Hello!

Welcome to The Epic! I am launching this blog as a manifesto for and a guide to living well. The title and motto of the blog are taken from the Epicureans, at least some of whom believed in the notion that not one minute of the future was guaranteed to them and that as a result they had the duty to live life to its fullest every moment.

I believe in discovering fun and pleasurable things wherever I find myself each day and I am told I have a knack for unearthing them. My hope is that by sharing in my pleasures and some of my ways of finding them you will begin to collect all the riches that lie in the moments of your life. They are there. Take them! All our lives should be.....Epic.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Honest Scrap

When I began this adventure just over a year ago, I had no readers. Just like everyone else launching a blog. A tip sheet I read stated "Just post something the first time, it doesn't matter what you write. Nobody is going to read it anyway."

Well, how time does fly. I am so pleased that there are Epics lurking out there who will take a bit of their very valuable time to drop by and read my musings. And, who will think enough of this blog that they will mention it in their work. Two blogs I enjoy are The Machinist's Wife and The Daily Connoisseur. Imagine my surprise and delight when both these ladies chose to bestow upon The Epic the "Honest Scrap" award! I like everything about it. As my acceptance speech, I am to list ten things about myself. I posted seven things a good while ago, so here is an updated list...

1. I am a religious man. But in the words of Gregg Allman, "I'm no angel...".

2. I am a complete Parisophile [is that a real word?], have read many books about it, but have yet to visit the City of Light. I will be very well prepared when I do arrive there, I assure you.

3. When I got my first apartment I was addicted to the Playboy Channel. Now I am addicted to the Food Network. Of course, there was no Food Network back then...

4. I love to work crossword puzzles [early in the week], and the New York Times puzzle in particular..

5. I once participated in my state's High School ski racing championship and chess championship the same month. I won neither.

6. I think that "One for My Baby" by Sinatra is the greatest song ever recorded.

7. Autumn is my favorite season. Even when you live someplace where the trees do not change colors, I can still remember...

8. I have been an Ian Fleming nut since the age of ten.

9. I write poetry but I have yet to let anyone see my poems.

10. I am just clinging to the professional career thing until my lounge singing career catches fire. A great pal of mine and I do a mean set of piano/vocal holiday standards. My favorites in this set are White Christmas, What Are You Doing New Year's Eve and Christmas for Cowboys.

AND a bonus factoid or two...I am outlining two novels. The first is a tale of lost faith and hope, the second a Raymond Chandler sort of thing...I was inspired to start a blog by reading a profile of blogger Melissa C. Morris in the New York Times.

But enough about me. Thanks again to these two fine ladies for my award. Onward and upward!

14 comments:

Charles said...

Congratulations on the awards. Well deserved. Your blog always appeals to my higher sensibilities which, frankly, don't get enough attention.

tintin said...

I would also say your passion for living everyday life is evident in your blog. There's an honesty about your grateful nature. I like it.

M.Lane said...

Thank you both very very much. I'm trying, anyhow.

ML

~Tessa~Scoffs said...

Congratulations, Mr. Lane. Though I would have called the award "Honest Gold" not scrap. Very intrigued by the book blips.

Turling said...

Congratulations. I enjoy stopping by everyday and look forward to continuing that. And, my wife will be ecstatic to know there may be two more books I will put into the pipeline.

Ben said...

Congratulations. Well deserved. I look forward to all your posts and have been moved by many of them.

Love the list, and not surprisingly, several would accurately apply to me too.

Petunia said...

Congratulations on the award! You certainly deserve it!!

Zingiber said...

My wife took me off to Paris for my 40th. She had every second planned out, museums, gardens, nature, etc. Me, I picked up Patricia Wells's Food Lover's Guide to Paris at the airport bookshop and (as your man Frank would say) we did it "my way."

Zingiber said...

Ooops, maybe that didn't quite come out right. Or did it? We definitely did it my way and many other ways, but I digress. Ahem.

The food was great.

Me said...

congratulations! it's always good to be recognized. and i'll be sure to keep an eye open for your novels. i'm sure they'll be wonderful pieces of writing. cheers!...r

M.Lane said...

Thanks everyone!!

ML

BB3 said...

MLane
Sinatra yes, but for me it's "Fly Me To The Moon."

I've certainly enjoyed your musings. And, if you ever need a modestly talented but enthusiastic back up singer...........

BB3

M.Lane said...

BB3, watch out! I may call you...

ML

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Oh I missed seeing this posting somehow... never mind- I am here now!

Congratulations- you deserve it. And I love reading these facts about you and have a request- wont you share your poetry with us? I bet it's fantastic.

Also I do hope you pursue your novels (both of them!) I took the plunge and started mine in January of this year and writing it has changed my life so much for the better words cannot even describe...