Memorial Day

Well, here it is. Memorial Day. The beginning of summer, they say. I took the kids to Herrinfest and bought them armbands so they could ride all the rides. We stayed for hours and everyone was exhausted. It was a good time and it made me feel good to see their happy little smiles. Sadly, I missed the live acts I wanted to see. Both Kansas and Collective Soul played this year. I really wanted to see Kansas but that just didn't work out. Oh well, maybe next year. One thing I've learned in life over the past three years is to expect the unexpected. Be open to new things, even if they rip your heart out. You only have control over you....and there are a lot of turdballs out there.

Anyway, sorry to get off on a negative tangent. I just posted chapter seventeen of DEVLIN'S DESCENT over at www.annihilationpress.com Go read it....and send me a buck or two. I need it.

Later
Roger

WALKING IN A HURRICANE

Southern Illinois was pummelled by an "inland hurricane" on Friday. 100 mile plus winds tore through the region. The devastation is amazing. I will post a few pix I took of the tree on my garage in the near future. My internet access is down and I'm at a Quizno's 20 miles from my house typing this. Power is predicted to be back on Thursday.

Lame Gator and Lick Creek General Store

Got a call from Nick Rion last night. He told me that his partner on the (Breaking Bread, 11 a.m. every Saturday on WGGH, AM1150) radio show, Tommy Tucker, is in the process of buying Lick Creek General Store. That's great news. Lick Creek had its heyday in the 90's. It was a lot of fun and I actually met my ex-wife there (but I won't hold that against them!). They served fine cajun and exotic foods and the place was always hopping with some sort of excitement. Sadly, things went south in the new millenia, but I can't think of a better person to buy the place and restore it to its old glory than Chef Tommy Tucker. Makes me have hope in the future.

Check out all the information on Lick Creek and other region events at their website, www.lamegatorfoodproductions.com

It's been a while

Well, where to begin? It's been almost a month since I last posted to this blog. In that time, several things have happened. I went back to being a printer. While I loved working with people in the SIU community as the Assistant Superintendent of Printing, there were aspects of my job that I simply couldn't tolerate any longer. Sometimes, you just have to say "enough already" and walk away. Or, as William S. Burroughs put it, "Don't humor the mentally ill...tell them firmly...I'm not here to listen to this drivel." I supposed that's what I've done....but it cost me financially. I've been back in the pressroom almost a week now and, trust me, gentle readers, it's the smartest thing I've done in three years. Part of me says it's BS that that I had to make that decision, but that's the way life goes. With luck, karma will prevail.

I've been writing an online novel for three months now. Go check out DEVLIN'S DESCENT over at www.annihilationpress.com. I'm very happy with the way the book is turning out. I wanted to experiment around a lot and this book gives me the opportunity to do so. With concepts like nano-sperm and aborted fetuses being brought back to life by the miracle of technology, it's an interesting tale. I just entered the realm of the novel, too, with approximately 43,000 words so far.

Still looking for the woman of my dreams (and not my screams). Time will take care of that, too, I hope.

My best to all of you. Roger

Darrien is 7 today

My son, Darrien, turns 7 today. It seems like yesterday I saw my favorite little man pop into the world. Now, I don't know how I lived without him. Sure, I wish he'd sleep in on the weekends, but there's something quite special about that cheerful disposition in the morning. So, if you see my wee man today, tell him "Happy Birthday...and that his Daddy loves him."

Battlestar Galactica and parting ways with something you love

I watched the final episode of the "re-imagined" BATTLESTAR GALACTICA tonight. It aired last night, but I had kids and was otherwise pre-occupied. So, I waited for them to go to bed tonight and sat down to watch the show. Now, know this.....I've been a sci-fi geek since I read my first Isaac Asimov book back in the mid-70's. I probably read 50 Asimov books before the 70's were over, along with everything (or everything I could get my hands on) by Bradbury, Ellison, Arthur C. Clarke....etc. Suffice it to say, I was a sci-fi nerd. I enjoyed the original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA series as a teenager - GUN ON ICE PLANET ZERO being a personal fav - and when they advertised a new series, I was like a teenager again. Don't get me wrong, though. The 00 series is waaaayyyy different than the 70's series. Lots of mirrored political intrigue occurred on the new series. Lots of hard questions were asked in a sci-fi context, and that really jazzed me. I'd grown as a human being since the original series and the new one was tailor-made for me as an adult. I loved it from the moment I watched the pilot episode. Sure, over the course of the ensuing four years I would have written things differently, but last night's finale was icing on a very tasty cake, indeed. The show did not end with a whimper (as another favorite series, THE X-FILES, did). It went out with style and grace. Questions were answered correctly, and the spirituality of the series was held dear. When Kara Thrace departed the series for good, it sent a shiver through me. I doubt I'm the only regular view that happened to. I had suspected they might throw in some half-assed curve ball about her resurrection, but they didn't. The resolution they gave was dead-on perfect for what she had done.

All in all, if you missed the last 4 years of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, you missed some of the finest television you'll ever see.

Thank God it's all out there on DVD.

later,
Roger

Illinois Weather

It's been a while since I posted, so I figured I'd catch people up on what's been going on. Since my last post, I've had strep throat, a sinus infection and, now, a cold that simply won't go away. It always happens to me when the weather shifts so drastically. It was below 30 degrees two mornings ago. It's probably close to 60 out right now. That plays havoc on my middle-aged body. I came home from work yesterday at 10, slept till 3, ate, went back to bed, slept till 5, got up and watched some tv, went to bed at 8 and woke up this morning at 7. Still tired as heck. I'll survive, I guess, but I wish the weather wouldn't change so much so quickly. Guess I need to move to the Florida keys or something. Then, all I have to worry about is hurricanes.

Anyway, DEVLIN'S DESCENT is well under way. Chapter 6 will be posted on Sunday over at www.annihilationpress.com website. Trying to give the place a little traffic. I know several people are following the book right now. I haven't advertised it much because I wanted to get a few chapters up first. I actually started printing MURDER AT PK'S, too. About a third of the way done with the printing, I guess. It's overdue, but that's the way I roll, I guess. Better late than never.

Hope everyone is well. My head hurts.

Roger