Mood: “Heigh-ho”, by the Seven Dwarves

Labor Day In The US

Kinda the last big weekend before the end of Summer and ‘grilling season’ in the US, I thought it might be fun to look at all the labors I have given myself outside of the labor that I get paid for in my job.

Thank the gods it’s nothing like Hera gave Hercules to accomplish!

I will, I think, start from the more important ones, ones that are necessary every day, and move down to the less onerous ones. As I begin to write this, I must sat that I am not quite certain of the number of separate ones, just the number of categories…

Familial Obligations

Can’t say this is really a ‘task’ per se, because that makes it sound like a burden. Well, come to think of it, none of these things I will put down today is anything like a burden, so that’s out of the way.

No, both my parents are 85 this year and really the main reason I moved to the East Coast in the first place. Mom has had heart issues, which have been handled as far as possible and is in good health now, but has a bad back and sometimes requires the use of a walker. Dad has early on-set Alzheimer’s with almost no short-term memory, a bad knee and back and is on a regular course of pain meds. He recently had a hernia that caused a life-threatening blockage, but has recovered as well as could have been expected. But all of that is to the point: it is my honor and duty to be on-hand to help them day-to-day in whatever may be needed. Cooking, cleaning, yard work, what have you.

As well, though this is certainly more in her mother’s hands than mine, I have the obligation of being there for my niece, the daughter of my brother who passed from cancer 5 years ago. If appropriate when the time comes, I would be honored to ‘give her away’ at her wedding, should one be in the offing.

Around The House Projects

1) Clean out the shed, rearrange things for the Holidays.

2) Expand the makeshift bookshelves into the spare bedroom and make room for more (there will always be more!).

3) Assess all Hallowe’en decorations, clear out old ones, determine if new things are needed, make sure all the lights are in good working order, get more, if needed. Scratch that, get more.

4) Decorate for Hallowe’en.

5) Install expanding coffee cup wall hanger.

Expand Recipes To Try, Try Them

Over the last year, I have found a few new recipes to try, both for a monthly gathering of people after work to lead into the weekend and for making a Sunday family dinner. Oh, they have all been good, I must say, the two most popular being pumpkin stew:

and Dublin Coddle

I always seem to fall into something new to try by serendipity, but sometimes a region or culture comes to mind, and lately I’ve been looking at Tuscany and Tunisia for something….we shall see what tasty things come of it…

Reading

I do not know about the rest of you, Dear Readers, but I am never reading just one book, there are too many too chose from and as a writer (more on this later) I am interested in several different genres and delve into such books for inspiration or just plain education.

In no particular order, these are the books I am presently in the process of reading. I will simply leave them here by cover so anyone who wishes can look them up, though I will be happy to answer any questions about them.

Writing

A) I have not been silent on my writing in these blog pages. However, a few possibly ‘new’ things have cropped up as I haven’t even finished my present project that has been an eight-year-in-the-making/writing project, having to fit in between work, moving to the East Coast, life and so on. Here is the latest ‘update’ on that via screenshot:

Having originally thought the tale would be told after 350-375 pages, and now being at 400 pages with a decent amount yet to be told, I have surprised myself with how the story sometimes decides to write itself and sometime decides to go in a slightly different direction, though I have enjoyed each twist! I am somewhere between 85-90% done with it. I think.

However, there is already a sequel in mind! Still, much to do even before then; what is written so far is for a small audience. I have written before that it is a story based upon characters that were part of my run as director and writer of a Renaissance fair in Alaska for almost 20 years, and so is catered to those characters. Though the characters aren’t the issue, the names are. My character, Donny Brooke is so named because he’s a fightin’ man and a donnybrook is an Irish slang term for a fight. That started a trend that was encouraged, with names like Haddon O’Clugh (hand’s a clue), Kat Erwahl (caterwaul) and so forth, and those names were used in the writing of the story and the finished novel will be distributed amongst those who were in the group when it disbanded.

However, there will eventually be a revision where names are changed. At some point I’d love to see if there is any interest in having it published, hence the possible continuation of the story, as there are intentionally unfinished plot threads that will remain when the present tale is written…

B) In the early 90s, My brother Doug graduated from his time at university with a degree in Theater. His project for that year was a serialized ‘1930’s style’ space adventure comedy. I have been gifted with recording of the entire run, which was very well done. After listening to it once again recently, it occurred to me that it could be a fine tribute not only to my brother but to all who participated in the thing, from engineering to voice acting. So, this has emerged as A Thing That Needs To Be Written in my many Tasks.

C) I am certain I have mentioned another writing project that has been on my mind for a few years now, and that is predicated on the idea of what if all of those heroes in different cultures who were fated to return in the hour of their culture’s deadliest danger did so at the same time and what would then follow? This would require a great deal of something, first, and that flows nicely into the final Task for this blog…

Research!

There are not a few cultures and mythos that have predictions of returning heroes.As one who enjoys the history of the world, more ancient than recent, though recent also holds some interest, it is appealing to me that to write such a possibly worlds encompassing tale would require research into several historic cultures. Although it would be a contemporary fantasy, and so the sky is the limit, I would prefer to be true and respectful to the cultures these many heroes would come from. Consequently, I look forward to not only buying more books to help with such a thing, but reading and learning about where this story might take me…

Denouement

I think that is plenty! Until the next Thing comes to mind or into my life!

I hope this finds all who make it this far in good health, a good mindset, and if not that time and care will make all better in time.

Pax vobiscum.