my own drum

Amazon has released what they call a revolutionary new product, an e-book reader called Kindle. I'm looking at the Amazon promotion page and mentally comparing that to a few of the reviews that I've either read or watched. Something strikes me, there doesn't really seem to be a world of difference between the two.

The critics of this product seem to be having a difficult time coming with a lot of critism. I think that is a good thing. For the most part, the critics have been ranting about how this product looks - with a somewhat clunky design that might appeal to really old and out of touch nerds. One critic mentioned the price as a problem, but so far only one that I've read.

I'm personally happy to see this product on the market. It appears to be a step in the right direction.

John Steinbeck is among my favorite authors. When he writes a story it is almost as if he commands the reader to become a character in the story. His words come alive on the paper, setting the scene with mastery of a virtuoso. I was thinking how difficult it might be to be a friend of such an author, for he almost certainly would never be quiet.

And so it was that this afternoon I was in the back room of the house, my room, formerly a massage room and then an altar room, and there I was was sprawled out across the bed with my feet resting on the radiator to keep them warm. I was reading Tortilla Flats. Last Friday a neighbor came by and offered me a book before it was returned to the local library. The book was a collection of Steinbeck's short novels. He thought I might want to read the book as I had already devoured a paperback copy of Sweet Thursday in a day and a half, and professed to the neighbor my feelings about the author. It wasn't until today that I began to read.

I read the first several chapters before laying down and catching a short nap. My feet got uncomfortable on the radiator, and I woke to resume reading. Eventually I wanted a cigarette, which meant a trip outside. As I sat up to roll a smoke I looked out the window, and there in the back part of the yard was a doe and her fawn. Then I saw the third deer, another fawn, moving along the edge of the forest next to the house. I rolled my smoke, and stood at the window watching the two deer in the yard. Mama seemed a bit irritated that the tasty leaves were too high in the tree. She switched her tail a dozen times before standing on her hind legs to reach those tender leaves. One baby had wandered far into the yard and was eating the green grass.

As carefully and quietly as I could I opened the back door, which is actually on the side of the house. I like to sit on this back porch and smoke, it is quiet. When I opened the door, both of the deer in the yard moved into the forest, but only for a few feet. I walked around back and observed them observing me. Then a truck rumbled down the road through the valley, and they bolted a little farther into the woods. The third deer was still out of my sight. I lit my rolled cigarette and watched them some more, now perhaps 30 feet into the woods. A month ago you could not see that far into these woods, but now with so many leaves on the ground, the view was easier. Still, those two deer were difficult to see. Their twitching tails gave them away.

Then I walked around the house to the front, and stood at the pathway into the woods and the Medicine Wheel. Sure enough those deer, all three of them this time, walked across the path. The smallest of the three noticed me standing there and watched me intently. Then the doe came to the path, then the other deer, another baby, slightly larger than the first. The doe spotted me, and in a seeming challenge, turned to face me. She stood there for several minutes, her tail twitching. Had I not known those deer were out there I may not have seen them. The doe, facing me, was nearly indistinguishable in the backdrop of the forest.

I decided to leave them be, and let them finish their foraging in peace, and so I slowly turned and walked back to the house. Looking back I saw all three of them in a row, moving deeper into the trees.

Boy this item really gripes my butt.

I've read where former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has written a tell all about his days in the White House, and in a teaser from that book he says that he was misled by President George W. Bush and other high officials into misinforming the press, and the American people, about a CIA leak case that fueled debate about the Iraq war.

I'm outraged. Scott (did Bush call him Scottie?) stands to make a few dollars by releasing what is sure to be a sensational tell all in an era of lower than low satisfaction for Bush by the American public. Sales are probably expected to hit the roof.

Scott, why, Oh Why, did you not tell the American public about this inside information while you were there, when it was happening? Where is your backbone man! You knew they were lying, and only now, when you stand to make a few dollars will you say so. You've allowed these dirty bastards in our Administration continue to pursue their evil transgressions against America, when you could have helped to stop them when it was going down.

As far as I'm concerned, Scott McClellan is a dirty traitor, worthy to hang alongside the war criminals he so silently served.

Bah!

Today, at 9:35pm, I completed a publication milestone. I completed the final proofreading, a three week process. I can absolutely say that there are no misspelled or misused words. The book has come in at 270 pages, but I believe that number will be slightly reduced as I work through the final format.

Yes, there is still more work, but I will not ever need to read each sentence, each paragraph, each chapter. Most of the remaining work will involve the addition of images, and the actual page layouts. We are producing two nearly identical versions of this novel. One is for the Books On Demand publishers, including Lulu and Amazon. The other version is the e-book, which will contain links to many of the references that are cited - names, places and things.

I'm excited to have reached this milestone. Back in August of this year was ready to begin this recently completed process, but the author wanted to read her story one more time in order to ensure that it was still accurate after passing through several editors. That read-through added an extra sixty days to the process. Then, when she was finished with the read-through, I was in the final stages of a two week cold/flu/crud. I felt horrible, and so I didn't start for another three days.

To my detractors, certain friends of the author, I say "Bah!" For weeks at least two of these people have been calling frequently and chastising my efforts, causing the author to express doubts about this effort. I'll make sure that both of you receive a signed copy of this novel.

The author is leaving in the next day or so to visit family for the Thanksgiving holiday. While she is away I will be working on the different formats, and preparing a PDF file for the Books On Demand publishers. When she returns, I'm sure we will be adding more images. Why, I don't know.. but she wants them so they will get inserted. Meanwhile, the novel will be available with the limited images that we have already inserted.

After completing this phase I stepped outside for a smoke. I walked over to the edge of the woods, and I spotted lights out in the woods. They didn't look light flashlights, more like candles in a paper sack. It was odd to see those lights out there. I'm guessing that they were coming from the old mine road. I hollered out towards the woods, "Hey, no poaching!" I would have expected the lights to go out, but they continued. Whoever it was, whatever it was, it was moving slowly. I needed to move in order to see the lights through the trees. All I can say is, "Strange things in the woods tonight."

I saw a hunter today, dressed in bright orange and toting a rifle over his shoulder. I'm certain he saw me, he caught my motion through the trees and then he disappeared. Shortly thereafter I built a small, smoky fire at the Medicine Wheel. There was no doubt that a human was in the woods, hunters be aware. Time passed and I walked through the woods, back to the house to retrieve my drum, El-Dento. Then back into the woods I went. It was time for a little ceremonial drumming. I played a couple of different rhythms over the next half-hour or so. I never saw the hunter again. Darkness was descending upon the forest. Tomorrow I will use the ashes from that small fire to neutralize any remaining acid on a batch of crystals that I have recently cleaned.

Prior to that I was brave in taking a longer walk through the woods. It was mid-afternoon and I had time to kill. I've been curious as to where the old mine road comes out. The road has a bend, and I've followed the south direction but not the east direction. At this point the mine road is running parallel to the main road through the valley. It must come out somewhere. I still don't know where. There is an old iron gate, padlocked closed. The sign on it reads "Road Closed". Actually, from the gate back toward the mountain the road is passable. Back to the east the road resembles a wilderness area. I went a few hundred feet past the gate, not much farther. I could hear the folks across the street, but I couldn't see them through the forest. I was killing time, looking out for hunters. I'd prefer to be wearing my boots the next time I feel brave.

In between all of this fun in the forest, I sat at the Medicine Wheel and meditated. What a Blessing this place is for me. I had my camera with me today, I don't know why I didn't take any photos to share. These woods have taken on a new identity with the changing of the season. Here are a couple of snapshots from the summer season.

I was doing some book research when I ran across this video on YouTube.com. The video features Aerosmith at the 1991 Grammy Awards, performing John Lennon's 'Come Together'. It was not what I needed for the book but I thought it was a very cool video and I wanted to share the experience with you.

Come Together

I hear you asking, "What book?". It's a novel titled "Stoning the Stones" and it's almost ready for publication. Here's a link to the books website, The Twilight Stone.

Hey, I am a grandpa. So let me show you a couple of pictures of the grandkids. Aren't they cute?

(You may need to hit Refresh once, if all three images don't appear)

What a day in the woods I had today. It started when I had about a two hour block of free time this afternoon. I decided to venture around the base of the mountain. I made my way via a trail that some hunters had made, hoping that if they were out there, they might be near the trail.

There was no sign of anyone. I went deeper into the woods, and made my way down the old mine road. I didn't go very far, and meditated in the quiet woods for nearly an hour. Then I made my way back down the mine road, and cautiously walked to the Medicine Wheel, still in the woods.

As a sat down near the Medicine Wheel there was a single shot fired from the hillside behind me. I saw no one, and heard nothing else. I'm thinking that a hunter had seen me, and fired a round to tell me to stay away. Screw that! I enjoy these woods too.

So I'm sitting there when I heard the roar of a jet engine. This isn't unusual, they fly nearby about once a month. What was unusual was that the jet circled back. Then I saw it through the trees. There was an A-10 flying sorties over the town. He would fly over my head on the path to the town, then he circled back and flew over the town again. This happened five different times. Once he flew so low and so close that I could smell the jet exhaust. The jet engine was whining as it passed overhead. And low.. yes, very low. It was two to three times the height of the treetops - lower than 500 feet, easily.

I've been looking at jet images this evening, and I'm fairly certain that it was an A-10 that I saw. The wings were straight, not swept. There was a tank, or a bomb, at the end of each wing. Basically, it looked similar to a flying H, with the tail section not as wide as the wings. I didn't see the jet engines on the rear of the fuselage, but my view was obstructed through the trees. I only saw fast glances of this jet.

Well, it was quite a day in the woods. Has anyone else noticed jets flying sorties over their neighborhood lately?

It's hunting season here in the south.. well OK, everywhere else too. I haven't been out in the woods since the beginning of October. At that time I saw where some of the locals had set up a deer feed station and tree stand, right where I like to go and meditate on the mountian. So much for my meditation. These were bow hunters that had set up their equipment, so it's not likely that I would be accidentally shot. But now the modern gun season is upon us, and getting shot from afar is a real possibility. To be here is to hear gun shots every day of the week.

Enough of that. This web site was recently rescued, and I'm here to say Thank You to the person who helped me keep it online for another year. And, I have some work to do as well. There are web sites to build, and the rescue of this site was a down payment for that service. And yes, I have started the work. When they are ready I'll post some links.

What else is going on? Well, this blog has fans. Really, I'm not even kidding. I guess I should write more often than once a month. But I've been keeping myself busy. There is a book to be published. For the last two months I've been patiently awaiting for the author to finish her proofreading, making sure that the story is complete. I've been doodling, and finally, just over a week ago, I was told that the proofreading was completed. Yes! So now I'm proofreading the final version of the book and preparing it for publication. As of today, I've completed the first 25 chapters. There are 12 more chapters to finish. I'm really looking forward to the completion of this project, but I've given up on setting a publication date. It should be safe to say this year...