This political year is seeming more and more historic every day. No -- I don't mean historic because we have the potential for our first African-American president. No -- I don't mean historic because the have the potential for our first woman president. I think this is a historic year because we're constantly being reminded of the historical crap we tend to repeat.

The Roman patricians screwed the common people hourly, but the common people didn't mind because their politicians gave them chariot races and gladiators. (We get NASCAR and WWF.)

The Soviet people were screwed hourly by fat-assed bureaucrats who used psychological pressure to convince the people of what they THOUGHT they wanted. (We have American Idol -- we don't know what we really like, or what we should like, so the networks tell us.)

The nuts on the far right --- there's a REASON they call Republicans right, or is that an oxymoron? --- are ticked off because John McCain won't support a theocratic agenda, so they're ready to string him up. Sound a bit like standing up to those Munich bier hall boys in 1933. When a load of bread cost 3 million Reichmarcks. Sounds about like the average tank of gas in a freakin' Hummer or Cadillac Escalade. Maybe the 3 million, adjusted for inflation, could cover somebody's balloon payment on a low rate ARM, or one of those snake-oil interest only loans. (Interest only -- sounds like "vig" to the guy who breaks kneecaps as an incentive.)

Yep, it's going to be an interesting year.

And not in the dental sense, or in the tongue depressor squinty-eyed doctor sense.  Time to catch up on a little relaxation after one hell-uva-week and a fantabulous conference.

We spent Sunday through Wednesday at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.  Writing using the WiFi by the pool is such an unbearable thing to have to deal with.  I was a good kid, though, no cocktails during working time. (Which turned about to be about 7 hours a day.)  Moni, my First Reader, attended a conference while I slaved by the pool.  Tuesday night, we got to see the Blues Brothers in a private concert.  PHENOMENAL!  Belushi and Ackroyd are much, much better live musicians than I imagined.

Wednesday in the air and Thursday reworking my presentation for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers conference in Denver.  Friday, we hit the ground running and didn't stop until Sunday evening.  Kudos and thanks to Marne, Vickie, Linda and all the RMFW staffers and volunteers that put on an AMAZING 64 workshops, some great meals and entertaining keynotes.

I can't wait until next year.

On a similar front, I've been very closely aligned with Pikes Peak Writers in Colorado Springs this year, starting with working on staff for the PPW Conference in April and being elected to the Board of Directors in September.  How Cool is THAT!!! 

There's a really interesting story here, but for another time.

ttfn,

Ron

Man, it seems like I spend a lot of time clicking the "Mark as Spam" button on new friend requests.  Most any more get an automatic click from me.  At one time I actually wasted a second or two going to the profile of Becky, or Anika, or Bertha, or Zelda, or Whattheheck.  (Ya never know.  Some women in their twenties HAVE actually READ A BOOK.)

When the first line of the profile says "MySpace won't let me post my..."  I immediately know that the real poster is likely a twenty-something (or forty-something) out-of-work male --- sitting home watching infomercials on late night, eating popcorn, picking his nose and wiping simul-butter and boogers on his garage sale sofa (or his parents' expensive faux suede one.)

So this guy sees an informercial on how he can make a gazillion dollars on the internet and charges the $39.95 (on his parents credit card) --- he gets instructions on:

a) how to drop ship crescent wrenches anywhere in the country without ever touching one.

b) how to sell "collectibles" (ten bucks a gross from Nanking, China) on eBay..

c) building tacky profiles on MySpace (and other places) full of sleaze-o-links.

Seeya Dude...

If you decide to read something, (Burger King menus and video game quick-start cards don't count) pay me a visit.  Otherwise... stay away.

Ron

A relative newbie to MySpace, but an old hand blogger, this is my first post here.  Thought for a couple of days, wondered what it might be, when the muse pounded me with a sledge hammer just a minute or two ago.  It's kind of interesting watching the Friends requests coming in... a lot of people want to tell me how I can make a FORTUNE from My Home Computer... Sounds cool, wouldn't mind.

Don't need mansions or fast cars, but some groceries and a new couch could be cool.  (My dog Sailor, the infamous award winning* labrador featured on SailorTheDog.com ate the last one... but I digress.)  A few extra bucks coming in could be OK.  Really wouldn't mind selling a book or two.  

Don't care much for MLM... NEVER TOUCH IT drop ship... or a lot of the other stuff that some guy sells for $39.95 as BRILLIANT INTERNET MONEY MAKING IDEAS!...  Then of course the teaser sites with a login on the home page... want to get past the home page... all it costs is your e-mail address... blood type... mother's maiden name... what you had for breakfast... half of which probably ends up on a library computer in a South Dakota prison.

But ya wanna know what really, really irks me?  People that don't even PRETEND to understand who their customers are...  what triggered todays diatribe... a few minutes ago, my e-mail pops up with a Friends request from some Cindy... I imagine there are a lot of Cindys in cyberspace... (along with Cynthias, Cindis, Cindees, Sindees... but again, I digress) so if your are a Cindy, it's highly likely that this diatribe IS NOT AIMED AT YOU

So... this Cindy sends me a request.  I sign-on and click on her pretty avatar (lava I think)... under Cindy's interests...  where it says Books:...

I'm gonna repeat that... where it says Books:

It doesn't list Janet Evanovich, or Jodi Picoult, or Stephen King, or even Ron Chalice for pete's sake...  the entire content of the Books interest for Cindy is "I HATE BOOKS"....

Cool for you...  Lotta people hate books... but didja look at MY profile?  My occupation says WRITER... my bio begins with I AM A COLORADO WRITER...

Don't know too many writers who HATE BOOKS...  maybe there are some, but I've never met one...

Ok, if wanted to send me some cool music stuff, or interesting stories about your dog, (no cats please)... or just a hihowareya... it'd be fine... I'd love it

But don't tell me you HATE BOOKS and then ask me to give you space to post your "daily steady income" or whatever it is advertising... I'm a WRITER for crap's sake.

Just Don't Do It!

seeya,
Ron

* Sailor the Award Winning yellow lab has a trophy for MOST IMPROVED in his puppy class.