Brendan Shea's Blog, page 35

Excerpt from My New Book:

Dear Readers,

Here’s an excerpt from my new book, Double-Dutch Life… it is from the lighter side of the story. The book will go on to recount some of my journey through mental illness. Please let me know if you have any comments whatsoever, as they will voice your thoughts and aid my writing:

Excerpted from:

Chapter 3 – Road 2 Lonely

… My first job in Albuquerque was at The Frontier Restaurant, something of a fixture near the University of New Mexico in the downtown district. The Frontier’ is nationally famous for their amazing cinnamon rolls, but they make a mean green-chile burger, awesome BLT’s on wheat toast, which I modified onsite, to include grated cheddar, as well as other tasty items.

This famous culinary destination began as a one building/one room dining establishment that grew to take up an entire city block by the time I joined their staff in 1984. With each dining room decorated with various famous and more pedestrian Western and Southwestern paintings and artifacts, one could dine in relative calm or have an animated feast amongst friends.

The process for diners back then was to order at the counter in the original building, take a numbered ticket to your table of choice, and then return to the pickup counter in the same building to collect your meal and accessories. Given their volume  of business, it was an agreeable and effective model.

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I spent my time as a cashier taking orders on some very antiquated cash registers, peeling green chiles, and after a promotion, making toast… yes, I could have been a luchador like in ‘Nacho Libre’, so advanced was I in toast making skills. In fact, operating such a toaster involved more coordination than I realized. The Frontier’ did a crazy volume of business, so I had to keep the bread bags stocked, the toaster filled, the toast buttered, the plates filled. It was quite an operation.

While I might not have been completely content at The Frontier, I enjoyed the simplicity of the old time cash registers, interacting with customers, peeling the chiles, and making the toast. In the words of Homer Price, “the (toaster) doughnut machine just kept right on making (toast)… and the (toast) kept right on rolling down the chute.”, and while my work was rudimentary, sometimes the simple life is the better life…

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(thank you for reading; end of preview; more to come)

Cheesy Illustrations © 2020 FitzGerald Press

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Not the main thing, but glad of it:

COVID-19 and race relations are more important, but in my little corner of the San Francisco Bay Area, I’m excited for my first Amazon book reviews.

I am honored to report that I have my first review and two ratings of five stars each.

If you have ready any of my books, feel free to rate or review, and that will accomplish three things:

I will have an indicator of any changes I need to make
My books will be more visible online
It will likely encourage me, even if all the reviews aren’t glowing

Best, FitzGerald Press

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Why?

Is it sin? Is it ignorance? Is it fear? It doesn’t really matter, does it…

I’m Working on a New Book

Dear Readers,

I’m working on a new book called, Double-Dutch Life, My Journey through Bipolar Disorder. The book will have some simple illustrations like below, but they’ll range from the scientific to the whimsical…

The book begins with a chapter called, Growing Up “Normal”, and recounts what might be considered a childhood not seemingly belonging to one with a brain chemistry disorder.

In later chapters, I tell of the apparent onset of my problem, which turns out to be the revelation instead, and the story progresses from there.

Please comment below on an experience you may have had with psychiatric disorders, however common or obscure, or if you’ve struggled with someone else’s issues.

Also, if you’d like help with getting your book published on Amazon Kindle Direct, please comment below.

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You’ve GOT to Stop Snoring?!

FITZGERALD ON PRODUCTS

I can think of Shakespeare’s Hamlet as he exclaims, “My fate cries out… ¹(for sleep!). If you want to help your spouse or housemates get more rest, here is a quick review of some products that have been known to not only help with snoring, but also with breathing and perhaps overall health.

Open Your Sinuses

Some people will be reviled at the idea of rinsing their nostrils, but as an asthmatic, anything that allows freer breathing is a plus, particularly when not impacting other elements of physiology.

I take a packet of NeilMed Sinus Rinse, nuke an 8 oz mug of filtered water for 22 seconds, add a packet of their basic formula, and proceed to inhale liquid up one nostril and out the other. Blowing my nose thoroughly and repeating with the other nostril, my sinuses are mercifully cleared.

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Maintain Clear Nasal Passages

With Flonase, you simply hold one nostril closed while spraying the product up the other nostril, and repeat on the other side. Flonase is not cheap, but it works.

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Maintain Free Breathing

Alvesco is the best asthma maintenance medication I’ve taken, having grown up with discontinued Marax, Theodur, which are products that make the heart race, or at least for me and many others per reporting.  Years later, I used a product on a par with Alvesco, but that has been discontinued in its original form, QVAR. With few side effects, Alvesco is a bit less expensive that QVAR was, and it seems to work just as well.

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Keep Nostrils Open

Mute Nasal Dilator‘s are not my best friend in the world, even though I want my mate to get more sleep at night with this snoring deterrent. Imagine you are going to bed, and you have to put plugs up your nostrils, to widen your ala², and in the night, sometimes they fall out, and are subject to being lost, or perhaps eaten by pets! I’ve heard evidence that they help somewhat, but for my money, the product below is more humane and more effective.

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Keep Nostrils Open Less Invasively

I don’t mind using Breathe Right Extra Strength Nasal Strips. This product can have a little “ouch” when you take it off in the morning if you’re not careful, but if you just take a few seconds, and maybe add some moisture, there’s a very slight skin peel, but it is really not bad, particularly because I am not really aware I have them on in the night, and for the first time in my life, I can often breathe with my mouth closed for some time.

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Footnotes:

¹Hamlet Act 1: Scene 4

²The Ala are the wings on the sides of your nose beside your nostril openings

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Thanks for Making Solar 101 #40 on Amazon Solar Best Sellers!

Dear Readers,

I held a book giveaway last week, and several of you downloaded my free eBook, Solar 101. I am proud to report that you have helped me to make my book rank #40 in the Amazon Best Seller list for Solar Books! That is something I am very thankful for.

I have a good deal of knowledge in the solar and battery storage space, and some general roofing know-how as well. I really appreciate your interest showed by downloading the book, and would encourage you to rate or review it on Amazon.

Please be frank in your review, and you’ll be helping me become more visible on Amazon, as well as to understand how I can improve my writing.

Best, FitzGerald Press

Boboli with Bermuda & Mozzarella

Story

While at a jazz dance workshop in Boulder Colorado, my friend Nick shared a recipe of his for making a very unique pizza that is delicious to me, but only for those who enjoy members of the purple lily ‘family’ piled high over Italian cheese on a crispy pizza crust. Okay, here goes’ with the recipe for you to try if that sounds good:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sliced purple Bermuda onion
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese¹
1 Boboli pizza crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Sauté onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large cast iron² skillet over low-medium heat, adding brown sugar, and stirring to distribute. Add a bit of water and the remainder of the oil as needed to prevent burning or sticking, but not water-logging the onions, until onions tender. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the Boboli crust, and remove onions from heat. Drain onions well, and if needed, pat lightly with paper towel to ensure not over saturated with oil or moisture. Carefully add onions to top of crust over mozzarella, sprinkling a bit of cheese over the top if wanted. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crust is hot and crispy.

Abbondanza!

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Fitz’ Degrees of Jerry Stiller

Remembering Jerry Stiller

I was sorry to hear of Jerry Stiller’s passing today. I had a long familiarity with Mr. Stiller. No acquaintanceship save for some of his works, but here is a little eulogy based on my limited knowledge of his career and of my glimpses of him in passing:

Growing up  

My sister and I watched The Carol Burnett Show as kids, and Jerry Stiller & Anne Meara, of the famous husband and wife comedy team, made numerous appearances. Burnett’s show was hilarious to the point of stomach ache as the laughs were terrific and relentless, and Stiller & Meara’s contributions were no exception to that rule.

New York

I went to the Ansonia Building in Upper Manhattan one day to interview with my future singing teacher and the interview went great. I wondered at the architecture of the old classic building, and as an actor, was awed by the names on the offices nearby my teacher’s. She was in good company based not only on fame, but on talent.

Jerry’s Office

If I recall correctly, the other offices on my instructor’s floor were as follows: Ruth Gordon & Garson Kanin, Nora Ephron, and Stiller & Meara. It could have been also that they resided there, but there were placards on the doors, so I figure they were offices. I saw myself knocking on one of the doors and trying to make a career connection with one of these industry geniuses.

The Delacourte Theater

I saw Jerry play Shakespeare’s hilarious Much Ado’ supporting character, Dogberry, at the late Joseph Papp’s Shakespeare in the Park, and he absolutely crushed it. Working alongside comic veteran Kevin Kline and theatrical gem, Blythe Danner, Stiller showed that a character is what you make it, and while Shakespeare didn’t write throwaway roles, Stiller definitely kicked it up a notch or three.

Gather ’round

Believe it or not, I probably didn’t see Seinfeld until the last few years of its’ run, for many reasons, and while its content was sometimes ‘overboard’, it was amazing, and those moments featuring the elder Costanza’s were no exception. I love Christmas and value the Hanukkah tradition, but cracked up thoroughly at Stiller’s ‘for the rest of us’ proclamations.

Another Great Borough

The King of Queens is another show I watched more in syndication than otherwise, and while not as idiosyncratic as Seinfeld, Kevin James & Leah Remini, Jerry Stiller, and Victor Williams, made for many fun TV excursions. Stiller endured in his relentlessly bombastic and contagiously funny outbursts.

The Last Hurrah?

Well just for me personally, having also seen Stiller in movies like Zoolander, with his equally hilarious if seemingly totally different son, Ben, I feel Jerry Stiller was one of the best presences in show business comedy. Thirty years after walking past Stiller’s office, I wrote a book called Flat Lens, and decided to open the book with a scene of what might have happened had I met Stiller when I was at the Ansonia years ago.

In Closing

These are just whimsical references and reminiscences about my own personal memories of Jerry Stiller. Please share any you have in the comments below. If I could talk to Jerry Stiller now, here is what I’d say,

“You sure gave us some great laughs when we needed them, Jerry. You were a king of comedy. I hope you’re laughing with the multitude in Heaven.”

 

Recipe Series- 6 ingredient Vegan and GF Spinach and Cheese pastries — The Strawberry Snaps (Guest Blogger)

Easier than it looks I promise

via Recipe Series- 6 ingredient Vegan and GF Spinach and Cheese pastries — The Strawberry Snaps

(a terrific recipe, and posted with someone I know in mind, a skillful baker. -Please click above link for the recipe and the outstanding Strawberry Snaps blog)

 

 

Grateful

I’m glad we are not too short on rain and snow according to reservoir levels to date here in California. I’m grateful too, for a bit of respite during Shelter-in-Place. Further, despite the death-toll, regrettable to be sure, I think there are others who may be getting a “reset” at this time, in a way that could be helpful.

Sometimes when it’s not a respite, worries are financial, sometimes emotional, sometimes physical, or all of the above. Whatever the case, my prayer is that you keep ahead of these troubles and that you persevere through this difficult time.

Please don’t think me flip; I hate adversity. But Isaiah 48:10 says, “See, I have refined you, though not as silver, I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”, so while I hate my troubles and sometimes find wading through through them akin to traversing muck and crud, I HOPE to keep sight that God wants me to come out better on the other side. Easier said than done.

We have most of our basic needs met at this point, but I am more of an introvert the older I get, so the isolational side of SiP doesn’t always impact me as much as the ‘social butterflies’. I used to be more outgoing, but a bid of PTSD curbed that a good deal. I hope we continue to be okay and that others have their needs met as well.

Here is a short, funny video by Christian comedian Ken Davis. It is less than five minutes long, and it was hilarious when I viewed it years ago. Maybe it will give you a chuckle. It is on YouTube, so if that is not your preferred option, it is available to purchase (cheap) DVD here instead. I hope it lightens your mood. When my Dad was alive and knew I was depressed, he simply said, “Watch comedies!”

Sometimes I stumble but I try to keep getting back up. I hope that you are doing well. If you have a comment as to your perspective on SiP, please post it below in the comments section below. God bless and keep you and your loved ones. Maybe we can learn to pray for our enemies too.

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(emoji courtesy of Facebook!)