La Riposte

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Helicopter Flights & a #ROW80 Update!

Flying the unfriendly skies...
A super-busy week- I've been doing lots of writing - mainly recommendations for Navy Commendation Medals (but I did ghost-write a Bronze Star on behalf of the Commanding General - good times!) Also, editing and writing a variety of letters in an attempt to get my Marines Combat Meritorious Promotions, etc...

It hasn't left a lot of time for other things, but I did go for a ride on a CH-53 helicopter out over the Helmand River Valley to watch one of my Marines re-enlist at 3000 feet - what a great way to end the day!

Of course, the day won't really be over until I post this note, after which time I can grab my gear and go catch a few hours of sleep, but here goes:

WRITING
- Wrote a smidgen of the Perfidious Mister Wickham
- Wrote a few more pages of Stephen Pressfield’s “The Warrior Ethos”: One Marine Officer’s Critique and Counterpoint… Did some editing and created the cover art... Slowly getting there!

PUBLISHING
- Put out the 17th issue of the Squadron newsletter – 9 pages of print & pictures!

FITNESS
- Added 10 lbs to my Bench Press…
- Bodyfat still at 13% - gotta work on diet, abs and cardio to get down to 12%...

LANGUAGE
- Completed my requisite 5 hours of language study, now looking for a C-130 ride to Bagram to test out next month...

NETWORKING
- Still looking for 2 people to join my “Core Group” this week – anyone who does will get free books and advance copies of new material in exchange for reviews and critique… Are you interested? If so, leave a note here, or drop me a line directly to ehcarpenter@gmail.com

So, that’s it for my goals! How did you do with yours?

I hope everyone has had a great weekend, and is all set for another productive week!

A la prochaine!

Edward

Sunday, May 12, 2013

#ROW80 Update from a #Warzone!

Everyone smile for the camera! 
Oh, wait, Marines don't smile...
A quiet week in some ways here, a very busy one in others!

Writing awards and orders, finishing up one International Relations class, and preparing to teach another, and taking a 3-day-a-week French class via online video-linked classroom (thanks, Special Operations Command!) so as is often the case, I’m struggling to make time to write, let alone publish or promote!

That said, I have gotten a little bit more done on Steven Pressfield’s “The Warrior Ethos”: One Marine Officer’s Critique & Counterpoint. Shooting for publication before the end of the month, so lots to do with that! And I have to finish the final proofs for my interview in Laurence Raw and Robert G. Dryden’s upcoming book Global Jane Austen: Pleasure, Passion, and Possessiveness in the Jane Austen Community.

So, I trust you’ll pardon the very brief goals update:

WRITING
- Posted Chapter 29 of The Perfidious Mister Wickham
- Wrote 1500 words on my critique of Pressfield’s The Warrior Ethos.

PUBLISHING
- Put out the 16th issue of the Squadron newsletter – Mother’s Day edition!

FITNESS
- Added 10 lbs to my Bench Press…
- Bodyfat down to 13.4% - next stop, 12%
- Scored 284 (out of 300) on my latest Physical Fitness Test!

LANGUAGE
- Got in 5 solid hours of French study this week, 4 of those in a class taught all in French… Je suis un bien eleve!

NETWORKING
- Found a couple of people interested in my Core Group! Still looking for more, though – anyone joins will get free books and advance copies of new material in exchange for reviews and critique… Are you interested? If so, leave a note here, or drop me a line directly to ehcarpenter@gmail.com

So, that’s it for my goals! How did you do with yours?

I hope everyone has had a great weekend, and is all set for another productive week!

A la prochaine! 
Edward

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Busy Week in Afghanistan... a #ROW80 Update!


Sometimes it gets noisy here...
Well, the Spring Fighting Season has arrived, so this has been a very busy week.

Had to fill in for the Commanding Officer for a few days, and had the unexpected pleasure of a visit from an old friend who was touring Afghanistan with a General – on top of that, I’m preparing to shepherd my International Relations class through their final exam, so not a lot of time left for writing, publishing, or promoting, I’m afraid!

I ran a few free days on KDP Select for Happily Ever After and the German translation, Und Wenn Sie Nicht Gestorben Sind, giving away about two hundred copies that will, with a bit of luck, result in a few more reviews and some sales of my other stories… If anyone reads German and would be interested in a free reviewer's copy, let me know!

A quick review of my goals from the start of ROW80 reveals that I’m doing fine with the fitness, language study, and am actually ahead on The Perfidious Mister Wickham project, but am falling behind on the writing and publication of my stock in trade, short stories. I will make an effort to get back into the saddle on short stories this coming week – we shall see if that works!

So, here’s a brief goals update:

WRITING
- Posted Chapter 28 of The Perfidious Mister Wickham A wedding in St. Clements!
- Finished and sent in to the editor my review of Torture and State Violence in the United States for the Air Force Research Institute.

PUBLISHING
- Put out the 15th issue of the Squadron newsletter – 11 pages of print & pictures!

FITNESS
- Added 10 lbs to my Bench Press…
- Bodyfat down to 14% - eating really healthy, not as much cardio this week as I’d like, but shooting for 13% next week!
- Did 20 pull-ups (max score!) and feeling good for an upcoming Physical Fitness test next Saturday

LANGUAGE
- Only a few solid hours of French study this week… Je ne pas bien eleve!

NETWORKING
- Still looking for 2 people to join my “Core Group” this week – anyone who does will get free books and advance copies of new material in exchange for reviews and critique… Are you interested? If so, leave a note here, or drop me a line directly to
ehcarpenter@gmail.com...

So, that’s it for my goals! How did you do with yours?

I hope everyone has had a great weekend, and is all set for another productive week!

A bientot!

Edward