2017--An Ambitious Schedule

     We all have plans, yes? We consider time spent with family, particular holidays, vacations, etc., but I want to take this a step further. When I was younger, I would often listen to my dad talk about wanting to own his own business. God knows he had the head for it, but he did not necessarily have the financial means to pull it off.


     Being blessed and fortunate with some monetary means is a good thing, but being surrounded by positive, influential people is as equally important when considering a business start up. Having good, experienced people to call on for advice is priceless, so for those whose knowledge I shall leverage over the coming months, thanks in advance!  :)


     On top of wanting to kick start a small business, I want to involve myself more so in the broader Okinawan/Japanese martial arts communities. It has been a considerable time since I have felt compelled to go out and train with knowledgeable people. Last year was a wonderful start, and this coming year promises to bring more openness and sharing!


     All of this is wonderful stuff, but Cathy and I are also planning trips abroad. We hope to go and see places together that we have not seen before (and maybe one or two places we have seen but would like to see again). Seeing things beyond your immediate surroundings is essential for cognitive growth and appreciation for what you have! (Note: When I travel, I try to avoid as many of the touristy spots as possible; I am much more interested in seeing how people in different regions of the world actually live. I recommend this to everyone who wants to travel--get outside your comfort zone.)
     Now, I realize that Cathy and I are blessed to be able to travel and do things many cannot. With that, I would say even if you feel trapped in your own neighborhood, try escaping it in order to see what lies beyond. America is the grandest of countries, with a landscape unsurpassed by any other nation, and a cultural diversity that is wholly and completely unparalleled.
     I have written extensively about various areas around our grand country that I love and adore. Feel free to reach out with questions about a specific region and I'll give you my most honest answer, should you feel the need to travel there.
     Back to 2017: I am planning to have at least two non-fiction book projects completed and published, and a third close behind. In addition to these three print projects, I am working on a Bill Evers e-book--a prequel of sorts to the first two. With these works completed, I will work with and schedule meet/greet book signings for those wanting to purchase books, and for whatever reason, have them signed by the author.

     As I said earlier, I plan on venturing out more (again) to train with fellow martial artists of the Okinawan/Japanese traditions. It was with great pleasure that I participated in several such events in 2016, and I fully intend on doing so for as long as I am capable.

     With all this stuff packed into a mere 365 days, I also plan on spending as much time as possible with family and friends. Ultimately, this is the most important aspect in life and living. 

Peace and love to you all!

    

    

    

A Call for Help

The title of this blog may be a little misleading--just a little, but not wholly so. We hear and read a lot about supporting local businesses, rather than the large corporate entities that overshadow acres of concrete and blacktop parking lots. There are people out there, me in fact, trying to make a go of a passion, attempting to bring something good and nice into your life. For that, we ask little.


Whether a person is an artist painting on large canvasses, a musician standing on stage singing and playing, or a writer putting his/her soul into a manuscript he/she hopes to one day see published, without those who enjoy such things there is little reason to create.


I been working on three separate writing projects--each, I believe, has something for a lot of people. That said (or written in this case), writers/authors will never be successful without readers, and more importantly repeat, loyal readers.


I have been so fortunate to have a loyal following, and have received considerable praise for my Bill Evers novels. In no possible way will I ever be able to express my sincerest appreciation to you all!


So, here's your call to action, dear reader--when you read a book, go to Amazon and Goodreads in order to write a product review. Notice I did not say "if you enjoy a book," because honest reviews are tantamount in allowing other readers to know about books you did or did not enjoy. Be descriptive in your opinion of the story or read so others can make decisions whether or not to spend money on the book.  Don't concern yourself with your command of the English language when you write a review--we (the authors) simply want to understand whether you enjoyed the book or not, and what we can do to improve upon our own writing style to better the next story.


I cannot stress how crucial writing reviews is for authors, nor can I downplay the importance of word of mouth and how telling others you know who love good books about one you recently read. This is how the small time author competes with the big boys and girls! 


Please, take a couple of moments and review those books; you now have an idea about how much the author appreciates it!


~HU


www.howardupton.com

Obi the Uber Driver

Cathy turned me on to Uber over the past few months. Admittedly, at first the notion of riding in someone's car to an airport not driving a yellow cab with the funny little light on the roof was a little unnerving. I'm not really sure how to explain it other than to say I am a creature of habit and am accustomed to hopping in a taxi to my final destination.


After a long week in Toronto, Canada, I was looking forward to getting to my apartment, re-packing my backpack and driving the two hours to Green Acres--a.k.a. our Alabama house. Despite the wonderful folks in Ontario and the laughs many of us shared while there, to sleep in my own bed after a week away was something I longed for, and wanted to do as quickly as possible.


I ordered up an Uber on my new-fangled Uber app I downloaded a couple weeks prior. Notification was given that my driver, Obi, would pick me up in his black Hyundai four door car. He threw my bag in the trunk and I plopped my pack next to it, jumped into his Hyundai then clicked my seatbelt (safety first!).


Obi asked me about my flight and where I was returning from; the usual idle chit-chat between two strangers attempting to pass time until they part. I told him I had been in Toronto and was happy to be back in the United States as he nodded his head in the affirmative.


"Yes, there's no place like the U.S. It is the best country in the world."


His accent was smooth and fluid, not quite Caribbean, not entirely British, and certainly not French. His remarks made my ears perk up so I asked where he was from originally. "Nigeria," he replied.


I told him about my fascination with the African continent and how I wanted to spend a lot of time there. Obi explained how much the people of Nigeria loved visitors and how they open their homes to foreigners.


Our discussion drifted to how he came to America; he won a government sanctioned lottery that allows fifty thousand aliens to acquire green cards and work toward citizenship. The amazing thing? There were millions of applications and Obi was one of the chosen few--a golden ticket winner!


I asked him about Nigeria and he told me about the beauty of its people and the staggering corruption of the government. "We have oil and other resources, but the president and politicians keep da' money for themselves. They do not care about the people. In America, the government cares about its citizens, and that is why I am here.


"There is so much in America. We have all da' resources and the opportunity to succeed if you work hard. I just bought my own car and I work hard to send my mom and siblings a little money so they can eat.


"In Nigeria, the children are lucky to get one meal a day. They work all day instead of going to school, and that is sad because there are so many very smart people there."


Naturally, our conversation drifted to politics, but my mind was on what he told me about his home country. He asked who I was supporting for president and was quick to point out how adept the U.S. government was and how the American people took care of one another.

As he spoke, I continued to think about his mom, brothers, and sisters Obi left behind in Nigeria. I wondered how much food they had each day and whether or not he was able to send enough money to give them a second meal each day.

When our conversation (and ride) ended, I was so happy to have met such a gracious man. Some day I hope to run into him again, but in the meantime I allow my mind to drift to Africa...