Fringe Benefits

July 16th, 2010 § 0

I often ponder about the poisonous and insidious diatribe that is so prevalent in our society today. Every group has an agenda and assisted by statistics and data are able to influence and recruit the masses to jump on any bandwagon.

But not you, right? Certainly not me. We are the exception. We are the individual. That is what I would like to believe, but statistics and science unfortunately prove otherwise.

There exists at our fingertips a hoard of information that can determine the behavior of most any one. Given the dynamics, the variables, the components, your behavior and mine can be predicted pretty accurately and frankly is.

Our very nature is to be a member of a herd, a family, a group. Part of being with the herd is to protect the individual. The closer you are to the center the more likely you will not be lured away and devoured by predators. But there are costs as well as benefits for our societal connection. One of which is the risk of stampede. Being overrun with the groups core philosophy leaves few options for the individuality factor and ones own personal thoughts and opinions.

Add to our human herd nature an articulate and dynamic spokesperson and the powers that be will have the fringe herd members distracted by survival within the group while the inner circle remains protected. Before the dust settles the herd is blindly led to where a few may benefit at the expense of the rest.

We, as individuals, have access to the same information. We can use it to determine what “they” will do. Or maybe they have determined that is what is happening already. Careful, we may be led off a cliff.

Birth Day

July 14th, 2010 § 0

“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” Henry David Thoreau:

Happy Birthday Ciera Jo! So glad you are brave enough to sing your song. Keep singing.

Partnership

July 13th, 2010 § 0

One of the wonderful lessons I have learned during the last 4 years is the power of partnership.

This last week, my writing partner and I had some revelatory discussions. Honest dialogues. We have reached a point in this relationship where we know we can say what we really think or feel about a character or scene or whatever and we know we are safe.

I may not always agree with what she thinks and heaven knows she rarely agrees with me, but in the listening and sharing of opposing ideas a better and more viable idea often starts to develop.

I have learned to appreciate the difference.

That is what partners do. They talk. They listen. They learn that the work gets better in the discussion. It also makes work more fun. And if it stops being fun it stops being worth it.

Weekend with The Girls

July 6th, 2010 § 0

I wish I could say I took these pictures
of the vibrant flowers we found on
the Alpine Loop this week-end, but
I must give credit to Ciera. She has a
good eye.
I’m all about the people who are there
sharing the experience with you.

It felt wonderful to be up in the cool weather. We had a nice rest and everyone
got to eat at their restaurant of choice. Chris actually ate at the Italian place TWICE! I need to look into a franchise down here for that place! Although I didn’t get to eat at the tree room, I did wonder around the place and remember days gone by when we did eat there. If I have another opportunity I am going to take my bike and go biking on that mountain. Looks like great fun and wonderful exersize. And what was very cool was an old idea for a book started to haunt me again. Got to stop doing that thinking stuff. Gets me in all sorts of trouble.

Wants Not

June 30th, 2010 § 0

Write.
Splatter the page with covert words.
Suffocating between the sheets.
Confused, contrived and denied
Expire in heartless stead.

Write.
Until what is alleged is understood.
What is sensed suffereth long.
The lines and pauses and pages persevere.
Suppressed lips liberate censored wrongs.

Write.
Others will own and mirror what they will.
Embracing the pain they fraught.
The words suspend in mid sentence still
The tacit sound of silence wants not.

The Point

June 29th, 2010 § 0


I have many moments where I think, “what is the point”? It doesn’t matter what project I am working on, some days I wonder why I ever thought “it” was important or worth my time and energy.

Today I finished a book called THE HELP. As I came closer and closer to the end of the book I became more and more anxious because I knew it was going to end. The characters I had discovered and learned to love, or not love so much, would soon be a memory of my imagination.

However, the lessons those characters learned and by extension, I learned, are still rolling around in my head and in my heart. Ideas and thoughts and feelings have reminded me of values and ideals I value and cherish and want to embody.

How could reading or writing or painting or composing ever be a waste of time? How could I ever think creating does not have a point.

Creating IS the point.

I’M A MAC

June 28th, 2010 § 0

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed” Mahatma Ghadhi

The new plastic, teflon, fossil fuel, hairspray, pesticide, fluorocarbon, holocaust.

Exaggeration? Perhaps you are not paying attention. I know I wasn’t. I’m too busy living my life. What a luxury. I love technology probably more than the average citizen, but I don’t value it more than the lives of my fellow world citizens.

Do you know that the genre of horror is really when humans treat others humans inhumanly? It is not necessary and can not be justified.

Madness is badness of spirit, when one seeks profit from all sources. Aristotle.

Determined to Succeed

June 26th, 2010 § 0

Time to celebrate.

We received our first rejection to one of our query letters concerning AMAI.

Some day they will regret that decision.

A true story about an amazing woman who empowered a people, a country and the world.

Yea, I can see why they wouldn’t be interested.

Let’s stick to stories that are real. Stories that have blades coming out of a man’s fist. Or maybe the one I saw this week…no that isn’t even worth admitting that I saw. I was smart enough to wait to see it at the dollar theater. Kudos to me.

I sent out another batch of letters this week. I know, I am a glutton for punishment, but I believe in the story. I love the character and I am inspired by her determination.

So, I will keep mailing them. After all, if she can free a country with her determination, shouldn’t I be able to sell a script with mine?

Ben and Breann’s Video

June 23rd, 2010 § 1

Newly Wed

June 22nd, 2010 § 0

Benjamin and Breann
Bowman

July 19, 2010

 

 

 

 

Honeymoon!

Friends had way too much fun
lighting up sparklers, but they
wished them well as they began
their adventure together.

 

 

Mothers dance

Sweet moment in the evening was
hearing my son ask the crowd
where his Mom was.
I was watching. I will always be
watching.

 

 

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