WEB Claus (Bill Baxter)
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SEASON’S GREETINGS:
This has been a very interesting year. This is my first full year being fully retired from working for Service Source out at the U.S. Army Post at Fort Carson, Colorado; and from being a Book Author of my my own books. Last year during the Fall of 2022, I got some bad news that my Book Account had been suspended because of a mistake I had made two years before in Fall 2020. That mistake was corrected and settled in 2020; but, someone decided to dig up old bones two years later after the matter had ALREADY been settled. This took on the appearance of a WOKE Witch Hunt. I managed to explain the situation to the publisher and straighten everything out, and my Book Publishing Account was re-instated. This set the stage for what I would do in 2023.
As it turns out, I had published more books than I was called to do (Around 150). God’s calling in my life was writing and publishing short stories, mostly for children. I had branched out my writing towards other things, and one of them was spreading my conservative views which were very “Anti-WOKE.” One day, while I was doing my Daily Bible Devotion, I felt God speaking to me, telling me that these political writings were not what he had called me to do. I asked God for forgiveness, and soon, my publishing account was reinstated. I also realized that I was obsessively writing more than I needed to and knew eventually I would have to stop. This incident let me know that it was time to retire from writing my own books, and that I have done more than enough. I haven’t published anymore of my own books now for over a year. During 2023, I have been constructing an effective marketing program using social media for marketing what I already have, and mostly I would just be promoting the storybooks I was supposed to write.
During 2023, I sought out alternative ways where I could continue writing and not be publishing anymore of my own books. For one, I continued blogging on my website during the year 2023. There were some Conservative Articles I published on my “W.E.B. Blog“, but I toned down my rhetoric from the conservative articles I was posting in 2022 (Which I deleted). After Halloween 2023, I retired from being an Anti-WOKE Activist altogether. A few of my fellow authors I know planned Collaborative Book Projects. A Collaborative Book is a Treasury Book where each short story or article is written by a different “Co-author.” During 2023, I became a Co-author of a Collaborative Book entitled: “Everyday Girl Adventures,” which was put together by my good friend, Jean Walton, who is the Head Author of this book. This book has personal adventure stories written and told by 15 Lady Co-authors. My friend is working on a sequel entitled: Everyday Guy Adventures. Jean Walton needed a man’s story at the end of Everyday Girl Adventures to act as a “Bridge Story” to the Everyday Guy Adventures Sequel. One of my short stories was published at the end of Everyday Girl Adventures as the Bridge Story, and I found out on Thanksgiving, that another one of my short stories would be published in Everyday Guy Adventures. I have now become a co-author in 2023. I have two other short story submissions to two other Collaborative Book Projects which are still pending. In October, I told my story in Everyday Girl Adventures on a local podcast in Colorado Springs called COS Memoirs – True Stories Unfiltered, and it went over well.
I am still attending Gateway Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs with my best friend, Dan Brown. I am back in the Gateway Church Choir, and probably for good. I felt like I needed to be active as a church soloist in order to be active in the choir for a very long time. Now I don’t think that is any longer necessary. When my two record albums were released through CD Baby, the record company had helped set up a YouTube Channel for me which I call “Frontier W.E.B. Singer.” After moving in as a Tenant in Dr. Beth Lenton’s Home in Early January 2021, she sold me a laptop where I could record live-stream podcasts and recordings of old Folk Songs, Gospel Songs, and Christmas Carols. The name of my Live Stream Podcast is Frontier Folk Singing with William Baxter. I have been doing Live Stream Folk Song Podcasts and Recordings now for almost three years. I have also made some Video Recordings (Not Live Stream) with the help of my friend, James Divine off and on for the last three years, and they too are uploaded on Frontier W.E.B. Singer.
It has been almost three years since I moved into a house in Falcon Estates owned by Dr. Beth Lenton. This three years flew by quickly. I have been paying a very affordable rent for a spare room which I have enjoyed living in. Service Source–Fort Carson told me I have a home if I ever needed to work part time; however, I just turned 69, and I am enjoying my retirement. With this record inflation, I hope it never comes to my having to go back and work part time. My days of a retired life consist of being at the 21c Public Library in Northern Colorado Springs 3 to 4 hours a day promoting my books and music videos on social media (Facebook, Gab.com, and Truth Social). Usually during the cold months, after I am done with my work at the 21c Library, I get my exercise for the day with long walks–Four laps around the inside of the Chapel Hills Mall. During the warm months this year when I didn’t need a jacket, I walked the whole way from Falcon Estates to the 21c Library and back which is I would say is in the neighborhood of 6 to 8 miles. As we moved into the Autumn, I walked four laps around the 21c Library, which is very big. Also during the warm months, I walked from my home to Carl’s Jr. (And back) for breakfast. I have become friends with a couple of the workers at Carl’s Jr., including the General Manager.
For a while, I belonged to Two Toastmasters Clubs in Colorado Springs, but because of the worst inflation in a long time, I had to cut back to belonging to just one Toastmasters Club. I still belong to the Colorado Springs Toastmasters Club (Club #555) which is now meeting at the Fire Station close to where I live. Because the club number is #555, it is often nicknamed the Triple Nickel. As of November 4th, of this year, I have been a Member of Toastmasters International now for 33 years! I have also been involved in activities and get-together events with fellow authors and public speakers in the Colorado Springs Community. One of the events I have been part of this year is Karaoke Nights at a Bar and Grill called Buzzed Crow Bistro. Karaoke is not as easy as one would think, even for a soloist that has had professional voice training. In Karaoke, the music doesn’t keep up with you, you have to keep up with the music. I also attended and participated in a couple of Book Signings for Everyday Girl Adventures. Since I am one of the Co-authors of this book, I autographed my chapter in the book for people who purchased a copy.
All in all, it has been a very enjoyable year. I will be visiting my brother Jeff and his family in Apache Junction, Arizona again over the Christmas Holiday. I have been able to do that during the last three years which has made Christmas Eve and Christmas quite enjoyable. I hope everyone has had a Great Thanksgiving, and I hope they have an enjoyable Christmas and New Year as well.
Yours Truly,
Bill Baxter
W.E.B. Blog. 