For NaNoWriMo this year, I tried an experiment. Normally I use Dragon NaturallySpeaking coupled with Scrivener and LibreOffice.
This year, I used Notes, Scrivener, Dragon, and Siri on my iPad and iPhone. I dictated virtually the entire work, sometimes when I was sitting in traffic, or out hiking, sometimes at home, or just wherever (“wherever” includes waiting on annoyingly late dates to show up. I’ve decided that waiting for someone who doesn’t have the respect to show up within 15 minutes of the date isn’t worth waiting for. No matter how big her boobies are).
My work schedule has been: get up early, dictate while I hike (watching out for coyotes – they’re out in force). Get back home, pick up my computer, head over to get coffee, and spend the hour there organizing everything I’d saved in Notes into Scrivener. Then organizing the Scrivener bits into something reasonably coherent.
I’ve been working roughly 4 hours a day on this project just to see if I’m more productive by using ‘gap time’ (the time between locations, assignments, waiting for the microwave to ding, drive-time, waiting for clients or dates, and down time throughout the rest of the workday). It isn’t dedication, it’s a science experiment.
San Bernardino County’s Devore and Big Bear animal shelters will provide 5,000 animals with microchips at no cost to families.
The michrochips are part of a $36,079 donation from the Animals aRe First Fund, ARFF, a nonprofit organization that supports the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, Animal Care and Control (ACC) Program.
Microchips offer a safe method to identify an animal’s owner by using a unique identification number assigned to the implanted microchip. Through this service, the ACC Program can assist in the reunification of lost pets that may otherwise be impounded at animal shelters.
The Big Bear Animal Shelter will use their share of the funding to provide thousands of animals with microchips at no cost to pets passing through the shelter.
To support a homeless animal this holiday season, please visit ARFF’s website 
On this day, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg address to a deeply divided country. It wasn’t a long speech – 278 words, total – but it continues to be one of the most enduring.
On this date in 1775 Captain Samuel Nicholas formed two battalions of Continental Marines into the first naval infantry.
Apple announced new hardware and software today, including the FREE release of OS X Mavericks available on Apple’s website