Setting a Schedule

    I've learned from past experiences that setting a schedule is crucial for keeping myself on track. With that in mind, I'm excited to announce a revamped approach to my blog. Starting this week, I'll be dedicating specific days to discussing the three major aspects of my life: Fatherhood, Food, and Fantasy. By organizing my blog posts around these topics, I hope to share my experiences, insights, and passions with you in a more structured and engaging way.

Thursdays: Fatherhood Findings     On Thursdays, I invite you to join me in reflecting on the successes and challenges I face as a dad throughout the week. I'll delve into various parenting topics, sharing my thoughts, experiences, and lessons learned. Together, we can explore the joys and complexities of fatherhood and parenting to engage in meaningful conversations about raising children in today's world. There are a million places to go to talk to other parents and I hope here is becomes a space where people are comfortable to share!

Saturdays: Fun With Food!     Food has always held a special place in my heart (and stomach), and on Saturdays, I'll be diving into the realm of the delicious. I'll share my culinary adventures, whether it's a show I recently watched, a thought-provoking podcast I stumbled upon, or a delightful recipe I've tried or plan to attempt. Get ready for tantalizing discussions about flavors, cultures, and the joy of preparing and savoring delicious meals. Hopefully this one will bring along pictures and inspire some people to share their favorites too! I'm always willing to try a new food or recipe!

Mondays: Fantasy Realms and Writing Updates     As an aspiring writer, Mondays will be devoted to my fantasy world-building endeavors and progress on my book. Join me as I explore the vast landscapes of imagination, discuss writing techniques, and share insights from the writing community. We'll delve into tropes, character development, world-building, and anything else that captures the essence of the fantasy genre. Together, we'll embark on a journey to unleash our creativity and craft compelling stories. Sometimes a spark is all you need to unleash an inferno of inspiration!

    I'm excited to try and refresh this blogging journey, and hope to make a community around parents that share my interests and passions! I'll be sharing my experiences as a father, my culinary explorations, and my deep passion for writing and fantasy. Through this revamped schedule, I aim to provide you with engaging, thought-provoking content that reflects a diverse set of interests. I invite you to join me on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays as we delve into the realms of Fatherhood, Food, and Fantasy. Let's embark on this adventure together, discovering the joys and challenges of life's rich tapestry.

The call of the sea!

     My inspiration for writing today came from the ocean itself. There's something about the sea that's both awe-inspiring and terrifying, offering the opportunity for adventure and freedom, but at the same time, it's so vast and open that it can be intimidating to find a place to start. The sea has always had a powerful impact on humanity, from inspiring seafarers to explore new lands and embark on epic voyages, to serving as a symbol of the unknown, the uncharted, and the mysterious.

    In many ways, the sea is a metaphor for life itself. Just like the ocean, life can be vast, unpredictable, and at times, overwhelming. But at the same time, it's full of possibilities and opportunities for growth and discovery. It's a reminder that we should never be afraid to set out on our own journey, even if the path ahead seems uncertain or intimidating.

    This theme of adventure and freedom is something that I've been exploring in my writing recently. In fact, it's the basis for the story I want to share with you today. It's a tale of three friends who, like many of us, find themselves at a crossroads in life. They're all facing different challenges and struggles, but they share a common desire for something more, something that can only be found by leaving behind the familiar and setting off into the unknown.

    And so, one day, under the catalyst of their once safe home losing it's protection, they make a decision. They decide to leave everything behind and embark on a journey across the sea. The chance to find a way to bring protection back to their now vulnerable home becomes a fire that is ever growing. At first, the sheer size of the ocean seems to hold them back, but eventually, they find their way, with a rag tag group of fallen mercenaries showing them the good, the bad, and the unbelievable.

    As they journey across the sea, they encounter all sorts of challenges and obstacles, from treacherous storms to fierce sea creatures. But they also experience moments of wonder and awe, discovering new lands and cultures, and forming deep bonds with each other and the crew. Hope in the face of hopelessness and discovering why the land they live in is scarred becomes an epic that goes beyond just protecting their home.

    In the end, their journey across the sea represents a triumph of the human spirit. It's a testament to the power of adventure, the freedom to explore, and the courage to face the unknown. And it's a reminder that, just like the ocean, life is full of possibilities and opportunities, waiting for us to take that first step and set off on our own journey of discovery.

In to the unknown!

    As some one who is trying to be a writer, creating a vivid and engaging setting for your story can be a daunting task. Whether it's a fictional fantasy world or a familiar city street, the setting can make or break a reader's immersion in your story. That's why I've found searching out landscapes online from travel blogs to be an incredibly useful tool for inspiration. Social media algorithms work in such a way that once you start digging into travel and landscapes, you'll see more of it, so let the wormhole begin!

    The internet offers the ability to virtually explore places that you may never have the opportunity to visit in person. Travel blogs, social media, and photography websites offer a plethora of images and descriptions of stunning natural landscapes, bustling city streets, and quaint towns all over the world. Even if you're not planning on traveling, these resources can provide a wealth of inspiration for your writing. It's an inspiring journey to traverse the mountains on one page and then dip into the waters of a beach on the next.

    When trying to plot out the path of my book, I found myself struggling to create a vivid and engaging setting for the story's climax. I knew that I wanted it to take place in a natural landscape, but I wasn't sure what kind of environment would work best. That's when I turned to travel blogs and started browsing images of different landscapes. I was searching high and low for something that would spark a fun idea for a chase scene.

    That's when I came across a breathtaking photo of the Grand Canyon, with its winding river and towering red rock formations. Suddenly, I could picture my characters navigating the treacherous terrain, hiding from their pursuers behind towering rocks, and ultimately making their escape down the winding river. The landscape became a character in its own right, adding depth and complexity to the story. It painted a path to where I want my first book to end. Pairing a chase scene with the finale of a book creates a sense of accomplishment and success, leaving readers triumphant and wanting more.

    Using travel blogs for inspiration provides a variety of different types of landscapes to fit any story or mood. If you're writing a romantic story, you might search for images of beautiful beaches or quaint European towns. If you're writing a horror story, you might search for images of abandoned buildings or creepy forests. The possibilities are endless. For me, it's a lot of oceanside and mountains that are taking me on Nordic and Sicilian voyages!

    Of course, inspiration is not the same as imitation. While you may be inspired by a particular landscape or setting, it's important to make it your own and incorporate it in a way that fits your story. Use the images and descriptions as a jumping-off point, but don't be afraid to put your own spin on things. It'll be what makes your work have its own flavor and style.

    Searching out landscapes online from travel blogs can be an incredibly valuable tool for writers. It can help you create a vivid and engaging setting for your story and provide a wealth of inspiration for your imagination. So the next time you're feeling stuck on your setting, take a virtual trip around the world and see what landscapes inspire you!

The night is full of possibilities!

 Have you ever experienced that eerie feeling when you're alone in the dark? The quiet of the night can be unsettling, and it's not just your imagination playing tricks on you. As human beings, we are wired to be alert in the face of danger, and the darkness only heightens our sense of vulnerability.

    There's something about the nighttime that can be spooky. The lack of sound and movement can make even the bravest of us feel uneasy. When you're alone, the silence can be deafening, and it's easy for your mind to start playing tricks on you. Every creak and groan of the house can seem like a sinister presence lurking in the shadows.

    I remember one time when I was rocking my baby in the early hours of the morning. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The stillness was so palpable that it felt like it was suffocating me. I couldn't help but think that something was about to jump out from the shadows and attack us. My skin was covered in goosebumps, and I had to remind myself that there was nothing to fear.

    This sense of suspense is what makes the nighttime so intriguing. It's a time when anything can happen, and our imaginations can run wild. It's why horror movies are often set in the dark, with characters stumbling around in the shadows, trying to evade some unknown menace.

    But it's not just in movies where the nighttime can be spooky. In real life, there have been countless tales of ghost sightings and unexplained phenomena that happen during the wee hours of the night. Some people believe that this is when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest, and it's easier for spirits to make their presence known. Personally I don't believe, but that many tales do make you wonder.

    Of course, not everyone finds the nighttime scary. Some people find it peaceful and calming, a time for reflection and relaxation. But for those of us who get spooked by the silence and the shadows, there's no denying the thrill of the unknown. It's a reminder that even in our modern, well-lit world, there's still a bit of mystery and magic left to be discovered.

So the next time you find yourself alone in the dark, embrace the spookiness. Let your imagination run wild and enjoy the thrill of the unknown. And if you start to feel a little uneasy, just remember that there's nothing to fear but your own mind playing tricks on you.

Little critters!

    Something happened that I can take directly to write in my book! an encounter that will allow me to expand and add to my fantastical world! It all starts with armadillos. Walking at night with my dog has been amazing for stress relief and weight loss. These also can also lead to some interesting encounters with creatures that are typically hidden away during the day. On this night I ran in to quite a few creatures that sparked some interesting ideas for my book.

    This brings me to the armadillos. These fascinating little mammals are known for their unique armor-like shells, which are made up of overlapping plates of skin and bone. They are primarily nocturnal, so spotting them during the day is a rare occurrence. The damage that they have done to the ground and the fences in the area is always the talk of the neighborhood. I don't begrudge them for doing it, because I know they are just living the way that small critters live.

    But Armadillos are just the beginning. Walking at night has also allowed me to see other creatures that I might not have encountered otherwise. Bats, for example, are a common sight in the night sky. Watching them dart and swoop through the air is truly mesmerizing. I would love to create a bat house to bring a few more to the area. They are fun to watch and the ones near me also eat bugs. If I had to have something flying around, I definitely don't want it to be mosquitos!

    And then there are the bigger creatures that roam the woods at night. Deer are a common sight, and I've had the pleasure of seeing them up close as they graze in the moonlight. Large owls are also frequent visitors, and their hoots and calls are hauntingly beautiful. Which is what brings me to the experience that translates to my book. The haunting call of the owl mixed with the light crunch of the deer's hooves, all happening just outside of my range of vision. My skin tightens in to goosepimples just thinking of it. That's what I want to create in a couple moments of the book. Moments that translate in high stakes. That I create an expectation of danger and then follow it with a worthwhile creature, character, or challenge.

    The creatures that I want to create will be heavily influenced from my walks. Taking the animals I meet, editing them slightly, and then placing them in a fantasy world. Using the armadillos as an example. I want to mix them with their current appeal, an armored body, wiggling body and mix them with something larger. Having a medium sized dog (45-65lbs.) armadillo would be very alarming. Given their nature they wouldn't be aggressive, but their propensity to dig and burrow could cause major damage in populous areas. Their armored bodies protecting them from most predator's, which gives me the chance to create monsters that will be able to call these massive armadillos prey.

    Hopefully I don't come fact to face with anything like that! Walking at night does come with its own set of risks. It's important to be aware of your surroundings and stay safe. But with the right precautions, it can be a wonderful way to connect with nature and experience the world in a whole new way. Overall, my nighttime walks have allowed me to appreciate the natural world in a new way. From armadillos to deer and everything in between, there is always something new and exciting to discover when you take a walk after dark. If you're looking for a unique way to explore the world around you, I highly recommend taking a nighttime stroll and seeing what kind of creatures you might encounter along the way! Whos knows, you might even find something for your book!