Free fiction by 'Song of Kwasin' author

http://meteorhousepress.com/2011/09/28/kwasin-and-the-bear-god-read-the-opening-scene/ http://cpcarey.blogspot.com/2011/10/free-fiction-read-opening-scene-of.html

I haven't read anything by this author yet (Christopher Paul Carey, author of Exiles of Kho and more) and I am anxious to do so (you see, I've ordered one of his books, Gods of Opar - Song of Kwasin, and am exited about others). But, let me share my find. It's only a teaser and prints for me at 4 pages.

http://meteorhousepress.com/exiles-of-kho/

Sauratown Mountains of North Carolina

Like many mountain ranges in the North Carolina (and anywhere else with mountains) small ranges are often poorly understood or even unknown by those living quite nearby. The Sauratown Mountains (locally pronounced "sour town")definitely fall into this category. Adding to the confusion there is a the Sauratown Mountain, besides the other well-known Hanging Rock and Pilot Mountains. These are all part of the same small chain, although many locals have no idea. (In all truth, does it much matter to most people when looking at one of the spectacular viws?) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauratown_Mountains I myself had no idea until I saw a sign at Hanging Rock State Park in the last few years.

I would encourage a person to also look at the Brushy Mountains, the Uwharries, and the South Mountains.

Costa Rican tea - Mondaisa's Digextivan

http://www.mondaisa.com/tes.php?cat=02&te=02-002

I highly recommend this herbal tea, besad on no medical information but just my enjoyment. If I recall it had licorice, which although I don't enjoy it as candy, it makes wonderful tea. It appears you can order it online easily through Paypal, although I have not done so. It makes me wonder if the price combines with international shipping charges, although I suspect there is an American importer-merchant.

Gods of Opar, etc.

I am very excited about this book, so excited I may have bought it in the heat of the moment for way too much money. Impluse buying is so sadisticly seductive. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1596064714/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=12047119164&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=838606568281534187&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_1mzm8414hy_e http://www.subterraneanpress.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=farmer08 From Barnesandnoble.com: Editorial Reviews Publishers Weekly The late Farmer (1918–2009; Riverworld) wrote two novels paying tribute to and expanding on the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the outline of a third. This outline informs Carey’s development of a story that focuses on exiled Kwasin, the “strongest man in the world,” and his battle against King Minruth of Khokarsa. Kwasin marries and loses a queen, meets the persistent bard Bhako, and adventures with the king’s rebellious daughter, Awineth. True to its roots, the latest entry is fast-paced, often violent (Kwasin’s enormous battle-ax is a major character), and filled with pulp tropes. Fans of Farmer’s original series will appreciate this repackaging and enjoy the finale, both in tone and because of the closure it provides. Likewise, fans of Burroughs, H. Rider Haggard, and other pulp authors will find the entire collection an accessible and enjoyable throwback. (May) Publisher: Subterranean Press Publication date: 4/28/2012 Pages: 576

Hmm, this is interesting: apparently there will be a book Exiles of Kho, (featuring a sirrush on the cover if my guess is correct, complete with a single horn!) http://cpcarey.blogspot.com/2012/02/gods-of-opar-update.html http://pjfarmer.com/khokarsa/khokarsa.htm http://meteorhousepress.com/exiles-of-kho/ http://www.erbzine.com/mag19/1937.html Reminder to self: I need to blog about Job Hunt Woes: Being a Buttmonkey. You see, as one of the better examples, as yourself: does your boss say "Would you like to work Saturday?" "Can you work Saturday?" "Will you work Saturday?" or "I need you to work Saturday."

Short on time

I don't have hardly any time today, or any other day these days. I found work, and I am working 6 days a week at around 54 hours a week. But, until I get time to actually post: http://www.theangellawfirm.com/Unemployment-FAQs.shtml http://www.awesomestories.com/flicks/national-treasure/olmec-glyphs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lordosis_behavior http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/legal-faqs/labor-employment/north-carolina/ http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/459660.Raymond_Foye

Congrats Reykjavík!

I was listening to NPR breifly this morning, I think to a re-broadcast of BBC, and they had the current president of Iceland talking to them about the (suprisingly successful) financial recovery in his country following the collapse of the banks.

Congrats is two-fold:

The Icelanders didn't succumb to international pressure (or international folly) in bailing out the banks with government funds and the "too big to fail" concept. Just because everyone else jumped off a cliff like panicked antelope, they didn't need to.

Icelanders did put their former president on trial for the lead-up to the financial collapse. Or rather are in the process. Whether he is actually even a little at fault or not, I have no idea. But I wish America took that kind of resolve, and also I wish our government knew some accountability rather than all their formal bribes and self-interest-over-short-sightedness nonsense. In my opinion, every congressman involved in the bail outs should be forced to resign.

I read recently that Edgar Allen Poe was decidedly against the idea of democracies. He appears to have favored a constitutional monarchy more than anything. I found that fascinating.

Where have you travelled?

With my mom's fledgling travel agency, I have been to Costa Rica providing assistance with dental tourism. Before that, out of the USA, only barely into Canada (Sault St. Marie) and barely into Mexico (Puerto Penasco). Within the US, lets see, NC, the Outer Banks of NC, SC, Tenn, Arkansas, Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, Florida and Virginia. Also, I have driven though parts of Texas, Missouri, Georgia, Ohio, West Virginia, and Michegan. Did I forget any? I bet I misspelled Michegan. And I misspelled mispelled.

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/misspelling
Well, who'd da thunk, I got misspelled right. I slaughtered Michigan, though.

An important comment regarding "travel ethics"
No, I'm not talking about eco-friendly, socially conscious, sustainable toursim, although that's all important. But I am talking about how YOU as a person feel about travel and YOU make OTHERS feel.
I know when I've heard others talk about extravagant travel experiences, and especially conspicious globe-trotting, it's rather depressed me. As if I already wasn't feeling badly about not having a job.

So, I aplogize if my travel talk has done that to anyone.

Travel, like all of life's luxuries, is best kept as a special occassion, I think. Living within one's means is a virtue that America seems to have veered away from (the government and the people).