http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/Notapoet on "the writing life," sex & violence (maybe), and "Everything Else." Mostly "Everything Else" because none of the other categories are comprehensive enough for someone old enough to have an opinion on just about everything -- including "sex & violence." Sorry about the misleading category name (not really). Cuss at me if you feel misled.hourly12000-01-01T12:00+00:00http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/635354Every time I get involved with a lengthy writing project, such as this month's NANOWRIMO, it invokes a near overdose of nostalgia. I love it. Virtually any large writing project involves a great deal of research. Fiction is no different, though if you're wired as I am, most of the research...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/631519I've been under the weather, and absent from blogging again, most of the last three weeks. "Under the weather" is a more politically correct way of saying "sick as a dog," which for me is usually a drawn out recovery period. Since I have rarely been able to afford even the cheapest health...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/628490I wasn't a very big fan of Jim Nabors' variety show, and I had mixed emotions about the success of Gomer Pyle, USMC. But I loved the Gomer Pyle character on the Andy Griffith Show, and particularly his wide-eyed repetitious expression of surprise at both commonplace and the strange and mysterious...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/623111has been given as all the reason that is necessary to inspire one to climb a mountain, cross a river, or explore new frontiers. I've been tempted to do many things in life, though none so extreme. Unless, that is, you might consider my occasional surrender to OCD that compels me provide a recent...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/622207Unbeknownst to me till this past Friday I was not a paid up active member of Blogit for upwards of a week. Pressing matters external to Blogit delayed the discovery until I attempted post to a blog and kept getting a sign up screen. An attempt to reply to comments produced the same result. A...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/620775I was saddened to learn of the passing of Walter Cronkite. Cronkite, who was 92, was like a trusted favorite uncle who kept us up to date on the world's tragedies and triumphs throughout a long and distinguished career. Though retired from the nightly news broadcasts for quite some time, his...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/620380The First Fan, President Barack Obama, got the ball rolling, though not literally, with the ceremonial first pitch at Tuesday night's annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game at St. Louis. The President, better known for having pretty good basketball skills, was determined to get the first...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/619997I'm probably not the only one noticing the reemergence of high power TV commercial spots recorded by super pitchman Billy Mays. It turns out that Mays, who died of a massive heart attack late last week, is going to continue selling us products from beyond the grave well into the future. Not only...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/619868Although I sometimes describe myself as a "click whore," I must confess this is not strictly true. Yes, lots of clicks lead to more pennies from fellow bloggers each month, and I'm not fool enough to completely turn down the possibility of more money. But there is a price to pay if all one does...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/619748It's an oft voiced claim for much of what we call entertainment these days, particularly when discussions swing around to movies and TV. I grew up in an age when going to the movies was a common and affordable diversion for young and old alike, and television became a regular part of my daily...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/619470It took me a little while to get up a good head of steam today. For one thing I slept in for a while Tuesday morning. I normally don't sleep in without a pretty good reason. I had a killer this time – a killer headache. When it turned out to be more than a minor aggravation that disappeared after...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/619300(If you are mystified by the subject of this post it might pay to scroll down to the previous post, and to click on the comments before reading further) It shouldn't be necessary to point out that President Obama, like John McCain, spent nearly half of those two years campaigning for and winning...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/619221Eight months ago she was campaigning hard as the VP candidate on the Republican ticket. Now she is resigning as governor of Alaska barely half way through her term of office, and no one seems to know why. Other than the fact she planned to resign, Palin was vague about her reasons at a hurriedly...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/618992Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1804, writer Stephen Foster, 1826, composer Calvin Coolidge, 1872, American President Rube Goldberg, 1883, cartoonist and sculptor twins Abigail Van Buren and Ann Landers, 1918, advice columnists Eva Marie Saint, 1924, actress Neil Simon, 1927, playwright and producer George...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/618580It's often a hit or miss proposition. Interesting writing is a key ingredient, of course. But nothing seems to trump a good lead. If the lead doesn't pique interest even regular readers may give your post a pass. Such was my fate yesterday. I thought I had a pretty good lead. But apparently I was...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/618427It didn't quite happen, but I came close to smacking into that proverbial brick wall today. It was close enough to seriously consider doing things a little differently for at least the next couple of months. For four months I've taken a long walk to downtown Aberdeen, NC before flipping to the...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/618265and my sincere apologies, to: Samantha39 ILLUMINATI8 Hackthorne19 callia14 drohan254 kwentuhero vogue TIMMYTALES hazel_st_cricket majroj auslander Corbin_Dallas redg75 GEPRUITT These bloggers, through my negligence, were not mentioned in my March, April, and May acknowledgments of bloggers who've...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/618146I can't decide whether I should eat a very late supper or a very early breakfast. I hate it when I get out of whack like this. Especially after spending so much time trying to reestablish a regular daytime, nighttime rhythm. I think I messed up when I didn't hit the hay early on Thursday after a...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/618014Yesterday I was privileged to see my oldest grandson play in a real baseball game for the first time. It was like deja vu all over again. In his pint-sized baseball uniform he was the spitting image of his Dad nearly a quarter of a century ago. It was a little more than another quarter of a...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/notapoet/617575Being able to pay the bills with enough left over to slip my boy a few bucks to make hard times a little easier and life a little happier for him and the grandkids. A nice long visit, even though it was via phone, with the two oldest grandchildren and my boy on Fathers Day. In person would have...