Jude Stringfellow's Blog, page 43

MURDER BOOK 85% Finished.

     I think by now, ya'll know that when I say it's finished, I mean the ink is on the paper so to speak, but it's not anywhere near done. Nope. I'm 85% finished with writing the book, but now I'll need to go back and fluff and stuff it. I've been doing a bit of fluff and stuff along the way, to be honest, but I do and will need to go through it chapter by chapter, literally line by line to open it up, fill in the blanks, make changes, and create a more flowy-flowy atmosphere for my characters. I can't believe all the mistakes I make when I write. Just like when I write blogs. I find 10-20 mistakes and either go back and change them, or I leave them in and say phooey...get it next time. I can't do that with the books.

    With "Of Kilted Pleasure" I'm dealing with the creators at the publishing house to allow me to resubmit the old PDF with corrections without charging me more than just a small revision fee. It's sort of like asking the wind to stop blowing in Oklahoma, but there are times when you can. It's hard to get these people to even get off their duff to assist; they don't do phone assistance, only email  -- so it's a complete and unnecessary waste of time! But, in the end, if they can do it for me, I know I won't make the same mistake with the Murder Book; or any other book for that matter. NOPE, never again.

    I am now 85% finished if I am going with the goal of 80,000 words for the manuscript. I have 68,000+ words now. I'm on Chapter Thirty-Four and it's going to be a catch-up chapter. It's an intel chapter in that it is written to inform the reader about the past, current events, and the things to come. It sets up situations and puts some things to rest. Nick will have a telephone call from Edinburgh to Oklahoma City; wishing his family back home a very Merry Christmas. He'll explain Hogmanay to the folks back home, he'll tell them what all he's been up to, but leave some of the scary parts out so his mom doesn't worry.  He'll be asked a few questions, and that will be the setup part. The audience will hear his mom ask about so-and-so, and this or that; Nick has to explain to her, and thus the audience, what will happen.

    I feel like I have four or five chapters to go. If they are all about 2500 words, it makes perfect sense. It's getting really good. One bad guy was caught, but he wasn't that bad. The next one was caught, she's bad, and won't get away with anything. The one coming up will be a challenge for sure; he's really sleazy and a bit greasy as well. That's a clue, but you don't know that. We'll see what happens to him. For that matter we'll both see because I've not got it all worked out in my head yet, so it's not worked out on the computer either. This thing lives, it breathes, and I work with it. I don't tell it what to do.

    I may throw a Scottish recipe for something in the book just for fun. MacRae may have to have his girls help him prepare a little something something for the holidays. The next few chapters will be written this weekend. I'll have the book completed as far as the word count goes by Sunday night. I'll spend next week reading it, going through it, and making changes. I'll take the next week to correct that. I'll wait two more weeks, re-read it, find more errors, and finalize it. So, by August the book will be ready to send to the publisher. Sounds good.

    I'm not going to spend a lot of time, effort, or money on the cover of the book since it's a murder book, and I'll have several to follow in a series. I'll be sure to have an art deco-style front since it takes place in 1930, but it won't be anything too spectacular. I won't spend money on it. I need to publish more books. If they sell then maybe I'll go back and redesign the covers. You just never know. There's so much that a person can do nowadays with self-publishing. I am not a graphics person, but others are and for a very cheap price I can get something created if I need to.

    OK, so that's it, I'll be writing tomorrow and all weekend. I'll keep you posted.

Photo Credit: BuyBackdrop.com

Kind of Keto. Not Quite.

 I've done this before, but now, I'm doing it a little differently. I'll explain. I am not the type of person to go on a diet and just starve myself or do things I wouldn't want to do on a regular basis. I'm not going to drink lemon water with cayenne pepper and vinegar to make myself thinner (maybe) but at the same time, create such an acid response in my body that I make myself sick. It is NOT worth it. 

    There is a powder out there called MCT or something. I tried it, and then my dumb ass decided to overdose myself (accidentally) and I ended up feeling sicker than I have in so many years. I think I relate it to the time I over-smoked a really fat, rich cigar without knowing that a person who doesn't ordinarily smoke them shouldn't do that. Both times, I was flat on my belly in bed, with my head about to fall off. I was just gone. It could not have been...well, maybe it could have been worse, but I don't ever want to find out if it can be. I was SICK.

    So, the lemon water is fine. I'll do that all day, and by that I mean literally all day I can do that.  I can put a lime in my water too, and be really happy. The thing that I have the most trouble with is not sugar. I can quit sugar like no other. I have. I do so much less sugar now than I have ever done. I still have sweets. I just use monk fruit instead of granulated sugar; it's literally sweeter than sugar, has zero calories, and there are no side effects. Why the UK has all but banned it, I don't know. Well, I  do know actually, they say they don't have enough evidence; so maybe in time, they will sell monk fruit there as well.

    The hard thing for me is bread. Doing without pasta is OK, doing without potatoes is good. I can do that. I can do the other things too; things Keto diets say are bad for you. I can eliminate them, but bread seems to kick my butt. I find myself trying to return to it. I've gone 7 days now without it though. It's hilarious. I tend to go on these kicks of mine where I swear by all things I need to swear by that I'm going to stop eating bread, but it comes the day after I bought a whole loaf, or a can of biscuits, or something. No. I am doing this. I've been doing this. The can of Grands is still in the fridge and I have to find someone to give them to. 

    My best friend's birthday was June 22 and my birthday is November 22. I'm going on a bread fast from June 22 to November 22 to see what if any changes I can see. I'm also eating better, exercising, drinking lemon water, and being an overall good person to myself, but the bread thing slays me; I need strength!! I am also giving up cereal, but not oatmeal or grits.  The oatmeal I eat is steel cut, and I eat it with walnuts, cranberries, cinnamon, and a bit of heavy cream. Good for me. Grits are the same, but I do the monk fruit and walnuts, and honey with them. 

    If you ask me, and some do, I think that making decisions for myself is easier than making them for someone else. I don't ask permission usually, I just do what needs to be done. When I make decisions for others, I need to either be over them personally, like when my kids were of minority age, or I need to be their guardian owner, such as I am for Ginger my dog. I do, and I will make decisions about what Ginger will or will not eat. She truly doesn't get a say in the matter. She really (probably) doesn't even realize she may have the option to do so. Making the decision for myself is just easier.

    I need to lose a huge amount of weight (not really, but it is to me) so that when I step off the plane in Edinburgh next summer I won't be ginormous or cause any scenes. I hate causing scenes. I do. It's just so...brazen. Well, I don't mind a little brazen, but I don't want to be fat when I do that. I want to be healthy, fit, and happy so I can walk the streets, climb the hills, keep up with my friends, and fully enjoy myself. I am currently making plans to visit next summer before Hurricane season, but the friend who says she'll go with me is likely to back out; if I'm honest. I don't mind, I can do the trip solo; again.

    Kind of Keto is how I describe my diet when I'm asked. I am heavy on egg protein, meats, and cheeses. I load up on fruits and veggies, and my trail mix is 100% fantastic and wonderful. I tend to stay clear of desserts, but I do have them; just not with sugar. I eat yogurt, usually Greek plain, with honey, and again, walnuts and cranberries. You'd think I'd be fit already; damn it, I should be. I have no idea why the body refuses to read the scientific evidence online; so it can just do what it's supposed to do. C'mon, body!! Geez.

    Day 7 of the no-bread thing.  I'm earning my stripes.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

MURDER BOOK: 78% Written

 OBVIOUSLY, I am making an assumption if I say that with 62,839 words written of my new book, I am at the 78% mark. I don't know what the end word count will be, and I'm using a basic guideline of 80,000 words. I think the last book I wrote was just shy of 80,000 so it seems like a good number to choose. I may be 100% wrong. I may be writing on this dang thing for a while, but there will come a time when I tell myself that enough is enough, and the characters will need to hold their breath until I can release them into the first of several follow-up books. They'll be thrilled.

    One of the fun fun fun parts of the books is writing the historical parts where I can really get into it and find cool facts that I think people will want to know about. I use Wikipedia of course, and in some cases, I use my own personal memories regarding what I know about this or that. This book, takes place in 1930, in both the United States as well as the United Kingdom; I'm not sure I have much to offer in terms of personal memory. Luckily for me, my son was in a movie that was a 1930s period film, and though it was filmed in Oklahoma's city of Guthrie in Logan County, it was supposed to look as if it was taking place in New York City. The costumes, the automobiles, and all the glitz and glamour, were just amazing. 

    Today, I had the honor of writing four chapters of the book. They sort of just rolled out of me. Mostly fluff pieces, as I am about to write a more down and gritty action scene where the good guys corner a killer and she is captured in the most unique way, I need to say that I have enjoyed just letting the information flow out of me and on to the pages. When I write fluff and stuff, I tend to just go with whatever is in my head, and after I read it, I make needed changes; honing it up, shoring it up, to create the needed setup for the critical pieces.  It can't all be car chases, and shoot-em-ups, right? Or in Roy Roger's case, neck break horse chases and shoot-em-ups. There have to be some lulls and ebbs to support the flows and tides.

    I made the decision today to make the good man who dies have a real purpose and a true romantic backstory. The reader will miss him, be upset at this falling, and want true revenge for his killer. It should be that way. We should hate the bad guys enough to want to see them get their justice!  Still, even as I'm writing the last words of the good man, I am secretly whispering in his ears that he's not really going to die, he's going to a fictional ever-after where he'll wait for his true love to arrive in due time. I may mention him from time to time, bringing him another wave of admiration from my readers. This guy deserves admiration. He put in the years. He made the road easier for those who came behind him - - I can't say more without giving it away.

    Funny, as I'm writing this blog I chanced to glance at my keyboard. Keep in mind this is a NEW keyboard that goes with my  NEW computer. Already, and it's been less than 3 months, certain keys have been completely worn down, and rubbed off, and the lights from the LED base on the keyboard are glaring at me! E, A, S, D, C, V, N, M, L, and the period key are all gone. The left Shift and the Space bar have issues as well. That's hilarious. Oh well, they all work, I don't need to see what the letters are to know where to put the tips of my fingers. It will make my friend a bit nervous t though when she comes over; she hates not being able to know what keys to use. She doesn't need them, but not being able to see them will freak her out. She's gonna love the book - - I'm not letting her read it until it's 100% finished. She'll read it before it's published, but not until the curtain falls...actually after the curtain falls, but that's another clue you'll have to find out about; read the book when it comes out.

Photo Credit: Reddit

POEMS BY JUDE

 Kaleidoscope

 

His grey eyes fixed on mine

Not understanding my heart

Not comprehending my reason

 

He asked, and I listened

"How can you love me?

How could you even?"

 

Words were there but lost

Between my gaze and soul

Words were not enough

 

"I'm broken, he said.

Completely without anything

I'm not who you think I am"

 

"You are broken," I answered

"Not like an umbrella 

One would cast away if so,

 

"You are broken like stained glass

Which after it is gathered

Becomes a Kaleidoscope"

 

 

- Jude Stringfellow 

December 10, 2022

 

Raku 

 

Choosing tolove him was not my choice 

The firebroke everything I believed I controlled 

The air thatsurrounded me disappeared 

I was left tosmolder in the coals 

 

Formed, Iwas. Treated as mere thick clay 

Never givingmy consent, only shown the end 

Told, morethan asked. I was led, I was worked 

Milled andshaped, pounded even, hardened 

 

Why me God? Ibeg to know Your mind 

Why should Icontinue rolling in searing flame 

To become thepot, the vase, the urn? 

WillYou use me then? Will I hold? Embrace? 

 

You are thePotter. I am your clay. I know this 

You choose, Ilisten. You will, I bow 

The prayers,the time, the years, the faith 

I understandYou’ve planned, I follow 

 

Until thelast pyre I remain incomplete 

Knowing therewill be blessings, I agree 

Knowing heneeds me to continue  

To lift hissoul through the pain of my own firing 

 

You are thePotter. I am your clay. 

My destinedcolors will forge with time 

Your strengthis given in my making  

I am who Youhave decided to create  

 

If my missionis to pray, I bow my head 

Your commandis well within my power 

Power givenby the One and accepted in whole 

Raku me. Tobe the vessel You desire 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow 

April 92022 

 

Entreated 

  

What colorsdo I see? 

When I thinkof you? 

Could therebe a shade 

Sweet enoughto be expressed? 

 

Am I bound bya veil so lovely 

At the verysight of you? 

Are youcaptured by my  

Heart’s eyes– unimaginable? 

 

What sound isit that I hear 

As your voicedances on air? 

As yourpresence leans upon 

My soul torest. 

 

How I amlured by the melody 

By thesymphony, by the lyrics 

By the chordsplayed evenly 

By ourhands. 

 

What anchorsmy very being 

To thethought of you each time? 

Each time Iam drawn without force 

Held captiveby music, by love. 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow

March 26,2022 

 

Him

 

I could tell you that I love you

Or maybe write it in a poem

I could wrap my arms around you

Or whisper a sweet hymn

 

Will you ever truly be mine

Is my soul to ever rest

My joy is the hope

My happiness – your bliss

 

Could I mention you in passing

Would it be of any use

I’m not sure if you could love me

So why go through the hurt

 

I could tell you that I love you

Or let the days pass on

I could be there when you need me

If that is all you want.

 

I wear the mask completely

No one would ever know

I must be like a sidekick

I may even be a joke

 

I could tell you that I love you

Would you even hear

Could you ever understand

My heart is not my friend

 

 

-Jude Stringfellow

November 29, 2020.

 

Empyrean  

 

One, two,three, four, 

One, two,three – fly 

I chase theillusion 

Dream –fantasize 

 

Drawn to thevelvet 

Thick themotions scroll 

Clearfloating breezes 

Line myheart’s soul 

 

Oh, do I seehim 

Is he here –just there 

Dance for me, kind king 

Spin yourservant fair 

 

Long I’vedreamt to find you 

Entice, comenear I pray 

Take my hand,my every breath 

Give yourstrong embrace 

 

Drawn tothis, my trance 

An escape tobe with you 

If only in myvisions 

Until a dayso new 

 

So new withits beginning 

Unearthed andset above 

Heaven holdsmy waiting 

How dare Imention love 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow

November 29,2021 

 

Reflections of the Eve 

 

Pure, theechoed silence 

Forced tohold its breath 

Gently pricksmy soul 

I resign toyour request 

 

Touch,creating motion 

Heat movesnow within 

Strong and soassuring 

Flow, caress,we bend 

 

Embrace theswollen air between us 

Let it lingerthrough the night 

Tantalizingspirits  

Radiant aslight 

 

Yourkiss, my cadence 

Trailsbetween my lips 

Your mouth anendless river 

Deep andsensuous 

 

Stay with meforever 

Day throughnight we live 

Devotion isyour heart’s beat 

Ardor isyour gift 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow

November 29,2021 

 

 

Shut Off – Shut Down 

 

I look atyou, I see your walls. 

So manyvaried bricks 

 

Layeredinjuries stacked inside 

Hardened overtime 

 

I think I seeor feel a way 

A way toguide you through it 

 

I hurt tohope and wish I knew 

A path toshow your mind’s heart 

 

You don’tdeserve the world today 

You’ve paidyour dues in spades 

 

Each stoneupon the other paves 

Protectingyou from freedom 

 

If prayerswere chisels – only if 

To breakthrough would be best 

 

The sorrowbound within your eyes 

Reflects myprayers for rest 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow

November 26,2021 

 

Amethyst Sky 

 

I lay beneathHeaven at her dusk 

Hues too vastto hold 

Lifts of paleblue, turning mauve 

Eventidesings his song 

 

Grace, for anhour, accompany me 

Teach me tobe still 

Patientevening bear with me 

Letconscience guide your will 

 

Share allmanner of meditation 

Finesse andpoise my thought 

Ease yourgentle-mannered ways 

Throughmy senses, giving hope 

 

Ornate vaultof heaven, gloss 

Your hours ofcolors pass 

Amethystblankets hold each star 

In place, intime, en masse 

 

Sleep beginsher soft barrage 

Inviting meto dance 

Invasion ofthe sweetest sort 

Two steps andI am gone 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow

July 24, 2021

 

You 

 

 

How canI sleep when 

Fairies aredancing  

When the keysof your piano float 

 intothe sky? 

 

How will Idream when  

Your touchlingers in my soul 

Your fingerstickle my very breath 

            Each stroke new 

 

Where will myslumber take me 

“Dancingon the Light?”  

“I’m MissingYou Now” 

 

Touch isdeeper than your kiss 

Air becomesmy song 

Music,coursing through my veins  

            I want you. 

 

Slowlydrifting, slink into one 

Our bodies feelingevery note 

No words, soft saxophonescry 

            We are one 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow 

July 5, 2021

 

My Jesus 

 

Grace, grace,God’s grace 

Grace, Idon’t deserve 

I peer uponthe King’s face 

And to knowI’m heard 

 

I come toGod’s throne 

With bendedknee so low 

I can knowHe’ll always 

Welcome meback Home. 

 

Faith, faith,God’s faith 

Faithabundant, free 

Held withinmy heart’s heart 

I know thatHe loves me 

 

Never will Iunderstand  

The price Hepaid that day 

Why a Kingwould leave His throne 

To end up inthe grave. 

 

Erupting fromthe grips of death 

To put it allto rest 

No other namelives on and on 

The King, myKing, Jesus. 

 

Praise,praise, God’s praise 

Blessings Iwill sing 

Endless daysof singing 

Endless loveHe gave 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow 

June 5, 2021

 

Dolor Dream 

 

When youare close, I lose control 

"Holdme”, (I wish), no, don’t stare 

Protestescaping into dream  

Only duskcan bring you nearer 

 

I won’tpretend I don’t pretend 

Knowing fully, itis my curse 

Visions,dreaming, wishing 

So easy towrite each verse 

 

Truth inmuffled whispered gasps 

My pillowholds my secrets 

Etiolate intobliss; (unrest) 

I fade in andout of existence  

 

Touching you– you holding me 

Bathed infire’s dolor pool 

Breathing on my wetskin 

I dare notcool your soul 

 

I dare notstop my vision’s quest 

Nor wake tofind you’re missing 

If dreamingbrings your love to me 

I’ll neversee the morning 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow 

February 15,2021 

 

 Con Amore 

 

“Con Amore”,she called to him 

Allowing herintent 

Though herheartbeat brio, brio 

He seemedquiet, seemed content 

 

His glancetoward her showed interest 

Adagio, atfirst 

Perhapsa furia waits beneath  

The greysteel stare for her 

 

Unique thesubtle movements 

Drone, a bassbeat lingered 

Lifting slowly,falling fast 

Acceso -burning 

 

Bend to love,sweet melody 

Pick up yourvoice in chord 

Harmoniousbeating, their two hearts 

Dolce sweetand strong 

 

En retenant,holding back 

These notesso fast so splendid 

Hammer on,slowing now 

Decrescendo –waning 

 

Thunderouschords strike again 

Breathlesstempo rising 

Pluckingevery imagined chord 

Music for thewriting 

 

Silence now,as music lives 

Flowingsoft Calore 

Mutedintonation as, 

She whispers “ConAmore” 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow 

February 14,2021 

 

As Dawn Wanes 

 

Whispersprick the belly of my ears gently 

Sinkingdeeply in their pools 

Laughingwhiskers tinge my soul’s tongue 

Lick thesteam as coffee brews 

 

Morning liftsher skirts, awakened 

Dawn slipsaway, he dares that smile 

Robins singtheir distractions 

Allowing Dawnto hide a while 

 

He willreturn to rage the battle 

Dreamersfight within his snare 

Clutches giveand thrust their bedsheets 

Morning fearsDawn’s final stare 

 

Give to meyour hour so longing 

Bring backheaven, hold me fast 

Care not ifthe hour is waning 

Squeeze mythighs, renew your grasp 

 

Grey-eyedstare veiled delusion 

Scrape myheart and gouge my faith 

A fantasy, areason to 

Keep Morningoh, so far away 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow

July 17, 2022

 

 Say Goodnight 

 

There’ssomething about this feeling 

Somethinguntrusting, raw 

Thought itwould be easy to resist 

Again, Ifailed myself – that's all 

 

Not easy tofall this hard and survive 

Suppose I’vehad practice before 

What I wish Icould do is scream 

Not lettinganything show 

 

What Iwouldn’t give to smile 

Simplywalk away - waving 

Nothing lastsforever, but this  

This pain,this hurt, this craving 

 

You’ve takenmy heart 

You don’teven realize my ruin 

Just a fool;standing silent - alone 

Knowingyou’ll never return 

 

Could I tearloose – break away 

Hitch a ridewith my own future 

A place youwon’t find me 

A place you’dnever venture 

 

Too broken toask for help 

My noumenonexposed 

Too worn fromyears of injury 

Self-inflicted;perhaps cursed 

 

What could Ido with me anyway 

Keepsentiment wrapped up tight 

Never sharinglove again 

Smile, wave,say “good night” 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow 

February 13,2021 

 

 

Sagacious Submission 

 

I will neverbend  

I shall nevermove 

Strength willleave me first 

This stand Imake will prove 

 

All sagacityheld firm 

I sense whatyou are doing 

My soulrejects all lures 

My veinspulse with fury 

 

Brave myheart holds guard 

Not moving,no allotment 

Stay from me– be gone 

The tearingis but torment 

 

Wisdom,insight, vision 

What good arethese tonight 

Love hastricked my very core 

So lost inyou, my plight 

 

Given to thefear of loss 

Abductionfrom within 

Loosen these,damned lover’s chains 

Forced toyield again 

 

 

-JudeStringfellow 

February 12,2021 

 

Whisper in My Ear 

 

Whisper in myear, love 

Penetratingsounds coo with each breath 

I relax inyour arms, held bound without ties 

Captive for youwithout snare 

 

Your wordshushed with anticipation 

Half air,half promise 

No one nearbut you love, no one closer 

Swear thesewords you use 

 

Twirlingpastels in my mind 

Yourlavenders within my lilac 

Myimagination no longer alone to dream 

You are myspirit, you are my breath 

 

Burningwithout flame, consumed without fire 

Leaning in, Iwant to know you 

Panting skinagainst your hardened form 

Racing heartstop - I can’t hear him 

 

Whisper in myear, love 

Say all youdare to say now 

I holdpledged your promise 

I await yoursilenced mouth  

 

 

-JudeStringfellow  

February 6,2021 

 

Lover

 

Endlessembrace!

Thenight chills—I dream

Whatcould better calm me

Yourarms enclosed—love

 

Palefixed eyes

Gazeinto my ginger pools

Holdingfast this last twinkling

Dawnthreatens to steal

 

Whiskeredsmile

Ticklingpast my tender skin

Lingeredpoints—brief touch

Dancingelves—each one

 

Awaken!

No,let me lie with you

Holdingon to night

Togive in—to lose

 

 

-Jude Stringfellow

November11, 2000

 

Green

 

Green the grass rollsyonder
Setting fragrance free
Breezes flower, blooming
Bursting at their seams

Honeysuckle, Daffodils
Roses, creep like Myrtles
Draping. Swing. Mad Willow
Bend and show the world

Bend and show to everyone
The Oak is not so strong
She holds her ground,
But breaks to Wind's harsh song

Sing your songs, sweet Sparrow
Counter speak the Doves
Listen Willow, feel them
Hiding in your gloves

Green your leaves drape covering
Busily sweep the air
Not for me to question
Not for me to care

Creep the Myrtles purple
Bloom and give to green
Willows kiss the future
Winter hands off to Spring

-Jude Stringfellow
March 11, 2010

 

Ruled By Heart

I couldn't ever start to know
The cravings of my heart
Her drum in me beats on its own
She lays out her own desires
I am forced to do her bidding
By fear that she may stop
If left alone she'd harden
Her need for me is soft

We fit together - harmonized
True, she rules us both
If she decides to fall again
If she desires to love
I won't fall, but have to wait
Wait until she frees me
I won't fall, but have to hope
Hope that she releases

I have but one heart to serve
She has but me to rule
Strange, our timing always off
Her silent beat abuses
Clinching to the next dreamt scheme
Silent beats - such thunder
Serve I will, devoted warrior
Pray she does not wander

 

-Jude Stringfellow

October 27, 2010

 

 Symphony of Love 

Is my voicea symphony 

Do I ragewith song 

When ourhearts are melding 

Two becomingone 

 
Are your notes of tenor 

Forced withbreathless thrust 

Are thewhisperings of woodwinds 

Leaping frommy tongue 

 

Quickenheart! Hold time 

Surround thesound—silence 

Mewl for noone else to hear 

My lover’slips shall thunder 

 

Rage, lift upmy very soul 

In crescendo—rapture! 

Deep inside,harmonious tides 

Melodies—captured 

 
Songs for only our ears 

Sweet inevery note 

Panting—exhaustedrefrain 

Music is yourstroke 

 

Sing sweetlover to me 

Your song akind surrender 

Symphonicpleas, submission 

Orchestra inmotion 

 

-JudeStringfellow 

 

 

Fire’s Breath 

 

I arch mybody toward the stars 

To feel yourhand in touch 

Towhisper words you cannot hear 

But wordstransform in love 

 

I reach tohold your firm strong arms 

To press youeven closer 

To hold youfast within my loin 

I celebratemy lover 

 

Tonight resoundswithin my mind 

Avision—impressions 

Tomorrow’slove soon foretold 

With sweetanticipation 

 

Keep mesheltered in your soul 

Your thoughtsdear—caress 

Strength tocarry through the day 

I wait foryou—your presents 

 

It won’t belong until we love 

Until we kissimpassioned 

Fire’s breathshines through your eyes 

Revealinglove—unquestioned 

 

- JudeStringfellow 

 

 Me Mutter

Well, there she goes Just ‘a walkin’ down the streetSinging this and that andWhatever else she wants - - BECAUSEShe is me Mutter.Some may know herSome know her smileSome don’t give a damn butIt’s OK because she don’t eitherShe is me MutterThere’s another poem out thereOne about a momThis is one about mine andNo one else’s, except my sibs She is OUR MutterI love the stuffin’ out of herThink she’s pretty daftThink she’s smart as hell tooAt the same time, she’s all thatShe is me MutterNot one to mess or fart aroundMaybe just a toot or twoShe can paint and laugh and singBut mostly she just smiles and lovesShe is, and will always be…Me Mutter.-Jude StringfellowJune 27, 2023

Adobe to the Rescue! THANK YOU!!

     I've learned so much today that I feel as if I deserve to take a nap and it's only 12:20 p.m. Man, it's like crazy learning time for me today. I was given an email from my publisher saying that it was possible for me to upload my revised file for "Of Kilted Pleasure" and that there would be no charge to do so, other than the standard $25 revision charge. As long as my revisions were strictly interior, they weren't going to change the title information, the font size, etc. OK, this made me so happy. Then, when I tried to do that, I was stopped. Not good.

    The publisher, because it's a self-publisher, isn't all that user-friendly. They send you basic, vague, sometimes cryptic instructions which absolutely assume that the user, me, will know what the heck they're talking about when they say things like not all the fonts are embedded. I have ZERO idea what that means. When I say ZERO, I mean, there is no registration whatsoever as to what that might mean. I called in the big dogs, my kid; and all she could do was ask me to watch a video online. OK...we tried that, and it didn't help whatsoever. 

    The reason the videos didn't help was that I was (a) using the most updated version of Adobe DC to read the PDF file I had uploaded, and (b) the videos were shot before the newer version of Adobe DC came out, so yeah, they were all saying "Just go to the file menu and click on properties" which would have been wonderful if there was a freaking FILE menu. There was a menu, and under it there was no place to click on either file or properties. NO ONE (in my house) knew that you could undo the latest version by clicking the menu selection telling you to undo the latest version. It wasn't something we were wired to do; it seemed as if that would be a dumb thing to do. It was the right thing to do.

    I broke down and called the 800 number for Adobe. Do yourself a HUGE service and just call them. Don't do what I do. Don't be me. Go straight to the source. I called the 800 number, it makes you jump a few hoops to get to the right people, and when you do you're directed to knowledgeable people who know exactly what you need. This is a really good thing. I spent the next 11-15 minutes on the phone with their great customer service guy who asked if he could take control of my computer remotely...YES. Please do!!  He did.

    I could watch him zip-zap through the things most people would just shake their heads at, but the entire time he was zipping and zapping he was also telling me what he was doing, why he was doing it, and he assured me that I would never have to do it myself if I continued to pay for the Adobe service. OK...that's easy.  I think I'll drop Adobe as a subscription until I need to use their customer service again, he even suggested that, as the $19.99 monthly can be a bit annoying if you're not needing it. I didn't have to pay for it today as I have a 7-day free trial. I think, if I played my cards correctly, and he confirmed, I can just stop following them, and then pick the 7-day free trial back up whenever I need help. Bingo!! That's a good plan.

    The Adobe guy told me that they don't mind helping people who only have the 7-day free trial, as it gives them experience as well. They are all working toward speaking better English; it's a win-win. I LOVE IT. My book was uploaded a 2nd time, and it was accepted. I paid the $25.00 revision charge and now I wait 3 days for the new galley, so I can go through it and see if the 12 oops I made on the original book are gone. How good is that? YES. I'm hoping that's all I have to do. If that's the case I will laugh that I didn't do it a month ago, but you can only do what you know when you know it, and I was just too scared to jump into the techy side of it. 

    Tech scares me. I'm not going to lie. I can do Excel to a degree. I am almost Google certified, but I don't really understand the background of any of it. I know there are things I'll never understand, and I just do what everyone says to do. I have no understanding whatsoever as to how the internet works, how signals from the air end up on paper, or anything.  I just turn on the A/C when it's hot, and I lift up the tap faucet to get the water. I'm not one to ask about how anything is made. I made three kids, and have no idea how a placenta is formed. It is what it is. God's hand. I just appreciate Him and anyone who can help in these matters.

    I'm about to finish "Murder Book" so my Adobe guy helped me save that file in Adobe so when I make the changes in Word I can replace the saved files in PDF format. I will then send them to the publisher and create that book. It will be a bit more than the $25 since it's a new book. I'll need to create a cover and have it all formatted. I think Ingram Spark is far cheaper than the other publishers I've used in the past. I'll find out in about a month. I won't submit this one until I've gone through it 10x and have waited 2 weeks to do it again, just to be sure. I hate mistakes. I found one in a Perry Mason book though, and I took a picture of it, and sent it to my friend to prove it's not just me!!!

    THANK YOU Adobe man!!  So good. 

Photo Credit: adobe.com

MURDER BOOK: 70% Finished.

     Maybe the rest of you don't do this, but when I'm writing a book, I get the old notebook paper out, and I find a good pen. I literally write out the outline or bullet point things I want to say. I have notes for my notes. I write extensively stupidly over-extended notes and I never seem to get to all of them. I'm going to go back over these notes tonight, and see if I can incorporate a few of them, now that I am 70% finished with the book!!

    I took pen to paper on this one; after I wrote three chapters today. I sat myself down and forged out the next 10 chapters, how long they would be, what they would be about, and what order they should be in to maximize the interest of my readers. I don't tell the story from Point A to Point B. That would be incredibly boring. I don't really jump around too much either, but I do throw a bone to someone, then a monkey wrench to the other. It's a thing I do, and I don't know if I read it somewhere, or if maybe the books I've read tend to do that; I think to myself, what would Arthur Doyle do? What would Earl Stanley Gardner do? What should I do? 

    To show you how my mind works, I always knew there would be a discussion in the book about the title of Doyle's famous book "Hound of the Baskervilles" because so many people think the title is "The Hounds of Baskerville" which is just incredibly funny to me. I don't know why. I remember having the discussion in the 3rd grade when I tried to check the book out, but the librarian at Bethany Library in Oklahoma, where I live, didn't think it was a book for a nine-year-old. My mother checked the book out so I could read it, and I heard my mom say something like "If it's about dogs, it's not that bad, is it?"  LOL...my mom! My....MOM!!! GEEZ, I love that woman. Well, instead of having the characters I thought were going to have the conversation, it ends up being discussed by two completely different characters at a completely different part of the book! It just turned out that way.

    I know I'm going to say that John Reid is really Rodney Freeland, but is he an infamous wanted man in the United States who has been faking his way and his accent for years; a thespian among us? We'll just have to find out, but find out we will, because my next chapter will be all about John Herman Reid; or whatever he is calling himself these days. He will be identified, watched, tipped off by someone in law enforcement, and before the end of the year, or right at it, actually, Reid makes his escape on a boat headed for Canada! OH NO!!  (tune in for the end of the book, so you can find out who the man really is!) Plot twist!

    I think my next book will have to find Hugo dog in there somewhere. Hugo is my new Grand Dog who was born without his left ear. It's literally not there. He is the product of a puppy mill somewhere in Southern Oklahoma. His parents were not supposed to find one another. He is a perfect 50/50 mixed breed of German Shepherd and Rottweiler. He's 12 weeks now, and so polite. He's really getting along with the others in the household. When we take him to PetSmart, Big Lots, Tractor Supply, and other places, he walks nicely already on the lead, only getting twisted a few times. For being only 12 weeks old, he is quite alert, and he'd rather observe than just jump into the mix to discover things on the fly. We're hoping he's a perfect Emotional Support Dog for Laura, but he can be a drug dog in training in the sequel to Murder Book. 

    There will be about 76,000-80,000 words in Murder Book. With a 7x4 size, and sized 12 font, it should be a 335-340 page book; perfect. I won't try to do anything too fancy with the covers; I don't really care about the cover as much as I do about the consistency of the books because they will be written in a series. I'll need to think about that before I find the right exterior pictures. Nick will need to be prominent or perhaps they will just be words and colors; I just don't know yet. What I do know is there are 10 more chapters to write. I'll do 2 tomorrow, and at least 3 or 4 over the weekend. This thing will be finished soon, and then the tweaking begins!!

    I don't know when it will be produced. I'll have to get with my publisher to see what the plan is. It won't be too long. I know that. I have too many others to get into the pipeline.

Photo Credit: Me.  (This is Hugo)

TEN States!! I'm Licensed in 10 States!! Woot!!

     When you start out as a new Claims Adjuster you have zero knowledge (some of us, anyway) as to what is expected. That's OK, I'm not scared to jump in the deep end as long as I have my trusty pink flamingo floaty secured snuggly around my waist!! Let me just say, the sunglasses on that bird look marvelous! We're in the deep now! We're just lounging back, taking in the sun, and hoping for really really bad weather to hit somewhere in the southern coastal states, because that's when things pick up, and people like me get hired. Claims Adjusters are those wonderful people you know are real, but you may never have seen one of them in action. There are a few really good reasons for that; some of us work from home on the phone, and there are some who drive out to the wind-blown areas and work either on-site or at a designated work space such as an old abandoned storefront or even a retired car lot. If that's the case, you'd have to drive your car to that location to see one of us in action. If you're looking for a property adjuster, you'll either welcome them into your house with open arms or wonder what the devil took them so long to get there. Claims. It was other claims.

    When the big storms hit they affect literally thousands, sometimes dozens of thousands of homes, businesses, autos, commercial vehicles, crops, large equipment as well municipal power lines. Claims is a very important industry, and one I am super excited to be a part of. I'm new at it, but I'm catching on as fast as the fire hose can spew the information at me. I'm drinking from Pilot, CNC, Alacrity, Crawford, E.A. Renfroe, Eberls, Pacesetter, Custard, MD Claims, Best Claims, and about a dozen smaller firms who have me either onboarded already, or they have my number and we text at least on a weekly basis. We stay in touch. When the big storms hit, they start calling, texting, reaching out, and trying to woo as many as they can. They put on their best smiles, offer what their carriers are allowing, and they hope to get as many experienced folks as they possibly can; but with that mix comes the newbies!! That's me. I'm a coat-hanger-oner. I don't mind saying it. I will be flushed into the industry with the first big pull.

    How can I say that? Well, I pray about it of course! Doesn't everyone ask God to put their name where He wants it to be? I do. I've also gone the extra mile, and I've purchased reciprocal state licenses for property and casualty adjusting in literally 9 other states besides my home state of Oklahoma. I was told by an HR manager at a larger I.A. (Independent Adjuster) firm that State Farm prefers people to have at least six state licenses, and they would really like for a person to have at least 10. Ten has a majestic ring to it I guess because that's the magic number that State Farm has decided is the cut-off for paying an extra $2.00 an hour over and above the standard rate for the deployment; that's a big deal. If the pay is $24/hour, the extra $2.00 is an 8% raise. That's not a bad thing. When you factor in the overtime, it gets even better. Most deployment desk adjusters work 6 or 7 days a week, and either 10 or 12 hours a day. There's going to be overtime. I'll take it.

    Some deployments pay more. Some deployments pay for less time. The average is almost guaranteed for 90-120 days, and no less than $24/hr  (the $2.00 up pay for those who have 10 states under their belt.) I'll reach out eventually and get more, but for now, the ones I have will be just fine. I'm licensed in: OK, TX, LA, MS, AL, FL, KY, WV, NM, and MI.  All in all, I'd say I've spent about $800 in licensees, fees, fingerprints, and filing.  Once the $2.00 up fee kicks in that's about 2 maybe 3 weeks of regular pay to make up that money; gotta love that. I'm loving that. I'll pay a little extra to guarantee a lot extra. It only makes sense to do so. Besides, it shows the agencies and the carriers that you give a damn, and you're willing to invest in yourself.

    As Hurricane Season continues throughout the summer months, and we're all just standing around waiting, I'm also training online with several agencies to learn the ropes from either their specific point of view, or I watch generalized videos to teach me how to measure a room correctly, what the different roof types are, and how to put a car together piece by piece in my head so I can identify the parts of it that have been damaged by hail or collision. To say it's been interesting is such an understatement.  I can't see how anyone can claim to be bored if they don't know how to do these things. If you think you're bored, pull out a notebook and watch a few AdjusterTV podcasts!! Check out the training modules on Alacrity, Pilot, or some State Farm certification modules for either property estimatics or auto parts. No one can remain bored for too long when they set their mind to learning. No one. It's the lazy person maybe, who doesn't see the light at the end of the tunnel before they get hit by Reality's train!

    I say I'm licensed in 10 states. There are at least a dozen that you don't need a license to work in, and there are four that you really can't get too excited about because they make it too hard to obtain one. That would be California, Hawaii, New York, and the DC area. I think Puerto Rico may be that way as well. I'll just stick with the ones I have, and slowly add the others. When it's all said and done, I'll be licensed in as many states as I can be; and I'll be really busy. During the "off" season, I can always call up the insurance companies in the other states I'm licensed in and do estimates from my desk at home or wherever I may choose to be. I can work collision, light wind and hail, and/or theft and vandalism. I can do it all from the comfort of my home or like I said, wherever I happen to be. I may have to adjust for the time zones if I'm hanging out in the Scottish Borders, but I'm OK with that; really, I am.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

MURDER BOOK - 60% Finished

     There it is! I'm almost 2/3 finished with the book. I'm at 60%, and by this time tomorrow probably, I'll pass the threshold for the 2/3 mark, and be somewhere past the point of no return. Who am I kidding? I am so past that point now. This is a ride, and I love it.

   The Murder Book has a mind of its own really. I'll sit myself down, and bullet point what it is that I'm going to say in the book's next chapter, and before I know it, I'm not even looking at my notes. My hands are flying, my fingers hitting the keys and making so many bad mistakes! Oh my gosh, when I type quickly there are big fat boo-boos!!  I use the wrong words, I drop words that need to be there; words like "not" and "now". Believe me, they do matter. I have to go back after I've written each chapter, before I save the document, to both correct my spelling and go over each sentence to see if I had written it as a quote when I should have, or if I had used quotes at all? I find it frustrating, to say the least, but it's OK, it's all part of the process. It is. I promise.

    I have written two chapters today, one yesterday, and I'm right at 45,000 words now. With my last book as a gauge of sorts, I've decided that 80,000-90,000 words will be about the right size. If I can say the things I want to say, get the full story told in a bit less, I'll do it, but not less than 75,000. No way. I'm going to have this book measured at 7x4 rather than 6x9, and if they'll let me, I'll go back and change "Of Kilted Pleasure" to be a 7x4 book as well. I just don't like the bigger book. I don't really like any book size for myself really, I read everything on my Kindle, but that's another story. I will have both books in E-book form soon. I just have to get them uploaded correctly.  You can't just upload it, you have to have a PDF turned into an E-Pub format, and I'm not up on that tech yet. I will be, again, I promise.

So, the hero is making his way through Edinburgh, a place he hadn't been to in over 10 years. He's finding much has remained the same, a few things have changed as well. He's not as apt to try new things as he was as a younger man, and he's also finding out that murder is a bad business; no matter what side of the pond one is on. Eoghan, or the new guy, is stretching his wings and becoming a faithful and good friend to Posh. Theirs will be a long-lasting bond; perhaps deeper and more meaningful than the war buddy Posh fondly refers to; Ferguson, or Fergy.

    It's toning up and taking shape. I have to get around to talking about Nick's father's murder soon; it will be discussed in this book, and pursued in another. I am purposely creating threads that will weave in and out of the various books in the series. The purpose of the series is not to tell one story in one book, then go to the next, but to keep the thing rolling. It will make sense when you dig into it. I don't want to say "I promise" again, but I do.

    Writing the way I'm writing, I'll probably finish the book in a couple of weeks, and then start the tweaking, fluffing, and stuffing. By that time, I'm hoping to be either employed or closer to it. I'm on stand-by now, we're all just sort of waiting for the hurricanes to hit so we can be deployed from our desks at home. It sounds funny when you say that, but it's called a deployment because you're working for one company under a contract for an indefinite period of time, and they provide the software and equipment you use. You are in a sense, their employee even if you're (me) a 1099 with an EIN. You work for them while you're deployed. They take out your taxes. If you get the experience and go out on your own, you use the EIN and take out your own taxes. You can more or less dictate your income at that point; I am not at that point. 

    OK, well, gotta run. I'll keep you posted as I go, and at the end, I'll tell you I'm there, and we can start the fluff and stuff and get a full count of words. I'll certainly go through it 12x at least, looking for mistakes, grammar issues, and more. I wrote to Tony Broonford today, shooting him a copy of Chapter 22 to see if I had made any big blunders in the theatre scenes. He said I was good to go!! Woot!! I'll take his expert word for it, and keep moving. The building of the King's Theatre plays a significant role in the book - - I wanted to make sure I got it right!

Photo Credit: Pinterest

    

    

Diet, Diet, on the Wall -- Whose the Determined One After All?

 With willpower the strength and size of Mt. Rushmore, I have always been able to do exactly what I have challenged myself to do, but then there comes that moment when I no longer have the intention of doing it, and there it goes! Plunk! I'm talking about my weight. I have been struggling with it for years, and I have been both battling it and living with it for years. I'm not obese, but I am so not fit. I am not even going for "thin", I'm going for "fit" or "healthy".  I guess, in real terms I'm still considered "healthy" but then people like to add that incredulous end of the sentence "for your age". FUCK THAT...sorry, did I say that too loudly? I meant to whisper it under my breath.

    What I'm talking about is the way I've gained back nearly every pound I lost last year or the year before, I can't remember, but I do know that the size Medium t-shirts that I have been rotating back into my dresser (I have too many t-shirts) don't fit! I have to continue wearing size large, and no, that doesn't make me happy. I have about 20 pairs of leggings that I wore two years ago and this year for summer wear, as well as shorts, again, medium, but not now! Nope! I won't even think about it because I don't want to come off being that gal with the two bulldogs in her back pockets who seem to be fighting one another. It's not going to happen. I'm going to have to do some real exercise again. You have to. You can't let it slack off, because when you do, you get the meat packed on again. I do, anyway.

    There are so many videos out there claiming that you don't need to do cardio to stay fit. Sorry, not listening to them. When I stop working out, I get fat. It's a simple thing, really. I have never been a gym rat, but I do believe in keeping it all moving. I can do wall pilates, and I can do floor and bed yoga to stretch. Bed yoga is amazing, you can really dig deep into the mattress to unhinge the hips.  Watch a few YouTube videos on that one. Doga is good, that's when you do your floor yoga but a dog finds you and decides to help.  I do that as often as possible. I used to have a Bassett Hound at my disposal, and I could bend over, lift 50 pounds, move it, and repeat that particular move over and over again. Ginger is only 17 pounds, so there's the lighter version of that now. 

    For the most part, the diet will consist of just the good stuff and all the "white" stuff will no longer be allowed into the shopping cart with the exception (there are always exceptions) of mozzarella cheese, cauliflower, and Greek yogurt for sure. I'm thinking there may be other whites that find their way to my house, I don't live alone. I'm the one in charge of buying MY groceries. I have no one else to blame when I pick up Grands biscuits, rolls, potatoes, pasta, bread, and sweet things such as cakes or cookies. Not now. That ends. I have to let my gut know who's in charge, and right now, today, as of this moment, the controller is in my hands, not my gut's hands - - which would be really weird if my gut had hands.

    Why now? Well, it had to do with picking out a T-shirt today and putting the leggings back into the drawer. Then, after consideration, I realized that for the next month or so I won't be wearing the leggings, so I put them back into the closet in the box from whence I brought them out to be reintroduced. I rotate my clothes so that I can actually use them all; since I paid good money for them. However, NOT NOW, because I won't be that woman who wears too tight of clothing out in public. Maybe others will be, but I am not them. I am me. I don't do it, so that's the reason. I simply can't stand the feeling of being over the limit. 

    My good friend Robin and I have also made a plan (or twelve) to visit Scotland late in the summer of 2024; so that we can have an entire year to both get our bodies in shape as well as our finances. We don't want to make a meager thing of it. We want to do the thing right. I don't think she's been to Scotland; she's been to other parts of Europe that I've not been to, but this will be my chance to be her tour guide. I think after 57 years of being good friends she'll let me take the reins. Speaking of reins, she is a horsewoman as I am, but she still owns about 10. She may have to rethink that as well. We're just getting to the age where we may want more freedom so we can travel about, and be able to plan for when we're not working full time. Horses have a way of eating up (literally) every spare penny you can muster up for them.

    I share a flat with my daughter, so I can't very well go into the fridge and start pulling things out of it; but I won't buy anything that will not be beneficial for me either. If she wants to buy it she can, and she can even keep it in her room unless it has to be refrigerated, of course. She's really good about not shoving things in my face when I need to diet. Good kid, that she is. I raised her correctly. Actually, the Kudos go to God, He was there the entire time.  She's also getting back into better shape as well. It's what we do after we realize we've been slacking off a bit. Neither she nor I don bathing suits to go swimming, so it's not that. We just either don't fit in our favorite shorts, or we see ourselves when we stand to the side in the mirror and do that audible gasping thing where we freak out over the sight of ourselves! Do you ever do that? Let me just say, it's not fun.

    I don't think I'll do the whole recording of what I eat online this time. I will continue to write it down in a notebook at home and be as diligent as I possibly can be. I substitute nuts and seeds for candy; substitute lemon water for fizzy water, which in itself isn't bad, but I think maybe it's slowing the process somehow. I could be wrong. I may be wrong, but I know straight water with lemon or lime is better, so we're going with that. I drink about 100 ounces of water a day. I also take what I call "poopy pills", but it's just psyllium husk pills. Good stuff. They work.  

    I don't have a scale to weigh myself. I don't do numbers really. I do sizes and feelings. If I look in the mirror and gasp, or if I find myself NOT looking in the mirror intentionally, I know I have to do something. It is what it is. You may or may not agree with me. That's OK, I'm not here to please anyone. I'm not here to agree with anyone. I'm not here to give advice to anyone. I'm just writing out my plan and my life events so when my grandkids decide to read these things later in their lives they'll know why Gramma said no to the ice cream but yes to the grapes. They can have ice cream, there's no way I'm saying no to that...as long as they run around like crazies afterward...which they do.

    Viva la future me!!  I'll keep you posted. 

Photo Credit: Food with Feeling

    

"Things Change So Quickly Around Here" - Dorothy Gale

 Maybe just minutes after completing the last blog about how things start out, work, and progress within the independent claims adjuster world, I was privileged to see things progress quite nicely, and quite rapidly! I'll explain.

    I was writing a blog about how some captive companies want to hire someone to do their work, but they want them to have experience before they hire them. This makes tremendous sense, it really does. No one, including myself, would argue that hiring someone to do work you need to be done would be better served; you hire people who have the experience to do what is required. EXCEPT...you can't always get this accomplished in the world of independent adjusters. Let me explain further.

    XYZ company puts out an ad saying they are hiring, and they want you to have 2+ years of experience before you can expect to be hired. They also say or claim that a fair amount of education may make up for the required experience of on-the-job training. There you go, I have a Ph.D., I'm pretty sure that's going to take me places. Nope, not really. The company still wants me to have over 2 years of experience before they hire me, but they felt it was only polite to interview me to see if I would fit in with their program.  OK, I can live with that, but did they even stop to think that a person with a higher degree may or may not accept the money they are willing to offer in terms of salary and compensation? Few of us do. We don't need to accept less because we have put in the years.

    As an independent adjuster, I can choose to (a) work for myself as a 1099, and have an EIN for taxes (which I do have) (b) work for a company as a staffer and be a W2 work fewer hours, make less money, but the benefits are good, and there are perks in that you can usually have weekends off and not work past a certain hour of the day. (c) you can work for a company as a captive 1099, still needing the EIN, but you can only work for that company. There are companies who have you work W2 for them during an event, a CAT, or catastrophic event such as a tornado, hail, hurricane, or wildfire; they pay your taxes, and usually, have you sign a contract saying you'll only work for them during this deployment or job, and you tend to work 6 or 7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day. Sounds rough, but at a VERY minimum of $24/hour for someone with ZERO experience (but you do need to be licensed) the newbie is bringing home about $2000 a week after taxes. That's serious money.

    Immediately following my last blog, the one where I was saying that the company wanted me as a staffer but wanted me to have more time in, and they wanted to only pay me $55K a year; something I would consider if working 7 hours a day and only 5 days a week; I got another phone call. The second call was not an interview, as I had already signed up with them as an independent adjuster. You see, when you get more licenses they know it automatically, as they have an AI bot that updates your file. When you hit 6 state licenses including your home state license, these companies begin to sit up and pay more attention. I added Alabama today to my list of licenses and that popped me up to 6. I got a call IMMEDIATELY from a group that exclusively works with State Farm. They wanted to put me on Stand By and ask me to take the Estimatics test for certification. OK. They even sent me the study guides. Thank you.

    While talking to the lady who put me on Stand By status, she let me know that if I had 10 licenses State Farm pays $26/hour rather than $24. What? That's an additional $2 x 40 hours = 0r $80 plus $3 x 44 hours = 132 so $212 a week more just for having 10 licenses. I can do that. I added New Mexico and Michigan today, and had I known that she wanted me to have 10, I would not have added Alabama, but I would have opted for Kentucky and West Virginia, as combined they are the same cost as Alabama. Ding and Dang! You learn as you go.  This time next week, I'll have 10 states. Currently, it's 8.  Now, that being said, there are 16 states you don't need a license to work in, and a person can't easily come by Hawaii, California, or New York. Just sayin'

    I am now officially on Stand By and will be called to the assignment or "deployment" rather soon. Before I am, I'll have 10 states under licensure, and be paid $26/hour minimum. If the deployment allows it, I could be paid more. After the deployment, after I have racked up a bit of experience, I'll be paid $28-30 an hour plus time and a half.  After a full year of deployment or experience following a good deployment, I can demand or expect to be paid $33 an hour as a minimum. It's not lawyer or doctor money, but I'm doing this from my house, in my jammies, eating when and what I want, not being responsible for someone's life, or any other major stressors. I'm able to work a deployment then take off 6 months and write. I can travel. I can travel and do the job from wherever I am! That's INDEPENDENT folks. That's the ticket I'm going for.

    I don't mind being hired as a staffer if someone wants to do that. I'm good with taking the time to learn, but if I'm hired as a deployed remote desk adjuster and they are willing to train me, I'm in for that as well. I just have to put my life on hold for the summer and possibly the autumn months. Then again, I have AC and I've got plenty of options as far as my wardrobe is concerned. THANK YOU, Jesus. I am really pretty excited about the whole thing  -- who knew? I certainly didn't. I do now, and I'm not going back to "regular" work again. Nope. Not doing it.

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