Reading Whys, Whats, and Hows: A 2012 Retrospect

         This post has been languishing in my blog line up for a couple of years.  The end of the year seems like as good a time as any to do this.   I originally found this at Kimberly Loomis's The Perpetual Writer and thought it might be of use someday.  It seems I'm on a reading related roll at the moment--see my next few posts coming up.

          To spare you readers, I'm going to cut the original line of questions in half.  Fifty-five questions were a bit much.  I'll give my answers to twenty-six of them.

A Brief Overview of my Reading Interests, etc:

1. Favorite childhood book?   When I was in second grade my parents gave me The Way, the Truth, and the Light, an art book of religious paintings by Ralph Pallen Coleman.  I spent many an hour studying the illustrations and reading the text.  I still have this book and it is in my office bookshelf.




2. What are you reading right now?   I've just started Pirate Latitudes by Michael Chrichton.   I found the hardback copy for a dollar at my local Dollar Tree store.   I couldn't resist the bargain especially considering that I almost purchased it for full price when it first came out.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?    A while back I used to always have books and videos on request at my local library.  Currently they are building a new library and I don't care to go to the next closest one.  Actually I have so many unread books here at home that it may be a while before I get any library books.  I don't think the building will be finished for another year anyway, judging from the progress they've been making.

4. Bad book habit?     My bad book habit is not reading them enough.  I'm a slow sporadic reader.

5. Do you have an e-Reader?    No e-Reader, but I do occasionally read a book on my PC when someone sends me one for review.   I really do prefer real books that I can keep.

6. Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once?   With my limited mind power and ability to remember I prefer to stick with one book.  If I am reading one on the computer I'll usually have a hard copy book to read when I'm not on the computer.

7. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?    Actually yes, I've been reading more books, partly because I've been reviewing them.   But I still read as slow as I ever did.

8. Least favorite book you’ve read this year?   This is something I won't go into here since I don't want to name names in this respect.  I admire anyone who has put an honest effort into a book fully believing in what they were doing.  This year every book I recall reading fits that description.  They are all winners in one way or another.

9. Favorite book you’ve read this year?   I went on about this one in my last post.  The book that I read in 2012 that was most to my liking was Bohemia by Veronika Carnaby.  It's a matter of personal taste.  This is the kind of style and story that I can most appreciate.

10. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?   Probably half the books I read these days would fit in this category.  I like to be a well-rounded reader.   Now with authors sending me books for review I've been reading more books that I would most likely not have read on my own.  See my post upcoming on Friday for more on this topic.

11. What is your reading comfort zone?   Whatever reads with flow and doesn't insult me, my intelligence, or beliefs that I hold dear.   I'll give just about anything a chance and I try to read with an open mind.

12. What makes you love a book?    A book that makes me think, stimulates my imagination, and sticks with me long after I've finished it--that's the kind of book I love.

13. What’s your favorite fiction genre to read?   Literary fiction that is not overly pretentious and certain Christian fiction.

14. Favorite biography?   I enjoy good biographies.  Two that come to mind are Born Standing Up by Steve Martin and a biography about Al Jolson that I forget who the author was.

15. Have you ever read a self-help book?  This is a category for which I have a weakness of sorts.  I used to buy them frequently, but actually have only read a few of the ones I bought.

16. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?    Andrew Leon offered a nice Tossing It Out guest post on this topic back in the summer.  Later I followed up with my own thoughts.   Bottom line is that I'll do negative when it's called for, but I try to put as positive spin on it as I can by looking for the good as well as the bad.  I think honesty is important.

17. Favorite poet?   Yvonne Lewis of course!  You can find her at Yvonne's World of Poetry.

18. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?  I always bring at least one book about writing (just in case), a Bible, and a few novels that could vary in genre (whatever strikes my fancy when I'm packing).

19. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?  The computer and blogging.  Then there's my biggest reading nemesis--getting sleepy.

20. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?  First ones that come to mind are Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men and James Dickey's Deliverance.

21.   Most disappointing film adaptation?  I loved the book Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins.  I was so let down by the movie version.  It was a stinker as I recall and I've never tried to watch the whole thing again.  It was on television a few months ago, but I could only watch a few minutes of it.

22. The most money I’ve spent at a bookstore at one time?  When I had greater economic liquidity I spent a good amount through mail order--often as much as $100 at a shot.  I don't think that I ever spent much more than $50 in a book store unless I was also buying things like DVD's.  Now I don't buy many books unless I find ones that I want at Dollar Tree or some such place.  Five books for $5 isn't too bad of a deal.


23. What would cause you to stop reading a book halfway through?   I get kind of obsessive about finishing what I start so I have rarely stopped halfway through a book.  If a book is really, really, really boring and annoying I might give up, but that has rarely happened.


24. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?   I won't say I've been avoiding it, but for some reason I've yet to get around to reading it.  Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy is within arm's reach of my writing desk and I've owned the book since high school.  I think I need to finally read this. It's not even as long as Stephen King's Under the Dome and I read that one relatively fast and reviewed here.



25. Name a book you didn’t expect to like, but did.   Dee Ready's Twelve Habits of Highly Successful Cats & Their Humans, which has now been reissued in a revised edition as A Cat's Legacy: Dulcy's Story, didn't sound very appealing to me since I'm not a big fan of cats.  This book turned out to be a big surprise.  You can read more about my thoughts on this book at the post "A Surprising Book".

26. A book you expected to like, but didn’t?    The Shack:  You can read my thoughts on this here.

          As I've mentioned, I will be discussing reading and genres in my next few posts including the #IWSG post coming on Wednesday.   In the meantime---

Have a Slam Bang Heck of a Happy New Year!!!

Me?  I'll probably be going to bed early for New Year's Eve.   Thanks for spending so much of 2012 with Tossing It Out.

        What's your New Years plans?   Any thoughts about reading or genres?

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The Kind of Surprise That I Like to Get

       

        In mid-November I received a request to read a book for review on this blog.  Since I first started reviewing books on Tossing It Out, I have been receiving a number of such requests and have been happy to oblige when I'm able to fit it into my schedule.  Of course, I always accept the mission with the caveat that yours truly, Mr. Super Slow Reader, author of this blog, may take a while to get the job done.   But I try.  I try.

         Now I am spoiled.  Future books will have to meet new expectations set by one Veronika Carnaby.  She has raised the bar by forwarding to me a book that I will call one of the best of 2012--or at least my favorite of the year and one of my favorites of all time.   Veronika's Bohemia is my kind of story written in the kind of style that I enjoy.

          As with any book review, my opinions are totally subjective.   This can be seen in the range of reviews that one can find for Bohemia on Amazon or Goodreads.  Bohemia seems to be one of those love it or hate it novels with a large group in the middle of it all.   Count me as one who loved, loved, loved the book.  As far as I'm concerned those on the lower range of opinion just didn't get it.   I got it as soon as I started into the book and I was getting it and it never let up for me.   I became a part of the story and was thrilled to be there.

         What is the story?   Here's how the author describes it:

       Influenced by the works of Beat Generation authors and great poets, the story takes place during 1960 and chronicles a group of bohemian twenty-somethings who defy the "ideals" of a mid-twentieth century society to seek creative fulfillment. On a deeper level, it portrays the creative path that artists of all mediums tread, all the while depicting the challenges faced by youth and women in the ‘60s.

          This was enough to lure me in--yeah, my kind of tale.  The story of the artist, the creative thinker, my struggle and your struggle.   Bohemia is a literary journey in the tradition of the Great American Novel.  It's a female version of Huckleberry Finn become Holden Caulfield without all his self-absorbed angst following the paths set in Kerouac's On the Road.  

            The style of Bohemia is essentially Beat.  The writing is funny at times, while beautifully insightful at others.  Carnaby does a tremendous job of capturing the spirit of 1960 and creating characters that seem real and likable.  The narrator of the story, Valerie Freed, starts out as a naive college grad with little idea of what she's going to do in life.  During the course of the story, Valerie discovers her calling as a writer and begins to pursue her dreams in the biggest way she can.  The character arc is one of the most natural I've ever experienced from any book.

             Experience is a key word here.  I felt like I didn't so much read this book as much as I lived it, felt it, and became a part of it.  Carnaby did a splendid job of putting me into Valerie's mind.   When the end of the book came, I wasn't ready to leave Valerie.  She was now like a friend, so close that she was a part of me.  Bohemia is one of those books I wanted to keep going.

             Veronika Carnaby--I don't know how you found me and decided to share your book with me, but I'm glad you did.  So often I am less than gratified by books that I read.  Yours has left me satisfied and has lingered in my mind.   Readers, if you like books like what I've described here, I encourage you to support Carnaby and hasten to obtain Bohemia.  Use that Amazon gift certificate you got for Christmas.  Buy a copy for a friend who has an interest in the Beat era or America circa 1960.   Follow the dreams of Valerie Freed and her friends.   Are these dreams similar to your own?

Veronika Carnaby can be found at her blog:   http://veronikacarnaby.blogspot.com/

My reviews of Bohemia can be found at:

Amazon

Goodreads

         Have you read Bohemia by Veronika Carnaby?    If so please share your thoughts about it.    Are you a fan of Beat literature or the era?   Are there any books that have taken you by surprise to become a favorite read?

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Today I Don't Feel Like Doing Anything, But I Feel Obligated to Do Something

            One commonly cited bit of advice I've seen suggested to bloggers who want to have a more successful blog is to publish content on a regular basis.   I'm in agreement with the philosophy that a sporadic and inconsistent posting pattern can have a detrimental effect on building a blog audience.

            The blog that lies dormant for long stretches of time can be easily forgotten by readers.  There are a lot of other blogs out there to take up the slack from the blogger who is not producing.  Waiting for inspiration can be hazardous to blog vitality.   Let's face it, if we treat blogging as an obligation of sorts--like a job or a business--it's up to us to come up with something whether we feel like it or not.  If we decide to keep our business open only when we are inspired then our customers (or readers that is) might choose to go elsewhere.

            Sometimes a break is good.  Sometimes a break is needed.   Sometimes we may have no choice than to take a break.  It mostly depends on why we are blogging and what kind of blog legacy we are trying to create.  Sure, there can be a place for the rogue blog than puts something on line when the flash of genius hits.  However, this is not the blog readers can count on to be there when we expect it.  If we don't expect anything from a blog, we might see a post or we might not

           Personally, I like to have content appear at the same time on the same days much like a show on television.    The intent of Tossing It Out is to post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2 AM Pacific Time.  This seemed like the  logical approach for me when I set up this schedule three years ago.  For the most part I've been consistent.   My scheduling may not matter all that much, but over all I think it has been effective for my purposes.

         The bottom line of this current post is that I'm filling space with content.   Not spectacular content perhaps, but content with an idea and some questions.  This blogging limbo period during the holidays sees a decrease in blog traffic for most of us.   I know I've been having a difficult time making blog visits--or should I say a more difficult time that I normally have been doing in the past year.

          Things on the blog scene will be picking up after the first of the year and I plan some deeper content to come.   For today though, I was tempted not to post anything, but then I decided that this is like my business and I need to open at the regular time on the scheduled day.  I thank those of you who took the time to stop by.

          Do you publish your blog posts according to a fairly strict schedule?   If you are a sporadic blog publisher or someone who only blogs when inspiration hits you, does that seem to work well for you?  Do you think a schedule would help you?   Do you tend to look for postings from blogs with a schedule and do you tend to sometimes overlook the sporadic posts?    Do you find a decrease in your traffic and comments during holiday stretches?





       

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Time To Open My Christmas Presents

         The world didn't end but 2012 is about to quietly fade into the past and welcome another year.  What will 2013 bring us?   Over all the past year has been a good year, but odd in many ways.  For me there was so much left undone in a year that seemed to fly so swiftly by.  But it was a good year.  If every year were as good as 2012 has been then I'd be okay with that.

         Normally I wouldn't be acknowledging any awards on this blog.  But it's Christmas and I'm going to recognize a couple that came my way recently.  It's time to have fun.  Time to open presents.

THE LIEBSTER AWARD




          From Jeffrey Beesler at World of the Scribe I was bestowed another one of these Liebster Blog awards.   I'm not only not going to follow the "rules", I'm not even going to list them. You can click on the link to Jeffrey's blog if you really want to know about this award.  Besides you should click on the link anyway and go visit Jeffrey.

         Since Jeffrey's a friend and former A to Z Team mate, and I kind of like answering questions, I'll play along with the part where he asked eleven questions.  After all, it's Christmas and we don't want to get too heavy-laden with deep thinking.

My Questions from Jeffrey:

1. What kind of food do you enjoy most?  Do you want the long or short answer?  I love just about all food.  Of course, it depends on what I'm in the mood for, but I can almost always go for Thai.  Pizza is a definite all-around favorite.  Let's phrase this question in a better way:  What kind of food don't I like?  Let's head to the buffet!

2. What is your favorite color?  Blue,  kind of like the font in the question.

3. What drove you to first write?  School--they made me learn.  But I was trying even before that.  I've always been fascinated by books and wanted to write them.

4. What genre do you like to read most?  Probably whatever I'm enjoying at the present time.  I'm an eclectic reader with an inclination towards speculative, Southern, or spiritual/philosophic literature.  I like books that get me to think, but not by weighing down my thoughts.

5. What genre do you like to read least?   If we're talking fiction, then I'll say romance and fantasy are my least favorite genres.  I want to read things that I can believe or that make me think.  Wait! I think I already said that. 

6. If you could have a super power, which one would you most like to have?   Ability to fly would be very nice.   Invisibility might be even better since I could sneak onto aircraft and fly places, but also be able to do other very cool things.   Hmmm--that makes me sound kind of sneaky.

7. If you could challenge one fictional character to a duel, which one would you choose?  Dueling is not something I want to be doing.  If I absolutely had to I guess I'll go with the weird kid in the movie Deliverance.   If you saw the movie you'll remember the kid that plays the banjo.  Since it's a fictional scene I'd be playing the banjo too and we'd be doing the "Dueling Banjos".    That way no one gets hurt unless I decide to go rafting down that river.  Great movie by the way.

8. Will you ever stop writing?   Assuming that one day I'll no longer be living I think I'd have to say that I'll stop writing when that day comes.  

9. What’s more fun, watching paint dry or watching grass grow?  Watching the grass grow is much more fun if it's the kind you can smoke later. 

10. Print or E-Books: What’s your favorite, and why?  So far for me it's definitely print books because I still don't have an e-reader and reading on my computer is tedious.   Also, I love the feel and all of the sensory experiences that accompany a real book.

11.What was the number one song playing the year you completed high school?   "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine" by the Fifth Dimension was a big hit at the time of my graduation.  This was a song from the cutting edge hippie musical Hair.    "In the Year 2525" was also climbing the charts.  This song was an interesting look at what the future might hold for for the human race if they survive--the predictions aren't so far-fetched, but perhaps projected a bit far into the future.

         I thank you Jeffrey for thinking of your old buddy.   Have a Merry Christmas and much success in the year to come.

2012 BLOG OF THE YEAR

           I was very honored to be named as a 2012 Blog of the Year by the incomparable Ninja Captain and master blogger Alex J. Cavanaugh.   What an honor to be passed this award by the man who is a friend to most of you and my A to Z co-hort from the beginning.  Thank you, Alex.

          Another wonderful blogger also passed this award to me and I in my abhorrent state of disarray cannot find who that other blogger is.   I offer my profuse apologies.  I will continue to try to find this source so I can acknowledge her on this post.  I humbly apologize and just want to crawl into a place to hide.

      So that's what I'll do.  It's late as I write this and I'm getting blurry eyed.

      My thanks to all of my readers and especially those who leave comments.  You are all Bloggers of the Year in my book.

        HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

          

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It's the End of the World: Let's Have a BlogFest!

            Today I'm participating in the  Choose Your Own Apocalypse Blogfest hosted by Shannon, of The Warrior Muse, and Chuck at Apocalypse Now .  Click on either link to find more participants and blogfest details.

 The Fun Side of the Apocalypse:

          My favorite movie genres are time travel, musicals. and apocalyptic doom and destruction.   The way I figure, if you can't escape the apocalypse by traveling to a safer place in time you can always sing and dance your way into oblivion.  

          But, yeah, give me those films like On The Beach, 2012, Knowing, The Day the Earth Caught Fire, or The Road.   Make it bleak, dismal, and devastating and all the better if they add in some killer special effects.  Destroy everything and kill everyone.   All in fictional fun of course.

          If any shred of civilization does survive then make it crumbling and chaotic.  The Road Warrior and Living Dead series are some good examples.   Dystopian is cool.  Rampant nuttiness is exciting.  Radioactive mutants are always welcome.

         The manner and means don't matter that much.  Nuclear destruction works for me.  I'll also settle for disease, natural disasters, or aliens.  Whatever creates havoc and makes a total mess of things is a story device that will hold my attention.

         But these are the products of imagination turned loose for escapist entertainment. 

Here's What I Really Believe

        As a follower of Jesus Christ and a believer of the Holy Bible, I think the real answers about the Apocalypse can be found in the pages of that book.  The walking dead, unleashed demons, plagues, and natural disasters are all right there.  It's where a lot of our fiction gets its inspiration in the first place.

        What we often refer to as apocalypse is a misnomer.  Apocalypse actually refers to a disclosure or revealing of knowledge, hence the Book of Revelations, where much of biblical information about the end of the world can be found.  The rock group R.E.M. gives a better description with their song title "End of the World As We Know It".  According to the Bible, the world will not end, but it will change.  Check it out.  It's a fascinating story.

        The story goes far beyond Revelations.  There is much more prophecy revealed throughout the Bible--too much for me to go into here.  The Mayans or anyone else don't have anything to compare with the prophecy of the Bible.  And as we look at history and the events of our age it becomes more clear that the pieces are falling into place for the endgame.   

         You may say that people have been preaching the Bible-based end of the world for centuries and it hasn't come yet.  That's true, but more than ever before the clues are making more sense.   The end is drawing near from all indications I can see based on Bible prophecy.  It's up to you to do the research if you don't believe me.   One blog post isn't going to simplify the story to make it easy to digest.

        I can't tell you when it's going to happen, but it is going to happen.  There are some glorious things going to happen for some and terrible things for others.  It depends on which side you choose and what decisions you make.  No one knows when the Day of the Lord is coming except for the Lord himself.  Now is the time to make ready for that day.

        I know the scoffers are out there.   There are the quiet unbelievers as well.  Please don't hold what I've said against me.  Today I am only the messenger delivering my version of what I believe about the Apocalypse.  We all have a choice to make and I've made mine.   If you are not yet familiar with the prophecies of the Bible, I hope that you will at least look with an open mind at the evidence that is available to you.

 I'll leave you with the closing lines from the great 1961 film The Day the Earth Caught Fire:           

         So Man has sown the wind - and reaped the whirlwind. Perhaps in the next few hours, there will be no remembrance of the past, and no hope for the future that might have been. All the works of Man will be consumed in the great fire out of which he was created. But perhaps at the heart of the burning light into which he has thrust his world, there is a heart that cares more for him, than he has ever cared for himself. And if there is a future for Man - insensitive as he is, proud and defiant in his pursuit of power - let him resolve to live it lovingly; for he knows well how to do so. Then he may say once more: Truly the light is sweet; and what a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the Sun. 


          Do you think these movie lines could have been influenced by the Bible?   Can you think of any literary works or films that have been strongly influenced by the Bible?   What is your vision of the end of the world?

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Just Decorating the Tree Today...

Apocalypse? (Photo credit: mikelehen)

        My previous post was one that I nearly cancelled before putting it up.  There was already plenty of talk in the media, on the blogs, and among ourselves about the Newtown tragedy.  Even though the buzz was growing about the gun control issue, I wasn't sure if this was the time to mention it on Tossing It Out.  But judging from some of the thoughtful comments I received on that post, some of my readers have something to say about the topics I brought up.

        Nothing much to stir up today though.  It's getting mighty close to Christmas and I've got some busy seasonal things coming up and I'm sure a lot of you are far busier than I.  So today I'll just dilly dally as I deck the blog with a smatter of chatter so I'll at least have something onsite and no one can say I was sleeping on the job.

         On my last post, Chuck from Apocalypse Now said that I "threw enough chum in the water to get a frenzy of activity".   Those controversies will not only be addressed in due time on this blog, but Chuck suggested that he might touch upon some of those questions as well on his blog.  

Any Plans for the End of the World?

   

        Speaking of Chuck, he and our esteemed A to Z Team member Shannon of The Warrior Muse are hosting a very timely blogfest coming this Friday.   You may have noticed the nifty Choose Your Own Apocalypse button at the top of my sidebar.  Click on it to find out the details of this event and then sign up on the list.  Space is filling up fast.  It may be the last blogfest that you ever do.  My entry will assuredly be controversial to some of you.  I can hardly wait to see what everyone else chooses as their favorite doomsday.

Arthur Brill Is Putting His End On Ice

        Yeah, literally.   A to Z'er Arthur Brill from Main Street Arts isn't making any apocalypse plans for now.   He's already made some plans for February 2nd and no way I'm going to take this plunge with him.   Not when he's planning to take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean on what might be the coldest day of the year.  He's doing this for a good cause though--Special Olympics.   If you'd like to help sponsor Arthur, visit his donation page.   Or if you want to join him in the water you can visit the Polar Plunge webpage for more information.  I hear Virginia Beach is a lovely place to be in February.  

     
Company's Coming!

        Gotta run now.  Got guests coming to visit for the next several days.  I'll be in and out of the blog world and off and on my blog.  The posts should be here, but I may not always be.  Come to think of it I'm not all here a lot of the time.

          Are you ready for Christmas?    Have you got some big plans for 2013?   Friday's not really the end you know, but sometimes it feels that way doesn't it?
     

       

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Should We Ban (Insert Topic Here)?

 Group of children in a primary school in Paris (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

          Again I am postponing something I had intended to put up today in lieu of something of more pressing topicality.  Essentially in this post I will not be exploring anything in depth, I am merely going to be tossing out some ideas for your consideration.  Some (or perhaps all) of these subjects will return for my more in depth examination in future blog posts.   I invite you to say what's on your mind in the comments for this post and your thoughts might help me frame my future posts.

The Current Topic

          Did you hear about the horrific attack on school children that occurred last Friday?  No, I'm not talking about the deplorable event in Connecticut.  The one I'm referring to mostly got lost in that news.  This attack involved a madman in China who slashed 22 children and one adult with a knife.  According to the last report I heard they all survived.  Similar attacks in that country in 2010 and 2011 left 21 dead and 90 or so wounded.

           Since the debate on banning guns or greatly limiting availability of these weapons has resurfaced (if it ever was silenced), I think it's worth looking at the sad events in China.  For me it puts to question the fervor for banning guns.   But this will be my topic for another day.  Today you can make it yours.

           Or, taking into consideration that we still don't know everything about Adam Lanza and the facts that might offer some kind of an explanation of why he did what he did, with what we do know, what are some other things we might want to consider banning or enforcing better?

What About These?

           Should we ban violent video games?   Violence in movies and TV shows?

           Should we ban divorce?  Or at least make it very difficult to get one?

           Should we make it far more difficult to get married?   To have children?

           Do children need to go through more rigorous psychological assessments to make sure they aren't potentially dangerous or destructive?

           Do parents need to undergo training to raise children properly and be aware of maladjustment?

           Do we need "parenting police" to make sure kids are being raised right?

           Should kids who act "weird" or different be reported so authorities can watch them more closely?

           Should we ban certain kinds of foods and food additives that may have an adverse effect on development or behavior?

           Like I said at the beginning, right now I'm just tossing out for your consideration some other things we might want to look at that may contribute to tragedies such as the Connecticut shootings.  Usually the most obvious thing is what the public, the politicians, and the media focus on.  Let's consider all the possible roots of the problem before we get too hasty in jumping to conclusions about what we need to do to prevent these sorts of  tragedies.

           What do you think?   How much government control do we need?   How much control do we want?



         

         

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Deja Vu Blogfest: Dynamic Flow

          D.L.Hammons is hosting the 2012 version of the Deja Vu blogfest once again.   Yes, it's Deja Vu all over again as participants offer old favorite 2012 blog posts for readers who might have missed them the first time around.

           As I wandered back through the archives of Tossing It Out I realized that perhaps half of my entries were guest posts, blogfests, or book reviews and the like.   Another twenty percent or so were A to Z posts or posts about the A to Z Challenge.   That still left a number of posts that had already been fairly well visited.  So instead of repeating any of these I thought I'd take a different approach.   I hope it's not cheating--I don't think it is.

         What I've decided to do is revisit a post from one of my other blogs.   I'm pretty happy about the visitors I get here on Tossing It Out, but my other blogs are somewhat neglected.   I have a few loyal followers at my dream blog A Faraway View, but I wouldn't mind getting a few more.  The ones who visit regularly tell me it's among their favorite blogs. It's a niche blog, but it's a niche we can all probably relate to.

           Another reason why I think this post is fair game for the Deja Vu BlogFest is that a companion piece also called "Dynamic Flow", which was a guest post by Halina Goldstein where she discusses her own theory of the Dynamic Flow concept as she interprets it, appeared on Tossing It Out the day before the post on A Faraway View.  You may also like to check out Halina's guest post for the contrast.

          I hope you enjoy this look back to a January post from my dream blog A Faraway View.   Please come to visit me and check out other posts.

Dynamic Flow: The Dream

Art by Ada Z

  On one particular morning I woke up with a complete clarity of mind resulting from an elucidation delivered through a dream message.  A consummate comprehension of money and the workings of wealth had been explained to me.  My confidence concerning my personal economic status swelled as I realized that money would no longer be something that I would have to worry about.

         The concept that was given to me in the dream I intuitively recognized as "Dynamic Flow".  I cannot say if the meaning of this term was verbally explained to me, demonstrated in some way, or something that I just knew.  But I did know the meaning.   Dynamic Flow is the theory that states:  Outward movement of money will result in an incoming flow of money.

          My mental state soared as I believed that an age old secret of wealth had been bestowed upon me.  It was early morning as is the usual case in this stage of my life when I wake up.  Per my custom my first action of the morning was to check the computer.  But before checking through my emails or blog, I immediately opened up a new post window and entered the title "Dynamic Flow".   I then went to the text box and entered:  Dynamic Flow is the theory that states, "Outward movement of money will result in an incoming flow of money."

          As I continued through my morning--eating breakfast, doing morning chores, checking through emails--the essence of the dynamic flow concept stayed with me, but my enthusiasm waned as I no longer understood all that had seemed so clear to me when I first woke up.  And now I have a vague idea about the dream definition of dynamic flow, but it no longer seems so amazing and life changing as it did right after having dreamed it.

         I have had dreams like this on occasion.  I will dream of a concept that seems revelatory and profound, leaving me with a belief or delusion of great life-changing discovery.  Then as my mind becomes distanced from the dream I begin to face reality?  Lose the truth revealed in the dream?  Realize the lie that had been presented to me?  I'm not sure what the answer is, and I suppose it could be any of these depending on the dream.

         The messages of dreams are not always clear nor are they necessarily overtly true.   If dreams are messages from the subconscious mind then the truths may be disclosed by lies of symbolization of dream images that are tangible and intangible representations of things that we know in waking life or they could possibly be misinterpretations that we have made about things in waking life as we have seen or experienced them.   Or are they lies that come from some place or being outside of us?  This would be the most frightening thought.

          Have you ever awoken with thoughts of apparent genius until you thought them through and realized they made no sense?    Have you ever awoken with a brilliant idea that did make sense and you were able to apply in some useful way?   Have you ever had dreams that you believe could have been planted in your mind by some outside evil force?

Here are the other places where I blog:

• A Faraway View: a blog about dreams
• Wrote By Rote
• Blogging from A to Z April Challenge
• A Few Words

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