Today was my first day job day back at the desk and so I can safely say that the new year has begun. Strangely New Year’s Day didn’t feel all that different to me yesterday. I stayed at home and relaxed, my sweetie-wife did some shopping and we played a couple of games. (Star Trek The Original Series: the Deck Building Game & Dominion, but fun games.)

I look back at 2012 and see that I achieved all my writing goals. Stories submitted to at least three pro-level publications, entered all four quarters of Writers of The Future, and completed the first draft of my latest novel. (That one was down to the wire with a Dec 28th final session.) Once the novel was completed in its first draft I relaxed and planned on no more writing for about a month.

My plan is to read the novels I have purchased, but have laid around on my Nook unread. In fact I have read two books already, Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint by Nancy Kress it is craft book on writing and it is very good. Also I finished reading last night, Zombie Movies  by Glenn Kay and encyclopedia of zombie movies from the 1930’s through about 2004. For novels I am currently reading The Apocalypse Codex by Charles Stross, and after that I have Snuff by Terry Pratchett, A Summer of Night by Dan Simmons and Quantum Coin by E.C. Myers.

Somewhere in the middle of all that I will start writing again about Feb, working on my next entry for the Writers of the Future, and then start revising Command & Control.After all that? Well, write another book.

Today instead of going to work I went to my newest addition to my collection of medical professionals whom are looking after my health, an orthodontist. The office was pleasant, quick, and professional.

The short answer is that the orthodontist agrees with what my sleep specialist said two years ago, that my jaw is misaligned and should be corrected with surgery. My sleep specialist suggested the possibility if surgery to help with the sleep apnea, here the same condition, the misaligned jaw, is causing undue pressures on my teeth and as I age the likelihood of breaking teeth, as I did last month, increases.

I have a round of 3-D X-ray to get imaged, and a bite impression to be impressed and after that is analyzied we will know the best course of action. Depending if we can get the jaw surgery covered under my major medical to treat my apnea, it’s likely I will get that surgery. If not, we’ll make due with orthodonic work to realign my teeth and try to decrease the pressure. Either way it looks like 2012 will be another fun medical year.

Please, don’t think I am carping or complaining. I am fortunate compared to family members and friends who are suffering with far more serious issues. There is element of depression to having to go under the knife again, but truly I know I am still a lucky fellow.

In other mixed news, I have to say this was the nicest rejection slip I have gotten…

Please excuse my tardiness in responding to your manuscript – the better ones take the longest.  I enjoyed reading Love and Loyalty, but I don’t feel I can offer representation at this time.  The marketplace is more selective than ever and I must keep a modest list.