A to Z Challenge 2016: Zephyrhills

It is strange where blog topics come from especially in a challenge like the A to Z challenge. My topic today comes from a bottle of Spring Water.

I mentioned before I gave up sodas. However, in my day job I talk a lot. I don't know if it is just me but I have to drink a lot so my mouth doesn't dry up and voice crack or disappear. Water is my remedy.


Zephyrhills Spring water comes from a town called Zephyrhills which means pure water. The water comes from five Springs. The town is considered a suburb of Tampa. One of these Springs, Crystal Springs the company has turned into a 525 acre nature preserve. I can support that. Two of there Springs are within three hours from me.

Here is a picture from a small stream near a Spring in the Panhandle of Florida..



As you can see the water is very clear. Well that wraps up my A to Z Challenge for 2016. I will be back tomorrow with a Battle of the Bands post and I will have some more posts coming up in May!

A to Z Challenge: YouTube

I know some musicians like Prince were not fans of YouTube. I can understand why. On the other hand it does help some artists. As a entertainment writer I have found a video often helps an article. I think my blog would be much worse if it wasn't for YouTube.

After all "Video Killed The Radio Star"...

How would your blog be different without YouTube? I like to use it to discover new to me artists or if I am craving an artist and want to listen to their songs. I still buy CDs. Most of the CDs I buy, I buy directly from the artist. Do you still buy CDs, cassettes or albums? I miss record stores. I am rambling off topic into Yesteryear another Y topic though.

Other pros of YouTube is you can watch news footage, sports highlights, shows and videos of interest. What is the strangest thing you have watched on YouTube? Probably footage of Bob Marley's funeral is probably the strangest.

Well That's All Folks...

2016 A to Z Challenge: X for X-Ray

It is fitting to use X-Ray for X in my A to Z Challenge post as X-Ray stands for X in the phonetic alphabet. Let's have a little fun with some Mr. Bean...

The discovery of the X-Ray earned Wilhelm Rontgen the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901. Here is a quick video showing how X-Rays work...

If you visit Doctors, dentists, or airports you are familiar with X-Rays. Keeping it short and sweet, if not a little geeky today. Thanks for visiting and I will be back soon with a new post!

A to Z Challenge 2016: Wetlands

Wetlands are important me. I fish and check out the scenery in my local wetlands. In Louisiana the wetlands and the land is disappearing. Over the last two years I have supported some grassroots efforts by attending the Voice of the Wetlands Festival. As you know from reading my blog I love music. Combine music with a worthy cause which I support and you have a winning combination. Add in the fact my daughter has a blast each time I is a winning combination.

My local wetlands..



My daughter in the Louisiana Wetlands...



Alabama wetlands..




Here is Bill Nye the science guy talking about Wetlands..

Here s musician Tab Benoit talking about them..

A to Z Challenge: Vitalogy

Since I had my mid-month journey to see Pearl Jam it is only natural I blog about their third studio album Vitalogy released in 1994. The album sold over 5 million copies so it was pretty successful.

Highlights include Corduroy...

Spin the Black Circle...

Not for You

Better Man was probably the biggest hit...

What's your favorite song off this album? What' your favorite Pearl Jam song? Feel free to share. See you soon with a new post!

2016 A to Z Challenge: Underachieving and the A to Z Challenge

 It is the final week of the A to Z Challenge. Congratulations to all the participants who have made it this far! The final week will be challenging as these letters are little harder to find topics.

Today's topic for me is Underachieving and how it relates to the A to Z Challenge. First off I have been underachieving at the A to Z Challenge. You might say Mike you have had a post for each letter you aren't underachieving! However, I am.

I am underachieving at my visits to other blogs. I set a goal to make 300 visits, through yesterday I have 177 visits. I will reach my goal this week. Yes, I know you can visit after April ends. I will do that but those are in addition to my 300 goal.

I have underachieved at visiting bloggers that I don't already follow. I've done this challenge since 2011 so a lot of people I follow do the challenge which is great. It also means they are the blogs I usually visit first. I have stumbled out to a few new to me blogs but not enough for me.

How are you doing with the challenge? Are you underachieving at the challenge? How are your page views doing during the challenge? Please feel free to leave a comment.

Do you know anybody whose blog isn't get the results they hoped from the challenge? Do you have any recommendations for blogs I might enjoy visiting?

Well happy blogging! The end is near.

Battle of the Bands Results: Naked Eyes Win

 Naked Eyes won my Battle of the Bands for April 15. Voter turn out was low. There are lots of reasons for that. The artists weren't as famous as Animal. Where my Battle on the first benefited from the A to Z Challenge, I think this one was hindered since some of the usual suspects were busy with that challenge. Also, I posted it late in the day since I got a little twisted up with dates, letters and artists. Oh, well the Battle will go back to normal on May 1st.

We celebrate the victors on my blog so here is some ore music from The Naked Eyes!

"Promises, Promises"....

"Burning Bridges"....

"No Flowers Please"..

Thanks for visiting! I will kick off the final week of the A to Z Challenge with a new post in few.