Things have been flat-out crazy around here for almost two weeks. House guests, including a brief vacation to make a beach trip with those visitors, plus a bit of travel related to the day job, and extra busy-ness in advance of that trip. I’m left feeling a bit disoriented and somewhat exhausted, but I feel it’s a good thing to take a break from one’s routine once in a while.

Today I locked myself in the office all day, sorted through a lot of mess, and took care of a variety of projects that have been on hold for a while. I look forward to getting back to the grind, and reporting here on a variety of matters. I have a few stories held for consideration at various magazines, so I hope to have some good news to report soon. Past experience has taught me that not every story that makes the “final cut” ends up resulting in publication, but that same experience has taught me that some fo that time, that’s exactly what happens. I’d settle for one out of three, among these current “held for consideration” or “recommended to the main editor” pieces.