Ever have one of those days that starts out catastrophic, escalates to disaster by lunch, then two minutes before quitting time, everything sorts out? Sort of a like a tsunami crashing through the tollbooth gates, and you are the toll taker. That was today.

Which is not to say the day was awful, although my attitude about it most certainly was. There’s such a fine line between challenge and calamity.

Someday, I shall have the resolve of Master Buddhapuss, who slumbered like Morpheus as the landlord ripped out all the outlets in the computer room, cutting through the furniture with a jigsaw. That I had no Internet or PC access, to the furry guy, mattered not.

This entry is a retraction of an earlier landlord blog. For the first time ever he finished a job in less time than the promised estimate. Apparently, Satan also purchased long johns this afternoon.

To my surprise and the Wife’s delight, Buddhapuss Books is generating sales. From day one, too! Much, much thanks to everyone who purchased the wares! Don’t forget Christmas looms like a seagull skimming over the morning tide. And expedited shipping is available.

I’ve fought a nasty throat infection for the last ten days. At times the antibiotics seemed worse than the infection, and depleted my energy levels. The caliber of blog entries has reflected this. My apologies, but the alternative, crawling in bed, wasn’t any alternative at all.

No word from the prospective agent reviewing the manuscript yet. Tick tick tick…

First, the furry guy wanted an advice column. Then he wanted a web site. Now he has a book store.

Today is the official launch of Buddhapuss Books, providing new and nearly new titles at used prices.

Check out our open listings on Amazon.com

Expedited shipping is available for every order, and we offer free package tracking and padded shippers. Buy a book today and feed a hungry Zen Master. Thank you for your support.

Check back later for Writer guy’s Turkey Frying Odyssey.

Have a good Thanksgiving!

Yesterday was all smiles with the a splendid and overdue resignation of Dan Rather, now it’s all cries over the latest assault on decency. For what seems like the fourth time in a six years the Post Office announced a rate increase on first class stamps, effective in 2005. This sets the toll to 41 cents. How precious.

Every few years costs increase across the board, Amtrak goes bankrupt, and the Postal Service raises rates. Thank goodness for consistency.

Well instead of grumbling from my armchair at this affront, I have a plan.

Tomorrow as I send two turkeys into the long goodnight, lowering them slowly into a stainless steel container filled with boiling peanut oil, I shall give thanks for the eight notches on my frying belt. They can take my money, but they can’t take my turkeys!

At last some good tidings - after twenty four excruciating years - Dan Rather has quit CBS Evening News. Thank you, Mr Rather. It’s going to be a much lovelier Christmas.

Dan Rather commented today, �It has been, and remains, an honor to be welcomed into your homes in the evening and I thank you for the trust you have given me.�

Not every home Mr. Rather, so hold the thanks please. You weren’t welcome in mine. And I didn’t trust you either. Just �talking tough� with Richard Nixon doesn’t make one a hard nosed journalist. Any mammal with a pulse could find issue with Dick and take him to task.

Years ago a street thug beat Mr. Rather senseless, screaming �Whats the frequency Kenneth.� over and over. For that event you have my sympathy. For nearly a quarter century of professional media service, you have my respect. But for your blatant, unrepentant and relentless bias in the news room, you have my scorn, sir.

Mr. Rather, I wish you the best of luck in all future endeavors. May your career not be judged by the single event that precipitated your resignation, and may the same compassion extended to those with differing political beliefs be extended to you.

Though this string of blogs about writing may seem like a broken record, it’s where my head is at lately - the revision process in particular.

After every fifteen to twenty pages, I review the pages against the outline and synopsis. It’s not a critical or exhaustive analysis, but it does help preserve or restore focus and identify big disconnects early.

Three possible outcomes result from review:
1) Pages fit with the plan. Keep them for later revisions
2) Pages = donkey chum. Ditch, burn or tag for extreme revisions
3) Pages work yet have nothing to with the book whatsoever. Spin off and archive

So today was review time for Velocity. Only there wasn’t much to work with; the output the past six working days on the light side, begging the question, what the hell happened? A new challenge to tackle is what happened.

Let’s just say two stories of consequence wanted out at the same time. And lets say the first was plotted to a T, while the second was unorganized, untitled and otherwise unwritten. Enter the dilemma: a mind yearning for an outlet for the second story and no space to roam. So what happens? The hyper-focused mind constricts the output on the first story. It’s like writer’s block in reverse � too much attempts to escape at once and everything suffers. That’s my theory anyway. The real test is tomorrow when I do a little free writing on the second project and see what happens.