Saturday, April 24, 2010

Announcing True Voice Magazine

On the verge of something big...

Well, it feels like that, anyway. It might seem like small potatos to you, but we are just about to publish our first issue of True Voice Magazine. This has been a project that a small select group of people have been working on for months. My responsibilities on this project has been to design and lay out the magazine and we are at 67 pages, which isn't too bad for a first issue.

If you are interested in learning more about the magazine, visit http://truevoiceonline.com to check it out. This is a magazine focused on civil and human rights for all, a topic that is close to my heart. Through the years, I've watched as lawmakers continue to pass ridiculous laws that negatively affect thousands of people and their families. I feel it is important that we don't let the legislators and media brainwash us Americans into thinking that everything they do is in our best interest, which in fact, our rights are being taken away one by one, in very small increments, so small that most of us aren't even aware of it happening.

I would anticipate the first issue of True Voice Magazine to be published on May 16, so stay tuned and I will let you know.

Meanwhile, my book is making some good progress. It is in the process of being edited by my first editor, then it will go on a second editor before being finalized and ready for print.

Otherwise, life on the mountain is pretty normal here, except to say we had some pretty bad storms this morning, storms that went on to create much havoc and damage with tornados in parts of Mississippi. I am so sorry for all those people who have lost their homes today...

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Another Wii-son to Love Wii

Like my title? Yeah, I came up with that myself.

A few days ago, I received an email from Netflix that members with a Wii game system can now use their system to watch Netflix movies instantly on their TV. I clicked on the button to send me a disc for the Wii and it arrived yesterday.

So far, we have used it to watch two movies. I love my Wii, but now I love it even more! No more hassle hooking up the laptop to the TV to watch Netflix instant movies on it.

Netflix is top notch. I gotta say, they are superb in customer service and continue to strive on their service every day. I am always amazed that I can mail a movie back at 4:00 in the afternoon one day and by 6 a.m. the next day, Netflix receives it in Little Rock and sends me an email telling me they are sending another one out the same day. Considering how rural we are, this is an amazing feat!

I'm still playing the new SuperMario Bros on the Wii and it'll take me many more months, I suspect, before I can beat the game -- and that is with all the cheats I can find on YouTube and spending all my star coins watching the hint movies, and letting Luigi play the game for me. I would never describe myself as a "gamer" and it is quite obvious when you watch me, that I am NOT. I die a million times and wind up going through a course over and over and over again. I am NOT like these guys I see on YouTube who capture their first play-throughs on video and put it up online. Now, THOSE guys are players, and I have to wonder -- don't these guys have jobs? Lives?

Life? What's that? Who needs a life when you have 99 lives on SuperMario Bros...

Sunday, April 4, 2010

The Busy Bee

Time has gotten away from me. I don't even know where it went. Perhaps I have been abducted by aliens. Ya never know...

So I'm still working on the magazine, and it is truly a labor of love. Either that or the nightmare project from hell. I've had some bumps in the road with the publisher. He is a great guy, but GAH, he is so sensitive to my constructive criticism regarding his own layouts. He is not a professional graphic designer, and maybe no one will notice that unless they are professional graphic designers, so to me his layouts lack the professional finesse that I would expect. I am trying not to be so critical. He really is quite creative, so I've learned to just STFU.

There are many of us working to pull this thing off, and truthfully I will be relieved when it goes to print and I will be surprised if there is a second issue. All of us who are working on it are not that experienced with producing a magazine, but this project means a lot to all of us, so we are all putting our hearts and souls into it. I am doing my part by trying to make it look as good as professional as possible.

Initially we had a publication date of April 15, which I knew from the git go that was a bit overzealous. Now, we're looking at May 15 and I'd say that is much more possible. It is really coming along now... I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Meanwhile, my own book is on the back burner. Oh, have I mentioned that? I wrote a book, yes. I will provide the details of the book at a later date. I am anxious to get it printed, but there is still some editing that needs to be done yet... All in good time I suppose.

Other than that, life on the mountain is still pretty nice and quiet. The daffodils have been blooming for a few weeks, my red bud tree is in bloom now, and next up will be the irises and dogwoods. I have several irises planted in my front yard, side yard and back yard. Ya think I like irises??? Next to orchids, they are my favorite flower.

And, we really should be getting our garden started...

Alrighty then. Until next time!