Blog Features: Regular features you'll see on my blog(s).

You may have been reading my blog and noticed a little graphic in the corner of the post which, when clicked, brought you here. That is because the post is part of a "special feature" of posts on my blog. You may find all similar posts by visiting the search page of this site and searching for the special feature title. This page merely lists what you can expect from the blog special features. Sometimes, in the title of the blog post, the special feature will be announced with the title of the post following.

Travels

I included it as part of my resume. It might explain why I don't get any of the jobs I apply for - employers think I'm either nuts or prone to asking for vacation time - but still I include it. I include it because people and events and observations that are all a part of travel have taught me many things. And it is for that reason that this feature is included on this blog; I will share bits of conversations, moments, memories, images, sketches from travel journals and more.

There's a whole world out there? Don't you want to see some of it? Learn from and about it? Even in the smallest way? Buy a plane ticket, a train ticket, rent a car, pile in a vehicle with friends to split the cost - it doesn't take as much money as you think it does. Just go before your life develops into paths that don't allow you to travel anymore. You don't want to be that 66-year-old man or woman who has been waiting for retirement to travel only to have bad health or no money.

Do it now, while you are still able!

I will avoid, to the greatest of my ability, turning these blog entries into the internet equivalent of boring vacation slides over potluck dinner at the neighbor's house. I really, really will try to avoid this. Because I hate vacation slides as much as the next guy. These posts aren't to make you jealous or sad or lacking in life, or imply that I'm better than you; I really want to share something meaningful. Definitely add your own travel experience in the comments section!

[Click here to read posts about travel.]

Journals

I am always carrying some little book in my purse or backpack or scribbling on scraps of paper to file or recopy into one of too many journals later. I am always writing, searching for a pen, dropping something while trying to write a fleeting thought - it can sometimes be a master of me.

"What are you writing?" people often ask. I'm not sure why they're curious, or if they are just being polite. Either way, I rarely tell them because I'm usually writing something stupid and not so profound and I think it would disappoint them, or I'm writing something about them or something else that I would not want anyone to read.

I'm going to throw you a bone.

Yep. Of my less pedestrian journal scribblings and scrawlings, of the ones that make a little more sense, of the ones that don't insult or aren't the method of getting anger out of my system - of these, I will share. And have. Posts with this icon are taken from my many disorganized and incoherent journals. For a person obsessed with organization and category, I detest it in my journals. I do not finish one from beginning to end, but rather skip around according to which book I prefer to write in at the time. So now, these out-of-context journal entries aren't any more jarring than the actual books. Enjoy. Or grimace. Either is fine.

[Click here to read posts with excerpts from journals.]

Music

I often read music reviews on other blogs in which they talk about musicians and bands I've never heard of. I immediately feel stupid.

I want to spread that love.

My posts that are about music are going to be about the music I love and listen to: classical and soundtracks. And the once-in-a-while other genre. There's more than enough talk about country and folk and pop and rock music on blogs, but I rarely see a good hearty discussion on classic and orchestrated soundtracks.

You shouldn't feel stupid. That way, I won't.

[Click here to read posts about music.]

Interview

Occasionally I get the opportunity to conduct an interview with someone and create original blog content for my blog. Well, all my blog content is original. What I mean is, instead of linking to a news story, I create one from the ground up.

These interviews will vary in subject matter, length and seriousness. Some might be intended to be funny and not serious at all. Whatever the case, it gives me a chance to be bring out my dusty newspaper reporting skills again and pester someone with questions. Pester. Let me know if you 'd like to be interviewed. I might just do it.

[Click here to read interviews.]

Re-run

Though my old Lone Prairie blog is gone, there are old posts that I can see, via my referrer logs, that people are attempting to find. Some of these posts are sought after with astonishing (and alarming) regularity. I've even had email requests for some of them, and though I deleted my old blog and have it available in a book format, I do agree that some of the old posts ought to be resurrected every now and then because hey, they were awesome.

Granted, many of the old posts sucked.

But the ones that didn't were pretty darn good, even if I have to say it myself on my own web site. So watch for your favorites to make a re-appearance and make your day. Or ruin it. It could go either way.

[Click here to read re-run posts.]

Conversations

Conversation blog posts are the actual (or very much like the actual) conversations I've heard or been part of recently that have struck me as interesting or odd.

Most things strike me as interesting or odd, and I apologize for that because my readers are the ones that suffer.

Anyway, these conversations, as related on my blog, may appear out of context because I'm not going to ruin the freshness or personal interpretation of them with some kind of setup or explanation. It's as if you've been trying to eavesdrop and caught a "whiff" of the conversation. The posts might confuse you, anger you, interest you, alarm you...it's all bits of conversation. That's it. No meaning beyond the natural voyeuristic tendencies that we both know we both have. 

[Click here to read the conversation posts.]

Politics

I hate politics yet I seem to find myself drawn into such discussions. This occurs with me usually being in some type of rage, which I have a lot of. Though I am generally conservative in my beliefs, I have friends that refer to me as a "bleeding heart liberal." I take this jest in stride and have adamantly refused to join any political party or march in step to any strict party line. When you see a post with this icon, it will be political in nature, or as much as an art major can be political. That is, "political" can also mean "current event" since in this country, elected officials can't visit the restroom without some kind of filibuster and pronouncement of outrage by Ted Kennedy.

Anyway, though I have a goal of staying out of round-and-round blogosphere political brouhahas that discuss everything and solve nothing, sometimes I can't help myself. And if you hate that kind of discussion, then this icon is a warning to you.

[Click here to read the politic posts.]

Book Recommendation

(Note: With the arrival of the Lone Prairie Library blog, most book recommendations are now found there.)

Recent books I've read or am reading may make an appearance in my blog, though not necessarily as a critique or summary. I might comment on how the book is prescient for the times, something that struck me as interesting, or in various contexts. I usually rate the book at the end, however, whether it was a critique or not. I base the rating on four stars, with four stars being "very good." My tastes, however, have proven reliably unreliable so in reality my ratings mean nothing. Remember, you're getting the recommendation for free, and that might be all it's worth to you: nothing.

Regardless, I always appreciate and seriously consider book recommendations from people I admire or respect. Perhaps you'll find something in the books I have enjoyed. Or not. It is what it is.

[Click here to read posts about books.]

Movies

These posts might be a critique, they might be a review, they might contain a recent movie-going experience or simply talk about movies and film in general.

I might rate the movie I discuss in the post, whether it is a review or not, on a four star rating system with four stars being "very good." Again, my ratings mean little or nothing but instead let me take a little power trip. I'm famous for recommending movies that people end up hating. So take it all for what it's worth.

In the past, my scathing reviews of such stinkers as "Troy" and "Pearl Harbor" have been the stuff of blog link legend according to my referral logs, so I'll try to keep it fresh and keep on sniping.

[Click here to read posts about movies.]

Linkage

These posts contain little earth-shaking information or ideas, serving only to highlight funny or interesting links I've come across as I surf the web.

You can expect to find links to things that will make you laugh, make you think, popular blog memes that I post because I'm a lemming, useless polls that do little but waste your time...that kind of thing. I'm really doing you a favor in just shutting up and linking. You don't have to read too much of my mindless prattle on whatever I'm linking to, instead just getting the link and going to find out for yourself.

I'm kind to my readers that way.

[Click here to read posts that have links.]

On Writing

(Most writing posts can now be found on the Lone Prairie Journal blog, where topics of art and writing are the flavor of the day.)

These posts talk about my experiences as a writer and might discuss writing exercises, good writing books or resources, or perhaps a recent experience in real life writing.

I might point out great websites for writers. I might talk about writers' activities, freelancing, cool stuff that happened to me and my writing, and the constant agony of defeat. On my old blog, I often bored my audience to tears by posting excerpts from my writing exercise book written during a writers' group meeting. I may re-post some of those entries for my own personal glory, and maybe, if you're interested...you're own benefit. Just because it is an art and writing blog doesn't mean every post will have a little icon. This is reserved for talking about "the writing life" which, should I ever figure out what that is, will be of great interest.

[Click here to read posts about writing.]

On Art

(Most art posts can now be found on the Lone Prairie Journal blog, where topics of art and writing are the flavor of the day.)

These posts talk about my experiences as an artist and discuss the many aspects of being an artist.

Supposedly, this is something I should know a little bit about.

This may include art ideas, art information or resources, or perhaps a recent experience in real life art-making. Again, just because it is an art and writing blog doesn't mean every post will have an icon. The icon is reserved for posts that discuss making a living as an artist and not on posts where I announce my new projects or that kind of thing. 

[Click here to read posts about art.]

Product Placement

I abhor advertising. I hate it on TV, before movies at the theater (a hideously growing practice), on billboards, radios, grocery store floors...hate it. And most of all, I can't stand it on the internet. Banner ads, pop-up ads bombarding you.

Of course, I do have Google Ads on my site.

I need money, you know. Anyway...

Now that I've gotten off of my high horse, let me tell you about my product placement feature. That's right. Product placement. I figure that if celebrities can make big bucks hawking products, I can do the same...except for free. You heard it folks. I tell you about products I use and like and make no money from my product placement on this blog. NO ONE PAYS ME ANYTHING, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'M EXPERIENCED AT. So it's not a real ad. It's telling you about a product couched in a clever blog post! It's genius! It's not hypocritical! I'm sharing important information with you!

[Click here to read posts about product placement.]

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