It’s been a very long time since my last blog post. Over a year, in fact. Last time I posted a preview of my next novel, In The Crosshairs. I wish I hadn’t because that particular section of text is no longer in the novel. The book has been rewritten completely since then. Twice.

Why all the changes? I want to get this right. Also, I went into this book not entirely sure of where I was going with it. As a result there were constant changes and rewrites. I finally finished the eighth draft a few weeks ago and am gearing up for editing. That’s my way of saying I’m trying to put the money together for the editing. It’s also a segue into my plea for support in my fundraising campaign. Any amount helps. For details visit https://www.gofundme.com/publishing-in-the-crosshairs-2vm4w4vk. Here endeth the begging…for now.

Now on to a happier subject—my Chicago Cubs. THEY WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!! THEY WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!! THEY WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!! THEY WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!! THEY WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!

Can you tell I’m happy about that?

You couldn’t have asked for a better matchup. Two teams that hadn’t won in decades (yeah, over a century for the Cubs) squaring off for the Commissioner’s Trophy. One long losing streak was going to end. The Series went the full seven games and was dramatic down to the wire, even into extra innings. When Kris Bryant caught that last grounder and threw it to Anthony Rizzo it was almost a surreal experience. Before I could fully register what was happening it was all over and the Cubs had won the big one.

My son, Jimmy, isn’t as into sports as I am but he was excited that the Cubs were in the Series and I let him stay up to watch Game 7 with me; partly because, as he correctly pointed out, I would be making too much noise for him to sleep anyway. I’m glad he was there to share that moment with me. We were both on our feet for the bottom of the 10th inning and when it was over we were cheering and shouting so loudly that we woke up the rest of the house. There were no complaints, though. I had waited for this moment for so long

I grew up watching the Cubs with my dad who, sadly, didn’t live to see that historic World Series with the Cleveland Indians. He never gave up on them, despite considerable frustration over the years. I was thinking of him throughout the Series. He would have loved this team. Really a special bunch of ball players; young, talented, and I think a force to be reckoned with in baseball for some years to come. I’ll bet there was a lot of smiling in heaven that night.

I’ve heard several people say that the Cubs Championship (I love saying that) came at a good time for America. We needed that lift in the midst of the nastiest presidential campaign I’ve ever seen. As I write this, voters are at the polls choosing our next president. I won’t discuss my vote here but rest assured I held my nose when casting it. It’s truly a sad state of affairs when you have to vote based on which candidate is the least repulsive. This is hardly a new phenomena but each cycle it seems to get worse. I cringe at the very thought of 2020. Can we pull back from the insane, polarized circus our political system has become? I have my doubts.

Okay, if I go any further with politics I’m going to depress myself. I also seem to have run out of topics for today. Until next time…