I stopped grading papers long enough to check my emails. A friend sent me something that I couldn’t believe at first. I did some research, and it is truly all over the Web. Wow. I just had to post something on this, with the links for you to go to if you wanted to research it yourself. Evidently the University of Delaware stirred up a hornet’s nest with their recent residence life education program. I found the definition of the actual program here. You can download it yourself as a pdf file. http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/8546.html

One problem with the program was their definition of who is a racist. Here is the definition of racist that was distributed.

“A RACIST: A racist is one who is both privileged and socialized on the basis of race by a white supremacist (racist) system. The term applies to all white people (i.e., people of European descent) living in the United States, regardless of class, gender, religion, culture or sexuality”; “REVERSE RACISM: A term created and used by white people to deny their white privilege”; and “A NON-RACIST: A non term. The term was created by whites to deny responsibility for systemic racism.”

The hornet’s nest of blog and news attacks that resulted thankfully caused the university to terminate the program.  This is just too much.  As a writer and student of the War Between the States, I’ve learned how far away from historical accuracy people will go in order to be “politically correct.”  From this incident, I’ve learned how far from logic and common sense they will go. Here are some links you can go to for further research.

http://www.thefire.org/index.php/case/752.html 

And here is the link to the university’s Website where a letter is posted that terminates the program.  However, I wish they had stated the reason for the termination as due to its error and stupidity rather than withdrawing it only after attacks. I wonder who the crackpot is who created this definition of a racist?  http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/2008/nov/letter110107.html

Though I’d rather be on the road working, I find Sundays here in Monroe are vital for a catch-up day. Used not only for the University preparation (which thankfully is soon ending) but also for mapping out my business plan for the week for my writing business, as well as the needful chores of packing, cleaning, etc. for my next days of travels. The day is young yet, but as the weather is stormy, I’m sure I’m doomed to be trapped inside all day. At the end of the day, I may post another entry on this blog.

The last princess of Wales was Gwenllian. I’m working on a song about her for my Celtic program I want to do at schools. Here are the lyrics of the ballad I’ve started. (Please remember that this is a work in progress). You can learn more of Gwenllian here: http://www.ad-je-leaver.freeserve.co.uk/cydgg.htm

Gwenllian: The Last Princess of Wales

Taken from her cradle
By bloody English hands,
After Longshanks killed her father
When he took his final stand

Now a cradle in Snowdonia
Rocks empty in the night
And a little girl is crying
From hunger and from fright,

I hear a ghostly lullaby
In this castle’s lonely halls,
And whispers of a princess
Who few can now recall.

Her mother died in childbirth
Now her father dead in war,
In a monastery banished
And held behind locked doors,

In silent meditation,
And worn beads in her hand,
She passes lonely hours
Banished from her land.

In a monastery lonely
Where stone walls are so cold
A princess prays there weeping,
She’s 55 years old,

She never learned her language,
She never knew her name
Never knew a lover’s kiss
Never knew who was to blame.

I sold out at the Harvey, Louisiana Sam’s Club and had a respectable signing at the Kenner Sam’s Club earlier in the morning. I established new friendships with many of the Sam’s workers. I also sold a few copies (on my own) of my newest Pelican published book, Stories of the Confederate South and even a few copies of my novel, Red River Fever.

I am learning so much and making so many contacts in my first year of this business that I’m sure next year will be easier–not in terms of the hard work required, but in the number of mistakes made/avoided, the amount of time wasted, and in knowing which venues are worth the time and effort of signings. I have certainly learned that some parts of the country (and even Louisiana) have more money and people. As 2007 winds its way to its traumatic and desperate end, and I look at 2008’s calendar, I’m confident that next year will be a better year for me personally, perhaps the best year ever.

I can’t believe how fast the holiday has flown by.  As phone and email work on the day before Thanksgiving and on Thanksgiving is fruitless work, I did manage to finish reading two books that have been on my list a long time. I likely won’t make my goal of 50 books by the end of the year, but it looks like I’ll be in the thirties anyway. The first book was Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The second was Marquez’ Love in the Time of Cholera. Both readings overwhelmed and refreshed me.  I think the reads did my head some good.

This morning, I drove to the Slidell Sam’s Club and had my signing there. I had a near sell-out. Lots of traffic, but I definitely have decided that I like bookstores better. Anyone in a bookstore is there (for one reason or another) because of books. Not so in Sam’s Clubs. I was scheduled for Gulfport Sam’s Club this afternoon, but they couldn’t find my (nor the author who was before me) books again. Good thing I called.  Good thing I packed up all my things and loaded them into my SUV, just on a hunch that something might go wrong with schedule.  This snaffu butchered my schedule. I HATE wasting time because of someone else’s ineptness. I’ll just spend the night near New Orleans rather than drive back to my daughter’s in Ocean Springs where I stayed the past two nights. Tomorrow, I’m at the Kenner Sam’s and at the Harvey Sam’s.  From there, I’ll drive on back to Monroe. Traffic is horrendous down here in New Orleans. Drive safe, wherever you are.

I drove to my daughter’s house in Ocean Springs today. My son-in-law grilled the family hamburgers and we had a grand evening together.  There were a few family members here besides us. I missed the rain and storms that were predicted by the weather people, and had an introspective drive down. However, I understand the storms are in North Mississippi now. I ate at the Waffle House in Vicksburg, and stopped at the Watermelon Patch, a giant shoe store on Highway 49, in between Jackson and Hattiesburg. I was playing a hunch that I’d find Christmas presents. I didn’t.  Tonight, I’ve been playing with my grandson, and watching him jump on the bed like a little monkey this very moment. Tomorrow will be spent in eating, drinking indulgence, but Friday I’ll have to get right to work early.

My daughter, her husband, and my grandson, live in Ocean Springs Mississippi. That’s where I’ll be spending Thanksgiving Day, and I’ll be leaving in just a little while. I like the area; it looks prosperous in spite of it being hard hit by Hurricane Katrina. It has an older history than I expected, with the French establishing a settlement there around 1699. It seems to be an artsy sort of area, and that appeals to me. I hope I have time to drive around and check out the area, and if so I’ll try to post my observations on this blog. You can read more of the history (and other things) of Ocean Springs here: http://www.oceansprings-ms.gov/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=171&Itemid=267

Have a blessed holiday. I wish you love, health, and happiness.

My short story collection of historical fiction, Stories of the Confederate South, is now available from Pelican! I just received my author copies.  This means the book will be available from the Pelican, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Books-A-Million Websites soon! Once again, I give thanks!

This is my second full week of not smoking. Economically, that means I’ve saved at least $60.00 of money I would have spent before. I’ve already quit coughing at night, and I seem to have more energy in the day. Could be because I have more oxygen in my lungs. I must conduct some research regarding the benefits of quitting smoking. The main reason I did was to help my singing, as it’s obvious that my guitar playing and singing are two major attractions of the programs I do at schools.

In spite of this very busy schedule, I am somehow finding time to write. Today, I’ve mailed to my publisher my newest children’s manuscript. I’ll post the results of that query/submission as soon as I know them. If all goes well and as planned, I should have seven books in print by this time next year. I know this first year in my writing business will be brutal, but at least I can know that the first year is the hardest. I’ve also been working the phone today, verifying my signing sites. Though I’ll dutifully spend Thanksgiving Day at my daughter’s, the rest of the weekend is packed with signings:

Friday Nov. 23: Sam’s Club Slidell, Louisiana: 11 am – 1 pm (Busiest shopping day of the year!)

2 pm – 4 pm Sam’s Club, Gulfport, MS.

Saturday Nov. 24: Sam’s Club, Kenner, Louisiana (This is a rescheduled event because they couldn’t find my books the last time!) 9 am-12:00

2 pm – 4 pm. Sam’s Club, Harvey, Louisiana.

We owe the modern practice of Thanksgiving as a National Holiday to Abraham Lincoln, 1863. Here is a link where you can see his Presidential Proclamation regarding Thanksgiving.

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-alincoln-tgiving.html

Remember that song, “Rainy Days and Mondays” always get me down? As I look out my  window from where I’m typing, the gray bleakness of the weather and the fact of Monday depress me. Grading papers since 5:00 a.m. hasn’t helped my mood. However, to brighten my perspective, I reviewed a sight I found some time ago devoted to new office slang. I’m writing a modern version of Orwell’s Animal Farm that is set in the modern business world (one of my many projects I intend to finish this year), and I intend to use many of these phrases in the play.  You can check out the site here: http://www.officeslang.com/   If you’re in need of a chuckle, some of these definitions will help. Here are a few of my favorites that I (or my friends) can relate to:

Starter marriage: A short-lived marriage that ends in divorce with no kids, no property, and no regrets.

Mouse potato: The online generation’s version of a couch potato.

Yuppie Food Coupons: Twenty-dollar bills from an ATM.

Dead Tree Edition: Printed, paper version of an electronic form.

Good Job: A “get-out-of-debt” job. A well-paying job people take in order to pay off their debts, one that they will quit as soon as they are solvent again.

There are many more worth looking at, but perhaps these will pique your interest.

Well, both Barnes and Nobles were sell-outs. Again, through the people I’m meeting, I find serendipity is knocking at my door.  I can’t say much about it, but a publishing opportunity for some Civil War music/songs in a book form has come my way through someone I met who works for a music publishing company. I also have nearly finished my next children’s book, The Little Confederate’s Night Before Christmas.
I absolutely love Mobile. I’ll have another weekend there schedule in the near future at the three Books-A-Million in the area (one in Daphne and two on Airport Road in Mobile) as  soon as they work out this little fluke of their not receiving my books with their distributing company.  I’m SURE it is a clerical error of some kind, but it shouldn’t happen, ESPECIALLY with my books!

The Barnes and Noble in Spanish Fort was a wonderful experience. Not only did I sign and sell all the books of mine the store had, at least three times I played my guitar and read stories for the many children present for Story Time.  Spanish Fort is a suburb (I guess) of Mobile. The Barnes and Noble store is located in a huge mall/shopping center that is beautiful. There were tons of people, and the weather was perfect.  Driving home, I saw the moon hanging  like a sad memory over the bay, and I changed my route going home so I could see some neighborhoods and drive by the university. (I did meet several students from the university).  I also stopped by the BAM on Airport Road where the General Manager works so they could meet me. Today will be the usual Sunday, with time spent preparing for the university Monday. This Wednesday, we’re going to my daughter’s house for Thanksgiving. I’ll stay on after Thanksgiving because Friday I have Sam’s Club signings in Slidell, LA and Gulfport, MS; and Saturday in Harvey, Louisiana (New Orleans area) and then I’ll return home late again Saturday night. Busy week for sure. I’m getting to know those Mississippi highways.

I had another sell-out at the Barnes and Noble in Mobile on Airport. I arrived there a little before noon and left a little after 8 pm. It was a fun, but long, day, and I met lots of cool people. I checked into an Econo Lodge off Airport Road when I left. Am very tired. Another busy signing day tomorrow at the Barnes and Noble at Spanish Fort, then the long drive back to Monroe. Here is Holly, a teacher, and a new friend who purchased my book. I’ve talked to so many people today that my head is spinning.  But oh, it looks like I’m going to be interviewed on NPR soon!

Today, I’ve had a busy day of writing, writing-business related work, and home chores. The two BAM signings in Mobile will have to be rescheduled. However, the two Barnes and Noble stores (Mobile and Spanish Fort) are still on for Friday and Saturday.

After my supper, (a deer roast, potatoes, carrots, which I prepared with my own little hands) I sat down and began reading Gabriel García Márquez ‘ Love in the Time of Cholera.  I saw an HBO behind the scenes episode about the making of the movie version of it and decided I must read it before I see the movie.  I know I’m in for a good read when the first sentence hooks me: “It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.” The sentence intrigued, but it also puzzled me. I asked myself, “What do bitter almonds have to do with love?” Well, the context makes it clear that the narrator is speaking of cyanide, which I found out from a quick Google search, is made from bitter almonds. I learned that the trees of sweet almonds have a white flower (those are the ones we eat) and the bitter almonds have a pink flower (these are the ones you take for unrequited love.)

The back cover of the novel I purchased summarizes the story thus: “In their youth, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza fall passionately in love, When Fermina eventually chooses to marry a wealthy, well-born doctor, Florentino is devastated, but he is a romantic.  As he rises in his business career he whiles away the years in 622 affairs—yet he reserves his heart for Fermina. Her husband dies at last, and Florentino purposefully attends the funeral. Fifty-one years, nine months, and four days after he first declared his love for Fermina, he will do so again.”

I am sure I have much more to learn as I read this novel. When I finish, I’ll post something in my blog about it, probably including some good quotes from the text, or poems that the read inspired. Actually, I’ve already started a poem called Bitter Almonds, and the tone of the poem should fit Marquez’ novel quite well.  As I’m leaving EARLY in the morning for Mobile, a post on my blog will not be likely till late Saturday or Sunday. Still, one never knows. I may sell out early and have plenty of time. The Barnes and Noble in Mobile also wants me to play my guitar some, as well as sign books. Wish me luck.