Squidoo Grab Bag One

In case you don't realize it (but I'm sure you must by now) there is enough free reading material on the Internet to last you for eternity. There are many sites but the ones that come quickly to my mind are manybooks.net, smashwords.com and Project Gutenberg (the Grand-Daddy of them all).

So much good stuff there is no reason to be bored. Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, Jack London, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H G wells, and a thousand others are offerring you their works for free (while maybe not them exactly). In my lens Over 100 Amazing Links you might find some links that you may not be aware.

Often, new writers (such as myself) will offer their books free to get you "hooked". Actually, many write just for the love of doing so becuase it is next to impossible to make any real money - there are just too many wanna-be authors out there. However, do not overlook these new authors as there are some good ones out there - you just need to be patient and take sometime to find them. What is most important to me and I expect to the others, is that we have been able to entertain others and get a good book review now and again.

I love Venice. Like Rome too.

You know the best bang for the buck is taking a vacation on a cruise ship - especially if you don't have the expense to fly to the ship's departure point. Dollar for dollar, you definitely get the best deal on a cruise ship. We have taken about 14 cruises so far and enjoyed everone one of them. In total we have about 167 days at sea - only 2 were rough.

If you have never gone on vacation that way before, I suggest you do so. You won't regret it.

In the module below called "Featured Lenses" you will find a lens about vacationing on a cruise ship and a lens about Venice.

Despite its title this module is not out to chastise you. On the contrary. It is written to encourage you to follow your dreams and become the individual you were meant to be.

Everyone of us has dreams. Perhaps it is a dream to get married and have a family. Maybe it's a dream to travel to exotic places. Maybe your dream is to be a famous actor.

Having dreams are important but there is something even more important, and that is attempting to make your dreams come true.

Yes, you do have a purpose in life. Often that purpose is not understood by many. Why? Because we do not listen to our inner voice. That voice tries to guide us to our destinies. It hopes to lead us to happiness. Before we were born I believe seeds were planted in everyone one of us and they cry out to be watered so that they can grow. When they grow, our inner spirit becomes happier.

The unfulfilled dreams in your life represent the need to nuture your inner spirit so that you can become the person you yearn to be. If you don't water those seeds, the seeds will die and your inner spirit will be unable to find the happiness and peace it seeks.

I have had many dreams in my life. Some have been fulfilled because the seeds have been watered. One of those seeds was to travel to other parts of the world and to experience other people and cultures. After visiting more than 12 different countries, I can now say that this seed has been sufficiently watered and I have accomplished that dream.

It is true that I would like to travel some more and I hope to do so. Even if I don't, I am happy. My inner spirit is more at peace with itself.

These days, after recently passing my sixtieth birthday, I reflect upon my life - where I have been - where I am going. I am essentially a happy person. However, there are still seeds within me that need to be watered. There are dreams I still have but have never tried to achieve. There are others that I am in the process of trying to fulfill.

One of those dreams is to write articles - some of a serious nature, others not so. The Internet has given me the opportunity to follow that dream and it is now up to me to try. I began writing quizzes on Squidoo using the name Zut Moon and stealing ALF's image as my avatar. Along with the quizzes. I wrote "funny" stories, often to the chagrin of my American friends. I wrote some serious articles there as well. Just the writing of them was enough to start that seed growing. I became known somewhat throughout the Squidoo community and received some nice comments from people who read the articles.

I then discovered Smashwords. I saw many people writing novels and short stories. They appeared to be following their dreams as well. I figured if they could write on Smashwords, why couldn't I? I have never had visions of being a John Grisham or a Dean Koontz but maybe, just maybe, I could be some kind of author even if it is only in a small way. So I have begun to follow my dream. I am trying to see if I can write something with enough substance to be interesting to somebody other than myself.

I currently have four short stories on Smashwords and judging by the stats that they send me, I am succeeding to some extent. I have received many "thumbs up" that have been posted to Facebook. Smashwords statistics show me that people are downloading my stories. I have given many copies away free but have been able to sell some of them for real cash. None of the figures are staggering but they are sufficient to encourage me to keep watering that seed.

Life can end at any moment and the time to fulfill your dream is today. Tomorrow may not come. Time continues to move forward whether you do or not. This article that you are reading right now is another attempt by me to follow two of my dreams. To become better known in the writing community and to help others. I will also be publishing another story soon which is called "The Diary of Moses Jenkins". I am very pleased with how it is turning out. When I started to write it, I had no idea where it was going. That is usually the case with most things I write. The end often surprises me and it did in this case.

What I am trying to say to you, my reader is, "Now is the time to stop dreaming! It is time to turn your dreams into realities. It is time to water those seeds and allow them to grow. Your inner spirit will not be truly happy until you do."

As soon as you finish reading this article, and without further delay, start trying to fulfill your dreams.

I honestly hope that this will help you is some small way to become the person you were meant to be. I know the writing of it has helped me.

Best Wishes,

Mark Goodwin (a.k.a. Zut Moon, a.k.a. Moonfish)

September, 2011

There are more cigarette butts in the Smokey Mountains than anywhere else in the USA

I just got back from a visit to the hospital - my pet duck Greasey got out of his pen the other day and I couldn't catch him in time before he flew upside down and quacked up.

Then things went bad from worse - I went outside and checked my gardens - flowers are great and the tulip bulbs grew. My veggies are doing fine as well - healthy onion bulbs produce tastey onions. But I didn't do so well with the light bulbs I planted.

Got fired from my last job as an elevator operator - I couldn't learn the route. Didn't matter though - the job had too many ups and downs.

I write to a penpal in England but she's mad with me now. Says she doesn't like the way I write - apparently I write too fast for her to keep up.

I woke up early this morning - stood in front of the mirror but I couldn't see myself. I had my eyes closed.

My stupid brother-in-law that lives in Newfoundland. He's a Moose Hunter you know. Last year he came across a set of tracks and followed them for half a mile - then got hit by the train!

I'm a history buff. The other day I was reading Geronimo's obituary. He was an avid tea drinker - 50 cups a day they say. He died in his teepee.

That stupid kid of mine. Got kicked out of Little League this summer. Always in trouble - got caught stealing 3 bases in one game.

Those lyrics are from "Teach Your Children" by Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young