The Midnight Writers Journal

I have discovered a handy tool to write on my blogs while offline. The program is called Live Writer. It imports the style of weblogs selected so posts can be viewed offline as they will appear on the actual blog when it is live online. Once published, there is a choice to save a draft copy of new posts into Live Writer or to just publish and delete. Usually, it is a good idea to keep a month long archive of your posts in all the blogs being published by Live Writer. This practice allows for monthly monitoring, cross referencing among blogs and editing.

If you have tried it yet, I strongly recommend it for active writers who travel that may find themselves without a wi-fi hot spot or other internet connection. Enjoy and keep on blogging.

The Midnight Writer

It is with a heavy heart that I write this today because I miss a little boy named Gabriel. Watching his brother Raven and his father Woodstock, a/k/a Loren David O'Connor, suffer through the pain of their loss while trying to make arrangements for his burial, memorial and wake is really hard. Gabriel Jaden Coates was with us for a short 3 years, 2 months and 2 days, yet he has made a profound impression on the hearts of people that will last forever. He left this earth to enter the spirit world on Sunday, May 24, 2009 at about 11 am. Gabriel fell into the water of the Antelope Creek, which was fast moving and deep. His body was recovered by very compassionate rescue workers about two hours later.
Woodstock, Raven, his friends and family are sort of moving in a state of unreal shock. Things need to get done. So we are helping in whatever way we can. Funds are urgently needed to buy the casket and to buy a plot where he will be laid to rest. Please spread the word and help in whatever way you can.

Please visit the dedication site for Gabriel at http://www.angelsforgabriel.org. News and information about his memorial, burial and wake will be posted on this blog. Lots of pictures will be loaded soon that I took of the gathering site where little Gabriel drowned. We took photos of the creek and the campsite where he laughed, played and enjoyed. There is a very spiritual picture on the site now that shows what we believe is Gabriel's spirit that appeared while Woodstock and I were standing by the stream talking about Gabriel, about what happened, about his life, about what to do now. It is then that we both felt his presence and a butterfly landed on Woodstock after that moment. I took a photo in the direction of where they found Gabriel's body in the water and that is where the column of light appeared. It was an intense, sad, happy, etherical time.
We will be assisting Woodstock with transferring of funds to the Funeral home when it is placed on the paypal in the amount we need. The general manager Chris Girdner at the Girdner Funeral Chapel is giving us until Tuesday at closing time to come up with the total for the casket. This is urgent. Other arrangements are being made and other funds are needed very much. Please email angelsforgabriel@gmail.com if you have questions or if you want to help in some way.

The Forest Service, the fire department, the Siskiyou county Sheriff's department, the Fish and Game dept. personnel, and the townspeople volunteers from Tennant were very gentle, kind, compassionate during the entire ordeal. We are all grateful to them for the way they handled this situation.
I have many things to write and memorial signs and brochures to make, and a website to update, so please help us facilitate this link being spread far and wide to get the funds together. Gabriel deserves a decent casket, memorial, burial and wake. Help us give him that much, please. Woodstock should not have to concern himself with money at a time like this. Right now we are all camping in our rigs while this is all taking place, so family please plug into this compassionate service.

Much love and blessings.
Summer Breeze on behalf of Woodstock, Raven, Gabriel & Raven and
Jazzy all his friends and family.

Search for missing Salem man suspended

Posted: Sep 15, 2008 05:38 PM PDT

Last Updated: Sep 22, 2008 04:57 PM PDT

Flyer prepared by Crook County Sheriff's Office for missing man, Tyson Schrade

Reportedly had joined 'Rainbow' gathering; mother fears for son

By Amy Easley, Tony Fuller and Kate Paul, KTVZ.COM

Searchers east of Prineville on Thursday found more footprints, for a total of 2 1/2 miles after two days, but so far have not found a Salem man missing for a week in very rugged terrain, Crook County sheriff's deputies said.

But on Saturday afternoon, after eight days of searching, officials suspended the search for Tyson Schrade, 27, pending further developments in the case.

Crook County authorities asked on Monday that anyone who is in the Indian Prairie area look out for a studded belt, black pants cut right below the knee, a black T-shirt with "AUDIO" written in whit, and a conductor's hat. You're asked to notify Crook County sheriff's deputies with any information

Shoe prints in a pattern and size consistent with Schrade were found heading to the north, toward private land and through the area burned by the recent Bridge Creek Fire, deputies said.

Ten Crook and Wheeler county deputies returned to the search area Thursday and followed the footprints, using a GPS tracking device to connect the dots, so to speak.

They said it looked like Schrade was heading north from Indian Prairie to a forest road, but that the footprints stopped. So he might have hitched a ride out of the area, but definitely spent some time in the forest.

Since he left the campsite without his backpack, he apparently had no extra clothes if it got cold, nor any food.

His mother, Denice, has been handing out flyers around Prineville.

Deputies offered thanks to the public for al the tips that have come in as to Schrade's whereabouts. And they said they'd keep searching, as long as new clues arise.

The Salem man was reported missing last Saturday, two days after leaving a group of fellow campers near the Bridge Creek Wilderness Area on the Ochoco National Forest.

Two Civil Air Patrol planes from Bend and Medford flew Monday to help Wheeler and Crook county sheriff's deputies search for the man, last seen Sept. 11 near the wilderness area, about 40 miles northeast of Prineville, said sheriff's Deputy Will Osborn.

Crook County Undersheriff Jim Hensley said Schrade was reported missing Saturday night after leaving a group of friends last Thursday morning at the Spirit Mountain Festival in the Indian Prairie area of Wheeler County.

Osborn said Schrade had been camping in the area with the Rainbow Family, a group that frequently holds gatherings in the national forests during the summer.

Wednesday's focus for search crews was on a location to the east of that gathering, officials said. On Tuesday, 30 search and rescue personnel returned to the area, as Tyson's family arrived in Prineville to assist in the search.

Hensley said Crook County Sheriff's Search and Rescue members were in the area on a training exercise when they were contacted by the group. He said an investigation has determined the man could have gotten a ride out of the area, or could be hiding out in the wilderness.

A ground search was conducted Sunday in the area covered with thick underbrush, Osborn said, and another took place Tuesday.

Schrade was described as 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, with brown hair in a mohawk and blue eyes.

Anyone with information as to his whereabouts was asked to contact Crook or Wheeler county authorities.

"My son has a medical condition, and I don't know if he is going to make it out of here," said Denice Schrade. "So if anybody sees anything odd - he was wearing all black - he is definitely in trouble."

Brandon Smith, Crook County Search and Rescue commander, said, "What we're hoping for is that some woodcutters or some hunters might be able to see him or maybe spot some clothing from this gentleman, and give us some clues, so we know where to search."

But Denice Schrade added, "They're saying the odds aren't so good.  I just want him found, one way or the other, because I don't know if I can live with him just being missing forever, and I just want him found."

Two days later, she was still trying to hold out hope, but said, "I just don't understand."

Never turn your back on the ocean!!!!

Above is one of the main rules of survival at the ocean that cannot be ignored. Lives have been lost due to ignorance about wave hazards and other dangers at the ocean, whether on the beach or in the water. Let us explore those hazards and discuss ocean safety.

This came to mind because of the notices all along Orrick beach warning of sneaker waves. Most people have no idea what they are or that these waves even exist.

Sneaker waves.

What are they?

A wave that comes out of nowhere without warning and reaches out even onto the dry beach or fifty feet up on the rocks along the beach. It comes without warning without any pre-existing turbulent waves with such force that it reaches from below calm waters, rises up and reaches far beyond the seashore. The intensity of the wave strikes the unwary victim by total surprise, usually knocking a person down and pulling them into the water. Usually there is no time or chance to escape and death is imminent. The force and the undertows drag the victim out to the sea rolling them around in turbulent chilling waters causing death by traumatic force of the water and or shock from the hypothermic water temperature. Even a life jacket will not save a person from sneaker waves.

What can you do?

Be aware of the ocean waves and their patterns at all times. Never turn your back on the ocean. Stay a safe distance from the shore to help insure that you will not be within reach of such waves. Most beaches with sneaker waves have hazard signs posted about.

Microblasts.

Undertows.

Rip tides.

Who do you call if someone is lost at sea?

Coast Guard.

Tell the story of Cephas, Robert and Kelly at Orick beach getting slammed by a sneaker wave. Cephas and Robert were climbing the rock cliffs looking for a cave.(November 1997)??????

Note: Check the history of casualties and people lost at sea from Orick beach.

Research the history, the facts, share safety information. Find relevant facts and advertisements. Find safety contact information.

It has been a long time in coming for me bit in the past month I have been building a relationship with private clients who sought me out. I was surprised when the offers starting coming into my email inbox. Naturally, I accepted the offers each time they came because they were good offers to write reviews on my blogs. I held a sense of wonderment at first because I had no idea how these clients found me. Nor did they say. Several of these clients just said they found my blog on an internet search under a certain category. So I thought to myself, "Wow! I must be doing something right to come up on a list high enough to the top to be noticed on a generic search engine quest!" Then I realized that I have been following a prescribed method and a purposeful technique. I started blogging over a year ago, closer to fourteen months now. (refer back to Qualifying, the Race is On) so I am traveling back to revisit my beginnings as a blogger and freelance writer. Walk with me as I retrace my steps so we can explore the method that I used. You and I can share in discussions on what worked, why and how along with some talk about what I am doing today to enhance my blogging career.

The root of this discussion will explore the persona known as "private clients". Exactly what does this mean and should a blogger strive for them?

I'll give you my interpretation then we'll look up the definition according to freelance blogging professional guides. Let's continue this conversation a while and explore all aspects of obtaining private clients. Watch for part two right here on The Midnight Writer's Freelance Quest.

The Midnight Writer