Good morning, Readers!

So... I am now officially unemployed.

Thanks, Covid-19, you stupid fucker.

I am extremely fortunate that I live in Canada, where the government appears to actually genuinely care about its citizens, and there is something of a windfall I can rely on for the next couple of months. I will be spending today trying to get that sorted so I don't end up homeless or starving.

I am also extremely fortunate that I have a wonderful support network of friends and family, who are able and willing to help out as they can.

I am in a much better place, despite this new hurdle, that many others, and my hardship is not that difficult in comparison.

It is true that I am quite sad about it, and not a little bit stressed, but I also know that I'm in a relatively good place, and that it could be so, so much worse.

Anyway, since I am out of work for the next little while, I decided to do something that might help all folks who are having a tough time at the moment. To that end, I have a small announcement:

The first will probably be some time this afternoon or early evening. Maybe. If I feel like it.

I hope you're all doing well. Hang it there. There will be an end to this madness. My heart is with you.

Ciao!

Good morning, Readers.

I am just beginning my third week of working from home, and I’m getting a little too used to it. Returning to the office is going to be difficult, I think. There is something that I’ve noticed, though, now that I’m not away from the house at work, or at martial arts training, or teaching, as I usually am. I actually got bored yesterday.

I feel we’re all so obsessed over being productive human beings, we fill our days with work; most of it unnecessary or superfluous, pointless or meaningless just to keep boredom at bay. As a writer, however, I have a slightly different view of boredom, and if there is one thing I have to impart on aspiring writers,* it’s this:
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Embrace boredom.

*I am published, but so very unknown, so take my advice with a giant helping of salt. Similarly, just because it works for one person, doesn’t mean it’ll work for all people, so take all writing advice with a giant helping of salt, no matter the source. Okay, good. Now let’s continue.

Good morning, Readers!

How is everyone?

I'm doing quite well, all things considered. I had a really productive day yesterday, all told.  I wrote two blog posts (may usual Monday post for my own blog, and a Tuesday post for Black Gate Magazine). I was finished both just in time to do my midday workout, which I did do.

Side note for those who don't follow any of my socials, I've been doing, as you know from this blog, intermittent fasting for a little bit, and endeavouring to do a workout at least once a day while in quarantine (that's been less successful than I'd hoped). I'm happy to report that something must be working, because yesterday I wore a workout shirt that was a size medium.

I've not worn a size medium since early high school, and while it's still a little tight around the bust (and what isn't for me, to be honest), it fit pretty well.  I'm really proud of myself. It's been a colossal struggle to get into the shape that I feel matches my interior self. I'm not there, yet. I'm still quite roily-polly.  Just a little less so.

Anyway, it's something for me to celebrate.

Today I will be live streaming my guitar practice, because I reckon it's just a silly excuse for a bunch of folks to gather and chat, while they can make fun of my attempts to learn an instrument.

I will also be writing. I've had folks ask for me to stream that, too, but I'm not sure how that might work. If I'm in the writing zone, I just tune everything else out and write. The zone can last for quite a while (my best/worst writing fugue occurred during the writing of the first draft of The Great Man series. I started writing around 8:00pm, and when I finally looked up, it was something like 3:30am. I went to bed with no memory of what I wrote whatsoever. Reading it a couple of days later was a delight.  It wasn't bad). So if I do end up streaming it, I probably won't be participating in the chat very much, which sort of defeats the purpose.

Still, maybe I'll give it a shot. It might be a good time for my friends, at least, to be able to hangout in the chat room while I work. The idea of friends being close, even in the digital space, is actually quite comforting.  Maybe they won't mind that I'm writing instead of paying attention to them.

Anyway, I have to go. I have to finish my coffee and get things set up for my livestream today.

Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

There really isn't all the much to report, of course. We are still on lockdown because of the plague.

Though I'm not a hugely social person, and I am not tormented by this alone time as so many other folks (being a horrid introvert, I'm coping really well), I am finding that I miss my friends all the same. I am a hugger; though only with those folks I know, trust and love. I miss hugs.

Still, I am grateful that everyone I love and hold dear appears to be safe and sound and in relatively good spirits.

I hope that people aren't being driven mad by boredom right now. I've picked up my guitar again, and I'm pleased to report that I'm not as bad as I thought I'd be. Granted, I started from the very basics, so... I'm still not good, by any stretch, but I'm not as bad as I thought.

By the by, if you want to hangout and chat, I've decided to liven up my guitar practice with an hour long stream every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday around midday, and will try to do so until I have to return to work. In the case that I do return to work, I will continue to stream Sundays (or will try to, usually when I'm at work, there's also martial arts training and teaching, and I'm usually so exhausted Sundays I lie in bed and do blessed nothing all day).  Basically, I attempt to learn while folks chat. I sometimes join in said chats.

Being at home and working from there is still odd to me, but I'm getting used to it. Perhaps a little too used to it.

Dear Hollywood, if you're looking for fresh new stories to adapt into films when everything returns to normal, perhaps I can interest you in a gritty space opera? Skylark is pretty good. Bonus points: once the film is over, you can launch a television series that could last as long as eight seasons, if done right.  Or perhaps you're more interested in Daughters of Britain, which could take advantage of the growing public interest in Celtic culture and difficult, complex, kick-arse heroines. Or, if you think people want a return to old-school, scary vampires, Human is actually one of the better stories I've written, even if I hated writing a vampire novel. Bonus points: This, too, could be film that launches a television series.

Feel free to contact me about the film rights to either or all of these novels. Or feel free to check out my other titles. They're not fussy.

Thanks.

Right, now that I'm done dreaming about having my writing earn a comfortable living, I'm off to get a blog post done for Black Gate Magazine.

I hope you're all safe and well, and so are your loved ones. Keep safe. Keep well. We'll get ahead of this thing.
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Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

So... I forgot that it was Wednesday last night. Feeling a little poorly after the stress of going out into the world that is suffering under a pandemic for groceries (but it was a very successful shop. I got most everything on my list), I headed up to bed to mindlessly scroll through YouTube, and totally forgot that I was supposed to be streaming. Oops. Oh well. Next week.

Hopefully.

Speaking of gaming, everyone and their dog appears to be playing the new Animal Crossing game and, honestly, it looks very soothing and pleasant (even if that Tom Nook fellow seems a bit like a crook). So, just for a lark, I went to look to see how much a Switch system would cost.

Turns out, it doesn't matter how much a Switch system would cost, because apparently people all over Ottawa have been panic-buying them. There are none left. At all. There were a few Switch Lites about, which was quite tempting, but I'm not going to spend any money on them, because it's still around $300.00, and I'd much rather try and save up for a VR rig for my Playstation.

Still, I think an hour or two of Animal Crossing would be quite soothing and lovely, so I'll keep the Switch in mind for a later date. A proper Switch, as I'd like to be able to play on the big screen.

So, even though I wasn't streaming, I guess my brain was still in gaming mode, since I went looking for consoles.

My brain, I swear...

Anyway, this is just a very long-winded apology for not Streaming last night... again...

I hope you're well and not going mad with all this locked-upedness.
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Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

Today's coffee is Jabba the Hut (light roast peanut butter) from JenEric Coffee.  I have already burnt through my Jack CoCo'Neill (light roast coconut).  I drink a lot of coffee.  Boy am I glad I know an awesome coffee roaster.

A bit of a late start for me today.  I had a little bit of difficulty hauling myself out of bed this morning, not least of all because I'm quite sore.  I finally got my act together and worked out on a Tuesday night, when I would have been at martial arts training in The Normal Times.  It wasn't martial arts, per se. It was some serious HIIT (high intensity interval training).  I slept poorly, I think, waking up more tired than usual.

Still, I'm up, had breakfast and am currently sitting in front of my computer ready to work.  Of course, after this blog post, I'm going to have to leave the house. I'm in desperate need of groceries, and must go get them.  I've been needing them for a while, but I've been anxious about leaving the house.

I'm not really worried about getting infected myself, except that I have a immuno-compromised flatmate who might get very ill.  Which is my point.  I'm worried about people I might harm by venturing out, not the other way around.

Still, there' s nothing for it.  I need to eat.  I'll be heading to my T&T for my groceries in a little bit.  This for two reasons: One, Asian business are hit especially hard because of this virus, and, well, racism.  Two: It's the only place I know where I can reliably find kimchi.  Loblaws claims to stock it, but I've not seen it at my Loblaws at all.

I need my kimchi!

Ahem.

In happy news, I've finally finished editing together the martial arts classes I taught Saturday, and can now get back to writing.  I will be doing a few hours of it this afternoon, when I get back from grocery shopping.

While I suffer from a lack of routine (which I'm trying desperately to maintain), I do find that I'm really enjoying just being able to leave my work set up to go grocery shopping when I need to.  This flexibility is really, really nice.  I'm trying very hard not to get used to it.

Right, that's everything from me.  How are you all doing?  I hope you're well.  Sending you much love in these trying times.

Hugs.

Also, Ciao (but mostly hugs)!

Good morning, Readers!

I had an incredibly vivd dream last night. I was back in the house in which I grew up in in Australia, only it wasn't quite the same house. It was in the same spot. The yard was the same. But the house looked a little different. Also, despite it being in the same yard, and despite my going for a walk up to the Tower's Hill Lookout (which I often did), it wasn't quite Australia.

I know this because I first went to a market. It was essentially an open market, with a number of different shops that sort of bled into one another without defined walls or floor space, but was all under one roof. There was one shop I saw that specialised in selling Australian food. It was their gimmick, as it were. They had Vegemite, which made me very excited, but they did not have Chico Babies, which I found disappointing.

I also remember that the next store over, at the back of the market, was a workshop that sold all kinds of glass  and leather jewellery; semiprecious stones, and really beautiful hand-carved sculptures. I don't know why, but that store really stuck out to me.

Anyway, I was there, as was the Amazing Flatmate. We browsed the market, which was lovely, but empty, and then went to my home/not-home. Once there, we made lunch, and I saw one of my dogs; and absolute champ of a pup we unimaginatively had called WD. It stood for White Dog. He was white.

We were not especially inventive children, apparently.

It was a reunion. I had been away a long time, and WD was extremely happy to see me (and I him). After lunch, I decided that it would be a great idea to head up to the Tower's Hill Look Out, and take him with us. So, on went the leash, and off the Amazing Flatmate and I went, walking up the pink gravel road (that's a legit thing, by the by. Last time I went home, everything had started to be paved over with black, but growing up, the roads were all pink gravel).

There was no one around. It was deserted. My dreaming mind justified it. After all, we are experiencing a global pandemic. Why would it be any different in the dream world? It was quiet in dreamland, because of the pandemic. 

So, in the wee hours of this morning, I was able to visit my long-since-dead pupper and take him for a walk, all while showing the Amazing Flatmate my childhood home, which wasn't actually in Australia (even though it was in reality). All this while aware of the current global pandemic.

It has left me feeling a little sad. I can't say that I'm particularly fond of my time in the land of Oz. Depression really screwed me up.  But, I miss WD terribly. He was a great dog. And I miss being able to leave my backyard and immediately be in the scrub, running barefoot and half-wild along quartz-strewn goat tracks to my favourite place to be alone (it was at the bottom of Tower's Hill, actually. There was a tiny little creek made possible by a tiny little hole in the town's reservoir, which supported an impressively sized tree that I think might have been a Banyan Tree, judging from the roots that grew from the branches and then down into the ground. It was something of a sacred site for me, and was the sole witness to many tears and whispered wishes).

And I miss Vegemite.

Dreams always fascinate me. Not because I can ascribe any particular meaning to them, but because the brain is endlessly fascinating. Let me know your weirdest dreams, or the ones you most vividly remember in the comments. I'm always interested.