Hello to all of you good folks in the Writers Forum. This is my first post so I am not sure what or how much to say. I recently retired and have been thinking of writing some type of fiction for some time. Actually I have wanted to write since I picked up my first Science Fiction novel at the age of 10. I have always had the urge to write the great American Science Fiction novel and now that I have time will see if I have what it takes. I have had a number of classes, through my work, in technical, report, and communication writing. I have also taken several classes in composition over the years and according to my teachers can write above average but need a lot of practice. My first degree was completed in 1974 and covers majors in History and Geography with minors in Political Science and Cartography. My last degree was completed in 2004 in Computer Systems Engineering. Most of my previous life was spent working with computers and as such taking classes in computer science. I probably have enough course work to have several degrees in various aspects of computer science and math except for the fact that the classwork was “self-directed” - I just took the classes that I needed to do my job at the time I needed the information. I have had a variety of life experiences that I could write about. I started working in the Oklahoma Oil patch when I was 14 and continued to work summers and weekends until I was almost 18. I played in a Rock-and-Roll band while in high school. I graduated from High School at 16. I started college a month after graduation and received a letter near the end of my third semester telling me “don't call us we'll call you”. That was the result of a 1.04 GPA which I received, for the most part, by not attending class. At the time if you missed three class sessions it dropped you grade by a letter. I spent a lot of time shooting pool and chasing girls in the student union. I joined the Navy before turning 18 and spent 3 of my 4 years in and around Vietnam. I married, at 21, a girl that I had seen only three weeks over the period of about 14 months. I was discharged from the Navy at 22. I reentered college at 22 because my wife required it of me and completed about 180 credit hours before forced to graduate in 1975. I attended Graduate school until early 1978 when I took a full time job from which I retired in January of 2006. I have three great kids and, so far, two grand grandkids. I have many hobbies including tennis, I am a 3.0 to 3.5 player on my good days, reading history, political science, and fiction, playing with my computers, doing astronomy when the weather is good, old and new movies, woodworking, board simulation games and then just what ever I see that may interest me at the moment. Did I tell you that was also ADD. I want to try my hand at writing fiction and this forum looks like it may be the place to get me started. It will let me read and discuss other folks writing and, when I feel I am ready will allow me to put a story out for disembowelment. Only one way to find out if you are any good and that is to let strangers read what you write. To paraphrase Blanche Du Bois, I don't “depend on the kindness of strangers” I depend on the honesty of strangers. I could say lots more but will not bore you with that just yet. I will see what the reaction is to what I have just written and then determine what to do next and if you are kind to me I have a lot of slides of my vacation that you will love to see. Thanks for your time. J. D. White
Welcome to the forum, thats quite an intro! you have done a fair bit with your life, i hope i manage to do as much as you have. I look foreward to reading your writings coral
Welcome to the site, glad you found us! Take the time to get to know some members, any questions PM me or any of those with a coloured username. If you'd like anything in particular reviewing, feel free to ask those with green usernames as they are dedicated reviewers. Hope you enjoy the site.
Thanks Coral. I tend to be a bit long winded and since retiring have had few people to chat with face-to-face. I was known around my work as a spinner of tails but now that place is 500 miles away and I am having to make new friends. I see that you are in Aussie-land. I spent several weeks down-under in 1969. My ship, the U.S.S. Coral Sea, made port for the anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. As I remember I did not have to buy a single drink during my stay in Sidney. I was literally pulled off the street and into the bars as I walked by. Lots of good people who were very kind to a 21 year old American sailor. Thanks, J. D.
Thanks Gannon: I will try to make the acquaintance of the members and I already feel that I am welcome in the forum. Thanks for the information about the reviewing. I am thinking about the writing contest, the image is very evoking. I hope to have something to submit in the next few weeks. TTFN, J.D.
Thanks Raven: Great quotes. Where did they come from? I enjoy good writing and both of these peak my interest. J. D.
Hello, J.D., and welcome to the Writing Forums. It sounds like we have quite a bit in common. I'm not quite ready to retire, but I have had careers in a couple very different professions (Research Chemistry and Software Engineering), and hope to embark into a third (teaching Math and Science) before too much longer. Take a look around the site, and get to know us and what the site has to offer. We're a pretty diverse bunch, which always makes things more enjoyable. Before you post your own work for review, you may want to look at other members' submissions and reviews to get a feel for how the process works here. Again, welcome to our not-so-little community. I hope you find what you are looking for, and above all, have fun.
Thanks Cogito: I have found that if I am not having fun doing something then it is not worth doing. I have been looking around the site checking the process, can't play the game till you know the rules. I saw the image contest and am thinking of a plot line for the picture now. Not sure how to post what I write but, when the time comes, I know that someone will tell me how to do it. Thanks for the welcome. J. D.
hiya J. D. welcome to thw halls of WF.org. I am very glad that you have graced us with your presence. I do hope you have a most wonderful time here with all of us and I look forward to seeing you around the board. Well have fun ~Tor
