The Hello and welcome to Disney Story Origins

supplemental number four, the true origin of Alice. I'm going to go and Well, it's been close to six months since I dropped a new episode.

Let me tell you what's been going on and what's been taking so long.

First, I've been working with a couple music education

non-profits, mostly in online fundraising auctions, silent auctions, and some event planning,

but it's pretty much every man for himself these days, the money ran out,

and these non-profits can't pay me anymore. In May, my wife and I brought a daughter into the world.

We named her Brienne Meoko Hale and she's perfect and awesome

in every way. And I'm assuming the role of stay-at-home dad and novelist. It's a pretty

cliche arrangement, but my wife has always been the big breadwinner in my family, even when I had two paying jobs.

It hasn't been easy. Money was tight before and now it's even tighter, but we're not despairing. I think I have a future as a novelist.

Thankfully my wife agrees and has always supported me while I chase my dreams.

But it's not going to be a cake walk. I can't just sit around.

When my wife returns to her job, every minute I'll have something to do,

whether it's changing diapers, doing laundry, making beds, cooking lunches,

or finishing some pesky chapter of some book I'm writing that I can't

seem to get right.

The good news is I finished the final draft of my first novel, and it's in the hands of some

trusted ideal readers, as Stephen King calls

them and I'm awaiting their feedback which has freed me to do work on this

podcast with greater focus and it took some major time to research Alice in Wonderland.

There's a lot to talk about and a lot that needs to be said.

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