The End of Times by Bonnie Le Hamilton

 

In the week leading up to September 23^rd, I came across a video on Instagram from some young lady about a guy who predicted the “Rapture” as some faiths call it (in my church they call it the Second Coming) would happen at some point on the 23^rd or the 24^th. I also came across several such video messages on the 23^rd.

In at least one of them, the person posting said that pastors believed this guy and was telling their congregations to get their lives in order now.

Okay, since they are talking about a Christian concept, I have to assume these pastors are Christians, and, as such, should know the Bible because it is their job to expound upon its precepts to their congregations but clearly they don’t know their scriptures very well. So let me, a college dropout, layperson, fill you in a simple fact I learned while was still in grade school.

First Thessalonians 5:2 clearly states that the “day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” Or how about 2 Peter 3:10 which states the same thing, that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.

Since when does a thief announce their coming in advance?

And it isn’t like other people have insisted the end is coming. For those of you old enough, you might remember that part of the Y2K hype was that the world would end on January 1^st, 2000.

Clearly that didn’t happen, but neither did the world end when the Mayan calendar ended, nor when several scholars insisted Nostradamus had predicted the end. All of which happened within my lifetime.

But it doesn’t end there! I remember reading about a group in the early 1900’s whose leader predicted the end of world and even insisted a finite number of people would be accepted into heaven. At the time of his first prediction (and yes I said first) his followers gathered on a certain hillside, insisting they would be taken up into heaven at dawn.

When that didn’t happen, the leader said he miscalculated. His second prediction also doubled his finite number of those who will be saved, most likely because his believers had swelled to that number.

As far as I know there is no report of a third prediction, nor of his followers leaving this world in masse.

The book of Revelation is supposed to inform the reader of the signs leading up to the Lord’s Second Coming, if you can understand it, but you still have the earlier passages saying he’s coming as a thief in the night.

And I can’t get over how many times it’s been predicted in my lifetime, let alone that, according to Revelation chapter 11 the Second Coming, or the “Rapture” will not come until after His two witnesses prophesy for a thousand two hundred and threescore days in Jerusalem then they will be killed and lie in the streets for 3 and ½ days and raise again.

I mean, really, read Revelation 11. This is the clearest sign of His Second Coming I have read. None of this has happened yet. The end isn’t here, yet.

Obviously, the Prophet John the Revelator would know when it will occur, and he did warn us in what I think is pretty clear language in chapter 11. So why all the hysteria? Why all the hype? Why all these false predictions?

And the scriptures also answer that question, clear back in 1 Thessalonians 5 and 2 Peter 3.

I’m simply confused at people who are supposed to be Biblical scholars not knowing this stuff and me, a simple college dropout knows it, and I’ve known this stuff since grade school! Then again, the Bible also tells us we need to repent and became as little children believing all things.

And maybe the issue is that all these scholars and theologians don’t believe as the little child believes; they don’t have the faith of a child, and I gained my faith as a child and never lost it.

So, anyway, until those two witnesses lie dead in the street for three and ½ days, I’m not going to believe anyone saying the end is here, because the Bible tells me otherwise!

Happy writing, Everyone!

Slow Reading by Bonnie Le Hamilton

 

First, I would like to apologize for not posting last week. Konnie wasn’t feeling well, but she didn’t inform me until Wednesday morning, and I had trouble sleeping the night before. I mean, she told me she was sick; I finally fell asleep. Enough said.

This week is my turn, and I haven’t been feeling well, but I am awake and thankfully, able to think.

And what is on my mind is the fact that I am a slow reader. I have always been, and I think I’ve mentioned this before, because my slow reading speed caused me some issues in college. Well, it isn’t all that fun in everyday life either.

Growing up, I learned the real names of TV actors generally when our big sister grew tired of me calling them by their characters’ names and informed me of their actual names.

The credits on TV shows usually run so fast, I can’t read them. Sometimes, if I watch the credits a lot, I can manage the main characters’ real names, but not much more.

Movie credits are thankfully slower, which helps.

Another thing about me is that I’m usually fairly good at remembering faces and can generally place where I’ve seen a face before. If I’ve seen an actor in something else, I can usually tell where.

So on with what is bugging me.

I watched the premiere of Star Trek TNG. I was, after all, an adult when it came out, and I grew up watching Star Trek. (Big fan here.)

So, right off, I spotted Brent Spiner. I didn’t know his real name at the time, but I had certainly seen him on Night Court.

I also spotted Johnathan Frakes. I knew two things about him. He’d been part of a two-episode storyline on Highway to Heaven, and I knew there was a connection between him and the soap star Genie Francis. Names came later. I did recognize him, though.

Lavare Burton was easy to spot because, despite being an adult, I liked Reading Rainbow. I even knew his name. Of course, he introduced himself in Reading Rainbow; I didn’t need to read credits. By the way, I did not connect him with Roots until I read an article about him. I knew him from Reading Rainbow.

Then there’s the guy who played Worf. Now his makeup was so complete there was no chance of placing his face, but man, his voice rang a bell! The problem was I absolutely couldn’t place where I’d heard it before.

This fact has bothered me all through the TNG series, the movies, and DS9. Where do I know that voice? It’s so rich, so deep, and so memorable, I know that voice! I just couldn’t ever place it, not even after that DS9 episode where Sisko dreams he’s a magazine writer in like the 1950s. All the main actors from DS9 are in the dream sequences, but of course, Dorn wasn’t in his Worf makeup. It didn’t help; I still couldn’t place him (whose name I finally got off the credits from Generations).

Then just last week, I was scrolling through Facebook and came across a post about “Where are they now” for the stars of the old TV series CHIPS. Another show I really enjoyed growing up. So, I actually watched the whole thing with pictures of the actors from the show and pictures of the actors now.

Can anybody guess who the last actor they showed was?

Michael Dorn!

The big, gorgeous, tall guy with the big bushy mustache and all that hair from CHIPS was played by Michael Dorn! The guy doesn’t have the mustache or hair anymore, but he’s still got that too die for voice! I could kick myself for not placing him sooner!

I might point out that, in the years since TNG, DS9, and Voyager, I have spotted some of those actors in other shows. After all, I do know them. I loved TNG, DS9, and Voyager. Though I think the one I enjoyed spotting again was Pam Dawber on NCIS. Even though she’s aged a bit from her days on Mork and Mindy, she was easy to pick out because her voice and profile haven’t changed.

It was great seeing her again. But even before she showed up on NCIS, I had read an article about her and Mark Harmon and how she gave up acting to raise their kids. So, it was doubly nice to see her on the screen again.

It was also nice to spot Marina Sirtis on NCIS, but she’s changed enough that it took me several minutes to place her. I did place her!

Anyway, happy writing, everyone! 

A Book Review by Bonnie Le Hamilton

 

It is no secret; I like to read. I swear I have more books than I have Nativities, and we all know I have a ton of those. What I don’t like is when a description of a book is misleading.

Case in point: Amazon describes “Christmas at the Marshmallow Café” as a “heartwarming and feel-good Christmas romantic comedy. . .”

I have tried to read this book a couple of times since I fell for this description; I’ve never managed to get more than halfway through the thing, which leads to a couple of questions I have:

Where’s the comedy?

Where’s the romance?

Okay, I admit, I don’t often get comedy, but I can’t find anything laughable or funny about this story, nothing. Absurd, but not laughable, I find the storyline more than a little unbelievable, far beyond “suspending disbelief.” And what I’ve read of it is as boring as all get out. It is a blow-by-blow of a boring “adventure” for a boring old lady.

And romance? There is certainly no “romantic” interest for the main character (AKA the boring old lady) and while her young friend does find a love interest during the telling of this tale, it is announced, but never shown developing, because it happens mostly when the young friend isn’t in the company of the boring old lady, and what she does witness she sees just the bland facts and not any romantic tension.

In fact, the story is in the sole POV of the boring old lady, and her outlook on life is bland. No flavor at all. Nothing. It reads more like the character from the old Dragnet TV show told her, “Just the facts, Ma’am.”

Because all you get is facts, no character, no inner commentary, nothing to give the story some pizzazz. Some curiosity that makes you read to the end.

Do you want funny? Do you want romantic interest? Do you want funny inner commentary? Read any of the Miss Fortune series by Jana DeLeon. Now that is funny, and the romantic tension is present from the second Fortune Redding sets foot in Sinful, Louisiana.

Of course, in this series, the POV character, Fortune Redding, is more of a fish out of water in the strange universe that is Sinful, Louisiana than your everyday common variety female would be, and the mishaps that happen! Well, it is hilarious, and as that comes from someone who doesn't often get comedy, I promise you will laugh.

It’s like book three or four when the good deputy and Fortune actually get together, but the tension is there from the start. Fortune referred to him as Deputy Charming a few times; of course, she was mad at him at the time. 😊 It’s funny every time!

I have found the series funny, and I’ve laughed every time I’ve read the books I own in the series. Fortune’s inner commentary is the funniest part of the series.

In the Marshmallow Café book, I can’t even remember the POV character’s name; she’s that boring and forgettable.

And the worst part about all this is, if Amazon can tout “Christmas at the Marshmallow Café” as a romance, how can anyone believe any of their other book descriptions?

Did they even read it?

I mean, really, there’s no comedy and no romance. Why do they list it as a romantic comedy?

This isn’t the only time I’ve been disappointed by a book blurb; this is just the only time they didn’t even get the genre correct!

I have a book I’ve had for a while and have read several times. I’ve enjoyed it. Then, recently, I learned it was book six of a series, and I found a sale on Amazon for the first five titles.

Okay, I can’t believe the same author wrote the first book and the sixth book. Two chapters in, and I’m wondering why I’m reading book one, let alone that it is the same author.

The sixth book gets right to the plot. It was a lot of fun to read -- every time. The first book seems to want to take its time getting to the juicy stuff. I lost interest fast.

And these are two books by the same author. Generally, when I like one book by an author, I like all the books by that author.

Of course, I do love Jana DeLeon’s Miss Fortune series, but I haven’t been able to get past the first few pages of her Mudbug series. It’s the same author!

Until this Mudbug series, I’ve always enjoyed anything by a favorite author. I actually like everything I’ve read by Dick Francis and his son, Felix! So, I don’t know why I don’t like the Mudbug series.

Anyway, happy reading and writing, everyone!

Of Memories and Birthdays by Konnie Enos

Recently, I saw an article about the events in our life that we remember clearly even as we age. The point of the article was the more things we remember clearly, the better our memory is overall.

Now I think I have a pretty good memory, and I remember a lot of events from my childhood at least vaguely. Though, I expected to the article to mention specific national news events which most people who lived through them will remember.

Things like the moon landing, walking on the moon. I know it happened, but I have no actual memories of watching it on TV. Though I have to admit I was still pretty young at the time. I was even younger when the Cuban Missile Crisis and JFK’s assassination occurred, so I have no memory of either event.

Though the events in the article were mentioned in broader terms and were personal events rather than national news. Things like the first day of school. Your best friend from grade school. Your first date or kiss.

I have no memory of going to school on my first day of school, it made no impression on me. I do remember our first teacher constantly telling me I was picking up my writing implement with the wrong hand, a lot. I finally learned to only use my right hand for that activity. Of course, I also remember all my teachers complaining about my sloppy handwriting. That is until I started spending my summers filling every leftover notebook I could find practicing my penmanship. (All this was before I figured out that I should have been using my left hand all along.)

As for best friends, we moved so frequently and changed schools so often that I can barely name three friends from grade school. Though one of those I only remember his face and first name. One was actually Bonnie’s friend and again only her first name. The third? I was twelve when we met, so far easier to remember. I also still remember my best friend from 8^th grade, but we’re also still in touch and both grandmas now.

I do remember my first date, even the movies we saw. Song of the South and The Aristocats. I also remember my younger brother watching us and my date disappearing halfway through the first movie. I found him talking to my brother and sister. After I joined them there, he disappeared entirely. Just left. His mom was supposed to give me a lift home, but he was already long gone. I had to go home with my brother and sister, but I don’t remember if Momma picked us up or her husband at the time. That was the last date I had until I was in college so remembering my first kiss was even easier.

The events I remember the clearest are the ones that made the biggest impression on me. I vaguely remember inviting friends to our 8^th birthday party. The party itself is far more memorable since it turned into something of a block party. It was the largest party we ever had.

I also remember our infamous 6^th birthday. From the plants falling on me to Bonnie opening two of everything.

The article also mentioned the Bicentennial and I do remember snippets of those events. Parts of the parade and the party in Ross Park, but I did turn 14 that weekend.

There were other things mentioned in the article that didn’t bring any memory for me, not even the events I knew had to have happened at some point in my life. They just didn’t make a lasting impression on me.

So according to that article, my memory isn’t that good. But I beg to differ. Most of the specific memories they mentioned did not make a lasting impression on me, but I do have lasting memories, some from when I was no more than three years old. True, the older ones are just snippets here and there and the details, names, dates, etc. are vague. The feelings are not through, I remember those. The stronger the feelings from the event, the more likely I am to remember more details.

Things like seeing Grandpa Westover for the last time or waking up Christmas morning with strangers in a strange house. (Both happened before I was five.)

But being the first week of September, and so close after Labor Day, the one memory that I’m thinking about today is the one I so eloquently spoke of in my post of September 2017 “Of Holidays and Other Memories”. And today just happens to be the date Labor Day fell on that year. So 46^th Happy Birthday, Dan.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.

Of Illness and Headaches by Bonnie Le Hamilton

 

I’d like to say that Konnie and I never miss a week, but obviously that isn’t the case, last week being the worst example of it.

To start with, Konnie was sick.

Illness happens, and Konnie getting sick is common for her. Let’s face it, she doesn’t live alone, and the members of her family frequently interact with the outside world, which increases her risk of catching something.

I can’t tell you how many times she’s called me all stuffed up and coughing to say she was in no shape to write a post. Life happens. But last week was the worst. For one thing, her timing was horrible.

She called me less than half an hour before our self-imposed deadline to inform me she couldn’t manage her post. She sounded horrible, so I did understand. The problem was that my head was splitting, and I’d just taken pain relievers.

Now, anyone who knows me knows that I’m sensitive to that sort of medication and tend to fall asleep after taking them.

This is well known. I can remember more than once making plans with my sister-in-law, then calling on the day of those plans to let her know I just took my headache medicine.

A lot of drugs have warning labels about operating vehicles while under their influence, but, well, the drugs I have to watch out for don’t always have that label. Few people get drowsy taking Tylenol. I pass out with anything stronger.

At least once in the past, Konnie called and I answered, informing her I had just taken Tylenol. She responded by telling me she’d call back in a couple of hours and hung up.

Konnie knows this because I have always been this way, and some years ago, she commented on her youngest being the same way. (This was before I learned I was on the spectrum too.) At the time, we contemplated one of her kids being so much like me, without realizing that what we have in common is the spectrum, as well as DNA.

At any rate, in those conditions, I was in no shape to even think logically, let alone type, so there was no way I could have produced even a short post.

Had she informed me she was ill Tuesday night, it would have been a different story. I didn’t have a headache Tuesday night and had plenty of time to write something. Wednesday morning, I was out of it.

And I really should consider having a character who is that sensitive to pain medications in one of my stories. I do have a character who suffers from migraines, but I don’t show her sensitive to pain meds.

I guess I should also point out that Konnie getting sick happens more than me getting sick. I think the last time I was too sick to post was while I experienced an adverse reaction to a change in my medications; generally, when Konnie can’t post, she’s sick. She lives with too many people to be able to avoid catching something.

I, on the other hand, rarely get sick these days. I interact with the outside world, but not as much as Konnie’s family. I just don’t have as many opportunities to catch something, but I have plenty of things wrong with me to keep me away from the keyboard.

I also have a cat who likes to rest on top of my laptop, which was what kept me away from my keyboard a couple of weeks ago.

Of course, my cat also likes to snuggle with me, which would be the problem, adding to my having trouble getting my post done on time this week; it’s hard to type when you have a cat napping on your chest. And he isn’t exactly a kitten either. He’s six years old and on the large side for a cat, so when he snuggles, I have to stop what I’m doing and pay attention to him until he moves.

I really should have a cat character in one of my stories. I do have dog characters, which is strange since I am very much a cat person. Konnie has way more experience with dogs than I do. Though I don’t recall any pets in any of her stories at all.

And, considering the axiom about writing what we know, I’d say the pet thing should be the other way around. Konnie has way more experience with pets, especially dogs, than I do. You would think she’d have loads of dogs and cats in her stories, but again, she doesn’t.

Though there are exceptions to every rule and writing only what you know is rather limiting, it is better to write what you know intellectually rather than from personal experience.

Anyway, happy writing, everyone!

Of Interuptions and Pets by Bonnie Le Hamilton

 

Last night I was staring at my screen, trying to decide what to write, when I decided I would think better if I got something to eat. Now, around my place, it isn’t a good idea to leave your laptop sitting open.

Leaving it open will result in a certain someone pictured above walking all over or lying on the keyboard. I learned this the hard way, one too many times, when I returned to a messed-up manuscript because of Patches. The worst time was the one where he managed to step on the enter key several times, dividing a single-syllable word in two and adding about ten pages to my WIP. And that was just the beginning of the mess he made. I long since learned it takes less time to “wake up” my “sleeping” computer than it does to fix the errors he so carelessly added to my open project.

Hence, the reason I closed my laptop as I stepped away, it led me to taking the picture above.

Not a problem, except just minutes before, Konnie had called me for her biweekly reminder of my post deadline. I answered, “I’m working on it, promise.”

Since that was why she was calling, she said goodbye and hung up.

Anyway, I took the above picture and sent it to her, saying, “Well, I was working!”

So now you know the story behind today’s picture.

I might add that one of his favorite resting spots is on top of my laptop. Another one is the footstool in front of my seat on the couch. He particularly likes that spot when I remove the table that can hook over the arm of the couch from the footstool. That is, until I make him move so I can put the table back on the footstool and get up from the couch.

The last time I was working in the living room with my laptop, he actually growled at me about the sixth or seventh time I made him move so I could get up from the couch.

Well, I did keep interrupting his nap, but I did try to tell him he should know better, since I can’t get up with that table in front of me on the couch, and the table is always on the footstool when not in use.

He was majorly not pleased with me for several days after that, so last night, I didn’t try to move him. He could have his nap; I could work later.

I’m not sure Konnie has to deal with problems like that, since she has dogs and only one of them is small enough to be considered in the same size range as a cat. (Please do not ask me how to spell breed of Ivan, Konnie calls him a little yappy dog, because she can’t spell it!)

At any rate, only one other dog in that house could even remotely be considered a lapdog, but I doubt he could get up on Konnie’s bed where her laptop is. That, and I’ve never heard her complain about pets on her keyboard, while I’ve had to fight Patches off while I’m trying to work. And occasionally I have to delay work because of, well, see picture above.

That isn’t the first time I’ve returned to my laptop to find him snoozing, it’s just the first time that it happened when I had a deadline to meet! Though honestly, that isn’t hard since my only deadline is this post every other Wednesday.

I wish I had other deadlines, but the only one I’ve ever managed to stick to is the one for my post every other Wednesday, and let me refer back to the point where I said Konnie called, and I told her I was working instead of saying hello.

Yeah, I make that deadline because of Konnie. I haven’t had anyone enforcing any other deadlines on me, unless you count the annual NANO, but that’s where I get the most experience with fighting Patches for my keyboard.

Of course, the only time Konnie ever came close to doing NANO, she had her entire family fuming at her by the end of November, and Konnie wasn’t officially enrolled; she was just on a major roll.

She still needs to finish editing that story, but it seems like every time she does work on it, she makes major upgrades to the storyline. That epic may take a while for her to polish up.

If you don’t know already, I am talking about her epic sci-fi, which is a fantastic series, even with all the editing it still needs.

Now I haven’t even gotten to the end of writing my sci-fi, and I really need to work on that!

Anyway, happy writing, everyone!

Of Colds and Lethargy by Konnie Enos

Okay, I’m sick. Not horribly sick. I have some congestion but can still breath. I’ve had a cough but it’s mild. I have a headache that seems to be associated with sinus pressure so I’m taking some cold medicine to combat it but it’s nothing I can’t deal with.

Even though the headache is annoying, I think the worst part is the lethargy. That absolutely achy feeling, like walking through water. A feeling that’s deep in your muscles that just makes everything harder to do.

I feel it most when I’m walking around. Trying to get to the kitchen to get some food zaps me of all energy and then I can’t even figure out what I want to eat.

Under normal circumstances I’ll cook something for breakfast. Often eggs, toast and sausage (chicken) and perhaps some sautéed vegetables (often zucchini). Other times I’ll have more of a brunch and heat up some leftovers. I very rarely eat cereal. But the last few days that’s exactly what I’ve been having every morning.

So far my choices have been Cheerios with blueberries, which I can eat at the kitchen table since my daughter isn’t allergic to them. Or granola, which has nuts in it and I have to eat in my bedroom with the door closed. I’ve actually had more granola than Cheerios because it’s far easier, especially when I can get my husband to bring me a bowl, spoon, and milk. We keep the granola in our room since our kids can’t have it due to the nuts.

Of course, now I’ve eaten all the blueberries and the only other berries in the house are strawberries which I’m obviously not eating. My headache is bad enough without that reaction. We have had bananas in the house, but I’ve tried those before with cereal and I didn’t like the flavor, texture combination.

I will be adding blueberries to the next shopping list. I’ll probably have to add granola too. I’ll have to add the oat milk too since I prefer the taste of that on my cereal over regular milk.

Evening meals are even harder because I know I need to eat but have little or no appetite. So, if there isn’t many leftovers, and we didn’t cook something that night, I’m stuck. My suppers have been yogurt and turkey jerky, or a bowl of popcorn if there wasn’t any leftovers to heat up.

Of course, this lethargy also affects my writing. I’m sure my typing speed is down to about 20 words per minute because it’s just too much effort to go any faster than that. Also, my inability to use my brainpower to decide on what to eat also means that I’m unable to figure out what to write.

Wouldn’t you know it. I’ve been attempting to work on one of my stories recently and this week is my turn to write a post. So, I’ll type a sentence then rest my hands, and eyes for a few before I attempt another one. Which of course, makes the whole process that much longer.

I also haven’t been able to read anything either. Okay, that isn’t a new development. I haven’t been doing much reading lately. I’ve got a couple of books that I got partway through and have just never finished. One I’ve read multiple times, but this is the first time I got distracted from finishing it. I’ve also gotten several new books in the last few years that I haven’t even cracked open yet. I’m going to have to work on that since I’ve bought myself some more books recently.

I actually went though Thriftbooks and most of them are books I’ve read in the past and simply wanted a copy of, or to replace one I lost somehow over the years. So, even now, most of the books I own are ones I’ve read before and loved.

Another thing I’ve been attempting to do, which I haven’t had the energy for this week, is more handcrafts. Then again, I’m pretty much out of yarn. I have a couple of projects in mind, but I’ll have to get some more yarn. A trip to Micheal’s is in the works so I can pick up what I’d like.

As for the rest of my family, the most excitement we’ve had this week is finally the getting tub in our hall bathroom functional. We hadn’t been able to get any water to it for years and thought we’d have to pay thousand of dollars for a plumber to come tear down the wall behind it to fix the clogged pipe.

No. We did have to replace a part, but we didn’t have to tear down the wall to get at it. So, now we have two fully functional bathrooms.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.