Status April 2020

Dear readers and patrons,

Due to the recent worldwide circumstances and its effects on my work on Space Highways, I want to inform you all about what’s happening right now.

TL;DR:

Due to the mentioned circumstances in this post, I’ll be pushing back chapter B06 ~ Venus Beach until I have really finished it. Meanwhile, I’ll publish revisions, as suggested by my patrons.

Some important changes in my private life.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m in self-isolation since Saturday the 14^th of March and work from home. On Friday the 13^th of March, the managers and owners of the studio I work for has decided to send all workers home and to work from there. We could take whatever we needed, including our work computers, home. The same weekend, the Spanish government declared the state of alarm.

The Spanish government’s state of alarm only allows specific workers to go to work. Over the last two weeks, nobody but the essential businesses could operate. The exception is if we can work remotely. In our case, it was possible until now to do that.

This means, I was staying at home since the afternoon of Friday the 13^th and only left to buy essential goods.

Staying at home, in a 2,5 by 4 meters room, plus a small bathroom, is taxing me more than I thought it would do.

I do my daily job, my relaxation, entertainment, exercising, eating, sleeping, and working on SpaceHighway in this tiny place. And I rarely go out… I can leave briefly using the excuse of taking the garbage out or having a brief smoke under the home’s door. In addition, as I don’t have a partner right now, I can’t even talk to someone at any given time, bar my coworkers during our shift, or my daily calls with my family members. Ultimately, I tend to sit in front of my computer for over 80% of my day time. This isn’t healthy, not at all.

After living for a month in such condition, my anxiety just skyrocketed…

I can’t concentrate properly anymore. Either due to my anxiety, my sore muscles, the neighboring kids screaming for the lack of entertainment, or my lack of proper exercising, it’s hard for me to work consistently.

Some asked me about my parents and my sister’s health conditions.

First, thank you all for caring. It is no secret that my parents went through many health conditions over the last two years and a half.

My parents are okay. Mostly thanks to my sister and her boyfriend, who are still with them. Fortunately for them, they have an ample garden where they can exercise and, at least, leave their homes for a while.

My father still has pain from his herpes zoster or the shingles he started to develop about two years ago.

My mother is quite fine and has recovered completely after her stroke.

My sister and her boyfriend got caught up in the state of alarm while visiting them and had to stay. They tried to get a flight back to Norway, but ultimately gave up and stayed. They are doing the shopping for my parents, but keep on social distance. They don’t want to potentially infect each other.

What does that mean for SpaceHighway?

That I’m completely unable to follow my own planning…

The last chapter of the second arc The Queen and the King of the Space Highways, “Venus Beach” is not finished yet. Despite having published a work-in-progress for patrons some weeks ago, I couldn’t finish it… And it tortures me.

It isn’t a writer’s block… I know exactly what will happen, I can’t concentrate on writing it down. My mind is all over the place when anxiety allows me to sit down to write.

I honestly hoped that the long Easter weekend will allow me to finally get up to date… But I couldn’t… either because some neighbors hosted a self-isolation party, which means they were screaming and singing from one end of the street to the other; or because of my growing anxiety.

Just writing this post, is excruciating troublesome for me.

Usually, writing is the most relaxing experience for me, but over the last few weeks, it has become stressful… The lack of social contact and proper exercising do affect me way more than I thought.

I chatted with my few patrons, and, as well as they care for my health, they suggested I should publish revisions until I am able to finish the next chapter “Venus Beach.” As difficult as it is for me, I have accepted to do so. Even if the chapter difference between the new and the revised editions are nearer than ever. Perhaps, it will do good. But I hope that I will be able to come out of this depressive moment as soon as possible. I want to bounce back and enjoy writing once more.

I’m truly thankful to have such patient and caring readers, patrons, and friends to support me.

I am sorry that I’m unable to meet my own publishing calendar, and I feel like I’m letting everyone down, but the circumstances are not easy for me either…

Thank you all for your understanding and support,
Siggy Simon Jr.