A look back. 

It’s been an incredibly busy year thus far - just maybe not on this site. Here’s a quick look at recent developments.

THE BIG NEWS

Gearbox Magazine is officially a monthly, “print-ready” magazine. This was a major undertaking. All the featured content from the month of January (save a couple the last week – call it a buffer) got converted into PDF format for hosting by Issuu. Not counting the time spent running down the stories and publishing them on the site, this little project – with it’s glaring Table of Contents mistake – took the better part of 14 hours to complete over a weekend. Have a look!

SMOKE FREE!

In January, I also celebrated a full year smoke-free. Safe to say I’ve quit for good.

OIL FILTER FIASCO

Back in December, my little truck decided it didn’t like oil filters anymore. Since I couldn’t keep oil in it, I couldn’t drive it. The good news is, the problem was isolated to a $5 spring in a $50 oil pump. The bad news is, I pretty much had to strip the engine down to a bare short block to replace the pump. It’s been a steep learning curve, with more than usual cold and wet weather here in Phoenix, but the truck is finally starting to go back together.

DISTILLERY PROJECT

I’ve not forgotten about this. In fact, I’ve got two really incredible submissions in the works right now. Just need to get some time squirreled away to devote to them. James, Jessica – thank you for being patient with me!

MAKING SENSE OF PENNY

Same goes for this one. We’ve passed three months, she’s sleeping through the night, seems like she knows her name, and is “talking” all the time. It’s adorable. I’ve got a lot to share in this project, and soon. If everyone could come home to the kind of smiling face that comes from the purest form of genuine joy at seeing them, the world would be a different place.

DENTAL WORK

Since mid-December, I’ve been to the dentist 8 times. 5 fillings on the right. 4 on the left. Then a root canal was started before I had to be referred to a specialist. As I write this, I’m a day away from going back for a crown, one more filling, and – hopefully – the final adjustment to past work to eliminate the temperature/pressure sensitivity I’ve had since before the holidays. Joy.

ANYTHING ELSE?

I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, but I am pressed for time and wanted to get an update in place here. Thanks for stopping by. Keep going fast with class and press on regardless.