COMMUNICATION

"THE MORE ELABORATE OUR

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION,

THE LESS WE COMMUNICATE."

                                                 Joseph Priestly

     What an age we are living in.  The vast ways of communicating have opened up so fast and so numerous that anyone can have a say in what they feel is important.  Or even not important.  And equally as many want to stop what you say or divert the intent.  And those who want to twist what is said if it cannot be stopped.

     Before it took the good graces of an editor somewhere to put forth in any form what you wish to say.  In my case it still is.  But there is so much that allows communication even if you are not reading this in a publication you can read it in many different places.

     When I started writing freelance it was as safety articles when I was in the fire service.  I later wrote on Agriculture for a regional farm paper.  After publishing a book of my Cowboy and Country poetry I worked on a couple manuscripts for books in other areas.

     After shopping around one manuscript and getting rejections from several publishers in the field I noticed similar themed books popping up from those same publishers that had no interest.  I let my writing rest for a while.

     I am always delighted in comments from my readers that agree and disagree with my points of view.  Many friends tolerate what they think I am ranting about.  Some challenge my point of view. Others are very complimentary.

     I do have one reader that delights in correcting my grammar and word usage.  This is the only one that is irritating.  I admit that I am not the smartest one on the block. Or the sharpest tack in the box.  In school I was an A student in literature but a C- in grammar.

     You will excuse me that I am not an English major who is very well adapted to flipping burgers, movie critics, and diagraming sentences.  I was adept at driving tractors, combines, trucks, fishing poles, shotguns, fire trucks, ambulances, horses, and working cattle, auctioneering, and in general working for a living.

     At times you will find that I have a problem with to and too.  There, their, and they're. And other things similar.  You see my style is to get the thought down before I lose it.  It used to be with a pencil and legal pad.  I depended on editing to straighten it out.  First mine, then others, then the final draft.

      When I finally learned how to use a computer, with much grinding, gnashing of teeth, and wailing, the process is speeded up. And so are my deadlines.  Thank goodness for spell check.  No matter how many times I read and re-read copy there are still errors that get by.  And to this I say WELL EXCUSEEEE MEEEEEE.  (picture Steve Martin saying this)

     There that felt better.  Now I hope you will remember that I try to present my opinion as best I can with a little thought involved and a lot of research.  I will still try to give you my opinion on a range of topics but please don't try to diagram my sentences.  You miss the whole point.