Did I Hear That Correctly???

Heard this on the radio yesterday: 

"Gender will no longer be assigned at birth..."

Excuse me; I must have missed something.  Last time I checked, when a baby is born, there is an 'obvious' gender difference, not to mention the DNA!  XX=Female; XY=Male.  

You can definitely change from 'obvious' male or female, thanks to hormone replacement therapy and surgery.  But you can NOT change your DNA! 

What the hell does 'non-binary' and 'binary' mean?  We are NOT a mathematical symbol.

'Asexual'=a person who is non-practicing sexual being, either due to low self-esteem or 

Hetero/homosexual=a person who is in a sexual relationship with either a member of the opposite gender (sex) or same gender (sex).

Hermaphrodite=a person with both sexual organs or tissue.  May present 'obviously' female, but with testicular tissue; or 'obviously' male with ovaries.

Shame on Lilly's and other pharmaceuticals companies.  Shame on the medical profession to taking this position.

Where the hell is this country going? 

I KNOW four transgender people.  I know one self-professed 'asexual'.  I know plenty of LGBTQ men and women.  I know one misguided teenager (imho) who calls herself by an astrological phenomenon.  I know her mom means well, but I can't help but wonder if this 'decision' stems from watching her mom in two struggling relationships and has concluded she doesn't want to go down that path.  Or maybe that now she's begun this path, with Mom in her corner, she can't return to her 'former self'?

I've also heard (via the same radio program) that some transgenders are now regretting their decision to surgical reassignment.  As one caller pointed out, you cannot change your DNA.  You may look different on the outside, but on the inside, you're still male or female.

What would have happened if, when our oldest son's favorite color was pink, we'd dressed him as a girl?  Or when our daughter was 3 and wearing her brother's clothes and insisted we call her 'Joe'?

Instead of ignoring both and letting nature take its course, we decided to have 'Kylie' or 'Kayla' and 'Sam' or 'Joe'?  A) I wouldn't have a 9 y/o grandchild or even a 3 mo/o one.  Or at least, they'd look different.

But no; by the time he was 5, our son was definitely 'all boy', though our daughter only wore her 1st Communion dress 'because Grandma was coming and Aunt Liz paid for it'.

Final Word:  God doesn't make mistakes. (well, okay; why bed bugs?  Why roaches?  Why mosquitos? Lice? Scabies? LMAO!).  He created us in His Likeness; who are we to judge ourselves otherwise?  To reject what He has created is to reject Him.

And I certainly don't want to do that.  I'd be lost without my faith.

Faith is what got me through my 8th grade year and the start of the 9th.  I wouldn't be the person I am today without going through that pain.

What is the world my granddaughters will grow up in?  Will the 9 y/o bow to peer pressure to declare herself other than female?  Will the 3 m/o grow up a tomboy and be encouraged to declare herself  'non-binary'??

Will we ever be able to stop wearing the damn masks?  Guess we'll know in 4 years??

Listen To The Red Flags

 I'm about to embark into the world of Children's Books, but first I need an artist.  I talked about my new venture with friends, who advised it would take over a year from start to publication.  After our discussion, the holidays and family matters pushed most of their suggestions out of my memory, so not much has been done in the five months since.

While scrolling through my FB feed last week, I discovered I'd joined a Children's Author group some time ago, so went scrolling through the posts and discovered it was perfectly fine to post a 'Looking for' question.  I did so.

Overnight, I got about a dozen or so links in the comments.  I started checking out the art.  Some weren't my taste; it looked too anime.  Some posted only families or cats or other creatures....I needed dogs.  

I did happen upon three I liked, and actually reached out to one when I saw a familiar logo on their site.  Okay; I've got one possibility.

A second link took me to a blog where the artist listed tips for finding a professional illustrator, which I was very happy to learn I was inadvertently following, but then I clicked over to her prices and my eyeballs nearly bugged out.  $12K starting price? Who the hell has that kind of money to drop, especially if you're an indie publisher aka 'starving artist'?  Okay, she's out.  But thank you very much for the advice, and your artwork is BEAUTIFUL!  I just can't afford you.

Ping...I've got a PM.  I can do it...check out my site.

I checked.  Beautiful art.

Ping.....Did you check out my site?  What is your book about?

Thinking he's being a little pushy (Red Flag #1), I politely replied with a one-sentence synopsis about the subject matter.

Ping....ping....ping....Suddenly he starts sending me samples of his work, and mentions his company is offering a limited time 'lock down' price on publishing.  I take a look.....and it's a sweet deal.  So even though there's no idea of when the price goes back up (Red Flag #2), I nevertheless sign up for it.  

Then he asked for a style reference.....then says he'll do a sample for $50, which is not surprising, since I read it in #2's blog.  I agree and send him the funds, along with specific requirements, such as facial expression, background, and other characters.

He sends me two beautiful pictures, then asks me to check out the pricing list, and drops the bomb he's charging $50/illustration.  So total cost would be $1185....BUT that includes illustrations, cover art, formatting, AND uploading it to KDP and Amazon.  Okay.....$1200 is slightly steep, but remember I've got 14 months before the project is expected to release.  I ask about a payment plan.

He states he wants 50% 'during the contract signing' and the rest 'during final delivery' (Red Flag #3).  I've stated clearly I can pay him $100/mo.  I decide to sleep on it.

Three days go by.

Ping....(Easter, I might add.  Red Flag #4) Have you an update?

I mention again I can only pay $100/mo, plus more, if my summer conventions bring in big sales.

Ping....you mean royalties?

No, I mean hand-sales of my books, you idiot....I only average $1-5 in royalties.

Ping.....Okay, we need to put this in the contract also...what percentage of your sales you'll send me.

*Blink* Excuuuuse me?  

I normally charge 35% of all books sold. (Red Flag #5)

Ummmm.....that's not how it works.  If I'm paying you $1200 to upload my book, then it's on YOUR account, and you'll receive any royalty sales money.  I only expect you to provide me with print books and sell them to me for $4-6 per copy.

Ping.....No, you share your KDP log in information. (Red Flag #6)

Oh hell NO!  No one gets access to my personal log in info.  I go to bed.

Three more days go by.  I've discussed my red flags with other author friends, who agree with me; this guy has a delusional and shady business practice.

I bite the bullet and send it to a publisher friend of mine who actually does Children's books.

Ping....Are you free to discuss our arrangement?

I tell him I've thought it over and sent my MS to a publisher, but if it's rejected, I'll be happy to return to the negotiations.

I just received another job and am not sure I would be able to schedule you in.

That's fine, dude....I was playing nice.  There's no way in hell I will ever work with you.  But I'm a nice person who won't say that to your face.  If you find someone else to snow, be my guest.  But believe me, anyone I come across who's looking for an illustrator, I will speak your name and warn them NEVER to work with you.

2021: Year of Confusion???

I have tried to bite my tongue.  I have tried to keep my sense of humor.  If you haven't heard the news that I broke my arm last month, you'll understand what a trial this is to type when my left arm is protesting being at an uncomfortable angle, rather than resting against my pillow or my body.  But I can no longer keep silent about recent events.

****WARNING:  Trigger-Alert To The Easily Offended****

I'm serious; if you're easily offended by any humor pre-2019, STOP READING AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!  This is MY blog, MY opinion, and MY 1st amendment right to express my feelings.

Okay.  Still here?  Good.

If you're a regular reader of any of my blogs, you know I'm a fan of Song of the South, and wondered why critics weren't yelling over Peter Pan and the depiction of the Indians.  Well, apparently someone caught on to my sarcasm, because now this CANCEL CULTURE has not only banned SOTS (though, if you buy the whole library, as advertised on FB, you can own a copy!  I bought it, and yes, paid nearly $100, just so my kids and grandkids will always have access to it, should DVDs never disappear), but now PP, Dumbo (OMG, the crows.  REALLY??), The Aristocats (OMG....the 'junkyard cats' scene, with the Chinese cat playing the piano with chopsticks.  SERIOUSLY???), and Swiss Family Robinson (no clue; have never seen that version).

Other media have come under fire.  Remember about ten or so years ago, Sesame Street released 'classic' episodes with a warning, 'May be hazardous to your child'?  Well now, six Dr. Seuss books will no longer be sold, due to 'offensive' content.  I've been told it's because of a Chinese character portrayed much like the cat in Aristocats.  Other cartoons depict animals being whipped, and 'good' colorful characters being mean to 'bad' colorful characters.  I've only read one of the now-banned books, and it's been so long ago, I didn't even remember the supposed controversial character.

Remember last year, when CC decided TWO CARTOONS, Yosemite Sam and Elmer Fudd were 'no longer to have their guns'?  Now Pepe Le Pew has come under fire for promoting 'rape culture'.  WTH....he's a CARTOON!  When is the movie 9-5 going to be banned, because the women get back at their boss for the same thing? (Yes, I'm being sarcastic....I LOVE THAT MOVIE!!!)

Oh, and another thing.....apparently a soda company has decided they're 'too white'.  Give me a break....and the only drink I like by this company is their bottled water.

Now, a NY charter/private school is saying the kids and staff are no longer to refer to parents as 'Mom/Dad'.  I'm not even going to get into the whole gender/non-gender issue; I think it's stupid.  We're raising an entire generation of kids who worry about their sexuality WAAAY too early (there was even a stupid parent claiming her 6 m/o was 'gay'.....give me a break!).  So now any late bloomer will be labeled LGBTQ?  I didn't date until I was 19.....but I had a boyfriend at 12, a serious crush at 14, and walked the halls with my boyfriend in HS.  The only 'dates' I went on were to the HS dances, and on band trips with my boyfriend, where we'd eat together, snuggle on the bus, and yes (gasp!) change clothes in front of each other.  Perfectly innocent, back in the early 80s.

Yep.....my blood pressure is up over the STUPIDITY I see going on around in this 'woke' society.

Society needs to take a step back and get a clue, a sense of humor, and stop letting the children run the country.  Where are the adults?  Is out government too full of entitled people, raised by single parents who were too busy to raise their children properly?  Where is the sense of values, CHRISTIAN VALUES, that once ruled this country?

I'm watching for the day that people 'wake up' to the fact they've made a mistake, and I can quietly post on social media....'Be careful what you wish for; you might get it.'

NEW TOPIC:

Unless you've been under a rock since this weekend, you know the whole hullaballoo with the Royal Family.  Poor Meg....realizing an American Princess meant RULES?  OMG....and someone had the audacity to wonder OUT LOUD what her baby's skin tone would be?  Shocking.....and even more shocking.....that she felt so isolated, she considered suicide?  OMG....

But wait a minute....she is an actress, and knows when to milk the camera, and to gain sympathy.

Maybe she honestly didn't realize what she was getting into?  Maybe she thought things would magically change?

Stupid, stupid.  You've duped the most eligible bachelor into marriage, and now you've managed to distance him from his family.....manipulate him into your socialistic beliefs....and whining on camera about how 'tough' your life has become. Entitled snob (b**ch).

Grow up.

And kudos to a Piers Morgan for standing up for his opinion.  I don't always agree with you, but in this case, I'm right there with ya!

3-13-21:

Now there's another kerfluffle:  Apparently, if ANYONE stands behind with PM, now we're 'racist by association'?

Just saw an article where now a major network is 'investigating' an incident in which hosts of a popular TALK show had a disagreement when one of the hosts said she agreed with PM.  The A.A. host took offense, because now, "What would you say to people who may feel that while you're standing by your friend, it appears you gave validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist, even if you don't agree?"

And... "it is not the exact words of racism, it's the implication and the reaction to it."

Wha-at???

"To not want to address that because she is a Black woman, and to try to dismiss it or to make it seem less than what it is, that's what makes it racist. But right now, I'm talking to a woman I believe is my friend and I don't want anybody here to watch this and think we are attacking you for being racist."

To add insult to injury (imho), the other host issued an apology for accidentally 'supporting racism'.

Someone explain it to me???