Incoming BYTES

Merry Christmas to EVERYONE! 2022Version

2019-12-23T14:38:00.003-05:00

        This is the Nutcracker Team revived from 2015. The boys are looking good!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! 2022 Version....!

Imagine this... It is Christmas once again...and some time ago I found an untitled post . Here at incomingbytes we believe pages should have something on them! Unbelievable. The sabbatical to the dot.com site has not without difficulties at times.

Good thing. It helps us pay attention.

There is no Christmas cheer on an empty page.
This must be where the Santa and the ELVES come charging to save the day. And the Nutcracker staff.

Why? For a while my dot.com site (www.incomingbytes.com ) was inexplicably NOT working. For some reason. I had no idea why.

So.... I had to find out what the problem is, remedy it, and carry on. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. That's a given. A month before Christmas or not.

Normally there's no Santa to rescue us. But at Christmas everyone knows we can count on jolly good old St. Nick, Rudolph and all of the reindeer, to employ a whole whack of elves that are NOT sitting on shelves this time of year. They are busy!

They overcame the source of all technical difficulties over on 'dot com', so we file our BEST Christmas wishes right here too! -- to everyone. To ALL of our family, associates, fellow writers, and friends, American buddies S. of the border-- and globally.
so....

MERRY CHRISTMAS to EVERYONE!
May YOU and YOURS have a SAFE and HAPPY Christmas...

---and while we're at it... a Happy New Year too! Best Wishes for a Happy and Prosperous 2023!

May we have Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All in 2023!

Is that Incoming I hear?

tags: Christmas, Merry Christmas, incomingbytes.com, Happy New Year, Is that incoming I hear? , Holidays, elves, Santa Claus, Peace on Earth, Goodwill to ALL.

Merry Christmas, Everyone...Big or Small, Merry Christmas to ALL

2017-12-24T12:56:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Christmas Then

When I was a boy, Christmas came once a year. For a week.   As children, we waited, with abated breath, it seemed, forever. With much anticipation and excitement building, we waited for the winter holidays, the traditional Christmas concert, then the holidays, a few days free of school, time to build snowmen, play in mountains of snow, and go ice-skating. On real ice. Outside, on the driveway turned into a rink, on a real community rink down the road, or right down the bumpy ice on the Oliver Creek if it was frozen enough.
       We thawed out and waited. We waited for Christmas Eve, and green and red-wrapped chocolates, sweet oranges from Japan, sparkling glass decorations and tinsel placed with care on an always-real Christmas tree. In vivid imaginations, visions of Christmas were brightly wrapped secrets, presents galore. Christmas cake. Sugar cookies. Twisted, rock-hard candy that looked like it was snipped with scissors, and candy canes striped like the North Pole where Santa lives.
        We wondered how Santa drove the reindeer from the North Pole too, as we eagerly listened to George the Porter , Santa's helper broadcasting on the radio in *Fort William to see if Santa was making good time on Christmas Eve. We wondered how Santa could land on slippery, snow-covered steep roofs in the moonlight. How he ever squeezed down skinny chimneys safely. Into burning fireplaces. Without getting his white beard and eyebrows singed.
       We wished for new, shiny hockey skates, hockey-sticks, and real shin-pads. Skis. New mitts. Stuff from the Eaton's and Simpson Sears catalogues. Folding jackknives with pearl handles. New boots. New bicycles. Lone Ranger and Roy Rogers belts, realistically-holstered noisy cap guns. Cowboy outfits for the boys. Sleighs, white figure-skates, dolls, ribbons and bows, new clothes, tiny furniture and dollhouses for the girls. Everything was to arrive overnight by special delivery from Santa.   Imagine that, but only for a week.

And somehow, we knew what Christmas was really about. The birth of Christ.

Christmas Now

Zoom ahead decades. Too many decades. Now Christmas retailing begins on television right after Hallowe'en. And after Thanksgiving. And after Black Friday retailing madness. 50-70% off everything that was 70% overpriced all year. Profit. Business. Receiving instead of giving. Overspending. Paying the bills after the spending binge. The eternal headache of crowds of people in malls frantically searching endlessly for the perfect gift.
Is that what Christmas was intended to be? Is it politically-incorrect to remind others of faith and belief in Christ? The real reason for the season? The passing of traditions is painful, but declining faith, denial of faith, the reason for the season --is unbelievably sad. Ouch.
But have no fear, we can still have OUR faith and traditions of Christmas, and enjoy them too. Not because of, but in spite of —modern trends and unwanted social manipulation.

The Solution.

I know it's hard to remember why we have Christmas, it's not very trendy, but forget 'spending' and shopping for a moment. Ignore advertising and commercial profit. Reawaken the imagination. Return to the dreams we once had. Is it a bad idea to push aside 'retailing' hype for a few days and dream? No. Is it old-fashioned and selfish to wish a week of Christmas inherited from older, better times instead of four months of mind-numbing commercials? Wishful thinking? No. It is human nature to expect better.
Admittedly, we did not always receive the gifts imagined, the fancy toys coveted. Fact is, in reality, occasionally, in some tough economic times, we had few gifts at all. But no matter; we still dreamed. The excitement of the season was alive and genuine with home-made gifts, paper decorations, the love of family, friends, and neighbours and snowball fights and snow forts and igloos. The smell of fresh bread, pies, cookies and turkey baking early in the morning.
The anticipation and surprises we did find under quaint Charlie Brown Christmas trees (taller, we remember) made up for anything and everything. It was Christmas, after all, and we had music, excitement, love, visitors— and each other. Warm, crackling fires in the fireplace. Visions and imaginations unfulfilled were reserved for next year—and the ones after that. Immense and almost inexplicable satisfactory visions— for decades after that.
Peace of mind and faith for the future—are the solution. Don't forget some eggnog.
Merry Christmas everyone...big or small, Merry Christmas to ALL.

Is that Incoming I hear?

*Now 'Thunder Bay', Ontario

The Fires of Waterland 3rd Edition!

2017-01-03T17:53:00.002-05:00

2017 by Raymond Alexander Kukkee

NOW AVAILABLE

3rd Edition of The Fires of Waterland published by Whitewood Forge Publishing

Cover artwork for the 3rd Edition of The Fires of Waterland

The 3rd Edition of The Fires of Waterland

Guess what?
The 3rd Edition of The Fires of Waterland is now available after much thought, publishing choices, re- editing details, new cover design, obtaining ISBN's and actual publishing by Whitewood Forge Publishing, Thunder Bay, Ontario.

What's that, you ask? Why, an independent publishing company. My own independent publishing company of course. Why go independent? Is it just a trend that more and more authors are going independent and publishing their own books? The answer, we believe, lies in one word: control.

How helpful that is when making crucial publishing decisions? Very.
Must we also take responsibility for those decisions, mistakes, successes or failures? Absolutely.
We look forward to the challenge. "A Whitewood Forge Book" is being considered for our tag line.

The eBook format (Kindle) of The Fires of Waterland is available immediately online at:
https://www.amazon.com/Fires-Waterland-Raymond-Alexander-Kukkee- --and the PRINT 3rd Edition will be available in print very shortly.

Stay tuned for further developments .....

Thank you, my loyal readers, for your incredible patience. As most of you know, I can usually be found over on the "dot.com" site (www.incomingbytes.com). Clearly, content and venues are more critical decisions which must be revisited and made in the exciting, scribbling world of writing, authorship, and blogging.

Time will certainly tell where we're all headed... Until next time, HAPPY NEW YEAR --have a safe, prosperous and healthy 2017 and hopefully the 'sabbatical' won't be as long next time...

Is that Incoming I hear?

We Carry ON...With Morgidoo's Christmas Carol, 3rd Edition!

2016-04-05T15:25:00.000-04:00

by Raymond Alexander Kukkee

NEW: UPDATE

Writing....it's always about books and stuff.... so here we go...

It is always a VERY difficult decision for an author to change the status quo, change publishers, change an 'edition' of any book, --particularly if we got along fine with the past publisher, admired the old cover, and we are always busy doing other things anyway. We must smile about that.

Procrastination, inertia, and being busy (as we all perhaps pretend to be at times) all help to delay decisions and --the pain and extensive detail work required to make necessary changes effectively.

Progress and change for the better, is fortunately inevitable in any endeavor as we carry on, and the way we see it, publishing cannot be an exception. Change is necessary.

Even the 'simple' republishing of any book takes a lot of work, thought, time, and dedication, --especially for unique, timeless Christmas classics written for ALL AGES, like Morgidoo's Christmas Carol (the Bells of Blister )

Why Change??

The *2nd print edition of Morgidoo's Christmas Carol (2013) offered a 'square' *8.5x8.5 " format --which we sadly discovered --readers actually said they dislike very much and reportedly would not tend to purchase because it was perceived to be only a child's book, --a 'skinny book' that real readers, teens and adults don't read, --but most surprisingly, said it was a bad, floppy format which could not stand alone by itself on a bookshelf !
(---although most also commented the cover artwork was amazing and beautiful! go figure! )

*the 1st, edition, the original Morgidoo's Christmas Carol was published originally in 2011 only as an eBook.

Wow--what to do? Carry on and Republish.

We had to. We reasoned, readers choose books based upon many factors, including genre, author, size, format, comfort to hold, read, print size, paper, cover aesthetics, back jacket, and many other factors.

So...finally...a new cover, was designed with a *6x9" *standard novel vertical format ---for what is now the 3rd edition!
Morgidoo's Christmas Carol 3rd Edition is 170 pages in softcover--which WILL stand proudly upon any bookshelf. Reportedly, "much better to read, hold and enjoy. "

About the 3rd Edition:
The 3rd edition remains true to the original 1st ed. content with additional, original photos, and also has had "The Bells of Blister" (the original story file name) added, taking it's rightful place on the cover as a subtitle.

Morgidoo's Christmas Carol (The Bells of Blister) is NOW available in the 3rd Edition in both eBook and Print through Amazon and other fine outlets.

http://www.amazon.com/Morgidoos-Christmas-Carol-Bells-Blister/dp/1523683821

Complete cover, front and back --Morgidoo's Christmas Carol (The Bells of Blister) 3rd. Ed.

The Kindle eBook is offered in full colour.

The 3rd edition Print: Softcover, B&W --as a classic should be, 6x9" format ,170 pages.

ISBN-10: 1523683821
ISBN-13: 978-1523683826

Available now, even if Christmas is a few months away--who's counting?

Is that Incoming I hear?

The Tradition: Merry Christmas!

2015-12-25T13:58:00.000-05:00

Once again it is upon us, THE tradition: Merry Christmas!

What does 'Merry Christmas' mean to you? A warm, happy occasion shared with friends and family, a celebration of the birth of Christ in the Christian tradition?
A big turkey dinner with all of the trimmings? Gifts? Sharing with others? Giving? Good times?
An excuse to go shopping and splurging? A combination of all of the above?

Or is it just another day? -- a holiday celebrated unnecessarily by others, using up a money-making business day like E. Scrooge would suggest? Bah, Humbug! comes to mind.
Is Christmas a holiday celebrated by "others" but not you and your family because of alternative religious beliefs and "other" cultural traditions?

No matter. Here at IncomingBytes we happily wish everyone a Merry Christmas because it is our tradition. You may, in return, wish us 'Happy Holidays" a "Holiday Season" or any combination, language, or interpretation of "best wishes" you wish to offer. We will not be offended. Peace and Goodwill is offered to all.

Merry Christmas! And have a Happy, Prosperous New Year too!

Is that Incoming I hear?

Writing, Revisiting the Past

2015-12-08T13:09:00.003-05:00

by Raymond Alexander Kukkee

Writing and Revisiting the Past.

It has been quite some time since the last post was written here on IncomingBytes, the Blogspot blog of blogs. Say that fast and smile. Is that Incoming I hear?

Time flies, does it not?
I continue to write fiction, novels, short stories and other articles as they are required by the muse; The muse and I are working on several novels simultaneously. Wow. We wonder at times. We stall. We procrastinate. Yes.

Much has transpired in the interim, and with time limitations, efforts on blogging have been primarily concentrated on my alternate IncomingBytes.com , --my 'blog / portfolio'.

Why? Several reasons--for the versatility of the WordPress platform itself, the editor system, apps &widget possibilities, heavier traffic, better direct SEO search results etc. A specific 'dot-com' website also tends to offer more choice in advertising.

No matter.
I want my loyal readers and followers to know they are valued, not forgotten, each and every one of you --remain highly appreciated. Writing to issues and 'revisiting the past' remains one of my favourite things. Re-reading older posts and wonderful comments offered by my readers and followers is always fascinating. Wow, this is an old picture. How to stay young the easy way, use an old pic...

Yes, happily, I am still here, alive and kicking; --writing and exploring issues, hopefully encouraging people to think for themselves. I remain dedicated to writing and trying to find publicity and reviews for my novels, The Fires of Waterland   and Morgidoo's Christmas Carol, a Christmas classic for all ages.
Both books are 2nd editions (RockingHorse Publishing) , and are available on Amazon and at bookstores everywhere.

I do invite each and every one of my followers here to visit incomingbytes.com too!

At this time, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, the best and safest holidays possible! Stay SAFE, and enjoy!

Thank you all!

Raymond

Released! The Fires of Waterland

2014-08-16T08:23:00.002-04:00

all rights reserved

Note: This release was Previously Posted 08/08/2014 on IncomingBytes.com

Cover Art for The Fires of Waterland

The Fires of Waterland

has been released by

Rocking Horse Publishing !

Its been a bit of a wait because as we all know, good things take time, but The Fires of Waterland has now been released by Rocking Horse Publishing!

AVAILABLE AT ROCKING HORSE PUBLISHING*in print and eBook online, Amazon, --and at fine bookstores everywhere!

Wow... was it worth the wait? You can believe it!

..........How about that, people? You can get it NOW! ":)

psst...While you're at it, check out Morgidoo's Christmas Carol too --the Christmas classic for all ages. Yes, Christmas is coming. Where is the Great Silver Bell?

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

Is that Incoming I hear?

Interview: Author Extraordinaire-- Ani Alexander

2014-08-15T22:47:00.002-04:00

At IncomingBytes.com we recently had the extraordinary good luck to be able to talk to not only a fascinating writer, a personable, attractive young woman, and a brilliant individual, but a published author too--all in the same interview!

Yes, all one and the same --Ani Alexander.

Ani Alexander is a writer, published author, a highly active blogger, and most recently, a podcaster at Write 2B Read.

She is also an online entrepreneur. And speaks five languages.

And is being published by a major publisher--soon.

How much more fascinating could this writer be?

For the full interview, go here.

Biography: Ani Alexander

Ani had a corporate career for over 10 years before she realized it was time to follow her passion. She quit and went home to write her 1st novel. Now she is a published author and the founder and host of the podcast Write 2B Read - the podcast that inspires and encourages writers. Physically she lives in Armenia, but virtually she is everywhere. :)

Of course, loyal readers, the link for the interview with Ani is -----back home at IncomingBytes.com !

Is that Incoming I hear?

People: Are You the next Genius?

2014-01-22T18:16:00.000-05:00

Amazing. Some 7,033 individuals apparently want to be the next Einstein, and have expressed interest. Stick with me on this, loyal readers....

Those 7,033 incredibly smart individuals asked questions, thought about it, challenged themselves--and coincidentally, read

"How to Become the Next Einstein" on incomingBytes.com ( The link follows ~~of course!~~)

People, let's think for ourselves.

Should we be disappointed in the number of people that have expressed interest in becoming smarter?

There are perhaps seven BILLION people in the world, so the turnout mathematically is relatively insignificant. Well, okay, dismal, if we use use cold, hard statistics for the world wide web, a mere 7,000 people out of 7 Billion is only .0001% of the population. Mind-boggling numbers.

Why? Let us ask ourselves the question, and come up with the right answer. Is humanity not quite as astute as it COULD be?

The fact is, though, even more amazing, is that statistically, 1.62% of the unique page views WERE the 7,033 readers that expressed interest in becoming the next genius by reading that article.

What does that mean? Let's do the math. Cold, hard, statistically,

% of Ordinary People world-wide expressing interest in becoming a genius: 0.0001%

% of IncomingBytes.com readership expressing interest 1.620 %

What do the numbers mean, people? Think.........Question.....re-think. Clearly everyone in the world does not have the opportunity to access IncomingBytes.com , but the people that DO have access are interested in bettering both themselves and humanity. Encouraging, isn't it?

Are you the next genius? Do you think like Albert Einstein, belong to a think tank, and offer solutions to the world's problems? Do you challenge the status quo, question everything, even your own answers? Do you know how to improve the thinking process, begin thinking and make quantum improvements in your thought processes?

So? Are you the next Genius?

Is that Incoming I hear?

http://incomingbytes.com/humanity-roots/how-to-become-the-next-einstein/

Great News! MORGIDOO'S CHRISTMAS CAROL in PRINT Near YOU.

2013-11-13T13:24:00.000-05:00

" Snow as warm as popcorn. Imagine that!

UPDATE

Well, great news----that wonderful word that rings in the ears of writers everywhere: PRINT. Hear the bells ring!

But first......
Yes, I know, mea culpa , time flies, and I have been m.i.a. --and haven't posted here on IB blogspot.com for some time, but that's what happens when we are up to our necks in everything. Summer. Gardening. Pruning. Fishing. Weeding. Grass cutting. Lawnmower repairs. Visiting. Picking apples. Hosting. Fall crops, blogging, harvesting, making apple Jack, sauerkraut, and all things good. Editing, cultivating, writing, fixing, reading, rewriting, repairing, creating, building stuff, winter coming on, taps leaking, you name it!
We've all been there, right Life is a merry-go-round at times. We survive!

Of course my loyal readers all know by now that we write at IncomingBytes.com my blog-portfolio --IB's sister site, and continue the discussion on all kinds of interesting stuff.

I do hope everyone drops over to IB.com to visit, read, enjoy, and comment. Dare to think. Dare to be fearless. Dare to argue. Dare to build and construct society as you think it should be.
I hope we see you there, and that means everyone!

Morgidoo's Christmas Carol

Now, about that news, Robin Tidwell at Rocking Horse Publishing confirms that RHP is on track---putting Morgidoo's Christmas Carol into PRINT, and it's HERE, available NOW!

MCC sports a great new cover created by Rocking Horse Publishing, and Morgidoo's Christmas Carol promises to be the same unique Christmas classic for all ages, not "Santa-centred" but rather focused on a great story, +love, children, a bit of magic for the season, and above all, hope and perseverance. That being said, "Merry Christmas, everyone, may your Christmas be warm, happy and peaceful!"

Snow as warm as popcorn. Imagine that!

Keep an eye out for the Rocking Horse Publishing edition of Morgidoo's Christmas Carol --in PRINT and ebooks -- in bookstores near you and online everywhere.

Meantime,- stay warm, drop over to www. IncomingBytes.com and stay awhile!

Is that Incoming I hear?

Let's Comment

2013-05-16T22:17:00.002-04:00

(c) 2013 by Raymond Alexander Kukkee

Let's comment on the "news" just because we can, and not because we are delusional and think it will make any difference in the long run. "Governance" is what it is. Let's keep in mind arbitrary abuse of power by government and bureaucracy is what ultimately causes failure of governments. How soon we forget.

35-50,000 gathers near the Washington Monument on Feb 17, 2013 to protest the Keystone XL pipeline

Let's comment on Prime Minister Stephen Harper visiting our American neighbors, looking desperate, while 'touting' the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Mr. Harper insists it is "good" for the United States to approve the Keystone pipeline to enable pumping of environmentally dirty and expensive oilsands heavy crude from Northern Alberta to refineries in the Gulf. To hell with pipeline disasters. The oil industry says 'it's safe'.

"Sure it's good". And safe. Right. We 'believe our leaders and their "logic".

A few temporary jobs. We must ask why would Canada not build some refineries in Alberta instead, and refine that oil in Canada for thousands more jobs? Permanent jobs. Construction jobs. Logical jobs. For Canadians. Good economics.
Why would Canada insist on discounting and exporting oil to the US market which already has a glut of oil? While Canada--at the same time--is stuck importing expensive foreign oil at world prices?

Why should Americans be able to buy gasoline made from Canadian crude oil far cheaper than Canadians can buy this essential commodity?

What? Let's THINK about it.

While we're Commenting... ( You'll LOVE this one )

Let's Comment on the Atomic Energy Commission of Canada (AECL) currently "downplaying" an incident in which an 'operator' ~~conveniently~~ ~~stupidly~~ inadvertently pushed the 'wrong' buttons which subsequently just happened to stop the main cooling pumps from pumping cooling water to an active nuclear reactor at Chalk River. (2)
" Coincidentally, a senior AECL official was taking a visiting official from the World Association of Nuclear Operators through the control room for a peer review. He spotted the mistake and reversed the valves before the (valves)closed completely, but not before a "low-flow" alarm sounded, the Citizen said.

Let's be realistic. No matter how the 'incident' occurred, there was potential for a major nuclear event. How AECL can "downplay" an incident of this magnitude is beyond comprehension and inexcusable. A 'senior' official happened to notice the error? WHAT????

Let's " Pay attention" to Chalk River's "safety record".
According to a 2011 article in the Guardian newspaper, there have been 33 serious incidents and accidents at nuclear power plants since the first Chalk River meltdown in 1952. That one was rated a Level 5 incident on an ascending scale of 1 to 7.
Level 1 is classed as an "anomaly," the Guardian said, while Level 7 is Chernobyl, the only accident of its kind that's ever been publicly acknowledged.

A level 5 accident. A full meltdown in 1952. A senior official "happened to spot the mistake"........ What "Nuclear Safety"?

AECL is "DOWNPLAYING" this incident?  This is inexcusable --and irresponsible.

The Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan isn't even on the list.  We have to wonder if AECL is downplaying that one too. It was considerably worse than Chernobyl. And ongoing. Have YOU heard anything about Fukushima lately? Of course not. It is being "downplayed".


Let's THINK about these issues. And comment on them.

We deserve better from our leaders.

#

Is that Incoming I hear?

1.0   Photo Credit   Jmcdaid Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

2.0       http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/atomic-energy-canada-playing-down-near-miss-ontario-185900047.html

Eternal Hope

2013-04-17T12:53:00.000-04:00

Hope and Faith: May time heal All

The Boston Marathon Bombing April 15, 20013

May those lost rest in peace, and may the families of the victims and the wounded alike heal, gain strength, and find solace and understanding in their faith.

Here at IncomingBytes we wish to pause and reflect on the recent senseless act of terrorism, loss of precious lives and hundreds of injuries that occurred so unexpectedly at the Boston Marathon tragedy on April 15th, 2013.

Our thoughts and prayers are with each and every one of you. We treasure and support our American friends. Let us be fearless in eternal hope and our resolve.
May time bring those responsible to justice --and offer healing to all.

R. A. Kukkee

Is that incoming I hear?

photo credit: Copyright 2011 by wlk photography. This photo may not be copied or reproduced

The Fires of Waterland: Book Signing Event SUCCESS !

2013-04-14T00:13:00.000-04:00

Books and Reviews !

The "Meet the Author & Book Signing Event" that was held at the Nolalu Eco Centre to introduce The Fires of Waterland on Friday, April 12th was a great success!

In spite of terrible weather, a heavy snowstorm, the event went ahead as planned. The reading and book signing was well-attended by hardy souls who braved heavy snow and really bad road conditions to attend.

What a Surprise! The Fires of Waterland is in PRINT!

Reading: The Fires of Waterland

I wish to offer special thanks to:

Jacomyn Gerbrandy, hostess at the beautiful Nolalu Eco Centre for so generously hosting this milestone event on my behalf,

and

Wendy O'Connor, a fellow writer, for her kind words of introduction,

and

Wendy K., Jane, Wendy O., Dodie, and Jacomyn for providing coffee, snacks and baking for our guests! Lots of cookies!

Most notably, I would like to extend a special thanks to our determined and brave guests, who negotiated absolutely terrible road conditions and heavy snow to attend.

Some of our hardy guests in the ensuing book discussion

Book Signing --The author with Wendy O'Connor

Your interest in my writing efforts and The Fires of Waterland is much appreciated! I do thank each and every one of you! Again, thank you, everyone! Your kindness will not be forgotten.

Sincerely,
Raymond

Is that Incoming I hear?

Book Signing Event

2013-04-01T11:28:00.001-04:00

Another Milestone!

Here at Incoming Bytes, I am always delighted to announce milestones, and show signs of progress. Spring is upon us--it is time to move forward fearlessly. It is time to be bold. It is time to get excited! Dear loyal readers, you are all invited to this auspicious occasion--whether in body or in spirit to help celebrate this milestone!

The Fires of Waterland Book Signing Event

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED !

MEET THE AUTHOR & BOOK SIGNING EVENT
WHEN: Friday, APRIL 12, 2013 3:00-5:00PM Doors open 2:00-6:00

WHERE :     NOLALU ECO CENTRE
                 50 FIRST RD.
                  NOLALU, ON

The Event:

Raymond Alexander Kukkee will present his newly-released novel The Fires of Waterland and offer a brief reading and discussion about this 5-star work of fiction. A limited number of copies will be available for purchase and signing at this event.

For further information contact the author by email at: rkmywest@gmail.com

Is that incoming I hear?

Get Used to it, Jack

2013-03-16T12:43:00.001-04:00

The Light is Upon Us

Wake up!... er....what?   "Get Used to It, Jack!"

Well, it's time to wake up, after all, these echoes are also IncomingBytes, are they not?
As a boy- child once said when he woke me up, little fingers prying open both eyelids for me, "Sun's up, so get up!"
I wipe the sleep from my face. The blue eyes are only two inches away from my own. "Wake up!"

How can we sleep with that kind of sunlight in eyes pried wide open?
Smart kid. Action, reaction, and satisfaction. Persistence pays. "eh?" er...-that would be "huh?" in American.

Get used to it, Jack! The boy pokes the muse, and the muse insists. We are the ~~bored.~~.. tired. We cannot escape. We will be assimilated. Beam me up, anyone! *Note for future reference: "beam me up" is not synonymous with "wake me up" or "get me up" ..... lazybones.
We shall get to enjoy those technical disparities whilst snoozing for another five? Another..two?

Well, not...quite. The child is insistent, and the sun is getting stronger, fast. It is incredibly bright but still -20C according to the thermometer just outside the window. Joking. It's balmy....only -17C. That's much better isn't it? Fact is, we still have 3' of snow in Northwestern Ontario, but ---who's measuring? The sun is the color of daffodils.

I get up with the sun. Most of the time. It's a lifetime habit. Assisted by growling, once in a while, I must admit. Reluctantly, quite often, I must admit.
I can smell the coffee already too. That's a good excuse. The brain registers. Coffee. Hot. That does it every time. Hit the deck. Get used to it, Jack! Cold red oak wakes the feet up in no time.

It seems that here on Incomingbytes.blogspot.com we have been procrastinating, ~~playing hookey~~, ~~m.i.a.~~ , ~~absent~~ on a bit of a hiatus, or...something, ~~a sabbatical,~~    ~~'taking some time off~~ -well, not intentionally, you understand, just doing something else which is supposed to be as good as a rest, or so they say. Who is 'they' anyway?
.....I wonder which ~~goofy~~ tired blog-person first said that whilst the eyelids were propped up with toothpicks?
Do you feel like that sometimes? If so, you, too, cannot resist. You, too-- shall be assimilated.
We have been busy, assimilated by life itself. Working on my new website, incomingbytes.com , including blog and author portfolio.

We have also been launching The Fires of Waterland, my hot new novel published by Redmund Productions. We have been admiring the first hands-on paperback copy, of The Fires of Waterland-- which is now the first signed edition, a milestone for any published author.

We have been writing press release sheets. And that doesn't include handouts, setting up book signings, amusing Tilly the Tall and Ebony the Short (T.T.S. and E.T.S, the resident pups) or planning (dreaming about) the garden.

I can tell, I need some more sleep already...Wake up!

Update: THIRD Edition!

Notice....... on the sidebar, the 3rd Edition of The Fires of Waterland (2016) is now available on Amazon in print and eBook!

Why is this story so important?...because...

"Fire changes everything but the past....Feel the HEAT....

Is that Incoming I hear?

Great news! Fires of Waterland in Print! ** UPDATED

2013-02-02T10:55:00.000-05:00

Great news! Things just got a whole lot hotter.

UPDATE: The original Redmundpro edition The Fires of Waterland is no longer available.
*Contact email rkymwest@gmail.com

The Fires of Waterland (*redmundpro.com edition) is no longer available

*this edition no longer available online
* Limited print copies of this edition may still be available from the author.

Watch for the 2nd edition of The Fires of Waterland to be released August, 2014 !

Is that Incoming I hear?

Solar THIS

2013-01-22T12:32:00.001-05:00

The sun is shining. The biggest source of heat in our immediate universe, so why does it have to be so cold?
The snow squeals beneath your feet as you walk on it. T.T.T. and E.T.S. --as my loyal readers know, those would be Tilly the Tall and Ebony the Short, our resident pups with fur. They step gingerly when it's that cold. Tires get flat spots overnight. Engines balk. Batteries freeze.

Here at Incoming Bytes it was no less than -38C this morning. Chilly, even for Northwestern Ontario. For the metric challenged, that's within a hair of -38F too, since at -40C the temperature is also -40F --right on the button.

Since all that heat and power is up there, shining down upon us so freely, why do we not take more advantage of it?

These are 'cute little solar toys' that run all day, every day when the sun is barely visible--even when the sky is gray and dull.

If toys will work so happily with solar power, with no batteries, why won't the rest of the world?
Must we pollute and destroy the environment with dirty oil? No.

We have a choice to make, and soon. Let us *choose carefully. All life on this earth depends upon it.

*What will your choice be?

Is that Incoming I hear?

Video by r.a.kukkee

Fires of Waterland and MORE at Redmund

2013-01-15T12:23:00.000-05:00

Is that Incoming I hear? Books at Redmund...

The Fires of Waterland

Life itself,-- never mind writing, publishing and launching books like The Fires of Waterland and then reading 5-star reviews and getting great feedback, compliments, and wonderful comments --it's all heady stuff isn't it?

Here at Incoming Bytes I'm happy to say that's what happened, The Fires of Waterland seems to be a worthy project, progressing well and going into print Feb. 13/13 or before.

It's interesting to note that in the excitement of launching FOW, ---I seem to have overlooked another eBook I have been involved with as a co-author.

Note: Updated: Aug/2014 The Redmund edition of The Fires of Waterland is no longer in print.

A number of authors at Redmund Productions (Redmundpro.com) have conspired to put together a collection of flash fiction, mini-stories inspired by the M3 Blog, and written specifically with limited word counts.

The resulting book Flash in the Pan is also available at the Redmundpro book store.

Best of all, it's FREE! Download your copy today!

While you're at it, check out some of the other great books offered by Redmund Productions!

The Girl in the Iron Lung by Gail Thornton

Jabberweil Hunt by Ian M. Shaw

Songs of Angels by Ian M. Shaw

Money & Memories by Laurie Childree

Fractal Dreams by Janet Russell

The Regret of a Flower by Gail Thornton


A Month of Mental Moments by Liz Campbell

Book Reviews: Fires of Waterland

2013-01-03T16:55:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

I am happy to announce to my loyal readers here at Incoming Bytes
that the very first review of my novel, “The Fires of Waterland” has been received.

FIVE STAR RATING !

Cover Art for The Fires of Waterland

You can read ALL of the latest reviews as they come in here!

http://redmundpro.com/authors/raymond-kukkee/reviews-fow/

The Fires of Waterland was published by Redmund Productions and is classified as YA-Historical fiction.

The Fires of Waterland is now available at the RedmundPro bookstore in Kindle, ePub, and .mobi formats, and will soon be available also in softcover print.

How about that? Isn't this cool?

|***I wish to thank Red Dwyer at Redmund Productions for her wonderful suggestions, encouragement, editorial skills, wisdom–and incredible patience. Much appreciated, Red!

Overall? Not a bad start for 2013, The Year of the Writer.

Let us move into this New Year with prosperity, but above all, appreciation of others and peace and joy in our hearts.

Is that Incoming I hear?

Happy New Year !

2012-12-31T23:46:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year, Everyone!

I wish everyone the best, most prosperous and Happy 2013 possible from Kakabeka Falls, up here in Northwestern Ontario.

Here at Incoming Bytes it's always tough to see time--a whole year-- fly by so fast.

The year 2012 has been wonderful in many ways.

My friends, family and associates have all been thoughtful, generous, creative, and supportive. Loyal readers and followers provided tremendous encouragement to keep going. The inspiration I have received from loyal friends and dedicated followers during 2012 is the force that has kept me moving on, dreaming, creating and writing.

It's been a tough and challenging year in some respects, with major world events, war, flooding, storms, and terrible, even unbelievable human tragedies.
Predicted, but failed apocalyptic events unfulfilled.
The end of the world yet..that was a biggie. There were smaller events that caused more pain.

Tragedies great and small took place, some close at hand and expected, and personal losses of loved ones occurred that cannot be equated with anything tangible other than the terrible sense of loss --and equally, the sense of optimism that must necessarily follow.

I lost a friend in August, Mr. John Angus Carter III, an American from Barkhamsted, Connecticut-- perhaps the last of his breed. We worked on a number of projects together. John left a legacy of written works, many unfinished. A brilliant thinker, geologist, and great writer, John was above all, a good friend. He will be missed.

Meantime, the rest of the world shall carry on with new excitement and renewed optimism. Let us maintain our faith, optimism, offer eternal kindness to all others, --and grant understanding and help to those that have perhaps failed to meet unrealistic expectations.

Let us move on into 2013 with a sense of joy, love and a fresh outlook on life, and not only set new goals, but achieve them victoriously.

Happy New Year, to everyone, especially to my very BEST friends.
Each of you knows who you are ! I thank you.

Raymond

Is that Incoming I hear?

Harper's New Legacy : Be Chinese.

2012-12-11T13:39:00.000-05:00

by Raymond Alexander Kukkee

The light of truth is blinding...

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has left a new legacy for Canadians: Become Chinese

We will soon be living in Chinada and speaking Mandarin.
We won't have to worry about the well-being of Canadians or our historical friends the Americans on the world's longest undefended border.
We won't have to worry about Quebec separatists.
We won't have to worry about speaking Quebecois
We won't have to wonder if our flag has a maple leaf.   Why?
It will all be Chinese.

In an 'oil deal' that 99.9% of logical, thinking Canadians did not want, China's state-owned oil giant CNOOC has been allowed to take over Canada's Nexen, a $15B mistake. A huge swath of the Canadian oil sands will now be under the control of the Chinese government.

We cannot believe our eyes. This decision casts shame on the "Harper government" --And yes, let us, in this instance, call it what it IS...the "Harper government". It certainly does not represent the interest of Canadians.

Is this deal good for Canada? NO. Let us exclude the opinions of short-sighted politicians with their own self-serving agenda, greedy oil barons and foreign national communists alike, who will make billions of dollars.
Let us totally ignore the Alberta "government" , which is blinded and inebriated by oil fumes and ~~doesn't~~ ~~give a royal crap what they do as long as they make money from dirty oil at any environmental cost,~~ prancing in delight at the prospect of big piles of money, regardless of the iron-clad guarantee of an unprecedented environmental disaster the size of Nova Scotia.

The question should be:

Since when is it in the interest of Canadians to sell control of Canadian resources to a foreign Communist nation?
What is this government up to?   Should we "follow the money?" The truth always comes out.
The approval of the Nexen-CNOOC deal will change Canada forever.

This huge mistake is reminiscent of a previous huge mistake by the "Diefenbaker Conservatives" to kill off the AVRO ARROW -an incredibly bad error in judgment and a decision that destroyed Canada's huge technological lead in the aviation industry.
This huge mistake is also reminiscent of another HUGE mistake by the "Mulroney Conservatives", the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which made billions of dollars for big Corporate North America, but did nothing for ordinary Canadians. Canadians continue to pay incredibly high prices for comparable products.

NO disrespect, but all Canadians should be asking this question:

Like the "Diefenbaker Government", why is this Harper Conservative "government" so short-sighted?

Why do arrogant Conservative governments repeatedly make basic, essential errors in government that ARE huge mistakes, unmitigated disasters with bad long-term consequences?

It seems only Stephen Harper himself could make a decision as bad as John Diefenbaker's AVRO Arrow decision was.
To wit: It will now cost Canadians $60B to "buy" jet fighters that still cannot out-perform the highly advanced, high-performance Avro Arrow scrapped some 50 years ago.
John Diefenbaker sold out to the USA aviation industry, and now Stephen Harper somehow appears to believe it's a fine idea to allow a sell-out of Canadian resources to China--at any cost.

A couple of days ago I was walking around in "Canadian" Tire, a 'big' Canadian retailer that now sells everything made in China.
No matter what I picked up to look at, it was "Made in China". From baking pans to dishes to appliances to tools. Soft goods, hardware, everything in between. "Made in China". Canada --has now been 'made by China" but let us not be TOO impolite.

North America has lost the ability to produce anything. How sad for Canadians. How sad for North America. It's NOT for lack of rich people or a dearth of investment money in Canada or the USA. Follow the money. It is going offshore to Asia.

Increasingly, little of anything is now manufactured in North America because "big Corporate North America" and the rich can make bigger profits and more money outsourcing in China--where virtual slave labour, uneducated people, being paid slave labour rates, and living in poverty --under iron-fisted Communist rule-- are the labour force of choice.There are virtually NO environmental regulations in China, as witnessed by the horrific, stifling and deadly pollution that is everywhere.

With the CNOOC takeover of Canadian oil approved, Harper's recently gutted environmental rules will come in handy to China. Environmental concerns will be ignored "the Chinese -Harper way"
Pollution in, and destruction of Canada's north is now assured to be the planet's biggest environmental disaster.

CNOOC will also "conveniently" now dictate the necessity of construction of the Northern Gateway Pipeline through the pristine BC coast line --an earthquake prone area. Our "trusted Conservative politicians" who have known this from the very start will 'throw up their hands like foolish children and say "Well, what can we do, it's "our" industry"...... and "acquiesce smugly" -- knowing they had this planned all along.

Now that the deal is approved, the government "swears" there won't be any more deals like these? We know better.   ALL Canadians know that Conservatives, like most politicians, say what is convenient to their egos and pockets at the time. The truth eventually proves them to be blatant liars and deceivers and as such, unfit to govern. We "wrested concessions from China in this deal?? Let us now laugh in disbelief at the blatant lies.

China is already laughing; they will also laugh and walk away from the unprecedented ecological disaster and Canada will be without remedy after the oil sands resources are depleted, and China will 'conveniently' move on to target other resources.

This is a sad day for Canada.   Harper's new 'legacy'. Be Chinese. Be happy. be stupid. Shop. Pat ourselves on the head.
Let the government run the important things".

We are far too polite to say what should be said.

The fact is, this decision is a betrayal of the trust of Canadians.
This is not only an issue of sovereignty over Canadian resources, it is an issue of lack of common sense and short-sighted, very poor governance.

Stephen Harper and the Harper Government" must resign in shame. We no longer have any confidence in this government. This agreement must be reversed.

Is that Incoming I hear?

The Writing Life: Self-Restraint: An Admirable Vice

2012-12-06T11:33:00.002-05:00

by Raymond Alexander Kukkee

"Know thyself" --a fine ancient adage, is it not?

I'm kind of an old-fashioned type. I know that, and perhaps I always have been. I like tradition, the 'expected' and edifying practices rooted deeply in the past, simply because such things are the bleached bones of my heritage.
I enjoy beautiful things. I have an Achilles' heel for pets and wildlife, gardens, trees, sunflowers, Mother Nature's creations in water, rock, and sky. Old cannons, rich dark chocolate, coconut trees, toasted cinnamon bread with coffee, amethyst clocks and pirate chests filled with gold.
Loyal readers continue to amaze me, as do other writers, my friends, those incredible scribblers of all things fascinating, good, creative people who continue to challenge me to get better; dictionaries, sultry, hot, sexy women, and bold, self-confident thinkers. Solid-minded people displaying innovation and intelligence invariably pique my interest.
Literature, fiction, poetry, the spice of everything, you name it, I like it. Savouring the English language is one of these rare, beautiful treasures; the world of literature is a richly spiced jewel that should be polished and tasted with vigour. It should be enjoyed. That is why I write.
The simple act of creating and scribbling such tomes should equally be practiced,enjoyed, and above all, protected.
Although literary perfection, Latin, and old English are now as rare as exotic orchids, -- and chests of pirate gold aren't appearing upon the doorstep of most writers anywhere soon, dreams of literary elegance persist. We dream creativity into reality. We dream of success. We work at creating beauty, fiction,excitement and perfection for those around us. For the world. For civilization. For the future.

Word mills, content mills, writing traps for novices, set up with their own self-serving agenda, show the opposite, pay no more than lip service to creativity or the practice of traditional ethics. The industry is preoccupied with money instead.
Greedy word mills are being revealed for what they are, and as a result are displaying instability and imminent failure. We now know it's a great idea to not only read, but understand the self-serving 'terms of service' that can be changed daily without notice. It is ever more essential to be aware.
In fact, the written word, "articles" today, as delightful as they are, often buy the writer into a trap.
Caveat emptor.
I'm not delighted with this trend to the brazen practice of ~~commandeering and theft~~ 'lesser' ethics in the industry that has been taking advantage of, and damaging creativity.    This is not a 'good' change for civilization. We resist change naturally, but it is difficult to watch, being traditionalist in nature. Great civilizations require unparallelled creativity and art in all forms.

Should creative minds be forced to a constant state of alert for ~~hosers, thieves, profiteers~~ less than ethical corporate interests, greedy, arrogant, non-creative people who willfully and brazenly take advantage of the creativity of others?

The growing specific lack of ethics in the industry annoys the hell out of me.
I don't like that trend. Why?   Changing to lesser ethics for profit is inexcusable.
Writers, thieves and court jesters alike have their own reasons for existing. What are yours?
We can now laugh raucously. We have diligently practiced the fine art of self-restraint with gusto; a few months of generic self-improvement. Where the good old-fashioned rant is concerned, self-restraint is an admirable vice.
I have no idea how long I'll be able to hold out, how about you?
At times I think I'm too polite. Is it because I'm Canadian?
Call in the cavalry. Load the grape shot.

Is that Incoming I hear?

photo credit:    (c)2011 WendyLee Kukkee   (wlk photography)

Social Media: Damoclean Pot

2012-12-04T13:51:00.001-05:00

The Age of Light is Upon Us

Human beings using social media have increasingly discovered the delights of stretching the limits of reckless anonymity. Anonymity. The marginal propensity to hide in cyberspace while allowing one's self the careless use of four-letter 'words'.
The fact is, wanton, reckless, and at times, --~~brazen taboo crap~~ inappropriate redundant language is seemingly inserted in communication to raise the 'status' without thought or concern.

Is it inserted to attract attention, or assign instant importance to jaded, insecure or pathetic lives? Does it enhance stature, relevance, or draw an audience to the previously ignored?
I don't know.
Perhaps the status quo is a sign of collective societal insecurity. Immaturity. Inability to distinguish between foul potty mouth and actual communication. Is this a dearth of parental teaching?

I have to be honest, from the point of view of a writer, it seems like deterioration of civilization itself. It seems we are, unfortunately, at a crossroads; Perhaps people are blissfully and totally unaware of the effect of scribbling, keyboarding, or texting chopped, deviate combinations of words, whatever be the method or the message.
It seems at times that nobody cares about what they are exposed to, or what the effect of such unmitigated, liberally applied and questionable values of filth may have upon their children. The true long-term effect will not be seen in civilization for some time.
I'm guessing our tasteless melange of social media and rudimentary foul language ultimately will inflict a cost.

Where does "potty mouth" originate from on social media sites like Facebook? Have traditionally taboo, detestable, four-letter invectives become fashionable? The associated symptoms are easily spotted. Hedonism. Jaded narcissism. Warped, over-the-edge humor. Commandeered language and blatant ignorance.

Does Potty Brain not recognize that " Potty Mouth" reflects directly upon character, person, background, parents, upbringing, nature, essence, the very spiritual being?

From strictly a human standpoint, in simple terms, which part of 'a foul mouth suggests a foul mind' is so hard to understand?

It seems it takes little to destroy one's image. It takes no practice at all to foam off at the mouth in a rude, crude interlude and begin sliding into that stinking morass; it is deceptively easy to succumb.

For the last couple of years I have been curtailing my thoughts on this distasteful aspect of social media, zipping the lip. I cannot tell a lie though. In truth we....are not impressed.
There are always better ways to express sentiment.

Go ahead, do feel free to speak as you will. Here's the plan. Use whatever language you wish; the English language is changing, but...for the record, --the reward, justice at its finest; the full chamber-pot --is hanging high above us by the proverbial Damoclean thread. Will it be your next 'word' or thought that breaks the thread?

Think about it.

Is that Incoming I hear?

Heads, Tails, or the Edge?

2012-12-04T12:34:00.000-05:00

  UPDATE

SoWrite.Us Competition: Best First Chapter

Unbridled optimism. I don't know about you, but here At Incoming Bytes I like to believe that hope springs eternal from proactive optimists. Proactive optimists, worth repeating. Horseshoes and four-leaf clovers are lucky. "Holes-in-one" happen. We believe good stuff does happen to those who wait, and sometimes luck of the draw is just that, short straw, long straw, heads, tails spin-of-the-bottle for a kiss. Luck is magic and illusion, balancing on the thin edge of life itself.
Sometimes it pays to get proactive and jump in feet first,get in it to win it, or die trying.

At SoWrite.us.com my entry in the November Fiction " Best First Chapter" contest created by Jim Bessey was successfully submitted without a hitch. Didn't even have to die trying!

Wow! In return, we received some great news. It went better than usual for me. Proactivism worked!

I was amazed to learn,-- my very own entry,  From Raggs: The Bent Man
   -----was awarded first prize ...$50.00 !! Wow!

Did I get to see the cash?

You bet!   For contest doubters, you will be happy to know that prize money offers from SoWrite.us are real. The cash arrived almost within the hour.   Thanks, Jim!

Nice, and just in time for Christmas!   Ho -Ho-Ho !
How about that? Here comes Santa!

We must congratulate co-finalists, Glory Lennon and Teresa DePoy --and all other competitors for for their wonderful entries. Special thanks to judges Amanda and Tamara for their hard work and particularly difficult decision. It's so hard to make a thin dime stand on edge!
--and to Jim and SoWrite.us......Thanks again!

Maybe unbridled proactive optimism isn't such a bad thing after all?

Is that Incoming I hear?

Photo credits: courtesy of SoWrite.us.com with thanks.

It's a Long Road

2012-11-25T14:18:00.004-05:00

The first half of a long road...and Yes, that's a big hill....

I sit in the warmth of the living room, watching small snowflakes wandering about in the breeze outside the window, some flying up and about, trying to escape their destiny. It is snowing again. Lightly, almost casually, you know the kind of snow coiffed weather-girls on television make official reports about, calling them 'flurries' and 'accumulations'.
The odd fist-sized clump of snow, large snow-flake wannabe's, fall from the sky, perhaps from tree branches disturbed in the breeze, or perhaps it's conjured, unified snowflake effort to make us take the dark sky seriously,-- but casual flurries these are, not like the day before yesterday.

That afternoon started out with rain, light, easy, gentle- 'showers' they would call them, then a steady drizzle, of consistent, larger drops, then heavy, determined rain, not just annoying wet air. Shortly after that, close to dark, there were even bigger raindrops pelting, driven with intent, but white snowflakes began coming, confusing, then commandeering the mix.

Under cover of darkness, a genuine Northwestern Ontario snowstorm took over, the kind that leaves a foot of snow in a short while. It was a foot, all right, even more. Not bad for the 23rd of November though, it could have been a lot earlier. In some ways, a firm but gentle reminder of winter to be, but not the vicious, unforgiving kind.

Our road, an idyllic half mile of rough gravel, -a country side road once optimistically called a "concession" - is snowed in yet again. Yes, it's a long road when it has over a foot of snow on it. Wondering if I will be able to get out to the highway and carry on as normal, I call a neighbour who usually navigates up the road with a big yellow grader, clearing the snow as regular as clockwork every year, late or not.
This time it's anyone's guess, I wait for a moment for the hesitant answer and got one.
" No, the other plow's not available, nobody wants to work, I'm plowing myself" , the tired plow operator says,--well, paraphrased, you understand.
"I gotta get some supper. We gotta train a new man, wanna learn how to operate a snow plow?" he asks.
Taken aback, I mumble to myself, quietly paraphrased, you understand, I thank him graciously and get off the phone so he can go have supper, hopefully he'll get to my road overnight. Not likely, he's working 20 miles away. .

I seriously and sleeplessly contemplate all options available, and all night too.
I have commitments, appointments, business, stuff to take care of, and so does the better half. We're food self-sufficient, but we still don't like to be snow-locked for a week or so.
Hm...a grader...I would get to park that behemoth in my front yard. A big 360 hp 30 foot long yellow key to freedom with diesel engine, a snow wing and 16ft. moldboard--the key to freedom. I mumble to myself. My intrepid DIY character surfaces. I almost decide to go for it.

When daylight breaks, I clean the ice and snow off of my 20-year old Jeep. It has good tires, and a Diehard battery, but not much else. Not surprising, the doors are frozen shut. Freezing rain does that.
I use a 24" goose-neck pry bar creatively, not too over-judiciously whacking the door handle a few times to free the lock. I still have to pry the door open anyway. Surprisingly, the ignition isn't frozen. The engine turns over reluctantly, coughs, and starts,-- not surprisingly, but complaining bitterly.
The passenger door is frozen solid too. Whack that sucker a dozen times. Pry it open too. ow the door buttons are frozen in the depressed position. That's depressing. Out comes lock lube spray. The buttons pop out.. The other doors I don't bother with. I'm not a back seat driver. Who need's'em.

I coax T.T.T. AND E.T.S.,-- that would be Tilly the Tall and Ebony the Short, the resident pups, into the truck for company with little effort, they smile and wag their tails encouragingly as I jamb the old Jeep into gear. It groans, and the frozen wheels snap free of the ice, but putting the pedal to the metal, it moves. I get to bust the road open. A foot of snow or more, even with a couple of waggly frozen snowmobile-enthusiast tracks already confusing the straightness of the directionability required to stay out of deep ditches,-- isn't too much for a by now cranky and rusty old DIY'er, --and a 4x4 with good snow tires.
I run the half mile gingerly, avoiding swerving into deep ditches, creeks and culverts, and boldly crash, without pause, through the 3 foot snowbank left across the highway junction by the highway plow. Right at the stop sign it is. I start breathing again.
Not bad. I crash the snowbank back in again, and drive the half mile back home, carefully widening the wavering, busted tire- track slots, and then run the road four or five more times, widening them. The pups agree, now it's a 'winter road' and time for coffee.

We get out after a while to where we were headed, as required, right on time, too.
I no sooner get home, not enough time to grab a coffee, than the T.T.T. and E.T.S. excitedly announce 'here comes the grader'. I check it out, and yes, a yellow behemoth, blue lights flashing, is threading it's way up the road, but something is seriously wrong. The progress is painfully slow.
A truck is sitting down on the road, behind the moving grader, -but there's also a parka-clad man standing in front of the slowly-moving grader, right on my end of the road.
I walk out to see what's happening, expecting to see the regular operator and thank him, expecting to perhaps be needed to make a call for a service truck for the ailing grader.
I end up talking to the trainer instead.
"He's new, " he said. "he's in training".

A NW. Ontario-sized Snow Grader

The neophyte grader operator-trainer eventually reaches the end of the road where we stand, while he awkwardly turns the big machine around. It takes a couple of tries to find reverse, lift the blades, and get it right. It's a big turnaround, but it's also a huge machine. He stops, and the trainer gives him additional instruction. The operating cab has a dozen or more controls to play with. He tries them all. Graders do weird stuff, so he discovers, but eventually, he's got it set more or less right. Maybe.

Damn, I could do better than that, I think to myself. Train me instead, I want to tell the man. I resist the urge, and watch.
I know from past experience driving big tank trucks that at first, maneuvering a behemoth of a vehicle feels like driving a three-bedroom side-split up the sidewalk. Unfamiliar with the controls, he adjusts, talks to the trainer, and painfully, eventually, threads his way back down the narrow road out toward the highway again, almost removing the snow behind him.
A passable job. I probably would have liked doing that. After a while, it would be as easy as driving a yellow taxi with a fly stuck on the hood.
I contemplate. I go back to my writing. Maybe next time. That's life. It's a long road.

Is that Incoming I hear?