Hello ladies and gentlemen, how’s everyone’s Saturday going? I am currently working on my debut novel, Resistance Rising, while jamming out to SiriusXM Octane on my Alexa device.
Here, though, is a bit a sneak peek into what I’ve been working on. This is a peek into Chapter 5. The hope is to finish up writing this chapter and maybe the next few over the weekend in between working on college coursework.
Here’s also to hoping you will enjoy this snippet into Chapter 5.
And I always like to say Peace, Love, and Rock&Roll
Hello All, and welcome to 2024. A new year, new me attitude, am I right?? That’s what we all hope and strive for in these first few days or weeks of the new year.
Though 2023 is now over, we can all look back to the year we had and ponder, “Did I do this right? Did I accomplish anything in life? Did I make the right changes to my attitude? Or did I go through 2023 struggling to survive day in and day out?
For me, as I ponder these questions and more, I feel as if the past year was a letdown, but it also came with some good times.
I got to watch my soon to be 2 year old son learn to walk and is now starting to talk more.
I saw my oldest turn 6 and start at a new school due to us moving during the year.
I started working on 2 new writing projects. One of which is a dystopian I hope to publish in 2024, and the other is a fantasy novel I hope to start writing later this year after I’ve finished my A.A. degree in English.
There were so many things that felt nice, but I didn’t finish anything that I truly wanted to finish before the end of the year.
Me and my family were homeless for about a month right around my son’s 1st birthday. I allowed procrastination to overtake my life in areas it didn’t need to be. I allowed my depression to get the better of me and allowed my fears and my anxiety to turn on me. And I lost my job that I had been at for almost 3 years for something that I still don’t know how it was my fault.
But let’s not dwell anymore on the negative things that happened. Let’s look forward to the future and the hopes and dreams of 2024. The aspirations that I have this year will be a test for me every single one.
Firstly, I want to finish and publish “Resistance Rising,” my debut novel, on my birthday on May 21st. I also want to write more poetry and short stories that I can share with you guys here.
Secondly, I want to finally finish my Associates degree in English so that I can finally start the coursework towards my bachelors degree and ultimately become a teacher.
Thirdly, I want to start working out more, getting myself into shape and regaining the muscle I used to have when I was younger and before I had kids and got hurt in a car accident 8 years ago. I want to get myself from 235lbs down to 200lbs at least but I also want to turn it to muscle and not just lose the fat (mostly around my core) that I’ve gained over the years.
Fourthly, as I mentioned above, I want to start writing my second novel, “Seeds of Destiny” (title and work is in early draft stages) and be close to or near finished writing it to be ready for publication in 2025. Being that it is a fantasy and I will need to do a ton of world building along the way, it might just take into late 2025 before it’s finished (who knows).
Lastly, but certainly not the least, I want to find a job, possibly even a career starter, so that I can help my wife be able to take care of our bills, provide for our family and be able to live comfortably without having to rely on Food Stamps to eat. My wife has done so much for this small 4-person family since April, and if not for her working all of these hours, who knows where me and my family would be right now.
Those are some of the goals I have this year. The big ones. The ones that if this time in 2025 I haven’t accomplished them all, then I’ll know that I haven’t bettered myself this year like I am striving for.
So with that, I bid you all to have a blessed 2024, stay safe, love those around you, and as I always love to end my posts with Peace ✌🏽 Love ❤️ and Rock&Roll 🤘🏼
2015 – 8 years ago, Halloween @ approximately 12:08am, me and Tiffany were taking my baby brother Adrian home from celebrating his 18th birthday, when tragedy struck us. A drunk driver pulled out in front of us, failing to yield to the right of way on the rural highway that borders the eastern edge of my hometown of Tulare, causing me to slam on my brakes as hard as I could to no avail, hitting his vehicle dead center at roughly 50-60mph (according to police reports). For those who know the area and are familiar with my hometown, that is roughly about the speed limit on that stretch. When I came to from being knocked unconscious, at least 20 plus minutes had went by (I’m missing about that amount of memory of the night). What brought me to was my brother crying, my wife screaming and me hearing the dreaded words that would later be confirmed by doctors, “I can’t feel the baby. I can’t feel the baby.” The words that still ring soooo loud in my ears all these years later. My first instinct that night was to get out of the car and rush to the side that Tiff was sitting on to do what I could to comfort her and figure out what was wrong with the baby. With pure adrenaline, I pushed my door, which had been pinned closed by the drunk drivers metal bed cover, and ran around the car to check on my baby brother and my wife. As I am doing this, I witness a gentleman on the phone, apparently calling it in (I later learned he was an off-duty cop from Porterville passing through the area heading back to his jurisdiction from Visalia). As paramedics, firefighters and local law enforcement start arriving, I am screaming at anyone who would hear me to come to my wife’s aid but instead they went directly to the other vehicle (as is their protocol, apparently) and directed primary aid to the occupants of that vehicle. It took them almost an hour, after I asked multiple people (firefighters and police officers both) to take a look at my wife. Yelling at them that she was pregnant. But it took them calling in a third ambulance before that happened, which took an hour after the accident occurred to arrive and render aid to my pregnant wife. By then, even if she had been rushed immediately into surgery, there was no chance of the doctors saving our Kayden Michael. It wasn’t until hours later, while I was finally coming down from the adrenaline and my pain levels started to spike from the injury I had sustained, that a psychologist from Kaweah Delta took me into a room not far from where my wife was getting the news herself and being prepared for surgery to take place in a few hours. The gentleman who took me aside told me that my son didn’t make it and that there was no chance of the doctors to be able to revive him, even within the womb, because of the extent of the damage to his skull from the impact while within the womb. I broke down crying, balling my eyes out. This was our first child and we were so damn fucking excited to parents for the first time. After about 15 minutes of me trying not to lose my shit and go search for the bastard who stole my son, the psychologist helped me calm enough to go be by my wife’s side while we awaited the dreaded moment of her being taken in for the C-section to remove Kayden from the womb. Hours later, around 11am or so, the time is fuzzy to me because of everything, the nurse brought me to the room where they would have Tiff do her initial recovery and I got to hold my baby boy in my arms for the first time. Never getting to see if he was going to have my blue-ish grey eyes or his mothers brown/hazel eyes. Never getting to teach him how to throw a baseball, talk to girls, drive a car or graduate from high school. All because of one person’s decision to get behind the wheel while extremely intoxicated (I later learned that the driver had a Blood Alcohol Content/Level of .13 at the time of testing). About two hours later, Tiff came into the room and got to hold him for the first time, never being able to teach him how to dance, how to cook, how to treat people with kindness and respect. Family started showing up not to long after and they got to meet him for the first and final time. My sister Alexandria and my Aunt Linda were among the first to arrive to be there for us during this horrendous night. 8 years later it still hurts that I never get to teach him how to play sports, how to treat a lady with respect and how to play video games. His sister Abigail and his baby brother Jeremiah never get to learn from him, feel his protection, although he is here with us always in spirit. 8 years later, his ashes sit in an urn I purchased a few years after his death, resting upon the mantel over our fireplace in our apartment, watching over his family, making sure we are kept safe from harm along with his granny Pauline, his Papa Billy Yarbery, his Aunty Alisha, his Vava Darlene and all of the others who watch over me and my small family as we go through this life without him physically here with us. God Bless and Stay Safe out there. Happy Halloween.
Good morning, afternoon or evening wherever you may be. Below is a poem I wrote in about five minutes while I was putting away laundry this morning, the 2nd of October, in the year 2023, for my wife, the love of my life. She means the world 🌎 to me, and I am in awe of the hard work that she continues to put out despite how difficult it is to be away from me and the children for days at a time. I hope you all enjoy this small little piece of poetry that is dedicated to her.
Fire in your eyes, a heartbeat I can see For centuries, I have searched Longing for the breath of life you give Tragedy struck me before I could find you Damaged I am, longing for a touch as soft as yours For centuries, I searched Only to find you when I was at my darkest A step away from ending the battle Your soul reached out to me A fire in your eyes that saved me from Hell Longing again for your gentle touch I raised Hell to be by your side Till Death do us Part my darling We are but One, tethered together for eternity.
Life is but a thrill seeking darkness, all of the answers lying in wait but never within reach. The power that money has over humanity, It’s a lustful desire so demanding. For fear is all-consuming, ever lustful for a lick of flesh. Neverending darkness for those who seek out money, may it be a shame to never see the glory of such manifestation. Do not underestimate the power it may hold over you, for you may never truly understand the Devil’s work.
In realms of tumult, scorched by life’s cruel plight, A vessel empty, lost in the darkest night. Reared in shadows, where innocence was slain, A soul in struggle, binded by the chains.
The echoes from yesteryears loom large, An advantage misused, a malicious discharge. The clamorous chaos of an unforgiving past, Haunts the corridors of a heart, so downcast.
Risen from the ashes of a tormented youth, Striving for truths, grown from falsehood’s root. A journey inward, to heal the deepest scars, Against the dark, a man learns to count stars.
Against the tide of bitterness that looms, From this shattered heart, a new resolve blooms Bearing the weight of pain, from years in decay, He yearns for the dawn, breaks from the gray.
The strength within, a beacon in the night Naming his fears, readying for the fight. Unlocking shackles that held him in disdain, She is freeing his essence from its rusted chain.
He, a wounded healer, walked the winding path, Against the winds of dread, bracing life’s wrath. Now, a man, where once stood a scared child, Born again from fire—tamed, yet wild.
In search of himself, lost in life’s grueling maze, Gazing at reflections of his battered days. A man in the mirror, his past, he must brave, To find his true self and the future, he will pave.
Beneath the weight of the past, he shan’t crumble, Resilient heart beats, in rhythm humbles. In the ruins of his past, he finds his might, Lighting the darkness, with his inner light.
An emblem of courage, of an arduous fight won, Plucked from abyss, under the same azure sun. Wounded yet healed, muted yet voiced, An emblem of resilience, a tale of a life rejoiced.
Thus, he journeys through shadows into the day, From his past, he emerges—branded, yet unswayed. A testament to survival, of courage not surrendered, In a world that once broke him, today he’s remembered.
Against all odds, he has found his way, A beacon of resilience amidst the gloom, Life’s Stray. Unyielding in his spirit, in the face of tempest’s blow, A man once lost, now found, in his Light’s soft glow.
Fighting for your life, it’s hard, to say the least Giving up can be seen as the easiest way But don’t give up hope that one day Someone will come into your life Just when you need them the most For those are your guardian angels Sent to you from above To protect you when your mind ain’t right And to guide you when you are hungry for knowledge To provide you water when you are thirsty To give you strength when yours dwindles Don’t ever give up hope For I am here and you are not alone
(Verse 1) Through the halls of despair, an echo resonates, Haunted by claims of love that turn to hate, A soul swallowed by darkness, no easy escape, But within this hurricane, I’ll shape my own fate.
(Chorus) I am a warrior, fought with the thunder, The flames might scorch me, they won’t pull me under. Through shards of pain, pieces of wonder, Surviving the storm, breaking the asunder.
(Verse 2) In the mirror, I see battles and scars, Evidence of a life lived hard. Yet I’m unbroken, no cuts too deep, I now understand, the cost of the leap.
(Chorus) I’m on a journey, walking through fire, Every battle pushes me higher. Songs of anguish, but faith never tire, Surviving the cruel, a tale to inspire.
(Bridge) Within my veins, the pulse of the phoenix, In this crescendo of chaos, I refine my remix I’m not just a survivor, yet so much more, From the depths of despair, my spirit soars.
(Chorus) I am the tempest, wild and free, Carving a path through the stormy seas. Through affliction’s cage, I’ve found the key, Surviving abuse, reborn, I decree.
(Outro) Here’s to the survivors, the fighters, the brave, Rising from the ashes, no one’s slave. From ruin to rock, from grave to grace, We’re more than survivors, we are the ace.
Global warming has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental concerns of our time. It refers to the long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This phenomenon has significant implications for the stability and sustainability of our planet, impacting ecosystems, weather patterns, and human well-being. In this essay, we will delve into the causes and consequences of global warming, as well as explore potential solutions to mitigate this existential threat.
Causes of Global Warming:
Human activities are primarily responsible for the acceleration of global warming. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas for energy production releases substantial amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Deforestation, industrial processes, and agricultural practices also contribute to the problem by releasing additional CO2 and other potent greenhouse gases like methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O).
Consequences of Global Warming:
The consequences of global warming are extensive and wide-ranging. Rising temperatures lead to the melting of glaciers and ice caps, causing sea levels to rise—an immediate threat to coastal regions and island nations. Extreme weather events like hurricanes, droughts, and heatwaves are becoming more frequent and severe, resulting in devastating impacts on ecosystems, agriculture, and human settlements. Biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, and changes in precipitation patterns further exacerbate the negative effects of global warming.
Impact on Ecosystems:
Global warming poses a grave threat to the Earth’s ecosystems. It disrupts delicate ecological balance, causing shifts in habitat ranges and species distribution. Coral reefs, for example, are particularly vulnerable to rising ocean temperatures and increased acidity, leading to bleaching, degradation, and eventual collapse of these important ecosystems. Loss of biodiversity and disruption of ecological relationships can have far-reaching consequences, impacting the stability of entire ecosystems and the services they provide to humanity.
Health and Human Well-being:
The health impacts of global warming are profound. Extreme heatwaves, aggravated by rising temperatures, pose risks to vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions. Additionally, increased air pollution resulting from the burning of fossil fuels contributes to respiratory ailments. Changes in precipitation patterns can lead to water scarcity and an increased risk of waterborne diseases. Displacement of populations due to rising sea levels and extreme weather events further exacerbates health and social challenges.
Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies:
Addressing global warming requires a multi-faceted approach encompassing both mitigation and adaptation strategies. In terms of mitigation, transitioning to cleaner and renewable sources of energy is crucial. Investing in renewable technologies such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power can reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly. Additionally, adopting energy-efficient practices, promoting sustainable transportation, and implementing policies to reduce deforestation are essential steps toward mitigating global warming.
Adaptation measures are also vital, as the impacts of global warming are already being felt. Building resilient infrastructure, enhancing disaster preparedness, and implementing strategies to conserve and manage water resources are imperative in adapting to changing climate conditions. Furthermore, international cooperation and collaboration are crucial for coordinating efforts, sharing knowledge, and supporting vulnerable nations in adapting to and mitigating the effects of global warming.
Conclusion:
Global warming is an issue that demands urgent attention and collective action. The consequences of inaction are dire, with potential implications for future generations. By understanding the causes and consequences of global warming and implementing effective mitigation and adaptation strategies, we can strive for a more sustainable and resilient future. It is our responsibility as stewards of the Earth to safeguard our planet for the well-being of all inhabitants, now and in the future.
It was a sunny afternoon when Emily stepped out of the coffee shop and onto the sidewalk. As she took a sip of her iced coffee, she suddenly heard a familiar voice calling her name. She turned around to see her old friend, Sarah, standing at the street corner. Emily was surprised to see Sarah after all these years. They used to be close friends, but they lost touch after a falling out. However, seeing her now after all these years felt like nothing has changed at all.
Sarah approached her with a smile on her face, but Emily could sense tension in the air. They hugged awkwardly, uncertain of how to act toward each other. It was a strange reunion, but they were determined to set things right.
As they sat down on the nearby bench, they began to catch up on each other’s lives. Emily shared about her new job, and Sarah talked about her recent travels. As they sipped their coffee, Emily gathered the courage to bring up the elephant in the room.
“Sarah, can I ask you something?” Emily said hesitantly, fiddling with her coffee cup.
“Sure, anything, Emily.” Sarah replied softly, resting her hand on Emily’s shoulder.
“I just wanted to know why we stopped talking all those years ago. I feel like we got into a fight, but I can’t even remember what it was about.”
Sarah took in a deep breath and paused for a moment before responding. “Honestly, I don’t really remember either. But it wasn’t a fight, Emily. It was more like… a miscommunication.”
Emily’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you stopped answering my texts and calls, and I didn’t know why. I tried to reach out to you, but you just ignored me.”
Emily’s eyes widened. “That’s not true, Sarah. I never ignored your calls or texts. I never even got any from you.”
Sarah looked at her in surprise. “But I sent you so many texts and messages. I thought you were upset with me.”
Emily shook her head. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I don’t know what happened, but I never received any of your attempts to reach out to me.”
A few moments of silence passed between the two before Sarah spoke up. “You know what? It doesn’t really matter whose fault it was. We were both too stubborn to go the extra mile to fix things back then. What matters now is that we’re here, talking and patching things up.”
Emily agreed with Sarah. She felt relieved that it wasn’t a huge fight that drove them apart and glad that they were reconciling.
They spent the rest of the afternoon rekindling their friendship, taking walks, and sharing old memories. As the sun began to set, Sarah suggested they exchange numbers. Emily agreed, and they both knew they wouldn’t let anything come between them again.
As they parted ways that evening, both women knew that they had a second chance at a friendship they once cherished. Only time would tell if they could make it work; but they resolved to never let their misunderstandings at the time drive them apart again.