Tweeting Extraterrestrials

I know it's supposed to be my tea break, but I just wanted to share something with all of you really quick.  I'll return to my tea in a moment (though I'm actually drinking coffee at the moment . . . hopefully that's forgivable).






Do you dream of communicating with extraterrestrials?  If so, you may have your have chance.  All you need is a Twitter account and something first-contact-worthy to say.

The so-called 'Wow! Signal' stands apart from all other radio signals we've received since we started searching for extraterrestrial life.  Received in 1977, scientists still aren't sure if aliens are behind it, or if it's the result of something else altogether.  In either case, if it was our cosmic neighbors ringing us to borrow some sugar, it's about time we called them back.  Luckily, 35 years later, the existence of Twitter will allow anyone to participate in the call-back of the millennium.

The following excerpt from the Huff Post Science section gives the details on how to participate in this unique event.  Click HERE for the full article.

All tweets composed between 8 p.m. EDT Friday (June 29) and 3 a.m. EDT Saturday (June 30) tagged with the hashtag #ChasingUFOs will be rolled into a single message, according to the National Geographic Channel, which is timing the Twitter event to coincide with the premiere of the channel's new series, "Chasing UFOs."

It will, of course, take many years beyond that for our return signal to get anywhere.  Even so, participating in this sounds fun, and I plan to send out my tweet tomorrow night.

Was the 'Wow! Signal' really sent by aliens?  I have no idea.  I just know I can't pass up this opportunity.  I started this blog in an attempt to share my words with the world.  Now I have the chance to share a few short words with the stars.  Say what you will about me.  I'm a science fiction writer.  Flights of fancy are our bread and butter.  I don't think I'd be a true sci-fi geek if I simply dismissed this.

Follow Me Maybe

My writing notebooks.

There comes a time when a writer does what they must to better present themselves to the world.  I'm not the most sociable person in the world.

Don't get me wrong.  I try my best to be nice to people.  Socializing just has never come naturally to me.  Presenting my real self to the world is a terrifying thing for me. I'm so used to expressing myself through the characters I commit to the page.  I almost forget what it's like to present myself to the world as I am after a long day of wrestling with my fiction.

Anyway, having heard many times that I needed to network to promote my writing, I tentatively stepped out into the world of blogging.  I started to build an audience, and now I'm looking for new ways to promote myself.  I'd already started a Twitter account to follow others.  I didn't send tweets at first, because it seemed so confusing.  I was baffled by hashtags.  I've recently started using it more actively, and I'm miraculously figuring it out.  So feel free to follow me on Twitter if you wish.

Also, while on Facebook today, my friend Chelsea Kelly, who already had a blog you can check out HERE,  had created a page to showcase her work.  You can check out her Facebook page HERE.  I figured it was just about time I did the same thing myself.  So, if you want to follow me on Facebook, go check out my writing page.  

A little image I created on MemeGenerator.

I know, I'm a dork.  However, if I'm going to network myself, I should be genuine.  And I am genuinely dorky.

Free Speech: Big Brother is Listening

In thinking about what to write about for this first installment of Worldly Wednesday, it occurred to me that there were so many choices available to me that I thought my brain might self-destruct.  Then, in looking through recent posts from other blogs I follow, I stumbled across this video posted by Rob from Commonwealth Commentary. This blog is worth checking out as he features interesting political stories.

Anyway, watch the video and ask yourslef "Is Homeland Security already watching me?"



If Homeland Security wasn't already watching me, they probably are now that I've posted this.  I'm guessing they probably don't want this information out because people who are actually up to something might start using new code words to communicate.  In the world we live in, who knows?

The world changed for Americans after 9/11.  There's no escaping that fact.  While I agree the government should make it a priority to protect its citizens from genuine terrorist threats, have we as a nation gone too far in our suspicion?  In America we have freedom of speech thanks to the 1st Amendment.  We are still free to say these kinds of words online, but if we do, we may be sacrificing our privacy.  Should we be okay with that?

I can say this much.  I'm not comfortable with the far-reaching nature of this list.  It seems to stretch too far.  How many people are unwittingly bringing themselves under government scrutiny while checking out the latest news stories about the wars we have going around the world?  How many people looking for pork recipes or deciding where to go on vacation are being monitored?

I've often said that we need to choose our words carefully, because words have power. Yet, even the most innocuous of words can make you seem suspect these days. One can argue that if you're participating in social media, you're already voluntarily surrendering your privacy.  However, it feels different to have a government official poring over my online history than it does to have regular, everyday people reading what I have to say.  The government has the power to do much more damage to your life than most everyday people.

Here's a quote for you to ponder.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have."
 
-Gerald Ford 
Presidential address to a joint session of Congress (12 August 1974) 

Beginning of the Year Goals

Okay.  This is accountability time.  I need to make a list of goals for myself that may be easily referenced, both by me and others who can give me the “polite” reminders I need, so I can’t avoid them.  Let’s face it.  It’s easy to become neglectful of your goals when you’re the only one who knows about them.  I also refuse to call these New Year's resolutions, because that label seems to be the kiss of death (cliche phrase, sorry) for most people.

Goal #1:  To finish writing the short story I am currently working on by this time next month and to self-publish it online.  I am considering this option because I’ve heard about successes from friends, and it can take forever to be accepted for publication the old fashioned way.  I am also planning to go this route because I want to see how it works before I even consider doing this with the novels I’ve written.  Those longer works are much more important to me due to the years I’ve put into them, and I want to have a good idea of my options.

Goal #2:  To write a new blog post as often as possible (minimum of 5 posts per week), no matter how many other demands I have in my life.  This has to be an important part of my writing goal, because by doing this I can prove to myself that I have the discipline it takes to be a good writer.  It may also help me with networking, which may prove critical in marketing the fiction I write.

Goal #3:  To complete revisions of the novel I’ve been working on and submit it for publication by the end of this year.  The method I use remains to be determined, but one way or the other, it has to get done.

I reserve the right to add more goals to this list at any time, but I personally revoke my right to eliminate any of them.  I cannot let myself chicken out (cliché, I know) on this one.