Daily Update, July 10, 2023

    I worked on the shorter story before lunch, and a bit more after lunch as well. I've done barely half a short scene, but I'm making a bigger change than I expected, and it's becoming a rougher scene emotionally, both to read and to work with. I'm not sure how much is because I'm changing the viewpoint character, and how much is the suggestions the critiquers made... though I think someone there was changing the viewpoint character, as well as introducing a "grumpy old man" dynamic. I like the change in viewpoint and emphasis better than the change in personality. A lot of the changes are because the critiquers never worded it the way I would, if they even interpreted what was happening the same way. I hope it improves the story, but don't worry. I've saved many older versions, so if I have to go back to one of them, that should be easy. {Smile}

   I found some texts around lunch time, including one from our former nurse, promising to call tomorrow, and what turned into a series by our housekeeper, who is continuing to have transportation trouble after all, but hopes to come tomorrow. {Smile}

I had a nice phone call with Auntie Barbara after dinner. It wasn't long; just touching bases. {Smile}

   I ate dinner with Mom, reading to her before that. First, I started with scripture and thoughts about it. Then I continued with more from her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2020. Then I read the next few pages of _1950's Fashion in pictures_, sharing both pictures and captions with her. Next, I read "The Nightingale," from _Five-Minute Fairy Tales_. I showed Mom the illustrations for that story as well as reading it. I finished with the July 10th story, "The Shy Ostrich," from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. A shy young lady ostrich hid her head in the sand when a rhino with a rough voice proposed marriage to her. With his poor eyesight, it looked like she had no head, so he ran off, saying he couldn't marry someone without a head. {Smile}

   I did my walking and arm resistance exercises after lunch, but it was really too hot for exercise, so I didn't do more right then. I did my arm swinging and my standing weight training exercises after dinner. I did my head and sitting arm exercises after I'd calmed way down in City of Heroes: Homecoming. {Smile}

   I read comics over lunch. Then I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming after lunch. I started with a little paperwork, then tried to talk to Perogies, bowlofdro, and Soothing Darkness. bowlofdro responded first, inviting me to join him and Soothing Darkness in a public base. It turned out to be a nightclub in a spaceship, with a bar and a dance floor. I joined them, and we started to chat, first on the dance floor, then in a set of seats off to one side. Perogies joined us, first looking like a dog, and only making dog noises as roleplay. That was his mood. He changed into a humanoid dog when we moved back to the dance floor. I think he left when we were getting ready for a tour of the ship. I made it to the end of the tour of the ship before going to read to Mom. {Smile}

   After dinner and the exercises that I did then, I hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I found my new roleplaying partner on a team and said hi. Turned out they were getting ready to run a story arc in character. They invited me, even though the gal I used the last two times with this roleplaying partner was too low. I found a gal who wasn't too low and joined them. They started off pretty quickly after that. They must have been waiting for me. It was a very long story arc and took most of the evening. After that, I did some paperwork and soloing. I talked to Kitten a little on the chat server, and Perogies a bit in the game, but we didn't get together. The Mysty said hi, and we accidentally got together for a mission, and a bit more talk before we said goodnight. I made notes and finished writing this up the next morning. {Smile}