"The pen is the tongue of the mind." (Cervantes)

.....I wonder if there is any other family in the United States or even the world who have three people who have published books. I have written my autobiography and published the book titled "Memoirs of a Tail Gunner"; my daughter published a book called "Patriot Dreams" about her husband's death by terrorists in Lebanon in 1988. Richard Higgins was a Colonel in the Marine Corps on duty there when he was captured by the Hezbollah. Robin was a Lt. Col. in the USMC when she retired; and my son, Joel, recently published his book titled "Phases of the Moon" about his experiences on a Kibbutz in Israel and also about his ventures in Panama while an agent with the CIA. So, I and two of my kids are now famous unknown authors. I wonder if we ought to get written up in Guiness's Book of Records?

.....As for me, I haven't given up publishing books. What else can I do? No more golf and no more running. I just have to practice using a cane without falling down and breaking another hip. Anyway--to continue--I have published five volumes of my blogs--really a journal about senior living in South Florida, and the books are titled, "Pater Noster in Condoland". A sixth volume, however, is called "Fires in the Heart". So all in all I have published 1519 pages of my blog called "Home of the Red Baron." That's my alter ego. Now my kids have a lot of work to catch up to their father. JR is trying; he just started up his own blog which he calls "New Under Sol". It can be read at www.newundersol.blogspot.com. It's topics are very much unlike mine! It has absolutely nothing to do with life in Florida. So try it. It will be refreshing after plowing through mine. And who knows, maybe the other two kids might write books some day. That would make the Ross family truly amazing!

.....I don't know when I will no longer have an interest in writing a blog. I always wanted to write a novel or a play, but have been at a loss for an idea. A couple of years ago I became interested in the life of Baruch de Spinoza who was excommunicated for supposed heresies by the united congregation of Portuguese Jews in Amsterdam. His synagogue, Talmud Torah, was the place where he was proclaimed on the 6th of the month of Av, 5416, July 27, 1656. For me to write a novel or a play about his life would require a good deal of research. I don't know if I still have enough motivation and stamina to accomplish this desire. Some desires in life must be forsaken.