Holmes vs Moriarty

2010-10-06T19:10:00.001-07:00

Pay this no mind, I am testing something.

2010-10-03T20:01:00.001-07:00

Back from Bisbee, brainstorming on my Romance novel all sorts of ideas for the ethnicity of the female character. African or French? Pied-Noir or Black African or stick with aristocratic French. One of my chapter members suggested Afrikaner, but that is coming in behind.

2010-09-25T19:07:00.001-07:00

Gave the Public Speaking for Shy Writers for My Chapter Saguaro Romance Writers today. A friend and I are submitting a longer version of this to present at the Romance Writers of America conference next June in New York City.
This is not public speaking in the sense of giving a speech. This is more the sense of selling your book. You meet someone in the grocery line. They ask what do you do? Be proud of it. It is not a speech, but a conversation that could lead to something. Use virus marketing to meet and speak with people. This is the public speaking we are discussing here. At the most a book talk with questions and answers.
When I read Rich Dad Poor Dad this week, the author told a story about Ray Kroc, the man who built McDonald's speaking to a group of MBA students. He asked them what business am I in? They thought he was pulling their leg, until one student said, "Everyone in the world knows you sell the most hamburgers!" His response? "That's what I thought you would say. Ladies and gentlemen, I am in the real estate business. He made his money NOT because he made a better hamburger, but because he could sell land to have businesses and franchises.
As authors we know how to write. The 17th Century French playwright Moliere said, I wrote first for me, then for my friends, then for pay. Well, if you want to get to step three, it is time to market. There will be more detail down the road about how to do it and please ask any questions you have.

2010-08-31T18:39:00.001-07:00

I never thought I would admire some of what Gandhi did. Simplicity and cutting back.

2010-08-31T18:02:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, I watched the NBC show Who do You Think You Are? The show profiled Emmitt Smith. DNA studies interest me and they did Emmit Smith. He is 81% African, 15% European and 4% Native American. What does that tell me? Emmitt Smith can only BE an AMERICAN. Let's get past the hyphenated American and those who don't like it, he is one of us.

2010-08-15T20:32:00.001-07:00

Laurie Schenbly Campbell spoke about rejection for writers at the Society for Southwest Authors meeting. The six members from Saguaro Romance Writers, are known as "Laurie's Roadies." There is none to keep in mind.

2010-08-10T19:01:00.001-07:00

So Wyclef Jean wants to be President of Haiti. I will have to ask my old friend Patrick what he thinks.

2010-08-09T17:32:00.001-07:00

Book news this weekend. Dorchester Press going to ebooks and Barnes and Noble putting itself up for sale.
I remember trips to Barnes and Noble as a child. I worked in a Barnes and Noble. We hang out and get work done in Barnes and Noble.
The Economist had an interesting article about Barnes and Noble. They want to go private, because they want to concentrate on e-books and many investors still have trouble with the idea of an e-book. Amazon already sells more e-books than bound.
I keep saying it is hard to predict the future, but with ebooks and publishing on demand, you can imagine instead of a bookstore with a coffee shop, a coffee shop that is a bookstore.
Food and coffee for thought.

2010-08-09T17:12:00.001-07:00

I mentioned last week that Brenda Novak was signing at the Poisoned Pen bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona. A group of writers met first at Grazie Pizzeria and Wine Bar. The owner, Maurizio is a really nice guy. The food is good and the company was great. There were lots of laughs.
The Poisoned Pen is 387 feet away according to Google Maps. Great store, lots of major mystery writers have signed there.
Glad I went, but Brenda is a good friend and her new book, White Heat is great.

2010-08-06T19:18:00.001-07:00

Baron Haussmann was the Prefect of Paris in the Mid Nineteenth Century. He is responsible for the grand boulevards of Paris. The original reason was to tear up the unsanitary Medieval streets, but the government also found they could prevent Les Miserables from occurring again. No barricades in backstreets, easier to send the troops and shoot at people. Napoleon the Third was pleased.

2010-08-06T19:12:00.001-07:00

I saw an ad on a bus stop. Can you afford to die? I didn't think the money entered into it for the deceased, but for your loved ones.

2010-08-06T19:04:00.001-07:00

The voice on the tow truck GPS was a sexy upper crust English voice. It didn't get the guy towing the car to my garage, but almost on the Union Pacific tracks. Hmmmmm

2010-07-27T19:50:00.001-07:00

A Paris Obstacle Course for Americans.

This is meant to be a modern, Mark Twain Innocents Abroad type look at Paris. I am in no way comparing myself with Mr. Twain, nowhere near the same league. Just the same sort of tongue in cheek humor. None of this is true, more silly stories created out of what my imagination sees lol!

The American Ambassador to Paris.
So you think his job is all cocktail parties and important people. Much of his time is spent rescuing Americans who get into all sorts of difficulties. I will cover some of these dreadful possibilities. Paris is like a booby trap, waiting for people it considers boobies.
He contacts Washington and the Secretary of State. â€œOh Madame Secretary, is there no way we can control, some of the people who come here? Limit it to people of class and breeding? It would make our relations with our French friends that much easier.â€
â€œNo, Mister Ambassador. They can afford the passport, they go to France.â€
The Ambassador cries to himself in the wee hours. â€œOh, if that were not the case. My time is spent saving the Ugly Americans from themselves in this great city. Oh, being an ambassador is not all it is made out to be.

The Ugly Americans.
Sam and Maybelle Houston are as Texas awl as Texas gits. He did not want to go, but she did. â€œDarlinâ€™Dallas has Neiman Marcus. Why do we have to go all the way to Paris?â€
â€œBecause I want to.â€
Sam knows he is licked. His first mistake upon arrival is insisting on an SUV. Now this works in Texas, but not on the narrow roads coming into Paris. Sam finds he is enjoying this though, as drivers in their brand new Jaguars are giving him a wide berth. Busses are giving them a VERY wide berth.
Sam is leaning out the window yelling and whooping. Alas, his luck runs out in the Latin Quarter when he goes into an old Medieval street and gets stuck. It is not the money, he can easily pay damages out of pocket. It is the annoyance of the Parisians.
First of all, the SUV is blocking the street. Traffic, already bad, is backing up. All the surrounding Parisians have to throw in their two Euros about the Ugly American.
Maybelle starts to cry, Sam throws up his hands, â€œWhatâ€™s wrong with these people? Canâ€™t yâ€™all tear down some buildings?â€ He points to the Pantheon as one building that has to go.
The tow truck finally shows and some semblance of order is restored. Sam and Maybelle hop in a taxi. Maybelle decides she want to go to the Louvre. The taxi is small and is riding low in the street. Sam is cramped. â€œWhy canâ€™t yâ€™all have larger cars? How is a former University of Texas football star supposed to git comfortable in these thangs?â€ Maybelle is too busy watching the sites. The driver is a man from Mali and speaks no English. â€œMah luck, ah am in a taxi, of all thangs and he doesnâ€™t even speak English. Maybelle, donâ€™t tell anyone in our club we were in a darn taxi.â€
They finally get to the Louvre. Sam hands the driver 100 Euros and they get out without waiting for change. Maybelle loves the Louvre, the Mona Lisa, the sculpture. Sam is just indulging her. A young man bumps into Maybelle and starts to wander off. Sam grabs him. â€œBoy, ah think you owe mah Maybelle an apology.â€
â€œMonsieur, I owe nothing to you, you fat American! You were in my way, Monsieur.â€
Samâ€™s fist is larger than the kids face. Samâ€™s fist now fills the kids face and the Battle of the Louvre is on. This was the beginning of the Ambassadorâ€™s day, as he went to visit Sam at the Palais du Justice. The cops get the Ambassador coffee and Pain du Chocolat, he is that much of a regular. A Texas Congressman has already contacted the Ambassador.
â€œMr. Houston, why did you hit that young man?â€
â€œMr. Ambassador, he was rude to mah Maybelle and didnâ€™t apologize. In Texas, I would have shot that boy.â€
â€œWell this is not Texas and the authorities here do not take kindly to their young men being hit.â€
â€œWhat kind of damn country is this? Cars donâ€™t fit in the streets, people donâ€™t speak English, the money ainâ€™t green, and young people donâ€™t say yes maâ€™am and no maâ€™am. No wonder Europe is in trouble.â€
The Ambassador sighed to himself. â€œThis man has political connections I have to pay attention to. It is what it is. Mr. Houston, I will do what I can.â€
Two hours later. â€œMr. Houston, if you pay damages, you can leave, your passport will be stamped Banned from France.â€
Maybelle cried, Sam grunted. â€œAll I care about is they will not be back. There may be more to take their place. A song from Gilbert and Sullivanâ€™s A Policemanâ€™s lot is not a happy one, keeps playing through his head. An Ambassadorâ€™s lot is not a happy one..

An Evil Parisian Plot to Break Americans.
Americans are taking places injured Parisians need in hospitals. There seem to be three main ways for Americans to be broken in Paris.
The first is Americans who stay on the fourth floor of a hotel without an elevator. They get out of the shower, the shower is four inches above the bathroom floor. They donâ€™t pay attention and fall, breaking themselves. Alternatively, staying in apartments on narrow spiral staircases and being stuck or falling.
Then there is the Metro. It is hot and sultry. Americans canâ€™t take it, pass out and knock the Parisians over like tenpins. When the doors are opened by the Parisian EMTâ€™s at the next stop, they know immediately what happened. American fainted again, sending twenty Parisians to the hospital as well.
Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Tripping on the cobblestones at the top of the hill and being splattered on the bottom. Ambulances hang out at the bottom. The ambulances come from different hospitals and fight over the victims, breaking them even more.

Pere Lachaise. You have heard all the jokes. Youâ€™re dead to me! Only the dead know Pere Lachaise. I see dead people. Oscar Wildeâ€™s grave was the most interesting. Allegedly, his last words were in the dreary hotel he died in. â€œEither the wallpaper goes, or I do.â€ His tomb is covered with lipstick, even though the instructions specifically say not to deface it. People leave Metro tickets with messages. Why Metro tickets, he isnâ€™t going anywhere. Or is he?
All sorts of famous people get no eternal rest here, because so many walk around. It is beautiful for the living. Trees, rows a hill.

The Metro.
I have already covered the heat. The older trains have hooks on the doors. If no one is getting on or off at that door, you have to open it yourself. Oh, but the conductor is happy to sound that loud horn before closing the door and he has no patience for slow Americans blocking HIS train doors. You donâ€™t want to be the reason the Metro goes on un greve, a strike.
Then there are the transfers between lines, or Correspondence. I donâ€™t see any correspondence in those long tunnels, up and down stairs. Where is the next platform, Normandy?
The tunnels like the commuter trains are full of graffiti. OK, so you can write, bring it to the surface.

French Women.
Oh la la, I donâ€™t know how they do it. I was melting in the July heat, but they always looked so well turned out. I looked like the Wicked Witch of the West, after Dorothy threw the bucket of hot water on her.

Institut de France.

It is officially where the Alliance Francaise is located. This is the organization that monitors the French Language. I hold though, it is really a secret organization, where one learns to be French.
This is another place where Monty Python has corrupted me. All that comes to mind is the Holy Grail, the French castle in England. Of course, I am French. Why do you think I have this outrrrraggeeous accent?!
How do you become French. In a secret ceremony like the Mafia. You swear on the ghosts of Joan of Arc and DeGaulle you will adopt French Language and culture and forsake all others.

So this is Paris. Be careful and have a nice day.

2010-07-27T17:30:00.001-07:00

Monday July 12th, 2010. The Air France Airbus is approaching Charles de Gaulle Airport under cloudy skies. We landed just in time, the thunder rolled.
Getting through customs was easy. We were taking the RER, the commuter train to Gare du Nord and then the Metro line number 2 to Place de Clichy. It was early in the morning and the hotel would not be ready yet, so we would go to my parents with the luggage to the apartment they stayed in with my sister, brother-in-law and three kids.
The RER train from Charles de Gaulle becomes crowded quickly. We are going in town quickly and it is rush hour. Greeted immediately by a beggar on the train. My French works in this case.
I am watching out the train window, the grim day and all the graffiti. It is something New York trains got rid of twenty years ago. The suburbs or banlieues tend to be rougher. Have to negotiate getting out at Gare du Nord, along with the bags. Long walk up to the el tracks for the Metro Line 2.
We saw all sorts of French speakers with suitcases, so being in the Metro with bags was not strange. Arrived at my familyâ€™s rental apartment.
It was in a nice courtyard at the back. The courtyard was like a small town off a busy main Parisian Street, Avenue de Clichy. There are some businesses at the front of the courtyard. The apartment was nice and the great thing about renting an apartment is being able to only have to eat lunch out.
We got checked into our hotel, Hotel El Dorado on Rue des Dames. It was up four flights, great for exercise, the room was above a Bistro courtyard and you could dream about being a writer in Paris.
That afternoon, we went to the Left Bank and went to the Musee Cluny, the Medieval museum. I did not go in. I was tired and wanted to keep my Dad company. He was having trouble walking. The ladies could see the Medieval stuff.
When we had lunch out, I tried an andouille. I love the mustard, Grey Poupon does not hold a candle to it.
Food is great, fresh, you can buy bread and meat for the house from specialty stores. There was a local supermarket, part of the Monoprix chain. We took a picture of a display for Old El Paso products, otherwise, who would believe us?
Tuesday, was our first full day there. Got in the Metro and went to Ile de la Cite, where Paris got its start as a fishing village all those centuries ago.
The Cite Metro station on line number 4 and is four flights down, luckily it has an elevator. You come out of the station in the middle of a flower market with some greenhouses. The first place we went first was Notre Dame.
It is impressive, thatâ€™s for sure. The size and the glasswork Then it was time to hit the souvenir shops.
One thing you see at the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame is Gypsy beggars. They ask if you speak English, then there is some sort of scam. I have no idea what the scam is, because I could get read of them easily with a wave of my hand and yelling Allez! (Go). My sister Debby speaks better French and one upped me. She would yell at them Recevez un emploi! (Get a job)! They are not really fazed by this, they just move on to someone who will fall for whatever the scam is.
We had lunch at a place I found in the Paris Access guidebook. They enjoyed the fact we spoke French. Even if you do not speak French, by trying you really do win hearts and minds.
After lunch was St. Chapelle, which is a 14th Century church commissioned by King Louis IX (later canonized and became St. Louis. Yâ€™all in Missouri, thatâ€™s where the name comes from). Not elaborate like Notre Dame, but fascinating. It is part of the complex which now houses the Palais du Justice (the law courts and the French fictional detective I have been reading since childhood, Maigret. One Maigret takes place in Tucson, how I first learned about the city).
A fun interesting day.

Wednesday, Elaineâ€™s legs were hurting. She stayed behind with my Dad. It rained on and off and was cloudy and damp. We went to the Natural History Museum. My nieces were a little bothered by the animals preserved by taxidermy. Then wandered around the interesting small streets of the neighborhood. More of the Medieval streets survived Baron Haussmann in the Latin Quarter.
Baron Haussmann was the Prefect of Paris in the middle of the 19th Century. The old streets were Centuries old and bred disease. Many entire neighborhoods were knocked down. The other reason later became preventing the barricades, as in Les Miserables. It makes it easier to for the authorities to get down broad boulevards and shoot them.
Just walking the streets of Paris is a joy.

Thursday, Today is the Louvre, possibly the largest museum in the Western World. We are only seeing a small corner of it.
Have to see the Mona Lisa, of course. She looks like she is bored. â€œGet on with it, Leonardo!â€ Enjoyed the Assyrian exhibit. My mother calls them â€œMen with Purses.â€ It is not a handbag, but a European shoulder bag, like in the Progressive Insurance commercial.
My sister and I made faces in front of a statue. Yes, there is a picture.
Dad was having a tough time, so he and Mom went off in a cab and the rest of us walked off got lunch and hung out on Ile de la Cite. That became a base.
Friday, Musee Dâ€™Orsay. I was looking forward to this. These are statues and Impressionist paintings in an old train station that was saved from the wreckers ball. First, the Eiffel Tower. We did not go up, the line was for two hours and it was not a great day.
Then we got on the RER for the Musee Dâ€™Orsay, where we met my parents. Afterwards, Elaine and I met someone I met on Michael Palinâ€™s website for a drink. Her name is Stephanie. Then walked back toward Ile de la Cite passing the Institut de France. (Where the Academie Francaise is). Took some pictures for possible story settings.

Saturday. I stayed behind. My turn to be tired.

Sunday. Just Elaine and I. Went to Pere Lachaise Cemetery, have pictures of Jim Morrison and Oscar Wildeâ€™s grave, among others. Then back to the Left Bank, Shakespeare and Company and Ile de la Cite.
There were lots of pictures, lots of walking and great food. Feel free to ask questions.

2010-07-07T19:34:00.001-07:00

My show, Meeting the Writers is on hiatus, because Access Tucson is closed until further notice. I am looking to start a blog talk radio show when I return.

2010-07-07T16:01:00.001-07:00

Latest Short Story published.

http://ping.fm/BlwVc

2010-06-21T18:26:00.001-07:00

France has had drama at the World Cup, just not during games. My wish for France to win the cup is gone. Matt Frei of BBC America had a French journalist on. His description was the hooligans are playing on the field instead of being the spectators. Two teams will be remembered. Whoever wins the cup and France.

La France a eu le drame Ã la Coupe du Monde, juste pas pendant les jeux. Mon dÃ©sir de la France pour gagner la tasse est parti. Matt Frei de BBC l'AmÃ©rique avait un journaliste franÃ§ais sur. Sa description Ã©tait les hooligans jouent sur le champ au lieu d'Ãªtre les spectateurs. On se souviendra de deux Ã©quipes. Qui gagne la tasse et la France.

2010-06-19T20:41:00.001-07:00

Today was the book signing of Thief Eyes by Janni Lee Simner. Bought the book and the signing was a lot of fun. The book has references to the Norse Sagas and is based in modern Iceland.
People who know me know my offbeat sense of humor and I couldn't keep it quiet today. It is like having a tick.
Janni felt bad about mispronouncing Icelandic names. I am sure they are accustomed to it. Janni did say there is a website where Icelanders post the ways their language is mangled.
Two silly things come to mind. The Swedish Chef in the Muppets. I fully expected The Swedish Chef to chase a chicken through the audience. Then there is John Cleese imitating Scandinavian accents. Another case of Monty Python ruining my life.
She said the volcano has been good for sales. One of the attendees said it best, what a marketing ploy. I posted before about it being like James Bond.
A fun time, glad I went.

2010-06-19T04:47:00.001-07:00

Try multitasking with a cat who demands attention.

2010-06-16T20:08:00.001-07:00

Now, thinking again of the World Cup, I am watching a show on the Police in South Africa and the shoot to kill policy. Ag shame!

2010-06-16T19:16:00.001-07:00

The dark side of soccer, kids in West Africa being ripped off and sold a dream. I found it on a new documentary channel called Current.

2010-06-16T19:15:00.001-07:00

A neighbor came by looking for a Maltese dog. It may have been taken by coyotes, who have become more prevalent and there is a hawk in the area.

2010-06-16T18:07:00.003-07:00

Mon activitÃ© est mise, je serai Ã Paris du 12 juillet Ã 19Ã¨me. J'attends impatiemment de voir la ville et rencontrer peut-Ãªtre les nouveaux gens. J'apprÃ©cierai regarder les parades le Jour Bastille.

2010-06-16T18:07:00.001-07:00

My arrangements are set, I will be in Paris from July 12th to 19th. I look forward to seeing the city and possibly meeting new people. I will enjoy watching the parades on Bastille Day.

2010-06-16T18:03:00.001-07:00

Vandalizing cars with Arizona license plates has been occurring because of the immigration bill. Hey, you get to know me and don't like me, fine, we can't all like each other and have the chemistry click. If you don't get to know me and hate me, that is another story. At this rate, I plan to travel with all sorts of Arizona stuff...

2010-06-11T18:34:00.001-07:00

The story of Susi Baldwin begins for me in January, 1976, a cold January. It is the Bicentennial year and I am a college Freshman but still not really grown. I am still a wiseguy Brooklyn kid.
I board the train for the four hour ride to Washington, D.C. to go work for a program I was a high school student on called Close Up. I was what was called an Alumni Assistant. Close Up took high school students to Washington to teach them about the Federal government.
I was supposed to watch and learn...
Well my first piece of stupidity was going into the train car vestibule to smoke a cigarette. (Amtrak had many older coaches then from the railroads that owned them when they still had passenger service).
The conductor came to me and asked me to put the cigarette out. He was polite, I was not. Typical Brooklyn street punk asking, "Yeah, ya gonna make me?" The conductor was middle aged and smaller than me. Obnoxious, right?
He just looked up at me, patted his radio and said, "I can call the Delaware State Police." I decided to put the cigarette out, as telling my parents I only made it as far as the State Police barracks in Newark, Delaware would be a bad thing. I was supposed to be gone for a month, that was not supposed to be spent in jail.
I got to Washington and showed up to the Hilton Towers where I was assigned in NW DC. I had already met my first boss Karen Spencer. I now had my destiny, with my second boss, Susi Baldwin. Before I continue, to learn more about Susi before I met her, read Victor Rivas Rivers', A Private Family Matter.
There is stupid me, (I can be a slow learner), Mets cap, cigarette dangling out of my mouth and a wiseguy Brooklyn face. She just took one look at me and the look said, "I have your number."
To be continued.

2010-06-08T18:00:00.001-07:00

From Babylon to Baghdad. This was on History International, several millenia of the Tigris Euphrates region. The common element? The Middle East equivalent of a barroom brawl. Then again, the entire Middle East is varying degrees of a barroom brawl, without the alcohol. Don't hold your breath for peace and democracy in Iraq. After all, there are millenia of bad precedent.

2010-06-08T17:53:00.001-07:00

Poet Robert Frost said, "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors." You can have no fence, a fence you can hop over, a fence you can lean on and chat or a fence that blocks the view of your property and is secure. Would you let a trespasser just walk on your property with impunity? Time Magazine had an article about the Arizona border this week. A rancher was murdered on his border ranch in Douglas. Another rancher said his home has been broken into eighteen times. I sat down and read Arizona's immigration bill, SB 1070. I certainly understand the rationale behind it, though I see enough loopholes where police profiling can happen or a citizens group can do it. On the other hand, the border is a frontier. If this were your home, you would protect it. Well it is our home. Will the tall fence make us better neighbors? I see the Federal government doing only token things. If you think I am vacillating in some places, it is because this is not a black and white issue.

2010-06-07T18:27:00.001-07:00

It's World Cup time. Soccer really does bring the world together and I am looking forward. Let the games begin!

2010-06-07T18:26:00.001-07:00

Shock tonight, my niece Aimee Kibbe was on BBC America news.

2010-06-01T19:19:00.001-07:00

Comment on short story, use my blog to get to it http://ping.fm/WrmFk

2010-05-27T21:20:00.001-07:00

I know Hebrew National hot dogs are answering to a higher authority and are God's Hot Dog, but I prefer Nathan's. Sue me. :)

2010-05-27T17:36:00.001-07:00

The yellow school buses pulled up the hill to South Boston High School. Angry local people held signs and chanted slogans against the oncoming buses. In between, the thin blue line of the Boston Police Department, and patrolman Ray Lynch, Southie native was part of that thin line. He worried he would be arresting his friends and neighbors that September day.

2010-05-27T17:03:00.001-07:00

I want to figure out how to take a steam locomotive off for my writing.

2010-05-27T17:02:00.001-07:00

We bought strawberries and the company is in Watsonville, California, but the package says Product of US and European Union. Do they track where the strawberries come from. It is a mixed bag.

2010-05-27T16:59:00.001-07:00

Yerbie likes whipped cream. He came over, licked the Cool Whip, got some on his nose, made a face and walked away. I am buying whipped cream to please my cat.

2010-05-25T19:02:00.001-07:00

The Gulf Coast is a mess and when the oil gets up to my chin, I'm gonna tell someone.

2010-05-25T18:56:00.001-07:00

I will be writing some essays to share my love of my former boss and longtime friend Susi Baldwin. I want my friends to learn about this remarkable woman and the life she has had and why she is an adopted big sister.

2010-05-23T19:26:00.001-07:00

Link for the immigration bill. http://ping.fm/hmtvy

2010-05-23T19:10:00.001-07:00

I will also have to ask Europeans about their own immigration issues. Don't throw stones.

2010-05-23T19:04:00.001-07:00

If anyone in Boston or Paris berates me about the Arizona immigration bill, I will ask them if they have read it.

2010-05-23T19:03:00.001-07:00

CNN had a film Governor Brewer did with a hand puppet about reading the immigration bill. Many have not bothered but are criticizing.

2010-05-23T18:54:00.001-07:00

I have 36k words on the African Explorer Story. I am going to rework Moriarty when I am done more in first person.

2010-05-23T18:53:00.001-07:00

My niece was really upset and posted a picture of a pit bull someone set on fire with gasoline. I tried to explain such people don't treat humans any better.

2010-05-23T18:52:00.001-07:00

Mets 6, Yankees 0. It is Sunday Night Baseball.

2010-05-21T21:19:00.001-07:00

Homeless veterans. This bothers me. Doing your bit for your country and not being cared for. There were folks collecting for them last Saturday outside Wal-Mart.

2010-05-21T19:27:00.001-07:00

It is tough living in Arizona in some ways now. I had the news on a couple of days ago. President Obama had his dinner with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. President Calderon talked about racism, Senator McCain told Calderon to bud out of domestic affairs. Beginning to think of Arizona as a separate country. What will happen when I go to Paris? I am already asked about the law.
I gotta vent to someone.

2010-05-21T19:24:00.001-07:00

Went to the Cheesecake Factory for the first time tonight. Elaine got the waitresses' attention when we were not approached immediately. Suddenly the service was very attentive. This is another case of Monty Python ruining my life. All I could think of was the skit in the restaurant and the staff apologizing profusely. Then the punchline. I'm glad I didn't mention the dirty knife.
The food is great, but the portions huge. Order as an appetizer, otherwise you will have enough for two meals. Of course, you have to save room for the cheesecake otherwise, why go to the Cheesecake Factory? On the way out, you see the cheesecake counter to go. So many cheesecakes, so many calories.

2010-05-18T18:30:00.001-07:00

Why I began Public Speaking for Shy Writers. I was a member of Toastmasters for 19 years. Many authors are introverts. Now, you have to do much of your own publicity. My goal is to have students and instructors all over, therefore, I began on Facebook. I am not sure where this is going, but hope it helps.

2010-05-18T18:25:00.001-07:00

Yvette Jarvis is from near where I grew up in Brooklyn. I wanted to share this with people.
http://ping.fm/MGeX2

2010-05-18T18:09:00.001-07:00

I had a random drug test for my company today. Of course, I have a funny, silly take on it, though, it needs to be done and I am in no way questioning that. You

You need to understand, first, no comedy while there! Be businesslike and stand up straight! I don't know if this is true, but I would not be surprised if the staff at the testing center is watching to see how you act. Allow me to tell a funny story that is only vaguely related. An eighty-four year old woman goes to a physician for the first time in her life. He finds she is in great health, but wants to run some tests. The only problem with this is the woman is from rural Maine and does not understand the physicians' jargon.
"Will you evacuate in a cup?"
"Wha"
"Will you void in a jar, please?"
"Eh?"
Finally the doctor gets pissed no pun intended. "Lady, go piss in a pot!"
She is outraged. "Mister, go s**t in your hat!" hits him with her pocketbook and storms off.
The filling out the paperwork and the wait take longer than the process. Then you go into the lab and empty your pockets. You are then sent to the bathroom to void, I mean pee in a cup. Luckily, I had been drinking a lot of water before the test. The instructions ordered me NOT to FLUSH the toilet. This goes against every bit of childhood toilet training, Mom punishing you and leaving the toilet seat up to have females of all ages hating you. I followed the instructions and they test your product right there. So I know I passed, but the important moral of today's story? I learned to follow instruction! :)

2010-05-17T17:48:00.001-07:00

Tucson Festival of Books, 2011. For those Romance authors, who have not contacted me, your book has to be out bet. Sept, 09 and August of this year. The deadline is August 20th. No one will be rejected, just put on the list for 2012.

2010-05-17T17:43:00.001-07:00

Have more on the African Explorer book Dr. Livingstone does not like my protagonist. I would like to speak with Professor McLynn to thank him for his book.

2010-05-14T19:31:00.001-07:00

Let me know, I am looking to build and Facebook and maybe Yahoo group for Public Speaking for Shy Writers.

2010-05-14T19:30:00.001-07:00

If anyone is interested in joining the Mastermind group mentioned on Wednesday's show let me know. You have to be a writer and have writing goals and be willing to help people with their goals.

2010-05-14T19:28:00.001-07:00

Click on the following link to get a rundown of next week's Saguaro Romance Writers meeting.
http://ping.fm/bQwFn

2010-05-14T18:22:00.001-07:00

Wrote like crazy on the African Explorer book. Sixteen pages today, conversations with Stanley and Dr. Livingstone. Yes you presumed correctly.

2010-05-14T18:20:00.001-07:00

We ate dinner at one of two restaurants owned by our friend and fellow chapter member Anastasia. It is called the Fat Greek and it is good food and good to support a local business owned by a friend.

2010-05-11T16:50:00.001-07:00

Crocs and Gators exist so women can have pocketbooks, belts, cigarette cases and shoes.

2010-05-10T18:26:00.001-07:00

Oh yes the phone number if you want to call in Wed. is 520-629-0683. You can receive the show if you have Quicktime on your computer. The website is http://ping.fm/x2ZoP and it begins at 7:30 PM Mountain Standard Time, so you will have to figure out your time zone.

2010-05-10T17:32:00.001-07:00

For Wednesday night, my guest Lisa's websites.
http://ping.fm/Q6JN4
http://ping.fm/X9PDa

2010-05-10T17:24:00.001-07:00

Comets, Prophets of Doom is the show on History International, which is only on as background noise. Who cares, if the mother of all comets hits the earth, we are goners anyway. As comets carry the building blocks of life though, who knows what would come next?

2010-05-10T17:14:00.001-07:00

Are you interested in home schooling writing children's books maybe having your own publishing company or discussing Mastermind? Meeting the Writers on Wednesday will have my friend and fellow Chapter member Lisa Cottrell-Bentley.

2010-05-10T16:54:00.001-07:00

Lena Horne, a great lady. I keep telling my friend Rita Pettiford she is going to grow up to be Lena Horne. She has Lena Horne's beauty and grace.

2010-05-10T16:05:00.001-07:00

Rosalie looked back up and glared. Sir, if you don't provide us with identification, we will have to arrest you. No one, especially not lady will arrest me, he said in his thick Slavic accent. The uniformed officer reached out to arrest him. He broke the officer grip, but the next thing everyone saw was the big man dropping to the carpet with tears in his eyes. Rosalie looked at him with a smile. Wonder if he will have sex again.

2010-05-10T15:56:00.001-07:00

I was chatting with Chris Nallon from KVOA Channel 4 on my lunch break. We are from the same part of the world, and were discussing last nights Yankees-Red Sox game. I realized when the Red Sox Nation chants "Yankees Suck," the quickly forget the original English settlers of New England are Yankees.

2010-05-10T15:51:00.003-07:00

I discovered I am a land bridge for cats.

2010-05-10T15:51:00.001-07:00

The Battle of Toilet Paper Hill was rugged with Pandora tearing into the hill tearing away. Ah cats.

2010-05-08T20:34:00.001-07:00

This past Wednesday, we went to hand in our passport applications. There is an office in an old residential house, now owned by the Univ. of Arizona. It is the International scholars office and the passports are done three days a week. Everyone else there were students who all had issues, we were in and out. Getting more excited about the trip.

2010-05-08T20:30:00.001-07:00

Pandora the princess has had a tough day. She went after my feet, I pinned her like a wrestler and she looked at me, like "Dad, I am supposed to win!" Waaaa. She left in disgust, then tried to jump back on the bed and hit her head on the side of the mattress. She shook it of with a "I meant to do that!" Then we were moving things. Princess Pandora was not amused.

2010-05-06T19:43:00.001-07:00

Adding to the Country song from Toby Keith, I Should Have Been a Cowboy, Go West Young Man, Have you been told there is whiskey women and gold.

2010-05-06T19:40:00.001-07:00

Yerbie has a new streak. He is really becoming Morris the finicky cat. He cries if Elaine doesn't work on the laptop in the living room. Only I can be in the office. My goodness, I have a sheep cat LOL!

2010-05-06T19:09:00.001-07:00

Go West Young Man. Well I did and Tucson has been great to me. Anything I can give back I will. For that is the American Dream. I realize I cannot be anything BUT an American.

2010-05-06T16:50:00.001-07:00

I was asked for an explanation of Cinco de Mayo. It commemorates a victory in 1862 by Benito Juarez's forces against the Emperor Maximilian who was trying to rule Mexico. The battle took place in Puebla, East of Mexico City.

2010-05-05T17:57:00.001-07:00

I picked up a button that said ask me for my immigration status. You think my Brooklyn accent will give me away?

2010-05-05T17:56:00.001-07:00

There it was, bold as brass, at Palo Verde and Valencia 11:15 this morning. A coyote!

2010-05-05T17:54:00.001-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo. Do you know what the holiday is for, other than hoisting a Marguerita or a Dos Eqquis?

2010-05-04T19:18:00.001-07:00

There was a commercial with dogs on TV. Both cats ran around like lunatics.

2010-05-04T18:31:00.001-07:00

Some of you have seen my posts about Jimmy's Diner. I drove by where it used to be today. The railcars are long gone. Just empty brush. I drove to the Mission Post Office to mail something after work. Paul Theroux in his book about taking the train around Britain The Kingdom by the Sea talked about Derry in Northern Ireland. (Keep in mind, this was written in 1984). He referred to Derry as the killing ground of Ulster. A good description of much of Tucson's South Side would be the same. I drove away and saw the mountains to the South in the distance. Mexico is on the other side, and hopefully it will be safe for its citizens and for visitors again soon.
I stopped for gas and got a hot dog. The airmen getting gas looked in disgust at me smearing mustard. There was the beautiful lady who flirted and laughed.
It was a drive on the Wild South Side.

2010-05-04T18:19:00.003-07:00

Je vais à Paris en juillet. Je serai là pendant le Jour Bastille et espérerai que la France gagne la Coupe du Monde. J'attends impatiemment de pratiquer mes gens de réunion français dans les cafés, la vue des vues différentes et le fait d'avoir juste de nouvelles et différentes expériences. Comme je suis un auteur, si je ne peux pas trouver une grande histoire de Paris, je ne peux plus m'appeler des auteurs. Je vais aussi faire la recherche sur le nom de famille Charton. Deux mois et compte.

2010-05-04T18:19:00.001-07:00

I am going to Paris in July. I'll be there for Bastille Day and hope France wins the World Cup. I look forward to practicing my French meeting people in cafes, seeing various sights and just having new and different experiences. As I am a writer, if I cannot come up with a great story about Paris, I can no longer call myself a writers. I am also going to do research on the Charton surname. Two months and counting.

2010-05-03T17:26:00.001-07:00

Complete laziness after a busy work day. Watching the Angels-Red Sox game.

2010-05-02T09:19:00.001-07:00

David Fitzsimmons of the Arizona Daily Star wrote an editorial about the new immigration bill that was quite funny. There was also a letter to the editor from a Ms. Eileen Hammonds discussing the fact she was born in Ireland, has red hair and green eyes, and still gets questioned about her citizenship. Stephen Hawking is writing a State Department Travel Alert for Arizona, telling the aliens to stay out. Can you imagine the aliens getting pulled over? License and registration. chirp chirp chirp. Enjoy your stay.
We need to curb illegal immigration, but this isn't it. It is the Federal Government's job and they are falling down on the job. The older I get though, the more ornery I get and really don't trust most government. That is another story though.

2010-05-02T09:13:00.001-07:00

Foreign Affairs journal has an article by Robert Kaplan called China's Grand Map. For the Free Tibet folks, I repeat, it is too late, China owns Tibet. They don't want India to have influence and Tibet has minerals. The Chinese don't really want to rule non-Chinese, but want the minerals.
I am trying to imagine the Chinese official in say, Sudan. Honorable President Bashir, we do not care who rules, as long as you are stable. We just want your minerals.

2010-05-02T09:06:00.001-07:00

Going to Paris in July. Should be interesting. Will probably take my nieces to Versailles one day. Going to a dinner one night. Otherwise, bookstores and serendipity as to what we do and see.

2010-05-01T14:48:00.001-07:00

En Vogue's Giving Him Something He Can Feel was on a video. Dad walked in the room and his jaw dropped. "Who are they?" "They are En Vogue." No, they're not.

2010-05-01T14:46:00.001-07:00

Another case where Monty Python has ruined my life. Several of us went to Pei Wei for dinner last night. All the empty dishes reminded me of Meaning of Life and Mr. Creosote.

2010-04-30T21:05:00.001-07:00

I had History International channel on and they were doing Battles B.C. David and Goliath. Can you imagine, David with the slingshot and Goliath just STANDING there? Goliath looking at the Israelites and saying "This is the punk who's gonna fight me? You must be joking. Then David hitting David with the stone. Who was the clown who called out, "lucky shot!" David calling out, "Who's the punk now?"

2010-04-30T21:02:00.001-07:00

I have spoken about donating blood to save a life before. We had our blood drive today, but I am going to bring humor into it. I go through the list of the drugs that may preclude you from donating. Then they ask you to state which sex you are. In my case it is pretty obvious. Then they ask if you were born in certain sub-Saharan African countries. I look at my skin and shake my head.
Then I can't resist more silliness. The vampires will stick you and take your blood. Probably not clever, especially when you lay back and they are armed. You even get to bleed on command. Thirty-one people went to give blood, twenty-three were successful. Shucks, unsuccessful in donating blood.

2010-04-29T18:29:00.001-07:00

Last night's show poor Yerbie heard the Internet stream and my voice and kept looking for me. Pandora could care less.

2010-04-29T18:28:00.001-07:00

You can now view my show Meeting the Writers on the Internet feed on Access Tucson if you have Quick Time. http://ping.fm/sET6m

2010-04-29T17:56:00.001-07:00

Public Speaking for Shy Writers. This is the link for an article I did on it and I am looking to build it into a workshop.

2010-04-29T17:30:00.001-07:00

Sorry, Boston July 9th. It is those J months LOL! Can you imagine if I mixed it up with January?

2010-04-29T17:29:00.003-07:00

Will be in Boston the weekend of June 9th.

2010-04-29T17:29:00.001-07:00

If you want to learn how to write memoirs for your family, last night's guest on my show Dee Dees will show you how. Just a pitch for her.

2010-04-28T20:55:00.001-07:00

BBC America now broadcasts old episodes of Star Trek the Next Generation. The guest was a scientist and baseball fan in a dream replaying the October 3rd, 1951 National League Playoff game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants in upper Manhattan's Polo Grounds. My parents were Brooklyn Dodgers fans and it is almost sixty years later but heartbreaking. The following is Giant broadcaster Russ Hodges' call of Bobby Thomson's at bat against pitcher Ralph Branca.

"Bobby Thomson... up there swingin'... He's had two out of three, a single and a double, and Billy Cox is playing him right on the third-base line... One out, last of the ninth... Branca pitches... Bobby Thomson takes a strike called on the inside corner... Bobby hitting at .292... He's had a single and a double and he drove in the Giants' first run with a long fly to center... Brooklyn leads it 4-2...Hartung down the line at third not taking any chances... Lockman with not too big of a lead at second, but he'll be runnin' like the wind if Thomson hits one... Branca throws... [audible sound of bat meeting ball]

There's a long drive... it's gonna be, I believe...THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the pennant and they're goin' crazy, they're goin' crazy! HEEEY-OH!!!'' [ten-second pause for crowd noise]

I don't believe it! I don't believe it! I do not believe it! Bobby Thomson... hit a line drive... into the lower deck... of the left-field stands... and this blame place is goin' crazy! The Giants! Horace Stoneham has got a winner! The Giants won it... by a score of 5 to 4... and they're pickin' Bobby Thomson up... and carryin' him off the field!"

Glad Dad was not here with me watching that Star Trek episode. I can hear it now. Sixty years removed and I STILL can't escape it.

2010-04-28T20:40:00.001-07:00

Meeting the Writers tonight I had Toastmasters member and expert in helping you write your personal history Dee Dees. It was a great show because of her.

2010-04-27T19:13:00.001-07:00

Wawa is a grocery chain in Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It also is WAWA for West Africa Wins Again. You got bumped on Wednesday from the flight? There is another flight Saturday, what are you complaining about? If you were in a rush, why are you here in the first place. Doesn't it almost sound like a kid. You can't get on the flight? Wa Wa. Can't get your exit visa? Wa Waaaaaa. Just a different way of life no better no different. From David Lamb's book the Africans which is now a bit dated.

2010-04-27T19:05:00.001-07:00

I am picking on one of my favorite operas, Lucia di Lammermoor. The opening scene is men dressed to look like the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. They are singing passionately. What Donizetti, the composer may have known but not told was why they were really passionate. Scotland has cold wet hillsides, they wanted a few wee drams, but the intruder raided the strongbox. Now there is passion for ye! :)

2010-04-27T19:00:00.001-07:00

Just watched a two hour show on National Geographic about the settlement of the Americas and the impact.