Jude Stringfellow's Blog, page 61

The Series 66.

 Yes! This is me complaining. I will and I can, because this is just silly. I guess I had forgotten how much it costs an individual to sit for the FINRA Series 66 exam. DAMN!  It was $177.00 and yes, I know, I must have paid it the last time I took it.  I harp on that experience nearly once a week at least because of where I work and what I do.  I missed passing the exam in April I think it was, by ONE QUESTION!  There are 100 questions on the test, you have to pass with a 70% and I got a 69 or a 68, I can't remember. I could have missed it by two questions, but still, this is just so so so sad.  I can't and won't say that I wasted the $177 because I did not. I tested. I failed. It's that simple. I won't fail this time!

    I haven't really been studying the way I should in order to retake the exam. I will start that process again. I could do the whole Pass Perfect online course again. It's about $99 I think. I did myself a few favors when I had the course availability. I did make myself "Poor Man Flashcards" as they are called. I bought a pack of 100 index cards and I think I used them all. I could make another 100 without a problem! There is just so much to be learned. I do actually know a great deal, but the issue is that I don't know what questions I missed. They don't tell you that. Because I wasn't fantabulous in any of the areas, barely being able to say I mustered the percentages I needed to pass with an "acceptable" score in all of the categories, I did fail in two or three subareas that had I been even a tiny tiny bit more confident in my answers I am sure I would have swayed the machine! (It's taken on the computer) You're scored digitally.

    I did NOT pass. I did not win. I did not pass Go. I suppose, if I'm honest, I need to spend the time and study all the sections again and again until I can say I have more than a basic knowledge of it. I really don't want to JUST pass. I do want to know the content. It's more important to me to know what I'm doing than it is to pass the exam just for the sake of being lucky enough to choose the best random answers when I really have no clue and choose to guess rather than leave a question blank. I won't leave a question blank. I will take a stab at it! I have four choices, and I have a 25% chance of making it! I just really want to KNOW the answer(s) that's all. Call me crazy. I want the guts, the innards. I want to be able to recite the correct response rather than guess it. 

    If you go to Quizlet.com and you type in Series 66 you'll come across a few sets of flashcards that you can read, study, memorize, and/or just go through.  The really funny and quirky thing about Quizlet, and I have no idea why this is the way that it is; almost every flashcard has incredibly poor spelling. It's as if they didn't care if they got it right, they had 13 seconds to type the question and only 7 seconds to type the answers for each card. I really have no idea why they're all misspelled, but it is hilarious when you see the word "conbumor" and your brain knows it's really supposed to read "consumer".  I found the word "idivual" and realized they wanted me to see "individual".  Makes me laugh. It's free. Free is free. You can't expect more, and lamenting over it will not produce results. You just go with it.

    For me, Series 66 is a logical step in my career path as a trader. I'm learning the ropes now; I'm saving for the time I'll need to be unpaid while I wait for commissions to roll in from the sales I make. I'll actually be more of a salesperson than I will be a trader. Our company deals in selling bonds. I don't need the FINRA licensures to sell and trade on the FOREX for myself. I do, however, need the Series 7 and at least another exam for the company sales force. That's regulated due to the fact that I'll be selling and advising. I'm taking OTHER people's money, not just my own.  You can't imagine how very very strict the Securities Exchange Commission and of course, FINRA regulate things like that. It's impenetrable.  It's the Fort Knox of the industry, and no one is getting by without the golden pass. No one. That's why so many A-listed celebrities are in hot water right now with their advice and strong suggestions for the general public's purchasing of BitCoin and other FTX products. You don't do that, folks!

    I remember I saw a couple of these celebrities during the Super Bowl commercials hawking BitCoin and the first thing I thought was "I know she's not licensed! I bet he's not either."  I was right. You can't just sign up and go. You have to sit the exams!! YOU, not someone else, YOU have to sit the exams. It's so freaking regulated. MONEY will not buy them the licenses. They didn't have the licenses. This was the issue; their defense was that they were told to do it by their agents. WHATEVER!!! No, that's not an excuse. It will likely be a nothing burger, as they'll probably just be fined, but rules are rules, laws are laws, and even the elite don't get a pass on the exchange of currency sales and/or advising others to buy it. NOPE.

    One more point before I go.  When I do pass Series 66, I'll have another exam to take before I am actually licensed. It's called Series 7.  I will have to really study for that one as well, and maybe by February, I'll be ready for it. I hope so. I'll not want to trade or go full commission until the summer of 2023. I will need time to stash some cash in the bank for a minute so I can rest without worry and deal without feeling I'm being dealt. I won't put myself into a situation where I'll be chasing the numbers. Nope. That is no way to maintain a professional attitude. You can't worry when you advise. If they see you sweat they won't have a reason to trust you, well, me.  I have a plan, and the plan has a backup, so no worries there. It will happen.  Soon and very soon, I could be working from home in Scotland and selling American bonds overseas. It could be a reality. 

    My boss asked me last week why I wasn't taking Series 7 first, as that's the normal thing to do.  I told him that I was smart like that. He smiled but didn't understand. I explained, "If I take Series 7 I am worth more, but if I take Series 66 first, I'll be priceless. Someone will sponsor me to take Series 7; they'd be stupid not to."  He smiled again and said "You're right. Let's do this."  The plan is working -- baby steps. 

Photo Credit: Momentrix.com

Major First World Issues.

 Talk about being spoiled. Let me tell you, I am the Queen of it. I'm not rude, and I don't huff and puff like a little brat if things don't go my way. I'm actually more likely to just make a face, and curl up the side of my lip at the culprit; whatever is causing me to be inconvenienced. I will usually walk away, scratch whatever plan or scheme I was working on at the time, and regroup.  My tantrum days are long gone. I will, however, let people know they inconvenienced me. I figure they need to be held responsible if that is at all possible. Today, the issue was not one where I could really lay any blame, so I just sighed....three times.

    I work at an amazing office. Let's get that out of the way first. I mean, these people are way above and beyond excellent, and I am just all too happy to let each and every one of them know this when I see them throughout the day. Yes, we have some gosh-darn work warriors at the company I work for and with.  That being said, not one of the men (and there are plenty) knows how to make a pot of coffee, fill up a coffee filter so it can be used to make coffee, nor do any of them know how to look for, find, or resupply any of the sweeteners, creamers, or flavors for said coffee. Nope. Not one. So, in order for this grave and immensely debilitating problem to actually remedy itself, I decided to hold an impromptu staff training session!  At first, no one wanted to attend. When I asked the Human Resource Manager's assistance in the matter, I suddenly had 11 volunteers!  Good job men!

    The coffee issue may seem small, but it's not. We have over 50 people in the office, and we have two pots of coffee brewing at a time. We also have a Keurig, so that's the reason I only had 11 volunteers to attend my little Do-It-Yourself class this morning. Many of the employees, including myself, use Keurig.  Trust me when I say that the clean up after yourself portion of my little speech was both animated and I had visuals. I even asked for a volunteer to assist me; I'm telling you, these people are awesome!!  I had no trouble assuring the others who chose not to attend that the 12 knowledgeable people in the building who now know how to brew, will do so, but if we catch anyone of these others who did not attend the meeting, finishing off the last cup, there will be another session!

    Another First World issue we addressed today because it actually came up during the first session of our coffee-making lesson, was the fact that both of our (HUGE) refrigerators and the independent water dispenser standing next to the refrigerators, were not dispensing water.  The refrigerators weren't dispensing ice for that matter either.  Our ice maker, (yes, we have a separate one) was on the mend from a power outage we experienced, so the backup plan was to use the two fridges and the very handy-dandy and always-accessible water cooler. Now what? We literally had no automated filtered water to make the coffee. We were going to have to resort to using TAP WATER!!!  Are you serious?

    It was decided that the Keurig, which is connected to the same mechanism that sends water to the two refrigerators, may not be dispensing water either? We were lucky, it was actually working, but it was incredibly slow and here we stood, all masters of our own personal crafts, but not one of us knew a dang thing about plumbing. You really don't want me messing with the plumbing. I can tell you that. We used props and talked in hypotheticals. We couldn't really make the coffee, and that was in fact a big big First World issue for a bunch of Market traders and their support staff.   This is a company that will spend $$$ to house any of us in the three-star hotel next to our office if the weather is going to be too bad and there's a chance we won't make it back to the office. The Market does not care who you are, the Market does not stop or wait for anyone. We know this. We need our coffee.

    Just about the time I was wrapping up the DIY demonstration on all things percolating, the boss stepped in to let us know that while we were being educated she was making calls to repair people, and within a few minutes, we had water! Money talks. That's the bottom line to this story folks, money talks.  Some of us, myself included, took our Keuriged coffee mugs into the breakroom and watched as the plumber explained what our issues and problems were. I know I listened. If this happens again I want to at least explain it to the next plumber. I can't really say I learned a great deal, but I did take notes. I can read the notes back to the next plumber if I need to. I trade money for money, and I help others (support) when they sell bonds. I'm not into tubes, lines, faucets, panels, and drains. The plumber did ask me if we were having problems with our ballcocks, but hey, I don't have any of those either. I smiled.

    So, apparently, I did learn something today. A ballcock is a device that helps the water flow evenly and stop when it needs to. They're usually on toilets, and that's where they found the plumber. He had been called up from another floor where he had been working on a lavatory issue. Our building is about 40 years old, so it does have its contentions. We made it through the entire morning thinking about our coffee, our water, our ice, and yes, our ballcocks. I couldn't resist asking the ladies in my office if any of them had any personal experience(s) with a ballcock. This sent the one man (a younger man) in our office, right through the roof with laughter. He was the only one of us who knew what it was, and he even told us that he had two! I guess now that I know what it is, I can admit to having two myself. Not lying when I tell you I have ballcocks made of brass!

Who knew?

Photo Credit: delta.com

Murder in Edinburgh! (Well, not Yet, I'm Working on it.)

 I am about to murder someone in my book(s) and he will be gloriously found, while a detective who has been called upon to investigate is cautious to both not betray his own involvement in past events, and do his best to unearth the clues leading to the conviction of the murderer (or will it be a murderess?)

    My books will be in a loose chronological order, there will be some flashing back, there will be some overlap, and there will be some future telling. I'm in the middle of the mix now, and diving (delving) into as much of it as I can without doing too much damage to the living soul of the manuscript. I tend to let the dead tell me more than they could have when they were living. It's not the murder, and it never has been for me, it's the cover-up and the disposal of the body(ies) that make my books more interesting; at least for me.

    Currently, I am the only one reading my book(s) because I've not published anything dealing with the murder books at this time. I've written several, but I don't like what I've done with most of them; that's the trouble with writers. We can't stop the ink once it gets a good flow to it. I reckon it may be that way for a few painters as well. I dare say there have been a few who should have called it quits but just couldn't release their brush! I fully comprehend the concept. I'm going through the pale now, fleshing out words and transforming my vocabulary at the same time. I am using the handy-dandy Thesaurus to create a new connotation here and there, if not to change the entire meaning now and again. My thing is, I really like double meanings, so if I can bolt a word rather than slay one, I will do that. I want the thing to rivet, not destroy. I want the concept and the premise to damage, not obliterate. 

    Right now, I'm reading a more contemporary novel involving murder in Edinburgh, Scotland, which is where my murder (well, the murder I'm writing) takes place. I am using words, thoughts, concepts, ideas, and innuendo, as well as closely relating many of my passages to meet and even marry those of other authors. This method will both reiterate that the styles and context agree and that they have been widely accepted. No need to reinvent the wheel, but you know I'll never cross or toss a line. I'll never plagiarise. I'd sooner bleed my last. 

    For instance, my detective will not be caught dead in a proper coffee house drinking a smooth yet bitter cappuccino, but he will visit the public houses for what he refers to as a "Cup of Joe"; I wonder how many readers know the reason why it's called Joe? I'll explain in my book, as it has been often explained in others. That's the sort of thing I do. I reiterate but never take.  Here's a nugget; did you know that the cappuccino was invented around the 1700-1720 timeframe? Interesting. I'd love to study a bit about how they got the milk to froth; steam of course, but I'm interested still in finding out more. My readers will know. I'll find out and let them know. For now, they'll have to Google it I suppose. I know I will.

    One of my murders will take place in a close on the Royal Mile. I haven't decided which one yet. One of the murders happens in broad daylight, right in front of the worldly world to see; and no one takes notice. Our fine friend Nick Posh will indeed (and in deed) have his work cut out for him as he detects, sleuths, and otherwise investigates the seedy beginnings of the end of a few. There will be a few. That's another clue - - why stop at two? (OK, I'll stop now.)  I'm also writing a poem that will be introduced in the book as well. I'm not sure if the poet dies or if she'll disguise her mannerisms through quill and stain, enough to beg the apologies of others who may have believed her to be less innocent as her hand and mind.

    Today, I read of pyrates on the North Atlantic. I read of mystics who fled to the moors before they could be caught, tried, and executed for who and what they were. I read of cannibals, of hungry peasants without enough to eat, and of wild animals roaming the Highlands for centuries. I am breaking down and building up the moments that drain and cascade into my writings. I dream and mend my mind over and over again of the thoughts it has; not wanting to blame Edinburgh or hold her responsible for her crude and cruel past. I am her admirer, but I am also her judge and jury. I will never execute my darling city, but I will expose her. I will not allow her to keep her secrets hidden if they are damned within her soul. She must be saved.

    My books (this series) take place between 1920-1935, but in order to accurately understand the men and women of that time I must start about 1000 years beforehand; to create the language, the culture, the barriers, and the breeding. This has been and will be the most amazing journey.  I don't have an "Elephant Cafe" from which to claim that I have penned the first words of my novels. I may have to find some really cool place to write a few notes into a notebook so I can claim it and someday they'll hang a plaque to remember the day!  J.K. Rowling could have just as easily been holed up in her apartment when she wrote the first words of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".  We'll never know the truth; that's not that important anyway, is it? The story of the beginnings of such a great series taking place in Edinburgh's Elephant Cafe is far more intriguing, wouldn't you agree? I'll find a hole in the wall. I'll make it happen. It'll happen.

    

    Photo Credit:  Getyourguide.co.uk  (Witch and Ghost tours)

    

    

Kindle It Is! (or Two)

 If you know me, and you should by now, that is if you're reading these things, you'll know that I am quite independent. I don't wait on a man, or anyone for that matter, to buy me anything. If I want it, I go get it. If I can't get it, I'm not above planning and scheming my way into a situation where it happens that I do in fact get whatever it is that I want. I'm not ever going to steal anything; don't think that way about me. I am simply not going to stop thinking about what it is that I want, and therefore, I will not set the dream aside. I will muster out a way! It will happen.

    The sensory desire of my mind recently has been the Kindle e-reader. I'm that way. I admit it. I read. I know, I could and should be devoting my mind to useless fun such as whatever drivel can be found on the telly. Perhaps I should be spending (wasted) hours upon hours stalking a certain someone who needs to be stalked so he can claim he's stalked, thereby giving him reason to complain about something. (I jest, and I do hope he understands that I do in fact only tease.) I spend my waking hours working, writing, or reading for the most part. Oh, and there is that 30-minute workout that my daughter and I engage in 3x a week at the YMCA...which of course, always cuts into my reading time, but it is worth it.

    Suffice it to say, I didn't wait on anyone to buy me a Kindle for my birthday. I simply went online and bought one. Because I'm cheaper than most, and especially when it comes to buying things for myself, I decided to go the inexpensive route, which in the long run turned out to be a good basic idea, but it didn't fully satisfy the situation. I'll explain. Where Amazon sells their All-New Kindle (6" screen) for $99, there was an older version, but not too much older, as it too had a smaller screen. It was only $35 on eBay and they didn't even charge me for shipping! I love that. It was cheaper because it was older, and the owner bought him or herself a new one. (If I had to guess from the books the owner left on the unit, I'd say masculine for sure.)  I kept one book, no wait, two.

    The Kindle I bought was not only older but there is also a tiny, very very tiny pinhole-sized hole in the screen and though it really can't be seen except when you see it, it doesn't affect the quality or the performance of the unit in any way. I have literally loved every minute I have spent staring at that screen reading! The problem was, and this is certainly a 1st World Issue, I didn't want to carry it back and forth from work. I have at least two solid hours each day to read while the traders do their thing, and I use my older Kindle. I decided to buy myself an All-New version for my birthday; which is in a week!!  Happy Birthday to me, right? OK, so now I have two Kindles, and yes, when you register them both every book you buy for one appears on the other! When you read one, and stop reading, the page is recorded and it appears on the 2nd the moment you turn the unit on; this is great!

    The thought occurred to me, after I spent a few minutes deleting all of the books the previous owner had downloaded onto the first unit, that if anyone was to find or steal one of my Kindles they too would be deleting - - and deleting - - and yes, deleting. I have about 70 books downloaded so far, and to be honest, most of them were written so long ago that the royalties no longer go to the author or to their estate(s).  Most of my books are written by the likes of Sir Walter Scott, a prolific writer indeed, as well as Robert Louis Stevenson, Daniel DeFoe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,  and of course, Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens, and J.K. Rowling. She still gets her royalty checks, I'm sure of it.

    One of my co-workers, a young man in his late 20s, asked to see my library today on my office Kindle. I giggled as I handed it to him. He's going to buy his mom one for Christmas, and he wanted to see for himself if the unit was in fact worth it. WAIT? WHAT? Worth it? You spend $99 for the unit, and no matter what book you download it's likely to be at least 60% discounted. Most of my books are literally next to being free. I think I paid 45 cents for the "General History of Pyrates" by Daniel Defoe. I spent only 19 cents for "Ivanhoe" by Sir Walter Scott, then I found a collection of his works for $1.99 which has literally 12,000+ pages which, by the by, do include "Ivanhoe", but that's OK. I can overlook a mistaken purchase in the scheme of it all. I'll try to survive.

    My co-worker couldn't believe I was so dorky. He went on about it for hours really, and I laughed. He understands me if I call him a "Mudblood" or a "Muggle" but he has no idea what I'm saying to him when I tell him to "Haud yer wheesht". He should read more often.  He gives me heck all the time about my Scottishness and my love for my ancestral homeland.  There he is over there during his two free hours playing Grand Theft Auto, so I let him know it was created in Edinburgh at the Rock Star Games just outside of Arthur's Seat and the Holyrood Palace. He should read more. He suggested a few titles for me, and sure, why not? Maybe I'll find time to read them after I finish my other books - - NOT.  I'm never going to finish my other books! There are just too many OTHER BOOKS!!

    Top to bottom, this machine is the best. I love it. It's flat, easy to hold, and easy to read, and you can adjust the font as well as the font size. I just can't say enough about it. You can do the whole free or unlimited reading thing with them too, but I have no intention of buying or borrowing new books; which that is designed for. I will gladly pay my pennies for books that have haunted the world's shelves for literally centuries! I will spend my time being "Kidnapped" or on "Treasure Island", hanging out with Ebenezer Scrooge, Blackbeard, or Moll Flanders. I will seek any corner in which to curl up with Sir Walter Scott so he can speak Scots to me through the dialogue of his Waverley novels. I did buy the Scots edition of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" which my co-worker opened and tried to read.  He couldn't. That particular title is not on Kindle, sadly, but I have the physical book in my backpack that I take to work just in case the unthinkable happens and my office Kindle loses charge.  God forbid.

    I'm going to have to stop ordering books for now. I've been so tempted and so drawn to the Kindle Store to just check out the prices of the classics and those books written over two hundred and fifty years ago. I know my Kindle can hold up to 2000 books, but c'mon, who can read that many? OK, challenge accepted! I'll do it. Pick me.

Photo of Sir Walter Scott - Photo Credit: Landmarkevents.com

Grahame! My New Leopard Gecko!

 My daughter and I rescue, and we also foster, but today, I decided to buy! I mean, technically, I bought Bob too, but he ended up being a foster paid, because he just didn't fit in with the rest of the group and no matter what we did with or for him, he wasn't thriving. We don't keep an animal that won't thrive, as it's not fair to the animal. We find a good home for them, one where they can be utilized, loved, played with, and handled a bit more than what we can do (that is IF the animal requires it). 

    This happens sometimes. Our sweet Isabella, the Bearded Dragon that we accepted as a rescue, was also rehomed recently due to her depression.  I know, that sounds funny to say that a lizard could be or would be depressed, but she was.  She is now with a teacher who takes her to school every Friday so the kids can learn and the lizard can be stimulated. During the week the teacher takes Issy out and puts her on her shoulder while she grades papers. She wouldn't do that with me, which on one hand is sad, but on the other, it opened up an opportunity for her to go to another good home.

    Today, because I had a hankering for another Leopard lizard-like Bob (Robert the Bruce), I went to PetCo and picked out another Leopard Gecko that looks remarkably like Bob in some ways, but he's his own character as well. He came from the same breeder. LepGecks are really super easy to care for. Most of the time they are outgoing and want to be handled. Bob was possibly bullied by a tank mate or perhaps he was not separated during feeding and had to fend for himself. Either way, this is why LepGecks are separated at around 10-12 weeks. I bought Bob at 15-16 weeks, and he was still enclosed with others.  Boys will be boys no matter what they are, and Bob was bullied (probably). 

    My new LepGeck is going to stay with me. I hope to have him out of the enclosure on a daily basis. He will eventually be trusted to sit on my head and shoulder while I type and work. I'll leave the cats and dogs out of the room of course, and the doors will be closed. He'll grow to be a bit bigger than his friend Leaf, who is Laura's female LepGeck. She's had Leaf for right at a year; we bought her and Bob together but from different stores. They were side by side in their cages for about three months, but Bob just wasn't a happy camper. When they were together he was OK, but Leaf wasn't thrilled about it. You can't enable a clinger like Bob, and he was found a new home with a couple of kids who really think he's the greatest. They live in an apartment and can't have a dog or cat, but they can have a LepGeck! He's doing well. I check on him from time to time.

    We've accepted, rescued, fostered, and rehabbed over a dozen reptiles in the past year I suppose. I loved little Stirling, the ball python. I wish I could have kept him really, but I don't do well with feeding live animals to other animals. He was a foster, and one I truly enjoyed, but I know if I ever buy another snake I'll have to get it really young and start it on frozen mice so I never have to end the life of a precious fur baby to feed another. I know there's a cycle of life, and I get that, but I'm just a weenie! Absolutely and certifiable. Just a weenie. I literally cry when I had to do that, and I can't do that to myself. 

    Grahame is named for Kenneth Grahame, the 19th Century children's literature author from Edinburgh, Scotland. He was born on March 8, 1859, but my LepGeck is only 10 weeks old, so he'll share Barry Gibb's birthday on September 1. Bob was lucky enough to have been born around the same time as Robert the Bruce's death day, so that became my lizard's birthday. I try to do that when I can. If not they get a 1st or a 22nd. The first, because it's easy to remember, and the 22nd because I am a 22nd baby, as is my dad, as is my son, as is my bestie, as is Maurice and Robin Gibb, as is my dog Faith, and my nephew! Goodness! Twenty seconds are fantabulous you know!

    If you have kids or grands and they need a good pet to start off with, the Leopard Gecko is truly an awesome starter pet. The entire rig from start to finish is around $200 if you do it correctly. You'll start off with a 10-gallon tank, and depending on the lizard, you could end up with a 40-gallon, but most of them can be easily contained in a 20. You'll need the proper hides, bowls, lamps, lights, and even a thermometer so you can properly gauge the heat which is set to one side of the cage, ideally where there is a place (rock or stick) stationary so they can bask.  You'll need foliage (plastic or silk) and you'll need something fun in the cage for it to play with, or just converse with, as they are solitary animals. I have a little ceramic horse and a couple of turtles (also clay or ceramic) that I picked up along the way. I'll post more photos on Instagram if you follow. 

    That's about it. I had a difficult time deciding which of the four lizards in the cage that I wanted to bring home with me today.  To choose I put my hand into the cage and let them all come around to sniff and see if they wanted to have anything to do with me. There was a very aggressive one that fought others off, he was a no-go.  I decided on the one that hung out in the corner watching me. He was neither scared nor forward. He was a thinker.  He watched and observed.  If he had been a musician he'd probably have been a guitarist, not a drummer.  He listened, kept his head down, and continued to watch from under his baseball cap; not wanting to seem obvious, but not wanting to miss out on anything. He was chosen.

    Grahame.  Gray-am. You do pronounce the first A.

Grahame is spotted and he could have tangerine and lavender colors in the future.
Grahame is the little one on the left, and Leaf is on the right. She is a lavender albino type and believe me, she's tiny for being a year. He'll likely grow to be substantially larger than she is now. She has probably stopped growing.

A Real Conversation (Albeit One Way) About Homosexuality and Salvation.

 By design, blogs are a one-way method of communicating. I mean, I suppose there could be an interactive type of blog platform, but I don't have one. I have this one. It's a one-way conversation. Basically, it just talking, and if you're reading, then you're the target audience.  Simple. I like that.  This conversation, this topic, is by no means a simple one. No, it's perhaps right up there with anything else that the world sees as being controversial.  We talked about lies the other day, at least I did. You know my stand on that. I hate lies! I can't say that I've never lied; that would be another lie if I said that. I am just as anyone else is, a normal human, and I have lied. It's just that I try really super hard never to do it. It's something that really gets under my skin. You can't defend a lie, and when you try to cover it up, the tale gets so much more complicated.  This topic, the topic of homosexuality, is just like that. If you try to cover it up or make excuses for it, it gets really messy.

    Before we get started, let me again remind you that the topic is not merely that of homosexuality, but the truth behind whether or not a gay person can also be a saved person; or a person who will be taken to Heaven at the point of his or her death, or if they survive the big, bad, and ugly world until the rapture. Simple answer? (and this is not me saying this, this is actually Biblical) yes. Gay people can go to Heaven, just as easily as a straight person can go to Hell.  It's not one's sexuality that sends them to eternal damnation, but their unrepented sin.  Oh, but yes, don't get me wrong, homosexuality is a sin.  Some say it's a HUGE sin, but the fact is, no, it's just another sin.  Didn't God say it was an abomination? Yes. He did, and it is.  However, there is only one, just one, sin that can send you to Hell and that sin is NOT accepting Christ as your personal Savior.  

    For those who are currently struggling with the answers surrounding sexuality, morality, sex in general, intimacy, and even personal pleasure, the only answer is always the same answer as it is or would be with any sin; find Christ. Find a reason to want to be better. Jesus is the Healer. He's the Center. He's the Corner Stone. I think I could sit here for about another hour or so and just come up with names to associate and affix to Christ. He is God! He made you. No, He didn't make you gay. I wish people would at least acknowledge those truths. No baby is born gay!  The struggle is real, I will grant you that. There are some really attractive people out there who are both genuinely sweet, kind, caring, giving, fantastic to talk to, and they listen! There are those out there who you would swear was the perfect match for you, but if they are the same sex as you, then no, according to the Bible, they are not the one you're supposed to be with intimately. I won't say "Sorry" because I'm not sorry. I think men and women fit together, and though I agree that LOVE is great, there are boundaries.

    Salvation through Christ is a lifelong thing, indeed, it is an eternal thing. When we accept Jesus we are gifted (given for free) the Sealer, the Holy Spirit, who lives inside of us, and seals us, attaches us, to the Heavenly Host Himself. We are HIS and no one, not even ourselves or the future sins can pluck us from His hands. There are so many verses I could quote to you, but for time's sake, just know that God does not lie. God cannot lie. If God said He'll seal you, save you, and keep you, then you are sealed, saved, and eternally kept. EVEN if you are willing to disobey Him. EVEN if you are unwilling to do what His Word commands. That is another ball of wax, as they say. That decision or choice you make could and will affect your blessings. You won't be fully blessed, and you could LOSE blessings because you choose to be stubbornly dissatisfied with God's promise of peace which is not quite fitting into your plans. 

    In my own family, I have at least two people who I know are living a homosexual lifestyle, and I also know, deep down in my soul, that both of these two people are born again. Neither has had the courage to say they are gay; which in my opinion speaks volumes. They know it's wrong. It's not just that they don't want to put up with parents, grandparents, cousins, friends, and siblings saying this or that. They truly haven't been involved in the family any more than I have been in the past ten to fifteen years. They don't want to "rock the boat", and they don't want to "stir things up", but if they, if you, truly are who you think you are, and you're proud of that, why not demonstrate that by openly being the person you feel you are supposed to be? It won't affect your salvation, but it will affect your witness; won't it? People who believed you were one way and trusted you, may not have the umpf to continue. I won't ask you if it's worth it? I have stopped being that person. 

    Yes, you heard me, or rather, you read me. I was THAT guy (well, gal) who was both judgmental and uncaring. I thought since there were 67 verses in the Bible against it, anyone who professed to be gay simply couldn't be saved. I convinced myself that anyone who was intimate with a person of the same sex was incapable of trusting or loving Jesus. I was wrong. I think I realized this only about 10 years ago if I'm truly honest with myself. I've never had a single inkling of a feeling toward another woman or girl, but that's just me. When I had a good friend and colleague ask me on a personal and intimate date, not only was I upset about it, I was grieved to anger! Well, it was my turn for the Sealer, the Holy Spirit, the One living inside me, to remind me that He was there for EVERYONE and not just those of us who thought we knew more than most. I had some learning to do.

    About a year ago, I did it again. I upset someone with my mouth, my keyboard, and my texting. I was abrupt, I was forward, I was abrasive and I was flat rude. I should have been more tenderhearted, but instead, I was waving my banner a bit too abruptly for the witness and the way of God to even be seen or heard. I was smothering the message with my own message of warning -- I really wish I had been a bit more like my good friend who believed she had seen something genuinely kind in me; enough to ask me on a date even.  It's taken a minute, but we're friends again, and she understands my stand, and I understand hers as well.  The good news is that both of us are saved, born again, and when we do get to Heaven NOT ONE BIT OF THIS NONSENSE will matter. NOTHING about it will be remembered or discussed. There is no sexuality in Heaven. None. Nada. Zippo! Thank God!

    If being homosexual is a sin, and it is, why would God be so merciful and allow a gay person or a bi person to be saved?  Simple answer? He's God.  Let me quote my friend John the Lessor, his gospel message of John 3:16 states (and it's a promise, by the way) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall be saved."  There's not a caveat that reads "unless you're gay" or "Not applicable to homosexuals".  If you believe in the person of Jesus the Christ, and you truly are repenting of your sin, you will be saved.  Does that mean you have to stop being a sinner? We can't be. He knows that. He said in Romans 5:8 (Not John this time, but Paul) "Jesus demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, He died for us." It would be literally IMPOSSIBLE for us to give up our sinful nature. We have to surrender it to Him, but we are humans and we're gonna be humans until we're not humans anymore, and that will be HIS doing, not ours.

    What then? Do we continue to sin because we can? Paul answered that one too; simple answer? God forbid. No, we're not to continue to sin just because we know He'll still take us to Heaven. That is where the Healer comes in, but the good news is that the Healer and the human, collide!  Mercy Me has a great song about it, only their lyrics say "when the Healer and the hurt" collide....I think. It could be the other way around. It's a good song. They're a great band. You should really go check them out if you haven't. 

    OK, well, that's off my chest. I would hope that everyone knows I am not a mean, nasty, evil, Hell-and-Damnation type.  I am so much more of a "Come sit here and drink coffee with me" type.  If coffee had a beard and wore a kilt I'd marry it. (does that make me weird?) 

Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com

Sore for The Duration But I'm OK!

 That's why God made Advil!  I have a problem that many people can relate to. I was a younger person at one time; it's been quite a while since those days, but when I was younger I rode horses rather aggressively and I'm paying for it now through arthritis. Yes, it's true, time has finally caught up with me in terms of reminding me that age is not just a number, it is in fact a phase we all go through if we are lucky enough to have survived all the things that tried to kill us!

    Oh, let's be honest! It's not just that the horseback riding, slamming into barrels, or falling off onto my butt, hips, back, or head was an issue. When I was really little I would climb to the top of the church and jump to the ground. Now, mind you, I didn't actually climb to the TOP of the church, just the first story, and it was flat. Where I jumped was maybe 12 feet or so, it wasn't that far. I could usually remember to squat or even roll when I landed. I wasn't a complete moron! LOL...yes, I was.

    I work out now, and I have for a couple of years. I am an avid walker, and I lift weights. Since I live across the street from the YMCA, my daughter and I joined, but we only go about 3x a week, so the rest of the week is spent working out at home. Since it snowed last night, (seriously? It's mid-November!) I decided to ditch the walk and just do leg, butt, and gut work at home. Damn! I should remind myself to both take pain relievers and stretch before I stretch, and then wait on those pain relievers before I push, pull, lift, kick, and so forth. Boxing day is tomorrow, and that's my favorite. I have to stop myself actually, and only do 20 minutes because I could literally go on for an hour or so punching Bob in the face! (Bob is the rubber dummy I have, but I also have the red foam rubber thing too. I like boxing.

    Today, AFTER I did my workout at home, thinking I was finished and all I had to do was laundry, dishes, walk the dog, study for Series 66, and reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Scots Edition, my daughter springs it on me that we're going to the GYM! What? I ate a big breakfast! She was insistent. I complained, I even argued for something like a minute, but she had her headphones in while she was grabbing her hoodie and taking the house keys off the cute Dachshund keyholder by the door. She was staring at me, nodding her head, and sort of making that "Come on, out the door!" look.  FINE.  I went.

    I decided to just walk while she worked out, and that's cool, right? I was about six laps around the gym when I saw my favorite machine empty, no one was using it. OK sure, I'll just do a quick set of reps, and be done. No one does that. You find another machine, and another machine after that. You do a rep and think "That wasn't really that hard. I could do more" and you do it. You do more. Then you're really into it and blowing away all of your personal bests when your daughter walks up to you and says she's finished! Wow.  To think I used to breathe and make decisions on my own before I had kids.

    Winter is winter. It is what it is, but this is November 12th. Actually, it's pretty cool because the date is 1-1-1-2-2-2. That won't happen again.  My friend's daughter is getting married today. That's an awesome day to be getting married.  I think it may be a destination thing. I'm not going. I do wish her and her man a wonderful and full full full full life!  I hope Jeannie looks almost as pretty as the bride.  Winter is winter, but this is AUTUMN and I should not have to trek across snow, even if it is only 150 feet of it, to the YMCA in mid-November. Nope. It should be dry, it should be pretty. It should be airy, maybe a little breezy, but around 58 degrees, not hovering over 30 degrees where I can see my breath.  That's just wrong. I may need to pop another Advil, just sayin'.  My hip is telling me I need to do that.

    So, in the fall/autumn and winter, I do have an issue with the pains creeping up both in the joints and the muscles. Add to that the cold weather, add to that the workout, add to that the stretches and the stairs! I'm screaming over here. My right side has decided to turn itself over to the authorities and just take a break. I, the authority of my right side, have decided to soak for 30 minutes, drink green tea, down a few pain relievers, and massage my hips and thighs while trying to hold the Kindle in my left hand so I can finish reading Rob Roy so I can get to Harry Potter. It's a thing, I know. I have issues. Sir Walter and I go way way back. 

    Bob and I have a date tomorrow, don't we Bob?  Ha!  I'm gonna have so much fun with that guy - - headphones on, music cranked, gloves tight, and pop, pop, pop, pop, dance....dance...massage, fall over, and die, get back up and do it again. Bob laughs at me, but he doesn't have a leg to stand on in this case! (You know if you know)

    Photo Credit: Century Athletics ("Bob")

Keeping up with the Licensures.

 Since 1983 I have held at least one of my insurance licenses. I have licenses in the state of Oklahoma and can sell anyone in that state life, health, or accident insurance as well as property & casualty insurance. I can adjust claims for P&C and I have can sell businesses Workers Compensation.  It's not always glamorous or even worth the money I spend on continued education and the renewal of each license, as they do have to be renewed every 24 months. Every time you renew you have to be sure to have all the continued (required) education as well; that's also a number 24. The requirement for each license is 24 hours of CE along with the fee. You gotta pay the fee!  The cost of each CE package is around $40-45 and then you pay $24 (again, that number) to have the CE posted to your transcript. You'd think that after nearly 40 years the state would trust me to know what I'm doing. They probably do, but they want that fee!

    Being licensed has its perks of course. If I ever do lose my regular job I can always look for temporary assignments in the insurance field. I'm not really all that keen on remaining in the sales force at this time. I've been there for so long that I think it's time to move ahead. I've actually done just that, but I just don't want to leave my licenses out there hanging either. I have them, they're more of an insurance policy for myself at this point. If you think about it, paying the premium of just about $100 a year isn't too bad; it ensures that I have a way to eat if I need to. Most places only pay commission, but no company will ever turn you down if you ask to go to work as long as you have all of your credentials. They'd be stupid to reject someone with over XXX years of experience in the field. I just really don't want to go back to that if I don't have to. At least I know the differences between insure, assure and ensure.

    Currently, I am working in a support role for a trading company so I can both learn the ropes of the trade, and get my Series 66 and Series 7 out of the way so I can trade full-time in the open market. Our firm mainly deals in bonds, but we do enough business development that my experience in sales will come to the forefront when it comes time for me to dig up new clients. I'm hoping the boss will let me take a trip overseas and start up an international branch in the UK; specifically Scotland, and even more specifically, Edinburgh.  There are many hundreds of financial institutions in Scotland that would benefit from what we do; maybe I'm the right person to take the prospectus and proposal to them! I hope so.

    The sales (insurance) licenses have NOTHING to do with the trade industry. It's just something I have in my back pocket, sort of like the Ph.D. in Administration of Higher Education. I decided to trip over myself for a few years and get that while working full-time and raising three kids. When people whine and moan about their issues I'll be the one laughing in the corner.  Try pulling a 3.87 GPA while working full-time at a law office as a paralegal and raising three teens or pre-teens without a penny of child support. Please don't complain to me about your life. Make something happen, or get out of the way of those of us who decide to. I'm not being mean, God forbid I harass or bully anyone! I'm a mover. I don't wait for the arms of Fate to reach out to me, I firmly grasp his steely hand and introduce myself. I look him in the eye and tell him exactly what I expect of myself. 

    God has been so very gracious with and to me. He's been the guiding Light, the Power behind everything I think to do or accomplish. It was literally 25 years ago this month that I divorced my ex and let me tell you, there will be a celebration on the 27th if only in my head. During our divorce, our judge (Barbara Swinton) told me to my face and with my counsel present, that I could either go to Law School, which I had a full ride to attend, or I could have the kids. Are you kidding me? She literally said it, and then told the court reporter not to add that last bit to the record. My counsel spoke up and told her if she ordered that to be stricken it was also stricken in situ! It was not to be adhered to if it was not going on the record.  It is part of the record. It's not supposed to be legal, but there it is. I chose the kids.

    Because I chose the kids I had to find another way to support all of us. I worked as a paralegal yes, but my attorney employer was elderly, and he was about to retire. The plan was for me to become an attorney and take over his business. That didn't happen. I instead, got my education in Education, and I taught. I still had my life insurance licenses, and I had that as a safety net; it's been a good one.  Eventually, I left the firm, started my own insurance business, taught at the same time, and tried to do all I could to produce and wrangle three of the most amazing creatures ever to step foot on the Earth.  All three of my kids have been wonderfully educated either through their own training or public training. Reuben is also militarily trained. They've all been and are successful at their respective choices of employment.  It's my turn to do what I want to do. I want to trade.

    One does not simply begin trading. If you're smart you'll take a full year to understand the process, then you'll work a demo account for at least 6 months to get a grip on what it is to push those keys to throw you into a live trade. The Market does not like you. It does not hate you. It does not stop for you. It doesn't wait for you. It does not stand up for you. It will not support you, back you up, or even notice you. The Market is a beast in and of itself. It is to be respected and worked, but it is not to be worshipped by anyone. Market is Market. The sooner a person understands what they are up against, the better they'll be for both themselves and any clients they may work with in the future.

    To sell insurance one must be licensed in the state they are selling in, and you can also be licensed in states you think will be selling in as well.  You may not sell in a state where you are not licensed. Each license per state is about the same cost, and I was licensed in three states at one time. I've brought that crazy time to a halt, and I am now only licensed in the Sooner State! It's enough to know I am doing what I can to set the stage(s) should I ever need to retire. Believe it or not, when I do move to Scotland, I can still sell insurance in the States as long as I keep a residence. I can do that. I may have it as another net when and if it's needed.  What can I say, I've always been a planner. My plans have plans. I find it easier to breathe when I schedule the inhaling and the exhaling appropriately.

    OK, gotta get back to the study. I'm about to head off into Property & Casualty with Flood continuing education. Can't miss that!! Floods can be so very interesting from the point of view of the adjuster and sales rep, not so much from the point of view of the policyholder, however. Nope. Not fun at all.  Have a bright and merry week and I'll try to catch up when I can. I have a feeling I'll have my head in the "books" online for a minute or two this week.

Photo Credit: Yellowmaps.com

When is a Lie a Lie?

 Yeah, I know, I'm harping on this lie thing. When I get a sandbur up under my saddle it's hard to shake. Some things just need to be fleshed out and this is one of those things. You get lied about and you tear it apart. You go to the source, but the source is a big "I won't say what I want to say" type of person. He's really just dug his wee little shaved head into the beach and refuses to come up for air. He chooses to hang on to the tales and blasters he was told about me, and from this, he garners his perception(s) of me. OK, it didn't help that after he was garnering and being a boo, I did confront him about a personal life choice that he was not only making (and posting about) but that others (unbeknownst to him) were posting in deeper more insidious detail.  Some of the details they were posting were crude and I know this man would not have appreciated what I saw.  I personally prayed one man would take down a particularly harmful post, and to my relief he did. When I confronted the "Ass" as I am now prone to call him, he didn't thank me. I mean, I didn't really expect him to, but I didn't expect him to blast me, blame me, and then lie about me when in all reality, it was only the raw and naked truth. Lies are lies, and the truth is truth. He should check his besties next time; know who you're hanging with.

    When is a lie a lie?  When (if ever) is a lie OK to tell? I have asked this question any number of times when I first start off a semester at any of the colleges or universities where I have had the privilege to lecture. I may apply to the University of Edinburgh, or a college close to it, this may happen.  I stand at the front of the class on the 2nd day of class, as the first day is usually wrought with registration, attendance, rules, the handing out of the syllabus, and me trying to explain to the students exactly who it is that is standing before them.  Believe it or not, a lot of students have no idea which professor they've chosen, or who may have been chosen for them. 

    A lie is a lie when it is not the truth.  Does that mean it is a complete lie if it is not the complete truth? Well, in some ways the answer would have to be "Yes".  We may not like it, but it may be true. I suppose we as humans, like to put pressure on ourselves and give ourselves a bit of a reprieve now and again as well.  We say things like "Oh, that's just a little white lie". Why is a white lie less than a darker shade of untruth? Is that in and of itself a deception? I would say it is.  A lie is a lie when we know the fact but choose (openly) to cover it up, or dismiss the truth or fact. We choose, and we are not manipulated into it, that would not be a lie, that would be a false telling. There is a difference. If you KNOW the fact, and you openly, voluntarily, on your own accord, choose to cover it, or not to expose the fact, you have told a lie.  If you know something about someone is NOT true, but you say it anyway, maybe to cover your own embarrassment, you have lied.

    What about if you know you're getting a divorce, but you tell people you're still married and all is well.  I mean, you may still be LEGALLY married, right, so it's not a lie.  You're just maybe not willing to have that conversation with yourself or anyone else, so you say you're fine.  All is well, the marriage is intact, and so on and so forth.  You mention the kids, and how they're doing well. You haven't seen them since last Spring and/or a year ago, but hey, you know they're OK, so you say so. Is that a lie? Why mention it at all? Were you asked? Why volunteer the information as some sort of cover story, some sort of pass-the-buck card.  What was it Shakespeare said, "Me thinks he protests too much." When is a lie a lie?  Maybe the answer is when the truth is hard to bear. Instead of putting it out there, maybe ask for actual help with issues you're actually having.

    We all do it, even me, and I hate to admit that. I will go flat out of my way NOT to tell a half-truth, which is also a lie. I will bend myself into pretzels so I don't misrepresent myself or someone else, but there are times when it either seems there is no way out or when there is a way out, but I can't seem to be strong enough to face it, embrace it, and do it. These are usually times when my employment would be on the line, but I have been known to bite the bullet, as they say, and just lose my job rather than hold a secret, cover up something, or go along with...I won't do that. I can't do that. It's not in me. Do you wanna know what is in me? The Holy Spirit. He's in others too, and when those others lie -- He is activated! I don't know about you, but I don't like it when the Holy Spirit has to get onto me.

    When is a lie a lie? When someone writes to your pastor and friend and is concerned about you, and that pastor or friend sends you the message they received, you have NO RIGHT to tell a falsehood about the person who wrote out of concern or love. Your only answer is to pray about it and seek the truth in the matter. If what they perceived was in fact true, and your pastor and friend is (same person) asking you about it, you have two choices from which to choose. You can say "It's really none of your business" or you can tell the truth. The third option is never the one to choose. You don't brush it off, you don't cover it up, and you don't tell a LIE to save your own embarrassment. You either man up or you coward down. I think we know what happened. We all know what happened. That's why I'm writing today; one of the reasons I'm writing today.

    There are times when someone has stepped over a line. I am often that someone. I do and will step over a line. I didn't mind being told I had either. I understood, and I explained that the way I chose to address the issue was both Biblical, and it was properly private to the extent that it could be held private. The way to respond to it is not to pretend I was lying, but to admit that I had concerns, it was addressed, and that it will be resolved with the pastor; I never asked anyone to address the issue with me. (Hence the pastor's involvement, per the Bible's teachings) 

    When is a lie a lie? Did I lie? Is there anything WHATSOEVER in the message that I sent that could be misconstrued as being false? I'll wait.  I didn't send "those" photos. No, I didn't do that. I didn't name names, and I didn't bash or berate.  When is a lie a lie? When it is not the truth.  I did not lie. You did.

    Are we all sinners? YES!! Each and every last one of us is one of those people who do in fact sin. Not one of us is capable of judging, but it wasn't judging that I was doing, was it? I reported. I was reporting information shown as I perceived it, and I was reporting what I knew. I say KNEW because I have eyes and I can see with both of them. When the other party decided to rescind the photos and posts I was most happy that he chose to do so. That man is not truthful, that man is not a friend. It's a rare thing for a flitting butterfly to be anything more than a beautiful and tender memory. Sometimes the wasp is sent to get your attention! They were both on board the Ark. They both have their purposes.

    When is a lie a lie? When it isn't the truth.  We don't always have to tell the truth you know. We can say "I don't want to talk about it" or "that's personal".  Isn't that better than denial, mistruths, half-truths, round-about truths, and/or little white lies to help smooth the waves?  I backed off when you used those words with me. I agreed to back off, didn't I? I can prove it.  It wasn't until YOU LIED again, that I wrote again. You know that, I know that. Moreover, Jesus knows that. I don't judge, I'll leave that to Him.

      I pink-swore with every last one of my children once they were old enough to pinky-swear. Reuben had to get permission to actually pinky-swear since he isn't a girl, nor does he have a daughter, but we did a three-ring thing with one of his sisters so it could count.  We pinky-swore that we would never lie to one another no matter what. We can say "I don't want to talk about it now, but when I can I will."  We do have the right to reserve the truth, but we don't have the right to cover it, or ignore it altogether.  We respect each other, and we respect the Word.  Words have consequences, and they are often hard to take. Sometimes people blog and bite you in the ass for the words you chose to unleash. It happens. Don't lie. 

    When is a lie a lie? I think you know by now. I won't expect an apology, and no, I won't offer one either. I will say this; I will never lie to you. Never.

    

Photo Credit: KMUW.com

    

Love Me Some Kindle.

 For years I've been an Amazon fan. I've purchased things online since I was allowed to. I was one of the first I know to get a dedicated credit card just so I could buy things online and not worry about it. This was before PayPal, Venmo, and other sources. I was ordering online and not paying for expedited delivery. The problem with that is, I would receive a package a week or so later and have no idea what I had ordered until I opened the box. That, and if you didn't like it you were pretty much stuck with it. Returning it was a hassle, and it could also be expensive. Well, not anymore!! Wow, I just love technology even if I am not that great at using it. I did learn quickly, however, how to return things I don't want that I ordered from Amazon! Not lying, I often return them or start the return before they are delivered. I'm so so so so spoiled. I admit it.

    This being my birthday month, the month of November, I tend to buy myself things and I spoil myself the entire month. I have not disappointed myself this year. I decided to buy a Kindle, but because I'm of Scottish descent, I didn't want to spend a bunch of money on it. I first went the cheap route, but then I realized why I got that particular unit so cheaply!! There's always a reason.  Read the fine print.  I bought a Paperwhite Gen. 7 from eBay rather than from Amazon. The seller is good, they have a 100% review status, and over 15,000 items sold. Great people. I just wasn't happy with the unit after I found out it had way fewer bells and whistles than the newer ones. Then, it hit me; I can have two.  Yes, you heard me, I can have TWO separate Kindles. I will take one to work with me, and I will leave one at home. Perfect! You just can't get more satisfying than that.  I know that sounds incredibly spoiled again, but why take the thing back and forth if I don't have to? 

    The Gen. 7 can hold about 500 books, and the All-New can hold so many more. I'm not really sure I'll ever get over 1000 books, but I can see myself adding books left and right if they're free.  A lot of the old classics are exactly that; free! I can say I've paid for 11 books so far, and I have another 10-15 downloaded that didn't cost me anything. The New Testament written in Scots was $1.99  SERIOUSLY cheap! I've been reading it at work and just simply giggling because a year ago I had to search nearly every word they wrote to find out what it meant!! Today, I'm reading the book and I rarely have to look up a single word. I'm really getting the hang of it. I am getting the hang of it to the point that I'm ordering books in Scots. I'm not yet at the point where I can read and understand Scots Gaelic yet, but I'm ordering books written in that language as well, and there will be countless hours of study and research! Can't wait.

    I really have no excuse as to why I haven't been reading my books in this format for years. I've been making excuses and telling myself that I prefer to hold the physical book in my two hands. That just isn't the truth (I mean, it's not a flat lie, OK)! I bought "Hearts of Midlothian" by Sir Walter Scott, and it's fairly large. I have difficulty lifting it, holding it, and reading it. Then there are those idiots who print books (and sell them to people like me who don't read the full description before wantonly ordering, only to return them later) where the font size is so small an ant would have a wee fit to read it. Ants probably don't read, but you get the gist. The last several books I ordered from Amazon before ordering the Kindle, have been written in 10-11 font and the lines between each line have been compromised. It's impossible to follow - - thank you, Kindle!  I can control the size of the font, the brightness of the background, and the style of the font as well. Too cool.

    So, today, while at work, I tend to have about two hours of free time and I took full advantage of it. I took the Gen. 7 to work with me,  and there I am reading about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus making their way from Egypt to Nazareth, when I had to chuckle at the words before me. One of my co-workers, who is also of Scottish heritage, asked me to read it as it is written, so I did. She and I both just rolled at my attempts. I suck! I really really do suck at it, but it is such a learning experience to learn a good hearty strong language; and if it's a language your ancients knew and spoke, the better!!  She then became so interested in my Kindle that she ordered one for herself too. We're going to do a book of the month thing at the office and at least six of us are willing to do it.  Not all the books I will order will be in Scots, mind you, but I do want to do as many as I can.  We haven't decided on a book yet to read, but we all know it has to be a murder book!! Yes, a good murder is hard to ignore. 

    Since I am a writer and a murder writer, I am also interested in what others have to say, and what they did in fact write. I'm constantly looking for a good place to murder someone and I think I've found it in the closes of Edinburgh. I just have to pick a good one and then go investigate. Nothing like seeing it up close and personal to get the right feel for the energy of the ink you choose to spill for the cause. A close is a type of small, often thin, brick-lined passage from Point A to Point B. There are about 60+ of them on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, and it will be one of these where the murder will take place in my book. I won't know exactly which one yet, I need to feel them, touch them, run my hands over the bricks and think about what it could have been like if this or that close is better. It'll take me a minute, a minute I can't wait to spend. I think 2023 will be profitable. 

    So, back to the Kindle. I thought about buying one for each and every kid in my life. I have three, but two are married, and one has two of her own. That's a few, so I asked them if they wanted one. The answers flew in with a resounding NO. What? Yeah, they're all in denial. They think they like holding books too.  I did. I know I did. I totally get that, but I have hundreds of books on my shelves now, books I won't read again.  Why not have them stuffed in the Cloud and not on the shelves. I have over 300 personal journals that I wrote, so they're not on Kindle, but I bet most of, or more than not, the books I've got stashed around my house, are on Kindle. What I'm going to do is go through the inventory on Kindle. If I can get the book for $0.00 I'm going to order it, and then donate the physical book that I have in my house!  I've already given away "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and it's less than an inch thick. It only has 120 pages I think. Geez. "Hearts of Midlothian", as previously mentioned is substantially thicker!

    That's it. I'm happy. I'm really very happy. If I could say more about the Kindle I would. I think if I had designed it I could have used a few features, but alas, no one asked me during that process what I would prefer. I'll just settle for the All-New version and read my happy little head to sleep, night after night after night.  

    

Photo Credit: Kindle.com