Alex G. Zarate's Blog, page 7
March 6, 2018
February 25, 2018
20180225 Weekly Update
I hope everyone has had a good February to date. I enjoyed watching The Black Panther this last week and am looking forward to the next big movie with all my fave heroes taking on the biggest baddie to date. I often envy movie reviewers who get to check out sneak peeks at much-anticipated flicks coming up. Oh, well… That’s why the rest of us make box office records. 
February 11, 2018
20180211 Weekly Update
The second Sunday is upon us and the holiday of love is approaching. May we all have a Valentine in our lives with which to receive and bestow affection.
Ripples of Mind is moving on. As soon as the edits are finalized, I will begin posting the illustrations up until the date it is available. Once this book is complete, I will tackle the much-anticipated book 5 Reflections in Darkness. I am eager to move forward with this book since I decided to hold off on it while I built a sizable amount of books in progress that will keep me writing and publishing for the better part of a decade. (Uh… yay?)
I continue to enjoy Instagram and although I sometimes struggle to think coherently at close of day, I do enjoy putting a few final thoughts out that I can look back on. The last week’s fave post is here:
Every life we touch and every dream we pursue creates a glistening web of hope that connects the world to us, leading to bigger dreams, greater accomplishments and magnificent victories. Onwards! +
Facebook has had a few lulls this week, although I do enjoy the conversations of my fellow creatives. Who knows where we will be in the coming years? With luck, even if I or my fellow authors gain notoriety, the posts we shared will remain in our memories. My latest enjoyable reply is as follows:
Question: What other hobbies do you have?
My Answer: Photography, Reading, Drawing, Video Editing, Dreaming and Time Travel. Well, not the last one. It’s on my To Do list.
A final personal note: I guess this is going to be a thing with me. Much like declaring “Onwards!” with my Instagram. We all have stressors in life that try to bring us down, but the most important thing to do is hold onto our hopes, dreams and passions as they are always what makes life the grand adventure it should be. Take care of each other and add good thoughts and actions to the lives of those around you. Those are the little things that make the biggest impact.
Be well! 
February 4, 2018
January 28, 2018
20180128 Weekly Update
The month of January is winding down. Sickness is behind me, a new tire is on the road and my revised book is well underway. I hope everyone else has had a good month so far. The flu season has taken a toll at my paying job and I have been tempted to come in wearing a hazmat suit just to be on the safe side. Likely, I’d settle for a Darth Vader mask just to match my personality, although it might look odd sitting at my desk working on travel docs sounding like a mechanical asthmatic. Still, wearing a mask would liven up the day. Hmmm…
As I mentioned, my revision is going well for Ripples of Mind. I have merged a few chapters and have the illustrations well underway. I hope to get it done in time for next weekend, but I will also be working on two other projects as deadlines converge. Next week will have the monthly newsletter taking place as well as the monthly Vlog which I am also working on. Gotta love it when paths converge in your life. (yay?)
Speaking of convergences, someone commented on my Instagram, praising my posts and suggested I share them on PixApp. I’d never heard of it so I looked into the site. Apparently, it is a place for pictures to be made into posters, phone covers, mugs, shirts and magnets. I’d never considered an outlet for my Instagram feed like this so I am now including them with each posting. I went in and added a number of previous images just to see what the result looked like and I thought it was interesting. So if anyone likes my pics, they are now available for purchase. Who knew?
Instagram has become an interesting outlet for me. The latest direction with PixApp has shown me that. Even if no one likes my works enough to purchase, I may end up buying a few of my own works just to have them on my phone case, fridge magnets or just to have an image like the one below to make me smile. It is so nice to have multiple ways of sharing our passions. Speaking of which, here is my fave of the week:
Every lesson learned, challenge overcome and great adventure becomes wealth beyond measure when shared. Onwards! +
The Facebook post I most enjoyed writing was in answer to a question about “How do you start a book?” My answer: Mostly with words, sometimes with doodles and on rare occasions, blank stares at my screen while the story unfolds in my head, keeping me fixated on what a grand adventure I am about to take. 
January 21, 2018
20180120 Weekly Update
With my new role as an Outbreak monkey taking the forefront, less productivity was had, but Ripples of Mind revision is still going and the goal remains to complete it by month’s end. I’m pleased with the cover design and will work diligently to get the final edits complete as well as populate the chapters with illustrations.
Since I missed last week’s update, I thought it only fair to have two of my favorite posts from Instagram and Facebook. Below are the two Instagram Posts I most liked these last two weeks:
We must ensure our hopes and dreams flourish in the light so they may add to the world’s beauty and magnificence. Onwards!
When you look out to the world with focus, determination and passion, every dream you conceive is yours for the taking. Onwards! +
Below are two questions posted that I had fun answering:
Question 1 posted: The dreaded Writers Block. How do you deal with it?
My answer: I avoid eye contact and try not to look too vulnerable. Keeping a visible pen helps to deter any altercations. Otherwise, those gangsta writers will come out and accost me with their superior prose and I'll end up as just another chalk outline on their turf.
Question 2 posted: What makes you think you are a good writer?
My answer: Writing is my passion. I can be good or horrible. If everyone thinks I'm horrible, I'm okay with that.
A final personal note: I had a flat tire this week. It wasn’t a big deal. I took it to get fixed at Costco. They got me to buy two new tires since buying a pair is the preferred method for them. I drove home two hours later with another flat. It turns out they rotated my tires, flat and all. I never got the two new tires I paid for. Sometimes it feels like there is some grand practical joke being played and you are walking around with a “Kick Me” sign. Oh, well…
I have a monumental amount of goals to complete this year. It may not be possible to accomplish them but I will not stop until I give it my all. In the end, that is all we can do. Give it our all and look back, making sure we didn’t take the opportunity to do good and squander it. I will keep moving forward and add to my life, the world and all those I find along the way. Onwards!
January 6, 2018
20180106 Weekly Update
Greetings! There is always something happening in our lives and since I can’t be there to chat with everyone, I’m happy to share a bit of my week.
I posted my monthly YouTube Vlog, entitled Resolutions. It’s about a minute so you can enjoy without giving up too much time. Check it out!
http://www.alexgzarate.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/20180101-Vlog-Web-Page.mp4
I also posted my monthly newsletter. (Look! It’s the post just before this one!)
20170106 Weekly Update
Greetings! There is always something happening in our lives and since I can’t be there to chat with everyone, I’m happy to share a bit of my week.
I posted my monthly YouTube Vlog, entitled Resolutions. It’s about a minute so you can enjoy without giving up too much time. Check it out!
http://www.alexgzarate.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/20180101-Vlog-Web-Page.mp4
I also posted my monthly newsletter. (Look! It’s the post just before this one!)
