Escape Reality
By SherritheWriter
  • Home
  • Escape Reality (Blog)
  • Science Fiction
  • Mystery/Suspense
  • Short Books
  • Non-Fiction

About Washington D.C.

9/28/2014

 
Picture
Hi all, sorry for the lengthy absence. I just returned from a business conference in Reston, Virginia. It's located near Washington D.C. and we spent most of our free time there. In this entry, I'd like to tell you about our adventures. 

We flew out of Columbia Metropolitan Airport at 8:05 Monday evening. All went well except a little turbulence, and it was a short flight to Charlotte-Douglas Airport. That's where the adventure began. We were fixing to take off and the co-pilots navigation computer went out. After an hour of trying to fix it, they realized it would have to be replaced. Fortunately, there was one airplane in maintenance that they had completed repairs on, and they flew us to Washington-Dulles Airport on it. We arrived three hours late, so instead of checking in around midnight, we checked into the Hyatt-Regency in Reston at 3 a.m. That was unexpected, but I'm grateful that they at least had a plane there to get us to D.C. that night. Otherwise, we would have been stuck in Charlotte until Tuesday morning, which would have really screwed our schedule up, because Tuesday was our planned day in D.C. 

Fortunately, the Lord looked out for us, and we didn't oversleep too much. We walked around Reston to get acquainted with the town center, then took the Metro into D.C. This was my first time actually in Washington D.C. I've gone by it twice - once in 1989 when I went to New York City, and once in 2003 when we went to a friends wedding outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Why did I rush by this city twice without stopping? D.C. is amazing! We spent Tuesday walking around the National Mall. We visited the Smithsonian Castle, the Air and Space Museum, the Capitol Visitor's Center, and the Library of Congress. Our favorite was the Library of Congress. It's amazing! Great exhibits, great architecture, overall it's just awesome! That's a definite "must re-visit" on my list. We then walked to the Washington Monument, but by that time nightfall was approaching, we were footsore from walking all day, and getting by on 6 hours of sleep was catching up with us. We took the Metro back to Reston, walked around there for a bit more, and that was our day. 

My conference started on Wednesday. I got out a little after 4, but we decided to stay in Reston that day. The town center is very nice. It was designed by urban planners, and it's very easy to get around. There's shopping, food, and even a nice movie theater there. We did make it to supper and around the center, but it started to drizzle rain, so we headed back to the hotel and stayed in for the night. It was just as well - we needed some rest after our late flight on Monday night/Tuesday morning and a full day in D.C. on Tuesday. 

The conference continued on Thursday with a full day of meetings. Rick found a "Monuments by Moonlight" tour in D.C. that takes you around on a trolley with three stops. We were very lucky and got the last 2 tickets for the 8:00 tour. We jumped right on the Metro to Union Station where the tour departed, grabbed a quick supper, and were off.I highly recommend this tour! We got to see so much that I can't even remember it all here. They drove us around the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument and National Mall, and the Jefferson Memorial. They made stops at the Roosevelt Monument and the Martin Luther King, Jr. monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Iwo-Jima monument near Arlington (they did drive us by Arlington Cemetery. At night. Why do people think taking a tour of a graveyard at night is awesome? Oh well, that's just me being like that). Anyway, it was a great tour and we had a good (albeit somewhat silly) guide that was a D.C. native, so he knew the landmarks and the history they represented really well. If you go to D.C., do the Monuments by Moonlight tour. It's great.  

The conference concluded Friday, and I actually got out over an hour ahead of schedule. We decided to take advantage of it and go into D.C. again. We saw the Museum of American History, and then went to visit a few of the monuments that our tour didn't cover: the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. I must admit that the Korean and Vietnam Memorials were overwhelming. Beautiful tributes that were very well done. On the walk back, I got my first good look at The White House. We drove by on the tour, but I wasn't able to see it really well, but Friday we seemed to find a better vantage point. We never went really close to it, but that's ok. I saw it, and that was good enough for me. 

Yesterday was our return. We left Washington-Dulles at 1:35 p.m. and arrived back in Columbia just before 5 p.m. Both the flight from Dulles to Charlotte and Charlotte to Columbia went without a hitch and were right on time. As you can imagine, we've spent the time since our return settling back in: unpacking, getting Zack and Chloe back home and settled in, doing 5 loads of laundry, getting groceries, downloading pictures, etc. 

All in all, it was a great trip. I think Rick and I both needed it. I definitely feel that it's brought me back to life. Not only did I get to see Washington D.C., but the conference was really good too. Our focus was on maintaining relevancy in the future with changing demographics. Lots of good discussions, and it was great to see my counterparts from other states again. Sometimes it's good to get out of the office and work with different people. You get great insights and a lot of good ideas, and can share what you know with others. I'd say that I enjoyed this trip just as much as I enjoyed the last conference I attended in Scottsdale, Arizona in February 2013. Both were awesome experiences. 

So that's what I've been up to this past week, and now it's time to get back to it tomorrow. It was a great trip, but it's also good to be home. One thing about traveling is that you get a chance to see and experience great new things, but they also remind you of why you love the comforts of home too. 

That's all today. Take care, and have a great week. 

Bye!

The Bottom Line

9/21/2014

 
The bottom line to it all is that it's best to live one day at a time, and to do the best you can with what you've got. Life is a journey, and all you can do is roll with whatever part of it you're on. Whether it's the long, slow times when progress is so slow as to be non-existent, seasons of head-spinning change, mountaintops or valleys, the fact remains that you are where you are and all you can do is your best. It seems to me that fixating too much on being in a season of life is a surefire path to frustration. It puts you in a mindset that might not be best for you, and can make it more difficult to manage where you're at. Best to work with the blessings you have and enjoy them along the way. You can reminisce on the seasons later. For now, live. 

I can say that the last couple of years haven't been phenomenal. Looking back, it's amazing what we've come through. At first I did realize that it seemed I'd sunk in a valley, but I'm glad I made the realization about a year ago that I was making it harder on myself by fixating on that and fretting on when is this gonna be over. I decided to take a day at a time, and you know what? The days passed with a lot less anxiety and frustration. I did what I could, when I could, and now here I am. It looks like things are  moving up now, but honestly it doesn't matter. I'm thankful to be where I am and dedicated to working with what I've got to keep things going. Good season or bad, all that really matters is that you keep moving in the right direction. 

The nature of life is motion and change, so you may as well get used to the fact that you're on a journey that doesn't end until your time on this earth does. Whether you're in the spotlight or the periphery, the mountaintop or the valley, the fertile land or the desert, just be you. Do what you can and keep rolling. I guarantee that you'll find yourself somewhere else soon enough. So don't fear. Nothing last forever. If the days are good, enjoy them fully. If they aren't, rest in the hope that they will get better. That is a fact. 

That's all today. Take care, and have a great week.

Bye!

Awesome

9/19/2014

 
On the other hand, there is an awesome element to being on the periphery of things, and that’s the place where I find myself now. See, when you aren’t in the spotlight, then it really isn’t hard to get the awkward busy-bodies off your back. You just throw them nuggets of information here and there, and they’re usually satisfied. And the truth is, they likely won’t remember them anyway, because this is where the awesome comes in.

See, when you’re on the periphery, that means that the main attention is focused on the people in the spotlight. Besides keeping an eye on you to make sure you aren’t wandering too far off the reservation, they’re usually more concerned with the main event than anything you’re doing. That means that you get blessed peace and quiet, and can pretty much do what you want without interference or a bunch of “wait, what the hell are you doing?” as long as you keep showing up and looking normal when and where you’re supposed to be.

Here’s my case in point: in the past 6 weeks, I started writing a science-fiction trilogy and an exercise program. I mentioned it to people and got a polite “that’s nice,” but I can tell it’s not registering because they’re all focused on other things. Rick knows this, of course, because he lives with me and is paying attention to what I’m going. But I guarantee you that, despite nearly daily postings and frequent mentions in this blog, there will still be people out there saying “OMG, when did you do THAT!” when the trilogy gets published. They’re hearing but not listening, and because they’re focused elsewhere, I can work on it undisturbed and without interference or prying questions/eyes/probing about “what are you putting in there?” It sure beats the struggle I had writing Splinter, where I was in the spotlight of a lot of change and everybody felt it was their personal obligation to remind me of all the more important things and problems they thought I should be handling instead of writing. (Of course, all of that resistance was forgotten once it was published last November.) The Earthside Trilogy is rolling along with only the work of researching and writing while prying eyes are focused elsewhere. And that, folks, is a writer’s dream. It’s awesome!

A lot of people get frustrated when they think people aren’t paying attention to them, but I say its the best of all worlds. There’s a charm about being able to quietly go about your business without having to deal with questions or people wanting explanations, and it’s a blessing you should enjoy because they will eventually open their eyes and want to know “what you’re up to.” I’m not saying it’s a pass to do bad things. Quite the opposite, this is a perfect time to sow seeds and establish endeavors that will pay off in the future. It’s great because only those closest to you are paying attention, and they’ll support you.  And you’re free of distraction and hindrance from those that might not have such golden motives, since they’re busy interfering elsewhere. As I said in a short story I wrote this week: no people, no problem.

I intend to fully enjoy my anonymity. In fact, it’s fun. I’m looking forward to surprising people when the timing is right to claim the fruits of current labors.

That’s all today. Have a great weekend.

Bye!

Awkward

9/18/2014

 
Of course, there are two problems with being on the periphery. The first is that when you keep to yourself, there are people that are uncomfortable with your silence and make it their life mission to crack the nut that is you. The peril of this being is that they won't be prepared or able to handle what they find, and will make the wildest, craziest assumptions possible. Honestly, people have thought some things about me these past few months that made me wonder what planet they're from. I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you aren't used to weird out of me by now, you have an incredibly thick skull and I give up on you.

The second problem is that when you do finally peek your head back in, it's usually awkward. That, of course, being due to the insane assumptions people have made while you chose to graciously handle what was going on in your head quietly. They don't understand that you were actually granting them some grace by not dumping the mechanics of your thought/feeling process on them. Instead, you're antisocial, you're weird, you're strange, and they just don't get it.

I think it all goes back to the same fundamental problem: people are uncomfortable with grief, sadness, anger, and all of the emotions they label as "negative" that go with these major life shifts. There seems to be this expectation that if you can't dive back in the fray and be your old self in 3-10 days, then something's wrong. But actually, this points to an erroneous assumption on their part, because the truth is that peoples' patience for suffering usually has a short shelf life, and they come to a point where they want to gloss over it in 3-10 days so they can get back to better things and not be bothered by "bad feelings that drag them down." And the awkwardness they feel somehow gets projected onto you because, well, that's one of the most primal defense mechanisms and most people are really good at it. 

Frankly, I look at it from the other end of the glass. If you don't act weird and distant after something major happens, then I wonder if you're playing with a full deck. Because anything that changes your life forever (as in, you can't go back) should be a huge shift to your paradigm that takes time to process and integrate. There are some things that it's impossible to go back to your old self with. And that's ok. In fact, that's their purpose - to increase your strength and wisdom, and to make you a bigger, better person. If you crawl right back in the same old rut and don't show any signs of change, I'll suspect you're either faking normal, or you have something wrong in your own head. 

The trick I find myself handling now is discerning my own awkward from that of other people. I know for a fact that I'm not the same person I was a year or two ago, and I'm fine with that. I can learn how to handle the aspects of that coming from my own changes. But as for other people, there's not much I can do about that. They should know enough about who I really and truly am to understand how and why some things about me have changed, and that's an adjustment they'll have to make on their own. 

I just hope I've changed for the better.

That's all today. Take care. Have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a wonderful weekend. 

Bye!

Periphery View

9/16/2014

 
Picture
One emerging issue that I’m finding as I write Fracture is how things affect people on periphery. So often in fiction, you see how things affect the main character, but I’m writing from a range of third-person viewpoints, so you see how one event affect many people involved in the situation. It’s interesting to watch it unfold, because I’m amazing myself as I show how one event in the plot can cause three, four, or even five completely different reactions based on the character’s relationship to the person and/or event. In fact, one of the main characters that has a role that’s continuing to grow and emerge is the niece of the first ‘miracle cure’ that kicks off the novel, and how the other characters find it difficult or impossible to relate to her.

No doubt, this is a direct effect of my father-in-law’s dementia and recent passing. I was on what you’d call the “periphery” in that situation, as so many have felt compelled to remind me (even though I made no claims of a first degree affect), and having a role just on the outside gives you a unique perspective that often isn’t acknowledged. My pastor assured me that a periphery perspective is necessary and is usually appreciated in retrospect, whether other’s actively realize it or not. Whatever the case, I can safely tell you that supporting roles are as unglamorous in real life as they are in fiction, and often more difficult. I can’t count the number of times I bore silent witness, zipped up my own thoughts and observations, and swept my own issues that were obviously minor in the larger context under the rug. I can say from experience that you often feel lonely, and if you find one person that’s willing to look you in the eye and say “how are YOU doing?” then you gain a new appreciation for that person, because you have enough awareness to full well realize that they may be the only one  to see past everything else and onto the sidelines.

It can be frustrating at times, but before you logout as a “oh no, this is a woe-is-me entry,” I’m here to say that it’s not a bad place to be, either. And, in fact, there are times when you seek the loneliness of that odd place you find yourself in.  Why? Simply stated, grief is a shape-shifter that can wear the toughest of us down from any perspective, and the desert of the periphery gives you sanctuary to find where you, your perspective, and your wisdom plug in to a new reality. It shows you how bearing witness to the struggles and suffering of others fits you in with the world around you. It stretches you in new directions and opens your eyes not only to those right in front of you, but others on the sidelines and in the deserts of life. I know I’ve been surprised over the last couple of months not only as I write this novel, but how I’ve opened my eyes to things and people that I usually don’t see, and realizing how limited my own attention has been. It also gives you a place of your own to make sense of it all without pressures or complications. There's a simplicity in it. Sometimes you aren't looking to understand or put meaning to it all. Sometimes, you just want to be, so you can see how life flows around you and choose how and where you to rejoin the world as you know it.

And yes, my pastor was right. There are places where your unique perspective fits and is even appreciated. As with all things, you just have to wait for the right timing, and that timing usually comes when you least expect it. The spotlight isn’t always the place to be, and truthfully there are times when the people there probably envy the anonymity that you enjoy from the shadows in a supporting role. They do come to places where they wonder what they miss, and need you to show them. They need the comfort of somebody that can discern rational from imagined. Sometimes, it gives them strength to see you rolling right along with the world because they know that if you’re still alive and kicking, then they can be too – they can move on, and heal, and take one day at a time and build life in this new reality, because you’ve done it already and they see your path. I’m not talking about dragging them by the hair, kicking and screaming. I’m talking about being a living example. You never know who’s watching you quietly going about your day, and how it’s affecting them. Breakthroughs aren’t always big, loud things. Sometimes they’re the quiet revelations of the soul from the unlikeliest of places.

And sometimes, it’s those supporting roles that change your world. You never know. You may think your place, role, and opinion lacks merit, but it may be the very cornerstone of truth that the future is built on for more people than you realize. Just take a look around. How much would we miss if it weren’t for the ones that supported the great names and influences that got us to where we are in the world today?

You never know. That’s another thing that fiction and reality have in common. And it’s the thing that makes life most interesting.

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.

Bye!


Another Sample of Fracture

9/13/2014

 
I just realized that I've written 21 chapters of Fracture, but I haven't shared a sample with you in a while. It's really been coming along, and I hope to hit the halfway point of the manuscript next week. In the meantime, let me catch you up on the progression of the plot. Here's chapter 6, where we find that there could be more to Kalea, our main character, than meets the eye. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

Kalea sat in a chair on the stage of the high school auditorium, surveying the area with the school principal – a stern, graying man with a perpetual scowl named Darren Henson.

“It just seems that it needs something more,” he grumped.

Kalea took a deep breath, reminding herself that the school district brought several million dollars to the company every year, so telling him to jump in the lake would be detrimental not only to her career, but her financial well being as well. Plus, she was here for an interview with a major magazine about the project. This would get national coverage, and anything that took the focus off her bloody hospital dash and back on her work was a good thing.

“You have the most state of the art theater in the region. Relax, they’ll love it. They wouldn’t be coming if they weren’t impressed.” Kalea swiped her brow and shifted in her stuffy grey and pink pantsuit. She wasn’t used to dressing this formally, and it was still too hot for this in mid-September.

“I wish they would have come this spring when we had a production, and when we’ve had more time to tweak it.”

“Mr. Henson, I can’t tweak it any more. I’ve given you all the power that the grid can give you. It passed inspection. It’s fine.”

He grunted and checked his smartwatch as the first students trickled into the auditorium. Since there wasn’t a production ready to showcase the renovated theater, they arranged to have the interview conducted and filmed onstage with the student body as the audience. Kalea was nervous about that aspect of it. She was used to speaking to small groups, and even on camera regarding larger projects, but the concept of questions from strangers that knew little or nothing about the finer points of engineering that went into the project made her stomach flip. This wasn’t exactly stuff you could “dummy down” to an audience. When it comes to technical engineering concepts, you get it or you don’t. No amount of explaining changes it.

Mr. Henson glanced at Kalea. “Relax, you’ll do fine.”

Kalea smiled weakly. “Is it that obvious that I’m nervous?”

“Yes, but it’s alright. You get used to this.” He cracked a small smile. “Besides, you’ve done a nationally televised interview. This should be a piece of cake.”

Kalea grunted away the cliché as the volume of murmuring voices grew with more students filling in the auditorium.  She fanned herself with her notes. “Maybe I should get our mechanical engineer to see about adjusting the HVAC system in here. These lights do get awfully hot.”

“I already asked. He said he’s done all he can with the electrical load too,” Mr. Henson said. “We’ll have to sweat it out.”

“I’m getting used to that,” Kalea mumbled as the magazine interviewer, a tall, thin woman with short, dark hair and striking green eyes breezed on the stage. Kalea and Mr. Henson stood to shake her hand.

“Kalea, so glad to meet you!” she bubbled, shaking Kalea’s hand so vigorously that Kalea’s black cameo earrings swung. “I’m Veronica Eddings. It’s such a pleasure to meet you and cover what other miracles you’re capable of in Modern Design Magazine!”

Kalea blushed. “I’m better at engineering than I am at running through hospital hallways, if that’s what you mean. But thanks. I’m glad for the coverage, both for the firm and for the school.” She gestured to Mr. Henson. “This is Darren Hensen, the school principal.

Veronica shook Mr. Hensen’s hand and they took their seats. “Thanks for letting me record the interview with the equipment in here. I understand this is the first time cameras on wires have been used outside an athletic facility?”

“Just in the State of South Carolina,” Kalea said, “and it did require a radical redesign of the entire area. The hope is that it will give better quality recordings by capturing a number of angles that haven’t been available at the high school level before. The first official use will be the Christmas program, but the big thing will be the school’s production of Annie Get Your Gun in April. Today’s interview will be the first live test on all of the equipment, and how well it airs on public access stations.

Veronica raised an eyebrow. “So we’ll have a television audience too?”

“No, it’s being recorded for playback on the local access channel ,” Mr. Henson said. “Obviously, we’ll want to do some editing and production work to clean it up. We want to show the public the best work we can do.”

“Of course,” Veronica said, straightening her tan skirt as she settled in the chair. “Let’s go over my plan for today’s interview. I’d like to start with the camera system and how you, Kalea, took arena camera plans to an indoor venue. Then I’d like to move on to the wireless control of lighting and stage effects systems. After that, I’ll move on to Mr. Henson’s vision for how this applies to theater productions, and an open conversation on how this has the potential to revolutionize theater design of all types in the future.”

“I’m not sure about revolutionizing design,” Kalea said. “It’s just a high school auditorium. I’m sure a lot more work needs to be done before it goes large scale.”

Veronica laughed. “You’re so modest! Kalea, that’s why I’m here – to show how you’ve revolutionized design for live action productions!”

Kalea flushed and reached down to scratch her leg, which was itching terribly.

“We’re ready to go in two minutes!” the head of the stage crew, a stocky, blonde teen with glasses, said.

Mr. Henson nodded. “Time to rock and roll.”

Kalea rolled her eyes. Was he going to ruin the interview with these stupid Earth clichés?

What? She thought. She shook off the unbidden thought and adjusted the microphone clipped to her jacket while Veronica gathered her notes and the cameraman flashed his fingers showing the final countdown to recording.

Veronica smiled brightly and stared into the center camera. “Good morning South Carolina, and welcome to Modern Design Magazine Chat Hour. I’m your host, Veronica Eddings. Today, we’re talking to Kalea Kerner and Darren Henson regarding the revolutionary upgrades they made this summer to the Riverside High School auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina.” Veronica turned to Kalea. “Miss Kerner, I’d like to open with talking about the camera system you designed especially for this space. It implements stadium style cameras on revolving wires similar to the camera systems that are used in sporting arenas. How difficult was it to take a design for outdoor use into a limited space like this?”

Kalea took a sip of water and leaned forward. “The design really wasn’t difficult with the system they already had in place.” She gestured to Mr. Hensen. “Of course, we always start with asking Principal Hensen and the leaders on the drama team what their vision is for the auditorium. They are the ones that use it regularly, so it has to be a system that they can operate and can run off the power available to the school without taking from other areas. Principal Hensen told me the primary goal with this redesign was to be able to get better recordings of productions for broadcast on local access television, streaming video reproductions, and acting samples for students that need it for a portfolio to colleges where they plan to study theater in the future. So my goal was to design a system that –“

“Was all the better to see you with,” a voice said from the audience. Everybody turned to stare at the voice coming from a stocky, red-headed young man in the center of the auditorium. He stood and pushed his way to the aisle. “That’s what we really wanted, isn’t it? We wanted people to see us better, to get more public recognition for the school, to show everybody how wonderful we are.”

“Who is that kid?” Kalea asked, squinting in the lights to focus on the man approaching the stage slowly. She noticed that his right hand was in his pocket and he seemed to be fiddling with something.

“That’s not a kid,” Mr. Hensen said, “that’s Dale Zeigler. He’s the drama coach.”

“He’s kind of young for a drama coach, isn’t he?” Veronica asked.

Mr. Hensen shrugged. “He’s been here for three years.” He pointed to Dale. “Mr. Zeigler, did you have a question for me or Miss Kerner?”

Dale laughed, his body shuddering slightly. “Why yes, I certainly do. The question is for you.” He waved his left arm around the room. “Was all of this worth selling your soul for?”

Mr. Hensen’s eyes narrowed. “I beg your pardon?”

“All this technology! All this money you spent to show everybody that we’re the best school in the state. All these reasons why you couldn’t afford to give hard working teachers and staff members a decent raise this year.”

Mr. Hensen stood and pointed at Darren. “Mr. Zeigler, that will be enough. I’m sorry you don’t agree with these changes, but we have to take a more long term approach to improving the school. You know salaries come from a different budget. This year, the school board decided to upgrade facilities. I assure you that it will lead to better compensation for employees and staff in the future. You have to be patient!”

“Be patient!” Dale said, laughing. “I have to be patient. I have to be patient while my bank account is empty. I have to be patient while I struggle to put food on the table for my kids. I have to be patient while the bank threatens to foreclose on my house. I have to be patient while my wife has an affair with an architect that flatters her with a lifestyle I can only dream of.”

“Ouch!” Kalea said. “That’s awful. Who’s this architect?”

Dale stared at Kalea with hard, green eyes. “It doesn’t matter. Nothing does anymore.”

Kalea slumped in her chair when she realized she asked that stupid question right into the microphone. So much for not making a fool of herself yet again.

“Where is the resource officer?” Mr. Hensen asked, looking around the auditorium. “This man needs to be escorted off the property. He’s threatening the safety of the children.”

“The resource officer is indisposed, just like all of you are fixing to be!” Dale pulled a gun out of his pocket and fired a shot into the ceiling. Screams filled the room as students ducked on the floor. Dale jumped on the stage, directly in front of Kalea.

“Don’t believe the lies they sell you!” he shouted, firing a bullet directly into one of the revolving cameras that shattered on the floor in the front row. “They say it’s for the greater good? No, it’s to feed their own ego.” He waved the gun toward Kalea and Mr. Hensen. “These two will get rich while we rot at their bidding! There’s nothing in any of this for us. They don’t care about us. All they care about is keeping us under their feet so they can step on us on their way to the top. Well, no more!” He turned, pointing the gun, a silver .380, in Kalea’s face. “Say goodbye to all of your fame and fortune, witch.”

Kalea’s hand shot up and grabbed the muzzle of the gun, which sparked at her touch. Dale screamed as an electric current ran up his arm, driving him to his knees. Kalea stood up slowly, staring at Dale with hard, black eyes. “This vessel is broken. It must be purged.” Her eyes glowed silver as she bent to touch a red scar on Dale’s hand.

“No!” he screamed, grabbing Kalea’s ankle. A blue spark shot through him, knocking him back off the stage and onto the front row floor. Kalea collapsed into her chair, breathing heavily. She gulped and pulled herself up straight in the chair, looking at the audience staring at her in terror.

“What just happened?” she asked, and passed out.

The World Has Changed

9/11/2014

 
Chloe did a beautiful 9-11 tribute over at the Niblets blog, and I’d like to build on it with my own observations. Today, it’s hard to believe it’s been 13 years since the world changed, and she’s absolutely right about one thing: we can never go back. I can’t imagine getting on a flight now without being scanned down to my bones (and my luggage being scanned to the atomic level), and it’s hard to remember that the Department of Homeland Security didn’t exist once upon a time.

It brings up an interesting question that’s been posed over and over in the passing years: are we sacrificing our freedom for increased security? Many believe we are, and that it’s shifting us to a socialist state. We’ve heard plenty of screaming over the years about the NSA and other instances of the government snooping into our private affairs, which brings up the question of whether we’d rather be free or secure. And then again, if you’re doing what’s right, does it matter? After all, if you have nothing to hide, then why does it matter if the NSA knows where you are,  who you’re talking, texting, and emailing to, and what you had for lunch today? I guess the real question is our right to privacy. And again, we enter the freedom/security loop. Is there an end? Is there an answer? I don’t know.

The escalating tensions in the east with ISIS now are actually a factor I’m figuring into the draft of the science fiction trilogy I’m writing. There’s no doubt that terrorism is still a huge issue in the world today, and it’s impacting world events and even history itself. I feel our grandparents generation, “the greatest generation,” are turning in their graves right now. They fought and worked so hard to rid the world of the evils of Nazi’s and the threats of dictatorships only to have radical terrorists rise to plague future generations. It just goes to prove that it’s always something. Marvel might have it right after all. Remember what Hydra said about “cut off one head, and two more rise?” That seems to be the truth. Fiction and reality have uncanny parallels. Then again, reality influences fiction, so there you have the answer to that riddle.

I think this is a testament to the fact that future generations will fully realize that 9-11 changed the world as we know it. They may not have the memories or personal connections and recollections of exactly how these changes happened. Heck, those of us that have experienced it probably find ourselves hard pressed to articulate it ourselves, because many of the changes are felt rather than seen. But we know it’s there, and they will realize it too, even if they weren’t here to experience it. It’s like we know Pearl Harbor changed the world, even though many of us weren’t around then. At least better media coverage will give future generations something more to see from the day that changed the world in the twenty-first century.

The truth is that we’re still seeking that balance between freedom and security, and the explosive advances in technology in the past 13 years haven’t made it any easier. Every step forward is one more thing we have to consider that can be misused by those that wish to do us harm. It’s a shame that we have to live in such a state of partial paranoia – but then again, as it ever been any other way? There were many decades between Pearl Harbor and 9-11, which no doubt led to some complacency. How do you strike the balance? I’m not sure there is any one answer, or what direction this whole debate is taking us as a nation, a society, and a world in. 13 years later, and the story is still unfolding in many ways. It’s something to think about.

That’s my meditation on the day. I offer a prayer for those lost on 9-11, their families and friends, and all affected by the terrible events of that day. Wait, that means all of us, because in one way or another, we were all affected. Well, here’s a pray for us all!

That’s all today. Take care. Have a happy Friday tomorrow and a fantastic weekend.

Bye!

Don't Accept Defeat

9/9/2014

 
Picture
I’ll tell you another thing I’ve lost patience for: whining about “bad luck” and “tough breaks” when people are accepting defeat in other areas of life. I don’t think most people realize how they sabotage themselves on a larger scale when they accept something bad in life “because that’s the way it is.” It’s sad, because you don’t realize how those little things keep you in places you don’t want to be and, worse yet, prevent you from achieving victory in your life. It’s counter-productive, it’s lazy, and at it’s very root, it’s wrong, plain and simple. Really, how can you expect to achieve victory in the big matters if you refuse to conquer the pesky irritants that drag you down every day?

It confounds me how people refuse to correctly deal with toxic relationships, bad habits, and manageable health situations and then not understand why their life is a mess. Saying you don’t want to seek treatment or take medication for fear of “stigma” or addiction to pills to get through your day is actually telling the universe that you want to suffer and be sick. Refusing to kick an addiction or an unhealthy habit because “it’s not that big of a deal, and besides, so many other people are doing it,” is telling the universe that you don’t value your life and want to hasten your demise through a long, drawn out medical battle that will steal years you could be enjoying. Saying you don’t want to terminate a bad relationship because “they need me and maybe my good influence can save them” is telling the universe that you want to be mistreated and abused. Refusing to do the right thing or to take the time to do things the best you can “because I don’t have time for that” is painting a bullseye on you for the devil to take his best shot – and believe me, he always takes that challenge.

Stop fooling yourself into believing that you’ve being prudent, gracious, or forgiving – just tell the truth and say that you don’t want to fact the problem, so you’re making excuses and running. When you say “that’s just me,” you’re inviting defeat into every area of your life. When you say “oh, that’s just them. That’s just how Jack/Jane is,” then you’re cheating them and sentencing them to further defeat when in fact, standing up to them could very well save them. Accepting bad things is nothing more than an excuse to stay settled in a comfortable rut, and guaranteeing that the world will shovel the dirt over you when it’s ready to bury you. What you allow not only continues, but compounds.

I’ve heard a lot of people telling me that I expect too much out of life, myself, and other people. I’ve been told I’m too hard on myself and others. I’ve been railed as an idealist with no concept for the realities of life. I’ve been told my ideas are too post-modern. Do you know where every one of these people are? Exactly in the same place they were when they said those things five, ten, or fifteen years ago, which happens to be in my past, because I’ve moved on. They’re buried in their comfort and I’ve moved on multiple times in come cases because I’m not afraid to ask the hard questions, make the best of what I had, take advantage of opportunities, correct wrongs, set boundaries about what I will and won’t allow in my day to day life, and embrace change. They accepted excuses and remained. I didn’t, and built a bigger life. By all rights, I have no right to be where I am, according to these people. What separates me from them is the audacity to actually do what they said shouldn’t or couldn’t be done.

It’s time to chuck the excuses and accept this reality: you can’t win the war when you refuse to fight any battles. How are you going to run a company when you allow one person to run all over you? How are you going to get well if you don’t do what your doctor says to do? How can you enjoy your retirement  when you won’t work now? How can you write the novel, start the project, take on the hobby, or go on your mission when you crash out in front of the television every night because you’re “tired and not feeling it.” How do you plan to get the promotion, the nomination, the title, the respect, the award, or the friends if you’re angry, bitter, jealous, and walking around with a two-ton chip on your shoulder? If you don’t reap it, you can’t sow it. And you usually get back more than you invest, whether it’s seed or whirlwind. That can be encouraging or disturbing, depending on what you’re allowing in your life right now.

Folks, there’s no excuse for accepting less than the best in your life. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot and then scream because you’re hurt and bleeding. Goodness sake, how many times have I told you to read The Secret? And if you say “I don’t do that new age stuff,” then read Me and My Big Mouth, by Joyce Meyer. Same message surrounded by scripture, and written ten years earlier. We live in an age of information, and the secrets to making the best of life aren’t secrets anymore. Take advantage of this age of information  and use it to make a better life.

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.

Bye!


Shoot the Clock, Burn the Calendar, and Live Already

9/7/2014

 
Picture
I've about had it with people telling me what time it is! Yes, I know that recently turning 39 means that (que dramatic music now) 40 is just around the corner. I know that Halloween is the next big holiday, followed by Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and what-are-you-going-to-do-to-prepare-for-40 resolutions. I know fall is coming, a mid-term election is coming, license renewals are coming , and then winter is coming (is anybody else hearing the theme song for Game of Thrones in their head right now?). All this I know. 

And all this I do not give a crap about. 

One of the nuggets of wisdom my grandfather passed on to me as a child was to not wish my life away. "People are always wishing for the next thing to hurry up and get here, and then they get older and wish they had all that time they wished away back." Even at 10 and 11 years old, that advice held merit to me. I got it. Now I look around, and it seems that we, as a society, are obsessed with time - or rather, how much or how little of it we think we have. This has been confirmed many times over just this weekend, from Halloween decorations in stores, to people walking around in shorts and fur-lined boots (it seems they can't wait to show off that smashing winter wardrobe), to an article I just read on 4 Ways to Defy Your Age. It's a good article, but 4 ways? I'll give you 3, and they're the title of this entry:

1. Shoot the clock. You control your schedule. If you're a slave to it, things are backwards and you need to take dominion over it. 
2. Burn the calender. Stop obsession over how old you are. Your age is nothing more than a point of reference to how long you've been on this rock hurling through space. Setting goals, expectations, and limitations based on your age (current or impending) is unnecessarily fencing yourself in. You'll be in a box when you're dead. Why do you want to live in one of your own making?
3. Live already. If you woke up this morning, there's hope. If you woke up healthy and/or able to function, there's more hope. For goodness sake, take the blessings you have, give thanks for them, and work them! 

Maybe it's because I faced death twice in a five month period, but I'm really fed up with the fears and limitations people put on themselves based on time and  my patience for that crap is gone. Where I live, it's still summer. Maybe the fur lined boots with shorts are appropriate in San Francisco, but in Columbia, South Carolina, where it's 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity - no. It's still summer. It's the peak of it, and we have about another month to go before we even think about things like socks and long sleeve shirts. Forget fall! Why can't we enjoy what's left of summer? Sure, I'd like for the mercury to drop about 20 degrees, and sometimes in September we are graced with those hints of fall - but why wish it away? We'll be trapped inside with sunrise at 8 a.m. and sunset at 5 p.m. before you know it, and then we'll whine for spring. 

When I first got the idea for the concept to The Earthside Trilogy, I did have a moment of doubt about my ability to write a series of three books But it was just a moment because I realized that I'm probably going to write a lot more than three books before I leave this Earth, so what difference does it make if they're part of a series? And with that, off I went. 

I'm not saying that everybody needs to be like me because goodness knows, the world doesn't need that. But maybe more of us do need to get over our obsession with time and wishing our lives away. It's a waste, really, when you could spend that time doing other things, like enjoying where you are in life right now.

That's all today. Take care, and have a great week.

Bye!

Confessions from the Sunny Side

9/4/2014

 
I recently found myself grappling with an interesting question: was it appropriate for me to dive back into writing immediately after my father-in-law passed away? The question came not from anything that was said to me, but rather from noticing that it seemed to take others longer to get “back into life” after all the chaos that is dealing with death. Five days after he passed, I found myself starting a draft of the first book in my trilogy while everybody else was pushing themselves back into life. Hmm, I wondered, maybe something’s not right in the head. I’m glad to be getting back to a routine while others are struggling.

I passed it off as well, it was an in-law, so that’s the difference. Plus, he had dementia, so I probably dealt with his decline a step at a time, like I did with my great aunts when I was younger. But still, it felt weird to be jumping back into all of the various things that make up my life without a hitch while others were getting back in slowly. In fact, just the other day, Rick told me that he was glad my life was going so well, because he felt he coped better by seeing me be my happy self.

That’s when it occurred to me. I am happy. It’s impossible for me to get down and stay down. Sure, I’ve had tough times and struggles, but it seems that I always come to a point where I say “oh, this is crap! Let’s just get on with it!” and I move on. The world keeps turning, after all, and I’m going with it whether I’m ready or not. Even when Ollie died last winter, sad as I was, I made myself get up and get going – to go to work, to be with family and friends, to finish the rough draft of Obsidian, and to keep Nonstop to Nowhere on progress for publication in the Nightlife Anthology. Somehow, getting out there reminded me that I am still alive, and that better days would come. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed in my 39 years on Earth, it’s that nothing stays the same. I read The Screwtape Letters and I know the Law of Undulation. Things are always in motions between peaks and valleys. Some say that means you can’t escape the suffering. I say that means you can’t miss the victory if you keep diligently and faithfully working toward good things.

Perhaps it’s my natural temperament. Dad is also a very contented person. Maybe it’s because of my faith. Maybe I am a ridiculous idealist, as I was often accused of in my 20’s (although it hasn’t failed me in the long term yet). Or maybe I’m just sassy enough to not let the devil win.

People often ask me what’s going on and what I’m up to. Nothing! Well, lots of different things actually, but I can assure you that no real people are being hurt by any of it (I can’t attest to the well being and safety of fictional characters, though). Just because I’m happy doesn’t mean something’s going on, or that I don’t care. In fact, I’m often happy because nothing is going on and things are rolling along fine. In fact, I’ve been sick with lots of minor illnesses lately, so if I wake up feeling good and healthy, that’s reason enough to celebrate.

I know that not everybody is like that and certainly don’t mean to annoy people, but I’m not afraid to smack you with sunshine if the pity party gets too intensive. In fact, here, have a dose right now. Look at the pretty birdies. Zack and Chloe want you to cheer up, give thanks for your blessings, and remember that where there’s life, there’s hope. If you feel like sending popcorn in appreciation for their dose of sunshine, message me and I’ll give you the shipping address. Light butter, please. We don’t want sagging perches!

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.

Bye!

<<Previous

    Escape Reality

    By day, I'm a program assistant. By night, I'm an independent author. My fiction offers an escape from the reality of day-to-day life. See how my experiences lead to creating new worlds! 

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011

    Categories

    All
    10
    109
    125
    2
    2011
    2012
    2012 Election
    2013
    5
    9-11
    Ability
    Abundance
    Abuse
    Accent
    Accept
    Accident
    Accountability
    Accountable
    Act
    Actions
    Adapt
    Adjust
    Adjustment
    Administrative
    Admissions
    Adult
    Advertise
    Advice
    Affairs
    Age
    Aggrivate
    Airplane
    Airport
    Alarm
    Album
    Aliens
    Alive
    Allergies
    Allergy
    Alone
    Am
    Amazon
    Amazon.com
    Ambition
    America
    Anger
    Angry
    Ankle
    Anniversary
    Anonymity
    Answer
    Answers
    Antibiotic
    Anxiety
    Anywhere But Here
    Appreciate
    Apps
    Area
    Argue
    Arizona
    Arrogance
    Arrow
    Art
    Artist
    Arts
    Ascend
    Ask
    Associates
    Assume
    Attack
    Attention
    Attitude
    Attitudes
    Authentic
    Authenticity
    Author
    Authority
    Authors
    Automobile
    Automobiles
    Autumn
    Awesome
    Awkward
    Bacteria
    Bad
    Balance
    Band
    Baseball
    Batman
    Battle
    Battlefield
    Battleground Earth
    Beach
    Behave
    Behavior
    Behind
    Believe
    Benefit
    Best
    Better
    Bible
    Bills
    Binge
    Bin Ladin
    Bird
    Birdhouses
    Birds
    Birth Control
    Birthday
    Birthdays
    Blame
    Bleed
    Bless
    Blessing
    Blessings
    Block
    Blog
    Blog Hop
    Blurry
    Body
    Bold
    Book
    Books
    Book Sense
    Bored
    Borrow
    Boss
    Boston
    Boston Bombings
    Boston Marathon
    Box
    Boy
    Boyfriend
    Brain
    Brainwash
    Break
    Breaking Bad
    Breaks
    Brother
    Budget
    Budgies
    Build
    Burn
    Burnout
    Bury
    Business
    Busy
    Calendar
    Call
    Camera
    Camp
    Cancel
    Cancer
    Captain America
    Car
    Care
    Career
    Cars
    Cat
    Catalyst
    Catching
    Cd
    Celebrate
    Celebration
    Cell Phone
    Cemetery
    Challenge
    Challenges
    Chance
    Change
    Changes
    Chaos
    Chapter
    Character
    Characters
    Charisma
    Cheer
    Cheerleading
    Cheeseburger
    Chess
    Children
    Chloe
    Choices
    Chore
    Christ
    Christian
    Christmas
    Church
    Circumstance
    Circumstances
    Civilized
    Classic
    Clean
    Cleaning
    Cliques
    Clock
    Clown
    Cold
    Colleague
    Colleagues
    College
    Color
    Colorado
    Colorado Massacare
    Colorado River
    Combination
    Comedy
    Comfort
    Commandments
    Commercials
    Commitment
    Committee
    Common
    Common Sense
    Competition
    Complain
    Complaining
    Complete
    Computer
    Computers
    Con
    Conditioning
    Confederate Memorial Day
    Conference
    Confession
    Confidence
    Conflict
    Conform
    Conformity
    Confused
    Congregation
    Consequence
    Consequences
    Console
    Conspiracy Theories
    Constituant
    Contect
    Contentment
    Continues
    Contract
    Control
    Conure
    Conure Corner
    Conures
    Conventional
    Cook
    Cool
    Cope
    Copy
    Coral Gables
    Cough
    Council
    Courage
    Cover
    Cover Art
    Craft
    Crafts
    Craft Show
    Crash
    Crazy
    Crazy. Odd
    Create
    Creation
    Creative
    Creativity
    Creeper
    Crisis
    Cross Stitch
    Cross Stitch
    Cross Stitching
    Cross Stitching
    Crowd
    Cry
    C.s. Lewis
    Curses
    Customer
    Cut
    Cw
    Cwp
    Cycle
    Dad
    Damage
    Dance
    Dark Side
    Date
    Day
    Day Off
    Days
    Dead
    Deadlines
    Death
    Debate
    Debunk
    Deceive
    Decision
    Decisions
    Defeat
    Defend
    Delimma
    Deliverance
    Dell
    Demanding
    Democracy
    Demon
    Department
    Depression
    Derision
    Desert
    Design
    Despair
    Destruction
    Details
    Detox
    Devices
    Devil
    Devotion
    Devotional
    Devotionals
    Diamond
    Die
    Diet
    Difference
    Different
    Digital
    Directions
    Disappear
    Disbelief
    Discernment
    Discipline
    Discount
    Discourage
    Discouragement
    Discover
    Discretion
    Disruption
    Dissociation
    Distracted
    Divas
    Divide
    Divine
    Division
    Djinn
    Doctor
    Doing
    Done
    Donkey
    Door
    Doubt
    Downswing
    Dragon
    Dragons
    Drama
    Dreams
    Dreary
    Drive
    Dud
    Dvd
    Early Bird
    Earth
    Earthquake
    Easter
    Eat
    Ebb
    Ebook
    Ebooks
    Economy
    Edit
    Editing
    Editor
    Edits
    Effect
    Effective
    Efficient
    Effort
    Elect
    Election
    Electric
    Electricity
    Electronics
    Email
    Emotion
    Emotional
    Emotions
    Empathy
    End
    Endings
    Enemy
    Energy
    Engagement
    Engineer
    English
    Enjoy
    Entertainment
    Envy
    Epiphany
    Epublish
    Ereader
    E Reader
    E-reader
    Errands
    Escape
    Escaping
    Etiquette
    Evil
    Evolution
    Evolve
    Example
    Ex Boyfriend
    Ex-boyfriend
    Excerpt
    Excitement
    Exciting
    Exclusive
    Exercise
    Exhaustion
    Expect
    Expectation
    Expectations
    Experience
    Experimenting
    Facebook
    Facets
    Fact
    Facts
    Fail
    Failure
    Fair
    Faith
    Faking
    Fall
    Family
    Fanily
    Fantasy
    Fast And Furious
    Fate
    Fault
    Favorite
    Favorites
    Favoritism
    Fear
    Feathered Frenzy
    Feature
    Feed
    Feedback
    Feel
    Feelings
    Female
    Feminine
    Fiction
    Fight
    Finale
    Financial
    Finding
    Fire
    Firearms
    Firestarter
    Fish
    Flash Fiction
    Flickr
    Flinch
    Flow
    Flu
    Flu Shots
    Flu Shots
    Fly
    Focus
    Follow
    Followers
    Food
    Fools
    Foot
    Football
    Forecast
    Forgive
    Forgiveness
    Forum
    Found
    Foundation
    Fracture
    Frankenstorm
    Freak
    Freakout
    Free
    Freedom
    Free Will
    Fret
    Friday
    Friend
    Friends
    Frustrated
    Frustration
    Fun
    Fundamentals
    Funeral
    Future
    Galaxy
    Galley
    Gamecocks
    Games
    Generation
    Generation X
    Genre
    Genuine
    Geology
    Georgia
    Gift
    Gift Card
    Gifts
    Girl
    Girly
    Goal
    God
    Good
    Goodreads
    Google+
    Gossip
    Government
    Governor
    Grace
    Graduate
    Graduated
    Grammar
    Granddaddy
    Grandmother
    Grandparents
    Gratitude
    Graveyard
    Grief
    Grinch
    Grind
    Gripe
    Ground
    Group
    Grow
    Grunge
    Guide
    Guilty
    Gun Control
    Guns
    Habits
    Hair
    Halloween
    Happiness
    Happy
    Hard
    Hard Work
    Harry Potter
    Haukannah
    Haven
    Head
    Headache
    Heal
    Healing
    Health
    Hear
    Heart
    Heat
    Heaven
    Help
    Hero
    Hiatus
    Higher
    High School
    Hiking
    Hobbies
    Hobby
    Holiday
    Holidays
    Holy
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Week
    Home
    Homeland Security
    Honest
    Honesty
    Hope
    Horizon
    Horror
    Hospital
    Hot
    House
    Housecleaning
    Housework
    Human
    Humble
    Humility
    Hurt
    Hvac
    Hypocricy
    Hypocrite
    Hypocrites
    Ice
    Idea
    Ideas
    Identity
    Idjit
    Ignore
    Ill
    Illness
    Imitation
    Important
    Improve
    Incursion
    Independent
    Independent Author
    Indepent
    Individual
    Infection
    Information
    Injury
    Inner Circle
    Innovation
    Insane
    Insanity
    Inside
    Inspiration
    Inspirational
    Instructions
    Insurance
    Integrity
    Interest
    Internal
    Internet
    Intervention
    Interview
    Introduction
    Intuition
    Invitations
    Invite
    Ipad
    Ironic
    Iron Man 3
    Irritate
    Islam
    Issues
    Jack In The Box
    Jana Lanning
    January
    Jealous
    Jealousy
    Jerk
    Jesus
    Jesus Sacrificef62d61ad05
    Jewelry
    Jihad
    Job
    Joueney
    Journey
    Jovan
    Joy
    Joyful
    Jrrtolkeinee9d04cba9
    Judge
    Judgement
    Jupiter
    Keeper
    Kids
    Kill
    Kindle
    Kindness
    Know
    Knowledge
    Kvetch
    Labor Day
    Landmine
    Laptop
    Laundry
    Law
    Law Of Undulation
    Lazy
    Lead
    Leader
    Leadership
    Learn
    Learned
    Leave
    Legacy
    Legal
    Legislation
    Legislature
    Lent
    Lesson
    Lessons
    Letter
    Level
    Licensure
    Lie
    Life
    Lifestyle
    Light
    Limits
    List
    Listening
    Little
    Live
    Local
    Logic
    Lonely
    Look
    Lord
    Lose
    Loss
    Lost
    Love
    Luck
    Lull
    Lunch
    Lurkers
    Maccacare
    Mainstream
    Management
    Manhunt
    Manure
    Marriage
    Martin
    Maturity
    Me
    Mean
    Meaning
    Media
    Medication
    Medicine
    Mediocrity
    Meditation
    Meeting
    Memorial Day
    Memories
    Men
    Mental Health
    Mental Illness
    Mercies
    Mercy
    Merit
    Mess
    Miami
    Mid
    Middle
    Middle Age
    Middle Class
    Miliatary
    Mind
    Misc
    Miscellaneous
    Mischief
    Misconceptions
    Miserable
    Miss
    Mission
    Mistake
    Mistakes
    Mobile
    Mobile Devices
    Moderate
    Mom
    Money
    Mood
    Moral
    Morning
    Mother
    Motion
    Motivation
    Motivator
    Motive
    Move
    Movie
    Movies
    Mt Tabor04c6ab0850
    Mundane
    Muse
    Music
    Musings
    Must
    Myrtle Beach
    Mystery
    Nano
    Nanowrimo
    Nasty
    National Novel Writing Month
    Nature
    Necromancers
    Needs
    Needy
    Negative
    New
    News
    Newsletter
    Newspaper
    New Year
    Niche
    Nighmare
    Night
    Night Owl
    Noaa
    Noah
    Non Fiction
    Nonfiction6aa2962efc
    Nonstop To Nowhere
    Normal
    Notes
    Notice
    Novel
    Novella
    Novels
    Novelty
    Nurture
    Obama
    Obedience
    Observe
    Obsidian
    October
    Odd
    Office
    Oliver
    Ollie
    Online
    Opinion
    Opportunity
    Opposition
    Organize
    Original
    Overwhelmed
    Own
    Pagan
    Pain
    Pajamas
    Palmetto Beach
    Panic
    Paper
    Parable
    Paradigm
    Paradise
    Paradox
    Paragraph Planet
    Parallel
    Paralysis
    Park
    Parrots
    Party
    Passionate
    Past
    Pastor
    Paterno
    Patience
    Patient
    Patterns
    Pay
    Peace
    Peanuts
    Pedestals
    Penance
    Penn State
    People
    Perception
    Perfect
    Periphery
    Perseverence
    Persistence
    Person
    Personal
    Personality
    Perspective
    Pessimist
    Petty
    Phoenix
    Phone
    Picket
    Pink
    Pintrest
    Pita
    Pizza
    Places
    Plague
    Plane
    Plans
    Plant
    Plot
    Pm
    Poinsettia
    Point
    Polar-vortex
    Political
    Politicians
    Politics
    Popular
    Positive
    Post
    Potential
    Power
    Powerful
    Pray
    Prayer
    Prayers
    Preference
    Preferences
    Pregnancy
    Preparation
    Present
    Pressure
    Priorities
    Privacy
    Pro
    Problem
    Problems
    Process
    Productive
    Programs
    Progress
    Project
    Projection
    Projects
    Prologue
    Promotion
    Protect
    Proverbs
    Pruning
    Psychologist
    Psychology
    Publication
    Publicity
    Publish
    Published
    Publishing
    Pure
    Purpose
    Quality
    Quarantine
    Questions
    Quiet
    Quit
    Quotes
    Rachel
    Radar
    Radio
    Rain
    Random
    Rant
    Rave
    Reaction
    Read
    Readers
    Reading
    Real
    Reality
    Realization
    Realize
    Reap
    Reaper
    Reaping
    Rearview-mirror
    Reason
    Reboot
    Recipes
    Recover
    Red
    Reform
    Reformation Sunday
    Refresh
    Refreshing
    Regift
    Rehab
    Relationship
    Relationships
    Relax
    Release
    Relief
    Religious
    Remains
    Repair
    Reputation
    Rerun
    Research
    Resignation
    Resist
    Resistance
    Resolution
    Resolutions
    Resolve
    Resonance
    Respect
    Responsibilities
    Responsibility
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Retire
    Revelation
    Review
    Reward
    Rewrite
    Rewrites
    Rhythem
    Ride
    Right
    Rise
    Risk
    River
    Rock
    Romance
    Roses
    Routine
    Routines
    Royal
    Rude
    Rules
    Rut
    Sacred
    Sacrifice
    Sad
    Safe
    Sale
    Sales
    Salvation
    Sample
    Sample Chapter
    Sandusky
    Sandy Hook Elementary School
    San Francisco
    Sanity
    Santa
    Satan
    Satellite
    Save
    Saving
    Say
    Sc
    Scandal
    Scapegoat
    Scared
    Schedule
    School
    School Shooting
    Science
    Science Fiction
    Sci Fi
    Scifid764c6b008
    Scottsdale
    Scrooge
    Season
    Season Finale
    Seasons
    Secret
    Security
    Self
    Selfish
    Self Publish
    Selfpublishee5d5de0ab
    Senior
    Sense
    Sequel
    Series
    Service
    Setbacks
    Sex
    Shadow
    Shapeshifter
    Share
    Shatterpoint
    Shenanagins
    Shift
    Shifting
    Ship
    Shoe
    Shoes
    Shopping
    Short Stories
    Short Story
    Shovel
    Show
    Shull
    Sick
    Sidekick
    Sidekicks
    Signs
    Simplicity
    Sin
    Sincere
    Sinners
    Sins
    Sinus
    Sinus Infection
    Situations
    Sleep
    Slow
    Smallville
    Smart
    Smartphones
    Smashwords
    Sneeze
    Snow
    Social
    Social Media
    Society
    Socks
    Solitude
    Solution
    Solutions
    Sorry
    Soul
    South
    Sow
    Sowing
    Space
    Speak
    Spirit
    Spiritual
    Splinter
    Spouse
    Spring
    Square-pegs
    Stand
    Standards
    Start
    Star Trek
    Star Trek Into Darkness
    Star Wars
    State
    State Fair
    Stayathomeaa1b1506e7
    Stereotypes
    Stories
    Storm
    Story
    Strange
    Strategy
    Streaming
    Strength
    Stress
    Strong
    Struggle
    Stubborn
    Stuff
    Stupid
    Subcommittee
    Succeed
    Success
    Suffering
    Suggestion
    Suggestions
    Summer
    Sunglasses
    Sunny
    Sunrise
    Sunshine
    Superhero
    Superheros
    Supernatural
    Superstitions
    Support
    Surgery
    Surprise
    Surprises
    Survival
    Survive
    Surviving
    Suspension
    Symbols
    Tablet
    Tactics
    Talking
    Tanger Falls
    Tarnish
    Tax
    Technology
    Teenage
    Telephone
    Telephones
    Television
    Temptation
    Ten
    Tendinitis
    Tennessee
    Terms
    Terror
    Terrorism
    Terrorists
    Text
    Tgif
    Thank
    Thankfulness
    Thanks
    Thanksgiving
    The Americans
    The Clone Wars
    The Cw
    The Divine Comedy
    The-earthside-trilogy
    The Edible Bookshelf
    The Grand Canyon
    The Great Divorce
    The Great Divorse
    The Hobbit
    The Justice League
    The Other Bible
    Therapist
    Thermostat
    The Screwtape Letters
    The-secret
    The Secret Circle
    Things
    Think
    Thinking
    Thirties
    Thor
    Thorns
    Thought
    Thoughts
    Throwback
    Thunderstorm
    Thursday
    Time
    Time Job
    Time Management
    Timing
    Tips
    Tired
    Toshiba
    Toxic
    Tradition
    Traditional
    Traditions
    Tragedy
    Train
    Transfer
    Transition
    Travel
    Travelling
    Treadmill
    Trees
    Trends
    Trials
    Trickortreatd836e64753
    Trip
    Trolls
    Trouble
    Trust
    Truth
    Tunnel
    Turbulence
    Tv
    Tweet
    Twitter
    Type
    Typewriter
    Uga
    Understand
    Understanding
    Undone
    Undulation
    Unique
    Universe
    University
    University Of South Carolina
    Update
    Urban Fantasy
    Usc
    Vacation
    Vampires
    Variety
    Vet
    Veterans Daybee36ce99e
    Viagra
    Vice
    Vicious
    Victory
    Video
    Viligance
    Villian
    Viral
    Virtue
    Virus
    Visitation
    Vitamin
    Voice
    Voices
    Volunteer
    Vote
    Walk
    War
    Washington D.C.
    Wasp
    Watch
    Watches
    Way
    Weakness
    Weather
    Website
    Wedding
    Wednesday
    Weeds
    Week
    Weekend
    Weekends
    Weird
    Werewolves
    Westboro Church
    Whatever
    Whats Up Letterea131f7a0b
    Wheat
    Whine
    Whiskey Creek Press
    Wicked
    Will
    Win
    Wings
    Wings Epressf69f38ebd3
    Winter
    Winterize
    Wisdom
    Wistv3f6c806d83
    Wizard
    Woman
    Women
    Wonder
    Wonderful
    Woodland
    Woods
    Words
    Work
    Workaholic
    World
    Worry
    Worse
    Wrist
    Write
    Writers
    Writers Block
    Writers Block93d394f99e
    Writing
    Wrong
    Yard
    Year
    Years
    Yellow
    You
    Youth
    Youtube
    Zacchaeus
    Zack
    Zimmerman
    Zombie

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.