Where is Jim Farina for that matter? I'm still here and winter is kicking our butts here in Chicago, just like it is for almost everybody else in the country. I did get a short break in January when I joined a small team of 9 to serve our sister church in Haiti for a week. The average temperature during the day was about 82 degrees. What a way to reset your thinking and priorities in life. I think everybody who lives in the U.S. should visit a third world country, even for a short time. I guarantee that you will return with a different perspective. You will appreciate our country's benefits and opportunities in a very different way.
This was my third visit to Haiti and I have hopelessly lost my heart to the people of that country - they are so gracious and generous in spirit. I was tasked with writing a blog of my experience and have include the link, should you be interested in what my church, The Orchard, has been doing in Haiti for more than 30 years. I'm really proud to be a small part of that.
http://theorchardhaiti.wordpress.com/
Now I understand that I've lapsed in my commitment to blogging here at Whine Press, which I share with a very good friend, and my other blog Arkenstone has also felt some neglect. I need to think about writing more, if not daily. Every successful writer has that in common, they keep writing and never give up. I think it is a good exercise to write every single day. I believe Jack London committed to about a thousand words a day. this brings me back to Martin Eden, the 1909 novel by London. A wonderful story and semi-autobiographical account of London's own life and times. In 2009, I completed a screenplay based on this work. I know it is good and it has garnered some nice recognition from some of the more prominent screenplay competitions where this script has been entered and has placed well in at least half a dozen.
Well spring is coming - the thaw is upon us. It is time for me to wake from my metaphoric hibernation and begin marketing, blogging, writing another script or perhaps a short story. It is time to arise and seize the day!
