Category: Blogs!

39! Some frustrations but books!

I’m thirty-nine years old!

I was unable to take my Security+ exam!

…sonofabitch.

I stood up from my desk to get Cooper, the golden retriever, a calming chewie to keep his barking down when I had two minutes before the start time. Little did I know (because they only wrote in chat and did not speak) the proctor had logged in early and decided that my coming back into frame was enough to declare my test time invalid. Before the exam would start.

Yes, I’m appealing for a redo and should hear something soon. But to say that I was angry was an understatement of…epic proportions. I basically shut down to keep from shouting at everyone, since no one around me deserved to receive my grumpiness. I’ve calmed down enough to be socially acceptable (as much as I am normally, anyway) and I’m making the most of my time off from the post office and not studying for 9 hours a day.

On a high note, I’ve found books to read for the next month!

I have no idea what the Swifts book is about, and I’m not one for Young Adult stories, but it caught my attention (understandably) when Sarah pointed it out at the bookstore. That, and finding a new (to me) series to try out rounded out my birthday.

I’ll give myself a month to read “Colonyside” and set a reminder to write up an opinion piece, but if you’re a science-fiction reader and fan of John Scalzi: the first line is a damn good hook.

“I’m not dead yet.”

You know what…all right, Michael Mammay. That’ll do. If it turns out that I’m reading out of order, I’ll post a correction and hurriedly catch up.

And now…Cooper taking the good seat for the fireplace.

Stay safe out there, folks.

-JB Swift

02/09/2025 Sunday Updates

Progress is progressing!

Except for when Korra thinks I need to stop studying by cramming herself under my desk.

With studies paused and dogs moved out of small spaces, I did manage another writing session before being interrupted by Cooper!

Cooper was not pleased that I had spent most of my Saturday at my desk.

He wouldn’t look at me for almost three minutes. That’s hours of resentment for golden retrievers.

02/07/2025 Vacation Starts, Study Time Now!

Folks, I’m away from the Post Office for the next…checks calendar…two weeks! After clocking out yesterday and clearing out the case and Union PO Box, I ran away from the building with all the appearance of a schoolboy at the beginning of summer.

Why is there a two-week vacation from work in the middle of winter? I have two reasons: first, my birthday is this month and when I have the leave, I take most of the month off as a gift to myself. Second, because I’m taking the Security+ certification exam on my birthday, so the majority of the time-off will be spent at this desk and reading for all I’m worth.

That doesn’t sound much different than what I do on any of my regular non-scheduled days, does it?

But while I’m going to be bound to this spot for the next two weeks, I’ll be able to make daily posts, provided I don’t get hit with executive dysfunction. Speaking of which, another chunk of writing progress was made this week!

It’s not even into Chapter 11. I need an editor who doesn’t mind Star Wars fanfiction; that, or I was shooting too low for my projected goals.

I’m betting the latter.

There are several projects and notes I’d like to get back to, plus a few ideas to try. In the meantime, look at the leek Sarah got me.

There’s a leek in my office!

Back to the studying I go.

02/02/2025 Happy Birthday, Mom

Today was a day spent having dinner with the woman who always encourages me to find spots throughout the day to work at my writing: my mother.

No pictures, I’m afraid, but I forgot to ask her permission to post photos, so I’m going to leave that as it is.

On top of that, said dinner was a true rarity: having all four of us (Dad, Mom, my older brother, and myself) at the table! Considering how far we all live from each other, I think this happens maybe once a year if at all.

It was a pure moment for mom to experience and I’m hopeful the next time comes about soon.

Snow Day in Louisiana

While any readers in more Northern climates might be scoffing at the excitement, I will unashamedly talk a little about the consequences of an arctic blast reaching the Gulf of Mexico: snow on the ground, and it’s actually fluffy!

Six inches of snow is predicted for the next day. This being the South, and thus beyond the reckoning of most of its inhabitants, no one knew precisely what to do about the weather. Normally, this would not be a detractor for me and the Post Office. I’d be walking out in that and honestly wouldn’t mind (until Reynauds kicked in and my hands started to hurt and curl in on themselves), but schools have been closed for today and tomorrow.

Bundled up the children and chucked them outside for as long as they could stand the 24 degrees with 51% humidity. That’s a lot drier than they’re used to, but then again, they’re not used to snow being on the ground. While it’s not the first time they’ve had snow, it’s a rare enough event to cause psychotically happy moods and a need to go racing out the door.

They lasted twenty minutes before Han discovered that, like her father and grandmother, Reynaud’s disease is genetic and hurts even when you warm back up.

A for effort, kids. They made the most of the little snow they’ve had so far. By mid-afternoon, they’ll be wanting to go back outside, having forgotten the consequences of the weather and soon to be running back inside as the temperature plummets.

It was also a first for Cooper to see snow, and like the children, the puppy lost his goddamned mind.

That area was blanketed just a few minutes before I snapped the photo. I’ve never seen a Golden get the zoomies quite that hard before.

I, on the other hand, have had enough experience with the cold weather to know that my hands won’t let me enjoy it for too long. I did go out there and played a bit –because how often do I get to hurl snowballs at my children? -before heading inside and handling the indoor responsibilities. Prepping for winter meals such as stews, soups, and so on.

I’ve managed 30 minutes of writing time today, and another 30 minutes of studying for the certification exam, but due to listening to the Silmarillion again, I’ve started up on a small project for those late-night hours when I can’t sleep due to minding the fireplace but can’t get the brain to focus on the story: map-making.

I have no idea what it’ll be used for, but it’s something to keep up the creativity and thus ward off the insanity. I also came across one of WordPress’ ‘Writing Prompts’ that caught my interest, so there may be two posts today. I’ll get another writing sprint in while the children have their afternoon “it’s snowing, oh crap that means it’s cold and we’re not acclimated to that!” playtime.

Y’all bundle up out there and mind the cold.

-JB Swift

01/19/2025 A Busy Week meets Forced Time Off

The past week has been frustrating in assigning priorities, but now that I’ve been ‘forced’ to stay home for a few days, I’ll be able to hold myself to my daily goals!

The week was full of myself saying that before I could sit down at the desk and write, I needed to make progress in my house project: handling the bigger cleaning chores before Sarah came back from her trip. Between that and minding the gremlins we had created, it’d be near 9 or 10 PM before I could make it to the keyboard.

Responsibilities are not fun, but it’ll be satisfying when Sarah comes home to clothes folded and put away, floors cleaned, and (if I’m lucky) the kids’ rooms not looking like tornados had come in for visits.

Another reason I’m trying so hard to make it into remote work as a cybersecurity analyst: I like house-spousing.

What else had happened during the week? Plenty!

Han discovered my learning how to bake and helped me figure out two recipes: shortbread cookies and hand pies.

Apparently, hand pies are meat pies but large enough to function as full meals. Got it from a Hobbit cookbook.

The next four days look like I’ll be staying at the house while Louisiana handles an artic blast that the residents are nowhere near prepared for, so with luck I’ll be able to sit down and write or study. Or we’ll have the power knocked out; one or the other.

Y’all stay safe in the weather.

-JB Swift

01/07/2025 Passing the Course, so On to the Next Challenge

Folks, I’m beyond exhausted, but not from physical labor. Instead, I’m exhausted through relief.

I’ve passed my final presentation for the cybersecurity bootcamp classes! Six months of intense schoolwork and learning skills that were a younger me’s goal.

Now, I have two months to prepare for the certification exam. But first, I must sleep.

Take care, y’all. Too damn tired to write.