Don't worry, be happy

Born in July 1942 and also in the process of writing a book. How close are we?

I've published two indy collections of short stories. I plan to query the novel.

You've been writing a book for bloody ages.

Some of us have actually written some.

My writing is currently on hold while I'm moving house.

Got a van load to empty tomorrow.

I am only 72 and just started shaving, so maybe this doesn't count. But my karate sensei passed away in 2010, and before he passed, he asked me to write a book about the older style I learned from him, and that I am currently teaching.

Fast-forward to 2020 and the COVID-19 lockdowns. For 2 months, my wife and I were locked down in the house with our dojo (karate school attached to our home) closed and I finally decided to begin writing the book as I promised. I gathered all my notes and began with a simple outline that would become the only book about this old system ever written.

No fancy posed photos of technique, and few anecdotes. It was a book of the karate system's old-style concepts, philosophies, and history. Text-heavy. Everything documented, citing official sources, historical records, live interviews, a few photographs, and more.

My wife got caught up in writing too, and we collaborated on a bilingual book about our granddaughter's early years. It is mostly Japanese prose and songs Sumako wrote, with my translations into English, and photos.

FFwd again to today. The 1st book, published in 2021, came to nearly 600 pages. Volume 2 is about 500 or so, Vol. 3 is about 475. I am on my 18th, 19th, and 20th books now (3 completely different karate-related subjects), and the writing seems to have no end. Some books are about 300 pages, most others are much shorter, averaging about 75 pages. A few are English-only, but most are bilingual English-Japanese, especially the "Young Student's Guide" series, books 1 - 6 (again, all about karate history, philosophies, and concepts made easy for young readers). The last one is English-Chinese-Japanese, since the Chinese family of my "great-grand-teacher" in China gave us a wealth of information for a biography.

Now I encourage just about everyone to try their hand at writing.

Fabulous. I knew you were a writer to some degree, just didn't know the half of it. I am greatly impressed.

I have had a few of my books of verse published, but ‘THE BOOK’ on the comparability of scientific cosmology with worldwide religious beliefs, may never be finished by me, but by children who are into their 60’s, have said that they will have it published after I have passed over.
What is correct today according to the available data, is incorrect tomorrow according to the new data that is flooding in, due to the advanced technology.

Me too.

‘THE BOOK’ on the comparability of scientific cosmology with worldwide religious beliefs,

Working title:

CHALKS AND CHEESUS

It made me ...

Absolutely shattered.

Emptied the van yesterday, spent today tidying, plumbing in washing machine, cleaning the fridge etc.

Driving back to Southampton tomorrow to pick up the last load.

On Sunday I will be moved instead of moving.

Don't expect to hear much from me in the near future.

Don't stay away too long Izzy.

Welcome back, stranger.

Made the last journey from Southampton.

Got a full van to unload, that can wait until tomorrow.

Over here, and I suspect the same is true over there as well, we have a variety of supermarkets with different markets.

Aldi and Lidl are cost cutters, while Waitrose and Marks & Spencers cater for the high end.

The CoOp is a members owned supermarket chain that came as a response by working class people to stop adulterated food in their diets back in the 19th Century.

It is a major donor to the Labour Party, some Labour MPs are even elected as Labour CoOp.

Their supermarkets remain fairly cheap, decent quality, small corner shop types.

Or so I thought.

Yesterday I stayed in discount hotel in Oxford, as it was on the way.

There was a CoOp next door, and it was the poshest bloody supermarket I've ever been in.

Oxford is super posh, where David Cameron lives, so much for class equality.

I saw a headline that told us companies have been practicing price increase restraint for a while but they are ready to hike prices more. I haven't researched, but I believe them.