[Living Sensical] Book done. Needs beta-readers. Grass too short, too much to do.
Too much stuff happens early in the spring - still winter, technically. At least that book I've been working on for months is now ready for beta-readers...
Hi,
Hope this week’s weather is treating you well. Grass is still too short. Have to ship/organize last year’s calf crop ahead of this year’s. Yes, that book is all-but-ready. Officially looking for beta-readers…
Again, check your subscriptions if you’re getting too few or too many of these newsletters.
This is late as I was caught up in polishing a new addition to that last book.
Farm News - Cows are eating grass and leaving the hay now. I need more grass. Too much to do on the farm.
Writing News - Finally wrapped up that book - requesting beta readers…
Expectancy and Survival - Same old scene. Different bubbles we live in.
Farming News
Most of the bales are eaten to low levels now. Don’t have to put out any more as they are all chomping away on too-short grass.
(This is one of our typical gorgeous sunsets. Tricky shots in low light. )
The trick with fall grazing is to set aside some pasture that is tallish and can be grazed in the spring. A drought last summer left me short all around. So I fed twice as much hay this winter and grazed everything much shorter in the fall after all the reserves were stored underground. The theory was that they’d be able to simply “pop up” in the spring. That last eight inches I grazed off to save hay was what I should be feeding right now.
When you graze grass off too short, then it takes a longer time to start growing again, since it has to rely on those reserves to now grow their roots back. Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
The solution is to move them rapidly through all the pastures and back again, Hopefully getting a month’s worth of rest - and that such a short rest would amount to anything in terms of growth.
And pray for rain.
A long chess game, as usual.
As last week, I’ve got sorting to do. But I have to get some feed mix prepared to sort them. Because they lead better than they herd. This feed mix is the only corn they get. It’s mixed with protein and sweet-feed to make a complete ration. So that if any individual cow gets too much, they don’t get indigestion and founder (bloat).
They love that mix and will come up to the barn all at once - as it’s first come, first served. And I can shut them in and then sort out the ones I don’t want to keep the ones I do. Easier than herding, since they tend to stay inside eating once they get in the barn. Not so with herding - and one guy out there on foot.
As I said, I’m open to having unpaid interns come out to learn all this…
Tiny Home News
Here’s some details about how tiny this home is.
It runs on one 20-amp AC circuit. On a single heavy-duty extension cord. Inside, I split that into two 15-amp breakers inside, just to keep things under control. Cooking in winter (with the heat) or summer (with the A/C on really hot, muggy days) are where this gets iffy. (And as I mentioned before, the lights are on DC, maintained by the AC on trickle charge.)
Our water comes in 3-gallon buckets, which fit under the sink. Drain goes into another 6-gallon bucket - which gets emptied every time the supply bucket is swapped out. Firm rule - it gets heavy.
Yes, I can always upgrade to an RV-type AC plug, but that limits where I can put it on the farm. Same for rigging hot and cold pressurized water and drainage. Off-grid electrical? Possible. Off-grid Heating/Cooling? I’d have to forget about A/C and rig up some sort of tiny pellet-stove heater and its exhaust…
Meanwhile, I installed an exhaust fan toward the end of last summer - temperature regulated - so we're beginning to enjoy this now. Once it starts staying on all day and night, we’ll have to consider hooking up the portable A/C once more. Right now it shuts off at 74F, which is nice.
Writing News
Yes, that book is done. No kidding.
And I’m officially asking for beta-readers.
Here’s the link: https://livingsensical.gumroad.com/l/WOS01-beta-readers
Find the oopsies. Leave comments, reviews. Ask questions. Be one of the first anywhere.
Between 250 and 300 pages, depending on format. Available are epub and PDF. No charge.
Nearly 20 years of writing-publishing-entrepreneuring - all rolled into a single book. And updated. Condensed.
The courses I had up for this book are still there - but will need a lot of updating against the final book content.
(And yes, I’ve already started taking notes on the next book in this series. That’s already started up, as I’ve told you just lately. Shouldn’t take as long as this last [fingers-crossed.])
Current Book Planning
Next book is on copywriting. And it’s got several themes arguing inside it. One seems to have won out, already.
Originally a sequel to my Breakthrough Copywriter, this will actually go back to the turn of the 19th century look for the evergreen principles that make copywriting a thing. Right up through our current age (where no one has seemingly contributed much that wasn’t said before - since about the early 70’s. But that’s what I know now - things always change when you pile into the research.
What I have found is that this leads right up to writing viral content. Here’s some books along that line: Tipping Point, Made to Stick, Contagious.
And not too surprising, they are missing some basics that explain how they all fit together. Just last night, I started seeing a schema that brings them into a workable framework. (And you know me and my frameworks. Always looking for evergreen patterns and natural systems. So this will be exciting.
Expectancy and Surviving Through November
Politics are depressing. Best to take in very small doses, along with a healthy portion of skepticism. Balance with fresh air, sunshine, exercise, lots of smiling for no good reason.
Get outside these cultural bubbles our cities have devolved into.
One point may be helpful. Something Napoleon Hill wrote up in the late 1960’s (paraphrased):
The content you read is either opinion or factual. Opinions aren’t actionable, even where based on fact. And as useful as the paper they are written on - if that.
The factual stuff either helps you attain your goals or not. Facts can be verified.
Discard everything that doesn’t help you achieve your goals.
Goals, expectancies - same thing.
Thanks for being there, opening this.
And leaving a rating on the Living Sensical site for the stuff you buy there.
And also leaving comments on my Substack site.
As well as leaving recommendations on Bookbub in addition to reviews anywhere else.
You know, that "paying it forward" kinda thing.
Oh, yes - buying my books, paying for a subscription, all that keeps these newsletters coming to you.
Do keep sharing these books and this newsletter with your friends, too.
I hope your life is not too interesting to be overwhelming, but sufficiently engaging to keep you amused. (Like some of us here...)
Robert
PS. Again, you can always email me about anything.
PPS. Again, do upgrade to the paid newsletter version. That helps me keep the lights on - so I can keep all this coming to you. As much or little as you want…
Hi Robert,
I downloaded the beta-reader version of the WriterpreneurOS-Core-Basics. You mention in your newsletter of 14th March, to "Leave comments, reviews. Ask questions." so first questions are:
(1) Where do you want to receive said comments/questions?
(2) Do you have any guidelines for Beta-readers about what you want most from us? For example, I've noticed some typos, but your proofreader will sort them for you.
Cheers :)
Colin,
Comments can be left anywhere that accepts comments - newsletter or Substack Notes. Or just reply to my email. Whatever turns your crank at the time. Substack is doing a good job of keeping me posted about these, so I can answer them.
I think the only guidelines would be -
1) Please tell me what helps you most, or gives you thought, or even something I should explore more in either a newsletter or a later book. Thinking stuff. Beyond the mere keeping a reader entertained for a few hours of reading.
2) And - particularly where I've got something wrong or mis-stated.
3) How this improves your approach to writing or living better.
I'm long used to hanging my underwear out on a clothesline here on the farm, but not next to a busy road. Still, the people who stop long enough to get out of their car or truck and come over the fence to tell me what they got interested in saying - that's what I'd like to have a conversation about.
Thanks.