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Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Full Body Scanners at Airports? PSHAW! That's for SISSIES!
Here's a solution to all the controversy over full-body scanners at the airports:
All we need to do is develop a booth that you can step into that will not X-ray you, but will detonate any explosive device you may have hidden on or in your body. The explosion will be contained within the sealed booth.
This would be a win-win for everyone. There would be none of this crap about racial profiling and the device would eliminate long and expensive trials.
This is so simple that it's brilliant. I can see it now: you're in the airport terminal and you hear a muffled explosion. Shortly thereafter an announcement comes over the PA system, "Attention, standby passengers! We now have a seat available on flight number..."
All we need to do is develop a booth that you can step into that will not X-ray you, but will detonate any explosive device you may have hidden on or in your body. The explosion will be contained within the sealed booth.
This would be a win-win for everyone. There would be none of this crap about racial profiling and the device would eliminate long and expensive trials.
This is so simple that it's brilliant. I can see it now: you're in the airport terminal and you hear a muffled explosion. Shortly thereafter an announcement comes over the PA system, "Attention, standby passengers! We now have a seat available on flight number..."
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
OMG! I Forgot All About This Until Just Tonight!
I was chatting to a Hollywood friend this evening and he reminded me of something I had completely forgotten: I was encouraged by several studio professionals to get a demo voiceover tape produced while I was down there!
(Smack myself in the forehead with the palm of my hand and call me an amnesiac chickenshit!)
Here's the story...
While I was living in Hollywood, I did one voiceover "on the fly" for a casting director at a major studio because an actress called in sick and everyone else was "on the set" and ready to roll. It was just one line...
I was an administrative assistant on the hit comedy TV show she was casting at the time. When she crooked her "come hither" finger at me and told me what she wanted me to do, I asked her, "Why me?"
She said, "Because every time I walk by this office, there is a different voice coming out of it, and it's always YOU! I know you can do what we need."
Fair enough. (I do tend to "act out" whatever I'm talking about, so the comment made sense, although I hadn't really thought much about it before she brought it to my attention. It's just the way I talk; I'm animated!)
So I went to the soundstage... and... much to my surprise... aced the gig.
One of the studio technicians, looking mighty pleased and surprised, told me, "You should do this for a living. You're a dream to direct. You nailed it."
His compatriots nodded. The casting director smiled and said, "See? What'd I tell you? You can do this... and you should. You're a natural."
Well, that felt really good, so I took several voiceover classes... tentatively... because it seemed far too good to be true...
My voiceover coach, Nigel Neale, quickly discovered that I had a perfect "teenaged boy's voice" and that teen boy voices were hot items in Hollywood animation. ding ding ding ding ding. I knew that Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Woody Woodpecker were both voiced by adult women with great teenaged boys voices, June Havoc and Mrs. Walter Lantz respectively.
Nigel said I should get a demo made and then move to Seattle to get discovered, because it would take me five years to be discovered in Hollywood (because voice demo tapes are stacked to the ceiling in every casting director's office in Hollywood.) It never even occurred to me that I already had an "in" with someone inside the industry: the casting director who had hijacked me just weeks earlier! (What a dumbbell I can be at times... I just NOW thought of this, YEARS after the horse left the barn!)
I told Nigel, "I just moved down here from Seattle. I'm not moving back there to get discovered!"
Anyway, he said he would produce my demo for me at a steep discount because he, too, thought I had what it took to be a voice actor.
I never had it done.
When I got back to Seattle in 2003 I discovered that Nigel Neale had moved to Seattle too and was now teaching voiceover at the University of WA... so I went to another of his classes... and again he offered to make my demo tape for me.
I still didn't get it done.
I was so focused on finding a "real" job that I put the voiceover thing on the back burner -- so far back that I forgot all about it!
Well, as you know, after doing some "real jobs" for a number of years up here (secretary, administrative assistant, activity director, copywriter-for-hire, etc.) I decided to throw caution and low pay to the wind and hang my shingle at Elance as a freelance copywriter... be my own boss...
It has worked out moderately well. By this, I mean that I haven't starved to death yet.
Cleve reminded me again tonight about the voiceover option. If he hadn't, I probably would never have thought of it again. Incidentally, Cleve is also the guy who told me about Elance. He has been my biggest fan and most stalwart supporter/encourager since the day I met him. He works in the entertainment industry and knows his stuff... knows what will work and what won't creatively.. and he's telling me to GO FOR IT; don't let the door hit me in the butt on the way out!
There are a bunch of high profile video game producers in Seattle. They need teenage boy's voices and other voices... and Nigel says I'm BRILLIANT as Ariel the Mermaid and other cartoon characters, too... and I can do straight announcing, too...
So now I'm slapping myself upside the head. I'm self-employed! I can go to auditions and gigs in Seattle at the drop of a hat. I need to get that demo tape done.
Cleve even said he'll pick up the tab so I REALLY have no excuse!!
Voiceover artists get $400 an hour! I get $45/hour as a copywriter.
What am I waiting for? I don't have to have a "feast or famine" life. I can have an "add on" career that is part-time and very, very lucrative...
So guess what? I'm going to make a few calls on Monday (a long weekend is coming up) and see if I can find Nigel again and get this going.
It's time!
What a kick it would be to make a living writing copy and books and voicing video games and radio and television commercials! Wish me luck and please keep me in your prayers...
I'm going for it... FINALLY!
(Smack myself in the forehead with the palm of my hand and call me an amnesiac chickenshit!)
Here's the story...
While I was living in Hollywood, I did one voiceover "on the fly" for a casting director at a major studio because an actress called in sick and everyone else was "on the set" and ready to roll. It was just one line...
I was an administrative assistant on the hit comedy TV show she was casting at the time. When she crooked her "come hither" finger at me and told me what she wanted me to do, I asked her, "Why me?"
She said, "Because every time I walk by this office, there is a different voice coming out of it, and it's always YOU! I know you can do what we need."
Fair enough. (I do tend to "act out" whatever I'm talking about, so the comment made sense, although I hadn't really thought much about it before she brought it to my attention. It's just the way I talk; I'm animated!)
So I went to the soundstage... and... much to my surprise... aced the gig.
One of the studio technicians, looking mighty pleased and surprised, told me, "You should do this for a living. You're a dream to direct. You nailed it."
His compatriots nodded. The casting director smiled and said, "See? What'd I tell you? You can do this... and you should. You're a natural."
Well, that felt really good, so I took several voiceover classes... tentatively... because it seemed far too good to be true...
My voiceover coach, Nigel Neale, quickly discovered that I had a perfect "teenaged boy's voice" and that teen boy voices were hot items in Hollywood animation. ding ding ding ding ding. I knew that Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Woody Woodpecker were both voiced by adult women with great teenaged boys voices, June Havoc and Mrs. Walter Lantz respectively.
Nigel said I should get a demo made and then move to Seattle to get discovered, because it would take me five years to be discovered in Hollywood (because voice demo tapes are stacked to the ceiling in every casting director's office in Hollywood.) It never even occurred to me that I already had an "in" with someone inside the industry: the casting director who had hijacked me just weeks earlier! (What a dumbbell I can be at times... I just NOW thought of this, YEARS after the horse left the barn!)
I told Nigel, "I just moved down here from Seattle. I'm not moving back there to get discovered!"
Anyway, he said he would produce my demo for me at a steep discount because he, too, thought I had what it took to be a voice actor.
I never had it done.
When I got back to Seattle in 2003 I discovered that Nigel Neale had moved to Seattle too and was now teaching voiceover at the University of WA... so I went to another of his classes... and again he offered to make my demo tape for me.
I still didn't get it done.
I was so focused on finding a "real" job that I put the voiceover thing on the back burner -- so far back that I forgot all about it!
Well, as you know, after doing some "real jobs" for a number of years up here (secretary, administrative assistant, activity director, copywriter-for-hire, etc.) I decided to throw caution and low pay to the wind and hang my shingle at Elance as a freelance copywriter... be my own boss...
It has worked out moderately well. By this, I mean that I haven't starved to death yet.
Cleve reminded me again tonight about the voiceover option. If he hadn't, I probably would never have thought of it again. Incidentally, Cleve is also the guy who told me about Elance. He has been my biggest fan and most stalwart supporter/encourager since the day I met him. He works in the entertainment industry and knows his stuff... knows what will work and what won't creatively.. and he's telling me to GO FOR IT; don't let the door hit me in the butt on the way out!
There are a bunch of high profile video game producers in Seattle. They need teenage boy's voices and other voices... and Nigel says I'm BRILLIANT as Ariel the Mermaid and other cartoon characters, too... and I can do straight announcing, too...
So now I'm slapping myself upside the head. I'm self-employed! I can go to auditions and gigs in Seattle at the drop of a hat. I need to get that demo tape done.
Cleve even said he'll pick up the tab so I REALLY have no excuse!!
Voiceover artists get $400 an hour! I get $45/hour as a copywriter.
What am I waiting for? I don't have to have a "feast or famine" life. I can have an "add on" career that is part-time and very, very lucrative...
So guess what? I'm going to make a few calls on Monday (a long weekend is coming up) and see if I can find Nigel again and get this going.
It's time!
What a kick it would be to make a living writing copy and books and voicing video games and radio and television commercials! Wish me luck and please keep me in your prayers...
I'm going for it... FINALLY!
Monday, November 22, 2010
APPROACHING DEADLINE for the Next Edition of Enduring Legacy of DeForest Kelley.
Trek fans, please HELP post this wherever DeForest Kelley/STAR TREK TOS fans gather.
It's time to start putting together the second edition of THE ENDURING LEGACY OF DeFOREST KELLEY: ACTOR, HEALER, FRIEND (http://store.payloads.com/go?id=382995)
If you have a De Kelley reminiscence you would like to share, please send it to me at Kristine M Smith AT MSN DOT com (string this address together, leave no spaces). Please limit your contribution to 1,000 words if at all possible. Let me know if you need to bump up the word count; I'm amenable to that if your account will be riveting from the first word to the last.
Don't worry if you're not a writer or a native English speaker. Just do the best you can. I will edit your contribution and send you a final draft for review before I publish it so you can sign off on any tweaking I do.
Please understand: not all contributions will be included; content is king.
You don't have to have met, known or seen De Kelley personally to contribute to the book, but if you have, your story is most likely to be included. If you've read the first edition of ENDURING LEGACY (available at http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=382995) you have a good guideline for the kind of material I'm seeking.
The book comes in four sections: ACTOR, HEALER, FRIEND, and ENDURING LEGACY. Fans who write about De's career will be included in the ACTOR section; those who write about ways in which De or any of his characters "healed" them (or tried to) physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually, will appear in the HEALER section; those who knew De personally or had an intense correspondence with him and Carolyn will appear in the FRIEND section, and those who went on to careers in medicine, social work, science, NASA, theatre, writing, producing, directing or other allied professions will appear in the ENDURING LEGACY section.
Please understand: There is no compensation for your contribution. The first edition has not created adequate income to pay for itself , nor did I ever expect it to. I'm issuing these editions strictly as a labor of love. You will retain all rights to your story except FIRST PUBLICATION RIGHTS and will be able to use your story elsewhere in perpetuity after it has appeared in the second edition.
When you submit your contribution, please write at its conclusion: I FREELY GIVE, WITHOUT MONETARY COMPENSATION, THIS ESSAY TO KRISTINE M SMITH FOR INCLUSION IN THE SECOND EDITION OF DeFOREST KELLEY: ACTOR, HEALER, FRIEND. I GIVE KRIS FIRST PUBLICATION RIGHTS TO MY STORY; ALL OTHERS RIGHTS REMAIN WITH ME.
A reader of the first edition sent me the following message. In a nutshell, it expresses what this effort is all about.
"Your ENDURING LEGACY series is the greatest gift you can give to all of us. But more important: it is the greatest gift you can give to DeForest Kelley because you take care that he always will be remembered; you help keep him “immortal”l!" -- Antje Probst, Germany
If you loved DeForest Kelley and/or any of the characters he portrayed (including even the many badass cowboys he brought to life) and want your story to help keep his spirit, sense of humor, grace and kindness alive for generations of fans who may not have had a chance to see or meet him, this is your opportunity.
I hope you will contribute. As long as people keep contributing, there will be subsequent editions approximately every five years. The deadline for the second edition is March 5, 2011... just four months from now.
Get crackin'! Thanks!
Kristine M Smith, Editor and Commentator
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF DeFOREST KELLEY: ACTOR, HEALER, FRIEND
http://kristinemsmith.biz/
http://kristinemsmith.elance.com/
http://almostfamousbydesfault.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
It's time to start putting together the second edition of THE ENDURING LEGACY OF DeFOREST KELLEY: ACTOR, HEALER, FRIEND (http://store.payloads.com/go?id=382995)
If you have a De Kelley reminiscence you would like to share, please send it to me at Kristine M Smith AT MSN DOT com (string this address together, leave no spaces). Please limit your contribution to 1,000 words if at all possible. Let me know if you need to bump up the word count; I'm amenable to that if your account will be riveting from the first word to the last.
Don't worry if you're not a writer or a native English speaker. Just do the best you can. I will edit your contribution and send you a final draft for review before I publish it so you can sign off on any tweaking I do.
Please understand: not all contributions will be included; content is king.
You don't have to have met, known or seen De Kelley personally to contribute to the book, but if you have, your story is most likely to be included. If you've read the first edition of ENDURING LEGACY (available at http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=382995) you have a good guideline for the kind of material I'm seeking.
The book comes in four sections: ACTOR, HEALER, FRIEND, and ENDURING LEGACY. Fans who write about De's career will be included in the ACTOR section; those who write about ways in which De or any of his characters "healed" them (or tried to) physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually, will appear in the HEALER section; those who knew De personally or had an intense correspondence with him and Carolyn will appear in the FRIEND section, and those who went on to careers in medicine, social work, science, NASA, theatre, writing, producing, directing or other allied professions will appear in the ENDURING LEGACY section.
Please understand: There is no compensation for your contribution. The first edition has not created adequate income to pay for itself , nor did I ever expect it to. I'm issuing these editions strictly as a labor of love. You will retain all rights to your story except FIRST PUBLICATION RIGHTS and will be able to use your story elsewhere in perpetuity after it has appeared in the second edition.
When you submit your contribution, please write at its conclusion: I FREELY GIVE, WITHOUT MONETARY COMPENSATION, THIS ESSAY TO KRISTINE M SMITH FOR INCLUSION IN THE SECOND EDITION OF DeFOREST KELLEY: ACTOR, HEALER, FRIEND. I GIVE KRIS FIRST PUBLICATION RIGHTS TO MY STORY; ALL OTHERS RIGHTS REMAIN WITH ME.
A reader of the first edition sent me the following message. In a nutshell, it expresses what this effort is all about.
"Your ENDURING LEGACY series is the greatest gift you can give to all of us. But more important: it is the greatest gift you can give to DeForest Kelley because you take care that he always will be remembered; you help keep him “immortal”l!" -- Antje Probst, Germany
If you loved DeForest Kelley and/or any of the characters he portrayed (including even the many badass cowboys he brought to life) and want your story to help keep his spirit, sense of humor, grace and kindness alive for generations of fans who may not have had a chance to see or meet him, this is your opportunity.
I hope you will contribute. As long as people keep contributing, there will be subsequent editions approximately every five years. The deadline for the second edition is March 5, 2011... just four months from now.
Get crackin'! Thanks!
Kristine M Smith, Editor and Commentator
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF DeFOREST KELLEY: ACTOR, HEALER, FRIEND
http://kristinemsmith.biz/
http://kristinemsmith.elance.com/
http://almostfamousbydesfault.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
A Raincoat for Rosie the Goose
Here's info about Jessi Hoffman's animal santuary...
http://www.furandfeatheranimalhaven.wordpress.com/
http://olympia.komonews.com/content/raincoat-rosie-goose-fitted-gore-tex-slicker
Please donate to Jessi's worthy cause if you love critters! She's trying to do so much to help animals!
Thanks!
http://www.furandfeatheranimalhaven.wordpress.com/
http://olympia.komonews.com/content/raincoat-rosie-goose-fitted-gore-tex-slicker
Please donate to Jessi's worthy cause if you love critters! She's trying to do so much to help animals!
Thanks!
GRRRR! Not During the Holiday Season! GRRR!
I need to get Jackie's SUV (a Kia) back from the mechanic sometime soon (maybe this weekend if it's ready) and pay for the repairs. I volunteered to pay for the repairs; it's only fair: I drive it most of the time, and Jackie is a doll to allow me the privilege whenever I need a car; mine died almost two years ago and since I work from home, she said I don't NEED a vehicle because she has two.
Her gracious attitude with her vehicle was an especially loving thing for her to do this year because I put most of the miles on it going to rallies, phone banks, and other events to get out the vote. She is a conservative Republican. Why, she could have crippled the Pierce County DEM turnout just by telling me "You've gotta be kidding!"
She did insist that I refrain from placing a DEM sticker on it (a painful, painful concession on my part); that was her only stipulation to my "insane" desire to see the DEMS get re-elected... and they DID in my State and county. I'm happy about that. (Thanks, Jackie!) Now, THAT'S love!
The problem with the vehicle? It didn't pass the smog test! (Jackie could joke with me at this point and say it didn't pass the pollution test because it spent much of the year spreading "pollution" (DEM propaganda) all over the county, but she has resisted that urge, too. My sister is a saint! Or else she just didn't think of it. If that's the case, she's a less creative saint than would be the case if the situation were reversed and she was the campaigner and I was the saint. But I digress... Back to the main subject of this blog.
The vehicle is only five years old. It's unfathomable to us why a five year old vehicle would fail a smog test, but there you have it.
Warning to other KIA owners: This is information from an authorized auto mechanic who fixes "smog test failure" vehicles for the state, but it woke me up! Here's the deal:
A "check engine" light came on in the vehicle within the first year while it was still under warranty. Jackie took it back to the dealer she bought it from numerous times to have them diagnose and fix the problem while it was still under warranty, but they couldn't find anything wrong so they said to ignore the check engine light unless it started to blink. That never happened.
The authorized mechanic who has it right now says KIAs are very hard to diagnose. It may cost $100 just to diagnose the problem. He says the dealer probably didn't investigate further because it is so time-consuming to drill down and see what's wrong and the factory doesn't like to invest that much effort until a vehicle is off warranty because "time is money." When a vehicle comes off warranty, they can charge for the time it takes them to actually find the problem.
Great, just great... If I were Jackie, I'd pitch a bitch and make them pay the cost of repairs, if it turns out to be a bundle.
So I'm holding my breath regarding the cost.
Luckily, here in Washington we only have to pay $150 toward rectifying the problem, but if there's more than $150 worth of real trouble (something that could damage the engine if it continues), it'll likely be a chunk of change. So keep me and the vehicle in your prayers!
The smog test indicated two small leaks (one VERY small) and a faulty thermostat. We'll see! Thank God for my one credit card (which I paid down this year to a very happy balance -- near zero.) That's what they're for -- unexpected emergencies/necessary big ticket items.
UPDATE: $250 later... still no fix but it can wait now until 2012 before we have to smog test it again... We got a waiver to drive it until then from the state.
In Other News...
I'm almost finished with my holiday newsletter. At first I didn't think I'd have much to report... just another "feast or famine" year at Elance (when I'm either swamped with work or scrambling for projects); but then I remembered:
GOATS! (Photos!)
GET OUT THE VOTE! (Photos!)
And I looked back over my blog and found some more stuff. Of course, anyone who reads this blog regularly (or as semi-regularly as I write it) already knows the scoop, so they'll be bored outta their gourds, but not a lot of my friends or family read my blog (whenever I write something mushy or funny about them, I insist!) but I don't think I've written more than a note to anyone in eons and the ones who don't have a PC or follow my blog say they look forward to my "annual report," so it has become a tradition.
TRADITION! (Think Tevye and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF) "Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as...as... as a Fiddler on the Roof!"
And knowing how shaky (or is that flaky?) I am, we can't have that, can we?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
This week I met a fellow Elancer and animal lover from Tenino (about 15 miles south of Tacoma). Her name is Jessi Hoffman. Check out her sanctuary are http://www.furandfeatheranimalhaven.wordpress.com/
She and I often bid on the same projects because our skill sets are similar. That's why she decided to look me up and see if I wanted to meet and compare notes about our experiences on Elance.
She said I first caught her eye because my questions to buyers at Elance (prior to my bidding on their projects, which everyone can read) seemed so warm and friendly; they gave her a good feeling about me. Upon closer inspecion (she emailed a time or two and visited my blog and Facebook page), she found out I'm a fellow animal lover. That cinched the deal; at that point we both knew we were destined to meet! We've had a raincheck for months now to get together.
It finally happened this week.
I met her at the Tacoma Pierce County Humane Society; she was driving there to drop off an adorable lop-eared bunny that someone else didn't want, to be sure it found a great new home.
From there we went to lunch in downtown Tacoma. We didn't shut up for 90 minutes. It was just a terrific visit. We shared life experiences and Elance wisdom.
I found out she's a TREK fan and that her brother in law is a "total" Trekkie (original generation). I had such fun with her (after lunch, we saw the fantastic new movie CONVICTION at Grand Cinema in Tacoma) that, when I got home, I sent her both of my De books via email.
She had mentioned that she might like to get HARVEST for her brother in law for Christmas. Since she hadn't read it yet, I thought, "Well, until she reads it, how will she know whether he'll like it?"
So I sent it to her as a thank you for the wonderful time we shared and let her know she could even forward the ebook to her in law if she decided to. They usually don't exchange gifts at Christmas, so a free e-book made more sense anyway, as long as he doesn't forward it all over the TREK universe and deprive me of sales. (He won't.)
She sent me an email the next day that put me into tears. I've received a number of compliments in my day, but what she wrote is now at my work desk for me to re-read whenever I want to bawl my head off again and can't think of a decent reason.
I'm NOT going to publish it here; that would seem like grandstanding or egotism gone viral. I will say that she paid me a high compliment both as a writer (and, coming from another terrific writer, it means the world to me) and as a friend to De.
It took Jessi all of two brief paragraphs to reduce me to "sopping wet with tears." It also taught me something pretty sad about the way I view myself: I've never considered myself anyone really "worth knowing." That's why what she said hit me so hard and with such sad poignancy.
I've always considered people who know me to be "tolerating" me, not as truly liking or loving me. I'm sure this goes all the way back to early childhood when my folks tried to "muzzle" (tame) their little Shirley Temple-type so I'd fit more comfortably into the "real" world of normal folks. The "taming" left me with a sense that there was something intrinsically wrong with me.
Jessi set me straight on that. It was a real eye-opener. I cherish the new perspective I have of myself.
The reason I loved De and Carolyn so much is that they made me feel "beloved" just as I was.
The reason I hit it off so well with Jim Loveless (my most recent friend and benefactor) is that he sent me a real letter early on, also indicating that I was someone worth knowing.
Why should this come as any sort of revelation to me? I've always considered people who treated me well as very tolerant and forgiving, not because I'm a closet creep, but because I just don't really know what I have to offer anyone other than myself, which (in my opinion) really ain't all that much.
It's kind of sad that my parents tried to "tame" whatever it is in me that they considered "over the top." I'm more myself now than I ever have been, and people like me.
Oh God, I'm beginning to sound like Sally Field now. ("You like me. You really like me!")
Maybe people always have liked me, but I've never been able to see or truly enjoy the affection. I know very young kids like me; they make me feel like Santa Claus, jumping into my arms with big grins on their faces. I believe very young kids: until they get older and learn to manipulate, they have no ulterior motives, no reason to "go along to get along." They love what and who they love, and it shows.
In her email, Jessi convinced me that De and Carolyn really liked me; that they weren't just being exceptionally kind to me because I was a fan (I witnessed their kindness to everybody, even erratic, seriously questionable fans!); I was a friend.
I wrote the book (HARVEST) about our "association." It didn't occur to me at the time that I could have used "friendship" in place of "association." Friendship seems so intimate, grace-filled and safe, which my relationship with the Kelleys was... but it's still hard for me to "own" that they felt the same way about me as I did about them.. and that is patently absurd. They asked me to share De's last months on earth, sitting at his bedside. How much more intimate can one get (in the agape sense)?
Jessi's email opened my eyes. I hope I never force them shut again.
I love loving people and I love when people love me back in ways I can feel, see, taste and enjoy.
I think most people keep what's inside them inside, either to keep from expecting too much from other people or to keep others from expecting too much of them. I'm guilty of both sacrileges.
God is love. We should be, too!
Thank you, Jessi and Jim. And I apologize to all of my friends, associates and others who have genuinely loved me before I was able to accept it. I'm starting today. It will be an adventure, I'm sure... and I'll probably be in tears most of the way.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Keep telling people you love that you love them until they "get it." It's such a breakthrough that it'll change their lives forever... in the sweetest way possible!
Her gracious attitude with her vehicle was an especially loving thing for her to do this year because I put most of the miles on it going to rallies, phone banks, and other events to get out the vote. She is a conservative Republican. Why, she could have crippled the Pierce County DEM turnout just by telling me "You've gotta be kidding!"
She did insist that I refrain from placing a DEM sticker on it (a painful, painful concession on my part); that was her only stipulation to my "insane" desire to see the DEMS get re-elected... and they DID in my State and county. I'm happy about that. (Thanks, Jackie!) Now, THAT'S love!
The problem with the vehicle? It didn't pass the smog test! (Jackie could joke with me at this point and say it didn't pass the pollution test because it spent much of the year spreading "pollution" (DEM propaganda) all over the county, but she has resisted that urge, too. My sister is a saint! Or else she just didn't think of it. If that's the case, she's a less creative saint than would be the case if the situation were reversed and she was the campaigner and I was the saint. But I digress... Back to the main subject of this blog.
The vehicle is only five years old. It's unfathomable to us why a five year old vehicle would fail a smog test, but there you have it.
Warning to other KIA owners: This is information from an authorized auto mechanic who fixes "smog test failure" vehicles for the state, but it woke me up! Here's the deal:
A "check engine" light came on in the vehicle within the first year while it was still under warranty. Jackie took it back to the dealer she bought it from numerous times to have them diagnose and fix the problem while it was still under warranty, but they couldn't find anything wrong so they said to ignore the check engine light unless it started to blink. That never happened.
The authorized mechanic who has it right now says KIAs are very hard to diagnose. It may cost $100 just to diagnose the problem. He says the dealer probably didn't investigate further because it is so time-consuming to drill down and see what's wrong and the factory doesn't like to invest that much effort until a vehicle is off warranty because "time is money." When a vehicle comes off warranty, they can charge for the time it takes them to actually find the problem.
Great, just great... If I were Jackie, I'd pitch a bitch and make them pay the cost of repairs, if it turns out to be a bundle.
So I'm holding my breath regarding the cost.
Luckily, here in Washington we only have to pay $150 toward rectifying the problem, but if there's more than $150 worth of real trouble (something that could damage the engine if it continues), it'll likely be a chunk of change. So keep me and the vehicle in your prayers!
The smog test indicated two small leaks (one VERY small) and a faulty thermostat. We'll see! Thank God for my one credit card (which I paid down this year to a very happy balance -- near zero.) That's what they're for -- unexpected emergencies/necessary big ticket items.
UPDATE: $250 later... still no fix but it can wait now until 2012 before we have to smog test it again... We got a waiver to drive it until then from the state.
In Other News...
I'm almost finished with my holiday newsletter. At first I didn't think I'd have much to report... just another "feast or famine" year at Elance (when I'm either swamped with work or scrambling for projects); but then I remembered:
GOATS! (Photos!)
GET OUT THE VOTE! (Photos!)
And I looked back over my blog and found some more stuff. Of course, anyone who reads this blog regularly (or as semi-regularly as I write it) already knows the scoop, so they'll be bored outta their gourds, but not a lot of my friends or family read my blog (whenever I write something mushy or funny about them, I insist!) but I don't think I've written more than a note to anyone in eons and the ones who don't have a PC or follow my blog say they look forward to my "annual report," so it has become a tradition.
TRADITION! (Think Tevye and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF) "Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as...as... as a Fiddler on the Roof!"
And knowing how shaky (or is that flaky?) I am, we can't have that, can we?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
This week I met a fellow Elancer and animal lover from Tenino (about 15 miles south of Tacoma). Her name is Jessi Hoffman. Check out her sanctuary are http://www.furandfeatheranimalhaven.wordpress.com/
She and I often bid on the same projects because our skill sets are similar. That's why she decided to look me up and see if I wanted to meet and compare notes about our experiences on Elance.
She said I first caught her eye because my questions to buyers at Elance (prior to my bidding on their projects, which everyone can read) seemed so warm and friendly; they gave her a good feeling about me. Upon closer inspecion (she emailed a time or two and visited my blog and Facebook page), she found out I'm a fellow animal lover. That cinched the deal; at that point we both knew we were destined to meet! We've had a raincheck for months now to get together.
It finally happened this week.
I met her at the Tacoma Pierce County Humane Society; she was driving there to drop off an adorable lop-eared bunny that someone else didn't want, to be sure it found a great new home.
From there we went to lunch in downtown Tacoma. We didn't shut up for 90 minutes. It was just a terrific visit. We shared life experiences and Elance wisdom.
I found out she's a TREK fan and that her brother in law is a "total" Trekkie (original generation). I had such fun with her (after lunch, we saw the fantastic new movie CONVICTION at Grand Cinema in Tacoma) that, when I got home, I sent her both of my De books via email.
She had mentioned that she might like to get HARVEST for her brother in law for Christmas. Since she hadn't read it yet, I thought, "Well, until she reads it, how will she know whether he'll like it?"
So I sent it to her as a thank you for the wonderful time we shared and let her know she could even forward the ebook to her in law if she decided to. They usually don't exchange gifts at Christmas, so a free e-book made more sense anyway, as long as he doesn't forward it all over the TREK universe and deprive me of sales. (He won't.)
She sent me an email the next day that put me into tears. I've received a number of compliments in my day, but what she wrote is now at my work desk for me to re-read whenever I want to bawl my head off again and can't think of a decent reason.
I'm NOT going to publish it here; that would seem like grandstanding or egotism gone viral. I will say that she paid me a high compliment both as a writer (and, coming from another terrific writer, it means the world to me) and as a friend to De.
It took Jessi all of two brief paragraphs to reduce me to "sopping wet with tears." It also taught me something pretty sad about the way I view myself: I've never considered myself anyone really "worth knowing." That's why what she said hit me so hard and with such sad poignancy.
I've always considered people who know me to be "tolerating" me, not as truly liking or loving me. I'm sure this goes all the way back to early childhood when my folks tried to "muzzle" (tame) their little Shirley Temple-type so I'd fit more comfortably into the "real" world of normal folks. The "taming" left me with a sense that there was something intrinsically wrong with me.
Jessi set me straight on that. It was a real eye-opener. I cherish the new perspective I have of myself.
The reason I loved De and Carolyn so much is that they made me feel "beloved" just as I was.
The reason I hit it off so well with Jim Loveless (my most recent friend and benefactor) is that he sent me a real letter early on, also indicating that I was someone worth knowing.
Why should this come as any sort of revelation to me? I've always considered people who treated me well as very tolerant and forgiving, not because I'm a closet creep, but because I just don't really know what I have to offer anyone other than myself, which (in my opinion) really ain't all that much.
It's kind of sad that my parents tried to "tame" whatever it is in me that they considered "over the top." I'm more myself now than I ever have been, and people like me.
Oh God, I'm beginning to sound like Sally Field now. ("You like me. You really like me!")
Maybe people always have liked me, but I've never been able to see or truly enjoy the affection. I know very young kids like me; they make me feel like Santa Claus, jumping into my arms with big grins on their faces. I believe very young kids: until they get older and learn to manipulate, they have no ulterior motives, no reason to "go along to get along." They love what and who they love, and it shows.
In her email, Jessi convinced me that De and Carolyn really liked me; that they weren't just being exceptionally kind to me because I was a fan (I witnessed their kindness to everybody, even erratic, seriously questionable fans!); I was a friend.
I wrote the book (HARVEST) about our "association." It didn't occur to me at the time that I could have used "friendship" in place of "association." Friendship seems so intimate, grace-filled and safe, which my relationship with the Kelleys was... but it's still hard for me to "own" that they felt the same way about me as I did about them.. and that is patently absurd. They asked me to share De's last months on earth, sitting at his bedside. How much more intimate can one get (in the agape sense)?
Jessi's email opened my eyes. I hope I never force them shut again.
I love loving people and I love when people love me back in ways I can feel, see, taste and enjoy.
I think most people keep what's inside them inside, either to keep from expecting too much from other people or to keep others from expecting too much of them. I'm guilty of both sacrileges.
God is love. We should be, too!
Thank you, Jessi and Jim. And I apologize to all of my friends, associates and others who have genuinely loved me before I was able to accept it. I'm starting today. It will be an adventure, I'm sure... and I'll probably be in tears most of the way.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Keep telling people you love that you love them until they "get it." It's such a breakthrough that it'll change their lives forever... in the sweetest way possible!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
GRRRRR!!!!!!! LET'S GET REAL AND SHRINK THE DEFICIT!!!
Dear Friend,
The Bush tax cuts, like the Iraq War, are one of the primary drivers of our large federal deficit. And like the Iraq War, the Bush tax cuts were sold to the public through outright deception.
The snake oil the Bush administration peddled was that the tax cuts, which overwhelmingly went to the rich and the ultra-rich, would spur the economy.
Now that we're facing the worst economic crisis since the Great
Depression, many so-called "conservatives," joined with corporatist
"moderates," are singing the same tune. They are demanding we extend the tax giveaways for the wealthy (set to expire at the end of the year) at a cost of $700 billion over the next decade.
Meanwhile, these same members of Congress are demanding deep cuts to the social safety net for the poor, the middle class, the unemployed and the elderly.
There is very little that so clearly demonstrates the callous venality of some members of Congress than the simultaneous demand to give Paris Hilton tax cut while pushing benefit cuts to Social Security.
I just told Congress: Don't extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. I hope you'll join me.
Take action at the link below.
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/bushtaxcuts/?r_by=12342-3299518-XDaKuEx&rc=mailto1
The Bush tax cuts, like the Iraq War, are one of the primary drivers of our large federal deficit. And like the Iraq War, the Bush tax cuts were sold to the public through outright deception.
The snake oil the Bush administration peddled was that the tax cuts, which overwhelmingly went to the rich and the ultra-rich, would spur the economy.
Now that we're facing the worst economic crisis since the Great
Depression, many so-called "conservatives," joined with corporatist
"moderates," are singing the same tune. They are demanding we extend the tax giveaways for the wealthy (set to expire at the end of the year) at a cost of $700 billion over the next decade.
Meanwhile, these same members of Congress are demanding deep cuts to the social safety net for the poor, the middle class, the unemployed and the elderly.
There is very little that so clearly demonstrates the callous venality of some members of Congress than the simultaneous demand to give Paris Hilton tax cut while pushing benefit cuts to Social Security.
I just told Congress: Don't extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. I hope you'll join me.
Take action at the link below.
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/bushtaxcuts/?r_by=12342-3299518-XDaKuEx&rc=mailto1
Friday, November 5, 2010
WHOA!!! I just found out, by googling my name (which I do occasionally to see what else has popped up about me that I may want to know about) that the letter President Reagan wrote to me has been republished in the book REAGAN: A LIFE IN LETTERS. It's on page 69 of the hardcover edition. I still cherish his letter -- and the one I wrote that elicited a 100% personalized response, answering each topic point by point! I was FLOORED to get a response...
Thursday, November 4, 2010
"Count Where a Person's Glory Most Begins and Ends and Say....
...my glory was I had such friends."
I received a "care package" in the mail today from someone I've known only via the Internet and a few snail-mailed notes. We share the Christian faith, a love for animals and our families, and some other stuff. He's a Brother in Christ and kinda like the brother I never had.
I have no idea how, when or where I communicated a pressing need, but somehow I did, unless Jim is psychic (maybe I should say " a prophet," since that has a more spiritual ring to it).
I did mention to him, very briefly in a recent email, that I'm looking for work "on the outside" again to supplement the income I'm making as a copywriter. I asked Jim to keep me in his prayers, since everybody and their brothers and sisters are looking for work, too, in what seems to be a jobless recovery.
We were simply swapping prayer requests, more or less... He was headed for critical eyesight-saving surgery; I was looking for additional, reliable income.
Business has dropped off precipitously at Elance the past couple of months despite continuing high ratings and the lower-than-average fees I charge when compared to most others Premier Providers. (Freelance writing is always feast or famine, and I haven't been able to stash sufficient savings yet to compensate for the famine part of the cycle.)
Anyway, Jim and his wife Kay sent me a "care package." It contained a considerable amount of cash, enough to put me in tears and create speechlessness (that's a miracle!). Jim says it's his Christian duty and pleasure to help, and his Southern upbringing wouldn't allow for anything less...
Now, this fellow is fighting physical maladies that would put most people into a blue funk, and here he is blessing the socks off others in their time of need! He reminds me so much of DeForest Kelley in this regard that it just floors me... While De was fighting for his life, he was continuing to bless others, left and right.
"You will know them by their love for each other." That's in the Bible, detailing how others would be able to recognize Christians.
Jim is just the most recent in a life-long line of fabulous friends, both related and unrelated. Whether it's emergency cash, a physical helping hand, a prayer sent heavenward, or a listening ear, I have always been blessed with some of the best friends on the planet.
Not long ago my friend Mary Jo helped me buy extra fuel and other supplies, including bottled water and treats for volunteers, so I could campaign my heart out for politicians and issues that we both supported in the recent election.
My sister, a lifelong conservative Republican, let me use her vehicle to get around to rallies and support candidates and issues that she would be voting against, because she loves me and knows that, although we disagree politcally, I'm not a Commie pinko Socialist and that I love my country every bit as much as she does.
I clip the claws of a cat that belongs to my nephew's mother and father in law (always for free because I love them and I love critters) and they spoil me frequently with movie tickets which are $10 a pop these days... allowing me to get away on many weekends and forget about my bank balance and other outstanding obligations for a little while.
There have been folks like this throughout my life... people who enlisted, without being asked, the moment they recognized a legitimate need.
I'm blessed. I hope and pray that I'm as much a blessing to others as they have always been to me... but it just doesn't seem possible.
Look around you. Consider the many times people, circumstances, miracles and "coincidences" have showed up when you most needed something -- whether it was a word, a hug, a few bucks, or just some hope.
That's the incarnate God, tucked away inside another human being. Give thanks and praise.
There's a lot of static in the world today but the underlying hum of God's love is always there. Take time to decompress and acknowledge it. I promise you'll feel a whole lot better!
I sure do tonight. Thank you, Jim and Kay... Mary Jo... Margot... Aunt Tod... Gerald and Johnnie White... Jackie and Laurel... Sue and George... Phil and Wendy... Bobbie and Joel... De and Carolyn... and all the rest who have had my back all of these years.
I'm back to speechless again... remembering it all.
I received a "care package" in the mail today from someone I've known only via the Internet and a few snail-mailed notes. We share the Christian faith, a love for animals and our families, and some other stuff. He's a Brother in Christ and kinda like the brother I never had.
I have no idea how, when or where I communicated a pressing need, but somehow I did, unless Jim is psychic (maybe I should say " a prophet," since that has a more spiritual ring to it).
I did mention to him, very briefly in a recent email, that I'm looking for work "on the outside" again to supplement the income I'm making as a copywriter. I asked Jim to keep me in his prayers, since everybody and their brothers and sisters are looking for work, too, in what seems to be a jobless recovery.
We were simply swapping prayer requests, more or less... He was headed for critical eyesight-saving surgery; I was looking for additional, reliable income.
Business has dropped off precipitously at Elance the past couple of months despite continuing high ratings and the lower-than-average fees I charge when compared to most others Premier Providers. (Freelance writing is always feast or famine, and I haven't been able to stash sufficient savings yet to compensate for the famine part of the cycle.)
Anyway, Jim and his wife Kay sent me a "care package." It contained a considerable amount of cash, enough to put me in tears and create speechlessness (that's a miracle!). Jim says it's his Christian duty and pleasure to help, and his Southern upbringing wouldn't allow for anything less...
Now, this fellow is fighting physical maladies that would put most people into a blue funk, and here he is blessing the socks off others in their time of need! He reminds me so much of DeForest Kelley in this regard that it just floors me... While De was fighting for his life, he was continuing to bless others, left and right.
"You will know them by their love for each other." That's in the Bible, detailing how others would be able to recognize Christians.
Jim is just the most recent in a life-long line of fabulous friends, both related and unrelated. Whether it's emergency cash, a physical helping hand, a prayer sent heavenward, or a listening ear, I have always been blessed with some of the best friends on the planet.
Not long ago my friend Mary Jo helped me buy extra fuel and other supplies, including bottled water and treats for volunteers, so I could campaign my heart out for politicians and issues that we both supported in the recent election.
My sister, a lifelong conservative Republican, let me use her vehicle to get around to rallies and support candidates and issues that she would be voting against, because she loves me and knows that, although we disagree politcally, I'm not a Commie pinko Socialist and that I love my country every bit as much as she does.
I clip the claws of a cat that belongs to my nephew's mother and father in law (always for free because I love them and I love critters) and they spoil me frequently with movie tickets which are $10 a pop these days... allowing me to get away on many weekends and forget about my bank balance and other outstanding obligations for a little while.
There have been folks like this throughout my life... people who enlisted, without being asked, the moment they recognized a legitimate need.
I'm blessed. I hope and pray that I'm as much a blessing to others as they have always been to me... but it just doesn't seem possible.
Look around you. Consider the many times people, circumstances, miracles and "coincidences" have showed up when you most needed something -- whether it was a word, a hug, a few bucks, or just some hope.
That's the incarnate God, tucked away inside another human being. Give thanks and praise.
There's a lot of static in the world today but the underlying hum of God's love is always there. Take time to decompress and acknowledge it. I promise you'll feel a whole lot better!
I sure do tonight. Thank you, Jim and Kay... Mary Jo... Margot... Aunt Tod... Gerald and Johnnie White... Jackie and Laurel... Sue and George... Phil and Wendy... Bobbie and Joel... De and Carolyn... and all the rest who have had my back all of these years.
I'm back to speechless again... remembering it all.
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