B is for: Bionic Woman

For those of your thinking today's "B" was for Brady Bunch, it's totally understandable and a very good guess. Of course, I had to throw a curve in there and, well,  I've always considered Lindsay Wagner a very "lovely lady" :)

Among the many of my childhood, television, "crushes", few ranked higher than Lindsay Wagner's, Jaime Sommers. I was always a huge Six Million Dollar Man fan (still am), so when Jaime Sommer's debuted, it was like icing on the cake.

Originally only meant to be a small role in a Six Million Dollar Man two-part episode, the response to Wagner and her portrayal of Sommers was so huge that the studio decided they had to bring her back. The only problem was that they had killed her off during her guest spots on SMDM. If Hollywood is anything, it's resourceful...especially when there are millions of potential viewers lined up. Sponsors love viewers and networks love sponsors, so Jaime Sommers, love interest of Col. Steve Austin and tennis pro becomes another bionic agent of the O.S.I (Office of Scientific Intelligence), posing as a school teacher on an Army base.

Later on in the series, they brought in a bionic (jaw and legs) German Shepard, Max, as a companion for Jaime.

Our family wasn't big on pets but, once, we got a German Shepard and I promptly named him (you guessed it).....Max.

Tune in tomorrow for more lovely ladies...three of them, to be exact.

A is for: Automan!

Welcome to my second foray into one of the most grueling (relatively speaking, of course) of all blog hops. The A to Z Blogging Challenge! As I mentioned in my last post (before I accidentally deleted it, that is), my theme this year is going to be "Old Television Shows". The focus on ones I used to love when I was younger. 

Along with some facts from each show, I'll try to give some insight, thoughts, and musings on just why these shows stick out in my mind....even after all these years. 

So, let's get to it shall we?

A is for...Automan!

Heavily, and I mean extremely heavily, influenced by the film Tron (at least special effects-wise), Automan told the tale of police computer expert Walter (Desi Arnaz Jr.) Nebicher who wanted nothing more than to get out of his cold, cramped, computer room. Coming up with a way to bring almost living holograms to the 'real world', Walter creates Automan (Chuck Wagner)....or Otto Mann, as he was sometimes introduced.

Automan and his pal Cursor (a little ball of light that helped Auto create such things as cars, helicopters, and motorcycles) helped Walter solve cases that your standard, non holographic, officer just couldn't solve.

As with most of the shows I'll be highlighting during this month, Automan was pretty cheesy by today's standards. The dialogue and formulaic approach were standard 80s fare, but I've always loved it. Even though it was done during a more "tame" time in television, I remember Automan still being a bit "risque'" in some of it's humor....especially when Cursor, who seemed to have a pretty good libido for a ball of computer light, showed up. I also remember Automan being pretty arrogant, telling Walter that on a scale of one to ten, he should consider him an eleven.

My favorite bit on the show was when Automan would drive Walter around in his holo-car (a Lamborghini, if I remember correctly) and turn a corner. Since it was made of, basically, hard light particles and, I guess, didn't have to follow every law of physics, it could take corners on a dime. Every time he did this, it would always throw Walter up against the window. I guess the Auto-mobile didn't have seatbelts.

If you remember Automan, you were truly a child of the 80s and this is just a taste of the type of series I'll be showcasing during this challenge. I hope you all enjoy :)

Tune in tomorrow for "B"....a story of a lovely lady, who... (it's not what you're thinking...I promise).

Ughhhh!!

Just in case you had come back expecting to see my "Big Re-Veal", in regards to my A-Z Challenge theme, I have bad news for you.

It's dead, Jim.

I guess I shouldn't try to get rid of old drafts at 1:00 am.

Ugh.

Sorry to all those who commented and, for all those who missed it....my A to Z theme is going to revolve around old t.v. shows that I loved as a kid (and maybe a few modern ones too).

As a consolation prize...the word "prize" used very loosely....here's a post I did on my other blog about my trip to Megacon.

See ya all tomorrow for the kickoff of the A to Z Challenge!

A Couch Trip....

True story....when I was a kid I dreamed of being an actor. Not just any actor, though, I dreamed of being a humongous star. Now, the hows and whys of my fantasy were never hashed out in my young brain, I just wanted to be famous. Part of that fantasy, especially back in the late 70s and early 80s, would just have to entail a spot on one of the biggest shows of all time.

The Tonight Show, starring the King of Late Night.....Johnny Carson.

I was always captivated how Carson and Ed McMahon made the whole gig seem so easy and I used to daydream about being a guest. Seriously, I would have these little conversations in my head between me and Mr. Carson where I was always witty and charming and had the audience rolling in the aisles.

Now, why am I sharing this bit of childhood trivia?

Because, to this day, I still like when people ask about my life or interview me. I mean, come on, who doesn't like to talk about themselves?

Anyway, as I was thinking (for the past two days) about what I might post about, I hit a wall. I couldn't come up with anything that got me jazzed about doing a blog post. So I figured I'd do what I do, a lot of times, when I get stuck writing.....I'd read.

I started going through my sorely neglected Feedly feed and came upon a great post by one of my favorite bloggers....Robin, over at Your Daily Dose. It seems that a blogging buddy had bestowed upon her the "coveted" Liebster Award. So, instead of naming other victims recipients, she decided to just throw it out there to the ether and if someone needed some blogging material they could use it.

So, with a "yoink", a cut, and a paste a blog post was born.

Thank you, Robin, and without further ado.....

Heeeeeeeeerrre'sssss Marrrrrrkyy!! (cue Tonight Show theme)



1) Have you ever met someone famous?

Quite a few people, actually. One of my favorites would have to be Bruce Campbell. A heck of nice guy who hasn't let his own brand of fame go to his head. I've also met pro-wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin, Highlander t.v. series star Adrian Paul (an extremely nice guy), Adam West (a jerk), and Walking Dead co-creator Robert Kirkman.

2) What concert would you pay a "ridiculous" amount of money to see? The person or band can be dead or alive.

That's an easy one.....Elvis Presley. Second choice would be The Rolling Stones

3) What personality trait do you like best about yourself?

My (sometimes) quick wit.

4) If you could meet a character in a book, who would you choose?

Sherlock Holmes. I mean, come on, not take a chance to meet one of the inspirations for Batman? No way!

5) If you won the lottery, how would you spend the money?

Honestly, I'm way too "Mid-Western" to answer this question any other way but boring. I'd pay off my bills, buy a nice home and two cars and help my family and friends out any way I could. I guess I could use it to pay that ridiculous money to see Elvis or The Stones, too.

6) Do you believe that there is such a thing as "having it all"?

No. I don't think human nature would ever allow for us to be completely satisfied. Close, maybe, but not entirely.

7) Have you ever had a paranormal experience of any kind?

I'm contractually obligated by the United States Government to not answer that question....sorry.

8) What is the most important trait for a person to have in order to achieve success in their life? Job? Relationships? (It can be one trait that ties them all together or separate ones...)

I don't care what anyone says...I believe honesty can get you the furthest in life. Though, I also believe you can be honest and still be tactful. In the spirit of #8 I'll confess that I lied on the previous question.

9) What is holding you back from achieving your dreams?

I'm afraid to take big risks. Small ones, yes, but not the real big ones. Probably another reason I never became an actor.

10) What is your favorite time of day?

Actually, it's very late a night when it's quiet and things are peaceful.

"O.k, we'll be right back after these important messages...." (cue music)

I'd like to thank Robin, again, for the great questions and helping to get my creative juices going. Also, if you haven't checked out Robin's blog, Your Daily Dose, do yourself a favor and give it a look It's a lot of fun.

Have a great weekend!

IWSG: March, 2014-- Back In The Saddle

Look here, greenhorn, it’s only a horse.

That’s easy for you to say plus, look at the thing.....that’s one big horse. That saddle looks a little....strange, too.

Yeah, sure it’s big but ya rode it before….all ya gotta do is hop back up in the saddle, doesn't matter what it looks like. Once ya do that, the rest will come to ya.

Sure…if you say so…

Trust me, pardner.

Uh huh...

And, with that, I hop back onto my monthly foray into the area of the writing journey that could, possibly, bring some mental discomfort.

It’s time, once again, for an Insecure Writer’s Support Group post! The brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, the IWSG is a safe haven for those of us wanting to let loose our literary insecurities to an unsuspecting (o.k, that part isn't true...they know it's coming) blogosphere.

So, anyone who’s still following this blog knows it’s been no secret that I’ve been quite lax, lately, in my writing and blogging.  For a guy who had over one hundred posts last year, it’s a bit discouraging to look at my sidebar and only be logging two entries in as many months. Not that it's strictly a 'numbers game', I definitely think quality trumps quantity, any day. Like I've said before, it's just going to be a matter of me buckling down and writing. That's it.

Besides that, though, I really don't have much in the way of "insecurities" to speak of this month. I'm getting excited to be writing/blogging again and even editing isn't seeming like a trip to the dentist's office anymore.

With me, as always, it's just a matter of staying on course and getting/keeping organized. I'm looking forward to the day, though, when I can write about my insecurities revolving around whether or not people like the book I've just published.

Some day....some day.

Into the Groove....

It's more than just a pre-whacked out, Madonna song....it's also how I'm starting to feel, recently.

I've been getting back into my writing groove, still working on The T.E.M.P Agency and taking some good advice I've seen and printed the whole thing out, which is really helping with the editing. Now, for that pesky ending!

I've, also, even managed to get around to some other blogs. I've really missed you guys! If I haven't gotten around to littering your comments section with craziness, don't worry, I'll get there soon.

I've also joined the Insecure Writer's Support Group over on Facebook and, as much as I really loathe FB (sometimes), I have to say that it's a great forum and everyone is extremely supportive. If you haven't given it a look, it's well worth your time. On that note, I'm going to try to have an IWSG post up for tomorrow and get back on that horse, as well.

In case you didn't notice the musical theme of this (and my previous) post and just in case the big ole' badge on my sidebar didn't give it away, I will be participating in the A to Z Challenge this year. I was hesitant to sign up, but I also feel like I really need to just jump back into blogging with both feet. This seemed like a good way to help accomplish that goal. I have a few ideas on how to work smarter and not harder, so we'll see if they pan out.

Oh, and by the way, my theme isn't music videos......or is it?? =)

Actually, I'm still not sure what theme I'm going with, but I do have a couple of ideas rattling around and they have also passed my X,Y,Z Test, as well.

I hope you're all having a great week, so far, and I really appreciate all the support you've been sending my way.

Keep writing and talk to you soon.