Hamilton C. Burger's Blog, page 2
October 20, 2012
Now what am I going to do?
I have been working feverishly to finish the third book in a series of children’s, middle grade, chapter-books, that I author. This third book has been much harder than the first two, for some reason.
I started writing last March; there had been an idea for a story floating around in my head for years. I’m not sure what made me decide to start the first book, but I did. I have tried not to look back since.
I would like to say thank you to people who have made this process possible. Without them, I would have never had a chance.
First and foremost, my wife and daughters…You allow me to pound away on my laptop for hours on end, alone in my office. Occasionally, you bring me sustenance or lock one of the animals in with me, giving me a willing ear to bounce off my ideas. They are so agreeable, not once have they said they didn’t like a storyline.
To my friends, thank you for putting up with all of my stories about my stories. Middle grade fiction isn’t your genre, but you pretend that it is. I promise, when you write a book, I will shut up and listen about it!
My online friends, champions and others, thank you as well. I have learned that not everyone you meet is as genuine as they appear. Some really want to help, some say that they want to help, some just want your money, and a few help.
This business is very solitary and it is nice to meet people with a common thread and talk about reading, writing and on occasion, family.
Writing has been a roller coaster at times. I have made many mistakes. I own up to all of them. I’ve also done one or two things right. If I had to do it all over, I think I would do it the same way. I believe that things happen for a reason. Sometimes it takes a while for us to realize what that reason is.
I started writing last March; there had been an idea for a story floating around in my head for years. I’m not sure what made me decide to start the first book, but I did. I have tried not to look back since.
I would like to say thank you to people who have made this process possible. Without them, I would have never had a chance.
First and foremost, my wife and daughters…You allow me to pound away on my laptop for hours on end, alone in my office. Occasionally, you bring me sustenance or lock one of the animals in with me, giving me a willing ear to bounce off my ideas. They are so agreeable, not once have they said they didn’t like a storyline.
To my friends, thank you for putting up with all of my stories about my stories. Middle grade fiction isn’t your genre, but you pretend that it is. I promise, when you write a book, I will shut up and listen about it!
My online friends, champions and others, thank you as well. I have learned that not everyone you meet is as genuine as they appear. Some really want to help, some say that they want to help, some just want your money, and a few help.
This business is very solitary and it is nice to meet people with a common thread and talk about reading, writing and on occasion, family.
Writing has been a roller coaster at times. I have made many mistakes. I own up to all of them. I’ve also done one or two things right. If I had to do it all over, I think I would do it the same way. I believe that things happen for a reason. Sometimes it takes a while for us to realize what that reason is.
September 29, 2012
Is this communication?
Technology has an tremendous impact on human interaction. Yesterday, I was driving out in the ‘burbs, running some errands. For some reason, I keyed in on the number of people talking on their cell phones. At every intersection, there was at least one person, many times, just about everyone that passed me by, talking on their phone.
It’s a little unnerving when someone is in the lane next to you, or in front of you, driving erratically I might add, in a hypnotic phone trance. The glassy-eyed stare is always a dead give-away. These entranced people seem to be oblivious to everything that surrounds them. This includes speed limit signs and traffic lights as well as other vehicles. Is it possible that what is being discussed while motoring through an intersection is more urgent than giving your full attention to the task at hand?
Today, I was on the train platform, waiting for the Red Line to roll into the station. There may have been fifty or so others doing the same thing. What struck me as odd for some reason, was that there was no one talking. It was almost complete silence. Looking around, I was amazed at how many people were on their phones, but they weren’t even talking. They were either texting or surfing the web. Blazing thumbs, LOLs, BTWs, OMGs and others. Is this communication?
Was the same question asked when the telegraph, telephone, teletype, and fax machine became common place? I seem to recall using complete sentences, once upon a time. I’m sure there are people who can’t write a complete sentence anymore. When was the last time you sat down and wrote a letter? I’m guilty, it has been awhile. In this day, we want immediacy. Electronic communication gives it to us. The luxury of that immediacy is fragmented pieces of sentences, acronyms and smiley faces. Is this communication?
It’s a little unnerving when someone is in the lane next to you, or in front of you, driving erratically I might add, in a hypnotic phone trance. The glassy-eyed stare is always a dead give-away. These entranced people seem to be oblivious to everything that surrounds them. This includes speed limit signs and traffic lights as well as other vehicles. Is it possible that what is being discussed while motoring through an intersection is more urgent than giving your full attention to the task at hand?
Today, I was on the train platform, waiting for the Red Line to roll into the station. There may have been fifty or so others doing the same thing. What struck me as odd for some reason, was that there was no one talking. It was almost complete silence. Looking around, I was amazed at how many people were on their phones, but they weren’t even talking. They were either texting or surfing the web. Blazing thumbs, LOLs, BTWs, OMGs and others. Is this communication?
Was the same question asked when the telegraph, telephone, teletype, and fax machine became common place? I seem to recall using complete sentences, once upon a time. I’m sure there are people who can’t write a complete sentence anymore. When was the last time you sat down and wrote a letter? I’m guilty, it has been awhile. In this day, we want immediacy. Electronic communication gives it to us. The luxury of that immediacy is fragmented pieces of sentences, acronyms and smiley faces. Is this communication?
September 14, 2012
Are You Kidding Me?
Score 24-14, 2nd quarter 3:25 on the clock. My lifelong friend and I met this week in the grandstand, to watch his son’s football game. Summer, which had shone it’s full contempt for Chicago, was gone. Cold, rainy weather had taken it’s place. The umbrella held firmly in his hands, inclined at a forty-five degree angle. “You know how the back seat in the Jeep, folds down?” I looked at him, he looked at me. We both looked at the mangled shaft of his umbrella.
“I see. It looks to be a might better than mine.” I held out empty hands for him to confirm my predicament. Just as I was about to settle in and watch the game, she made her presence known.
Wrapped in plastic from head to toe, one of the player’s mom stood directly in front of me. She had climbed the two rows of no man’s land that separated us.
“Don’t sit down, you can use my blanket –wait, wait.” Scrambling down to her seat, she pulled a bright red blanket out from under a man…perhaps her husband, and brought it up to me. “Let me spread it out for you.” The man turned to look at me. My guess is that my imposing size was the only thing that precluded any comment from him. Still, if looks could kill—.
“Uh, gee thanks. You really shouldn’t…”
“No, my pleasure, go ahead sit down.” She had a way of looking you in the eye that made me a little uncomfortable. “You didn’t have chili for breakfast did you? Ha ha ha ha ha ha, onk.” Her laugh was like a chain saw on violin strings.
Admittedly, it was nice to not have to sit on a bleacher seat covered with standing water, in 50 degree temperatures. What I didn’t know was that payment for that little bit of comfort was the inclusion of this lady in every facet of the game or conversation between my friend and I.
“Come on, get ‘em! You have to stop the run!” Words of encouragement from me, to the visiting team.
“Who are you here watching?”
I craned my neck so I could see the opposing quarterback hand the ball off to his fullback. “Number 67…NICE TACKLE!” She was standing in front of me again. “Doesn’t that plastic make you a little sweaty?”
“No, I had to go to the doctor today.” She cast her bait, hoping to reel me in to her bizarre world.
Nope, won’t bite. Not gonna do it. I’ll just keep my mouth shut, she’ll go away. I tried to watch the game in silence, and under penalty of death, I refrained from making eye contact with her. Oh, hey it worked! I glanced at my friend, his eyes rolled back. I responded with a subtle eye roll of my own. We both smiled, I’m not sure at what though.
“So…is the little lady coming?” My friend's wife usually came to the games and was conspicuous in her absence.
“She’s supposed to be here. I better call her.” My friend dialed his wife and was waiting for her to answer.
“Yeah, my stomach was hurting again. The last time it hurt, my intestines were twisted. Your friend’s wife isn’t here?” She was back, right in front of me...again!
Are you kidding me? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Your intestines were twisted…Too much information, for sure!
“The doctor had to pick me up and twisted me—“ Her rendition of the act horrified me.
“NICE CATCH! RUN, RUN!” I had tossed the blanket to my new confidant and was calling to my friend to follow me. Are you kidding me?
“I see. It looks to be a might better than mine.” I held out empty hands for him to confirm my predicament. Just as I was about to settle in and watch the game, she made her presence known.
Wrapped in plastic from head to toe, one of the player’s mom stood directly in front of me. She had climbed the two rows of no man’s land that separated us.
“Don’t sit down, you can use my blanket –wait, wait.” Scrambling down to her seat, she pulled a bright red blanket out from under a man…perhaps her husband, and brought it up to me. “Let me spread it out for you.” The man turned to look at me. My guess is that my imposing size was the only thing that precluded any comment from him. Still, if looks could kill—.
“Uh, gee thanks. You really shouldn’t…”
“No, my pleasure, go ahead sit down.” She had a way of looking you in the eye that made me a little uncomfortable. “You didn’t have chili for breakfast did you? Ha ha ha ha ha ha, onk.” Her laugh was like a chain saw on violin strings.
Admittedly, it was nice to not have to sit on a bleacher seat covered with standing water, in 50 degree temperatures. What I didn’t know was that payment for that little bit of comfort was the inclusion of this lady in every facet of the game or conversation between my friend and I.
“Come on, get ‘em! You have to stop the run!” Words of encouragement from me, to the visiting team.
“Who are you here watching?”
I craned my neck so I could see the opposing quarterback hand the ball off to his fullback. “Number 67…NICE TACKLE!” She was standing in front of me again. “Doesn’t that plastic make you a little sweaty?”
“No, I had to go to the doctor today.” She cast her bait, hoping to reel me in to her bizarre world.
Nope, won’t bite. Not gonna do it. I’ll just keep my mouth shut, she’ll go away. I tried to watch the game in silence, and under penalty of death, I refrained from making eye contact with her. Oh, hey it worked! I glanced at my friend, his eyes rolled back. I responded with a subtle eye roll of my own. We both smiled, I’m not sure at what though.
“So…is the little lady coming?” My friend's wife usually came to the games and was conspicuous in her absence.
“She’s supposed to be here. I better call her.” My friend dialed his wife and was waiting for her to answer.
“Yeah, my stomach was hurting again. The last time it hurt, my intestines were twisted. Your friend’s wife isn’t here?” She was back, right in front of me...again!
Are you kidding me? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Your intestines were twisted…Too much information, for sure!
“The doctor had to pick me up and twisted me—“ Her rendition of the act horrified me.
“NICE CATCH! RUN, RUN!” I had tossed the blanket to my new confidant and was calling to my friend to follow me. Are you kidding me?
August 24, 2012
Friday Night Lights
Can you smell that? It’s analgesic balm. You smell that this time every year. As you drive through the small, rural towns and big cities, you see the lights – Friday night lights. It’s high school football season.
If you’ve never played the game or have never had a son or daughter play…sure, the ladies play, as well, on some teams, then you might not understand.
Players have been training all summer; hours spent in the weight room building up muscle, followed by, endless running, to build stamina. The ‘two-a-days’; practicing until you drop, not once but twice a day are now behind us. Let the games begin.
Everybody wants to win the game, but we know that it can’t happen that way. What can happen though, is that our young people can learn from the experience.
I’ve read that the percentage of high school players that go on the play college ball is around 5.7%. The number of high schoolers that go on to play pro football is only 0.2%.
Our young people can all be winners in a different game; the student-athlete game. 100% of our young people can go on to college. 100% of college students can go on to the workforce. Every young person can learn the value of hard work, discipline, and order.
I believe athletics is important. I played football myself, but you cannot put a value on an education. As we go forward, hopefully working our way out of the ‘Great Recession’, it will be our young people who inherit our country. They will only have the tools to succeed that we give them.
If you’ve never played the game or have never had a son or daughter play…sure, the ladies play, as well, on some teams, then you might not understand.
Players have been training all summer; hours spent in the weight room building up muscle, followed by, endless running, to build stamina. The ‘two-a-days’; practicing until you drop, not once but twice a day are now behind us. Let the games begin.
Everybody wants to win the game, but we know that it can’t happen that way. What can happen though, is that our young people can learn from the experience.
I’ve read that the percentage of high school players that go on the play college ball is around 5.7%. The number of high schoolers that go on to play pro football is only 0.2%.
Our young people can all be winners in a different game; the student-athlete game. 100% of our young people can go on to college. 100% of college students can go on to the workforce. Every young person can learn the value of hard work, discipline, and order.
I believe athletics is important. I played football myself, but you cannot put a value on an education. As we go forward, hopefully working our way out of the ‘Great Recession’, it will be our young people who inherit our country. They will only have the tools to succeed that we give them.
August 8, 2012
Buck up, Bucco
I could smell it. For about the last two months, an acrid aroma wafted up from my gently used seven year old Acer lap top. We have been through so much together. Four years of trudging off to school to finish my degree; Untold pages of research papers, hours of video games and recently, the writing of a couple of books. I sure will miss my well – worn Acer.
Oh, sure, the new beauty is shiny, with a bigger screen. She’s faster, has a bigger hard drive, a web cam…and is blazing fast. There is even a battery! Imagine being able to use my computer without having to have it plugged in.
My perfectly good copy of Word cannot be loaded on my new system. So, of course, I had to contribute to Bill Gate's retirement; Word 2010 installed and running. Is it just me, or should it be the 2012 edition? One would think that you could get a couple of bucks knocked off of the price of two year old software.
Naturally I backed up my work...Well, most of it, and not because I didn't trust my black beauty. I backed up so I could take files between computers. My unpublished book was backed up to a point. I am very thankful that my final draft was printed out and sitting safely on my desk while I extinguished the flames of my computer.
Don't get me wrong, my work is still cut out for me. I will now go through the draft and make all of the changes necessary. I've taken a beating the last couple days, but I am sure that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
In consideration of all of the other areas of my life where I am so fortunate, I will take a deep breath, dust my hands off and try to show a little more gratitude for the things that come my way. I whined to a friend of mine, only to find that they had suffered a similar fate about six months ago. Their advice: Buck Up Bucco! Tomorrow is another day, be thankful for tomorrow.
Oh, sure, the new beauty is shiny, with a bigger screen. She’s faster, has a bigger hard drive, a web cam…and is blazing fast. There is even a battery! Imagine being able to use my computer without having to have it plugged in.
My perfectly good copy of Word cannot be loaded on my new system. So, of course, I had to contribute to Bill Gate's retirement; Word 2010 installed and running. Is it just me, or should it be the 2012 edition? One would think that you could get a couple of bucks knocked off of the price of two year old software.
Naturally I backed up my work...Well, most of it, and not because I didn't trust my black beauty. I backed up so I could take files between computers. My unpublished book was backed up to a point. I am very thankful that my final draft was printed out and sitting safely on my desk while I extinguished the flames of my computer.
Don't get me wrong, my work is still cut out for me. I will now go through the draft and make all of the changes necessary. I've taken a beating the last couple days, but I am sure that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
In consideration of all of the other areas of my life where I am so fortunate, I will take a deep breath, dust my hands off and try to show a little more gratitude for the things that come my way. I whined to a friend of mine, only to find that they had suffered a similar fate about six months ago. Their advice: Buck Up Bucco! Tomorrow is another day, be thankful for tomorrow.
July 22, 2012
Dog Days of Summer?
Sammy is laying on a down filled pillow in the corner of my office. Every now and again, he will let out with some guttural noise and a herky – jerky movement. No, Sammy is not my son, he is a West Highland White Terrier. He’s quite possibly the best dog in the world. Most of his waking hours are spent sleeping in my office. When he’s not awake, he sleeps in my office on that same sheep skin covered pillow.
If I happen to bring myself some kind of sustenance in order to keep up the pace necessary to complete this next book before we go back to the moon, he looks up at me with in glassy eyed, dazed, stare. He then yawns, rolls over and puts his head back down on the pillow.
TV weatherman, Eric said last night that we are going to have two more days next week over 100 degrees. That will make 6 or 7 so far along with close to 20 days above 90. Oh and yes, it is the humidity. Talk about lousy hair days. When I go outside, I have that ‘70’s throwback look; the blond haired guy with a perm.
Now, Eric said that we’re going into the ‘dog days’ of summer. I was half asleep when he said that, but I do remember yawning, rolling over and putting my head back down on the pillow, in a daze.
So, as we’re getting ready to go into the month of August, if you come across someone with a glassy eyed stare, or you just feel like sleeping all of the time, don’t worry. We’re in the ‘dog daze’ of summer.
If I happen to bring myself some kind of sustenance in order to keep up the pace necessary to complete this next book before we go back to the moon, he looks up at me with in glassy eyed, dazed, stare. He then yawns, rolls over and puts his head back down on the pillow.
TV weatherman, Eric said last night that we are going to have two more days next week over 100 degrees. That will make 6 or 7 so far along with close to 20 days above 90. Oh and yes, it is the humidity. Talk about lousy hair days. When I go outside, I have that ‘70’s throwback look; the blond haired guy with a perm.
Now, Eric said that we’re going into the ‘dog days’ of summer. I was half asleep when he said that, but I do remember yawning, rolling over and putting my head back down on the pillow, in a daze.
So, as we’re getting ready to go into the month of August, if you come across someone with a glassy eyed stare, or you just feel like sleeping all of the time, don’t worry. We’re in the ‘dog daze’ of summer.
July 11, 2012
What Day do you Celebrate?
I asked myself today, “Is 2012 half over or is it only half started? This is a question that we should all be asking ourselves. Knowing your answer is the introduction to seeing the donut and not the hole.
It seems that these days, there is a day or National Day for just about everything. There are days for cows, tapioca pudding, the moon, ugly trucks, junk food, aunts, uncles, cousins, fried chicken, slow pitch softball and so many others. I will neither allow the time or waste the ink on them.
I debated whether to celebrate National Ice Cream day which falls on the 15th of this month or to celebrate National Milk Chocolate Day on the 28th. Based on a brief and informal count that I’ve made on Goodreads and Twitter, if I put it to a vote, I think that Milk Chocolate Day would win hands down...Thank you, ladies! Maybe we could compromise and celebrate National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. Oops, that was last month.
I have always been one to celebrate every day and not when someone puts the word out and tells me to send a card. I say seize the day, every day. Why should I limit myself to celebrating French fries only on July 13th or my daughters only on August 11th?
This takes me back to my original question: Is the year half over or half started. I say it is half started, and that every day can be a new start. You have the rest of 2012 to seize the day, see the positive and celebrate life day by day.
It seems that these days, there is a day or National Day for just about everything. There are days for cows, tapioca pudding, the moon, ugly trucks, junk food, aunts, uncles, cousins, fried chicken, slow pitch softball and so many others. I will neither allow the time or waste the ink on them.
I debated whether to celebrate National Ice Cream day which falls on the 15th of this month or to celebrate National Milk Chocolate Day on the 28th. Based on a brief and informal count that I’ve made on Goodreads and Twitter, if I put it to a vote, I think that Milk Chocolate Day would win hands down...Thank you, ladies! Maybe we could compromise and celebrate National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. Oops, that was last month.
I have always been one to celebrate every day and not when someone puts the word out and tells me to send a card. I say seize the day, every day. Why should I limit myself to celebrating French fries only on July 13th or my daughters only on August 11th?
This takes me back to my original question: Is the year half over or half started. I say it is half started, and that every day can be a new start. You have the rest of 2012 to seize the day, see the positive and celebrate life day by day.
June 23, 2012
Free Promo Day...A success!
Thanks so much to everyone who downloaded my new book NO EXIT, 1st in The Apple Grove Gang series. My promo day is going fabulous. Currently NO EXIT is #13 in Children's free Action/Adventure, a far cry from 362,000 in paid, the 1st day I listed. :-)
I know I have miles to go, but I will accept any small victory that comes my way.
HcBurger
I know I have miles to go, but I will accept any small victory that comes my way.
HcBurger
June 12, 2012
My new friends...
He looked around at the new and unfamiliar surroundings. "I never thought I'd get here. Now that I am, I'm never leaving." It was all so different from anything he had ever tried. New, but like an old shirt...fits nice. He loved it.
The last 7 weeks have been a blur. An author I met, challenged me to think about writing a book. I took the challenge...at my advanced age! Websites, blogs, twitter, goodreads, createspace, smashwords, amazon,
B&N et al. All so new to me, like a foreign language, but I love it. It has been food for my soul.
To my author friend...thank you.
The last 7 weeks have been a blur. An author I met, challenged me to think about writing a book. I took the challenge...at my advanced age! Websites, blogs, twitter, goodreads, createspace, smashwords, amazon,
B&N et al. All so new to me, like a foreign language, but I love it. It has been food for my soul.
To my author friend...thank you.
