Episode #157: Please Wait, Your Call Is Very Important To Us

Love Is In The Air.

Waiting.

It's something that we do without really thinking about it, but more often than not, we don't get bothered by waiting. Sometimes we can be waiting in line, waiting around a table, waiting to be called, or waiting for a train.

On the other hand, waiting can be really annoying. Such as waiting in line at the post office behind someone getting passports done and the branch in question is small and sometimes will not open a second window to clear out those waiting in line.

Or, we can be waiting to get coffee, that human created nectar of the gods, which can cause us to be cranky until we down that nectar of the gods. Even then, sometimes waiting can be too much to handle with aplomb.

But waiting for someone, now that is something that we all can relate to. Are we waiting for someone to love? Someone to hate? Are we waiting for the other shoe to drop? That definitely can be nerve racking to say the least. But waiting out a punishment is certainly nerve racking. 'Course, that truly depends on what the punishment actually is (nudge, nudge, blink 182).

But you may be waiting for a light to turn green, in which case the waiting time can be greater than thirty seconds but less than one and a half minutes. But for those of us who are impatient types, that kind of wait can be insufferable.

Ultimately though, waiting around for something to happen is just a naturally unfortunate part of life that we have to learn to tolerate but never wholly accept. Because as you probably don't know, waiting is a verb (although it can be defined as a noun) or in some cases, an action verb.

So when someone asks you, "What are you waiting for?", please don't say the "The Fish Cheer". Because no one below the age of seventy is not gonna know what that means.

This post is brought to you by yours truly, who in the span of twenty-four hours: spent thirty-five minutes ordering and receiving food at a slow-food restaurant; spent another thirty-five minutes at the post office behind a family of six getting a passport, which was followed by seven minutes at a Dunkin' and another at a Jersey Mike's (never been to one before, just had one open up in town and a prime location and the food was very good).

{c} 2023 by G.B. Miller. All Rights Reserved

Episode #156: Book Review "Out Of Dreams: Nightmares" by Charles Gramlich

I would like to preface this book review by stating that this was originally destined for Amazon, but because of a policy about reviews {requires a minimum $50 spent on a credit or debit card}, that I do 100% agree with, I am unable to post it there. 

By the way, this kicks off an occasional series of normal and abnormal reviews of products purchased. With that being said, please enjoy this stellar book review.

"Snack Size Nuggets Of Horror Goodness"

I'm one of those people who can be very picky when it comes to certain genres, like horror. I'm not a fan of the incredibly graphic, but I do have a tendency to lean towards a thinking man's horror (think pleasantly dark).

This particular book came recommended to me while I was scrolling through social media, so I thought I would give it a shot. Not counting the various credits, etc, it clocks in at a smooth 118 pages and is chock full of stories ranging from one to eight pages in length, with each one being a solidly entertaining and lively short story, designed to make you think about the darkness of what life has to offer.

One story did stand out in particular for me: Cliffy Is Missing. I won't spoil the story for you, but I had visions of a particular "Far Side" cartoon throughout the entire time I was reading the story.

Overall, I found this collection of short stories to be a fine sampler of horror for those who are looking to dip their toes into that genre but don't know exactly where to begin. For me, this was a good solid way to get my toes wet, and I highly recommend it to all. This short story collection gets a rare 5 star rating out of me.

Out Of Dreams: Nightmares by Charles Gramlich.

Like I said, I do fully support this review policy of Amazon's. It's a good start in trying to weed out the illegitimate reviews of a given product by applying a minimum threshold required to participate. However, it may be a very long while before I start using a c/c on Amazon, as I find it much easier to control my impulse buying by using a different payment form than a c/c. Which means that the bulk of my reviews will have to be posted here on my blog.

Hopefully my review has piqued your curiosity enough to not only check out this book, but check other fine works written by Charles Gramlich.

{c} 2023 by G.B. Miller. All Rights Reserved

Episode #155: Returning With A Yap

My former office, circa 2007, I believe. About 90% of what you see now resides in my basement just outside my den. Good times, fond memories and great conversation pieces.

After almost an entire month away from blogging, I have returned to give it the old college try to see if I can squeeze a few more posts out of this old noggin of mine. Although as of late, it's been a little tougher to do.

I had a very decent Christmas this past year, insomuch that I actually received everything I had asked for and didn't ask for. I actually had to make my family think because I didn't ask for gift cards. Instead, I got a dash cam, new pricey sneakers and a head shaver that I can start using in the Spring after my annual haircut.

And like normal, a very quiet New Year's, as I do not stay up to ring in the new year. Personally, I find it to be severely overrated, so yeah....no dealing with family any longer than I absolutely have to.

On the writing front, we're making very good headway. I made a promise to myself that I would stop my current project as soon as I completed the second book of my trilogy {Hot Mess}, and the deadline I gave to myself was the end of January. I have at least one book I would like to republish this year, and I haven't worked on any of the next phase since late October 2021.

So currently, my word count sits a little north of 182k+ (all handwritten), covering forty-two chapters, as well as two and a fifth of three ring binders (roughly 220 pages each). I think once I get that second book done, I'll have to do a short chapter/plot breakdown, just so I have a solid grip on all of the various plot points I'm currently working on. Because right now, I'm coming dangerously close to getting a little lost in my story, and I don't mean that in a good way.

The book I want to publish this year is a rewrite that I had worked on in 2021 for a previously published book that I was not happy with on a multitude of fronts (writing, title, cover, etc) and decided that as soon as I was retired, I would work on fixing a few things with it. This is something I'll probably cover in greater detail in the coming months.

Well, I think here is a good spot to end this post as any, and in the coming weeks, I'm hopeful to have a few more ting to talk about. Take care and have a good rest of the week.

{c} 2023 by G.B. Miller. All Rights Reserved