Bobbing Around

 

*About Bobbing Around   subscribe/unsubscribe.   guidelines for contributions *Australian Democrats *Conservation   'Is hydrogen a fuel?' by Joel Meadows.   Sue Loudon in energy conservation.   Jim Green on safe nuclear power. *Will Greenway on Description *What is Poetry? Cheryl O'Brien's response *Fighting Influenza *People come into your life for a REASON, a SEASON, or a LIFETIME, sent by Elaine *4 Tolteic rules for a good life. *On becoming a psychologist *Australian Online Bookshop *Announcements   Robert Cales about Devil Glass   Audio course for writers   Joyce Faulkner's book receives an award   Buying golf equipment, by Mark Wilson   Call for submissions to new anthology *Always a FREE contest here   Easter Contest. *In Honored Memory from James Choron *Re-valuation, a poem by Laurie Corzett *Review   'Climate Change: Turning up the heat' by Barrie Pittock    I am responsible for anything I have written. However, where I reproduce contributions from other people, I do not necessarily endorse their opinions. I may or may not agree with them, but give them the courtesy of a forum.    Bobbing Around is COPYRIGHTED. No part of it may be reproduced in any form, at any venue, without the express permission of the publisher (ME!) and the author if that is another person. You may forward the entire magazine to anyone else.

Readers write: Darrell Bain    As usual, an interesting newsletter. And as usual, don't agree with all the articles, but find them very interesting. Darrell Bain -- Fictionwise 2005 Author Of The Year! Author of The Melanin Apocalypse, Savage Survival, Alien Infection, Strange Valley, Doggie Biscuit!, Medics Wild!, Hotline To Heaven, The Pet Plague, The Disappearing Girls, Life On Santa Claus Lane, and others. See all his books at http://www.darrellbain.com/. Judith Musick    Judith posted the following comment in my guestbook at Bookswelove.net: SLEEPER AWAKE IS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE I'VE EVER READ IN 60 YEARS! Mona Freeperson    Hi, Bob. I just read your story "Chicken" after reading "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime" and wanted to tell you that "Chicken" fell into my life at an appropos time when I have gotten myself overwrought about my job - Will I leave on my own or get fired, or neither - just stay there like a mass of feathers! With your stories and your website, you have given me some needed laughs, mostly at myself, on a dreary gray day in eastern North Carolina. Thank you. I will continue to visit your website. You have encouraged me to continue with my own writing. I like the way you write your stories with no fuss and bother; tell the story and move on.

Australian Democrats

The Australian Democrats is the small political party that held the balance of power in the Senate for many years. They have used this wisely, by forcing the government of the day to consider environmental, humanitarian and equity issues when framing policy. Unfortunately, as part of the give-and-take in achieving such aims, the Democrats allowed the so-called Liberal government to institue a tax everyone hates. Strangely, the public has blamed the Democrats, who have lost heavily in the past two elections, while the Liberals, whose tax it is, have gained. Here is a very important announcement by this group of dedicated idealists.

   Following the recent South Australian election and negative media coverage, the Australian Democrats National executive have reviewed the party's strategic direction. After considering a range of options National Executive unanimously decided that the Democrats are not prepared, for the sake of political expediency, to compromise on our core values and principles. Instead we believe a strong and loud progressive voice is needed in Australia now more than ever before.

   The Democrats have always, and are determined to continue, to stand up for truth and accountability, social justice, sustainability and the public good. Through the introduction of ideas and successful negotiations with Governments of the day the Australian Democrats have contributed to Australia's Economic success, achieved wins for the environment, and ensured fairness and balance.

   We acknowledge that the political landscape has changed, but rather than lie down and die like our opposition and our critics want, we are going to fight harder, with more confidence, determination and pride. We have always been more than just our parliamentary representatives and will actively recruit more people to engage in politics for a better Australia. We will work even more closely with local branches, community organizations, and the public to ensure that we stay focused on the issues that really matter to voters in line with our own party's values and principles. Australia needs a progressive sensible party like the Democrats -- we are going to deliver.

Dr Nina Burridge
National President

Conservation

Is hydrogen a fuel?
Energy conservation
Jim Green on safe nuclear power

Is hydrogen a fuel?
by Joel Meadows

   Firstly, hydrogen is not an energy source.

   I know this has been said before, but it is the key problem that hydrogen apologists haven't convinced me can be overcome. There are no pure hydrogen deposits in the ground or in the atmosphere that can be tapped or mined. Hydrogen can be obtained in a concentrated form by a few methods, but all of these require energy to be expended in the process, more than you can get out of the hydrogen at the end. In other words hydrogen can be used to store energy, but like batteries is not a producer of energy. Imagine someone telling you excitedly that they had discovered a new clean form of energy only to find them producing a packet of Energiser AA batteries. This is the hydrogen myth in a nutshell. Have a look at Tim Flannery's hatchet job on the hydrogen economy at the end of his recent book The Weather Makers. I think he hits the nail right on the head. It is not that there will never be hydrogen cars (there already are) or that we won't go a fair way down the hydrogen road, it's just that to build and maintain a system where hydrogen becomes the main source of transport fuel would require more energy than we are currently consuming, and would produce more greenhouse pollution than we currently produce.

   Secondly, hydrogen is most likely to be produced using coal fired or nuclear power.

   Those who promote hydrogen as a green fuel option often sell it on the basis that we can generate the hydrogen from solar, wind or hydro. This is true, but we can also generate electricity from these 'renewable' sources, but on the whole we don't. 'Renewables' (not everything that is dubbed renewable is, many don't stand up to rigorous energy analysis) make up only a fraction of our current power consumption. Why would hydrogen change that? There may be a few useful applications for hydrogen in renewables as a 'battery' at source, e.g., If a wind farm also produces a small amount of hydrogen it can then use that hydrogen to produce electricity when the wind is not blowing, making the farm a better candidate for base-line electricity generation (What coal does for us at the moment), but even this scenario has some wishful thinking in it.

   Unfortunately, the most likely partner for hydrogen generation is coal or nuclear power. In this scenario, as oil production starts to fall, the gap in transport fuels could be met by hydrogen made from our abundant coal or uranium reserves (or at least that is what the plan is). There are so many reasons why this would be a shocking gift to leave our grandchildren. Coal fired electricity is dirty and inefficient, add the inefficiency of converting that electricity into hydrogen and you have a fuel that would probably have 5%-10% of the energy left from the energy potential of the original coal. So just at the time we need to reduce our greenhouse pollution, our transport sector would be increasing greenhouse pollution by 10 fold or more. Sure, the vehicles themselves would burn clean and only emit water, but the embodied energy of that fuel has to be accounted for back at the power station vent stack. As for nuclear, there is a separate essay to be written on the pitfalls and problems of nuclear power and its inseparable friend nuclear weapons. But I'm sure there would be a certain amount of recoil from green types if they realised that hydrogen is shaping up to be nuclear's transport fuel offsider.

   Thirdly, hydrogen is volatile.

   There is a lot of argument and counter argument over this issue. Suffice it to say there are considerable technological developments and massive infrastructure spending (that is energy spending) to be made before we can even get close to a substitute for our oil/petrol/LPG/diesel system. Are we prepared to invest a huge amount of fossil fuel in a potentially unviable system just as we start the oil decline? I can think of quite a few better roads to go down.

   Fourthly, do we want to have millions of cars speeding round the world? Mostly I see people grasping on to hydrogen as the saviour of the personal mobility system we have invented for ourselves, namely cars and trucks on a huge network of roads and freeways. It worries me that we might want to rescue this legacy of 20th century energy squander and hubris.

   Cars do so much more than pollute the atmosphere. Cars make us lazy, make us ignorant of our bioregion, carve up communities with busy roads and eat up places to play and grow things. None of these things go away with a car running on hydrogen, or batteries, or biodiesel, or home fermented alcohol. As we drive over the hump of peak oil and start our downward journey, what a time to re-imagine what we might create for ourselves rather than clinging on to the worst bits of the crumbling empire.

Joel Meadows

e.con: the good news
by Sue Loudon

   Let me tell you about E.Con.!! No, not the Nigerian banking scam, but energy conservation. Every man and the proverbial canine knows we have to get down and dirty to save the planet (and ourselves) from certain destruction 'cause of global warming -- or do we? Do we need to go all primitive and give up the good things in life? Let's try another question.

   How many environmentalists does it take to change a light bulb?... haven't got enough fingers and toes I'm afraid! By the time we consider type of light(conventional, fluro, compact fluro, lcd,) embedded energy (manufacturing, transport, materials), energy source (coal,wind,solar,etc) peak load (who's got what switched on when) it's faster to light a candle... embedded energy?)

   No wonder it leads to the "too hard basket" (plus sleepless nights plagued by visions of hellfire for the guilt ridden Irish Catholics amongst us). So ease up on the grey matter and try:

Sue's Definitive Guide to Easy E.con:

Walk or WalK or WALK -- or use public transport/bike/carpool. www.pedalaustralia.org.au is fantastic -- highly recommend.

Minimise consumption -- Do you really NEED it, will something else do, can you borrow or share it ? On the rare occassion the dog gets a bath we fill up the chook food bin for her (no correspondance re animal health/hygiene thanks), and our old BBQ and rubbish bin lid is now the bird bath. Check out street clearances/op shops/ the tip/EBay or www.freecycle.org. Buy new as a LAST RESORT and BUY LOCAL.

Honey, I shrunk the living room! -- Yep, the most BASIX way to reduce energy and water consumption in housing is to BUILD A SMALLER HOUSE guys. Fewer initial materials, transport, land,plus ongoing savings. Use recycled/renewable low energy inputs and if you already live in a Mansion, share it.

Eat fresh local food, and less meat. Meat production ties up land, is very inefficient because food is first grown and transported to feed the meat we use as food (?), uses heaps of energy and water and often mistreats animals :(

Switch it off -- always, at the power point. It's odd really, but often even when you turn stuff off it's not always off. So, when does "Off" mean "Off"? When you turn the power point off! Compare the energy consumption of your appliances try http://search.energyrating.gov.au/.

   That's how easy it is. Have a great "low energy" day ;)

Six easy steps to safe nuclear power

by Jim Green

   The 20th of April is the 20th anniversary of Chernobyl. Here are six things Jim tells us the nuclear industry has learned:

1) Acknowledge immediate deaths that were undoubtedly caused by the nuclear accident. Ignore long-term deaths from exposure to lower levels of radiation. For example, immediate deaths from Chernobyl were about 50, credible estimates of long-term deaths range from thousands to tens of thousands.

2) Consider nuclear power reactor accidents and ignore the impacts of accidents across the nuclear fuel cycle, e.g. serious and sometimes fatal accidents at uranium mines, uranium enrichment plants, reprocessing plants etc.

3) Fudging the science. For example, studies of the death toll from Chernobyl necessarily rely on statistical/epidemiological studies, and even epidemiology is a fairly blunt instrument because of the 'statistical noise' in the form of widepsread cancer incidence from many causes. Another way to estimate the death toll is to multiply the estimated total human radiation exposure from Chernobyl by a standard risk estimate. This is totally legitimate though, of course, no better than the underlying estimates. Using a standard risk estimate from the International Commission on Radiological Protection (0.04 cancer deaths per person-Sievert) and the International Atomic Energy Agency's estimate of total exposure (600,000 person-Sieverts) gives an estimated 24,000 cancer deaths from Chernobyl. By contrast, nuclear apologists ignore altogether these long-term predicted deaths.

4) Ignore the greatest danger of nuclear power, a problem that is unique among energy sources -- its direct and repeatedly-demonstrated connection to the production of nuclear weapons.

5) Make wild claims about the safety of 'new generation' reactors. Impossible to prove or disprove these claims, since the new reactors exist only as designs on paper. One cynic from within the nuclear industry has quipped that "the paper-moderated, ink-cooled reactor is the safest of all."

6) And, among many other ways to 'prove' the safety of the nuclear industry, claim that a nuclear accident did not effect any member of the 'community' or the public ... without mentioning that a number of nuclear industry workers were harmed or killed. (For example, the Lucas Heights nuclear agency ANSTO pretends that no research reactor accident has ever harmed a member of the surrounding community ... which is a cute way of avoiding mention of five or six fatal research reactor accidents.)

   Dr. Jim Green is the national nuclear campaigner for the Australian Friends of the Earth and author of Nuclear Power: No Solution to Climate Change.

Will Greenway on Description

Part I

   Recently, Will posted an excellent description -- of the use of description in writing. It was so good that I asked to reproduce it, despite its length. I have divided it into two. The second half will come in the next issue.

   Without further ado I will elucidate what makes for a good description:

1. It does not stop the story -- In other words, the narrative isn't sitting around tapping its foot while the narrator digresses about this and that in the process of describing whatever it is we're trying to make the reader visualize. This is probably the single most important feature of good description -- that it is integrated with and in synch with the rest of narrative. This does not automatically mean the description is short -- it simply means that the description does its job and moves on without additional unnecessary fanfare.

2. It is evocative and visceral -- An effective description will engage at both an intellectual and physical level. Not only will in set in mind the visuals, it will communicate what it feels, smells, and sounds like; taste too if appropriate. Specifically, the description should channel through the viewpoint character, NOT THE AUTHOR. When you (the author) are writing it, YOU should be imagining what you would sense/feel and transpose that on the viewpoint character adjusting for their perceptions and understanding of the world.

3. It should be integrated with character -- This is really an extension of item 2. Stories are about people and from the viewpoint of people. Therefore descriptions should be THROUGH the viewpoint of whoever is currently narrating. Omniscient narrators don't feel emotions or have sensory registers, therefore they make the weakest, most distant camera lenses through which to view your story. Avoid their use altogether if you can. Additionally, the best descriptions of the world tell us something about the character viewing them, revealing something about their personality.

4. It should be dynamic rather than static -- Descriptions should be sneaky if possible and integrated with what the characters are doing. Instead of describing the verdant green hills with their tall trees, describe the characters picking through the trees, the long green grass lapping at their feet and filling the air with the musky scent of vegetation. One description is like a painting on the wall, the other is like being IN the painting.

5. It should set the tone -- Description should strive to set/mesh with the emotional tone of the story. If the mood is dark and somber then the details, colors, and word choices should be too.

   So, the quick summary, effective description:

1. Is indistinguishable from the rest of the narrative

2. Is evocative and visceral

3. Is through a character viewpoint

4. Is dynamic

5. Is reflective of the story's current mood and tone.

THE KNACK OF DESCRIPTION

   Description is a means to an end-not an end in itself. The descriptions are there to bridge the gap between you the writer and your audience. Too much description and the story bogs down-too little and the story seems empty and flat.

   A rule of thumb is that every new scene should have some setting details, even if it's a place the reader has seen before -- if it's a third or fourth viewing, the onus is on the writer to provide new details that are still relevant. The same goes for characters. Reinforcement is key. It's okay to remind us once in a while that Beatrice has flame-red hair, or that Hugh has cold "dead" eyes. They are tags that separate and identify those characters.

   An immersive story revolves around a strong sense of place. Not only that, but a strong sense of being in that place. If it's hot, cold, wet, dry. these are all details we should know. Is it loud, does it stink? Any sensory detail that helps the reader walk a mile in the viewpoint character's shoes. The reader should be frequently "pinged" with this information, reminding us of the viewer's physical and emotional registers in response to his/her changing environment.

   Each scene should have a descriptive agenda:

1. Intro -- Establish where the events are occurring

2. Physical/Emotional Status -- How are the characters feeling physically and emotionally.

3. Time/Place -- Capture and coordinate any changes in time/place that happen in the course of the scene

4. Relevant magnifying character details -- Introduce new or changing character details

5. Environmental Changes -- Introduce new or changing environmental details

6. Transitional Coordination -- Provide a descriptive/narrative bridge between the current scene and the next.

   Whenever composing a scene, look for the above elements to see if the scene is truly complete.

   Description is a writer's bread and butter, it is the framework upon which stories are built. The efficiency and immersiveness of the description are highlights that can carry an otherwise weak story, and make a strong story into a page turning masterpiece. Describe, my friends, and describe well...

In the next issue, Will is going to tell you about the five most common ways of presenting description, and illustrate each.

What is Poetry?

Cheryl O'Brien's response

In the last issue, I had a rave about poetry, saying that I saw little or no difference from prose. Here is a response from frequent contributor Cheryl O'Brien.

Hi Bob,

   I would like to respond to your article "What is Poetry".

   I am a real poet. I do not sneer at rhymes. I enjoy the challenge of finding intelligent and sensible rhymes.

   I sometimes wonder if those who do sneer at rhyming poetry are those who do not have the skill to create intelligent and sensible rhymes and so they cop out by claiming that rhyming is 'childish', 'unnecessary', or other such excuses.

   I do write poetry that does not rhyme and when I do I challenge myself to write poetry that is strong, has good rhythm, and intelligent.

   There are times I write a poem to tell a story, make a point, or express my feelings. There are also times I write poetry as an intellectual exercise or to explore a theme that interests me. I write poetry for al kinds of reasons.

   I would like to point out that Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson were both excellent bush poets whom I admire, but not just for the rough and tough yarns of the bush but also for their understanding and ability to express all kinds of human feelings.

   Their mutual respect and senses of humour were evident in their legendary battle of verse which was played out in the Bulletin newspaper.

   Here is Henry Lawson's poem, The Water-Lily, which illustrates a more tender side to his writing. He effectively uses variation in line length to add drama and emotion to his words. The soft feminine images are far removed from the rougher verses he is more usually reknowned for.

   Whether this poem is rhyming or not, it is clearly a well thought out and the gentle rhythm matches well the theme.

The Water-Lily

A lonely young wife
In her dreaming discerns
A lily-decked pool
With a border of ferns,
And a beautiful child,
With butterfly wings,
Trips down to the edge of the water and sings:
"Come, mamma! Come!
Quick follow me!
Step out on the leaves of the water-lily!"

And the lonely young wife,
Her heart beating wild,
Cries, "Wait till I come,
Till I reach you, my child!"
But the beautiful child
With butterfly wings
Steps out on the leaves of the lily and sings:
"Come, mamma! Come!
Quick! Follow me!
And step on the leaves of the water-lily!"

And the wife in her dreaming
Steps out on the stream,
But the lily leaves sink
And she wakes from her dream.
Ah, the waking is sad,
For the tears that it brings,
And she knows 'tis her dead baby's spirit that sings:
"Come, mamma! Come!
Quick! Follow me!
Step out on the leaves of the water-lily!"

   Here are two of my own poems, one with rhyming and one without. I think it is not just the length of the lines or rhyming patterns that sets poetry aside from prose.

Almanac of Ache

The box sits where it always sat
In a half open drawer by my bed
I dare not touch it
Dare not stare
That box is my almanac of ache.

Pretty cards, precious stones
Photographs of laughter
A coaster from the pub
Reminders of loss
Fill my almanac of ache.

It used to be my treasure chest

A box of love and joy

It used to be my heart

It used to be

It is but a coffin for my happiness.

Mountain Love

The great swaying gums at sunrise
Dawn breaking as curlews call
Towering cliffs, hidden caves
Soft Summer rain like dewfall
Banksia men marching down the hill
Multicoloured parrots swirling high
Golden wattles glowing in the sun
Soft gentle clouds dancing in the sky
Wallabies and wombats passing time
Eagles gracefully soaring high above
Crisp white Winter mornings
This to me is mountain love

   And here is the article which I wrote some time ago entitled "What is Poetry?"

   I think that there is no one single thought sentence or even paragraph that can define what a poem is. Poetry is multi-levelled, multi-defined and multi-flavoured. There is a kind of poetry for every writer and a kind of poetry for every reader.

   If a person who had never met poetry came across Haiku they would say poetry is descriptive, exact, succinct. Another person not having any experience of poetry that happened upon the epics would say poetry is a rhythmical and very long form of writing, often rhymed and metrical. If those two persons should meet, each believing they 'know' what poetry is undoubtedly a conversation about poetry would have each believing that they were arguing with a fool! And both would be right!

   After years of looking at many forms of poetry and enjoying the challenge of attempting to write in as many styles as I meet along my literary path, I can say this about poetry. Poetry is: rhymed, unrhymed, alliterated, unalliterated, exact in the number of syllables, inexact in the number of syllables, precise in the length of each line, imprecise in the length of lines, rhythmical, unrhythmic, metred, unmetred, black and white, grey, flowery, romantic, realistic, comical, theatrical, ordinary, dramatic, honest, dishonest, cold, warm, hot, thin, slippery, reminiscent, onomatopoeic, bland, bright, long, short, modern, concrete, post-modern, historical, ancient, futuristic and much much more.

   A poem is a piece of writing that is NOT prose. It usually can be described by using several terms from the above list. Each poem or group of poems would be described differently. I have written Haiku, Limerick, Free Verse, Acrostic, Clerihew, Ballad and... can't remember them all off the top of my head, but others too.

   I feel that a poem should be crafted with care by the poet -- careful selection of words and phrases, careful choice of shape and length and style. A poem should reflect the craft of the poet, not the poet themselves. A poem should project the idea, thought or image that the poet wants it to project upon the screen of the reader's mind. If the reader 'doesn't get it' that is not the reader's error but rather the poet's. The poet must wield the tools of his trade as carefully as Michaelangelo wielded a brush and a brain surgeon his scalpel. So perhaps a poem can better be defined by the work of the craftsperson who creates it.

   A poem is an imaginative piece of writing. The careful use of words, sounds and phrases and an attention to the details of the appearance and presentation of each unit, individually, in groups and in the poem as a whole sets the poem apart from its cousin prose. Poetry has no obvious practical use unlike its cousin prose, rather it is decorative, reflective, creative and crafted in any one of a myriad of styles. When read aloud poetry has a quality that is reminiscent of music and song, both of which have many levels and styles of their own.

Thank you Cheryl. I think you have proved my point. I can say exactly the same things about prose that speaks to the heart. :)

Fighting Influenza

   Beth Kilgour is a fellow psychologist. If she finds herself with a scratchy throat or a runny nose, she firmly tells herself upon going to bed that it will be gone by the morning -- and it is, every time.

   Of course, there is a vital ingredient. Beth utterly and completely believes this. Because she does, it comes true. If she ever had the slightest doubt she'd risk failure. And if she disbelieved it, the technique would be guaranteed to fail.

   I can't do it Beth's way. I need a crutch to develop the same thing.

   First, I go into a deep meditative trance. Actually, I apply a hypnotic induction on myself, one of several I often use with clients. Nowadays, I can go into a good trance in five to ten minutes.

   Research has shown that meditation in itself lifts the immune system into full force. That is the basis of Paul Bedson's recommendations in his chapter 'Meditation for Health and Healing' in my book Cancer: a personal challenge.

   Once I am in that timeless place of peace, I use a form of guided imagery that works for me 100% of the time.

   I think at all the bones in my body, starting at the feet and working my way up to my skull. There is bone marrow in each bone, filled with little white eggs. The little eggs hatch, and tiny white crocodiles come crowding out. By the time I have finished the process, my blood is swarming with them.

   I ask all the little white crocodiles to come to the point of infection. In the case of a head cold, that will be the throat, nasal cavities, sinuses. I then visualise a cell bursting open, and a cloud of viruses swarming out, ready to infect new cells.

   The crocodiles gobble them up.

   This has kept me free of the 'flu since I started it some 6 years ago. There was one exception. I was under sustained stress for weeks, and dropped my usual self-care routines, including my nightly meditation. I came down with the 'flu -- and it dragged on for THREE WHOLE DAYS until I got rid of it.

   Of course, you need to develop your own imagery. And, as I said for Beth, you need 100% faith that it will work for you, and then it does.

   Nor is the technique limited to influenza. As my cancer book shows, it works for all infections, cancer, even speeding up the healing of injuries.

People come into your life for a REASON, a SEASON, or a LIFETIME

some philosophy sent by Elaine

   When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

   When someone is into your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason, you need them to be.

   Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

   When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season!

   LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (any way); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Four Tolteic rules for a good life

Reproduced with permission from http://www.miguelruiz.com/teachings/fouragreements.html.

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word

   Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally

   Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions

   Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best

   Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

On becoming a psychologist

hey Bob,

   I'm a 17 year old high-school student. I was lost in life... confused on everything, went through a bit of depression, because of my own traumatizing experience in life. I now believe that I have it all in control, I figured a lot of it out on my own, not through reading or anything, but through a LOT of talking with other people and just a lot of different interactions with all sorts of people. I will admit that I have had my experiences with drugs, I never got too bad with them, because I have learned how bad they can afect some people's lives.

   I really have no further information to give, except for the fact that I feel that I need to become a psychologist when I get older. I can't really explain why I feel that way, it's just that it's the only thing that makes sense in my life, and I've just kind of stumbled across just as the psychologist I met the other day had. I had met Dr. Liza Siegel, she just finished up her book, called Suite Success, which is due to be released sometime in June I believe. It was then and there, were everything just seemed to click, and gave me the feeling that I have now. Everything just makes sense, I've been searching for it this whole time, just realize that it had been right here in front of me the whole time. Now the only questions I have are, what can I do to further myself in this? How can I make this dream become a reality? And what did you find was the easiest path to becoming a psychologist?

   I just want to thank you in advance for any information you can return to me.
William

William, it is really great that you have found out what you want to do with your life. It is the single most important requirement for living in a contented, meaningful way. Well done.

   Psychologists do many different kinds of work. I started doing research, and only got into counseling much later. The American Psychological Association will have information on various different career paths within psychology.

   Of course, first you need to study. For most purposes, you need a Bachelor's degree, then a Master's degree or even a Ph. D. If you want to work with people, you also need supervised practice before you can be registered. However, quite a bit of this can be done while actually working and earning money. For example, as a graduate student you can teach at University.

   If you want to do what I am doing, you need to have heaps of empathy. This is the ability to sense the feelings and emotions behind another person's words and actions, and to be able to reflect these emotions back. This is a learned skill, and comes with maturity and experience, but also some people have it 'naturally'.

   But if you have too much empathy, you can get caught up in the problems of others, and burn out. It is also necessary to be able to keep a 'professional distance'. This comes with life experience, and I think it is much harder for a young person. So, my suggestion is that you find work where you can accumulate the life experience without burning out.

   It is good that you have suffered depression and trauma, and have seen the nasty effects of drugs (do include alcohol, that's one of the worst drugs). Having been there is almost a necessary qualification for being a good therapist.

Have a good life,
Bob

Australian Online Bookshop

   Wherever you live, you can buy books by Australian writers, including those that are unavailable at places like Amazon.

   The resource is the Australian Online Bookshop, a resource that has been there for quite a number of years now.

   This is to announce that they now carry five of my books. Although their search facility is rather creative in what titles it throws up, it is a very interesting site, well worth a visit.

Announcements

Devil Glass
Audio courses for writers
Joyce Faulkner
Buying golf equipment
Call for submissions to new anthology

Robert Cales

   We have a choice about things in our life. We can either be wrapped around the axle about whatever or we can be at peace with it. It's better to have peace in your life. That's the lesson I finally learned about my writing career. For years I was wrapped around the axle because the world wasn't discovering my novel and that had to happed before I was ever going to make a living by doing the thing I love. I found the peace we all need when I finally started calling my writing a hobby instead of a career. I'm still working on my second novel, but I'm no longer flogging myself with a cat of nine tails to get it done. It will be finished someday, but it's no longer a race. It's no longer a race because I built a better mouse trap once and the world didn't beat a path to my door. It didn't help that my publisher does no advertising, but without an honest agent you won't do much better and I've come to understand "honest agent" as an oxymoron.

   If you're a writer without peace as I once was and want to do something about it read "A Course in Miracles".

   If you're a reader who's skeptical about the better mousetrap I built and happen to have a taste for romance and horror in one package you should visit my website at www.antitheus-vitrum.com.

   Whatever you do, don't sell short the value of peace in your life.

Audio course for writers

   Five authors have teamed to bring a learning opportunity to the writing community. Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Allyn Evans, Joyce Faulkner, Kathe Gogolewski and Marilyn Peake produced audios in CD and MP3 formats. An audio in this series on Visualization is a bestseller on http://www.fictionwise.com/.

   According to Allyn, "We writers are having a blast creating and producing these audio courses. Not only is it a fantastic inexpensive promotional tool, but also I am learning so much from all the participants. It's really hard to take notes while moderating!"

   Carolyn shares, "Our latest round of audios, which will be available by April 1st, are packed with information. This time, we produced courses on Point of View, Book Fairs and Trade Shows, and Flesch Readability Score."

   Joyce Faulkner delivered the presentation on Flesch. Allyn adds, "I have a confession to make. I wasn't very excited about the topic at all, but after listening to Joyce I changed my mind. What a valuable tool for writers of all genres. And since most people don't use it, understanding and using the readability score and related tools definitely gives a writer an advantage."

   For more on vital subjects that pertain to writers everywhere -- from technology to promotion to the craft of writing check with the growing list of Double Dragon Publishing audios by visiting: http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/imprintlist.asp?imprint=PODRADIO.

Joyce Faulkner

   Joyce Faulkner’s collection of dark fiction, Losing Patience, drew a “Notable” in the 2006 Writer’s Notes Book Awards in the “General Fiction” category of Writers Notes Magazine. Losing Patience was the first book published by Red Engine Press. Writers Notes Magazine recognizes work from small and mini presses and independent publishers.

   In this, her first collection of short stories, Faulkner ponders the natural and supernatural aspects of mortality. The stories appear to be simple ghost tales, quirky mysteries and sagas with bittersweet beginnings and endings. Then the reader comes back into the labyrinth to discover deeper underlying meanings.

   The stories focus on ethical conundrums such as guilt, forgiveness, fidelity and retribution. Her characters face complex choices about whether to hang on or to let go. Their struggles are both bizarre and familiar, life as we know it turned upside down.

   Faulkner’s most recent book is a novel called In the Shadow of Suribachi. It tells the story of seven young men who join the Marines for different reasons and meet at the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Hugh Rosen, author of Silent Battlefields, says, “The realism portrayed of the men in combat makes it hard to believe that Joyce Faulkner was not present amongst them. Yet, of course, she was not; a testimony to the brilliance of the author's writing skills and capacity for superlative sensory depiction on many levels.”

   She is also co-author of a well-received book for writers called The Complete Writer, also from Red Engine Press.

   To book a special engagement with Ms. Faulkner, contact her at JoyceFaulkner@redenginepress.com. More information on Faulkner and her work is available at www.JoyceFaulkner.com and www.RedEnginePress.com.

Buying golf equipment

   I edited Mark Wilson's Buying Golf Equipment. If you're into the sport, this book will save you big money.

   Arden & Fogarty LLC -- a US registered sports book publishing company -- announce a pre-release order and 2006 prize competition website for the upcoming two-book series Buying Golf Equipment, written by debut author and golf professional Mark D. Wilson.

   Both books from the series have been made available in North American, British and German editions and are currently available only at www.ardenfogarty.com. Registered pre-release customers are given five chances in an exciting 2006 prize competition, whereby five lucky winners will receive a US $1,000 customized golf equipment package of their choice, personally fitted by the author.

   Of the upcoming book series, Mark stated: "This is a bright day for golfers across the world. From beginners who have little or no knowledge of what to expect when buying their first golfing items, right through the list to the most experienced player, I've covered all of the information they should be considering first before spending their money on clubs. My aim with the step-by-step guide was also to add true stories from my past experiences and a few quotes from outside the golf industry. This helped to spice up a vital book, one which is essentially about a subject few golf book authors write about...in an industry that is overly self-governing from a marketing and retailing viewpoint. The information in this book had to become public knowledge some day, so why not today?"

Astrid Cooper

Fabled Towers Anthology
PO Box 514
Kapunda SA 5373
Australia

E-subs & Info/Queries Publisher's Web Site

   Zumaya Publications announces that submissions are sought for FABLED TOWERS, a collection of stories to explore both the substance and meaning of the Arthurian Cycle.

   Stories of the Arthurian characters, past present and future, as well as tales relating to the legend are needed. Please -- no horror, no formula romance, no graphic violence. We’re looking for new takes on old stories -- true speculative fiction that extrapolates from the original.

   The anthology will be edited by talented writer/editor ASTRID COOPER, a committed Arthur-ophile for more than 40 years.

   Length: 5,000 – 10,000 words.
Proposed publication date: 2008.
Payment: 2 copies of anthology. Authors will also be able to purchase unlimited copies for resale at cost plus $2 (US). Contributing authors retain all rights except those specifically acquired for publication as a trade paperback anthology and in electronic format. Contributing authors are advised that extensive promotion of the anthology is intended.
Deadline: July, 31, 2006.
Submissions: send one print copy of your submission together with a disc copy (WORD format), to the above mailing address. Include all relevant contact details: name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address.
Astrid will acknowledge receipt of all submissions via e-mail.
Net proceeds will be donated to Doctors Without Borders and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

The NEW contest at Bookswelove.net

It's about Easter

CONTEST DATES: April 1st – April 30th 2006

CONTEST: To enter the book drawing, simply enter your name and email address, and the name of five Books We Love authors that you have visited and signed their author's guest book. Visit the author pages by clicking here or visit the contest page by clicking on the Easter basket below.

   To enter for the EASTER BASKET drawing, click the email envelope on the contest page and enter the name of your favorite BOOKS WE LOVE author, and the name of at least one of their books that you have read or intend to read in the near future, then give us your name and city/state/province of residence.

   To enter the grand prize Easter basket drawing, click the email envelope on the contest page and enter the name of the authors/books you have purchased (or will purchase) and your name and city/state/province of residence. You will be entered in the grand prize Easter basket drawing which will be drawn on April 15.

   You will find complete contest information and entry form by going to the Books We Love main page and clicking on the bunny egg button, or click on the Easter basket below to go directly to the contest page:

CLICK THE EASTER BASKET TO VISIT THE CONTEST PAGE!

In Honored Memory...

from James Choron

   Sixty-three years ago, in February 1942, a single troop of the 26th US Cavalry (Philippine Scouts) under the command of Captain John Wheeler AUS drew their aging Colt revolvers and charged advancing machinegun equipped units of Japanese General Houmma's invading army as they attempted to cross a narrow river on the island of Mindanao. The charge was successful and the crossing stopped and repulsed. It was the last horse-mounted cavalry charge in the history of the United States Army. One month later this same brave band, the last horse-mounted cavalry formation in the entire Unted States Army, sombrely shot their beloved mounts to provide food for the starving US forces and desperate civilians backed to the sea, forlorn of any hope of resupply or reinforcement, but still valliantly resisting the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. This act of sacrifice bought the Ameican-Filli forces under Generals Wainright and King one more month of precious time and firmly and boldly engraved the 26th Cavalry as members of an elite and illustrious, if now almost forgotten band, the "Battling Bastards of Bataan"... the "Eagles on the Rock"...

Illustration: A sergeant of the 26th US Cavalry and his mount stands looking west toward America and the fleet that he knows isn't coming.

Poetry

Re-valuation
by Laurie Corzett

Crying with love, overflowing affection
Embracing, embracing the child in dance
If only I look in my own soul's direction
Taking that leap, unlike taking a chance
If it's me that I see, so lovely and willing
Sparks of a fire that burns brilliant and wise
Challenges, quests, not daunting but thrilling
When I move through my body, look through my eyes.

Have you seen that dancing child?
Starlight, moonlight, shadows
at peace rejoicing free and wild
receiving grace to be restyled
scooping up facts to be refiled
with no need to beware
except for that need to share.

Where is my medicine
for the thoughts that are killing me?
It's not that I never win
It's that I can't let me be
safe inside
a disney ride
happy and free.
It's all about them, you know
the ones who agree
who I let control me
because of that need to share.

Book Review

Climate Change: Turning up the heat
by Barrie Pittock

CSIRO Publishing http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/4992.htm
ISBN: 0643069313
AU $39.95

   I had this review substantially written when less than halfway through the book -- but I read to the end from interest. This is the strongest compliment I can pay to a highly technical introduction to a field which I only understand as an interested layman.

   Climate Change: Turning up the heat is a serious work that would be an excellent tertiary-level introductory text for studying climatology. At the same time, the language and logic of presentation are clear enough to be understood by a high school science student, without minimising the complexity of the subject. I find this to be a remarkable achievement. Dr Pittock is not only a distinguished scientist, but also a champion communicator.

   Unlike many other books on the topic, this one is without hype, or any bias I have detected. It is a reasoned and reasonable examination of the evidence, with full consideration of how that evidence is generated.

   This makes Dr Pittock's conclusions all the more impressive and believable. These are: