Happy Labor Day!

The end of labor is to gain leisure.

- Aristotle

Labor was the first price, the original purchase-money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labor, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased.

- Adam Smith

It is labour indeed that puts the difference on everything.

- John Locke

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if Labor had not first existed. Labor is superior to capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.

- Abraham Lincoln

If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend.

- Doug Larson

Labor Day differs in every essential from other holidays of the year in any country. All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflict and battles of man's prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race or nation.

- Samual Gempers, founder and president of the American Federation of Labor

We must learn to live together as brothers or we are going to perish together as fools.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Madonna, Miley, and the VMA's

Let me start by saying I did not watch Miley Cyrus' performance live. I was busy writing (nights are my time to focus on WIPs), so I didn't see what all the hub bub was about until this morning.

Well, where do you start?

First of all, I like some of the singer's music but last night was not about music. This was one young lady's way of telling the world she isn't the little wig-wearing Disney princess anymore. While I certainly question her taste, the entire performance was large and in charge. Not since Kanye bum rushed Taylor has an awards show been front and center before the event was even over! While I know Justin Timberlake won the big award, I couldn't tell you any of the other winners without looking them up.

That brings us to the taste element. MTV strives everyday to push the boundary of non-subscription television, and this was no exception. Let's not forget this is the same network that brought us the Kiss Seen Around the World between Britney and Madonna; and will Eminem ever truly forgive Sasha Baron Cohen for sticking his crotch in his face? Not sure I would!

Extreme television sells, and every wild performance simply leads to the producers working to be more outlandish next year; and because we all remember how scandalous the previous one, I don't see an end to this trend anytime soon. 

What I would prefer is to see these homages to artists and performers turn to cable television as a pay-per-view event, or if they would show the awards on live television (with a delay) but put the musical extravaganzas on You Tube or some other streaming video service. I want the option of watching the event without wondering whose going to take the dive into the deep end of the pool.

Since I don't see this happening anytime soon, I will take the higher ground and consider the source. Would I expect less from MTV? No, and neither does the viewing public; we have come to expect the outrageous and would have been disappointed if nothing happened. Sort of like the spectators in the Coliseum when the gladiators fought, we want to see the blood shed.

All that said, Miley is over twenty-one and in charge of her own life. If she wants to push the envelope, it's hers to push. More power to her, but that sort of fame tends to be fleeting. Here's to hoping she finds her niche soon, before any credibility as a serious performer becomes over-shadowed by her theatrics.

Hello and Thanks for Holding On...

Well, after being offline for most of the past four months, I have returned. I know all of you were so miserable without my witty observations on life, the universe and everything else, but rest assured I am back and ready to resume my duties as a voice. What have I been doing? Working, writing, and trying to stay dry! This has become the year of living wet in the South. It has rained more days this summer than in recorded history!

Here is a list of the highlights of my sabbatical:
1 - Finished and submitted the first of a five book series in YA. Not usually a field I write in, but my darling daughter is a teenager and I wanted something for her and her friends.
2 - Went back to work on a full time basis at our special events family business. That alone seriously curtailed my blogging, and I apologize deeply for deserting my friends and followers.
3 - Began Book Three of the Guardian Stories - working title: "The Purity of Fire"

When I look at this in print, it doesn't look like much, but trust me - it's been a three ring circus around my life. It seems the more I long for a vacation the more things come up. But in the long run I know it is a good thing. I tend to write better when I feel stressed. For example - I started "Fire" five days ago and I already have over 35K words. As my target for Book Three is 100K, I'm really moving along.

One thing I have implemented is taking at least one full weekend day and going off the grid. I don't go on Facebook, I don't Tweet, I don't even check email. Instead I spend the day interacting with the family, playing with the horses, detoxing from the week. It is amazing how much that one day relieves my stress level. As a side benefit, things with the helpful hubby are getting better since I'm not spending every free moment I have with my nose in the laptop.

Another accomplishment of this recent mental clarity is we have completed the final edits for my next release - "January Frost".


"January Frost" - Evelyn Graham-Frost had it all: a career she loved, a beautiful daughter, amazing business partners, and no personal entanglement. After running away from love at eighteen, she put that portion of her life on hold, preferring to bottle up her pain at the tragic parting from her first love, Sir David Tattinger III, Lord of Grey Cliffs. But a career ending injury has suddenly brought the past into collision with the future.

Returning to Grey Cliffs means returning to the home of her childhood, the place where her parents were tragically killed in a traffic accident. It also means coming to terms with Trey and the dark secret that drove her away. Ten years is a long time to repress emotions, and now in order for her body to heal, Evelyn needs to face what happened that night. The night Trey couldn't protect her.

In the rush to escape her past, Evelyn ran headfirst into the future. But to live in the present, she will have to return to the one place all paths seems to head - back to Grey Cliffs. But whether that includes Trey's arms is an entirely different matter!

I don't have the cover art as of yet, but I will share as soon as I get it back. Anyone out there who does book reviews who would like a review copy, please let me know so I can get the ARCs out there.

Well, that's enough for tonight. Stay tuned for my next rant - Windows 8, Office 2013 and incompatible systems and how they can slow your progress to a crawl.  Thanks for hanging in - I promise I won't flake out again!