Monday Morning Ketchup

 Hello!

It's time for me to "Ketch" You "Up" with what I have been doing.

#1: Boxing Up Comic Books

I continue to process and catalog my comic books for a potential mass sale.  It takes a better part of a day to process a box, with anywhere from 140 to 200 comics. Then, I have to examine each comic's condition and price them fairly according to the most recent coming price guidebook. So far, I have 17 boxes done, with an estimated 25 to 30 boxes to go.

I'm keeping some, but most are going.  I hope this raises some money for my family and fills in the gap of me not working. 

When this is done, I will concentrate more on some other projects.  Some may have a money-making angle, some maybe just because I've always wanted to do them.

This project takes anywhere from 20 to 30 hours a week.

#2: Church Treasury Position

Whee!  It's the only accounting/bookkeeping I have left.  It's taking a bit more time than normal as I look at year-end stuff and budget preparations.

This takes me 5 to 7 hours a week right now.  By February, it will be more like 3 to 5 hours.

#3: Household Chores

I am trying to help more with household chores.  Some I'm doing myself.  Others I'm doing in conjunction with Alison.

This also is about 5 to 7 hours a week.  Maybe a little more.  Some of it I'm multi-tasking, like vacuuming, while Password is on the Buzzer channel.  It generally has almost as many minutes of commercials as show.

#4: Writing

At this point, most of my writing is on the blog.  Hopefully, that will change once I'm done cataloging comic books.  This is taking  3 to 5 hours a week.

#5: Reading

I'm reading a bit more than I was.  I currently am reading Wise Man's Fears by Patrick Rothfuss, part 2 of a fantasy series that covers the university career of someone who becomes the greatest wizard in their world.  The book is over 1,100 pages.

I am also reading a book by the future Governor of Georgia, Stacey Abrams, While Justice Sleeps, a thriller set in the Supreme Court.

I read one hard copy comic book a day and up to six online comic books using the Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Infinite apps.  Although I don't like reading books online, I very much enjoy reading comic books.  I can make them as big as I need and go panel to panel.

All of this is taking 10 to 15 hours a week.  Maybe more.  

#6: Slow Bingeing TV

This is referring only to when I am devoted solely to the TV and am not multi-tasking.  

I watch an hour or less when I eat lunch.  I catch up on new seasons of shows I like.  I finished getting up-to-date with DC's Legends of Tomorrow (a really clever and kicky time travel show) and am now getting up to date with Supergirl.  

At night, I watch an hour or two with Alison.  We are currently watching Yellowjackets from Showtime, The Rookie and Big Sky from ABC, the reality shows Survivor and The Masked Singer from CBS, and Ghosts from the same network.  Ghosts is one of the funniest shows I have seen in a long time.

I also watch an hour or so after Alison goes to bed.  I am watching Dexter: New Blood from Showtime and Invasion from Apple +.  Dexter: New Blood is a good show, but I really don't like Dexter and do not find him any kind of hero.  Invasion is a show where the audience ratings have been less than stellar, but I have really been enjoying it.  It's a bit of a slow burn, but that's okay with me.

Benjamin sometimes watches something with us, now that he is on Christmas break.  He likes the Hawkeye series on Disney Plus.

Yeah, I admit it.  I am a TVholic. All this is on the line of about 20 to 25 hours a week.  Sue me.

There are other activities:  Shopping, eating out (or taking out) about once a week, talking with family, crossword puzzles, exercise, bonding with the dogs.

The key takeaway?  I'm far from bored in retirement, and I have little understanding of those who are.  In some ways, this is what I've been practicing for my whole life.

I have other projects to come, especially once the comic books are cataloged and sold.  I would like to get back to History of the Trap and other stories.  I would like to promote The Extra Credit Club, either published or self-published.

Don't laugh, but I would like to learn how to draw.  It would be awesome to learn enough to illustrate my own books.

And voice work is always in the back of my mind.  Maybe someday, it will be in the forefront.

Thanks for reading my little "ketch-up"!

T. M. Strait