If You Build It, They Will Come

Have you ever paid attention to architecture during your travels whether rolling through the latest subdivision or a historic part of town? Do any aspects of the buildings reach out and grab you?

With me, I have to say yes. I began my working career in the building business. My father was a carpenter, my grandfather a carpenter and my uncle a carpenter. I guess it was natural for me to follow suit.

I helped my uncle side a house when I was fourteen years old. I worked after school and on weekends. Graduating from high school a year early, I immediately commenced to driving nails at the ripe old age of seventeen in my quest to learn house construction.

After building everything from ranchers to 3,000 square foot mansions, including working on historic houses, I ventured into commercial work. I was already proficient trimming houses but found a whole new animal when it came to intricate trim work in places such as churches, funeral homes, and high-end office buildings.

My next step was totally different when I began building supermarkets and commercial buildings. I continued this type of work until becoming a superintendent in my twenties, now in charge of instructing people to do what I had done while climbing the ladder in my chosen career.

Then one day I was offered a position at a pharmaceutical company in their display department. It was here I worked for sixteen years until my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

With new physical challenges I needed to find something that could adapt to the changes in my life. With much thought, soul searching and a healthy push from my son I entered the world of writing.

I have not experienced a single moment of regret, and don’t believe I could find another vocation that would give me as much satisfaction while extending the amount of fun I experience each day. And I mustn’t forget the one that made all of this possible, my Lord Jesus!

Trucks, Trucks, Trucks. . . . Need I Say More? Probably, But I Won’t, Unless The Notion Strikes, Like It Just Did, This Could Go On Forever, So I’m Done

You’ll find me working on a manuscript, writing my weekly blog or busy marketing my previously released novels five to six days each week. My latest offering, Dalon Con (The Annihilation Through Time), is due for release in late fall.

Occasionally, my mind tends to wander and on this day, for some reason, chose to wrap around automobiles. I remember as a child my father was a staunch Chevrolet or GM man.

Through my years on this beautiful earth, I have run into men and even women who are steadfast in their desire to own a particular brand of vehicle–the big three being Chevy, Ford, and Dodge. There are also those who swear by foreign makes, such as Toyota and Nissan. (I should mention as I write this post my focus is mainly on trucks)

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but as with many things, people can become rather obstinate if you behave negatively toward their chosen make of vehicle. In fact, there are those who will entertain violence to further enhance their view.

“Ahh,” the love affair we have with our pickups. When I was but a lad in high school and several years after, I recall little ditty’s that were written to antagonize the owners of certain makes. Here’s one you may remember: FORD aka found on road dead. Here’s another: FORD COUNTRY, on a quiet night you can hear a Chevrolet rust. You get the idea.

Personally, after owning all three, my favorite vehicle is PAID FOR.

I guess the best thing for each of us to do is drive whatcha like, like whatcha drive and live and let live.

Until next Monday, I hope each of you has a great week!

Best I Can Tell, Home Is Where the Home Is . . . I Think . . . But, Don’t Know for Sure

Well, it’s summer again; has been for about two weeks.

Now ask yourself, what are your favorite things about this time of year? If you were to make a list, I bet it would look something like this:

• Warm weather,

• Extended period of light,

• Fresh vegetables,

• Cookouts on the back deck,

• Camping trips, and

• The all-important week long vacation to the beach.

When the kids were small, we made this sojourn to the beach every year starting in the mid-90s, ending several years ago when our kids were beginning to have kids of their own. We invited our parents, which was a pleasant addition to our group. It was a great time with three generations spending a week together. As fun as it was, when you dissected the family vacation, it took on a mind of its own.

What you are essentially doing is packing a van load of your stuff along with your family and  friends so each one of your children can pal around with someone of the same gender.

You drive for about six hours to your ocean accommodations. When your kids are young that six hours translates to twelve to allow for the “Are we there yet” . . . “I need to go to the bathroom”. . . “I’m hungry” . . . “Mama, Sara’s looking at me”.  

The summer vacation basically amounts to driving two-hundred-fifty miles to transform a strange home into a home like your home; so, you can watch television at a home that is not your home, but a reasonable facsimile of your home, until you return home.

Please, Just Give Me Something My Children Can Watch

We all have things that disappoint. Many are unpreventable; then again, others are not. Something that really disturbs me is the entertainment industry.

Movies today command great story lines along with stellar special effects. One thing that many of them employ that I find unnecessary and in many ways offensive is the dialogue. For whatever reason they seem to believe they cannot exist without obscene language. There are movies that hold the record with well over two hundred “f-bombs” dropped within the two or more hours the film runs. In film and television, producers are constantly pushing the envelope to see how far they can go with sexual innuendo or explicit sexual content.

I am probably considered boring. My favorite television programs came about when I was too young to enjoy them, but once brought into syndication they became my go to’s.  Andy Griffith, Leave it to Beaver, Green Acres, Gomer Pyle, and Hogan’s Heroes’ to name a few. In each one of my novels I stay away from coarse language and sexual situations. I certainly don’t claim to be an angel and apologize if I come across in that fashion. I simply believe the entertainment industry goes out of its way to produce images that are unfit for a good portion of the population to view.