tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39005112718450743272024-03-12T19:54:32.518-07:00A Woman's Retirement MonologuesHow to retire and do something fun and useful.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-53566064865219580822014-03-31T05:40:00.001-07:002014-03-31T05:40:27.549-07:00Emmett Till Blog; Murder in Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold Cases; Parallels Trayvon Martin: Bradford Huie, Look Magazine and the Shocking Murder of Emmett Till<a href="http://emmett-till.blogspot.com/2014/03/bradford-huie-look-magazine-and.html">Emmett Till Blog; Murder in Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold Cases; Parallels Trayvon Martin: Bradford Huie, Look Magazine and the Shocking Murder of Emmett Till</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-73889983905965789742014-03-29T11:20:00.001-07:002014-03-29T16:40:07.165-07:00Three verses of Sinatra, and a cloud of dust (on the Streets of Cuenca, Ecuador)<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Woody
Hayes. Ohio State University. <i>Listen up</i> from heaven. You're being honored this morning on the
streets of Cuenca, Ecador, about ten yards and a cloud of dust across the New Cathedral on <i>Calle Sucre.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><i>"Three yards and a cloud of
dust." </i></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Your famous quote comes quickly to mind as a neatly-dressed, middle-aged Cuencano weakly belts out Frank Sinatra and tunes of other American singers, backed up by his small, black keraoke
box. </span></div>
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://i1.ytimg.com/vi/Uvn2z_aHpms/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/Uvn2z_aHpms?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/Uvn2z_aHpms?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><i>Frank Not-So-Hoststra, as my dad would say</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Most people don't drop a dime
into the hard-working man's plastic cup that he holds in his non-microphone hand. But I do -- at
least once every two weeks or so, when I'm on my way to having lunch at Don Colon's restaurant, a block away from the flower market. The street singer is halfway to my intended destination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">See, the guy has guts and
perseverance, something my dad wanted to make sure that all three of his girls acquired.
Sure, he'd wanted a boy and never got one. But he took his girls to football games at Oregon State, and talked to us about giving the <i>old college try</i> and how working at something is more
important than relying on talent. Trying your damnedest is what's most
important, he'd say. We never left until the game was over. It paid off, too, when Terry Baker was the star quarterback.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Of course my dad liked Hayes because Woody believed in gutting it out. So I know that you, Woody, would have appreciated this street singer. He comes to work day after day. Sings in good weather. Sings when it rains. He doesn't have much talent but he sure gives it the old college try. This, he does, in a developing country where jobs are few and opportunities rare for a person who does not come from wealth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><i>Three verses of Sinatra, and a
cloud of dust! </i> Or guts? That's what this singer relies on. And some times, it works! Like today, when I passed by and stopped to listen for as long as I could stand it, before dropping a fifty-cent piece into his cup.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">___<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">If you don't know: Hayes's Buckeye squads
often faced off in a fierce rivalry against the <span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Michigan Wolverines</span> coached by <span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Bo Schembechler</span>,
a former player under and assistant coach to Hayes. That stretch in
the <span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry</span>, dubbed "<span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Ten Year War</span>," saw Hayes and
Schembechler's teams win or share the Big Ten Conference crown every season
and usually each place in the national rankings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Hayes
was famous for his three yards and a cloud of dust philosophy for offense. Writes <b><a href="http://mental-health.yoexpert.com/academic-and-professional/will-three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust-will-lead-you-2639.html">football expert, John Paul</a>, </b>Hayes' idea was that when you passed the ball three things could happen, and only one
of them was positive for your team. "The pass would be incomplete, it would be
intercepted, or your player would catch it and advance the ball. This 33%
chance of success was not one that Coach Hayes wanted to bank on, and as a
result he broke down the yards needed for a first down (10) and developed the idea
that each time the ball is snapped you only need to advance three yards." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-24257070026777071802014-01-31T13:01:00.000-08:002014-03-22T05:43:35.876-07:00Happy Birthday to My Mother, Betty Orr. She Keeps Herself Going In So Many Creative Ways!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYv_WPJAbPjvmUsdNe9Xf_HlOjCPcOvSCgphtFHhnRWwMSIubd33IbVl12MLL2Fp9heHNFOf8F76U2TwoPc6C5mYiD9BeXbWQrkyPsRDWhyphenhyphenH0kS9iE_7I-TkStLJASijlbB19TTwxd4RY/s1600/mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYv_WPJAbPjvmUsdNe9Xf_HlOjCPcOvSCgphtFHhnRWwMSIubd33IbVl12MLL2Fp9heHNFOf8F76U2TwoPc6C5mYiD9BeXbWQrkyPsRDWhyphenhyphenH0kS9iE_7I-TkStLJASijlbB19TTwxd4RY/s1600/mom.jpg" /></a></div>
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Betty Orr, accomplished writer AND mother</div>
<br />
<br />
I'm tired and my eyes hurt. I've been working all day on marketing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Plan-Civil-Rights-Mystery-Sleuth-ebook/dp/B00I50NCEI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391201205&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Plan+Susan+Klopfer">The Plan</a>. Mostly recently, I put it up as a kindle book on Amazon.<br />
<br />
All of this (researching, writing, marketing) is hard work and sometimes I get worn out! But what is the alternative?<br />
<br />
Oh, any one of us could sit around bored. Watching television, smoking, drinking, complaining. But where does this leave us at the end of the day?<br />
<br />
My mother is celebrating her (about) ninety-fifth birthday today. She sure doesn't stay bored!!!!! In fact, she had a lunch date with a ninety-eight year old man who drives a big Cadillac. "I don't let him drive me very far," she admitted. But the old guy still drives and he is able to get around and have some fun.<br />
<br />
I want to be this way as I age. This is why I spend my time writing. Anyone can do it. Just start. I learned this from my mom. She got me started working as a journalist when I had no idea what to do with my life.She still writes books as a profession, and uses the Internet. She is amazing. It is these activities that keep her mind so youthful. She looks great, too.<br />
<br />
What a great gift she has given me. What a tribute to her personal drive and accomplishments.<br />
<br />
Happy Birthday, mom!!!!! You're allowed a day off to have some fun. But you'd better get back to work tomorrow. I know that you have writing to do!<br />
<br />
Love, your daughter,<br />
Susan<br />
<br />
P.S. We rarely had babysitters when growing up. But I remember one lady who watched us a few times when our parents went out. Her name was Peggy Blockinger and she was a professional author!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-74166117698370134432013-12-27T05:21:00.000-08:002013-12-29T21:23:03.884-08:00Hard To Be an Expat, So Far Away at Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJtzgg1G9ClgVcRspTkbuKY2h0i7fZcoH8VWnjyItMRomjTf0qGrm1sj8lN3qCyScSpVgasATEJO-bcKCcsJ1_rmKqRFGvMwyrFZ1NfeQlsN_8PDUI7AyCSUyRLhY1ncLdHYkt5Y2Szc/s1600/gracie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJtzgg1G9ClgVcRspTkbuKY2h0i7fZcoH8VWnjyItMRomjTf0qGrm1sj8lN3qCyScSpVgasATEJO-bcKCcsJ1_rmKqRFGvMwyrFZ1NfeQlsN_8PDUI7AyCSUyRLhY1ncLdHYkt5Y2Szc/s320/gracie.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gracie -- my five-year-old smiling granddaughter</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Excuse me, but I’m a little down. I miss my son and granddaughter. And my mother.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spending Christmas far away wasn’t easy, even if we did have a lovely dinner with new friends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The good part was seeing my little Gracie’s three-story dollhouse via Skype. She showed us every floor at various angles before we said goodbye to her upside down smiling face. I could see inside her nostrils, I told her. She giggled and the conversation ended.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I spoke to my 96-year-old mother on the phone as a friend was helping her install a new computer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I grew up with my mother’s stories of our pioneer relatives who moved from the Carolinas to Oregon in the U.S. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Think of how strong they were to start a new life,” she would tell me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I see what she meant.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*****</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. I miss my sisters, too!</span></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-6512485794966949302013-12-12T17:56:00.000-08:002013-12-12T18:00:15.785-08:00Never Too Late To Learn a Lesson or Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittJ2n3CFXmXWHU7A3BnRZun1E6RE-QybHMiT99oP846PpEFGQycFuuZtgngYmljFHIru_qtx4-8iRP9hwFaiCheqcuvFltiyc5V8A1hHPJgRUrtPiOrtYhPM3HRJxtZteb-VLHM9-gJE/s1600/learnig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittJ2n3CFXmXWHU7A3BnRZun1E6RE-QybHMiT99oP846PpEFGQycFuuZtgngYmljFHIru_qtx4-8iRP9hwFaiCheqcuvFltiyc5V8A1hHPJgRUrtPiOrtYhPM3HRJxtZteb-VLHM9-gJE/s1600/learnig.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">I met a French couple who’d been camping in southern Chile.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
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“Español?”</div>
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“Si,” he smiled.</div>
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We talked as my new friends shared their Patagonian photos
of diving whales and ice-blue glaciers.</div>
</span> <div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: left;">
My high school Spanish teacher would be proud. I was USING
what he had taught. I can close my eyes and see him. Moderate height, slim with
coal black hair and a warm face.</div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: left;">
“Speak from the front of your mouth. Blow air across your
lips. Make a sound like this,” he’d demonstrate. He’d fold a sheet of paper into a fan, then jot down verb
endings on each pleat. “Here’s a quick way to memorize conjugations.”</div>
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Mr. Mariani’s encouragement and patience worked well with
high school students, but I remember it even now, as I use the language he taught me to love.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: left;">
It’s never too late to practice what we began learning long
ago.</div>
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***</div>
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<i>Are you struggling to learn something new? Your thoughts?</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-16715204558329784822013-11-21T13:48:00.000-08:002013-11-21T14:01:47.486-08:00Learning to use Chopsticks takes patience, and so does adjusting to a new culture, author says<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xar0alXPtTc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Many from other countrie are surprised at the political marches that occur regularly in Ecuador. My opinion: We need to learn more about this active and successful process!</i></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>A COUPLE OF NEW FRIENDS</b> are not making it here in Cuenca, Ecuador—at
least so far. I like them and find they are interesting and fun. But I don’t think they’ve
lived much in other cultures. I gauge this on their reactions to their new
surroundings In their eyes, nothing seems to be going right since they have arrive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Nobody said it was easy!</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The electricity was off when "John and Karen" got to their new apartment late
at night from the Guayaquil airport. Instead of going to bed and trying to solve it in the morning (after
the person on duty couldn’t fix it) they went to an expensive hotel. When they
returned the next day and learned the power switch in the basement was off, and
just needed to be flipped on, they got mad and decided the apartment owner
should pay for their night at the <i>Ritz</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That reaction might work in the U.S. but it doesn’t work here.
Things are not so sophisticated. This is a developing country and the trains
don’t always run on time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A trip to the grocery again made them angry when they were
asked for a passport. “People were following me,” my friend stated, as he
wondered why he had to show credentials to buy a loaf of bread. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“That’s just how it is done here,” I explained. “I don’t make
the rules.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And neither do any visitors. When we travel outside of our country and culture, we must accept
that the values, social norms, and traditions in the U.S. may be very different
from beliefs about "how things should be" in the country where we grew
up. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As I sit here typing, I am personally angry over a small
occurrence of health insurance fraud on a policy that I signed up for here.
But I have to ask myself, how well did I check out the company? The broker? Did
I let myself get Gringo’ed? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Further, I can’t get the public Internet company to commit to
come to my apartment and install a new system. I am working from my bedroom
where I can intercept reception from next door—while I am trying to market a
new book, using twitter and facebook! What a pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am not used to doing some of the footwork required to live here,
and I realize this. I am not used to non-customer-driven-non-service! Becoming
angry, however, just doesn’t work in this culture. Patience is sometimes
rewarded. There also are some legal remedies to invoke, if necessary (but sometimes
with unexpected consequence). Often, I forget my own advice when difficulties
arise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But if I am thinking straight, I find it works best to cut the losses and start over
when up against a difficult hurdle, such as the problems with health insurance or
Internet that I’ve encountered. It is at times like this I miss my home
country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When individuals move to another culture, they naturally
carry their own background and life experiences with them, and these shape how
they react and adjust to their new environment. For example, some will find a
new culture (how people do things) easy to adjust to, while others may struggle significantly (like my
two friends). "Culture shock" is a common experience that describes
the feelings of confusion, stress and disorientation that occur when entering
an unfamiliar culture. Of course, not everyone has the same reactions to
cultural adjustment and may experience the symptoms of culture shock in varying
degrees, and at different times. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Professionals who study this adjustment period say that common
reactions include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">extreme
homesickness<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">avoiding
social situations<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">physical
complaints and sleep difficulties<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">inability
to concentrate<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">becoming
angry over minor irritations<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">significant
nervousness or exhaustion<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here are
some things to know that might help<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Everything
is relative to culture.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
For example people from different cultures may see how Americans behave as
different and as “bad”. For some, the American communication style may
seem too loud or direct. Take a lesson, and try to avoid labeling what
others do as "good" or "bad" according to the culture
you are from. Remember that there may be parts of a culture you dislike, but
these are part of a broader social system, and make more sense inside that
system.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be
curious</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>and open-minded.</b><br />
Adjusting to a new culture does not mean that you have to change your own beliefs
or values, but it is important to respect those of other people. When you
find yourself in an unfamiliar situation, try to think of it as a new
adventure. See this experience as a new game, and be curious about the way
things are perceived and done in this new place.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Use
your observation skills.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Since you will run into new ways of doing things (rules and norms),
observing how others behave can help you understand what is expected of
you. It’s like watching someone use chopsticks before trying it out for
for yourself! Pay close attention to both the verbal and nonverbal
communication of others to get a better picture of what is going on.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ask
questions </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Ask for help when you need it. This is not a sign of weakness. In Cuenca,
the moment a person asks for help in speaking Spanish, nearly every
Cuencano reaches out in support. Understanding others and making yourself
understood in a new language requires lots of rephrasing, repeating and
clarification. It may be helpful to ask questions like "I believe you
are saying... Is that correct?" Talk slowly and use hand gestures. In
Latino culture, I find myself adding apologies more frequently. “Excuse
me. Will you please speak more slowly?” (Disculpe. Por favor. Hable mas despacio.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's
ok to experience anxiety </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Learning to function in a new environment is not easy. It is natural to
feel anxious or frustrated sometimes. The key is to remind yourself that
these feelings are normal and are likely to be situational and temporary.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Know
it’s okay to make mistakes</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Anyone will make mistakes while exploring a new environment. Look for the
humor and be ready to laugh, while keeping in mind that others will probably
make mistakes, too. If someone makes an absurd statement about your
culture, it may be due to a lack of information. Use this as an
opportunity to share information with others about yourself and your
culture.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Take
care of your physical and mental health</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Be mindful about keeping a healthy diet and getting enough exercise and
rest. Try to find an activity that you enjoy and make it part of your
routine. Being physically active can help reduce your stress level, but if
this doesn’t work seek help. Look for an AA, in you’re having alcohol
problems for instance, or for depression and other problems seek a
therapist who knows your culture (if talking to a friend does not help).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be
patient - don't try to understand everything immediately</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
It takes time to adjust to a new and different culture. Be patient with
this experience and do not be overly critical of yourself or the people
around you. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hope my new friends start to adjust. And I hope to hell
that the Internet company comes through and that the Insurance company pays its
bills! Meanwhile, I have some good ideas for a backup!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-38441928601157695092013-11-05T06:01:00.002-08:002013-11-05T06:26:10.880-08:00It was the "damned gate" that caught my attention. (Surprising words from a Mississippi debutante trainer)<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">It took a year to create and write <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/370902">The Plan</a>--and get it into publication. I came up with the idea many years ago, when living in Mississippi, but didn't have the needed time to really think about and develop the plot or complete the project until I retired and moved to Cuenca, Ecuador. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">This morning I was thinking about how this book came about. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">It’s a good story, in itself!</span></i></div>
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*****<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z20OM7EAn_I/UQttZurLEnI/AAAAAAAAE_U/HGY4oLmhnaY/s1600/clevegate091small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z20OM7EAn_I/UQttZurLEnI/AAAAAAAAE_U/HGY4oLmhnaY/s320/clevegate091small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The "damned" gate</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I was a passenger in her car and we were on the way to Parchman Penitentiary.
This infamous Mississippi Delta prison was where my psychologist husband
worked, and we lived on the grounds. I’d met “Ella” in the small town of
Drew. And she seemed like a nice lady. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Actually, I’d found myself feeling sorry for her,
since she confided she was on a third marriage. She was not particularly
attractive, and as I would learn she probably went through a lot of his money.
Not on frivolous things, but doctor visits—lots of those, for various ailments—but
also on her hobby. She liked to help prepare young girls for their debuts.</div>
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<br /></div>
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-----</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Plan is available at <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/370902"><b>Smashwords</b></a> in various formats including Kindle and ibooks</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
THE YEAR WAS 2004. There weren’t many formal coming out
parties taking place anymore, she confessed, but it was still important for her house to be
pretty, "just in case." Drapes are expensive no matter where you live, and she’d recently had to replace not only the living room window furnishings but her
carpets. The girls would be coming to her house, if she was able to pick up a
parent or two as clients this spring. Plus, she was in charge of her town's Culture Club.
Another reason to spend money on her home and yard. The flowers had to look
good, of course, because the club held monthly meetings in her home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We’d just left the small town of Drew, and I noticed
something to the left, just off the highway. A white metal fence, halfway open, with kudzu vines
growing on it. A couple of tall pilings were behind the gate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What’s that?” I asked Ella. I was always curious about
anything new or different that I’d spot in this unfamiliar region. Living in Mississippi was a new
experience. We’d moved there from Nevada with no preconceptions and it turned out a
fascinating place to be. A part of the country we’d never visited. In fact, when I first heard about our possible move, I
thought the “Delta” would be down on the coast, but found it to be a stretch of
land along the Mississippi River, from Memphis to Vicksburg.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The damned gate? It was going to be a home,” Ella began.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Her cursing hit me by surprised. But I didn't react. I wanted to hear what else she had to say. I settled back in my car seat, ready for her story. But it
was far shorter than I’d expected.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Brief, in fact.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“He was a bad man. A lawyer. He was murdered.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Damn, if I didn’t want to hear more. I always like a good
story. But Ella said she didn’t want to talk anymore about it. I had to learn why. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ella
dropped me off at our home, an old red brick house that wasn’t very far away from
the gas chamber. Thank God it was not being used in those days. She didn’t want
to stop for coffee. Had to get back because her cleaning lady was due to
arriv, she explained.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I started that afternoon trying to learn who’d been
murdered and why. It only took one call, to a Drew minister I’d recently met, to get the basics.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“That would be Cleve McDowell, the first black law student
to enter Ole Miss. He got kicked out!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Reverend was a friend. He told me some of
the Cleve McDowell story that day, but it took a few months to drag it all out. I had a
feeling that I was the first person to learn the whole story, that is, as
much of the story that is known. Of course I had to dig through old records, lie a little bit to some courthouse clerks, and track down other several older people to learn as much as I could<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cleve McDowell would be the main character <i>Clinton Moore</i> in <i>The Plan</i>. I changed
dates and location but not much else, at least in the beginning of the book. I wanted to
be as close as possible to the history. (Next, I’ll write about his friend who was
also murdered (“Joe Means”) who is also based on a real person.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElkB6BJNYElfZUChiaVSQzVUbNTFMD5Aj_kkP0Ep2abr_gs0Y9eAQBkd_OCoRmS2euJa4O4GCS5xi1wgI6hW1J778-5T3NTLei25cMFHLgb5ELiNae7TaFmMJeoOm12cWaZlmW7tPxP1_/s1600/clevenadjacksonthumbsupdelta_191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElkB6BJNYElfZUChiaVSQzVUbNTFMD5Aj_kkP0Ep2abr_gs0Y9eAQBkd_OCoRmS2euJa4O4GCS5xi1wgI6hW1J778-5T3NTLei25cMFHLgb5ELiNae7TaFmMJeoOm12cWaZlmW7tPxP1_/s320/clevenadjacksonthumbsupdelta_191.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here’s a link if you want to read the nonfiction book, <i><a href="http://themiddleoftheinternet.com/OnlineBooks/Rebels/index.html"><b>WhereRebels Roost; Mississippi Civil Rights Revisited.</b></a></i> You can read it free online!
It’s huge, and tells quite a bit about the civil rights history of the Mississippi Delta. Cleve McDowell's story is included.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="text-align: center;">AT LEFT, Cleve McDowell and Rev. Jesse Jackson (covered with cotton dust while campaigning in the Delta)</i></div>
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***</div>
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Have you ever lived in a place that was entirely different
from where you were raised? The climate? The people? The food? What are your
thoughts? I’d love to hear them in a comment. Thanks. Susan</div>
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The Plan is now available at <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/370902"><b>Smashwords</b></a> in various formats including Kindle and ibooks</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-59770624708691492352013-10-25T20:11:00.001-07:002013-10-26T15:47:25.880-07:00When You Retire, You Have Time To --<h2>
Retirement = Doing What You Want To Do</h2>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The tight bond between Clinton and
Joe, two gay, black lawyers (one of them, married) is broken when Joe is
reportedly found hanged. A suicide seems impossible to Clint, and Joe’s widow
is acting cagey. Clinton Moore believes Joe Means was tortured and murdered,
and that his and Joe’s shared obsession—investigating and fact gathering about
cold case murders and assassinations—is the reason.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(short description of <a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/">The Plan</a>)</span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b><br />
<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*
* * * *<o:p></o:p></span></i></b><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yR5Hbxig4iA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I've been doing what I love to do, all year long. Writing my book!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And now --</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Plan</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
is out! I worked over a year on writing this book (as a retiree) and I am excited to share it
with you. Real quick—here is how to get your free copy (this week only):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Go to <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/370902">this page</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/370902">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/370902</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Choose the download
option.You will have a number of options, from a PDF file to something you can
use on your Kindle, Apple or on your computer screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When you get to the
checkout “basket,” use this code </span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>BR42M </b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">for your FREE copy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will appreciate
your review! (Once you’ve read it.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks for your
interest. It has been a wonderful journey writing this book and I hope that you
enjoy the results. I am happy to share this event with you!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Susan Klopfer <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What are you doing for retirement? Are you having fun? Please share your experiences here. Thanks, Susan</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-89639868837404494752013-10-23T13:45:00.000-07:002013-10-23T15:21:28.496-07:00Walk Through the Central Park in Cuenca, Ecuador and You Might Hear Pan Flutes and GuitarsWhat a nice day for retirement <i>expatting</i>. We enjoyed some great music in the Central Park. It was quite a surprise as we walked downtown to hear the pan flutes, drums and guitars playing. A special Andean musical group had come out to sing and play.<br />
<br />
The sun was out, beautiful white clouds were overhead, and we really had fun watching locals and tourists come together to enjoy this wonderful music. Some bravely danced as the music played!<br />
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I had to shoot my video from behind the band, since I'm too short to shoot over the crowds. But here they are, playing some great music. Looked this music up in Wikipedia and learned --<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Andean music</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"> comes from the general area inhabited by </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quechua_people" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Quechua people">Quechuas</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aymara_people" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Aymara people">Aymaras</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"> and other peoples who lived roughly in the area of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Empire" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Inca Empire">Inca Empire</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"> prior to European contact. It includes folklore music of parts of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Argentina">Argentina</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivia" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Bolivia">Bolivia</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecuador" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Ecuador">Ecuador</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Chile">Chile</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Colombia">Colombia</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Peru">Peru</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Venezuela">Venezuela</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">. </span></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><i><br /></i></span><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Andean music is popular to different degrees across Latin America, having its core public in rural areas and among indigenous populations. The </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nueva_Canci%C3%B3n" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Nueva Canción">Nueva Canción</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"> movement of the 70s revived the genre across Latin America and brought it to places where it was unknown or forgotten.</span></i></blockquote>
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">All that I know, is that I love the sound. It's fun to listen to the musicians. One day not so long ago, Fred and I took a bus ride into the Andes and stopped in Seraguro, where we listened to a group of flute players entertain the local crowd. It was amazing,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">-----</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
With the notable exception of the Otavalan craftspeople and merchants of northern Ecuador, no other indigenous Ecuadorian community has maintained its ethnic identity like the Saraguros.<br />
Centered around the town of Saraguro, 80 miles south of Cuenca, the Saraguro nation, which numbers between 25,000 and 30,000, has maintained an enduring presence in the rural areas of the southern Ecuadorian province<img align="left" alt="" height="220" src="http://www.cuencahighlife.com/image.axd?picture=2011%2f9%2fchl+Saraguro2.jpg" style="border: none; height: 220px; margin: 10px; padding: 0px; width: 250px;" width="250" />s of Loja, Azuay and Zamora Chinchipe; some say it dates back 500 years, others say for much longer.<br />
Although they have established a strong crafts tradition, the Saraguros are best known to the outside world for their distinctive appearance. They dress in black, women in home-woven pleated skirts, men in knee-length trousers. Both wear matching ponchos, often with shawls with orange and red accents, and white felt hats. Both men and women keep their hair in a long, single braid.</blockquote>
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By the way, the book cover was shot in Seraguro. I fell in love with this public painting on a wall near the bus depot!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3g6f-_lwVYi41wMNIW09fsufQxgRTSVLckb4eS1A_EQjCdTrtmuZFxtL8yDuNhq3BQGT_43ZQ8R1VsfgVJTyG4pAir30MUh-8fRLJC77A4rhyphenhyphenUJw_a0TWccLZqOATWrj47VaErKMbVv0/s1600/Plan1_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3g6f-_lwVYi41wMNIW09fsufQxgRTSVLckb4eS1A_EQjCdTrtmuZFxtL8yDuNhq3BQGT_43ZQ8R1VsfgVJTyG4pAir30MUh-8fRLJC77A4rhyphenhyphenUJw_a0TWccLZqOATWrj47VaErKMbVv0/s320/Plan1_3.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><i><a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/"><b>THE PLAN</b></a></i></span></span></div>
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Just another fun day of retirement!</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Here is my good news: <a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/">the book</a> is at the formatters and I'm due to have it in my hands tomorrow. Then I'll need a day to do some more quick work and it should be up at Smashwords by the weekend.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">I hope to have it in readers' hands by Sunday! Wish me luck!</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Susan</span></i><br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-82122117829832214502013-10-21T14:35:00.000-07:002013-10-21T14:35:56.955-07:00Preview - Just for you. The Plan (Prologue and Chapter 1)<h2>
Am I retired? I don't know. I live in Ecuador and have friends who've retired. We have an easy life. Lots of places to go and things to do. BUT -- </h2>
<br />
I have to confess that I love writing books. This last one took a full year to birth. Far longer than I'd planned or imagined. My eyes are a little more blurry. In the past year, we've moved to this country, lost a sweet dog, watched our granddaughter play soccer via Skype, and have acquired a taste for South American foods.<br />
<br />
Well, <b>The Plan</b> is out of editing and is with the "formatter." This means my new murder mystery thriller (with shades of paranormal and historical fiction) will be out by the end of the week. But I wanted to share a little bit with you before then. Here's a link to the prologue and Chapter 1. I hope that you enjoy the read and send me comments.<br />
<br />
Yes. I am retired. But there is no way that I will quit writing. I hope that in your retirement, you find something wonderrful ad fun to do, too.<br />
<br />
Here it is! <a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/blog/peek_preview">http://ebooksfromsusan.com/blog/peek_preview</a><br />
<br />
Please enjoy!<br />
<br />
Susan<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-71079908172497812352013-10-07T16:25:00.001-07:002013-10-11T08:45:12.783-07:00Awakening to Retirement in the Andes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboYFri5lOdd97cRgnf0ulZVgCFxJ-aYB6sE4cygSiazL3TKJQkj3VX2qi3zynSiTo7GpvSU875OIEGEbAE9cpE_NKWYLvJurZfu9qwr3hGbDpOLW4GOmqDHgHd2uxt7HzJzZyePgnriw/s1600/sfchurchdoor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboYFri5lOdd97cRgnf0ulZVgCFxJ-aYB6sE4cygSiazL3TKJQkj3VX2qi3zynSiTo7GpvSU875OIEGEbAE9cpE_NKWYLvJurZfu9qwr3hGbDpOLW4GOmqDHgHd2uxt7HzJzZyePgnriw/s320/sfchurchdoor.JPG" width="217" /></a></div>
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<i>Door to Andean Church, outside of Cuenca</i></div>
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It has been a year we've been "retired" in Cuenca, Ecuador. I put the word in quotes, because honestly, it hasn't felt like being retired (whatever that means) at all.<br />
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We've been busy. Fred is seeing some patients and writing a book, and I've been WORKING HARD writing my book, <a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/">The Plan</a>. The best part about our first year has been meeting such wonderful, interesting and fun people.<br />
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Recently, we took a Sunday with four new friends (years younger than us!) to visit a small fishing lake and village in the Andes. It was a beautiful, warm sunny day, and when we dropped down into lower altitudes, we didn't need our jackets that we'd so carefully packed.<br />
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<i>Traveling by bus with our friend, Kathryn McCullough (an author!)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uSZLReesBYjpnOo5Y-e-xQiKDM8wxl1SLuFZqCjySGab58pX_IVhdcWI581Ofzu_bKbK-68lFtEhp5opz75usd_kqgeQb-dv1UoDJ3ExSXr0sx6lvjBEjb6FOkcZjrXYHQODcMjJTSU/s1600/DSCN8678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uSZLReesBYjpnOo5Y-e-xQiKDM8wxl1SLuFZqCjySGab58pX_IVhdcWI581Ofzu_bKbK-68lFtEhp5opz75usd_kqgeQb-dv1UoDJ3ExSXr0sx6lvjBEjb6FOkcZjrXYHQODcMjJTSU/s320/DSCN8678.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i>Taking photos of us taking photos!</i></div>
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Here's a quick video from our trip. I invite you to see for yourself what retirement can be all about.<br />
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Oh, be sure to click on the bottom right of the Youtube screen to enlarge the video. (When you mouse over the four characters the words full screen will pop up.) The Esc. key brings you back here.<br />
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The words on the bottom of these photos are from a poem, Awaken, that was written in Ecuadorian Quichuan, a lanaguage spoken by 2.5 million people! As I watched the parents interact with their children, it reminded me a little of this poem.<br />
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Enjoy! <br />
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Susan<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-34516407790136242172013-09-23T07:34:00.000-07:002013-11-12T10:47:54.646-08:00Nothing Has Changed: 'Scientists' Refuse to Listen to Valid JFK Story; COPA Loses Face in Battle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvx9n_hsT-6hBCpWnpKpBs4zw-hWaVAOeC8sJxh607HpbAlYw-Wzcy-eR52NA04PG5Ewugr6ozxPGOrQK_exZQehRZtKjFtPwdauuywuWt2WcOJsZ_WRJ3bV85IaU24OPRvubHzeKGOI/s1600/judyth+Baker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvx9n_hsT-6hBCpWnpKpBs4zw-hWaVAOeC8sJxh607HpbAlYw-Wzcy-eR52NA04PG5Ewugr6ozxPGOrQK_exZQehRZtKjFtPwdauuywuWt2WcOJsZ_WRJ3bV85IaU24OPRvubHzeKGOI/s1600/judyth+Baker.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni;"><i>Judyth Vary Baker, conspiracy author, and a scientist</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni;">By Susan Klopfer</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni;">(Note: Since I first posted this story, COPA has not budged. This usually scientific organization holds by its guns, and won't let Judyth Vary Baker speak. She has one of the best stories to tell, but the tape stays on her mouth. Baker is hosting her own program during the celebration week that includes a tribute to her former boyfirned, Lee Harvey Oswald. Baker has taken some offense at the following article, but I have decided not to make changes. I believe that my description of her and my assessment are valid. She is the auhtor of a tremendous book, Me and Lee, that I highly recommend. Susan)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I want to address a recently reported decision made by the Coalition on Political Assassinations, or COPA. Listed among speakers for the upcoming November 22-25 Dallas conference, is Judyth Vary Baker. This author of <u>Lee and Me</u>, a well-documented account of her romance with Lee Harvey Oswald, has much to offer on the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. But Baker was told last week there is “no room” for her at the meeting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">COPA is known for its scientific approach in helping us learn more about the JFK assassination. Among the group are many bright academics who also are typically cautious of taking political risks—tenure must be at the back of one’s mind whenever presenting academic papers on controversial issues, such as this. For example, I would hate to be a history professor at Purdue University this year! If you don’t know the story, this prestigious university’s new president once tried banning the works of a famous and liberal historian in high school text books. But he didn’t stop there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dozens of Purdue University professors recently questioned his commitment to academic Freedom, and in an open letter to </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">President Mitch Daniels, they’ve said they are more troubled by his continued criticism of Howard Zinn's writings since becoming Purdue's president than they were by the emails he sent as governor more than three years ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Judyth has something more than “just data” to offer at this important fiftieth anniversary event. She has a first-hand story that is significant. She slept with the man who has been blamed for killing the president. She does not believe Oswald is the villain he’s been made out to be by the Warren Commission and all of the investigators from the FBI, intelligence agencies, and even the compromised U.S. press. You know, journalists like Chuck Todd who don’t believe it is their duty to ask questions when politicians lie to the public. She believes Oswald even tried to save JFK’s life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Judyth is not a quiet, cautious person. She can appear flaky. She types in all caps—shouts online—when she gets attacked. She acts frantic when she’s called names. Sometimes she says things that make her Facebook followers upset. Some ask if she’s in her right mind. I think of several other assassination conspiracy writers who have been targeted for shunning because they sometimes appear to lose control. Does this behavior make them wrong? Or are they reacting to continued attempts to harass and censor?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Whenever a “Judyth” is banned from speaking in important arenas, one has to ask if the organization’s membership truly reflects its stated goals. Stated less politely, has COPA’s leadership been compromised by some who do not want truth to be known? Could there possibly be some influence by CIA or FBI or military assets doing their job by making sure people like Judyth are silenced? If you answer no, I have a bridge to sell you. This happens frequently and all of us can think of people and situations that must be questioned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Judyth is an easy target; she’s easy to rattle. Years of hiding out in foreign countries, fearing she is a potential target and the loss of her family have taken their toll. Maybe she suffers from PTSD. Would you suffer, under these bizarre circumstances?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">COPA needs to invite this significant author to speak; otherwise this organization could go the way of Purdue University when it comes to teaching and reporting history. Thank God there are professors at that Indiana institution willing to speak out on free speech. Willing to defend a brilliant mind from the likes of a <i>TeaJadist </i>ruler.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">COPA has nothing to lose by letting Judyth Vary Baker speak on this fiftieth anniversary; the organization has everything to lose if Judyth is banned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So, I double-dog-dare COPA to invite Judyth as a major speaker this November. Otherwise I am right about all of the above (and more).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">*****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Susan Klopfer, MBA, is a graduate of Hanover College and Indiana Wesleyan University. The former journalist and Prentice Hall acquisitions and development editor, is the author of<a href="http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/thedelta"><b> three nonfiction books</b></a> on Mississippi civil rights: The Emmett Till Book; Where Rebels Roost, Mississippi Civil Rights Revisited; and, Who Killed Emmett Till. Her new book,<b> <a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/">The Plan</a>,</b> is set to be published at the end of September. Learn more about this novel at<a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/"> http://ebooksfromsusan.com</a><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-86631064697992703562013-09-18T05:34:00.002-07:002013-09-18T05:35:47.370-07:00Just pubished a retirement/travel article in an online magazine, and want to share.<br />
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<a href="http://retirementandgoodliving.com/finding-a-best-friend-forever-in-ecuador/">http://retirementandgoodliving.com/finding-a-best-friend-forever-in-ecuador/</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-39184274929475818442013-09-08T15:54:00.001-07:002013-10-08T05:41:54.207-07:00Judyth Vary Baker was forced into early retirement from life.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
Can you imagine going into hiding as your early retirement plan? Recently I read a great true story about a woman who really hasn't been allowed to have a typical life -- the kind of life where you develop a career, marry and raise a family and then retire with your husband. It started out fine for this unique woman. She was a superstar science student on her way to academic success.</div>
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Everyone wanted her to join their special programs, including several shrewd and manipulative people who ultimately made a disaster of her life. Here's quick review of her book, <b>Me and Lee.</b> Better read it fast, because another powerful book is on the way!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdVBLRdqQ8I_vZquU2Gj6HR9GaRSiqfwmPU9d4MGGkYsN01sP1Rx2LEfC8zfO_ayoN3sch77ed-ViXP_9YJB3THoBmSPdssRFyMU6QLy4WxbbmbsVdL2mRzriYGv6Qa9ZkSW6GsAEmfY/s1600/meandlee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdVBLRdqQ8I_vZquU2Gj6HR9GaRSiqfwmPU9d4MGGkYsN01sP1Rx2LEfC8zfO_ayoN3sch77ed-ViXP_9YJB3THoBmSPdssRFyMU6QLy4WxbbmbsVdL2mRzriYGv6Qa9ZkSW6GsAEmfY/s320/meandlee.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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*****<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Me and Lee</i> --</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Review By Susan Klopfer</span><br />
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Can you imagine being a top, young scientist headed for academic excellence and then having your entire world turned upside down by people who don’t know or care about you?<br />
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I love true stories about brave people and Judyth Vary Baker's Me and Lee is one of the best such books I've read. Her intimate story of how she became involved with Lee Harvey Oswald is chilling.<br />
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<a href="http://trineday.com/paypal_store/product_pages/0979988675-Me+Lee/index.html">Buy Judyth Vary Baker's Book at this Link</a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Judyth-Bary-Baker?store=ebook&keyword=Judyth+Bary+Baker">As a Nookbook</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Me-Lee-Harvey-Oswald-ebook/dp/B0050K8BYW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1378680388&sr=1-1&keywords=Me+and+Lee">Amazon Kindl</a>e<br />
<a href="http://meandlee.com/">Judyth Baker's website</a><br />
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I've read nearly every JFK assassination book published, but this one is different. Judyth takes readers through her dramatic life journey, starting when she was a young academic woman on the rise and was pulled into important scientific projects by government agents. Very quickly she was used by shrewd men and women for their gain in the strangest of conditions.<br />
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But then this young science star met a handsome, kind man who she quickly fell in love with, and had to watch as he was destroyed by a system that shows no love of humanity. <b>Me and Lee </b>is both a love story, and an intriguing spy novel. I challenge any JFK assassination conspiracy skeptic to read Judyth Vary Baker’s book and then tell me that Lee Harvey Oswald was a heartless robot who killed the president. Great reading. Every page kept me spellbound.<br />
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If you plan on seeing the newest movie coming out on JFK, I hear it is far from true. Better to buy this book and learn the true story. Why is this book so believable? Judyth includes pages of documentation. She is a brilliant researcher and knows what is needed to support her facts.<br />
***Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-14720611404156033352013-08-28T11:26:00.000-07:002013-08-28T11:31:22.075-07:00My Big Adventure - Writing eBooks as an Expat<div class="MsoNormal">
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Mystery Conspiracy eBook Publish Date Set For September. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I am almost done! <b>The Plan</b> is with the copy editor, and
should be ready by the middle of this month. I have to admit that as a retired
person, I’ve been working awfully hard. But I don’t think I would be happy
doing NOTHING! I am happiest when writing, and now I have more time to follow
my dreams, and in such a beautiful location. I highly recommend “expating.” Here's what our week looks like:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">In the next hour, Fred
and I are going out to lunch with a couple of soon-to-be expat friends from
Arizona, who are planning to come back to Cuenca to retire next year. We
actually have a busy schedule this week —three lunch dates, a raw foods cooking
class with Susan Schenck, a trip to the organic market and on Sunday, helping
our friend Don Colón move his restaurant to a new location on the Central
Square. Colón is a character in my book. This chef once hosted a television cooking
show in Quito, and is a fun person to be around. <i>He saves the beautiful lady, at the end! (of course).<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">THE PLAN</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> is an alternative fiction novel based on the real lives of two Deep
South, gay black lawyers. The bond between Clinton and Joe (one of them,
married) is broken when Joe is reportedly found hanged. A suicide seems
impossible to Clint, and Joe’s widow is acting cagey. Clinton Moore believes
Joe Means was tortured and murdered, and that his and Joe’s shared
obsession—investigating and fact gathering about the cover-up of various
murders of civil rights activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,and
President John F. Kennedy—is the reason for Joe’s death. Clinton believes he is
next on the list, and that solving Joe’s murder is his only chance of survival.
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">When he discovers Joe’s
wife has been spirited away as an expat to South America, Clinton sends his
trusted legal assistant, Mollie Johnson, to Cuenca, Ecuador for the adventure
of her life. She joins forces with journalist Sara Mercury, and together they
take readers into the high Andes to bring home the widow, Tara Means. Filled
with civil rights and alternative history, hopefully to titillate the most
sophisticated conspiracy theorist, this is my first foray into thriller fiction;
my goal has been to write a book that is thought-provoking and a fun read! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Reader will discover
ties to the Ku Klux Klan, Militia, Neo Nazis, Chile's Colonia Dignidad, NSA,
FBI,CIA and the assassinations of two famous civil rights leaders and President
John F. Kennedy keep the pace moving in this historical fiction thriller novel,
first of a crime action adventure and mystery series. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19px;">See more at: </span><a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/new_the_plan#sthash.XbXliaLO.dpuf" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19px;">Ebooks From Susan</a></div>
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***</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">My advice —Stay with
the story. It's fast and furious, offers a paranormal subtheme, and includes a
high-speed car chase in the Andes with Colón at the wheel. I promise you'll be
surprised. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The story opens in New
York City, when a friend of Clinton Moore, a history professor and crime sleuth
reads news of an upcoming trial in Chile. One of his own colleagues disappeared
in a South American CIA-supported torture camp, Colonia Dignidad, and he plans
to travel to Santiago, to aid his friend's sister who will be testifying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">THE PLAN moves to the
Mississippi delta, as Clinton Moore lays out the story of why he and his friend
have been murdered. But then, it is on to Cuenca, Ecuador as a talented
paralegal tries to save the wife of her (now) dead boss’s dead best friend! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Does Mollie Johnson
have a ghost of a chance finding Tara Means? Perhaps she does, when a
compromised but passionate journalist, fired from The Dallas News for writing
too many JFK assassination stories, tries to help, with interference (good and
bad) from an Embassy attaché, a flirtatious Cuencano chef and a very old CIA
asset with ties to the assassinations AND to Colonia Dignidad! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Are you looking for adventure
and mystery? THE PLAN is based on a true story, and is a work of historical or
alternative fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places,
events, and incidents either come from my imagination or are used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is
entirely coincidental. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">ALTERNATIVE HISTORY
CATEGORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">—Historical Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">—Alternative Fiction
Novel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">—Mystery Novels<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">—Crime Thriller<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">—Action and Adventure<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">ISBN-10: 0-9826049-7-1
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">ISBN-13:
978-0-9826049-7-7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">THE PLAN - an
alternative history adventure and mystery novel - is set for publication
in September of 2013. - See more at: <a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/new_the_plan#sthash.XbXliaLO.dpuf">Ebooks From
Susan</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-31699321493911705312013-08-07T04:26:00.003-07:002013-08-07T04:26:26.355-07:00Emmett Till Blog; Murder in Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold Cases; Parallels Trayvon Martin: Download free mp3 files from Who Killed Emmett Til...<a href="http://emmett-till.blogspot.com/2013/05/download-free-mp3-files-from-who-killed.html?spref=bl">Emmett Till Blog; Murder in Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold Cases; Parallels Trayvon Martin: Download free mp3 files from Who Killed Emmett Til...</a>: Please drop by http://ebooksfromsusan.com and listen to (and download) f ree mp3 files from Who Killed Emmett Till? There are four exce...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-75122728585396322332013-08-07T04:26:00.001-07:002013-08-07T04:26:25.940-07:00Emmett Till Blog; Murder in Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold Cases; Parallels Trayvon Martin: Download free mp3 files from Who Killed Emmett Til...<a href="http://emmett-till.blogspot.com/2013/05/download-free-mp3-files-from-who-killed.html?spref=bl">Emmett Till Blog; Murder in Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold Cases; Parallels Trayvon Martin: Download free mp3 files from Who Killed Emmett Til...</a>: Please drop by http://ebooksfromsusan.com and listen to (and download) f ree mp3 files from Who Killed Emmett Till? There are four exce...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-77597210173841808642013-07-28T21:13:00.000-07:002013-07-28T21:13:16.078-07:00Found a great vet in Cuenca, Ecuador: will treat emergencies!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1hsNip4PkunsYD0oA0UW99Y8STdaUMKP4Ho7groUdNmJzv0FCI9Fb1jPqx9aARyLOTWZWVLaInStduDTjEcVnhagaDLcmUOAg17jrs1hYiwXdc0j_OFa3BbBS9agwiiNA55_pq-6PGk/s1600/vet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1hsNip4PkunsYD0oA0UW99Y8STdaUMKP4Ho7groUdNmJzv0FCI9Fb1jPqx9aARyLOTWZWVLaInStduDTjEcVnhagaDLcmUOAg17jrs1hYiwXdc0j_OFa3BbBS9agwiiNA55_pq-6PGk/s320/vet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Dr. Javier Gallardo, Cuenca, Ecuador veterinarian</div>
<br />
We had a vet emergency on a Sunday night. Tried calling every vet listed with 24 hour emergency designation and either they didn't answer, or would not come in.Then we found a phone number for Dr. Gallardo. He said to come to his clinic, where he met us and treated our dog. He was wonderful! We will use him for both pets, and highly recommend.his services. He speaks very little English but uses a Spanish translator on his PC and this worked fine for us.<br />
<br />
His phone number is 2816869 or 0987232618. He was featured in a news story at <a href="http://www.eltiempo.com.ec/noticias-cuenca/120811-veterinaria-gallardo-con-nuevo-local/">http://www.eltiempo.com.ec/noticias-cuenca/120811-veterinaria-gallardo-con-nuevo-local/</a><br />
<br />
It's like this: I love my animals more than most people. It scared the heck out of me when my new, little rescue dog got so sick, and I couldn't help her. Cheryl ate something BAD on the street and started getting very ill, late at night. So I was so thankful to find this nice vet!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-83346028933546953362013-07-28T06:29:00.000-07:002013-07-28T06:32:48.889-07:00The Plan Starts in New York City, Moves to the Mississippi Delta, and Winds Up in the South American Andes of Ecuador<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGsT5xP_UTzR-2pHlObUjCSPoGpR0MXR0T-JlcehlGoEUszL3WnqGWU7ALAx_jpeOtDvZgra1_GT88AFPmcpBVtcZIepFLZE6uRRWCoIWwgWvQYwVEj8q3B1-jZfoU1ikCGu1oOqfS9c/s1600/andes-sunset-cuenca-ecuador+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGsT5xP_UTzR-2pHlObUjCSPoGpR0MXR0T-JlcehlGoEUszL3WnqGWU7ALAx_jpeOtDvZgra1_GT88AFPmcpBVtcZIepFLZE6uRRWCoIWwgWvQYwVEj8q3B1-jZfoU1ikCGu1oOqfS9c/s320/andes-sunset-cuenca-ecuador+(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A sunset in the Andes of Ecuador</i></div>
<br />
I am so close! <b><a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/">The Plan</a></b> is in final editing stages. From here, it goes to a formatter, and then to Amazon! The cover has been designed, and it's fantastic. I am so excited to be about to share this book with my friends. Here's the basic summary:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4y2tZ3vJPBt6KUhalj5mdl-iLOmmlaWqMrMXJTbZzLr6EZXhz_xaF9ogrbxLdeBFVTWnBPArp3pNuzUUaRLME5mrfnCz4AEZ8hbNcVUWZo5kbUttEZmW4h2AZR6vz_6Mupb9gxcJCwc/s1600/delta+-+Copy+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4y2tZ3vJPBt6KUhalj5mdl-iLOmmlaWqMrMXJTbZzLr6EZXhz_xaF9ogrbxLdeBFVTWnBPArp3pNuzUUaRLME5mrfnCz4AEZ8hbNcVUWZo5kbUttEZmW4h2AZR6vz_6Mupb9gxcJCwc/s320/delta+-+Copy+-+Copy.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A sunset in the Mississippi Delta</i></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Plan</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> is A MURDER MYSTERY, HISTORICAL FICTION THRILLER that opens in New York
City, but quickly moves to the Deep South. The bond between Clinton and Joe,
two gay, black lawyers (one of them, married) is broken when Joe is found
hanged. A suicide seems impossible to Clint, and Joe’s widow is acting cagey. Clinton
Moore thinks Joe was murdered, and that his and Joe’s shared obsession, investigating
and fact gathering about the cover-up of various murders of civil rights
activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and of John F. Kennedy, is
the reason for Joe’s death. Clinton feels he is next on the list, and that
solving Joe’s murder is his only chance of survival. When he discovers that
Joe’s wife has been spirited away to South America, he sends his trusted legal
assistant, Mollie, to Ecuador to check it out. (See more at: http://ebooksfromsusan.com.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Got to get to work,, though. Thanks for stopping by! Susan Klopfer</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-43323593075863198202013-07-22T00:43:00.001-07:002013-07-22T00:43:44.244-07:00#BookPromotion Tips : Vastly disregarded ways to bring attention to your book #amwriting #writing #writers<a href="http://www.epublishabook.com/2013/07/21/bookpromotion-tips-vastly-disregarded-ways-to-bring-attention-to-your-book-amwriting-writing-writers/">#BookPromotion Tips : Vastly disregarded ways to bring attention to your book #amwriting #writing #writers</a><br />
<br />
If you've decided to write books for retirement income, you need to read this article on Search Engine Optimization. It's critical that you understand book marketing, otherwise you won't move your books. As I wind down writing <b><a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/">The Plan</a></b>, my time will now be spent marketing it. That's the fun part! SEO is critical. I will be sharing such tips from time to time, because I know that many of you are interested in self publishing. Please share your ideas, here. Thanks.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-70349986908209927132013-07-06T08:45:00.004-07:002013-07-06T08:50:06.402-07:00Want to be a part of self-publishing? Even if you don't write? Try some some Fan Fiction!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5thasc1wb9y6dhyphenhyphenw2Mdf98E7qpWNGvwQuRlzeRq2rDzNz_o7q1oBIYBQGL7IoGdkW6y9MejHnBX99kRFHglLxCsFBQ3kIk0gt54H_pbXxOYC4iv00cKixSPNbTKCgy9jY2Ryx2nw4to/s1600/fanfiction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5thasc1wb9y6dhyphenhyphenw2Mdf98E7qpWNGvwQuRlzeRq2rDzNz_o7q1oBIYBQGL7IoGdkW6y9MejHnBX99kRFHglLxCsFBQ3kIk0gt54H_pbXxOYC4iv00cKixSPNbTKCgy9jY2Ryx2nw4to/s1600/fanfiction.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Fan Fiction -- fun to do. Keeps boredome away!</i></div>
<br />
I just learned about this, and it sounds pretty cool.A way to earn some income in publishing, even if you don't write. I can imagine someone enjoying this if they like to read and spend their time hunting down good books.<br />
<br />
AMAZON LAUNCHES ITS KINDLE WORLDS STORE AND SELF-SERVICE PUBLISHING<br />
PLATFORM FOR FAN FICTION WRITERS<br />
<br />
The model allows any budding writer to submit and publish original stories in the Kindle<br />
Worlds Store based on the world or works of an existing media franchise. Amazon will<br />
then pay royalties to both the creator of the fan fiction and the original right’s holder;<br />
the standard author’s rate for fiction that is at least 10,000 words in length is 35 percent.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1001197421">http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1001197421</a><br />
<br />
Fan fiction (alternatively referred to as fan-fiction, fanfiction, fanfic, fanon, FF, or<br />
simply fic) is a broadly-defined fan labor term for stories about characters or settings<br />
written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_fiction">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_fiction</a><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;">Here's what a few of our authors had to say about Kindle Worlds: </span><br clear="all" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;" /><br clear="all" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;">"This was downright fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, take-chances, go-places-you've-never-been fun. It reminded me of being a kid: reading comics and just living in a completely different reality for a while. Archer & Armstrong are great characters, worlds away from what I usually write. I felt I could take chances, do things differently, and simply have a good time going where the story took me." —</span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/entity/store/B0063WUTGO/ref=amb_link_375976362_4?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=00HG3BWHECXB4W9JXX09&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1575388762&pf_rd_i=1001197421" style="border: 0px; color: #996633; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Carolyn Nash</a>, writing in <i>Archer & Armstrong</i></b><br clear="all" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;" /><br clear="all" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;">"I love challenges that can take my writing in new directions, and it was blast to write a story set in the Valiant universe, with themes and characters that don't normally appear in my writing. I also enjoyed writing from the point of view of a teen and preteen character." —</span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/entity/store/B001HCXSQ8/ref=amb_link_375976362_5?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=00HG3BWHECXB4W9JXX09&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1575388762&pf_rd_i=1001197421" style="border: 0px; color: #996633; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Jason Starr</a>, writing in <i>Harbinger</i></b><br clear="all" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;" /><br clear="all" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;">"This writing style is something I've been doing for years, though the world is very different with the ghosts and the powers. I just dug in and—hopefully—did some of the writing I do best. I know I had a good time." —</span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/entity/store/B000AP7CIS/ref=amb_link_375976362_6?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=00HG3BWHECXB4W9JXX09&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1575388762&pf_rd_i=1001197421" style="border: 0px; color: #996633; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Mel Odom</a>, writing in <i>Shadowman</i> and The Foreworld Saga</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-81168313517984783092013-07-01T08:09:00.001-07:002013-07-01T08:20:30.695-07:00Cuenca, Ecuador Writers In Transition Gets Set ForThursday, July 4 Monthly Reading; Free and Open to the Public<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M2TpW79omY0vVrjBAwlPWOmc20zJfhExl2Atc1fZCfec4IilheOfz53pcyJZxiJ8db2Q0sQhH7Mj4y_zkmh4ojRGNa4G3MIMDBQpakSyN8YH3k6fNXpAQO8lVzS7VRNmtymdldYth24/s320/tomp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M2TpW79omY0vVrjBAwlPWOmc20zJfhExl2Atc1fZCfec4IilheOfz53pcyJZxiJ8db2Q0sQhH7Mj4y_zkmh4ojRGNa4G3MIMDBQpakSyN8YH3k6fNXpAQO8lVzS7VRNmtymdldYth24/s320/tomp.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i>Tom, attending a meeting of Cuenca's Writers In Transition, or WIT, listens to feedback on his presentation. The group presents public readings at p.m.Thursday, July 4, at the Calif. Kitchen Restaurant. Open to the Pubic and Free.</i></div>
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<h3>
This Thursday, on the 4th of July, Cuenca writers are getting together to read from our current works. We're all retired expats -- this is what we do with a good share of our time -- and it's a lot of fun.</h3>
If it were not for this group, I know that I wouldn't be able to write <b><a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/">The Plan. </a></b>It's the most difficult book that I've ever written, because it is fiction. And I am used to writing news stories and nonfiction books.<br />
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But the challenge has been so good for me, and I encourage other retirees to think about writing -- a poem, a short story, a diary, letters to your children of grandchildren. It is just a wonderful, creative way to spend your time.<br />
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I am impressed that we have just as many men in our group (well, almost) as women. It is hard for guys to retire I'm going to make this generalization (and I guess that I apologize), but from my observations, men often have a harder time finding good stuff to do when they retire. But these men who regularly attend WIT meet with the group almost every week, and they are accomplished writers.<br />
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If you are a writer, or a wannabe writer, and live in Cuenca, Ecuador, please attend our weekly meeting at 12:30 p.m. each Thursday at the California Kitchen. We usually have lunch, but you can come and have a cup of coffee or tea with us. We won't "make" you read. Just come and listen and see how the group functions.<br />
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Meanwhile, I hope to see lots of people come to our monthly reading this Thursday. We decided to go ahead and do our regular thing, even though it is the 4th of July. The group may be smaller, but we know it will be fun, especially if YOU'RE there. Susan<br />
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Here's your invitation:<br />
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;">Writers in Transition (WIT)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">presents</span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff7f00; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;">An Evening of the Spoken Word</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">California Kitchen Restaurant</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Luis Cordero 5-65 y Honorato Vasquez</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_607351755" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">4th July 2013</span></span> . <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_607351756" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span> . <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_607351757" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">7pm</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Free Admission . Cash Bar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Authors</span></div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: center;">
"Masada"</div>
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by Anne Carr</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">A story of love and expecting the unexpected.</span></div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: center;">
"A Fish Tale"</div>
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by Suzanne Freddie</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">This is a short short story inspired by a Greek Myth: Bauccis and Philemon from Ovid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
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"Bridge... Slightly Revised"</div>
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by Manon Stephenson</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">A small group lightens up a serious game.</span></div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: center;">
"The Writer", Chapter 32 of The Plan</div>
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by Susan Kopfler</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">Lawyer Clinton Moore arrives in Ecuador; he visits the Cuenca Jazz Club and meets a journalist who will help him find his dead lover's wife!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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"Noah's Ark"</div>
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by Frances Augusta Hogg</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">Who would say no to the gift of a wombat?</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-61435273633164551692013-06-18T12:29:00.001-07:002013-06-18T12:29:07.084-07:00Good Food in EcuadorWe are enjoying so much healthier Food, since moving to Cuenca. This is Paella, a Spanish dish with loads of seafood.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTDXI0pz46EICnfKpaOB8KbkEGU4p0TtefkiEAchlKKHV-eOXsimXMvwQ4gx0F7FXmSl50ddg8xv5S3tRvWBXwVcDU1mLSuTTKLxiZj6Xb-OROyZ3MtcSGPH-2aTi4SsZHxjwpE2ndOQ/s640/blogger-image--1562673278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTDXI0pz46EICnfKpaOB8KbkEGU4p0TtefkiEAchlKKHV-eOXsimXMvwQ4gx0F7FXmSl50ddg8xv5S3tRvWBXwVcDU1mLSuTTKLxiZj6Xb-OROyZ3MtcSGPH-2aTi4SsZHxjwpE2ndOQ/s640/blogger-image--1562673278.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com1Hotel Coronel 9-42, Cuenca Canton-2.897372 -79.00085tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-11380014898400036372013-06-12T11:39:00.001-07:002013-06-12T11:39:11.426-07:00Just posted a chapter of my upcoming book: The PlanMy back hurts, bad -- but I am still getting the final edits completed on my new book. This is so exciting. I wanted to share a chapter with blog followers today, since it is the anniversary of Medgar Evers murder, and that's what this chapter is about. I will appreciate any and all comment. Thanks -- Susan<br />
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<a href="http://emmett-till.blogspot.com/2013/06/ebook-author-posts-free-chapter-of-plan.html?spref=bl">Emmett Till Blog; Murder in Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold Cases; Parallels Trayvon Martin: PLEASE SHARE: eBook author posts free chapter of T...</a>: Susan Klopfer, author The Plan Scheduled for July, 2013 Publication http://ebooksfromsusan.com Medgar Evers, WW II veteran...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3900511271845074327.post-35879892863686700152013-05-30T08:17:00.001-07:002013-05-30T08:28:16.508-07:00Retirees -- Free download of one of my projects (writing books as a boomer)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxUMk-3qrbEXW2CJRi9FdN3H0aRDIhV1EFsSWYlstXGXsrT2yAS_0TE-lmU5x4GrGAaM8nMwEo4jEU2-Lq4_mDDopgrTishu-FdV4SeMoDmB_OMFCpKjqc-wBV9qzGI5392BZ95-5DGo/s1600/belzonicourthouseelta_5491+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxUMk-3qrbEXW2CJRi9FdN3H0aRDIhV1EFsSWYlstXGXsrT2yAS_0TE-lmU5x4GrGAaM8nMwEo4jEU2-Lq4_mDDopgrTishu-FdV4SeMoDmB_OMFCpKjqc-wBV9qzGI5392BZ95-5DGo/s1600/belzonicourthouseelta_5491+-+Copy.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>A typical Mississippi Delta county courthouse; they all have their secrets!</i></div>
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I've been posting free downloads of my audio book,Who Killed Emmett Till? This particular file is about the murder of Emmett Till, and why it matters today. Afterall, this killing book place back in 1955. Would enjoy your comments after you've listened.<br />
*****<br />
Follow this blog by email <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/AWomansRetirementMonologues">http://feeds.feedburner.com/AWomansRetirementMonologues</a><br />
*****<br />
<br />
I stay active as a retiree by writing books and ebooks. Have you found something interesting to do with your life? I invite you to be sure and <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/AWomansRetirementMonologues"><b>subscribe to my blog,</b></a> A Woman's Retirement Monologues where I try to share as many ideas as I can find about living a happy, healthy retirement. Boredom is not an option!<br />
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Thanks,<br />
Susan<br />
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Only about two more weeks, and The Plan: A Novel will be available. Can hardly wait to share this with you.<br />
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<a href="https://www.box.com/s/vkz4yebhe70k00bcfsup">CLICK HERE</a> for your free listen'and/or download<br />
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<a href="https://www.box.com/s/vkz4yebhe70k00bcfsup">https://www.box.com/s/vkz4yebhe70k00bcfsup</a><br />
<br />
Susan<br />
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P.S. If you want to hear more, go to my new website <a href="http://ebooksfromsusan.com/">http://ebooksfromsusan.com</a><br />
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I'd love your comments -- there are more audio files there, too.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07596228094618600990noreply@blogger.com0