Tell us what you're reading

I don't know if it's the warm weather or the bum knee, but I have been a reading fool.

Last weekend I read two books while propping my knee up in the hopes that my knee doctor gives me the okay to go back to running. Yes, that was a good plan because he gave me the okay to work up to it.


Now I'm reading The Warrior Elite: The Forging of Seal Class 228 by Dick Couch.

After reading Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson I wanted to learn more about these Navy SEALS and what they go through to become one. Marcus had mentioned Dick Couch's book so here I am.

Overview: With a postscript describing SEAL efforts in Afghanistan, The Warrior Elite takes you into the toughest, longest, and most relentless military training in the world.

What does it take to become a Navy SEAL? What makes talented, intelligent young men volunteer for physical punishment, cold water, and days without sleep? In The Warrior Elite, former Navy SEAL Dick Couch documents the process that transforms young men into warriors. SEAL training is the distillation of the human spirit, a tradition-bound ordeal that seeks to find men with character, courage, and the burning desire to win at all costs, men who would rather die than quit.

I have to say I am loving this book! The writer makes you feel as if you were right there, feeling every cold jolt, every muscle aches, and every ounce of determination that these men experience.


I'm also reading Night Watch by Suzanne Brockmann and another story about a Navy SEAL, albeit a fiction story.

I'm a hige Suzanne Brockmann fan and love every one of her books. Night Watch is no exception. I got home last night after a long day at work and then a haircut appointment. By the time I arrived home it was 9:30 at night and all I wanted to do was relax. I put up my feet, opened up the book and read the first 50 pages in 30 minutes. Nice!

Overview: When U.S. Navy SEAL chief Wes Skelly was sent to L.A. on assignment, he agreed to go on a blind date with beautiful single mother Brittany Evans, sister-in-law of a fellow SEAL. After all, he had been secretly in love for years, albeit with a woman who belonged to another man. So what did he have to lose?

Plenty, it turned out. Because suddenly the woman he'd thought he could never have was available. However, so was Brittany—and not only that, she was in danger. Because of him. He knew he could keep her safe. But why was he increasingly certain that he was the one in danger?


In the car, on my long commute to and from work I've been listening to Captivated by Nora Roberts.

Can you tell I am a rather eclectic reader? I like everything! Well, maybe not everything. I will try books the same way I will try food. I will try anything once and twice if I like it.

Overview: His interest in her was purely professional . . . Or so he told himself. Nash Kirkland had sought out the alluring Morgana Donovan to help him research his latest screenplay, though the hardheaded skeptic didn't believe for a minute she was what she professed to be. But, as Morgana revealed herself to him, Nash found himself falling under her bewitching spell. Nash had never trusted his feelings and always kept them in check. So how could he be sure the irresistible passion he felt for Morgana was real and not just some conjurer's trick?

Okay, every girl needs a little romance in her reading so this is mine this week. And besides, the heroine is a witch of long-standing Irish tradition. How can I not like this story?

Writing Prompt Wednesday

It's Wednesday and you know what that means...Writing Prompt!!

Every now and again we all need a little creativity boost. It doesn't matter that you aren't a writer. We all need that extra incentive now and again and a writing prompt is a good way to get your mind to open up and have some fun.

How does this work?

I post the beginning of a sentence and you finish it. You can write one sentence, a paragraph, or even a page if you like. Just let your mind go and write whatever comes into it. You'd be amazed at the results.

Today's writing prompt - She ducked as. . .

Now all you have to do is write. Finish the sentence and if you feel like sharing we would love to see what you come up with. It's amazing to see how we all go in different directions.

Most of all Have fun!

Funny thing happened while playing in my yard

I don't know about the weather where you are, but the weather here in New England this past Saturday was a tad wet. It rained most of the day and night.

When Sunday rolled around and the sun decided to show it's brilliant self, I immediately went outside...after doing some early morning writing.

And here is where my story begins. With me dressed in shorts and tank top, sandals, hair pulled back in some thingy that makes me look like I'm about twelve years old, and work gloves. I do make quite the picture for 'Farming USA'.

Anyway, I'm out there pulling weeds and planting plants, radio blaring my one and only Zac Brown Band CD when I look up to see my neighbor walking across the street and in my direction. Mike has been in the neighborhood for not quite two years and we speak at least once a week, share a beer between mowing our yards, and the occasional ice cream cone when the ice cream truck guy drives by and I happen to catch him. I mean who wouldn't want an ice cream on a hot summer day.

At first I asked Mike if the radio was too loud. He responded with, "Huh?" and held up his hand to his ear.

Ha ha. Very funny. Actually it was loud so I asked him If he wanted me to turn it down. "He said he liked music."

Great. So I let it keep playing.

Then Mike turns to me and asks if it is a secret.

"What is a secret?"

"That you're an author?"

Then he proceeds to tell me how his girlfriend looked me up on Facebook, found my website and that I was an author. She called Mike and told him, "You have to go check out this website."

He, being the good boyfriend did and to his amazement he was staring at my website. Apparently, it was quite the shocker. So much so that he then called his mother and told her the story of his author neighbor and while they were on the phone speaking, she ordered a copy of IT HAPPENS IN THREES for her Nook. How cool is that?!

After that Mike decided to spread the word and tell a few of his friends and work colleagues. Maybe I should hire Mike as my publicist.

A week later, Mike is in my yard giving me grief for never having mentioned it and telling me he wants to read CONNECT THE DOTS, which of course, I will give him a copy.

[SHRUG] I guess that by this time I assumed everyone knew I was a writer. Oops!

Note to self: Put a sign in yard that says, "Author lives here." Or perhaps, rather than wearing my Ireland or Boston Red Sox cap while playing in my garden I should wear a hat that says, "Have you read one of my books yet?" Hm...that would make a great T-shirt.

Thanks Mike for making my day.

Writing Prompt Wednesday

It's Wednesday and you know what that means...Writing Prompt!!

Every now and again we all need a little creativity boost. It doesn't matter that you aren't a writer. We all need that extra incentive now and again and a writing prompt is a good way to get your mind to open up and have some fun.

How does this work?

I post the beginning of a sentence and you finish it. You can write one sentence, a paragraph, or even a page if you like. Just let your mind go and write whatever comes into it. You'd be amazed at the results.

Today's writing prompt - She stared at the credit card. . .

Now all you have to do is write. Finish the sentence and if you feel like sharing we would love to see what you come up with. It's amazing to see how we all go in different directions.

Most of all Have fun!

Books received in Afghanistan

I received a note from my friend overseas this week. The books that you all donated in my give-a-book, get-a-book giveaway were shipped and are now in the hands of some military folks over in Afghanistan.

Here is the email I received.

Hey Girl,

Just a short note to Thank you and the rest of your crew for the books. We received them yesterday and there were already 5 taken within the first few minutes of me opening the box.

Okay, gotta get back to it.

Thanks again!

Dewd

I want to personally thank each and every person who donated to this giveaway. Thanks to you all, a few more military people are enjoying a good book and a little bit of home.

More importantly, thank you to the men and women serving in the military and keeping us safe and protecting our freedom. May you come home soon.

Who would you like to meet?

If you could meet anyone or even several people in this world, who would you most like to meet?

I recently read the book, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson. After reading that book I would definitely like to meet Marcus Luttrell and his brother Morgan. Of course, I wouldn’t mind meeting Billy Shelton to see if he can whip my hiney into shape. Not that I want to be a Navy SEAL. Although, I do love to scuba dive.

The technology side of me would like to meet Bill Gates. I mean here’s a man who started a business when he was practically a kid and it’s still around today doing well and an organization that companies strive to compete with. Not to mention the fact that the man is a humanitarian and always looking to donate money and/or resources for various organizations and people and he is a true believer in education. Education is a passion with me.

The truly geeky side of me and the side of me that reads an article or a book and then has to learn more would love to meet Bryant Linares, President and CEO of Apollo Diamond, Inc. Yes, ladies, part of what his company does is create diamonds. When I say create, I mean manmade “real” diamonds. But he doesn’t create them for us to wear, although that has been a byproduct of his work. Through the use of nanotechnology, Apollo Diamond, Inc creates diamonds to be used in technology like the replacement for silicon computer chips. Diamonds are better heat conductors than silicon. In his garage, Mr. Linares built a machine that “makes” REAL diamonds. Today, he runs his business out of a secret location. Cool, huh!

While I am not a political person. . .actually, I deplore politics. I do however have a great deal of respect for one politician out of Oklahoma, Thomas Coburn. He’s a politician second and a practicing doctor first. He believes in term-limits and calls things like they are. While I may not agree with all of his views, I respect any man that steps up to the podium and tells people what he thinks and why, without regard for his party line. He actually reads things as black and white and foregoes the gray matter in the middle that most politicians thrive on.

Since I’m talking about men I respect, I would like to meet a guy who works for me. Yeah, that sounds kind of funny, right? But it’s true. I’ve worked with a man by the name of Mike Finn for over two years now, but have yet to meet him in person. I have a picture of him taped to my phone so whenever the team does con-calls we all can put a face to a name, it is not the same as meeting someone and getting to know them. Mike is a terrific engineer, probably one of the best I have ever had the opportunity to work with, but beyond that, he is a man that realizes there is more to life than work. He enjoys his family and revels in his free time to do things like play music with his band and make home brewed beer. By the way, I’ve tasted some of the beer…very good!
Of course there are many authors that I would love to meet, to sit and just have lunch with and pick their brains. To hear from them the trials and tribulations they went through to get to where they are today.

One more that will probably surprise you all is an artist by the name of Dale Chihuly. Mr. Chihuly is a famous blown glass artist. Ever since I read a book by Nora Roberts years ago, I have been fascinated by glass blowing. Well, this man is the epitome of art in he glass world. Look him and his work up. Beautiful doesn’t come close to describing his work or his talent.

Writing prompt spurs creativity

There are days when a simple writing prompt will spark the creativity and spur that writing desire. Today was one of those days!

I took this morning's writing prompt and went with it, let it go to wherever it took me and here is where I landed.



Writing prompt: He slammed. . .


He slammed his fist into the other man’s face.

“Shit!” It was like hitting a brick wall.

Sucking in air, he cocked his arm back to launch another blow and hope this time he didn’t break another knuckle when a woman strolled right between him and the Neanderthal and stopped. Was she out of her bloody mind?

“What the hell do you think you are doing, lady?” he asked as he picked her up, one hand firmly clamped on either of her arms and lifted her out of harms way. “Do you have a death wish?” He tugged a tumbled chair from its perch beneath a table, righted it, and brushed the seat with his bloodied and bruised hand.

She sat like a real lady, he thought, as she tucked her brief skirt beneath her derriere and crossed her legs at the ankles.

“I’m going to kick your ass!” yelled his opponent.

Diego glanced over to see the bigger man coming at him, meaty fist drawn back ready to take his head off.

“Excuse me for a second,” he told the fair-haired woman with glittering green eyes.

He turned just in time that the man barreling in his direction missed his head and landed a solid punch in his chest. The blow knocked him back a step, but he righted himself quick enough and was ready when the drunk charged him again.

This time, instead of trying to knock the guy out with his fist to the man’s steel jaw, he waited. When the guy raised his fist to take a swing, he kicked him in the gut, knocking the air out of the other man. When the man bent over gasping for air, he slammed his elbow against the back of the man’s thick neck and sent him sprawling to the wood floor covered in alcohol and peanut shells. He paused to see if the man would get up. He didn’t. The man was out cold.

Wiping his hands on his jean-clad legs, Diego straightened his shirt and walked over to the table, to the lady still sitting there sipping her ale. Cool as a cucumber, he mused as he tied back his thick mane of black hair with a leather strap. There had to be something completely wrong with a woman who could sit in the middle of a bar fight and drink her ale without any screaming. He was used to women screaming. Especially in his bed chamber as they writhed beneath him in pleasure.

But this woman. . .this woman. . . He eyed her up and down, took in the sight of her sitting there with bright pink painted nails, black, slim-fitting leather skirt, 3-inch spike heels, and briefcase was completely out of place.

With his hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans, he approached the beautiful woman. “Are you lost?”

“No,” she said and grinned up at him. His heart skipped a beat when her green gaze glittered up at him as if she had found her quarry and he was it. Maybe this was his lucky day after all.

“Want a drink?” She handed him a pint. He drank half the glass and set it down, shoving his hands back into his pockets.

“I was looking for you, Mr. Elias Black. I found you.”

As if the woman had sucker punched him, he took a step in retreat. He eyed her now, wary of those sparkling eyes and intoxicating smile.

“You have the wrong man. My name is Diego. Diego Jones.”

The lady’s red lips kicked up at one corner and she stood. Long legs met snug black leather that hugged all the right curves. She leaned in and his nostrils flared as her perfume wafted over him. She smelled like spring and sophistication.

“I don’t have the wrong man,” she whispered. “Your name is Elias Black. You grew up in Houston, Texas and are now living in a shack in Guadalajara. You live there because you had a fight with your father and you walked away.”

His heart started beating in his chest and the palms of his hands were sweating. He took them out of his pockets and wiped them against the front of his jeans.

“I know you’re Elias Black.”

One of his dark brows winged upward.

“I know because of the birthmark on your buttocks. It’s in the shape of a crescent moon.”

He stiffened, felt his spine almost snap in half at the mention of his birthmark. How did she. . . It didn’t matter, he told himself, shaking his head.

“As beautiful as you might be and as much as I’d like to see you naked and writhing beneath me, I am not going to bare ass so you can prove or disprove my identity.”

His vision started to blur and his head started to feel heavy as if swimming through a muddy river.

“You. . .You. . .”

His speech slurred before he hit the wooden floor face down and everything went black.

The woman grinned, stepped over her prey, and ignoring everyone staring at the fallen man, she squatted next to him. With gentle fingers, she tugged down his jeans just enough to make her identification. Yes, at the top of his left hip before hip meets butt cheek, she saw the crescent moon.

Writing Prompt Wednesday

It's Wednesday and you know what that means...Writing Prompt!!

Every now and again we all need a little creativity boost. It doesn't matter that you aren't a writer. We all need that extra incentive now and again and a writing prompt is a good way to get your mind to open up and have some fun.

How does this work?

I post the beginning of a sentence and you finish it. You can write one sentence, a paragraph, or even a page if you like. Just let your mind go and write whatever comes into it. You'd be amazed at the results. My 5th novel, Phish NET Stalkings came from a writing prompt.

Today's writing prompt - He slammed. . .

Now all you have to do is write. Finish the sentence and if you feel like sharing we would love to see what you come up with. It's amazing to see how we all go in different directions.

Most of all Have fun!

Pull up your pants

I just have to say this…

I may not be speaking for all women, but I’m pretty sure I am speaking for a good majority of them.

Men…pull up your pants!

It’s one thing to be a plumber or a construction guy where you wear a heavy tool belt and that weighs down your pants. While it’s not necessarily a pretty sight, as a matter of fact, it can be quite blinding to experience a plumber crack, it’s at least excusable.

On the other hand, when a guy wears his pants without a belt so that they droop past his hips and you see the top of his boxers or tighty-whiteys that is a whole different story. That is NOT attractive. I mean seriously, do women go around flashing you so you see the color of our panties?

OH-MY-GOSH! What if you have skid marks on your drawers. How is that going to attract some interested female? [SHUDDER] Ew! If I saw that I would turn tail and bolt for the nearest door.

And what is with these other guys who not only forego a belt so that the world is exposed to far too much detail on the posterior, but who actually buy their pants two sizes too big on purpose. Is this some new kind of mating ritual that skipped right past me? Does the sight of men’s underwear hanging out of their pants turn some women on? Or perhaps it is the sight of a man trying to walk with his slacks hanging around his knees without them slipping all the way to their ankles.

There are only two, maybe three reasons a man should have his pants at his knees and since I am too much of a lady to tell you, I will let you use your imagination.

Now that you’ve cleared your mind of those instructional videos let’s return to our subject at hand. Men…pull up your pants!

Men, do you really think the woman of your dreams is going to swoon at your feet if she sees you wearing your underwear on the OUTSIDE of your pants? Or the lady of your desire is going to fall into your arms if she sees you bent over a water fountain and instead of seeing a firm tight ass that she would like to caress she is smacked in the face with the visual of a furry crack. AT that point the poor woman would be screaming down the hall yelling, “My eyes! My eyes!”

For all us women out there who love a man in a pair of jeans, please wear your pants around your waist and leave a little room for our very vivid imagination.

And if that doesn't give you incentive then think back to what your mama saud when you were about the age of three.

"Pull up your pants, honey. You're a big boy now."

Writing at the edge of a grave

I've never stood at the edge of a grave or at a funeral, but if I did this is what I would imagine.

Sean stood at the edge of her parents’ grave with a stiff spine, an empty shot glass in his hand, and recited the Irish funeral prayer. “May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. May the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, May the Lord hold you in the palm of His hand.”

When Sean returned to her side, she reached out and touched his cheek. She saw tears swimming in his eyes. He was burying his second family and saying goodbye to the folks who helped raise him. She let her hand drop and took his hand in hers as Mrs. Doyle, her mother’s best friend stepped forward and gave her prayer. “Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there, I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on the snow. I am the sunlight that ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn's rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush; Of quiet birds in circled flight, I am the soft star that shines at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there. I did not die.”

Then Diego stepped forward surprising her. Tears immediately welled in her eyes as she held her breath and waited for him to speak. His misty gaze on hers, he recited the words, “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; Love leaves a memory no one can steal.”

Oh, jeez! She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer, they came flooding out and streaming down her cheeks. She dropped her gaze from his and willed the tears away. Then she felt a hand lift her chin. He brushed her face with the back of his hand then kissed her cheek.

“There won’t be a dry eye in the house when you finish singing,” he whispered so only she could hear.

Her mouth dropped open. How did he know?

“Your father told me.” He stepped next to her, placed his hand at her lower back and gave her a gentle yet forceful shove.

Taking the hint, she stepped forward, holding her mother’s favorite flowers, Stargazer lilies with their bright pink petals smiling up at her in her hand. Sean stepped up next to her, pressed the butt of the fiddle to his chin and gave her the nod. Ready when she was. She took a deep breath, nodded back, and waited for the first note of the fiddle’s strings. Then the words to One More Day tumbled out low and gentle. As the words moved her, her voice grew strong and loud, clear as the day and echoing off the river. The river that was her father.

Her voice moved into a sweet and powerful lilt as she sang the Irish lyrics of the song knowing her father would have loved to hear her sing “the Irish,” as he would say. Waves lapped along the rocks of the river as she moved into the last chorus.

Dry all your tears
Come what may
And in the end the sun will rise
On one more day
Hey
The sun will rise on one more day. . .

She looked up, across the graves and out to the river. As she did, she pictured her Mum and Da standing before her smiling in the sun and waving goodbye. Hand-in-hand they turned to walk away when her father paused and glanced over his shoulder. Over the movement of the people, the breeze, and the gentle waves of the river, she could have sworn she heard her father’s words.

“Tá grá agam duit.”

“I love you, too, Da,” she breathed then turned and tossed the flowers into the graves. “Goodbye.”

From great reading, comes great inspiration

Don't you think that is an accurate statement?

Me, personally, I think it is absolutely perfect. A good book should inspire you to want to learn more, to read more, maybe even do more. It doesn't even have to be a book, it could be a well-written article in a newspaper, in a magazine, or online maybe in a blog.

I once read an article on diamond computer chips. Yeah, okay, I'm a geek by day and this was fascinating. Beyond the use of diamonds to make computer chips it inspired me to go out and learn more about nanotechnology. I even invested in a nanotechnology fund. Hey! I know a good thing when I see it.

I read a fiction book where the heroine was a glass artist. The details and descriptions were so wonderful I had to go look into what exactly glass-blowing was. It intrigued me so much that I signed up to take a class. I have since taken three classes. Gotta love art!

Right now I am reading the book Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson. I'm only halfway through the book and just getting to what I know will be the worst and best part of the story, but this book is inspirational.

Navy SEALS are amazing human beings who put their lives on the line for us, for our country. It's what they do. Not only do they do it, but they want to do it. You see, these guys literally go through hell to become a SEAL. Not that every military person doesn't, but these guys go through something beyond your wildest dreams. At least beyond my dreams.

Some of the strongest men entertain the idea of being a Navy SEAL and they may even get a shot at it, but it's not strength that makes a man a SEAL, it's determination and endurance. Determination to succeeed and achieve something not everyone can, and endurance to get through hell just so you can go through it all over again in the real world when they are fighting to save our freedoms. They have to want this beyond anything they have ever wanted in their entire lives.

What Marcus Luttrell describes in his book is only bits and pieces of the real deal, of that I am sure. But what he does describe is enlightening and inspiring. Just to get indoctrined into the SEAL training program these guys have to achieve the following:

1. Run 1.5 miles (while wearing boots and long pants) in 11 minutes, 30 seconds
2. Swim 500 yards (breast stroke or side stroke) in 12 minutes, 30 seconds
3. Minimum of 42 push-ups in 2 minutes
4. Minimum of 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes
5. Minimum of 6 dead-hang pull-ups

This is just the beginning. It gets a heck of a lot worse from there. And that only gives you a taste of the physical stamina required. It doesn't even touch on the strategic and tactical skills that have to be learned, retained, and tested. Without those skills you can't be a SEAL.

I'm not suggesting that I'm inspired to go out and be a Navy SEAL, because let's face it, I don't have the right equipment. I do, however, have the personality to set myself some goals and achieve them.

Since I've already achieved my goal of running 3 road races this year before I messed up my knee, I'm thinking I might set new goals for myself. Yeah, no, I cannot do all of those 5 points a potential SEAL has to complete, but I can shoot for some of them. After my knee heals.

Writing Prompt Wednesday

It's Wednesday and you know what that means...Writing Prompt!!

Every now and again we all need a little creativity boost. It doesn't matter that you aren't a writer. We all need that extra incentive now and again and a writing prompt is a good way to get your mind to open up and have some fun.

How does this work?

I post the beginning of a sentence and you finish it. You can write one sentence, a paragraph, or even a page if you like. Just let your mind go and write whatever comes into it. You'd be amazed at the results. My 5th novel, Phish NET Stalkings came from a writing prompt.

Today's writing prompt - She wisheed she were invisible. . .

Now all you have to do is write. Finish the sentence and if you feel like sharing we would love to see what you come up with. It's amazing to see how we all go in different directions.

Most of all Have fun!

A letter to Florida Governor

My father wrote a letter to the Governor of Florida on behalf of all the people in his community that are being taken advantage of and being screwed out of affordable water by a water company. Since I'm not certain the Governor will actually ever read the letter, I thought I would help my father out and post the letter to the Goveronor of Florida on my blog.

Let's see if the Governor actually does something to help these people out.



Office of Governor Rick Scott
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001

Governor Rick Scott,

I attended the PSC Commission meeting in Tallahassee on May 24th where there were presentations and then a decision made regarding a rate increase request for Aqua Utilities of Florida. I must say that I was extremely disappointed with the meeting and in particular the outcome of the decision made by the PSC Commission.

In the first place, none of the 5 Commissioners had ever attended any of the previous nine customer meetings held in various parts of the state. I believe the presentations provided by the individuals attending the meeting were the first time they heard any of the input regarding the issues involving this utility and the presentations were limited to only three minutes by each presenter. This obviously was not enough time to present a complete picture of the issues.

More important, it appeared that the Commission paid very little attention to one of the main objectives of their mission statement. The Mission Statement prior to the start of this rate case stated in part; “making sure that Florida’s consumers receive some of their most essential services – electric, natural gas, telephone, water and wastewater --- in a safe, affordable and reliable manner.” Unfortunately, the Mission Statement has changed three times since the rate case began. Now, the Mission Statement as published on the PSC website simply states; “To facilitate the efficient provision of safe and reliable utility services at fair prices.” Since most of the customers of this utility live on fixed incomes, the Affordable portion of the mission needs to be emphasized and not removed by the PSC on an arbitrary basis. Nowhere during the decision making process did the Commissioners mention the word affordable.

The PSC Staff did not adequately address quality of service. In particular, they used the utilities’ quality metrics as a standard. As an example, they used an answer criterion for calls to Aqua’s Customer Service of 80% of calls answered within 90 seconds. This criterion, stated more simply, says any call answered after the customer listened to 15 audible rings would be a satisfactory response time. After spending 42 years in the telephony business, I have yet to meet anyone who would listen to 15 audible rings and not hang-up. Further, the Staff heard 738 customer calls and interactions with Aqua Customer Service Representatives and that “the majority of the calls were handled in a courteous and professional manner”. A majority of 100 calls would be 51, leaving 49 being unsatisfactory. In other words the Staff did not provide any kind of a quantitative analysis to determine satisfactory performance. The Staff should have the knowledge and skill to establish benchmarks that would reflect satisfactory performance by a service provider and use those benchmarks to quantify and judge performance while not relying on the service provider’s criteria.

Lastly, the tariffs established using the “Inclining Block” method does not reflect actual costs for the provision of the product provided. Instead, it appears to reflect another change in the philosophy from the original Mission Statement for the Commission that has now been stated as a goal. The stated goal being; “Encourage and facilitate responsible use of resources and technology in the provision and consumption of utility services.” If this were really an objective, the out of state water company using millions of gallons of Florida water for sale out of state should not be allowed.

I would encourage you, as Governor, to review these last proceedings in Docket Number 100330-WS to determine if the PSC Commissioners are performing their responsibilities as originally designed, and if any changes in their process have been arbitrarily internally changed.

I thank you for your time and effort in reviewing this situation.

Sincerely,



Keith F. Goodman

President – The Fairways at Mt. Plymouth HOA

What are you reading?

It's been a while since we talked about what we're reading so I thought I would toss the subject out there and take a poll.

What are you reading?

Me, I'm reading two books right now. Actually, I'm reading one and listening to the other. Thank goodness for audiobooks because they make the work commute so much more bearable.


I am reading Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson.

A friend of mine recommended this book and it sounded good, plus the setting of the story is Afghanistan-Pakistan, which is very much a today topic and where a friend of mine is stationed today. I had to run right out and get this book.

I picked it up yesterday and I can say that I started crying at page 7 and that’s just from some of the back story. I read to about page 30 yesterday and I have to say that I did not want to put it down. So far I highly recommend this book.

Here’s what the story is about:

Four US Navy SEALS departed one clear night in early July, 2005 for the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border for a reconnaissance mission. Their task was to document the activity of an al Qaeda leader rumored to have a small army in a Taliban stronghold. Five days later, only one of those Navy SEALS made it out alive.

This is the story of the only survivor of Operation Redwing, fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, and the extraordinary firefight that led to the largest loss of life in American Navy SEAL history. His teammates fought valiantly beside him until he was the only one left alive, blasted by an RPG into a place where his pursuers could not find him. Over the next four days, terribly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell crawled for miles through the mountains and was taken in by sympathetic villagers who risked their lives to keep him safe from surrounding Taliban warriors.


On my commute to work, I am listening to David Baldacci’s book, The Sixth Man. This story revolves around two of my favorite characters, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell who are both ex Secret Service now turned private investigators.

Here’s what the story is about:

Edgar Roy-an alleged serial killer held in a secure, fortress-like Federal Supermax facility-is awaiting trial. He faces almost certain conviction. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are called in by Roy's attorney, Sean's old friend and mentor Ted Bergin, to help work the case. But their investigation is derailed before it begins-en route to their first meeting with Bergin, Sean and Michelle find him murdered.

It is now up to them to ask the questions no one seems to want answered: Is Roy a killer? Who murdered Bergin? With help from some surprising allies, they continue to pursue the case. But the more they dig into Roy's past, the more they encounter obstacles, half-truths, dead-ends, false friends, and escalating threats from every direction. Their persistence puts them on a collision course with the highest levels of the government and the darkest corners of power. In a terrifying confrontation that will push Sean and Michelle to their limits, the duo may be permanently parted.

This morning I just hit the point in the story Sean and Michelle find attorney Bergin dead, murdered. So far, so good!

What are you reading?

She stepped into the elevator. . .

Wednesday's writing prompt: She stepped into the elevator. . .

She stepped into the elevator and when she turned around to push the button for the sixth floor her heart stopped as her eyes widened.

A masked man carrying a very large gun stood in front of her, blocking her escape. She took a step in retreat when her backside bumped the hand railing, startled her and caused her to drop her books.

Heart beating out of control, she glanced up from the spilled books to the masked gunman. With his wide stance, broad shoulders, and bulging biceps, he reminded her of a bull ready to attack. He towered over her.

She trembled and swallowed the lump of fear as the man pushed the elevator button for the penthouse and that was when she saw it. She tore her gaze away from the man’s ringed finger, away from the sapphire eyes of a lion. Blue. His eyes were blue, mist blue. The kind of blue that made her want to jump into the fog and go for a late night swim.

The corner of her lip twitched and she eased her hand around the gunman’s weapon, pushed the stop button on the elevator. She stumbled and fell against the man as the elevator screeched to a halt.

“I’ll do anything you want. Please don’t hurt me,” she whispered as she started to unbutton her blouse.

You can't change the rules in the middle of the game

You cannot change the rules midstream. Imagine playing a professional baseball game and midway through a game someone decides to change the rules.

What would happen?

Only one person may know of the change so how do the rest of the players and umpires know that the game has changed. How would they know that there are now 4 strikes?

He would be calling players out at strike 3 when in fact that is no longer the rule.

Perhaps a player now has to touch his toes when he reaches home base in order for the run to count. What would happen if this new rule takes effect while the runner is standing on second base?

I can see it now. The runner would go when the hitter hits the ball. The second base runner goes home and forgets to touch his head. The next thing you know the catcher tags the runner with the ball and the umpire calls the player out. No run batted in for this guy.

Where am I going with this analogy?

It’s simple. You cannot change the rules midstream without communicating those changes to all the parties involved.

If you can’t change the rules in the middle of a baseball game then why should you do it at work?

This happens to me every day at work. Someone (another organization) decides they have a new process that is to be followed in order to hand something off and have them do some work. While this may seem reasonable and positive for the organization, making this change affects more than just them.

Same thing applies when you change a rule in baseball. You change the rule and the players are affected, the umpires, and even the fan are affected. This change can be time consuming and costly, not to mention, could cost the game for a team, or the loss of fans.

What seems like a small process change can truly cost an organization a fortune. So while you think something affects only you, try to think outside of yourself and look at who will truly be affected. And if the rule truly does need to change then be sure to communicate it to ALL the parties that have a stake in the game.

Writing Prompt Wednesday

It's Wednesday and you know what that means...Writing Prompt!!

Every now and again we all need a little creativity boost. It doesn't matter that you aren't a writer. We all need that extra incentive now and again and a writing prompt is a good way to get your mind to open up and have some fun.

How does this work?

I post the beginning of a sentence and you finish it. You can write one sentence, a paragraph, or even a page if you like. Just let your mind go and write whatever comes into it. You'd be amazed at the results. My 5th novel, Phish NET Stalkings came from a writing prompt.

Today's writing prompt - She stepped into the elevator. . .

Now all you have to do is write. Finish the sentence and if you feel like sharing we would love to see what you come up with. It's amazing to see how we all go in different directions.

Most of all Have fun!