Welcome to WRITE ENOUGH!
Or JP Mac as if says on the books. The good keepers of ancient knowledge over at Animanicast interviewed me about a Pinky and the Brain episode I wrote called "Spellbound," as well as inquiring about my upcoming book on loss, acceptance, and running a long way: How to Run a Marathon in 13 Years. Give a listen.
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| Discounted for pre-launch; live Thu. September 9. |
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| CoolClips.com |
September 9 is the day and I'm really behind with the print book. I sit down in front of the computer in the morning and arose myself sometime in the late afternoon or evening. Most of the challenges involve formatting. Lately, my laptop goes with me into the living room where I turn on the TV and concentrate on the laptop.
Very weary of all this self-publishing business. The next book goes out to publishers. I can write another one while the first is being rejected.
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| giphy.com |
Not the two free chapters to a discounted nonfiction, inspirational memoir launching Friday, September 9. No. Not that. However, it's jaw-dropping that I've posted twice in one day. Naturally, I want something.
Stop by my landing page (Aweber's landing page), leave your name and email and receive the first two chapters to How to Run a Marathon in 13 Years. Should you be tempted to purchase, just know that the ebook is .99 and will remain so until September 16. Then, as is customary in this country, the price will rise like one of Elon Musk's rockets.
Hope you enjoy the writing. I'm preparing the manuscript for ebook and softcover formatting. I'm also preparing to not self-publish anything, ever again.
Of course, I've said that after marathons.
https://squarespace13.aweb.page/p/118781de-9708-4993-a9f6-abffc0f5b429https://squarespace13.aweb.page/p/118781de-9708-4993-a9f6-abffc0f5b4
https://squarespace13.aweb.page/p/118781de-9708-4993-a9f6-abffc0f5b429https://squarespace13.aweb.page/p/118781de-9708-4993-a9f6-abffc0f5b429https://squarespace13.aweb.page/p/118781de-9708-4993-a9f6-abffc0f5b429
https://squarespace13.aweb.page/p/118781de-9708-4993-a9f6-abffc0f5b429
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| animationcontinent |
It's almost to the day last August when I ran my first ten miler in many a year, enroute to Surfers Point Marathon.
Now I'm enroute to the California International Marathon just as if it were 2008. They've been sending me invitations since I injured myself back in the day. I opened one last month and thought it might be fun to give it a try.
I intend to break five hours. That's 11:27 a mile. It seems doable, but I will have a vacation in the middle of my training. I've planned around it, given myself more time. The vacation shouldn't interrupt the mileage buildup.
The book slogs forward toward its Sept. 9 release. I'm sooooo tired of it, but need to push on as if it were mile 24.
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| A fine place. |
Yesterday, Adam was decent enough to invite me on his popular podcast to share memories and promote my latest book. A good time? Most certainly and free water too, I might add.
Below is an image of Adam as contractor and ladies' man Nick E. Chitwood from our time at the Acme Comedy Theatre.
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| From l. to r.: myself, Adam and Bob Petrella in a sketch from 1990. |
That's the category on colossus Amazon that I currently hold top spot in. Behold! Proof of a sort. Nevertheless, I'm delighted and you will be as well come September when the book is released and the price goes up. A pleasant Wednesday to all.
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| Discounted for now. |
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| L. me and father-of-the-bride. |
And that's how fast time flies. Away into a new life goes a young lady who once edited a short story of mine. I was quite happy for her and the family.
Here is a picture of Paul and I at the reception. It appears a large alien craft is landing behind us and we're the last to know.
Ah, well, in the midst of life, interstersteller visitors.
A bit of word play, but, at last, the stinking thing is working. There's so much more to learn, but it seemed I'd never leave the starting block with Aweber. If you'd like notification as to when the book will be published, then visit tinyurl.com/ycmd7p8z. Not only will you be in the loop, but you'll receive a free inflation-fighting ebook with loads of money-saving links. Pardon me, but I'm long overdue for a collapse.
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| That's not me running. |
On prior Independence Days—2007 2010 2015 2019 2021—I've run twice at the Rose Bowl and thrice at the Independence Day Classic up in Santa Clarita. All have been 5ks. All save 2015 have been formal races offering tee-shirts and—as times changed—bling.
Today I broke with precedent. While I again ran Santa Clarita, this time I chose the 10k. I can't say why. Possibly because I haven't run a formal 10k since 2008 (where I was aced out of an age-group medal.) 6.2 miles has been a jinxed distance ever since. In 2020, two 10ks were cancelled because of COVID. In the run-up to my 2021 marathon, I missed a 10k training race because my wife was ill. Something always seemed to happen.
Except for today. A sunny morning with cool morning temperatures and a small race field. This was my first race since last November's Surfers Point. In May when I signed up, I thought I'd train hard and attempt to break one hour. As it was, working on the marathon book ate up time. I ran and all, but it wasn't specific to the 10k and I ended up light on speed work.
Still and all, like races past, I slept poorly the previous night, didn't want to get up, didn't want to run, but went anyway. At 7:00 AM, off I went on a bike trail, three miles out and 3.2 miles back. The night before I'd figured out a goal time: 1:07:00. That was two minutes faster then last summer's unofficial 10k. It seemed a reasonable achievable goal.
For the first time in a race I used the running app on my phone. I wanted half-mile splits so I could adjust my pace. It worked fine. By mile two, the race leaders were already passing me, bound for the finish line. I passed a few people, always leaning forward to give it a little gas as I did so. My hips seemed loose and flowed back on passing and downhills.
At the turn-around, I sped up a bit. The night before, and in my car prior to the race, I'd listened to YouTube meditations for runners. It helped as I noticed myself tensing up in the neck and lower back and was able to release the pressure.
I played leap-frog with a short woman in her thirties. She had quick loud feet. I always knew when she would pass. I caught up with her on a downhill and shot by. A guy I'd passed earlier, passed me on mile 4. On mile 5 I passed a woman, then tried to catch up with another group of runners, but they were too fast.
As a seasoned racer, I knew to remove my sunglasses before I reached the end so as not to spoil the finish line photo.
1:04:46.
Not bad; a 10:24 pace.
Plus there were age group awards, three deep. I finished third in the 65-69 male age group. There are speedy runners up in Santa Clarita in all age groups. I was fortunate to snag a nice little plaque.
I'm thinking of going back to bed now. If I'm planning on training for another marathon this year, I'd better make up my mind soon. But not today.
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| Hands on at Home |
YouTube is generally good for learning things, but I always need to check a video's published date, especially on software. I find myself watching tutorials that are two years old. My on-screen Aweber software no longer matches the lesson. Most elements are roughly the same, but I'm already struggling uphill with all this and it doesn't take much to throw me off.
But as I've said of late, success can and will be achieved.
BTW: Aweber seems Okay so far. More as the process unfolds.
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| BookSummaryDK |
Yesterday was a perfect example. I didn't run Friday. If I wished to maintain my weekly mileage, I'd need to run further than usual on Saturday. I didn't want to. So I busied myself with many tasks as the day wore on, growing hotter by the hour. By late afternoon, I told myself it was too hot to run.
Somehow, I made it out the door. At Griffith Park, an event was occupying the parking area I usually used. Trivial? When The Quits are upon you, the little things are weaponized. Finally, I set out to run 7 miles. Before I reached 3, I wanted to quit. I considered stopping at 4. Then 5. By 5.5 I was close enough to 7 to finish up.
I didn't use my usual weapons of positive affirmations and visualizations. But I did say to myself, 'Not just yet.' It proved enough.
And The Quits lurk in every facet of my life. The rationalizations, the excuses. But they are vulnerable to persistence. Yesterday was a victory. Today, the board is cleared and it begins again: me vs. me.
'Twas suggested I post a few episodes of my work in a pleasant spot. I've chosen here. Sadly, not everything I've written has y...
