Brutus, The Flying Dingo Turns Eight

It's not often, I suppose, that a dog (especially in our care) turns eight, but our Flying Dingo has made it! Princess Annie informed me that we will be throwing a birthday party for our birthday boy Friday night between the times of 6PM and 8PM. She even made invitations with some suggestions for gifts for the amazing Flying Dingo...an old shoe, tennis ball or even an old sock. He's rather easy to please.

In preparation of the big event, I cut and made ready the side lot. The side lot always is home to our own natural prairie, fire pit and totem pole. Spring and Summer evenings spent around a small tidy fire make way for magical memories and Friday will not disappoint.

I received an email from Mr. Robins informing me that he received some information from the man that runs the Orbison Museum in Nashville. Seems that the curator also has a daughter that writes songs and sings. He sent me a link to a little ditty with a touch of country and a bit of rock. It's lively and upbeat and a real gem.

Roy Orbison's 75th Year

This is Roy Orbison's 75th birthday year. Now, I wouldn't have even known if it hadn't of been for my good buddy, Durango. See, he really does Know All about Texas. He directed a Mr. Wayne Robins my way, who happens to be writing an article about Orbison's birthday bash and what everyone around the world is doing to celebrate. He wanted to know what exactly Wink, previous homestead and mecca to the legendary rock n roll icon, had in store for the annual Roy Orbison Festival, that is usually held in June.

And sadly enough, I haven't a clue. I did direct Mr. Robins to Mrs. Mayberry, who is on the festival's committee for lining up all the events. I sure hope they knew it was his 75th birthday. When I did mention to Mr. Robins about the Pretty Woman contest, he said he might be able to send some of that perfume my way! He even thought I was pretty enough to enter the contest myself! Those New Yorkers...such charmers.

Mr. Robins not only writes/critiques for Billboard, he also has a few graphic novels in the works. He's one of those fellas that has a very creative imagination. One in which he rewrites some of rock history. It makes for an interesting read, if you're interested. I was, and I did read, for a few hours. Tell ya what, I'm hoping that Mr. Robins finds some time to put some of these ideas into a book.

In the meanwhile, I'll keep reading his blog and hoping that he'll send me some of the Pretty Woman perfume he's been telling me about. A Country girl needs a whiff of the big city every now and then!

Durango, My Tutor

This is my first attempt at taking a screen shot and blogging it. My Tutor, Durango, gave me explicit instructions in a comment right here on this very blog. He is such a fantastic teacher. Although, I think I'm having trouble with my photo software. I should use the one he suggested.

"Japan is a nation of 127 million people with a long history of disasters, both manmade and natural, from a 1923 earthquake that killed 142,800 in the Tokyo region to the country's doomed entry into World War II, which ended with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

This was my true purpose in blogging today...just wanted all the end of the worlders to see...this is not the first natural or manmade disaster Japan has experienced, nor shall it be the last. I don't overshadow this disaster by any means, but I just would like the vision prophecy seekers to lay off. There's enough to worry about without adding apocalyptic hysteria to the mix. And according to the know all of the internet...WIKIPEDIA... "Apocalyptic is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, impact event, cybernetic revolt, Technological Singularity, Dysgenics, supernatural phenomena, Ecological disaster, resource depletion or some other general disaster."

Did you happen to see the "key" word? FICTION. In case, you are unsure of what fiction means, it means...NOT TRUE! Take the earthquake for what it is...an earthquake. And take the human suffering for exactly what it is...human suffering. Now, get out there, roll up your sleeves, and lend a helping hand!

Woman Has Brain And Wants To Use It

"Really good observations lately, CT&CT.

These virtual realities and so called friendships certainly murky reality and true human relationship. Media, but particularly social media, has its up sides. However, for people lacking sophistication or critical thinking skills, like the younger set, it can be sort of de-humanizing. Something the world needs less of, not more...but in clever ways developed by creative but profit driven people of flesh and bones.

Again great posts. Sure miss the real life stories of the mom, teacher, and community activist on small town west Texas, though."

This was a comment that was recently posted on a little fluff piece I wrote about Face Book. I say it's fluff because it is...I didn't have to do any research, I wrote exactly what I thought on the matter. Sometimes, showing your intelligence only lands you into hot water, and if you're a bit attractive you sometimes get approached or treated as if you don't own a brain.

It's true, I haven't been blogging or digging up information on the misdeeds of the oil and gas industry as of late, so I decided to do a little activism tonight just by liking NADR's link. If you know anything about drilling reform then you know that NADR is a group that promotes just that...drilling reform.

And low and behold here come the threats:

Kevin Prather: Oh? You live in Wink, right? You would not even have a job, if it were not for oil & gas, baby. Just a fact.

I wish I knew how to take a snapshot of Face Book and put it onto my blog, but my good buddy Durango has yet to teach me such things.

Reality Check, Please!

I've been getting lesson after lesson regarding the "reality" of online characters. I use the word character purposely, because well, most of what you see people put out there "online" isn't real. Take for instance the women. I was just commenting the other day how every woman's profile pic on their blogs, Facebook and MySpace reeked of fantasticalness. (Yes, that's a made up word, but I'm an English teacher, so I'm entitled)

I'm in awe and speechless of how amazingly gorgeous all these women are. Then, somehow or another, I'll meet them personally and dang if someone didn't use photo enhance or fix it or a photo from the long distance past. Really? You're that desperate for attention and glory that you would "fake" it? I've heard about faking in the bedroom, but on Facebook?

So, I have this girlfriend of mine that is totally INFATUATED with this freelance writer that is a college student and single dad. He's constantly posting sly witty stuff on his wall as well as flirting shamelessly with every woman that he comes in contact with. He leaves a trail of bread crumbs that she devours without a second thought. I've tried to tell her time and time again, that he's just a house dad. Nothing special. He dabbles. He's not serious or even interesting, it's all a put on.

Imagine my surprise, when I visit this "celebrity's" wall and a he is bitch slapped by a REAL writer! Not just bitched slapped, but also told off that he only posts these "fluff" pieces for attention!

"Write a good story kid. Something we can get a grasp on, something that relates to our experience in life....or make your story so compelling we want to read it. You are young, you have experienced some of lifes pain and impact. You have ...not demonstrated that yet. Get down into your soul and write some stuff that has impact that your readers can relate to. Now...if your readers are your age maybe they can relate. The fact is, if you want to really set things on fire you have to transcend to stuff that has some gut wrenching meat to it. The stuff you put online is all fluff. Ya, you are a good looking guy and you put a lot of stuff up that is sexy. That is not going to make it in the real world. If you consider yourself a talented writer then develop a novel and work your ass off to make it work. I would read it. You have to do something that will ignite your public. I love big muscles so I enjoy pics of you. That was probably an improper thing to say.

You are frustrated. Either you have talent or you do not. Go write some stuff that you like. Ya, you can not be an idiot about basic sentence structure and stuff. Look back at what you have written before. Did it work, or not really at...track much attention at all? Good writing is not a Facebook thing. Facebook is good for being obtuse and or just making a splash with idiots. Go put yourself in recluse for a few months and right something serious, if you want to be a writer. Your stuff on facebook is fluff and designed to get attention. Not that we do not like it. It just is not going to get you accepted as a serious writer. You can still do Facebook, just work your ass off in the background...and do not say a word until your work is published."

Whew...I needed a good laugh, and DAMN, if it isn't a GREAT feeling to know when you're RIGHT!