Let’s face it — most days are just …. well …. days. Some good stuff happens, some bad stuff happens … rinse, wash, repeat … not a big deal. Occasionally there are days when it seems like nothing can go right — UGG! — chin up, do your best to keep moving forward. And then, every once in a while, there are days where Everything Just Seems To Go RIGHT! For me, last Monday was one of those days …
Here’s how it went… with a little back-story
Saturday I braved going into downtown Seattle. In the morning I was going to participate in the St. Patrick’s parade with my S.A.M.S. Post. The plan for the afternoon was to visit my two friends at the Emerald City Comic Convention who are moving to Toronto at the end of the month — not to mention seeing our mutual friend who’s the current Captain of the SeaFair Pirates.
Yes, it’s true … I know a pirate.
The drive down the island and into Seattle was nice. Once at the Seattle Center, instead of taking the Monorail as I had originally planned, I opted to walk to the parade staging grounds at the other end of the city located near Pioneer Square. The slightly-cool and slightly-warm sunny pre-Spring day begged for a walk, and it was lovely! To be frank, as far as I’m concerned the parade was a poorly planned bust — however it was great to spend time with my fellow S.A.M.S. members and the two ladies who lead us in carrying our banner. After the parade I was surprise-treated to lunch …
Wow, Cool, Thank You!
Catching up with my Canadian friends at ECCC involved crossing a number of fingers. The convention annually attracts around 95,000 fans* of geek-culture — some of my people — many of whom are wearing impressive costumes that they have personally crafted. This includes my two friends, so they blended in amid all the heroes, villains, elves, Jedi, and … well, everyone. Also, the three of us were working with limited electronic communications that day. Fortunately, everything worked out! I connected with my friends in the terraced park next to the Washington State Convention Center. By further luck and happenstance I ran into Chad — an absolute gent, a heckuva photographer, and the man who has taken among my favourite pictures of my Celtic-rock band, Nae Regrets. As evening neared Christina, Martin, and myself hiked a few blocks away from the convention where we enjoyed dinner together before saying our fond goodbyes. As opportunity presents, I look forward to visiting them in Toronto.
(* 2018 ECCC attendance according to Wikipedia)
But onto Monday …
The previous week I got my book, Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies, placed in its very first bookstore — The Kingfisher Bookstore in Coupeville, Washington. That felt great — the beginning of the next state of being a published author! Also, the owner of Kingfisher — Meg — is an absolute JOY of a person.
After a relaxing start to my Monday — delicious in part because we tell ourselves that’s not what a weekday morning is supposed to be like, especially a Monday. Just before noon I popped over to the Coupeville Public Library. I wanted to check the status of scheduling the presentation I’ve done with Tom Trimbath on how to self-publish books and e-books. Monday
This is when all the neat stuff began!
I was directed to speak with Debbie, whom I had already understood handled most of the presentation scheduling. After introducing myself and explaining Tom’s and my workshop she said that she remembered reading my previous submission and wanted to get us in soon. Somehow it came up that I m currently working on another book, and she asked what that was about. I explained that it is a collection of Highland bagpipe sheet music featuring military and patriotic tunes and their history. Debbie immediately asked if I would be willing to present this book. What she didn’t know was that I had already been thinking about it but hadn’t quite broken the ice on How. She suggested that this presentation would fit in well at the Oak Harbor library, being close to the Navy base, and that she’d like to host me at the Coupeville library around the 4th of July this year. I am absolutely flattered to be asked — so now, all the more, I’m pushing to complete this book! Monday
As I went to leave the library — the first time — I saw one of the fellows who works at the library. I hadn’t really seen him before, but I have heard about him — moreover, I’ve heard about what his wife and he are doing… Monday
Behind the library help desk sat one Mr. Gabriel Chrisman. I had heard about his wife, Sarah, who writes books about the Victorian era. The amazing thing is that they live their lives — not completely — much in keeping with 1880/1890s period. I stopped to pass on to Gabriel that I was aware of his wife’s writing and that I admire what they’re doing (sadly some people don’t understand while other’s have been regrettably worse). Our conversation turned to asking Gabriel if he might help further research a bagpipe tune I need information on for my military & patriotic music & history book. Gabriel was intrigued by my query and asked me to send him my notes. He was also interested in the book I’m working on and apparently can get behind hosting my presentation. While I left at this time, we spoke into the afternoon — but that happened later … Monday
When I left the library — this time around 1230 — I saw a notice about an event I had forgotten about. Meg, the owner of The Kingfisher Bookstore was presenting a book-related topic starting an hour later. I raced home — I needed lunch and more-presentable clothes — and I raced back! Making it through the door just before her presentation started, I was able to let Meg know I was there to support her topic — and she met me with her immutable smile just as I had found it the week before. Monday
Meg’s presentation was fun and enlightening — and part way through took a walk a few blocks over to her bookshop. The weather was warm and bright; we got to see more of her shop and the historic building it’s in. I spoke with Gabriel more and also stuck around after the presentation. Meg and I spoke about a number of upcoming things. There’s an arts and crafts festival in Coupeville during the summer and we discussed how she might bring people into her shop. She said she would like to host book readings and possibly small music performances and would like to feature me (see “Tom” below). I told her that Tom Trimbath and I have talked a bit about starting to do podcasts about all-things having to do with writing, authors, bookshops (etc) on Whidbey Island. Meg said she’d like to start a small book publishing company on Whidbey and I said that I’d like to be a part of that. Monday
Monday was MAGNIFICENT — and there’s more to come! And since then…
- Wednesday March 20th I received a call from Robert, a college friend of mine. He’s in his 4th round in higher-ed, part of his foci is marketing, and he wants to do a project on my Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies book.
- Over this past weekend I got in touch with my friend, Rick. He loves history and is involved with curation of local early settlers with the Doc Maynard Society. When he found out about the bagpipe sheet music and tune-history book I’m working on he said he would be interested in that and that people from his historic society would be, too. Do I hear another presentation date in the works?
Loads of good things in the works! Some of which has to do with presentations I’ll possibly be doing. So that in mind, if you’d like me to present or my bagpipe sheet music and history book once it’s ready, maybe you’d do well to get on my calendar now — contact me.
* For the record, I currently only have three books that I’m reading … maybe four.
With pivoting WIBC from production baking to writing and publishing books and other products, I knew that I would need to get an Author’s/Musician’s Day Job. I got an initial start on my job search in the fall of 2018 and will be getting back at in during January 2019. This previous start was a decent beginning — I have some leads that look interesting and a decent idea of what my skills apply to. So the future looks …… interesting!