ModestGeniusXL

We Got the Juice

Many of you probably forgot already that I still do some work for a local joint here called "The Juice", huh?  Don't worry about it if you did.  No biggie.  I haven't done any real freelance for them in quite a while, even though I thought I had at least one good story idea.  However, I do still blog for them on a pretty regular basis.

My online journal there has been pretty much confined to just movie reviews.  I could step outside of that realm every now and then if I so see fit.  I just haven't felt the need since I have this one going as well.  That's why if you do ever go there, you will often see duplication in the reviews I show here that will also show there.

Anyway, I thought I would mention it because I just ran across a very interesting phenomena there that rarely happens.  If you were to look at their site at the same time I did (at the exact time of this posting), you would see under their "today's blogs" section there are three brothas out there highlighted.  They only have three of us writing blogs and we are all showcased!  If someone didn't know any better, they would go to The Juice and think that brothas are running this city!

It's actually just coincidence that it turned out that way.  Almost.  See, whenever a new Juice blogger posts an entry, their blog is highlighted on the front page.  It is done so in chronological posting order.  As you can see from the pic, I had posted most recently so I was first.  Gregory Park had posted just prior to me and Romelle Slaughter just prior to him.  And before you ask, Des Moines isn't THAT small so no, I don't actually know either one of them.

I say it was almost coincidence because I purposely try to make those scenes happen.  When I go there and see that Gregory and Romelle have recent entries, I hurry up and get one out there as well.  I have plenty of movie reviews in archives so it's easy for me to pull one to get posted out there.  That way, I know we can monopolize that front page.  Even if it is for just a few minutes, it is still a nice scene to see for that fleeting moment.

Published!

I wish this pertained to one of my novels I had worked on.  Then again, I have nobody to blame but myself in that regards because I haven't spent the time to refurbish them like I promised myself I would.  Kinda' hard to get them out to the masses if I don't put forth the effort to get them to a publisher.

Actually, what I was referring to was my very first published article in the Juice.  I have been blogging for them for a while now about movie reviews.  That's a non-paying gig that essentially just helps me get a little bit of writing exposure.  Hopefully, I can eventually transition that into a paying gig with them as well.  Here's the link for that:

The best movie reviews around

I had previously mentioned that I had done an food review on Henry J's Taco House that hadn't yet been published.  I knew it would eventually so I wasn't buggin' about the fact that it took this long.  Plus, I expected it to be just a little blurb but it turns out I got nearly a full page.  Check out the full review here:

My Henry J's food review

I'm going to be my toughest critic and say that it's not my best writing.  However, I do think it is rather good if I say so myself.  It's a fine line to walk when doing that type of writing.  Even though there is a lot of opinion involved in it since it's a review, I have to bite my tongue a little on the sarcasm that I'm normally accustomed to.

There was also an added bonus for me and one of my frat brothers in this week's issue.  The editor had contacted me some time ago and asked if I knew of any diverse individuals they could include in their "My Life So Far" special.  I gave him about have a dozen.  One of them made the cover:  Jonathan Taylor.  That's now the second time in just two months that I've gotten frat hooked up with a story in there. 

Depending on how soon you read this entry, you can see Jonathan on the main page at www.dmjuice.com.  For those of you that don't have access to our lovely paper or may not be so timely, you can also see his full blurb here:

Frat Jonathan (JT) Taylor in Juice

My hope is that my article will be the first of many more to come.  I would be happy with just continuing to do restaurant reviews for them.  Not that I need to be doing that so I can add more to my 500-pound frame.  Or even getting paid for my movie reviews.  I'll have to follow-up up on the potential of that option.  Anyway, enjoy the reading and I will keep everyone posted the next time one of my story ideas surfaces!