Author: Diane

Truckers Convoy: Voice of the People

Diane News Flash , , , , ,

Unless you’re living under a rock or social media ban, you have heard about the estimated 150,000 truckers who are embarking on a journey from their home province to Canada’s capital in Ottawa. Along the way, they are greeted and cheered on by hundreds of thousands of Canadians lining roadways and overpasses. Young and old are waving Canadian flags and holding signs of support. Smiling faces and ‘thumbs up’ give them hope they will prevail in their mission.

No, it’s not our young men suiting up and being transported across the Atlantic Ocean to fight the evil forces to ensure our freedom, but when I watch the videos, it strikes a chord in my heart that feels similar. These trucks aren’t carrying guns and grenades. They’re carrying men and women who are the life line to our supply chain. Without them, all goods stop flowing, store shelves empty and people across the country starve.

They are a force government can’t ignore. Without them, the country collapses.

Continue reading →

Writing for Free Doesn’t Earn a Living

Diane marketing, Writing Business , ,

This post was inspired by Judy Penz Sheluk’s comment on my previous post: My Free Book Promotions on Amazon are Over.

Judy’s Comment

I will not give my books away for free because people do not value free. And I worked 100s of hours to write a book. If someone doesn’t feel that’s worth the price of admission, then I don’t want them in the room. Glad you’ve come around.

My Response

I agree, Judy. The majority of people do not value free. There are a few who will, but the exceptions don’t change the rule. I hadn’t done a free book giveaway for a few years. In January 2021, the promotion came to mind, so I did it even though it didn’t feel comfortable.

Why I Did the Promotion

In the countless marketing articles I’ve read in the past 12 years, the majority of them spoke about how wonderful these giveaways were on Amazon. There were many advantages, including getting reviews.

Continue reading →

My Free Book Promotions on Amazon are Over

Diane My Indie Publishing Experience, Writing Business , ,

Why are my free book promotion days over? Because of this review for Northern Survival:

1 Star: Am I missing something?

Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2021

I’m having a very difficult time relating to all these positive reviews. I made it to page 52 and gave up on these two thoroughly obnoxious characters and gave up on the book. Thank goodness I didn’t pay for it.

Amazon Review
Northern Survival

My last free book promotion took place in January 2021. When I saw this review, if I could have kicked myself in the behind, I would have. I had seen reviews like this for other books, and I always thought, “Beggars can’t be choosie. You got the book for free. Why are you so ungrateful.”

The one-star review doesn’t bother me. Not everyone is going to like my book. That’s a given. Pick any big-name author or popular book with thousands of 4 and 5-star reviews, and you’ll find one-star reviews.

The problem is this little phrase: “Thank goodness I didn’t pay for it.” That grinds my bones. However, the lesson has been learned. I will NEVER again put my books up for free. This will prevent this phrase from ever being added to another review.

Continue reading →

Interesting Quote

Diane News Flash

Stumbled upon this not long ago. It should be on the wall of every government office and on a banner in parliament.

“The most terrifying force of death, comes from the hands of Men who wanted to be left Alone.

They try, so very hard, to mind their own business and provide for themselves and those they love. They resist every impulse to fight back, knowing the forced and permanent change of life that will come from it. They know, that the moment they fight back, their lives as they have lived them, are over.

The moment the Men who wanted to be left alone are forced to fight back, it is a form of suicide. They are literally killing off who they used to be. Which is why, when forced to take up violence, these Men who wanted to be left alone, fight with unholy vengeance against those who murdered their former lives. They fight with raw hate, and a drive that cannot be fathomed by those who are merely play-acting at politics and terror.

TRUE TERROR will arrive at these people’s door, and they will cry, scream, and beg for mercy… but it will fall upon the deaf ears of the Men who just wanted to be left alone.”

Author Unknown

Gardening YouTube Channel Launch

Diane News Flash , ,

I’m addicted to gardening as much as I am writing. I write about gardening a lot on my McGyver page. In the early 2000s, I wrote a gardening column called Garden Tales. It appeared for a few years in several newspapers published in Nova Scotia.

For some time, I’ve thought about resurrecting the column, but I’ve opted instead for a YouTube channel. After all, it is a column, only a visual one.

Today, I launched Gardening Magic with my introduction video. It’s available here: Introducing Gardening Magic.

If you want to learn more about gardening, please subscribe. If you like the video, hit the LIKE button and leave a comment. I aim to keep videos short and to the point. Ten minutes or less.

Happy Gardening.

Planting a garden is believing in the future.

Trudeau and Hate Speech

Diane News Flash , ,

If the courts don’t stand up for Canadians, we’re screwed.

On January 4th, Peter R. MacIsaac allegedly filed “a formal criminal code complaint against Justin Trudeau”. I assume these complaints stem from the interview this idiot gave on the Quebec television show La semaine des Julie where he called those who rejected the experimental inoculation “racists” and “misogynists” He also posed the question whether or not his Liberal Regime should tolerate these freedom lovers.

I found no notice of this complaint in corporate-funded media. I’m not shocked. There were a few sites that posted notice, but the best source is the man filing the complaint. Here’s a screen shot of Peter R. MacIsaac’s Twitter feed.

This is what is being posted around social media.

Political Pandemic Criticized by Professor Qimron

Diane News Flash , , ,

“There is currently no medical emergency, but you have been cultivating such a condition for two years now because of lust for power, budgets and control.”

That sentence comes from an open letter written by Professor Udi Qimron, head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Tel Aviv University and a leading Israeli immunologists. In this letter, he sharply criticizes the Israeli – and indeed global – management of the coronavirus pandemic.

Every word he’s written is spot on. Journalists owned by corporate-funded media should be writing articles about this every day, but you won’t find them. It’s voices like Qimron that will finally bring an end to this political fraud.

The complete letter is available on G. Michael Vasey’s website The Magical World of G. Michael Vasey. Read it here: The Tide is Turning….

Hello Government that serves me,

Diane Uncategorized , ,

I’ve got a problem. You’re too involved in my life. You’re supposed to be seen and not heard. Over the past two years, you have put great effort into taking more control over me and other Canadian citizens. While some have knelt to your demands and look to you as a father figure, there are many who just want to be left alone. We don’t need or want you to be a helicopter mom, hovering overhead and telling us what we can and cannot do. We are adults. We like our freedom. Yes, we fall sometimes and bruise our knees, but that’s okay. We understand there are risks to living on planet Earth. One of those risks is dying.

Which brings me to this medical mandate you are excited to impose upon us. While I know many who flat out reject the COVID inoculation (it ain’t a vaccine), I’ll speak for myself, but there are millions of Canadians who feel this way.

I am a healthy individual. Actually, that doesn’t matter. My age, sex or what I do for a living also doesn’t matter. Nothing in my life matters except that I am a Canadian citizen, and as a Canadian citizen…

Continue reading →

Doctors Speak Out

Diane News Flash , , , , , ,

Two very interesting videos crossed my desk in the past week. They provided information on this political health crisis gripping the world. In many respects, these doctors and individuals are the ones being suppressed by governments. You won’t see these people or this information on Liberal-owned, Bill Gates-funded and drug company-sponsored media.

Why do I say Bill Gates-funded media? He gave 319 million to major news outlets. Here’s one story on Children’s Health Defense website: Conflict of Interest? Bill Gates Gave $319 Million to Major Media Outlets, Documents Reveal. There are many more stories about this money transfer, so go to a source you think is reliable. One is at the Seattle Times.

Continue reading →

Conflicting Realities

Diane Thought for the Day , , , , , ,

When I was young, I absorbed the lessons of my elders. My parents, older siblings, the leaders in my neighbourhood, my teachers and guidance councillors showed me the path I was to follow. It was simple: graduate, attend a secondary education institution, marry, have kids, save for retirement and wait for my golden years to enjoy life.

I tried to do what was expected of me. I failed wonderfully. I hated school, so I studied hard and got good marks so I wouldn’t have to repeat a grade. Once I had served my sentence in high school, I ran. There was no way I was returning to that system of learning. It was horrible.

This was only the start of cutting my own trail off the beaten path.

Continue reading →

Do We Continue to Tolerate Racist Cigarette Smokers?

Diane News Flash , , , ,

Justin Trudeau is done with cigarette smokers. In an interview with the Quebec television show, La semaine des Julie, he described smokers as “extremists”, “misogynistic and racist”.

“There are people who are fiercely against quitting smoking. They are extremists,” he said. “They don’t believe in science and are very often misogynistic and racist. It’s a very small group of people, but that doesn’t shy away from the fact that they take up some space,” he said.

Trudeau asked, “Do we tolerate these people?”

Should we? Or should we ban these citizens from having a voice in Canadian life?

Continue reading →

Touring Northern Labrador by Sail

Diane Thought for the Day , , ,

No, not me, but Ed O’Reilly. I won’t be there for a few years.

This morning, Ed posted a link to his latest video production on an online sailing group I’m connected with. While I enjoyed my tea, my eyes feasted on the scenery of Northern Labrador. That’s in Canada for those who are unfamiliar with our great country.

Here’s the description.

Of Places North 2021: An Introduction is the first in a series of videos that explores the isolated regions of Newfoundland and Labrador. These places are mainly accessible by boat. Solitude, spectacular scenery and emotional experiences make cruising coastal regions of this province memorable. I visit places in Notre Dame Bay, Northern Peninsula, and Southern Labrador.

Ed is a sailor, and you’ll see his ship in the video a few times. His ability to capture the landscape is fabulous. I knew there were a number of abandoned villages along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, but seeing them frozen in time touches the heart in an odd way. The cemeteries, lost and forgotten, create deep emotions with the past. Many have come and gone from these places. While life was harsh, no doubt it was simpler than the grind of modern day.

Continue reading →

Don’t Be the Best in the World

Diane Challenges and Goals , ,

Last week, I made a comment on a gardening video that I had planting more than 100 cloves of garlic in November. I was proud of that accomplishment because I had started two autumns ago with only a few bulbs. Someone commented on my comment and said they had planted more. I think it was around 300.

When I read the comment, my first reaction was disappointment in myself for not having planted as many as they had. Then I thought about my remarkable garlic journey. I keep track of it on my McGyver blog, and the latest update is here: Midgarden Garlic Update.

For me, my garlic journey has been a success, and I am proud of what I have accomplished. It was wrong of me to diminish that accomplishment because someone had done more.

Continue reading →

Merry Christmas

Diane Uncategorized

Christmas day is drawing near and like many years before this one, I still have many things to wrap. While I make the promise every year that my wrapping will be done before December 24th, I’ve reached this goal only once.

I’ll leave you with this Christmas wish that your days will be cheerful and bright, and they you will be surrounded by family and friends.

I’ll still be posting on my Diane McGyver site every day. It was a challenge I gave to myself at the beginning of the month: make one post a day for the entire month. So far, it’s been 23 days and 23 posts. Today’s will appear in a few hours.

I post recipes, memories of past Christmases, origins of Christmas, Yule and Winter Solstice, my moon research and similar things.

Film Review: A Castle for Christmas

Diane Book Review ,

I’m way behind on my reviews. I have several book and film reviews half/mostly written, but I haven’t finished them. I’ll start publishing them soon. However, I thought I’d post this one because it’s a Christmas film.

A Castle for Christmas stars Brook Shields and Cary Elwes. It popped up in my suggestions, so I watched without learning more about it other than what was in the description. Sometimes, these are the best movies.

Description

To escape a scandal, a bestselling author journeys to Scotland, where she falls in love with a castle – and faces off with the grumpy duke who owns it.

The description had a few key words that piqued my interest: author, Scotland, castle.

Continue reading →