Begging For Scholarship Money

Well, I’m back in school again. And of course, I’m broke. So that’s why I’m writing this blog post. I’m trying to win a scholarship. Since I scored a 5.5 out of 6 on my analytical essay writing portion of my GRE, I’m hoping my kick-ass writing skills will get me some money for school.

So, the topic is “How Technology Helped You Explore Your World.” Well, if I want to see famous cities that I can’t afford to visit, I’ll go to Google Street View and type in an address, and I can see it. I’ve used this several times to check out the hotel where I once stayed in NYC (it’s not the same one anymore) and also to check out where killer Canadian Karla Homolka lived. I’ve also used Google Street View for my creative writing. Say I’m writing a story, part of which takes place in New York. If I want to have my protagonists sitting in a cute little Italian restaurant, I’ll go online Google Italian restaurants in NYC,  and pick a place for them to eat. If I want them to order the signature dish, I can also Google the restaurant name, and check out the menu. Same thing with the hotel the female protagonist is staying at. I’m working on an erotic fiction romance, part of which takes place in Indianapolis, so I go online to Google maps (no, this is not a scholarship sponsored by Google) and see what types of businesses are near the neighborhood the characters are currently living in. It saves time driving there, and gas, and ultimately, our planet’s resources.

Since I do write, I’ve used the Internet to get my writing out there. I’ve posted short stories on a few websites.  Before the Internet, I’d have to type it out, make copies, and ask people if they want to read it. It’s nice to know something you’ve written has been enjoyed by over 100,000 people (according to Short-fiction.co.uk. My erotic fiction is HOT!) It makes my day when someone reads my stuff and really likes it, and takes the time to tell me.

Thanks to Facebook, I’ve been able to reconnect with people from my past. Facebook has made it very easy to do that.

And I have my own YouTube channel! Imagine that! I wouldn’t have been able to twenty years ago. If someone had told me one day there would be a website where you can upload videos of your pet doing something funny, or a friend doing something wacky, I wouldn’t have believed them. I also wouldn’t have believed I would someday buy a video camera that is literally the size of a 12 ounce can of soda. For less than $250!

So there you have it. The Internet has helped me explore my world and not feel so alone. Now, if I can just stop watching Parry Gripp videos and checking out Buzzfeed…