Stephen Burckhardt's Blog: My Blog Ramblings, page 46

Whatever Wednesday: Valentine's Day

Hello Posse,

Somehow it does not seem like it should be Valentine's Day already. January went by in a blur and I am still mentally trying to play catch up. I am lucky that Pedro and I have simple traditions we started for Valentine's Day a while back. Normally, we go out to dinner and possibly a movie and exchange handwritten love letters to celebrate the day. Our focus is just on spending time together and focusing on why we love each other.

While this might work great for us, not everyone would want to forego the gifts and candy so I thought I would share a few last minute gift ideas in case you are stuck or forgot this Sunday is Valentine's Day (like I did until just yesterday).

So many sites suggest the old standby of making homemade coupons for a variety of things from housework to sexual favors but I want to go beyond that and find a few innovative ideas you might have never heard of.

Six ways to love you: Buy a six-pack of your loves favorite drink. It can be beer, soda, Kombucha, whatever. Get some Valentines wrapping paper to decorate the cardboard holder. Make a card to hand from the neck of one of the bottles. Write on it, "Six ways to show you I love you." on the back you can write your personal message. A Year of Dates: Buy a calendar or make a personal one on a site like Walgreens Photo ( Movie Jar: Buy a big jar and both of you write several movies you want to watch on pieces of paper and place them inside. Whenever you have a night in together and have nothing special planned, pick a movie randomly out of the jar and watch it together. Lego Time: Lego actually has some cute small Love themed kits. Why not buy one and build it together? Jar of love: We all have days that we do not feel that great. Why not make a jar of love notes? Get a big clear jar and colorful pieces of paper. Cut the paper into strips and write short love notes to your spouse. You can share a favorite memory of something they did or said that you loved. Tell them things you love about them, their eyes, their laugh, the way they can say they are sorry when they are wrong, or don't make you feel bad when you are wrong. It can be that you love how they other people or animals. The way they bring you coffee in bed when you are dragging. Anything goes. Give them the jar and when they are feeling down and need a pick up, they can go read your words anytime they need. Personalized Picture Frame: Buy a frame at some place like Michael's Gifts or even Dollar Tree or Family Dollar. Then paint and personalize and put your favorite photo of the two of you in it. I love doing this with shadow boxes. I have a photo from a beach of me and Pedro. I put the photo in at the background and in the box I put sand, seaglass, and shells we brought home from the beach. Love Potions: In a jar, place all the ingredients for hot chocolate. Include pink mini marshmallows and confetti heart sprinkles if you can find them in your local grocery. Make a label for the jar and write "Love Potion #9" on it. Love Lottery: Buy 12 scratch lottery tickets or even powerball tickets. If you buy powerball tickets, you might need to ask the seller to put each line of numbers on separate tickets or you will not have a dozen tickets. Get pipe cleaners, skewers, or paper straws, and tape the tickets on the ends like flower stems. Arrange them in a vase. You might need to stuff some paper in the vase to make the tickets spread out well. Make a card that reads, "I won the lottery when I met you." fasten a ribbon to the card and tie it around the neck of the vase. Write your personal message on the back. Pieces of my heart: Get a jar and place in it Reeses Pieces or any other small candies like M&Ms, Skittles, etc. Whatever your significant other likes. Make a card that reads "I love you with all the pieces of my heart." Write your personal message on the back. Photo Candle holder: I love this one. Take clear candle holders like you can get at the Dollar Tree or any hobby store, and your favorite photos. go to Inspired Ideas (

I hope these ideas can help get you through this weekend with little to no stress about this holiday. Remember, it is always the thought that counts ot at least it should be! If you do not have time to make a craft, breakfast in bed is always great with a handmade card that is from the heart.

An unsolicited foot or back rub is also a big winner for many people. Does your spouse like to relax in the bath. Go draw them a bath, toss in a few flower petals or bath salts, light a few candles, and turn on some romantic music then leave them in peace to enjoy it alone. While they are in the bath, put their towel and slippers in the dryer for a few minutes to warm them up for when they get out.

There are really so many options that cost little to know money but really show how much you love your partner. These things do not have to just be saved for Valentine's day. Everyone always loves to feel loved and appreciated. We don't need to save it for just one day a year.

If your significant other loves to read and has not read Stephen's books yet, The Into the West Saga Serial Collection also make great gifts for your loved ones . . . just sayin'.

I wish you all a wonderful Valentine's Day and I hope it is full of love and romance.

Enjoy,

Dianne

Monday Movie Madness: Dodge City!

Hello, Posse!

I hope you are well and rested today. I am dragging today. I stayed up to watch the Super Bowl last night. Here it played at 12:30am on Monday morning and lasted until 4:30 am. I'm feeling that one. I'm too old to stay up that long. Funny thing is, I normally stay up until 2-3:30 am on a regular basis but apparently that last hour or so is really too much for me.

I didn't post anything yesterday, which has become unusual for me. I almost always post something every day now. Yesterday I was just not feeling it and I didn't want to grab just anything so I would have something to post. I always want my posts to be about something I want to share with you. Like today.

Our movie today is Dodge City was released in 1939 and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and Ann Sheridan. This western was based on a story written by Robert Buckner, an American screenwriter who had great success with this film.

The story takes place in 1872 and follows a Texas cattleman who decides to take on the job of sheriff to clean up the crime he witnessed in Dodge City, Kansas. Dodge City was a major cattletown at the time and known for its lawlessness and brutality. The town is being run by Jeff Surrett (Bruce Cabot). He like things in Dodge City just as they are. But when Wade Hatton (Flynn) comes to town on a cattle drive, he is a moved by the needless death of a young boy. Hatton decides he needs to clean up the town. He becomes sheriff and finds that before he can clean up the town and break Surrett's hold on it, he will have to deal with the townsfolk who want to seek justice on their own.

This was the fifth movie that Flynn and de Havilland starred in together and was one of the highest-grossing movies released in 1939. This movie had a budget of $1,061,000 and grossed $2,532,000. That was quite a success at the time. This film also features Ward Bond and Henry Travers, better know as Clarence in It's a Wonderful Life.

This is a wonderful afternoon family film movie selection. Seeing as how tomorrow is National Pizza Day, how about a quick and Microwave Mug Pizza from Gemma at Bigger Bolder Baking? (

So now you know what time it is, posse! Time to get your snacks and settle in for another great western movie!

Enjoy,

Stephenhttps://youtu.be/eqB3Md5H72Yhttps://youtu.be/Ivjrybkns-0

Friday Funnies: Super Bowl Sunday!!!

Hello Posse!

It's that time of year again when many people start gearing up for the big game coming this Sunday. This should be an interesting one in our house this year. I am a KC fan, though as a Native, I do hate their name (but I will not go into that now) and my better half is a Tampa fan. Someone may end up sleeping on the couch after this game.

With the Super Bowl so close, I thought this would be the perfect time for some football jokes. But before we get into that, I was struck by a revelation this week and would love some feedback from you.

Someone I know is also a self-published author. She write romance books and self-publishes several books a year. She was telling me how she is making a great living doing this. I decided to check out her books.

I read a description online for one of her many books. The published synopsis had an obviously missing word, improper grammar, and at least one spelling mistake. I then checked out the free peek inside the book and found her story to have the same issues. Her story idea is imaginative and interesting but, at least for me, the technical problems were very distracting. However, even with all of these technical problems, her books are selling well. This revelation got me to thinking.

I know I take forever to get my books published. I had originally hoped to write three books a year and have a saga done in two years. But I chose to spend time to study language, grammar, and editing skills in an effort to try to become a "skilled" writer, not just in the storytelling but technically as well. While my friend is an imaginative writer, I respect her work, and I am beyond thrilled for her financial success, it makes me wonder if my rabid attention to technical skills is even necessary.

I do understand that her genre is much more popular than mine and that does have a big part to play in our differences, but she is not the only author I have seen who has obvious technical issues in their work and yet their books still sell well. I have to wonder if technical quality is even valued or if just publishing more often (this is assuming the story is good) is the key to making money as a self-published author.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. What is important to you as a reader? Will you overlook grammatical issues if the story is good enough? Will you continue to buy books from a self-published author who continually has spelling and grammar mistakes? Would you want me to write faster and just get the story out to you or is the technical quality important? I hope you will take the time to give me your input.

But for now . . . on with the jokes!

Have a great weekend, posse!

Enjoy,

Stephen

Q: What do you call a child whose father is a lineman? A: A chip off the old blocker.

Q: What did the receiver say to the football? A: Catch you later.

Q: Where do football players go to buy their uniforms? A: New Jersey.

Q: Where do football players go when they are hungry? A: To the Supper Bowl.

Q: What did the football say to the place kicker? A: I get a kick out of you.

Q: What kinds of shoes do centers wear? A: Hiking shoes.

Q: Why are football players always cool during games? A: The stadium is always filled with fans.

Q: Why is it always warmer after a football game?

A: All the fans have left.

Q: Which state would be a better home for the Buccaneers? A: Arrrrrrrkansas.

Q: Why shouldn't you play football with pigs?

A: Because they always hog the ball.

Q: How are scrambled eggs and a losing football team alike?

A: They’ve both been beaten.

Q: Why did the football coach kick the broken vending machine?

A: Because he wanted his quarter back!

Q: Which player is the easiest target to hit with the football?

A: The wide receiver.

And last but not least . . .

Q: What is the best joke in the NFL?

A: The Buccaneers.

JUST KIDDING!!! (It's the Cowboys, LOL) The actual last joke . . .

Q: Did you hear about the fumbled exorcism?

A: The guy retained possession!

College Football Bloopershttps://youtu.be/4wLle671ks0

Whatever Wednesday: 344 Days Safe At Home

Hello Posse!

I hope this blog finds you all happy, healthy, and sane. I will admit some days I struggle for one or all of those. This passed year has most definitely been a test of wills for everyone. I am surprised I did not get more writing done considering I'm been "safe at home" for 344 days. Something about this disruption in my normal life, just seemed to suck the inspiration right out of me. Apathy can be so devastating to goals, but I'm working on that.

Last week, I took some time off after losing my aunt and an old friend. I really needed to just relax for a while and it did me a world of good. While I do not feel like my old motivated self, I'm not having counterproductive thoughts anymore. I am refocusing, making a game plan, and building my motivation to work that plan.

Today, I have already done some studies and worked on my education. Afterwards, I made a loaf of honey oat bread (

These are extraordinary times but if we keep moving forward we just might be able to achieve extraordinary things. Never give up on the goals you want for yourself. I know I plan to keep going after mine no matter how slow I have to go. As long as there is and forward progress, I know I am moving in the right direction!

What do you do when you hit your personal wall? Do you have any rituals you always follow to get yourself out of a funk? Share them with us in the comments.

Have a great week, posse!

Dianne

Monday Movie Madness: Monte Walsh

Hello Posse,

I have to say, taking last week off from all the social media upkeep did me a world of good. It made me realize how hard I have been pushing myself to try to get my books noticed and how little ground I have picked up with all the effort. I think I need to do some reevaluating and see if there isn't something I can do different to make more of a difference.

So much of what I have been doing depends too much on the "kindness of strangers" to post reviews of my books, share my posts, tell others about my books, etc. That is asking a lot of people who have no investment, personal or otherwise, in my success. going forward this next month, I am going to keep things as they are while I research a bit more on what I can afford to do as far as promotions and advertising. I may end up changing my social media offerings including how I do the blogs. We will see.

For now, it's time for another good western movie (or two)!

Today's film is Monte Walsh. The original film version was released in 1970 and starred Lee Marvin, Jeanne Moreau, and Jack Palance. A remake was release as a made for TV movie 2003 and stared Tom Selleck, Isabella Rossellini, and Keith Carradine. Both incarnations were loosely based on a 1963 western novel by Jack Schaefer with the same title.

Both moves focus on the end of the era of the cowboy life. Time are changing and the world is modernizing. Monte Walsh is a cowboy who is finding that his particular talents are not as needed anymore and if faced with what to do with his life. He could move and search out the last spaces that still have a need for cowboys or he could choose to move into a whole new direction in his life. He considers marriage but the idea just doesn't fit with what he had pictured for his life. He could join a traveling Wild West show but that would mean spending all of his time in towns performing and very far away from the wide open ranges he loves.

Roger Ebert once referred to the original 1970s version as ". . . the first three-handkerchief Western." (

Now . . . it's time to get your snacks!

Today's movie snack recipe is a healthified version of a universally favorite snack food, potato chips! Veg Recipes of India has a simple Baked Potato Chips Recipe that is quick and easy to make. (^^ click above on the recipe name to go to their site)

If you want to jazz this up a bit, try adding some flavors to the chips before you bake them. You can dust them with Old Bay, garlic powder, or add a bit of malted vinegar. Powered flavor packets are great for adding flavors to things like this (and popcorn too). Why not try salad dressing flavors like Cesar, Ranch, or Italian. Try sauce mixes like dill, hollandaise, or onion. Try other flavors like taco seasoning, nacho cheese, or even cocoa and chili powder. The possibilities are endless!

So now grab your snacks, posse! It's time for another great western movie!

Enjoy!

StephenMonte Walsh Trailer 1970 https://youtu.be/AKE3-qguqRoMonte Walsh 2003 Cliphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPUKxHjFqO4

Whatever Wednesday: Opinions Wanted

Hello Posse,

This is not going to be the typical Whatever Wednesday. I'm still taking a break from keeping up with all my social media this week while I deal with a recent family loss. But if you know me, you know I can't just sit around the house thinking about things, I have to be doing something keep busy. I have baked a cake, created some flash cards I needed, planned for Super Bowl Sunday dinner, and for P.R.'s birthday that is coming up in February. I also created a new trailer for my book series to update the information. This is where you come in.

I was hoping some of you might be willing to watch it and give me some feedback. I am not going to publish this blog across my social media. I want to just share this with you, my actual followers, for now.

Here are some of the questions I am wondering about:

What do you think of the images? What do you think about the music? Is it too long? Is it too short? Do you have time to read all of the text? Are the transitions distracting or do you like them? Do you like how the texts loads on the screen or not? Do you think this would make you want to learn more about my books? Would you be likely to check out the website from the end image? Do you have anything else you want to add that I didn't ask about?

If you do watch the video and give feedback, I would like to thank you in advance. If you decide not to give feedback, that is okay too. I still want to thank you for checking out the blog! We will be back with the regular social media schedules next week.

Stay healthy and take care, posse!

Stephenhttps://youtu.be/QtEW-ubjpWA

Taking a short break . . .

Hello posse,

I just wanted to send a quick note to let you all know that I will be taking a break from all of my social media for a week. I have one auto post set for tonight but that will be it for a while. Last night, I got word that one of my aunts passed away and I'm doing my best to deal with it. We were not in a good place in our relationship when she passed but I have a lifetime of wonderful memories that I choose to focus on.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I will be back in a week with more great western movie suggestion, recipes, and hopefully a sneak peek at part five, Into the West: Last Showdown.

Take care and see you soon,

Stephen (Dianne)

Friday Funnies: Anger Management

Hello Posse!

Not going to lie, I'm having a difficult time concentrating right now. Here is it, 2 PM and I have not really accomplished much of anything today. My stress and general anger level is just right up there. Today we mark 332 days we have been at home. We are lucky enough to be able to work from home, but I think it is safe to say we are finally starting to feel the stress of it all.

My parents have both had surgeries this past year that I was not able to travel home to help them recover from, which made it doubly hard for me. I've always been there for them when they had medical issues and to not be there now was so hard.

I hit a real emotional wall this week and for the first time in months I missed making a post for a reason other than having migraine. While I was on the third day of a migraine, I was physically able to get up and make my post, I just had absolutely no desire to do it. I am working to force myself to be productive. I had been fighting depression/anger for a few weeks now, but yesterday it started to get a bit worse.

Now, some people might wonder why I would share something so personal like this in my blog. It's because I want other people who are feeling this way to know, they are not alone! That can be the worst part when you start getting depressed, you think you are alone. You think no one else would ever feel like you do. You think, no one would understand or they would think you were crazy or mentally challenged if they knew you were dealing with depression/anger. The truth is, millions of people deal with these emotions at one time or another in their lives. It is not uncommon, and given the state of the world, it's perfectly understandable to be struggling emotionally right now.

So just know, if you are struggling right now, you are not alone! Talk to people. Reach out to friends and family. You might actually be doing them a favor! They may be struggling too and just afraid to reach out to you. If you do not want to talk to a friend or family, call a helpline. It can be anonymous. Whatever you choose to do, hang on! One thing you can always count on is that things are ever changing. You do not want to miss it when the world opens back up again. You know as soon as we can, the world is going to party!

So now, I think we can all use a good laugh!

Seeing as how my jokes are more the polite chuckle "dad" joke varieties, I think we need professionals here. These clips might have a tad bit of racy language but nothing too outrageous. They are about an R rating but very funny.

Enjoy,

StephenMichael McIntyrehttps://youtu.be/CX61JSXLl_QGabriel Iglesiashttps://youtu.be/gY6jJTMiiV0Jim Gaffiganhttps://youtu.be/N-i9GXbptogKathleen Madiganhttps://youtu.be/uGaS2lsPHqwhttps://youtu.be/998vtqdbNjg

Wednesday Whatever: Reflections

Hello Posse,

Today is Inauguration Day in the US. No matter which side of the political aisle you are on, I think it is safe say that today is an emotional day. We here at StephenBurckhardt.com are praying for peace and unity in this great nation and fervently hope we can all come together to repair the great divide that currently plagues our great nation.

Now, more than ever, we must take care of ourselves and our piece of mind. Today's blog is going to be brief as I am dealing with day two of a migraine. Below you will find a video of relaxing meditation music. The tones and melody of this piece really helps me relax and I hope it will do the same for you.

Please take a moment today to just look after yourself and your own needs. Many times when we are so busy doing for others, we forget to take a moment for ourselves. Make a cup of your favorite tea, coffee, or even just water with a bit of mint or lemon. Grab your favorite book and disconnect from the rest of the world for a moment or two. Whatever activity brings you peace, do that even if it's just for a few minutes. It make a huge difference in your anxiety level.

I hope you will join me in praying for a bright and prosperous future for the United States of America.

Peace be with you,

Diannehttps://youtu.be/JLJqUipWRWk

Monday Extra!

Hello (again) posse!

Just a quick note to wish you all a very happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day and National Winnie the Pooh Day.

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day! I think, given current events, today is a great day to reflect on some great teachings from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Here are two great quotes that I think speak to many of us.

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love … The degree to which we are able to forgive determines the degree to which we are able to love our enemies.”

Today also happens to be National Winnie the Pooh Day. I have always love Winnie the Pooh Stories. I remember watching Winnie the Pooh on the Disney shows on TV when I was a kid. Be sure to check out the Winnie the Pooh movie trailer at the bottom of this blog post. I have always found there are many great quotes from Winnie the Pooh as well.

"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."“I always get to where I’m going by walking away from where I have been.”

“I always get to where I'm going by walking away from where I have been.”

I am often reminded (again just this week in fact) that at times it is best for your own peace of mind to just walk away, from situations and people. Do not let anyone disturb your peace. If they do, they may not be meant to be part of your life's journey anyway.

Sometimes when you find yourself in opposition with someone, the best thing to do is just wish them well, say a prayer for them, and walk away. If they talk behind your back after that, do not turn back to them. Just leave them to their devices and keep going on your path. People who do things like that, belong in your past and you do not live there anymore so need to revisit there. Leave them and the conflict behind and focus on the peace and good things your are moving toward.

We here at ,StephenBurckhardt.com wish you all a wonderful and peaceful week ahead.

Take care, posse!

Winnie the Pooh Movie Trailerhttps://youtu.be/hRT86ZggCEk