VJ Day and Moving on: Reflections from New Hampshire | August 15, 2024

Late Morning, Thursday, August 15, 2024, Madison, New Hampshire

It’s a chilly, grey, and gloomy late summer day here in what’s currently my part of New England. Right now, it’s 67°F (20°C) with cloudy skies. Supposedly, it feels warmer—about 76°F (25°C). There’s some light rain expected later today, with a high of 71°F (22°C), and it’s supposed to drop to 60°F (16°C) tonight.

Anniversaries – One Forgotten…the Other a Sad Personal Observance

Today is August 15, marking the midpoint of the eighth month of the year. It’s also Victory over Japan (VJ) Day, remembering the day back in 1945 when Japan informed the Allies (the US, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union) that they would accept the Potsdam Declaration terms but wanted Emperor Hirohito to stay as a constitutional monarch.

Before 1975, VJ Day was commemorated across the US in various ways. I don’t think it was a day off type of holiday, especially since school only began in early September back then, so we were still on summer break. I remember that it was usually noted on most calendars, often with an American flag icon.

Rhode Island is the only state that still officially celebrates VJ Day, now called Victory Day. It’s unclear why other states stopped recognizing it, but it could be linked to the impact of the Vietnam War and the subsequent antiwar movement. I vaguely remember that war movies, especially big Hollywood productions like A Bridge Too Far and Midway, lost popularity or became more cynical during that time. What I do know for sure is that due to regional biases in our education system, intentional underfunding (especially in states run by Republicans), and a general lack of interest in history, many Americans are fairly ignorant about World War II, its causes, and its consequences.

Today was supposed to be a celebratory one for me. August 15, 2024, marks eight months since I landed in New Hampshire. I was slowly getting used to things, and despite my aversion to the cold, I hoped that my second winter in Madison would be more manageable with the gradual seasonal changes.

Sadly, there isn’t much to celebrate besides getting accustomed to New England’s cooler temperatures. I’ll be leaving Madison by the end of the month—though I’m not sure exactly when—because my housemate insists my name should come off the lease even though state regulations require it for those on assistance.

Of course, there are other reasons for moving too: homesickness, my struggles with rural living—like Amazon Prime groceries being undeliverable here and the mailbox being too far from the house—and other topics I’ve written about before. But this lease issue has pushed me over the edge.

On Writing and Storytelling: Action This Day

Even though I need to push back the release date of Reunion: Coda from late August to “sometime before Christmas 2024,” I’m still planning to work on Vignette #4 of Chapter 19’s final scene. Despite my anxiety about moving and not having anyone to help me pack (I can’t move the heavy boxes from the garage because I lack upper body strength and the garage itself is a bit…complicated to navigate, and I’m not skilled at packing), I slept okay and got up around my usual time – between 6:30 and 7 AM.

I’m not sure if today’s writing session will be more than just outlining a vignette set at Henry’s Clipper Piano Bar and Grill featuring Jim and Maddie. If I don’t get hit by sudden panic or self-doubt, maybe I’ll start writing the vignette or at least get it going so I can finish it tomorrow. If not, I’ll be happy with a detailed outline; it’ll give me something solid to work on during tomorrow’s writing time.

In other Reunion: Coda updates, it looks like the first three vignettes in Scene Five have gotten the thumbs up from my Beta Reader, Denise Longrie, except for one minor detail (which is more about our tastes than my writing).

She appreciated how I crafted unique personalities for Cameron and Jerry, my first LGBTQ characters, and liked that the two trays Jim bought at their shop in Greenwich Village, Vintage Mornings, don’t match. Her final comment was:

This is sweet. The gift of mismatched breakfast trays is a nice detail.

I don’t have much to add. It was an enjoyable read.

I don’t have any more updates for now, so I’ll wrap it up here. Catch you later, everyone. Sayonara!