Okay, so that might be a gross oversimplification but the point stands: at a recently reached thirty-six years of age and an average distance of 584 million miles for each trip around the sun… well, you get it. And in those thirty-six years I’ve determined a couple hard truths:

1. Life is fucking weird
2. Too many people talk WAY too much
3. There are more things on this Earth that I want to experience than I’ll ever have time to
4. One. Day. At. A. Time.
5. One. Hour. At. A. Time.

I’m sure there are others (I’m 100% certain there are others) but lists longer than five are simply too long. So there you go.

Jokes and apocalyptic perceptions about the state of the world aside, I’m looking forward to thirty-six. First, it beats the alternative. Second, I feel like I’ve finally hit the age where I’m just like eh, whatever. If you’re not touching kids or kicking animals, I don’t really care. So go forth, play your phones on speaker in public, roll coal as you pass people on bikes, and do whatever other self-involved bullshit that seemingly doesn’t effect your ability to sleep at night. The rest of us will continue to nod along to your doucebaggery.

Hey – this honesty with age thing is pretty cool.

Anyways…

2025’s been off to an interesting start and, for the sake of sanity, we’re just going to acknowledge all the bullshit in existence and move past it. Temporarily.

So, what’s new in the land of words and such?

Stokercon, the award ceremony conducted by the Horror Writers Association, has released its final ballot and it’s filled with quality horror writing (though none of mine… yet). This year, the convention is happening in Connecticut and it will be my first time attending. I can’t wait!

In the meantime, the first two months of the year proved to incredible entertainment months for me. I’ve somehow managed to rack up:

• 7 books
• 9 movies
• 2 limited series
• 2 video games

While so many were good, my favorites are, respectively:

• Everyone Who is Gone is Here by Jonathan Blitzer
• Leave the World Behind
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Silent Hill 2 Remake

While I listed Everyone Who is Gone is Here as my favorite read thus far, it is a close tie with The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami. The speculative fiction e-zine, Shoreline of Infinity, featured my (spoiler free) review of The Dream Hotel here if what should be considered this generation’s 1984 piques your interest.

For those of you who are into the Oscars, I hope last night was fun. I got a couple laughs in the half-hour or so that I watched but the looming shadow of Monday got the better of me.

And now here we are. Monday. Back on the roller coaster. Guess what lies ahead on this year’s 584 million mile trek. Does someone else want to drive for a bit?

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