F. P. Dorchak

Speculative Fiction Author

Writing

So Long, Facebook, and Thanks For All The Fish

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You know, I love messing around with the imagination. Guess most writers/artists do. But, I feel some things need to be left to the imagination.

So, I’m terminating my Facebook account.

I’m not going to rehash all of what Facebook’s doing–their efforts are well-detailed in links one, two, and three, a Facebook Watch site, and elsewhere, I’m sure. And check out another most interesting link about Facebook pushing the limits of privacy. The snippets on the http://facebookwatch.org/ site are most telling, especially the bit about Facebook’s former Chief Privacy Officer, Chris Kelly, informing us that he “…made a public statement against Facebook’s new “Instant Personalization” service, days after the program came under attack from a number of Senators.” That he “...distanced himself from Facebook saying, ‘Facebook’s recent changes to its privacy policy and practices with regard to data sharing occurred after I left the company.’”

And from this link comes:  “New York Times writer Nick Bilton tweeted that a Facebook employee told him that Mark Zuckerberg does not believe in privacy.”

So, perhaps, I’m not so alone on this, huh?

Invasive.

Intrusive.

As much as I like to joke around, these are issues I take very seriously. And keep this in mind: it may seem “okay” to continued users now…but extrapolate this into the future. If the limits of privacy are what they are now, and we allow Those Who Wield Power to continue as they are now…what will the future hold? Put the brakes on now, and wield your control.

What do the powerful want?

What is knowledge?

Something just does not smell right about any of this.

Facebook took something that was kinda fun and is turning it into something  “dark.” So, Facebook, fun as it might have been, and not that I used it a lot to begin with, but see ya later, and thanks for all the…fish….

Check Six – Tail Gunner Deployed!

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My short story, “Tail Gunner,” a Twilight Zone homage about a WWII tail gunner’s plight, is out in Black Sheep #103, page 10. See previous posts. The editor (Madelon Rose Logue, aka “MRL”) also requested I write how “Tail Gunner” came about, so I wrote “Checking Six,” which is on page 14.

As previously mentioned, copies of issue #103 (or any other issues) may be purchased at:

Black Sheep

Madelon Rose Logue

3868 Centinela Avenue #12, Los
Angeles, CA 90066-4459

MRL does not so much charge for issues as request donations (her newsletter is typically about 20, 8.5 x 11 pages).

BTW, on page 15 of Black Sheep #103 I mention that if anyone were to reference or use something I wrote (and felt so inclined), they could contact me. I didn’t do this out of ego, but because MRL had mentioned she thougth it’d be cool if people who did reference or use stories we wrote got back to us just to let us know; so we could all see how our material was being used–out of curiosity–and how far across the globe it was being read. It was merely a point of interest, that’s all.

Anyway, to those who read my work–thanks. Hope you enjoy it!

Let’s Talk About The Bedroom…

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Okay, admittedly this probably isn’t something you really want to read about first thing in the morning, let alone a Monday morning (when this was posted), but I’m just gonna come out and talk about that big-assed elephant in the room, because it affects everyone’s performance.

Beds.

I bet the sheets are still warm, am I right? Pillow still formed from your dream-laden head? Significant other probably doesn’t even know you’re gone. In fact, think about what awaits you today…then think about from where you just came.

Oooh, easy choice, isn’t it?

So…what’s keepin ya from just dumpin that coffee and slinking your still tired widdle body back up those creaky widdle steps and gently and oh-so-decadently sliding once more between the comfort of those ever-tempting, ever-beckoning bed sheets and pillows?

Oh, the morning can be a cruel mistress, can it not?

Sleep.

We all need it, unless you’re a supernatural creature or a rock. The amount of time is constantly contested, but every human being needs to sleep…or they’ll die. That simple.

Writers–and most of the population, I’m finding–are so dang sleep deprived (and I’m talking how one feels, not so much the number of hours one gets), it would behoove us that what sleep we do get…is quality.

So, we return to the elephant.

How’s your bed? Is it comfy? Have sufficient firmness? Bed bug free (sorry, had to press that button just for the pure shock value)?  Well, if your answers aren’t satisfactory, you might wanna consider a new one. I know, times are tough, but some things you just can’t live without, and getting a good night’s sleep is one of them. I’m no doctor–don’t even play one on TV–but if you’re not waking up fully rested, your body creaky, it might be time to reevaluate the performance of something else in your bedroom….

Now, have you been shopping for one lately?

Good, fricking Lord. There is so much out there and so little help. For something as important as sleep, you’d think there’d be all this research and concrete information available. Everywhere.

Negative.

Chiropractors can’t even agree. Doctors, same boat. Heaven forbid you ask a salesperson….

Sure, there’s stuff all over the Internet, but nothing of any real value in any of the stores we visited. Just what kind of bed do you need?

Hard. Soft. Medium. Princess-and-the-pea. Sponge or springs?

There is no one answer to that. There just isn’t. We’ve looked. Everyone’s answer contradicts the previous and the next. I truly feel that there’s more than one type of bed that can work for a body. All I know is that one day, my wife and I walked into one store after we’d slept around town (heh-heh–had to get that in there, too)…on different store display mattresses, and, well, I’m not embarrassed to say…one of them…ummmm…well…uhhh…

Spoke to me.

I had finally found the one that–when I lie down in it–I felt like I was being seduced into sleep! Oh, it was unrestrained and totally self-indulgent!  I tell you, I had to fight to keep my eyes open! And all this while all manner of people walked by the showroom! It was that comfortable. I had zero control over my instantly heavy eyelids. I didn’t care who saw me uncontrollably doze off, all wakefulness sucked right out of me! I felt embraced within the arms of angels! Enfolded within heavenly clouds! Hushed, pacified, and calmed by agents of preternatural forces!

We had been checking out many a bed–and believe me there is no substitute to this, you simply have to physically go to each store location and it’s (again, pardon the pun) exhausting, but you have to lie down on each bed-of-interest and be there for many (I forget what it is, but it’s more than 2 seconds) minutes and see if the dang things work for you. It takes time for the bed and your body to mold to each other. Even after you buy one, it’ll take something like a month or so before you “acclimatize” to your new sleeping companion (so find a company that will give you a 30-day try out period when you do buy one). But, you just gotta do it.

We did the Internet research. Asked the opinion of many, even watched YouTube videos on how to pick the “right bed for you!” It is not the intent of this post to give you all the tips and whatnot, but to get you to think about whether or not you are getting quality sleep for the sleep you do get. Research, then get out there and sleep around…the floor models. It’s the only way. If you and your significant other can’t agree, consider a Sleep Number bed. We liked Simmons Beautyrest.

But in this crazy world we live in, where more and more is asked of us, and less sleep is fast becoming the norm, it is imperative that what sleep we do get be quality. Deep. Refreshing. Before this bed, when I awoke, bing, bang, BOOM!, I was awake and out of bed. Now…I tremble with impending separation anxiety.

Five more minutes?

Five’ll get you fifteen…then an hour later….

Oh, how the sultry, silver-tongued Siren does beckon!

Um, excuse me….

Facebook Marketing Seminar!

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Okay, granted, I did a post called Forget Facebook! Hang Twitter!, but I’m also open minded. Sooo…I just registered for a one-day Fred Pryor Seminars/CareerTrack seminar called Facebook Marketing (express enrollment at http://events.careertrack.com/261065). The cost is $199. I’ve attended a CareerTrack seminar or two in the past and liked them, so am giving this a shot. On the site is a listing of dates and locations (there are December dates for Denver, Aurora, Englewood, and Boulder, Colorado). I’m doing the Nov 30th one in Colorado Springs (anyone gonna join me?). I’m actually kinda excited about this, since I’m restarting my writing, as it were, and hope to learn a lot. Here’s a sampling of what the seminar is to cover:

  • How to develop a FB marketing plan
  • What we need to know about social media before beginning this marketing plan
  • How to create FB Page for our work
  • FB tools, apps, etc.
  • Ways FB can establish stronger awareness for our work
  • How to ID and connect with target markets
  • How to set up groups, promos, and events to drive traffic to our websites
  • Damage control–dealing with negative info posted about us/our work
  • And (this is particularly of interest to me, give my previous post) how to measure and evaluate FB’s marketing impact and effectiveness. Yeah, really want to see this one.

Among other things, In my original Facebook post I railed against the “forced march” nature of publishers dogmatically kicking authors over to Facebook and Twitter without so much as a kiss (or guidelines), as a perceived “cure all” to make or break a book’s success. About agreeing with Andrei Codrescu about social media’s insane micro blogging killing author mystery. Sure, FBing’s a fun thing to do for many of the 500 million users, but I wasn’t sure it was for me (I’ve seriously been considering killing my named-account and just created a book-account, the use of which I am still trying to figger out, so all this proves quite the synchronicity!). What I’ve used Facebook and Twitter for, 99.99% of the time, was promoting my writing. So, when I got this brochure in the mail (snail mail–heard of it? And, yes–there’s even a Wiki link for it!), okay, yes, this is exactly how I want to use social media! And–guess what?–there are even people out there who wanna show me exactly how to do this–or my money back.

Ooooh <hands rubbing maniacally together>, I like that kinda talk!

I’ll be posting post-seminar, but hope to see some familiar faces and names at the seminar.

Stay tuned!

Thank You! Each and Every One Of You!

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Do you take your abilities–your life–for granted?

Taking something for granted means expecting something or  someone will always be there…not giving thanks nor recognition to that person  nor ability. To value something or someone très  lightly.

I read a September 5th PW “Why  I Write,” by Duff McKagan, and he said something that got me to thinking:   books  and their writers he holds in high esteem…the undertaking of writing a book is not something to be taken lightly…and words are a “currency” he highly values.

Okay, this is DUFF MCKAGAN, we’re talkin about–the rock star?

GNR? Velvet Revolver? Loaded?

He’s also a self-confessed book nerd and has  written his own effort, It’s So Easy (and other lies).

I wondered how many writers out there  actually take their own superpower  for granted. It sounds stupid, doesn’t it, that any of us would actually do such a thing…but, still…I query.

Writing. Duff loves it. Values it.

But,to all of us, after a while it might become like breathing,  you just ASSUME it’ll always be there, that word-slingin superpower of yours. Yeah, you might have been saunterin’ down a Colorado  Gold or PPWC hotel  hallway, feelin mighty proud of your bad self (and your swagger), hittin that pitch so dead on that the agent or editor drooled themselves into a catatonic state (after signing you on the spot, of course). Or you corrected a passerby’s dangling youknowwhat. Or perhaps you’d even given a rousing presentation to an SRO crowd, a crowd that gave you fifteen (plus!) minutes of continuous and teary-eyed applause.

Or maybe you even helped a struggling and emotional wet-behind-the-ears writer out of a rut and talked him or her into becoming your competition in a few years (yeah, you cried inside–but you kept it inside…).

Yeah, you fucking rock.

I used to feel that way. That I was a writer and I would always be a writer.

Until the day when I wasn’t any more. Suddenly and quite inexplicably.

I think I’d mentioned this before. Perhaps for a later post the reason, but the point is…that I’d suddenly felt I’d lost my ability to write. It was more than your standard, run-of-the-mill “writer’s block,” I’m not sure how I’m gonna actually term it, but I had all these ideas, even story plans…all in my head…but nothing was coming out. I guess I’ve been calling it my “writer’s blockade,” because that’s more what it actually felt  like. It’s not that I had no ideas, no stories, it’s just that they weren’t translatin into reality–weren’t gettin out of my head.

For three years!

Okay, I’d written a short story and worked on already existing work–but, you see my friggin dilemma?

Now, I seem to be back in business, but my point is, is that since that weirdness, I’ve been far more appreciative of what ability I have. Even if it’s but a wee, minor superpower, it’s my wee, minor superpower. I can write, and I do write well (okay, maybe I’ve grown a little rusty on some of the finer points o grammar…). That’s not ego, arrogance, nor anything like that, it’s simply courage to know myself and my abilities, which is the first step to thanking that ability (or Superior Being, or reincarnational self, soul, or whatever…) for residing within me. Yes, we do it so often and sometimes so quickly we don’t always have time to be thankful that whatever is within us allows us to word smith, but when we do have those Zen moments of wandering thoughts and free time (!), do we ever give thanks to that which we wield so powerfully?

There are times–don’t laugh–I simply utter a  “thank you” out into the universe. That’s it. Just those two words. When something great or good or cool happens to me. It doesn’t matter to whom or Whom I might be addressing, just that I’m acknowledging a cool thing happened, and it was good.

Admit it. We curse the living shit out of situations that piss us off, or make us angry or frustrated, do we not (hey, my hands are raised high and proud–and I frequently get rather potty mouthed about it, too)?We’re all so quick to damn and rage, but heaven forbid we thank something or someone for something positive.

Do we ever think and thank about such things as the ability to breathe? Laugh? Eat? Enjoy a beautiful day? Appreciate a stranger’s smile? A infant’s giggle?

Just today I drove into work and think I only hit 2 lights–and for only a second or two, at that!

I said “thank you.”

My wife is perhaps the most grateful and appreciative person I know. I have truly never met anyone with as much presence of mind in this respect, and from her I have learned to be ever more mindful of being more like her in the art of appreciation. On those days when I come home all angry and spun up, she yanks me right on back down to earth.

You should be grateful you HAVE a job.

You should be grateful you GET a paycheck.

You. Should. Be. Grateful.

So, be pleased you’re a writer, perhaps even a damned good one, acknowledge that to yourself. But also thank yourself, your god, your whatever for that ability. Who knows how long your superpower will last. And thank all those around you who helped you get there. Thank what you need to thank for your ability to breathe and sit out on a deck and hear cicadas or crickets in the evening. To eat in peace. Sleep soundly.

Be thankful for beautiful days, and words, and color, and life.

But, wherever you direct it…just be thankful.