Category: Personal Thoughts
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A Pretty Swell Monday, All Things Considered
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Blogging, Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in Florida, Writing as a CraftMonday, February 9, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Happy Monday, Dear Reader. There’s something about the first day of a new workweek that feels like a clean page—full of possibility, full of momentum. Today has that energy in spades. Central Florida is showing off a bit: bright sun, clear skies, and a gentle coolness that lingers…
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Soft Heart I Spent Years Trying to Hide
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Casablanca (1942), Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Coral Estates Park (Miami-area Neighborhood), Creative Writing, Family History, Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in South Florida, Life in the United States, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Things I Miss, Writing as a CraftThe Soft Heart I Spent Years Trying to Hide Some people spend their lives pretending they’re not sentimental. I’m not one of them. To borrow the words of Captain Louis Renault, I freely admit I’m a rank sentimentalist—and unlike Rick Blaine from Casablanca, I don’t bother hiding it behind a mask of cynicism or put‑on…
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Cold Snaps, Warm Screens, and Weekend Breathing Room
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Computer Games, Computers, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in FloridaSaturday, February 7, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Hello, friends! We’ve officially wrapped up the first week of February—and what a week it was. Central Florida got an unexpected brush with the Arctic; the kind of cold snap that makes you wonder if you’ve accidentally wandered into a Weather Channel documentary. Tuesday and Wednesday brought both…
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Sunshine, Cold Snaps, and Small Victories
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Computers, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Lenovo C560 All-in-One PC, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Life in the United States, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, Royalties, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in FloridaFriday, February 6, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Hello there! We’ve made it to the end of another week here in beautiful Central Florida — a place where even the “cold snaps” feel like gentle reminders rather than punishments. As I write this, the sun is shining on a cool 49˚F (10˚C) morning. MSN Weather insists…
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Gray Skies, Small Wins
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in Blogging, Books, Creative Writing, Life in Florida, Computers, Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Amazon, Alex Diaz-Granados, Winter in Florida, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion: Coda, Reunion Duology, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Amazon Reviews, Life in Central Florida, RoyaltiesThursday, February 5, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Central Florida woke up under a heavy gray quilt today. The latest cold front is sliding south, and as I write this, the temperature sits at 57°F (14°C) beneath a sky that can’t decide whether it wants to rain or simply brood. Light showers are expected around 3…
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Bright Sun, Clear Skies, and Chilly Hump Day
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Blogging, Computer Games, Computers, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Lenovo C560 All-in-One PC, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, MicroProse Software, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in FloridaWednesday, February 4, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Hi there. Central Florida is still in its “pretend winter” phase this morning. It’s 59˚F (15˚C) under bright sunshine—cooler than I’d prefer, but definitely a step up from yesterday’s chill. If the forecast holds, we’ll hit a pleasant 71˚F (22˚C) later today before temperatures dip again tomorrow. February…
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A Chilly Tuesday’s Update
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Audible, Audiobooks, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Computers, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Lenovo – IdeaPad S340 15″ Touch-Screen Laptop, Lenovo C560 All-in-One PC, Lenovo IdeaCentre (PC), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, Royalties, Royalties, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Winter in FloridaTuesday, February 3, 2026, Orlando, Florida It’s another beautiful — and surprisingly frigid — winter morning here in Central Florida. As I write this, the temperature sits at 52°F (11°C) under mostly sunny skies. Not quite the bone‑deep cold I woke up to at 6:30, but still very much a “Sweater Weather” kind of day.…
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A Chilly Start to February 2026…in Florida!
Sunday, February 1, 2026, Orlando, Florida “Everything was frozen up and silent that morning. Even the wind was silent, but not really dead. It waved about a little and beat its tail gently against the hard sky. There was no sun yet. The sky was empty. It was all frozen up, like a sheet hanging…
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Gray Skies, Cold Wind, and Editing Misadventures
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Royalties, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in Florida, Writing as a CraftSaturday, January 31, 2026 — Orlando, Florida Hello again, Dear Reader. Central Florida is wearing its grayest winter coat today. The sky is a solid sheet of cloud, the air sits at a brisk 59°F (15°C), and the wind promises to make things even chillier as the afternoon rolls on. It’s hardly the sort of…
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All Quiet on the Writing Front….
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Kindle Unlimited (subscription service), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Novella, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Royalties, Stalled Projects, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Winter in FloridaFriday, January 30, 2026 — Orlando, Florida It’s early afternoon here in Central Florida, and while the weather is cooler than usual — 69°F (21°C) under bright, steady sunshine — it’s still a lovely late‑January day. Several cold‑weather alerts remain in effect until February 1, but the chill will pass soon enough. No snow, no…
A Certain Point of View, Too 