2024

I actually been scratching my head a bit lately… Not just because I’m losing hair but because my first major change of 2024 which started a couple months back in 2023, like October hasn’t reared its beautiful head yet! The thing I can’t do is allow my patience to turn into impatience.

So, I wait.

But, not without doing stuff and exploring some other options or looking for options that I haven’t discovered yet.

I’m on the clock whether I want to be or not…there’s a deadline involved. And while it isn’t for this month, it does affect my 2025 in a way that I wasn’t wanting.

The noticeable thing about the direction is that it’s been unwavering.

You see, we’ve been with Mandy our oldest daughter for almost 2 years and she had an awesome happening take place in her life a year ago that has changed its trajectory astoundingly. She’s buying a house on January 9, 2024 in Louisiana to be near of grandkids and that really doesn’t include me. Not as a decision on her part but rather on mine. You see, my heart is in Florida near the water and my ambition is to do some traveling again. (I will be in Bon Aire in October for a bit which I’m excited about.)

At the same time that this is goin on I have to increase my streams of income; writing books, recording music, and photography. So there’s not much time for anything else. Hell, I don’t get to bar hop like I used too! Too busy!!!

I’m sure that things will find a way thru all the efforts, it’s just a bit uncomfortable for the time being.

Meanwhile I have added a study of ‘Therapeutic Peptides’ to my readings. That started tomorrow.

Something that’s of interest to me that I’ll do after I’ve moved or while traveling (that’s an option) is studying the chemistry of cooking, the chemistry of food and our bodies and the bioavailability of vitamins and supplements.

I find those very interesting.

I think what I’m gonna do in the meanwhile is delve into some of my past travels and see what’s stimulating, write about it and explore some new awesome alternatives…or heck maybe I’ll just go back to some of those places for extended visits. I’m open!

There’s an ‘excitement’ about this. It’s waiting for the magic!!! I can sense things happening while yet they are unseen and it’s that experience that will ‘birth a new Adventure’!

Peace, love, and beaches,

John

January 2, 2024January 4, 2024

Peace, Love, and Beaches…

Happy New Year Part II

Other than what I wrote yesterday, there was a lot more good than not so good. You know some adventures come in disguise and last 2023 was full of them and I expect nothing less for 2024.

In 2023 I made some additional changes to my eating habits. Some didn’t pan out as well as I would have hoped for and that was probably on me. When someone says “try this fried chicken”, I’m polite and try the fried chicken. And while it wasn’t always fried chicken, it was always something tempting and tasty.

I frustratingly learned not to be too concerned with cutting calories. Rather, my concern would be which food I’d eat, the preparation and the portion.

It’s not difficult to cut back on the portion serving. Have just that tiny desire for a little more but don’t give in to the urge.

That paid off with a healthier and lighter body. 2024 will see more of that eating lifestyle change along with more exercise.

2023 did bring me a bit of self-inflicted frustration. I wanted to release some more music. And…I didn’t!!! It seems I was never quite satisfied with what I was offering yet, I loved the music I had written and recorded.

Two of the songs I was just a moment of hesitation away from releasing. One song, I just knew I could sing it better, but…equipment issue (such as blown mic) stopped me from re-singing. Then I thought just drop the song anyway. Song, “The Rest of My Life”, a nice cute little rocker that I’m sure you’ll eventually enjoy.

Another 2 choices that didn’t hit your eardrums were “Late Summer Rain” and “Secrets We Declare”.

I’ll get right back to work on those jewels. Tougher schedule and higher standards…but productive.

2023 saw me publish 2 books! I wrote 4 but only published 2. Why? I don’t have a clue. But, I’m gonna churn out a few more in 2024.

Both books were only digital releases. But sometime in January I’ll release them both in paperback versions.

Another good thing about 2023 is that I made a little bit more money than I had in past years. The 2 books, 1 song (No More Mondays) and some of my photography combined to make me a few extra dollars.

So while I’m seeing people on social media posting about how glad they are that 2023 is done with, I’m looking back briefly with pleasant thoughts and looking forward in the spirit of adventure!

Peace, love, and beaches,

John

January 1, 2024

Peace, Love, and Beaches…

Happy New Year!

Here we go again…

I must say that 2023 was kind to me. For 2024, I just want to build on it, I want to put out a more earnest effort and enjoy more.

I don’t believe that is too much to ask for.

As I writing this I realize I need to relearn this software!!! I’m at a lost.

I’ll manage.

Back to 2023 being kind to me. It was major kind to me in so many ways, but there was one bit of good news that really set me in the right direction. I’ll have to go back to March 31, 2020 briefly.

I had a really bad accident that got my attention and while in the Emergency Room I received the interpretation of a scan before the doctor made his way to my room to discuss his findings. The discovery was something he wasn’t looking for and I didn’t expect nor would he discuss with me because it wasn’t what he was looking for and come to find out nothing he could do anything about nor any other doctors.

That discovery was a supposed bilateral scarring of my lungs known as ‘Pulmonary Fibrosis’. That was my death sentence. I had at best 3 to 5 years to live. I was symptomatic with 3 symptoms…so I was pretty much convinced that I was on my death watch.

Needless to say I was upset. I cried on occasions. But I never asked why. I did ask how. I have no history that would indicate that I was in for that diagnosis.

I’m gonna speed things up for you here.

I accepted that was my exit for this dusty old planet and decided to make the best of every day. Besides, no doctor I visited would discuss it past the mention of ‘there’s nothing that can be done’.

Having been in the healthcare profession auditing and coding charts, I was familiar with the disease. I was also familiar with misdiagnosis. And I started pushing each doctor I came in contact with…I imagine I was very annoying. But…there was something no one was paying attention to.

In 2014 I had abdominal surgery for the repair of 7 ventral hernias…that’s right 7. My doctor remarked what my muscle tissue looked like Swiss cheese! A double mesh screen was placed in my abdomen as a repair and ran from just below my sternum to just below my belly button and left to right approaching my rib cage.

I thought just perhaps that this mesh was what the radiologist was viewing.

It just so happen that this mesh encroached the lower part of my lungs on the scan.

I finally bother a doctor enough for them to agree to a scan and as I thought…the ‘Pulmonary Fibrosis’ was a misdiagnosis.

In 2023 I was freed from that diagnosis and the prison I found my self in.

So, 2023 was a pretty darn good year for me!

Now, it’s on to some GREAT THINGS in 2024.

I learned a lot under that life sentence diagnosis…gratitude being the biggest! I grateful for everything I encounter. Someone’s smile means a lot to me, and someone’s means something to me in the form of me encouraging them. I love mornings, I love afternoons, I love evenings, I love breathing….I love!!!

I write, I write music, I do photography…and it’s these things that have come to life to me and will be my 2024 along with some traveling.

I love to travel.

I love the geography, I love the languages, the cultures, the foods, and mostly the people.

Now…

I’m rather healthy overall and I look a hell of a lot younger than I am. I like that.

Well…Happy New Year. Let’s all make it the BEST! As we become our BEST!

Peace, love, and beaches,

John