The Declaration of Independence, or the unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, was adopted on this day in 1776 by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And so, today we celebrate …
At the end of last week, a harmonic convergence brought together a chance to see one of my favorite writers and to hang out with some dear friends from high school.
Every Friday (almost) since January 5, I’ve written about my travels. The first three months were covering the Old Man Bucket List Road Trip (™) that my best friend and I took to the Grand Canyon last summer.
Last week, I talked about the places I want to go.
But what about now?
I mean, right now. This week. Today.
In the climactic scene from An Officer and a Gentleman Louis Gossett, Jr. (Drill Sergeant Foley) is pushing Richard Gere (Zack Mayo) to his limits forcing him to do endless pushups.
Foley asks “why don’t you just quit?”
At the end of himself, Mayo screams “I got nowhere else to go!”
And, since I’m not traveling this week, nor next week…I feel a little like Zack Mayo.
I got nowhere else to go.
That’s not exactly true. I’m going lots of places. Just not right now.
In current events, while I no longer blog about politics, when it comes to the November ballot, at least at the top, I really do got nowhere to go.
You saw the news about yesterdays’ verdicts. Depending on which side you were already on, this either sinks him or makes him win in a landslide. Draw your own conclusion.
But, in a country as big as this, how did we get it narrowed down to these two choices?
Whatever we get in November, we’re going to deserve it. If only we could have a do over.
And that’s enough of that.
We’re here at the end of May, five months in.
How are you doing with those goals or resolutions?
We’re too far along to fix the elections…well, unless you think they’re already fixed, but that’s a different story.
But with our own goals and plans, tomorrow starts a new month.
It’s Thursday and you should be writing. Well, I should at least, and I am.
In the last few weeks. I think since the return from our spring break at the beach, I’ve been making more of an effort to write consistently.
As I have for almost nine years, I try to write at least a thousand words a day. The challenge is to not just make this journaling or whining about what life is dealing me, but to turn it into actual, serious writing. I’m not there yet. But each morning my fingers fly across the keyboard to reach that word count.
I’ve also been trying to consistently write here for the blog. Some days the words just flow. Some days I have to make things up because writing consistently is hard.
There’s a new CAT and PIG book in the works. I’ve started it. I have the cover design done. I’m just not happy with the story yet. Traditionally children’s books for the ages for which I write should be about 32 pages. My story, as written originally was almost twice that. So, I had to edit. I’m just not yet comfortable with the edits.
All that to say that the project is, temporarily, stalled.
The current novel is still taunting me. There’s a gap of about three chapters in the middle that I’ve yet to write. Then there will be substantial edits. While I can’t project a date when I’ll be finished, I finally do know what to do with those three missing chapters.
I know, what am I waiting for?
I also have a collection of unfinished short stories, and essays, and blog posts.
All a work in progress.
The experts tell you that writers don’t talk about writing, they just write.
Maybe, but what if my calling is to snark about the writing process?
I think that advice is silly anyway. I learn when other writers share their struggles.
In other words, I’m not the only one who can’t speak in complete sentences.
Alito rejects calls to quit Supreme Court cases on Trump and Jan. 6 because of flag controversies Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Samuel Alito is rejecting calls to step aside from Supreme Court cases involving former President Donald Trump and Jan. 6 defendants because of the controversy over flags that flew over his homes.
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