Basil E. Bacorn's Blog, page 2

The Magical Zucchini: A Look at a Very Versatile Superfood

Recently, my parents have been giving me a lot of zucchini to eat. I mean, a lot of it. I'm not complaining since it has a ton of health benefits, but I will say this has caused me to have to come up with different ways to cook and prepare this versatile vegetable in order to give myself some variety. This got me thinking: why not share my recipes on my blog? So here we go...
The first zucchini recipe I tried was simple unseasoned sautéed zucchini. It was less than ideal and tasted like the oil I used in the pan.
After that, however, I became determined to use whatever ingredients I found around the house to make a variety of dishes. The first dish played off of the failed sautéed zucchini. I made a sort of "Amateur Zucchini Ratatouille".
Amateur Zucchini "Ratatouille" I give it 3/5 stars.
Ingredients:1 average zucchini, slicedA splish of olive oilGarlicA can of spaghetti sauce (yes, I used spaghetti sauce)Parmesan cheese
Here's all I did:
First, I sautéed the sliced zucchini with the olive oil, some parmesan cheese, and garlic on the stove. I might have used too much oil, because the zucchini was so slimy and gross. Because of that, I laid down some paper towels and plopped the zukes down to soak up some of the oil.
While that was drying, I grabbed a pop-top microwavable Tupperware container and snatched a can of spaghetti sauce from the cupboard. 
Place the zucchini in the Tupperware, then open up that can of spaghetti sauce and plop it in. I also added some more parmesan cheese to the container before putting on the lid.
The good thing about this is you could put this in the fridge for later, separate individual dishes from the container, or microwave it all at once and it still works fine.
What I did was throw it in the fridge for later.
Bonus tip: I like humming/listening to Le Festin from Ratatouille while I cook. It makes me feel like the main character in a Disney movie. (In fact, I'm actually listening to it right now!)
Note: I also ended up making a REAL ratatouille using zucchini and yellow squash based on this recipe, which was DELICIOUS! 5/5 stars, would definitely recommend. Other than only using zucchini and yellow squash, the only other changes I made were that I used dried herbs instead of fresh ones, I used green peppers in the sauce, I used garlic seasoning in place of mincing my own garlic cloves, and I substituted crushed tomatoes with a can of spaghetti sauce. It was still amazing though!

I tried to plate the ratatouille like they did in the movie.
:)


Next up is a recipe my mother found on the internet and then told me about. Zucchini Pizza Bites.
Zucchini Pizza Bites5/5 stars, I love these lil guys!
Ingredients:About 20 or so slices of zucchiniA splash of olive oil Tomato sauceBasil (the herb, not the author)Oregano Black pepperMozzarella cheese (Cheddar works fine too)
So this was also a Le Festin-worthy dish. First, splash that olive oil on a cookie sheet and spread it all around. You want to coat the WHOLE thing from edge to edge so your pizza boys don't stick to the pan.
Lay down the zucchini slices in whatever pattern your heart desires. They should all be of similar thickness so you don't burn any of the thinner ones. I used about 1/4 of an inch slices.
Next, spoon some tomato sauce on each slice like you are making tiny pizzas (because that's exactly what you are doing). When they all are sauced up, grab the basil and shake away. Spice up the pizzas with the oregano and pepper too. I messed one up once and had a huge pile of pepper - that was a mistake. Try to keep the spices evenly shaken across all the pizzas.
When your boys are seasoned, it's time to add the cheese. I sliced up a block of mozzarella because I couldn't find a cheese grater, but it is up to you how you choose to cheese the pizzas.
When the prepping is done, cook the pizza boys in the oven at 350° for ten minutes, or until the cheese is nice and melted. Just keep an eye on them so they don't burn.
Then, serve and enjoy!
Zucchini Patties5/5 stars, I love these!
This recipe was picked out by my sister one day when I was trying to decide what to make next, and they are absolutely delicious. I loved them, she loved them, everybody loved them.
Again, since the recipe is available here, I won't bother going into too much detail, but I will share a little bit.
I peeled the zucchini for this recipe, but only because my sister refuses to eat anything with zucchini unless it is peeled first.
What I found out is that the most important part about this recipe is squeezing as much water as you can out of the grated zucchini before mixing the ingredients. I thought I could be lazy and get away with just squeezing a little of the water out, but that first batch was a disaster. They were so liquidy that I couldn't even flip them until they were burning to the pan, and the insides ended up very slimy.
My second attempt involved using a lot of flour, which ended up taking away a lot of the flavor the patties were supposed to have, so I recommend getting it right the first time and getting rid of some of the excess water.
They still ended up tasting very good in the end though.


I wanted to make it look fancy like something off a Food Network show so I added a side sauce, some tomato slices, and sprinkled some dried basil and parsley on top. 100% Recommended.



Next up are some 100% original recipes that came from my own head.
Christmas Zucchini It was okay. Could use more sugar for a sweeter taste. 3/5 stars.
Ingredients:Zucchini, slicedCinnamonNutmeg ClovesSugarOlive oil
I didn't measure out any spices for this one. I did a lot of cinnamon, and a little nutmeg, cloves, and sugar. 
Simply sautée the zucchini, add the other ingredients in, and voila! Christmas Zucchini.

Lemon Pepper Garlic ZucchiniKind of sour, possibly too much lemon juice, 2/5 stars because they tasted like hot lemon slices.
Ingredients:Zucchini, slicedLemon juice GarlicBlack pepperOlive oil 
Sauté the zucchini with the oil. Add in lemon juice, garlic, and black pepper. And you're done!
Cajun-style Zucchini Very good, 4/5 stars
 Ingredients: Zucchini, sliced Paprika  Chilli powder (or cayenne pepper) Onion powder Garlic powder White pepper Black pepper Sea salt Oregano  Thyme
Mix the spices together (or you can substitute with pre-made cajun seasoning) before starting the zucchini. I just did a "dash of this, a dash of that", there are plenty of online cajun seasoning recipes if you want specifics. Then, sauté the zucchini in the oil, dash in the spice mix, and serve hot. 

Zucchini Tomato Bake5/5 stars, very good and it makes a great lunch or dinner!
Ingredients:2 medium Zucchini, chopped1 medium yellow squash, chopped3 pre-cooked pork sausage patties, chopped½ onion, diced½ medium Tomato, chopped1 28oz. can of spaghetti sauce Grated parmesan cheese SaltBlack pepper Basil
This is a very simple and easy recipe. All you do is prep the ingredients, then toss everything into a cake pan or casserole dish. Make sure all the ingredients are mixed together, then slide it all in the oven on 350° for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.

Zucchini Ice Cream Dessert time! Pictured: Maple Zucchini Ice Cream


I know what you are thinking...

Just trust me, it is SO good! 5/5 stars, I definitely recommend it!
I even have TWO different flavors for you to try! The ingredients for both flavors are listed first, with the general instructions for making the ice cream listed after.
Chocolate Zucchini Ice Cream 
Ingredients:2 medium to large Zucchini, peeled½ cup of 1% milkPinch of salt4 tsp vanilla extract1 Tbsp cocoa powder ½ cup of powder sugar

Maple Zucchini Ice Cream 2 medium to large Zucchini, peeled½ cup of 1% milkPinch of salt2 tsp vanilla extract½ cup of lite maple syrup⅛ cup of powder sugar¼ tsp of cinnamon

After picking the flavor you want, chop up the zucchini and place it and the milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Next, add the remaining ingredients, pureeing occasionally until all ingredients have been incorporated and the mixture is smooth. 
The mixture is then poured into a freezer container and placed in a freezer. If you have an ice cream maker, you could also use the mixture in that. I simply put it in the freezer, stirring it occasionally so it did not freeze solid.
When serving, I usually take it out a little ahead of time to soften the ice cream, since the mixture freezes solid once left overnight.
For creamier ice cream that doesn't require thawing it slightly before serving, you could try replacing the 1% milk with whole milk or even heavy cream.


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That's it for this post, thanks for reading! I hope you are able to try out and enjoy some of the recipes here because some of these dishes deserve all the love in the world. My personal favorites are the zucchini ice creams, the REAL ratatouille, the zucchini bake, and the zucchini patties.
Questions, comments, or concerns? Sound off in the comments below! 
Thanks again and happy cooking! :) 

A Big Cat Business Update #1

Sometimes you get an idea that you just can't resist. For me, this is one of those ideas. 
I've been working on my business plan for my new business idea for a week now and I am about 60% finished. (For now, I'll be referring to this new business venture as my "Big Cat Business", a nickname which will make sense later on. And no, I'm not selling big cats.) The goal is to get things ready to go so I can look into potentially pitching the idea to startup investors later this month. Since this is my biggest project yet, funding is key. As I write this, I am working on the Financial Plan portion of the Business Plan so I know how much capital I'll have to raise. I have been considering a trial run of the company on a local level, but due to the nature of the business, this could prove difficult on such a small budget. Once I finish the Financial Plan I'll work on what can and can't be done in a trial run and go from there. 
The Financial Plan of a business plan is essentially just future-accounting. Just imagine if you hired a fortune teller to be your bookkeeper. Those future statements are what come together to make the business financial plan. Unfortunately for most of us, we can't see into the future so all of our financial planning is just an educated guess. Things I need to include are:
• A sales forecast, i.e. an estimation of the company's future sales.• An expense budget.• A projected cash-flow statement.• Income Projections, i.e. a "profit and loss statement" for the future.• A Projected Balance Sheet. This has all the "company net worth" information, which includes assets, liability, and equity.• And lastly, a breakeven analysis. This is one thing a lot of investors look at, since it will estimate when the revenue exceeds the expenses, and the company starts making a profit. This is the point of investments, to get to where an investment makes the investor money. 
All of these things feed off of one another and come together to form what a lot of people consider to be the most important part of a business plan.
A big part of the financial plan will be the expense of wages and salaries. The Big Cat Business is looking like it will be my first business to hire employees. If I play my cards right, I'll be able to continue managing my publishing company (my favorite business) while having a limited role in the new business to get some more reliable income on the side. It will all depend on my ability to hire the right people for the job and use the startup capital in the right way.  
The best part is this business has great potential for nation-wide growth and lots of job creation. When it comes to employee wages, I'm thinking I'd really like to offer a $15/hour starting wage for hourly employees. I want to make sure my employees are both well taken care of and satisfied with their job, one part of which consists of paying them a decent wage. In addition, in order to hire the best, how much companies pay employees is extremely important. 
Regarding the location, I have been looking at several places in my county and trying to determine exactly how much space I need and how much I'm willing to pay. As of now, I'm capping my monthly lease budget at no more than $10,000 a month. This amount will give the Big Cat Business a decent amount of space as well as allow for low overhead costs in comparison to projected sales over time. The lease budget, being one of the bigger expenses, will directly affect how much funding I have to raise to get the business off the ground. The lower the lease costs, the better, but $10,000 a month is the maximum I'd even consider. 
One place I was really hoping for is way over-budget, which wouldn't be bad if it also wasn't what's called a "Triple-Net Lease." For those who might not know, Triple Net leases, also called triple N or NNN, are in my opinion probably one of the least tenant-friendly agreements out there. With this kind of lease, the tenant essentially takes care of everything. Utilities, property tax, maintenance, insurance - everything comes from the tenant. So, considering the rent alone is over-budget, having to expect extra expenses on top of that is an unfortunate no-go for me. At least, for now. I am currently in talks with several other site managers as well, to discuss which locations are within budget for my startup.
The other big part of the budget will be the advertising and marketing budget. I plan on hiring a full marketing team, and I want to advertise on social media, television, and more. As I've said, this will be my biggest venture yet, so I need to be able to market to a large geographic area. I'm thinking it might be best to stick with the east coast for now, but I would like to expand marketing nationwide if and when we open additional locations.
Figuring out the marketing strategy is always my favorite part of the business plan writing process because it's the most creative aspect of the plan. I consider myself a very creative person, so marketing has always been my favorite business activity. This venture, which has so many marketing possibilities I am excited to explore, will be no exception to the rule. 
The business plan for the Big Cat Business is not the only document I need to prepare, though. When the business plan is complete, I will also need to put together what is called a "pitch deck" A pitch deck is simply a business presentation which compiles information from the business plan for potential investors. Once both business plan and pitch deck are ready, I will be better prepared to begin raising capital from investors.
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I am very excited about this upcoming business venture and will continue to post updates on here under the tag "Big Cat Business Update." If you have any questions, or if you happen to know any investors you would like to put me in contact with, feel free to reach out to me via email at basil@basilebacorn.com. 
Want to know more about the Big Cat Business or have suggestions for what I should include in the next update? Let me know in the comments below!
Thank you for reading! :) 

July 2020 Wrap-Up

It's the last day of July, which means it's time for the end of the month wrap-up post! Each month I will be doing a quick wrap-up of some of what went down with me, my businesses, the community, and the world. I hope to actually keep up with my wrap-ups this time, since the last time I tried starting them I ended up quitting after the first month. Anyway, here is July 2020 in a nutshell:
My JulyFor me this month has been a lot of buckling down with my goals. I have also started my Alphabetic Resume Challenge, more information here, and am off to a pretty good start so far.
I have been setting up with Five Dollar Books at the Sayre Farmers Market, and it was there I met and spoke with Libertarian congressional candidate Liz Terwilliger, who has been working to collect enough signatures to gain ballot access this November. I am not a libertarian, but despite disagreeing on certain policy stances, we did agree on several key issues. I ended up signing her petition, as I believe that anyone should be able to run for office regardless of political party affiliation. I have also decided to help with her campaign in an extremely limited capacity (simply gathering some information regarding public opinion in the community), as part of my Alphabetic Resume Challenge, since C is for Campaign Staffer. It is due to potential plans in the future and a desire to remain independent from the race that I am only helping in that limited capacity. For those same reasons, I am unable to publicly endorse or oppose any one candidate for that office. I am also including a note at the end of this post with links to the three major candidates for PA's 12th Congressional District for those who may be interested in more information.
I have been slowly finishing up my next book, Extraordinary Souls, which is scheduled for release on August 14, 2020. I usually like to be done with my books well ahead of the publication date, but this one has been the victim of my own personal procrastination. The book will not be delayed, however, since I am determined to meet my deadline and put it out on time!
Also coming up next month is my blog post about zucchini. I have been doing a lot of cooking with this versatile superfood this month and will be compiling some of the recipes I have tried in a post scheduled for the second week of August. I will link it here when it goes up.

July for BusinessThis month in business included one new side business venture and one new business idea. Basil E. Bacorn Publishing also welcomed our first wholesale account with SHEA Creations and Company in Athens, PA! I am also working on arranging a Fall book signing event in Athens for three of our local authors (myself included), so stay tuned!
The side business venture, Five Dollar Books, is essentially a way for me to build up a donation fund to give back to the local community. I will be set up Fridays at the Sayre Farmers Market, contingent upon the weather. My recent blog post about Five Dollar Books can be found here.
Regarding my new business idea, I am working on a business plan for a brand new venture of mine that I hope to pitch to investors starting next month. Stay tuned for tomorrow's weekly blog post, which will be the first blog post specifically about my new business idea! I will link it here once the update is posted. I am hoping this business will help me generate a more reliable stream of income sooner than I feel the publishing company will be able to.
July also had me start to seriously consider trying to figure out a way to hire a personal assistant to help take things off my plate. Fortunately, Basil E. Bacorn Publishing has several volunteer editors who assist me with editing incoming manuscripts. I am very grateful for those willing to help out, but I look forward to being able to pay our editors for their super important work. Outside of editing, however, tasks quickly pile up when you are running several businesses during a pandemic in addition to trying to write full-time. With my small budget though, hiring a personal assistant will have to wait. 
I also have launched a new online business portfolio I call my "Venture List", which summarizes my past, current, and upcoming business ventures. The portfolio is available at ventures.basilebacorn.com. 
A Community JulyIn my local community, things have been pretty slow due to social distancing and coronavirus preventing and/or limiting many summer events. Some highlights include the Bradford County Regional Arts Council's pop-up drive-in theaters, a "new again" way to go to the movies while maintaining social distancing measures. I for one look forward to attending one of the drive-in events, and wouldn’t mind if the attraction sticks around.
Also this month has been the Sayre Farmers Market, at which I have been setting up with my latest business venture. The farmers market is in Howard Elmer Park in Sayre, PA, and hosts a myriad of vendors including Kurt's Makin Whoopie and SHEA Creations and Company. 
In Athens, July is usually the month when the Athens Business Association holds our annual street fair event. The event, which is a ton of fun, was canceled in 2020 due to the uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic, but another smaller event did manage to fill the gap this year. Christmas in July, co-hosted by Valley Snow Co, featured an array of activities and small business deals in downtown Athens, including a summer snowball fight in the park! Five Dollar Books was set up in the Rise and Shine Community Center with our book sale pop-up, and plenty of other local businesses participated as well.

July for the WorldUnfortunately, July has seen the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, especially so here in the U.S. Good news did strike this month though, regarding developments in the race for a coronavirus vaccine. A potential vaccine is being developed by the University of Oxford in collaboration with biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, with the clinical trial officially having started in Brazil this month.

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And that’s that for my July 2020 wrap-up! Thanks for reading and feel free to sound off in the comments! :)

Notes: The three major candidates for PA's 12th Congressional District (that I am aware of) are:
Republican Incumbent Fred KellerDemocratic Candidate Lee GriffinLibertarian Candidate Liz Terwilliger Please let me know if I have missed a candidate.

Behind the Scenes of Five Dollar Books

As I continue on for the fourth week of my latest business endeavor, Five Dollar Books, I decided to put together a little informative/behind-the-scenes post about my mobile used bookstore venture.
A Venture Without a PlanFive Dollar Books was, admittedly, a spur of the moment idea. Since closing down Basil E. Bacorn Books, Art, and More at the end of 2019, I've been struggling with getting rid of leftover inventory. I had donated the bulk of my children's toys to charity, and I am consigning certain other products with SHEA Creations and Company in Athens, but I was still stuck with about $2,000 worth of books. After some consideration, I decided to start doing vendor events on a limited basis to help clear out, and I called the venture "Five Dollar Books".
Five Dollar Books did not have a business plan, and it still doesn't. I filed registration paperwork with the Pennsylvania government and signed up for my first event in a matter of days. In fact, I signed up for the Sayre Farmers Market on the day before my first day of business there. 
I then decided that, since I love helping others, I would use Five Dollar Books as a kind of "fundraising" method to donate money to local causes. One thing I personally would love to set up is an annual small business grant program for local businesses.
It's For a Good Cause75% of Five Dollar Books's profits annually will be donated to support local causes. I decided this because, as I stated before, I love helping people. One of my main motivations behind my all of my business goals is to be able to help make the world a better place, after all, so I felt Five Dollar Books would be a good way to turn selling used books into spreading smiles and good cheer. Thus the motto "Books to Smiles" was born.
When I tell people "to support local causes", I am purposefully keeping it open-ended. I want to support as many local causes as possible, be it local businesses, nonprofits, or a local family in need. The main goal is to have a consistent fund on hand that's ready to support whatever community cause needs help at a moment's notice. I also have a kind of personal goal to be able to raise enough for a $500 annual business grant for local businesses in the community. As an entrepreneur myself, I know first-hand just how important capital is, and getting grants and investments make all the difference in the world for a small business, even if it's only an extra $500.
Keeping it on the SideAs much as I love selling books, my main focus right now rests with my writing and Basil E. Bacorn Publishing, along with a new business idea I have been developing recently. I am only one person, after all, and I am trying to not spread myself too thin. In all honesty, the only reason I'm even considering the next new business is that it is one of those ideas that I can't stop thinking about and deserves to at least be fleshed out and given a chance. So Five Dollar Books is going to remain a side venture for now (and if I can get to the point where I can hire someone to take over, I probably will.) 
To make sure I keep Five Dollar Books as the side project I meant it to be, I'm limiting myself to only one event a week max (except for this week, since I'm at the Five Dollar Books pop-up in Athens on Saturday in addition to the Sayre Farmers Market on Friday). In addition, since it's for local causes, I want to make sure Five Dollar Books only sets up locally. This also helps me limit the number of events since the Valley only hosts so many vendor events a year. 
If you've read this all the way through, I hope to see you stop by one of the events Five Dollar Books is at sometime! It's really all about using literacy to make our local community a better place for everyone, which is something I'm always happy to get behind. For more information on Five Dollar Books, and to track where and when we'll be set up, visit the Five Dollar Books website at www.fivedollarbooks.org.
Hope to see you soon! Thanks for reading! 
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Have any suggestions for local causes in the Athens/Sayre and surrounding areas? Drop a comment below or let me know privately by email or social media!

The Best and Worst of My Twitter

I don't know how long I've been on Twitter, but my usage of the app is like the tide: sometimes I never use it, and other times I will flood my profile with dozens of tweets. Recently, for example, I have been using it and looking through my old tweets. After some searching, I have come up with the best and worst (but mostly worst) moments of my time on Twitter through the years.
(The last one though...)
1. The One I Don't Even Remember
I do not remember the context of this tweet, but apparently in high school, I once threw playing cards at my AP Calc teacher? I'm not a violent person, so I have to assume there were no hard feelings. I seriously don't remember this happening though...

2. That Time I Tagged EVERYONE
This Twitter thread of mine accomplished nothing. In my defense, what else was I supposed to do? My enter key was apparently broken.

3. The One Where the Guy from my High School Spanish Class Videos Replied


This one requires some more context. Basically, Señor Jordan was the guy in the educational YouTube videos that my high school Spanish teacher showed us in class. In one video, he kept calling a cartoon alligator ugly, so I tweeted at him. I didn't expect the response though.

4. The Time the Author Saw My Book Review


I had written a book review for one of my AP English summer reading books, and the author saw it and was very nice.

5. The Time I Talked About My Google Search History
This was when I was writing Geek Gods. If you want to know why I was researching periods for a book about the Greek gods turning into teenagers, well, feel free to buy a copy here and find out for yourself!

My Alphabetic Resume Challenge Part One: Introduction

I do a lot of stuff and meet a lot of people. One thing I tell those I meet is how I have yet to work for anyone else, and that I hope to keep it that way. I am an entrepreneur at heart, and that is what I want to do. My resume is just a history of businesses I've started and freelance projects I've done, and even my college degree is in "Business and Entrepreneurship." But that got me thinking: Why not gamify my resume?
I love experiencing new things and going on adventures. If I can do something new, and maybe make money while doing it, why not? Experiences and my real-life adventures are some of the things that help inspire my writing and there are so many jobs out in the world that can give me those adventures. Because of that, I have decided to take on a new challenge. 
I'm calling it "My Alphabetic Resume Challenge". 
The ChallengeThe challenge rules are:I have to build a resume of 26 jobs and work experiences (one for each letter of the English alphabet), in alphabetic and chronological order (see third bullet point for more info). Each job must be held for a minimum of one day (I'm only doing a one-day minimum because I have my own businesses to run, which are my main source of income. I also don't know how willing potential employers are to hire someone who is turning their resume into a game.) I'm definitely allowed to do it longer if I so choose, but it has to be for at least one day in order to count.The jobs must be arranged chronologically by the date of the first day of work and must be in alphabetical order. Each job has to be a job I haven't done prior to any of the previous jobs. (Example: If a Dietician job starts on Jan. 1st, 2020, then an Engineer job would have to start on Jan. 2nd, 2020 or later for it to count. And because I've already been a Website Designer, that job wouldn't count for the letter 'W' because I haven't done the previous letters yet.) If I choose to "freelance" a job as opposed to having an employer, then I have to be compensated by a client or actually have an experience of being in that position in order for it to count. So if for the letter 'P' I wanted to be a party planner, I'd have to either be hired to plan a party or actually plan and host a party. I can't simply say "Yes, this is my new business. It counts on the resume." It has to be an actual experience in that specific job role. (No cheating!)
And according to the rules, my first two jobs are already done!
A is for Author (2016-Present)B is for Bookseller (Basil E. Bacorn Books, Art, & More 2018- 2019, Five Dollar Books 2020-Present)
That leaves 24 remaining jobs and work experiences left to do, with the letter 'C' up next!
Pre-Challenge ThoughtsI want to try and aim for entry-level jobs to make things easier. My biggest challenge, I think, will be trying to find employers who are willing to hire me for a VERY temporary position. Of course, the jobs don't HAVE to be temporary, that's up to me, but still. It's something I have to consider. 
I am looking forward to new experiences, though. As a writer, it is much easier to "write what you know", so this should be a nice opportunity to expand my horizons. 
How long will this challenge last? That I don't know. I don't even know if I'll be able to make it all the way through. I am going to try my best, though, and my goal is to complete the challenge by December 31, 2021.
I will keep track of my Alphabetic Resume on its own page of the website and will link to it at the end of each Alphabetic Resume Challenge blog post. That way, all the posts of the challenge are easily accessible from one page and my "Resume" is easy to update.
With that said, I for one hope my challenge experience is fun, unique, and educational. There's a whole world of job possibilities to give a try, after all. I guess it's just up to me to pick the good ones...

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Thanks for reading! What jobs should I give a try? Let me know in the comments below! :)
View My Alphabetic Resume          

Five Years Ago

Today, I posted the following on my Facebook Page:

"On this day five years ago, I fell off the back of a pickup truck and broke my back. I had no idea that what would follow would be weeks of being in bed and months of constant pain. In fact, I never thought I'd break my back at 15 years old. I continued doing what I could throughout the day until the pain became unbearable and forced me to give in and go to the hospital. That day was the day I found out I wouldn't be going on a trip to Disney World I had worked for all year, and honestly, I cared more about that than the fact I was nearly paralyzed from the waist down.Breaking my L1 and L2, I was very lucky. Not only because I wasn't paralyzed, but because I did get that injury. Because I broke my back, my life took a twist I was never expecting. I wrote my first book and started writing on a regular basis. I published Dark's Descent in early 2016 which was soon followed by six other books in the series. I continued writing and publishing. I did vending events and realized I want to work for myself. Basil E. Bacorn Enterprises took form. In January of 2018, I joined the Jay Mart Mall to sell my books, and those operations quickly evolved into Basil E. Bacorn Books, Art, and More. That business venture took me on a tumultuous adventure spreading almost two years, during which I completed my Associate's degree in Business and Entrepreneurship. My college was not the college of my choice either. In fact, I was rejected by my top three choices. I was devastated, but I moved on. I had temporarily put my business in the hands of Kelly & Ko, and went away to college. I was there for a semester only, before completing the rest of my degree online. I completed my degree while running my store, having taken it back fully and reopened it in its very own Main Street location.In December of 2019, I had a new opportunity come, this one in the form of a business shutdown. My bookstore gift shop was struggling to stay afloat, and it was admittedly taking up a lot of my life. I loved my business, but it was time to take a break at least. Maybe come back to it sometime in the future. So when my landlord at the time gave me the option to end the lease early, I took it. It was a rollercoaster of emotions and even though I miss the store, I am glad I took the opportunity.And now, I am the proud owner of Basil E. Bacorn Publishing. I have ten of my own books published, and two books by other authors so far, with many more on the way.I got to this point in life five years after breaking my back. I got to this point BECAUSE five years ago I did break my back, and because I didn't let it stop me from moving forward.This is just an example of how the universe leads us on a strange path. Cheesy, I know, but I believe it is true. It is true for me at least, and my strange path has truly been one of ups and downs, but I will continue the process and keep going forward. We are making our way through a global pandemic and a crazy time in our history. We all know we can get through this, but what we don't know is what comes next. What comes next is in our hands. We all heal the best we can, patch ourselves up and dust ourselves off. We move forward with life and our lives and use the lessons we learned to be smarter, work better, and live happier.Tough times are tough for sure, but we succeed one way or another, even if how we succeed isn't how we pictured it. Sometimes success starts with failure. It is how we handle that failure that will lead us to the next success."

Photograph taken on April 25, 2015, after I had fallen off the back of this pickup.

Dark's Descent Out of Print Announcement

A message from my publishing company:



The first edition of my Dark's Descent Series will be going out of print this year. As stated above, the last available date to own a first edition print copy of this series will be September 30, 2020. After that date, Basil E. Bacorn Publishing will no longer be making the series available until we release the revised second edition, release date to be determined.

This decision was reached after careful deliberation. Ultimately, there are changes I as an author want to be made, and the series needs to be updated in accordance with my publishing company's standards and guidelines. The revised second edition will be a complete overhaul of the series, and will feature completely new cover art. I am excited to finally be able to take on such a big revision project and look forward to bringing you all a revised second edition that will hopefully blow the first edition out of the water (in the best way possible). While I cherish the Dark's Descent series as the beginning of my career as an author, it is time to make some changes.

In the meantime, this means that now is the time to get your copy of the first edition of the Dark's Descent Series before it is gone for good! For more information on the series and find where to buy your copies before time runs out, visit https://www.basilebacorn.com/p/darks-descent-series.html!

Thank you all for the support and I look forward to what comes next.

- Basil E. Bacorn :)

March 14, 2020 - Coronavirus Statement

Hello everyone. As you are all well aware, we are currently dealing with COVID-19, a new strain of the Coronavirus that this week has been determined to be a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Schools and colleges are closing, and panic is in abundance. Due to this, I wanted to say a few words regarding the current situation.

First, let me start by saying we should all be concerned with COVID-19. Even if it may not be deadly to you, it can certainly be deadly to the elderly and those with weakened immune systems and therefore this situation demands that we all act in caution. The goal is to flatten the curve to prevent the overworking of our resources, as seen in the chart below. For the time being, avoid large gatherings and practice good hygiene measures. To stay updated, be sure to listen to the recommendations of the CDC and the World Health Organization.



Also please note that this can and most likely will have negative effects on small businesses, so I recommend buying gift certificates if you can to help local merchants keep going. This is especially true for Asian-owned and operated establishments, as consumers across the country wrongly avoid doing business with them due to wild and racist misconceptions.

In conclusion, remain calm yet aware, practice hygiene, use reliable sources for information, and show empathy towards others in our community. We will get through this.


- Basil


Helpful Links:
www.cdc.gov 
www.who.int

2020 Democratic Presidential Primary Endorsement

Since I wrote my first book and got into the world of entrepreneurship, I have stayed away from politics on a public level. I would occasionally talk about my beliefs and values on a personal level, but this year my philosophy has changed. 2020 will be the first presidential election in which I am able to vote, and I am so excited to be able to cast my ballot this year.  
For years my dream for my business has been to grow and expand so that I am able to do more for those who need it. I know I will never be a billionaire, not only because it is unlikely, but because I would never let myself collect such a fortune and not do everything in my power to help the world be a better place. I believe in community, and in human empathy. I believe in protecting the environment and doing what we can to ensure the United States is a land where no one should be too poor to live, and where the American dream is a true reality. 
We need leaders who have empathy and exhibit these values. Due to this, I am endorsing and supporting Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary. Bernie Sanders has a long history of fighting for civil rights. He believes that healthcare is a human right and that in order to protect the planet for future generations we must act now. And like myself, Bernie Sanders believes that it is basic human empathy that demands billionaires pay their fair share to support the less fortunate.
If you haven’t voted in the primaries yet, please go out and support Bernie Sanders for President of the United States. I plan on doing so during the Pennsylvania primary on April 28. Thank you. :)

 - Basil E. Bacorn
Primary Dates Alphabetically:Alaska – April 4Arizona – March 17Connecticut – April 28D.C. – June 2Delaware – April 28Florida – March 17Georgia – March 24 Hawaii – April 4Idaho – March 10 Illinois – March 17Indiana – May 5Kansas – May 2Kentucky – May 19Louisiana – April 4Maryland – April 28Michigan – March 10Mississippi – March 10Missouri – March 10Montana – June 2Nebraska – May 12New Jersey  – June 2New Mexico – June 2New York – April 28North Dakota – March 10Ohio – March 17Oregon – May 19 Pennsylvania – April 28Rhode Island – April 28South Dakota – June 2Washington – March 10West Virginia – May 12Wisconsin – April 7Wyoming – April 4