My friends, it seems we have made it to the end of the 2nd Annual RRBC 30-Day Blogging Challenge. Hooray! Let me also congratulate the others who have joined in this challenge (all Rave Reviews Book Club authors): Nonnie Jules, Pat Garcia, Wanda Fischer, and Joy Lilley. I cannot overstate the rigor it takes to create new content every day for thirty days in a row. When you check out today’s posts later, please congratulate each one on their dedication to the writing craft.

As noted, all of us are writers. That is not the same as writing something to say every day. At least when I am writing, I rely on my muse to help me along the way. My muse is pretty busy, but her grace does not come on command.

As well, two of the participants live in Europe, so that adds another complexity. They have to finish their posts early to meet the posting deadline each day. All of our content has to be new, so we cannot simply copy something we said before.

But that is enough about those issues.

For me, tomorrow is my day to continue working on my other stories that are in the hopper. Too often, my stories take on lives of their own. I get side-tracked and suddenly do not even realize what I wrote. All I can do is shake my head, locate the spot where I lost control, and delete everything after that. Then I have to plan and write the story I had intended to tell. If that sounds difficult, you are correct. However, it is critical. Whenever I start a story, I have a plan in my head for what is going to happen and how the story will end. That original intent can never be forgotten. If I let it takes its own direction, it will be a mishmash which neither the reader nor I can understand.

I am hopeful that my next stories will be liked. I would love to be a best seller, but that is not my ambition. I only want to explain the world in my own words. Perhaps some people will connect with that, and my story can make a real impact, even if that impact is just a smile when they reach THE END.

I believe all authors feel that way too. We all want others to read our stories, and we all hope someone’s life can be better, or at least a little happier due to our words. In this crazy world, a little happiness is a great thing. The happier people are, the better the world will be for all of us.

If you have a story to tell, do not keep it a secret. There are people out there who would benefit from your words. A word of caution though. Writing a rough draft is hard enough, and that is just the start of the process. If you stick with it, you two can reach an audience and just maybe make a difference in the world, or just one person’s life. That should be enough. I wish you all the best.

Since this is the final day, please note all the author’s names I mentioned, and check out their stories. You just might discover your next favorite author. That would be great, wouldn’t it? Click the link below to connect to all the authors in the challenge. You will not be disappointed.

It’s Good Friday. I did look up what other things use this special day, but personally, just Good Friday is more than enough for me. Being a very devout Christian, I suppose that makes perfect sense.

Perhaps not much longer with all the government and UN blather about demanding Israel to have a cease-fire (they seem to have forgotten the atrocities Hamas committed on October 7), and mobs of college kids demonstrating in support of the Hamas terror organization. In just three years, our government has turned against Christians, Jews, and other non-Muslim religions. Of course, totalitarianism is in style again. This is not the country I was raised and where my Dad and millions of others fought wars to protect this land and our religious freedom (along with the other freedoms detailed in the Bill of Rights).

I am not here to complain about the government either. There are plenty of journalists who do that. So let’s move on.

Oddly, the current situation reminds me of Judea and Samaria in the First Century. The local power, meaning the kings and Jewish leaders, coerced the Romans into killing Jesus. Of course, the Romans were more than happy to crucify anyone who was out of line. Most of you already know the story by heart. It is just an example of the powerful people going after the rest in order to maintain their grip on power.

During Holy Week, it is very difficult not to remember all the details. On Easter Sunday, we remember that Jesus rose from the grave, which helps us understand the power of Heaven. Plus, we were given the Holy Spirit to help us every day.

Now, this is the personal part.

After my divorce, I was fine for some time. At some point, I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I would be alone forever. I felt truly alone for the first time in decades, and I felt isolated from the world. My son-in-law suggested that I sign up for a dating app to meet someone new. Now I was born in the mid-50s, so that was not going to happen. That is when I turned to the Lord. I prayed for Him to save me from my fears. In that moment, my feelings of loneliness disappeared, and have not returned. I was overwhelmed with a sense of peace.

So, regardless of what anyone else thinks, I know the Holy Spirit saved me. That led me to reading my Bible again. I did consider joining a church, but I knew I was already saved. Plus, I have been to a few large churches and they seem very commercial. I went to the Capitol Christian Center in Sacramento more than thirty years ago. It was massive. Toward the end of the service, the head pastor asked for donations so a junior pastor could get a new car. In a few minutes, $25,000 was raised. That turned me off the mega-churches, although I did watch Joel Osteen on TV for a time, but did not send any money.

Today, all is well. I am content in all aspects of my life. I look forward to writing and reading many more stories. Having Akiva in my life also helps keep me sane, which is not easy in California. I wish you all the best.

Today is also the penultimate day of the 30-Day Blogging Challenge. I heartily recommend you check out the posts by the other authors in the challenge. At this point, it looks like all of us will reach the finish line. Follow the link below to check out their posts.

We are rapidly approaching the end of the 30-Day Blogging Challenge. It has been entertaining and also brought back memories, both good and bad. Life is full of opportunities and challenges. I used to play golf, racquetball, and intramural volley ball (in college). My fondness for those sports waned over time. Being almost seventy now, I suppose I should have expected that.

The aspect of humanity that I am most astounded by is our diversity of capabilities and interests. As a former finance and accounting guy, dealing with money does not bother me at all. Here’s another random memory that demonstrates that: When I started my first accounting job (at an iron valve and casting plant in Washington, Iowa), they gave me a desktop calculator/adding machine. I had not used one before. I watched the others and noticed they used their right hand. Even though I am a leftie, I started using my right hand on the machine. Suddenly, I was the fastest accountant on Earth, as I could add columns of numbers with my right hand, and then write the answers with my left. That served me well throughout my career. Clearly, that was before the advent of desktop or laptop computers.

When it came to investing, once again, it was a snap. I understood the financial markets and how stocks and bonds worked from the time I left the University. When 401ks began, I was eager to jump in.

My ex was not so comfortable with that stuff. However, she has other amazing skills that far outshine me. My ex is a huge extrovert, while I am the opposite. She led the way and I just followed. She is also an wonderful dancer (she danced with her siblings when they wanted to practice something new). When we danced together, she made me look good. When I was in college, I had a large selection of LPs (vinyl records to any younger folks in the audience). I played my music all the time. Now, they just sit there, and I seem to have no drive to set up the turntable. I even have a LARGE collection of music in my iTunes library. Not used in too long to remember.

Given my finance knowledge, I also love to read annual reports and especially 10-Qs. Of course, I skip all the propaganda by the CEO and focus on the numbers. I have also been asked by several of our legal beagles to review contracts. I guess you could say that I am better with documents and accounting books than people. You would not be wrong.

Now I know it was all for the best. Everything good and bad in my life has led me to this moment. Any deviation in my past would most likely have changed my present. I do not want that. Sure, each of us has ups and downs, great joys and sorrowful downs. But that is life. I could not and would not want today to change. All is well. Be content with your life, and all the doubts and fears will fade. Life is not necessarily easy, but life is the only option we have at the moment. My best advice for today is to enjoy every moment, treasure your family and friends, and know you are exactly who were expected to be. I wish you all the best.

Speaking of the best, be sure to check out the blog posts by my fellow travelers in this 30-Day Blogging Challenge. It looks like all of us are going to make it to the finish line, but see for yourself. The link is below.

Here is today’s list of special things about March 27: Manatee Appreciation Day · National Spanish Paella Day · American Red Cross Giving Day · Celebrate Exchange Day · Holy Wednesday · International Whiskey Day · Little Red Wagon Day. And I am sure there were others. I can say that I love paella and whiskey. I never had a red wagon though. There are no manatees where I live, so while I think they are great, there are none to see here.

The paellas I have had varied from awesome to poorly seasoned saffron rice without many shrimp or other meats. Most were here or in Mexico. We went to Spain during a trans-Atlantic cruise. We stopped in Cadiz and later in Barcelona. What I remember most was the sherry in Jerez de la Frontera, and the central market in Barcelona. I had watched a travel show about Barcelona. When we were there, we went to the same bar in the middle of the market. The same owner was there who had been on the show. He was a little old man with more energy than most of us. Quite a trip.

On a business trip, I did go to Dublin where we were given a taste testing that compared Irish Whiskey to Scotch. Irish Whiskey is definitely smoother than Scotch (it is triple-distilled). Even though I have not had any in years, I always appreciated the super-peaty Scotch Whiskeys from the islands off the coast. I had wanted to venture there years ago, but it was never at the top of our list. Transiting the Panama Canal was definitely more exciting than sitting in a bar in Scotland. We took ten cruises during our marriage.

Once again, it is still Holy Week. Today is the day Judas agreed to identify Jesus to the Romans. That did not turn out well or him.

All of the authors working on the 30-Day blogging challenge are approaching the finish line. Just three more days after today. I am thrilled that all are still involved and posting daily. Do yourself a favor by using the link below to see what they have been up to. I wish you all the best.

As we progress through Holy Week, today is Holy (or Fig) Tuesday. I have said that my blog posts are not going to be religious, although that may change on Friday and Saturday. The other options I found online were National Spinach Day · Air Max Day · American Diabetes Alert Day · Black Marriage Day · Epilepsy Awareness / Purple Day · and Good Hair Day. I know everyone has their opinion about which of those designations is important. Somehow, National Spinach Day and Good Hair Day do not seem so important. I do like a spinach salad, but since I am not Popeye, eating canned or stewed spinach is not my thing.

Then I considered posting pictures of our dogs. One I mentioned but had not found a picture is next. Louis was the poodle who lived to be 19 years old. He was the second dog that we had, shortly after we were married. Here he is in his glory days.

I mentioned our dog Gigi before. She was my wife’s absolute favorite. Still, this is how I remember her most.

And yes, I was quite a bit heavier in those days. That picture was my Facebook image for years. I still miss her love and devotion every day. Dogs give us SO MUCH, and yet ask for little in return. That affection is what changed me from a cat person to a dog lover.

I am grateful that I saved all of these pictures on my computer. Most of what I have shown was taken before mobile phones existed. We did have cameras that saved the pictures on a memory card, rather than boxes and boxes of physical prints. That makes it so much easier to reminisce about the “good old days.” Still, time goes on. My gray hair is not likely to turn dark brown again. I am also not likely to get younger either. But that’s okay. Life is what it is, and that’s enough.

To be honest, I have more pictures on this machine that even I realize. I did a lot of business traveling. We also took wonderful vacations when we could. Plus, there are countless pictures of family members, weddings, the grandchildren, and other special things, like my wife’s flower and balloon business. What a life! I guess the pictures will always be the evidence of that.

I will keep looking for a good picture of our first dog (Mimi). I found a couple fuzzy ones of her with Louis, but they look more like black blobs than beloved dogs. For now, I wish you a blessed Holy Week and all the best for the future.

Please take some time to check out the blog posts by the other Rave Reviews Book Club authors who have joined in this 30-Day Blogging Challenge. Click the link below to see what they had to say.

Again today, I looked up what is special about March 25th. Here is the list: International Waffle Day · Anniversary Of The Arengo · Bed-in for Peace Day · Dante Day · Dolyatra · Feast of the Annunciation · Greek Independence Day · Holi. The two that caught my eyes were the Feast of the Annunciation and International Waffle Day.

I am a devout Christian, but I do not want to talk about my faith or any other person’s beliefs, so let’s stick to International Waffle Day.

As a child, I was a finicky eater. However, the one breakfast food I loved was waffles. I would put on butter and lots of syrup. Some days, I would add peanut butter and jelly before the syrup. The oddly similar item that I never really cared for was pancakes. Now remember, I was just a child back then. Now, I never eat pancakes or waffles. My tastes have changed. Perhaps that was related to my long marriage to my wife. She was born and raised in Mexico. That was extremely beneficial since we met during Spanish language sessions for our Production Manager, QC Manager, and me (the Controller). I was immediately smitten. I cannot recall what I ate for breakfast in those days. She worked for the State of California, so we both had to leave fairly early in the morning.

Members of her family still live in Chula Vista and Tijuana. One of her nephews held quite a few parties at his house just a couple miles east of where I am now. He loved HOT stuff. In those days, I did as well. Alas, those days are gone. My taste for Mexican foods has not abated, although real Mexicans would balk at my love of black beans instead of pinto. What can I say? To me, they have a much better flavor. I did have coworkers from Puerto Rico, so that may be the cause.

I still have fond memories of my childhood and waffles, but I do not crave them anymore. Waffles because they’re too sweet with the toppings. Childhood because things only got worse over time. My mother passed away a few days before my high school graduation.

Life goes on. I think less and less about those bad memories. Reminiscing about terrible things is a fool’s errand. We have to move on with our lives. Today, I focus on my books, my dog, and what I can do to help the others in my life. For now, that is enough for me.

A few comments about the Annunciation in closing. I have faith that the story of Jesus is true. I know he was the Son of the Living God. That’s it for now. I wish you blessings and all the best in life.

Please take a few minutes to check out the blog posts by my fellow Rave Reviews Book Club authors who are also working their way through the 30-Day Blogging Challenge. You can follow the link below to see all of their posts.

Well, this is disappointing. Once again, I looked up the special significance of March 24. This is what I got: Independent Accommodation Day · Purim · Commonwealth Covenant Day · Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice · Flatmates Day · Holika Dahana. The one I did not understand was Holika Dahana, which turns out to be a Hindu holiday where people build bonfires to celebrate the destruction of an demon.

All of that is interesting but I had not heard of any of them, so I will have to wing it (again).

The Vernal Equinox was just a few days ago, but here in San Diego, it remains cold to me (high in the 50s). Isn’t it supposed to be Spring? Now I know those of you who live at higher latitudes think I am crazy. I still remember when I worked in St. Joseph, Missouri in the late 70s and early 80s. When the daily high was going to be 50 degrees or more, we all wore short sleeve shirts for the first time since the snow and ice melted. Of course, I was a much younger man 40 years ago. My blood thinning began when I relocated from Missouri to Southern California, back in the days when this state was governed well. That seems like ancient times now.

There are benefits to aging, although sometimes they seem few and far between. The ability to retire with savings and Social Security is also great, especially if you have suffered with terrible bosses. I am certain most of us can relate to that. My life is much simpler now. Every day for 47 years, I woke at 6AM (in whatever country I was located at the time) to get ready for work. When overseas, the days would stretch well into the evenings as the big bosses wanted to celebrate that day’s meetings with fancy dinners and cocktails. Since that was usually France, Australia, or Brazil, I had no problem with that. Nowadays, I generally wake when my eyes open, usually around 7:30 or 8:00. I honestly do not miss traveling around the globe. I do cherish the memories of all the cruises my wife and I took (a few with the children in tow). My favorite was the trans-Panama Canal cruise from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego (14 days). I think about another cruise from time to time, but it no longer excites me. I am not sure where I would want to go.

While traveling has lost most of its luster, I know I can continue to travel in the stories I tell. I have imagined creatures that thrive on gas giant planets like Jupiter. I created a Society of Humanity in the Andromeda Galaxy, and speculated about the future of humanity in several books, notably the Revolution Series. As I write, I put myself into those stories and feel as though I truly lived there. I created fantasy worlds where other forms of life rule, and others where living brains control massive spaceships seeking to convert all life to their cause.

For now, that is good enough for me. I look at my past and can see how far I have progressed. Moving forward is the best way to live life. Whatever happened yesterday is the past. The future is up to each of us, either through our actions, inaction, or the tales we tell. Now, I will settle for being a storyteller. That has motivated me since I was a child. My love for telling stories has not waned. I hope you find your niche and can do your best to fill it. That is all any of us can do. I wish you all the best!

Please take a few minutes out of your day to check out the posts by the other Rave Reviews Book Club authors who accompany me on this thirty day blog posting challenge. Click the link below to see what they have been up to. Thanks for your attention!

Once again, I looked up today’s date to find out what is special about March 23rd. Look at the list I found: National Puppy Day · Atheist Day · Chips and Dip Day · Cuddly Kitten Day · Day of the Liberation of Southern Africa · Erev Purim · Esther Fast · Melba Toast Day. I have little to comment on most of those, but I cannot miss National Puppy Day.

I must admit that Erev Purim is a very important Jewish holiday. My ex and her children are Jewish, and I attended Shul for years while we were married. The liberation of Southern Africa is also a great day. I still recall Nelson Mandela. He was such a great hero for his homeland. I do not believe more recent events are adding to his triumph, but that is my opinion.

But let us talk about puppies!! Who does not love puppies? I sure do. When I was growing up, my mother only wanted a cat, so that is what we had. Since my marriage so long ago, we always had dogs. We got them all as puppies. We loved them all, but sadly, only Zelda and Akiva remain. A lot of tears were shed for each loss. I will include a few pictures, if I can find them in the mess I call my computer.

The first was Mimi. She was a black miniature poodle, and was the best behaved dog ever. When I would walk the dogs, she never needed to have a leash. If she started to move away, I would snap my fingers or simply tell her, “Come back here.”

The second was Louis Pierre. He was another miniature black poodle, and the only male dog we had. Louis, or Big Doggie as my son called him, thought he ruled over the females, but they controlled him. He had the longest life of any of our dogs, at 19 years.

Next was Coco Chanel, a Bichon Frise, and also the largest dog we had, although I think Akiva is bigger than her. Coco loved to play catch. I would toss the ball and she would do somersaults when she was going to catch them. Very athletic and a real show-off.

At the same time that we had those three, we got Gigi. She was a mix, but mostly poodle. She was my wife’s best friend. She would take Gigi to the stores with her. When she was ready to check out, she would call Gigi who would run up to leg so she could be held by her mommy.

Next was my Chachis. She was a white miniature poodle, and my constant companion. I remember one day when I returned from work, I found Vini (my son’s pit-bull mix) chasing Chachis around the backyard. I was about to lose my mind when the two suddenly reversed course and then Chachis was chasing Vini.

We had all of them at the same time, so yes, about half the bed was covered with dogs, but we did not mind.

Over the years, we lost all but Chachis, who moved in with me. Our daughter found Zelda in the pound. She is a black Shih Tzu. At first my wife did not want another dog, but Zelda would have nothing to do with that. Instantly, she was her favorite, and still is.

I lost my Chachis three and a half years ago. I also never wanted to have another dog. The situation had really damaged me. Aida’s family includes several nieces who try to help lost or forgotten dogs in Tijuana. I kept receiving images of dogs they had acquired or seen online. I kept saying no, until one day I relented (two and a half years ago). We went to Tijuana to pick up Akiva.

Akiva had a tough time there. She had belonged to a young woman who loved her very much. However, she was going to a college where she could not take her. I still remember the conversation we had with that girl’s parents. They said that if I did not take her, they would find someone else because they do not like dogs. They also had a car load of stuff for Akiva. They asked if we wanted that too. The father said that we did not, he would just throw it all away. I could not believe my ears, but there it was.

Fast-forward to today. Akiva and I could not be happier. Being an introvert, I do not need a lot of friends. She is more than enough for me, and she is very happy here. What else is there to say, except Happy National Puppy Day!

Here is Chachis playing with Vini.

Here are Coco, Chachis, and Gigi showing off.

Chachis and Zelda being cool.

While I have your attention, please follow the link below to discover the amazing things the other Rave Reviews Book Club authors are posting. You will love them. I wish you all the best!

I decided to search for what is special about March 22nd. It turns out this is National Goof Off Day. If I had known that, I might have missed the opportunity to blather about this or that. Goofing off is a great American pastime. My issue is that my mind is constantly too busy for me to just sit back and relax. A real shame, I know. Goofing off is quite common in the business world, although we called it a meeting. Everyone has to give their two cents worth, and real outcomes rarely happen. I can imagine Board of Directors or C-Level meetings that are exactly like that. I worked for several huge corporations and a few small companies. Meetings rarely resulted in positive business ideas.

When I worked for a personal protective equipment company, I recall a meeting with the big shots from sales. They were telling us how they would sell our latest product, called VeriPro. That system (software driven and operated by certified trainers, most who would be audiologists) helped ensure workers received the hearing protection level they needed to remain safe. The sales guys all wanted us to focus on selling the most units to our largest distributors, just like earplugs, earmuffs, and other PPE equipment. Pardon me for patting my own back with my response. I told them that selling VeriPro was not about selling VeriPro. They looked at me like I was crazy (perhaps I am). Then I added that selling VeriPro is about selling ourselves. With that product, we were demonstrating that we are not just salespeople. We are professionals who are truly concerned about the health of the workers using our products. That ended the meeting.

Being a finance and accounting guy, those types of solutions seemed obvious to me. As we all know, salespeople are focused on selling the most units to get the largest payoff.

A year or two later, the business was sold to a major US corporation. They have effectively destroyed most of the value they received when they paid more than a billion dollars for the company. Those decisions must have been made in meetings too.

I have been retired for just over two years now. Frankly, no more meetings is a wonderful thing. It is unfortunate that most of us have to work for 40 or more years to earn the right not to attend meetings. I worked for 47 years. Now I can focus on what I love, which is writing stories. Storytelling has been part of me my entire life. To be honest, I did a lot of storytelling while working, like case studies on whether we should enter the Brazilian market, and if it was more profitable to operate our plant in Tijuana, Mexico, or if we should move operations to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Being away from maniacal bosses is a wonderful thing. For some reason, I found them in most companies where I worked. I hope your working life was not a much a roller-coaster as mine. If your jobs have been like mine, try writing a book about it. I wish you all the best.

If you have the time, please check out the blog posts by the other Rave Reviews Book Club authors who are participating in this 30 Day Challenge. I know you will find something you needed to hear. You can use the link below to go there whenever you are ready.

Apparently, there are lots of things to celebrate today. I will try to tackle three in my own twisted, silly way. Today is both National Crunchy Taco Day, and National French Bread Day. To be honest, I have had Taco Bell tacos in the past. I also used to work in Tijuana, Mexico. I do not recall crunchy tacos in Mexico. The street vendors usually used two small corn tortillas, then added carne asada, guacamole, and salsa. Lime wedges were always available on the side. I must admit the street tacos are some of the best I ever ate. Hopefully, you know of a Mexican restaurant where you live that makes them right. I once went to a Mexican restaurant in Sweden. It was without a doubt, less than 2% Mexican. Of course, the Swedes have their own taste, so the owners have to do things differently. French bread is another sticky wicket for me. I have been to France quite a few times on business. A baguette from the local boulangerie is truly memorable. I do not know if it’s still around, but there was a place in San Francisco that used to ship frozen, unbaked croissants across the country. The owners were French, and the product was amazing. My parents also told me a tale about France when I was just a toddler. The helper we had would take me with her to the boulangerie to buy bread. According to my folks, my French as a young child was very good. Obviously, I do not remember that.

Today is also National Common Courtesy Day. Wow! That is a blast from the past! Those of you from my generation probably recall when courtesy was the standard. Even though we call it common courtesy, it does not seem to be that common anymore. I cannot count the number of times I have seen parents out to lunch with their children or groups of friends and all of them are staring at their phones. I admit that I look at my phone too, but not when I am spending time with someone. That used to be called rude, and to me it is still. Now, I do not control how others relate to one another, but come on! You go out to eat with friends or family to be together. That means conversation and kidding around, not checking out some odd post on social media. The post will still be there later, but who knows how long the family will last. Parents grow old. Children grow up. If you cannot spend quality time with them, what kind of life do you have? One of these days, you will be on your own. Then you can spend all of your days and nights staring at your phone. I cannot imagine what a terrible, lonely life that would be. Trust me, life is hard enough already. Without friends or family, what do you really have?

You might want to consider that the next time your eyes are drawn to your phone. Call your siblings, parents, or children instead, or better yet, invite them over or go visit them in person. Being close to those you love is the greatest gift you can receive. Your generosity will be well rewarded.

While I wrote this, my thoughts went out to our founder, author Nonnie Jules. Knowing how she looks at family and friendship, I know she will be smiling, or at least correcting my grammar.

Have I opined enough for today? I think so. While I have your attention, I strongly recommend that you check out the posts by the other Rave Reviews Book Club members who are with me on this blogging challenge. There is always something new to understand. You can click the link below to check them all out. All the best. And give someone you love a big hug.