Once again I apologize.  I haven’t written anything really enlightning for a while.  Thanks for coming to my site. I promise I’ll do better in the future.

Just wanted to let you know that the Pavillion project my father had me working on is finished enough for my Mother’s church party.  It’s been non-stop for three weeks.  It’s also been very interesting and rewarding spending the time with my 87 year old father and fulfilling yet another of his dreams.

As a result of all this time spent, I’ve been neglecting the promotion of my book. 
Right now I’m taking a much needed break and I’ve gone fishing.  Yes…once again…I’m throwing out a line.

Hope you taking a break also during these dog days of summer.  Looks like fall and winter might be coming early this year in Montana so I’m making hay while the sun shines as Mom used to say.

Please return again to the sight.  I promise after this weekend I’ll try to be more productive and write some real thought starters for you.

John

Hi,

Saturday, August 7th I had an enjoyable time at the Madison Valley Arts Festival.  I was there as an author and met many fine local and visiting people.  Sold a few books…but hey…I’m really not attached to the outcome.  I commend the fine staff that put on the festival.  They were very helpful and concerned that everything was just right. The Ennis Arts Association has got this one down.

Live music, all kinds of juried art, good food and a small town friendly atmosphere.  A great way to spend a Saturday. The weather even cooperated which had a lot of us concerned for it hasn’t been the best for the past couple of weeks.

I met some of the other Montana authors who were set up in the tents provided for us.  I met some great people from out of the state also.  One from Nicaragua, a couple from San Francisco, another couple from Arizona, a man from New York, and a family from Washington state.  I’m sure there were other notable mentions but it was all such art in motion. 

I love to people watch and my book signings are a great opportunity.  There seems to be an incredibly congenial atmosphere around these kind of events.  Art walks, Festivals, May day celebrations, all bring out the families to have a great time.  I never heard a crying child.  Saw a lot of them with painted faces.  I never heard any cross words or anyone having a problem.  People were helping each other and asking nothing in return..nor were they expecting anything.

This is the country.  This is what America is all about.  This is sharing and caring and networking on the best level.

Face to face.  One at a time. Sharing ideas and thoughts and experiences.

Thank you Ennis Arts Association for having this venue.  It was a very pleasurable experience.  Hope I get to the next one.  As a matter of fact I’m putting it on my to check calendar right after I sign off.

Madison Valley Arts Festival…truly a Montana celebration of great art and camaraderie.

John

OK …OK…I know I said I wouldn’t wax on about myself or my book in this blog but once again..I’m excited. 

My very first book signing event and I get to do it in what I call my home town.  If you checked my events page you will find that I have waited since April 20th(my official pub date) until today to have a launch event.  I did this out of respect to our local book store, which by the way is called “The Bookstore” located on Idaho St. in Dillon Montana.

I thought it was apropo that I do it here and the coincidence that I was actually born in Idaho is probably not a coincidence because I believe there are no coincidences in the universe. So today on Idaho Street in Dillon Montana I shall sign books for everyone who would like my sloppy signature on their purchase.  I’ll even sign other people’s books if you want. 

I’m just happy to be here in a small city whose media seems to accept me and have given me an exposure handshake that makes me proud to live here.  I’m also happy that my parents are still here with me to enjoy the moment.

We’re supposed to have a stormy day today and it doesn’t matter because we are having a big May day celebration and those of us who choose to live here are a hardy bunch.  We will  be out in force in downtown Dillon come rain snow or wind. We’re expecting all three.

It’s a proud day for me and I thank everyone in Dillon who has been so kind since my return. 

Respectfully,

John

If not now…when?

This morning the day feels fresh.  We had an incredibly heavy rain last evening and the grass has turned green overnight.  It seems like it’s time to grasp the moment and make the best of everything I can today. 

What can we manifest today that will make it easier for someone else? Can we care enough about other’s well being to actually take the time to overcome our apathy towards involvement? 

We have to overcome the idea that we can’t do anything about the way things are.  We have to stand up and voice our opinions whether in agreement with popular opinion or not.  It’s what America is all about.  It’s our duty as patriots to excercise our constitution rights.  It all starts with an idea.  Everything starts with a thought.  So manifest what is in your heart and know that one person can make change happen.

With that said, I would like to encourage you to take time for you today, or tomorrow, or soon anyway, to remember what it felt like to be a child.  I’m attaching a piece I wrote ten years ago in a compilation of poetry and prose I call Contem-Plato.  Please consider it and enjoy the idea if you can.

Embrace your Child

There is a child in all of us, young with energy to spare.

It moves the dusty old limbs of the tree gone stiff and manages to sprout a few green shoots from time to time.

Embrace your child.

Search him/her out.

Find pleasure in the innocence of discovery again.

Search your memory for dreams long since abandoned.

Forget for a moment what you’ve been told or taught about how unrealistic those dreams were.

Discover them anew.

Act on them now with the experience you’ve gained since having them and no matter how farfetched they seem, hold them to the light of your scrutiny to see them in their true elemental innocence.

Feel the excitement of the process as your thoughts carry you through the possibilities they promote. 

Bring that youthful optimism back to your resigned reality.

Surrender to the exercise.

Embrace those dreams that you’ve kept locked up in your “someday” box.

Feel your pulse quicken.

We’ve invented these responsibilities of adulthood.

We’ve capped our optimistic view of what could be.

We’ve settled for the way things are.

We’ve suppressed this child long enough!

The one who was happy to whittle on a piece of wood.

The one who found pleasure in looking with wonder on a bug crawling across the floor.

The one who couldn’t wait to go out in the snow and get wet and freezing cold and then experience the love and warmth of a mother doetting over us, plying us with hot chocolate, admiring our snow fort from the warmth of the kitchen.

Be that child in you again, who for hours could find a use for the box that boring gift came all wrapped up in.

Throw off those thoughts of responsibility for a while today and take a moment to sit under a tree and just listen. 

Think about what you’d like to do when you grow up.

Just use an hour or two for you.

The end of that innocence has only come because you have let it escape.

It’s still there tucked away in the corner of your minds eye and can be a blessing if you’ll only let it overcome the needs of having to get things done.

You have plenty of time for the statesman, warrior, or industrialist to do their bidding, but you need to find the child again or all your well laid plans and goals will have little meaning.

Accomplishment will never take the place of the magic that is seen through this child’s eyes and the discovery that looking on the surroundings with a youthful attitude of possibility can bring.

Like the family dog, who will never be more than a pup, we have a child within us that will never be more than a child no matter how old, knowledgeable, or jaded we become.

Embracing that child, for its energy, enthusiasm, and optimism about what could be, will carry you through the toughest times and help you in miraculous ways!

Sing!

Dance!

Ponder!

And Wonder again.

Light hearted you’ll find yourself, and with that, laugh at what unreal pressures you’ve brought upon yourself.

Seek the child and grow.

Age will become an indifferent consequence of new possibilities!

Jw 12/24/00

Remember…There is no room for Apathy.

Have a great day!

John

I originally set out to write a science fiction novel.  Having been an instant Sci-fi fan from the first time I read a Robert Heinlein novel in my youth I was captivated by science fiction.  Jules Verne also inspired my imagination.

However, somehow, “Freedom’s Call” turned out to be a political thriller (recommended by my publisher).

I literally sat in my woodshed on a bar stool and wrote a few chapters at a time as I built a balsa wood birdhouse to auction at our family reunion.  It was very intricate and I had to do something while I let the glue dry.  As the birdhouse progressed, I realized that the ideas for the book were coming from the many conversations I had with my father, brother and closest friends around the campfires on our yearly fishing trips.  Ideas also came from discussions with my barber, Gary, about the state of affairs in our great country.

It took on a life of its own as I let my imagination go.

As an avid sportsman and nature lover, it was easy to imagine the locations in which the story is set and as I was having thoughts of retirement, from my broadcasting career, the condition of our Social Security System was becoming of interest to me.

I never expected to publish this work.  It was merely an exercise in thought construction and a great way to pass the time while letting the glue dry on the birdhouse.  As each tiny row of balsa wood shingles dried, I would write for a couple of hours and then put down another row.  The next evening I would repeat the process.

It all came easy for me and I found I looked forward to it each evening.  Once the birdhouse was finished the book was completed. 

I set it aside for 8 years until I was inspired by my dear friend Jude Davis to contact a publisher. Since I also had a book of poetry and a children’s book that I had done nothing with, I submitted them all at once to the publisher.  They liked “Freedom’s Call.”  They thought it was timely and wanted to proceed with publishing.

“There you go” as Dennis Weaver (McCloud) used to say.

The glue is dry.