Thursday, May 28, 2015

Life Changes Update VI

You know, I had expected to be blogging more than I actually have been doing.  I had a big burst of energy right after the Stage 4 diagnosis came in and added several passionately written items in fairly short order.  And I have a newspaper friend out east who’ll take anything I write that makes a decent point.  As the Walter White of bloggers, I expected to be even more vocal than before.  But my energy levels have been in the toitie since the chemo began.  I find that I have about enough in store to prod my existing book projects along, with not a lot left over for bloviation here.

Not that I don’t still get worked up.  The upcoming expiration of the Taliban Five travel ban is pissing me off, and would have rated several days worth of coverage on the radio program if my cancer had allowed me to hold on to it.  It’s not news, really—which the White House was quick to point out this week.  The Obama administration (if you can use that word to describe what this regime does) said one year ago that the Taliban’s five worst terrorists would be free to move about the planet one year after we got our man back.  At least they were honest about that, although they described Bowe Berdahl at the time as someone who had served with honor, which we knew at the time was not only an artless lie but an artless g-d lie.  But at least the process did set a value on the manpower for the various sides when it comes to this sort of thing:  The best men the Taliban have to offer are worth zero point two American deserters a pop.  (Excuse me, make that accused deserters).  Imagine how they’d stack up to real American soldiers—many of whom died to put them in cages to begin with?

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Radio Spot: Miracle Gro Hair Tonic

Another one from my Take 15 days at the University of Memphis.


Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Radio Spot: Musical Treasury of the Mouth Trumpet I

Brighten your day with the fabulous Musical Treasury of the Mouth Trumpet, Collection I.  As originally heard on the Forrest Carr Show on Tucson's PowerTalk 1210 AM.


© 2015 by Forrest Carr.  All rights reserved.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Radio Spot: Hollis' Tooth World II

Are your teeth yeller?  For teeth whitenin' services on a budget, come on down to Hollis' Tooth World.  As originally heard on the Forrest Carr Show on Tucson's PowerTalk 1210 AM.


© 2015 by Forrest Carr.  All rights reserved.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Radio Play: "2001: Space Odyssey - The Alternate Ending"

In this version, Dave and Hal make up.  As originally heard on the Forrest Carr Show on Tucson's PowerTalk 1210 AM.




© 2015 by Forrest Carr.  All rights reserved.


Thursday, May 14, 2015

New Friends, New Experiences (Life Update V)

Wednesday is hospital/clinic day for me.  I spent much of the day yesterday either undergoing treatments of various kinds, or waiting to do so.  First stop is radiation therapy, which doesn’t last long.  And then the entire afternoon is devoted to infusion therapy.

I have to say that despite my initial negative reaction to the cancer institute’s check-in desk, and my snide comments about the plaques its lovely memorial garden, the University of Arizona Cancer Center is treating me very well.  My scheduled appointments are back to back on different campuses and I have to drive to get from one to another, but there is a nice little lunch room in the North Campus called the “Healing Garden Cafe”  where I can grab a quick lunch.  I can’t attest to the restorative aspects of the garden, but I did make a new friend there yesterday. 

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Attack of the Cybercats VI



More evidence of Cybercat infiltration and domination

The latest photos from my archive, processed to bring out details not visible to the human eye, add to the body of knowledge I’ve published so far.  Taken together, the photos show that the Cybercats—part feline, part machine—assimilated my spouse long ago and have had her under mind control for at least three decades.  Below is the latest round of pictures.  In this batch, I document Cybercat knowledge being passed down to yet another generation.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Radio Spot: "The Pool that Really Sucked"

Grabb, Cash and Bolt present: "Sue the Bastards." In this episode, the true story of a swimming pool that really did suck.  As originally heard on the Forrest Carr Show on Tucson's PowerTalk 1210 AM.


© 2015 by Forrest Carr.  All rights reserved.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Radio Spot: The Acme Car Alarm

Guaranteed to send burglars, or anyone else, screaming into the night.  As originally heard on the Forrest Carr Show on Tucson's PowerTalk 1210.



© 2015 by Forrest Carr.  All rights reserved.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

The Care and Feeding of Sagging Spirits

Blessings can come in unexpected forms.

Now that the word is out that I’m fighting cancer, little gifts have begun to show up on the Carr doorstep. 

Actually, some are not so little.  Case in point:  the two-foot tall Lava Lamp that arrived today from my sister Amy in California.  Did I mention that it is two feet tall?

I don’t know if she realizes it, but I have a mystical connection to the Lava Lamp.  When I was in management at WFLA-TV in Tampa, I worked closely with the Target 8 investigative unit.  The office (known colloquially at the time as “The Swamp”)  had a classic red Lava Lamp, complete with antique brass fittings.  This light became the unifying symbol for the unit, signifying our efforts to advance Truth, Justice, the American Way, and all that stuff.  

Friday, May 8, 2015

Radio Spot: Repressive Auto Insurance

Forget those other auto insurance companies, the ones with the cute but expensive commercials. This is the one that will save you big bucks. As originally heard on the Forrest Carr Show on Tucson's PowerTalk 1210.


© 2015 by Forrest Carr.  All rights reserved.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

T.S. Elliot Can Shove It

There are some things regarding medical issues that probably should not be written about—not because they’re serious, but only because they’re embarrassing.  Still, I have promised to keep everyone updated on what I’m going through, and have vowed to do so with a sense of humor.  Plus, at this stage of my life I’m past the point where I have to worry about having to attract, or at least not repulse, chicks.  I’ve been happily married for a long time, and situations like this are specifically contemplated in the marriage vows.  (Honey, this would be the “for worse” part.)

So, here goes. 

Star Trek: The Rigelian Flatulence Plague

Warning:  this radio skit is rude, crude, lewd, socially unacceptable, and devoid of any redeeming societal merit whatsoever.  We ain't kiddin', now.  As originally heard on the Forrest Carr Show on Tucson's PowerTalk 1210 (somehow, we got away with it).



© 2015 by Forrest Carr.  All rights reserved.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Radio Spot: Try New Herky Jerky

It's tasty and has other uses, too.  


© 2015 by Forrest Carr.  All rights reserved.


Tuesday, May 5, 2015

More Milestones (Update V)

Some quick updates—

—My blog, The Bashful Bloviator, just logged page view #25,000—not bad for a little independent author’s blog.  The blog was one year old as of last month.  Catch it here—and remember, there is a sign-up option on the lower right side of the page to subscribe via email.

—I just received my one thousandth follower on Twitter.  Again, not bad for a guy who didn’t even have a Twitter account until about a year and a half ago, when I started tweeting about my writing and other items.  Follow me here if you haven’t already.

— “Likes” to my author page are within three clicks of hitting 1,050—anything above 500 is considered pretty decent for a new indie author.  If you haven’t liked my page, I invite you to do so here.

Radio Spot: The Musical Treasury of Whistling I

Title tells all.  This is from my favorite series of spots.


© 2015 by Forrest Carr.  All rights reserved.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Announcing: The Dark. Pre-order now!

“We all have our demons.”

At last, it’s here!

Well, almost.  The print and electronic editions of my new novel, The Dark, will be published on June 1, 2015.  The Kindle version is now available for pre-order.   Meanwhile, you can enter the Goodreads giveaway now for a chance to win one of 10 print copies that I’ll be giving away (it's free and there is no obligation of any kind).

I’m very excited about this one.  It contains some hard and meticulously researched science related to the origin of the universe; I actually was able to enlist the help of a NASA scientist to help make sure I got my facts relatively straight.  It also contains some good old fashioned sci-fi action and horror (yes, there will be zombies).  And, like my last sci-fi novel, A Journal of the Crazy Year, it contains some very spiritual themes.

Book Description
It’s said that God is infinite, and everywhere. But what if He isn’t?  What if it were possible to fly so far out into space that you arrive at a place where God does not exist?  How would you know it?  What would happen?  How would people behave?  Would they change?

Friday, May 1, 2015

Life Changes Update IV

In no particular order, here’s an update on what’s going on with me.

I will be announcing the publication of my next novel tomorrow.  It’ll begin with a one-month Goodreads giveaway, followed by the actual publication.  Watch this space!  I am very excited about this.

I penned some thoughts on what is going on with policing, and all that implies, in our country.  A long-time colleague of mine who now lives in Maryland has taken a shine to my writing and has asked to get the first look at my blog entries.  He published this one on Mocovox.com, a website associated with the Montgomery County Sentinel, and says he’ll print it in the paper, too.  There’s no benefit in  being the Walter White of bloggers if I can’t say what I really think, and I did.  Let’s see what kind of trouble it gets me into.  See the full post here.

A couple of months back I witnessed some very unusual equine behavior on the horse farm behind my subdivision.  I wrote about it at the time.  A well known website dedicated to all things horse related has asked to reprint it, and I said “yes” (hey, when you’re an author, any exposure helps).   Find that posting here.

Suspects Die, Cities Burn: What's Really Failing Us Here

Another suspect dies.  Parts of another city burn.  And our elected officials, community leaders, and the media want us to think about what?