Writer's Corner

 

     I am on my backyard deck listening to the sounds of my city.  There is the roar of construction by the City and by contractors rebuilding houses to fit multiple units.  I think back to my cruise and the peacefulness of nature.  It is no wonder that it has been difficult to concentrate with writing.  I hear the warning sounds of vehicles moving backwards and nature has been blocked out.  I hear no birds.  Last night I had the same agent as last year try to come to my backyard but my beautiful friend began barking and off he went.   This time he left two cards with the same message.   I have important news from him.   I sent him an email this morning and spoke of trespassing and unethical behaviour the real estate board may be interested in and he has backed off.  It’s unfortunate that at times we have to threaten the law and regulators to keep what used to be a profession honest.  I still mourn the loss of my two paintings which disappeared with the staging.  

      Even though I haven’t done much writing, I renewed my gym registration where I pedal and read at the same time.  I debated joining another club to swim, but I don’t want to deal with parking.

     I have been doing a lot of thinking about the book I am writing at leisure and all I have to do.  You know what?  I don’t have to do anything on a schedule.   I can think all I want.  Since the conference and listening to everyone and attending webinars etc…..I have an image of half man and half computer spitting out volumes of books.  There are so many tips on how to write, but I know how to write.   I don’t know business except for all the cons out there and there are many.  I had one person claiming to be a policeman reach out on facebook saying he wanted to be friends.   Normally unless I meet the person, I reject them as friends.  Most are people I have worked with around the world.  But, this particular person claimed to be a police officer and writer and I suspect he is neither.  I told him I would check him out first.  He asked how I would do that and so strike, he is not police.   He sent me a chapter of his book which he was selling on Amazon and there is no way this person could write what he sent me.  He was selling a book, I am sure  completely generated by IA.  He never reached out to me again because he knew that I knew exactly what he is.  There are too many books out there now being sold and it is not by the person claiming to be an author.  At the conference a lot was about selling your books and maximizing your profits.   I am not good at that because I have always been in the service of others.  I am slow in that department because my focus is on writing stories.  There are about 6000 new books published each day and some are just awful.  I was thinking about my own writing and found myself telling someone that when I write it is like someone cooking who has done so for years.   I know the basics as I have been writing since I was a child.  You know what I mean all that stuff about nouns, verbs, structure, plot etc…..My passion for literature was a hobby an escape from the seriousness of other courses.  I loved creating stories and creative writing.  So,  I explained myself as similar to a home cook who knows what ingredients to use and sprinkle without the use of a cook book, one who uses a dash of this and an experimental test of that and manages a delicious dish.  This is what I do.  I use all of me to create a story which I may alter at any point or go into another direction or add a new character and there, I have my own master dish.   How do I get it out there?  I’ll let you know.

Theology Notes continues

 The Davidic Covenant (Interculteration of Sinai Desert > City

1. Rise and Fall of Saul (Islam 8-15)  
2. Rise of David (Johnathon) (16-23)
3. Jerusalem and David Covenant (Johnathon 25, 6-7) 

     Incalteration -  God of Moses and God of Sinai Covenant - semi nomadic life.  Covenant is one that is moveable.  It is on the move.  You cannot pin this down on God.  Whole institution of food gathering.  Is the God of the desert, who can intervene in history?  Is this God also the God of creation, this God who lead us out of Egypt, who helped us survive the desert, also the God of civilization.  Our God is also one who brings us into tension.  My last week’s question:  How can God demand life of sin?  To appreciate it, see how it can be used in other text- Principal.  Never read a text simply on its own.  Read other texts.  We can look at the text in the political view but it can be read in another.

to be continued with  In the Shadow of your Wings.

    

My Vacation - Trying to get there

 Well, I finally took my long necessary holiday.  So, this too shall be part of my blog.  It was expensive for a four night cruise including train fair (business) at $4000.00 from Toronto, or was it?  I thought that the taxi to and from the cruise was included but no it wasn’t and that was infuriating.  In Toronto people really try to please you and that did not happen, not even under the threat that I would not recommend the trip, nor take it ever again.  So here goes - my relaxing trip.

I had ordered the taxi from Beck (Beck is a long standing taxi company in Toronto and they are managed well by a woman married to a fire fighter.  That is all I take in Toronto and I recommend them).  The trip from my home to the station cost about $25.00 and I added a tip.  Once I boarded the train, I was on my own with the suitcase which I may refer as my brief case.  It is a Walmart, Air Canada special which usually suits me fine when I go anywhere by car.  However,  when I packed,  I had to be careful since it filled up fairly fast.  I only had room for one jacket, one set of spring clothes and the rest of the trip for hot weather.  My carry on cotton gym bag which I bought in Kenya, carried a thick Stephen King book which I never opened.  I left Toronto as it was going to warm up and entered Kingston knowing there would be a cool down.  My suitcase was too small to keep it where I usually do - in the luggage compartment.  I was informed by the female worker, that I had to keep it in the overhead compartment which for some reason, I couldn’t lift that high.  The female worker informed the passengers that they could not place the suitcases overhead for us because imagine their backs at the end of the day.  Well, my solution would be to make more baggage compartments - this is first class?  However, when I asked the male Via worker, there was no hesitation.  Thank you.  

     I don’t drink because of the sugar in it and my pharmacist taking a hissy fit if I do.  All I had was about three spoon full of wine at Christmas and that was enough to have him take a flip.  All free on the train and at meal times on the cruise, so they are making a deal on me.  The food was fine on the train.  I had a delightful elderly man from Montreal sitting beside me.  His mission to Toronto is top secret but I did find out that it was three times a year.  He was well dressed and looked like a professor, but in my experience professors love to talk.  He did not.  I focused on my coffee and the scenery and before I knew it, I was in Kingston (my shortest trip ever by VIA rail).  Now I had a new problem.  The elderly man’s tray had not been cleared and I was trying to leave the train.  He was taking his time, while I remarked that I did not want to end up in Montreal.  People were now boarding the train and when I finally manoeuvred around him (I had the window seat and I also had my seat changed for some reason) - no big deal.  I asked a tall handsome man if he could take my suitcase down for fear of dropping it on the elderly man’s head.  He provided a wonderful smile which lit up his face as well as mine, and gallantly performed the task for me.  At this point there were many people coming through and they suggested I go the other direction.  Since I had no choice, I did so to find out that there was no way out.  I returned when it cleared and looked at the VIA workers.  When I saw panic in their eyes,  I felt doomed.  I was going to Montreal and would miss my cruise.  They began talking on the walkie talkie while the female employee told me how sorry she was.  The male on the walkie talkie explained to her that I had been blocked from exiting.   To be continued.....

The Violence Project - notes continues

The reason  shooters leak information is because they want an intervention.

Insiders -  Physical security alone is not enough.

*****In crises - know the signs; crises intervention.  Suicidal:  Suicidal prevention, not punishment.  Leakage :  Reporting systems, relationships.  People get fired and come back to shoot as well as school suspensions.

Off ramp -  Resources of promoting on how to promote safety with one another.

FIRE ARMS:  The elephant in the room.  Second Constitution.  80% of shooters were getting them from family, home, friends and gifts.   If security/storage of firearms, then the shootings could have been prevented.  In the USA, there are 50,000 deaths a year.  A small portion are the shooters.

Violence is scripted in our (US) culture.  Mass shooters, study other mass shooters.  They get radicalized on line.  There is opportunity.

One who was bullied said, “I was almost a school shooter.  When you literally have nothing to lose, you can do anything and that thought is absolutely terrifying.”  One school mate invited him to his house and gave him pie.  No longer did he want to kill his classmates.

 

Question:  Why more prevalent in USA than other countries?  Longing for connection (Depths of despair), suicidal, alcohol/drugs.  The major contributor is able to get fire arms, but not only.

25% of shooters have a hallucination or delusion.  People with no power, wanting power.  There was a recent study of the military (US) 1/4 of mass shooters, 50 out of 200 have a military background and about 15 out of 50 had proficiency in marksman.  Must not stigmatize.  Transition of military to civilian life is a very difficulty transition.  In many cases, one is discharged from service because of mental illness or other problems.  There is a lack of resources for mental health care and not enough beds.  They need someone to check on them.  In one case, a caretaker who connected with a student prevented a shooting.  Even though they have a duty to report - key is what is going on afterwards.  Concluded.

     When we here in Toronto had a massive summer shooting downtown, I remember at a later conference that this particular shooter had problems with women, since they were not attracted to him.  The hospital here in Toronto received notes from the USA hospital where they had many patients who had died or were injured.  This meant so much for us in Toronto.  It is important that we recognize how this impacts everyone and how everyone involved needs support.  We need to support each other as neighbours during these tragedies.   

The Violence Project (notes)

When attending this conference there was a tragic shooting in Maine.  There was 16 seconds of silence for 16 killed.

     The speaker was from the Faculty of Michigan University.  The school is still traumatized.  The shooter had no connection to the university.  It was a random act of violence.  Today he also had an email from a student at the time.  He is still having PTSD.

     How to stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic,  A book cronicles -    The Violence Project.  How to stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic by Jillian Peterson, PH.D. and James Densley, PhD

theviolenceproject.org

     Jillian used to work on death row.  They wrote to prisoners and some wrote back, wanting to know their life before the shootings.   Also interviewed were people who knew the shooters, first responders etc... Mass shootings today are more violent and frequent than any other time in history, nearly six times every year.  

     Who are the Mass shooters?  Average age is mid thirties.  Clusters in age in 20's and 40's are transitional points in life.  Crisis point is pivital.  Certain locations tend to age.

Race and Ethnicity 

     White men are majority.  White men are under representative,  black over representative.  Work shooters - usually people of colour.  Latin communities - very close to families, which is why not as many shooters.

1.  Shooters are insiders - 30% work shooters.  

     Insiders - make it easier to prevent.  We can identify the warning signs.

2.  Shooters are in crisis - Total 80%  (oopsie)

Families of Shooters:

1.  abusive, neglectful - a lot of childhood trauma.  Often parents have their own MI issues.

2.  Parents knew something was wrong but didn't know how to help or connect son to resources.  Shame-afterwards.

3.  Parents know something is wrong and son is in crisis and then actually buy a gun as a gift.  Thus a court case of having responsibility.

Shooters are actively suicidal.  31% prior to attack,  40% during attack; 59% died at scene.

To reporter, "I hate MOndays."  To commissioner - wanted to be shot dead by police - tried suicide attempt but failed.

One sister reported that her brother went from what's wrong with me to blaming others.

School -  pick someone from school.

blame religion.

*****Key Point of intervention - 50% leaked their plans ahead of time.  25% studied others, left legacy token.  Usually a criminal charge and usually a felony.  Usually charged, even children.

     I am going to continue this next week.  I want to finish this before moving to another topic.  I am also going to take some R+R by spending time in the sun which just came back slowly and reading a Stephen King book.  I shall talk more next week.  In the meantime, balance your life with work and fun etc....Try a new hobby, spend time in nature, sing and dance and try something new.  Good talk.

Recommending this little Middle Eastern eatery www.orfuswrapgrill.com

https://maps.app.goo.gl/xPBet6ekwHMF2cMy6 

Theology notes continues

      Berit Covenant -  Dominant -  Relationship between God and Humanity.

Gifts/Tasks -  The weight of the Sinai Desert (I was there for six months which is detailed in my book: For Love of Country - Military Policewoman) is the task.  Sometimes you need to rest.  Even God did it (on the 7th day).  There is always an interplay of gift and task.  

Descendants and Land -  two big issues.  This is a way people are blessed.

Already in Genealogy - Sarah is barren.  

     How is the one reject, treated by God?  A whole theme here.  Why is one chosen?  You are not chosen for yourself.  You are chosen for others.  This theme is worth noticing.  There are not too many women who speak to God.  Sarah does.

Abraham promised third blessing.  Abrahamics promise is not only

for Israel but for all humanity.  These promises, are they not basic for survival?  There is a fear that if a tribe is not strong enough, it can be taken over.  A deep longing and value.  Wells are important.  That is where men find wives and Jesus speaks.  What is land if it is not a source for others (and other things as well).  Abraham is the descendants of three fathers - Kslam, Jews and Christians.

Sarah is barren.  Land is barren.  All they have is the promise.  God comes to Abraham in a dream - “Do not be afraid.  Your rewards will be very great.”  Abraham objects.  Noah was given a task to build an ark.

“Your ancestors shall be aliens in a land for 400 years.  As for yourself - this is the deep sleep or darkness…”  On that day, the Lord made a covenant, a berit.  Jeremiah 34.  Notice ritual.  Covenant usually had a ritual of what would if not.

Assignment:  God appears to Hagar two times to return to Sarah, “and  be obedient to her.