Various types of uploads

I've got a few different places to be in this post, so stick with me.

All of this has happened in the span of 5 days, give or take.

1. A Halloween related decoration I found at a random store

2. A big old gecko on a tree that I saw while waiting for the air conditioning company to come service the house

3. A random thunderstorm we had.

4. Another gecko I saw while walking to my house after checking the mail.

5. An audio book I took out from the library because the synopsis looked interesting.

6. Cool Super Hero decals at the library

Alright; so in order of things I'd like to accomplish:

One - 

At this point, I don't remember what store I was in, however, I saw a random Pennywise related Halloween decoration. As all stores are gearing up for Spooky Season, this particular store was filled with the scary items. 

I wish I got the full name and price of the piece, because it's hard to find online, unless you're checking after market websites (Mercari, Poshmark, etc). The tag I did take a photo of, says this little statue is by "Authentique Spooky Night" and is an "LED Lighted Decor". Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of the bottom, which has the on/off switch and more information. Plus, one of the eyes is a bit broken (burnt out?).

It's rather Shakespearean level creepy and really cool at the same time. I wish both eyes could light up and that I got more information from it. Being a fan of the original "IT", this is a new concept for marketing. I'm sure it's not supposed to be Stephen King related but someone made damn sure that people would automatically recognize the red hair and jester outfit. 

Searching online for it, again, it's third party websites. They're naming it things like ""Halloween LED Skeleton", "Creepy IT Skeleton Clown", "New Spooky Night IT Pennywise Skeleton Bust LED Light-Up Halloween Decor"; you get the idea. Amazon doesn't have anything remotely close. I tried "pennywise clown skeleton bust pedestal" and got various clowns that weren't Pennywise, but when they were, it was the Bill Skarsgård version. I tried "creepy it skeleton clown" and came back with nothing related to the movie.. at all.

It's literally a dead end for the A to Z seller unless you want to go after market somewhere else. Buyer beware because they're all different prices have different shipping costs. If I could remember where I saw this, I'd honestly say "or go to the store and see if they have it". 

Two - the gecko that kept me company while waiting for the AC technician:

This was one of those situations where I needed to be outside in the driveway waiting because every time we get "an outsider" (aka a service technician or a delivery), the person always missing the apartment. We end up watching them drive to the other end of the street before they turn around and drive to our direction. It's an easy oops but first instinct says they take a right instead of a left. 

It was at least 95° out and I wasn't feeling like standing completely in the sun, so I waited closer to the door. It was shady enough, where I felt I could keep an eye out for the van and stay somewhat cool at the same time. 

I also uploaded a video because he looked like he was doing pushups at one point:

It seems like the geckos are getting bigger and bigger these days. Every time we look outside, there's a monster of a lizard hanging out on the bricks. The plop plops are going to have a run for their food source at some point, if these smaller ones get any bigger. 

Three - we had a random thunderstorm.

Welcome to summer in Florida! 

Now that we're having more steady rain, we're kind of back on schedule for our daily (afternoon) flooding.

The downside to all of this, besides the fact the water comes so fast and furious with no where to go, is that it leaves just as soon as it arrives. The temperature drops for the duration of the wet, but once it's over, it gets back to being hot and humid and most of the quickly made ponds dry back up.

The only difference between my street and backyard flooding and the main roads gaining too much water, is, the main roads can't dry up as quick as my community. Therefore, the water stays for too long and makes traveling a little difficult in some areas. 

Trust me; I've gotten stuck on some of the main roads when there's been too much water around and larger cars (aka pickups) speed past you and create tidal waves on to your car. It's scary and not necessary - the way the people speed through the streets, especially during heavy storms. You don't know what you could run over and how you're going to effect the person in the lane next to you. Everyone is in a rush and no one wants to take their time through this. It's like being stuck in a snow storm; ice and sleet can bring the same amount of trouble.

Ask me how I know. Haha. 

Four - Ants go marching one by one while a gecko hangs out on the gutter.

I happened to go get the mail today and looked at a neighbor's front driveway. As we have brightly neutral colored houses, any dark shadow will stick out. 

I saw another big gecko on the drain pipe and felt the need to explore. 

Sorry if you thought I was looking in your house, dear neighbor. I wasn't snooping; I was visiting your visitor. 

This is another decent sized gecko, and he happened to have ants crawling around him. Unless the insects were his traveling companions of the eating kind, I've never seen the two together before. It was interesting.

The not so interesting part was when he fanned his chin out. According to Google, it's called a "dewlap" and it's only done by males because they're trying to impress females. Either it was hitting on me or there was a girl lizard hiding somewhere. 😂

I've seen the fan before, not just in Jurassic Park (like we're all used to), but I've seen it in the geckos too. If you stand still enough and let them do their thing, they do pop the chin thing out in hope that a friend will come visit. It's the oddest thing to see but also pretty neat. #Natureyo

Five - I went to the library and took out a 26 disc audiobook.

I happened to be perusing the audiobook on CD section of my local library and saw something new. 

They had a 2016 biography on Paul McCartney, titled "Paul McCartney: The Life" by Phillip Norman.

This is an "official" Macca biography, according to the synopsis:

"Since the age of 21, Paul McCartney has lived one of the ultimate rock 'n' roll lives, played out on the most public of stages. Now Paul's story is told by rock music's foremost biographer, with McCartney's consent and access to family members and close friends who have never spoken on the record before.

Paul McCartney: The Life reveals the complex character behind the façade and sheds new light on his childhood - blighted by his mother's death but redeemed by the father who introduced him to music. This is the first definitive account of Paul's often troubled partnership with John Lennon, his personal trauma after the Beatles' breakup, and his subsequent struggle to get back to the top with Wings - which nearly got him murdered in Africa and brought him nine days in a Tokyo jail.

Listeners will learn about his marriage to Linda, including their much-criticized musical collaboration, and a moving account of her death. Packed with new information and critical insights, Paul McCartney: The Life will be the definitive biography of a musical legend.

©2016 Philip Norman (P)2016 W.F. Howes"

Which, if you've read my past posts about a rabbit hole conspiracy called "Paul Is Dead", this book will be totally different and perhaps not all correct, seeing how 'Faul' has his own story out. 

There is a 2009 biography from Thomas E. Uharriet titled "The Memoirs of Billy Shears: The Nine After 9-09 Edition", which my friend Tay had given me a copy of. The Billy Shears version is allegedly the real story behind the tin foil hat speculation of how James Paul really "vanished" and William Shepherd / Billy Shears came to be. 

The synopsis of the Billy Shears edition (via Amazon) states:

"In 1969, a rumor erupted that Paul McCartney, “the cute Beatle”, had been replaced. Generations later, we see that the Beatles spent hundreds of hours making “Paul is Dead” clues but were required to deny it. What if “Billy Shears” really had replaced Paul and still plays that role today? How would he explain taking over the band?

The memoirs, from Billy Shears’ perspective, reveals his conflict with John but also his delight in working with “Fifth Beatle” George Martin. With a shared commitment to quality, innovation, and a global agenda, their work transformed the planet, leading us through a psychedelic revolution that changed how we see ourselves.

In July 2018 (28 months after George Martin passed away), his eldest son, Gregory Paul Martin, received an advance copy of the Nine After 9-09 Edition of the Memoirs of Billy Shears. He had known the Beatles’ original Paul since 1962 and still has dealings with “Sir Paul” today. Gregory generously found time in his overbooked schedule for this performance.

To record this significant book, he thought it fitting to use the original recording equipment that his father, George Martin, had used with the Beatles. Sitting at that same historic equipment to record the memoirs, Gregory sometimes felt that he, too, had become Paul. It felt uncanny.

Special thanks to sound engineers: William Shinker (British Grove Studios), Andy Cook (Red Planet Records), and Clint Ramon Harrigan (Ranch Trailing Post-Production).

The Memoirs of Billy Shears: Nine After 9-09 Edition is also available in hardcover, paperback, and as an e-book. Printed versions have footnotes, word-stacking, and the world’s longest acrostic. In the US, get the hardcover from www.BillyShears.com. Elsewhere, find the paperback via Amazon. Whatever you believe about Paul, let this performance take you on the Beatles fantasy of a lifetime. It is your ultimate magical mystery. With this view of the Beatles’ inner-workings, you, and their songs, may never be the same."

I'm looking forward to listening to the Phillip Norman version, to see how it parallels the Thomas E. Uharriet copy. Makes me wonder what may be different and if there are any similarities. I know I have spoken of length about the PID theory and when Tay was telling me his opinions on it, the things I learned do make sense to what I originally remember from when I first stumbled on it, decades ago. 

I know this is going to take some time to get through since it's 26 discs, running a total of 30.5 hours. The way I've been listening to things lately, I'm glad it's not due back until September.

Last but not least, six: I found some super heroes in the young adult section of the library!

Yes, I go into the young adult section because I occasionally pick up a Disney movie or one of the comic book movies. Strangely, Marvel and DC are put in the kids section rather than the adult section. 

Plus, I pick up random educational coloring pages for my cousins' kids (Hi Brady, Levi, Stevie, Marla, Lana and Daisy).

I couldn't find the exact Iron Man decal, but I linked to some variations below. The same goes for the Batman decal. However, I think I found the Captain America one, or close to it. 

I know a few people who would love the Iron Man and Captain America on their wall (Hi Cat), while I wouldn't necessarily use this specific Batman, I used to work with someone who would 100% want it in his office and at his house (Hi Travis, if you're still reading these pages). 

It is pretty rad to see the comic icons up and around; it gets the kids asking questions and reading something new, yet old. It is a good win for everyone. 

I think that's about it for now with the rest of the updates. Maybe I will have more over the weekend, but until I can sort some more things out and not put everything in one section, I should wrap this up. 

Go on and listen to something new and read something wild. Take in a nature show and don't bother the animals if they're busy with whatever life has them doing. 

Cheers;

See Also

• "IT" related searches
• pennywise clown skeleton bust pedestal
  
• creepy it skeleton clown
  
• "IT: A Novel" the book that spawned the "Losers Club" on celluloid and in toys.
• Stephen King, IT! via Cinemax on Amazon Prime (to stream)
  
• IT/IT Chapter Two (2-Pck Bundle) (DVD)
  
• IT: Welcome to Derry:The Complete First Season (DVD)
  
  
• All photos taken on an iPhone 17 
• Photos edited in Photoshop. 
• Videos edited in Pinnacle Studio 18 Ultimate. There's an upgrade to this program, as linked. The third video, or second gecko, uses Pinnacle stock audio: "Film/TV" | "Dreamscape" | "The Visitor", which is aptly fitting. 
• As I'm using a Windows 8.1 laptop and Pinnacle 18, I do apologize for the way the videos saved. the error arrows are due to software fighting itself. 
  
  
• "Jurassic Park" related searches
• Jurassic Park: A Novel. The Michael Crichton book that started it all
  
• "jurassic park film collection"
  
  
• Paul McCartney searches
• "Paul McCartney: The Life" by Phillip Norman
• "The Memoirs of Billy Shears: The Nine After 9-09 Edition" by Thomas E. Uharriet
  
  
• Window decals
• Iron Man search
  
• Batman search
  
• Captain America (group of seven decals)
  
• Captain America search

Subscription based podcasts

It's been long enough in listening to the  "Into The Fray" podcast by Shannon LeGro, that the advertisements in the podcast bombarded me in the first episode I got back in to.

All I can say is, "Wow". 

Within the first 5 minutes, the conversation got interrupted and there was about 90 seconds worth of random commercials. There's already been a few more advertisements in this episode and I'm only 45 minutes into the hour and 50 minute airing. 

The last episode I listened to, was long enough ago, that I've got to listen to over 200 installments. I went from listening every week to being squirreled by other people's audio; so three years later, I've got a lot to catch up on. 

Which actually means half of what is in the list, I can automatically marked as played, because they're for "subscribers only". 

There are people who pay to listen to the show with no advertisements, no interruptions, receive extra features, better information, and so forth. The Patreon fee is $3 a month for the basic level and goes up to $50 a month for true inclusivity - this is a small club; only 5 people belong, according to the Patreon page. All levels have option to "pay annually" and "save 10%". 

Conversely, via Apple, the "premium" subscription is $4.99 a month or $59.99 a year. I think the difference is between the two services, outside of the "Listen Ad-free / Get Bonus Episodes / Listen First" option, is just that - you only get bonus episodes and no ads in Apple. Patreon adds merch, the ability to enter the closed off Facebook page, Youtube videos, exclusives no one else can get. Spotify on the other hand, based on just looking at the page, doesn't have an option to support? I could be wrong.

I like the show, but I can't afford the membership fee right now. On any platform. Therefore, in the Apple Podcast player, I'm sending the locked episodes to the vault. 

This "significantly" cut down the episodes I need to listen to. Sure, I'm missing bonus content and 5-10 minutes more of the show, but some of the subscription episodes are aired with commercials, so it's not a big problem... except when a sentence is cut in half and some ad for another app chimes in. It's jarringly weird because then you forget what the person was talking about and hope you didn't miss anything else from what they were saying.

Happened to me with this episode I'm listening to; Shannon asked a question and the guest started answering. He was mid word and all of a sudden I got blasted with some advertisement. It was loud because it was just spliced in but whatever AI Apple uses. When the show came back on, it sounded like I missed something. I can't tell because I'm not a paying member. 

I guess my point is, since I've noticed this is becoming common practice with other podcasts, "buyer beware" that you might get service interruptions in your audio when you least expect it. 

It's not new because we're getting them on our television shows and video streaming services already. But now when you want to cut off the world for a little while and listen to an audio program that isn't on the radio, you're going to have to contend with timed sales pitches.

If you're into the supernatural, go check out "iNTO THE FRAY" because it's pretty interesting, if you ignore the advertisements. Shannon LeGro does a good job on this and it's worth listening to. If you don't want to hear it, you don't have to. I won't judge.

Until something happens in the universe shift, be safe and well.

Cheers;

See Also

• "iNTO THE FRAY RADIO - Encounters with the Paranormal" via Audible on Amazon
  
• "INTO THE FRAY" via Audible on Amazon - this seems like a side show, but not the actual podcast / subscribers version
• "iNTO THE FRAY RADIO - Encounters with the Paranormal" via Apple Podcasts
• "iNTO THE FRAY RADIO - Encounters with the Paranormal" via Spotify
  
• "Into The Fray Radio" official website
  
• "Into The Fray" via Patreon

"It takes too much to touch"

Can't finish the sentence because my what I'm going to refer to, isn't a "her". It's a piece of tech. 

But I can add another song line with an edit:

"It's getting hot out there, so take off all your clothes" or cases, or whatever. 

Okay, I bastardized Kanye West's "Gold Digger" and Nelly's "Hot In Herre" however it's for a point. 

I was at the pool this morning and it hit 103° at 10:30 in the morning.

Which is why my phone got so hot in my bag that my phone overheated itself because the sun was beating down on my bag.

Yes, you can barely see Denis O'Hare in the background. It is one of his characters ("Liz Taylor") from the American Horror Story series (season five, "Hotel"). That's neither here nor there. Just pointing it out in case you were wondering what that ghost image was.

Okay, so in full disclosure, my phone is in an old Vera Bradley zippered neoprene tablet case. A type of carry all that is only available on sites like eBay at the moment. 

I decided to put my phone in this the other day, as we got stuck in a small rain storm while at the pool and the bag I'm using to carry all my stuff (towel, water shoes, sunglasses, mask) doesn't have a zipper on the main compartment and the front pouch is Velcro. Therefore, I don't want to inadvertently end up getting my phone wet if it rains again while we're swimming. 

Which also brings me to why my phone overheated.

I mean, the thing is in a zippered neoprene bag, in another bag, in the harsh (sun)light of day. It's essentially cooking itself to a slow death. This idea that I had to save my phone ended becoming a thermal trap without even thinking about it. 

Sometimes I'm a 20 watt bulb among a box of 100 watts and there's nothing that's going to stop me from dimly shining. 

I've now got to re-adjust what I'm going to do about this because I don't want to create a battery fire at the pool. I don't think the chlorinated water and a Lithium-ION battery mix well. Plus, I can't afford a new phone at the moment, given the fact this phone is new. I upgraded to the 17 in January, so it's only six months old (welp; old enough to upgrade, according to other people!). 

I guess, what I'm saying is.. if you're going to be out at the pool or anywhere in the sun with electronics, don't keep it in a heat conductive unit for long periods of time. My Yeti sleeve has worked amazing because I get to carry my tumbler everywhere and not drop it (and my water stays cold), but for keeping my devices dry in case of rain? No Bueno. 

If I think about it, I could put the phone in a plastic bag, like the ones you get from the grocery store, and make sure the bag is tied. Or, I change the outer bag completely, so I have zippered compartments all around. I know the main bag isn't the best as it is, since it's mainly a type of overnight bag where you are just going to a friend's house or somewhere close (not traveling far since it doesn't zip). I am definitely going to readjust this for sure.

Until I can figure it out, learn from my lesson and don't keep your tech in a hot box. Keep yourselves hydrated as well. 

Stay safe!

Cheers;

See Also (links via Amazon)

• "Hot In Herre" is from Nelly's 2002 album, "Nellyville"
• "Gold Digger" is from Kanye West's 2005 album, "Late Registration"
• "neoprene pouch with zipper" key word search
• "Harsh light of day" redirect is throwback to a "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" episode as well as a Fastball album from 2000, titled "The Harsh Light of Day. #Showusyourageandera!
• Coincidentally, the Fastball album has a song called "Vampires", which could be Buffy connection too... Even though it's not, but you never know; since I tweaked the line anyway. 😁
• "American Horror Story: Hotel" on Amazon Prime
• "neoprene sleeve for Yeti tumbler" on key word search. 
• This is the one I'm actually using (and they've held up since purchasing them in 2022. I am still on 1 of 4. Totally better version than what I was using prior - different model / brand / seller): 4 Pack 30oz Neoprene Carrier (Black,Blue,Pink,Navy)

The things we remember

My friend Cat texted me at 11:30 last night, rather mad. 

(She lives north of Boston and the family wanted to go see the fireworks, locally) 

Due to the crazy weather happening around the country, Massachusetts hasn't been immune to any of the heat and humidity. It now has some thunder problems. I know there was some questions around the festivities at the Hatch Shell and the holiday lightshow ended up being postponed a couple hours due to impeding thunder storms and high wind. 

Since Cat was doing stuff in her city, she made the comment to me that "5 minutes and 31 seconds.. that's how fucking short the fireworks show was. They suddenly stopped, we waited a while and it started to rain. Ppl left in hoards. It was an embarrassment for the 250th".

I don't know what else happened or how bad it was there, as I did text her back this morning and she hasn't responded. She must still be mad because I know she had company over and they were planning an outing. 

Locally to Fort Myers, I honestly don't know if any of our stuff happened because I went to bed early and usually the boom display wakes me up. None of that happened; I slept through whatever was (literally) popping off. No one talked about it today at the pool, so maybe things were kept (relatively) quiet.

It got me thinking of what we used to do when I was little. 

I remember going to New London (CT) and we'd pack a beach bag full of blankets, chairs, water and snacks, drive down to the waterfront, find a place to park the car on the street and then place our butts on the beach. Someone usually had a radio with them and the transmission always played the Wolfman Jack radio hour, and we would watch the light show. 

This, at least, was the early years of my youth since the Wolfman died in 1995. Now that I really think about it, I think a few years it was Casey Kasem as well; the channel usually changed to one of the shows, depending on who brought the radio and how much they wanted to share it.

As I'm writing this, I'm also thinking that we only went to the Hatch Shell a real slim handful of times. I truly only remember doing the beach thing when I was little. I don't recall what we did in my later years, but since moving to Florida, we haven't go anywhere to celebrate. 

Or at least, I haven't. 

This is definitely brings back memories (now I've got the song in my head. Great....) and I am seriously trying to think of the things we did in between the years we weren't at the July 4th thing at the beach. It's tough; I'm sure we did something. I'll probably remember it later. 

As much as I hate getting political, another "memory" I'm having lately, is based on a podcast I'm listening to (even as I create this post). 

I'm currently playing "Homegrown: OKC" by "USG Audio". 

The synopsis via Amazon is:

"Dive into a case of domestic terrorism from the past that’s really a warning about the future. Back in 1995, there was a disaster that should have prepared us for January 6th and the political violence that we’re seeing today: the Oklahoma City Bombing. Journalist Jeffrey Toobin reveals the story behind Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City Bombing, and right-wing extremism in America - how a decorated army veteran became consumed with rage, how he somehow went underground and built a bomb that damaged fifty blocks in a modern city, and how everything that led to the horror of April 19th, 1995 is still very present in America. Homegrown: OKC is a USG Audio podcast produced by Western Sound and Esmail Corp. Based on the book “Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Rightwing Extremism” by Jeffrey Toobin."

Everything seemed to happen during a school vacation. Some sort of hijinks during the months preceding to summer so that trials happened when I was off for summer. 

The bombing of the Oklahoma City Federal Building was one of those things. I was on spring vacation when Timothy McVeigh nearly leveled the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The trials went on for a while. 

I remember the news talking about this when it happened (I was in junior high school) and during my college years, I included this incident in a thesis paper I wrote for a sociology class. 

Now that I'm older, I'm listening to various podcasts, which extend to historical and political things. Therefore, I'm currently listening to USG Audio's investigative piece about the bombing. This is an in-detail story about what happened during the bombing and how it led to a future piece of history that could have been avoided if we listened better to history. 

Again, I'm trying to be neutral on this topic because it can be a touchy issue. I'm listing it only because I wanted to update my blog on what I'm currently listening to. If politics or history aren't something you want, there's no need to seek this out. If you want to learn a little more about what could have been avoided, then try hearing this. I am only two episodes on, but they're long enough that it feels like it could take a bit to get through. I'm sure that will change shortly. 

In the interim, I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and finding some fun to do.

Cheers;

See also (aka links on Amazon)

* Wolfman Jack (I highly suggest reading his autobiography. It's a pretty rad story of his life and how he got into broadcasting)

* Casey Kasem info

* Maroon 5's song "Memories" from the 2021 album, Jordi. 

* "Homegrown: OKC" podcast

* "Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Rightwing Extremism" by Jeffrey Toobin (the book the podcast stems from)

What makes the drink "dirty"?

.. and why is it different from other flavored drinks?

It seems like an "all the rage" thing the last few months have been "dirty" drinks: 

Dirty Soda

Dirty Coffee

Dirty Tea (or not)

Dirty martinis (/liquor. This is pre-dating me. So let's scratch that)

I've had a dirty soda from a recently opened chain restaurant that specializes in the product. The place is called Swig and they're seemingly popular among young adults and certain mid west states. 

I'm not completely knowledgeable about the history of Swig, but online research says it was brought out of a need for something to have in the LDS (Latter Day Saints) / Mormon culture since the members abstain from consuming certain foods / liquids. They wanted to have something where they could stay within their restrictive diets but still feel part of a crowd or have something differently cool. They started mixing creamers in soda instead in lieu of creak in coffee due to java being one of those "no-nos". This crazy science experiment exploded out a new type of drink. 

This again, is just something I quickly looked up and very briefly summarized. I don't want to offend anyone by writing a list of reasons for the start of the brand, nor do I want to get anything wrong. I know very little about the lifestyle, even after working with someone who had left the faith and had a lot of bad things to say about her time in it. So I'm just going to leave it at that. 

It's not to say I didn't want to try the excitement. While it's true I've mixed stuff in my drinks before and had my own weird outcomes, actually ordering and paying for this out in the wild is totally a different beast. 

I have tried Swig three times since the store opened. Each time I got something different. Honestly, it's nothing to write home about; I don't know what the hype is. Someone, somewhere decided to mix some lactose with Dr. Pepper, add some fruit puree and sell it to the masses. 

Which is why I'm honestly wondering what the difference between this and a regular "Cherry Pepsi" is. The big name companies are already producing flavored products and people are buying it. What makes adding fruit puree or creamer to the drink a new thing? It's a quick fad, at best, but adding a lime or lemon to the Vanilla Coke has been around for decades. This is not really new; or is it a TikTok trend that someone forgot to say it's too viral to forget? I don't know; I'm seriously wondering this. I mean, it's interesting as hell because so many people have created other things from the dirty soda concept, and I would like to know "why". 

Why is Dunkin' Donuts now selling "Dirty Coffee"? I've seen so many YouTube videos about it over the last two weeks - the making of the drink and what it tastes like. The reviews are mixed, but I've seen more negative than positive comments about it. Including conversations about the price, the taste and how it's not real coffee. Some Dunkies workers have made videos to show exactly how it's created: in whatever size it's ordered in (medium is the standard?) there's ice, Dunkin's proprietary blend of coffee milk (which, in general, is a dairy-based drink made by mixing coffee syrup with milk), Pepsi (yup, the brands are collaborating) and Dunkin's proprietary cold foam (which comes in an aluminum / aerosol nozzle can - imagine a can of Reddi-Wip). All this for an energetically carbonated coffee pick me up. 

After seeing the videos, I have to say, this is one thing I won't be trying. It looks gross. I like milk, I like coffee, I like Pepsi (although growing up, we were a Coke household). I'm not going to attempt to mix any of them together to create some Frankenstein drink because there is nothing else to drink. Plus, if there's no actual coffee in the cup, why bother? 

(Sugar. That's why)

Yes, I know the concept of coffee milk, but I'd like actual coffee in my glass with the opportunity to add whatever type of dairy I'd like (creamer, milk, etc). Cold foam addition is nice, but not something I go out of my way for. Where I'm not an added sugar / sweetener person (anymore), I don't like putting in extra stuff in my drink. As it is, an "iced, regular" at Dunkies has the ability to be chewed. There is enough sugar on the bottom of the cup, that you've got a snack to go with your drink. Plus, once the cold foam starts liquefying in the cup, it becomes too white - super sweetened cream meets dairy cream. 

I'm by no means saying this product is no good, since it's out there for a reason. Maybe some YouTubers are right in saying it's a cash grab, but maybe others are right in saying it's a mainstay for a few minutes. It is something different for sure. But overall (in general), what happened to a coffee chain selling coffee? 

I miss Honey Dew Donuts for their over sugared flavored coffee. I didn't get Mary Lou's much, so Honey Dew was a bomb alternative to Dunkies... besides Cumby's random 99¢ any size. 😋

I'm not going to lie: I did try my hand last night at making my own dirty soda. 

Try some, buy some...?

I had some A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer, Horizon's Home Style Vanilla Creamer and some Torani Sugar Free Caramel syrup (small bottle. It was BOGO last month). Putting the root beer in a tall glass, I then added a shot of the syrup and creamer. The dairy fizzed with the carbonation real quick. But once that foam cooled down, I tried it. 

Holy cow... it was like drinking a root beer float. Due to all the flavors, there was no way this tasted sugar free. I know there's sugar in the creamer, so maybe that was cancelling out the other two products, but wow. This was good. It tasted like dessert. 

WooHooooOoo....

I really couldn't believe it. Even without ice, the drink acted like I had vanilla ice cream in it, due to the way the creamer reacted to the carbonation. It fizzed and foamed and almost went over the rim of the glass. Like a real after dinner spectacle treat. 

Yet there was no scoop of anything in it; just liquids.

It was like being back in middle school watching the kids at the fair make their volcanos rise up and smoke, but still stay really calm at the same time. There's some sort of magic with it.

(Fat kid getting excited over food. Nothing to see here. Keep moving)

Now I have to ask myself: Would I make a habit out of making this? 

No, because I don't want to have too much (unnecessary) dairy every day. 

If I can help it, at least. 

I have my morning coffee with cream. This past week, I've been using the Planet Oat brand oat milk in my smoothies. If I end up having a cup of coffee in the afternoon, I'm using creamer again. Or, if I'm having a cup of Teeccino tea (I'm currently drinking the Snickerdoodle flavor), I'm using creamer in that. By supper, if I'm drinking a cola product, I don't want another shot of diary in my drink. 

All these "ifs"! 

It actually becomes too much and I'm trying to limit my intake for health reasons (not that what I'm already doing is so healthy.. I know it's all bad for me). I also don't drink cola products every day. Maybe a couple times a week. I've been drinking various sparkling waters or just plain water, even though most time it's the former. 

Therefore, it was a valid attempt to take an idea I've seen around town and online and try it myself. I had the tools to get it done and I'd probably stick to buying regularly branded (or pre mixed / made) products. It's easier than worrying about keeping a pantry full of add-ins and add-ons, expiration dates, refrigeration, etc. Just buy a six pack of flavored cola and call it a day. While you're at it, buy some limes and lemons. Maybe a small container of maraschino cherries if you want the sugared version - drop one or two in the drink when you get Cherry Coke. Saved you an extra dollar, I did. It'll go a long way. 

I've kind of squirreled my way around this post and all my links below are for things I've mentioned. I get commission on things purchased on Amazon and if I link to an outside company, like Teeccino, I receive a credit on my own account for future purchases if there is a purchase made by the person clicking the link. It's easy enough and we all win from it. The Amazon links are for purchases or references or all of the above; suggestions and opinions. 

You do you. 

Think about what's popped up on your socials lately.. have you seen any ads for dirty drinks? What are your thoughts? Try it? Don't try it? Worth setting up a kitchen lab yourself and making your own concoction? You never know what you'll (literally) cook up unless you get an idea... 

Now go out and make some yummy magic. 

Cheers;

See Also

• Please note that with the perishable food stuff, Amazon and Whole Foods are working together to get it delivered. 
• The Horizon creamer is only available in Caramel flavoring, and has a $13.95 delivery fee on top of the $6.99 creamer price. This price is for a single carton too. If you want to check it out, here is the link but I suggest going to a normal grocery store to pick it up. If you have a Whole Foods and that's your jam, by all means, check their stock too. 
• The Planet Oat Milk I'm using is not a Whole Foods delivered item, but it is a refrigerated item. There is a $12.99 delivery fee on top of the $4.25 cost of the single carton. 
• There is a shelf stable version for $3.99 with no added delivery fee, as it isn't currently in a cooler. 
• Amazon has cans of A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer for $8.39 for a pack of 12. It's roughly the same cost as the grocery store. 
• Amazon has a 4 bottle variety pack of the Torani Sugar Free Syrups. It looks like it could be a good price at $31.88 because it comes down to $7.97 a bottle. They're the 25.4 ounce bottles too, so this is comparable to retail stores, as I've seen it between $8 and $10 a bottle. 
• "Try Some, Buy Some" and "WoooHoooo" comes from the George Harrison track "Try Some, Buy Some". It's on the 1973 album, "Living in the Material World"
• The Teeccino storefront on Amazon has most of the flavors. There's also the branded website has discounts or freebies if my referral link is clicked and an order is placed. But also, there's a weekly email blast with recipes that sound pretty stellar. 

A week old batch of bird pictures | Podcast recommendation

 Last week, my mother and I were watching a movie when I happened to look outside. I keep seeing things hopping around on the wall as well as flying into the tree immediately outside our lanai. It was extremely distracting because whatever was moving into the tree, kept going back and forth between the branches and other places. 

It wasn't until I actually turned and focused on what was going on (as if to "turn and face the strange"), when I saw a couple of birds flying between a few spots out back. They either went from tree to tree, or hopped along the wall. Unfortunately, I couldn't get quality pictures, as I was fighting the lanai screen. I was, however, using my Canon Rebel T7i with telephoto lens (as per usual). 

The screen is why the photos look weird. I wasn't about to go fully outside and scare the chirpies away. I just couldn't get a good opportunity to have a photo of them in the tree closest to me, sadly enough.

Photos sharpened and cleaned up a bit in Photoshop. Yes, that's also a flowering tree. My mother doesn't know if it's a magnolia or gardenia, but it honestly doesn't smell like a typical gardenia (there's no strong fragrance), so it must be a magnolia.

I have.. what could be explained in an episode... as a "step-friend". Of sorts.

Huh?

My friend Shawn recommended his cousin Bailey's podcast to me. 

Thus, upon listening to a few episodes already, there is a term Bailey uses to describe friends of friends: Step-Friends. 

Without going into her wildly outrageous explanation (because you'll have to listen to it yourself), a step-friend is basically a friend of a friend that you're not completely friends with yourself. You're in the the circle of trust for your main friend, but you're not besties with your friend's besties. You are kind of in the same orbit, but you're not doing things together. Unless you make it a point to become friends yourself. 

It's hard for me to fully put it all into words because Bailey tried her might to explain it to Devin. It's wild, the way she went on and he was like "Wait. What???". 

Shawn has told me a lot about Bailey over the years, so I feel like I know some good about her (positive). When Shawn mentioned the new podcast, I put it in my playlist so I could get to it when I could.

Now that I'm listening to it, it's truly not disappointing and it's very generational (my and Shawn's generation, basically). I am totally finding myself nodding along with the conversations and feel that every exuberant point the two hosts have, I know both sides and can't say who said it best or who is a victor in the lightning round of question and answers. I've been in both places and can argue a third point a view, very quickly.

Okay... so what the podcast is called, and why should you care?

The name is "Overthinkers with Bailey and Devin".

They don't have an immense social network right now, so the only platforms they are on are Instagram, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 

You should care because they are a pair of people who are really fun to listen to. They just seem to get along so well as they ramble on about things, while trying hard to not have squirrel moments (there are a lot of squirrel moments sometimes). The amount of crazy they come up with is particularly awesome. It's so left field that you want to just yell at your podcatcher and tell them you hear the voices too. You know full well what those Mandela Effects are or that Walgreens stores really are on every corner. Trying to put all The Conjuring movies in order on how they should be viewed, is the equivalent to all the Marvel movies. There are too many in the MCU to keep a straight face, but at least with the Warren films, the list is significantly shorter.

Shh.. don't give the kids any ideas... they'd lose their shit if they had to move the MCU films around... make the movies make the best sense in order of how to be seen, not when they came out. 

I honestly feel like this is one of those podcasts that have a very basic outline of what they want to talk about, but then dive into spider webs of other side quests. Hence the title of "Over thinkers": They start on one topic, discuss it briefly, something is triggered to get them into another topic and all of a sudden they forgot what they originally were talking about. Mainly because they wanted to discuss their side so badly, the focus was lost. But in a good way. 

Bailey had said something to Devin, of which I forget right now, but I texted Shawn what I was hearing. I don't have the text in front of me, but what I had said was I'm on whatever the episode was, and Bailey was on some tangent of whatever the topic was. I said "girl, we've all been there. You're not the only one. I feel you on that. It's all of us". Shawn laughed because he understood the reference and what I was saying. Again, it's a generational thing that meets every day life now. There are things Devin says that I'm totally like "yup!!!!!!" and there are things Bailey says that I'm like "oh geez.. nope. But maybe in another life". Can be reversed too. 

For as much as they're oversharing and overthinking the topic at hand, it makes the listener overthink the topic as well. We've all been in that situation and we all know what it feels like. These two humans together, having an honest conversation, feels like you're a fly on the wall of a very interesting friendship and you're really not supposed to be eavesdropping, but you are. And it's hella funny. 

Go check out "Overthinkers with Bailey and Devin" on  Instagram, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. . You won't be disappointed. 

Cheers;

See also

• "Turn and face the strange" reference is a lyrical quote from David Bowie's 1971 song, "Changes", from the album, Hunky Dory.