“A Damn Fine Handshake” by Luke Austin Daugherty
A Damn Fine Handshake (An Original Poem Typecast)
My New Book “Love is the Middle”- Thoughts on Finishing Draft One
A picture my daughter, Lydia, took of me before I left to write this morning.
It was a very strange feeling that I had just minutes ago…
I have been working on the first draft of my new book, “Love is the Middle,” since January. It is the story of how my deceased father and I grew far apart during my teens and then restored our wanting relationship during my twenties. I also cover the few years after when we were very close, his battle with cancer before dying, and how I adjusted to life after his passing.
As my custom is for writing this book, I go to Steak ‘n Shake where Dad and I spent untold hours bullshitting over coffee after we became close again. 100% of my writing of this book has been done at various Steak ‘n Shake restaurants, spread out between two states. I have been writing the first draft since January of this year. Since I am not a full time writer, I work in writing sessions between running my own small business, being a husband, father, and singer/songwriter. The flexibility I have has lent itself well to being consistent with writing the new book over the course of the year. Other than during a much needed emotional hiatus from writing the book for a bit over the late summer, I have worked on it between one and three times per week all year.
It may seem strange to write such a personal book in public. I chose to do so for two reasons: 1. Being in the atmosphere of a place that my father and I spent so much time together has been crucial to facilitate the mood I need to tackle this book now that my dad has been dead for over five years 2. Since I am writing so many difficult and personal things for others to read (and hopefully learn and be encouraged from), I figured that it would be appropriate to do so in the company of my fellow humans.
Writing this book in public has not been without its difficulties. Nearly every writing session, I tackle something that makes me want to cry. I can never anticipate or predict what specifically will cause that. It just happens. As my face sometimes leaks a bit and I become visibly emotional, I trust that my fellow humans around will not judge me as too much of a weirdo.
When I left the house this morning, I was fully purposed. I knew that I was within perhaps only hundreds of words left to write to complete the first draft of the book. With my Harris Tweed overcoat on to protect me from the cold, November morning weather in Indiana and my fully-charged laptop in tow, I lit out from the house for a writing session. After arriving at Steak ‘n Shake, I popped up the book file in Word and started to review a bit of the last sessions text before jumping into a fresh writing session. As I did that this morning, I had a strange realization; other than some “afterword” type stuff that I will not write until the book is completely edited and proofed, the book is finished. Well, the first draft anyway.
And then it started to sink in. The book that I anticipated writing for five years, felt that I NEEDED to write, decided to tackle this year, and have now been working on for ten months… is finished. That took a moment to absorb.
I have cooked since I was very young. I love working on a tasty dish: adding the primary ingredients, adding a pinch of this, a dash of that, and tasting for flavor development as it goes. Then, at a certain point, you realize that the dish just tastes “right.” Everything that needs to be in it is in it. Adding anything else would mess it up. It takes maturity and experience as a cook to know when your dish is at that point. All you have to do then is let it finish simmering and serve it up for all to enjoy.
After I re-read the last half of what I wrote during my previous writing session, it hit me like a brick that this book is done. The bitter-sweet recipe is complete.
Not to be “all dressed up with nowhere to go” so to speak, I just decided to write a blog about finishing the book as I sip my hot coffee with one cream and one sugar 🙂
Writing, “Love is the Middle,” has been one of the most difficult and rewarding creative tasks that I have ever engaged in. Actually, it has been THE most difficult and rewarding creative task that I have ever engaged in. Now that draft one is finished, I look forward to the editing/proofing process that comes next, as well as formatting and graphics. Self-publishing is an adventure! I truly hope that when finished and published in print and online next year, “Love is the Middle,” will “grow legs” and walk around this world a bit. That would make me very happy.
All that said, for the last time reporting from Steak ‘n Shake- Luke
My Pick of the Week- 1970’s Lesco Leather Motorcycle Jacket-NEW WITH TAGS!
1970’s Lesco Leather motorcycle jacket- photo Luke Austin Daugherty
I have made a few trips out picking for my ebay store in the last week and I’ve found some great stuff! But, nothing cooler than this vintage biker jacket!
It is a 1970’s Lesco, leather biker jacket. It has a fitted/half-buckle waist, zip-up wrists, four front pockets, and a zip-out liner.
Even cooler than that… IT IS NEW WITH TAGS! That’s right, a never worn/original tags 70’s Lesco biker jacket! Size men’s Medium/38 chest. It is a dark, coffee bean brown.
This price on the tag is $129! Imagine that adjusted for around 40 years inflation!
Here is the link the ebay listing for it 70’s Lesco Motorcycle Jacket Ebay Listing
What is The Butterfly Flutter Project?
check it out! 🙂
A smiley face that my daughter, Lydia, drew for me
Life is busy these days and sometimes we forget to have an intentional impact on our fellow humans for the better. Yet, very tiny actions and subtle variations in approach can produce a positive impact on others, whether directly or in a nonlinear fashion. This concept is commonly known as, “The Butterfly Effect.” For a more scholarly breakdown on the Butterfly Effect, please visit this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect
I believe that you and I possess the ability to have a huge impact on our world via the consistent utilization of small, positive behaviors in daily life. We can create positive ripples in the sea of humanity that will travel far beyond what we will ever see.
The Butterfly Flutter Project aims to encourage humans to impact other humans for the better, via tiny acts of kindness that can have huge impacts. The…
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How to Make the Best, Easiest, Cheapest Quick Refrigerator Pickles
Ingredients for Quick Pickles – Photo: Luke Austin Daugherty
I don’t know about you, but I LOVE pickles! Not only that, but my wife and kids all love pickles! We can go through a jar of pickles in no time. By that, I mean if a new jar of pickles lasts more than an evening in our house, that jar of pickles should consider itself lucky 🙂
The trouble is, the really good pickles tend to cost anywhere between $3.99 and $5.49 per 24 oz jar. So, if you love to eat good pickles, it can be an expensive habit. You can get into canning pickles of course, but it can be a tedious process, expensive if you don’t have canning supplies, and not worth it just to make small batches.
Enter… THE REFRIGERATOR PICKLE!
We have been making these for years and have tweaked our recipe to find the easiest and cheapest way to make super-tasty pickles quickly in small batches at home.
What I am giving you here is my recipe for basic, but very tasty dill pickles. I will tell you some easy variations along the way. Also, I have tailored this recipe for a single batch of pickles made in a common 24 oz pickle, sauerkraut, or similar glass jar that you can reuse from another purchase. That way, you don’t have to spend extra money on a Mason jar.
You will need:
1. White Vinegar
2. Apple Cider Vinegar (this is optional, but I like the subtle flavor it adds)
3. Tap or bottled water
4. Kosher salt (regular table salt will work too if that is all you have)
5. Fresh garlic bulb
6. White sugar
7. Black pepper or pepper corns
8. A small white or yellow onion
9. One large cucumber (3/4 lb-1 lb) or two smaller
10. Fresh dill or dried dill seed
* You will also need a 24 oz glass jar/lid, a sharp knife, small pan, cutting board, one cup measure, and measuring spoons
Step One:
Mix together 6 oz of white vinegar, 6 oz of water, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 1/2 tbsp salt, and 2 1/2 tbsp sugar in a small pan. Heat the solution on medium and stir frequently to avoid scorching the sugar. (If you desire more sweet or salty, adjust the mix according to your tastes. Also, you can use all or part brown sugar instead of white)
quick pickles, step #1
quick pickles- step #1
Step Two:
While the solution is heating up, cut up all fresh ingredients, pack them tightly into the jar, and add the pepper/dill. I like to cut 1/3 of the cucumber into 1/8″ slices and 2/3 of the pickle into spears so I’ll have a mix of finger pickles and pickles for sandwiches. You can cut them any way you like.
Thinly slice about 1/2 of a small onion and chop about 3-4 cloves of garlic. After packing all the ingredients into the jar, sprinkle in 1/2 tsp of ground pepper or pepper corns, then add a few sprigs of fresh dill or 1 tsp of dill seeds.
You can also add a pinch of ground mustard, celery seed, sliced scallions, and/or thyme for complexity.
For “spicy pickles,” all you need to do is thinly slice one jalapeno and put in the jar. You’ll have TASTY spicy pickles that are of a medium heat.
quick pickles- step #2
Step three:
Your pickling solution should be done about the time you are finished putting the ingredients in the jar. Carefully, pour the hot solution into the jar. Make sure the ingredients are all covered with liquid, but leave about 1/4″ of space at the top of the jar. Let the jar cool to room temperature, then put it in the refrigerator overnight or until it is cold. Then, enjoy the best fridge pickles you ever had! Make sure to keep them refrigerated since they are not canned/sealed and not intended for room temperature storage.
Easy Refrigerator Pickles- Luke Austin Daugherty
If you are making pickles in a different sized jar, here is the easy way to judge how much water/vinegar you need to start with. If your jar is tightly packed with cucumbers, you will need about 1/2 the volume of the jar in vinegar/water. So if you were using a 1 qt. jar, you’d need 16 oz of solution total- 8 oz of water and 8 oz of white vinegar. Adjust all other ingredients accordingly.
Another thing you can do when you have eaten all the pickles is just add some more cucumbers to the solution. Since it isn’t hot when the cucumbers are added, you may want to let them sit for a couple days before eating for the solution to work into the cucumbers. The onions that are pickled also end up being very good on hamburgers or plain.
Happy pickle making! -Luke
Homeless Man Shares His Beautiful Melody on Piano- A Lesson on Humility and Compassion (Video)
The only real difference between a homeless person and a non-homeless person is a home. People with and without homes can have all the same wonderful personality traits as well as faults, successes as well as failures. Sometimes, people who find themselves homeless may have had great successes at times, but run up against an insurmountable problem that left them on the streets. Other times, addiction may be a driving force. Among all the reasons that a person ends up without a home, that person is just “us” in a different reality. Who knows if the shoe was on the other foot, that you or I would not be in the same situation or worse. Also, some people choose to live a transient lifestyle for more esoteric reasons rather than homelessness befalling them.
Some may protest, “BUT! Many of the homeless have problems and are on the streets because of their addictions to drugs and alcohol!” Sure enough. Some of the “homed” do as well. They just happen to have the luxury of their own roof over their head.
Last week, immediately after leaving the TEDx Indy convention, I met a guy on the street looking for work (honestly) who was homeless. I took him to grab some Steak ‘n Shake and we chatted for a while. I have done that same thing on multiple occasions before. I have never had a bad experience. It is rare for many men and women who find themselves living in shelters and on the streets to have a “homed” person relate to them with no condescension. Relating to a homeless person as your honest human equal is a great gift, not only to that person, but to yourself as it requires personal humility and perspective. What you may find when taking a bit of time out of your life to related to a homeless human is that, not only do you have something to offer them, but that they have experiences and friendship (even if very temporary) to offer you. I have had a few experiences with homeless people during my life that have left a positive, permanent mark on me.
I believe that the small, positive actions we share with our fellow humans can make a huge impact. Please visit my blog site, “The Butterfly Flutter Project,” at the link below for more information on having a direct, daily impact for the better. Also, check out this man sharing his melody on piano in the video above. His talents can brighten your day! Thanks for reading, sharing, and have a wonderful day! -Luke
The Butterfly Flutter Project
Happy Face drawing my daughter, Lydia, did for me
Please check out my new blog page, “The Butterfly Flutter Project.” It is singular of purpose and intended to inspire people to encourage others in their day to day life. I appreciate you checking it out and sharing! Just click the link below. My main blog here will remain my primary blog and will be updated regularly with new posts, poetry, and articles as always.
NYPD Transit Authority Cops Assault/Arrest Legal Guitar Player (Video)
Given the current state of authoritarian Cop Culture in the USA, would you expect anything less than this? That being, the wasted use of police resources at the expense of an unjustified arrest to appease the self-important, egotistical whims of an NYPD Transit cop. At the end of the day though, if you escape a run-in with the law in America and don’t end up shot or beaten, you can count yourself lucky. Merely being unlawfully arrested or given an unjustified ticket or fine is nigh to desirable given the experiences that many US citizens have with law enforcement officers (corporate code enforcement servants) in American weekly. There are plenty of dangerous criminals out there, of course. Yet, regular citizens going about their business are often treated as dangerous criminals.
I have personally been illegally searched before under my protest by aggressive law enforcement officers. I give kudos to singer/musician, Andrew Kalleen, for knowing the law, asserting the law, and standing his ground. Though, after he had proven his case, he was still forcefully cuffed and arrested by a chagrined gaggle of cops…
For more information, please refer to the article below:
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on Columbus Day (video)
Hilarious, yet informative.
Take that Pence… Gay Marriage for Indiana
DING DONG! THE WITCH IS DEAD! The appeal by the Pence administration to overturn gay marriage in Indiana has failed. Gay couples MUST be allowed to marry in Indiana 🙂
I am very happy for my fellow Hoosiers who are LGBT and their newly affirmed legal ability to marry. I used to actually be on the other side of this issue. To read my story of what caused me to change my mind, please read this previous blog (and please share):
I also expect the obvious trolling by fundamentalist about how our State has gone the way of Sodom and Gomorrah now, destined to be rained upon by supernatural judgement. Get over it peeps…
By the way, I am an ordained “Universal Life Church” minister and can legally perform marriages in Indiana. If you are an LGBT couple in my area (Central Indiana) and are having a hard time finding a minister to solemnize your marriage, shoot me a message. I would be glad to provide a simple non-religious/secular ceremony for you if our schedules allow. It can be penance for my former bigotry.
Luke Austin Daugherty 