When the craving strikes, there’s nothing like a quintessential sugary sweet muffin to take the edge off. I’m not a frequent eater or muffins, but I’ll admit that I hanker for one every now and then. Luckily I’m proficient in the kitchen, so I can easily whip some up at any given time. A few days ago, I decided on this wonderful recipe by Taste of the South. The recipe calls for some rather unique (or I should say, not used too much in traditional muffin recipes) ingredients, such as brown sugar, vanilla extract, buttermilk, strawberries, and pecans. What a combination. I prepared the muffins and they were excellent. They completely hit the spot. If you’re interested in food like this, click through for the recipe. You won’t regret it. It’s a winner. Continue reading…
The Funniest Thing That Ever Happened in my Life
Sometimes there’s funny and other times there’s FUNNY. We’ve all experienced something that we found to be funny in our lives. Perhaps it was watching someone scare someone else, listening to someone tell a joke, or watching as a pet makes a fool of himself. Whatever the case, what we’ve likely experienced are mildly funny occurrences. In the post that follows, I’d like to take things up a notch. Instead of keeping things mild, I’d like to share a few of the absolute funniest things that I’ve ever been involved with in my life. Luckily, I have yet to be on the receiving end of such humor. I’d like to keep it that way too. Click through to get a good laugh. Continue reading…
Connecting With Your Audience While Writing
There’s a trap many writers fall into while they write. I’ve fallen into this trap far too many times than I’d confess to. The trap can be explain as one where the writer considers only him or herself while presenting their thoughts to others, without giving as much consideration to those others as they should. It’s simple enough to fall victim to, but a real shame because of the wasted labor and opportunity. In this post, I discuss everything I mentioned above as well as what we can do about it. It’s not terribly difficult to fix. It just takes some thought. Click through to read the rest. Continue reading…
Different Types of Prewriting
Once I get going with what I’d like to write, I think I do fine. It’s the starting thing I have trouble with. Have you even found yourself suffering from what’s referred to as “blank page syndrome?” It’s when you sit down to write something and nothing comes to mind. As I discuss in this post, you usually end up looking at a blank piece of paper or a computer screen for far too long. Don’t worry – this type of thing gets the best of us. In this post, I discuss this issue in more detail and then I talk about ways to work through it. It’s actually easier than you think. If you’re anything like me, you’ll use the enclosed tips to jump this troublesome hurdle and then write, write, write away. Continue reading…
Become a Master at Writing For the Web
Writing for the web is so very different than writing for print. There’s more involved and there’s lots to consider. For instance, how long do you have to capture a readers interest on the web? What will a reader on the web do if they sense you’re being dishonest? How do readers on the web behave and how can you best engage with them? Writing for print has been going on for ages, but relatively speaking, writing for the web is still in its infancy. In this post, I answer the questions I asked above and touch on much more. Please click through to learn how to and possibly become a better writer for the web. Continue reading…
Introduction to Creative Writing
If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a writer, you can certainly pick up a pencil or type on a keyboard to write to your heart’s content. If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a professional writer for, say, a publication such as the New Yorker, you’ll need to learn some material so you know what you’re doing. Writing is an involved sport. It’s not just jotting down what’s on your mind. It’s about jotting down what’s on your mind, in a coherent and structured way, with the intention of having your reader understand and enjoy your piece as it was intended. There’s a lot to it, but nothing that’s insurmountable. In this post, I offer an introduction to creative writing that you might not have known has existed. Please click through to learn how to become a better writer. Continue reading…
The Old Man
Inspiration strikes at the strangest of times. I actually began writing this story after thinking of it while standing in the shower. Back in the earlier part of this century, that’s where I did most of my thinking. I’d get an idea and run out, half dried and half clothed, to write whatever it was I had thought of on a piece of paper – just so I wouldn’t forget any of the details. The year was 2009 and I decided it was time for some of what I had bottled up for so long to come out. Moments after I got dressed, I sat down at my desk and began to type. For three days straight, I thought, recalled, typed, and edited. And when I was finished, I had something that was workable. And it sat in that state for four years. It wasn’t until I had too much spare time while living in Florida one summer that I put my mind to completing the story in earnest. I went through it piece by piece and after I was happy with what I had, I sent it along to my mother for final editing. When she was finished working her magic, she sent it back and I posted it on my blog. This story means a lot to me. The main character is a man who once lived close by. We were only a few miles apart as I was growing up and while our relationship was initially troubled, it grew into something deeply meaningful. So meaningful, in fact, I don’t expect anything like it to happen again. At least not in my lifetime. I hope you enjoy the story. I’m aware that it’s long winded, but I wish you’d give it a shot. And once you’re finished, let me know what you thought of it in the comment section below. Continue reading…
An Allegory of Happiness
I wrote this post when I was in the mood to be blunt. You may not like reading it. I’ll tell you things you might not want to hear. Basically, a dear friend called me on the phone to complain about life. After listening for a few moments, I had had enough. I wasn’t going to listen to his complaining any longer, so I told him how it was. I told him the truth and recorded that truth for you to read as well. The beauty of the truth I told him is that it just may be the truth you need as well. We all have issues in our lives, but wallowing shouldn’t be one of them. Click through to read exactly what I’m referring to and when you get revved up and ready to reply, please do so in the comment section below the post. Continue reading…
Takedowns, X-Guard, & the Shoyoroll Gi
In this post, I discuss a few things Jitsu. I talk about Judo’s influence on BJJ and how takedowns in Judo work wonderfully all around. I also discuss an effective series of techniques called the X-Guard and what can go wrong while tying to execute them. Finally, I talk fashion. Many of my training partners like the Shoyoroll Gi company and I’ve recently shown an interest in them as well. Click through to learn more. Continue reading…
Tiny Houses
Living in a consumer driven society can certainly take a toll on those who participate in said society. When handed what’s not earned, there can be a certain degradation of pride and a strong sense of demoralization. A degradation of self worth. When I wrote this post, I was in the mood to throw it all away and almost live in a box. I had it with the world of goods and I wanted to get back to nature where I belonged. This post is a good one. It’s one of my favorites because I think I hit the nail on the head more than once. Give it a read and let me know what you think. Continue reading…