THE CAPRICIOUS WRITER (Book) http://www.Writing.Com/main/books.php/item_id/1043512/action/archive THE SHIP WILL TAKE YOU TO MY NEW BLOG ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Thu, 12 Apr 2007 19:03:22 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/497890 I feel like a dope! Yesterday I couldn’t get online and my digital phone didn’t work. I thought it was a problem with my modem, so I called the cable company and they set up an appointment for a repairman to come out some time in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, my brother had a ten page paper due for his online class, but couldn’t send it in. The earliest the ca...[Read Full Post] Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:45:06 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/497762 I was having a few technical problems with my computer early this morning, so I'm praying it will continue working normally at least until I can get a new one in May. Yesterday I was disturbed by the report of rat poison in the dog food. It wasn't until the evening news that I learned that it might not have been accidental after all...careless but accid...[Read Full Post] Sat, 24 Mar 2007 15:19:08 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/497345 Today’s newspaper reported a local pet owner rushing her dog to the veterinarian. Meatball, her Neapolitan Mastiff, was lethargic and didn’t want to eat. The dog’s illness progressed and it died en route. The dog’s owner had mixed a meat and gravy product to its dry food, something I do for my dogs. I will be even more cautious then I have been whe...[Read Full Post] Fri, 23 Mar 2007 15:40:30 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/497183 When I was first entering college, I took a sophomore philosophy class. I wasn’t ready for a sophomore philosophy class. The first book we studied was Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. I was lost and didn’t understand it. Later I studied the same book as a work of literature and I understood it and could engage others in discussions about it. The...[Read Full Post] Fri, 23 Mar 2007 01:35:49 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/496979 The dictionary defines corruption as "dishonesty for personal gain: dishonest exploitation of power for personal gain". If indeed money talks then corruption is when elected officials start listening to the voice of money and no longer to the people. When the people are not heard concerning an unfair issue I can't hold back. I may not be a public sp...[Read Full Post] Wed, 21 Mar 2007 17:16:21 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/496700 I am an animal lover. I have nine dogs, three cats and four kittens. Each one has a personality. Each one is a member of the family. I have never had to be so concerned about the food I was buying for them until today. I just got back from daily shopping for pet food, and I paused awhile in the pet food aisle to consider what food was safe for my a...[Read Full Post] Tue, 20 Mar 2007 19:40:01 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/496530 A few weeks ago I blogged [Link to Book Entry #490153] and how dog hair was being used in some fur coats. They were slaughtered inhumanely just for their coats. Now there is another inhumane slaughter that has been brought to my attention. Seals are being slaughtered, seal pups no less. Why? They are being slaughtered for their fur. Many people ...[Read Full Post] Mon, 19 Mar 2007 16:43:50 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/496275 I’m a big fan of superhero movies, and in many of the movies when a superhero first develops that super power there comes that realization that “with great power comes great responsibility”. It may not be a super power, but every writer does have a power they can use to great affect, the power of words. As a writer life has taught me the power of words. Words can hurt, or words can heal. They can mend sorrows a...[Read Full Post] Sun, 18 Mar 2007 17:30:49 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/496006 Before Captain Jack Sparrow there was one pirate who inspired decades of book-loving young boys! That pirate was Captain Long John Silver. Having completed Stephen King’s Dreamcatcher I have been trying to decide on the next great literary masterpiece to read. The sig that was gifted to me yesterday has inspired me to again read my favor...[Read Full Post] Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:27:22 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/495751 It’s crazy at South Padre Island this week. It’s not a place I want to be during Spring Break. It was reported last night that someone fell from a hotel balcony. This isn’t the first time that has happened during Spring Break. The news also reported that the number of rapes is higher than it’s ever been. It is not the safes...[Read Full Post] Fri, 16 Mar 2007 20:47:34 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/495592 Half the month is over and there are sixteen more days until the deadline for the [Link To Item #1205704] . We have a few fantastic entries so far, but there is still room for more, so I'm sending out a second call for entries! WRITE ON! WRITE ON! WRITE ON! ** I...[Read Full Post] Thu, 15 Mar 2007 23:17:27 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/495381 Today’s entry presents a question of ethics and immigration. Immigration is an issue often debated in Washington. Illegal immigration and drug smuggling are very real problems on the border, but how many people that debate the issue in our nation’s capital have ever lived or spent much time on the border. Sure we have the occasional vis...[Read Full Post] Wed, 14 Mar 2007 17:34:54 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/495137 I may not be a meteorologist, but I do notice patterns. It is the week of Spring Break and thousands of college students have flocked to South Padre Island. For the past couple of years, every time Spring Break week comes around there is bad weather. It either gets cold at the beginning of the week, too cold to go to the beach, or it rains. Last night there we...[Read Full Post] Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:43:20 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/494878 There is a debate going on in Florida over a Ten Commandments display at a courthouse. There is nothing that makes my blood boil like someone who should know better arguing that “Separation of Church and State” is stipulated in the U.S. Constitution. When someone argues that the Ten Commandments displayed at a courthouse is in violation of ...[Read Full Post] Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:34:37 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/494551 This will be a short entry because it's late and I'm tired. I still have to adjust to the time change. We lost an hour and I'm feeling it! Earlier this week my brother was planning to rent "The Prestige", but it wasn't available, so he brought home "The Illusionist". We watched it and I took it back today to bring h...[Read Full Post] Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:20:55 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/494425 I am still a news and information "junkie". I could spend hours surfing the web to read newspapers and visit different information sites. I would list them all for easy access, but there is not enough space on the "Misc Links" list to list them all, so I have created another website to accomodate them: [Link To Item #1230504] Are you ready for Daylight...[Read Full Post] Sat, 10 Mar 2007 21:14:55 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/494120 Question: Of what real value is Daylight Savings Time anymore? Do we even need it? Everyone I talk to seems to wonder the very same thing. This weekend Daylight Savings Time begins early and it has been mentioned on the news that it might affect high-tech gadgets. If so will it affect those areas that don’t observe Daylight Savings Time? Computers are world wi...[Read Full Post] Fri, 09 Mar 2007 20:35:58 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/493802 Whereas many people in the Northern U.S. have to shovel winter snow I had to mow the lawn today. My yard was starting to look like a wildlife refuge in the middle of town, and indeed you will find wild birds in my backyard habitat that you won’t normally find anywhere else in town. I like wildlife! However, the city doesn’t like overgrown yards, so I had to do...[Read Full Post] Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:50:45 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/493557 I was talking online with a friend of mine last night, and she brought to my attention a Primetime news report of a man claiming to be Jesus Christ. This following on the heels of Sunday’s ludicrous documentary about the lost tomb of Christ gave me the subject for today’s blog entry. I prefer the New King James Version of the Bible because the words of Christ...[Read Full Post] Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:09:01 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/493163 Many years ago there was a man who got behind the pulpit of a church and taught end-time prophecy contrary to Biblical Scripture! It outraged my uncle who had a lot of questions, so I took an intensive look at Biblical prophecy and the “end of days”. I wrote an extensive paper by long-hand on the subject and still have it in my Bible. T...[Read Full Post] Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:20:35 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/493024 Today we took a drive to Baffin Bay. It was pretty much an all day trip there and back again. Baffin Bay is where they have all the fishing tournaments and one can look out across the water to see Padre Island which I estimate is the longest of the state’s barrier islands. South Padre is going to be busy with Spring Breakers next week. North P...[Read Full Post] Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:03:05 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/492830 Much has been written about the Irish temperament. Much has been said of the German temperament. Things have also been written of the Cherokee temperament. I am of Scotch-Irish, German, and Cherokee descent and I’m a writer, so if I feel strongly or passionate about something I’m going to express it! I am also a student of Bible prophecy! The ludicrous claim by James Cameron that the tomb of Jesus and his family has been found is going to air on a documentary tonight. But if that is his claim then he denies the person and divinity of the true Christ! In w...[Read Full Post] Sun, 04 Mar 2007 17:57:32 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/492439 My favorite line in the movie “Batman Begins” is when he says, “It’s not who I am underneath, but it’s what I do that defines me.” It’s what we do that defines who we are, who we become, and how people will remember us. The poetry reading went well last night. It took place at the library in the evening h...[Read Full Post] Sat, 03 Mar 2007 10:48:38 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/492021 Sometimes I see on TV a character fretting over another year passing. I’ve known some people fret about turning 25. I remember an episode of “Friends” where they were fretting about turning 30. I’ll be turning 37 in a few months. I’ve never worried about aging even when my younger brother told me I’m starting to look like an ol...[Read Full Post] Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:27:07 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/491568 Matthew 28:11-15 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and...[Read Full Post] Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:53:52 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/491329 I don’t know who was stressed more, me or my mother! I know I often write about having faith and not worrying, but at times I can be a worrywart. Yesterday afternoon my mother had to conduct some stressful telephone business at which time my brother had to rush off to work. After she hung up the phone she had a little knot on her wrist. We really didn&#8217...[Read Full Post] Tue, 27 Feb 2007 13:08:39 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/490962 Has it ever happened to you? It’s happened to me more times than I care to confess. You have a pressing deadline, but as you get online to work you get distracted. An email account is calling to you. You want to see what’s going on at MySpace. There is so much interesting information to be gleaned at Wikipedia, not to mention all that&#...[Read Full Post] Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:21:46 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/490764 A power outage can sure throw off a day’s schedule. I had everything planned out for the afternoon. I would do a few reviews and send a cnote to my secret pal before getting down to editing my novel, polishing it up before I send it out for publication. Unfortunately my plans were interrupted by a city-wide power outage. I was able to do the r...[Read Full Post] Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:07:58 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/490380 My title for this entry may sound odd if not a bit comical, but if you are a dog-lover like I am then the bit of news I just finished reading is quite disturbing. It has to do with those fake furs you may have bought at the store and keep buried in the closet in the summer-time when it’s too warm outside to d a wear them. Do you know exactly where that supposed fake fur came from, or ...[Read Full Post] Fri, 23 Feb 2007 20:47:56 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/490153 I awoke at 3 o'clock this morning with excruciating stomach pains that wouldn't let me get back to sleep. It wasn't anything I ate, but a stomach flu has been going around. Staying in bed is no fun at all, but I am tired and nauseous. My brother has it too,but he has to finish a fifteen page report by tomorrow, so it was recomended that I ...[Read Full Post] Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:56:01 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/489881 Today we took a drive out to La Villa to the La Palomas Wildlife Management Area. The land is dry, but they have constructed a series of fountains and pools with water dripping from pvc pipes and everywhere I went I could hear water dripping to attract the birds. It is official! I am scheduled to read my poetry for the ArtWalk in front of the libra...[Read Full Post] Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:03:57 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/489728 It’s been a good day today! My testimony has won first place in the “Show Me A Miracle” contest! My entry, [Link To Item #1031457] , is also scheduled for publication in LIVE magazine in June. I pray it can be an encouragement and a blessing to others. I have also set [Link To Item #1205704] in motion. Same rules; different ...[Read Full Post] Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:36:41 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/489435 I happened upon an interesting piece of news today about scientific endeavors to regrow severed body parts. Imagine a man that could do that! It sounds like science fiction, but so was space travel at one time. ****** Researchers are trying to ...[Read Full Post] Mon, 19 Feb 2007 23:51:51 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/489214 The First Round of the "Man Versus Nature Contest" is over, and they were some terrific stories: FIRST ROUND WINNERS ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** FIRST PLACE: [Link To Item #1058179] SECOND PLACE: [Link To Item #1211711] THIRD PLACE: [Link To Item #1132149] HONORABLE MENTIONS: ...[Read Full Post] Sun, 18 Feb 2007 23:04:32 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/488986 When I first toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water, a house built over a waterfall, I thought that was the coolest thing in the world. He didn’t destroy nature to build a house. He built the house around nature. There was a living tree in the middle of the house and wherever you went you could hear the running water. Today I read of a village in China b...[Read Full Post] Sat, 17 Feb 2007 20:19:07 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/488756 The MAN VERSUS NATURE CONTEST is closed for judging, and let me say that it has been a lot of fun. I have received more encouraging comments and donations, so the contest will be going for another round. There are writing contests here at WDC that are continuous. They go from round to round. Perhaps that is what I will do with the Man Versus Nature C...[Read Full Post] Fri, 16 Feb 2007 20:36:15 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/488546 I remember my neighbors the Scofields. They were both on up in age. She was in her upper eighties, and he was in his nineties. I used to see him everyday taking walks. Then one day I didn’t see him any more. He had fallen and broken his hip. Because of complications with his injury they amputated his foot. From there his health deteriorated and he developed Alzheimer’s. He was taken to a nurs...[Read Full Post] Thu, 15 Feb 2007 17:25:12 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/488319 My brother and I have had to split computer time since he’s taking online courses with Colorado Christian University. He has his own computer now, but mine is the only one with an online connection. Anyway…he has on occasion suffered from the same thing that I and many other writers have. That dreaded ailment called procrastination, the en...[Read Full Post] Wed, 14 Feb 2007 23:24:39 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/488157 Last month I mailed off an essay to have it rejected…twice in two weeks. On the second rejection I did what I normally do when I’m “bummed”. I wrote another essay, trying to look at the positive side. [Link To Item #1201748] A rejection meant that I was in the business of writing, and I was serious about it. Anyway…I ...[Read Full Post] Wed, 14 Feb 2007 00:45:58 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/487952 I know children and some adults are terrified of bees, and it’s no wonder. There stings can be painful, and if you are allergic to them even deadly. I have had bees take up residence in my attic before, and I can honestly say that there is nothing more unpleasant than rolling over in bed at night to get stung by a bee that has found its way into your bed. ...[Read Full Post] Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:06:50 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/487522 Joyce Carol Oates wrote that “we write because we are ordained to a noble task”. I hold to the belief that to help and encourage young writers is the most noble of tasks. That is why I admire many of the writers here at WDC. There are certain groups and certain writers that take it upon themselves to encourage the creativity of youn...[Read Full Post] Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:35:41 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/487362 My brother has a tee-shirt that says “Save the Hymnals”, and I am inclined to join the campaign. I don’t hear songs from the church hymnals sung very much anymore, the songs I heard when I was a child growing up a “preacher’s kid”. I miss the Southern Gospel music that my family would travel all over the country to different ch...[Read Full Post] Sat, 10 Feb 2007 23:18:03 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/487096 It was while I was doing NaNoWriMo that I became acquainted with someone from Valley Byliners in Harlingen. I've always known about their organization and wanted to attend one of their meetingsand received an invitation that I haven't been able to accept as of yet. They were in the paper recently having had a book published by its members, &...[Read Full Post] Fri, 09 Feb 2007 21:55:11 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/486913 When I first came up with the idea for a [Link To Item #1205704] I was a little nervous. I always wanted to do a contest, but I didn’t have any idea on how to conduct one. One evening I decided to take the plunge! I created the contest and announced it in the forums. I then sent it to be considered for the Contests newsletter. My first review came fr...[Read Full Post] Thu, 08 Feb 2007 23:50:18 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/486716 I always wanted to attend a writers’ retreat. I see them advertised and I wish I could go. But finances usually don’t allow. There are residencies and writers’ fellowships that I would love to participate in but either finances or physical location hold me back! One getaway in particular, one I have dreamed about going to for years,...[Read Full Post] Thu, 08 Feb 2007 01:22:52 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/486499 Not long after I decided to have a [Link To Item #1205704] someone asked me what my judging criteria are. What do I look for? What do I like? What grabs me when I read a story? It’s the same kind of criteria that I follow when reviewing. The author Truman Capote said, “Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade just as painting or music does. If yo...[Read Full Post] Tue, 06 Feb 2007 19:25:50 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/486190 I love to hear the church bells chiming. Many years ago my bedroom was on the other side of the house nearest the church across the street, and I would be awakened every Sunday morning by the ringing of the bells. The priest would feed the pigeons on the bell tower and they would frequent my yard. My playground where my best friend and I would go to...[Read Full Post] Tue, 06 Feb 2007 00:04:24 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/486055 My mother sometimes gets hired to play the piano for weddings. A few years ago she was hired to play and I was called on to sing. I didn’t know at the time, but there was tension between some of the wedding guests and the song I sang changed the mood. I forget who wrote the song, but I remember the chorus. They are the same words of a poem by an anonymous poet. The poem is “My Daily Creed” *^*Up*...[Read Full Post] Mon, 05 Feb 2007 00:00:21 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/485810 Writing is my passion, and when I feel strongly about something I am compelled to write about it. Two things that I feel strongly about are human rights violations and social injustice. In the US I am free to do so under the First Amendment of the Constitution that states: “CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, O...[Read Full Post] Sat, 03 Feb 2007 19:11:40 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/485519 My brother had to use my computer for his online courses, so I haven’t been able to do much on the computer today. Of course, I was on it all day yesterday without interruption, so I figured I could give him today. I watched the movie “Volcano” where Tommy Lee Jones has to take on the Volcano that threatens Los Angeles. There is fire, steam an...[Read Full Post] Sat, 03 Feb 2007 00:04:19 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/485315 When I was a kid I used to watch “I Dream of Jeannie” on TV. I never knew they were reruns since the show ended the year I was born, and I didn’t know that Sidney Sheldon was the writer behind the show. Sidney Sheldon (February 11, 1917 – January 30, 2007) was an American writer who won awards in three careers—a Broadway playwright, a Ho...[Read Full Post] Thu, 01 Feb 2007 17:37:57 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/484992 Long days turn into long nights. Long nights stretch into weeks. Weeks turn into months that seem like years. To coin a metaphor, “A lot of water has passed under the bridge”. Gilad Shalit should be safe at home with his family, but as of this writing he isn’t. Remember Gilad Shalit. He was illegally and forcibly kidnapped by ...[Read Full Post] Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:26:17 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/484721 When I set my mind to something I don't give in. I received some news today, and I'm not pleased with it at all. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released its proposal to strip wolves of crucial Endangered Species Act protections in Idaho and parts of Wyoming. Both states are now preparing massive wolf eradication plans, and hundreds of...[Read Full Post] Tue, 30 Jan 2007 21:24:59 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/484573 I believe that children of all ages love animal stories. Consider “Winnie the Pooh” and “Charlotte’s Web”. Consider “Stuart Little”. I loved reading about Peter Rabbit when I was a little boy. Another book I loved was “Uncle Wiggly”, about a rabbit. I enjoyed stories like the “Bremen Town M...[Read Full Post] Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:33:02 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/484519 I received a big scare today, one that I am still now recovering from. I haven’t shut my computer off for three weeks. When it gets as cold as it has these past couple of weeks the computer doesn’t want to turn on, so I left it running. Today we went for a picnic and a walk at the wildlife refuge. It is warmer outside today, so I consider...[Read Full Post] Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:03:41 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/484322 It’s a nice day outside. It’s a little chilly and requires long sleeves, but otherwise it’s the perfect day for a picnic. It is also the last week of the month, a week where one can no longer “rob Peter to pay Paul”. Paul has no money and Peter is broke. Funds are next to nil. There is no longer going out to eat after church. I only ...[Read Full Post] Mon, 29 Jan 2007 22:08:36 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/484149 Author Joyce Carol Oates has had a long and prolific writing career. [Link: 'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Carol_Oates'] The list of her literary accomplishments is a long one. However, the piece she wrote that inspired me the most may not be noted among her vast array of literary works. The words that inspired me the most were in ...[Read Full Post] Sat, 27 Jan 2007 20:26:50 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/483982 It has warmed up considerably outside. It was warm enough to go without a jacket and do away with all the long-sleeves. It was a beautiful day for taking a walk down at Santa Ana NWR. However, my house locks in cool air so an air conditioner isn’t needed in the summer time. It still retains some of the cold from this past week. When I go back ...[Read Full Post] Fri, 26 Jan 2007 16:45:14 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/483797 There are certain things you never mention around my house, particularly around my mother. They are the words dog pound, animal control, and humane society. Why not? She doesn’t consider animal euthanasia, not giving a healthy animal a chance, very humane. Let me explain. In today’s newspaper there was a story of a railroad crew in Har...[Read Full Post] Thu, 25 Jan 2007 18:16:29 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/483546 Every time I go to the zoo the jaguars are one of the first animals I want to see. They used to come upinto South Texas, but the last one seen was back in 1948. Now I received an alert that I felt needed immediate attention: Peru can’t seem to see the forest for the trees… at least not when it comes to curbing the illegal logging...[Read Full Post] Wed, 24 Jan 2007 23:16:49 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/483475 My brother gave me all day yesterday without interruption, so I allowed him all day today to do his online school work. Outside the day is cold, wet, and dreary as it has been since Sunday. The fire siren has been sounding all day, almost a constant, as the firemen are summoned to another emergency. People in South Texas aren’t used to the same kind of cold t...[Read Full Post] Wed, 24 Jan 2007 23:11:27 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/483473 In Scripture when God created the world it is written in Genesis 1:26 (New King James Version) that God said,”Let Us make man in our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” A few...[Read Full Post] Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:02:46 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/483138 This morning a strange sound was heard in my bedroom/office/entertainment center, the one with the TV). It was a strange mewing sound. It sounded like it was coming from the attic, and the female cat had been pregnant and likes going up in the attic, so I figured she must have had her kittens. I went to the top of the stairs and called her. She and the juvenile kitten C...[Read Full Post] Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:35:09 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/482977 I have always loved the ocean. The subjects of oceanography and marine biology have always fascinated me. Of course the thought of being in the water with an animal bigger than I am, like a whale, gives me chills, and the scariest movies are those that take place in the darkest depths of the ocean where all sorts of weird-looking creatures live. Anywa...[Read Full Post] Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:39:32 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/482839 In a past entry I mentioned there were three types of plots {entry:480298). Man versus Nature is one of my favorite. So I have created my first contest: [Link To Item #1205704] Write on! Write on! Write on! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Sat, 20 Jan 2007 17:32:29 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/482577 Winter storms have affected a lot of the state of Texas and an arctic blast has affected Deep South Texas. How has it affected my area? I was reading a report in the newspaper today about a blood shortage in the blood banks. The Rio Grande Valley is experiencing a “critical blood shortage,” reducing one blood banks stock to 65% of ideal ...[Read Full Post] Sat, 20 Jan 2007 15:31:18 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/482562 Okay, so I know the saying has been so overused that it has become cliché, but when life gives you a lemon you can make lemonade. In other words, if something negative gets thrown your way you can turn it into something positive. How do you do that? Let me give you an example. Last week, as regular readers of my blog might remember, I received another &#8...[Read Full Post] Thu, 18 Jan 2007 23:35:47 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/482251 The plight of the wolves in Wyoming was brought tomy attention last night and I immediately expressed my feelings on the matter. Tonight another plight was brought to my attention. The majestic wolves of the Alaskan wilderness are in danger from aerial gunners. IT'S OUTRAGEOUS AND INFURIATING! From November 2005 to May 2006, more than 150 Alaskan wolves were killed in the brutal practice of ...[Read Full Post] Wed, 17 Jan 2007 23:07:13 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/482107 I thought this needed immediate attention,so I signed and sent the letter. Wolves are my favorite animals. They are a representation of the American Wilderness that I love. Soon, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to release a proposal to strip wolves of crucial Endangered Species Act protections across most of Wyoming and de-list ...[Read Full Post] Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:36:57 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/481906 Tonight is a night much like the one on which I first began my blog. Frigid! Wood for the fireplace is being burned up faster than I can gather it. I was out breaking up some wood earlier when I noted a gecko on the cold ground. It sluggishly moved under another board. Where do the little animals go to escape the cold? Tonight the fire sirens will sound and th...[Read Full Post] Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:59:07 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/481838 It was predicted that this morning’s weather would be in the 60s and we wouldn’t have to think about the cold weather until tomorrow. He was about 20 degrees off the mark. Last night it was hot and muggy, but during the night it dropped 40 degrees. It was cold out when I woke up this morning. My house is made for summer weather and locks in the cool ...[Read Full Post] Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:15:32 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/481569 Although I live on the border it has been years since I crossed the bridge into Mexico. I used to walk across the bridge just to go shopping in the market. My family used to cross over just to have lunch in a nice little café in Reynosa. I used to visit an orphanage just across the bridge just to play with the children. I played football (soccer) wit...[Read Full Post] Sun, 14 Jan 2007 21:12:40 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/481379 I read a tragic story in the news that got me thinking about how wealth can either make or break an individual. A lot of people want to obtain wealth, but I know some that after they get it discover that wealth cannot buy happiness. I also know some who are addicted to the lottery and spend their every last hard earned dollar on lottery tickets only to be disappoi...[Read Full Post] Sat, 13 Jan 2007 19:10:03 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/481125 Okay…so I emailed an essay to a magazine and got a rejection. No problem. I sent it to another magazine. I got another rejection. What now? Do I give in to discouragement? My precious work was rejected and nobody likes rejection. I had a vision. I had a dream. I got knocked down. Did I lose my dream? Did I lose my vision? Of course not!...[Read Full Post] Fri, 12 Jan 2007 19:12:33 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/480918 ”Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” - Matthew 6:34 “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” - Matthew 6:27 Some times we worry unnecessarily about the future without realizing that the future is sti...[Read Full Post] Thu, 11 Jan 2007 21:50:02 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/480759 My essay was rejected by one market and I couldn’t seem to find the right market to resubmit it too. Today limited finances and looming bills brought stress, and when I get stress I become mentally restless. I had to make myself a cup of tea just to relax. So with my cup of tea I finally got a chance to sit down and check my email. In one of th...[Read Full Post] Wed, 10 Jan 2007 19:57:39 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/480461 There are three types of conflict that drive a plot and make a story a riveting page turner. They are: 1. Man versus Man 2. Man versus Nature & 3. Man versus Himself My favorite of these three is Man Versus Nature, and that can be one of the most challenging to write as well which gives me an idea for a possible future contest. I like reading s...[Read Full Post] Tue, 09 Jan 2007 22:56:29 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/480298 Like the Sal del Rey tract of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge I had often heard of the Yturria tract while I was working at Santa Ana NWR, but the tracts of its sister wildlife refuge were closed to the public until recently. Today I hiked the tract in La Joya that went back a ways into the chaparral but not so far as to be out of h...[Read Full Post] Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:20:03 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/480016 Today I have been looking at photos that I find particularly inspirational. Those are the kind of images I like to have in front of me when I write: 1. A child reading a book, or anyone reading a book as far as that goes 2. Literary neighborhoods 3. Shelves full of books 4. Quill and parchment 5. Antique typewriters (I have one as a little Christmas ornamen...[Read Full Post] Sun, 07 Jan 2007 16:47:42 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/479793 The news today spoke of an avalanche in Colorado. I don’t have to watch the news to get a picture of it in my mind. During my travels I have seen the place where the avalanche occurred, but I was there in the summer time when there was no snow. A huge avalanche knocked two cars off a mountain pass Saturday on the main highway to one of...[Read Full Post] Sat, 06 Jan 2007 20:56:46 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/479564 Today I studied the market, trying to weed out just the right periodical to submit my essay to. Unfortunately, finding the right market isn’t as easy as it sounds. Part of the problem is the submission process. I don’t remember the last time I used my printer to prepare a submission. When my printer ran out of ink I started making submiss...[Read Full Post] Fri, 05 Jan 2007 18:00:22 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/479329 We may be in the first week of a new year, but Christmas vacation is still ongoing. The kids haven’t returned to school yet and college students haven’t returned to class. Eddie and Christian stopped by to visit today. Christian was nicknamed “Elmo” after the Sesame Street character which he sounded like as a kid. He adopted t...[Read Full Post] Thu, 04 Jan 2007 19:06:32 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/479106 It is a dark and dreary night outside with a cold misty rain and slick roads that make driving perilous. One may consider it depressing weather, but it all depends on perspective. The night may be dreary, but it won't bedreary forever. When the sun comes out tomorrow the ground watered by the misty rain will be a beautiful shade of green. Rain gives life to...[Read Full Post] Thu, 04 Jan 2007 00:00:47 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/478940 It's not a race, but it can be a challenge to discipline oneself to keep with it. I've started to read my Bible through in a year. Every New Year I pick up a new "Read the Bible in a Year" schedule, but Then I forget to read it one day, and I'm ashamed to say that one day turns to two and then three. If I forget to read the Bible f...[Read Full Post] Wed, 03 Jan 2007 01:53:31 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/478591 If someone should ask me if I made any New Year's resolutions I haven't really thought of any. I haven't made any resolutions that can too easily be broken. I set goals for the new year and press forward with a vision. We speak of gifts at Christmas time, but I believe another year is a gift from God and another opportunity to pursue my dr...[Read Full Post] Mon, 01 Jan 2007 23:48:42 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/478418 It is New Year’s Eve. There will be celebrations and festivities and there may be some that have a little too much to drink which is why the neighborhood police will be out in force. To all driving home after New Year’s Eve parties, drive safe. We have been in a dry season so the police have warned people not to set off fireworks ...[Read Full Post] Sun, 31 Dec 2006 21:02:08 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/478168 We took a drive today just to get out of the house and away from my desk for a few hours. There are a great many stories and ideas to write about, and sometimes you need to get out for the inspiration and the ideas to flow. Los Ebanos is almost a ghost town…almost. There are a lot of abandoned buildings amidst the residential neighborhoods wit...[Read Full Post] Sat, 30 Dec 2006 19:41:35 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/477946 Today I was unexpectedly called upon to sing at a funeral of an elderly lady from my church that passed away this past Wednesday. They had a slide-show of memories of her life and it got me thinking philosophically. How important is the dash and does it make a difference? The dash I am referring to is that one you may observe when walking in a cemeter...[Read Full Post] Fri, 29 Dec 2006 23:25:28 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/477772 Some of my favorite movies have to do with people locked in a library when the books come to life. The Pagemaster comes to mind, and what about The Neverending Story. When I was growing up I loved Robinson Crusoe. I dreamed about adventures in the land of Oz in the series of books by L. Frank Baum. I learned something about marine biology and life under the ocean from Captain Nemoe. I fell in love with the adventure...[Read Full Post] Thu, 28 Dec 2006 20:09:39 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/477584 To market, to market, to buy a fat pig, Home again, home again, dancing a jig; To market, to market, to buy a fat hog; Home again, home again, jiggety-jog; To market, to market, to buy a plum bun, Home again, home again, market is done. - Mother Goose I wish marketing was that easy, but unfortunately it takes a little bit of work. If you&#821...[Read Full Post] Wed, 27 Dec 2006 13:51:00 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/477382 Years before I was born my parents were living in Southern California and my Mom was pregnant with my older brother when they had a car accident. My mother broke her shoulder and her arm, but by the grace of God she and my older brother were still alive. Forty-five years later my Mom’s shoulder has been bothering her. It has been hurting her and...[Read Full Post] Wed, 27 Dec 2006 00:15:10 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/477315 I am a capricious reader. So herein lies my problem, I can be reading a fantastic novel when I get a hold of another fantastic novel and I am tempted to put one down and pick up the other before I'm finished with the first. So much to read, so little time. I have just begun reading Monster by Frank Peretti, but today I got Nightbringer...[Read Full Post] Mon, 25 Dec 2006 23:47:50 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/477155 Okay...so I clicked on the link I mentioned in [Link to Book Entry #476356], the one for tracking Santa. Most Christmas Eves I usually fall asleep and forget to click on it. I guess I'm getting old! Anyway...I thought I would take the opportunity to see where he is right now. According to the NORAD tracking Santa site {[Link: 'http://www.noradsanta.org/en/default.php']...[Read Full Post] Sun, 24 Dec 2006 23:07:16 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/477028 It has been twenty-six years since my family left Tennessee back to Texas where I was born. Although we only spent two years on the farm we made enough memories to last a lifetime. Of course before I was born my family lived in Crossville, Tennessee in the 1960s where my father was a schoolteacher. When we moved there for a couple of years some of his...[Read Full Post] Sun, 24 Dec 2006 16:42:54 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/476982 My mother has a little Nativity scene with ceramic figurines that she put on the piano. Lately the cats Misty and Cinnamon have taken to it. They used to lie on the iguanas aquarium until it was moved. Cinnamon also took an interest in the Christmas tree lights, but so far that hasn’t been a problem. The problem has been cats in the manger scen...[Read Full Post] Sat, 23 Dec 2006 20:28:09 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/476855 Someone asked me if I got everything I wanted for Christmas. Someone asked me if I would be too disappointed if I had to wait until after New Year for my Christmas gift because money is too tight. Those questions led me to do a little creative writing: Somewhere tonight confined to a hospital bed is a child dying of cancer. His hair has fallen out ...[Read Full Post] Fri, 22 Dec 2006 17:18:35 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/476671 I have a bookmark I got from the local library that says, "Read Every Day!". That is what I have been doing. My reading styles can be capricious, but when I get down to reading I get down to serious reading lining books up so that when I finish one I can go write into another. In just the past few weeks I have read four novels. I started with...[Read Full Post] Sun, 24 Dec 2006 00:37:21 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/476517 To all the people that tell kids that there is no Santa Claus I am more than happy to inform you that according to NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) there is. The fact is that they track him every year by satellite, and give him a military escort if necessary. So children don’t have to worry if Santa will fly safely because he does...[Read Full Post] Sun, 24 Dec 2006 22:38:27 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/476356 I was a big tea drinker before I lived in New England. I used to sit down with a nice cup of tea and a good book. The fact is when anybody gets sick I still prescribe herbal tea, preferably peppermint, for just about anything. Today I didn’t have my coffee so I had to drink green tea. I bought green tea for my health when I was having chest pai...[Read Full Post] Tue, 19 Dec 2006 20:07:21 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/476090