A very good place to start...

Well, I think I'll try and start a blog. I've had a few half hearted attempts over the years, and once I even did really well with one for awhile. The Fountain of Wisdom on my old homepage was a long lived, if sporadically updated little online journal, even before blogging took off. So this is Trudger's Treatises. So named, as to fit with the convention set by the Coopers. I wanted something using an online pseudonym, that being Trudger, and an alliterative word that had something to do with writing, informing, or something to that effect, thus Treatises. It is my hope that I can use this blog in such a way as to keep up those who are interested in what's going on. Keep in mind that I am not, and will never be a daily journal keeper. My journals tend to be the kind in which 15 to 20 entries can span the space of a year. Sometimes more, sometimes less. My paper journals are this way as well. I can never really come up with something to write on a daily basis. So I'll just start with the latest things that are happening and we'll go from there. First, I am writing my novel. I started it back in March of this year after I was finally able to mostly nail down a good story from beginning to end in an outline form. I've tried to write books before, but what would happen is that I'd start strong, and then lacking a solid storyline to follow, I would tend to meander, and the lose my train of thought. So far, "Merrick" is not proceeding this way. It has been much easier to stay on course with the outline and I highly recommend that any budding author use one. Currently I am stuck dealing with how much of the backstory (and forestory for that matter) to reveal, and the pace in which I should reveal it. I've had trouble with books and short stories I've tried in the past with pacing. My exposition tends to be a little frantic, because I want to get the whole thing on paper now! I mean, I want the reader to know the cool stuff as fast as possible, so what comes out is a vast jumble of exposition, followed by a vacuum created by having nothing left to say. Again, the outline has helped in this regard, but I need to make certain I do not "spill the beans" too quickly or there's no hope for keeping it interesting for the whole ride. If you'd like to check out the prelude to "Merrick" it is posted on my website. Just create an account and have a look! The next thing that comes to mind that's going on is my current bid for fitness, spurred on by the impending arrival of the spring of 2009, which brings with it a 100 mile trek on the Appalachian Trail that my wife and I are planning. I have dropped about 23 pounds thus far, and intend, before the end of the year, to drop another 27 at the least. My motto has been "The less I weigh, the less I have to carry up that mountain!" I have been eating fewer than 1500 calories a day and using a mix of cardio (jogging and hiking) and some light weight work and ab work for tone. Michelle and I are working out together and recently ran our first 5k race. Another is approaching on Labor Day which we hope to run faster. This running thing started when one of our friends decided to use the "Couch to 5k" program to jump start his own fitness. We did it together and all ran the race. We all finished, alive and vertical. Anyway I am using a site called "The Daily Plate" to track my food and exercise. Jenn N. mentioned it months ago, and Michelle and I just started using it this past week. It's actually a lot of fun to track your progress and daily nutrition. I read an article that said people who keep a daily log of what they eat tend to lose more weight than those who don't. I'm taking every advantage I can. Go here to check out my daily plate profile! So those two things are taking up quite a bit of my time these days. That and work of course. Next week I'll be flying out to Las Vegas for our company trade show and some training. Vegas is fun for a little while, but I'm glad I won't be out there for an extended period. Too, too hot! Also, I'm working on playing a little bit of bass guitar in the budding praise band down at church. That's been fun so far, and I'm looking forward to getting to play something I haven't really played in a band before. Ok, I think I've flooded you, intrepid reader, with enough things to think about. I know you'll spend the day with them on your mind. "I wonder what Jon is eating right now?" "I wonder if he's gotten past his problem in Merrick?" "I'll bet he's jogging. You KNOW he has to be jogging!" Talk to you soon! Have a good one and eat your vegetables! :) -J