This Old(er) Nerd

For just the third time since moving to my current city of residence, I have been summoned to jury duty. Despite that, I have yet to actually be on a jury; the closest I have come was an attempted murder trial where I didn’t make the cut. Unfortunately, the process of picking jurors took all day and into the night, so I didn’t even get to enjoy a partial day off. 😐 Most people approach jury duty…

August 28, 2024 – Intro / Driving to Waco iOS has a Journal app, so I thought I’d dictate my thoughts as I take a trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma for the Tails and Tornadoes furry convention. So here we go! Packed up and ready to go! It’s been a while since I’ve taken a trip up by 35 for fun or even for work for that matter. Just getting out of San Antonio was a bit of a bear; given that I left during…

As a lifelong Texan, I am no stranger to hot summers, so this poem, popularly known as “Ode To Texas” hits a certain nerve around this time of the year when it feels like the triple-digit days will never end in the Lone Star State.  The author of this work has seemingly been lost to time, but it was written way before our miserably hot modern times.  And so I give you:  “Ode to Texas”

Super-Short Storytime: “A Conversation”

Whether you work with words, musical notes, paint, foam, cloth, or even pixels, there are few times more frustrating than when your brain just doesn’t want to cooperate and the whatever-it-is that you want to create just doesn’t happen.  We’ve all been there, and one such time provided me with this delightful drabble that I have deemed: “A Conversation”

Super-Short Storytime: “Saturday Night”

Few things in life are as embarrassing as not being in the right place.  Indeed, Dear Listeners, I have found myself inside the wrong classroom, dorm room, hotel room and even building on occasion.  Thus, I can certainly relate to the young lady in this little lost lark that I’ve labeled: “Saturday Night.”

Super-Short Storytime: “Oneupmanship”

While I would like to be hopeful that gatherings such as this don’t take place in real life, the callousness that the “haves” can show towards the “have-nots” makes me wonder sometimes.  And so I present this rich recital that I call: “Oneupmanship.”

Super-Short Storytime: “Loaner”

If a company sells a million widgets and 1 percent of them break, that’s ten thousand unhappy customers.  As the man in this story is about to learn, service contracts tend to favor the ones who wrote them and thus, I give you this tale of customer dissatisfaction that I call: “Loaner.” Read the story here!

“Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)”, Ramones, 1989 It feels fitting to close out 2021 with some punk rock. Naturally, the Ramones make up for the song’s sentimentalism in the video: Enjoy the full list of Christmas favorites on YouTube!

My Favorite Christmas Songs 2021 #2

“Everyone’s a Kid at Christmastime”, Stevie Wonder, 1965 This is Stevie Wonder’s third song on my list. It’s upbeat, fun, and a reminder that it’s okay to let our inner child out to play every holiday season. Enjoy the full list of Christmas favorites on YouTube!

My Favorite Christmas Songs 2021 #3

“O Holy Night”, Perry Como, 1968 Probably one of the more difficult Christmas carols to sing, Perry Como handles this standard with aplomb. Enjoy the full list of Christmas favorites on YouTube!

My Favorite Christmas Songs 2021 #4

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, Frank Sinatra, 1957 From the “A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra” album, Ol’ Blue Eyes knocks this standard out of the park. TRIVIA: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was written by Hugh Martin for the movie “Meet Me In St. Louis” starring Judy Garland. Some of the original lyrics were rewritten because they were found to be overly depressing.…

Super-Short Storytime: “The X-Mas File”

Enjoy a Christmas story about a pair of government agents who spend Christmas Eve looking for a certain somebody… Read the story on my website!

My Favorite Christmas Songs 2021 #5

“Zat You, Santa Claus?”, Louis Armstrong, 1953 I’ve spent most of my life living by myself so I can definitely relate to Louis Armstrong’s ode to something going bump in the night during the holiday. Enjoy the full list of Christmas favorites on YouTube!

My Favorite Christmas Songs 2021 #6

“Underneath the Tree”, Kelly Clarkson, 2013 One of the more current pop tunes on this list, this one makes for a nice chaser after the over-the-top “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” by Mariah Carey. Enjoy the full list of Christmas favorites on YouTube!

My Favorite Christmas Songs 2021 #8

“Merry Christmas All,” Denise Montana, 1976 Sometimes you can clearly tell when something comes from a particular time period and Merry Christmas All is definitely a product of the 1970s. I am as well, so that isn’t entirely a bad thing! Enjoy the full list of Christmas favorites on YouTube!

My Favorite Christmas Songs 2021 #9

“Driving Home for Christmas,” Chris Rea, 1986 I nearly always spend Christmas in my hometown, which is just over two hours away by car. It’s in South Texas, so I’ve never driven for days or through snow, but I can certainly relate to spending a little time on the interstate on the way to loved ones. Enjoy the full list of Christmas favorites on YouTube!