An Excerpt from The Last Observer
Edward looked into Stan’s face. There was expectancy about the look he gave Stan. “I am sure that you have many questions Stanley but take your time. I have as long as we need.” Somehow, Stan didn’t like this feeling that he had around Edward sometimes. It was a feeling that Edward was entirely in control and knew exactly how Stanley felt. “Well,” he began, “I have been doing some research along the lines that you had suggested.” He paused to think. “And, I have reviewed the files that you left with me as well.” Stanley could feel Edwards gaze. “What do you mean by the term observer?” he asked. “Well, an observer is someone who has the power to create reality,” replied Edward. “But, everyone creates their own reality
Read More »Learning to Ski After Age 50
Learning to ski later in life is an experience. Just getting the ski boots on is an almighty struggle and by the time those boots are on, I am exhausted. Then off you tromp as best you can with immoveable ankles and carting what seems to be two tons of skis over the shoulder. All around others from the age of three all the way to pension age move with effortless ease while you feel like an elephant on ice. Next, you carefully put on the skis. A balancing act in of itself as the damn things slip and slide making you look like something out of a cartoon whose legs are whirling frantically but there is no forward progress. Now, with huge attachments to your legs making it nigh
Read More »The Topless Skier
I think politicians are the scum of the earth. I have made this statement before and I will say it again. They are usually hypocrites, liars, cheats and eminently buyable. They use politics to polarize opinion, cause disruptions and sometimes war. Politicians work endlessly and tirelessly to find ways to be divisive. By being divisive, they gain a following and cynically they hope that the issues they divide us on are popular enough to give them a majority. I think the best strategy is to ignore them and certainly never to vote. The topless skier from The Lebanon emphasizes my point today. Here we have a country polarized by religion (another crock of polarizing crap) and politics with seemingly endless violence (just as the politicians and religious zealots like it).
Read More »The Anatomy of a Bad Review
If you take a look over on Amazon.com at the reviews for The Last Observer, you will discover a couple of 1-star reviews there. I’m not sure if these two people know each other but they sound remarkably similar. There is nothing wrong with bad reviews. We don’t all like the same things and constructive bad reviews are useful in growing as a writer or whatever it is we do. In fact, go to any book on Amazon with several reviews and you will find a range of reviews from bad to great. I was just reading Anthony Peake discussing a bad review he got for one of his books too. Sometimes, people are not just critical but personal and its then that I feel things cross the line to
Read More »Trial by Social Media
There used to be a time when family matters were kept private. Perhaps that wasn’t a healthy attitude – sweeping things under the carpet and keeping it within the family but there were and still are appropriate channels via which people can get assistance and make complaints. Of course, there has always been gossip and gossip newspaper and magazines but by and large, people chose whether they wished to consume this type of frivolous nonsense by actually buying the magazine. Mainstream media, wary of legal action or a slap on the wrist from regulators, also (usually) maintained some element of restraint. Like many things, social media and the internet has changed all of that. Today, we see various ways in which accusations may be made, sides taken and people’s reputations
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