Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Colin Kennaugh performs his song 'Play by the Rules'
Here's a new song from a favorite singer of mine and a good facebook friend also. If you haven't discovered his music, you are so missing out.
And check out the awesome stained glass window in the background! Isn't that just amazing!
He's performing his Song 'Play by the Rules' from his forthcoming album 'Life is not always Sugar-Coated' live at The Church of St Lawrence in Winchester Square. Filmed by Jay Mckay of AVS Systems in Winchester.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Meet my friend, Colin Kennaugh
You can meet a lot of neat people online. One I really enjoy being friends with is Colin Kennaugh. He lives across the Atlantic from me, but I really enjoy his music. Here's just one of his videos. If you want to hear more of his music, check out his youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kennamusic?feature=watch
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
An excellent tribute to the late Phil Everly
Just wanted to share this. One thing I love, and have always loved, is music. Here's an excellent tribute to the late Phil Everly, very well done by Jerry Colbert.
Song puts me in mind of a story, a story based on the song, posted on wattpad, in tribute to the Everly Brothers. Who are just a couple of Kentucky boys from Central City, Kentucky who made very good; and who have made some excellent music.
Yep, I'll have to write that one.
Later,
--jd--
Friday, January 3, 2014
The Everly Brothers "Til I Kissed You"
Couple of Kentucky boys who made good. One has passed on, but their music lives on.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
NaNoWriMo - and why I don't do it
Yes, I am a writer.
No, I'm not doing National Novel Writing Month or NANOWRIMO.
First off, that abbreviation of it sounds like a really nasty disease or the name of an alien.
Second off, I don't believe in having a daily word goal.
Third off, I believe writing a book is like . . .
painting a great painting,
or creating a magnificent sculpture,
It's not something you squeeze into one month.
Yeah, lots of writers do it, but why?
Doing some research on it, and copied this from wikipedia:
"The goal of NaNoWriMo is to get people writing, no matter how bad the writing is, through the end of a first draft. The idea is that many people are scared to start writing because it won't be any good, and if there's a time to celebrate length, rather than quality, more people will write an entire first draft, which they can then proceed to edit if they wish."
So they're encouraging people to vomit out writing, regardless of quality? I mean, that's what it says, there in black and white.
Don't know about you, but I have a real problem with that.
Being a writer is an integral part of who I am, like the color of my hair, or my personality. If being a writer is inside you, then sooner or later you will write. I don't care for the part where it says to write, no matter how bad. Makes me wonder if this isn't where Indie authors get such a bad rap? I mean, how many of these NaNoWriMo people who, when the month is over, will rush to publish their masterpiece without doing little to anything else to it; and then gripe and whine when it doesn't sell or gets bad reviews.
Writing a really great book is like making a fine wine, a great painting, or a beautiful sculpture,
-- It's not really something you squeeze into a month,
-- It takes the time it takes,
-- And it's a work of creation, not a race.
I'm sure there are many who will disagree with my post here, and that's their right. But this is my blog, and I'm expressing my opinion.
During the 'vomit out a novel' months, here's what I recommend:
Write like you normally do, and write something of quality. Don't do daily word counts, and don't try to produce a novel in a month. Let the process take the time it needs, and nurture it.
A great tree doesn't sprout up in a month, from a seedling to a giant redwood. So it is with a great novel. It's not going to spring up from nothing to a great book in one month.
Do your writing a favor, and don't do NaNoWriMo.
Be a writer, not a racehorse.
Writing is a process of creation, not a race.
No, I'm not doing National Novel Writing Month or NANOWRIMO.
First off, that abbreviation of it sounds like a really nasty disease or the name of an alien.
Second off, I don't believe in having a daily word goal.
Third off, I believe writing a book is like . . .
painting a great painting,
or creating a magnificent sculpture,
It's not something you squeeze into one month.
Yeah, lots of writers do it, but why?
Doing some research on it, and copied this from wikipedia:
"The goal of NaNoWriMo is to get people writing, no matter how bad the writing is, through the end of a first draft. The idea is that many people are scared to start writing because it won't be any good, and if there's a time to celebrate length, rather than quality, more people will write an entire first draft, which they can then proceed to edit if they wish."
So they're encouraging people to vomit out writing, regardless of quality? I mean, that's what it says, there in black and white.
Don't know about you, but I have a real problem with that.
Being a writer is an integral part of who I am, like the color of my hair, or my personality. If being a writer is inside you, then sooner or later you will write. I don't care for the part where it says to write, no matter how bad. Makes me wonder if this isn't where Indie authors get such a bad rap? I mean, how many of these NaNoWriMo people who, when the month is over, will rush to publish their masterpiece without doing little to anything else to it; and then gripe and whine when it doesn't sell or gets bad reviews.
Writing a really great book is like making a fine wine, a great painting, or a beautiful sculpture,
-- It's not really something you squeeze into a month,
-- It takes the time it takes,
-- And it's a work of creation, not a race.
I'm sure there are many who will disagree with my post here, and that's their right. But this is my blog, and I'm expressing my opinion.
During the 'vomit out a novel' months, here's what I recommend:
Write like you normally do, and write something of quality. Don't do daily word counts, and don't try to produce a novel in a month. Let the process take the time it needs, and nurture it.
A great tree doesn't sprout up in a month, from a seedling to a giant redwood. So it is with a great novel. It's not going to spring up from nothing to a great book in one month.
Do your writing a favor, and don't do NaNoWriMo.
Be a writer, not a racehorse.
Writing is a process of creation, not a race.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Being social in a not so social world
We live in a day and age when it is easier to communicate with people than ever before. But we also live in a day and age when people listen to each other the absolute least of ever before.
We live in a day and age when bullying, rudeness, and just plain meanness are more prevalent than ever before.
Sadly, we live in a day and age when people care less and less about others than ever before.
I'm sitting here, playing games, and trying to recover from someone who took it upon themselves to tag me on facebook in a comment for a comment I made. I tried to reply to her in a comment, and that just escalated it.
I ended up deleting my comments and leaving the group. It was a writer's group, of all things.
It's getting to where I hate to comment on posts on facebook. You never know what shitstorm that you may be unleashing into your life.
And this isn't the first time that this has happened to me.
I make a simple comment in passing, and then move on, putting it out of my mind. Then I get back on facebook and go through my notifications, and then it starts. But after this latest one, I've come to a conclusion. I've decided what the best course of action is.
Go and delete the comment that started it. Then leave the group and find another group to join. Comment as little as possible, and use facebook groups as no more than sources of information; and not as places for social interaction.
For there are people out there who are looking for someone to get into it with, and the next person they choose might be you.
And take our government leaders. They are prime examples of people of whom it is very easy to contact them, but really is a waste of your time. They don't care about you, except for voting time, and they don't care about your opinions on diddly-squat.
Give it a try. Contact one of your senators or congressmen or even the president. Express an opinion on something to them, perhaps an opinion that you know conflicts with theirs. You'll maybe get a nice, polite response from them, wherein they explain why you are wrong and they are right and so much wiser than you.
They're a bunch of smartasses.
In fact, the world is quite filled with smartasses.
Some of the smartasses are violent as well.
So I've come to the conclusion that interacting with people today can not only be upsetting and time consuming, but you never know when you will encounter that one in a million nutcase who will endanger your physical safety.
Sometimes even blogging can incur this. I've even had to delete a blog post before because of the harassing comments from people.
And you know what group that most of my harassing comments come from lately?
Other writers.
That fact is just so damn sad it defies description.
-- jd --
We live in a day and age when bullying, rudeness, and just plain meanness are more prevalent than ever before.
Sadly, we live in a day and age when people care less and less about others than ever before.
I'm sitting here, playing games, and trying to recover from someone who took it upon themselves to tag me on facebook in a comment for a comment I made. I tried to reply to her in a comment, and that just escalated it.
I ended up deleting my comments and leaving the group. It was a writer's group, of all things.
It's getting to where I hate to comment on posts on facebook. You never know what shitstorm that you may be unleashing into your life.
And this isn't the first time that this has happened to me.
I make a simple comment in passing, and then move on, putting it out of my mind. Then I get back on facebook and go through my notifications, and then it starts. But after this latest one, I've come to a conclusion. I've decided what the best course of action is.
Go and delete the comment that started it. Then leave the group and find another group to join. Comment as little as possible, and use facebook groups as no more than sources of information; and not as places for social interaction.
For there are people out there who are looking for someone to get into it with, and the next person they choose might be you.
And take our government leaders. They are prime examples of people of whom it is very easy to contact them, but really is a waste of your time. They don't care about you, except for voting time, and they don't care about your opinions on diddly-squat.
Give it a try. Contact one of your senators or congressmen or even the president. Express an opinion on something to them, perhaps an opinion that you know conflicts with theirs. You'll maybe get a nice, polite response from them, wherein they explain why you are wrong and they are right and so much wiser than you.
They're a bunch of smartasses.
In fact, the world is quite filled with smartasses.
Some of the smartasses are violent as well.
So I've come to the conclusion that interacting with people today can not only be upsetting and time consuming, but you never know when you will encounter that one in a million nutcase who will endanger your physical safety.
Sometimes even blogging can incur this. I've even had to delete a blog post before because of the harassing comments from people.
And you know what group that most of my harassing comments come from lately?
Other writers.
That fact is just so damn sad it defies description.
-- jd --
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
This people is disappointed and ashamed
I ran across this picture shared on facebook, and it so totally expressed how I've been feeling about the US government lately.
Let me share a list of words that express my sentiments towards the US government and both parties and the senate and the congress and the president:
- disappointed
- ashamed
- pissed off
- ticked off
- just plain angry
- fed up
- tired of it
What about you? Have you been feeling any of these towards the US government?
This latest government shutdown shows clearly just how messed up our government has become. Used to be, the party bickering got intense around major election times, when congressmen or senators or a president was being elected. Then, after the election, they would settle down to the business of running our nation.
But not any more. Now the party bickering and maneuvering goes on year round, year in and year out, 24/7. It's beyond childish and ridiculous. It's harmful to the people of our nation.
Another sad thing, we live in a day and age when it is so easy to express your opinions to your political leaders. That's not the sad thing. The sad thing is, they pay no attention to what the people say unless they say it in a large group that affects ratings. Have you ever written to any of them? I have, several times. What's telling is the response that you get. If you request help, you usually don't get much. If you express your opinion, they send you a letter or email back explaining how you're wrong and they're right. To me it basically feels like they're telling me I'm stupid, and that I should subjugate my opinions to them, because they're so much wiser than me. Thing is, they're not.
Lately I've often thought that we need to send a bunch of penny-pinching housewives to Washington to run this nation's government. I think they'd do a much better job, especially at balancing the budget.
Let me close with this thought --
Those in power in our government now days, don't care about the people or what's best for the nation. They just care about winning the latest argument for their party. And our nation is suffering terribly for it, and the people are too.
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