Life's Twists: Coping with Change at Forty-Four and Embracing a New Chapter

The Sunday Post, Issue #279

Tabe of Contents

• The Editorial
• On the Reading Block
• Fresh Off the Press
• Some Final Thoughts

The Editorial

My mind hasn't quite recovered from the whirlwind week that flipped my world into an episode of the Twilight Zone. Picture this: an emergency room drama starring my mother. While I won't dive into the details—because, really, who needs more gray hairs?—I can tell you she’s on the mend, albeit with more doctor visits and a slew of upcoming tests looming like dark clouds. The stress of it all is enough to make my stomach churn. In a blink, the only son morphs into a reluctant parent to his parents, and here I am, grappling with emotions that feel foreign and unwelcome. Change is the name of the game, it seems... but, like a good suspense novel, only time will reveal the twists and turns ahead.

Today, I turned forty-four. The big four-four. I don’t feel old—if anything, that number feels like just another tick on the timeline—probably won't for many birthdays to come. Age is just a number, right? Or something like that—it's hard to keep track these days. Mid-life crises? Not on my radar, at least not yet. Maybe when I hit fifty, but for now, I feel like I'm just warming up. Life has always been a solo journey for me—no wife, no kids rattling about. And yet, there’s this nagging whisper of loneliness, creeping around the corners of my mind, and that? That scares me a bit.

I’ve decided to make some changes, as well. It’s been exactly a month since I kicked a few bad habits to the curb—goodbye, fast food! I’ve been eating better, eating less, and have shed at least 12 pounds. I’ll hop on the scale tomorrow, but that’s just part of a longer journey towards my goal. Mind you, I haven’t added any exercise to the mix yet. Let’s hope that once I get into a routine, those pounds will melt away even faster—notice I said melt, not stick around like an unwanted visitor. The last thing I need is for that number to tip upwards.

On the Reading Block

Today, I’m looking forward to reading Kosko Jackson’s The Macabre after I finish Beverly Lewis's The Christmas House. Fingers crossed for a cozy reading session! Stay tuned for my review of that tomorrow. On Tuesday, you can expect my thoughts on The Iron Storm by Jack Du Brul, along with a review of Jurassic World: Rebirth, which hits Blu-ray—yes, physical media still exists, much to the chagrin of expensive streaming giants. My ambition for Wednesday or Thursday? A review of The Macabre. And let’s not forget about Robert J. Randisi’s The Gamblers: Texas Bluff, which I have teed up for Saturday’s Gunsmoke & Grit.

There’s a veritable reading marathon in store with The Last Laugh by K.R. Alexander, No Filter by Kelley Skovron, The Hand That Feeds You by A.J. Feed, and Return to Fear Street: Drop Dead Gorgeous by R.L. Stine. Keep an eye out for those reviews in next month’s 31 Reads of Terror.

Fresh from the Press

I just wrapped up a thrilling review of The Girl with Ice in Her Veins by Karin Smirnoff—three and a half stars for the latest entry in the Millennium series. I also wrote a four-star review on the western-horror hybrid There’s Something Wrong in Hugo Creek by Lumen Reese. On a different note, I handed out a three-and-a-half-star review for the Christian animated film, Light of the World. It’s not all books, after all!

Some Final Thoughts

The Friday 56 feature is back, and this week, it featured a snippet from Naomi Booth's The Sealed, another chilling horror novel I’m excited to review for the 31 Reads of Terror. Speaking of horror, I really need to jump on those spooky flicks for October’s The Midnight Horror. So far, I’ve managed to watch and review exactly one movie. Yeah, talk about a procrastination master...

〜B.J. Burgess