Throwback Thursday: The Dungeon

    Now I know that sounds ominous but it really isn't. It's just what I used to call my basement bedroom at my dad's place in my teenage years and preteen years. Would have been a better room if not so messy, but that was party my fault and partly those in charge of me for not making me pick it up. Though there was a bit of organization to the chaos I will admit. My music stuff was always organized for the most part. As were the books I was reading at the time, but not much else.

Probably if the couch had been taken out and a desk and bookshelf had been put in there it would have worked better. But I still made it work. Read on my bed, and worked at my word processor on top of my dresser at all hours of the night for the most part. Listening to sports talk radio and sports games of all kinds. What was I expecting for a radio signal down there in a basement after all other than AM Talk Radio.

I'd start out doing my homework around 5:30 PM and be done around 8. Then either read for a bit or go right into working on my writing. Just pounding away on those keys. Surprisingly I never got blisters from typing so much, and still never do. I'd work till I was hollered for to jump in the shower and then again till I was told I had to go to bed. Then fall asleep to the sports radio station. And wake up in the morning to my alarm.

In the afternoons I'd be down there blaring my music as loud as I could. Just jamming away. And typing away as well if I was inspired. Using my free time for my own purposes. But when 5:00 PM rolled around on went the sports radio since I had to keep it down and to reading I went before doing homework.

It was a pretty cozy room just needed a different set up to work better for me. I've never been the best at being organized though I have some sense of it in chaos to a degree. But working on improving being organized. Since I was so productive in "The Dungeon" it has made me want my office in my future house to be a basement one. I figure I'll get more work done that way. Then I'll have "The Dungeon 2". Though maybe this time I'll give it a view instead of a small rectangular window under a porch.

Don't get me wrong that was nice since it allowed me my privacy, but a view would be nice as well. I'm still not sure on which one to go with. But there will definitely not be any sports radio unless I'm listening to a game on the radio. Instead will be music to inspire me to write though not as loud as I would have played it in my younger days. But that is a bog post for another time, maybe later this week. We'll see. *Tips hat and walks out the door rubbing his chin thoughtfully.*

Wednesday In The Library: Me As A Reader

    I'm not sure if this will stick as a column but trying out new things this week to give you, my readers, more content. As well as some more insight into me. I figure most of you are readers so this might be a good piece to use for Wednesdays when it is hump day and just to discuss what we are reading. Me in the blog and you in the comments. I like book discussions a lot. Sometimes it even leads to me picking up a book I never would have before.

    Though as much as I like novels I'm always cruising through magazines looking for tid bits to use in stories and bits of knowledge to get my brain thinking. And I'm constantly finding fascinating things out. Some magazines I read for literature that just let me wander around too. I also read newspapers to keep up to date with what is going on in the world around me, because I think that is important. Plus it is a habit I developed as a kid. Every day at breakfast I would read the front page of each section and find out what was going on in the world and local news. I'll eventually get back to that someday.

    I never seem to have enough time to read everything I want to read, but I keep trying. Eventually I will be caught up or leave it to someone else to catch up for me. The kindle is a great asset to me letting me take my whole library with me everywhere I go, though there are times I just want the book itself in my hands. So I keep hard copies of all my reading material as best as I can around.

    I even read graphic novels and comics here and there, though I should do better at keeping up with the storylines. I'm slowly developing a reading schedule for myself though it isn't easy. But it might be the only way I get to read everything I want to and more in the time I can wrangle to read. I'm also part of three book clubs so you can see how this could be difficult on me.

Though I think audio books might be able to help sometimes as well. At least if you can multitask and sometimes they are fun to listen to after reading the book to hear how someone else interpreted it. Sort of like an audio movie for the books that don't get a movie. And to me it gives me a sense of what the older generation experienced with radio programs since those were like reading books over the radio.

That would be interesting on a side note though, a book radio station I mean. The closest I can come up with at the moment would be a podcast on books and/or the book we are reading in the book club I run. Or a mix of the two. Plus have to throw in a little writing in the mix as well. After all I'm a writer.

And that influences my reading choices as well. I'm always finding new ideas here and there. I like anthologies because they can sometimes me filling or sometimes only give you a taste of what you are after, and leave you wanting more. I've had a lot of short stories do that to me. But it is hard for them not to. They only have such a short space to tell there tale in, and there can be such a bigger tale to tell than the space allows for. But the writer tries to tell just one tale in that space anyways.

One poet I plan to read more of in the future is Maya Angelou. I heard a recording of one of her readings the other day, and it made me think. It also made me want to read more of her work. Another person that most people should here speak is Stephen King. He is witty and sarcastic but also wise. One of his books is the next in my book club's reading list as well.

Well my cup of coffee has run out, and I've started to ramble. So I will say I've enjoyed sharing my reading habits with you, and I think I'll try this column out for a while. Not sure what we will talk about next time, but isn't the surprise half the fun. *Tips hat and walks out the door whistling.*

Tuesday Insights: My Thoughts On This Valentine’s Day

    So I figured with Valentine's Day coming up I'd put my feelings down on the upcoming holiday along with my feelings on my love life and give you all a surprise entry as well. Unfortunately for me I'm single, which doesn't bode well for me on Valentine's Day. A holiday dedicated to couples. Being a romantic at heart I enjoyed the holiday as a teenager when I was in a relationship during the holiday, but being single makes the holiday depressing for me as well as making me vulnerable for getting into unhealthy relationships.

    Normally I can shrug off the fact that I'm single without a problem, but at times it gets to me. I get lonely like anyone else after all. Wanting someone to talk to about my hobbies and reading and career/schooling. As well as my writing. Among other things. Along with the physical touch of another human being. Plus it wouldn't be so bad to have a woman cook for me once in a while.

    I mean I like to cook and I have a few things I wouldn't mind experimenting with when I get the chance. But there is just something about a woman's touch to a meal that makes it special. And while I crave all that I would plan to bring my own fair share of talking points to any relationship as well as carrying my fair share of the chore load.

    Hell I know I'm not perfect with epilepsy and mental illness it is not easy to find someone. Plus being a big guy, makes it harder to find someone when people can be so superficial in my neck of the woods from what I've seen. But I keep looking and hoping to find that special someone, because I'm naturally optimistic. Plus a bit stubborn in general. I trust that fate has someone special in store for me.

    So while at this point Valentine's Day won't be romantic for me I will be spending it with a good friend, which makes it much less depressing. I'm lucky to have such good friends who can understand my depression and help me deal with it. Sometimes it does indeed suck having a heart that is so big. But it helps having friends you know you can depend on to be there to help you when you need it. And I do my best to be there for them in return when they need it. My friends are my family after all, and family takes care of family. It will always be that way for me.

    Whoever ends up with me will have to accept that, and I trust that they will be able to. I'm not sure this post will make much sense to everyone, but I hope it does. I also hope it gives you all some more insight into me on some level. As always feel free to ask any questions of leave any comments. *Tips hat and walks out the door shoulders slumped slightly.*

Monday Review: Pet Shop Boys

    It's the dreaded Monday folks and as promised we have a Monday Review today. It's another Kim Harrison story, but as always there is no disappointment here. I finished reading it just this week within days of getting it for just $0.99, which is a good price for any short story but a steal for this one.     

    We start out meeting Cooper a pet shop worker with a college degree who sticks around because he has a crush on the owner. But soon after meeting Cooper and getting to know him weird stuff starts happening in the shop. And it only gets weirder from there, but in a good way. Yes I'm being very vague deliberately not wanting to spoil any of it for you.

    Kim Harrison as always builds solid characters here that I could see evolving if given the chance. As well as the scenery. This seems like such a tease when you come to the end of it, but a good tease. It makes me hope she will pick this world back up again and give us more of it, so we can see where these characters might go in the future.

    Overall I like the slow build up to a bursting climax in this story. But the conclusion is too fast for me though it doesn't take away from the story. Maybe it is just my hunger for more after the climax that makes me not like the conclusion so much. Still I give it five out of five stars. *Tips hat and walks out the door in search of more good reading.*

Saturday Thoughts: It’s Been An Interesting Week

    So it's been a while since I wrote one of these. But I think it might become a regular column eventually for just letting my thoughts run loose at the end of the week. And this has been one interesting and productive week. Though I still have a few things to figure out for the upcoming week. I'm working on getting organized and on the ball but taking a little more work than I anticipated so bear with me please. I do appreciate all the patience you are showing me I really do. It has helped me grow so much since this blog first went up.

    There will be a Monday Review next week. This one will be of a short story by Kim Harrison I just finished today before starting on this blog entry. There will also be a Story Time Friday next week as well, where we find out about Johnny's adult life on a daily basis. I'm also planning to revamp the Wednesday Column into something else since my cleaning habit have a long way to go still. And in general I'm revamping my whole schedule in the next few weeks. I'm not sure what it will look like in the end but we will see.

    I'm going to try and put myself in high gear before spring gets here, so I can ride that wave of energy through to next winter. I know it won't be easy but I'm going to try still. My two chairs have arrived and are in place now. I'll be utilizing them next week as well. So you will be hearing from me from my desk and I will be reading in my reading chair. I expect my back to rebel at first, but I'm committed to doing this for better work habits. I'll post pictures sometime next week once I get my desk in order. I still need a new mail sorter to complete my desk, but overall the office is complete.

    I'm working on two big projects I hope to have out either later this year or early next year. I'm also in the early stages of drafting a magazine for all of you who like to read stories in magazines and miss those types of magazines. I'll keep you posted on all of those and more in the coming weeks and months.

    On the cleaning front I'm slowly falling into routine with cleaning my room/office, but it is taking time to get to where I want it to be. I still have to work on the dishes more as well as the kitchen as a whole. I see the light at the end of the tunnel on the cleaning journey it just seems so far away sometimes. But I'll keep working at it.

    Lastly I plan to put more me time into my schedule when I revamp it so that it is balanced better than this last one was. Plus it might be a good idea to rename this column Saturday Ramble. Let me know what you think. I also want to thank everyone for all the helpful advice they have given over the months this blog has been up and running, and to let them know it has been helping. For now I better get back to working on some of those projects I mentioned. *Tips hat and walks out the door with a skip in his step.*

Story Time Friday: The Ideal Parents

    This week's Story Time Friday is a request from my counselor. The prompt is basically if I could have the ideal parents what they would be. Not necessarily everything I want but everything I need in parents is the idea in this one. This will be a thinking one for sure. Well without further ado on with the show.

The Ideal Parents

    Johnny hadn't grown up in the typical American household as far as most people would see it, but he had grown up loved all the same. His parents had divorced when he was four, not because they hated each other or anything like that. They just weren't meant to be. His mom had moved to the city, since she had always been a city girl, and his dad had moved back in with his parents while he got back on his feet. This allowed Johnny the best of both the city and the country as well as the benefit of spending extra time with his grandparents.

    It took everyone some adjusting at first, since Johnny had always been somewhat of a wild child up until that point with little discipline. His grandparents and father gave him structure and discipline while his mother was rebuilding her life in the city so that she could provide a good life for Johnny. But they didn't isolate him either. For instance they would walk him to neighborhood kids' houses and also took him to friends' houses so he could learn to socialize properly.

    It didn't take long for Johnny's mother to get her life rebuilt in the city either and soon she had him coming out on the weekends. She worked with his dad to keep structure and discipline constant as well. Even as she was dealing with her own demons and issues. They also made sure he had plenty of socialization time with friends and family. Plus they made sure he had plenty of educational toys and books. Johnny was a bookworm like his mom, and liked to write a lot once he learned how to. He enjoyed entertaining the other kids with his stories. This was an added bonus for him. Writing was an outlet for Johnny. He would let out his feelings when he had trouble talking about them, which wasn't very often.

    Johnny's mom and dad made sure to keep up with him in school as well as help him with projects when he needed it. Because of the structured environment Johnny never became a procrastinator and learned to stay on task with studies early on. Since his parents got him help early on with his learning disabilities and mental health issues Johnny excelled in school. As well as doing well in extracurricular activities.

    He wasn't an athlete like the generation before him, preferring to play Chess and work in the school newspaper and yearbook as well as drama in the background. He slowly showed interest in politics towards the end of high school. And as he got older he was given more responsibility around the house as well as shown more life skills and expected to do them for himself. Johnny adapted slowly at times though sometimes faster and when he needed help learning or adjusting he was given it till he got the hang of it.

    By the time college rolled around Johnny had decided online schooling was better for him. One of the main reasons was that he liked the way his room was set up to work in. He negotiated bills with his dad and promised to visit his mom as often as he could. He was doing everything for himself and had bought a mini fridge and some shelving for food just before college started. Of course he still had a curfew but it was a reasonable one. He kept the family posted on his school and asked for help when he needed it and was given guidance to the sources that could help him.

    It was different from before but it felt good even though it was an adjustment. Johnny ended up getting involved in Politics while in college and even though his parents didn't agree with him they supported him. He made it through college in 8 years earning a Master's Degree. Johnny also got elected to the city council as well. Later, he went on to even greater things thanks to his family's love and support as well as how they brought him up.

Some Bad News Coupled With Some Good News

    Today I have to give you, my readers, some bad news, but I also have some good news to report. First the bad news, the working relationship with KCL Publishing has fallen through. Just differences of opinion is all. Nothing I'm going to go into in detail. But as one door closes another one opens as they say.

    This leads me to my good news. I and some writing friends are planning to start up our own publishing company. It is still in the planning stages and a name is still being finalized, but stay tuned to this blog and my author page for more details. We plan to start small with just our stuff but we will be expanding once we get the finer points worked out. I personally like working with friends which is the benefit of this new company following the failure of working with KCL Publishing.

    Everything is being researched and checked and double checked as we are talking. This may take a little extra time as most of us are students at this time. But we are working as fast as we can to bring you the best in literature. I hope to have more announcements to follow soon, but stay tuned. *Tips had and walks out the door with a skip in his step.*