Week 17: Why it's so hard to finish a book.

I’m almost finished with my next book.  It’s difficult to finish things off.  You may wonder why it’s difficult and I’m going to tell you.  It’s difficult because I’m not one of those writers who can just pump out what I consider a decent book in a week, or even a month.  I’ve spent the last year and a half working on this.  18 plus months.  That’s a long time, and quite a bit of time to invest in something.

Now I’m for the most part finished with writing the book.  It’s all there.  What needs to be finished up is the editing, the formatting, and breaking everything up into chapters.  That’s a bit tough sometimes.  Not because it’s a hard thing to do, but because it represents my departing this world that I’ve been a part of for the last year and a half.  When it’s all finished what will I do next?  I’ll be depressed for a bit.

Could I just start writing something else?  Yes, I’m sure I could, but it’s not always that easy.  I could maybe start another book with the same characters.  I’m not sure what I want to do. 

And so it’s time to get editing.  Get editing…  I’ll admit to kind of dragging this post out a bit because I really kind of don’t want to be finished with my book.  It has to be done, though.

Maybe enough people will buy my book so I can afford a trip to Walt Disney World?  Or maybe no one will buy it?  It’s hard to speculate on things like that.  All I could do was pour my heart and soul into this work and put it out there for the world to see.

I’ll get things finished and pay for a copyright.  I guess no more wasting of time.  Let’s get working.

Week 16: Why I didn't get a unicorn?

Why didn't I get a unicorn?  I had planned on trying to get one, but apparently they’re all gone now.  I don’t mean one of those woodsy creatures that looks like a white horse with a horn growing out of it’s head.

I’m talking about the new drink from Starbuck’s.  Well the new and now old drink from Starbuck’s.  It’s gone and no one can get one anymore as far as I know.  I did call and ask.  What sounded like some kid answered the phone, talked so quickly I almost couldn’t understand him, and then after I asked about the Unicorn Frappuccino told me everywhere in town was now out of ingredients to make it.  Damn.

To tell the truth that was probably some of the best news I’ll get this year as one of those would probably make me throw up.  Are they really that bad you might ask?  Well, they’re full of enough sugar to probably kill a rhino.  A 16 ounce Unicorn Frappuccino has 410 calories and 59 grams of sugar.  And yes, they have larger sizes!  Or at least they HAD larger sizes.  No more ingredients, remember?

The 16 ounce is way more than three times the maximum recommended sugar for an adult woman.  I’m not a woman, but I’m sure it’s got more sugar than is recommended for any man, too.  But let’s forget all that.  I’m not a huge Starbuck’s fan.  I was going to get the drink to taste it.  I was also going to get it because the Starbuck’s barristers hate making the damned thing and I wanted to get something that people hated making!  MAKE IT FOR ME NOW!

There’s this kid, he posted a video saying he’s really “stressed” because people keep ordering the Unicorn Frappuccino and he doesn’t like making them!  He’s so stressed because he works somewhere that serves frappuccinos and it’s just too stressful for him to make them! Oh boo hoo hoo!

I’d like to go to where ever this kid works and hit him with a stick while he makes my Unicorn!  Welcome to the real world, punk!  MAKE THE DRINK!  You’re unhappy because you don’t like making Frappuccinos?  Then why did you apply to work at a Starbuck’s?  There are people in the world with coal dust in their hair and on their noses who do REAL work and he's upset about making frappuccinos?

I personally believe there is an ulterior motive behind this nasty, sugar-bomb of a drink.  I think it’s to make people forget that the Starbuck’s CEO (Howard Shultz) announced he wanted to hire 10,000 refugees.  Now I won’t start ranting about politics here because I don’t do that.  But it seems to me that when his dumb idea became unpopular he pointed off into the distance and yelled, “Look, a unicorn!”  How easily distracted people are.

I’d still like to hit the barista kid with a stick and make him make me a drink.  Since there are no more Unicorn Frappuccions though, I guess I won’t get my chance to do that.  Besides, I don’t even know where he actually works. 

And that’s why I didn’t get a Unicorn this week.  Not the healthiest thing, or the healthiest attitude from me for wanting one.  I’m going to go off now and figure out what I want to ask why about for next week.

Keep asking questions.

Week 15: Why I'm going back to work

My vacation’s over.  That pretty much explains that, doesn’t it?  But I will say that this vacation was actually a pretty nice one.  I didn’t take a trip far away from home, but it was still nice and relaxing.  I got some writing done and watched a few movies.  And I didn’t have to deal with any stress about catching a plane, or flight delays, or whether a hotel room would be clean.  Much less stress than traveling.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to travel.  But sometimes it’s just nice to stay at home and decompress.  This last week I took some time for myself and it was really nice.

Now it’s time to get back to work.  I think I do need somewhere to go and a purpose to serve at least for the next little while.  Yes there will be stress at work.  And yes I’ll probably worry about a few things, but it’s something that pays the bills.  And I should have another vacation coming up soon.  A possible trip may be in the future.  Until then, I need to get back to dispatching.

Until next vacation, keep asking why!

Week 14: Why Bullhead City, Arizona?

So I’m on vacation this week.  What should I do?  Well to tell the truth I should probably be taking a trip somewhere.  But since my funds are limited at this time I decided to just stay home.  I pretty much spent my vacation money on my new iPad.  Am I disappointed?  Not at all!  After playing with my new iPad Pro for the last few days I can honestly say I love the thing!

But that’s not what this week’s blog is about.  For a bit of my vacation I decided to ride along with someone to Bullhead City, Arizona.  Why Bullhead?  Well, why the hell not?  I’m on vacation, or staycation, or whatever the hell you want to call it and can go anywhere I want!  Never heard of the word “staycation”?  It means you don’t have to go to work for the week and you just stay home.  It’s kind of like being unemployed again, but you actually have money to spend.  It’s nice!

My plans for this week include finishing up the novel I’ve been working on for the last year and a half.  Yes, I’ve been writing this thing for 18 months or so.  But again, let’s move on to Why Bullhead?

It seemed like not only a nice ride, but I could try out the video on my new iPad Pro!  Fantastic!  I should have maybe also took a few photos with the iPad, but there’s really not a whole lot in Bullhead.  *chuckle*  It’s right across the Colorado River from Laughlin,  Nevada.  Did I go to Laughlin while I was there?  No.  I get to see enough casinos here in Las Vegas.  But still, the trip was fun.

I did film and edit a short two and a half minutes of driving and standing out in front of an old shed.  I’m waiting for the library to be open tomorrow (We apparently have limited library hours here) so I can use their lightning fast wife to upload the video to YouTube.  Then I’ll post the link on Facebook and Twitter.  So if you want to see some desert highway, follow me on Facebook or Twitter!  *chuckle*

Now much more to tell about the trip.  Drove there, visited with family and then drove back.  Roads, a small dog, and a shed.  Yahoo.  Seeing my family was nice, though.  So I guess that’s really why I went.

Until next time, keep asking why!  And watch for the upcoming video!