Newsletter

Art I’ve Found

Sarira Merikhi

Sarira describes herself as a visual artist creating art in a digital lithography style. Her works tell stories, and are often times part of a collection that will re-imagine old tales into beautiful works of art.

Read wonderful tales and see beautiful art when you find Sarira at:
LinkTree
X (Twitter)
Instagram

My Art

How Was Your Day

I remember I had my beer, and Milo was looking at me. I thought it would be a funny picture to put him on the dining room chair as if he were at the table.

He did not seem to enjoy the experience as much as I did.

I miss Milo.

Music I’ve Found

Golden – K-Pop Demon Hunters

Okay, this song isn’t new, the video has over 550 million, yes, million, views.

I also read in a singing group on Reddit about how difficult the song is to sing. Sadly, my bass voice has no chance of getting near the A5 high note, which is really high.

P.S. It’s a really good soundtrack to have on when you are cleaning the house.

My Dorky Song

The Anticipation

It doesn’t take much to excite me, like telling me you are stopping by with donuts.

• YouTube

One More Thing…

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu

If you go to New Zealand, good luck plugging this town name into your navigation!

Art I’ve Found

Amber Vittoria

Amber is an artist who uses color to express emotions. Sometimes rainbow colors will abound, sometimes things will look like scribbles until you look deeper. She lets her emotions feed her work, and as you drift between the collections, you can those feelings through her art.

Don’t just scroll past the pieces, absorb them to make you feel them.

Find Amber at:
Website
LinkTree
Instagram

My Art

Touch of Red

On a recent, morning walk, I heard the sweet sound of a cardinal. I looked up and found him, brightly standing out in the morning sun.

Music I’ve Found

Gabriel’s Oboe – Ennio Morricone
Music from “The Mission”

In our church choir we had a guest oboist. Yes, I always thought it was just a clarinet, but never really heard just an oboe.

I now love the oboe.

My Dorky Song

Can’t Sleep? Fold Your Clothes

I read the weirdest advice for those times when you can’t fall back asleep in the middle of the night.

The advice?

Go fold clothes.

But what if I don’t have any clothes to fold?

• YouTube

One More Thing…

That’s a Big Belt

Maybe you’ve seen a conveyor belt before from a picture of a factory, or maybe you drove past a quarry and there it was, this aqueducty looking thing used to move stone from one area of the quarry to another.

Those are nothing.

Check out this belt, called “The Dune Express,” between Texas and New Mexico.

It’s 40 miles long.

Okay, technically it’s made up of four belts, but the longest is still over 16 miles long.

That’s a big belt!

Art I’ve Found

Anna Condo
Anna Condo is a filmmaker and photographer, and while you might think of a portrait as an image of a person, Anna has shown that flowers deserve the beauty of a portrait, and her portraits are stunning. New creativity has also taken hold as Anna she revisits flowers and their beauty in new ways.

See flowers in a new light. See the work of Anna Condo.
Instagram
Anna’s Website
LinkTree

My Art

Not Interested in Fishing

This image was from the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The dog seems to have better things to do than worry about what the fisherman might catch.

Music I’ve Found

Hocus Pocus by Focus
I don’t know if it’s the joy I get from just saying “Hocus Pocus by Focus,” the guitar riffs, or the yodeling, but I love this song. It showed up on my playlist and said to myself, “Self, this is for the “Music I’ve Found.”

My Dorky Song

I Can’t Roll My R’s

I’m in a choir. We sing choral music. It is helpful for the songs if you can roll your R’s. I grew up with no ability.

I’m hoping in a little while I will have a song called “I Can Roll My R’s.”

• YouTube

I’ve Created

I Need This Song Right Now

I would get to work and frantically jump into email.

I needed something to remind me to take a pause, take a breath, and not to immediately ruin my day by diving down email rabbit holes.

What to do?

Create an app!

So I did.

It’s called “I Need This Song Right Now” available on the Apple App Store.

Even made a website for it!

My stress level at the beginning of the work day has gone way down, and it helps me focus when I need it most!

One More Thing…

Smokey Bear Through the Years

It is not “Smokey the Bear,” it is Smokey Bear, and he has changed a lot through the years.

This image is not of Smokey Bear, just some dorky guy pretending to be a bear!

Art I’ve Found

Dolly Kabaria

Dolly’s art caught my eye with the fascinating city-scapes that she titled “The Little Orbs,” taking city views and manipulating them into “orbs.”

Her art is award-winning, she creates fantastic interior shots, and will bring a wonderful way for you to see the world from every perspective.

Find Dolly’s art at:
Dolly’s Website
Instagram
X/Twitter

My Art

Streaming Into the Canyon

My Dorky Song

Special Egg Sandwich

I couldn’t have breakfast because I was scheduled for some blood tests. Luckily I have a wife who really loves me and makes great egg sandwiches.

I was happy to be done with the blood draws knowing what was in the car!

• YouTube

I’m Creating

A new iPhone App…

While my writing is in the editing phase, I found myself needing an app that I couldn’t directly find in the App Store. It’s just a simple thing I wanted to happen, and I’m pretty sure I have the basics figured out.

It has to do with music and time and am hoping to share it with everyone in the next month or so, along with my new Ben stories.

What else can I find to add to the things I’m creating? Oh yea, new photos for my photo store and some new NFT’s coming soon, too!

One More Thing…

How To Care for Your Pet Rock

I remember the Pet Rock craze. The manual is a hoot.

You can find it in the Internet Archives.

This picture seems like it could be a great place to find a pet rock, but it’s not. It a beach in Wisconsin where you aren’t allowed to take the rocks.

Art I’ve Found

Koray Özpalamutçu

Koray was born in Turkey and really shifted to a life in photography in 2010. Quickly developing an Instagram following of nearly half a million, tourism boards took notice and worked with him on Instagram campaigns. Beautiful captures of landscapes and city scenes are his thing, and you should check him out at:

Instagram
OnCyber Gallery
Koray’s LinkTree

My Art

Family Morning

Captured on Maui, on the Hana side of the world.

Music I’ve Found

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass

Herb Alpert is 90 years old. I remember listening to him as a child thanks to my parents.

I’m ashamed to say when his music landed on my stream I thought he was dead. He just completed a spring tour, and is touring through the rest of 2025.

I guess music can keep you alive!

My Dorky Song

My 1,000th Song on YouTube

Here’s an oldie but goodie!

I posted this song almost four years ago to celebrate my 1,000th song on YouTube.

Might be time to do another count of my songs, I’m probably close to 1,600 songs by now!

• YouTube

One More Thing…

No More Being Woken by Red Pandas 😕

Apparently in China there was a hotel where small, red pandas around the hotel that would come into your room if you let them, and wake you up.

It looked really cute, but sadly, the practice has been cut off.

Art I’ve Found

Paul Charles

Somehow the art of Paul Charles showed up in my X feed, and I immediately thought, “That’s really cool!”

His art is whimsical, taking real life scenes and abstracting the heck of it in wonderful ways.

Find Paul’s art at:
thequilling.com
X/Twitter
Instagram
OpenSea

My Art

Lone Shroom

I was walking near some fresh mulch and there it was, this one mushroom poking out, in wonderful contrast to the mulch.

Music I’ve Found

Run Runaway – Slade

I guess I’ve been on an 80’s kick lately, and Apple Music seems to know it tossing this classic into my playlist. All of a sudden I started bouncing back and forth singing “Run Runaway” at my standing desk. It’s a good thing no one came in my office at the time.

My Dorky Song

Sensor Error, Please See Manual

This annoying voice and piercing sound came from my hallway. The problem, three different alarms all within a short distance, so I had no idea which one.

The annoying voice ended up saying, “Sensor error, please see manual.” I checked the manual, it read there is a sensor error.

• YouTube

One More Thing…

Sometimes Farts Aren’t Funny

I will, 99% of the time, find anything about farts funny. The 1% of the time I will not find a fart funny is on a plane.

This person does their best to help the cause.

Art I’ve Found

James A. Truett

An Irish artist, James creates landscape art able to capture beauty and colors that will help you further enjoy the world around us.

If being an internationally published photographer wasn’t enough, he also publishes books of his wonderful work, perfect for escaping into the wonder of the beauty of nature.

And, oh yea, if that isn’t enough, he also publishes “Awesome Ireland Magazine” to further spread the beauty of his world.

You can find James at:
Website
LinkTree
Foundation
X/Twitter

My Art

Walking Sunlight

The light streaming into the Antelope Slot Canyon creates wonderful images if you let your imagination be your guide.

Music I’ve Found

Moskau – Dschinghis Kahn

Apple Music is finding some weird stuff for me these days, and while I try to connect the dots, somehow a band from Germany who had some kind of hit in 1979 popped into my mix.

Go ahead, give it a listen, but let me warn you, you might start dancing while humming “Moskau, Moskau” all day long.

My Dorky Song

There’s Bacon in the Fridge

My wife had a great suggestion for me when I wondered what to make for my lunch!

• YouTube

One More Thing…

How to Eat Peas

I don’t agree with this etiquette dude. I think the proper utensil is actually a spoon.

Maybe I should make a song about eating peas? 🤣

Mental note: Ask wife to buy some peas!

Art I’ve Found

Jan Baumgartner

My Art

Bon Jovi – 1995

I missed my 10-year high school reunion to cover this show back in 1995. As we are coming up on my 40th reunion, I really hope Bon Jovi doesn’t tour and have me make the choice again because I have a feeling I would see Bon Jovi. Sorry classmates!

Music I’ve Found

Wasn’t That a Party
The Irish Rovers

This song came out back in 1980, and I was all of twelve/thirteen years old.

Maybe this is why I like whiskey, gin, and six-packs? I mean, who doesn’t sometimes want to cut down their neighbor’s tree?

My Dorky Song

They’re Just Refueling

I still think Canada won’t directly invade the United States, but I can’t help but believe that they are just training the geese to poop on everything we have.

• YouTube

One More Thing…

My Grandma Learning How to Use a Microphone

Okay, it’s not my Grandma, but haven’t we all had this experience when trying to use the “talk to type” feature on our phone or tablet?

Art I’ve Found

Keegan

Keegan is a talent who lives in the photography world, with wondrous aerial photography and digital art and animation world using Procreate. Journey to both the real world and the imaginary by checking out his art!

Find Keegan at:
X/Twitter
Instagram
LinkTree
objkt Marketplace

My Art

Maybe It Was the Wind

Most think of trees standing tall, but I love seeing trees influenced by all aspects of Mother Nature.

Music I’ve Found

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

I had forgotten about this Elton John song and album for years, until Brandi Carlisle showed it when she was interviewed about her collaboration with Elton John on the wonderful work, “Who Believes In Angels?”

Somehow Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was in our album collection when I was a young lad. I played it again and still remember every word.

My Dorky Song

Feeling of Being Watched

Do you ever have the feeling like there is someone watching you? Or maybe something?

• YouTube

One More Thing…

100,000 Pennies

Go ahead, keep saving those pennies. Who knows, maybe someday you can have a great floor covering!

Art I’ve Found

hustletrees

hustletrees is one of those artists who finds great stuff everywhere, from the flowers in his garden to his travels for his day gig, there is always something to bring some art to your life.

I love the way hustletrees puts things:
i don’t take photos to make money. 👀
if this was my day job, i would be homeless. 😂
i take photos bc i love to capture scenery, people, and places. 📷
i then share them for others to enjoy, and possibly collect. 🫡
lfg 🔥💎

He’s a great follow, always there with a friendly gm that includes a 🌲, and me, trying to be cute, with replies of “gm hustle🌲🌲”

Find him at:
Website
Foundation
Exchange Art
X (Twitter)

My Art

Sedona Morning

I recently took a trip that included Sedona, Arizona. The rock colors are stunning, and I’ll be sharing many more images on my socials in the next weeks!

Music I’ve Found

The Passion of Our Lord According to St. Mark

While I might be known for singing dorky songs (like the link in the next section), I am also a member of a church choir. During the 2024-2025 choir season, we took on the task of learning “The Passion,” and I think we did a pretty darn good job! If you get to the 19:45 minute mark, there is much less dorky singing by me, in a pivotal moment of the story.

My Dorky Song

Riding in a Waymo

Alright, let’s get back to dorky Andy singing!

On a trip to Arizona, we got to hang in Phoenix. I got to ride in a Waymo Autonomous Taxi. It was the highlight of the trip!

• YouTube

I’ve Written

What Ben Didn’t Know…
The Compilation – Volume 1

Remember my short stories you wanted to buy but preferred a hardcover version? Well, wait no more!

Now in hardcover, “What Ben Didn’t Know… The Compilation – Volume 1,” with “Just Another Lunchtime Walk,” “The Coffee Journey,” and “The Driver” in wonderful hardcover-ness!

Get acquainted with Ben now so that when the next stories begin release in August, you’ll be ready!

One More Thing…

Goodbye Spotting Fakes

I found out the other day, when I was going to see if something might be fake on Amazon, that FakeSpot is shutting down on July 1, 2025.

This makes me sad as, of the places I’ve found, they seemed to do the best of analyzing products on Amazon to see if the reviews were bogus or you might be able to believe that the widget was really a widget.

Good luck believing those review, now! 😢