Before Christmas I started reading Taffy's book " Keys to Death". I've just finished it tonight. Although set at Christmas time in the Florida Keys, I highly recommend you buy and read it in this post - Christmas season or anytime during the New Year.
It's not a traditional, "chestnuts roating on an open fire" holiday tale. I found it interesting, intriguing, entertaining and chuck- full of details I never knew about Hemingway, pirates, Mexican drug-smuggling as well as colorful descriptions of the flora and fauna in the Tropics and Key West, an area of America that is not familiar to me, given I have never been there.
The trama seemed more twisted and complicated than other Taffy Cannon novels I've read like "Fall into Death", " Blood Matters" or " Beat, Slay' Love" , all of which I have read and thoroughly enjoyed.
Congratulations, Taffy. Reading the Epilogue, I learned that you also wrote an Academy Award-nominated short film, Doubletalk. I'm going to look for it on you-tube or some other media and hope I can watch it sometime.
I wish everyone 365 days of Happy Reading in 2025. Happy New Year to all.
This article was written by Gemini, the AI App by Google.
Getting Started with Google Voice: A Quick Guide
Google Voice is a versatile communication service that provides a free phone number for calls, texts, and voicemail, all managed online and accessible from various devices. Whether you want a separate number for business, manage calls across multiple devices, or simply take advantage of free calls within the US and Canada, Google Voice can be a useful tool. Here's a quick guide on how to get started:
1. Setting Up Google Voice:
Requirements: You need a Google account to use Google Voice.
Sign Up: Go to voice.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
Choosing a Number: You'll be prompted to choose a Google Voice number. You can search by area code or city to find an available number you like.
Verification: Google will verify your existing phone number (landline or mobile). This links your Google Voice number to your existing phone, allowing calls to be forwarded and providing a way to reclaim your number if needed.
2. Key Features and How to Use Them:
Making Calls:
From the Web: Go to voice.google.com, click "Calls," enter the number, and click the call button.
From the App (iOS or Android): Open the Google Voice app, tap the "Calls" tab, and dial or select a contact.
Sending Texts:
From the Web:Go to voice.google.com, click "Messages," select a contact or enter a number, and type your message.
From the App: Open the Google Voice app, tap the "Messages" tab, and follow the same process.
Voicemail:
Accessing Voicemail: Voicemails are transcribed (often with surprisingly good accuracy) and available both on the web and in the app.You can listen to the audio or read the transcription.
Voicemail Settings: Customize your voicemail greeting within the settings.
Call Forwarding:Configure Google Voice to forward calls to your linked phones (mobile or landline). This ensures you never miss a call, even if you're not at your computer.
Do Not Disturb: Activate "Do Not Disturb" mode to silence notifications and send all calls directly to voicemail. This is useful for meetings or when you need uninterrupted time.
Linking Numbers: You can link multiple forwarding numbers to your Google Voice account.
3. Important Considerations:
Emergency Calls: Google Voice is generally not recommended for emergency calls. It's best to use your regular mobile or landline for these situations.
International Calls: While calls to the US and Canada are typically free, international calls are billed at specific rates. Check the Google Voice website for current pricing.
Availability:Google Voice is currently available in certain countries.
Google Voice offers a convenient way to manage your communication. By following these simple steps, you can quickly set up your account and start taking advantage of its many features.
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How I use Google Voice. When I changed area codes I changed my phone number. But I knew people would use the old phone number for years. So I set up the phone number on Google Voice, and I also set it up so that when people call me I answer. When they leave a voice mail it is turned into a Gmail, with both text and the recording. I listen to the message and return the call.
Other uses for a Google Voice number is when you are required to leave a phone number, but you really don't want all the telemarketing calls. So I leave the Google Voice number with these folks. I still get the message, but it is my easier and less distruptive to get an email of the call.
Another use of the Google Voice number is when I am driving and suddenly remember something that I should remember. I simple call the Google Voice number, and leave the message.
Here is an example.
Hi, this is Craig hellinger calling my Google Voice number of 309-634-557. I can leave a short message on this on this voicemail and it will turn into a Gmail and to send it to me and it'll be both a reasonable approximation of the text of what I said and also an actual recording works pretty well, and it's a handy way for me to to leave a message to myself when I'm driving and I don't have time to stop and write it down. That's all folks
I arrived to Danang, Vietnam at night on Christmas Eve 1969. It was gently raining. A very large hill loomed inland over the Danang airport swathed in bright perimeter lights like a halo in the mist. It was impressive and beautiful and frightening. There was a great deal of firing and flares from the hill and some of the new guys thought we were under attack.
We ran into a large building, one Marine shouted, "They're really getting hit up there. Take cover!"
I moved to the Hill - Hill 327 to MASS-3 a month later and found out that there had been no attack. It was simply a "lighting it up" impromptu firex to celebrate Christmas. Of course no one would openly admit that. You could fire at noises or sounds, so the troops were firing on Christmas eve at numerous noises and sounds.
I asked the Artificial Intelligence program copilot to improve and illustrate this poem.
1969 Merry Christmas Eve in Vietnam
Vietnam Veterans, Welcome Home!
Twas the night before Christmas, When all through the base, The creatures were stirring, And lighting up the place.
I arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam, that night, On Christmas Eve, 1969, under the misty light. A large hill loomed over the airport’s sight, Swathed in bright perimeter lights, like a halo in the night.
It was impressive, beautiful, yet filled with fright, Flares and firing from the hill, a startling sight. New guys thought we were under attack, Ran into a large building, not looking back.
"Take cover!" a Marine shouted with might, "Up there, they're really getting hit tonight!" But a month later, on Hill 327 I would learn, There had been no attack, no enemy concern.
It was a "lighting it up" impromptu spree, A Christmas Eve firex, in full glee. Troops firing at noises in the dark, Creating impressive fireworks, a holiday mark.
So, Merry Christmas to all, in that Vietnam night, And to all a good night, in the gentle rain's light. Vietnam Veterans, Welcome Home, brave and true, This poem’s a salute, with gratitude to you.
Hope you find this improved version fitting and heartfelt. If you need any more adjustments or additions, feel free to let me know! 🎄✨
