First Cup of Coffee – April 7, 2025

About how I bought a new car! And struggling to decide what to do with my museum piece... Also catching up on finishing A ROSE IN THE MIRROR, getting bills paid, and being impatient with recovery from illness.

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Transcript

00:01.42
Jeffe Kennedy
Good morning, everyone. This is Jeffe Kennedy, author of Epic Fantasy Romance. I'm here with my first cup of coffee.

00:12.14
Jeffe Kennedy
Oh, so good. ah Today is, do we even know? It's Monday. It's Monday, April 7th. Turns out we do know. It's a good thing we have these external calendar things.

00:25.45
Jeffe Kennedy
ah How are you all doing? I am doing fine. um Still tired. Still tired from this stupid virus, whatever it was that I got. um I did a little too much over the weekend. um Trying to catch up with socializing with people.

00:45.59
Jeffe Kennedy
Things that I had to cancel while I was sick. um Trying to get back into yoga. And I and may have overdid. Overdid a little bit.

00:58.63
Jeffe Kennedy
I'm fine. Just like tired. I was supposed to go out to dinner with some friends last night and I had to bail because I was just like, could not rally.

01:10.11
Jeffe Kennedy
But so it goes. I made really good progress on a Rose in the Mirror on Friday. Yeah, Friday. I got my 3000 words and less than three hours worth of work.

01:24.73
Jeffe Kennedy
About two and a half. So that was great. That was really nice. I figure I've got something like 7,000 words to go. Excuse me. um 7676 is the official estimate. We'll see if it really takes that much.

01:45.63
Jeffe Kennedy
um But I think that probably I'm going to be in good shape. I'm going to work on it today and tomorrow, maybe get it finished.

01:57.35
Jeffe Kennedy
And then um Wednesday morning, I fly to Polycon, which the transcript never gets right. And I should have some time. i' have all day Thursday. I think I talked about this Friday.

02:11.28
Jeffe Kennedy
If I still need to mess with it. I also need to put together my charm bracelet thingy. So for those of you, are any of you going to a Polycon? If you are, We're going to have super cool charm bracelets.

02:24.61
Jeffe Kennedy
There's a bunch of us that are going to collaborate and we're going to have charm bracelets for sale at our tables. And then you can add charms for various books. It's going be really fun.

02:38.15
Jeffe Kennedy
So I stopped to put on my little lobster clasps. It's funny. It's like, it's been this whole thing about like, whether you call it a lobster clasp or a parrot clasp,

02:49.29
Jeffe Kennedy
um for the, how the charms, how you hook them onto the charm bracelet, it's intended to be removable. Right. And I keep thinking like I was calling them, I think parrot clasps and it confused people because they're supposed to be lobster clasps.

03:07.20
Jeffe Kennedy
And then I tried to correct myself mentally and started calling them lobster clasps. And people said, well, do you mean parrot clasps? So I don't even know. Well,

03:19.67
Jeffe Kennedy
Um, yeah. So anyway, that's going to be really fun. And yeah, I'm looking forward. I'm looking forward to the trip. Uh, somebody asked me if, um, this was a ah fun thing for me or if it was something to get through at this stage in my career.

03:40.57
Jeffe Kennedy
And it's like, well, it's some of both. But the nicest thing about it is getting to see my friends, my happy friends. ah There's a lot of people that I see like once a year.

03:54.23
Jeffe Kennedy
And so it's going to be very fun to hang out with them. um One thing about my vastly changed circumstances as of the last, I mean, I guess it's really only been three weeks.

04:11.72
Jeffe Kennedy
I guess it hasn't been that long. I'm just impatient. um Thursday, it will be three weeks since I came down suddenly sick with that fever on that Thursday.

04:23.74
Jeffe Kennedy
So, yeah, just so unusual for me to be sick like that. But... um and And it's a mystery because nobody around me got sick.

04:36.27
Jeffe Kennedy
Nobody that I know of got it. So it was like especially designed for Jeffe virus. um It even occurred to me that it could be measles because there's so much measles in Texas.

04:53.73
Jeffe Kennedy
And I did get a skin rash, which I think was just from the high fever in the end because, um you know, I have princess skin. and it reacts to everything. Uh, but the, none of my symptoms matched measles. And I even mom pulled my vaccination record, which it feels like this is such a fraught thing in this day and age, but you know, like we all have our vaccination records, you know, it's like this used to be like just a thing, you know, and now these people are not wanting to get vaccinated and not vaccinating their children. That's,

05:29.40
Jeffe Kennedy
Anyway, um so it showed that I was vaccinated in 68, which puts me in this group. Apparently there's this group that like if you were born after 59, but vaccinated before the end of 68, you got this attenuated virus.

05:46.22
Jeffe Kennedy
um If you were born before 59, it's very likely that you got it because it was so prevalent in the population. uh so anyway i got vaccinated 68 but then i was vaccinated again in 76 probably because i have a diligent and loving mother uh who ah they probably knew by then that it was like that it had been an attenuated virus and not the most effective vaccine so um you know they're telling a lot of people in our age group if you fit in that window that you should probably get vaccinated for measles again but me i'm

06:24.67
Jeffe Kennedy
I should be fine. And this wasn't measles. Who knows what it was? It's a mystery.

06:31.76
Jeffe Kennedy
Um, we do get accustomed to the science of it. Right. You know, because it I do recall in the past, you know, it's like, well, you got the flu. That's, know, you got some kind of flu that's going around. I did have my flu shot, but apparently it like only covers 20% of like possible strains.

06:49.36
Jeffe Kennedy
So, so yes, I tired myself out and, um, the wages of sin, but I'm also getting everything done on the timeline that I needed to, even with being sick. So I don't know.

07:01.98
Jeffe Kennedy
No regrets. um Um, let's see, what else do I have to tell you all? I really don't feel like I have a lot. I, um, did get all the bills paid over the weekend, got the finances caught up.

07:16.10
Jeffe Kennedy
It's really funny because we recently refinanced our house cause we're doing this whole building, the Casita thing, the Casita is almost done. Um, you know, and using my mom's money to do that, but also using some of our house money.

07:28.17
Jeffe Kennedy
And, uh, oh, I don't, did I tell you all on Friday? i bought a new car. I know. So think, I know I told you all the story of like stalling the Jags stalling in the whole foods parking lot on the morning of Christmas Eve with my mother there. And the woman screaming at us with like our Brown hair flying, how you can't park there.

07:52.43
Jeffe Kennedy
And I'm like, I am stalled, sweetheart. This is not an actual choice. Um, Anyway, you you should go find this. I won't tell the whole story again.

08:04.27
Jeffe Kennedy
um But, ah you know, the the car does fine. And I do need to call my mechanic and see what he thinks. But, I mean, but sometimes she stalls. And I have to sit there and feed her gas. And every once a while there's like...

08:22.47
Jeffe Kennedy
I mean, there's the minor stalls, but then every once in a while, there's a major stall. And I could tell, Mom, was just like it was in the Whole Foods parking lot that day. um It's just...

08:35.43
Jeffe Kennedy
it acts like it's not getting any gas. And then there's, ah you know, of course, all these very helpful people, you know, who want to ask me questions and say, well, have, you know, did you check this and check that? And that's like, yes, you know, it just does this. My mechanic says, you know, because we had to disconnect the computer because it's obsolete, it's a 30 year old car.

08:57.85
Jeffe Kennedy
It's just not going to feed gas. sometimes. Um, so I need to talk to him about what's the practical thing to do. Uh, but i did go buy a new car.

09:11.15
Jeffe Kennedy
David, ah encouraged me to use some of the money from our house refinance. And, um, I went on last Tuesday with my friend, Megan. I don't think I talked about this on Friday.

09:26.59
Jeffe Kennedy
Uh, sorry if I did, ah my brain is still not completely there and what's there I'm using for finishing this book.

09:35.93
Jeffe Kennedy
So I went to CarMax and I said I wanted to buy a hybrid. I didn't want to buy a fully electric car. Definitely not a Tesla, although it's amazing how cheap you can get them now. I was talking to a friend of mine about it and he's always wanted Y model Tesla and but couldn't afford it. And he said he saw one the other day that's like a brand new Tesla for like $18,000. And he said he was so tempted, ah but can't.

10:08.93
Jeffe Kennedy
but So I didn't want fully electric just because i didn't I want to be able to drive at long distances and not have to worry about charging and that kind of thing. So I wanted a hybrid. They had four hybrid models on the lot.

10:21.85
Jeffe Kennedy
Two were easy no's. I don't remember why. think one was a Tesla and the other was like ah Hyundai. And I was like, nah, I don't want a Hyundai.

10:34.46
Jeffe Kennedy
And the other two were, there was a Prius, a really nice 2023 Prius with only miles on it. And then there was Lexus s SUV with a little shve of a hundred thousand miles on it And the Prius was $35,000 and the Lexus was $18,000. And I remember this because I think it's funny that the used Tesla that my friend really wanted and and my SUV were the same price.

11:08.34
Jeffe Kennedy
um And I thought that I was going to get the Prius, but... you know, it's low to the ground and it was black and I really didn't want black.

11:21.97
Jeffe Kennedy
And also I didn't want a car payment. And then the Lexus, um, okay. So here's the thing. And I, I really, what does this have to do with writing? I don't know, but life choices, you know, like,

11:36.40
Jeffe Kennedy
I have not wanted to give up my car. Um, for those of you who don't know who are new to any of this, I have a 1996, um, British racing green, Jaguar XJS convertible.

11:55.26
Jeffe Kennedy
And I have had this car for almost 20 years, bought it low mileage, paid cash for it, uh, used, And I love this car.

12:06.69
Jeffe Kennedy
love this car. I love this car all this time. And it's just it's just been a pure joy to me. So every time someone has said to me and I do have many who loving look, I even get teary about it.

12:22.45
Jeffe Kennedy
Loving friends and family members who say, Jeff, you need to buy a new car. um And it was getting so that like the last couple times I drove any distance when I went to Denver, when I went to Port Ellis, I rented a car instead of risking driving the jet.

12:40.54
Jeffe Kennedy
So anyway, getting into the Lexus, um it's so nice inside. I didn't think I would ever buy a Lexus, but it's super comfortable. The seats both heat and cool.

12:53.40
Jeffe Kennedy
It'll be easy for David to get in and out of, for my mom to get in and out of when she is here. we can like all three go together places, which is nice because the Jag is a two seater.

13:06.51
Jeffe Kennedy
Man and dog headed out for the walk.

13:10.48
Jeffe Kennedy
And um it's got a sunroof, like the full sunroof, not the moonroof. And like there's wood interior that, you know, Megan was even saying, look, it feels like the Jag. It's got a similar feel.

13:26.00
Jeffe Kennedy
And so I've been driving it around last week when I've gone places. And it's, some yeah, it's just been a real joy.

13:38.76
Jeffe Kennedy
It is nice to have a car that i don't have. i I didn't realize how accustomed I'd gotten to it stalling like that. Um, you know, and like at a light, it would always hesitate on the startup.

13:57.16
Jeffe Kennedy
On my end, it looks like the video is frozen, but hopefully it's still actually going.

14:05.54
Jeffe Kennedy
Otherwise you have to look at me making a goofy expression. ah So anyway, um yeah, it's been a real pleasure to feel like I can rely on it. It drives great. It's a good vehicle.

14:23.14
Jeffe Kennedy
Oh, now it says that it's failing. Hardware is not sending AV data. No content has been recorded. Hmm. You know, it says this to me at other times, and we will see.

14:36.67
Jeffe Kennedy
It looks like it's... We'll just keep going and see what happens.

14:42.98
Jeffe Kennedy
Hmm. I

14:49.66
Jeffe Kennedy
guess I'll just keep going and we'll see. You you know... You know, I was talking for a long time about switching to Firefox, which I've done almost completely, except that Zencastr won't run on Firefox. It'll only want run on Chrome. And Chrome is just being such a pain lately. I don't understand what the deal is.

15:17.74
Jeffe Kennedy
oh Yeah, it keeps saying hardware is not sending AV data. No content is being recorded. But we'll see if it'll finalize and upload at the end.

15:29.48
Jeffe Kennedy
I don't want to have to redo the podcast, but I know that. But I will if I have to. um So let's see. What else do I have to tell you? I mean, that's been a ah big thing in my life, buying the new car.

15:42.64
Jeffe Kennedy
i like It felt good to be able to just write a check for it. no car payment. um Insurance went up a little bit, but just like $40 a month. It's not terrible.

15:53.64
Jeffe Kennedy
And it's funny all the reactions from people because people keep asking me, am I keeping the Jag? And it's like, yes. And one of my friends said, please, please, please tell me you're keeping the Jag.

16:09.20
Jeffe Kennedy
And I said, yes. oh And she said, oh, thank goodness. And other people are like, Really? You're keeping the Jag? And it's like, well, what am I going to do um Am I going to sell it? ah you know Can I just take it out and drive it on the highway once in a while and enjoy the convertible?

16:26.52
Jeffe Kennedy
I don't know what to do. I need to talk to my mechanic about it and see what options are. Somebody pointed out to me I could like put a whole new engine in there, which I don't know.

16:40.39
Jeffe Kennedy
um it's It's an awfully expensive paperweight at this point.

16:47.01
Jeffe Kennedy
So we'll see. But anyway, I do have my Lexus, which seems so fancy, but it's ah amazing the difference in gas mileage already and ah just a really big difference in quality of life.

17:02.51
Jeffe Kennedy
It made a huge difference to me. So... um So now I'm kind of getting caught up on things and we'll be very happy when this book is done. Hopefully in the next couple days, I think I'm happy with the ending, the way that it's shaping up.

17:20.38
Jeffe Kennedy
And um yeah, yeah, we'll see.

17:27.75
Jeffe Kennedy
And Strange Familiar has been out for a week. I did put up a post. There's been ah number of people talking about using KDP, Amazon KDP is now offering an option where you can use AI, always put that quotation marks, to make audio books of your books.

17:48.88
Jeffe Kennedy
And basically what they've done is they've ripped off the voices of audio book narrators and use those, and they may launch to create an audio book.

17:59.78
Jeffe Kennedy
And there have been some people like going out and saying with their whole chest, well, no, I can make audio books of my books. I hate AI and I hate, I would never use generative AI to write my books, but I'm sure going to use this audio book option.

18:17.24
Jeffe Kennedy
So for the record, I put up a post about this, but Deborah Bohm is my audio book narrator. And yes, paying her to do my audio books is expensive. It's a big upfront expense for me.

18:29.95
Jeffe Kennedy
i don't know if I've even earned out yet on the first book.

18:36.54
Jeffe Kennedy
It's getting close now. The first book was the most expensive because I went through um Find A Way and It's kind of a different thing now. I contract with her directly, ah which is they don't get a cut of that.

18:51.97
Jeffe Kennedy
um But yeah, I'm really,

18:57.64
Jeffe Kennedy
i know it's expensive to hire real artists to create your stuff, but not being able to afford something has never been justification for theft, which is what using generative AI is.

19:14.62
Jeffe Kennedy
So um on that note, I probably will not record a podcast on Friday ah unless I do something with my roommate, Jennifer Estep, or somebody else.

19:26.43
Jeffe Kennedy
But I always talk about doing that, and then I don't. up But we'll see. um Otherwise, i will talk to you all next Monday. You all take care. Bye-bye.