Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich

~ Veselin ~ Leave a comment

Some writers start with a bestseller, then it’s all downhill. You’re lucky to get the same bestseller repeated a few times with a slightly different plot. Others get better book after book. Michael Connelly is in that group, and Janet Evanovich seems to be there as well. Takedown Twenty was one of the best from the Stephanie Plum series. There were exploding cars, a bit of grimdark comedy, and a stray giraffe but it was balanced and Stephanie did well.

Stephanie should’ve been 50 by now. Technology ages but she stays 30. Other than this little glitch in the Matrix, it’s a great series.

What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?

~ Veselin ~ 6 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?
View all responses
  • Minimalism – my wife is a minimalist and I enjoy the simplicity of that concept, particularly about clothes, electronics, and furniture. I also apply it to books and only keep the ones I love.
  • Sleep – if something is not important enough to be done first thing in the morning, it’s not worth doing last thing in the evening. This helps me go to bed sooner.
  • Reading – I try to read for about 2 hours per day. ~~10pm to ~~midnight is reading time. Helps me sleep better.
  • Walking – my goal is 10k per day and I do that for cardio fitness and meditation. 2 hours of walking per day requires sacrifices but then I found hacks – if a 30-minute drive can be replaced by a 1h walk, that’s half of my daily walking at the expense of 30 minutes. So I walk to places that people would normally drive to. Also, playing football with my kids counts as walking and family time.
  • Calendar – if a task is important enough, I put it on the calendar, personal or professional. This forces me to complete important tasks better than a to-do list. Less important and not-time-sensitive tasks still don’t go to the calendar.
  • Blogging – I try to blog daily and participate in the community.
  • I drink sugar-free sodas and eat chocolate. I can probably do better here but it increases the present-day comfort at the expense of my future self.

What’s your definition of romantic?

~ Veselin ~ 5 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What’s your definition of romantic?

Do more chores than necessary and appreciate every kind gesture. Remember birthdays and family holidays. Pay attention and listen. Cheesecake.

Nice writing prompt! Thanks for asking, Mr. Cronjob 🙂

Teatime

~ Veselin ~ 11 Comments

Best herb tea Bulgaria can offer. We call it “Mashterka”. Some rare herbs gained popularity but I always suspected it’s due to their rarity rather than taste. Mashterka isn’t rare and is delicious.

PS. Jonathan Teatime is a villain from Hogfather. Couldn’t resist the temptation to name a flower post after him 🙂