October 25, 2011 Update

Last week was a very sobering week for me. A couple I knew who were helping my ex-wife during her medical situation and subsequent stay in a medical facility were killed in a terrible car crash on the Interstate highway. It was one of those situations where they had no chance and were probably killed instantly.

It made me realize how precious life really is… and how fragile it can be. It also made me introspective, especially since I do a lot of driving to go up to see my mom and sister. I must admit to a few pangs of anxiety when I got back behind the wheel and just drove around town. But the feelings have passed and driving for me is back to normal for the most part. Mary is doing ok but for the both of us it seems surreal and will probably seem like that for weeks to come.

On a lighter note I got a haircut today. Then I went to the mall and walked around for approximately 30 minutes or so. Walking served a dual purpose in that 1) I need the exercise, and 2) isn’t there some unwritten law that says once you have gotten a haircut you need to go out in public and display yourself as looking more normal than the shaggy beast you looked like the day before? Maybe the young woman who took my order for lunch today smiled at me because I had a nice haircut. Or maybe not… but it doesn’t hurt to think positive.

My story postings may become a bit more sporadic as I am starting to pick and choose what to put up next. At times I might not be posting each and every day. But there are still a few series of stories with 8 to 10 chapters each that will be going up in the coming weeks. So when I’m uploading those I might be posting more often.

It is very encouraging for me to get indications that my stories have hit a particularly good spot with readers. Seeing the votes and thumbs up are helpful, especially when a story has gotten several votes. Every now and then I go back through and look to see what you have enjoyed reading. I can often tell by how many votes a story gets.

What really encourages me are the comments left on particular stories. It is this kind of feedback that lets me know what stories are greatly appreciated or what I included in a particular story that you really enjoyed. I still have a multitude of ideas and suggestions (and they seem to be growing in number). But sometimes it can be a specific comment or encouragement that motivates me to work on a particular theme or genre.

I regret that you must now be registered in order to leave a comment. I was getting a lot of spam and was forced to change the settings. I guess running a website and dealing with spammers is a fact of life. (sigh)

Thanks for stopping by; enjoy your visit. And remind someone today who you love just how much you appreciate them. After all, you never know how the rest of the day will unfold…