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!

Week 13: Why Apple?

I’m electronically spoiled.  I’ll admit that.  And my first vacation of this year is coming up soon.  Where will I go?  What will I do?  Well, instead of taking a trip somewhere I decided to spend my vacation money on an iPad.  And not just an iPad, but an iPad Pro!  Before I get into that, let’s go back a bit…

Seven years ago or so I saw that Apple was coming out with a second iPad that had a camera.  Actually, it had a front and back camera.  I didn’t have an iPad, but I did have an iPod.  It was a tiny little toy that I was enjoying and I thought getting a larger version of that might be really fun!  My little iPod didn’t have a camera and so a new iPad with a camera might be great!

And so I preordered an iPad 2.  This was the newest thing coming out and would be fantastic!  I had to wait a bit after release day for my iPad 2 because I was having my name engraved on it.  No problem, sometimes anticipation is better than the real event!  And so I waited and waited…

Finally my iPad arrived via FedEx.  I opened the box and was thrilled with it!  I learned to watch videos, check my email, and do quite a few other things with it.  Using my iPad got to be a daily thing.  But it was just the beginning back in 2010.

I was trying to use Facebook, but at first the Facebook app really didn’t work.  Years later that was fixed, but back then I couldn’t really do much with it.  And to tell the truth, Facebook was just getting going, too.  So that wasn’t as much a big deal.  But as time went on, I did find myself using this new toy every day.

As things are now, I wake up and check the news on my iPad.  I’ll also look at Facebook.  I order things from Amazon. I do all kinds of things.  It’s starting to slow down, though.  Suddenly my iPad is getting a bit frustrating sometimes.  Things are taking longer and longer to load.  My poor friend is just getting outdated.

And so I thought maybe instead of going on some fancy trip that would only last me one fleeting week, if that, maybe I should spend my vacation money on a new iPad?  I could check the Apple app on my iPad 2 and see what they have.

That didn’t quite work out because now for the Apple app to work on an iPad or iPhone you now need at least iOS 10.0.  My poor little iPad 2 won’t update beyond iOS 9 something!  Damn!  So I just looked up the Apple store online and luckily that worked.  They now have something called an iPad Pro.  There is a version that is 12.9 inches.  That’s huge!  Well actually just three inches or so bigger than my iPad 2.  But huge always seems to be good.  I want huge now!

Instead of impulse buying though, I figured I’d do a little research.  There is also a regular 9.7 inch iPad Pro.  That’s the same size as my iPad 2, but why get a regular sized one when I can have huge?  Huge seemed better until I looked a bit closer.

The 9.7 iPad Pro has a better camera and can film in 46K.  I have no idea what 46K is, but maybe I need that instead of huge?  Actually I do know that 46K is some kind of resolution that people would only be able to see if they had a 46K television, or computer screen, or whatever, but what the hell, right?  Maybe I need 46K instead of huge? (There's a bit more to it than just 46K, but it's fun to just make fun of that!)

Now I have to look closer.  Huge graphics or 46K?  I finally decided that I want the better camera.  I don’t understand why the huge one doesn’t come with the better camera.  If it’s bigger, why can’t you be putting the better stuff into it?  Come on, Apple!  And so I made my decision, I would get an iPad Pro 9.7.  They do offer free engraving, but you have to wait longer to get the iPad while it’s engraved in some obscure Chinese city, or Timbuktu, or where ever.  I can be patient.  I think I need my name on the new iPad Pro.  And so I ordered it.  Now my new iPad Pro will be my vacation toy.  I’ll have to take some 46K video and see where I can upload it. 

The new iPad will be here in about a week.  Actually not here, but at an Apple store and I’ll go pick it up from there.  That way I don’t have to wait all day for a FedEx guy. 

So why Apple instead of a vacation somewhere?  Because I want faster, updated, and 46K!  *chuckle*  And I’ll be able to take my new toy along for the next vacation I save up for.  Vacation videos in 46K!  I like the sound of that!

Until the new iPad Pro comes, keep asking why!   

Week 12: Too much violence

     Not much of a blog this week.  I think there's been too much violence for me to think about.  A guy here in Las Vegas shot two people on a bus, someone shot a bunch of people in a club in Ohio, and some idiots tried to rob the Bellagio hotel here with sledge hammers.  The getaway car wouldn't start and when they tried to just run away the police caught one guy.  I'm sure the other two will be picked up soon.

     So that's why no major writing this week.  I wonder if I'll even survive 52 weeks this year.

Week 11: Why doesn't my brother like Wendy's?

Why doesn’t my brother like Wendy’s?  I don’t know.  I can’t ever remember eating there myself and mentioned that I was going to stop there for dinner tonight.  Why not try the place out?  My brother warned me not to go there!  He said it was horrible!  He doesn’t like Wendy’s at all.  Why not, though?  Is their food bad?  He didn’t say that.  He just said he didn’t like the place.

https://www.wendys.com/

Now I guess on some fishing trips with our father he’s always had to stop there and get Dear ol’ Dad some Wendy’s chili.  Is this why he doesn’t like the place?  I guess my dad loves the chili!  So why not try the place out for myself.

I figured I’d try eating there especially because I refuse to let anyone else tell me what I like, or don’t like!  Now don’t suggest I go to McDonald’s, I don’t like that place.  I haven’t eaten at a McDonald’s in years and think the food there is pretty nasty!  Bleaugh!  But other burger places have been pretty good.

I really like Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers.  I’ve eaten there a few times and their French fries are fantastic!  Instead of going to Freddy’s though, I thought I’d try someplace new.  Maybe Wendy’s would be just as good, if not better?  Worth a shot in my opinion!  If you’re curious, here’s the link to Freddy’s:

http://freddysusa.com/

One of the other places I like is In N Out Burger.  I know that’s a West Coast kind of thing.  Their burgers are fantastic!  The fries there are good too, but still not as good as Freddy’s.

http://www.in-n-out.com/

Anyway, it was off to Wendy’s for me!  I wasn’t after chili like my dad likes, I wanted a burger and fries!  The burgers at Wendy’s are supposed to be fresh and not frozen.  So are they tasty being fresh?  I was ready to find out!

Once I got there, a friendly cashier guy greeted me.  Looking up at the menu I found something called the Bacconator!  That sounded good!  Kind of like a Terminator, but with bacon!  I ordered a Bacconator meal so I would get to try the fries and also get a drink.  I received a large cup and made my way over to where I could get my drink.  It was just one machine.  Looking it over, it had a touch screen and you could select from a huge amount of drinks!  Very efficient and fun!  I selected something called “Dave’s Cherry Cream Soda”.  It was quite delicious!  And just as I finished filling up my drink, my food was ready!  Very quick service!

And so here is what I got with my meal (minus the drink).

I’m quite happy to say the Bacconator was VERY GOOD!  I was quite pleased with my meal!  I have no clue why my brother doesn’t like the place!  Pick your own drink, get fantastic food, what’s not to like?  And so I will be going back to Wendy’s again in the future with or without my brother.  Maybe Dad will come along and get some chili?  Either way, I did like the place.  The fries weren’t as good as Freddy’s, but the Bacconator definitely was great! 

Why do you eat where you eat?  Question what people say and until next week, keep questioning everything!