Foreign Travel---Are Americans Safe?

Like 99% of information on the internet, this is just my humble opinion. And, you know that everyone has "one" of those, right?  There is a big and beautiful world out there. Personally, and from the point of view of a writer, I relish seeing and experiencing new places and meeting new people. Although, I admit to becoming a hermit when I write and living in this tiny corner where my laptop huddles.  I have reached a firm decision, however, that when my time to leave this planet arrives...whether it's going to sleep and never awakening (we all wish), a tree falls on me or any of the hundreds of methods of demise, it will be on American soil.

Of my friends, I would say that the beliefs of whether Americans are safe when traveling outside of the USA, is fairly evenly split between the "Oh, it's fine" and the "You are crazy".  Many have worked hard all their lives, they had big plans and dreams of seeing other parts of the world.  They want to stand in front of the fabulous sights and scenery, touch it, smell it, be right there. I sure would agree that there are stunning possibilities outside of  the US to see. The wide world, OMgoodness! it's amazing.

The big question, is it safe?  Just because something exists, is allowed doesn't mean it's right or should be done.  We, Americans are incredibly arrogant.  A good many believe that our American skin is a glowing suit of armor and we will, of course, be just fine where ever we go. We just think that if it is there, we certainly can have it, indeed we are entitled to it. Let's get real folks, they do not like us. When I say "they", I mean a very large number of the inhabitants of the world.  Some that just are not amused by us and a huge number that actively hate us.  When we travel outside the USA these days, we might as well have a big target painted on our back.

I realize that many would have loud arguments as to this opinion.  Why would you live in fear? why would you not see the wonders of the world?  That's just paranoid and stupid, they would say. I'm sorry, but I can still hear my mother say, "If all your friends jumped off the bridge, are you going to?" There is the possibility that exhilarating cool waters await your splashdown, there is also the very real possibility that freakin' pirahnnas lurk beneath the surface.  I mean where is the point where your little alarm bell dings?  How many Americans have to be kidnapped or killed, out of the country,  before you doubt your invincibility?  How many cruise ships have to become stranded, fill up with diseased passengers, have a murder or sink before you decide you might not want to take a cruise at this time? If someone asked you, "Is the viewing of a pyramid worth your life?", it would be easy to answer. Problem is, so many of us just do not believe that "stuff" can happen to us. They consider that to be an irrelevant question.

As I said, just my opinion.  It's everybody's personal choice and no place in the world has more freedom to make those choices than America. For me, there's still so much of the beauty of America that I haven't seen and I prefer to take my risks, perhaps cruising up the Mississippi River or standing up close to Mount Rushmore. As the talented Tanya said, "When I die I may not go to heaven. Well, I don't know if they let cowgirls in. If they don't, just send me on Texas...Boy, Texas is as close as I've been." 

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Deep Dark Dystopia

Since, in reality, I didn't even intend to write a book, I certainly did not realize that I would write a dystopian fiction novel.  As I have said, two of my interests collided, a love for writing and a new found belief in preparing for a future that could be extremely changed by more than one disastrous scenario.

I admit that I only had a vague idea of what the word dystopia meant and it was after I had my first novel finished, that I knew that the category or subject of my writing was indeed, dystopian fiction.  The definition of dystopia is the opposite of utopia. An imaginary place where people live fearful lives due to a changed world. So, the books that I wrote this past year are definitely about that.

What my books are not about, is a deep and dark dystopian existence.  My stories are not about what happened to the world, they're about how my characters are able to survive the what. I am basically an optimist and I absolutely believe in being prepared, planning, and using your smarts and ingenuity to live, even in our present world and for certain in a post disaster world.  I want to explore the possibilities of living with change.  So, there are no zombies or challenges that don't have a chance of my characters overcoming them. Very little bad language, no explicit sex, people and families joining together and working together to survive.  These are the stories that I choose to tell, the stories that excite me and my imagination.

I have had readers who were disappointed. Critics who have commented that "that was too convenient, that was too easy, don't think it would be that way, not enough action and violence...."  After a bit of hand wringing I realized, they absolutely have the right to read, watch or even participate in anything they wish. To each his own.  I have to write what I imagine, my vision of a fictional future. My vision is not dark and hopeless, but difficult, dangerous, challenging and hopeful. 

A good friend asked me to read over the beginning of his book based on some of his Vietnam war experiences. He kept warning me, "there's lot of bad language."  I told him that just because my books are not full of bad language, does not mean that his story shouldn't have any. As a writer, you must be true to your story. A military, war story would obviously have the language of real people in those real situations.

My point here is (thought I'd never make it, didn't you?")  As a writer, be true to your own story and style. You'll never please everybody and you will not be able to make romance readers enjoy your action thriller. Other than the hard learned lessons about grammar and editing, you must write your story, your way.  As a reader, be careful to read descriptions and "blurbs" about any book you are considering to read. Don't buy a light romance and be disappointed because the writer doesn't describe every little romantic "encounter" in explicit detail and don't buy No Normal Day (a dystopian family survival story) and feel cheated because Jack, the family man doesn't become a zombie and chew off the head of his neighbor. 


Your comments are always welcome.  JO

Medicine or Par-ty?

Does marijuana have true medicinal uses or it just par-tee, dude?  With the beautiful state of Colorado doing everything short of giving it away free with ten gallons of gas purchased, it is certainly a topic of interest lately.

I personally feel like they have opened a mellow can of worms. Any drug must be regulated. Why? Let's get real, humans are not very trustworthy when it comes to moderation.  So, how much can you grow, how much can you purchase, how much can you possess, how much can you suck in and be okay to be cruising down the highway? Of course, tons of things that we like are not good for us. Who could argue with the destructive possibilities of alcohol, some drunk? Cigarettes?  Obesity is a real bummer. Does it harm anyone other than yourself...if you can't reach your chubby arms over your enormous belly to the steering wheel, you might have an accident.  But then, cell phones, lipstick smearing,  lack of sleep and a multitude of other things too disgusting to detail, cause auto accidents. 

So, does the mayor of New York, not to call names (idiot) have the right to regulate how much cola you can purchase at one time?  I say that I have the right to buy a 55 gallon drum and bathe in it, if I want to and can afford it. But, I do digress.  Does marijuana have medicinal purposes?

Yes, marijuana has a use for pain. There are other things, but if you are a cancer patient or have one of many serious pain causing illnesses, relief is a pretty important thing.  Truth is, if you are a prepper, a survivor, most of the true evil and bad vices will be some of the best assets you can have.  Alcohol absolutely has antiseptic and pain killing abilities. Chocolate, cigarettes...folks will eventually be desperate for those things.  Things like that will be treasures for barter. 

Lots of  stuff can happen in our old precarious world.  If I look up one day and see a big ball of fire rolling up into the sky or hurtling towards the earth,  I just might inhale a big toke, take a good slug of whiskey, cram a Nestle's Crunch down and kiss my bottom goodbye. Yep! maybe just party.  If my eyes open again, I'll have to go to work and survive and I will trade you three cigarettes for that can of beans.

Procrastination

(***Just a note...the picture wasn't here yesterday. I spent all this morning, laughing at proscrastination jokes on the internet.)
All of the advice for writers, advice that I rather compulsively seek out and read, says learn to not procrastinate! The advisors say things such as, have a particular place, room that you work in; set a goal of a certain number of words you will write each day; create an outline, a story plan; write, write, write, don't worry about it being perfect, get a rough draft down on paper.  There's more, but it eludes my memory at the moment.  What were we talking about?  Oh yeah, do not procrastinate.

I am not saying that these bits of advice are not good tips for writing. Those tips and many, many more are very valid suggestions in the pursuit of writing your masterpiece.  I have to admit that when it comes to writing, I am far more adept at putting it off than staying with it.

I do have a place, an office in my home that I am able to occupy any time and as long as I wish. The problem lies, not in that nice space that I have, it is the bright box that sits in front of me. That terrific tool that allows me to transfer my thoughts into words and form a story, is also my biggest distraction.  And it's not that I tweet or facebook or any social media (I just don't plain don't), it's not that I am all up in my e-mail, going in or going out. My distraction is the amazing plethora of information that lurks inside the box.  If I reach a place in my story that I think, "Um-m, don't know about that. Perhaps I better do some research on that", I can easily wander off into the never, never of internet information and not find my way home.  I sink deep into Really! that was the underwear they wore back in the dark ages? and become the fascinated reader when I should be the writer.

Write a certain number of words a day.  That's wonderful if you are inspired and know what you want to tell. Otherwise, pages of damn---damn---damnit! are probably never going to be a bestseller. Create an outline, OMG, if you can write all that out, you could have written your novel already.  Everything is a rough draft, because no matter how anal you are and how carefully you craft your story, it will not be perfect. You will edit and re-write and edit a hundred times before it is even okay.

Is it procrastination? I get myself together, face, hair, my presentable "house" clothes, rarely do I allow myself to stay in those comfy pjs and write.  I promise that the answering machine will catch the phone...unless it's Dee, I really need to talk to Dee about that thing we talked about the other day. I had breakfast, there will be no need to take a break. Of course, I might need a cup of coffee or a wee snack, maybe a sandwich. I am ready, could be here for hours. Just as soon as I see what that noise was...wow! neighbors are getting a new sofa, um-m, tacky thing.

My fellow authors, I say to you,  don't put if off, put your bottom in the seat, keep your fingers on the keyboard, your mind on the story. One moment, can you excuse me for a sec?  The clothes are dry, I'll just check the mail while I'm up and might as well pee. Be right back. What's your excuse?