November Already?

Above, yours truly at Osaka Castle last month.

What the hell?!

Where did October go? It seems like only yesterday that September ended (albeit on a sad note as my cat Siren passed away). October is one of the longest months of the year at 31 days. But it is now November 1.

Actually, it seems like the summer zipped by and it was only in early August that Amber and I went to see the last show of Rush's R40 tour at the Forum. Then, Denise Santos and I went to a Dodger game in early September.

Well, October was a bit busy. The early part was getting prepared for the Japan trip that took nine days during the middle of the month and then decompressing after we came back in the latter part of the month.

Before we all know it, it will be Thanksgiving Day and then Christmas and New Year's.

Time flies when you're having fun.

Speaking of having fun, I decided to give my two-week notice to my employer of my "parachute job". I was going to hold out to next year, when I begin drawing Social Security, but I am just tired of the graveyard shift hours. I have enough cash on hand to last to February, when I begin drawing Social Security.

There are four reasons for resigning:

• Devoting full time to working on the updated edition of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.
• Travel. Specifically, camping!
• Since Denise has a new full-time job, if I stayed on at my current hours, we'd never see each other.
• Family. I have family members who are elderly and this year's calendar would have me working through Christmas and New Year's and I would not have any chance to see them.

I am planning on taking a fast trip to Chiriaco Summit the day after my last work day to the Gen. George S. Patton Memorial Museum. I bought a memorial brick for my dad there 15 years ago and I thought it was about time I go there to locate it. They have a dry-camp campground behind the museum. I may stay there or at the Cottonwood Campground at the nearby Joshua Tree National Park. We'll see what works.

Well, here's to November!