Author: admin

It’s always been one of those over-imagined, stand-out moments in one’s life when you storm into your boss’s office and throw your resignation letter at him/her, then storm back out, collect your desk knick-knacks in a box, and leave the office building in a blazing, fiery trail with your boss chasing you down begging you to say. Then, later that afternoon at happy hour, you tell your friends and ex-coworkers the ‘I showed my boss whose boss’ story as you sink into your third whiskey and coke. Well, that’s how it’s done in Hollywood movies and TV shows, right?

Unfortunately, this would be the direst, disrespectful, and possibly career-ending way of handling it. Anyway, you’re better than that, right?

Why is a resignation letter so important?

There’s a certain amount of office decorum involved, and just like any important job interview where you prepare for the meeting; dress to impress; learn all about the company and the meaning behind their mission statement, you should take handing in your resignation letter with the same respectful weight. It’s an important decision you’ve come to – One that’s probably kept you up at night, where you made a pros and cons list, and you’ve discussed in great depth with your significant other, so it’s important to keep professionalism until the very end/last day. A resignation letter will officially tell your boss/company that you no longer wish to be employed by them (within a given date, that is). It doesn’t have to be a long-winded four-page essay of why and how, and it certainly isn’t the place to vent one’s frustrations or point fingers at fellow co-workers and peers you may have carried. No – We’re going to make sure your resignation letter sends you off on a respectfully high-note with kindness and gratitude.

What to include in your resignation letter.

Your resignation letter should either be neatly handwritten or typed. If handwritten, make a photocopy for your records. If typed, save it as a word document (on your home PC). It’s a tad tacky if you type your resignation letter at work, be it during work hours or on your lunch break, just don’t do it. Take all the time you need to write/type it up on an A4 peacefully in the comfort of your own home. The resignation letter should start with the date you intend to hand the letter in to your boss (example: September 17^th 2021, not 17/09/21), then follow a few lines down with the company name and address. Address your resignation letter with your boss’s name (Dear Ms.Jones, or Dear Mr.Tucker, or Dear Andrea Jones, or Dear Bryan Tucker).

The next section will be the meat and potatoes of the resignation letter.     

Giving the standard two weeks’ notice is crucial, so be sure you have the dates correct on your resignation letter. Example: My last day will be October 1^st 2021. It’s customary, but not compulsory, to hand in your resignation letter either on a Friday or a Monday, as when your two weeks is up your last day is usually a Friday. Giving two weeks’ notice also allows your boss/company the time to start looking for your replacement as well as giving you time to clean up your desk files, workload, calls, emails, and any straggling bits & bobs. 

Give thanks and appreciation for the skills and experiences you’ve picked up along the way while working at the company. It’s important you feel really good about yourself and hold your head high as you step into other opportunities. Don’t make yourself out to be a victim or a martyr. If you have had an unpleasant experience of working for such a company, do everything in your power to keep your resignation letter peaceful and respectful. You never want to tarnish your name or reputation to any company, especially one you are leaving.  

Below are two kinds of resignation letters. One positive, and the other neutral.  

Example of a positive resignation letter:

September 17^th 2021

XYZ Solid Solutions

1044 Parkside Avenue

Rockford IL 61301

Dear Mr. Pritchard,

Please accept this letter as notice that I will be resigning from my position here at XYZ Solid Solutions two weeks from today’s date (October 1^st 2021).

Thank you for the support and the opportunities you have provided me over the course of the last four years. It’s been a great pleasure to work for such a prestigious company and will miss my coworkers and the memories we have created together in building a fantastic team that continues to achieve and exceed our department goals. 

If I can do anything to help with the transition in finding and training my replacement, please do not hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,

Joe Johnson

Example of a neutral resignation letter:

September 17^th 2021

XYZ Solid Solutions

1044 Parkside Avenue

Rockford IL 61301

Dear Mr. Pritchard,

Please accept this letter as notice that I will be resigning from my position here at XYZ Solid Solutions two weeks from today’s date (October 1^st 2021).

I will make every effort to leave on the best of terms by completing my assignments and making a smooth transition for those who will be taking over my responsibilities.

Sincerely,

Joe Johnson

A significant difference between the two resignation letters. You may have felt bullied, let down, mocked, not given the promotion or the pay raise you wanted, but still, it’s best you leave the company on a somewhat positive note with a respectful resignation letter.

I wish you well in your future career opportunities.

I wore my first splash of cologne when I was 15 years old, and I thought I was the bees-knees. I was going to an after-school event and I wanted to impress the girls. Besides being skinny, spotty, and wearing braces on my teeth, it seemed cologne was my only weapon of possibly flirting with the opposite sex. I asked my sister’s boyfriend if I could use what he had as he always smelt so ‘masculine’. He gave me a few squirts of ‘Aramis’, and I was instantly transformed into a Greek alpha male god that could woo the stars from the night sky and procreate at the drop of a hat (in my adolescent mind anyway). Well, the night came and went, and I ended up coming home with no telephone numbers and no stories of love conquest…but I smelled great!

As a grown man today, I have gone through several colognes that I’ve either kept or tossed, so here are the ones I’ve dwindled down over the years to my top six favorites: 

I know, I know, Polo (classic) is very old school, but hear me out. Polo has become the ‘old man’s smell’ for the generation, but you have to admit, it smells fucking amazing and wonderful, and as much as I want to dispel the myth it’s an ‘old mans’ cologne, I can’t – It’s notorious for it. Polo = old men on golf carts and shitting themselves in nursing homes, but I love it, and wear it every Friday to enjoy its woodsy aroma of burning pinewood, tobacco, and fern – Absolutely wonderful. And the legend is true – It really does smell different for each individual who wears it while still keeping its bad-self ‘old man smell’ intact.

I was out at a sports bar many many years ago and this guy walked by me to get to the bar. I turned to my friend, Sara, and said: “Did you smell that?”.

Sara: “Did you drop ass again?”.

Me: “No. NO! That guy who just passed us – Go and ask him what cologne he’s wearing”.

Sara: “You ask him”.

Me: “That would be…creepy”.

Sara: “So you want me to be the creeper?”.

Me: “Yes, it’s what you were meant to do. I’ll buy you a shot if you ask him”.

Sara: “Deal”.

That’s how Hugo Boss and I became good friends (after paying for a shot of Jack Daniels), and my go-to fragrance to splash on at work.

There’s something about Commando cologne I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s right there on the borderline of Axe body spray (yikes!) and ‘Eternity’ (for men) by Paco Roban. It has this Jekyll & Hyde vibe of being very sophisticated, but you could also smell it on some red neck at a pig wrestling tournament. Yes, it’s that kind of cologne: The dirty bastard/wayward son/black sheep, dare I say, ‘Upscale trailer trash’? Why yes – Yes I can, as it has this wonderful freshness of citrus and musky evening sandalwood that combine to make this the cologne very intriguing that I splash on when running errands to Target, Kohls, or grocery shopping. Definitely one to wear during the day.

Every time I wear Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce, everyone comments on how good I smell. Every. Single. Time. This is the cologne I wear at weddings, date nights, and special functions (bring on the beer pong!). You literally need just one small squirt of it and you’re set for the whole night. It’s incredibly seductive, mesmerizing, and mysterious with its warm, musky, and tantalizing scent of dark blood, background jazz, and titanium that oozes sophistication, cosmopolitan cocktails, and million-dollar deals. The only drawback is if you put two squirts on instead of one, its power is ruined and everyone is going to gag when you walk into a room – It’s that powerful. Serious warning: It’s incredibly seductive – No word of a lie. One squirt is all you need.

Talk about being pleasantly smacked upside the head with this wonderful aqua-esque, fresh cologne. I received a sample bottle of Kenneth Cole Blue last year and instantly fell in love with it. Looking for adventure? Then this is the cologne to wear when deep-sea fishing, hiking, skiing, sail boating, and outdoor wine tasting – A wonderful, exciting, and adventurous scent of watermelon/apple, amber, cedar, and fresh sea air. Highly recommended for summer days.

Another classic and sophisticated scent – Love Polo Black. It has the DNA of classic Polo, but adds this underlying earthy-spice of patchouli, sage, and ever so slightly, a smidge of tangerine. Like A&F Fierce, I wear this for special occasions and dusky evenings at the jazz club.

Hello Folks!!

It’s been quite awhile since my last post, and let’s be honest, it wasn’t anything dramatically life-changing, was it? The post wasn’t commented on, or shared, or liked, or anything – It was just ‘there’. I’ve been muddling around these past several months in this sea of figuring shit out – Personally, professionally, and spiritually, and I have to tell you (something that you don’t know already), that life is really really strange, challenging, and complex. Even the highs are these bizarre balls of energy zipping around that by the time you get to enjoy them the lows have already snuck their way in to your life, and you have to endure them until those highs reappear. Rain. Shine. Swings. Roundabouts. Up. Down Strange, I tell ya! But, its all part of life’s arsenal that deliver learning curves in the form of crushing blows or angelic highs, with mediocre days thrown in for good measure. There’s factual black, white, and a million and one shades of grey called daily life in-between. As a friend once told me: “It is what it is”.

So, what have I been up to lately? Well, I wrote another book that I published through Amazon’s KDP engine. A simple and entertaining trivia book (pic and link to purchase below) that I did for fun, but nonetheless, a book that I’m proud of. Just to get the month of September in full swing (with my personal commitment to get this web page up and running while promoting engaging content and debatable banter on a regular basis), I’ll give a good mix of trivia questions contained in my book to relieve boredom and give a few minutes of light-hearted entertainment (answers at the bottom).

Question 1: A 40^th wedding anniversary is celebrated with what kind of gemstone?

a. Sapphire

b. Ruby

c. Emerald

d. Garnet

Question 2: Which US state has the motto: “Live free or die” on their vehicle license plates?

a. New Jersey

b. New Mexico

c. New York

d. New Hampshire

Question 3: “Call me Ishmael” is the first line from which classic novel?

a. ‘Moby Dick’

b. ‘Great Expectations’

c. ‘The Once and Future King’

d. ‘Of Mice and Men’

Question 4: What would be the 10^th letter of the alphabet if you went from Z to A?

Question 5: The Caesar salad originated from which country?

a. Mexico

b. Romania

c. Tunisia

d. Italy

Question 6: On the Las Vegas strip, what hotel is between New York New York and Luxor?

a. Mandalay Bay

b. Tropicana

c. Excalibur

d. Treasure Island

Question 7: What kind of alcohol is used to make a Bloody Mary cocktail?

a. Tequila

b. Gin

c. Vodka

d. Rum

Question 8: ‘Somnambulism’ is the technical term for what?

a. Having imaginary friends

b. Sleepwalking

c. Unable to see the color yellow

d. Counting numbers on your fingers

Question 9: Name the five US states that border The Gulf of Mexico.

Question 10: The word ‘Artic’ comes from Greece and means what?

a. Snow

b. North

c. Cold

d. Bear

Question 11: In the ‘Star Wars’ universe, what is the name of the frozen planet featured in the 1980 movie ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ that hosted the Rebel Alliance?

a. Endor

b. Jakku

c. Hoth

d. Bespin

Question 12: Who was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

a. Tina Turner

b. Diana Ross

c. Etta James

d. Aretha Franklin

Question 13: Which one of the following fruits does not have a stone/pit at its center?

a. Apricot

b. Cherry

c. Peach

d. Pomegranate

Question 14: If a rolled dice landed showing a five, what number would be on the opposite/underside?

The Fantastic Little Book of Amazing Trivia: Wales, Johnny: 9798536390030: Amazon.com: Books

Answers:

1. b – Ruby
2. d – New Hampshire
3. a – Moby Dick
4. Q
5. a – Mexico
6. c – Excalibur
7. c – Vodka
8. b – Sleepwalking
9. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida
10. d – Bear
11. c – Hoth
12. d – Aretha Franklin
13. d – Pomegranate
14. 2

Yeap, I caught it. Right through the Christmas holiday, New Year’s, and all the way up to my birthday, and I can honestly say, I’ve never felt so sick in my entire life. I’m a very healthy male who may catch a cold once every ten years. I had chickenpox as a kid. Never had the flu. I did pass a kidney stone once about four years ago (it wasn’t that bad, if I’m being completely honest – although I did go to the outpatients as I didn’t know why my pee was tinged with blood accompanied by an ache in my side. The MRI showed the kidney stone making its way down). But getting Covid-19? Man, that knocked me sideways, backward, forward, and upside down.

I started having symptoms on December 22nd with a headache and feeling run down. I checked my temperature daily which hovered around the 98.6 mark (normal and nothing to worry about at the time). At this stage, things weren’t too bad but could feel I may have caught a cold or chill. By December 25th Covid-19 hit me like a truck. My temperature shot up to its highest as 102.6 (and the weird thing was not once did I break a sweat during my high temp). I checked my blood pressure and it was 180 over 101 (now that scared the crap out of me!). Constant headaches, body aches, and chills devoured me whole. But the thing that knocked me down hard was being completely wiped out and feeling so physically weak. Just taking a shower and I was reduced to gasping for air and having to rest for twenty minutes before I could do anything else. I didn’t have any cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath (only when I did anything ‘strenuous’ like taking a shower or washing dishes, would I be winded and totally wiped out). I was so defeated. I got tested on December 28th and it came back as Covid-19 positive. I lost my appetite, and even when I could snack on things, I really couldn’t taste or smell them. Both senses were there, but very much diluted. I was bedridden for five days. I had weird dreams. The aches and chills kept me up to the wee hours. I just wanted to sleep and have all this sickness go away. I prayed to get better.

It was around January 6th that I started to feel better. My temperature returned to normal, the headaches, aches, and chills had eased, and my appetite was coming back. But then a weird side effect of Covid-19 happened. I woke up on January 7th at 3 am completely drenched in sweat (as noted earlier when I had my fever/temperature of 102.6, not once did I break a sweat). Now my t-shirt, pillows, and sheets were soaked, and this nasty smell suddenly presented itself. The best way to describe it is a mix of rotting fish guts and artificial sweeteners. It was absolutely disgusting. Every time I breathed in through my nose, I could smell this pungent grossness. Later that morning I checked online, and found some people would have this ‘phantom nasal smell’ associated with Covid-19 that some described as burnt toast, or burnt coffee, or gasoline, or…rotten fish guts. So it wasn’t me smelling this way, it was part of Covid-19’s arsenal of symptoms. This gross smell went on for about four days (along with the nightly sweats), and then it all just went away. Strangely, I developed a cough shortly afterward (even though I was now feeling 100% better), so not sure what that was about.

But man, I never want to go through Covid-19 again. Just the worst illness I have ever been through.

It starts with an idea. A whim. A spark. Something constantly nagging in the back of your mind. Then it takes flight. Almost taking on a life of its own. Creating excitement and possibility that something could actually become possible. That something could be brought forth into existence into your life. It starts with feeling and emotion, then becomes the written word. Words to live by. Words to uphold every day. Of course there will be days when these words just don’t fit or live up to their meaning. No worries. Tomorrows a clean slate. A fresh start. Here are my words to you. My daily mantra I have pinned up in my bedroom so I see these words…Every. Single. Day.

Be better than yesterday.

Give thanks to God & The Universe.

Stop procrastination, and get shit done.

Stop wasting time watching TV and YouTube.

Achieve all daily to-do list goals.

Believe the best is yet to come.

Cut down on booze, carbs, and sugars.

Today is the day to make good things happen.

What a great life I have. Blessed, thankful, and grateful.

Do what makes you happy.

Bad times are the best lessons to learn and grow from.

Believe how badass you can be.

Look how far you’ve come.

You only have yourself to please, impress, and rely on.

Having a bad day? “This too shall pass”.

Fuck fear and the horse it rode in on.

Boo-friggin-hoo!! Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Today is a brand new day to start afresh.

Who cares what others think. It’s your life, not theirs.

Learning and growing are essential to happiness.

You can do this. Take a deep breath and jump in.

Make miracles happen.

Charting scary and unknown paths can be exciting.

You could die tomorrow. Make today count.

I’ve spent quite a few holidays (specifically Thanksgiving and Christmas) at home alone. As soon as you mention this to family, friends, and strangers, their faces immediately show sympathy and great sadness, almost like you told them someone had died. 

“Ohhh….But it’s Christmas. You shouldn’t be alone at Christmas”. 

It’s weird, but I’m very much okay with it, although it did take time to adjust to it. As soon as I let go of all the stereotypical media, TV & movie propaganda, and what people thought, everything just fell into place. A place where I felt comfortable, even content. Being alone (not loneliness) isn’t for everyone. It wasn’t for me, to begin with, but now I have it, I bask in it, relish in it, and will probably fight for it. It’s not because I have family and friends who don’t want to be around me, they do (at least I think they do!), but they’ve come to accept and respect the preference for my alone time. My solitude.

Now how do you think of me? Creepy? Weird? All because I said I like my alone time.

It’s a strange word: solitude, it sums up all kinds of thoughts, judgments, and emotions: Of being alone, darkness, failure, mystery, withdrawal, sadness, wisdom, winter, suicide, hermit, anti-social, old soul, loser, outcast, poetic, isolation, hibernation, heroism, stoic, introvert, asylum, Morrissey. 

The majority of these words are blacklisted and shunned by society as weird, abstract, and invisible. Not something a lot of people like to confront or associate with, yet it seems the ‘solitude train’ has left the worldwide social station, so to speak. Solitude has gained something of contrived respect within society, in a Hollywood way that is with movies such as Batman/Bruce Wayne. The crucified anti-social superhero destined to walk alone in a world of espionage and crime. Can solitude get any cooler and more appealing than this?

But the average person, like you and me, going through solitude, especially when self-inflicted, can be introspective, sacrosanct, and somewhat liberating. A chance to review one’s life. A decision to make. An idea to explore. A situation to contemplate. A demon to banish (or feed). Solitude is the best rest-stop to take a breather and decide where to go from here, so what better way than to embrace it. Not runaway from it. Not to be ashamed by it. But nourish it. Enjoy it. Learn from it, and grow from it. 

Solitude can be a great friend.  

15 songs to feed the demon: 

“Everybody’s gotta learn sometime” by Beck (55) Beck – Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime – YouTube

“How soon is now?” by The Smiths (55) How Soon Is Now? (2011 Remaster) – YouTube

“Comfortably numb” by Pink Floyd (55) Pink Floyd – Comfortably numb – YouTube

“Bridge over troubled water”/“The sound of silence” by Simon & Garfunkel (55) Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water – YouTube

(55) Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound Of Silence (HD music video 1966) – YouTube

“Everybody hurts” by REM (55) R.E.M. – Everybody Hurts – YouTube

“Dust in the wind” by Kansas (55) Dust in the Wind – YouTube

“Gran Torino” by Jamie Cullum (55) Gran Torino – YouTube

“Man of the world” by Fleetwood Mac (55) Man of the World (1998 Remaster) – YouTube

“Alone on the rope” by Noel Gallagher (55) Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Alone on the Rope – YouTube

“One way trip to the sun” by Ditch (55) Ditch – One Way Trip To The Sun – YouTube

“Presence of God” by Soulsavers (55) Soulsavers – Presence of God – YouTube

“Space oddity” by David Bowie (55) Space Oddity – David Bowie (HQ) – YouTube

“Time” by Hans Zimmerman (55) Hans Zimmer – Time (Inception) – YouTube

“Mad world” by Gary Jules (55) Mad World – YouTube

Hey Folks!!

Don’t forget to order a copy of my auto total loss insurance book that I wrote earlier this year. It’s crammed full of great advice and loaded with tips and tricks to get the most money from your auto insurance. Having/going through a car wreck is never fun. My book puts you in the driver seat to make wise decisions and the process go as painless as possible, as well as putting extra dosh in your pocket.

Available on Amazon.

The Total Loss Handbook: Tons of Money Saving Tips & Tricks to get the most out of your Auto Insurance Claim: Amazon Books

The book was #1 on the Amazon insurance book sales category, and has a five star review.

Pick up a copy. Great for the young, new driver in your household.

Peace 🙂

Want some fun trivia? Here ya go!! Answers right at the bottom of the page.

Question 1: A group of owls are called a what?

A. A Government B. A Management C. A Parliament

Question 2: What is the capital city of Canada?

A. Ottawa B. Vancouver C. Toronto

Question 3: What is the name of psycho-slasher killer in the ‘Friday the 13th’ movies?

A. Jason Voorhees B. Michael Myers C. Freddy Kruger

Question 4: In a game of Scrabble, how many points is the letter ‘M’ worth?

A. 2 points B. 3 points C. 4 points

Question 5: In a game of Poker, what hand beats ‘Four of a kind’?

A. Straight flush B. Two pair C. Full house

Question 6: Arnie works 40 hours per week and earns $51,200 annually. How much does he make an hour?

A. $20.86 B. $22.44 C. $24.62

Question 7: Which country invented paper?

A. China B. Turkey C. Egypt

Question 8: What planet does Superman come from?

A. Mars B. Krypton C. Planet X

Question 9: “Call me Ishmael” is the first line of which classic novel?

A. Moby Dick B. Great Expectations C. The Once and Future King

Question 10: What do Jamie Foxx, Marilyn Monroe, and Steve Jobs all have in common?

A. They were all adopted B. They were all born on a leap year (February 29th) C. They all had a twin who died at birth

Question 11: A habanero is a type of what?

A. Mushroom B. Onion C. Pepper

Question 12: On the Las Vegas Strip, what hotel is between Luxor and New York New York?

A. Mandalay Bay B. Tropicana C. Excalibur

Question 13: Who was the actor who played Ironman in the Marvel movies?

A. Christian Bale B. Robert Downey JR C. Ryan Reynolds

Question 14: ‘Globophobia’ is the fear of what?

A. Balloons B. Banjos C. Bananas

Question 15: The Pyramids of Giza can be found in which country?

A. Peru B. India C. Egypt

Here are the answers!!

1.C 2.A 3.A 4.B 5.A 6.C 7.A 8.B 9.A 10.A 11.C 12.C 13.B 14.A 15.C

Have a great weekend, folks!!

There’s just something mesmerizing, relaxing, captivating, and primitive about a campfire, isn’t there? The wonderful smoky birchwood smells of burning wood and dancing flames that hypnotize one into a state of comfort, satisfaction, and bonding. That primordial part of us that harkens back to cave-dwelling clans where a fire made them safe from predators and encouraged community and bonding amongst the brood. No doubt hand gestures and some kind of verbiage were given around these campfire tales of bravery and heroic clan members fighting off sabretooth’s and outside strangers. And as the fables would end, all eyes would turn to the campfire flames in silence as the story absorbed into the youngest clan members primitive and inquisitive minds.

Nowadays its ‘big fish’ stories and ‘who shot John?’ that are told amongst the flames (with a cooler of beer and a bag of chips close by, of course). Get a gathering of friendly folk around a campfire and secrets are revealed. Neighbors are gossiped about. Work bosses don’t know how to run their department. Fishing trips are planned. Gardening tips are shared. Beer cans and wine coolers are toasted to the departed. Campfires do this, you know. You see the faces light up when you say: “Nice evening for a campfire, don’t you think?”. Excitement. A crisp autumn Friday evening of fallen acorns, orange leaves, hoodies, and a smoky campfire will raise the darkness of the most down-hearted. News spreads fast. Text alerts come in asking if this is a real thing. Smiling emoji’s. Somehow, the neighbors got wind of it. Frank and Sue pretend to get something from the garage and ask why you’re cleaning out the firepit (they know darn well). You secretly smile. Their faces light up when you invite them to come on over in 30 minutes. They already know the rules of BYOB and a lawn chair. Excited chatter ensues.

The power of the mighty campfire.

How to build a campfire 101.

First, clean out the firepit of old ashes and empty beer cans.

If you don’t have a firepit, then make a circular clearing in the ground of about three feet in diameter and mark it out with stones. I personally have used an old BBQ grill dome and dug that into the ground. Works perfectly.  

Next, teepee small sticks, twigs, and pieces of wood with newspaper stuffed between them. Add a little BBQ lighter fluid, and light it up.

If the fire doesn’t catch/take off, just repeat the above until it does. You’ll get it going eventually.  

As the fire grows/intensifies, add larger, thicker sticks to the flames.

Now the fire has a life of its own, it’s time to feed it.

Add two or three logs, sit back, and relax. Depending on the firewood you’re using, usually, 2-3 logs will take an hour to burn.

Any junk mail, bills, useless documents you want to get rid of, now’s the time to gather them up and throw them in the fire. Just know, once you do, they’re never coming back. That $50 check you received out of the blue stuffed in an envelope with your junk mail, has now gone up in smoke (pun intended!!). Your paper shredder basket overflowing? Feed it to the fire. Photographs of your ex laying around? Throw them in to signify the burning of the old relationship and welcome in new ones (can actually be quite therapeutic).

Food and drink around the campfire.

Okay, let’s cut to the best part of having a campfire: The booze and the food!!

A case of beer of your choice and a can koozie is all you need. Check out www.discountmugs.com to create your own fun can koozies. There, that’s the booze all dealt with!! Just kidding. But it’s always nice to have your favorite beverage close by. I’ve even been known to have a few mugs of plain ole hot chocolate whilst sitting around the campfire (smoking a nice cigar too).

Check out http://raisingthebarkc.com/campfire-cocktails-for-the-fall-season/ for seven terrific campfire cocktails. 

S’mores are a given around the campfire, right? But that’s only the beginning…Wieners, marshmallows, kebabs, chicken drumsticks, basically, anything you can poke through with a stick can be a campfire snack (although anything with cheese may not be such a good idea!!). Wrap a few potatoes in tin foil and put them on the outskirts of the fire within the embers, and within the hour you’ll have a hot baked potato to fill with your choice of toppings (now you can add the cheese!!). 

Breakfast around the campfire? Sure, why not? I got this idea from a friend of mine. Put a saucepan over the flames/embers to boil. We’re going to create a make-shift omelet. In a bowl, whisk 2-3 eggs and add the fixings you’d normally have for an omelet: onions, green onions, mushrooms, fully cooked bacon/sausage/ham, diced tomatoes, diced green/red peppers, plenty of cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Be creative. Like it spicy? Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce, hot buffalo sauce, or red pepper flakes. Next, take a quart-sized sandwich/freezer bag, write your name on it with a sharpie (if there’s more than one of you), and pour all the ingredients of the omelet into the bag. Seal it, and pop it in the boiling water for 5-7 minutes, and voila, you got yourself a tasty omelet with your name on it!! 

It’s all fun and games.

A pack of cards and a game of charades will always be a winner at a campfire, but check out https://coolofthewild.com/campfire-games/ to learn some fun and entertaining campfire games that will really get the party started!!

Campfire etiquette. 

If you’re invited to a campfire by a neighbor/co-worker, it’s polite to bring something along for the host (the same as if you were attending a house-warming party/dinner guest). $8 bottle of wine, a batch of home-made cookies, 6-pack of IPA, a plate of cheese & summer sausage, a dozen Jell-O shots, a family-size bag of pretzels, are all good, cheap ideas to get the party started. Also, bring your own booze and lawn/camping chair.  

Don’t be that neighbor who won’t leave the campfire once the host decides to call it a night. Respect the host and retire to bed/go home also.    

If having a campfire at home/in the neighborhood, be sure to put the fire out completely when everyone calls it a night/retires to bed. Even the embers need to be fully extinguished. The last thing you want is a few stray embers blowing in the wind and catching the tool shed on fire when everyone has gone to bed. If you’re out in the woods/at a campground, be vigilant of the campfire as it burns itself out.

Its fall season, so have as many fun and memorable campfires as you can!!

It’s Halloween…time for spooks, ghosts, and ghouls to come out!!

Let’s see if I have any paranormal stories for ya.

About 15 years ago, my wonderful dog (Jack) back in my hometown was getting old. I think he was about 15 years old when he passed, going blind, deaf, and getting wobbly on his legs. One evening when mom let him out to go potty, and found him five minutes later outside laying down unable to get up. She scooped him up and brought him inside. Much comfort and hugs were given, but it was his time to go. Through heartache and tears, Jack was brought to the vets and euthanatized with mom and sister cuddling him as he departed the world. Even though I was 4000 miles away, I too was heartbroken and I called in sick to work blaming a stomach bug on my absence. I spent the day crying while looking at photos of Jack (he was a mutt that looked like a fox), and smiling to his mischievous ways, keeping forever the fond memories. By evening, I was a little better. Not much, but I managed to eat something.

Around 8pm, my apartment landline phone rings.

“Hello?”, I answer. 

“Is Jack there?”, a male voice asks.

“Jack? No. No one is called Jack here”, I reply, not recognizing the voice.

Click.

The phone call ends, and I think nothing of it.

I head to bed around 10pm knowing tomorrow I really had to go into work and not use a second days’ excuse of having a stomach bug. I smiled, knowing it was worth taking the day off of work to honor Jack. At around 3am I wake up. There’s something on my bed moving around. To my delight and bewilderment, its Jack. I wasn’t dreaming. I wasn’t hallucinating. Right there on my bed was my boy. He was real. I didn’t switch on any lights as I could somehow ‘see’ him. He was younger and vibrant. His face had no grey fur and his ginger coat shimmered brightly. I immediately hugged him, feeling his soft fur coat and body warmth against my skin. We started playing on the bed. I remember him distinctly playfully biting my hand, as I hugged and squeezed with joy that I had him back. There were no barks, yelps, sighs, or sounds. I couldn’t say any words, and I wasn’t afraid. All I could think of was how healthy and young he looked (about when he was four or five years old). Then I knew he had to go. I didn’t say goodbye. I just knew he came to me to say his goodbyes to me. Then, he was gone. I don’t remember falling back to sleep content that I had a visit from my deceased dog, I just remember waking up the next morning for work and instinctively smelling my hand. It smelt of puppy breath. It honestly did. I smiled. I knew I hadn’t dreamt it. It was all real. I knew I had Jack come visit me to say goodbye. It was awesome.

It was only days later I realized the phone call I received where someone was asking for “Jack”. My God, how did I miss that? But I did.

And the story continues…

Mom calls me a few days after Jack had passed and tells me an incredible story. She starts by explaining that my niece Kayleigh (about 12 years old), and nephew Paul (about 5 years old), (her grandkids) are over her house playing when Paul stops and starts telling mom that he can see Jack in her bedroom mirror. Mom playfully plays along, but Paul’s demeanor changes and he gets serious.

     “You have to listen to me, Gran”, Paul starts, demanding my mother’s attention.

     “What is it, sweetheart?”.

     “I can see Jack in the mirror, and he’s all better”.

     “Really?”.

     “Yes, and you’re not to joke around as he wants me to give you a message”.

     “You can talk to dogs?”, Kayleigh laughs.

     “Yes I can”, Paul confirms, deadly seriously. “In my head I can hear what Jack is saying”.

     Mom tells me Paul starts to shake at this time and gets even more serious.

     “He wants me to tell you you’re not to worry about him. He’s all better and happy”.

     “Can you see him?”, Mom gently asks.

     “Yes. I can see him in the mirror”, Paul urges (mom has a full length 5’ mirror in her bedroom and he’s staring intensely at it). “He’s all better and keeps telling me to tell you not to worry about him. He’s telling me. I can hear him”.

     “You have the gift!”, Kayleigh suddenly announces.

     Then it was over. Paul came back to his playful self. Mom tried to ask him more questions, but he was rather nonchalant about the whole thing, and the subject was never brought up again.