March 24, 2024
What’s a secret skill or ability you have or wish you had?
When I was in junior high, I sometimes tried to will a book to fly into my hand from a bookcase across the room.
Yeah. I wanted to be able to use telekinesis. Like Jean Grey of the X-Men.
Not surprisingly, my characters in Bringer of Light wind up being able to do it.
“It’s mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” (Satchel Paige)
March 21, 2024
On March 13th, someone on Goodreads shelved Bringer of Light, and on March 14th gave it a one-star rating, the lowest possible.
On March 15th, Bringer of Light was finally published online.
I flagged the “review” as violating Goodreads policy, and received an email saying the company would deal with it appropriately.
Six days later, the one-star “review” still stands.
It’s been very tempting to post a comment. But for the moment, I have resisted.
If you don’t like my work, that’s fine. But it is simply mean-spirited to try to judge it without even bothering to read it.
There are lots of trolls out there. They must be starving for attention.
Poor buggers. You’ll have to find food elsewhere.
March 16, 2024
Who is the most confident person you know?
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”)
Continue Reading
March 15, 2024
This time I figured out how to import the slides directly into mmHmm, and I managed to update my MacOS to Sonoma, which allowed me to use my USB mic (yay). But I also called Ceres a “moon” at some point (it’s not a Moon but a dwarf planet in the asteroid belt near Mars). Oops. Not enough time to edit that bit out or record it again, so just word to the wise! Always fact-check videos, folks. Enjoy!
March 9, 2024
My middle name is actually Thomas. I chose to use “M Thomas” as a pen name out of respect for my father, who taught me how to write. As a professional communications writer, he was responsible for lots of public documents for the NYS DMV, including traffic safety reports, driver manuals, press releases from the Governor, all sorts of “my boss will feel the need to edit this, so I will deliberately leave behind something for him to do so as he doesn’t screw up the entire thing” document.
I may or may not have adopted this strategy in my own professional work (I certainly adopted the attitude…)
Another reason is because I had a baby brother named Thomas. He passed away before reaching five months old when I was not quite 11. It had a major impact on me as a child (and indeed as the adult and as the father I am).
I have no sons. It bothers me that I may be the last Thomas in our family. For a while, anyway.
March 7, 2024
There is nothing quite like the feeling sitting in a busy place produces, when it is quiet. The sense of empty vacancy seems more restrictive than if one were crowded, surrounded by should to shoulder hip-grinders.
There is no vibe. There are no walls of personality off which to bounce your own. How else can one tell one is alive?
March 6, 2024
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
“Where are you from?”
I never understood why this question might rankle some people…until I moved to Japan.
I’ve been in Japan since 1999. “Where are you from?” was one of the first questions people asked me at the time, when I was teaching in junior and senior high schools.
No problem, I thought. I’m from Upstate.
“I’m from New York.”
Nods of understanding. “Ohhh, the Big Apple.”
Uh, no. Upstate.
“New York is a state?”
🤦♂️
February 25, 2024
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
I would not ban any words from any language, ever. I am not a Language Nazi.
People should learn that words have power, words hurt, and words heal. People should learn when to say or write what to whom, when and where. Banning language does not prevent people from using language, and in fact simply adds to language power.
Only Nazis ban language. Think for yourself. Grow up!
February 23, 2024
A robotic spacecraft made history Thursday becoming the first privately built craft to touch down on the lunar surface, as well as the first American vehicle to accomplish the feat in more than 50 years.
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/moon-landing-odysseus-touches-down-lunar-surface-n1308924
Congratulations! 🎉
You now have one week before shutting down permanently.
Jeez. Really? That’s a very expensive week at $118,000,000. Glad the taxpayers approve (?)
February 22, 2024
What bores you?
What doesn’t?
OK, I guess I’ll play along…
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