Another One Bites The Dust / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-June-2026

 

Yup!  It happened again!

First, I am going to link back to these two blog posts, one from two years ago and the other back from 2017.  Here they are:

Views From The Outhouse: The Toxic Mix of Politics And Entertainment Creators / Happenings In The Outhouse 01-March-2024

Views From The Outhouse: The anatomy of a jerk / Happenings In The Outhouse 27-Jan-2017

Well, it happened again.  A few weeks ago now as I write this (I typically write these a few weeks in advance, although the posts I've done lately on the short stories were done over a series of months) someone in the music industry now came forward and dishearteningly made a statement on them not participating in an event to celebrate . . . well, let's put it this way, instead of writing on the nose about this one and publicly stating who it is, let me just share that it's a leader of a band that I have been a huge fan of, and follower of, for decades.  Yes, decades!

All the way back to the mid-1980s rock scene, mind you.  Probably one of my favorite bands--if not my favorite.

Not any longer.

I unfollowed them.  Everywhere.  From all social media and even Spotify.

Am I being petty?

Maybe.  But as other entertainers have stated lately, entertainers entertain.  That's it.  Like me.  I'm a writer.  I write.  I write to entertain.  That's it.  Do not ask me my political opinion.  I will not state it publicly.  I do have views, I do have values.

I am just not going to share it.  There are better things to do.

3rd Honorable Mention from Writers Of The Future / Happenings In The Outhouse 02-Jan-2026

First, this blog post is my 1200th post!  I honestly can't believe I have been posting so much, and for so long.

Late November, I received news that I achieved my third Honorable Mention from the Writers of the Future contest!

Writers of the Future 4th Quarter Winners Announced for Volume 42 | Writers & Illustrators of the Future

This, of course, is huge news and I am so honored!

To Each Their Own / Happenings In The Outhouse 05-Dec-2025

There are times when people (usually authors) say or do things that make me shake my head.

Over a month ago, I came across a social media post by a local author.  This author stated that they had been chipping away at their next book (this author only has one book self-published) while starting school full-time to finish their bachelor's degree, volunteering at their church, being a parent to four younger children, and running a campground.  This author also wrote a weekly column for an area newspaper.  Quite busy, I get it.  Been there, got the T-shirt.

Then, this is the part that made me shake my head: this author had a conversation with one of their professors and, based on said conversation, decided to try the traditional route for publishing rather than self-publishing on the next book.

Pause . . . 

No, I did not comment.  Nor did I select an appropriate reaction to their post.  I just . . . moved on, all the while shaking my head in bewilderment.

To each their own.  If it works, I wish them the best of luck.

Deep down, I know this person will spend years regretting their choice.

Always Keep Learning / Happenings In The Outhouse 14-Nov-2025

No matter your age and experience, it is always important to keep learning.

I listened to a training video by bestselling author Dean Wesley Smith who has been in the publishing business for over 50 years.  Yes, five decades!  One of the points he made in the video (well, truth be told, he makes many great points but I'll limit to just one right here) is to keep learning.  Always.  So many authors came onto the self-publishing scene 5, 10, 15 years ago, and . . . where are they now?  They stopped learning.

Even many traditionally published authors seemed to have vanished.  Not all, but many who were considered the greatest at the time, have now gone bye bye.

Why?

I can only speculate, but it's possible that they also stopped learning.  They stopped reading and expanding their knowledge.

I learn more with each and every story that I write, no matter if it's a short story or a large novel.  There is so much to learn that I yearn to stretch myself even further.

What are you doing to expand your knowledge?

What are you practicing on to get better and better?

Think Before You Post / Happenings In The Outhouse 19-Sept-2025

Think before you post on social media or anywhere else.  Take a second . . . and think.  "Should I post this?  What's the point if I do?"  If there is a hesitation or any kind of questioning, don't do it.  If you are trying to be clever and want to spout your fucking evil viewpoints to the world, God help you.  Because only God can reach into your soul and heal you.

In light of recent events, I have seen a fair amount of people post the most idiotic, stupid shit that just makes me shake my head.  It feels like a knife driving right into my heart to know that evil has invaded their soul so much.

I don't comment on these posts (trust me, I so want to, but then I ask myself why, would I help to change their viewpoint, to help guide their thinking, and the answer is I probably won't) but what I usually do it simply move on.  If I see enough of it from a particular person, I will either stop following them or hide their posts for a certain period of time.  Or, if it gets really bad, I'll block them altogether.

There are a number of authors back in 2018, 2019 that made it big and I followed them.  Then they spouted their evil, hypocritical viewpoints and that turned me off.  Guess what?  I unfollowed and never bought any of their books.  EVER!  And one used to be one of my favorite fantasy authors who started back in the 80's.  Never again.

Again, think before you post.

On a side note, my apologies on the profanity.  I usually reserve myself against it on this blog, but I decided to make an exception in this case.

The Business I Am In / Happenings In The Outhouse 22-Aug-2025

This classic scene in the hit show Breaking Bad sums up fairly well my feelings on what kind of business I am building.

No, ladies and gentlemen, I am not in the drug business.  But I am in the entertainment business.  Through my writing, I want to entertain.  That's it.

Realistic View Of Business / Happenings In The Outhouse 01-Aug-2025

A few days ago, someone on social media (this person calls himself a "6-fig entrepreneur" which means this "entrepreneur" states he makes over $100K a year which is a flat out lie for a variety of reasons) posted this photo below, along with a statement about everyone getting comfortable doing what's easy, rather than what is difficult, and how he has achieved so much:

First, I want to point out how incredibly inaccurate this photo is when compared to reality.  No job, unless you are salaried (and this is for a single year, not over the course of a decade or more), stays completely 100% stagnant month after month.  And even then, there are increases (and other incentives) over the years and decades.  Also, for $2500 a month comes out to $625 a week (given a 4-week month).  Divide that by 40 hours is $15.62 or so an hour.  And so many jobs now offer that as a minimum wage.  Minimum!  When I was in high school, I made a fraction of that an hour for my grocery store job.  And if you wanted to make more money, apply toward a higher paying position or job.  You may have to work two or three jobs to provide for yourself and your family too, or even have a side hustle to bring in some money.  But the top line is highly inaccurate and should be angling upward and to the right.

Second, the bottom half of the photo is equally as inaccurate, if not more.  No business can sustain a growth trajectory of "up and to the right" all the time.  All business goes in cycles, even small businesses.  I work for a multi-billion-dollar company and its sales growth looks like a roller coaster over the months, years, and decades.

I hire a gentleman to mow my lawn.  That is his business.  A side hustle turn full-time gig.  He used to work a full-time job years ago and mowed lawns on the side, but the growth in his business over the years has earned him the freedom to do it full-time.  I can only speculate, but if one was to review his financials and chart it on a graph, he has a HUGE spike in the summer months for cash flow and a much less one during the rest of the year.  Now, this guy also has other side gigs in his business, from snow removal to vehicle detailing, to keep cash flowing during the "off" season, but the bulk of his business is during the summer when he mows lawns.

I am all for thinking positively and motivating yourself to better your life.  Why do you think I get up at the butt crack of dawn and write EVERY SINGLE DAY?  If you were to chart the cash flow for my writing business, it goes in cycles, much like a roller coaster too.  But I'm not going to lie, to call myself a "6-fig author" just to try impress others who don't give a rip about me.  Who am I trying to prove?  No one.  Also, I'm not going to boast about how much money I'm making.  Seriously, it's none of your goddamned business.

When it comes to business and money, keep it to yourself.  Seriously.  Keep.  It.  To.  Yourself.  Celebrate the wins quietly and, if you have to, only with your very closest loved ones.  Again, only if you have to.  Most of the time, I do not.  Whatever you do, don't boast online about what HUGE business you're doing when it's a complete lie.

What Is Your Hesitancy? / Happenings In The Outhouse 27-June-2025

What is holding you back?

What is keeping you from doing what you want to do (or what you're supposed to do)?

What is holding you back from succeeding beyond your wildest dreams?

Is it time?  Money?  Other commitments?

Maybe what's holding you back is . . . you?

Now get out of your way and accomplish something!

Reliance On Power / Happenings In The Outhouse 28-Feb-2025

The other morning, I woke up in the middle of the night to a deafening silence.  There was no hum of life.  No whirl of the fan in our room--or in any other room.

The only sound was the low ringing of silence . . . 

I sat up in bed and discovered that the power was out.  It was three in the morning, and although the streetlights were on, our electricity was out.

This happened late July last year, and the height of summer, in the sweltering heat, and most of the town was celebrating their annual festival.

It's interesting how much we rely on electricity.  Without it, there is no internet.  No computers (well, we can still work on our laptops, but if we rely on going to the internet or cloud for anything, we're screwed).

Growing up, we used to spend a lot of time at my grandparents' cabin in northwestern Minnesota.  It was so close to Canada, we could walk to the border.  There was no electricity, no running water.  If you needed to use the bathroom, for us males it was either pee in the woods or drop your drawers in the outhouse.  I loved it out there.

Imagine what your life would be like, even for a few minutes or hours, or even days, without electricity.

Greener pastures aren't much (if any) greener / Happenings In The Outhouse 07-Feb-2025

Looking elsewhere may seem like the grass is greener than where you are standing, but in most cases it is not.

What am I getting at?

Let's say, for example, that I write a bunch of stories in a certain genre and it doesn't seem to stick with readers.  So I pick another genre and do the same thing.  Nothing.  Then I see that a certain new genre is making the charts so I switch to that.

Again, nothing.

What seems to be the problem?  Well, it's . . . you.  You are the problem.  Work on improving your craft, whatever that may be, because switching genres or moving to a larger city, just because you think you can gain more sales (even though you already have existing clients) is the wrong move.

Because when you get there, the grass looks like where you first were.  In fact, it may even be worse.

More on this next week . . .

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.

Outlook On Life / Happenings In The Outhouse 08-Nov-2024

How do you view your outlook of life in general?

You may think you view life as good, but when things don't go your way, how do you react?

Think on that in four years . . .

Show Up Like It Is The First / Happenings In The Outhouse 04-Oct-2024

Last weekend, my wife and I, along with two of her cousins, went to the final Minnesota Twins game of the season.  They were already out of the playoffs, so either winning or losing the game didn't matter for their team's standing.

However, if that game was someone's first time at a Twins game, whether the players played to win or lose, they should always play as if it's someone's first time there.  Someone may have spent their entire lives wanting to go to a game, even saved for the trip.

The same goes with musicians and concerts.  They should always play as if it's their first concert for someone, their first experience.

Authors are also not immune to this.  Every story should be written as if it's someone's first time reading your story.  Don't treat it like a throwaway story.

By the way, the Twins lost that game too, six to two against the Baltimore Orioles.  Was it a throwaway game?  Some have opinions.  I'll keep mine to myself because I had a good time and, not being a sports fan, I don't like criticizing another player for something I could never do.

Battling Complacency / Happenings In The Outhouse 02-Aug-2024

It's easy to stay in one spot, be it career or job position or hobbies or place of residence or . . . well, just about anything at this point.

But what if . . . 

Now, I'm not saying that everyone should quit their job, abandon their hobbies, and move away.  But if you are given an opportunity to do something different, even for a little while, what's stopping you?

Pay Attention To What You Are Learning / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-July-2024

Pay close attention to what you are learning.

I had a meeting with one of my colleagues and they were asking what they should be doing to prepare for an upcoming leadership role.

This is an interesting question, and can be applied to many jobs or learnings as there is a multitude of information out there.  Take leadership for a moment.  There are a ton of books, and they run the gambit from dreadful to spectacular.  Okay, so how do you know?  You don't.  And here's the caveat: what one finds no value in, others do.

I have read a lot about time management over the years, and there are good ideas and there . . . well, mediocre ones at best.  But what one finds that works, others do not.  And vice versa.

It's easy to get caught up in the soaking up of knowledge.  In the end, the best way is to actually do the job.  Take writing.  The best way I have found is to sit down and write.  Read too, but also write.

Control Your Calendar / Happenings In The Outhouse 10-May-2024

It is important to get control of your calendar.

Everyone is getting pulled in different directions, and with the advent of technology it seems like our time and attention is getting pulled even more.

It pays dividends to focus on one item at a time without distractions.  If you're doing your taxes, I wouldn't suggest watching a movie at the same time as well as washing dishes and playing your meals for the next week.  Even if you do one thing for an hour and take a small break, that's fine as long as you're doing just one thing at a time.

Also, multi-tasking and doing it well is a myth.  Trust me, there is research to back it up.  I won't link to any studies here.  If you don't believe me, look for yourself.

Learn what is important to you and put those things on your calendar.  Because if you don't control your time, someone else will.

Sucked Into The Negative / Happenings In The Outhouse 19-April-2024

It's so easy to get sucked into the black hole that is negativity.

Happens all the time in social media and even in real life.

A few weeks ago, the company I work with made a decision on shifting some employees around to other departments.  They even so far as to offer them the opportunity to work in newly formed departments or offer positions in a variety of other departments.  The department they were currently in was being shifted overseas (where there was already an office).

Now, where is the negativity in this?  Online via social media, of course.  And across the region's news outlets.  The majority of the headlines and articles were slanted against the company, and did not reflect the true picture of what was going on.

I am in no way, shape, or form backing what the company was doing, as it could have done a much better job of communicating.  That being said, it brings to light the bigger picture of negativity.  I read the comments and shook my head at how misinformed people are.

So I digress: do not get sucked into the mire of negativity.  Move on.  Take a step back and see the bigger picture.

Natural Born / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-April-2024

No one is a "natural born" anything.

Yes, I agree that we're all inclined one way or another when it comes to certain tasks.  Some have innate abilities toward gardening or automotive repair or cooking or carpentry or writing or drawing or whatever else, but no one comes right out of the womb with abilities born in us.

What brings this on was the newest season of Hell's Kitchen on Tubi.  My wife and I watched it, and so many of the aspiring chefs kept saying they were a natural born leader, etc.  No one is a natural born leader.  Or anything else, for that matter.

And if you need to say it out loud, clearly you're not one.

Rant over.

What are some things you naturally aspire to do?

The Toxic Mix of Politics And Entertainment Creators / Happenings In The Outhouse 01-March-2024

I wrote this post over six years ago, and I can still remember the circumstances that led to it.

And I will repeat this again, because someone very publicly came out recently and trashed someone.  All because this person had a letter by their name.  Yes, it boils down to politics and whether or not the person in question has an R or a D by their name.

I don't give a pass to anyone.  Period.  No one is perfect.

Now, I would LOVE to state here who I am speaking about--and I apologize for being so cryptic--but I will not.  In rare instances have I done this, and I'm not starting now.

Bottom line: do not mix politics if you are in the entertainment business.  Unless it is the clear focus of the content you are creating, please stop.  It alienates others on one side of the political aisle.

The person is question is a big name author, with a series of books that he can't seem to finish after several years and two HBO series in the same world.  This person completely demonized someone and completely ignored another, all because they have an R by their name.  He gives a complete pass to those with a D by their name.

Yes, I am talking about Republicans and Democrats.

Do not give anyone a pass.  If you demonize one side without criticizing the other, you are being a complete hypocrite.

Stop doing that.  Seriously, stop it.

There, rant over . . .

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.