CAT'S WORLD Excerpt for Amazon.com

1800 Flowers Meets Twilight

For those bitten by romance, Twilight Valentines Day Flowers might be just the thing to give your significant other on Valentine's Day. Vampires are sexy, and there's something about romance and vampires that goes together well. I love the symbolism! Roses are red like blood... and blood is what sustains vampires, just like roses sustain romantic love.

1800flowers.com has certainly caught on to something here! And their prices don't seem too bad either. At $49.95 you can get their basic package of twelve premium long stemmed roses in a vase, along with a Twilight poster/gift card from Hallmark. Of course, for a bit more you can even get the New Moon DVD.

1800 Flowers: A Good Way to Send Valentine Roses

With Valentine's Day quickly coming up, I am once again thinking about buying roses for my lovely wife. Flowers have a way of smoothing over those little irritants that develop between couples, those things that we don't talk about on a daily basis but which affect the way we communicate with each other. There have been a few of those of late, as I am working long hours and she gets "stuck" at home with the children. What she doesn't realize is that I would LOVE to spend more time with our children, but financial matters unfortunately take precedence at this stage in our lives together.

Sending flowers says that I still love her, that I am happy to be married to her, and that I appreciate all that she is doing. That's the best thing about sending flowers on Valentine's Day, or any other time. It has the power to communicate love powerfully yet quietly. And it helps couples grow closer...

Parco San Marco: an Italian Spa Hotel

Many people from the Lake Como Golf come to visit Parco San Marco. With the golfing nearby, it sounds like someplace my father-in-law should go. He's a golfer who, in his younger years, nearly went pro. He's been here in Cape Town for several weeks, but now I think he's about sick of his ex-wife, my dear mum-in-law, with whom he has been staying.

The Italian Spa Hotel would help him rejuvenate his health and spirit, after several weeks of incessant nagging, as it gears itself towards holistic health. I am not so sure about the meditation pavilion, but I am sure that he would enjoy a nice massage with essential oils by a well-trained masseuse.

A Lake Laguna Vacation at one of Europe's top hotels would certainly relax him, and help him get over the stress he must be dealing with here. I understand and sympathize with him. After this vacation, he deserves a break.

NES Employment Solves

If I were in the United States right now and was looking for work, I would probably go straight to NES Employment Solutions. I strongly advocate using the Internet to find work, as I do this myself as a writer. Companies like NES Employment Solutions help those searching for work by connecting their network of employers with those needing jobs.

While NES Employment Solutions does not specifically have a category for writing professionals such as myself, I could easily slide into a marketing or sales job that involved writing sales copy. I also have ample experience in the travel and hospitality industry. They also have a category for customer service, another area in which I am quite able. In fact, I think I might just send them my resume now...

Sunglasses at Eyeglasses.com

Summer is just beginning here in the southern hemisphere, and now is the time to buy sunglasses. As I wear eyeglasses about half the time, I prefer the prescription kind when I am not wearing contacts.

Eyeglasses.com has quite the selection. They have eighty nine different styles of prescription sunglasses. I particularly like the Revue Fact Eyeglasses, and would probably choose those as they have smaller lenses, something you look for if your eyeglass prescription is -9.0 or worse like mine.

I suppose if I really wanted to look chic down on Clifton Beach - the beach here in Cape Town where people go to be seen - I would choose the TriSpecs. But for those up north, where it is cold and very probably snowing right now, you can still buy a pair of sunglasses for when you go skiing.

Great Gifts from 1800Flowers.com

There is more to 1800Flowers.com than just sending flowers these days. Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against sending flowers, but sometimes in addition to flowers, it's nice to get something more. Last year, when I was away from my wife, I sent her a dozen roses, along with a gift basket containing a teddy bear, a bottle of sparkling wine, and chocolates.

1800Flowers.com also offers gift baskets, some which boast gourmet food and other culinary delights. They pack cheese, wine, fruit, meat, vegetables, and other goodies into these baskets to complement the flowers. So now you can send more than just flowers on Mother's Day, a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion. Now you can send flowers along with a variety of other gifts that tantalize the tongue!

The Language of Flowers

Flowers are a great way to communicate how we feel about other people. Roses have a plethora of meanings depending on their colors, but other flowers also can communicate feelings.

Some examples include:

• aster - symbolizes patience
• carnations - shows someone you are proud of them
• chrysanthemum - represents fidelity
• daffodil - essence of chivalry
• gladiolus - strength of character
• hyacinth - constancy
• lilac - youthful innocence
• lily - wealth and pride
• protea - courage
• sunflower - pure thoughts

These are just one element of these flowers meanings, but it is interesting to be able to communicate with someone in the language of flowers.

If you are looking to send flowers to someone special, you may want to look into 1800Flowers coupon codes. In the current economic situation, it is always a good idea to save money!

NES Staffing Solutions: My Ticket Back to America?

I got into an argument with my wife today, so I went online to NESStaffing.com to look into jobs in the United States. Needless to say, the argument was about money. Or rather, the lack of it. I know and she knows, though she will not admit it, that I would be able to earn much more working on the other side of the Atlantic pond than I do here in South Africa. Even in boom times, the unemployment rate here has been over 20%, and that is just among those still looking for work.

Now, I know that NES Staffing Solutions will not help me find a job here in Africa, but I do know that if they were to help me find something that paid sufficiently, we could move to California, the only state in which my wife has stated she will live. Nationwide Employment Solutions has offices all over California, from Los Angeles to Chico. I even found a job as an account representative in Santa Cruz, where her brother lives. Too bad she is not getting along with her brother these days either, so this will not draw her back to that seaside town. But maybe, just maybe, I would be able to talk her into moving back to California one of these days...

RENEW International: Renewing Faith Among the Youth

My father would respect what RENEW International is doing in sharing the Christian faith. I think he would be especially impressed with what they are doing in their young adult ministry. Father John Cusick, a consulting presenter for RENEW International and the director of the young adult ministry for the Chicago Archdiocese, acknowledges that many young Catholics have turned away from organized religion because it has lost its meaning to many Catholics. A number of young adults now see themselves as spiritual rather than religious.

Father Cusick actively encourages a direct personal approach to engaging young adults to participate in activities in the Catholic Church. This use of what he refers to the "Jesus method" shows the strong foundation RENEW International has in the roots of the Christian faith. Jesus engaged with people. He asked questions of them and respected others' humanity. One of the most important parts of this ministry goes beyond religion. The importance of this goes beyond the Catholic Church. It presents a belief system that focuses on who we all are: people of God.

A Trip for My Father

YMT Vacations looks to be offering a tour that would suit my father well. One of their featured vacation destinations is the Oberammergau Tour. Now, his family comes from the Munich area, the first destination on the tour. Our ancestors used to farm near Munich and several also brewed beer, and both my father and I share a love for brewed beverages.

As a pastor for a small congregation in Hollywood Township, Minnesota, I am certain that he would like the main draw for this tour. This YMT Vacations tour includes a passion play that takes place every ten years in Oberammerau, Germany. In 1634, the citizens of Oberammerau vowed to put on a passion play every ten years if God would spare them from the bubonic plague that affected the surrounding area. Since that time, every ten years Oberammerau residents put on this passion play.

If YMT Vacations keeps offering such a wide variety of interesting tours, I may have something to look forward to in my old age.

K-Designers: Saving Energy One House at a Time

Many people do not understand how important professionally installed siding, windows, and doors are in regards to energy savings. K-Designers, who specializes in these areas of remodeling, understands this.

K-Designers offers "quality, energy-efficient, and cost saving home improvement products", which can help keep heating costs down in winter and costs of cooling a home lower during the summer months. Now, no siding really offers much insulation against cold in and of itself, but vinyl siding helps keep out moisture, which protects the interior walls of houses where the insulation is. Even more important are well-sealed windows and doors. Well-installed windows and doors are really important during the winter in the Midwestern states, something which I know from personal experience. Even a slight crack can allow the chill of winter to slip into a house, and this chill can make your heating system work overtime. The extra costs in the current economic climate take away precious resources that could be better used elsewhere.

Energy efficiency is one of the items muted by the new Obama administration as something vital not only to consumers' pocketbooks, but also to the environment. If K-Designers continues to innovate in its offerings for energy efficient products, I foresee a bright future for them.

Renew International's Faith Sharing Initiative

Renew International seeks for Catholics to share their faith as members in small Christian communities. It is an important spiritual component of the Christian faith from which many Christian communities have fallen away. You see giant churches, some with thousands or even tens of thousands on their books. They often have varied activities for people, but too often the spirituality is lost in the socialization.

I think I have always had a greater respect for the Roman Catholic Church than my father, as I have seen firsthand how the wealth of the Catholic Church has been utilized to care for the poor. In many respects, however, my father would relate well to what Renew International seeks to accomplish. Smaller communities and friendships tend to personalize relationships and allow us to help others in small ways. Helping people in small ways is essentially what Christianity is about. It is about loving your neighbor, meaning not just the person next door, but everyone you meet.

As a pastor of a small congregation in Hollywood, Minnesota my father is seeking to do essentially the same thing as Renew International. He is nurturing the spiritual life of a small community of believers.

Power Properties: the Place to Live in Dallas

I've been doing some research for a novel I am in the midst of writing and came across Power Properties Dallas. The character I was writing about actually comes from Fort Worth, which anyone who has lived in Texas knows neighbors Dallas. Personally, I prefer Austin to Dallas, but perhaps that's because I never lived in one of the fancy Power properties Dallas has to offer.

Actually, the novel doesn't even involve Dallas, but I wanted to revisit Texas, as two of my other novels begin there. I can't actually picture either of the main characters living in one of Power Properties Dallas luxury apartments, though not because they don't look nice... but rather because they look way too nice! They look like somewhere I'd want to live in Dallas... that is, if I ever lived there.

K-Designers: a Builder from the Heartland

I wish we had a company like K-Designers here in South Africa. It would make it a lot easier to do renovations. As it stands, you don't know whether you are getting a cowboy who will cut corners or a reputable builder. Now, we know a reputable builder, my wife's cousin, but he is fairly pricey and besides, he's booked up until at least next year.

But perhaps K-Designers doesn't need to come to Cape Town. Perhaps we can go to them. Housing prices in California, one of the many states in which they are based, have fallen through the floor and hit the basement, so perhaps even we could afford a small domicile there. My wife wouldn't mind living a bit north of Sacramento, though she prefers coastal areas, and is quite fond of Mendicino and Humboldt Counties.

Of course, I know by now that K-Designers originated in Wyoming, which neighbors my home state, Nebraska, where my sister and youngest brother still live. So yes, I have an affinity towards this company that began on the Western plains.

YMT Vacations: Now Taking You to Europe

I am going to tell my father-in-law about the new tour offered by YMT vacations. It starts in New York City, an hour away from where he lives in Warwick. It includes a transatlantic cruise to England, where he could spend a few days frollicking with his grandchildren, William and Tabby. My mother-in-law, meanwhile, has been talking about buying a barge in Paris on which could live during South Africa's winters. She could spend time in a steamy Parisian summer before returning to Cape Town before it got to cool up north. She hates the cold... even the relatively mild cold of Cape Town's winters. The two of them could even meet up and rekindle their relationship from decades ago. I think they have both got over that whole divorce debacle and are on amicable terms.

Yes, it certainly seems as if YMT Vacations is branching out into international holidays, and it is still a good value for seniors. YMT vacations is also offering a 25 day European cruise and land tour that begans in Italy then takes travelers on to Spain, Morrocco, Barbados, and finally Antigua.

Resume for D. A. Rupprecht

David A. Rupprecht
10 Mount Road, Rondebosch 7700, Cape Town, South Africa
Telephone Numbers (South African numbers please dial International Code first)
H: +27-21-685-0235 W: +27-21-689-1833 Fax: +27-86-683-5848
Cell: +27-72-644-7038 US: 952-353-1618
E-mail (best way to contact me): darupprecht@gmail.com
Career Focus To earn a living through the written word.
Experience
Summary
· Experienced in writing fiction in multiple genres and from multiple viewpoints as well as articles,
biographies, essays, poetry, songs, advertising copy, marketing, correspondence, blogs, editorial
pieces, research reports, and creative print ad copy.
· Experienced in editing and proofing longer manuscripts for readability and grammar.
· Well-versed in copyediting, marketing, and writing web copy.
· Strong technical command of the English language; familiarity with virtually all writing styles;
serious commitment to excellence in the printed and published word.
· Competent at web & traditional research as well as interviewing techniques.
Education &
Awards
B.A., Sociology/History, University of Nebraska, Kearney & Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (graduated 1999)
· President, History Club: 1990-1991. Kearney, Nebraska, USA
· Member, Phi Eta Sigma (freshman honor society): inducted 1989. Kearney, Nebraska, USA
· Member, Isle Broddick Association of Writers: 1991-93. Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Professional
Experience
Novelist/Screenwriter (1987-Present) – Self-employed
· Wrote, proofread, edited, & rewrote two novels: CAT’S WORLD (YA) & HARDCORE (dark, quirky).
On spec. (2002-2008)
· Marketed both novels via e-mail and post through use of query letters. (2003-Present)
· Developed contacts with literary agents, corresponded with agents, and made changes to
manuscripts as per agents’ suggestions. (2003-Present)
· Wrote pilot for potential South African sitcom, LOCK UP AND GO. (2008)
· Novels in progress: IN REAL LIFE (YA), JERRY (novel based on true story), ALL ALONG THE
RIVERFRONT (crime/mystery), THE GHOST DANCERS (sequel to HARDCORE), THE DEVIL’S PIPE
(dark comic mystery). (1989-Present)
· Scripts in progress: CAT’S WORLD (based on book), KHAYELITSHA: A NEW BEGINNING (movie
screenplay set in South Africa). (2008-Present)
Songwriter/Poet/Singer (1985-Present) – Self-employed
· Wrote, edited, and contributed toward songs for Kenny’s Hill, a nascent punk/indie/grunge band.
· Performed as singer. (2001-2002)
· Developed and maintained contacts with record companies and PR firms. (2002-Present)
· Published poems in various American poetry anthologies. (1987-1988)
Blogger/Editorialist (Social & Economic Commentary - 2005-Present) – Self-employed
· Contributor to www.thecreatingwealthblog.com. (2008-Present)
· Contributor to Cape Times editorial page. (2005-2007)
· Developed questions and interviewed Bill Scarborough for a DVD documentary. (2007)
Copywriter/Website Copy/Advertising (2003-Present) – For various companies.
· Wrote original copy for www.rondeboschguestcottages.co.za. (2004)
· Wrote copy for www.hollywoodcontstructionservices.com. (2008)
· Developed, wrote copy for, and enacted e-advertising campaign as well as corresponded on a day
to day basis with clientele for Rondebosch Guest Cottages. (2004-2007)
· Developed marketing campaign, including writing business letters to potential clientele, for
Hollywood Construction Services. Efforts amounted to over 70% of clientele in 2008 and over 60%
of contracts. (2008)
· Wrote ad copy for guano distribution business. (2003)
Computer
Skills
MS Word • WordPerfect • MS Excel • MS Outlook • Internet Research Skills • IBM and Mac Systems.
Writing samples & references available on request

Need a Holiday? Try YMT Vacations

My wife needs to go on holiday... so I told her about YMT vacations. This company has a number of packages for the Rose Parade in Pasadena. She'd like that. She loves California, the only state in the US in which she would live. She hates snow and cold weather, and it's starting to get a bit windy and rainy here in Cape Town, South Africa.

True, YMT Vacations markets itself more for the senior market, but I think with a grey wig and a bit of makeup we can make her look like a youthful looking 60 year old. She won't mind, and maybe she can even take her mother with her.

She better start being nicer to me, though, or I'll send her on the Alaska cruise offered by YMT vacations. Maybe then she'll learn to appreciate snow. I'll take the Rose Parade package, and see if I can sneak off to watch the Rose Bowl while in Pasadena. But now just have to figure out what to do with the kids...

K-Designers: The Best Remodeling Company... Ever

Having worked for a construction company last year, marketing their services, I know a little about the business. So when I came across this article online about K-Designers, I knew exactly what they meant. The fact that a construction company will do the work first without a down payment is indeed something of which to take note. Most construction companies don't do that. Happiness is key to customer satisfaction, and one of my pet peeves is companies, regardless of their industry, that fail in this respect.

Frankly, it is unlikely that a company that has not taken any money off of you will do a bad job. They want to get paid, and if a company like K-Designers were to fall short, it seems as if they are honorable enough to make sure it gets made right. The more I think about it, the more I wish I had happened across K-Designers rather than the company I worked for last year. The company for which I worked last year still owes me money... and I'd bet that K-Designers would have been able to pay me...

Trying to Get Rid of My Mother in Law

I'm trying to get rid of my mother in law. Not for forever... just for awhile. Today I came across YMT Vacations, a company that offers group tours at reduced rates for seniors. I keep telling her what a beautiful continent North America is, and that she should spend some time there.

She's been to the United States to visit, but she hasn't really seen its true beauty, as every other time she has gone she went to visit her children. When we lived in California and she came to visit, we took her down the coast to Big Sur, where we saw one of the few waterfalls that flow directly into the ocean. She was unimpressed, saying that there was a waterfall like this along the Garden Route in South Africa. But what of the trips to Hawaii and Alaska YMT Vacations has on offer? I asked her. She responded by saying that Alaska was far too cold and Hawaii far too hot for her tastes. She prefers the climate in the Cape and the scenery from her cottages in Cape Town and, looking out the window, can I really blame her?

I think I might tell my own parents about YMT Vacations, but they are not likely to go on vacation until my father decides to retire in a few years...