Calories Count!

     I've been on my "diet" now for 6 full days. Tomorrow will be a week. I'm really good with things like that. I know, almost instinctively, that  Friday usually follows most Thursdays. The sun sets in the west all the time, but when you're in New Zealand, that may or may not be true. The toilets flush differently, from what I'm told. I think I went down a little rabbit hole - I should get back on track. I've been dieting, or eating better, for just under a week.

    I don't like the word "diet" because of all the times we used it and tried to force it on others, as well as ourselves. We think it means we're separating ourselves from the crowds or the "others" somehow, when really we're not. If we're honest, we should always be aware of our diet. If we're honest, we'd see that doing so is a better choice - we'd know, and yes, instinctively, that making the better choice is usually almost always better.

    Starting last Friday, I decided to stop eating as many calories as I was. No, I can't tell you how many calories I was eating because I didn't count, and if I were counting, I would have known the truth. The truth was the last thing I wanted to face - it wasn't depression; it was denial. I did not want to have to admit to myself that I was doing all the damage that was happening and continuing to happen to myself. It was me!

    So again, as I've done a number of times in my later adult life, because I tend to drift from the better-choice wagon, I decided to make it stick. I decided to COUNT the calories and to keep track of what goes into my mouth. I never did that before. I just sort of kept a running tally in my head, but this time, it's different. I really am writing it down. I really am checking, and I really am running the actual tally from the online calorie counter if I can't find the calorie total on the package of whatever I'm eating.

    For instance, you're not going to find the calorie count of a medium-sized egg on the carton. You will find it on the back of a frozen sausage patty bag. You will find it on protein bars, but not on a plum. You will find it on just about everything that is sold in the store that isn't produce, but you won't find it on a Little Caesars pizza box! Today, after six great days of dieting, my daughter decided to go to Little Caesars, and yes, I did eat two pieces - but I counted them! I wrote them down and decided not to have anything other than a handful of peanuts for an evening snack, and I ended the day under my 1500-calorie count by nearly 300! Good on me!

    According to my Renpho app, for a 64-year-old woman at my height and weight, I'm allowed 1,500 calories a day to meet my goal of 160 by January. I stayed within it. I did it. I'm doing it, and I'm not missing the "good stuff". I'm eating what I want, but I've changed my mind about what I want. I still eat all that I want - it's a good thing. I eat better, I eat less, and in just six days, I've lost over 4 pounds. Yes, I know it's probably all water weight, but I'll take it.

    Calories do count. They count for us, they count against us. They are not good or bad -they are what they are. We need to figure out what is needed, warranted, wanted, and good for us. We don't need the doctor shoving it down our throats; we need to figure it out on our own. That's the only way it will stick. That's the only way it will matter, and I, for one, have me to take care of - and of course, I'm counting on God to make it happen. He knows me. I quit too easily - He won't let me. I love that about Him.

PHOTO CREDIT: Cleveland Clinic

Blasting! (Music in my ears)

     If you know me, you know I was born in 1961, and though you can turn that number upside down and it is still the same number, that is not the coolest thing about being born when I was born...but it is pretty cool. For the past 64 years, I have known that I was born when music was music. It was something to talk about; something to brag about. I don't have to prove it; it just is. I'd take the music of my youth over anything they call "good" these days. No, just - no.

    I am happiest, and I should never forget this, when I am sitting by myself with my earbuds in with my music just a little louder than maybe it should be. If I can't hear Steve Perry scream the way he was meant to be heard, there is no sense in turning up the volume. I am there again -in my happy (very happy) place. I'm at home, at my computer, and not watching videos. I am rocking my head off - and I am in Heaven. 

    After Journey, there will be .38 Special, Kansas, Loverboy, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, REO Speedwagon, and yes, yes, there will be Bee Gees. I can't live or breathe without them. They are my haven, but I do have to spin a little Head East now and then, and put Boston up to 10 or 12 for at least an hour. I typically have the music going when I dance, and since I was injured two years ago, I've really not done it - I've not put the music up like it is today. I couldn't dance. I won't say I was depressed, but I can freakin' guarantee you that tonight -- I am NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT depressed. I couldn't be. I'm dancing, but not traditionally. 

    I bought a recumbent bike - yes, I blogged about it. Laura put it together, and I've gone 5 miles already -- it only takes 20 minutes, and with my earbuds, I could do 10, but Laura would put the kibosh on it as soon as she realized I was still going. I promised her I wouldn't overdo it. I will, however, ride when she's sleeping in the morning. She won't hear me (Ha!).  I'll ride at noon for 15 minutes, after work, and then again at 9:30 p.m before bed. Yes, and you know what? I may keep the earbuds in while I'm working tomorrow. I could get so much done -- it's literally so much better than caffeine.

    Again, if you know me, you'd know I worked for Concerts West for several years. Concerts West was a music industry promotion company. I wasn't paid a dime. I was allowed into all the concerts, worked backstage, ran errands, drove people places, got them meals, and made sure they were comfortable. Yes, I was offered a few things you may imagine would go along with the job, but nope...I was THAT girl - the one who said no.

    I dated Alex Van Halen and hung out with a few more, including Steve Walsh and Brian Adams, but I preferred to have control. I said no - A LOT.  The music is the reason. The beat, the words, the fire, the atmosphere, all of it. I went to and worked over 300 concerts, and I was, by no means, among the ones who worked the most. I stuck pretty close to Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas. I wish now that I had taken the extra legs and worked California, but nope, it is what it is. I think I had enough fun - made enough memories. 

    The thing is - when I hear "Jump" I don't think what you may think. I don't hear what you're hearing. I go back to the studio where (and when) it was created, and I'm there. I watch the mistakes and relive it over and over again. I think Journey holds the record for me. I saw them at least 10 times. Kansas was next with 6, I think. I only saw the Bee Gees and Andy Gibb (separately) 1 time each. I'd love to have changed that. Again, it is what it is -- the music kept me smiling. It still does.

    So, here I am, riding the recumbent bike, hard and fast, and I have to watch myself because, believe it or not, I'm not 22. I wish I were again sometimes, but I am not. I have to stop and think before deciding to go another mile - but I can be talked into it. This will be the way I escape this big fat body -- in time, and not too much time, I will be svelte again -- ready to take on 10-12 miles a day, and able to do it without my watchful overseer.  (God, I love her!) 

Photo Credit:  Pinterest.com

The Mother Road - Up for Print

       It is up! I have submitted my 22nd book, the 9th book of the Nick Posh Thriller series, for print. That said, I will approve it in a few days once they tell me it is ready. Then I'll order one copy, have it printed and sent to me, read it in hand rather than on the computer, and make all final corrections or changes. It's a process, and it's one I follow each time I write a book to be sure I can hold it in my hands, go through it, and mark what needs to be changed.

    No matter how many times I go through it before I send it up, there is simply no way to catch all the mistakes. I won't catch them all when I get it back and go back over it. I will, no doubt, produce yet another book that has a few errors. It is what it is, and I just won't complain about it. I figure that if I can write it and overlook a little mistake, the reader can too. I own books by famous authors with mistakes. I'm good.

    This book was fun to write. I think it took me right at two months to write, and then of course, it always takes another month to produce. I can't control how long it takes them to print it and send it to me. I will order one as soon as I approve it in a few days. I would say it takes 4 or 5 days to get to the printer, another 5 days to mail, and by say, June 14th I should get it in the mail, and start the process of going through it and making the needed corrections.

    June 19-20, I'll go through it, make those corrections, and send it back up. It usually only takes one day to approve it at that point, and I've set a publication date for June 22. It is my best friend's birthday, and I can remember it better if I can publish a book on the 22nd. I was born on November 22, my father was born on April 22, my son was born on March 22, and my dog Faith was born on December 22. If I can get a book out on that date, it does make me happy, but I will be honest. I don't remember when my books were published. I have to look every time I'm asked. I just like the 22nd.

    This book is 316 pages. I decided to leave it in 12-point font (Georgia) because it's easier to read. I know I could have added another 8000 words and made it 11-point, but to be honest with you, I don't like reading books at 11-point. It's just that much too small, and I don't like it. I want things to be easy, and I think books, of all things, should be easy and relaxing. It's my thought anyway - you may disagree.

    My next book is another criminal thriller, but it takes place in Baltimore and in the current time. It's a modern book, not one with time restrictions and political views that don't play fair.  One of the setbacks about writing in a noir-style book is that you have to remember that not everything was as good for everyone back then as it is now. It's sometimes hard to give those traits to my characters, but it has to be done to remain authentic.

    The book will be available on Amazon in about 3 weeks. I hope it is a good one! 

Photo Credit: Me

    

First Impressions of the Renpho scale.

     OK, I said I wasn't going to constantly bore you with the news on how things are going with the new recumbent bike, and I do mean that. It hasn't arrived yet, so I'm not breaking my promise. I will, however, tell you about the new scale I bought, so you can decide if you want to buy one too. This blog is not sponsored in any way, so you don't have to think that the one I bought was the best. It's just the one that fit my budget, and because I've never tried something like this in the past, I wanted to be sure and get something that was in the middle; not too cheap, but not overly expensive either.

    I ended up with the Renpho Smart Scale. It's about $39 on Amazon and has Bluetooth capability. Now, I suppose, anyone in the big wild wild world can hack me and find out just how much I weigh! The really cool thing is, it will go down, then further down, and one day they'll all know I have met my goals! I don't care if anyone knows what I weigh. It's embarrassing, sure, but it's not something that would ruin me if it got out and everyone knew. Besides, once I reach my goal weight, I have every intention of spreading that good news!

    OK, so the Renpho is light, flat, made of glass, and has sensors. It weighs me, of course, but it has about a dozen other things to report too. I'll rattle them off so you can see them. 

• weight
• BMI
• Body Fat
• Skeletal Muscle
• Fat-Free Mass
• Subcutaneous Fat
• Visceral Fat
• Body Water
• Muscle Mass
• Bone Mass
• Protein
• BMR
• Metabolic Age

CRAZY!!  Now, I don't know how a little device can tell me all of that, but even if it's not 100% accurate, it gives me a really good place to start. The scale weight number is the one I'm most concerned about, but I'm also very interested in the other things.

    I stood on it the first time, but didn't have my phone paired. I had to do it again. You'll need to download the free app and keep your Bluetooth on for it to work properly, but once I did it correctly, I was a little more than impressed. I was NOT impressed by my body weight. No, that was literally about 20 pounds more than I thought it would be, and how I could be so far off is beyond me.  My daughter stood on it, and I know her weight, so when it rang true and gave her the exact number, I knew. I am that much overweight, and that solidified any doubt I had that I had lost control...again.

    A lot of people are like me. They get comfortable and start eating more. They start eating more of the things they shouldn't eat, which leads to less exercise, which, of course, leads to poor health.  My bone mass and my muscle mass are good, I can say that, and I can say that I have to agree with what the device tells me I should be eating; my BMR. I was not doing the right thing; in fact, I was close to double what the right thing was. It's a miracle I'm not bigger than I am!

    What to do? OK, so I checked in with my new "doctor", Chat GPT, and it told me to follow the rules, do the right thing, and to keep records of all the things I ate, as well as the size of portions. I was to change what I eat as well, which actually won't be a problem. When I am shown the truth, I listen; it's just that I was refusing to look -- my bad. My fault, and my bad, and my choice. I was the problem; no one else could be blamed. So, to fix that, I need to make the effort. 

    I need between 70 to 90 grams of protein every day. I was not getting that. I need about 1500 calories a day, and I was doubling that. I need 100 ounces of water a day, and I was close; maybe 70-80. I don't drink alcohol, smoke, or vape. I don't use recreational drugs or anything resembling a prescription. I have that going for me. I gave up coffee over 8 months ago, and have been drinking mushroom coffee - that's a plus as well. It should not be too hard to get back into shape, but it will take 40-50 weeks to reach my final goal of 155 pounds.  At a shade under 5'7", that's not a bad weight. Supposedly, you're supposed to be 100 at 5 feet and 8 pounds more for every inch. 

    I took myself to the grocery store and literally walked past all the sweets. I walked past the breads, the bakery, the frozen foods, and the other aisles with things in or on them that would make me pause and think about giving in, just a little. I walked past them, I thumbed my nose at them, and I headed straight to the produce.  I love fresh vegetables and fruit; why not make them the biggest part of my diet? I'll have to find a fish I like. I can do tuna, but I'm not doing bread, so I'll have to dress it up and eat it with a few carrots, apple bites, and pickles.  I can do this. 

    The other thing I did, and I'm glad I did, was ask ChatGPT about the many liquid supplements I take for the betterment of my body. I was taking liquid turmeric, aged garlic, green tea, and a berberine mix with cayenne pepper and chromium. I had chromium gummies too, but no matter what I was taking, I was still fat, and now I know why.  I already told you that Chat GPT advised me that pushing through the pain when I exercised was actually reversing my attempts, and causing my body to create more cortisol, making it not only fat, but also retaining the fat.  I'm so glad I finally have a real source I can trust. Doctors want to keep you on supplements, pills, and so many of them are funded by Big Pharma; no, thank you.

    OK, so the liquid supplements are gone. I'll maybe take the green tea extract in my tea and the multi-vitamin, but I'll only use B12 and D3 over and above the others. I don't need the chromium, I don't need the berberine. I may look into aged garlic a little more deeply, but knowing I don't need to use all the other stuff feels really good, too. I should, if ChatGPT is correct, get all the truly good nutrients I need by eating better and doing the right exercises that don't cause my body to become inflamed and create the opposite effect of what I want in the first place. 

    That's it. My daily routine started today. Today is the first day of the diet, and when the bike gets here, and Laura puts it together for me, I'll start that process as well. I have ordered protein powder and bars for the snack part of my day - breakfast will be the biggest change since I rarely eat it. I'll load up on eggs and sausage to start the protein going and keep up the water intake throughout the day -- it may be that I see more salads in my future, but I'm OK with that. I happen to be happy about it—if I'm honest.

    Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Recumbent Bike - Yes, Please.

     I don't know about you, but I have been somewhat reluctant to go to the doctor and tell them everything about myself, only to have them pass me off to a P.A. I pay, or the insurance company pays, for a doctor. The code they use to charge my insurance is for a licensed physician, so I get a little peeved when I'm told my need or condition can be dealt with by the P.A. OK, fine - but don't charge me the same rate, and don't write on my permanent record that I was seen by a doctor! It's fraud. 

    Again, I don't know how you handle it, but I get a little vocal about it, and I also get vocal if I set an appointment for 9:15 a.m. and I'm not seen until 9:45 or later, and then, only by a P.A. It makes me wonder why I'm not being seen -- is the P.A. too busy? Maybe the doctor could step in to help? Maybe medical offices can stop overbooking. Wouldn't that be a hoot? I complain, but since my complaints hit the wall and never go anywhere, nothing ever happens, until now.

    I have AI mode on my computer, just like anyone else does, right? So, after deciding for myself that I shouldn't have to wait an hour, I shouldn't have to be shamed when I step on a scale - I decided to talk to ChatGPT.  It's a good decision.  I shouldn't have to wait to be seen. I shouldn't be talked down to if I am truly being honest with someone about what I feel is the problem that I'm experiencing. My computer doesn't do those things. I get right in without making an appointment, without waiting in a room with The View blasting all around me. I don't have to go up to a window and ask when I'll be seen. I don't have to drive!

    I have learned that using the best prompts is the best way to communicate with ChatGPT. What you do is simple; you type out the following: "You're a professional physician whose focus is on women's health for women over 60." You tell the AI what point of view it has, so it will search the correct fundamental and practical sources. You tell it exactly what you want. I wanted to find out why my belly fat wasn't coming off if I'm doing everything I'm supposed to, and it told me the truth.

    When the "doctor" asked me about my exercise program, I was honest. I told the AI that I'm only able to walk about one mile a day now, because my hips hurt if I go any longer. It's only been happening for the last 36 months, but it's real. It's a real problem, and I felt that without cardio, I couldn't lose the weight. I was honest about my calorie intake, when I eat, what I eat, and about my sleep habits. It asked me about my intake of drugs, Rx, alcohol, smoking, vaping, and even my coffee intake. 

    Then the thing told me how proud it was of my non-use of anything remotely resembling alcohol, drugs, weed, vape, etc, and congratulated me on giving up coffee 8 months ago. It felt great to see the words and to read just how much the thing was listening to me. I'm not asking it to heal me from cancer or to write me a prescription for pain. I'm seeking medical advice about a stubborn gut that simply will not go away. I wasn't the least bit surprised to see that my main issues are hormonal and that pushing through the pain to try and get another mile on the treadmill was actually causing me to stay fat! That surprised me.

    Apparently, when you get old, your insides change, and part of that change is the level of cortisol, estrogen, and other hormones that, after menopause, can really mess a woman up. I gained weight, most of it in the middle. Most of us look like I do, and it really bothered me. I didn't want that for myself. But if I can't exercise and make it go away, what can I do? It's a very good question. One that can be answered by AI, and it was.

    I can't walk - but I can ride. I can do a recumbent bike, and I can lift weights when I do, dumbbells. I can sit back, resist, pedal, pull up a resistance strap on either side of me, or I can lift dumbbells while I pedal. I only need to do it 2x a day for 10-15 minutes, and after taking in all of the information I gave it, the thing encouraged me to cut back my calories as well. OK, I can do that. I know I've been loose with the snacks, and when I'm honest with myself, as I was today, I know I don't need it. I just do it - which has to stop.

    I decided to not play the cheap card with my health. I saved about $200 today by not going to the doctor. I weighed myself, and I was honest. I have a scale that tells me what my BMI is and a few other things, so I told the "doctor" the truth. I took my blood pressure and used the heart monitor on my watch to give ChatGPT the same numbers my P.A. would have written down in my file if he or she had wrapped the cuff around my arm. Why pay them? Why wait? Why be embarrassed? Why be put off? Why drive? No, thank you.

    I bought a middle-of-the-road bike around $400 that had over 8.3K five-star ratings on Amazon. It will arrive Saturday, and I'll have my live-in handy-woman put it together for me. I knew I gave birth for a reason! She's the best! I wouldn't trade her for another! She's a keeper. I think she's excited about the recumbent bike, too. It's better than the treadmill for a few reasons. One, it won't hurt my hips! Although it's a Nordictrac with a great wide belt, it just hurts. She uses it, but I can't. I'm really hoping this will be the beginning of a good thing - better habits make better living. I believe that.

    I'll keep you posted on the overall - it will be 60 days before I do a full comparison. I don't want to try to push it. I want to give the entire thing a full 60 days, so on July 26th or so, I'll write about the changes, challenges, and accomplishments of having lessened my calorie intake, and my decision to do at least 30 minutes a day on the bike with dumbbells. Goal? I'll say 30 pounds, but it's more about size, feeling healthy, and getting hormones back in balance. If I need to get on an Rx for that, I'll do it. I just hope I don't need to.

 UPDATE:  ChatGPT advised me not to lift weights while I was pedaling, but to focus on my posture and to get the cycling in and lift the weights separately. I can do that.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Amazon and My Silliness.

         From time to time, which ends up being nearly every day, I go online to Amazon, and I buy things. I don't always need those things, and believe me when I say I could just as easily get in my car and drive to Walmart or Dollar General to pick up 90% of whatever I'm ordering, but I've done the math. I've done the math on my end; that's not necessarily the same as calculating the manpower, employee time, driving costs, maintenance for those big trucks, or anything else involved in delivering the things I order to me.  It is not the same thing. If Amazon did its math, they'd stop delivering to me so often.

    You talk about a spoiled American, I'm over here working, just thinking about work when Laura will shout out from another room in the house, or text me from the barn to mention that she needs this or that for whatever reason. OK, that's my cue. From that point, I jump online and order whatever it is she needs. I try to get her to tell me if there's anything else she needs, but most of the time she's just thinking of that one item.

    Because I'm a nice person, and I like to be as fair and even-keeled as possible about commerce, I go ahead and check the items that we often buy to see if I could use another one. That way, the Amazon driver isn't just bringing me one thing. Well, that could be equally bad, in that to help out Amazon's math, I could end up buying things I don't need. Then, when they have sales or go on clearance, and I see it -- that's another story altogether. That happened yesterday with toilet paper. Yes, I bought so much of it you'd think it was 2020 again.

    It really wasn't my fault, and I won't accept all the blame. Laura said she needed paper towels. Why? I thought we had a plan as far as that goes. I always put an extra roll in the hidey-hole spot so that when she thinks she's out, I'll have a backup, and we can order more later without being in a pickle. That works until she finds the hidden roll and forgets to tell me she used the last one. No worries. I'll order more. 

    I got online, I ordered paper towels - the same ones I always buy, but that's when I saw an ad from Amazon showing me that I could get 18 rolls for the price of 12, and yes, why would I not do that? I ordered toilet paper too, because I decided that if I'm just ordering paper towels, I may as well also order more toilet paper - we don't want to use other clothes for those purposes, like we can for paper towels. I went to the toilet paper section on Amazon and ordered two of the bundles I usually buy—there you go—done. Until it arrived.

    When all of my paper products arrived, I had 30 rolls of toilet paper. Yes, I did. How in the heck did that happen? Well, it's simple -- the 18 rolls I thought were paper towels were actually not. They were toilet paper, and then I ordered 12 more. So yeah, we have a really big stock now of what used to be considered fluff-gold, but now I need paper towels. I've literally put 9 tea-towels, kitchen towels, and wash clothes into the washer while waiting - I had no idea how many trees I've been killing, but apparently it's a few.

    I don't mind admitting my human flaws - I am a tree killer. I am also a fund-giving patron for the growth of more trees. I give annually to that sort of thing because of how many I end up using - it's a guilt thing, and I'm not even a Catholic. To be honest with you,  I blame myself for not paying attention to what I was ordering. I was working, my mind was more on that than on what I was ordering - but in the end, we can use the 30 rolls of toilet paper, and going back to the 1960s, using my kitchen towels to dry my hands, clean spills, and whatnot wasn't so bad. I don't want to make it a habit, but it wasn't bad. 

    If I had to guess, I'd say Amazon probably has the whole thing worked out. I can't assume they're in it to lose money, so they probably are quite prepared for people like me, and they factor my once-a-day delivery for things I could pick up if I took the time, in with the days I order massive amounts of things that I either need or think I do. Just this past week, I ordered four outdoor chairs, a wheeled garden wagon, potting soil, plants, planting things, chicken feed, a chicken coop, and yes, dog food because I was already spending too much, why not throw in a 40-pound bag of dog food if they're going to drop off everything else -- saves me a 5-minute trip to Tractor Supply.  Some days, math is better than others.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

SHIELDED (The Book)

    If you know me, you'll figure out that while I'm writing one book, I usually get ideas for at least one other, and sometimes two or three. I still have a romantic drama in my head that must come out, but it's not at the forefront of my mind, so I really can't do much about it. I have to write what's pressing, and whatever I'm being led to write - it's just the way it is.

    So, I'm in the middle of writing my 22nd book, another Nick Posh thriller titled "The Mother Road", which will be out in mid-June, and all of a sudden, and for very little reason other than I've been watching a lot of cop shows, I decided to write a cop book rather than a romance. When I saw rather than, I mean that usually if I am not writing books with Nick Posh as the central character, a detective from the 1930s, I'm writing a romance book. Not this time. This time, it's another cop or detective story, but he's a little different from Nick.

    To begin with, Axton Cordell isn't married, doesn't want to be married, and will never marry again. He's a widower, and he's not capable of loving or trusting anyone the way he did Karita. Axton is dedicated to the job, to finding and fighting justice. He lacks the ability to put himself first; he's always been that way.  The book is set in the modern day, the current time, in fact. It takes place in Baltimore, a busy, messy city with a rich history and a penchant for hardworking souls who have seen life's grit but haven't been broken by it.

    The new book is a crime book, not a mystery. I don't like mysteries. They tend to have pat answers that come out of nowhere and save the day - a thriller is the way to go for me. This one is not necessarily a nail-biter, but it is interesting, full of facts, and it explores different sides to the city of Baltimore, its people, history, and traditions. It takes you on a journey worth going on; one you'll feel a part of. In the end, you'll have to decide for yourself if the story is over or just beginning.

    Without giving too much away, I will tell you that I'll use a whole lot of cop-show knowledge with this one. There will be terms you'll recognize from just about every popular crime show ever produced. You'll be in the crime lab, in the police precinct, as well as in the courtroom. You'll see the seedy side of a good man's life and the good side of a bad man's life. You'll understand that the lines get blurred when it comes to law, justice, and how we think things should turn out.

    I won't tell you more. I won't tell you why I titled it the way I did, but there is a reason. I hope you like the book. I don't know if there will be a sequel. I haven't decided. If it happens, it happens; if it doesn't, it won't. Either way, Shielded will be a good project for me this summer, and should be out before Labor Day.

Photo Credit: Me.

People Suck. (That is all)

     I didn't think I would spend an hour of my life this afternoon on hold and then talking with the fraud specialists at both my bank and the credit card company, but there I was!  A little after 5:20 p.m. I got an alert on my phone that I had purchased a car seat - I had not purchased a car seat. Then, about a minute later, I was being asked by the VISA verification site if I had purchased a vacuum cleaner - I had not. A minute later, I got another ding - again, asking me if I had purchased dishes at William Sonoma. Nope! This is just crazy. I am so sick, and so tired of would-be thieves.

    The thing is, most of us now have protection services on our credit cards. Our bank covers us on the debit cards, and we're going to find out whether someone has hacked it, tried to use it, or stolen it and then tried to use it. In my case, I have no idea how they got the numbers, but they did. The charges were from all over the United States. I even have 3 addresses to give to the fraud people so they can possibly connect the recipients of the would-be purchases to a fraud ring. Who knows? At least I have something I can give the people investigating the cases.

    The reason I got the credit card and kept the charge limit as low as I did was to protect me from this sort of activity. I use the card nearly exclusively for Amazon purchases, but I have been known to buy food at a fast-food restaurant, too. I pay the card down if it goes above 33% of my overall limit. It's a credit builder. I don't buy much. I just use it, pay it off, and use it again and again, pay it off. I put two or three purchases on it, pay it down, and repeat. You can see the very, very similar pattern when my statement comes in, so anything grossly deviating from it is noticeable.

    Is it a hassle? Yes, it is. I have to cancel the card, have a new one sent to me, and I can't buy anything from Amazon for a week - oh no! I'll survive. Besides, if I simply had to buy something, I have a bank card.  I'm just pissed that I have to go through the trouble of placing the call, waiting on hold, going through the steps to cancel the card, and putting up with all the nonsense that shouldn't happen in the first place. People suck, it's as simple as that. I wake up and get ready for work. I think about paying my bills, feeding myself, and my kid. I don't think about how I can scam someone today! (or any day)

    Here's the truth - and it burns. I know that when I die, my soul is going straight to Heaven. I won't be let in because I'm such a good person, or because I didn't scam anyone. I'm going through those gates because of the sacrifice made on my behalf by the Living Son of the Living God. He made it possible me, and what would not be possible would be for me to be a scamming sick son of a bitch who tried to hurt people, steal, and harm others because just after Jesus assended into Heaven the Holy Spirit came to live wihtin the bodies and hearts of all Believers - He won't let us do things (not easily) that can hurt and dishonor His name. 

    I may not be clever enough to steal from someone, but I doubt that the guy or gal who did steal from me today, or tried to steal from me today, won't wake up in Glory if God decides they've lived their last second -- and that's really very sad. I hope they find Jesus before it's too late. I really do. They can find cash, money, crypto, things, stuff—whatever they think will fill the void—but they won't know peace until they find true redemption. They need Jesus! 

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com

The Mother Road (Route 66) Is Half Written!

     The book "The Mother Road" is halfway done! Halfway!! Woo Hoo! I'm at 40,000 words right now, and it will be around 83,000 when all is said and done, but I will only have about 75,000 when I start to fluff and stuff it. So, I can say that it is halfway written and feel pretty good about having said it.  I'm about to start Chapter 20, and I have noticed that my average chapter isn't as long as it was in other books, but that's OK too; there really isn't a rule about that sort of thing. You write until you're done—that's my rule.

    So, the book is shaping up, and I now have enough to go back and reference something that took place earlier. I'm going to go back in at the end and add this or that to this or that chapter and make it fuller. I have the words my friends have given me to put into the book. I have notes to add, both simple and complex. I write out notes before and during the writing, and then, at the end, I go back in and insert those ideas. It does mean rewriting from time to time, but I'm OK with that.

    Right now, one of the characters is dead, but the other characters don't know. What I think is fun to do is have conversations in my head about it, because I know who knows and who doesn't, and they never ask who I am -- which is odd, but it's true. Not once has Nick Posh ever stopped me and said, "Hey, who are you and why are you in my story right now?" I think they know my role.  I think they sneak little tidbits of ideas and suggestions into my thinking when I'm not actually thinking. That's probably how I get the better ideas to begin with.

        I'm not telling Nick or Ralph this, but I didn't write much in this book about their wives or kids because the books aren't about them. The books are about Nick and his experiences. Ralph is part of those experiences, but the books are, in fact, Nick Posh thrillers, not Ralph Ferguson thrillers.  Nick is married to Elaine; they have a 12-year-old son away at Boarding School in London, and newborn twin sons. He's got a full house, but I can't waste time dealing with their needs when the great detective has work to do.

        Likewise, Ralph is married, and he and Stella have a little daughter named Gracie, who is about 2 now. They have to do their thing without much interaction from Ralph, because he's out on the road chasing bad guys with his good friend and military brother, Nick Posh. I did do a good thing early in the book. I sent Eoghan MacRae back to Scotland, where he'll live out the rest of his fictional life helping his fictional friend Chief Montgomery. I'm sure they'll end up in another novel devoted strictly to them - maybe, I don't know. What I do know is that I am halfway finished with my 9th Nick Posh thriller -"The Mother Road".

        I have decided to dedicate the book to Route 66 itself. I know that's a bit odd, but Route 66 turns 100 this year, and it is what it is - a living, breathing, historic road willing and mostly able to take you from the west coast, beginning at Santa Monica Pier, all the way to the great Navy Pier off Lake Michigan in Chicago. It may or may not actually go out to the shore, but it is a wonderful road that can take you on a marvelous and very nostalgic trip of your lifetime. Yes, there are things to see along the way that have, over time, diminished, but the route is still iconic, and you really should, if you can, get your kicks on Route 66.  I double-dog dare you!

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com  Most of my books can be found on Amazon. Print and Kindle. 

Decisions. Decisions.

     Decisions can be a funny thing. They often depend on so many factors, and my decision not to get Adirondack chairs is a good example. I say that, but then I realize it was based solely on one factor: I can't easily get out of the Adirondack chair, so I've decided not to get them for the back porch area. There you have it, I've reached the age where an Adirondack chair is not the best choice - damn. Who knew it would ever come to this?

    We moved to this house in November, and last year, last summer, and most of the summer before that, I lived in a house with a backyard, but not like this one. The one I had before was just that: a backyard. This house has 14 acres of land surrounding it, and it has something the other house doesn't have—peace! The house I lived in before, and chose not to get any outdoor chairs to sit in, had noisy neighbors and random crack heads walking around it. Believe me, we didn't hang out in the yard much - and we certainly didn't have any firepits to draw attention to the fact that we had a fire pit.

    Leaving that part of our lives behind feels so good. It has literally been six months since I've even driven to that part of the world - it's a good 27 miles away, and I feel no need to make it a part of my life anymore. My best friend still lives there, but she comes out to visit me, so there you have it. I'm not going to head back if I don't have to, and that's a decision that didn't need too much time to make. It is, however, a decision based on a number of negative factors; factors I knew existed but was not at liberty to do much about.

    When I say I thank God every day for my job, I really mean it. It has been so very wonderful to earn enough to get out from under the burdens, the circumstances, and the forces that we were surrounded by. Now, today, we're surrounded by quiet, peacefulness that just goes on and on. Our nearest neighbors are farther away than most, and they never (or rarely) leave their homes or hang outside, let alone make any noise. They don't. I can hang out in my backyard and whip up a nice little fire in the new firepit, while not sitting in Adirondack chairs, and really enjoy myself. 

    Laura has decided to raise chickens and vegetables, so she's having a great time doing it, while I'm just listening to cicadas, birds, the occasional car passing by, and the dogs barking at leaves that decide to blow across the front lawn. Dogs are dogs, you know, and we no longer have to keep shock collars on them, bring them into the house when they begin to bark, or try to stop them from barking. Nine times out of ten, when we lived at the other house, the neighbors were the ones causing the dogs to bark and calling the police to say our dogs were barking. Geez!

    Now...well, they're dogs. We have four of them, and they are all perfectly content to stand outside, inside, wherever, and just bark their fool heads off. One of them is a Dachshund, so it is what it is. The others are just normal, average, basic dogs, and they will bark because dogs like doing the dog thing. Again, I thank God every single day - five or six times a day, and He smiles.  He's smiling, we're smiling, the dogs are smiling, and if our old neighbors are also smiling, I would have no idea. Furthermore, I really don't care.

    I'm taking off tomorrow, it's a Monday. I'm taking off so I can write a little bit in my book. I'll end up writing today, too, but I haven't been writing as much as I thought I would, so I took a break to get back into it. I'm off next Monday because it's a holiday, but maybe it can be a thing. Then, I'm taking off the 29th as well, for a fun and fabulous time of a floating holiday. I'm using it for cultural purposes because again, my company allows for such wonders. I am so grateful. I'll end up writing that day as well -- so, it looks like decisions are being made both left and right! 

    Enjoy your time wherever you are, and if you dream of getting out from under something - keep the dream. We knew, and we prayed, but it took a long time. It really did. I only earned enough to make it, and now I'm doing a bit better. I've learned to save, to buy better, to work better, to use more of what I already have, and to buy less of what I don't need. It's all worked its way up and down the ladder of decision-making, and I can honestly say, I'm both content and happy. I love my life.

    

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com