Weekend Leisure: Books, Games, and Relaxation

Early Afternoon, Sunday, February 23, 2025, Miami, Florida

It’s early afternoon, midway through a late winter Sunday, here in sunny Miami, Florida. The weather’s cool and cloudy, a nice break from the usual heat. We’re on the edge of a strong cold front, so temperatures have been dancing around a bit. Earlier, it was 63°F (17°C) and mostly cloudy; now it’s warmed up to 75°F (24°C) with a heat index of 81°F (27°C). The forecast promises a high of 76°F (24°C) and partly sunny skies—perfect for a lazy Sunday.

Yesterday was one of my cherished days off from the novel. I was pretty wiped out after working late into the night on Friday, but thankfully, my Muse—Calliope—gave me a reprieve. No new scenes, no outlines, just a steady word count at 127,569 (24 complete chapters, with the 25th chapter 75% done). It felt good to take a breather.

I took some time to dive into Jim Rasenberger’s The Brilliant Disaster: JFK, Castro, and America’s Doomed Invasion of Cuba’s Bay of Pigs. It’s one of three books I have on that debacle. I’m almost through it, having passed the landings and the defeat at Playa Giron. Now, I’m into the aftermath, including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the negotiations for the release of CIA-backed Cubans.

I also attempted to play Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age, but since it’s still in Early Access, it’s a bit rough around the edges. The developers at Triassic Games are working on bug fixes and new features. I tried two scenarios featuring the recently decommissioned USS Enterprise (CVN-65), but didn’t finish them. They were challenging and long, and without a Save/Load Game functionality, I’m waiting for a more complete version before diving back in.

As for today, my last day off before the new workweek, I’m not sure what I’ll do. I might pick up where I left off in The Brilliant Disaster, or maybe I’ll watch a movie on Movies Anywhere or Amazon Prime Video. One thing’s for sure, I’m not touching Reunion: Coda today. Calliope, if you’re listening, I’m off-duty!