MySpace Authors Looking for Book Exposure
Category: Writing and Poetry

Dear MySpace Friends,

If you want some exposure for your book, and your book has a positive message you can send my staff a message at:

general@gomcgill.com

I will review each submission. Include a large image (JPG) of the cover of your book, a detailed synopsis, your name and a link to your site. Include your myspace link and include "MySpace Author" in the subject.

I may feature your book on the following sites:

www.bibliosity.com
www.mcgillslist.com
www.mcgillradio.com

Have a nice day,

Bryant McGill

10:33 AM - 0 Comments - 11 Kudos - Add Comment

Gossip & Negative Energy
Category: Life

I have been hearing some strange gossip about things I am supposed to have said about various people. It is all reminiscent of high school. ;-) When you are in the public eye this can be common.

But, just in case there are some gossipers whispering in your ear about things I have said about YOU -- this is for you:

1) I have not spoken an ill word (even if it is true) about any human on Earth for a decade. I took a vow to not do so, and it is one of my greatest accomplishments. When someone is saying these things, stop, and look *who* is talking... If you catch me doing so I will give you a cash prize on the spot. ;-) Good luck...

2) The people I do speak to regularly are at such a high level of self-mastery and positive energy, we are not likely standing around talking about people negatively in any capacity, especially when we do not even know you. ;-) Sadly, I think some people who would tell you I am talking about you or them find the fantasy that I would concern myself with them exciting.

3) When I get messages "he said, she said you said," I never EVER respond to them. I usually delete them, block the sender and never look back. I do not have time to allow such things into my life or mind. I never defend myself or acknowledge crazy accusations. I sit back and let an 'enemy' destroy themselves with their own venom. It always works.

4) I have NO NEGATIVE INFLUENCES IN MY LIFE. I feel very sorry for people whose lives are full of drama and negativity, but when they get negative I move on. I choose to love those people from a distance. People who allow 'friends' engulfed in drama and gossip into their lives BECOME embroiled in drama themselves. If you let unbalanced people into your life, you will become unbalanced. You carry their negativity with you as it travels from person to person, tainting everything in its path.

5) In my mind it is irresponsible to respond to such people. I have a busy, productive and positive life. If I spend several hours talking to negative people about negative things, that is several hours I could have spent helping the unfortunate or needy.

My advice to you all is as follows:

If you are ever confronted with gossip, NEVER pass it on, and never play ball with purveyors of gossip. A PERSON or 'FRIEND' WHO WILL TALK BADLY ABOUT SOMEONE TO YOU - *WILL* BE TALKING BADLY ABOUT YOU TO SOMEONE ELSE -- A L W A Y S, you can bet your life on it. Do not respond, walk away, never look back, and spend the time you would have wasted by helping someone in need, or supporting a friend who is down with positive conversation.

Be blessed,

Bryant McGill

"Whenever you are confronted with an opponent. Conquer him with love."
~Mahatma Gandhi"

9:12 AM - 59 Comments - 132 Kudos - Add Comment

New York Cool’s most recent issue of ’Comedy Matters’ by Jeffrey Gurian
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

Hello everyone. I wanted to let you all know about this great article my friend wrote in New York Cool's most recent issue of 'Comedy Matters.' Jeffrey is an amazing person and friend, and I was pleasantly surprised to see he had mentioned me in his article. Thanks Jeffrey! ;-)

Click Here to Read the October 2007 Issue of Comedy Matters written and Photographed by Jeffrey Gurian

Click Here to see some of my photos from the trip...

Check Out Jeffrey's MySpace Here

Jeffrey's Official Website

5:27 PM - 0 Comments - 9 Kudos - Add Comment

Join 9,000+ People - More views of your work than on MySpace
Category: Writing and Poetry

Join over 9,000 high quality members. If you are looking for exposure for your work (Poetry, Blogs, Photos, etc..) you will get more views on my community than you will here on MySpace. Millions of MySpacers who don't know about you or visit your profile will not help. So come and share where people pay attention.

Please join me in the community meant to help you achieve your dreams. You will not find a nicer more positive group of people anywhere else on the Internet. If you are having tough times, you are sure to find some good advice and support at this community, where there is NO NEGATIVE ENERGY.

4:25 PM - 2 Comments - 15 Kudos - Add Comment

Powerful Free Editor & Reference for MySpace Bloggers, Writers, Musicians and Poets!
Category: Writing and Poetry

This powerful writer's editor and reference is for all of my MySpace community members that love to write blogs, prose, poetry and songs. This gift is something into which I have put a cumulative effort of over 10 years of hard work.

http://www.VersePerfect.com
(Click on the DOWNLOAD button at the top of the page)

The latest version is just now being released here in the US after a Tokyo debut a few weeks ago. First, Enjoy the product! ;-) Secondly, please tell anyone that you know who loves to write about this free gift. The new version is already getting great reviews.

My team and I spent a *great deal* of time and energy to bring this product to you in its current stage of development. The only thing I ask of you is that you take the time to post a blog, and re-post the bulletins and banners below (or your own) anywhere you can, and tell your friends on any of the sites you use, especially MySpace musicians and writiers. (No Spamming Though!) This would normally cost hundreds of dollars, but it is my gift to all of you who love to write.

Last night we were discussed on Coast to Coast AM radio before 20 Million Listeners! I need you all to please help me get the word out. If you like the product, all I ask is that you spend one minute for each year I put into this by posting a blog, telling your friends and your favorite MySpace musicians, and by posting banners and bulletins.

I hope you all enjoy it! ;-)

Warm Regards to you All,

Bryant McGill

Here is a link to banner and bulletin codes:
(Please post this anywhere you can on the internet)
http://www.bryantmcgill.com/Free_Rhyming_Dictionary/Please_Promote/

If you are promoting for us, please let us know what you have done here:
http://www.bryantmcgill.com/community/YaBB.pl?num=1176632143

~Professor Joseph Pisano
Director of Music and Fine Arts TechnologyAssistant Chairman of Music and Fine ArtsGrove City College, Grove City, PA

9:39 AM - 12 Comments - 21 Kudos - Add Comment

A Gift Giver’s Manifesto (The Secret to Success, Part 2)
Category: Writing and Poetry

From a Self Portrait (2006)

If you want to be successful at anything you do, it will help you to first be a successful human. That's right; a successful human. And just what is that? I believe that since human life is a social life, becoming a successful human means being there for other people, which is why I have always believed that no time is better spent than that spent in the service of your fellow man. Further, success does not mean happiness, success means doing the right thing. The rewards of doing the right thing are usually much deeper and painful. The greatest happiness comes from feeling and expressing our love for other people, and particularly our families. If you think about it, we love most those who we serve most, whether it be children, employees, friends or our communities. And this means that we can bring about a greater love for one another, though a life of simple, but meaningful service, and this is precisely what being a Gift Giver will do for those we can educate about the unlimited potentials for success through service.

When John Donne contemplated the indelible inter-connectedness of humanity in Meditation XVII, saying that, "No man is an island," he was speaking to you and me. Irrespective of Ayn Rand's eminent and highly influential tributes to individualism, and the power of self-determination through her unforgettable Randian heroes, John Donne's grounding toll to reason struck a long lasting chord in us all when he wrote, "All mankind is of one author, and is one volume...As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness....No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

Donne's bell is tolling for us all right now. When we fail our friends and neighbors, and even the stranger down the way, through our vanity, selfishness, greed, envy, fear, indifference, or complacency; when we fail to even know about, or acknowledge someones suffering, which is in obvious sight, much less attempt to ease it, the world is truly made a darker place, and Donne's bell tolls louder, while something dies in us all. The failure of that individual to act represents an atomic failure of humanity itself. The world markets of optimism and hope can plummet, because of the actions or inactions of a single person. Russell Crowe's character Maximus said in Gladiator, "What we do in this life, Echoes into Eternity." Clearly what we do not do can have the same effect. The upside to this, and there is always an upside, is that the good works of even one person can represent the whole of humanity's triumph through that sole heroic act. One person really can make a difference, and a difference that can seismically move through the masses, transforming an entire ethos practically overnight; a cultural and emotional butterfly effect if you like. Look at the enormous impact Gandhi had on two violently clashing countries with his simple, and frail embodied spiritual exercises of selflessness, loving other people and valuing human life. And that was even without the power of media to move his ideas around quickly. One person can make a difference, and you need not look to icons like Gandhi to find people making a difference.

Above, I mentioned the world markets of optimism and hope. There are many types of currency, not the least of which is a system of emotional and trust economics that govern societies, both primitive and modern. These economics govern every relationship, whether it be between individuals, or nations. In fact, money as we know it does not really exist. Think about it. Money is just a piece of paper, and outside of our dynamic and collective consent it has no value beyond the value of the paper it is printed on. The only reason money has value is because we all agree that it does. So ironically, money can be seen as a placeholder for of all things -- trust. Humorously, while still accurate, you could say "In God We Trust," is printed on our money, because you hope to God that when you go to redeem that worthless piece of paper (or its digital representation in an account) that the recipient will honor its value with real world goods and services at a fair exchange. The key point here is there is more trust in the world that we may think, even during our most cynical hours. When you fully accept that money is a placeholder for trust, you must realize also, that there is a lot of trust in the world, and this offers us something to build on. In a relationship, when trust is lost, everything is lost. We can become emotionally bankrupt, or even in debt. To make money one must spend money. And this is why it is important that we invest in people, whose personal accounts of hope and optimism are low.

From the same painting...

There are so many people in need, who quietly are hovering near the abysmal edges of emotional bankruptcy. Life is dynamic, and it can be ugly. Thomas Hobbes said in Leviathan that life was, "...solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." And, Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden that, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."  I must sadly admit that this seems to be the case for too many people.  This is one of the reasons I believe too many people anesthetize themselves with a never-ending, glutinous consumption of mass entertainment, television and fruitless consumerism. Most people do not do these things because they're living life, they do these things because they're hiding from life. If you are lonely when you are alone, you are in poor company, and many people are poor in the deepest and most internal sense. They will do anything to avoid being left alone with their thoughts; being left alone to Thoreau's quiet desperation, or worn down by the unforgiving and brutish world spoke of by Hobbes. They are teetering on emotional bankruptcy, and though they do not realize it, they are living with the haunting, but quiet realization that they are not answering the calls for help from their fellow man. They have a nagging feeling that they have not yet experienced all of what life has to offer. They want more in their relationships; more money and more success. They try to force these things, and when they do not materialize, they become negative and pessimistic. The harder they try, the further away the things they want seem to move. They do not realize that all things come through other people. It is counterintuitive for them to hear that you get most things in life you want not by taking them, but by giving. Giving is the key to all success in all applications of human life. Giving is not a physical action; giving is a philosophy, and a way of living life. There are endless opportunities to give the smallest things that cost us nothing, but mean the world to other people. Money and time are not the only things we can give. We can give others appreciation, patience, compassion, courtesy, kindness, dependability, friendship, forgiveness, gratitude, honesty, loyalty, respect, tolerance and of course love.

For example let's look at just one of these; courtesy. Courtesy is a powerful and amazing gift to give. Courtesy is a silver lining around the dark clouds of civilization; it is the best part of refinement and in many ways, an art of heroic beauty in the vast gallery of man's cruelty and baseness. Good manners are appreciated as much as bad manners are abhorred, and a polite enemy is just as difficult to discredit, as a rude friend is to protect. Mastering courtesy alone will enhance your life and the lives of others. We can give a tired clerk a kind and understanding glance. We can give a frustrated driver a spot in line on the road. We can give a hopeful passerby a kind smile and wave. We can speak to people at all stations of life with respectful and polite words and tones. We can wait with one item in the grocery line behind someone with a full cart with a gentle smile, and body language that makes their day better. When we want to talk, we can instead listen, and let our attentiveness to another's need to speak be our silent statement. All of these simple, but powerful gifts have immense value to the person receiving them, and all are examples of an overarching philosophy of giving and service that we can each apply in our lives every day. Simply by thinking about something other than ourselves, and by monitoring our behaviors with a pure and selfless intent of making the lives of other people better, we have the privileged opportunity to change them for the better. This is what being a Gift Giver is all about.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, we all have a debt to the society we live in. If we want to succeed in society at anything, we must first pay our debt to society. But here is the most important part; our debt never ends. We must pay it each and every day for the rest of our lives. Once you realize this, no matter your philosophical, or religious framework, whether it be the golden rule of Christianity, the humanist view of biochemical inducement of self-preservation through the sociological laws of reciprocity, the Mystical Law of Karma (the universal law of ethical causation), Confucian Shu reciprocity, good old horse sense of the law of the harvest, or any other world-view construct of the same truth, life will start working for you rather than against you. Life has a way of shining on people who stand in the sunshine of kind actions. But you can't fake it. It has to come from the heart, with a true spirit of giving and selflessness. A talent is no talent, unless it is used for the benefit of other people. Even if you consider your talents a blessing, they will be quickly used against you in a Newtonian reversal if you do not properly use your precious gifts for the benefit of others. For a brief period in this ephemeral existence, we have the privilege to share time with other people, and serve them, and their needs. The greatest joys in life are found not only in what we do and feel, but also in our quiet hopes and labors for others. I have written before, that as with people, the trees that are pruned, watered and nurtured by caring hands bear the greatest fruits. It is critical to know that it works both ways. If you personally have not been served by caring hands in your own life, do not be bitter, but instead, ask yourself who you can now serve. If you have had some tough times in life, now more than ever is the time to make someone else's life better. How we treat other people can, and does change them, and how we treat others is in fact part of how treat ourselves, which changes us. To me a person is defined by their actions. And being social creatures, outside of our own useless self-image, the only proof that we exist resides in the minds of other people we change with our actions. So, ask yourself, How do I change people? I want to change people for the better, and I want to have my existence proved by the raised hands of the people I have met, who will say without doubt that I have cared.

Where wise actions are the fruit of life, wise discourse is the pollination. But this message is only talk. To be of value to us all, these ideas need to be made real in the world.  We should speak to protect the ideals of goodness, and act to make them real in the world. The first proves a consummate mind, the second a valorous heart. It is my belief that true progress for humanity is anything that takes us closer to loving one another. Small acts of kindness between you and the individuals around you are are the germination that spring into being something as mysterious as life itself, and what may in fact be man's greatest accomplishment; compassion for others. It is my hope that we can all grow in one another a deeper and more meaningful desire to ease the burdens others. Every person is a precious gift, and we are all like little children who yearn for acceptance, safety, unconditional love and the gentle-warm affection that can only come from another soul who is whole enough, and generous enough to reach out, and give the gift of acceptance and compassion. I would like to be such a person, and am therefore reaching out with a hope that I could bring some degree of happiness to other human beings.

Many people are now sensing that something important is happening in the world. People are talking, and they "feel" something; they are picking up on something they cannot articulate, but they know it is there. Let's define it before it gets here. Please join me and other good-spirited people around the world in our deepest and most sincere desire to share our own unique gifts. Become a Gift Giver, and set into motion a life of service, with other caring people, who will leave in the wake of their good deeds the waves of promise, and hope that will cover the vast waters of any shallow doubt. We carry within us the enormity of possibility that has created everything man has made in the world. Let us now yearn for the possibility of building a happiness in every heart. Let us now build inward, a new world of hope, where our greatest achievements are counted as the the simple acts that reap heartfelt tears from the people who have touched, and been touched by the caring hands of other people bearing precious gifts.

Thank you,

6:50 PM - 152 Comments - 323 Kudos - Add Comment

Poetry: The Tree of Life (Plus Audio & Art)
Category: Writing and Poetry

Dear friends. I apologize for the quality of the audio production. It is not up to my standards, and was created hastily, and on poor equipment. I will re-produce it in the future with my higher quality equipment. I am just too busy to do a proper recording, so I included this less formal production temporarily. Thank you for your understanding, and I hope you enjoy this poem. ~ Bryant

6:30 PM - 105 Comments - 196 Kudos - Add Comment

My Daughter Savannah Playing in my Home Office
Category: Life

My daughter Savannah, who is five loves to hang out with her daddy and play in my home office while I work. I thought I would snap a few photos and put them up here so you could see one of the many reasons I am always so happy.

10:30 AM - 194 Comments - 325 Kudos - Add Comment

Please help this sweet girl and friend for me...
Category: Music

HAVE YOU DONE YOUR GOOD DEED FOR THE DAY?

Imagine the horror of having your profile hacked and deleted, and all of your nice friend's comments you care about deleted forever.

For some of us, myspace is not only a place to meet friends, but it is also an important part of our marketing efforts that support our professional artistic aspirations. We use myspace to meet people, and expose our work to the world as we attempt the dauntingly difficult task of breaking into an industry by building a larger readership or listenership. To have an account deleted after working so hard can be very devastating emotionally. Think about that. Emotionally. It is very emotional, because it is an assault against someone's dreams!

This is what happened to Taylor, a friend of mine. Taylor is a sweet and talented girl who has been working hard to promote her work, build her fan base, and gain the support needed to accomplish her goals. This is what all of us artists at all levels do, whether we are writers or musicians. It is hard work and often a thankless uphill battle.

I feel just terribly for Taylor. She has been nothing but nice to people and deserves help from us. Will you join me in helping her? Will you help me send a message that says the good people are more resourceful and determined than the few bad people? Simply make a request to be her friend. This is something all of us can to to help right a wrong. Your simple action can help to wash away this nastiness for someone who was victimized. It will not cost you anything, but will make you, and another person feel better. Try it. I promise you will feel better. ;-)

Thank you for your help and for supporting independent artists. We could not do what we do without your support.

Sincerely,

Bryant McGill

Add Her | View Her

Add Her | View Her

Add Her | View Her

1:29 PM - 61 Comments - 102 Kudos - Add Comment

The McGill Poetry Award (No. 1) - Update 2
Category: Writing and Poetry

Welcome to the first of what I hope will be many fruitful and positive contests. Let's show everyone we can do this the right way. Let's be open-minded and accommodating to different viewpoints, and let's not forget that the contestants are real people with feelings. As you know from my last blog, I have had about enough of the nasty people, so keep it positive and let's put our best selves forward and enjoy seeing what people have to share. Any foul play, and I may have to send a few thousand people over to your profile to tell you what we think! ;-)  Thanks to everyone for the great input and suggestions for this contest. And finally, thank you all in advance for your participation, and good luck!

On a Special Note: Many heartfelt thanks to those of you who left overwhelmingly supportive and wise comments for me on my last blog. I would never want to have negative confrontations with people like that, and I hope they can get the message through your feedback. I knew your comments would be a passive and healthy response, without getting sucked into their trap.

The Winner Will Receive

 
1. A short-listed, nomination for 'The American Prize for Poetry' (www.arlj.com)
   This means that you will be officially inserted into the short-list for the The American Prize for Poetry, and that your work will therefore be judged alongside other shortlisted nominees for the actual award, which is to be granted only once every four years. Being on the shortlist is an accomplishment in of itself, considering that you will be bypassing thousands of submissions and the first elimination stage of judgment. Whether you win in the end, or not, your name will publicly remain as having been on the short list for the The American Prize for Poetry. Remember that ARLJ is still in its infancy, so please do read about our objectives on the site.
    
2. Publication on the American Review Website
    
3. Publication of your work on my official website (which receives around 50K visits a month)
    
4. Publication in the Inaugural Print Edition of the American Review Literary Journal
    
5. A listing of your profile or website on my "Bryant's Favorites" link section of my official website
    
6. You will be featured in my "Top 8" on my profile until the next winner replaces you
    
7. Your winning work will be placed in this blog and remain there for everyone to see.
    
8. I will send out a bulletin about you to my friends, which includes many industry professionals, suggesting they look at your work, subscribe to your blog, and add you as a friend.
    
9. You will receive a masthead title of contributing editor for the American Review for a period of time.
    
10. A congratulatory phone call with me, where you can ask me any questions you like.
     
11. An Autographed copy of my poem, "The Tree of Life."
     
12. $150 Cash (Personal Check or Paypal)
     
13. $50 Charitable contribution to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital which will be pledged in the name of the winner. (www.stjude.org)
     
14. Additional pledges in the name of the winner by the following participants:

Your Requirements & Responsibilities

 
• Follow directions and actually read everything here. I am not being sharp with anyone here; it is just a basic issue of time. I do not have time to answer questions that are already addressed here. Plus, myspace limits the number of messages you can send each day, and I run out often.
   
• Submit your work in a comment to this blog. You can submit as many pieces as you like, (Don't just post everything you have ever written please) but make sure you **SUBMIT ONLY ONE POEM PER COMMENT**. It also will not hurt for you to post a bio or a little something about you WITH the poem, so we can know something about the person behind the submission.
   
• NO HTML
   
• Add me as a friend if you like, but do subscribe to my blog for updates. And, remember that this is new and experimental, so things may change or not go perfectly. Just remember that we are here to have fun , expose our work to others, and meet new friends in a healthy and positive competition.
   
• Tell as many people as you can about this competition and motivate them to submit their own work. The more people who participate, the more exposure each entry will get, and the more feedback we will all get to enjoy. This is basic marketing here. Let's stir something up.
   
• No negativity, nastiness, or running people and their work down. If you don't have something nice to say then say nothing. If you see nasty behavior in the comments, or in someones blog politely ask them to cut it out.
   
• Even though you are in this contest, please be supportive of other people's work. If you see something you like, that someone else has submitted, please comment their entry and give them some support. This is IMPORTANT. Please give people some feedback! This nice person sent me this link supporting my stance that every writer deserves a lot of positive feedback. She wrote, "I normally don't ask people to read my blogs, but this is one I feel is very necessary and you'll see why. Why to leave comments supporting the work of others... Be sure that when you leave a comment, you use the REPLY TO THIS link associated with the poem you are commenting on, and NOT the main Add Comment link. If you see someone doing this incorrectly, please help them to understand.
   
• If you see something you like then support that person by adding them as a friend, subscribing to their blog, leaving them a comment, and decide right then to support them as an artist from that point forward.
   
• CLICK HERE TO POST THIS BULLETIN EVERY NOW AND THEN, which politely asks your friends to come and support you in this competition. Reading what your fans, friends and the public have to say about your work, and the impact it has on them WILL be a factor in this competition. They will be asked to leave their comments as a reply to your submission comment. Ask your friends to come and support you. If I see that a person has a large number of comments supporting their submission, and they have already been eliminated, you can bet I am going to be re-reading and re-evaluating that work. If you do not like this bulletin, then craft your own. I just created this to make it easy on you.
   
• You promise that when the winner is announced you will do your part in showering that person with congratulations and good will to make them feel great!
  

Other Announcements

New Free Rhyming Dictionary and Tools for Writers
I also have a bit of good news for you poets and songwriters out there. If you did not know, the electronic version of my rhyming dictionary is very popular. In fact, based on the current usage, in the next two months it will become the most used rhyming dictionary in the world. I worked on that dictionary for 9 years, and decided to give it away rather than charging as a way to pay my dues, and give to the community I love. I have never charged for it and have no intention of ever doing so.

The good news is that a new version is going to be released this year. I have incorporated all types of new tools for writers and songwriters in the new version. It has been improved, optimized and expanded in nearly every way. I am also negotiating with a new publisher now for a low cost printing of the full 14 volume print edition, which is the most extensive rhyming dictionary in the history of the English language. I will let you know when the new software is ready. If you have any friends who write music or poetry, or know any myspace musicians, please  be sure to tell them about it, and about the new edition that is to be released. You can have them subscribe to my blog for updates. Releasing that Dictionary for free was one of the best things I have ever done. I have gotten nearly 10 thousand thank you notes from people who use it. Do you have any idea how good that many thank you letters makes a person feel? Bless every one of you, and best of luck with your own projects and journey.

The software is available from over 400 locations. Here is a link to the main informational site.

UPDATES Notes, Questions & Comments

 
• 5/24/06 - Note:
  I am so impressed with what I am seeing here. The talent and good will everyone is displaying should make all of us feel better about the world. Keep it up. There is so much fine work being posted. There will be a lot of honorable mentions for sure. I have met some wonderful people through this contest, and have heard that many of you have too. That is what it is really about. I hope you are all having fun. I know I am. On another note I thought you would all like to know that your work has been getting a lot of good exposure. Since yesterday, you have all received over 12,000 views.
   
• 5/25/06 - Note:
  Since we started, your work has received over 21,244 views! We are getting close to breaking $1000.00 in charitable contributions in the name of the winner. How is that for just having some fun?
   
• 5/30/06 - Note:
  Since we started, your work has received over 45,600 views! 

Best wishes from a fellow traveler,

Bryant McGill

11:30 PM - 2864 Comments - 1053 Kudos - Add Comment

Subscription to Your Blog, New Free Rhyming Dictionary, Updates and more...
Category: Blogging

In a previous blog I wrote, "I can't thank all of you enough for promoting me and making my new home on Myspace so wonderful. ... I feel I have discovered something wonderful; a vibrant community of diverse opinions, colors, images, sounds and people. The flavors, personalities and energy here are outstanding. ... Myspace is one of the most amazing things I have seen."

As many of you know I have been reading people's blogs. For example, I subscribed to the blogs of people in several poetry and art groups, as well as the top blogs of myspace. I subscribed to any profile that looked interesting, and especially not just people who echoed my world view. I signed up for anything and everything. HOW COULD YOU READ THEM ALL you ask? I don't. A subscription just notifies me when a new blog has been posted. When people post new works, they scroll by my 'Latest Updates' window in my blog section. This makes it so that I do not have to surf around all day looking for new blog entries. Instead the entries come to me in one convenient list. I can then scan that list for titles that catch my eye, and if I like what I see, I can read it and then add that person to my private reading list.

Complaints about Reading People's Blogs
The above method has been very successful, but not without its problems. I have commented on hundreds of blogs and profiles and met many interesting people. However, because of a few bad apples I am changing my policy. A handful of people, believe it or not, have expressed shock, outrage and  even fear, that I subscribed to their blog. Several people have even emailed me hostile letters saying that they felt "violated" that I did not ask for permission to read their blogs! "How dare you trespass," one person commented. I have also received a number of messages asking impossible questions such as "Who are you?" and "Why are you reading my blog?" The answers to both of these questions are obvious, and therefore can come off sounding rude, even when no rudeness is intended. Who are you? Well, I am me. What else could you say to that? Why are you reading my blog? Well, I assume you wanted it read, which I guess is the reason you posted it publicly online for millions of people to see it. There are no graceful ways to address these types of inquiries without it just sounding terrible, and I do not like to ignore people either. I think part of the problem is that people do not know what a subscription is, since many people have said I was their only subscriber. I tried to point out as kindly as possible that a subscription to a blog is just something that notifies me when you have a new PUBLIC blog post to read. "Strangers" can and do read your blogs all the time, whether they have a subscription or not. Unless your blog is set to private (for friends only) there is no guarantee that I, or anyone else for that matter, will not read it, subscription or not.

"violated...suspicious...strange...creepy...why would someone who is obviously so well-read and well-traveled want to read my chicken scratches?  Strange....very strange..." Good God, people, I am just a person just like you, and like most people, I find other people and their lives fascinating and educational.

So what you have here are people who publicly post their blogs before millions for people to read, and then when someone dares to read them, they attack that person for doing so. Call me crazy, but I just don't want to deal with any part of it.

Another problem I have encountered is that a small number of these people have personally attacked me, my wife and my children, by saying offensive things. A few people have done some name calling, and a few have even said some very nasty things about my wife, which I did not like. Since I do not want to be rude by attempting to answer people's rhetorical and less than well thought out questions, I have decided to unsubscribe and quit reading people's blogs and poetry. I would like to point out that the vast majority of people have been very welcoming and happy to have me reading, but some of the others have just been so nasty and depressing, that I must change my direction.

Complaints about NOT Reading People's Blogs
So, since I started unsubscribing from blogs today, I am now getting a new type of complaint. "So, I guess you just think you are too important to be subscribed to my blogs now. ... and from your supportive comments I thought you cared. ... Are my writings that bad that you had to leave? Thanks for the insult a**hole!" That's right folks; damned if you do and damned if you don't. Look, I am just a regular person. I am not an arrogant person, and I do not think I am better than anyone, or "too important" to read your blogs! I can't stand people like that. I am just a tiny and insignificant poet with a modest following. Big deal! I am a regular person who enjoys writing what is in my heart, and looking for and contemplating the positive in life. I am not in this for the money. I make money doing other things. And, I am not in this for the fame. Anyone who writes poetry for fame and money is an absolute nut case. Poetry book sales are the lowest of nearly any other genre, and as far as fame goes, no matter how many people know about you, you will never be as famous as say, Garfield the Cat. So if you write poetry for fame and money you are destined for disappointment.

On the other hand, I know that I have been blessed. The support and encouragement I get from my fans is what makes me continue sharing. Of course, some people love what I do, but others think I am a worthless, no-talent hack. That is the way it goes. I can only do what I do, the rest is up to the reader.

***What Now? Blog Subscriptions...***
My new policy is this: If you want me to subscribe to, and read your blog, then make the request in the comment section of this entry. Several thousand people subscribe to my blogs here at myspace already, and I am grateful to each and every one of you. If you want me to continue reading your work, just ask, and I will gladly re-subscribe and try to keep up with what you are doing. I will of course subscribe to you if you are one of my subscribers, and I may also if you are listed as a Top or Popular blog on myspace, since you are likley used to subscribers. This is the only solution I can come up with that will please both groups of people.

If I have not unsubscribed from your blog yet, I will be soon. I will then re-subscribe to the blogs of people who let me know they want me to in this blogs comment area. I have also discovered that I cannot, for whatever reason, unsubscribe from some people's blogs.

The Literary Journal
As I have mentioned, one of my objectives in all of this has been to find writers to staff my new, up-and-coming literary journal. I need writers, editors, photographers and artists who want to do something positive and who have talent. I have been making a list of people I have met here through blog reading that I am going to contact in the future to invite to be a part of this project. I had hoped to find some of these people through my myspace travels and blog reading. We will see how it goes.

A Bit Behind on Responding to Messages and Comments :-(
Along with all of the bands and other artists, I am here to promote my work and meet new people. I have been touched by the wonderful and encouraging comments so many of you have left. I really do get a deep feeling of satisfaction knowing something I have said has in some way had a positive impact on someone. This is why most people in the spotlight actually persist in the face of nasty criticism. It makes it all worth it, or else who would want to put up with it? This is why I spend so much energy trying to respond to people, because it would be irresponsible to not do so. I try to be as personable, open and accessible as possible, and I have met true friends that I talk to nearly every day right here on myspace. I have been a bit scarce lately though, because of corporate obligations, but I will have more time soon and will be responding to as many of your wonderful comments as I can. Thank you for your patience.

My Latest Blog Entry
For those readers who have been asking when I will post a new blog I have an update.  I am working on The Secret to Success Part 2 now. It has been coming along nicely except for one problem: it is already over 17 pages long. Since I do not want to bore anyone to death, I am working on refining it. I am sorry it is taking so long. It also got a bit technical and less inspirational, and I am not sure how that will be received. So just know I am working on it and it is forthcoming.

InfoRocket Moving Along
For those of you who have been keeping up with this, I am hoping to move into a public beta with this project soon. I have been working on this software for two and a half years, and it is coming together very nicely. There are going to be some great tools in it for songwriters and, of course, for people who need to keep track of their projects and info. It will also help you organize and write your books.

Budget Juggler Almost Ready
This was another fun little project that has really come in handy. When it is ready I will let you all know.
http://www.bryantmcgill.com/Budget_Juggler/

Other Free Stuff
http://www.bryantmcgill.com/Free_Downloads/

CONTESTS & AWARDS
I am also thinking about creating an award for writers and artists on Myspace. It will be an Honorable Mention award with a cash prize that I will give out to people for works I feel are noteworthy. What do you think? More on this soon.

New Development Project
I have a secret development project underway just for myspace'ers that you will all love. As usual, it will be free too. I will drop you all some hints as soon as I am comfortable it is all going to work out.

New Free Rhyming Dictionary and Tools for Writers
I also have a bit of good news for you poets and songwriters out there. If you did not know, the electronic version of my rhyming dictionary is very popular. In fact, based on the current usage, in the next two months it will become the most used rhyming dictionary in the world. I worked on that dictionary for 9 years, and decided to give it away rather than charging as a way to pay my dues, and give to the community I love. I have never charged for it and have no intention of ever doing so.

The good news is that a new version is going to be released this year. I have incorporated all types of new tools for writers and songwriters in the new version. It has been improved, optimized and expanded in nearly every way. I am also negotiating with a new publisher now for a low cost printing of the full 14 volume print edition, which is the most extensive rhyming dictionary in the history of the English language. I will let you know when the new software is ready. If you have any friends who write music or poetry, or know any myspace musicians, please  be sure to tell them about it, and about the new edition that is to be released. You can have them subscribe to my blog for updates. Releasing that Dictionary for free was one of the best things I have ever done. I have gotten nearly 10 thousand thank you notes from people who use it. Do you have any idea how good that many thank you letters makes a person feel? Bless every one of you, and best of luck with your own projects and journey.

The software is available from over 400 locations. Here is a link to the main informational site.

Best wishes from a fellow traveler,

Bryant McGill

10:30 PM - 650 Comments - 966 Kudos - Add Comment

ATTENTION MYSPACE BLOGGERS, POETS & FRIENDS (Updated 4/5/06)
Category: MySpace

I can't thank all of you enough for promoting me and making my new home on Myspace so wonderful. As of the posting of this entry, I have been on Myspace for about four weeks. I feel I have discovered something wonderful; a vibrant community of diverse opinions, colors, images, sounds and people. The flavors, personalities and energy here are outstanding. I have never made use of an online community before. I am rather reclusive and private. After deciding I would use Myspace, I sent a letter to my fan e-mailing list, and suggested they join me here. In no time at all, my friends, fans and new Myspace friends started joining my profile and blog.  Myspace is one of the most amazing things I have seen. Be sure to join my friends list and subscribe to my blog if you like what you see. Your support is appreciated.

READING PEOPLE'S BLOGS ON MYSPACE
After joining Myspace, I discovered the blogging community here. It seems so much less pretentious than other forums I have seen. There are some fascinating blog entries on this site. As I mentioned before,  I am very private person, but even worse I am admittedly a book and computer geek. To be truthful, I am not very 'cool,' nor am I a 'pop culture' type of person. I am so not "emo," that I still have not figured out exactly what it means, even after having it explained to me. I have not even watched television in over 15 years, so you could say I am out of touch with many things. I do, however, read a lot. It would be shocking for most people to know the amount of print I consume. My house is filled with thousands of books. But now, I think I am going to turn my appetite for information primarily toward Myspace blogs for a while.

Being so out of touch with so many things, it will be a true educational experience for me to read all of these blogs; the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am going to be subscribing to people's blogs wholesale; any profile that looks interesting, and especially not just people who echo my world view. I am signing up for anything and everything.  As a proficient speed reader, I have decided to dedicate a few hours a day to reading what people are saying here. I can subscribe to thousands of blogs, (a tiny fraction of the millions of blogs) and when people post new works, they scroll by my Latest Updates window in the blog section. This makes it very convenient and does not require my surfing around all day looking for new entries. I can then zoom in on titles that catch my eye, and if I like what I see, I can add that person to my private reading list.

On a related note, a hand full of people, believe it or not, have expressed shock, outrage and once, even (prepare yourself) fear, that I subscribed to their blog. I would like to point out that a subscription to a blog is just something that notifies me when you have a new blog post to read. People can and do read your blog, whether they have a subscription or not. I will painfully state the obvious here; if you don't want people reading your blog, then set it to private, or take it off of the I-n-t-e-r-n-e-t, where there are millions of people surfing around and reading blogs. If you do not want me subscribed to read your blog, then it would be best if you just blocked me. That way, I will not accidentally re-subscribe to your blogs in the future, which is very possible, since I may not necessarily remember your profile. When I am browsing through the top blogs section it would be possible for me to read your material, like it, and then re-subscribe to your blog. Also, unless your blog is set to private there is no guarantee I, or anyone else for that matter will not read it, subscription or not.

PUBLISHING NEW AUTHORS
I have had many people help me with my writing career. I am always looking for the opportunity to help others as I have been helped. One way I can do this is by allowing unknown authors and artists the opportunity to be in one of my books. For my last book project, EXISTENCE, I received over 2,500 submissions and chose 16 people from four countries for publication. I am going to be watching the blogs for exceptional works and will be inviting select new authors to publish in one of my next books. If you have a piece you are proud of and you want to draw particular attention to it, then please contact me, and ask me to have a look.

BUYING MY BOOKS? DON'T!
Frequently, people on Myspace ask me which of my books I recommend they buy. Or, they tell me they are going to buy one of my books to support me. Thank you for the sentiment, but please don't. I would not recommend you buy any of them. I am going to be putting most everything worth anything to date on this site for free at some point. I will have a new book worth looking into in the near future. But if you wait a while, I will put it online too. My objective is not to make money selling books. I especially do not want to take advantage of people's excitement and enthusiasm about meeting me here for the sake of making small amounts of money at their expense. I already make money at other things. I really just want to have fun and share with people. I make very little money on book sales, even when I sell a large number of books. The retailers make most of the money. Signing up as a friend and subscribing to my blog is a great way to support me.

I only publish for the convenience of my readers. Sometimes it is nice to have something to lay on the couch with, or to read in bed. I prefer to disseminate my work electronically. My official site receives from 50 to 100 thousand page views each month. I also do not use traditional publishers. Since enough people know about me and my work, I self-publish, and can move around 10 thousand copies of a book on my own. The only time I even publish in journals and magazines is when they approach me unsolicited, and ask me for a piece. I never submit my work and have no desire to  do so at this point. While I have been approached by traditional publishers, I do not expect to approach a traditional publisher myself for another 10 to 15 years when I have a large enough and mature enough body of work. So if you are determined to buy one of my books, then thank you, but otherwise just keep your money in your pocket, and your eyes on my blog, since I intend to start moving works here shortly, and for free.

CONTESTS & AWARDS
I am also thinking about creating an award for writers and artists on Myspace. It will be an Honorable Mention award that I will give out to people when I come across works I feel are noteworthy. What do you think? More on this soon. As far as contests go, I have already started one. It is for a signed book and video iPod. I thought this would be great fun. I think I should do these on a regular basis. What do you think?

ME AND YOUR TOP 8
If you have placed me in your Top 8, I want to tell you that I am honored and thankful. It means a lot to me that you appreciate my efforts enough to place me there with your true friends. If you have placed me in your Top 8, please let me know so I can come and comment your profile and say thank you.

COMMENTING ON YOUR WRITINGS & POETRY
Please do not ask me to comment on your poetry or writings. You are more than welcome to ask me to read something, and if I feel compelled to comment on it of my own volition, then I will. Just please do not request that I review your work. Commenting on someone's poetry, prose or creative works is tricky business, and best done in person.

Also, I will not be impugned by small minds who cannot understand that I can appreciate a particular piece written by someone who does not share my world view. If I comment positively on something someone has written, who happens to be [insert what you despise here], it is not my endorsement of that world view. Even the worst people, in your view, are often right about many things. Please do not send me messages speaking badly about people. I do not appreciate gossip, nor do I perpetuate it.

CELEBRITY CONTACTS
Do you really know X celebrity? Yes. Do you have their phone number? In many cases, yes. Do you have their private email address? Yep. Do you talk to them? Yes. - Will you introduce me? No. Will you give me their phone number? Hell no. Will you send them an email for me? Nope. Can you tell them something for me? Maybe in passing, if it is the right moment and the right comment. But, please do not ask me to divulge the private information of people I know. I would not know them very long if I handed that information out, plus it is incredibly tacky to ask.

RESPONDING TO YOUR MESSAGES AND COMMENTS
I do not think I am better than anyone and I love to respond to fans. While I am very interested in getting to know you it may take a long time to get back to you. Now, if I am available and inspiration hits me from something you said in your email or profile, you may hear from me quickly, or, you may not hear from me for six months or more. Please do not take it as a personal insult if I do not get back to you within a span of time YOU feel is appropriate.

I just looked at my email client in the submissions folder, and last year I personally received 5,576 submissions of poetry and hundreds of autograph requests. I also received thousands of photo submissions from models and photographers, several thousand business emails, and thousands of submissions from several journals and literary organizations for whom I screen submissions. All of that on top of that fact that I am often traveling or deeply engrossed in research. During the summer, of the few times I get out, I go opal and gem mining, on fossil digs and on gold prospecting expeditions. Not to mention, I also have a family and life. So please, do not send a hostile letter complaining about not hearing from me. I really try hard to comment peoples pages when they comment me, and I try to respond to people's messages, but sometimes I just can't keep up. If I fail to respond, it is probably because I got behind and your message slipped into oblivion. Write me again sometime, but nothing nasty please.

DISSENTING OPINIONS?
MY COMMENT AREAS ARE NOT YOUR BATTLEFIELD
On a final note, I love dissenting opinions. But, you will not see me going around posting my articles into your blog's comment area. If I am making an optimistic speech or presentation of my ideas, I consider long dissections of my work and objections that are posted into my comment areas as inappropriate heckles. I don't surf around and heckle people's negative rants with my optimistic speeches and counterpoints. If I want to express my opinions, I do it in my books and MY blog to MY audience. I'm here to mingle with my supporters, not my detractors. If you are a detractor, it will have to be on your dime, not mine. You are more than welcome to have a dissenting opinion, but my blog is not a forum that is designed to offer you free access to my reader base so you can insert your writings. You will have to build your own reader base and then disseminate your opinions to them directly.

You can place your opinions on your own blog like I do, which is why we both have one. I follow the following general rule. If I post a comment on someone's page, it is only when the comment is positive and supportive.  If I don't have anything nice to say, I would prefer to say nothing at all. If I want to engage in combat with someone's  viewpoint, I do it in my blog area, and to my readers. I have no desire to confront people about their opinions, or change anyone's mind. I am not going to argue with anyone, and my comment areas are not debating venues.

If you would like to put forth an argument, please do so on your blog. If you don't like what I am saying then go and insert your views into the open marketplace of ideas, and good luck to you. Rest assured however, that if you take the time to write me, even a hostile letter, I will consume it, assimilate the information, and if adequately persuaded, I will gladly change my opinion in the face of superior reasoning.

NEW UPDATES -- 4/5/06
First of all, out of a grand total of around 2800 messages and comments, so far I have only received and vetted two down right nasty messages, two photo comments calling me a fag and a queer (It's the bow-tie. Come on, it's a publicity shot. What do you want from me, overalls?) and one letter that suggested among other things, that I was promoting my message here, and trying to increase the reach of my readership. Well gee. No kidding! I am not trying to decrease it, that's for sure ;-)

Also, keeping up with the blog posts so far has been easy. Only 68 new entries to read today, even with thousands of blog subscriptions. You guys just do not post as often as I expected. One of those negative commenter's I mentioned suggested that the very respectful letter I sent in response to their less than respectful letter, was sent by another person, such as my publicity agency. Let me be very clear here. I hand write and respond to messages myself. I am here to MEET people, expose them to my work if they do not know me, take in their creations and interact.

Finally, I want to say that I am very impressed with Myspace members. I am only receiving a fraction of the hate mail and mean-spirited notes I normally get through traditional email. Myspacer's seem to have an undeserved bad reputation. I admit that nasty letters upset me. When I used to screen mail for people I studied under, I saw these types of letters frequently, and at the time, they were even a source of great amusement to me. It is not as amusing when you are the subject though. Years ago, as more people came to know about me, I used to have my assistant Chris screen out all nasty letters, because they gave me feelings of extreme anxiety; and even heart palpitations. Logically, I could identify the fallibility of the content, but they still had negative power over me. It hurts when you work so hard to be nice to people, to share and to give, and then you get a letter saying such awful things. It is also difficult to respond to such letters, because you will seldom change someone's opinion. I am still not comfortable with such letters, but I try to face them with dignity and politeness. I wish I could say I was a stronger person, and that such things did not bother me, but for whatever reason it is an unfortunate weakness of my character that I am sensitive to.  I have to just accepted it that it comes with the territory. Thankfully, it is a tiny minority of people who act this way.

5:00 AM - 368 Comments - 604 Kudos - Add Comment

The secret to success and happiness - Part 1
Category: Life

People frequently email me asking for the 'secret' to success in life, business, their writing career, etc. While I do have some general advice on those topics, I am only going to discuss one item in this entry. I will follow up with some more general advice soon. This entry is about, family, which I consider to be the foundation of true success and happiness. As Don Corleone said to Johnny Fontane in the Godfather, "A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." I believe that statement to be correct.

I would like to clarify something very important. Success does not mean happiness, success means doing the right thing, which often times will bring you everything except happiness. The rewards of doing the right thing are usually much deeper and painful. The greatest happiness comes from feeling and expressing our love for other people, particularly our families. We love most those who we serve most. With families, there are endless ways in which we serve. Our wives, children, husbands and other members of our families are independent entities. We do not own them, and they do not belong to us; we can only know them. They belong to the world and to themselves, but for a brief period in this ephemeral existence, we have the privilege to share time with them, and serve them and their needs.

I thought of adding this entry last night after speaking with Chantelle Paige on the phone. Her mother had called me earlier that day by mistake, and we were laughing about it. The conversation quickly moved to Chantelle's affirmation of how much she loved her mother, and we discussed families for a bit. I told her how happy it made me to see how much she loved her mom and dad, and that I hoped to continue to earn my daughters' respect and affection like her dad clearly had done. I want all of you to go to her page at the link above and read it carefully. Look beyond the slick photos, glitz and glamour and pay close attention to the person. The secret to success can be found in her every word. Her parents have heavily invested in her soul, and the harvest is bountiful. The trees that are pruned, watered and nurtured by caring hands bear the greatest fruits. And remember it works both ways. If you have not been invested in as a person, do not be bitter. Instead, ask yourself who you can invest in. As the great Mahatma Gandhi advised, we should all be the change we wish to see in the world. Growing up, I did not have the best of families, to put it mildly. But now I can be the change I wish to see.

My new family is my foundation and my bedrock to all success. I have been blessed, and my family is the greatest blessing of all. Though it was not always so, I consider myself to be one of the luckiest people in the world. I have had what seems like a never-ending succession of "good luck" and fortuitous circumstances grace my life. Endless opportunities seem to avail themselves to me one after the other in the form of friendships, learning experiences, business, finance and family. Every time I turn around something good happens to me. I have had enough lucky things happen to me for 50 lifetimes, and the one event I consider greatest of all, is the meeting of my beautiful wife Rachael.

I cannot say enough fine things about my wife's character. I will say in brief that she has always been a person of the highest caliber and class. Always a dutiful and loyal daughter and sister to her parents and siblings; a clean living youth who valued her dignity above the pressures of the day; a sterling student with 4.0 grades, on the honor roles and recipient of innumerable recognitions for academic achievement; a seasoned and magnificent vocalist who is always active sharing her talents, a well balanced person physically, mentally and intellectually, and above all, as time would come to reveal that which I always suspected, a strong and devoted mother and wife. No man can have true success unless his wife is supporting his efforts one-hundred percent. My wife is such a woman; a woman of unfathomable talent and character.

My wife and I have been together for ten years and have two children: Sierra Rose McGill (left) and Savannah Dawn McGill (Right). My children are my greatest joy and treasure. As nature so impels those who love one another deeply, my wife and I sought our children's creation as the most meaningful fruition of our warm and tender feelings for one another. I remember in vivid detail the moment each of my darling girls were born into life's keeping. In every way, with their births came my birth into the wisdom of my greater purposes and a christening into the bonds of a forever unity for our family.

I am a contemplative person by nature, and as it is such, there has seldom been a period of time that has gone by wherein I did not reflect back to the moments my children were born. What I remember most; having had a true lasting impact on me are two things. Of the two, what I consider most awe-inspiring was their first breath. I have thought intently about it over the years; about its profound implications on my understanding of the mysterious world around us, and ultimately about its paradoxical beauties. There I stood in each case as they came into the world, and I witnessed their very first, amazing and miraculous breath. With that breath came the animations of life and their helpless, compelling cries. The second thing that has continued to impact me is as this happened, in that instant of their springing to being, their mother and I helplessly collapsed into an embrace, and together wept tears of utter and absolute humility and joy. Each time I think about the moment of their births, it poignantly reminds me that I have, continue, and will forever cherish each and every breath and beat of their precious hearts.

As Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), the famous Lebanese Poet, philosopher, and artist once said of children, "Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you, yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls,