Quiet Keystrokes and Midnight Ramblings

AAR's, or After Action Reports, are my new favorite thing to write.  They top the list of writing assignments for one simple reason; you can't write an effective AAR without being out in the field! I recently did an after action report on Elves Vs. Reindeer and it was one of the most engaging and entertaining writing assignment I've ever had.  It gave me a chance to talk to players, business owners and spectators.  I got to hit the paintball field and shoot of a few hundred rounds at opponents.  I got out in the rain and the mud and had a fun time doing something fun. Writing is a great "pajama" job; there's no dress code when you're typing away on a laptop in the middle of the night.  But it's even better when it gives you an opportunity to meet other people, help to promote the businesses and causes that you believe in and give readers a little bit of insight into an event that they might have missed.  It inspires some to try something new and re...

Hello fellow writers and readers, I'm coming to the blog today for a special announcement, one that I'm not sure I'm allowed to make since my article has not yet hit the press, but one that I'm going to make anyway.  Beginning in their next issue (January, 2011), I will now be one of the new writers at Paintball Monthly Press. A new hard-print newspaper that has begun distribution throughout the west coast, and I'm sure will migrate nationally as it becomes more popular, Paintball Monthly Press is a FREE paintball publication.  For those of us "old" players, and for some younger ones, there is nothing like flipping through the pages of a magazine or newspaper.  Something about being in print makes things seem more "official". My first piece will be on my good friends over at PaintballChick.net , so check the news-stands at your local fields and paintball stores for your free copy of the paper.  If they don't yet carry it, have your fiel...

As is often the case on sleepless nights, one night last week I was pointing and clicking my way around the internet when I happened upon an advertisement for Examiner.com .  Interested to see how they match up with Associated Content , I started to do a little digging through online forums and several of the articles posted on AC about what is drawing other online writers to Examiner.  I was intrigued by what I found, and decided to apply for an open slot they had for an Action Sports writer for the Portland area. I am pleased to announce that after going through the application process, I have become the new Examiner.com Portland Paintball Examiner .  The first writing piece that was accepted on this site can be seen by clicking here .  And please do check it out since it is all about one of the newest paintball fields in the Portland area, Impact Action Sports. I'd like to send a big "Thank You" to Jason from Impact Action Sports for giving me the gr...

In doing some research for some writing on the Paintball industry in and around Portland, Oregon, I decided to take a field trip around the city to see what has been going on with the local Paintball businesses.  Not really knowing where to start, I picked up the latest copy of a leading Paintball magazine (The title will not be named here so as not to step on anyone's toes, but you may be able to find a copy of it yourself at your local Fred Meyer) and turned to the Field and Store directory at the back of the mag.  I also did a quick Google search for "Paintball, Portland, Oregon" and jotted down another couple of businesses names & addresses from businessfinder.oregonlive.com  and infosports.com .  I grabbed my Droid , my keys, my husband (I figured between the Droid and my husband I couldn't get lost) and off I went to explore. Unfortunately, what I found were a lot of locked doors, and buildings that had been converted for new uses (or demolished altogethe...