What I Am Learning and all about Meet-ups

I am learning that I am one of those people who are busy -- but being busy doesn't necessarily mean that I see the end product for quite some time.

For instance, I am still working on that mosaic picture frame (should finish it this weekend if I am lucky), I am still working on the set of pasta dishes, I am still working on the stain glass car, I am still working on the plant pot. And once these are finished, there will be other projects to do. It's just that everything I do takes time.

I am still learning all I can about self-publishing. (INDIE), and I have joined two meet-ups to learn more about self-publishing.

Hey, meet-ups are great if you are not familiar with them. One person becomes the originator, and then the group is posted on Meet-Ups in your area for others to join. For instance, there are quite a few writing meet-ups in the Tampa area, so I picked the ones that is good for my schedule and what I want to achieve. But there are tons of meet-ups -- another I am going to join soon is Tai Chi Qigong. I have tried different forms of Tai Chi but I really like this form, so to continue it, I found a meet-up in St.Pete Beach. If I wanted to have fellow travelers, there are meet ups for that, or mysticism or beer drinking or, or, or anything you can think about. Check them out. Just plug in Meet Ups into the internet and then it will ask where you live to find the closest ones to you. If there are not any, start one. You never know who you may meet.

I will report on these later as I have more experience with them.

I am learning that I don't want all this "stuff" any longer. I have been getting rid of "stuff" and deciding what I want to sell on ebay or amazon. More to learn.

I am working on compiling information to start a genealogy line for my father's maternal side. The paternal side is complete in the United States. Just need to go to Germany to see how far I can trace there. But first I need to find out where he came from in Germany. I might have it to an area, but I am not going to count on that.until I see the proof. And I want to start helping a friend search for her birth mother. How cool would that be to help her find her lineage!!!

And then there are the stories whirling around in my head. Gotta write.

And I need to travel and see the world. Booked a couple of trips today. Love, love, love frequent flyer miles. One trip to Seattle and back cost me $11 for taxes, One trip to San Diego cost me $40 for taxes and priority seating. Can't beat those prices. I'm thinking about researching credit cards where I can use frequent flyer miles on international flights.

I am learning that I am a busy person (until 7:30 when Jeopardy comes on) and I like being busy with a multitude of projects. Really hope to show you the mosaic picture frame next week, because I am getting tired of working on it and thinking about it. I need to move on...

Until tomorrow...have a great day.

A Different Sort of Day -- bugs and cats and all kinds of memories

I have been organizing, cleaning, making sure my life is in order before I start another big writing project. Today was the bug man.

In Florida, we have cockroaches. A while back, I saw a couple of them, and freaked out. (In Illinois these bugs are not common because we have a horrific winter that kills all bugs, and the spirits of those who do not like winter!) So, I researched about the bug and then armed with the information, I went to the store. Spent tons of money on all sorts of chemicals and found a great bug bomb and put it around my house. Never saw another one. Then, after 3 months you are to pick it up and all bugs should be dead. I am assuming so. But, to be on the safe side, I had the bug man come out and spray. Yes, I do overkill when it comes to bugs. I also get up in the middle of the night to use the toilet, so there is no way I want to step on a bug in the middle of the night. When I saw the couple of bugs, I left all lights on in the house during the night because I read they are nocturnal.

While the bugman was here, we talked about bugs (he told me I will never be rid of cockroaches, they live here -- so, now I know Florida has cockroaches, geckos, and alligators). I took him to a window I have, and asked if those little dead bugs were gnats. (I saved them so he could tell me what they were). He said no, harvester ants. Okay, I have never heard of harvester ants. They only ants I thought existed were carpenter ants where they eat your wood or sugar ants that can be found in the kitchen. Well, now there is the harvester ant. Great, another bug to keep my eye out for!

I have found a homemade remedy to keep the geckos from entering my house. Simply mix lemon juice and water together and spray around the perimeter of the entrances. I haven't had any troubles with those little lizards since I have been using the lemon/water. You should have seen me trying to get one out one day, chasing it around the house. But, I did win.

Reminded me of another time. I was living in my sister's house until it sold (she had moved to Arizona) and I had two cats with me. She lived out of town and in back of her house was a corn field. One night I had a taco party, and after my guests left, I was cleaning up. During harvest, mice had a tendency to make it inside the house. Well, you can imagine my cats and the mice. With tacos, there were little pieces of cheese that I was sweeping from the floor when a mouse came over. That set the scene in motion -- there I was with my broom trying to get rid of the mouse, my cats were trying to get at the mouse, and if anyone could have seen us -- there was the mouse running around the round glass top table, then me with the broom, then the cats -- around and around. Finally, I was able to shoo the mouse out the back door. And keep the cats indoors.

They were quite the cats. One morning I woke up and thankfully, I am one of those people who do not jump out of bed because that particular morning my cats were so proud. They were on the floor meowing for me to wake up, and when I did I saw ---- they lined the floor around the bed with dead mice. They thought they brought me a treat! Needless to say, the mice were swept up and taken outside in the garbage can.

I guess you never know what to expect with animals and bugs....

Until tomorrow...have a great day....

Trees

For some reason I can't get trees off my mind today. I like trees, all types of trees. I like to take a walk and notice the trees, notice how their limbs fall gracefully to the side or stand erect, reaching for the heavens. I take pictures of trees. Some people take pictures of people, I take pictures of nature and trees.

When trees are young, they need support to grow or else they may bend and break during a bad storm. Here, in Florida, when you see the wrappings around the Palm Tree, it is a young one, and the landscapers are helping it by giving it more stability against the wind and rain. Trees grow, and some get hurt from the elements. Lightening may strike, and it may show signs of great damage; yet, it endures to live longer, with bumps and bruises to show the world it has continued no matter what stresses it has been given.

Then, with time and patience, trees grow older, and some have become famous for their age.

Take the Angel Oak Tree (to the left) found on St.John's Island in South Carolina (near Charleston). It may be 1500 years old and people come far and wide to look at its majesty.

Another great tree is the Banyon Tree in Maui, Hawaii. This tree is in the town of Lahaina and when you measure it from limb to limb it covers a city block. There are places to sit under its shade, and people will read a book or take a nap with it's shade to protect them. Beautiful tree.




The greatest trees of all are the redwoods. They are mammoth and can get over 360 feet high. And the trunk is beyond belief.

It breaks my heart when I hear of forest fires, but we do have them in this country, and mostly in the west or northwest. Last year when I went to Yellowstone, Montana was experiencing many forest fires while we were driving to Wyoming to Yellowstone.


Yes, we have many different types of trees besides the Palm Tree here in Florida, but I do miss the ornamental trees that can be grown in the Midwest. Before I moved, I had many different trees planted in my yard. I had a pear tree and dogwoods and lilac trees.

The most favorite of all was my Japanese Maple. I loved the deep burgundy color, and I had it planted under the front picture window where I would keep it trimmed to keep it the size I wanted.



The Japanese Maple was outside of the house, and inside the house was the Bonsai Tree. This was Al's tree. He would water it and trim its leaves and care for this tree everyday. It warmed my heart watching him nuture his Bonsai Tree.




Yes, I do love trees. All kinds. To me, they symbolize life, how we need support when we are young, how as we grow older we may be beaten down, but we endure, and when we become old, we are respected, not for our beauty, but for our age. The beauty is in the age.

Just take a minute from your busy day and stop to enjoy a tree. See where it is in its development and enjoy its beauty, its hardships, and its endurance.

Until tomorrow...have a great day.

Benefits of Dark Chocolate

I love chocolate, especially dark chocolate. I liked dark chocolate before I knew the benefits and it was all the rage, so it is no wonder I want to write about it.

It is good for you if you are a chocoholic like I am. I only wish I knew where to buy the really good stuff. I do buy Godiva chocolates, but I know there are better chocolates than that. Maybe I need to go to Belgium or Switzerland or France. Aren't they the countries known for their chocolate. France is also known for its wine, so I would be in hog heaven. Wine AND chocolate. What else would I need? Maybe there should be a chocolate world tour -- the best of chocolates around the world. Let's make it a walking tour if we are going to be eating all that chocolate. Guilt be gone with the walking...

So, what's the difference? First, I will get white chocolate out of the mix because it is not made from cocoa solids. It is made with cocoa butter, milk and sugar. It is the sweetest of the three chocolates.

Milk chocolate is made with cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar and cream.

Dark chocolate is made with cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar. No cream (hence, not as creamy).
Also, the more cocoa it has in it, the less sugar it has (hence, more bitter).



Milk chocolate does have benefits -- it is less in calories than dark chocolate and it has more calcium.

On the other hand, dark chocolate has less sugar (especially the higher the percentage of cocoa the less sugar) and has more iron and fiber. It has fewer carbs. And it has more magnesium, phospherus and potassium. It also has zinc, so maybe I should take some chocolate next time I feel a cold coming on instead of the zinc lozengers!

It also has lots of caffeine, so be warned if you eat dark chocolate before retiring for the night.






I looked at different brands of dark chocolate. I have some Lindt's dark chocolate truffles in the house, and after looking at the ingredients, I don't think I will buy them any longer. Because of the filling, there is cream, vegetable oil, and artificial flavors to name a few of the ingredients. I should look for the Lindt dark chocolate bars, especially the 90% bars, which means more cocoa, less sugar. I like the bitter taste, also. It helps with my chocolate desire.

Lindt 90% dark chocolate is made with chocolate, cocoa butter, cocoa powder processed with alkalies, sugar, and bourbon vanilla beans (from their website).




I am still looking for the purest I can find. So, I went back to Godiva.

Godiva is made with cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and sugar. According to their website, the cocoa liquor is made from the cocoa bean.

This dark chocolate shown is 50%, but it also comes in 72% and 90%. I am sure the other brands come in these percentages also.

So, what is a girl to do? It looks like I'm going back to Godiva for the moment.







Does anyone know any other dark chocolate that is pure? I would love to taste it. I know it exists, I just haven't found it. Please share with me if you know and how I can acquire some. Website?

Last Monday it was wine, this Monday it's chocolate. Maybe I should throw in a few strawberries, and I will have a night of it.

Until tomorrow...have a great day.

ISBN

One step in preparing my stories to be published is acquiring an ISBN, which stands for International Standard Book Number. We see the number in nearly every book we browse or read.

This one is from a fellow writer (WW Walton) when he published his book "Qi". Here, I noticed he also went through lulu.com. That ISBN on the back tells a lot..



It is a 13-digit number and is needed for any book that is going to be sold on a shelf or placed in a library. (If you simply want to publish a book to give away, you do not need an ISBN). According to ISBN.org there are 5 parts to the number which are separated with a hyphen. The first set of numbers is 978 (is found on all books). Second is 0 (identifies a national or geographical grouping of publishers). Third is 98122687 (identifies a specific publisher within the group). Fourth is 0 (identifies a particular title or edition of a title) and fifth is 5 (validates that it is an ISBN).

For me, the ISBN us most important because it helps market my book by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers, and distributors. Let's say I find a vendor who will put my book on the shelf and it sells out. Of course, he can renew from me by just calling (really, I will be doing the follow up call), but let's say that I have bought a package that also includes Baker and Taylor's distribution of my book. B n T needs that number to know what book the vendor is talking about. Important number if you want to sell a book.

What is interesting is that this is the second edition of this specific book. On the inside cover of his book, on the copyright page, is the first ISBN.

Another example is fellow writer's club member Joyce Lee McIntosh's 1st in a series ("Inside Out") of mysteries.

I show this because she has two ISBNs, the inside cover tells the tale of the differing numbers.

As you see, the first ISBN which ends in an 8 is for paperbacks; the second, which ends in a 5 is for e-books.



So, I know now I will need two ISBNs because I want to publish both as a paperback and as an e-book. So far, I have found that one ISBN is $125.00 and you can buy 10 numbers for $250.00, ISBN.org recommends to buy 10 if you are going to use that many in a 5 year span. Also, they come in packets of 10, 100, and 1000.

I know I need this number, and now I know where to get it if the self-publisher I use does not provide the service to get one.

Just because I have the number doesn't say it all. After I get the number I need to register the book's title with Books in Print at www.bowkerlink.com.

There are also ISSN for an ongoing series of books, and then there are international bar code formats, and I am far from being concerned about that. All I want to do right now is understand the steps in getting my book published, and this is one. A little one that is huge.

I am sure I have given you more information than you ever wanted to know about an ISBN, but for those who are on the same journey as I am in wanting to publish a book, I hope this helps. Next Friday I will again take one step on my book publishing journey.

Until then...have a great weekend.

Bucket List -- See the US of A

I have a ton of bucket lists, so many that I wonder if I will get the majority of them completed by the end of my days. I have bucket lists of crafts that I want to attempt to make, tons of stories to write and take to the public, lists of places to see around the world and the good 'ole US of A. 

There are just some things we always remember from childhood, and my mom taking us girls on trips is one of those. We didn't go far, we didn't go for long, and most of the time it was to see someone or to go with one of her sisters, but we went. The very first trip I remember was to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. That was in 1957, and I remember meeting and talking with interesting people as well as having fun. The next trip I remember was to Mammoth Caves in Kentucky. I thought the inside of those caves were the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life. 

That is how I started my yearning to see the world -- to meet the people, have fun and see things I never knew existed. And I have been able to do those things in bits and spurts throughout my years, getting to go to Europe once and England three times. And I have been to 28 of our 50 states. 

I want to finish seeing our states. And I want to go back to others where I want to see specific locations or history. There are some states I never need to go back to like Mississippi, but I wouldn't mind stopping in Oxford to visit William Faulkner's home. I could do that as an overnight trip on my way to somewhere else. It's the same as in my home state of Illinois. I know that state fairly well, but there is always something to do in Chicago, and I have never been to Frank Lloyd Wright's home in Oak Park. An afternoon trip when I go back to that part of the country. The same goes to Kentucky -- I have been to Louisville a number of times, Lexington, and a number of small towns like Franklin or Paducah or Bowling Green or Kentucky Lakes. But I have never toured the bourbon trail, and I could do that one day while I am traveling through the state.

There is just so much to do in the US of A. So much.

This year on the list is Seattle, Washington. Never been there, and I bet it is another place where I will need more than one time to see the state. Going to Alaska, and that will be a one shot deal. I should also see many parts of the state but not the northern parts. Then, a trip to San Diego is planned. Yes, I have been to California, but it is a very big state and I have taken it in spurts. I have been to the Los Angeles area (never need to go back there), San Francisco (iffy, but I saw enough) and the surrounding area such as Napa and Sonoma. But, I really want to drive Highway 1 in California. Another day. And I want to see Carmel-By-the-Sea. I have the name of a small hotel that is owned by Doris Day's son, and I want to stay there. But, this year it is San Diego and I have never been there. So, I am excited for these upcoming trips.

I don't have a lot of money to go all the time, but I do travel wisely. I joined a travel club where I get really good hotel rates, and when I fly, I use miles as much as I can. So, for instance, the San Diego trip is costing me a little over $800 for 8 days. Good rates on the hotel, only taxes for the plane (sign up for those frequent miles), and I am not a shopper, so the only money I expect to spend is entrance fees and food. Maybe a trinket to remember San Diego, but then that is what pictures are for. And they last longer. 

You really do not need to spend a lot of money traveling, and if you are younger, less than that because now there are BNB's and Y's and campus dormrooms off season. Then there is always camping. Me, I can't do that any longer. This body has changed in the fact that I can't sleep on the ground or floor like I used to be able to do. But it is not going to stop me. 

So, this year there will be two more states added to my US of A list -- Washington and Alaska. Wonder where next year will take me. But, then, I still need to explore Florida with all its corners and watering holes. Love Florida. Love the sunshine and the sunsets.

Until tomorrow...have a great day

Women Behaving Badly -- Really?

Yesterday, I wrote about the great little  Blue Dog Bar and Grill in Matlacha. What I didn't tell you was when I went to the restroom, inside the stall there was a sign:

I had to take a photo of it, because I did not want to forget this saying. And then, I got to thinking about the words and the women who have changed the course of history by going against society and its norm.

The first person who came to my mind was Susan B. Anthony. She was one of the first who vocalized women's rights in America. She was quite the lady. Her first "fight" was in 1853 to have women be recognized as teaching as a profession, and to give them better pay. Besides the labor movement, she was known for the abolition of slavery, the right for women to own property and to keep their earnings, and of course, the right for women to vote in America. Wyoming was the first state to allow women to vote in 1869, but it did not come into law until the 19th Amendment in 1920, 14 years after Anthony's death. She devoted her life to these causes, and definitely was not a well behaved woman.

Rosa Parks was one woman who had a lot of guts in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. She refused to give up her bus seat to a white person, and her defiance made her a symbol of  the Civil Rights Movement. In her years, she campaigned for civil rights, and we know how that played out -- or I should say how it is still playing out. She was not a well behaved woman.

Aung San Suu Kyi was a pro-democracy activist in Burma, who because of her speaking out against the dictator was put under house arrest in 1989 for 15 years! After being granted the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, she was finally released and in 2010 she held a seat in Parliament. She headed the National League for Democracy in Burma, and in November of 2015 the NLD won the majority control of Parliament and they were allowed to select the next president. She was not a well behaved woman.

Then, there are the novelists, George Sand (Amantine-Lucille-Aurore Dupin) and George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) who wrote under male pen names simply because they were female. What is interesting to me is both these ladies had loves in their lives who they set up house with but did not marry them. That was a definite no-no a century or two ago. Not only that, but George Sand left her husband and eventually legally separated from him to live with another man who she fell in love with. George Eliot lived with a man who was married to another but could not get a divorce. Neither one of these women were well behaved.

Finally, there is Katherine Hepburn, lovely, lovely Katherine Hepburn, who also did not marry the love of her life. She was definitely a non-conformist and wore trousers (which became her signature) when trousers were not worn by women. She was what we consider today as a trend setter. She was not a well behaved woman.

I think of these women that I mentioned and know there are a slew of others who make history by not following all the rules, then I think of what Katherine Hepburn said, "If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun." How true, Katherine, how true!

Until tomorrow...have a great day...

Matlacha, FL and Leoma Lovegrove

Bealls is a department store known and founded in Bradenton, Florida. Although the department store is known throughout Florida, Bealls Outlet and Burkes Outlet is known in 16 of our states, notably in the sun belt but as far from Florida as Nevada and New Mexico. What is cool about the store is they have Leoma Lovegrove on their team making her designs into the most incredible clothing, accessory and household designs for the tropical feel.

This is one of her designs that I bought as a purse. I wanted to carry one of her designs to her shop in Matlacha, Florida, when I visited. She has this design as a painting, so, many of the designs that you can buy at Bealls also can be seen as an original Leoma Lovegrove or a giclees, a type of paint of her original.





Since I finished the book and was taking a week off from my writing, a friend and I decided to visit her gallery in Matlacha, (pronounced mat - la - shay). What a great day! This small community is off the coast of Cape Coral on Pine Island Road, and it easily accessible and small enough to really look around and enjoy the day.

The map below is a general idea of where Matlacha is in Florida.








What you find in the small community is a number of colorful buildings  (shown above) where you find funky dresses and accessories.



But, we were on the quest to see Leoma's gallery (shown at the right), and OMG it was incredible. I fell in love with a number of her paintings, and I really need to add her feel-good style to my walls. I just don't know which one. That is the question. I wish I could show you a sample, but I don't think that is allowed. If you go to her website, though, it will give you an idea of her paintings. It is leomalovegrove.com. The samples she shows on the website is simply that, a sample. She has literally hundreds of different paintings in her gallery from the smallest to the largest. And it appeared that when she paints, she paints in themes or colors so you could easily put a few together to make a larger display. I could have stayed there all day looking at her paintings, loving the feeling of the sea creatures and tropical feels, but we became hungry and asked where to eat. We were directed to the Blue Dog Bar and Grill a few doors away.

What a treat.




My friend went wild when she saw they had smoked mullet on the menu, so she asked for an appetizer and I tried an unfamiliar fish. It was good, and definitely had a zing to it. We both had a grouper sandwich, but there was a number of sandwiches, wraps, and salads to choose from. And the inside was the decor of old Florida. I loved it.

The picture to the right is of the bar area (and if you notice the guy in the far right corner that is the owner -- great guy). The picture above is the dining area. I could tell there are a lot of good times in this restaurant. And our waitress, Sophia, was outstanding. I felt like I was at home in the company of good friends. A definite go-back-to restaurant. And I will try the smoked mullet again.

All in all, a great way to end the week, and a definite must for those who are going to travel in the Ft. Meyer area, that is if you like the small artsy communities which are all around Florida.

Until tomorrow...have a great day...

Wine

We've heard it for a long time now, red wine is healthy for our hearts. Why?

It has to do with the resveratrol found in the grapes/berries that the red wine is made from. This resveratrol or antioxidant property helps to dilate arteries and increases blood flow. Therefore, it helps the heart against attack and strokes.

But, wait, wine is good for a number of other symptoms -- reduces the risk of Type II diabetes, helps with depression and overall mental health, has been proven to increase our lifespan, helps with osteoporosis, and because of the antioxidant factor, helps with a number of cancers, such as breast, prostate, liver, oral, and colon. Also helps cut the risks of cataracts.

No wonder this beverage has been around forever. I would say the Europeans have it right. Many have wine at the dinner table. As long as you drink the vino in moderation, i.e., about 4-8 ounces a day, you also get a better night's sleep.

So, what about the white wine and the rose?

White wine is made from white grapes, and although the white wine does not protect your heart like the red wine, it is being studied more and researchers are finding that white wine has resveratrol, antioxidants, too. It's just that white wine is fermented differently which gives the antioxidants a different value. I would keep an eye out for that article!


Rose is made from the purple grape, which is the same grape as the red wine, so I would think that rose is similar to the red wine. But not as much. What happens in the processing of  rose wine (and white wine, too) is the skin from the grape is taken away faster than when making red wine. With red wine, the skin is left on as the grape is fermented.

To sum it up, red wine is fermented in its grape skin which helps with the heart; rose wine uses the same grape as the red wine but the skin is taken off; and the white wine is made from white grapes and its skin is taken off. I'm sure there is a lot more involved, but that is a very condensed form.

Personally, I prefer white or rose, and my wine of choice at this moment is Moscato, which is a sweet wine, almost what you would serve as a dessert wine. I used to be a Chadonnay or Chablis drinker, but my taste buds have changed. I just wish I could find a good red wine that is not so bold. I have tried a few, but to date I have not found one that goes with my palate.

And since the glass of rose is poured, I might as well go and enjoy it.

Until tomorrow...have a great day....

Back to Writing Next Week

My week break is over. It is time to get back to work as a writer. Yes, I know this blog qualifies, but I have loftier plans -- you know, more blogs, books, short stories, historical fiction -- my brain and imagination is on overtime. Gotta, gotta, gotta -- I am obsessed.

So, what's in store. First and foremost is the collection of short stories. The last story is to the editor and once I get it back from her, I will send it to my readers. My editor is great, brought to light my weakness, which is I write in the future past, i.e., I like to use "would" instead of the a simple past tense verb. Such as, I knew I would have finished the story by the end of the week. Simple past is I finished the story by Friday. Bad example, but I just like to use "would", so after I write all my "woulds" I go through and rewrite.

I think of Hemingway's line as I write, "Write the truest sentence that you know." I'm trying, Ernest, I'm trying.

The readers are great because I get insight to how the reader perceives the story. My readers have seen five of the nine stories so far. There is only one of those five which has one scene that needs to be explained more. So, I say, good job Mary. Of course, there are minor quirks and corrections that need to be made, like to call a thoroughfare without a sidewalk a street or avenue or road or lane. Understand that. Can't wait to hear what they say about the last four stories.

Once I have all the stories back from the editor and the readers, I go back to work and make all the necessary corrections and rewrites.

In between time, though, I can research the publishing houses. I do believe I have it narrowed to Amazon or LuLu. But I need to do a complete search to select the correct one.

In between time, I can compile the stories on how I want to introduce them to the public. After this is complete, I am going to use one more editor to go over everything as it will be presented to the public. I am going to use a person I met through my writer's group, and she has experience at publishing, so she should be a big help.

That's the collection of short stories that are written.

Then, I am going to start the next project by giving one afternoon a week to writing an outline of 12 books that are going be a series. I will start with a brief synopsis to each book, and once the collection of shorts is published, I will focus on the first in the series.

On another hand, I have started listening to stories I am going to put together about soldiers. Another collection of short stories.

And I want to start going through my paternal side's genealogy so I can write that history. It would be a dry run for the business I am considering of being a personal historian. If I enjoy that type of writing, I will do two others, one for a friend, another for a business. Then, I will advertise. All takes time.

And I am going back to the other blog on wordpress about the crazy words we use in the English language. I hope it will help the foreign speakers learn some of our phrases and cliches and idioms. That will happen the middle of August. That is a given. I am going back to it because on that blog I received a comment from someone who lives out of the U.S. and he said he liked it and wanted more. Thank you and you will get more.

Next time I look up, I should have the first draft of book 1 of  the series finished. Hey, I am on a roll. My dream....

Until Monday...may you follow your dreams, whatever they may be...have a great weekend.

Getting Ready for China

This entire fitbit thing started because I want to go to China. I am preparing for this "once in a lifetime" trip and it looks, at this point, I will be going solo but with a group. From all the reading about traveling in this part of the world, I feel that I need to heed their advice and be physically fit. I am, a bit. I am getting better though.

According to the information, I should be able to walk 3-5 hours every day covering about  2-3 miles. Really, I don't think that is bad at all, but I want to make sure it is no problem with me for a number of days. I am looking at being gone for about 3 weeks. No downtime. Being "on" every day for about 3 weeks.

According to my fitbit, I walk about 2-3 miles daily, and many days over 3 miles. So, that is no problem. I am on the go for a good 3-5 hours a day, most days of my life. So. No problem there. What's my hold up, then. It's the 21 day activity guide. There is one tour where I would have a breather about day 9 while those who want to hike, can hike. Can't hike, so I would stay in the city and do some sightseeing on my own. Or, I could just sit in the hotel and at its pool and vegetate. So, I need to take a couple of vacations where I am going to be active for a good week -- on the go. Once I do that and know it is no problem, I will book.

It also gives me time to save for this vacation. Won't take too many of these costly vacations, but every once in awhile, it is worth the money. I am imagining this is one of those.

The pre-trips can not include cruises because with a cruise I am basically going at a leisurely pace. Totally different than this sort of trip. I need an active vacation for about a week to 10 days. If I can do that, I can go to China. So, where to go before? Can't be too expensive and it has to be active. I'm thinking Ireland next year. Bus tour. On, off the bus. Walk around, Kinda similar to China. Thinking about it.

Has anyone gone to Ireland on a bus tour? What do you think? Better yet, has anyone gone to China? What about there? Really, China will be my once in a lifetime trip, unless if I get to go on an African photo safari, then, that would be another once in a lifetime trips. But, that's another day. Right now, it's China. Terra Cotta Warriors, the Pandas, the Great Wall, the three gorges, Beijing, Shanghi, riding in a rickshaw, oh, it will be grand.

Until tomorrow...have a great day....

Orlando

This has been a very bad week for Orlando, its residents and visitors alike. In one week The Voice singer Christina Grimmie was shot when she was signing autographs for fans after she sang on Friday night. She died later. The next night people were finishing the last drink of the evening when a madman entered The Pulse with an assault weapon and started shooting. 49 were dead and numerous others were injured, some critically, Then, a small boy (2 years old) was playing near the water at one of the Disney Resorts and an alligator came and snatched the boy. He was found dead today.

Folks, we are talking about a 6-day span. What is going on?

I can hardly fathom these tragedies, one after another, not wanting another shoe to drop.

Christina Grimmie was a young, talented girl who was just starting out in her career, her life. Police know who the man was who killed her because he killed himself after he did his deathly deed, but the police do not know a motive. Maybe there was none, but he drove from his home in St. Petersburg to Orlando to kill. Apparently, he thought he was going to kill and then go back home. Glad to hear he did not make it. Sorry to know we will never know the heights Christina could have reached.

Then, the mass murders at a gay nightclub in Orlando. I am beyond words for this one. Another madman walked into a bar at its closing hours and simply opened fire on the partygoers. I understand he also fired more than one shot into some who were already dead. Sick. Sick. Sick. This is one of those happenings that we, as Americans, will never forget. It shows there are no safe places in this world any longer, no matter where you are, no matter who you are.

People in Chicago get killed all the time, even when they are sitting in their house, readying for bed, saying a prayer, they get killed.

It's almost like we are becoming desensitized because of all the killings, and then The Pulse happens, and we sink to a lower level of sorrow. The killings do not bring fear, though, at least not for me and those I know. We only feel sorrow. Deep sorrow. We feel sorrow for the dead, and more for the living who have to relive those moments throughout their lives, and for the family and friends who loved and cared for all whether for those who lost a life or those who lost a sense of trust of returning to a place where friends and family died.

Personally, I feel sorrow because my world as I knew it has ended; it was a world where I roamed without having to look over my shoulder, a world where mass murders occurred but seldom, or a world filled with so much hate that someone would rather kill someone else because another person has what they did not want to work for. I feel sorrow because those who come after me will never know the same freedom of movement we boomers felt as we grew and explored the world we live in.

I do not understand hate. Simply do not understand.

Then, there was the toddler. I would assume after a long day of touring the Disney park(s), the parents were taking a breather by the water about 9 p.m. (It was movie night). Whether or not they saw the sign that said, "No swimming", they knew their toddler was not capable of swimming but he was wading along the lagoon's shores, and that is when the alligator attacked and pulled him in. The father and mother jumped in to save their boy, but to no avail. I can not even fathom the thoughts and feelings these parents are experiencing at this moment.

Just a note on alligators: June is their mating season, and they are nocturnal animals, which means that they are more active at night. But, really folks, respect Mother Nature and Nature. They win over us humans. Do not feed animals, respect their habitat, and never, never go close to a wild animal. Florida is fun, but we do have bears, wolfs, foxes, and alligators.

In between time, though, Orlando, I am sorry for these happenings in your city. Now, enough is enough. No more mass murders, no more hate crimes, no more alligator snatchings. Enough is enough.

Until tomorrow...have a good day...

There Is Life After the Story

As I said, last Thursday at 8:30 p.m. I finished the last story for the collection of short stories. I spent Friday with four longtime friends, and we talked and laughed for nearly 3 hours at a restaurant (yes, we tipped the waitress exceedingly well). We had such a good time that people would come up to us and ask how we knew each other. We said we had known each other for over 50 years -- we shared many a story together during those years.

But, that was Friday. My days and nights have been consumed with writing the stories or thinking about the next scene to write for a very long time, and now I am freed from the stories. The stories have been told. So, now what?

I do want to take a bit of a break  (maybe a week) before I start the corrections/rewrites, and also start outlining the first in a series of books I have in my head. So, what did I do. I went to the library Saturday. This is the first time I have been to the library in this town, and I must say, I am impressed. I signed up for my card.

My, how libraries have changed. This is part of the Hillsborough County Library System, and here you can rent videos. Also, you can rent audio books (the attendant said this was a big seller as people listen to books on their way to and from work). You can even rent cds, and listen to the music anytime, anywhere. They had from rock 'n roll to gospel to jazz and country. In other words, anything can be found there.

They had many stations where a person could use their computers to research or simply check your email or facebook.
Notice in the back, the sign -- genealogy. This entire room is devoted to genealogy research. They have a genealogist who works a couple of mornings a week and helps the novice research the family tree. I will definitely take advantage of this room. I also spent a good hour in this room on Saturday.

Finally, my love. Books. There was an adequate selection, but I would imagine the majority are housed in the library in Tampa. I need to visit it one day. Of course, if there is a certain book that I am looking for they can order it for me from the system and I can pick it up at this library. Notice, too, the desks. I have decided as I start the series of books, I am going to set aside days to write outside the house (I just need to get out of the house a bit while I am writing), and I believe this is one place where I am going to get well known. And I will know it well.

More exploring of Florida is on the list. Will keep you updated on places around Florida I have visited so you may want to check them out when you visit Florida. Then again, you can ask me any question about Florida, and if I know the answer I will share. And if I don't know the answer, I will try my darndest to find the answer.

Until tomorrow...have a great day

I Loooovvvveeee Massages

Twice a month on a Wednesday, Diane comes to my house and after I undress, I place myself head down on her massage table. AAAAHHHH Massage. My lovely, feel good, good for you body rub. If I were a rich man I would have Diane come to my house every day in late afternoon, early evening for a massage. Since, I am not a rich man, twice a month is what I will settle on.

My first massage was aboard a ship when a friend and I toured Europe and took a ship from France to New York City. The year was 1972, and I had my first massage. Needless to say, I was hooked. But just because I was hooked does not mean they were common to be found.

The next time I had a massage was years later when the local YMCA hired a masseuse a couple days a week. I signed up and had a real Swedish massage by a strong German lady who spoke German. I was in heaven, but she did not last long in the area and once again, it was a long wait for the next massage.

In the early '80s, there was a beauty salon that opened in my small town and they offered many beauty treatments along with massage. I signed up. Went there while they were in business, but once again, that business did not thrive in the small town. By this time, though, massage therapists could be found working out of their homes. I found a couple and stuck with them through the years.

My favorite was a woman named Jan, and when she massaged that body, I knew it. The people at work would ask me how I got the bruises, and I told them my massage therapist. They said, and you pay good money to get beat up. No, she did not beat me up, she gave me deep tissue massage, very deep and I asked for it. The thing was after she worked on me and about 2 or 3 days later, I never felt better in my life. Ever. I don't know what she did, but she had the touch.

There are four basic massage types"

1. -- Swedish, which is a gentle kneading of the body. (Most people prefer this massage)
2. -- Deep tissue, which firmly kneads the kinks out of the muscles. (This is my favorite)
3. -- Sports, which is for the athlete and I would imagine similar to the deep tissue.
4. -- Trigger Point, which focuses on tight muscles

Diane uses a combination of Swedish, deep tissue and trigger point.

When she first arrives at my house, she asks me how I've been. Usually, I say my shoulder is bothering me (that is a constant), maybe my lower back (usually), and maybe there has been cramping in my legs. Then, she spreads a lotion or oil over the part she is working (I am under a sheet and she pulls out the arm, uncovers the back, pulls out the leg as she works that part of the body). We talk about what we have been doing, and I comment to go deeper or to lessen up. This happens for 50-60 minutes.

Once finished, I take a large drink of water and dress, and she takes apart her bed. I feel like a million bucks and do not do anything but rest and read for the rest of the day.

Sometimes when I travel, I will try the different forms of massage, but they are sooo expensive. I have had bamboo, which I was not impressed with, and regular deep tissue or Swedish. The best massage I had while traveling was with a male therapist who gave me a hot stone massage in Hawaii (he was recommended to me by the concierge) and he worked on this body for over an hour, and to this day, I still remember how good that massage was.

I know that massage helps my arthritis and the lower back discomfort from sitting too long at the computer.

At Christmas, I fell and landed on my knee but did not hurt it. I told Diane about the fall. She would not massage that leg until I had it checked. I went to the doctor, told her about the fall, and she said that was okay. But the problem came in when I told her that after the fall, I drove home, which turned out to be about a 10 hour drive. They did an ultra sound on my leg because all the sitting could have caused a blood clot (what Diane told me why she would not massage that leg). I was fine, and the leg was massaged next time. In essence, it is wise to let the massage therapist know what has been going on with the body because maybe there may be a risk that should be considered (like the blood clot).

There are just so many benefits from massage. It may be considered an alternative medicine, but I view it as preventive and additional to my caring for this body. When I was working, I went to reduce the stress in my life or muscle tension (which can be caused by stress). When I formed arthritis, I had another reason to have a massage.

Go to massagetherapy.com or amtamassage.org for more information on the benefits of massaage. Or maybe think about becoming a massage therapist.

I have another week to wait for my massage. Ohh, it sounds so good right now.

Until tomorrow...have a great day

The Last Short Story Has Been Completed

UPDATE

Right now, this past moment, I have finished the 9th and last story of the collection of short stories. I have just pressed the "sent" button to my editor. I have completed Step 1 in this process to have this book of shorts published.

It is now 8:30 p.m., I am hungry and tired, and I am going to eat then sleep. Tomorrow I am going out and celebrate my completion.

I will write more on Monday.

Until then...Have a great day and weekend.

Home is Where the Heart Is

My cousins from Illinois visited me on Monday (between the downpours of rain) and it is always nice to see family.

We talked about me living in Florida and I showed them around the complex I live in, and they talked about downsizing to live in an active adult community like I live in. Downsizing brought up many conversations and even more memories for me. I told them to get rid of as much as they possibly can before moving, and to take their time. There is no hurry until you put that house on the market and it sells. I worked on my house for four years before I turned it over to a realtor. Then, ya gotta beat that drum!

Seriously, though, it doesn't make any difference where one lives as long as you want to be there. Home, that place where you hang your hat, is really inside the heart. Right now my residency is in the state of Florida because I want sunshine more days than not, and I do not want to wear a coat nor own a pair of boots.

When I owned a pair of boots, I also had a job where I was building for my future, and I had family who lived there, and I was a part of that community. But, I retired from the job, and the family left, and I could be part of any community, so I decided to go where the sun shines. But, my home is where my heart is, where there are sweet memories and remembered laughs. And that could be anywhere, from there to here to sailing the high seas. It makes no difference. Not really. As long as you are happy and you are where you want to be.

Happiness, to me, is very simple. When I wake up in the morning and see sunshine, I am happy. Then, I get ready and go out, and I see people and I hear conversations and maybe even partake in one or two, and I laugh, and I am happy. I have learned through the years that I am even happy when I meet negative people and I walk away from them. I am happy that I have learned how to do that and not feel guilty. After the basic food and shelter is met, it is fairly easy to be happy. But then, I have always been a happy person. I can not remember when I have not been happy. Sure, I have gone through bumps, but there is always a smooth road ahead. Always.

Until tomorrow...have a great day

Florida's Flooded

Well, we have had a bit of rain. So much so that in the artist community of Gulfport by St. Pete Beach, I heard they are using a kayak to get around. Then, there was the bulletin from St. Petersburg where authorities are asking people not to use water because the sewage system is full. No showers, no dishwashing, no flushing toilets. They hope all is better by tomorrow. Stinky!!! Then, there are parts of this area without electricity. My friend near Brandon has been without for two days now.

And so it is; the season has started. And it is humid. Very humid.

Sunday, before the real rain started but with dark clouds and a bit of rain, I had to drop an item off to a lady in this area. She told me I didn't really need to get out in this rain. Uh, I am used to blizzards, I think I can go out in a bit of rain. I wonder what she thought when the downpour came yesterday?

This weather continues through the first part of summer. I remember last year my niece and her family came in July and we had tickets to go to Busch Gardens. It didn't happen because they closed the entire park because of the rain. We went in January, and now they are coming back again in July and we are going to try for the park again. Hope it works out this time. After going for the first time in January, the boys liked it better than going to Universal. That is saying a lot, and they asked to come back to go to Busch Gardens again. Cool, I like it, too.

So, it's raining, and according to the extended forecast will be raining through the 16th of June, it is going to rain every single day. And Mr. Arthritis is showing his stuff. And the humidity is really high. And, yes, I am still glad I am in Florida. It is green, and when the dark clouds pass by even if the sun does not shine, it is bright out.

Until tomorrow...have a great day.

Latest News: Late Night Fasting Could Reduce Recurrence of Breast Cancer

I was reading the latest (June, 2016) edition of AARP this afternoon and I saw this small article where JAMA Oncology found that "not eating for 13 hours between dinner and breakfast may help women with early-stage breast cancer  reduce their recurrence by 36 percent." It went on to say that with every two additional hours of fasting, the average blood-sugar level went down and hours of sleeping increased." I needed to investigate this late night fasting a bit more.

When I was younger I tried the fasting bit. Can't do it. I can fast for a day, but longer than that and I am sure I am dying. So what about this. I have heard through the years that I shouldn't eat after 6 p.m. but that is also unrealistic. After 8 p.m. may be plausible, but not 6 p.m. It just won't happen with me. That would mean that I could not have breakfast until 9 a.m. That is doable. Actually, I have breakfast (slim fast) later than that, so if I quit eating and only drank water after 8 p.m. I could actually do a 14 or more fast.

So, what are the benefits of going without food for a good 13 hours?

First off, when I sit for the evening, I sit. Simple as that. I do not get up and clean or take a walk or do any sort of activity. I am done for the day, and the sitting usually starts around 8 p.m., which also was my dinner hour until reading and learning all this. This sitting made my dinner and dessert calories turn to fat because these calories are not burned off from activity. My dinner will be earlier so I have a bit of time to burn off those calories, and maybe my late night snacking will be a nice cup of green tea. Still need to keep myself hydrated, so it will be water and tea for me after 8 p.m.

Here are other benefits:

-- regulates body's hunger hormone
-- resets our body to give our body the time to clear it of toxins
-- puts our body into fat-burning mode, hence, lose weight
-- protects our body against blood sugar problems
-- helps our body reduce inflammation
-- increases antioxidant enzymes

Of course, with the cancer thing, people still need to watch that red meat and refined carbo intakes, and to eat lots of the green stuff.

But, really, all this sounds good. Really good. My question is, do you think that by fasting 13 plus hours a day could also help those who have diabetes? Just a thought with the info about protecting our body against blood sugar problems. There may be a lot to say about this late night fasting thing. And I know I can do this. This is a no-brainer. Done.

Until tomorrow...have a great day

What's Next With the Book

This is the weekend I will complete the book of short stories. So, what's next?

The last short story will be sent to my first editor for review. After I have her suggestions and edits, I will make the necessary corrections, then send the last two shorts to my readers.

They give me further insight into how well the story will be received by the public reader. One of my readers, a ferocious reader, helped me understand that I could have done better with one part of one of my stories. After a three hour phone conversation, talking about the story and my intentions of the story, I saw how I was going to change that one part of the story. It's one part, a couple of paragraphs, but I do believe it will be better, give the reader more of an insight into a behavior (it is also important because from this story I will expand the character into a series of books).

After I receive the comments from the readers, I will make the corrections, change parts (such as that mentioned above) and self-edit.

After that is completed, I will compile the pages in a notebook exactly how I want the stories introduced to the reader.

Then, it will go to one final person who will look at the finished product one last time before I start the publishing process.

As a former journalist and editor, I know the process and how important it is to have many eyes look at the writings. I am putting my work before the public and I want it to be the best, not have a single flaw or misspelled word. I do not want my readers to be distracted from the story; I want it to be professional in all senses. If I was going the traditional way of publishing by having the book published by a publishing house, this would all be done for me by the house. Since I am going INDIE, I need to make sure that all the steps are completed.

And that is just the beginning.

Until Monday...have a great weekend.

(Sur)names -- Where Did They Come From?

Upfront, I have published this before on another blog I have/had, and I do think it is interesting enough to post to this Google blog. So, if you are interested in where your name came from, read on.

There were no surnames before around the year 1000 A.D. because there simply were not enough people in the world. Then, the population began to expand and it was needed that when John owed Paul, someone needed to know which John and which Paul were in question, so instead of being called John, son of James, John was called John Jameson. And so it began in those early days of Western Europe. Keep in mind that these examples are for the English origin of surnames. There are endings for German, Polish, Russian, etc., etc, which will tell their own story. Common "son of" names include: -son, O'-, Mac- or Mc-, -ucci, -wicz, Fitz-, and -ski.

As a sidebar, all given or first names back then were either derived from the saints or Christian names -- courtesy of the Pope. He outlawed pagan names in the 4th century, first saying all names had to be from the saints, then a later Pope said they simply had to be Christian names. Since it was only Popes and Kings who had the "say" back then, in the beginning, we were all Peter, Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Mary, Margaret, and Elizabeth. Thank goodness that the population was small. Could you imagine 1000 Marys walking around in the same town without a surname. Who would be who? Could you imagine someone yelling, "hey, Mary, and all Marys turn around at once!

Back to the surnames. There are four distinct categories how we got our surname:

1. Kinship -- what I wrote on above, being the son, daughter, or family of

2. Location -- Nobles took the name of their estate, peasants took the name of their village. So, if you lived in London, your last name could be London, or if you lived near a mill, you could be named Mill. Churchill was a man who lived near a church and a hill, hence, Churchill. Or, think of a compass direction -- Eastman (a man from the East) or Westwood (someone who came from the woods to the West). Maybe your last name is Greenwood. You could have come from the village of Green by the woods. Fun to try to figure out, huh?

3. Occupation -- Here is where we get common surnames -- Smith (blacksmith), Miller (mills), Taylor (altered clothing), Cook, Farmer, and Bishop (employed by the Bishop). So, if I was going to get a surname today, it could be Mary Writer, or if my father wrote, I would be Mary Writerson, or maybe Mary Wordsmith, or Mary Wordson. Of course, the vast majority of people were not educated (only the nobles and clergy), so unless if I came from that family, I never would have learned to write let alone know how to read the alphabet.

4. Nicknames -- Armstrong got his name because he was strong in the arm, or Redman because he was a man with, say, red hair or he had a red cast to his skin. Think of the names of Little or Small, Tall or Big.

Now that I have explained how the surnames started some 1000 years ago, I need to let you know that as we migrated to America, all may have changed, or the spelling changed. I know that my surname has gone through some four different spellings as the years wore on. Also, if you could not read or write and you were coming to America, it was up to the person who was taking your information to spell your name correctly, if they did that at all. You just may have gotten a surname of the village you came from or the river known in that area of the "old country" because the intake person could get that information from the ship's log. They did not need to spell, they could copy the letters as best as they could make out. Presto -- new surname.

The next time I see a Taylor or Miller or Armstrong or Davidson or Greenwood, I will know what their forefathers were known for. Right now I am thinking of Hugh Jackman, and I know at some point in his ancestor's long history, there was a man of Jack...

Hope you enjoyed this bit of information. I find all this fascinating, and fun to figure out.

Until tomorrow...have a great day.

The Projects I Am Working On

Along with the writing, I am currently working on 3 projects: the mosaic picture frame, the stain glass car and the set of pasta bowls. I should finish the mosaic picture frame shortly after the book is complete and to the editor. The set of pasta bowls is ongoing and I expect it will take me most of the year to hand paint each bowl, but I do have two complete, so they are shown below. The other long term project is the stain glass car. I have the glass cut out and I am ready to grind.

Pieces for the mosaic picture frame are pictured here

This plate was made for me when Katie was a child (she is my great niece) and I have kept it all these years. Now, she is graduating high school and she will be off to college in the fall. I found an old picture frame which I painted white (right), and I will break the plate and put the pieces along the rim of the picture frame and she will have something truly unique. (I hope it turns out because I have never worked with mosaics before). Will share the finished piece with you at a later date.


Ongoing is the ceramic pasta bowls. I have painted the colors on the greenware instead of firing the greenware first. This is done so the colors are more vibrant.

Here (to the left) the bowl is while I am painting on the greenware. Then, once all the colors were painted onto the greenware, the bowl was fired (below to the right)

                                            

And here they are with glaze and ready to be gifted. Only six more to go. It took me approximately one month to do these two bowls, so by the time I do six more and then the large pasta bowl, I figure I should be finished late fall.


The final piece I am working on and I expect it to take me the entire year to do is the stain glass car. I have now made the pattern, glued it to the glass, cut the glass and have it ready to grind. To date, this is how it looks:

This is a far cry from what it will look like at the end, but this is part of the process. A long process. And it is a process that is completely foreign to me, so I go slow. Very slow. I was going to start grinding today, but I wasn't in the mood. Hopefully, Friday. I will definitely show this off when it is complete.

Until tomorrow...have a great day.