Sooner or later, we do actually get well …

Well, I had a lovely time at Mid-South Con back in March. Sadly, I was already a bit beat down before attending. I even went home at a decent hour and actually got plenty of sleep. Alas, this was to no avail. The coughing wheezing mess commonly known as Con-Crud set in. Then, just to add insult to injury, the pollen assault began. It has only been in the last few days that I have been able to do anything other barely survive the day and crawl into bed early. This gets you way behind, but there is very little you can do about it.

Welp, time to dust off, get up, and get back to it. Yes, there is an elephant on the poor Desk Of Endless Tasks, however, I have lots of A1 and a willingness to tackle all this one bite at a time.

Geek Tank Radio (www.geektankradio.com) continues to amaze throngs of fans around the world. We continue to do what we do best, banter back and forth about whatever geeky topic attracts our attention. Listen in either on the website or look us up on the IHeartMedia app.

The Fix-It Up Show (podcast: The Fix-It Up Show) is broadcast live at 8:00 AM on WREC 600 AM and 92.1 FM in Memphis, TN. To all you crazy do-it-yourself types up that early in the morning, keep calling in with your questions. I have had a blessed run on the show and no one has stumped me yet but I am sure it is coming. We may have some cool new videos coming up under the name Tool Junkies! I will keep you posted.

My Mid-South Pyrate Blades are doing great. The training continues and everyone is really starting to get comfortable with those swords. As a matter-of-fact, the Pyrate Blades will be featured guests at TupeloCon this weekend in Tupelo, MS. If you are in the area, come on by and hang out with pyrates.

Later Y’all.

https://www.darkoakpress.com/allanstory.html
https://www.darkoakpress.com

http://www.geektankradio.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZeqwiRmndPqhU_ifBYuvfg

Survived Coldmagedeon …

Well, January has been quite the month.  There will be a lot of changes this year.  So much to look forward to achieving.  Happily, this year is starting off a bit less dramatically than last year.  A few minor goals have been reached with many more coming into reach.  Thus, I am looking forward to seeing what unfolds this year.

Geek Tank Radio (www.geektankradio.com) continues to amaze me with the growth of the number of fans around the world.  Talk about blessed, we get to sit around a studio at Kiss 101.9 and act like we normally do and talk about the stuff we normally carry on about.  We just so happen to have the mics on and y’all enjoy listen to our madness.  Thanks for all the support and we have a lot more coming this year.

The Fix-It Up Show (podcast: The Fix-It Up Show) is another growing show now getting fans from all over.  We broadcast live at 8:00 AM on WREC 600 AM and 92.1 FM in Memphis, TN but we are catching on all over the place thanks to the IHeartMedia podcast app.  It is fabulous to hear from people from around the globe that enjoy listening to our silliness and dubious advise.

For everyone caught in the bitter cold a few days ago, thank goodness it is just about over.  We got massively lucky in Memphis and did not get pounded unlike last year when we got slammed by lots of ice and cold.  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am ready for some warm temps.

On the book front, if you have not read anything by me yet, I am going to pitch you my Short Story Collection.  It has a little bit of this and that.  I am sure I have a story or two you will enjoy.

Later Y’all.

https://www.darkoakpress.com/allanstory.html
https://www.darkoakpress.com
https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-fix-it-up-show
http://www.geektankradio.com 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZeqwiRmndPqhU_ifBYuvfg

Time Is Fleeting

The year is wrapping up.  The temps have dropped and not returning to balmy for a while.  Holiday shopping is full swing.  Hopefully, I will be done with mine this week.

The legs and feet are feeling much better after 4 weeks of being off of them.  I will have to get serious about a diet after all this.  I am just happy to stand without stabbing pain 🙂

Wow, I have cleared out a ton of old work off The Desk Of Endless Tasks.  Now, I can get the fun stuff done.  The amount of housekeeping drudgery that can accumulate is just plain shocking.

Geek Tank Radio has been fascinating over the past few days.  I got to see the preview to Marvel Entertainment Live.  The costumes are amazing and the stunts are thrilling.  Takes the kids and enjoy a well done arena stunt show.  I also got to sneak a peek at the new animated movie Spider-man: Into The Spider-Verse.  This is a plain and simple entertaining movie.  The sense of humor is respectful of the genre and age appropriate. Load up the kids and Spidey fans, get lots of popcorn, sit back, and enjoy.

The Fix-It Up show continues down the path of humorous advice while getting upstaged by our callers.  Happily, the squirrel still visits and we are having a good time.

I need to get back to writing my own material, but right now, I am about as creative as cabbage.  So we shall see what gets the keyboard flowing.

https://www.darkoakpress.com/allanstory.html
https://www.darkoakpress.com
https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-fix-it-up-show
http://www.geektankradio.com 
http://www.cafepress.com/gtrmerchandise

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZeqwiRmndPqhU_ifBYuvfg

Hello December

Well, this year is sliding into the final curtain call.  Over all, I don’t really know what to think of 2018.  On one hand, I managed to get a lot of bills paid and a lot of mundane stuff done.  Both radio shows have been a lot of fun to do and seem to be growing every week.  Who knows, with the new attention at IHeartMedia to podcasts, we might even get nominated for some king of award or another.

2018 also had its share of delays and pain.  I finally managed to get my big job projects wrapped up to a point I could take some time and get my poor feet and legs treated for plantar fasciitis.  My word to the wise is take care of your feet.  Pain is not normal so get it checked sooner not later.

At the convention this past weekend, I got to meet, interview, and ultimately drive David Dastmalchian to the airport.  This is an actor to watch for bigger and better things.  Best known as Murdock on the new MacGyver series, he was simply amazing.  I have been blessed in my career as a minor convention/radio personality to work with great people.  David should be on the verge of a major role breakthrough.  It was a pleasure to work with him.  You can check out the interview here:
https://1019kissfm.iheart.com/content/2018-11-19-gtr-beyond-the-tank-with-david-dastmalchian/?fbclid=IwAR3eEkYgmAQ0xg_0J8d1cESkwwpM9yRNn_jYZPFRQIiADzNr-b4TuU9WjkM

A quick word about the Fix-It Up show.  If you have not heard it yet, click over and listen to episode or two.  The show has come a long way in a short period of time and just keeps growing.  Joe and I are having a great time doing the show in spite of the fact that we have to get up at dark:30 to get to the studio in time.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/960-the-fixitup-show-29246444/?cmp=android_share&fbclid=IwAR0MlYKHsju-2Ffe-Lkeivq1QWSMGOPkVCX5_N4eJ6ha0kFurE3VKVsre7I

https://www.darkoakpress.com/allanstory.html
https://www.darkoakpress.com
https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-fix-it-up-show
http://www.geektankradio.com 
http://www.cafepress.com/gtrmerchandise

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZeqwiRmndPqhU_ifBYuvfg

Talk about time…..

I know I was told repeatedly as a young man that time sped up as you got older, I never argued that point, but, I had no idea time had an overdrive.  This year has both gone way too slow on a couple of points and managed to completely fly by on all the rest of the adventures that are my daily life.

The Desk Of Endless Tasks and I are getting back on speaking terms.  Hopefully, I will get back to being a full member of The Amazing Society of Done.  I have a lot of projects that just need to have the “Done” stamped on them.

Artemian Update: My tank of desktop minions are doing swimmingly.  We are now a couple of generations down the road and going strong.  Yes, they are relaxing to watch.

Geek Tank Radio:  The fan count keeps going up.  Apparently, we are growing in popularity around the world.  I have to tell you that is very cool to think about.  I hope our madness is bring a bit of geeky joy to the world.  To listen just look up Geek Tank Radio on the I Heart Media App.

The Fix-It Up Show:  The callers really make the show.  So far, no one has been able to stump us but I am sure someone will :-).  Right now the funniest part of the show is what the audience doesn’t see or hear and that is the squirrel invasion going on outside out studio window four stories up.  Every so often, we get treated to a bird vs squirrel throw down outside our window.  It makes staying focused very difficult and we have enough trouble with that as it is.

https://www.darkoakpress.com/allanstory.html
https://www.darkoakpress.com
https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-fix-it-up-show
http://www.geektankradio.com 
http://www.cafepress.com/gtrmerchandise

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZeqwiRmndPqhU_ifBYuvfg

To The Stars And Beyond

I would like to thank the Memphis Astronomical Society and for an amazing evening on Saturday of dark sky viewing at Village Creek State Park. The night was clear and the telescopes truly delivered incredible images of everything from Saturn to globular clusters.  Basically, dark sky viewing works like this.  You have to get away from city lights.  You may not realize how much of the sky is being drowned out by the ambient light shining up from the ground in any city.  Happily, we have a state park about 50 miles from Memphis that is just dark enough to see the Milky Way.  The Astro members with the better telescopes set them up on various targets and you get to to wander from station to station looking at the amazing objects in space.  It is a great way to spend an evening. If you have never done this before, you are missing out.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/memphisastro/
http://www.memphisastro.org/

Its All About Writing – Thursday  OCT 18 at 7 pm, Robert Krog and I will be presenting Make It Spooky at the Germantown Community Library located at:
1925 Exeter Rd, Germantown, Tennessee 38138
Reserve a spot early and come out and have a little creepy fun with us.

Geektankradio.com – I finally got to do the story on the follow up to the Cassini Mission to Saturn.  We have been waiting on the results of the data gathered as the ship ended the overall mission by crashing into the planet.  The initial data on the inner most ring was fascinating.  Then I got to go see the planet on Saturday night.  I know, a space geek weekend.  Reminder the show is now searchable on the I Heart Radio/Media’s app.

The Fix It Up Show is still too much fun.  This week, Joe and I began our month long routine of DIY “horror” stories.  Stephanie with Serenity Carpets joined us this week and plenty of stories of her own.  Listen to the show, come up with a question or two for me and call into the show and be live on the air with me Saturday mornings from 8 to 9 in the morning 600 WREC AM and 92.1 FM.

The Mid-South Pyrate Blades are booked for lots of upcoming events.  It looks like a good time to be a fighting pirate.  We will even be setting a http://www.pyrateblades.com website in the next few weeks.  A big shout out to the Pyrate Blades captain, Ms. Ruby Storm also just did her first big stage show as a belly dancer and totally nailed it.

https://www.darkoakpress.com/allanstory.html
https://www.darkoakpress.com
https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-fix-it-up-show
http://www.geektankradio.com 
http://www.cafepress.com/gtrmerchandise

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZeqwiRmndPqhU_ifBYuvfg

Time is fleeting ….

Time is not just flying by right now.  It is leaping forward in huge gaps.  I can not believe it is October already.  Well, at least the heat is breaking and we can get down to some reasonable temperatures.

Geektankradio.com has been going just fine.  The show continues to grow and spread across the globe.  Seriously, the show is now searchable on the I Heart Radio/Media’s app.  That is allowing the world to discover the madness that is the Geek Patrol.  If you haven’t heard the show, click over and check it out.  It has lots of geeky news and pop culture.

The Fix It Up Show is just too much fun.  Joe and I keep discussing the foibles of do-it-yourself and other topics of home care.  The callers are great and we literally have months of material and stories to try to cover.  Joe now thinks he can stump me one of these days.  So far, I get him every time.  Listen to the show, come up with a question or two for me and call into the show and be live on the air with me Saturday mornings from 8 to 9 in the morning 600 WREC AM and 92.1 FM.

The Mid-South Pyrate Blades were featured by the Hooks Central Public Library and The Friends of the Library last Sunday for their Talk Like A Pirate show.  We had literally hundreds of guests come through the library.  Not only were we fighting this year, we also get a pirate games are with booths for the very popular games, Ring the Hooks ( get your ring on the suspended hand replacement hooks), Ring Around the Rat ( through a ringer around the standing rat mounted on a basket), Rat in a Basket (toss three rats into a swinging basket), and The Memory Game (match the pirate symbols etched on the bottom of cute little skulls).  Yeah, it was a great day.

I have a new story published in the “End of the World Potluck” edited by Robert J. Krog.  I enjoyed writing this one.  I love dark characters.

Here’s a snippet from my, “A Choice Made”.

“I’m here, just like you asked.” Thor Everdall stood at least 30 feet away and leaned backwards against a tombstone. The two men stood still as they sized each other up. Thor had gained some weight and had a different hair style, but, fundamentally, had not changed much. John, by contrast, had the hard look of man locked away for 15 years. His face wore too much stress and pain for his age.

“I didn’t think you would actually show up.” John had pictured the moment for all his jail time. Now, with a glowing sky and the world ending, it jumped from a dark dream to a hallucinatory reality.

“We don’t need to do this. You’re out. You could try to enjoy what little life we have left.” Thor remained relaxed in spite of the topic.

“Enjoy. Enjoy life. My life ended that night. The night you ruined everything in my life.”
“Really? The night I ruined your life? You mean the night you got so drunk that playing Russian roulette seemed like a good idea. The night you and Sarah got so drunk that pointing a gun at each other in bed was a good idea. That night? Is that the night you’re talking about?” Thor kept his voice level and his gestures to a minimum. He didn’t want to completely set off John just yet. However, he knew they were going to have to hash it out for a while.

John didn’t show any signs of anger, just intensity. “Yeah, the night you left bullets in my Colt 45 revolver. The night Sarah took one of those bullets to the chest.”

https://www.darkoakpress.com/allanstory.html
https://www.darkoakpress.com
https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-fix-it-up-show
http://www.geektankradio.com 
http://www.cafepress.com/gtrmerchandise

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZeqwiRmndPqhU_ifBYuvfg