John Oliver Explains Brexit Better Than I Ever Could....

Working through some freelance & writing projects, but in the meantime, here's a bit of a distraction:

Your Wednesday Conspiracy Moment of Zen

Life's been busy. So in that spirit, I offer this as a possible explanation.

How to Spend Your Time Tomorrow on Leap Day

Just chiming in while wailing away on other writing projects.

Simply head to http://spendyourleapsecondhere.com/ - it's a microsite via Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Watch each video 60 times. Then multiply those by 60, and then by 24.

That's how you can spend Leap Day. Or as John Oliver explains during the "leap second" brouhaha:



(Although, technically, if you throw that video into the mix, you can spend even more time)

Enjoy!

Your Doctor-Who-Reference-in-Unusual-Context Moment of Zen

Your Monthly Blogaround Moment of Zen

With all of my fiction writing efforts coming to light - and with freelance work providing me with income - I must admit that my online writing (except for this blog) has somewhat fallen to the wayside. I definitely have some posts that I'll need to craft for I Hear of Sherlock in December, when things have died down from Chicago TARDIS.

But until then....just a few highlights.....

Like the fact that I will be a panelist on Saturday morning of Chicago TARDIS, talking classic Doctor Who. If you're planning on attending, please join me!

If Black Bat Mystery Vol 3 has you pumped for more pulp, you might want to take a gander at this Airship 27 Secret Agent X anthology - I served as associate editor. Trust me, you'll dig this one.

Yes, I'm also one of the supporters of Uncanny Magazine's Year Two Kickstarter - I know the Thomases (great people to know, by the way), and they put out a great magazine. You really should consider reading it.

Finally, an update on my effort to reach John Oliver of Last Week Tonight...and some great nonprofit events in Chicago.

Dancing Around the Internet....

The past few weeks, I've seen a flurry of activity...so much so that I rather miss the "good old days" of unemployment.

But just a little - I'm loving the "better current days" of balancing freelance work and writing. (And organizing the Chicago TARDIS Charity Auction - drop me a line if you want to help). But that hasn't meant that I haven't been plugging away at other efforts....

For example, not only did I polish off a Blog Action Day 2015 entry for Chicago Now's One Cause At A Time, but I've seen increased traction over my open letter to John Oliver of Last Week Tonight. 

(As a postscript - yes, I have reached out to Mr. Oliver for an interview. Here's hoping...)

In much less smaller scale news, here's a review for I Hear of Sherlock. 

On Sean Taylor's blog, I discuss some great online writing resources.

And finally, a very blurry me on the Zone 4 video podcast. (Please note - I have since purchased a new webcam, so this shouldn't be an issue in the future).

Your Weekend Blogaround Moment of Zen

Right now, things have been busy - both in terms of seeking other freelance work and in terms of other writing. (Don't worry - I'm not neglecting the blog at all). So in an effort to play catchup, I'm engaging in my semi-regular posting of various other writings on the Interwebs, or whatever phrase those who are hip and cool are using at this present moment:

• One of my major projects this past week has been sharpening my professional profile, including my personal web page. I have tweaked some of the text, and added an online bookstore. Much like my Linked In profile and another initiative I'm hoping to launch, it's hopefully a stronger marketing strategy that will bring me more work. Enjoy!
• As you can see by the graphic, I wrote about Last Week Tonight's #jeffwecan segment for the Chicago Now blog. It might seem like I'm being flip, but trust me - that segment actually has me nostalgic for my past work in tobacco control
• For I Hear of Sherlock, I have a review of the Baker Street web series. Trust me, you really ought to give it a view.
• Although several other projects have fallen by the wayside (don't worry - they weren't announced), I am glad to say that the Chicago Geek Breakfast will hold its first event in March. Here's the Eventbrite link - if you're available for one of our upcoming events, please let us know. We'd love to have you!

Some Timely New Year's Eve Advice

For several of us (like me), New Year's Eve can be a rough time in trying to choose which social soiree to attend. (I'll be at home, going through my DVD collection). For others, it can be much trickier, and a major effort to stem loneliness.

On that note, let me turn it over to John Oliver of Last Week Tonight, who has some timely advice that I think we all could use....

5 Reasons to Watch LAST WEEK TONIGHT on HBO

As many of you readers know, I like a little bit of pop culture mixed in with my politics and news analysis. So my most recent find - HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - has been on my must-watch list for some time now. Why, you may ask? Well, here are five reasons why this show is a must-watch and a can't-miss.

1. It's like a Sunday morning news show, but with better jokes - Unlike The Daily Show and Real Time, Last Week Tonight focuses on one major and one or two "smaller" stories, giving them a real depth of exploration....as well as making some really great jokes. (Check out this NSFW piece on Warren G. Harding's love letters....and that's not me being clever. I did type "Warren G. Harding" out loud.)
2. It brings a much more global perspective to American news - Perhaps it's because John Oliver is British, but there's a much broader scope than either Maher or Stewart, as stories have focused on everything from the World Cup in Brazil to how the US shaped LGBTQ policies in Uganda. For someone who has had enough of the "look how (the opposition) is acting" online, knowing that the world exists outside of Washington DC is a nice, pleasant relief.
3. Oliver brings charm and class to the snark - Again, maybe it is because he's British, but with his Daily Show pedigree, there is a certain amount of trust Oliver engenders...and at the very least, it pays for those annoying BBC America DVD commercials
4. It's not ashamed to have a strong opinion - Last Week Tonight manages to state its case in each piece without relying on The Daily Show's "We're comedians, not journalists - honest!" posturing nor Real Time's "How can you not agree with us - we're right!" smugness. There's an easy confidence and a sharp, critical mind behind the comedy, and finally...
5. It's a basic cable show you don't need to illegally download - Although new episodes are show on Sunday nights, they're usually posted (in edited form) on their YouTube channel (they also have a healthy presence on Facebook and Twitter). So no matter what, you can easily enjoy this show and "binge watch", as the kids say)

In that spirit, I'm embedding a few of my favorite pieces from the show - that way, you don't even have to leave this web site. But if you want to catch first-run episodes, check your local listings for Last Week Tonight, Sunday nights on HBO