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About kedsand1
Epinions Most Popular Authors - Top 1000
Member: RetroBeliever
Epinions.com ID: kedsand1
Location: California, USA
Member Since: Feb 14 '05
Homepage: RetroBeliever
 
Favorite Websites: Days of Wonder
  Star Trek Wiki
  Vantage Point Church

I love it when a plan comes together.  more
Activity Summary
Reviews Written: 133
Member Visits: 5,546
Total Visits: 140,843



kedsand1's Recent Opinions
Date Written Review Title Product / Topic Product Rating Review Rating
Jul 11 '11 Being Less Barefoot When Near-Barefoot Running Vibram Bikila Running Shoes for Men
in Shoes
  Product Rating: 4.0    Very Helpful
Jun 29 '11 Role-Playing Games (RPG): One Christian's Perspective Writer's Corner: Religion Non-Fiction
in Member Center
  n/a    Very Helpful
Sep 17 '10 With Virgin Mobile, You Get What You Pay For LG Rumor 2 Cell Phone
in Cellular Phones
  Product Rating: 3.0    Very Helpful
Aug 19 '10 Memories of Japan, part 5: The Country Hospital Writer's Corner: Biography Non-Fiction
in Member Center
  n/a    Very Helpful
Aug 18 '10 My Picks for the Best Officers in the Star Trek Universe Writer's Corner: General Non-Fiction
in Member Center
  n/a    Very Helpful
 View more opinions by kedsand1

kedsand1's Most Popular Reviews
#285 Overall: Top Ten Van Halen Songs of ALL Time
#33 in Music: Top Ten Van Halen Songs of ALL Time
#816 in Travel: Traveling to Japan on a Shoestring Budget
kedsand1's Author Popularity
#861 Overall
#983 in Computer Hardware
#545 in Electronics
#841 in Games
#90 in Music

About kedsand1

Hi! KEDSand1 here.

Well, I got bored of my previous introduction, so I've decided to start anew and lay out some things about myself as an Epinionator (or whatever). To start, I sometimes write about Jesus because following Christ is the hardest thing I've done in my life, and that with the help of the Holy Spirit! I like to write about my adventures on FIFA 06 (a soccer simulation), basketball, tech writing, movies, music, and the occasional review about Japan, since Japan was my home for, like, six years.

What makes a great Epinion? I really have no idea, since I've seen so many different styles. I generally gravitate towards writers with irreverent, yet lighthearted, viewpoints on most subjects, though I like reviews with some weightiness from time to time. A good Epinionator stays true to his or her personal writing style and is consistent throughout a review; that's hard to quantify, but I sometimes get a sense that a writer is unsure of what his or her tone should be, so they change mid-stream.

What does not make a great Epinion? Though grammar and spelling are important, they do not make or break a great piece of writing. Some Epinionators have appalling grammar and spelling, but turn out great articles. Conversely, I'm sure there are great grammarians that make terrible writers. I suppose that's why there are "writers" and there are "editors." Also, length of writing does not impress me, unless the writer makes me laugh or think constructively with such length; as Polonius said to Laertes (I think), "brevity is the soul of wit." Lastly, Epinions and comments written with a clear disrespect for readers automatically earn my ire and are disqualified from greatness.

Why write an Epinion? One reason is because it's fun. Another reason is that writing helps us to not only exercise the creative and lexical parts of our brain, but also to maintain a connection with our humanity and with God. I think of it in this way: God used 40 authors to write the 66 books of the Bible, inspiring them with every word and every meaning. Our hands and brains have the potential for being conveyers of intelligence, wisdom, and life-changing encouragement. Whether it be helping someone decide on a product, releasing one's own caged thoughts, or even writing humor for humor's sake, writing is something we all should do to preserve what is left of humanity in an society increasingly dominated by mass-consumption, standardization, relativism, and concern for ourselves over the greater needs of those whom we affect with our decisions.

One more thing: I spent a significant amount of my life in Japan, working as an English instructor. Here are the articles I have written about my experiences in Japan:

Memories of Japan, part 1: Applying for the JET Programme, 1996-1997

(http://www.epinions.com/content_5186822276)

Memories of Japan, part 2: The National and Prefectural JET Orientations, 1997

(http://www.epinions.com/content_5322154116)

Memories of Japan, part 3: Hirado-shima, 1997-1998

(http://www.epinions.com/content_5322350724)

Memories of Japan, part 4a: A Day in the Life of a Hirado JET (Morning)

(http://www.epinions.com/content_5337424004)

Memories of Japan, part 4b: A Day in the Life of a Hirado JET (Afternoon)

(http://www.epinions.com/content_5337686148)

Memories of Japan, part 4c: A Day in the Life of a Hirado JET (Evening)

(http://www.epinions.com/content_5338144900)

Memories of Japan, part 5: The Country Hospital

(http://www.epinions.com/content_5451260036)