A Discouraging Word

I've been in a weird pattern the last few weeks. Every good day, whether I was productive, wrote about Merwinsville, or the weather was nice, was followed by two days of being unproductive, not writing, or cold/raw/foggy/rainy weather. Even last Saturday's beautiful weather took a sudden change for the worse--it plunged by about 10 degrees in a few minutes and just kept getting colder. The Mets season start has been underwhelming. Overall, it's been disheartening, depressing, and frustrating. 

So, I've been trying to focus on the positive. I've seen many more beautiful daffodils since I saw my first spring blossom. That always makes me happy. The forsythia are turning yellow. The Mets had a promising home opener, winning 5-0, reaching a winning record of 4-3 for the season.

I still have more to-dos than I know what to do with. I knocked off a few items this week. It gives me a little boost to cross off to-dos. I just have to keep plugging away. 

Book Five: The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr

I enjoyed reading The Alienist, and this follow-up is even better. A year following the events in The Alienist, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler and his team are working on a new case--the infant daughter of a Spanish diplomat has been kidnapped. The investigation leads to a woman suspected to be a serial killer of children. 

The Angel of Darkness is narrated by Stevie Taggert who was saved from the streets by Kreizler and worked as his carriage driver. Stevie is a great choice to show us the street life that he escaped. His habit of hinting of bad things to come at the end of chapters helped build suspense. 

I liked the interactions of the characters with historical figures Theodore Roosevelt, Clarence Darrow, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Darrow in the courtroom scenes was fascinating.

It's Opening Day: LGM!

It was great to see a real game again with the regular line-up except for injuries. It didn't end the way I wanted, but the Mets had their chances. Especially in the top of the ninth, bases loaded and nobody out. Well, it was exciting for a minute. I had been thinking about how I'd write here about their loss, then how their great their comeback was, and no, that didn't happen. 

Tune in tomorrow. 

First Daffodil in the Wild

I bought two bunches of daffodils last week and have seen several daffodil sprouts and buds around the neighborhood. Yesterday, I saw my first bloom on the walk with Jace in front of the hospital's old cancer care entrance on Stevens Street. 

I stopped to take two photos, but they were too blurry to post here. I blame Jace for pulling the leash and me. I actually argued with him about it. 

Luckily, I'll see more daffodils in the near future. 

TV Talk: What We're Watching

It's been a few months since I've posted about TV. So, here it is.

Outlander: Jeff got a special promotional price for a year of Starz, so we finished Season 7.  My main issue with the show is that I don't care much about some of the younger characters. I'm ambivalent about Brianna and Roger. I was intrigued by the Jem kidnapping, but that fizzled out. I like Ian, but his wife Rachel does nothing for me. I dislike William Ransom, Jamie's son. I have no interest in the sex scenes of Roger and Brianna and Ian and Rachel. 

Squid Game: I had trouble getting into Season 2 until they returned to the actual game. This time, a group of players tries to stop the games, but there's a traitor in their midst. 

Nobody Wants This: We've been fans of Kristen Bell since Veronica Mars. I also heard or read that this was a good show. We agree. Bell is a sex podcaster dating a rabbi (Adam Brody.) It's cute (though I hesitate to use that word) and funny.

Only Murders in the Building: Again, we heard or read that this was good, so we tried it. We just started the fourth season. 

Matlock: I like Kathy Bates, and we tried this on a whim. It has a similar structure to that of Veronica Mars: a season long mystery with cases of the week. I'm enjoying both the weekly and seasonal stories. 

I've been watching a few things on my own.

The White Queen: Another Starz series and a re-watch from 2013. I've always been into the Tudors, but the Plantagenets are fascinating on their own. 

Miscellaneous Tudor history series. These shows have historians discussing the various people and places with actors dramatizing some scenes. There tend to be three episodes per show. The first, The Private Life of the Tudors, focused on Henry VIII. 

Another Henry VIII series was called something like, Man, Monster, Myth .A third I just started was about the King's men--the men who influenced Henry VIII. One name (so far) surprised me--Anthony Plantaganet. He was Henry's mother half-brother. The historian made a point to mention twice that he was illegitimate. I also saw a program about Lady Jane Grey. (Why don't they call her Queen Jane, anyway?) 

in my viewing, I learned something about Jane Seymour. Male doctors were allowed in the confinement chamber when she gave birth to Edward. A historian believes Jane may have died because the doctors didn't have experience in delivering children. They should have listened to the mid-wives. 

A Family Holiday

Our great niece Daphne turned one today. I even got our presents to her early (not like she'd know.) I was happy with the gifts we sent. Got a nice text from our nephew about the photo. It made me feel good.

Today is also the 23rd anniversary of when Spike came to live with us. Spike was a wonderful dog. No wonder we got two beagles after him. 

We love you, Spike!

A Cold Vernal Equinox and Random Thoughts

Yesterday--the first day of spring was foggy, damp, raw, and cold. It felt like winter was giving us the finger. But I'm thankful that Jace and I got a nice afternoon outside on Wednesday.  

Jeff and I went out to lunch twice this week--which is very unusual. It was Sedona Tap House for St. Patrick's Day and Tengda Asian Bistro today with our friends Elaine and Marti. Jace wasn't happy with us for leaving him. He is spoiled.

Feeling overwhelmed--again--with all the things I have to do. Recently I've taken to worrying when I wake up to pee sometime in the early morning hours. Lately, I've been worrying about things related to moving. 

Our decluttering efforts have been going well. As Jeff reminds me, we're not downsizing--we'll be moving into a larger place. We still have too much stuff. We've been working on clearing out our storage bin. We still have three large storage boxes to go through. Two are of Halloween costumes. That surprised me: I thought we only had one. Oh well, easy enough to get rid of that stuff. 

Jeff's been on a low sodium diet for four years. We had to give up some of our go-to meals. I especially missed rotisserie chicken. Our regular store's chicken has 20 percent sodium. I recently discovered that Stew Leonard's chickens have only 4 percent sodium. Made my day. I bought two Stew's chickens yesterday. We had chicken for dinner and I'll be making broth tomorrow.

It's going to be a homebody this weekend. Cleaning, making broth, going through emails and paperwork. And I'll be starting out behind the eight ball because I left a few dishes in the sink. I better get a good night's sleep.

Just One More Day

I started counting a month ago. We made it to the first of March, the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, Pi Day (we had a triple berry pie) and Saint Patrick's Day (we went out for lunch and had Guinnesses.)

Spring begins tomorrow at 5:01 AM. 

We got a preview this afternoon. I had to drive up to Danbury to pick up our income taxes. I took Jace with me, and we visited Danbury Dog Park. I didn't see any dogs in the large dog area, so I got an okay from people in the small dog area for us to join them. (A sign limited the area to dogs under 20 pounds.)

It was sunny and warm; we were there for over an hour. Spike did a little running so that was good. And he got to smell new smells and meet new dogs. 

One woman there said snow is predicted for Friday. Apparently, there's a chance of snow somewhere in Connecticut, but not near here. I don't think I could bear it. 

Good News Everyone

(Said in Professor Farnsworth voice from Futurama.) On Friday the 7th, we got the news that Jeff was approved for Social Security disability benefits. The process took 14 months, when we were told it would take four to six months. There were several rounds of phone calls, and documents filled out online and on paper.

And waiting. During the waiting, we saw an episode on Last Week Tonight. Many potential recipients declare bankruptcy because the process takes so long. Luckily, we didn't have to worry about that. 

In the following week, we figured out his health insurance. Jeff's losing Cobra coverage at the end of the month. Luckily, the insurance broker I use for my medical supplemental insurance could help. I also got our paperwork to our accountant. Today the taxes are ready, and we're getting a refund. Funny, these were the two things that I didn't even put on my to do list.

Still lots more to do; I need to redo my to-do list 

Book Four: Road of Bones A Billy Boyle World War II Mystery by James R. Benn

I picked up this book over a year ago at a library book sale. This is my third Billy Boyle mystery. Benn is a good writer, the characters are engaging, and there's a lot of action. 

The Road of Bones is a road that prisoners are building on permafrost in Siberia. Many prisoners die in the process. The authorities decree that interments be made in the roadbed as it is dug. Avoiding it is a major motivator for one character. 

I enjoyed learning about the Night Witches, a regiment of young Soviet women who flew at low elevations to bomb German sites. I just wish they would have been more involved in the story. I also enjoyed reading about the Byzantine workings (or not workings) of the Stalinist government.

Overall, a good book, although not as good as The Devouring. I'll keep an eye out for Billy Boyle mysteries. 

We Sprang

Today was the first full day of Daylight Savings Time--another milestone on the way to spring.  

Next is Pi Day, then Saint Patrick's Day, then the Vernal Equinox. 

I'm ready.

Here's my Spring Forward poem.

Spring Forward

The government stole an hour from me

2 am Sunday morning

when all decent people are asleep

no witnesses.

 

The government stole an hour from me

they don’t admit to stealing; they call it legislating

but the two aren’t mutually exclusive.

 

The government stole an hour from me

they’ve got everyone in cahoots with them

big business, schools, and the media

I can’t fight them all.

 

The government stole an hour from me

they say they’ll give it back in November

But I want it now

 

Who knows?

In November, my time may be up.

 

###

 

Two Weeks

I clicked on this site and saw the last title, "A Month Away," and thought it hasn't been that long. Just two weeks. 

Last week was bad, and the week before it had its own issues. Jeff was in a lot of pain last week; it was hard for him to even walk around our apartment. We cancelled all his appointments even the physical therapy that he needed; just walking from the car to the PT office would have wiped him out. At least he's feeling better--his normal level of pain. It sucks to have a normal level of pain on an everyday basis. He got back to PT yesterday and goes again tomorrow. We booked PT sessions through March. 

About two weeks ago, I felt like I had too many things that I needed to manage. It was if I were juggling and was losing some of the balls in the air. I pulled out a notebook and made a to-do list. Nothing earthshaking here--I just wanted to have everything in one place rather than scattered across my planner. I had nine "to-dos" and was thinking about how/when to do them. 

I quickly realized that I had forgotten two vital items: income tax prep, and health insurance research (Jeff is losing his Cobra coverage in April.) I added two more items. Over the last two weeks, I crossed off five items. That's not good, but not too bad considering. 

Anyway, time to make a new list. A new priority: my grandniece Daphne will be one in two-and-a-half ways. I'm buying her (and my other grandniece Ella) a book my cousin Deb wrote. I also have a copy of Go, Dog, Go! for Daphne. One of my favorite Cooper family photos is one of Daphne's father Kurt with his grandfather who is reading Go, Dog, Go! Unfortunately, that photo is in storage now. Recently, I've been displaying fewer photos, and put several good ones away. Oh well, I need to continue with my decluttering anyway.  

Bad news from the New Canaan Nature Center: the black vulture Mort has died. It might have been the Avian Flu. Mort was easygoing, vocal, and always hungry. Sad: NCNC just lost Ralph in February.

It's not all bad things recently. We had a week of nice weather. First the winds died down, and then it warmed up. Countdown to spring is progressing. We made it to March and are watching the Mets. This weekend we spring forward.

I went to a program on Rails to Whistlestops and made a contact with a Housatonic Railroad historian. This helped me get back into my Merwinsville work after a slow February. I'm also back in a good exercise routine. It helps with the stress and keeps me going. 

A Month Away

I checked the dates. Spring begins on March 20. It's just one month away, and I'll be counting the days. 

It hasn't been a snowy winter here--our biggest snowfall was four inches. The flurries that we're getting now are part of an originally predicted snowfall of 14 inches. Flurries are a relief.

While the snow's been light, the temperatures have been bitterly cold. At least I don't have to wait a month for relief. Temperatures will rise to the 40s beginning Sunday. Maybe I can lose a layer of clothing when I go outside.

Book Three: Henry VIII and his Court by Neville Williams

Full disclosure: I discovered this book in my high school library and read the parts about Anne Boleyn. This book was a major source of my senior year term paper. It's only 260 pages with several photographs, but there are a lot of facts, names, and dates in a small amount of text. 

I was able to identify the book by the language, "Playful bandinage, perhaps, but exceedingly dangerous." It was a description of an conversation between Anne Boleyn and Henry Norris. I had never heard of that word before, and I never heard it since. Note: I just checked the dictionary, and it only lists badinage, meaning banter. 

Overall, a good background book on Henry VIII with lovely photographs. 

Another Steak Ends

I didn't exercise on Monday and Tuesday. I didn't feel well on Monday and was running around a lot yesterday. I only mention this because I've mentioned my exercise routine several times in these posts. I also only went to the gym twice last week instead of three times. 

I knew that I couldn't keep up a routine of exercising every day, but I can keep trying. I went back to the gym today.

Rails to Whistlestops

Tonight I attended a slide show presentation, Rails to Whistlestops about railroad stations in Southern Connecticut and what happened to them by Sue Del Bianco. Here's a flyer. 

Sue had a good selection of photographs and stories. She asked me to speak about Merwinsville. 

It was a horrible night to be out, bitterly cold. But at least it was still light as we were driving up to Bridgeport. That really helped. 

It was nice to get back to thinking about 19th century railroads and have a new contact with similar interests.

Wet Weather

It feels like it's always snowing. I know that isn't true. Didn't it snow/rain three times this week? And three times the week before that?

There are hints of more snow to come later this week--possibly a lot more. 

Not even two-thirds through winter. How am I going to hold on? The Mets play their first spring training game next week. Maybe that will help. 

Book Two: Anne Boleyn A King's Obsession by Alison Weir

I enjoyed this book. Weir writes both historical and fictional treatments; her fiction works are rooted in historical facts.

Here, the story is told from Anne's point of view. Anne didn't love Henry but after his relentless pursuit started to include a proposal of marriage and a queenship, Anne decided why not? I like this interpretation because it matches my own view.

Weir adds a love between Anne and Henry Norris, which is never consummated. I imagine that Anne and Harry Percy remained in love throughout their lives.  

While Weir had said that feminism was unknown in Tudor England, she recognized that Anne spent years in the households of  Margaret of Austria and Marquerite of Valois. There Anne was exposed to an intellectual movement that questioned traditional concepts of women. She may have even met Leonardo da Vinci 

A King's Obsession is the second of the Six Tudor Queens series. I previously read the first and enjoyed that too. I've started another book about the Tudors--they are fascinating. 

Monday Blahs

We had chili yesterday, a Super Bowl tradition for us. Unfortunately, it didn't agree with me. I didn't sleep well either. 

I dressed for the gym this morning, but didn't go. I just wasn't up for it. Instead I did some stretching here, ran some errands, and took Jace to Sherwood Island. It's a state park; the parking lot is well plowed, and many of the walking paths are clear of snow.  I don't remember when we were last there. We walked for about 35 minutes, which is much longer than we've been walking around the neighborhood. There are too many uncleared spots around here especially after four inches of snow Saturday night. And...there's potential for two more snow events this week.

I have a case of the blahs or many cabin fever. Haven't even made it halfway through February.

More Snow..and Cooking

It's snowing tonight for the third time this week. We got off easy the last two times--only about two inches. It doesn't look like we'll get off easy again. The latest forecast is five to eight inches. We'll see. At least, I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow, except to take Jace out. 

Speaking of Jace, he's had a rough week; he had diarrhea twice. I took him to the vet today and got him some medicine. I'm so glad I bought more chicken yesterday. I made chicken and rice for him and chicken parmesan for Jeff and me. 

I also made bison and black been chili for tomorrow. It's one of Jeff's traditions to have chili for the Super Bowl. 

As for me, I'm looking forward to the Puppy Bowl.

The Streak is Over

This is the third day since I worked on my Merwinsville book. My last few entries were tough--none of them hit 200 words. 

I'm not sure what to write next. I haven't decided where to end my story. The renovation of the hotel? That seems too easy. The spirit of Sylvanus lives on? I just don't know, right now. 

I do need to add things. I started a file called Additions, because I was getting distracted finding things and opening older documents to add things. I can do that at another time. 

I may need to rewrite the pieces I wrote last year. Well, technically I have to re-write or at least edit everything in the spirit of the shitty first draft (thank you Anne Lamott.)

Instead of working on Merwinsville, I wrote a few blogposts and journaled. 

It's not an impasse, just a temporary lull. 

First Re-read Book: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Adapted by Lucia Monfried

I picked up this illustrated version of Little Women for my grandniece. I decided to re-read it first. I don't remember exactly when I originally read Little Women; I think it was when I was in fifth or sixth grade.

I re-read the book over the weekend. Something was off. The story seemed disjointed. One thing that I remembered specifically was a chapter called "Meg Goes to Vanity Fair." It was Chapter 9 in the original. In this adaptation, Chapter 6 is "Meg Tries to be Fashionable."

I'm disappointed that I bought an "adapted" book. And, by the way, the illustrations are horrible. I don't even want to give it to my niece and will return it to the library for another book sale. 

RIP Ralph

This is Ralph a turkey vulture from New Canaan Nature Center (NCNC). She died last Thursday at the age of 21. She arrived at NCNC in 2004 when she wasn't even a year old after suffering a partial left- wing amputation.

Ralph always seemed to be hungry and was usually knocking at the door when I or other volunteers went to feed her. She was very feisty. I can't count all the times she nipped at my shoelaces or pants cuffs.

About two years ago, I was assigned to write a story for a fiction class from the point of view of an animal. I chose Ralph as my narrator. 

I'm feeling guilty that the last time I saw Ralph, I called her a bitch. 

Today was my day to volunteer at the Nature Center. It was weird to see Ralph's aviary empty.

RIP Ralph.

Book One: Five Points The 19th-Century New York City Neighborhood That Invented Tap Dance, Stole Elections, and Became the World's Most Notorious Slum by Tyler Anbinder

Last year I read two books, Angel of Vengeance and The Alienist, that took place primarily in Five Points as well as The Cabinet of Dr. Leng in 2023. I wanted to learn more about the setting of these books. Then I saw this book at a library sale. 

The book details the background of the neighborhood, the people who lived there, how they lived and worked, their politics, play, crime, and religion. Anbinder also details the different ethnicities that called Five Points home focusing on the Irish, Italians, and Chinese.

I like the structure of the book. Each chapter has a prologue with an individual story that relates to the larger story in the chapter. 

It took me awhile to read this book because I tend to read history more slowly than fiction. My time was well worth it. 

On To February

I'll be happy to see February, not because I like February, but because it gets me closer to spring. I'm seeing more light later in the afternoon. 

Some snow remains from from the 20th because it's stayed cold for the most part. We have clear areas, snow patches, and piles of plowed snow. At least we're one third through winter. Actually, a little more than a third now. Yay.

Why isn't Groundhog Day on my calendar? It's not a real holiday but deserves a spot. I've already heard a news story that Staten Island Phil aka Charles J. Hogg  is the most accurate groundhog. I wonder if he has a PR person.

I've had a good January. I've been to the gym 13 times (I think--too lazy to check.) I've exercised at least a half hour when I didn't go to the gym. Of course, I'm also walking with Jace. Our walks have been less frequent and shorter

I've written every day since the second. I often get distracted from the actual writing by checking facts or going off on what may be tangents. One day it was how to learn the Morse code; another day it was women's fashions of the 1840s. I've enjoyed following where the story took me. Even if I don't end up using those pieces.

Valentine's Day is in two weeks. A local distillery is offering a welcome cocktail, whiskey tasting, and chocolates for $44 per person. Just out of curiosity, I checked out Valentine's Day menus of a few restaurants: $150 per person. That's just crazy. 

We haven't made our plans. Sometimes I cook, sometimes we get takeout. Time enough to decide. 

What We're Watching

Jeff and I record The Daily Show, Jeopardy, and The Simpsons. I guess we're recording The Simpsons more out of habit, but it's still worth a laugh or two. As I mentioned recently, we've been watching Dark Shadows to the end. So, we were ready to move on to new shows. 

The Bear. A fine-dining chef returns home to take over his brother's sandwich shop after his brother commits suicide. The characters are complicated, and the actors are excellent. We just started the third season with the opening of the renovated restaurant.

Watson: Sherlock Holmes partner, Dr. Watson is back practicing medicine after Holmes's death. There was a surprise appearance by Professor Moriarty--who was also supposed to be dead--at the end of the pilot episode. We've only seen the pilot, but it looks like the focus will be on medical mysteries. I'm not sure I want to watch that. But I do like Morris Chestnut as Watson.

We also watched two movies over the weekend.

Star Trek: Section 31:I'm a big Star Trek fan, but this was just okay. Michelle Yeoh was terrific as Philipa Georgiou, the emperor of the Terran Empire in the Mirror Universe who has traveled to the Prime Universe. My biggest problem is that the beginning of the movie considers Georgiou the evilist evil that ever eviled. By the end, she's just another one of the team. Yes, she helps destroy the Godsend weapon, but it just seems too pat. 

Gladiator II: Another okay film. Hanno is a prisoner who trains as a gladiator, but is actually Lucius from the original movie. Even though one of the last lines in Gladiator is "Lucius is safe," his mother sends him away from Rome to save him from assassins. It's also revealed that Lucius is the son of Maximus. I didn't like either change mainly because they arbitrarily change the original film. I've written before about how I dislike the secret  son tropes. Here it's a secret parent, but it's the same idea to increase the stakes for the hero--a cheap trick. Overall, meh. 

This is why I keep watching classic films.

Writing Update

I've been writing every day since January 2nd, working on my Merwin novel. I have not been writing 500 words in a half hour, but I've been writing. When I get up in  the morning, Jace gets up too, so I can give him breakfast. I wash up or shower, dress, and take him for a walk. When we return, I make a cup of coffee and sit down to write. At least, that's how it's supposed to work. I usually do sit down, but I don't always get around to writing. Sometimes I have morning appointments and didn't get up early enough. I easily get distracted. Sometimes I get hung up on a detail--did they drink coffee in Connecticut in the mid 19th century? Other times, the distractions are external. 

I've been able to write at night on the days when I didn't write or didn't write enough in the mornings. It's harder for me to write at night with even more distractions. 

Last night was the worst. I decided to return to a piece about Helen Merwin. I decided I didn't like the tone--it was too historical. I made the tone more personal and deleted several sentences. I only wrote 149 words last night--my weakest showing. I was really disappointed in myself. 

Today I went back to the same piece and reworked it again and added information about the telegraph and the Morse Code. Researching the Morse Code was my distraction today. I worked for about an hour including the distraction and wrote 203 new words. 

I need to get into bed earlier and get up earlier to write. Then I need to take time later in the day to research, re-read my notes, etc. I'd also like to make a list of characters. I need to continue to write daily and improve my practice. I'm on a roll. I've written over 11,000 words this January. 

The End of Dark Shadows

Last night, Jeff and I finished watching Dark Shadows:1245 episodes and 20 storylines (according to the Dark Shadows wiki.) We didn't watch every episode--I skipped around in the early storylines, and Jeff watched fewer episodes than I did. But we did watch all episodes of the last several storylines. 

The last storyline was Parallel Time 1841.The start of this storyline is kind of jarring: a wounded Lamar Trask stumbles into the mysterious room that is a portal to Parallel Time, is trapped there, and apparently dies. In all the other time travel storylines on Dark Shadows, one of the original time line characters make the trip with us.

This time, we are suddenly following new characters in a new timeline including Bramwell Collins, played by Jonathan Frid, the portrayer of Barnabas Collins. The backstory is that Frid was sick of playing a vampire and wanted to play multiple characters as the other actors did. 

Parallel Time 1841 concentrated on a family curse and a lottery where a member of the family had to spend a night in a terrifying room. A subplot was a Wuthering Heights-type romance. 

The last scene of the storyline was discovering that Melanie Collins had been bitten by a vampire. It felt like a return to the basics. But no. The show ended with a voiceover from Thayer David that it wasn't a vampire bite after all. Everyone lived happily ever after and there were no more dark shadows. A disappointing end in a whimper.

Time Affluence and Time Makeovers

I've been reading about time management for years: tips and techniques for getting things done. I had never heard the term "time affluence" until yesterday. I read it in The New York Times article I mentioned in yesterday's post.

Today, the concept of time affluence re-appeared in a Huffington Post article. A majority of Americans feel time poor. Feeling time affluent can make you feel happier and help you connect with and become kinder to others.

The author listed four techniques to increase your sense of time affluence. I especially liked "Make A Time Confetti Checklist." Basically, you should take advantage of those little pieces of time between tasks or waiting for a doctor's appointment. 

***

These articles are part of the whole make your life over literature that crops up every January. I'm especially receptive to these types of articles this year because I've been making some changes myself. 

Helpful Hints

I enjoyed this article from The New York Times. It's entitled health tips Some are clearly health tips (e.g. minimize your intake of highly processed foods.) Other tips are more like life tips to me. 

One tip came from someone's second grade teacher. If something feels too hard to do, it just means that the first step isn't small enough. This is very good advice for someone writing (or attempting to write) a novel.

Another involves using "soft fascination"--doing simple activities such as washing the dishes or folding laundry--that require little mental effort giving the mind freedom to wander, make connections, and find solutions. Another appropriate tip for a writer.

A third tip involves giving yourself breaks--two to five minutes between tasks--because it gives you the sense of having free time.

I can use all of these tips and will. 

Off to a Good Start

It was a good feeling to walk with Jace today around 4:30 and realize it was nice out. It was 40 degrees which we hadn't seen in a while. More importantly, there was no wind. 

It sets the tone for this positive post. I'm happy with how 2025 has started.

Beginning January 2, I've been writing every day (from 223 to 587 words) for about a half hour to an hour-of-a-half. 

I've exercised every day beginning on the 2nd and gone to the gym six times. 

I've written eight blogposts. 

I've been changing up some routines and habits. The most important thing is writing in the morning. I've also changed Jace's walking schedule around. I'm switching up my gym workouts. I'm not spending as much time in the early morning on The New York Times games. That has been the most difficult routine for me to change. 

I haven't done much thinking about goalsetting. Instead, I'm actually doing things that will help me get to my goals.

I'm adding this following because I thought it was funny. It's a paraphrase from a collection of tweets--probably from the Huffington Post. 

                    I don't want a new year. I would prefer a gently used year. 

Time to Say Goodbye

 A week and a half into 2025, and things have settled in a more-or-less normal pattern. I realize that I haven't written a post about 2024 goals, highlights, etc. 

Spoiler alert: it's because 2024 was pretty much a total failure. 

Here goes: 

Dryuary Plus

Achieved.

Go to the gym 150 times. 

With 78 visits, I barely made it halfway to this goal. I was doing well with double-digit visits through March. I hit a funk in April, hurt my hand in May, had to deal with colitis (and am still navigating it to this day.) I was also away for a week in June and one in September. That doesn't fully explain my lack of visits from April through September.

Read 40 books.

I only read 27 books last year. The biggest reading month was June with six books. I wish I had at least read 30. I re-read four Preston and Child books as I waited for Angel of Vengeance (book 17.)

Write 150 to 200 blogposts.

I wrote 132 posts. I wish I had written more. On the other hand, I don't need to write more drivel.

Other writing/artistic work.

I didn't make any specific writing goals, and I barely wrote. The same with artistic work.

What We're Watching

Will all the TV shows, mini-series, and movies available, we are watching Dark Shadows. It's funny to admit that. I started a Dark Shadows rewatch about two-and-a-half years ago, watching in spurts. When we got to the Leviathan storyline, Jeff started to watch every episode with me. 

We didn't particularly like the Leviathan story, but were determined to get through it because the Parallel Time storyline was coming up. Years ago, Jeff and I watched a few episodes of Parallel Time, but the show suddenly stopped. Apparently, the provider didn't have rights to the following seasons. 

Recently, we've watched Parallel Time 1970 and The Destruction of Collinwood 1995. We're almost through 1840. After this, there's only one more storyline: Parallel Time 1841.

At this point, I guess we're just want to finish the series. I've been watching along with this website.by Danny Horn. Danny does a commentary on each episode beginning with Episode 210, when Barnabas Collins first appears. He lists the blunders of each episode, facts about the actors, and inspirations behind the storylines. Occasionally, he'll discuss other pop culture topics such as Dark Shadows films and comic books, Dr. Who, and comic books. 

Sundry Sunday Thoughts

I'm glad it's Sunday. More specifically, I'm glad tomorrow's Monday. I figure I won't have to remind myself what day it is several times a day. It's only been a week-and-a-half since Christmas; it feels like a month. New Year's Day feels like weeks ago.

We removed Jace's cone on New Year's Day. The vet's instructions gave a range of 10 to 14 days for him to wear it. New Year's Day was the tenth. Another reason to celebrate. He's recovering well.

I took down the Christmas tree and finished packing up the decorations. I decided that was enough for today. Plus I made waffles earlier. I got Jeff a mini-waffle maker as an impulse gift. I used a Bisquick mix, and they were pretty good, if a bit of a pain to make.

I've been wanting to take Jace to Cove Island or Sherwood Island, but that hasn't worked out so well. We haven't had good weather since the day of our NRVT walk. Of course, there were those ten days in the cone.

Now, we're in a cold spell. It's not worth driving to Stamford or Westport when I'll only be able to stand the cold for about 20 minutes. Oh well, it won't be cold forever.

It will just seem that way.

More About 2024 Books

I was dozing off as I finished my list last night, so I just posted it without comment.

I read 27 books in 2024. For the second consecutive year, I read fewer books than I had the previous year. I didn't reach my goal, but I'm not concerned about that. 

I was surprised that I only read three histories and two historical fiction, much less than earlier years. I read nine fiction, five mystery/suspense, four memoir, two pop culture, two short story collections.

My favorites of the year are The Blind Assassin and Angel of Vengeance. Education and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn were also good.

Books Read in 2024

1. American Brutus John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies by Michael W. Kaufman

2. The Second Chance Shop & Other Stories by Bette Bono

3. The Woman Who Ran for President The Many Lives of Victoria Woodhill by Lois Beachy Underhill

4. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

5. Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon

6. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

7. Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

8. A Light in the Storm The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin by Karen Hess

9. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

10. Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog with Richard Erdoes

11. The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx

12. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth

13. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

14. Reel Art Great Posters from the Golden Age of the Silver Screen by Stephen Rebello and Richard Allen

15. Overboard by Sara Paretsky

16. Pay Dirt by Sara Paretsky

17. Angel of Vengeance by Preston & Child

18. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

19. The Alienist by Caleb Carr

20. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

21. Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir

22. The Entertainment Weekly Seinfield Companion Atomic Wedges to Zipper Jobs: An Unofficial Guide to TV's Funniest Show by Bruce Fretts 

23. Love and Other Crimes by Sara Paretsky

24. The White Princess by Philippa Gregory

25. The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

26. Educated by Tara Westover

27. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

You Have to Start Somewhere

I'm bummed about many aspects of my 2024. My biggest issue/concern/failure is my lack of writing. I have written here and in journals about this before. It's not an issue of having enough time. It's an issue of setting priorities.

Recently I read about an author who trained herself to write 500 words in a half hour each day and then stop. Why couldn't I do that?

Today I woke up around 6:30. Jace got up with me so I could get him breakfast. After I fed him, I made a cup of coffee and sat down before the computer. 

I wrote for a half hour: 423 words. Not a bad start. 

2025 is Here

I wasn't happy with my 2024. It will be hard to come up with 10 positive things about the year. (Off the top of my head--I've got three.)

These are possible images of my year 

running in a hamster wheel

running on a treadmill

treading water.

I went through the motions, but made no forward progression.

How do I change that?

Seriously?

The End of the Road for Vanderpump Rules 1.0

I read about the end of Vanderpump Rules and discuss its reboot here.

It's time for a retrospective. 

A big reason for the show's initial success is that five of the original six cast members were already friends and co-workers (Stassi, Jax, Kristen, Tom Sandoval, and Katie.) The new girl Scheana was the exception

Cast members were (relatively) real--they weren't trying to put on airs and pretend to be more than they were. They were waitstaff and bartenders with dreams of acting, music, and writing. Main storylines focused of three best friends (Stassi, Katie, and Kristen) dating three best friends.(Jax, Tom Schwartz, and Tom Sandoval.)

Their fights were ridiculously, stupidly funny. 

Kristen getting mad at Tom because she ran into someone (on a modeling job) that Tom slept with before they met. 

Jax and Stassi's breakups and their rebound flings with other SURvers Laura Leigh and Frank. 

Jax crashing Stassi's Las Vegas birthday party where a chunky sweater was torn off before a fight and a beer was poured on someone's head. Abandoned by her best friends, Stassi hosted a brunch of her second tier friends the next day.

They were messy and ridiculous and genuinely funny.

Over eleven seasons friendships shifted, and romances heated up and burned out. Cast members were spending less and less time at SUR and with Lisa Vanderpump; they making money elsewhere. Some cast members quit or are fired. Some new cast members came aboard.

Onto Season 10 and Scandoval. The scandal broke just as the season started airing. Fans could watch the affair unfold on the air, looking for clues.

I suddenly became interested in social media posts and stories about the VPR cast. When production was rushed for Season 11, I learned more about the show from these stories than from the episodes themselves. That upended the normal viewing process and made it less enjoyable, though I still kept watching.

Over the last few weeks, I've been rewatching the early episodes--the first season and a few episodes of the second. The show is still messy fun, but I am beginning to see patterns in relationships that will manifest themselves over the next several seasons. I'll keep up my re-watch. 

As for VPR 2.0? I'll definitely give it a try.