Category Archives: Neat Stuff

Post-pandemic sci-fi story

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I got an idea today for a post-pandemic sci-fi story that’s joyful, and it’s one of the things keeping me going right now: a vision of a better future.

I’ve written some of it at home today, where I usually write. So, not much change for me there. If there’s anything good I can take out of these Covid-19 “stay at home” times, it’s that, with any luck, I’ll be more productive with my writing having to be home more right now. If I can stay off the Internet long enough that is…(a usual battle for those who work at home, and yes I spelled Internet with a capital “I” despite what some recent word-trends would have you do; after all, the Internet is the name for a thing: the world network of computers that is public (used to be just the WWW prefix of the World Wide Web, but has grown). That’s a proper noun. /Grammar rant mode off.  If you think I’m wrong you can get off my lawn 😉

Funny how that works, that staying home and productivity ratio! Writers (and I think this is true for most who work from home) generally get more done during the cold months than the warm months. Too many things to do outside when the weather is nice, pulling away our time and attention, it seems. Then the cooler weather eventually sets in and thoughts go back to word counts rather than vacations,  warm summer nights, and days that never seem to end.

Writing about a possible future can be an important part in creating it. We’ve seen this happen again and again, but unfortunately those futures were mostly dystopias. As much as I have enjoyed such stories and movies that were very artfully done, I hoped such worlds would not come to be, and yet they largely have; I always wondered why there were not more possible futures I’d like to live in. What we choose to write is up to us, but I think it’s time we write about more uplifting possible futures than the current state of the world we are now in. Maybe then we will find we are living in a better world one day.

See my previous entry about The Prescience of Science Fiction Authors for more on this topic, and where writers get their ideas to write about the future.

 

My New Balance Shoes Journey

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I just recently bought my 3rd pair of New Balance shoes.

I stick with them because they are the best shoes I’ve ever had!

The reason I found these shoes in the first place is that beyond being good-looking shoes that got good reviews, I wanted something to help with my flat feet condition. If you have this, you know that sometimes it’s hard to get decent shoes to help with standing or walking for long periods, which can be painful.

I wear custom orthotics in my shoes, have since high school, when I was getting a lot of knee and hip pain that the orthotics solved instantly.  While these do help with flat feet conditions, they don’t provide much in the way of cushioning. Also, they can take up a lot of room in a shoe, causing the top or sides of the shoe to be uncomfortable, so it’s not easy to get a good fit.

When I tried out my first pair of New Balance running shoes, they was amazing! I got a model that was specifically made for people with issues like flat feet! They have such things like roll-bars in them (and a lot more), to help with foot issues and movement problems. What a revelation!

I didn’t know such shoes existed off the shelf and certainly not in running/walking shoe models. They were a boon to my feet, ankles, knees, and hips (which can all go out of alignment due to foot issues). I could be on my feet for far longer with them, walk farther, and be in great comfort doing it. My balance is better with them and walking is more of a joy than ever.

Yes, they can be seen to be on the expensive side, (mine were about $175 in USD at the time of writing this) and while I don’t think it’s always true that you get what you pay for,  in this case it is true. These are quality shoes that last at least 3 years, in my experience.

Those first pair I wore into the ground. They were blue and white. I would have gotten another pair, as they were great (also made in the USA and vegan!), but they were sadly discontinued. So, I switched to another model that still had the roll-bars and such, this time in a cool black (also made in USA).

The 2nd pair I had for 3 years, before they started to show real signs of wear and lost some of their cushioning (I still wear them sometimes for light duty, as they are nicely broken in and still comfortable). 3 years of hard use! I wore these shoes pretty much daily. That was true of the 1st pair I owned as well.

When the 2nd pair were due to be replaced I didn’t even hesitate for my 3rd pair: I bought the same model!

I’ll add some pictures and a video of them soon so you can see how they held up, but I just wanted to leave you with a link for now to Amazon; if you use it to buy your shoes (or anything else after you click the link) I get a small cut of the sale, so please use my link if you are going to buy something on Amazon. Thanks!

New Balance Running Shoes:  https://amzn.to/2M49U0p

 

Going with the flow

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The often-said adage/advice: “Go with the flow” sounds good, but how many follow it?

I’m in the flow when I write. Time seems to stand still, and I’ve having a great time. There are other experiences in life that produce this effect too, and it’s always nice to find them. Sometimes the flow can be found in regular events in life, and that’s a special gift, I think. It would be great to be able to live your life that way, or at least more parts of it (I’m still working on living it all that way).

Tonight I had an experience with going with the flow – or not. I was waiting in line in a chain-type food place, getting something mildly unhealthy to eat (but oh, so tasty! Got to treat yourself sometimes; might be the subject of an upcoming blog post), which I tend to do rarely these days, as I’m making better choices overall on what I eat.

It seemed there was only one man working in the store, not just on the counter but getting all the food orders together, too. He said a couple of words to me when I came in, then I watched him run around, putting one item on to cook, then packing up another order, and just rushing around. I was standing there for a few minutes, when he finally came over to take my order, but he wasn’t very clear on things. I asked him some questions, then he ran off again to attend to something beeping! The flow was not going well for me in that place.

It didn’t seem like I was going to get good service there, and the menu items they were offering were not at the prices I was looking for, so I was thinking to leave. But where? I was still hungry! Should I just tough it out and be more patient where I was? I noticed there was a competitor’s store across the street, offering the same kind of food, so I called out and excused myself to the busy man (if he even noticed, as he was in the back at the point), and went across the street.

The other store was calm, and someone met me at the counter right away. They had the item I wanted, at the price I was looking for, and promptly took my order. I only had a short wait until I got my item, and it was great!

So, instead of staying at the first store and trying to put my order in (if I could catch the man at the counter), I was well taken care of in the second store and got better quality food at a better value, plus they had lots of nice condiments the other place didn’t offer.

I’m not saying to give up at the slightest sign of a struggle, but it’s good to gauge if you are in the flow or not, and would be better off taking another approach. From my simple experience tonight, the importance of figuring out whether you are in the flow or not was made clear to me once again, as it has been many times in my life. I’ll be sure to be more observant of it next time.

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Blog Post Streak Count: Day 5

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Circles

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Circles.

It seems to me that life runs in circles.

You come around again, to face things you haven’t faced before, then you move on. Well, we move on regardless, but I think we can choose to move forward on the “high road” or on the “low road” – one with more joy or one with more pain. So, which path are you on?

It seems Nature likes circles and ovals (and I am spelling Nature with a big N, as I like to give it the respect it deserves). We came from the circle ourselves, when our father’s DNA mated with our mother’s egg.

Many spiritual paths talk about this “coming around again” and some even speak about reincarnation as the big wheel of life. So, maybe there is something to it, this circle thing. Perhaps the universe is one big circle, or even a donut shape (don’t mean to make you hungry, there).

I have noticed the many circular shapes in Nature, and they make very strong structures. Some people even live in ovals, or dome houses. I think they’re neat and a great idea for many reasons. I’ve been in domes before, and there’s something calming about them; womb-like, even. It can be eerie too, like you are returning to a former, very tiny you inside your mother.

What does it mean when people from your past show up in your life again? It could be for many reasons. Sometimes it’s clear that we should open the door to them again, and it feels right. Other times, we wonder if it’s the right thing to do, and if we want to open up our lives to them again or not (they may have been out of our lives for good reasons). But people can change; not everyone, but I have seen many people change so much for the better that they have surprised me. I just take it on a case-by-case basis when I encounter one of these situations.

Life and Nature have a way of surprising us, and we often are not aware that another “turn of the wheel” is about to come our way and thrust us once more towards issues we have unresolved. I don’t think we have a choice about that. But we have the choice whether we fall in love with the process of growing and learning, or we shut down and try to block it out.

I know which choice I prefer, and I wish you good fortune in your choice of path as well.

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Blog Post Streak Count: Day 4

Tip Jar: If you like what I write, you can help me do more of it by clicking on the Paypal Donate button below. Thank you!




This Time of Year, Christmas/Holidays, Blade Runner 2049, and Fake Snow

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I’m glad it’s a bit cold this time of year around where I live. I don’t think the Christmas/holiday lights would seem the same.

There’s just something about the coloured lights reflecting off snow or a sheen of frost that is magical. It brings to mind those greeting cards with snow scenes on them, the ones where the snow sparkles, or those holiday movies and TV shows where the snowy landscapes seem especially magical.

I once heard an interview with film director Ridley Scott, where he mentioned that he was trying to recreate that effect of twinkling snow of such cards for a film, think it was Legend. Great film, and I’ve yet to see one of the latest that he was executive producer on, Blade Runner 2049. And I’ve not seen Alien: Covenant that he produced and DID direct! So, I’ve got some things to watch over the holidays!

I’ve been slow to see Blade Runner 2049 because he didn’t direct it, nor did Vangelis do the music, and I was a bit disappointed about that. But I’ve heard some music from the soundtrack and it’s quite good, so I’ve reconsidered watching it. Also, I read a comment from Vangelis, about how you can’t recreate what happened before, so that makes sense as to why he didn’t want to be involved. Why mess with perfection? There’s that saying: “A wise man changes his mind, but a fool seldom differs.” I’ll go with that and see the film at some point!

It does sometimes feel like you’re in a movie when you walk around in the winter wonderland that we in these parts are heading into. I like that.

 

Inspiration: David Lynch – Twin Peaks season 3

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David Lynch photographed for GQ magazine, March 2017

David Lynch photographed for GQ magazine, March 2017

David Lynch, the filmmaker, painter, photographer, fine artist, coffee appreciator, and inner peace/meditation foundation founder is a real inspiration.

Later this month (on May 21st for you Peaks freaks, like me), season 3 of Twin Peaks begins which consists of 18 hours of new episodes, picking up from where the TV series left off in 1991 – about 26 years ago!

This new series is quite a feat for anyone to direct (and co-write, with Mark Frost), and more screen time than many directors have for their entires careers! What an accomplishment for David Lynch! And he’s 71 years old, too! Wow, BOB, wow! (Fans of the show will get that BOB reference.)

The date of 26 years ago also makes the prediction of the character of Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks true, when she said words to the effect of: “I’ll see you again in 25 years” – which was when season 3 was being made.

David Lynch has been a source of inspiration to me for many years, in both my creative endeavours and my life in general. So, thank you David Lynch, and I can’t wait to see the new season of Twin Peaks!

Twin Peaks – Official Series Site | SHOWTIME
http://www.sho.com/twin-peaks

The David Lynch Foundation For Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace https://www.davidlynchfoundation.org

Heartwarming animal recovery miracles

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I found these touching videos today that were made by Monika Melichar who runs the Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary in Minden, Ontario, Canada. Please send them your thanks for helping animals in need, and support them with a donation if you can. WWS is a registered charitable organization, and donations of $20.00 or more will be issued an income tax receipt. http://www.woodlandswildlifesanctuary.ca

More on their Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfQC9fTosSCmpaJ8IdTPmEg/videos

Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary is a registered charitable organization, and donations of $20.00 or more will be issued an income tax receipt. http://www.woodlandswildlifesanctuary.ca

 

Saving my rotting cactus update – over 4.5 years later!

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I’ve just made an update video about my 14 year-old cactus! It’s been over 4.5 years since my cactus was first cut to save it from rotting (top AND roots were cut off!), and almost a year since the last video.

See how its doing now:

There’s 10 videos in the series about my cactus and how I saved it: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE3C42EC133017FC5

I also wrote a book about it! “Saving My Rotting Cactus” (ebook or paperback) http://amzn.to/1xteqdM available from Amazon and most online book stores.

You can also buy the ebook right from me via Gumroad! I like to sell my work from there, as I get better royalty rates than other distributors and more control over how I distribute my work. They are available in the formats: EPUB, MOBI, PDF and there is a Send to Kindle function. Thank you for supporting an independent writer! https://gumroad.com/l/sfHd#

Are D.U.M.B.s (Deep Underground Military Bases) real?

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spaceship-hatch-and-corridor-background-thumb23307323

 

 
By David Sloma www.davidsloma.com
© Copyright 2016 David Sloma. All rights reserved.
(This text may not be sold or reproduced without written permission. Please link to it.)

I was asked recently where I got the idea for my series of novels set in D.U.M.B.s (Deep Underground Military Bases).

I had to respond that it’s because I heard about these things and they’re real! I find them fascinating! What better place to set a sci-fi adventure action story in?

I’ve long had an interest in hidden things…and those things hidden under our feet may be the most fascinating of all!

For many years, I’ve been a fan of the radio late at night, getting scared listening to spooky topics on Coast to Coast AM, from way back in the Art Bell days—the original host and creator of the show. One of the frequent topics on the show was, and still is, secret underground military bases, or D.U.M.B.s.

And Grey aliens invading the Earth!

I took these two subjects and put them together in my series of novels, starting with Greyland: D.U.M.B.s (Deep Underground Military Bases) – Book 1. Yes, the title is a nod to the secretive military base known as Area 51 in the Nevada desert, nicknamed “Dreamland.”

Area 51 is officially denied to exist, even though many people have been there and seen it, claim to have worked inside it, and have taken photos of it (which have been posted online). Dreamland has long been rumored to be a testing ground for exotic, experiential aircraft, and even UFOs (both human-built and alien crafts that have been captured) and a repository of Grey aliens, some maybe alive, some maybe stored in freezers stories below the desert sand, where who-knows-what goes on…

Dreamland is also the name of another radio show that Art Bell started, currently hosted by Whitley Strieber. Strieber was one of the first authors who wrote about his experiences with Greys (see his book Communion).

There are a number of underground bases that have been publicly admitted to exist in the USA by official sources, such as:

  • Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center, Virgina
  • Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colorado
  • Colorado Springs – NORAD, Colorado
  • Under the White House, Washington, D.C.
  • Camp David, Maryland
  • DIPEF underground facility, Kansas
  • Raven Rock Mountain Complex, Pennsylvania

This is only a partial list of verified, publicly-known underground bases. Imagine what bases exist in secret, all over the world!

And not only under the ground, but under the sea! It boggles the mind when you start to think about it.

One of the first people to break the story about real underground and undersea military bases, and probably the first to write about them, was Richard Sauder. His impressive, documented research into their existence has resulted in a series of factual books. His initial book Underground Bases and Tunnels: What is the Government Trying to Hide? was published in 1996.

He has told the tale in radio interviews of how he followed the paper trail of publicly available, non-classified documents, and gathered evidence that proves that these bases do exist. Take a look at his excellent work if you want to learn about the real world of underground and undersea bases.

Writing about these sort of bases, being in the mindset of them, and aliens, for weeks at a time gave me the chills!

If you like this sort of thing, I invite you to give my books a try, starting with Greyland: D.U.M.B.s (Deep Underground Military Bases) – Book 1 http://amzn.to/2bOON2U


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