More of my test results are back now and here’s what the doctor told me yesterday:
1. My lower body scan was clean showing no signs of cancer or tumors.
2. The clean scan lowers my chances of having lung cancer to about “10 percent or less,” to quote him. “Cancer may still come back to bite you in your ass, but I think it’s very unlikely,” he said.
3. The scan revealed inflammations on my major organs.
4. The inflammations lead him to believe I am suffering from an autoimmune disease (such as lupus) that is attacking the major organs of my body.
5. He consulted with a rheumatologist who looked over my results and told my doctor that what was happening to me was “very serious” and could kill me in “six months to a year if I didn’t get it taken care as soon as possible.” (Like I would ignore the coughing of blood. Doctors are weird sometimes.)
6. I see a rheumatologist next Friday morning in Oklahoma City. And we will go from there. Probably more tests, but I’m hopeful we finally start treating whatever this is.
Overall this is encouraging news. I’m pleased that cancer is mostly off the table and wish someone would remove it completely. I’m not so pleased that I have some sort of serious autoimmune disorder, but I knew the doctors would find something. After all, I’m coughing blood each morning. That’s not normal.
Many autoimmune disorders are very treatable. I’m believing and praying mine will turn out to be so. I will let you know more when I know more.
I feel okay. I’m tired a lot, but that’s more of a sleep problem than anything else, I think. My appetite is good -- too good. Still battling the black dog, but I think that goes with everything else that’s going on.
And that’s the news such as it is. Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts, and I will do the same for you. Talk to you later.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order merchandise designed by Stephen B. Bagley
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Crass?
A friend asked about the Jesus Loves... section on Oakleaf Harbor. The basic thrust of the questioning was that I was being disrespectful by putting Jesus's name on merchandise to sell. Let me tell you the story behind the section and see what you think.When my current health crisis started, I decided to get out a Bible that my parents gave me. I keep it in a box to protect it. It has my name printed on the cover, and it's quite nice. (I have a "regular" everyday Bible.) Anyway, that Bible makes me feel close to my parents, and I decided to get it out. When I did, a small blue plaque fell out of the box. I don't know where it came from -- I think maybe one of my nieces gave it to me, but no one remembers it so I don't really know. The little blue plaque says: Jesus loves Stephen. It gave my spirits a lift, and so now I have it where I can see it each morning when I get up and each evening when I go to bed. It's a small thing, but it has given me comfort.
Well, I got to thinking about how nice that was for me so I decided to create the same as best as I could on Oakleaf Harbor, particularly for my friends and family who have unusual or uncommon names (Bethia, Weston, Ria, Woody, Jolene, etc.) and might not be able to find personalized items anywhere. So that's why I created the "Jesus loves..." section.
For what it's worth, no one has purchased a single item for the section. And that's okay. I like going to it and seeing all the names of my family and friends with the reminder that Jesus loves them. I'm slowly adding more names each day. It takes me a while to create the artwork for each name and then I upload it and place it on the particular items, but I'm trying to add five names each day. If your name isn't there yet, it will be. And if you have any names you'd like added, email me, and I'll add them.
I certainly didn't mean any disrespect and don't feel like I'm "cashing" in on Jesus. I'm fine with people just looking at the section or downloading the picture of their items or whatever they like. But maybe it's being crass. What do you think?
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order merchandise designed by Stephen B. Bagley
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Oakleaf Merchandise
Thought I would show you some of the items at Oakleaf Harbor. I'm very proud of how they turned out, particularly the rose items. I've just added the Humor section and will have more items in this week.
Not much else to tell you. I should be talking to the OKC doctor sometime this week. I'll let you know what's going on when I know.
Catch you after the items.
Roses Keepsake Box
Murder by the Acre Tote Bag
Yellow Mums Large Mug
Murder by Dewey Decimal Women's T-Shirt
EndlesS Long Sleeve T-Shirt
I'm hoping to get going on Murder by the Mile this week. I'm going to be working on the outline. I need to set the story firmly in my mind. If you don't know where you're going, you won't get anywhere.
Going to call it a night now. Have a great week. Talk to you soon.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order merchandise designed by Stephen B. Bagley
Not much else to tell you. I should be talking to the OKC doctor sometime this week. I'll let you know what's going on when I know.
Catch you after the items.
Roses Keepsake Box
Murder by the Acre Tote Bag
Yellow Mums Large Mug
Murder by Dewey Decimal Women's T-Shirt
EndlesS Long Sleeve T-Shirt
I'm hoping to get going on Murder by the Mile this week. I'm going to be working on the outline. I need to set the story firmly in my mind. If you don't know where you're going, you won't get anywhere.
Going to call it a night now. Have a great week. Talk to you soon.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order merchandise designed by Stephen B. Bagley
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Cup on display!
Adam, who won the Murder by the Acre coffee cup giveaway a few days back, has the cup on display at his work. He sent me a photo of it. Very cool!
Not much else to tell you. I'm spending a lot of time on Oakleaf Harbor. I'm adding six new items daily. I'd appreciate your input if you'd like to stop by.
Have a great day!
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre, Murder by Dewey Decimal, and EndlesS merchandise.
Not much else to tell you. I'm spending a lot of time on Oakleaf Harbor. I'm adding six new items daily. I'd appreciate your input if you'd like to stop by.
Have a great day!
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre, Murder by Dewey Decimal, and EndlesS merchandise.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Q&A and Oakleaf Harbor
Well, we have a lot to cover so I thought we'd use the Q&A format to catch everyone up.
Q: What did you find out Friday when you went to the Holdenville Hospital for your CT scan?
A: Not much yet. The doctor will look at the scan this coming week or the next, and I'll have an appointment with him and get the results and go from there. I suspect we'll have the lung biopsy after that -- probably in March -- but I'm still hopeful the scan or the blood tests will show that I don't have to have one. We'll see. The Holdenville Hospital, by the way, is first class. Very nice facility, first rate equipment, and friendly personnel. I would recommend it to everyone in our area who needs a CT scan.
Q: How are you feeling?
A: Pretty good. In a strange quirk, I've felt better the past couple of months than I have for a long time. If I didn't cough blood in the mornings, I'd think I was the picture of health. I've continued to exercise at the fitness center, and I'm gaining strength and endurance weekly. I've also been working on controlling my blood sugar, and I've been doing much better on that. (I've mostly stopped drinking soft drinks and given up sweets. It's amazing how hard that is, but I'm doing it.)
Q: Do you think you have cancer?
A: No. I have no symptoms of lung cancer other than the coughing blood. No shortness of breath, no unexplained and rapid weight loss, no overwhelming fatigue. The first CT scan showed my lungs filled with whatever it was. If it's cancer, I should not be feeling as well as I do. Or at least, according to the research I've been doing. I also have never smoked or been around anyone who did smoke. I also didn't work at any job where I would was exposed to hazardous chemicals or dust. I'm also young for lung cancer to develop. However, there are people who get lung cancer and are outside the normal parameters. Let us hope and pray that this time I DON'T beat the odds and have it.
Q: How are you feeling emotionally?
A: I won't lie. It's hard. I'm on a roller-coaster. I'd like to get off, but I have to ride this one until the end. Hopefully that end will be a good report on my health.
Q: You haven't been blogging.
A: Sorry about that. I do check on everyone's blogs, and of course, I'm on Facebook daily, but no blogging. Haven't felt much like doing so. I'll try to do better.
Q: So what have you been doing?
A: Praying, reading, walking, talking and praying with friends, housework, etc. Nothing that exciting other than the next thing I'm going to tell you.
Q: So tell us already!
A: I've opened a new Cafepress store! It's called Oakleaf Harbor, and it combines all the Murder by Dewey Decimal and Murder by the Acre merchandise as well as new items for EndlesS. I don't have much in the EndlesS section yet, but there will be more. And there will be an Inspirational section and a Humor section. I have big plans for the store and hope to implement them over the next couple of weeks. Here's the link: Oakleaf Harbor.
Q: What all are you going to be offering there?
A: T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, mugs, bags, clocks, cards, calendars, magnets, buttons, journals, boxes, etc. Quite a lot of different merchandise. I'm particularly excited by the plans I have for the Humor and Inspirational sections. I'm be updating you as I offer more and more merchandise over the next few weeks.
Q: How goes the writing?
A: Not well. All this emotional turmoil has stalled Murder by the Mile. I'm hoping I will get writing again soon. I do think about the book a lot. I haven't given up on it and will get it written eventually, I hope this year.
Q: Anything else?
A: Just that I greatly appreciate the support, friendship, prayers, and concern I've been shown over the past couple of weeks. You have lifted me up. I thank you, thank you, thank you. Please continue to remember me in your prayers as I remember you. Have a great week and God bless you.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre and Murder by Dewey Decimal merchandise.
Q: What did you find out Friday when you went to the Holdenville Hospital for your CT scan?
A: Not much yet. The doctor will look at the scan this coming week or the next, and I'll have an appointment with him and get the results and go from there. I suspect we'll have the lung biopsy after that -- probably in March -- but I'm still hopeful the scan or the blood tests will show that I don't have to have one. We'll see. The Holdenville Hospital, by the way, is first class. Very nice facility, first rate equipment, and friendly personnel. I would recommend it to everyone in our area who needs a CT scan.
Q: How are you feeling?
A: Pretty good. In a strange quirk, I've felt better the past couple of months than I have for a long time. If I didn't cough blood in the mornings, I'd think I was the picture of health. I've continued to exercise at the fitness center, and I'm gaining strength and endurance weekly. I've also been working on controlling my blood sugar, and I've been doing much better on that. (I've mostly stopped drinking soft drinks and given up sweets. It's amazing how hard that is, but I'm doing it.)
Q: Do you think you have cancer?
A: No. I have no symptoms of lung cancer other than the coughing blood. No shortness of breath, no unexplained and rapid weight loss, no overwhelming fatigue. The first CT scan showed my lungs filled with whatever it was. If it's cancer, I should not be feeling as well as I do. Or at least, according to the research I've been doing. I also have never smoked or been around anyone who did smoke. I also didn't work at any job where I would was exposed to hazardous chemicals or dust. I'm also young for lung cancer to develop. However, there are people who get lung cancer and are outside the normal parameters. Let us hope and pray that this time I DON'T beat the odds and have it.
Q: How are you feeling emotionally?
A: I won't lie. It's hard. I'm on a roller-coaster. I'd like to get off, but I have to ride this one until the end. Hopefully that end will be a good report on my health.
Q: You haven't been blogging.
A: Sorry about that. I do check on everyone's blogs, and of course, I'm on Facebook daily, but no blogging. Haven't felt much like doing so. I'll try to do better.
Q: So what have you been doing?
A: Praying, reading, walking, talking and praying with friends, housework, etc. Nothing that exciting other than the next thing I'm going to tell you.
Q: So tell us already!
A: I've opened a new Cafepress store! It's called Oakleaf Harbor, and it combines all the Murder by Dewey Decimal and Murder by the Acre merchandise as well as new items for EndlesS. I don't have much in the EndlesS section yet, but there will be more. And there will be an Inspirational section and a Humor section. I have big plans for the store and hope to implement them over the next couple of weeks. Here's the link: Oakleaf Harbor.
Q: What all are you going to be offering there?
A: T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, mugs, bags, clocks, cards, calendars, magnets, buttons, journals, boxes, etc. Quite a lot of different merchandise. I'm particularly excited by the plans I have for the Humor and Inspirational sections. I'm be updating you as I offer more and more merchandise over the next few weeks.
Q: How goes the writing?
A: Not well. All this emotional turmoil has stalled Murder by the Mile. I'm hoping I will get writing again soon. I do think about the book a lot. I haven't given up on it and will get it written eventually, I hope this year.
Q: Anything else?
A: Just that I greatly appreciate the support, friendship, prayers, and concern I've been shown over the past couple of weeks. You have lifted me up. I thank you, thank you, thank you. Please continue to remember me in your prayers as I remember you. Have a great week and God bless you.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre and Murder by Dewey Decimal merchandise.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Walking, reading & thinking
My next CT scan will be this Friday morning at the Holdenville hospital at a substantial savings and with a new, more powerful scanner to boot! Thank you, Adam, who put me in touch with his cousin who helped arrange this with my doctor. It truly is an answer to prayer, and I appreciate Adam for showing his concern for me in this manner.
Otherwise, not much to tell you. I’ve been trying to walk at the fitness center as much as I can. I haven’t been updating the Walking to Jericho blog, but I intend to soon. I’m having a lot of trouble dealing with the stress and depression caused by this health crisis, and that’s keeping me from being as productive as I’d like to me. The walking helps with that. If I could get some good sleep instead of the tossing and turning I’m experiencing now, I’d be doing much better.
I’ve also been doing a lot of reading about cancer and how’s treated and how we can prevent it. There’s a lot of confusing material out there, but slowly I’ve started to put together a view of what cancer is and how to fight it. I figure it’s good info to know, although, of course, I hope and pray I don’t have to use it personally.
So far, what I can share is this: Broccoli and green tea are amazing cancer fighters. (Note: not herbal teas. Green tea. The real stuff.) Study after study have linked those two to cancer prevention and even cancer treatment. And sugar -- in any form, including honey -- is bad for you and helps cancer grow faster. No study that I can find says sugar causes cancer; instead it helps cancer because cancer cells operate at a high metabolic rate and need energy to divide. One study says cancer cells need three to four times the glucose that regular cells do. That’s why so many people lose weight rapidly and feel so tired when they have cancer; the cancer cells are grabbing all the available glucose in the blood. Too much glucose in your blood gives cancer cells plenty of energy to grow. Why help them out?
So I’ve been walking and slowly giving up sweets. I haven’t had a soft drink in several days. I haven’t officially started the Soft Drink Drought, but it’s coming. Whatever the doctors eventually find, I have finally decided to live a healthy life. Step by step I’m moving away from a lifestyle that gave me diabetes, reduced my resistance to disease, and sapped my vitality.
Walking (30 minutes a day), green tea (four cups a day), broccoli (a cup or so a day). And one more thing: turmeric. Yes, that Indian spice. A bunch of current studies are pointing to it as a major cancer fighter. So have those curried veggies. They’re good for you and tasty, too. I’ve been sprinkling turmeric on chicken, hamburger patties, lasagna, salad dressings, etc. One warning: the spice releases its “heat” when cooked. So add it gradually to a dish until you get used to it. Or have lots of water available.
Anyway, that’s what’s going on in my world. What’s happening in yours?
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Otherwise, not much to tell you. I’ve been trying to walk at the fitness center as much as I can. I haven’t been updating the Walking to Jericho blog, but I intend to soon. I’m having a lot of trouble dealing with the stress and depression caused by this health crisis, and that’s keeping me from being as productive as I’d like to me. The walking helps with that. If I could get some good sleep instead of the tossing and turning I’m experiencing now, I’d be doing much better.
I’ve also been doing a lot of reading about cancer and how’s treated and how we can prevent it. There’s a lot of confusing material out there, but slowly I’ve started to put together a view of what cancer is and how to fight it. I figure it’s good info to know, although, of course, I hope and pray I don’t have to use it personally.
So far, what I can share is this: Broccoli and green tea are amazing cancer fighters. (Note: not herbal teas. Green tea. The real stuff.) Study after study have linked those two to cancer prevention and even cancer treatment. And sugar -- in any form, including honey -- is bad for you and helps cancer grow faster. No study that I can find says sugar causes cancer; instead it helps cancer because cancer cells operate at a high metabolic rate and need energy to divide. One study says cancer cells need three to four times the glucose that regular cells do. That’s why so many people lose weight rapidly and feel so tired when they have cancer; the cancer cells are grabbing all the available glucose in the blood. Too much glucose in your blood gives cancer cells plenty of energy to grow. Why help them out?
So I’ve been walking and slowly giving up sweets. I haven’t had a soft drink in several days. I haven’t officially started the Soft Drink Drought, but it’s coming. Whatever the doctors eventually find, I have finally decided to live a healthy life. Step by step I’m moving away from a lifestyle that gave me diabetes, reduced my resistance to disease, and sapped my vitality.
Walking (30 minutes a day), green tea (four cups a day), broccoli (a cup or so a day). And one more thing: turmeric. Yes, that Indian spice. A bunch of current studies are pointing to it as a major cancer fighter. So have those curried veggies. They’re good for you and tasty, too. I’ve been sprinkling turmeric on chicken, hamburger patties, lasagna, salad dressings, etc. One warning: the spice releases its “heat” when cooked. So add it gradually to a dish until you get used to it. Or have lots of water available.
Anyway, that’s what’s going on in my world. What’s happening in yours?
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Friday, February 06, 2009
A Winner & a Meme
Adam won the drawing for the Murder by the Acre coffee cup! (Thought I forgot, didn't you?) There will be another drawing soon. Watch here for details.
Here's a Facebook meme that Jean tagged me with. And it makes a fine post here.
Here are the rules - post this list on your profile replacing my answers with yours. If you feel like tagging people, go ahead, but I'm going to suggest you play if you like and either comment that you have or tag me so I can see what you have to say.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, Stephen, the first Christian martyr mentioned in the Bible.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Lately, I’ve been tearing up a bit. I guess yesterday.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No, I wish it was neater.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Ham if I can't get shark.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? No.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would if I knew what was good for me.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Almost as much as I breathe.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? As far as I know. Would you like to look?
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Well, I like cinnamon oatmeal with blueberries and eat it each morning.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE EM OFF? No. The servants do that.
12. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My mother and father who have both passed on. They were wonderful people.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Cherry praline vanilla.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? The expression on their face, particularly if they've caught me with their daughters.
15. RED OR PINK? Red.
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Health problems.
17. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? Sure.
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue pants and brown shoes.
19. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The fan on my electric heater.
20. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Forest green.
21. FAVORITE SMELLS? Cinnamon.
22. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Kent.
23. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Absolutely. Jean’s smart, funny, and caring, despite living in Texas … :)
24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? College football.
25. HAIR COLOR? Reddish-brown
26. EYE COLOR? Midnight blue.
27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes.
28. FAVORITE FOOD? Mexican.
29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings.
30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Ghost-Breakers. An old Bob Hope movie that stands up very well.
31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? What shirt? We were supposed to be wearing clothes?
32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer.
33. HUGS OR KISSES? Depends on the person giving them, of course.
34. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate cheesecake.
35. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Since I’m not tagging anyone, this doesn’t apply.
36. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? See above answer.
37. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Last Argument of Kings.
38. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? At home I use a track ball. At work, it’s an Oklahoma State University logo mouse pad.
39. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? PBS program on brain fitness.
40. FAVORITE SOUND? I haven’t heard this yet, but I think my favorite sound will be my doctor saying that I’m okay.
41. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles.
42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Arizona.
43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Hmm. Maybe writing. Well, telekinesis, of course, but who doesn’t have that? And the whole changing form thing. Nothing that exciting really.
44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Oklahoma. Most of the best people are, you know.
45. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? I like reading these so I hope many people do it.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Here's a Facebook meme that Jean tagged me with. And it makes a fine post here.
Here are the rules - post this list on your profile replacing my answers with yours. If you feel like tagging people, go ahead, but I'm going to suggest you play if you like and either comment that you have or tag me so I can see what you have to say.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, Stephen, the first Christian martyr mentioned in the Bible.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Lately, I’ve been tearing up a bit. I guess yesterday.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No, I wish it was neater.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Ham if I can't get shark.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? No.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would if I knew what was good for me.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Almost as much as I breathe.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? As far as I know. Would you like to look?
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Well, I like cinnamon oatmeal with blueberries and eat it each morning.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE EM OFF? No. The servants do that.
12. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My mother and father who have both passed on. They were wonderful people.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Cherry praline vanilla.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? The expression on their face, particularly if they've caught me with their daughters.
15. RED OR PINK? Red.
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Health problems.
17. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? Sure.
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue pants and brown shoes.
19. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The fan on my electric heater.
20. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Forest green.
21. FAVORITE SMELLS? Cinnamon.
22. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Kent.
23. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Absolutely. Jean’s smart, funny, and caring, despite living in Texas … :)
24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? College football.
25. HAIR COLOR? Reddish-brown
26. EYE COLOR? Midnight blue.
27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes.
28. FAVORITE FOOD? Mexican.
29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings.
30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Ghost-Breakers. An old Bob Hope movie that stands up very well.
31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? What shirt? We were supposed to be wearing clothes?
32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer.
33. HUGS OR KISSES? Depends on the person giving them, of course.
34. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate cheesecake.
35. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Since I’m not tagging anyone, this doesn’t apply.
36. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? See above answer.
37. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Last Argument of Kings.
38. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? At home I use a track ball. At work, it’s an Oklahoma State University logo mouse pad.
39. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? PBS program on brain fitness.
40. FAVORITE SOUND? I haven’t heard this yet, but I think my favorite sound will be my doctor saying that I’m okay.
41. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles.
42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Arizona.
43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Hmm. Maybe writing. Well, telekinesis, of course, but who doesn’t have that? And the whole changing form thing. Nothing that exciting really.
44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Oklahoma. Most of the best people are, you know.
45. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? I like reading these so I hope many people do it.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Blessing
I had something awesome happen last night. Totally unexpected and a confirmation that God hears our prayers and wants to take care of us.
As you know, I have no health insurance. I’ve worried about paying for the bills during this current health crisis of mine, but have managed to scrape things together -- credit card, etc. -- so far.
Yesterday evening, a friend called and said he was going to drop by and see me. Since he’s a prayer buddy, that wasn’t unexpected. I figured we’d have prayer together, and that was a good thing.
But when he came by, he brought me $1,000! He had inherited the money from his grandmother’s estate, and he said that, when his father handed the money to him Monday afternoon, he knew God intended me to have it. I tried to refuse the money, but he said he wasn’t going to take it back. It was never his money, he said. God intended me to have it.
I was overwhelmed. This blessing renewed me, and I needed it because I was floundering. Unknown to him, I had found out that afternoon that my next CT scan was going to cost $2,500 instead of the $1,200 I had budgeted for it. I wasn’t sure where the money was going to come from. My roomie had assured me that he would help me -- and he would because he’s a wonderful friend, too -- and things would work out, but still it was $1,300 more than I had. I felt like I couldn’t win. How could I beat whatever this is when I couldn’t even afford the tests?
And then out of nowhere, I receive this unexpected gift. Never had I asked my friend for money; not that he isn’t a friend, of course, but that’s just not something I do or would expect him to do. Money is tight for everyone these days.
To receive this incredible gift made me cry. Yeah, I don’t do that a lot. But I did. I have a God who loves me, I have friends who love me, I have family who love me. Despite everything that’s going on, I am deeply blessed.
This is a public thank you to my friend Kelley and to my Heavenly Father. I am grateful beyond words for you both.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
As you know, I have no health insurance. I’ve worried about paying for the bills during this current health crisis of mine, but have managed to scrape things together -- credit card, etc. -- so far.
Yesterday evening, a friend called and said he was going to drop by and see me. Since he’s a prayer buddy, that wasn’t unexpected. I figured we’d have prayer together, and that was a good thing.
But when he came by, he brought me $1,000! He had inherited the money from his grandmother’s estate, and he said that, when his father handed the money to him Monday afternoon, he knew God intended me to have it. I tried to refuse the money, but he said he wasn’t going to take it back. It was never his money, he said. God intended me to have it.
I was overwhelmed. This blessing renewed me, and I needed it because I was floundering. Unknown to him, I had found out that afternoon that my next CT scan was going to cost $2,500 instead of the $1,200 I had budgeted for it. I wasn’t sure where the money was going to come from. My roomie had assured me that he would help me -- and he would because he’s a wonderful friend, too -- and things would work out, but still it was $1,300 more than I had. I felt like I couldn’t win. How could I beat whatever this is when I couldn’t even afford the tests?
And then out of nowhere, I receive this unexpected gift. Never had I asked my friend for money; not that he isn’t a friend, of course, but that’s just not something I do or would expect him to do. Money is tight for everyone these days.
To receive this incredible gift made me cry. Yeah, I don’t do that a lot. But I did. I have a God who loves me, I have friends who love me, I have family who love me. Despite everything that’s going on, I am deeply blessed.
This is a public thank you to my friend Kelley and to my Heavenly Father. I am grateful beyond words for you both.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Hand washing
I got the blood tests done yesterday afternoon. Cost $460 for them all. As my friend Kent put it, they stuck me in two ways. The results should be back in three or four days. They will forward the results to the doctor in OKC. Haven’t got my CT scan scheduled yet. Will work on that today.
Otherwise, not much to tell you. I’ve been reading, watching funny stuff on TV, and playing World of Warcraft. Mostly reading, though. Always my first and best escape. I’ve just started Last Argument of Kings, the third book in Joe Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy. I like the first two books (The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged) but the reviews of the third book weren’t that good. I hope he can pull off a satisfying conclusion.
I’ve also been researching the American medical establishment. Or rather its sins. I’ve been horrified to read about how doctors, doctors’ organizations, and drug companies have hounded people who have defied them. Many of these people were, of course, quacks, sometimes dangerous quacks, but a significant percentage of them were simply ahead of their time and paid the cost for it.
Here’s a good example from Wikipedia:
You would think hand washing would be a no-brainer, but even today, many doctors doing their rounds at hospitals do NOT wash their hands between seeing patients, even those with transmittable diseases. A good friend of mine who is an RN has personally seen many doctors forget to wash their hands between patients, despite many programs instituted to remind them to do so. (Note: She has also seen nurses and other health care workers not wash hands.) You have to wonder why they don't.
Not that we regular folks are doing much better at this simple way to prevent illness. According to the American Society of Microbiology:
And on that note, I'll close and get ready for work. Have a wonderful day. Remember me in your prayers; I'm remembering you!
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Otherwise, not much to tell you. I’ve been reading, watching funny stuff on TV, and playing World of Warcraft. Mostly reading, though. Always my first and best escape. I’ve just started Last Argument of Kings, the third book in Joe Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy. I like the first two books (The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged) but the reviews of the third book weren’t that good. I hope he can pull off a satisfying conclusion.
I’ve also been researching the American medical establishment. Or rather its sins. I’ve been horrified to read about how doctors, doctors’ organizations, and drug companies have hounded people who have defied them. Many of these people were, of course, quacks, sometimes dangerous quacks, but a significant percentage of them were simply ahead of their time and paid the cost for it.
Here’s a good example from Wikipedia:
Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (July 1, 1818 - August 13, 1865) was the Hungarian physician who demonstrated that puerperal fever (also known as "childbed fever") was contagious and that its incidence could be drastically reduced by enforcing appropriate hand-washing behavior by medical care-givers. He made this discovery in 1847 while working in the Maternity Department of the Vienna Lying-in Hospital.
Semmelweis realized that the number of cases of puerperal fever was much larger at one of his wards than at the other. After testing a few hypotheses, he found that the number of cases was drastically reduced if the doctors washed their hands carefully before dealing with a pregnant woman. Risk was especially high if they had been in contact with corpses before they treated the women. The germ theory of disease had not yet been developed at the time. Thus, Semelweiss concluded that some unknown "cadaveric material" caused childbed fever.
He lectured publicly about his results in 1850, however, the reception by the medical community was cold, if not hostile. His observations went against the current scientific opinion of the time, which blamed diseases on an imbalance of the basical "humours" in the body. It was also argued that even if his findings were correct, washing one's hands each time before treating a pregnant woman, as Semmelweis advised, would be too much work. Nor were doctors eager to admit that they had caused so many deaths. Semmelweis spent 14 years developing his ideas and lobbying for their acceptance, culminating in a book he wrote in 1861. The book received poor reviews, and he responded with polemic. In 1865, he suffered a nervous breakdown and was committed to an insane asylum where he soon died from blood poisoning.
Only after Dr. Semmelweis's death was the germ theory of disease developed, and he is now recognized as a pioneer of antiseptic policy and prevention of nosocomial disease.
You would think hand washing would be a no-brainer, but even today, many doctors doing their rounds at hospitals do NOT wash their hands between seeing patients, even those with transmittable diseases. A good friend of mine who is an RN has personally seen many doctors forget to wash their hands between patients, despite many programs instituted to remind them to do so. (Note: She has also seen nurses and other health care workers not wash hands.) You have to wonder why they don't.
Not that we regular folks are doing much better at this simple way to prevent illness. According to the American Society of Microbiology:
Although illnesses as deadly as SARS and as troublesome as the common cold or gastric distress can be spread hand-to-hand, the survey sponsored by the American Society of Microbiology (ASM), found that many people passing through major U.S. airports don’t wash their hands after using public facilities. More than 30 percent of people using restrooms in New York airports, 19 percent of those in Miami’s airport, and 27 percent of air travelers in Chicago aren’t stopping to wash their hands. The survey, conducted by Wirthlin Worldwide in August 2003, observed 7,541 people in public washrooms in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Miami and Toronto.Here’s a link to a brochure on hand washing. Download it. Read it. It may save your life. Seriously.
U.S. airport observations contrast sharply with an August 2003 Wirthlin telephone survey of 1,000 Americans, in which 95 percent said that they wash their hands in public restrooms. The same phone survey – which found only 58 percent of people say they wash their hands after sneezing or coughing and only 77 percent say they wash their hands after changing a diaper – highlights the seriousness of the problem.
And on that note, I'll close and get ready for work. Have a wonderful day. Remember me in your prayers; I'm remembering you!
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Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Hibernation
I've hibernated the past few days. The news from the doctor sort of shut me down. I needed quiet time to process the information and recover my equilibrium. Today I'll go by the doctor's office, and they'll draw blood for six different blood tests (CBC, SED, CMP, ANA, ANCA, and AntiGBM Antibody). And sometime this week or next, I'll have another CT scan (pelvis and abdomen with contrast). We'll get the results back from those, I'll go to the OKC doctor again, and we'll go from there, either a lung biopsy or treatment (if the blood tests reveal a recognizable disease). I have it mapped out in my mind so I'm good to go again.
I have been touched by the support shown by both my online and offline friends more than I can adequately express. You have gathered around me and lifted me up. I appreciate your words, your prayers, your concern, and your love. I'm not sure what's ahead, but I am not alone as long as I have God and all of you. Thank you for holding my hand figuratively and literally.
In good health news, yesterday I got my blood sugar below 100 for the first time in months. It was 97. I did it by limiting food, having only one soft drink, and walking. I'm trying for two days in a row now.
Time for work. I hope you have a great day. Talk to you soon.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
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Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
I have been touched by the support shown by both my online and offline friends more than I can adequately express. You have gathered around me and lifted me up. I appreciate your words, your prayers, your concern, and your love. I'm not sure what's ahead, but I am not alone as long as I have God and all of you. Thank you for holding my hand figuratively and literally.
In good health news, yesterday I got my blood sugar below 100 for the first time in months. It was 97. I did it by limiting food, having only one soft drink, and walking. I'm trying for two days in a row now.
Time for work. I hope you have a great day. Talk to you soon.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
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Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
What the doctor said
Here it is as concise as I can make it: The CT scan showed several patches of something in both of my lungs. The doctor said that it is either cancer or an inflamatory process. I will be having more extensive blood tests and another CT scan and perhaps an MRI to see, if it is cancer, if it spread from elsewhere in my body. Depending on what the blood test reveal and the next CT scan, I will have a lung biopsy to determine if it's cancer.
I am dismayed and shocked. I didn't expect this. I thought he would say that everything was okay or I just had some sort of infection in my lungs. I'm still reeling.
I'm asking you to please pray that it's not cancer, that it's an inflamatory process caused by my over-active immune system (Remember I do have IBD), and that it's healed. If it's true that the movement of a butterfly's wing can cause a hurricaine across the world, then your prayer and your thoughts can surely move the universe.
Know that I appreciate your support and will give you updates as I get them. I am not done down here yet, and I intend to fight whatever it is as hard as I can as long as I can and then some!
Thank you.
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I am dismayed and shocked. I didn't expect this. I thought he would say that everything was okay or I just had some sort of infection in my lungs. I'm still reeling.
I'm asking you to please pray that it's not cancer, that it's an inflamatory process caused by my over-active immune system (Remember I do have IBD), and that it's healed. If it's true that the movement of a butterfly's wing can cause a hurricaine across the world, then your prayer and your thoughts can surely move the universe.
Know that I appreciate your support and will give you updates as I get them. I am not done down here yet, and I intend to fight whatever it is as hard as I can as long as I can and then some!
Thank you.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
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Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
25 Things about MBTA
Needed another post and decided to share 25 things about Murder by the Acre that you might not know or don't know or would surprise you or would fill space.
1. It needs more reviewers on Amazon.com. I have three and would like to have more.
2. The plot for Murder by the Acre changed drastically from the original draft. As first written, it had two murderers who teamed up to off some of the folks in Ryton. But that proved to be too confusing and complicated.
3. Also in that first draft, the first victim had a scene from his viewpoint in which he died. It was cut because it added nothing to the book and slowed down the action.
4. It is available for purchase on Amazon.com and Lulu.com. Yes, I know you probably already know that, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.
5. The story frequently went places I didn't expect or revealed things I didn't know. An example: The chief and Maggie's son. I didn't know he even existed until I started writing that scene, and there he was.
6. My subconscious must be smarter than me since what I talked about in number 5 often answered questions that I hadn't thought of asking.
7. I originally planned for Murder by the Mile to be second book. Things change.
8. I acknowledged Holly Lisle in both books (along with others) because her constant inspiration, but no, she didn't proof or edit it. In fact, I don't even know if she read either one. (I suspect not due to her horribly busy schedule.) That wasn't the point of the acknowledgments.
9. The book had to be republished because I accidently got the ISBN number wrong on the copyright page. The cover ISBN is correct.
10. MBTA is being recorded for the Oklahoma Library for the Blind, as was Murder by Dewey Decimal. These recordings are free of charge to people who qualify. MBTA and MBTA may be submitted to the National Libary. I should know in the next couple of months.
11. The murderer was one of the victims in the original story.
12. I had two playlists of selected music when I wrote MBTA.
13. One playlist featured slower music while the other had only faster songs. Depending on what I was writing, I would select either slower or faster.
14. I can't bear to listen to either playlist now because I listened to them so much while writing the book.
15. Murder by the Mile will get its own playlists.
16. If you'd like to enter a drawing to win a Murder by the Acre large coffee mug, tell me so in the comments on this post and you'll be entered. One person will win. I will have the drawing next week. I have only two entries (Trixie and Adam) so far so your odds are good.
17. I have nearly 40 titles written down for The Measurements of Murder(tm) series. It's unlikely I will write all of them, but who knows?
18. I've thought of making MBTA and MBDD into plays, but haven't done more than write a few lines.
19. I have been thinking about another murder mystery series featuring different locations and different people. Here are few titles: Murder at the Witch's Cottage, Murder at the Pirate's Palace, Murder at the Hangman's House, Murder at the Maniac's Museum, etc.
20. I wrote a play named Murder at the Witch's Cottage, and I really like the title. However, the book couldn't feature the same people or plot.
21. Jean pointed out something that I didn't notice myself until after she did: the books have no children in them. No mention of them at all. But yes, Ryton does have children in it. They will be at least mentioned in Murder by the Mile.
22. Since the original Murder by the Acre was written nearly 25 years ago, it had no mention of cell phones or the Internet in it. I changed that when I revised it for publication.
23. I use several baby books and phone books to get the names of my characters. I pick names that none of my friends or acquaintences have, unless, of course, they have agreed to let me use them for minor, non-speaking characters.
24. My brother-in-law Phillip Owens is the only real person whose name is featured in both books.
25. I have huge changes planned for both Lisa and Bernard in the next few books. They have to grow and change to keep my interest, and I think they will.
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Tuesday, January 27, 2009
25 Random Things
(Frenzied Feline tagged me on Facebook and since I needed a post ...)
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
1. I don't like my middle name.
2. My dad had seven sisters and one brother.
3. I fell and broke my arm in two places backstage before a production of Oklahoma! by the local community theater.
4. I have two laser pointers.
5. I hate washing dishes.
6. I like to cook.
7. I am a fan of The Closer, which I think might be the best show on television.
8. I don't like yellow or pink cars.
9. My first computer was a Tandy 1000. I saved for months to buy it.
10. My character on World of Warcraft is a mage.
11. I used to play Dungeons & Dragons in college. A group of my friends and I still get together and play every year or so.
12. I wrote myself in as a character in both Murder by Dewey Decimal and Murder by the Acre, but no one has ever figured who I am in the book.
13. There is a puzzle hidden in both books that no one has ever found.
14. One of my favorite shows is Last of the Summer Wine on PBS.
15. I also like Keeping Up Appearances and Are You Being Served?.
16. If something gets my attention, it is quite easy for me to become obsessed with it.
17. I think electric cars are the ultimate in cool.
18. I should have got married in college. That relationship was my last real chance.
19. I really think most doctors are only in it for the money. And I detest most of them.
20. I once accidentally dated a married woman. She didn't tell me she was married. I was very upset when I found out.
21. I've always lived in Oklahoma and proud of it.
22. If you'd like to enter a drawing to win a Murder by the Acre large coffee mug, tell me so in the comments on this post and you'll be entered. One person will win. I will have the drawing next week.
23. I have blue eyes.
24. I wear contacts and glasses because my vision is so bad.
25. Barq's root beer should be served in an ice cold mug. I like it that way and have my own mug.
And there is no way I can tag 25 people. If you want to do it, do it and let me know. Otherwise, have a great night and wonderful tomorrow. Night!
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
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Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
1. I don't like my middle name.
2. My dad had seven sisters and one brother.
3. I fell and broke my arm in two places backstage before a production of Oklahoma! by the local community theater.
4. I have two laser pointers.
5. I hate washing dishes.
6. I like to cook.
7. I am a fan of The Closer, which I think might be the best show on television.
8. I don't like yellow or pink cars.
9. My first computer was a Tandy 1000. I saved for months to buy it.
10. My character on World of Warcraft is a mage.
11. I used to play Dungeons & Dragons in college. A group of my friends and I still get together and play every year or so.
12. I wrote myself in as a character in both Murder by Dewey Decimal and Murder by the Acre, but no one has ever figured who I am in the book.
13. There is a puzzle hidden in both books that no one has ever found.
14. One of my favorite shows is Last of the Summer Wine on PBS.
15. I also like Keeping Up Appearances and Are You Being Served?.
16. If something gets my attention, it is quite easy for me to become obsessed with it.
17. I think electric cars are the ultimate in cool.
18. I should have got married in college. That relationship was my last real chance.
19. I really think most doctors are only in it for the money. And I detest most of them.
20. I once accidentally dated a married woman. She didn't tell me she was married. I was very upset when I found out.
21. I've always lived in Oklahoma and proud of it.
22. If you'd like to enter a drawing to win a Murder by the Acre large coffee mug, tell me so in the comments on this post and you'll be entered. One person will win. I will have the drawing next week.
23. I have blue eyes.
24. I wear contacts and glasses because my vision is so bad.
25. Barq's root beer should be served in an ice cold mug. I like it that way and have my own mug.
And there is no way I can tag 25 people. If you want to do it, do it and let me know. Otherwise, have a great night and wonderful tomorrow. Night!
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
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Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Proposal
So basically I’ve made just about every wrong financial decision you can make. I make a lot of them when I was younger; I made some of them not that long ago.
I read Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan. It was not necessarily an eye-opener since I had heard some of it before, but it bought into sharp focus this fact: Credit cards are evil. They may be a necessary evil if you want to rent a car or book a hotel room or order something over the Internet, but if you can’t pay off the entire balance as soon as the bill comes, you are living beyond your means.
Let’s repeat that: If you use your credit card and you can’t pay off the whole balance when the bill comes due, you are living beyond your means, and you need to stop.
Do you want to argue with that? If so, argue with Suze. She has completely convinced me of this. If I use my credit card and can’t pay off the whole balance when the bill comes due, I am living beyond my means, and I need to stop.
So, why oh why are I using my credit card? Why is my balance on that credit card increasing?
The answer is this: To pay my medical bills. It’s the only access to credit I have in the amount I need for my medical bills, but I can’t tell you how much I RESENT having to use it for that.
Obama can win my allegiance no matter what scandal eventually hits his administration -- and there will be one -- if he can lead this nation to affordable healthcare. I am willing to pay for health insurance, but I can’t get it. No one will insure diabetics, not unless it’s on a group policy where they have to take me.
And this is a the result of a bad decision that I made years ago. I was healthy and didn’t think I could afford to have a health plan. I thought I’d get one later. What a foolish thing to do. I may have bankrupted my future by that decision. I’d like to be able to go back and hit myself in the mouth every time I attempted to call and cancel my health insurance.
However, I can’t do that. I have to move on from where I am. So I’ve decided to get married. Yes, that’s right. Married. If you’re single and have a health plan that will cover your spouse, I’m your man.
I’m just kidding.
Sort of.
Look, there have been worse reasons to get married. And some of those marriages doubtlessly didn’t end in murder.
I’m not saying I’d actually do it.
But I’m not saying I wouldn’t either.
Have a great day tomorrow. (And check out those health plans.) Night!
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
I read Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan. It was not necessarily an eye-opener since I had heard some of it before, but it bought into sharp focus this fact: Credit cards are evil. They may be a necessary evil if you want to rent a car or book a hotel room or order something over the Internet, but if you can’t pay off the entire balance as soon as the bill comes, you are living beyond your means.
Let’s repeat that: If you use your credit card and you can’t pay off the whole balance when the bill comes due, you are living beyond your means, and you need to stop.
Do you want to argue with that? If so, argue with Suze. She has completely convinced me of this. If I use my credit card and can’t pay off the whole balance when the bill comes due, I am living beyond my means, and I need to stop.
So, why oh why are I using my credit card? Why is my balance on that credit card increasing?
The answer is this: To pay my medical bills. It’s the only access to credit I have in the amount I need for my medical bills, but I can’t tell you how much I RESENT having to use it for that.
Obama can win my allegiance no matter what scandal eventually hits his administration -- and there will be one -- if he can lead this nation to affordable healthcare. I am willing to pay for health insurance, but I can’t get it. No one will insure diabetics, not unless it’s on a group policy where they have to take me.
And this is a the result of a bad decision that I made years ago. I was healthy and didn’t think I could afford to have a health plan. I thought I’d get one later. What a foolish thing to do. I may have bankrupted my future by that decision. I’d like to be able to go back and hit myself in the mouth every time I attempted to call and cancel my health insurance.
However, I can’t do that. I have to move on from where I am. So I’ve decided to get married. Yes, that’s right. Married. If you’re single and have a health plan that will cover your spouse, I’m your man.
I’m just kidding.
Sort of.
Look, there have been worse reasons to get married. And some of those marriages doubtlessly didn’t end in murder.
I’m not saying I’d actually do it.
But I’m not saying I wouldn’t either.
Have a great day tomorrow. (And check out those health plans.) Night!
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Catching up with you and you and you
I didn’t mean to leave anyone hanging the past few days. I just haven’t had much to say. I go to the doctor in Oklahoma City Friday. Then we’ll learn the results of my tests. I hope for answers. I would dread any more tests, but I will do what I have to do. Let’s talk of other things.
Books
Friday I got in The Devil’s Disciples by Susanna Gregory. This is the 14th in The Chronicles of Matthew Bartholomew. If you like medieval murder mysteries – and I do as evidenced by the fact I have all 14 books in the series – you’ll love Matthew and the rest of the monks of Cambridge. I’m looking forward to diving into its pages tonight.
I also got in Terry Pratchett’s Nation. I’ve already read Nation, but I wanted to keep my collection up to date. I have all of Pratchett’s works in hardcover; he’s that good. Highly recommended.
A paperback I received is Under the Jolly Roger, Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber by L.A. Meyer. This is the third in the Bloody Jack Aventures. This time, she – yes, she – tangles with pirates. These are fun historical adventures, and I recommend them also.
The last book I received from Amazon.com was Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan. I read the first chapter on Oprah’s website, but unfortunately missed the free download. I thought it worth purchasing. I read the book this week, and it's chock full of good advice. Recommended.
Exercise
Walking to Jericho continues. I’ve been putting in some mileage as have the others. The best walker, however, is Kirsten who is really putting in some mileage. If you're up that direction and a blur passes you, it's her.
The walking is getting easier for me. Not as easy as I hoped it would be by this time, but I'm getting there. I'm hoping that I will be fit enough to start using the recumbent bike by the end of February. That's my goal.
Writing
I've been doing Holly Lisle's How to Think Sideways writing course. I've learned a lot. I can't give a complete review as I haven't finished it yet, but I'm very impressed with it.
I've also been working on the outline for Murder by the Mile. The plot of it changed and caused the outline to change drastically. I should have it in shape by the end of this week, though. Or I hope.
I also finished my family newsletter for January this weekend. I will mail it tomorrow. Less writing in it than usual, but there'll be more next month.
Murder by the Acre continues to sell a few copies on Amazon.com. Obviously not best seller territory, but not remainder, either. I would appreciate any good reviews you could post on Amazon. The reviews help a lot, or at least so I've heard.
Speaking of which, here are the links to purchase Murder by the Acre. Yeah, I know you get tired of seeing them, but hey, some day someone might need them, and there they are.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
It's late now, and I've been trying to get into bed earlier. Need all the beauty sleep I can get. Have a great day tomorrow and a great week. Night!
Books
Friday I got in The Devil’s Disciples by Susanna Gregory. This is the 14th in The Chronicles of Matthew Bartholomew. If you like medieval murder mysteries – and I do as evidenced by the fact I have all 14 books in the series – you’ll love Matthew and the rest of the monks of Cambridge. I’m looking forward to diving into its pages tonight.
I also got in Terry Pratchett’s Nation. I’ve already read Nation, but I wanted to keep my collection up to date. I have all of Pratchett’s works in hardcover; he’s that good. Highly recommended.
A paperback I received is Under the Jolly Roger, Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber by L.A. Meyer. This is the third in the Bloody Jack Aventures. This time, she – yes, she – tangles with pirates. These are fun historical adventures, and I recommend them also.
The last book I received from Amazon.com was Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan. I read the first chapter on Oprah’s website, but unfortunately missed the free download. I thought it worth purchasing. I read the book this week, and it's chock full of good advice. Recommended.
Exercise
Walking to Jericho continues. I’ve been putting in some mileage as have the others. The best walker, however, is Kirsten who is really putting in some mileage. If you're up that direction and a blur passes you, it's her.
The walking is getting easier for me. Not as easy as I hoped it would be by this time, but I'm getting there. I'm hoping that I will be fit enough to start using the recumbent bike by the end of February. That's my goal.
Writing
I've been doing Holly Lisle's How to Think Sideways writing course. I've learned a lot. I can't give a complete review as I haven't finished it yet, but I'm very impressed with it.
I've also been working on the outline for Murder by the Mile. The plot of it changed and caused the outline to change drastically. I should have it in shape by the end of this week, though. Or I hope.
I also finished my family newsletter for January this weekend. I will mail it tomorrow. Less writing in it than usual, but there'll be more next month.
Murder by the Acre continues to sell a few copies on Amazon.com. Obviously not best seller territory, but not remainder, either. I would appreciate any good reviews you could post on Amazon. The reviews help a lot, or at least so I've heard.
Speaking of which, here are the links to purchase Murder by the Acre. Yeah, I know you get tired of seeing them, but hey, some day someone might need them, and there they are.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
It's late now, and I've been trying to get into bed earlier. Need all the beauty sleep I can get. Have a great day tomorrow and a great week. Night!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
If only
And I'm back. Had my CT scan today. It went fine other than a very upset stomach caused by the radioactive dye they injected in me. Won't know anything about what it showed if anything until next week. Then maybe I'll get some answers. Or if not, more tests. I'm rather tired of tests.
Rather tired of everything today. A bit discouraging to spend $1,200 and not have anything FUN to show for it. I should at least have a tattoo or something. This whole health care thing is weighing me down. I had hoped to pay off all my credit cards this year and make a substantial dent in my second mortgage. In my plan, I had hoped to pay off my second mortgage next year, and then be out of debt completely. Not going to happen now. If only I had health insurance. If only I could get it. If only I had asked to be tested for diabetes years ago. If only I hadn't given up on my relationship with S.G. back in college. If only I had made other decisions. If only I had another life. If only.
Well, I don't. Tomorrow I will get up and go to work. Tomorrow I will walk at the Family Life Center. Tomorrow I'll try to figure out ways to bring Murder by the Acre to people's attention and sell a few more books. Tomorrow I'll pick everything up again. Tomorrow.
Tonight I'm going to watch Leno and The Last of the Summer Wine and then go to bed. Where, if I'm lucky, I won't dream. Dreams can kill you. They bring hope, and hope is cruel. Tonight I'm too tired for hope. Tomorrow I'll hope again. And dream. And plan and work and generally be the original bump-n-go boy. But that's tomorrow.
Tonight I'm going to sign off now. Talk to you soon.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Rather tired of everything today. A bit discouraging to spend $1,200 and not have anything FUN to show for it. I should at least have a tattoo or something. This whole health care thing is weighing me down. I had hoped to pay off all my credit cards this year and make a substantial dent in my second mortgage. In my plan, I had hoped to pay off my second mortgage next year, and then be out of debt completely. Not going to happen now. If only I had health insurance. If only I could get it. If only I had asked to be tested for diabetes years ago. If only I hadn't given up on my relationship with S.G. back in college. If only I had made other decisions. If only I had another life. If only.
Well, I don't. Tomorrow I will get up and go to work. Tomorrow I will walk at the Family Life Center. Tomorrow I'll try to figure out ways to bring Murder by the Acre to people's attention and sell a few more books. Tomorrow I'll pick everything up again. Tomorrow.
Tonight I'm going to watch Leno and The Last of the Summer Wine and then go to bed. Where, if I'm lucky, I won't dream. Dreams can kill you. They bring hope, and hope is cruel. Tonight I'm too tired for hope. Tomorrow I'll hope again. And dream. And plan and work and generally be the original bump-n-go boy. But that's tomorrow.
Tonight I'm going to sign off now. Talk to you soon.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
New shoes, new phone, same old me
A busy day today all thing considered. I got up late after being sick yesterday evening. I got about four hours sleep so I was a groggy boy when I dragged myself out of bed. I had a long list of things I wanted to get done today, so I tried to do some of them:
1) Washed a load of shirts.
2) Made it to the library and returned some overdue books and checked out new ones that will doubtlessly be overdue when I return them. (I think of my overdue fines as little donations to the library.)
3) Went to the AT&T and purchased a new Nokia phone because my old one was behaving erratically. The new phone has a Bluetooth headset, camera, Internet access, GPS capacity, and a bunch of other stuff I can’t see myself using much. Apparently getting a cell phone to just be a phone is so yesterday.
4) Went to The Runner and purchased a new pair of walking shoes. I had been walking in the shoes I wear to work each day, and my feet were complaining. I’ve been saving up and got a new pair today that have good arch supports and feel good to my feet. We’ll see how they do Monday night when I walk again.
5) Worked on the family newsletter for January some.
And that’s it for today. Otherwise I napped and tried to get a handle on feeling better. My roomie’s son is supposed to be in town tonight, and we may meet him for dinner later. What exciting things did you do today? Win the lottery? Meet a movie star? Win the lottery AND meet a movie star? Have a deeply spiritual and moving experience that will change your whole life? Share!
And here once again are the links to purchase Murder by the Acre. You didn’t think I’d forget them, did you?
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
1) Washed a load of shirts.
2) Made it to the library and returned some overdue books and checked out new ones that will doubtlessly be overdue when I return them. (I think of my overdue fines as little donations to the library.)
3) Went to the AT&T and purchased a new Nokia phone because my old one was behaving erratically. The new phone has a Bluetooth headset, camera, Internet access, GPS capacity, and a bunch of other stuff I can’t see myself using much. Apparently getting a cell phone to just be a phone is so yesterday.
4) Went to The Runner and purchased a new pair of walking shoes. I had been walking in the shoes I wear to work each day, and my feet were complaining. I’ve been saving up and got a new pair today that have good arch supports and feel good to my feet. We’ll see how they do Monday night when I walk again.
5) Worked on the family newsletter for January some.
And that’s it for today. Otherwise I napped and tried to get a handle on feeling better. My roomie’s son is supposed to be in town tonight, and we may meet him for dinner later. What exciting things did you do today? Win the lottery? Meet a movie star? Win the lottery AND meet a movie star? Have a deeply spiritual and moving experience that will change your whole life? Share!
And here once again are the links to purchase Murder by the Acre. You didn’t think I’d forget them, did you?
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Thoughts with dialogue
Kirsten won the hardcover of Holly Lisle’s wonderful The Ruby Key that I was giving away in the comments on last Friday’s post. Kirsten, email me so I can arrange delivery. The Ruby Key is a wonderful young adult novel. It’s self-contained, but begins a series. The Silver Door, the second books, comes out this spring and is available for pre-order from Amazon.com now.
***
Dialogue with rude customer
Phone rings.
I answer.
Customer: “You haven’t called me with the information I requested. I’ve been waiting for hours.”
Stephen: “I’ve been waiting for your email. I haven’t received it.”
C: “I sent it hours ago.”
S: “Let me check and see if I missed it.”
C: “That’s probably what you did.”
S: “It’s not here.”
C: “Check again. You overlooked it.”
S: “No, sir. It’s not here. What email address did you use?”
C: “What you gave me. I don’t know.”
S: “It’s StephenBagley@mycompany.com.”
C: “That’s where I sent it.”
S: “Did you spell Stephen with a ph?”
C: “No, of course not. What a dumb way to spell Stephen. Where did your parents get that?”
Pause
S: “From the Bible. Stephen was the first Christian martyr.”
C: “Well, who reads that anymore? You should change your name to make it easier for your customers.”
Longer pause
S: “If you’ll resend that email to me, I’ll get you the information you requested.”
C: “I’ll do that, but I want the information as soon as possible. I’ve wasted all day waiting because you didn’t spell your email address to me. What a stupid name.”
Customer hangs up.
Is it any wonder I hate my job sometimes?
***
Dialogue with a friend after a Sunday school class discussion in which the teacher said he agreed with the legislator who said the gay lifestyle was more dangerous than terrorists.
Friend: “Why do you always do that?”
Stephen: “Do what?”
F: “Defend homosexuals.”
S: “What?”
F: “Why didn’t you let it go? Everyone knows our teacher is homophobic. You didn’t have to make it obvious.”
S: “I don’t know why you’re so upset. I wasn’t rude, but I wasn’t going to sit there and let him think I agreed. I’ve yet to see any gay people blowing up buildings.”
F: “You’re always doing that. You always take the liberal side of everything.
S: “Why are you so upset? Did you agree with him?”
F: “Of course not, but … oh forget it.”
S: “I don’t understand.”
F: “No, you don’t. You never do. You never think about the consequences of what you say. Forget it.”
S: “What consequences?”
F: “Every time you defend homosexuals, don’t you realize what people think? They think you’re gay, too.”
S: “I don’t care what they think.”
F: “Yeah, that’s good for you, but what about your friends? People think I’m gay because I’m your friend.”
S: “You’re married!”
F: “Like that matters.”
S: “Do you really care what those people think?”
F: “I have a business here. This is Oklahoma. A rumor gets around like that, and people stop coming in.”
S: “I’m sorry.”
F: “It’s okay.”
S: “But I won’t stop.”
F: “I knew you wouldn’t understand.”
S: “I do understand. I understand perfectly. Being friends with me might cost you business because I won’t keep my big mouth shut. I guess you have to decide if being my friend is worth it. Because I won’t shut up. I can’t. I wish I could, but I can’t. I won’t let my silence be seen as approval. Look, I know you don’t understand why I defend gays and electric cars and Democrats, but I do it because I’m compelled to. Because my conscience says I have to. Because people are too quiet, and they let bad things happen because they won’t speak up and they won’t do what’s right because it costs them. If I don’t speak up, who’s going to?”
F: “There are other people. God didn’t call you to protect them. I want you to think about this: Do you do it because it’s right or because you want the attention?”
S: “I can’t believe you said that. You know better than that. You know better than that!”
F: “Forget it. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. You’re my friend. I’m glad you’re my friend.”
S: “I’m glad you’re my friend, too. And I’m sorry if I … embarrass you.”
F: “You don’t. Forget it.”
S: “Forgotten already.”
But it wasn't. I sat in church wondering how long he and his family will continue to be my friends if I keep opening my big mouth.
***
I’ve always found it interesting how stories can change. You think they’re leading one place, but then you find you’re on another path. For instance, when I started writing Murder by the Mile, the third book in the Measurements of Murder Mystery ™ series, I thought it was about an armored car robbery. Turns out I was wrong. The armored car robbery isn’t even mentioned now, and that deletion changed the story quite a bit. No ex-convicts, no driven FBI agents, no hidden money. The only thing that didn’t change was the motive for the murders: revenge.
Fear was the motive in Murder by Dewey Decimal. Greed was the motive in Murder by the Acre. Of course, in both books, other motives got mixed in there, but those two emotions dominated the respective books. Or at least that's what I intended. What do you think? Have you read both of them? Here's the links if you need to buy them and catch up.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Have a great day!
***
Dialogue with rude customer
Phone rings.
I answer.
Customer: “You haven’t called me with the information I requested. I’ve been waiting for hours.”
Stephen: “I’ve been waiting for your email. I haven’t received it.”
C: “I sent it hours ago.”
S: “Let me check and see if I missed it.”
C: “That’s probably what you did.”
S: “It’s not here.”
C: “Check again. You overlooked it.”
S: “No, sir. It’s not here. What email address did you use?”
C: “What you gave me. I don’t know.”
S: “It’s StephenBagley@mycompany.com.”
C: “That’s where I sent it.”
S: “Did you spell Stephen with a ph?”
C: “No, of course not. What a dumb way to spell Stephen. Where did your parents get that?”
Pause
S: “From the Bible. Stephen was the first Christian martyr.”
C: “Well, who reads that anymore? You should change your name to make it easier for your customers.”
Longer pause
S: “If you’ll resend that email to me, I’ll get you the information you requested.”
C: “I’ll do that, but I want the information as soon as possible. I’ve wasted all day waiting because you didn’t spell your email address to me. What a stupid name.”
Customer hangs up.
Is it any wonder I hate my job sometimes?
***
Dialogue with a friend after a Sunday school class discussion in which the teacher said he agreed with the legislator who said the gay lifestyle was more dangerous than terrorists.
Friend: “Why do you always do that?”
Stephen: “Do what?”
F: “Defend homosexuals.”
S: “What?”
F: “Why didn’t you let it go? Everyone knows our teacher is homophobic. You didn’t have to make it obvious.”
S: “I don’t know why you’re so upset. I wasn’t rude, but I wasn’t going to sit there and let him think I agreed. I’ve yet to see any gay people blowing up buildings.”
F: “You’re always doing that. You always take the liberal side of everything.
S: “Why are you so upset? Did you agree with him?”
F: “Of course not, but … oh forget it.”
S: “I don’t understand.”
F: “No, you don’t. You never do. You never think about the consequences of what you say. Forget it.”
S: “What consequences?”
F: “Every time you defend homosexuals, don’t you realize what people think? They think you’re gay, too.”
S: “I don’t care what they think.”
F: “Yeah, that’s good for you, but what about your friends? People think I’m gay because I’m your friend.”
S: “You’re married!”
F: “Like that matters.”
S: “Do you really care what those people think?”
F: “I have a business here. This is Oklahoma. A rumor gets around like that, and people stop coming in.”
S: “I’m sorry.”
F: “It’s okay.”
S: “But I won’t stop.”
F: “I knew you wouldn’t understand.”
S: “I do understand. I understand perfectly. Being friends with me might cost you business because I won’t keep my big mouth shut. I guess you have to decide if being my friend is worth it. Because I won’t shut up. I can’t. I wish I could, but I can’t. I won’t let my silence be seen as approval. Look, I know you don’t understand why I defend gays and electric cars and Democrats, but I do it because I’m compelled to. Because my conscience says I have to. Because people are too quiet, and they let bad things happen because they won’t speak up and they won’t do what’s right because it costs them. If I don’t speak up, who’s going to?”
F: “There are other people. God didn’t call you to protect them. I want you to think about this: Do you do it because it’s right or because you want the attention?”
S: “I can’t believe you said that. You know better than that. You know better than that!”
F: “Forget it. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. You’re my friend. I’m glad you’re my friend.”
S: “I’m glad you’re my friend, too. And I’m sorry if I … embarrass you.”
F: “You don’t. Forget it.”
S: “Forgotten already.”
But it wasn't. I sat in church wondering how long he and his family will continue to be my friends if I keep opening my big mouth.
***
I’ve always found it interesting how stories can change. You think they’re leading one place, but then you find you’re on another path. For instance, when I started writing Murder by the Mile, the third book in the Measurements of Murder Mystery ™ series, I thought it was about an armored car robbery. Turns out I was wrong. The armored car robbery isn’t even mentioned now, and that deletion changed the story quite a bit. No ex-convicts, no driven FBI agents, no hidden money. The only thing that didn’t change was the motive for the murders: revenge.
Fear was the motive in Murder by Dewey Decimal. Greed was the motive in Murder by the Acre. Of course, in both books, other motives got mixed in there, but those two emotions dominated the respective books. Or at least that's what I intended. What do you think? Have you read both of them? Here's the links if you need to buy them and catch up.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
Have a great day!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Walking to Jericho
I've mentioned Walking to Jericho here before. It now has its own website (walkingtojericho.blogspot.com) and I update every other day or so. You might be unsure what it is. Walking to Jericho is a group effort to walk 6884 miles, which happens to be the distance from my town to Jericho.
Yeah, 6884 miles. Seems a lot, but several people -- and their camels -- are participating. In the comments, they list their mileage, and we add it to our total miles traveling. When we don't have any mileage it's because we were riding our camels, and camel miles don't count.
We are also having adventures and will be visiting various cities, real and unreal, as we travel. We are following a Jigmap, which is a dimension folding map that allows us to travel in a non-linear fashion and still reach our goal.
I'm hoping the other participants will also post adventures for us as they get used to our format. And naturally we are still looking for participants. If you'd like to join a caravan to better health, grab your camel and stop by. We'd love to have you traveling with us.
By the way, a good book to take when you're traveling is my latest mystery novel Murder by the Acre. Here are some links to help you get your copy.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
I hope you are doing well. Talk to you later.
Yeah, 6884 miles. Seems a lot, but several people -- and their camels -- are participating. In the comments, they list their mileage, and we add it to our total miles traveling. When we don't have any mileage it's because we were riding our camels, and camel miles don't count.
We are also having adventures and will be visiting various cities, real and unreal, as we travel. We are following a Jigmap, which is a dimension folding map that allows us to travel in a non-linear fashion and still reach our goal.
I'm hoping the other participants will also post adventures for us as they get used to our format. And naturally we are still looking for participants. If you'd like to join a caravan to better health, grab your camel and stop by. We'd love to have you traveling with us.
By the way, a good book to take when you're traveling is my latest mystery novel Murder by the Acre. Here are some links to help you get your copy.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre in hardcover, exclusively from Lulu.com.
Click here to order Murder by the Acre merchandise.
I hope you are doing well. Talk to you later.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Not enough
Not enough hours in the stinking day. I've started to feel guilty whenever I take a nap or watch TV or read a book because I have so many things to do on my list. It's nearly midnight, and I'm just now getting ready for bed. Sigh. I have another full day tomorrow. A full week.
What's on the week list so far?
1) Finish the January family newsletter and get it mailed.
2) Walk/exercise every other day.
3) Write at least seven pages on Murder by the Mile.
4) Finish printing the lessons from Holly Lisle's Thinking Sideways online course.
5) Start the first lesson from the course.
6) Eye doctor appointment Friday afternoon (which I have off, thank the good Lord).
7) Housework, housework, housework.
8) File before the papers fall over and kill someone.
9) Continue publicity for Murder by the Acre.
10) Have a nervous breakdown.
11) Blog here and on Walking to Jericho.
12) Facebook some publicity for MBTA, too.
13) Lots of other items I can't bear to think about now.
I'm going to bed. I hope you are, too. Night!
What's on the week list so far?
1) Finish the January family newsletter and get it mailed.
2) Walk/exercise every other day.
3) Write at least seven pages on Murder by the Mile.
4) Finish printing the lessons from Holly Lisle's Thinking Sideways online course.
5) Start the first lesson from the course.
6) Eye doctor appointment Friday afternoon (which I have off, thank the good Lord).
7) Housework, housework, housework.
8) File before the papers fall over and kill someone.
9) Continue publicity for Murder by the Acre.
10) Have a nervous breakdown.
11) Blog here and on Walking to Jericho.
12) Facebook some publicity for MBTA, too.
13) Lots of other items I can't bear to think about now.
I'm going to bed. I hope you are, too. Night!
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