Bain Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 I've already invested a small hunk of green to obtain an English degree, so I don't think the class is for me. Also, it's a cliche, but the best way to learn how to write is to read. The whole notion of how not to sound like a textbook is to develop a voice, which occurs through reading. How often have Kurt or Mike merely said, "Write it the way you would say it?" I know we all hate to admit it, but those two are pretty clever. The common misconception is that if you write it the way you think it, you'll sound like a doofus. People often bog down their writing with stiff, needless phrases or an excess of adjectives. That doesn't impress. It bores. Read Hemingway, or John Updyke, or Stephen King. All three express complex emotions and ideas with simple language. It sounds easy at first, but it's incredibly difficult--expressing a complex idea in everyday language. But it's also wicked effective. I've been rereading The Dark Half recently by King. The entire novel is an exercise in the use of straightforward, declarative sentences. Eight out of ten sentences start with "He," for instance. If you stop and think about what he's doing, it may seem amateurish. But it isn't. It's an effective style of writing that maintains a fast pace and doesn't allow language to get in the way of a good story. But I'm rambling. I have another idea, since this is a hot topic. How about once a week, we all share our boilerplate language for a particular condition/deficiency we find in houses? Say galvanized pipes, Fed. Pacific panels, or why a heat exchanger can't be fully examined without dismantling a furnace? We can critique and steal from each other, and improve our report writing at the same time. I volunteer to organize/cheer/moderate or whatever. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozofprev Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 I'm ok with additional stuff, but I've got my book and am ready for Bonnie. Where's Kurt??? He should be in this bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Trenga Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Bain is right. Simple, declarative sentences are best for your type of writing. You don't need fancy, wordy sentences that go on forever. These are the types of issues we'll discuss in the class. I've decided it will be called The Sentence Sleuth Writing Workshop. (My column in Writer's Digest Magazine will be called The Sentence Sleuth.) You detect problems in homes; now it's time to detect problems in your writing. I'm excited to start this class. To help me prepare, can any of you who will be in the class send me badly written home inspector prose? It can be your own if you feel it's not written well, or it can be any other writing related to your field. More tomorrow. Time to put the kids to bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Where do you want it sent to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 I would think that this type of "class" might work better during the Fall and Winter slowdowns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozofprev Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Who says this is a one time deal? If Bonnie isn't too ashamed of us, then she might do it again. Many great things would not happen if people waited until the time is just right! This is not id="maroon">like changing the constitution - it can, and will happen. I love that and find it very refreshing! Thank you, Mike for having both an ethical site, and an active one. I have found this combination nowhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Trenga Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Hi all. I'm still working on finding out about accepting credit cards. Once I get this organized I'll give you details about where to send payment. I hope that will be by the end of the week. Anyway, the price for this seven-week writing extravaganza will be just $125. Bonnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Hi Everyone, I think Bonnie's payment conundrum has just been solved. Mike Brown and Rose Balden at Devwave have offered to accept credit card payment on behalf of Bonnie and to waive their usual handling fees, so it isn't going to cost her anything to accept credit cards. As soon as Bonnie tells me how she wants it set up, I'm going to create a "students only" forum for her that only those user names who've signed up for and paid for the class will have access to. TIJ is all about education and making better inspectors out of TIJ's members, so we see Bonnie's class as a perfect fit for TIJ. I hope as many of you as possible will participate. Then if it works out, maybe she'll make it a regular gig. Kudos to Devwave. Now, THAT's what being a sponsor is all about. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Manor Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Thanks Bonnie AND Devwave!! -Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 I'm in. I'll pay sometime soon after I get my wife to give me the credit card. Or, I'll send a check. There's no chance what-so-ever that she'll notice while balancing the check book. Lord, I just crack myself up. Balance the check book. I don't care who you are, that's funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Manor Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Chad, I envy you.... I married an accountant. -Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Trenga Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Thanks to everyone. Hausdok is helping immensely, and we're getting things organized. It seems that checks won't be needed anymore. And I imagine this is a deductible business expense for the inspectors (Mr. Accountant Husband, am I right?). Bonnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Hey Scott, is there a way to get this approved for ASHI CEUs? - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Originally posted by Jim Katen Hey Scott, is there a way to get this approved for ASHI CEUs? - Jim Katen, Oregon I don't know why it could not be approved. Mike Long at ASHI HQ would be the one to do it. This falls under distance learning, IMO. Bonnie would just need to fill out the forms and send the information to him. As this would not be a chapter function and it is a for profit class, I'm betting that a fee will need to be paid as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Originally posted by Scottpat . . . As this would not be a chapter function and it is a for profit class, I'm betting that a fee will need to be paid as well. Well, that shows a real dedication to education. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Originally posted by Jim Katen Originally posted by Scottpat . . . As this would not be a chapter function and it is a for profit class, I'm betting that a fee will need to be paid as well. Well, that shows a real dedication to education. - Jim Katen, Oregon Yep! Who knows, he has the ability not to charge the fee. It's all about the non-dues revenue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randynavarro Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 I'm not participating in the class as much as I'd love to because of time constraints, however I'm a bit vexed (maybe naive) that a fee would be paid to get the CEU's. I echo Jim's implication and add, that's just silly! (I don't use "stupid" anymore cuz I'm trying to teach my kids not use "stupid") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Trenga Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Hi. Sorry about your time constraints, Randy. I wonder, though, if you can fit in 30-60 minutes a day for writing practice. That's what I have planned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfSwamp Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Originally posted by Bain I've already invested a small hunk of green to obtain an English degree, so I don't think the class is for me. Also, it's a cliche, but the best way to learn how to write is to read. Truly. I've hurt the feelings of many a grown man over on the ASHI board by pointing out that bad HI writing comes from the lack of attention some folks paid to reading and writing around the eighth grade. Sleep through eighth-grade English, and it's dang hard to make up the class in middle age. A person who can't/won't read is a person who not only won't be able to write well, it's a person who'll never learn to apply logic or reason. It's a person who'll never be able to use the written word to persuade anybody. Those are problems that no professional person would want. Not to be harsh, but IMHO the failure of some folks to learn how to read and write back in junior high is the main source of HI gobbledegook writing and HI folklore. Nothing in, garbage out... Worst thing is, there's probably no way to "fix" a middle-aged adult who can't write well. That leaves a few thousand HIs stuck with checkboxes as their main form of communication. WJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Well this is one middle-aged adult that is trying to improve his writing. I started out with the check boxes and I have got away from them. It limits what you can say and report. I what to inform my clients not confuse them. So I will take the time to do this. You are never too old to learn if you want to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bernhardt Posted May 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Ditto. I never had the check boxes. I started right out copying the gobbledegook of other inspectors. Now I am paying for my sin. But I am happy to report that I feel my report writing has vastly improved from what it was 6 months ago thanks to everyone at TIJ. Chris, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 I screwed up with my post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Originally posted by randynavarro I'm not participating in the class as much as I'd love to because of time constraints, however I'm a bit vexed (maybe naive) that a fee would be paid to get the CEU's. I echo Jim's implication and add, that's just silly! (I don't use "stupid" anymore cuz I'm trying to teach my kids not use "stupid") Hey, I don't make ASHI policy. I'm just reporting what I know. As I stated one might be able to get around it. From a logical point of view, if an education program that is for profit is endorsed by ASHI for CE hours for its membership then logically attendance will increase and the provider will make more money. This, I think is the logic behind this and the reason that chapters do not have to pay any fees. On a side note, I think ASHI members do not pay the same fees. As I said, Bonnie needs to contact Michale Long at ASHI HQ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Trenga Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Would you like me to contact Michael Long? I certainly can if it would help you guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 I take training classes to help me be a better inspector. I do have to have 20 CE a year. I get about 35 to 40 That ASHI will take. I also take about 15 that ASHI will not take as CEs. I will be taking the class anyway. I pick up the text book for the course today and started reading it. If some one wants to rewrite this and show me a better way, GO FOR IT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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