Welcome friend to Create Art Podcast where I help you tame your inner critic and create more than you consume. I am Timothy Kimo Brien your thankful head instigator with over 20 years in arts and education. How I accomplish this is by providing you with commentary, interviews, discussions, and projects that will inspire you to create art. This month I will be podcasting daily and writing a novel in 30 days. I am participating in NaPodPoMo and NaNoWriMo again this year as I did last year and you can hear those episodes here. You will be able to listen and read along with what I wrote for the day. I like to practice what I preach when it comes to art so I am challenging myself to write and having you come along for the ride. It is my hope this inspires you to accomplish your goals with your art and if you would like to share what you are doing email me at timothy@createartpodcast.com
History of NaNoWriMo and NaPodPoMo
NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand-new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists.
NaPodPoMo: NaPodPoMo* is a month-long event similar to National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. The difference? Well, instead of writing a 50,000-word novel, you post a podcast episode every day for 30 days from November 1st-30th. Use any platform you desire. From full production studio to iPhone app and just about anything in between. The goal is to use the challenge of podcasting daily as a form of podcasting boot camp.
The Writing So Far
8 Nov 2022 words today 1837 words total 12219
There was a tap on Detective Courtney’s door. He stood up immediately and went over to open it.
“We are done with the phones Detective Courtney,” said the officer who knocked on the door.
“Thanks, let me know the findings as soon as you can,” replied Detective Courtney. He handed back the phone to the Bale’s. The detective received a notification on his phone from the burglar team that they needed another 30 minutes to finish their work. He didn’t need to acknowledge it because they would see that he had read the message.
“Bale’s are back up and running at the police station,” reported Username 87 to Username 1.
“Okay, so any other mobile phones in their general vicinity, “asked Username 1.
“Just the detectives and he received a text message just a few moments ago,” replied Username 87.
“Get us information on that number and let us know who is texting him in the middle of the interview,” replied Username 1.
“Affirmative, may I interject something,” asked Username 87.
“Sure, “replied Username 1.
“Do you think it is time to deploy the tool,” asked Username 87.
“I think we are about at that time, get the info on that number and we will convene a meeting with all the players in this,” replied Username 1.
Cody was sitting at his desk reviewing the information that was being sent to him from the burglars and the police station. There was a lot of minutiae to go through and he wasn’t exactly sure what he could use from what was being collected. The burglars had videotaped every room in the house including all drawers and closets. The next update would provide a detailed video inventory of the Bale’s garage and then they would leave the residence. The phone records and data provided more data that they could use to discredit the Bales. Mark’s phone had detailed messages about projects he was working on for his day job and on Tinley’s phone, he found apps that could be linked to opposition political groups. This was a treasure trove that they had willingly handed over and it would make their job easier. He mentally patted himself on the back for recruiting Detective Courtney and his team. Their contributions in the past and on this incident were exactly what he wished they had two years ago for the high school shooting.
He sent a meeting request to Wolfgang who had just gotten home from his uncle’s house. He was playing video games when the request came in. Immediately he turned down the volume on the game and pulled out his mini laptop and turned it on.
“We are sanitized, so Wolfgang, I see you are not at work today,” asked Cody.
“The boss told me to take off early since we had been working so hard the past few weeks. Do we have the script in yet,” asked Wolfgang?
“Not yet, we are still getting details from a few sources. I wanted to talk with you about your job. How closely do you work with Mark Bale,” asked Cody.
“We are on the same team, he reads the stoics while eating lunch, he is probably the best performer on the team,” replied Wolfgang.
“Well no, what I want to know is how well do you know him and how closely do you work with him,” asked Cody a bit annoyed.
“We have worked on some projects together; he is a real go-getter and not a brown noser. He is a very independent worker, and the boss seems to really like his work and reports. He is just a few cubicles down from me, so I have access to his computer,” replied Wolfgang.
“That is what I am looking for. Does he always lock down his computer when he is away from his desk,” asked Cody.
“Not always, I think I get where you are going with this,” replied Wolfgang.
“Don’t get ahead of me, but yes, we will need just a few minutes of access to his computer. We can load some things in a thumb drive that we would need you to deploy, think you are up for the task and a promotion at work” asked Cody.
“Well since he won’t be back at work for a few days at least, I should have unfettered access to his computer, the only problem is I am certain that he locked it down before he left and I don’t know the passcode to get in,” replied Wolfgang.
“No worries, give me the specs on what your IT uses for passcodes, and we will get it to you tomorrow morning. You will have to do this quickly because we will be broadcasting full force tomorrow, we are just sending out feelers tonight,” replied Cody.
“I can get that for you right now,” replied Wolfgang.
“No, give it to Adrian or Dillon. They are working on the script now and will be able to sift through the information we have on Mark and grab that passcode. Like most people, I am sure he has it stored somewhere where we can retrieve it. Cody Out,” said Cody. The screen went blank, and Wolfgang shut down the mini laptop and smiled. Not only was he the triggering action to move the followers of Zeno to action, but he was playing an integral part and is relied on to do important work.
Username 1 notified all individuals working on the Alewell school shooting to provide an update and status report. “Thank you all for joining on such short notice. As you know, we have this incident on our hands with the followers of Zeno already making chatter online. I fully expect them to start attacking the character of the Bales. It would appear that they have contacts in the police department and the Bale’s phones we can only assume have been compromised. Just a little while ago their residence was broken into by two unknown assailants, however, a text message did get out and we were able to trace the number. It belongs to one of the lower echelon members of the followers of Zeno, which could be our inject point if we decide to deploy the tool. Do we have an estimate of how long it would take for the tool to worm its way into their network,” asked Username 1.
“Depending on that user's access, we should expect to see results within 12 hours and have access to their network,” said Username 42. “I do want to stress, we haven’t deployed anything like this in the past, so we don’t have accurate benchmarks to compare. The Followers of Zeno have a lower-level network with many users who are not as savvy as they should be. I don’t think the inject point you were speaking of will be difficult to deploy the tool, my main concern is the parameters once it gets inside the network. It will be on its own trying to find a way to reach back to us and report in. Once that happens what do we do if we cannot convince it to stand down? We can’t just shut it off and poof it goes away,” replied Username 42.
“Username 72 we haven’t heard from you at all during this incident. Since you originated the idea of the tool we would appreciate your insights,” asked Username 1.
“We are using the wrong tool, this is a hammer when we need a scalpel. This tool is designed to go in and sniff out cyberbullying and end it. What you all have proposed is to use it as a weapon to take down the followers of Zeno essentially because you disagree with the way they portray their views. I am not a fan of them either but unleashing this tool will bring their network down as well as everyone associated with their network. So, we get a little fish off the networks, what happens when someone else bigger than the followers of Zeno notices the tool, and how we took the followers of Zeno down? Will they come to us to use our tool for their own purposes, will they retaliate, or will they study it and make their own? They are not the only group out there that have similar viewpoints and some of the big fish in that pond could take us out just as easily,” replied Username 72.
“These are valid points, but we are in a time crunch here and need to act. Does anyone not want to deploy the tool,” asked Username 1. No one objected, even Username 72 was silent. “I’ll take your silence for an ascent. Username 72 inject the tool in the cell phone we have identified, and we will keep watch over their network to see when and where it surfaces. My colleagues, we are going into unexplored territory. If there is a team that can pull it off, this is the team to do it. Username 87, please keep us informed of any chatter coming from Zeno and the Bale’s. I would expect a news conference soon about the shooting and I am sure not long after we will hear from the Zeno folks. Stay sharp everyone and pull us into a meeting if anything develops,” said Username 1.
Mark had just returned from the morgue where he identified his daughter's body. Tinley immediately held him as he entered Detective Courtney’s office.
“I am sorry you had to do that Mr. Bale, but we did need to get a positive ID on your daughter. Again, I can’t express how sorry I am for your loss. I have given your wife some literature on grief counselors and legal aid for when that time comes. Just know that we will do everything in our power to get this guy and make sure he never sees daylight again, you have my word, "said Detective Courtney trying to comfort the couple.
“Detective Courtney, I think we would like to go home now and start to make arraignments, this has been too much to handle. I need to call work and let them know I will be out for a while. Can you take us to the garage,” asked Mark.
“Not a problem, just so you know we will be doing a press conference on this later this afternoon. You may get people calling you like the press and other types of people, don’t feel that you have to talk to them. In fact, I would recommend you don’t talk with them at this time. Just give yourselves time to heal as best you can,” said Detective Courtney. He radioed the officer at the secured covered entrance. “Any activity outside?”
“That is a negative Detective Courtney, all clear,” came the response.
“Okay, I will take you back to your car now. Here is my personal cell phone number, let me know if anyone contacts you about this, and let me know how I can help,” said Detective Courtney.
Reaching Out
To reach out to me, email timothy@createartpodcast.com I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's start that conversation.
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