Tag: Blogging

Books + J Coniglio’s Musical Tribute to Greatness + Pod/Audio Ver

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Want to listen to an audio version of today’s post? Click the Spotify podcast link above. And please give it a follow.

Art feeds on art, whether it’s music inspired by dance, cooking roused by illustration, or anything else including writing catapulted by singing — for me, all of it provides entry points to deepen my writing (including my novels).

Much of my inspiration comes from listening and reading books! Here are my Amazon and Goodreads reviews for the two I most recently enjoyed:

“Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood,” by Jessica Grose. My review…

An honest take on what, from home to work to greater world, it’s like for many women today to be moms. In addition to mothers who can relate, Grose offers a starting point for all of us who don’t have kids.

Cover of Screaming on the Inside by Jessica Gross.

My review for “Dominicana,” by Angie Cruz…

How much would you give up for the happiness of your birth family? And for how long? Would your answer be different depending on how young you are? Cruz offers readers a chance to step into the shoes of those who are forced to make such choices…

Cover of Domicana by Angie Cruz.

Joseph Coniglio runs Life’s Voyager blog and writes about all the things he finds interesting or beautiful or both. Former teacher, Wall Street Brokerage Associate and Postmaster for USPS, he’s retired and loving life in North Carolina. He did a little singing as a kid, the start of his lifelong love of music. Here he muses about some of his songs…

Photo of blogger Joseph Coniglia in his kitchen, making pasta.
Blogger Joseph Coniglia cooks as well as blogs!

A Musical Tribute to Greatness by Joseph Coniglio

I think that Rock and Rock n’ Roll music has a life all its own. I can remember the last generation calling it “Jungle music” and “Garbage” as they compared it to the music of their youth with performers like Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and the like. I guess that some of that could be true, but in the end, each generation has a message, a soul that is fed by music, by lyrics and by our own revered performers. No doubt the movements of the sixties and the seventies brought a message to our songs and influenced it heavily. But later, that era has been immortalized further if that can be true by songs paying homage to the songs and the performers. Now I hope that I have piqued your interest. If so, then read on and you’ll see what I mean.

LIFE IS A ROCK – Reunion/Joey Levine

For those of you who don’t know, Joey Levine was a singer who gave us such great hits as, “Yummy, yummy,yummy, I got love in my tummy” and some other bubblegum type tunes. “Life is a rock so the radio told me. Gotta turn it up louder so my DJ told me,” not really a composition that gets remembered like others, but here, Levine and his backups really dove into some history and sort of in rap fashion lines up a wild roster of rock and roll legends like Nilsson, Mott the Hoople, Richie Valens, and then goes into some period dances like the locomotion and the shimmy, and then goes further and hits on FM and AM radio, greeting and salutations, take me higher and rolls right back into Leon Russell. Even Doris Day gets a mention. It is a very imaginative song that reflects music and trends as well as a life long past.

ROCK & ROLL HEAVEN – The Righteous Brothers

“If you believe in forever, then life is just a one night stand.” This is the opening line to a song that lovingly brings you to a few musical eras. It is a tribute to so many great performers like Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Bobby Darin and others. Each mention is of a different genre, a different style but a simple, unique measure of greatness and influence. Delivered masterfully by this blue-eyed soul group this is a tribute like no other because of the range of artists it covers. Listen to it a few times so you can really appreciate not only musicians named, but also to listen to a really great song, two perfectly blended voices and a journey through a time in music that has since not been matched.

EMPTY GARDEN – Elton John

The ultimate tribute to John Lennon. The music, the lyrics and the symbolism all merge into what is actually an excellent tune that tugs at your heartstrings. There were a few songs released about Lennon’s murder the best known other than this, “All Those Years Ago”  by George Harrison, but this is the definitive one, personifying Lennon as a farmer, “A gardener that cared a lot…a gardener like that no one can replace. Elton John wrote and recorded tributes to Marilyn Monroe and then rewrote that one for Princess Diana, but this one song of his really hits home and uses symbolism just perfectly which is kind of a symbol in itself for that time in our lives.

VINCENT – Don McLean

Think of Don McLean and your immediate thought goes to “American Pie” a song about the day the music died in a plane crash taking the lives of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper. A great song it is but I think that with this one, about the tortured life of Vincent Van Gogh, McLean hit an even higher point. Maybe because of the subject matter which opened our eyes to mental illness and how it had been a problem for so many in the past. Here he paints a picture of the artist and his work while all the while Van Gogh lived in virtual poverty and suffered immeasurably. One of the last lines of the song, “I could have told you Vincent, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you,” is an even sadder comment than the one that mentions the fact that Van Gogh did kill himself. But the lyrics, the background music and McLean’s voice all blend to make this a very powerful ballad, a tribute to a man whose greatness was only realized after his death, and a soulful almost haunting comment on his life and struggles.

ABRAHAM, MARTIN and JOHN – Dion DiMucci

Better known only as Dion, formerly as Dion and the Belmonts, this Bronx born Rock and Roll idol put it all together in one of my favorite songs of all time. Often called the “Liberal’s Lament” this song deals with the tragic deaths of three American leaders, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. Each one is praised in this song as a leader, as a person who fought for freedom and was killed before his dream could be realized. It is kind of a quirky song though because each verse is virtually the same and it ends with the three of them walking over a hill as they wander into history. “Didn’t you love the things that they stood for…” 

So, there you have it, a nice list of songs you can listen to on maybe a rainy day to bring back some memories of your youth. In a way they may bring a tear to your eye, but that’s okay. They were written and performed as a tribute, and like any tribute, those being feted were no longer with us. There are a lot of others too. Maybe some other time.

What art inspires your writing?

Rest for the Wicked After All. Back Soon.

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https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bKmdGi98yHTSe70pLcbyf?si=789879fe10a049ac
Click the Spotify podcast link above for the podcast version of Happiness Between Tails. And please give it a follow.

Hi friends.

This week for sure (unlike last week’s attempt) Happiness Between Tails and I will enjoying a short offline rest.

Whatever part of the world you’re in and however you choose to spend the days ahead, take care and you soon!

da-AL

Call for Writers: Guest Blog Posts (with audio podcast version)

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Photo of Pierre and da-AL with titling over it.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2hAqxucLo3gN1ttbPbkgWU?si=d9004b6d291a41e9
Want to listen to a podcast/audio version of Happiness Between Tails? Click the Spotify podcast link above. And please give it a follow.

My friends and I are eager to meet you!

Let my readers get to know you — and yours get to know us — by guest blog posting for Happiness Between Tails. Once approved, within a few weeks your post will be published here, plus shared to the rest of my social media.

The week after you post appears on Happiness Between Tails (more about this below in Step #4), you can kick back on your site, because you’ll have a pre-made post to re-blog (or copy and paste) to your site, and share to the rest of your media.

For examples of past guest posts, select “Guest Posts” in this site’s “Search Categories” drop-down menu.

Guest blog posts might become podcast episodes too!

Step #1: Email an informal inquiry to: ContactdaAL (at) gmail (dot) com

Your idea can cover any subject or format and be any length. That includes poems, stories, essays, photos, artwork, and the suggestions further down this page.

Step #2: Once approved, email these me…

  • Your article: Checked for grammar and spelling.
  • Images: One to three .jpg’s that you or someone you know shot, with captions and attributions. Make sure I can legally use them and they’re minimum 1000 in length on the shortest side.
  • A bit about yourself: Where you publish from if you are a fellow blogger, your background, etc.
  • A link to your site.
  • Note: Nothing derogatory or religious. Posts must be informative, with no advertising to anything other than what you’ve personally written or made. I pay WordPress to n.o.t. feature overt ads on my site.

Step #3: Once published, here’s how to boost the number of readers who want to know you better and to visit your site…

  • Reply to comments on your post: Search Engine Optimization rises with the more the ball is kept up in the air — meaning the more interactions within the post, the more it appears on lists such as Google, WordPress Reader, etc.
  • Share it to all your social media: Again, the more action your post gets, the higher it’ll be listed on topic searches.

Step #4: Supercharge your exposure! A week after it’s published on Happiness Between Tails, meaning once I’ve posted something new so our readers don’t get ping-ponged back and forth to the same post…

  • Publish it on your site: Click “reblog” near the share buttons at the end of your Happiness Between Tails post. If your site doesn’t accommodate “reblog,” copy and paste the article to your site with a note that it first appeared at HappinessBetweenTails.com
  • Share your reblogged or re-posted article to all your social media.

Subjects great for, but not limited to, HappinessBetweenTails.com …

  • Books: what you love about them and your fave novels.
  • Writing: such as how to publish, publicize, and sell.
  • Podcasting, from listening to hosting: how to attract subscribers, serialize a novel, distribute internationally.
  • Animals
  • Problem-solving: share your wisdom.
  • Dance
  • Equal Rights
  • Fun
  • Gender
  • Happiness
  • Identity
  • Kindness
  • Libraries
  • Love
  • Arts
  • Cooking and eating
  • … or whatever else you’re passionate about!

Click here for more about this site.

Have you guested on blogs and podcasts?

Blog and Pod Tricks + Podcast: Dwayne Sharpe’s Sci-Fi

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Want to listen to a podcast/audio version of Happiness Between Tails? Click the Spotify podcast link above. And please give it a follow.
Photo of K-D-doggie giving da-AL a sloppy kiss.

1. Getting the word out about Happiness Between Tails Podcast takes time away from writing my novels. Rather than worry I’ll never get my books done, I remind myself this stretch of learning is an investment for when I’m ready to produce serialized audio drama versions for the novels.

To that end, it occurred to me — duh, after all this time lol — that while Happiness Between Tails is meant to be a play on “tales” as well as “tails,” only the wag-able kind is represented in this site’s photo. A few days ago, I was feeling rather under-the-weather pasty, but hey, my hair was clean and brushed. Time to set aside excuses and dust off the selfie stick. The new masthead and the photo below are the results. The books? There’s a pile of them on my lap, but they kept sliding, so the book stamped onto my shirt must suffice.

2. Do you have business cards? Does anyone use them? I dunno, but it seems like the thing to have “just in case” if one is to be in business, so here’s mine. The two versions are because I discovered sites like t-h-i-s o-n-e that offer free QR codes. Who knew COVID would bring them back in style?

Screenshot of da-AL's business cards.

3. Podcasting and some lingo: It’s one thing to have a hosting site, like AnchorFM, where one’s podcast lives. “Directories” are also needed to get it into listeners’ smartphones and desktops of various operating systems, and such. For weeks I’ve researched “directories,” among them Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and so on — they’re the apps and sites that catalog and feature podcasts.

It would be impossible to get onto all the zillions that exist, so I just did my best and now I’m done, at least for now. Take a look at the list, not merely for to know where to listen, but to copy for when you submit your own podcast to directories.

The extended list of directories and other pertinent links are H-E-R-E at Linktree. It’s a site where, among other things, multiple links can be simultaneously funneled into a “master link.” A click of the screenshot below will also take you there…

Screenshot of Happiness Between Tails at LinkTree.
All Happiness Between Tails links are listed and scroll-tap-click-able at LinkTree.

Time-saving Linktree tip: before adding links there, first organize them in another document. Then drop them into Linktree starting with the last one. The last one loaded lands at the top.

Back to today’s podcast — here’s a video version of it…

Dwayne Sharpe submitted the story when Los Angeles was first quarantined, so… 

When you first heard about COVID, how did you think your life would be impacted?

Passion at Any Age: Writer/Actress Lee Gale Gruen

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“No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatsoever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than others.” Martha Graham (United States, May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991), modern dance pioneer.

“God has pitted you against a rought antagonist that you may be a conqueror, and this cannot be without toil.” Epictetus, Greek philosopher, (c. 50 – c. 135 AD)

Cover of “Reinventing Yourself in Your Retirement Years,” by Lee Gale Gruen.

That kind of encouragement from people who actually achieved great things later in life, bolster me to muscle through and finish writing my novels. Heck, anyone can tell us we’re never too old to embark on bold new adventures. But we all know what they say about seeing! To get any eyeful of believing, let’s take a gander at actress/author/blogger/lecturer Lee Gale Gruen.

A retired probation officer, Lee Gale first visited us here to describe her newfound passion for acting. Bringing her father along to classes inspired her to write her first book, “Adventures with Dad.”

These days she continues to act, now in the East San Francisco Bay Area. Catch some of her performances by typing her full name into the YouTube.com search bar.

Since she recently published a second book, “Reinventing Yourself in Your Retirement Years,” I invited her to tell us about that too…

Actress/author/blogger Lee Gale Gruen.
Actress/author/blogger Lee Gale Gruen.

Passion at Any Age by Lee Gale Gruen

Too many retirees and seniors have no idea what to do in the new stage of their lives called retirement. Many sink into isolation and depression. When I first retired, I had no clue what to do next. My 37-year career as a probation officer was over, and my children were launched. I struggled for a long time to carve out a new identity for myself.

After trying many different things, none particularly satisfying, I mistakenly signed up for an acting class for seniors, thinking it was just a play reading group. I was hooked on acting that first day despite my lifelong stage fright. My 85-year-old father began attending the class with me and was my scene partner in the class showcases where we performed the humorous scenes I wrote for us. From there, I networked with classmates and learned about going on auditions. I eventually found an agent and booked real, paid acting jobs. I then got the idea of writing a memoir about it, and in 2013, Adventures with Dad: A Father and Daughter’s Journey Through a Senior Acting Class, was published.

Cover of "Adventures with Dad," by Lee Gale Gruen.

As an author, I learned that I was expected to promote my book. Fortunately, I had slowly and painstakingly been able to overcome my crippling stage fright as a result of my acting. So, I started giving interviews and appearing before groups, talking about the book. People shared their own stories with me about how lost they felt since they retired. I realized I had something to give back to the community. I could show people how to reinvent themselves in retirement. I had discovered the secret: find a passion which will motivate you to want to get up in the morning, get dressed, get out of the house, and embrace life. That’s what happened to me after I discovered a passion for acting.

I developed a lecture from my own experiences as well as research I did, and I began giving talks titled “Reinventing Yourself in Your Retirement Years” aimed at the retiree and senior demographic. I also started writing a blog of the same name to share my thoughts, observations, and experiences with the goal of helping my readers reinvent themselves after they retire. I have been blogging and lecturing on this subject for the past eight years.

Audience members at my lectures began asking if they could buy a book about my talk. That has resulted in my recently published book which is an adjunct to my blog and lecture. All three share the same title, Reinventing Yourself in Your Retirement Years. My new book contains the contents of my lecture as well as seven years of posts from my blog. It is available on Amazon by clicking here. My goal with my blog, lecture, and new book is to help retirees, those soon to retire, baby boomers, and seniors find joy, excitement, and purpose after they retire just like I did.

Seniors make up about a third of the population of the United States, so that’s a pretty big demographic. However, it’s often a forgotten group. It shouldn’t be. A group that big has great influence socially, economically, and politically. The senior population can learn to flex that muscle. It would improve their status and put them back into the role of wise and respected elders that they once held and really still are.  There is no need for retirees and seniors to feel like their life is over. Plenty of exciting pursuits and opportunities await them. They only have to figure out what they might like, where it is, and how to access it. My new book is geared to help each individual find activities and pursuits at their own comfort level. It will guide them through the maze in developing their own “second act” in life.

For more about her, her books, and to connect with her, visit her blog.

Do you worry that you’re too old to accomplish something you ‘re passionate about?

27 Blog Tips + Borrowed Words

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Are you sprouting something new under your mask?

Are you sprouting something new under your mask?
Are you sprouting something new under your mask?

What do the following three things have in common?

  1. Grooming, or the lack of it.
  2. Words from other countries so unique yet essential, such as “schadenfreude,” that languages like English borrow them.
  3. Blogging tips.

What they all share is that they pertain to activities now common as a result of Covid sheltering-in-place and masking up.

With people staying closer to home, pajamas became workwear. In the case of hair, many people I know let theirs grow wild and long, whether on their scalp, faces, or legs. Others experimented in totally the opposite direction and now know how they look totally smooth-skinned. Some friends tinted rainbows into their manes and others did away with coloring altogether.

Are you sprouting something under your mask that you didn’t have before the need to mask up was a thing?

One friend’s working-from-home mustache was so cool that I had to grow one my own, albeit one I doctored up on the computer. Check out the photo of us sporting cookie dusters at the Happiness Between Tails blog post that corresponds with this podcast by typing “27 Blog Tips” into the search bar.

This friend's working-from-home mustache looks so cool! I had to grow one my own!
This friend’s working-from-home mustache looks so cool! I had to grow one my own!

Statistics indicate that the slower pace of staying home also reignited people’s love of reading and writing. In addition, Donald Trump’s presidential run boosted the word “schadenfreude” into everyday reading. It’s an English noun borrowed from two German words. “Schaden” means “harm,” and “freude” means “joy.” Combined into “schadenfreude,” they refer to the pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune.

When I discovered the word, I invited friends at my Facebook page to riff off of “Schadenfreude”…

Pam Christmas: I enjoy singing it to the tune of Danke Schoen, just like Wayne Newton did of “Schadenfreude, Darling, Schadenfreude” in this 1963 video. A favorite word and feeling.

Angela L Brown: Holy crap! Did that dude who keeps yelling about my dogs just get bit by his own?! Schadenfreude, sucka!

Stella B. Katz: Here’s a GREAT example (The Hill’s post: Hurricane Laura topples Confederate monument town had voted to keep”) of what Yuman is feeling. My Yuman will be experiencing Schadenfreude when Drumpf loses in November.

Chrys Mumma: I hope when I experience schadenfreude, that I recognize it as hateful.

Robb Fulcher: Carl Jung surpassing his former mentor gave me Sigmund Schadenfreude.

Tao Walker: I cannot help but have this feeling of schadenfreude over the Jerry Falwell Jr. scandal.

Bonnie Noble Pacego: Lily felt schadenfreude when she secretly found the loot the robber dropped as he fled the bank!

Beth Pottiger Gorman: The schadenfreude on Johnny’s face was obvious when he found the baseball someone else left lay.

Corky Anderson: Rump = Schadenfreude “joy at the misfortune of another.”

John Saffery’s link to Avenue Q singing Shadenfreude.

Carol Snyder Jarvela: I prefer the southern belle term “mean bitch thrill.” It’s easier to spell and is self-explanatory.

Peter Basson: Me and my friend, Sigmund, were very hot so we stood in the schadenfreude.

Susan Sobon: Trump is a master of schadenfreude.

Lastly, the onset of the Covid pandemic got people more involved in blogging, vlogging, and podcasting!

I listed some of what I’ve learned about blogging in a prior post. In no particular order, here are more tips I’ve gathered while working on my own blog and visiting other sites. Feel free to add your own insights in the comments section.

  1. Nothing detracts from a post as much as poor writing. The software that comes with a word processor isn’t enough. Fortunately, lots of useful apps like Grammarly have decent free versions.
  2. Reading aloud helps tremendously. Sometimes I even have my word processor read to me. That way, I can hear how my writing sounds without my own inflections.
  3. Finding an empty ‘about’ page feels like maybe there isn’t a real person managing the site. And when there’s no photo, I hope the blogger isn’t worried that their looks will frighten people.
  4. It doesn’t take much to keep a site’s background theme from looking cookie-cutter by adding photos and changing colors.
  5. Composing a post: sometimes WordPress leaves important messages in the right-hand column.
  6. Ideas are precious. I capture mine by texting myself or jotting them into the notes section of my smartphone.
  7. Before publishing a post, I check how it looks on a smartphone, desktop, and tablet. Sometimes I need to replace a photo and break up my text more.
  8. Dimensions for photos: Elle and Company Design has a very useful post.
  9. Featured photos: When it comes to selecting a featured photo for a post, always be sure to select one. Also, people who’re successful on social media always add text to their main pictures. Canva’s free version of their graphics editor does a great job.
  10. Workspace: clutter saps my creativity and efficiency. I try to keep only what I’m working on in front of me, and every night I tidy up.
  11. Sound: A fan, such as the one inside my compact space heater, is impressive at muting noise pollution.
  12. SEO, a.k.a. “search engine optimization”: to help get at the top of internet searches, use keywords in post headings and first sentences.
  13. Heading: again for SEO, keep them 65 characters or shorter.
  14. Categories: select less than ten.
  15. Tags: five is plenty. What’s most important is that your total categories and tags don’t number over fifteen.
  16. Visitors enjoy interacting with their fave bloggers. Ask readers to subscribe and share. End posts with something they can comment on.
  17. Invite visitors to look around your site by linking posts to other posts.
  18. Images: only use ones you have legal rights for (such ones you took or that are classified as royalty-free) and always credit where you got them from.
  19. Befriend other sites like yours — visit, comment, link, and meet their fans.
  20. Reblogs from someone else’s sites to yours are lovely — and even nicer when introduced with comments of your own. Add your thoughts when you click “reblog” or later within your site’s editor.
  21. Composing Posts: Begin them with a sense of where you’re going, and conclude them with a quick review.
  22. It takes time and care (a.k.a. love) to compose a blog post people will want to read and come back to.
  23. Good writing is all about rewriting. Let a post sit, then review it a couple of hours later or the next day.
  24. Continually study how to use social media more effectively.
  25. Hosting: Self-hosting works for some. In my case, I use WordPress.com, and find that having them host my site is inexpensive and easy.
  26. It’s never too early to start collecting an email list — ugh! — in my case, I’m learning this far too late, so I’m now researching how best to start mine.
  27. WordPress Editor: Frustrated by WordPress’ block editor? I still mostly use Classic and here I explain how.

Let me know how you like my first attempt at adding a poll…

 

What tips have you learned? If you’re using self-hosted WordPress dot org, do you have a way to get your posts listed on the WordPress Reader?

WordPress Classic vs. Block Editor How-To by da-AL

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Photo of da-AL asking whether you prefer WordPress Classic or Block Editor.

Readers and writers alike, happy blogging! If you publish your blog from your phone, I hold you in the highest esteem — you’re one heck of a dedicated blogger!

As for me, I have the luxury of blogging from a desktop computer, a 2013 iMac. Which is to say that it’s super easy for me to stick with WordPress Classic editor because yes, I most definitely prefer it. In a recent blogging class I attended, even the teacher recommended a workaround for students to use Classic! Given how many folks read blogs from their phones, Guttenberg’s block-fanciness is worse than useless. When I read anything on my 5s iPhone, the simpler the layout, the better.

This is how I use WordPress Classic Editor on my desktop: in the admin page, I pull up a list of my posts. Then I hover my mouse pointer over a post title. Below that, a selection appears, which includes the choice to use Classic Editor.

See how on the bottom left is the option to use Classic Editor? Using a desktop computer, just hover your mouse under your blog post title on your admin page. See how on the bottom left is the option to use Classic Editor? Using a desktop computer, just hover your mouse under your blog post title on your admin page.

If I wanted to write a post from my iPad, WordPress offers an abbreviated version Classic. To switch over to it, tap on the three dots in the screen’s upper right corner.

Clicking on the 3 dots in the upper right corner of your tablet gives you the option to use Classic. Clicking on the 3 dots in the upper right corner of your tablet gives you the option to use Classic.

Using an iPhone works similar to an iPad.

Here's when I clicked on the 3 dots in the upper right corner of my phone. Here’s when I clicked on the 3 dots in the upper right corner of my phone.

For a more detailed explanation, but that doesn’t include the way I described that I do it from my desktop computer, WordPress has this link.

In another post of my blogging tips, the mention of WordPress’ newer editing system got people talking, so here I’m offering you a chance to comment below. Vent? Praise? Either way, when I let WordPress know about this post with your comments on it, maybe they’ll actually listen to us.

Again wishing you joy — and ease — whether you’re blogging, reading, writing — or are you traveling online?

How do you deal with computer annoyances?

COVID19 all-ages humor uplif by Mike Befeler

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Everyone seems distracted these days. I can’t remember the last time I had a conversation with someone outside of my home that wasn’t 80% about COVID19… How about you? No — before you answer that — more importantly, my arty friends, how do you keep your creative juices flowing lately?

Kid-lover and child-free-by-choice as I am, these days, my heart goes out to my friends with families. Now more than ever, it’s become a challenge for many to attend to the emotional as well as financial needs of their flock. (Here and here and here and here and here and here and here are a few of my posts that I hope will help you cope with the current crisis.)

To lighten everyone’s hearts, enter novelist/mystery writer/blogger Mike Befeler! He’s been our guest at Happiness Between Tails before — when he presented his engaging geezer-lit mysteries here and his delightful paranormal geezer-lit mysteries here. A proud grandfather, he’s using this quarantine to apply his imagination to a younger crowd. His brand-new uplifting and humorous short story about the Coronavirus pandemic is free to all who act quickly. Read on for how to get it for free!…

Author/blogger Mike Befeler with his family -- and Mickey!
Author/blogger Mike Befeler with his family — and Mickey!

Writing a Short Story during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Mike Befeler

Like so many people, I have been hunkered down at home during the Coronavirus pandemic. My last writer activity before self-quarantining was the ill-fated Left Coast Crime Conference in March. I arrived in San Diego, had a full day of conference activity, and then the remainder of the conference was canceled.

My main activity since then has been taking care of our four-year-old grandson during the workweek. Since we weren’t getting together with anyone in-person except our immediate family, I started phoning old friends around the county to check in with them. In addition, we held Zoom calls with our kids in other parts of the country and even with one of the neighborhood friends of our grandson.

Mike Befeler writes for all ages, including his charming grandson!
Mike Befeler writes for all ages, including his charming grandson!

At first, I did no new writing. Then an idea struck me. Since I have another grandson who is in middle school, what would it be like for a boy his age to be an only child at home with his parents? The idea grabbed me, and I began writing a journal from my fictional boy’s point of view. I tend to be an outliner, but in this case, I operated as more of a seat-of-the-pantster. I had no idea where his journal would go. I sprinkled in some of the things going on in the news and how a boy would handle being bored and not able to see his friends. As I wrote, a whole new plot developed. My protagonist, Tad, made an unexpected discovery that changed his life. The result was a story titled, “Coronavirus Daze,” which I have just published as an e-book on Kindle. My goal was to provide an inspiring and humorous story that would give a positive diversion for readers struggling with being homebound.

A little by Mike about his short story, “Coronavirus Pandemic”…

The uplifting and humorous story is about a boy keeping a journal during the Coronavirus outbreak. A middle school student in Southern California, Tad must deal with the boredom of being stuck at home with his parents during the Coronavirus pandemic. He has a life-transforming experience when he makes an unexpected discovery. Readers may shed a tear and will undoubtedly have some chuckles as Tad recounts his adventures in a time of chaos and uncertainty.

You can get it for free! Email Mike at mikebef@aol.com for a copy. If you enjoy the story, pass it along to your family and friends.

About Mike Befeler: he is the author of seventeen books, including mysteries, a thriller, and a biography of a World War II veteran. Two of his mystery novels have been finalists for the Lefty Award for best humorous mystery. He began writing later in life and lives with his wife Wendy in Lakewood, CA. He played competitive tennis as a kid and in college and now enjoys pickleball (when the pickleball courts open again).

My arty friends, how are you keeping your creative juices flowing?…

More Eats from Less by Angela Bell

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Note: Here’s where to listen to this as a audio/podcast version.

Do you adore lyrical, thoughtful novels? I want to meet you! Thank you, blogosphere, for introducing me to blogger Angela Bell who I met through her love of books (especially given how I’m writing my own novels). Self-described as, “New England-born, Pennsylvania raised, and 100% Italian-American,” Angela’s posts are filled with intelligence. My favorite line of hers is, “While time marches on, life around you, if you allow it to, also becomes more interesting, more stimulating, and even a tad freer… and age, in fact, matters less and less.”

Here Angela teaches us how everyday forgotten abundance can be diverted from landfills and nourish us…

Blogger Angela Bell.

Making the Most of Stems and Scraps by Angela Bell

My daughter Emily is a Culinary Institute of America graduate with a nutrition certification from a Cornell program. She points out that if this (COVID19) confinement continues, we may have to learn to make better use of what we have. Recognizing that everyone is overwhelmed and probably worried about managing the household food right now, she and I had the following conversation.

Me: Can you give us some ideas for using our kitchen scraps?

Emily: Soup! If you have broccoli or cauliflower stems, dice them, add onion if you have it, and sweat in fat — oil, butter, rendered chicken fat, or bacon fat — over medium heat. When they’re soft, dust with flour and add chicken or vegetable stock. Stir to thicken, season, and puree. You’ve now made a classic French soup from kitchen scraps.

Angela performs alchemy on scraps to achieve epicurean delights.

Me: You taught me to do this with whole broccoli and chicken stock. It’s delicious—a creamy soup without the cream.

Emily: You can make a vegetable stock with any vegetables or vegetable scraps you have on hand, or make a chicken or beef stock with bones leftover from a roast. The longer you simmer the stock, the more collagen you’ll extract. Collagen adds body and may have health benefits. Add vegetable scraps to the pot with the bones, cover with water, simmer for about two hours, strain, and season. Roast chicken or turkey carcasses make great stock, as do bones from beef roasts and fish bones for fish stock. Add that meat “jelly” in the bottom of the roasting pan, too—that’s pure collagen. If you have a pork bone, just throw it in with a pot of beans or a pot of spaghetti sauce, rather than make stock with it.

Me: If I don’t have time to make stock from a roast chicken carcass, I freeze it. All the flavor in the roast chicken, from the herbs or vegetables, roasted it with transfers to the stock. I add water and let the slow cooker do the rest, then strain when it’s done, cool, and use or freeze.

Ice cube trays are handy for freezing pesto and stock.

Me: You mentioned using bacon fat.

Emily: Save rendered bacon fat after cooling and straining, and use in place of olive oil or butter. It adds so much flavor! If you’re making soup or a stew, you can sauté anything that’s going into it in bacon fat first. This is another classical French technique. Refrigerate rendered fat and use within two weeks, or freeze.

Me: What else can we do with stock?

Emily: If we get to a point where we can’t get meat because of supply chain interruptions, we’ll appreciate having stock and rendered fats on hand for flavor. You can cook rice in it, add it to beans, use it to flavor sauce or gravy. I freeze stock in ice cube trays in case I want to deglaze a pan or thin out a sauce.

Me: Some of us have loaded up on fresh vegetables, perhaps more than we can use. How can we prevent waste?

Emily: If you have vegetables ready to expire, blanch, and freeze them. Some, like carrots or green peppers, can be sliced and frozen raw. For best results with vegetables that don’t freeze well, like celery or escarole, prepare a dish and freeze that. You can also make pestos. If you have a bunch of a particular herb, purée it in the blender or food processor, along with the flavorings or ingredients you like, and freeze in ice cube trays. You may want to add a bit of oil to facilitate this. Enjoy over pasta or add to other dishes for flavor.

Vegetable soup is a great way to use up miscellaneous vegetables. The key is not to overcook the vegetables. I sweat them until they’re about half cooked, then add the liquid and simmer just until they’re done. Use water if you don’t have stock—just season it well. You can add shredded leftover meat, rice, pasta, beans, whole grains like farro or bulgur.

When you’re going through the refrigerator or freezer, use a first in/first out mentality. Before buying food, think about using something from the freezer to free up space.

Me: I’ve promised myself I’m going to use up what I have on hand.

Emily: It’s going to take some planning and thought to prevent waste. That might mean taking a look every other day at your fresh fruits and veggies, then deciding to bake some apples or juice some lemons, or make a soup and freeze half of it.

Me: If you’re blessed to be healthy and practice good personal and kitchen hygiene, you can always leave a care package on a neighbor’s doorstep.

Emily: Absolutely, and if you’re experiencing food scarcity for financial reasons or an inability to get to the store, there are programs now to address that. Check with your municipality to see what is available in your area.

Here’s a longer version of this post at Angela’s site.

What are your tips for getting more out of less?

Blog Tips, Free Mind Body Apps, 1st Youtube Ever by da-AL

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Juggling writing my novels, blogging, and daily life is a huge challenge. This week I (sort of) chunked the task of researching the business end of blogging. That voyage into Google-ville unearthed a meandering myriad of fascinating stuff worth sharing with you…

This Aboriginal woman of Australia’s NPY region may be listening to Smiling Mind’s free meditation app in English or Pitjantjatjara or Ngaanyatjarra!

Blogging: In most any timezone, folks check their social media on weekdays, around lunchtime. According to these statistics gathered by Sprout Social, most of us bloggers are wisest to post mid-week, mid-morning. Forget about posting on weekends.

Social media: Trendwatchers at Pew Research Center report that everyone everywhere is increasing their social media engagement. Among all ages, Facebook is used most and most frequently, with Youtube gaining behind them.

Mind: “The greatest gift you can give to people is your full attention,” according to the Australian guy on Smiling Mind. Meditation, mindfulness, stress relief, call it what you will — everyone tells us we need it. Smiling Mind coaches us to do just that, in English and even in Aboriginal languages! — no credit card required to upload it and use its free version indefinitely!

Body: Mindfulness can help us stay fit — MyFitnessPal tracks and calculates our eating, nutrition, and activity. No credit card required to use its gratis edition forever.

1st YouTube: Ever wonder about it? Ta-da! Here it is, originally uploaded on April 23, 2005…

Anti-Viral Dog: Crisis brings out the worst — and the best! — in us, like how whoever kindly made this video wanted us to smile…

What are your best blogging hacks and fave truly free apps?