In Memorium, an Honorable Gentleman.

This week I have been in Orlando, Florida, enjoying a vacation. The day after I arrived, news reached me from Australia of the passing of a honorable gentleman. The man left behind a wife and two children. He had just celebrated his 50th birthday three months ago.

At the same time, news reached me about a story that has been 25 years in the making. In 1991, a friend passed away leaving behind a wife and two children. He was barely 25 of years. His passing profoundly affected me, not only because he was my friend, but because we graduated in the same Police Academy class, and worked side by side in Law Enforcement. For 25 years I carried a guilt over his passing, not for the event that took his life, but for the children he left behind.

His children were just two years and eight weeks of age.

I always wondered if there was more I could have done for his children, but I didn't. I isolated myself from his family, and as it turned out, from my own family. I eventually wrote about him, and that story will appear in November this year.

The honorable gentleman who passed this week left behind two children, who had just completed school and were making their way in the world.

It will not be 25 years before I write about how great, their Dad was, and how lucky I was to know him.

Put a Tablet On The Shelf

In the real world, writers complete major works, editors correct within a short time, publishers get the book out and royalties begin rolling in as every book is a major success.

When was the last time you purchased a book with a cover, paper and a spine?

E-Books are generally less cost to process, and open up a new reader base, but lacks the authenticity of a book on a shelf.

I'm just not ready yet to put a tablet on the shelf.

Third Book in 2016

Which Australian author has signed for a third book this year?

:) 

Disaster Management - Just Another Day at The Office

I'd like to thank the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for all their exception training.Without their help, today's disaster could have been much worst.

Sunday morning and I had just settled down to watch the Nascar race. The green flag had just waved when this blood curling scream erupted from the other end of the house.  Daughter #3 came a running.

"There's a mouse in my room."

Normally such exclamations do not phase me, however,  Daughter #3 followed it up with "It's a disaster, I don't know what to do."

Disaster? Emergency Management? Incident Command? This, is what I train for.

Daughter #3 debriefed me on the situation. "I'm not equipped to handle this."

So much for the Preparedness cycle, we'll move straight into response.

"I'm sorry sweetie I cannot help you until you expend all your own resources attempting to get the mouse out." No sense breaching any procedure today.

Minutes later she returned claiming to have cleared a path for me. Having received the "Emergency Declaration", I moved in.

The place looked like a bombshell had hit. First of all I couldn't see the floor let alone the mouse - I was going to need some Resources - probably a Type III cat. Jasper Kitty was first of the Cat Corps to arrive. Debris management went into place as Jasper begun his Search and Destroy mission.

"I'm out of here," Daughter #3 stated. "I can't sleep in here tonight with a mouse running around."

Good - self evacuation, saves me issuing a mandatory evacuation order. "You shelter in place on the couch while we continue with the Response Phase."

The mouse was located but the debris was too excessive - drink bottles, empty Cheetos, how many shoes does this girl have - I was going to need another Resource, something a little stronger. I'm going to need a Type 1 cat, and in came Jacob. Just in time too, I had to release Jasper on Safety Grounds when he started to show signs of Stockholm Syndrome towards the mouse.

Jacob wasted no time and had the mouse cornered.

"Don't hurt it," Daughter #3 said, peeking through the door from the edge of the disaster perimeter.I swore under my breath, I'd forgotten about Animal In Disaster.

Within hours, I had the mouse worn out, cornered, and captured. Removed from the Disaster Zone, and I was now into Recovery, returning all the bedroom equipment back to it's original position.

"No," Daughter #3 cried. "All my shoes go back under the dresser."

"Not any more," I said throwing them into the cupboard. "Mitigation."

Had to be my own CERT team as well, sending out and paying for own pizza once the job was down. And Papa's Johns still messed up my order.

Disaster Management - it can turn your Sunday into Another Day at The Office.

Geocaching With Murphy

This 4th of July weekend, Murphy has given me the opportunity to have two Amazon best sellers in a month.

Presenting, Geocaching GPS: Stories of Geocaching First, Geocaching With Murphy, now available on Kindle and in hardback starting 4th of July.

Thank you to my geocaching buddy.

Murphy

Coming soon to a geocaching book near you.

#murphy

Because the Night

Because the Night

Belongs to Writers

...and Bruce.

 ...even if Nils does steal Patti's spotlight.