Podcast Fasting Revisited Again / Happenings In The Outhouse 17-Jan-2025

I have done this before, either cut down on the number of podcasts I listen to or pause listening to them altogether.

Well, I'm at it again, pausing them in its entirety and revisiting the list that I do have and possibly cutting them down.  Are there new ones to add?  Possibly not.  Are there ones to cut?  Possibly.

I looked at my podcast list and discovered I had not listed to a podcast since the end of October.

Why is this?

A number of reasons, truth be told.  I have some changes at my full-time job which is causing me to focus more of my energy on learning new work processes.  Also, I am listening to more audiobooks, so my listening is not completely going away.

Last year, I focused a lot on learning new writing techniques and writing short stories.  Now, I am writing a new novel (in a new series).  It is a cozy mystery series and I am around 6,500 words into it.  I am having a blast writing it.  I have a short story that I am using as the basis for it, but for now I am keeping the details under wraps.

Not Going As Planned / Happenings In The Outhouse 10-Jan-2025

You can plan and plan and plan all you want, and when it comes to doing something, always expect something to not go as planned.  Expect the unexpected, as the old adage says.

I've written a fair amount of stories.  And even if I do some outlining (which is usually minimal at best since I typically write into the dark with no plan in mind), something unexpected crops up which takes my story into another direction that I hadn't planned.

This past fall, my wife and I hired a contractor to help do some remodeling in our house.  New flooring, windows, doors.  Every step along the way the contractor has hit a roadblock or two--nothing being his fault, since he is at the mercy of the window/door manufacturers or the lumberyard in question.  Even the original patio door was two feet wider--yes, I said two feet!--than the old one.  The contractor measured it correctly.  Again, when it was ordered, it was ordered incorrectly.

One of the stories I had just submitted to Writers of the Future at the end of December was like this.  I had something in mind for how it would go, but suddenly as I wrote a scene early on, the story took a turn in another direction.  In my opinion, the story is much better than what I had anticipated.

Questions / Happenings In The Outhouse 25-Oct-2024

"How's the book coming along?" someone is bound to ask me.  At any time.

My reply is usually, "Which one?"

"Oh," they will respond back, "you have more than one?"

*sigh*

Although it has been a while since publishing my last novel (July 2023), I still write every single day.  My focus this year has been compiling short stories, learning more of the writing craft, and submitting these short stories for publication.

I still have over 30 published works.

Now, when I look to 2025, my focus may change once again and you may see more published works.  I'll still do short stories and work at publication that way, but you may see other novels being published too.

Stamina And The Genre Snob / Happenings In The Outhouse 23-Aug-2024

Today's post is going to be a bit out of the norm.  Then again, when is it never . . . ?

Last weekend, my wife, three of our girls, and myself went to the Twin Cities to attend two concerts: Friday night was Metallica and Saturday night was Green Day.  We had a blast, to put it mildly.  I may deep dive into these concerts at a later time, but I want to touch on two things this week.  The first is stamina.

Green Day played, non-stop, for roughly two and a half hours.  With very few breaks.  And what breaks they did take were a few seconds at max.  They kept playing and playing and playing . . . to the point where I became exhausted.

Green Day has an enormous catalog of songs to choose from, and they played many of them.  Last year during the Bryan Adams concert, there were so many he played that I forgot that he even sang them.  Metallica also has an enormous catalog of songs.

What does this mean for the writer?  Simple: keep writing.  Ten years ago, I had written five full length novels and maybe a handful of short stories.  Now, I have over 60 individual stories, from novels to short stories and even a few flash fiction.  I keep going.

The second is what I am calling the genre snob.  The last song Green Day played was "Good Riddance (Time of your Life)".  After the concert, I overheard someone saying they didn't like the song and that it was outside of their genre--hence the reason they did not like it.

The genre snob isn't limited to musicians.  Take Stephen King and John Grisham.  King is known for horror, yet some of his better books are the ones that are not horror.  Grisham is known for his legal thrillers, and his better books are not in that genre.  It's okay to step out of the genre you're in.  Even reading the Wikipedia page on the Green Day song "Good Riddance" they note that the song was outside of the other songs.

Yet it is one song they are best known for.

When Cop Stuff Is Not Told Right / Happenings In The Outhouse 05-April-2024

This goes with any profession.  From law enforcement to nursing, from plumbing to pilots, and a host of other things, it's difficult to get all of the details right.

As a former law enforcement officer, with years of experience throughout many aspects of that profession, it irks me when I see shows where things are so wrong.  My wife and I just finished watching the hit TV show Sons of Anarchy.  We loved it, but there were aspects of both law enforcement and nursing that struck us both.

It's difficult to get all of the details right, but when some are so blatant (cocking back the hammer on a Glock pistol, for example) I just shake my head as it throws me right out of a story.

The storyline for SOA was complex and entertaining.  Yes, you were cheering on the bad guy, but when there were varying degrees of badness, you seemed to be cheering on some more than others.

The first thing that struck me was that city cops typically wear blue.  County deputies wear brown.  All of the city cops in SOA wore brown.  And when it came to hospitals and security, that seemed to be thrown right out the window with SOA.  No one should be able to walk into a hospital administrator's office or a doctor's office that is closed.

In a nutshell, if you're going to make things far-fetched as SOA had done, do it well when it comes to story.

It's all in the details.

And I could go on with this.  I probably will in future posts . . .

Freedom To Let Your Creative Mind Flow / Happenings In The Outhouse 23-Feb-2024

I had an interesting conversation with my youngest daughter last week.  She's in speech competition and was in the process of writing her creative speech.  But she kept hitting a roadblock and didn't know how to finish it.  She reached out to a few others for help, but in fact got more roadblocks.  An English teacher told her to use some formulaic path to writing the story, and this only frustrated her more.

Once I heard her out, I told her to throw away all of the advice she had given.  Her eyes grew wide, then I told her to brainstorm as many ideas as she could.

"The first few ideas will be easy but you won't want to use them," I said.  "By the time you get eight, ten, twelve ideas down, that's where the great ideas will be.  The ones that will spark the direction your story will go."

When seeking advice from others, please be aware that not all advice is good.  In fact, no offense to the others, but they aren't a creative like my daughter and myself.  I knew how to speak the language of a creative.

When you feel stuck on a project, sit alone and just brainstorm.  Let your mind go.  Let it be free.  You will be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Now, on a side note, there is nothing wrong with the advice regarding formulas to writing.  There are a variety of methods, but I knew for her it would just confuse her.  So I kept it simple.  And guess what?  She finished it!

Lessons Learned From Hell's Kitchen / Happenings In The Outhouse 05-Jan-2024

My girlfriend and I have been watching the Gordon Ramsey show Hell's Kitchen for the past few months.  We started with the latest two seasons, 19 and 20, then went back to the beginning.  It is interesting to see how the show has evolved over the years, season after season.

Now, full disclosure, my girlfriend has already seen most seasons of the show, and loves to see my reaction to who eventually wins each season when she knew typically about halfway through the season.  We are currently on season 10, and there are things I notice that each contestant of the show should learn.

Keep in mind, it's a reality TV show, which means it's not real.  Not reality.  Many things are set up for entertainment purposes, so a lot of the drama and back-stabbing I get is not real.

I wrote a blog post almost twelve years ago that delved into this very topic, about learning by watching TV.

Now, what we have learned so far is this:

First: never talk back to Gordon Ramsey.  Never.  No matter what.  Trust me, you'll regret it if you do.

Second: learn to take criticism.  He will call you every name in the book, but you should never take it personally.  He is testing you, to see how well you can take criticism.

Third: work hard and communicate.

Fourth: if you lost a certain challenge and need to do some awful task, do it with dignity and stop complaining.  All you're doing is making yourself look like a whiny prick if you do.  Also, when someone wins a challenge, be happy for them and keep working.

Fifth: if you win a challenge, it doesn't mean you are the absolute best.  And do not gloat over you winning the challenge.

Sixth: tell the truth.  Ramsey wants to hear the truth, short and sweet.

Seventh: stop victim blaming.  The reason a dish or dinner service didn't go as planned is just as much your fault as others.  Take it in the chin and move on.

Eighth: if something isn't the best, do not send it up to Ramsey.  Meaning, if you know something is under or overcooked, tell him immediately.  Communicate!

I'm sure there will be others that come up, but these are the top eight I can think of at the moment.  Now take these lessons into the rest of your life.

P.S.: Rest In Peace Petrozza.

Adapt And Overcome (Makeshift Chopsticks) / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-May-2023

The other day at work, I brought leftover pot roast.  My girlfriend had made it a few nights earlier, and it was amazing.  But when I opened my lunchbox to retrieve the leftovers, I discovered something was missing: no plasticware.  No fork, knife, or spoon.

Nothing.

Across the room, near the coffee pots was a container of stirring sticks.  I grabbed a few, and used them like chopsticks to eat my lunch.

I adapted to the situation, and overcame.  I succeeded.

Oh, sure, I could've used my fingers and ate like a pig, but I didn't.

When many are hit with obstacles, their first instinct is to curl up in a ball and whine.  Don't do that.  Think to the positive.

Another example occurred just the other night.  My youngest was doing her homework and had to write something.  But something happened that caused her work to get lost.  It was no longer retrievable.  She asked me, "Dad, have you ever had this happen?  What did you do?"

My answer was simple: "It happens all the time when I'm writing.  Maybe not a software glitch, but I may get stuck.  So I go do something else and come back to it.  Or think of it as a fortune, because I'll write something better."

You know what happened?  She wrote something better.

If you hit obstacles, think of it as a blessing and come up with a solution.  A better one will present itself.

Outside The Comfort Zone / Happenings In The Outhouse 17-March-2023

The best way to grow as a person is to do things outside of your comfort zone.

Now, this may seem easy for one to say, but not so easy to action.  Unless you make it a habit.  Make a habit of going outside your comfort zone.  My girlfriend and I go on frequent date nights--at least once a week, if possible.  When we go to a restaurant, I look for something I haven't had before.  One of our favorite restaurants in a nearby town I have had most items on the menu.  We have also gone to a variety of concerts, from heavy metal to country western.  Now, honestly, country isn't my thing, but I do love music in general.  And those country artists I have seen have certainly put on a great show.

Last week, we went to see the 80's heavy metal band Skid Row.  They have a new lead singer, Erik Gronwall, who was absolutely amazing!  I vividly recall the first time I listened to Skid Row with their former singer Sebastian Bach.  I didn't think the new guy would hold up to Bach.  Boy, was I wrong!

Even my current work-in-progress is outside of my comfort zone.  It is a middle grade novel and there are times I want to add something but given the potential audience I write it a little differently.  I'm not writing down to the audience--that's a huge no-no in my book, no pun intended.

I am also on the church council of the church I attend.  This is my second year and this year I am on a committee that is allowing me to stretch as a Christian.  At work, I am intentionally doing things that are outside of my comfort zone to stretch my mental muscles.

Find areas that give you pause and go forth with gusto!  If you've never gone grocery shopping, do it.  If you've never flown on an airplane, do it.  If you've always wanted to write a book, what's stopping you?  In the words of Nike . . . just do it!

Sports, Baseball Cards, And Other Unfamiliar Things / Happenings In The Outhouse 27-Jan-2023

Most, if not all, who know me, know that I am not a sports fan.

So why in the world did I start writing a book about baseball (and baseball cards) is truly beyond me.  But that's the way creativity works, I guess.

My current work-in-progress is a Middle Grade novel, inspired by my oldest daughter when we were out tossing a softball around many years ago.  The title struck me right away (I will share this at a later time), and I've had it on the backburner for a long, long time.

When I started it last summer, I didn't quite know the exact direction the story would go.  Well, truth be told, I never know the exact direction any story I've written goes right from the beginning.  Stories unfold as they're written, like opening a Christmas gift you have no clue as to what it is.

I knew the story was going to be about baseball and softball, the latter I'm slightly familiar with as I used to play on a youth softball league in my younger days.  Most of the kids in the town I grew up in played on this league, boys and girls.  But it soon delved into unfamiliar territory when baseball cards came into the story and, soon, baseball and sports in general.

I've done enough research to not completely botch it, but I know there will be details others may point out.  I don't care if I botch it, but I do care to write it with just enough authenticity that it appears I know what I'm talking about.

If you run into unfamiliar things, embrace it and learn.  Not that I'm going to turn into a sports fan or even an expert in baseball card collecting, because I'm not.  But learning new things has been quite fun.  Who knows where it will all lead?

Lessons Learned From A Vince Neil Concert / Happenings In The Outhouse 23-Dec-2022

Earlier this month, I went to a Vince Neil concert at a nearby casino.  It was a blast.  The guitarist and bassist were both from the band Slaughter (who will be playing at the same casino in the middle of January) and the drummer reminded me of Animal from the Muppets.  It was a smaller venue, but the crowd had a great time.  And the band looked like they were having the time of their life.

For those who know me, I'm a huge fan of 1980's hair metal.  Rock bands like Poison, Motley Crue, Skid Row, Warrant, Def Leppard, KISS, Van Halen, Cinderella, Tesla, and countless others (look up Hair Nation on SiriusXM and those are many of the bands I love).

Now, I had read articles prior about Vince's decline in his ability to sing.  But that didn't stop me from going and having a great time.  Heck, it was 1/4 of Motley Crue!  Less than an hour from my house!

And during the concert, this was evident.  However . . . the band made up for it by singing much of the vocals.  And what the band didn't, the crowd sure did!

They improvised.

How many people in life go through struggles, pitfalls, and then just quit?  Vince could just hang up his microphone and say, "I'm done!"  But he doesn't.  He keeps going on, keeps playing, keeps entertaining.  Because at the end of the day, that's all that matters.  What they may have seen as a weakness, they used as a strength.  Vince highlighted the great talents of the other band members.

What are you struggling with that can be turned around?

Blending Creation And Consumption / Happenings In The Outhouse 19-August-2022

With so much vying for our attention, one may wonder how much should one dedicate to their craft vs. consuming entertainment.

I love reading and I love watching movies as well as my favorite TV series.  Streaming services have put much of this right at the tip of my fingers, and my Kindle makes it so easy to read any book at any time.

But with my writing, it's difficult to balance my time to write with wanting to watch some of the new shows coming out, like Stranger Things, The Sandman series, the new Rings of Power series on Amazon, and other movies/shows that have piqued my interest.

For greater success, it is better to create content than consume it.  Even famous authors have said their reading time has dwindled the more successful they become (a problem I wish I had).

It feels good to take a small break from creating.  Even God rested after creating the universe.  It is a lesson for us all, to take time to rest.

But don't rest too much.  Balancing rest and creating is something that isn't easy, and sometimes changes depending on the circumstances.

If You Can Do It Better, Do It / Happenings In The Outhouse 27-May-2022

Critics.

People love to criticize the artistic works of others.

Love 'em or hate 'em, there have been critics for as long as humans have walked the Earth.  But some criticize far more than others.

I was listening to a podcast about the upcoming Lord of the Rings series coming to Amazon Prime later this year, and I was struck by how critical the folks were about the process and what story they were using to tell.  It reminded me of the criticism George R. R. Martin has received in regards to finishing his fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire.

The same goes with other successful people, like Rowling and the new fantasy world she has created, and many others.

It drives me crazy when I hear about all the people speculating about this and that about a new series in the Marvel universe or Star Wars universe or whatever.

Me?  I just sit back and enjoy the show when it comes out.  No speculating.  Why?  It's a waste of my time.

I would rather spend my time creating my own worlds than speculating about others outside of my control.  Think about it for a moment.  Would you rather watch the movie unfold or actually be a part of it?

I go with the latter if my money is on the line.  I control my own creations.

Also, and here is the crux of what I'm getting at: if you think you can do better, then go ahead and do it.

Multitasking / Happenings In The Outhouse 15-April-2022

Multitasking.

Even just the word "multitasking" can bring a wide range of emotions.  But define what it is?  Is it doing many things in a single day?  Or doing several different things in a single lifetime?

John Grisham has done well with his legal thrillers, but he has also written other stories which has broadened his audience.  King has done the same with horror.

And I could go on and on.

Brandon Sanderson may be known for writing a lot of fantasy, but he has dipped his toes in many different realms in the fantasy genre, and with an insane output of words to boot.  He recently had an impressively successful Kickstarter where he wrote a bunch of secret stories while slated by contract to write another tome in his Stormlight Archive series.  And not just one, but four!

This might be an area we'll explore more later on.  The point of this is based from a TED talk I watched where the speaker gave examples of multitasking but this was over a person's lifetime.  I find it okay to do several different types of things, to spread out your talents.

Again, it depends on what your definition of multitasking is.

Finding Support / Happenings In The Outhouse 04-Feb-2022

Who has your back?

You have been working on something for a long time--or there is something you have been putting off and now is the time to get it started.

It doesn't matter what it is.  A project for the home.  A side business.  Getting in shape.  Furthering your education.  Moving forward in your grief.  And the list goes on . . .

Whatever it is, you may find yourself asking who has your back?  Who is supporting you?

First, let me tell you that you should be supporting you.  You should be the one to put the full weight of your decision into whatever it is that is driving you.  Letting others in, especially at an early stage, may be disastrous.

But this depends on who it is that you are letting in.

Find one who will be both honest and positive.  They should be an encouragement to you.  If something is completely unrealistic--like, if I wanted to be the next great NFL quarterback, when I've never played football and I could care less about the sport--the feedback should be something you should take to heart.  But if you have been in the business world for a few decades and want to advance your career by going for an MBA, that is more realistic.

It may be difficult to find the right one to support you.  But, if you trust in God, the support will be found for you.

But as a first step, give yourself grace, be positive, and be your number one supporter first.

Myth Of The Small Town / Happenings In The Outhouse 21-Jan-2022

I've been listening to a few true crime podcasts lately (don't I always?) and the same phrase keeps popping up over and over again.

"It was a small town.  A place where everyone knew everyone."

FALSE!  UTTER BS!

I can speak with firsthand knowledge that, no matter how small the town is, no one can possibly know everyone.  Everyone will have a past or desire no one knows about.

Because, in many of the true crime cases, that someone who ends up being the killer is one they didn't suspect.

What does this have to do with writing?  Plenty, my friend.  You see, it all comes down to character development.  Call it creating a "round" character if you wish, but everyone has motives and events in the past no one knows about.

Use that creativity and shape memorable characters.

And please, for the love of God, do not use the phrase "a place where everyone knows everyone" at all.  Strike it from your vocabulary, unless you are making a satirical statement about it.

I have surpassed the 80,000 word mark on my current work-in-progress.  I have a goal to hit PUBLISH by the end of March.  But there is still a lot yet to write, and I am only in the third of four parts to the novel.  So it might be beyond that date.

Jordan Smith, Johnny Cash, And Your Unique Voice / Happenings In The Outhouse 24-Dec-2021

It might be ironic that this post is going out on Christmas Eve, with its place in the history of mankind and our Heavenly Father.  Roughly two weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending a concert by Jordan Smith with the current love of my life and her parents.

Don't know who Jordan Smith is?  Don't worry, I didn't either.

To put it simply, he was the season 9 winner of the TV show The Voice.  Give this a listen, and be both amazed and inspired.  Note: the YouTube video I originally posted (twice now) has been taken down for whatever reason, so I urge you to just search for him and listen.

Jordan is one of great talent.  That much is perfectly clear.  He sang songs at the concert that we all knew, but he put his own vocal twist to it in such a dynamic and unique way.  Jordan will be one to watch as his career blossoms.

Reflecting on this, I am reminded of a scene early on in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line.  Cash sang a tune that was just like all the other songs.  But the record producer wanted something different.

Believe in yourself.

Find your voice.

No matter what it is, believe in yourself.

Where To Start / Happenings In The Outhouse 17-Dec-2021

I watched this video by Robert McKee last week, and found his insight valuable.  Although he gears it toward beginners, it applies to everyone who is starting a new project.

Enjoy!

And begin!

Routines And Impulsivity / Happenings In The Outhouse 22-Oct-2021

Everyone has routines, whether they believe it or not.  Some have more than others.  Even if you seem to do little each day, that's still a routine of accomplishing little.

Being impulsive is acting against those routines.

So imagine the lazy bum who sits around all day, watching TV, accomplishing very little.  One day that bum decides to change it up and read a book.

Okay, maybe this is a little extreme, but you get the idea.

If you are a routine-minded person, how well do you take to change?

Adding a sense of impulsivity can make life a bit more interesting.  Or maybe a lot, depending on what it is.  It is easy to get into a rut, to do the same things over and over again.  Try it.  Be impulsive.  Go for a drive.  Someplace you hadn't planned on going.

Go to a restaurant you've never been to.

Go to a movie you would never go to.

Do something to get yourself out of a rut.  You may not even realize you're in a rut.

My life pretty much turned for the better about 2-3 months ago, depending on where you point.  This person pointed out my routines, which she admired, but at the same time I had to break myself out of.  And that's a good thing.

Life is about change.

Change can be good.

Distractions / Happenings In The Outhouse 10-Sept-2021

Someone recently asked if they were distracting me from my work--my writing, that is, not my day job.

It is good to know what distracts you, what holds you back from achieving your dreams, and what doesn't.  Each person is different.  For some, it has to be absolutely quiet in order for them to concentrate on their project.  Or they have to be sitting in a certain place.  Or they need to be drinking their favorite beverage.  Maybe a fair amount of ambient noise is necessary.

Knowing what causes you to procrastinate will lead your further down the path of success.  If social media alerts distract you, remove all notifications while working on your dreams.  If the sound of classical music or country music or heavy metal helps spark the imagination, then by all means let it play.

I have been blessed to be able to shift in and out of what others would see as distractions.  When I used to work in an actual office, I'd bring my laptop or notebook or printed stories to work on while on lunches and breaks.  The noise around me didn't bother me.  Neither does the TV when I'm at home, sitting at the table, pouring my heart and soul into the latest creation.

What does distract me is more internal.  Sometimes I can control it.  Other times, not so much.

So when it was asked if they were distracting me . . . my answer was clearly no.

But that's me knowing me.

Know thyself . . . and the truth will set you free.