2016 Year In Review

My plan was to copy my beginning of the year post to see how it all turned out, but I didn't do a beginning of the year post last January, so I guess I'm winging it. Overall, I think '16 was better than '15. We still had bumpy spots, but overall I feel more stable than I have for the last three years. Having Alex here most of the year may have contributed to that.

It was a better writing year for sure. More productive, better quality. I wrote 75,139 words, and as of mid-July (when I started tracking the time) I put in 193 hours. It looks like April was my worst month, and December was the best. As near as I can figure, mid-July was when I got sick of my own crap, the excuses and procrastination, and decided it was now or never. Not that it would ever really be never. I get depressed and cranky when I don't write.

In non-writing life:
- I grew my first garden in three years, and the first in-the-ground one (as opposed to containers and raised beds) since we left Virginia in 2000. I have plans for the next one.
- We finally got all our worldly belongings under one roof. And some of Alex's. Yay basement!
- I still haven't quit the day job, but I am down to one day a week. That should remain status quo for another 2-3 months.
- We are helping to start a new church in an adjacent neighborhood. Our current church is sponsoring it, but the new one will be 12 miles closer and not have city traffic, so it makes sense for us to do this. It's a lot more work than I thought it would be, but I don't have to do much of it. Yet.
- Last summer was jam-packed. We learned from that. Next summer will not be the same. I will have time to putter in my garden more and get more canning done.

My thoughts for next year look much the same as I'm sure they did last year. I have more writing goals than I did, and a few non-writing goals that may get modified throughout the year. We do have a fair amount of travel planned. We leave for Florida in 10 days, and I go back for a writers' retreat the end of February. We are looking at a trip to San Diego in the spring to visit Eric's parents, and Mom will no doubt have me in Michigan a few times. Oh, and Black Hat (the hacker conference) in Vegas in August. There is a spec writer conference (Realm Makers) in Reno the weekend we're in Vegas. I'm trying to figure out if I can make that work. If I can't, I'm going to lobby for them to have it closer to me in the future. Not Chicago proper, maybe, because it will be expensive to rent the space to hold it. Maybe Milwaukee.

Here's the run-down so I can find it easily to cut and paste next year (although I do have it written in my journal):

Writing:
- Write 150,000 words (3,000 x 50 weeks)
- Publish 6 short stories, either in magazine/anthology or on Kindle
- Blog weekly
- Send out two newsletters a month
- Develop good work habits re: time and word count
- Develop better marketing and social media skills
- Track sales vs. expenses

Non-writing:
- Exercise 2-4 days/week
- Bible study 3+ days/week
- Grow/preserve more food
- Get rid of enough stuff so the house is neat all the time
- Spend time with family

I hope y'all are having a relaxing evening and I'll see you next year.

Cold

Fine. I have a winter cold. :(

Rushing toward the end of this year. I've been covered up with shopping, family newsletters (I did three in two and a half weeks), Christmas cards, bills, chores...life.

I've also been planning my next year. I have several writing goals that I'm putting in my planner to both give me a way to gauge my progress and to be accountable to a writing group I'm in. I have two solid goals in place, but want to add one more.

I will be sharing them on January 1 or 2. Catch you then.

Preparing to Close Out the Year

The year is rapidly closing, so I'm wrapping up loose ends and preparing for 2017. Looking back at the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016, my life was very unsettled and chaotic. Many things have changed and for the better.
Mr. L's health has stabilized, but he doesn't have the energy he had before August 2015. He's begun the process of moving his health care to Central Texas. Our relationship is more harmonious. It's always a work in progress, but I'm in a much better place with it than I was two years ago.

My "I eat before 8 pm" effort has become effortless. I'm looking for other ways to positively implement dietary and exercise changes in my life to achieve a healthier body composition. With both knees replaced and functioning well, I'm looking forward to being more active this year. I was walking well, then we went on vacation, and I got out of the habit. I'm looking forward to getting back into the habit soon -- even if it means I go to the shop on inclement mornings to ride the recumbent bike.

I've set my LoseIt! app goal, and my plan it to proactively plan my meals to consistently eat less than the daily goal. (Is there a more positive way to word that? The subconscious mind needs only positive input -- it can't handle negative instructions.)

Efforts with the outside cats are going well. My only concern is Zelda seems to have run Walter off. I haven't seen him in over a week (including on the game camera). I picked Nick up the other day, and I've been able to pet him regularly. I should be able to put him into a carrier the first week of January for his FIV booster. Zelda is letting me touch her longer, but I'm not at a point where I'm confident I'll be able to put her into a carrier for her FIV booster, but I have a couple of weeks yet. I've been able to pick Daisy up and hold her. I plan to take her with us the first week of January for her kitten shots and an exam. When I put her down, she runs away, but she does keep coming back for Fancy Feast. Purina Pro Plan is kitty crack. Everyone is easier to handle when I put that in the dish.

Inside cats are about the same. Sapphire still won't give us the time of day, but now that Rossie is staying in the parlor and going into the cage at night, the parlor door is closed during the day. That means Mr. L and I play doorman to cats. Sapphire is slowly learning to come in and go out when we hold the door. She still spends too much time hesitating at the door, but she has both gone into and come out of the room with us holding the door.

We'll begin the next wave of travel plans after the first of the year. I'll pay for my cruise. Mr. L will make motel and car reservations, then we'll be ready for the Grand Tour in May. At some point, he'll finish the route for Hershey and Auto Train in October. We both have to figure out what we want to do in Orlando. So far, it seems to be Epcot, Disney Studios, and Universal Studios.

I want to establish a routine for using essential oils in my life. So far, I take a couple capsules of Copaiba, Frankincense, and Idaho Balsam Fir a couple of days a month. I haven't taken Tylenol since my knee replacement, but I do have a few aches here and there. That oil combo seems to reduce that. I diffuse Orange to keep the litter box odor down. It seems to help, and Mr. L doesn't complain about it. I'll be studying my desk reference to help me decide where I want to focus my efforts.

I need to revise GEEKS and get back to working on my first draft of the Granite Hill Series, Book 1. There's no way I'm going to let those pieces of paper intimidate me.

That's where I am at the moment. Looking forward to hearing your plans.

First of December

Dropping this here for accountability purposes. My work week officially ends in about 15 minutes. That's when I have to bundle up and go fetch Himself from the train station.

So far this month, I've worked 6 days out of 11. I've done 13.5 hours and 4,894 words. There is a small chance I could get back in here tonight or tomorrow morning and get the 106 words I need to make that an even 5,000, but I'm not planning on it. I have the 3,000 I planned for the week and other stuff to do.

We leave tomorrow morning for a weekend in Indiana with Dad and Linda. We will have our Christmas with them, and I expect Eric and Linda will do a little quilting. We might get to go shooting, too, if time permits and Linda's son doesn't mind. He's got land nearby that he hunts, so it's ideal for target practice.

Looks like the day job will be easing up. We're transitioning to winter hours, so if it stays the way it is now, I'll work about 5 hours a week between now and spring. I could claim another shift, and I might later, but right now I'm thinking about having the least impact possible on the schedule when I go on vacation this winter. I want it to be easy for all of us when I leave. There is, of course, a wildcard, but I had a Come To Jesus talk with her last week, and she seems to understand that she needs to get herself in order. Hopefully she'll hang on until March but if she doesn't I have three good candidates to call.

I'd intended to actually write down specific writing goals for 2017 but I haven't done that yet. Y'all feel free to ask me about them if I don't get it done soon.

Hope y'all are well and staying warm!

End of November

I don't know how it's this late in the year, and I don't know why I'm surprised about it. I've said the same thing multiple times a year for at least 25 years. *sigh*

I'm 12,130 words into Derrith's epic adventure. There is a chance that could be shortened about 2500 words if I decide the first two scenes are back story and need to be recycled. That's not a decision for today, or maybe even for this year.

November stats:
Words: 7420
Hours: 26

Year to date:
Words: 58,985
Hours: 186.27

This is why I don't do Nano anymore. Thanksgiving and Grandma's final illness and funeral gutted my month. I actually did writing related stuff 14 days, which is better than I expected.

I've come to realize I'm never going to get anywhere if I let circumstances dictate my reaction. Maybe I got a little dose of wisdom for my birthday, I don't know, but I'm tired of putting off my calling because I have to go to the day job/manage the house/plan holidays/etc. All that usually ends up with me getting overwhelmed and bingeing on Netflix. So productive!

I also realized how much leverage I actually have at the day job. I'm the most reliable person on the crew. I'm the only one with the food manager certificate, which the company paid $300 for. Everyone else has a $10 food safety certificate. I do all the paperwork and transport it to the office, and I'm the tier one point of contact for everything that goes wrong. I've lost count of how many times I've been called in on my day off. I have more leverage with this job than I think I've had with any other. They don't want me to leave so they're willing to pretty much let me do as I please as long as things run smoothly and the shop is clean. I've started taking my iPad and keyboard when I work day shifts. I have several hours with no customers, usually, and the ice maker and smoothy blender make an adequate standing desk. I'm training myself to work in odd places. My goal is to drop into writing mode at will, regardless of geography and distractions.

I'm also starting to look at specific goals for 2017. In the past I've been pretty vague. Vague doesn't get big things done. I have a half century gone. It's time to go big or go home, and going home isn't an option yet. Grandma said I'm going to hit 100, too. I never once caught her in a lie.

I hope y'all had a good Thanksgiving and are having a good week.

Writing, writing, writing

Spent the past few days on Thanksgiving and decorating the house for Christmas. No great rush. Just want to have all the decorations up by December 1. Also, I may be coming down with something. I've been tired and can't seem to get enough rest. Been drinking lots of fluid and taking Vitamin C. Hope that beats back whatever this is. Or maybe I just need more naps.

It's chilly and rainy here today. Don't mind the rain; don't mind the chill. Dislike both when they combine. I don't think I could ever live in Seattle. Snow is okay as long as it doesn't get crazy. Ice is never okay.

Decided last night to write 500 words a day until the New Year. This blog will count, all the other blogs will do, and of course, Facebook. Naturally, books, columns, articles, videos, etc., will count, too. Thought maybe I would end the year with writing, writing, writing. Curious to see if I have the determination to do this.

This week, I have doctor's appointment, decorating, household chores, writing, Christmas parade Thursday night, shopping, and finally a Christmas concert Sunday. What is your week looking like? Whatever you have going, I hope it goes well!

(206 words)

Home At Last. Thank God, I'm Home At Last

After traveling nearly constantly from the end of September, I am home, mostly, until the end of April, when we start all over again. I have to make a trip to San Antonio to pick up my new glasses. I'll need to make a couple more trips to San Antonio to do yard work, but I'll work that in.

The Hershey trip went extraordinarily well -- Mr. L's pre-planning back in February made a huge difference. Medical trips to San Antonio worked out fine eventually. And my trip to Wisconsin to visit my folks went extraordinarily well, too. The minor illness I experienced on the way home is abating (although I suspect the cough may linger, but I'm doing to do my best to eradicate it).

I've utterly failed to do any writing during this time. Constant travel does not lend itself to such things. I will regroup and devise a plan. A few ideas crept into my head. Some notations were made; however, there's nothing workable. And I must get GEEKS revised. I must get past the first draft and successfully revise my work for acceptable publication. This is an essential part of being a writer. 

Efforts to capture Zelda, Nick, and Daisy begin in earnest on Monday. Yes, the Kitten has a name. If you're a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, these names may seem familiar. Mr. L's master's thesis was on F. Scott Fitzgerald, so when I named Zelda, all the other names fell into place.

The house is still a disaster, but I will begin plucking away at it a little at a time. Someday, it will be together. Planning is ongoing, and I'll sort these little things out in due time.

Struggling to get out of park

The headline on this really is where I am right now—struggling to get out of park. Perhaps it's time for lists. Or Miracle Morning. Or Passion Planner. Or any of the other ways I've used in the past to kick start me and shake the dragging dog from my ankles.

The completion of Blackbirds Third Flight left a hole in my schedule. No project has aroused enough interest to fill the space...yet. I will get moving again. That's a truth about self-pubbed authors, and sharks, and anyone in life. You have to keep moving. Movement is life. I would add that movement with purpose is the aim.

Anyway, Thanksgiving is coming up. I will have guests here on Thanksgiving Day. Will have turkey and the usual trimming, including low carb options for me and anyone else on a low carb diet. Not a lot of people, but enough to fill my house.

What are your Thanksgiving plans? Family, friends, or a quiet, lovely day at home sipping tea and watching the Macy Thanksgiving Parade on TV? A mad plunge into Black Friday? Whatever they are, I wish you a good week and a good day.

Like a bad penny

Not been here. Well, I've posted about Blackbirds Third Flight, but nothing about other things. BTF took up all my available energy. That's over. Oh, there's still some publicity things I'm doing, but for the most part, that's automatic. Wish BTF was in the hands of many more readers. I'm proud of it. I think it has the best cover of the three anthologies and has exciting, high quality short stories and poems. I hope more people read it; the authors deserve the exposure.

This week, I'm going to work on Floozy Comes Back, do chores, start walking again, try to plan for Thanksgiving, and a few other even less exciting things. Not much else to say.

Glad it's cooler weather here, but havn't really needed my coat yet. Not sure if fall is going to get here before winter comes.

Have a great week.

Cancel the crisis

We got home from Kalamazoo about an hour ago. I've fed and snuggled kitties and taken a shower. The drive home was kind of brutal, but only because of dark, rain, and trucks. Despite that, I'm so very grateful.

When Dad called yesterday to tell me Grandma was in the hospital, I wasn't too concerned. Then he said things like "fluid in her lungs" and "congestive heart failure" and that she was on a ventilator. I got a little scared.

He told me I didn't have to come. I saw her last week, and I could remember her like that. He didn't want me to drive up alone after working all day. I got a little more scared and called Eric. Then I texted my night shift person, who graciously came in an hour early so I could leave. I came home and packed a bag, and as soon as Eric got home, we hit the road.

The mid-drive update wasn't great. She still wasn't awake from the sedative they'd used to put the vent tube down her throat. It was supposed to last about an hour, and it had been two or three at that point. The respiratory therapist had been in a couple times and turned the ventilator to CPAP mode to see if she would breathe on her own. She didn't. I was sure she was already gone. The bard in me whispered that it was the day after Samhain; the veil was still thin. She could slip through and be with Grandpa again.

We got to the hospital about 9:00. Dad met us in the lobby and said Grandma had rallied. She was awake but not terribly coherent. We visited for a little while, then left my aunt (who flatly refused to go home) with instructions to text me if anything changed.

This morning, she was more coherent and kept trying to ask where she was, why she was there, and how long the tube had to stay in. The doctor's first rounds were not encouraging. Her opinion for the best treatment was basically to remove the vent tube and keep her on morphine. She danced around telling us there was no treatment beyond palliative care, but when I asked point blank if she thought Grandma's condition was terminal, she said yes.

Long story short, they took out the vent tube about 2:00 this afternoon. The first thing she said was, "I want to talk." Boy, did she! She had more questions that a toddler: How did I get here? What happened? What hospital am I in? How long do I have to be here? What happened to my voice? Why is it so hoarse? How long is THAT going to last? Why aren't you all at work? Who's paying for all of this? When can I get out of bed? When can I go home? When can I get some food?

The food question stopped her nurse in her tracks. Literally. She stopped and stared and then laughed. They don't normally have to feed ICU patients, but by the time Grandma kicked us out (with instructions to take tomorrow off and relax), they switched her from Nothing By Mouth to Clear Liquids.

German stubbornness for the win!

When I left yesterday, I was scared. Shaking scared. I never expected to laugh as much as I did today. Dad didn't want me to remember her hooked up to machines, but today he said he was glad we'd come and thanked Eric several times for coming with me so I wouldn't have to drive alone. It was worth the drive and expense to be there for my family after so many years of being too far away to be of any use. I'm grateful to be back in the fold.

We're under no illusions that she's going to get better. She's 100, for pity's sake. She might make Thanksgiving or Christmas and I'll be pleasantly surprised, but I'm quite certain she's not going tonight.

Book Signing Slated

ADA—Ada Public Library will host a book signing for the new Many Rivers Harbor anthology Blackbirds Third Flight on Thursday, October 27, 4:00-6:30 p.m. The anthology features stories and poems from area author Kathy Akins, Ada author Stephen B. Bagley, Wendy Blanton, Michael Cantin, D.E. Chandler, Erin Cochran, Gail Henderson, Mariana Llanos, Jean Schara, and area author Heath Stallcup.

The signing will offer signed books, Halloween candy, special gift bags for the first 25 customers, giveaways, special pricing on the authors' other books, and author presentations. The book will also be on sale at that time for $12.  

“Blackbirds Third Flight is an anthology of stories and poetry with a dark, adventuresome twist,” said Kyra Childers, Many Rivers Harbor associate editor. “The stories run the gambit from thrilling urban fantasy to fantastic encounters with mythical creatures. The book includes a new story in the Justina Grave Mysteries™ and a new dragon rider adventure in the World of Balphrahn. The poetry is dark, funny, and excellent.”

The authors featured in the anthology include:

Kathy Akins began writing when she retired from a 30-year career with the United States Postal Service. She has won several awards with her poetry, devotionals, and short fiction. A love for history, family, and animals touches her everyday life and inspires her story ideas and characters. She lives in Oklahoma and shares her home with miniature long-haired dachshunds and a rescued Catahoula. Her dachshunds assist her when she presents dog-related educational programs for children in her capacity as an American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Ambassador. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and American Christian Fiction Writers.

Stephen B. Bagley co-wrote Undying, a collection of poetry with Gail Henderson in 2015. He wrote Murder by Dewey Decimaland Murder by the Acre. His other books include Tales from Bethlehem, Floozy and Other Stories, and EndlesS. He wrote the full-length plays Murder at the Witch’s Cottage and Two Writers in the Hands of an Angry God and co-wrote Turnabout. His poetry, articles, short stories, and essays have appeared in Writer’s Digest, ByLine Magazine, Nautilus Magazine, Pontotoc County Chronicles, Tulsa World OKMagazine, Free Star, Dark Prairies & Deep Rivers, and other print and online publications. He graduated from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. He is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. Visit his website at StephenBBagley.blogspot.com.

Wendy Blanton started writing when she learned to string words into sentences. She published three fantasy novels, The Dragon’s Lady, Rogue Pawn, and Sword and Scabbard, under the name Elizabeth Joy with co-author Scott Carman. Currently, she writes novels and short stories in several genres. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management from the University of Mount Olive, Mount Olive, North Carolina, and served on active duty for the United States Air Force for eight years. She is an apprentice bard and specializes in telling Celtic folk tales at Scottish Highland Games and other venues. She and her husband are members of the Clan Campbell Society of North America. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three rescue cats. Visit her website at wendyblanton.wordpress.com.

Michael Cantin is a poet and sloth fanatic residing somewhere in the wilds of Orange County, California. He writes fitfully between bouts of madness and periods of lucid concern. You can find him in dark corners where weird fiction and stiff drinks are most readily available. His poetry has appeared both in print and online publications. You can find his work in The East Jasmine Review, Melancholy Hyperbole, 50 Haiku, several anthologies, and other venues.

D.E. Chandler released her debut novel, Bone Sliver, in October 2015. In 2013, her poem, “Oppenheimer” and her short story “One Way Window” both won honorable mention and publication in Outside the Lines. In 2015, her poem “Carroll After Dark” won first place and publication in the Tulsa Review’s 2015 Spring contest issue. She is currently a senior at Rogers State University, in pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Creative Writing and TV/Radio Broadcasting. She lives with her husband Tom on a beautiful lake in Oklahoma. Email her at tcmedia@hotmail.com or connect with her on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Erin Cochran writes dark fiction including everything from classic horror to literary thrillers. Her love for the writings of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe, and later Stephen King, began early in life with bedtime stories from her dad and listening to Mystery Theater on the radio while nodding off to sleep. She has numerous short stories and offerings of dark poetry, as well as her first novella in the genre, Of Noble Blood. She lives on a homestead farm with her family and all manner of animals from a pet snake to milk goats. She is writing a collection of horror short stories based on mythology and a vampire novel, The Sang Fye of New Orleans. Connect with her on Twitter @ep_ferguson and Facebook.

Gail Henderson co-wrote Undying, a collection of poetry with Stephen B. Bagley in 2015. She collaborated with noted photographer Michael Duncan to produce Bare, a book of poetry and photography that explores the enigma of womanhood in the world. She wrote Red Bird Woman, a collection of her poetry published in 2013 under the name Gail Wood. Her work has also appeared in Blackbirds First Flight, Blackbirds Second Flight, Creations 2014, Creations 2013: 40 Ways to Look at Love, Creations 2012, and ByLine Magazine. She holds a Masters of Education in English and Social Studies from East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma. Visit her website at RedbirdWoman.blogspot.com.

Mariana Llanos was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She has written poetry and short stories since she was a young girl. Hoping to give a voice to the many characters that lived in her head, she studied Drama with the prestigious company Cuatrotablas, based in Lima. After moving to Oklahoma, Mariana worked as a preschool teacher, standing out for her creativity and passion for arts education. In 2013 she published her first book, Tristan Wolf. Now she has six titles under her name, four of those also in Spanish. Mariana visits schools around the world through virtual technology. She finds it to be a great way to reach children and spark their passion for reading and writing. Visit her website at marianallanos.com.

Jean Schara retired from a 28-year career in the United States Air Force in 2008 and took up residence in Central Texas. Since then, she’s been writing and helping her husband with the never-ending To Do list under the guidance and direction of their nine rescue cats. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and of the Troy State University, Montgomery, with a Master of Science in Adult Education. In the summer, she is primarily occupied with yard work while her husband paints their Queen Anne Victorian home. She has had several book reviews published in the Air Power Journal and several short articles published in Vision: A Resource for Writers. Visit her blog at pmtoo.jeanschara.com/journal.

Heath Stallcup was born in Salinas, California, and relocated to Oklahoma in his teen years. He joined the US Navy and was stationed in Charleston, South Carolina, and Bangor, Washington, shortly after junior college. After his second tour, he attended East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma, where he obtained Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Chemistry. He then served ten years with the State of Oklahoma as a Compliance and Enforcement Officer while moonlighting nights and weekends with the local sheriff’s office. He lives in Oklahoma with his wife and three of his seven children. His books includeWhispers, Caldera, Forneus Corson, and the continuing Monster Squad series: Return of the Phoenix, Full Moon Rising, Coalition of the Damned, Blood Apocalypse, Homecoming, Wayward Son, Obsessions, and Specters. Visit his website at heathstallcup.com.

Blackbirds Third Flight is available from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Lulu.com, and other online retailers. For more information about the book, signings, and the authors, visit blackbirdsflights.blogspot.com.

Or, maybe not

Seems like the week before last was the best of times followed by the worst of times. Not worst. I've had worse. It's still a let-down.

Getting the numbers out of the way, I wrote 3 days for a total of 9.5 hours and 2,288 words. For those of you keeping score at home, that's a 51% reduction in word count, half the days, and a little more than 1/3 of the hours from the week before, plus I didn't put anything new online.

The simple reason is I'm first drafting, and the story isn't cooperating. I don't know the world well enough yet. I don't have creatures created or obstacles in place. All I have is a concept: Derrith leaves home to find someone who can help her control her magic. I know she goes south. Last night I had an idea of who her teacher might be which came from, all off things, a picture on Facebook of somebody's foot on a set of child's fairy wings on the ground (not on a child). She'd captioned it "dead fairy." My brain makes me uneasy sometimes. It's probably a good thing I'm the only one who has to live in it.

I spent much of the weekend cranky and out of sorts, and I couldn't put my finger on the problem. I went to church yesterday, and that helped, but I didn't come out of it until I started talking through story issues with Eric. (Thank goodness I'm writing a genre he reads. He wasn't much help when I was writing historicals.) That's when I figured out why I was cranky. The story wasn't playing nice. The previous week, I was re-writing. I had the bones. Apparently, the bones are the hard part for me.

I have figured out a few details which help explain how the world works, but thinking and coming up with ideas isn't quantifiable. The ideas come at random times, and keeping track of every minute I'm thinking about the story would keep me from getting anything done at all.

What have y'all been up to? Have you had a better week, or am I not alone in my belly aching?

October is the best!

Last week was good. I had a schedule change at the day job which at first wasn't ideal but turned out well. I did laundry and dishes, picked tomatoes twice, and we even got the back steps water sealed, which we should have done last year but time got away from us.

The numbers are 25 hours and 4,634 words, plus I got two e-books up on Kindle. A lot of those hours were spent finding cover art and formatting. I'm not fast yet, but I'm getting faster. Sadly, there are no sales yet but it's as much about the experience at this point. I'm finding that I work better in chunks. I can get 2-3 hours in at a stretch, but I have to take longish breaks. The morning is most productive for writing, and the evening is better for administrative tasks. For the morning shift, I have to bring a cup of coffee and a big glass of water up with me. I also seem to be more productive when I start with the bible study lesson for my small group, and when I use TV as a reward.

Each week I feel myself letting go of the day job a little more. I'm going to put in a little extra time in the next couple of weeks working with my replacements to hire another person or two. We have a coworker who may or may not be staying with us, but we really do need another person. Our schedule is pretty tight and if someone wants an extra day off, it causes trouble. Plus I'm the only person available for the Tuesday day shift. That could change next semester when everyone's class schedules change, but I don't know if it will. We need to fix that. If nothing else, I need back-up. I don't have plans that will keep me out of town on Monday and Tuesday for the rest of this year, but next year is different. We will be in Florida or driving almost half of January. In February I'll be away for several days at a retreat. We're thinking about going to San Diego in March for a few days to see the in-laws. I need back-up at the day job!

So that's where I am heading into the week. My plan is to carry on as I have been, and to pick a day next week to take off and visit my grandmother. When I saw her at her birthday party she told me to hurry up with Blackbirds Third Flight so she could read it. How do you argue with that?

Author Spotlight on Stephen B. Bagley

Later in October, we will mark the official release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting stories and poems. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors.

Stephen B. Bagley co-wrote Undying, a collection of poetry with Gail Henderson in 2015. He wrote Murder by Dewey Decimal and Murder by the Acre. His other books include Tales from Bethlehem, Floozy and Other Stories, and EndlesS. He wrote the full-length plays Murder at the Witch’s Cottage and Two Writers in the Hands of an Angry God and co-wrote Turnabout. His poetry, articles, short stories, and essays have appeared in Writer’s Digest, Blackbirds First Flight, Blackbirds Second Flight, ByLine Magazine, Nautilus Magazine, Pontotoc County Chronicles, Tulsa World OKMagazine, and other publications. He graduated from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. Visit his website at http://StephenBBagley.blogspot.com.

Read his stories "The End Begins" and "Grave Fortunes" in Blackbirds Third Flight, now available exclusively from Lulu for a limited time. Click here to buy! Save 30% thru Monday, Oct 10, by using Lulu discount code: OCTSAVE30

Author Spotlight on Jean Schara

Later in October, we will mark the official release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting stories and poems. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors.

Jean Schara retired from a 28-year career in the United States Air Force in 2008 and took up residence in Central Texas. Since then, she’s been writing and helping her husband with the never-ending To Do list under the guidance and direction of their nine rescue cats. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and of the Troy State University, Montgomery, with a Master of Science in Adult Education. In the summer, she is primarily occupied with yard work while her husband paints their Queen Anne Victorian home. She has had several book reviews published in the Air Power Journal and several short articles published in Vision: A Resource for Writers. Visit her blog at http://pmtoo.jeanschara.com/journal. 

Read her story "Malone Stakes A Claim" in Blackbirds Third Flight, now available exclusively from Lulu for a limited time. Click Here to Buy! Save 30% thru Oct 10 by using Lulu discount code: OCTSAVE30

Author Spotlight on Gail Henderson

Later in October, we will mark the official release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting stories and poems. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors.

Gail Henderson co-wrote Undying, a collection of poetry with Stephen B. Bagley in 2015. She collaborated with noted photographer Michael Duncan to produce Bare, a book of poetry and photography that explores the enigma of womanhood in the world. She wrote Red Bird Woman, a collection of her poetry published in 2013 under the name Gail Wood. Her work has also appeared in Blackbirds First Flight, Blackbirds Second Flight, Creations 2012, Creations 2013:40 Ways to Look at Love, Creations 2014, and ByLine Magazine. She holds a Masters of Education in English and Social Studies from East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma. She and her husband enjoy life in beautiful Minnesota. Visit her website at RedbirdWoman.blogspot.com.

Read her poems in Blackbirds Third Flight, now available exclusively from Lulu for a limited time. Click Here to Buy!   Save 30% thru Oct 10 by using Lulu discount code: OCTSAVE30

Author Spotlight on Wendy Blanton

Later in October, we will mark the official release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting stories and poems. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors.

Wendy Blanton started writing when she learned to string words into sentences. She published three fantasy novels, The Dragon’s Lady, Rogue Pawn, and Sword and Scabbard, under the name Elizabeth Joy with co-author Scott Carman. Currently, she writes novels and short stories in several genres. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management from the University of Mount Olive, Mount Olive, North Carolina, and served on active duty for the United States Air Force for eight years. She is an apprentice bard and specializes in telling Celtic folk tales at Scottish Highland Games and other venues. She and her husband are members of the Clan Campbell Society of North America. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three rescue cats. Visit her website at http://wendyblanton.wordpress.com.

Read her story "Mage Hunt" in Blackbirds Third Flight, now available exclusively from Lulu for a limited time.

Click Here to Buy Your Book! 

Save 30% thru Oct 10 by using Lulu discount code: OCTSAVE30

Author Spotlight on Erin Cochran

Later in October, we will mark the official release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting stories and poems. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors.

Erin Cochran writes dark fiction including everything from classic horror to literary thrillers. Her love for the writings of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe, and later Stephen King, began early in life with bedtime stories from her dad and listening to Mystery Theater on the radio while nodding off to sleep. She has numerous short stories and offerings of dark poetry, as well as her first novella in the genre, Of Noble Blood. She lives on a homestead farm with her family and all manner of animals from a pet snake to milk goats. She is writing a collection of horror short stories based on mythology and a vampire novel, The Sang Fye of New Orleans. Connect with her on Twitter @ep_ferguson and Facebook.

Read her story "Music of the Nightingale" in Blackbirds Third Flight, now available exclusively from Lulu for a limited time. Go Here to purchase!

Save 30% thru Oct 10 by using Lulu discount code: OCTSAVE30

Author Spotlight on D.E. Chandler

Later in October, we will mark the official release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting stories and poems. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors.

D.E. Chandler released her debut novel, Bone Sliver, in October 2015. In 2013, her poem, “Oppenheimer” and her short story “One Way Window” both won honorable mention and publication in Outside the Lines. In 2015, her poem “Carroll After Dark” won first place and publication in the Tulsa Review’s 2015 Spring contest issue. She is currently a senior at Rogers State University, in pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Creative Writing and TV/Radio Broadcasting. She lives with her husband Tom on a beautiful lake in Oklahoma. Email her at tcmedia @ hotmail.com or connect with her on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Read her poem "Corvus" and short story "Her Last Question" in Blackbirds Third Flight, now available exclusively from Lulu.com for a limited time HERE.
Save 20% thru today (Oct 3) by using discount code: SAVETODAY

Author Spotlight on Mariana Llanos

October will mark the release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting stories and poems. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors. 

Mariana Llanos was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She has written poetry and short stories since she was a young girl. Hoping to give a voice to the many characters that lived in her head, she studied Drama with the prestigious company Cuatrotablas, based in Lima. After moving to Oklahoma, Mariana worked as a preschool teacher, standing out for her creativity and passion for arts education. In 2013 she published her first book, Tristan Wolf. Now she has six titles under her name, four of those also in Spanish. Mariana visits schools around the world through virtual technology. She finds it to be a great way to reach children and spark their passion for reading and writing. Visit her website at marianallanos.com.

Read her poems "Wolf" and "Bird" in Blackbirds Third Flight, now available exclusively from Lulu.com for a limited time HERE. Save 20% through Oct 3 by using discount code: SAVETODAY

September wrap-up

Wow, not really sure how we have finished September already. I had to look at my calendar to make sure I had the right month because that doesn't seem right.

The long and short of it is I logged 31 hours and 5,474 words this month. Since I'm unlikely to get more today I'm comfortable recording it here. Not terribly happy about it since it wasn't more on both points, but I can't fix it. I did publish Saved By The Bell on Kindle and sold 5. I was pleased with the experience of getting it posted. It was easier than I thought. I'm going to do more, but I have to decide if I want to do them individually or package them together. I'm not making the decision today. I also finished the first draft and 2/3 of the second draft of Awakening and made a start on the next book. I'm currently exploring other ways to expand the world. Oh, and I tweaked my office to give me a standing desk option, although I didn't count that in my hours.

In non-writing accomplishments, I went to Indiana to help my dad sell off a little of his ridiculously large black powder guns and pieces collection. It was more to get a feel for what all the little doodads are and how much they cost. I also attended my grandmother's birthday party and reconnected with my cousins. I think we'll be attending that side's Thanksgiving dinner this year. We're going to my mom's instead of staying home and we can easily stop by there on the way home. Oh, and I took the cats to the vet today. I'm currently being shunned, but they've had their shots and pedicures, so we're good for another year. The next kitten we get will be leash trained and will go for rides in the box on a much more frequent basis so it's less traumatic for all of us.

This weekend I'll be in Racine, WI for our church's annual women's retreat. I've gone twice before. This year I'm helping with music and giving a short testimony on Sunday about our move to The Big City.

That's all the news here that's worth reporting. Hope y'all had a good month.

Author Spotlight on Michael Cantin

October will mark the release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting stories and poems. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors.

Michael Cantin is a poet and sloth fanatic residing somewhere in the wilds of Orange County, California. He writes fitfully between bouts of madness and periods of lucid concern. You can find him in dark corners where weird fiction and stiff drinks are most readily available. His poetry has appeared both in print and online publications. You can find his work in The East Jasmine Review, Melancholy Hyperbole, 50 Haiku, several anthologies, and other venues.

Read his poems "Tooth Fairy" and "Carcosian Love Poem" in Blackbirds Third Flight, now available exclusively from Lulu.com for a limited time. Click here to purchase!

Author Spotlight on Heath Stallcup

October will mark the release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting works. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors.

Heath Stallcup was born in Salinas, California, and relocated to Oklahoma in his teen years. He joined the US Navy and was stationed in Charleston, South Carolina, and Bangor, Washington, shortly after junior college. After his second tour, he attended East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma, where he obtained Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Chemistry. He then served ten years with the State of Oklahoma as a Compliance and Enforcement Officer while moonlighting nights and weekends with the local sheriff’s office. He lives in Oklahoma with his wife and three of his seven children. His books include Whispers, Caldera, Forneus Corson, and the continuing Monster Squad series: Return of the Phoenix, Full Moon Rising, Coalition of the Damned, Blood Apocalypse, Homecoming, Wayward Son, Obsessions, and Specters. Visit his website at https://heathstallcup.com.

Look for his haunting short story "Rats In The Attic" in Blackbirds Third Flight coming soon!

Author Spotlight on Kathy Akins

October will mark the release of Blackbirds Third Flight, which features 10 authors and poets sharing dark, twisty, and exciting works. Here's a bit of info about one of our authors.

Kathy Akins began writing “for real” when she retired from a 30-year career with the United States Postal Service. She has won several awards with her poetry, devotionals, and short fiction. A love for history, family, and animals touches her everyday life and inspires her story ideas and characters. She lives in Oklahoma and shares her home with miniature long-haired dachshunds and a rescued Catahoula. Her dachshunds assist her when she presents dog-related educational programs for children in her capacity as an American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Ambassador. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and American Christian Fiction Writers.

Read Kathy's story "Peril on Thunder Mountain" in Blackbirds Third Flight coming soon!

WARNING: This Post Will Make You Tired

You've been warned. All you, "Jean makes me so tired" people. I'm looking at you. I came to San Antonio to do yard work, and I have managed to get a few things done. I did just a little bit each day, but it adds up.

First, when I got here on Sunday, I had some limbs Mr. L had dragged from the front yard to the driveway to cut up and put out for the trash guys. I took care of that Sunday afternoon.

Monday morning, I took the truck in for service and wound up leaving it for an AC vent problem. My loaner MKC was just fine. After I got Monday morning errands completed (namely, a credit union run for walking around cash for the next month and a half), I tackled the alley hedge, which had become very overgrown. It's still too tall, but I've shaved the sides down so my beloved trash truck guys can get down the alley unmolested. I bagged those trimmings, and the trash guys made a second pick up for me that afternoon. Sometimes they do that, and I love them for it.

Tuesday, I mowed the alley and the back yard. I did a little trimming.

Wednesday, I cut up more of the limbs in the driveway and began clipping hackberries and china berries that have been cropping up all over the yard. Those were waiting for the trash guys on Thursday.

Thursday, I trimmed the bushes in the side yard and bagged them. I cut a few more opportunistic hackberries. I also picked up the truck. They did the normal service items and replaced a bad AC vent actuator. No more little man in the dash knocking furiously asking to get out.

Friday, I pulled all the overgrown grass off the patio. It was threatening to overwhelm the AC unit.

This morning, I ventured into the shrimp plant bed and cut out about fifteen trash trees, about half of which had trunks an inch in diameter. They have been dragged to the curb for the trash guys to get on Monday. I have quite a pile for them.

I still need to take the hedge clippers to the patio hedge, sweep the leaves and other debris from the patio, and bag that debris. I may do that tomorrow.

What is not going to get done this trip is clipping out the 20-50 hackberries that have sprung up behind the shed and the BBQ in the back corner of the yard. I won't get the dead lower limbs removed from the red oak in the front yard either. Maybe when I come down for early voting at the end of October or in December. Unless Mr. L helps me on Monday, we aren't going to get the dead tree trunk cut up in the back yard or the dead tree next to the shed taken down either.

Despite all that, I'm pleased with my progress in eliminating the evidence of what amounts to two years of neglect due to my knee recovery.

In other news, I got the new DirecTV box ordered to replace the one that died. Mr. L brings that with him on Monday. I'm getting a few things done in the house. I plan to take down the cat cage and store it in the garage. I don't anticipate we're going to need it anymore. When we bring a trailer down, we'll take it back to Central Texas to store in the garage up there. We'll both be happy to have that space in the den back. I suppose I need to take care of the large box of shredding as well as the three other boxes of shredding that need to be taken care of. I won't get it all done, of course, but I need to begin making a dent in it. 

I head back to Central Texas on Tuesday afternoon.

I think I might be overthinking

Or maybe, now that I've slowed down a little, all the things I've ignored over the summer finally see their chance to get attention. Or maybe I'm not drinking enough water.

Who the heck knows?

It appears, at least for the next couple months, the day job schedule is paperwork on Monday, pull shifts Tuesday and Wednesday, and have the rest of the week for personal stuff. That includes picking and preserving tomatoes and peppers, and the usual household stuff, but the biggest part will be writing related stuff. I'm thinking through how to expand the dragon rider world, which could easily blow itself way out of proportion but also helps me clarify some things for the marketing side. I've written in a few different genres the last couple of years, and my marketing/social media guru says I need a focus. It's super hard to find one thing, one schtick, while writing in several genres. Sticking with fantasy for a while helps me narrow it down, and it can extend into Steampunk and dystopian without a big stretch. So maybe I'll be able to make some progress there.

The other thing is getting stuff up on Kindle, which is completely overwhelming me. It's new territory and I haven't had the time to devote to doing the process from start to finish. I do now, and I keep saying I'm going to, but of course I haven't. I just need to pick one of the stories from BFF and go for it. This week. Darn it.

It's getting cooler here, but I still have a lot of produce ripening in the garden. I expect that's going to slow down soon. Tomatoes and peppers love it the heat, and we're in the 70's now with some 50's at night. I love it but my garden won't. That's fine. It's starting to be less fun. I have a lot of cayenne peppers, way more than I thought I'd get. Tomorrow I'm going to try hot water bath canning (since my pressure canner is missing an important piece and I'm running out of freezer space), and while it's going I'll make some hot pepper oil. Alex will use it if nothing else. I need to figure out how to preserve green peppers. Or maybe we just need to eat them.

So that's about it here. What's up with you guys?

Jean's August Review

As usual, August has been a mixed bag.

My knee recovery is going well. I've increased my walking to 1.25 miles four days per week. I had been losing weight at the rate of three pounds a month, but I've stalled this month. I'll get that fixed.

I got GEEKS read in July but stalled out on planning the revision in August. I'm going to start with a 60 minute per week goal to work on it and build from there.

Giddings went very well for us. We found new homes for several large, bulky items and a few smaller items. It was fun talking to people as they came through our spaces. We only took one trailer this year. We planned to take two, but we looked at the stuff we planned to take on the black trailer and realized if we left two items home, we didn't need that trailer. We got back, we picked up some inexpensive plastic saw horses at Harbor Freight. With a plywood sheet cut in two, we'll be able to have more tables next year, which we can use.

We've modified the cat experiment. Sapphire was becoming unreachable, so we're still giving her the run of the house during the day, but she's going back in the cage with Rossie overnight and has to submit to petting to get back out in the morning. She's not fond of this, but we have to be confident we can capture her when we need to take her somewhere.

Walter is becoming extremely affectionate. He absorbs a lot of attention from both of us. Boomer is still with us. Zelda and Nick are around -- Nick mostly at Night. Hmm. I may need to rethink that name. We talked to him through the side door a couple of times this week, and he didn't run as far after the first time.

I'm trying to get the weedeating done. That's slow going when the grass has grown so much with the recent rains.

Things to work on for September:

Writing:
- At least 60 minutes per week on GEEKS revision planning
- Reevaluate blogging schedule, because I seem to be skipping posts, which indicates I may not be interested in doing some of them on a schedule anymore
- Consider planning 2-3 short stories

Household:
- Declutter five minutes per day
- Finish Central Texas Yard work
- Spend a week in San Antonio doing San Antonio yard work
- Prepare and pack for Hershey trip
- Keep up with litter boxes
- Figure out some way to keep clutter off the kitchen counter (as long as Mr. L is around, this may be futile, and since I don't plan to get rid of him, well, I just need to figure something out)

August in review

I just finished "Awakening." It's story #3 of the Balphrahn series, and it looks like there will be 3 more. The first draft came in a little over 10,000 words. There is one scene I might cut, but I also need to flesh out the bandit scene.

I spent a total of 35 hours in the office this month. Less than I wanted, but nothing to be embarrassed about. It's a good starting point. Word count was better--14,532. It's the best word count month so far this year, and that's unusual for summer. I worked a total of 16 days, although some of those days had multiple sessions. Like today. Again, not great, but I did take the best part of a week off for the family reunion.

Overall, I feel like I've improved but I still have a long way to go. I need to find more places to submit to. I only had the one submission this month to The Binge-Watching Cure. Still no word on that, but no news is good news. I heard on a podcast yesterday that a 10% accept rate is great for short stories, so I need to step up my submissions.

Things to work on in September:

Writing:
- Find more markets
- Pick a novel to revise
- Write the next Balphrahn story. Might as well press on while I have my head in the world
- Write 3500 words/week minimum
- Write for 20 days/40 hours minimum
- Submit 2 stories minimum

Household:
- Two drop-off trips to Salvation Army
- Keep up on dishes and laundry better
- Eat at home 5 nights a week (so better meal planning, prep in advance, etc)
- Walk at least 6 miles a week (in 3-4 sessions)
- Figure out some sort of cleaning schedule (daily, weekly, and monthly)

I'm getting tired of my crap

I saw a meme on Facebook a while back that said something like, "I've never seen real transformation in a person until they got tired of their own crap." I shared it with a comment that I'm almost there.

I'm starting to not like summer much. The last few have been stressful. I'm taking measures now to avoid it next year.

We went to my mom's last weekend for a family reunion. We haven't had one in over a decade, so it was fun to see everyone. When we were driving up, I commented that I'd never thought of Michigan as pretty until I lived in Illinois. Eric agreed, and at some point during the weekend, he started looking for property there. He says he's looking for a bug-out spot but also looking ahead to retirement.

Of course, we disagree on specifics. I'm leaning toward 5-15 acres with trees and water with a target price of no more then $2,000/acre. $1,000 would be better. It's doable there. He also wants trees and water, but he's looking at 40+ acres. He sent me a listing for a 50 acre farm yesterday for $275,000. It already has a house and several outbuildings, and one of the neighbors rents most of the acreage for farming so there would be a little income, but not enough to cover that huge mortgage, which by the way, is bigger than the one we got rid of last winter. *smh* This will blow over. It has every time but one. That one time was because he was desperate to get out from under city rent rates, and I'm happy about that. This time, though, I'm about ready to smack him. I'm pretty sure it's mostly because of allergy congestion (and accompanying low level headache I've had for about a week), and life being too peopley the last two months.

The garden is in high gear. I'm going to have to do something about food preservation this week. Good timing, since I have two shifts at the day job this week, and one next week. My shift leader trainees are doing well.

We won't talk about writing this week. I only worked 2 hours, but I knew that would be the case. There is no way I can work at Mom's. I took the iPad and keyboard in case, but the only writing I did was a few paragraphs for the Model A club newsletter. They wanted stories about people's first cars, and my stepdad didn't know how to put his story about gas line freeze together, so he told it to me and I typed it. My first ghost writing job! :-/

That's about it. I have two weeks to decompress and try to get caught up on stuff before the last summer commitment. The goals are:
Get words in--maybe 5,000 a week? I think that would finished Awakening
Do something with the ripe tomatoes and peppers in the garden. I have several options
Wash clothes
Take one load of donations to the local Salvation Army. Even a little load. Like two bags/boxes

My plan for the week

Been hard at work on various projects, including Blackbirds Third Flight. BTF's publication date is drawing closer and closer. I have a bit of a cushion in there, but hope to not use it. Being sick has eaten some of it up. Hoping this week will be very productive.

And that's my plan for this week: Today in Art, the August newsletter, and BTF. Well, chores and a couple of doctor's appointments. I'm discouraged about the appointments. I'm not sure what they're doing for me. If we're making progress, I can't see. It's a faith thing, I guess.

My car remains broken. I looked at buying a new car (well, new to me), but I just can't swing it right now. Have down payment, but don't think I could trust me to be able to make the monthly payments. Right now, I'm using my roomie's Jeep for my appointments, but I sure would like transportation of my own. I'd do a Go Fund Me if it didn't feel too much like begging.

Still using the Miracle Morning for the most part. It's been helpful in keeping me focused on what I need to be doing. Can't say I do it every day yet, but most days. Also, I've converted my Daily List to OneNote 2016, which has been helpful. I think the planning each day keeps me on track.

That's about it. Hope you have a happy, productive week, too. I'm going to.

Finishing out the Summer

Local schools start tomorrow, so the end of summer is here.

The Olympics are finishing today. I've found the Roku very good for watching events when I want to watch them. The live play, the streaming replays for any event as well as the highlights have made my Olympic viewing an enjoyable experience. The bizarre thing is the announcing. It's hit or miss. Maybe English speaking announcers or maybe some other language, sometimes changing in the middle of the game or match. I endured very little of the endless prattle usually associated with sporting events.

We're preparing for heading to Giddings at the end of the week. Looking forward to it.

My Mastermind Partner and I are planning how we want to begin our second year of the MasterKey Experience. I'm planning what I want to get from this year. I'm certain I'll make new connections, but I have expectations that I will continue to achieve my definite purpose in life. You guys may or may not see much, but my primary purpose is to achieve mutual harmony with Mr. L, and I've been amazed at my progress (you have no idea how far I had to come to reach this place, where I still have a long way to go).

The cat experiment went as I'd hoped this week. Sapphire has been all over the house but she has chosen to spend her time near us. Rossie has chosen to remain in the parlor, where we can talk to her and pet her throughout the day. Walter came off the night shift long enough last Monday for me to get him taken to Dr Val for his annual exam and shots. He's been back on night shift ever since, so I haven't seen him. Boomer has been back and seems to be holding his own healthwise. Ajax won't listen to me about staying away from Sneaky, so I let her send him packing this morning.

We've had tons of rain this week, which we needed. Thankfully, just soaking rains, so no damage for us to contend with. There has been flooding in the state, so some people have not been so fortunate.

I've ignored GEEKS this week. I must come up with a more effective plan to get this book revised than what I've been doing so far.

Two Months Post-Op

I can only describe my recovery from this second knee surgery as amazing. I'm pacing myself, but I'm far ahead of where I'm supposed to be in recovery. That's not to say I'm completely recovered. That's truly a one year process. In related news, the VA approved my temporary 100% disability without even demanding an exam. I'm surprised by that. My final disability remains 80% though.

We pulled the trigger on Grand Tour 2017 ticket purchases and reservations this week. I realized balcony rooms were filling up fast for my cruise, and we have to leave Chicago one day earlier than planned on the outbound part of the trip, because the Empire Builder bedrooms were all booked for the day we wanted to travel. I couldn't get the cruise website to let me move beyond a certain screen, so I wound up calling and talking to their reservation person, which turned out to be a good thing. They have a beverage package or a $150 credit as the current special. I rarely consume alcohol, so I took the credit. Since I'm traveling alone as a single in the room, that $150 credit turns into a $300 credit (because I'm essentially paying for two to have the room to myself -- all I save is taxes and fees). I'll probably have a case of water delivered to my room at the beginning of the cruise for $14 (yes, highway robbery), and purchase the Soda and More package for about $60 for the week. That includes hot chocolate and fountain beverages in addition to the included tea and coffee. It doesn't include beverages with room service. (Yes, they have quite the racket.) I think my cruise credits will be applied to that, then I'll have to figure out what else I want to buy. I'll prepay gratuities. I can get an additional $100 in credit if I send them proof of being a veteran. I'm debating if I want to do that. I guess it doesn't hurt.

The yard sale is done. We're preparing for the swap meet at Giddings at the end of the month. Mr. L bought a little trailer today, which he plans to use to haul the electric scooters when we go to Hershey. He's been talking about getting a trailer for that trip for a couple years now. I'm so thrilled to be able to have a trailer behind me on this trip. It's going to make "Turn HERE" so much more fun. :)

I've done a small amount of revision prep on GEEKS. I've also begun doing more yard work.

crikey

August has been tiring, and I don't have much on paper to show for it.

Writing last week: 9.85 hours, and 2,739 words. I submitted "Ransom" to "The Binge-Watching Cure." They received it, and right now, no news is good news. The e-mail said they take longer to respond when they like it. I have a note on my calendar to follow up in 8 weeks. All of the words went into Derrith's story, tentatively titled "Awakening." I love the way it's coming together.

Day job: 23 hours, 5 of which were unscheduled. That's a good thing. I have unscheduled hours every Monday because that's the day I do paperwork and deposit, but I can do it anytime as long as I get the deposit done, so I've stopped scheduling it. I've also started going in Sunday nights to train the new team lead trainees. At this point, I might not actually be leaving so much as cutting hours and doing admin work. It will give me a little money coming in, and a shift a week will give the girls a rest. 

Life: St Louis friends contacted us several months ago saying their daughter had bought tickets to the Doobie Brothers/Journey concert in Chicago and couldn't go, and did we want to. I dragged my feet. Journey was very popular when I was in high school, but the DBs not so much. But Eric said we'd love to go. At that point, it looked like it would be a Friday night. I found out two weeks ago the concert was actually on Saturday night. Then one night morphed into the weekend. 

It was fine. We had fun, and we got to catch up with friends we'd barely seen in a year. We went to Scotland with them last summer, so we had a lot more time than we normally do. The music at the concert was good, but the crowd was not so good. We were supposed to have lawn seats, but because both Eric and Dan are disabled, they moved us to the disabled seating, which is behind the stadium seats, but in front of the lawn. It saved us a hike up the hill, which was a plus. It was fine, even with the drunks and weirdos, until Eric stood to stretch mid-way through Journey. For some reason, they had 2x8s bolted to the ground behind the stadium seats. I don't know what purpose it served, but he tripped on it, twisted his knee, and bounced off the guy beside him (who was not at all happy and looked like a law suit waiting to happen). We got Eric up, gave him some Tylenol and ice (silly man hadn't brought his morphine bombs), and he was fine by the end of the concert. We escaped without needing medical attention or revealing our names to anyone, and we made sure to tell concert staff that the 2x8s are a hazard. It almost tripped me, and I'm able-bodied. They have no business seating disabled people there. Yesterday, he was back to what passes for normal and walked for two hours around the Shedd Aquarium before we took our friends back to Union Station.

This week isn't shaping up to be any better. I have 3 shifts at the day job, and we leave again Friday morning to go to my mom's for a family reunion on Sunday. We'll drive home Monday, and I'll go into work to deposit and do paperwork. Luckily, after next weekend, we have 2 or 3 weekends off before the next event.

Goodness, isn't it winter yet?

Writing retreat wrap-up

We got back yesterday, having just adjusted to Las Vegas time, which is 2 hours behind Central time. Going to sleep last night was not easy, and neither was getting up for the train run this morning. Either something is pollenating here, or I caught a cold on the way home. Either way, I'm not feeling 100% today.

The trip went well. Eric got a lot of good info and spent the week on overload. I shopped, ate, and wrote, and I spent one day at the Grand Canyon. Since I wrote primarily on my iPad, I didn't keep track of word count while I was there, and I didn't do as much as I thought I would. I put in 11 hours and a little over 5,000 words on 3 projects. Not terrible, considering I was on vacation. Still, I thought I would do more than 2 hours a day. Going to have to work on that. Now that I think about it, the best writing day was when I was using Eric's laptop and could track word count. I pushed to get 2,000 words that day because I knew I'd be gone the next day. I used lunch and a fro yo break (there were 2 shops in our hotel) as incentive to get work done. Need to investigate that more thoroughly this week. Either I need to schlep the laptop and make it more user friendly for my needs, or I need to maybe do a page count goal on the iPad.

On the plus side, I walked over 26 miles while I was gone. It was .33 miles one way to go from our room to the buffet, so steps racked up quickly. Ironically, my low step day was the day I went to the Grand Canyon. Five hours on a bus will do that.

I'll leave you with a funny anecdote from my Grand Canyon tour. The guide, Jean Claude, was French (born in France, raised in Montreal) and rather opinionated. Just off the main highway, on the way to the west rim, there is a small town called Dolan Springs. Because the earth in the AZ desert has been hard baked by the sun--it's like 6" of concrete--it's about $30,000 to drill a well, so people have big tanks they fill every week for their homes. They apparently attach a hose from the tank to the house, and that's how they have running water. Jean Claude found this idea appalling, even commenting that there are 400 people and 6 churches. Why 6 churches? Because people need a place to pray to get the hell out. He said if he lived there, he would need "every night, 12 beers, 6 ounces of marijuana, and a teaspoon of cocaine. That's what I would need to live there. Can you imagine?"

That's character fodder, right there.

All the excitement

On paper, it hasn't been a good week. I don't have the total hours for the week because until the day job ends, the week ends today. It's easier to keep track of total hours that way. I have a whopping 5 hours over 3 days in the garrett so far this week. It's still better than my usual track record, so it's a little harder to complain, but nowhere close to where I wanted to be. I think I logged 17 1/2 hours at the day job. Also less than the norm, but I'm not complaining.

What have I been doing with my time, you ask? Prepping for company. Again. This time there was almost no pressure since it was my friend and adopted little sister, Jenn. No need to have the house in pristine condition. Jenn doesn't judge, and she's seen it worse. She stayed overnight with us last summer when we were barely in the house, so she saw progress where I saw clutter.

She got here in time to celebrate Eric's 50th birthday. It was all very low-key. No cake, no singing. Just dinner out with Jenn and Alex, and a walk through Barnes and Noble. Probably the perfect way to spend a birthday in our book. (No pun intended.)

Yesterday, we went to the ren faire again. The weather was perfect; a small miracle since last weekend was 100+. We did more shopping than we should have, probably. There's a boot seller there that has really good quality, hand made in the USA footwear. Yes, it's pricey, but they last a long time. My new boots are red, and I got complimented on them before I left the faire. We spent the whole day there and were all exhausted when we got home, so it was a banner day!

This Tuesday we leave for Las Vegas. I'm getting all my writing stuff together. That's more important than clothes! I have nothing planned except writing, a day trip to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, and we might see Blue Man Group one night. They're playing in the hotel we're staying in. Eric is stoked about finally getting to go to this hacker convention, so much so he doesn't seem to be concerned about the flight. I'll post pictures on Facebook.

So that's about it. I have to go neat up downstairs. My fencing teacher and his wife are coming by sometime today so it would be good to at least have dirty dishes stowed in the dishwasher.

I hope y'all have a good week!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Today was my birthday, and for me, it's the start of a new year of life. I like that my birthday is about halfway through the year. It gives me a chance to restart my New Year's Resolutions. They're, of course, the same as they were at the start of the year:

1. Lose weight.

2. Write more.

3. Pray more.

4. Meditate more.

5. Just be better.

The usual, in other words. Been reading various books about changing habits and using the Miracle Morning program, but so far, I haven't found my groove. For some people, they say, it takes longer to set good habits. I guess I'm one of those.

Not surprising considering the years I've spent enforcing and living bad habits. The ruts in my subconscious must be deep. Canyons by now. Got to continue filling them up with new better habits.

This coming month will be spent on Blackbirds Third Flight. Time to put the book together. I need to make significant progress next week. I may have to shelf the Today in Art project on Facebook I've been doing until BTF is in the place it should be. Priorities, you know.

Otherwise, it's the usual chores, doctors' visits, and life. What's going on for you?