Benched

A blog, or so, ago, I let you know that I'd no longer include Amazon links for book purchases in my literary reviews.

So, I played the waiting game with Barnes and Noble book store.  But, I received a "Sorry, but not now" response from them earlier today before I finally made it to bed.  (Sigh)

Hopefully, that was due to lack of reads rather than a lack of quality in the content with book reviews.  Of course, examiner.com turned me down as a review writer last year too, so ... who knows.  It's obvious that not everyone's gonna love what I tap out on my keyboard.

Imagine that! (Grin!)

And no, I'm not discouraged.  Annoyed, but not discouraged.  Maybe when I'm getting around 2,000 reads per month, they'll reconsider.  I'm thinking positive here, lol.


In an update on Amazon and their advocating of whale and dolphin slaughter, I received information a few days ago stating that even though they'd removed the products from their Amazon-Japan site, they refused to ban the products from their site permanantly until they'd received loads of emails from livid Amazon customers and affiliates.

My decision to disassociate with them was solid before reading the update, however, if it had not been, that would have cemented it.

I'm all for making a profit, but not at the cost of cruelty and integrity.  If it takes that to make profit, I'd advise another line of work.

And so, here I sit, in the dugout, waiting for my affiliate acceptance to come through so I can finally get some book reviews posted and share the work of some magnificient writers who will rock your world, all in good ways, if you'll bother to sit and read for a bit.

Honestly, unless you can't read, there's really little excuse for not doing it these days.  Even with my schedule, I manage to fit in a somewhat decent amount of read time.  If I don't have an actual book with me, I have my Android Smart Phone, which has a brand new Nook reader application on it.  It still has the Amazon reader on it as well, but I'm only keeping it so I can finish reading what I'd purchased from them before the whaling and dolphin issue.  Past that, I won't be downloading any more items to Kindle, either on my phone or my laptop.

Torres and I, and whatever others of the Double L. possee that want to join us, have a luncheon coming up soon at Molina's near the Fort Worth Stockyards.  For THAT review, I won't need Barnes & Noble.  So, if I spend too much time on the bench, it's not like I'll be lacking for interesting things to promote.  I'm still shocked that restaurants actually let the Double L. bunch back in their doors after our first visit.  We laugh and talk so much, even to other patrons, that I'm always surprised they actually smile at us when we come back again, sometimes even dragging new peeps in the group along with us.

Once an elderly couple in a restaurant on southside of Fort Worth were sitting at a table near ours.  The wife spoke up and told us, "We're gonna order whatever it is your table is having!"  The food was good, but our smiles and laughter were simply from each other's company. 

Molina's has been around for years and the place nearly always has a wait line of patrons, who don't mind waiting to get to have their meals there.

As for the Hub-work, I've got work nearly ready for posting, but it's not quite there yet.  I'll keep you posted. :)

God bless, thanks for your patience, thanks for the read and please don't forget to say "thanks" to a vet next time you see one!

femmeflashpoint

Another Luminary

First, I'd like to extend my sympathies to my friend S.  (I've been referring to her as S.Elf during the holidays, but with Christmas passed, we can go back to S.)

S. lost her youngest brother to cancer a few days ago.  She's always come across as being tight with her siblings.  If her little brother was anything like S., then he must have been a wonderful guy.  I know a lot of kind and caring folks, but I don't know any that are moreso than she is.

Her family had been hopeful.  Her little brother had only one more treatment to get through.  But, as often happens when fighting the cancer beast, infection set in.  Cancer, and the side effects of chemo and radiation never play by the rules. 

I know so many who lost their fight.  But, I know several who beat it too.  Our mutual friend Marilyn is sitting only a short distance away from me while I write this.  Marilyn lost her husband to cancer a few years ago.  Marilyn is working toward's her degree in respiratory therapy.  She's with us on the job at night, and in class during the day.  She's 40, and she's a cancer surivivor.

This spring's Relay For Life will have more luminaries on the track.  Some of the names written on them would likely be familiar to you if you were to see them.  The reasons keep mounting to do the Relay.  The reasons are people.  People who are sick, their loved ones who maintain hope, and the ones who are going to beat it and survive.

Dying isn't a bad word.  But cancer is.  I've never been sure which would be worse.  Living with cancer, or dying from it.  I only know that I hate it.  I hate the fear it instills in it's victims, I hate the awful things they have to go through when trying to survive.  And, victims of cancer aren't just those diagnosed with it.

I hope this year's Relay is packed.  And, I hope if someone approaches you for a monetary pledge you'll give it, if you have it to spare.  Even if it's a tiny amount it helps.  Tiny amounts add up to bigger amounts.  Bigger amounts buy time, and knowledge.  Time is a precious commodity when you've been told you may not have very much of it and the countdown begins.

Even if you can't walk the track, you can participate.  You can sit in your team's campsite, keeping an eye on things, manning the cooler and snacks, being verbally supportive and smiling or sharing a word of support with the Relayers as they pass your area.  Emotional support for the Relayers, both the ones who are healthy and the ones who are fighting to get healthy, means a great deal. 

Just being there with a smile on your face and a prayer in your heart makes a difference.  People notice.  It encourages them.  It helps people fight harder and dissuades them from giving up.

If you haven't participated in a Relay before, I believe you'll be surprised to find that the difference you discover will probably start in you.

There are Relays going on all over the U.S. and many other countries throughout the year.  I hope you'll take the time to research the schedule and consider being a part of a team in your area, or even making your own team and lending a hand.  Or a foot.  Or better yet, two feet and two hands and however many more you can gather up to help you walk for a cure.  And, if you can't walk the track, as I said, a smile and a prayer is still a great way to make an impact and be supportive.

Relay For Life ( <----- click here for more information)

Thank you for the read.

God bless and be safe,

femmeflashpoint  

Uniforms and Adoption Papers

This past Sunday was my day to hook up with my colleages and friends for the annual holiday memorial service at Laurel Land of Fort Worth.  The weather was less than best and the attendance was sparse, but even with that, it was good to spend some time with friends that I’ve been missing.


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Rev. Rusty Hudson - Chaplain with VITAS Hospice
& Rev. Stan Denman - Pastor, The Church at Burleson

Rev. Rusty Hudson did an excellent job, as usual.  And, Rev. Stan Denman’s music is always worth wading into rainy weather to listen to.  The small group of families that gathered seemed to appreciate their effort. 


Rusty made a comment after the service that I found both true and amusing.  It was something along the lines of it being a very hard decision, had God given him the choice, of being either called to minister or to sing like Stan.  I can completely appreciate his sentiments because Stan Denman is one of the most talented musicians I've ever had privilege of listening to.


And, Rusty ... he's sincere, has a wonderful testimony, and he officiated at my dad's memorial service.  That says a great deal about him as well that I feel needs no further explanation. 

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Jenny Barnett - General Manager
(Laurel Land Funeral Home of Fort Worth) and
Kimberly Snauffer  - Harpist

A new face joined us this year for the first time.  She’s a harpist, and how she manages to pack the harp around, loading and unloading it as well, is beyond me. 

This was our second year for two familiar faces to not be a part of the program.  Our friends and colleagues, Bob Metheny and Rev. Bill Hancock were missed.  The program was difficult emotionally for some of us to get through without them last year, and granted, this year was a little easier, but … they were for sure, not forgotten and their absence noticed.  Bob told me once, regarding Heaven, that some days he just couldn’t wait to get there.  And, of course, Bill spoke of it at every service that he ministered on.
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David Drake and Richard Valencia
Funeral Service Assistants at
(Laurel Land Funeral Home of Fort Worth)

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Glenda Rader - Administration and
Steve Faram - Regional Operations Director
(Laurel Land Funeral Home of Fort Worth)

It made for a wonderful early Christmas present to “me” to get to see some of my favorite people that afternoon.  And, though the memorial service is sobering, remembering loved ones who’ve passed from this life, it still brings a smile to my face remembering them, as well as stirring the hope and belief I have for life after this one as well.

I know I mention it frequently, but not wanting those of you who pray to forget that thousands upon thousands of our veterans will be far away from home this Christmas, and in many of them are in harm’s way.  Please keep them and their loved ones in your prayers.

The Lethal Leprechaun shared this link with me to a wonderful video that I’d encourage you to watch, if you observe the celebration of Christmas.  I loved it, and appreciate that he pointed it out to me. Camouflage and Christmas Lights is available on You Tube.  Click it and have a look if you have a few moments.  It’s well worth seeing.

Also, our U.S. Marines are out and at it, collecting Toys for Tots.  If you’ve got the finances, it’s one of my two favorite benefits to donate to.  Just sayin'.  The other one, of course, is the Adopt a Soldier program.  Either or both, if you can manage it, is always appreciated.  Doesn’t take much effort to write a note, send a card, or drop off an unwrapped gift that will make a soldiers heart light up knowing someone cared to remember them, or bring a smile to a child’s face on Christmas.  One of the kindest things a friend ever did was to get the Adopt A Soldier program started in his family's church, in lieu of florals for my dad's memorial service.  Now those soldiers get cards, letters, birthday and holiday gifts from an entire congregation.  It's a great way to really make a difference and my dad would have loved it.

That's it for this post.  My sincere thanks to you for reading it, and hope you'll make good use of the links I've enclosed.

Today I finished up my reading of author Tarrin Lupo's novel, Pirates of Savannah - The Hunt for Shamus' Booty, and will have a review for it here shortly.  Hope you'll stop by and read that too. I enjoyed it, and looking forward to telling you why. :)

'Til then, God bless and have a great day!

Crispy!

Fall seems to have finally shown up in DFW, but I'm thinking with so little water, the leaves are just gonna drop right off before changing.  (That's what I meant by crispy - I've been stepping on them, and everything that's fallen so far sounds crispy.) I was hoping to get some shots on the bike trails of fall foliage.  Odds for pulling it off aren't great, but since I'm the glass is at least half-full sort, I'm hoping that Jared or I manage some shots that don't come out with COLOR, and not just brown and ... crispy-looking!  If not, I'll just have to look at Alicia's fall photos instead, but it'd be kinda nice to have some of my own for the Pack Rides blog.

I've been doing some research on copywriting.  It's been sleepy research so, until I've had a little time to examine the resources with a clearer head, and possibly a consult with Jared Hall, I won't have a much firmer grasp on what it entails than I do now.

What little about it I DO understand is ... writing adverts, landing pages, and money.  I like all three. :)

With the line-up I have thus far, if I had the freedom to pull it off, I could effectively have an interview every single day for weeks on end.  There's just THAT MUCH STUFF sitting and waiting to go flying onto a page!  And, it's not like it's dribble (which is occasionally what ends up in my blogs, but this is where I think out loud), it's stuff worth reading.  It stuff written about people, and ... what's not worth the read when it comes to real people in real situations with real needs, or overcoming real circumstances that are often less than best, or making differences for others in good ways?

Coming up this month are Tobias Robinson (Hubpages.com), a visit to a church of a different sort on Sunday ( that will also publish on Hubpages if I can manage to stay awake long enough to shine my boots and show up for service, even if I don't have a horse here), Part III of Heartbeats For Hoofbeats (also on Hubpages.com), hopefully back to the stockyards to get some better notes and photos from the long-horn herders, and what else ... ?  (I'm thinking thinking.  Do you hear the gears grinding and see the smoke yet?)  Ah well, that's three out of three!  I've an idea on who I plan to fill the last opening with, but I'd best not mention him yet because I haven't asked.  I'll get back on that one with you when I've confirmed it. 

MEANWHILE ... for my readers, once more I thank you for propelling me down the path of self-employment doing something that I reallllly love doing!  Please leave a comment now and then; say hi, or get lost, or even make a recommendation for an interview or article ... any ideological contributions are always appreciated!  Please don't ask for recipes - I don't think I can write recipes.  I never read them myself and never use them on the rare occasions that I cook.

But - pretty much anything outside of recipes and cooking is fair game!  Ok, wait up ... fru-fru is out in general.  I just can't produce fru-fru info from my keyboard.  It never comes out well.  You can also follow my blogs via e-mail (if you like them well enough to follow them).  See that little field up there on the right side of the page?  Email addy goes in there, and then my stuff goes to you, and Google watches, which helps me out. :)

Oh yes, on a final note ... Halloween is almost here.  I know, I know - half my kin and friends don't do the Halloween thing so ... cover your eyes please.

I have high hopes to get to attend a hooky-spooky haunted something-or-other this year.  I'm trying to convince Torres to come with.  She gets all wigged out by the spook-fests, but I'm thinking if we take along at least one guy friend (or more), then we'll surely make it out alive!

That's the plan anyway - we may have screamers croop, but it'll be worth it!