Another Absurdity

Joe Deshotel, a Texas state lawmaker, filed a bill this week that would create a pilot program designed to pay cash to students at low-performing schools for good grades in core subjects.

Freshmen could earn $50 for each "A," $35 for each "B," and $20 for each "C" in English, math, science or social studies. They would get half their money at the end of each grading period and the other half at graduation. They would also receive college and career counseling through the program.

Funding for the bill would come from $6 billion in federal stimulus money the state is planning to use on education.

At first glance, that might seem like a good idea. And I'm sure students are all for it, as are the parents who are already paying their kids for grades. Now they won't have to foot that bill.

But is it really a good idea?

Some argue that the kids need the incentive. Those on the "pro" side, also say that this helps kids prepare for the working world in which their pay will reflect their effort.

Those on the "con" side believe that education should be on a different level. That kids should learn for the sake of learning. That education is about so much more than performance and test scores and grades that could earn them a few bucks.

This debate has been going on for several years now, and there are other states already using some kind of payment reward for students. There isn't a consensus about whether it is the best approach or not, and there may never be a consensus.

I'm on the con side of the issue. Where do you stand?

Read an E-Book Week

In celebration of "Read an E-Book Week" there is a lot of buzz around the internet about e-books. Some blogs are offering contests, free books, and lots of other fun stuff.

On Charlotte Phillips blog, she has a list of e-books that have received good reviews and might be worthy of a look-see. Check it out HERE This is a book review site, and many of the books listed are ones that Charlotte has read and recommends.

Enjoy!

The Dead Horse

This is a joke making the rounds on the Internet, and it is just so timely I figured it was worth posting here. Enjoy...........


Young Chuck in Montana bought a horse from a farmer for $100, and the farmer agreed to deliver the horse the next day.

The next morning the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news. The horse died."

"Well, then just give me my money back," Chuck said.

The farmer said, "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."

"Ok, then, just bring me the dead horse."

The farmer asked, "What ya gonna do with him?"

"I'm going to raffle him off," Chuck said.

The farmer said, "You can't raffle off a dead horse!"

"Sure I can," Chuck said. "I just won't tell anybody he's dead."

A month later, the farmer met up with Chuck and asked, "What happened with that dead horse?"

"I raffled him off," Chuck said. " I sold 500 tickets at two dollars apiece and made a profit of $998."

The farmer said, "Didn't anyone complain?"

"Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two dollars back."

Chuck grew up and now works for the government. He's the one who figured out how this "bail-out" is going to work.

New Interview

I don't know about you, but I enjoy reading different interviews of authors to find out more about them, their books, and their approach to writing. We all do some things pretty much the same way -- sit our butts down in the chair and write -- but we all have little idiosyncrasies and rituals that differ.

For a while now, Suite 101 has been doing a series on writer's rituals, and I am the guest author today. If you are interested in what my office looks like and what can distract me from writing, you can read my interview HERE

If you do go over to read the interview, I hope you stay for a while and read some of the others. Interesting, fun stuff there.

Free Books

This was posted on one of the groups I belong to, and I thought, who doesn't like free books? So let's all see what treasures we can find this coming week.

Just to let you know that we'll be helping to celebrate Read an eBook Week next week by having some eBooks available to download for free. The week starts on Sunday, so if you could spread the word, that would be great.

To celebrate Read an eBook Week, March 8th – 14th, BeWrite Books will be giving away a selection of eBooks to download for free. Please follow this link to download your free copies. Each day will have a different genre of books to chose from including Crime, Adventure, Fantasy etc.
More details on Read an eBook Week can be found here:
http://www.ebookweek.com/index.html

To download your copies visit BeWrite Books:
http://www.bewrite.net/bookshop/download.htm

Great Contest Coming

YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS! In celebration of the grand opening of the new Books We Love Reader's Group at yahoo, BWL_Readers@yahoogroups.com, we're asking you to get acquainted with some of our authors by participating in a fun scavenger hunt. We promise it isn't hard. You just have to follow the provided links listed on the loop the morning of March 20th and answer some really easy questions. The answers are all there...you just have to find and collect them all to be entered into a drawing for one of eighteen books. Some will even be personally autographed. You'll have two days, with the contest ending Saturday at midnight. All entries must be received by Ginger Simpson at mizging@gmail.com by noon on Sunday, 3/22. Winners will be announced shortly after.

Whether you come to play or not, we hope you will join us in celebrating the beginning of what we hope will be a stimulating and pleasant group experience. If you aren't familiar with us, please visit http://www.bookswelove.net and get an idea of who we are and what we're about. I'm sure you may have already played in a contest or two there. Jude Pittman has assembled a wonderful group of talent, but without readers, we don't have much purpose. Come join us, won't you. Remember, Friday, March 20th.

Join us in welcoming Spring!

The Epitome of Absurd

I just read this little tidbit of news on CNN news online. It seems the absurd lawsuit -- $54 million over a missing pair of pants -- just won't go away:

"The District of Columbia Court of Appeals denied Roy Pearson’s “voluminous” petition to rehear his case, attorney Christopher Manning said in a written statement Tuesday. Manning represents the family who owns the dry cleaners Pearson sued.

In December, the court denied Pearson’s initial appeal. His final option is to ask the U.S. Supreme Court hear his case.

The saga began in May 2005, when Pearson took several pairs of pants to Chung’s Custom Cleaners for alteration as he prepared to start a new job. Pearson said one pair of pants was lost and the Chungs tried to give him another instead."

I remember when this case was first filed in 2005, and I couldn't believe that it even got past the first judge. Talk about frivolous lawsuits. Not that $54 million is frivolous, but over a pair of pants?

It is fitting that the DC Court of Appeals denied this latest appeal, and I hope Pearson does not take it to the Supreme Court. There are more important things for the Justices to consider than giving a man millions of dollars because his pants were lost. Or even because the owners of the dry cleaners tried to pass off a replacement pair and not tell him.

If I remember correctly, once the duplicity was proven, the owners offered to replace the lost pants and apologized, and that should have been sufficient.

In fact, I thought it was, way back then in 2005, and breathed a sigh of relief that the case was settled and gone. So I was shocked to see the news this morning, and I only have one thing to say," Stop wasting the courts' precious time, Mr. Pearson."

Too Cold For Ice Cream?

Here's another funny one from my friend, Tracy Farr.... Check him and the band out at Stinky Creek


Someone actually said to me the other day that it was too cold to have Ice Cream. In that instant, I no longer doubted that space aliens have visited Earth; that they have conducted vicious and vile experiments on members of our population; and those experiments have turned normal, intelligent people into completely useless slugs.

Too cold for Ice Cream? Is that even proper English? Isn’t there some rule about not ending a sentence with “ice cream” unless it’s preceded by the phrase, “Would you like a bowl of...”?

Saying it is too cold for Ice Cream is like saying it’s “too hot to go swimming,” or saying you’re “too sick to go to the doctor,” or saying “I’m too cheap to buy a new digital TV that televises the same old junk but in high-definition.” (Hmmm...I’ll cogitate on that one for a moment while you go look up the word “cogitate”)

You may think I’m nuts – join the club; they have monthly meetings – but I totally believe that Ice Cream will be the No. 1 commodity that will keep our economy afloat.

Point No. 1 – American auto executives have spent quite a bit of time in front of congressional hearings asking for money to help keep their companies viable. Have you seen Ben & Jerry knocking on White House doors, begging for cash? Heavens no!

Point No. 2 – Viacom has let go 850 employees; Target 1,500; AT&T has slashed 12,000 jobs. How many Jersey Cows have you seen standing in an unemployment line because Blue Bell gave them the pink slip? Zippo!

Point No. 3 – Goodies has recently closed stores; Starbucks is scaling back; Circuit City has filed for bankruptcy; and banks all over the world are scrambling to keep their doors open and their investments sound. Has Baskin-Robbins made any announcements about reducing the number of flavors they offer? C’mon, you know the answer to that one.

Everything from electronics, to cars, the housing market, retirement plans, travel, and pizza delivery has been affected in one way or the other by the recent downturn in our economy. It’s Ice Cream that has remained strong and growing, and it is Ice Cream that is now the safest investment in these troubled times.

So, my fellow Americans, you can sit on your duffs and let your life savings burn off like morning fog if you want to, but as for me, I’m cashing in my portfolio and sinking my dividends right smack in the middle of a gallon carton of Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream. It might be a bit messy, but I’ll know my money is in the safest place on the planet.

The Daily Spittoon -- We'll never ask for a government bailout!

The Great Monkey Debate

Unless you've been lost on a desert island for the past week, you have heard about the furor over the NY Post cartoon that has raised the ire of many African Americans. The NAACP has called for the firing of the cartoonist and protesters said that Rupert Murdoch, owner of the Post should be put in jail.

The cartoon showed a gunned-down chimp and one police officer says, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

Immediately it was decided by all the protesters that the cartoonist meant this as a jab to President Obama and likened him to a chimp. A reference to monkeys that has, in the past, been an intentional slap in the face for blacks.

My question to all the folks who made that synaptic leap, is why? Assuming what someone else meant is not often correct. When we assign motives, we keep alive all the negative stereotypes that have plagued us for centuries.

Quite frankly, I'd forgotten that referring to black people as monkeys had once been used to insult and humiliate them. When I first read the cartoon, I thought the connection the cartoonist was making was to the advisors who helped draft the stimulus package: That some of them did not have the brains of a chimp. I never made the connection to President Obama until the protests started.

Last Friday, two Dallas Morning News columnists, James Ragland and Steve Blow, debated the issue in a combined column. The writers, one black and one white, have a continuing series, Talking Race, in which they tackle current issues. James ended his section by saying that he doesn't think folks should tell black people to "just get over it" when they are upset about a broad slight.

If I can be so bold -- without getting crucified -- maybe they should.

Reacting to slights only gives them more power. This is something I learned when "getting over" things that were emotionally harmful to me. We cannot allow the past to control us. We have to make conscious decisions not to act out of the bitterness or sense of defeat that comes from getting mad because of a percieved insult.

Which doesn't mean I advocate sitting back and letting racism happen. On the contrary, when it is a clear case of racist behavior, then we all -- black and white and red and brown -- need to voice our objections and work toward eradicating bigotry. We just have to make sure it is an intentional act, and not just a knee-jerk reaction to something.

Feline Friends

Our dog needs a canine friend. Seriously, what would her family think if they saw her cavorting with all these cats? Poppy is half Border Collie and half Australian Shepard. She should be herding sheep, not cats. But I guess in the absence of sheep, cats will do.

Poppy likes to play with John -- the big cream colored cat. But with Misty, pictured here, she just likes to lie down in the sun and maybe trade a few licks. Misty likes to rub all over Poppy before settling down for a nap.

The only cat Poppy doesn't have much to do with is Orca. Maybe because of his name? Which is too bad because Orca really is a sweet, loving cat.

I wish these pictures had turned out better. I was taking them through a window --- obviously -- and didn't notice how bad the reflection was until I loaded the pictures on my computer. By then, the animals had moved so there was no way to get another shot.

Oh well....

Liar, Liar, Pants on fire...

Here's another guest blog from my funny friend Tracy Farr. If he ever stops writing these, I will be in trouble when I don't have anything to blog about.


I hate to admit it, but I’m a liar. I would say I’m a big, fat liar, but that would also be a lie. I’m more of a short and chunky liar – not that there’s much difference.

What have a lied about recently? Well, it’s possible that a couple of weeks ago I implied that I might have taken down my Christmas tree, packed it away, never to be seen again until Christmas ’09, and I did it during halftime of the Super Bowl. Well, I didn’t actually watch the Super Bowl, and I didn’t actually take down my tree.

Actually, there’s no “actually” about it. I didn’t do either.

You see, when you’re such a cheapskate like I am – a cheapskate who refuses to shell out big bucks for cable or satellite, just to watch a whole lot of nothing on a 25-year-old analog TV that’s about to die a digital death, and you’re to cheap to buy a “new and improved” TV that will probably only last a couple of years because they don’t make ‘em like they used to – well, people think you’re nuts. And then when you add to the mix not watching the Super Bowl, they KNOW you’re nuts and seem to steer clear of you whenever you’re around.

There’s only one more thing a person needs in order to be eligible for a one-way ticket to the Funny Farm: being the only person alive on the planet who still has their Christmas tree up – in February. So, I lied about it – which makes it all downright pathetic.

And I know exactly what you’re thinking right now. You’re thinking, “I don’t know how his family puts up with that.” “Do you think his kids know they have a nut job for a father?” “It can’t be hereditary because his parents are good people who have cable and have all their Christmas stuff up in the attic.” “I’ve always wondered why Robert’s girlfriend, Rachel, never stops by to visit – and now I know.” “You don’t think it’s catching, do you?” “Most likely not, but I’d wash my hands if I were you.”

Well, you probably won’t believe me (and I don’t blame you), but I spent this past Saturday taking down the Christmas tree – ornaments and all. I’d show you a picture to prove it, but you’d probably think I doctored it somehow.

Anyways, I know this is a lousy excuse for a story, but I’ve heard confession is good for the soul. And now that I’ve confessed, I feel a lot better! Don’t you?

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The Daily Spittoon -- Done completely by hand!

Spring is springing up all over....

Here in East Texas the daffodils are popping up in glorious splendor. Many people have planted the lovely flowers in bright yellows and pale pinks, but they also grow wild in fields and pastures and alongside the road.

Texas is known for the bluebonnets, which will be out in April, but I like the early gift of daffodils just as much. Some fields are yellow as far as the eye can see, and it does make one pause to enjoy.

These pictures were taken about a mile from my house. The flowers are under an oak tree that is about 300 years old.

The Ancient Perils of Writing

Remember writing with a typewriter? Some of us do, and you you younger folks will just have to do a Google search for "typewriter" to see what one looked like.

I unearthed an old column I'd written when my trusty old typewriter gave up the ghost. That was back when I was writing a weekly humor column for a suburban newspaper. Most of the stories were about family life, but now and then I'd write something about the writing life.

This one's good for a chuckle if you have a moment to visit another blog where I was a guest today. http://mizging.blogspot.com/

That is a blog site for author Ginger Simpson. She has started something new she's calling Tourist Thursdays, when she hosts a guest. Ginger is a gracious friend, and I really appreciate how willing she is to help other authors.

A Little Bit of Humor

As we all know, writers are by nature very insecure people, especially in the early years when perhaps the only thing we get published is a letter to the editor and that’s cut from four paragraphs to three lines. In fact, for years basic insecurity was the only thing I had to affirm my credibility as a writer.

But even in my moment of greatest anxiety, I never reached the heights (or should I say the depths) of insecurity as did Glenda Gibberish. She wrote an entire book on squares of toilet tissue and hid each page in an empty roll. When her husband, Harry, asked about all the cardboard cylinders lining the dresser, Glenda told him she was making toys for the gerbils. That worked well until he decided to take an interest in the welfare of the pets. She lost one whole chapter in a single afternoon.

Realizing that would never do, Glenda resorted to stuffing the rolls in her underwear drawer, in the empty cookie jar, and in the springs of the old sofa bed. She figured she was safe since she put her own clothes away and nobody ever bothered with the cookie jar since she never baked. But she forgot about her mother-in-law’s visit. Oddly enough, the other woman said nothing when they unfolded the bed, but Harry gave her one of those looks that we women enjoy so much. Then he surprised the gerbils with new toys.

This ruse went on for years and she couldn’t bring herself to tell a soul that she was writing. Then one day she was hit with this overwhelming urge to “out” herself. It was the same compulsion that drives a dieter to a banana split at Dairy Queen and try as she might Glenda couldn’t shake it. So she had lunch with her best friend and broke the news.

“Oh, no. Is it serious?”

“Not right now, but it could be.”

“How long... I mean, have you been this way forever?”

“Since I was a little girl. But, you know. It isn’t the kind of thing you just drop into casual conversation.”

“Good. Maybe we can keep it from getting around.”

“Don’t worry. I have plenty of editors looking out for me on that count.”

“Have you told Harry yet?”

“No. But he did wonder about the sudden demise of Jake the gerbil. I think he choked on a particularly graphic sex scene.”

“Harry?”

“No. The gerbil.”

“How have you managed to keep it from Harry?”

“Right now, I tell him I’m going into the closet to straighten up a few things. But that’s not going to last long. Sooner or later he’s going to remember that I don’t like to straighten anything.”

“Don’t worry. You can trust me with your secret.”

“Actually, I wouldn’t mind if you told a few people. My book comes out next month and I need the publicity.”

Get outta My Space!

Years ago I used to fight with my kids for my sacred space to write in. I had a room that was called my study where I had a desk and a typewriter --- yeah, I started writing in the dark ages. Problem was, the study soon became the room where stuff was stored when nobody knew where else to put it. So I would have an odd assortment of boxes and bins and things stacked in and around the desk and filing cabinet that made finding my space a challenge.

Then if we had company, either the company stayed in the office and slept on the sofa bed or one of the kids did. First obstacle to overcome was finding the sofa bed under the piles of things "stored" in the office. Then came the challenge of figuring out if it was an invasion of a guest's privacy if I went into the study now and then to work.

Now that the kids are grown and out of the house, I have an office all to myself. Or at least I thought I did, until the cats decided they would like to share the space with me.

Wait. Did I say "share?"

The cat's have taken over the space.

This week, John has decided that he will help me with my writing. He has taken over half of my desk, and periodically reaches down to play with the mouse or keyboard.

Misty, our calico, took over my office chair weeks ago, and she does not know the meaning of "share" either. She glowers at me when I move her so I can sit down. Then she jumps up behind me and pushes on my back to get me to move.

The last time one of the kids came to visit, he laughed because my office chair was rolled aside and I had a kitchen chair in front of my desk. When I told him why, he asked why I didn't just move the cat.

I glowered at him.

Winning

I must say I enjoyed yesterday's Super Bowl more than I have others in recent history. Unless the Cowboy's play, I usually don't care a whole lot who wins, but yesterday I was pulling for the Cardinals. There was something endearing about the fact that halfway through the season they were the last team anyone expected to take the field on Superbowl Sunday.

From the storybook history of Kurt Warner to the come-from-behind wins in the playoffs that were reminiscent of vintage Cowboys plays and "Hail Mary" passes, it was exciting to watch this team fight their way to the big game. And it was exciting to watch them fight so hard to make up a first-half deficit and come so close to winning in the last few minutes of the game.

What was evident on the field was teamwork and heart. The Cardinals came to the game knowing they were considered a long-shot to win, but they didn't let that keep them from giving it their all.

We can all take a lesson from that, I think. There are times we all face what seems like insurmountable odds to achieve a goal and give up before we even start. Maybe we'd be better off to just put the blinders on and forge ahead. Sometimes winning doesn't mean having the highest score.

Who ate the candy?

It's been a hectic week and I haven't had time to work, let alone think about blogging. Was dealing with some health issues with my husband, and things are finally settling down just a bit. Hopefully, it will stay that way for a while.

Without wanting to bore readers with details of hospital visits, etc, I thought I would dust off one of my old columns. When our children were young, I wrote a humorous column for a suburban newspaper for a number of years and the following is one of those columns.....

On any number of occasions, mothers are faced with asking their kids a certain type of unanswerable question such as; who ate the last cookie and put the empty package back in the cabinet? Or who took the quarter off the counter? Or who wrote the dirty words on the wallpaper in the kitchen?

Getting a straight answer can prove to be more complicated and frustrating than trying to sort out the Whitewater mess. In fact, when my kids were young, I would have tackled Whitewater any day over "Who took the gum out of my purse?"

When I had to ask the "who did" question, my kids would react in one of two ways. Either they'd be stricken with some kind of mental dysfunction that rendered them speechless, or they'd cast about for someone they might possibly get away with blaming.

I think this is a talent that kids are born with that may hearken back to some instinct for survival and some are much better at it than others.

While I had a certain maternal pride in the abilities of my kids to find a 'scapegoat,' they had a long way to go to match the aplomb of a friend's three year-old. One day he'd been out playing with his older brother, and when he came back in my friend noticed a particular odor as he passed by.

As delicately as possible she asked, "Did you have an accident in your pants?"

"No. John did it."

Now that's quick thinking at its best.

In fact, this kid had such a reputation no one believed him. Not even when he insisted for an entire day that he had not eaten his older sister's candy bar. "It was Mommy. I swear."

"Sure," the sister said. "Like Mom would really do that."

Can you imagine how embarrassing it is to admit to your six year-old that you needed a sudden chocolate fix and hers was the only candy in the house?

Luckily, my daughter never asked what happened to the last piece of candy from her first-grade Valentine's party.

Guest Blog

Another guest blog from my friend, Tracy Farr. This guy needs to do stand-up comedy.

Why all the fuss?

Would somebody please tell me why it is necessary to wash off the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher to be washed? You save all your life for that wonderful house full of modern appliances that are supposed to make your life easier, but you still have to scrub the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. At least, that’s how it is in my house. And frankly, I think it’s a bit insane.

When I ask my wife why we have to do something so redundant, she gives me that you're-just-a-guy look and points her finger in the “get out of my kitchen” direction. But I think it's a legitimate question.

Do people warm up their leftover casserole in the oven before they heat it up in the microwave? I think not! Do people put their ice trays in the refrigerator to cool the water off before they put it in the freezer to make ice? Hardly! Is there a person alive who holds a piece of bread over an open flame to pre-toast the bread before they put it in the toaster? You’ve got to be kidding! So why do we have to pre-wash the dishes before sticking them in a machine that’s supposed to wash them?

There is no reason why a dishwasher should not be able to do the job it was meant do, unless it's not a dishwasher problem, but instead – dare I say it – it’s a WOMAN problem.

WARNING: The following drivel is pure, 100 percent, male sexist propaganda that may cause my untimely death; but hey, you only live once!

Is it possible that we pre-wash dishes because women feel guilty about having a convenience that their mothers and grandmothers didn't have? Is it possible that women don't trust the dishwasher to get their dishes squeaky clean because it was invented by a man who probably never washed a dish in his life? Or is it possible that women just worry too much about little things like bits of dried food on a supposedly clean dish?

I think all you women folk out there should lighten up and wash the dishes the “I’m Just A Guy” way. Just throw those dishes in the machine, watch some NASCAR or change the oil in your car while you wait. Then when the dishes are done, toss those suckers into the cabinet. And if there is a bit of dried pork chops left on the plate, don't worry about it! Just cover it up with a big spoonful of casserole at your next meal. Nobody will know the difference.

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The Daily Spittoon -- Done completely by hand!

Dying Trees

I spent the morning today burning brush from several trees that were taken down because they were dead. A neighbor took the large pieces of trunk to be chipped for mulch, but I had to do something with all the brush left behind. Started to pile it up to haul to a big pile by my burn pit, then decided to just leave it where it was and have a bonfire.

The tree had come down in a large area of our driveway that is all rock and iron ore. A great place to burn without setting the whole place on fire. Of course, that did make it tricky to back out from the car port. Had to maneuver around a couple of trees and run across the one little patch of grass we call a lawn. But we managed. And now there is nothing left, but a pile of ash.

We have quite a few trees dying and it makes me sad to see them come down. Probably have lost about 30 since we've been here. They have bugs and are also suffering from the years of drought we had.

I do organic gardening and have tried to save some of the trees around the house with some treatment and special care, but there is no way I can deal with all the trees on our property. There has to be a couple of hundred at least.

If any organic gardeners have suggestions, I'd be glad to get them.

The Day After

Just like the changing of the year from one to the next, the changing of a presidential name takes some time to get used to. Several times today as I was updating WinnsboroToday.com with news, I had to stop and remind myself to write "President Obama" as opposed to "President Bush".

I suppose in time I will get used to it. It only took me two weeks to stop writing 2008 and get with the current year.

But Obama is not having trouble getting used to being president. He really hit the floor running today, and it will be interesting to see where he takes us in the near future, as well as for the long haul.

Last night, a group of about 30 people gathered here in East Texas at a coffee shop, Art & Espresso, that is owned by The Winnsboro Gallery We were there to celebrate the inauguration and it was interesting that not everyone had voted for Obama. But everyone came to show their support, which I thought was particualarly nice.

I also thought it was particularly nice that despite the fact that millions of people were crowded into the Mall area in Washington on that freezing January day to watch the swearing in, there was not one outbreak of anger or violence. No protests. No hate. Nothing ugly.

Gosh, could this mean that we are finally learning how to get along?

If Obama accomplishes nothing else in his presidency, the fact that he has set a high standard of personal integrity will be a fitting legacy. Let's just hope we continue to strive to live up to it.

Making History

Tomorrow is an exciting day in history as we witness the swearing in of our new president, Barack Obama. It marks a great milestone for Americans, some of whom refused to let an African American into a school, let alone 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

That we have come this far is a great testament to the willingness of most people to expand their world view and let go of old prejudices and biases.

Not that everyone has done so. I still hear comments that make me stop and check the calendar to make sure we are not back in 1950. But, thankfully, the people who still hold so rigidly to the stereotypes and misconceptions about people different from them are becoming more and more of a minority themselves.

And because of that, America will have its first African American president. Not that everyone who voted for him did so because it was an opportunity to seat a black man. I know I certainly didn't. I voted for him because he was the best person for the job, in my opinion, and the fact that he was also on the threshold of making history was an added benefit.

I hope as we move forward that Obama receives the support he needs from Congress and the general public. And I hope that every American can mark the day, Tuesday, January 20, 2009, in some special way.

Here in my little corner of the Piney Woods of East Texas, we are going to have an Inaugural Bash, where we will gather to watch the festivities from Washington and celebrate.

Age is Just a Frame of Mind

Another guest blog from funny guy Tracy Farr. You gotta love a guy who can poke fun at himself like this......

Whoa, Baby! I just bought one of those iPod Touch things, and it's NICE! Fits in the pocket, it's easy to carry around, I can listen to a gazillion songs without ever having to flip over a tape or change CDs, and I should be over the moon, but I'm not, because I get the distinct impression that "some people around here" think I'm "too old" to have one just because I recently had a birthday.

And why would I say such a thing?

ROBERT (My youngest son): You got WHAT?
ME (guy with no hair and grey beard): An iPod Touch!
ROBERT: And you got it because...?
ME: I can, mister. Because I can!
ROBERT: And what kind of music do you plan to put on it?
ME: All my polka music. I'm going to call it "My iPolka."
I laughed, he didn't
ROBERT: I think an iPod Touch may be too advanced for you. Maybe I should look it over first, set it up for you, maybe even take it back with me to college to give it a thorough going-over! I wouldn't want you to get all discouraged because you paid a lot of money for something you might not be able to comprehend.

You see? I should be happy, but now I'm feeling just plain old. And he's not the only one giving me grief about my age. I recently received the following message from my cousin, Cynda, who lives in Colorado.

"Hey, old man. Isn't today the day you get another year older & (supposedly) another year wiser? How does it feel to be staring the big 5-0 in the eye? Don't worry, just remember I get there before you so I can guide you through. LOL. Happy Birthday TD. Make it a great one!"

Is that the kind of message that's supposed to make one happy about being a year older, but not a year richer? I think not, and neither do you! So, I sent her the following reply:

"Hey old man? What's with that? And did you say another year older...and wiser? Are you implying I was pert near dumber than a rock yesterday, but now that I'm a day older, I'm more intelligent? Doesn't that imply the only thing I have to look forward to in 2009 is that I'll be smarter in 2010? Is that what you're trying to say?

And for your information I am NOT staring the big 5-0 in the eye. I may be looking at its waist (and I must say something needs to be done about it before it crowds out everybody in the room), but I am NOT staring at it in the eye.

And what's with this LOL? Does that mean Lot's of Luck? Licking On Lollipops? Look Out Larry? (which is probably what Moe and Curly would scream). I just don't understand!"

Yessiree! That's what I wrote. But getting back to the iPod, I thought for a moment I was going to have to take it back because I was only hearing the music in mono. It was playing in one ear, but not the other. I was quite a bit upset because I paid all that money to buy a cheap thing that doesn't even work. Luckily, I found the solution to my problem - you've got to use BOTH earphones, and not just one.

Okay, maybe I AM too old to comprehend this thing.

_______________________________________
The Daily Spittoon -- Stooping to any level to bring you the news

Good Friends

Poppy, the dog, and John, having fun on the front deck. Didn't realize until just now looking at the picture, but the cat looks almost as big as the dog. And the dog is a border collie - Aussie mix. She is not a small dog. But then, John is not a small cat.

He is definitely bigger than our other dog, Misha, who is a mix of Pekingese and Dachshund. When we got John, we called him Little John. A variation of Little One, because he was such a cute little kitten.

Ha!

Now he is the king of the castle, intimidating all the other animals. Even Poppy stays clear of his claws, although John swears he is only playing.

Our son captioned this picture: "Aw, someone needs a hug."

Our son- in law captioned it: "Would you quit touching me."

Which caption do you like best?

No Resolutions

We were out of town for a few days bringing in the New Year with our children and grandchildren. Had a wonderful time visiting, playing cards, and eating waayyyy toooooo much.

Time to get serious again about exercising and dieting. Somehow that thought tends to hit a lot of us early in January when we think about how much we ate since Thanksgiving and consider losing the ten pounds we gained.

Too bad I can't be like my oldest granddaughter who loves to snack, yet is rail thin. No diets for her, but I will have to check out the latest tips on dieting.

I'm not going to make that a definitive write-it-down-on-paper resolution. I've learned over the years that resolutions and I do not get along well. But I know that I will be better off if I lose ten pounds and stick with an exercise program on a more regular basis than I have of late.

I'm also not going to write down my intent to this year finish the book I have been working on for a number of years. Reading some authors' blogs, I have picked up some advice on how to stay focused on a project, and I am going to put some of them to work for me.

The best tip was to make writing the book a priority in a working day, and that is a good suggestion for whatever project a person is working on. Don't check messages on the phone or e-mail. Don't give in to the impulse to take care of some other business first. Spend an hour working on the project, then start taking care of business.

Which means I've got to go. Didn't get my hour in with my book this morning.

Happy New Year

We are going on a short vacation for a few days, so I wanted to take a minute before we head out to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

As we cross over from one year to the next, it always seems to be a good time for taking stock and perhaps deciding to make some changes, but as far as resolutions go, I don't think I'm going to make any.

I never was good at keeping the ones I used to make, so why bother?

But I will try to be more mindful of the good things in life and savor the moments that make living so worthwhile. That way I might not mind the swift passage of time so much and might discover a little gift of nature that could have gone unnoticed.

I hope good things come to all of you in 2009.

Make My Day

We who write so often do so without a lot of personal feedback, and it is always exciting to get a note from someone who was touched by our words. Yesterday morning, I was pleased to find two wonderful messages in my guestbook on BooksWeLove.net

" I loved your book "One Small Victory" and am grateful to have this opportunity to thank you for your fine work! Continued success in 2009!" Denise DiFalco, Fort Gratiot MI

"One Small Victory touched just about every emotion I have. I loved the way you felt as if you truly knew the characters and could feel her anguish as much as her courage. This is one of those books which linger in your heart and mind longer after you have read the last page." Laura Emerson, Biloxi MS

It is always such a thrill to find a fan letter, and these came at a time when I really needed the boost. Thank you ladies!!

Writing a Synopsis Doesn't Have to Kill You

I am guest blogging today, sharing some tips on how to write a synopsis here: http://murderby4.blogspot.com/ It's a technique I learned sort of by chance, but has really helped me.

Stop by if you have a chance.

Yuck, Germs!

Being sick on the holidays is no fun. I started with a cold early this past week and sniffled my way through Christmas Eve and Christmas. Then I wasn't getting any better so I went to the doctor yesterday to find out I have a severe sinus infection -- as opposed to an ordinary sinus infection, I guess.

Anyway, this has sure put a crimp in all my plans to do some projects with the new cordless drill I got for Christmas. Or maybe start working on one of the jigsaw puzzles.

No, what I do is maybe a little bit of work and then collapse on the couch for another nap. And the work isn't that productive. Not when my head feels like it is stuffed with cotton. Not much clarity of thought under those conditions.

My hope is that the doctor was right and I will be feeling a WHOLE lot better by tomorrow.

What Success Means

I had several recent signing events for One Small Victory, and I am pleased that I will be able to donate a nice sum to the two charities benefiting from sales this month. The Trails Country Centre for the Arts and Morgan's Mercy Mansion, a drug rehab center for women in East Texas are the charities I am supporting.

At the most recent signing, a nice young boy, about 12 or 13 stopped by my table for a piece of candy. He seemed genuinely impressed to meet a real live author, and we talked a bit about books, and reading, and writing.

He left, then came back and asked if he could take one of my books to see if his dad would help him buy it for Mom for Christmas. "I know she would love it," he said. "I just have to ask The Man for money."

This young man was such a delight to talk to, and he was so excited when he came back so I could sign the book to his mother. "This is the kind of book she reads all the time, and she will be thrilled to have one signed by the author."

Moment like these make all the hassle and work of signing events worthwhile. I know I should be more of a capitalist and be more focused on selling lots of books, but I can't help it. To see young people so excited about reading and writing, just does it for me.

Sock it To the Consumer

I heard on the news today that one of the large oil refineries is going to cut production because the cost of oil is more than the price of gasoline, so they cannot continue to produce until the price of gasoline goes back up.

Excuse me. This is the same oil refinery that six months ago had record profits. Why can't they suck this shortfall up like the rest of us do when we face hard times?

No, their response is to make sure they get more money and hold the consumer hostage.

Is anybody ever going to get the fact that we simply cannot survive if the economy continues to be driven the same way it has in recent history? We can't just be focused on our own bottom line without regard to the impact on other businesses and other people. And we can't continue to just keep throwing more money at the problem and inflating the paper economy even more.

We have to put money where it will do some good. Like into the marketplace and into individual pockets to stimulate retail sales.

Instead of corporations being bailed out or going into bankruptcy, why not ask the highest paid people to forgo their salary for a year. Certainly those who make millions every year have enough in the back to live for a year without the salary. And that money could go toward keeping the company afloat.

And instead of the government increasing the deficit to find money to help people through this crisis, why not a hold on all top-level government pay for a year? And streamline administration to save millions in man hours and redundancy.

Okay, rant over. I feel marginally better. That is until next week when the price of gas jumps for Holiday travel....

Better to Laugh Than Cry

Here's another bit of humor from my friend, Tracy Farr.....

It's more than just a haircut

Our country is going through some dire times. Banks are collapsing, the American auto industry is hitting speed bumps, and people are just not buying executive jets like they used to. So, it is up to us -- you and me -- to get this economy going again, and that's why I did my patriotic duty this weekend and got a haircut.

Tim is my barber. He's been cutting my hair for almost 15 years. He knows exactly how I like it cut without me having to tell him. And if Tim's barbershop goes under, so goes the country.

It's a known fact that my money ($10 plus a dollar tip) helps to keep Tim and many others in business. When I pay Tim for my haircut, he spends it on things like rent, shaving cream and magazine subscriptions. His landlord is happy to be able to keep landlording, the shaving cream company is happy to continue delivering Tim's favorite shaving cream, and the magazines are happy because they are assured they can print next month's edition.

Tim takes a portion of that $10 as his salary and spends it at Wal-Mart, thus guaranteeing job security for the Associates. The Associates use their 10 percent discount to buy T-shirts and Jessica Simpson posters, thus guaranteeing that the T-shirt companies and Jessica Simpson stay in business. The T-shirt companies and Jessica Simpson are so happy to be making money that they decide to work together and make a Jessica Simpson T-shirt, which the Wal-Mart Associates buy in bulk and wear on their days off.

Since Jessica reaps the benefits of being worn all over the place, she takes her cut of the profits and produces a Christmas special, thus employing a bunch of Hollywood types who know just how to make a cheesy TV program but wouldn't be caught dead wearing a Jessica Simpson T-shirt. These Hollywood types produce "The Jessica Simpson Wish You Were Here Holiday Christmas Sing-A-Long Special" and make millions on advertising by airing it on prime time TV, thus causing simple folk like you and me to say, “How can they get away with putting this goat poop on television?” at which time we turn off the TV and get down on the floor to play games with our kids.

Because of my little $10 haircut, hundreds of people are employed, millions of dollars exchange hands, thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer are emptied trying to keep all those germs at bay, families all over this great nation are doing something family-ish, and I feel like I've done my part in bringing this country back from the brink of disaster.

So what are you waiting for? Our country needs us! Go get a haircut, and together we shall save the world!

_____________________________________________________
The Daily Spittoon -- Almost worth a shave and a haircut!

Excerpt Contest

One Touch, One Glance Anthology -- A collection of "sweet " romances

I am so pleased that my story "New Love" is part of this wonderful book and I am sharing space with such terrific writers. The book will release officially on December 9 -- It can be purchased HERE

As part of our release celebration we are having a contest. If you come here as part of the contest, the excerpt you are looking for is below. Have fun and good luck.



BLURB:

Love can be just as sweet the second time around. And there are no age limits.

EXCERPT:

“What am I doing? Acting like a love-sick teenager, that’s what.”

He made the personal indictment aloud while driving slowly down the tree-lined street checking addresses. Ten hours of driving had left him with burning eyes, and the shadows of near dusk were hard to penetrate. It didn’t help that he hadn’t been here in ten years. What if she’d moved since they had last seen each other? What if she didn’t want an eighty-year-old man showing up on her doorstep with courting in mind?

Then he saw it. Her house. A little yellow frame structure nestled between two sprawling brick ranches. It was so unique, he should have remembered the distinction and not bothered with trying to read addresses. He started to stop in front of her home, but panic struck and jangled his nerves. What if she’s married again? Accelerating, he drove past to the end of the street. There, he pulled to the curb and took a couple of deep breaths. Leaves of gold and red scuttled down the sidewalk driven by the evening breeze. God, Patrick, why didn’t you think of this sooner? A simple phone call would have answered that question.

He pulled out his cell phone and looked at it. It was a present from his kids. They had all agreed they would feel better if he had one while he was traveling. His son had programmed all the important numbers into the phone to make it easier for Patrick to call them. But he didn’t need numbers programmed for him. He might forget a lot of things. But not numbers. Even after all these years he still remembered Jean’s number. He could call now, and if a man answered, he’d hang up.

That thought elicited a chuckle. Was his life now a cliché?

Directing "Scrooge"

This has been a busy week as we draw closer to opening night of the play, Scrooge, at a community theatre here in East Texas. Tonight is dress rehearsal and we open tomorrow. I am directing, as well as playing a small role, and the nerves are going into over-drive.

We are a small theatre, so there is no real depth of tech support, etc. People step up to help, which is great, but we never seem to have a designated stage manager or producer who take care of all those responsibilities for the show that shouldn't fall to the director. And no matter how hard we all try to plan and organize, it seems like there is always a new problem to deal with every day. Actors who can't continue so we have to find replacements. Props that we forgot we needed until almost the last minute. Who is going to do sound and lights? Who can do make-up?

There is always a lot of pressure to get a show mounted, especially one with a large cast and lots of set changes, sound and light cues. But when it all comes together and the magic happens on stage, it is all worth it.

So I am going to go to rehearsal tonight, take a deep breath, and let the magic begin.

Who's Responsible?

I just read an update on the tragic incident Friday in New York where a Wal-Mart employee was trampled in the "Black Friday" stampede of 2000 shoppers. According to the following statement by a union leader, the store is at fault, not the people who were so crazed with greed and "me first" that they became an unruly mob.

"This incident was avoidable," said Bruce Both, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, the state of New York's largest grocery worker's union.

"Where were the safety barriers? Where was security? How did store management not see dangerous numbers of customers barreling down on the store in such an unsafe manner?"

This is not the first commentary I have read that is deflecting the blame from the people to the store, and I can't beleive that good thinking people can go in this direction. It is almost as big a disgrace as the behavior of people who make shopping turn into a battle for survival.

On that tragic day, where was common sense? Where was concern for fellow shoppers and store personnel? Where was patience? Ethics? Acceptance? All the elements that are part of what we used to see as "strong character". It was a lack of all that that caused the death and injuries, not an oversight by the store management. How were they to know that they didn't have a crowd of regular shoppers, but had a crowd of crazed animals?

Next up, I'm sure, will be an announcement of a lawsuit by the families of the man who was killed and the people who were injured. The media and the union are helping to provide plenty of arguments in favor of making Wal-Mart dip into their deep pockets.

Shame, shame on them.

If a lawsuit is to be filed, how about rounding up all those people who stormed the store and holding them responsible?

Missed Opportunity

I fully intended to write a blog yesterday to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, but got sidetracked with a killer headache. What a way to start the day. I managed to get the turkey stuffed and in the roaster, then told my husband I was going to lie down for a while before our company arrived. I fell asleep and kind soul that he is, he let me sleep. Right up until the company pulled up.

Yikes, I was out of bed in a flash, ran a comb through my hair, splashed water on my face, and went out to greet them. Luckily, we were dining casually, so my sweats and t-shirt didn't raise an eyebrow.

Our company, which consisted of our daughter, her husband and her youngest son, and our youngest son, all brought the side dishes. I was responsible for the turkey, dressing, rolls, and pie. All in all it was a great feast and by mid afternoon we were all pleasantly full and ready to watch the Cowboys beat Seattle.

Later that afternoon, I realized my headache was gone. Not sure if it was the third dose of sinus pills, the good company, or the pumpkin pie. Or maybe a combination of all three.

There's nobody in here but us chickens...

Here is another guest blog from Tracy Farr who has a particularly warped sense of humor. Thought you all would appreciate a bit of levity.

As most of you may know, I'm a quiet, unassuming kind of guy who is basically shy, never wants to stand out from the crowd, never speaks out on "the issues," who always does what he's told, and prefers to let rude people run all over me rather than to stand up for myself.

Yep! That's who I am! But today's going to be different. Today I'm going to stand tall and talk about a potential disaster that, if we don't do anything about it, will affect our local economy for now and for ever more. I'm talking about the possible demise of Pilgrim's Pride and the removal of Bo's Head.

(FYI: For those of you who don't know, there's a massive Bo Pilgrim bust standing alongside Hwy 271 just north of Pittsburg, Texas. It's a huge tourist attraction. People come from miles around just to see Bo's Head. So when I say "the removal of Bo's Head," I don't actually mean Bo's REAL head, I mean the tourist attraction head. Okay, now that we have that clear, let's move on.)

Since we live in a capitalistic society, and we all firmly believe that competition is good for the consumer -- that survival of the fittest dictates only the "strong" companies will survive -- there isn't very much we can do about helping Pilgrim's Pride. But if we lose Bo's Head, we might as well cash in our chips and head to the house.

I don't know about you, but when my friends and family come to visit from out of town, I always tell them to go see Bo's Head. And if they go home to THEIR communities and tell others about it, then a steady stream of tourists come through this area and that means they're eating in our restaurants, sleeping in our hotels, shopping in our Wal-Mart, and that's good for our local economy. In other words, it would devastate our community if Bo were to lose his Head.

Besides, Michelle Barganski is a loyal subscriber to this newsletter and Gil Newman is a founding member of The Stinky Creek Jazz Band -- and they both work for Pilgrim's. I sure would hate for anything to happen to their jobs, 'cause I like having them around, too.

In conclusion, it may already be too late to keep Bo's Head from the chopping block. Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. But just in case, let's all go out this afternoon and buy a couple of Pilgrim's Pride whole chickens, and maybe even some thighs and chicken wings, just so we can say we did our part in trying to save Bo's Head.

May God be with us all, and may God Bless America.

_______________________________________________________

The Daily Spittoon -- You can't say we don't care about the issues

A Successful Book Fair

Had a great time talking to high school students in Mineola - a small town in East Texas - on Tuesday for the Mineola Book Fair. The students were a respectful and attentive audience, and it is always so much fun to go to the schools and meet creative young people.

In the morning, I talked to two English classes about why we write and one of the reasons I cited was that we write to stir consciousness and stimulate debate.

Toward the end of the first session the teacher pulled up my blog and projected it on a screen so the students could read it. We ended up in a lively discussion about the situation at the DISD that I blogged about on the 16th. That was so neat to actually have live in the classroom a perfect example of the point I was making. One student and the teacher got into a discussion about why the DISD had to let teachers go, and the students ended up with a better understanding of how administration works. Not that it changed her mind that the situation was unfair to students. But it did broaden her view of the issue.

The other great thing about the Book Fair was that the school librarian who started the Fair four years ago said that her circulation has tripled since authors started visiting the school on an annual basis. She said it really seems to stimulate interest in reading to meet authors and have a chance to talk with them.

When someone asks if the event was a success. I tell them about the increase in reading. That is the success for me.

What Part of Fraud Don't You Understand?

A news item on Saturday reported that the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) is being investigated bythe Social Security Administration (SSA) for assigning bogus social security numbers to employees hired from foreign countries. Apparently this started as someones bright idea for expediting the hiring system.

The new hires needed something for identificaion purposes to get on the payroll. So this "someone" decided they could use the fake SS numbers as temporary identification numbers until they received real ones. When new numbers were assigned by the SSA, the employees were supposed to tell officials at DISD so the fake SS numbers could be replaced.

That didn't always go according to the plan. In some cases, the fake numbers made their way to retirement accounts, the IRS, and the Social Security Administration. And some of the numbers were ones already legitimately assigned to other people. The legal department of the DISD is looking into the matter as well

I read this news story several time, trying to figure out how someone could not recognize from the get-go that this was a stupid idea. Not to mention a criminal idea. Falsifying Social Security information is a felony.

DISD is already under heavy scrutiny for budget shortfalls, attempting to solve that problem by firing a number of teachers, and other questionable operations. They sure didn't need another problem because the solutions to the problems always seem to impact the students and teachers most profoundly.

Those creating the problems continue to hold their jobs and receive large salaries and bonuses, while teachers struggle to make ends meet and students struggle to learn in an environment that becomes less conducive to learning every day.

And unfortunately, these are not problems unique to just one school district.

Something to Lighten Your Day

Since I have been so busy this week I thought I would have a guest bring you a bit of humor. Here is another offering from Tracy Farr, a very funny man who also plays a mean banjo.

A rose by any other name...

I don't know how you feel about the matter, but it makes me proud to live in a country where being elected to the highest office in the land does not depend upon the color of your skin, your religion, your sex or having a weird name like Barack.

Millions of people, good, honest, hard-working Americans, live their lives ashamed of having names like Garvin, Earl, Clementine, or Gertrude. Guys try with all their might to hide the fact they have girl names like Carol and Hollie. At the same time, Gals are constantly having to explain that their real name is Samantha, even though they go by Sam.

But now, with a president named Barack, we of unusual names can stand a little taller -- at least, I know I will.

I asked my parents why they named me Tracy, and they said at the time I was born, it was a common boy name. But I have my own thoughts. I think my parents were deep in debt with a bookie, and they agreed to give their first-born son a "girlie" name in exchange for not having their fingers cut off. I believe this because every time I go to the old neighborhood, I always run into an old man wearing a pinstriped suit and wing tip shoes who just points at me and laughs.

I remember when I was a young boy, with my friends over for supper, my mother gave me a package that had come in the mail. I opened it up (even though it was addressed to Ms. Tracy Farr) and read the letter: "Dear Ms. Farr, now that you are becoming a young lady, we would like to...." And then the sample feminine hygiene product fell into my lap.

One "friend" said, "Tracy, is there something you're not telling us?"

Another said, "So what's it like become a young lady?"

Finally, the last one said, "Hey, if you show me yours, I'll show you mine."

Now, with the election of Barack Obama, those of us with non-traditional names can walk the streets with our heads a little higher, and be proud of the names our parents dropped upon us. No longer does an American president have to be named George, Bill or Jimmy. He (or she) can be named Barack, Hillary, Jethro, or Daisy Mae.

And if that doesn’t prove change is in the air, nothing will.

_______________________________________________________

The Daily Spittoon -- Always proud of our name

Monday Morning Blues

It's been a busy few days since I posted last, which kept me pretty much offline, especially over the weekend. Our son came to visit for a few days, and we always enjoy working outdoors while he is here. Like me, he is a frustrated farmer, so he likes to do chores. The first day, we built a huge fire in the back and burned a lot of limbs and logs from trees that had fallen over the last year since we cleaned up back there and had a big burn.

We were also having a new roof put on the hay barn and discovered we have termites feasting on the posts. Not good. So we spent a couple of hours doing termite control. That entailed moving some old wood that had been stacked on one side of the barn and injecting insecticide into the ground around all the posts.

This morning, I'd hoped to get that old wood carted off to the burn pile and clean my front pasture, but got up to rain. None of us are liking it. Not even the goats. They head for the small barn when there is even a spit of rain. The cats all ran for the hay and the dog came inside.

I am not sure why I titled this Monday Morning Blues. It is really Monday Morning Gray. If the rain stays at a steady drizzle, I can keep working in my office, but if it develops into thunderstorms, I will have to shut down my computer. Not good since I have tons of work to do today. So maybe that's why I'm a little blue right now.

Letter to Our New President

It's official, we now have a new president and we are in for an interesting four years. I'll admit I was a Barack supporter, and I am pleased that he won.

This morning, I received a message from Barack that was addressed to me personally. As I stated in my response to him, part of me wanted to believe that he had indeed penned -- or typed -- that message personally, but I know he simply would not have had time to write to the thousands of people on his e-mail list. But being the idealist that I am, I wrote a response in hopes that my message might somehow reach him.

Here is my letter:

Dear Barack,
Congratulations on your win. The idealist in me would like to believe that this note was written by you personally to me personally, but the realist knows it was probably written by someone on your staff and sent to your entire e-mail list. Even so, the fact that you probably asked that this be done is commendable.

While I have someone's ear at your headquarters, I would like to make an appeal. Millions of dollars are spent on Inagural ceremonies and Inagural balls, and it sure would make a strong statement if you streamlined all of that. The country is so far in debt that we don't need to be spending on pomp and you would do well to distance yourself from the lobbyists who pay for most of the social celebrations.

I know I am asking a lot. What does Washington live for but these opportunities to pull out the stops and celebrate, especially on such an historic moment. But think of the rest of us of modest means who are no longer going out to dinner once a week because inflation is eating up our cash flow and the financial crisis is killing our retirement.

Thank you for listening.

Sincerely,
Maryann Miller

Your Chuckle For The Day

I laughed so hard after reading this Mallard Fillmore cartoon this morning, I choked on my coffee.

Funny stuff:

"With only two days left in the campaign, the latest polling data show that 92 percent of registered voters now say they'll scream if they hear any more polling data...

"...while 84 percent say pollsters should be eaten alive by gerbils."

The other day, my husband and I thought we'd feed the pollsters to the coyotes, but death by gerbil might be more fitting. Coyotes kill their prey quickly.


Here's a link to more Mallard Fillmore fun

Blaming Barack

In a recent editorial letter, a man in Texas wrote that Barack Obama's candidacy for president has contributed mightily to the Wall Street meltdown. He further writes that the market is listening to both candidates and is frightened by the prospect of an Obama victory. A vote for Mr. McCain is a vote on behalf of your 401K.

A while back I decided that I should no longer read the advice columnists in the newspaper so my blood pressure would stay down withing normal ranges. Maybe I should do the same for letters to the editor.

How anyone can truly believe one man has that kind of power over the market is beyond me. Then to play on the fears of people by saying the only way to protect our savings is to vote for McCain is despicable. I don't know if that is worse than the way some people exploited our fears of "the other" back when they were trying to protect society from integration.

Come on, folks. Don't listen to fear mongering.

Ulterior Motives?

In the Dallas Morning News Sunday, a man wrote that Colin Powell had ulterior motives when he endorsed Obama for President. In the letter to the editor, the man wrote that Powell was convinced that his legacy has been sullied by his association with the Bush administration, "Mr. Powell jumped on the bandwagon very late and only after he was convinced that Mr. Obama would win."

Then the writer speculated as to what future job awaits Powell for this endorsement, as well as how much relief he must feel after giving in to pressure from the African-American community.

I couldn't believe what I was reading. First of all, how could this writer presume to know what was motivating Powell's decision. And to assume that he gave in to pressure was a clear indication that he does not know much about Powell.

If ever there was a man who did not give in to pressure, it is he.

If ever there was a man who did not give a rat's ptooey about his future in politics, it is he.

And if ever there was a man who would not endorse somebody just because of the color of his skin, it is Colin Powell. He has always struck me as one who takes the measure of a man or woman based on integrity and values, not the depth of pigmentation.

A New Interview

Emma Larkins has an interview with me on her blog http://emmalarkins.blogspot.com/

This one covers a little bit of how I got into screenwriting. Stop on over if you are interested. Emma is what she terms "an emerging writer" and she is a fun person with lots of interesting things on her blog.

I Once Was Bummed, but Now I'm Not

Had one of those really crappy days when nothing seemed to work right. Wanted to do an article proposal first thing this morning - one that I have been putting off for weeks. Stared at my blank screen for about a half hour, then said, " Phooey!" Well, actually, something a bit stronger than Phooey, but I want to keep this "G" rated.

So then I thought I'd do some book promoting. Pulled up an old list of e-mail addresses from folks who had contacted me about one thing or another and sent out some cheery little messages about my new books. Most of them came back because the e-mail addresses were out of date. And most of them were just a year old. Guess not everyone hangs on to the same e-mail addy as long as I do. Sigh.

Then I ended up doing invoices for advertisers on WinnsboroToday.com. One of the least fun aspects of my job there. I had the invoices all neatly stacked up with the corresponding envelopes, when I dropped the pile and they fell all over my office floor. I like jigsaw puzzles, but I really have to be in the mood.

I picked them all up to sort later and decided I'd do a quick blog before I go take care of my animals. Came here and saw that I have a follower. My very first. I'm so excited. Somebody loves me even though I'm a klutz and have some days when I'm better off knitting than writing.

Your Laugh For Today

Here is another guest blog from a talented jazz musician, who also has a deft hand with writing humor. He shares a weekly column with readers at winnsborotoday.com, and also graciously allows me to share with readers here. Enjoy.


Peanut M&Ms Anonymous

Hello, my name is Tracy, I’m addicted to Peanut M&Ms, but I haven't had any for 13 hours and 22 minutes.

"Hello Tracy, and welcome to the group."

Thanks. To be honest, I was reluctant to come here at first because I didn't actually think I had a problem. I thought I could control my desire to eat Peanut M&Ms by myself, but I was wrong.

"Tell us your story, Tracy. You're among friends."

Well, I can say I'm luckier than most. Some kids are born with the need to eat M&Ms because their mothers ate M&Ms while they were pregnant. Even though the doctors warn and often beg these mothers to stop eating M&Ms during pregnancy, they don't listen. And then they have M&M babies -- newborns just twitching with the need to eat something round and chocolate. Luckily, that was not my case.

For me, my addiction started when I was quite young. I was hooked the first time I saw M&Ms, tore open a package and let them melt in my mouth and not in my hands. Those were just the plain chocolate kind -- the kind kids love -- but as I grew older and my tastes grew more mature, I naturally gravitated to Peanut M&Ms.

The first time I popped a Peanut M&M, my universe just sort of exploded with new possibilities. I could see things more clearly. I could understand things that I never understood before. It was like my senses were attuned to higher and more sensitive levels. And once you pop one, you have to pop another to keep that high going.

It wasn't long before I found myself buying a bag of Peanut M&Ms and eating the entire thing without even realizing it. And I'm not talking about the little $1 bag you get out of a vending machine. I'm talking about the family-size, 6-pound bag that costs almost $12 and should last a lifetime.

It finally hit me that I had a problem when my little girl said she needed new shoes and I told her I didn't have any money, when in fact I did. I was saving that money to score me another bag of M&Ms before the weekend. And that's why I’m here at this meeting.

I’ve tried stopping cold turkey, but it's just too hard. I figured with help, and with belonging to a group of people who have suffered through the same problem and survived, that maybe I, with support, could pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.

But, maybe I should start slowly. Maybe I should only eat a small bag a day and ease off this addiction gradually.

Maybe this was a bad idea.

Is there a vending machine around here?

And can somebody loan me a dollar?


The Daily Spittoon -- All the flavor but with half the calories.

Want My Vote?

Looks like we dodged the bullet one more time and the whole global financial system is not going to implode after all. The stock market has recovered somewhat, and banks are getting assistance from government. The financial life of the world goes on.

But have we learned anything from this near-disaster? Is anything going to change in the way business is conducted? Are we going to continue to over spend, over borrow, over speculate, and over lend?

And what is this bailout going to do to the national debt?

The money has to come from somewhere, and since we are already borrowing millions, maybe billions, to cover the cost of government, the cost of the war, the cost of social services, where is this extra money coming from?

I am not an economist, and some people may find my approach to global economy a bit too simplified, but I'm savvy enough to know that borrowing to solve the banking problem is a short-term fix with some serious long-term negative effects.

So, to me, balancing the federal budget has become the primary issue for the coming election and is what the government should be focused on for the foreseeable future.

And may I make a suggestion to the next president-elect, why not cancel 95 percent of the inaugural ceremonies and parties that cost millions of dollars, and ask the lobbyists who pay for most of the parties to donate those millions to the cause of saving the economy. If you thought the general public was disgusted with the AIG execs who partied hearty after their recent bailout, imagine the reaction to the lavish inaugural parties.

Whoever is willing to do that, as well as stop all non-essential spending will have my vote.

Guest blogging today

Read my guest blog on Literary Road.

Financial Crisis

The financial news is dismal right now, and it doesn't look like it is going to improve any time soon. Friday's Dow saw a dramatic drop of 660 points, and the European and Asian markets also took a nosedive in early trading.

Banks around the world are in trouble, and Britain is threatening legal action against Icelandic banks to insure that British subjects can get their deposits back. This after Iceland nationalized their banking system in an attempt to keep the banks afloat.

When I read that item on CNN News, I couldn't help but think of George Bailey and the Bailey Saving's and Loan from the movie, It's a Wonderful Life. Despite George's plea that people not panic and draw their money out, there was a run on the Savings and Loan during the Great Depression. Luckily George had enough cash on hand to pay a percentage of everyone's deposit, so people got some of their money, and the Savings and Loan survived.

Today, another George is asking people not to panic. President Bush spoke at a news conference this morning and appealed to the American people to stay calm. He said fear and anxiety only make the financial crisis worse. "Here's what the American people need to know: The U.S. government is acting, and we will continue to act, to resolve this crisis and return stability to our markets," he said.

Our natural instinct to protect our interests and take care of ourselves, but this is a time when we all need to think about the long term. If we all panic and take our money out of banks and other financial institutions, there will be a depression. That's a given. That's what started the avalanche that became the Great Depression, and that's what can bury us now.

So I am asking everyone to take a deep breath and ride this one out.

I'm also asking if we can just have a week off with no trading, no futures speculation, and no lending. It seems to me that with everything in such a state of flux, taking a break just might help settle some things down.

Just a thought.

What is Success?

I am getting ready to go to Austin to do a talk at the History Center, which is affiliated with the Austin Public Library. My son is the manager there, so he was most helpful in getting this set up. When I was talking to him making final arrangements for when I would arrive, I realized how lucky I am to have him in my corner like that.

In fact, all my kids and kids-in-laws (how's that for coining a word?) are great supporters of my writing, as are my grandchildren.

In their eyes, I am a great success, even though I have not made the NY Times best-seller list. And you know what, when the day is done and I am reflecting on what is good in my life, my writing career is way down on the list.

Don't get me wrong. I love my work, and I try very hard to write the best stories I can, and then market the books so I can make a living at this. But what I am most proud of, and what I think I've had the most success at, is building family relationships. My husband and I have worked hard to have a good marriage -- some days are better than others -- and we worked hard as the children were growing up to give them a foundation that would serve them well. And I think we have succeeded at that.

Not that the kids are perfect. Hell, nobody's perfect. But they are reasonably well adjusted. They all have good jobs, and the ones who are married have wonderful families. The same values of integrity, honesty, responsibility, and concern for others are being passed down to another generation.

That is a legacy that may live on longer than any of my work, and for that I am so proud and grateful.