Musings & Thoughts for Saturday, August 5, 2023, or: Weekend Update, Part the First

Late Morning, Saturday, August 5, 2023, Lithia, Florida

“The month of August had turned into a griddle where the days just lay there and sizzled.” ― Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees

Another hot Saturday, another day in hellishly hot Florida.

It’s late morning here in the Tampa Bay area, and even though noon is still – as I write this – almost two hours away, it’s already simmering beyond the walls of this house. Currently, the temperature is 88°F/31°C under sunny skies; with humidity at 71% and a weak 2 MPH/4 KMH breeze blowing from the east-southeast, it feels like 99°F/37°C. Today’s forecast calls for partly sunny skies and a high of 95°F/35°C.

Oh, well. I’ve become accustomed to being more of an indoors person over the years, and it’s not like I have friends I can hang out and be active with, so it’s going to be another “wait till the temperatures drop in late September to go out” day for me.

Weekend Update, Part the First

As I reported last night in On Writing & Storytelling: A Quick Update on ‘Reunion: Coda’ – Chapter 11’s First Scene is Complete! I don’t have to worry about “unfinished business” from the regular workweek and can take the weekend off from writing my first novel.

I love writing, and I would like to finish the rough draft by the middle of next month so I can publish it on Amazon via Kindle Direct Publishing in time for the holiday season. That said, I do need to make time for myself, even if that means solitary leisure activities such as reading, watching movies, listening to music, or playing computer games.

Of course, if I get the urge to work on the manuscript, and if my enthusiasm/energy levels allow me to write well, I will do so. Several years ago, in happier times, I would not have even considered working on weekends. In 2023, though…it seems that Reunion: Coda is the one thing that seems worthwhile.

Still, I do need to take a break, so I am hoping that I won’t be tempted to open the Word file with the “Scratch Sheet for Reunion: Coda” rough draft.

That’s all the news I have to share for the moment, so I’ll close here. Until next time, stay safe, stay healthy, and I’ll catch you on the sunny side of things.