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| Bren & I begin this month in a spirit of triumph, a spirit of accomplishment, and a spirit of sadness. In ten days, we will formally honor the many individuals who have given so much, often their very lives, to preserve the ideals of liberty and to protect the lives and interests of Americans since the birth of this nation well over 200 years ago. Certainly, this represents a triumph. I have been honoured by my literary peers on WdC several times this year. Just this morning, I learned that my poem Lub dub, Lub dub was selected as the 2nd Place winner in the Structured Poetry Contest. Certainly, this is an accomplishment in the community of remarkably talented authors/poets which is WdC. In these next few days, Bren & I say farewell to a longtime friend who passed away on the evening before last after a relatively brief illness. In addition to having our friendship, he has also our respect and our gratitude for his military service to these United States of America. Certainly, we feel a sense of loss and of sadness. Through it all, the cadence of life goes on, and we rejoice with hope. |
| I just posted a new item to my portfolio. It's a strange combination of short-short story and Rondeau poem combined. (Total word count 250). It's titled. "The Legend of Rondeau, the Gunfighter"  and it's not exactly serious and not exactly humourous. NOTE: I do have access restricted to "Registered Users and Above." |
| It occured to me that a short story I wrote a while back mihht be approriate to the season. It's a frightfully funny story about some paranormal (or ABnormal) research Bren & I are alleged to have conducted. I just doubl-checked to make sure it's visible, and it is but only to Registered Users and higher. If you like paranormal and you like to laugh, give it a wee keek!
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| One caveat here: The tail gets a little messy at one point. |
Reply| Maybe I should find a *real* vampyre and ask to be bitten. Being immortal is the only way I'll have enough time to study all the things I want to study, discover all I hope to discover, and learn all I aspire to learn. Someone may quote me on that. Just leave off the vampyre bite bit.  |
I've thought about this. At 72 I have realized that my first time seeing some place or someone may be my last.  |
Kåre เลียม Enga  - I never trouble myself about whether something is a first or a last. Nothing lasts, so everything is a first. What I said about needing a vampyre was actually foolish and a bit flippant. It would only apply to this present perception, for I AM immortal. I not only know the Creator, I know that I am made a creator as well, taught by the master and charged with constantly gathering inspiration and bringing forth good things. Everything I create is a new part of myself, even as I am a new part of my Creator, and the act of creation is a bond between myself, my Creator, and every other person who lives, has lived, and will live. As I write, I do more than put words into an order. I put my thoughts, my feelings, my very being into that poem or story. I am part of it and it's part of me. I do the same when I paint, design, build, or bring forth any new idea. The greatest creation of all is the bond between myself and every other being. Your greatest creation is the bond you are creating with others, including me. These bonds are timeless and therefore ageless. |
| For some time now, I've been working extra hard toward getting Achievement Badges. The one that I'm having the most difficulty getting is the Account Anniversary Achievement badge. It's the flux capacitor that's slowing me down. These Klingon crystals just can't handle the strain. I'm afraid something might go wrong and leave me horribly stranded in the 21st century with Raquel Welch (no offense to Ms. Welch, who is a grape actress). Anachronisms can be a bit of a pain at times! (But less so than my free-association humour. ) |
| A few days ago, I happened across the sudio files I recorded years ago of one of my early (read that "truly lousy") chapbooks of pseudo-poetry. Now, I'm of a mind to record more of my chapbooks, or better yet, get someone with a good voice to record them. As funds become available, I want to register more of my work, now that some of it is actually readable, and publish same. Meanwhile, Bren ( justareader ) wants me to record (in my best Scot's brogue) The Bogle, a Hallowe'en poem I wrote for her a few years ago. |
| What lifts you out of a doldrum or 'the dumps'? I've been in a dumpy doldrum all day --- until a fellow WdC member helped (just by being) me start climbing out. innerlight   reminded me of these lines from a favourite song of mine: "Without looking out of my window, I can know the ways of heaven. The farther one travels, the less one knows; the less one really knows." ---The Beatles--- Now, I'm out of my bed and listening to music (many different styles). Thank you --- all five of you. Humble_Poet |
| Reasonables: The Jeep corporation gives me the willies. If a Spanish speaking person cooks ham in a pressure-cooker, could we call the device a "puercolator?" Unreasonable? "Pacific Ocean" contains three "C"s, but no two are pronounced alike. |
| I have a question for mystery writers, especially (but not exclusively) those who have written in this genre for a long time. Has 'crime-proofing technology' affected your writing? If so, in what way(s)? For instance, has the classic image of someone standing in the shadows and picking the lock on someone's back door been made a less believable element now that there are cell-phone connected door-cams, elaborate lighting and alarm systems, and such literally *everywhere*. |
| If I had to write a mystery, which I seem to write far less of than I would have expected judging by how many I’ve read, I would probably set it in an earlier and simpler time. I’m not even entirely familiar with the new smart gadgets which are so commonplace nowadays. In "The Name’s Daisy" , I included smartphones and Facebook, but neglected to consider smart cameras and in-home surveillance, so it would be set perhaps ten years back from now. I think this would be a good topic for a newsletter… Carol Saint Ann  ? |
| That would be a yes. My current story takes place in 1998, so I need to pay attention to what technology was actually in mainstream use by then. In current writing there’s no way to avoid the surveillance options both inside and outside of commercial establishments, offices, homes, even parks and recreation, not to mention drones and satellites. Then there is the reality our TVs and phones monitor our every word and move. Today’ mystery must certainly come up with clever ways to maneuver all that. Perps must be very knowledgeable indeed. |
Amethyst Angel 🍁🙏  - Thanks for tagging me. It’s a great idea, and I’ll take you up on the suggestion.    |
| What is your understanding of the phrase "used to" or "use to" as a way to express the idea "once was?" This phrase seems to be used by every English speaker in the world, myself included, yet I can't seem to figure out how it fits into the syntax and grammar of the English language. I've tried diagramming sentences with it, but to no avail. |
| A short time back, I ordered physical copies of two of my MBs. I have a well-deserved reputation as a complainer, but I haven't one single complaint about these. Patience is a virtue, but I don't seem to be a virtuous person. The second badge arrived about a week ago, which is at least a week earlier than I had expected the first one. The first one arrived at least two weeks ago. So, I received both badges much sooner than I had expected. The badges not only arrived quickly, but they're very nice items. My plan is to buy a writers jacket of the sort with suede elbow patches, and a vest on which to display my badges. I'll certainly look the part of a writer! Many thanks to WdC and to all who sent me the original accolades and greetings, and to WdC for offering both the virtual and the physical badges. They give me a sense of accomplishment and help me to feel like part of something greater than myself --- like part of a community. |
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