Tag: parents

Writer’s Log – June 19, 2023

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Jim Kepler at Starbucks

Celebrating Sweet Sixteen and Beating the Heat

Hello friends! Today, June 19, 2023, the United States is celebrating Juneteenth, a significant day in Texas and United States history.

But amidst the festivities, there’s an even more special occasion—my granddaughter’s sweet sixteenth birthday!

Let’s dive into the events of the day, the scorching Dallas heat, and my plans that lie ahead this week.

Battling the Extreme Heat:

As I stepped outside, the oppressive heat hit me like a wave. With the temperature expected to reach a blistering 99°F (37°C) and a heat index of 117°F (47°C), it was crucial to stay cool and hydrated. I adorned myself in light-colored clothing. Take advantage of air conditioning as an ally in this relentless battle against the heat.

A Day in Motion:

Bright and early at 7 AM, the alarm on my trusty iWatch roused me from slumber. After my morning devotionals, I embarked on my routine household chores. Taking out the recycling, trash, and water table box for collection, I got my day off to a productive start. Ensuring I took my medications, shaving, and dressing in light colors, I headed to Walmart at 8 AM to conquer the day’s errands.

Finding Respite:

In search of respite from the scorching outdoors, I retreated to Starbucks. With the air conditioning providing much-needed relief, I settled in with a tall blonde roast coffee. It was the perfect atmosphere to indulge in some writing and bask in the ambiance.

This Week’s To-Do List:

As the day and week progresses, I have several important tasks on my agenda. Among them, I need to pick up my heart medications from the pharmacist and receive allergy shots on Tuesday.

I need to reach out to both my cardiologist and rheumatologist to discuss some concerns about my medications and the persistent joint pain I’ve been experiencing.

Tonight (Monday, June 19) I have the monthly meeting of the Writer’s Guild of Texas at 7 PM in the basement of the Richardson Public Library.

Reflecting and Reconnecting:

The middle of the week holds promise for reconnecting with loved ones. But first, on Wednesday, the housekeeper comes, ensuring a fresh and tidy living space.

I had plans to meet my friend Les Hall at JGs Old Fashion Hamburgers for an early lunch, a tradition we’ve maintained since our days as coworkers. Wednesdays are always open for friends to join us!

A Trip Down Memory Lane:

Wednesday afternoon marks the start of a small getaway. Driving my trusty Mercedes, I’ll embark on a journey to Gonzales, Texas, where I had made reservations at a lovely hotel. The purpose of this trip was to pay a visit to my parents’ graves, especially poignant as Thursday would have been my father’s 96th birthday. After two nights, I would return on Friday morning and afternoon. I’m just getting too old to make the 250 plus miles each way in one day or even as an over night trip. Accepting the limitations of age forced on me is challenging.

A Solo Movie Date:

The week will end on a high note. I have my monthly date with Harry Potter. This month it’s seeing Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire at the Angelika Theatre in Plano on Saturday. While I usually watch Harry Potter movies alone, I invite any local friends who wanted to join me. The magic of Hogwarts is best shared, after all.

Conclusion:

Settling down to focus on my writing for the morning, I reflect on the events of the day and the week that lie ahead. It’s a day filled with celebration, responsibilities, and cherished memories.

Wishing you all a fantastic day, filled with joy and inspiration! Keep on smiling. Be the light that shines into someone’s day. Let others see Jesus in you.

Writer’s Log – June 18, 2023 – USA Father’s Day

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Jim Kepler in straw hat at coffee house

Father’s Day

I hope this post finds you well. Today is Sunday, June 18, 2023, and it’s Father’s Day here in the United States. I received some lovely Father’s Day greetings from two of my three adult children via text, which was a nice surprise to start the day. The third is out of country and posted Father’s Day greeting from Lima, Peru.

Leg Pain

As usual, I took my morning prescriptions, but I’ve been experiencing some discomfort in my lower right leg for the past few months. The pain is below the knee and above the ankle on the front of the leg, and it seems to be getting worse lately.

I suspect it’s tendonitis caused by one of my heart medications. To see if the medication is indeed the culprit, I decided to stop taking it for a few days. I plan to reach out to my cardiologist’s office to discuss this issue further.

Joint Pain

On top of the leg pain, I’ve been dealing with joint pain throughout my body, which has been quite intense, ranking at an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. Unfortunately, joint pain is another side effect of the medication I’ve been taking. 

Despite the discomfort, I’ve been trying my best to tolerate it, as my heart doctor suggested, because this medication has been effective in managing my high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. I’ve been on these medications since November last year, and with each passing day and month, the pain and side effects seem to worsen. In an attempt to find some relief, I’ve been regularly elevating and icing my leg four times a day.

Virgil Cane

Getting around has become quite challenging, and I find that I can’t walk without my trusty cane. I’ve given my cane a name—Virgil. It’s a bit of a nod to an old song called “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” by The Band and Joan Baez. Perhaps you remember it too if you’re around my age.

Despite these difficulties, I managed to get out of bed, get dressed, and take my medications. I drove to the coffee house, and there was a friendly tall blonde barista waiting to serve me a tall blonde roast coffee. I ordered my drink and settled down at the handicap table to do some morning writing before heading to church and my Bible fellowship class.

It still hot and humid outside but cool enough inside I I grabbed my hoodie to keep the chill away.

Grocery Shopping

In the afternoon, I plan to do some grocery shopping, catch up on my reading, maybe nap, and then participate in a water aerobics session in the pool. That’s pretty much the extent of my plans for the day.

Remember Your Father

I hope you’re having a wonderful day, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Remember your father on this father’s day. If you still have him at least call or text and send your love. If he’s deceased reflect on the good memories. If you’re a dad, think of your children, that your wife for he gift of the children, and tank your heavenly Father for the gift of His son, Jesus.

Take care. I send my warm regards to everyone. Keep on smiling.

Writer’s Log – June 16, 2023

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Jim Kepler is a straw hat fedora at Starbucks

A Strange Record Heat

It’s Friday, June 16, 2023, and it’s hot. Dallas, Texas is where I call home. The heat index on Thursday was 109 F degrees. Thursday Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) tied a record. The dew point at DFW airport at 2 p.m. topped 80 degrees. The last time the dew point was this high was on June 14, 1997 (26 years ago). Wow! The dew point is how much water is in the air. The dew point plus temperature equals a misery index in my mind.

Slept Almost 12-Hours

Yesterday I slept for almost twelve hours. No, I didn’t stay up all night. My bedtime was just before eleven PM and I got up a few minutes before noon. I don’t know whether to say yea to me or what’s happening? Six out of seven nights a week, get eight hours of sleep and average eight hours a day almost every month. So, what’s up with staying in bed half the day?

After waking up, I took my RXs.

My daily devotional time followed The I jumped in the shower, and washing my hair.

Hair washing is a big deal with my to the shoulder blade’s length hair.

Drying the hair takes two to three hours if I let it air dry or ten to fifteen minutes with a blow dryer – which I hate using. I dressed, and it was time to dash out the door and take she who can’t be named on the Internet to lunch with a friend of ours. Both of the ladies and I have lost our spouses to death and cancer. We are all in the eighteen months to five years since our spouse passed time frame.

Lunch With Friends

We met a favorite Greek restaurant in Plano, Texas – Zorbas. I was there from just after 1 PM until I left at 5:30 to go to my Zoom meeting of the 540 Writing Community. The ladies retired to our friend’s house.

After the writing group meeting, I went to our lady friend’s house and visited for another hour.

They enjoyed their favorite adult beverage, made from grapes. I’m a teetotaler and abstain from alcoholic drink. Filling my designated drive role, I drove she who can’t be named on the Internet home before retiring for the evening.

Sleeping late yesterday got me the rest I needed. It did not do any walking or morning writing. As you might have noticed, no writer’s log for yesterday.

Value of Friends Reprised

On Wednesday, I wrote about the value of friends. I’m blessed to have three close male friends, and two other guy friends I know would drop whatever they’re doing if I need them.

As a sixty-nine years old widower, I’m blessed to have a girlfriend – she who can’t be named on the Internet as I call her as she doesn’t want me using her name, likeness or image on the open Internet. I share two other female friends with her. They are like sisters to me. I have a number of lady friends from my online line and local writing groups that from time to time check on me and I see in meetings or at conferences. Additionally, I have my three adult children and their families, plus my vast army of cousins, which I classify as family instead of friends. I am blessed to have these special people in my life. And, I always I room for one more.

Today – June 16th

This morning I got up, dressed, did my RXs, and devotional time and drove to Starbucks where I’m having coffee and writing. Walking at the air-conditioned mall later this morning is on the day’s agenda. We are expecting 100 + F degree weather for today and for at least the next ten days. So I try to walk.

I say try to walk as my right hip is causing me great pain. Watching a couple of videos by physical therapist Bob and Brad on YouTube, which show stretching exercises to help with hip pain, is my first step in resolving the problem. Should I call the rheumatologist and set up an appointment to get some relief? Taht is the question I’m debating.

Reading and a nap are in my afternoon plans. Tonight I am taking she who can’t be named to live community theater.

My rewrites of the recommended edits continue, but are going slow as my motivation is best described as procrastination, where I only do a chapter or two a day instead of knocking it all out in one or two marathon sessions.

And So It Goes

And so it goes.

Well, I wanted to end with “and so it goes” but as I typed the phrase I reflected on Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five” and the phrase. I first read “Slaughterhouse-Five” in 1973, four years after its publication. I was a twenty-year-old university student. Agreeing with writer Salman Rushdie interpretation of the phrase used on Vonnegut’s writing – Rushdie says “so it goes” has become one way in which we verbally shrug our shoulders and accept what life gives us – I see the phrase as more than just accepting what life hands you.

Vonnegut does not use it for that purpose in “Slaughterhouse-Five.”

“So it goes” is not a way of accepting life but, rather, of facing death. It occurs in the text almost every single time someone dies, and only when death is evoked.

I use the phrase as a hybrid of the two, accepting life as it is as I march toward my inevitable death at its unknown future date.

And of course, the selfie is from today.

Writer’s Log – June 14, 2023

Posted in @jimmiekepler, Blog, Christian Living, Christian Writers, Jim Kepler, Jimmie A. Kepler, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie Kepler, jimmiekepler.com, Poet, Poet's Life, Writer's Life, WritingLeave a comment
Jim Kepler at Starbucks
Jim Kepler at Starbucks

Five Reason Why Writers Need Local Friends

First, a personal note:

When I awoke this morning, my first thoughts were of my parents. They were married on this date in 1952 at the First Methodist Church in Seguin, Texas. Both are deceased but aren’t forgotten. Happy anniversary dad and mom.

Introduction:

Today is what I like to call a “lunch with Les” Wednesday. He’s been my best guy friend for a quarter of a century. We meet in the late 1990s when both of us worked as information technology support analysts for Interstate Batteries. I reflected on how lucky I am to have a couple of close friends who I talk to almost daily and have lunch with every week.

Having a friend, not just someone who’s an acquaintance, is important. As get get older, we may outlive our spouse (like me), and even start outliving friends. Having friends and adding new ones is important. Besides combating loneliness, having local friends (not just online friends) can be beneficial for writers in several ways.

Here are five reasons why writers need local friends:

Number One – Inspiration and collaboration: 

Local friends can provide inspiration and fresh perspectives that can fuel a writer’s creativity.

Engaging in conversations, sharing ideas, and collaborating on projects can help writers overcome creative blocks and find new directions for their work.

Number Two – Feedback and critique: 

Local friends who are familiar with the writer’s community or genre can provide valuable feedback and constructive criticism on the writer’s work.

Having trusted friends who can offer honest opinions can greatly enhance the quality of the writer’s writing.

Number Three – Networking opportunities: 

Local friends can introduce writers to other individuals in the writing and publishing industry.

They might be aware of literary events, workshops, or writing groups in the area where writers can connect with like-minded individuals, agents, publishers, or editors.

Networking can open doors to new opportunities and help writers advance their careers.

Number Four – Knowledge of local resources: 

Local friends can be a valuable source of information about local resources and opportunities available to writers.

They might be aware of writing retreats, grants, writing competitions, or local publications seeking submissions.

This knowledge can help writers tap into local resources that they may not have otherwise discovered.

Number Five – Emotional support: 

Writing can be a solitary and emotionally challenging endeavor.

Local friends who understand the writer’s struggles and aspirations can provide much-needed emotional support and encouragement.

They can be a sounding board for frustrations, celebrate successes, and offer a sense of belonging to a community of fellow writers.

Conclusion:

While having local friends can be beneficial, it’s worth noting that writers can also find similar support and advantages through online communities, writing groups, and virtual connections.

The key is to surround oneself with supportive individuals who understand the writing process and can provide the necessary support and feedback.

And remember, to have a friend you must be one, and show yourself as friendly.

Poem: Live in the Now

Posted in Blog, Poetry2 Comments

My mother died Sunday evening, December 14, 2014. We buried her on Saturday, December 20, 2014 in the family cemetery. Graves near hers include her parents, grandparents, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins. Mother would have turned 83 years old in February.

For most of my life, I heard mom and daddy dream of moving back to Gonzales County Texas where mother grew up. I heard daddy say her siblings and family were as beloved to him than his brothers and sisters. In the 1980’s they purchased property in the county that was near family. They planned to move.

A diagnosis in 1983 of kidney problems ambushed mother. I still remember the phone call. She was scared. She told me she had received her death sentence. She shared if she didn’t get with the program the doctor recommended they thought she might make ten years at the longest. She was only 50 years-old. She mentioned the doctor said dialysis and a kidney transplant were in her future.

I listened. We prayed. Her concern that the doctor recommended she stay in the Dallas area for the healthcare that was available troubled her. She wanted to move back home when dad retired.

Dad retired in 1988. Mother continued to follow the doctor’s orders. By the early 1990’s she was on serious medication for her kidneys. Her self-discipline was amazing. She still dreamed of getting well enough to move back home.

In the early 2000’s her kidney health continued to decline. I was well in the loop by now taking her to the doctor appointments many times as dad was already in his mid 70’s. In 2003 or 2004 they added her to the awaiting transplant list. There were almost 800 ahead of her on the list just in Dallas County Texas.

She continued to take medications. The daily number of pills taken were in the multiple dozens by now. She still wanted to move back home. I recall her dreaming of maybe after the transplant she would be able to get back to Gonzales County. She fought avoiding going on the dreaded dialysis. Somehow she kept her numbers where she never had to receive that treatment.

In March 2011, she was knocking on death’s door when a miracle of miracles, she had the kidney transplant. She had some issues like a bad heart beat but got that regulated. With the transplant, she came back to life. The next three years were like a miracle. Her strength and vitality returned. She felt chained to the Dallas Transplant Institute having to make multiple follow-up trips each month. This kept her from moving to her beloved Gonzales County.

In October 2014, she started going downhill health-wise. November found her in the hospital for most of the month. By Thanksgiving, she moved to a skilled nursing care facility. There she remained until transported to the hospital on the evening of December 11, 2014.  Her last words to my father were I love you.

In the hospital ICU, a ventilator did her breathing. As I saw her shortly before she took her last breath I got to hold her hand, kiss her forehead, tell her I love her and pass on my father’s last words to her. He said tell her he loved her and to thank her for sharing her life with him.

Mother is now back in Gonzales County now. My 88-year-old father’s comment as we crossed the county line heading back home was this has always felt like home. I love her family. In the not too distant future, I’ll be joining her in our beloved Gonzales County.

I thought of the below poem I wrote a several years ago. If you have dreams, go for them. Don’t delay. You never know when the time will run out.

We Never Lived In the Now

Your face shows your age,
though your countenance is still glowing.
Your age says grown-up,
but you’ve never decided where you’re going.

You’ve grown older.
Yes, I’m older too.
The remainder of our lives is before us,
oh, what’ll we do?

What were the dreams
you had so long ago?
What was your vision?
Where did it go?

You traveled your way.
I went mine.
A history so different,
yet lives intertwined.

The gray now shows in our locks,
showing how much we cared.
Your grin still lights my life,
my smile brightens yours when shared.

You lived for then.
I lived for when.
We never lived in the moment.
No we never lived in the now.

Copyright © 2008 by Jimmie A. Kepler
Originally published in WORDS..RHYMES..POETRY & PROSE!

The poem is included in the book “Gone Electric: A Poetry Collection” available on Kindle from Amazon.