​If you would ask me why I like bird watching so much it would be difficult to give a succinct.  For sure I would say that birding helps my writing.  Surprised?  You shouldn’t be.
Birding  is a very activity.  The act of sitting at a desk or table or maybe balancing your laptop on your lap is also a passive activity.  Birding, successful birding requires a great deal of focus and concentration.  Writing too requires both focus and concentration.  Many fiction writers report a “loss of time” when they spend time creating and then living in their imaginary world and characters.  When I was birding in Ashland last week I was out in the woods for hours and didn’t notice the time until returning to the conservation center.
Birding requires keen observation skills using sight and sound.  Fiction writers are notorious “people watchers” and the leap from a bird watcher to a people watcher is quite small.  When birding you study the bird’s behavior to help in identifying the correct species.  I like to watch people’s behavior where ever I go.  Those behaviors appear on every page of a novel.
Birding allows a person to feel a part of the natural world, that sense of connectedness.  Writing fiction is a way to both feel and behave connected because it is a way to express who you are.
      

​On a fluke, several years ago I attending an early morning bird walk at Old World Wisconsin.  I had to leave the house by 4:30 am to arrive for the 6:00 am start.  The guide was a young man with a deep knowledge of Wisconsin bird species and the talent for calling birds with a whistle that imitated the bird call.  I was hooked.
In our backyard we feed birds all seasons and add feeders each season for different species.  In May we feed song birds, Baltimore Oriels, and hummingbirds, each with their own unique feeder.  The Baltimore Oriels will continue their journey north in a week or so.
Last I participated in the Chequamegon Birding Festival in Ashland, Wisconsin.  It was a learning experience but some of the logistics of the conference and traveling from location to location for bird sightings was difficult.  This year I attended during the conference but didn’t register for the conference classes or field trips – I was an independent birder.
It takes about five hours driving allowing for one short stop for a cup of coffee and sandwich.  A good portion of the trip is on Interstate highway until just north of Wausau.  Near Rhinelander I turned west on Highway 8 to Prentiss and then north on Highway 13 toward Ashland.  The road between Phillips and Glidden is straight as a ruler, tree lined and mesmerizing, especially after being behind the wheel about four hours.  The last stretch of the trip seems slow because often you get caught behind a slow tractor or a log hauling truck barely going 50 miles per hour.  Somewhere on that stretch of road I saw something a deer along the gravel side.  Something white popped up.  It was a large bald eagle with a piece of fresh deer meat in its bill.  The eagle didn’t move even though the car passed within four feet.  I took this sighting as a sign that it was going to be a very special birding trip.
Eagles generally hunt and eat live prey.  Scrounging a dead deer, even if recently dead, was unusual.  Eagles also hunt near or on rivers and not near a highway.  My guess was that nearby there were young eagles in a nest that needed a meal – it was the only explanation for this hunting behavior I could imagine.
When birding a person needs to be open and alert to anything that may occur without any warning.  On the drive back home I saw another eagle on the same stretch of road perched high in a tree – could have been the same eagle, I don’t know.  It has taken me years to learn how to listen, look and identify various species of birds but after this weekend I feel confident to call myself a birder.    
         

​Several weeks ago I was reviewing the daily Face Book news feeds and read one from one of the local theater groups we support.  While reading the post a pop up box asked if I would take a one minute survey.  I like to provide positive feedback when I can and a minute wasn’t a commitment.  I answered the bland, basic questions and when completed wondered why they had bothered with such a general survey.
At the end of the survey another box popped up offering me a “prize” for completing the survey.  Any other astute, masters prepared person would have had bells and whistles go off in the head yelling:  STOP.  Not me.  I looked over the list of “prizes” offered and saw a sample of garcinia and a diet cleanser.  I could always use a few pounds and there has been publicity recently about garcinia so I thought for the price of shipping it was worth a try.
The products arrived several weeks later in the mail but by the time they arrived my interest had wavered and I stuffed the package in my desk draw.  I have a problem with wavering interest.
The first week of May we received is credit card bill.  Thankfully my wife reviews it in detail before paying it (that’s why she’s in charge of the finances).  She asked me about two payments, one for $84 and one for $74.  At first, I didn’t recognize them at all.  Then I noticed they matched the payments for shipping.  I called the number listed and learned from one of those annoying messages that I was enrolled in a monthly program to supply me with the two products until I have my last day on earth.
SCAM!! I called the number provided on the credit card bill and explained I had received the sample product but had no intent or desire to participate in a monthly program.  I also challenged the customer service representative for any documentation that I had approved a monthly program.  At that point the conversation became intense.  I demanded a full refund plus cancelling the program.  The initial response what that they couldn’t do that but could offer me another month supply at half-price.
“You’re not listening to me.  I want a full refund or I am going to contact the credit card company and challenge your payment and contact the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau.”  I demanded.
“Sir, I can offer you a 50% refund and cancel the programs.”  The rep responded.
“You’re still not listening.”  I said.
“Sir, I will cancel your participation in the program now.  You will receive an e-mail notification.”
“Ok, now I want the full refund.”
“Sir, I can offer you a 75% refund right now.”
“I gave you two choices, I contact my credit card company and the Better Business Bureau or you give me the full refund now.”
“Sir, I need to ask my supervisor for permission.”
“Please do.”  - less than 10 seconds pass.
“Sir, I can offer you a 100% refund, you will receive e-mail notification.  Is there anything else I can do for you today?
“No.  Thank you.”
I feel naïve and not alert for being drawn into this scam.  I’m going to send the group I support an e-mail letting them know they have been hacked.  Caveat emptor is needed more today than at any other time.
     
 

​The theme for the annual writer’s conference is “Everyone has a Story”.  Recent research into the human brain has demonstrated that stories and storytelling is hard wired into our brains – so the theme for this year’s Lakefly conference is a truth we live by – all of us – each and every one – have a story – many stories actually.  The conference is sponsored by the Friends of the Oshkosh Public Library and library personnel staff the conference.  The Friends sponsorship helps make this conference unique among all writers’ conferences.
The Keynote Speaker this year is Wisconsin author Nicholas Butler, author of Shotgun Lovesongs, Beneath the Bonfire, and The Hearts of Men (to be released September 2017).  He will be speaking at 2:30 Saturday afternoon, May 13th.
The conference begins on Friday afternoon May 12, 2017 with three different segments.  In each segment attendees have a choice of three presenters to choose.  Each presentation will be 50 minutes allowing time for an in depth presentation and an opportunity to ask questions and engage in a conversation with the presenter and other attendees.  Presenters Friday afternoon include:  Barry Wightman, Pat Zietlow Miller, Beth Amos, Johanna Garton, Mary T. Wagner, Wayne Brietbarth, Karla Huston, Brea Behn, and Kristine D. Adams.  In the evening there will be a Writing Contest Award Ceremony in the Oshkosh Public Library.
Saturday morning the Book Exhibition begins at 8:00 am to give attendees the opportunity to purchase books from presenters and other local authors.   Saturday presenters include Louis V. Clark III, Jerome F. Buting, Jill Swensen, Chris Walker, KW Penndorf, two author panels and Rex Owens.  The afternoon begins with  Det. Jeremy Wilson, an author panel,  Kristen Bratonja and the Keynote address.  The conference closes with a book autograph session and announcing door prizes.
There will be a variety of interesting topics such as; the writing craft, the business of publishing and self-publishing, and authors discussing their books and genre.
Registration ends on Friday, May 5th.  The basic cost to attend the two day conference is only $60.00.  Visit the conference website at:  http://lakeflywriters.org/node/25.  Registration includes lunch on Saturday.  You may also sign up for a vendor’s table for an additional fee.
All writers need to invest in themselves and spend time with other authors; the Lakefly Writers Conference is the perfect investment in yourself.  Plan on attending.