Busy at work....

Working away at writing and revising.....


Nothing more to say than that.  Hope you're all doing well!

The 'Next' button...

The 'Next' button gets a lot of play whenever I'm reading blogs.  The anticipation of what's going to pop up is thrilling, kind of like a literary version of Chatroulette, only without the countless number of jerking off men.  A fact, for an added side note, that I am wholly grateful for whenever pressing the button.  I know sometimes you need to let loose, but I don't want to see you do it... get it, do it....

I always find it fascinating what blogger thinks is related to the previous blog I was reading.  I think for the most part they judge by broad strokes of similarities...prime example being language.  But beyond that, they do tend to group similarly veined blogs together.  Start reading a blog about fashion and the next one might be one by a make-up artist, followed by a fashion photographer, followed by another photographer... you get the idea.

I like to take time away from my blogs (which if you haven't realized is often) and press the next button to see what blogger thinks is a good match for my semi-poetry related blog.  What I have been surprised by lately is that I seem to be joined up with Spanish and Portuguese blogs, two languages that I have no real experience with.  I can plunk around and say a few words (many of them inappropriate of course) in Spanish.  But when it comes to Portuguese I am completely at a loss.  I take that back, I know one phrase that my Brazilian friend taught me, yet once again it is a phrase I shouldn't use!

So, in the spirit of joining with Spanish and Portuguese blogs Blogger has bestowed upon my lonely little blog, I thought I would take the time to attempt a few things in the languages of my neighboring bloggers:

¡Hola! Me encanta español!  Me encanta salsa, Compay Segunda y Buena Vista Social Club y Picasso y Rivera y Dali!!!!!

Para Portuguese - Eu amo Tribalistas, Água De Beber, bossa nova, e cidade de deus!

Haha....sorry.  I had to keep it simple, but that's my small shout out to the two languages I love to hear blaring through speakers...and even more when I can hear it live!  To close with another language's word that all three use....Ciao!

Life Is Good EP....check it out!

Jason Mraz is a very cool guy.  That is about as much of a blanket statement as you can make about him, I know, but it's true.  Either he is faking it until he's making it, or else he has a lot of things figured out about life.  I read his blog almost religiously as he is one of the most positive people I have ever discovered.  I say discovered because I've never met the guy, I don't really know him, and I don't have a better word to describe my relation to him.  Anyway, if you are the type that can be down on yourself, have doubts about who you are as a person, or anything negative related to self-personification...read his stuff.  It's seriously good ego-boosting material.

Mraz has a new EP out now entitled "Life Is Good" as he gets ready to release a new album.  These are songs that apparently might not make the cut, but he thought were good enough to get out.  I dig his music as it is also very uplifting in meaning, and he delivers on this EP.  The songs on the EP are pretty strong, and if you go here, you can hear the whole thing!  What can be better than that!

If Jason reads this....then you can mail my check at any time for the free publicity...oh wait....

A change of topics completely...

I wanted to take today to talk about the French artist named Fred.  Simple name, but complicated melodies and sounds, especially the second CD he put out in 08.  I bought his first CD when I lived in France by complete happenstance, and I am glad I stumbled on him.  He is almost completely unknown among the French people, which I find very sad.  I always try to compare him to an American artist when trying to describe his style to people here (America).  I think roughly one of the best comparisons would be Jack Johnson.  If Jack were to become French, I think he would sound like Fred.  Fred has a very diverse background and can speak fluently at least 5 languages. 

I only know so much because I went a concert of his once and it was one of the best I have ever seen.  It was just him, a drummer, and a piano player who was the opening act.  It was a great time and I even got to meet him after the concert as he was just hanging out in the bar.  I tried to stumble out some words in French, but then said the rest in English as I felt like an idiot.  I am not one to normally get tongue-tied, but I felt myself at that moment...how great! 


Anyway, I am a big fan of this musician and thought I would try to spread the word.  Some people might be put off by the fact he is a French singer, but I say get over it.  I have included the lyrics to a song called "Veille" below thanks to greatsong.net, so it will at least give you the ability to translate the song.  I personally won't do it for you because the chance that I might screw it up is great.  I would hate to have someone make the first comment on this blog just to tell me I messed up big time.  Anyway, I find it to be a beautiful song, and so I thought I would share it with anyone who might stumble upon this page.  Here is the song, and if you search really hard you can find a few extraits of the song on the web...otherwise, visit the aritsts website, and if you like his other stuff, buy the CD.  It's seriously that good.

As promised, voici les paroles!

J'ai sous la peau cet hiver
Qui ne débâcle pas
Petit feu de bord de mer
Qu'on ne souffle pas

J'ai caché dans ma voix
Des airs d'autrefois
Assise au fond de moi
Tu Veilles sur mes hiver

Il en est fait de moi
Il en est fait de moi

Dans nos mains on peut tout faire
Marchons du même pas
Et c'est un long Noël
Qui passe sans toi

J'ai caché dans ma voix
Des airs d'autrefois
Assise au fond de moi
Tu Veilles sur mes hiver

Il en est fait de moi
Il en est fait de moi

[ Merci à Narkotik d'avoir ajouté ces paroles ]

Hope you enjoy it.  Ciao.

How time can just fly by...

So I have been working on getting some pieces out.  A few weeks back I submitted three pieces to a website called Barrelhouse.  We'll see what happens with it, but so far no response.  Otherwise, still looking for places to submit and working away.  In terms of producing, I've kind of faltered withing the last few weeks.

It's amazing how time can fly by when you get sucked into the vortex of youtube.  From the absolute crap videos (watching gross shark bites) to the awe inspiring (Words video), there is always a million new videos to wrap yourself into endless hours mind-numbing stupification.  This happens to be a really great way to take your mind off the fact that you have had next to no sleep at all in the past few days.  Rag weed is killing me something fierce!  I think I have gone through two boxes of tissues over this Labor Day weekend.  Speaking of labor, I feel as if I could use another three day weekend to recoup after the strenous and back-breaking work I did.  One ceiling fan (over fifteen feet to the ceiling on a rickety ladder), one bathroom faucet, and one large garden box (4' wide x 20' long, and a foot high) and you have one busy body.

In other news, speaking of busy bodies and labor...my wife is pregnant.  Right now she has a nubby tadpole swimming inside of her, and on Thursday we will get a first look at the little peanut.  She has been very cautious about announcing the being growing within her, and I have complied so far to her wishes to keep things under wraps.  However, I know that no one really reads this blog, so I feel this is a way to cheat her wishes and spread the word like a manic soon-to-be dad and still not have to worry about spoiling her fun.  It is a crazy thing life, but this is how my life is.  Maybe that's everyone's life, but we just like to think we are unique in our situations.  Anyway, it is a shocking moment to experience, which is very ironic in itself.  You work (nudge nudge, wink wink) at trying to have a kid, but when the moment the test strip comes back with a positive sign, you end up saying "Damn."  And the shocked feeling is still there, the fish bowl effect of watching you standing there stunned as the world shrinks and you realize there's a higher purpose now for you.  To be responsible of more than just a dog who's pretty smart and could make it on his own, a wife who is amazing in her own right, but now to have under your wing a pooping, spitting, helpless bundle of pudge who needs you to become that beautiful being they will hopefully become.  It's a moment that - once it happens - you check yourself back into the reality that you know and are comfortable with because it's a little too much to take.  At least it was that way with me.  But as time is progressing, and the morethere are signs from my wife that there is life within her beyond gas and the remains of food, the more I start to grab ahold of this concept of fatherhood.  I think that now I can start seeing myself as a dad.  And now I just checked out of it, it's still too raw.  That's ok though, no need to worry.  I have until April before I really come face to face with the daddy reality.  Until then it's a pleasant dreaming coming to fruition.

I hope your days have been as eye-opening and universe expanding!

Matt

The Sneeze poem is finally published!!

Ok, so here it is.....the poem is up and running (or should I say riding?).  If you are in Lafayette, IN at anytime in the next six months, and you ride a bus, you might be able to see this on glossy 2'x3' paper in the bus.  Yeah, it's huge!!  How cool huh?  Even if it's just a bus, and they took a little liberty with the structuring of my piece, who cares!!  It's still fun to think of it.  It was just a fun piece I did, and I happy that it got out there.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Scroll back through other posts to see the piece being worked on and talked about!

Creativity....Part 2.

So I think I'm going to do a few posts on creativity...  Other people's creativity that is.  This is technically the second part to the series since my last post and the flying cereal should have been labeled the first. I think the focus will be how creativity can be manifested in even everyday life.  I think it's about time people start thinking beyond the regimented rule of allowing themselves whimsy only when they're young.  Too often we get out of school, and the impetus for experimentation is gone.  The mentality becomes: We don't try anything in art/music/writing/any sport because we're (a/an) _______, and that's the only thing that can define us now.  The routine is set, and this is the way it will be from now on.

I think comfort can be nice, but choas will keep us alive.  Anyway, here is some definite outside-the-box thinking that is totally creative!




Check out the blog for more cute pics of this baby here

A fun video!

So, I think that being creative in writing means to use sources for inspiration everywhere.  I love to explore many venues of creativity......and I especially dig the interface of graphic design with poetry.  I love how many people now tend to create pieces of art by combining image and word, and I definitely think it is a trend which is picking up more traction (and has been for the past ten years).

So, with the thought of exploring creativity in other genres... I thought I would present the following video for your enjoyment.  I dig it a lot since I have wondered many times what it would be like to pick up a table full of food and let it drop.... I guess kind of that self-destructive manifestations we have when younger...

When you watch it, I thought it was cool to take a look at the photos on the right-hand side of the screen that shows the setting up of the shoot.

http://vimeo.com/12432139


The Huber Experiments - Vol. 1 from The Upthink Lab on Vimeo.

A Forray into Flash Fiction

So, maybe the following is not exactly a forray in the sense of pillaging flash fiction.  It's really more like taking a dip into the genre.  But, I thought I'd post up a bit of long flash fiction I wrote based off a poem of mine.  I don't know what made me want to do it, but sometimes you get ideas in your head that you can't shake, or is it just me?  Anyway, this is not really refined at all, and I know there are a few areas that can be tightened up, words changes, phrases rearragned.  I realize flash fiction is usually shorter, but I have to say I relatively happy with the first effort.  I wanted to take the name 'flash fiction' quite literally, hence the breaks in the story.  Oh, a bit of warning...it contains bad words in it and sexual content, but it's not smut or anything nasty like that....so no worries.

Well, hope you enjoy....if anyone is reading that is ;)  It's called Sara and the Price of it All:

        He went flying by her in a squat, white convertible, its top and windows down. The last rays of the sun to shone off the top of his bald pate. His arm, poised upon the door, revealing a brown, tailored suit that showed just the perfect amount of his white cuff. As he passed, barely giving her a sideways glance, a smirk was smeared on as if he were grimacing from some unknown pain. He swerved in front of her, just missing the tail end of the car in front of him and forcing her to slam on her brakes. Now in front of her, he tapped on the brakes twice to make some kind of signal.
        She saw his head tilt back a bit, presumably from a chortle. Then just as quickly as it happened, he zoomed away from her. She took a deep breath, and held down the scream that wanted to creep out.


     “Sara!”
     The exclaim rang out even about the loud chatter from those in the party. Sara was startled. She zipped around to see who was calling out her name. It was Harvey Kline, a gentle and fun guy Sara was always pleased to see at parties. He was a short man, as seemed to be a lot of the men in Los Angeles. His brown hair hung loose in large curls much like a dirty mop. His face was bright and round, as usual, and he came over to her with a large smile pasted across it. He carried two drinks in his hands making a locomotion action with them as he approached accompanied by a chug chug sound from jutted lips.
     “My lady,” Harvey said, bowing as much as the crowed room permitted. His voice was a rich tenor full of Shakespearean propriety as he spoke. “Put down whatever thy drink is and have a quaff of this concoction.” Sara did as commanded and took a sip of his drink.
    “Wow, this is really good, what is it?”
    “Ah, well,” Harvey’s voice altered again, taking on the combination of a maniacal scientist and Peter Lorre. “It is… a concoction of which I cannot tell you. But, I made it myself.” He paused, then added, “Oh, and it’s filled with ruffies so that I can ravish your body later without anyone knowing the better!” He laughed mischievously and Sara could not help but join in.
    “Okay, if you weren’t such a softy,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder, “I might believe you.”
    “It’s not working, huh?” Harvey deadpanned at her.
    “Sorry hun.”
    “Oh,” and he hung his head, shoulders severely stooped over. He looked the perfect picture of pity and she laughed. “Hey,” Harvey straightened up, now serious, “did you ever get the part? You know, the one you tried out for like last week it was. What was it, the ah…”
    “The waitress role for the John Rushing comedy,” Sara inserted. She shrugged. “Mum’s the word so far, but I guess Daniel Donahue’s got the final say,” she scrunched up her nose at the name.
    “Oh God, not him!”
    “Yes.”
    “But the guy’s such a creep!” Harvey looked around him to be sure no one was listening. “How does he even get in these positions?”
    “How do they all?”
    “Good point.”


    There he was, standing across the room. Sara was all by herself, wishing for anyone – but him – to come and talk to her. He had his eyes fixed on her like a predator watching it prey, readying for the pounce. She looked around, but saw no where to escape. She was caught, and he knew it. He made his way over, interjecting a comments to people along the way, yet relentless in his pursuit. Sara could see his brain working hard as he rehearsed mental moves to make her capitulate to him. In his mind, those moves would lead into more movement: the type that would send her to the place where all men want to send women. It was instinctive, the desire to get theirs, but then ask if it was good, seeking the affirmation of a job done well, and Sara wanted no part of it tonight.
    Just then, Harvey was near. She could see his fluffy head of curls, but could not make eye contact. She scooted over to try to initiate it, but it was not happening. Harvey was lost in conversation with a young couple who she did not recognize. They barely looked old enough to be in this party atmosphere, and, knowing where she was, Sara realized they probably were not. At the last moment, Sara got Harvey’s attention. His eyes perked up, and he broke into a big smile. He started to move towards her, but it was too late. Harvey saw why she had called him over, and mouthed a ‘Sorry’ to her.
    “Susan, how are you?”
    He had looked her up and down as he talked. Sara’s flesh crawled at the sight of it. As she shivered, an internal debate started. The subject was whether to correct him about calling her by the wrong name. It was very tempting to just let it slip. He ran into many people, especially young actors who are looking for their big break, so it seemed only natural. Then, she remembered who he was.
    “Hey Daniel. It’s actually Sara.”
    “I’m sorry?”
    “My name. My name is Sara, not Susan.”
    “Oh, right.” Daniel looked over his shoulder at the crowd behind him. He looked back at her again and smiled. Sara edged to the left. There was a glare coming from his bald head that unnerved her greatly. The way he seemed to look down on her, even though he was shorter than her by a full three inches, accentuated the glare. Daniel seem to stare down his angular nose when speaking, and it helped accentuate the vulture reputation he had in the business. His brown suit jacket was unbuttoned now, and she saw there was a large, wet stain down his dress shirt.
    “Someone got a little tipsy and crazy with their drink,” he said when he noticed her staring at it. He cracked a short burst of laughter, and she forced herself to laugh as well.
    “So,” Daniel said, drawing out the word, “your test scene was very good.”
    “Oh, thanks.” There was a brief pause between the two, and Sara followed with, “You really think so.”
    “Oh yeah, for sure. No doubt about it.” He gave her a look down, and without focusing on it, reached for the straw in his drink with his tongue. His tongue hung out, testing the air, seeking the thin plastic. All the while he stared at her body unapologetically. Daniel stared as if hypnotized. Finally, he continued, reluctantly looking up at her.
    “Yeah, we see thought that you have a lot of potential. It’s why I thought I’d talk to you tonight. I’d like to talk to you about potential.”


    Sara got up, slipping out from the sheets silently, hoping not to disturb him. She needed to get out of the place quickly. The stench of the room, the heat from his body still on her skin, all of it was too much. Above all else, the guilt of failing her resolve was creeping into her mindset. The price of it all was too much, and her dignity had a value Daniel could not ever understand. She just wished she had been able to have that clarity before tonight.
    She made it all the way out of the bed and began reaching for her clothes. She picked up a shoe but it slipped out of her hand. The smack against tile flooring was painfully loud. Stirring, then a moan came from the bed. Sara looked over her shoulder slowly. Daniel was moving now, and had turned in her direction. His beady eyes stared at her.
    “Where are you going?” His voice was flat.
    “I need to go. I have an appointment in the morning.” Sara continued to pick up her things.
    “Agh, come on,” his voice was full of phlegm, and he hacked twice, coughing up something that sounded substantial to Sara. She heard him swallow it. The repulsion was greater now, and she was afraid that she might just start running, regardless to her nakedness or the effect it might have on Daniel. “Come on, baby, let’s start up round two. What do you say? It’s only five in the morning.”
    “I’m sorry. I have to go.” Think of something. Any reason what-so-ever, but just think of something to say! “I have to drive home and get washed up. I’m really sorry.”
    “Oh, come on now, Susan. Don’t give me – ”
    “It’s Sara. If you’re going to fuck me, at least get it right.”
    Daniel sat up in his bed, and then stretched out his arms, arching his back and sliding down the bed again. He scratched stomach, moving farther down, pulling the sheet down with it until he was playing with himself.
    “Come on, babe. Don’t get so upset. See, I’m almost ready.”
    Sara shook her head. By this time, she had her dress back on and was slipping on her shoes. “I’m sorry. I really can’t now. I have to get back to my apartment in order to get ready.”
    “Fuck you.”
    “Excuse me?” Sara could not believe what she heard. She stood motionless, staring at him.
    “I said ‘fuck you,’ are you now deaf too in addition to being prude?” He remained slouching, playing with himself. “Come on. Get back in bed with me.” His tone was not in a plea, but a firm command.
    “And I said I have to go, maybe your old age have damaged your ears.”
    “You dumb cunt.”
    “No," She shook her head. "Dumb no longer. That’s something you can bet on.” She started walking out of the room.
    “You know,” Daniel got up, kneeling on his bed, “you’re going to be making a mistake. You remember what I said about you having potential. Poof,” he motioned with his hand a cloud of smoke escaping his mouth, “now it’s gone. Gone.”
    She slowly shook her head. “If it means that I won’t have to fuck another limp dick like you, then so be it.” With that, Sara walked out of the apartment, ignoring the stream of insults that followed her out. The tirade became muted as the door behind her closed and finally faded away.

Getting back into the game/ A good blog I read today

I know I am not a good blogger.  In fact, I'm sure that one would realize this fact by a quick scan of my entries.  They tend to be made up of excuses on why I have not been writing, and how I will change that habit.

I've come to accept that I am not an extremely dedicated blogger.  Yet, at the same time, I have felt compelled to write an entry today after reading a couple blogs I regularly peruse.  Both were on the topic of blogging and the entries refreshing as usual, but still did not spur the drive to make some scribbles, or, I should say, some tappings.  What did it was a blog I stumbled upon.  I am a big fan of the "Next Blog" button at the top of the page, and hate it when people disable it.  Scanning through a series of blogs is always exciting as it is like opening a series of gifts, or walking into a book store to pull off random books and see if they spark interest.

So, when I had clicked through a bunch, one finally struck my fancy, and I started to read through her entries.  The blog is Gitzen Girl, and I was fascinated with her style of writing.  It's very engaging, and very easy to get hooked into reading it.  Also, I am really digging people who choose to have a positive aspect of life, especially in times of difficulty.  I am a negative guy by nature, so reading the entries of positive minded people are breaths of fresh air.  I am skeptical sometimes on how one can always be a pool of such energy, but I know it's my negative feelings creeping in to try to discredit them.

Anyway, in her blog, she has been grappling with the very recent and unexpected death of her father.  Her father meant much to her, and I can completely empathize as I lost my mother in similar unexpectedness.  But the tragedy aside, I found the desire to write an entry today due to a past entry of hers.  In one post she talks about how we are all given talents and it is usually our negative natures that cancels potential acts of greatness before we even begin them.  We tend to mitigate our strengths by saying 'it will not be good enough,' or 'a waste of time,' or that 'no one will care for it'.  We are so exact with the criticism that we shut down any attempts at exploring our possibilities, and instead rely upon the here and now of our situations: our jobs, our friends, our routines, what-have-you.  That's not to say those three things and other aspects are not life-fulfilling.  They are, but at times we tend to find a niche in between these things, and barricade ourselves to other possibilities, ones that might open us to new levels of personal contentment.  I know I am guilty... and I would wager others are too.

In  the end of the entry, she talks about reading a fortune cookie that quelled the doubt and confusion in her.  It said, "You are competent, capable, and creative.  Prove it."  A simple declaration for sure, but it was enough of a push for her to find her mojo again and write the article she wanted. 

Reading her blog and the fortune made me realize that I (too) am competent, capable, and creative.  I can prove it as well.  So, I am very thankful to her for the inspiration to write this entry, but also to help spur my creative writing juices in general again.  I was heading into a lull there for awhile after hitting a bump in the progress of a story I have been writing.  I side tracked with three short-stories and a few poems, but the impetus of output was lost.  Refreshed now, I am going to tackle that story and a few others I have been cooking up.  I now I can finish them, and, regardless if someone reads them, I know I can do it to the best of my ability.  As Arthur Christopher Benson wrote in The Thread of Gold, "...the essence of the happiness is that the joy [of writing] resides in the doing of the work and not in giving it to the world."  That seems to contradict what I am doing right now, but I deeply believe in those words.  I love to write for the satisfaction it provides to me, regardless of how many people will read them.  Would I like for people to read them and enjoy it?  You betcha!  But I know that I will continue with my work even if no one does.

So remember, as Gtizen Girl's fortune cookie said: 

You are competent, capable, and creative.  Prove it.

A link to events, people, and more

So, I have not written a post about poetry (outside of my own preoccupations) for quite some time.  I thought today, what better time than now?

While I was searching through all of the bookmarks I have grabbed for poetry resources, I rediscovered the poets.org site.  Granted, for those of you who are looking for lesser known artists...this is not the place for you.  However, what I find most interesting about this site is a map located within the it.  The map takes a look at important poets, events, and additional resources by each state within the United States.

I like this for two reasons:

First, I have a thing about knowing your local happenings.  Being involved in community is of great importance.  Without your involvement (yes I do mean everyone of you) the community cannot be vibrant.  When the community lacks, so do the amenities that people like.  You want a good jazz scene?  Be involved in the community and support it.  You want community parks and events?  Join a group that works to create those events.  You want a safe environment?  Join or create a neighborhood watch/walk and take back your streets.  It's all up to the individual to make the community.  Anyway, enough of the soapbox.

Second, knowing the history around you will help you grow as a person.  Much like being involved in the present will create a better now and future, so will knowing your past.  There are many influences on a culture - which I define as any segmented group (read community) - and they shape how people come to understand their surroundings.  Being cognizant of the past and their decisions will help an individual to understand the choices they make.  Further, it will help you assess them to see if you need to make a change for the better!

Poets.org's map helps accomplish those two functions.  It lets you know who the current and past major poets in your area are, and the events, groups, companies that will support the efforts you endeavor.  Being aware of your surroundings will help you connect to your poetic community and it's local history...all of which will, in the end, make you a better writer.  What could be better than that?

To see what's up in your state, click on the link below:

National Poetry Map

Fighting to not discover the answer...

Ok, I have a big thing about not having the ending of a story ruined.  Whether it be for a play, movie, novel....anything... I don't like to find out what happens.  I like the surprise at the end, I like to not know and have it revealed to me slowly over the course of time.  As a side note, my wife is completely the opposite.  She loves to have the answers before she begins.  You can imagine that this makes for tough times when it comes to watching movies as she always asks questions during the film.  Another side note, I can't stand talking or any interruption during films.  Thankfully, my wife has accommodated my neuroses and is really good about holding off on questions.

Anyway, this desire to be surprise comes into direct conflict with the outside world when I have not been able to see the finale of the show "Lost."  My wife and I are big "Lost" fans, and can't wait to see the ending.  We also have just purchased a house, she's taking three graduate classes, and I to work on the house while preparing for a concert this coming Monday.  Needless to say, time is tight.  That's where DVR is a life saver.  I'm in love with it, seriously.  I can't stand watching commercials... it's the bane of my existance.  With DVR, I can skip all the crap.

However, we have been having to dodge nearly all media outlets for the past two days in order to not find out what happens.  This is extremely hard to do, folks!  So far, I have been successful....but I was signing into this blog and happened to see a blog I follow put up a post on "Lost."  I think I might have inadvertantly seen something I did not want to see.  Right now, I'm doing my best to forget it, but it seems that the more I try to will myself to forget, the more it's getting stuck deep in my mind.  Argh!

So, I'm going to put on some music and do my best....and cut myself from anything on the web until I have finished the four hours(!!) of the show we have yet to see.  Wish me luck, and let's hope I don't see anything else!

I should be back now....

Well, what can I say?  It has been roughly a month since my last post.  Where have I been?  For the most part, I've been somewhere secluded with a phone glued to my ear.  It is amazing how much house hunting can be a full time job.  There are schedules to the whole process that are needing of attention to ensure a smooth process.  That means you have to do a lot of calling to make sure people are doing their jobs.  If you don't do it, then you run a big risk of being late on your closing date, or some other kind of delay that can be costly time and monetarily speaking.

After roughly a year of searching, with about ten months searching in earnest, my wife and I finally closed on a house yesterday.  It was roughly a month from acceptance of our purchase offer to closing, which is a very aggressive time line.  However, this was out of necessity.  Our nine-month apartment lease is over this month along with the storage unit we have packed with most of our belongings.  So, any delays in moving were not really possible.  Further, this meant everyone (Realtors, inspectors, mortgage brokers, etc.) needed to be synced together to ensure no hiccups.  I was the one who did this.  It felt like a second job, and with the amount of hours I spent on it you really could call it just that!  But it's done.  We changed the locks and will move in next weekend.  It has been a thrilling and emotionally draining experience.

Having completed the purchase of the house, everything should be in order, right?  I should be able to just go back to writing and pursuing this dream of mine...  Yes, and no.  There is still much to be done.  This next week is clean-up and painting time, and next weekend will be the big move.  This summer will be filled to the brim with activities of weddings, reunions, etc.  My work has been slightly more time-consuming. 

All of this will be a drain on the amount of time I have to write.  But I resolve to make it work regardless.  In fact, I sent off a packet of poems to the New England Review roughly a week ago.  That means that I should have a response as next week, but as late as the middle of August.  They stipulate a response is highly likely within a twelve week time frame, but that's no guarantee.  In the meantime, I am continuing to work on my chapbook, which is tentatively titled "Cynicism & Sleeping at Work."  I was planning on sending the work out to a contest before the end of the month, but it seems this will not be likely.  Therefore, I need to find some other outlet for it.  Any suggestions?

Otherwise, there is a novel I continue to work on, but it only has a rough title I do not wish to share.  I am not good at writing longer pieces, so I do not plan on even sharing the premise of the novel until I am fairly confident that there's hope of it being finished.  Keep your fingers crossed please!

I will try to keep in touch on this, but since I have never received a comment from anyone, I will assume that no one reads this.  Which is just fine by me.  Maybe one of these days I will have an audience who demands me to keep in touch....until then, so long :)

Well, ok....

I'll admit it.  I've fallen off the wagon again.  Not with alcohol or anything serious like that.  No, I've fallen off of the "Write in my blog frequently" wagon.  I have not been able to keep up with everything that is going now.  So, I will give an update to show how busy things have been:

Bought a car (which did not take that much time up really)
House hunting (a full time job....seriously)
Finding a house and getting an accepted offer (so much paperwork!)
Getting ready to go to NYC this weekend
Started writing what will hopefully be a novel-length story
Continue to piece together a chap book of poetry to submit in a contest (less than three weeks left!)
My regular job (which has been busier at times)
Rehearsals/practice for orchestra band concerts

That's about it....but it keeps me so busy.  Mainly the house hunting part does, and that might soon be over with this week.  We have an accepted purchase agreement, and now are in the final stages.  Keeping my fingers crossed for sure!

So, once again, I apologize.  Once again, I will say I will try to be better at this.  Once again, I probably wont be as other time consuming things will take the place of house hunting.  So I apologize in advance for it... :)

Too much time on our hands...

I don't think I am the only one to notice this, but the more technology moves along, the more I realize we just have way too much time on our hands.  From vids about cats standing up, rants about celebs (as an every day post), to photos of your nasty number 2s, people just seem to think that since the web allows the posting of anything (so long as it doesn't break a major law), it then becomes an imperative that they do so.

I just thought I would put my two cents and say wtf (which means why the face, right?) to the following:

http://www.boredtohell.com/

http://www.mystupidwebsites.com/

http://www.ratemypoo.com/

and this list could go on.  By the way, the first two are websites that links to other websites that are supposedly stupid.  I guess anyway to make a buck, right?

Writer, Poet, Liar

Hey, I wrote a small poem that I thought I would put up on here.... a little meat for those who might read this actually looking for poetry!!  I hope you enjoy.................................


Writer, Poet, Liar

I dream of famine,
Though I’ve never known a day of hunger
I write of lust,
But I only covet necessity
I speak of death,
Yet I’ve never felt a blade full to the hilt of flesh

No, my crime is none of these,
But of innocence lost within the wake

Is this really April 1st?

The high is in the 80s.  The low last night was 56.  Today could be warmer than some spots in Florida....what is going on?  It's crazy, and I love it right now.  I have been biking to work and it's glorious.  So wonderful.... I really can't write too much more because I'm going to just stare out my window and the cloudless blue skies!!  Enjoy your time today as much as I will!

Wake Up? ...What for?

After the week that I have had, I find myself falling asleep at my desk.  A few minutes ago, a co-worker just told me - albeit jokingly - to "Wake up!," to which I jumped and turned my attention to her with heavy lidded eyes.  Yet, I couldn't help think as I listened to her, why should I wake up?  I have a horribly boring job at a pharmaceutical company (that shall remained unnamed), and average about five minutes worth of work a day.  Even worse, there are two of us in this position.

Normally, I love being able to have all the extra time, for it allows me to get paid while writing.  If you haven't realized this, not too many writers actually get paid to do just that - write.  Most of us cram hours in here and there, pining for the flexibility and fame that celebrity-status wrtiters enjoy (read: Grisham, King, Sparks, and any other number of widely read authors out there).  But, for today, I just want to doze and attempt to catch up on lost sleep.

So, today, I'm taking the rest of the day off... at my desk.  I'll be here with my head on my hand, seeming to read the same paragraph for the next two hours.  Wish me luck, and happy Friday!

To be drained emotionally...

Is a state I wish I could claim.  Right now, I am way beyond it. The emotions have been so wild in their directions that whenever there's any downtime, it's hard to think.  Period.  That's why I have been having trouble putting up a post on here.  That's why I have had trouble writing.  I haven't picked up a pen for a literary purpose in well over a week, and I feel like I am losing the momentum that I had earlier.

To give you some more insight into why this might be, I digress to Facebook again, where its limited character input is very much aligned to my capacity to emote on the page.

So, instead of getting a house...we have a new car! It's a Subaru Outback, and it's a lot of fun.

That said, Amanda and I didn't enjoy the new car feeling very long. A friend in our complex had her apartment burn down. Quick synopsis...the apartment below had a fire, the department came and went....only 30 mins later her place is on fire!! She's probably lost everything in there. We stayed with her until 2 am, her boyfriend remained.

Who said we were done with the emotional rollercoaster? Oh, and we might have an accepted purchase agreement for a house....but don't get your hopes up yet! :)

Summary...

Just to give you an idea of what things have been like (it's hectic), I thought I would post up the blips of text I wrote on my Facebook page:

3/17/10 at 11:08 am:
in the process of working out a purchase agreement....wish me luck!!!

3/18/10 at 7:54 am:
I tell you, there's a pox on us and finding a house.... hammered down an agreement with the seller, and just in a matter of hours (from 3 pm to 7pm), the seller had another offer that gave him 4K more than ours. Which one do you think he chose? Back to hunt... again.

3/18/10 at 3:03 pm:
Well, alls I have to say is.... shit. This really is an emotional rollercoaster. Just got a call from the realtor and he said the house we lost might not be lost after all and one that we lost about a month ago is now open again... did you get all that?

3/19/10 at 11:00 am:
So here's the update....turns out the house we recently lost out on is lost for sure. Ok. Now, the older lost out on house is definitely open. We are going to pursue this one until someone else comes along and outbids us. Well, at least that's what history has taught me. I'm not going to even ask for well-wishings.



This pretty much sums up my life for the past week.  Sorry I haven't been able to get more in word-wise!

Gearing UP!!

I titled this entry Gearing UP!! because that's exactly what I'm doing lately.  The wifey and I are closer to getting a home (phew!), and I am readying a bunch of poems for submissions.  Right now I'm in the research part of choosing which journals, mags, etc. to submit my works.  This can be a painstakingly long process, but it's necessary to make sure the material you have will interest the editors and, more importantly, the readers of the organization(s) you're sending your stuff.  Wish me luck while searching!

On another note, after reading much on the subject, as well as many organizations views on the term "unpublished," I have decided that I cannot put up any works on this blog until they have been accepted and published.  Therefore, unless the poem is just a little something I've created specifically for here, I will not include any more works.  Bummer, I know, but sometimes it can't be helped.  I hope you all can understand.

Dreaming of Yesterday

Life was great yesterday.  There was sun, there was warmth, and I was on my bike riding.  Sure, commuting can be a pain in the rear (literally and figuratively) dealing with all the traffic - read "lack of curteous drivers"- but really it is so much fun to be out on the road.  Using my body as a means for transportation, as opposed to just a lump that turns a wheel back and forth, is so refreshing.  Things move at a slower pace, nature is available for observation, and you have a real appreciation for distance!

Lately, my wife and I have been running around like crazy just trying to find a homestead.  It has been a long, gruelling eight month process, and we are still nowhere close to an end.  My wife is a teacher and I am doing some contract work, so we do not have a lot of disposable income.  Therefore, we have been searching for deals in areas where there are not that many.  It has been frustrating, and it's made even worse by all the traffic in Indianapolis.  Many areas are having bridges repaired, roads redone, or what-have-you.  The result is personified by our experience last Tuesday when we went to look at a house roughly eight miles from our apartment.  The round trip took us 2 hours - mind you, we only spent about 10 - 15 mins in the house.  Needless to say, we were completely drained by the time we got home, only to have to make dinner.

That's why yesterday was wonderful.  We did not have a house to look at, I was able to get a good ride in (I work about 18.5 miles away), and we were able to just enjoy a day of sun and fun.  What could be better!

Final version...The Sneeze Unsavored

Ok, I don't know when it will be up on the buses, and I don't know when the website will even update it, but I thought I would contribute my finalized version of "The Sneeze Unsavored" for this Flippant Friday.  I think it's fun, and that's what Fridays should be all about.  After all, it's the weekend already, and you know you're not really doing work!!

Here you go, enjoy!!

The Sneeze Unsavored
by M. Thompson

Poised, tenaciously hunched over
Waiting for blast-off like an intrepid astronaut;
The anticipation, that creeping tickle
Through the nasal cavity imploring action;
Bracing, rapidly inhaling fuel
To spread noxious bodies into space
…             …
Stupefied, but still hovering
   When is it just going to happen?
Frustrated, and tense
   Don’t tell me it’s not coming!
Exasperated, unresolved
   Argh, not again…

No climax, no soothing relief,
Only a dull, mocking throb in its place

Working on work...

Well, I am still waiting on word for the poem submitted to Words on the Go, and I will give notice when my poem "The Sneeze Unsavored" can be viewed on the transit.  I assume everything is ok and they are just going through the steps to getting everything in order: designing backgrounds for the pieces, sending them to print, receiving the finished products, taking down the old and putting up the new.  Yet, part of me is still anxious to see it, and this feeling was reiterated upon receiving an email from a family member questioning the progress.  I had to tell them I didn't know, and there's nothing worse then not being able to give a firm answer on something you said was happening.  It makes you feel as if you're a bit of a liar.  "Yes, I have a poem that's being published.  No, you can't see it now.  It's not finished.  When will it be finished?  Well, I'm not sure.  Yes, I'm being serious."  <Sigh>

In the meantime, I am trying to continue to write despite my work's and my PL's best attempt at slowing me down.  At work I have been doing just that: work.  It's unusual and it has kept me busy - too busy to get my head in the writing game during the work hours.  House searching is still the big topic of discussion in the Thompson household, and so far we have not reeled in the big fish.  Many bits have there been, but they keep eluding our grasp.  Nevertheless, I keep plugging away at writing!

Right now, I have two goals: one is a monumentally big goal; one is smaller, and definitely achievable.  The Goliath I am working to take down is to complete a chap book by May 15th.  A chap book is a smaller version of a book, and the one I'm shooting for is roughly 30 pages worth of work.  Currently, I am about half way there right now in terms of quantity.  Quality, on the other hand, might be a different story.  I need to keep reworking the ones I have already while trying to put out new material... a daunting task while all the other things have going on concurrently.  The second goal is to have material ready for a submission to a quarterly.  I have a few in mind, but I need to see the material that I end up with and determine which quarterly will be most appropriate.

Aghh, wish me luck because I think I need it!

Thoughts on epublishing...

On February 25, JC Hutchins wrote a blip on the blog Writer Unboxed about the ebooks and the Amazon debacle.  I am a big fan of this blog, as it has a variety of authors that pull from their experiences and offer insight into the creative writing/ publishing world.  As an author who is unpublished, this is the best!  It is rare that you get straight answers about the publishing world, and on this blog the authors do just that.  There is no holding back on their thoughts, and I find it a breath of fresh air.

As I was saying before I side-tracked, Hutchins wrote about epublishing and its pros and cons.  I have included a link to the article and I highly recommend people read it!  Do it now.  I mean it.  What I found to be most interesting in the article were her thoughts on how DIY publishing is, more often than not, not a means for making a living.  I have no bones about her contentions, but I do find this method could be a great tool for poets.

If writing novels is the equivalent of buying a lottery ticket in terms of making money, then writing poetry is like betting the Cubs will make it to the big game, or the Buffalo Bills will have a winning season.  But then again, joking about that is like comparing the sizes of infinities... which, surprisingly enough, people actually do!  [Warning: the link provided is very heady/nerdy mathematics]  What I'm saying is that poetry is a poor man's (or woman's) pastime.  It's ubiquitous and relative: everyone does it at some point and rarely do people like another's work enough to buy.  Thus, the hardest part in the poet's job description is getting an audience that will invest in their works.

How one goes about it, in my mind, should be through the traditional formats: journals, quarterly pubs, and now online sites.  The publications mentioned do not provide a monetary sum or a very minimal one at best.  What they do provide is exposure, and that is a commodity that can go a long way when working to build a fan base.  So, to become a successful DIY publisher I feel you must not eschew the traditional formats, but embrace them as part of a marketing campaign.  Then, with your website, blog, or what have you, you can push the DIY (e)book onto your new-found loyal fan base.  It sounds so easy, right?  It's not, I know, and it takes a lot of work to be successful at it.  Yet, when you spend so much time submitting to publishers hoping to get that chap book in print, only to have it sit on shelves collecting dust, can it really hurt to throw your proverbial hat in the ring? 

What do you think?

I know, I know...

I know, the last few posts of mine (frankly, most of my posts on here) have not been really exceptional.  Looking over what I have posted may make you laugh, and it may make you just bust out loudly.  However, it's not going to make you think it's really worth your time to keep reading this blog.  I realize that, and I apologize.  I originally came into this whole blogging world and thought it would be easy to contribute meaningful posts.  I thought that I wouldn't be among the many that just place stuff down that's a bunch of snide comments on other people's stuff.  I thought I had something great.

But reality has hit.  I realize that I am not much different from the many people out there who waste their time blogging.  It's the usual: at first there's a torrent of posts, some with some virtue.  Then, as time moves along, the posts, albeit still meaningful, start to dwindle in numbers.  By the way, there are only three words that start with dw - dwell, dwindle, and dwarf.  That's of course, ignoring the derivatives from them (ex.dwelling).

Then, all of the sudden, in this natural progression of hobbies, there comes a silence.  First a week, then two.  Before anyone realizes it, it is forgotten.  There are exceptions to this, for sure.  There are those who will acknowledge the lapse, and then be reinvigorated for a time.  These people eventually fade as well.

I am afraid that I have been nearing this line for some time now.  Real life is almost always the culprit of why I have not been properly maintaining this blog.  The on-going quest to find a home has taxed my wife and I to no end.  An increase in work load has also limited my accessibility to the site.  Yet, these are really just excuses.  They are things that face all people and it is only by sheer determination to produce can one overcome.

I am now facing that moment.  I am at the wall, and I must overcome it if I expect to continue the blog with some dignity.  Otherwise, it's purpose is meaningless.  There's nothing worse than being meaningless.  Now, I know, this may sound like I have some kind of lofty purpose in mind for my blog, but do not mistake my thoughts.  I know that I may never reach a large audience with my poetry and writing.  I know that many people may not read this blog.  However, in order for me to carry on I feel that I do need to stick to the topic I had intended as my purpose: writing.

So, I now pledge to make sure that this blog remains devoted to writing and its many aspects.  On a side note, I will keep doing the Flippant Fridays...they are fun and that's good to have in life.  But on the whole, I will make a renewed push to write about poetry, novels, short stories, and so on so that I provide for this blog a sense of purpose.  I hope people will read and enjoy.

Make a donation today!

Not to me, or cause seeking a monetary amount. What I call for is your blood! About two years ago, I decided to give blood regularly, or as much as I could remember to do. So far, I have given over a half gallon of blood! A nice thought to think of as you're pouring out your milk...

Anyway, I am a real believer in it, and when I received the following in an email from my local org., I thought it would be worthy to pass on:

A quick look at the numbers will tell you why we value our life-saving blood donors.

5 Percentage of eligible Americans who give blood each year.

550 Minimum number of units the Indiana Blood Center must collect daily to maintain an adequate blood supply for over 60 hospitals across the state.

200 Volume, in units, of blood necessary on-hand during an organ transplant.

12 Volume, in pints, of blood in an adult male. Adult females have 9 pints.

1 Approximate volume, in pints, of the average blood donation.


The need for donors has increased, due in part to the aging population and greater restrictions on donors, leaving blood centers periodically at risk for or in shortage. If you think you aren't able to or have made some excuse in the past, think of this: if you were to go to the hospital for a life saving transplant/procedure, would you want to be the one who's shorted on the supply? If you can, please give!

Funny bits...

Well, if you can't think of anything funny....it's always good to steal from others....

I found this to be quite amusing...and thankfully not like the one I had:





And, oh man, I had to follow up with this....cause this cracks me up and is exactly what I think of whenever I'm on Facebook. This is the reason why I held out for soooo long against joining.







I just hope no one pisses and pukes on me.

A quick entry...

Wow, this week has flown by! Got my poem finished up and sent off and approved (good grammar huh?), so I'm super stoked about that! I was busy throughout most of the days and nights... I barely even wrote at all. So, here I looked down at the computer clock/date and see that it's Friday again. Not only that, it's another Flippant Friday and I haven't really prepared for it!!!

As a way to avoid having to come up with nothing for my lack of preparation, I have included this video below of the sad doggy named Bizkit. He has the very funny habit of sleep running, and barking too! I'm not joking, he's beyond words:




And if that wasn't enough for you, here's him running and making the big mistake of getting up while still sleep running!




Happy Friday folks and bring on the weekend!!

Flippant Fridays

I thought I would swerve a bit from the normal posts and create something I will call "Flippant Fridays." I think it would be a fun way to attach things that I'm reading or watching on the Internet - because I do a lot of that during my day - and share with anyone who wants to read/watch. I will try to keep these posts funny, but then again, they may not always be as well.

So for the first Flippant Friday, I thought I would throw away what I just said about contributing funny things and go serious for a moment. I am a big fanatical teeth brusher, and feel that everyone should be like me. Not only does being fanatical about teeth brushing (at least twice a day!!) - and more importantly flossing every day!! - it keeps you healthy and happy. I brush my teeth twice a day on average for about 2 minutes or more. I kid you not!

I am part of the Humana insurance group, which I am not endorsing by saying that, and they have a newsletter sent out every month. They had a section on the health benefits of a healthy mouth. Here's one big fact I'd like to point out: "More than 90% of diseases can show up in your mouth first." And another quote: "Good dental care – and keeping your gums free of disease – can lead to savings on dental costs and medical care. One study in the Journal of Periodontology showed healthcare costs over time were 21% higher for patients with severe gum disease than for those without gum problems." For a link to the article, go here: http://www.humana.com/members/health/plan_professor/2_10_smile.asp

Ok, so the last quote might be only causal evidence (the people might have bad lifestyles all around and that's why their costs are 21% higher), but it still makes my point that we all need to take good care of our mouths! And one more final anecdotal evidence - I am neurotic about mouth care, and I have only had one cavity in my life. Sure, genetics may be on my side, but then again, I'm the only one who's had the least amount of trouble with their mouth....besides maybe the trouble it can get you in, but that's another story!

Anyway, to that's a bit of a soapbox speech for you, so I'll end the first Flippant Friday on a funny note.... a commercial that I think is classic. Since it's Super Bowl time, and the Colts are in the game, to show some love I will put up a Bud Light commercial.....what can be more related to football than that?

Plugging Away!

So, after hearing back for the editor of Words on the Go, I have finalized my poem "The Sneeze Unsavored" and have submitted it back. Hopefully, there will be nothing but approval and then I will just have to bide my time until April comes along. Even then, since the buses are up in Lafayette, I'm not going to be able to have much of a chance to see it.

Unless, of course I randomly drive up there to hop onto different buses until I find one that's featuring my poem. If you remember, there's six writers who have their works being put up on the buses - two works per bus. My guess, is that unless I'm lucky off the bat, I'll have to ride a bunch of buses in order to catch my poem in action. At my current level of excitement, I very well might do just that!

So, for all of the readers out there from the Lafayette area (I always laugh putting that down because no one reads this!! ) who ride the bus, let me know what you think!

Good News...

There is some good news I would like to share:

This is not ground-breaking publication or anything of the sort, but I have an accepted poem that will be part of the "Words on the Go" program for CityBus of Lafayette, IN. It is a bi-annual publication of local poets/authors that picks six pieces to be displayed on transit buses for a six-month time span.



My piece is entitle "The Sneeze Unsavored," which had a version of it posted on this blog back in October 2009. This is the first time I have ever submitted a piece for publication, so I am very excited it was accepted. Granted, it is for transit buses that most people will not probably care to read. However, I think it's cool that my stuff is getting out there finally and that people will be able to read it!

I will repost the poem once it is in its finalized version and off and riding on the buses!




Here is a link to the website for reference:



http://www.gocitybus.com/wordsonthego/index.htm

Gears have been turning in my head, but lately I have not shared any of it on this blog. In fact, I have been grossly negligent in putting out entries. I usually feel guity, but like most who try to keep resolutions, enertia is usually too strong to resist. So, finally halting enertia for the moment, I will do my best to update on my writing:

As of late, I have focused my attention on a novel. I have always tried writing ones in the past, but much like how keeping up with the blog tends to be daunting, I tend to fizzle out. I am motivated in the beginning phases of the project, but then dwindle in effort as time progresses. Inevitably, I have a rough outline, or fragments of a story, and that is all. This is why I generally focus on writing poetry, for I usually can keep my train of thought for this shorter medium. Also, I tend to think in smaller segments - an action, a description of a person/place/thing, etc. - and tend to lose focus when piecing segments together. Kind of the whole forest through the trees thing. Anyway, I have thrown my hat into the ring again, and I feel quite good about it this time. Hopefully, I will post some bits of it in the future.

Otherwise, I have continued to write new poems and rework others. I have felt catious about posting them because I have found, with the past posts, most of them had not been revised much. It was just more of a 'write and send it out' mentality. I am trying to be conscious of revising and sitting on works to read refreshed and with a new outlook in the attempts to spot weaknesses in the poems. Also, I realize that no one ever reads this blog and it doesn't matter whether I post or not. I can hold out because no one is demanding of my time :)

So, if I can't provide a poem for you today, I thought posting a video might suffice. This link is of a dog who is poetic in the layers of emotions it stirs within the viewer. Laughter, pity, sadness, possibly empathy (for those who sleepwalk), they all can be found within this poor soul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BgjH_CtIA

An additional thought

I was reading over the post I had put up yesterday, and I thought I would add one comment. I was talking to a co-worker about how to change (bad) habits or going about making a change for the better. Through talking to her I realized that, after analyzing what made past goals successful, it is a matter of focusing you on the task at hand in order to reach the objective.

This may sound like a 'duh' statement, and in a way it is. Yet, when most people tend to create their goals for the new year coming, they clearly define the end result and leave out the rest of the process. As with all projects, we have to access what will make that goal a reality. Without a plan of attack, that goal becomes something intangible and too grandiose.

Instead, I like to focus on one 'task' as opposed to a goal. If reducing my impact on the environment is a overall goal, then I put my attention to a small contributor... a small step. One of the things I have done is to reduce the amount of bottle water I drink. It is said that it takes 2,000 times the energy to produce one bottle of water, then it would have been for the equivalent amount of tap water. So, until that task becomes routine where I don't have to focus on it, I am striving to always carry around water brought from my tap at home (which is best because it's filtered), or filling up a reusable bottle at a nearby drinking fountain.

As a side note: to those who see my small step and say that tap water is disgusting and not an option for you, I say the following. First, at home you can have a filter installed (either at the tap of one of those in the fridge types) to create a better quality water. Second, if being out you refuse to drink from fountains because of the terrible taste, find out why there is such a poor quality of water. We often take so little time to draw attention to things that are lacking because we think it takes too much work. My rebuttal is that you can just call and complain. Then, get your friends to call and complain and have them spread the word. One person at a time really can work... it's not just a cliche. Lastly, for those of you wanting to save money in these tough times, cutting out that $1 bottled water can easily add up quickly... so, do want to use just a small amount of effort to save a lot of money, or do you want to keep burning a hole in your pocket?

So, to wrap up, when you make your resolution, do so and then follow up by breaking the goal down into a small step. Let that small step be your focus only... put off thinking about the big picture. Once that small step is taken...go on to the next one. You will find that within a short period you have exceeded what your original goal was (provided it is a goal you can exceed).

Good luck and don't lose hope for this year!

Ringing in the New Year

After spending the night as many people - heavy drinking, watching the ball drop, a few kisses to all around, and wishing of a happy new year - I just wanted to put down a post to say to all: Happy New Year. It is always great to be able to have a new beginning and a new outlook on life. I feel the new year is always a chance to throw away everything that was bad in the past year, and start out making things as we want to have them.

So, for this new year, please take time to view the situations and see if these are the correct paths.... if not, what better time to make the change!

Cheers.