A Change in Projects

I am blocked in my writing. Well, for a certain project I am blocked. I wanted to write a satire on the perfect “tiger moms”. Trying to writing about a seemingly perfect but actually bad Mom has been depressing to me. I just cannot work on this project right now. Perhaps I need to let my kids get older, or maybe it is just because it is winter. Or it could be a bad idea, I am not sure. I am such a newbie at this.

I have been chastising myself, saying I am not hard core enough. A true artist would suffer for their “art”. If you have read my blogs in the past, you may know that depression is a problem for me, so I really should avoid it if I can. In reading the first two books of “A Saga of Fire and Ice” by George R.R. Martin, I envy his scope because it is truly a complex and fascinating world he has built. But, in that story are some very nasty people. Nasty characters do nasty things, and it is the job of the writer to bring those actions to the page, to carry the story along. It is a hard thing in writing, at least for me right now. Maybe, if I have been doing this for twenty years, I will be more used to it. Needless to say, but these feelings have also just turned me off to the story. Perhaps it just needs to be a short story. Or the fact that it is about Motherhood, a very important role in my life right now. Any which way, I am backing away from that project for now.

So, I am working on something with a little less satire and a little more adventure. It is an exciting in a way, and it is definitely different from “The Chronicles of IDIOT”. Although there may be those who think I should have added more of an adventure aspect to IDIOT, but that could be in the future, if I try to expand the IDIOT universe. It depends upon if there is any demand for more IDIOT books. Since there has not been much sales, I haven't felt much of a pull to try to expand that story. I have ideas about a prequel and for more detailed stories. We shall see.

I don't want to say too much about my new idea. But, it is a fun idea with a little history, a little biotech, a little absurdity, and a little controversy. He he!

Things To Be Thankful For...

I am thankful for my beautiful family, hilarious friends and our wonderful home.

That Tucson has mild winters.

That I have the time to try to be a writer.

That we have fewer dictators in this world.

That I do not have an addictive personality.

That Gabrielle Giffords actually survived a gunshot wound to the head.

That my kids seem to be learning something in school.

The lack of NBA games, who needs them! (Still in anger phase).

Now that Kim Kardashian's marriage is over, she will just fade from the spotlight, right?

Where we live in a democracy where we can elect our leaders who then choose what to legislate based upon the best lobbying (donations given) to them.

That we have Health and Dental Insurance, which only partially screw us over.

That we have at least one calm, rational Republican candidate for President?

That we don't live anywhere near Penn State.

That the world we live in is only partially messed up, not totally screwed. (YET!)

Anti-Intellectualism 101: Chicken-Pox Lollipops

Science and technology have blessed our country and the people of the world. If you don't think so, you might want to take back your smart phone, stop driving your car, stop going to the doctor, and move into a cave. Heck, you might as well not even use two sticks to rub together to make a fire.

Yet, there are some who rail against science. They deny published studies because it may hurt profits for an energy company. They insist that evolution not be taught in the classroom because it is not in the bible, although that would need to take Genesis literally, which many do. Or they send out Chicken Pox tainted lollipops for $50 a pop.

This last example is the latest in “I don't trust them doctors” mentality. Nobody who is mentally healthy likes getting shots and especially giving them to their kids. But a shot is a lot better than getting a disease that can kill you. They think the middle ground is having a Pox party, which 100 years ago might have been a good idea. But we now have vaccines: which are safe, multiply-tested, and certified not to cause Autism. These vaccines can give immunity without the child getting sick. So, yes, I think a shot is a lot better than a disease. The Pox party/lollipop proponents say that getting the disease “naturally” give “natural immunity”. Yes, but it also gives your child (and everyone around them) the risk of deadly complications. Many people used to die of Chicken Pox, it may seem a cute children's disease, but in adults (and some children), it is deadly serious.

Frankly, I think those who sell the Chicken Pox lollipops for $50 a pop are the students of the masters of the three card monty. Con Artists thrive in a recession and we are recovering from the mother of all recessions for the past 100 years. Isn't there that saying that a sucker is born every minute? Those suckers want to give their kids suckers that have been sucked on by a stranger. That sucker could have ANYTHING ON IT! I would rather pay to have my doctor jab my kid with a needle to prevent disease, than play: “what's on the lollipop along with the Chicken Pox?”

We have freedom of choice; and parents have the choice to not vaccinate their children, home-school them, and try to keep them from all the “evils of the world”. I am all for choice, but a choice involves using your brain. So when making a choice, please try to keep all options available. Because trusting a stranger selling $50 lollipops about vaccinations more than your Pediatrician is just plain scary.

Some of my future posts will further discuss Anti-Intellectualism, since I think this is a serious problem in our world today.

Actual Chronicles of Idiocy – 2

All good things bring sequels. The sequel may or may not be better than the original but it is usually bigger. So, for this chronicle of idiocy, we are going bigger and I will actually show I am more than a bit of an idiot at times.

The NBA Lockout

Remember basketball? I vaguely recall it, there used to be this league for that game, I think. But, it seems that there are quite a few over paid, spoiled people involved with that sport. They are millionaires fighting with other millionaires over millions of dollars. The people who actually love the sport are left trying to enjoy bowling or god forbid – soccer. Yes, I know the NFL season is on now, but that is a once a week sport where b-ball had at least two or three games a week. Given our ADD culture, I don't think the NFL is even close to enough.

Greece/Europe

When a government makes an agreement for a bailout and is just about to receive the money, the leader should not then say “Hey, now let's put this up to a vote.” Too late, the agreement was already made. Therefore, after Greece's Prime Minister did just that, the world's stock markets went topsy turvy. Then again, the whole set-up with Europe is kind of idiotic, like a half-built house. They have the foundation of a common currency. But, without the roof and walls of an agreed upon and enforced taxation laws throughout the Euro-zone, it is not a surprise that everyone is getting rained upon.

“The Onion” Creates Confusion

I love the Onion, a satirical newspaper. Recently, they put out an article called “Study Finds Every Style of Parenting Produces Disturbed, Miserable Adults”. The reaction to this article was beautifully idiotic. The article sites the real California Parenting Institute as the authors of this fictional study. Unfortunately, some of the good people at the CPI did not know that the Onion is only known for satire. Some were asked about this study, saying they did not know it was occurring and and wanted to know who was doing the work. Don't believe me? Check out this link: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/11/01/parents-believe-onion-article-freak-out-accordingly/

I guess it is best when you do satire, to not name actual agencies, they may freak out.

My Own Writing Process

I wrote a book. Yeah! Now, I am getting feedback that is not so positive about it. Ick. It seems that I was so excited to get this book done, I must have rushed the creative process. There is some leeway about this, and I am still proud of what I did, maybe I should have given it more time. But that was the first try, and in working on my next project(s), I will definitely try to not jump the gun.