Hi.

I realize this has taken awhile to put together.  I won't bore you with the whole story but what it boiled down to is that I couldn't get into my PayPal account when my email address (I used the Verizon address) wasn't operative, and I couldn't give them a new address wiithout getting into my account. 

Catch-22.

It offered me the chance to phone them (which I couldn't do because I don't have a phone line which is why the email address didn't work) or snail-mail them.  If they had offered me the choice of giving them a new email address for contact purposes, this would have been over 2 weeks ago.

Anyway, for those who may wish to help get me back online, all you have to do is go to PayPal's main site, click "Send Money" and follow the instructions.  They will ask what email address you want the money sent to.  You reply,

mick(dot)arran@gmail(dot)com

That's all there is to it.  Use that address and the money will be credited to my account.

There's less to raise than there was.  After wrestling with them on the phone, I got them to reduce the ludicrous charge for the DSL router to $100, so the final tally I need to come up with to get the phone back is now under $400, about $200 of which I have.

Of course, by now you've probably either forgotten all about me or else realized how much better you get along without my constant interruptions.  I understand.  Frankly, tho I would like to get back online and contribute to the conversation occasionally, I've gotten a lot more of my own work done in the six weeks since I lost the phone line than I did in the last two years of blogging.  I kind of like the feeling of accomplishment, not to mention the potential returns, plus I really like where the two novels are going and enjoy writing them - something I could never have said before.  I used to hate writing, as much as I did it, because it was so much work.  But the books are flowing like never before and I don't want to stop.

So, I'd like to come back.  I'd like to activate LitBlogs, tho finding new ones is getting difficult.  I'd like to finish what I started at The Rebellion, and I'd like to sound off here.  But it isn't going to be like it was before.  I'm getting jealous of my book-time, and the deeper into them I get, the more time they're going to take.  I don't want you to contribute money to help me come back and then feel betrayed because I only show up once or twice a week.

Anyway, that's the skinny.  Any and all help will be appreciated but I know how tough it is during the Bush Years for anybody not at least a millionaire, so take everything that may be relevant into consideration in making your decision.

And thanks for even wanting to help.  That alone is worth more to me than I can say.