Happy Father’s Day to my US American readers.
I’d wax rhapsodic about the significance of the holiday, but I think I have something better to show you.
Haven’t had a good burrito in months. It’s going to be a good day.
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
7yr-old daughter: “Hey Dad, I’ve left you a puzzle when you start writing!”
Me: “Really? What kind of puzzle?”
7: “Can you find something at your desk that shouldn’t be there?”
… solid puzzle. It took me nearly five minutes to figure it out. I think I’ll leave it there and let the kid imagine she’s stumped her Old Man.
Back to writing, researching, and job searching. Hopefully, I’ll get things sorted out enough to host a couple of gaming sessions. I’ve missed my players.
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
What happens when the 6yr old with Occupational Therapy homework gets to spend the day at home with Dad?
PlayDoh projects!
Ben couldn’t get the PlayDoh out of the molds, so I helped. To be fair, my hurts were killing me after getting through all of these.
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
It’s going to be a quiet day today, while my son and I get to have a day just to ourselves.
This has been an exceedingly rare event ever since he was born, so I’ll be offline for the day.
In the meanwhile, here’s Korra being mischevious!
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
The corgi is 12 years old now, and with Casey and Joe gone, he has assumed the title of Old Man.
He’s mostly blind and deaf, and he gets confused if you move too quickly around him. I have to herd the herding dog around the house to get him to his bowl or kennel, which now is kept open. Once he finds it, he refuses to leave it and I can’t really blame the guy; that small den must be a comfort.
He’ll be under my desk for most of today, and that’ll be worrisome. He nips at my house slippers if I move unexpectedly.
Stay safe out there, folks. Got a morning of writing before the day is taken over by chores.
-JB Swift
My family is slightly confused with me being around so much.
Though they’re also happy with the fact that the chores normally taking two or three nights to finish (because of sheer exhaustion) has been done during the morning, with the rest of the day being spent actually being around. For the first time in 15 years.
I bet $5 that they all start begging for me to find odd jobs soon. Han asked me quite bluntly, “Dad, don’t you have any writing to do?” when I dropped off the second set of folded clothes.
I did take her advice and made it through thirty minutes of writing before I was called away to help with the household. With over 700 words, I felt pretty good about myself and my craft. Right up until I realized how much I was putting into the story.
It’s looking like novella-range is going to be hit quite easily, and I’m wondering if I will be able to sell it, or if I’ll need to figure out how to either pare it down immensely or add to it until it’s at the minimum word count for novel-length.
I mean… I’d try it.
While trying to figure out what to do with that, I’m looking through my collection of sci-fi books to read over. I’ve one I’ve read before (but it’s been a minute) and one that I can’t remember buying.
I’ve read “Ender’s Game” before, but that was… 20 years ago? Maybe more? It’s a bit of a blur to recall. “Rendezvous with Rama” by Arhur C. Clarke looks like it’s supposed to be in my collection, but I really don’t remember buying it, or it being loaned/gifted to me. I’m not sure which one to look over and give a review, so if you’ve made it this far, leave a comment on which one you’d like me to talk about!
I might attempt another writing sprint this evening, but the part I’m getting to will be action-intensive, so I’ll want to make sure I handle it correctly. Most likely it’ll be an evening of resume building (yay…) and Fallout.
Meanwhile, the Carport Kitten named Baka is trying to destroy my shoes.
Stay safe out there, folks!
-JB Swift
After 15 years of a career, I’ve discovered that job searching today is both uplifting and challenging.
I’m happy to see so many companies stating they’re for inclusivity and celebrating individual differences, but so few are open to a middle-aged man with no college degree. It’s made for a vexing morning.
But I did manage to carve out more writing time, with 1,300 words in a one-hour sprint! Progress is progressing.
The evening is looking to be busy with chores and much-needed family time, so here’s a photo of the carport cat:
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
We’ve been adopted by an idiot.
When you live out in rural areas, you have to expect critters to show up on your property. I wasn’t expecting a stray kitten to walk up and decide ‘this carport will do’, but I came home to find two bowls set out and a starved moron climbing the screen of my door.
Sigh. Maybe he’ll survive long enough to help keep other critters away.
After a couple of days, he’s put on weight and took to staying under the carport, so we made a makeshift den for him.
Meet Baka, everyone. Yes, the name is appropriate. I watched him attempt to pounce a bird and the bird pecked the hell out of him before he ran back to his box.
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
Sarah and I used to make the joke that if she were ever offered a job whose salary could cover our household, I’d become a house-spouse that very instant. I’ve said this before at the office, mostly because it made the older men stare in confusion.
Welp, I now have the abundance of time that comes from being at home. I have to admit that this is very odd for me, but I’m game to learn what I can do.
I also have the caveat that my chest muscles are still recovering, so I have weight-lifting restrictions. That will drive me crazy, eventually, but for now I’m piddling around the house and learning what all I can do.
So, what can I do?
Gonna wander around and find out, so it’ll be an adventure for today!
Pray for my family; they’ve never had me around this much.
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
Indiana got his dog bed back!
Penelope was mad that there was a kitten living in the carport and showed her displeasure by peeing on the bed. I’m reinvesting in those old “Don’t Pee Here” sprays.
But it just wouldn’t be the Swift Ranch if the animals weren’t a little weird.
…yup, that tracks.
Stay safe out there, folks. Gotta put a cold compress on my side, so it’ll be a quiet night.
-JB Swift
Swift's Corner 