Nano this year was a success (the writers challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in a month). While I didn't end up with the word count I aimed for (time travel stories take a lot of research which really slowed me down), I did make over the 50,000 requirement and I do have a novel that will be released in the near future. I can't give a exact time table but within the next year to be sure. And I am currently working on editing the first draft (among other projects).
In other news, and what has slowed me down considerably as of late: Insurance. As most of you in the USA know our health care system has been turned up side down. While the Affordable Care Act was suppose to make things better, so far I only see it making everything 1,000X worse. I for one had a insurance policy that worked well for me, and I have had it for years. At the end of last year I was informed that everything was fine. Then about August I get notification that due to ACA, my policy has been canceled and I would need to find something else that qualifies under what the ACA defines you must have. And of course if you don't, then the government slaps you with a large fine.
While the ACA created a online health insurance marketplace, which is fine in theory, bad in practice. At least in the current implementation. There are many cases where you find a policy you like, then call in to find out for some reason or another it is not available to you. Even though the marketplace says it is. So for what was intented to be a one-stop-shop, rarely is.
Then add on the convulted requirements ACA gives (and not many fully seem to understand even after it has been in place for a year), the confusing aspects of the insurnace policys themselves making it difficult to know if the local doctor you have is in the network or will be more expensive be he/she is not.
And to add final insult to injury, anything you find now, will likely change in a year or less. The whole system moves around more than a piece of lint in a hurricane. What is fine now, likely won't be next year. So much for making it "easier".
Gone are the days where you spent some time finding the policy that met your needs and stuck with it unless something in your life changed requiring you increase your coverage (illness, marriage etc). Oh how I want those days back. Now one needs to be a insurance expert to pick out the proper plan, which is almost impossible, and will likely change in a few months to a year since the law is so fluidic at the moment (and will likely continue to be). The one good thing is that the law allows for cancellations or other such problems. And in that case you are able to switch without penalty, either into a state funded plan or a private one should you choose. Personally I find the state basted plans are far more expensive than the private ones, which they promised the opposite would be true. Just another case of government doesn't make things better, only more complex and expensive.
They say writing is hard work, but I would rather do two novels in a month than go though this insurance fiasco again. But I already know I will have to face it again come this time next year.
I will be honest. I have never liked Facebook. The format itself or that your account could be locked at the drop of a hat. Not to mention it is very difficult to get it open again (if ever). I have been reluctant to create a account due to this.
