I’ve Been Working On Some Stuff In The Background My Friends, And Here It Is

If I knew what I was doing I would’ve been teasing this for weeks and maybe used the mailing list and Facebook to build “anticipation.” But all of that would’ve required a level of energy and know-how that I do not possess. So, the best I can do is just tell you what’s been going on and hope for the best. All of it’s fun and fairly interesting, I think.

First of all, I’ve launched a new website based on one of my favorite recurring Surf Report features: Explanations for Aliens. Please check it out. I’ve published the five WVSR installments of it there and hit them with a light edit. PLUS(!) I’ve written three new reports for our alien friends: Facebook, grocery stores, and coffee shops. That’s three new updates on Day 1. Not bad, huh?

I’ve been tinkering with this thing for months. There’s a lot there (including this open letter), so please spend some time at the site and let me know your thoughts. I’m only going to update it on the first day of every month because I want to spend some time crafting each installment. If I did it weekly, I’d just be cranking them out before work one day. And nobody would benefit from such a scenario. I’ve been doing these the correct way: jotting down notes in advance, thinking about it while I drive to work, sitting down and writing it, and going back a few days later to punch it up.

I’m excited about this. It’s the kind of ridiculousness I used to write for my paper zine, so it’s a return to my roots, kinda sorta. It’s a different kind of writing than the blog. I guess I can use that word now… Anyway, please check it out and tell me what you think. There are a whole shitload of comments sections today. So, it’s probably going to be confusing for a while. But just use one or two of them. It doesn’t really matter, does it?

Also, I’ve started a Patreon page. There you can support my efforts by pledging a small monthly amount. You just sign up with a credit card or whatever, choose the amount you’d like to donate, and Patreon will do the rest. I hesitated with this one, to tell you the truth. I don’t like asking for money. BUT, something swayed me. A couple of things, actually.

First, advertising revenue has plunged over the past few years. Amazon is sometimes still strong, but everything else has dwindled down to almost nothing. In fact, I removed most of that crap because it just junks up the site and I barely benefit. Amazon is the only thing that still works, and it’s up and down. Some of it’s my fault, of course, because I don’t update as often as I did in the past. So, part of it’s a direct result of my low-level depression-fueled half-assery. I’m hoping that Patreon will be a good substitute for the loss of Google Adsense, etc. And it just feels more community-oriented. I’m certainly not asking for large amounts of money, just a cuppa two tree bucks per month. We’ll all be in this together. Hopefully.

And, here’s the fun part of this questionable endeavor. Patreon urges us to come up with “rewards” for each level of contribution. They suggest a whole bunch of stuff that I’m not really interested in. HOWEVER, I’m fired-up about one of them: a podcast for patrons. I don’t talk about it, because o’ the potential mockery and ridicule, but I’ve been secretly interested in starting a podcast for several years. Patreon makes it possible, because they’ll do the hosting, and only a small group of people will be able to hear it. I like that. The first three episodes will be available to everyone, but starting with number four it’ll be a reward for folks who contribute at least $4 per month.

Please read my over-long and wordy-ass overview at Patreon for further explanation. And once you’re finished with that… oh, Sweet Maria… give a listen to the very first episode of The Jeff Kay Show, right here. This is going so far outside my comfort zone, I’m fixin’ to vomit. The thought of you guys actually listening to that thing makes my sphincter wink, and I’m not kidding.

In any case, I plan to have a new episode posted every Friday. Even if there’s only three people listening, I’m sticking with it and hopefully getting better at it. I have my microphone, my intro/outro (pretty cool!), my production guy… Now I just need to figure out how to do a halfway decent show. Ha. Please be gentle. I’m very fragile and delicate on the matter.

And finally, I’m pledging to get on a Monday/Thursday Surf Report schedule for you guys, and sticking to it. I waited until Friday this week because it just so happened to fall on June 1 and I wanted to start Explanations for Aliens on the first day of the month. But starting next week it’ll be:

Monday and Thursday: Surf Report
Friday: The Jeff Kay Show “podcast”
First day of every month: Explanations for Aliens

It’s a new era! I need to get serious again and stop the mopin’. Sweet sainted mother of Kurt Bevacqua. I have a really funny humor novel started, too. I love the premise, and what’s already written makes me laugh. Why’d I abandon it? ‘Cause I’m a mess, that’s why. But no more! I’m going all-in, and hope you’ll join me.

I also hope you can recognize the effort put forth on the new site and the Patreon page and even the audio experiment. I’ve been working hard behind the scenes, boys and girls. And I’m sincerely excited… and a little nervous about the audio.

Let me know what you think, and I’ll see you again on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Now playing in the bunker
Support us by doing your shopping on Amazon! In Canada? Here’s your link. Thank you, guys!