Post Election Red, White & Blues

Patriotic Basket ID: 206570

© Joseph Helfenberger | Dreamstime Stock Photos

When your team like the Baltimore Ravens beats the Pittsburgh Steelers, nothing in your life changes fundamentally, other than a temporary emotional response. And a discount on Papa Johns pizza, but I wouldn't call that a "win". When your team like the Ravens loses to the Steelers, the same holds true. Because that's sports.

Politics is played like sports. Team colors, trash talking and a really subjective view, especially when a flag is thrown and penalties are called on your team. But governing is not politics. It is not sports. And it has many impacts on our lives. And it isn't down to one leader (President, Governor, Senator), or body (Congress, Justice Department, DMV), but the whole dysfunctional system.

They don't read your Facebook posts, but they do read your emails, petitions, letters and phone messages. Regardless of your "side", which for many truly is neither, I like to think the team is all of us. So I'll continue to vote, and continue to write and call the many different people in the system. It may not make the change I want directly, but it does make a difference.

9/11 Thirteen Years Later - I'm Listening

I shared the following on Facebook this morning. I thought it was worth sharing here.

The world changed 13 years ago today. A lot of innocents were lost in a moment. "Never forget" almost sounds insulting. How can anyone forget what happened that day? The days after? The months after? The years after?

For whatever reason, our timelines are peppered every single day with divisiveness, snark, anger, hatred. I would hope we can move back to face-to-face, one-on-one civil conversations over coffee, or juice, or Kombucha, or whatever your beverage of choice is and just talk to each other. And not just about the issues but the solutions. And, more importantly, each other.

We seem to spend so much time trying to be heard we forgot how to listen. I know I'm guilty of that and am trying to do better. I think that's the best way I can honor those who have fallen before me.

Previously on Twitter - May 2014

I wanted to try something new. I love Twitter simply for the clearinghouse it offers my brain for jokes, especially the ones I'm not using in a script. But tweeting a joke is like pouring a Dixie cup of water into the Atlantic. They still make Dixie cups, right? I'm tossing 140 characters or less into a stream of millions of other tweets posting at the same time. So I decided to go fishing in my own Twitter stream (apologies), and paste some of those jokes here. With Twitter's embed feature, they look prettier than a copy/paste. And because they're embedded, I'll stick to a monthly post so it doesn't take too much time to load. Enjoy!


Jokes

Polishing my guitar. #NotAEuphemism
— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 24, 2014

But what if my Dad isn't graduating? @Hallmark

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 21, 2014

No matter how angry I get, I'll never stoop to calling a woman the "C" word: Coulter.

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 13, 2014

"If you notice any of these symptoms, call your doctor..." I haven't had a "your doctor" since I was nine. And his name was "Mom".
— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 12, 2014

Apple to purchase Beats by Dre for $3.2 billion. Could be like Dad trying to put on your skinny jeans. You said everyone cool wore these!

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 10, 2014

On the Serious Side

Reading #YesAllWomen tweets for 30 minutes. Taking it all in. Honest, courageous & necessary. And very sad. Raise all boys to be kind men.

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 25, 2014

Whether your celebrating, honoring or remembering, I wish you all a very Happy Mothers Day! OK, Mom! Jeez! "Whether YOU'RE celebrating" ;-)

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 11, 2014

Reason # 1397 quitting my whorporate job to write full time was the best decision I ever made. I now love Mondays! #AmWriting

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 19, 2014

Well this feels kind of awesome! I'm on IMDB: http://t.co/zBAubwtBzO #ScriptChat

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 9, 2014

Our comedy web series @ClickTheSeries debuted this week! New ep coming Wednesday. Check it out here: https://t.co/yxSOhjhjfP #ScriptChat

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 5, 2014

From @midnight's Hashtag Game

#UndateableBecause they're either your parents or your roommates, not both. @midnight

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 21, 2014

#UndateableBecause you say "supposably" @midnight

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 21, 2014

The Second to Last House on the Left @midnight #BadPrequels

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 7, 2014

Ferris Bueller's Early Dismissal @midnight #BadPrequels

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 7, 2014

Mr. Smith Pops By Arlington @midnight #BadPrequels

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) May 7, 2014

Game of Clones: The Pew-Pew Wedding #WorseStarWars @midnight

— Mike Morucci (@GCGeek) April 30, 2014

Blogtrasound - Where's my prize?

My Google search for "blogtrasound" turned up no pages. What do I win?

Seriously.

These days it's nearly impossible to come up with something original that hasn't been written before.

I hear if you get a million views on YouTube you make mad cash. What do you get for empty Google searches?

Of course, now that I've written a blog about my crazy, meaningless, man-was-I-bored search, this moment in time is over. Blogtrasound will point to one page. This one.

The victory is empty, but it is mine. Almost sounds poetic.

Right Turn on Red Is Not a Right

It's an option.

If traffic is coming, you fucking wait until your light changes to green.

It's not a stop sign.

We're not taking turns.

And when you do pull out, like I wish your father had in 1977, you don't do it slower than Steven Wright on a bottle of Lunesta and four pints of Sangria during a Congressional filibuster. You hit that accelerator like Marty McFly and rocket to 88 MPH. Asshole.

Free Lancing

I'm a writer of many kinds, one being freelance. Because I'm relatively new, I'm a "free"-lance writer, meaning I do a lot of it gratis. But I really do it because I love to write. And I'm honored to be asked.

Free-lancing always offers exposure, traffic back to my blog, practice and the opportunity to address a topic I may not otherwise have considered. It also builds my portfolio. I love my blog and complete editorial control, but being asked to write for someone else is validation. True validation comes from within, but acknowledgment from others is fuel to a writer's soul. It's a reminder that we're not just doing this for ourselves.

Everyone has a story on how they became a writer. Here's mine.

When I was younger, I excelled at math and science but struggled with English, grammar, comprehension and writing. A lot of that was due to the way I read: I must speak every word out loud in my head (yes, I often mouth the words) - I cannot speed-read and never met the time limits for comprehension tests. Standardized tests, and career placement programs, reinforced this. I'm logical and analytical and was always encouraged to pursue math. I felt creative, though horrible at reading and writing, and math came easier.

But a funny thing happened: life. I was laid off from a research job in 1992 and ended up self-employed, taking any assignments I could get. A college buddy of mine, Scott Weber, asked me to copy-edit magazine articles for his recently acquired Maryland Magazine. Me? I'd never done anything of the sort. But times were tough and I had a rare moment of courage and figured I'd wing it. Independent writers submitted material in many different styles, often not in electronic form. So I also had to transcribe. I borrowed a Chicago Manual of Style from my friend and office-mate Jessie Newburn and quickly learned grammar, style and editing. And I was exposed to lots of examples of writing, good and poor. I took the works of others and made them consistent, at least in technical style, while leaving their original voice. I also copy-edited a medical journal for Scott's company. That was interesting. And I transcribed tapes for speech pathologists. I didn't get the writing bug then, but the seed was definitely planted.

I've always played music, written some songs, pursued a brief career in radio, but ended up in analysis: technical requirements, methodology, calculations. I've been doing it since 1996. It is my comfort zone, I'm a subject matter expert, and I still enjoy it. But I learned and mastered the skill of technical writing - taking complex information and making it digestible for multiple audiences. Little did I know I was in training for my next career.

I've always wanted to get into comedy but have a horrible memory, so I've stayed away from stand-up. In 2006, I started this blog where some of the first pieces were old stand-up bits. My friend Jessie was already blogging and helped get me started, introducing me to other bloggers, tools and techniques. And she has offered me invaluable advice and loving support all along the way.

Blogging introduced me to a non-competitive community of writers that support each other. I've learned so much from so many, and continue to meet more each day. Twitter has also opened up a new world for me - so many friends, writers, authors, comedians. It's also a great forum for joke writing.

I was welcomed into the ScriptChat community - a wonderful band of brothers and sisters that are involved in scripwriting, TV and film. There are honestly too many to name here but my two biggest supporters and confidantes are Jeanne V. Bowerman and Jamie Livingston.

With this blog, I've also been lucky to meet some very special people who have asked me to freelance.

First, it was Matt Titus and Tamsen Fadal. I was home with the flu when I saw Matt on one of the morning programs talking about his new show on Lifetime called Matched in Manhattan. He was talking about mantiques (embarrassing, outdated technology) and I thought it was hilarious. I wrote a quick blog post that day called Top 10 Mantiques. Then I worried about permissions and copyrights. I found Matt's web site and sent a link of the blog, basically letting him know it's out there and I was crediting him. A week later I got an email, asking me to call Matt. He and his wife Tamsen were interested in working with me!

They've authored two books on relationships (Why Hasn't He Called? and Why Hasn't He Proposed?) and host a website, called Ask Matt & Tamsen. They asked me to submit humor posts on relationships from the male perspective. They're in Manhattan, I'm in Baltimore, but we found a way to work it all out via email, phone and web. When I first started, I was actually renting out my friend's basement going through a divorce. Was I qualified to offer relationship advice? In a humbled state like that, with some perspective, yes. And I think it made me a better partner in my current relationship, with my warmest supporter and sounding board, Barb. I've done at least 15 articles to date. And I've loved it!

A few years ago I also met Dave & Ilana Bittner through Jessie - man, do I owe her a lot! Two wonderful people who started HoCoMoJo (Howard County Mobile Journalism) and asked me to produce some podcasts using my unique (depending on your perspective) sense of humor (depending on your sense). I've done nine so far.

And recently, I followed back Deepak Gupta, a marketer on Twitter. After a few friendly exchanges, he asked me to guest blog a post for his Marketing By Deepak web site. Why not?! It posted last night:  Prevent the Twitter Unfollow: Tips from a Twitter User
 
My friend and fellow improv artist Nicholas Cowling recently started a new blog one-line headline, where he's asked me to contribute. And I certainly plan to!

I've also met some very cool authors on Twitter like Sezin Kohler (author of American Monster) and Matt Debenham (author of The Book of Right and Wrong). Actually, there are a lot of people I could mention - many can be found in my Awesome Tweeps blog.

Why do I share all of this? Because I love talking about myself. :-) Because it's helped me create a voice, and network with people I wouldn't have met if I didn't just start writing. I'm almost 47 years old, and I can attest it is never too late to start. It doesn't matter what a standardized test, naysayers, or the negative voices in your own head tell you. If it's what you love, give it a shot. Practice, practice, practice. Write, write, write. These statements become clichés for a reason.

And I no longer believe these are just coincidences. I'm always where I'm supposed to be, and will get to where I should be when it's my time. That doesn't mean I'm waiting, either ;-).

So may I recommend free-lancing to you for all the reasons I've stated above? The money will come when it comes.

In the meantime, I've set up a new Freelance page on the blog here with links to all my guest posts/podcasts that are active (and I can still find).

A huge thank you to Jessie, Matt, Tamsen, Dave, Ilana, Deepak and Nicholas for believing in me and honoring me with a request for my writing. And to Sezin and Matt for considering me a peer. And to Jeanne and Jamie for helping me get to where I truly belong. And to Barb for everything.

I can't wait until I post the blog about a sold script and the TV shows I'm writing for. It. Will. Happen.

New Page: Daily Amusement

I've added a new page to my blog called Daily Amusement. You can see it now in the above Blog Bar.

I may not have a funny blog post each day (each week, each month), but I can easily drop in an amusing joke, tweet, image, video or story each day. So come back daily and see for yourself!

Awesome Tweeps: Follow Friday

I've updated my blog design! I still need to clean up the header graphic but it's coming along.

And I've just posted a new PAGE: Awesome Tweeps: Follow Friday!

Click the page link above, or this handy hyperlink: Awesome Tweeps: Follow Friday

It's a work in progress, but it's over 60 fabulous people I follow on Twitter.

And a new REAL post coming soon!

3D Reader Reviewed!

I'm so excited! Matt Debenham's latest, The Book of Right and Wrong, has just arrived. But without an electronic device, how am I to enjoy it?

Thursday 3:43 PM
USPS Delivery Person arrives. In my mail, this appears:














Can you feel the excitement? Actually, I'm guessing at the time of arrival. I was still at work.  Luckily no one pilfered my mailbox, claiming the package was left in a Starbucks or something.

Thursday 5:45 PM
I arrive home. I check my mail and am elated with the delivery, but wisely decide to leave the box in a pile of other unopened mail in my foyer because I'm struck that I should share this unveiling with the world.

Saturday 6:30 AM
OK. Elated might have been a slight exaggeration. I wake up out of habit induced by a Mon-Fri 9a-5p work schedule and realize it's Saturday. I  go back to sleep. The unveiling will just have to wait.

Sunday 6:30 AM
I believe we've covered this.


Sunday 1:30 PM
I start writing this blog because I feel the world is ready. Or perhaps, I just feel like it.

Sunday 1:35 PM
I don't care if it's cute or too reminiscent of a Nike swoosh, I like the Amazon smiley on the shipping box. It pleases me.

Sunday 1:36 PM
Dammit! Where are my scissors? Can we please leave them in one place?

Sunday 1:42 PM
OK. I'm back. The great unveiling. Here it is! A portable device to read content on pages that actually reach out and touch you in 3-D!

Sunday 1:43 PM
Paper cut suffered from the corrugated cardboard edges of the shipping box, as I clumsily grab the contents with no regard for personal safety. Where are the GD band-aids?

Sunday 1:47 PM
Newly bandaged, I soldier on. I carefully remove the contents of the box. For comparison purposes, I place it next to my company-provided Blackberry. Wow, could you imagine trying to read books on that? Now I need to carefully remove the plastic wrapped around my book. Just need the-- seriously? Where are the freaking scissors?!

Sunday 1:48 PM
Oh. My apologies. I've still got 'em. I remove the plastic wrapping to reveal more plastic wrapping.

[Moment of seriousness. Dear Amazon: cool it with the extra wrapping. If you ship millions (or hundreds) of books each year, you could help reduce excess waste -- isn't any waste excess?]

Sunday 1:50 PM
I remove the final layer of plastic. Now I think it important to show you the width of this old school reading device, because that's what all the other tech blogs do. It's actually smaller than my Pentel EnerGel 0.7mm ball Metal Tip gel pen, an awesome, old-school writing device in its own right. Don't just take my word for it. See number three in Yvette's 5 Things You Need To Try.

Sunday 1:56 PM
But, Mike. How much does this antiquated device weigh? I find a simple kitchen scale. By comparison, the Barnes & Noble Nook weighs 12.1 oz (343g), the Amazon Kindle 2: 10.2 oz (289g), the Apple iPad: 1.5 pounds (24 oz., 680g). This book: less than 8 oz (under 200g).

Sunday 1:58 PM
Show us the damn thing already. The reveal! Although no instructions were included with this device,  the same skills required to read a set of instructions are required to read this book. Open it beginning with page one, and read top down, left to right. Although it does have a feature for viewing two pages simultaneously, I prefer to read just one at a time.

Sunday 2:00 PM
The outdoor test! I hear the iPad blows outdoors because of the glare. How did the book do? Swimmingly. [I've always wanted to use that word in a blog. Finally the opportunity surfaces. ;-) ]

Q&A
How much did Steve Jobs make off of the purchase?
Nothing, but I think he'll be OK.

How do I carry this portable device? Certainly there must be required accessories?
It requires no special carrying case. Just drop it in your purse, laptop bag, messenger bag, or shoulder backpack you've been rocking since high school and don't realize everyone's laughing at the fact you still carry one in your 40s (I don't care - I love mine!).

What's the charge/standby time?
Believe it or not, this device requires no charging. It has a virtually indefinite standby time, other than the natural breakdown of organic materials (I don't know, 200 years?).


I like to consider myself green. How do I properly dispose of this device after I'm done reading it?
You can store it on a shelf for repeated readings. You can pass it along to a friend. You can share it with your local library (INSIDER TIP: Other devices just like The Book of Right and Wrong are available for lending at local libraries for FREE!). It's made of 100% recyclable materials, so you can always recycle it, too.

What's the book about?
Excuse me? We don't talk about content on tech blogs, we talk about devices. But I'm sure it's quite good. The title rocks! Better than "iPad".

Who the hell is Matt Debenham?
Matt is an "author". It means he created the content found in this device. He's also my twitter friend (@debenham) and I felt why choose any old book for this tech post when I can do someone who is very kind a solid.

That's a snazzy pic on the back of the book. Is it you?

No. Even though devices like iPods can be personalized, the picture on the back of the book is usually the author, as it is in this case. To date, it's the only known public picture of the author (see @debenham on Twitter).

What about eyestrain?
I've heard for some people, electronic devices can cause eyestrain or contribute to headaches over time. Though often that may be a side effect of the content itself, the printed-on-paper pages are quite easy to read and cause very little eyestrain.

OK, it can't be all good. What are the cons?
Unless it's a compendium of several books, it can only hold the content of one book at a time. Luckily, that's the way I prefer to read.


How do you read it at night?
It does require assistance. I recommend by incandescent light, or by candle. Though, honestly, reading at night is like a sleep aid to me. I get through about three pages before I'm sawing logs.

How do you post comments after reading?
I prefer in the margins. Or by email to the publisher. Or by driving all night to the author's house, thinking at the time and after several beers that it was a good idea, and because we connected when I read it, it would instantly transpire into a friendship. I don't recommend that approach. It doesn't work with celebrities either. [Note to anyone who appreciates their privacy: tweeting or posting your location on Facebook, especially exact coordinates with a date/time stamp and a handy pop-up Google map, may not be the brightest move.]

Why don't you write a book?
Excellent question! Perhaps I should.

Any closing words?
iPad SchmiPad. Just had to be said. [Doesn't mean I don't still want one. Badly.]

So Where the Hell Have I Been Lately?

I am a man of many interests. I play guitar, watch lots of television, read (need to do this much more), study improv techniques to help with the stage fright and the writing (signed up for BIG's advanced course this spring), manage a fantasy sports team (baseball starts next week!), and connect with people - I've been doing that since I could walk. But writing tops them all: scripts, blogs, tweets, songs, and even technical documents and business rules at work.

I hear rumblings that blogs are passé; that they are losing steam. That's like saying newspapers are dead. Wait a minute. Delivering yesterday's news tomorrow may be outdated, but journalism and credibility are not. It's just harder to find. Delivery methods of newsprint and door-to-door delivery is nostalgic but inefficient. And anyone can write information on the internet. It's up to us to find reliable sources.

And I am not a journalist. I don't pretend to be. My blog is observational: my personal observations and opinions. However, I do actual research when dissecting a topic. And, no, not just with Wikipedia, though it is a fountain of information.

For the past few months I have not been giving my blog it's due attention. Honestly, I've been microblogging on Twitter and I can't stop. The content boundary is 140 characters: I can make someone laugh in that space. Repeatedly. Every day. It's like a sitdown comedy club with no cover charge and no audition. To be accepted as a comic and as someone funny it takes time, good judgment and patience - but it's well worth the reward.

I write jokes for free. Every single day. Some day I'll make a living at it, but I'm not concerned about cash flow on Twitter. Getting a warm reaction and retweets (appreciation shown by others through reposting your tweet) is very rewarding. And it hones my craft.

I enjoy Facebook, but there are essentially no limits to the length or variety of posts there (for me or others). I pop in to check out statuses of friends and family, drop some comments and hellos, and bolt before three days pass and I haven't showered or eaten because I can't stop the tangent/URL hopping. Luckily I don't play Farmville or Mafia Wars; otherwise I'd never see the sun again.

My blog posts are not diary entries of personal quests, rehashings of someone else's information, or mini snippets of opinion about what happened on The View yesterday - which would be: someone made me laugh; as much as I hate to admit it, I love Barbara Walters; and Elizabeth's credentials of reality show alumnus (Survivor) must remain top of mind (AKA consider the source).

On Twitter, I converse with some fabulous people. I have even made some real friends. I consider these relationships just as authentic as with classmates and coworkers. In school and at work, we share only what we want to share with our friends. Many know a little; those we trust and like know more. The same is true on the web. You learn over time who is genuine, who is casual, who is just marketing, and who you need to keep at arm's length or blocked entirely.

Those who know me personally know that I speak my mind always, giving respect where its due, and enjoy taking on Big Brother, bullies, misogynists, idiots and assholes. I don't enjoy confrontation, but I detest oppression, ignorance and what I view as wrong even more. Writing allows me to speak honestly and to be heard because I believe I have something to say. If people disagree, I welcome a dialogue. If people hate me, I welcome them to stop listening. It doesn't mean I'll stop speaking.

But I am not giving up my blog. I love to share observations that are thought out, and worth sharing, that are much longer than 140 characters. And more than anything, I love to make people laugh.

I really will try to post more. I now have a fabulous home office - my girlfriend Barb and I finally created a space we both needed and now love!

For those who just aren't into the Twitter thing, I understand. I do think there's some good content you're missing (and I don't just mean mine).

Actually, I think there's a lot of good content we're all missing. The timeline on Twitter is where you see the tweets from accounts you follow. One reality is this timeline is in constant motion. The more people you follow, the faster the information flows. I would guesstimate a large percentage of what I tweet is actually missed, unless someone consciously goes back to review past tweets. Or if they're really skilled with a third-party tool managing the information they want to see. Archiving what you write also requires some third-party intervention. Otherwise, it's lost to the ether of the twittersphere.

On Twitter, I'm GCGeek. If you haven't checked out Twitter, I encourage you to give it a try. And look me up!

And please let me know what you're thinking about this or any other post. Suggest topics you'd like covered on Do I Amuse You? And let me know who you are on Twitter.

Since I've been gone for so long, the least I can do is offer a sampling of some of my favorite tweets from the past few weeks. I hope you like them! [You'll notice a few "hashtags" - words without spaces marked with a # sign. These serve as search tags as well as subject classifiers and sometimes punchlines.]

During the various Snowmageddon/Blizzaster Events:
Even in a blizzard, saying "What happened to global warming?" is like Warren Buffett looking at his checkbook and saying "What recession?"

I'm not a journalist-until I stick a mic in my hand, point a camera at my face, and start talking about what's happening in the background.

From Valentine's Day:
Dear God. When praying for a few extra inches by Valentine's Day, perhaps I should have been more specific. @SnowMyGoodness

Tell you what: Don't expect me to find the perfect romantic gift and I won't expect you to find the right car parts. #NotAFanOfVD

IMO dating is the process of finding a partner. I don't ask my boss to interview me each year to remind her why she hired me. #NotAFanOfVD

Live during the Grammys:
I like Green Day but they remixed their old songs. And Billy Joe fixed his teeth and thanked his kids. I bet he drives a Buick too. #Grammys

Taylor's accepting a Grammy. You know Jay-Z's got his foot on Kanye's throat right now. #Grammys

Live during the Oscars:
And the award for most sanctimonious introduction and feigned humility goes to...

Wow. Seems all the big stars are sporting beards these days: Keanu, Jake, Tom. They all have facial hair, too.

Playing DJ:
Heart – City's Burning. From Private Audition. One of my favorite guitar songs to play. Ever! ♫

And Random tweets:
If you do what's right and are kind to others, it doesn't matter which God you're pleasing. At least in my book.

My spam is really stepping it up. They went from "Want to make it huge?" to "giant". Who do they think I'm dating, the fifty-foot woman?

Dear Chammps: Thanks for charging $6.09 for pint drafts of Sam Adams. Golden taps or does this pay for that stupid extra "M"?

If a tree falls in the woods on Pat Robertson, and no one's there to hear him make a sound, is it still wrong for me to smile?

[In reply to @Caissie] Al Roker: weatherman, novelist, hard-core rapper. Once he does a season of the View he can retire as the most unqualified everyman.

It's March Madness, where I just toss out state names to be part of the conversation. Freaking Kansas, you know? And Cal? Whew! #IHaveNoClue

I just paid $80 for a spare MacBook power cord. 80. Freakin. $. I wonder if Steve Jobs paid three-times-a-reasonable-MSRP for his liver?

1) When your girlfriend says "pick up a bottle of wine on your way home", you just do it. No questions asked and definitely no whining.
2) And if you're Jesse James, "Don't bang anyone on the way home." You wouldn't think you'd have to say it, but you know men.

I hate when a sweater rides and the elastic at the bottom produces a faux bump. Like that extra crotch popper fold in every pair of Levi's.

Note to self: "YTF you hatin on me?" is not an appropriate response to my performance appraisal. Even in a recession and shit.

My coffee is either too weak (used < recommended scoops) or too strong (judging by color). Until I taste, it is both: Schrödinger's Coffee

A journey of 11 steps starts with a shower. Good morning, friends.

Despite retirement my dad has been teaching for 50 years. His advice on my writing: Just keep at it & if it's meant to be it will happen.

♬ Bus stop, bus go, she stays love grows. Under my umbrella. ♬ That made it to #5 on the UK charts, and I can't write a hit song?

REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar & Night Ranger at B'more's Pier Six Pavilion Sept 4! Better find my Members Only jacket, cargo pants and hair.

Steve Wilkos looks just like Cal Ripken...without the integrity.

I'm no longer calling myself a non-practicing Catholic. You don't need practice at judgment or guilt.

Perhaps adding VP to my title will remove the invisible mute button that seems perpetually stuck when I speak to higher-ups. #CorporateLife

When you get that close to my car's ass with your little sporty self-indulgent feat of German engineering, all I can say is Dousche!

Freelancing

When I'm not blogging, I'm podcasting, freelance writing or tweeting.

I podcast for HoCoMoJo (Howard County Mobile Journalism).  Local thoughts on living in Howard County, MD.  You can check them out here if you're so inclined: Podcasts for HoCoMoJo

I freelance for Ask Matt and Tamsen. I don't have a dedicated page yet but if you search on "Morucci" you'll find a bevy. No, I don't offer dating advice - just my thoughts, usually humorous, honest and from the male perspective.

And I'm addicted to twitter. You can find me here... twitter

How much extra money do I bring in with all of these activities? None. But it's writing and I love it. And it only makes me gooder.

More to come!