How to Be Smarter Than People Smarter Than You

And here’s one more:

Planning to win, you’ll find this useful.http://mybook.to/DoTheThing

Buy the book Do the Thing to do the things.

“Great stress relief advice from someone who’s been there All sorts of great stress relief advice culled from many disparate sources and delivered in a friendly, honest, personal and relatable voice. Something here for everyone.

“A pot-pourri of tips, tricks, and strategies for combating all manner of stress and strain in your life. Chute draws from a wide array of social, psychological, technological, and religious fields to help the reader both understand and manage the daily struggle of modern life”

William Shatner did a lot of things but he’s forever Captain James T. Kirk: A question to ponder

Today, a special question. Normally this would be a podcast day. However, I’ve run out of storage space on my Libsyn plan for this month. (New podcast next week!) I have a piece for you that’s crowd-tested and audience-approved. I posted the question below on Facebook this week and I got so much love for it I decided it’s podcast-replacement worthy! 

FYI: To help out with bandwidth costs, please consider reaping the rewards of sponsorship or click the Become a Patron button to see your rewards.

And now, a little life story and a question to ponder…

On my mother’s first day of school she was called to the front to tell the class her name. She was too shy and refused to move from her seat. The teacher decided to make an example of her and tried to beat her with a leather strap. Then the fight began. “It took two teachers to do it” she said. “Two adults against one little girl on her first day of school.”

Mom smiled when she told that story because she came out right and righteous, a fighter. She didn’t frighten easy. She feared for her children. For herself, she kept anger close by and fury to spare in her pocket.

My mom’s birthday would have been a few days ago. Interesting life. She saved many lives, first as a lifeguard and then as a nurse. She wanted to be a psychiatrist but the times and circumstance stood in her way. Hers was the only Irish Catholic family in town when that was a big deal. They were poor and she stayed poor for a long time. Her mother died when she was five and that loss seemed to define her though she never expressed how. As a nurse, my mother saw many terrible things. Later, she traveled the world and saw many wonderful things. She took the good and bad in each hand and neither weight was heavier. She took it all for what it was (a skill I never learned. Bad weighs heavier with me.)

She married, had three children, became a businessperson, a small town politician and, in her later years, a successful investor. Her stock broker called her for tips. As she hung up on him, she said, “What are you calling me for? I’m just a little old lady!” But she was never “just” anything.

Her favorite car was an old Army Jeep. She hated showing any weakness. She lost a toe to a lawnmower. She giggled a lot. A mysterious tropical virus robbed her of her athleticism and the full use of one leg. She read to me a lot when I was little but I don’t remember that. When I became a teen we fought, almost constantly it seemed to me. We didn’t agree on much, ever. When I made her laugh hard, tears escaped her eyes. I do the same when I laugh really hard. I can hold a burning hot grudge, just like mom, too.

The last time I saw her alive she seemed furious that she was dying. Lung cancer. She hated smoking and had never smoked. Fifteen percent of lung cancer patients suffer the punishment without ever tasting nicotine’s pleasure. She hated the unfairness of that.

We never talked about her looming demise. To acknowledge the end would make it real. The whole family stood by our unspoken agreement to never admit she was mortal. I hope she arrived at peace with it. I like to think so. With her last breath, she waved goodbye.

Six thousand, three hundred and sixteen people die each hour. I don’t believe in heaven or hell. I believe what we do matters while we’re here and that’s pretty much all we have. I curse the days I fail to make a day count for something. When what I do matters, in some small way, Edith Chute’s parade marches on.

I wasn’t there for one of her most shining moments. She didn’t back down when a local minister arrived at her doorstep to try to shut down free speech, freedom and art. I’m most proud of her for that one moment above all others, I think. In my mind’s eye, I see her: tiny, feet planted, hands on hips and jaw set in defiance. Nobody would ever bully her, not a self-righteous minister or two teachers with a leather strap.

Funny how one moment can define us, isn’t it? Terrifying, too.

Out of a whole life, the people who know and love you will remember you most for one thing.

What will your one thing be?

 

 

Do the Scrunchy Thing!


Welcome to the All That Chazz Stress Relief Podcast, now available on iTunes!

I’d love to get the revamp of the show recognized as new and noteworthy so please take a moment to review the podcast. That helps people dig my stress management vibe.

(If you’re reading this text at AllThatChazz.com and can’t see the mp3 player, open the Read more tab below.)

On today’s podcast, I have another podcast recommendation. I’ll teach you the wonders of the scapular slide and we’ll do a short exercise in progressive muscle relaxation combined with a breathing visualization to help you fall asleep tonight.

 

The show is brought to you by the companion book, Do the Thing! 

You’ll find lots more ideas to manage your time, stress, pain and energy in my book, Do the Thing! The Last Stress Management Book You’ll Ever Need.

Available here:

Amazon US

Amazon Canada

Amazon UK

If you dig the plethora of tools, tips and tricks in Do the Thing!, please review it. 

Find all books by this author at AllThatChazz.com.

Hey! Don’t take health advice from a podcaster. If you are in pain or otherwise in need, please consult a healthcare professional, of course! 

Music credits:

“Easy Lemon (30 second)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

“Easy Lemon (60 second)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

~ Robert Chazz Chute is a former journalist, an award winning writer, podcaster and manual therapist who works in stress and pain management. He is the author of more than twenty books, including crime thrillers, science fiction, horror and two short story anthologies. Check out his books in the links to the right. Enjoy!

Do the Stress Relief Thing!

(If the media player above does not work in your browser, click here for the direct download link from my host, Libsyn.)

In this relaunch of the All That Chazz Podcast, we’re focusing on what’s most useful to you: stress management, pain relief, boosting energy and controlling your time. This podcast is a complement to my book, Do the Thing! 

Most folks know me as a sci-fi and horror author. However, I’ve worked in injury rehabilitation and stress management as a Registered Massage Therapist for about 24 years now. You’ll find lots of tips and tricks about the connection between posture and pain, stretching, simple exercise and general life management in Do the Thing! (available at Amazon as an ebook and paperback.) I try to make all my suggestions cheap or free and always easy.

In this first episode of the podcast revamp, I’m focussing on visualization. If you need to relax, to sleep or to ease your pain, check out this episode.

Please remember that this podcast cannot take the place of a proper medical consultation. Don’t take medical advice from a podcast. Get regular medical checkups and see a doctor if you have pain, experience changes you can’t explain or if any pain persists. That should cover it. 🙂

Music credit:

“Dreams Become Real” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Three Quick Weight Loss Tips


Hi! Today on the All That Chazz podcast, the journey continues with three quick tips about bread, sleep and when to exercise. I’m not a trainer or a doctor. I’m just a fat guy getting thinner. Join me.

Today’s podcast is sponsored by The End of the World As I Know It by your host, Robert Chazz Chute. It’s a very Buffy the Vampire Slayer sort of series and this is Book Two (after The Haunting Lessons.) 

Pick up The Haunting Lessons, Book One of the Ghosts and Demons Series, here: http://amzn.to/1xZTGgo.

Pre-order The End of the World As I Know It here: http://amzn.to/19JbDE4.

Thanks for supporting me and the podcast!

~ Chazz

 

The Pain and My New Commitments to You

In this post, I’m going to cover a couple of cool things you may want to be involved in. It’s about a new show, a new book and a new life for both of us.

What you might now know about me is, in addition to writing crime novels and dark fantasy, I’m a Registered Massage Therapist with over 20 years experience in injury rehabilitation and the treatment of disease conditions. (See?)

I work at being an RMT part-time to cobble together an income that finances my writing. At the moment, I’m working very little and things are looking pretty bad. It turns out, I have to work on myself to save myself from myself. I’m going to help you save yourself, too. Here’s what happened:

The Twist

A couple of weeks ago I was home alone. Naturally, since no one could see me, I cranked up some tunes and worked on getting some exercise. Writing is incredibly sedentary so I have to work out when I can. Two minutes later, I twisted my knee by dancing too hard.

Ow. How ridiculous. And OW!

So…shit. Now what? I suspect it’s a medial meniscus tear. Basically, that’s the cushion in the knee and my cushion isn’t working right. The pain has been so bad sometimes that I sweat. Sleep is elusive. When the pain gets intolerable, I use a cane.

Next on the menu: painkillers, ice, chiropractic, exercise, alignment techniques, manual therapy, bracing, cupping, heat and kinesiotape. Turmeric supplements (and lots of the natural spice) helps with joint inflammation. Analgesic creams aren’t touching the pain at all. I can normally squat the whole rack at the gym but I don’t dare do that right now. In fact, the stairs up to the weight room are intimidating and I have to be very careful.

I saw the doc today.

An X-ray and MRI is scheduled. It’s up to me to rehab my way out of trouble before a surgeon decides to get in there with flamethrowers, holy water and hot pokers. There’s ultrasound at my clinic and my friend the chiropractor is excellent, too. Arthroscopy isn’t as popular a solution as it once was, but I’m hoping the answer to my pain will be nothing more than rehabilitative exercise. Fortunately, I’m an expert in that.

Working my way out of pain is one of my part-time jobs now.

It doesn’t pay, but it’s going to feel great to be healthy again. In fact, I’m aiming for more than just going back to normal. I want to be super again. Doesn’t everybody want to feel super? My goals include weight loss (also great for knees and osteoarthritis) and a healthier, more active lifestyle. That can be hard for a writer who often sits still for hours at a time. However, I’ve got a plan for that and it’s already in action. No whining necessary!

I’ve still got writing projects going and collaborators and readers depending on me. My collaborators are patient, but I’m not.

A couple of part-time gigs are in the works to try to make ends meet. Standing at a massage table all day is too much pain at the moment, so I’m off that work for now. I’m dedicating a huge chunk of each day to try to fix my damn knee quickly. However, my plans are bigger than one knee. I’m thinking about your knees, too.

THE PROJECTS

Book sales have tapered off lately so I have to get the next book in the Ghosts & Demons Series revised, edited and beta read etc. and out there! I’m pretty close to finished with the book. Number two in the series is called The End of the World As I Know It and I’m really happy with it. It’s got jokes, action and swordplay galore. Very Buffy.

I am asking for help, but I also plan to give more help. (More on that below.)

If you can spot a typo at arm’s length or shoot an arrow through a plot hole at twenty paces, please join my Steel Falcon Beta Read Team. You’ll get a first look at what happens to Tamara Smythe in the demon apocalypse and laugh your ass off, too. If you want to join the Choir Invisible, just email me at expartepress [AT] gmail [DOT] com with the subject line: STEEL FALCON.

Please note: If you haven’t read The Haunting Lessons (the first book in the series) yet, that’s okay. Your help as a beta reader is appreciated immensely and you’ll get acknowledgement in the book, too.

Now, about that love and joy I’m going to spread around:

Very soon, I’ll launch a health program with daily updates for anyone who cares to follow. I’m hammering out details now, but this is about exercise, eating right and accountability. It’ll involve reports on my progress, exercise tips and tricks to get healthier. This is for me because I need to get on track, but it’s also for readers, viewers and a lot of people I don’t know. Everyone needs to eat and act healthy. I’ll lead by example and report the truth of my successes and failures. I’ll measure every mile of the journey. The reports will keep me on track and I hope they inspire you.

Soon you’ll see posts from me on Vine, Instagram and here, at AllThatChazz.com. Subscribe if’n you ain’t already!

If you’re on the Fitbit, go to Fitbit.com, find Chazz (me!) and be my friend there to kick things off.

This commitment will bleed over to the All That Chazz podcast, as well. This post is already too long, so I’ll talk about that in the next podcast.

How about it?

 Join the fight to live healthier every day. Join me. I’ll share my struggle and encourage you in yours. Soon, I’ll get my health, my job and life back. This isn’t the end. It’s the speed bump before a new beginning. I believe in beginning again. Do you?

~ Steel Falconers: email me at expartepress [AT] gmail [DOT] com.

The rest of you, get a good pair of sneakers out and get a fitbit. First goal: Get at least 10,000 steps every day. I’ll catch up to you soon, and I won’t be hobbling around on a cane!

PODCAST: The Usual Suspects Edition

Hi! Been away a while. Sorry about that. Back on track for 2015 as we come close to finishing the author reading of Higher Than Jesus. Hate my reading? Buy it through AllThatChazz.com!

Where have I been? I’ve been publishing books. If crime novels are your thing, the third in the Hit Man Series is Hollywood Jesus. You’ll also want to check out Intense Violence, Bizarre Themes, my autobiographical crime novel.

If you enjoyed This Plague of Days, you’ll enjoy my latest books, The Haunting Lessons. It’s eighty-one lessons on how to survive the coming Armageddon, all through the eyes of a nice girl from Iowa with some special talents. Do check it out. 

Just two chapters left in Higher Than Jesus. Stay tuned!

Also, don’t forget @Rsawatsky and the #DudeNeedsAKidney campaign. Russ Sawatsky’s website is kidneyforruss.wordpress.com.

And don’t forget to visit out sponsor, Kit Foster of KitFosterDesign.com, for all your graphic design needs.

Cheers!

~ Chazz