Another Story Completed And What's Next / Happenings In The Outhouse 26-April-2024

I have finished another short story, one that I had started months ago but got sidetracked because I didn't know exactly where to go with it.  In fact, this was during the time I was overthinking my stories and I didn't like much of what I had written.

So I put it off to the side, got my mind straight, and did something else.

Then, I tackled a few other stories before it was time to go at this one.  Without spoiling it, this has a post apocalyptic feel to it blending in the nuances of the movie A Quiet Place.

I then finished a final read on another short story and sent it off.

Now, in reviewing my ever-growing backlog of short stories, I'm going to start submitting the rest of them, to get them out into the publishing ether.  Just trying to work on Heinlein's Five Rules, you know.

Stay tuned . . . 

Sucked Into The Negative / Happenings In The Outhouse 19-April-2024

It's so easy to get sucked into the black hole that is negativity.

Happens all the time in social media and even in real life.

A few weeks ago, the company I work with made a decision on shifting some employees around to other departments.  They even so far as to offer them the opportunity to work in newly formed departments or offer positions in a variety of other departments.  The department they were currently in was being shifted overseas (where there was already an office).

Now, where is the negativity in this?  Online via social media, of course.  And across the region's news outlets.  The majority of the headlines and articles were slanted against the company, and did not reflect the true picture of what was going on.

I am in no way, shape, or form backing what the company was doing, as it could have done a much better job of communicating.  That being said, it brings to light the bigger picture of negativity.  I read the comments and shook my head at how misinformed people are.

So I digress: do not get sucked into the mire of negativity.  Move on.  Take a step back and see the bigger picture.

Natural Born / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-April-2024

No one is a "natural born" anything.

Yes, I agree that we're all inclined one way or another when it comes to certain tasks.  Some have innate abilities toward gardening or automotive repair or cooking or carpentry or writing or drawing or whatever else, but no one comes right out of the womb with abilities born in us.

What brings this on was the newest season of Hell's Kitchen on Tubi.  My wife and I watched it, and so many of the aspiring chefs kept saying they were a natural born leader, etc.  No one is a natural born leader.  Or anything else, for that matter.

And if you need to say it out loud, clearly you're not one.

Rant over.

What are some things you naturally aspire to do?

When Cop Stuff Is Not Told Right / Happenings In The Outhouse 05-April-2024

This goes with any profession.  From law enforcement to nursing, from plumbing to pilots, and a host of other things, it's difficult to get all of the details right.

As a former law enforcement officer, with years of experience throughout many aspects of that profession, it irks me when I see shows where things are so wrong.  My wife and I just finished watching the hit TV show Sons of Anarchy.  We loved it, but there were aspects of both law enforcement and nursing that struck us both.

It's difficult to get all of the details right, but when some are so blatant (cocking back the hammer on a Glock pistol, for example) I just shake my head as it throws me right out of a story.

The storyline for SOA was complex and entertaining.  Yes, you were cheering on the bad guy, but when there were varying degrees of badness, you seemed to be cheering on some more than others.

The first thing that struck me was that city cops typically wear blue.  County deputies wear brown.  All of the city cops in SOA wore brown.  And when it came to hospitals and security, that seemed to be thrown right out the window with SOA.  No one should be able to walk into a hospital administrator's office or a doctor's office that is closed.

In a nutshell, if you're going to make things far-fetched as SOA had done, do it well when it comes to story.

It's all in the details.

And I could go on with this.  I probably will in future posts . . .