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.

Today is World Storytelling Day. I hope that does not apply to politicians, as most of what they do is storytelling. I will assume we are speaking about writers and playwrights, etc. The people who really tell stories.

My first comment goes to everyone who has planned to write a story but never finished it. I learned this long ago, but happened to see a Facebook meme online two days ago that is all new writers need to know. You already know the author.

I cannot recall where I saw or heard that before, but it is golden information. Others have told me they tried to write a book, but constantly went back to tweak this or that. That never works. You will end up in a spiral of rewrites long before you write THE END. The end then never comes. I think it is a shame, but then again, there is less competition for eyeballs if others quit. Obviously, there are so many writers out there who have published that we do not immediately stand out.

I have another dear friend whose father started a very successful personal protective device company. He asked me if I would help write his story. Of course I said yes. I still have not heard or seen any information for me to start with. That is another issue with new writers. You wait to gather all the information before you start. Then, you never get all the data you want, and the project goes cold. I know both the father and the son very well. The father is now 82 and I do not know if it will ever happen. That’s a shame, as I worked for that company for fourteen years (through multiple acquirers). They completely changed the earplug market.

Perhaps I am specially blessed. I never seem to run out of ideas for the next book. Too often, I stall somewhere in the middle. If the muse does not guide me, those shells of stories sit helplessly on my laptop. As I have mentioned before, I am working to resurrect some of them now. In my case, sometimes the story takes control and I lose track of where I was originally headed. Maybe that happens to you too.

I also recall a book file from a woman in Spain (I think). She hired a translator, who was terrible. I could not understand half of what was going on. I let the author know the problem, but never heard back.

Perhaps the writers in the Rave Reviews Book Club are especially blessed. There are always new stories to read and review. Still, part of me goes back to those others who tried, but could not complete what had been their dream. Imagine the incredible stories we have missed. If you know other writers, give them a pat on the back, and Stephen King’s advice. Truer words have never been said. I wish you all the best.

Thank you for reading my post. I hope something I wrote can help you write your next great novel or nonfiction book. In your free moments, please check out the posts by the other authors taking part in this 30 Day Blogging Challenge. You will be overjoyed. To go there now, just click the link below.

Today turns out to be National Let’s Laugh Day. I did not know that. The good side for today is that I can binge watch my set of Mel Brooks movies. I watched Robin Hood- Men in Tights just a couple days ago. One I do not intend to watch today is To Be Or Not To Be. While the movie had plenty of laughs, the theme behind it was not at all funny. It occurs in Germany during World War II. The hero (Mel) wants to rescue Jews from Germany before they get taken away. My all time favorite continues to be History of the World- Part 1. Many others prefer Blazing Saddles, which was hilarious too. While that movie focuses on the Old West, History of the World lambasts all of human life from the beginning. A favorite scene is when Mel is a waiter at the Last Supper. Just after Jesus says that one of his disciples will betray him, Mel shouts, “Judas, what did you want to drink?”, or something similar. The French Revolution segment was amazingly funny. Cloris Leachman plays a leader of the mob that wants to depose the king. At one point, she laments that the poor had no language of their own, but instead only had the silly accent. Priceless.

Laughter is the best medicine. I wish some of the programs I watched on TV years ago were still available to see. F Troop was wonderful, as were Happy Days, Three’s Company, and of course, Mork and Mindy. I also have the set of Naked Gun movies, the complete Three Stooges, and many other choices. I was into British TV years ago. I even have the full run of Are You Being Served. The younger generation probably would not understand the humor, but I loved it none the less.

We all know that sometimes life is not fair. We can deal with the disappointments in many ways, but I prefer to put my feelings aside and watch something funny. It is also upsetting that comedy is being pushed aside for political correctness. I loved every episode of Blue Collar Comedy. I grew up watching Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Johnny Carson, and so many more. Honestly, we have lost a lot by giving up on our funny bones. I never will.

So, to heck with those who want to stop comedy. That tiny group on social media does not have the power they think they have. Life will go on, and hopefully, it will be filled with laughter. I wish you all the best.

Please take a moment to check out the wonderful Rave Reviews Book Club authors who are working their way through this thirty day blog fest. The link to below will take you where you can find everyone’s posts. Enjoy!

Today is National Awkward Moments Day. Whew! That is a tough one. I imagine that we have all done things we later regret. In fact, it happened to me last night. My ex came over for a glass of wine. Eventually, the conversation moved to housing values in San Diego County. She has a very nice and large home less than a mile from where I live. I said that in my opinion, a million dollars for the average house in the city of San Diego is unsustainable. She assumed I was telling her that her house will collapse in value. She does not live in the city of San Diego, by the way. Today, I mentioned that the average single family house in the city has 1,500 square feet of space. Her house is quite a bit larger. The houses in the city also tend to be squished together on small lots. In her neighborhood, each house has a quarter or third of an acre for property around the house. I am hopeful this unfortunate event is now over. We will see.

A second awkward moment happened several years ago when I was returning from business in Europe. I changed planes in Boston onto a 757. There were two seats on the left side of the aisle and three on the right side. I had the aisle seat on the right side. My row mates were too rather large people, a couple I believe. My neighbor was using the armrest and part of him overhung it. I twisted to my left and put my right hand on my left upper arm to make myself smaller. A male flight attendant asked if I was okay. I think he thought I might be having a heart attack. I was a bit embarrassed, but assured him I was okay. Needless to say, the six hour flight from Boston to San Diego was quite uncomfortable.

In the current chapter of my life, I feel no need to travel. If you have traveled for business, you know it is not fun. My boss and I once traveled to Paris for a budget review (scheduled for one hour) with the CEO and CFO. When meeting time came (the next morning), the CEO was out sick and the CFO was very late. The review was very top level, and I later wondered why we made that trip. Well, my boss was COO of the company and he flew business or first class. I was in coach most of the time. The only business trips I always enjoyed were to Brazil even though the flights seemed never to end. Life has a different rhythm there. Travel lanes on the street were merely informative, and the beer and food were always present. Someday I must tell you how to make a Caipirinha cocktail. They are truly mind-blowing, and not at all awkward.

I am certain that I have had MANY more awkward experiences, but this has been a good start. Please take a few minutes to check out the blog posts by my fellow Rave Reviews Book Club 30-Day Blogging Challenge competitors. Click the link below for the bullet train to everyone’s posts. I wish you all the best. A bien tot!

As you already know, today is St. Patrick’s Day. Frankly, I have never been a fan of the holiday. It turns out that I have no Irish ancestry. As a child in school, all the talk about pinching people who don’t wear green this day really upset me. I have always been introverted and shy. The thought of someone pinching me was terrifying, although I cannot recall if anyone ever did.

I completely agree that the day should be celebrated by those who have Irish heritage or live on the Emerald Isle. The green beer thing is another tradition I cannot get into. Don’t take me wrong, when I was in college, the drinking age was 18, and yes, I did imbibe. Other than the color of the brew, that day was no different from most weekends for college students. Interestingly, now that the drinking age in most places is 21, nothing seems to have changed.

The other pseudo-Irish thing I enjoyed was Lucky Charms cereal. You know, they were magically delicious (being candy marshmallows in your breakfast). Just what every young child needs in the morning: another sugar rush. I have not had cereal for breakfast in more years that I can remember.

To be totally honest, I do enjoy Irish whiskey although I do not drink it regularly. While on a business trip in Dublin years ago, we went to a whiskey tasting event where the Irish hosts showed how much better Irish whiskey is compared to Scotch. It was not a fair contest. They compared Irish whiskey to the cheaper Scotch whiskeys. Although I have not had it in years, I have a warm spot in my heart for Lagavullen Scotch. It is VERY peaty, so beware. My favorite Irish whiskey is Tullamore Dew.

I believe that is the sum total of my thoughts on St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrate any way you choose, but be careful about drinking too much. Tomorrow is a Monday, so if that means back to work, take it easy.

While I have your attention, please check out the posts by the other wonderful Rave Reviews Book Club authors who are doing the 30-Day Blogging Challenge. You can click the link below to see what we have all said so far. I wish you all the best.

Today I get to post about anything I choose. I will avoid politics, religion, and anything else contentious. I hope it is not too boring.

Since I am a novelist, let’s talk about some of the plots I am including in my next tales. The working title of the first one is Land of Lost Souls. I should have already sent it to my editor, but there is a kernel of my brain that is keeping me from sending it. No need to waste further time. I will send it in the next day or two. This story is about the souls that avoid or are kept from finding their way to Heaven. My protagonist is the key to rescuing the lost souls from Limbo or worse.

The next story is one I am very excited to finish. The hero of the tale is a load handler for a spaceship that takes supplies to other planets in our solar system. He is told that a bomb has been hidden in the hold. He is the only person available to find the bomb. He also finds ambassadors from other worlds. Until that moment, no one on Earth knew about the visitors. Our hero eventually learns that Earth is the original home of all sentient species in the universe. Until I write it, I am not certain what happens next. I do not have a tentative title yet.

The tentative title for the next book is M Primus, which is the name of a supercomputer that takes over Earth and seeks to eliminate mankind. The salvation comes from a woman who has another M Primus stuffed inside her abdomen. The robots are no match for her power.

All three of those stories are at least half complete. Earlier drafts tended to take on lives of their own, but I am working to bring them back into line. It has been quite a while since I published a new novel. I look forward to getting back up to speed. My last job really sucked the ambition out of me. I believe my mojo is coming back!

Please check out the posts by the other amazing Rave Reviews Book Club authors who are participating in this 30 Day Challenge. Trust me. They are awesome! I wish you all the best.

Today is World Sleep Day. While sleep is awesome, to me, March 15 will always be the Ides of March, the day Julius Caesar was assassinated by the Roman Senate. I fixate on that because I have always been a fan of the Bard, William Shakespeare. I still have my hardcover book of all his plays: The Illustrated Stratford Shakespeare. I recall the line by Augustus Caesar upon arrival at the scene: “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him“. Immediately thereafter, he spoke of the horrendous action by the Senate. That speech was one of the Bard’s finest. That actual events thereafter were pivotal in Rome’s change from Senate rule to Empire.

If I may opine on a similar subject, my favorite Shakespeare play is Hamlet. “To die, to sleep no more. Perchance to dream.” Many years later, I worked for a personal protection equipment company. We had a factory just outside of Helsingborg, Sweden. One time, I had to take the ferry from Denmark to Sweden. It left Denmark at Helsingor (Elsinore in the play) and landed in Helsingborg. Coincidences like that always amaze me. The hotel I stayed at was in the center city. Through my window, I could see a church that dated from 1366. I knew Sweden has been around a lot longer than the USA, but to American eyes, it was astonishing.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love sleeping. As I have mentioned, I have never taken naps. My mind is always buzzing with trifles and real issues (like what to say on this page). If everyone on the planet could just sleep for a day or two, perhaps some of our problems would disappear. Unfortunately, too many people believe they are responsible for saving the rest of us. Those folks really need to relax. As I have mentioned before, in Lao Tzu’s Tao de Ching, he said the best government is one you never hear from. Our political classes have the mistaken opinion that we hang on their every word. Ninety-nine percent of us could not care less. No Taoists in our governments, federal, state, or local, and that’s a shame.

I thank all of you who loved the picture of my dog, Akiva. Here’s a picture of Aida’s dog, our beloved Zelda. She is fourteen and still as sweet as ever.

Please check out the blog posts from the other wonderful Rave Reviews Book Club authors participating in this challenge. Just click the link below. Thanks, and I wish you all the best!

I am a bit confused today. It is National Write Your Story Day, but I always thought of 3/14 as PI Day. You know, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. As an accountant, finance guy, and all around number-lover, it is a difficult choice to make. To compound matters, I am also a writer, although I rarely write about my own life. I have always preferred the science fiction and fantasy genres. As you can guess, I have a very active imagination. The other books I have penned have also provided me with concepts and stories for the next books. Perhaps that is why my books often become series. My brain gives me more and more fodder for the coming chapters. I suppose you could say I do not know when to shut up.

My novelist self is very different from my day-to-day life. For a lot of reasons, I have been an introvert for a very long time. At times it was a curse, but most often, it is a blessing. Being single again, I have no fear of being alone. The quiet time gives me the opportunity to continue my writing or at least to imagine what I will write next.

Mathematics is also a curse. That is unfortunate since most science relies on mathematical equations. Not long ago, the scientific community decided the universe is twice as old as they thought it was. A thirteen or fourteen billion year error seems like a bit deal. But no! It was just one of those things, like when you think you have a billion dollars in the bank, and when you check you only have $1.50. Just a simple math error. Nothing to see here.

The writer in me sees this as a fantastic opportunity, which I am already incorporating into one of my next books. If the universe is now 26 or 28 billion years old, then perhaps our planet is twice as old too. What an opportunity to rewrite history, even if it is fiction.

I do like the concept of each person writing their own story. If I did that, I imagine I would come apart at the seams. Too much angst and too many tears to hold onto. Many of us had troubled childhoods. While there is some benefit from writing it all down, the risk of bringing back terrible moments may be enough to cancel the whole idea. I look at it this way. I know what happened to me. I know what caused my mother to lose hope. Writing it down is not going to change anything. Those feelings will follow me for the rest of my life.

I do encourage you to write. Perhaps you can change the story to make it amazing. As a fantasy or fiction, it does not have to be about you. If you write it, your truth will shine through, and that’s enough.

Please take some time to check out the posts by the other great writers who are participating in this challenge. Now you know more about me, so why not learn more about them. I wish you all the best!