Mad Macedonian

Prompting Yourself to Write 22: Write Where You Are

Wow, has it really been since last November that I did a Writing Prompt?

Prompting Yourself to Write 20: Words! Aren't they Just Adorable? (Sept. 28)

Prompting Yourself to Write 21: 101 I Am's (Nov. 29)

I've been reading some books, over the last few weeks, mostly by Norman Vincent Peale, for inspiration, and strength, to carry me into the future.

This Writing Prompt is one inspired by Julia Cameron, author of The Right to Write: An Invitation & Initiation into the Writing Life (Yes, she's the same one behind The Artist'sWay).

ASSIGNMENT: Use 3 pages of 8 1/2 by 11 paper (or 14 if, like me that is all that you have handy)...Describe How, and what, you are feeling right now - Begin with where you are...Physically, mentally, emotionally, & psychologically. Write about anything, & everything, that crosses your mind.

It's 1pm on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, at the end of August, in Orange, Ca.

I'm in a Carl's Jr., & spread out on the table before me are 3 books:

The Right to Write by Julia Cameron

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

The Zen of Social Media Marketing by Shama Hyder Kabani

Physically, I've come a long way since 3 bones in my ankle, at the end of last May.

I'm wearing a brace &, while I'm not yet walking anywhere near properly, at least I'm walking.

If I could afford Physical Therapy my progress might see more progress. ;-D

Emotionally, the day began with my witnessing the immediate aftermath of a motorcylist getting up close, & personal, with a car, in the street in front of our apartment complex, at 7am, and calling the paramedics...

Moved on to fixing breakfast for the Cats, and myself, with the voice of my favorite morning talk radio guy issueing forth from my computer, and continued with my working on some Cat photos, on Adobe Photoshop Elements, then "Elvira Mistress of Felinity" posting 3 of them in a post on the Cat Blog around 1030am.

Mentally, & Psychologically, I am in a better, more hopeful, & optimistic place, than I was in June, & July.

Having spent a month reading 2 books by Norman Vincent Peale ( The Power of Positive Thinking, & You Can If You Think You Can), and one book which he edited & contributed 10 Chapter Intros (A 1957 Anthology of 75 Inspirational Stories called...Unlock Your Faith Power), will do that to you if you allow yourself to ponder what he, and others, have to say.

 Awakening each morning, showering, reading a collection of quotes put on my posterboard above my desk, before subjecting myself to some rousing, thoughtprovoking, talk radio, puts me in a positive frame of mind to start the day. ;-D

Unemployed a year now, disabled for who knows how long, as the Doctor, on the one hand, tells m that once the surgery heals h won't say I'm disabled, then tells me I'll need another surgery to remove the pins & screws, all the while I'm unable to walk properly, you would think I'd be hobbling around, wailing "Oh, woe is I !!!"

 

Support Restoring The Great American Republic: Eat a Corn Dog!

 The last few weeks have seen the Media, and many on the Far Left, working overtime to embarrass the hell out of themselves, calling Tea Partiers, & Conservatives, everything from Hostage Takers to Terrorists, and more and, now, in the wake of the recent Republican Debate, Iowa Straw Poll results, and the entrance of Govenor Rick Perry into the race, they have fallen all over themselves to take Michele Bachmann, & Perry, to task for eating Corn Dogs in public!

I know, I know, what the ???

From the Telegraph of London, to The Daily Kos, & Dallas Voice, here in the States, and contributors to their comments, and beyond, Liberals are having a field day, often in the crudest way imaginable.

The so-called "Corn Dog Conspiracy" has even drawn the attention of CNN's Inside Edition.

Learn more, see the photos, and see the video, at The Blaze.

Also, my old friend, at Emigre With a Digital Cluebat, Delftsman, has some thoughts, and, um, gets his licks in, with 2 telling photos, one of President Obama, and the other of Hillary Clinton. :-D

Well, I say, this is an insult to patriotic Corn Dog Lovers, all across America, especially Conservative ones like myself, not to mention all those restaurants, and other purveyors, of this tasty culinary delight!

They don't call me The Mad Macedonian for nothing!

My Father fought to try to stop the Commie Tito from taking over his homeland of Macedonia, and didn't come to America, to start a new life, and raise a family, only to see his adopted homeland become as bad, or worse, as what he left, a Socialist nightmare, in the lifetime of his children.

This afternoon I took some of my books, and headed off to one of my favorite places to eat out, with the purpose of making a statement.

 

Corn Dog Eaters United to Preserve the American Republic!

I propose that, male, or female, if you like Corn Dogs, and love your country, and think the current administration is leading the greatest nation on earth for 235 years, the bastion of freedom, and capitalism, and creativity in the world, to hell in a handbasket, that you join me in expressing your feelings in a photo on your blog, &/or Facebook, or other website.  :-D

Show your love for the Republic, Freedom, the Constitution, Conservatism...and CORN DOGS! ;-D

Then encourage your family, friends, neighbors, and readers, to do the same!

****The Books in the Photo****

1. American Patriot's  Bible

2. Glenn Beck's Common Sense

3. The Original Arguement by Glenn Beck & Joshua Charles

4. Madison and Jefferson by Andrew Burstein and Nancy Isenberg

5. & 6. Washington: A Life, and Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

7. George Washington's Sacred Fire by Peter A. Lillback and Jerry Newcombe

8. RATIFICATION: The People Debate the Constitution, 1787-1788 by Pauline Maier

9. John Adams by David McCullough

10. The COMPLEATED Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin...Compiled & edited by Mark Skousen (A Franklin Descendant)

Plus, also on my shelves, a collection of Library of America edtions of the writings of Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Lincoln, Sherman, Paine, Franklin, and DeTocqueville, plus the Federalist & Anti-Federalist.

 

 

Freed Any Good Books, Lately? Returning to Bookcrossing

In 2005 this lifelong Bookworm joined a world-wide, online community, and movement, still in its infancy, but growing in popularity by the day.

Bookcrossing.

In Fall 2008 I ended 3 years as an active member, for a variety of reasons, mostly due to work, and time, and my activities as a blogger.

I remained a member, with the vague notion of returning to it at some point.

Last Spring, though, it looked like I wasn't, especially after I broke my ankle.

The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to return, and with a Library that had a 24/7  shelf outside it's doors, where you could find books for a dime, and toss your money in a wall slot, I had a cheap way to build up my stock of books to set free on the world to be read , most of them, for the first time in decades. :-D

In the last 2 months I've collected 69 books, only a handful as much as $1.75 in cost.

So what is Bookcrossing?

 

Let me update a post I last wrote in 2007, for 2011:

 Bookcrossing is avery cool, very stimulating and edumicational community

 As the site says: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single release."

In April 2001 Ron Hornbaker launched a website to share his love of a good book.

The idea is a simple one: Read a book, then instead of tossing it in the trash, giving it to the library, or to a friend, or relative, or to Goodwill, pass it on to a total stranger!

Do this by leaving it on a park bench, in the breakroom at work, on a bus, or train seat, in an office waiting room, a public restroom, or in any number of other public places where the little, or not so little, darling will be found.

Outfitted with a special bookplate, tracking number and a note explaining the concept so the next person will know what to do if so inclined, the book can be tracked as it randomly travels from city to city and even nation to nation, around the world.

 

Over 946,498  people have "released" over 8 million books "into the wild" as of this evening, and the term "bookcrossing" has its own category in the Google Directory, as well as being listed in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

This award winning community is one of the most respected and popular gathering places online.

When a book is "Caught" the finder follows notification instructions and can leave a journal entry and the person who released the book can get notified by e-mail about the books latest encounter.

One of the many fun aspects is that you can be a "Hunter".

There is a list of countries with books "in the wild." After registering and releasing a book, members have the option of making Release Notes, specifying where exactly (or approximately) they left a book. 

There are actually people traipsing around looking for a particular book!

This is very similar to those folks leaving, finding and cataloging, hidden items in the wilderness, in the activity called Geocaching.

While membership is free there is a supply store for purchasing Official bookplates of various types and cost, if you don't want to make one of your own.

There are also Bookcrossing Conventions and Monthly Meetings in cities everywhere.

There is much more to this worldwide community of book lovers, and newspapers, and magazines, are always coming late to the phenomenon, and writing rapturous stories about it. :-D

Such as this one I found by the NY Times, in 2007.