Good evevning friends,

 I hope all are well tonight, and dealing with the latest national tragedy in your own personal manner. I feel bad just being safe and comfortable here at home in Tucson. I have to admit that writing to you this evening was hard to do. Still, I have the obligation to write you and express my feeling under good or bad circumstances. 

 Usually I'm pretty upbeat as you know, and trying to stay positive amist all the recent events, including hurricanes, earthquakes, nuclear threats, and now another mass shooting, this time in Las Vegas. It sure makes it difficult for me to stay focused on my own goals and dreams of publishing my book. At times lately, it seems almost useless for me to be pursuing such a casual and selfish desire of becoming a published author.

 But then I think that is exactly what monsters like the concert shooter strive to destroy in normal, decent human beings; their hopes and dreams. Two very unique and personal God given gifts that all humans possess, and have the right to manage, chart and share with whomever they please. I believe that is what separates us from animals, is our own self awareness, and the ability to use our consience for the benifit of ourselves and others, whether its our family, friends or total strangers. I am not knocking our beloved pets, but they act mostly out of instinct, so hopes and dreams do not navigate their free will, unlike us humans.

 Yet the paradox stares us right in the face, when we see individuals or groups stoop lower than our dogs and cats, with their animalist attitudes that carry them to commit horrid, subhuman acts of terror. I'm perplexed when I see thousands of people rise up all over this world to help their neighbors and strangers in times of natural or man made disasters, only then to hear or see others mow down hapless folks by the hundreds, in a public festival or plaza. Whether they chose to use a knife,truck, gun, or bomb to destroy the lives of the innocent people anywhere, and rob them of their own hopes and dreams, and those who love and care for them. One thing will be certain; they will never kill the goodness that dominates the human heart in those who choose to do good, instead of evil, with their free will.

 With that being said friends, I will shake off the blues, and continue to defy the wicked souls amongst us, and forge on with my own hopes and dreams. That is something no one can take from me, not now, not ever. Good night.

Juanjohn

Good evevning friends,

greetings from sunny and cool Tucson, Az.again. My hope is that you are doing well this Wednesday night. I know I'm a couple of days late with my post, and I apologize for that. First of all, I want to send some warm thoughts to all the unfortunate souls who are still struggling with the natural disasters in their particular areas, especially the folks in the island nation of Puerto Rico. I surely hope all these people recieve help soon, and relieve them of the trails and tribulations they are enduring at the hands of the recent hurricanes and earthquakes.

 I promised you I would be done with the first 25 state edition this week, and I'm happy to tell you that I needed an extra two days to follow through. I hope you share my enthusiasim and excitement as I send it to my friend to get proof read this weekend. It was at times, exhuasting but never boring. I enjoyed reliving my experiance on the road, and I hope you will find it just as amazing as I did. I wish it wouldn't of taken so long, but unfortunately life got in the way at times these past few months. Working for a living, and not feeling totally myself since I returned, certinly hampered the process. I expect much of the same when I start composing the second edition in a few weeks. Those next 25 stops were when the real survival tour began, and I will surely continue to keep you updated with the publishing journey as things come together in the next few weeks.

 I also went last week to the local comedy club here called Laff's, and took a stab at the open mic session they have every Thursday night. The list was long for all the wannabe jokers like me, but I think I held my own, and stood out from the crowd. I had done some stand up in the open mic circut in Honolulu when I lived in Hawaii years ago, so unlike alot of the firstimers last week, I seemed more relaxed on stage than most. My humor is strictly PG-13 and like my website, non-political and social. I have plenty of funny and horrifying stories about my upbringing, parenthood, and failed marriages, to fill the few minutes they alot me. Besides, I like to give folks the chance to escape the media bombardment they already recieve from the all the world's troubles. I don't know where I'm going with that stand-up gig yet, but in the meantime, it's a great way for me to blow off some steam.

 Well friends, I want to thank you for continuing to support my website and story. I still recieve plenty of hits each day, months after my arrivial back home, which shocks an amazes me in a pleasent and humble way. I can't wait to finally write you that future post announcing the publication of my book!

 Everything has it's time, I'm a firm believer, and now it's time to say Adios, and take care, until next time!

Juanjohn

 Hello Friends,

 greetings once again from sunny Tucson. I hope you had a great weekend, and are doing well this evening. I'm tied to the news channel with also the latest natural disaster, another earthquake, this time in Mexico City. I have some relatives there, so I am especially interested in the news coming out of the area, so I'll have to cut my blog short tonight.

 It looks like the active hurricane season has now set it's sights on the Carribean area, and Puerto Rico is hours away from getting the burnt of it. I pray all the good people of that fine island can find shelter to escape the rath as well. And with the other recent disaster areas still trying to recover from their own personal bouts with mother nature, it makes the situation even worse for those folks who have been hit once again. The paradise islands are surely taking some lumps.

 On a more positive note, I am days away from completing my first edition! I will be sending it to my proof reader Mary Ann, and while my friend Yolie works on the cover, I'll be setting things up with my Kindle account. The first book will be comprised of the idea and planning stage chapters, and the stories from Arizona to Vermont.The  I00k plus words cover the months of preparations and first five months I traveled. I'm really excited about moving forward with the next 25 stories somtime in the next few weeks, once I take a break from sitting behind this laptop. I decided to share some of the pictures from the good folks who hired me, year to date. A year ago today, I worked for Elisha and Kumiko in Enfield,N.H. Two wonderful, young kids who hired me to do some landscaping on their beautiful lakeside home!

Well friends,barring any setbacks or distractions, it should be completed by the time I write you next week! Take care and be safe wherever you call home. and as always, gracias for the support and encouragement!

Juanjohn