BlogDogIt

I have always liked the Town of Oaklandon, Indiana. In the late 1970's I was employed by Lawrence Parks Department and was often tasked with mowing the grass, picking up litter and emptying trash barrels at the Oaklandon Road "Play Park" (beneath the landmark water tower on the corner of Broadway Street.) Many years ago my wife and I had the chance to move out of the Near East Side of Indianapolis and found a charming "fixer-upper" in Oaklandon and continue to enjoy this town.

From what I have been able to gather, Oaklandon, Indiana has a very interesting history. However, it has not been very easy finding specific information about our town on the internet. It occurs to me that fellow community members might never learn many of the interesting facts about our community due to the disbursed nature of available information. I have decided to create this website as a way to consolidate the available information and hopefully learn more in my quest to build and maintain this website. It is my sincere hope that you might find it useful and entertaining.

Thank you for checking out the website. Visit Historic Oaklandon and environs when you get the chance and experience the home-town vibe for yourself.

http://oaklandon.deburger.com/

It may not have been common knowledge but I have long been a fan of the Dubstep / Trance / Trap sound. From my early days of collecting CMF and MOD files through the BBS's I have often found myself absorbed in the enjoyment of the strangely comforting demonstrations of digitally derived sounds.

When I discovered the many works of ZealFied (Hassaan Tariq) I was drawn as a moth to a flame. ZealFied offers a broad spectrum of sound files featuring, fresh, finished arrangements that suggest to me a devoted artist worthy of following. Thanks to Soundcloud, ZealFied has developed a ready platform to share these jewels.

Equally as appealing are the associated graphic images for his articles. It was the desire to share these images that "sealed the deal" for shining the BlogDogIt Spotlight on this incredible talent. Found tucked away on the Pakistani edge of the World Wide Web; I am glad to share this discovery with you. 

Enjoy!

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/zealfied/

Tumblr: http://zealfied.tumblr.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZealFied.DJ

There are somewhere in the neighborhood of a bazillion content aggregators and/or click-bait farms. It does not take  a long exploration of those types of sites before you must only conclude they are in it for the money. It's your clicks putting money into their coffers. Quite often you will discover that time spent at such websites only results in a time loss you will never get back; as you seek to learn the facts of a story that may never deliver in any way, shape, manner or form, as suggested by the hyperbola designed to draw you in to a cyber-world likely created by robotic harvesters of all that the internet has to offer (and not in a good way.)

I would never say that there is anything wrong with sharing content found on the internet. In fact, if not for the practice BlogDogIt would feature far fewer posts and be way more boring. The difference between the run of the mill content aggregator and your truly is I only share those things of interest to me, with the sincere hope they will be of interest to you. Those who follow BlogDogIt with any degree of regularity will know this to be true. You will also know that discoveries I share tend to be from off the beaten path (and occasionally, simply off-beat.)

Ever since I shared the LonelyBlogs blog feed community with you I have made it a practice to regularly visit the site - mostly to admire the BlogDogIt link consistently appearing among the "Top promoters" of LonelyBlogs.com (shameless, I know.)

In my many visits to that feed page I have noticed quite a few prolifically posting bloggers - many of which I have started visiting on a somewhat regular basis. Among these there has been one particular blogger that I have actually come to be actively on the lookout for because - without fail - I have found his post to be entertaining, informative, interesting and/or unique. I am referring to the internet explorer Renard Moreau and his "exuberant" blog "The Chronicles Of Renard." Billed as "A Happy Exploration of the Blogosphere" it is easy to see why his approach to blogging strikes a chord with that which I purport to purvey.

The topic selections on "The Chronicles Of Renard" are as varied as they are voluminous and include Blogging Advice, Technology, Music, News, Entertainment News, Sports News, Photography, Health and much more. Renard's philosophy on content selection tends to favor the "evergreen" which means "The Chronicles Of Renard" is an awesome place to dig for gold. The mere fact that this prolific explorer of the inter-webs has been at it since 2013 means, this my friends is a mother-lode.

It is a Blogger blog platform utilizing Disqus commenting - so it is not your 'old-shoe' wordpress site - but get in there and get involved. If you find something that interest you (which will probably be the result of the first page-load) leave Mr. Renard a comment (he will appreciate that and very likely tell you so.) Tell him BlogDogIt sent you... that's what I'd do anyway.

Why not visit The Chronicles Of Renard today?

UPDATED BLOG URL: https://renardsworld.wordpress.com/
 

When you say you are giving someone the benefit of the doubt aren't you really saying that you doubt them but in a way you want to believe? That is really a skeptical outlook - sort of - I'll admit that. But when I first started following the exploits of Mikhael Ro I had doubts. I am not actually even sure how I came to click the "subscribe button" on his YouTube Channel.  However, I have made it a point to check out his videos as they get posted because - well, because... - let's just say - I do, okay? It was not until he presented his groundbreaking documentary titled "Vacuuming a Bed" did I know for sure that this was going to be a channel to watch.

I have no doubt that this video is the only video of vacuuming a bed I have ever come across on the internet. I am sure I could probably come up with another if I resorted to some of those highly overrated search engine sites but thanks to the bold initiative demonstrated by Mikhael Ro I cannot ever imagine resorting to any such search. I suspect this video on vacuuming a bed to be the pinnacle of this rather unique art form.

Kudos Mr. Ro! I only hope your assistant (featured in this clip) sees fit to return to you the valuable treasure you recovered while producing this film; I must say you have earned it (and more!) You have certainly earned the BlogDogIt Spotlight and all the popularity, pride and prestige that is sure to come your way as a result.

Please enjoy the video embedded below:

You have to understand folks, that household chore videos are not the everyday fare of this up and coming vlogger but this offering should let us all know - in no uncertain terms - that Mikhael Ro has a camera and is not afraid to use it in his quest to take the internet by storm. Visit his little corner of the World Wide Web and let him take you around Tampa and environs to show you the sights. Take virtual hold of his MagicBand pass to Disney World and see what a guy who has practically grown up in the park points his lens toward while there.

You can (and should) follow Mikhael Ro on the following:
YouTube
Wordpress
Google +
Twitter
 

With literally countless podcasts available throughout the internet it's always a wonder that you ever come across one you really, truly want to follow. You know what I mean...

I have been a subscriber to the Graham Mack YouTube Channel  for several months now and it occurs to me that this guy needs more followers and you guys need more craic-ing.

The Graham Mack avenue of internet exploration is one I highly advise all aficionados of funny to follow, pursue and peruse. With that: BlogDogIt shines its Spotlight on "Mack's Craic" - the blog portion of the Graham Mack Media Empire.

So who is this Graham Mack fellow?

Graham is the Program Director and Breakfast Show host at BOB fm  in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Bucking-hamshire.

It all started one day in 1991 when he was working as an an air-conditioning engineer in Sydney Australia. He came home from work and said to his wife, “I’ve had the radio on in the van today; I reckon I could do that!”

Read more from the Graham Mack - Bio

Enough with the facts, let's get on with the show...

Now Get Craicing!:

https://grahammack.wordpress.com/
@GrahamMack
http://www.mackmedia.co.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/user/mackmedialimited
http://www.bobfm.co.uk/on-air/breakfast/

While checking-in on How To Become A Hacker  by Eric Steven Raymond  (via the glider link in the footer of this site,) I was pleased to see a new addition to the file as noted in its Revision History:

One visit to "Let's Go Larval" and I could see why ESR found it necessary to update his page on How To Become A Hacker and so - likewise - we shine the BlogDogIt spotlight on this diamond-in-the-rough, upstart hacker. Geeks of every stripe will appreciate the skillz on display by Rebekah Yoder in her blog project which she bills as: "Adventures in programming from a Linux/Mac perspective. Half how-to, half me talking to myself."

Jim the Penguin is an original creation by Rebekah and CC BY-SA licensed - in keeping with the hacker/open-source spirit. Click on that fellow below to enter the larval-stage  as this particular programmer publicly passes through her pupal stage in pursuit of her goal of becoming a developer extraordinaire.

BlogDogIt will be "going larval" and joins Rebekah in inviting you to do the same...

Enjoy!

Jim the Linux Penguin by Rebekah Yoder is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

In all my years of blogging I have never had anyone flat-out ask me to share their work with the readers BlogDogIt.com until I came across Barry Wax and his blog called "Short Stories by Barry Wax." Barry Wax is a colorful figure of a man whose work with words runs the gamut from humor and poetry to politics and free-association thinking out-loud prose. A labor of love to be sure!

I do enjoy sharing interesting discoveries - that much is a fact known by all who frequent this place - so I told Barry I would poke around his prolific pile of posting and pick something particularly pleasing. I found the following poem to be a prime example of Mr. Wax's way with words and hope that you enjoy...

The Dawning of Manhood - by Barry Wax

It hides in the lair asleep for many years,
Undisturbed and waiting heightened by the fears.

Timid at first and now reigning with desire,
A growing ember of light and fire.

The emotions driven by hormones mixed to extreme,
That and feeling of rejections and things done that were mean.

Boiling in a pot and stewing with time,
It was the perfect scenario of things to come, the sign.

And then the crisis and the mixture of dread,
All senses at high alert and a tortured human now fed.

Fed up with the role he played for the cat and the fiddle,
Fed up with the sitting on the post as a child in the middle.

He took a stand and blurted out the words he would soon regret,
Words with emotion and boiling over, the words he wanted to forget.

And once said he felt the weight taken off his back,
He stood straight and tall and that sir is the fact.

A man you say, a man ready for the road ahead,
A man who now was prepared although there was some dread,

You cannot go back as it is now written on the wall,
Come to grips with the responsibility of your standing,
stand tall.

Illustration: "Manhood" by masodo@BlogDogIt

A prime example of the many benefits in supporting and promoting independent filmmakers came to me a little while back in the form of a new twitter follower by the name of  Kyle Hester.

A visit to Kyle's twitter feed will show him in a relentless promotion of his latest Acting / Producing project Burden of Freedom, which promises a gripping story in support of PTSD awareness. You should check out the film's Sizzle Reel/Preview and support the project via their GoFundMe efforts, if you are so inclined.

It was through this vein of exploration that I happened upon Mr. Hester's Acting Reel and therein discovered a sparkling gem of a short film:

A Day in the Life of Plain Jen...

You may take the girl out of Chicago but you will never
take Chicago out of the girl.

Jen is set in her ways even after relocating, but ultimately gives in to her cousin / coworker's coaxing to glam it up in an effort to join the West-Coast "in" crowd. Jen is portrayed by the film's writer and producer  Carrie Lynn Certa; a role that seems as comfortable as an old pair of sneakers for this very talented actress. Of course the character draws heavily on Carrie's own personality and as such results in a completely believable portrayal. Small wonder then that A Day in the Life of Plain Jen and Carrie Lynn Certa (Ursa Productions) were awarded the 2011 Accolade Competition's Award of Excellence for Leading Actor.

Kyle Hester offers up a note-worthy performance himself as Matthew, Jen's primary "plot complication." Together this match-up results in an explosive "chemical" reaction that leaves jaws, walls and furniture arrangements feeling the effects of their having come together. This action packed short film is expertly produced with precious little indicators of its independent origins.

Having seen the behind the scenes reel prior to watching the actual finished production I probably did myself no favors - beyond getting to know the cast and crew a little bit better, going in - but it was all the motivation I needed to seek out this brilliant example of independent cinema and I am so glad I did.

This was a very entertaining diversion and great fun to watch. I regret that I came to this creation too late to catch it on the festival circuit but I have no doubt that every screening room was witness to a smiling public exiting afterward convinced they had just experienced some 21 minutes well spent.

Thanks to Kyle Hester and  Vimeo I can happily encourage you to treat yourself to this inspired work of art.

Enjoy!

The Video: https://vimeo.com/27131607

Now, don't miss: BTS: A Day in the Life of Plain Jen

#supportindiefilm

I am just watching the game,
sometimes hunting for the right moment.
You can find me in each and every
capture I make. - G. Dvornik

My previous post featured compelling image and words by Hungarian Photographer Gabor Dvornik as originally shared with Kendall Person's "The Neighborhood" Blog.

The collection of images shared to the world by this creative genius is as staggering as it is captivating. I implore you to treat your eyes, your mind, your heart and your soul to his extraordinary work.

You say you don't have the time for Gabor Dvornik? You do now...

Enjoy!

The Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNVJ07W9kZ0

The Links:

@GaborDvornik
WIX
YouTube
PHOTODOM

Toronto may not seem a likely spot for top-quality lemon production but when the Lemon is Nicholas and the production is a Lemon Productions creation, I don't think "top-quality" is too strong a term.

I happened upon Nicholas quite on purpose during some friendly investigating of my Twitter followers. It will come as no surprise to the regular follower of BlogDogIt that I like to see who my followers are following because if they have the good taste to follow these humble efforts then the chances are good that others they follow may be worth checking out (maybe even following.)

The universe has been directing me toward the high art of puppetry of late so when I came upon Lemon Productions I was compelled to have a closer look. What I found was a very dedicated and talented Nicholas Lemon offering his services via social media in an understated manner that suggested he was an established craftsman and genuinely interested is sharing his passions. No doubt about it (as it turns out...)

Here is an excerpt from the "About" page of his official website [LemonProductionsInc.com]:

In 1994 at the age of 14, Nicholas Lemon co-founded Lemon Productions, a live touring company. For more than ten years, this company toured Ontario providing countless live puppet performances. Using a camera linked to monitors, to enable the puppeteers to see what the audience was seeing, along with full sound equipment, lights and special effects, it was possible to not only entertain small intimate groups but, also to stage productions for audiences of 700 or more. Having a concern for the wellbeing of young people and wanting to be a positive role model, plus the fact that the scripts were written by the company, allowed them to fit the specific needs of schools, corporations, community groups, special events, etc. 
--- More ---

I'll just let Nicholas set-up the following embedded clip...

Story behind the film:

I've always been fascinated with old school comedy and the pure silliness that it holds. It's a perfect jumping-off point for a character to show their personality.

Kevin and Herkimer are two vaudeville comics (and brothers) spending the rest of their lives in Purgatory because they "borrowed" the lookout's binoculars on the Titanic and forgot to put them back. Not to mention that they worked that material into their act upon arrival in New York).

So, they have been charged with entertaining Seven Circles of Hell...albeit with the same level of comedy skills they had when they were alive.

Dante's Cabaret Night 2

UPDATE: Unfortunately The Featured Video is no longer available. In its place is this Keven and Herkimer act - while not as good as the one originally featured, it should give you the idea...

UPDATE: Another Keven and Herkimer act has been made available - still not the originally featured bit but getting there :/...

The Links:

Official Website
YouTube Channel
YouTube Channel
FaceBook
Twitter
Instagram