Fourteen Years of Blogging Pleasure

To be completely honest, I never thought I would take blogging this far...

After all, most of my time is spent writing for Chicago Now's One Cause At a Time (with recent posts on Opulent Credit Builders and the Paschen Scholars program receiving a lot of traffic - Google Analytics doesn't lie, you know), and between that and my writing (pulp stories and academic papers don't write themselves), my time writing for this blog has been...well, sporadic in nature.

Sure, I have some good reasons - choosing to live closer to Mom to take care of her while balancing freelancing and caregiving eats away at the schedule...but in recent months, I've realized that I miss blogging.

I have two posts due to I Hear of Sherlock (I was provided complimentary copies of work for review, so I feel somewhat obligated), and will be working on more personal projects (because I have a backlog of stories in the process of being published, and I want to ensure that I give myself plenty of time to create things out of pleasure, not obligation). But I have to admit that right now, with no pending deadlines and a work schedule that's starting to fill up...

I'm rediscovering my love of writing...so much so that I'm more than happy to try to post here on a regular (aiming for weekly) basis.

Sure, I may fail...but the main point is that I need to reconnect with others. Thankfully, I'm starting to regain some semblance of a social life, and I'm reducing my commitments to a coworking meetup and the Chicago Doctor Who Meetup. (Meaning that I'll have more time for myself, and to do cool things like run Doctor Who panels at C2E2). I'll have more time for friendships that don't involve tagging them on Facebook.

In short, I'm reclaiming my life...and that means, hopefully, making blogging a regular part of my life.

Paging Through the Past

I'll be honest....I have a love/hate relationship with writing on a daily basis.

No, not the fiction writing that I'm doing, or even the more professional writing that can lead to income, but keeping a day-to-day dialogue in print. It's held me back from keeping a full-on journal (which is why I tend not to do so), and it also keeps me from making this into a daily blog.

(Secretly, of course, I admire pals like Roger and Mike who are more consistent....but that's besides the point)

But it is rather interesting to look at my past blog writing (notably, the posts I was cranking out over ten years ago to see how far I've come.

First, when I started...I tried way too hard to appeal to the comic blogger intelligentsia (and yes, there was such a thing). So much so that I burned several bridges....and owe several amends. But those will all have to come later.

For example, one blogger's love of a particular character led to some Chuck Norris-style exaggerations on my part. (And some of the jokes are....less than enlightened, to say the least). In looking at how hard I tried, I realized that in my initial blogging enthusiasm, I should have merely focused on just writing well.

There was, of course, the obligatory gotta-do-this-for-the-blog posts, things like memes and the occasional listicle, and the odd foray into self-absorption....but something happened during that time.

My blogging started to become about things....whether it was a greater focus on why a comic worked, or looking at the facets of a favorite film. Writing critically about the things I loved didn't diminish them in the slightest, but enabled me to see them with fresh eyes. Even in those darker days, in the beginnings of what's been called "new Who", I could see the revival of my favorite show as having a greater emotional resonance than it used to...translating into greater personal investment - and affection - on my part.

But I will say two things in looking at my past: first, blogging works, and it's helped me develop my writing style. And I'll never apologize for that.

The second thing - I still think Dodgeball is a very underrated comedy.

What I'm Doing When I'm Not Blogging

It's Saturday afternoon, and I've been in the midst of writing and editing (and finishing up freelance work).

I've also been dating. On a frequent basis.

But since another month has come and gone, I thought I would do what I usually do - my semi-regular blogaround with a variety of posts, podcasts, and online mentions...all in the name of keeping my online reputation clean.

(As if my personal website, my consulting site, and my Amazon AuthorCentral site weren't enough....)

First, since you may have heard that Comic Related  is closing its doors, you might want to read my thoughts on the subject before the site vanishes....(and yes, I've copied all of my old posts....and I'm seriously considering assembling an ebook. Your thoughts in the comments below).

Speaking of all things Comic Related, Zone 4 is undergoing some changes as well....feel free to give it a view and listen on YouTube.

You know, I never thanked pal Roger for linking to my Christopher Lee tribute. Thanks, Roger!

Finally, via Chicago Now, a post that combines technology and nostalgia.....

How to Effectively Leverage Post-Birthday Blogging Time

Ironically, all of these accounts
are spambots. Talk about
pots & kettles

As you may have noticed, I've been a bit negligent in my blogging activities....but I have some perfectly good excuses.

• I was finishing up a draft story for a compilation to be published this summer. Thankfully, I've learned my lesson in terms of learning how to better manage my time.
• This past Thursday, I had a birthday. However, most of the time was spent dealing with someone who....well, let me put it this way: between an Internet sock puppet making comments on another forum (which meant me making a screencap of the comment and needing to block that person), a spam attack, and some rude e-mail comments threatening legal action, I was kept busy because...well, I expressed an opinion.
• Freelance work is going OK, but also focusing on getting more contract work, as well as regular business stuff. So yes, I've been busy. 

So my apologies to you, dear reader, for my absence....I'll be writing a ton tonight and tomorrow, but until then....with apologies to Ion Television, some episodes of Leverage for your viewing pleasure.


And thanks for your patience and interest.

(Edit - since the original illegally-posted YouTube videos were taken down - and to generate some revenue for the blog - why not purchase LEVERAGE on DVD? You can get a complete run of the series for just a little under $100. Enjoy!)

Losing A Domain But Returning to Form

Because I've been without work, and haven't had the resources to do so, I missed renewing my old domain, resulting in

• someone else taking over blogthispal.com; and
• posting content that is, well, spammy.

Now, I'm going to have to fight to regain that domain (or get another one), and with an increase in employment opportunities, that means that for the time being, my blogging will return to http://blogthispal.blogspot.com for the foreseeable future.

(RSS feed is http://blogthispal.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss)

For my old domain host - although yes, I am at fault for not paying, you've just given me a good excuse to switch. You've had quite a bad reputation for awhile, so I have no problem going with another person.

With the person using blogthispal.com - seriously, come up with your own idea and do that. It may take awhile, and will cost, but quite honestly - this is scummy, and I share the responsibility.

For you, dear reader, things will be a bit awkward (you may get a lot of 404 notices when clicking on internal links), but quite honestly - this has been neglected for too long.

So an apology, and a promise to try harder. 

Eight Years of Blogging Fun - In Slideshow Form!

A mini-celebration: I wanted to commemorate eight years of blogging, but wasn't quite sure how to do it in a way that had dignity, warmth, and most of all - simplicity.

So I went to my Flickr account and created a slideshow - there's no particular order to these photos, and many of them have been on the site before. It's kind of my way of demonstrating how far I've come....and how much this blog has progressed from a keeping-me-busy-when-I'm-supposed-to-be-working pursuit.

Enjoy!

Help A Blogger Out!

Received an e-mail earlier this morning, and thought that rather than write another long-winded post, I would write a short, succinct call to action to help a fellow blogger out.

I don't know Tony Collett personally (actually, I think I may have "met" him through another blogger), but he's been really good about linking to my blog in the past. He writes Mah Two Cents, where he does little capsule reviews, talks about some personal issues, and sometimes, the occasional post-that-leads-to-money writing.

Much like my godson Logan, he's from Indiana (which does Illinois a favor in that it shields us from Ohio), and he's a pretty cool guy (based on his writing).  He's been good to me in the past - I'd like to return the favor.

Be sure to read his blog at http://www.mahtwocents.com, and subscribe to his RSS feed. I think you'll dig his work.

Saturday Night NaBloPoMo Blues

As you might have guessed from my burst of activity this month, I'm participating in National Blog Posting Month, or "NaBloPoMo". It's a lot like NaNoWriMo, only instead of a short novel which will collect dust, I commit myself to writing a new blog post per day, not only driving the traffic of my blog, but also allowing me to engage in a semi-manic burst of creativity.

In a way, keeping current on the blog has been very helpful - I've been so swamped in freelance work, other writing gigs, and extracurricular activities that I can easily forget to keep my home fires stoked and burning. (Yes, my non-profit blog's on the sidelines - my intention is to move it to another platform and restart, along with redoing my personal website). But it's still challenging, despite changing my income stream to a more erratic one (and for those who claim that entrepreneurship means freedom, actually....it means more hustle), to create unique content that isn't focused solely on my angst and tribulations.

Yes, I have to remind myself that this is, after all, still a comics and popular culture blog, and that I need to keep myself immersed in that.

But thankfully, things are starting to shift into the next phase, and I'm starting to feel in Chicago the way I did in my St. Louis heyday (or "Obligatory Content That Roger Will Like). I'm starting to feel very centered, very much like I have my own personal network, and that I'm actually moving towards having....well, a life in Chicago. (So much so that I probably should plan a trip to St. Louis next year....and begin working on my yearly calendar/update). In fact, part of what's helping is that I've just let go of a major commitment - yes, I still have some clean-up/transitioning to do, but this will help free me up in terms of time - and mental capacity - to get back to focusing on matters right in front of me.

(That's an area where....without going into details, I'm no longer dealing with a person who has their own flavor of insanity. To put it metaphorically, we're not talking cuckoo for cocoa puffs crazy, we're talking insane in the membrane crazy. I have enough dysfunction in my life, and I hate drama; luckily, I'm now able to begin moving forward, so enough of the digression).

I honestly wasn't going to blog tonight - after a mega cool meetup, I was planning on heading to bed, but thought I would tap out a short post. I guess I'm much more loquacious than I thought.

As Mike Sterling Would Say, "Blogging About Blogging Is A Sin"

As you've probably guessed, I have made several changes to the blog. In fact, one of them is that (gasp) I've actually been blogging much more consistently. Not at the levels of Mike Sterling, my personal favorite comics blogger...but I'm getting there.

Part of it is that, well, part of my job search has involved working on SEO and, well, making sure that when potential employers Google me, they learn more about my current online shenanigans and less about the kind of shenanigans I was into about 20 years ago.

Unflattering, admittedly, but
still funny nonetheless.

So you'll see, if you look to your right, I've started using some of the newer features that Blogger is rolling out - more specifically, now I can create subpages to the blog. I have gone ahead and have not just expanded the "About Me" section, but have also created a separate page for my PR and disclosure policy. I've been getting quite a few inquiries about doing PR; however, many of them are the basic press release and zip file; hopefully, making it clear that I'll follow the rules and creating a special Contact Me form via Google Docs should help make it much easier for me to be contacted, and more importantly - to contact people back.

I've also been - and need to be - more up front about my affiliate relationships. (See the PR & disclosure link above). There are a few ads and graphics around the site - nothing too blatant. Please feel free to click and order (or, if you click the PayPal link, make a small donation) - mostly, it's to defray domain/podcasting/other costs associated with running the blog.

Mike Sterling. With Power Rings.

(Speaking of which, next week's Zone 4 will be recorded at  Champion City Comic Con in Springfield, Ohio, and since I'll be here in Chicago, I obviously won't be part of the cast. But give it a listen  - I think you'll dig it. Also, check out the new Zone 4 web comic as well).

That's it, and until next time, I will continue to give you the kind of quality content you expect, and don't forget that Mission: Red is only a week and a half away. Order your tickets now!

Insert Gratuitous "Elementary" Reference Here

As many of you know, not only do I write for this blog (obviously), but you may know my work as class representative for my high school graduating class, as well as my cutting edge work on Comic Related.

However, I am proud to announce that I am adding another outlet to my ever-growing portfolio. And it's one that I am not only proud of, but am really eager to participate in.

I will be a semi-occurring contributor to the Baker Street Blog, which focuses on Sherlock Holmes in popular culture. Fortunately, I'll be focusing on the intersection of Holmes and entertainment - yes, there will be the occasional foray into comics, but I've started off writing about Holmes in the theater.

Also, this blog is affiliated with the quite excellent I Hear of Sherlock podcast, which also discusses Holmes and popular culture, but with a decidedly academic edge. I won't be involved in the podcast; just wanted to make that available.

It's funny that I'm getting involved with this - much of my recent interest in Holmes has been reawakened both by participating in this Stanford-sponsored reading experiment, as well as watching my father's collection of Jeremy Brett DVDs. Maybe part of it is recapturing my youth, but in short....there is something amazingly revitalizing about discovering that a part of that youth also resonates when one gets older.

Don't worry - I'm not leaving either this blog or Comic Related any time soon. Just expanding my parameters.

The Amazon/Illinois Brouhaha

DSCN0815
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Like many in the state of Illinois, I received Amazon.com's e-mail about ending my affiliate status if Governor Quinn passed a bill charging a company taxes for online sales above a certain price point, and if they had a "physical presence" in the state.

Now, if you go onto the Interwebs, much of the conversation revolves around how the Governor/state legislature in Illinois is "tax hungry". (The link to the e-mail text is from a site that skews in a particular ideology). Granted, perhaps many of them are the kind of affiliate marketing-driven sites that depend on mulitple links for their livelihood...but for me, a humble comics-loving blogger with a crushing addiction to Doctor Who, it was a way to get access to materials at a moderate price.

However, Amazon's recent e-mail - and actions - seem to be punishing affiliates for the actions of its legislature . In short, Amazon seems to be engaging in a call of action...merely because the company wants to avoid paying a higher set of taxes.

(Reminder - not affiliates, Amazon.com the company. Huge difference)

But I understand - after all, it's just business.

So I'll keep the affiliate links that exist, but after this point....I'm seeking other options to keep this blog afloat. In the fifteen or so years that I've been an Amazon affiliate, I've earned....well, if I earned $100, I would be surprised. It's been crushingly disappointing.

So, I'm doing an open call for anyone reading this blog:

I'm open to selling ad space. Let me know and we can negotiate.

For pals like Chuck at Comic Related - if you know of anyone who's deserving of exposure, but has minimal/no budget, let me know. Willing to work something out.

If there are any other cool affiliate programs - ones that might be somewhat more socially responsible - please feel free to contact me; my e-mail address is in the sidebar. I'm not looking to turn this into a spam blog; more enough to cover costs.

If you're a non-profit, like Open Books or Hero Initiative, drop me a line. I'll donate space. I can't guarantee a multitude of hits, but I can pledge support. (I'll even consider featuring you on my new non-profit social media blog, Metrosrhink, more about which later).

I'll also be encouraging people - like I used to do back on the podcast (and I owe you guys an episode, I know), to support their local comics shop, local music store, local business. (Like my pal Terry at Third Coast Comics, at 6324 N Broadway, within walking distance of the Granville Red Line stop. He's a cool guy, it's a cool store, and he deserves every penny he earns)

Because ultimately, Amazon made a critical mistake - it is abandoning the very affiliates who, on some levels, were its advocates. The company's recent actions are fomenting a kind of faux outrage by a Tea Party-esque contingent who seems to think that its reluctance to support the local community through corporate taxes is somehow noble...and that the legislature is wrong for even asking at a time when it is attempting to handle a severe financial crisis.

(And no, I'm not a fan of the Illinois state government, but this time, I can't see them as being totally at fault)

So here's my response - I'll gently, but gradually, sever my ties to Amazon and consider other alternatives. Because I would rather not work with a company that has to engage in such hardball tactics. And I'd rather be a good citizen and support companies that are willing to give back.

After all, it's just business. Good business.

Happy New Year! (And 2009 In This Blog's History).

Right now, am recovering from a very cool pajama New Year's Eve party, where there was drinking, flirting, and the wearing of pajamas.

Every year - and I can't remember who started this, I think it might have been Greg Burgas of the now-retired Delenda Est Carthago - I go through the blog, randomly select one entry per month, and post it. It's a great way to review the year, and plus - it's great for tweeting and making sure people can get a quick-and-dirty intro to the blog. (It also avoids the now cliche "the year we made contact" meme that 's going round.

Are you ready? Then let's go!

January - "In the end, it's about a man who defiantly declares his existence, who takes on the establishment, who asserts his identity...and finds freedom in that. Who helps us all realize that we should not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered... Our lives are our own."

February - "Can't really blame Mr. Bacardi for this one - after all, he was just a messenger via Twitter.

March - It's as if, to use a then-current metaphor, they were the Nirvana of sketch comedy - thrust headlong into notoriety, and the only thing they could do was make jokes about it. And the culture around them".

April - "...quite frankly, only on television are mishaps 'wacky'"

May - "Or, you've eaten too many Little Debbie's snack cakes, and the preservatives are starting to kick in."

June - "Although I speak very little Polish, I now have a greater appreciation for the b-movie."

July - So, yes, you can keep your Joss Whedons....for me, David Simon is the guy"

August - But the last page? If it doesn't break your heart (in a good way), you lack one"

September - "this was one of my glad-I-did-before-I-got-too-old moments"

October - having people who care enough about the city to give back their time and efforts says much more about our character than sponsoring the Olympic games ever could"

November - "There's nothing that even comes close to the power of this great man, except perhaps this: MIKE STERLING. WITH POWER RINGS."

December - Reading all this, I first have to say....I kind of liked the picture idea when Janet Jackson did it for that Rolling Stone cover."

Have a happy, safe, and fruitful 2010. The fun is only just beginning.

A Pre-Xmas Gift to You

In all honesty, I'm very appreciative of anyone who comes to this blog - especially this year, when it has felt like I've been offline more than online. I wanted to do something for my readership (both long-standing and relatively recent readers), and had a brainstorm:

With my friends far and wide, given the fact that I receive more e-cards than conventional cards, I began using my Flickr feed with Big Huge Labs to create personalized calendars...this year, I decided to double my efforts in bringing you a pre-Christmas/Bogie Day/Serling Day effort.

So, via Scribd, here's your very own printable 2010 calendar - feel free to use it however you see fit. Some of the images (being older) may look a little iffy, but please take this in the spirit in which it's presented.

Plus, it's free! What more can you ask?

Official Blog THIS, Pal 2010 Calendar    

5 Reasons I'm Doing NaBloPoMo Instead of Nanwrimo This Year

(Portrait taken by Kring Lerner at the October Twestival in Chicago)

You know, I have to admit that I've been relatively inconsistent in blogging regularly - mostly, I've been overscheduling myself. Although I considered doing Nanowrimo again this year, thanks to a timely intervention (as well as a need to earn my blogger stripes), taking my cue from another, better blog - here are five reasons why I'm posting 30 blog posts in 30 days:

1. Many bloggers I respect do this on a daily basis: If bloggers that I like and respect such as Roger, Mike, Rich, Siskoid, and a cute little stuffed bull named Bully can blog daily, then gosh darn it, so can I! (And if you're a close personal friend who blogs daily whose name I failed to mention, my apologies).
2. Easily avoids libel suits - Because let's face it, if I'm going to write a novel, people are more than likely to believe that I'm basing characters on them. Especially if I write about a dashing, handsome young troubleshooter named Norman Pynorowski.
3. It's relatively easy to do with little time commitment - in short, thanks to being able to schedule blog posts, I should be able to do 30 in 30. And if I'm doing a novel, quite frankly, it's much more time intensive.
   
4. I can "repurpose" old material - all those old ideas that I have in my Moleskine notebook can actually be written...and I can follow up on old posts. Including a "lost" post that will make its debut in the next day or so.
5. I need the bump in traffic - in short, this (hopefully) should build up web traffic, because if there's anything this blog needs, is more readers. At least, more readers whom I can acquire without using naughty words in blog post titles.

So for the next month, it's all on me. Place your bets now, folks, because at the end of the month, you may come into a little extra spending cash for Christmas.....

1,200 Posts Down the Road!

That's right - this very blog has made it's 1,200th post (of course, since this blog hit post 1,000 a year ago, that only means I've been slacking). But in that spirit, here are some things you can look forward to seeing on this very blog:

• September's "Record You Should Own"
  
• Another very special "One Web Day" podcast
• An online surprise birthday for pal Chuck with cake and pony rides and all sorts of wonderful good things
• A review of a Marx Brothers play. Put on in this decade.
• I watched Trial of A Time Lord - and I'll tell you if you have to!
  
• A special September TV Party on Comic Related; and
  
• A nice countdown-to-Halloween event (which you can vote on - just check the upper right corner for the poll).

Here's to more online shenanigans! But first, blame Sterling for this rip on my favorite podcast:

Absentee Note

Yes, this is another one of those kind of posts, but in a slightly mixed way.

Yes, I've been busy. For one thing, this has been the first extended period where Mom has not been in the hospital at some point during the week. Her health is OK, but I've wanted to actually enjoy some non-hospital time with her.

Also, things at work are a-hoppin'. Both good (so good that I wish I could spill the beans, but I can't...not yet) and not so good (went through kind of a rough patch where I was super-busy). All-in-all, though, a good time.

Finally, I've been pruning some of the extracurriculars in my life. Nothing major - just a few small commitments that, well, involve civilian micromanagement of my life. Quite frankly, with everything else...something has to go. Nothing dramatic - just making sure my priorities are in order.

So I'm sticking with the blog, and good stuff's coming soon - just have been preoccupied. In a good way.

Thanks for understanding.

Sincerely,
Epstein's Mom

Back on the Chain Gang

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed Kids in The Hall week - it was a good chance for me to recycle some old posts, to revisit a favorite show, and...well, to revisit my past in a healthy way. But things have happened in the interim...and so, this post is a way of playing catch-up on various and sundry happenings. Enjoy!

• My take on the January 15th episode of Smallville, featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes: I kind of liked it. Granted, it helps move the show away from angsty teen drama and more towards Ultimate Superman, but there was plenty to recommend about it...so much so that I wish there was a Legion spin-off series (but I may be the only person who wants that).
• Happy belated birthday to Fred Hembeck!
• Mom's health continues to be a challenge, especially since she was in the hospital last week for dehydration - one of the complications of her liver problems. My only frustration - well-meaning friends who keep providing inaccurate medical advise (for the record: drinking stuff like Gatorade will not help Mom. It's a liver thing).
• Speaking of medical issues...for all the doctors reading this blog: Mom may need to be hospitalized to get fluids intravenously. Please don't talk about it like she's a car going in for an oil change.
• Although I'm enjoying some of the events on Battlestar Galactica (especially this past episode)....much of it feels like season five of Babylon 5. And that's not a compliment.
• Doom Patrol Archives # 5 - I'm sure somewhere, someone can enjoy this and still complain about how non-linear Final Crisis is...which would be a lie.
  
• Finally, good news - my place of employment has offered (and I've accepted) the opportunity to move from freelance to full-time. So now not only do I get health benefits...but it also means that I actually have to do work. Go figure.