Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Jobs for the 21st Century


Outsourcing and automation put downward pressures on the demand for blue-collar labor during the best of times. However, in the wake of this historic slow-down, positions that have been absorbed by other workers or taken over by computer robotic systems are never coming back. Next time you pick up groceries, take note of how many of the supermarket cashiers have been replaced by self-checkout stations, or how, when you call your doctor's office, there's an automated message system instead of a medical secretary getting you a prescription or test results. Experts warn that when this recession ends, we will most likely see yet another jobless recovery, a term used to describe this distinctively post-industrial phenomenon of economic growth that comes without firms hiring workers.
So just what are the jobs of the 21st Century?
This is not something to be afraid of--it's something to work with. Stop being nostalgic for the jobs of yesteryear and look ahead.
Is GM going to be hiring as many people to work on the line? Hell no.
GM and big businesses like GM are gone as we knew it--they're pretending it will all work out in the end (and it will) but not the way they lead you to believe. Never like it was before.
(Is anything EVER like it was before, for heaven's sake? Learn something!)
Start thinking ahead. What should we be preparing our kids for? What kinds of work will there be once McDonald's starts selling Big Macs out of vending machines?
You know they'll do it. That's progress and that's how the profits are made.

Woman. Writing.


Yes, the book I threatened everyone with is done. Now I have to get a publisher--I'll do it too.

Statement of Truth: I would love to write like John Updike or Joseph Heller or William Faulkner but I'm just a goofball with a yen to write something so don't expect anything profound from me. Just entertaining and yet written above a third grade reading level.

I went out and bought a couple of romantic suspense books to see what kind of stuff was in the stores and I'm here to say that there's a lot of crap out there. So, I think I'll add some of my own crap to the pile.

To prepare for this writing adventure, which has been and continues to be, a laugh-riot--I've taken some writing courses through Gotham Writer's.
I've learned a lot. For on-line instruction they're pretty good, lots of instructor and student participation.
People who are writing romantic suspense range far and wide--lots of vampires these days. And demons.
But there are so many categories of romantic fiction! I'm amazed.
And so many rules.
I'm old though and I say the hell with rules so finding a publisher may not be so easy.
Because I'm old and I have so much pent up aggression, I was just aching to blow somebody up!
BOOM. Ick. Gone. Fun.
And let me tell you about sex. Lots of erotic romance out there...did you know that there are books that can go on for PAGES AND PAGES of whacked out upside down sex between all combinations and numbers of men and women and yet all the women manage to remain virgins??? It's like magic.
Now I'm just as manipulative as the next writer but I like to at least lean toward the real world so you won't find any virgins in anything I write.
Lots of fantasy being written too--I will never even try it--after Alice in Wonderland and Lord of the Rings, why bother?
Historical Romance.
Hysterical Romance.
Inspirational Romance--this is good--lots of god involvement. I attach another picture because although I haven't asked any of my characters if they're believers or not none of them really care about the old voyeur. They just dig in and have at it.
I start another class next week--after all, I really would like to write good crap.
I'll keep you posted.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Goddesses...and gods

There are a few goddesses (and gods) left in the world.
They are the ones who will not bow to the ramblings of the ignorant, cretinous or moronic, of which there seem to be more and more. Why is that?
Somebody tell me.
(This means you...and it has to make sense.)

All summer tantrums have been being thrown, heels have been pounding on floors and the cries of them that's been thrown out of office have been heard in the land. Are these the tantrums of children just before they realize it's time to grow up, or just before they steal Dad's cigarette lighter to torch the place?

I'm thinking the latter. Boneheads!

So, the TacomaGals from their widely scattered places of residence are dusting it off to take another wack at the wackos, the fear-mongers and the liars.

But we'll write about other stuff as well. There's a lot of good stuff happening in the world and we'll rejoice over it at frequent intervals. Come along...join in.

Just remember that it has to make sense or be funny.

Love,
TG's