His Lives (Book) - 11/25/2016 5:24:27 AM
Your excerpt is a copy of the short description. In order to get people interested, your excerpt should be at least a couple of chapters. I often give them five chapters of my books.
Ron
Authors And Obstacles (Short Story) - 4/15/2017 7:16:38 AM
I too, concur with your thoughts about reading other authors. I did most of my reading in school and, except for the funnies and a well remembered serialized novel, On the Beach, I never read a newspaper. After all, we had the television for news. I did, however, practically memorize our encyclopedia, but didn't find using the dictionary very useful… Hence my atrocious spelling. ;-)
I am a bit envious of the thoughts and vocabularies of those who are avid readers. They also seem to have photographic memories, especially when it comes to quoting those authors (or the Bible--I'm an atheist, too). I believe their banal anal tendencies have them jotting down notes on 3 x 5 cards every time they run across something quotable.
The telephone has become a bane to my writing as well. It rang twice while I was reading your article. Political announcements and requests for money, as well as the usual scams, keep the phone ringing.
I don't listen to music either, except on television and find a lot of the latest music is geared to video extravaganza without much by way of great lyrics.
So, like you, I can be quite original and basing my writing on that reading, experiencing, and listening to music I did many years ago. Then turning that into futuristic stories. I think?
Ron
Authors And Obstacles (Short Story) - 4/15/2017 2:52:22 AM
I agree with you about limiting distractions to focus on your writing. I had gone years without reading a book so as not to be unduly influenced by other writers. Plus, it takes time away from the pursuit to finish a book. It is a double-edged sword. Back in the saddle to market and promote, I'm in a frenzy to read/review books written by Indies. Most write in a genre different from mine anyway. I end up reading with the third eye of an editor, so it actually helps to hone my own writing skills. My own book would not have risen to the occasion without the prospects I've stumbled across on social media, or the boost it's gotten from other Indies who've read and reviewed it.
There are many days I would just like to hibernate and barricade away from it all.
Authors And Obstacles (Short Story) - 4/14/2017 9:46:18 PM
Bob, that is a very confirmational read for me, if that is a word. I am sure I am no where near your success in writing poems, songs or whatever but most people that know me very well always ask, well, what do you read for inspiration and ideas or whatever. I often read where so many writers and authors talk about all the books they've read and so forth and I go like, man, what is wrong with me, I barely read the newspaper, much less any novels or books. The same with songs and people ask who do you listen too, I go , hardly nobody and they go how can you write songs and not listen to anyone. I had all my influences early in my life and they sort of swayed me in the direction of my songs and stuff for later in life and just I don't listen to radio stations or songs on the internet very often at all, maybe just to get a feel for what's out there. Like you say, it is hard enough to be original with all the other tunes getting stuck in your head and so forth. Folks seems to like my poems and song lyrics and think I have listened to so much music to get the ideas and really all I do is grab my guitar and start strumming and see what comes out of my head. So now I know I am not so weird and glad I wasn't that great in English class. Heck, all that crap might have messed me up, LOL! At least I know now there is one other person out there who has my motus operandi!
Dan
PS I probably misspelled that motus thing as I even have to have a dictionary handy to spell a lot of words sometimes, plus look up those big words some authors use in their works on here! My motto is keep it simple!!
Childrens Weekend (Short Story) - 3/28/2017 11:56:22 AM
My kids & I have maintained our fantastic relationship to this day Ronald. I'm one lucky Dad. :)
Childrens Weekend (Short Story) - 3/28/2017 6:03:16 AM
It's too bad that you saw them so little. I hope they are good friends of yours today as well as your children.
Ron
Childrens Weekend (Short Story) - 3/28/2017 1:38:04 AM
Thank you for sharing these special memories where your children flourished.
Opinions (Short Story) - 11/29/2016 2:33:14 AM
It depends on what subject the opinion is rendered. Most opinions are hot air blasted by those who think they are an authority on the subject. If someone doesn't ask, don't give one! Most opinions should be kept to ourselves as more than likely they won't change anything or influence the mindset of another.
Opinions (Short Story) - 11/28/2016 8:52:35 AM
Very opinionated. With that snide remark out of the way, I never really found out what my IQ was, although a friend from high school who I consider a genius, not just for his outstanding academic ability, but his accomplishments in life, once told me that he looked at our high school records and knew what my IQ was but wouldn't tell me. I think he was lying.
I believe you're right. Any attempt I make to sway the opinions (ingrained belief) or attitudes of others, even writers, is ignored unless I shake my head "yes" to everything they say in utter agreement. I have found that they do change when they are faced with dire circumstances as a result of their steadfast belief in something that results in utter failure.
Ron
Death. One Nurses Perspective (Short Story) - 11/27/2016 1:39:40 PM
I saw people in your situation every week, Ron. Frustrating doesn't sum up my feelings. I ended up burning out after 22 years. Euthanasia is illegal in Australia but I have heard that it happens. Is it legal in any state in America? I have no doubt that it will be legalised one day....as people continue to suffer unnecessarily as we speak.
Death. One Nurses Perspective (Short Story) - 11/27/2016 7:14:14 AM
I agree with you 100%. The Hippocratic oath is hypocritical when it comes to the appropriate time for death. Many experienced doctors have given abortions and euthanasia secretly to avoid repercussions almost forever. It is only stupid religious people who have no pain who stick to such outlandish/archaic/torturous practices that result in brutalizing and bankrupting the less fortunate.
Twice in my life I came close to death without any pain. I was given the required dose of morphine to fend the pain off, allow me to relax (if not to sleep) and to eat. After receiving too much anesthetic on the operating table 53 years ago, I was awakened there to see if I was alive as a result of the injury inflicted on my spinal cord when my spinal column hemorrhaged during exploratory surgery.
It was only when I was being weaned from morphine 10 days later that I began to experience excruciating pain from returning feeling to nerves in my arms and hands. Without morphine, I would have been in pain during both hospitalizations for days. I left both without pain to begin rehabilitation.
After surgery on his heart valve and a bypass, my 85-year-old father was recovering well until he acquired one of those deadly hospital bacterial infections that gave him pneumonia twice in the next four months, leading to his eventual death. In the meantime, he had tubes down his nose and throat preventing him from speaking or eating and acquired bedsores from not being turned adequately. After three months, his Medicare and his supplemental insurance ran out. He was transferred to 100 miles away from where my mother and he lived and my mother had to divest all remaining assets so that he could get Medicaid to pay for the last month's hospital bill. I don't know if he was given palliative treatment just before his death or not--I hope so.
My brothers complained about his treatment, but it fell on deaf ears as the hospital continued to get its daily money from dad's insurance while he suffered. I don't want that to happen to me, and I want my death to be swift and painless through euthanasia. As soon as my only function would be to eat and stare at the wall or television with pain increasing, it will be time to go.
Ron
Death. One Nurses Perspective (Short Story) - 11/27/2016 4:05:07 AM
If someone in my family was terminally ill, I'd want him/her to be comfortable during the final hours.
His Anxiety (Poetry) - 1/21/2018 8:11:44 AM
Reads like it is very personal. I woke up dizzy this morning, so it was hard for me to gain my equilibrium. But I'm so glad I didn't wake up anxious about it.
Ron
His Anxiety (Poetry) - 1/21/2018 7:12:08 AM
My neighbor is the same way.
Casualty Of War (Poetry) - 1/9/2018 12:38:15 PM
Perhaps better if he was one of the dead. My uncle came back from that war an irritable man. He was a miser after losing all his money in the submarket in 1929, collecting coins. When my hand had him put away in a veterans home when he became abusive, she cashed in the coin collections for her and the three kids to get a college education and her retirement.
Ron
Casualty Of War (Poetry) - 1/9/2018 3:23:27 AM
this kind of shock has had many different names over the decades and centuries, its effect is as devastating as you so well write here
Casualty Of War (Poetry) - 1/8/2018 9:58:15 PM
PTSD is a huge problem. All I have read and learned it seems like pets help the most. Labs rule because they have the right temperament and patience. Humans usually screw things up. Amen
Casualty Of War (Poetry) - 1/8/2018 5:11:36 PM
The poetry and novels of WWI break my heart every time. There was such foolish bravado in going and unspeakable horror in the trenches. I guess that is true of every war. WWI is emblematic of all of them. A brave, sad write.
Casualty Of War (Poetry) - 1/8/2018 5:44:52 AM
War is hell. Will we ever learn?
Casualty Of War (Poetry) - 1/7/2018 4:14:08 PM
I had an uncle came back from WWII in that exact same shape. Devastating to him and to all those around him.
Clean Rats? (Poetry) - 4/14/2017 9:48:13 PM
Good question!
Dan
My Wandering Mind (Poetry) - 3/23/2017 12:54:19 AM
sweet, you describe it real well here Bob, life can be a multi piece jig saw puzzle flying strewn in mid air, for someone who suffers from Bipolar. I know a man who has six kids and four of them are bipolar, he is the most patient man I ever met. A school teacher by trade, when I showed up at his door with a broken violin, he helped me fix it and gave me a crash lesson on how to use it. I am in awe of him, xo
My Wandering Mind (Poetry) - 3/19/2017 5:19:16 PM
There would be a fine thing Ed. Talking walls. Knowing my luck if the walls started talking an all in brawl would ensue....with me running straight out the talking door.
My Wandering Mind (Poetry) - 3/19/2017 4:34:17 PM
I live alone and talk to the apartments walls, but when they start talking back I hope I can tell their story as well as you tell yours, -e-
My Wandering Mind (Poetry) - 3/19/2017 7:37:55 AM
Oh, I couldn't agree with Ron anymore. This is a brilliant write, and I don't use that word loosely
.
this i a brillent
ron
My Wandering Mind (Poetry) - 3/19/2017 7:10:07 AM
As I laughed my way through, I believe you've created some new clichés. For that alone, you can go down in the cliché Hall of Fame.
Ron
Just Another Night Out (Poetry) - 1/2/2017 9:47:41 AM
An interesting take. Perhaps on Bob Dylan or many others who have anxiety and write poetry like Poe and countless others after. Dark glasses can certainly keep people from viewing the anxiety in the eyes of those feeling that way.
Cool.
Ron
Whisper (Poetry) - 12/28/2016 11:28:30 PM
Although it is read internally that does not necessarily equate to silence. You've made a most erudite point. There are times when I'm reading or righting and for some reason the volume is turned to max.
"A silent answer turns away wrath."
Whisper (Poetry) - 12/1/2016 9:55:26 AM
Unfortunately, not with my hearing. Can no longer hear whispers and do need to have people speak up when talking to me. As far as noise goes, I still hear that very well.
Ron
Whisper (Poetry) - 12/1/2016 5:36:14 AM
We do live in a noisy world, don't we?
Whisper (Poetry) - 11/30/2016 6:15:37 PM
Eh . . . How about reading it silently, which is what we all do anyway.
The Gay Thing (Poetry) - 11/26/2016 5:54:39 PM
Hope the great divide goes the way of the dinosaurs & we can all live together in peace or have a piece if we so desire...-e-
The Gay Thing (Poetry) - 11/25/2016 10:23:51 AM
Can't say it better than Ron, except that it can happen soon enough.
Michael D.
The Gay Thing (Poetry) - 11/25/2016 8:19:19 AM
It would be nice if the "Great Divide" you are referring to would take place without anger and rancor, but with the simple understanding that we need to have everybody just be who they are and not be belittled in any way for their way of being.
Ron
