Howdy,

I fully realize that I’ve brought the behind the scenes much too much to the front by highlighting the word count so often, like it’s crucial, when really it’s not.

It’s important, but word count shouldn’t be a driving topic or fixation, but it’s the path I’m on with this goal of writing 200,000 words in the course of a year, which will be more than I ever have in that time frame.

Talking so much about word count feels to me like it exposes to some degree that this is all practice. In part that is true, but in another way writing is discovery and you have to put a certain count of words down to have written something — and drafting and creating and practicing and producing can get real blurry. So I like to think I’m just being open and honest, vulnerable and generous. What else can I do? I’m writing.

(I suppose I wonder about this because I know some of the writing is fast, some of it is loose, but it isn’t inappropriate or unfair or disingenuous. Could be too sloppy, overly underdeveloped, a touch [or sledgehammer] lame, or simply dumb [as in speaking without thinking, or in this case writing with editing]. But, also, I’m trusting; I’m trusting the process, and I’m trusting you, and I appreciate your trust of and in me. I appreciate your attention, that you read. And I’m giving. I’m writing. And you’re giving. You’re reading. So, this is a good thing. This is neat. I hope you’re enjoying it, too.)

Today I had to mention word count, because I’ve been waiting for this day — or, more accurately, have been working for this day — the day that in this year of 200K words I would catch and lap 86,000 words. I’ve been keeping my eye out for that number. And today is the day. Eighty-six thousand words, just like my debut novel, Baseball Boys: Collision. 86K. In 169 days. Five and a half months.

Much quicker than finishing my first novel took me.

Now, of course, these are different animals. A book is crafted and structured in a way that this scatterings and smatterings of posts don’t even dare attempt. But …

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Howdy,

Okay, Giants games weren’t supposed to go like that this year.

Not like last year. Not this year.

An atrocious, league-leading 30 blown saves. Just play better.

A dubious record, those 30 game-give-aways being the most ever for a playoff team (according to ESPN Senior Writer, David Schoenfield).

On the other hand, Madison Bumgarner was ridiculously good, like not-ever-before good — at least at the plate.

The Giants ace wasn’t only good as a hitter, though, he had a perfect game going through 5.1 innings as the Opening Day starting pitcher. No pitcher had ever pitched a perfect game on Opening Day, and, unfortunately, that remains the case, as Bumgarner then gave up three runs to allow the Arizona Diamondbacks to tie the game at three in the sixth.

What did MadBum do in the bottom of the 7^th?

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Howdy,

So today had a little déjà vu from something we never do …

If that doesn’t make sense (which, it seems to me, technically it doesn’t), please let me explain.

You may recall that last Saturday I wrote about how as a family we pulled into a Prime Shine Car Wash and parked between the multiple dangling suction hoses and put the boys to work vacuuming out their own seats, which really needed it. The whole vehicle needed the attention. Seriously, can look like the floor of a cereal factory. We’ve definitely decided that this is a good family activity: working to vacuum out our SUV.

Well, we did it again today.

Same place, even parked in the same slot (the spot we found last week that had good suction on multiple hoses — you know, since we want everyone pitching in, that, and the fact that the boys would be fighting each other to be the one working the vacuum).

This week it was Sarah’s car, rather than mine. So we need to vacuum out our SUVs. Plural, and, yes, there was a cereal factory in this one too. (Have I mentioned we have kids? Yes. Oh. Three kids? Okay, I wasn’t sure. Boys? Hmm, I’ll have to look about through my posts … well, I guess I may have mentioned them. Thanks for tuning in. So, yes, a cereal factory explosion — serial, with a three-pronged detonator.)

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Howdy,

Sunshine showcase.

Sunshine showcase is a phrase that I just slapped together in a free write a few moments ago, and I like it.

I like the phrase, and I’m sitting here liking that things can pop up out of a free writing session.

True, that’s the whole point, but it’s cool when it happens, and I’m appreciating it. Enjoying it even.

Sunshine showcase came to light when I was writing about the beautiful day that it is up here in the foothills of Mariposa. I was simply thinking through how it is such a nice day here, even with a bit of deception in temperature as it’s not as warm as it looks and there is a breeze that is keeping the day from being as comfortable as it appears.

But the beauty is exceptional, a gorgeous day. And even without its commonly associated temperature the strong, clear sunshine is brightening up the natural surroundings that we’re enjoying. The shining sun is showcasing nature’s beauty with a wonderful brilliance, an easy to recognize resplendence.

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Howdy,

I’ll try not to talk too much about word count today — chose/find a topic instead — but I am excited to say that with the to-the-side, off-the-books free write that I’ve already done today, I only need a post of about 300 words to have a 2,000-word writing day, which is real progress on cutting into that word-count deficit that I have running right now.

The good news for you? You may only have to read a 300-word post. (Or so.)

Short posts are nice sometimes, for all of us. Like those books with short chapters. Finish a chapter and start the next one.

John Maxwell (author of many, many leadership books at this point) tells the story of being a beginner at writing books. He says that one of his early books, maybe his first, had lots of short chapters, and one day a lady at a conference came up to him and told him how much she loved that book.

She just loved how he had decided to employ such short chapters, making it easier and more enjoyable to read. The lady was excited to be able to let the author know her appreciation for that choice.

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Howdy,

Earlier today I had the thought to simply give a go at writing the best sentence that I could, as a way to get started.

But then I thought of this as more than a starting exercise, more as something I could try my hand (and mind) at once in awhile to see what I can come up with, all on its own. How great, how resplendent, of a sentence may be written?

Maybe it won’t always be about topic, could be construction, sentence structure, for instance … another day, but today (probably especially since I was reflecting following attending a good Bible Study) I thought the topic was important.

This topic is too big, too grand, too great, too gracious, too glorious, to ever fully capture, let alone in a sentence (thus the abundance of phrase inducing punctuation!). Nevertheless, I embarked, to utter and seek to articulate fragments about God, Creator of heaven and earth …

The best sentence I could think to write right now:

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Howdy,

I know that I just wrote about how “It’d been awhile” for some things, but tonight Jasper and Titus attended their regular AWANA clubs — Sparks and Puggles, respectively.

Except that it hadn’t been regular in awhile.

I can’t even remember precisely how long it had been since those two have been able to go. I’m thinking at least this whole month, because this whole month has been off. But that’s only at least because February was the sick month for them. It just hung on through March. Hung on, and rotated back around after moving through. One of those fun goes …

Anyway, it is so go to have the boys feeling better and able to go back to AWANA’s. They were excited to go, and I think even more excited afterward. Pumped. Excited. Sugared-up. Hyper … Insane, rather than ready for bed. All those things that are so great right before bedtime.

Jasper literally began running circles before getting into the car. And began yelling, “I’m hyper! I still have energy left! We exercised at Sparks, but not enough to get rid of all my energy! I’m still hyper! I’m exercising to use my energy! I still have energy!”

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Howdy,

Today I was reminded that temperatures can be deceiving.

It’s the actually going outside that helps with the discovery of the weather’s true effect.

It wasn’t anything near COLD this afternoon to make a big deal out of this, but I did notice the difference between the 65 degrees on my iPhone weather app and the 65º outside — with the 17 mile per hour winds.

Again, it’s not like that’s even that bad, 17 m.p.h. winds — let alone 65º.

But when you’re a dad checking the weather for taking kids outside … to go in the hot tub — and you also have the youngest, at nine months old — the day being at the current high is different without winds than with. Riah didn’t get to get wet today.

He loves the water, already, like his two older brothers, but Riah had to sit this one out this afternoon. Which, also meant … I had to sit it out as well, to keep him dry and warm (enough) hanging out on the pool furniture while Jasper and Titus enjoyed adventures chasing spa bubbles around, especially when they took flight in today’s wind.

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Howdy,

I did a couple things today that I hadn’t done in quite awhile.

First was simply going to church on a Sunday morning.

It hadn’t been that long — in actual time, not like the next thing I’ll mentioned — but for our church attendance it’s been awhile. I hadn’t been to our church this whole month of March.

Between family loss and a subsequent funeral and then common cold-type sickness we’ve been either out of town or out of commission. And I felt out of touch.

Last week Sarah and a couple of the boys made it to church but I stayed home with a sickie, or two. I don’t even remember; we’ve had so many missed events and a weaving in and out of who’s healthy and who’s not. (It’s the snot that helps you know who’s who at the time.)

Anyway, needless to say, it was so nice for us all to be up for going to church this morning. Nice to step back into that caring community. A blessing. If that’s not something you have, something you know, then I recommend you find it. Search out a good Bible-believing church and get to know some loving people. Go love some people.

Then you’ll miss that when you don’t have it. But it’s a good thing to miss, a good thing to go back to as well. I wasn’t even gone that long, but it was good to be back.

The other thing I did today, this afternoon, which I had not done in awhile — and this one is in forever, well not actually forever as you know but much too long — was fire up the ol’ barbie.

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