chelsea headingWellsir, the past three (plus) weeks have not been kind to me and my internet mailings. Cox.net told me there was a nation-wide outage of email and some of my corespondents confirmed they also had problems. Since that time my email mailing has gone to... well... let’s just say that it hasn’t been good. After many telephone calls/hookups with Cox tech the problem may be fixed. Some of you received a test message as I was “asked” to test my system while speaking to a representative of Cox. Some responded which I appreciate very much but the best response made the test worth while. He/she will know who they are as they wrote, “I was addicted to the Hokey Pokey but I turned myself around.”
As I am a loyal customer of those companies and institutions to which I subscribe or shop, I have been with Cox for a very long time. Had it not been for the test message going through they would have lost a loyal customer and I am sure they would have not even noticed. Cox is a big company and I am a small customer. But it appears that the problem is solved and I have filed the narrative I had written under pending. So here I am asking any and all in the Tulsa area to let me knowhow your internet provider works and the name, of course, as Cox is going through several changes and one never knows what malfunctioning change will appear. Please let me know your company name IF you are satisfied with them.
On a better note, we are getting serious rain in Tulsa for the first time since July, I think. Just as it got cool enough for old men to work outside the skies decided to water everything so mowing will continue. The past several days have been a model of frustration as I have been attempting to construct a special “bottom board” to set my bee hives on. The most frustrating part is that I have built this particular style bottom board before but now, nothing works. Finally I gave up and adapted an old one so I can use it for the hive i am worried about. There is one bee keeping rule i broke way, way long ago and I haven’t done that since. Never try to work bees when it is raining or getting ready to rain. We have had steady rain since I finished the bottom board.
Now for some good news. Finally I got my scatterbrain self together and went to a writing critique group. As you can well guess, I have been wanting to do this for some time but “something always comes up,” or I just plain forgot to go. If you have ever wanted to write anything, not just novels but anything, and you know of a writing club, group, or organization - GO! The ones I have been to are just like musicians in that they will help anyone who wants help. Another part of that is just listening to other people tell their struggles or how they over came a problem. Then, if you are brave enough, get in a critique group and read a small section and listen to the comments.
This was my first time and I didn’t know how to prepare. I just printed off a couple of almost unedited pages and took it as a “just in case.” TaaDaa - I may a correct guess. I must tell you that as a school band director I was critiqued several times each year by professionals in my field. Receiving suggestions, comments and corrections is not new to me. This group offered their comments in such a nice manner that no one should have been upset or had their feeling hurt. Now that I have finally gotten my act together I may actually finish this book that has been in my head for... wellsir, far too long.
You probably shouldn’t get your check book out soon as rumor has it that writing a book is not the end of it. Someone even told me that publishers would not beat a path to my door. I have even been told that changing my name to Hemmingcook or Shakescook wouldn’t help.Without a doubt my book will be one of the best to come out this century but there seems to be a quadzillion other people who feel the same about their book. Hmmmp! One might call them gaudy pretenders but, being a nice guy, I won’t do that.
Now you will have to excuse me as I must get started on all the suggestion my critique group offered. No, Billy, I did not start with, “It was a dark and stormy night.”