Catharsis of the Bogue

Oddities, Profundities, Profanities and Dad Stuff

Category: writing (Page 1 of 23)

Time Marches on at a Whirlwind Pace

January 26, 2022 / / 1 Comment

I sat here this morning and realized that despite all intentions, I have not written on here for nearly 4 years. 4 years of “I’ll get around to it.” 4 years of apathy. 4 years of slacking! I could come here an make all sorts of grandiose claims about posting all of the time now and getting a regular schedule, but the truth is, Why? Who reads this? Will any of those people that read my ramblings before still be around? Will subscriptions still exist, or will anyone still remember that this is even here? Some I know will not. Covid has taken too many.

I know I won’t keep the schedule. I don’t have all of the free time I used to when I was a stay at home dad. My life is as busy as ever, and the motivation just isn’t there. Sure there is plenty of free time to watch TV, and hang out. Sure there is time to sit and write, but have I taken advantage of it? Obviously not.

It was also back in 2018 that I got a story published in a League of Utah Writers anthology, and have not done much writing since. I have put words down, but I haven’t finished anything. I have thought about stories, but, as the kids say, Meh.

Cut forward to the train wreck dumpster fire that was 2020. You would think I would have tons of time to write….I didn’t write. I did work the whole time as my workplace was deemed an essential business. So Money wasn’t an issue. Just motivation. Things started to look up a bit toward Halloween, but then my Mom passed away and, well, crap. I wrote the obituary for her with my sister and damnation if that wasn’t one of the hardest things I have done. That was harder than writing the eulogy for my aunt. I still can’t read that obituary without tearing up.

Cut to 2021, my son decided that it wasn’t worth it anymore and ended up in a psych hospital due to suicidal thoughts, and then in another for an actual attempt. I am just now figuring out how to do the real author thing and take that pain to make a story. April brought my daughter her second kidney transplant which is a wonderful thing, but I was getting worked up to donate a kidney to her, and with the transplant I just hit a brick wall at 70 miles per hour in that. I wasn’t needed anymore. Well for the kidney at least.

May brought us a fun time moving when we got kicked out of our house because the new owners wanted to renovate and rent for more. No we were not behind on rent or anything, but we wanted to stay a bit longer, with a new kidney transplant and all. But anyway, we frantically searched for houses to no avail and ended up living in a friends house, where we still are….way longer than we planned on. But we are helping them get the house fixed up and repaired so it is good. But I still didn’t write.

I have made a lot of adjustments over the past couple of years, but it is finally at mid January of 2022 when I have actually got the bug again. Write Justin, just do it. This blog is called catharsis for a reason. Spew forth all of the crap that is going on in your head. Let the dumpster fire of your mind flow through your fingers to burn quietly in a corner of the internet and leave your head in peace. Damnit, just write.

So that is where I am this morning. Sitting here vomiting words on my shiny new laptop that Santa brought me. I will write here more. It won’t be on a schedule. It won’t be as often as it could be. Yet, it will be here. It will be real. It will be all me.

And it will be spectacular Cathartic.

Until next time,

-Justin

Book Blitz! A new Short Story!

April 21, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Hello!  Well folks, today I have a sort of guest post from my friend Becca J. Campbell.  She finds time to write great stories while raising 4 boys….I can’t figure out how she does it.  The post below was written by her, and I highly recommend reading it.  After you have finished that, go check out her books.  I have been lucky enough over the years to be on the advanced reader circuit for Becca’s books and this one was no exception.  I really have enjoyed everything I have read.  This series, Flawed, was a bit different, and even Becca wasn’t sure I would like it, but I did!  She has some really great characters that are strong and very believable.  I highly recommend all of Becca’s work!

A Short Story Companion to the Flawed Series

Today is the release for Constricted, a brand new short story related to Becca J. Campbell’s Flawed series. This story coincides with the events in Empath (Flawed #1), and takes place in Logan’s point of view. You’ll need to read Empath first to thoroughly enjoy this story.

If you haven’t already, download a free copy of Empath (links below). Read on to find out more about Constricted.

Constricted (A Flawed Short Story)

Constricted_CVR_SMLLogan’s secret has been exposed. When Jade—a beautiful student at the college where he teaches—discovered the truth, he spilled the whole repulsive story. Jade’s empathetic kindness flooded him with emotions he didn’t know he had and isn’t sure he wants to deal with. Continue reading

Do You Have What it Takes???

March 9, 2015 / / 2 Comments

Where would we be without electric light?  Where would we be without cars?  Where would we be without pasteurized process american cheese food?????  All of these things were invented by people with Drive, Perseverance and Tenacity.   I love me some Kraft Singles that’s for sure.

I was just reading a great article on Drive over at Lee’s Shizzle.  In this article he talks about the drive that he used to complete a daunting task when he was a kid.  I started to comment but the gremlins in my computer deleted half of my comment.  It worked out well because it prompted this post!

In most of our “Heroes” and “Role models” that we have today (I’m not including sports figures for this argument, they are a mixed bunch) we can see Drive.  My personal definition of drive is that dogged determination or hard headedness that makes people great.  Think about your heroes and see if they had Drive.  I’ll bet that they did.

Referencing the first paragraph, Thomas Edison tried 10000 different ideas for the light bulb before one worked.  Now lights are a bit different but that was a huge jumping off point.  Edison never finished school.  Edison did whatever he had to to invent things that revoultionized the world.  He had Drive.

Henry Ford  didn’t invent cars, yet if you ask who invented the car, I would bet more than 90% of people would say Ford.  He didn’t invent the car, just a way to manufacture cars better.  He poured all of his time, money, blood, sweat, and tears into making the Ford Motor Company a success.  Like Fords or not, companies all over the world use the basic assembly line techniuqes that he first put to use.  He had Drive as well.

If you haven’t heard of Kraft Singles you have been living under a rock in a deep dark hole.  Ok Maybe not the deep dark hole but still.  I am not going to get into the history of processed cheese but it is delicious.  Wikipedia has a great article about it here.  This cheese was patented by James L Kraft in 1916.  In the United States at least, the most common type of cheese on a cheeseburger is the American style processed cheese food.  James Kraft built one of the biggest food companies in the world, and one of the biggest selling products that they have is Kraft Singles.  He had Drive.

Now, after a brief history lesson, some introspection.  If you are reading this there is a good chance that you have a blog or would like one.  I have read that most blogs don’t survive past 3 months.  People who run these just do not have the Drive necessary to succeed and be a survivor. (BTW I like Survivor too…Go Boston Rob).  It is easy to give up and not push past the hard part.  When it gets hard to keep up with your blog that is when you have to kick in the Drive and get your lazy butt back in the saddle.

There are those whose blogs are failing and they say “But I have Drive!  Why isn’t my blog working?”  Well, I think I have answers.  How much time are you putting into your blog?  It is a business for all intents and purposes.  I put at least 3 hours per day into it and most days more like 6.  When I am doing design and WordPress stuff it was 8-10 hours per day.  James over at the infopreneur says he has spent over 600 hours in the 4 months that his blog has been active.  It takes time.

Lee has another post about his site being 6 months old and how it is finally taking off.  You have to get past that 3 month barrier to make it work. This blog has been online since December 14, 2009.  I started to learn about how to actually blog and made the jump to my own .com name January 4 2010.  I consider that the true start of my blog now.  I have completed 2 months of posts and redesigns.  I have to find it in myself to keep Driving and blow through this month and into the next.  I can do it, this is just way too much fun.

More questions to ask if your blog isn’t working.  Are you actively posting?  Are you keeping new content out there?  Are you visiting other sites and commenting?  Are you promoting your blog?  Right now in Twitter I have 193 followers.  I also am in 5 lists that extend whatever I tweet out by about 100.  that means right now if tweet about this post it could be seen by nearly 300 people.  How many of them can I get to click over?  Ideally 300.  Realistically, I don’t know.  I just am going to keep posting and hope for the 300.

Finally, a simple maxim you have probably read a million times.  Put in the work and reap the benefits.  It would be nice to make millions with a 4 hour workweek but it isn’t going to happen.  It takes work.  It takes Drive.  It takes Perseverance and Tenacity.  Stick with it and you can be one of the successful blogs that keep working past the 3 month mark.

I will be there cruising past 3 months and giving that wall the bird right around Easter.

If you are reading this you are awesome!  And you, know if you feel like saying something, please do so in the comments!

Later

Justin

Loyalty and Business Sense.

March 9, 2015 / / 4 Comments

I have been sitting on this post for a day or two but today I want to write it.  I started thinking about how great it is to start building traffic and actually having people reading my blog.  It is exciting to be putting out a product and having someone consume it.  A product that is part of my brain and has required no sweat or muscle to produce.

I have been excited to get replies to my comments on other sites, and on my site.  It is exciting to be “out there” and getting noticed.  If I keep on this way I will be famous in a few years.  That is my hope at least.

I was also thinking about loyalty.  I have several blogs in my RSS reader and I usually keep up with them fairly well.  I have been commenting more and have been plesantly surprised at responses.  Those blogs I tend to want to visit more and more.  If someone posts a comment on my site I want to reply to the comment and then go see what they have in store.  I have been keeping track of people on twitter the same way.

I follow a bunch of people and reply to many who are not following me because I have an opinion damnit and you will at least see there was a tweet directed somewhere vaguely in your general direction.  It is coold to “talk” to people all over the world from one interface though.  You all are my only friends….Just kidding I do interact with humans.  Mostly small ones, but still humans. (written as my 3 year old is begging for Dora the Explorer to return)

So, to go with Loyalty, I read a post on Mike’s Life blog today about reciprocity.  Go ahead and read it yourself but it made me think about loyalty to those who are “with” you on your blog/business.  Mike stated that he has been an affiliate of this other site and has sent traffic to it, if that traffic did not come to sales, that is business.  Mike has done his job and paved the way for a sale to take place.  My opinion, and the way I want to conduct myself in business, if someone I have even heard of doing anything for me wants my help I will do everything I can to help.

I may think differently later but ever since business school I have thought the same.  Give great customer service and go for quality over quantity.  That may limit some income opportunities but I will have loyal customers that will come back and tell their friends about me and my business.  You can’t put a price on that.

Until later,

Justin

PS check out my page For Our Troops for a patriotic message! Thanks

« Older posts

© 2024 Catharsis of the Bogue

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑