…or not.
I actually would enjoy writing about math, and I could get my math teacher T to help. I miss the math page.
I’m starting to write right now!
*has idea*
I sent in an article, and got a ‘thanks for writing! ‘ Note. Should i send it again???
30 – Yes, please. Thanks!
Hi, Presto! I don’t think I could write an article! I’m only ten! *hyperventilates*
I don’t like writing nonfiction. I like writing fiction.
At any rate, I’m 12. There are going to be other opportunities.
Of course you could write an article! Just start writing about an interesting experience — you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.
Could I write one about a very personal experience, like going on a game show? It would wind up being a personal narrative, though. Is that okay?
35 – “Personal narrative” sounds like pretty much just what we’re looking for! Were you really on a game show??
35 – You were on a game show?
EP- I would be more than willing to write an article about MuseBlog.
I will post an example soon.
Hmm… things I could write about…
Germany
MuseBlog
Geology
5 – My summer is over already, but I promise I’ll send you an article soon! Deadlines have a way of curing my writer’s block fast.
16 – Wow! I didn’t know you placed that high, speller! *majorly belated congratulations pies*
32 – Go for it anyway! Chances are if you’re an MBer, you’re more than qualified no matter how old you are.
Gah, I need to go do homework now if I want to have time to write that article later this weekend….*scurries off to do her neglected history work*
Can I send in a story I wrote inspired by a Muse article?
Would anyone be interested in a possible article about any of the things mentioned in post 24?
I may be convinced to do something, but would you be interested?
42- The ideas in post 24 sound interesting. I, for one, tend to read and like anything on any topic provided the writing is good. As such, I suspect I would like most articles written by Mbers.
Fiddler- All of those would be really interesting. I would love to read an article about tall ships, especially from your perspective. Someone with as much experience as you could write a flamablamablous article.
Remember, the title of the new section is “Muserology.” It’s about you. I think Fiddler could put together a fine article based on her experiences with tall ships, historical reenactment, and music. There’s certainly no shortage of good pictures. It’s also relevant to mention that she’s home-schooled, as that gives her more flexibility to shape her “curriculum” around her interests.
I hope Muse gets my article.
46 – We got it, thanks! (Or did you mean “gets” in the figurative sense?)
46- Yay! I’m happy! I meant it literally!
Hi everyone. It sounds like there are a lot of good ideas out there. Now you just need to, um, write them down and send them to me! You only have a couple more days… (You should still send articles after that, but all the non-MBers will be sending them in, too.) Don’t worry about making it perfect; that’s what editors are for! Ha.
Fiddler? Alice? HAWK? AvalonGirl? others? Anyone have time to write an article for Presto within the next few days?
50-*needs idea*
I WOULD, Robert…but I have no ideas right now. I need an example.
Well, you mentioned that you’re auditioning for “Annie.” Do you have any good acting stories that might interest other Muse readers?
I’m writing one!
52-Yes, I’ve gone through some really INSANE stuff in the acting world…now I need to stop procrastinating and write this article.
I’ll see if THF is interested in writing an article, though it might be hard to drag her away from her drawing.
Is Elizabeth Preston called “Presto” now? I think that’s a great name.
55 – I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell the world exactly what I am doing at a certain moment.
I would love to write an article, but I still haven’t thought of a good topic. I’ll be working on that…
THF- Sorry, I didn’t think you’d mind since you were talking all about it on the Visual Arts thread.
Eek! I’d love to write something.
How many more days do I have?
Red-tailed HAWK
58 – Really, just a couple more days!
Reminder: It can be short. A 300-word piece would fill one perfectly good magazine page.
Another hint/possible inspiration: Our art director wanted me to remind you all that if you feel your story is better told using pictures or graphics, that’s cool too. Less work for him! (Just kidding, he didn’t say that last part.)
50~ I would like a bit more time, so I could actually do a good job, but I may within the next few months………
I can start scratching around, and see what I come up with, it may be sooner, but most likely now within the next few days.
Oh, another thing, if I do eventually get something written, and published, and then later I write something so utterly amazing (hah, as if) that I MUST have it published, will I be out of the running for having something published again? Or does it really matter, will you just keep taking articles from anyone and putting them in as you go?
Just in the next bit of time, I may be tempted to do some research (this isn’t going to be off the top of my head, although it will build on the stuff I already know) on the development of sailing ships today, from early beginnings……..that’s something I’d want to learn about anyway, so it’d be a good excuse. Although it wouldn’t be about me.
Hum. I have a project I must do, but I could write one for a later date.
I’m writing mine now! Unfortunately, homework kept me from writing it last weekend. :p I’m afraid it won’t be very good since I’m doing it at the last minute, but hopefully it’ll turn out okay.
(60) Fiddler, it’s supposed to be about you. You have all the material you could possibly need. Don’t worry about research or trying to sound impressive; overthinking will just make you stiff and self-conscious. If you had to, you could dictate your “Muserology” column to an editor, and it would turn out splendidly.
I’ll probably end up writing it today, no school.
EDIT: My mom is pestering me to write it, so it’s going to be finished today!
so well, I’ll write it today. EP- it may not be terribly long–just about…
… 5 pages?
I hope you get it.
I’ll…do it tomorrow, I promise! Someone needs to pester me to do it…
63~ Oh. I’m not trying to sound impressive. Really.
I just thought that’s something I’d be interested in doing anyway.
So, we’re supposed to write about ourselves……………………………….*thinks very hard*
I guess I could do that……..
But, what would I really write about? I could say something about doing living history. Or something about fiddle and/or ships…but I dunno. I’m still thinking about it. *thinks more*
Last call. Send ’em in by tomorrow!
Many thanks to Purple Panda, Crazy Titan Nerd, Vixen in the Eyes of Moon, and NAPOI, who were brave enough to send in their writing. We are having a virtual pie (eating) party. Is anyone else joining?
By the way, a rule of thumb: if you’re doing research, stop. Just write about yourself.
Thanks!
68- GAH!
I’m dreadfully sorry, but for one thing, I cannot write about myself and make it interesting (really, all the interesting things become terribly dull when they’re written down on paper), and for another, I have 29 more chapters and an essay to finish before the second. I’ll try to get something in later, and I do hope you can forgive me for not answering your call for help.
36, 37 – Yes, I was on one, but unfortunately I am a born and raised procrastinator and I have to finish my summer reading within the next week.
Sorry! Maybe next time. Will there be a next time?
70 – Summer reading, schmummer reading.
16- hehehe. Lots of YA novels have plots like this:
“My life is horrible. But there’s this really cute guy living near here, but it’s sort of a disadvantage he’s a vampire…”
*a bunch of things really not worth mentioning happen*
“My life’s now okay. I met that cute vampire dude…”
*more things happen not worth mentioning”
*yawn*
PRESTO: (I love that name!) Would you post one of the articles you received here? ‘Twould be much appreciated.
71 – If only.
[SPOILER WARNING SEPTEMBER MUSE SPOILER WARNING. –Admin.]
72 – Okay. This is in the issue that just came out, so I guess I can post it now. (Apologies if the formatting comes out gross.) [Fortunately, a format gnome was on hand. –Admin.]
This piece has a nice, clear journalistic style. But the piece for the October issue is more of a personal essay. Whatever your own style is will be the best!
HOW TO CLEAN AN EAGLE
by Michelle Wetherell
On Friday, January 11, 2008, a huge truckload of fish guts, fish oil, and slime was backed, uncovered, out of a fish processing plant in Kodiak, Alaska. Almost instantaneously, more than 50 bald eagles—all male—converged on the fish entrails. As employees tried to get the truck back inside, around 20 eagles died—they were either crushed by the remaining 30, or drowned when they were pushed down into the oily fish remains. The fortunate survivors were captured and flown to the Bird Treatment and Learning Center (TLC) in Anchorage, Alaska, where they began arriving Sunday afternoon. That’s when Bird TLC’s secretary began calling volunteers, like me, asking us if we could come and help wash the birds.
Believe it or not, fish oil is nearly as critical to remove as crude oil (petroleum) is. Unlike crude oil, the fish oil is nontoxic and is not particularly harmful if ingested, but it mats an eagle’s feathers, interfering with their interlocking barbs and barbules. This endangers the birds for a couple of reasons. First of all, when the feathers are matted and coated in fish oil, the eagles can’t waterproof properly. If the feathers aren’t waterproof, any water they’re exposed to (primarily rain, for eagles) will penetrate straight to the skin—somewhat like a person with a very holey raincoat in a torrential downpour.
Additionally, the birds cannot thermoregulate (control their body temperature) properly when covered in fish oil. Feathers are the best insulator, even better than fur or cloth. When clean, the outer feathers interlock, and the downy feathers underneath create air pockets that are warmed by the bird’s body. These air pockets, trapped by the interlocking outer feathers, insulate the bird. But when coated in fish oil, the feathers do little to insulate—and at the time, the temperature in Anchorage was below zero. Thus, it was birdy bath time.
On Sunday, the wash-and-rinse process was led by Barbara Callahan, from the International Bird Rescue Research Center. Monday, however, Barbara trained several Bird TLC volunteers to take over the process. One volunteer was put in charge of washing, and I was put in charge of rinsing. (It was a bit of a role reversal—me, a 17-year-old, in charge of a team of people ranging from college age to their 50s or 60s.)
Before washing, we have to determine that the bird is stable enough to undergo the stressful wash-and-rinse process. We begin by taking its temperature. If it’s too low, we don’t wash the bird. If its temperature is good, we proceed by drawing blood. Once we’ve determined the bird is stable, we move on to washing.
This all-important process is incredibly time-consuming. It takes no less than 30 minutes to wash an eagle. The bird is placed in a tub of water, with one person holding the feet and another holding the head, keeping it above the water. Dawn dish soap is poured into the tub, and the hot water (about 106°F) is agitated around the bird’s body.
Close attention is paid to the inner leg and to the flap of skin on the inside of the wing, called the patagium.
Once the bird is fish-free, it moves on to the rinse team. This is also a long process, about another half-hour. Using a short but fairly high-powered hose, we spray the bird (and the volunteers holding the bird—accidentally, of course) with water. When the bird’s feathers start to repel the water and lie relatively flat, it’s time for the smell test. If the bird has spots that smell fishy, the rinser (me, for about 15 or 16 of the 30 birds) uses a toothbrush with soap to scrub the spot until the fishy smell is gone. If the bird smells soapy, we rinse some more. Finally, if the bird smells neither fishy nor soapy, it’s time to towel him off and put him in a kennel under a pet dryer (a bit like a propped-up hair dryer).
By Wednesday, all of the eagles had been cleaned. I quickly lost track of how many I had washed and rinsed each day, because the birds start to blur together after you’ve done a couple. The whole thing was a rather surreal experience. Just the sheer number of birds was incredible—30 bald eagles at one time is a record for us.
I think this event should serve as a reminder to people that almost everything we do has some impact on the environment eventually. I’m sure the workers at the fish processing plant had no intention of harming any wildlife when they backed their truck out uncovered. Yet it resulted in the death of more than 20 bald eagles, a federally protected species.
Michelle Wetherell is a Muse reader, aspiring veterinarian, college freshman, and rescuer of greasy eagles.
Eeek! Is it still too late to send my article in? I haven’t been on for the past few days, so I didn’t know about the deadline. I think my article’s on the other computer right now, but I could still get it. Where am I supposed to send it to?
Hey, that must be Luna the Lovely!
We haven’t gotten our Muse yet, but that gives me an excellent, er, sneak-peek. Thanks for posting that, it gives me a much better idea of what kind of thing to write.
75 – Nope! Not too late. You can send your article, like everything else, to muse@caruspub.com.
77 – Phew. -deep sigh of relief-
I’m going to make final edits, and then I’ll e-mail it in.
Okay, I sent it in! It’s 986 words, not including titles, and I think it turned out rather well. ^^
Ha, typical. Hardly ten minutes after I submit my article, and I already have another idea. Unfortunately, I’m leaving in half an hour to go to the lake and won’t be back until tomorrow, so it’s unlikely that I could submit both and let you guys decide which one you liked best.
74- Cool! Thanks, EP. My Muses always come a little late…
76: Yup, that’s me *is thrilled you guessed me* What gave it away? (Alaska, birds, college, vet?)
82 – Although all those things helped, especially the Alaska part, (I am ashamed to say) it was mostly the Michelle W. that prompted the realization. Hehe, I’m such a Sherlock.
Okay, I still have no idea what to write for my story. Gah! I’ll come up with something – probably something obvious about myself that is very important to me that I have totally overlooked.
THF: I guess that makes as much sense as any of the other things. I guess I was just thinking it’s been so long since I posted under my real name, and there are so many michelle w’s in the world, that that would be the least likely thing to recognize me from. huh, shows what I know. =)
I’m writing one about WWll on Word right now for the Muserology thing. Now I have to make my mum to let me send it in…