I have been working on my website today. Creating backups, slowly and I mean ‘Slowy’ trudging through Spam comments. I have been checking out Plugins; then searching out what do they do and asking myself, ‘do I need them? ’

What I like about WordPress is when I search out the Plugins on the site; there is a comment on the plugin that tells me if it has been used or if it can be used with my theme.

I am trying to figure out why one thing works ‘now’ and ten minutes later it won’t.

I am making lists for ideas, for Blog posts, for pages, and realizing I need more time to write them. Out comes a scratch pad, and I start …scratching down notes. If I can get myself organized, I can set up ideas days ahead.

“I block in days / nights for writing where I don’t touch emails or social media.” ~ Julia Woodman

I used the wrong word…. Not ‘if’ but ‘when’ I get myself organized. I won’t pull myself down with negative thinking, which sneaks in with comments like, ‘you should have done this a month ago. If you had …”

Stop. I won’t listen to my negative self. She will nag me into stopping. And I really am not into that, not in 2018, not ever again.

Wow! Why am I seeing myself standing on the hood of a red car, waving a flag. (Ok, just imagine me on that car..)

I am thinking, talking, dreaming, and the best part doing what I need to do to keep up with my Blog posting and setting up my life’s goal.

“You gotta make it a priority to make your priorities a priority.”
― Richie Norton

I need to work on a short story. Right now those printed out pages are being used as a cat bed, and the printer is out of ink. I see the good side by unplugging the printer and saving electricity.

“When you streamline your schedule by making deliberate decisions about tasks and activities that are crucially important you and identify your most important priorities, you give yourself permission to make choices that excite and interest you. You also grant yourself permission to exercise your right to say, “No, thank you.” ~Julie Connor, Dreams to Action Trailblazer’s Guide

Happy Writing!

When my great-great- grandparents came to this wonderful country they weren’t running away from something; they were heading towards something, they were willing to fight for their freedom, fight for ‘a united’, United States Of America, they believed in freedom; real freedom ‘Not’ where someone else stood up for them, but that they had the right to stand up for themselves; freedom to make a living, a family, be a part of America and give back to America not just in paying taxes but in their lives. Here a dream keeps us going; a dream of peace, prosperity, and safety without thought, jobs for citizens, building a place without hatred and hardship. They believed in that right to grab a soapbox and stand on it and speak their mind.

Yes, some would laugh, but all would give them that right to speak it.

Just because we all don’t agree on the same things, that line you see right at your feet, you drew, you drew it when you said that my words are better than yours; that my ideals are wrong and yours are right; that what you see here -is not -what you want…

You won’t be real about moving forward and changing what you don’t like. Instead, you insult instead of talk; you put down the person next to you for having a different opinion; that difference is why we all live here, America is about being different, about listening to those differences and making choices…Choices to make a real change… and violence won’t do that when your standing in my house, our house, our home, our country.

Remember that those new people who show up on our borders are bringing with them the violence that they said they left behind. (Yes, I know you hate to hear that) It is ingrained in their views of the world. Just like my great-great- grandparents they had to learn a new way to speak out loud. Out loud ‘and’ find the position or a person in the right position, to help them change what they think should be changed, without stepping on the rights and security of the people living here now.

I am repeating that last line, just in case you missed it: “without stepping on the rights and security of the people living here now.”

Has anyone thought; maybe the people in charge of our safety know something we don’t? Are you the child that runs into the street even when your parents told you cars can run over you; hurt you; even kill you? I hear you, the government isn’t your parents they don’t own you (like some other countries) they can’t make you do anything you don’t want to…but, if something falls through your roof or water sweeps away your home, do you call out for help? And playing in traffic is illegal!

You called for a change; when change really showed up it scared the shit out of you.

Has it been that long that you forgot your great-great- grandparents and that look of pride that they were in America; they were Americans! And no one could take that from them ever again.

It took you a long time to get here. Yeah, you! You with the signs, showing off your sex to the world; you who thinks that freedom is free; you who loves your privacy when you’re feeling ill; you who wants what you want without even thinking how it got here; you who are dissing the people who are keeping you safe and tossing blame when you don’t want to accept your own part in this; this wonderful country of ours….

What are you really pissed off at?

I’m talking to you. What do you believe in? What do you stand up for? What is freedom mean to you? What are you proud of? What really is going on…and I mean the ‘Real’ news and have you checked it out or just posted-posted- and posted because so many like-minded people …liked it?

We live with poverty, hunger, disease; a place where people are lonely, suicidal, scared where they pray for change and a person to hear them call out. Where the elderly are ignored, the jobless loose their homes and if they are lucky they live in their cars until something new comes up. Violence against people who are different: violence against children; violence against animals; violence against our planet. Were the news is fabricated to appease the masses and we worry about evil appearing on their doorsteps; and that is just here in the USA.

The world isn’t shrinking; humans are expanding. And the world is shaking under the weight of all those meat suits.

And here you are, because your family came here, instead of going to one of those ‘seven’ countries; those seven countries that would take your freedom, your home, the soil you stand, on your life. I am not saying they won’t be trying; they will try…

No, you didn’t go there or stay there, you came here hoping that your adopted country is looking out for you; keeping you safe and rich.

Hang on a minute my lunch is ready…Mmmm! I love bacon.

Here’s a question for you. Yeah, you! What can the United States of America do for you?  Not those million dollar comments; streets paved in gold, freedom to be an asshat ….yadi-yadi-ya.

A thought out answer to intensely hard questions, no bitching and moaning, I know it is your right, so go on a bitch! First answer one question. Come on I know your head is hurting, but…

“What can ‘you’ do for the United States of America?”

“What can you contribute?”  

“What do you want to do with your life?”

Photo are from Pexels.com & clipartfest.com & Flickr.com & The pooping troll, he’s mine.

This tweeted hashtag has been making the rounds on Twitter.

‪#WhyWomenDontReport‪

It is an angry sound that should be taken seriously. Men and woman are tired of the fear, humiliation, and loss of self, physical and mental trauma that occurs from sexual harassment.

The reality of sexual harassment is that nearly every woman has been subjected to some sort of harassment at work.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

What is sexually harassment? It is:

• Behaviors like unwelcome sexual advances
• Requests for sexual favors
• Direct or indirect threats or bribes for sexual activity
• Sexual innuendos and comments
• Sexually suggestive jokes
• Unwelcome touching or brushing against a person
• Pervasive displays of materials with sexually illicit or graphic content
• An attempted or completed sexual assault

A reaction to being sexual harassed will be to laugh it off, pretend it wasn’t happening, ignore it and then laugh it off again and again, hoping it will stop, but it won’t. It is an act of violence, of dominance over another person, it will never go away. The fear level increases. The harassment increases and no one is listening when you ask them to stop. Then, you are too afraid to say anything. Petrified to be at work.  When you finally report the harassment.. you were surprised to find out, they aren’t listening to you,  all because your job is lower  on the ladder than the one doing the harassing….So nothing will change..

Employers hire people to protect their company from its employees. You know… that department its called HR. Your company probably had sexual harassment meetings, telling everyone what not to do. Most people will become nervous and laugh in these meetings. They make jokes about it. It’s not funny, stop laughing.

I in 3 women are sexually harassed at work. ~The Huffington post

Why is it so hard to get someone to believe?

Because people don’t know who to believe, people lie. They lie to say it happened, they lie to say it didn’t, they lie for the attention, they lie to protect the company, and they lie to protect themselves. They lie for money, power, control.

So when the truth is told. It takes a lot of courage to keep talking. To keep pointing out what happened. You need to fight to get someone to believe you. You need to stand up to bullies. Those bullies are your employers your co-workers, even your family who will tell you not to make waves.

“…lifetime risk of having a PTSD diagnosis was significantly higher among sexual harassment victims than among non- victims.”~ The National Center for PTSD

Someone on Twitter asked, why do woman remain silent?
When you stand up and say no, someone will be there to pull the rug out and in the end, you will lose your job. This is why a woman makes a choice to remain silent… to keep their jobs, their careers. And this happens over and over. Lawyers will push the victims so they don’t stand up in court. Fear takes over and the victim will back down or never come forward.

So when someone lies, it harms the real victims. And there are a lot of them.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRyruagRub0[/embedyt]

I had to ask myself the question that had been flittering around the net…. Do I believe in what is being said about Trump?  No.. I need proof.

Do I believe when he says he loves’ beautiful’ woman? Yes, He has said that many times. But anything else, …I need more proof. it seem’s too easy to pull all this out now, just before an election.

How about Hillary Clinton…?  Yes. there is proof of her transgressions. and her husbands…Lots of it.

So are you still wondering….. #WhyWomenDontReport‪

Why don’t you ask Monica Lewinsky.

James Patterson starts this lesson saying,

“I’ve been through the -pain of trying to get an agent. Trying to get a publisher. Trying to get a good editor. So I know what you’re going through. And the best thing I can tell you, it’s one word- it’s persistence. Just be prepared and don’t take it personally. My first book turned down my 31 publishers. You’re going to get a lot of rejection here, and a lot of it may have nothing to do with your book.”

Okay, Okay! Hold the presses! Here James said, ’31 publishers’ I found a YouTube video where he said, ‘37’.   Is this a big deal? No…not really, I just thought I would mention it.  

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgeuc6AZObw[/embedyt]

James Patterson tells us, you need to get your book noticed by an agent or publisher first. And that starts with the query letter. Here are a few sites to check out on how to write a query letter. I found these through a Google search.

Agentquery.com has a very simple easy to read an explanation of a query letter.

PoeWar.com check out the very end of their article, a nice, neat list of what not to put in a query letter.

WritersDigest.com has an example of a qouery letter showing eight steps in its creation.

Back to James Patterson at Masterclass.com

James Patterson’s  first novel was the ‘Thomas Berryman Novel’. James tells us how he kept sending  out query letters, and for the most part, no one responded.  He didn’t even get an obligatory letter saying, ‘Thank You, No Thank You’. Now you know, it isn’t just you.

Well, maybe it is, but not here.

Finally, James tells us that the publisher asked for editing changes. So he had to get an editor. James Patterson talks about finding an agent. A publisher. He tells us to network. Talk to other writers, and hope they will toss you a bone or a publisher that-may-just-might-want-to read your book.

The peak of this lesson, For Me! Was when Mr. Patterson said to “Enjoy the victories.” Even the small ones where your spouse tells you your writing is fantastic. The point is,  take those compliments and eat them up. Writing is hard work!

I love this quote. I want it on a coffee mug

“Take the cup of joy! Enjoy it!”~ James Patterson

It’s the thought of the times to be compassionate, thoughtful, helpful, understanding….rrrright. Admittedly I want everyone to live their lives the way they want to. By doing some fact-finding. How much will it cost? How long will it take, and where is the money coming from? Am I missing something?

{{Kitty-cat-smiles}}

On the other end of that spectrum…is everyone’s ‘crazy’… Oops! That word isn’t ‘Politically’ correct. Get over it! I can make a list of all the words that no one wants to hear…and shut-up is at the top of that list. Pleeease! How can you tell someone to shut-up if you aren’t supposed to say, …Shut- up?

{{Pouty-face, bunches of roses}}

Then there’s the ‘N-word’ that one is a biggie… never ever say ‘no’ or nitwit! Oh, you thought I was going to say… the N word. Tell me which ‘N’ word are you talking about?  I have a really big, noteworthy dictionary with lots of pages for N-words.

{{Thumbs up, Half-eaten sugar cookies}}

Here’s a great N-word:   neologism

1. 2psychology  :  a new word that is coined especially by a person affected with schizophrenia and is meaningless except to the coiner ~Merriam-Webster

There are a hell of a lot of them -Google them if you don’t believe me!  If you were expecting some other N-word. Well, sorry.    I’m not a rapper.  Black/ white or polka dotted. Hold On Now, I am being  poked.  I have to be specific…Okay, Okay- I am a Scottish- Irish-German- Polish -American, but not a rapper. Happy now!

{{angry leprechaun}}

I am a woman who knows how to send and receive an email, unlike Hillary Clinton. I see her getting the vapors and swooning, “Bill, make them go away…” and it did. Hillary is playing the ‘stupid woman card‘ when she has everyone believe those emails didn’t have a security signature.

{{ Urkel}}

Damn I want to have money. Just to pay my bills, and some real food would be great. If you don’t know what I am talking about, then you have never been poor. Lucky you!

{{Thumbs-up, happy faces, flying bunnies}}

I like Trump! Yes, I said it. He makes me laugh. Hillary has me crossing my eyes and making snorting noises. Trump has a smart, ambitious, loving family.  He must have done something right!  {{flying-donkey}}

Rule #2 Never talk about family stuff … {{rainbow ponies, flying skunks}}

I like Trump. And when he plays the Trump card he owns it…

Now where did I put my glass of wine.. {{whine}}

WRITER’S BLOCK

James Patterson holds up a yellow legal pad and says, “This is the enemy, the blank page.”

Just get that first draft down. Like everyone James Patterson can have trouble getting those words down on paper, getting them down so they sound and feel right.

“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”~ E.B. White

To cut through my writer’s block, I tried a dictation software. Where my  words were typed out for me. That didn’t work. ‘If ‘what I spoke out loud,  wasn’t  what was typed. Which, disappointedly it wasn’t. Instead  it caused more writer’s block and anger at  myself for trying to  do something new, instead of just writing and editing later…I will answer emails or wash dishes instead of writing. So using that software was my way at procrastinating.

Back to James.

If he isn’t getting it, he puts TBD (To Be Done)  then comes back to it. Blocks happen. When you get blocked just move on.

James said, “Like when your trying to do a sport and you get all tense, that’s not going to work. You’re going to strike out.”

Seven days a week, Mr. Patterson gets up early and skims through two or three papers, and a cup of coffee.  It takes him about fifteen minute.  Then he starts writing. He writes in pencil, on yellow legal pad.  He has an assistant to type up his handwritten ideas.

I want an assistant.  She can help vacuum up all the cat hair. I bet James has a maid to do his vacuuming …yes, I am getting off track.

James Patterson will read what he ‘just’ wrote and edits that only.

What I got from this video is  you need to find a way to make your mind a blank. So you can recharge. This makes sense. When I get stressed, I can’t write. When my mind is full I can’t write.

Stay Focused

James has always been able to tune out the world and focus on what he is doing.

I will need to take all my crazy personalities off to the side and have a talk with them. Maybe I just need to yell ‘Shut up’ not that they will listen…Some people can use music to find that place where they can write. I need quiet. Find your quiet place.

James Patterson can tune out anything. He is able to concentrate. He does one thing at a time. If you learn how to tune out everything, learn to focus on one thing. Concentrate on that one thing. Then you then can get into the story, into the scene.

James Patterson writes seven days a week, he loves it!

 “Do the best you can possibly do.”  James Patterson said,  “Aim for the stars.”

This lesson comes with the PDF workbook and a comments section where you can post your thoughts on this lesson.

I consider it a good outing when nothing furry tries to chase me down:-)

After I had one bag stuffed and tied off I looked off towards the back path, or what use to be the back path. My tractor had stopped working this summer, as well as the gas mower. So parts of my lawn /field grass were ankle to waist high, making my walk an arduous excursion. I still had the narrow path that Uriah had carved. I decided to take a walk, before deep snow erased that path.

I stopped my non-stop, keep-away-animal chatter as I hit the lowest part of the path. I followed a line though the grass then turned to the left and walked on the incline, sidestepping a section riddle with burrows.

I made a mental note to bring with a small saw or heavy clippers next time, and cut the invading Bog Willows away from the old path.

I continued on towards the east invisible fence line. I turned towards the north and a wave of sadness hit. I kept walking.

I was in an area where, years before, I had been charged by a forty pound raccoon. At that time I had three dogs with me, they all saved my life.

I stopped and listened. Winds blasted over the oldest Bog Willows and rustled the tops of the four to five foot dried grass , then blew past me.

“ I think I need to walk a different path …” I said that out loud.

Instantaneously, a buck stood up, not more than forty feet from where I was standing.

I can’t speak for the buck,..for me, that moment moved in slow motion.

I stopped breathing and froze! I was hoping that he wouldn’t notice me standing in front of him wearing a bright orange jacket, I closed my eyes ..I really wished that would make me disappear!

A male deer’s mating, or rutting season is around November. Bucks are attitude with pointy antlers. And I found myself standing too close to one. If he charged at me he could use those antlers or stomp on me, yes they do that! Ouch!

When the buck rose up from where he had been resting, he slowly turned in my direction. I could see the wind slightly ruffling his fur as it blew towards me, lucky for me I was down wind. He snorted as he stood up and again as he faced me. He stomped the ground, and raised his head up and smelled the air.

At this point I was trying to become a turtle and shrink into my coat.

I didn’t breath! I didn’t move, that is supposed to work right? Or it that only for bears?

After a minute he turned and took a couple of steps away, snorting indignantly. Then with three effortless jumps, he disapeared in the trees. I got an impression he had springs for legs.

It took me a couple of minutes to relax and head back to the house.

Note to self… Tomorrows walk will be taken in the open, empty farm field next door.

Male deer are called bucks, bulls, stags or harts. Female deer are called does, cows or hinds. Young deer are called fawns or calfs.~ http://www.veganpeace.com/animal_facts/Deer.htm

Pieces of graphite

Enclosed wooden cylinders

Draw in a spelling bee

Bold yellow pencil

Watch me write my way across a page

On ecofriendly hemp

 *

I wonder why we aren’t using Hemp for paper…won’t using Hemp save a lot of trees?

Here’s a thought.. save trees by growing Hemp!  You can make money, make new jobs and help  people in pain  just by making this legal in Illinois.

Am I wrong..then tell me.

*

Here is the link to Day 24 of the Haiku challenge …http://pendownmythought.blogspot.com/2011/02/haiku-challenge-28-days-28-haikus-day_24.html

In pink hazy she dances

Joyful with laughter she flutters

Butterflies whisper

 *

Here is the link to day 25 of the Haiku Challenge..http://pendownmythought.blogspot.com/2011/02/haiku-challenge-28-days-28-haikus-day_25.html

  http://www.examiner.com/writing-in-chicago/day-thirtieth-of-the-national-novel-writing-month-winners-rejoice-at-endings

Add in the thirty videos, and I had a busy month.

 Then I got sick, and posted this video. Cold medicine makes me loopy. 

I started out without an idea, storyline or characters.

Then, I decided to use an odd character I drew up a few years back, she was never developed. Problems in my writing are caused by not rounding out characters, or just over thinking them.

I have a different storyline I have been working on and I didn’t want her to take over that universe.

So this one had to tell me who she was, what was her secret and flaw.

To keep her straight in my head, and allow her to move about. I followed what Michael told me, keep your ideas in one universe. I thought that will work! It would keep all my characters, and their reality’s straight.

So this character, -protagonist- is in the same world of a different storyline I am working on.

Once I set her in their world, the words started to flow.

She was not part of my first idea. She has her own problems. I am having fun.

I have no idea on what I will say in the videos beyond the date and word count. The videos last about two to three minutes. On Saturday, I was watching a Doctor Who marathon-well; we went hunting out the Doctor! I think lack of sleep is getting to me. I have to laugh at myself

This is to let everyone know, I am alive and well-crazy.

I hope everyone is doing great.