Thank you for visiting. I'm giving away a pdf copy of The Xandra, Daughter of the Dark. Just send me an email to hegro@shaw.ca and ask for it.
All of my books are available from Melange Books, LLC.
Book One of 'Web of Conspiracy' and Book One of 'Lizard World' will be available in July. Book Two and Three in both trilogies will be published in the months following. If you are interested in finding out when they are available, send me an email and I will notify you.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Cats
We went to see the musical Cats last night at the Rainbow Stage in Winnipeg. What a wonderful show. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It was so relaxing to watch the show and listen to the wonderful music. It’s sure different from the stuff they play on the radio these days or what you see and hear at the New Year’s celebrations they broadcast on TV on New Year’s Eve. We don’t watch that anymore because of the noisy ‘music’. In fact most shows these days play that kind of stuff. Whatever happened to real music? Even country isn’t the same anymore. We’ve got tickets already for Andre Rieu who is coming to Winnipeg in September with his Vienna Orchestra. I can’t wait to see that show.
Like I said, Cats was wonderful. The costumes, the dancing, the beautiful voices of the singers, and the acrobatic performance of some of the dancers provided the audience with an evening of great entertainment. The actors are so talented and put their all into their performance. I wish I were in such good shape. I also wish the people in the audience were as slim as the performers. We had one big woman sitting in front of us, blocking the view, and a few rows down, right in front of me, sat a mountain of… (dare I say it or is it political incorrect? Ah, what the hell, who cares…)…a mountain of blubber. I may sound prejudiced, but big people like that should sit in a different section, not in front of regular sized people. It sort of spoiled it for me a little not to be able to see the whole stage. And we had good seats…or so it seemed at first.
All in all, we had a wonderful time and the evening was over much too soon. I wish they’d bring more plays like that, and, most importantly, at a reasonable price. Some of the shows at the Concert Hall or in the MTS Center are much too expensive and not everyone can afford to go and see them. It’s a shame.
Like I said, Cats was wonderful. The costumes, the dancing, the beautiful voices of the singers, and the acrobatic performance of some of the dancers provided the audience with an evening of great entertainment. The actors are so talented and put their all into their performance. I wish I were in such good shape. I also wish the people in the audience were as slim as the performers. We had one big woman sitting in front of us, blocking the view, and a few rows down, right in front of me, sat a mountain of… (dare I say it or is it political incorrect? Ah, what the hell, who cares…)…a mountain of blubber. I may sound prejudiced, but big people like that should sit in a different section, not in front of regular sized people. It sort of spoiled it for me a little not to be able to see the whole stage. And we had good seats…or so it seemed at first.
All in all, we had a wonderful time and the evening was over much too soon. I wish they’d bring more plays like that, and, most importantly, at a reasonable price. Some of the shows at the Concert Hall or in the MTS Center are much too expensive and not everyone can afford to go and see them. It’s a shame.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Computers make life easier but make morons out of some of us
My last post reminded me of another incident years ago. I went to the wholesale to buy an item I needed for a job. The clerk checked out his computer and told me they didn’t have it in stock. I happened to look at the shelf behind him and spotted the item. I said, “Sure, you have it. It is sitting right there on the shelf.”
Not bothering to look the clerk said, “No, we don’t have it. It says so in my computer.”
I insisted that he had the item and told him just to look on the shelf. He did. “You are right. That’s the one,” he said.
“Good,” I said. “How much is it?”
“I don’t know. It is not marked.”
“Check your computer.”
He did.
“Well?” I said, “How much is it?”
He gave me the number, so I said, “I’ll take it.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t sell it to you,”
“Why not?”
”Because according to the computer we don’t have it.”
“You’re holding it in your hand.”
“I still can’t sell it to you.”
“Is it sold to someone else?”
“No.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“It’s not listed in the computer, which means we don’t have it. I’d have to order you one.”
“Okay. Put in the order. I’ll take the one you have in your hand. When the new one comes in you’ll just replace the one you apparently don’t have but was sitting on the shelf behind you all this time.”
He scratched his head. “I can’t do that, because then it is in the computer as stock.”
“So? It means you can sell it to the next customer because now you stock it and you’ll have gotten rid of the one that’s been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long because you didn’t have one in stock.”
“That’s too complicated and doesn’t make sense. If you want it I’ll order it for you and that will be much simpler.”
Well, I needed it so I ordered it. They probably still don’t have any in stock according to the computer, but the one they have in stock is still sitting on the shelf as unlisted and cannot be sold.
Such is the complexity of real life living with computers who were supposed to make life easier.
Not bothering to look the clerk said, “No, we don’t have it. It says so in my computer.”
I insisted that he had the item and told him just to look on the shelf. He did. “You are right. That’s the one,” he said.
“Good,” I said. “How much is it?”
“I don’t know. It is not marked.”
“Check your computer.”
He did.
“Well?” I said, “How much is it?”
He gave me the number, so I said, “I’ll take it.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t sell it to you,”
“Why not?”
”Because according to the computer we don’t have it.”
“You’re holding it in your hand.”
“I still can’t sell it to you.”
“Is it sold to someone else?”
“No.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“It’s not listed in the computer, which means we don’t have it. I’d have to order you one.”
“Okay. Put in the order. I’ll take the one you have in your hand. When the new one comes in you’ll just replace the one you apparently don’t have but was sitting on the shelf behind you all this time.”
He scratched his head. “I can’t do that, because then it is in the computer as stock.”
“So? It means you can sell it to the next customer because now you stock it and you’ll have gotten rid of the one that’s been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long because you didn’t have one in stock.”
“That’s too complicated and doesn’t make sense. If you want it I’ll order it for you and that will be much simpler.”
Well, I needed it so I ordered it. They probably still don’t have any in stock according to the computer, but the one they have in stock is still sitting on the shelf as unlisted and cannot be sold.
Such is the complexity of real life living with computers who were supposed to make life easier.
Monday, June 27, 2011
K.I.S.S.
What ever happened to the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) method?
I had a matching last number on my 6/49, which used to mean a free ticket. They changed that to a $2.00 win.
So I took my winning ticket to the store and asked to exchange it for another play. The clerk asks me if I want to use the $2.00 on my invoice for other stuff I bought as a credit. I said, “No, I want to play it again.” So he said, “This is $2.00 cash.” I said, “I know. Just give me another ticket.” He said, “This is cash. What do you want to do with it?” I said, “Use it for another ticket.” He told me he can’t do that. He has to put it on the invoice as a credit because the winning ticket is $2.00 cash. So I said, “Okay, put it on the invoice.”
Then he gets my new ticket and asks, “Do you want this added to the invoice?”
By now feeling like an idiot (don’t know why) I said, “Sure, put it on the invoice.”
Now, is it just me or am I getting too old and too simple minded to understand the complexity of these transactions? Wouldn’t it have been much simpler just to give me another ticket without this back and forth?
I guess had I asked for cash he would have given me the $2.00 which I would have given back to him for the new play.
Now I finally understand why old people get so frustrated when dealing with young people who still have to learn the art of Simplicity or the old K.I.S.S. method.
I had a matching last number on my 6/49, which used to mean a free ticket. They changed that to a $2.00 win.
So I took my winning ticket to the store and asked to exchange it for another play. The clerk asks me if I want to use the $2.00 on my invoice for other stuff I bought as a credit. I said, “No, I want to play it again.” So he said, “This is $2.00 cash.” I said, “I know. Just give me another ticket.” He said, “This is cash. What do you want to do with it?” I said, “Use it for another ticket.” He told me he can’t do that. He has to put it on the invoice as a credit because the winning ticket is $2.00 cash. So I said, “Okay, put it on the invoice.”
Then he gets my new ticket and asks, “Do you want this added to the invoice?”
By now feeling like an idiot (don’t know why) I said, “Sure, put it on the invoice.”
Now, is it just me or am I getting too old and too simple minded to understand the complexity of these transactions? Wouldn’t it have been much simpler just to give me another ticket without this back and forth?
I guess had I asked for cash he would have given me the $2.00 which I would have given back to him for the new play.
Now I finally understand why old people get so frustrated when dealing with young people who still have to learn the art of Simplicity or the old K.I.S.S. method.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Game of Thrones, the last episode for the season
It is always sad to have something you like to come to an end. The season finale of Game of Thrones ended with a surprise, and I can't wait until Fall when season 2 carries on with the story. Some people were disappointed, even enraged, with last episode's ending, but the series is following the book the way George R. R. Martin wrote it. What a wonderful show it is. It is Fantasy at its finest but still close to reality. The actors are great and make the story believable. None of the stupid humor you find in some shows. Everything is taken seriously and no tongue-in-cheek stuff either. George R. R. Martin is surely a great storyteller.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Boston beats Vancouver
Okay, so the Canucks lost. Too bad, but that is life. We don't always get what we want or wish for. It would have been nice. Maybe next time.
But what I can't understand are those idiots who can't take losing. They surly are sore losers. Why would any normal person set fire to cars, buildings, smash windows, or just go crazy because his or her team lost a game. It is only a game. The world is not coming to an end.
I watched it on TV as some of these morons jumped on cars; one guy used his feet to do damage to the car, others were fighting. What kind of people are they? I can never understand how anyone can lose his (her) temper and get so violent, lose total control over their ability to think straight. Are they possessed by some evil entity or are they just plain crazy? I would throw these idiots into jail and let them rot there for a while. Give them water to drink and dry bread to eat. And no TV, no books. Just let them think about their stupidity and lack of body and mental control. And, of course, make them pay for the damages.
Those are the people who give sports-fans a bad name. One only has to think about those troublemakers from England who go from one soccer-game to another and steer up trouble. They have been banned from going to these games. People like that are not fans, they are actually criminals and need to be put in jail, because they do endanger other people's lives.
All I can say: It's only a game. There has to be a winner and a loser. Enjoy the game and don't worry who wins. After all, not everything is about winning, it is about enjoyment of the moment.
But what I can't understand are those idiots who can't take losing. They surly are sore losers. Why would any normal person set fire to cars, buildings, smash windows, or just go crazy because his or her team lost a game. It is only a game. The world is not coming to an end.
I watched it on TV as some of these morons jumped on cars; one guy used his feet to do damage to the car, others were fighting. What kind of people are they? I can never understand how anyone can lose his (her) temper and get so violent, lose total control over their ability to think straight. Are they possessed by some evil entity or are they just plain crazy? I would throw these idiots into jail and let them rot there for a while. Give them water to drink and dry bread to eat. And no TV, no books. Just let them think about their stupidity and lack of body and mental control. And, of course, make them pay for the damages.
Those are the people who give sports-fans a bad name. One only has to think about those troublemakers from England who go from one soccer-game to another and steer up trouble. They have been banned from going to these games. People like that are not fans, they are actually criminals and need to be put in jail, because they do endanger other people's lives.
All I can say: It's only a game. There has to be a winner and a loser. Enjoy the game and don't worry who wins. After all, not everything is about winning, it is about enjoyment of the moment.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Game of Thrones, Episode 9
Wow. I didn't expect that. The ending of Episode 9 was shocking, to say the least. I am not going to reveal it here. It would spoil it for others. I can't wait to watch the next installment. I suspect Season 1 is coming to an end now. There might be only 1 more episode, but the show has been renewed and I'm looking forward to next season. Sometimes a good show comes along and Game of Thrones is certainly one of them. With so much crap on TV these days it is refreshing to watch something as different as this show. Unfortunately, sometimes these kind of shows are not popular. One never knows what people like. I'm still disappointed about 'Chicago Code' not being renewed for next year. There was another great show and I can't understand why it didn't make it. Go figure.
Monday, June 13, 2011
About writing a mystery
I have to admit I was wrong. I thought I had everything mapped out in the contemporary novel I am currently writing and I figured there would be no surprises waiting around the corner for my characters. Well, I should have known better. Sometimes the characters want to go their own way. I'm nearly at 40,000 words right now and don't know exactly where I'm going with the novel. I guess now I have to wait for more inspiration. There is no erotica in this novel, even though there are opportunities for my main character to have a sexual relationship, but I am steadfast with my resolution not to have any explicit sex scenes in this story. Sure, they would fill pages, but it is not about filling pages. I'm happy with what I've written so far, but now I need something surprising, something unexpected. I'm as anxious to discover that as my characters are. Where are you, Lady Muse? Hello...Let's have some ideas here.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Smashwords
A few of my books are now on Smashwords. They are available in various formats including Kindle, LRF (for Sony Readers), and Palm Doc
The Xandra, Book One, Daughter of the Dark
The Xandra, Book Two, Mother of Light
The Xandra, Book Three, Goddess of Life
Stars in Chains (Book 1) Slave
Stars in Chains (Book 2) Liberator
Of course, Orion, Symbiont of Passion, is also available on Kindle from Amazon.
The Xandra, Book One, Daughter of the Dark
The Xandra, Book Two, Mother of Light
The Xandra, Book Three, Goddess of Life
Stars in Chains (Book 1) Slave
Stars in Chains (Book 2) Liberator
Of course, Orion, Symbiont of Passion, is also available on Kindle from Amazon.
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