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Showing posts from March, 2020

Back to the Future Musical Review

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Gary talks about his experience with the Back to the Future Musical in Manchester.  Please subscribe and share the channel. It really means a lot to us.  There is also a test I'm doing with product placement, which supports the endeavors.  You can find the link below for Dr. Zevia, and links to other great flavors. Sweetened with stevia, there's no sugar in these babies, or dangerous artificial sweeteners.  WCM  Link: 

Don't Hold Back

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You know what I've seen as an obstacle, more so than anything else (or so it seems, at least)?  Myself.  And I mean this in many ways. But one I've noticed is how I write, and holding back on ME.  Let me explain.  One day I was in art class. I can draw, always had a natural inclination towards sketching growing up. After my mom passed before I went into high-school (and those were some crazy years. Another story.) But one of the classes that I had managed to get to had a teacher who was showing the students how to draw--or something like that--it was a long time ago, cut me some slack. What I remember was that teacher rubbed me the wrong way. There was even a moment when a fellow student I'd known through elementary school told the teacher that I was an artist. Not sure why that happened, but it did drive me a bit for what I was about to do.  So the teacher came over after showing the other students this and that and offered some criticism. I believe this is where

Step Back and Connect

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Most of America, and other places around the world, are working from home. There are other situations out there, emergency personnel and such who can't stay home, but for the most part the majority of people are practicing social distancing.  What I'm getting at is we are all sitting around and glued to the news, or social media, but we should be taking this time to do what we always wanted, what we think about all day as we toil away at work.  Am I saying not to listen to the news? No. You have to. But once you're informed, shut it off.  Connect with life.  I was listening to the governor of New York talking on the news one morning as I drove into work about an initiative to shelter in place--this was about a week ago. He explained how this is an opportunity to be closer to those you love. And it's true.  Think about it. All those times you stop and think how you aren't there enough with those who matter most. The endless days that exhaust you. If you c

Ideas Brewing

I've got some ideas brewing. Like some ideas for two new YouTube channels.  One will be sort of like this blog, but in video form. The other is for video games, which I enjoy to play, but never have time for.  This way, when I get a chance to play games, I can say it's killing two birds with one stone.  The other idea, the vlog sort of channel, is something I've been thinking about for quite a while now. It does't stick with one thing, because I don't want to paint myself into a corner. But if I find something, a certain aspect of the project is doing better, I'll either do more of that, or make another channel all together on that subject. Anything is possible.  I've had a lot of practice with other endeavors , and have put to the test tactics and ideas to see what works best.  Either way, exciting ideas are coming to life. And above all, I have to focus more on the writing, to which all this has stemmed from and was supposed to be supporting in the

Lost Data part 2

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I decided it was done. I would just have to try and write the scenes I thought were so good before all over again. Not too hard, I'd done it before when I'd lost data due to either computer failure, or program. I'd gotten uncannily close to the exact same words, if not better than the first time.  But whatever subject I was writing about, some force did not want it to be done at work. Or maybe at all.  I started rewriting the story again, was making some progress getting back into the mood I was in, had brought back up the sites I'd used for research, and then I made the mistake of opening Google Maps for a conversation I was having with a coworker.  And the computer screen went black.  I tried to salvage the document once again, but the virtual desktop we use at work wasn't having it.  I had to reboot the system.  And loose what I'd done yet again.  Sure I hadn't gotten as far as the first time, but it was far enough.  I made the decision I

Coronavirus Opinion

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Coronavirus. There, I said it.  This name has become like Voldemort from Harry Potter, He-who-must-not-be-named. At least on a social media level. But it strikes fear into those who read about it, who have to endure the constant barrage of alerts and news happenings.  And while I am not downplaying this situation in any way, it is something we have to get through and the media in general is making that hard.  Not all media, of course.  It's hard enough to go to the supermarket and see the empty shelves; to not know what your job is going to do the next day; to not know what the virus will do to you, or a loved one who is ill or elderly, than to have to listen to what boils down to fear-mongering and sensationalized headlines for a few clicks.  There are some places that are giving real stories and updates, but for the most part the sensationalized headlines and misinformation going around is astounding.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a writer, I like a good conspiracy

Don't Panic, Stay Safe

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In light of everything going on in the world with the virus scare to the politics, the one most important thing to remember is to keep calm.  I know it's easier said than done, but it is crucial to survival. Not only does our health take a hit when we worry, but we think frantically and make bad decisions when pressed to decide on the spot.  That and the news can make one go a bit crazy. I try to stay away, but it creeps back before my eyes. My advice? Read a lot, from different angles, then make your own decision. Maybe do some research.  It's a crazy world and if you listen to everything you run the risk of gaining false info. Just like with everything. Like my run in with a literary agency that claimed to want to "help," me, was I ready, did I want this!, then ask for me to send them money to edit. And later I found out they were a scam anyway by Preditors and Editors. Great site. Though they might be here for the time being. They went down for a bit, but

Mountain House food review - Prepper Food (YouTube Video)

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My buddy Gary and I did a video about prepping.  I taste Mountain House freeze-dried eggs and talk about what's going on in our areas.  We tried to steer clear of certain terms on YouTube, because I've heard stories about what YouTube can do to those videos.  We try to make light of the subject while keeping it serious. It's something we should all be prepared for, just be calm and make rational decisions. Keep positive and help others who may need it. And try not to get caught up in the news, because while some I feel is very important, a lot is sensationalized and makes us worry unnecessarily.  Please like and subscribe and share this video and check out the older ones.  Thank you.  WCM  Here are a few links to the products discussed in the show.  Mountain House: Understandably, this may be out of stock. Just click the company name and see their other products. It tasted pretty good. Of course, Zevia. And finally All Day hand sanitizer. This las

I Love the Heat and Spice

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I love hot food. Spicy food. I have to be careful because I have GERD, but to be honest I've never really felt heartburn from spice. Mostly certain baked goods, sugary, cheap. You know. Though not all of these mess with my stomach acid. Guess Reflux is something that's different for everyone. My weight doesn't help, but I'm working on that. One hot sauce in particular, which to me is mild but so delicious, is Tabasco Smoked. I love this sauce. I smother my mac and cheese in it on occasion. It gives it a sophistication I've only experienced with adding blue chese to the liquid gold dish.  Pepper flakes are great too. Recently I made chicken soup and put so many of those pepper flakes in it that the liquid turned a reddish hue. Now that was hot.  Then there was the tuna fish sandwich where I put pepper flakes and smoked Tabasco sauce on. So good. Picture at the begining of this post. Way back in the old days, when I was a young lad, I had gone

Lost Data

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The other day I lost part of a story I was writing. I had to shut down my computer, and did not save what I had wrote. Usually it saves automatically. This time it didn’t. I tried for the better part of the day to Recover the lost data, to no avail. All that time it could have been working on trying to remember and recreate what I had written before. I muse with a smile that it could have been the content I was writing didn’t want to get written. Hey, I’m a horror writer. But looking back I see that I could have made more progress just getting back to work rather than cry over spilled milk. I must have been thinking side of me sort of enjoyed the search, even if it didn’t result in recovering all of the data. Plus, I like to take these moments as a sign that the story wasn’t going as well as it could and now it will all come out. Today I will do this. This post was sponsored by a coffee leaf. Even though t oday’s was a bit off. I also think they gave a regula

Spring Forward

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I thought with daylight savings we were supposed to spring forward? I'm sitting here in lower Manhattan and it's dark.  Maybe it's the overcast sky. I only see the clouds where the moon is.  We sort of take on our surroundings. Like this donut took and my morning leaf. It They look great together. wanted to be like the leaf but can't. It is delicious in its own way, more delicious with the leaf foam now, but can't be the leaf.  The donut might never know (well, first off because it's just a donut) that it is great just the way it is. Sure the leaf coats it, blanketing it's richness in decadence, but under it all the donut is unique.  Oh, what am I saying? Why is it so dark out!  It's too early.  WCM 

Don't Skip the Coffee Leaf

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I've gotten used to taking the train. Better for my knee, and health. I average about 10,000 steps a day. But in light of the current situation with a certain virus going around, my wife wants me to drive in. I don't mind. I mean, I don't have to be on the crowded trains with people coughing and sneezing. That's the worst. But I do feel guilty. All in my head. I know. It's a safety measure. At least until the MTA cleans the trains like they supposedly say they are. Some schools have shut down, so there's that. Temporarily, for now.  I decided to stop at my old writing spot while at work, Laughing Man. Some of the best coffee around, and the leaf is exquisite.  Of course there's a full moon out, but the Hudson has never looked better. Well, maybe it has, but this is damn pretty.  The more I type, the more this double chocolate Entenmann's donut gets closer to the rich, frothy leaf. Got to save some money, you know? And you can buy the

Music to Remember

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I was having a dilemma. It's been a while, about three weeks, since Gary and I recorded shows for the YouTube channel we have. Horror with Marchese and Buller.   It's been very busy lately, with me trying to figure out how to best maintain this site and the YouTube channel, plus thinking about creating other channels. And the writing thing. The thought of editing is daunting.  I have great fun when I get down to it, I really do, once I'm in the work and creating/editing/figuring out how to publicize the show I am working on at that moment. But, as I've read in other articles and videos, there can be burnout with these things.  I have not burned out. When I feel this, I pump the breaks a bit as a precaution. Maybe take a week off. Though, like the fear of not being able to think of something to write about, or make a video about, I do have those moments where I fear that I am burning out.  Then I hear a song. And it brings me back to the feelings I had when I fir

Note 9 Android 10 Update Thoughts

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So I've been using the Note 9 Android 10 update for the past week and it is pretty much what I thought it would be.  Minor Issues There are several small issues I've encountered, but nothing that ruins the experience.  Before, there was a small issue when I swiped up to open the app drawer, and it froze at times for a split second (usually when I first unlocked the phone)--I noticed it, but it wasn't a huge thing.  Now, that's fixed in the update, but when you unlock the phone the notification bar at the top takes a second or two to appear.  That's not a deal breaker either, plus it will probably be fixed--hopefully--with an upcoming monthly security update.  Another thing I noticed that isn't too cool, and it's not all the time, but it had happened at least two or three times since the update, was an app will flat-out freeze. The phone is still functional, you can pull down the notification panel, and can go to the home screen, but the app is f