Nicholas Denmon's Blog, page 7

Last day of work and Christmas!

Today is the last day of work before Christmas, so fortunately I have a large block of time off.  I am very excited about the opportunity to hang out with several friends I have not seen in a while, as they trek home to pay homage to the two people that made them.

Also exciting is the opportunity to see most of my family again before the events of the New Year swallow us whole and more than likely make spending time with each other a bit more difficult. Busy lives in different locations can sometimes make the time spent with loved ones a bit more important, especially during the holiday season.  It will be nice to share gifts, a bit of spiked eggnog, and general happiness with the people who made me and the rest of the gang that somehow showed up when we lifted the rocks in the garden.

If you look closely you can see the family portrait of my siblings ;)
Many times at this point in the year, as mentioned, people take trips to see loved ones.  I just got back from my trip overseas to see my loved ones there, and am looking forward to seeing my domestic and longer-tenured loved ones. We have a tradition of each year watching the movie Die Hard, and I can't wait to continue with that epic institution (a result of my Dad being divorced and having four sons).
My extended Welsh and Spanish family.  Looks like a sweet album cover - starring my finger doesn't it?
Anyway, I will keep everyone posted on the progress of the book giveaway and the All Children's Hospital event as we continue to receive donations.  Remember, you have until the 23rd to climb on board the giving train.
Days till Christmas!
TTFN Denmonites!
-ND

Breaking Chairs and Bringing Christmas back Peanuts' style!

We had the office Christmas party this week and it was a good time.  We played games, got bonus checks, and ate food.  The company flew us out to Georgia so the Tampa office could partake, then my cubicle-hetero-roomie-life-mate proceeded to sit on a chair and break it to smithereens.

We think it is because we work out so much that there is a lot of dense muscle mass.  I almost broke my chair too...maybe...

But I didn't, so everyone laughed and clapped at my pal.  He took it in red-faced good fun.

Ri-Ri with his broken chair
Me sipping on champagne
Office Christmas Tree
The dessert table!

Christmas Countdown:

5 days until Christmas. How exciting!  The post office lines are so long they go out the door. The lights are out in full force and I even saw a group going around singing Christmas carols.  Not bad for a bunch of five year old children. Also adding to the season is the fact that my friend's wife has been sharing pictures of her child doing the school Christmas play etc (adorable).

I never know which year will feel like "Christmas", but this one really does for me. Part of the reason for that is because of how giving people have been to others.

By people I mean, you, the readers of this little blog corner.

So here is an update on the book giveaway / All Children's Hospital benefit. Sorry I took a week to get an update going, but I spent about five days away traveling.

The Program:

New Holiday Tradition to Benefit All Children's This holiday season, Busch Gardens begins a new tradition when it hosts its biggest Christmas celebration ever.  Christmas Town  transforms the park into a nighttime holiday wonderland of wintry surprises and all things Christmas. And a portion of the proceeds will benefit All Children's Hospital. (Click to read more)

Those Who Participated (December 13-20):

Gilbert HoopesAngelia PoitraLea EllenEster CernaBrent DubuqueRafael PickneyBrananCecile MeeShanna WinninghamJocelyn HolgateBrett BeltzCharity TackerNathaniel HerrimanMollie GatelyAlta MaronRick LindemanRicardo Press
Their Book Choices:
11 For Nothing
6 Buffalo Soldiers
Receipts Total:
$460.00
Remember even one ticket purchased, gets you the book, signed.  I have also decided that if you re-tweet or share the link to this blog, you get a free ebook of your choice (as long as it was an ebook written by me).

GRAND TOTALS:

Participants (since December 7th) - 50

Receipts - $1790.00

Books Given Away - 49 plus one high-five.

Days Left: 3

I was hoping to get 50 people involved and if we count my brother we are there.  I have also decided that should we not reach the $2,000.00 goal, I will close the gap (easy to do since we are so close). This has really been an amazing response and I can't thank everyone enough for what you are doing this holiday season.

And just to remember why people celebrate on this day, Christian or not, I think we can all get behind, "On earth, peace and goodwill towards men."


TTFN Denmonites!

-ND

Christmas Countdown Book Giveaway Update

Last night I had an epic write-a-thon nailing out about 3,200 words in an evening.  That is roughly thirteen pages of writing which for me is decent after working all day.  It is amazing how I can zone in when I have a good sound track to write alongside.



See my Facebook page for some of the songs I was listening to last night.

Only thirteen days until Christmas, and my excitement is rising.  I have some amazing gifts including a really nice couple for a special woman in my life.  Sometimes I get so excited about giving a gift away that I almost just blurt out what it is.

Must. Be. Disciplined.

Quick update on the book giveaway / All Children's Hospital benefit.

The Program:

New Holiday Tradition to Benefit All Children's This holiday season, Busch Gardens begins a new tradition when it hosts its biggest Christmas celebration ever.  Christmas Town  transforms the park into a nighttime holiday wonderland of wintry surprises and all things Christmas. And a portion of the proceeds will benefit All Children's Hospital. (Click to read more)

Those Who Participated (December 11-12):

Tabitha
PiratesversusThieves
Sandy Schell
Blake Libien 
Their Book Choices:
4 Buffalo Soldiers
Receipts Total:
$110.00
Remember even one ticket purchased, gets you the book, signed.  I have also decided that if you re-tweet or share the link to this blog, you get a free ebook of your choice (as long as it was an ebook written by me).

GRAND TOTALS:

Participants (since December 7th) - 33

Receipts - $1330.00

Books Given Away - 32 plus one high five.

Days Left: 11

Imagine if we can get to 50 people participating.  I don't think reaching $2,000 is out of the realm of possibility.

TTFN Denmonites!

-ND

Monkey Business

Who doesn't like a good monkey story? Apparently even monkeys enjoy shopping at Ikea for their low priced furniture and easy to assemble shelving. I once built an entire library from Ikea shelving in a previous life so I understand the allure.

Seeing as how my favorite childhood stories growing up consisted of the ones with Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat, anytime there is a tiny monkey in the news it catches my attention.

Thanks Mom and Dad
Here in Tampa we had a whole family of monkeys that escaped from a local wildlife facility several years back.  They became increasingly difficult to capture because after each one of their group was captured the rest learned to avoid those particular traps.  Eventually only one monkey remained, the famous Mystery Monkey of Tampa Bay who eluded capture for three years until he was finally taken down this past October.
No Man in the Yellow Hat here, just a tranquilizer dart
Imagine how exciting it was for me to learn that a monkey in a winter coat was found roaming the halls of a Toronto Ikea. Here is the video for your viewing pleasure:

TTFN Demonites!
-ND

Over $1000 contributed for All Children's Hospital

Just a quick update before I get back to work on this novel. 

As you all probably know, I have been giving away signed copies of my novels in exchange for people who can provide a receipt, as proof of purchase, to the cooperative event between Busch Gardens and All Children's Hospital below.  When I started this adventure I just wanted to share the feeling of doing something nice.  Someone brought it to my attention that there might be a better way and thus, this giveaway was spawned. Do something nice, get a free book, and join in the holiday spirit!

The Program:

New Holiday Tradition to Benefit All Children's This holiday season, Busch Gardens begins a new tradition when it hosts its biggest Christmas celebration ever. Christmas Town transforms the park into a nighttime holiday wonderland of wintry surprises and all things Christmas. And a portion of the proceeds will benefit All Children's Hospital. (Click to read more)

Those Who Participated (December 8-10):

Rachel LOC9132Adizz09Tony DevilleDanny BremerGlenn SchuckTravisMarjorie CarrollManuel SchollDaniel SilvermanRoy FussellJerry ArredondoJustin CejaMaryAnn WangVonderman2010Anne GregorShelley DuboisJonathan Fecteau

Their Book Choices:
5 Buffalo Soldiers12 For Nothing
1 high five for my brother
Receipts Total:
$320.00
Remember even one ticket purchased, gets you the book, signed.  I have also decided that if you re-tweet or share the link to this blog, you get a free ebook of your choice (as long as it was an ebook written by me).

GRAND TOTALS:

Participants (since December 7th) - 29

Receipts - $1220.00

Books Given Away - 28 plus one high five

Tis the Season...To Give Books Away!

I recently posted about a great opportunity to help children in need.  I also said that if you provided a receipt of purchase to this program, I would provide a signed paperback copy of any of my novels of your choosing.

The Program:

New Holiday Tradition to Benefit All Children's This holiday season, Busch Gardens begins a new tradition when it hosts its biggest Christmas celebration ever. Christmas Town transforms the park into a nighttime holiday wonderland of wintry surprises and all things Christmas. And a portion of the proceeds will benefit All Children's Hospital. (Click to read more)

Those Who Participated:

Jacee241Beth SuttonKyle WalshSamieSamie42RileyAshley Tom McKinnaJoshKayla StephensTammiMatthew R.
Their Book Choices:
8 Buffalo Soldiers3 For Nothing
Receipts Total:
$900.00
Not bad at all.  Remember this give away will roll all the way through December 23rd.  The more books defaced with my signature the better.  The eleven generous souls above accepted the challenge this holiday season, will you?

God Takes His Vengeance

They always say laugh often but don't laugh too hard or too loud.  That is good advice.

Yesterday I made a big stink about how great the weather was here in Florida.  And it was great.  So great that I was able to trek on over to the beach and get some late night writing in, rum in hand.  The cool water lapped at my toes while the night air rode along on nature's warm breath to make for a pleasant evening alone among the waves and the stars and the story dancing in my head.

I listened to music through my headphones, on low, so I could still make out the crash of the waves as they faltered against the might of the earth and rolled to sleep back beneath the gulf.  Every now and again the music you listen to as a writer syncs up with the nature around you, your mood, the vibe of the story, and you hit the "zone".

Yesterday was a good day.

However, God must have heard about my gloating because the weather has done a 180 since yesterday.  The sky clouded over.  The winds picked up. The temperature dropped by 14 degrees.


Sigh.  I promise to be a good boy.  Just let those high 70's and low 80's come back! To be honest though, I actually enjoy the cool weather this time of year.  I wish it were colder.  But I do love the sun.  That is why this is moderately depressing:

Yesterday I gloated about this:


Today I get this:


Damn. Guess I am being prepared for shitty weather, as if being from Buffalo, NY wasn't enough...
TTFN Denmonites!
UPDATE:  God seems to have forgiven me.  As of 1:20 pm we are back as it should be.
-ND

Palm Trees and Christmas

Christmas is coming up and I have spent a lot of time shopping for people that are important to me. There is of course one person who gets most of the attention when it comes to my gift giving and this year she has tons of needs and wants so I have been a busy man on eBay.

Before this year I might have purchased one thing on eBay in my life, but now I have ratings as a customer and all this other stuff so it is very interesting to me seeing as how I am at the least a mostly-virgin eBay man.

I also recently stumbled on a great way to "give back" by looking up ways to get involved in the local Children's Hospital. I will encourage everyone to at least take a look at this concept.


New Holiday Tradition to Benefit All Children's

This holiday season, Busch Gardens begins a new tradition when it hosts its biggest Christmas celebration ever. Christmas Town transforms the park into a nighttime holiday wonderland of wintry surprises and all things Christmas. And a portion of the proceeds will benefit All Children's Hospital. (Read More).

If theme parks aren't your thing, you can buy tickets for less then ten dollars and give them to a local school to give out, or kids in your neighborhood.  It will help out the children in the hospital as well as those who want to go to a theme park for the holiday festivities. 
That is what we call...two birds...one stone.
Further, if you send me a receipt as proof of purchase, I will send you a free paperback novel of either For Nothing or Buffalo Soldiers (your choice) with a sure-to-be-value-decreasing-signature of mine enclosed on the inside of the cover.
Now that we have all the feel good helping people stuff out of the way...
...time to gloat while I still can.
My friend Thomas sent me these text pictures the last few days.  He is in the UK, Wales to be exact, and is freezing his butt off.  Let me feel sorry for him (while I still can)...


Yep that sucks.  Sorry old chap.  0 degrees in December?  Hardly a rum go though is it?  You know better than to expect different! 
Makes me chuffed to be able to show you this as it approaches 5 pm here in Florida right outside my office:

Eh.  A bit overcast though isn't it?  I miss the blue skies already.  Lovely though, palm trees for Christmas and sunshine and 70 plus degrees in December.  Though I do envy something about a white Christmas.  I guess I will have to settle for looking at all the colorful lights tomorrow and the Christmas decorations as I mentally prep for the holiday.
19 days to go?  Exciting.

The Movember Aftermath

AFTERMATH- A consequence, especially of a disaster or misfortune: famine as an aftermath of drought. 2. A period of time following a disastrous event: in the aftermath of war.

When it came to our facial hair, we came, we saw we conquered.

But as with any hard fought battle, the results were varied across the board.

In the case of our German compatriot, he was cowed into submission by his wife and opted to go for the clean shave. Happy wife, happy life, and his smooth baby-faced skin is a testament to his want for a peaceful home. Ever the happy warrior, the Germanator is now a domesticated man, living life tending to his crops and fixing the plumbing in his home which carried its own challenges as he slightly wounded his thumb in the endeavor.
Baby face German
Also shedding his face fur, and reaching for the straight razor, was Thomas.  The screenwriter took off his mustache and said he never felt better.  However, he did make sure to mention, "same thing this time next year!"  Well said Thomas.  Well said.
Can you almost see remnants there, above the lip?
Ryan and I both took the advice of the single most important woman in each of our lives and opted to keep a more controlled variation of the month's tribute to masculinity.  After we both toyed with the idea of keeping just the mustache, and cultivating it like Tom Selleck...


 ...we decided to just tame the beastly facial hair instead of completely putting it down to rest.
Almost looks like he is working...
Should be looking like he is working instead of taking everyone's photo...
Till next time faithful Demonites!
-ND

A Sad Goodbye To Our Beards

Movember / No Shave November is drawing to a close. I would like to thank all my friends and colleagues who joined me on this journey. As we bid adieu to our spectacular man-staches it is not without a bit of trepidation.

It is the fear of the unknown.

Since we last shaved, the world around us has changed.

For instance, thirty days ago, consider:

- Halloween had just ended, now we look past Thanksgiving and on towards Christmas.

- The average temperature has fallen from 78 degrees to 72 degrees in Tampa.

- When we started, Mitt Romney looked to be the next President of the United States.

- Hurricane Sandy had just made landfall the day or so before, kicking off more than $42 billion in damage to New York alone.

A lot has changed.  We must cope.  We must adapt.  We must be brave my mustachioed brethren.

A look at our beards... one last time:
The Germanator
 Hetero-Cubicle-Roomie-Lifemate-RiRi
Thomas The Tank Engine Screenwriter 
Random Starbucks Guy
King Beard Himself, Me
As we struggle to cope with being lame, normal, unbearded folk, I leave you with the video on how to kill a mustache:

TTFN Denmonites!
-ND