Sunday, December 26, 2021

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 25, 2021


HAPPY KWANZAA AND BOXING DAY EVERYBODY!

Between the big visit to the Ear Specialist on December 21 and Christmas itself on the 25th, my prediction from last week came true.
Alas, I didn't get any writing done. 😞
I did have a good Christmas though, surrounded by friends and family virtually and otherwise.
Hopefully this coming week will be much better.
BUT I HAVE GREAT NEWS!😀
The Ear Specialist said there was absolutely nothing wrong with either my hearing or my ears!
He thinks the reason I'm experiencing occasional vertigo-dizziness-imbalance-whatever you want to call it is because my body still hasn't fully adjusted yet to the new/improved artificial heart valve I now have.😕

So now I have an appointment with a Physical Therapy Specialist in late January 2022 to discuss the situation, which further delays official Heart Rehab for at least awhile longer.

Yet thankfully I've also been approved to drive again.
At least short trips, which will give those who have been helping me out some rest.
Nothing long distance or major though.
But hey, I'll take good news whenever I can.
Like the fact that I'M STILL HERE! 😎

In any event, take care.
STAY SAFE!😷
And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior
26 December, 2021





Sunday, December 19, 2021

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 18, 2021

♫CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE…
OH THAT WE COULD ALWAYS SEE
SUCH SPIRIT THROUGH THE YEAR.♫
From A Charlie Brown Christmas’ “Christmas Time Is Here”. Lyrics by Lee Mendelson.

I did manage to get some writing done last week.
I'll be the first to admit that I haven't been really setting any speed records at the keyboard since I returned home from my heart operation, but at least I'm trying!

At the moment it's been far easier to blog between here and The Free Choice E-zine and work on my SCIENCE FICTION PROJECT than anything else. 31 complete chapters (not counting the Prologue) to date with over 57,000+ words, although most of the first 29 plus Prolog were done pre-hospital. I do have the concluding chapters and Epilog plotted, but am obviously far from finished yet.

Early projections for this coming week don't look too productive at the moment, but with good/important reason.
I have a major appointment with that Ear Specialist Tuesday to figure out what's causing my vertigo-dizziness-imbalance-whatever the heck it is and resolve the issue(s?).
And of course I still have to wrap gifts because I'm taking December 25th off to be with family, even if I have to do so virtually.
But what do I want for Christmas?
That's a question I have been repeatedly asked since Thanksgiving and while I'm sure those I'm close to will be giving me something, I already have the greatest gift one could ever ask for.

I'M STILL HERE! 😁💖

On that note♫, take care.
STAY SAFE! 😷
And I'll see you around the Internet.

Lee Houston, Junior
19 December, 2021


Sunday, December 12, 2021

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.
                         


Sunday, December 5, 2021

PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2021

I ACTUALLY GOT SOME WRITING DONE THIS PAST WEEK!

More work has been done on the SCI-FI novel!
Still far from finished, but I can see the end off in the distance.
Currently on Chapter 30 (not counting the Prologue) and about to break 55,000+ words.
Have Chapters 31, 32, 33 and the Epilogue plotted; although I'm not sure at this point how many more will be needed between those last two to cover everything in this novel.
Of course since I'm planning this as the opening installment of an ongoing series, not every plot point will be resolved by the end of the debut, but the first book will definitely not end with those dreaded words "To Be Continued".😉


I also have a rough start on what will eventually be SOLITAIRE 2!
It's only a few handwritten pages at the moment, along with sketches of important (fictitious) locales and a possible subtitle for the novel. 😁

Overall, this may not seem like much in the Cosmic Scheme of Things, but considering how my life has been since October, I consider it a major victory! 😎
ESPECIALLY since I still have to wait till the 21st to see that Ear Specialist and hopefully find out what the {cens*red} is going on with the vertigo-dizziness-imbalance-whatever the heck it is issue I've been having.

In any event, just sitting in a chair while using my computer doesn't seem to bother me.
Laying down and trying to get back up again later does, but that's another matter.
So, without further adieu...

Take care.
STAY SAFE!😷
And I'll see you around the Internet!
Lee Houston, Junior
5 December, 2021