Kung Fu and Work – What a Combination!

The days are really getting shorter and the temperature although it’s still above freezing, has a definite fall feel to it. I’ve had to go out and warm up my car nearly every morning so that it’s a comfortable ride for my lady and I!

The various projects are still on the go. I should be sending the completed Harvesting book to Mike tonight, if not early tomorrow. I just need to go through it and make sure that I didn’t forget anything.

The weapons compilation was put on hold for several days just so that I could catch up on the last edits for the harvesting book. Maybe tonight after posting this blog I will get back to work on it, but even then that might end up being put on hold temporarily.

The reason is that after I spoke with Mike earlier this week, I need to write a couple of articles for two issues of our flagship magazine D-Infinity. He had to pull a couple of articles from those issues and now needs filler to take their place.

I’m not sure what to write for the issue ‘Full Circle’ but I will come up with something. However, the Mythos issue is an easy one for me. I will write up Martial Arts gods for it, based on a little bit of research that I have begun. It will be written up OSR style for Labyrinth Lord. I need to write up about 5,000 words or so and need to accomplish this as soon as possible.

Since I’ve been part of Skirmisher for over 5 years now, it’s kind of nice to finally contribute to the magazine. I was asked in the past but promptly forgot about it and as such missed out. No more!

Some of you might be wondering what is up with the title of this week’s blog. As many of you know I have been training Shaolin Kung Fu for over 7 years. That’s far longer than most would-be martial artists. Most barely get past the first month or so! Few have the dedication or the interest to get as far as I have.

So it goes without saying that when I got my instructors Black Belt on Monday, it was quite the milestone for me. Both my son and I are now Black Belts.

Is my journey over? Oh hell no! Not even close. Some people would say that it has just begun! Now that I have my black belt I will begin to learn even more dangerous and deadly techniques. Hell just this Thursday I learned a new leg sweep that after practicing it for about 30 minutes put so much wear and tear on my thighs I could barely walk on Friday and Saturday.

My friend and teacher is excited to now be able to teach me all these new techniques and frankly I am eager to learn them.

Give me about another 23 years and I’ll hit Grandmaster ranking. I’ll be the most dangerous 70 year old around.

Hey, don’t laugh – I started training for two reasons. To protect my wife, and to maintain my health. At 47 I am stronger, faster, and more agile than I was when I was in my early twenties. Barring a crippling injury, I will be training pretty much for the rest of my life.

Another milestone was accomplished this week. Buck Who? Chapter 40 went up on Friday night. This marks 320,000 words I wrote and posted thus far. That’s 4 full books people! I am very proud of this particular accomplishment! I’m still working on the novel, and will be starting chapter 44 tomorrow. There are only a couple of chapters left to write and then this epic PA novel is complete.

It’s a shame that I missed out on this week’s D-Infinity Podcast. I have always liked shapeshifters, and found this particular topic to be pretty cool!

As usual, two new critters went up on Monday. The Chitterer and Slicks. I have two ready for posting tomorrow morning.

Four more conversions went up this week as well. Two were inspired by Tremors: Bloodlines – Ass Blaster, African; Graboid, African; Invisi-Ape (from Hollow Man) and Echoes.

Oddly enough the Shriker was never portrayed in the movie and I’m waffling if I am going to bother trying to write it up or not.

This is the point of the blog where I would typically mention my latest read. It’s not going to happen this week. The reason is that I was rather busy at my full time job and did not have much time to listen as I would have liked. So probably will be posting about it next week, maybe two books.

Speaking of Kung Fu, I watched a movie called Kung Fu Killers starring Donnie Yen. Pretty good martial arts action but as I have found with so many Hong Kong action movies, there was not much in the way of plot. It was okay and I enjoyed it.

And that’s it for this week.

Please like my Facebook author page, and follow me on Twitter!

Until next Sunday, remember, there are only 67 shopping days until Christmas.

I know, I’m evil. =)