The Pain You Can Escape, And The Pain You Can't...

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Here's a little bit more of the third installment in the Petri Dish Chronicles! As always, the disclaimer is that this is a draft and, as such, it's unedited and likely full of errors and is subject to revision, revamping, and being completely scrapped and rewritten. But, with that in mind, I'm reasonably satisfied with the basics of it, at least at the moment, or I wouldn't have bothered posting it. Enjoy! :-)

Excerpt from the third Petri Dish book:
Forcing her mind away from her disquieting musings regarding the race that spawned her, Petri turned her attention to the avatar for the enigmatic entity who was the other instigator of this fool’s errand. The being in question was currently watching the preparations through a monitor on the wall. She couldn’t be certain, but Petri thought she detected a certain amount of curiosity in his otherwise blank expression.

“You seem interested in this part,” she ventured, jerking her chin towards where two Arcanum were in the process of securing her arms to the chair, inserting the ports for intravenous nutritional support, and attaching the monitors and electrodes for the rest of the lifesupport equipment.

The hooded eyes locked to her face. “I’m always interested in the lengths organic sentients go to in order to extend their time within my realm. Were you aware there are many among the meat-bound who have almost entirely forsaken the opportunity to experience their surroundings through the sensory organs they were born with, and instead go to great effort to limit their understanding to what can be gained in the digital world."

Petri shrugged. “Aren’t you the one who told me that it doesn't matter if something is real or virtual if you can't tell the difference between the two? If people want to live their lives in the rainbow, why should that bother you?”

He gave her one of his slow blinks. “’Bother’ me? It doesn’t 'bother' me, Per Dish; I find it fascinating."

“Why?”

“There is much to discover in this world; many facets to explore and challenges to master. In fact, the only thing that can truly be said to be missing from virtual reality is an unfiltered experience of non-virtual reality."

Petri cocked her head to the side. “You’re jealous of people who can leave the rainbow."

“Jealous? Hmmm... What an interesting notion. Perhaps. On some level. Bemused, I think, would be a better description. Why would anyone forgo the chance to gain more knowledge, more insight?”

“Not everyone’s body works the way they'd like it to,” Petri said, thinking of all the terminally ill people she’d known in Under City who had escaped their pain by hiding in the rainbow. Her eyes flicked to Chessie, who was also being secured to her chair and prepped for the lifesupport equipment. “And some people find the experience of their body to be more alien than what they find in the rainbow.”

Vlad gave her a slight inclination of his head. “Valid points, Per Dish, but those people are far from the only ones who seek to maximize their time in my domain.”

Petri shrugged again. “Pain comes in many forms. I'm not going to judge anyone for how they deal with theirs when they’re not hurting anyone.”

Vlad echoed her shrug. “No one but themselves, at least. Though, only some types of pain can be left behind in a physical body; some pain follows a person no matter how far or fast they run from it.”

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. It's, once again, a story that the mainstream media hasn't paid nearly enough attention to, and it's exactly the kind of thing where whether the judges involved were appointed by Republicans or corporate Democrats, like Biden, you'd get the same ruling. And isn't it a distinct possibility that those two things might just be related? Anyway, please take a few minutes to watch the video and draw your own conclusions. Peace!

Savory #Crockpot Oatmeal #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

This is a really easy recipe you can just throw into the crockpot before you leave for work in the morning and you'll have a hot meal ready for you when you get home. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:
2 cups steel cut oats
6 cups water
2 cups milk
1 cup pecorino romano grated
2 cups sharp cheddar shredded
8 cloves garlic minced
1 cup fresh sage chopped
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 onions chopped fine
4 tbsp old bay seasoning
2 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Add all the ingredients except the cheddar cheese to the crockpot and stir to combine. Turn the crockpot on low and cook for 7-8 hours. Turn off the heat, remove the stems from the rosemary, and stir in the cheddar cheese. Serve straight from the crockpot or spoon some into a baking dish and brown under the broiler for a couple of minutes.

When adding salt, be careful because the cheese is salty and you don't want to over salt your oatmeal. You do, however, want to add a good amount of black pepper. Also, feel free to stir in any vegetables or meat you might like to add when you stir in the cheddar cheese. For an alternate version, add a can of crushed tomatoes to the crockpot in the morning, substituting it for 1-1.5 cup(s) of water.

Bon appetit!

Exciting #Opportunity! #Halloween #Giveaway Signup!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

If you're a fellow author and/or blogger, and you'd like the opportunity to grow your social media following without spending a lot of $$$ on advertising, check out the details in the image above. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, click the link below and answer the questions. Happy writing! :-)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2020HalloweenGiveaway/

#Interview With Douglas Schwartz!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Douglas Schwartz is joining us here, today. Douglas, will you please tell us about yourself and how many books you have written?

Douglas: Hello, I'm Doug Schwartz and I am an Idea-holic. I have published three books: Checkered Scissors (first novel), Pickled Bananas (first collection of short fiction), and Spilt Milk! (first illustrated children's book). I am currently working on another novel (sequel to Checkered Scissors), another short fiction collection (unique, modern fairy tales), and another illustrated children's book (about facing my fear of fried eggs). While I'm not making up stories, I also design tabletop games. And when I am not doing that, I am spending time with my family.

Me: It sounds like you've got lots of irons in the fire! :-) What's the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

Douglas: I wrote Spilt Milk! for my kids when they were about half the age they are now. The story was inspired by an inside joke with my family where we all joked about having the last name of "Pants". I am the original Anson Pants. Also, it was inspired by how I can be a big klutz.

Me: That's adorable! What are you working on now?

Douglas: As I said above, I am actively looking for an agent to represent my collection of unique, modern fairy tales. My editor suggested I traditionally publish this one, instead of self publish. The stories teach lessons like not procrastinating, bullying, believing in yourself, and so on. Also, I am trying to work with my illustrator to do the artwork for the next children's book. It's about a boy whose babysitter tells him about a giant, flying fried egg. The moral of the story is if you are afraid of something, learn more about what you fear, and it isn't that scary after all. I am editing the sequel to Checkered Scissors and have started writing the third book of the series. Novels take a long time to craft. Hopefully, these won't take the decades it took to craft the first book.

Me: Yeah, novels definitely take a while to crank out. What authors, or books, have influenced you?

Douglas: Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman have all inspired me and my writing. I have had the pleasure of meeting all three. I aspire to create vivid character like Stephen King and rich worlds like JK Rowlng.

Me: Those are some amazing role models! :-) What are you reading now?

Douglas: I am reading a friend's first book. I'd rather not mention the title or the author because I am undecided if I like it or not. The writer in me is picking it apart as I read it, but there are elements that I really enjoy.

Me: Well, sometimes you have to wait until you finish a book before you can decide if you like it. ;-) For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?

Douglas: To use carnival comparisons, my stories are more like a funhouse than a thrilling roller coaster. I write what I typically like to read before going to bed--light, whimsical fiction that does not tax the brain, but tickles the senses.

Me: Sounds like fun! :-) What is your favorite part of being an author?

Douglas: I find writing to be therapeutic. Creating stories is like working out the issues of myself and the world. Finishing a story is uplifting. Like, "There! That's sorted out. Now what problem can I solve?"

Me: And think of all the money you save on therapists! ;-)  Do you have a day job as well?

Douglas: I did. I had been doing software QA testing. In the fall, I went through my fourth layoff in the tech industry and have been pursuing other interests. Do I really want to keep doing what I have been doing? Or, do I want to try something new? While I pursue something old and something new, I am also partially focused on advancing my own projects, even though I know I need to find something to better help support the family. Ideally, my fiction and games would be lucrative enough to do both for a living.

Me: It's hard to be out of work. I hope something shakes out for you soon. What would you say are the hardest and easiest parts about being a writer?

Douglas: Earlier, I would say criticism is the hardest, because it is difficult to not take feedback personally. Now, I take it very well. Now, the hardest part is connecting with new readers and finding the right readers to help spread the word to other potential readers. For me, the easiest part is the ideas and the creativity. The easiest part sometimes turns hard when I have too many ideas, and need to focus on one or two at a time.

Me: I think a lot of authors would agree with you that marketing is the hardest part of the job. What genre do you place your book in?

Douglas: Is it too late to change my answer for the hardest part to deciding what genre bucket to put my stories into? Some books fit nicely into their particular buckets. You know this book is a romance and that one is science fiction. Fantasy is too general a term, and makes me think of dragons and epic quests. Pickled Bananas has the sub-title of "...and Other Schwartz Stories", but there isn't an Amazon category for Schwartz Fiction (at least not yet). What I write is light, whimiscal, humorous, imaginative fiction. That's not exactly a category either. Sometimes there are fantastical elements. Sometimes it is more contemporary, but with quirky characters. It is what it is. Can you point me to the Unique Fiction section? Is there such thing as Comfort Fiction, like Comfort Food?

Me: Ha! Well, at least you know what you like when you see it. ;-) Is there anything else you'd like to tell your readers?

Douglas: To readers...Read what you enjoy. If you struggle with a book (that isn't part of an assignment), then do not hesitate to put the book down and move on to something else. Or, back to what you know you enjoy. Reading should be a pleasure, not a struggle. There are many great writers out there creating some fantastic stuff, but there are also those who struggle to find their writing voice. To parents of young readers...Do not discourage any form of reading for your child. If they like reading comic books or cereal boxes, reading is reading. Help them find the pleasure in reading.

Me: Amen! And so these fine folks can find pleasure in reading your work, are there any links you'd like me to post?

Douglas: Here is my homegrown author website: https://www.checkeredscissors.com
Twitter: @CheckerScissors

Me: Perfect! Thank you so much for dropping by, today, Doug. And thank you also to everyone who joined us. Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest in Mistra Dawn's Musings! :-)

#APC #Spotlight: The Power Of The Babbling Brook By Marie Fostino!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Marie Fostino in my APC spotlight, today! Marie is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her new adult, historical fiction, time-travel, fantasy, romance, The Power of the Babbling Brook, looks great! Here's the description:

Ponce de Leon was sent on a voyage to explore this land he called Pascua Florida, for the King of Spain. His job was to find more gold and the Waters of Life to help heal King Ferdinand who was 35 yrs older than his young wife. When he asked the Indians to join them for a meal and about the waters of life for the King, he was forced to go through the swirling lights to find Merlin in exchange.

Marlena who is a history teacher in the year 2014 was dressed like Merlin at the Renaissance Fair selling bottles of water with the words Fountain of Youth on them to raise money for the school. Little did she know she would get picked up by a knight, and go through swirling rainbow lights back into the year 1513.

It was at the pilgrims’ dinner with the Indians that it was discovered what year she was in and who she was dining with. She already had a hate for Ponce for kidnapping her to this place, but when he choked on some food and she did CPR to bring him back to life that is when her life became in danger. Now she was considered a witch and the person she disliked the most was the one to protect her and help her get back to her time.

 If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 1147

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Eleven-Hundred-Forty-Seven:

My hominid-servant has established a collection of small containers filled with high-nutrient soil in which she is cultivating a variety of small plants. I have attempted to sample these specimens; however, per her usual habit, my hominid-servant is being most uncooperative. Every time I get close to her collection, my hominid-servant chases me away and moves them. Fortunately, she does not seem to realize that several of the plants have a distinct and strong scent, and I am able to identify each new location simply by following my nose. It believe it will only be a matter of time before I will succeed in obtaining the samples I require to study this new vegetation that my hominid-servant has deemed worth introducing into my domicile.

Hmmm... I love a good mystery, don't you? ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

Exciting #Opportunity! #SummerTime #Giveaway Signup!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

If you're a fellow author and/or blogger, and you'd like the opportunity to grow your social media following without spending a lot of $$$ on advertising, check out the details in the image above. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, click the link below and answer the questions. Happy writing! :-)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2020SummerGiveaway/

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. Once again, the mainstream media is neglecting to cover the most important news, and this is one that we really can't afford to ignore. I want to be clear here. I, personally, have been exceptionally fortunate in that I have been able to keep my job and have not had my hours impacted. So this isn't about me. This is about the fact that we cannot allow millions of our citizens to be forced from their homes. We need ongoing economic relief and housing protections for people who have lost their jobs. And if that means that my taxes have to go up, I'm okay with that. And, yes, this is a moral issue. It's not okay to allow human beings to go without basic necessities, like shelter. But it's also pragmatic. Because if you think the protests are bad now, just wait until a substantial portion of the population is homeless.

Italian-Style Potato #Salad #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

This is one of my favorite potato salad recipes and it's perfect for a picnic because there's no mayo to go bad. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:
6 large potatoes scrubbed and chopped into 1-inch cubes
1 zucchini chopped
1 yellow summer squash chopped
1 large carrot peeled and shredded
1 red onion chopped fine
1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 cup broccoli florets chopped
1 cup pickled pepperoncini peppers chopped
1 cup black olives pitted and sliced
6 cloves garlic minced
1 cup fresh basil chopped
1/2 cup fresh oregano chopped
1 tbsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1.5 cups olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes in salted water until they're fork-tender, drain the water from the potatoes, and cool the potatoes completely.  In a bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, pepper flakes (optional), and salt and pepper. In a larger bowl, toss the potatoes, olives, and vegetables together and then pour the dressing over them, tossing to coat. Serve chilled.

Buon Appetito!

#Spring Flings & #Book Things #Giveaway! $39 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Spring!  Please take a moment to check out the Spring Flings & Book Things Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 26 prizes, and the grand prize is $39 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#APC #Spotlight: The Dragon Dreamer By J.S. Burke!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got J.S. Burke in my APC spotlight, today! J.S. is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her young adult, marine life, dragon, undersea adventure, first contact, fantasy, novel, The Dragon Dreamer, looks great! Here's the description:

A wounded dragon and an undersea misfit. 

Bullied as a worthless dreamer, Arak flies away on a dangerous quest and crashes at sea. A fearless shapeshifter octopus heals the young dragon, and an unexpected friendship begins. Arak returns to the dragon clan, but a terrible illness strikes. Then an undersea volcano erupts, which triggers a deadly chain of events! How can two misfits save the dragons?

If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#June2020 #IndieBooksBeSeen #Indie #Author #Books #Monthly #BookReview!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

It's the 18th again, so time for my #IndieBooksBeSeen monthly indie author book review!! Enjoy! :-)

Checkered Scissors by Douglas Schwartz:

Do you enjoy fantasizing about changing the world? Do you ever wish you could spend more time in a world of your imagination than in the real world? Ed Black gets the chance to do just that when he makes a cut in the fabric of reality and finds out what's on the other side. The only question is, how does he get home again? You'll have to read to find out!

I love reading, and so I read a lot of books. But rarely do I find a book that's so original in concept that I can honestly say I've never read anything quite like it before. Checkered Scissors is one such book. There are some similarities between it and Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker series, in that it makes you take a new look at the ordinary and makes it impossible to apply the assumptions we all take for granted about the world around us. The reader is always on their toes because it's impossible to anticipate what the next twist or turn the story will take will be. And it also contains a lot of the same style of oddball humor that Adams used. And it also has some of the dream-like, "is this real or in my head?" aspects that the Lewis Carroll's Alice books have. But it's still very much its own idea. Frankly, without giving away the whole story, I can't say much more about it. Just read it and find out for yourself. You won't be sorry.

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 1141

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Eleven-Hundred-Forty-One:

My previous report left off with the juvenile felid preparing to commence a campaign to coerce my hominid-servant to complete her cleaning ritual prematurely, so that he would be able to reclaim the space beneath her sleeping platform for his bauble collection. As I stated, he was most distressed by the disturbance to his cache and, once he had gathered the baubles from the far-flung reaches of my domicile, where my hominid-servant had strewn them, he turned his attention to encouraging my hominid-servant to hurry.

Towards that end, the little idiot vocalized at the highest decibel level his vocal cords were capable of producing. When that failed to elicit a response, he changed tactics to knocking breakable objects off the horizontal platforms my hominid-servant has scattered throughout my domicile. Unfortunately for him, my hominid-servant was no more receptive to having her behavior modified by this strategy by my young companion than she was when I attempted to use it.

As soon as the first crashing sounds reached her, my hominid-servant rushed to locate their source. She found a very perturbed small felid, who did not quite realize the storm of fury he had unleashed. She reached for him, and he deployed his version of the C.L.A.W.S. This turned out to be a mistake.

My hominid-servant let out a howl of such volume that I thought my ears might bleed, even though objectively the damage done to her epidermis was quite minor. As foolish as his choice to escalate the situation might have been, my youthful compatriot really didn’t do much more than give my hominid-servant a warning. However, she showed no discernable appreciation for his restraint, instead tossing a panel of textile over the diminutive nuisance and using it to scoop him up and transfer him to the punishment box.

It was not until after my hominid-servant cleaned up the broken objects and completed her cleaning ritual that she released the tiny moron from the box. Unfortunately, my idiotic protégé does not have my sense of dignity, so he cried and hollered the entire time he was in the box. It was most annoying.

However, the two of them seem to have since reconciled, and the baubles are once again stored beneath my hominid-servant’s sleeping platform, so one can hope that peace will now resume. At least, until the next iteration of the cleaning ritual. Unfortunately, none of this provided any useful strategies for modifying my hominid-servant’s behavior. But, I suppose, I do have more insight into what not to do, and that is valuable information as well. It seems I must be satisfied with small progress.

Hominids! Can't live with them; can't open doors or cans without them. ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

The Blindness Of Prejudice...

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Here's a little bit more of the third installment in the Petri Dish Chronicles! As always, the disclaimer is that this is a draft and, as such, it's unedited and likely full of errors and is subject to revision, revamping, and being completely scrapped and rewritten. But, with that in mind, I'm reasonably satisfied with the basics of it, at least at the moment, or I wouldn't have bothered posting it. Enjoy! :-)

Excerpt from the third Petri Dish book:
Petri thought it was odd that the Arcanum understood how much she cared about her friends enough to know they could use them as leverage against her, but hadn’t realized that would mean they would have to protect them in order to keep that leverage. They just really couldn’t accept that she viewed her friends as equals, and it was one more reminder of how truly alien the race that had created her really were.

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. Actually, there are two videos I thought I'd share this week. They both illustrate the culture of protecting criminal cops that exists within police departments across the country. I'd also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that if we were to compose a list of people who might be thought to almost single-handedly be responsible for the fact that this culture has been perpetuated so long, Joe Biden's name would have to be at the top of that list. It was the 1994 crime bill that he wrote and championed that helped militarize police departments, helped insulate criminal cops from the consequences of their crimes, and increased police interference in the lives of peaceful citizens, which resulted in the mass incarceration of residents of poor, minority communities. So, while, yes, Trump is terrible and is only exacerbating the problem, Biden is responsible for causing it in the first place. Peace!

Quick And Easy Bread #Salad #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

This is an easy panzanella recipe that's perfect for warmer weather. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:
3 cups stale bread cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups 1-inch fresh mozzarella balls
1/4 cup pecorino romano grated
2 large tomatoes diced
1 cup fresh basil shredded
1/2 cup fresh oregano shredded
4 cloves garlic minced
1.5 cups olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, garlic, romano cheese, half the basil, and the salt and pepper. In a separate, larger bowl, add the bread and half the dressing. Toss to combine and add all the remaining ingredients and the rest of the dressing. Toss to combine and serve chilled.

Buon Appetito!

#Spring Flings & #Book Things #Giveaway! $39 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Spring!  Please take a moment to check out the Spring Flings & Book Things Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 26 prizes, and the grand prize is $39 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

A Metaphor For The 2020 Election...

Hey Everyone!

I just thought I'd share something that might help break down the choices in the upcoming election. Since we're all going to have to make a decision, we need to take a look at what our choices are. And, sometimes, metaphors help to clarify things. It does for me, anyway. Hope it helps you too. Peace!

You're on a plane, and the flight attendant comes by with their cart offering you a meal. You ask what your choices are, and they tell you a shit sandwich or a shit sandwich with a little glitter sprinkled on top.

"What?!?!" You exclaim. "Isn't there anything else?"

The flight attendant sadly shakes their head and explains they had almost packed along a nice pastrami on rye as an option, but too many people thought the mustard was too spicy and were afraid the caraway seeds looked too much like bugs, and that other people might not want to order something with rye bread. Also, the airline company had spent months bombarding everyone involved with messages about how harmful pastrami is. The messages were all lies, but people were stupid enough to believe them. So, now, the options are shit or glittery shit.

"Well," you say, "I'm just not going to ask for either. I'm not that hungry."

The flight attendant shrugs and tells you that you can refuse to choose between shit and glittery shit, but you'll still end up with one or the other. You do have the option of requesting a nice, healthy salad. You won't get it, but you can ask.

If you do ask for the salad, there's a chance they might start carrying it on the next flight, or maybe the flight after that. But you won't get it on this flight. Also, if you do ask for the salad, everyone else on the flight will yell at you for not being satisfied with whatever version of shit they prefer. Because if you don't agree with them, they might end up getting stuck with the other version of shit. Since it's all just shit, it doesn't really matter, but the passengers on the flight are all really invested in whether or not they get glitter with their shit. But if you just order shit like everyone else, the airline company will decide that means that everyone is happy enough with shit, and they'll never offer anything else.

So, what do you do? Refuse to ask for anything and get shit? Ask for a version of shit to make other people happy? Or order the salad, get yelled at, still get shit this time, but at least have the possibility of maybe not being served shit at some point in the future? The choice is yours.

#APC #Spotlight: To Boldly Go By Anesa Miller!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Anesa Miller in my APC spotlight, today! Anesa is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her thought-provoking, introspective, personal-journey, collection of essays, To Boldly Go, looks great! Here's the description:

A summer of lush flowers and perfect weather. Girls dancing on a moonlit field. A cold house overgrown with abandoned gardens. These images come together in Anesa Miller’s To Boldly Go, which explores the “turning years” of our new century from both a personal and a universal perspective. The author reveals the intimate pains of anger and loss at the death of her estranged father, but looks beyond emotional damages toward the wider horizon of environmental issues, runaway technology, and the implications of 9/11. This journey toward healing and hope traverses the landscape of memory with an eye for a better future.

 If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 1140

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Eleven-Hundred-Forty:

Yesterday, my hominid-servant finally reached the portion of her cleaning ritual where she had to confront the juvenile felid’s stash of baubles. At first, it seemed that her interference with the cache would go unchallenged, as my young compatriot absented himself from the vicinity at the first sign of her approach. However, once she began collecting his treasures, he reappeared and complained vociferously throughout the process.

Unfortunately for the little idiot, my hominid-servant disregarded his protests and continued with the relocation of the baubles. Once she had collected them all, she scattered them across the floor of the common room of my domicile. This is an area she had already completed her ritual in, so I assume she regarded it as a convenient temporary storage place.

Whatever her reasoning, my hominid-servant moved all the baubles from beneath her sleeping platform to the other room and returned to her cleaning ritual. A fact that caused my youthful companion no small amount of distress, as he was able to recollect the baubles from the haphazard distribution my hominid-servant left them in, but he was unable to resequester them in his preferred place of concealment. However, I hear my hominid-servant refilling the bowls in which she serves my food, so I will describe at a later time the lengths the diminutive nuisance went to in his effort to accelerate the pace of my hominid-servant’s cleaning ritual.

Oh, my! A clash with the small furry people. ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

Exciting #Opportunity! #SummerTime #Giveaway Signup!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

If you're a fellow author and/or blogger, and you'd like the opportunity to grow your social media following without spending a lot of $$$ on advertising, check out the details in the image above. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, click the link below and answer the questions. Happy writing! :-)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2020SummerGiveaway/

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. This is a compilation of some of the attacks by police against US citizens who were exercising their First Amendment rights. This is tyranny in action, and I really hope that no one who sees these recordings forgets what it means to have a militarized police force who view the people they're supposed to protect as the enemy.

Delicious, Easy Grilled Cheese #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

This is a quick, easy meal that you can throw together in a few minutes, but never fails to satisfy. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:
2 slices rye bread
1 1 inch thick slice of mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup homemade cranberry sauce (not the gelatinized kind you get in a can)
1 tbsp butter

Butter both sides of both slices of bread and melt the remaining butter in a skillet. Put one slice of bread down in the melted butter and put the cheese on top of it. Spoon the cranberry sauce over the cheese and spread it in an even layer. Put the other slice of bread on top of the cranberry sauce and cook it until the cheese begins to melt and the first side of the sandwich is golden brown. Flip the sandwich over and cook it until the second side is golden brown. Remove the sandwich from the heat and cut it in half. Serve it warm with a simple green salad on the side.

Bon Appetit!

#Spring Flings & #Book Things #Giveaway! $39 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Spring!  Please take a moment to check out the Spring Flings & Book Things Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 26 prizes, and the grand prize is $39 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#Animal #Rescuer's #Guide To #Staying ( #Relatively ) #Sane! #Free! :-)

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Just a reminder, for those who haven't checked it out yet, I've collected all my animal rescue/care posts together and published them as a small book.  If you'd like, you can download the book for free from Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, Kobo, and iTunes.

Amazon

Smashwords

iTunes

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Thanks for stopping in today, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#APC #Spotlight: A Chaunce Of Riches By Chelle Cordero!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Chelle Cordero in my APC spotlight, today! Chelle is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her literary, contemporary romance, murder mystery novel, A Chaunce of Riches, looks great! Here's the description:

The day that Ben Johnson was hired as a bodyguard for some rich widow and her kid, he never expected to be working for the woman who had abandoned him just when he had needed her the most so many years before. Damn it all, he still wanted her. Samantha Chaunce never thought she would see him again. She never thought she would have to explain why she married the rich man over the man she had sworn she once loved. And she certainly never expected to find out that her rich husband had been murdered and fingers were pointing to her former lover.

 If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)