Whirlwind nearly over, part 9

Good morning all my fans and followers. I appreciate you taking the time to read my ramblings and thoughts of the day. With this post, I will be closing this thread on what a whirlwind this last month has been. Whew! I really thought I was going to close it down several days ago but then my lady’s job vaporized.

Speaking about her job et. all, she is doing fine. In many ways, she seems relieved and calm about everything. Her job, while stressful only some of the time, has taken a great weight off her shoulders. She is much more animated and lively. She is sleeping better and living life to the fullest. I like this new lady that I have committed to.

Thanks to all of you out there that sent me well wishes, concerns and offered advice on moving forward. I am taking them all to heart and will definitely use them to help me. In turn, that will allow me to help her as needed.

Taste of Honey book cover 3D

As I reflected upon the past week, I couldn’t help but compare this experience to Mona Bendarova’s world. Just to recap, Mona is the main character in my books in the Mona Bendarova Adventure series. In the first book, ‘The Taste of Honey’, she solves the mysterious disappearance of a woman, only to find out that she was kidnapped and imprisoned against her will by a jealous competitor.

Broken Steele

In the second book, ‘Broken Steele’, she solves the mystery of the brutal and violent murder. In turn, she is rewarded with her own estate and in the third book ‘Lucky Bitch’ currently in development, she moves out of the only home she has known her entire adult life to take the helm of mastery of her own home. She is out of her depth here, struggling to figure out her new environment while caring for and feeding her large estate.

Early in this thread, I wrote that I will incorporate my experiences with Mona’s move to her her estate. I can’t help compare Mona’s struggles with her new home with my new home and the household’s sudden job loss. Throughout the third book, she deals with passive aggression, acts of terrorism, and emotional and physical fatigue of her new situation.

A core group of friends and lovers are there to help but it’s obvious that the community around her are split on whether to support her or aggressively work against her. Mona feels the pressure of many who want to oust her from her new position. She is unprepared to deal with it. Their community prides themselves on collaborative support, in both work and play. This growing conflict is an unknown and she struggles with how to deal with it.

Even members of her own estate, people she would do anything for, even defend them to the death if necessary, seem to be against her. Yet, she may have to defend her house to the death. She is attacked, assaulted, suffered the brutal killing of supportive friends with their bodies put on public display as a warning message to others. The message being of course, “This is what could happen to you should you side with Mona.”

Climbing the Broken LadderThe main issue here is that she is a woman occupying what has become thought of as a man’s entitlement. For almost two hundred years, no woman has become the Master of an estate. She was granted the estate for her guiding work on a job well done, benefiting the entire community around her. Yet, much of the community hates the idea of a ‘woman’ in charge of an estate. What’s next? Will she rise to the ‘Head of State’ of the entire community? It could happen. The current character who holds the title is nearing the end of his tenure and people are looking for a change.

Sound familiar? What will happen if my own country elects a woman president this coming November? What will happen if they don’t and instead, elect her opponent? I have my own opinions which I will not write about. What I do know is that my country, USA, is going through some interesting times. It remains to be seen whether these are good times or bad.

Mona, what would you do? What will you do?

Crossing my fingers.

Whirlwind nearly over, part 6

BeatlesWoke up this morning, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head ….

Thank you Beatles for the inspirational song ‘A Day in The Life’ to start my day off right. All of the above was true, except for the last statement. I haven’t needed to drag a comb across my head in decades. I used to have hair like that but it’s been gone since my early twenties. I did shave though, so maybe I should modify the line to “dragged a razor across my face”. Nah!

The point is, in getting up, I realized that there is nothing I have to do this afternoon and evening. I have a free night off. There’s no vendor I need to meet with, no deliveries I have to be home for, and my hot tub is slowly doing its magic on my ravaged body. Even my living room, dining room, and kitchen are starting to shape up. My office is getting there. I’m still getting used to my new writing desk.

Whoo hoo! I have nothing I have to do tonight. The very thought is wonderful in of itself.

So, what is the plan when I go home today after work? I have no fucking idea. Isn’t that great!

I might open a box or two, I’m in the market for a couple of storage cabinets so maybe I’ll shop for them. Online of course from the comfort of my easy chair. I could just sit behind my computer screen and write. ‘Lucky Bitch’ is begging for attention. I really should do that and maybe I will. Maybe I’ll just lean back, close my eyes, do nothing, and vegetate.

What I suppose I’ll do is whatever fancy’s me. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll decide when I get home and strip off my work clothes. I might even take an air bath.

Life is slowly returning to normal.

Whirlwind is almost over, part 5

As I reflect upon the last few weeks, I can’t help think about what I can do to incorporate my experiences into a book. Granted, I’ve barely written 2500 words these past weeks and I haven’t given much thought to the story-lines I’m working on. However, now that I am in the short rows of the move, my mind is beginning to return to the scene of the crimes.

The good news is, I can apply my experience to the new book that I am writing, called ‘Lucky Bitch’. Mona Bendarova’s third book is the perfect opportunity to incorporate my experience. At the end of the second book in the series, ‘Broken Steele’, Mona is given the opportunity to become the Mistress of her own House. ‘Lucky Bitch’ opens with her move to her new home and the struggles she faces in taking over the care and management of her home and their occupants.

Bonfire on beachShe is excited and nervous now that she is responsible for the care and feeding of hundreds of people. Think of the medieval age of feudalism in Europe and you’ll get a sense of what she is up against. While she has access to technological advances we enjoy now, they are just a resource. People don’t live their lives in their devices, preferring to interact with each other directly, face to face.

Her new responsibilities aside, she faces challenges of moving in, organizing the house, and setting up her private personal spaces. Her dedication to her house is so great that she puts off her own personal comforts in favor of meeting the needs of the people living under her roof. Sure, she has help and many of them do their best to help her. However, Mona is uncomfortable with delegating responsibilities. Until now, her only responsibilities were to her own Master, Master Charles. She looked to him for guidance and performed to his expectations. Now, Mona is the one her house is looking to for direction and guidance and Mona feels like a fish out of water, not that she knows what a fish is, being they have all been extinct for over a millennium.

Mona works tirelessly, barely getting 3 hours of sleep each day. Her world is exploding in storm and fire. She is working so hard to take care of her home that she is failing to take care of herself. Her staff and household members see this but their pleas fall upon deaf ears.

Additionally, there are many in her community as well as within her own house that do not accept that a woman now has ownership and Mastery of her own estate. They resent her and try to discredit her. She’s earned her position but like the sexual disparity of today’s workforce, she’s broken through the glass ceiling, only find that she fights prejudice and resentment. Both emotions are something foreign to her. The nice and friendly community she grew up in is quickly becoming a community of distrust. Factions are lining up on either side of the blurred issues. Things will only get worse before they get better.

How does this relate to my recent move, you ask?

My own fatigue and abuse I’ve done to my body gives me a frame of reference that I can apply to Mona. I’ve ravaged my body in coordinating my move. I suspect it will take many months before I recover. In the meantime, I can write into ‘Lucky Bitch’ much of my own experiences. I can feel for Mona and in turn, include those feelings into Mona so that you, the reader, can feel the aches and pains that we each go through.

Time to get back to work and finish the book. My initial draft is still not finished, though it is close. As I rewrite the draft, I plan to insert my aching back into her experiences and hopefully make it more real. Wish me luck.

Whirlwind nearly over, part 3

Last time, I wrote about springing the surprise of my move on a dear friend and his wife. Though the move is officially over and I am living in my new home for a couple of weeks, it’s not really over. There are too many boxes left to be unpacked, window treatment to hang, furniture to deal with, and a plethora of other things to do. Most of my friends, (that being my books and artwork), are still packed away. Very little is hanging on the walls and there is still much to do.

The worst part?

I can’t find a damn thing. Well, that’s not completely true but it feels that way. Take for example, my favorite keyboard for this computer I’m writing on. I CAN’T F’ing FIND IT! So, I’m using a spare which I don’t like but I normally have attached to another computer I keep hooked up in the basement that handles my backups. Which BTW, that computer is not hooked up either. Other than lights and one utility outlet next to the circuit breaker box, there are no outlets to give it life. I need to get an electrician in to wire up the place.

But I can’t do that either right now! I don’t know how I want to utilize the space. There are still boxes galore to sort, organize and empty. It’s a problem for sure but a good problem. I foresee me being happy in this new home for many years to come.

There was one bit of good news which happened yesterday. My hot tub is now hooked up, filled with water, and today I’m going hot tubing. My body feels ravaged from this whirlwind of a move. Every bone and muscle in my body feels like I’ve been working out at the gym for hour after hour all day, everyday for over a month. My back is sore, my shoulders ache and even my ass hurts. Not from sitting mind you. Sitting doesn’t help that either. Rather, it’s aches and pain that radiate out from my ass down the back of my legs. My hamstrings and calves feel the brunt of the aches but every now and then, a shooting pain jumps from my ass and shoots right down the back of my left leg. Yeow!

Be Relaxed, Be Renewed, Be RestoredTo help restore my body, I went to my favorite masseuse and got a full body, deep tissue massage. Relaxing MassageI knew I screwed my body up something fierce during the heyday of the move. Was I ever right. Tammy, my masseuse whom I highly recommend, runs her own business BeMassageAndWellness.com. She found damage that I didn’t even know about. She found a problem in my right shoulder that was so bad, she worked on it for much of the session. She found the same issue on my left shoulder as well, only not as bad. When she was working on my left hamstring, it felt like she was digging a hole deep into the earth, even though she was barely pressing with her magic fingers.

I routinely see her but I must admit, I skipped a couple of months due to the move. I guess I should have listened to her. What I like best about her, is that she follows up the following day, asking me, how do I feel. Such service is rare and extremely appreciated. So, if I may. If you are in need of a talented, caring, and professional masseuse, you can’t go wrong with booking a session with Tammy. She’s a hero in my book.

Till next time when I expect to wrap up this little experience, I hope you have a great day and a better tomorrow.

Whirlwind nearly over, part 2

The other day, I wrote about why I had been pretty quiet of late. I moved from one home to another. The big question is … why did I not write about the move before now?

14269901_s
Snow Bird

It all has to do with a dear friend of mine. He and his wife have been bugging me for years to sell my home and move to one near them. I love them dearly and yet, I loved the house I used to live in. Frankly, I resisted the urge to up and move. They are also snow birds. For those of you who don’t know the term, it means that they fly to their winter home in Florida and return in the spring. Yup, they roost in the warm sunshine of Florida while I live and work in the North East snows and cold weather.

17059963_sSince the decision to sell and move occurred while they were in Florida, I decided I wanted to surprise them. Since they read this blog, I couldn’t write about it till now. The more I thought about it, the more the evil in me wanted to surprise them.

Yes, you guessed it. The surprise has been sprung. Last week as a matter of fact. They returned a week ago Monday and we all met up for dinner at my place. The old place and were they ever in for a surprise. The sold sign on the front lawn and closing happening the following day. They were shocked and speechless.

Together, we all went out from dinner, saying goodbye for the last time to the old house, ate a fabulous meal while we spilled the beans on everything we had hidden from them. After dinner, we all went to the new house and introduced them to it.

Can you feel the evil grin on my face throughout all this?

They also surprised us by showing up with a new car, which they bought while still in Florida. I am looking forward to entertaining and playing domino’s with them and the lady in my life long into the evening. Their closing comment to the two of us was ‘You done good.’

I couldn’t be happier.

 

Thank you!

The Taste of Honey
The Taste of Honey

A big thank you to the person who bought a copy of my book, ‘The Taste of Honey’ the other day. I really do appreciate it.

As you read it, you’ll find out just how to have an office meeting. You’ll never go to another meeting without thinking twice ever again.

I hope you will post a kind review.

 

Peanuts

What is your favorite Peanuts character?

I don’t know why, but I’ve been pondering this question for a couple of days. I compared each one to what I think is important in my life and decided that Snoopy was the best fit.

A dog you might ask. Look at it this way and take the species aspect out of it.

Snoopy has a very active imagination. He’s a fighter pilot flying in an open cockpit bi-wing fighter plane. He plays baseball. He knows enough to get enough sleep. He decorates his house for the holidays. He is a writer, a good friend, and a party animal. He tells it like it is and makes no bones about it. He questions idiocy and doesn’t take shit from anybody. Most importantly, he unconditionally loves his friends and family.

He is an independent soul and won’t be forced to conform. He believes what he believes and lives his life accordingly. You either take him as he is or you don’t. It’s not so much that he doesn’t care. Rather, it’s more akin to not being aware that some people may not appreciate him.

Snoopy and I are very much alike. That is why he is my favorite ‘Peanuts’ character. Who is yours and why? We could get into a very interesting dialog.

Thank you fans

Broken SteeleThe Taste of HoneyI’ve just noticed that two more people purchased my books. First, someone bought a copy of ‘Broken Steele’, the exciting sequel to ‘The Taste of Honey’, which someone also bought. Thank you all. I appreciate it. I hope you enjoy them.

The third book in the series, ‘Lucky Bitch’ is in the works. I hope to have it ready in a couple of months. It picks up a few months after ‘Broken Steele’ ends, providing new challenges for Mona to survive. Yes, that’s right. She’s got a target on her back. Fortunately, she has a close circle of friends who help watch her back. I can’t wait to find out how it will all turn out.

‘The Taste of Honey’ and ‘Broken Steele’ can be purchased on my website RichardVerry.com or at your favorite book retailer such as Amazon. They are available as ‘real’ paper books or for your favorite eBook reader.

Facing Challenges

I read a quote on FB earlier today and it struck home as it relates to my blog post the other day on Chaos. The quote reads.

“We don’t grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges.” Author unknown.

I found the quote interesting. I’ve instinctively believed in this concept, I found the reminder to be welcomed. It’s one thing to keep trudging through life, working out challenges and over coming obstacles. We all do it.

It’s quite another to realize that individually and as a species, our growth only comes about when we ‘work the problem’ and find solutions to meet the need.

Of course, most solutions reveal other challenges but so what? More challenges = more opportunities for growth. I welcome any and all opportunity for growth.

Broken SteeleOvercoming challenges and growing is a central theme to my ‘Mona Bendarova Adventures’ novels. The characters in those books had to overcome a challenge so devastating to the human race, that they found a most ingenious if not difficult to accept solution. However, as a species, they embraced the solution and a thousand years later, the human race is still around. I’m not sure I would like to live in that environment but if I did, I would be well versed in the reasons why and would accept them.

However, that wouldn’t stop me from working towards over coming the new challenges that arose as a result. Mona and company are doing exactly that. She is determined to find a new solution to the new challenge. Overcoming it won’t be easy. In fact, it will be extremely hard, being there are social, moral and scientific obstacles in her way. Little by little, book after book, Mona is enlisting the help of those around her and perhaps, one day, they will find a solution and grow yet again.

This brings me back to our current lives. Mona’s are fictional. Ours are real. Today, we have plenty of obstacles which challenge us daily. Social disorder and chaos is happening right now, all around our planet. It is up to us, the current tenants of our world to come to terms with these challenges. Once we do, we will grow exponentially.

Can you imagine what we could do with that? Can you imagine where we could be in a thousand years. I can. How about you?