What are my two daughters doing? No-brainer -- Ikai and Issa were at it with the videoke .. well, mainly Ikai but Issa was a happy miron.
The photo was taken on Christmas Day where a big chunk of the morning and a better part of the afternoon were spent with the videoke.
If I've been remiss with updates on the ole Coffee House, please forgive me as I've been happily enjoying the holidays -- whatever free time was available (crummy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day fell on the weekend) -- with family. I'm sure you've also spent your holidays with loved ones.
* * * *
Despite the increase in the number of personal hours, I actually haven't made much headway with reading and writing. Reading, there have been a few pages but writing -- zero.
* * * *
Hopefully next year will be a better year in terms of getting any writing done. Maybe more short stories and try getting published somewhere? Maybe time to get down to doing the novel? Well, before the novel, I think it'll better to get my ears wet with getting stories published first.
I do have some ideas for several stories and novel ideas but they're still pretty much disorganized. I have to find the time to sort out these story ideas, give some the green light and actually develop them into proper outlines while the other ideas I have to give the boot as they clutter the mindset. A lot of these ideas have been floating around for quite some time now (as far back as three jobs ago) but I haven't made much headway.
A lot of the story ideas require a lot of world-building and as of last count (based on different notes I've made on various pieces of papers), I have stories for about five worlds -- with four of them as secondary worlds, and the last grounded on Earth, specifically in the Philippines. On various notes I've scribbled on, there's still a lot to do to develop these worlds and much, much research needs to be done as well to make these secondary worlds believable -- well, in the fantastic sense.
Ah, time ... that's what I need to get these done.
* * * *
On the other hand, my reading has increased this 2011.
Finding great SF&F sites on the 'net with recommendations on good reads has led me to more frequent visits to bookshops and book bins and as a consequence, more book purchases. Good thing I haven't tried buying from online bookstores or else my book purchases would've tripled (much to the dismay of my wife, surely).
For 2012, I don't think my penchant for reading in my chosen genre will lessen. It might increase, in fact, as I have gained access to lots and lots of more books, especially digital ones (thanks Angry Robot for the eARCs) and more and more genre books are hitting the bookshelves of nearby bookshops.
When I finish Beyond the Shadows early next year (shelved The Solaris Book of New Fantasy for now, not just getting the jive for it unfortunately), I'll most likely hit The Feast of Crows, the fourth book in The Song of Ice and Fire series. Two books I'm anticipating to purchase (not necessarily just to be published next year) early next year are A Dance with Dragons (hopefully the mass market paperback edition becomes available) and the culminating volume to Kevin J. Anderson's Terra Incognita series -- The Key to Creation.
I'm sure there'll be more books to come out and I might just find new authors to follow. In fact, in my wallet I still have five small pieces of paper wherein I've scribbled books I'll be looking out for :)
Any recommendations on what series to follow next?
* * * *
Geesh ... gained several pounds. Evident as I feel lethargic at most time and I feel quite bloated. Will have to shed these off as my doc has scheduled me for a January check-up. She will most likely determine whether I've behaved this holiday season or not.
With the increase in tonnage, doc, I tell you, I've not behaved :P
But seriously, I need to get these excess weight off. Not only is this unhealthy but this has seriously derailed my efforts to curb the progression of the D. Already I can feel different little aches and pains throughout my body and this is a sign that I'm pushing my body to hard, the wrong way -- too much intake, too much sugar, too much carbo combined with an increased sedentary lifestyle.
Bad, bad, bad.
* * * *
Happy New Year, folks!
