I ended up a year or so with a magazine subscription to The American Scholar. (It’s published by Phi Beta Kappa; I had nowhere near that academic track record, thus I sometimes …
Source: Abstractions and Real Life
So, Fini
I finished editing Road Lessons with Savanna, a mystery, the second in the series. Nothing jumped out to trigger anxiety and panic. I enjoyed the read, finding some typos, some grammatical errors, some minor pacing issues.
Done, and I’m pleased. I enjoyed the final page, laughing to myself here in the coffee shop, thinking of others reading it and wondering, “What?” Makes me laugh just to type that sentence.
Once upon a time, I finished writing a novel and was ecstatic that I’d completed it. But now, it’s just another novel done, the end of an enjoyable project. Of course, as I read it, the next novel in the series continued its organic growth in me. But I want to publish this one and go on to Everything Not Known, the science fiction epic. It’s been written but requires editing. Then I’ll pick up the third novel so that initial trilogy will be complete. Other novels in the Lessons with Savanna series are circling my cerebral cortex, but there are other projects that are already engaged and in progress, and I want to go on with them.
And so it goes, a fun, satisfying moment in my life, good-bye and hello.
A Little Disappointed
Today is June 14th, Flag Day in America, and I’m a little disappointed.
This is when the Second Continental Congress, in 1777, adopted our red, white and blue national flag. Flags are flying to celebrate, but come on, what kind of American holiday is this? Where are the chocolates we buy and present to one another to show our patriotism? There are no Hershey’s Kisses in red, white and blue foil. No one is saying, “Come on over, we’ve having a Flag Day barbecue.” NASCAR isn’t running a Flag Day 500 sponsored by (insert your sponsor here). Where are the radio ads promoting gigantic Flag Day sales at JC Penny’s, Sears, Walmart, Target, Lowes or Home Depot?
Children aren’t giddy with pleasure that today is Flag Day. Nobody is walking around, pausing to ask, “Are you ready for the holiday? Do you have any special plans for Flag Day?” There’s not a single red, white and blue marshmallow peep for sale anywhere to honor this holiday, no restaurants broadcasting, “Bring the family in for Flag Day. Show us your flag and receive ten percent off.” Fireworks are missing, and there are no parades. I didn’t see Flag Day cakes in the bakeries, or even brownies, cupcakes or cookies.
Really, America, where is your marketing sense? You’re missing out on another area for profit, another reason to celebrate being American with gifts, food, parties and booze. Look at what you’ve done with Christmas, President’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, Father and Mother’s Days, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, along with birthdays and graduations. Here is a holiday passing you right by without any show of patriotic consumerism and hedonism.
I am so disappointed.
Michael Seidel, writer 