William G. Howard's Universe

July 5th 2022 - I appreciate a jingoistic celebration of America as much as the next guy. I revel in watching Veterans march to the beat of a drum while there is a rousing chorus of passerbys chanting " Thank you for your service" as well as an assortment of marching bands, minor celebrities, kids on trikes, and homecoming queens. What is troubling to me about the celebration of our nation's birthday in recent years is the rise in the instances of people demonstrating reckless and dangerous behavior. As I watched the news last night, I was hoping for the holiday generic news, reporting on parade, barbecue and people enjoying a day off. What I got instead was a report on a disenfranchised lone gunman who decided to take out his frustrations with society at the barrel of a gun. The common solution for the rise in violence is to take guns away from "these" people. However, this removal of guns doesn't solve the problem that there are millions of people who feel alone, abandoned or in pain. Until we find an more effective way to help these people with something other than drugs or assurances that you'll feel better if you cheer up, the gun violence crisis will be with us for a long time to come.

Had a challenge this morning about how to deal with a situation that arose. Was scheduled to go before work to get some overdue blood work. I had it all planned out. I had informed work that I would be late, had scheduled an Uber and made the appointment. Then life threw me a curveball. Went down stairs this morning to retrieve the script for the blood work and couldn't find it. Have to admit that I did get frustrated and wanted to throw an envelope or two, but I kept telling myself that the doctor had the original script and that I would just need to wait an hour or two to call my doctors office to get the script and reschedule the appointment. Fifty two years old and still working on being patient and realizing that sometimes it is all right if things don't get done right away. - July 6th 2022

July 6th 2022 - Took a leap of faith this morning. Called my publisher, Archway, and set up the publishing package for the next book, Sword of Aeschylean. I don't know where the money is coming from to pay for the book or if I will even be able to finish the book. Haven't even finished paying my editor. But with all that said, I know in my heart that the story will find its way out of me and onto the printed page.

July 11th 2022 Happy seven eleven to everyone. I feel like I should be picking up a slurped, a gallon of milk and some eggs. Just always saying thank you for when something is convenient and easy. Whether it is curb side service, being the next in line at the department store or having a slow day at work (which never happens by the way). Love easy and convenient things. However, I find myself taking the convienences in my life for granted at times. If a series releases all the episodes at one, I find myself devouring them all like popcorn. Even though I will enjoy a program that drops all the episodes, I find that the stories all merge together and are not as memorable. However, a show that drops one episode at a time holds my interest longer and is more memorable because I am left pondering the very last scene for a week to two weeks before I have the satisfaction of knowing what happens. And I feel that I have earned the right to see the resolution because I was patient and managed to wait through an extended absence. The things in my life that don't come easy, writing, a good marriage and a rewarding career, hold more meaning for me because they are things that I have worked for, pleasures that I have earned and hold greater meaning, not because they were easy but because they were earned through blood, sweat and hard work.