Setbacks and Learning Experiences

My mind is a mysterious thing to me. Judging by the looks I get from some people, it's a mystery to them too. Out of the blue, some thought will appear and I haven't got the foggiest idea where it came from. Sometimes it will be triggered by something totally unrelated to the subject at hand. For instance, the other day I was walking back from the post office and I noticed this apple tree in Ernie Jack's yard. The apples reminded me of ornaments on a Christmas tree, and I was going to do a blog on it, although I hate talking about Christmas before Thanksgiving has even arrived. Then I started thinking about a pear tree that my neighbors up the street had back in Marion. I distinctly remembering being just a little guy, maybe three or four. It was summer and I was young enough that I was willing to wear a sunsuit without objection. I was barefooted and walked up into their yard. Pears had fallen on the ground and the honeybees were crawling all over them. I was scared of being stung, so I started stepping on the bees. Of course I got stung. That was a learning experience. I don't know why my mother didn't name me Brainiac. Which reminds me of the time I decided in grade school that I would list my whole name on a school paper. I misplaced the i and the a. Somehow Tom Brain Botts just wasn't appropriate, although my teacher and my parents were certainly entertained. For awhile afterwards I signed Tom Joe Botts- I knew how to spell Joe. Eventually I just signed Tom B. Chalk it up to another learning experience. I had a number of them growing up. I found out that you don't have to be in direct contact with a flame in order for a paint brush full of gasoline to catch fire. It happened like this...my dad and I were cleaning out the garage one day and he found a really expensive paint brush hidden under all this junk. He was really happy, and stuck it in a small can of gas to loosen it up. He felt like he didn't have enough gas so he ran up to the gas station and left me behind to watch the bonfire we had going. Let me interject here that my dad was a very intellegent man. He obviously had a temporary lapse in his senses when he left me in charge. Of course as soon as he left I started flipping the brush at the fire, watching it flame up. A pyromaniac in the making. The first two times everything was fine. The third time was the charm though. It burned just like what it was- a paintbrush full of gas. I stomped it out and put it back in the can like nothing happened. Needless to say, my dad was not amused. He came back and poured the gas in the can and started swishing the brush around. When he pulled it out the blond, nylon brush was all black and the bristles were all curly-qued. Who knew? I certainly know now though. I put it on my list of things not to do. Some things are out of our control though. They can present setbacks. Several years back the transmission went out on my boat. Fortunately I was able to get it repaired and back in the boat before the next season. I've mentioned before about hitting the wrong computer key in my ignorance and wiping out an entire chapter in my book. That would qualify as a setback. A couple days ago I contacted the guy who published my book and sent him down a copy of the manuscript for a new book that I'm writing about the local fishermen. When he called later and said, " you know that I'm your biggest fan; you know I love you." I knew that there might be the potential for another setback. There was. He loved part of it, but the part that I thought would be best, he didn't. So, I know what I'll be doing this winter. No more bordom for me. Fortunately I don't need the internet to redo the manuscript, which is really good, because I found out yesterday that tomorrow the internet provider will be shutting down. So, as I mentioned the other day, until we figure something out, it might be awhile before I can post on here again. However, setbacks are just that. They can be overcome; they aren't permanent. As soon as I can, I will be back to writing the blog. In the meantime, it will be another learning experience. See ya soon. Oh, I almost forgot, Wilderness Blues is available now at Amazon in a Kindle edition for $9.99, for any of you folks that don't like paperback. http://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Blues-T-B-Botts/dp/1934635006/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292539765$sr=1-1 .