Can Fake Psychics Kill?

Okay so the title is a bit too much of a question.  Truly, if a person so desperate turns to them for advice, perhaps they could if the advice was dark and/or generic.  Where is this coming from?  I saw a Tarot Reader/Psychic the other day for the hell of it.  I was disturbed there after.

First I had to wait for the Tarot Reader to finish up with a client, and that was a good fifteen minute shuffle on a cheap plastic seat that made my bum itch up a storm.  Of course, I couldn’t help but eaves drop on the reading.  It seemed, from the jumble of cards laid out before the young hopeful woman who sat eager for “good news”, the goodness she waited for was something she’d have to wait for some time.  Maybe in the second half of the new year she might find happiness with a new partner.  For now, she would have to put up with her cheating man’s ways and see a lawyer about screwing him for everything he had.  Put politely of course.   Then she was told she might expect some news about her father regarding his health.  It was here I glimpsed a feigned look of care in the Tarot Reader’s eyes as she said, “Oh dear.  I’m afraid it doesn’t look good.”

Needless to say, the “client” was almost in tears as she shuffled away from the Reader with her woes.

I gulped and was almost about to shuffle away myself when the Tarot Reader greeted me and asked I sit.

“Sit – I tell you!”

“Okay Mistress Tarot Reader.  Please don’t eat me.”

I sat before her new aged covered table.  You know, the type with the purple felt table cloth, a collection of crystals (to ward off those pesky invisible demons) in one corner, tarot cards in the middle and small timer clock tucked, sneakily,  in the back corner to kept a reality check on the situation about to be laid out before the Reader’s sucker – Me.

She outlined her fees with a yawn and an apology should she have appeared uninterested in her live money bag seated before her.  At this point, I felt trapped by her powers and found my hard earned $30 dollars literally appear on her table like magic then disappear as quickly.  The trap was sprung.  Now, the Mistress Tarot Crow (as I had dubbed her) was going to tell me my destiny like a Lord of Rings novel, and all in thirty minutes I might add.

At this point, I was shaking at the knees and ready to bow my humble gratitude for shining her merciful wisdom on such a poor helpless soul such as I. Okay,  not quite, but I was interested to see how much “doom” I had in my life.

Turns out I had a lot.  I would face a very emotional year (duh) with many set backs and trials I had to overcome to be a winner.  She said I should write down my woes and share them (okay, that might be viable).  I would have to do this and that and fight this and that and so forth. The most jaw-breaking piece of insight she sold me about myself was the fact I was depressed.  Depressed – me? Honestly Mistress Doom and Gloom, I wasn’t before but thank you for your enlightenment!  She then went on to say that I will have to fight and convince people to be on my side for whatever I do.  If I wanted people to listen to me, I would have to give them some friendly “bull shit”.  Seriously,  she said those words with an apology on the end.

Okay, at this point I was sitting on my hands so I couldn’t smack myself on the forehead and also be able to scratch a cheek should I need to relieve an itch (crude I know). I wasted $30 dollars on a nut-job and now I was questioning whether I was happy.

I sighed with relief when it was over and almost chocked on my sigh when she tried to sell me a $20 pendant.  Seriously!

I was tempted to ask for my money back but afraid she’d put some sort of hex on me.  Instead, I left quietly and gave some friendly advice to the next-in-line.   They were quick to bolt right past me as I left a smelly trail of doom and gloom behind with the tarot reader.  Of course, I pointed a finger her way to say “yes passing people, it’s from inside there.”

I think the lesson to learn here, is you can pay for someone to tell you what your destiny is and choose to believe it.  Wouldn’t it be better to believe what you already know of yourself and try to make the destiny you want?

I felt so angry after the reading and it took me a while to realise why.  I have always expected destiny to find me.  I realised, I have to make my own destiny and fight the impossible battles to achieve it.  With only a handful of trusted allies to make it possible.  I also realised the world will be against me as I’m just one drop in  the ocean.  I would be up against traditional point of views,  styles, and quite possibly pop-tarts. Yes, pop-tarts.  Writing is especially traditional.  If your style appears as sloppy and unreadable, so shall it be.  Of course, I would flick the birdy at such an impression but there is something to gleam from it.  In the same sense, It has taken me years  to be comfortable with my style. Hell if I’m going to change it for any monkey; enhance and develop – yes.

I’m getting side-track.

Destiny.  My advice to anyone seeking a Tarot Reading.  Unless you feel confident the reader will tell you what is in your interest and not their’s, by all means.  Honestly,  I’d save the money for tools you can use to make your own destiny such as a subscription to Cleo perhaps, chill-laxing time out and that dress you have always wanted. Oh, and resources to help you get where you want to go.

Do it your way. Do it now.

Why Blog Fiction?

It may be me, but there seems to be an ever increasing trend in returning and new blog fiction sites.  Whether the chances of being traditionally published by corporate houses are slimmer each hour or writers find greater control in posting their stories online, blog fiction is booming. Of course, some will open only to last a few posts whilst others will stick around for a long time. Albeit, at inconsistent time slots such as moi.

I’ve had people ask me with gaping mouths, “why give it away on a blog?” And, have received the presumption that my story must not be worthy of being published, so the only option I have is a blog site.

The reason I post my story as a blog is that I have greater control on how it is posted and when I can “share it”.    I’d rather have it out there for people to read than have it die in a slush pile. People can make up their own minds if they want to read it or not.

I suspect the answer for some blog fiction writers  is the same answer with Open Source software; the power of feedback to develop the story.  With software, a developer can only debug so much with the two pair of eyes he/she has.  It’s far better to share the task of bug swatting than fry your own brain in doing it.

Still, blog fiction is questioned as a platform for some writers for many reasons.  Yes, it gives you control over how you present your story and when it goes live.  It also leaves you open for copyright violations and spam attacks.   Although, we do have better tools to protect our works electronically these days.  My Free Copyright offers blog writers a certain safeguard in the same way Numly does, and  it emails you a special number to identify the work as yours.

Veering to the opinion of marketing, we can advertise the blog how we want and only have to hold ourselves responsible if nothing works out as expected.  We don’t have to worry about complex contracts with third parties nor have to wait for others to catch up.  Or course, the con is that you have to do all the leg work yourself, use your own resources and trust that your work is “polished” enough to gather a readership.

On the promising side, certain companies have offered non fiction bloggers money and recognition if their posts would attract a readership for them.  Indeed, you could say, some writers can make a living being bloggers (non fiction sense).  At least, Problogger promotes it so.

I’ve yet to see fiction blogs be so lucky.  Of course, sites such as Createspace and Lulu offer writers the option of self publishing at a fee, and there a various independent publishing houses and network sites, which  offer to pay writers for their stories and post them online; whether it be a prize as part of a competition or a submission/royalty payment. No fiction blog I’ve seen has actually made money per post on their own site.  If one has, I’d love to hear about it.

I do hope blog fiction flourishes and more writers allow themselves to experience the option.  The more out there, the better blog fiction will become as a reputed platform and not seen with the stigma of being a “desperate” or  “last” option.

Actually,  I’ve stumbled across quite a few quality fiction blogs with stories better than those in book stores.  Clarity of night holds an all-you-can-eat banquet and the Mexican Year is consistently compelling (it should really add a “s” on the end of “years” as it has been going for a few now).  There are new tales worthy of a look such as Refuge of Delayed Souls.

I suppose it comes down to what readers are willing to pay for and what they want to get at the moment and for free, and the exposure of blog fiction.  It would be good if there was a dedicated search engine for it.

Conscience Change

I watched an amazing movie today, produced right out of Hollywood. It was James Cameron’s Avatar. I know, a lot of you may think it’s just another billion dollar campaign and a way to show off to the world how fancy our technology has come.

You know, it also had some really good underlining elements there too. Something we can conscientiously take away with us for the better. Not like the over priced popcorn and sugary coke sipped from a non-eco friendly cup (I boycotted the gimmicky cups and choose sneak in my own cordial instead.) Still…

Back to the point.

As I watched the main character change from a man of war into a man of life, I also realised the resemblance of the “real” world around us.

Don’t we take for granted our every day technology? We wake up to the chimes of alarm clocks (either via dedicated units on our bed tables or a pre-programmed ringtone on our phones). Perhaps boil our electric kettles and make ourselves a cup of coffee (a product most of us have no idea how it’s made, only that it comes in a vaccum sealed jar). Then we gather our gadgets: phones, watches, laptops, pda’s etc., and go about our day. When we come home, we might watch a bit of television before calling it a night.

Through out the entire 24 hours, I reckon the average person is constantly surrounded by some mechanical device and, more than likely, dependent on it. Whilst it’s not necessarily a bad thing. If over one billion people are constantly reliant on energy drawn from earth resources, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That’s a lot of consumption. I believe, we are placing more and more stress on our planet for every second a person breathes on this earth. Each time a device is created, I believe, a piece of our Mother Earth dies. Whether it be a tree felled or an animal forced out of its bull-dozed home only to find its life end underneath the wheels of a speeding truck and a truck driver with only one focus in his/her mind; determination to met a deadline.

Each conscience decision we make is deciding the fate of the earth we truly depend on. And I honestly believe we have forgotten what ground we stand on. We have grown into a society where everything is made to make things “easier” but not necessarily better. War (aka blowing up landmarks, napalming nature for a sake of enemy targets) is a necessary evil to bring greater peace?

Of course, people are aware we need to change. Thank God there are groups who are making significant impacts to the leaders of our nation. Thank God for groups such as Greenpeace.

Still… In my native culture, I was taught one basic principle; what is taken from the earth – you return to the earth. There was a sense of respect for all things natural and the way we existed as a community. Nothing was taken beyond necessity and technology couldn’t be further from the minds our my elders. Of course, I was soon raised in the Western World and learned to appreciate the values of technology. I even became a support technician for IT. Talk about disrespecting my nature loving roots.

Now, there is a gradual change in the way we live our life with water restrictions and promotion of green energy. I still believe we have yet to take a conscience change in the way we value our world. Yes, the thinking is almost there but we still hold values toward technology. I think it’s going to take a ton of work to change, and definately something that will take years to do.

I remember a phrase one of my high school social science teachers had said, ” The Western World is so determined to advance the human race with technology, they are slowly forgetting how to be human.” She went on to joke that most humans would probably end up as androids by 2012 and the world resemble something out of an apocolyptic novel. Honestly, she might not be far from the truth.

In my honest observation, I see technology slowly destroying us. I take one look at the mess of cables behind my computer and I think of the tangled mess we have made in some places of our world. Iraq. Need I say more?

As I watched the magical world of Pandora, James Cameron had presented before us with Avatar. I could almost imagine such a world once existed on our earth. We may never see our earth as magical ever again? Can we change our conscience and way of living enough to see what beauty it has left?

Possibly.

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This post is also found at the Art Action Union of Artists community site.  A community of people who aim to bring awareness to the real issues of our world.  In turn, hope it will contribute to a better tomorrow.

Visit ART ACTION UNION COMMUNITY

The Determined Writer

Last year, I had a habit of saying, “What hurts most – being a bad writer or writing stories no one wants to read?”  Of course, my answers were nothing short of excuses; I don’t have time.  If only my work wasn’t so demanding, draining, boring and far out of my passion zone.  If only I could put the kids to bed earlier, kick hubby out of the house so I can have my own “creative time”, I could think through things clearly…   The excuses were endless and the question persistent, until it was a nagging post-it note stuck inside my brain.  Each day I felt morose, and writing was turning into a chore.  The stories looked less likely to come to resolution.  All the hours sacrificed was a waste.

Truth is, there are no excuses to writing and being a writer.  You either have it in you or you don’t.  I’m not talking about the talent to hook a reader. I’m talking about the determination to finish a story and to learn from the experience.

There are so many talented story-tellers out there.  A few can manipulate words so well that they practically leap out of your screen/page and start involving you in their woes.  Others, leave room for critisim.    Just for the record, I fall under  the later category.  I see this more a blessing than an annoyance.  At least people are taking the time to talk about what they’ve read.

Back to the point.

It still takes a lot of time writing, reading and learning off others to reach a point where y0u feel comfortable with your style.  It takes guts and a bit of attitude to get up from some blows and keep ploughing on.

What is a Writer without life experiences?

I posted an opinion at Project Foxfire about doubts; in particular, my doubts as a writer/story-teller.  I’ve taken a few knocks and hit walls of frustration. My failure to invoke the enthusiasm and positive feeling for my stories in others has left me feeling like a dumb-shit.  I’ve agreed with those feelings in the past since I’ve never been to college nor completed any formal training in the art of communication.   I’ve come to realize that all the time I use in teaching myself techniques, new and varied skills, sourcing the internet/library for free knowledge and applying them to my works, has pretty much earned myself a degree in a virtual sense.  I don’t need to spend thirty thousand dollars or so to obtain the same level of education as a graduate.  I only need to work harder, smarter and soak in as much as I can from what is available to me.

My  learning might delay the story but it will also see to it’s completion.  Regardless.  This is an element, which defines writers, in my opinion.

You may be the best and most talented writer in the planet, but if you’re not diligent and ignore opportunities to better your skills and sharpen your style, you mind as well formulate an excuse and lock your talent in a drawer.

I AM I Kicks Off to a Good Start

My devious plan to spread the word about I Am I is, so far, progressing well. I added an entry to the Clarity of Night competition, more for exposure to the story than anything else. I felt giddy from the feedback it had received. I haven’t received such positive feedback for any of my writing since…. and that was like getting a hole- in-one on only Par 4! I’ve never gotten a hole-in-one on Par 4 ever! I don’t even play golf!

Yes, yes, I’ve had far too much raspberry bullets today and my coffee intake is on an all time high; when you happen upon a bag of beans emitting a smooth silk sensation up ones nose like verboten chocolate clenched between the teeth of an Adonis (such as Jensen Ackles), I don’t want to resist the temptation. I’ll work off the sin at the gym after I’ve felt my pleasure has been tainted with consequences.

Look at me! I’ve completely gone sidetrack.

Anyway, I was happy the comments received were supportive. It has given me both direction and motivation to continue the series.

I’ll be posting it in the kiyasart site until it grows big enough for its own.

Oh, and Seriphyn Knight is going to have an ebook pdf version distributed by KKP. When it does, I’ll be pulling off the first part of the series from the site. Later episodes will still be available for reading.