Sunday Funnies - May 4th, 2014

          Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. If it is Sunday, then it is time for ‘Sunday Funnies’! This week has been a difficult week for me, My Dear Readers. My neck is swollen… actually the lymph nodes in my neck are swollen. All day Thursday thru Saturday I was running fevers of between 101 – 102 degrees. I have a horrible raspy cough, that crackles in my lungs like gravel, and I ache all over.

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In between chills and headaches, I managed to make this short video of Alexander playing with Allen’s hat from Wendy’s. Alex always makes me laugh, as you can hear in this video. I really think that he was trying to hide in the hat and go with Allen to work. He really misses Allen when he is gone to work  .

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Now, without further adieu, I give you ‘Sunday Funnies’.

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ENJOY!

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/13qmGdFHw-A]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234"] The Other Shoe eBay Store[/caption]

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http://www.ebay.com/usr/enzomatrixlt

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[caption id="attachment_2296" align="aligncenter" width="630"] The Other Shoe's Daniel Hanning 2/2014[/caption]

An Introduction to HORROR at The Other Shoe

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[caption id="attachment_2203" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Daniel Hanning of The Other Shoe[/caption]

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              Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today is Tuesday March 4^th, 2014. As many of you are aware, two weeks ago I suffered, greatly, with high fevers, a painful and deep raspy cough, terrible aches, pains, and sleepless nights all due to a horrific upper respiratory infection. My doctor, once again proving what a great doctor and partner he is in the care of my health, prescribed a ten day course of antibiotics. I took all the medication, and at the end I honestly felt I had beat this infection.

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However, starting this past Sunday I saw the return of the fevers. On Monday the fever raised to 101.2 and the cough returned. Today, I find myself with the aches and pains, the fever, the awful raspy cough and difficulty sleeping. In spite of the, obvious, return of the dreaded infection I am working every day to keep you, My Dear Readers, informed on the terrible conflict in the Ukraine. This is an important international conflict and one that, I feel, greatly mirrors the early years of our nation.

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That is not the limit of the work I am writing, and last night… the fevers became my muse. I have still to write and tell you of the vision my fevers gave me the last time. It was on a Tuesday night that, after two years absence, Princess Nadia… visited me! I will not say much more than that, for the event is a story that I am dying to tell you, all by itself. I had a similar experience last night. Only this time… I was given a clear vision that will appear in my very first horror article here at The Other Shoe.

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As I explained, on Facebook, I have created a rotation of articles for the future of The Other Shoe. Meaning, Mondays will be reserved for The Mars Report, Tuesday will be reserved for Political articles, Wednesday ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’, Thursday will see the publication of Horror, Friday is an open day for what ever is in the news or strikes my fancy, Saturday will be for Science and ‘A Week in Review’ and Sunday for ‘Sunday Funnies’ and anything pertaining to Alexander R Hanning. I have implemented this routine for two reasons. First, to give my blog a direction and a regular beat for you, My Dear Readers. Second, I implement this routine to help me become a better and better writer.

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I know that I have a lot to learn about the art of writing. I feel, strongly, that I have a ‘Gift with Words’. Many people, that have cared deeply for me... loved me… have told me that in those exact words. On stage, many directors and fellow actors told me I had a way of breathing life into scripts and into words.

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That is not enough. I simply must improve my style, learn more of the tricks of the trade of writing. Most of all, I simply must mature as a writer. I cannot afford classes… in my current medical condition… I cannot attend college… unless online (!). Once I have found a way to further my education in creative writing, I have to attend seminars… and learn how to publish! How to attract publishers, how to package my work properly, how to network in my chosen field of artistic expression. I want to do this to improve my life… improve my life with Allen, and help remove the great burden he is under providing for me and helping me every day to; eat, bathe, do laundry, clean the house, walk… get dressed.

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As well, My Dear Readers, I want to do this for YOU! I want to improve my skills, refine my art so that I can give you, My Dear Readers, an improved and more refined reading experience. Yes, I want a better lifestyle… I want to make money by writing. That is not my #1 goal. Greed does not motivate my art, nor does greed poison my artistic expression. I owe it to Allen, to my family, to my friend and to you My Dear Readers.

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I am still experiencing difficulties making ends meet. I do without food… many days eating only one meal. I manage to pay my rent in full and on time. I hate to burden you, My Dear Readers. I genuinely fear that even mentioning these difficulties… taints what I do. However, in all things I must be truthful. One thing that I am not (even in spite of myself and often to my own detriment) I am NOT a liar. Either by willful act or through omission, I do not LIE!

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Well, now with all of that out of the way (and “Thank you!” for your patience) I want to share an excerpt of the very first work of horror I plan to publish here at The Other Shoe. Now, this excerpt does not contain any of the elements of horror. I am keeping my content very close to my heart. Nothing of the suspense, nothing of the horrific elements… will I share here today. However, it is my desire to, this Thursday, to publish Part One of ‘The Horror of Smithville’!

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Now, without further adieu, here is an excerpt from ‘The Horror of Smithville’

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“Timmy Marref lived on a farm outside Smithville. Smithville was a little town smack dab in the middle of America. Timmy’s father, Kenneth Marref, worked the farm as his father did before him and his grandfather did before that and his great-grandfather did before him. From what Timmy could gather the Marref’s had worked this land for more than 100 years. Timmy didn’t mind living on a farm. As a matter of fact, more times than not, Timmy just downright loved living on the farm.

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Now, to be honest Timmy didn’t know much about what you would call city life. Timmy had never lived in or near any big cities. But tenet had seen pictures of big cities, like New York City. He’d seen pictures of the tallest skyscrapers packed floor on top of floor on top of floor with more and more and more people. He had seen pictures of the streets packed elbow-to-elbow block after block after block with people lined up like sardines in a can. It made 10 a shutter to think of having to live like a sardine in a can.

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Timmy loved the fresh air of the great outdoors, the smell of a oncoming rainstorm, and the crunch of new fallen snow under the heel of his boots. Now, don’t get me wrong, Timmy knew full well that if given the chance he wouldn’t mind staying in a moderate to slightly large town like capital of the state. He had thought about that, often, because even at 12 years of age Timmy knew he really wanted to go to college. It wasn’t that Timmy was afraid of a life working hard on the farm, like his father and his father’s father and his father’s father’s father before him. Timmy wasn’t afraid of the hard work it was just that Timmy, as an adult, when it to do more for his parents and his family that he could as a farmer.

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Timmy’s father, Kenneth, didn’t pull punches when he talked at the dinner table about what it was to be a farmer in America today. The farm was not a very big farm. His father grew mostly corn, beans, pumpkins, lettuce and cabbage. Timmy’s father wasn’t much for the idea of only growing one thing. Ken use to tell Timmy “If the good Lord had meant for me to grow corn, and nothing else, he would’ve made us all so that we all   would be full just eating corn.” Their farm also had different kinds of animals.”

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That, My Dear Readers, is just the first few paragraphs of what I hope is a short story – novella here at The Other Shoe. Not since boyhood (age 8-10) have I written horror. This will be my very first venture into this genre, as an adult. I look forward to publishing Part One this Thursday. I hope that you are all here to join me in this premier.

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank YOU!

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234"] The Other Shoe eBay Store[/caption]

 

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[caption id="attachment_2296" align="aligncenter" width="225"] The Other Shoe's Daniel Hanning[/caption]

 

 

 

Sunday Funnies - February 2, 2014

Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. As I always say; “If it is Sunday, then it is time for ‘Sunday Funnies’ at The Other Shoe! Of late, I am doing my best to catch Alexander R Hanning while he is doing some of things that endear him to me. He; Hops, Skips, Jumps and other kinds of festive moving, that express his happiness with being my son. He does these most when he has woken up, in bed with me and after he has eaten some human food he enjoys.

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However, catching Alex when my camera is on, while he is doing these neat things… is harder than you might imagine. How, Alex does one thing that all of my other ‘Fancy Rats’ have done… he just does it; more, more often and much more intensely. What am I talking about? Well, if you have read a lot of my writing for “The Adventures of Princess Nadia’ and my writing about ‘Fancy Rats’ then you know that all kinds of rats ‘talk’. They grind their teeth, gnash their teeth, pop and rapidly gnash their teeth. Held by your ear, you can hear patterns in their grinding, gnashing and poping… that sounds like speech!

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This is what Alex does more than any other rat I have ever seen in the thirty years I have lived with rats. It is this behavior that I have captured in the following video. I am holding him, on his back, and he was just; talking and talking and talking!

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Alexander is the single most talkative rat I have ever seen. In this video I actually capture Alex while he is the middle of a rather lengthy speech. If you watch, closely, at the end of the video you will see he is so emphatic about what he is saying that his head bobs violently! Whatever he is going off about, he was very animated.

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Personally I am convinced that ‘Fancy Rats’ really are trying to talk with their human partners! It is established science that ‘in the wild’ rats have and use a rudimentary language made up of the grinding, gnashing and popping I already mentioned. However, I am seeing fancy rats use other sounds; grunts, yelps, chirps and barks to talk with us! I believe that human food is improving intelligence in rats the way the addition of meat to the human diet made mankind smarter!

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Now, without further adieu Alexander talking with Danny!

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[youtube+http://youtu.be/GKezSVii7Hw]

(Alexander R Hanning Talking to Danny!)

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234"] The Other Shoe eBay Store[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_1812" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Just a shot of a VERY thankful Danny in His Power Chair[/caption]

WONDERFUL News and Update January 21st, 2014

            Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. My Dear Readers I come to you today with great and wonderful news. Earlier I promised you, My Dear Readers, an article about, and with my feelings about, the investigations that now swirl around Governor Chris Christie. I have every intention of writing and bringing that article to you, My Dear Readers. I am not here to make excuses or back away from, what I am sure will be, a controversial article here at The Other Shoe. For anyone, and everyone, that knows me in real life? They know that Danny does not back away from controversy.

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Whereas, I do not seek out controversy when faced with a controversial subject I do not shy away. For example, when I was a junior in high school in Pearland, Texas. Texas was, like, the capital for teenage suicide. That is something that you can still look up, today. I am not lying, nor am I exaggerating. In the late 1970’s Texas lead the nation in teenage suicides. It is one of those uncomfortable truths, about the state where I was born and raised.

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It even happened to a guy I knew. One day I was riding in the car with him, the next thing I knew… we were all in the theater with Doc Springfield and Dawn Lockwood was crying about this guy having killed himself. It struck so close to me… so very very close that I chose to write about it in the creative writing magazine of that year. Log story short, they banned the magazine from being sold on campus… because of my article about suicide… I went to the ACLU… got support from them and went before the Superintendent and School board and asked that the creative writing magazine be allowed back on campus. It was… time passed and, like, nobody remembers that it even happened. Point being, I stood up and spoke about a controversial subject that took away a friend.

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I will write about Governor Chris Chrisite, soon. Today… this article… is about something Wonderful that happened to me, today.

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I was sitting in the tub, about 12:30PM. I had cleaned the kitchen, and the bathroom… some. I ran myself a nice hot bath, and put Epsom salt in the bath. I was relaxing, in the hot bath, and thinking about my most favorite work; ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’ the first novel of this project ‘The Healing Light’. I was thinking about what I have struggled with… for the past two years. HOW to start. How to approach the novel, how to write what was in my heart, in my mind, in my soul. I have made; outlines, notes, and even planned out all the cliff-hangers that come at the end of the first novel and lead to the second novel. I have put all the character information into Storybook 4 (a nice novel writing software I am using…[ FYI I think that Storybook may be DOA… Does ANYONE know if Storybook is gone under? If SO… does ANYONE know of a similar novel writing software? Please help… this software was/is VERY helpful.] Thanks!).

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I have all the outlines done. I have plotted out character development. I have created all-most of the major characters. I have created/named all the major locations, and homes and places. I have done all the framework… and I have been totally stumped by HOW I was going to write the novel. How to get all the ideas, characters, plot and everything down on to paper (word processor) in a way that is readable. I have written some very important scenes. One of which I have shared with you, My Dear Readers, right here @ The Other Shoe. Then, I was stumped.

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I have been in this… stumped place for several months. I keep talking to Allen about; character development, plot points, turning points for characters, epiphanies for characters, technology in the novel, the WORLD that all the characters live in… tons about the novel. I was just totally stumped about how to start the first novel, and hot to tell the tale (tail… tale… rats… J ). .

Today, while sitting in the nice hot bath with Epsom salt… it hit me! I was talking to myself.. in my head… and all of the sudden I looked over at Prince Alexander (he sits on my bath chair.. when Allen is not here, when I take a bath). I looked over at Alexander and I said to him;

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        “Alex! I figured it out! I DID it, Alex… I figured out just how to write your story… yours and Nadia’s story! I finally figured it out!”

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I just couldn’t wait to get out of the tub. I rushed finishing my bath. I rushed getting shaved. I rushed through putting a new pain medication patch on, and I rushed getting dressed. Within thirty minutes from that moment in the tub, I was sitting behind my notebook computer… Writing ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia – The Healing Light’.

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I wrote the first half-dozen pages, and then I saved my work and started writing this article for The Other Shoe. I cannot even begin to share with you, My Dear Readers, the overwhelming feelings I am experiencing now. I am overjoyed that I have broken through, and found my path from; outlines and notes and plot points to a novel. I, honestly, did not want to stop to write this article. I do not want to; watch TV, read anything, talk with anyone… all I want to do is sit and write this novel that has lived inside me for the past three years.

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Having said, I am going to bring this article to an end. I am going to publish this article… going to post on Facebook that it has been published (promote the article). Then, I am going to get a fresh drink and get back to writing my novel. Well, there is one more thing that I feel I must write. Something to a good friend… someone that I have considered a good friend… a person who was instrumental to me, during the Power Chair Assistance campaign.

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Things… changed… and I want to put some things… into words… into black and white, and send them to him. Some important… events… and feelings. Once that is done… and the message is on its way. I am going to get something to drink (a Coke Zero, I do not drink alcohol. I have nothing against drinking alcohol, or people who drink alcohol… I just do not drink, myself), get comfortable, start up the text-to-speech software… and take up where I left off.

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I want to say “Thank YOU!” to all of you, My Dear Readers. Because, without you… all of you… This moment would have never happened. Without your support… without some of you lending a hand with; food, money for food, money for my power chair… and most recently helping with contributions to help me move. Today.. would have never happened. “Thank YOU!”

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank YOU! .

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[caption id="attachment_1812" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Just a shot of a VERY thankful Danny in His Power Chair[/caption]

The Other Shoe for 2014... and more

Dear Family, Friends, and Followers of @ The Other Shoe and Facebook,

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            It is come to my attention that my primary blog (art blog dot com) is, big surprise, not working. Along with the fact that, over the holiday season, I was diagnosed with advanced rheumatoid arthritis in my left hand.  [Yes, that means that Danny spent more than a few hours in the emergency room since Thanksgiving] That means I have not been posting… publishing as much as I would like.. or care.  I know a lot of you… A lot of you, My Dear Readers, care about me. Moreover, I mean more (to some of you) than just… in the passing kind of abandoned stray cat way. I understand that with that caring comes responsibility. Responsibility to you, My Dear Readers, to be honest… To be forthright… In addition, to not cause you undue worry or concern.

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However, I’m not family to any of you. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s (at least for me) are times meant especially for family. The last thing in the world I want to do is to interrupt your beautiful holiday time, with you and your families. Therefore, I did my best to write as much as I could… to keep things going… to make a video (as promised) so that you wouldn’t worry. You all mean so much to me and I don’t want to make you worry. However, the holidays are over now. In addition, I’d like to take this moment to say (from the very depths of my heart) I hope each and every one of you, My Dear Readers, had a wonderful holiday season with your families.

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I genuinely hope that over the past six weeks you had occasion to build memories with your families and loved ones that you will be happy to return to time and time again year after year. I don’t have any family. Correction, I don’t have any blood family that care enough to lay claim to me… as family. There’s a whole plethora of reasons why the people that; I grew up with, I stood as best man as they got married, I learned how to tie my shoes from, they bought me beer when I was under age, they taught me how to play board games, they held me when I was scared.  These people, these family members, don’t want me in their lives. Stop. Right there, stop. I have no ill will. I have no desire for sympathy or, God bless your soul, pity. I say this because it’s true and because if you’ve read my work more than once you know I’m a brutally honest man. Whereas I did not spend any holiday with family I still have a very deep respect for you spending time with your family.

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So between the holiday onset of my rheumatoid arthritis and the primary location of my blog being, and again, in operative? I have not written as much as I would like. I have not told his many tales as I want to. I have not taken you to all the places I could (and should) take you to. For that, I apologize. 2014 is a whole new fresh year. It’s a whole new opportunity. As matter fact, it’s 365 opportunities back to back. I’m going to take this year out and ride it hard,  put it up wet.

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You may not understand this, My Dear Readers, but there are two different locations for mu blog The Other Shoe.  These two different locations each have their own readers… their own readership. Believe it or not you don’t all like, or dislike, the same things. Believe it or not there are not a whole lot of you that visit both blogs. Believe it or not I really don’t like it when I can only put something I’ve written on one of the other blogs.

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It just doesn’t feel fair to me to post something at blog.com… and not post it to word press.com. I feel like I’m cheating. I feel like I’m buying a present for only one of my children and out the other. That is why, later this year, I’m in a do everything I can to register the new domain The Other Shoe.blog. And then I’m going to ask all of my readers at blog.com and all of my readers at word press to join me at the new location. I can’t tell you how much it would mean to me to be able to do that, to have one blog where I am in control. One that never breaks down… where everybody (at the same time) can read everything I write when I write it.

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I don’t know how many of you, My Dear Readers,  had the occasion to be in emergency room or hospital like recently. I haven’t been in one (an emergency room) in probably a decade. Further, in a hospital well, since the surgery on my cervical spine in 2007. Even going into the emergency room now they, like, treat you like you’re going to die. I say that… and, you say that is an overstatement… yes. However, it struck me when they asked me;

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            “Mr. Hanning do you have a living will or a medical power of attorney?”

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I have a medical power of attorney and if, God forbid, something dire happens to me and I’m not able to write or think for myself? Allen is the guy  to decide what’s to be done with me if I can’t think for myself. However, the will… The will is something I haven’t given a whole lot of thought about.

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I have interesting relationships with my doctors. I don’t know of is my personality, I don’t know if it’s because I have an education in medicine i.e. a background and training in pharmacy, or if it’s because I treat doctors the same way I treated the men my father worked for they were used to go deep-sea fishing with on their boat. For what ever reason, I always have conversations with my doctors, deep and open even wandering conversations. While saying that’s where I’m getting too, is this; the last neurosurgeon I had a visit with I asked him to be completely honest with me about my condition. He’d already told me there was really nothing he could do for me in my current state. He was sending need to have an MRI done but he knew most likely he and I would never see each other again. So he said a couple of things to me that you don’t often hear from physicians. Something I doubt most of you have ever heard from your personal physician.

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First, he said to me “Daniel your condition will likely never improve. As a matter of fact odds are your condition will become progressively worse until you die.”

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Next, he said to me “Daniel, you’ll be in pain for the rest of your life. I hope that you can always find physicians to help you get the pain medications you need… Because you will never be out of pain for the rest of your life.”

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Then he explained to me that my condition would most likely take my life. Be it something as simple as slipping and falling while walking into someone’s house. Or, as complicated and frightening as being in a car accident… At some point my vertebrae will impinge on my spinal cord and result in a condition “not conducive with life”.

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Then he said something to me that struck me, and still sticks with me to this day. He said to me;

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             “Daniel in my life practicing medicine I’ve told a fair number of people, with neurological diseases, what I’ve just told you.”

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Then he told me that people generally react in only two ways. He said to me that the majority of people become very saddened and very depressed, and they shut down. They shut down emotionally. They shut down socially. They shut down to their family. They shut down with what they enjoy, They shut down in and at their work. Then he says to me that the other way people react, and it’s not as common, as though they are invigorated.

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He says to me that a small number of people, when given the news of their eventual demise by a physician, leave his office with a thirst for a life they didn’t have when they walked in. My Dear Readers I walked out of that office visit wanting the resources to do more with this blog… more with my writing… more with my life… than I ever had before. I walked out of that Dr.’s office wishing I had all the money I could use because I suddenly had a thirst for life I hadn’t felt in decades.

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That doesn’t mean I don’t get depressed. Lord knows… Especially during the holiday season and especially when my pain gets worse or I have developed a new and different kind of pain… like this rheumatoid arthritis, I do get depressed. But I’ll tell you something right here, right now, from the heart My Dear Readers the last thing in the world I want to do is die! I want to drink from the cup of life deeply. I want to do as much as I can with every moment that I have… That my condition and my pain and my body allows me. That brings us back around to the will I was asked about in the emergency room in December.

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I haven’t seen an attorney… Hell I can’t afford three decent meals a day right now I can’t afford an attorney. When I do and I’ve written this down in years and I have a right here on this blog. I’ve made a decision about whatever body of work I have accomplished when I do pass. No matter how popular my work ever becomes. No matter how profitable or popular ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’ becomes in whatever form of media it ends up. When I leave this earth I have decided I want every written word I’ve ever put onto paper, on the Internet, into a novel, and all my videos that I own the copyright to I want to give them all to you, My Dear Readers, for FREE!

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That’s right, the attorneys will have to iron out all details, but once every all the publishers all the media outlets whatever lever has rights makes the money they need to read, whatever they put in when I’m gone I want every single word I’ve ever written to be available in electronic form completely and totally for free in perpetuity. Because you see, My Dear Readers, I am only borrowing these words. I am only borrowing these words these thoughts these ideas these characters these plots I’m only borrowing them… For a time. When I am through with them I want to give them back all to you.

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As of last month… As of the last month of last year… As of four weeks ago I am now in more pain than I was two months ago… Six months ago… A year ago… Two years ago… Five years ago. On top of all the pain that I go through due to the neurological damage in my cervical spine to the nerve roots. Due to all the pain I endure from sciatica… From shooting pains… On top of that I now have a crippling pain in my hand it feels like broken bones. When I move my left hand now it makes a popping sound. Never done that before, totally new experience. My left hand swells up like a balloon and the knuckles turn red. All I can think of is how can I get myself OUT of enough pain so that I can concentrate and write even more than I did in 2013.

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Since right before Thanksgiving I searched a lot on the Internet about how to get more out of my blog. I learned a lot in just a matter of few weeks. I’ve learned that my blog, at three years, out survived nearly 75% of all the blogs that started that year. I was told that I should spend less time creating content and more time trying to get other blogs to carry my content. I don’t want to write less. In high school… I was the loaner until I stepped on stage. Then, by the end of three years of performing on stage, most everybody at Pearland high school knew who I was… but I didn’t have a whole lot more people that called me a friend. I’m going to work very hard at trying to contact more of you. More of you people that are reading my blog that have blogs of your own. To let you know, you other blog writers, that I would be honored if you would reblogg my posts. I’m going to concentrate more on trying to make my .articles; more concise, more professional, more enjoyable, and more commercially viable. Long story short, I’m going to redouble my efforts at my blog redouble my efforts at communicating with you and redouble my efforts at trying to expand the number of people that read The Other Shoe.

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Anything that you, My Dear Readers,            enjoy? PLEASE share those articles… Share or make other people aware of my blogs… Anything you can do to help me spread the word will be greatly appreciated. I really mean that from the very depths of my heart. I don’t say this because I want to make more money. Well, let’s be honest… we all like to make more money but right now I just want to see if I can’t get a lot more people reading what I write. Because, you see I like what I write. Every article that you read I have not only written, I’ve read. I like what I write. I am sure of what I write.  If you do like what I write? Be sure to share with someone.

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As soon as all these new domains come available I’m going to be forced, most likely, to run another Indiegogo campaign. I’m going to be forced to run an Indiegogo campaign to raise the money out need to register the domain name for The Other Shoe.blog.  To register the domain name to get web hosting and everything else so that I can consolidate the two blogs from blog.com and WordPress and the one location and take the two families that you are today and make you one big family so whenever I write and whenever I speak? I speak to all of you at once. I wrote this article, today, because I wanted to let you know the one I’m still here. Two, I have a lot more to share with you. Three I’m not giving up any time soon. Call me crazy but every single time my condition gets worse. Every single time I have more pain. Every single time life throws some roadblock in my path? I want to push myself harder and see what more I can do. See what more I can do for you, My Dear Readers.

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Everything I do I do for you. Every word I write I write for you. And when I leave this world, and I hope it’s a very long time from now, everything I’ve ever written will belong to every single one of you for free for the rest of time. I don’t have many gifts to give, except the ones I create my mind, and they all belong to you.

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank you!

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P.S. I did manage to work in but I would let you know 2014 is going to see a lot more of the weekly articles. Unwilling to bring back all the series that I worked so hard on in 2013 on a mother do my best to have them every week. That means more of ’The Mars Report’. That means more of ‘Sunday Funnies’. That means more of ‘A Week in Review’. That means more political articles. And… I really wish I could tell you that would mean more of my tale… but the more I talked to people the more I understand that I can talk to you about ’The Adventures of Princess Nadia’. However, I cannot share the pages I write… yet. I wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year.

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[caption id="attachment_1812" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Just a shot of a VERY thankful Danny in His Power Chair[/caption]

The Essential Introduction...

The Essential Introduction to 'The Adventures of Princess Nadia - The Healing Light'

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As Promised this will be the introduction to the first of my (hopefully) series of novels ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia – The Healing Light’. I ask that you share this article, but also fervently request that you do NOT; redistribute without my permission, quote without giving me credit, or in any way reprint or distribute this introduction as your OWN! This is my ‘Christmas Gift’ to all of you, My Dear Readers.

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Finally; .I have not gifts to give, except the gifts I make in my head… and I give them ALL to you.

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The story you are about to read is completely true. Well, that is a bit of a stretch. I always have been known… even as a child, as a person who could weave a mighty tail… tale.  My Dear Readers the story you are about to read is no exception. I love to tell stories. There a way for all of us to escape the things that make us unhappy and, for a moment, go someplace that makes us very happy.

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When I say this story you are about to read is completely true, it’s just that it isn’t true... yet. I hope and pray that, in my lifetime, this story does come true. But if it does not, I have complete faith that you, My Dear Readers, will live in a world where this story is true.

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All of the main characters in this story lived. Nakita, Alice, Nadia, Alexander, the Albino Twins, and Ben all lived with me at some point in my life. They were as real as you or I. They walked the earth, they breathed the air, they played, they thought, they laughed and they cried. They have all the same thoughts and feelings as you or I.  They love, and they were deeply loved by me.

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As they are in the story, they were in real life, rats. Now before you get all squeamish, before you start to judge, let me set something straight in your head right now. Rats are people, they’re just people you haven’t met. My father used to have a saying it goes a little something like this  “There are two kinds of people. People that fly and people that don’t.” Very much the same is true about people, and rats. There are people that have had the wonderful pleasure of knowing a rat, and then there is everybody else.

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If you’re very lucky, and I hope and pray that you are, you will have the privilege to know and love a rat, too. Like us they; play, and laugh, run, and think. They love, and they long to be loved. They do and think everything you or I do or think. The only thing that separates us from them is… our prejudice.

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Because, you see, unlike us rats do not judge. They come in all different colors. They come in black, they come in white, they come in blonde, they come in brown, they come in blonde and white, they come in black and white. Yet, unlike us, no matter what color they are… they love each other like brothers. They do not judge based on the color of their fur.

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Unlike us rats love each other regardless of the color of their fur, regardless of the color of their eyes. Quite simply, regardless. My Dear Readers that is just the beginning of what rats have to teach us humans, and if you allow… you. Now let me leave you with words of caution, and please read what I say. Do not go out and pick up a rat, off the street, and try and make it to a friend! The rats that I speak of are bought at pet stores. They are called 'Fancy Rats' and they are of a very special breed.

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The very first time I had the pleasure of meeting a rat was my sophomore year in college. I was a liberal arts major, studying communications. In high school, I had great interest in science. Actually, until my first time on stage I thought I would go to college to study in a scientific field. In college I kept in touch with other friends that choose that discipline. One day, I was approached by one of those friends with a request for help.

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They had just finished a year of studying some odd thing, with the brains of rats. Long story short, she had a rat that they were done experimenting. They were going to put the rat down, but she had another idea. She brought me a rat, in a large bird cage, with wires still sticking out of his head. He was a large black rat, and he looked mostly unhappy. She told me that we would, likely, not live a year. It was just she wanted the rat to die naturally, and maybe get treated well before he died. He had given so much to her research, she had developed feelings. Fellings that he deserved better than just being put to sleep after her work was done.

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I told her that I would be happy to ‘help’, not fully knowing what I was getting myself into at the time. I took him into my home, yet it was my life that changed. At first he was very agitated, and did not want to be held or out of his cage. He would sit, sulking, on the bar in the cage. Like a small vulture, having a bad day. I spent time with him every day. Every day I talked to him. Every day I feed him some by hand, and tried to pet or hold him.

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After about a week, the most amazing thing happened. I had him out, and he was letting me hold him… without biting me. I stroked his body and his face. He closed his eyes and relaxed. Then I think he felt loved. I say this because he did something, interesting. At first it felt like he was purring, like a cat. I kept petting him and holding him close talking to him. When I felt he was comfortable, I shifted him in my hands and looked at his face. He was not purring, he was grinding his teeth.

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Unknown to me at the time, rats in the wild use their teeth to communicate to one another. Through a series of; grinding, gnashing and popping their teeth they can communicate. Now, when I was a boy my father taught me Morse Code. It is a language, used in early communication, where a series of dots and dashes (sent over wires using a simple contact device) used to communicate. Dot Dot Dot, Dash Dash Dash, Dot Dot Dot equals S.O.S. (Save Our Ship) known as an international call for help.

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About the time I realized that Benjamin’s (I named him Benjamin) grinding and gnashing was a pattern, I felt his back leg grip one of my fingers. I feared I had upset him… then I realized… Benjamin was hugging me!  They do that, rats will hug you when they feel love. As well, I did not know it then but later I realized that all  rats (when held, and loved), once they develop trust with you and then love. All of them… grind in the same pattern.

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Later in life I realized that this common grinding, gnashing pattern was my rats saying “I love you.” They often grab your finger and grip it tight, while grinding this same pattern. Now, they don’t all do it exactly the same way. Some pop their teeth louder, some grind longer and faster before gnashing then popping. However, each and every rat I have owned has eventually communicated in nearly the exact same pattern… while ‘Hugging’ a finger. Rats love, and rats can and do love humans. My Dear Readers, it was this realization that is the motivation for this book (hopefully series of books). If rats can love humans, and I can love rats. Then this story must be told. This book must be written.

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In my book, this book you now hold in your hands, you will learn of the many different kinds of rats. You will meet them all, and get to know how they are different and how they differ. Not all rats are smart. The Fancy Rats were breed to be; intelligent, social, loving, playful, and soulful. You cannot expect a rat that lives in the sewer to want to treat you as a friend. However, if after reading this book you would like to be as I? A man that knows and loves rats? Have your parents take you to a good pet store and purchase a Fancy rat, they will make a very good friend to you for years to come. If I have my way, and often I do, soon there will be a new pet rat for you to buy and love. They will be called the ‘D&A’ rats. These rats will be a very very special breed, created by me out of a deep sense of love for these wonderful loving beautiful furry friends.

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And now, with that all behind us and firmly in your mind, I would very much like for you to turn the next page and join me in ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’!

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

Thank you! &

ENJOY!

[caption id="attachment_1812" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Just a shot of a VERY thankful Danny in His Power Chair[/caption]

Coming SOON to The Other Shoe!

Dear Family, Friends, and Followers at The Other Shoe and Facebook,

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            Later, today, I am sharing… something very special to me. I have a ‘Christmas Present’ for you all. As most of you know, and realize, I am quite poor. I have a blog… a roof over my head…  and an ever dwindling supply of food… and someone I deeply love and admire… that I am ashamed I cannot give a Christmas too.

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            However, later today I have a present for you all. I know, I promised to read you “The Night Before Christmas’ on a video… and I do have a wonderful voice for it… It is just, that I cannot get through the poem… without crying. I keep trying… and I will keep trying… but I just keep crying.

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            Back to the present I have for you. Later today, at my blog The Other Shoe, I will be posting… something very special to me. It is more than just an excerpt from

            ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’

It is the BEGINNIG… You will be privy to how the whole world of Princess Nadia starts. This is very special to me… very personal… very dear. I have not gifts to give, except the gifts that I make in my head,… and I give them all to you.

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Please check back… I do love you all so very much…

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Daniel Hanning

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One Week Until Christmas, An Update from Danny...

                        Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. It has been five days since my last article published, and five days of my primary blog location not working. I long to write. I long to publish. I long to be heard. I long to share. I do not like publishing articles to just one of my two blog locations. I feel as though I am leaving half my family out in the cold. In the past five days I have written nearly a dozen requests for assistance. I have yet to receive any answer to my pleas, and my blog is still malfunctioning.

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My time is not wasted for I am busy creating my world, the world of 'The Adventures of Princess Nadia'. With every passing day, the world comes more into focus, the characters fill out in my mind. My only fear? That someone… perhaps even someone I know takes my idea. I think that is a common fear among struggling artists of all disciplines. For me, they are not just characters in a book, they live in my heart, mind and soul. They tell me their secrets, they share with me their fears.

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For me, they are quite real. Their namesakes I have raised, loved and lost. Though it is not apparent. You do not see it or hear my words, each and every day I write. Writing in life, there is no life without my words. When I am absent, I am in pain. Yes, physically I am in pain each and every day. So much worse, of late. Yet, I speak of another pain. A pain spawn of longing, desire. My Dear Readers, you know it not, but you give purpose to my life.

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I struggle with darkness. I live in poverty, but I struggle with a growing darkness. I must thank two of you, My Dear Readers, two of you that have reached out from your world and into mine and shared. Shared of themselves so that I might have some short respite from my fiduciary woes. Because of their kindness, I will have a turkey this Christmas Day. From the very depths of my heart and soul I say “Thank you!” … You know who you are.

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I am not much for begging. Not much for asking for help. Each time I have sought to raise money, I have worked ever so hard. Hard to write, to entertain, and to repay. Repay the kindness that has come my way. My works… my articles, and yes even 'The Adventures of Princess Nadia' I write out of love... but I also write, to repay. For the debts that I owe, they are debts I fear I may never be able to repay. Repay the kindness that has come my way. When I am absent… this is what darkens my mind, most. That I am failing to repay, your kindness most dear.

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I write, today, because I do so deeply care. One blog, only, on which this will appear…. I fear. Better one blog… one article… One “Thank you!” Tis better than none.

 

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I fight with the darkness, the darkness that seeks to surround. In each and every day, I fight with every fiber of my being, I fight the growing darkness. For those that have never known… poverty… being without. This is a darkness I hope that you never know. It is a darkness that comes from without, yet it grows within. It weakens the ground beneath your very feet. It attacks your sense of self & selfworth, and works behind your back to darken your tomorrows. I am far from alone. I know this to be true. This darkness I share with millions, unknown.

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We suffer in darkness, we suffer in silence. For (some bloody reason) it is taboo to speak of what one is without, but not taboo to boast of what one does have. A world, upside down, it would appear. A world of grim darkness, for some so dear.

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I cherish my time in the light of other’s kindness and support. I write in hopes that one day… this darkness I will banish from my life, for all time. With each and every work that I write, I take a step out of darkness and into the light. The light of your kindness. The light of your ‘Like’(s). The light that I feel when, your smile, I make bright. Since childhood I have bathed in this light. At first while singing in choir, at my school. Actually, I sang in choirs in each and every school I attended, since Mading Elementary in Houston in grade three.

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From grade third until I graduated at Pearland High School, I sang and I sang and I cherished those smiles… the longest of all. Once I moved, and was in Middle School I stepped out from the crowd of my choral group. I stood out in front, and sang… all alone. That was the beginning, ‘Fiddler on the Roof’. I sang all alone, in front of so many… and I made them laugh… and I made them smile.

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From that point, all the way through college, I stood (without singing) in front of large crowds… and with the words of other men (or women) I made them smile! For the next nine years I stood before crowds. Small crowds, and large.. sometimes as many as twelve hundred… and I made them smile. I breathed life into the words of another, and I did it quite well. Looking back… on that decade… I was happiest, up on that stage. I won awards, and accolades. But, most of all… I made them smile.

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Know only to a handful of friends, all the time I was singing… all the time I was on those stages… I was doing this. Behind the curtains… when not on a stage… I was writing. Back then, hardly anyone had read my works. I understand, my long curly locks, my presence on stage… and my voice. They all worked to upstage what I was doing (myself) with words. I put them on paper, and most of the time that is where they hid. I doubt, that if you knew me at all, back then,… and are reading these words, you can (for the life of you) remember one thing I wrote.

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I am not hurt by that reality. Nope, not one bit. During most of that time I was bathing, regularly, in applause. I wrote, for myself. I wrote, because I love words. On more than one occasion, I have been told, that those words… they do love me back.

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Finally, again I do apologize for the absence this past week. I do despise writing for just one blog. I (honestly) feel, when I publish to just one blog, that I am having an affair. An affair behind the backs of My Dear Readers of the other blog of mine. I am hoping and praying that soon they will fix, the problems that are hampering The Other Shoe at blog.com. I do sincerely promise, that as soon as it is fixed? I will write everyday that my health possibly allows. I still have plans of making a video. A video present of ‘The Night Before Christmas’ performed by me!

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At the company Christmas Party of Domino Realty in 2002, I did perform that very poem in front of a crowd. It was the very first time I had been on a stage, in decades and decades. God how I loved those moments, and the smiles! The owner of Domino Realty called me, the next day. Stephen Gordon told me that I was “the best act, last night…”. This is a man worth millions, and a man whom I had a deep respect and adoration. Stephen was the man that imported Jordache Jeans, all those years ago. That put Brooke Shields in that commercial, in jeans he imported from France. He took the millions he made, from that venture, and put it into real estate in Southern California.

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For many years, I honestly thought my time with words, had passed. Replaced with an ability to lease properties… like few men he had seen. I was being groomed for an executive position, for Domino Realty, when my spine started attacking me… causing me growing pain. Earlier this week, I published copies of old newsletters that I wrote, edited and published for another landowner. For several years, I had a captive audience, the residents of Plaza Woods Apartments. If you haven’t checked them out, I think that you should. A long way I have come, since writing those newsletters. However, it gives you a chance to see just how far I have come.

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            “I cherish my time in the light of other’s gains. I write in hopes that one day… this darkness I will banish, for all time. With each and every work that I write, I take a step out of darkness and into the light. The light of your kindness. The light of your ‘Like’(s). The light that I feel when, your smile, I make bright.”

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank you!

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P.S. Look for pictures, after Christmas, of the feast I will soon make… thanks to the kindness of two of My Dear Readers. Thank you!

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[caption id="attachment_1812" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Just a shot of a VERY thankful Danny in His Power Chair[/caption]

The Process

 Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today I am conducting a bit of an experiment, as I am writing to you. As the name of this article indicates, The Process, today I’m showing you behind the curtain and a little bit of the process that takes place when I write an article. With the help of this software Dragon ‘Naturally Speaking’[1] speech to text software… I am right now dictating an article as I am making a video of the dictation. Later today… Much later tonight I will be posting this completed article along with this video.

My Dear Readers you are so very important to me. Today being Thanksgiving I wanted to give you something back for all the support all the kindness all the kind comments and everything that I get from you as My Dear Readers. The gift I have for you today is a little look behind the curtain at the magic that is me writing an article for you.

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I have never done this, before. I am not sure how well it will work out! However, I am sitting here watching and it is keeping up although a little bit behind, with everything that I have said. The process, for me, My Dear Readers is … well… I always have ideas. I had a friend of mine, the other day… share with me…

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“What do you do, when you don’t have any ideas?”

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And I commented back

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“Well that is never a problem with me… I just always seem to have a lot of ideas about what to write.”

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Take ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia”. I already have two notebooks full of; plot ideas, plot twists, cliffhangers, character evolution, character dynamics, relationships. All that will, at one point or another, in time become a part of my five book series ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’.

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For people that have not heard me talk about this before, and anyone that may be new to my blog? ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’ is a tale of a group of genetically engineered rats called “D and A rats” . Most people will see it and hear it as DNA… but actually it is “D and A”. Darrell and Alice. (Yes, named after my brother Darrell)

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The daughter of the original D&A rat, King Nakita, has a daughter named Princess Nadia. All of the rats, both D&A and Rattus Superiorous all live in a city called ‘Rattopia’. The rats are going to help mankind ‘catch-up’ in the evolutionary process. It is a very good series of novels. Which will start, being written, for very young adults… children, and will advance for middle school and then high school aged children. Right now I am going to stop the video and continue with writing ‘The Process’ the article. ]

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But, I’d like to thank you again, everybody, for dropping in and taking a look. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I look forward to seeing you, again, soon.

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Now that I have turned off the video I’m going to continue writing the article ‘The Process’. Now, I don’t really think that I have any different or patented way of writing. I would think that the only major difference between me, and any other author of the day, is that I dictate all my articles, first. This is because I have limited use of my left hand, due to the progression of my spinal stenosis. If anything I am just adding one more step to the process of writing and then publishing an article. Whereas most authors will just type out an article then publish. I use a dictation software which takes my spoken words and turns it into a typewritten document. Then I can, change the document; update the document, and then copy and paste document and my publication software all using the Dragon naturally speaking software.

I have to tell you, My Dear Readers that getting this software was truly a godsend. I have needed this software for more than a year. I have wanted this software for the past 8 to 10 months. It was only in August of this year that I was able to get the software. I, alone, was not able to afford the software. However, Allen contributed most of the money so that I could have this software I so desperately needed. I can’t even begin to tell you My Dear Readers just how much of a significant difference this software has made. And my ability to write for you. I have made leaps and bounds in writing ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’ since I have the software.

I am, however, really wanting to get the upgraded Dragon speech software ‘Premium’. The upgraded version will allow me to not only write articles but to completely control my computer without any use of my hands. With the progression of my disease… that my doctors are telling me. The need for a software to control all of my computer functions is going to go beyond a desire and into a necessity… in the coming years. The really great part is? I can use this software and an older computer, connect it to my power chair and be able to control my power chairs movement and functions all with my voice. Now, My Dear Readers, this is not going to happen anytime soon. However, it is going to be something I need to do. It’s good that I’m getting to know this software so that in time I can use it the way I’m going to need to.

Now, back to the process. Unlike a lot of millennial’s, most likely, I still use notebooks, index cards, an index card box to make notes of; plot outlines, character development, and all things of that nature. Right now, today, I can tell you I have two composition notebooks, two index card collections, and a couple of packages of index cards all with all sorts of notes on; dialogue, locations, environments, and plot items. In time I will take all of these note cards and composition books and put them into my novel software.

Now that’s the other part of my process that might be a little bit different from everyone else’s. I use novel writing software called ‘Storybook’. So far, I have found this software to be in invaluable for a novice novel writer like myself. This software keeps track of; character locations, plot lines, through lines, locations of important items, and everything that we novice writers tend to trip up on. Now let me be honest… Completely honest with you, My Dear Readers. I have never completed a novel in my life. I have written, to date, over 310 articles for The Other Shoe. Prior to my blogs I have written short stories in high school, one act plays for college, and have written all sorts of political articles here and there all my life. Oh, and I forgot, for two years I wrote, edited, and published the newsletter for the apartment complex I managed here in Stanton California. While writing the newsletter I also wrote edited and maintained the website for the same apartment complex. I’m thinking of putting up a few scanned pages from the newsletter from Plazawoods apartments right here at The Other Shoe. I really am very proud of the newsletter I created for this apartment complex. I really haven’t mentioned it before… Haven’t talked about it much, because of one reason. After two years of; writing, copying, publishing, editing, and posting on every door of the building I managed for two years? I was never paid one cent, for all my work, by the owner of the building.

My Dear Readers I cannot even begin to put into words how much it hurt… How unappreciated I felt… How jaded it made me for that man to never pay me one cent for all the newsletters I wrote. Honestly, I think it’s why I stopped writing for many years. I cannot tell you how many of the residents complemented me on the newsletter that I wrote. In fact, I had one long-term resident who said they put the newsletter every month on the refrigerator in their apartment and that there are two very young kindergartens and elementary school age children would use my newsletter is practice reading out loud and for spelling. My Dear Readers as an author that’s the kind of thing I live for… I live to hear and know. Yes I used the newsletter as a device to let the tenants know it was the first of the month and the rent was due… without mentioning the rent or browbeating them that it was due. I used it as a tool to develop good habits and the part of my tenants to pay the rent on time. Because the owner of the building wanted to me to charge $75 a month if the rent was late. Like you, My Dear Readers, the residents of the building I managed were important to me. They are human beings with lives, with families, with loved ones, with dreams with, with aspirations and I wanted to provide them with a safe clean positive place to live in.

I hadn’t talked about that in forever. Now that I have… it feels good… It was good to talk about how this man hurt me and hobbled my writing. I don’t think a lot of people… Noncreative people, understand the close personal relationship artists have with their art. Like plagiarism. I don’t think any non-author… Even some soulless leech parasitic authors can understand how deeply you can harm an author by stealing his work. To steal someone’s work like my novel is not just legally wrong… It’s a moral affront and it’s a spiritual death. Now… Now that I think about it I really am I am going to scan… I found several of them the other day. And I sat and looked at them, and read them and it made me smile. I’m going to scan a few copies of the old newsletter, in the next week, I’m going to post them here at The Other Shoe. Now, My Dear Readers, do not be expecting anything grand or even the quality of what I write today. They were written in the late 90s. And they were written by much younger author than I am today. However, I think you will see even in these that when I did something? I poured myself into it. I gave it my all and I wanted to deliver the best product I possibly could.

I that’s what I wanted to share with you in this article ‘The Process’. For me the process is a spiritual process. It starts in my heart. It works out through my hands and through me speaking. It ends up on the screen of the computer, it gets edited, and then it is published to the Internet for all of you to read. But what I think I wanted you to understand in this process My Dear Readers is that when you read is something I put here on this blog you are reading a part of me! For everyone that well, those who read ‘The Adventures of Princess Nadia’ will be seeing into my mind and hearing my spirit. That is the process. From my heart to my mind to my hands, and my voice, to the Internet and then to you. Even if it’s just a short four paragraph article. They are all important to me. You are all important to me.

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HERE is the VIDEO I made while dictating this article.

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 [youtube=http://youtu.be/DOInja-jLHw]

A Friday For the Birds

             Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today is Friday and Alan I were out shopping quite early this morning, when we caught a glimpse of a site that reminded me of Hitchcock’s movie ‘The Birds’. Have you ever experienced that, My Dear Readers, happen across a set of circumstances or a visual moment where it flashes on you 'my goodness that’s what the filmmaker _________ simply must have seen (or experienced) when he thought of doing __________ movie!'

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Out here, in California, this happens more often than probably any other state but New York. I remember the very first time I heard someone mention the name of the city, that's out here, Rancho Cucamonga and I immediately flashed on Bugs Bunny saying those words. Moreover, it’s not limited to film or music. For all of my readers that are gamers, the company Blizzard used to be located in Northern California right outside Oakland in the city of Walnut Grove. Sitting in an office building, and the eastern part of Oakland, or pretty much anywhere and southern Walnut Grove one could look out your window and see a very large hill (wannabe of the mountain) by the name of… Diablo.

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We creative types just love lifting names, characters, titles and host settings straight out of the environment we live or work. The first image I will share with you, below, is one I titled ‘George and Gracie’. As a tribute to George Burns and Gracie Allen.

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[caption id="attachment_1816" align="aligncenter" width="630"] George & Gracie[/caption]

(George & Gracie)

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When I was manager of Plazawoods Apartments, in the city of Stanton, I had two ducks that came every year to the heated pool in my building. Every year they would come and stay for a couple of months, I imagine when it was time for them to breed. Later I was informed, by the health department, that allowing these ducks to hang out for several weeks in the pool was ‘unhealthy’ and that it could ‘spread disease’ to residents in the building that chose to swim. It was never my intention to expose any residents to any kind of disease. Luckily, for me, no resident ever came to the office to complain to me and no resident ever became sick because of exposure to these docs in the pool.

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The next image I did not see, at first. I had first taken the picture of George and Gracie. Then I looked up to see if there were any other birds around. Yes, there were. The image below is what I saw when I looked up from George and Gracie.

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[caption id="attachment_1815" align="aligncenter" width="630"] 'The Birds' @ Howard's in Huntington Beach[/caption]

('The Birds' @ Howard's in Huntington Beach)

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I am not sure if you can see clearly just how many birds there were on the top of that building, from this photograph. But they were two rows thick along that ridge over the Howard's store. As I looked around, in the parking lot, I saw that many of the businesses had seagulls lining the eves in the archways over the entrances. Now this is nothing unusual, here in Southern California. Whenever the beach areas get really overcast or rainy the seagulls, not liking the lack of sunlight and the cold air and wet, they head inland to warm up and find food that’s not soaking wet. Anyone that has lived from 5 to 10 miles from the ocean are even the Gulf of Mexico was seen this site, on more than one occasion.

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I just wanted to show you, My Dear Readers, the visual that made me flash on one of my most favorite Hitchcock movies. I really am enjoying the new area that I’ve moved into here in Orange County. As well, I have not forgotten that I would not be here in Westminster if it hadn’t been for; the generosity, kindness and support of everyone that donated in my last Indiegogo campaign. If it wasn’t for the kindness of all those people from; here in Southern California, Southeast Texas, and England I would most likely be living on the streets. I certainly wouldn’t be in a wonderful apartment twice the size of my last residence. I wouldn’t be only three or four blocks from the Westminster mall. Nor would I be within a mile to 2 miles from two different Targets I have a dozen fast food restaurants and several clothing stores and pet stores.

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Allen found the location, and helped me move, but it was you, My Dear Readers, that gave me… Shared with me… And empowered me to move to what has to be the nicest place I’ve lived in a decade. In closing, I would just like to take a moment to say a very deep and heartfelt thank you to all of you. I will never forget everything you’ve done to support and help me. And no matter where my writing or my novels or anything I may do in the future takes me I will never forget what all of you have done for me.

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[caption id="attachment_1812" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Just a shot of a VERY thankful Danny in His Power Chair[/caption]

)

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As always, I am honored that you come here and read my work.

Thank you!