Category Archives: Podcasting

Friend Friday or: King of the Wind

17 Friday Jan 2020

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Salutations™!!

Remember when you used to do the #FF on Twitter just a few years back? It stood for Follow Friday or Friend Friday (according to who you asked) and as far as I can tell, no one really does that any longer and whilst I’ll admit I was slack on that on Twitter, I will also say that Twitter isn’t my main social media platform and I just didn’t do it. But, I think it was a good idea and I’d like to pick that back up, except do it here on this blog.

I have a slew of friends that are interesting folks. They may have businesses, they may be musicians, they may just be eclectic as heck, whatever! I just think they need to be highlighted more because they bring awesomeness to the world and we’re lucky to have them here in WSNC.PWS

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This week, on The Less Desirables, we had Monique Ferrell Smith and Anthony Tang, the Executive Director and board of directors member, respectively, of the Piedmont Wind Symphony on as our guests.

The Piedmont Wind Symphony, now in its 30th season, is led by Musical Director and Conductor, Matthew Troy. Maestro Troy is not only a very talented conductor and musician but he’s just a great dude. His cast of musicians is based on wind instruments and other than a few outliers here and there, the Piedmont Wind Symphony has no stringed instruments.

PWS logoThe PWS started in 1990 when Rob Simon put together a group of musicians, that included educators and students, to perform compositions for wind instruments and ensembles. Simon was the man on the platform for many years. Matthew Troy came along in 2015, after a stint as the Associate Conductor with the Winston-Salem Symphony from 2009-2014.

As I said, this is their 30th season and already this season they have had two fantastic shows. The first was Along the Silk Road in September. It featured music from Pakistan, India, Korea and China as well as some Puccini and one of my favorite classical composers, Camille Saint-Saens. There was also a musical story that was recited, but I can’t remember the narrator’s name.

The next event was this past November when they presented Chaplin Meets Sousa featuring some bombastic selections from the march-master, himself, John Phillip Sousa and Maestro Troy and his cast also provided the music for two Charlie Chaplin shorts, The Immigrant and The Adventurer. 

I call Matthew Troy a friend and I have to say that just watching him conduct this ensemble is as much a spectacle as a rock concert can be. He is always energetic, fun, and brings majesty from those he conducts. They have fun with him and you can tell. As I told Monique, I had the whole seat but I only need the edge of it when watching him. I’ve never been a Sousa fan but the November show changed that. You can feel emotion and dynamics with your ears.

Next Friday, January 24, PWS will hold their annual fundraising gala with the theme of “It Happened One Night” and even though we’re heading into the “roaring 20s,” PWS is bringing the 30s (because of their 30th season, get it?) and the film It Happened One Night is from 1934. This means that 30s-inspired attire is expected as well as other theming. The gala will be held at the Millennium Center in downtown WSNC. Tickets are $125 per person and will include food, fun and frolic. And, there will be beer and wine, as well.

You can purchase your tix by visiting here.

Now, you know I feature my sponsors on here, a good bit. Well, this is different. In this instance, I am the sponsor. I am a media sponsor so it is my job to promote them, but this is an honest and heartfelt (and was not asked to make it) recommendation.

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Are you familiar with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King & I? It’s a musical that is based on Margaret Landon’s book Anna and the King of Siam. It’s also the presentation from Piedmont Opera that is coming in March. PO logo

Piedmont Opera has been an advertising client of The Less Desirables for a few years, now. PO has a few years on Piedmont Wind Symphony. Where PWS started in 1990, PO started in the late 1970s by Norman Johnson. It’s in its 41st season now.

According to their website, “Piedmont Opera produces the highest quality opera productions possible by using international, national, regional and local professional singers and technicians.”

I remember the first time I went to the opera. I was a senior in high school and the chorus class went to see The Marriage of Figaro. I drove and took a friend of mine with me. It was one of the first times I ventured downtown, too. I really enjoyed seeing the production. They did it in Italian (I think) and then they did this “rewind” thing and then did it in English. After the show, my friend and I went to my car and because she didn’t know you had to lift the handle to lock the door, it wasn’t locked and someone was able to get into my truck and steal my stereo and cassettes. That sucked but the opera experience was great. The last one I saw, Tosca they actually had subtitles so you could understand what was going on.

PO KingThe Piedmont Opera has now done over 48 different productions to an audience of over 150,000 people. I hope to have someone from PO to talk about The King & I in early March.

If you are thinking that you have to “dress up” for either the PO or PWS, think again. Both are more concerned with your butts in the seats than how fancy you can dress. Not, that you’re discouraged from dressing up. By all means, knock yourself out. It’s just not necessary.

Both PO and PWS, along with about 40 other arts organizations in WSNC/Forsyth County are participating in the year-long event, “Beethoven Rocks Winston-Salem.” You know I’ll be talking more about that over the next year. This is a big deal because this year would have been (in my best Alex de Large voice), Ludwig Van’s 250th birthday. So, you’ll hear Piedmont Opera doing Beethoven’s Fidelio along with the Winston-Salem Symphony and Piedmont Wind Symphony will be doing “Extreme Beethoven” from Johan de Meij in their concert in March.

You can purchase tix to the Piedmont Opera’s The King & I here.

As I mentioned, Piedmont Opera is an advertiser and thus I may get compensation from them, however, this is, again, an honest and heartfelt (and was not asked to make it) recommendation.

I hope you’ll visit my friends soon, not just Fridays, and help local businesses and local business owners and hey, you can get good beverages and delicious pies! Thanks for reading about my friends.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“Our Vision is to be the finest opera company of our size in the nation and acknowledged as the best at what we do.” – Piedmont Opera

An Old Favorite or: Bringing the Magic Back

02 Thursday Jan 2020

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Salutations™!!

I know I talked about this on Monday, but this is the official announcement.

One of the best things that we have ever done on The Less Desirables is a segment called As Ardmore Turns. What it was was a skit/sketch where we took Facebook’s Ardmore Neighborhood’s ramblings, arguments and so on and we just read them straight through. Then added some old-timey organ “soap opera” music, a few pop culture drops (like songs or movie clips or something) and made it into a thing.ardmoreturns

It took me a long time to do them, upwards of four hours, and it got tedious. Plus, the page settled down some and I was forcing content. I have talked before about how I hate that. So, I stopped doing them.

People have been asking about them for a while now, like the old episodes or even new ones. I did one this past week and it was a grueling, five-hour process. Not that I minded that, but the episode went on for almost 40 minutes, too. I don’t like doing that.

The Less Desirables is long enough now without adding another 10-40 minutes to it. So, I’ve decided that I am going to let AAT be a stand-alone beast and it is a beast. I have a lot of old episodes to post and I will do new ones when it is feasible. I even started a whole new website just for the skit. I haven’t decided whether it will or will not be on the TLD Network, as of yet.

There’s only one episode, so far and you can find that HERE.

I’ve submitted them to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Google Play. They’re in review right now. But, here’s hoping that you all dig them. Let me know!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“…for our almost-true-to-life soap opera that practically writes itself… As Ardmore Turns.” – AAT Narrator

What Days Off? or: The Return

30 Monday Dec 2019

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

So, I wasn’t supposed to go in until Thursday as I have a few things in the studio going on, such as a resumption of a client’s podcast and having a cleaning service come in for the first time. But, that changed on Saturday when I was looking through my Facebook feed and saw a post on the Ardmore Neighborhood page and there was something I could not pass up. ardmoreturns

I won’t go into the details here but it was petty as the stories always seem to be. So, even though I haven’t done an As Ardmore Turns since 2017, I felt I needed to do this one. I was in the middle of it and I remembered why I decided to stop doing them. It takes a long time to do those things. First, there was the near hour that it took me to capture the screenshots and put them into a readable format. Then, I get into the studio and it takes me nearly an hour to record this. After that, I have to edit it because, hey, even I don’t do a clean read-through every time. I have to do a lot of editing. In addition, as I am doing that, I am finding either audio bytes that I already had or having to find and capture new drops.

Sometimes finding what I’m looking for is very difficult. It was worse when I wasn’t a “premium” member of YouTube. I’d have to sit through an ad, just to find out that the video I was watching wasn’t what I needed to do my work. Back when I was doing it all the time, I had it down to around two and a half hours. But, I hadn’t done it in over 18 months, and this episode took me over five hours and it was almost 40 minutes long. That’s way too much on both ends.

I have to decide if I want to cut some down (which is needed) or break it up. Then I have to decide when I’m going to drop it, and where. I don’t know that I want to do it on The Less Desirables, but I don’t really know where else I’d do it. This week’s TLD is already in the can (The BCPF and Tracy and I recorded it last week) and waiting until next week may be too long. So, I’m kind of torn. I think I will try to edit it down some and decide in the next few days what to do with it.

It was tedious work and I can’t say whether I did or didn’t enjoy doing it. I think I am right down the middle on that. I’ll try to keep you informed on where it stands so you can listen if you desire.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“…our almost true-to-life soap opera that practically writes itself…” – As Ardmore Turns

Friend Friday or: Not What You Think It Is

27 Friday Dec 2019

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Salutations™!!

Remember when you used to do the #FF on Twitter just a few years back? It stood for Follow Friday or Friend Friday (according to who you asked) and as far as I can tell, no one really does that any longer and whilst I’ll admit I was slack on that on Twitter, I will also say that Twitter isn’t my main social media platform and I just didn’t do it. But, I think it was a good idea and I’d like to pick that back up, except do it here on this blog.

I have a slew of friends that are interesting folks. They may have businesses, they may be musicians, they may just be eclectic as heck, whatever! I just think they need to be highlighted more because they bring awesomeness to the world and we’re lucky to have them here in WSNC.

This week, I’m going to step away from the sponsors for a second and talk about one of my favorite people’s biz. That’s my co-host on The Less Desirables, Bethany Miller’s Top Leaf Cigar Lounge. Top Leaf Cigar Lounge is located at 1411 W First Street which is right up the street from Quiet Pint and Cin Cin Burger Bar. _topleaf

There are a few “tobacco” stores in town. They have a lot of the Hav-a-Tampa, cigarello-type things and what have you. They also have some big-name cigars that some rep sold them and the employees at most of these places have no clue about the cigar. Plus, you buy it and you have to take it somewhere else to smoke it right? Yeah. I have never really been a fan of those kinds of places.

Bethany and her husband, J.D., are different. They are a cigar store. They carry big name brands, they carry some high-dollar banded cigars, they carry entry-level cigars, and so on. Just like those shopping center places, you’re thinking. Well, the difference is the Millers, especially Bethany, does extensive research on her wares. She can most likely tell you the owner of the company that made the cigars, sometimes even knowing the name of the person who rolled them. She makes trips to Central America to tour the factories and she even had her own branded cigar called the Strychnine (I hope I spelled that right).

So, not only is Bethany selling you high-quality cigars, she knows about the makeup: the filler tobacco, the binder tobacco, the wrapping tobacco. She knows flavor profiles, she knows ring gauge, she knows her cigars. But, wait, that’s not all.

Top Leaf Cigar Lounge is exactly that. A lounge. Remember earlier I said you buy your cigar and you have to go somewhere to smoke them. Well, Top Leaf gives you a space to smoke your recent purchase. Now, that isn’t free, if we’re being honest, but there is a monthly membership and a special daily membership if you just want to sit around and listen to and join in a cigar powwow with other avid cigar puffers and shoot the breeze about life, sports, and other cool things. Have a favorite beer or wine you like to have with your cigars? Well, bring it. They are licensed to have that. As of now, they aren’t able to accommodate liquor consumption because the state is ridiculous and live by antiquated laws, but that may soon be changing. While you’re there, ask Bethany about listening to some cool jazz on vinyl since she just purchased a turntable and some records from our pals over at Underdog Records just a few months back.

As I alluded to, there may be some changes coming in the future. As we talked about on The Less Desirables, Bethany was one of the finalists of the Small Business Center’s Launch Challenge at Forsyth Tech. She has plans to improve her biz whilst relocating to a bigger, more accessible spot. There will be a full bar and a place for low-key live music. A lot of great things coming. To find out more visit their Facebook page, their website and Instagram. And for a special treat, follow Bethany out on Instagram where she’s TobacovilleNista!

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Now, to go along with cigars, a big trend happening right now is CBD. Yeah, that’s marijuana. But, it’s not marijuana. Not exactly. The part of cannabis that gets you high and is the “outlaw” of the plant is the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). That’s what you’re tested for with drug tests. However, hemp and its uses are many and vast. There are hemp fiber, hemp seeds and their oils, hemp leaves (which you can eat) and more. The other cannabinoid produced is cannabidiol (CBD).

_salemorganicNow, I may be talking out my backside on all of that as I’m going to admit that I really know nothing about it. And, that’s okay. Do NOT take my words here as gospel. What you should do, however, is talk to some experts. And, I have just the experts for you!

My friend Chris Eastwood is the owner of Salem Organic Supply and he has been a guest on The Less Desirables. You can hear his very informative conversation about the benefits of and dispelling myths about CBD as well as hearing more about Salem Organic Supply by listening to that episode here.

My mother had bariatric bypass surgery this year and she’s had a knee replacement in the past. She’s suffered a lot from chronic (is that pun?) joint pain for many years and when she had the bariatric surgery she could no longer take Aleve which had been her saving grace for years. Her doctor suggested trying CBD and at first, she was apprehensive because well, it’s from the same plant as marijuana and that’s just not her bag, man.

My sister, who is a listener to TLD said I should talk to my mother about the CBD benefits after hearing the show with Chris. This past Saturday I took my mother to Salem Organic Supply as she was really hurting. My friend Tonia (whom I have known since she was like 19 or so) works there and she demonstrated the products to my mother, educating her on what everything is and how it works. She did a great job.

Ma Mère got a salve and a bottle of CBD oil, both made by Chris and his partners and by that evening she was in much better shape. The next day she was in (virtually) no pain at all. I hear a lot of people talking about CBD oil these days. Some say it did absolutely nothing for them and some say it changed their lives.

It may change your life and it may not. I know that Bethany and Danielle both swear by it. It worked for my mother. So, my advice would be to go to Salem Organic Supply and talk with Tonia and Chris. Let them lead you in the right direction. If it isn’t for you, they will tell you that and work with you in finding that direction. Their address is 545 Trade St. (but is located on 6th street in between Trade St. and Liberty St.), Suite 106. It’s where Burke Street Comics used to be. Or you can follow them on Facebook, Instagram or visit their website. 

If trying CBD is something your doctors or loved ones say may be beneficial to you, then I would definitely give Chris & company a try.

I hope you’ll visit my friends soon, not just Fridays, and help local businesses and local business owners and hey, you can get good beverages and delicious pies! Thanks for reading about my friends.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“A cigar is as good as memories that you have when you smoked it.” – Raul Julia

Piggybackin’ or: Come and Go

16 Monday Dec 2019

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Salutations™!!man who ate the town Stallone

We did The Man Who Ate the Town podcast today and Ray and I talked about the sad closing of Asian BBQ which closed within a year of opening and Payper Plates, a takeout/drive-thru-only Soul Food restaurant in Clemmons. Asian BBQ is being replaced with Taqueria Luciano, which will be owned and operated by my pal, Luciano Perez.

We talk a lot more and I invite you to listen to hear it!

You can do that, here.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“Taqueria Luciano’s is a popular Taco Truck Company serving Fresh Made-to-Order Mexican to foodies in and around the Winston-Salem area.” – Taqueria Luciano

The Clearing or: Plus is More

12 Thursday Dec 2019

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Salutations™!!

I’m finally starting to really clear up from all my crap the last weeks. There’s definitely a light at the end of the tunnel. I talked a good bit today so I’m a bit hoarse still but that’s getting better, as well. I was able to sing a little today which has definitely been out of the question during my sick time.

PeterpanRKO

©Walt Disney Pictures/RKO Radio

Today, I had time to have lunch with my son, 3B and his girlfriend. Of course, I took them to Zesto Burgers. I don’t get to do that much any longer since he has Career Center in the afternoons, has a job and has a girlfriend. So, that was a good turn.

I have been talking with two people that I have either done a podcast with in the past or am currently doing a podcast with now and we have a big project in the works and if it materializes, we will have a big announcement coming in the new year. That’s exciting to me.

The latest of the Disney+ watches include Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“We are Siamese if you please. We are Siamese if you don’t please.” – Si & Am (Lady and the Tramp)

Pulling Through or: In the Apartment

03 Tuesday Dec 2019

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Salutations™!!

Even though I’m sick, yesterday I still managed to record The Man Who Ate the Town, two episodes of The Beer Dads and today I recorded the latest episode of Apartment 5B. I’m still not feeling well, but I had some time with my friends and that was cool.

covered-illness-101

©Allianz

On TMWATT, Ray and I talked about the Tavern in Old Salem closing and a few restaurant reviews. On TBD this week, we talked about Paul dropping a bombshell that he used to own a wine cellar-building business. And on Apartment 5B, we have throat punches, workplace misconduct and conspiracy theories. We had fun on all of them.

Listen to TMWATT here.
Listen to TBD here.
Listen to Apartment 5B here.

I appreciate the listens.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“When you put your heart and soul into a business and you have your family involved in it also and wonderful staff, we have some wonderful people who have been with us all the way. We have a hostess who has worked here for 30 years as the front of the house hostess and a wonderful person. We’re sad for our employees.” – Rick Keiper

The Day After or: Blessed Beyond Deserving

21 Thursday Nov 2019

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Salutations™!!

Yesterday, I responded to what is not probably closer to 290 birthday wishes, be it by Facebook posts, Facebook Stories, Messenger, LinkedIn, texts and emails. I am blessed to have such great friends and family in my tribe and community. They care for me, they care about me. It’s a wonderful thing to be loved. 20191120_205349-01

Additional awesomeness from yesterday? They finished the renovations on our kitchen, laundry room and bathroom.

I got to spend about an hour and a half or two with my mother.

My friend, Algenon at Zesto Burgers & Ice Cream treated me to a fantastic birthday lunch.

My buddy David from Sunnyside Millworks, a “Lab Partner” (see what I did there?) gave me a gift certificate for Hoots Beer Co (a fave)!

Then we recorded The Less Desirables and The BCPF was our special guest. I had Danielle there, of course, and Tracy was our guest co-host and the best surprise, Bethany showed up! I had all my favorite work wives there with me.

I have closed in on the $300 fundraiser for Tourette Association of America

I love my life. I had a great start to my 49th year on the planet. Thank you to everyone involved.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey

Mondaying In My Pants or: The Heck!?

18 Monday Nov 2019

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Salutations™!!

First, we recorded and published two podcasts today. The Man Who Ate the Town and The Beer Dads were both published. I’d appreciate it if you’d check them out.

playstation-vue-shutting-down

Bye-bye PlayStation Vue/

Okay, so here’s my rant. About six/seven months ago, we “cut the cord” from DirecTV as their pricing was escalating out of hand and availability of NFL Network was non-existent. It was getting crazy. Initially, we went the DirecTVNow route, which became AT&T Now. They didn’t have NFL Sunday Ticket, even though DirecTV did. I couldn’t figure that out. Why?

Then, out of nowhere, AT&T Now dropped the NFL Network. Well, it was time to change. We went the Fubo route, then. They had NFL Network and at least did have NFL RedZone so we could watch that. But, I didn’t realize that they didn’t have any Disney-owned channels. Obviously, if I’m hunting down NFL Network and NFL RedZone, then I want to watch football. The end of every week in the NFL season is Monday Night Football. What channel is MNF on? ESPN. Who owns ESPN? Disney.

So, before the trial week was up, I switched PlayStation Vue. It had everything I wanted, except NFL Sunday Ticket which is, unfortunately, only available to DirecTV subscribers because of the exclusive contract with them. “NFL Sunday Ticket is available via DirecTVNow, they said, so I canceled it.” It wasn’t. It is only available outside of DirecTV if I can prove that I can’t get DirecTV. Well, I had it. I can’t very well prove that huh?

I digress.

So, as I was saying, PSVue had everything I wanted minus NFL ST and the DVR is a bit wacky at times. All is well. All is good. All is… well, crap. PlayStation Vue is ceasing operations on January 30, 2020, because it wants to concentrate on its gaming. I get that but don’t leave us all in the dark. This is totally throwing me off. I have been scrambling tonight looking for other services that can give me comparable service/channel selection.

There is none.

Some have a very select channel selection. Some have many channels but not the ones I want. Some have all I want but aren’t available now. None match the selection of PlayStation Vue. This is killing me. Do I go back to DirecTV with a much-reduced plan? Do I just do without the things that I want and do one of the ones that do without NFLX and just keep the CNN, USA, TNT, ESPN and networks? I can find the games and RedZone via the internet but I like to have my computer with me and I lose that when I do.

I don’t know. I have Disney+ which includes ESPN+, so maybe I go back to Fubo? I don’t know. I didn’t like that service and the DVR was also a maximum of 20hrs. I’m just at a loss, here. I’m about done. What do you do, Dear Reader?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“Today we are announcing that we will shut down the PlayStation Vue service on January 30, 2020. Unfortunately, the highly competitive Pay TV industry, with expensive content and network deals, has been slower to change than we expected. Because of this, we have decided to remain focused on our core gaming business.” – PlayStation

Let The Madness Begin or: Piggybackin’ and Patchin’

04 Monday Nov 2019

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Salutations™!!20190819_114143

Tomorrow, the renovation of my house after the Great Flood of 2019 will begin. The kitchen will get a few new walls and a new paint color. The laundry room will get new walls, new floors and a new color. The bathroom will get new walls, new floors, new paint color and if The BCPF and I have any say, a new vanity, basin and lighting. We will see how all that goes.

But, today, I also published two podcast episodes. One for The Man Who Ate the Town and one for The Beer Dads. Click on the links to hear the episodes.

Until tomorrow (with dust and stuff)…
Scorp out!

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“I tell people marriage is a compromise, and so are renovations.” – Candice Olson