Vacation Observations

Did you miss me?

We are settling back into the routine after our family vacation. There was not much time to sit down and write, or when there was, I have to say I was exhausted. This week will be a little light on TTMM as I get back into work mode, raise my energy levels up to the normal levels, and sit down to do some writing again. I have many ideas of coming articles but the words are not flowing as they should to make them presentable. Please, forgive the holes in the schedule.

I did want to leave everyone with something to think about from my observations away; just a few quick notes of reference. What do you think?

No matter how someone parents their children, other parents will have a “better way to handle” the situation. Some of those methods may be better but we have to remember that we are not the parents of that spoiled brat that is causing all the issues. We are just sharing in the awkwardness of the situation.
It doesn’t matter how exciting the place you are visiting, there is probably a large portion of that city’s population that that wishes they were somewhere else.
Can someone tell me how so many people can spend business hours riding their bikes, running, and rollerblading? It is in the middle of the day, don’t they have jobs?
It doesn’t matter how well the hotel is rated, there will always be a group of children running the halls and playing in the elevator. It is a fact we must accept.
Yes, the cab drivers will run you over if you walk in front of them.
Never sit in the front seat of a taxi cab if you are a squeamish about other people’s driving. If you have to do so, spend the time reading your phone but never look out the windshield. You will not enjoy the trip.
Wearing your sports team swag while visiting the rival’s city is just fun, especially when you repeatedly win against them.
Food that you would normally not eat will actually sound good after walking all day. That is why it is available around the tourist areas. The only regret you will have is paying the absurd amount.
No matter how much time you spend on vacation, it will take twice the amount of time to recover from the time away. There should be a vacation after the vacation in order to rest up.

For all those on vacation at this time of year, what are some of your observations that you have discovered? Let’s see if we can add to the list.

Until next time…

jerryb

Related Post: It’s Family Vacation Time

TTMM Weekly Wrap and Facebook Thoughts

This week has been crazy and satisfying in many ways. We started the week visiting Hell or at least its kitchen, in our look into what the reality show’s contestants should consider before accepting a role on the show. On our next stop we visited what makes people purge their friends list on the all-powerful Facebook. We ended the week with my personal blog and internet reading list at the moment.

It seems if you wish to get people’s attention, just mention Facebook. That is why I mentioned it in the title of today’s blog. Almost everyone has a Facebook account, whether they actively use it or log in once in a while to creep through their friends’ photos. My mother is even on the social network giant. She uses it to keep in contact with her children. Now that doesn’t mean she is actively participating in two-way communication, she is sort of “stalking” the family by reading our statuses or blogs. Kind of creepy in some ways, but it is nice in others as it gives the feeling of having a guardian angel watching over me; a mute guardian angel. I love you, Mom. Just smile and wave at the readers.

“Social media includes web-based and mobile based technologies which are used to turn communications into interactive dialogue among organizations, communities, and individuals.”.. as defined by Wikipedia

Our fascination for all forms of social media has been growing over the past 15 years. Social media began to enter mainstream culture as AOL grew in popularity. True geeks will argue the first wide-spread social communication on the internet was message boards but the majority of us are not “true geeks” so I will stick by my timeline, not the geek-line. As I was saying, social media started with AOL, then moved to Yahoo, progressing to the social world we have today. Like all things, if used responsibly, the inter-linking Internet communities can be beneficial; like guns, alcohol, religion, and porn. (I have always wanted to put those words in a sentence.) However, if abused, those same electronic societies can quickly go from annoying to fanatical. Now I don’t think that Facebook will be the fall of society but more likely a blip on the timeline our progress. Then again, religions have been started from some of the strangest things; wasn’t Scientology born from a sci-fi book?

Let’s look back at this week’s posts

Love them or hate them, reality shows are part of our culture and television schedule. This week, we looked into what the contestants on Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen should understand before they join the show in “A Little Advice for Hell…Or Hell’s Kitchen.”
If Facebook friend lists reflect our relationships with others, then it is time to clean up your list. Here are the reasons why some do not appear on my friends list anymore in “The Friendship Is Over…Just Ask Facebook.”
Taking a little time for a family vacation this week, I thought it would be fun to share out some of the authors, bloggers, and webpages that I am currently following. I hope you took some time to read through their pages. I hope to share more that I discover. See my recommendations in “It’s Family Vacation Time.”

I want to thank everyone for reposting and sharing. I write because I enjoy writing. I post for you, the reader to enjoy. If you like a blog, share it with your friends, repost on your favorite site, or just leave a comment. I will keep doing this as long as everyone keeps reading.

Until next time…

jerryb

The Friendship is Over…Just Ask Facebook

In our current culture, Facebook dictates who we like and recognize as our friends. If you are not on our Facebook friends list, then you must not be someone we consider worthy of such a title. Never mind that we talk on the phone, at work, or when we get together in person; if you don’t make the cut on the almighty Facebook, you are not really my friend. I am truly sorry to break that news to you so publically on the internet. I would have notified you via my status update, but you wouldn’t see it because my Facebook is only for those people who are my friends and since you are not on the list, you wouldn’t have been given this little tidbit of wisdom. I know you were once in the know and on the elite list of friends but found yourself banished to obscurity without a warning or reason. It could have happened for one of many different reasons and I feel that I owe you an explanation about why you were kicked out of the cool kids’ crowd. So here are some of the reasons you have been defriended.

For the love of the game: It seems that you had a whole lot of time on your hands to play online games. You filled my screen with your little achievement updates, and requested help building your barn, finding a stone, or kicking another player’s ass. I, however, do not have the luxury of time and have had less time due to having to sort through multiple pages of your game posts just to find something interesting from people who had something real to share. Sorry, but you have been deleted from the list and I truly hope that barn of yours burns to the ground.
Breaking the chain: In the beginning, there were chain letters. Then came chain emails. In our new world, we have chain statuses. Like their predecessors, they do nothing more than piss off the people who feel guilty for not complying with the requested response. Thank you for the notification on the little girl that is suffering from a fatal acne breakout. I am sure that it will clear up after we re-post the story in our status. Well, I for one desire to live a guilt-free life and am willing to close my eyes to all of the suffering in the world to make it a better place for me. In honor of my new outlook, or lack thereof, I am purging you from my friends list in order to be a happier me. I feel better already.
Drama class: I for one like a little bit of drama, as long as it is happening to someone else. The Drama Queens who display their drama for all to see can be quite amusing. However, when you constantly share your relationship issues, your pitiful life, or your hatred for your job, you cross over from the realm of amusing to pathetic. If I wanted to see that every day, I would watch reruns of the Jerry Springer Show. Your life is too depressing even for me. I highly recommend you should consider seeking help outside the electronic world.
Manic moments: On the opposite side of the depressing drama are those of you that are chronically upbeat and cheerful. After reading your status messages every hour (because you post your joyful messages frequently), I almost wonder if your high spirits are a result of rainbows coming out of your ass. Your words of uplifting prose probably make you feel warm and fuzzy, but for those of us that live in the world of reality, you are obnoxiously manic. No one is that merry all the time; hence your deletion from the pool of friends. Call me cynical but I have no room for someone that is not honest with me on how shitty your life has truly become.
Who the hell are you?: Just because you happen to be related to my second cousin by marriage and you have the same last name as I do does not mean that I know you. Though we attended the same school, church, or worked at the same fast food place doesn’t make us friends. In a moment of weakness (and curiosity) I accepted your friend request. I have since realized that weakness is not the way to live and have rectified that moment by deleting you out of my life. I feel stronger already.

I hope this clears up any questions that kept you up at night regarding the change of status. For a brief moment, we were thick as thieves and part of a greater societal circle together. May you go on to find friends that appreciate your uniqueness. I, for one, am not that friend.

Looking back over my friends list, I see a few members of my family, a few people that make me laugh with their posts, and a handful of people who are my only link to a life that is long past. I have come to realize that I must not be a good person as I have fewer friends than I thought. Maybe they deleted me because of the constant promotion of my blog. NAW, they love me.

Until next time…

Jerryb

TTMM Weekly Wrap…Holiday Week Edition

Here’s to you!

June was a busy month at TTMM. At the end of each week, I try to take some time to step out of the normal format of the post and take a more personal approach to the message. In the past, I have thanked some of you for your support. That support has made June a month of records for TTMM. I saw daily view records broken, not once but four times during the four weeks. June was also the most viewed month in the past two years. This was directly related to you, the reader. I have a limited amount of exposure on my social media but have noticed that many of you that follow TTMM have shared with their friends. I cannot express how much that means to me. There are some of you that go above and beyond in your support and to those, I send out a special thank you.

Once again, I owe a very special thanks to my wife. I have realized in the past few weeks that when I write, I have a tendency to almost obsess. Though I can be narcissistic and compulsive in my craft, she has undying support and patience with me. She is my editor (thankfully you do not read what it would look like before she gives it a work over), my soundboard (for hours on end at times), and co-contributor to a few of the posts. I look to her as my anchor in all aspects of my life. With our family, our home, and our interests, she is truly my partner.

A week in review

I think my mental filter might have been on a vacation this week. Let us look back and review some of the ramblings from the past week.

Monday Morning Stupid Questions: Continuing with the office mental monologue for the dreaded “How was your weekend” question.
Things That Go BOOM!: In honor of the holiday TTMM reflects on the nostalgic fireworks we all know and love.
Airport Diaries #2: Opps! Did I say That? : For experienced or novice traveler, there are a few things that should not be said to the Custom agents. Here is just a few to add to your list.

Summer reading

I want to wrap up with a little discussion on summer reading. It is the time of year where many take some time to grab a book and read on the beach or pool side. A few books on my list include: A Game of Thrones, the whole Indian Hill series by Mark Tufo, the final book in the Morningstar Strain trilogy by the late Z.A. Recht, and a list of others that are loaded on my Nook. What is on your summer reading list?

Until next time…

jerryb

Airport Diaries #2: Oops! Did I Say That?

Airplane diaries — Airplane Diaries. A travelers journal

Traveling on an international flight has its perks. One of which is the ability to have a few drinks during the long flight when everyone else is asleep. Those cute little bottles seem to add up faster than you realize. The drawback to this airtime happy hour is the arrival back on U.S. soil and the visit to immigration, and subsequently customs, for your re-entry interview. Now under normal circumstances, a trip through immigration and customs is a boring affair. However, through trial and error, we can safely say that neither department’s agents have a sense of humor.Here is a short and incomplete list of a few things NOT to say to re-entry agents.

When asked, “Where have you have been?” it is not appropriate to answer with “a brothel, too many bars to remember, and this cute little place where they package this crazy white powder.”

If you are asked if you have something to declare, I strongly discourage declaring that the agent’s breath “stinks to high heaven”. Also, you are not doing yourself any favors by offering a breath mint or piece of gum.

A standard question is, “What was the nature of your trip?” The simple answer is “business” or “vacation”. The incorrect answer would be “well, you see there are some operations that are not exactly legal in this country…”

If you find yourself asked to step off to the “little room” where an agent proceeds to don surgical gloves, you are probably in for a few intimate yet uncomfortable moments with the agent. Since we have established the agents do not have a sense of humor, refrain from comments such as “Can we go to dinner first?”, “So, do you really enjoy your job?”, and “Please remove that class ring first, I don’t want that thing lost up there”. In addition, I would not recommend encouraging them by stating, “What you find you keep. What you don’t find, I keep.” or winking at any time.

If you see one of the female agents walking through baggage with drug sniffing dogs, you definitely shouldn’t kneel down and pet the dog while asking in a cutesy voice, “Which one of you is the bitch? Huh, come on who’s the bitch?”

Now I know these seem outlandish but like most warning labels, someone has tried them and each has proven to cause some minor inconvenience on continued travel and/or personal freedom. If you find any additional things that should not be said when entering the country, please pull off a few squares of prison toilet paper and write them down for us. We look forward to your research.

Until next time…

jerryb

Things That Go BOOM!

For my friends in the United States, the Fourth of July is not just Independence Day; it is a day of barbecues, family gatherings, booze, and time off work. Like the other 50,000 bloggers out there, I am taking a few moments to reflect on the most important part of our celebration: fireworks.

What other time of year can the masses legally possess the equivalent to mini sticks of dynamite? One M-80 is equivalent to a 1/8 stick of dynamite. No wonder the M-80’s are now illegal in the United States. Just think about all the gun powder you can accumulate in that $500 bag of fireworks you put between your kids in the backseat. The laws state that without proper licensing, no firework can contain more than 50 milligrams of pyrotechnic composition per unit. Doesn’t seem like much until you look into the backseat at the massive pile of pyrotechnics you just purchased. I hope you don’t smoke in your car.

With the entire big bang fireworks that have been introduced over the recent years, there are some classic fireworks that bring back memories for most of us.

Firecrackers

Firecrackers are a long time standard for the backyard celebration. The sound of firecrackers can be heard echoing through the neighborhood hours after the first fireworks tents are raised. Like most things, we are not content to just light and toss these little sound generators. Everyone has stories of creative things done with firecrackers. My sister is still a little pissed at me for the time I taped half a brick of firecrackers to her Barbie because I was tired of blowing up my own toys. As I grew older, we would try to see the quantity required to destroy bigger objects with limited success. If you wish to really get even with the neighbors, hang an aluminum trash can (don’t use the one that you cooked your turkey in last Thanksgiving, that is gross) from a low hanging branch and drop in a bundle of 5000 Blackcat Firecrackers. This is guaranteed to earn a few points on the annoyance scale.

Bottle rockets

When tossing firecrackers at your friends no longer holds your attention, escalate your teenage angst by launching the aerial counterpart to firecrackers: bottle rockets. Neighborhood wars have been waged as teenagers team up to launch their attacks. Keep in mind; bottle rockets have 2 stages of pain. The first stage is when you light the wick of the more expensive sort that has been coated in black powder. The green wick burns, shooting flaming sparks and pieces of wick onto the holder’s forearm. The key is to hold the bottle rocket until the optimum moment before launch. Nothing is worse than lighting your bottle rocket mid-battle and then throwing it too quickly. You will completely miss the intended recipient and instead, experience the second stage of pain: when the bottle rocket hits the ground right in front of you and ricochets back into your own leg.

Roman candles

Roman candles are to bottle rockets what a nuke is to a traditional ordinance. These fiery tubes shoot out colorful balls. Though they are meant to be aimed skyward, they have become a favorite in projectile battling. Though roman candles do not have the range of a traditional bottle rocket, it can be intimidating to have a fire ball flying towards you, despite the fact that it is a beautiful color of green.

Sparklers

Kids love how pretty the sparklers are and how they can write their names in bright light. Sparklers are a simple concept. Just light the end of the gunpowder-crusted metal stick, hand to a small child, and watch as they burst in tears as the hot embers scorch their delicate skin. If the sparks do not do the trick, the heat transfer through the metal stick should leave a scar (both mental and physical) for years to come.

Snakes

When I think of pointless fireworks, snakes come to the forefront of my mind. The only purpose of the snakes is to leave a blackened char permanently tattooing the sidewalk or patio. With smoke that evokes the smell of hell and a curl of black ash, these little anti-climactic disks will cause even the most excitable child to fall in a state of boredom.

I have heard it said, if you regulate dangerous materials to make them idiot proof, a better idiot will come along. Just ask the nurse working the ER, the exhausted firefighter, and the smiling fireworks distributor; this is the time of year that the Darwin awards become so popular. If only fireworks could be the chlorine in our gene pool.

Until next time…

jerryb and christineb

Monday Morning Stupid Questions

Another week begins as I arrive at my desk. I go through the automatic routine of unpacking my backpack, moving the piles of junk out of the way, looking for an area vacant of papers to place my overflowing coffee cup. Have I mentioned coffee is in the top five gifts from the gods? Well, it is and the quicker you realize the extreme importance of coffee, the happier we all will be. Anyway, it is time to start the day. Powering on the ball and chain computer I will be tied to the next few hours, I work on getting my piles of forgotten work into some semblance of organization to be pushed off another day. Then heavily sitting my ass into the confines of the torture device known as the office chair I am ready; welcome to a Monday morning.

I am still clearing the fog out of my head when I see someone hanging over the top of my cube. If only I could ignore them and they would go away. That is what you do with pests, right? Ignore them or spray them in the face with insecticide, and I don’t think that falls within office protocol. I should be so lucky…

“So, how was your weekend?”

Seriously? They must realize that it is way too early for a stupid question. With that one inane question, I feel my IQ dropping a few notches on the scale. It isn’t like these people actually know me outside of work. They are not even my Facebook friend, which is a true sign of knowing me, right? They don’t know my family, where I live, or what happens to me when I leave the office. The question ranks up there with “So, how’s married life?” on the scale of stupid icebreakers. Such superficial, rhetorical questions are a pitiful way to segue into what they really want, which is for me to do something for them. Well, as it is Monday morning, I am having no part of this office etiquette.

Maintaining my blank look, I run through all the responses that could potentially derail the coming work request. Which one should we pull out of the mental grab bag today?

“Oh, my weekend was great! I found out on Saturday from the neighbor’s wife that the baby isn’t mine as she feared. You know what a relief that is?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I went out after work Friday on a drinking and coke filled binge. I don’t remember any of it. I was just getting ready to scan Facebook and YouTube to see if I enjoyed myself”
“Not bad! Hey, I am having a little issue with my lab. What do you know about cooking meth?”
“Exhausting! Do you realize how difficult it is to make a buck when your pimp takes his cut? The things we do to make the mortgage payments, I am telling you.”
“PORN! That’s how it went! Me, this new lube I picked up, and high speed internet. I was in heaven for the past three days. Though, I might have over done it some” (shifting the front of your pants)
“Why do you ask? Seriously, that picture on the news looks NOTHING like me. Don’t you dare tell anyone that is does! I was nowhere near that store. ”
“Ever see the movie Hangover? It was nothing like that. I sat at home, played video games, and ate pizza. Well, except the whole monkey thing. I really like the monkey.”
“Ask your wife. She really needs to be the one that explains it to you.”
“Wrote my manifesto, cleaned my guns, and thought about how much I hate my job.”

Any of these responses will completely change the way my week starts off. It may not always change it for the better but I can guarantee it will change. Who needs a boring start of the week? Live a little! Let’s see how quickly we can be introduced to the new HR associate. I have a few questions for that little hottie. This might just be the ice-breaker that I need to make my move.

As you realize that they are still hovering, you mumble something like “It was pretty uneventful.” Any boring answer just might get this over with and allow you to get back to your coffee. However, if you are faced with the Monday morning situation and feel a little uncertain about using any of the above responses (or the mundane canned response) , feel free to respond in your best Gordon Ramsay impersonation and say “Piss off!”

Until next time…

jerryb

The Follies of Drunk Dialing

A night on the town and drinking with friends can be a memorable experience. It also can be a black hole in your memory as well. Things can get a little out of hand when reasoning checks out after the first few drinks. In a previous post, “A Moment of Clarity and Rules for Drinking”, I mentioned some simple rules, but I left out one of the most important ones. Leave it to a reader to point that out. As you enjoy the increase in your buzz and the slow loss of your common sense, remember that this is not the moment where you should pull out your phone and drunk dial.

Let’s first define drunk dialing. If you have had a few drinks and you feel compelled to pull out your phone, randomly search

Booze — Don’t let your friends drink and dial.

through your contacts, then feel the overwhelming need to call someone; you might be a drunk dialer. If you are waking with a hangover and someone has left you a pissed off message about a call you do not remember, you probably have drunk dialed someone the night before. When your recorded phone call has become a YouTube viral success, well, you should have deleted that contact a long time ago because the person you called was an ass.

Even celebrities are not immune to drunk dialing. It is easy to find celebrity drunk dials on the web. Who could forget Mel Gibson’s crazed, drunken rant to his ex-wife. The one-time successful celebrity, in a drunken rage, left a message that guaranteed his public relations company hours of billable time trying to recover his fallen image. Howard Stern created publicity when he sent out a Twitter message on New Year’s Eve inviting people to tweet their number and he would drunk dial them. Drunk dialing seems to be all the rage these days and will perhaps just become an acceptable way of life. Until that time, try to resist the urge. Though it may be chic these days for celebrities to admit that they succumb to the need to express themselves during their moments of intoxication, the rest of us need to take a few things into consideration. So, let’s take a moment to look for the warning signs for imminent drunk dials:

If you are feeling a little emotional after your tenth beer of the night, the idea of calling a long lost love at two in the morning is a bad decision. This will only lead to a profession of love and begging. Most likely, this person has moved on. The drunken phone call just reinforces the notion that you have not changed and are still a whiny pain in the ass. Incidentally, when I say they’ve moved on, I mean they most likely have decided that you are exactly what they didn’t want. However, if you wake their new improved significant other, then you might fall into the next situation, which is angry drunk dialing.
If anger is the drunken emotion you are possessing, then a verbal confrontation along the lines of the aforementioned Mel Gibson is likely the outcome. Since you didn’t have the backbone to express your pent up anger when you were dating, the liquid courage you acquired from your shots of tequila not only makes the idea justified but can end in a restraining order. However, if you already had the restraining order put on you, you could find yourself sleeping it off in the local police station.
The drunken booty call is by far the most common. The state of your meat and potatoes/wedding tackle (or any other funny euphemism for your junk) is something you should always consider before making such a call. Nothing is more embarrassing than waking someone with the promise of an exciting sexual interlude and then providing nothing more than a lame attempt and some tears.

If you find yourself absolutely unable to resist the urge to drunk dial, designate one of your most patient friends as the drunk dial receiver. Explain to them that as part of your friendship, they need to help save you from yourself. Warn them before you begin a night of drinking that they will more than likely receive a phone call from you. You could even arrange to be each other’s designated drunk dial receiver by taking turns. Other drastic measures could include purchasing a drunk-dial-as-you-go phone to take with you when going drinking or simply deleting all of your contacts from your phone before you go out. There is an anti-drunk dial phone where you have to blow into a tube before you can dial or text. Just having these for sale should indicate that this is a bigger issue than most of us know.

Until next time…

jerryb & christine

Rush Hour Reading

Driving in rush hour traffic is something that must be faced when you are part of the corporate treadmill. Travelling one-way for an hour can be tedious with very few bright moments. Entertainment can be found in imagining stories behind the drivers in the cars around you. In the Ford ahead of you, the driver puts on makeup as she eases through 10 mph traffic; she could be an executive or work in retail. In the work truck beside you the driver may be nursing a hangover from the night before and not just be stressed out ready to blow. The aggressive driver behind you is trying to pass but you are conveniently entertaining yourself by closing each opportunity. As he lays on the horn and makes obscene gestures, you wonder what are the triggers for road rage and exactly how far can you push the line. This is the modern day entertainment that begins my work day. I smile to myself as I realize entertainment can be found anywhere. Then suddenly I lose my good humor.

Just a few cars ahead of me to the right was a brand new BMW sedan. As all beautiful BMWs should be, it had high polished black paint, tinted windows, and the distinctive logo. What caused my mood to crumble was next to the BMW logo was a poorly placed bumper sticker. The sticker was skewed and bright pink, promoting some random idea that had little worth for the viewing public.

Who would do something so stupid?

Car graffiti — Why do we ruin our cars this way?

Why would anyone buy a $60,000 car and slap a fifty-cent, obnoxious day-glo pink bumper sticker on the trunk. The driver’s first mistake was putting the sticker on the car at all. Then after that idiotic thought, why put the gaudy sticker on the trunk? Obviously the mental deficiency that allowed the beamer owner to get this far extended even further into laziness as they could not even take a few more seconds to put the damn thing on straight. Some of us will work our whole lives and not even come close to having the ability to afford a car of this caliber. Here I am sitting in stopped traffic, trying desperately to advert my eyes from the highly offensive example of bad taste. Defacing the BMW with the obnoxious sticker seems like the equivalent to drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa.

I am finally able to pull up alongside the driver, lean over enough to look over and witness the owner of this rolling offense. Sitting behind the wheel is nothing less than a Jersey Shores’ reject. Her black hair is teased 80s style and framing collagen- filled lips that would embarrass Angelina Jolie. The leopard print steering wheel cover almost matched her blouse and at this point, I have lost all hope for humanity.

Bumper stickers do have their place. Without bumper stickers plastered all over it, that twenty-year-old rust-bucket, in the lane next to you, might not stay held together long enough to arrive at its destination. Bumper stickers are from a time past when bumpers were made of metal and you could hide the rust beneath a sticker. In many cases, bumper stickers were more stylish and durable than Duct tape. However, with today’s cars, it seems that the sun has set on our adhesive friends. With all the body parts painted on cars now, bumper stickers do nothing more than ruin the paint and deface an otherwise beautifully styled car.

With a final scornful glance at the driver, I think to myself there is a man out there who has to deal with this woman and I truly pity him. With a deep sigh, I close off another opportunity for the red-faced driver behind me and move on through the morning rush hour.

Until next time…

jerry b

TTMM Weekly Wrap and a Special Thank You

What a week it has been. I have been preparing for another business trip, as well as working to get some ideas out for TTMM. Always there is a balance between spending time writing and spending time with family. As always, family wins and this week, I have made the most of every minute with them. Since I will be out of the country on Father’s Day this year, my wife got most of the kids together to do an early celebration before I left. Dinners, presents, and the circus made for a weekend full of memories. In between it all, I continued to try and keep my discipline of writing each day. What ends up on the screen doesn’t always end up on TTMM. I have a whole folder of half started ideas that lost steam during the process. The few that made it through can be found here this week.

Ever have those moments where you are tired of the same old conversation starters? If so, take a look at “Five Winning Ice-breakers For the Office”
A couple things we must remember when we have a few drinks in public. Check them out in “A Moment of Clarity and the Rules for Drinking”
Taking a trip during the vacation season, check out “Airport Diaries #1: Security Hell”

As I muddle through writing, I look back on where I started and where I am today. I owe what I do with writing, to my wife. She tolerates my hours of single-minded focus on ideas and listens, even when she probably wishes I would talk about something else. She is patient when I create anxiety for myself for not meeting the self-imposed deadlines. As my editor, she is amazingly good, she has to read some of the drafts multiple times. Then, she listens, as I angst over whether it will be well received. Unlike writing books, there isn’t an acknowledgement page on a blog. So, I want to take a moment to say, without my wife dealing with my narcissistic ambitions, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this. She is my strength, my guiding light, and my partner in all things. I want to say thank you, to my lovely wife, with all my heart.

Until next time…

Jerryb

Airport Diaries #1: Security Hell

It is that time of year when air travel picks up momentum as vacationers flock to their remote destinations. In my job, I spend a fair amount of time in airports and traveling internationally. In the beginning, the travel was exciting and the people watching was worth the price of airfare, taxes, fuel surcharges and baggage checking. However as time went on the almost missed flights and longer delays as well as other frustrations beginning to pile up lead me to believe that now is time for us to discuss some points, helpful hints if you will, for the first time traveler; if for no other reason than I am stuck around you as you travel.

Getting through a security check is a process that has become increasingly frustrating for people over the past 11 years. The rules set in place to keep us safe from the potential evils of the world have created longer lines and confused travelers who mill around the lines of security. It doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s take a moment to look at a few simple things to make your life easier and less annoying to me, when traveling.

Sensible shoes: Security in US airports requires all travelers to remove their shoes and place them on the belt to be x-rayed. When traveling, don’t be the person who wears the thigh high boots that lace up to just shy of your ultra-short skirt. You will be required to remove your boots and the hundreds of people following you are not admiring your fashion sense. Instead, we would like to shove those boots firmly up your ass. Other thoughts are also running through our heads, however, they are not appropriate for this particular blog. Just know, our thoughts are not personal, we will just blame those particular thoughts on the “mob” mentality.
Empty pockets: When the nice TSA agent says remove everything from your pockets, they really mean everything. Take out your wallet, keys, and even the little bit of paper you acquired during the preflight process. I have an even better suggestion, since you know you are going to the airport, how about not putting anything in your pockets in the first place? Nothing pushes the buttons of those waiting behind you more than to have to watch you be told a dozen times to step back and empty your pockets.
The confusing laptop rules: Well, the rules are not exactly confusing. If you are traveling with a laptop, take it out of the bag you are carrying, place it in a tub all by itself, and then put all other items in a separate tub. See, it is an easy concept. However, it seems that next to emptying your pockets, this rule baffles more people than anything else. I have to admit, the look of utter confusion when the TSA agent explains this to an intelligence-challenged individual, was amusing the first time or two I saw it, but now is an effort in anger management to keep from placing them in the tub…
Tourist vs. business traveler: It is easy to pick out the tourists as they are the ones who are socializing with their group of fellow vacationers. They will be wearing the above mentioned fashion attire not suitable for travel. When they approach the security area, they look like little lost children waiting for someone to tell them what to do. Had the group paid attention instead of acting like they were enjoying a happy hour, they would understand what they are supposed to do. In contrast, you can always tell the seasoned traveler, as they are the ones untying their shoes and removing their belt before they get to the checkpoint. The most telling identifier of a business traveler is the scowl they are wearing while being delayed by the tourists.
The rules are stupid: Yes, the rules are stupid and we all know that they frustrate everyone. However, they are the rules set before us to follow. Trying to get around them or incessantly complaining only slows down the process for all of us. The rules won’t be changed just because we complain and they certainly can’t be changed by the TSA agent waiting for you to empty your pockets for the third time. Think of it in this way, it is against the rules to choke the living shit out of people who aggravate us. If we discounted that simple rule, people going through security might find they are suddenly gasping for breath while their thigh high boots are firmly shoved up their ass.

Now I know that most people who travel may only get the chance to do so once a year, if they are lucky, but travelling is like anything else that is not familiar. Pay attention to what is going on around you, read the signs, and listen to the people who are there every day, wearing the uniforms, reciting the rules over and over and over. TSA is really trying to make it easier on you, just imagine what they see everyday. I do not want to come across as cynical, but I know those of you I will meet at the airport, who may have read these tidbits of wisdom, will not take heed. As such you will see me scowling at you and contemplating if your shoes will fit up your ass with your head already in there.

Until next time…

jerryb

Related Article: TSA: All Touchy, Feely These Days

A Moment of Clarity and the Rules for Drinking

Reflecting over some of the choices I have made has brought me to a higher understanding of the whole “cause and effect” scenario in life. I was having one of these moments of understanding as I was kneeling in my bedroom, my head over the small trashcan, dry heaving after a night of festivities. By the time I had purged all that was inside me, the realization I might not have made the best choice in my alcohol consumption levels was very clear as I sat back and groaned. At these moments, the skies part and you see the world a little more clearly, if not a little too brightly.

Some ideas just sound great when you are drinking, but should never actually be attempted. The worst part of implementing these ideas would be there is no “morning after” pill to remove the stain of the decisions made under the influence. With the internet and sites like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., our inebriated deeds are now more public than ever. So, let’s review some things that might sound good while under the evil influence but in reality, are the equivalent to an epic failure, sort of like Waterworld or the last American Pie movie.

In order to be helpful to my brethren, I thought it might be a nice public service to give you a few suggestions of things that should never be done while indulging in alcoholic beverages.

The Bet: Anything that starts off with “I bet you can’t …” is sure to produce a moment of regret. Usually, this statement is followed by one of your friends doing something that brings stupidity to a whole new level. If you are the one that is suggesting this idiotic behavior, please make sure you have a good video to be posted on the web as there are many of us who spend hours going through those embarrassing moments for our enjoyment.
“Watch This!”: This one, like the bet, is the reason we need more chlorine in the gene pool. It should almost be encouraged as a way to weed out the lesser mental giants of our species. Though entertaining, this statement is more often followed by a trip to the emergency room where the uninsured contribute to increasing medical premiums. These not-so-bright ideas are typically followed by acts so lacking in common sense, they would make the crew of Jackass cringe.
Sex with a stranger: Oh, this sounds good even when sober, but the reality is that in the morning, one of the two previously intoxicated people will really regret this decision. This happens when one of the fornicating couple has moved way above their league, while the other has essentially gone slumming and will forever regret opening their eyes the next morning. How this ever happens is one of the mysteries in the way alcohol affects the brain. On one hand, it makes a person bolder, but on the other it makes that same person’s eyesight worse. Only the overly-bright light of day points out the obvious flaw in the night’s activity. The saddest part is that mostly likely you will not even remember if it was worth it.
Dancing: If you cannot dance when sober, do all of us a favor and choose not to dance while drinking. Not only does it embarrass you, but you could hurt yourself or someone on the dance floor. Just because you have had a few beers, you have not magically transformed into either John Travolta or Justin Timberlake. And ladies, you are not J. Lo or Beyoncé by any stretch of the imagination. Alcohol has a way of making you feel like you are these people-the reality-you look like a worm caught on hot asphalt. Do us a favor, don’t do it. However in thinking about this, the other school of thought is – please, dance like no one’s watching, when in fact, everyone is not only watching, but laughing as they record you.
Texting and Facebook updates: This is not a new issue but as technology gets more advanced, even your mother has a cell phone and Facebook account. Though we all appreciate your play-by-play as you crawl from one watering hole to the next, it becomes an issue when you feel compelled to share the graphic details at three in the morning. What is a worse major issue is when you mistakenly text your mom in your quest to update your friends. We all know emotions run very high as the booze soaks into your system, and the professing of love and devotion to your married friend is probably not the best moment of your evening. Telling your boss what you really think of them is bad on every level, but especially if they are the above mentioned married friend. As far as posting on Facebook, well, that is quite funny and we save those images to add captions to for our demotivational posters. In fact, I have funded this blog for some time off the sales…

Now, I am sure all these ideas seem completely normal, acceptable, even good, starting the moment the first drink passes your lips. I am speaking from personal experiences, none of these are good ideas (sorry mom for the text messages). Life may be short, but this fact does not mean you should choose to cram so many stupid moments into it. As for the friends who encourage the above behavior, you should be ashamed of yourself for not sharing the profits you are raking in from their alcohol induced misjudgements.

Following these simple rules will make your intoxication a pleasant experience. At least until you are hovering over the trashcan and seeing a moment of clarity.

Until next time…

Jerryb

Five Winning Ice-breakers For The Office

Walking through the office on my way to feed my caffeine addiction, I find the room empty and coffee available. With a sigh of relief, I start the process of fixing my sugar laden cup of dark goodness. My mind wanders through all the items that need to be completed and what work I can accomplish in the next few hours. Then the sound of shuffling feet on the tile steals my attention from my thoughts.

“So, how’s married life?” says the voice behind me. With a sigh, my thoughts of work crumble and fall, not like a house of cards but more like the demolition of Pruitte-Igoe. This is the question everyone feels they must ask when they do not have an intellectual thought as they approach a recently married co-worker. And by recently married, I mean someone who was married in this century. The question ranks up there with “how are the little ones doing?”, though the aforementioned little ones are in their final years of high school. The days of water cooler chat on current events have been reduced to a handful of canned inane questions. In return, a canned answer is expected- everything is just fine and just peachy almost as gleeful as a unicorn shooting rainbows out of its ass. Just once, to change it up a little, I would like to turn around and tell them something like “my spouse ran off with her newfound pimp after the “little ones” became addicted to huffing model glue. Thanks for asking“. I imagine leaving their stunned expression behind as I walk away and hide my smirk with my freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Why do people feel the need to ask such asinine questions in the work place? I think it is time we expand our canned repertoire of pleasantries to include some new ideas to keep with the times and maybe generate some interesting conversations. Next time you are at a loss for words in that awkward moment of silence with your co-workers, try a few of these conversation starters.

“So, how is that deadbeat of an ex-husband you have been bitching about for the past five years? Still ducking court ordered rehab?”
“Did your teenage daughter ever get that STD checked out? Make sure you express my apology. I didn’t realize it could be transmitted in that manner.”
“I have been wondering, what does it feel like to be hated by most of the people in your department? Is it similar to when you were in high school?”
“Sorry you were passed up for the promotion. It just goes to show us all that it isn’t about the special favors behind closed doors but actually doing work that will get you ahead.”
“We have a pool going around the office to figure out what the meaning is behind your tramp stamp. Wanna clue me in? Does the “X” have some special meaning or is it just a target?”

I am sure you will find adding a little inventiveness to your ice breakers will help with the boredom we usually experience around the office. Feel free to share some of your more demented responses with your co-workers. Be creative as you express your inner monologue-it’s okay really, everyone is thinking the same thing as you. Above all, make sure you smile as you are escorted out of the building as we need fodder for tomorrow’s conversation.

[Disclaimer: TTMM holds no responsibility, implied or actual, for any physical damaged caused by co-workers who lack a grasp of the openness to think outside the box on conversation openers. We cannot be held financially responsible as the author is one of those above mentioned “deadbeats”.]

Until next time…

jerryb

TTMM Weekly Wrap and A Suggested Read

It has been quite a while since I have posted enough to have a weekly wrap. My absence has been due to this nasty, but glorious little thing called Life. I have spent the past eight months travelling for my job as well as spending as much time with my family as possible. Throughout this sabbatical, thoughts would bounce around in my head but never make it to the keyboard. I have tried to keep track of them but it was similar to trying to grapple with a greased pig (I have been waiting years to use that cliché). At the moment, I have had some opportunity to get the thoughts out of my head and into a medium where I could share with my readers. It must have something to do with the Transit of Venus or another celestial event that allowed me this rare “brain dump”. For the record, I have missed everyone and all of your comments. I hope that my readers have not fallen out of interest of the little trip we take through my mind.

Before we go further down the passages of our weekly wrap, I want to share with you another blogger that has not only caught my interest but has given me many moments of intense laughter. I discovered this site through one of my posts this week and have become a fast fan of the daily posts. I spent last night sharing the site with my son as we both sat with our smartphones and read different posts. At points, we had our “WTF?!” moments right before we busted out in laughter. Without further delay, let me introduce you to “Joe’s Shitty Ideas”. The author knows this boy named Joe and as you can tell from the name of the blog; his ideas are not exactly stellar. I will admit, I am envious of the delivery and humor the author has the ability to deliver. Most of all, I can relate to some of the moments and feel like I know this Joe more every day. So, please, take a moment to visit my fellow blogger’s site and enjoy: Joe’s Shitty Ideas.

It is time to review what you might have missed from this week:

After getting lost in cyberspace, you stumble on to the world of blogging. Think you can do this, you decide to make a career change. “So You Want To Be A Blogger…”
Blogging has proven successful, even if only in your mind, and it is time to take it to the next level, “So You Want to Be a Motivational Speaker…”
Questions come in all shapes and subjects but some of them just have to be answered. It is time to look at a couple of them in “Southern Girls and Work Place Perversions”

I hope you enjoyed this week and look forward to many more.

Until next time…

jerryb

Southern Girls and Work Place Perversions

It gets a little nerve wracking to come up with things that inspire an idea that is worthy of putting on the screen. As you can tell from my absence for long periods of time, I occasionally get a little case of writer’s block or commonly called “mental constipation”. No, let’s not confuse that with “diarrhea of the mouth”; which I often suffer from on a regular basis. So, as I was saying, there are times where writing isn’t easy and I tend to seek out things to kick start the ideas again. One of the ways that has been found is to inquire if anyone has questions they could never seem to find the answer or are afraid to ask outside this nifty little electronic world. On one such occasion, in 2008, I was looking for such questions. I was surprised by some of the questions, got a few dates out of others, and learned that there are subjects no man should try to answer, no matter how desperate for a topic to write.

Well, like any panicked person, in an uncomfortable situation, I end up reverting to a low-brow subject: sex. I just couldn’t bring myself to flatulence jokes and any thought process higher just made my head ache. I dug deep into the list of questions I had received and pulled out the two that, hopefully, wouldn’t get me banned from the site for inappropriate subject matter. So, without further delay, let the Q&A begin.

Is it true that southern girls do it better?

Well, the first thing I have to wonder is what “it” is? The second observation was, being the dirty minded male that I am, was to define “it” as some form of carnal expertise. If that is the definition that you had in mind with your question, and then I must make a confession, I do not believe I have ever enjoyed “it” with a true southern girl or a southern lady for that matter.

I set out to do a little research, being the thorough person I am, and could not find a decent definition of southern girl on the internet. However, I did find some really nice websites with generous images of gingham print halter tops and daisy duke shorts in all shapes and sizes. I didn’t waste more than four or five hours sorting through the websites and a few charges on my credit card before I moved on to other research methods.

Then I realized, there aren’t any other methods of research. I couldn’t look it up in my public library and since I am not exactly from the South, I really didn’t have many local resources. Well, there is that one but she is married. Georgia is considered the South right?

So, I think it is time to start planning a trip during the winter months down south like all the other snowbirds. With my limited budget and short timeframe, I will not have the chance to explore the subject completely. I wonder if I find a willing participant in my search on whether the southern girls can do it better. Will I actually meet one? I do not believe Daisy or Savannah, whom I might meet at the Georgia truck stop and South Carolina strip clubs will be considered a true Southern Girl.

Then the question will be, “what is going to be my comparison?” I guess my next trip will have to be up North. Oh wait, what about East Coast and West Coast comparison? Research is going be a tiring task that I hope I am up for.

Is it ok to have solo “fun time” while at work?

Absolutely! Since this question came from one of my female readers, I say the more you do, the better the work day will be. No longer is that special solo moment reserved for the perverted computer technician that is stuffed away in the environmentally controlled server room while he spends the company’s resources on high speed internet porn. Ladies it is time to embrace the urge and live a little!

The talk around the chat rooms has brought to my attention that more of you ladies out there do this more than you realize. And yes, I did hang out in some interesting chat room. It seems a little fantasy while answering the phone opens up a whole new world of possibilities when you don’t have to limit yourself to the parking garage or the drive home in rush hour. Slip off to an empty file room or the bathroom down the hall and let your freak flag fly.

Keep in mind that there are some protocols when exploring the work day solo nooner. Remember that you should use a remote, private bathroom in a different part the building. You don’t want to have your moment of triumph explode out of your vocal cords in earshot of the lady who is sitting next to you. Clearly, you don’t want your romantic moment interrupted by the person in the stall next to you performing a courtesy flush.

A warning that comes to mind is performing your mid-day love affair at your desk may add to the excitement but, it makes for awkward moments when someone sneaks up behind you to offer you some birthday cake or to ask where the staples are kept.

So, read your naughty text messages, IM your secret online virtual lover, and email the perverted computer technician for the best porn sites. Reach out to your new limits on experiences, always remember to wash your hands; none of that Purell stuff for this extracurricular work duty. Above all, always remember, you’re on candid camera and the security office is quite boring most days. So smile at the peak moment to let us know you’re thinking of us.

Until next time…

jerry b

So You Want To Be a Blogger…

It begins after you’ve read your Facebook status, accepted a few new friends, deleted a few others, completed your tasks in Farmville, and then you follow a link over to a blog site. You get lost following the links and reading other people’s attempt at sharing their inner writer. After a couple of hours of blog exploration you begin to think to yourself:

”I can do this. I am witty, have a computer, and people seem to like what I have to say.”

The Site

You spend days researching the perfect site- your platform to launch your message, showcasing your originality and creativity. Finding the site that will give you the most focus, you decide to not belittle your project with a free site. Now is the time to invest money purchasing your own domain name, renting server space, paying someone to set up the site, and configuring the site for the optimal amount of viewers. As a budding writer, you will need to get people to read your work, so contracts are signed for advertisers to promote the new exciting site. No expense is too small when highlighting all the important witty things you have to say. Other bloggers brag about how they were able to quit their jobs with the revenue they made from blogging part-time. Because you are much better than those other bloggers you have read, then obviously if they can make money, you can begin planning your early retirement to a nice tropical paradise. However, you have the next step to prepare for and since you have spent a small fortune setting up the site, you now need to obtain the right tools.

The Tools

You realize that professional writers need the best equipment, so you head out to purchase a state-of-the-art computer loaded with all the newest gadgets. Electronic stores look for people just like you. These electronic stores, with all the latest and greatest gadgets, base their quarterly income on the dreamers with an idea, who will to stop at nothing and spend anything in pursuit of their dream. The other part of their quarterly income comes from the sports fans that need the 72” theater system to watch their team lose week after week. As a new writer you have the inflated, elated feeling of an experienced blogger already, so you decide you will not sacrifice your talent to just any computer, smartphone or display-only the best for you. Shopping cart full, you happily proceed out the door from the electronics store thinking that you really need to upgrade your car to something more fitting of your status as you anticipate your fame and fortune. Maybe you need to do some research about what the successful bloggers are driving these days but cringe hoping it isn’t a Prius.

Unloading your overpriced toys, I mean tools; you suddenly discover you do not have the best work area to cultivate your creativity. After lobbying (begging) your spouse to change the spare room into an office, you are faced with the next challenge in your journey: creating the right atmosphere for your work space.

The Right Workspace

Wall color is essential to your ability to write. You could pay an overpriced (notice this is the second time that word is used, see the trend?) designer but in the nature of being the underground writer that you are, you decide to pick the color yourself. Unless you are a rebellious controversial blogger, I would recommend staying away from anything in the blood red color spectrum. Pale blues give off peaceful feelings but also promote sleeping. The earthy tone realm is recommended. Nothing gets the creative juices flowing like earth tones. However, be cautious as these earth tones also promote the desire to drive the eco-friendly Prius.

Once the room is painted, it is time once again to go shopping. The right desk can make or break the writer so you need to carefully examine which desk will inspire you to get your words out to the eagerly waiting world. Small desks do not bring “great writer” to mind in fact they seem like the Prius of writers. The over-sized executive desk seems like overkill. You settle on the ultra-modern, overpriced (there is that word again) glass-topped desk. You just know that all the successful bloggers have artistically pretentious desks in their offices. In addition the desk will look great in front of the new bay window you talked your spouse into letting you install in your world of wonder and creativity.

The Writing

Sitting in front of the afore mentioned bay window, behind your new wrap-around glass top desk, sipping your espresso from your new coffee machine, thinking about how great it was you quit that silly job that was so obviously beneath your creative mind, you suddenly realize this is THE life. The cursor on your new computer blinks as you think how offensive a blank screen can be. Just a few more hours before you can relax from all the stress of trying to write your great work of art that everyone will rave about after reading. Fans and stalkers alike are out there just waiting for your words on the blog that will change their lives. Your fans will be lining up in droves to subscribe to your every word. You think about how everyone will link their Facebook status to your page, and tweeting like mad, pinning you, stumbling across you, making your blog go viral. Your thoughts will reach millions of people. So when your inspiration to write kicks in, all of this will come together and you can finally show everyone how a blog should be written. It is only a matter of time…

Five minutes later, you realize that much of the fodder for your stinging wit is still back at your old job. Now, to figure out where best to people watch, while keeping up your image…

Next Up: So You Want to Be a Motivational Speaker

Until next time…

jerryb

TTMM Weekly Wrap Up

After a week of travel, we took time in our absence to draft up ideas and writings for our upcoming weeks. TTMM has come back this week with some more post for your pleasure. This week we spoke about the writing muse again in “The Chase” and visited the meaning and signs to check to see if you may be arrogant in “That’s Right, I Am Better Than You”.

I will give you a little sneak into an upcoming article. Can I trust you with a spoiler? Well, I hope that this will be safe with you. I have been in contact with Mark Tufo, the author of the Zombie Fallout series, and in preparation of his upcoming fourth book of the series, we will be doing a review. If we see interest in the article, I might be able to talk Mark into taking a time for an interview. This is a series that I have enjoyed discovering. Keep an eye out for this upcoming article.

Before I go for the day, let’s visit the links for those that might have missed our post earlier in the meet.

The Chase

That’s Right, I Am Better Than You

Please welcome out guest blogger this week. Each Friday, we would like to give a chance for someone to contribute and share their writting. If you feel you have something, contact me at tripthroughmymind@gmail.com to submit your work. If you enjoy today’s post, please comment below.

Until next time…

The Chase

If I fall back into you, Don’t fight it, don’t fight it

Show me what we’ve got to lose, Don’t hide it, don’t hide it

Memories stuck in my head

All the things I should have said

If I fall back into you, Don’t fight it, don’t fight it

Don’t Fight it…10 Years

From time to time, I mention the mythical muse that I call upon to put my thoughts into words on the screen. Throughout the past year, I have written about her, sought her out, complained when she was away, and discovered her again. All relationships are planted in the fabric of our mind, growing through the stages of life and if care is given, these relationships live to a ripe old age. My courtship with the muse is no different.

It isn’t easy to chase my alluring temptress through the mist of my mind as she plays hide and seek. In my imagination, her flowing gown disappears around each corner as I give chase; small laughter echoes in my mind. I glimpse her eyes for a moment as she looks longingly over her shoulder, a brief sparkle viewed through the veil of her blowing hair. It is a love affair that brings comfort and security as well as fear and heartbreak. I feel that the relationship crumbles and we part ways, only to find each other at a later time.

Other moments, I am the one that walks away from her game of chase, frustration growing with no relief. I tire of her, as any lover would from the promise of pleasure, which is not delivered. Then, I remember her kiss, which brings a spark of idea, the brief moments of her warmth next to me as I search for the lines of text. I begin, once again, my search for her. Will she run from me? Of course she will; that is her nature. I only ask that when she sees my approach, she does not fight it and falls back into our game.

If you come right back to me

I won’t fight it, I won’t fight it

Show me what you need from me

Don’t hide it, don’t hide it

Don’t Fight It…10 Years

Until next time…

Related Articles: Where is My Muse , I Once Was a Writer , A Writer’s Muse-ic

TTMM Weekly Wrap Up

Welcome to the weekly review of the TTMM.

In the final weeks of the summer, the children are back to school, the weather is trying to decide if it wants to hold on to the last vestige of the heat wave and our time becomes limited; we are looking forward to the cooling calm of autumn. I, for one, cannot wait to open the house, retire the air conditioning for the year, and let the breeze blow through to cool our thoughts. This is the time of year where the writer in me stirs.

Lately, I have been wondering what voice I wanted to share here on TTMM. I worry that with the wide range of topics and different styles, that some may not be interested in coming back to see future posts. In the end, my struggle wasn’t resolved but I did decide to continue writing for the sake of writing. The good, the bad, and the ugly prose will be shared, as it is the journey that I am traveling, not the approval that I am seeking. However, I do appreciate the feedback and the visits to the site. Mostly, I am trying to say that I want to make sure that what I publish is honest content and not written because of what I think someone will like if it isn’t what I need to say. I just hope that what you read brings you back for more.

This week, we visited a new found enjoyment for graphic novels and books of our childhood. Take another look at this week’s content.

Lock & Key, the Graphic Novel

Building the Foundation: A Daughter’s Love For Reading

Upcoming week:

Next week, I will be traveling out of the country. I hope to use my time wisely and write, however, my ability to post may be limited. Please have patience and know that I will continue to post as I am able. If you are interested in becoming a contributor to the site, email me at TripThroughMyMind@gmail.com for more information. I look forward to hearing from everyone.

Previous Week’s Review: TTMM Week In Review and Special Thank You

Until next time…

TTMM Week In Review and Special Thank You

Oh, it’s Saturday and time for a week in review. It has been a while since I have had enough published to actually have a summary of all that you may have missed. We started the week in silence but came out from the dark mid-week. It seems we have had a frustrated rant on zombies, a discovery of the “muse blocker”, and a new guest to round our week. For those that might have missed anything, here is a glimpse of the week. Please feel free to click on the link to catch up, think about and comment.

When a Good Idea Goes to Hell

Doing some research for a new blog project, I realize that there are some things that aren’t exactly right out there..

A Writer’s Muse-ic

Realization comes at strange times. After a long dry spell, I might have found my Muse-ic.

A Special Thank You

A little over a year ago, a fellow writer recommended moving my post to another media. I looked at a few and found a home at wordpress.com. After a little time adjusting, I have settled into my new home on the web. This week marks the one year anniversary of Trip Through My Mind. It hasn’t always been a smooth trip. Life and writer’s block, careers and families, have contributed as the source of my inspiration and to the deterrent of my availability to write. The learning process of what works and what does not, has been a journey that I hope to continue. With over 50 post in the past year, a couple of guest contributors, and new ideas each day, I hope that next year will bring about new discovery and many new friends to join us as we explore those darker and sometimes funnier corners of our mind.

I want to take this opportunity to thank those that were here in the beginning and welcome those that have just stumbled onto this site. Writing is something that I feel I do for myself, share it is because of your support. Thank you.

Until next time…

jerry b.

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A Special Thank You

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