Musings
Here is where I write my thoughts about anything and everything. Except politics. At times it may be about writing. Or perhaps a new poem. Or an excerpt from a story or new book. Or news of things happening that are important to me. Post comments if you like, but please be respectful. Become a subscriber and you will receive new Musings via email.
One more thing. You'll see a category for Business, with an emphasis in project management. I have a master's degree in Project Management from Penn State and have worked in Information Technology for several years. Some Musings will address writing as it pertains to that field.
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First Update of 2022
So much can happen in a year. Covid introduced itself to me in November of 2021, and while the first week we were uncomfortable together, the second week it let me know it definitely was not friendly. Even after Covid was gone, it took a few months to recover my energy levels pre-Covid. Book fairs…
Stories of Injustice
It has been a few months since I have written for my site, so it is time to provide some updates on my thoughts and what I have been doing. First, in my last post I predicted that after the November elections (in which President Biden won) things would calm down concerning the virus…
The Rest of 2020
I’ve been hidden away for quite some time, working on personal matters. I have not been writing much lately, probably because of all the distractions with the quarantines, the riots, and the general heightened sense of friction within our country. I hold the opinion that much of this will clear up after the November elections.…
My Thoughts and Politics
For the most part, I have maintained neutrality when it came to expressing my opinions about the current environment as it pertains to COVID and the quarantines. In light of the events of the past few months, and the reality that I actually have opinions, I’ll offer some of them in this post. My first…
Do Many Things
The quickest way to do many things is to do only one thing at a time. ~The Irish Digest
Pleonasms – 1
What are pleonasms? They are redundant redundancies! A pleonasm, as defined by Dictionary.com, is “the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.” Such as “redundant redundancies.” They are difficult to spot because of habits we have formed in our speech patterns, particularly when we believe using more words (adjectives in particular) provides clarity…
Coronavirus and Quarantine
These days are interesting, to say the least. It is certainly a difficult time for those who have suffered from the Coronavirus, and many have passed. Quarantine resulting from the threat of Coronavirus is challenging on many fronts. In my anecdotal experience, most of the people I know are handling it well. Some are a…
Quarantine – Stay Home!
During this difficult time for so many, no appearances are scheduled. Stay safe, everyone!
My Thoughts on Book 1
Well it has taken a very long time, a lot of growth and learning, and seemingly the patience of Job to finally have this book ready for the public. My first thought: WHEW! It took a long time to get here. Those who have said publishing a book is a ton of work had it…
Updated War for the Throne
UPDATE! War for the Throne has been updated with a new cover, new maps, and some minor writing tweaks. Thank you to those who provided feedback to make this a better book. The updated version will be ready Monday, June 3 or Tuesday, June 4 on Amazon!
Malirou Cutorim: War for the Throne Now Available
6/24/2018: Malirou Cutorim: War for the Throne, the new fantasy novel by Stephen R Madden, is now available on Amazon in both print and e-book format. The first in a set of three volumes set in the mystical kingdom of Menlokia, it follows the story of a young prince whose family is murdered and the…
Alex Solz – Happiness
< It is not our level of prosperity that makes for happiness but the kinship of heart to heart and the way we look at the world. Both attitudes lie within our power, so that a man is happy so long as he chooses to be happy, and no one can stop him. ~ Alexander…...
Alex Solz – Optimist vs Pessimist
What is an optimist? The man who says, “It’s worse everywhere else. We’re better off than the rest of the world. We’ve been lucky.” He is happy with things as they are and he doesn’t torment himself. What is a pessimist? The man who says, “Things are fine everywhere but here. Everyone else is better…
Alex Solz – Relationship Between Man and Woman
Like a bicycle, like a wheel that, once rolling, is stable only so long as it keeps moving but falls when its momentum stops, so the game between a man and woman, once begun, can exist only so long as it progresses. If the forward movement today is no more than it was yesterday, the…
Alex Solz – Mistakes
It is not because the truth is too difficult to see that we make mistakes…but we make mistakes because the easiest and most comfortable course for us is to seek insight where it accords with our emotions – especially selfish ones. ~ Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Peace and Violence, 1973
Email is Dangerous!
Most people write email. This is probably the main form of professional communication. Typically we write whatever comes to mind and send it. After all, we have to communicate with others, so no problem. Right? But email is dangerous! Why? Because people make judgments about you based on your email communications. It is possible to…
Why Writing is Often Hard
Have something to say? Most people do, even if they do not always say it. That has been changing in recent years with the rise of social media, particularly as it concerns the airing of personal problems or expressing political opinions. But what about the student given an assignment in class to write a two-page…
Why Do I Write?
I started writing because I love to read and I love to talk. I’ve always loved a good story, which is true of almost everyone. I remember my mom reading Disney stories and the Wizard of Oz to my sisters and me and absolutely enjoying the sound of her voice as the characters and images…