LitLine Online Newsletter

ON THE LOOK OUT

Author Tandee Marie’s debut novel will be released in Fall 2001. The book is entitled “Bittersweet Chocolate,” and is published by Sadorian Publications in Durham, North Carolina. Future details to be provided in LitLine. Stay tuned!

Possibilities cont.

I realized a fiction writer could create hundreds of characters from all of the characteristics of the people contained in one classroom. A fellow student named Paul was very handsome and worked at a wine importing and exporting business. Those qualities right there could inspire a romance novelist. While walking across campus, I realized someone could easily write an article on the fashion trends of young women for Cosmopolitan magazine. A journalist could easily do a piece on today’s English literature and contrast it with curriculum requirements from years ago. I daresay Toni Morrison and the autobiography of Malcolm X were not always requirements for English classes.

As you can see, going back to college has inspired and motivated me professionally. As far as writing during your college years, inspiration isn’t a problem. The problem is every writer’s problem and that is taking the time to WRITE THOSE IDEAS DOWN!

Angela Chapital is a full-time student at George Mason University in Northern Virginia (a suburb of Washington, DC). She is an Assistant Teacher of 2 ½ year old preschool class and also a professional proofreader.

Validation cont.

I realized in order for me to get the answers I seek, I would have to remain still and spend some quality time in prayer and fasting with my Heavenly Father. Although I knew that was what I needed, I began to get a little scared. You see, I had taken one of my little sabbaticals before, for different reasons, of course. And, I am still to this day amazed how angry some people (who claimed to be friends) felt shafted because I felt I needed to spend some time in prayer. Of course, it was a sign that those people didn't need to be in my life. I remember a few who said, "Oh, I understand why you have to do this.” Yet they treated me like crap for weeks as if to punishment me. I laughed then and as I remember it now I laugh even louder. So, this time around I felt a little bit more comfortable doing this. You see I had come such a long way and the folks in my life now love me and are very
encouraging in spite of my validators. All the more reason right? Yes, because it was time to take control, it was time for me to decide what's best for me. More importantly, it was time to let my validators know, my life is not defined by what or who they are.

As my fast began, all these thoughts of how I allowed them to treat me made me ill. I heard all the negatives; the insults, the laughs, the knife scratching the base of my spine. I saw the trust I'd given to others fly into their ears and out their mouths to anyone who would listen. Yes, even validators are betrayed (by someone they have allowed to validate them) and the poor naive valdiatee (okay, I'm making up words) seems surprised.

Somewhere in the midst of my fast, the focus was more on me and less on them. I was remembering how I got so caught up in allowing others to control my life. Bottom line, I had become depressed and was wearing my little phony face, acting as if all was well. To admit that I was depressed to anyone would make me appear weak. The sad thing is, you never have to admit it to a validator, they can smell it miles away. They become a vulture, swooping down on you like you're their next meal. If you still haven't figured out what a validator is, they are the type that will say, "what the hell does he/she have to be depressed about?" Although they may not have a clue is unimportant, all they see is easy prey. The kind that makes them feel better about themselves.

I'll admit that I was susceptible to being controlled because I kept talking and no one was hearing me. I was talking to the wrong people. You know its kind of like being in a crowed room, on stage giving a speech. The words are flowing from your mouth, the crowd is nodding their heads and afterwards no one in the room can tell you a darn thing you said on that podium. Yet, I
still walked around for months basically screaming, "Can anyone hear me?" I wanted someone, anyone, to hear me, to tell me what to do, how to get out of this slump, some back-up to fight this depression. But you know what, all I was doing was continuing to give up control. I'm not talking about friends; there's a big difference. A friend will listen, cry and try to get you to open up, not out of nosiness but to let you know that you are not in the
battle alone. A validator will get you to open up and use it against you later.

Let me turn the light on a validator for a moment. He/She is the kind of person that won't acknowledge the one hundred things you do right, but will harp on the one thing you did wrong. He/She is the kind of person that an apology begins with "I'm sorry" and ends with "but you". He/She is the kind that will insult you to your face and make it appear as a compliment. He/She is the type that will dismiss your thoughts, feelings because that's
their way of saying, "I don't give a damn what you think." He/She is the type that will never EVER mess with you as long as your phony face is on straight. He/She is the type that thinks they are doing you a favor by even entertaining you. He/She is the type that thinks this world will go to hell on a CSX train if they weren't here to make things right. Okay, you get the point. (smile)

I guess in all my understanding the only person to blame is myself. No one can control you unless you give them the reins. At times I found myself trying to keep peace and because of that appeared even weaker than I actually was. I see now that's not always a good thing. I realize I can still be good and still honor God, but there's a time when you have to let that tongue
roll, spit that dirt off and slam it back in their face. In hindsight you may actually be doing them a favor. My opinion is that sometimes if you confront a validator you're not always met with resistance. You actually send out a sign that you care enough to stand up to them. I haven't always had one but I've seen them in action far too many times. They normally come in the form of someone who never had love growing up, always overlooked, or have no
balance in their own life, therefore making it easier to control someone else's. A validator can be a family member, friend, spouse or co-worker, or someone you love, which means you can't always walk away. But, you can put your foot down.

So, the things I learned during my fast, it was time to follow my dreams, the ones that were gifts to me. It was time for me to say, "Hey, back off!" But most of all, it was time for me to define me. I mean if I'm living my life according to what someone other than God thinks, am I really living? No!

In my humble opinion, I think everyone should step back and remember the things important in life, things we neglect, finding yourself. And be very aware of how people around you react. Do you really want anyone who has a problem with you praying and fasting or spending quality time with your family in your life? Lets hope not!

Copyright Pending

Tech Tips cont.

To educate the users, I have listed variant definitions below (courtesy of Symantec):

o Category: Virus
A program or code that replicates, that is infects another program, boot sector, partition sector or document that supports macros by inserting itself or attaching itself to that medium. Most viruses just replicate, a lot also do damage.

o Category: Trojan horse
A program that neither replicates or copies itself, but does damage or compromises the security of the computer. Typically it relies on someone emailing it to you, it does not email itself, it may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort.

o Category: Worm
A program that makes copies of itself, for example from one disk drive to another, or by copying itself using email or some other transport mechanism. It may do damage and compromise the security of the computer. It may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort.

Most variants come as attachments and are activated once it is double-click. There are some variants that come “embedded” with an email and are activated once the email message itself is read. If you have no protection, your computer then becomes infected.

As a computer professional, I recommend that ALL computers be protected by one of the virus protection products. The two I highly recommend are Norton Anti-Virus by Symantec and McAfee by McAfee.com Corporation. Both products are reasonably priced and have a website with up to date downloads and information concerning the latest variants.

Next time, in part two, I will talk about the many emails concerning “New virus! Do Not Open!” messages. Is it a virus, hoax or a joke?

Lisa R. Cross is a 16 year computer geek who works as a Network Administrator/Computer Specialist for the feds. She also owns a very small communications and technology business, Cross The Network. A native of Denver, CO she resides in Dallas, TX.

Web Information

Infinity Publishing
Vermont Ave. Baptist Church
Black Women in Publishing
The Good Book Club
Sadorian Publishing
Cross The Network

Next Month...

Don't miss the June 2001 edition of LitLine! Guest columnist will be Kimberly Lindsay Wilson, author of several non-fiction and inspirational books.

Rev. Cornelius Wheeler will return with an inspirational message in Spiritual Space.

Infinity Publishing's John Harnish will discuss the differences between Print-On-Demand publishers and Vanity presses.

A special article on book cover designs will be provided by Design Artist Cathi A. (Cat) Wang of San Francisco, CA.

Part two of Viruses will be featured in Tech Tips.

And much more...!