A Blog Before I Walk on a Saturday

We're now a few days past Labor Day. This time of year it's hard to believe that it's still summer; psychologically, Labor Day seems to end it.

Things must really feel different for the schoolkids. Here in Michigan public schools by law can't start until after the holiday. It's the state's way of trying to wrest a final tourist weekend out the populace. Kind of cruel to the children though, isn't? Have a great weekend kiddies! Start school immediately after! At least for us adults (although I wonder at times how many of us actually qualify as that) it's simply more of our adult world going on on Tuesday like it did the Friday before.

I don't miss school one lick, and I went back when we were expected to learn real stuff with real value. But that rant is for another time. 

Have a great weekend! It's the second to last of Summer, you know. Even if it feels like Fall.

Radio Voice

A customer told me yesterday that I have a great voice, one that would be good for voiceovers. He said he meant it, that it was a compliment. I'm willing to take it on that level. I do have one voiceover artist job to my credit. Indeed he wasn't the first to remark that I had such a quality. But I always felt my voice sounded kind of whiny for such. Quiet, Ron.

I don't really know how complimented I ought to be though. A waitress once told me I sounded like Disney's Jiminy Cricket while Bally Sports Detroit's John Keating remarked that my voice was odd enough for Cartoon Network. So there's that.

As I don't believe any of us hear ourselves the way other folks do I don't think I can comment accurately on what exactly I sound like. On top of that of course, I'm trying to establish myself as a writer. That strikes me as ironic in some vague sense. Perhaps I can produce my own audiobooks when the time comes.

Last Sale

Mom used to have regular yard sales. When I was a preteen and through high school, she would have two or three a year. With seven kids I imagine it was more necessary than I appreciated back then. But she seemed to enjoy them too.

I didn't. I didn't like helping to make the signs, nor going around hanging them on light poles through the neighborhood. I didn't care to put the stuff out or put it back afterwards. And I was certainly too much of a youngster to have any interest in dealing with the people who came by. Yard sales just weren't for me. But I did my part because, well, a son is supposed to help his Mom. Even if he's a tad surly about it.

This past Labor Day was our neighborhood wide yard sale, on a Sunday for whatever reason. My brothers decided to participate, and I helped them a little. At one point, standing to the side and seeing various knick knacks and furniture of Mom's sitting across the front yard of her house, it hit me that that would be the last yard sale there. And I thought, damn. Just, damn.

Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day! Enjoy the holiday! Walk the Mighty Mackinac Bridge if can! Don't eat too many burgers and hot dogs.

Yeah, right, to that last one.

Fire Good?

As if there aren't enough things to fret about, how's this? Pistachios can spontaneously combust.

It's true, at least according to this source: Pistachios catch fire

Nuclear war is always a threat. Crime and violence seem on the rise. Hurricane season is upon us. And now the pistachios in your kitchen cabinet may catch fire on their own. Is there no end to the cruelty of this world?

But that won't happen once I've eaten them right? No chance of pistachios mixing with stomach acids and - bam - I'm on Ripley's Believe It Or Not?

I'm only passing this along so that you can be as paranoid about it as I am. Have a great three day weekend.

Convenient Drivel

Look at this! Just click that link and see the good news!

Family Lore

Charles Martin Cosgriff's, that is, my new book, is now available on Amazon. It's only on Kindle right now, but I hope to have a paperback edition soon.

It's a collection of favorite family tales from this very blog, The Sublime to the Ridiculous. I'm thinking of you, dear reader. Why read it for free one tale at a time one day at a time, which can be pure drudgery (Quiet, Ron) when you can pay 99 cents (not even a whole dollar!) and kill a couple hours reading several at a time. You're welcome. 

A shout out to my daughter in law Tarina Cosgriff for the cover. She stays in the will. Seriously, I love the cover and really appreciate her work!

Next up: STTR II: Cloyce Encounters. Thanks to my old friend Mark Koldys for the title. Guess who it features? It'll be up and running by October, just in time for Christmas!

Instantly Soon

We should always be careful with what we read on the Internet or see on late night TV. I'm not saying that everything you read and see is wrong. Just be wary.

A commercial I happened to catch the other morning offered free or low cost medical insurance 'to those who qualify'. Well, of course it would be available to those who qualify, wouldn't it?

Yet there's more than that. In the next instance the voiceover urged the viewer to hurry and make a phone call 'Where in a few minutes you can see if you instantly qualify'.

I don't know about you, but while a few minutes might be very fast it doesn't strike me as instantly. That's why I'd be careful about making that call.