This week I’m doing some mental health refreshing as I prepare for next week and beyond. I’ve got plans-a-plenty and I need to be ready to execute them. Much like when I started doing the YouTube channel, I did much planning. Unlike the YouTube channel, I won’t wait months and months before jumping in and getting started.

If you watched any of the videos I did over the past year, one thing I stressed again and again: I’m learning as I go.

That means, to me, the past year wasn’t a waste. I learned a lot. Not just about producing videos, but about myself and how I prepare for doing those videos. I learned how to set up my camera and start talking from the moment I hit record. That, though I may be a bit self-conscious, I can do it. I can hit record and jabber on for several minutes about a topic and, for the most part, stay on topic.

It’s a lot like this blog. Yes, I do put some forethought into what I’m going to write, but this isn’t a formal review or essay. Nothing I’ve ever done on this blog has been anything more than me sitting and putting down words. Were I to look at this as my sole means of making money, yes, I’d put a LOT more time and effort into doing this blog. Mostly, this blog is for me to get my head straight. If others enjoy following along, thank you for being here and reading.

Speaking of reading, that’s one thing I noticed. When I post only videos, my hit count went WAY down on this blog. When I take the time to write something up, I see a significant uptick in blog hits. Be they bots or real people, I don’t know, but it’s nice to see traffic once more. Welcome!

In publishing news, Murdockian Tales V1 is out! Yes, there was an older version of Murdockian Tales and that one has been taken down and replaced with this edition. This collects the first 9 short stories I published this year. If you’ve been waiting for a collection, here is the ebook edition. The print edition will be available next month.

All the stories in this collection will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube and I will also publish the full text on this blog. There is no obligation to purchase the book, but it does help me know what you’re enjoying of my work and, of course, helps me in getting new works written and out there.

I’m off to go do that work thing.

Until Next Time!

Stay Awesome!

Are you like me? Do you have a TBR pile that reaches for the sky? A dozen or more books that you’ve started reading but never got around to finishing?

I set a goal at the start of this year to read 40 books. I’m confident between kindle books and physical books, I’ve passed that goal some time ago. Now, with two-and-a-half months left in the year, I’m modifying my goal slightly.

I’m going to finishing reading as many books that I started as I can. First thing I’ll be doing it making an inventory of books I’ve started and haven’t finished. Then, jumping in and reading as much as I can. It bothers me that I have so many half-read books.

To that end, I’ll also be writing as much as possible through the end of the year. Starting Monday, I’m going to work on getting 2k a day through the rest of the year. On average. Yes, I’ll still read, still spend time with family, and still play a video game or two, but I need to get my butt back in the chair and start typing again.

I was typing a message/email to someone today and was amazed as just how fast I can type. It’s time to put my fingers to work and get stories told.

Something else I need to do before the end of the year: Record a number of stories and get those prepared for YouTube. Short Story Saturday will live once again.

I also need to record an episode of Hey! It’s Jay! That’ll be more fun to do than what I was doing with 5 a Day With Jay which was become more of a downer and not as upbeat as I’d like the videos to be. Given that no one watched those last few episodes tells me all I need to know 🙂

Yes, I’ve got big plans for the rest of 2021. I’ve got bigger plans for 2022. It’s time to get off my duff and sit on my butt. In this chair. And get reading, writing, and doing all the things.

Until Next Time!

Stay Awesome!

Based on the performance of my last several videos, I made the right choice to end 5 a Day With Jay after a year. If you watched the last video, and based on the view count, no one did, or the last few, I don’t want anyone to feel guilty about not watching my videos. It was a fun experiment and now it’s over.

It’s time to evolve.

Remember what I said. Please, do not feel guilty about not watching my videos. Many were long and rambly and if you watched one, it was easy to see where I was going. I’m not an entertainer. At least not with the videos I was doing. That’s why the format will change.

I will keep blogging daily. It’s good to keep my fingers moving and my brain active.

As for the Change, I’ll be doing a short story one week, a “Hey! It’s Jay!” video the following week. This will allow me to 1) record fiction, and 2) schedule content to drop on specific days. One week I’ll drop on Saturday (Short Story Saturday will return) and the next week I’ll drop Hey! It’s Jay! (Name pending, if you have suggestions, drop them and I’ll set up a poll).

For the short term, I’ll be taking a short break, returning in November. This will give me some time to record a few short stories and get those ready to post. It will be fun to drop short stories and gear up to start recording full books soon enough. It’s time. I’m way past due on getting recording done.

I’m off to play a little Crysis.

Until next Time!

Stay Awesome!

Yesterday we said good bye to a friend who’d passed away from COVID after receiving her last round of chemo. Then went to my father-in-law’s where most of the family got together for a great evening.

We spent Sunday puppysitting. I also started playing through Crysis. I wanted to play through the entire series so I started from the beginning.

A lot of weekend happened. I’m tired. I’ll talk to you again tomorrow.

Went to a service for a friend that passed from COVID a few months ago. She was a mom from my daughter’s elementary school. It was good to see some of the other parents and get caught up, but sad to say good bye.

Were having a BBQ (in Mexico it’s called having a Carne Asada). Much of the family will be there. First big get together in quite a while.

In the between time I finished reading an essay by Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Black Cop’s Kid. Great short read. I’m ready a few other essays and short stories by authors of color because I feel this is a bit of a lacking in my reading material.

Hope you’re having an awesome weekend.

I sat down and almost got set up to record. Though I’m feeling quite run down at the moment. I wasn’t sure if it was the heat, plain mental exhaustion, or what. I didn’t want to end the week on a down note.

Then it occurred to me. Hey, my arm hurts. Oh yeah! I went in and got my hearing checked today. I have bad tinnitus and wanted to see how badly it impacted my hearing. Turn out, not at all. For my age, my hearing is above normal. Color me surprised.

As I went into the building for the testing, there was a tent outside. I stopped there on the way back to the car. I got my flu shot and completely forgot about it. The process was so quick and simple (and at the time painless) that I didn’t even think about it.

Even though I’m feeling quite tired and a little bedraggled, I’m happy I got the shot. I’ve also scheduled myself for my Moderna booster as well as a consultation if I should get the Shingles vaccine.

I’m off to blow things up in a video game for a while.

Until Next Time!

Stay Awesome!

Good evening and welcome to 5 a day with Jay. I’m your host, J.R. Murdock. Thank you so much for joining me.

Um…wait a minute. Where’s the camera? Oh, that’s right. It’s way late and I’m not recording.

A lot happened tonight that got me far more tied up than intended. Therefore I did not record this evening.

Two short stories did, however drop. You can pick them up here:

I’m off to get a good night’s sleep. I wonder if I’ll dream about Lightning Vampires again. I’ll explain in tomorrow’s episode.

I’m right here!

But seriously, I was helping My Favorite Daughter deliver something and get some stuff from the hardware store for a project she’s working on. Spent some time watching TV with my wife and relaxing This evening.

Here’s a picture I took of the moon a couple of days ago. 5 a Day With Jay will happen tomorrow.