I’m Not A Kid Anymore

I think all of us remember back when we were kids and couldn’t wait to grow up because we could do all the cool things that grownups got to do, and we didn’t have to do any of that kid stuff we didn’t like. Boy, were we dumb back then!

I hit 70 a few months ago, and I’m not ashamed to tell you that I’m pretty well done with a lot of this grown-up stuff. I don’t mind working because I work from home on my own schedule and I love writing books. It allows me to make up my own little worlds and control them, and all the people in them. Well, at least until the characters take over, those mutinous little SOBs!

But some of that other grown-up stuff kind of sucks. Things like paying taxes. We paid more in taxes last year than I made for many years of my life. Or how about taking out the garbage? What fun is that? And guess what guys? When you get to be my age the doctor has a special treat for you as he puts on a latex glove and tells you that you’re going to feel a little bit of pressure. Or was that the guy from the IRS? It could have been. Yeah, being a grown-up is real fun. Not!

When I was a kid, my biggest concerns were things like would that little red-haired girl that sat in front of me ever going to realize that I was her own personal Romeo? Or hoping Mom bought the cereal with the free surprise inside. Did any of you have that little submarine that you filled with baking soda and put in the bathtub? I don’t remember what kind of cereal it came in, but I sure remember that submarine.

Remember up above when I said kids were dumb? A good example of that is naps. Who wanted to take a nap when we were kids? There were way too many things I needed to be doing instead of taking a nap. Boy, were we wrong! One of the greatest things about being not just a grown-up but an old fart is that I get to take naps in the afternoon. And because I’m an author, I’ve got Terry convinced that I’m not really being lazy, I’m just working out a scene in my next chapter.

That’s what I was doing yesterday afternoon for about an hour or two, after making all the corrections that Judy and Roberta sent for the latest chapters of my new book. And while Miss Terry told me I was snoring, that was actually one of the characters making that noise. I like to get into my books with them and feel what they’re feeling. When I woke up, I mean when I stopped working on that problem, I felt as rested as that character did!

It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is a six e-book box set of my friend, USA TODAY bestselling author Claude Bouchard’s Vigilante series. Doesn’t everyone fantasize a bit about vigilante justice? Haven’t you ever read or heard of some despicable act of violence and secretly wished you could have the opportunity to make the predator pay? Welcome to the Vigilante series, a growing collection of suspense bestsellers best described as thrillers and mysteries which will have you cheering for the assassin as justice is delivered in a clandestine fashion. But remember, this is fiction, so it’s not a crime.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books and audiobooks to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed.

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us. When they say recycled, do they mean… EWWW!

Thought For The Day – Givers have to set limits because takers seldom do.