Ryan Field's Blog, page 516
December 3, 2011
13 Year Old Boy with HIV Allegedly Denied Admission to Milton Hershey School
A 13 year old Pennsylvania boy has allegedly been denied admission to the Milton Hershey School, which I think is located about two hours south west of Philadelphia.
The boy filed a lawsuit against the school, allegedly because the rejection is solely based on his HIV status.
Here's part of what the school said:
In order to protect our children in this unique environment, we cannot accommodate the needs of students with chronic communicable diseases that pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others.The reason is simple. We are serving children, and no child can be assumed to always make responsible decisions which protect the well-being of others.
That is why, after careful review and analysis, we determined we could not put our children at risk.
You can read more here.
I'd just like to comment on one thing, if this is true. Where have these people at the Milton Hershey School been for the past thirty years? The HIV virus cannot be transmitted through casual contact. There has to be an exchange of bodily fluids, usually through sexual contact. In other words, no one at any school anywhere is going to be infected with the HIV virus with any 13 year old HIV+ kid unless they share a needle with him or have sex with him. Both are against the law. You can't get it by drinking out of the same glass, sharing a dorm room, or shaking a hand. The ways in which people are infected with HIV are distinct and isolated. Allegedly, the 13 year old boy in question has been HIV+ since birth.
You can read more about HIV transmission here. And nowhere is there any mention of transmitting HIV through normal, casual contact.
This is the kind of thing that we need to focus on more all over the world, not just in some backward town in Pennsylvania. (My own state embarrasses me once again one month after the Penn State/Sandusky scandal.) There's still such a strong stigma associated with HIV, not to mention so many falsehoods, it makes life harder for those who have it, and it sends out the wrong signals to young people.
The boy filed a lawsuit against the school, allegedly because the rejection is solely based on his HIV status.
Here's part of what the school said:
In order to protect our children in this unique environment, we cannot accommodate the needs of students with chronic communicable diseases that pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others.The reason is simple. We are serving children, and no child can be assumed to always make responsible decisions which protect the well-being of others.
That is why, after careful review and analysis, we determined we could not put our children at risk.
You can read more here.
I'd just like to comment on one thing, if this is true. Where have these people at the Milton Hershey School been for the past thirty years? The HIV virus cannot be transmitted through casual contact. There has to be an exchange of bodily fluids, usually through sexual contact. In other words, no one at any school anywhere is going to be infected with the HIV virus with any 13 year old HIV+ kid unless they share a needle with him or have sex with him. Both are against the law. You can't get it by drinking out of the same glass, sharing a dorm room, or shaking a hand. The ways in which people are infected with HIV are distinct and isolated. Allegedly, the 13 year old boy in question has been HIV+ since birth.
You can read more about HIV transmission here. And nowhere is there any mention of transmitting HIV through normal, casual contact.
This is the kind of thing that we need to focus on more all over the world, not just in some backward town in Pennsylvania. (My own state embarrasses me once again one month after the Penn State/Sandusky scandal.) There's still such a strong stigma associated with HIV, not to mention so many falsehoods, it makes life harder for those who have it, and it sends out the wrong signals to young people.
December 2, 2011
Fred Karger: Openly Gay and Running for President
In case you haven't heard, there's an openly gay man running for President of the United States this time. And I'm posting the facts about him without offering any opinions yet.
And that's because I'm an independent and I've never voted along party lines in my life. If there was an election tomorrow, I can honestly say I'm not sure how I would vote. It's all so dismal at this point I wouldn't know how to pull the lever.
But when I see something different that might be of interest to the LGBT community, I want to share. Here's a link to how Fred Karger stands on more than one issue. He seems legit to me. In fact, I'm more than interested in listening to what he has to say...speaking from an independent, bipartisan POV. There's a Fred Karger "event" on December 15th and I'm seriously thinking about going.
I'd be lying if I said this one issue below isn't something I care deeply about. It's also something I consider when it's time to vote. And frankly, the current administration has left me less than satisfied...and I thought they were the ones who were supposed to be on my side.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Rights
I am the only candidate for president who supports full equality for all Americans
Southern Republican Leadership Conference, New Orleans, LA - LGBTPOV. April 11, 2010:
"I will work hard to end to Don't Ask, Don't Tell, pass the federal Employment Anti-Discrimination law (ENDA), eliminate the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), make Gay Marriage the law of the land and make finding a cure for HIV / AIDS and a vaccine to prevent HIV a new national priority."
Huffington Post - December 24, 2010:
"President Obama, Evolve Already… Gay marriage sends a very loud and clear message to LGBT youth that they are equal."
And that's because I'm an independent and I've never voted along party lines in my life. If there was an election tomorrow, I can honestly say I'm not sure how I would vote. It's all so dismal at this point I wouldn't know how to pull the lever.
But when I see something different that might be of interest to the LGBT community, I want to share. Here's a link to how Fred Karger stands on more than one issue. He seems legit to me. In fact, I'm more than interested in listening to what he has to say...speaking from an independent, bipartisan POV. There's a Fred Karger "event" on December 15th and I'm seriously thinking about going.
I'd be lying if I said this one issue below isn't something I care deeply about. It's also something I consider when it's time to vote. And frankly, the current administration has left me less than satisfied...and I thought they were the ones who were supposed to be on my side.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Rights
I am the only candidate for president who supports full equality for all Americans
Southern Republican Leadership Conference, New Orleans, LA - LGBTPOV. April 11, 2010:
"I will work hard to end to Don't Ask, Don't Tell, pass the federal Employment Anti-Discrimination law (ENDA), eliminate the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), make Gay Marriage the law of the land and make finding a cure for HIV / AIDS and a vaccine to prevent HIV a new national priority."
Huffington Post - December 24, 2010:
"President Obama, Evolve Already… Gay marriage sends a very loud and clear message to LGBT youth that they are equal."
So December 3rd is Take Your Kid to a Bookstore Day?
I had to pause when I saw this notice over at GalleyCat.
Evidently, tomorrow, December 3, is take your child to a bookstore day. Here's the link. You can read more here.
"What bookstore will you visit with the kid in your life? Founded by novelist Jenny Milchman, the new tradition urges parents to pass along the joy of bookstore shopping to the next generation."
Check it out: "Have a look at our Bookstores page to see a map of the almost 150 bookstores participating in Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day–and add your bookstore to the map! Also see our Books page for the children's book we loved best this year. And finally, here's how you can spread the word about Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day."
The first thing that popped into my head was what I just finished reading in Steve Jobs's biography. One of Jobs's biggest ambitions, according to this book, was to reform education with technology. Among many things, he wanted digital books to replace text books we all used to carry around when we were kids. And it will come eventually. I have no doubt about this.
The second thing I thought about when I read there's a Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day were my own nieces and nephews. At this time, in my family, the kids range from infancy to new adult. With just my sister and one brother alone, we have six that range from six to twelve years old. And these kids don't go to bookstores and shop for books. They would laugh in my face if I even suggested this to them. They are reading e-readers, tabelts, iPhones, and iTouches. And they do read. I've seen it myself. They aren't just playing games and having fun. They even know more about e-readers and tablets than I do.
The third thing I thought about were the realities of raising kids nowadays. My sister is a teacher; her husband a doctor. My younger brother is a detective; his wife works in corporate sales. The little free time they have is spent rushing around to their kids events, not flitting off to bookstores.
I'll admit the concept of Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day is nice, in an old fashioned, nostalgic way. I love it from a romantic standpoint. I also like going to old time drive in movies, too. Though I think infants and toddlers are still having fun with kiddie books, once they are over six you can forget about it. They tell you what they want to read and how they want to read it. It's as if technology is inbred in the kids of today, because they don't even have to work hard to use these things. And I have this feeling that even if there still are people out there who will take their kids to bookstores tomorrow, they won't be doing it for long.
Evidently, tomorrow, December 3, is take your child to a bookstore day. Here's the link. You can read more here.
"What bookstore will you visit with the kid in your life? Founded by novelist Jenny Milchman, the new tradition urges parents to pass along the joy of bookstore shopping to the next generation."
Check it out: "Have a look at our Bookstores page to see a map of the almost 150 bookstores participating in Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day–and add your bookstore to the map! Also see our Books page for the children's book we loved best this year. And finally, here's how you can spread the word about Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day."
The first thing that popped into my head was what I just finished reading in Steve Jobs's biography. One of Jobs's biggest ambitions, according to this book, was to reform education with technology. Among many things, he wanted digital books to replace text books we all used to carry around when we were kids. And it will come eventually. I have no doubt about this.
The second thing I thought about when I read there's a Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day were my own nieces and nephews. At this time, in my family, the kids range from infancy to new adult. With just my sister and one brother alone, we have six that range from six to twelve years old. And these kids don't go to bookstores and shop for books. They would laugh in my face if I even suggested this to them. They are reading e-readers, tabelts, iPhones, and iTouches. And they do read. I've seen it myself. They aren't just playing games and having fun. They even know more about e-readers and tablets than I do.
The third thing I thought about were the realities of raising kids nowadays. My sister is a teacher; her husband a doctor. My younger brother is a detective; his wife works in corporate sales. The little free time they have is spent rushing around to their kids events, not flitting off to bookstores.
I'll admit the concept of Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day is nice, in an old fashioned, nostalgic way. I love it from a romantic standpoint. I also like going to old time drive in movies, too. Though I think infants and toddlers are still having fun with kiddie books, once they are over six you can forget about it. They tell you what they want to read and how they want to read it. It's as if technology is inbred in the kids of today, because they don't even have to work hard to use these things. And I have this feeling that even if there still are people out there who will take their kids to bookstores tomorrow, they won't be doing it for long.
Dan Brown's Alleged Bad Writing and Other Links...
I'd like to start this post off by stating that I love Dan Brown's writing. I think he knows how to create a story, from a masculine POV, in ways that make me want to keep reading. And when I'm reading for pleasure, this is what I care about most.
But I read an interesting post over here, at "Michael's" blog, on the Dystel & Goderich Literary Management Blog about Dan Brown's alleged "bad writing." I use the word alleged because I don't agree Dan Brown's writing is bad.
I know the post was written with a tongue-in-cheek tone, and I get where "Michael" was going. But I can't help wondering how Dan Brown feels when he reads posts like this. Seriously, people must think that authors are made of cast iron. Even in fun, authors take these things to heart.
The post I'm talking about links to this article, where examples of Dan Brown's alleged bad writing are given, and the tone isn't as lighthearted as "Michael's." I think each example could be debated. But I also know there's no way anyone can ever win when they go up against a pedantic elitist, so it's not worth the time or effort to give out examples.
In fact, I feel safe in saying that a lot of what I read and see about what's considered "bad writing" is written by pedantic elitists who aren't keeping up with the way people are communicating in a general sense. When I read this blog post over at Hyperbole and a Half, and the long rant that went with it, I felt guilty and a little sad at the same time. Guilty, because I'm one of those people who often abbreviate words like "you" to "u," when I'm texting or posting online. And that's because, like most people my age and younger, I'm either using a tablet or a phone to post. It's easier. It's accepted. And it's the way communication is moving whether we like it or not. I also felt a little sad for the blogger for not taking the way communication is changing...and always has changed...into consideration. And it has nothing to do with age. My mom is in her seventies and she texts and abbreviates all the time.
One of the reasons why I rarely comment on the style of another author's writing is because most of the time it can be debated. And I always think, "who am I to judge?" Evidently, that's not the case in SOME places. And even though the post about Dan Brown was lighthearted and written with a positive tone, I hope when Dan Brown reads these things he knows he's getting the last laugh. Because there are plenty of readers like me out there, who are not elitists, who love the way he writes. But more than that, we "get" and appreciate the way communication styles change and evolve with time.
Here's the best example I can give:
Steven Jobs came up with the infamous line for an ad:
"Think Different"
The pedantic elitists thought it should read "Think Differently," because it's grammatically correct.
Steve Jobs argued that he wanted to keep it "Think Different." Mainly because he wanted "different" to be considered a noun. And he won, the ad was a huge success, and it helped change the world.
I like to "Think Different," too. And I don't care what anyone else thinks.
But I read an interesting post over here, at "Michael's" blog, on the Dystel & Goderich Literary Management Blog about Dan Brown's alleged "bad writing." I use the word alleged because I don't agree Dan Brown's writing is bad.
I know the post was written with a tongue-in-cheek tone, and I get where "Michael" was going. But I can't help wondering how Dan Brown feels when he reads posts like this. Seriously, people must think that authors are made of cast iron. Even in fun, authors take these things to heart.
The post I'm talking about links to this article, where examples of Dan Brown's alleged bad writing are given, and the tone isn't as lighthearted as "Michael's." I think each example could be debated. But I also know there's no way anyone can ever win when they go up against a pedantic elitist, so it's not worth the time or effort to give out examples.
In fact, I feel safe in saying that a lot of what I read and see about what's considered "bad writing" is written by pedantic elitists who aren't keeping up with the way people are communicating in a general sense. When I read this blog post over at Hyperbole and a Half, and the long rant that went with it, I felt guilty and a little sad at the same time. Guilty, because I'm one of those people who often abbreviate words like "you" to "u," when I'm texting or posting online. And that's because, like most people my age and younger, I'm either using a tablet or a phone to post. It's easier. It's accepted. And it's the way communication is moving whether we like it or not. I also felt a little sad for the blogger for not taking the way communication is changing...and always has changed...into consideration. And it has nothing to do with age. My mom is in her seventies and she texts and abbreviates all the time.
One of the reasons why I rarely comment on the style of another author's writing is because most of the time it can be debated. And I always think, "who am I to judge?" Evidently, that's not the case in SOME places. And even though the post about Dan Brown was lighthearted and written with a positive tone, I hope when Dan Brown reads these things he knows he's getting the last laugh. Because there are plenty of readers like me out there, who are not elitists, who love the way he writes. But more than that, we "get" and appreciate the way communication styles change and evolve with time.
Here's the best example I can give:
Steven Jobs came up with the infamous line for an ad:
"Think Different"
The pedantic elitists thought it should read "Think Differently," because it's grammatically correct.
Steve Jobs argued that he wanted to keep it "Think Different." Mainly because he wanted "different" to be considered a noun. And he won, the ad was a huge success, and it helped change the world.
I like to "Think Different," too. And I don't care what anyone else thinks.
December 1, 2011
Something I Just Learned Today...
I learned something new today while I was going through social media and reading about World AIDS day.
Evidently, a lot of gay men who have been diagnosed as HIV+ are considering the dates they were diagnosed significant. I saw one long comment thread on facebook where gay men were just posting dates. Some get these dates tattooed on their bodies.
I didn't know this. The strong emotional support these guys were giving each other brought me back to something I experienced with a friend in 2007. My friend didn't actually have a set date for his diagnosis. I've worked closely with him and I know this for a fact. In his case he didn't know he was HIV positive until it was almost too late. He'd gone into full blown AIDS by then, because a few bad doctors were treating him for other illnesses and ignoring the possibility of HIV/AIDS. It happens. Don't think it can't. Bad doctors are everywhere and most medical errors are human error.
Though my friend came close to death and spent three full months in the hospital in 2007, he came back and he's doing well now, knock wood. He's considered a "miracle" patient in the hospital that treated him. I've never seen any human being fight so hard in my life, and doubt I ever will again. He had to go on permanent disability and he's not the same person he was. This is sad because he's only in his early forties. But he's taking his meds and living a normal life, and he takes nothing for granted anymore.
I'm not an HIV expert. All I know is what I witnessed first hand with my friend, during and after his hospital stay. But I do know this. HIV is not considered a death sentence anymore. With the right ARV meds people can live with HIV like other people live with chronic illnesses. The problem, I know from helping my friend as his acting legal power of attorney, is the cost of these meds...thousands of dollars a month. I don't have any great advice to offer in this respect. I wish I did. But I don't. I do know there are programs offered and anyone with HIV should look into everything they possibly can. When and if I do learn more, I'll post about it.
And if anyone out there can add something in the comment thread, I would appreciate it. I don't think there's enough information out there.
Evidently, a lot of gay men who have been diagnosed as HIV+ are considering the dates they were diagnosed significant. I saw one long comment thread on facebook where gay men were just posting dates. Some get these dates tattooed on their bodies.
I didn't know this. The strong emotional support these guys were giving each other brought me back to something I experienced with a friend in 2007. My friend didn't actually have a set date for his diagnosis. I've worked closely with him and I know this for a fact. In his case he didn't know he was HIV positive until it was almost too late. He'd gone into full blown AIDS by then, because a few bad doctors were treating him for other illnesses and ignoring the possibility of HIV/AIDS. It happens. Don't think it can't. Bad doctors are everywhere and most medical errors are human error.
Though my friend came close to death and spent three full months in the hospital in 2007, he came back and he's doing well now, knock wood. He's considered a "miracle" patient in the hospital that treated him. I've never seen any human being fight so hard in my life, and doubt I ever will again. He had to go on permanent disability and he's not the same person he was. This is sad because he's only in his early forties. But he's taking his meds and living a normal life, and he takes nothing for granted anymore.
I'm not an HIV expert. All I know is what I witnessed first hand with my friend, during and after his hospital stay. But I do know this. HIV is not considered a death sentence anymore. With the right ARV meds people can live with HIV like other people live with chronic illnesses. The problem, I know from helping my friend as his acting legal power of attorney, is the cost of these meds...thousands of dollars a month. I don't have any great advice to offer in this respect. I wish I did. But I don't. I do know there are programs offered and anyone with HIV should look into everything they possibly can. When and if I do learn more, I'll post about it.
And if anyone out there can add something in the comment thread, I would appreciate it. I don't think there's enough information out there.
Another One of My Tired "Don't Trust," Posts...
I've posted on this topic before, and I'm sure I will again.
I do it because I see good, decent people leaving comments on blog threads all the time and it bothers me to think they might be getting scammed in one way or another.
This week alone I came across several different blogs that made me wonder. I'm not naming them because I couldn't prove the allegations...and it's not worth going to the trouble. But I wanted to post a general reminder about how important it is not to trust most of what you read on the Internet these days.
One of the blogs was a publishing blog and they were handing out advice to authors about when authors should hang it up and stop writing. The post I read was geared toward the query system, where authors query literary agents and hope for the best, which isn't a system I've ever been fond of because of the statistics involved. I don't think this blog, in general, was scamming, but I do think they were giving out wrong signals and leaving out important advice they could have been giving out. In other words, if you aren't getting anywhere by querying literary agents, I think you should start checking out small publishers and put those query letters aside for a while. Especially check out small digital presses. I see them popping up everywhere and I know they are looking for authors. What I don't buy into anymore is that the only way to get published and develop a fan base is through literary agents and the old query system. It might work for a small (elite) set of authors these days, but not for the masses. I know a lot of authors who get published, make money, and don't have literary agents. In fact, they've all been rejected by literary agents, with the same old song and dance. Explore all the options that are out there for writers now.
The next blog I came across talked about gay sex. In some cases, there's nothing wrong with this. But in this case the blog author's bio was sketchy and there were no personal photos or any real details about his/her background. I triple checked, googled, searched, and couldn't find anything. Every post was dark and gloomy. The posts about gay men and sex only dealt with the gay men who live on the fringes of society and lurk in the shadows...the gay men with serious fundamental flaws who will never fit into society. But the blog posts made it sound like everything written on that blog was pure solid fact, and that it represented gay men as a group. Nothing could be farther from the truth. And I could see how people who know nothing about gay men would be taken in and believe the author. This is exploitation and it's not fair to the gay male community at large.
And, finally, another so-called "in the life" gay blog I came across was almost too silly to read. No names; no details. It resembled a promotional scheme to me...at best. I could be wrong and it might be authentic. But I talked with a few gay blogging friends about it at different times and we all agreed, separately, it's a fake. Gay men can spot authenticity about gay life, so don't ever try to fool them. Of course the people commenting don't believe this, and there are quite a few. Like I said I could be wrong. But it's just one last example...this week...of how you have to take everything you read on the Internet with a proverbial grain of salt. In this case, it's really not scamming or hurting anyone on an actual level. But from the comments I read, it could be hurting people on an emotional level and I hate to see this happen.
A good rule to follow might be what Judge Judy says often on her TV show: "If it doesn't make sense, it's probably a lie."
I do it because I see good, decent people leaving comments on blog threads all the time and it bothers me to think they might be getting scammed in one way or another.
This week alone I came across several different blogs that made me wonder. I'm not naming them because I couldn't prove the allegations...and it's not worth going to the trouble. But I wanted to post a general reminder about how important it is not to trust most of what you read on the Internet these days.
One of the blogs was a publishing blog and they were handing out advice to authors about when authors should hang it up and stop writing. The post I read was geared toward the query system, where authors query literary agents and hope for the best, which isn't a system I've ever been fond of because of the statistics involved. I don't think this blog, in general, was scamming, but I do think they were giving out wrong signals and leaving out important advice they could have been giving out. In other words, if you aren't getting anywhere by querying literary agents, I think you should start checking out small publishers and put those query letters aside for a while. Especially check out small digital presses. I see them popping up everywhere and I know they are looking for authors. What I don't buy into anymore is that the only way to get published and develop a fan base is through literary agents and the old query system. It might work for a small (elite) set of authors these days, but not for the masses. I know a lot of authors who get published, make money, and don't have literary agents. In fact, they've all been rejected by literary agents, with the same old song and dance. Explore all the options that are out there for writers now.
The next blog I came across talked about gay sex. In some cases, there's nothing wrong with this. But in this case the blog author's bio was sketchy and there were no personal photos or any real details about his/her background. I triple checked, googled, searched, and couldn't find anything. Every post was dark and gloomy. The posts about gay men and sex only dealt with the gay men who live on the fringes of society and lurk in the shadows...the gay men with serious fundamental flaws who will never fit into society. But the blog posts made it sound like everything written on that blog was pure solid fact, and that it represented gay men as a group. Nothing could be farther from the truth. And I could see how people who know nothing about gay men would be taken in and believe the author. This is exploitation and it's not fair to the gay male community at large.
And, finally, another so-called "in the life" gay blog I came across was almost too silly to read. No names; no details. It resembled a promotional scheme to me...at best. I could be wrong and it might be authentic. But I talked with a few gay blogging friends about it at different times and we all agreed, separately, it's a fake. Gay men can spot authenticity about gay life, so don't ever try to fool them. Of course the people commenting don't believe this, and there are quite a few. Like I said I could be wrong. But it's just one last example...this week...of how you have to take everything you read on the Internet with a proverbial grain of salt. In this case, it's really not scamming or hurting anyone on an actual level. But from the comments I read, it could be hurting people on an emotional level and I hate to see this happen.
A good rule to follow might be what Judge Judy says often on her TV show: "If it doesn't make sense, it's probably a lie."
World AIDS Day...
In celebration of World AIDS Day, I'd like to mention a non-profit organization that is very close to my heart. It's the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, and I've seen how hard they work first hand.
I received this photo of them in a card of thanks earlier this week for giving a donation. I can't get the photo right-sided, and I have a feeling my new APPLE iPhone has something to do with that. I never had that problem before with my old phone. It's probably more control from those good old folks at Apple. Sorry about that.
But I've also worked with the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania,as acting power or attorney for a good friend who is HIV positive, and there's no way I can ever repay them for all they've done to help.
It's nice to know there are people like this and places like this were people with HIV/AIDS can go all the time, not just one day a year.
Free E-book Contest Here!! Find the Bad Word...
As promised, I'm going to run a contest in celebration of my new release, FOUR GAY WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL.
It's going to be fairly simple, too.
The only catch is that you have to read FOUR GAY WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL and find the sentence with the word "seemingly." The word "seemingly" is only used in the book once, because I absolutely despise any word ending with "ingly." You won't find any other fiction of mine with an "ingly" word. And the only reason "seemingly" is in this book is because the copyeditor put it there and I decided not to complain about it. But it's one of those words that makes me cringe.
When you find the sentence with the word "seemingly," leave a comment on the thread and then e-mail me at: rfieldj@aol.com with your contact information and the sentence with "seemingly." The comment you leave can be anonymous and short, or you can leave your identity. You only have to say something like, "I found it. I'm sending you an e-mail," in the comment. Right after you comment, send me an e-mail with the correct sentence with the word "seemingly" and you're done.
Don't leave the actual sentence from the book in the comment thread. That wouldn't be fair to other people and I won't be able to publish it. And I will be checking the times you commented and e-mailed me to make sure they go together. In other words, if someone leaves a comment on Saturday at ten in the morning and e-mails me at one minute after ten, I know it's legit. And I want to keep this fair.
That's all there is to it. The first five to leave a comment and send me an e-mail with the correct sentence from the book with the word "seemingly" will get a free e-book of THE COMPUTER TUTOR. And this book won't even be released until February 9th, so five people will be ahead of the game in that respect.
To sum it up:
1. Find the sentence in FOUR GAY WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL with the word "seemingly."
2. Leave a comment on this thread letting me know you found the sentence, without giving out the sentence.
3. E-mail me immediately with the sentence that contains the word "seemingly." And please put "I found it" in the subject line.
4. I'll send you a free copy of THE COMPUTER TUTOR.
And I will leave this contest open until five people comment. This means that if the fifth person doesn't comment until next month...or year...he/she will still be eligible to win the free e-book. I don't see any reason for a time limit.
If anyone has any questions, e-mail me. Please don't fill up the comment thread with questions. I will be checking comments more often than usual. But be patient if the comment doesn't appear immediately. It's still there on blogger, so don't worry if you don't see it right away.[image error]
It's going to be fairly simple, too.
The only catch is that you have to read FOUR GAY WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL and find the sentence with the word "seemingly." The word "seemingly" is only used in the book once, because I absolutely despise any word ending with "ingly." You won't find any other fiction of mine with an "ingly" word. And the only reason "seemingly" is in this book is because the copyeditor put it there and I decided not to complain about it. But it's one of those words that makes me cringe.
When you find the sentence with the word "seemingly," leave a comment on the thread and then e-mail me at: rfieldj@aol.com with your contact information and the sentence with "seemingly." The comment you leave can be anonymous and short, or you can leave your identity. You only have to say something like, "I found it. I'm sending you an e-mail," in the comment. Right after you comment, send me an e-mail with the correct sentence with the word "seemingly" and you're done.
Don't leave the actual sentence from the book in the comment thread. That wouldn't be fair to other people and I won't be able to publish it. And I will be checking the times you commented and e-mailed me to make sure they go together. In other words, if someone leaves a comment on Saturday at ten in the morning and e-mails me at one minute after ten, I know it's legit. And I want to keep this fair.
That's all there is to it. The first five to leave a comment and send me an e-mail with the correct sentence from the book with the word "seemingly" will get a free e-book of THE COMPUTER TUTOR. And this book won't even be released until February 9th, so five people will be ahead of the game in that respect.
To sum it up:
1. Find the sentence in FOUR GAY WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL with the word "seemingly."
2. Leave a comment on this thread letting me know you found the sentence, without giving out the sentence.
3. E-mail me immediately with the sentence that contains the word "seemingly." And please put "I found it" in the subject line.
4. I'll send you a free copy of THE COMPUTER TUTOR.
And I will leave this contest open until five people comment. This means that if the fifth person doesn't comment until next month...or year...he/she will still be eligible to win the free e-book. I don't see any reason for a time limit.
If anyone has any questions, e-mail me. Please don't fill up the comment thread with questions. I will be checking comments more often than usual. But be patient if the comment doesn't appear immediately. It's still there on blogger, so don't worry if you don't see it right away.[image error]
November 30, 2011
JbDubs - I Hate My Job (Official Music Video)
I don't really hate my job. I love my job. But I love this video, too.
