Why is it? I’m listening to a song called Chocolate Disco by a Jpop band named Perfume. If this song was in English I’d probably break the speakers, however, in Japanese it’s just fine and quite catchy. I find most music in Japanese quite palatable actually. Some of the hardest metal I have ever heard has come from Jrock bands like Girugamesh and The Gazette. Though I was somewhat into metal in high school I always hated speed and thrash.  The only explanation that I have is that lyrics screw things up for me. Not being able to understand a word (even when they’re trying to sing in English) takes away any need to focus on a message. I just get to listen to the music. Or, I’m turning Japanese. I really think so!

For the past two weeks, writing is like child’s play.  It seems that for several months I languished behind a serious writer’s block. Oh sure, some stuff trickled through, but nothing like now. The block finally let loose and the WIP (The Lost Children of Gaia) is screaming along. In two weeks I’ve managed 12K words of solid stuff.  I’m heading into the home stretch with just the ending chapters left to go. I’m predicting May 1st as a completion date, but hope it concludes before then. It should wrap up just scant of 100k words, a decent sized book. I think I’ll be sad when it’s done though. I’ve carried these characters’ lives in my head for a very long time now.

Today I had my first normal blood sugar reading since I refocused my efforts at getting and staying healthy.  I’ve lost 11 pounds. It’s very frustrating that I lose sight of what is truly important in life. I often overlook my health out of convenience, boredom, laziness and all the other host of excuses. The high blood sugars from two weeks ago kicked my ass back into taking care of myself.  Now I need to simply keep reminding myself that health isn’t something you should have to kick yourself in the ass over. It should be a natural part of living.

Found a link today to a review of Todd Robinson’s “Sex, Thugs and Rock & Roll” anthology which has my story “The Switch” in it. The story is mentioned by name and is praised for its ambition and for thinking outside the box of Crime Fiction. Gave me a much needed boost.

My oldest qualified for the New Englands this weekend. I’ll be making the long trip to Boston with swimmers in tow. Should be fun.

Today I closed The Feral Pages. I didn’t want to but my diabetes has spiraled out of control.  I tested at a serum glucose of 575 recently. That number is supposed to be down around 80 to 110.  I was teetering on the edge of a diabetic coma.  I’m only 41. I was diagnosed when I was thirty. I weighed 315 pounds. That summer I dropped 65 pounds and I deluded myself into believing that I was cured because my blood sugars were in control. I stopped exercising, gained 25 pounds and resumed the Hell of high blood sugars. I have trouble with diabetes meds. They either cause crashing lows or severe abdominal pain. I decided I couldn’t tolerate the symptoms anymore and went off all my meds. I dropped another 35 pounds and voila! My blood sugars were normal again. That was three months ago. I got sick, whether it was H1N1 or just the seasonal flu. I was out of commission for two solid weeks. When I’m sick I have a hard time giving a shit about anything and just fell back into my old eating habits. I’ve gained 11 pounds since then and my blood sugars are now the worst they have ever been.

The treadmill is downstairs. The home gym is being delivered this week.  This time it needs to stick. Dying isn’t an option. I’m saving that for later, much later.

On the positive side of things, my first novel is nearing completion. My second is a chapter in already and I started taking notes for #3.

My WIP is finally gaining steam. I’m pushing my way through a difficult transition chapter… actually the one that separates the two point of view characters and brings the book into its end game.

One of my kids has made it to the YMCA “All Star” meet where he is seeded first in the breaststroke. (Added note: my other son qualified for the All-Stars as well but his invite came later.)

Life is stable which is all any of us can hope for.

Three weeks ago I decided I needed a change in setting for my writing. No, not for a story but literally some new surrounding to kick start my creativity. So, I decided to renovate my basement so I could move the media room down there while converting the loft (a 16′x25′ space) into a dual office/reading/television sort of creature.  I’m within two days of being done and anxiously await tackling the notes I wrote down over the past three weeks. Nothing like home improvement to jar you back into creativity.

Launch day came and passed without much drama. I screwed up an author’s name on one of the images but thankfully I always save my images in layers. It was as easy to fix as select-replace-save-repost. If only all things in life where as simple. I lost my computer over the weekend. All my work is stranded on hard drives I can’t access at the moment.I have a new mobo ordered and will hopefully be back in business by the end of the week. It’s actually not that big of a deal since I’m renovating the basement and could use the time to finish putting up a wall and painting. Got the surround sound in over the weekend and spent quite a few minutes playing the THX sound over and over.

Biting off more than I can chew is one of my weaknesses. I’ve come to the realization that some projects are best left for quieter times. October365.com is being placed on hold. The family suddenly finds itself busy. The swim season has started. (My youngest is currently seeded first in the state for the 50 Breaststroke and his crew in the 100 Free Relay are looking to defend their win at the states and respectable 16th place in the New Englands.) Hockey season is here as well which takes up a few weekend nights between now and March. Go Black Bears! School and band and new webzines and a WIP that needs more attention all add up to needing to shove something to the side. We haven’t given up on October365, we’ll pick it back up in the spring and do it right instead of rushing something out. Whew… hmmm… still a lot there to chew.