You’ll notice that last Sunday I didn’t do a “Sunday” post. Or maybe you didn’t? I had nothing to say, didn’t go to Underdog Records (they were closed), and I was just recovering from the food and frolic that we had for Xmas Weekend. This is really the same but for New Year’s Day. The BCPF made a modified New Year’s meal. Back bacon from the Scottish Gourmet for our “ham,” pinto beans instead of black-eyed peas, complete with onions and a little bit of the back bacon, cornbread, and bok choy and spinach sauteed in garlic and butter. Pardon my photography on this. I was on vacation from doing fancy food pics. Happy new year!!!
As you may or may not know, Dear Reader, I have written this blog “every day” (at least FOR every day) since November 1, 2014. That was right after, well a month and a half after, my honeymoon. I did the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time list (the 2012 list that matters) and reviewed that. I did the Honeymoon Chronicles. I have posted while traveling. I have started several podcasts since then.
Today is November 1, 2021. That’s 2,557 days. 2,557 blog posts. On October 1, I started counting down for this. That’s what that number has been. Probably over 750k words because when I was on, it was verbose. Especially in the early days, I had a special rule that said I had to have at least 250 words per post. Usually, it was over 500 but had to be at least 250.
As you may have noticed over the last two years, there’s been a bit of a shortage of topics to talk about. Most of the stuff I post anymore is just “piggybacks” off of my podcasts or other blogs. I’ll admit my heart hasn’t really been in it but I have to keep up streaks. I can’t let something go.
I loved posting in the beginning. There were a lot of cool things to talk about. It could be a rant. It could be a review. It could be an observation. It could just be spouting off about something, I mean look at the subtitle of this blog. I used to really love writing. That has waned, a lot. I think some of it has to do with time, which I have very little of, at least free time, anymore.
I’ve lifted my fingers from my laptop…
The pandemic threw things into disarray even more. At least pre-C-19, I had places to go, people to rub against, things to see and do. That’s where I drew a lot of inspiration for this blog that may or may not have been 100% true and accurate. You know that technically, I write this blog as a character and not as myself. That’s why it’s always signed “Scorp” short for Scorpio, short for ScorpioNC, the name I’ve used most of my adult “online” life. Scorp had a lot of things to say, sometimes just to rile people up, especially during the RS List days. Not all of it was how I actually felt. That’s creative license and I used it.
I think the key word in that last sentence is “creative.” Once the pandemic hit, and I found myself working on so much research and writing on The Man Who Ate the Town to keep up with what food and beverage establishments in WSNC that I became a bit burned out on writing. Because my scope was limited, so was my writing channel. I didn’t want to write so much but I also didn’t want to let this thing go. At least not then.
It went from making sure I had a post in before midnight to constitute that day’s post to “eh, I’ll write the whole week’s worth on Sunday.” And, that’s what happened. I was getting up early on Sunday to write Monday’s, Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, Thursday’s, Friday’s, and Saturday’s posts. Saturdays are fairly easy because it’s just picking a video to play for Sounds Like Saturday. But, skip back to five months ago, and every day it was a “Now Normal Chronicle” post about a video of something, mostly anniversaries of albums. That’s because it was easy to pull off. I think it was an interesting topic. So much that everything that Beeswax Vinyl Daily is, is exactly that. Music history. So, I didn’t see the need to post that every day, any longer.
It’s not fair to you, Dear Reader, to have to endure my boredom and frustrations. I don’t know if “fair” is the right word. You can just not read it, that’s okay. But, I haven’t stopped getting new followers and readers. I haven’t stopped getting likes on a good number of posts, mostly the food ones or where I say something profound (at least in my head). It’s not fair to me either, though. I started this to mean something. I still want it to mean something. At first, I missed being a “journalist” and this was the way for me to do that, bring you something exciting or at least entertaining. Through all these years, I think, especially in the beginning, that this was at least entertaining. It’s become a chore for me.
So, here we are, again, November 1, 2021. Seven years, to the day, that I started the NABLOPOMO (National Blog Posting Month) “30-Day Challenge” that I just couldn’t stop writing (thanks a lot Kristen Daukas). I am announcing that I am stopping the “every day posting” that I have committed to and somewhat adhered to, effective today. But, what does that mean? It means that there won’t be a dedicated Monday-Sunday daily blog post. But, I am not giving up blogging altogether. I do still plan on doing Sounds Like Saturdays and Spinning (or Silent) Sundays. I want this blog to go on.
But, that’s not all. I will be going back to the spirit of this blog and that’s posting with purpose. If I have something to say, to announce, to rant about, to promote, then I’ll come and post about those things. The blog is still here. In addition to that, I’m working on a weekly blog post along the lines of what was “Talking Tuesday” posts for seven weeks in 2016. It’s basically a blog post that is in podcast form. In fact, I am planning to start a Useless Things Need Love, Too podcast for those. I may look at the Wheeler’s Dog platform and do one on here (or its own website) and then do a BONUS episode each week on Patreon. I’m weighing my options.
It comes down to this, I changed my “daily” focus from this blog to the Beeswax Vinyl Daily and trust me, that takes up not only my work time but my free time, too. I put more hours into that than almost any podcast I do or have ever done. It’s my daily release. This used to be. This used to mean so much to me, and it really still does, but it’s not a priority. That’s its sad reality and sad truth. But, I still love it and I’m going to keep it. I think I’m going to take a virtual page out of the book of my friends Honu Global and refurbish, refinish, reimagine what this blog will be.
I thank all of you who may have read these ramblings daily, at least in the beginning. Thank you if this is your first time. Thank you if this is your last time. Thank you for pushing me through. Thank you for just being mildly interested. Thank you for tuning in to see what kind of train wreck it may be.
Once again, I’m not quitting this, I’m just repurposing it.
Until next time, same blog channel at SOME blog time… Tim out.
Underdog Records was closed because Jonathan was on a much needed vacation. Here’s what The BCPF and I did instead.
Pork Intestine with Chili Pepper – New Sichuan
Orange Chicken – New Sichuan
Chive, pork, shrimp dumplings – New Sichuan
Pork Soup Dumplings
Big Winston Breakfast – Sir Winston
My first taste of Absenthe
Shrimp Po’Boy – Sir Winston
Tomato Bisque – Sir Winston
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “The bar has since closed, and the world over will mourn this no-holds-barred gem of a dive, with absinthe on tap and rock ‘n’ roll karaoke on deck.” – Anthony Bourdain
— “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” – The Declaration of Independence
Today is the last of the NCAA soccer games. It’s a big one, too. A triple-header. Up first, New Hampshire vs. Kentucky (0-2). Next, Virginia Tech vs. Oregon State (2-1). Finally, Monmouth vs. Pitt (1-6). Whew… I’m done!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “The NCAA salutes its nearly half a millions student athletes participating in 24 sports. We cheer for them in the game and in the classroom.” – Me (from a script)
We didn’t go to Underdog Records this week because Jonathan is taking well-deserved time off. But, I decided to show you what I’ve been loving. My friend Jim Young got me a bottle of Templeton Rye Whiskey for my birthday and my son got me Stormtrooper Ice Cube Molds for Christmas. You can’t really tell the Stormtrooper but trust me, it’s there. I love those things. And, man that rye is so smooth. Thanks to both of you. Enjoy your Sunday, everyone.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “GOOD WHISKEY GETS BETTER WITH AGE. That’s why, back in 2010, we set aside a few select barrels of The Good Stuff for extra aging. Six long years later, the wait is finally over. Our release of Templeton Rye 6 marks our first new product in over a decade. Aged six years in new American oak barrels, this limited release of Templeton Rye whiskey is 91.5 proof with an unforgettable flavor. Now there’s even more to love about The Good Stuff.” – Templeton Rye
Since The BCPF and I were in the mountains this weekend, we didn’t get by Underdog Records. One thing we did was ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We stopped at an “overlook” so she could see the mountains. I grew up in that and find them way less impressive than she does, but I will admit they are pretty to look at. We are back home, now. We had a grand ol’ time. Just gonna leave this here…
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “The Blue Ridge Mountains are an incredible place.” – Rupert Friend
No Underdog Records trip yesterday so we didn’t get anything to report. Being as such, and seeing as I am sitting in the studio on a Sunday to do some work, I figured it was time to post another “Meanwhile…Back at the Podcast” pic from B Miller! (hint: don’t try to figure out what was going on in her head…) If you listen to The Less Desirables podcast from this week, some of this may make sense, but, much may not… Are they boobs or not?
Have a great Sunday.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “I always doodled as a kid while I was talking on the phone or watching TV.” – Bruce Eric Kaplan
I just find this funny. Not making fun because I know the context. But still…
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed. A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed. Then one day he was shootin’ at some food and up through the ground came a bubblin’ crude. Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea. Well the first thing you know ol’ Jed’s a millionaire. Kinfolk said ‘Jed move away from there.’ Said ‘Californy is the place you ought to be!’ So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. Hills, that is. Swimmin’ pools, movie stars.” – “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” (Henning)
Today is the 33rd anniversary of what I call the beginning of “hair metal.” 33 years ago, Poison’s Look What the Cat Dragged In was released. I liked it and I don’t care if you don’t. Great. Don’t listen to it. But, before you completely poopoo on the whole thing, listen, at least, to this cover. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
– “You know I call you, I call you on the telephone. I’m only hopin’ that you’re home. So I can hear you when you say those words to me and whisper so softly. I’ve gotta hear you, ’cause baby we’ll be at the drive-in, in the old man’s Ford, behind the bushes ‘til I’m screamin’ for more. Down in the basement, lock the cellar door and baby, talk dirty to me!” – “Talk Dirty to Me” (Michaels/DeVille/Dall/Rockett)
Useless Things Need Love Too 