Beware the “Myster Shopper” email scam

Beware the “Myster Shopper” email scam

Posted inRandom Musings
My email filters are usually pretty good at catching nonsense like this. Yours probably are, too. This one got through, however, so I thought I'd toss it out there, even if only so that other people Googling to see if it's legit will have more information to go on. The scam starts with an email, such as this one I just got titled "Welcome to Mystery Shoppers" From info_tech01@email.utah.edu JOB DESCRIPTION: 1. You will receive funds for the task. 2. You will receive instructions for the task you via email in the location and details of the task. 3. You must…
Puddles Pity Party is the greatest show on Earth

Puddles Pity Party is the greatest show on Earth

Posted inMusic, Random Musings
Last night, I watched a gigantic clown chew gum and sing "Under Pressure" while forcing an audience member to eat pastries. It was the greatest. I'm talking about Puddles of Puddles Pity Party, and if you don't remember the name, you'll probably remember the sight of him from his viral collaboration with Postmodern Jukebox: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmCJEehYtU   Yeah, that guy. Toweringly tall, decked out in black and white garb, and projecting an air of detached sadness as he eases through a pop song with a disturbingly powerful voice. Based on stuff like this and his Sia cover with the same group…
How I almost forgot why I write (and how I got back on track)

How I almost forgot why I write (and how I got back on track)

Posted inRandom Musings, Writing
It's easy to lose sight of why you write. For about two years now, I've worked full-time as a freelance writer and social media marketer, penning corporate blogs, articles for SEO specialists, the occasional news story, website copy, and whatever else people will pay me to write. I've done freelance work on the side for many years, but that switch in autumn 2014 was a big plunge into icy cold water. It hasn't always been easy. The money mostly sucks, the workload is hot and cold, the guilt can be crushing, people often don't want to pay you or they…
The clock is ticking. I’m going to die. Dammit.

The clock is ticking. I’m going to die. Dammit.

Posted inRandom Musings, Rants
Not too long ago, I was hanging with a good friend a mine. It was the usual hanging out thing, which in my world means sitting on your hemorrhoids, drinking beer, and talking bad about puppies. He's 82. Christ! 82! I can't even imagine what that is like (but I'm starting to be able to). Anyway, we're having a beer and watching other friends do manual labor. As we relax, he tells me a story about a phone call his wife got. Their house got destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. It has since been rebuilt, but some dudes called or something…
Is there still an interest in Hurricane Sandy survival stories?

Is there still an interest in Hurricane Sandy survival stories?

Posted inRandom Musings, Works by Eric, Writing
The title question is a legitimate question, and one I want an answer to for legit, tangible reasons. It's not just because I have a personal experience with the storm, though as this video taken from my bedroom window will tell you, I do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-OHXf3nQzM It is not because I lived it -- LOADS of people did, and a great many had far, far worse experiences than I did -- but because I devoted a lot of time to talking to people and writing about their experiences, and I'd like to see that material see the light of day. Years ago, I…