challenges

30 Minus 2 Days of Writing: Hold on (2/28)

February 2, 2013

Saturday’s are tough when doing a writing challenge because it’s always my “Snapshot Saturday” feature. So as with the last time I did a writing challenge like this, I’ll be doing Snapshot Saturday in the morning and then adding the challenge post sometime in the mid-t0-late afternoon.

Today’s theme is hold on.

I had some grandeur thought about blogging about going to an amusement park and having a friend talk me into going on just about every roller coaster.

Talk about holding on!

Then I thought about getting deep and talking about life and how it’s the wildest ride any of us will take and that is often requires holding on.

Or for those of you who have kids and how you should hold them at any chance you get.

Maybe I was going to post about having one of the most amazing craft beers you’ve ever had and how you should hold on to it to really savor everything that is amazing about it.

No, there was no chance I was blogging about holding cheese.

In the end, I figure the best way to do this is post this —

Hold on for one more day. Things will go your way.

Yes, I went there.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

30 Minus 2 Days of Writing: Cheesy (1/28)

February 1, 2013

I refuse to write about cheese.

Last year, the first day of this challenge, the theme was cheese. Straight up cheese. Not that there’s anything bad about cheese, but let’s be honest — this isn’t a cheese blog.

I like cheese, don’t get me wrong.

But there’s something, well, odd blogging about an obsession with cheese.

The soft feel and dreaminess of the Diana lens makes it a great addition to my digital setup.

I digress.

So I needed something else. And being today is Friday and I sometimes have my Foto Friday on this day, I figured I’d talk a little about photography. It stems from something I saw on Twitter the other day — somebody saying how there was no point in taking a pinhole photo with a pinhole lens on a digital camera.

I see the point. I can see where somebody might question it or think it’s a bit cheesy. I’m the opposite.

Before I go further, allow me to note that I grew up in the non-digital age. I remember using typewriters. I remember when film cameras were still the norm. And different films, at that. My first video game system was an Atari 2600. I used a typewriter. I handed in reports that were handwritten.

My first newspaper job was at a local weekly. When I first started, they had a typist whose job was to type up things people sent in that were handwritten or done on a typewriter.

Imagine that?

I remember when AOL was cool. Seriously. Dial-up was lightning fast. The sound of the modem was really sweet. Busy signals stunk!

So I’ve had a chance to watch technology grow. And during that time, I’ve embraced it. Especially digital photography. Living in a digital age, I’ve become accustomed to instant gratification with my photography. I can mess around or play with settings. I think of photos I’ve taken now and know there’s no way I’d be able to do what I do with a film camera.

The vignetting with my new Holga lens makes me think I took it with an actual Holga. Just without the developing and film costs.

That being said, I still love film. I don’t mind using my Holga. If any of you follow me on Instagram, you know I recently posted a photo of a film camera setup a friend sent me. It’s a body and many lenses. Funny enough, soon after that, my brother gave me some unused film that he and his girlfriend recently came across — two rolls of black and white and two color. So I have some film to shoot.

But here’s reality — it’s not cheap to develop film. I don’t develop my own film anymore and, in fact, I haven’t done it in probably more than 10 or more years. And honestly, I’d rather not get back into it. I have enough hobbies already and I don’t want to add film developing to it. Though, I will admit, I used to love it and I’m sure it would be fun to do it again.

Back to cheesy.

Over the past few years, I’ve purchased or received as gifts, three “lenses” for my digital camera. One is a Diana lens, one is a pinhole lens and the other, added most recently, a Holga lens.

The pinhole lens gave me the opportunity to take a shot like this, which I truly love.

And I love them all. Beyond that, I honestly don’t care if it’s cheesy.

I understand why people would question the pinhole. After all, the idea of many pinholes is the light creating the photo on the actual film. But this gives me the same result. Right away. On my screen. Awesome.

The Holga lens is freakin’ excellent.

And the Diana lens is soft and dreamy, just like it’s supposed to be.

Call it cheap. Call it cheesy. Call it non-traditional. I call it kick ass.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Here we go again — getting cheesed to blog a bunch

January 31, 2013

I blame it on the cheese.

I think I ate some bad cheese.

It’s about the only way I can explain it. Some of you might remember last June when I joined a blogging challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike over at We Work For Cheese.

The premise was simple — blog for the entire month of June, using a bunch of prompts which ranged from easy to bizarre.

Since then I’ve casually asked Nicky — OK, pestered might be a better word — about doing this challenge again. Why? Because it really challenged me as a writer and a blogger. It made me think a bit about posts. And it was, truly fun and rewarding.

In theory, this sounded like a great idea to do one more time.

Sheesh.

What the hell was I thinking?

Here we are on the doorstep to this challenge — this time but 28 days in February — and I’m clueless on some of the topics.

As I did with the last one, I’ll be posting each day with the challenge. However, I have some things I run on certain days (Snapshot Saturday and the monthly book review I am doing for the reading contest I am in), so I’ll be doubling up on those days.

That means a lot of blogging will be coming.

The themes for this go around of the challenge are as follows:

Cheesy
Hold on
And the next thing I knew
Friendship
You better put out
Haven
Texting
French
15 minutes
The mayor
Road trip
The day I met Abraham Lincoln
Unintended
Where can I get a good blintz?
Or else
Music
Whatever, dude
Home at last
Little things
The other shoe
Last train
Compulsively
Absurd
Confucius
Fact or Fiction
Deal with it
And that’s why I got drunk
Is that all

I have ideas for some of them already. Others, no clue. But, as I did last time, some will be true, some will be fun, some will be fiction. It depends on how I can interpret each theme throughout the month of February.

Also like the first time — I plan on finishing. I like that this will challenge me and I look forward to it.

So stick with me this month and this is the warning of what is to come. Hopefully, I can figure a way to intertwine some of my normal topics into these themes.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

2013: Looking ahead

January 4, 2013

I don’t make resolutions.

I’ve always found many New Year’s resolutions are made in a drunken stupor or something along those lines. Maybe it’s something one has planned to set as a resolution, but they all seem to be the same thing, anyway.

Over the years, I’ve tried to do things like resolutions. More time at the gym. Eat better. Do this. Do that. Turns out it’s just like most people — it never happens.

Each year, I try and make goals, however.

In my eyes, the difference is with goals, you have something to aim for. With resolutions, it’s a lifestyle change almost.

I also try and keep most of my goals somewhat realistic. I won’t say I will drop 100 pounds in 2013. Would I love to drop a whole heap of weight? Sure. But knowing how much I lost in 2012 (about 20 pounds) and how my pants no longer fit (which is a good thing), I try and keep goals a little more on the realistic side.

For example, I would never say I am going to try and go to the gym 4-5 times per week as I know, come April or May, I’d just stop or really slow down.

So, without further delay, I give to you my top-five goals for 2013. Hopefully, they’ll all be met.

1. A job

Yes, this is goal No. 1 in every way shape or form. Come this February, it will be two years I’ve been without a job. And if I’ve reached the end of my unemployment benefits, I’m going to be tapping into the final funds as I refer to them — retirement, small savings etc. It’s what I have to do to survive. Talk about living close to the chest — it will be what I have to do.

I continue to send applications out at a pretty quick pace. Some require some in-depth stuff, others are filling out an online form and attaching a resume. Either way, I need a job. I realize many Americans — and people throughout the world — are in the same situation. So hopefully I can find something soon.

2. Complete the HooHaa 52

Photo challenges are a lot of fun. However, last year was not good for me completing these challenges. I failed at both the second go of the HooHaa 52 and my second attempt at a 365 (well, 366 last year) project.

This year, I’m being a little different — I am only doing the HooHaa 52. In that group, there’s a new theme each week. I think I can handle that. Even if I take on other challenges — blogging, reading etc., a one photo-per-week challenge should not be too difficult.

I look forward to looking back on this challenge to see a year in photos.

3. Read more (25 or more books)

In 2012, I got away from reading books. That’s too bad, too, as I really enjoy it. Especially with the Kindle and how easy it is. Sometimes, I just don’t want to sit down and read. Other times, I am just too lazy to do so.

So, I’ve jumped into a reading challenge (as some of you may have noticed in yesterday’s post) and I’m going to push myself to read at least 25 books this year. Reality is, I should be able to average about a book every week or week and a half, so I’d like to think I could get 40 in. That being said, 25 is a realistic goal. I’ve also joined a few sites where books are given to bloggers to review. I like that as it will not only help me fulfill my reading goal, but it will also allow me to have things to write about on the blog. I like writing book reviews, so having 25-40 days worth of posts based on that wouldn’t upset me one bit.

4. Transform my blog

This goal has more than one part, hence why I’ll go with the generic “transform” in the goal title.

Over the next year, I’d like to transform the blog to have a little bit of what I’ve wanted for a long time. So, to do this, I need to do the following:

Have a full re-design of the blog with a custom theme (I know who I want to do it, once I can afford it)
Blog at least 10 in-depth pieces
Continue Snapshot Saturday and Soundless Sunday
Have at least one Foto Friday per month
Find some other fun things to gain readers/networking (food things, games, fun stuff)
Try and post at least 25 times per month, at a minimum

This won’t all be easy. But, this blog is near and dear to me. I’ve been blogging some version of A ‘lil HooHaa since June 2005 and I want to see it continue for as long as I can.

4A. Visit more blogs

I put this as a 4A because it’s kind of part of transforming my blog.

If I want to get more readers and network with other bloggers, I need to make it so I visit and read more. Comment more. See what others are doing. There are some fantastic bloggers out there and I’d like to read them more. Therefore, I need to make some time to read more of them. In time, once I fulfill Goal 1, I hope to get myself some sort of a tablet — such as an iPad. Once I do that, I think surfing for other blogs will be easier as I’ll be more apt to do it when lounging.

Still, before that happens, I need to do some things to get myself into the habit. I think I need to clear my Google Reader and start from scratch, using that as my homepage and trying to keep tabs on blogs a lot more.

5. Be happy

I know, I know, this seems like a cop-out goal. I assure you, it’s not.

The past two years have been two of the hardest I’ve ever had. During the time of being unemployed, I’ve watched a lot of things happen. Friends have become overly successful, have families and such. Other people in my industry keep going up. All the while, I apply for jobs and continually get looked over.

It sucks.

I’m happy as hell for friends and family doing well, but it’s also hard because I feel 20 steps behind. I look at the future, too, wondering what it will hold. The majority of the people I know or hang out with have never been through this. And I appreciate all the kind words and deeds they have given, but it’s still hard.

I haven’t been happy. I try and put on a good face. I can enjoy certain things. But in the overall scheme, I’m not happy. So I need to find personal happiness. I know what I need to do that, and it starts with Goal 1. That starts the healing process, per say. As that happens, other things start to turn around and, in time, I hope the happiness will follow and I’ll be able to really start enjoying life once again.

In the end, these goals are ones I think I can conquer in 2013. I hope, anyway. Though No. 1 is the most important at this time, the one I truly want to accomplish is No. 5. If that happens, everything else will hopefully fall into place.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Another challenge? Why not? Read all about it!

January 3, 2013

I admit it — I’m a sucker for a good challenge.

Especially one that gives you some blog fodder.

I was doing some rounds yesterday, catching up on some blog reading and trying to find a few more. I stopped by a blog I hadn’t been to in a while and saw this person was taking part in an interesting challenge — a book one.

Another challenge, you say? Sure. Let’s get reading. (photo courtesy blueprint on MorgueFile)

Basically, for the Artful Readers Club, you need to read one book a month and blog a review. Oh, and you have to do some sort of an artsy thing with it. This is where I am a tad worried.

See, I’m not always artistic or crafty. So becoming inspired by the book I’ve just read to make some sort of art might not be the easiest thing.

From the rules:

It can be anything, a painting, a journal page, a card, a collage, a tag, a sketch, a stamped piece…anything at all…and YES digital work is welcome too.

I’ll likely be looking to think of something in a photographic realm. Maybe a drawing of some sort (it won’t be that good). We’ll see where the year takes me in regard to the reading and the art.

I contacted the leader of the challenge as it was past the Jan. 1 deadline. But, it’s still open, I was told. So I’m going to throw my hat into the ring.

To do so, I’m supposed to commit to at least six titles in this post, preferably 12.

Let’s face it — I’ve got a bunch of books on my Kindle and several on my Amazon wish list I have wanted to read. Hopefully this will be the push I need to get them read. On the last Friday of each month, I’ll come back and post my review of the book and some sort of art as well.

The review — easy.

The art — there’s the challenge.

Hopefully this challenge will really push me and my creative side a bit more. Truth is, I need it right now with everything going on in my world. I’ll see what I can come up with.

Without further ado, here are the books for this 2013 challenge (these are in no particular order):

~~One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, an Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season (Chris Ballard)~~
101 Things To Do Before The Apocalypse (Jon Hanson)
~~Sheltered (Emily Harper)~~
Royal Flush (Scott Bartlett)
Cold Crossover (Tom Kelly)
The Tourist Killer (FC Etier)
The Hidden Language of Baseball: How Signs and Sign Stealing Have Influenced the Course of Our National Pastime (Paul Dickson)
Jaywalking with the Irish (David Monagan)
~~Just a Minor Perspective: Through the Eyes of a Minor League Rookie (Eric Pettis)~~
~~Round Ireland with a Fridge (Tony Hawks)~~
The Bullpen Gospels (Dick Hayhurst)
Forrest Gump (Winston Groom)

That last one is one I’ve wanted to read for a long time. Being it’s one of my favorite movies of all time, I’m told the book is way different. I always like to compare, but usually with the book first and the move after. I look forward to reading that one.

There are several baseball-related books on this list, too. I’ve had these on an Amazon wish list for a long time and this is the push I’ll need to read them.

A library? Dewey … what system? Cards? (photo courtesy click on MorgueFile)

Some of these books I have on the Kindle already, others I purchased last night. There’s one that I’ll have to <gasp> read in an actual hard copy as there is no Kindle version! And … imagine this … through a library!

I feel like it’s the 1980s or something.

In all reality, my goal is to read 25 books this year. I have my eyes on several more. I’ll be keeping tabs of each of those on Goodreads. If you are a member there, feel free to add me. There is also a book reading challenge there one can join and it keeps track of the books you read, which is cool. I’ve seen people with goals upward of 100 books this year.

I am impressed with people who choose to read that many books … and it is somewhat amazing. I’ll keep to the goal of 25.

Above, I posted the 12 I am doing for this challenge. But, to keep myself on mark, I’m going to post a tentative list of other books I like to conquer and read this year. Note that this can change/be added to etc. based on books that come out over the course of the year. Also, many of these are kind of pricey on Amazon, so I’ll have to see how many are able to be lent out and how many I think are worth the price. I’ll also keep tabs in hopes of a couple of them coming down in price.

Nonetheless, here’s the rest of my “list.”

Wiffle Ball: The Ultimate Guide (Michael Hermann)
Wiffle Ball Summer: The Ride of the Elmoron (Geoffrey Arthur Drewyor)
The Legend of Bagger Vance (Steven Pressfield)
The Joy of Keeping Score: How Scoring the Game Has Influenced and Enhanced the History of Baseball (Paul Dickson)
American Gypsy: A Memoir (Oksana Marafioti)
Escape (Carolyn Jessop)
The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World (Stephen Mansfield)
Yes, Chef: A Memoir (Marcus Samuelsson)
Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs that Tell Their Story (Marc Dillon)
Pint-Sized Ireland: In Search of the Perfect Guinness (Evan McHugh)
Guinness: Celebrating 250 Remarkable Years (Paul Hartley)
Surviving the Mob: A Street Soldier’s Life Inside the Gambino Crime Family (Dennis Griffin)
CHOKEHOLD: Pro Wrestling’s Real Mayhem Outside the Ring (Jim Wilson)
Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream (H.G. Bissinger)
The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever (Mark Frost)
Ball Four (Jim Bouton)

I hope to make a good dent in this list. I also have a bunch of Kindle Singles I want to tackle, but they usually can be read in one to two sittings. It’s a good transition from one bigger book to another — having that longer story/novelette in between.

I definitely need to read more books, so I’m glad I happened to read about this challenge. It should also challenge my artistic side and I’ll have to see what I can come up with. I have an idea for the baseball books… but I need to think about other things, too.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!