Massive Flooding Hits Duluth Minnesota

On June 19 and 20, the city of Duluth MN. received over 10 inches of rain in less than 36 hours. Yes, for those who don't know, that is a lot of rain. Streets are flooded -- some streets are simply missing -- businesses are closed, and the rivers have still not crested. Bridges are washed out, sewer overflow fills the streets, sinkholes the size of houses swallowed up automobiles, and all this warrants ten seconds on the ABC's World News Tonight.

What is it about Duluth MN that makes its 100 year flood disaster less special than a hot day in New York City in the summer? Guess what, it's New York City and it's summer -- it's going to be hot. What is unusual is 10 inches of rain and people canoeing down the STREETS of Duluth MN. Yes, canoeing is a north woods pass time, but most of our canoeing is done on lakes and rivers, not down the streets.

I get it. Duluth MN is "way up north" and most people think anywhere north of Chicago is somewhere off the face of the earth, but come on. 10 inches of rain in a day and half?

The moment someone sneezes in Dallas, or a drop of rain falls in St. Louis brings out news reporters from all directions. But Duluth is washed away like Pharoah crossing the Red Sea and it's "Oh by the way, there are floods in Duluth, now onto something important -- like the Royal Family"?

Yeah, the news media really has their priorities in order, don't they? Next they'll be reporting about how a comedian called the GOP apes while ignoring the fact that a major GOP members claims to have evidence that 80 Democratic members of Congress are Communists. Oh, right. Oops!

Vatican Shocker! Pope Betrayed!

Beginning in January of this year, a mysterious figure leaked "secret" Vatican documents along with personal letters to Italian news agencies. These documents reportedly contain vital information that exposes corruption within the Vatican and in particular the Vatican bank.  According to the New York Times, the documents also "included letters by an archbishop who was transferred to Washington after reporting what he saw as a web of corruption and cronyism, a memo that put a number of cardinals in a bad light and documents suggesting that there were internal conflicts about the Vatican Bank."

 Who was to blame for leaking these documents? Who was betraying the institution of the Church and the nation of Vatican City by shedding light on corruption? Who could be so callous and "un-Christian" as to think Vatican City and the Vatican bank should be held to financial accountability? Well this week we finally know whodunit -- the Pope's butler. That is right; the man who would dare to expose corruption was the butler. 

The Pope is said to be deeply "pained" by this act of betrayal and rightly so. I mean, the Pope's most trusted butler has done something unthinkable -- gone public.  I mean, the butler should have known better. It is much better to sweep problems under the rug than to expose them to the light of day. After all, what people don't know won't hurt them -- right? Who doesn't know this?  Apparently, the butler doesn't because he just had to stick his nose where it didn't belong. Why couldn't he be content to wait on the Pope hand in foot? Why couldn't he be content to fetch coffee for the Pope?

Wait a minute --  the itinerant preacher from Nazareth "has nowhere to lay His head" (Luke 9:58, NASB)  but his Vicar on earth has a butler? What's wrong with this picture?

Writing is a good addiction

For the past few days I've been writing like crazy. Every chance I get I'm writing something new. I think I'm addicted to writing which is probably a good addiction to have -- if one is going to have an addiction. It encourages one to reach beyond themselves and hopefully gives a bit of insight into a new world. Of course thinking outside the box is not something everyone appreciates but it is something I appreciate. And so I will continue to write and feed my addiction and maybe -- just maybe, some good will come of it.

My Interview is now online!

Just a reminder that my interview with Morgen Bailey's Writing blog is now online.

Interview on The Crazy Side of Orthodoxy this Sunday!

I recently did an interview with Morgen Bailey's Writing Blog (based in the UK). The interview covers a variety of topics on the art and craft of writing, the writing business in general, my experiences as a newly published author and of course we tackle The Crazy Side of Orthodoxy as well! I touch on a few topics about the Crazy Side which I've not really written about before so I think you just might find it interesting.

The interviews on Morgen's website appear in written form via a “blog interview” format and goes “live” on Sunday May 13^th.. So if you're a writer, like books, like The Crazy Side, and want to see what I'm up to now (just a few hints) check out the interview starting this Sunday.

Lesson number 1: SAVE YOUR WORK!!!!!

After spending about fifteen minutes writing my next blog post, guess what happened to me? The power went out. Guess where I was writing my piece? That's right, like a complete idiot I was writing in the Blogger "new post" box instead of in my word processor where I could actually save my work every couple of minutes.

I figured, "what's the big deal? It will only take me about 15 or 20 minutes to write this -- what could possibly happen in 15 minutes?" Murphy's law came back to bite me in the ass!

The funny thing is that when I write  I almost ALWAYS do so right in my word processor. I am obsessive about saving my work. In fact, I will literally click the save button every minute or two. (save) But today I had decided to just write a quick blog post right online. After all,  there are no storms. There is no wind. In fact, the sun is now coming out and it looks as if it's going to be a pretty nice day. But then, just as I was about to start my final paragraph -- without warning -- I hear that horrible power sucking sound that some of us are so familiar with, and the screen went dark! (save)

Why did the power go out? Well, I can't say for sure. After I confirmed that power was out everywhere I stepped outside and through the woods I could hear a big truck of some sort out on the road. (save) I guess they are doing line work today: for no apparently reason!

Funny thing is they waited until I was 90% writing and while it was only a short piece I actually had something to say!!!!! (save) But now all I can think about is how the power company obviously had conspired against me. Someone -- or something -- didn't want me to get my piece out there in the public eye. But this will not stop me! I will write that piece again. No question about that. I should be writing that piece right now, but I decided to wait until (save), I'm more prepared to fend off this subtle attack on my freedom of speech.

Well, okay maybe I really just wanted to remind MYSELF of one thing: SAVE YOUR FRELLING WORK MORON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Overcoming writer's block

I've just recently discovered a writing podcast called writing excuses. One of the hosts is fantasy author Brandon Sanderson. For those who don't know, Sanderson is the guy who is concluding the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. (Jordan passed away before concluding the series.) In other words, Sanderson is a big deal in the fantasy world.

The podcast is limited to roughly 15 minutes each and so far, I have to say that I LOVE it. I'm going through the season one podcasts at the moment. It is fun, witty, and very educational. You also get the impression that Sanderson and Co. are "regular joes" who really do want to help other people become successful writers.

Probably the most important piece of information from season one that I've gotten is how to overcome writer's block! This is the "big" question for anyone who ever writes -- whether for fun, for art, for work, for both or none of the above. Writer's block is the 900 pound gorilla in the room which we don't know how to get rid of. What is the advice that the hosts of Writing Excuses gives? BICHOK!!!!!!!!!!!

What the does THAT mean?

It means "Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard!"

In other words it means that if you have writer's block then you should WRITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So guess what -- I am taking their advice!

I don't always know what to write on this blog -- call it writer's block, call it whatever, but it ends today! I'm going to begin blogging at least twice a week. They may not always be "profound" articles they may not even be interesting to anyone but me -- but I'm going to write! After all, who am I to disagree with the likes of Brandon Sanderson who is managing to conclude the Wheel of Time series in a way which seems to make most Robert Jordan fans happy.

Is this profound? Probably not -- but then, I'm not that smart! (listen to the podcast and you'll get the joke!)