The term Station Identification probably ages me a bit. It was the term frequently used when live television shows were going to a commercial break. But really, who did they think they were fooling? Everyone knew those words were just code for they were going to try to sell us something. It was time to freshen our beverages or get a snack. When you think about it, what would be the sense of stopping a perfectly good TV show just for the station to be identified? Back then there were only three or four stations and you always knew which one you were watching.
Nowadays, all such pretext has been eliminated. Shows just break at numerous seemingly random times for commercials. Some seem clever the first ten or twenty times you watch, but then just add to the ever growing buzz of meaningless information in your brain. It’s no longer a good idea to get a snack during each commercial break unless you want to end up on “My Six Hundred Pound Life”. Instead, we long ago discovered the wonderful mute button. While I find the silence a refreshing change, Crystal frequently uses the time for one of her own commercials. (television inspires her to talk to me.) She generally has so much information to give that it sometimes spills into the returning program. Fortunately, there is a pause button for that. Oh, sometimes I get to say something too.
No matter how you have adapted, about a third of your viewing time is filled with sales pitches, more if you are watching Dr. Phil or a show where twenty-five men pursue one woman (or as I like to call it “Last Woman on Planet Earth”). By the way, while there are many good suggestions in both our book and on this web site about seeking your lifelong mate, appearing on some dumb reality show wasn’t included (for good reason).
At any rate, all of that has nothing to do with today’s topic. It has been a while since we have given a progress report on “One Hundred Fifty Years of Marriage”. Our roughly 200 page memoir was completed over a year ago. When I say completed, I mean researched, written, rewritten, and reedited about four times. The whole process took the better part of five years. The hardest part wasn’t the interviews or research or even contacting our government for military records (fun with a capital F). It was my typing. Picture Andy Dufresne tunneling out of Shawshank Prison with a small rock hammer (ps. that took 19 years). My next book will be “Two finger, Stare at Keys Typing”. It will have to have a chapter on changing the computer key pad as this typing method is apparently hard on them (I went through two of them).
So where are we now on this project? Crystal and I are in total agreement. We can go no further without some expert direction from our future agent or publisher.
As far as our publication efforts, first we want to assure our ever growing group of discerning, brilliant, and sophisticated blog readers (Yes, You!) that, eventual publication will happen. Self publication is a final option. We still believe that the right agency is our best bet. Crystal has done a great deal of research. We have also completed a rather extensive proposal of over thirty pages. The handful of suitable agents we have contacted, while positive, have other commitments or lack resources. Yet the few comments have been very positive. Some of the agents have been unresponsive (discouraging, but apparently normal).
Another factor, not to be overlooked, is timing. We believe that this work of historical nonfiction is timeless. So there is no rush. While we have no promise to give readers, we continue to research and wait for God’s direction and timing. However, from a practical point of view, this may not be the right time. We currently spend a lot of time with my dad in Columbus, our kids/grandkids and occasionally visit Crystal’s dad in Cincinnati. We also are getting ready for Michelle (#2 daughter) and Alex’s wedding. When the book publication actually occurs, we want to be 100% dedicated to its launch. This could involve travel, book signings, radio interviews, etc.; Oprah will probably want to meet us; then there is the Pulitzer Committee. I may be exaggerating slightly, but you get it.
At any rate, for now we will be patient, continue to do research and wait for time and opportunity. In the meantime, Crystal and I are enjoying working together in putting together a continuing body of quality work in the form of this Web site. We have also been writing articles and trying to get them published. Now that this break for “station identification” has come to an end, we will return to your normal programming.
I have no pictures of station identifications, but sunsets and old barns, I got a million of them.