November 26, 2006

PayPerPost Love

I’ve recently joined the bloggers at PayPerPost, a new marketing concept that allows product and service providers to advertise on blogs. It hasn’t taken me long to decide I’m loving it here. I’m getting a “first look” at a wide range of products and services that are new to me, and have the opportunity to tap into my own experience in my areas of specialty. Blogging for PayPerPost is done at my convenience, leaving me free to take care of whatever else needs my attention.

This weekend I began reading the payperpost forums, where I discovered that more experienced “posties” are encouraging others to be the best they can be. They’ve created a competitive atmosphere in a helpful and supportive environment.

I’m making money in a unique and convenient way, doing something that allows me to be creative but provides support when needed. What more could I ask for? I’m sold on PayPerPost!

A library mystery

I went to the library yesterday. It’s probably the only place on the Waianae Coast that has more books than I do, but it’s not cluttered at all. Neatly organized and attractively displayed, its bounty is a beauty to behold. I went because I had gotten a call a few minutes after I returned from a library visit on Friday. The book I had been looking for had been found. We had looked in the wrong section. Of course we had! Based on review by my dear friend sassymonkey, I had gone to scout out a copy of Princess Academy. I like good kid lit. Some of the best stuff out there is being written for children these days. And I trust sassymonkey’s judgement, so off I went to the library. I had allowed my library card to lapse out of existance for a while, because I ususally bought books that interested me, but have recently acquired a new card and fallen in love with my library all over again. You would think, with my book-clutter problem, that a library card would not be a necessity, but it comes in handy when I’m interested in a book that I don’t already own. Borrowing makes so much more sense. I’m committed to not buying any new books until I’ve finished culling, so my library card is once again a precious possession.

But I’ve rambled off course, haven’t I? I went to the library to find Princess Academy on Friday. As I approached the Young Adult section I spotted the rack, front and center, placed to entice young readers a bit closer with its choicest goods. I HAD to browse that rack, of course. And I spotted The Goose Girl. Sheer coincidence, I know, but a pleasant one. I had never heard of author Shannon Hale until sasssymonkey’s review. Yet here I was at the library looking for one of her books when another practically leapt off of the shelf and into my arms. (Don’t you love such serendipitous events?) I tucked The Goose Girl under my arm and went to the correct location on the Young Adult shelves to find my true target, but it was not to be found. A little help from the librarian did not turn it up, though the computer data bank said it was available at my branch. I checked out The Goose Girl after ordering a copy of Princess Academy from another branch. No sooner had I gotten home and taken off my bra than the phone rang with the happy news that The Princess Academy had been found. It was not a Young Adult book, and had been found in its proper place in the Juvenile section. I explained about the bra and the librarian understood completely, so I made a committment to come back on Saturday to collect the book, which would be sitting on the “hold” shelf with my name on it.

Now here’s where I get confused: why are two books by the same author, which appear to be for the same targeted group of readers, in separate sections of the library. Why is one considered Young Adult literature while the other is classified Juvenile? I’m not sure what the difference in the two groups is and I need to educate myself. Does our heroine have a groping boyfriend in one, thus making her story suitable only for the twelve-and-over group? Is the vocabulary in the other more limited, making it the right choice for twelve-and-under? Shouldn’t two fiction books for girls, written by the same author, be situated at least within a neighborly distance of each other in the library?

So I went to the library yesterday and now have both of my Shannon Hale books. The librarian and I talked about bras and why we do what we do with them*. I forgot to ask about the kid-lit classification mystery. Blast! I guess I’ll have to go back.

*For any male reader who hasn’t been involved enough with a woman to know this, for the gay guys or anyone else reading who doesn’t understand: many of us gals remove our bras the moment we walk into our homes. We don’t want to put them back on and will jump through hoops of fire to avoid going back out after bra removal. It is a once-a-day salute to freedom and comfort. It is completely spoiled by anything which necessitates putting the unholy contraption back on so that the public can be faced again. We do that only under extreme duress.

Buying a home

One of the things I love about my job is that I know that the structural information I provide helps homebuyers make informed decisions. Perhaps it sounds cliche’ but a home is the largest expense most of us will ever have. It only makes sense to do some homework first, and to find professional advisors who understand all aspects of home buying.

Securing a mortgage is perhaps the most intimidating part of the process to most people. We’ve all heard scary stories about mortgage fraud and hidden fees, and shopping for the best rates can be its own nightmare. Finding the right mortgage broker is the key. Here’s a site that can take you through the entire process of obtaining a home loan. You’ll find educational features that will give you the information needed to make intelligent decisions. Current rates are posted, as well as recent headline news about mortgage lending and the housing market. When you’re ready to start the process, you’ll be working on a secure site, with customer data protected through SecureTrust, which guarantees compliance with FTC, DoNotCall & Can Spam regulations. If you find yourself stumped, check out the forums for feedback and answers to your questions.

November 25, 2006

Progress … and the beach

I’ve released about thirty books in the last two or three weeks, and I’ve registered many more. Books are making their way out of the boxes and stacks under my bed, into my office to be registered for release. The box of books I keep in the car is being frequently refilled. I’m beginning to see space where once there was clutter.

Today I went to Makaha Surf Beach to release a book, by special request of a friend. Something a bit perverse about releasing Shark Bites - True Tales of Survival at a surfing beach, don’t you think? Actually, sharks aren’t much of a problem here. Makaha Beach has a lovely reef, not a hundred yards away from where the surfers straddle their boards waiting for the right waves. I did see a shark there once, dozing in a cavern, when I descended for a night dive. I’ve snorkeled there hundreds of times, usually where the waves break a little closer to the shore, and see dive boats over the reef and surfers in their spot each time I go. I’ve never heard of a shark attack, so I guess the hungry guys lurk elsewhere.

Today our lovely, quiet, little country beach was not so quiet, as a Menehune Surf Competition was going on. The Menehune is for the keiki (children) but the big sponsors and a number of sports broadcasters were there, along with families, friends and spectators, to cheer the kids on. I was lucky to find a parking spot, and celebrated by staying awhile to watch some amazing kids, many of whom will undoubtedly be on the championship circuit in years to come.

Makaha Beach wasn’t my primary destination today. I also went to Maile Beach Park, just five minutes from my home. There are hundreds of people living there, mostly in tents, some in cars or other unconventional shelters. They’re my neighbors, part of my community, and there is little I can do to ease their plight. Their shelters will not be packed up tonight, along with sound equipment and beach towels, to be stored away for another day. Their shelters are semi-permanent fixtures on the landscape, their homes until they are told to move on again. Today I released books that I hope will help relieve the tedium that must fill many of their days. A small thing. Not enough, considering the magnitude of the problems they face in surviving from day to day.

Antonio, the … um … catfish?

Isn’t it amazing, the things people will do online that they might keep private in real life? A case in point: LINK DELETED because it was causing stupid errors!

So, what does this tell me?

1. It’s okay to be goofy online because most of the folks who see what you’ve done don’t really know you.
2. Anyone with a video setup can have their fifteen minutes of fame (though fame could be too powerful a word for this particular instance.) ;0)
3. I’m easily amused.
4. The nice folks at PayPerPost have a sense of humor.
5. If (3) and (4) above are true, then it follows that I should spend more time at PayPerPost.
6. I will do almost anything to avoid cleaning up the clutter in my life, including watching silly videos again and again.
7. If I would actually read the users manual that came with my video cam, I could claim my own fifteen minutes of questionable fame.
8. Making dubious videos would be another good time suck to help me avoid things I’d rather not be doing.
9. If I distract enough other people with my own dubious videos, more people would be living in clutter and I wouldn’t feel so alone in my misery.
10. Antonio is funny.

Now pardon me while I go search for some glass cleaner and paper towels amongst the clutter. One should not view Antonio, the World’s Greatest Impressionist, while enjoying ones morning tea and toast. The screen gets gloppy and you can’t watch it again.

November 24, 2006

Sometimes I do stupid things

Actually, substitute “frequently” for “sometimes,” and you’ll be closer to the truth.

I did a lot of laundry yesterday and today. A dark load, a light load, a bleachable load, and a few delicates. Good job, skeet! I even folded each load as it came out of the dryer, taking advantage of the long bench seats in the screened lanai where the washer and dryer reside. The benches make an excellent folding table.

It’s raining right now. A good heavy downpour. My lovely, clean, folded laundry is still stacked on the bencnes. Under screened windows. Windows that have only screens. No glass. The screens were dusty. The rain washed them as it blew through, so they’re nice & clean now. My white cotton undies? Not so much.

Wanna guess what I’ll be doing tomorrow?

Skeet, Inc?

If you’re a small-business owner like me, did you know that you can give yourself a raise when you Incorporate your business?

My accountant is not happy with me. He’s been telling me for years that I need to turn my business into a Nevada corporation. I have looked into it, but it seemed complicated and can be quite expensive, so I’ve continued to procrastinate.

Why does he want me to incorporate? Because, by operating a sole proprietorship, I have all of my eggs in one basket. I pay state and federal income taxes on every penny that my business earns. Those taxes come at a steeper rate than corporate taxes, so I’m literally robbing myself.

That should be enough reason, but there’s another that is equally important. If my business should fail, everything I own could be seized to satisfy debts. Not a pleasant thought, to lose my home, my car and anything else of value that I own. That’s a seriously stupid business decision, to put myself at such risk.

My two reasons for delaying have lost their validity. The entire task has been simplified and I can do it for less than a third of the price quoted by my lawyer! I like what I do, but let’s face it: the reason I do it is to make money. Shouldn’t I be keeping as much of it as possible?

Whether you are starting a new business or already in operation, give yourself the nicest Christmas present of all: Incorporate your business.

November 23, 2006

The corn was wormy

My contribution to our Thanksgiving feast was supposed to be lightweight this year. Corn roasted on the grill. Harvard beets. A purchased pumpkin pie and whipped cream to top it.

We ate too much turkey and fixings to get to the pie, so I’ll know later if it passed muster. The beets were good. The corn … was replaced with frozen mixed veggies, the only suitable substitue I had on hand.

Next year it will move back to my house and we might have roasted corn.

Up close view

I had a “little scientist” kit when I was a child. Santa Claus, who always knows everything, knew of my curiosity about the natural world and supplied the tools necessary for my explorations. My parents were quite patient with my messy experiments conducted with kitchen pantry items and the cleaning products that were normally “hands-off” to my young self. I kept a careful log of the proofs that water could exist as a liquid, a solid or a vapor, and that one small sample could be endlessly cycled through those states. The best of all, though, was my view of the world through the microscope. A flimsy little plastic gadget, it required the careful placement of Mom’s reading lamp. Through its magic I discovered that ordinary objects were not so ordinary at all. The smoothness of a shiny penny was shown to be as pitted as the surface of the moon. Barbie’s hair wasn’t black at all, but a multi-hued blend of mostly blues and reds. The ticklish legs of a doodle-bug became gigantic spiky, fearsome things when seen through the lens.

Children’s microscopes have come a long way since those days. This site for microscopes features a wide range of products to fit every budget. Deep discounts insure that Santa will be well-supplied this year with the tools for the budding scientist in your life, and shipping is free for orders over $29.95. This microscope would fit perfectly under any tree, and is sure to please. If you’re all grown up and want a more sophisticated instrument, you’ll find that here, too. They even stock the high-quality instruments that meet the exacting demands of professionals, with savings that fit nicely into a working budget.

In gratitude

How wonderful is it to live in a time and place where my biggest complaint is that I have too much stuff?

I’m grateful today:

For my son, who despite my fumbling efforts, has grown into a fine man, hard working, contented with his lot, witty and intelligent, generous to a fault. My greatest blessing.

At this very moment, I’m incredibly grateful that the earthquake I just felt was brief and not too fierce.

Back to business with shaking hands:

I’m grateful for my family. We’re not the Norman Rockwell image and I’m frequently grateful that an ocean lies betwen us, but they’re mine and I love them.

My dearest friend, forever in my heart. A traumatic series of events brought us together and we have healed and grown together since those times.

My online friends. There’s a group of us that have been together almost since my dicovery of this wonderful world of the internet. We share the intimate and the mundane on a daily basis, and they know me better than anyone. The other group who have spilled over into my real life. They help me stay sane.

Days like today, earthquakes notwithstanding, that inspire us to stop and reflect on all that is good with the world.

My country. She has her faults, but is, to me, the sweetest place on earth.

My beautiful furry companions, who make me smile, who cuddle, who remind me that I’m needed, who give me unconditional love, which I return wholeheartedly.

A roof to protect me from life’s storms, a comfy bed, too many books, too much stuff and the opportunity to move it someplace where it will be more appreciated.

Happy Thanksgiving!