My First Book is Nearly Complete!

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I’ve been horribly remiss with my blogging duties here on WickedBlog. I hope to do better in the near future, but I’ve filled my schedule so full I’m not sure how successful I’ll be.

I’m going to try my hand at NaNoWriMo again this year (my previous attempt is thankfully left far, far behind since it was an abysmal failure). I’m in the midst of the final revision of my book (not a novel — that’s next) and I hope to have it in ebook format and in distribution channels by November. (Wish me luck!)

It has occurred to me that despite the horrible state of the economy (both personal and national) that I’m enviably close to having all my dreams come true. I always wanted to live in a little cabin in the woods and write for a living. *Granted!* I’ve been in the cabin for almost a year now (it will be by the end of this month) and I’ve been making my money by writing and marketing for a dozen years. The thing is, I STATED the dream wrong, and it’s time to fix that.

I MEANT to say, “I want to live in my little cabin in the woods and write creatively — preferably in the form of novels — for a living.” You have to be soooo careful when you fling your desires out into the universe. You have to be sooooo specific! ;)

I really want to write and publish novels. My first book, Surviving Shangri-La is not a novel, it’s a non-fiction piece that traces my first two years on the farm. It’s been quite a challenge to pull it all together, write it and (especially) edit and revise it. I’m learning TONS about ebook publishing as I begin to explore the technical end of this type of formatting and distribution. It has been quite a little journey (and I’m just getting started!)

But for now, aside from doing my client work, raising my daughter, cooking/cleaning/grocery shopping… I’m committing to writing 1,000-2,500 words four days a week, two blogs per week (one here and one over on livingsmall), reading two books per week (one fiction/non-ficton and one on the craft of writing) and organizing my book collection (in all formats).

Maybe at that rate I can finally get through the stacks and stacks of writing books I’ve collected over the years, sort out the good from the bad, and toss those that don’t belong on my reference shelf. I tend to collect writing books when I’m not writing. I tend not to read them when I am. I’m ready to stop collecting and seek inspiration more actively. Besides, staring at them every day — noting that they are getting dusty — makes me feel like a lousy student of the craft.

I’m also working steadily to clean out my regular bookshelves. This one has been tough, especially since I decided to READ all the books before making a determination. I’ve read 17 books since the beginning of last month! Some were pure fluff, some were a bit more substantial. I’m keeping a list of all my “reads” over on LivingSmall.com.

Simultaneously, I’m organizing my ebook library – pulling up ancient ebook files that I’ve collected and stuffed away for years. I troll for ebooks with the same delight I look for new apps in the iTunes store. It’s sad, really. It’s an addiction. I need a 12-step-program.

Maybe the effort and work required to pull down metadata and a decent cover for every ebook I own (and the additional work of converting them all to a single format — epub) will serve to discourage future bouts of indiscriminate downloading. I’ve committed to doing this at a rate of 20 per day, five days a week. With that schedule, I may be finished organizing my ebook library sometime before the end of this decade. In the meantime, I’ll be creating a great little library where no duplicates (my GOSH I have a ton of duplicates!) will be permitted. I’ll choose the best version — like the Alice in Wonderland with the beautiful full-color lithographs properly rendered — rather than the .txt version of the same book. I’ll also have a great way to load up my iPad with the books I want.

Overall, I’m getting my “writing life” in order. I’m organizing, dedicating my time and DOING the things that a serious writer should do. I’m making it a priority, not the “guilty pleasure” it’s always been, one comprised of stolen moments here and there, usually late at night or in the wee hours of the morning.

It’s working. I’m producing. Who knows, I may even share some short pieces on here from time to time. It could happen!

Thanks for coming by Wicked Blog and have a great Halloween!

Get OFF my Dole! I’m Mad as Hell

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Free Pizza for FoodStamp RecepientsI’ve always been opinionated. I’ve always been pretty vocal about those opinions. Today, my dander is up. Today, I’m mad as hell.

The stock market slid over 600 points today (after over 500 one day last week), but that actually makes me happy. At least the stock market is beginning to reflect the state of the union – something it has failed to do for months and months. I do hate it for people who have their retirements and personal wealth tied up in the market, because they are losing their butts.

Congress is useless. The Tea-Party folded and signed that blasted agreement to raise the debt limit (sliding in the legislation for the unconstitutional “super congress” at the same time). I have no respect for any of them now.

Our economy sucks, unemployment is up, satisfaction with our representation in Washington is down… and yet these aren’t the things that set me over the edge.

What is it?

It’s the fact that slothful behavior is being rewarded. Those who do the least are being rewarded the most. There is no incentive to work hard to get the “nice” things for your family and yourself — in fact, you get more for less by doing nothing (other than signing up for more benefits). That’s not how this country was founded and it will only serve to sink it. There is a huge difference between the “land of opportunity” and the “land of the free lunch.”

Foodstamps (or EBT cards) now cover fast food — even DELIVERED fast food. And guess what? No tips or sales tax is allowed! Awesome, isn’t it? I can assure you that I will refuse to eat at any restaurant that accepts EBT cards from here on out (even if that means I never eat out again). Here’s a list of “participating” restaurants in the Los Angeles area alone — and it’s EIGHTEEN pages long!

I don’t know about you, but I can’t really afford to have pizza delivered these days. I also don’t buy red meat anymore – it’s too high. I’m working menus around what’s in season and what’s cheap. Think beans and cornbread, garden vegetables from my parents’ garden, and local fare from the Amish store.

I’m cutting back on the AC, swapping out incandescent bulbs for the curly florescent ones I hate, curtailing trips off the farm and trimming all the bills that I can.

Of course, my cell phone isn’t free like it would be if I were on Foodstamps. And my ISP isn’t $10 a month like it would be if I were on the dole. And recently, I saw an article in a local paper that’s using SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) funds to … get this… issue “vouchers” for spaying and neutering of companion pets. I guess I’m the idiot for paying to be a responsible pet owner.

Or maybe I’m the idiot for working so hard to make ends meet…

Hulu Disappoints: Super Cookies

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key to personal and digital privacyI love Hulu. I’ve been with them (and a PAYING customer since the pro version was first introduced.) I’ve advocated them to my family and friends. I’ve even selected phones based on whether or not there’s a supported Hulu app. I love Hulu.

Then, last week, I read that Hulu was (like many large companies)using super-cookies (inside Adobe flash files). I feel betrayed. I can’t believe they are using cookies that track my every move and store my history. It’s quite disappointing.

After reading the article, I went on a mission to figure out how to remove the existing cookies and resist the logging of future super-cookies. What I found was this article on how to change the flash settings to protect your privacy. I used it to reset my preferences on the Adobe product and I also downloaded Flush, a Mac-specific product to “flush” super-cookies. This little app is now set to launch every time I turn on my MacBook Pro so I flush any existing cookies from the last use of the computer.

We live in a world where there are no secrets, there is no privacy and big business is not in the habit of protecting their customers. Even though I find this particularly disappointing with the companies I once trusted, there’s really no way to get around it… other than to have a personal mission to protect your information yourself. So, do it.

 

Voters: Who Has the Right?

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I’m constantly frustrated with the level of “charity” our government feels it has the right to steal from our pockets to give to others. The government is not Robin Hood and those of us who work to make ends meet aren’t the “rich” of society. Many of us are the “barely eeking by” of this society.

I’m not saying that those who need the assistance shouldn’t have it. It’s the abuse of the “help” that makes me crazy. At the very least, those who (for whatever reason) are unable or unwilling to pay their own way — should not be permitted to vote on how the rest of us live our lives and make ends meet.

After much contemplation and even more frustration, I’ve decided that that is the simple solution.

As such, I think anyone on governmental help — either foodstamps (or SNAP/EBT as it’s called these days), free/reduced lunches, SSI, Medicaid, etc. — should not have the right to vote.

Yep, you read that right. And I’m sure I’ll have a great deal of backlash from that view… but I don’t care.

Social Security is a different beast. The people drawing that paid into it and should get it AND retain the right to vote. I also think the right to vote should be restored 12 months after aid ends, but should be revoked the minute any aid is sought again — not granted, but sought.

Sure, everyone has tough times. Many people need occasional, temporary help. But others make this a lifestyle. Those people who are incapable or unwilling to care for their own affairs and support their own families should not have the right to vote for the lawmakers who pass laws dictating how the rest of us run and support ours.

It’s a political conflict of interest that will only result in the total destruction of the American Dream, the Puritan work ethic and the desire to succeed through hard work and dedication — that was the basis of the building of this great nation.

People who live by the grace of the charity of others shouldn’t be a member of the voting public. Voters should vote on how their tax dollars are spent. If they don’t give in to the system (or at least live in a “break even” state), then they shouldn’t vote themselves additional benefits on the back of the shrinking percentage of the populace working to support our nation.

Google Voice is Holding My AT&T iPhone Number Hostage!

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Discontinue use of Google Voice on AT&T iPhoneI recently tried Google Voice services and, against my usual clandestine ways, I gave it my cell phone number. I wanted to try the SMS service to see if I could eliminate the monthly texting bill. Mistake number ONE.

When I realized that the MMS messages weren’t being delivered through this service, and that ALL my calls were going to GV before my cell (which meant that even my “free” mobile-to-mobile calls were being charged as prime-time minutes) I decided to discontinue my use.

I went in and tried to delete my cell phone number. It refused to let me do that until I gave it another number. So, I begrudgingly gave it my Skype number. Problem solved, right? WRONG!

Even though I completely erased the cell phone number, every single call to my cell number was still going through Google Voice — then Skype — then to my cell.

After battling with this and with AT&T, I FINALLY found the solution and thought I’d share it here for anyone else having the same problem. It’s a “conditional call forwarding” issue that stays in effect, even if you delete your number from Google Voice.

The “cure” is to dial the following on your cell phone: ##004# and the hit the call button. A display will appear showing that your conditional settings have all been erased.

Now, I can finally get the calls to my cell phone number ON my cell phone! Whew!

Hope this helps others – because waiting for help on Google Voice Forums is exasperating.