The same website that I used for the map of states I've been to has something similar for countries. The red ones are the one's I've been to. (Click image for full size.) I don't count countries if I've only flown over them. I am counting a couple of countries that I've landed in, even if I never got off... read more »
My mother just called to tell me that my sister Julie gave birth to a baby girl a few minutes ago. The entry title is how I responded to the news. It's an allusion to an old joke: John: I just got a telegram saying my sister gave birth to a baby. Bill: That's great. John: Yes, but it doesn't... read more »
Found this through the Volokh Conspiracy. It's a map showing in red all the states I've been to. How did the Volokh Conspiracy know which states I've been to? It's their job to know things. (Actually, I followed a link from their site to the place that allowed me to make the map.) (Click image for full size.) create your... read more »
In this assignment for my writing class, we had to write about a child who has to deal with the problem of being told to be nice, even if that denies their real feelings. The child needs to either decide to deny their feelings, or else let their feelings out and face the results of not being "nice." "Mommy?" Katylyn... read more »
My eyes are fine. More than fine, actually. I went to my eye doctor today for my one-year post-surgery followup visit. With both eyes combined, my vision is 20/15, which is better than 20/20. The doctor was very pleased, and said that if my vision had stabilized this well a year after the laser surgery, it was a good sign... read more »
Last weekend, I took a trip down to San Diego to see my sister Carolyn perform in the play Sky Girls. She was wonderful, of course. Let me tell you a bit about the play, so you can understand the character she was portraying. The play is about five WASP (Womens Air Service Pilots) trainees in Sweetwater, Texas back in... read more »
Years ago, during the debate over the creation of a holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., I opposed the idea. I was wrong, and I'm not just saying that because I get the day off of work now. My reasons for opposing it were based on some negative things I'd read about his character, and I didn't like that fact... read more »
When I got home from my weekend trip (more on that later), there was an envelope in the mail with my official results from the Writers of the Future content. They said they're holding on to the story for possible inclusion in their anthology as a "published finalist." So I guess I won't be sending it off to Asimov's just... read more »
Interesting thing I just noticed about my phone number: The first three digits add up to nine. The next two digits add up to nine. The next one digit adds up to nine. (Technically, it just is nine.) The next four digits add up to nine. Of course, that means if you add up all the digits, and then add... read more »
I got an e-mail from Writers of the Future that informed me that my story "In Memory" did not win. Oh, well... I'll probably send it out to Asimov's next week.
