First Review!

Pretty excited to see my first review!  Thank you for the kind words!

Jam Sessions is Available!

Print on Amazon: Amazon Prime Shipping
Kindle: On Kindle

PRINT ISBN: 978-1-7347874-0-5 or ask a bookstore rep to look up 

"Jam Sessions: Sometimes in Middle School, the Best You Can Do Is Survive." 

by Jerry Harwood

Have a Nook or use Apple, Bibliotheca or another reader?

Nook, Apple, and other Ebook readers. You are important too!

Stuff I love... Family, Friends, & Potatoe Soup

So this is a very short post.  But as I get my website up and running, my web designer is linking this blog to my website.  For those who know me, know this is a pretty incredible step for me!  Watch out world, I am blazing into the early 2000's technology wise!


But as I sit at home (like so many of us) I want to:


-1. Pray for those out there whose jobs put them in harms way.  This includes my own son-in-law (an EMT and National Guard) and my son (Dallas Fireman).  It includes my many friends at WRES and who work in my area in emergency services.  Thank you!

-2. Pray for those who are struggling financially.  Many of you are without paychecks and many of you with small businesses are without an income stream.  My wife and I are trying to do drive-up service to local restaurants and support our local businesses where possible.  Our heart breaks for you all.

-3. Enjoy time unplugged.  I say that as I am here on my morning break at work (teachers have lunch at 10:30 am!!).  And I should be outside obeying my own advise.  But this afternoon I will be outside.   You can keep social distance and still be outside.  It is good for the soul.

-4. And you know what else is good for the soul?  The Pioneer Woman's Potatoe Soup.  Seriously, it is one of my family's favorites.  Try it.  Yum.

The Perfect Potatoe Soup


It is divine.

As an aside... I am not a professional cook like the PW.  I cook in chaos of kids, soccer schedules, ransacked fridges with last minute ingredient swaps, and picky eaters.  I wonder if there is a market for that style of cooking?  Hmmm... I may try it?

But not now... Teachers also just get 20 minutes (I may have stretched it to 30 here at home), so back to (virtual online) work!!

Growing up without WiFi

So a little over a year ago my life was changed by Jim Kirkland.  My son and I were at ConNooga (remember when we used to go out and get together at conventions?).  I walked by a booth that had a stack of books.  My son was busy across the way talking with someone who 3D printed Star Wars guns.


The gentleman at the table, Jim Kirkland, invited me to buy the compilation of stories cited Crazy Buffet.  I did so and talked some more.  I had always considered writing.  Jim invited me to their writing group that met bi-monthly.


It says a lot about Jim that while his book, Growing up without Wifi, was on the table that day, he was more concerned about advertising the compilation than he was promoting his own work.  It says a lot about me that it was a year later to my shame that I bought his book... at the ConNooga table...


It is a great read for anyone who remembers the days before we were glued to our screens.  The short story Coffins reminds us that every generation copes with the same struggles.  Similarly,  Money from a Car Window reminds us that we all need grace and a bit of help.  And TV and Nightmares reminded me of the power of the screen.  The book has some great photos in it as well.  Well, except for the creepy bunker door that apparently is way too close to my house!!


BUY JIM'S BOOK HERE!

Grab this one and give it a read.  And if you want more after that, check out this link:



Best of the 60"s


Best of the 70's



And one that mentions tube socks!

Coronavirus and Internet Memes - Correlation or Causation?

Like so many, I have found myself in isolation.  Even as a volunteer fireman we held our last business meeting in the truck bay (a garage holding upwards of 9 fire trucks) standing six feet apart.  And our entire discussion was about PPE (personal protection equipment), how to respond in light of C-19, and whether the July 4th BBQ would be cancelled.

I intentionally get news feeds from both sides of the pond.  I read CNN and FOX as well as THE GUARDIAN.  I have friends whose political perspectives are all over the map.  And while I occasionally share my views, I don't want to just be another talking head.  Therefore, I have attempted to find a connection no one else has seen.  I'm trying to bring new understanding (and maybe a little humor... yes, this is satire) to the new American quarantine.

Kenny Rogers passed yesterday.  Not, as I understand, from C-19.  But it reminded me how much I loved the gambler.  It also reminded me of several memes I've seen.  Then my brain reminded me that  today Americans seldom write philosophical works like Freedom of the Will (Jonathan Edwards), The Rights of Man (Thomas Paine's proposal of a state funded old age pension plan), Women in Economics (Charlotte Perkins Gilman arguing women work as much as men but have been sidelined), The Should of Black Folk (W.E.B. Du Bois's work siting the idea of double consciousness and racial inequalities), or the perhaps better known Letter from Birmingham Jail (ML King Jr).

Today we see fewer large, philosophical tomes because we, as Americans have done something quite remarkable.  We knew that a picture was worth a 1000 words, so we have reduced our thinking to a few images.  And thus the meme was born.  (I won't mention it was actually born with Kilroy was here in pubs and bars decades ago.. let's not get overwhelmed with history.)

So I did what any red blooded American would do.  I googled it.  Here are the memes that pop up for the states listed below.  Each state is listed with its confirmed cases.  Let's see what this research brings.

Alaska - 14




We can see here that Alaska is (1) already isolated and practicing social distancing and (2) Has other problems to worry about, like Godzilla.

South Dakota - 14



I'm not sure the C-19 virus even wants to visit there.  Though the 3rd meme I saw suggested with a picture of Mount Rushmore that South Dakota was where presidents went to get stoned.

Wet Virginia - 12




Obviously, that cat could probably scare anything away... including C-19



And family isolation practices already in place...?  By the way... I should report, out of curiosity I also googled my own state (TN) and my previous residences (Alabama and Georgia).  Apparently, this guy has lived in multiple states and offered his adult modeling services for each.


I know what you are thinking now... Wow!  This makes total sense!  Buy Jerry, what about the states with the highest cases?  To date:

California - 1,200

 


New Jersey - 1,327





So very much to learn here.  But clearly CA and NJ have some issues to clean up.  And for CA in particular, they need a larger cat like WV has.

Well, I was once told if you point a finger, four point back at you.  That is bad math.  Actually only three point back at you.  And maybe a thumb if you have some sort of weird disjointed hand.  But anyway, here is my home state.