Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

June 12, 2015June 10, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 28 Comments

This week was excellent weather wise. I got a chance to do some more painting (no Virginia not on canvas) on the porch. Maybe next week I’ll take a shot of the final result. I’m a little reluctant since you won’t be able to see the difference as I did not do a before. Ah well, I’ll see how it works out. My publisher and I agreed to go our separate ways. I think this will be best for the two of us. I think they have some different priorities. I have completed the John Cannon trilogy and would like to see the two other parts published before I kick. I now have the opportunity to query other publishers or self-publish. I will need to look at all the alternatives and then make a decision.

This week’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is about patience. I learned to be patient since it took over a year to work out a solution. I hope you like it.

Action is what counts,

Unless some time needs be spent. . .

Patience is virtue.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

June 5, 2015June 1, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 22 Comments

One more eight-hour day until the weekend. I think we can all do eight hours. I have been complaining about the weather for so long I do have to acknowledge when MN (Mother Nature) does a spectacular job. This week was glorious. Our temperature have been in the Highs in the upper eighties and plenty of sunshine. Made it very hard not to grab a chair and umbrella (and boat drink) and run out on responsibilities. I did stick to the right path and did not weaken. It was sure tempting though. This week JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is about temptation. I hope you like it.

Keep production moving,

The correct path to success. . .

Till lured to more fun.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

May 29, 2015May 26, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 24 Comments

Always nice that Friday has made it. (or I should say we made it to Friday) Eight hours and the weekend will be upon us. Hope everyone had a good work week. Mine was very productive. I finished some painting (no not artwork) that was needed. Having a house by the Gulf is like being on a boat. There are always little repairs that need attention. I noticed this week the UPS guy was punching our door bell and nothing was happening. It is time for the semi-annual de crusting of the button and a touch up of the contact points. The nice part is I know what to do to make it right. The house is always in need of paint. As you can imagine the salt spray makes Sherwin Williams uncover the house. (Their slogan is Cover the Earth). This week’s JohnKu (A term coined by Words4jp) is all about having a little bitter with the sweet. Hope you like it.

All that is good now,

May require effort to keep. . .

Lunch cannot be free.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

May 22, 2015May 18, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 24 Comments

Looks like Friday is here. At least the beginning of Friday is here. Only about eight more hours until the weekend. Today is the last Friday before the milestone marking the beginning of summer Memorial Day. This year Memorial Day is a little earlier than usual due to the last Monday of May being the 25th. I have always had a thought that Memorial Day is on the 30th (or thereabouts). So summer is a little early this year. Hey, I’m not going to complain after the winter that we all have had. Today’s JohnKu ( a term coined by Words4jp) is a celebration of the transition of the seasons.

Spring blowing salty,

A welcome change from winter. . .

Nothing like summer.

Friday JohnKU – AKA TGIF

May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 29 Comments

Friday and the rain is still coming down. I have to turn to something more uplifting that a continuous weather report. Let see, maybe I can look forward to the weekend and do something fun. I have a writer’s group meeting on Saturday, and that is always fun. I guess I will try to ignore the weather and look forward to the meeting. Of course, the roads have to be clear since I need to take a ferry and drive about a half hour to get there. The effort required to attend brings to mind the question of how much trouble does one endure to do something you like to do? In my case, the ferry ride is usually a fifteen minute wait both ways. In the summer, it can be as high as an hour. The drive after the ferry is twenty-five minutes. The meeting is two hours long so on average I travel two hours for a two-hour meeting. Since I love to attend and read my stuff and get some spot on advice, I would probably do it even if the travel times were longer. Am I crazy? Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is all about what we will put up with to do what we love. I hope you enjoy. Pain for Pleasure by John W. Howell © 2015 Investment’s the name, Applied to the pain endured. . . For the sake of love.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

May 8, 2015May 7, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 33 Comments

Lovely Friday again. It has been a busy week. Among other events, I went to a poetry reading and tossed out a couple of short stories to an audience of four. Almost made me laugh that in a town of four thousand there are four people who are interested in the written arts. Two of the four were fellow writers so it was a fun night and brought to mind the idea that no matter how small the group writers will still read. The poor souls who were the only civilians in the audience had a good time as well. At least they laughed in the right places and clicked their thumbs when it was over. The reading took place beside a marina overlooking some beautiful boats, and I would call the scene peaceful. All in all, I didn’t care about the quantity of the audience it was the quality that mattered. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) talks about quality. Hope you like it.

Quantity is good,

Until something needs fixing. . .

Quality shines through.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

May 1, 2015April 27, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 21 Comments

Friday is always a welcome sight. It usually comes in the nick of time (so to speak) and is the capstone to a very busy week. I suppose that’s why we all like Friday it gives us permission to take a break. I know I speak of Friday as if it is capable of giving us welcome praise or a pat on the back. Sometimes it does feel like Friday has some personality and substance. I think when we make it to Friday that in itself is a reward. It’s a little like crossing a finish line in a race. The line is there pure and simple. The act of crossing it adds meaning to the line’s purpose.

Not to be overly focused on the weather I am happy to report some sunshine showed up this week.

This week’s JohnKu (A term coined by Words4JP) discusses Friday as a symbol rather than just another day of the week. I hope you like it.

Friday is but one,

The rest of the week is six . . .

Yet we love it so.

Friday JohnKu -AKA – TGIF

April 24, 2015April 23, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 20 Comments

Friday again. Seems just like it was Friday a short while ago but of course I’m not getting up and hitting the outside world. I don’t have to struggle to get to work and when there struggle with co-workers and well-meaning (I’m sure) bosses. Time becomes a relative thing since I don’t have a clock that needs attention. The only thing scheduled in a typical day that serves to get me out of bed is potty and breakfast for the dogs and pacifying for the cats at 6:30 AM. The rest of the day is pretty much on the pet schedule. Let’s see there is beach walk at 8:30 followed yard sun bath at 12:30. Then there is brushy at 3:15 and another beach walk at 4:00. This routine demands dog dinner at 5:00, the yard at 6:30 and final potty call at 9:30.

Come to think about it, I am a slave to the pets and my schedule looks every bit as complex as when I worked in organized commerce. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) talks about life’s schedule.

Beating the deadline,

Receives high praise, compliments . . .

Till the product fails.

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

April 17, 2015April 14, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 19 Comments

Nice to have Friday come around. This week has been quite wet. We have had rain on and off since last Saturday. I’m not complaining since this definitely helps our drought situation immensely. We have been on water restrictions for about a year and even with this train we will probably remain. On Tuesday, I got a flash flood warning on my cell phone, and it brought to mind how sometimes there is too much of a good thing. I think those who would experience a flash flood might think such a thing is fairly ironic. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) deals with the subject of too much of a good thing. I hope you like it.

Parched land, pray for rain,

The sky opens with bounty. . .

Drowning everything.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

April 10, 2015April 7, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 24 Comments

This week was a doozy. I spent it all editing my fourth book and am not finished yet. I also have been working on the screen porch which badly needed an upgrade. The builder put in screens with aluminium frames and they almost melt in the salt spray. I have done replacement frames and find those are melting as well. The only thing left is a makeover with vinyl frames. I am surprised at how little time I have to work on things like a screened porch. After all the blogs, e-mails, tweets, edits, short stories, and post visits I find I have about an hour a day. I guess it’s better than nothing. I also have a patient spouse who understands. (Lucky) Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is about time. I hope you like it.

When time seems endless,

The joy of relaxation . . .

Gives way to deadline.