"My Three Sons" - In Loving Memory of Don Grady

And then there was the recent passing of Don Grady, who passed away on June 27, 2012 from cancer just nineteen days after his 68^th birthday.

If that name doesn’t quite ring a bell, you’re probably a bit on the young side.  It’s perfectly fine.  Before video sharing sites came along, I was unaware of the impact that Don Grady had in the world of prime time television.


 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 



http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/my-three-sons-in-loving-memory-of-don.html

Interesting blogs

http://betterthanieverexpected.blogspot.ca/2012/06/what-you-should-never-saysend-to-senior.html

http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2012/06/21/tips-for-writing/

http://www.teresamummert.com/1/post/2012/01/indie-author-survival-guide.html

 http://uviart.blogspot.ca/2012/06/seaweed-as-source-of-inspiration.html

http://mysterywritermadisonjohns.blogspot.ca/2012/06/my-dad.html


 http://casnocha.com/2012/06/whats-driving-class-bifurcation.html

http://nest-expressed.com/2012/06/my-correspondence-with-scammer/

http://www.wheresthedrama.com/storyideas.htm

Rev. Ron's Movie Reviews :21 Jump Street

We've all heard the criticism about how Hollywood has run out of ideas.  Sequels and prequels, remakes and reboots--what is a person to do?  Is it possible to make an original film anymore?  21 Jumps proves it is.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://revronmovies.blogspot.ca/2012/06/21-jump-street.html 

We need to start making stuff again

 Last weekend it was time to venture out and do some shopping. I hate shopping, but it must be done. Now, when I say shopping, I mean buying. I don't go store to store, looking at multitudes of stuff all day until I buy.
My idea of shopping is going to the store I think will have what I want for the price I am willing to pay and then going directly to the department that has the items that I want. Finding my size, taking them to the checkout and then paying for them. That would be the end of my shopping experience.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 



http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/we-need-to-start-making-stuff-again.html

10 Random Thoughts

 1. If you bring nothing to the table..then its likely that no one is going to want to join you there.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 


http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/10-random-thoughts_30.html

From The Mailbox: Banks

 I received a letter in the mail the other day from a bank I used to deal with. I stopped dealing with them because it was a hassle to do so. You see, they aren't really a bank.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 



http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/from-mailbox-banks.html

June 26, 1927 by Matthew W. Turcotte

Welcome to the twenty-sixth of June, everybody. Because it's Tuesday, we're going to go back in time to a significant event in history dealing with pop culture and entertainment. This time around, we're going back in time to a year that I've never done before. In fact, we're actually going back to a decade that I have never done before.

Of course, before we do that, we have some other bits and bites to get through first. June 26^th was a busy day in history, and I think that we have to talk about some of these events before we get to the main topic. After all, it's what we do every Tuesday, right?

All right. So, let's see who is celebrating a birthday on June 26^th, shall we? We have Charlotte Zolotow, Eleanor Parker, Yoshiro Nakamatsu, Colin Wilson, Dave Grusin, Robert Maclennin, Jean-Claude Turcotte (no relation to me), Billy Davis Jr., John Beasley, Pamela Bellwood, Mick Jones, Gedde Watanabe, Chris Isaak, Patty Smyth, Greg LeMond, Terri Nunn, Harriet Wheeler, Sean Hayes, Chris O'Donnell, Gretchen Wilson, Rebecca Budig, Derek Jeter, Jason Kendall, Matt Striker, Chris Armstrong, Ed Jovanovski, Chad Pennington, Quincy Lewis, Brandi Burkhardt, Jason Schwartzman, and Jennette McCurdy.

In short, June 26 seems to be the year of the athlete, as most of these people listed play some form of professional sport. Look it up if you aren't convinced.

And, in case you're wondering, here are some of the significant events that took place on June 26.

1723 – Baku surrenders to the Russians after a siege and bombardment

1848 – The end of June Days Uprising in Paris, France

1857 – The first investiture of the Victorian Cross in Hyde Park, London

1870 – The Christian holiday of Christmas is declared an official federal holiday in the United States

1886 – Elemental Fluorine is isolated by chemist Henri Moissan

1907 – 1907 Tiflis Bank Robbery takes place in what is now called Freedom Square in Tbilisi

1917 – The first U.S. Troops arrive in France to fight alongside Britain and France against Germany in World War I

For more, read here...http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/june-26-1927.html

Is that what we would do?

So let's say we had an overpopulation problem. Actually, we do, but that is beside the point.
Now, we have too many people. What shall we do about that?
How about, we just take a percentage of those that are neglected, or old, or not as currently wanted or useful as the rest, and just kill them off. Is that what we would do?

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.  

 http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/is-that-what-we-would-do.html

Rev. Ron's Movie Reviews:

Chronicle had the unlimited potential to be a fantastic superhero-style story about some young teenagers who end up gaining amazing powers but it ultimately destroys itself by eliminating elements like character, story and plot in favor of a cheap gimmick.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

 http://revronmovies.blogspot.ca/2012/06/chronicle.html

The Woman Behind Lamb Chop by Matthew W. Turcotte

This is a picture of a puppet, affectionately named Lamb Chop. When she posted that picture, it prompted everyone on her friends list to discuss their memories of Lamb Chop. I even had a memory of my own. Well, okay, it was my sister's memory, but I was there. It was Christmas 1993, and one of the gifts that my sister received that year was the Lamb Chop doll. She also received Charlie Horse and Hush Puppy, Lamb Chop's closest friends in addition.

At this point, I should also mention that when Christmas 1993 came around, my sister was 21 years old. But, as many people pointed out underneath Helen's picture, age was not a factor in regards to how much one adored Lamb Chop. In fact, I have to admit, I have a soft spot in my heart for the little lamb myself.

So, for today's entry, I thought that I would talk about Lamb Chop, and the woman who helped make her a star.

And, if you want to continue reading, click here.http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/woman-behind-lamb-chops-play-along.html

One Day

 The Miami Heat have won the championship. Good for them. Of course, in a perfect world, they never would have. That is how we all wish life worked. Those who game the system, who try to beat the system, don't get what they want and actually get punished by the cosmos for doing what they did.
But, us grownups know it just doesn't work that way.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 


http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/one-day.html

The Decision to Self Publish - Guest Post: Benjamin X. Wretlind

I am a big fan of Benjamin X. Wretlind's blog, so I was absolutely thrilled when I had the opportunity to have him do a guest post here as part of his Sketches from the Spanish Mustang blog tour. Benjamin was kind enough to allow me to pick from the tour topics. I chose "The Decision to Self Publish," and he did not disappoint. Without further ado, here are Benjamin's thoughts on self publishing: 

To read more click on the link below and feel free to leave comments there.


http://www.mefrancoauthor.blogspot.com/2012/06/decision-to-self-publish-guest-post.html

Acceptance

I see lots of articles on the problems of life. Specifically on what to do about the realities of aging and the physical results of that.
Sagging boobs? Get them lifted.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 


http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/acceptance.html

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

 When you go to a comedy club you have an expectation that the comic will be funny. The theory is that if the comic has made it to that point, he or she is probably very funny.
That being said, even if the material is very weak, the audience laughs. Because of this club owners (who really don't care if the comic is funny) continue to hire them because they get large crowds who buy drinks.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 



http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/where-everybody-knows-your-name.html

Rev. Ron's Movie Reviews:The Music Never Stopped

It's amazing the power music has over us.  Everyone has those moments where a song can take us back to a time and a place in our past.  Sometimes a song can trigger a great moment you had with your friends or a song can remind you of the one that got away or the time you fought Bigfoot (that hasn't happened to you?).  The point is that music can play a big part in a person's life and is more than just something to sing along to while you're in the shower or to serve as a soundtrack while you're making babies.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://revronmovies.blogspot.ca/2012/06/music-never-stopped.html 

Interesting blogs

http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2011/01/how-to-steal-and-get-rich/http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2012/01/03/25-things-writers-should-stop-doing/

http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2012/06/07/essential-advice-for-new-college-grads/

http://mommamiameaculpa.com/dear-muse/

http://www.richardgodwin.net/author-interviews-promotional-specific/quick-fire-at-the-slaughterhouse-with-jd-mader



http://lkwattsconfessions.blogspot.ca/2012/05/raising-my-book-price-and-being-brave.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/susannahbreslin/2012/06/12/why-you-shouldnt-be-a-writer/

http://rockermomrambles.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/lets-be-innapropriate-shall-we-warning-adult-content/

http://theresachaze.blogspot.ca/2012/06/actor-and-producer-stanley-livingston.html

Lexulous Life Lessons: Don't Be Predictable

Recently, a friend who I play quite regularly mentioned that she was losing to me because she was getting lousy tiles lately. Before that, she won her fair share. I actually taught her how to play and she got to the point that she was a better player than me. I explained to her that the reason she was now losing to me was not because of her unlucky tiles, but because she had become predictable and I pretty much knew what move she was going to make most of the time. Being that I figured out her pattern, I basically set her up so I could make the moves I wanted.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/lexulous-life-lessons-dont-be.html 

June 19, 1978 by Matthew W. Turcotte

Are we ready to go back in time for another installment of the Tuesday Timeline?  I hope you are, because it all begins right now.

It’s the nineteenth of June, and as always, I plan to open each edition of the Tuesday Timeline with some of the significant events that happened on this date.  So, let’s look back at some June 19 happenings, shall we?

1269 – King Louis the IX of France orders all Jews found in public without an identifying yellow badge to be fined ten livres of silver

1770 – Emanuel Swedenborg reports completion of the Second Coming of Christ in “True Christian Religion”

1816 – Battle of Seven Oaks near Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada between Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company

1846 – The first officially recorded organized baseball game is played in Hoboken, New Jersey between the New York Base Ball Club and the Knickerbockers

1862 – The U.S. Congress prohibits slavery in United States territories nullifying Dred Scott v. Sandford

1865 – Over two years since the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves in Galveston, Texas are finally informed of their freedom

1867 – Maximilian I of the Mexican Empire is executed by a firing squad

1870 – The Confederate States of America ceases to exist following the Southern States formally being readmitted into the union


To keep reading, go here...http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/june-19-1978.html

Movie Review: The Gambler (1974)

The Gambler is a 1974 movie about gambling addiction. It is very raw and real. In my mind it is the definitive movie about any addiction.


To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.  

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/movie-review-gambler-1974.html 

Talking Baseball With My Father

 First and foremost though, my father and I shared a love of a few things that always bonded us. We had a deep love for dogs and really all animals. We both liked to watch tv, lots of tv and mostly comedy shows. But of all our common interests,  sports, and more specifically, baseball, was something we both just loved.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/talking-baseball-with-my-father.html

Happy Father's Day - Matthew W. Turcotte

My own father is still alive and kicking as of now, and he’ll be turning 66 later next month, making him almost 35 when I was born.  I can’t imagine that he and my mother having their final child (and only son) at the age of 35 must have been easy for him, especially given that he had two daughters years before I was born.  And I certainly did not make things very easy on him, as him and I are nothing alike.  I hate to paraphrase an old Donny and Marie Osmond song here, but he was a little bit country, and I was a little bit rock and roll.  And, I imagine that when I was younger, he and I used to have terrible, terrible fights growing up.  But the one thing that I can honestly say is that despite all of our fights, disagreements, and shouting matches, he has always been there for me, and I imagine that he will continue to be there as long as he is able to.

But what about all of those people who are absolutely indifferent to Father’s Day, or see Father’s Day as a painful reminder of what they have lost?  I imagine that a day like today must be quite difficult for them, especially if their father has passed away.  My deepest condolences go out to anybody who has lost a father.

In this edition of the Sunday Jukebox, I thought that I would post a song that is related to everything that I have said about fathers in this post so far.  In my case, it deals with fights and conflicts that I have had with my father over the years.  But in other instances, it provides a bit of a melancholic feel because the song is about a man who has recently lost his father who never got a chance to tell him how he felt.  As a result, the man has lost the chance to ever get some sort of closure with his father.


TO READ MORE, click below


http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/fathers-day-in-living-years.html

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - Matthew W. Turcotte

It's Father's Day weekend this weekend, and I thought that I would use this opportunity to post two father themed entries. I have a special Sunday Jukebox planned for tomorrow, but I admit that I had a really tough time finding a topic for Saturday's entry. Mostly because any of the possible ideas that I could come up with, I have already talked about in this blog.

I really had to go way back into the part of my brain where my earliest childhood memories lay in order to come up with a suitable topic for today's discussion. And for some reason, there was this one program that I vaguely remember watching as a kid on Global Television back in the 1980s. There was very little that I remember about the show itself. I couldn't tell you what it was about, nor could I tell you what the names of the main characters were. But there were a few details about the show that I did remember. I remembered that the animation was quite basic, with a lot of empty white backgrounds. I remembered that one of the characters was voiced by the same guy who played the dad on “Happy Days”. And, I remember that the theme song kept repeating the words “wait 'til your father gets home” over and over again.

So, armed with this information, I did a quick Google search, hoping that this was enough to locate the show. I had figured that since the theme song had the words “wait 'til your father gets home” included in the lyrics, it had to be a show that I could talk about this Father's Day weekend. Little did I realize was that the song lyrics were all that I needed to find this mystery show!

If you'd like to read more, click below...

http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/wait-till-your-father-gets-home.html

10 Random Thoughts

10 Random Thoughts 

The opinion of others doesn't define who I am, it defines who they are.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/10-random-thoughts_16.html 

Friday Writing Sample

 Those creaky steps. I remembered them as a child. Every step. If anyone was up there, they knew you were coming. And that top step, it had give. As you opened the door the person up there already knew you were coming. Of course, that person was always my dad. He was really the only one allowed up in the attic.
This time as I reached the door there was no one there to great me. My dad has passed away just recently and I was to go it alone this time. I felt his presence there,  but that was all it was.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.


http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/friday-writing-sample.html

Silly Love Songs. What's Wrong With That?

 McCartney had often been teased by music critics as well as former Beatle and friend, John Lennon, for writing lightweight songs. He wrote Silly Love Songs in response to those critics. Part of the reason that the Beatles broke up was the direction that Paul and John wanted to go. Paul wanted to keep writing more pop friendly songs, while John wanted to be political.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/silly-love-songs-whats-wrong-with-that.html

Lexulous Life Lessons: Results Don't Lie

We all complain at one time or another that we have shit luck. Things just aren't going our way. That can happen. I don't deny that.
But mostly,  we get the results we get because we deserve them.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 


http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/lexulous-life-lessons-results-dont-lie.html

Tuesday Timeline 6-12-1994 by Matthew Turcotte

It's Tuesday, June 12, 2012, and it's the day where we step back in time once more. And this time, we're going to flash back to a moment in time where a heinous crime took place. And with that crime came one of the biggest media circuses ever to grace televisions and magazines all over the world.

But, of course, before we pick the date we're flashing back to,we always have to take a look at some of the other events that took place in history. So, let's have a look at the happenings of June 12, beginning with celebrity birthdates.

Celebrating a birthday this twelfth of June are David Rockefeller, George H. W. Bush, Jim Nabors, Marv Albert, Chick Corea, John Wetton (Asia), Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick), Timothy Busfield, Jenilee Harrison, John Enos III, Tim DeKay, Paula Marshall, Rick Hoffman, Gordon Michael Woolvett, Jason Mewes, Kerry Kittles, Michael Muhney, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, DJ Qualls, Wil Horneff, Robyn, Adriana Lima, Chris Young, and Kendra Wilkinson.

June 12 also happens to be a date in which we lost a lot of famous faces. We mourned the losses of Jimmy Dorsey in 1957, Bill Blass in 2002, Gregory Peck in 2003, and Don “Mr. Wizard” Herbert in 2007.

June 12 also had a lot of important events that happened throughout history as well.

1429 – Joan of Arc leads French army in their capture of the city and English commander William de la Pole in the second day of the Battle of Jargeau during the Hundred Years War

1665 – England installs a municipal government in New York City

1775 – British General Thomas Gage declares martial law in Massachusetts during the American Revolution

1860 – The State Bank of the Russian Empire is established

1864 – Ulysses S. Grant gives the Confederate Forces under Robert E. Lee a victory after pulling his troops from Cold Harbor, Virginia during American Civil War

1889 – 78 are killed in Armagh rail disaster in what is now called Northern Ireland

1898 – The Philippines declares independence from Spain

1939 – The Baseball Hall Of Fame opens up in Cooperstown, New York...


For the rest of this entry, please click below...http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/june-12-1994.html

I don't get it.

 You meet a girl. You get along with her. You like her. You ask for her number. You don't have to ask for her number,  but you want it. You ask for it, and she gives it to you because she really likes you as well. Then you never call.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/i-dont-get-it.html

What it feels like to die

Life is fragile. At least life as we know it is fragile. I feel fine now. I hope to have a very long life ahead of me. Years. Many years. Decades. But I am aware that it could all be gone in ten minutes. Before I finish writing this piece I could have a heart attack.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/what-it-feels-like-to-die.html

Get On Your Feet - Matthew W. Turcotte

This time of month, I’m noticing that there are a lot of charity walks that are being held to raise money for various organizations.  There are walks to fund research towards finding a cure for multiple sclerosis.  There’s the annual “Relay for Life” which is held in memory of those who have lost their battle with the disease, as well as raising money to eventually find a cure.  Even my workplace has an annual walk called the “Walk for Miracles”, which benefits children’s hospitals all across Canada.  If only I weren’t scheduled to work this year, I would be doing that walk in a heartbeat.  But, I did that walk the last three years in a row, and I hope to take part in the walk again in 2013.

But, you don’t need to sign up for a charity walk in order to really enjoy the benefits of a nice walk down the street.  The weather is perfect this time of year (well, unless you’re living in the southern hemisphere) for a nice stroll down by the river, down to the park, or even just up and down the street walking your dog.  Really, I think that for most of us, we take the ability to walk for granted, and we don’t even think that we could have that ability taken away from us at a moment’s notice.  For those of us who still have the mobility, I encourage everyone to be thankful for your legs, and be grateful that they still work.  There are lots of people who would switch places with you in a heartbeat.

This is the story of how one woman was faced with the possibility of never walking again, and how through hard work and determination, she managed to overcome the challenges that were thrown her way one cold day in 1990.

To read more, click here...
 http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/get-on-your-feet.html

10 Random Thoughts

1. Doesn't every Adele song other than "Rolling In The Deep" sound the same?

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.  


http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/10-random-thoughts_09.html

Sketches from the Spanish Mustang Blog Tour

There’s been some confusion as to what I’m asking of people when I say “can you host a day for the Sketches from the Spanish Mustang Blog Tour?” To be more specific, all I’m asking (and this is not new to those who have hosted other tours or guest posts before) is that you post a topic (which I will write) from the list below on the day specified. I, in turn, will make sure to drive traffic to your site and you, in turn, will get a copy of Sketches from the Spanish Mustang in whatever electronic format you prefer.

Pretty simple?

Here’s the list (those topics that are bolded and italicized are those days already spoken for).

To read more and to leave a comment please visit:

http://bxwretlind.com/blog/2012/06/09/sketches-from-the-spanish-mustang-blog-tour/

For me to know and everyone else too

 When we were growing up, there was a popular saying.

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

In today's social network world, many have decided that isn't applicable anymore.
It's a social network. Yes, that is what Facebook is. Just as in life, some things you share out in public, some things you don't.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/for-me-to-know-and-everyone-else-to.html

Changing Minds and Leaving the Past Behind

A few years ago, my father and I were talking about taking a trip to Europe. We definitely wanted to go to London. My dad suggested visiting other countries while we were there. I thought that was a great idea and mentioned Ireland and Scotland. He then said France and Germany. I crunched up my face and said “Who would want to visit Germany?” I had no desire to visit the land of Hitler and the holocaust. That sounds mean, but I couldn’t think of any other thing in Germany besides Oktoberfest, and I’m not a big beer fan.

To read more click on the link below 

http://mefrancoauthor.blogspot.ca/2012/06/changing-minds-and-leaving-past-behind.html 

Ray Bradbury: A Man of Passion

 Ray Bradbury passed away yesterday. He lived a long and fruitful, seemingly happy life. He spent most of his life doing what he loved: Writing and creating.
I am not much for the Rest in Peace posts. It's not my thing. I would rather focus on what he did and some of the advice he had for writers. So I will do that.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 


http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/ray-bradbury-man-of-passion.html

Guest Post by a Future Published Author, Assuming I Can Convince Him to Use His Powers for Good

The following post is from a friend I used to (distantly) work with when I lived in Hawaii: James Ferguson (nicknamed "Fergie).  James has always expressed an interest in writing, philosophical thought and is entering a new phase of his life.

I asked if he'd like to post these recent thoughts of his here to get a little more visibility because a) I think it speaks volumes of who we are (which is relative to my work), b) his theories and conjectures are good kindling for story ideas, and c) I really want to encourage him use his talents for good. (Or evil, really. Whatever it takes to make him use his talents.)

I've taken the liberty (with Fergie's permission) to edit this, because . . . well . . . I like to edit things.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://bxwretlind.com/blog/2012/06/07/guest-post-by-a-future-published-author-assuming-i-can-convince-him-to-use-his-powers-for-good/

Improving Your Sense Of "Spell" by Matthew W. Turcotte

It was at a spelling bee at a New Jersey elementary school, and 12-year-old student William Figueroa had just wrote the word “potato” on the blackboard. Of course, Figueroa had spelled the word correctly. Quayle, on the other hand, felt otherwise, and actually added an “E” onto the word, making it “potatoe”, which unless you add an s to the end of that word is INCORRECT.

Quayle would later claim that “Potatogate” happened because he relied too much on the written cards that the school had provided him, which he claimed also had the misspelling. Sounds like a rather weak excuse to me, but then again, I was eleven in 1992, and I already knew how to spell the word potato. And tomato, for that matter.

For more, click here.

http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/improving-your-sense-of-spell.html

Entertain Me By Michael Shinafelt

Former competition bodybuilder, Marv Blauvelt did what most "formers" do re-invent himself. Marv took his love of the horror genre and made it his reality.

With fright films such as "Beef...You Are What You Eat" and "Sculpture"under his belt, Marv is back to make you scream with "Psycho Street" - the founder of his own production company "Muscle Wolf" has agreed to go from scary to "stupid" - OK Marv, let's go..!

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.  

http://mshinafelt.blogspot.ca/2012/06/10-stupid-questions-marv-blauvelt.html 

Genre Bashing - Just Shut Up!

Ok guys, this is a total rant blog. I am so tired of seeing other authors bashing genres they don’t like or read saying they don’t “understand why people read that crap.” The truth is, there is something out there for everyone. I LOVE that! I love that there is so much talent, creativity, and diversity in the writing world even if it happens to be in genres I don’t read because I know other people do. To speak badly of authors who write in genres that sell well is just petty.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://mefrancoauthor.blogspot.ca/2012/06/genre-bashing-just-shut-up.html 

Mayor of Amercia Approves Romney Bid For His Town

Today the local mayor of a small border town in Mexico said that he would be retiring soon, and if Mitt Romney wanted to run “my Amercia, he is welcome to it.”

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 


http://thenewsosphere.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/mayor-of-amercia-approves-romney-bid-for-his-town/

Lexulous Life Lessons,

 Sometimes as adults we forget what we learned as children. Fun is just fun and we need it. When we forget that, we are reminded of it when we get it back.

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/lexulous-life-lessons-have-fun.html

Interesting blogs I have read this week.

 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2012/05/31/how-to-decide-when-to-work-for-free/#more-9901

 http://zencherry.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/a-1977-lincoln-an-open-field-and-a-cow/

http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2012/06/looking-good/

 http://betterthanieverexpected.blogspot.ca/2012/05/50-shades-of-grey-hair.html

http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2012/06/how-to-avoid-burnout/

Snapshots of History: Noel Picard..how he got in the picture.

 As the Stanley Cup Playoffs are nearing a close and the Los Angeles Kings are poised to win their first Cup in the 45 year history of the franchise, I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at one of the most famous goals of a Stanley Cup Final. A moment frozen in time.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/snapshots-of-history-noel-picardhow-he.html 

I Hate Myself

For some reason I have this nagging sense of failure or of pending failure.


Of course, it likely has to do with the July 1st release of Sketches from the Spanish Mustang. This isn’t my first rodeo (as my current boss likes to say), but regardless of the number of books you release, feelings come and go like waves. They crash against the rocky shore then retreat to points in the ocean you can only see when you squint. If you turn your back, however, the waves return.


Fear.


Depression.


Alienation.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://bxwretlind.com/blog/2012/06/05/i-hate-myself/

Tuesday Timeline - June 5, 1964

It is time for another trip back through time with the Tuesday Timeline, the first edition for June 2012. This week, we’re going to be going back to the 1960s, when the career of a well known singer first began.

Of course, before we do that, we always take a look back at some of the other events that took place on this date.

So, on June 5, the following events happened.

70 A.D. – Titus and his Roman legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem

1817 – The first Great Lakes steamer, the Frontenac, is launched

1837 – The Republic of Texas incorporates the city of Houston

1849 – Denmark becomes a constitutional monarchy

1851 – Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” begins a ten-month run in abolitionist newspaper “National Era”

1883 – The first regularly scheduled Orient Express departs Paris, France

1888 – Rio de la Plata earthquake occurs...

To read the rest of this entry, please click below...

http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/june-5-1964.html

Where Will You Hide? Cover Reveal!!

 This summer I am proud to announce the release of Where Will You Hide? The second book in my Díon series. The first book Where WillYou Run? is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

In Where Will You Hide?, Raith, Mari, and the rest of the team continue their search for Christopher Collins. While doing research on vampire lore, I ran across many interesting blood sucking creatures including the almost invincible Viking draugr. The draugr is a combination of a vampire, a ghoul, and a ghost.

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 


http://mefrancoauthor.blogspot.ca/2012/06/where-will-you-hide-cover-reveal.html

Doing My Degree: Creative Writing & English

I finished my first year at university the other week and a lot of people have been asking me "what do you want to do when you finish?" and I've always said... "I'm doing it. I'm writing." BUT I'm currently doubting my decision in doing a degree in English and Creative Writing. Do you have a degree? Do you have an English degree? What job are you in? (sorry for being nosey, you don't have to answer) ♥

 To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://www.josepheastwood.com/2012/06/doing-my-degree-creative-writing.html

After Monitoring Television and Social Networks, Aliens Cancel Historic “First Contact”

 Plans for the much anticipated “first contact” with alien intelligence have been quickly canceled after the aliens in question concluded their analysis of our species by watching hours of television and anonymously joining Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus.

“Hey, don’t get us wrong,” said a representative of the Klaxons, in a translated transmission, “we were all very excited to meet a new species and perhaps learn from them.  But after watching this crap, and seeing how you communicate with each other, we have concluded that we have absolutely nothing to learn from you.  Call us in a few million years.”

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.  

http://thenewsosphere.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/after-monitoring-television-and-social-networks-aliens-cancel-historic-first-contact/ 

Entertain Me By Michael Shinafelt: 10 Seconds With: Vassy

 Australian native, Vassy Karaglorgos wants you to have a “Beautiful Day” with her new album.

“Beautiful Day” is a pop parade of giddy proportions, from a singer/songwriter who has melodies constantly on her brain.

So, pull up a chair, it’s time to get Vassy!

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 



http://mshinafelt.blogspot.ca/2012/06/10-seconds-with-vassy.html

Rev. Ron's Movie Reviews: Mary and Max

Mary and Max - 5 out of 5

Claymation isn't a genre of animation often associated with bittersweet, depressing stories (Davey and Goliath doesn't count because the fact it exists at all is depressing in itself).  However, Adam Elliot made a name for himself doing just that.  It began in the late 90s with his family saga that told nearly auto-biographical short stories of family members that always leaned in the direction of "onion cutting" levels of tear flowing.  Take my personal favorite in this short film trilogy Brother.

After winning an Academy for the Geoffrey Rush narrated Harvey Krumpet, Elliot went on to make his first feature length film...but keeping his unique style and themes of being bittersweet intact.  Mary and Max tells the story of a sad little Australian girl named Mary (voiced by Toni Collette) who has emotionally distant parents and no real friends.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 


http://revronmovies.blogspot.ca/2012/06/mary-and-max.html

Searching for My Vitality

Back when I was in the working world (pre 2009) I worked very long and hard hours. Sure I was tired at times but I always had energy. I could go day and night, sometimes all night and had more energy to keep going the next day. I was extremely vital.
For more than 20 years I could work as long as I wanted and come right back and do it again. I would show up at work ready to go,  from the minute I arrived until the minute I left.
Those days appear to have ended.
To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/searching-for-my-vitality.html 

Bring back the death penalty

 Our Mayor says this is a safe city. He's the mayor. What else is he going to say?

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

 http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/bring-back-death-penalty.html

 

How Huey Lewis Made Me A "Sports" Fan - Matthew W. Turcotte.

I know what you're thinking. It seems a bit crazy that one of my favourite albums was released when my musical tastes included that of Raffi and Sharon, Lois, & Bram. The truth is that I was always surrounded by Huey Lewis & The News growing up. They also happened to be one of my sister's favourite bands in high school, and whenever I was in her car back in those days, I always heard this tape blaring out of the car radio. I know it's been almost thirty years since this album was first released, but some of my earliest memories always had this album for a soundtrack.

To see the blog in full, click here.

http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/how-huey-lewis-made-me-sports-fan.html

Deception

 Basically, all this boils down to out and out deception. It has become common place to try to deceive the public to sell more. Of course, this is nothing new. Any of us who have watched Mad Men know this has been going on for as long as their has been any advertising.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there. 

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/deception.html 

Marketing Strategies for the Inept (Like Me)

I've been working very hard in the last few weeks to finalize a marketing strategy for Sketches from the Spanish Mustang that might work. I say "might," because--if you've followed this blog for long--you know that I'm a failure when it comes to doing what you're supposed to do.

So, I took a look at all the various ways to market a book prior to actually releasing it, and I've come up with a strategy that "might" work. Again, there's that word.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.

http://bxwretlind.com/blog/2012/05/29/marketing-strategies-for-the-inept-like-me/

Rocky & Bullwinkle: The Backstory (by Matthew W. Turcotte)

The show is one of the few cartoons out there that have aired on more than one network, and under more than one title.  When the show first debuted on November 19, 1959, it was on ABC under the title of “Rocky and His Friends”.  And, the show initially didn’t air on Saturday mornings.  It aired twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday after “American Bandstand”.  Believe it or not, the show was highly successful on ABC, and it was once ranked the highest rating daytime television program at the time.  It stayed on ABC until 1961, when it was moved to the NBC network on September 24 of that year.  It was a revolutionary move for two reasons.  One, it was moved to a Sunday night time slot (just before Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color), and secondly because it was the first time that the cartoon was broadcast in color television.  The name of the show changed as well, to simply “The Bullwinkle Show”.

To continue reading, please click on this link...

http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.ca/2012/06/rocky-and-bullwinkles-backstory.html

10 Random Thoughts

If you are being real, you are neither negative or positive. It is only the reader who thinks you are.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.

http://markdeutsch39.blogspot.ca/2012/06/10-random-thoughts.html

BLACK FROM THE WAIST DOWN: purge

 a look in the mirror
revealing little more than projection
sultry silky savage lies
creep through the crevices left by false smiles

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.

http://blackfromthewaistdown.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/purge/

Straight From The Field: The View From The Investigator’s “Window”

A few weeks ago, my former investigative supervisor and MUFON state director asked me to write a chapter in his upcoming book. Needless to say, it is about UFO cases we have encountered in the field. I was intrigued by the prospect of chronicling my experiences as an investigator and ventured to ask if I could expand the “envelope” of cases to those I felt didn’t quite fit the category of “UFO” or “extraterrestrial”. He agreed. 

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.

http://storyartisan.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/straight-from-the-field-the-view-from-the-investigators-window/ 

Entertain Me By Michael Shinafelt: 10 Seconds With: Hayla

 Multi-Cultural Singer/Songwriter Hayla, whose current dance hit “I’m Free” was written in support of an ex-boyfriend she found in bed with another man.

Hayla was raised by two lesbian moms and is the daughter of a gay hairstylist, Hayla had her first number one hit at seventeen.

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.

http://mshinafelt.blogspot.ca/2012/06/10-seconds-with-hayla.html

Blogging 101: Promote Your Writing by Joseph Eastwood

Writers are always searching for ways to promote themselves... and one of the best ways of self-promotion without spending anything at all is a FREEBIE! Give your readers something to read... you are after all a writer! ♥ http://www.josepheastwood.com/2012/06/blogging-101-promote-your-writing.html excerpts, flash fiction, short stories... if you're proud and you've written it, why not share it? ♥

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.

http://www.josepheastwood.com/2012/06/blogging-101-promote-your-writing.html

Princess RuRu's Diary: DINNER TONIGHT

This is the most random blog ... I write about everything and anything.  How was your day?  I might get asked that question about 5,000 times a day if I spent more time out in public and if you have a blog you can politely say:  "I will let you know and if you really want to know READ MY BLOG!!!"  And you should say it nice so people will not think you are an asshole. 

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.

http://ruthruhnke.blogspot.ca/2012/05/dinner-tonight.html 

How To Be a Beta Reader by Michael K. Rose

 What is a Beta reader? This is a term that writers use for a person who reads through a manuscript before the final editing pass is made. This is invaluable, and writers such as myself who are fortunate to have a handful of helpful, reliable Beta readers know how important they are to the process. But, what does a Beta reader do during and after reading a manuscript? Here are four things that I, as an author, find the most helpful. Should you be asked to serve as a Beta reader for an author, this will, I hope, serve as a handy guide to follow.  

To read more, click on the link below. You can also leave a comment there.

 

http://myriadspheres.blogspot.ca/2012/06/how-to-be-beta-reader.html