Pepsi Wild Cherry, A Fish Fry And Rent Rebates For Seniors

It’s not even 8:00 AM in Pittsburgh and the Old Soldier is already on duty.  Hello hello hello my brother and sister bloggers, readers, writers and Flash Fiction Fanatics.

This morning the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette had over 5,300 hits as it closes in on its target of 6,000 hits for February.  The Old Soldier has Pepsi Wild Cherry and cans of an energy drink in the refrigerator and a package of fish fillets thawing out in the sink.

I have to go across the street to the CVS to get some extra virgin olive oil, but once I fix myself a hearty fish sandwich it’s off to the Senior Citizens Center in Lawrenceville to pick up the Pennsylvania Property Tax or Rent Rebate Program form for 2011.

That will be a nice long walk, but the high will be in the 50s with off and on sunshine.  So I picked a good day for some outside maneuvers.

This is the Old Soldier reporting from Oakland near the main campus of the University of Pittsburgh.

Now It’s Really Easy To Follow The PFF Gazette

This morning the Old Soldier had an epiphany, a realization, an aha moment.  In previous posts I’ve encouraged readers to subscribe to the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette by pointing out that there’s a Subscription tab at the top of the page.  A reader would click on the tab and then have to do one or two other things to subscribe.

But this morning I remembered that there is a far easier way to get every issue of the this magazine.

In the bottom right of the page is a Follow button (I can’t see it as long as I’m logged-in).  Dah, silly me.  Just click on that button to get every issue of the most dynamic flash fiction magazine on the internet.

And why would you want to do that?

For the articles, for the commentaries, for the fiction and for the celebration of women, their sexuality and their nude bodies.

Thinking About Boobs In Pittsburgh

Interesting title for this post, huh?  This morning the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette had over 4,600 hits for the month of February.  It is averaging over 230 hits every day.  People click on this blog because of the articles, the commentaries and the fiction.  There also is no doubt that people click on this blog because of the celebration of nude women and the sexuality of all women.

So, as a marketing device I’m considering doing a series, Boobs In Pittsburgh.  It will be a photo series of local women going topless for the readers of the PFF Gazette.  I don’t know exactly how I’m going to do it.  But it’s in the works.  More on this later.

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Don’t miss a single issue of the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette.  Take out a free subscription today.  The Subscription tab is at the top of the page.

A Free Subscription: Don’t Let Your Creativity Die

You’re a writer of some kind, maybe a blogger.  You have a lot of things on your mind besides writing: family, a job, trying to find a job, trying to find a better job, a significant other and on and on.  You know, life in general.  Then there are your friends, those guys and girls you love being around.

Now a writer has to be engaged in life in order to write about life.

But then there comes a time when you have to close the door on life and sit down and face that blank page or that empty composition box on the computer screen.

What ideas do you draw upon to give you inspiration?

Well, a writer gets ideas from a lot of places.  One of the places a writer gets ideas from is from the material that he or she reads.  You know where I’m going with this, don’t you?

Take out a free subscription to the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette.  This magazine is definitely not for everyone.  There are a lot of nude women in the magazine and there is a lot of content about women: performing oral sex on them, sucking milk from their breasts, fingering them to orgasm, amateur women in porn on so on.  I’m sure you get my drift. 

Let me say two things in my defence.  The majority of the readers and subscribers of this magazine are women; and you will find lots of articles on blogging, writing and commentaries on news and social events.

Oh, I forgot to mention you will find in the magazine some of the best literary, mainstream, erotic and sex flash fiction on the internet.

So give the PFF Gazette a try.  A subscription is free.  The Subscription tab is at the top of the page.

This Magazine Will Be A Paying Market On March 1, 2012

Don’t send anything until March 1, 2012; but here’s the break down.  The fee for poetry will be $3.00.  The fee for non-fiction will be $5.00.  The fee for fiction will be $10.00.

There are three submissions tabs at the top of the page.  Send Poetry is of course for poetry.  Anything Goes is for non-fiction (rants, articles, commentaries…) and Submissions is for fiction.

Once again, wait for the official announcement on March 1, 2012 before submitting anything.  All submissions before that date will be returned unread.  Needless to say, now that this will be a paying market, the Old Soldier will only accept the best submissions that follow the guidelines and that have the fewest proofreading mistakes.

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Cover of the March 2006 issue of Playboy magaz...

Image via Wikipedia

The Old Soldier has been influenced by people and publications in putting together the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette.  There is Playboy Magazine, the Huffingtonpost (an online daily newspaper), my niece Brianna Frost Hogan (a webstripper and sex performer) and now I would like to add The Tonight Show with David Letterman.

A couple of nights ago I was stretched out on the sofa with a couple of fat pillows under my weary head and sipping on a can of beer when David Letterman came on.  And I realized something about his show that I had not really thought about.

English: David Letterman hosting President Bar...

Image via Wikipedia

The Tonight Show has on comedians, politicians, athletes, actors, models, generals, musicians, admirals, writers, animal acts, scientists, fashion designers, filmmakers, cooks, restaurant owners, educators…The list goes on and on.  The Tonight Show is what use to be called a variety show.

Welcome to the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette variety show.

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Be sure to check out the first link in the sidebar on the right.

10 Fun Ways To Cure Your Writer’s Block And More

10) Pig-out on your favorite ice cream and have no guilt about it

9)  Exchange body massages with your significant other and then make love

8)  Refuse to think about writing for 48 hours

7)  Watch a porn video with your significant other and then make love

6)  Get drunk

5)  Star in your own porn video

4)  Find a karaoke bar and get up and sing after having several drinks

3)  Go to bed early and get a good night’s rest

2)  Get in touch with someone you’ve been meaning to get in touch with for a long time

1)  Read the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette

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Block of Neapolitan ice cream.

Image via Wikipedia

How did you like the list?  The Old Soldier spent part of the night on the sofa thinking about ways to grow the readership of the PFF Gazette.  The magazine is averaging 220 hits a day for February.

I think it’s time for the PFF Gazette to become a paying market.  More on this later.

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How’s everyone doing?  Today the high in Pittsburgh will be in the mid 40s on a cloudy day with the possibility of rain showers.  The Old Soldier is enjoying his retirement but I can see that I have to give more structure to my days.  And that means being smarter about being a full-time blogger.

Sometimes you have to work harder at fun for it to be fun, if you know what I mean.  There’s a place for aimless fun and then there is a place for directed fun.

The PFF Gazette is my directed fun.

Everything You Need To Know To Get Published Here

This publication is always looking for writing talent to publish.  Well, actually, it’s not the publication that’s looking.  I’m looking (the Old Soldier).  I’m the editor and publisher of this publication which I think is the most dynamic flash fiction magazine on the internet.

Why would you want to be published here?

Well, this magazine is averaging over 200 hits every day for the month of February.  That means when I stick your work to the Front Page, people will see it.  And if you provide me with a link to your site or page there is a good chance that you will get some traffic.

There are three submission tabs at the top of the page.  Send Poetry is for poetry, Anything Goes is for non-fiction and Submissions is for fiction.  I publish mainstream, literary, romance and erotic fiction.

Good luck and keep writing.

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The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a news magazine about creative writing and sexuality.

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Well, I’m getting ready to head outdoors.  The snow seems to have stopped but the wind is blowing throw the branches of the trees pretty good.  Actually, I have a busy day ahead of me (it’s around 2:00 PM). 

I’m going to stop at The Big Idea Bookstore and see what I can find (reading material or writers).  And then I’ll stop in Del’s to socialize and then later tonight I’ll stop at Sonny’s Tavern to check out this singer-song writer and this band.

This is the Old Soldier blogging out of Pittsburgh on a wintry afternoon.

Keeping It Fresh: No Such Thing by John Mayer

The Old Soldier has been on duty since 6:OO AM.  How’s everyone doing?  The city is getting a light dusting of snow and the high will only be around 34 degrees.  There is karaoke tonight at Del’s and the Old Soldier is building up his courage to try a totally new song: No Such Thing by John Mayer.

Now I know from the get go that I am not going to do well singing this song.  I don’t know the words and have never done it before in public.  But we’re talking karaoke here my friends.

If you do as much karaoke as I do you find out that there are two kinds of karaoke singers.  The ones who sing the same three or four songs year after year and the ones who try different songs.

I prefer to be in the second group.

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English: John Mayer at the Mile High Music Fes...

Image via Wikipedia

And since this is a blog, trying something different on your blog is a good thing, too.  A good blog has to have a focus; but every once in a while you want to give your readers something unexpected.

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The reason the Old Soldier is such a fan of karaoke is because he is a frustrated lead singer.  I took my experience as a lead singer and made a story out of it.

The story is from the archives and is included in the article “Writing About Rock ‘N’ Roll”.  The article will have a limited run on the Front Page starting today.  Be sure to check it out.

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Read.  Study.  Write.

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The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a news magazine about writing and sexuality.

Diehard Members Of Occupy Pittsburgh Refuse To Leave

Many serious bloggers think of their blogs as businesses.  If you are a serious blogger, what’s your business model?

The Old Soldier thinks of this blog as a cross between Playboy Magazine and the online daily newspaper, The Huffington Post.

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The local mainstream media reports that as of this morning (6:30 AM) there are still a few members of Occupy Pittsburgh who have not vacated their encampment in downtown Pittsburgh after a judge issued a 72 hour deadline on Thursday for the group to leave.

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Occupy Pittsburgh - occupypittsburgh.org

Occupy Pittsburgh - occupypittsburgh.org (Photo credit: fcastellanos)

Become part of the excitement.  Submit a short story to the PFF Gazette.  The Submissions tab is at the top of the page.

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Read.  Study.  Write.

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The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a news magazine about writing and female sexuality.

Writing: Here’s A Sure Way To Boost Your Creativity

Inspiration is often like sprouts in a vegetable garden: first you have to plant the seeds.

Starting with the month of February, the Old Soldier tries to put up at lease two posts on this blog every day.  And so far so good.

Of course, I’m retired which means I have an entire day to come up with ideas worth blogging about.  Even so, I still carry a small pocket notebook with me every place I go.  I jot down tidbits of ideas, titles, questions and fragments of thoughts that provide an endless stream that helps me to write those two posts every day.

Sometimes I can even write three posts in one day like today.

English: Vegetable garden at Colonial Williamsburg

Image via Wikipedia

In other words, a writer has to plant the seeds of his or her own inspiration.  Because if you simply wait for inspiration, you may find that when it comes to ideas to write about your harvest may be slim pickings, indeed.

Now I’m old school.  An electronic device, like a cellphone or an iPad, is just as good as a notebook.

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Read.  Study.  Write.

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The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a news magazine about writing and sexuality.

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The Submissions tab for short stories is at the top of the page.

Blogging: Promoting The PFF Gazette

I’m writing this in my small pocket notebook at Del’s Bar and Italian Restaurant in Bloomfield (Little Italy) in Pittsburgh on Thursday (yesterday) afternoon.  Del’s has a 35 cent wings special on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I just ordered six barbecue wings. 

On the way here I stopped at The Big Idea Bookstore.  The employees own the bookstore.  It’s where I buy my books, booklets and phamlets.  I’ve been trying to recruit writers for the PFF Gazette from the bookstore.  My business cards have been on their bulletin board for weeks.

Nothing.

Today when I stopped in I told the young woman behind the counter that I published an online news magazine that got around 6,000 hits a month and would she please give my card to a writer that she knew.  She took the card and came out from behind the counter and said she would put it up on the bulletin board.

Montage of Pittsburgh images. From top to bott...

Image via Wikipedia

I pointed out to her that I already had several of my business cards on the board and had gotten no response.  I asked her if she personally knew any writers who would like their work to get exposure in a publication that got around 6,000 hits a month.

Then she understood.

She said she would do it.  We will wait and see.

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Hello my brother and sister bloggers, readers, writers and my Flash Fiction Fanatics.  It’s not even 8:00 AM and the Old Soldier has been on the offensive for over an hour now. 

I have a crock pot of chilli on and I’m at my workstation.  It’s Friday which means karaoke at Del’s tonite.  Karaoke at Del’s Wednesday night was a bust but word has to get out that something is happening at Del’s on Wednesday night.

The high will be around 47 degrees and it will be a sunny day.  I still can’t get over this strange weather.  When I was a boy snow hit the ground in Pittsburgh in October and did not leave until April.  Now we’re lucky to have snow on Christmas.

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Read.  Study.  Write.

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The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a news magazine about writing and sexuality.

Blogging: 5,830 Hits For January 2012

The numbers for January 2012 are in.  This blog got 5,830 hits last month.  The Old Soldier knows that the big boys and girls of blogging get 10 times and even 100 times that number of hits every month; but 5,830 hits a month for a little niche blog like this one is pretty good.  If the readership of this blog increases by just 100 hits every month, the Old Soldier will be a happy man.

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Tonight is karaoke night at Del’s in Bloomfield.  I plan to be there.  Monday I phoned my younger brother who lives in an assistant living facility and yesterday I phoned the Matriarch.  So much for the personal life of this flash fiction writer.

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Only Hits

Image via Wikipedia

The Old Soldier is excited about the year 2012.  The PFF Gazette will cover items that I hope will be of interest to my readers.  There will be items of interest to senior citizens, bloggers, writers, the 99% and men and women who appreciate the publication’s approach to sexuality.

I have said this before and I will say it here again.  This publication is definitely not for everyone.  But it may be just right for you.

Read.  Study.  Write.

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The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a news magazine of writing and sexuality.

Successful Blogging: Find A Routine You Can Live With

Are you a serious blogger?  I’m a serious blogger.  My stats page this morning said that this blog has over 5,600 hits for the month of February; but I know if this blog is ever going to crack the 6,000-hits ceiling for one month I’ve got to have a routine that I can live with.

I mean, now that I’m retired, blogging is my full-time job.  It’s the best job I’ve ever had because I love what I’m doing and I’m the boss.

So, I’m going to get up early and publish at least two posts every day.  That’s my routine.  Now all I have to do is stick to it.

What’s your routine?

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Blog of the day once again

Image by the Italian voice via Flickr

Hello hello hello all my brother and sister bloggers, readers, writers and my Flash Fiction Fanatics.  The Old Soldier has a new attitude and is moving to the attack.  It’s around 9:00 AM (when I actually wrote this post) and it will be sunny today with a high around 60.  Strange weather for Pittsburgh in February.

Writers have to do the mundane things in life just like everyone else.  So, my to-do list for today is to buy some 100 watt-light bulbs, deposit my Giant Eagle pension check into my savings account, call the Matriarch and return my book about Hunter S. Thompson to the public library.

I’ve already had breakfast (Ramen Noodles with a few pieces of cooked turkey and raw garlic and an energy drink) and I’ve already done my breathing and stretching exercises (karaoke tomorrow night at Del’s).  The sun is shinning and it’s time to take a hot shower and to see what adventures we can share today.

This is the Old Soldier blogging near the University of Pittsburgh.

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The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a news magazine about writing and sexuality.

Successful Blogging After The Age Of 60

Seal of the United States Social Security Admi...

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I believe I can speak with some authority on this subject.  The Old Soldier is 65 years old and in a good place in his life.  Oh, sure, I wish I was richer, younger and better looking; but none of that is going to happen.

The Old Soldier does have working-class financial security because of Social Security and two pensions; and he is in good health.

This does not mean that I can’t drop dead before I finish this post.  It does mean that I have an opportunity to blog full-time; and I love being a full-time blogger.  This is the best job I’ve ever had in my life.  And maybe one day I’ll actually make some money from my little blog.  This blog now gets over 5,000 hits a month.  Can 6,000 hits a month be far behind?

The point of this post is this: old age can provide a person with opportunities that he or she did not have when he or she was younger.

Gray power!

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Oh, what is the secret to successful blogging after the age of 60?  To identify a need or a want and to provide that need or want.  The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette provides serious writing and brazen sexuality.

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English: The Young and the Restless, logo of t...

Image via Wikipedia

Today has turned out to be a lovely day in Pittsburgh, mild and sunny.

I broke down and transferred some money from my savings account into my checking account so that I could get a withdrawal and have a couple of beers at Sonny’s Tavern.  The Old Soldier finds it nearly impossible to stay inside when he has money in the bank. 

I had two beers, watched The Young and the Restless, got a six-pack of beer and walked back home.

I feel much better.  Now I’m going to read a little of my Hunter S. Thompson book, watch the evening news on public television and think deep thoughts: flash fiction, female orgasm, karaoke…and maybe with my new financial stability I can find a woman in her 40s or older who would want to deal with me.

The PFF Gazette Continues To Evolve

Some Of My Old Amateur Photography Shot With A Desposable CameraThis will probably be my last post of the day.  It’s dark outside, around 9:00 PM.  There is a nature program on public televisions, tigers.  My apartment is a little too hot.  Radiator heat is great but it’s difficult to control.  So, I’m sitting at the workstation in a T-shirt and boxer shorts, determined not to sleep on the sofa tonight.  There is beer in the refrigerator.

My to-do list for tomorrow is: deposit my Giant Eagle pension check, do an online interview that Zemanta (the app that provides the WordPress platform with its visuals) has requested, call the Matriarch and get some supplies (floss and stuff) from the CVS across the street: blogging is a given.

I see the PFF Gazette continuing to move toward reporting/commenting on issues that concern senior citizens along with its focus on blogging, flash fiction, writing, women and sexuality and news and life in general.

I think I mentioned a bookstore, The Big Idea, that is nearby and that I can do readings at; but instead of doing readings I’ll frequent the place to find writers that I can publish.  I’ve already bought a booklet of erotic stories by a young woman from the bookstore.

Apparently, if the stories are based upon real experiences, she is a young punker.  Kool.

The Love Doctor has become an important part of the magazine and I would really like to find some local women to pose nude for a Pittsburgh Nudes series, but that might be beyond my resources.  I would have to pay them a fee, pay for the film, pay for processing the film and so on; but that would really create some buzz and the internet is all about buzz.  We’ll, see.  I’m very much an amateur photographer, but I think the readership of The Gazette, male and female, would be into it.  The photo in this post is some of my old amateur photography that I shot with a disposable camera.  Pittsburgh Nudes would be about amateur nude female models and amateur photographers.

Anyway, these are just some of the random thoughts that the Old Soldier has on a cold Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette continues to evolve. 

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