Lifes a Train wreck

I am a happy camper this morning! I have even been outside with a t-shirt on… and I was fine. Warmer weather has found its way back into north Florida!

Mom is back in the hospital again, they have taken away some of her new meds and she said she feels much better, she sounds much better. The pacemaker is fine, it is her blood pressure that was out of control.

I spent a good part of last night working on models (finally) and have some things to put on the new blog. I installed Google Analytics on that blog, it is amazing all the things that program can do. I can even see not only what country traffic comes from, but what city. I  thought that was very cool!

You can tell the weather is nice here, I have two dogs begging to go sit at the table and enjoy the warm… I will have to indulge them :).

That is all for today,

Tom

Happy Thanksgiving! Not much going on here today, just waiting to eat myself miserable! Have a great day and we’ll see ya tomorrow.

Yuppers, I filed yet another diploma today , school is out, in a few days I’ll have my license and can earn some cash. I’ve nearly forgotten what earning money feels like. We recovered all the topics, added some new ones and took the final. I even had an offer for a job site when my paperwork arrives! Life is good.

I have a very playful kitten on my lap, seeking to distract me, helping me type. She is learning not to bite her own tail….

Tomorrow will be a writing day if the world cooperates, articles needing done, catching up on other projects as well.

 Dancing with the stars had its final episode tonight, Brook and Derek won. Warren and Kim came in second with Lance and Lacey in third. I seem to be growing addicted to this show.

Not much else to report from today,

Tom

Well we dragged our butts through another eight hour class today. A new instructor and some fairly boring subject matter, not all of it was, just the majority of it. Maybe it was the way it was presented that made it worse or it could have been the video that someone erased….

That class was a great way to spend a day, my behind had conformed to the steel folding chair all too well by the time it ended! Compounded by fewer breaks to stretch and move about.

I’ll have a new web site to share soon, it’s nearly ready. Anyone that enjoys scenic paintings and wildlife will definitely enjoy this artist’s passion, brought to life in her paintings.

It was cloudy here off and on, but warmer, so I can’t complain.

See you tomorrow,

Tom

Lots of good news today!

I finally managed to talk to my dad on the phone yesterday. He sounded far better than the last time we talked. He was coherent, talking about his physical therapy and the need to learn the use of a “wooden leg” as he called it, surely a sign his humor was slowly returning, possibly the will to live returning.

Finally, I have enough critiques on my short to understand where I went wrong, what I need to learn, and a direction to move when I am ready to attempt to fix it. I still have no idea what the judges thought of it but, It I think I at least have an idea of what I need to improve on. Thank you, everyone!

I managed another installment of “Building Great Sentences” last night. I also realized it’s a grad level course and that it contains some excellent information as well.

Time for class again this morning,

Tom

I tried to call my Dad again, he must have been off to therapy as he did not answer. I called the nurses desk, I was told “Yes he lives here and he may be in therapy.” My those overly helpful individuals end up in nursing homes with equally helpful people attending them.

It is still cold down here in the citrus state, if only it were possible to bottle the chill, releasing it next summer when it would receive better reviews.

Three hours of my day were donated yesterday to my neighbor, hooking up her propane tank and lighting all the pilots. It took forever to bleed the air out of the lines so that the pilots would light.

Associated Content is being weird, it refuses to allow me in, swapping passwords at will, denying my entry. Good ol’ AC. They do seem to have their fair share of problems.

Tom

It may get into the high 20’s tonight here in north Florida,Yay! Winter has become my least favorite time of year. The cold and I shall never be fast friends….

Accentuate announced the winners today, the  short story contest is over at last!

Lindsay Maddox took first place. 

 Lucinda Gunnin came in second 

 Jo Brielyn was third.

 Honorable mentions went to:

 1st Eric Patterson.

2nd Andi Caldwell.

 3rd George Kramer

Most creative use of theme: Laurie Darroch-Meekis

Congratulations to all the winners!

I was finally able to start on the sentence writing program tonight. Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writer’s Craft, by Professor Brooks Landon, it consists of multiple DVD’s and a work books. The learning curve tightens.

 Thanks to modern technology I was able to watch my first class on the mini-DVD player I purchased while I flirted with trucking, the mini took the place of larger media devices in use by other family members at the time.

And another day is gone….

Tom

Another diploma rests in the bin, snuggled securely amongst all the others…. I don’t have the wall space or the money to frame them all. Seems everybody gives them out now days, probably even Mcd’s. This one is necessary though, the state will not license you without one….

Today was an overview of everything else, tests, and fingerprinting. Client confidentiality has been explained and 16 hours of further classes yet starting Monday to get the full license. Ta da!

No date for CPR or first aid yet. I can’t wait to get to work there are always bills to pay and things needing bought. Maybe I can keep my truck after all.

It is TV night here, Smallville and Supernatural will come on soon and I will be glued to the set as usual. I may have to try reviewing them someday, writing classes come first though.

I never would have thought a journal would be popular as a blog, yet the numbers seem to climb. This blog was not created to draw readers but it seems it has. I pity the reader when I wind up with a day of non interest and all that’s left to write is how much coffee I drank and what cereal I ate…. Only time will tell.

‘Nuff said for today,

Tom

Day two of training consisted mostly of ethics and how to write reports. It also had how to interview victims, witnesses, informers and suspects. We had tests on observation as well. It has captured my interest deeply, far more than I thought it might. It will be very different than I am used to.

Tomorrow will finish the 24 hour class, leaving a 16 hour class to follow. Then CPR and first aid, with further specialized training to follow on a continuing basis. Even further education is recommended but the pay is too weak to justify unless something changes. They can actually start working me when the 24 hour class is complete and I have a temporary license.

The classes have arrived for writing, about eight dvd’s worth plus books, once done with those I have several other books on writing to read. Maybe then I can write another story. Strange how two or three people will get help and another can be ignored completely in the forums. I guess not everyone is cut out to clique!

I had to shave the fu! That stash was older than my youngest son…. My lip is cold and feels naked! They do allow mustaches, just not like the one I had unfortunately.

One of my sisters tells me she is nearing completion of her website, she is an artist, a very good one. Once she is up and running I’ll leave a link so others can check out her paintings. No doubt I will blog it up and do an AC article as well.

My sisters inherited the higher talents, one is very musically inclined, the other a fantastic artist, my brother can make all things mechanical ’sing’ and I seem to have missed every boat I tried to catch leaving me wet behind the ears, soaked and shivering….

Well that is it for now,

Tom

Today was the first class, not much to it: a lot of legal terms, films, more films, job descriptions and first aid and CPR overview. The CPR basics have changed since I last had this course including an intro to AED short for a portable and very small defibrillator. We will get re-certified in first aid and CPR at a later date.

Yesterday I finally came to the realization that if I want to improve as a writer I need to change some things. I sent the story out for comments and found I evidently didn’t do terribly badly. It does need work, but I never thought differently, still waiting on a few comments to get a broader view but, a direction is emerging. Still not even a small clue what the judges thought and only one forum member commented so I really did not get much from there so far….

Well how about that economy eh? Gotta love it! Hope we all survive…. More large employers are closing here, not a good sign.

Times up, talk to you tomorrow!

Tom