PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 11, 2021

OF WRITING, COMMON SENSE, AND MONKEES.

Once again I have gotten some writing done.

After all, what else can I do while I convalesce after having heart surgery?

Seriously though, am past the 55,000+ word mark on my SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL although I've found some better story details that will work out great in the long run so am rewriting the current chapter at the moment before I move on to the next one.

Who will see this when I'm done?

Good question.

I do have a publisher in mind for submitting it to once the manuscript is complete, but don't think that will be happening until the beginning of 2022.

Then I will probably start work on what will eventually become SOLITAIRE 2 unless something else comes up between now and then.

I could rant and rave about those who refuse to either get vaccinated and/or won't wear a mask in light of not only COVID in general but this new Omicron variant sweeping the globe.

I mean, it just makes common sense to me to do so.

After all, you wouldn't rush to fight a forest fire with nothing but S'mores fixings, would you?

Got clearance from my cardiologist to do so and, barring anything unforeseen, I WILL be getting my vaccination booster shot later this week.

Jones-Dolenz-Tork-Nesmith, circa 1966

Now then, I hate to close on a sad note♫, but we have recently lost Michael Nesmith of The Monkees.

Granted, he accomplished a lot more within his lifetime than that (like writing ♫Different Drum♫, producing Repo Man, and helping to pioneer what we know today as the music video), but being with The Monkees maybe what people will remember him most for.

I know I don't remember the TV show first run on NBC between 1966-1968, but I can recall watching The Monkees on CBS Saturday mornings in the fall of 1968 after The Archies.

Considering I was only 6 at the time, that was a fantastic musical line up for this member of the target audience of the day.

Both the intellectual and elusive member of the group, Nesmith didn't tour much during the big anniversary circuits until after Davy Jones' passing in 2012 when he reunited with the others first in Jones' memory, and then later with Micky Dolenz after the world lost Peter Tork in 2019.

I got to see the Trio (Dolenz-Jones-Tork) at a few concerts over the years but only caught Nesmith with them in videos of special events.

Some of you out there may not understand what I am getting at here, but it seems to me like the older you get, the more of your past one loses until there's nothing left but nostalgia and the memories.

In the end, I guess that's all any of us have.

At least they're fond ones.

In any event, take care.

STAY SAFE! 😷

And I'll see you around the Internet!

Lee Houston, Junior

12 December, 2021                      ♫Weren't they good, they made me happy.♫

                           "Listen to the Band", Nesmith Monkees tune.