Screw Ups!

I do it often it seems. I had Elizabeth seated between Mr. Hurst and Rawlings when two paragraphs later I had her sit down next to Lord Blake. I do screw up with the continuity thing as well as other stuff to.

I have been know to post the unbeta version of a chapter. Egad. It is ok at AHA and HG cause i can go in and correct it, but DWG does not allow it. It is another reason not to ever post there again. lol I don't know what they are afraid of? They should just remove the posts when the chapter goes into the archive - they seem to be afraid the archivers would have a problem if a writer made the changes in the DWG board after the chapter was placed in Epilogue. Well, people, just take away the DWG post.

Back to screw ups. I also screw up in thinking I have not received back a chapter from a beta. Well, that is never true. It is the total disorganization of my files that causes the problem. My son, the computer nerd, has yelled at me and told me not to make folders within folders within folders. I have 7 levels of folders in some places. He tries to make CD's of my hard drive now and then (he knows I kill computers - every year he has to come fix the damn things) and he gets frustrated with my habits. Well, he needs something to do when he comes to visit.

Well, I screw up when posting comments too. It is why I try not to follow to many stories because I do confuse the characters. Did you know there are three types of memory. Yes, I learned this when I was an instructional design specialist: Use trying to remember phone numbers as an example:

1. saying it out loud. Some people can only remember if they recite several times.
2. read it several times.
3. write it down or dial it. This physical action is my memory habit. I have to write down (or keystroke to be exact) for it to stay with me. Or push that keypad several times - i can remember the places to push better than 1 and 2 above.

For me reading is the least effective but after a couple hundred times it does sink in (such as the number of times I have read P&P), saying it so-so but no. 3 works every time. this is why I suppose I can recall my own story the best. But even then, I screw up.

Oxygen levels play havoc with memory. If a person's oxygen level is low, memory is one of the areas hurt. Most people, healthy people that is, have a 97% level of oxygen saturation at least and maintain it regardless of what they do- sit, stand, walk, run, etc. Unfortunately, my oxygen levels have fallen to below 90% and memory lapses is a symptom.

So if occasionally I screw up by misstating a character in a story or even if I get the whole story wrong (and it was really someone elses story) just blame it on the oxygen not making it to my brain.

gayle