Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Lightship- New Bedford)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: A little bleary.
CALLIOPE: Too much proofreading?
JOE: Exactly. I don't usually do this much concentrated reading in one day.
CALLIOPE: How did you approach it?
JOE: I divided it into chapters and worked one at a time. Then I took a break to rest my brain and eyes.
CALLIOPE: How far did you get?
JOE: I have finished the first four chapters. It seems like slow going.
CALLIOPE: Slower than other tasks?
JOE: It seems so. It was easier selecting columns and pasting them into the manuscript. Now I am poring over words and grammar to make sure it sounds right.
CALLIOPE: That does seem like work. Have you come to any decision about outside readers?
JOE: I am leaning toward putting out a request to my column list to see if anyone is interested. I haven't done it yet but think I might.
CALLIOPE: What's keeping you?
JOE: I'm not sure. But I'm getting on with my own revision and need to make a decision soon. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Ernestina- New Bedford)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Ready for more work.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish yesterday?
JOE: I completed all the tasks for Navigating Life except final reading and I started on that.
CALLIOPE: Did you decide on outside readers?
JOE: No. I haven't come up with anyone to ask yet but am still thinking about it.
CALLIOPE: Did you have any trouble thinking of introductions to the book and to the various sections?
JOE: No, it all went smoothly. I also found a painting my son Peter did which I am thinking about using for the cover.
CALLIOPE: Have you showed it to anyone?
JOE: To Carol. She liked it. That's a good sign.
CALLIOPE: Any other progress yesterday?
JOE: I looked through James Bell's book Revision and Self Editing. I think it will be quite useful in reviewing Marital Property but it is geared to fiction and not specifically useful for Navigating Life.
CALLIOPE: I see. What's up for today?
JOE: More work reviewing Navigating Life. I plan to work a chapter at a time so I don't get bleary. I have a few other things to work on in between. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Fishing boat- Dunkirk harbor)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Good. I felt like I accomplished quite a bit yesterday.
CALLIOPE: Details please.
JOE: I have all my selections in the right place and have the headings correctly formatted according to the table of contents I generated. I also wrote introductions to the book as a whole and to each section.
CALLIOPE: Good progress. What's next?
JOE: Proofing. I will read the whole manuscript out loud as I have done successfully in the past.
CALLIOPE: What about outside readers?
JOE: That's under consideration. I don't feel I can pay anyone for a professional reading right now as I would like to.
CALLIOPE: Who read for you in the past?
JOE: Carol and Gerry, both excellent at the job.
CALLIOPE: So what about them?
JOE: They are both familiar with most of the material in Navigating Life. I was interested in a fresh look.
CALLIOPE: Don't you have others you could ask?
JOE: I do. But I think they are all quite busy right now. I am afraid it might be an imposition, especially since I want to get the book in print for Christmas. I'll have to think about this further. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Oatka Creek through the reeds)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was your weekend?
JOE: Very productive thank you.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish?
JOE: In addition to raking leaves, I finished most of the draft of Navigating Life.
CALLIOPE: What did you do specifically.
JOE: I started with the list of articles I wanted to include. Then I organized them into themes. I found quotes for all the articles and also added "life lab lessons" to the articles which didn't have them. I also generated a table of contents.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you made quite a bit of progress. What's left to do?
JOE: This week I plan to start with introductions to the chapters and to the book as a whole. I also want to review the chapter and topic headings to make sure they are both catchy and informative. I would also like to add suggested readings and possibly an index although I'm not decided on that.
CALLIOPE: Sounds ambitions. You plan to do all this in a week.
JOE: Yes. Then there is the proofreading. I would like to have someone do it quickly and thoroughly. Carol has already reviewed the articles but is willing to review the introductions as well. I am still considering another reader, but haven't decided on this.
CALLIOPE: It's probably a good idea.
JOE: I agree. However I would like to get the book in print by the beginning of December if possible.
CALLIOPE: You will have to decide between thoroughness and expediency.
JOE: You're right. Always a tough choice for me. Talk with you tomorrow

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Geese resting on Oatka Creek)
JOE; Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Just barely. I missed you yesterday.
JOE: It's nice to be missed. I got quite excited about the prospect of finishing my new book in time for Christmas and spent most of yesterday working on it.
CALLIOPE: You must be excited. Did you come up with a title?
JOE: The tentative title is Navigating Life: Reflections for the Voyage.
CALLIOPE: I like it. Tell me more.
JOE: It is a collection of columns I have written over the past few years. I found over a hundred I would like to include.
CALLIOPE: How will you organize them?
JOE: A fair question. I have sixteen categories and have grouped them according to them.
CALLIOPE: Will they all have the same format?
JOE: For the most part. They generally start with a relevant quotation and end with Life Lab Lessons.
CALLIOPE: Which are?
JOE: Practical suggestions for what to do about the reflection I have just offered.
CALLIOPE: Where did you get that idea?
JOE: I'm not sure. I think it occurred to me at one point that life reflections are not much practical use unless you do something about them. I offer some ideas. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Bridge over Oatka Creek- Leroy, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Back to your regular schedule?
JOE: As regular as it gets.
CALLIOPE: What are you up to today?
JOE: I have been working on my second volume of Commonsense Wisdom. I thought it would be nice to have it in print by Christmas but thought it was not possible.
CALLIOPE: Do you still think so?
JOE: I'm starting to wonder. I have about half the quotes I need. I should be able to finish gathering them in a day or two.
CALLIOPE: Then what?
JOE: I have "Life Lab Lessons" to add to some of the articles. Then I would need to organize them into themes.
CALLIOPE: What are the chances?
JOE: Good I think. I tend to underestimate time needed. However I think it might be possible.
CALLIOPE: So what's your plan?
JOE: Keep forging ahead and see how far I get. If I can finish the manuscript by the end of November, I think it might be possible.
CALLIOPE: Good luck with it.
JOE: Thanks, Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Halloween foolishness)

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Where have you been?
JOE: Don't take offense. I had to leave early this morning for a presentation on eating disorders in Batavia.
CALLIOPE: How was it?
JOE: Fairly basic. I didn't really learn anything new but sometimes it's enough to confirm what you already know.
CALLIOPE: Did you do anything else today?
JOE: Yes. More excitement on the technology front. My Kodak printer died and I had to decide on a new one.
CALLIOPE: How did that go?
JOE: Quite well. I found a Hewlett Packard printer with reasonably priced ink. It does excellent documents and photos despite the low prince.
CALLIOPE: Any other items of interest?
JOE: Yes. I have been wrestling for quite a while with why my video camera won't upload anything. In my research, I discovered that the Kodak printer can sometimes interfere with other programs. I uninstalled it and found that my camera now works fine. Quite a discovery.
CALLIOPE: And what about your writers group last night?
JOE: We had a small gathering of four. I was afraid we might be finished with the group but it went well and we will continue for the time being.
CALLIOPE: Glad to hear it.
JOE: Me too. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Hanging moss- New Orleans)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Mixed. I am making progress on my writing. I have listed all the columns available for my next book, categorized them and started finding quotes to fit them. There is still quite a bit of work to do. I would like to have it ready for Christmas but it doesn't seem likely.
CALLIOPE: All you can do is your best. What's not going so well.
JOE: Technology. My printer was acting up and refused to print decently in black and white or color. After much ado, I discovered the print head was quite gummed up. Fortunately I had an extra one and installed it.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: Now it's as good as new.
CALLIOPE: Everything else going okay?
JOE: I have struggled with my latest column on Loving in the Shadow of Cancer.
CALLIOPE: What's the problem?
JOE: It is not just a general topic. I have had to wrestle with it in my relationship and have seen several people I know die of it. I think it's harder to write a column about something personal.
CALLIOPE: Did you complete it?
JOE: Yes. Carol read and reread it and showed me where it was lacking.
CALLIOPE: And now?
JOE: I think it is fixed and ready for publication as well as to mail to Kat and Paula. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(New Orleans Cemetery)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was your weekend?
JOE: Different. I didn't do any running around yesterday although it did occur to me.
CALLIOPE: How did you spend your day?
JOE: I stayed home and worked on my writing instead.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish.
JOE: I wrote my next column called Loving in the Shadow of Cancer.
CALLIOPE: Prompted by your visit on Friday?
JOE: Yes. It had quite an impact on me. I realized we have more choice of how we handle life's challenges. We don't always get to choose what challenges we have to face but we do have a choice of how we react.
CALLIOPE: Is that a revelation to you?
JOE: Not really. But when I see love in action even given extreme circumstances, it is a good reminder of life's possibilities.
CALLIOPE: I'm looking forward to reading it on Saturday. Did you accomplish anything else?
JOE: I worked on my second commonsense wisdom book. I discovered that "quotes" would probably be a useful keyword for me in marketing the book. I decided to start each passage with a relevant quote and even added one to my next column.
CALLIOPE: Is this a new idea for you?
JOE: No. I had planned to start each chapter of The Pastor's Inferno with a quote from Dante's Inferno. Then I ran into copyright difficulty. I did not realize I could use a public domain version of the Inferno until I had already submitted the manuscript for publication. Oh, well. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Sunset in Key West)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Reflective.
CALLIOPE: About what?
JOE: In our travels yesterday, Carol and I spent the morning with a friend who is dying of cancer.
CALLIOPE: What was that like?
JOE: I was glad we did it but it wasn't easy. She has very little energy and spark left and was only barely able to carry on a conversation. I remember when she was bright, bubbly and full of life. Just an ember remains.
CALLIOPE: That must have been hard.
JOE: It was, but more so for Carol who lost her mother and sister and several other friends to cancer. She also went through a bout of her own.
CALLIOPE: Have you ever had to face cancer directly?
JOE: It depends on what you mean by directly. I struggled through Carol's diagnosis and treatments, but have never had cancer myself.
CALLIOPE: What did you learn from yesterday's experience?
JOE: That it is possible to remain loving and in love during the most extreme challenges. I am writing my next column about it and have it mostly finished.
CALLIOPE: So you plan to share the experience with others?
JOE: I do. The impact was quite profound. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Waiting for a train in Astoria)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What's going on?
JOE: I went to Batavia yesterday to help my son take down his print exhibit. My car died. Actually it couldn't breathe because of a failed oxygen sensor. Fortunately it wasn't terminal and revived with a new part.
CALLIOPE: Did you get anything else accomplished?
JOE: Miraculously I did. I now have one article accepted with Ezine and two others in the works. I enjoy writing short informative and inspirational pieces and will continue this process as a way of sharing my thoughts and also as a marketing help.
CALLIOPE: Does this take you in any particular direction with the rest of your writing?
JOE: I have been thinking of another Commonsense Wisdom collection, mostly of columns.
CALLIOPE: What brought that on?
JOE: Writing out my goals and those of prospective readers. I have most of the material in hand but would have to organize and market it.
CALLIOPE: What about Commonsense Wisdom for Teens.
JOE: I will still work on it. But I know Commonsense Wisdom for Everyday Life had a fairly good reception even with practically no publicity. I think I can build on what I did with the first book and continue with the teen book.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you have been thinking about strategy.
JOE: I have. I think I could do a better job of marketing now that I have more tools at my disposal.
CALLIOPE: Good luck.
JOE: Thanks, I'm excited about the prospects. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(My work space)
JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was yesterday?
JOE: Busy as usual. I worked on marketing and Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: How about your comprehensive marketing plan?
JOE: I decided to start with the big picture- how people approach the Internet.
CALLIOPE: Where did you begin?
JOE: With what I look for when I surf the web.
CALLIOPE: What did you come up with?
JOE: I look for free or reasonably priced information or tools for my writing or web presence.
CALLIOPE: Then what?
JOE: I wrote down what kind of readers I want to attract. I want readers who are intrigued by common sense and would like to learn how to focus their lives in a way which will benefit them but be beneficial to others as well.
CALLIOPE: And after that?
JOE: I listed what such readers might want. I think they want suggestions about how to be more comfortable with choices they make, avoid making enemies, decide how to act in an ethical dilemma and live in a way which does not harm themselves or others.
CALLIOPE: Will this form the basis of your writing and approach to marketing?
JOE: I think it already does although I never put it into words before. I will use it as my guide. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Keeping an eye on the horizon)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What have you been up to?
JOE: I'm easing into the day. I read the paper, did a couple crossword puzzles and tended to my mail so far and here I am.
CALLIOPE: What did you do yesterday?
JOE: Some editing of Marital Property. I also worked on marketing and development. I listened to Steve Harrison's presentations on What Rich Authors Know That Poor Authors Don't and Publicity Strategies.
CALLIOPE: What did you learn?
JOE: That it is important to start with a passionate dream. Earning money is not a good primary consideration. If you have something worthwhile to share with others, money follows. I learned how others approached and used media outlets to develop a platform for their sales and marketing efforts.
CALLIOPE: Do you think you can use what you learned?
JOE: I think I can incorporate it into a marketing plan.
CALLIOPE: Do you have one?
JOE: I did, but I have learned a great deal lately. I think it's time I reconsidered it to make sure it is complete and incorporates what I'm learning.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a good plan. Is that what you will work on today?
JOE: Yes, in addition to continued work on Marital Property. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(With Carol at Letchworth Park)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I stopped by Amazon to read more about The Good Person's Guide which you reviewed for me yesterday.
JOE: And what did you think?
CALLIOPE: Of the reviews I read, two focus more on business applications. Yours seems to stress the usefulness for a wider audience.
JOE: I see myself more from a personal than a business vantage these days. I also don't see a distinction between my work and personal identity. This is a point made in the book too.
CALLIOPE: While I was at Amazon, I saw some discussion of Kindle, the electronic book reader Amazon offers. What do you think of it?
JOE: I haven't seen one yet. I read the same information and am more intrigued now that I was before.
CALLIOPE: How so?
JOE: I would prefer to read an actual book than something on a computer screen.
CALLIOPE: Do you think Kindle is more like a computer than a book?
JOE: They claim the opposite. I guess I would have to see one to know for sure. The price is a little high for me at the moment. Maybe I will run into someone who has one so I can take a look.
CALLIOPE: What attracts you?
JOE: The availability of a wide range of reading stored in a small space. I have limited storage room now.
CALLIOPE: Anything else?
JOE: Accessibility. I would like to be able to download books easily and have them ready for easy access. We shall see. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Good. I have something special to share with you, a review I wrote about Richard Bayer's The Good Person Guidebook (NY, Five O'Clock Club Books, 2008.)
CALLIOPE: I'm all ears.

JOE: Inspirational books often tend to wander, appealing to the imagination more than to the logical mind. Not so with Richard Bayer's The Good Person's Guidebook. On the first page he makes it clear that the good person is "a person of moral excellence, but not in vacuum." Being good does not mean standing on a pedestal for passersby to admire. It means acting morally and responsibly in interactions with others.

The author describes his writing as inspired by religious principles and applicable to the business world. People not driven by religious beliefs or immersed in business will still find this book applicable to their daily lives.

Rather than simply musing about being good, Beyer presents an organized and well reasoned approach. His book is divided into three sections consisting of ways to consider living ethically, deciding what kind person to be and how to implement ethical choices in daily life.
His Seven Stories exercise helps make sense of your life so far. His Fifteen Year and Forty Year Visions offer a framework for charting your future.

I have found that readers looking for inspiration often do not want to sift through page after page of reflections in search of suggestions on ways to handle a particular life difficulty. They like brief concise treatments. Bayer provides these along with frequent suggestions for practical applications. His comprehensive table of contents and index make it easy for the reader to find a particular topic of interest.

In these days of reckless self indulgence, The Good Person Guidebook stands as a compass for readers looking to reorient their lives and live in a meaningful way.

CALLIOPE: Thanks for sharing your review. I'll look for the book.
JOE: Talk with your tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

Astoria Blvd. Subway station, New York)

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: I almost gave up on you today.
JOE: I've been busy. We're having people over tonight and I was busy preparing for them.
CALLIOPE: Are you ready now?
JOE: I am. I have a little time to work on writing.
CALLIOPE: I assume you got your newspaper article posted.
JOE: Yes. I have also been working my way through my most recent edit of Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: Anything else going on?
JOE: I realized this morning that with all my work on editing and marketing, I haven't done too much actual writing lately.
CALLIOPE: Does that bother you?
JOE: Yes. I wish I were writing. I realize there is much more to the whole writing undertaking that putting thoughts into words. Sometimes I wish the rest of the process would just take place on its own.
CALLIOPE: You could pay someone to look after those details.
JOE: If I had the money I could. For now, I have all the responsibilities.
CALLIOPE: Has there been any benefit to that?
JOE: I think I have reached an understanding of the writing and publishing world I would not have had otherwise. Time for me to stop complaining and get back to work. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(In the garden with Carol)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Restless.
CALLIOPE: What brought that on?
JOE: Yesterday afternoon I listened to a phone teleseminar by Steve Harrison about being perceived as an expert.
CALLIOPE: Did that make you restless?
JOE: One focus of the presentation was on deciding what is important and being passionate about pursuing it. I woke up this morning debating with myself about whether I want to be passionate about anything at this point in my life or whether I would just like to enjoy life for a while.
CALLIOPE: Does it have to be a choice?
JOE: Most of what I read indicates that it does. Being successful personally or financially is said to involve a passionate commitment to something close to my heart.
CALLIOPE: What would be ideal for you?
JOE: I would like to be able to share with others what I have learned about life and suggest alternatives to dangerous directions I see our society heading in. At the same time I would like to have some time to enjoy life after many working years.
CALLIOPE: So you want a compromise but read that it's not possible.
JOE: Exactly.
CALLIOPE: So what do you plan to do about it?
JOE: Find a way to reach this compromise in my way of life. How, I'm not quite sure. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Triboro Bridge, Astoria, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine. I'm feeling back to normal.
CALLIOPE: What threw you off course?
JOE: Not getting any email the past few days and feeling out of touch with the cyberworld.
CALLIOPE: And that's corrected?
JOE: It is. I was working on a way to include an autoresponder on my website during the course of which my email was accidentally short circuited. All due to the omission of one hyphen. But now it's back in order and I have a ream of emails to wade through.
CALLIOPE: You sound overwhelmed.
JOE: Sometimes I am. I have signed up for quite a few notifications of articles related to my writing. It feels like overload at times.
CALLIOPE: What are you working on today?
JOE: Editing and marketing. I think I am finally getting to understand about keywords and ways they can be used to gain more traffic for my website. Maybe I'm a little dense, but it takes me a while to figure these things out.
CALLIOPE: Maybe they are just complicated. How about your writing.
JOE: I am continuing to read The Good Person Handbook and have been planning a review to share with you and post on Amazon.
CALLIOPE: Sounds interesting.
JOE: It's new venture for me. Hopefully it will be ready in the next few days. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Geese on Oatka Creek, Leroy, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Mixed.
CALLIOPE: What's going well?
JOE: I finished and posted my column, Sticks and Stones May Break our bones. You can read it on my web sit on Saturday.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about it.
JOE: I read an article by Jodi Cohen from the Chicago Tribune in which she reported that high school students and their parents sometimes write nasty letters to colleges hoping to reduce their competition for freshman slots.
CALLIOPE: I never heard of such a thing?
JOE: I haven't either on the part of students and their parents but I saw an immediate parallel with political ads cramming the airwaves (or cable waves) lately.
CALLIOPE: What did you make of it?
JOE: I don't like the trend. As far as I am concerned it contributes to the disintegration of society.
CALLIOPE: Did you suggest any alternatives?
JOE: Yes, being more respectful of others and not feeling you have to trample others to get what you want.
CALLIOPE: Good for you. What didn't go so well yesterday?
JOE: I am having difficulty with my email hosting and haven't received any email yet this week. I'm still working on the problem. Hopefully I will have good news about this tomorrow when we talk.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Exercise in Astoria Park, New York)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Relieved.
CALLIOPE: On what account?
JOE: Because I finally decided I was spending entirely too much time on web site development. I was interested in web site optimization but everything else took a back seat including writing and editing. I realized I have other priorities.
CALLIOPE: Sounds sensible. What did you work on yesterday?
JOE: After I realized my morass, I worked on editing Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: And today?
JOE: I will be out for a while today. However I have a column to write and plan to make it a priority today.
CALLIOPE: What are you writing about?
JOE: I found a newspaper article about dirty tricks college applicants and their parents use against their competition, quite reminiscent of recent political ads. I thought I would write about the implications of such tactics for the author as well as for society and maybe some alternatives.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a good topic. Good luck with it. Anything else going on?
JOE: I plan to continue working on editing Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: Is you website functional for now?
JOE: I think so. Why don't you take a look. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Night entrance)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I missed you Saturday.
JOE: I know. I got caught up in website development, e-commerce, etc. and never made it here.
CALLIOPE: Did you have a busy weekend?
JOE: Yes. We were out socially Friday and Saturday evenings and as I said I worked on my website. Yesterday I just felt a need to relax.
CALLIOPE: Not a bad idea. Did you mention a book review last week?
JOE: Yes. I have been reading Richard Bayer's The Good Person Handbook and am planning to review it.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about the book.
JOE: It approaches many of the ideas I pursued in Commonsense Wisdom for Everyday Life.
CALLIOPE: Does it differ in some ways?
JOE: He is much more structured than I am. He is organized from page one and presents an orderly flow of ideas, one building on another.
CALLIOPE: Do you like that approach than the one you took?
JOE: Not necessarily. Mine is organized into categories. although not as structured in its development. I have had readers say they like to be able to read a brief self contained passage on a particular topic without belaboring it.
CALLIOPE: How does his book compare with yours?
JOE: I think we have different approaches. Some people like ideas to flow in strict order and others like more spontaneity. I think there is room for both approaches. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(New York City)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Reeling from yesterday's market research.
CALLIOPE: How so?
JOE: I worked hard to find an affordable auto responder for readers to sign up for my columns online without advertising attached.
CALLIOPE: Did you find one?
JOE: Yes and I downloaded it. Then I found all sorts of complicated direction about things I have never heard of. I don't know if is even possible for me to use it. I wasn't ready for such a challenge.
CALLIOPE: Maybe it's the price of going cheap. Anything else going on?
JOE: I am busy reading Richard Bayer's The Good Person Guidebook which I agreed to review.
CALLIOPE: Sounds a little more manageable.
JOE: It is. At least I am on familiar ground. I am enjoying the book and have learned some lessons I can use in organizing Commonsense Wisdom for Teens, my next project after I finish Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: Have you thought any more about offering your book free?
JOE: I have and found that Booklocker has a program of offering most of a book free but not all. Since I have used them before, I will consider this program.
CALLIOPE: Probably easier than doing it on your own.
JOE: I agree. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Carol and Joe on Broadway)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine.
CALLIOPE: What have you been up to?
JOE: Trying to get back into a routine. I am catching up on my email and working on marketing.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish yesterday?
JOE: I worked more on search engine optimization, specifically keywords, and meta tags for my my websites.
CALLIOPE: Sounds a little involved.
JOE: It is. Not like the old days on Mt. Olympus.
CALLIOPE: Anything else going on?
JOE: I visited a physical therapist to see if I can increase the mobility of my hands which was compromised by my arthritis.
CALLIOPE: Any progress?
JOE: Nancy gave me some exercises to do. Hopefully this will help.
CALLIOPE: What's on for today?
JOE: More marketing work and revision of Marital Property. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Mike harvesting figs in Astoria, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Welcome back.
JOE: Thank you.
CALLIOPE: How was your trip to New York?
JOE: Great as usual. Flying was uneventful. We had no plans for the time we were there but used all of it to good advantage.
CALLIOPE: What was the highlight?
JOE: Seeing the musical Spring Awakening. I had been wanting to see it for several years but didn't get the chance for one reason or another.
CALLIOPE: What did you like about it?
JOE: The depiction of the full range of human emotions through the lives of late nineteenth century teens.
CALLIOPE: Sounds a little dated.
JOE: It does sound that way. Although circumstances have changed, emotions and perceptions have not changed all that much in the past hundred years.
CALLIOPE: Did you learn anything about writing?
JOE: More about marketing. I read several articles about the future of publishing, one in particular about giving away writing.
CALLIOPE: Sounds self defeating.
JOE: Again I agree about first perceptions. Nevertheless I think there is merit to the idea and will explore it further. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Gulls on City Island, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Are you finished with your marketing challenge?
JOE: Not quite. My web site is back functioning well. There are a few refinements I would like to make such as adding my podcast and some keywords.
CALLIOPE: Is that your plan for today?
JOE: If I have time. This morning I am taking Carol for some outpatient surgery and then we will shop and have lunch. I'm not sure how much time that will leave me.
CALLIOPE: What's up for the next few days?
JOE: Carol and I are leaving for New York tomorrow morning and will be back Tuesday.
CALLIOPE: Anything special going on there?
JOE: We're just going to visit Carol's son who is just back from Germany after a stint in The Barber of Seville. We just thought it was time for a visit.
CALLIOPE: Anything planned?
JOE: No. We will play it by ear. But I will stay aware of opportunities to discuss writing and marketing.
CALLIOPE: Enjoy your trip.
JOE: We will. Talk with you on Wednesday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Monarch Butterfly)

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon Joe. I was afraid you fell off the face of the earth.
JOE: I didn't but my website did and it took me until just now to get it working again.
CALLIOPE: What happened?
JOE: I spent yesterday working on search engine optimization with Steve Weber's website.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: I learned quite a bit that I was anxious to implement.
CALLIOPE: How did that go?
JOE: In the long run, okay. But along the way I managed to run into quite a few snags while trying to implement simplification.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a contradiction.
JOE: Simplicity is not always easy to achieve. Just ask anyone who tried to simplify his or her life.
CALLIOPE: Did it turn out okay in the long run.
JOE: Yes. I still haven't figured out how to post an interview on my website although I had it working before.
CALLIOPE: Something to work on.
JOE: I guess I need some sort of challenge. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Lift Bridge- Brockport, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine.
CALLIOPE: How did your writers meeting go last night?
JOE: I heard from several members that they could not make the meeting. However only one other member showed up.
CALLIOPE: Were you disappointed?
JOE: It was not what I expected but Larry and I had a chance to compare notes on the literary scene and on marketing in particular.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you made the best of it. How did you do with your writing yesterday?
JOE: I had planned to do some recordings but then realized the deadline for my next column was fast approaching.
CALLIOPE: What did you write about?
JOE: Credit and cash. I think personal and government choices to live on the basis of money we hope will come in creates problems at both levels.
CALLIOPE: You don't usually address political issues.
JOE: No I don't. I didn't approach it from a political point of view but rather one of responsibility.
CALLIOPE: Were you pleased with it?
JOE: Yes. I am considering venturing out into some other politically charged issues. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Sunrise over Leroy, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Did you sleep in this morning?
JOE: If you consider 6:30 sleeping in, yes.
CALLIOPE: What have you been up to?
JOE: Yesterday I discovered a site called Internet Career Builders run by Steve Weber with whom I have been familiar for a while. He has quite a bit of information about using the internet for business. I have been pursuing what he has to offer.
CALLIOPE: Did you need more information.
JOE: I think so. I do have my website and blog but have not gotten much response from my efforts so far. I think I need to learn a little more about how to go about internet marketing in a more constructive and organized manner.
CALLIOPE: I hope this site helps.
JOE: So do I.
CALLIOPE: How are the videos coming?
JOE: I did not get to them yesterday with my interest in the new site. I plan to work on them later today after yoga and lunch.
CALLIOPE: Revived and fortified?
JOE: That's my plan. I also have writers meeting tonight where I plan to read a revision of one of my chapters from Marital Property for feedback on my first person approach.
CALLIOPE: Sounds busy.
JOE: Yes. and exciting too. I feel energized today. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Carol and Sharon- Breast Cancer Walk- Rochester)
JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about your day yesterday.
JOE: One thing led to another. I started the day participating in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.
CALLIOPE: Does that have a personal significance for you?
JOE: Yes. My girlfriend Carol is a three year survivor of breast cancer. Her mother and one of her sisters died of it and she has another sister and a fair number of friends who are survivors.
CALLIOPE: How did participating affect you?
JOE: I didn't realize it at the time but then spent last night looking at my life, what it means and what I need. I tend to ignore these most of the time and concentrate on what I can offer others.
CALLIOPE: What did you do specifically?
JOE: I spent some time playing the guitar, drawing, reading The Mastery of Love by Ruiz and listening to music.
CALLIOPE: What kind of music?
JOE: I discovered a new music site, Pandora Radio, which lets you create music stations to fit your own taste. It also learns your taste, suggests and supplies music which fits them.
CALLIOPE: What was that experience like?
JOE: Extremely comforting and relaxing. I am listening to Enya Radio as I am talking with you. See you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Acrobats- New Orleans)

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon Joe. I thought I might not see you today.
JOE: Never fear. I got involved in a movie this morning and then a floor project in the utility room.
CALLIOPE: There's always something.
JOE: No doubt about it.
CALLIOPE: What did you do yesterday?
JOE: Mostly worked on Marital Property. I am in the process of reading it aloud to see how it sounds.
CALLIOPE: Then what?
JOE: I'll decide whether it needs more work.
CALLIOPE: What kind of work?
JOE: I need to decided if it's interesting enough for me and then get some feedback.
CALLIOPE: What kind of feedback?
JOE: Another point of view. I will take a chapter or two to my writers' meeting on Tuesday and then have Carol, Bob and possibly others read it.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you're on the right track. What about the publicity videos.
JOE: I'll get back to them on Monday and continue recording until I feel ready to post. Talk with you then.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Metropolitan Opera- New York)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Doing well. I have been busy already.
CALLIOPE: Doing what?
JOE: Planning our cellar party for a couple weeks for now, doing AM Yoga with Rodney Yee and my journal. Now I'm here with you.
CALLIOPE: Glad you could fit me in. What did you accomplish yesterday?
JOE: I finished reviewing Gerry's annotated comments on my Marital Property manuscript. I also worked on the videos.
CALLIOPE: What's next on the manuscript?
JOE: I have Gerry's general comments to review again and then go through the manuscript to see how it reads out loud.
CALLIOPE: And the videos?
JOE: I recorded them and reviewed them for style and content. I could see ways where they could be improved.
CALLIOPE: Do you still think you can do them yourself?
JOE: I'm inclined to think so but will reserve judgment for a few more takes.
CALLIOPE: Keep up the good work.
JOE: Thanks for the encouragement. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Carol examining jewelry)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What have you been up to?
JOE: I was in Batavia all day yesterday getting my car fixed and helping my son set up a print show as well as photographing his most recent prints.
CALLIOPE: Does that mean you had no time for literary pursuits?
JOE: Unfortunately it does. I guess I can't count on having every day available for writing.
CALLIOPE: I guess you're right. What about today?
JOE: A different story. I plan to get back to work.
CALLIOPE: Doing what specifically?
JOE: Further takes on my promotional videos for one thing.
CALLIOPE: Do you think you can produce acceptable ones on your own?
JOE: Good question. I was just thinking about that. I don't think they need to be highly professional for YouTube or MySpace. If I'm not satisfied I am considering looking for a communications student at Genesee Community College who might be in need of a project.
CALLIOPE: Good thought. Anything else planned?
JOE: I plan to get back to revision of Marital Property and consideration of my friend Gerry's comments which he sent some time ago.
CALLIOPE: How come you have not looked at them yet?
JOE: I wanted to finish my first person oriented draft first. Now it is ready. On with the show. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

Old Handyside Factory- Wyoming, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What news?
JOE: Progress on the marketing videos. I found the activation key for my editing software and got that working.
CALLIOPE: And then?
JOE: I recorded a video clip with my Kodak still camera and was able to edit it with Movavi Movie Suite and Windows Movie Maker.
CALLIOPE: Are you satisfied with the results?
JOE: Not yet. I plan to work on takes until I am satisfied with the results. Then I will move on to posting them on MySpace and YouTube.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like good progress.
JOE: So far so good.
CALLIOPE: Keep at it. I hope you're patient.
JOE: I usually am but sometimes I get frustrated.
CALLIOPE: Any other progress yesterday?
JOE: I started looking on the Internet for teen writings to use in Commonsense Wisdom for Teens.
CALLIOPE: How's that coming?
JOE: I'm just getting started but at least I'm on the move. One step at a time. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Ornamental Grass- Pavilion, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine. I was a little surprised to reach the end of my revision of Marital Property yesterday.
CALLIOPE: Why were you surprised?
JOE: I have been working on it a little at a time but had many interruptions during my move. I can finally sit down for some sustained work and reached the end.
CALLIOPE: Great. What's next?
JOE: I want to review comments my friend Gerry sent me. I was waiting to consider them until I had finished this revision.
CALLIOPE: Glad to hear you are making progress. How about the promotional videos?
JOE: I recorded a couple practice runs. One version is easy to edit. The other version with the better video and sound seems to need some editing with a program I bought but need an access code which eludes me.
CALLIOPE: Do you have the code?
JOE: Somewhere. I think I just need to find it.
CALLIOPE: At least you are making progress on that front as well.
JOE: I am beginning to feel I am getting back into the groove. I also looked up some references for teen stories to include in Commonsense Wisdom for Teens.
CALLIOPE: Great. Keep it up.
JOE: I plan to. talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Apple Umpkin Festival)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was your weekend?
JOE: I enjoyed it. I spent more time with people than usual. On Saturday I traveled to Wyoming (NY) for the Apple Umpkin Festival. Yesterday I went to church and visited friends with Carol. Now I'm back at the computer.
CALLIOPE: Did you have a chance to work on your marketing tasks?
JOE: Yes. I completed outlines for both sets of videos. I also fiddled further with my video camera to no avail.
CALLIOPE: Sorry to hear it. How will you record them?
JOE: I will use either my still camera which has fairly good video and audio capacity or my webcam which has lower capacity but is at least in working order.
CALLIOPE: I'm glad you are making some progress. When do you plan to make the recordings?
JOE: Today or tomorrow I will try some samples to see what I like. If I am satisfied, I will try for a final take in the next couple of days and get working on editing and posting them.
CALLIOPE: It seems like it has been a long time getting to this point.
JOE: It has. I think my concentration was thrown off by my move and all the mental energy not to mention physical work it entailed.
CALLIOPE: I imagine you are glad it's over.
JOE: I am happy to be settled in and adjusting to my new routine.
CALLIOPE: Good luck with your writing pursuits.
JOE: Thanks, I'll keep you posted. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Reflections of Hula Dancers)
JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine. I was up early. I can't say with the sun since it has not shown its face today and doesn't seem likely to.
CALLIOPE: How did you do with marketing yesterday?
JOE: I told you I planned to work on my marketing videos. I realized I am still somewhat disorganized after my move. I couldn't find my notes on either video.
CALLIOPE: Were you ultimately successful?
JOE: I was and am happy to report that I finished my outline for the first video, Are You Afraid of this Book.
CALLIOPE: Remind me what it is about.
JOE: Potential readers seem to approach The Pastor's Inferno much as the wolf did in the movie Dancing with Wolves, skittish for quiet a while but approaching gradually. My observations of this phenomenon served as the basis of a promotional video.
CALLIOPE: Then what?
JOE: At the end I suggest viewing the next two videos, Ten Reasons to Read The Pastor's Inferno and Ten Reasons Not to Read The Pastor's Inferno.
CALLIOPE: What's your plan for completing them.
JOE: They are my goal for the next week. I plan to have all three videos recorded and posted by next Friday.
CALLIOPE: Good luck.
JOE: Thanks. I fully expect you will be there providing inspiration. On to the next adventure.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Mini Conservatory)
JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine. I'm ready to get going on my writing.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish yesterday?
JOE: Less than I hoped. I wrote my journal entry, posted our blog and finished my newspaper column for Saturday. I was ready to get going on marketing but decided to check my calendar first to see if I missed anything. I almost did. I had fifteen minutes to get to Rochester for an arthritis study appointment. Needless to say I was a bit late.
CALLIOPE: When you got back did you get to work?
JOE: Sort of. I had some shopping to do in Batavia and decided a bedroom wall needed to be painted before our new bed was delivered.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like distractions.
JOE: I suppose so. But I at least took a little time to think about writing priorities even though I did not make any concrete progress.
CALLIOPE: And your plans for today?
JOE: Fortunately I have nothing on my schedule. My first task will be to develop a list of tasks, priorities and time lines for my marketing activities (once again.)
CALLIOPE: Do you have any general plans.
JOE: Yes. My marketing efforts have been sorely neglected with the exception of sprucing up my web site. I plan to lay out specific marketing videos and get them recorded and posted by the end of next week on My Space and You Tube at a minimum. I am also thinking of posting them on my Sliding Otter website. I would like them available but don't want to slow down my Commonsense Wisdom website. That's my current plan.
CALLIOPE: Sounds good. Keep me posted.
JOE: I will. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(My new work space)
JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I've missed you.
JOE: I've missed talking with you as well.
CALLIOPE: Is your move finally completed?
JOE: It is. Yesterday I finished cleaning my old apartment and handed in the keys.
CALLIOPE: And your new space?
JOE: Also fully functional. Tuesday the cable people people came to hook me up to the Internet, VOIP phone as well as television, such as it is.
CALLIOPE: So, back to work?
JOE: Yes. I'm ready and have been a little restless during my hiatus.
CALLIOPE: Where do you plan to start?
JOE: By getting specific. I know the general commitments I have made to myself- blog, newspaper columns, marketing and working on Marital Property as well as Commonsense Wisdom for Teens.
CALLIOPE: How do you plan to get specific?
JOE: By laying out objectives, tasks and time lines.
CALLIOPE: Do you feel that is necessary?
JOE: Yes. Lately I have felt like I have been spinning my wheels with all the balls I'm trying to keep in the air. I often don't know what to do next. I need to get organized. That's one of my goals for today. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Joe and Carol at Mardi Gras World)
JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon Joe. Are you back with me now?
JOE: Not quite. The move is coming along well. I plan to finish on Sunday with a truckload of big stuff.
CALLIOPE: What about being online.
JOE: I will be off for a few days during the move. I hope to be back in regular touch with you on Wednesday, September 24.
CALLIOPE: I'll be looking forward to talking again. Good luck with the rest of the move.
JOE: Thanks. I am not expecting any difficulty. I'm looking forward to being back with you on the 24th.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Sunset at Sea- St. Thomas)
Joe: Good afternoon Calliope. I am very busy moving and at some point will have to disconnect my computer for the move. I think it would be best if we discontinue our conversations for a couple weeks. I'll get back in touch with you once I am moved.
Calliope: I understand. I'll be waiting.
Joe: Thanks for your understanding. I'll get back to you.