What I Learned from Associated Content Writers for the Week of October 1-7, 2009

As a dedicated member of the cult of writers known as Associated Content, I like to think that my hours of reading and commenting on Associated Content articles have resulted in enlightenment and increased knowledge. This past week I read over 500 high quality articles on AC. It's as though all AC content producers have taken some sort of genius writing pill and are competing for the AC trophy of the month.

I like to think that I've picked some of the most talented and interesting band of writers to follow and they all have done outstanding work at various times, but this week I found 10 articles that I just loved reading. Now what shall I call my own private awards show each week? Hmm..How about the Ida award, named after the famous Muckraker investigative author Ida Tarball? I like that; IDA it is!

Sheryl Young and I come from different ends of the political spectrum, but as fellow Christians there are many things we agree on. I really enjoyed her article "Pro-Life Man's Murder - "Mainstream Media" Still Silent." I appreciated the stand she took on the issue and how she skillfully presented her view without being rude and offensive. Sheryl is able to take a stand and write professionally without being insulting on political opinion. I'm sending her an IDA high five this week! http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2255053/prolife_mans_murder_mainstream_media.html?cat=75

We've all been inundated with Halloween the past month at AC. Great articles that are all designed to allow us to showcase our creativity to the internet viewing audience and to provide useful information. My favorite Halloween article came out last week with Michael Seger's "War of the World: Free Old Time Radio for Halloween." Maybe it's my age, but I loved the idea that you could find all these neat old Halloween radio shows and Michael did all the work of putting together another fact filled and useful article. He gets my second IDA high five for the week. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2246021/war_of_the_worlds_free_old_time_radio.html?cat=37

Lynn Lomasi is one of AC's most prolific writers and as a fellow homeschooler, I always find her work interesting and pertinent to my life. This past week she wrote a very useful article on writing for online sources. "Maximize Earning Potential in Online Article Writing" , full of great tips and helpful information for all the writers on AC or on the web. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2254423/maximize_earning_potential_in_online.html?cat=2

I like the way Jennifer Wagner can take what I consider basically a very boring subject and make it pertinent, useful and even interesting. She writes in such a clear manner, taking complicated information and presenting it to her audience in a readable manner. This past week it was the subject of radon in "Radon Exposure Kills". http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2250969/radon_exposure_kills.html?cat=5

With Halloween getting closer, the push to move our writing onto the Thanksgiving and Christmas season is upon us. This week AC contributors are beginning to write some great holiday articles. One was very useful for me on the subject of preparing the Thanksgiving bird, as I have children lobbying for a fried turkey this year and I'm resisting. Kay Whittenhauer's article, "Which is the Best Way to Cook a Turkey: Oven, Deep Fryer, or Turkey Roaster?", clarified the subject for me nicely!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2220913/which_is_the_best_way_to_cook_a_turkey.html?cat=2

Theresa Leschmann writes fantastic movie reviews and while I don't often go see movies as soon as they come out, when she recommends a movie, I consider it highly. I like the way she personalizes her movie reviews and makes me think about the subject manner like she did this week in "Surrogates-Movie Review". Her review asked us to think about the subject as it affects us as writers. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2242257/surrogates_movie_review_pg2.html?cat=40

Sylvia Cochran writes great pieces on current events, political events and quirky odd stories. I love her writing but this week, one of her pieces was especially pertinent to me, " What to Do When You Secretly Wish that Your Child Was Average". It covered the topic of the trials of parenting a gifted child.http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2224311/what_to_do_when_you_secretly_wish_that.html?cat=2

Pattie Byrd's article, "Women in the Man's World of Auto Parts", was a humorous and truthful story. I love that Pattie writes about her real life and makes it interesting to all of us with simple articles that hit home! She gets an IDA from me for her clever, down to home writing. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2253921/women_in_the_mans_world_of_auto_parts.html?cat=27

I learned about steampunk this week from an article by Marie Anne St. Jean, "Word of the Week - What is Steampunk". My children laughed at me when I confessed I didn't have the slightest idea until she wrote about it that I was missing out on significant cultural phenomenon. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2248185/word_of_the_week_what_is_steampunk.html?cat=46

I was only going to do 10 this week, but wow, I'm having a hard time limited it to ten, going to have to do eleven Ida awards this week. Number 10 is Christine Zibas with her fun read, "Ten Keys to Living Well- Set to Rock and Roll". I really loved the quirkiness of it and it was just plain fun.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2260191/ten_keys_to_living_wellset_to_rock.html?cat=7

Drum roll please for my favorite AC article of the week and the ultimate winner of the IDA goes to Linda Louise Johnson for her crazy and funny take, "Online Dating Sites for Senior Citizens Are an Absolute Must." I'm not even going to try and explain it. You'll just have to read it! http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2226363/online_dating_sites_for_senior_citizens.html?cat=12

I can see right now, I'm going to have to cut this next week to my favorite top five. This took longer than I had planned to really pick and choose. And it was so hard! Because I could have picked another twenty great articles by Associated Content writers, authors, producers, contributors; whatever we call each other. I call you as talented as Ida Tarball and that is high praise indeed.

If you subscribe to talented AC writers and read something great by one of them, point it out in the comments section below. Share the wealth! I hope you check out these writers. I know how proud I am at times when I write a piece that really resonates with me and others. Hats off to all the IDA winners this week.