I just got word a few minutes ago. My beloved husband is coming home, and he’ll be home through New Year’s and Friday, too! Why? Dustin (leader of the pack) and Zach, Forrest’s driver manager, have arranged it so that he’s taking a load up to Alberta that delivers Monday. Joy, joy, joy. He’ll be home for dinner tonight, and I’ll get to wrap my arms around him for a whole couple of days!!! Life has given me something to smile about. Thank you, Dustin and Zach of the Northwest Regional Fleet of System Transport!
Author: D. L. Keur
Getting the New Computer, Me, & Space Sorted
This week has been spent getting the new computer sorted–installing and setting up programs and the like. And, of course, I’m not even done by half. (Last week was a wash with all the connection problems…which, for the moment, seem to have settled down some). And, of course, most set-ups I’m doing require or have to do with connecting to remote locations and my websites and server…which requires a stable (what’s that?) connection. Email has proven to be the most fitful to get settled, especially with using a local client rather than some big box in the Cloud. (Never, no, uh-uh, not and compromise my clients’ correspondence, never mind my own correspondence with friends, which, admittedly, is sparse).
I’ve also been doing a lot of thinking…which has proven somewhat sobering, a little depressing, but may mean greater productivity with more satisfying outcomes.
Oh, and we got the recording studio and its dedicated computer set-up almost done, too (That required Forrest’s expertise.) That means that I will begin recording TIAM soon, along with A Gathering of Rebels (well, re-recording them). I’ll start with short stories, first, though, to get back in practice.
Last, I set up my practice areas, which is good. For too long things have been half-baked in the music practice department.
Next week, I’ll get back to working on some art for Marva that I started on the other computer, only to have to transfer everything to this station since I’ll be vacationing that one. (It’s tired and in desperate need of some TLC.)
Thanksgiving at Our House, 2014
This year, again I’m not sure whether Forrest will be home for Thanksgiving. As usual when it’s up-in-the-air, we plan to do dinner out. This year, like last, we’ve got reservations for eight at The Trinity. I’m hoping Forrest will make it, but I’m not holding my breath.
The Problem with Social Media
Here’s a problem: Citing articles that you know nobody will read through, then attributing some quote to someone that isn’t in the article. Anyone can attribute a quote to anyone, grabbing a picture of them somewhere and then laying some outrageous text in quotes on it. And maybe they didn’t say it, at all. Then, again, maybe they did. There is a social responsibility to be honest and to verify sources. I know that sounds like it’s only for “real journalists,” but, today, we are all “journalists,” so we all own a responsibility not to falsify our content and to provide valid citations.
Morning rant due to this: https://www.facebook.com/MintpressNewsMPN/photos/a.427073724002835.96035.277613075615568/782852705091600/?type=1
While I have no doubt that corporate mentality holds this view, I still want to see proof–legitimate proof–before accepting something as fact.
ADD/EDIT:
David Revad Riley, a premier artist friend of mine found this: And I quote. (The post is on FB.)
David Riley Such an old story too. here is a better quote…
“The fact is they [activists] are talking first of all only about the smallest part of the water usage,” he says. “I am the first one to say water is a human right. This human right is the five litres of water we need for our daily hydration and the 25 litres we need for minimum hygiene.
“This amount of water is the primary responsibility of every government to make available to every citizen of this world, but this amount of water accounts for 1.5% of the total water which is for all human usage.
“Where I have an issue is that the 98.5% of the water we are using, which is for everything else, is not a human right and because we treat it as one, we are using it in an irresponsible manner, although it is the most precious resource we have. Why? Because we don’t want to give any value to this water. And we know very well that if something doesn’t have a value, it’s human behaviour that we use it in an irresponsible manner.
And the source article in the Guardian newspaper back in 2013.
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/nestle-peter-brabeck-attitude-water-change-stewardship
A Friend Who Writes Good Books & Gives Them Away Free
I have a friend, and she writes books–lots of books. Her name is Marva Dasef, and she calls herself The Cellophane Queen…because nobody seems to notice her or how good her books are.
Why is that I wonder?
It’s not as though she doesn’t have a very strong online presence and thousands of followers on FB, G+ and all those other social networks. It’s not as though she doesn’t have multiples of books available in every known format from dead tree print to audio to every possible variety and kind of eBook platform.
And she’s got good ranking on Amazon, to boot.
But, gee, I guess nobody much is…what? Into magic and mystery and adventure stories for middle graders? Likes a good mystery written for adults? Or true stories of the Old West?
Really?
Really?
…
Try ’em. You’ll like ’em.
Today, Marva is offering her YA Fantasy adventure for free. It’s called Quest for the Simurgh, Faizah’s Destiny, and you can find it here at Amazon.com–“The gods are at war and only a farmer’s daughter can save the world from Armageddon.”