A LESSON FROM DOREE, THE BLUE FISH

Just a little fishy advice.
Keep swimming. Just keep swimming...
You stop swimming, you die.

For the rest of this week, I'll be attending Life, The Universe, and Everything--The LTUE Writers Conference. I'm not going just because I'm on some panels. I'm not going just to let everyone know about my latest release--although of course I am.

I'm going because there are plenty of things I can learn from other local writers--and let me tell you, there are some big boys and girls attending. The state produces great writers as if the climate and soil is perfect for them.

And if I don't keep learning and keep believing that there is something to learn, I'm dead in the water, baby. Just like Susie Wong, my lovely calico fish that was just belly-up in the bowl one morning when I was nine. I was certain the one I decided was the boy fish, Kung Fu, had harassed her to death. Turns out I was right. They were fighting fish, apparently. Doh!

Time for the "Life Is Short" Speech!

Yo.

Life is short.

One of my favorite lines, for obvious reasons, is from Shawshank Redemption.

"Either get busy livin', or get busy dyin'."

You think you'll still be around next year?
What if you're not?

Life is short.

Yo.