Hello, All,
Josephine M is one of my Twitter friends. She is beginning a journey of discovery, renewal, self-awareness, healing and regrowth. She has just kicked off her blog, and has published two posts. Please go to her blog, whoisjosephinem.wordpress.com and follow along with her journey, share he posts and send thoughts of good wishes, positive energies and strength to this brave woman.
It’s that time of year. Pitchers and catchers have reported, and the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are in full swing (pun intended). As much as I’d love to be in Florida during Spring training, I get just as much joy going to our local high school and college to watch the teams play there. And, since I graduated from both, it’s nice to be able to go and visit the campuses and maybe run into old friends.
As I get older, I find myself enjoying the sport of baseball more. There are certain aspects of the game that appeal to me now that didn’t used to when I was younger. For instance, baseball is a slow-paced game. That would drive some people crazy, however, the ADD me likes being able to keep up with what’s going on, and it’s much easier to follow with a few men scattered out across the playing surface than it is with two groups in the middle, vying for the same ball or puck, which is lost somewhere in the bottom of the pile.
Another thing I like about the game is that, although it’s a team sport, it is also a game of individuals. One batter against one pitcher, thinking, ‘will I be able to hit the pitch?’ and, if he does, then it becomes the runner against the fielder, thinking, ‘can I make it to first base before the fielder throws me out?’ Or the pitcher, thinking, ‘can I strike out this batter?’
Finally, it’s a different atmosphere than any other sport. It’s laid back, usually sunny and warm and the crowd noise is different than the roaring and cheering you would hear at any other sporting event. You do hear the cheering of the crowd when a good play is made or the jeers at a bad call, but you also hear “batter chatter”. You know what I mean, “hey batter batter, hey batter batter…swing!” You never hear someone at a football game yell, “hey quarterback, hey quarterback…pass!” There’s also the guy in the stands hollering out encouragement, “Come on, kid! You got this, kid!” Hearing “kid” reminds me of every old baseball movie I ever saw as a kid myself.
Being at the baseball stadium is just a neat thing for me. It’s a world all it’s own, and I can’t wait to enjoy this season.
I haven’t written in a while, and wanted to get something – anything – out there. In my last post I said that I was hoping to get outside more, and write about my adventures. Due to work schedules and other things I have not been able to get out like I had hoped to, then it dawned on me, I am out every night that I work. So, here is Five Minutes of my night tonight.
I am sitting in the car on top of a hill, looking down on what lies before me. The parking lot lights shine down on empty spaces, void of any vehicles this late at night. It’s a cold night. The flags on the three poles are blowing in the stiff breeze. Buildings, which have been secured for the night, sit like brick monuments bathed in light and shadow. The fountain will still be flowing for the next thirty minutes, it’s lights changing colors; red-orange-yellow-green-blue-indigo-violet. I like to sit beside it on warmer nights, and have Zen time before it turns off for the night. A few cars on the streets, calls over the radios, sirens all around. The sounds of night. I am listening to ‘Echoes’ on ETV Radio. I am the sheepdog, keeping watch for the wolves that come in the night.
Okay, if you follow my blog posts, and actually read them, you will see that this isn’t the outdoorsman type post I wrote about a couple weeks ago, however, this post is about an activity that is enjoyed outdoors – football.
It’s Super Bowl time again, and, as every year, I am compelled to climb upon my band geek soap box, and talk about what is missing from the “big game”. Every other element is there; the stadium, the crowds, the teams, the alcohol, even the big tailgating activities before, during and after the game. So…where are the marching bands?
Marching bands and football games have gone hand-in-hand since the beginning of football and marching bands. It is a natural relationship, like peas and carrots (for you Forest Gump fans). Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against Justin Timberlake. I think he’s an awesome entertainer, and this blog is not directed at him. This is about the nation’s expectation that there has to be a big name singer giving a concert in the middle of a football game. Want to know why tickets are so high? Because you’re not only paying to watch two football teams vie for the national championship. You’re also paying millions for a mini rock concert. Those bands and roadies and technicians don’t work for free, not even for the Super Bowl.
But, Jim…there are no big professional marching bands out there, some of you are saying (others are saying you prefer the mini rock concerts, others of you stopped caring about this post after the second sentence, I know). Are there not? Go online and look up Drum Corps International, better known as DCI. There are huge, competitive marching bands all over the nation as part of DCI. I have been following DCI since I was a kid and had two friends who played with different bands. These dedicated musicians are every bit as professional and competitive as any player on that field. You could also take bands from schools in the two states that have teams in the Super Bowl and let them learn a routine and play at halftime. Then the NFL could take that money they are paying for these mini concerts and donate to the music programs in those states. I say we need to bring the marching bands to the “big game”, and let them showcase their talents. Band Geeks Unite!!
Until next time…
So…I hit a slump after the first of the year, and haven’t been feeling too creative. The ideas just haven’t been coming to me like they did when I first started this blog. As is normally the case, inspiration is usually found right under your nose, and, because of a Facebook reply from my dad, I think I have found a new direction for my writing.
As I read other posts on Twitter and other blog sites, I have seen that most people have common threads to their posts. From writing and reading and inspirational thought to fun and games and hashtagging, political rants, cute animals and seductive pics, the point is, although there is a lot of different stuff out there, the people doing the posting are mainly sticking to a single theme, while ADD me is all over the place with my posts.
Which brings me to my point. When I was young, my dad was a scout master, and we went camping once a month, never cancelling a trip due to weather, which led to some very interesting camping trips. The other day my dad replied to one of my posts, saying, “We need to write a book about camping and having fun doing it” (light bulb went off over my head). I spent a huge part of my growing up in the woods camping, hiking, cooking, fishing, etc, and there are lots of stories I could tell, so, why not write them down? Also, one of my personal goals for this year is to get outside more, so I will be able to write about those adventures, as well. Maybe having a theme will keep me active, physically and creatively.
Keep following. New stuff coming soon. I need a catchphrase for my posts. Maybe that’s coming soon, too lol.
You can also find me on Facebook @jimblackwriter and Twitter @JimBlacPC2006
So, it’s extremely cold across the United States and, here in the southern parts, people just aren’t prepared for what we’ve already gotten and what’s to come. Temperatures got down to 16 degrees Fahrenheit at work Monday night. Since we don’t experience such extreme cold on a regular basis, we generally don’t have the goods and resources as states where this is the norm. Sometimes the results are fatal.
Yesterday, while in bed recovering from a severe biliary stone attack, I had an idea that would combine blogging and hashtagging. About 99.99% of the time hashtag games are for fun and to escape the seriousness of daily routines. In this blog, I am proposing that gamers offer advice on good practices for extreme, life-threatening cold weather. My hope is that we will share tips and suggestions that will help us all get through the winter. If you live in the northern states, Canada or in another part of the world that experiences sub-zero temps, share your knowledge with us warm weathered human beings.
You can leave your comments on here. If you are on Twitter, play the hashtag game, or share on whatever social media you use. Let’s have fun, but helpful. Thanks!
Title: Something’s Fishy In Palm Springs
Author/Publisher: Michelle Ann Hollstein
Year Released: 2008
Hi, Guys! I’m back with another book review for indie author/publisher, Michelle Hollstein. Yes, I just did a review of her book, Deadly Withdrawal, the first book in her Aggie Underhill Mystery series. Something’s Fishy In Palm Springs is Hollstein’s second foray into mystery writing, and finds her attractive, albeit “too nosy for her own good” protagonist, Ms Aggie Underhill, once again involved in a mystery that goes from missing to murder, with a couple kidnappings mixed in, when a beautiful online dating site owner/ part-time actress goes missing, a fish is kidnapped and a murder occurs during a party for the fishy. Yes, I said a party for the fishy. In this book, readers are further introduced to Betty, Aggie’s best friend for over twenty years, and Roger, Betty’s flamboyant cousin, whom she found during an online family search.
Overall, I give the book four out of five stars. There are grammatical errors and misspellings throughout the book, and I felt the ending was a little too convenient. With that said, I think that Something’s Fishy In Palm Springs is a great second effort into this new genre, and look forward to seeing how Hollstein’s plots and characters develop over the next eight books in the series. If you’re looking for a light, “quirky” mystery series, you need to check out the Aggie Underhill Mystery series by Michelle Ann Hollstein. For the holidays, I’m reading Maid In Heaven, the third book in the Aggie Underhill series, and will have a review soon afterward.
Title: Deadly Withdrawal
Author/Publisher: Michelle Ann Hollstein
Year of Release: 2008
What starts as a simple visit to the bank turns out to be much more for the attractive, fifty-something widow, Aggie Underhill in Michelle Ann Hollstein’s “quirky” first novel in her Aggie Underhill Mystery series.
While waiting to open a savings account for her grandson at the local bank in the small North Carolina town where Aggie’s daughter, Sarah-Underhill Ferguson and son-in-law, Everette Ferguson – a US Marine, currently overseas, live with their son, Aggie’s grandson, Shawn, Aggie encounters a host of characters, and learns that the bank has been subject to several robberies and the recent murder of a security guard. And, as if that’s not enough, while she is there, a police detective, who is at the bank to investigate the recent murder, is murdered herself in the break room of the bank, and two teenage boys come in to rob the place, one of them holding a gun! Being “too nosy for her own good”, as her daughter tells her, Aggie can’t help but get involved in solving this mystery.
Who is responsible for the murders? Why is the bank such a prime target for robberies? Does Aggie get to open the savings account for her grandson?! All of these answers, and more can be found by reading “Deadly Withdrawal”.
The first time I was introduced to Aggie Underhill was when I read “The Case Of The Haunted Address” by Michelle Ann Hollstein. All I can say is I’m sorry I didn’t meet Aggie ten years ago. When I read “The Case Of The Haunted Address”, I pegged Aggie Underhill as a cross between Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Ms Jessica Fletcher, no-nonsense but with a touch of whimsy. While reading the character list at the beginning of “Deadly Withdrawal”, I saw where she is from England and spends time in the US, visiting her daughter’s family. The book will also introduce you to a host of other characters, each with their own quirks and agendas.
There are currently ten books in the Aggie Underhill series, and I wanted to start at the beginning, so I’m about ten years late with this review. At this time I’m reading the second book in the series, “Something’s Fishy In Palm Springs”. Future review to come. As always, you can visit Michelle’s website at michellehollstein.com for a complete list of her Aggie Underhill Mysteries and her other books.
Ready for another soapbox rant? As I’ve said before, I am not a political person, and I don’t intend to make this a political statement of any kind. However, there seems to be a lot of stuff in the news about Russia did this to influence the outcome of the election or, the democrats did this or, the republicans did that or, why isn’t she in prison or why isn’t he being impeached? It seems to me that there are a lot of people getting paid too much money to cry over a lot of spilled milk. Whatever whomever did or didn’t do to influence the election – that happened a year ago! – the fact remains that he is the president, and will be until he’s either voted out, or impeached.
Why can’t we put this behind us, and use these “people getting paid too much money” to look into a few things that are worth looking into and talking about? Here are some areas I’m thinking about, as I write this.
First off is Puerto Rico. Over a month after suffering two very devastating hurricanes, this US territory is still in dire need of power and shelter and food. I have seen pictures and videos of US military members in PR, helping clean up and deliver food and supplies. Well, we have active and reserve service personnel who are trained in communications, electronics, heavy equipment, construction and other areas needed down there. Why can’t we divert some of these people and monies to going down and setting up rudimentary communications and shelter. It would be a start, and give our service members some great training opportunities, as well.
And, while I’m on the subject of Puerto Rico, I know that a lot of people wish they could go down there and help, but, for some reason, can’t make the trip. Just because you can’t physically go to PR, you can still do something. Loads of food and water and clothing and household goods have been collected and sent to them. What about more personal items? If you are a school teacher, why not have your classes write letters to be delivered to teachers and students in Puerto Rico? When I was a kid, we called that being a “pen pal”. An outdated concept with the invention of the WWW, but, they don’t all have the benefit of electronic communication. If you are a member of a book club or reading group, maybe your club could send down some books, coloring books and crayons or colored pencils. If you knit or sew, knitted goods and blankets would be welcome. My point is, while sending truckloads of goods down there, there is something special on an individual level that lets them know they are thought of, as people, not just charity.
Now, a little closer to home, how about giving states a little more of these monies to buy, fix up and staff some of the defunct, closed down motels, school buildings, apartment complexes, etc to give the homeless and hungry a place to live, be safe and warm and a soup kitchen in areas that don’t have much to offer. State prisons could play a role in this, too. Set up working farms on the prison grounds, and the inmates could grow food for the prison, the public kitchens and even the schools. That’s something I’ve been saying for years. It also gives them something productive to do while serving their time, and teaches them a skill. They took Home Economics out of the schools. They should put it in the prisons. Skills they can use to aid them in finding work when the are released.
If these “people getting paid too much money” are really good investigators, let them investigate the ones who are abusing the welfare system and SSI, and put a stop to all of the unnecessary monthly “paychecks” being sent out across the country. If I’m able to work, and have to work to support myself and my family, they should have to, also.
Thats enough for now. Sorry if I stepped on any toes. Like I said, I’m not political, that’s just “the way I 👁👁 it.
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