January Infringements

Am I an internet pirate?

While you enjoyed a little Moon Walk, the SOPA deal got me thinking. Is this blog in danger of infringing copyright and trampling intellectual property?

I scoured the images in all 146 published posts of everyday epistle, confirming permissions and source attributions for the handful of photos I didn’t take myself.

Scrapped a few. Replaced others, some with my own pictures. Like this striking candid of an Angry Bird I snapped for The Lost Art of Tying Shoes.

You may be relieved to know Rosie the Riveter from Crows and Eagles and the mammalian trio from The Three Bears Go House Hunting are public domain.

Celebrities are more complicated. For this blog, I figure covers of books, albums and movies are legit under fair use. So are publicity photos celebrities post of themselves on their own sites, as well as most logos.

However, I am left wondering about the images of The Bangles and Kurt Cobain in Murder by Muzak, Jackie Kennedy in High-Rise Jeans, and Vivien Leigh in Wichita. Ever see those names in the same sentence before? Me neither.

Are they public domain? Would my use of them be considered fair use? I’m not sure, but they’re staying put for the time being.

Comic book characters were deleted (Boo!), except for the picture I took of Wonder Woman at MAC Cosmetics for American Beauty.

I don’t want to step on someone else’s copyright any more than I want them to step on mine. I don’t want to go back to school for a law degree either.

This blog has been scrubbed clean-er. Not perfect, but better. My, there is so much to learn.

Teach me to do Your will,
for You are my God.
May Your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing. Psalm 143:10 NLT

Correction tastes like medicine. One more spoon of Cough Syrup now…

Advice is welcomed in the comments.
Commiserating, empathizing, disagreeing,
high-fiving and general discussion is fine too.

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Posted on January 23, 2012July 10, 2012 by Aimee 10

Everyday Q&A II: Tell Her About It

When I started blogging, I didn’t know what I was doing. Still don’t in many ways.

wsdalmation — barking dog as seen at Williams-Sonoma

Everyday Q&A was an attempt to let you in on what I was learning so you could learn too. We’re all in this together.

Time for Q&A II. A sequel about comments and sharing.

Q: Should I comment?

A: Yes, but only if you want to. Comments are always appreciated and always optional.

Q: What should I write?

A: Whatever you like within the bounds of good taste and discretion.

Q: What if I make a mistake or change my mind after it’s posted?

A: Contact me at everyday epistle at att dot net if you need me to change or remove your comment. I will be happy to oblige. A word of caution: once it’s out there, it’s out there.

Q: Huh?

A: As best I can understand, web browsers like Google periodically store content in caches.

If Google caches a post before a comment’s removed or changed, that comment may show up in a search even after it’s removed or changed, at least until Google crawls around again to cache the revised version.

Don’t ask me how. It’s like elfin magic.

biggestfan — biggest fan as seen at Lambert's in Ozark, MO, "the only home of throwed rolls"

Q: Do I have to be a blogger to comment?

A: No. Anyone can comment on any post. A lot of the folks who comment are bloggers. Many are not.

Q: Do I have to join a group?

A: Yes. You have to join the everyday epistle fan club. Just kidding. Membership is not required to comment.

You can like everyday epistle on Facebook if you want. That’s the closest thing there is to a fan club.

Q: Do I have to use my real name?

A: Use whatever name you want. One friend uses an anagram and another uses an alias. Seriously.

Q: Why would they do that?

A: Remember, once it’s out there, it’s out there. If you use your full name and someone like an employer, your significant other, or your mom searches, they very well may find you and your comment here.

stealingmyid — stealing my identity bumper sticker

Q: Why do I have to give my email address?

A: Security. Your email address is not published on the blog. Only WordPress and I can see it.

Q: Why might I have to type a captcha?

A: Security again. Trying to keep the spammers at bay.

Q: How can I get my picture to show up beside my comment?

A: For WordPress, go to Gravatar and upload a photo there.

Q: Do you even read the comments?

A: Yes. I read them all. And I try to respond to them all. Dew drop inn to dialog.

Q: Should I share a post I like?

A: Yes, please. Word of mouth is the way this community grows.

Q: How do I share a post?

A: Go to the end of the post you want to share and click on the button for how you want to share it (Facebook, Twitter, email, print, WordPress reblog, Pinterest). WordPress may ask you some security questions to complete the share.

Q: What happens when I share a post?

A: It will be shared by you in the outlet you chose. Your people will read what you liked and maybe like it too. And every time you share a post, an angel gets his wings. It’s a wonderful life!

And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. Hebrews 13:16 NLT

BJ says: Tell her about it. Tell her how you feel right now.

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Posted on December 12, 2011July 10, 2012 by Aimee 2

The Gift of 40

redgift — as seen at Missouri Botanical Garden

Today is my last day to be 40.

I have a friend who’s just two weeks younger than I am. Much smarter though.

She argues 40 shouldn’t be different from any other year. Every year we ought to live with no holds barred.

Maybe I’m a late bloomer, but 40 was different for me. It all started around 38 when I began using the two-letter word NO.

No, I will not do what you want me to do if it’s not right for me. No, I will not let you walk all over me. No, I will not play silly, little reindeer games. No, you are not the queen of the universe.

At 38, NO squeaked out as an anxiety-filled whisper. By 39, I could say it out loud with less hesitation, but the timing was all wrong. Now at 40, I can say it plainly, thoughtfully, and without much hand wringing.

The timing is better too. I’ve said NO this year to several people and things that weren’t right for me before I tried to find a way to accommodate them.

more gifts from the Garden, love that place

A polite, well-placed NO is liberating and gets easier with practice. It frees up time for YES.

Yes, I would like to try a blog. Yes, I will make mistakes, but that’s okay because I’m learning. Yes, I will have fun doing it. Yes, I will write with no holds barred.

Several years back, there was this commercial. I’ve combed the web and cannot find the actual spot. You web crawler people, let me know if you find it so I can post a link.

In the ad, a stodgy professor tells a writing class that none of them will likely ever be published. Editors sift through thousands of manuscripts. The best they could expect was a writing career at the top of the slush pile rather than the bottom.

Then, from within the masses of the lecture hall, a student’s hand pops up. Much to his professor’s chagrin and his fellow students’ triumph, he announces he’s already been published. Online.

That far-fetched dream is coming to fruition in my lifetime and yours. Imagine the possibilities. David McRaney did.

McRaney’s blog You Are Not So Smart was recently expanded into a book by the same title. Behold the free market.

“This is an amazing and revolutionary time for writers,” said McRaney in a WordPress interview.

“The barriers to entry are so low, and the platforms like WordPress.com are so well made, anyone with a voice can start shouting and be heard.”

A voice with which to be heard. That’s a gift. That’s a YES.

Just say yes or no. Just say what is true. from James 5:12 The Message

It’s almost my birthday. I can dance if I want to. Jejune Stars by Bright Eyes.

Posted on December 2, 2011November 15, 2012 by Aimee 27

Cutting Room Floor

To edit or not to edit? That is the question.

Nothing to Read Here once wrote about how he loathes editing. Reminded me of how I used to hate it too.

Hate is such strong word. Let’s just say I was above it.

My college poetry professor stressed the importance of editing. Said we should rewrite several times before presenting a piece.

Not I, said the cat! But not aloud of course. Kept my sentiments to myself.

Edit? Rewrite? Destroy the raw emotion, the fire fueling the original choice of words, rhythm, and meaning? The less editing the better. Keeps it pure.

Oh, the drama of it all.

filmreelbymycamera,myfriend — image with permission from http://mycameramyfriend.wordpress.com/

“How long does it take you to, you know, come up with one of those stories?” said my friend the would-be stand up comedian last time I saw her.

“Depends,” I said. Nice, safe answer. But it’s true. Some posts come quickly. Others not so much.

If WordPress took note of the number of edits I make to a post before it goes live, they’d think I’m daffy.

Scratch that. It’s arguable whether I’m daffy no matter how many revisions.

I’m not sure what WordPress would think. Or what my professor would think. Or what you would think if you saw the unending stream of corrections and rewrites.

I can guess what you’re thinking now: All that, and she still manages to miss at least one typo per post!

If this were an old-school movie edit, I could adorn myself with the ringlets of film on the cutting room floor. Fashion them into a translucent wig. A Gaga dress.

I could sweep them up into a pile. Invite children to jump in them like autumn leaves, only better. No crumbling bits breaking off and sticking in socks. No hidden night crawlers or pungent cedar mulch in the mix of sterile, celluloid ribbons.

What’s left is a reduced, boiled down idea. The essence of the original, but stronger. That’s the hope anyway.

How I wish I could exercise the same discipline with the words I speak. They bolt out. They are gone and cannot be recaptured.

They wriggle and squirm. They resist careful pruning. Resist being held.

These spoken ones may combust or fizzle. They may scale heights or burrow deep in the hearts of their receivers. But they do not go willingly to the cutting room floor. If I could tame them, I could tame the world.

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:7-8 NLT

Gwen’s back with No Doubt and Don’t Speak.

Posted on November 4, 2011July 14, 2012 by Aimee 10

Westward Expansion

Uncertainty is no place to call home. Relocation is no picnic either.

As many of you have guessed, we’re moving this show to Wichita.

The man and his wife. The boy and the dog. The MacBook Pro (God rest your soul, Steve Jobs) and the blog.

There’s relief in making a decision. There’s also apprehension, excitement, hope and loss.

Responses have rolled in from across the blogosphere.

Here’s the Diehl is wondering what’s the deal through tears. Mine and hers. With strains of Green Acres playing in the background.

The would-be stand up comedian asked if I know Kansas is not in North Carolina.

A lifelong friend assured me she always wants the best for me. How comforting, humbling and cool is that? Makes me want to break out in Count Your Blessings. Then cry some more.

Another lifelong friend wrote the most amazing sunset she’d ever seen was in Kansas. Suggested My Antonia by Willa Cather. Done.

Ms. Moderation dubbed me Carolina Cowgirl, a title I adore. If the blogging thing doesn’t work out, there’s always rodeo. Or clogging.

Pinke Post wasted no time doing what she does so well. Connecting me with her people on the ground in Wichita. The woman is a rock star.

And Cuisine For All sent sage advice. Don’t worry. Take time to absorb the changes. You’ll be fine, she wrote. She’s ventured far from her homeland. She should know.

Traveling With the Jones has logged enough miles to know too. Told me to embrace change. Enjoy the ride. And just think of all the new material for posts!

My faithful friend who shall remain anonymous assured me Cowtown is not in Kansas because it’s in Texas.

And a fellow Southerner in exile in the Midwest told me you can raise a southern gentleman in Kansas. “It’s about values,” she said. “The expectations we have for and of them, saying ma’am and sir and being able to shuck an oyster.”

There are many other words of treasured wisdom, prayer and encouragement. Read more on Tuesday’s post. Add your own if you like.

One more here, in the gentle eloquence of Via Peregrini:

Our souls are quite particular in where they find their homes. Yet, sometimes, they find in the new, the unexpected, something for which they’ve longed and you’ll discover that you can’t imagine life without that place, for that time.

Our years in St. Louis have taught us the history of westward expansion. Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Lewis and Clark pushing across North America in the spirit of discovery.

Those who followed their path west were filled with dreams. Pioneers, farmers, soldiers, cowboys, gold miners, gangsters, hippies, writers, artists, entertainers. None of them had the luxury—the blessing—of toting a virtual community along. None until this latest crop.

We’re headed west. I hope you’ll join us for the adventure.

Send me Your light and Your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to Your holy mountain,
to the place where You dwell. Psalm 43:3 NIV

In a big country, dreams stay with you…

pink hydrangea

I hate cancer.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Our masthead dons pink to show support.

Honor survivors, those battling the disease, and those who’ve lost loved ones in the fight. Pray to end this and all cancers.

Thank you to And Cuisine For All for the idea.

Posted on October 7, 2011July 14, 2012 by Aimee 41

It’s Community Time

My friend at Life is a Bowl of Kibble nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award this week. I’m honored and I’m game.

As a newly crowned VB, I have four primary responsibilities to fulfill.

I. Thank the person who nominated you:

Thank you, Life is a Bowl of Kibble. LiaBoK and her Litter Mates leave me cackling with posts like A Sticky Situation. Check it out or I’ll sick my terrier on you. All 16.4 pounds of her.

II. Share seven random facts about yourself:

Part of my skull is missing due to an injury sustained in a car accident when I was 15. I literally have a hole in my head.
My word for pizza crusts is shells, effectively grouping them with pasta. It’s a family thing.
I quickly memorize song lyrics, a characteristic my son also exhibits. Makes my husband’s head spin. His revenge is that he can actually sing.
When as a child I got a bike instead of a horse, I named it Cindy. Of course you already knew that.
I don’t drink coffee, but I like the way it smells.
The Collapse Free app is my obsession. Ridiculous, I know. Currently, I occupy five of the 10 spots on the high scores list.
I take my grits with a touch of sugar, she admits as all the good Southerners groan.

III. Pass this award on to five (or six) new blogging friends:

The operative word here is new. I chose to interpret this as folks I didn’t about know before blogging, haven’t linked to previously, and haven’t yet added to my blogroll (aka the social network, see right sidebar). No hurt feelings, I hope. New or old, one is silver, the other gold.

Nothing to Read Here is a writer’s blog about writing. The author, taureanw, endeared me with posts questioning what it’s like to write, what he fears, and what success is.
Southern Belle View is a composite blog written by four belles who also happen to be published authors. I found it when Corey of I Like My Bike fame introduced me via Facebook to one of the belles, Beth Webb Hart. SBV feels like home and is a pleasure to read.
And Cuisine for All is a cooking blog. The finest ingredient is the author Chef Nusy. Following the bloodless revolution, she immigrated from Hungary and now proudly lives, cooks, dreams, and blogs in America.
Stuff Christians Like by Jon Acuff is a must-read if you are of the Christian persuasion. From sitting in the pew beside people with nice singing voices to composing posts in his head during the sermon to imagining worship eagles that gently pluck crying children out of the service, JA tells it like it is.
A Peaceful Heart is a photography blog I discovered when it was Freshly Pressed. Miki the photographer is from the U.K. and her pictures are simply to die for. Elegant, crisp, exquisite, visual joy.
My Parents Are Crazier Than Yours is my guilty pleasure. Myra and I are the same age. That would appear to be all we have in common on the outside. But oh, how I find myself relating to her. She taps humor and emotion and writes it well. Very well.

IV. Contact and congratulate the awarded bloggers: Check.

Hope you get some kicks from these new clicks and enjoy them as much as I do.

It wouldn’t be an everyday epistle ending without a verse and a song. Didn’t think I’d forget, did you?

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17 NLT

Bonus random fact: I missed my calling to be in a band. If I were in a band, I would very much like my band’s name to be as cool as Dragonette, here with Martin Solveig singing Hello (not the Lionel Richie version).

Posted on September 22, 2011July 10, 2012 by Aimee 20

there's a story at every turn

Advice is welcomed in the comments. Commiserating, empathizing, disagreeing, high-fiving and general discussion is fine too.