Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

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USPS Smart Locker vs Baby Boomer Author

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I know what you’re thinking. Why do I still have all these? Because I need to get them shredded. I’ve done that for my desktop hard drives and electronic recycled the towers, no problem, but these guys? eClutter. I have to keep Bugs Bunny, right?

Pretty sure my ovaries got scanned at the Post Office last week. (This is not a conspiracy theory.) I was there to pick up mail at my Post Office Box and a package. Didn’t get my usual locker key or yellow note to come to the counter. Instead, a slip of paper with a QR code on it. (We will not discuss my cranky relationship with QR codes right now. I digress.)

Turns out a shiny USPS Smart Locker had been placed in the bay around the corner. I approached the tall pretty blue behemoth against the wall and was trying to figure out how to use the device. Without my reading glasses on, I guessed I needed to punch in maybe six numbers or letters I couldn’t read. Or scan the QR code.

I had the slip hanging in front of my hip bone while I decided if the two little red lights staring at me might be the right place to scan the paper. About three feet away. Next thing I know, the red lights brightened, the box made a noise, and a small upper left door sprang open.

I had not moved.

It appears the machine took action while I dithered.

USPS Smart Lockers

This seems to explain the general state of tech affairs these days. I had some questions about what just happened, but I grabbed my box of Avon goodies and returned to Subie. Sometimes, you just don’t want to know.

As a Baby Boomer, I had to punch tiny holes in lots of stupid paper cards to make one computer program work to earn my business degree in the early 1980s. Then I was required to learn actual code to launch my first author web site in 1997. Let me explain. I am not a techie. Never aspired to that job. Now I use more than twenty-two software programs to publish my books. And counting.

I believe I should get bonus cookie rewards or frequent flier miles for all of these tech shenanigans I’ve had to navigate. That’s not even mentioning five-and-a-half inch really floppy disks, three-inch not floppy disks, my Palm Pilot, two Blackberry phones, and the first Nook.

Don’t get me started on the ramifications of social media if you don’t know what a dial-up modem sounded like with actual AOL mail.

Which is why my heart was so happy recently watching Craft Day on the Home Shopping Network. The host talked about the great uses of an actual camera and the limitations of cell phone cameras. Yes! Preaching to the choir here.

As a former journalist/photojournalist who had to learn to develop film and print photos for the newspaper, before digital, it was a joy to witness fellow camera geeks in 2024. Even if I am still traumatized from losing an entire roll of breaking news photos to contaminated chemicals for a magazine layout, back in the day. Shudder.

I switched to digital cameras in 2006 and haven’t gone back. But I’ve always had a point and shoot or my 35mm digital camera, and my mini-camcorder, as companions. Use the right tool for the job. But I do have two-thousand some photos to get off my phone. Managed to get about five-hundred moved, so, my Android can think again.

Everything requires maintenance. And more memory. Including me.

Now vinyl records are the cool new thing and folks are fascinated with typewriters. And 1970s fashions are all the rage.

I may accidently be in style again.

But since my ovaries haven’t been active for years, due to blessed menopause, I’d like to thank the USPS for giving them a scan.

I believe they appreciated the attention.

Sometimes, technology is useful.

P.S. I know someone will ask about AI, aka Artificial Intelligence. That is a topic for another time… I have thoughts… But first, chocolate.

*****

Still figuring out how to use my rebooted blog. Perhaps life with KAC will be my theme. That opens up SO MUCH possible material. Thanks for reading!

If you liked this blog post, you can choose a free prequel from two of my military romance series, plus get my almost bi-monthly newsletter as a bonus, by going here and providing your email. I know your time and email inbox are precious treasures, so you can unsubscribe at any time. It’s true, my quirky sense of humor is not for everybody. I’m good with that. You decide.

“USPS Smart Locker vs Baby Boomer Author” copyright © 2024 by Kimberly A. Cook. Image at the top of the blog copyright © 2024 Kimberly A. Cook

 

 

Back to the Blog 2024

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The first bloom this year on my Veteran’s Honor rose was on the Fourth of July. Perfect timing!

Life is nuts on earth right now. Add social media into the mix and it can get worse. So, to save my sanity and outfox all the “platforms,” I’m firing up my blog again. My own little online newspaper where my three loyal followers can find out what is going on and maybe crack a smile. We need fun!

I spent this last week holed up in my house due to a heat inversion and got stuff done. Excavated my desk, made file labels for folders, rearranged things, even ironed. A friend was speechless about the ironing part. And I accidently started editing my nonfiction writing book.

Note to fellow writers: when you put a project away to sit for a bit, for the love of plum pudding, leave yourself a detailed note. Because when you return to it twelve years later, you have no flipping clue what you were doing. In spades. Never mind Word 97 is no longer in use and what the flock is a formatted page break?

My current fiction book, Mission: Runaway Hearts, will return in the mail from my editor next week, so I have to get cracking on all the other things. I have a long list of production items and a web site overhaul this year. And it’s July! Marketing next year. I’m pacing myself. Good thing I’m retired from my day job, right?

If you want more details about my upcoming books, you can sign up for my Cookie Sheet newsletter. I seem to be on a barely bi-monthly schedule. When I have a stiff wind at my back. And chocolate.

Hoping to head to the beach for a day trip this next week. With parkas and mittens. We topped out around 104 F (40 C) degrees yesterday, so 62 F (16.6 C) is going to feel like the Antarctic. But a restaurant down there has killer chocolate cake, and I must visit my favorite glass blowing artist to see if I need one more heart for my collection. Plus, I need to research a building in Lincoln City for the writing book. Really. It’s not just a cake trip!

Consider this opening blog across the bow a proof of life. I’m still standing and writing.

(To be honest, I’m sitting.)

Cake hunter, Kim

P.S. I have no idea if I can figure out how to get the comments turned back on after last year’s track back attack. No bots allowed on my watch! My blog. This is a kind people space. Don’t make me come over there… The likes button might work. Ah, tech. The true four-letter word. Cake ahoy!

Sending Valentine Wishes

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The Double Delight rose is one of my favorites. You can see why. From my backyard in a past summertime. Ah, summer. Soon…

They say people give the gifts they want to receive, so I must love cards, Dove dark chocolate, and roses. I do! But I can’t push those things through the interweb, so a photo will have to do. Was going to use a picture of my blooming Yuletide Camillias, but it snowed on them last night. They’re a tad droopy and cold this morning.

So, into the archives! Wanted to share a rose bloom from a while ago.

The thing I love most about today is we celebrate love.

And the world needs so much more love these days.

Only one of many reasons I am proud to be a romance author.

Spreading love every day of the year!

Cheers to more love on our planet.

And the comfort only love can provide in challenging times.

Love is the greatest power in the galaxy.

I hope you take some time to be kind to yourself and others today.

And all the fur babies.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

P.S. Happy 164th birthday to the State of Oregon too! 

 

A Fresh Start For Kindness

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Happy New Year, my fellow earthlings. Think I was kind of waiting to see if we actually made it. So far, so good. Bumpy, but we’re coping.

My goals this year are kindness, play, writing, and decluttering.

While I have been doing the last two, I need serious retraining for play, plus I’m working on kindness by trying to do a good deed each day. If I make you smile, this post counts for today’s good deed.

One article I read a long time ago said if you changed three things in your morning routine, it would turn your world upside down. Can’t even imagine what a multiple-year worldwide tri-demic does, but we’re beginning to find out. Think we are upside down, turned inside out, and floating in space.

While the entire planet is in various stages of flux and upheaval, we can recognize we are all in recovery. And that will take as long as it takes and is individual for each person and animal. Basically, this event screwed everybody, mammals, insects, all organisms.

Kindness to ourselves and others is a powerful way to move forward.

On Dec. 8, 2013, I was standing in the customer service line at Kohl’s to pay my almost overdue credit card bill. My dad had died early that morning, and my family were on our way home from saying goodbye to him at the foster home.

Sleep-deprived, grieving, in shock, and pretty exhausted, I felt like an empty vessel. Standing in line was taking way too much energy. After I paid my bill, the clerk gave me a business card. On it said #SHOWKINDNESS. I held onto that little card as if it was a surprise daisy in winter. I still have it.

You never know how you will touch someone’s life in a positive way. And sweet sea biscuits, we need as much kindness and love as we can produce right now.

Take positive baby steps. Whatever you can handle.

Elizabeth Lyon, a favorite writing instructor, talked about one percent improvement a week at a long-ago writing conference. She said we have to “chop wood and carry water” every day to be better writers.       

That goes for kindness and love too.

In that vein, I’m adding some of my new favorite videos to enjoy. I need more play and nature in my life, and given our winter weather, these videos help a lot.

The Movie Squirrels are from Norway and their humans are working to save the forest for the animals. Let’s do this!

(It’s eight hours, so pace yourselves. I watch it on my TV. You have to see The Nut Bar!)

https://youtu.be/cIvEGjm0qGM

And let’s finish up with some positive news from the Oregon Zoo!

https://youtu.be/gwBkeiHfFds

Gear up people.

Let’s get kindness trending!

It’s Holiday Hustle Time! Or Not

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Holiday hustle
Walked into the big box store on October 17 and was greeted by this. Gah! But isn’t the penguin cute?

Everybody still full of turkey? Not me. Due to my sister’s dental surgery, we opted for spaghetti take-out this year. With garlic cheesy bread. I’d give up the keys to the kingdom for that amazing delicacy. Since I figured spumoni ice cream did not go with pumpkin pie, I adapted and made brownies instead. Worked like a charm. No complaints.

I’ve made my holiday gift list and pulled down the box of Christmas cards to mail. No idea when that will happen. The shoemaker elves appear to have gone to the North Pole for better wages, because they’re not in my house.

My current work in process has moved out of town with my editor, who sold her house and had to move in two weeks flat. It’s a miracle the manuscript isn’t in their storage PODS waiting for delivery. Yes, we are old school. She edits on actual paper. So do I. Computer screens are tricky and can disguise and change words without your knowledge. That’s my excuse and I’m using it.

Then this past week, I decided to rip my home office apart and purge and reorganize books. Do not attempt this without massive amounts of chocolate on hand. Everything was going great until I realized the cable connection would be behind the tall bookcase. Sigh.

A five-day craft project ensued to move the cable box using a sheetrock saw, drill, tape, mud, sanding, and texturing from my construction Ninja friend. My desk and office were draped in pink sheets. Dusting and vacuuming happened. Then I applied two coats of paint after hunting down the original color chip and getting it matched. 

Today the books go in the bookcase!

I think that epitomizes the past couple years. No matter what you start out to do, something is going to make it a challenge. For those of us not quite ready to go prime time with naked faces, heading outside to be with people seems like a complete Indiana Jones type adventure. More snakes and rolling rocks than fun treasure. And that’s okay.

I’ve always walked to a different drummer, expect during Army basic training, but every person on this planet has a story about this pandemic. We’re all doing the best we can, except for the usual outliers who prefer crazy all the time. I’m going for boring.

We’ve had enough drama. With all that is going on in the world, you have my permission to hide under your bed until 2023. I plan on doing that myself.

But I bet I will find dust bunnies I need to clean.

First world problems.

Know there are others out here with anxiety issues, holiday stress, lockdown syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive office rearranging impulses. I’ve got all of those on any given day. Reach out for help when you need it. That makes you a mental health warrior and a badass. Trust me.

We don’t know how to do all the things all the time.

That’s why coaches get big bucks to teach the rest of us how to do things from football to writing.

Same goes for mental health; get a coach if you need one. That might be a friend, a pet, or a professional counselor.

Last time I checked the majority of us were not around during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, so this pandemic rolling dumpster fire is new for all of us. And apparently relentless. Nobody make a song about Covid, flu and RSV unless the Minions sing it.

For those of us in the sexy senior category, it does feel a bit like we have targets on our butts. But don’t count us Baby Boomers or our older scouts out. We grew up without seat belts, bike helmets, the Internet, and cell phones. We have vintage skills, survival know how, and power tools.

And we are happy to welcome the Zoomers, aka Gen Z born 1997 – 2012, to the table who have gotten a baptism by fire and appear up to the challenge. Whatever the cool word is now, you folks are that. I salute you.

As we move into holiday central, be kind to yourself and others.

And feel free to make brownies. It helps.

Thank you to all our veterans, active duty, reserve and guard military members, hospital and medical staff, law enforcement, and fire fighter personnel for keeping us safe 24/7 around the globe.

Santa has you on the very nice list.

Digital hugs to all and to all a good night!

P.S. There are never enough cat videos and this month our local feline celebrity is my favorite! I give you OwlKitty!

 

“It’s Holiday Hustle Time! Or Not,” copyright © 2022 by Kimberly A. Cook. Image at top of the blog copyright © 2022 by Kimberly A. Cook

 

Happy Harvest Time!

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Wandering in the pear trees…

Who swiped summer? Seems I was just chasing critters around my backyard at midnight and now pears and apples are almost ready to pick. If time keeps speeding up like this, I need to buy a new bathing suit right now.

Dashed out of town Wednesday to refill my inner orchard fantasies. Sometimes a girl just needs to sit among growing fruit to find some peace and quiet. Had a wonderful time getting lost in the pear orchards in Parkdale. Very cute town.

Then on to grab cookies and jam at Packer Orchards and Bakery, then lunch by the Columbia River at The Riverside Restaurant in Hood River, Oregon. Having folks deliver tasty food to your table is actually one of the seven wonders of the world. Far as I’m concerned.

A large ship at anchor in the river piqued my interest. Turns out it’s the National Geographic cruise ship Quest! Imagine, science tourism going on right outside our restaurant window. I learned something new and here is a link to check it out. https://www.expeditions.com/itineraries/columbia-and-snake-rivers-journey/   Sign me up!

Part of the reason for the trip to Hood River, besides buying jam and cookies, was to do some research for the book I’m editing. How wonderful is it to be a writer who has to escape to the country and buy treats as part of my writing research?

Since the apples and pears are not ready to pick for two to three more weeks, we have to go back in October. Oh, darn it.

Here’s hoping you’re looking forward to the harvest and finding time to sit under a tree or hug one.

It really helps.

Happy harvest!

P.S. If you want to spy on one of my favorite places, check out http://www.packerorchards.com and

http://www.packerorchards.com/the-bakery

Nothing like an Apple Cider donut snack to refuel! I love hands-on research trips!

(Yes, a bit of wildfire smoke hid the mountain, but donuts help everything.)