Time for a new podcast, y’all! Yeah, two in one week. I had stuff to say, I guess. I don’t know if I’ll have stuff to say next week or not. But, it’s the 40th anniversary this week of my favorite KISS album. Hear me talk about it here.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “It’s nothing to me…” – “A World Without Heroes” (Reed/Ezrin/Simmons/Stanley)
On this episode of the Useless Things Podcast, we have storytime. Storytime in which we learn about Al. What Al does and how and why you shouldn’t be like Al. It’s a quaint story, a tale as old as time if you will.
I also ask a question about turn signals. Blinkers, blinkahs, whatever.
I was going to post this yesterday but I fought myself. Incidentally, it also feels weird not backing up and making posts for the last four days as well. Yesterday, I started a new thing. A new podcast. A companion piece to this blog. It’s called Useless Things Need Love Too. How original, right? Well, it’s my IP and I am sticking with it. I could go into a lot of detail about what this podcast is going to be about, but if I did that, then what would be the point of listening? I lay out the whole deal on this podcast. And, it’s only about 17 minutes, so just about 10 minutes longer than a Beeswax Vinyl Daily episode. Expect a new one every week. I think Friday will be the day I release them. It may not be every Friday. That is especially true with all the holidays and my birthday coming up. Anyway, you can listen to the inaugural episode here.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “I am opinionated and speak loudly at times, but I will admit that I don’t always know what I’m talking about.” – Me
Let me start by saying that the number in the title has nothing to do with what I’m going to say here.
I tallied up my totals for my podcast episodes. The last I checked, in September, it was 2186. As of today, I have produced or co-produced 2281 episodes. So 95 since September 16.
Me doing my thing…
That includes The Less Desirables, The Man Who Ate the Town, Fan Interference, Asylum – Tales from the Devereaux Diaries, Beeswax Vinyl Daily, and Wheelers Dog (the general public editions) for the network (The Beer Dads is on hiatus as Beer Dad Jon acclimates to his new job).
This also includes my clients, Forsyth Magazines, Lewisville-Clemmons Chamber, Health Geeks Book Club, Nailing It, Eat Drink Triad. With the exception of LCC and EDT right now, I have actually produced more, but I’m trying to not count them until they are published. I guess I could say that I’ve had 2281 published. Whatever.
I am proud of my numbers. I have done this longer than anyone I know and anyone I’ve heard of, at least around here. Some may have started earlier. Some may have more episodes (not collectively, I feel) but, this is continuous since at least 2010, but I started in 2007.
I am a podcast producer that can get you quality recordings and listed on major podcast directories. It’s up to you, the client, to provide the content and do your own marketing. I don’t do that, but I am a one-stop shop for your podcast needs. Contact me here if you’d like to talk about your own podcast.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “I like the freedom of podcasting. With podcasting you can really mess around with the form and the format. You can do as much time as you like without having to pause for commercials.” – Adam Carolla
Today, I learned some very sad news. Finnigan’s Wake will be closing its doors permanently on October 30. Finnigan’s Wake is THE reason the Arts District in Downtown Winston-Salem exploded in to ’00s. Yes, there were other now-staples such as Sweet Potatoes and 6th & Vine, but none had the impact that Fins did. But, for me, the impact was even more than reinvigorating an area of town.
Practically nothing in my life right now would be like it is if it weren’t for Fins. How, you ask?
Me and My Best Girl
I was able to realize what others may say is ridiculous but something I’m very proud of. I was the second-ever person to join the 90-Day Club. Not only did I do 90 days, I did 1099 days. That got me some recognition and status.
I was “Trivia Tim.” I didn’t start the pub trivia at Fins but I took it over after the first three weeks and I did it for six years after. Again, people got to know me, spend time with me, and my network was greatly and largely expanded because of that.
The Less Desirables was conceived, hatched, and born sitting at the high-top table right next to the hallway. Without that, I probably wouldn’t have started other podcasts after it. No Fan Interference. No Camel City Dispatch/Electric Camel Pod. No Tart & Tangy Triad. No The Beer Dads. No The Man Who Ate the Town. No Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking. No Apartment 5B. No Beeswax Vinyl. No Beeswax Vinyl Daily. No Asylum – Tales from the Devereaux Diaries. No Wheelers Dog. No The Less Desirables Network. No podcast clients. Heck without Fins, there may not be a podcasting community here in WSNC to speak of, at least as it is. I know two or three podcasts in town that are thriving because they were inspired by me doing The Less Desirables (or one of the others) and they’ve told me that. No podcasting would mean no “Podfather.” All that I am and do wouldn’t be if there was no Finnigan’s Wake. In fact, the first place I ever met Brian Attridge who started The Less Desirables with me, was at Finnigan’s Wake.
The revitalization of downtown, in general, may still have happened but it wouldn’t be what it is if Philip “Opie” Kirby and John Cahoon hadn’t opened THE Irish pub in October of 2006.
Me, Brian and Eug, TLD…
The first place I met Jon Lowder, one of the Beer Dads and a partner/friend that I have come to thank for many of my accomplishments was at Fins.
Several of my friends who are in relationships met at Finnigan’s Wake. Which brings me to the BIGGEST link that Fins has for me: I met my wife, The BCPF, Stephanie, at Finnigan’s Wake. If she hadn’t come with her friends to play trivia and get away from her toxic, dead-end marriage, and we hadn’t started having small talk conversations, I would never have had the opportunity to ask her, “Are you married, Steph?” That conversation and the fact that she had a birthday soon around that time and I did a special trivia category for her, led to us having our 11:10p nightly computer conversations, which led to us being great friends, which led to us being more than friends, which led to us being affianced, which led to us being life partners and husband and wife.
Me and My Eug
Finnigan’s Wake is the portal to my survival, to my life, to my being, to my loves. I so appreciate that Opie has kept the pub going for so long. The pandemic was hard for everyone. It led to changes within the business. But, he says it’s not about the pandemic. He said the restaurant was kept alive by the community and patrons. He says this is about him and wanting to start something new. Move in a new direction. Pursue new ideas and thoughts. He has been all over the world. As far as I know, he’s touched every continent. If he’s missing one, I think it’s Australia. He’s bought houses. He’s raised money for charities. He’s made himself better. He’s made the community better. I am glad for my friend that he’s okay and just starting a new chapter.
When I read that this was happening, it felt as if I had lost a friend, or at the very least, been kicked in the teeth or the crotch. The memories and recollections of the last 14 years of my life (with the exception of the last one) have relied heavily on my time in the wooden doors under the green sign with the huge Claddagh, the hallowed halls of Finnigan’s Wake. Slàinte mhath, Finnigan’s Wake. Slàinte mhath.
Until tomorrow, Erin go Bragh… Scorp out!
— “The most important things to do in the world are to get something to eat, something to drink and somebody to love you.” – Brendan Behan
Have you figured out the number combo code above? What may it mean? What will it be? Send me a note, let me know your guess. There’s no prize, but there is an “atta-boy” or “atta-girl” in it for you.
On Asylum – Tales of the Devereaux Diaries Podcast this evening, the Kousins talked about my 2021 KISS albums rankings. I did a rating back in 2018 and that was partly the basis of this podcast that I do with my Kousins. We went through all the albums and talked about them. I posted my 2018 (part I) here and (part II) here. I’m not going to post the updated rankings just yet as I want you to listen to the podcast and find out that way. I will post it soon, though. So, in order to hear the episode, you should go here.
You know something, Dear Reader? You wouldn’t know it from looking at me but I love to eat. I love to have a little dessert with my meal. That may or may not actually be true, but I do love me some B&G Pies. B&G Pies have been staples in WSNC for 72 years. They are made right here and like snowflakes or fingerprints, no two are alike.
L-R: Shannon, Scorp, Bethany, Tracy
This week on The Less Desirables, we had Shannon Faircloth who is the owner of B&G Pies. Those little handmade treasures get me excited just thinking about eating them, and we talked about that, the history of the company, her history at that, the pies, how they’re made, and more. Shannon was a blast. Before the show, she didn’t know that she could stay long. She stayed for the whole show. The convo was good. The only thing missing? Pies!
We mentioned, a few times, that we were expecting pies and she totally spaced on us about the pies. But, you can listen to the episode if you visit here. Go have some pies!!! Lemon, peach, cherry, apple and chocolate! Check them out on social media!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “Lots of love and planning go into each and every handmade fried pie at B&G Pies” – B&G Pies
Your weekly reminder, especially if you’re a music lover, a history lover, or best yet, a music history lover! I got you! Head over to hear today’s episode. And, if you go to Spotify, Stitcher, or Apple Podcasts (or ANY podcatcher platform), subscribe, rate, like, endorse, whatever. Help out the cause! Listen here.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “M-E-T-H-O-D-O-F-L-O-V-E” – “Method of Modern Love” (Hall/Oates)
Today on The Man Who Ate the Town, Michael and I talked about the former Dixie Classic Fair, now known as Carolina Classic Fair, how they have a beer garden, now, and Providence’s Farm 2 Fourth event. You can listen to the episode here.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “The big news was, for the first time, the fair has beer!” – Michael
Today was a very laid back Monday. Not on purpose, but it just “was.” Michael and I recorded The Man Who Ate the Town, talked about the Carolina Classic Fair, Farm 2 Fourth, Eat Drink Burger Week, and more. I also had a great conversation with Chef Brian DePaulis from Providence when I visited them last week. You should give it a listen. You can do that here. I’d really appreciate a “subscribe,” a like, a review, and a rating. It would help me tremendously!
Useless Things Need Love Too 