Returning from a long hiatus
Jimmy Stewart as L.B. “Jeff” Jeffries in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 classic Rear Window © Paramount Pictures
Due to an unintended injury (a broken leg), I stopped contributing for a time since I was forced to focus on healing my injury. After two long bouts of physical therapy, I am mended with the added bonus of my wrist (an old tennis injury) and now my leg, letting me know about any rain. Now I can delve into some of my favorite things once again: detectives, investigations and a great deal of reading. Of course, that doesn’t include some of my other favorite interests: travel, photography, museums, nature, gardening, skiing and tennis (in earlier times of my life) and…writing.
Just a note about the Rear Window image. I didn’t have a long cast, in fact, I didn’t have a cast; however, I did have to live in my front room for almost four months. My window also gives me a courtyard view but it also gives my neighbors a view inside my place so I couldn’t pretend to be Jimmy Stewart and solve a murder that took place in my building (which to the best of my knowledge there hasn’t been a murder committed in my building). I wasn’t lucky enough to be able to see into neighboring buildings—not that I wanted to see into those neighboring buildings. I couldn’t read, I couldn’t write. I had to work from a bed in my living room and get around with either a walker (and later crutches) or a wheelchair which was nearly impossible in my apartment. I was literally trapped in my building for over three months because there is no elevator and the steps were deemed too steep for me to navigate them safely so I empathized with Jimmy Stewart.
I would love to say the experience of being stuck at home for months on end allowed for me to come up with loads of novel ideas, TV pilot bibles and blog posts. I would even be more proud of myself if I could say that I came up with some billion dollar money making business in my head and launched it, and that I am now writing this post from my mega-yacht that rivals Jeff Bezos’ behemoth that is an environmental embarrassment. Alas no. I was in too much pain to think straight. I could barely watch shows and follow them for a couple of months; however, I did revisit one pass time football (American). I now watch both college and professional games. I even read articles and listen to bits of podcasts. I have one to three favorite pro teams. I refuse to divulge any of them as I flit around with my favorites as flippantly as a bird darting from tree to tree, looking for the best fit. I support UCLA Football as it was one of my universities and I am most definitely a lifelong Bruin. I will say this: after looking for good pricing packages, etc. I feel that no man ever has the right to question what I spend on anything if they are a sports fan. The amount of money that is required if you are a serious fan (I am not a serious fan) is astronomical and shameful. I felt guilty about always insisting on a television tier that included my Hallmark Mysteries and Movies channel. I can tell you, I will NEVER feel guilty about that again after seeing how much the NFL, the AFC and the NCAA are trying to extort from their viewers.
I will also never feel guilty again buying a new book I want to read. At the moment, the publishing industry is simply pricing a lot of readers out of even bothering reading the newest books. It is especially perilous with anyone who enjoys mystery series. Please don’t get me wrong. I want writers to make as much money as they can, and I want publishing houses to stay alive so writers can publish; however, I like owning the physical book. For me, being able to look at my bookcase and physically see the series I have read, staring back at me, is a rewarding experience that I can relieve each time I look at a series and think about how much I enjoyed it—the characters, the plots, the narrative itself, and ultimately, the author’s personality. I had forgotten how useful the library is and, I use it now, religiously. Digital apps are also giant money savers like the Libby and Hoopla apps. I also swear by Thrift Books which has a buy back program as well but I have some issues with that (several times I have been quoted a high buy-back price and then get nothing for the book citing something wrong with it, even when I send it back to them in the exact same condition I bought it).
With all the digital books, it isn’t the same. There is a lot to be said for trees being saved. I hate the idea of trees dying for any reason. There is also a lot to be said about having more space in your home if you don’t have several bookcases taking up an entire wall (like some people…me). Movers hate me because of my books but I can live with that. I might see what I’ve listened to or read on Amazon, but a JPEG of a book cover isn’t quite the same as seeing a well-worn spine that stares back at me. Those spines are old friends. I can’t imagine a world where there are no books staring back at you from a bookshelf.