H.A. Larson's Blog, page 27

The Latest from The Write Life

At the beginning of 2018, I had at my fingertips, three different books that I was working on:
1. A paranormal thriller, which the majority of the books I've written are. The exceptions are The Box, my work of horror, and Deep, Dark, and Lovely, my book of poetry and essays.
2. A straight-up cyberpunk/dystopian tale. This is not my usual brand of fiction, but I had an interesting idea and I ran with it.
3. The first in a trilogy. The trilogy is a mythos/fantasy trilogy that, again, is not my usual brand of fiction but I, again, had an interesting idea and ran with.
Now, fast forward to the beginning of 2019. A year of inner turmoil had stomped my creative drive, my desire to write, down into the blackest of voids. This means that I was so far removed from those three books, that, not only was I far removed from my connection with them, I wasn't really interested in writing them anymore...well, at least for now.
Instead, when my desire to create and write did come back a few months into 2019, I came up with a whole new book idea. This one is a horror novel. I loved writing paranormal fiction about ghosts and things you can't see, but I'm a horror fanatic at heart. In fact, my last book, The Box, was a horror story but still had a slight paranormal element to it. This will be the case with my new one as well. Mostly horror with a smattering of the paranormal.
Also, I was asked recently to write a piece on Darkthrone for a local, online metal zine, Slime and Grime. Darkthrone is one of my favorite bands of all time, and they recently put out a new album, so I was more than happy to oblige. The creators of the site liked it enough to ask me to write for them as a regular team member, and I accepted. I mean, it combines my two favorite things: heavy metal music and writing. What could be better? As soon as my Darkthrone piece goes live, I'll update the "About Me" section on here to reflect that change.
Last, but not least, I'll finally be going back to my Tuesday and Saturday blog releases here on the website. Until then, have a great Sunday. 

What Music Means to Me

I grew up with a single father. This impacted my life significantly in many ways, none more evident than in my love of music. My dad thought television was a waste of time and a brain polluter. As a result of this, we spent the majority of our time listening to music and reading books. This is why I love books so much and became a writer, but it's also why, to this day, I prefer music over television and devote a large portion of my life to it. Where some people watch lots of television, I listen to music almost constantly. I listen at home, on my way to work, in my car, at work, when I'm hanging out with friends, when I'm cleaning, and so on. In fact, I'm listening to music right now.
 I like a few genres of music but my favorite will always be metal. You would never guess that by looking at me though. I don't fit the stereotypical mold of a metalhead. I mean, I'm a middle-aged mom working a professional job. I have a normal looking house and a normal existence, for the most part. But hang out with me at home, look at my music collection, see my online presence, or catch me out at some local shows, and you'll see that other side of me. I got into metal at age 14 when a kid in my class lent me cassette tapes of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. I fell in love with those cassettes and the genre, and my life has been defined greatly by metal music ever since.
While I've always listened to metal throughout the years, never wavering, it wasn't until the past year or so that I've really dived back into it in a more active way. Between not making much money and raising my kids, going to live shows wasn't something I had done much of in several years. With my youngest being a teenager now, and with a higher income, I'm able to buy more music, go to metal shows, and generally be the metalhead that I am. I've even made the patch vest I've wanted since high school (a separate post is in the works for that).
So, why do I love metal so much? Well, it's the same kind of answer you're going to hear from anyone regarding their favorite genre of music. Music speaks to all of us on some level, and we connect with it in a very personal way. It's no different with me and metal music. While you might like pop, classical, or rap music, finding in it something that speaks to your very soul, that is exactly how metal music is for me.
Metal music speaks to me personally. I love the way it sounds: it's technicality, brutality, ripping guitars and pounding drums, and various vocal stylings. When I'm down, it brings me up. When I'm mad, it helps me calm down. When I'm happy, it brings me more joy. And on top of all that, the metal community is one of the best. Being a metalhead is like being part of a big, happy family. If you're out in public and see that one person with a heavy metal t-shirt on, you'll either smile and nod, or you'll strike up a conversation with them about their band shirt.
A good example of this happened to me recently. I was at work, looking out into the atrium through the windows in my office. Out in the atrium are tables and chairs for students to sit on, and I saw a guy out there with a metal shirt on. I went to check it out and noticed it was the logo of one of my favorite brutal death metal bands. So, we struck up a conversation. A few weeks later, we ran into each other at a local show and we became friends. Turns out he and his friend run a local, online metal magazine doing reviews and interviews, among other things. A few weeks after that, and they asked me to write a specific article/review for them, which they loved. 
They've now asked me to be a part of their team, and I've said yes. I mean, what could be better? This is a chance to combine two of my favorite things: metal music and writing. I'll keep you posted and updated here on my website to when my first article gets posted so you can read it. I'm excited about this new opportunity. It's going to be a lot of fun and with going to live shows as part of my research, I can't think of a much better way to spend my time.
What kinds of music do you like? What is it about your favorite genre(s) that speaks to you? Let me know in the comments.

Finding Peace from Within

I don't need to spend a large chunk of time rehashing all the posts I made over the past year and a half about the deeply personal, internal, struggles I faced. What I'd rather do, then, is explain where I am at this point in time as it relates to all of that. 
I went through what I could only figure, for the longest time, was something akin to a mid-life crisis fueled by hormones. While that was partly true, what I discovered a few months back was that what was causing most of my grief boiled down to a couple of things:
1. Trauma that was deeply buried.2. Unhappiness with the way my life was. 
Now, like I'm not going to rehash all the posts I have previously made, I'm also not going to get into details about 1 and 2. Instead, I'm all about being positive. This is significant, not just because I want to be more positive, but because I am more positive. The reason for this is that since I was able to get to the root of my problems, I was able to deal with them appropriately. The end result is that I FINALLY feel like myself. I also feel great mentally and ready to thrust myself back into the life (or at least the parts I enjoy the most) I left behind for the past year and a half. 
On the writing front then, I am fully back. Although, I'm back in a different way. What does this mean? Well, I'm working on a brand new book (details about that will come later), I've tackled my social media in a new way, and I've begun writing for a local online metal review/interview mag. Combine all this with the good things that I have changed in my life this year (new job, more weight loss, being in better physical health, and some new things at home) and I'm ecstatic about how things are shaping up. 
The best thing beyond all this, however? I have an inner peace that I haven't felt in...well, maybe ever. Most of my stressors now are daily pains in my ass, nothing more.
So, that's where I am now. I'm back...but I'm a little different than I was before. Thankfully.

Basic Financial Fitness: Real Ways to Save Money

Saving money on things we buy takes more than just the tips you see in internet articles. You know the ones. The articles I'm talking about always say the same things: "Bring your lunch from home", and "Skip the coffee store latte". But what about people that already do that? I very rarely eat out, especially at lunchtime, and I always brew & drink my own coffee from home. So how, then, do I save money on a weekly, or even daily, basis? Now, this list isn't comprehensive, so if you don't see something on here, don't panic. Also, your list doesn't need to look like this either. You make your own list, mine is just a guide. Feel free to leave comments with your ideas. How do you save money?

Real Ways to Save Money

Cooking from Scratch

One surefire way to save money, something most of us already know or have heard, is to cook and bake at home. It's not only cheaper, but it's more wholesome and leftovers are a must for work lunches. Below are the staples I keep around, generally, and with them, I can make about anything I need or want.
1. Dry goods: I always have certain dry good staples on hand. These include, but are not limited to: flour (more than one kind), sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cornmeal, yeast, pancake mix, a few kinds of beans, lentils, vital wheat gluten, oats, various grains (like rice, barley, & quinoa), pasta, TVP, nutritional yeast, nuts, and spices. 
2. Canned and liquid goods: Tomato paste, tomato sauce, coconut milk, shelf soy milk, beans, a few fruits and veggies (I prefer fresh or frozen, but I keep some canned ones around for lean times), soy sauce, vinegar, syrup, oil (typically olive, canola, & coconut), and mushrooms.
3. Fresh items: Potatoes, onions, garlic, greens, and seasonal fruits and veggies.
Now, with these staples, I can pretty much cook about anything I need such as seitan, pie crusts, casseroles, bread, cookies, main dishes, side dishes, and various salads. Cooking at home saves you a ton of money. Trust me on this. You can take leftovers for lunch at work, and your co-workers will be envious! If you're one of those people that don't think they can cook, well, you can. You just need to learn how...and learn you should. If you don't know where to start, I recommend this cookbook and this one to get you started. 
Another benefit of cooking your own food? It's much healthier. You skip all the processed crap, preservatives, and the bevy of sodium that plague "easy" foods. 


The Art of Staying In

Going out is fun. It's nice to get out and do things like "normal" people, and I mean, we earn it, right? We work hard so we should get to play hard too! Well, yes, but within reason. Going out costs money...a lot of money. It really does. For my birthday once, my friends and I went out to one of our favorite restaurants, had a beer at a new brewery in town, then hit up one of our favorite bars for a few more drinks. Total cost for my night out: $157.18. 
Truthfully, that's how much I spend for two week's worth of groceries. Was it worth it? Yes, it absolutely was because it was my birthday and therefore a special occasion. I don't mind spending money like that once in a while - I did save for it in advance - and it makes it all the more special because it happens occasionally. 
Not only does going out cost a pretty penny, but most people like to look nice when they go out, so they spend more on a variety of clothes to go out in. Me, I have work clothes, everyday clothes, and nice clothes that rarely get worn. (more on that in a bit)
If you really want to save money, then staying in as opposed to going out is a much better option. There are plenty of things you can do that cost nothing or very little. But, if you do want to get out and do things, there are ways to do that on the cheap as well. I wrote a previous post about this very topic, so read through it to find suggestions: http://www.halarsonauthor.com/2017/09/basic-financial-fitness-having-fun-with.html

Buying Second-Hand

Buying second-hand is always a surefire way to save money. I can tell you, with no embarrassment on my part, that I have purchased all of my furniture (with the exception of beds, and even then, I bought a used one at a garage sale once) at either thrift stores, garage sales, or hand-me-downs. I got two nice, matching, nearly-new chairs at a thrift store for my living room that cost me a total of $27.00. A similar chair, new, would cost anywhere from $200-500, depending on where you found it. Here's a list of things that I buy second-hand frequently.
FurnitureHousehold decorClothingHalloween costumesAppliancesDishesPots and pansCookwareBoard gamesCurtainsRugsBlanketsAccessoriesIf you have a small, limited budget, or are just starting out on your own, picking up items for your home is the way to go. Also, if you like new clothes but don't have the budget for it - and you have the patience to carefully sift through miles of clothes - then you can find absolute gems! 
Another item you can purchase second-hand - and again this must be done with lots of patience and research - are vehicles. Cars already cost a bunch in terms of maintenance, so why spend a ton on a new one? I bought a decade-old used car three years ago for a quarter of what a new car would have cost me and it's been a reliable vehicle. I did my research though, so make sure you do the same.


So, there you have it: my tips on real ways to save money. Sure, it takes more work than if you had plenty of disposable income, but these are ways of learning valuable skills as well as save money. This isn't comprehensive by any means, either, so if you have any suggestions, leave them in the comments. If I get enough suggestions, I will write up a part two for this.

Roman History

Julius Caesar
I find Roman history fascinating. When I say Roman history, however, what I'm referring to the Roman Empire from its origins in Remus and Romulus until its collapse in 476 C.E. This was when the Roman Empire became a huge force to be reckoned with. 



Since I'm such a Roman history buff, I couldn't help but decorate a small area in my office dedicated to the most impressive Empire (in my opinion) in history. The framed photos are: Julius Caesar, a map of the Roman Empire during the reign of Caesar Augustus, Julius Caesar's epic proclamation to the Senate of Veni Vidi Vici (I came, I saw, I conquered - roughly), a map of the center of Rome during the reign of Caesar Augustus, and, of course, Caesar Augustus himself.
The pottery pieces that flank the photos were made by The Teen, who was in pottery classes from Middle School through High School. He wanted me to take some pieces for my office and I thought these matched my Roman theme pretty well.
Do you admire Roman history or just History in general? What Empire do you think was the greatest?  Comment below.

Coffee Talk: Music, Long Weekends, and Writing

Good afternoon and welcome to another edition of Coffee Talk. Normally, I put these up in the mornings, when I'm actually drinking coffee, but I slept in as late as possible today and didn't have any coffee until later. Still, somewhere, somebody is drinking coffee...so, let's begin.
If you've been following my blog for a while, or if you just know me well enough, you already know that I am a music fanatic. The reason for this is two-fold. One, I grew up in a household without television, so music was what we did, and, two, music is amazing! I like a few genres, but, without a doubt, metal is my favorite and has been since I was in junior high. A handful of years ago, all my CDs were stolen, much to my dismay, but two years ago I discovered Bandcamp and I've slowly been building up my music collection again. Granted, I own more digital albums than physical ones, but music is music! I love Bandcamp. You can find music by genre, allowing you to discover new music in your favorite one. You'll get to sample at least some of the songs on any given album, if not the whole thing, and, if you like it, you can put it in your Wishlist for later or straight-up buy it. Pretty great, if you ask me.
This last weekend was a holiday weekend which meant it was a three-day weekend for some of us - like me. I took a trip down to Kansas City to attend Devastation on the Nation. DotN is a tour going on right now that consists of four long-time, killer black and death metal bands. I got right up to the stage as soon as the doors opened, and stayed there the entire show. Of course, that's Rule #1 for attending a metal concert. Get to the stage and don't leave it for anything. Not to pee, not to get a drink...nothing! I met a few cool people but one dude, in particular, was really awesome. Saved me from getting knocked down a few times and prevented another guy from trying to boot me from my stage position. The rest of the weekend, I was mostly lazy. I was tired from the concert and so just relaxed on Sunday. On Monday, I went out for a hike and took a tumble off a patch of mud. I'm stiff and sore from that fall, so I went home and just relaxed again...this time with vodka.
Well, I told you all how I'm writing again. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm approaching this book a bit differently than my previous books. I've made a cool cover for it, and, amazingly, I think it looks killer right from the start. I'll be posting a teaser from it within the next month or so, so stay tuned. And, of course, the cover will be revealed soon as well. I'm thinking of doing another short story series via my newsletter? What do you all think? Comment below.
Have a great week, friends!
-H.A.

The Fire is Back

All, the fire is back! I'm once again writing! I thought with all the turmoil that I've gone through combined with the near-death of my creative drive meant that I might not ever feel that urge to write again. Well, I was wrong. Recently, on a slow day at work, the flood gates opened and ideas starting pouring out. I excitedly ran over to my work friend's office and breathlessly told her all about it, and she was just as excited as I was, even if she looked slightly confused. 
And I AM excited! This is the first time in many months that I've felt something more than sadness, angst, or self-loathing. I feel, amazingly, like ME, and I am ready to write. 
On top of that, I have a couple of newer local friends (also in the metal scene) who asked if I would be interested in writing a review for their review site. I agreed, and I'm excited about that as well. What a fun way to combine two of my loves: metal music and writing! I'll keep you posted on that as well.
As for my new book...I have a new story to tell, and it's going to be amazing.
Are you ready?
I am.

Randoms Photos I've Taken Lately

No doubt about it, amateur photography is a hobby of mine. In fact, I purchased a nice camera a few years ago, only to find that the newer generation smartphone I bought sometime later actually takes MUCH better photographs. So, I'm still searching for a good quality camera that doesn't cost a fortune (I talked about all of this in this post).
I digress, however, so let's get back to this post. I like to take my phone with me everywhere, mainly to take photographs (okay, okay, so I'm mostly checking my social media, damnit, but I do take lots of photos, too, I swear!). While the majority of them don't make the cut, there are plenty of gems in there. Here are some of my favorite ones from the past few months.



We have a nice, paved trail in the city that people can walk, run, or bike on without ever having to get on the city streets. It runs for several miles, as well, ideal for those who like the exercise without having to drive outside of the city.
Where the trail runs under bridges, you can often find graffiti, such as this one. 



I took this the same day on the same trail. As you can see, it was still Winter, and the Sun shone through the clouds in such a beautiful way. I love this picture.



This is a shot as I rode over the I-680 bridge North of Omaha (no, I wasn't driving). Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Nebraska suffered severe flooding this year. Because of it, this bridge was impassable for a while. This was the first time I crossed it after the water receded enough to do so. 



Before Spring hits full bloom, I like to snap pictures of anything that's green. Here we see moss and mushrooms growing on a ripped up old tree stump. I took this photo out at Hitchcock Nature Center.



I've mentioned before that I'm a metalhead (loud and proud for 33 years now), and I snapped this shot at a black metal concert I went to last month. This is the band UADA. It was an incredible show and I was literally front and center making for a perfect place to shoot pictures.



This is a shot from the atrium in my office building. My office is on the second floor, and this shot pans up to the top of the skylight on the third floor. I'll be sad when they close off the third floor eventually.



This is the patterned wallpaper that adorns the back wall of the Barchen Beer Garden. I met up here with friends a week ago for a couple of beers after work. Great beer on tap and cozy, beer-gardenesque decor.



This was taken on my daily walk to work. These trees (I have no idea what kind, I'm terrible at knowing jack about flora and fauna.) drop their leaves early, and it made for a nice contrast to the cement street.

Well, I hope you enjoyed some of the best of the random photos I've taken lately. Let me know what you think in the comments!

The Passage of Time

The passage of time happens in the blink of an eye, seemingly, and when you're least expecting it. You're just moving along, living your life, then BAM! weeks, months, and even years have passed. This was evident to me recently during a visit to one of the local museums. 
As is my usual custom, I look at my Facebook memories every day just to see what happened in the past. It's actually one of the coolest features on Facebook, but I digress. Anyway, I had done a Throwback Thursday post a few years ago with the following picture of my kids. I took the photo in 2009 at the Durham Museum when The Teen was ten and Nature Girl was three.



Look at how cute and little they were! 
When we went to the museum recently, then, I decided that we should recreate the old picture from nearly a decade ago. Here's how that turned out:



Wow, just wow. What a big difference a decade makes!




Side by side so you can really compare. 
So much has happened in the past decade: tears have been shed, hugs have been shared, friendships have been gained and lost, sicknesses have been dealt with, boo-boos have been kissed, we've moved from elementary to middle to high school, we've graduated, we've started college, and we've had heartbreak. And here we are, a decade later, a decade smarter, stronger, older, and, hopefully, wiser.
We can't stop the passage of time, but we can enjoy it. We can try to live as slow as possible, taking our time to savor every moment. These pictures remind me that I need to work on that. 
Savor today, and every day. Time is fleeting and, with it, our lives.

Full-On Hiking Season is Back

Stairs at Schramm State Recreation Area (SRA).
Now that Spring is in full bloom, I am getting out to hike on both days of the weekend (provided I don't have other plans) and half of the time with the kids in tow. The Teen has always liked to hike, provided that he wasn't too busy with his friends, but Nature Girl has largely avoided hiking over the past couple of years.


A trail in Schramm SRA.
She's started hiking with me again now that the weather has warmed up, and I'm grateful for the time we can spend together doing something we both love. 


The fish hatchery ponds at Schramm SRA.
Make no mistake, though, solo hiking is still something I enjoy immensely. There's nothing more peaceful or therapeutic than hiking all by myself, surrounded by the beauty of nature.


The geological rock wall at Schramm SRA.
These four photos were taken during one such solo hike out at Schramm SRA (state recreation area). Schramm is an easy hike located in a diverse park. The hike from your car and back to your car taking the longer of the two trails is just shy of three miles. 



I took this shot after I left Schramm that day. It's located next to the Platte River and I stopped at a pull-off to see how it looked.


Picnic time during our Loess Hills Adventure.
The day after the Schramm hike, I took the kids on one of our Loess Hills Adventures. I've talked about them extensively in the past on this blog, but, basically - and since we live next to the Loess Hills - it consists of picking three or four spots in the Loess Hills to visit, packing a lunch, and hitting the road. The spots will consist of a museum/visitor's center, a picnic spot, a hiking spot, and will end with a winery. It's a great way to spend a day with my kids.



Here we are hiking in Waubonsie State Park, nestled in the Loess Hills.



When we reached the top of the Hills on the ridgeline, Nature Girl felt free and victorious so raised her and her brother's arms. I mean, I can't really blame her...it's quite a feeling to reach the top and survey the amazing view.



A shot along the ridgeline at Waubonsie.



A view out over the landscape from the ridges of Waubonsie. For those of you who don't know, we had extreme flooding in Nebraska/Iowa and you can see all the water in the background. Normally that's all dry farmland.



No trip to Waubonsie would be complete without a stop at Sugar Clay Winery, one of my favorite wineries. They make the best wine and mead. This is their heavenly blackberry mead. I will drink anything if it's infused with blackberries.
While I hiked in every season over the past year, I have to admit that it's wonderful to hike in the Spring. The weather is perfect, the bugs aren't really out yet, and everything looks new and green. To me, nice weather weekends make the most sense when you can spend some of it like this. We're halfway to the next weekend and another weekend of hiking. Where will the hiking bug take me? We shall see. Until then, have a great rest of your week my friends.