In shock; I don't believe it; good news!

My perception of myself has changed. When I worked as an editor, I thought of myself as an editor. When I was unemployed, I was self unemployed... an unemployed freelancer who was mostly a failure.

How do you perceive yourself? Wife, husband, worker, player, force for good in the universe? All of the above?

Earlier today, I signed the contract to write Car Audio for Dummies, so now I can see myself as an author. I never wanted to be a writer. I was afraid of the uncertainties.

I should have been afraid of the uncertainties of being an editor... especially an editor covering a dying industry.

My dad wanted me to become a teacher. I had two reasons not to be a teacher:

1. It was pointless... kids just got old and died.

2. I didn't think I could do it.

3. I didn't believe I could do it well enough.

4. I didn't believe I could do it as well as my father.

So I worked for magazines instead. Magazines that get thrown away before, during, or after being read.

Car Audio 4 Dummies at Dinner

Worked on chapter 8, the sample chapter, of CAR AUDIO FOR DUMMIES for much of today. Incorporated info from Tom Nousaine, Chris Peterson, and Al Patel.

Got info from Tom Breithaupt; need to add that soon.

Once again, someone removed the "Stop the Pool" sign from the information kiosk. Yes, the homeowners' board is threatening to put a pool in the park across the street from me. It would ruin my view... and it would double the dues of everyone in the neighborhood association from $144 to $288... bring in more people and traffic... etc. But the pres of the HO association wants the pool. Ug.

Nice dinner at Hula Hut with Chris Lewis, his roommate John, and his colleague Steve. I stuffed myself with a veggie pipeline enchilada. Mmmmm, mmmmmm, good.

Tom Nousaine, professional listener

I should try to stay logged in so David Burns and other friends can IM me.

I'm working on my sample chapter (8). I sent an early draft to Tom Nousaine, and he took the time to read it and make great suggestions. I am releived and honored to have his help. He knows so much, and I worry less about making mistakes if he checks my work. I am incredibly lucky to be his friend and to have his help.

He's an expert on electronics, speakers, acoustics, and subjective listening. He has seriously evaluated more vehicle-audio systems than anyone in the world. And when I say "seriously," I mean SERIOUSLY. If you don't believe me, go to this site (but note that it is somewhat out of date; Tom was always a huge part of LiT, doing the most evaluations of anyone, and Tom has taken over LiT since this site was updated)http://www.dlcdesignaudio.com/dlc_016.htm

And Tom loves music, he loves bass, and he loves Ruthie Foster. And he even let me drive his Corvette.

Got the contract for the book

Yes, I'm writing a book, and mostly having fun.

Two t***s in the punchbowl, however:
1. I could be charged as much as $700 to pay somebody to do the index.
2. I'm not thrilled with the organization of the book as suggested by the automotive editor. He wants it like this:
1. Car Audio Fundamentals
2. Head Units and Other Sources
3. Speaking of Speakers
4. Components for Serious Systems
5. Tweaking and Tuning

I want:
1. Planning Your System
2. Selecting Your Components
3. Installing Your Components
4. Tweaking and Tuning

My way is more chronological. More logical. Hey, but if they feel strongly about doing it their way, fine. They are promising to pay me, so they get things their way.

I never wanted to be a writer....

I am in negotiation with Wiley publishing to write a book.

Wiley does the "for Dummies" series of books, and the working title for this one is Car Audio for Dummies.

I've done a pretty complete table of contents and other things for the formal proposal, and the acquisitions editor has requested a contract. Nothing signed yet, though.

And only $8,000 for 4 months of work. Still, this one book could establish me as a serious writer, and more books could come. Maybe I could get an agent after this book is done.

Please answer these questions....

1. Is the scientific method "theory, data gathering, analysis"?

2. If American troops left Iraq, who would control the oil in Iraq?

3. What do conservatives want to conserve?

4. If I buy an American flag and burn it, should I be arrested, convicted of a crime, and put in jail so I no longer have freedom?

5. Why are people who kill animals called "hunters" instead of "killers"?

6. Why don't people in nursing homes get more visitors?

7. I have satellite TV (Dish Network), but sometimes I can't get news on the hour. Why not?

8. Why doesn't the publisher of People magazine spin off a new mag called Good People that would only have info about people who do good deeds?

9. Why aren't small cars more popular?

10. What can we do to support our troops in Iraq?

11. Do men like to watch baseball, football, golf, car racing, and other games and sports because they like to watch changing spatial relationships?

12. Is a "terrorist" someone who attacks civilians in attempts to create terror, actions, and reactions?

13. Are these the only ways to learn: reading, listening, watching, and doing?

14. How can schools prepare young people for the real world of jobs, finance, and insurance?

15. Which animal do you find most beautiful?

16. What can we do to make the world a better planet?

17. Should people be able to put things (such as flyers) in other people's mailboxes?

18. Why don't cars have bumpers anymore?

19. Is the purpose of life to take care of other living beings?

20. Why aren't recumbent bicycles and full-face bike helmets more popular?

21. What do you have faith in?

22. Does "freedom" include the freedom to be safe from harm?

23. Why do politicians talk more about the middle class than the poor?

24. Should lawyers be ineligible for elective offices?


25. Where do our "inalienable rights" come from?

Questions and worries

Why don't more people understand the value of education and job training?

Why don't more people accept that we have already won the war in Iraq?

Are we there just to protect the Iraqi gov. that controls their oil? Who buys their oil?

I worry. Christina worries a lot (she says she has OCD, but I think she just has OD; she is strong and brave and kind and wonderful).

If we think about suicide or other ways to die, we don't need to worry.

Worry is about consequences.

I worry that my money will run out. If that happens, I won't be able to pay my bills. That means
inability to provide Clyde and Luna what they need (food, water, veterinary care, etc.)
foreclosure,
no phone service,
no Dish Network,
no water service,
no Internet service,
no gas service,
no money to pay for gasoline for Buffy,
no money for food,
etc.
If my money runs out, and techniques for delaying bankruptcy, I guess I could have other plans besides suicide....
B. Move to a cheaper place
C. Get a job
D. Get more freelance work
E. Ask people for ideas

Sometimes I don't have much motivation to keep me from sinking into the swamp.

Bruce has the flu.

I like being a helper--------------------with less responsibility----------------but it may be frustrating.

I fear that I will
1. get bad instructions
2. follow the instructions
3. make something bad happen out of ignorance
4. get blamed.

I'm 51. I should be immune to criticism. Maybe I should be happy to be so childlike.

I loaned $600 to a guy. He might install a DVD drive today. How odd.

Busy day today

Like a diary, like a dialog between a painter and a poet. "The poet and the painter" is a phrase from Thick As A Brick (by Jethro Tull)... one of my favorite LPs from the early 70s. It was a 40-minute song. Makes me think of high school. The album cover looked like a newspaper. It had an article about a kid named Gerald Bostock (8) who wrote a poem called "Thick As A Brick." A photo on the front page of the newspaper that is also the front page of the St. Cleve Chronicle shows Gerald with a young woman (called "Julia Fealey") "with whom he wrote poems." I thought she was breathtakingly beautiful.

I bought and sold CDs today. Purchased...

1. the new CD by Sparks with "Love" or something like that and maybe "Modern" in the title! (I could not find Kimono My House). Kimono My House was done by Sparks in the early 70s. Incredible album.

2. A double CD with symphonies 7-9 and another work... all by Dvorak. Christina and I heard Dvorak's 9th symphony while driving home from north Austin... we loved it, but neither of us could identify the composer... I had it on cassette, but splurged on the used double disc.

3. A single CD with Schubert's two piano trios. I have a few recordings on these two works, but did not have a single CD with both. I like both of them, but I especially like the one that starts with the violin and cello playing in unison.... dah, da da da dah..... da da da DA, da da da DA, da da da da DA!!!!

February 16, 2007

So many things to do....

1. Work on proposal for CAFD

2. Call Oak Hill Appliance

3. Apply for jobs

4. Do a new Cat And Bunny sign

5. Find a low-cost divorce lawyer for c.

6. Invade Poland.

7. Ask Charles to optimize this computer.

8. Explain that the picture at upper right is a car that was raced in the U.S. and Canada during 1970. It is a McLaren M8D. It was driven for three races by Dan Gurney (numbered 48), and then for seven races by Peter Gethin (numbered 48 for one race and 7 for the other six). Because Dan was so tall, the loop was added to the rollbar.