Voting Rights Hysteria

The right to vote is something that Americans consider almost sacred. We are a representative democracy, or a representative republic. We elect representatives to form a government on our behalf and as the principals, we give those representatives agency (permission) to act on our behalf. I am not going to go into whether those agents really do act on our behalf, or how to ensure that they do. What I want to talk about is who gets to vote for those representatives and how do those elections happen.

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Notes on Wyverns

The first prompts of the new year. Year Three of the More Odds Than Ends prompts. I am still figuring out a work schedule that makes me as productive as possible. My goal this year is four books. Ambitious, maybe, but if this author thing is going to work, that’s how it has to be. And, I’m very happy that these prompts are helping me get more ideas for stories!

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Friday Thoughts: Normal Life

We’ve been living in Texas for just over a month now. And, for just over a month now, we’ve been living a normal life. Normal as in, the masks are no longer sitting in pockets, bags, or counters ready to be grabbed when leaving the house. Nope. They’ve been thrown away (except for the Mike Rowe ones). We don’t need them. They are not required anywhere. Going to the store? Just walk in. Restaurant? Walk in. It’s soooo refreshing.

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Insurrection or Astroturf?

Tomorrow I expect to hear and see much wailing, gnashing of teeth, sackcloth, ashes being strewn about, moaning about the “state of democracy”, calls for stronger gun control, calls for bringing back the “sedition” part of the Aliens and Seditions Act. All of which is designed to get the average “I just want to live my life” American to wring their hands, bemoan those awful racist Republican Trumpists, and vote straight Democrat tickets next election.

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Church Bells

Here we are at the end of 2021. Another 52 weeks of prompts at More Odds Than Ends. I’ve said this before, but I’m going to repeat it. These prompt challenges have honed my writing in ways that I didn’t really think were possible. I’ve learned the most basic thing over these last couple of years and that is, writing takes practice. Yes, some people have amazing stories in their heads, but getting those stories out and on paper is a skill and one that can be learned and must be practiced. I will keep practicing and hopefully get my writing to an ever higher level.

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Turtle Doves and Trebuchets

Second to last MOTE prompt for 2021…week 51. Wow. It’s been another, well, let’s say interesting, year. And once again the prompts helped keep me going. I have (finally) created a weekly schedule that should help me keep on track with all my writing – prompts, blog posts, and more importantly books and short stories. I am determined to make 2022 a productive year (and not the pessimistic redux of 2020-too).

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A New Home for Christmas

Today is Christmas Eve and we’re in a new home for the first time in eighteen years. Not that we spent every Christmas there, not by a long shot. But this is the first time in eighteen years that our home base has changed. We got most of the boxes unpacked and as soon as things were looking settled, I pulled out the Christmas box and started in on the holiday decorating. And discovered I don’t have nearly enough stuff for this house!

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