You write all the time – especially now that you're online. All those emails and comments on forums have brought us to a new level of literacy. Even the youngest among us have a pretty good handle on how to put a computer keyboard to good use.

Hmm, I wonder what my high school teachers would think about that. Back when I was in high school, I wasn't allowed to take a typing class because "you're going to college and you're not going to need that". I taught myself by getting on an old manual typewriter with a novel in front of me…typing as I read word for word, cover to cover. It was a grueling exercise but it got me where I was going.

Be that as it may, the physical act of putting the written word into a readable format is a process not to be taken lightly… whether it be a shopping list, a note that you won't be home for dinner, an email, a tweet, whatever.

The key is to get thoughts from your brain to something (paper, computer screen) so that others can understand what you would say to them in person if you were face-to-face, belly-to-belly. But that's just the first step.

In most cases when dealing one-on-one, in an email to a friend, for example, it may not make much difference if your finger slips and you have a mis-spelled word or two….usually.

But what happens if you type a link address wrong? What happens of a complete stranger – a prospective employer, for example -  reads what you've written and sees basic errors?

If you're doing anything online…operating a blog, maintaining a website, writing email – even if you tweet – you're a writer. Your style may vary and your market will, too. No, you're not writing a great American novel or a technical tome; but, you are putting your thoughts out there for someone to read. Your reader may well understand what you're saying when you type "OICURA Nerd" But, then again, he or she may not. Be careful.

Internet is not a vehicle for temporary, disposable communication. What you write today will be out there for the world to find for years to come.  One letter wrong in a link can render your information useless. I can't tell you how many marketing experts have lost my attention forever because they sent me a mis-spelled hyperlink.

Professional writers understand well the importance of proofreading their work. They take great pains to avoid typographical catastrophes. They work hard to eliminate errors. Some effective methods they use to avoid errors include:

• Spell check and grammar check
• Set aside work for several days and read again
• Print digital files and read the hard copy for accuracy
• Re-read text upside down and backwards
• Ask two or three others to read what is written
• Hire an editor and a proofreader

Even then, errors invariably creep into the finished work. It's the nature of the beast. I'd wager there's not a writer alive who can honestly say they've never written something that didn't have a mistake in it.

The challenge is that Internet just doesn't function that way. We all write and read beyond the speed of light. We hit the "Send" button often before our brains properly process our thoughts. While most skim and don't catch the typos and mis-spellings, there are those who pay attention to every detail. And, there's still the issue of mis-typed addresses and hyperlinks.

What to do?

• Always, always read what you've written at least once from start to finish before clicking that "Send" button and before posting anything online.
• Check, and double check, all those hyperlinks. (Click on them to be sure they are correct.)
• Ask yourself. "Have I written anything that could be mis-understood or anything that can't be checked and verified?"

If you're going to write – make sure it's right! Writing is serious business…and well worth the time it takes to assure that your readers will welcome your work.

Driving the four blocks from my home to a local restaurant to meet a friend, I noted three store fronts had sprouted new "Out of Business" signs. They seemed so out of place surrounded by what appeared to be thriving businesses and heavy foot and vehicular traffic.

Along the way I passed at least a dozen busy restaurants but when I arrived at my destination, sadly, I saw this restaurant had precious few customers – even at the height of lunch hour. The waitresses were sitting at table reading  the newspaper and discussing how bad business is. I found that interesting, but left it for another day. I was here to meet a friend.

In the course of our meeting, I learned that she is currently looking for employment. She, like so many others I talk with of late, is having considerable difficulty. In the course of our conversation, we talked about the difficulties boomers and seniors are having finding work and the current pervasive disillusionment with the economy. Many industries are still cutting budgets and staff to the bone. It certainly looks like there will continue to be a shortage of opportunity for her and many other seasoned workers pursuing professional careers. It was a fairly discouraging conversation.

Then our conversation turned to our pets. My friend, owns a dog. She told me she signed up for classes in dog training. She admitted that the cost is a luxury she can ill afford on her limited budget. But she said, "I've always wanted to learn how to train dogs and never had the time or the opportunity to do it. I know if I don't do it now I may never do it."  She understands this course probably won't make her "an expert"  in the field. She doesn't know if the classes might qualify her to do that kind of work. That just doesn't matter. She's embarking on a new exciting adventure that came her way at a time when she has some time The prospects of doing something she's always wanted to do.

What was it that made the difference between the stores that had closed and their neighbors who are thriving? What explains the single restaurant that had few lunchtime customers while their neighbors were busy? And what was it about my friend who, frankly, was radiant in the face of economic stability?

No doubt,  there are reasonable explanations for how one individual or company can thrive in the same environment where a neighbor dies a sure death.

But there's a single take away here that I do believe can dramatically affect those of us who find ourselves in challenging circumstances – particularly those who find themselves facing the stark reality of being at loose ends and looking "retirement" in the face. It's a lesson I learned some time ago and just took for granted: Perception is everything.

Yes, times are tough. Life may seem more than a little unfair. But, sometimes being faced with time on your hands and a sense of instability can be a very, very good thing, indeed…

Being unable to find work and failure to attract much-needed business are not necessarily the end of the world. Unless we allow ourselves to think that they are. The lack of work (or customers) could be a wake-up call warning that something just isn't right – or it could be a gift. That extra uncommitted time could be exactly the breathing room needed to refocus and grow. Either way, approaching the experience with an open mind and the question "What else is out there that I've been missing?" can open a door we didn't even know existed and unearth a pathway to pursuit of dreams that have been set aside for another day.

Well, you get the idea. I'm excited. I finally found a project that is genius in its simplicity.

I had a pair of cats; one died two months ago. Now I firmly believe pets are much healthier and happier when they have a companion to play with. But I've been holding out and dragging my feet just a little about getting another companion for Twiggy. Adoptions have gotten really expensive – upwards of $75 ($100 for kittens) plus or minus the cost of shots, etc. Besides, I'd heard that some places have been getting finicky about letting older people adopt because so many on limited incomes have been giving up their pets because of financial problems.

My daughter suggested she'd like to give me a cat for my birthday. Being frugal myself, the cost really bothered me. But I couldn't sway her. I have a persistent daughter and I know better than to quibble with her.

Ok, ok, so I decided to go take a look, knowing full well that I could expect some cunning, lovable cat to pull at my heartstrings. 

So, after looking around some and discovering that many animal shelters and pounds have been shut down due to the economy, I went back to the local animal care organization where we'd already found 3-4 delightful pets at various times in the past.

I had a selection of about two dozen cats the youngest 10 months old… no kittens this time. Just as well, from the selection I had, I was already torn between two beautiful animals. 

There was no hard sell, in-your-face marketing here. The attendant walked me around, introduced me to each cat in turn. He  answered all my questions courteously and as thoroughly as possible. When I was ready to make my selection and I confirmed that the payment could be made by check or credit card as well as cash, the attendant said simply and without fanfare: "You are a senior citizen and so it will only be $35 for you to complete the adoptions (with all shots, microchipping etc included). Purina has a program that enables seniors to adopt pets and we participate with them. Purina pays the balance of the adoption fee."

You could have knocked me over with a whisper!!

Finally, someone has gotten it right.

Purina rocks!! They have found a way to connect loving, caring seniors on limited incomes with pets, who might otherwise be put to sleep…creating loving homes for both. They've found a way to make the market they serve a whole lot better by finding a way to practice inclusivity rather than exclusivity (and yes, it's a very nice way to expand their market at the same time.)

That's right,. I'm celebrating on May 22.  "Another day older – and deeper in debt…" as the song goes.

From time to time I google my name trying to get a sense of where I stand in this virtual  world. I thought I'd do that today, just for fun…what did my wondering eyes discover?.

An Obituary for Joan Marie Moss. It took me a second or two to catch my breath. Bravely I clicked on the link.

Sadly, Joan Marie Moss did indeed pass away at the age of 50. My condolences to her family. 

But I also hasten to assure my readers that this wasn't me. While we have the same name, mine has a "-" in it (which a lot of people still tend to ignore and many internet programs insist that I do away with in order mash me into the database). She was born in 1959 – I was born in 1944.

Why even mention this?  There are precious few people in this world who are blessed with truly unique names. When you do google your name, you may be in for a surprise. In my case google finds "About 648,000" results. Now, that can be a mixed blessing. Those search results include all the various references to me – articles I've written, places where I've contributed comments and where I've been quoted. They also include false positives where the name is not exactly the same or the information is tied to something or someone completely unrelated to the real me. While much of the information is correct, there's a lot of stuff out there that's either incorrect or dated as well.

People and programs accumulating data rarely clean up after themselves; and, google isn't designed to determine accuracy – it reports what it finds and lets us wade through everything. You just never know what you'll find.

So, have some fun, google yourself and learn who you are, what you've done and, where you've been. At the same time, discover some fun facts about who you are not and where you haven't been.  If you find some really unique and surprising facts about yourself, I'd like to hear them.

And while you're at it, google your domain names as well. You never know what you'll find there.

While the experts work feverishly to right the wrongs, we who watch the news can only imagine the magnitude of the impact of the natural and man-made tragedies that are playing out.  If you have a job and can dig deeper into your pocket, the American Red Cross has set up disaster relief and welcomes money.

But, what if you're dealing with your own disasters at home? Challenges in job strapped Illinois , Indiana and other states continue and financial resources have been drawn thin. You may not have money to donate to these and other causes.

Don't throw up your hands yet.

The world is much like the human body. When it suffers trauma of any kind…even a localized cut…it becomes imperative that the general health of the entire organism be strengthened. And while money certainly helps there's a whole lot more that needs to take place if the imbalances are to be corrected.

The impact of natural and man-made disasters are far reaching. What goes on in other parts of the world will impact each of us sooner or later. Like throwing a stone in a pond we'll see far reaching impact in our economy and in our environment. More jobs will be lost, resources that rely on the stability of that part of the world will become more expensive and precious man-power will be worn thin as the experts rush fill the desperate needs of those who are hardest hit.

If you're one of those who can see no way to make a difference. Don't despair. Your efforts at home can help. It's more important than ever for each of us to do what we can to stabilize our little corners of the world. How? 

Look for ways to become more self-sufficient.

Do you have a pocket handkerchief piece of land? Plant some seeds. Feed the birds. Clean up the trash that clutters your own neighborhood. If you don't have that, look for community effort, maybe a community garden in your own neighborhood.

Look for ways to spruce up your neighborhood and build community. Find those people who have the energy and will to make your corner of the world more nature friendly and those who have the skills and energy to contribute.

Don't let anyone tell you that your efforts and input don't count. You can make a difference…a real difference beyond just the money.

Yes, it is OK to take risks as long as you know what the ground rules are and recognize the risks involved in your decisions. Playing the stock market and the lottery are certainly ok as long as you know the risks and the ground rules. As long as you play with money you can afford to lose and go in with your eyes wide open, there's nothing to worry about. 

But scams are another animal all together. They entice us with promises, appeal to our better instincts, weave sometimes very elaborate tales and lure the unwary into traps.

Scams target those who are afraid or facing emotional / financial distress.They capitalize on what may well be worthy attempts to help the public and entrap the unwary with offers "you can't refuse".

One of the more recent scams that have crossed my desk involves the Obama Making Home Affordable program. It's a great program that will help many resolve their most pressing fears of destitution and homelessness. If you do a quick Google Search you'll find close to  14,000,000 references to this program. And, you'll find flyers scattered everywhere with offers to help secure this help.

One such offer came in the form of a phone call from an attorney who "specializes in getting homeowners approved in this program". They promised a 96-98% approval rate. They "don't take everyone" you have to demonstrate that you are a good candidate for the program. They even suggest that you check the Better Business Bureau to put your concerns at rest.The deal is, you put $3,000 into a trust account the money is then applied to your approval…and if you don't get approved, you get your money back.

Now, that's an offer you can't refuse, right?  It does make sense that attorneys should make a living for services rendered. But this is not that kind of thing. There is no guarantee for the Obama program and there is no fee to get approved. Besides attorneys don't guarantee success from their efforts, at least reputable attorneys don't.

Grandpa had advice for such as this, "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Run, don't walk away".

If you think this is a isolated offer. Think again. A resident in my condo insisted that help is imminent – even after I'd already confirmed that the Obama plan wouldn't work in my specific case. "All you have to do is call this phone number." She gave me a flyer promising help… even called the number for me and gave them my contact information "They'll be calling you today or tomorrow," she assured me. The number on the flyer was unlisted. The call came from a very different phone number and was ominously similar to the previous contact I'd had with the attorney.

Scams like these will leave a very bitter taste in the mouths of people who unwittingly get caught up in the scam machine.

Realizing this, the Obama administration is making every effort to help us. They're chasing down the scams and working to establish oversights to protect us from the most egregious offenders. The government has set up a website to help us identify fraudulent activities and scams of every kind. Check out http://www.stopfraud.gov/ There's an entire section on mortgage and lending schemes  That's a good place to start. But scams are more prolific than rabbits. It's up to us to protect ourselves.

Here's what we can do:

• Do not jump at the first promise you see. Yes, you're desperate. Yes, you need help now, but you're asking for trouble if you don't do your homework first.
• Ask questions. Ask…ask…and ask again. If it's a government program, check with your representative and senator If it's a state issue go straight to your local representative and senator or your Attorney General. Remember you voted them into office to serve your best interests…to protect you. 
• Do that Google search if you will, but be sure to go straight to the source. Remember, it's very easy to make a website or an email or a letter look official. Be sure you are indeed reaching the official source. In the case of mortgage information and Obama's program check out http://makinghomeaffordable.gov/ AND call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673). They'll put you in touch with the appropriate local people authorized to walk you through the system. They won't make guarantees, they will treat you with respect and if there's a solution to your challenge, they'll find it.  Remember this is a HUD program and it doesn't apply to everyone, not every bank participates. (Hint: websites with .org at the end are generally government websites. .net sites are generally professional organizations. Even then it is wise to call and talk to a real person.)
• Advice from a hacker: Do business with only those that you can see face-to-face and can that have real addresses you can  go to. Once you have them firmly established as legitimate, then feel free to deal with them on internet or phone.
• Check out the various watchdogs who are working diligently to help the unwary. But don't rely on just one. Check http://www.stopfraud.gov and http://www.spamcop.net/ and http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/reporting.php and others.
• Report abuses to the authorities. They can't stop these kinds of crimes if they don't know about them.
• Above all, take a deep breath. We live in a quick fix society, but there is nothing that is so urgent that it can't be handled AFTER you know all the facts and checked out what price you're going to pay after the deal is done.
• Go into that risky deal if you must. But, do it with your eyes wide open…after you know all the ground rules and after you understand what you stand to lose.
• Remember, there is no shame in being caught. The shame is in not doing due diligence.

The scammers play a numbers game. They often piggyback on what are otherwise legitimate solutions and programs designed to help such as us. They are marketers who know the game well. They understand the power of emotion and fear. They understand the desperation that comes from having your back to the wall. And they know how to bide their time. They don't need to scam everyone. They cream the market for the most vulnerable – all it takes is one or two or a half dozen.

More important, it's not that difficult to escape their clutches.

Ann wrote, "It seems to me that later on neither I nor anyone else will be interested in the cattering of a 13-year-old." She looked at her diary as her "one true friend"…a source of comfort and support.

What is it  about Ann Frank's "chattering" that draws readers? What can writers learn from a 13-year-old?

No marketing here

Ok, so business writing does demand a certain amount of sales copy. And it is true that a huge proportion of the stuff we read on the internet now is designed to promote someone or something. But that's a highly specialized type of writing. And, much as this kind of writing has a real purpose, it rarely is the kind of writing that has a lasting effect on anyone. The shelf-life of such writing is very short indeed. Ann, on the other hand,  wasn't writing to convince anyone of anything and yet it lives on long after the words were set to paper. She was just writing about what she saw and experienced and felt…

The Unvarnished Truth

Ann's diary is clearly written from the heart. She didn't  try to paint herself as an expert or as a saint. She let it all hang out. She wrote about her world as she saw it…the sublime and the ugly.

No formulas here.

To be sure, there are times that we do need to follow formulas…times when we need to hone our work into a predefined format. But great writing transcends formulas. Too many writers work very hard to write like everybody else. Imitation is the finest form of flattery, they reason. But, truth be known, this approach to writing leads to very dreary writing indeed. Once a reader discovers that there's really very little new in an article or book, they're off in search of something more.

Seniors, particularly, can learn from Ann. She talked about her experiences from the point of view of a 13-year-old. Unhampered by formulas and lofty expectations of greatness, she left a legacy that will continue to touch the hearts of many for years to come. Every Senior alive has accumulated a wealth of experiences and observations. Each has lived a reality that is at once unique and universal. Putting those experiences and observations on paper is an exceptionally good exercise in re-affirming and validating one's life. The process can help put everything into perspective and serve as a bond with reality. The sheer joy of putting thoughts on paper – whether anyone will ever read those thoughts not – is powerful. In the writing, Seniors, who often feel out of touch and unimportant, discover a valuable outlet.

Couple a Senior's words with the collection of photos and memorabilia accumulated through the years and you have a legacy guaranteed to keep on giving. 

So, if you're a Senior looking for a way to make a difference….

If you're a writer, looking for a way to put magic into your writing…

Take a hint from Ann Frank. Write what you experience and what you feel. Stop worrying about writing to sell or convince anyone. Forget trying to copy or to outshine everyone else. Write the truth as you see it. Write for the pure pleasure of writing. Don't worry if it fits any predefined formula.

Write for the sheer pleasure of putting your thoughts on paper… You never know whom you'll inspire in the process.   

Those who believe they can do something are probably right — and so are those who believe they can't. - Unknown

I was talking to a neighbor the other day, and was temporarily caught up short. We live in a condominium  The condominium is one of those rare ones that are lucky enough to sit right in the middle of  a double-sized city lot.  We were talking about ecology and about the feasibility of growing a small community garden – nothing fancy, a few tomato plants, some lettuce, garlic, radishes and herbs. .

"We can't do that," my neighbor said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Well, you know they won't grow. And, if they do grow, the rabbits and the neighbors will take them anyway."

"May be," I said trying not to laugh out loud.

When I moved into this condominium eight years ago, it was a typical city property with two maples and expanses of grass and weeds. The first attempt at growing any respectable plants was less than productive. The daisies, just weren't happy. There was too much shade on one side of the building and we didn't understand that plants have a way of choosing where they will thrive. But with a bit of research, tilling, selective planting, coaxing and weeding, we managed to create a respectable flower garden. Even this early in the season we're enjoying an abundance of perennials.  

"Let's do it anyway," I suggested. "If flowers can grow, surely a few vegetables will too. We have lots of sun on the west side of the building. Vegetables and herbs like sun. And there's lots of room. We don't need to put plants in traditional 'farmer rows'. The tomatoes, herbs and any other vegetables will do very nicely if we fill in the patches among the flowers that are already growing. All we'll need is a little TLC and water."

I didn't tell my neighbor that we actually did have tomatoes growing among the day lilies last year. Why spoil the fun of discovery, I reasoned.

We agreed that there was plenty of open space and we could easily put in enough plants to accommodate any rabbits and hungry passersby. 

Of course, last year was a horrible year for growing tomatoes in Chicago. Even so, we had a couple handfuls of fruits.  It's always possible that we won't have near the crop we'd like this year, but with any success at all, we may be pleasantly surprised this year.

So we spent the weekend planting seeds. It was nothing dramatic. Passers by probably won't even notice any difference in the general appearance of the property. But we'll be watching…and enjoying and watching Mother Nature work her magic. Better yet, we're taking one tiny step toward enabling the residents in this condominium community to enjoy nature a hidden amenity. 

Will we attempt a full-fledged community garden right here on our own property next year?  Perhaps.