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Sitting With Big Foot  

4/27/2015

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I've spent most of the past weekend sitting with Big Foot. No, it's not the maybe it's real, semi-mythical creature that people try to hunt and take pictures of. Big Foot is the name of my cat. We named him that because when he was a kitten he had disproportionately big feet. Turns out, we misnamed him. A kitten did have unusually big feet, but it wasn't him. You see, he was born to a feral cat who had kittens in a storage building where she was born a year earlier. Another wild cat also had kittens, and the litters were roaming around our yard. Both our Big Foot and the other kitten are solid black, so you can see how we made the mistake. But, he answered to the name, and after time, we were able to tame the mother cat and her kittens (one of them, not both). They eventually came into my house and for the past ten years or so, Big Foot has slept with me. He's a special old buddy, and I love him dearly.  He's my best friend. 

He started getting sick on Thursday, and has had a hard time with what seems like a virus. He's some better today, but it was a hard weekend for us. He hollered a lot, but didn't want me to sit with him or hold him. I feared that instinct was taking over, and that he was going to crawl off somewhere and die. For that reason, we wouldn't let him out of the house. I couldn't stand losing him that way. So, there have been a lot of nights with only a smattering of sleep. But he's worth it. My Mom is a very good animal nurse, and Big Foot is doing the best he can. I hope he pulls through. It's very hard on me. I hate losing animals. There was a time when we had eight dogs and eight cats. Sixteen animals at once. Big Foot is the only one left, and there won't be any more. So I'm feeling extra sad.

One good thing has come from all of this, though. Since I'm writing a novel where my main characters experience pain and loss, I can better understand how to show my readers what it feels like. It's easy to get into their point of view and convey what they are feeling. A lot of aspiring writers struggle with this. I hate feeling pain, but it's necessary to experience something to better write about it. It's just a lot easier and more fun to experience and write about fun and happiness.   
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Learning From The Best  

4/20/2015

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I like to be entertained by the best. Whether it's sports, music, movies/TV or books, I want to see/hear/read the efforts of people who are at the top of their class. Okay, not everyone achieves superstar status, and there are very talented people who create wonderful works even though they are not well known. I enjoy their efforts as well. The point I'm making here is that there is much to be learned, and I love learning from the best.  

Case in point: last week I saw Celtic Woman in concert. For those not familiar, they are a group of beautiful and talented ladies from Ireland. The girls have fantastic voices and great stage presence. The musicians behind them are stellar. But here's what sets them apart from others in their genre: arrangements. Musical director David Downes is a genius. His arrangements and compositions are out of this world. Whether it's a new song or an old standard, when he works his magic on it, it becomes uniquely Celtic Woman. It's the way the melody flows, where the vocals begin and end and style and selection of the lead instruments. It's really quite something. I recommend taking a listen to them. The emotion will grab and pull you in, transport you to a happy place. You'll be amazed. 

I play five instruments, and often listen to their recordings to try and pick up little tidbits that will make me better. I also do this with other singers and pickers who perform rock, folk, gospel and country music. It's fun to hit a lick or phrase a song like someone who has entertained millions. I do the same thing with writing. Let me clarify: I do not copy the way my favorite writers craft their stories. I have found my own voice. Rather, I look at their style and incorporate it into my work.

I've read many how-to books on learning the basics of composition. Once those were grasped, I began reading, not just for fun, but to critique what my favorites were doing that made them bestsellers. I've learned so much just be reading. It's amazing how the most profound statements can seem so simple. One sentence, two sentences, can have a huge impact on the story. Words are powerful. When strung together properly, they literally sing from the pages. They also have the ability to grab you emotionally and transport you to a special place. And that's the point. We want the reader to feel something. We want them to remember the story after they've completed reading it. Much like a fantastic concert will stick in our minds long after the last note is played.          
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Standing Up For Something 

4/6/2015

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"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill 

I've seen that quote quite a few times lately on Twitter. I like it, because not only is it a great statement, but very true. Having just celebrated Easter, many people were in church, some probably for only one of two times they will go during the year; the other being Christmas. Jesus Christ always stood up for what He believed in. He stood for righteousness and God's will and people hated Him for it. We shouldn't be shocked to have opposition when we stand for what's right. It will most definitely come.

I've had my share of confrontation. I've gotten used to it. When I know something is right and true, I hold my ground. Not everybody likes it, or me. So what? I'm not out to make everybody happy. I don't subscribe to this way of thinking that is popular these days, I liken it to socialist republicanism, where you can't do or say anything that may offend or hurt someone. Sports in America has fallen into this trap. Athletes cannot hit hard in football anymore, catchers can't be run over at the plate and basketball players can't swing their elbows to ward off a tenacious defender trying to steal the ball away from them. If they break these rules, they are penalized. I can't stand this new way of playing. That's why I'd rather watch old game films, when tough men played the games the way they are supposed to be played. If I stand my ground and it offends someone, then so be it. 

Here is an example: I was asked to participate in a Civil War monument dedication service. I presented the facts as they occurred in history. A Confederate nut wanted me to adjust the speech to vilify Yankees while making the Southerners out to be saints. I wouldn't do it. The ardent Rebel got mad. So what? I gave my presentation and most people loved it. They said so to me - and him. Here was his reaction, and I quote: "I'm going to steal your thunder. I'm going to tell this story the way I want to, at every camp meeting I go to." Really? I didn't step on his toes, so why he should he step on mine? It made me angry, but I didn't argue with an idiot. Instead, I let him make a fool out of himself while I got asked to give that same presentation at other venues. People like my (the true) version, and do not pay attention to him. I have an enemy, but friends, as well.

People want to hear the truth, whether they admit it or not. Okay,  a growing number would rather believe a lie, but there are those that look for folks to have enough guts to stand up for what's right. I'm one of them.   
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    Author

    Greg is a writer of fiction and non-fiction.  He has penned articles for newspapers and magazines and authored two books to date.  

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