One Way Research Has Changed

I began writing my first book in March 1981. Wow! Ancient history, huh? I wrote on yellow legal pads at night, then borrowed the office typewriter during lunch hours and coffee breaks to type it out (remember carbon paper and onion skin for copies?). Now that seems only a small step above a quill and ink on parchment.

Anyway, the other day I needed to know something about corn, a common crop here in SW Idaho. In the “old days,” I would have had to call the reference librarian and waited for her/him to get back to me.

But a quick Google search using the right terms, and I found myself on YouTube, watching the actual process I wanted to know about.

In recent years, I have learned that just about any “how to” can be discovered in a YouTube video. Want to know how to do a knitting or crochet stitch you’ve never done before and the printed photos just aren’t doing it for you? YouTube. Want to know how to get the battery out of a Mini Cooper? YouTube. Want to know how to change your oil or fix your bicycle tire or trim your dog’s nails? YouTube.

Although I read/study manuals, I am much more of a visual and hands-on learner, so  I appreciate the easy access to videos so much.

How about you?

My Website Got a Refresh

Because of the configuration of our living room, not to mention the fact that our oversized sofa weighs about a million pounds (slight exaggeration), I have to satisfy my need to change things up by giving my website a new look every so often. Which is what I did yesterday.

So if you haven’t visited robinleehatcher.com in a while, come on over and have a look (assuming you are reading this blog post via email or RSS feed and aren’t already on the site). I hope you like the change too.

Also, a few people seem to have had an issue leaving comments lately, saying it has something to do with my site’s security. I do have tight security to protect against malware and spammers, but I don’t want regular readers to have issues. Hopefully you won’t. If you do, please use the contact form to send me an email so I will know if the issue is persisting. Thanks!

~robin