Back in the Saddle Again

Hello again, everyone. Yes, it’s been another long drought for the old blog but I’m back. The manuscript I’m currently working on, “Best Dog Hikes Alabama” has really been a challenge not because of the hikes but for every external issue, but even though the deadline is breathing down my neck, I’m starting to find time to get to the other projects that have been percolating.

Be on the lookout for several new audio and video podcasts that are currently in production and will be released soon and a new look to the old website, www.joecuhaj.com.

One project I am really looking forward to getting back to is my murder mystery, “Dead Air”. Yes, I am a multi-genre writer and have been told many times I shouldn’t do that. I just don’t see why a writer has to be tied down to one genre. But I’ll leave that for another blog entry.

“Dead Air” takes place in the war years of the 1940s in a mid-size Gulf Coast city that’s known for its ship building. The story revolves around a radio station, W.M.A.L., and its staff as they are flung into a murder mystery when their star performer, Samantha Starr, is killed right there in the production studio.

The station’s Foley or sound effects man, Art Foley (and he will be the first to tell you his name is just a coincidence), becomes an amateur sleuth to prove that Samantha’s husband and W.M.A.L. performer Ralph Bandera, who is being accused of the murder, is innocent.

Well, I finished the book about five years ago and submitted it to a couple of publishers. They were all receptive to the story and plot line but said it was just lacking something, mostly in the descriptions of the town and the times. It wasn’t deep enough. Oh, and the end was weak. That’s a problem.

Shortly after, I went to make changes and the file was corrupted. I go to my backup on a separate hard drive and the hard drive died – DIED! My complete manuscript…POOF! It would cost a couple thousand dollars to get the data off the drive. That wasn’t happening. My attitude has been that it is a chance to reboot and make the second effort better, not by starting from scratch, I have the outline and notes, but filling in those blanks and improving the weaknesses.

So now I’m having a blast going through archives to bring the times and town to life. I think the characters themselves were fleshed out enough, just need that little extra.

I’ll keep you posted on its progress. In the meantime, you can read the opening chapters of the original rough draft of the manuscript (the one thing that survived) here.

Have a great week, and until next time….Cheers!

Best Dog Hikes Alabama Update

I've got to tell you, while I am really pleased with the new book, "Best Dog Hikes Alabama", and how it's shaping up, I've had the most difficult time getting it together.

With only 3 months left  until the deadline for turning the manuscript in to Falcon Guides I still have 20 hikes to go to wrap it up. I thought I would have been done by now (I'm the "teacher's pet" when it comes to deadlines, always getting the manuscript done WELL in advance of the deadline) but this one has been one challenge after the other.

First, like many of you, I flu, crashed, and burned the last couple of weeks. First time in decades I had the flu, so that has put a crimp in things

Secondly, my hiking pard Archer T. Dog had issues. TPLO surgery, as a matter of fact, to correct his cranial cruciate ligament (knees and such). We were hiking at Blakeley Historic Park on the Alabama Gulf Coast in October. We knew it would have to be corrected sooner or later. Turned out to be sooner. 

So off to Birmingham we went for surgery. The staff and surgeons at Veterinary Surgery of Birmingham did a great job and were very attentive. But, Archer has been down since mid-November and so have I taking care of him.

Well, the good news is he is off rehab now and we're getting ready to test out his bionic leg. Hopefully we're both well enough to get this train back on the track. The bad news is that when the book is over, he'll be going back in to have his OTHER back leg operated on! I'm sure he'll do just fine and will be his bouncy self again before long.

So, off we go! Back at it! With luck we'll be visiting the Wehle Nature Center and their open weekend this Saturday. We'll let you know how it goes. 

Cheers!!

Winter Hiking with Your Dog

I love winter hiking. Give me a day of hiking with a brisk winter wind and a cloudless, deep blue sky any day. Or better yet, a trail covered with a blanket of snow. And better still, share the hike with your best friend – your dog.

With the latest arctic blast making its way through the country and, yes, we are feeling it along the Gulf Coast as well with wind chills hitting 5 degrees tonight, and since I am currently in the middle of writing my latest book, “Best Dog Hikes Alabama”, I thought it only appropriate to share with you four essential tips for keeping your dog safe and happy while winter hiking:

1. Get Into Gear:

·        Jacket: If your dog has minimal fur and gets cold easily this is a must. Of course if they’ve never worn one before, try it on and have them wear it at home before heading out on the trail.

·        Booties: If you’re hiking in snow or over icy, frozen ground, booties will keep Fido’s paws from getting clogged.

·        Fluorescent or Bright, Easy-to-See Leash: Good to have in snowy conditions so if you’re hiking with your pup on a leash and you drop it you can more easily find them. A flashing collar is also useful when hiking in snow.

2. Ya Gotta Eat (and Drink)

·        Food: Your dog will be burning more calories so you will need to feed them more when hiking in cold weather. Also bring some snacks to keep their energy up. You might even try an energy trail mix.

·        Water: Just like you they need to stay hydrated and cold weather means they need more water. 

3. Choose a Dog-Friendly Trail

While many trails say they are dog friendly in the winter with extremely cold temperatures, snow, and ice that could change. Make sure your dog can hike the distance you plan to hike and the difficulty rating you plan to hike.

Consider hiking a trail that has easy access points along the route such as forest service roads or easy turn-arounds that you can use to bug out quickly in case of emergency or if your pet is struggling.

4. Try before You Fly

Before heading out on a winter hike you should take your dog out on a few short wintery treks to make sure they can even handle the weather. Just because they love to romp in the back yard when the wind chill is 10 degrees doesn’t mean they can make a hike for an extended period of time in the same weather.

5. Be Sure to Take Frequent Breaks

Stop often and check on how your pet friend is doing. If you’re hiking in deeper snow check that it isn’t clinging to their belly and clean it off. Also clean their paws if it’s packing between their pads and toes. 

You can find more winter weather hiking tips for you and your dog at Kurgo Products.

July, 1969

Hello, again, everyone. Welcome to the New Year! I hope all of you had a fantastic holiday.

It’s back to putting the old pen to paper, or fingers to the keyboard, for me. Still have a lot of projects floating out there and I’ll be updating you on those here on the blog in the next few weeks including an update on the “Best Dog Hikes Alabama” manuscript which is coming along nicely. I’m quite happy with it so far.

One project that I am finally getting to put some time into is the manuscript for “Everyone’s Gone to the Moon”. As I’ve mentioned before, this will be the story not only of the preparations, launch, landing, and return of Apollo 11, our first manned lunar landing, but also a look at the world in July 1969. It will focus on other space news that occurred during the month, like the story of the Soviet space program literally going up in smoke, world news and events like the fight for Civil Rights and equality, and the pop culture that shaped a generation.

It will also highlight what life was like in 1969 with stories from everyday people about their struggles and what the moon landing meant to them. I am just starting to collect those stories and could use your help.

I am looking for interesting, compelling stories about life in July 1969. Maybe you or someone you know has such a story to tell - maybe you worked at one of the NASA facilities (we're talking the everyday people: cafeteria workers, tour guides, public relations). Maybe you met with Apollo astronauts during that time or were at the launch. Maybe you were part of the history outside of the space program fighting for Civil Rights, women's equality, returning home from Vietnam, or protesting the war. Or maybe you were having a unique life experience during July 1969. 

If so, drop me a line on my website’s contact page. Just jot a brief note down about your story and if it fits I will be in contact.

So, the journey begins. I think this will be a fascinating one. I’ll keep you updated.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Here's Wishing You...

The countdown is on, only a few days left until Christmas. Is the excitement building in your house? How’s that holiday baking coming along? Better hurry!

It’s going to be a laid back holiday at the Cuhaj household this year. Oh, we have plans on having Christmas dinner with my daughter, her husband, and the grand kids but otherwise it’s going to be quiet. Old Archer T. Dog is still recovering from his TPLO knee surgery so we need to keep everything calm. I was thinking about decorating his kennel for the holiday with lights and all. The thing is so large that it takes up half the living room so we couldn’t put up a tree. I reconsidered. Although I could get one of those Star Shower Winter Wonderland Projectors and have an image of Santa dancing around the kennel! Too much, huh? J

There are big plans in the works here for 2018. I have lot more presentations and book signings firming up; the manuscript for the new book, “Best Dog Hikes Alabama”, will be completed; another new book, “Everyone’s Gone to the Moon”, should be wrapped up by years end; and of course, there are a lot of podcasts and videos planned for release.

I’m also working on finalizing plans for some events to aid animal shelters around the state to coincide with the release of “Best Dog Hikes” and will also be asking for your help with that new book about the first lunar landing (details in the next Blog entry).

This will be my last entry of 2017. We’ll pick it up again in January with more short stories, ramblings, outdoor recreation news, and more.

Before I take a break, though, a quick thought. It has been a crazy year. I know way too many people who have distanced themselves from their friends and, sadly, their own family because of political and racial differences. I hope that each one of you can feel the spirit of the season and learn to love and respect each other. THAT is what made this country. It’s called the “Melting Pot” for a reason, you know.

For me, personally, I wanted to thank all of you for your support over the years. I am truly humbled by the love you send my way not only by buying my books, reading my ramblings, and following my podcasts and videos, but also through the kind words you always send my way. Thank you!

So with that, I want to wish you and yours a Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

A Christmas Ramble

I just finished watching the annual showing of Rankin and Bass’ “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” with the Grandkids the other night. They love their Rudolph and I’ve got to say, after watching it for 50+ years, I still do, too.

When you’re a kid it seemed like that show went on forever. If you took out the commercials for Norelco shavers with Santa gliding down a snowy slope on a triple-header, the show lasted only 15 minutes.

Over the years I have quoted lines from Rudolph during conversations. For example when my grandson Stevie realizes he did something wrong I’ll call him a “humble Bumble” or when things aren’t going well at work I’ll shout out, “I want to be a dentist!” (It’s better than the alternative, a lumberjack, but then I’d have to break out in song.)

There is one quote I quickly learned to never say again. When something had to be done around the house like painting or mowing the yard and my family wanted to help I’d (jokingly) say, “NO! This is man’s work!” to which I would be summarily sent off to sleep in the shed for the night. It really was just a joke!

There is one thing that has bugged me over the years about Rudolph, though. On the Island of Misfit Toys there is a toy bird that can’t fly. During the closing credits we see an elf attaching umbrellas to toys so that they can float happily down to children waiting below. He does that for all of the toys except the bird that can’t fly! He drops the bird over the side!! Oh, the humanity!

I didn’t watch a lot of television when I was a kid. The bulk of my viewing was on wintery Saturday mornings when cartoons would run from 7am to noon and the only way you knew that it was time to go outside and play was when Johnny Quest came on. But it was different during the Christmas holiday. There were some amazing shows to watch.

As I mentioned before in another post our family was big into variety shows. The Andy Williams Christmas Special was a particular favorite of my Mom who loved that man in a sweater. I had a chance to interview Andy during my radio career and we talked maybe a minute about his new record and the next 20 minutes about his Christmas shows.

We would watch Bing Crosby religiously every year all the way up to 1977 when he recorded his last show with that amazing rendition of “Little Drummer Boy” featuring David Bowie. And Bob Hope was a regular draw when his special would showcase his USO tours at military bases in Vietnam.

But it wasn’t all variety shows. I loved all of the prime time kids shows, too. The thing about it, and you youngsters just won’t understand this, you only had one shot to catch your favorite show. There were no VCRs, DVRs, or Netflix. If you missed it, too bad. You’d have to wait until it came around the following year. That is IF it came around the following year.

A real favorite of mine was Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol with Mr. Magoo played by Thurston Howell III who was played by Jim Backus with that sad song that was sung when Scrooge was all by himself at school during the holidays, “I’m All Alone in the World.” Ugh. Teary eyed. And the beautiful song, “The Lord’s Bright Blessing” with Razzelberry Dressing. Razzelberry?

Of course there were all of those other Rankin and Bass productions – “A Year without a Santa Claus”, “Santa Claus is coming to Town”. But looking back on it now, was it the shows or the commercials I was into? Now those were fantastic and each year they armed me a 100,000 word Christmas list and a prayer that the Christmas tree would be overwhelmed by a bajillion “some assembly required” toys scattered around it.

Santa was usually kind to me and I’d always have a handful of neat toys. First thing on Christmas morning I’d run down and check my stocking that was thumb tacked to a cardboard fireplace with faux flames produced by red flickering lightbulbs inside. The stocking usually had the staples in it: an orange, apple, and maybe some nuts tossed in for good measure from the bowls of goodies that my Mom always adorned the living room coffee table with. It also had a small toy in it like the classic metal Slinky. Ugh, that thing frustrated me. We had carpeted stairs leading to the second floor of the house we were renting and the thing would always get caught on it. The commercial was right when it asked, “What walks down stairs…?” I had no idea. It sure wasn’t my Slinky.

The gang would gather up at around noon on Christmas Day to show off what Santa brought to the others. Maybe you remember some of these:

Mr. Machine: A red robot that looked like it was made of steel beams with gears. It didn’t do anything except walk aimlessly from one side of the room to the other with its mouth silently moving up and down.

Ideal’s Robot Commando: Now that was a hoot. A giant robot with swirly eyes that you could use to fling marbles at your sister with or shoot missiles from its head at people passing by. 

The Robot Commando was not to be confused with The Great Garloo: A hideous green giant of a remote controlled, albeit via cables, monster that could gingerly bring you a glass of Bosco.

Major Matt Mason, Mattell’s Man in Space: A rubbery doll for boys so they could dream of exploring the outer reaches of our galaxy. Comes complete with helmet. Space station and crawler vehicle sold separately.

I remember one year I got a Creepy Crawler set. This thing was one of the reasons they established safety regulations for kids toys. The kit came with solid metal plates that had the imprints of different bugs stamped in them. You would put a plate into the Creepy Crawler gadget that closely resembled a hot plate, fill the impression with Plastic Goop, then plug it in to the wall. Seriously! The plates would get ridiculously hot and turn the goop into a rubbery toy bug. Touch the plate while it was plugged in and your finger would turn more than rubbery.

Ah, those were the days back when playing with toys was an adventure.

But that's only the short list. There were plenty more: Mystery Date, Easy Bake Ovens, the ORIGINAL Troll Dolls, Satellite Jumping Shoes, and the list goes on and on.

How about you? Did you watch these commercials and dream of having these toys under your tree Christmas morning? Did you circle everything in the Sears Wish Book to let your folks and Santa know exactly what you wanted? 

I’d like to hear what your favorite toys from the past were. 

Next time, we'll crack open a few pages of the Sears Christmas Wish Books.