The Quest to Become a Better Writer

I want to become a better writer, and I have 2 years in which to get a good start. The thing is that I don't know how. How does one become a better writer? I surf through a large number of blogs everyday and they are all well written. This is part of the reason I read them. Someone could have great ideas, but if they don't know how to express them in a coherent structured manner, it becomes lost in the mess. I think this is what happens to me. I just sat down to write a bit about how Judas has been unfairly demonized for his part in the betrayal, and subsequent killing of Jesus. And how by vilifying the Jews for killing Jesus, people are missing the point. Jesus was SUPPOSED to be killed. It was part of the prophesy. And besides, how could he have been he ultimate sacrifice if he wasn't killed?

But I struggle to express myself with words. I have all of these ideas running around my head, but I don't have the words, or ability, to put them to paper (or screen).

My goal is to be back in school in 2 years and get my degree. I'd like to be a better writer by that point so I can focus on the other aspects of my schooling and not have to worry so much about my writing.

Jesus is my Friend

Best. Video. Ever. Period. :D
Seriously...it's friggin awesome. I can't find the music anywhere though. So I'm transcribing the bass line. Much to Jo's chagrin I'm sure. I think I've listened to it 100 times already. Enjoy.

Useless Associations

Sometimes it feels like I'm just starting to get up and I get kicked back down. Things have been going pretty well. As I said in my last post things are getting going with Mama Bean and her practice, and I'm enjoying work, and we are getting settled here in Winnipeg. Then Mama Bean gets a letter today saying that she has to pay a mandatory levy to the chiropractic association to help cover legal fees for some bullshit case against the chiro assoc. Now the whole suing chiropractors over stupid shit is a completely different rant for another day. Mama Bean became licensed as of Oct 1st so that she could find a job, and use the resources of the association to help her achieve that. It's now the middle of Nov and she isn't working. She isn't a practicing Chiropractor right now even though we paid over a thousand fucking dollars to get her licensed until the end of December. And I am fine with that. This is what we had to do to help her get a job and start practicing. The fees are a little exhorbant but whatever... Now another $500?!? Are you fucking kidding me? She isn't practicing. She isn't making any fucking money, and we have to pay another $500. Oh, and it's due in 2 weeks. Go sodomize a dead goat. Umm...excuse me? Yes you over there. You dumb fucks who think that all chiropractors are made of money. We don't have it. we can't just afford to give you guys another fucking $500. Oh, and come January, she'll owe them another 2 grand or so, give or take. lol, not give or take. Give. It won't be less than that.

I think there should be a disclaimer for chiropractic student prospects. **Warning: You will be charged exhorbant fees to practice and then they will randomly charge fees throughout the year.***"

Now don't get my wrong. Chiropractors are great. Stupid fees are not.

Progress

So Mama Bean is going to be starting a practice out of our house. Yay! She hasn't had much luck on the job front here, so we figure it's time to take charge and go ahead with doing it alone. She's a little scared, but also quite excited. We are going to turn our dining room into an exam room/office for her. We'll buy a table and get the room setup nicely for her. I'm excited for her. It'll be great for her to move ahead with her chiropractic career, get out of Starbucks and immerse herself in what she loves. Working as an associate in the clinic in Calgary really drained her and made her start to second guess her love for Chiropractic. I think this will help her find that love again and allow her to do things her way.
It won't be profitable enough for her to do just that to begin with, so we're thinking she'll get a part time job doing clerical stuff or something and have other hours set aside for clinic hours. It's an exciting step forward and one that I think will really pay off.
Right now she's working on getting all the specifics figured out like licensing, paperwork, etc... and I'm going to give her a hand getting a web presence.
Exciting!

Cutest. Little. Girl. Ever. (until I have one)

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

11/11/08

Today is Remembrance Day. A day to remember those that have fallen defending... lol... defending. Not our country. Even WWI, WWII, the Korean war, they werne't defending our country, they were helping defend other countries, and that is an honorable thing to do. Worth remembering. We remember them, and we remember and give thanks to those that didn't die on the battlefield, but came home with all the other scars that the participant in war receives. Serving maybe, but not defending.
We are also remembering, and thanking, those that have served since those wars. Those that serve in a Peacekeeping capacity; those that served, and are serving in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.
we show our support for the troops. The Army. The Navy. The Air Force. I have a number of friends stationed in various places serving our country. It's pretty cool. My little brother did it to. He put in his time in Afghanistan.
So I am thankful for those that serve, have served, and will serve.

My favorite poem as a kid:

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Prop 8 is bullshit

Ummm...what's going on? I thought we were moving forward, not backwards. We being society in general. What is this proposition 8 bullshit? Coming from a Christian background, I understand where conservative Christians are coming from, but I don't think that excuses inequality. Saying someone doesn't have access to the same benefits and rights that I have being a heterosexual male because they are homosexual is bigotry. Now I know it goes both ways, the tree-hugging hippy leftists are just as bad when it comes to slamming religion, as the bible misinterpreting right-wing nutjobs are when slamming anything that they think threatens to oppose their religious beliefs.

I understand that the religious right is upset because they think that allowing "the gays" to marry is defiling the sanctity of marriage; that marriage was set forth by God to be a sacred bond between man and woman. But didn't defiling the sanctity of marriage happen when 50% of married couples started divorcing?

And it goes both ways. There are ads on TV saying that same-sex marriage will bring ruin to our world, and there are ads showing religious people as psycho-nut jobs that are all intolerant and insensitive.

It's also upsetting that they group abortion rights into gay marriage rights. They have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with each other. There are so many news companies that are just clumping the two issues together in one story.

Now Proposition 8 is only affecting California law, but it will set a precedent that will sweep across the US.

So this whole Prop 8 bullshit pisses me off. It saddens me that the religious fanatics are sullying the love of Christianity with their hatred and mistrust. Not all Christians are against same-sex marriage and want to outlaw abortion. It doesn't make them any less of a Christian, or anymore likely to go to hell. It's what is in your heart people. It's the love for everyone, and your trust in Jesus. Why can't people understand this most simple of ideas?

Politics

So today is election day to the south of us. I know it doesn't directly affect us, but indirectly it does, and the thought of what is going on down there does still scare me. I'm quite divided when it comes to things of a political nature. I'm opposed to things like the Canadian Gun Registry, a fan of social programs, pro-choice, a strong supporter of our Armed Forces, not particularly patriotic, despiser of protesters, and the list goes on. So I sit on the fence when it comes to voting. But for today's election, it's a pretty clear choice. Vote for Obama. McCain is right-wing crackpot who will die half way through his term leaving the country to be run by...by...her.
So yeah, everyone has an opinion, I just don't get to vote with mine. So lets hope our neighbors to the south make the right decision.

I listen to the Christian radio station, which most people don't seem to understand, but I like the music. I despise Dr. Dobson and the bullshit that spews from his mouth, and the majority of the programming that is not of a musical nature, but during those times I have a whole lot of other radio stations to listen to. But as of late the ads have been getting increasingly disturbing. Like one about how there is no "missing link" because of the flood. And that the weight of the water over the entire earth caused a great amount of pressure skewing things like carbon dating making it an unreliable method to determine the age of something. And ads from the Christian Heritage Party going on about how the conservative government isn't conservative enough, and that if you really want a conservative government then you should vote for them. Seriously. This is the shit that comes out of my radio...and it makes me sad.