It's nice to update your computer whenever a new program comes out but if you're like me -- and I hope you aren't -- you dread the updating. I find a lot of the programs fascinating but it's the installation that gets me. Or is it the way files are set up? I suppose it's a bit of both.
Much of the time I can't find what I'm looking for. When I had Windows 7 it took a while to get used to the way it got things done. Then my laptop died and the next one had Windows 8.1 installed. Needless to say, the whole thing was configured differently. I'm still trying to adjust. Sometimes I like the touch system and other times I prefer the mouse to get around, especially if I'm working on writing files. When it comes to e-mail, the print was suddenly smaller. It's either do a finger/thumb stretch to enlarge the type or find a magnifying glass.
Then you might have a smudge on the screen you're trying to clear off and whatever you're working on suddenly vanishes. I find myself staring at it wondering what it was I just did. I'm a great one for getting lost on the internet. I try to locate one thing and eventually find myself so far off track I think I'm permanently lost. And I'll be darn if I can recall where I was or what I was originally looking for. It there's a way to make a mess of something, I'm the person who should be called. I'm a pro at it. I've even tried consulting computer books to become more efficient (the more simplified the explanation the better it should be to understand)but in most cases it's still a foreign language. By the time I get used to doing something, it gets changed.
On the other hand, I can get a book on craft patterns, follow the instructions and end up with a reasonable facsimile of the project described. I admit there are some exceptions to that, but few. I can't seem to get the tension right to make anything lacy and I would love to knit a lacy shawl. But that's another problem.
My excuse? I tell people my brain isn't wired to see things as the average person does. It's a good excuse as far as it goes. It explains why I can go off in an entirely different direction but somehow, sooner or later I will achieve the desired results. I'm not so sure that will happen where electronics are concerned. That's an altogether different ball game.
To computer programmers, I understand the need you have to update things to keep up with technology. And that can be a wonderful, amazing thing. But there are some things that don't change from one operating system to the next. So why do you hide things or take away some little program you think no one uses? Some programs shouldn't be messed with unless there are serious upgrades to implement. If you as a programmer don't use a small file, don't go getting rid of it because you think no one else uses it. You might be surprised.
There's only one thing left I can say about making changes...
If it ain't broke...
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Did I Do That?
About a year or so ago, I wrote a blog about the difference between making new year resolutions and setting goals. I'm happy to say I chose goals. Had I made resolutions I would have broken every one and proved myself to be a dismal failure. It was bad enough that 2014 was an all-around miserable year. I rarely make promises. My philosophy has always been "Don't make promises you can't keep." At least I can't be accused of breaking them even if said promises are made to myself. If I do make a promise, to myself or someone else (not gonna happen) I have to be at least 90% sure I can carry it through.
Failure to reach a goal only means you try again.
Putting the past year behind me, I'm ready and willing to start over and try again. If you repeat your goals often enough sooner or later you have to get them right, or at least some of them. What's that saying about practice makes perfect? I've got a lot of practice over the last few years, so how come perfection is still a long way off?
My biggest goal for this year consists of many parts. That goal is to clear the boards of any or most of the incomplete projects sitting around waiting for attention. When my son said he was getting married, I told him I'd make a quilt for a wedding gift. His first anniversary has come and gone and the quilt is still in pieces. The biggest problem is the lack of sufficient space to work. I'm determined to get the quilt top sewn together and on the frame before his next visit. At least he and his wife will get to see what it's going to look like. In my own defense, during the summer I did crochet an afghan for them and my daughter-in-law loves it. Nothing fancy but she loves the warmth. New England winters are not kind to her since she comes from a much warmer climate.
Then there's the writing. I want to try independent publishing, as well as continue work on a series I have with an electronic publisher. In every partial tale I've been stumped on the plots. There's been some factor that keeps the story from moving forward. I often feel as if the "muse" has taken an overly long vacation. Maybe it's just time to fire her or force her into retirement and see to a replacement. Hmmm, not a bad idea. At best it would mean some fresh points of view. At worst it could mean half-hearted attempts on her part to get back into my good graces. She'd have to work awfully hard to succeed. A new face, a new muse could go a long way toward accomplishing something for a change. Say... a ruggedly handsome face with a totally different perspective on things? Who says a muse has to be feminine?
Anyway, that's my new plan and outlook for 2015. A whole new vision for the coming year. Will it work? I certainly hope so. It can't be much worse than the previous year and I surely can use a boost to get things done.
Here's hoping all your plans and goals for the New Year will be immensely successful.
Failure to reach a goal only means you try again.
Putting the past year behind me, I'm ready and willing to start over and try again. If you repeat your goals often enough sooner or later you have to get them right, or at least some of them. What's that saying about practice makes perfect? I've got a lot of practice over the last few years, so how come perfection is still a long way off?
My biggest goal for this year consists of many parts. That goal is to clear the boards of any or most of the incomplete projects sitting around waiting for attention. When my son said he was getting married, I told him I'd make a quilt for a wedding gift. His first anniversary has come and gone and the quilt is still in pieces. The biggest problem is the lack of sufficient space to work. I'm determined to get the quilt top sewn together and on the frame before his next visit. At least he and his wife will get to see what it's going to look like. In my own defense, during the summer I did crochet an afghan for them and my daughter-in-law loves it. Nothing fancy but she loves the warmth. New England winters are not kind to her since she comes from a much warmer climate.
Then there's the writing. I want to try independent publishing, as well as continue work on a series I have with an electronic publisher. In every partial tale I've been stumped on the plots. There's been some factor that keeps the story from moving forward. I often feel as if the "muse" has taken an overly long vacation. Maybe it's just time to fire her or force her into retirement and see to a replacement. Hmmm, not a bad idea. At best it would mean some fresh points of view. At worst it could mean half-hearted attempts on her part to get back into my good graces. She'd have to work awfully hard to succeed. A new face, a new muse could go a long way toward accomplishing something for a change. Say... a ruggedly handsome face with a totally different perspective on things? Who says a muse has to be feminine?
Anyway, that's my new plan and outlook for 2015. A whole new vision for the coming year. Will it work? I certainly hope so. It can't be much worse than the previous year and I surely can use a boost to get things done.
Here's hoping all your plans and goals for the New Year will be immensely successful.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Happy Birthday....Or Maybe Not
This morning, I finally got the box fans cleaned up and put away for the winter. While I was washing the dust and yuck from my hands I got to thinking about something that had nothing to do with the fans.
Health care professionals say that when you wash your hands you should sing "Happy Birthday". I know, it sounds like a weird suggestion but they say it takes something like 20-30 seconds to sing the song and that's sufficient time to get your hands good and clean. That's all well and good. What are they basing the timing on? How fast or slow is the song supposed to be sung? Yes, another "dumb" question, which is leading to another one.
"Happy Birthday" is the best-known song around the world. It's supposed to be acknowledging a happy time. Granted, few people are pleased about getting a year older but there are certain milestones that are important to individuals. Teenagers are happy to turn 16 because they can finally get a learner's permit, and their driving license six months later. At eighteen they are now legal adults, and hopefully are ready to take on adult responsibilities. They can vote, sign contracts, apply for charge cards and, unfortunately, go to war without parental permission. When they turn 21, they can legally go into any establishment that serves alcohol.
When we reach our 40's many of us can consider running for political office. Some of them do have minimum age requirements, like running for president of the United States. Whether or not that's a happy milestone to achieve depends on the individual. By the time you get into your mid fifties, you're seriously considering retirement and counting down the years. I remember when my dad turned 65 and retired from his job. His celebratory act was to stomp flat the lunch box he'd used for years. No more lunch box, no more job.
So I digress a little. What does all this have to do with the song "Happy Birthday"? Have you ever noticed how, what is supposed to be a happy occasion, the song is sung, slowly and solemnly, like a funeral dirge? Think about it. Where's the lilting tune, the 'congratulations on achieving another year'? Even at toddlers' parties and grade school kids, it sounds like a sad occasion. Are adults lamenting the fact their children are growing up too fast? The kids are growing up and the adults are getting older.
Maybe that's it. Maybe we resent that little fact, or not so little. It gets to a point when you begin to wonder where the time has gone, from one birthday to the next. I thought I just had a birthday. And you just don't want to think about it. As a person gets up in years, it's sort of a badge of honor to have survived so long. The last thing you want to hear is a slow rendition of "Happy Birthday." Maybe they're reminding you to do a good job washing your hands. Or you might start wondering if they know something you don't.
Health care professionals say that when you wash your hands you should sing "Happy Birthday". I know, it sounds like a weird suggestion but they say it takes something like 20-30 seconds to sing the song and that's sufficient time to get your hands good and clean. That's all well and good. What are they basing the timing on? How fast or slow is the song supposed to be sung? Yes, another "dumb" question, which is leading to another one.
"Happy Birthday" is the best-known song around the world. It's supposed to be acknowledging a happy time. Granted, few people are pleased about getting a year older but there are certain milestones that are important to individuals. Teenagers are happy to turn 16 because they can finally get a learner's permit, and their driving license six months later. At eighteen they are now legal adults, and hopefully are ready to take on adult responsibilities. They can vote, sign contracts, apply for charge cards and, unfortunately, go to war without parental permission. When they turn 21, they can legally go into any establishment that serves alcohol.
When we reach our 40's many of us can consider running for political office. Some of them do have minimum age requirements, like running for president of the United States. Whether or not that's a happy milestone to achieve depends on the individual. By the time you get into your mid fifties, you're seriously considering retirement and counting down the years. I remember when my dad turned 65 and retired from his job. His celebratory act was to stomp flat the lunch box he'd used for years. No more lunch box, no more job.
So I digress a little. What does all this have to do with the song "Happy Birthday"? Have you ever noticed how, what is supposed to be a happy occasion, the song is sung, slowly and solemnly, like a funeral dirge? Think about it. Where's the lilting tune, the 'congratulations on achieving another year'? Even at toddlers' parties and grade school kids, it sounds like a sad occasion. Are adults lamenting the fact their children are growing up too fast? The kids are growing up and the adults are getting older.
Maybe that's it. Maybe we resent that little fact, or not so little. It gets to a point when you begin to wonder where the time has gone, from one birthday to the next. I thought I just had a birthday. And you just don't want to think about it. As a person gets up in years, it's sort of a badge of honor to have survived so long. The last thing you want to hear is a slow rendition of "Happy Birthday." Maybe they're reminding you to do a good job washing your hands. Or you might start wondering if they know something you don't.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
A Reader's Lament
I've been doing a lot of reading lately but, unfortunately, I've been enjoying it less. The problem hasn't been in the stories themselves but in the editing.
As a retired editor, I notice these things more. Sure, I know how the eye automatically corrects some things, like misspelled words but it stops dead on blatant errors. Things like missing words, or words that were repeated because a phrase was changed and not all the unnecessary words were removed. Words that are in the wrong order and throw off the whole meaning of the sentence. I can't say how many times I've had to stop to reread a sentence because the way it was written made no sense whatsoever.
There have been places where small words, "a, and, the, so, etc." have been left out so the typed line will be properly spaced. Other words have their endings dropped (ly, ing) for the same reason. It might take a little more time and work but it's worth it to find a different word to say the same thing and not disrupt the line flow and spacing.
The use of commas has also been left by the roadside. You have to keep in mind "Eats shoots leaves." Commas make a great deal of difference in the interpretation. Leave them out and you might end up with a sentence that says something that was totally unintended or makes no sense. Sometimes the unintended meaning can be quite amusing while other times you're asking, "What's that got to do with the story?"
I've seen forms of words and their usage change. Lighted instead of lit; shined, instead of shone. "Shined" is only for shoes, not for illuminating a dark space. I understand language changes over time, but let's face it, some of those changes aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Some of those changes only demean language.
I'm not saying that all editors are doing a bad job. There are still some very good ones out there who care about what they're doing. It just seems like the whole process is slowly drifting to the wayside. I also know that some editors rely strongly on editing manuals. In my opinion, just because AP Stylebook says a change is acceptable doesn't make that change right.
I don't know about other readers, but for me, with the overall deteriorating editing, I find myself purchasing fewer books. Not a good thing for the industry.
As a retired editor, I notice these things more. Sure, I know how the eye automatically corrects some things, like misspelled words but it stops dead on blatant errors. Things like missing words, or words that were repeated because a phrase was changed and not all the unnecessary words were removed. Words that are in the wrong order and throw off the whole meaning of the sentence. I can't say how many times I've had to stop to reread a sentence because the way it was written made no sense whatsoever.
There have been places where small words, "a, and, the, so, etc." have been left out so the typed line will be properly spaced. Other words have their endings dropped (ly, ing) for the same reason. It might take a little more time and work but it's worth it to find a different word to say the same thing and not disrupt the line flow and spacing.
The use of commas has also been left by the roadside. You have to keep in mind "Eats shoots leaves." Commas make a great deal of difference in the interpretation. Leave them out and you might end up with a sentence that says something that was totally unintended or makes no sense. Sometimes the unintended meaning can be quite amusing while other times you're asking, "What's that got to do with the story?"
I've seen forms of words and their usage change. Lighted instead of lit; shined, instead of shone. "Shined" is only for shoes, not for illuminating a dark space. I understand language changes over time, but let's face it, some of those changes aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Some of those changes only demean language.
I'm not saying that all editors are doing a bad job. There are still some very good ones out there who care about what they're doing. It just seems like the whole process is slowly drifting to the wayside. I also know that some editors rely strongly on editing manuals. In my opinion, just because AP Stylebook says a change is acceptable doesn't make that change right.
I don't know about other readers, but for me, with the overall deteriorating editing, I find myself purchasing fewer books. Not a good thing for the industry.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
When Stars Go Out
Ever watch a movie and comment, "He's gone," or "She passed." I've been known to watch credits after a movie (sometimes before, depending how old the movie is) and count the names of actors I know are gone. There were a couple films where all the main characters are gone. Somehow, that's kind of creepy.
More than that, it slowly draws the curtain on an era of big name stars and the way movies were made. Those were the kind of movies where you didn't have to worry about taking your kids because you knew there wouldn't be any sexy bedroom scenes or gratuitous violence. Then again, you probably didn't take kids to the movies unless it was to see a Disney feature or something like Black Beauty, National Velvet, Heidi, or The Prince and the Pauper. That's when the classics were popular, the way Marvel Comic heroes are popular today.
I'm no fan of comedy. I don't particularly care for the innuendos that pass as humor but I did enjoy Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire. He was also good playing Peter Pan. I personally think his straight roles did him and his talent more credit than the comedy. But that's my opinion.
Then there's Lauren Bacall. Ms Bacall, who passed away a couple days after Robin Williams, was sexy, sultry and she didn't have to work at it. "If you need me, all you have to do is whistle. You do know how to whistle. You just put your lips together and blow." Those words were said to Humphrey Bogart who, in real life, became the love of her life. Her husband of twenty-five years, Bogart was another one who played many roles. His best known were The African Queen and the never to be forgotten Casablanca. Over fifty years later and that one is still unforgettable.
Shirley Temple was quite young when her star rose to great heights. Little Miss Marker, Heidi, Goodship Lollipop, just to name a few. She could sing and dance with the best of them, Bo Jangles, Ray Bolger. Her acting career may not have survived into adulthood but she went on to become an ambassador.
The further away we get from the forties and fifties, the fewer celebrities are left from that time. Mickey Rooney, Sid Caesar, Ralph Waite, Ann B. Davis, James Garner. Each of these stars, this year, has left the stage a little dimmer.
That's not to say we haven't had some great names from our own generation. Sigorney Weaver, Cate Blanchette, Halle Berry, DiCaprio, Affleck, Damon, Cruise. They've all done well. There are others, up and coming who just might fill in those spaces left by dimming stars.
The type of entertainment has changed over the years, calling for more diversified talent. Their young luminescence may become bright and they might fill some of those empty spots but they will never replace those older stars that go out.
More than that, it slowly draws the curtain on an era of big name stars and the way movies were made. Those were the kind of movies where you didn't have to worry about taking your kids because you knew there wouldn't be any sexy bedroom scenes or gratuitous violence. Then again, you probably didn't take kids to the movies unless it was to see a Disney feature or something like Black Beauty, National Velvet, Heidi, or The Prince and the Pauper. That's when the classics were popular, the way Marvel Comic heroes are popular today.
I'm no fan of comedy. I don't particularly care for the innuendos that pass as humor but I did enjoy Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire. He was also good playing Peter Pan. I personally think his straight roles did him and his talent more credit than the comedy. But that's my opinion.
Then there's Lauren Bacall. Ms Bacall, who passed away a couple days after Robin Williams, was sexy, sultry and she didn't have to work at it. "If you need me, all you have to do is whistle. You do know how to whistle. You just put your lips together and blow." Those words were said to Humphrey Bogart who, in real life, became the love of her life. Her husband of twenty-five years, Bogart was another one who played many roles. His best known were The African Queen and the never to be forgotten Casablanca. Over fifty years later and that one is still unforgettable.
Shirley Temple was quite young when her star rose to great heights. Little Miss Marker, Heidi, Goodship Lollipop, just to name a few. She could sing and dance with the best of them, Bo Jangles, Ray Bolger. Her acting career may not have survived into adulthood but she went on to become an ambassador.
The further away we get from the forties and fifties, the fewer celebrities are left from that time. Mickey Rooney, Sid Caesar, Ralph Waite, Ann B. Davis, James Garner. Each of these stars, this year, has left the stage a little dimmer.
That's not to say we haven't had some great names from our own generation. Sigorney Weaver, Cate Blanchette, Halle Berry, DiCaprio, Affleck, Damon, Cruise. They've all done well. There are others, up and coming who just might fill in those spaces left by dimming stars.
The type of entertainment has changed over the years, calling for more diversified talent. Their young luminescence may become bright and they might fill some of those empty spots but they will never replace those older stars that go out.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
It Made My Day
Every Saturday, my sister and I get together to run errands and have some fun. Saturday is Pun Day and I never know what to expect. Once in a while, especially on a holiday weekend, we plan on fewer errands and do them on Friday. On these weekends, Saturdays can be terrible for getting around, and many of the drivers are even worse. This entry has little to do with errands and a bit more to do with puns. (None of which I can recall now, but they were doozies.)
We were traveling on a road not far from where I live. There's almost always traffic here, especially when folks are headed home from work. The jeep in front of us had stopped and from what we could see, there was nothing in the traffic that should have caused this delay in travel. My sister was the first to spot what turned out to not be a problem, but something more fascinating.
On my side of the road there's a railing type fence to keep people from slipping down the slight incline to the pond a few feet away. Wild shrubs grow just beyond this railing, and over the years it's pretty much taken over. At the same time, the pond has receded a bit. It was the sight on this side of the fence that had me staring open-mouthed.
Looking over and through the railing, Mama Goose was trying to find a safe way to get through to the other side of the fence and to the water. Behind her were three goslings and Papa Goose brought up the rear. Both adults, with their long necks stretched must have been about three feet tall. The young were fuzzy and cute and quite obedient to their parents. Mom and Dad seemed quite proud of their little brood. Papa issued a warning to one youngster who got a little too close to the curb. Any closer and the young one would have been flattened pretty quick. (Some drivers don't believe in slowing down on that road.) We couldn't stop or pull over since there was traffic behind us. But as we passed the little family, I looked back a couple times in awe.
I admit it, I'm a city gal born and reared. Sights like that turning up in the city are few and very far between so it makes a lasting impression when they do occur. The picture will stay in my mind and one of these days I'll find a way to incorporate it into one of my stories. It's those little things we learn to appreciate when we find them.
As to the puns... my sister had a few things to say along those lines and they were so 'groan-able' I wish I could recall what they were. One of these days, I half expect them to pop up in my memory and I'll be saying 'yeah, she said that'. And maybe next time I'll get the snapshot I missed. I'll be paying a little more attention to find another pleasant surprise, but that's when they don't happen. If they did, they wouldn't be surprises to make my day.
We were traveling on a road not far from where I live. There's almost always traffic here, especially when folks are headed home from work. The jeep in front of us had stopped and from what we could see, there was nothing in the traffic that should have caused this delay in travel. My sister was the first to spot what turned out to not be a problem, but something more fascinating.
On my side of the road there's a railing type fence to keep people from slipping down the slight incline to the pond a few feet away. Wild shrubs grow just beyond this railing, and over the years it's pretty much taken over. At the same time, the pond has receded a bit. It was the sight on this side of the fence that had me staring open-mouthed.
Looking over and through the railing, Mama Goose was trying to find a safe way to get through to the other side of the fence and to the water. Behind her were three goslings and Papa Goose brought up the rear. Both adults, with their long necks stretched must have been about three feet tall. The young were fuzzy and cute and quite obedient to their parents. Mom and Dad seemed quite proud of their little brood. Papa issued a warning to one youngster who got a little too close to the curb. Any closer and the young one would have been flattened pretty quick. (Some drivers don't believe in slowing down on that road.) We couldn't stop or pull over since there was traffic behind us. But as we passed the little family, I looked back a couple times in awe.
I admit it, I'm a city gal born and reared. Sights like that turning up in the city are few and very far between so it makes a lasting impression when they do occur. The picture will stay in my mind and one of these days I'll find a way to incorporate it into one of my stories. It's those little things we learn to appreciate when we find them.
As to the puns... my sister had a few things to say along those lines and they were so 'groan-able' I wish I could recall what they were. One of these days, I half expect them to pop up in my memory and I'll be saying 'yeah, she said that'. And maybe next time I'll get the snapshot I missed. I'll be paying a little more attention to find another pleasant surprise, but that's when they don't happen. If they did, they wouldn't be surprises to make my day.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
A Touch of Medieval
I've always had a thing for medieval times. People generally look at it as a 'romantic' period in history when it was anything but. Life span wasn't very long at all. If war and treachery didn't get you early on, poor nutrition and disease took it's toll. It definitely wasn't a romantic time.
So what's the attraction? That's a question I have never been able to figure out. Mention knights in shining armor (it wasn't all that shiny) or damsels in distress (many of them were the cause of the 'problems' they supposedly were rescued from) and you've got my attention. It doesn't matter that television and the movies don't always get it right. They reserve the right to play with historical facts. That's fine by me, as long as they don't change it too much. After all, there has to be some semblance of truth to the story. Every fiction is based on a kernel of truth.
Case in point... Back in February I watched an episode of a TV series called Reign. After that one episode I was hooked. For anyone not familiar with the series, it's about Mary, Queen of Scots (who was queen of France for barely a year), Catherine De Medici (who was Italian) and her husband, King Henry II. The writers toy with historical fact, period clothing and other things they think they can get away with. And they succeed for the most part. You just have to know what really went on. History purists don't accept the deviations and others, (myself included) will take them for what they're worth. From a writer's point of view it opens possibilities to create plots that don't exist in real history.
Take King John of England. He held the throne for the ten years his brother Richard was king. (Richard preferred to be away on crusade than stay at home and rule). In history books, John has been touted as not being such a bad king. In movies, he has a reputation for being a nasty character. he's the English ruler you love to hate. If not for John, the USA might be looking at an entirely different sort of Constitution since it was based on the Magna Carter.
Then there's the medieval tales that don't -- or barely -- stick to historical fact. A perfect example of this is the movie, A Knight's Tale. It pretty much sticks to the facts about jousting and tourneys, but the music and dance? Totally modern. While it seems completely out of place, it did fit the story. It was done in such a way as to have fun with it and not worry about fact. It's one of my favorites. It combines time periods without getting into any aspect of time travel. (that's another story.)
It all comes down to what you're willing to accept. Expand your horizons and take a chance on something new or a little different. You might find out you like it.
Update: After Junior Dove left, the nest was empty for a day or so. It didn't take long for another pair of doves to claim the nest and prepare to raise a family. Unfortunately, since the tree has leafed out, it's no longer possible to see the nest.
So what's the attraction? That's a question I have never been able to figure out. Mention knights in shining armor (it wasn't all that shiny) or damsels in distress (many of them were the cause of the 'problems' they supposedly were rescued from) and you've got my attention. It doesn't matter that television and the movies don't always get it right. They reserve the right to play with historical facts. That's fine by me, as long as they don't change it too much. After all, there has to be some semblance of truth to the story. Every fiction is based on a kernel of truth.
Case in point... Back in February I watched an episode of a TV series called Reign. After that one episode I was hooked. For anyone not familiar with the series, it's about Mary, Queen of Scots (who was queen of France for barely a year), Catherine De Medici (who was Italian) and her husband, King Henry II. The writers toy with historical fact, period clothing and other things they think they can get away with. And they succeed for the most part. You just have to know what really went on. History purists don't accept the deviations and others, (myself included) will take them for what they're worth. From a writer's point of view it opens possibilities to create plots that don't exist in real history.
Take King John of England. He held the throne for the ten years his brother Richard was king. (Richard preferred to be away on crusade than stay at home and rule). In history books, John has been touted as not being such a bad king. In movies, he has a reputation for being a nasty character. he's the English ruler you love to hate. If not for John, the USA might be looking at an entirely different sort of Constitution since it was based on the Magna Carter.
Then there's the medieval tales that don't -- or barely -- stick to historical fact. A perfect example of this is the movie, A Knight's Tale. It pretty much sticks to the facts about jousting and tourneys, but the music and dance? Totally modern. While it seems completely out of place, it did fit the story. It was done in such a way as to have fun with it and not worry about fact. It's one of my favorites. It combines time periods without getting into any aspect of time travel. (that's another story.)
It all comes down to what you're willing to accept. Expand your horizons and take a chance on something new or a little different. You might find out you like it.
Update: After Junior Dove left, the nest was empty for a day or so. It didn't take long for another pair of doves to claim the nest and prepare to raise a family. Unfortunately, since the tree has leafed out, it's no longer possible to see the nest.
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