Life Updates

Plans versus Life

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My previous writing plan was cast asunder by life. Within a few hours of posting my last entry, I got a call that my grandpa died.

411 Alexander Avenue, Indianola, MS
411 Alexander Avenue, Indianola, MS

He was 90 years old and a WWII, Korea, and Vietnam veteran. He fought with cancer, diabetes, weird side effects from exposure to Agent Orange, and i think a little gout. He had some increased chest pains and went in to the VA hospital. Testing showed that his organs were shutting down. The kidneys were the most obvious and immediate culprit, but blood pressure and other functions were underperforming. Many family members got to visit with him in the hospital. I spoke with him on the phone the day before and earlier the day he died. He knew he was loved and shared his love for us til the end. We had a nice mini-reunion in Mississippi and celebrated his life and his impact on all of our lives. I miss him, but i am glad he does not have to fight anymore and can be at peace.

Mom, Pappy and Lucas
Mom, Pappy and Lucas

There are a few things i am still catching up on professionally, but i will be back writing and posting soon.

Ketchup

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Howdy again Folks. Just a quick update on a few odds and ends.

Thanks to you all for the kind words and the support after the last entry and the probably not so shocking reveal.

Today i passed the 16 days sober mark and i am feeling pretty good. My sleep cycle is still off, but i am done with the night sweats and really strange mental gymnastics. As usual for me, there have not really been any withdrawal symptoms. My face is starting to look better. One of the many things you don’t recognize, or choose to ignore, when you are drinking way too much is how terrible you start to look. There is still progress to be made, but the area under my eyes has reformed from canyons to deep pits 🙂

This is not my first time getting sober. I do appreciate the support and am open to input and advice, but i want you all to know that i am not in crisis. There will be a few stories about this journey at some point, but i do not know how many, how long, or what i will focus on. But i do think that it will be helpful for me to review some of that material. It could be informative if not interesting for you. And for anyone else out there struggling with similar issues, perhaps some of my tale can help you make the right choices for your situation. But that will be at least a little ways down the road.

I have come to a stopping point on Phase I (of three) on the romance tale and have uploaded it in four parts to be released once a day for the next four days.

I still have some tech/Apple stuff that i have been writing in the brain that will get onto the paper one of these days and i need to reach out to the leading lady for Phase II of the romance tale to gauge her reaction.

There are some cool things afoot at work which is refreshing and hopeful. Vance and I are both excited and motivated.

That is it for right now.

Rock Out!

Max and Mickey Chillin', January 2013
Max and Mickey Chillin’, January 2013