Sort of resolutions for 2015?

Here are a few things I decided a long time ago that made my life easier. Maybe it'll help you, too. I didn't make this list for New Years but I suppose you could use these as resolutions, if you want.

• Answer the question that is asked.

When someone asks you a question, listen to it. I've wasted more time trying to get someone to actually answer the question I asked, instead of the question that they thought I asked.

• Don't argue

You can disagree, but once voices get raised the connection between people's ears and their brains gets cut off. Nobody is listening anymore.

• Understand that choices are choices

For example, if someone is prochoice, this does not mean that he or she thinks abortions should be mandatory. It just means that the option should be available if someone wants to use it. Likewise, saying "Black lives matter" doesn't mean that other lives don't. Saying otherwise is just a way of side-stepping the issue and provoking an argument where nothing gets settled. (See second bullet point, above.)

• Don't interrupt

Let whoever you're talking with finish his or her thought. Guys, this one is aimed at you in particular--studies show that men interrupt women much more often during conversation, even women who have a position of authority over them. This has to stop. Really.

• Listen!

Dammit! Really!

• If it doesn't make any sense or if it's outrageous assume maybe you misunderstood

At least to start with. Maybe you missed part of the conversation, or don't know the full context. Before you fly off the handle, make sure that you have a good reason for doing so. Also, see previous bullet point.

• Allowing people to live their lives like they want is a good thing

If it were up to me, there wouldn't be any churches, or religions. I think they do more harm than good. Likewise, there would be no country music, because I loathe that crap. But it's not up to me. However, I'm free not to go to church, and not to listen to music that makes me incredibly cranky or, at best, bores the hell out of me. If you love country music, or if you find comfort in your religion, that's a good thing for you, but it won't necessarily be a good thing for everyone. I'm perfectly content letting you live your life as you see fit. Let me live mine like I want, as well.

• If you can do it it's only fair that everyone can

Really. Why should you be allowed to vote, get married, own property, or whatever, but other people can't? Doesn't that sort of undermine one of the fundamental principles of democracy? I'm no expert, but it sure seems to.

• Enjoy it while you have it

You don't know when it could all come to an end. If you have something in your life that gives you pleasure, enjoy the hell out of it. You never know what tomorrow holds.


Okay, I'm shutting up now. Have a happy and safe 2015!

Post holiday randomocity 2014

So, my xmas was quite lovely. Opened a gift from my best friend and my goddaughter which turned out to be an awesome Lovecraft/Dr. Seuss mashup tee shirt. People know me entirely too well.


Also spent some time going through The Sorcerer's Daughter and creating the synopsis. It wound up at eight pages--which is too long. No need to panic, though--I'm going through and cutting and editing over the next few weeks to get it down to no more than four pages. That's why I started working on it now, so I'll have plenty of time to get it right.


I'm still happy with it, too. There are one or two places where I took a bit of a chance, doing something that people may not get, but I think overall it works. I still love the ending. Hopefully, I won't be the only one.


I got myself a basic watercolor kit, too, and I've been using it to paint a still life today. So far it's okay. You can tell I don't know what I'm doing. But that's fine. I'm enjoying playing around with it, and it doesn't look bad, just a bit amateurish. Which fits, because I am most definitely an amateur.


I'm missing my goddaughter, and my best friend (who is my goddaughter's mother, if you didn't already know), who live on the West Coast. One day hopefully we'll all be together for the holidays. As it is, there is Skype and IMing, which is better than nothing.


Other than that it's been quite nice. Quiet, peaceful, and I've been able to focus on whatever I've decided I wanted to do.


One disappointment, and this is my own fault, is I haven't decided what I'm going to learn for the next year.


That's what I've been doing every year for the past few--I set myself some skill to learn, something difficult that will require some effort to master. Last year it was art, specifically sketching and painting. While I'll never be a professional artist I am far-and-away better at it than I was before I started. And I'm going to continue working on developing my skill, as long as I enjoy it.


I do this because I feel like it benefits me as a person. I strongly believe I can master pretty much any skill, as long as I devote time and effort towards it.


So, what's it going to be for 2015? I completely forgot to think about it, so I don't know yet. I've thought about learning another language. But which one? Spanish, maybe--lots of opportunities to use that. Mandarin or Cantonese? I think those are going to be useful languages to know in the coming years. French? Maybe. Or German, even.


Anyways, I'll ruminate on it a while and come up with something, I'm sure.


Have a happy post-holiday! What are your plans for the coming year?

Happy Solstice 2014 version

It's that time again. A convergence of around 40 celebrations from various religions and traditions from all over the world.


I've never been a big fan of the holidays. It's actually for personal reasons that don't have anything to do with the religious aspects of the season--even though I think those are pretty stupid.


It's nice to have a couple days off, though, and have hours and hours of football to watch.


And, unlike a lot of other people I know, I don't really care if other people chose to celebrate whatever holiday tradition they want to celebrate. If you enjoy it, good! I'm happy for you! Now, let other people do their own things, as well.


In other words--Happy Holidays!

Status updates and watching football randomocity

In case either of you were wondering, here's what I've been up to lately:


Rereading The Sorcerer's Daughter, rewriting it, bringing it just a bit closer towards being ready to send off for a publisher to consider.


Writing "Unus" (the story I mentioned here previously). It's coming along, slowly. I'm in no hurry to finish it, since I really don't have anywhere to submit it when I'm done.


Painting, painting, painting . . . I'd upload a pic of my latest painting here but for some reason every time I try that it locks up my browser. Just as well.


Watching my Atlanta Falcons sink deeper and deeper into mediocrity. They're just a terrible football team. The fact that, at this moment, they are in first place in the NFC South is more a testament to how much the teams in the NFC South suck. And I don't expect them to remain in first place much longer.


Having technical issues left and right. Fought off a virus infection on my laptop the other day. It seems to be okay now. Of course, now that I've said something . . .


It looks like the first half of next year is going to be really busy--I've been told a film project I'm involved with will probably start heating up early in 2015. I'll be involved in rewrites on that, and I expect the notes from the others involved to be extensive.


And, as I said, I'll be hammering away on the manuscript for the novel. Even if I do place it with a publisher the editor I wind up working with will have notes that may require quite a bit more rewriting.


Part of the process. I fully expect any feedback I get to be useful and result in a better story, both on the script and on the novel.


The holidays are rapidly approaching--I almost let them slip up on me. Fortunately, I got my shopping done before it was too late. I have a very short list so it didn't take very long.


That's pretty much it, for me. Lots of stuff on the horizon, not a lot going on at the moment. I know you were wondering.