The Revenant

Since I didn't win the Powerball jackpot last night, I went to see The Revenant today. The movie was like an extreme episode of Man vs Wild with Leonardo Di Caprio fighting a bear, eating from dead animal carcasses, and struggling to stay alive in the wilderness. As I watched the movie, I kept thinking about the expression "you either get busy living or get busy dying." Leo's character chose to fight for his life when many times he could have thrown in the towel and said, "To hell with this." I think this film may finally be the one that gets Di Caprio an Oscar.

As for the elusive Powerball jackpot, I've already got my ticket for Tuesday's drawing. 

Six Dollars and a Dream

With the Powerball jackpot being over $900 million now (I think that's right), I couldn't help but spend six dollars and get a ticket for myself even though if you win here in Illinois, the state will give you an IOU until they sort out the budget mess in Springfield. Let me just go on record now and say that if I win and these jokers try to give me an IOU, I'll be filing a lawsuit tout suite to try and get my money. I realize the odds are ridiculous for this jackpot, but someone has to win. Why not you or me? You have to be in it to win it, right?

Baggage...Coming January 31!

My new book, Baggage, is scheduled to publish January 31, 2016. Baggage tells the story of Patrick Holt, a forty-year-old ophthalmologist who, after a bad break up, is reluctant to get involved with another man. When his neighbor sets him up with her brother-in-law Eric, Patrick prepares himself for disappointment. But Patrick quickly finds himself surprised and charmed by Eric, and Eric, who’s had relationship problems of his own in the past, falls hard and fast for Patrick. On the outside, Eric seems like a great guy: young and attractive with a promising job as an assistant manager at a Chicago hotel. But Eric has a dark side that he and his family are hiding from Patrick. When the truth is finally revealed and Eric’s secrets are exposed, Patrick has to decide whether he’s willing to go the distance with Eric or run as fast as he can from him.

Say It Ain't So, Donald!

I read Steely Dan front man Donald Fagen was arrested for domestic abuse. As you know if you're a reader of this blog, I love The Dan. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are musical geniuses. So to hear Donald is an abuser is really sad for me. I never would have seen that coming. With some people, you can just look at them and tell they're bad news or one can short of a six-pack, but not Fagen. Sad.

Home Again

I'm finally back home after a weeklong trip to Mexico and I've returned in worse shape than when I left. I now have five mosquito bites and a head cold. Thanks, Cabo! Who has mosquito bites in January...in Chicago? I do! Mexico was lovely but Cabo is not somewhere I would go on my own dime. It's too Spring-Breaky. Too many college kids looking to get drunk. No thanks. In parting l'll just say this: American Airlines, you suck for a variety of reasons starting with my canceled outgoing flight to your broken toilets on the way home. 

Homeward Bound

I'm finally heading home today after one long week away. I'll be glad to sleep in my own bed again and cook my own food. I wish I could say I squeezed some writing in during this trip but, sadly, I didn't. Oh well. I'll just have to be more productive when I get home.

Hola and Happy New Year!

Greetings again from Mexico. I'm still here for another few days and this Americana is ready to head home. Happy New Year to everyone and I certainly hope 2016 is a good one. Not that 2015 was terrible, but I'm ready to put it in my rear view and move on.