Honestly, I thought Monday was the 10th when I wrote the last post. My life has already gone full metal Santa, and skills with calendars are out the window on the blog.
Tomorrow we have the big Marine Birthday Bash Blowout with guest blogger Jason Ladd. You know, free stuff, good story, etc?
I feel more stupid than usual messing up that date.
Somewhere, in Heaven, my dad is being abused by his fellow Marines that his oldest son blew the date by 24 hours.
I had the date right, just not the day of the week.
Sailors: screwing stuff up since forever. After all, why do you think Jesus had to walk out to the boat? That’s right, the crew left him on shore and couldn’t hack it without the skipper.
Nothing changes.
Stop back tomorrow for free stuff! But since you’re already here, you can click this link and go buy his book today. (If you can exhibit more self-control than me, wait for tomorrow for it to launch and then get it free!)
That’s it. But there’s free stuff to be had. Yes, valued goods in celebration of his book launch.
Now, seriously, does it get better than the annual Marine Corps Brawl (well, some of them turn out that way) and Birthday celebration combined with free stuff?
First round on Msgt. Dusty. If she’s reading.
Join me in celebrating the finest Naval Infantry (and I seriously mean that as a compliment) in the world. I’d stand side by side with the Marines anywhere. I’ve been there and done that with my brothers and sisters in the Corps.
None finer.
Stop by Monday and see just how much loot you can abscond with.
I’m sure you’re aware of the old expression “When it rains, it pours.” If not, that’s been my day for the last 48 hours. I have not taken so many phone calls, and had so many urgent emails in years.
I know better than to whine about having too many jobs offered to me. I am truly blessed to have four streams of income. I’m not rich, but God periodically turns on the faucet and floods the room with blessings.
I have successfully fended off several offers of work, and succumbed to four others in the last 48 hours. I am in the process of evaluating/being evaluated for several more. In each and every case it’s been an unexpected bonanza.
I realize others are struggling in this economy. I’d love to say it was all an overnight wonder, and that I don’t deserve any of it at all. But that’s not the case. I have legitimate first world problems.
I keep my contacts open with agencies for whom I do commercial work. I go where I’m told and do what’s asked of me most of the time. I’m on time, I’m early, I’m in costume/wardrobe/makeup, and I know my lines. My personal appearances as Santa have built a solid reputation for many years. My writing is now about to pay off (more on that very soon, I hope) and I have actually made some money as an author – yes, I’ll be asking you to buy something very soon. Just waiting for the publisher to release the contents of their December output.
But it makes me a bit crazy at the same time. November 4th is really early to be wound around the Santa axle. I took several calls on the old fat guy’s behalf today. Some were job related, some coaching to a new Santa, and one was advice to a person in search of a Santa. I helped all of them in some way, and probably will book a visit with the business that called with questions about hiring a Santa. Instead they wound up with a lesson in planning a Santa event – for free. I’ll probably get the job.
Combine that with a sequel that’s due at the end of this month (I’m forcing myself to do it during Nanowrimo) and computer problems, internet issues (Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to wipe out your wireless network by doing that, Sir) and general stuff like laundry, shopping, home repairs, winterizing the house and patio, and you have a raging psychotic mess on your hands by 1800. I will be in bed by 2130 tonight (writing this the day before) and glad for the chance to rest.
If the winning streak continues, Stormy will jump on the bed and snuggle up again tonight. First time ever was last night. Hopped on the bed at 1:30 and stayed all night. I cannot tell you what bliss that was for me. I woke up several times and thought it was my old guy, Edzell. The two of them have similar coats, and it was so darned nice to have a dog curled up with me. Even though I get the tail in my face. Strangely, her butt matches my beard.
Well and good. I feel better just recounting a bit of the madness today. Tomorrow it’s auditions, real job, more writing, further adventures in laundry, Yellow Jacket venom injections, and whatever else God chooses to throw at me in the course of events.
In the meantime, I leave you with Don Novello doing Santa’s Lament. I love this video. Be blessed, pray for me not to blow a fuse too early in the season, and thank you for reading.
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I have a favor to ask of my readers: would you kindly share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues? We hit a million views in 2014, and while the readership continues a nice growth trend, it could be a lot better. Just hit the Facebook like button, share it on your timeline, tweet the blog with a link, and tell that person at the next desk that there’s this lunatic who writes about all sorts of stuff that they might like.
I appreciate your help. When we hit 2,000,000 readers I will give away something cool to a drawing from the subscribers (that’s the box on the right toward the top) who have helped promote this mess. No used sheets, probably not honey, more likely gift cards. Be a part of it. I’ll update from time to time where we’re at in the count. Thanks.
I celebrated a big event that we’ll talk about soon by helping serve lunch to the Good Neighbor Meal participants. Our guests come from a wide variety of backgrounds, as do our volunteers. Today I’m going with a blog that is mainly photos. Because if you are looking at the photos, you will see that our nation is not as badly damaged in the race relations department as some would like us to believe.
I’ll put it simply: we had just about every ethnic group represented today in the serving line. Strangely enough, nobody once mentioned race. But gravy, chicken, green beans, smiling guests, pots and pans, and God’s love and our need to serve were all topics.
I am so proud to know these people, and to be associated with them in these good acts, that I sometimes tremble a bit.
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I have a favor to ask of my readers: would you kindly share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues? We hit a million views in 2014, and while the readership continues a nice growth trend, it could be a lot better. Just hit the Facebook like button, share it on your timeline, tweet the blog with a link, and tell that person at the next desk that there’s this lunatic who writes about all sorts of stuff that they might like.
I appreciate your help. When we hit 2,000,000 readers I will give away something cool to a drawing from the subscribers (that’s the box on the right toward the top) who have helped promote this mess. No used sheets, probably not honey, more likely gift cards. Be a part of it. I’ll update from time to time where we’re at in the count. Thanks.
My friends and colleagues, I come to you in search of prayer this evening.
My dear friend Larry’s daughter, Jayne, has been diagnosed with cancer in the last 36 hours.
I am humbly asking all of you to pray as hard as you can. Engage your friends to pray. Please spread the word. Tweet it, Facebook it, blog it, ask your church to aim healing prayers at her and her family.
She is a dear girl whom I have met and love as a niece.
Thank you in advance for lifting her up in prayer.
