Faux Pas Online

My novel Alvarado is now available for order from Amazon, though it debuts at Atmospherepress on September 1st. Still, I’m anxious as always but the moment is here.

On the cover of my novel is a picture of my ex-girlfriend that has been altered. I reached out to her before publishing my novel but after she found out I was looking at her Instagram account she deleted it! Well, it’s really over. At one point we were talking somewhat online but now she has disappeared for good. Maybe that’s a good thing, maybe not and I admit I was a little immature before but so was she. Now we are at this point and we are different people but I tried to capture what I knew in past in my novel and how it makes me sort of feel now, though I altered some things to express all the feeling I had inside of me for so long. Isn’t that what art is for, sometimes?

I’m doing freelance writing for a coffee magazine and so far so good but for one cafe it was a disaster trying to coordinate a time and it ended in miscommunication and misunderstanding but I have to move forward. Nobody likes it when things go wrong but sometimes things do and sometimes you can reconcile and sometimes you can’t.

Last, I bought a seat post for my new road bike build and it was missing a part. I called FSA the manufacture and they told me to send over a picture and when I did they told me my seat post was a fake. It could be worse but at the same time it’s another disappointment. But I over came it and ordered a seat post from my local bike shop. It’s better than having a bicycle stolen but nobody likes a fake, at least I don’t.

Today I visited a friend. He may have cancer. I don’t know how much time he has but we met for a brief time and then I rode off across the city. He supported me when I was having a tough time.

You never know who your friends really are until you are in a tough spot or your last moments. It was good to see him.

This pandemic reinforced the fact that we have to do what we were meant to do in this life – sometimes we put things off as if we have more time and we don’t.

If you have a dream or an idea, then act on it. Hopefully it is something positive that you won’t mind leaving behind.

For now I write and try and finish these projects that I’ve started and I keep moving forward making the most of the moment. My book will debut September 1st. Still I’m anxious but I keep moving forward to pursue my dreams. My new road bike is getting close to completion but I’m waiting on the wheels I ordered. For some reason they are taking a long time. But I’m patient. It could be worse, it could always be worse.

I ordered parts for a new road bike that I want to build here in Japan.

It’s exciting but excruciating because things are so delayed due to the pandemic. Anyway it will happen.

In the mean time I’m writing about coffee and tomorrow I head back to Tokyo to continue a story I started. There is always more and so I have to keep at it.

My novel debuts next month and I have to promote it. Family and friends anxiously await copies but at the same time. Some people are so into themselves but don’t support others but what can you do? Just believe in your own creativity and go forward and upward into outer space.

My family got away to Izu. We had been there before about five years ago. It was fun being in the ocean again. Back home I hadn’t had a chance to swim in the sea because I was on my bicycle all the time and I didn’t want it to get stolen.

I’m still anxious about my novel. Publishing a novel is something I always wanted to do and now it’s here. At this stage it feels like if there is anything you really want to do then you have to go for it. The pandemic has exposed us all. How long can any of us wait for a cure or any dream we might have?

It finally stopped raining so for the last two days I have been cycling for two days. I’m in Japan so I’m back to my old haunt, the Arakawa River where I use to race anyone who would, to Tokyo Bay and then to Kansai park. I’m rusty and out of shape. For weeks it has been raining and then to make things worse I don’t have my road bike built up. That’s one of my goals besides publicizing my and finishing two more articles about coffee in Japan is to build my road bike.

A friend with a lot of bikes, said he would sell me some parts. So, I start over. It was devastating losing my road bike, but I’ll never make the same mistake again. I just let my guard down by not sticking to my rules and well when you do that you soon find out why you were right the first time.

I’m getting anxious about my book. Today I went to see an old friend. We had a good time, two writers and poets making the most of the moment.

A small reprieve from the bad weather here in Japan and the pandemic. All of our lives are on hold. Nothing left but to be creative and act on our ideas in a positive way. If not now then when? Something echoing in my mind.

Still, I can’t wait for the rain to stop so that I can go out and ride my bike. You can wait your whole life for a big break or you can go out and create one. I guess that is what will happen.

Today I did my first ride on my old Cannondale Quick 4. It felt good to ride. It’s a good thing I did because the rain came later.

Two more coffee stories to go here in Japan. Also trying to meet some friends but it’s a delicate balance between obligations and projects.

Back home things look crazy. Until the election it will be like this but then there is now. I’ve already chosen what side I’m on but for some people maybe it’s a bit more complicated. I’m hopeful but still justice hasn’t been served for so many people that have been victims of police brutality, inequalities in education and now health care regarding the pandemic.

Today my canned coffee taste test article was printed in Barista Magazine. Check the link below.

I really appreciate the opportunity to be in print again. It has been a long time. I admit I was a little rusty but for some reason these controversial times brought all of these words out of me and also the opportunity presented its self. Now I have two more stories to go — actually more.

I extend my trip in Japan due to the fact that I teaching is closed due to the pandemic and my MA university courses are now all online. More importantly I want to spend more time with my family.

In the background is promoting my book and building a new road bike, my previous bicycle was stolen about two years ago. There is so much to do and it’s important to stay in the moment.

Now there is nothing to do but move forward trying to get out of the woods.

I recently got back on my old cross bike a Cannondale Quick 4 that is custom painted. Hopefully I can build up my road bike while I’m here in Japan. In the mean time I write and patiently for my first coffee story to be printed. My MA program starts soon. It’s good to be back here in Japan with my family. But I have to make the most of the moment because time does fly. Luckily, I was able to do my first ride today. It felt good to hit the road.

Anxiously I wait for my publisher to give me word about my novel being printed up at the printers. Some of my close friends already want copies of my book. That’s a good feeling and I never imagined that I would be at this point but that’s a good thing. It’s a dream I’ve always had and now it’s a reality.

The beach – Hayama.

Quarantine is over. I went to the beach with my family. My dad is in the hospital. I feel that things are getting worse. My sister is going to see him but I can’t do anything from Japan but hope that he will get better. It’s painful but what can I do? This situation has been building up fora long time.

I can’t wait for my book Alvarado to debut but then another struggle will begin. For now, I stay positive and move forward and stay motivated.

It feels good in to be here in Japan. Maybe I’ll extend my stay here. Two more stories to go. Hopefully I can get it all done. So far so good.