Take Time for Living

I’m eager to see that new ‘Indiana Jones’ movie, but probably will wait

Given the rising costs of EVERYTHING these days, I just can't bring myself to shell out the cash for gas money and ticket money to go see the new "Indiana Jones" movie in one of our local theaters. Besides, as I get older, I get less excited about big crowds. Think I'll wait to rent the DVD from Netflix.

All the PR appearances by Harrison Ford and Karen Allen, though, have me in the mood for the "old days" at movie theaters, the days when classy, big-screen theaters were the norm. Those were real entertainment "palaces," and the physical setting of the theater's interior design, architecture, even those nifty sconce lights on the walls, added to the fantasy of getting into another place and another time, making the whole movie experience something wonderful.

(Speaking of sconces, I ran onto a website that actually sells home theater sconces, should you wish to add a bit of glamor to viewing those movies at home.)

So, if we had any really old-fashioned theaters in my town, I might be a bit more tempted to see Indy's latest adventure with the crowds. But all the theaters in our town are the multi-screen variety. Probably I'll let the adventure come to me later on DVD.

Technorati Tags: Indiana Jones movie, classic movie theaters, home movie theaters, DVDs, take time for living

I invite you to join me on my ‘Life in the Old West’ journey

Ever wanted to learn more about life in America's "Old West" beyond the standard "cowboys and Indians" fare of childhood movies and television? (Well, at least those were part of MY childhood!)

I started a new website this week and invite you to come take a look around "Life in the Old West" as it grows. So far, there's not a lot there. But I have a passion for history, and especially for U.S. western history, and so I have high hopes for this little site to evolve into something interesting and useful.

My goal is to make the site a useful and interesting mix of history, fiction, and memorabilia related to the American West -- roughly defined as just about anything from 1800-present, and covering the land from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast, though I'll take liberties with all that when the notion suits me! I've got access to some interesting merchant partners and other sites for the memorabilia. I may even include some horse supplies, if the notion suits me.

Go take a look around, won't you? Keep me from feeling too lonesome as I get it up and running? Thanks for your consideration.

Technorati Tags: Life in the Old West, new website, western U.S. history, take time for living

Hitting the job hunting trail seems a recurring part of my freelance life

The biggest problem with being a self-employed, freelance writer is cash flow. Income. Whatever you want to call it: If the freelance gigs are too few and far apart, paying the bills becomes a really creative endeavor for my good wife, St. Shirl.

Which is to say, the major cash generators I've had in the seven months I've been totally self-employed have been drying up in the last couple of months -- and I've been out job hunting.

The good news is this: Some time next week, I'll start a job. The bad news is this: Some time next week, I'll start a job. It will, however, be a fairly stress-free job with little involvement for me except time, i.e., not the sort of high-paying but high-commitment job in an actual career.

Which means I should be able to continue doing some writing on the Internet and other freelance projects while bringing in a badly needed shot of steady monthly income.

So, life will indeed go on. And it will be a good life, I'm sure. With St. Shirl on my side, how could it be otherwise? (Did I mention we celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary yesterday?)

Technorati Tags: job hunting, new income, work time, take time for living