tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43786717505478976692024-02-20T05:16:28.451-08:00Jonathan EliA writer trying to keep the bills paid.Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-9575744243401796002012-01-14T19:59:00.000-08:002012-01-14T19:59:32.300-08:00Something new is coming!This is a quick note to say; keep an eye on this space because I will VERY soon be back blogging about things around Indiana, America, and the world. So stay tuned and hang on; it might get a little interesting in here!Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-9904839600019107532011-06-27T05:46:00.000-07:002011-06-27T05:46:41.159-07:00New web-site!Told you I'd be back; just in a new location, www.jonathaneli.com. Check it out and subscribe to my blog. Just trying to sell a book or two.Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-52810987638135997122011-05-25T13:54:00.001-07:002011-05-25T13:54:25.405-07:00This is the end my friends.Well this is probably the last entry on this blog. My editor of my blog, my wife, left May 1st to go home. I guess GOD needed a Tax accountant. She did leave a void here though. <br />
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I've thought over the last month about all the things I wanted to say, including things not about my wife, but not much point right not; nothing coming to mind, but I'll let it work for a while and something might come up.<br />
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I did want to say, after 28 years of marriage; I'm allowed. Guys; have the conversations, do the things you always wanted to, learn what each of you want to happen in the end, and figure out where everything is in your life, home, and existence. Make is a lot easier to go though everything when something happens, trust me.<br />
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Plus I've realized just how many people care about you that you might never know about, or realize. Friends, relatives, people at your church, old school friends you haven't heard anything out of in years. And you'll appreciate every one of them. <br />
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You might even realize just how much your in-laws really love you. Even if you knew all along it's a little humbling after all. Thanks guys; I love you like you'll never imagine. When you should have been as devastated as I was you rallied around me, kept me together, and helped me make my way though all of what's happening. <br />
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I appreciate the number of clients, basket weaver members, dog lovers, and friends of my wife that have told me just how much she meant to them; and how lost they are going to be with out her around. Dido; you should be at my house sometimes.<br />
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Her family at work has been fantastic. They have helped me, and continue to, with finishing up tax projects, returns, and other things I'm going to need their help on for a while.<br />
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I've been a little blocked on writing. Guess you could understand. But I really want/need to get back at it. I have what I think will be a pretty good story coming up next. You'll see a little different side of my writing in this one; hope you like it. But I have to get started.<br />
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There will be a scholarship set up in my wife's honor at Freed-Hardeman University. Thanks Jenny for helping with that. Look out everybody; they will be looking for contributions to help get it started. It is a university after all!<br />
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A little business while we're here. I have been prompted to discontinue my comments on political subjects. So while it's is the last one I'll make a couple and make them brief.<br />
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Could you just imagine what they would all be saying if George would have been wining and dinning around Europe during Katrina? He had it bad enough, and to an extent rightfully so, as it was, but....<br />
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And would the Republican's find somebody worth a crap and run them against Obama. Even if they don't win it would be better than some of the ones running now! The best ones have dropped out. Can you blame them because of what the media would do to them and their families?<br />
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I went to Taco Bell and got a salad today for lunch. When I ordered I asked for extra dressing for the salad, the girl taking my order said they would have to charge extra for it (never had before but, okay?) So I told her never mind. Well that was to never might giving me any extra; I wanted what you normally get with the salad! Guess she didn't think I needed any! Thanks, Taco Bell for the GREAT service!<br />
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Okay, I've written enough junk for one blog. I do want to end with saying a heart felt THANK YOU to everyone that has contacted me, sent well wishes, came to two memorials in two different states (especially David Eldridge who drove two hours to come speak, thank you so much) offered help and has helped, and told me that there was NO WAY they were going to let me turn into a hermit in this house. <br />
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I get a feeling people are planning on keeping me busy; thanks to all of you.<br />
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Well like the Grateful Dead sang, "What a long strange trip it's been." Thanks, there will be another Jonathan Eli blog started, along with a web-site, in a couple months along with another new book coming out, Kat's Decision, so keep an eye on Facebook and ride along.<br />
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Peace,<br />
JonathanJonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-88674208715947206492011-04-08T17:01:00.000-07:002011-04-08T17:01:55.953-07:00The democrats are back! The democrats are back!Run! <br />
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After 31 days of paid vacation in Illinois, the Indiana democratic legislators returned to their jobs. And they walked in like conquering champions!<br />
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They did so because the Republicans caved; it's what they do. <br />
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The Democrats have the gall to run TV ads stating that they courageously worked for Indiana middle-income families. They snuck out the back door and ran to Illinois.<br />
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One of them even equated their run-away tactics to a solider in Afghanistan! That one legislator should be ashamed of himself, but that's something they have no idea of. <br />
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Comparing the bravery of an American solider sleeping in hostile conditions, getting shot at, being away from family, friends, and loved ones for months to a few politicians sitting around the motel 6 in Illinois in the hot tub and watching porno then sneaking back into the state on the weekends to see their family and make sure the unions will keep paying the bills!<br />
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Makes me sick! But then in 2012, I’ll bet Indiana citizens will forget all about this and vote them right back in, probably in bigger numbers! Why do I say that? Because Democrats will do a much better job of spinning what happened and make sure everybody thinks the Republicans caused them to leave. They are already running ads telling Indiana families that they are the only thing that kept them from being put out of their homes, their kids starving at school, and their parents eating dog food because they can't afford to eat and heat or cool their home. They forget THEIR President is the one that said we should all PAY MORE for heating oil! <br />
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But what will the Republicans do? Nothing! They will run their regular race, cave to more demands, and act like they didn't win a majority in the state or the nation in 2010! For over 40 years, the democrats have tried to tax and spend this country out of business and they are about to win if we forget and let them! <br />
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Change of subject: you hear liberals talking all the time about how Christians should be tolerant and how we are so intolerant of others. Well, how about this: how many times in the last ten to twenty years has someone, of whatever faith or non-faith, done something against Christians and you hear about a dozen of them being killed by Christians? When the Muslims broke into the Church of the First Born in Jerusalem and defecated all over the place, tore pages of the Old Testament out of a Bible and used it as toilet paper (possible the only time they have used anything that way) was there a great outcry and murders of Muslims around the world. When an 'artist' (using American TAX DOLLARS) placed a crucifix in a bottle of urine and called it art, did Christians round up a bunch of artists and murder them? Didn't hear about it, and believe me if it had happened, you know it would have been major news on every channel and news outlet! How many ACLU lawyers have been beheaded for trying to keep a manger scene off public property? Please tell me if you know anything about it. No, some 'Christian' groups send people out to demonstrate at funerals of the people who died to make sure they had the freedom to do such. <br />
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And some of us wonder why GOD has let this mess go on this long?<br />
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Okay let's do a compare and contrast. Butler basketball and Obama! The reason I started this like this is because a couple of weeks ago we were treated to Barack picking his top 16 NCAA basketball picks for his bracket. Now with the Egyptian problem still going on, Libya was going crazy, Japan still had a nuclear plant on the edge of explosion along with all the other horrors there, plus all the neat things going on here, but Barack had to make his picks and we listened and watched breathlessly while ESPN showed it. <br />
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Now consider this as well. Several months ago Barack was in the middle of a press conference and turned it over to FORMER PRESIDENT Bill Clinton while he went to a birthday party for one of his daughters AT HIS WIFES INSISTANCE! Think of both these things and imagine this: what if Ronald Reagan or George Bush had done either thing? They thought Nancy Reagan ran the country anyway; could you imagine if he'd left a press conference and turned it over to Gerald Ford? For a birthday party? And I'll give President Obama points. I am glad he made time for his daughter’s birthday. But why use it as a stunt to get Clinton back in the limelight and try for a feel-good fluff piece for the evening news! Plus, think about if Bush had made his NCAA picks during the beginning of the Iraq war? That would have made the evening news, and you can bet ESPN would have never touched it.<br />
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Now finally, let's talk about Butler! Yeah, it was not the best game ever played. In fact it was one of the worst: both sides played badly on offense. I really think they had two of the best defenses seen. But maybe the biggest story was after the game when Butler's team came together and realized that it was just a game and that tomorrow they would all be students again and Indianapolis and much of America, if not the world, still loved the underdog, especially if it's a bulldog! <br />
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I have to say this. I am not a Duke fan in any way, shape, or form. In fact, my three favorite teams in college basketball are; Butler, Indiana University, and whoever is beating Duke! The way they treated (the school, faculty, and administration) the team after the Lacrosse deal, they certainly acted more like a junior-high school than a division one university! Guilty till proven innocent and unlikely to be proven innocent! But what the basketball team coach said after last year’s game about Butler; I have to give him a thumbs-up and say there is an exception no matter how bad Duke is.<br />
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I certainly hope Butler appreciates what they have, I am sure they do, and work to keep the team at the level it is now and to give Indianapolis another team to be excited about. So for next year; GO BUTLER!!!Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-23974590672695835252011-03-29T09:26:00.001-07:002011-03-29T09:26:30.126-07:00Good Morning...but I digress.For those of you (all three of you) that read this outside of Indiana, you might not know that the Democrat contingent of our legislature is taking a now over one month vacation in Illinois! I wonder if they are partying with the guys from Wisconsin?<br />
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It started over right-to-work. Which basically is that a company can hire a person for a union job and the union cannot require them to join the union. Doesn't sound right does it? Well there are a couple of things the unions and Democrats don't want you to know. The biggest being that if they don't pay union dues the union doesn't represent them. So it doesn't do away with collective bargaining. It just allows them to hire someone for a non-negotiated wage and benefit package. Most of the union members you see demonstrating at state capitols don't know that fact. Their union's stewards are keeping that information from them. Unions will tell you they are working for the middle class. How many middle class people do you know that are making 28-30 dollars per hour? Along with their health and retirement benefits completely paid by the company? Is yours? Mine is not and never has been. Also, if you don't do your job, or don't do accepted quality work, what happens? You usually lose your job and get to find another one. But if you’re in a union don't worry. You either get moved to another job if you're working in construction, or another line in a factory, or your supervisor is replaced with one you can get along with. <br />
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Growing up I heard stories from friends' parents about people they knew in the factories (UAW Chrysler and GM plants) that played cards all day, came in drunk or high if it was a second or third shift job, or left the factory and went shopping half the day. Nice work if you can get it. Remember the old adage about you never want to buy a car built on Friday or Monday? There is a reason!<br />
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Okay, I know not all unions jobs are bad and not all union workers are drunks or people who don't work. But what would you do if you knew your work performance didn't matter concerning you keeping your job? <br />
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A big part of the problem in Wisconsin and Indiana is teachers. You want to talk about quality of the product produced? In Wisconsin only 30% of eighth graders can read at grade level. Now they are making good money, getting fully paid health and pensions but not producing a product that will even be able to make a wage to be taxed to cover their retirement. <br />
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Indiana spends over $10,000.00 PER CHILD PER YEAR for education! Back thirty five years ago, when I was in school, it was LESS THAN A GRAND! And I bet I got a better education than they do now. Now I know I haven't taken into account inflation but I bet it wouldn't be nine thousand dollars. There are great teachers out there; there are even good administrators. You just have to find them! <br />
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Right now in Indiana you can hear radio ads about the governor taking half of that ten grand away from public schools. What they are not telling the listener is it's about school choice. Vouchers so a parent, the few that care about their kids, can choose where their children go and who helps mold their futures. Our president sends his kids to a private school in Washington; why can't you choose where your kid gets his education? <br />
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Plus it will force the public schools to COMPETE for those dollars. Maybe it will be more reading, writing, math, and science, and less how to put a condom on or political correctness classes. Think about any home-schooled kids you might know; pretty sharp kids over all. I know not every mother can hom- school their kids, but why can't you send your children to a school that will train and educate them how you would if you could? <br />
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Yeah, I know, now you wish I'd go back to writing a blog entry every couple months. I said, my wife reminded me of this the other day, that I'd write what moved me and I would probably make some people mad. Well here you go. I don't mean to make anyone made but it’s my opinion based on over fifty years on GOD's green earth. <br />
Peace,<br />
JonJonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-31150719618947192662011-03-28T09:36:00.001-07:002011-03-28T09:36:54.993-07:00How quick can a month and a half go?I cannot believe I've missed writing anything in my blog for a month and a half. I had something a few days ago, but after my wife (mini-editor) checked it she closed the file it was in and somewhere over the rainbow it went. So here we go again. <br />
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My wife has six more physical therapy sessions left and she'll be as good as new again. Well, her doctor did say she wasn't 20 anymore. so she might not be back to her old self, but she'll be in better shape than she was on January 14th!<br />
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I have a new found respect for what she does and has to put up with. You also listen, sometimes half-heartedly, to your spouse when they come home from work and they tell you about their day. Well, after working with her almost everyday for the last couple of months, I understand. Tax season isn't fun for the preparer either.<br />
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This reminds me of something that happened to me probably 15 years ago. I was having lunch by myself and sitting at the next table were four people, all very business dressed, laughing and having a good time, using a lot of accounting terms in their conversation, and it was around the first of April. Now at home there was no laughing, accounting terms were stated in less that joyous ways, and my wife would usually walk in the house, eat dinner, and drop into a chair falling asleep before she hit bottom: usually at nine in the evening! <br />
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When I finished my lunch, I walked over, smiled at all four of them, and said, "You have to be IRS agents. Nobody else I know could be having lunch on April first, talking in accounting terms, and having as much fun as you are." I got four 'deer in the headlight looks' as one of them showed me her IRS identification card.<br />
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Yeah, I figured I'd be audited for the rest of my life. So far so good!<br />
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One of the things I have been doing lately, while helping my wife wake-up and get dressed every morning: I've been watching the local morning news programs. You can get some great material there. Plus you can have some serious wonder about your fellow man.<br />
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First piece of evidence: there was a piece about a condemned former motel that the city was going to do a sweep of to get any homeless out of the building. I had a couple of thoughts there. <br />
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First, they were not planning on tearing the place down till fall; do you think they just might MOVE BACK IN between now and the fall? Plus, and this is what I really thought was funny, the girl relating the story then tells everybody that the lights they might have seen late in the evening while driving by were homeless people lighting candles in the motel. REALLY? I thought it was dogs and cats lighting fires TRYING TO KEEP WARM! <br />
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Second, talking about an auto accident with loss of life the news person said, "The police are talking with witnesses and the alcohol will soon be arriving at the scene." So are they going to give everyone a drink for helping them?<br />
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Third, there was another accident on an interstate north of Indianapolis. A State Trooper was doing a u-turn on the interstate and hit a SEMI! Now he didn't happen to pull in front of a semi at night not running any lights. He hit the trailer's rear wheels. Luckily the trooper was not seriously injured nor either person in the semi, but he hit the rear side of an eighty foot long vehicle! I certainly don't want him checking into evidence in a case I'm involved in. I bet the next meeting with his superior was interesting: explain just how you missed that! <br />
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Okay, now on another subject. Another town surrounding Indianapolis is thinking about changing their intersections into roundabouts. Now if you don't know what a roundabout is, watch National Lampoons European Vacation, the part where Chevy Chase drives around for hours trying to get out of one. Welcome to Carmel, Indiana! <br />
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When they first were installed nobody had a clue how they worked or how you drove in one. They have a yield sign; for some reason many people suddenly believed they turned into stop signs, and if there was a car anywhere you could see, you couldn't move! Remember, Indiana is a pretty FLAT state....<br />
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I've waited for several minutes, along with fifty or so new friends, while someone, several times a woman in a mini-van, waited for her engraved invitation to drive around the roundabout. I have also had an older gentleman driving TOWARD me blowing his horn, yelling, and making interesting obscene gestures while driving the wrong way around one. Here's a driving fact for you sir: if everybody else is meeting you instead of driving the same way you are, you're probably the one DRIVING THE WRONG WAY! <br />
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About a month ago I saw the best; I was taking my wife to work and I was following a person in a Buick SUV. There is a roundabout on the north side of I-465, in Carmel, and a normal intersection on the Southside of the interstate in Indianapolis. Well, this person driving the SUV stops and waits for several seconds at the yield sign at the roundabout, okay I've been there and done that, but then when they get to the RED-LIGHT on the other side of the interstate (don't get ahead of me now) she drives right through it never even slowing down! <br />
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So if you live, or know anyone, living in Beech Grove, Indiana. Pray for them! They'll need it for the next few months after the first couple get installed.<br />
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So hopefully I'll be back writing soon, although my wife told me yesterday I'll be helping her because it isn't April 15th yet, (see the above story about the IRS and you'll understand) and I'll get rolling on the first Jim Benjamin book which will be titled Elapsed Time. I'm going with drag racing terms for the titles of the books because it is a central activity in all the stories. I am also going to do a last go-over of Kat's Decision and ship it off to my editor, Lauralynn Elliott. So I am hoping it will be available from Amazon or Smashwords in a couple of months. <br />
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Kat is a private detective story set in Indianapolis. She is the daughter of a police officer and has four cop brothers. She's beautiful, tough, and has some damaged baggage to get though. You all will know when it's out!<br />
Till then, Peace!<br />
JonJonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-22118536047141675042011-02-01T12:46:00.001-08:002011-02-01T12:46:42.788-08:00Pet Peeves IPet Peeves: we all have them. I have several; just ask my wife. <br />
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Thus I'm going to have to talk about one of mine today. Yes, I know it's been a while since I've written anything, but for some reason I just can't get what I'm thinking about and what I want to write in this blog to mesh together. But the other day, something presented itself and I just couldn't let it pass.<br />
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I was reading a blog from a Christian, Church of Christ, writer about talking to a group of women and one of the mothers asked her about appropriate dress for an up coming dance her daughter was going to! Well, first, I in no way think dancing is a good activity for young Christians. It was what was in the latter part of her message that waved its way right into pet peeve land in my mind, and it's something I've seen several times over the years. <br />
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While we teach and preach against a sin, we give no credit to ourselves for that teaching and preaching or to our children for listening to the lesson. In fact, we act like our kids are mindless, spineless, little masses of flesh just waiting to run amok as soon as we turn our backs on them. <br />
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I came late to the party. I didn't start going to a Church of Christ until I was 12, almost 13 years old. I didn't become a Christian until I was almost 15. But guess what? My parents instilled in me morals (Church of Christ parents don't have a monopoly on that, believe it or not!), the proper way and reason to treat the opposite sex (oops, probably shouldn't of used that term here as well), and how to properly act. In fact, I went to my senior prom, and nothing happened! (Yes, I can see the nay sayers that are out there saying they don't believe a word of what I'm saying now.) She was a very attractive girl (Oops, I said she was attractive; I'm sure someone will now say I was lusting after her!), but she wore a nice, covering dress, we didn't dance much, but we did a couple of times, slow dances, and I never thought about wanting to get her into bed. <br />
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Guess what. My parents' training, instruction, and morals were right there with me. And I would be willing to bet the person who wrote this blog (I knew her and her now husband in college) would have been able to be in the same situation with the same result. <br />
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Another example; I was talking with a mother at the congregation I attend and her oldest daughter was soon to be leaving for college. She mentioned how some people were telling her that once she was out of her house she would be doing all kinds of things. She young lady was just that, a lady, a young Christian lady that had good training and was reared by two Christian parents who trained her right. Now she is out of college and working and NOTHING happened, she didn't fall away, become pregnant, go on drugs, or any of the other things some Christians think their children and the children of any other Christian family will do as soon as they leave the nest. <br />
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Another example; the congregation I grew up in as a young Christian. It was a very conservative (then not now) congregation and the deacon that oversaw the 'youth group' ruled it with an iron fist. We were always lectured about any evil appearance out there, real or imagined. We were not trusted out of sight or past the end of their noses. The result; probably half, at best, of the people in that young group are now members of the Church of Christ. <br />
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So do we let our children run amok waiting for them to fall into sin? No. But should we treat them as criminals and give ourselves no credit for being about to raise good kids? If the latter please don't ask to be a deacon or elder at a congregation I attend. If we have no faith in ourselves and our children how can we have in GOD?<br />
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Well now that I've made the member of the church mad I'll talk about my books. Thank you if you've purchased a copy of Memphis Connection; please do a review or comment on it here. I would really like to know if you liked it or The Last Cabbandeum if you have it. Right now I'm kind of out of the writing loop taking care of an injured wife. But in three more weeks when she gets her wing back I'll be working on the first of the Jim Benjamin Series Elapsed Time. This book will introduce you to Jim Benjamin and the group of friends and people in his world. It's set in the mid to late '70's and if you like drag racing I hope you've found the book that you'll like. It's nothing like the Fast and Furious, it's realistic!<br />
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Peace!Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-42691813326984095552010-12-20T10:11:00.001-08:002010-12-20T10:11:54.456-08:00New BookWell sorry about not blogging you to death. Computer problems and there not fixed yet. But we are working on it. So I'll be here but not as quickly as I'd like to be. <br />
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Memphis Connection; The cover has been approved and it should be on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and other places later today or sometime before Christmas. So for the last minute Christmas present....<br />
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The story introduces Marshall Jenkins, a detective in a small southwestern Tennessee town. His wife was recently killed in an attempt on his life and Marshall is working through the loss and guilt of that. Then a double murder forces him back to work. He has a family and a prosecutor ready to hang the ex-husband but Marshall feels he didn't do it. Now he has to prove innocence while finding out who really did it. When the FBI shows up Marshall realizes there is more to this than meets the eye.<br />
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And now for something completely different;<br />
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A friend of mine had an entry on facebook about a Christmas song she couldn't stand to listen to. Now, I've already gave you some idea about how much I love this time of year, not much, but I am getting better. But her FB Entry reminded me of something that happened to me years ago.<br />
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At one time in our life my wife and I had a radio alarm clock that woke us to music every morning. So six days of the week we woke to country music (yeah, it was her favorite so...) but on Sunday we awoke to 'gospel' music. One Sunday before Christmas I woke up to this horrible song called 'Take the X out of Christmas'. It was about how everybody during the holiday season was drunk; running around at office parties trying to have sex with each other, and a myriad of horrible things Christians should have nothing to do with. Well, that’s all true; but I have a couple problems with the song (other than the fact it was filled with instrumental music; but that's another matter as well) it made it sound like if you were not some down in the dumps, can't enjoy life, only thing you can do is go to church, then you couldn't be a good Christian. It was a depressing song.<br />
At the same time Pinkard and Bowden had a song out called, 'Let's Put the X back in Christmas' this was an up tempo song full of life and enjoyable with a very catchy tune (if you can get past or ignore the subject matter). But the contrast and difference was obvious. <br />
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Yes, as Christians we are to be above the norm, chase, and a good example. But are we to be so solemn we can only work in a funeral home? If I'd been a non-Christian and heard these two songs; guess what? You'd be hard pressed to get me in a church that had that song playing in it. Christians that think they cannot enjoy life that every moment should be spent in study, teaching, reflection, and in a solemn life and live like it also probably shake their head and wonder why they are not getting anyone to join the church. I'm not saying suspend GOD's word and law so we can grow the church but can't we at least be civil to our fellow man? My point is this, life is hard, no matter how you want to live it, why should we make it extra hard by making believe God doesn't want us to enjoy life here working in His kingdom? Do you really think Jesus and the apostles traveled with their heads down and never cracked a smile? <br />
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So much for that; I guess you just got a peak into some of my attitudes about the Church.<br />
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But I did see something really remarkable Sunday. The preacher at the congregation we attend preaches, like many do now days, with notes from a Power-point presentation. Well Sunday he realized about a third of the way into the sermon he had the flashdrive with last Sunday's sermon on it. He had that, as he put it, preacher nightmare moment. He couldn't find it anywhere so he just shut his laptop off, picked up his Bible, and walked out and picked up and preached a great sermon on Christians being the support group for each other. <br />
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I hope everyone has a great Christmas although I hope I'll be on here later this week with another blog. Go buy a good book (hint-hint there) and enjoy family, friends, and your fellow Christians. Keep watching the blog for a chance to win a copy of the new book.Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-24197209749518873722010-11-24T07:48:00.001-08:002010-11-24T07:48:33.229-08:00million things; and a million to be thankful forEven before I started this blog I thought I had a million things I wanted to talk about. Ask my wife; I have an opinion on everything; sometimes they even make sense. But I still am finding myself having a hard time getting something down on paper, or on a computer screen in this case, for you to read. Plus then you add in the idea of being funny, not offensive, and keep people reading not only the blog but maybe for them to go buy a book as well.<br />
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Thanksgiving. Usually this is a bad time of the year for me. So much has happened during this time of the year. I've lost an uncle, father, found out my wife had breast cancer, and lost a couple jobs during this time of year. Plus then in January I get to turn another year older; and that always sucks because it just reminds you of what you haven't accomplished during the following year. <br />
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So I write this sounding like I'm going to complain but I am really going to write about all the things I am truly thankful for; and I have a bunch of things. <br />
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I have a wife that has put up with me for over twenty-eight years. None of them have been easy. But she has been there, supported me, and put up with all the craziness. Most women wouldn't and would have kicked me to the curb years ago. But she is always there every morning. Thank you.<br />
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I have a best friend and editor that is super. She will always take my calls, explain what and why I need to do something, she edits my books and does it without rewriting them and best of all she is a good friend; even if she does think I'm way too conservative! And thinks I use ! too much!<br />
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I am thankful for my two nieces. They have both grown into beautiful, intelligent, funny, sharp, young women. And they do a pretty good job putting up with their uncle on occasion. I hope for them all the blessings and success in their futures. Their parents didn't do too bad a job; sometimes in spite of themselves.<br />
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I am thankful I knew my father all those years. He was a man that was mature in his youth but always had an interesting sense of humor and was a good man. He was quiet guy that stay pretty much to himself until he retired then suddenly (although I have a feeling I know what the motivation was) became very involved in volunteer work and became known by a lot of people in the town he lived in. I also appreciate his sense of adventure; we traveled to 45 states and two other countries while I grew up. I was exposed to many parts of the country other kids I knew would never see. There are parts of the country I love and have enjoyed going back to; thanks dad. One of the greatest experiences he gave me was a trip to a Marine reunion in San Diego. I sat and watched my father having a very casual conversation with the commander of Camp Pendleton about WWII. The reverence and respect that the Marine's showed the veterans of WWII and the Korean war was impressive. Another reason I will always respect veterans and our service people; and be very thankful for their service as well.<br />
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I am thankful for my mother, all things considered, for everything she gave me. To explain would be a longer story than I would ever write in a blog. Read my books; you'll get an idea.<br />
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I am thankful for the friends I have; so of which would drop everything at a moments notice if I needed them. I would do the same for them. Everybody knows the jokes about a real friend knows where to hid the body or will be setting next to you after you've been arrested; I have a few of them, and I am really thankful for them as well. You know who you are. <br />
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I am thankful for the people who have bought my book and read this blog (although more of you could comment!) Please stay tuned for more I have one almost finished in editing (thank you Lauralynn) and I have one almost finished for her to start when she gets time. Then I will be starting a rewrite of the first Jim Benjamin story. That should be a major odyssey.<br />
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I am thankful for the opportunity I have had to be involved in drag racing. The people I have met, places I have gone, things I have experienced, the late nights working on cars, setting in staging lanes swapping stories and setups, and watching a sport grow, change, and mature. It has been fun and I hope to be back there again some day. There is nothing like the feeling of standing there at the hit when a fuel car leaves. It's one of those "It's a drag racing thing, you wouldn't understand" if you've never been there. <br />
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I am thankful for Freed-Hardeman University. I met my wife there, my best friends, and experienced things I wouldn't of if I'd been anywhere else. Sometimes I question my intelligence in going there but in the end I am glad I made the trip. There service to youth and GOD means a lot to me. I appreciate the fact it is there.<br />
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I am really thankful to GOD for dogs. I know it sounds funny but I have two of the best right now and my wife and I have had a few in the past that truly make me smile and remember the personalities and fun we have had with them. Not feels better than a warm nose nuzzling you for attention.<br />
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Finally I am thankful for Christ; if you don't know why you need to find out!<br />
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I know there are things and people I have left out (or think they have been left out) but you really have not been. I appreciate all of my experiences, good or bad, because they have made me what and who I am today. Plus they have given me a bunch of good stuff for books down the line.<br />
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Peace, have a great thanksgiving and don't stuff on turkey.Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-88390013871540625642010-10-27T12:51:00.000-07:002010-10-27T12:51:50.299-07:00Opportunity of a life time!You only get so many great chances in life. I'm here to tell you about one of them. Thinking about a tropical vacation next summer? Plan now! Here's why; You can spend 32 days in wonderful, tropical, beautiful Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. You'll spend nine days in and around Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, then four to five days enjoying Nicaragua, then finish your trip with eighteen days in Tegucigalpa and Choluteca, Honduras. <br />
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Besides seeing the beautiful countryside you'll meet and interact with the locals, learn local customs, enjoy local food, and learn more than you would ever think you'd know about central America. You travel by bus working with other travelers building new homes, working to distribute food and clothing to locals, painting at a church, door knocking, a four to five day VBS and a similar length gospel meeting. <br />
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The trip starts June 9th, 2011 thru July 11th. There are only approximately 20 spaces left. Cost , including air fair and bus travel, is $2,155.00 per person. Where you could get the adventure, sights, spiritual uplift, and overall sense of doing good for your fellow man and GOD's will than this trip. <br />
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You leader will be Terry Reeves, well worth the cost of admission in its self, who has been going to Honduras and central America for twenty years. It will be a life changing experience for you and whoever you take with you. Contact Terry at treeves@fhu.edu.<br />
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Spots are going fast and if you have ever thought about it; this is the time to go!<br />
PeaceJonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-83130720546013171202010-10-23T14:53:00.000-07:002010-10-23T14:53:32.176-07:00When you listen to foolsI just hate when I can think of something I want to write about and then when I get down to it, my mind goes blank. (My wife thinks it’s that way most of the time anyway.) I felt like I needed to get another entry in the blog but, and I had some ideas, now it all seems kind of, well, I really don’t know.<br />
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I watched a special on Ronnie James Dio last night. I remember seeing him with Rainbow all those years ago. Then I remembered watching a concert with him singing with the players from Black Sabbath. It was great remembering and I will miss hearing him. I remember two favorite lines out of songs he sang: “when you listen to fools, the mob rules” and “beware of kings and queens that blind your eyes and steal your dreams”<br />
They both kind of remind me of the situation we are in right now. I think we’ve listened to fools and had a blind eye toward “kings” that would steal our dreams for several years. So make sure you vote November second, or don’t whine about what you get!<br />
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On another note, I am working on my second murder mystery right now. I am having a little trouble keeping going. It just feels like I have written half the book and I’m only about a quarter to a fifth in length. Plus the lead character is female and that adds another layer to the mix. I think it will be a good story once it’s done, and will lay the ground work for future stories. (I hope it becomes a series.) But right now I’m just struggling a little.<br />
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Monday I start something new (unfortunately not a new job!) but a new schedule of my life. My, kind of, partner in writing crime did a blog the other day about prioritizing your life and making time to write no matter what. Then I received some advice about my writing and how to get people interested in what I write and ways to get the ball rolling. So I am going to try both and see what happens. I am trying to enlist another editor so my present one doesn’t feel so overloaded. But we’ll see how that works out. <br />
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My next project after finishing the current one is a major rewrite on the first Jim Benjamin novel. Not that I think it’s bad or really needs it. It’s just set around long enough. I’ve written other things. Now I want to add some stuff out of a short story set I have written to the main story. It will make it longer and fill in more gaps in the book rather than try to with the short story book. There will still be a short story book there somewhere, sometime; I’ll just need to add more stories after this. I am hoping it will be out sometime this spring along with a couple of novellas I am working on.<br />
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So there is a little hint of what’s coming up. Hope you have your computers ready to download or your Kindle fired up. Look forward to another blog soon as I am sure something else will happen and I will not be able to keep my mouth shut.Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-69171562783395517232010-10-16T13:36:00.000-07:002010-10-16T13:36:16.615-07:00Just Cookies<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My father used to get real upset with me when I would say something in front of my mother that would get him or myself in big trouble; ‘Why can’t you learn to keep your big mouth shut?’ This might turn into another one of those moments.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If I walked into a Ford dealership, sat down with a salesman after walking around the showroom for a while, and told him I wanted to order a 2011 Camaro, then after he told me I was in a Ford dealership and they didn’t sell Camaros, they sold Mustangs. What if I yelled discrimination, because, of course, being a fat middle-aged white guy it must be, and getting some of my friends along with myself to hold a protest in front of the dealership with media, who had made a big deal about it for a few days while I organized the impending protest. Would you say I was nuts? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But if I was in a GLBT group at IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis) wanting cupcakes for a Coming Out Day party and went to a place called JUST COOKIES and ordered cupcakes, then all of the above would be okay. It happened in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Indianapolis</city></place> last week. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now I really have no problem if a GLBT group wants to have a Coming Out Day party, I really don’t have a problem if they want rainbow iced cupcakes, but I do have a problem when they go to a place that doesn’t even make cupcakes, tries to order them, and then has a fit. Well, hold it; I really don’t have as much of a problem with that as I do the media making a major deal out of it! It was on every radio station, TV station, and newspaper in the area, I am sure it made national headlines in some other areas because of the subject matter. But why? In my opinion all they did was look kind of stupid for ordering something from the wrong place (see about concerning the Camaro if this doesn’t make sense to you). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I also wonder if (and yes I know this is going to the extremes, but it’s what I do sometimes to make a point) a Klan group wanted an African-American-owned catering company to serve their gathering. Or what if a Nazi group asked a Jewish owned deli to cater their next club meeting. I’ll bet you’d be hearing a whole different ‘concern’ from the media and people. Again, why?</div>Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-3732475116018925442010-10-16T13:34:00.000-07:002010-10-16T13:34:24.655-07:00Wasted Years<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Years ago, Iron Maiden recorded a song called ‘Wasted Years’; the original title was Golden Years, but David Bowie had just released a song by the same name, so there goes the title change. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sometimes I wonder about my life in similar terms. It feels like there have been a lot of wasted years. I guess when you get to middle-age (whatever that means, for some people it was 12 others 50) you have that moment when you look back over your life and you can say; look at everything I have achieved, accumulated, controlled, conquered, whatever, and then you go: was that it?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Or you look back and wonder how you could have done it all. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’m in the first group; where did all the time go?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Plus I’m sitting on the line with this new venture of trying to be a writer and thinking wow finally getting there this late in life? Kind of stupid, I know.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But then I look back and think of just three major accomplishments in my life;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><ol style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">I became a Christian.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">I graduated from College. (This has some questions attached all their own)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">I married my wife.</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Becoming a Christian kind of explains itself. Well at least to some people in this day and age. Some people have such a stereotype of anyone Christian they can’t get past the title. But then again they would be the ones telling me I’m the one stereotyping.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Graduating from college; as great as the people I met there (including my wife) I had a situation at home where I probably could have gone to work in a factory making good money and had a solid steady future. Just show up each day, do your job, stay out of trouble, and retire in 30 years with a smile on my face. But what did I do? I listened to another person and spent four and a half years in college getting a degree I’ve hardly used. (Also graduating at the end of Jimmy Carter’s presidency didn’t help matters.) Now was it all bad? Hardly. I met some of the best friends I could ever know, had some of the best times in my life, and actually learned some things (no matter what my mother might think), but the years after that are what sucks. I went nowhere and did nothing. My fault, completely! Who am I mad at the most? Myself. What am I going to do about it: write?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Getting married! Sometimes I really feel sorry for my wife. She’s put up with me a lot longer than she should have. But thank goodness she has; where would I be without her? But where is she with me? Supporting me; has for a long time. But she’s happy to do it, she says. But she shouldn’t. But that’s a long story as well. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So what does all of this have to do with a writer and me wanting you to read my stories and buy my books? Probably nothing, or everything, it depends on how you look at it and how deep into a book you get. If you just read it at face value; this means nothing. If you get into why the writer said something one way or the other or put a character in a situation or had something happen to him or her one way or the other, it means a great deal. So my advice is to take this and anything else you read in this blog or my books and remember both. It might be a small window into my mind, and if you find it, please send it home.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-64635695422495382962010-10-11T09:28:00.001-07:002010-10-11T09:30:37.452-07:00It's Monday; what can happen now?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My wife and I achieved a pretty big milestone on Sunday; twenty-eight years of marriage. Kind of like the line out of that Grateful Dead song, “what a long strange trip it’s been”. We’ve had our share of good times and bad; strange relatives and even stranger advice, but we’ve made it this far. Thanks; honey. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As many of you know; I kind of like Drag Racing. I watched a very good race team self destruct itself this weekend in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Reading</city> <state w:st="on">PA.</state></place> Now I wasn’t there, wish I had been, but I watched simple parts brake, bigger parts go boom, and tuning decisions go bad in an instant. A simple part puts the points leader out of the points lead; his daughter experience two big booms and watch the body fly off her car one night and two days later break the body in two, and the third car lose in the first round again; they all were out in the first round last weekend. Its weekends like this that give owners grey hair. There is that old expression, ‘its not rocket science’; sorry, this is. If you don’t think so; you try tuning one of them. You’ll probably grow a few grey hairs before the weekend is out. I hope they get it together before Vegas so it will make the show better. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now down to real business. I’m working on another murder mystery. This one is about a female PI in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Indianapolis</place></city>. I’m running into a little bit of writer’s cramp; I’m at a point and I wonder if I’m doing the character justice. Plus I just can’t get past the point I am in the story. But I‘m going to give it a big effort this afternoon and see were we go. I hope it goes where I think it will and will be a great addition to what has already come. There will be some big surprises and I hope it turns into along running series. Lauralynn Elliott doesn’t like sequels and I can’t keep but writing them. Once I like a character I want to keep them around long enough to get to know them well. I’m one of those people who are always asking ‘what’s going to happen now’ when a story ends. And I don’t want a happily ever after ending either; sometimes that just doesn’t make sense; sometimes it does, but it’s also not reality. Well see how this one goes and if anyone buys it. Speaking of which; how about a few more people buy The Last Cabbandeum? It would make my mortgage company feel better. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So back to your normally scheduled lives; I’ll type at you later. Peace.</div>Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-77220041035585962302010-10-01T09:43:00.000-07:002010-10-01T09:43:22.230-07:00Well I'm back; did you miss me?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Well I just about blew it. I almost became one of those people who start a blog and then never write anything on it. Right after I said I hated that. But then there is not much to write about. I’ve had a computer down that I do much of my writing on and my editor is working on her own book right now so I‘m kind of in limbo.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So what can I write about that will be interesting and maybe funny, or inspirational, or educational.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So I thought I might write about a couple other blogs I follow. The first is my writing partner and Editor Lauralynn Elliott. [http://lauralynnelloitt.wordpress.com] She stays very much in writing about her writing occasionally taking a curve into something else. It’s interesting to read about someone else a little a head of me on this adventure. Plus she does write a different book than I do; but it’s all good and I think she has some very good reads out there; books as well as blog.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Then there is Terry Reeves. [www.childrenoftheking.blogspot.com] TR, as we call him, was a college roommate at Freed. He is, as I like to describe, one of the luckiest guys I know. He has had some hard times in his life; cancer gave us all a big scare a few years ago; but he and his wonderful wife Margaret got through it, or are getting through it, cancer never really leaves your mind, but he has had some of the most interesting travels and experiences of anyone I have ever known. He takes a yearly trip or two to <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Honduras</place></country-region> doing mission work down there. His stories and the stories of those who go with him can inspire and entertain. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And lastly one of my absolute favorites is Bob Wilber’s blog on NHRA.com. [www.nhra.com/blog/wlk/] If you are interested in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rush</city>, <state w:st="on">Minnesota</state></place> sports, Drag Racing, or life in general, Bob’s a great read. He can take you into a situation and make you believe you are there. He is funny and can make you think. His stories of his family and friends are full of interesting tales and information. Plus he blogs like a crazy person! He writes on his blog almost every day and it’s good enough that you want to come back and see what he’s going to say next. Plus you always want to see pictures of whatever Bob puts up.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Well as they say ‘another day another donut’ The boys are at daycare and it’s way to quiet around here so I’ll get out of here for now and let you enjoy someone else’s ramblings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peace. </div>Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4378671750547897669.post-44959748397301656032010-09-23T14:01:00.000-07:002010-09-23T14:32:03.078-07:00Well, here we go!And I thought writing was the fun part! Then I get to set up a web-site and now a blog; just how much fun can you have?<br />
Seriously, I have to thank a couple of people for inspiration and guidance concerning all of this. My wife, Arlene, who for some unknown reason, to anyone but maybe God, has put up with me for way longer than anyone ever thought she would and Lauralynn Elliott who is a part-time writing partner, muse, and editor. Thanks, I know I've driven you crazy getting all of this started.<br />
Just to be clear. I have a couple of ground rules I feel like I have to get off my chest before really getting into this.<br />
First, I am a conservative, Christian; what I put on this blog is my opinion, based on fifty some years of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So it's my thoughts, if you don't like them, fine. Just keep the comments clean and non-threatening: my mom might read this sometime.<br />
Second, I rant and rave, I am an old man by-the-way; I don't want to be preached to and I'm not preaching here.<br />
Now a little about what caused all of this. About ten years ago I was sitting at work and an idea started in my mind for a book; I'd never written anything more than a term paper in college, so what made me think I could write? After reading this blog you might think the same thing! But it was an idea, so I started to write it much like I did my term papers from College days; an outline of ideas and then filling in the outline. I got stuck! For several years I was stuck; then I decided I had to try something else, so I sat down and wrote the first book of the Jim Benjamin series. My wife and a couple of friends read it and I stuck it on a shelf and there it was. I wrote two more books that continued the story and a book of short stories filling in the gaps, but nothing was ever published, in fact, it was never even edited, just raw stories.<br />
Then about five years ago my wife had breast cancer. I stayed home and took care of her; plus I wrote The Last Cabbandeum a science fiction story of Jason Corvair who was caught during the war, spent years in an alien prison, and hospital. He had experiments and horrible things happen to him. Then he comes back to earth and the fun doesn't stop there. It is, finally, e-published and avaliable from Amazon and Smashwords. <br />
So go buy the book or check out the sample and see if you might enjoy it. I am working on a mystery now and will begin work on rewriting the first Jim Benjamin story after that. My web-site has more information on all of that so visit it as soon as it's up; which should be any day now. <br />
So for now I'm done; But I will be back soon. I hate blogs were you see a post and a year later you're waiting for the next post. Hopefully that will not happen here. Peace!Jonathan Elihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14599299017986518509noreply@blogger.com1