The Great Big 2010 Sum Up

So, 2010 is now in the books and I'm left with a few final thoughts about it. Some good, others, not so much.

2010 is the year I finally became a published author. This was a major Thing for me. I've been struggling with that all my adult life--and throughout my teenaged years. I'd given up on writing fiction, period, until a friend heard about this contest and remembered a story of mine she'd read and prodded me into submitting it. Viola, after a rewrite, story was accepted! (For your convenience, if you want you can order the book via the links to your left.) The editor asked me to make it significantly longer, which I thought wouldn't work for it, but I was wrong--the additional material gave it some contrast and deepened the plot somewhat, and allowed for the back story to develop to the point where it tied in nicely with the ending. Reading the reviews of the anthology, on Amazon and elsewhere, nobody specifically mentions my story--everyone seems to dig the two zombie stories much more than mine. But, still, if you'll turn in your hymnals to page 183, you'll see, "Cabin Fever, by J. Franklin Evans."

2010 was the year I found out the company I work for is closing the office here in Savannah. I'll be moving to the new office in another town, when they decide where that new office is going to be. All I know at this point is "west of Atlanta."

I've lived in Savannah over twenty years so this will be a big deal to me. I also absolutely loathe Atlanta so I hope we can find a place for the office where the traffic doesn't result in a 90 minute commute each way every day. And I find a place close to wherever the office is, in a decent  neighborhood, so I can establish a comfort zone that meets my needs. Otherwise I won't last very long. Also, my boss isn't coming with us so I'll have a new manager. Our department is merging with another one and the manager for  that  department is also not making the move. So, for the first time in forever, I'll have a new manager at work. That will take some serious getting used to.

2010 is the year Atari, my Akita, was diagnosed with renal failure. There's really not much that can be done for that--the vet switched his arthritis med to one that's easier on his kidneys, but the trade-off is it's rougher on his liver. He's also switched to a low protein diet, which means he has to get special dog food which he hates. Still, other than he's realy slow when we go walkies, and he spends most of his time sleeping, he's doing well.

2010 was the year I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. Doc put me on medication--oral and injectible--and the blood sugar is now under control. I also put myself on a diet which is working--weight is down from 286 to 254.  34 pounds to go to hit the upper end of my target weight. I want to stay between 200 and 220. 200 is actually my ideal body weight. Fortunately, I know how to lose weight, and I remember some nutritional info from my body-building days. Unfortunately, with diabetes the hunger pangs are much more spectacular, so it's harder to resist the temptation to cheat. I'll manage.

2010 is the year I discovered I'm going to need some minor surgery, which I will be having this month. That was how the blood sugar issue came to light, during a visit to the doctor. Have to get that under control before going under the knife.

2010 is the year I came up with an idea for a TV show or web series that I think will interest some people in the business. I pitched it a friend of mine who is getting into that business now and she loved it--she's going to help me with it when she can, as I have no idea where to go with it from here. She's rather busy herself, though, having her own webseries she is now responsible for. (See the link to Witchy Ways, above and to your right. You can contribute to the series to help make it happen--I did.)

2011 is going to be a better year, I just know it. For all of us. Really. I just know it.

So, what was 2010 like for you? Highlights? Lowlights?

Cold Iron lyrics

My baby died


should have buried her at the crossroads

Well, my baby died

should have buried her at the crossroads

Cause she comes to see me every night

makes me reap what I have sewed.



I went to see the preacherman

didn't know what else to do

Yeah, I went to see the preacherman

didn't know what else to do

cause that woman she won't leave me alone

I'm payin' the price for bein' untrue



Preacherman told me,

keep some cold iron by the bed

preacherman, he done told me

keep some cold iron by my bed

cause that's what you gotta do

when you're haunted by the livin' dead



So I got me some cold iron

and some dimes to pay my toll

Yeah I got me some cold iron

and some dimes to pay my toll

I'm gonna send that woman back where she belongs

I hope it don't cost me my soul



words and music by J Franklin Evans

Cold Iron track list

Here's a list of the tracks I'm planning for the Cold Iron song cycle. Things may change but for now this is the lineup of song titles:

The Passing
The Devil I Know
It Hurts
Aeon's End remix
Cold Iron
The Crawl
West of the Moon
Someone to Love
Child of the Moon
The Passing reprise

New Years traditions

We didn't really have any New Years traditions in my family. My mom had this one thing but it was more of a superstition--that if you did laundry on New Years then you'll be washing the clothes of someone who will be dead by the end of the year. I don't know if that's an honest-to-goodness superstition or just an excuse for her to get out of doing laundry for just one day a year.

Of course I watch a lot of football but I do that anyway, New Years or not. That doesn't count.

So, I"m starting a tradition, for myself, for this coming New Years. I'm going to have surf 'n' turf for my afternoon meal for New Years. Got a nice New York Strip at the grocery, along with some shrimp, today. Damn, I'm getting hungry thinking about it . . . gotta wait, though. Something to look forward to!

What about you? Do you have any special family traditions, superstitions, meals, or whatever, that you do on New Years?

The idol with the feet of clay

I'm watching Being Human now and there's a situation that I find fascinating.

It's been done before, I know, and it's been done before, but it works like this: in the show, the guy who is considered the leader of the vampires is trying to get them to swear off drinking blood. He recruits another vampire, a very old one who is wel known and admired by the others, to take the pledge. (He modeled the whole thing after Alcoholics Anonymous--which gave me a good chuckle.) This vampire is apparently gung-ho for the idea of going dry. He speaks at the meetings about it, about the struggle, and how they have to be strong and keep fighting the urge. The others are inspired by his example and are actually managing to do it.

But the truth is, this guy isn't dry--he's conspiring with the leader to continue drinking blood. The others don't know it. It's something the lead vampire thinks is necessary--he really hates himself for doing it but doesn't see where he has a choice.

What I find interesting is this: even though this guy, this powerful figure, was not able to live up to what he was preaching others were, by following what they thought was his example. By him pretending to have the strength to fight the craving the others actually found the strength. Even though his life was a lie, that lie was helping lots of others fight and start winning a hard-fought battle.

So, the lie was helping others, perhaps even thousands of others in the long run. But it's still a lie.

The show doesn't explore it in quite the detail that I would but isn't it just rife with potential? Maybe I'll do something with that at some point. There's a lot here that interests me. It's a subject I've thought about for a long time.

Post Xmas Randomocity

So, xmas for 2010 is in the books.

My holiday was okay. Uneventful. In my case that's all I ask. I didn't receive a lot of gifts but then, I don't want a lot of gifts. So, that was cool.

I did manage to lay down the basic rhythm guitar track for a new tune. I may go back and do it over, or maybe not. We'll see.

'Tis the season for lists. Top ten so-and-so of the year. Someone needs to make a top ten list of the top ten lists.

I just don't understand religious people. Really. Don't get me wrong--I have a lot of dear friends who are deeply religious. But it seems like so many of them are so damned gullible. Maybe that's part of it? I don't know. Even when I considered msyelf a Christian I didn't automatically believe everything everyone told me. I didn't shut mny eyes to common sense. Which, I reckon, may explain why I'm no longer Christian.

Oh well. Randomocity in the title means there really is no central point. I hope your holiday was fun. Any New Year's Eve plans? Go ahead, make me jealous, tell me abou them!

The inevitable Happy Holidays post!

So, to the one or two folks who pop in to see what I'm up to--I hope you have a happy, safe, and fun holiday! Best of luck in the coming year!