Jude Stringfellow's Blog, page 18

90! I'm 90% Finished with The Book.

     I have written about 75,000 words so far, and the book will have about 86,000, so you can do the math. I may not be exactly 90%, but I'm only two chapters away from closing the lid on it. That will likely happen tomorrow or Thursday. Then, I'll take the weekend to fluff and stuff. I have 30 pages of notes to do that with—fun times. 

    Once the fluff and stuff is done, I'll space it, size it up, make sure it's cute and concise, and then I'll start at the top and go through it ONE MORE TIME to ensure the grammar is as good as it can be. I know it won't be perfect. I'm more concerned with correctly using the correct words and spelling words than figuring out the right place for a comma splice. I can promise you that much.

    I can't tell you what the two characters are doing now because I'm at the end of the book - some things need to be read on their own, and I'm not going to just give it away. I could give it away for 60 days and see if that helps get it out there. I'll see if it's an option. I'm not sure Ingram Spark will even allow that, but it could be a thing if they do. I wouldn't mind. I like giving things away.

    I can tell you this; they have a dog. Mathew and Leigh have adopted a dog, and he's charming, too. I posted a photo of what he may look like. He's a pitty-mix, possibly with a hound or something. He'll be about forty pounds when he's fully grown, and he's primarily black, with about 1/3 white on his chest, face, and front legs. His name is Roscoe, and that was a tribute to a dog we have here in the neighborhood, but he's more of a terrier-type, wire-haired dog like Kiah. Kiah is in the book, but she's not Leigh's dog. She was found on the beach; you can read about it. She's OK, living her best life now.

    There we go, tomorrow I will end up closing the book and making things happen over the weekend. I'll send it up on Saturday or Sunday. I'll have a copy printed and sent to me so I can go through it, reread it, make changes, and send the revision back for the final! BOOM....as always, wait for the FINAL to come out, otherwise you're buying a book with potential mistakes; unless you like that sort of thing. Some people do!! Collector's items, for sure.

    This book is awesome. I love it. I'll tell you the title when I send it up, probably Sunday.  (Did I tell you it takes place in Sarasota, Florida?) 

Photo Credit: Lexusofsarasota.com 

I am 63% Done! Yes, I am.

     Woo Hoo!!  I am 63% done, according to the percentage guru on my computer. I have about 54,000 words written, which, if my book ends up being 86,000 words or so, puts me at 63% (or really close to it).  I'm rather happy at this point. I'm about to start Chapter 22, my favorite number, but my favorite chapter in any of my books has long been number 17. Chapter 17 puts my mind at ease. I'm over halfway finished and getting into the good stuff.

    Chapter 22 will see Leigh planning an experiment so she can write about it. It will also see her going to the bank for a secured loan, giving up part of the money she has in CDs to use as collateral to start the women's resort; we'll have to see how that plays out now that she and Mathew are beginning their relationship. Oops, can't say too much! I don't want to give it all away. 

    Leigh has attended a conference on psychological pathology, traveled to Arkansas to see family, and buried her great uncle Ike, whom she's been a fan of since she was a child. She is grappling with her new life but thinks she's made the right decisions. When she reflects on her past, she knows she made the right decisions to leave DeQueen and become more active in the world others tend to only dream about. Leigh is a doer. She makes things happen.

    The most fun to come, the following chapters will see her life unfold and develop in ways she only thought were possible for church missionaries, not ordinary people. She wants to consider herself in the same grouping as those who consider themselves ordinary, but she knows that her history, past, and experiences set her apart; she's not one of the unseen - she can't be. She's trying to do less in terms of being out there for the public eye but trying to be more out there for those who can't make a stand. She's a stand-maker.

    We'll have to see what happens, but I hear a dog barking; I did.  (The inspiration for Roscoe)

 

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com

A FAITHFUL Evening.

     Earlier this evening, I received an email, like I do from time to time, from an unknown woman in the entertainment industry. I didn't (and haven't) do a lot of research on her to see exactly who she is. She's doing a television show on a certain well-known channel (OK, it's the History Channel), and she wanted to do a story about my dog Faith.  

    Typically, when someone wants to do a story about my dog, they ask nicely, and this woman is no different. She was very polite and very well-mannered in the wording of her proposal, and she asked me if I would like to participate. Sure, I thought, the world needs to hear about Faith; they need their eyes opened wide and their hearts reminded of just how precious the little dog was...and is. I believe she is still alive, just on the other side.

    The woman emailed me again, asking me for the same thing people always ask me for. She wanted good high-quality photos, video, etc., and I always tell them I only have a little, if anything, that can be transferred into a good enough resolution to blow up for production purposes. They know they can't buy the film from Oprah, Maury, Ricki Lake, Discover, Nova, or Ripley's Believe it or Not, or from any other show because I didn't give those people the right to sell my dog's name, image, or likeness. If I did ONE THING correctly, it was that.

    When she sent me the agreement to sign, the one that basically said they could and would own the rights to any images I shared (or sold, since they were going to pay me $250 a pic...they were going to use 11) they wanted to own, sell, use, or distribute the photos I surrendered. They tried to change her story, image, or likeness at will if necessary, but you know they sugarcoated it by saying it would all be done in good taste. You know my answer - - at least, I hope you know my answer. I said no.

    The first show I ever did with Faith was "Ripley's Believe it or Not," and believe me, I was so green, so naive, but before the show was underway, a good friend from KFOR-TV sat me down and went through the contract line by line - we scratched through a lot of it. I had to do that with Maury, Ricki, Oprah, and everyone. Everyone wanted to keep the images and use them whenever and with whomever they wanted. They tried to change stories, exaggerate stories, eliminate the miracles, and put in man-made things; they wanted to take the FAITH out of FAITH! I said no.

    Now, you may know me, and you may already have guessed, but I think God gave this little mutt to me because I'm stubborn and jealous. What is MINE is MINE, and no one will take, steal, or abuse it willy-nilly. God's grace, story, and purpose are always and will always be wrapped around that little dog's story and life. He knew where He was sending her; I will NEVER let Him down where she is concerned. 

    I told the woman they could do their story but couldn't keep or own any images. They can direct folks to my book so they can read the real story, but you know she'll likely decline that offer. Either way, it's good. I'm good. I've lived this long without being filthy rich;  I can go a little longer. If I've done anything correctly, I will protect her with the grace God gives me to do so. At least I know when I see her again, the dog will not be upset with me for having sold her short -- and I bet she'll even giggle a little because she never really caught on that she was all that special; that is, until she heard the applause! (Then she knew)

Photo Credit: Stephen Holman of Tulsa, OK

Half Time!! (50% done with the book)

     I am so tempted to tell you the book's title, but I'm not going to. I can't. I have to wait, and there's a reason, but the thing is, it's a good title, and I really just want to blurt it out right now. I'm halfway finished with the book. I can start there and say more later. 

    Though I only have 38,000 words, and 38,000 x 2 is 76,000, which is at least 10,000 words shy of being finished, the fact is that I'm finished with Chapter 15. I've written 15 chapters of a book that will likely be 30 chapters, give or take, and then there's the fluffing and the stuffing, and that's where the other 10,000 will come into play. I like to stuff. I like to fluff. It's one of the fun things to do - - it makes me happy.

    I have 30 pages of notes. I'll go through each page and see if I can go through the book to stuff that tidbit, that thought, or that little extra this or that into the book, and if I can, where do I stuff it? I find myself adding paragraphs to accommodate the stuffing. I don't typically reduce words; that wouldn't be stuffing now, would it? I add words. I add thoughts. I add ideas, and I add adjectives. One can scarcely have too many adjectives until one actually has too many adjectives.

    I'm using the AI again, but this time, I'm asking it questions, getting the answers, reading the answers, and rewriting it. I don't take the things it spits out verbatim. I do use a great deal of it, but then I reword and throw in my personal style to make it mine. I still struggle with crediting the AI, so since you don't need to at this point and time, I won't do it, but I may have my characters thank the AIs they use; that may be a good way to compromise without truly compromising. 

    The book is halfway finished, and it's getting pretty good. I'm hacking away at the keyboard, drumming up situations, challenges, commitments, compliments, and chaos. I'm forging and forming fundamental fairplay as well as frivious frollick. It's awesome to be this abandoned and feel nothing remotely close to responsibility. That's what the book is about; being unknown, unseen, unexpected, unnoticed but when you are seen, heard, known, or otherwise noticed, there's a reason you chose to be so. 

    The book is fun to write. I'm trying to get into the characters now and develop them to the point of being interesting without being too much or too anything. I want a balance. There can't be too much taking place; writing out the smallest of activities takes too long. It took a whole chapter for a police captain to question a suspect, and really, we didn't get as far as I would have liked. Not many details were given, which need to be addressed during the fluff. I need to pinpoint and push the proverbial envelope on that one.

    As it is now, I'll probably take off tomorrow and even Tuesday. I will write on Wednesday, probably Thursday, and pick it up again over the weekend. I'll do next weekend what I did this weekend and slam out 6 chapters. That will be 16, 17, then 18, 19, 20 plus 21, 22, 23 - - so by this time next week, it should be 3/4 of the way finished. I can still finish it by or close to the end of August.  No matter when I send it up for publication, I will choose a publishing date of September 1 to remember when it was published. It will be close enough to it to say it. I may end up sending it on September 1 and then approving it on September 4, only to have a copy sent to me by September 16 and reapproving it around the 20th, and BAM...there you go -- the full truth. 

    You can't, I can't...simply send a book up and not have a copy printed so I can hold it in my hands, go through it with a pen, and mark out what I don't like. It's a thing, and in every case so far, that's what I've done. That's why I don't publish the EPub at the same time as the print. I have to be sure the print is correct first. I'll EPub this one right after it's printed. It will skip the queue, as it were, and be published for Kindle in September. Why wait? This is THE book to read. 

Photo Credit: Hilanddairy.com

NOT Expected to Teach!

     Today is some schools' first day of school here in Oklahoma City. I think my grandkids also went to school today for their first day. I have to think about it; one is 13, and the other is 11, so I think that's 7th grade and 5th grade. If that's true, it means I'm definitely getting old. I was with them over the weekend, and they have just shot up to great heights. Their mom is about 5'6", but their daddy is 6'4" or more, and he's left his mark on both of those kids. They are stretching it!

    The first thing I noticed this morning, as I woke up and the dogs demanded to be let outside, was that I was not getting ready to go to school to teach. Nope. I was not there, I was not doing it, and there was just simply no way I would. No, thank you, I am excited to say I will not teach again. If I ever changed my mind, it would be if I taught remotely from home. I will not teach in the classroom again. You couldn't pay me to go through that again.

    Three years ago, I was hired to replace a teacher who, on her first day of class, decided it wasn't worth it. She left. This has happened to me 3 times in my teaching career because I wasn't hired at first due to the fact that I had been fired several times, and it was on my record. Now, in my defense (you knew I had one, right), I was fired for being ethical and not changing grades or for turning the principal in for stealing. One time, I was fired for not accepting a date with the Vice Principal when SHE asked me out. Yeah, not only do I not bend that way, but I don't play that way either.

    Of course, when the school administration decides to get rid of you, they make up a story and try to get folks to go along with them. They threatened staff members with losing their jobs if they didn't side with them saying I had done what they actually put on paper that I had done - in each and every single case (there were 7 cases) I won. I wasn't hired the first day, but the schools knew they needed someone, so they called me -- when I said yes, I showed up, and the games began - - literally the second I walked through the damn doors. These people do not change!

    It was three years ago, and I was fired at THAT time for writing a murder blog about a student killing her Science teacher and burying the body at the school. Some twenty years later, the student became a teacher herself at the same school - - she knew where the body was buried and needed to move it because the district had decided to improve the stadium...oops!! I was FIRED for being creative and writing a FICTIONAL story about FICTIONAL people!  Remember that I was also the creative writing teacher at that time! IRONY!

    That was my last adventure with taking on the huddled masses. I had been through about a dozen half-incidents before that happened, with students threatening me and one physically attacking me. I put his ass on the ground, and yes, you guessed it, I was called to the office about it. The first thing out of my mouth was, "Union rep, NOW!"  They wouldn't comply, so I walked out of the room, got my things, and left.  Three long days later, they finally called me back to say they were sorry, they had seen the video, and they sided with me. Oh, you think? Yeah, go on, and not for nothing, but maybe now you can tell the students you lied to about me that I wasn't reprimanded and wasn't fired.

    About three weeks later, right after my last class, I was summoned to the office to be told I was being put on administrative leave for the blog situation. I asked them if they were sure they wanted to do that; after all, I was writing a new murder book and needed names and personalities for a few of the new characters. They let me go - I called my rep, and then they paid me for the rest of the year! That was September 20, 2021. They had to pay me through the entire year because they had NO RIGHT and no valid reason to put me through what they put me through. I say it over and over again, the worst part about teaching isn't the kids...it's the admin. After the admin, there are the other teachers. After the teachers, it's the parents, and then, it's the kids. Kids are kids. They are the way they are because of bad parenting and years of being given too much -- not enough of that old-fashioned child-rearing going on these days.

    Well, it's true. I woke up this morning, the first day of school, and I had a message in my email asking me if I would like to be a long-term sub for a particular local school for an undetermined amount of time. Nope. No thank you, I don't want to do the job in the first place, why would I want to do it for less than I would normally be paid?  As a teacher, I normally made about 40% less than what I make now, wearing my jammies, working from home, and taking breaks when I want. I don't have to dress, I don't put makeup on, I don't drive anywhere. I don't plan lessons. I don't buy things to make a room seem inviting. I don't fight with people. I don't argue with children. I don't put up with lying sacks of crap - - and I don't have to worry about anyone at my house pulling a gun on me because I know the woman in my house, and she knows I have just as many guns as she has!

    The only thing I have to worry about here, at home, is the dog barking when I'm on the phone with a client -- and with my noise-canceling headset, I don't worry about that either! Woo Hoo!! Let them all have the best year possible. I almost sent an email back that read, "Oh, hell no," but instead, I simply said I wasn't interested. I hate it when Jesus makes me say nice things.

Photo Credit: Three Rings Ranch School. 

Eight and Nine - - Complete.

 OK, so I cheated a little bit. Chapter Nine in the book is actually no more than another chapter of another book I wrote. I just admitted to plagiarism! I just plagiarised myself!! I wrote the chapter "The Blanket" in my Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book 2 (or was it 3? I can't remember now), and it was fitting to add it to this book, so I gave myself credit, and I added my own chapter to my own chapter - - don't get too lost down that rabbit hole! 

    I wasn't going to make this book romantic, not really, but then the characters started blushing around one another and saying things that made their hearts skip, and before you knew it, I've got two people trying not to show their cards too soon, and it's my job to deal the hand! Have I told you how much I really love writing? I really, really love writing!

    Chapter Eight is all about the beach, the walk, the talk, the things they see, the people they don't try to meet, and how the sun sets perfectly over the South Florida horizon, just like in the movies. Who knew?  Well, I knew, and they knew, and God knew, and just about anyone who has ever seen it set knew too, but somehow you just have to keep telling that same old story over and over again because if you told it any differently, no one would be interested in anything else you had to say; you'd be a liar.

    Chapters 10 and 11 will be about the people of the projects, the stories that lead up to the harder, more delicate portion of the book; some would say the challenging part or where all the conflicts come in. They'd be right if they said that, too. I'm at 22,000 words or 1/4 finished, so it's time to start hitting the rocks and losing paddles because the river is about to get ugly -- metaphorically speaking, the book doesn't take place anywhere near a river -- maybe a creek bed...but mostly just big fat oceans or great lakes if we're talking about Chicago.

    We're not talking about Chicago much, but when we do, you'll know it. I'll add a recipe or two to go along with the storyline and the atmosphere of Chi-Town...gotta talk about pizza when you're up that way. Again, if you don't, you're a liar, and no one likes a liar -- no one.

Photo Credit:  ChewOutLoud.com 

    

Chapter Seven - - A Walk on the Beach.

 So, as I began writing Chapter Seven, I wasn't sure how to get the two characters out of the condo and onto the beach to take that "long walk on the beach" thing that everyone talks about. Everyone loves a long walk on the beach, and my two main characters are no exception to the rule. We have sunsets, beach sand, volleyball, open bars, rowdy people, and the glances that get given and moments stolen in time that make the book worth reading.

    There's something else going on in Chapter Seven, too. Leigh tells Mathew about the book her cousin wrote, the title of it, and why it's so important. She's pretty excited about the book and wants her new friend to read it if he has time. She knows he doesn't have the $18 to buy a copy on Amazon, and since he doesn't own a Kindle, she decides to lend or give him her copy of the book to read. He's not much on reading, he tells her, not stories anyway. He's always been an articles kind of guy, but if she wants him to give into it, he'll do it for her. She wants him to give in to it.

    There we are - - Chapter Seven...done!  Next, we'll see the two engaged in their personal lives and individual goal-setting and achieving. Mathew will read the book and find out what he thinks about it. It's the only book he's ever read cover to cover, and he had the sad and heartbreak yearning when he reached the next to the last page, too - - I hate it when that happens, but that's when you know it's a good book! You're really sad that it's about to end. You've really invested your soul, and it's gone.

    Well, I have decided who I will dedicate the book to, and I've decided to have a "mention" in the back as well. I'm mentioning Charlie and Hideko Garrett, who I memorized in the pages. They are the only real-life people in the book. I say that; I mention a singer or two, and yeah, an author and her family are talked about.  The book will be finished around the end of August and will be published around the 1st of September, with a publishing date of September 1, so I can remember when it came out.  My last book came out on my best friend's birthday - June 22. I do that so I can remember.

    ENJOY!! Wait, you can't enjoy it yet - - never mind.

Photo Credit: SecondLife.com

Five, Six, Seven....well, Five and Six.

 I have successfully finished Chapters 5 and 6 of the book. YEA! It's getting to the point where I can start writing now. I know that sounds funny, but the first few chapters of any book explain what will start, maybe happen, or there are at least a few foreshadows of what can or will happen. My books will not vary too far from those of other authors who I feel were successful in their pursuits.  Copy the best, mimic, and try to do what they do - - but give it your own spin; make it yours.

    When I taught students how to write in my Creative Writing classes, I would tell them they need to know the end of the book before they can presume to know how it starts. This is an age-old concept, not my own. It's something I picked up along the way, and it's always served me well. I know exactly how the book ends -- no, I'm not telling you, that would not be fun. You have to read the book just like me...and everyone else. 

    Chapters 5 and 6 deal with Leigh volunteering at the projects, her interactions with a few of the people there, and the reason the church people go to the projects in the first place. It's not what you may think. They're not out there bible-thumping and making it about salvation. They're out there helping, being who and what they can be with a more humanitarian approach. They are first interested in gaining the people's trust, then, and only then, will they introduce their beliefs and really only if they're asked about them.

    Leigh also finds Mathew interesting enough to have an evening walk with him, something that she's always wanted to do; walk the length of a good sandy beach at sunset and watch the waves crash over gently while the sun burns the water in the horizon. But it wasn't safe to do this alone, and she knew that. It's not 1800; it's not even 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950, or 1960...it's the present day, and women need to be protected when they walk the shoreline. Mathew volunteers to walk with her. It will give them a chance to get to know one another, as well as to express any seeming awkwardness between them. 

    Leigh is a wealthy, younger, stronger, and far more confident person than Mathew. He's experienced lawsuits, arrest, addiction, fighting, feuding, anger, anxiety, and angst. She was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Christian Wholesome, who brought her up correctly and gently, with an inner belief in herself and a long-standing faith that she leans on when times get too rough to handle. Mathew is just now learning to trust anything other than life's rocky waves. He needs to put his best foot forward, but doing it is a little nerve-wracking.

    Chapters 7 and 8 will cast light on things other than the main characters. I will delve into ways, means, and methods of those who are unseen, unwanted, abused, and often set to the side in order for others to be and feel more comfortable with life. Chapters 7 and 8 will be fun to write, and I'll probably end up writing them together like I did 5 and 6. Sometimes I just get on a roll and keep it going, but today, only two chapters will be written. I have all the time I could ever need. I'm not under a deadline.

    

Photo Credit: sunsetnc.com

Comic Con 2024 -- I Went!

     So, if you know me, you know I'm not someone who gets all dressed up and goes places. For me, dressing means I put on my shoes. Most of the time, I wear sweatpants, tee shirts, undergarments (of course), and socks. I don't like wearing shoes! If I have to put on my shoes, it means I'm leaving my house, and if I'm leaving my house, that means I'll end up seeing people! 

    Believe me, I'm not an introvert. I love being the center of attention, and I love engaging in conversations with people I know and people I don't know, but lately, because I work from home, all the people are communicate with are online or on the phone because they're either people calling me about work stuff, or I'm calling them about work stuff. I just don't do people really. I mean, I do go to stores, shop, socialize, and whatever, but I'm not going out of my way these days - - it just doesn't happen.

    When Laura asked me to drive her to the Comic-Con about a month ago, I thought it was in Oklahoma City. It wasn't. It was in Tulsa!! Let me just say if I didn't have another kid in Tulsa, I wouldn't have agreed to take one kid halfway across the state so she could dress up and mingle with other anime and comic characters. I just don't -- until I did. I did, and I think I'll do it again, too. Laura really doesn't drive anymore, she's got a bit of anxiety going on, so it's me behind the wheel and this last trip sort of shocked my "Snap Shot" from Progressive. I fully expected Progressive to write to me to ask me if I knew I drove over 250 miles in one day. I don't usually drive 150 miles in a month!

    Comic-Con was fun. Jeannie went with us, and she was cute in her shiny little cat ears!! I wore summer joggers and a "Go Dog Go" tee, but Laura dressed up as a really fun and cute Mahito—don't ask me who he is. Caity dressed up as some sort of anime sorcerer who gets "burned," and she was adorable, too.  My grands dressed up, and Sailor even made her own mask for whatever creature thing she was...very cute, very green.   Brandola, my son-in-law Brandon, was a minimalist like myself. We did the observation thing.

    While at the Con, I met about 2000 new friends and talked to a few more. I got a free book from Eryn Adams, author of KING OF THE SHORE.  I met too many Batman characters, a Joker, and a few cartoon things and people that I recognized, but so many of the cosplays were people or things I'd never seen before - Laura and Caity had to tell me who they were. It was fun, though, and I'll do it again.  Laura met her co-worker and friend Sarina for the first time in real life! She and her mom, another CMR worker, drove up from Ardmore! Woo Hoo!! They were fun.

    Though it was a bit expensive and took a minute to drive up to Tulsa, there was something worthy about it all -- I did something I don't normally do, and that felt pretty good. I got some steps in too, about 8000 or so, which wasn't as many as I thought I would, but the convention wasn't as big as I thought it would be either - I guess I was thinking it was going to be massive, but it was rather ordinary - - but packed...absolutely jammed with authors, artists, gamers, people, costumes, and the like. There was one thing that was cool - - cool for people who like celebrities and the such. There were anime and character voice actors there, and the kids met a few. There was also a famous composer and actor, Paul Williams. He was nice. Then, there was this other guy - - I heard them announce his name over the intercom; John Schneider.

    I first met John Schneider in 1972 in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was about 17, and I was 10, almost 11.  It was in August. The sands were white, and the trees were tall and green. I think, if I had to be honest, he was my first real crush.  He grew up to be Bo Duke, and I grew up and went to Hollywood soon after he did; we ran into each other a few times, and today was the first time we'd seen each other in about 40 years. It was fun to talk to him. There were only a few people at the table where he was, so I waited to speak to him. When his "bodyguards" asked if they could help me because they didn't want me just approaching him - - I laughed.  I don't do the whole "I'm so famous I need bodyguards" type of thing, and really, John doesn't either -- it's probably something the event thought was necessary. 

    We talked, and he was the same old John. He's always been a bit bigger than life, and he hadn't changed. He's down to earth and normal and every day.  John is a lot like Jim Garner in that sense; what you see is what you get. He's not going to put on any airs. It was good to see him and good to know that after all the years that have passed since The Dukes of Hazzard, he hasn't lived as some secluded, stuck-up celebrity who can't hug people and take a few minutes to talk- - he can. He's from the South (born in NYC but raised in Georgia) he gets it.  I hadn't been to any cons before, so I didn't know what to expect; this one was really fun. I'm glad I went. 

Copeland, Brandon, Caity, Sailor, Laura - - Comic Con 2024, Tulsa

Gotta Lose The Weight! Gotta!

     Tomorrow is the day I put away as much as possible to make sure the house is free and clear of boxes so I can finally get my treadmill set up - - and not a minute too soon. I'm telling you. I took a few snapshots of myself today with my family, and DAMN, I am NOT where I want to be weight-wise. NOPE...no, I am not, and it's not fat shaming if you personally think you could lose 40 pounds. It's not shaming; it's putting things in perspective!

    I have about 40-45 pounds to lose, which is exactly what I think I need to do. It will take a full year. I know that; I do not think it will happen overnight - I have work to do. I have already started eating better, and I'm working on my stress levels. I get plenty of sleep, plenty of water, and plenty of prayer. It's exercise time. It's walking on the treadmill, stretching, yoga ball bouncing, and weight lifting time. No, I'm not going to go the gym - - I'm not doing that. I'm making use of what I have in the house.

    I have walls to do push-ups on. I have the treadmill, the weighted balls, the weighted bars, the stretch bands, and the boxing stand. I can do this. It will just take a little while. I would rather go slowly than try to crash diet and burn out. It's going to take dedication, routine change, and the knowledge of what needs to be done before I make any real change. I believe in the concept behind the NOOM program. I'm just not going to pay anyone to tell me how to lose weight in a healthy way. I can study it and do it myself. 

    I eat too many empty calories and that has to stop. I'd say I'm addicted, but I'm not; I'm in a rut - I can stop, and I will stop. I won't give up sugar 100% because I think moderation is better than sacrifice, but I can do without most of the things that I eat that have sugar - - and just do what I know to do; that's been a better plan for years. I just get away from the facts and start binging whenever something happens to set me back. In 2023, I lost my job at the end of 2022. I didn't get over it for a year, and although I used the time to write, I didn't use the time to stay healthy.

    That changes, and it changes now. I'm OK being a little over what I should be, but I'm NOT healthy, and I won't tolerate that from myself. I won't punish myself either, but I will work with myself and praise myself when I do what I should do. Positivity beats negativity every time! I can do this. I really can. I have pictures to prove it—and I'll get more later down the road, too. It will happen.

Photo Credit: DeerRun.com