Monthly Archives: August 2018

Piggybacking a Review or: Mozzarella Fellas

17 Friday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

Last week, The BCPF and I went to Mozzarella Fellas for the first time. It was pretty darn good. Over on the blog for The Man Who Ate the Town, I wrote a blog about the experience. You can read that right HERE.  I’ll post a pic that was on TMWATT Instagram but not on the story. Heck, I’ll post two!

BBQ Cauliflower Bites
Pappardelle Carbonara

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I was raised by my grandmother, who was also an incredible Italian cook, and grew up in a family where you were never not eating.” – Brian Ricciardi

The New Show on the Block or: Knock! Knock!

15 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

So, you know last night I said I had something to write about, right?

Well, that “something” was the addition (and somewhat subtraction) of the Apartment 5B Podcast to The Less Desirables Podcast Network! We have been doing Apartment 5B since February, publishing them (usually) every two weeks. We are working on getting the frequency to weekly because studies show that a weekly produced podcast is more likely to get listened to than one of any less frequency. A5BLogoTestCrop

Well, what is Apartment 5B, you ask? I’ll tell ya. First, 5B was the apartment number of Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld. Since this is basically a pop culture podcast, with TV being a huge part of it, why not use a good pop culture reference? Why not indeed.

The tagline for this podcast is “Your Podcast home for Irrational Conversations
with the Cool Breezes of Anytown, USA.” It can be about anything or about nothing. See the pattern here? We talk television, movies, music, weird news, we spin a wheel and decide what random topic we’ll talk about.

Does any of that sound familiar? It’s really what The Less Desirables podcast started out being and it’s what I wanted it to become. Don’t get me wrong. I love The Less Desirables and what it has become but it wasn’t my original idea. Also, this isn’t my show. It’s the brainchild of Jeff Evans and “Rory.” I’m just trying to get it more traction by introducing the TLDN audiences to a new podcast. I’m even a “cast member” that goes by the name “Producer Tim.”

If you’re wanting to hear a fun (and sometimes explicit) podcast, give Apartment 5B a try. You can find it on The Less Desirables Network website. We release them every other Tuesday evening, currently. Again, we’re looking to up the frequency. You can find this week’s episode HERE. Enjoy it!

And, again… WELCOME TO THE NETWORK APARTMENT 5B!!!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“The aim is to have fun with the ‘everyday,’ or at least our everyday. That usually is shared agitation, alcohol appreciation, ridiculous journalism, sports, pop culture – you name it, it’s all there, simultaneously inappropriate and hilarious.” – Apartment 5B Podcast

A Late-Night Cop Out or: Wait For It!

14 Tuesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Life as We Know It

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Salutations™!!

Okay, listen. I have something to talk about for today. But, because it’s 11pm and the way the algorithms work on social media, no one will read it, so I’m going to save that until tomorrow and everyone will have a better chance to see it. And, truthfully, I didn’t have time to work up all the details and pictures and all that jazz, so I’ll work on it for now and get it ready.

In the meantime, how about a video? Yeah, me too. I’m glad I thought of it. Today is the 78th birthday of Darrell “Dash” Crofts. So, because I love Seals & Crofts stuff I’m playing one of their biggest hits, “Summer Breeze” as performed on The Midnight Special.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“See the curtains hangin’ in the window, in the evenin’ on a Friday night. A little light a-shinin’ through the window, lets me know everything is alright. Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind.” – “Summer Breeze” (Seals/Crofts)

Double Piggybacking or: May I Introduce You To…

13 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by in Beer, Food, Podcasting

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Salutations™!!

Today I was scheduled to do three podcasts but TC couldn’t be there due to an appointment.

TimmyVO

Timmy VO doing his food thing.

But, I did two. And, that was fun.

First, let’s talk about this week’s The Beer Dads. Can you believe we have been doing it for 3½ years? Yep. And in that time we have gone through a few changes: kids graduating, kids starting law school, kids driving, it’s a lot. But, that was last week’s show. This week’s show is about what may have changed in us; our views, opinions, etc. It’s a good show. You can hear it HERE.

Now, to The Man Who Ate the Town. Last week I put out a call to get a temporary podcast co-host while we wait for Kelly’s return. I really didn’t have to look very far because my pal Timmy VO stepped up and took the spot. The show was snappy and speedy but that’s okay. He had fun and we got to hang out, so that can’t be bad. Tim J. brings voice-over experience, he and his wife are friends of mine (his wife I’ve known for 30 years), he is a personal trainer (so he’ll bring that aspect), and we just like hanging. His wife and he are big into clean eating, home eating as well as going to good restaurants. He adds a lot to the show. You can hear that episode HERE.

To be clear… Kelly has NOT left the show. She’s doing her business and that’s okay with me.

Hope you enjoy the episodes because we had a fun time recording them.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I really like food and I like beer, so…” – Tim Johnson

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 8/11/18

12 Sunday Aug 2018

Posted by in Records, Spinning Sunday

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Salutations™!!

Queensryche_-_Operation_Mindcrime_cover

©EMI

It was a great average Saturday for The BCPF and me. Sun was out mostly in the morning/early afternoon. We got home from Underdog Records and the bottom fell out. It was done before we went to Willows and stayed nice the rest of the evening. Here’s what happened at Underdog:

  • Queensrÿche – Operation: Mindcrime — I didn’t buy this from Underdog but I did get it from there. After looking for this album for a long while and through some negotiation, I finally was able to convince my friend Bill B-A to part with his copy. It sounds fantastic on vinyl and I actually heard things I hadn’t ever noticed. That happens with vinyl I have noticed. Once my favorite album of all-time, it moved down one notch when I realized the love I had for So by Peter Gabriel. Listening to this again, it can still be a contender. VG+ from Bill.
  • U2 – Achtung Baby — #63 on the RS list which brings me to 200 from that list. The search continues. One of my favorite U2 albums and the last before they went into “temporary insanity” state. “Mysterious Ways” and “One” are probably my two faves on this album, while “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” and “Even Better Than the Real Thing” are awesome, too. 2xLP New.
  • The Sisters Of Mercy – Floodland — This is solely a The BCPF thing. She went through (and still lives through some memories of) a goth stage when she was a bit younger. This is definitely “Dark Wave” material and I can see why she likes it. She is especially fond of “This Corrosion.” New.
  • Dio – The Last In Line — I couldn’t pass it up. VG.
  • Whitesnake – Whitesnake — One of my favorite hard rock albums of all time. There are no real clunkers on this album and I had hoped to get it on Record Store Day but while Jonathan ordered several copies, he only got two. Even being fourth in line didn’t get me that album. He had it this time. It was a label promo but that’s okay. It’s the full album. VG+.
  • Golden Earring – Moontan — Although there are only five songs on the album, it isn’t an EP because it still comes in at about 40 minutes. This is the “Radar Love” album. I didn’t know that Golden Earring were Dutch. VG.
  • George Harrison – George Harrison — A good album with some great tunes. It’s no All Things Must Pass, to be sure, but it is good nonetheless. “Blown Away,” “Faster,” and “Love Comes to Everyone” are on this album. VG+.
  • Nick Lowe – Labour Of Lust — Yes, I got this for “Cruel to be Kind.” No, the rest of the album isn’t as good as that tune. But, there are some good pop-music things going on in this album. It’s decent. VG+.
  • Journey – Look Into The Future — Journey’s second album and the penultimate to feature Gregg Rolie on vocals exclusively (which I think is a good thing, I’ve never really been a big fan of his). VG.
  • Various – The Story Of Great Music: Prelude To Modern Music and Various – The Story Of Great Music: The Romantic Era — Each from 1966 and are TimeLife collections, 4xLP each and the “Modern Music” one is VG++ in mono and the “Romantic Era” is NM in mono. I’m actually listening to the first one as I write this.
  • Traffic – The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys — Notable for its really strange die-cut cover, this is a really good album from Traffic. The title song is a great listen as well as the whole album, really. Better than I initially gave it credit for. VG+.
  • The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card — Man, I really dig me some APP. Who’d-a-thunk when I was a young lad listening to music and only knowing “Eye in the Sky” that I would grow up to become such a fan of the other (and in many ways better) APP albums? “Games People Play” and “Time” are the two best tunes on here, in my opinion. VG.
  • Robert Palmer – Heavy Nova — $1 bin find. It has “Simply Irresistible” and I know not much more than that. I think I got it from Columbia House on cassette when it came out because I forgot to send in my card. I may have sent it back or considered sending it back. I think I kept it, though. Oh well, it was $1. VG.
  • The Voices Of Walter Schumann – Songs Of The Ivy League — I have no idea what this is other than college songs. School songs and such. So it will be interesting. The BCPF wanted it for some song that was on The Gilmore Girls and it was $1. 10″ and in VG.

It’s always fun just going into Underdog Records and hearing people say they were playing “Beat the Beemans.” Yeah, we get there and start grabbing stuff as this list shows but there is a method to the madness, but we shan’t divulge the method. Check out The Less Desirables for the weekly TLD/UDR special that runs.

Discogs is where I catalog my entire collection. It (usually) keeps me from getting duplicates and helps me figure what’s left to get for my collection. I recommend using them.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“Did I disappoint you? Or leave a bad taste in your mouth? You act like you never had love and you want me to go without. Well, it’s too late, tonight, to drag the past out into the light. We’re one, but we’re not the same. We get to carry each other. Carry each other. One.” – “One” (Evans/Hewson/Mullen/Clayton)

Sounds Like Saturday or: Dusty Wayne

11 Saturday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

Today is the 36th anniversary of the Go-Gos album Vacation. So, I found this decent cover by a guy named Dusty Wayne doing the title song. Enjoy!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Vacation, all I ever wanted. Vacation, had to get away. Vacation, meant to be spent alone.” – “Vacation” (Valentine/Caffey/Wiedlin)

Ain’t You Cool? or: The Lab

10 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by in Podcasting, Uncategorized

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Salutations™!!

I have been in The Less Desirables Studios in The Lab at Industry Hill for about six weeks, now. And, the only two problems I had with the space were the fact that I have a six-foot round table in the small podcast room where there should a four-foot table and that there was no AC in my suite but was everywhere else in the building.

TvO5n

What I thought I was going to have to do to cool off in the studio!

I’m happy to say that one of those things have been addressed and I hope the other will be in the next few weeks.

On Monday, the awesome folks at Piedmont Sheet Metal came out and rewired the AC unit and now, I have to actually turn the air up to let it warm up a bit because it can get cold. Now, the suite cools down but the podcast studio is still a bit warm. I guess I need to check the vent to see if anything is blocking it. Nothing is on the outside, but it could be on the inside. There are smaller holes and the holes are directional so that could be part of it, but I really just need to check it out. But, at least the suite is cooler.

I sat in there for several hours on Wednesday, prepping, recording and producing The Less Desirables. And yesterday, I was in there over two hours editing a podcast that I produce and while it was a little warm, it wasn’t unbearable. And, after 3B and I cleared the parking lot from the debris left in the lot, I was sweaty. However, that passed not too far in.

On Wednesday night during the TLD taping, guest host Tracy Bush said she was chilly and wished she had brought a sweater. I don’t really understand that as I don’t even want to wear a coat in winter. I don’t mean I don’t get why she’d want a sweater. I guess I’m saying I can’t empathize because I don’t experience cold like most people. I get cold, don’t get me wrong, but I have a wider tolerance for it, I guess.

I’m hoping to get the table situation worked out in the next week, perhaps the week after. I just want the guests and podcasts’ hosts’ to be comfortable when in my studio. I don’t know what I’ll run into when winter comes, but it’s around the corner so we’ll see when we get there. But, thanks to my landlords and Piedmont Sheet Metal for getting me chilly again!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“A name you can trust. Solutions you can rely on.” – Piedmont Sheet Metal

Teaching the Young or: ‘D’em’s Good Eats

09 Thursday Aug 2018

Posted by in Food, Life as We Know It

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Salutations™!!

Tonight I got to attend a soft opening of a restaurant that will be fully opening soon. And, with that invitation came two more spots. The BCPF was already committed to something, I instead took my boy, 3B, and my nephew, Ryan.

20180809_215648

Key Lime Pie

We got to chow down on a wealth of food, but it was the entire experience I wanted to teach the boys. To be honest, be good at what you do and to keep a good name. Also, don’t pester the crap out of folks about things. Just let your work, personality, friendships, and reputation do their jobs.

I’m not talking about the food (which was delicious) in this post (I’m saving that for The Man Who Ate the Town), but mainly the lesson of what hard work and perseverance do for you. They had a good time and I feel they learned something. If I go on about it then I’m just repeating myself and you aren’t wanting to read all that, I suppose. It is my opinion that what I have said is important in getting along in life and in business.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“The key to success is action, and the essential in action is perseverance.” – Sun Yat-sen

You’ll Believe a Man Can Fly or: Superman Where Are You Now?

08 Wednesday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

As last week, I watched a movie whilst doing my social media posting and such after The Less Desirables show. This wasn’t a clunker like Starcrash. In fact, it’s totally the opposite. This was a fantastic viewing. It was Superman: The Movie (1978).

_Superman_II

©Warner Bros.

I first saw this film in a drive-in theater with my parents in 1978. It was, actually, followed by some adult movie that I apparently slept through. Incidentally, when Supergirl (1984) came out, I saw that at a drive-in, too, but with a friend and his family. I just made that drive-in connection.

Anywhat! I’ve always been into superhero stuff. Movies, comics, stories, magazines, action figures, etc. Superheroes and fantasy things (Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.), really. I have to admit, though, in the comics world, I can’t stand Superman. I think he’s cheesy and too goody-goody and is quite boring. I mean, come on, he’s basically invulnerable except for kryptonite and Doomsday and in the last few decades, magic. He really is an overgrown boy scout.

In all honesty, he is in the movies, too, but it was so entertaining. The special effects were remarkable for their time. This was after Star Wars so everyone stepped up their FX game. Christopher Reeve played the part so well. From clumsy, goofy, awkward as Clark Kent to “manly” Man of Steel as Supes.

Gene Hackman as a comical Lex Luthor was good although I always picture him more as a serious character.

I liked Margot Kidder as Lois Lane but the older I get, the more annoying all her screaming and caterwauling gets. Reminds me of Kim Basinger’s Vicki Vale in Batman (1989). Screaming all the time. Jeez. I also didn’t like the whole “can you read my mind” crap she started “thinking” during the flying scene.

And, former “Little Rascal” and “Our Gang” star, Jackie Cooper as Perry White was cool.

But, add in Marlon Brando as Jor-El and John Williams’ fantastic score and this was a very entertaining film. I loved Superman II (1980), too, although it had a slightly different feel. I think I could write an entire blog post on the drama that went down between many of the principal parties on the filming of Supes II. It’s too much to get into here, though.

I really dug the film and loved revisiting it again. Now I’m going to watch II.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Your name is Kal-El. You are the only survivor of the planet Krypton. Even though you’ve been raised as a human, you are not one of them. You have great powers, only some of which you have as yet discovered.” – Jor-El