Not much going on today. My friend's daughter and her friend have been staying with us as they do a fact finding mission on our local beaches as well as our "night life establishments". *Ahem*
Ah, to be young again.....
Anyway, I just thought I'd throw out a couple reminders of some fun blog hops that I'll be hopping around to in the next few days.
The first is coming up this Friday, the 15th. Mark Koopmans is hosting his second "Got Green Blogfest". All the pertinent info as well as sign up, HERE and it looks to be a lot of fun. The premise is simple....just explain how you get your "Irish" on...that's it. The stories can be real or imagined and, being of Cherokee Indian and German descent, my story will, more than likely, be imagined :)
It should be a fun one, so sign up and give Mark K. a virtual kiss....he's Irish...I think...
The other hop, coming up on Monday, the 18th is hosted by the Ninja Captain himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh and it's another straightforward and fun hop, especially if you like movies.....which I do! You can find the info and sign up linky HERE . So, your mission...if you should decide to accept it (and you should)...is to mentally round up your top ten favorite films and report in with our Captain on Monday. It should be a lot of fun.
Something else I've been thinking about as I hop around the blogosphere...and this idea might serve me better as next month's IWSG posting....but, I've been thinking if, mabye, I'm too lowbrow for this writing thing.
I won't go into the particulars here, but sometimes I just get the feeling that the life of a writer seems more complicated than I anticipated. Not that I plan on quitting writing or anything like that....I enjoy it too much..., it's just that I consider myself a pretty un-complicated guy and that's how I like to live.
I don't know....I guess I'll have to think more on it and, like I said, it might wind up being my IWSG post for next month....we'll see.
I know it's not Monday, but I'll throw in a little bit of Surf Music to help you get over the Hump. Here's the 'King of the Surf Guitar' himself, Dick Dale, doing his rendition of "Ghost Riders in the Sky".
My post last Friday, about some of the ins and outs of Google Plus, generated some interesting comments. Most of them along the lines of "I'm on it, but don't really do much with it."
Given that Facebook has the lion's share of the users, for now, it's understandable. Unless you have regulars or just a lot of circlers, there probably isn't much on G+ for you at this point. That can change though, if you're willing to work on it, a little.
Maybe you've already decided that Google Plus isn't for you. You're busy/happy with Twitter and Facebook, or any other social media site you might like...Tumblr or Pintrest for example. That's o.k, too.
For those on the fence and/or curious about Google Plus, I'd like to share my thoughts as a sort of 'mini tutorial' on using G+...or, at least, how I use it. This isn't going to be all inclusive or all that extensive, but it should touch on some of the main focal points and don't worry...I won't put it all into one post.
To begin with, let's talk about.....
Circles
Circles are how you organize the people that you want to follow/keep in contact with. Whenever you mouse over someone you haven't circled, you'll get a drop down menu with all the circles you have created. All you do is check the boxes that apply and you've added the person to your circle(s).
Shannon isn't in my circles, but I could just mouse over her name or the "add user" button and then check the boxe(s) that go with each of the circles I think she might belong. This would add her...no muss, no fuss.
For better circle management, you also have the option of, under your circles tab, dragging your circler's portraits to other circles or deleting them if you need to.
(Just a note, I have more bloggers in my "Blogger" circle than what the above picture shows. I just have it cropped to show all my circles, which cuts down the view on the amount of people in the Blogger circle)
Also within your circles, you can edit (pencil icon), share (arrows icon), or delete (trash can icon) a circle. Sharing a circle or being shared in someone else's circle is a good way to find many people you might not have found otherwise.
Now you're probably thinking "O.k, I get it...it's a circle...move on!", but circles are important. It's your main organizing tool and the foundation of how you post and who sees which posts. Yes...I said "Who sees your posts..."
Google Plus gives you the option of only posting so that certain people or circles can see what you put up. You can also just post to just one person, if you like. G+'s way of "messaging".
The screen shot below is your typical posting template.
The top (Share what's new) part is for your text. Using * * on both sides of your text will put it in bold type. Using _ _ on the sides of your texts will italicize the word.
The space after the chain icon is for links. The 'Add' button allows you to attach pictures and videos, as well.
Once you get your post set, the drop down box allows you to share to as many or few circles/people as you like. In this example, we have "Your Circles" (just the circles I've created), "Public" (meaning anyone using G+ can see it, if they stumble across it), "Extended Circles" (your circles as well as their circles), then goes down to my individual circles. If you want to 'send a message', just add the person's name after a "+" and hit send.
(The 'Send to Do Share' button isn't standard, it's there due to an extension I use and mentioned last Friday)
The number in parenthesis after the circle name is how many people I have in that circle. Yes, it's true...I follow two celebrities.
This is how it looks when I send to some of my individual circles...
If you look down on the lower right, you'll see a check box (Also send email). If you check it, it sends an email to everyone in those circles that you've just posted something. The general consensus says that you shouldn't do this unless it's really something important that you think these people must see. Doing this too much is akin to spamming in the Google Plus universe.
The way you organize your circles is pivotal to how you keep track of the people you want to follow as well as how you share to them.
Make sense? Clear as mud?
I'm thinking that's probably enough G-Plus talk for today, so I'll save the discussion on "Plus One"ing, resharing, and a few other things for my next Google Plus post.
Now, let's talk music....
Music Monday
Aaaaand the infatuation with 'surf music' continues. There are quite a few versions of Apache, but this version by The Shadows just nails it.
Now, granted, these suave Brits don't look like they would be able to to capture the true surf sound, but they did and put on quite a show doing it. Nice suits and choreography usually doesn't fit the 'surf' image, but the music speaks for itself.
Just in case the coffee isn't giving you enough of a kick this Monday morning, maybe this will help...
With Facebook seemingly facing a new privacy issue at each turn, it's no wonder that people would begin looking for new social media alternatives....and that's where Google Plus comes in.
That was one of the main reasons I started using G-Plus. I was concerned over Facebook's weekly 'privacy tweaks' and the fact that they tracked your browsing habits even when you weren't on your FB page. If I didn't have friends and family so reluctant to try something besides it, I would have cancelled my Facebook account years ago. For me, Google Plus wound up being the best alternative.
In my view, Google Plus is kind of like Twitter on steroids. <Flex!>
You can post a sentence, a paragraph, or even longer. There was a time where I was posting things I would consider "blog worthy" (meaning length-wise) on G-Plus, on a fairly regular basis.
It also allows posting links, pictures and videos. Anything you could post on Facebook, you can post on G-Plus and without all the little annoyances, such as "game spam". Google Plus has games, but all the requests, etc., are relegated to the "games" page and not your main "feed" or "stream".
The concept of "friending" is also easier and makes organizing a snap. Set up a circle, put who you want in there, and only they can see your posts as long as you post to that circle. You can also post "public" for the world (or, in this case, the cyber world) to see or to all your circles at once.
One of the best features is that someone can follow you without you having to follow them back and vice versa. Of course, if you don't want to follow someone who doesn't follow you, the Uncircle Uncirclers extension (for Chrome) can let you know who's not following you back...if it matters that much to you.
The "trick" to using G-Plus, if there is such a thing, is that you should use it as you use Twitter. Sure, pimp your stuff, but also take the time to interact with the people who follow you. That, needless to say, is the "social" aspect of social media. It's not just all about your book, your blog, or your writing. If you don't have time to comment on a post, the "+1" feature lets them know that, at least, you were there. I still look for the nonexistent "+1" button when I see other people's comments on blogs...
There are also a few handy Chrome extensions that can make your G-Plus experience all the easier.
Circle Count gives you more information than you probably want to know about your circles, who follows you, who has shared you in a circle, how many +1s you get, what's your best day and time to post, etc. It's extremely handy if you're interested in all the numbers.
Do Share gives you the ability to write a post, save it, and put it up at a later date and time...even if you're not there.
Facebook Disconnect stops Facebook, as well as third party sites, from tracking your browsing habits. As an added precaution, I log out after any of my rare visits to FB Land.
There's a ton more to G-Plus and, for the sake of brevity, I'm only scratching the surface here. For my money, Google Plus is every bit as viable as Facebook (more so, in my opinion) as a great social media platform.
If you find yourself over on G-Plus, drop by and say hi.
Friday usually means another installment of The Healthy Writer's Club where we post about fitness, eating healthy, working out, etc., from a writer's point of view. Unfortunately I don't have much to report on this week. If anything, I feel as if I took a few steps back as I haven't even been keeping up to date over at MyFitnessPal.
While I'm not discouraged, I'm a bit disappointed in myself and my total lack of motivation. Just this very evening, though, my wife sent me a link to something that really got her energized about eating better and developing some healthier habits. After I watch it, I'll post what I thought about it.
Are you on Google Plus?
If so, how do you think it compares to Facebook?
If you're not on G-Plus, why not?
How are any fitness goals you have coming along?
With that, I'll wish you all a great Friday and an even better weekend.
Being the first Wednesday of the month also means it's time for another installment of the Insecure Writer's Support Group.
Hosted by the Ninja Captain himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the IWSG is a time for reflection and introspection about the things that, as writers, make us feel less than secure in ourselves and our writing.
Today I'm going to double up, just a bit, and throw in another Wednesday Re-Wind offering where I re-cycle 're-position' (as Mr. Koopmans might say :) ) an old post for newer followers, who might have missed it the first go round.
Sharing my stories (again) ties in with some insecurities I have about people reading my stuff. I know that I'm by no means alone in this. It's something I think we all go through and is part of writing for public consumption. People, at some point, are going to read your work and not everyone is going to like it.
It's just a fact.
Back when I first started this blog I, of course, had zero people checking in and leaving feedback, so I felt o.k in posting my flash fic, short stories etc. here. Now, though, I'm getting a little bit of traffic and, honestly, I'm not sure just what sort of responses my stories will get. Not that I worry about people being mean or anything....this community is great and extremely supportive all around.
I just, sometimes, fret about the constructive criticism falling more towards the criticism and less on the constructive. Not because people are looking to be cold or hard, but because my writing needs work. A lot of work.
I just wonder, though, if I have what it takes to get that work done. Doubts and insecurities abound, but I just have to keep plugging away and see if time will tell.
On that note, I'll shift gears for another Wednesday Re-Wind. This story is in the same vein as the first Fortune Society tale, using the same pulp setting, some of the same character types, beats, and gags. This time, though, it's the ladies' turn.
The Fortune Society in:
(Diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend…)
Dramatis Personae:
Aphrodite: Self-professed demi-goddess with the power to cloud men’s minds….with love. Blessed with mystical senses, she’s one of The Baron’s most capable Team Leaders.
Libby “The Librarian” Langley: Thanks to a near photographic memory and growing up in a library, if she’s read it….she knows it. One of the smartest people on the planet….also one of the most annoying.
Amanda Oakley: Just like her great grandma, Annie, Amanda is one of the best shots in not just the West, but the entire world. Always up for a challenge, there’s no weapon she can’t shoot and no vehicle she can’t pilot.
“Prima” Donna McGurk: A one time Olympic track and field hopeful, destiny took her in a different direction. Becoming one of the ‘Jet Set’, her lifestyle affords her to travel the globe, picking up all sorts of different skills while living the high life. Marrying a djinn (genie) didn't hurt, either.
“Just so’s ya know….ah ain’t likin’ this one bit.” Her twin .45s barked once and two goons jerked back and spun around, falling to the ground in a heap. “Duly noted Amanda”, Aphrodite said with a wry grin on her beautiful features. She moved a mass of thick, blonde hair from her face as she quickly turned to see another wave of Mr. Lee’s men approaching. “Orders are orders and clients are clients. Oh, and by the by, remember….don’t kill our lovely welcoming committee….” “Ah ain’t….just wingin’ ‘em is all…” A shrill scream to her left almost made Grammy Oakley’s favorite granddaughter, with the nerves of steel, flinch….almost. Glancing to the side, between shots, she saw four of Mr. Lee’s well dressed, hooded, goons slowly surrounding Libby. The smaller, thinner, librarian had her left arm out as if to shoo them away with a wave of her hand. Her right hand was digging into a messenger bag which slung over her left shoulder. Her shriek also got the attention of the fourth woman in the group. A larger than average woman, one that looked as if she spent a lot of time outdoors, lifting heavy things. The curvy redhead was engaged with two other hooded goons, kicks and punches flying as the two, even larger goons, looked to want to do her physical harm. A look of concern marring her attractive features, Donna grunted out “Let me show you fellas something I picked up in Paris, France…” and, with that, she spun on her heel twice and delivered two, hard, savate kicks to each side of the hooded goon’s heads….dropping them to the ground while she rushed over to give Libby a helping hand. The slimmer woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Myrna Loy, seemed to have recovered her wits. Quickly, she pulled her hand from her messenger bag and, in it, was a large can of Morton’s salt. She flipped the lid up with her thumb and spun in a circle, dousing the goons surrounding her with the white flakes while they, in turn, proceeded to burst into flames. “Wights” she said, catching her breath and moving away from the now dying, open flames. “White, black, Asian, Moroccan, who cares?”, Donna said, her eyes still wide in amazement. Giving her a confused smile, Libby shoved the salt can back into her overstuffed bag. “No….they’re called ‘wights’. If you check the small amount of skin that shows between their cuff and gloves, it looks gray and scaly. Added in the slight stiffness of their movements and the rabid fervor in which they follow orders and you can tell they’re the newly deceased. Donna just shook her head as she glanced over Libby’s shoulder, then ran over to Aphrodite as more goons approached. “What? You didn’t know that?” Libby called after her. “Hey Boss”, Amanda shouted as she continued pumping lead into shoulders and knees, the goons were being slowed, but not halted and there were more waves pouring into the large room, “ah’m runnin’ outta lead here!” Giving her a slight nod, Aphrodite concentrated on the moving throng approaching her from the glowing circle of energy on the wall. Their arms out, fingers flexing, they prepared to rend her limb from limb. Shoving another mass of thick, blonde, hair from her face, she smiled and pursed her lips. She extended her arms wide, her clingy tunic fluttering in the air that was coming from….somewhere, no one was quite sure as there were no windows in the room containing England’s crown jewels. She began to levitate as she surveyed the mass of tuxedo clad, hooded, figures approaching….her strappy sandals leaving the ground. “That’s it boys, come close and feel the love!” Aphrodite began to glow and the air filled with little sparkles of light. A wave of that same light rushed over the approaching goons, halting them in their tracks. They just stood there as if unsure what to do next. “Dazzling…” Libby murmured in awe. “This won’t last long, ladies, so grab what we came for and let’s hop the next chariot out of here. I sense the Beefeaters are on their way.” Aphrodite said, still holding her arms out wide, a look of concentration etched on her pretty face. “Ummm…just where, exactly, is the thing we’re here for?” Donna asked, looking at the vast and varied types of jewelry and cases in the room. Libby pointed to the far wall. Sitting on a small pedestal under glass, a tiara made of bright diamonds shone in the darkness. “Right there. I once read that the Princess’ crown was placed near the back of the room as to not take away from the Queen’s jewels.” “You’re sure about that?” Donna said as she sprinted over to the case, bashing in the glass with a gloved fist before Libby could confirm. “Of course, I’m sure. What? You didn’t know that?” Libby asked while Donna just rolled her eyes. With the tiara in hand, Donna yelled “Got it!” and made her way over to a still floating Aphrodite. Libby and Amanda, salt can and guns holstered respectively, followed suit. “Ah still don’t like workin’ fer that lil house painter fella….gives me the creeps.” Amanda intoned as they huddled up. “Well, we’re not so much working for him as we are against him. He only thinks we’re doing him a service. Uncle Adolph’s blind faith in supernatural artifacts will, one day, be his undoing.” Aphrodite smiled. “This may look like a princess’ crown but, in reality, it’s the Crown of Verwechslung….the Crown of Confusion. His so called ‘scholars’ were a touch off base on this one. Once he puts it on, his judgment will be forever clouded and, the best part is, he’s paying the Society for doing it.” “What? You didn’t know that?” Libby nodded towards the other two girls who had perplexed looks on their faces. “Mr. Lee’s after it to give to the Empress of Japan, hoping she’ll finally accept his proposal of marriage.” the librarian added. Again, Donna rolled her eyes. “Put it on? What makes you think he’s going to wear a girly tiara?” “Oh, there’s intelligence out there that says Hitler has some…let’s say…odd traits.” Aphrodite said, though clenched teeth, the smile fading as she continued to concentrate. “Good thing these…wight things still seemed to have some vestiges of manhood still left in them…” Libby nodded again, opening her mouth before Donna cut her off. “If you say it, I’m gonna throttle you…” Libby, promptly, closed her mouth again. “Awright, Donna….yer up….” Grammy Oakley’s favorite granddaughter said, “git us outta here.” And, with that, Donna held her left hand up and removed the expensive looking leather glove that covered it. A huge diamond, wedding, band sparkled on her ring finger. She kissed and whispered to it…. “My love, I wish us home.” her voice taking on a haunting, sing song, tone as she spoke. The four women began to shimmer and fade from sight. As they glowed brighter, Libby cocked her head towards Donna. “So....ummm.....how many wishes do you have with that?” “I honestly have no idea.” Donna smiled wistfully and winked. “So then….we could’ve been stuck here and….” Libby gulped. “What? You didn’t know that?” Donna winked, patting Libby on her cheek. Aphrodite’s hearty laughter was the last thing heard as the four women blinked out of sight So, what are your writing insecurities?
Would you like to see any more tales involving The Fortune Society?
A couple of weeks ago, Nick Wilford over at Scattergun Scribblings, came up with a little blog hop to help raise some money for his stepson's education. His stepson, Andrew, has cerebral palsy and his choices of colleges aren't as wide or varied in Scotland as we have here in America.
To that end, the goal of the hop was to gather material for a book Nick was planning and use the proceeds to help Andrew further his education.
I was happy to help out with a (last minute) entry and even happier to see the project come to fruition.
So, without further ado....I give you Overcoming Adversity.
Take it away, Nick.....
A collection of seventy moving and uplifting original pieces - real life, flash fiction, and poetry - about battling against the odds and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. The contributors include Amazon bestselling authors Alex J. Cavanaugh and Kyra Lennon, and the cream of upcoming talent.
The anthology is part of a fundraising effort to send the editor's stepson, Andrew McNaughton, to a specialist college in England. Andrew has cerebral palsy, and is a remarkable young man with a promising future. However, the free further education options offered in his own country of Scotland will not challenge him and allow him to progress. In order to access the education he deserves, Andrew will have to pay exorbitant fees, thus creating a situation of discrimination.
Help us get Andrew to college by buying a book that runs the full gamut of human emotions, ultimately leaving you inspired and glad to be alive. Whatever struggles you are going through, our sincere hope is that this book will help.
"But Mark", I hear you thinking (I can, sometimes hear your thoughts, yes), "just where can I get my hands on this amazing anthology?"
Well, I'm glad you asked that....because Overcoming Adversity can be found at....
So head over and buy a copy...or two...or three...and enjoy some great stories on Overcoming Adversity. It's for a great cause.
Best of luck to Nick and Andrew!
I'll leave you, this Monday, with some cool music that's been running through my brain all weekend.
If you follow along on my other blog, you've seen how I've recently re-discovered my love for "Surf Music". Having grown up listening to The Ventures, The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, as well as many others (thanks dad), it was only natural that I carry my fondness of this music genre with me through and into my, ahem, later years.
So, if this doesn't get you going or, at the very least, your foot tapping then go back to bed!
You're up before dawn on a Saturday when the doorbell rings. You haven't brewed your coffee so you wonder if you imagined the sound. Plonking the half-filled carafe in the sink, you go to the front door and cautiously swing it open. No one there. As you cast your eyes to the ground, you see a parcel addressed to you ... from you. You scoop it up and haul it inside, sensing something legitimate despite the extreme oddness of the situation. Carefully, you pry it open. Inside is a shoebox -- sent from ten years in the future -- and it's filled with items you have sent yourself. What's in it?
This is the premise for The Back from the Future bloghop going on today...all day! Brought to you by Suze over at Subliminal Coffee, M. Pax, and Nicki Elson at Not-So-Deep Thoughts, it looks to be a lot of fun. What are you waiting for? Hop around...check out some new blogs...see what the future might have in store for them!
This could be heavy, Doc.
When I opened the shoe box I would have sworn it was just some sort of stunt. Yeah, I signed up for the blog hop and figured it'd be a lot of laughs. I never expected something like this, though. I mean, how on earth did they get my address?
The more I began going through the box, the more I got the eerie feeling that this wasn't a hoax. I mean, first of all the name brand of the shoe was "J.Biebers". I shook my head thinking it couldn't be. I mean if someone was going to pull a gag, you would think they could do better than "J.Biebers". A chill ran down my spine.
This was the real deal.
Inside I found a very worn, used, copy of a book called "The T.E.M.P" Agency", with my name as the author. The cover featured a ruggedly handsome man in a hat and trench coat, a deep cut in his chest revealing blinking lights and fiber optic cables, as he stood in front of a gypsy woman protectively.
I shook my head...."It can't be, I thought....I...haven't...finished this yet."
On the inside cover, in my handwriting, were the words "The first of many!"
Slowly, I turned the book around to the back cover and saw a black and white picture of me staring back at myself with a smirk. My eyes widened and I could tell that it was the same face I stared at in the mirror every morning....just with a few more wrinkles. My hair still cut short and cropped as it is today.
"Well...at least I still have my hair." I said to myself, my fingers running through my short cropped, receding follicles.
The more I rifled through the box, the stranger it got.
I found a pair of front row tickets to a concert. The headliner, strangely enough, had the same name as my nephew. There was also an invitation to my sister's wedding, dated just a couple of years from today. "Whew! At least mom and dad can quit worrying." I thought as I stared in awe at the artifacts, obviously from the future.
The biggest shock, though, was when I looked at the only picture in the box. It was me and my wife, posed with two sets of twins. Two boys and two girls. It made sense as my mom and my wife's mom were both fraternal twins.
"I better start saving some money...." I thought.
The very last thing I pulled out of the box. The thing that filled me with the most hope. An envelope.
Inside the envelope was a piece of paper with these words, written in my crappy handwriting....
And that was it. No stock tips....no clue on who wins the next ten World Series or Super Bowls...nothing. The way I figure it, though,is that 'future' me knew how lazy 'present day' me is and, if my life got any easier, I'd probably give up writing for laying on the beach or something. Either that, or 'future me' might have thought too much info could punch a hole in the space-time continuum the size of Belgium. Who knows?
Anyway, it was like Doc Brown always told me...o.k, he didn't actually tell me....but, in the movies he told Marty....
"Your future is whatever you make it....so make it a good one."
And that's just what I did....or will do...or....well, you get the idea.
(A big "Thank You" to Suze, Mary, and Nicki for hosting this fun hop)
The Healthy Writers Club
Since it's Friday, it also means it's time for a 'getting healthy' update and The Healthy Writers Club.
Shalle McArthur hosts the club each week and we come together to discuss all those fun (can you hear the sarcasm?) topics such as losing weight, getting in shape, eating right, etc.
Unfortunately, this week isn't much of an improvement over last. I did, though, manage to work out once this week as well as go for a couple of brisk walks with the wife.
I haven't been keeping up much with MyFitnessPal, but try to pop in to encourage my fellow fitness enthusiasts. On the flip side, I'm not really eating a lot or even badly....but I know I should still, at least, be confirming it with some sort of calorie measures.
While I'm still nowhere near where I should be, I'm getting closer. Hopefully, I'll have a better report next Friday.
How about you?
What might 'future you' send back to 'present you'?
In shape? Getting there or just thinking about it?
Here's hoping you all have a great Friday and an even better weekend!
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