A Disappointed Former Baseball Writer's Last Shout

How can I get mad at Major League Baseball?

It’s like a friend or a lover that decided to gossip about you en route to stabbing you in the back. While you tell said person to cease and desist, they continue doing it. Somehow it got back to you that the behavior has not stopped. In the end, there was no choice but to end the relationship.

The only difference with my relationship with Major League Baseball was that the [insert word here] was out in the open. Everyone knew what the Commissioner’s Office, the ball clubs, several managers and a good number of the players were doing. You followed their Tweets, blogs, Facebook updates and their coverage in the media. 

The Ever-Growing Vortex of Social Media

Social media is on a growth spurt these days.

Anyone who is involved in social media for any reason is aware of the power that it has above everyone. Without social media, I would have not have used the practical application of marketing, connect with people in and around the automotive industry, increased people’s awareness of my writing, reconnect with friends from the past and family and establish new relationships with new folks – colleagues included.

This week gave me an insight on how much more there is to learn on the social media front. There are many spaces to put one’s self into for various reasons. It is a matter of exploring the possibilities of the newer tools to use for professional and personal purposes.

An inventory is needed here. A look at what I use – and how. What are my impressions of each one? What kind of future us there for utilizing them? Ehem…

The Dramatic Consequences of Personal Blogging

Originally Posted on September 26, 2006

For the past few years, it seems that everyone in the world publishes a blog somewhere. A blog is an online journal, whether it is one provided by Live Journal, one embedded onto a MySpace site or something similar to what you’re reading now. Journaling is nothing new, but the proliferation of online journals is just another extension of the Internet as we know it.

The advantage of blogging is that you can put your thoughts online either for your own personal outlet or to share with others. A blog is sometimes used as a way to keep in touch with friends from afar. You know what is going on with them though you have not seen this person is months, perhaps years. Sharing stories and emotions also makes the heart fonder.

The rule of thumb for sharing blogs is usually with friends you can confide with your innermost secrets and emotions. It is also implied that blogs are supposed to be confidential information where trust is of the utmost of your friends.

Regarding Language Usage In Writing

Originally Posted on September 24, 2006


Every month, I attend the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Writer’s Group here in Minneapolis. As a part of this group, we get a chance to listen to other writers as they share out their craft with other fellow writers. It is also a place where I can try out new things and hear feedback on whether I am on the right track or not.

This past meeting was amazing. I read three new pieces for the first time and received what I consider to be a common feedback for my work. Compared to most poetry, I do not use flowery or oblique language. This is often the reason why many people why away from poetry at first. People who have either read my work or listened to it often come away with a complete comprehension of the poem and can relate in direct language and normal terms what the poem is all about.

I am encouraged by this and often wondered whether this is a unique situation or perhaps I am going about this the wrong way. It’s not about being talented, but perhaps finding a voice to an idea, an observation or an emotion that needs to be expressed and conveyed to an audience.

Honoring an Influence: Richard Pryor 1940-2005

Originally Posted on December 11, 2005

On Saturday, December 10, 2005, the world lost a great voice and influence in comedy. He certainly influenced me in a lot of ways. Before we get into the reasons why Richard Pryor influenced me as a younger writer, let me have you peek into his world a bit. This happens to be one of my favorite routines of his.

"You ever heard?  The (bleep) had the biggest dicks in the world and they were trying to find a place where they could have their contest, see.  And they wasn't no freaks; they didn't want everybody looking.  So they were walking around, looking for a secret place.  So they were walking across the Golden Gate Bridge and the (bleep) sees that water and it makes him want to piss, see.  One said, 'Man, I got to take a leak.'  He pulled his thing out and was pissing.  Other (bleep) pulled his out and took a piss.  And one (bleep) says, 'Goddamn, this water cold.'  Other (bleep) says, 'Yeah, and it's deep, too.'"

The Influence of Hip-Hop Upon My Writing

Originally Posted in June, 2005

Before we begin, let me explain something to my GLBT friends. Please understand where I came from and the influences that since shaped my world.