tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86418210817723809592024-03-13T08:02:37.400-07:00Sticks, Stones and BonesI'm writing about being a guy who is: a children's book author, a dad to 2 home-schooled girls, a husband to a wife with fibromyalgia, a "DIY"-er, an artisan/crafter, a Kung-Fu student, working from home, and trying to make extra money for my family and having money problems.Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-43566664974430763202009-11-30T14:01:00.000-08:002013-12-14T20:28:38.942-08:00The coolest Hot Springs around! Ainsworth!I recently had occasion to visit one of my favorite places once again. Ainsworth Hot Springs. It's located on the western shore of the North arm of Kootenay lake in the Interior of British Columbia. That's about 1.5 hour drive from the US border where Idaho meets BC at Porthill. It's about 5 hours North of Spokane Washington.<br />
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So, what's so great about it? Well, most hot springs that I've been to are basically giant hot tubs with mineral water in them and no real jets - not much fun in my opinion. But Ainsworth - while it does also have the usual large warm pool section - also has the reason I go there: the cave!<br />
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It's not a natural cave. It was dug out a long time ago to get to the spring. It's a horse shoe shaped cave about 7 feet high and about as wide, with a few alcoves leading off of it. The floor is tiled and the water dept ranges from about 2 to 3 feet. Over the hundred years or so that the cave has been there with mineral laden steam soaking its walls it has developed a thick coating of fascinating mineral formations like those you would expect to see in a limestone cave that's thousand of years old. And you're allowed to touch these ones! The walls above the water line are covered in the stuff and it looks amazing in the underwater lights and the steam. At the back of the cave in the dark is a small waterfall where the really hot water comes in from the depths of the mountain. Outside the cave, the view overlooking the lake and the mountains is nothing short of spectacular!<br />For the brave, the cold lunge with water just a bit above freezing dropping into it from a high waterfall is right next to the cave entrance. May favorite ting is to go through the horseshoe cave until I'm dizzy from the heat, then quickly jump in the cold plunge for a few seconds until it starts to hurt just a little, then get back in the hot water. It just lights up your nerve endings! Your whole body gets the most amazing tingle and your heart goes nuts. This is obviously not recommended for those with medical conditions like high blood pressure, arrhythmia or heart disease!<br />
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So if you're ever in the area of Nelson BC, take a side trip and check it out!<br />
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<a href="http://www.hotnaturally.com/">Ainsworth Hot Springs</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-55668596262454363392009-11-20T18:17:00.000-08:002013-12-14T20:32:31.849-08:00The Mythology of Childhood (things I once believed)We recently acquired a hot air popcorn popper - because the microwave stuff has too much fat and salt my wife's dietitian recommended it. My younger daughter, Emma age 8, just loves it. She sits, entranced by the whirling kernels spinning inside the machine until one by one, they explode in a puff of whiteness with a great POP. It reminds me of something my older siblings had told me as a child: If you look into the popper while it's running, it'll make you go blind. <br />
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I have two older siblings, a sister and brother, and both were prone to telling my gullible childhood self interesting things that I later found out were blatantly false. Some of my friends who were older than me also liked to play the game of seeing what stupid things they could make me believe. Here are a few examples of the myths that coloured my childhood:<br />
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- The skinny reddish roots that are exposed when you dig in the sandbox come from plants that are growing in hell and the roots reach upwards. If you pull on the roots, it makes the devil angry.<br />
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-Eating ice-cream before bed will result in nightmares - every single time.<br />
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-If you forget to rinse the shampoo out of your hair, worms and maggots and other creepy things will grow there overnight.<br />
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-If you go to bed with gum in your mouth, it will end up in your hair no matter what. It's a certainty.<br />
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-Orange juice is an essential ingredient in egg-nog.<br />
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-That old out of shape pink house across the back-lane is haunted. If you go to the door and wave your hand in the window, you will see a ghost hand waving back from the far room (it was a mirror of course, but it freaked me out anyway!)<br />
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-Every Easter, my sister and her friends kill the Easter bunny, and a new one takes its place. That Easter there were actual rabbit tracks in the light snow that had fallen (a coincidence) and a red spot in the snow (food coloring I think). My sister denies this ever happened, but I remember it very clearly because I was quite traumatized.<br />
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-Santa Claus once screwed up and labeled my gift for my younger brother, and his for me. I woke up first and was puzzled by the gift. Luckily, my parents somehow knew about the error and re-wrapped the present for him and gave me mine.<br />
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There were a few others, of course.<br />
I bet you've got some of your own.<br />
Care to share?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-86170130877673545022009-11-13T11:26:00.000-08:002009-11-13T11:26:09.636-08:00A better understanding of FibromyalgiaI recently developed a back problem - possibly a disc bulge or herniation - that caused sciatica, which made my left leg numb and painful and weak. The weakness caused my ankle to roll, and it wasn't long before the ankle rolled at an inopportune moment as I reached the bottom the stairs and put my whole weight on that foot. Now I have a 3rd degree ankle sprain, and constant severe pain in my calf and ankle.<br />
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So what does that have to with understanding Fibromyalgia? Well, my wife has fibromyalgia. She's in constant pain and even the smallest things can aggravate it and doing tasks that most people wouldn't think twice about cause her great pain and exhaustion. Intellectually I understand that. But an intellectual understanding is not the same as sympathy and empathy and experiencing it a bit for yourself. Now that I'm dealing with this injury, walking to the other end of the house causes pan with every step which is oddly exhausting. Just bearing the pain - even with the meds - leaves me trembling an exhausted. I look at chores I should be doing, simple small chores, and just can't make myself do them because I know the price I'll pay in pain is just too high. Once I'm fairly comfortable in bed or sitting I'm now asking my daughters to fetch things for me, because to get up and get something myself requires great effort and pain. I feel useless, like a burden. It's extremely frustrating and it takes an emotional toll. And I've only been dealing with it for a week and only one leg bothering me! My wife has been dealing with it for a decade with her whole body bothering her. I now have a much better understanding of what she's going through and I admire the strength she has for continuing on despite everything. I wish I could make her better. No one deserves the kind of torture she endures on a daily basis.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-38943076719164752012009-11-11T23:55:00.000-08:002009-11-12T15:42:19.427-08:00Getting the Book(s) out Part 2A while back I wrote part 1 on this subject:<br />
<a href="http://mzadragon.blogspot.com/2009_09_24_archive.html">Part 1</a><br />
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Long story short I wrote a bunch of short stories and I've partnered with a friend who is a talented artist to illustrate my books. In August/September 2009 we released the first book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon. We have just released a second book: Teevert the Little Green Leaf.<br />
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So far we've sold a little over 50 copies of Hal through direct sales to people we know, or know our parents etc. This has given us a good base to start with. Some of the sales were to libraries in the town where I live now and the libraries in the area I grew up. The libraries were easy sales and have the added advantage of being perpetual free advertising.<br />
I contacted a number of local bookstores. Most didn't bother to return my emails - I'm not sure if they got caught in junk mail filters or what. One responded more than a month after I sent the email. I've so far managed to get Hal carried by Black Bear Books here in Creston, Mik-L-Maxx Books, Teas and more in my home-town of Dauphin, Manitoba, and soon the Lotus Books store in Cranbrook which is a small city close to the town where I live now. But the biggest coup is getting the book carried by the local Overwaitea. Overwaitea is a large chain supermarket in this province (British Columbia). I contacted their corporate offices and hey got me set up in their computer system as a supplier, then I hooked up with the local manager. The book will only be in the local branch, but even so, there is a huge amount of traffic there every day and the manager is happy to help promote the book by having some copies near the registers and allowing me to a book signing. They will also distribute bag-stuffer flyers to promote the signing for the week ahead of the event. That will be our first book signing.<br />
After that we have a table at the local Christmas craft fair later this month. I am hoping to have copies of the second book as well by then.<br />
Then we have a reading and signing at Black Bear Books the same evening as the Santa Claus parade.<br />
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We have also started up a Facebook Fan page (see ink in side-bar) and started promoting through there.<br />
For media exposure I first got myself into monthly employee newsletter for the company I work for. It has a circulation of about 3000 employees or so. I thought it would be great, but while I liked the article, I have only had one email inquiry out of it. However, after I posted a screencapture of that article on Facebook I was offered an interview on 730 CKDM radio which is in my hometown of Dauphin Manitoba. The interview ran about 7 minutes and was a lot of fun. Plus we got the MP3 and were able to match to a slide show of artwork and put it up on Facebook.<br />
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Once I had all these dates lined up and the book available at a few retailers it was time for the press release. I sent it out just last week and so far a local magazine and the local paper have both indicated they'll be writing articles for their publications. In fact, I'd better get to bed because I have an interview with the newspaper in about 9 hours.<br />
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That's about it so far. Learning lots and having fun. When you have a product with broad appeal you have a large potential audience compared to marketing to a niche. That can be difficult sometimes. But when you start out selling a book you've written there is one niche every author has: local. Promote your book locally and the fact that someone in their own town has a book i print is enough of a motivator for many people to buy the book. This the market in which we learn how to promote a book, how to work with retailers, do book signings, etc. And who knows where it will lead! <br />
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Both books can be previewed and purchased on Lulu: <a href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon">Marc Archambault's Lulu store</a> or you can purchase directly from me.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-24671212842858670162009-11-06T18:58:00.000-08:002009-11-06T18:59:11.003-08:00To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that is the question.Everywhere you turn these days H1N1 and the vaccination campaign are in the news. More than almost any other medical treatment, vaccines bring with them a great deal of controversy. If you're looking for an answer the question posed in this blogs title - sorry to dissapoint. I certainly don't have the answer.<br />
I'm not really interested in discussing here the facts and arguments for or against vaccination in general or against H1N1 in particular, but in the phenomenon of the controversy.<br />
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When I was a bit younger I was very much involved in the alternative health movement. I was newly married, had a baby, and was getting into courses to become a Homeopathic Doctor. I was reading books like The Medical Mafia and How to raise a Healthy Child in Spite of your Doctor, and other books critical of the medical establishment and of vaccines in particular. Then I attended a seminar by famed Dr. Vera Schreibner who was (maybe still is?) one of the leading opponents of vaccination. Anyway. In a nutshell, I was solidly in the anti-vaccine camp. I chose not vaccinate my kids, I told other new parents not to vaccinate their kids, I spoke to everyone who would listen about what I felt was a very serious issue. And to be very honest, I felt a little superior to those parents who chose to vaccinate. It went that way for a few years.<br />
Then gradually, I had less and less attachment to the alternative health scene. I work as a life insurance underwriter, so I have a significant amount of medical background (in addition to all the med school courses I took during Homeopathy training), and every day I'm in contact with MDs and reading medical reports etc. None of it has anything directly to do with vaccines or even alternative versus "allopathic" medicine, but I just fond that being away from the controversy and not having certain arguments and points of view constantly reinforced gave me room to think for myself and become less opinionated and biased about the issue and more open to considering both sides and trying to take a realistic look at the evidence.<br />
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Actually, I've found that in my experience, this is an essential component of how opinions and beliefs of all sorts are developed and maintained - religious, political, scientific, etc. We may have some leanings towards a particular stance, maybe we do a bit a research etc. But what really allows an opinion or belief to take hold and become strong is reinforcement and feedback plus opposition. When "everyone" around us seems to say the same thing, we start to believe it, and strongly. And then there's opposition. We hear dissenting opinions that may cause us some doubt or anger or whatever, so we learn arguments and find information to back up our beliefs, which makes them stronger. I think subconsciously most of us start with a conclusion and wok our way backwards instead of starting with a question and working our way towards a conclusion.<br />
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On the H1N1 issue specifically I think people tend to find themselves in one of a few categories. On the one hand there are those who are staunchly anti-vaccine. I'm willing to bet that in the vast majority of cases, the people advocating not getting vaccinated for H1N1 were already against vaccinations. When this issue came up, they went and found information that reinforced already held opinions about vaccines. They were already inclined to be skeptical of pro-vaccine information and open to anti-vaccine information. <br />
On the other hand, there are those who are already pro-vaccine, and go along with the new vaccine without too many questions. They are already inclined to believe what health officials are saying and to view alternative opinions with skepticism.<br />
Then there are the poor people who've never really had to think about this before and find themselves with some friends telling them the vaccine is a conspiracy by the pharmaceutical companies and that if you get vaccinated you'll develop some serious neurological problems or whatever, and if you vaccinate your kids and they end up autistic you'll never forgive yourself. Other friends say if you don' get your kids vaccinated and they die of H1N1 you'll never be able to forgive yourself.<br />
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. It's scary. Fear clouds our judgment and our decision ends up based on which scenario we fear the most. On top of that, we have to fear he impact the decision will have o our relationships.<br />
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Pretty messy and divisive stuff, isn't it? I think the real shame is that everyone wants the same thing - to do what's best for everyone. But in the process we often find ourselves dealing with very much unfriendly judgments. The issue becomes overly emotional because it's about our health and our children's health, about making the right choice, and about feeling we've made the correct responsible choice so we can avoid feelings of guilt. It's an emotional mine field!<br />
In my opinion, like so many things, there are valid arguments on both sides and the issue is not cut and dry. There are risks to be weighed, and ultimately everyone must their own informed decision and everyone deserves to have their decision respected and not be made to feel guilty or stupid or ignorant by those who disagree.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-45943712373363222982009-10-31T20:59:00.000-07:002009-10-31T21:02:01.056-07:00Meeting a wolfI figured it might be appropriate to talk about our recent meeting with a wolf since it's Hallowe'en.<br />
It was mid-September. We were returning from our long road trip and decided to take the scenic route home from Edmonton AB by going through the Rockies - we went through Jasper and Banff National Parks. Shortly after it got Dark we crossed into British Columbia and the Kootenay National Park (which by the way was listed #2 on National Geographic's top world destinations recently). As we were driving I kept seeing shadowy shapes on the side of the road, so I slowed down a bit, wary of hitting something. Then there it was, standing calmly on the side of the road - a wolf. I had passed it, but I wasn't going to just keep driving. I pulled a U-turn and went back. It was still there, watching us calmly. It was beautiful - like a light colored German Shepherd (think the "Littlest Hobo" if you're a Canadian who grew up in the 80s.) but with much longer legs.<br />
My two dogs were in the back of he car behind the grate, and when they noticed the wolf they went ballistic! Not only did they bark, but they growled - which is very unusual for them. The wolf obviously heard them, but seemed completely unfazed. It made not a peep. It walked a leisurely pace along the road for a ways and we followed it. It would glance back at us from time to time. My wife took several shots of it with the camera, but it was dark and only one really turned out at all (I'll add it later).<br />
My daughters were in awe, of course. It's a rare thing to see a wolf in the wild!<br />
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For me it was a dream come true. I have been fascinated with wolves since childhood and always wanted to glimpse one in the wild. I sure wasn't disappointed. And it wasn't over!<br />
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After the wolf finally loped off into the woods, we started driving. Not thirty second later we had to stop as a wolf-pup (probably born this past spring) crossed the road and jumped over a concrete divider on the other side. It was very cute - just like a puppy. But no match for a bear cub's cuteness.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-11900458728252371502009-10-23T13:19:00.000-07:002009-10-23T13:19:40.065-07:00Freecycling - do you know what it is?Freecycling is something I've been doing for a while. Not as a total lifestyle or anything like that. Just on the side here and there. It's free - which is always good. It's a creative thing. And it also happens to be good for the environment.<br />
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So what is it? It's taking something old and turning it into something new. For example - using the bits of wood left over from construction for craft projects. <br />
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Here's a few examples of some Freecycling I've done:<br />
-Turned an old water rain-water barrel into a composter<br />
-Using the carper underlay (the thick grey foam kind) ripped out of a house as uphostering material for a variety of projects. Usually double it up to get more thickness.<br />
-Collected wood from the junk wood pile at the dump for use in various projects - you wouldn't believe what people throw out!!!<br />
-Used the arms from a broken treadmill as bars on a sheep feeder.<br />
- Used cloth from old shirts, pants, jackets etc for various projects like making bags and things<br />
-Used bicycle inner-tubes (available for free at any bike shp) can be cut into strips and used for a variety of projects such as tying things down, handle wraps on various tools, and I used them for the weighted ends of the rhythm sticks I used to make and sell. I also sewed them into little rubber change purses.<br />
-Construction materials - wood salvaged from various projects cleaned up by removing nails etc and then re-used for other projects. I made a few dog kennels with this, some walls in my home, etc.<br />
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The possibilities are endless!<br />
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There are a couple of cable shows that feature Freecycling. The Junk Brothers - on Discovery (or was it TLC?) was good before their budget got too big. They would take items of furniture people had put out on the curb for trash pick-up, re-work them into something new, and return them to the original owners. At first it was really great what they would do. Just by taking it apart, putting it back together in a different way, maybe adding a couple things, and giving it new paint etc they would turn old items into new custom build furniture. But as the show became somewhat sucessful and their budget got bigger the projects became more new and expensive components with only a bit of the old item worked in and the freecycling spirit was left by the way-side.<br />
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A show currently running on TLC called Junk raiders pairs up a couple of professional freecyclers with a bunch of professional wasters (people in the regular construction industry used to throwing out a lot of stuff.) In an attempt to re-do an old Toronto loft into a trendy live-work space with a budget of just $5,000 and a strict deadline for a client who is a tight wad businessman. Personally, I'd rather see a show about how the freecyclers normally work - which involves stockpiling items over time. Instead this show is a recipe for conflict and is so full of arguing and stress that it's difficult to watch. Still, they've managed to accomplish some pretty cool things with freecycling despite everything.<br />
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So, next time you think of throwing something away. Try giving it away to a freecycler instead. Next time you want t make something, think of using freecycled materials. You'll be pleasantly surprised.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-35318395634057634562009-10-15T18:30:00.000-07:002009-10-15T18:30:00.263-07:00Addicted to sleeping inI know it sounds funny - gee, aren't we all addicted to sleeping in? - but I'm actually really serious. I'm not addicted in the sense that I love it like some people say when talking about chocolate or whatever. But in the sense that I have a problem.<br />
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Ever since I was a teen I've had a very hard time getting myself out of bed in the morning (my younger brother is the same). I talked to my doctor about it, and of course he tries to jump to the obvious solutions (he's only got 5 minutes to diagnose me, after all) - it's the caffeine I'm drinking. I'm going to bed too late, etc. Tell you what, doc, I've had this problem for 2 decades, during which time I have gone years without caffeine (heck - I didn't even start drinking coffee until last year!), months with early bed-times, etc. I can tell you that's not the source of the problem, and it's not the solution either. <br />
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Let me describe it to you. The alarm clock goes off. I hit snooze. Repeat for 2 or 3 hours. If I get out of bed I may feel OK for a couple of minutes. But then I get a woozy feeling and have to lie down. Crawling back into bed at that point is somehow the most comfortable experience I can think of. The bed, the dreams that easily spring up as consciousness slips away easily and the warm fuzzy feeling I get are really like a drug (I'm guessing, having never actually tried any illicit drugs myself). If I force myself to try and stay out of bed in the morning, I'm distracted and sleepy, imagining that fix of climbing into bed.<br />
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For years I managed it - barely - often coming to school or work a little late, but not too bad. I had to drop some university classes that started at 8:30 because I could never make it on time. I would often spend mornings at work in a kind of stupor, unable to fully wake up until mid-afternoon. Now that I work from home and my hours are flexible, it's even harder to drag myself out of bed.<br />
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This addiction is not physically or mentally harmful. It's just disruptive because it puts me out of sync with the rest of the world and with my work. <br />
I've tried a lot of different things - multiple alarm clocks across the room, subliminal recordings, sun-light, caffeine, melatonin, etc. Nothing works.<br />
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The only time that I was able to spontaneously wake early when when we spent an entire summer camping and had no electricity. I ended up going to sleep at 9 shortly after it got dark an waking at 5 or 6 with the dawn. That's not exactly a good permanent solution. Especially since at this latitude in Winter I'd be going to bed at 5 PM when i gets dark and waking at 9 AM!<br />
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I'm being tested for sleep apnea. That may be a contributing factor. But I think I actually have what's called Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. It's one of those disorders that most doctors aren't aware of, so it's rarely diagnosed. Basically, you have a sleep pattern that's delayed, but otherwise normal. No cure. Therapies involve strict sleep hygiene etc. I'm just not the kind of guy that's able to maintain a strict schedule, so I'm pretty much screwed. Guess I'll have to learn to live with it.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-85766314491286796702009-10-09T12:07:00.000-07:002009-10-09T12:07:00.083-07:00Barefoot Bandit's Creston ConnectionSo I read an article in the Globe and Mail this morning about this 18 year old thief who's been at it since he was 12. His escapades and trademark bare footprints have become so legendary he's got a facebook fan page with thousands of fans and there's a business selling fan T-shirts. At first it was just an interesting story, until it mentioned he had shown up on the Canadian side of the border from rural Idaho. Well, Idaho's panhandle has a rather small border and Creston is right on the other side of it - sure enough the next paragraph mentions "tiny Creston" by name. Odd that I've never heard about this before even though I've been in Creston for 2 years now. Anyway, this 18 year old brazenly stole a Cessna and flew it right out of the airport!<br />
<br />
There are 5 jurisdictions looking for him and still no luck.<br />
<br />
Some idiots think he's some kind of hero. I don't see how. Just because he's living a life that is sure to one day be turned into a movie and descriptions of his crimes are entertaining doesn't in any way give comfort to the victims of his crimes.He's still a criminal taking what other people have worked hard to earn. I hope they catch the cocky little jerk and lock him up tight.<br />
<br />
If you're interested, here's a link to the G&M article:<br />
<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/wanted-man-is-a-barefoot-burglar-amateur-pilot-and-cult-hero/article1317792/">Wanted man is a barefoot burglar, amateur pilot and cult hero </a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-21240900379545445382009-10-07T18:49:00.000-07:002009-10-07T18:49:02.689-07:00Chapter 4: The Fairy, the Mushroom and the Medicine Woman<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b>The Fairy, the Mushroom and the Medicine Woman</b><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b>by Marc Archambault</b><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Copyright. All rights reserved. No copying without permission, etc. etc. <br />
</div><br />
<br />
If you haven't yet the preceding chapters, here are the links: <br />
<a href="http://mzadragon.blogspot.com/2009/09/chapter-1-fairy-mushroom-and-medicine.html">Chapter 1: Home</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mzadragon.blogspot.com/2009/10/chapter-2-fairy-mushroom-and-medicine.html">Chapter 2: Surprise!</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mzadragon.blogspot.com/2009/10/fairy-mushroom-and-medicine-woman-by.html">Chapter 3: Amends</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Chapter 4: A Fairy's Name<br />
<br />
"I ran into George at the farrier's." Gwen's father took a chair next to her at the table. "He says his mother is doing very well, thanks to your hard work last night. Chief Uther will be sending a gift over tomorrow as thanks. What are you up to?"<br />
Gwen was diligently whittling away at a small piece of wood with a knife. "Making a housewarming gift for the fairy," she responded. "It's some furniture."<br />
"It's very beautiful, Gwen. But isn't the fairy still angry with you? Do you think she'll want to see you again?"<br />
"I think she was pretending to be angrier than she really was, Father. She acts tough, but I believe she is really a sweetheart."<br />
"You've always been a good judge of character where people are concerned Gwen. I hope your skill is equally as effective with fairies." He patted her on the shoulder as he left.<br />
<br />
As the moon rose into the sky, Celia sat contentedly atop her new mushroom home. It was better than the first one. It was a bit bigger than the other one and she had done a better job of carving it. It was already decorated with the things she had collected for the house. She had also discovered the source to the sound of the babbling water nearby. It was not just a creek, but a small section of rapids with a few little waterfalls. It was just beautiful. Celia was happy, but the house did seem a bit empty. She was also a bit lonely. Just a bit. She found herself wishing Gwen would return. Then she had an idea. Quickly she darted off like a hummingbird.<br />
<br />
Gwen arrived at the fairy's new home shortly after the moon had risen. She knelt next to the mushroom and peered in. There was a door at the base and several windows around the stalk and in the top. It was really quite a beautiful little house.<br />
"Fairy, are you there?" Gwen called. There was no answer.<br />
"I'll just wait until she comes back," she said to herself. Gwen lay down on the soft moss to wait. But she was so tired from all of last night's work that she promptly fell asleep.<br />
<br />
Celia flew back to her home slowly. The cup shaped flower she was carrying in her arms weighed her down. Inside a thick liquid sloshed about as she flew. She arrived to find a sleeping Gwen snoring gently in the moonlight. Being a fairy, she could not resist a little prank. So she gingerly set down the flower cup in a safe spot and fetched some berries.<br />
Moments later, she stood on Gwen's chest with an impish grin on her face.<br />
"Hey you!" she shouted. "Wake up! This isn't an inn, you know. My house is much too small for you to sleep in."<br />
Gwen woke up and smiled. "Good evening dear fairy. Your new home is beautiful. I've brought you something."<br />
Celia loved surprises. Well, she loved good surprises, like presents. Not surprises like having your new home stolen. "What did you bring me?" she asked, trying to sound angry.<br />
"Gwen opened up her medicine pouch and brought out a set of small wooden furniture. There was a fairy-sized table, two chairs, a desk and a side table. They were a bit crude - Gwen was obviously not an accomplished artisan - but they were still beautiful to Celia. The young fairy's expression softened. She didn't bother to try acting angry anymore. "They're beautiful," she said. "Just what I needed. I have something for you too." She went and retrieved the flower cup.<br />
"This is fairy nectar," she explained. "It is very powerful. A single drop will make any medicine very effective. Use it wisely and do not waste it."<br />
"Thank you. Oh, thank you, dear fairy."<br />
"Gwen."<br />
"Yes, fairy?"<br />
"Call me Celia."<br />
<br />
Gwen returned to her cottage at bedtime with a big smile on her face. Her father gave her a puzzled look and asked, "Gwen, why is 'mushroom picker' written on your face in berry juice?"<br />
Gwen stopped for a moment, her eyebrows drawn together, then she smiled and said, "just a joke between friends."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-81430652697177301412009-10-05T21:44:00.000-07:002009-10-05T21:44:31.556-07:00Chapter 3. The Fairy, the Mushroom and the Medicine Woman<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Fairy, the Mushroom and the Medicine Woman</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>by Marc Archambault</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Copyright. All rights reserved. No copying without permission, etc. etc. <br />
</div><br />
If you haven't yet the preceding chapters, here are the links: <br />
<a href="http://mzadragon.blogspot.com/2009/09/chapter-1-fairy-mushroom-and-medicine.html">Chapter 1: Home</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mzadragon.blogspot.com/2009/10/chapter-2-fairy-mushroom-and-medicine.html">Chapter 2: Surprise!</a><br />
<br />
Chapter 3: Amends<br />
<br />
Gwen sat sadly, looking up at the spot in the tree where the fairy had disappeared. This is not going well, she thought. She was truly sorry, but what more was there she could do to make things right? George's mother was still sick. She had to get back and make the medicine. She would just have to find a different mushroom. She sighed quietly and rose to leave. As she stepped away, she felt something hard bounce lightly off her head. She looked down. A cone from the evergreen lay at her feet. Another bounced off her back, then another off her arm. <br />
"Just where do you think you're going?" The little fairy's voice came from the tree. Gwen could tell the fairy was doing her best to sound menacing, but the voice still sounded sweet and innocent to her.<br />
"Well" said Gwen, "since there is nothing more I can do to make amends, and my friend’s mother is still sick, I am going to look for another mushroom."<br />
"Good. Get going!" the fairy called. She threw another cone at Gwen, but missed this time. Gwen turned sadly and walked away. She looked at the sky. The moon was almost gone. If she didn't find a new mushroom soon she wouldn't be able to make the medicine tonight, because the mushroom had to be picked when the moon was out.<br />
<br />
Celia followed Gwen through the nighttime forest. Silently gliding from tree to fern to flower, always keeping out of sight. She watched the young medicine woman search in damp hollows and in the cool shade of large trees for another red mushroom. Even though Gwen had made a mistake and hurt Celia, she seemed to be a good woman, with a kind heart. Celia found herself warming to the healer. She didn't like that. She shook her head and narrowed her eyes and scrunched up her face. She stamped her feet in the air. But it was no use. She couldn’t make herself feel angry again. Just then she heard Gwen give a little shout of triumph as she pushed aside some ferns to reveal a bright red mushroom. Then she looked at the sky and let out a load moan, slumping to the ground.<br />
"What's wrong?" asked Celia, forgetting that she was supposed to be hiding. Gwen started, then looked at the fairy that was approaching her. "By the light of a bright fairy moon, you must choose the brightest red mushroom," she said. "That's what the medicine recipe says. The moon has set. I cannot pick this mushroom now. It wouldn't work. I will have to wait until tomorrow night when the moon is up to pick it, and by then it may be too late for Annia." <br />
Celia flew over to the mushroom and sat on it. She looked around at the area surrounding the mushroom. There were a few large beautiful trees growing in a half circle around the mushroom. There were lovely ferns surrounding it. There was even a big rock nearby. Even though there was no brook right beside it, she could hear the running of a creek not far away.<br />
"I have an idea," she said to Gwen. "Go back and take the mushroom you already picked. I can use this one to make a new house. The other one was just a practice one anyway. This one will be even better."<br />
Gwen brightened. "Really? Truly?"<br />
"Yes, now go." Celia had already tied her hair back and gotten her knife ready. But before starting to work, she sat quietly and watched Gwen as the young woman rushed back through the forest.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-16206542974280956302009-10-02T17:20:00.000-07:002009-10-02T17:20:57.069-07:00Chapter 2: the Fairy the mushroom and the Medicine Woman<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The Fairy, the Mushroom and the Medicine Woman<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">by Marc Archambault</span></b><br />
</div><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Copyright. All rights reserved. No copying without permission, etc. etc. </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If you haven't yet read chapter 1, go here: <a href="http://mzadragon.blogspot.com/2009/09/chapter-1-fairy-mushroom-and-medicine.html" target="blank">Chapter 1: Home</a> <br />
</span></b><br />
<br />
Chapter 2: Surprise!<br />
<br />
Gwen's parents were overjoyed to see her when she finally arrived back at their cottage after collecting the medicine ingredients.<br />
"Welcome back Gwen!" they said through large smiles. They embraced her warmly and kissed her on both cheeks. Gwen was happy to see them too, but she had work to do. She explained to them about George's mother and the medicine she had to make.<br />
"Yes, of course," said Gwen's father. "We heard that Annia had taken ill. The table is cleared. You can work there. Is it all right if we watch you make the medicine? We're so very proud of you. We want to see what you've learned."<br />
"That would be fine, Father." Gwen sat down at the table and began unpacking her mortar and pestle and her medicine bag.<br />
"Is there anything I can get you?" asked Gwen's mother.<br />
"Could you put a kettle on, please, Mother? I'll need to steep the medicine in hot water to make a tea." Gwen went through her medicine bag, examining each of the ingredients she had collected in turn. When she came to the mushroom, a puzzled look came over her face.<br />
"This is very odd," she said to her father, who was watching her work. "There are holes in the mushroom that appear to have been cut." She looked closer and her father leaned in for a look as well. Gwen saw through a tiny round hole that there was a room inside the mushroom. There was a bench along a wall and a doorway leading to another room which could be seen through another small hole on the other side of the mushroom.<br />
"It looks like a little cottage has been carved inside the mushroom," Gwen explained, looking at each of her parents. "What could it be?"<br />
Gwen's mother came over to the table to inspect the mushroom herself. "Fae," she whispered. Gwen's father gave a deep sigh and leaned back in his chair. "I'm afraid, my child, that your mother is right. What you have there is a fairy dwelling."<br />
"A fairy dwelling!" Gwen was shocked. "I've picked a fairy's home from its place in the forest? Oh, no!"<br />
"It's bad luck," explained Gwen's mother. "You must beware. Fairies are tricky folk. The fairy will be angry and will seek revenge on you. It may torment you your whole life." She twisted her apron nervously.<br />
"This is very bad indeed," agreed father.<br />
"But I meant no harm," insisted Gwen. "I must make amends!"<br />
Before her parents could protest, Gwen put the mushroom back in her medicine bag and fled into the woods.<br />
<br />
Celia gave a last great sob and then sat quietly. She was numb, not feeling anything any longer. She just sat near the stump of her mushroom. Her fiery green eyes were rimmed with red from crying. Her face and hands were wet with tears. She was exhausted and could do no more. She lay down on a patch of moss, curled herself into a ball and started to drift off. Just as sleep and peace approached, she opened her eyes. A sound. She had heard a sound. Footsteps. Quickly, she hid inside a hole in one of the fallen branches and waited. She saw a young human woman, not much more than a girl, approach the mushroom's stump. She had long brown hair and bright green eyes, not unlike Celia's. Pretty... for a human. She sat on the ground beside the stump and opened a bag that hung at her side. She brought out an object in her hands and placed it gently on the stump. It was Celia's mushroom! Celia's eyes narrowed. She felt her little fairy heart race like a hummingbird's and heat rose inside her. She was angry, she thought. But it didn't make sense. Why would a human pick her home and then bring it back? She waited and watched, suspicious. What's that? Tears? The human was crying. A drop fell from her cheek and dropped onto the mushroom. As it splashed, it split the moonlight like a crystal, casting motes of rainbow light for a brief moment.<br />
"I'm so sorry," the human said. "Please forgive me, forest spirit. I meant no harm. Truly I did not. I am a medicine woman. I was gathering ingredients for a medicine to help a friend’s sick mother in the village and I needed a mushroom like this one. I did not notice that it was your home until it was too late. Please forgive me. I don't know what I can do to make it better. Perhaps you can use your magic to fix it. I'm so, so sorry, dear fairy." The young woman sobbed again, more tears splashed onto the mushroom. Celia thought for a moment, then made up her mind and marched out of the hole to stand in front of the girl.<br />
"Well, not only did you tear my mushroom from its stalk, but now you're getting it all wet and salty. It really won't be any good to me now!"<br />
The human's eyes went wide, she opened her mouth to speak, but Celia cut her off by flying up and hitting her on the nose with her tiny fist.<br />
"What kind of a medicine woman picks a mushroom without checking it first?" she demanded.<br />
"I... I'm sorry," stammered the girl, rubbing her nose. "I have only just finished my training and I've just returned to my home village this very night. My teacher never told me that fairies might live in such mushrooms. I..."<br />
"Well, now you know!" Celia interrupted angrily. "Who are you anyway?"<br />
"My name is Gwen, dear fairy. What is your name?"<br />
"A fairy does not give her name, except to her friends. You may call me fairy."<br />
"I hope we might be friends," Gwen said softly.<br />
"Friends with the stupid girl who ruined my first home before I could even move in? I think not."<br />
"Please forgive me, I didn't know. I would never do harm to such a gentle forest spirit as you. Not knowingly."<br />
Celia harrumphed and flew into the boughs of the great evergreen.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-45064833672894199372009-09-30T21:35:00.000-07:002009-09-30T21:59:22.920-07:00Chapter 1: The Fairy, the Mushroom and the Medicine Woman<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">So I've decided to offer to the world wide web, free of charge, one of the stories that I'll have illustrated and published later. There are four chapters, here is chapter one. I haven't yet decided if the four chapters are "it" or if I will continue on with these characters. Feedback is much appreciated. My daughters love this story. Let's see if others do as well.<br />
</span></b><br />
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</span></b><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The Fairy, the Mushroom and the Medicine Woman<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">by Marc Archambault</span></b><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Copyright. All rights reserved. No copying without permission, etc. etc. <br />
</span></b><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><br />
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</div>Chapter 1: Home<br />
<br />
<br />
Celia was a young fairy. She had just finished fairy school and was heading out to find her first home away from her family. Her pink and purple butterfly-like gossamer wings flapped gently as she drifted through the forest, looking for the perfect home. Every once in a while, she would stop and take a deep breath, enjoying the fresh smell of trees and streams and the beautiful glow of evening light filtering through leaves and evergreen needles. After a few hours, as the sun's last rays dimmed and the moon cast her shadows through the forest, Celia spotted a mushroom. It was a very large mushroom, nestled between some fallen moss covered branches near a babbling brook. Overhead, a large evergreen tree reached into the sky, seeming to touch the moon. The mushroom's cap was bright red with white spots and it glistened cheerily in the moonlight. "Home!" Exclaimed Celia. "This is it, I know it. This is the perfect place for me to make my home!" The young fairy wasted no time in turning the scarlet mushroom into a suitable dwelling. She tied her silver hair in a ponytail with a piece of spider's silk, and took her hawk-talon knife from her belt. With a deep breath of excitement, she set to work carving out the inside of the large fungus.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Gwen was a young woman who had just finished her medicine woman training with an old healer in a town far away. She was about to arrive back in her home village. She was expecting a warm welcome, maybe a party, and some time to relax after all her hard work and training. Instead, when she arrived, her friend George came running and shouted "Gwen! Gwen, thank goodness you're here. My mother is very sick and she needs your help." George's mother was the wife of the village chief, a very important lady. She had also been very good to Gwen over the years. Gwen cast aside all thoughts of welcome and relaxation, and focused on what she had learned. She ran alongside George towards the Chief’s cottage. Along the way, she asked George questions about his mother’s illness. By the time she arrived, Gwen had a pretty good idea of what was ailing her friend’s mother and what needed to be done. She spent a few minutes with her patient before deciding what to do. "I have to head into the woods to collect ingredients for the medicine I will have to make to help her," she told George. "While I'm gone, keep a cool cloth on her forehead to keep the fever down and make sure she drinks as much water as she can." George thanked her, and Gwen headed off into the woods, consulting her medicine book. She hadn't even had time to say hello to her parents.<br />
<br />
<br />
"There!" exclaimed Celia triumphantly, hovering in front of her newly created abode. "It's a job well done, if I do say so myself! I just need to gather a few more things for decoration and then it will be just perfect." With that, she flew off, quick as a sparrow, into the dark woods.<br />
<br />
<br />
Gwen read her medicine recipe aloud to herself as she walked along the forest path. "When you hear the wind through the willow tree sigh, its bark is what you desire. Where the brook babbles and sings, find the salamander and touch an oak leaf to it's skin. By the light of a bright fairy moon, you must choose the brightest red mushroom. When these things you have found, with a mortar and pestle they must be ground. With the paste and hot water, make a bitter, astringent tea for the patient to aid their body to heal." First, she found an old oak growing along the path, and picked a leaf from a low hanging branch. When she came to a grove of willow trees, she waited a while, until a breeze passed and she could hear the sighing of the trees. Gently, she peeled off a piece of bark the size of her palm. After a few more minutes of searching, she heard the babbling of a brook, and followed the sound. She found a spot where the brook ran near a large evergreen tree and there was a pile of fallen moss covered branches. Kneeling by the water, she turned over a few rocks until she saw a small salamander scoot out. Quickly, she caught the squirming creature, gently brushed the oak leaf against it's skin, and then let it go. As she turned to go, she stepped over the fallen branches and noticed the moon's light glinting off the bright red cap of a large mushroom nestled between the branches. "Ah, this is exactly what I need. Now I have all the ingredients for the medicine," Gwen said as she bent and plucked the mushroom from its place and added it to her medicine pouch before heading back to the village.<br />
<br />
<br />
Celia flew above the brook, humming to herself pleasantly. Her arms were laden with small knick-knacks from the forest: flowers, feathers, moss, and shiny pebbles. When she spotted the great evergreen she turned to the pile of fallen branches, then stopped suddenly. Her moth opened, but made no sound. Her arms fell limp at her sides, dropping all the treasures she had gathered. Her wings slowed until she fell lightly to the ground beside the broken stump of the mushroom that was supposed to be her new home. Small tears formed in her tiny fairy eyes and she cried, and cried.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-46940754743882353312009-09-24T18:00:00.000-07:002009-09-25T15:52:56.367-07:00Getting the book outFor those new to this blog, I am a children's book author. I gave up trying to find the right publishers for my stories and instead partnered with a talented young artist friend of mine to do the illustrations and self-published my first book "Hal the Unwashed Dragon" through the print-on-demand service Lulu.com. <br />
<br />
Now I am at the stage where I received the proof copy of the book and approved it for retail distribution. Within the next 6 to 8 weeks it will become available worldwide on Amazon's international sites as well as through the largest book wholesalers. BUt I am not counting on retail sales. For one thing, because of the mark-up, my royalties on retail sales are very small.<br />
Instead I have ordered 125 copies for myself to sell. Because there is a bulk order discount, and shipping is less for large orders, and there happened to be a sale on when I ordered, I've brought my cost per unit down considerably. I'm also shipping it to a store just across the border in the US so that shipping is cheaper and faster. There are advantages to living just 5 minutes North of the Canada/US border!<br />
I have begun offering signed copies of the book to family and friends for $20 Canadian plus $5 shipping in Canada. Note that I am no allowed to sell the book for any cheaper than the set retail price - that's part of the publishing agreement I signed with Lulu. The retail price $18.98 US - so roughly $20 Canadian.<br />
I have a number of pre-orders, some paid, some not.<br />
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My next steps are:<br />
1. Get the local library their copy and offer to do readings.<br />
2. Get local bookstores on board with buying copies directly from me, and doing book signings and readings. By local I mean Creston, Nelson, Cranbrook, Trail, etc.<br />
3. Provide a press release to local media outlets about the book release once the first signing has been arranged: area newspapers. Free papers. local radio, etc. <br />
4. Get some copies to my parents and other relatives willing to distribute to people who know me back in Manitoba and other places.<br />
5. Get a table at the Christmas craft fair and sell copies there.<br />
6. Go a little further abroad to bookstores in cities a little farther away and into the US. Sandpoint, Coeur D'aelene, Spokane, Kalispell, Kelowna, Calgary, Lethbridge, Vancouver, Edmonton. etc.<br />
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Looks like an exciting adventure. And this is just the first book. Many more to come in the future. Like Teevert (pronounced T- vare) The Little Green Leaf.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YX9QAz4-cDc4rZ1-xsXKz2qdHRZd4SezX0QPOLmoQEjmI4d-gAUbwFpyna0noysp8pojdiliApAavW_ufOm-VT01s5vE5_zi_04PD21cU-M9f5e7xMUj8ZNjIuTCdzpqQJbloWaqJ3o/s1600-h/teevertsmaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YX9QAz4-cDc4rZ1-xsXKz2qdHRZd4SezX0QPOLmoQEjmI4d-gAUbwFpyna0noysp8pojdiliApAavW_ufOm-VT01s5vE5_zi_04PD21cU-M9f5e7xMUj8ZNjIuTCdzpqQJbloWaqJ3o/s400/teevertsmaller.jpg" /></a><br />
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If you're interested in a copy for yourself, just email me at mzadragon@gmail.com<br />
You can preview the book online here: <a href="http://www.lulu.com/preview/paperback-book/hal-the-unwashed-dragon-%28retail-version%29/7611928">Lulu Bookstore: Hal preview</a>.<br />
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Wish me luck.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-36854696364208780042009-09-19T22:34:00.000-07:002009-09-19T22:36:17.083-07:00Got my butt kicked by 3 girls!So the other day, 3 girls individually beat me up and knocked me out repeatedly. It was embarassing. My Kung-Fu skills were completely useless as they pounded me into unconsciousness. It was my first experience at Nintendo Wii boxing, and my 8 year old beat me up several times. My wife tried and also beat me up on her first try, and so my reluctant 10 year old, who wasn't even sure she wanted to fight but bested me with ease.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=s0575b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B0017Q4DGI" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
I don't quite get it. I've never used a Wii before, and I don't own one (yet). Hoping to maybe get one as a family for Christmas. Anyway, I even tried switching controllers with my 8 year old, Emma, thinking that maybe it was the controller's fault. After all, how could Emma be beating me? Wasn't the controller. She still KOed me in the first round. I can only guess that the Wii responds better to wild flailing than to my attempt to use some Kung-Fu moves. At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. If you think you know how I could improve my Wii boxing technique, let me know. I'd love some pointers.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-31060313435858562362009-09-17T18:34:00.000-07:002009-09-17T18:34:16.827-07:00The Manipogo lake MonsterYou've certainly heard of the Loch Ness monster. You may have heard of Ogopogo - the monster f lake Okanogan in Central British Columbia Canada, Or Champ of Lake Champlain. But have you heard of Manipogo?<br />
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Ever since my early childhood I spent every summer at my parents cabin near Manipogo beach, on lake Manitoba about an hour's drive from our home in Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada. Just north of a little village called Toutes Aides (which is French for "everybody helps").<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=110254404130409810001.000472dbbcc7d99df3c44&ll=51.550605,-99.496307&spn=0.394523,0.883026&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=110254404130409810001.000472dbbcc7d99df3c44&ll=51.550605,-99.496307&spn=0.394523,0.883026&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">My Saved Places</a> in a larger map</small><br />
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I was told that the place was named after the lake monster Manipogo. Apparently there were a few sporadic <a href="http://strangecreaturesseldomseen.net/manipogo.html" target="blank">Sightings of Manipogo</a> throughout the 20th century. It was named Manipogo in 1957 after Ogopogo. There's a brief <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=3163969" target="blank">Wikipedia article on the monster</a>. But in all the summers I spent there the only monster I saw was a cartoon character on T-shirts sold at the local stores.<br />
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However, there's a small island not far from the beach that is said to be its home and I've visited there many times. They call it the monster's island - I have no idea what it's really named - because of a shallow cave carve on it's Northern shore by the action of the waves. It's barely a cave - it's maybe five feet deep. But as a child it was mysterious and wonderful place. The really cool thing about the island is that the shore and the surrounding waters are covered in small sedimetary rocks which sport millions of fossils. There are snails, tiny clam shells, patterns resembling snake skin - or is it Manipogo skin? - and many others. I'm surprised there's never been any scientific expeditions there. It would seem like a god-mine for studying the prehistoric Lake Agassiz which used to cover most of the province.<br />
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Though I've never been lucky enough to spot Manipogo or any other crytptid ( a cryptid is an unverified animal like Sasquatch etc - subject of the pseudoscience cryptozoology) - perhaps you have? If so, tell me about it. I'd love to hear your stories.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fishlakemanitobanarrows.com/images/manipago%20sighting%20sea%20monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="http://www.fishlakemanitobanarrows.com/images/manipago%20sighting%20sea%20monster.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-6743923172302913822009-09-08T18:39:00.001-07:002009-09-08T18:39:40.027-07:00Made it! Road trip updateFirst off to those who have been reading - thanks for all the comments. The comments think was a widget that some blog directory required me to use - Blog catalog I think - I'll try to figure out why it will only accept guest. Maybe you have to be logged in to blogger first? <br />
<br />
Made it!<br />
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We made it. We drove with only short breaks about 1800 kilometres from BC to Manitoba via Montana and North Dakota. It took about 26 hours. I id all the driving and yes, I was very tired, but forced myself to stay awake a few more to visit and get a normal night's sleep so as not to totally mess up my sleep schedule.<br />
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So as expected, we did have adventures on the road trip. They just weren’t the ones we anticipated. The car made it fine – still sputtering but no major problems. But the guy at the place I just got my oil changed at thinks I may have to get the timing belt fixed - there goes another $600 down the tube!<br />
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The borders both going in and coming out were quick and painless – didn’t even wait in line. Though I got anxious every time I swiped my credit card – fully expecting a decline – it came back approved every time.<br />
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Somehow I had completely forgotten about motion sickness – both my daughters spent much of the time looking green and emptied their stomachs a few times. Luckily we always keep some empty yogurt containers in the car just for that eventuality!<br />
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The dogs were great except for one error in communication. You see, there was lightning the entire night. At first, River was OK with it, which was a bit of a surprise because he usually freaks out at thunderstorms. So when, after a break in the storm, the lightning came back and he started whining, we assumed it was the storm causing him to be upset. So we just did our best to calm him down, though we puzzled as to why the first storm hadn’t upset him, but this one did. Our discussion was interrupted by a foul smell and our daughters gagging and screaming about the horrible” smell. But River wasn’t whining anymore. I really must apologize to the people who adopted that portion of highway in Eastern Montana. I usually would not even consider littering, but there was no way I was going to travel the next 100 miles with a bag full of dog poop and the baby wipes I used to clean it up riding shotgun.<br />
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On another item, I am considering suing whoever at the Montana Department of Transportation is responsible for marking the bumps on the section of road construction happening on the Eastern section of highway 2. The first bump they labelled with massive sign turned out to be insignificant. So too with the second so called "bump". The third actual real bump, which would be more aptly described as the road equivalent of rapids rather than a bump, was labelled as “detour”. We arrived at the detour doing the recommended 35 MPH only to find ourselves flung up and down as if we’d just hit a section of speed-bumps at high speed. I’ve never done rodeo, but I imagine that this is what attempting to ride a bull feels like. My poor wife’s fibromyalgic muscles immediately responded by spasming severely and proceeding to cause her hours of excruciating pain on top of her already considerable pain. So if by some stroke of coincidence the man or woman responsible for labelling those bumps is reading this – I’d like you to do penance by driving that section at 50 MPH at least 10 times. Then your mistake will be forgiven and you can go and screw-up no more.<br />
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On the very much positive side, gas was at least 1/3 cheaper in the States versus Canada. Same with food. And that’s even taking exchange into consideration. The change of scenery was nice, though I wish we’d had time and money to stop at some of the attractions – like the “Bear drive-thru” where “your car is the cage.” And the amusement park with the maze and go-carts. And Glacier National Park river rafting.<br />
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There are some more details of the trip I will post later - since I'm borrowing a connection right now. My folks are in dial-up land, at Manipogo. So I'm taking advantage of my sister's high-speed while we're here in Dauphin (about an hour's drive from my parent's place). We came today instead of he planned trip on Wednesday because I had to take Niqi to the hospital for a severe fibromyalgia flare. She couldn't walk on her own, her pain was 14 out of 10 and her muscles were spasming and twitching. Not fun. Anyway, we decided to go to the closest hospital in Ste-Rose. The hospital has no Dr's apparently, they're all in the clinic. So after being seen at the hospital we had to go the clinic to see the doc, then back to the hospital. Sounds bad, but it wasn't - took maybe an hour. In contrast I once went to an ER in Downtown Vancouver with severe abdominal pain and was left curled up in a fetal position on the floor and vomiting for 4 hours before being seen. Then they kicked me out while I was still hopped up on morphine and in no condition to walk, because they needed the bed. Thank goodness for small town hospitals!!!<br />
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Will post again in a couple of days with pictures and video. Cheers everyone.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-76010592883047086092009-09-05T15:31:00.000-07:002009-09-05T16:18:22.504-07:00Road trip!<div style="color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Wedding, the car, the money </span></div><br />
So my younger brother, the airline pilot, is getting married in Gimli Manitoba - about 22 hours east of here (Creston, British Columbia). Flying a family of 4 would cost an astronomical amount, so we're driving instead. We have a 2000 Ford Focus wagon that we bought used. This past spring we sunk over $3000 into repairs on this stupid car for the exhaust system etc - money that was supposed to have gone towards home renovations. Now the car is acting up. At idle it sputters and a few times it has actually stalled while pulling into a parking spot. But I don't have any money to get it looked at. So adventure number one - will the car make the trip?<br />
Adventure number two is, I'm afraid I can't actually afford this road trip. My credit cards are at their limit and we'll have to go over limit to pay for the hotel and kenelling the dogs. So will the cards accept the charges or decline them and leave me not knowing what to do??? We'll see.<br />
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<div style="color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-size: large;">We're sick/ the border</span> </div><br />
Add to that we're all sick. This of course is nearly a given for me. Every time I take a vacation from work, I get sick. Now, we've decided for a change of scenery - and for cheaper food, gas and possibly lodging - that we'll drive through Montana and North Dakota instead of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Here's our planned route. We had originally thought to spend a night in Regina visiting my cousin and her family, but we don't want to get them all sick! Before going to Gimli we'll first be staying at my parent's place on lake Manitoba at Manipogo for a few days.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?hl=en&doflg=ptk&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=110254404130409810001.000472dbbcc7d99df3c44&ll=49.704455,-107.99525&spn=12.497034,21.774902&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?hl=en&doflg=ptk&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=110254404130409810001.000472dbbcc7d99df3c44&ll=49.704455,-107.99525&spn=12.497034,21.774902&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">My Saved Places</a> in a larger map</small><br />
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Now, another question is - will we be turned away at the border? Perhaps they will assume we have Swine Flu. Perhaps they will object to my home-made dog-food or our packed lunches - thinking we'll bring mad cow disease into their country. If we do make it into the States, will they let us back into Canada? In my experience US customs are generally much more friendly than Canadian customs. Not sure why. Maybe it's just because I'm Canadian, so they're welcoming of my tourist dollars (they don't know I'm broke!). I've seen them being pretty hard on some returning US citizens. Worst case scenario we have to go through Canada on our usual route which I'm not very fond of. But that wouldn't be the end of the world.<br />
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<small><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-size: large;">Bringing the Dogs</span><br />
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<small>Another challenge is that we're bringing <a href="http://mzadragon.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-love-my-dogs-with-video-and-pictures.html" target="blank">my dogs.</a> You see, to kennel them the whole time we're gone would be too expensive. There's no one to keep them for us. And River is neurotic when he's not with me. So they're coming along and we'll just kennel them near the wedding for the 2 nights that we're in the Hotel. How do we have space in our car, you ask? Well, this I'm mighty proud of. We have a wagon, and the dogs usually ride in the back, and there's a grate to keep them safely back there. Otherwise River would be in my lap and there's nothing very safe about driving with an 80 pound dog in your lap. For a long time we had the problem that if we put anything back there with them there wasn't any room for them (or they'd eat whatever it was). So I solved this by making a smuggling compartment large enough to fit luggage under them and they still have enough space for themselves - not like they need head room. Clever, right? I love being able to make stuff!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvqRQSd4A0bHhkAmyzZ7TVRiH3omTMIpgoV72qQCVGD6NXATqs-5HEgH1Ky-TezUQGJ223GsK8gCBl95G8uc-NRln_l4ffSyrk1FYFEERiojkT0hgr6NGTiM7vSwqSATgnlf7mpnxaVI/s1600-h/DSCF0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvqRQSd4A0bHhkAmyzZ7TVRiH3omTMIpgoV72qQCVGD6NXATqs-5HEgH1Ky-TezUQGJ223GsK8gCBl95G8uc-NRln_l4ffSyrk1FYFEERiojkT0hgr6NGTiM7vSwqSATgnlf7mpnxaVI/s200/DSCF0077.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zKh-qJvkqgTCWhMJca7KJBk0kipmlqvVtcnJrnGDMwwSuyW2XpOanVw7Hvvzav0vxgATJD7KdbHhcvql5lRhxBL9SPvdBy6bL4_TNF_xjfM8oR_FG1yVL9Vu97Huddq1fTKF-2YYD6s/s1600-h/DSCF0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zKh-qJvkqgTCWhMJca7KJBk0kipmlqvVtcnJrnGDMwwSuyW2XpOanVw7Hvvzav0vxgATJD7KdbHhcvql5lRhxBL9SPvdBy6bL4_TNF_xjfM8oR_FG1yVL9Vu97Huddq1fTKF-2YYD6s/s200/DSCF0078.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyZPP5tqfASgPUnrf5YZ_IzSejxG3QTjmCQMdQ9FyG1Mf45_gHmm-StWwnlYC7udZeMthNsBRJG6S2cSye6pLSVyOI_q_Mc3C9ovZgfN1O-YSgtY8evaD82bv0r4D-ykznxXXf8l5ksE/s1600-h/DSCF0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyZPP5tqfASgPUnrf5YZ_IzSejxG3QTjmCQMdQ9FyG1Mf45_gHmm-StWwnlYC7udZeMthNsBRJG6S2cSye6pLSVyOI_q_Mc3C9ovZgfN1O-YSgtY8evaD82bv0r4D-ykznxXXf8l5ksE/s200/DSCF0080.JPG" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm actually quite excited about bringing the dogs with us. We're very, very close to our dogs and miss them terribly when we're away. Plus it's fun to see them get so excited about new places and new smells. And then there's the comfort they give with their cuddles. They are both very well behaved in the car, so I'm not at all worried about that aspect of it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also have 5 cats, a bunny, 2 hamsters, 3 mice, several fish, and a corn snake. They're all saying home and we're having a friend look after them for us. It's so good to have a friend we can count on like that. We actually just met her and her family a few months ago and just clicked. First time that's happened to us since before we were married 11 years ago. Friends are a rare and precious commodity for us!</div><small><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #d9ead3; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fibromyalgia sucks!!!</span> </div><small><br />
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Probably the biggest and most significant question of this trip is how my wife will handle it. Niqi has Fibromyalgia and she's been having a very rough summer, with flares worse than ever despite consuming a small pharmacy of medicines. The last time she drove for an hour it gave her a flare of pain that lasted for a week. Even being a passenger is painful for her. 22 hours of driving, eating strange foods, sleeping in strange beds, and then the stress of staying at the in-laws and dealing with all the strangers etc who don't understand her Fibro is looking like a scary combination. Her doctor is very worried for her and so am I. She's already not feeling well and we haven't even left yet. But she wants to be at the wedding so she's going to tough it out. We'll just have to take frequent breaks and relax a lot.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So today is the day for preparation Packing, cleaning, getting the are ready. Checking and double checking to make sure we have everything we need. We'll let you know how it goes. Lots of adventures coming up in the next few days. </div><small><br />
</small><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-88265934688128979782009-09-04T18:43:00.000-07:002009-09-04T18:53:20.832-07:00Red Jade Kung-Fu StoreIf you know me at all you know I'm a bit of an artisan. I make stuff. Often I'll see something and say - I could make that. I don't have any training, or any background in any related industry. I fiddle around and things turn out. <br />
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So a couple of years ago when started Kung-Fu class I saw these wooden practice broadswords and thought "I can make that". I'd never made anything like it, but I figured I I had the right thickness of wood I could cut the shape with a jigsaw and shape it with a sander. So I did. I made a set of 10 swords with the Red Jade school's logo hand-burned into the blade of each one, and then I made a stand to hold them in. It took me weeks and at the time I was camping and using a generator to power my tools, so it was a real pain. But I learned a lot along the way.<br />
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Fast forward to now and I'm currently on a quest to make some extra cash to finance house renovations - we really need a new furnace and new windows. So among my many projects (none of which has made me any real money yet, but many of which have cost me a fair bit - my many talents do NOT include making money, unfortunately!!!) - I decided I should try selling stuff at my Kung-Fu school. Currently anyone who wants something Kung-Fu related has to order it on-line as there's no local resource, and there's no China-town in any of the communities in this area. So I made a deal with my Shifu (That's Mandarin for teacher/master - equivalent to the Japanese word Sensai) if it would be OK to set up a shop and he would benefit from getting a portion of any profits made. I had already sold some other hand-made stiff at a friend's store and the deal there was a 30% mark-up, so that sounded god here. The great thing is I don't have to pay rent, and Shifu doesn't have to do anything except handle the cash when someone buys something. He's already got the space so it doesn't cost him any extra. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEJRlg-DBVLCLvSMPOQrZIu0OztSXVC4IbRuqx-98ez0xTLB3sUyyu2J8OaZvQjGUIrIyEqruiqtKLD8w_gFalxDpykEMY2T2KcuNrXJSJhIvBUBt2AN7J7bPLkFX-vEfRtgzRn8yp_o/s1600-h/DSCF0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>So I set o work. First I decided on a list of products I would offer, then figured out how to present them. I decided that since the space is a section of wall it would be cool to make a Chinese style archway and display all the products in the space created inside. So I researched Chinese archways on Google image search and settled on a basic design. For the sign it was straight boards with a curved horn at the ends. So I made a template for the horns, traced it on to the boards and cut them out. Then my daughters and I painted them and after my Wife added the signage and Chinese characters.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEJRlg-DBVLCLvSMPOQrZIu0OztSXVC4IbRuqx-98ez0xTLB3sUyyu2J8OaZvQjGUIrIyEqruiqtKLD8w_gFalxDpykEMY2T2KcuNrXJSJhIvBUBt2AN7J7bPLkFX-vEfRtgzRn8yp_o/s1600-h/DSCF0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEJRlg-DBVLCLvSMPOQrZIu0OztSXVC4IbRuqx-98ez0xTLB3sUyyu2J8OaZvQjGUIrIyEqruiqtKLD8w_gFalxDpykEMY2T2KcuNrXJSJhIvBUBt2AN7J7bPLkFX-vEfRtgzRn8yp_o/s400/DSCF0070.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The rest was basically making a set of shelves, and cuttig and painting the other components. Given it's size I had to assemble it on-site. So off to the school we went and I put it together and then we added the stock we had and realized it was practically empty. So we had to make lots more stuff. These pictures are with the current stock after a few days of making stuff. So far everything I've put in the store is hand-made by myself or my wife and daughters. I do all the weapons an anything involving wood-working - with some assistance from my daughters. Janelle especially likes to help with tracing patterns, sanding, painting, etc. My wife is skilled at copying things, so she's mostly in charge of the Chinese calligraphy. We get characters from <a target="_blank" href="http://chineseculture.about.com/library/extra/character/bls_characters1.htm">chineseculture.about.com</a> and copy from there.<br />
Eventually I'll also buy things from China or China-towns I visit to re-sell them at a mark-up. In addition I've provided a space for <a target="_blank" href="http://redjademartialarts.com/view.php?&content_id=12">Shifu to sell some of hs books and DVDs</a>. As well, my friend, kung-fu sister and illustrator <a target="_blank" href="http://dragonartist101.deviantart.com/">Lorna Foot</a> is making a series of mini-books for the kids. So far they are cartoon manuals, but she may also do some comics and other things. She's a very talented young artist.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJys6hJ3xhMd9VU1GeFbr37IuwgbfVj0yUlRV_NDr0FPc9_74cZK3YwL7ToLqTlrtcsW7uVlzgzlYiCmWa2VZu-UMqvtMONXKhIs4fuQZeH-ey6zxw-DHsrZH-IjvI5ZHAwsnFGqorWA/s1600-h/DSCF0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJys6hJ3xhMd9VU1GeFbr37IuwgbfVj0yUlRV_NDr0FPc9_74cZK3YwL7ToLqTlrtcsW7uVlzgzlYiCmWa2VZu-UMqvtMONXKhIs4fuQZeH-ey6zxw-DHsrZH-IjvI5ZHAwsnFGqorWA/s400/DSCF0073.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-vaBX9qlQiw5wZ226PLrpR8wm9yCKDMkL6mWuDKNCSyGchCxOnt_hP7Uj3bp5PP0VOrEyXjSnHlX_uEfoURmPHuqwVbT7TtOGn6FSj2IfSGG3LSdGqxpx-WDLLy-ccJbqjdZZ_kViRA/s1600-h/DSCF0074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-vaBX9qlQiw5wZ226PLrpR8wm9yCKDMkL6mWuDKNCSyGchCxOnt_hP7Uj3bp5PP0VOrEyXjSnHlX_uEfoURmPHuqwVbT7TtOGn6FSj2IfSGG3LSdGqxpx-WDLLy-ccJbqjdZZ_kViRA/s400/DSCF0074.JPG" /></a></div><br />
So far in the store we have for sale:<br />
-Pendant necklaces<br />
-Form counters (Boards that are mostly blank with some decorative calligraphy for students to mark down a number each time hey practice a form aka kata or set)<br />
-Sash hangers to display your sash (in other martial arts would be called belts)<br />
-Rocks painted with Chinese calligraphy<br />
-Wooden ornaments with Chinese calligraphy<br />
-Kids 5 foot bamboo spears<br />
-kids and adults pairs of wooden ring daggers<br />
-Kids and adult size wooden Dao (Chinese broadsword)<br />
-And one wooden Wing sword<br />
-Shifu's 16 Dragon manual<br />
-Lorna's White Sash manual for kids<br />
-<a href="http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=287605">Seiza meditation benches</a><br />
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I'm very proud of the store. I think it looks great in the school. I think I'm offering some unique items that are right for the people that visit the school at reasonable prices. My family and I have invested a lot of time and energy - and a bit of money - into this little store, so we're very hopeful that it will prove successful. Now that it's up it should prove to be fairly low maintenance. I will have to add products to keep it stocked, but since I enjoy making them that's no great chore.<br />
So if you happen to be in Creston, BC, Canada (just North of the Idaho Panhandle and about 3.5 hours from Spokane Washington) stop by <a target="_blank" href="http://redjademartialarts.com/view.php?&content_id=10">the Red Jade school </a>to check it and maybe do a little Kung-Fu while you're there.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwy02zBGnTrYEmz9mBVnUs2gvtX3wf2Q3QhTxryc_ANQg9IAZZYUSMfbCp8urbBiFweFHALw3cZRm8kja8DfU4_vWpirnyACXm6wbQKllWRmBN05VHIR8SRJc_q1MZV3wKJWnDw-6OCdA/s1600-h/DSCF0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwy02zBGnTrYEmz9mBVnUs2gvtX3wf2Q3QhTxryc_ANQg9IAZZYUSMfbCp8urbBiFweFHALw3cZRm8kja8DfU4_vWpirnyACXm6wbQKllWRmBN05VHIR8SRJc_q1MZV3wKJWnDw-6OCdA/s400/DSCF0075.JPG" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-14904811149459827462009-09-03T20:33:00.000-07:002009-09-03T20:59:35.419-07:00We have a money drainI'm always surprised when I hear people who are laid back about money and comes and money goes. They lose everything and say oh, I'll just make it back. I really don't get it. <br />To me money is food on the table, a roof over my head, being able to meet my financial obligations responsibly and pay what I owe. It's important. Right now it's a main focus.<br />But, I can't wrap my head around how it is that the harder I work, the more poor we seem. Payday comes and I take out my calculator and subtract all the bills and such and say OK, we have $300 until next payday for groceries and whatever. Then all of a sudden it's gone. An unexpected bill comes, we need to buy something we hadn't planned on, there's a service fee or something. Like last night, we were down to the last few cents in our account, but payday was only hours away. Paypal chose that moment to try and pull $4 from my account. It wasn't there - it would have been a few hours later, but a the time they tried it wasn't - so bam, $40 NSF charge from my bank because of a tiny little $4 overdraft. It's like 1000% interest charge!<br />I just finished putting in hours and hours getting all these items ready for the new Red Jade store (selling hand-made wooden swords and Chinese crafts at the Kung-Fu school) just hoping I might make an extra $40 or more. Before I even do, it gets picked right out of my pocket. I'm sure many of you have experienced similar things. Despite reading all these financial and self-help books, and working hard, and trying to make the right financial decisions, we are still in a situation where we have to scrimp and save and sweat for every extra dollar above my normal salary. Yet, these leaks keep happening. Like we're on an ill-repaired boat that just keeps popping rivets and springing new leaks constantly. Why do some people have no problem making money - it just falls into their lap, everything they touch turns gold. They have the Midas touch. I sometimes feel like I have the opposite - the Sadim touch. Everything I touch turns to lead. I work hard at my job to gt a promotion and then they yank my overtime. I invest in an internet marketing campaign selling a proven successful product and yet somehow for me it has a zero conversion rate. It just won't sell. I set up an on-line crafts store at art-fire. Only one sale in 3 months - it cost me 10 times as much to run the store as I've made from it. I just self-published a book - not a single copy sold yet, not even to friends and family.<br />I don't believe in luck, divine guidance, predestination, fate, karma or any of that stuff - not logically anyway. But I sure can see how easily one could turn to those beliefs. Maybe I should sacrifice a goat to Janus or something - that's what they did in ancient Rome to ask for a successful business venture (we've been watching the Rome DVDs...can you tell?). <br />A lot of these self-help gurus are very much into the power of positive thinking. I found it so funny when one of them on Facebook posted something to the effect of the greatest obstacle o success is your own negative attitudes. And all the followers were leaving these glowing comments about how he was so wise, and they would teach that to their own students and on and on. And I wondered if any of these people were already successful, or were they among those seeking success and grasping for hope. My own experience is that a positive attitude and optimism are rarely rewarded. I have been very optimistic going into ventures and all of them have failed to live up to expectations. On the other hand, those times that I have been pessimistic, I have often been pleasantly surprised when things turned out. And if they didn't - I was already prepared.<br /><br />So, since my positive attitude in these past few years has not helped one bit, I'm dropping it. No more Mr. positive. Meet Mr. pessimistic. Things will turns crappy and I'll just have to deal with it. And if by some random occurrence something turns out OK, that's a bonus. And if this whole post just comes off as one long rambling complaint - oh well, no one reads this blog anyway.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-12735631634869909442009-08-26T00:01:00.000-07:002009-09-04T16:22:55.385-07:00Why I love Kung-Fu classI grew up during the Ninja craze. Looking back it's a bit odd that my parents didn't really mind that I watched movies that involved throwing stars finding their targets in people's eyes - remember the opening scene of Revenge of the Ninja? Anyway, it wasn't the blood that I was interested in, it was the moves... and the weapons were oh so cool. Ther was just something about the martial arts in general that drew me.<br />
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So in 5th grade I got into Tae Kwon Do - it had just arrived in my small town. I loved it until a string of migraine like headaches took me out of classes. Looking back I think I was probably pretty terrible at it, but it sure was fun. (despite the fact that the instructor was really not the nicest guy to learn from).<br />
In my teens I tried to go back, but I was so out of shape I turned purple. Slow down they said, but I couldn't do it half-heartedly. It was all or nothing for me, so it had to be nothing at that point.<br />
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In the back of my mind I always had a desire to get back into some form of martial arts. I'd gotten into fitness big time in my late 20s (I was actually quite ripped at one point - and I will be again, mark my words!) So when I came to Creston, I figured it would be a good way to to keep in shape and maybe meet some people. And maybe I wouldn't turn purple. One day we were at a flea market and there on a table was business card for a free month of Kung-Fu at <a href="http://redjademartialarts.com/">Red Jade Martial Arts</a>. So I looked it up on the internet and was at first thoroughly confused. I had no idea what all this talk about different styles was, and this history of the Ma family, and the eight shadows. But it sounded cool, there was mention of weapons training and when I emailed him this <a href="http://redjademartialarts.com/view.php?&articleid=2&sub=About">Sifu Neil Ripski</a> character seemed like a cool guy. So I went. I was glad I did. One class and I was hooked! <br />
<br />
The style we train is a family style. Unlike the TKD I took which was military style and involved a lot of lines and army style drills. Red Jade really is a family. Class is usually taught in a circle, it's much less formal, much more friendly and there's a great camaraderie that develops between Kung-Fu brothers and sisters. <br />
<br />
I can only speak from my own experience. I'm sure it's different for everyone. But for me, there's something special about this coming together in a small group and working, sweating and learning together. When I started I was going through some really - no, let's say extremely - stressful times at work. Like nervous breakdown stressful. But after a day of frustration I'd go to class, and within minutes the outside world, work, and all the other stresses, ceased to exist. The school is like a sanctuary - fitting considering that Kung-Fu evolved in monastic temples and family compound courtyards. In that space I am in the moment. I am pushing my body to it's limits. Dripping sweat. Thinking in new ways and drinking from a sea of ancient knowledge. Sifu Ripski has been practicing Kung-Fu since he was little and the depth of knowledge he has is awe-inspiring. He's actually a bit younger than me. I can only imagine what he'll be like when he's an old man since he's still learning! Learning from him is an honour and privilege (yes, he'll read this but I'm not sucking up... much - I'm being sincere). I think Creston is very lucky to have Red Jade. It's a very special place and special family - at least to me. <br />
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Yes, the style itself is great, and I like Kung-Fu for being Kung-Fu etc. But had this same club been another martial art, I likely would have been almost as happy - unless it was some rigid military style. I enjoy the laughing and joking around just as much as anything else. Then, there's the friends, of course.<br />
<br />
I'm kind of a socially awkward person. I don't have many friends and I find making friends a bit like dating - except with dating there are certain rules. The other person knows what to expect, what your intention is. Not so with making friends. As an adult you can't just say "will you be my friend" like you did when you were a kid - they'll think you're mentally challenged or something! So when I encountered at Red Jade a group of adults my own age with similar interests I was pretty excited. I mean, after 6 years in Winnipeg and 4 in Vancouver I hadn't made a single friend outside work and school (and those friendships didn't really exist much outside those places) - yep, I'm a bit of a loser that way. Just a bit. Unfortunately at first I let my excitement show a little bit too much. One of my Kung-Fu siblings later described me as "an annoying over-enthusiastic little puppy" - thanks Jase! Anyway, my excitement waned shortly after. I did still find friends there. But it's more that your average sit around drinking beers and chatting kind of friendship in a way. There's a certain connection and level of trust that necessarily develops when you're swinging punches and kicks at each other and trusting that you won't get hurt - not seriously anyway. It really is like a family. That's a big part of why I love it.<br />
<br />
Honestly, if it weren't for Red Jade, I likely wouldn't have stayed in Creston. With my work-from-home job I could go just about anywhere, and when it was looking like our original reason for coming to Creston - to be close to the in-laws - was maybe not such a good thing, I considered moving elsewhere. But I couldn't bear the thought of leaving Red Jade.<br />
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So thank you Sifu and my Kung-Fu brothers and sisters.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-84176322511982072722009-08-24T00:19:00.000-07:002009-08-24T00:40:38.977-07:00The book is outMy First Book: <a href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon">Hal the Unwashed Dragon</a> is now available for sale on Lulu.com. My last post I talked about the process of getting it ready and how everything seemed to come naturally until the phase of publication. Figuring out how to use Lulu proved to be rather complicated. It's not exactly the most user friendly of sites - though it obviously tries to be.<br /><br />Putting the hardcover up was easy - that one can't be mass distributed, so it doesn't have an ISBN number and doesn't have to meet any particular requirements. So no problem. Once I figured out how to upload the stuff and make the cover it was OK.<br /><br />The hard part was trying to get the soft cover to fit all the right detailed specifics so it could be eligible for distribution. But it's complicated with tables, and different sizes etc. And once it's ready you have to order a proof copy, review it and then approve the book before it can become widely available through Amazon, etc. Here's where I screwed up. First I get to the "you're finished" page which has a bunch of upsells including "buy a copy of your book to proofread". So I do, figuring that's the next step because that's what I read. <br />But nope - that's wrong. First I had done something wrong so it wasn't eligible for an ISBN for whatever reason, so this proof copy will be useless souvenir. Second is that you are supposed to have the ISBN assigned first - so I dd that and ordered it. Oops, another wasted order. You're supposed to put the number into your book before ordering. Sure wish they had a checklist for you to go through...<br /><br />So I've got 2 souvenir "oops" copies coming to me. I only pay the wholesale price, but shipping costs suck!<br /><br />Then I realize there are 2 distribution packages (well 3, but one is no longer available). I chose the wrong one. The one I chose only gets me on to Amazon.com - the US site. Not any of the international Amazon sites and not available to libraries or bookstores. What's the point in that? How am I supposed to promote it???<br /><br />For some reason the book sizes and binding you need for one distribution are different than those needed for another. So I change my book again. Actually up to revision number 7 now! But even though I've followed all the FAQ instructions to the letter, it's not showing me the option to purchase the expanded distribution which I really need. So that's where I'm stuck, waiting to hear back from Lulu.<br /><br />Another weird thing about Lulu is that if you submit a help request via email, you get an automatic reply with links to their help pages and a note saying we assume these links will solve your problem, so we're closing the ticket unless you reply. How weird is that?<br /><br />So far I'm not terribly impressed with Lulu, but they are rated the #1 self-publishing web site, they're cheaper than the competition and they're the ones everyone I talked to has heard of, so...<br /><br />I'm sure it will be easier next time.<br /><br />I'm in promotion mode now. I've let all my family, friends and co-workers know about it etc. But though I've gotten lots of positive comments and I can see that at least 50 people have actually checked out the book's web site, not a single purchase has happened yet. I know it's not priced too high - I've checked around. I know the book is good. So, what gives? Nobody shops on-line? Nobody wants to pay shipping? They're waiting for Christmas? <br /><br />It seems to e the same thing with any sales thing I do (except a garage sale). It's easy to get people to look. Easy to get people to admire and say "that's great". But converting that into actual sales is a secret I have ye to discover. Especially on-line.<br /><br />I'll be very disappointed if sales don't work out. My confidence is already fading fast. But even if it doesn't pan out, it has still been fantastic experience and I've learned a lot.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-27695132987886454792009-08-19T17:00:00.000-07:002009-08-19T17:35:28.222-07:00Getting the book readySomethings things are self-explanatory or intuitive and you just pick them up easily. Until now that was the case with getting my children's book ready. (See previous posts on this subject - I'm getting ready to self-publish a book through Lulu.com).<br /><br />The idea for the book - one of many stories I've written but the first to be published - came to me from a remark one of my daughters made. Once that seed of inspiration was planted the story sprouted almost of it's own will. Then it sat for a couple of years, languishing. I did send it to 3 publishers, none felt it was a good fit for them. Finally, I asked a friend from Kung-Fu class - <a href="http://cartoon-dragon.deviantart.com/gallery/">Lorna Foot</a> - if she would be interested in illustrating some of my stories. She took up the challenge with enthusiasm and started making pictures right away.<br />Then I realized that I had to venture away from being just a writer to being an editor/publisher. I had to storyboard the book - deciding which scenes to illustrate, what text to put on which pages etc. My wife Niqi and I did this together and it was a lot of fun. We've both read so many children's picture books to our daughters over the years (librarians know us by name!) that this part of the process was comfortably intuitive. It was easy to envision what we wanted and divide the story up so I could give Lorna direction as to what to illustrate.<br /><br />Then once we got the pictures, another intuitive creative process came in putting the pictures and words together. Choosing the font, placing the text just so, placing the pictures just so, etc. Again Niqi and I did this together - we make a good team - and it was wonderfully exciting fun and came easily to us.<br /><br />I also have a marketing and publicity plan that came to me intuitively and that I'm excited to put into motion. More on that in future posts.<br /><br />But, before I can do that I have a hurdle. The actual publishing is giving me a headache. Now, if I had the capital, I could hand things over to Lulu for a fee and get them to do the rest. But I don't have that kind of cash just now and I would really rather learn as much as possible. But though I can grasp the concept - ISBN number gets you into catalogs and enlarges distribution, hard-cover vs. soft-cover, etc etc. - the details are frustrating. File formats, embedding fonts, binding types, blank page insertions, copyrights, doing the spine for the hard-cover, full-bleed print, non-bleed print, pricing, royalties, mark-ups etc. etc. There's a lot to learn. And none of it is coming with the same ease as the rest of the project has. <br /><br />I feel I'm so close. If I can just get it on-line in the right format with everything in order so people can buy the book (Lulu is print-on-demand so books are produced as they are purchased) then I can relax and focus on telling everyone to buy my book (hint, hint :o). After that I don't even have to handle any physical sales - Lulu takes care of that. I just promote it and wait for the checks to come in. My Kung-Fu Sifu sells some instructional books the same way and they've provided him with some fairly stable long-term passive income. As he says - once it's out there, it just keeps making money for you forever. That's exactly the type of passive income with low start-up and overhead Ive been searching for. And not only that, but this is just the first book. I have many more already written, and hundreds of potential books in my head. I now have an enthusiastic and talented illustrator I've partnered with who brings the products of my imagination to life on paper. And lastly through the internet and print-on-demand self-publishing the means for a solid, inexpensive, low maintenance sales vehicle. The potential is just enormous!!! It's so close I can almost touch it! And unfortunately that eagerness is getting in the way of me calmly concentrating and learning how to do these last steps.<br />The good news is once I learn it, I'll have a new skill that will hopefully serve me well for many years to come.<br /><br />There's an exhilarating sensation of hope and possibility that comes along with this point. I'm trying to savor it and remain confident. Because at the edge there is always some doubt. <br /><br />Wish me luck. I'm about to push my sled down a new hill and see how things go!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-64291724411538341342009-08-13T12:15:00.000-07:002009-08-13T13:15:37.296-07:00Fibromyalgia sucks for the whole family!My wife has Fibromyalgia. It's this wonderful condition that most Dr.'s will tell you is all in your head but causes excruciating pain all over your body and renders you basically disabled. It really sucks for her, but it also sucks for the whole family! (No this is not a positive article - it's long winded venting. Feel free to stop reading anytime if that turns you off).<br /><br />Here are just some of the things that suck about it:<br />1. Nobody cares. There's no pink ribbon campaigns, no marches in the streets, benefit concerts or relays. I mean, c'mon! Yeah Breast cancer can kill you, and it's hard to go through. But you either get better or you die. (Not to belittle breast cancer - it took my grandmother, after all.) Fibromyalgia on the other hand is like being sentenced to torture for years on end, but because you don't go bald, nobody sees it and nobody cares.<br /><br />2. Nobody can do anything about it. Yeah there's some medicine that helps a little, but not much. Dr's have been ignoring FMS and not taking it seriously for so long that there are no really effective treatments out there.<br /><br />3. My wife can't do a lot of things. If she does "suck it up" and do something that most people would find to be mildly strenuous, she pays for it with a week of extra pain. This means that she can't do chores so I have to do them all or they don't get done. The kids aren't much help. So we end up living in very messy conditions most of the time.<br /><br />4. It makes me feel like a jerk. Yeah, I try to be supportive and stuff as much as I can. But I'm not a nursing type - I could have been a Dr. but I hate taking care of sick people. So when my wife is moaning in pain for the umpteenth time and the only feeling I can muster is something bordering on contempt - like when a mother just wants her baby to stop crying already - I feel like a jerk. It takes an emotional toll.<br /><br />5. When I don't feel like a jerk, I feel helpless. It's hard to watch someone you love being in near constant pain and not be able to do anything about it. Hard. Such a limited word. How about - frustrating, exasperating, emotionally numbing and draining. It's like being behind glass watching as someone tortures your loved one and you pound and scream at the window. Only there's no evil person there on which to focus your anger, and it doesn't end. You can only bang and scream for so long before you become numb and resigned to it and stop caring. Then you feel like a jerk for not caring anymore. Back to number 4.<br /><br />5. There's little to no support. In fact, there's a great deal of..whatever the opposite of support is. Contempt? Condescension?<br />Alcoholics have Al-anon to help their families. People dealing with cancer and other stuff in the family have support groups and hospital programs and charity foundations. Families with fibromyalgia instead get looked down upon - close family members don't really believe there's anything wrong with my wife - she doesn't "look sick" after all (what is pain supposed to look like anyway???). They think she's lazy and a bad wife etc. and why did I marry her.(or they did, some are starting to come around).<br /><br />6. It's hard on the kids, too. I'm often surprised at how well the kids cope with this. They know to let my wife sleep and take care of themselves when she conks out in the middle of the afternoon. They don't complain that she can't take them hiking or bike riding, or any number of other activities that she wishes she could do with them. But there are lots of times when the answer is "Mommy is too sore," or "Mommy is too tired," that you can see their disappointment. <br /><br />7. People just don't understand. They really don't. They may think they do, but they don't. Even people who have known someone with Fibromyalgia. It may have the same name, but it's a different disease for everyone. What may help enormously for one person, may actually hurt another. What's a major area of problems for one person is not a concern for another. For example, many FMS sufferers have bowel problems, but my wife doesn't.<br /><br />8. Well intentioned advice is frequent and frustrating. Maybe if she would just exercise a little more. Maybe she should try this diet. Maybe she go see a chiropractor. maybe she should drink more water. And on, and on. To those who offer this advice - thank you for your caring and your good intentions and desire to help. But we have honestly tried just about everything there is to try and we've heard it all before.<br /><br />9. Loss of income. My wife can't work. That's not to say she can't do anything. She's a smart woman. But it's unpredictable as to when she'll have a good day, when she'll have a bad day. There's also the issue of "fibro-fog" that slows the thinking and makes her confused and fumble with words. We've struggled to come up with ways for her do something at home on her own terms that can make some money, but so far no luck. On top of that because we're a single income family we're taxed more that a family with two people bringing in the same income would be. So any extra money I'm able to bring in is taxed at the maximum possible. How is that fair?<br /><br />10. I'm exhausted. You know those single moms who have to do everything - cook, clean, take care of the kids and work? Or the sports widows who's husbands don't help at all (hate to stereotype my fellow husbands but there are some guys that really are like that). Well, it's a similar situation. I work full-time, plus overtime, I cook, I clean, I fix things, I do renovations etc etc. And then I feel guilty when I try to take some time for myself (but I've had to insist on that for my own sanity!).<br /><br />That's enough whining and complaining for now. Though everything I've just said is true, we do adapt and most days are OK, or at least OK for much of the day. We're not in a constant state of suffering (well, my wife kind of is, but she has some days that OK too.) Despite everything, life is still worth living. Love is still worth giving and receiving. And we'll still be there for each other even when it sucks for the whole family.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641821081772380959.post-78275502944756569912009-08-10T23:28:00.000-07:002009-08-11T16:14:21.190-07:00I love my dogs (with video and pictures)My first dog (not including the foot-biting little menace inappropriately named "Lady" we had when I was very young!) was when I was in about grade 5 or 6 - not sure exactly. We got Sam. At this point I had been begging for a dog. So, even though we were a family of 6, he was "my" dog. Out of the 4 kids I'm the only one who's a big animal lover. Always have been (except Lady and other yappy foot-biters!). Sam was a Yellow lab rescue dog. I don't really know what happened to him, but he was so scared when we got him. He would hide under the table. When we tied him in the yard with a chain, he was so scared of the chain he wouldn't move at all. When he was nervous, he would pee. The first class at obedience school he peed all over the place. Poor boy! But he was a gentle, loving creature and he eventually came to be a happy dog and member of the family. Being a young boy, naturally my parents ended up doing a lot of the care - like walks etc. I just cuddled and loved and played with him. <br />Here's a photo collage of him I recently retrieved from a box of souvenirs.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSuDhaicX1s9GuWWZ9iARehqUUU1mDLtbh2ptdUxSVpIFKKOwhhcBruwgweVFbcqyIsgj5KNDJnN9Cn1Bn81HzbWZncANgISBZfjac15wjxlHL9yWU2LG8OAOEM2hNmbjen7Sjesl5Ts/s1600-h/P8101078.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSuDhaicX1s9GuWWZ9iARehqUUU1mDLtbh2ptdUxSVpIFKKOwhhcBruwgweVFbcqyIsgj5KNDJnN9Cn1Bn81HzbWZncANgISBZfjac15wjxlHL9yWU2LG8OAOEM2hNmbjen7Sjesl5Ts/s400/P8101078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368593845570265378" border="0" /></a><br />I Have some great memories of Sam. Actually, I called him Sandy because of his color, but my older brother didn't like it and called him Sam and that stuck.<br />My Dad often called Sammy a "pot-licker". No - it wasn't kitchen pots he would lick - it was my Dad's pot belly. My Dad's one of those guys with the big gut who insists on going shirtless most of the summer. He'd sit in a lawn chair and Sam would come over and lick his belly, and Dad would laugh and call him a pot-licker.<br />Sam loved it at the lake. Somehow he knew exactly where the boundaries of our yard were. If us kids were over playing at a neighbors, Sam would be lying and waiting exactly at the property line. But if we were in the boat - forget the property lines! We'd go skiing and Sam would sprint from dock to dock along the lake chasing the boat and barking. One time he was racing to the end of our dock so fast he couldn't stop. He sat down and back-pedaled, but it was too slippery and went flying off the end of the dock! Man, I wish I had a video of that!<br />Sam got old and he got sick. One day when I was about 21 I came back to the cabin at the lake after teaching swimming lessons at the beach and found Sam had passed away while in one of his favorite spots - under the van. My younger brother Guy and I buried him at the back of the yard, both of us were crying like crazy the whole time we were digging. I really loved that dog.<br /><br />It was many years after that before I got a dog again. I forgot what having a dog was like. My in-laws had some terriers (again yappy little things) that I wasn't at all fond of. They didn't make me want a dog.<br />Then they got Lotus, a beautiful, sweet Australian shepherd. She made me want to get a dog again. Every time I visited, those big brown eyes reminded me of how much I love dogs. Also, my daughter Janelle had become obsessed with dogs and wanted to get a chocolate lab.<br />So, after much discussion and research, we looked around in Vancouver and found an organization called <a href="http://www.betterlifedogrescue.org/">a better life Dog Rescue</a>. There was a cute young pup on their web site we were interested in, but by the time we contacted them he'd already been adopted. But they had another dog who was a similar mix of border-collie and lab, very affectionate, etc. So we decided to meet this guy. Our first impression was - wow, he's huge! We had a small apartment, but knew we'd be moving to Creston, so that wasn't an issue. It didn't take long for this boy to start tugging at our heart strings. His name was Sam, so of course I had to change his name. there's only one Sam dog for me. So, he was River. River the giant cuddlebug!<br />I remember the first time I let him off leash at a secluded low-tide beach in Stanley park. He went crazy happy and starting turning 180s 4 feet in the air and racing around. I though "What have I got myself into!". But now that enthusiastic athleticism is just a joy to beyond. Though the high fences and sturdy kennels have been expensive! But that's another story. There's lots of other stories - I could go on and on about River.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObEBgA8LHUS5gO2A7U7UkgcytsR3Uc-KXRe033CaPiXqOj74G4jV-MNa7zLyWtXIUVvIorodA9Q4DlJOPPXs6_tOQeQ2t9BrH2yauu5Z53Kxd8AbD6qQ1y65UV-S6uNQW3PY3xCRdMsE/s1600-h/P8030973.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObEBgA8LHUS5gO2A7U7UkgcytsR3Uc-KXRe033CaPiXqOj74G4jV-MNa7zLyWtXIUVvIorodA9Q4DlJOPPXs6_tOQeQ2t9BrH2yauu5Z53Kxd8AbD6qQ1y65UV-S6uNQW3PY3xCRdMsE/s400/P8030973.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368599070061900386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />A few months later we had moved to the Creston area and we found River needed a friend. He has some serious separation anxiety issues. Plus, we just liked the idea of another dog. So, after lots of searching classifieds etc. we bought a puppy from a breeder in Kelowna. We named him Loch. He was the biggest of his litter. An Aussie Shepherd/border-collie cross and twice the normal size of either breed. But a fluffy little cutie and River took a liking to him right away. I remember the "really, we get to keep him" look on Rivers face when we brought the puppy in the car with us.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1mqZAn5RJExObhp4iJpfzWRYZbKKmcv3xtR53uyJEl_5E1rSHTv27_tXulsF9APmWoPPLmAs3vjsUV7BrsrnB2rp5SzEgNjBdYHGNxY8Y6err_3ChyphenhyphenV2bS1oTD9WiFlZpo2H2gfP7gE/s1600-h/lochpup2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1mqZAn5RJExObhp4iJpfzWRYZbKKmcv3xtR53uyJEl_5E1rSHTv27_tXulsF9APmWoPPLmAs3vjsUV7BrsrnB2rp5SzEgNjBdYHGNxY8Y6err_3ChyphenhyphenV2bS1oTD9WiFlZpo2H2gfP7gE/s400/lochpup2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368600172262394514" /></a><br />Loch is the first dog I've ever had from puppy-hood. Thankfully, we were camping the entire first summer so house training just sort of happened on its own later.<br />One of the cutest things Loch did (and sometimes still does) is grab on to Janelle's hand with his mouth very gently and take her for a walk. He never usually has any particular destination in mind - he just likes it I guess. For some reason only her, not Emma or Niqi or I.<br />Loch also gives the best hugs. If you're sitting he will put his front paws around your waist and his chest against your tummy.<br />He's also very empathic. Niqi often gets nerve pinches or other pains with her fibromyalgia. As soon as she says ouch (or rather "ow, ow, ow, ow, ow ow!) Loch comes running to her side to kiss her better. Sweet boy!<br /><br />River and Loch are now best buds and play together all the time and get along great. I love them both very very much and am so happy to be a dog owner again. I didn't realize until they came into my life how much I had been missing having a dog and not even knowing it. It's hard to describe just what it means to have these boys in my life. They offer a kind of companionship and uncomplicated emotional connection that is so different from human relationships.<br /><br />Here are a couple videos. Note these are Revver videos which means if you watch and click on ads, I get paid. So, please click on the ads if they at all interest you (no need to buy anything - just click). <br />First is a video of River and Loch playing with their favorite toy - a half deflated soccer ball. River climbs a tree!<br /><script src="http://flash.revver.com/player/1.0/player.js?mediaId:1838220;affiliateId:421258;backColor:#000000;frontColor:#ffffff;gradColor:#000000;width:480;height:392;shareUrl:revver;" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><br />Second is a short one of River watching the fish in the aquarium.<br /><script src="http://flash.revver.com/player/1.0/player.js?mediaId:1836604;affiliateId:421258;backColor:#000000;frontColor:#ffffff;gradColor:#000000;width:480;height:392;shareUrl:revver;" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><br />And I'll leave you with a recent photo of these two playing in the water.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifE0YqJyaUyfgFX-AazNiZpAWkQR9xGGRCRxTbrbcazsRDhvUbjkoVWSup4c8JNSwDWcESxcWqap_-XtPDRGrQTUfxJ6yYnhSfMX3qsP8wTF7DVHskjWUJZQlc3rQoXsHnkC48PXzA7Lc/s1600-h/P8030960.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifE0YqJyaUyfgFX-AazNiZpAWkQR9xGGRCRxTbrbcazsRDhvUbjkoVWSup4c8JNSwDWcESxcWqap_-XtPDRGrQTUfxJ6yYnhSfMX3qsP8wTF7DVHskjWUJZQlc3rQoXsHnkC48PXzA7Lc/s400/P8030960.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368603208621896242" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a target="_blank" href="http://stores.lulu.com/mzadragon"><img src="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_66/7556000/7556079/1/preview/promo_7556079.jpg"/>My first Children's book: Hal the Unwashed Dragon is available here!</a> Or email me at mzadragon@gmail.com if you'd like a signed copy.</div>Mzadragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799594314070262523noreply@blogger.com0