Crawling Baby Plays with Pugs

4 year old Goes for a Joyride

Living the Dream - The Mischief Brewery

I am in crazy admiration of my friend April - not just because she's a generally all-around awesome person, but also because she's doing the thing I think more of us should do - living the dream.

Check out the blog of The Mischief Brewing Company here.

Or, more specifically, she and her husband, Brandon, are trying to jack in the 9 to 5 and start their own business, doing what they love.

And what April loves (and what makes me so excited about her and Brandon's project) is beer. Delicious, artisan-crafted American beer (which, I have argued, is beats British beer hands down.)

April agreed to answer a few questions about The Mischief Brewing Company she and her husband are trying to start - and what inspired her and Brandon to take such a risky, but rewarding plunge.

Please give it a read - and donate to their Kickstarter fund to help them get some Mischief brewing.

First thing's first - Who the heck are you, April? Describe yourself!

I’m just a girl. A loud, sarcastic, overly self critical wife and mother of three who loves reading and movies and sparkly things. And I love beer. It’s a fairly new love for me, but I it’s a love that runs deep. And I love sharing that with other women, because women typically don’t like beer. If I can help one of my friends find a beer she loves, I consider that a successful makeover.

What were you doing before you decided to launch Mischief Brewery?

Working for The Man. We’re still working for The Man. But there aren’t many people working for The Man who love what they do. Brandon works in graphic design and I have a job a trained monkey could do.

What inspired you to suddenly take action?

We’ve toyed with the idea and talked about it for years. And then one day Brandon just said “Why are we talking about this and not doing it?” So I said “Let’s do it.” We want to be the kind of people who take action. We want our kids to be those people too. We just needed to be an example. Let’s grab life by the balls and go for it.

When did the idea of starting a brewery first occur to you?

Brandon started homebrewing about 5 years ago and that kind of planted a seed in him. Brandon is a major researcher. He never does anything half-assed without making an effort to educate himself fully on his pursuit. He just kept reading everything he could about making beer. He was so passionate about it. Not just the brewing process, but the whole culture of beer. He was instrumental in getting his friends to appreciate beer. And one day he said he would love to do this for a living. To make beer and share it with people.

What had stopped you from doing this before?

Wow. What stops anyone from pursuing anything? Money, time, fear. All of those. I mean it sounds like a CRAZY idea. “We’re going to start a brewery.” It’s not a typical business venture.

What helped you decide to do it now?

We’ve had a lot of circumstances in the past two years that have just pointed us in this direction. We finally just thought “We need to go for it. There’s never going to be a perfect time. There’s never going to be the perfect amount of money. We just need to take a risk and do it.”

Was deciding to do this scary? How did you overcome that?

It was VERY scary. It still is a little bit. We’re putting everything we have on the line. It’s a gamble. But we believe the odds are in our favor and we are very confident we will be successful. We’re not going into this with big dreams of getting rich and being the new Stone or Dogfish Head. We just want to make a quality product that people can enjoy in a comfortable environment. We want to share our passion with our community.

What is your vision for Mischief Brewing?

We want to create a gathering place for the community, very much like the pubs of England. We want it to be a place people stop on their way home from work to share a pint with their neighbors or bring their families for a bite to eat. We want a place that serves amazing beer, good food and fun people.

What sort of beers will you offer?

IPA’s are so huge right now. Brandon really wants to do a double IPA that will take your breath away. We also have an amazing and award winning Scottish red. We’re both huge fans of Belgian styles as well as traditional English bitters. We have some big ideas for some barrel aged later on down the line and Brandon would love to experiment with sour beers, but those scare the hell out of me.

Where did you learn to make beer?

Homebrewing is such a great way to experiment with recipes and learn the importance of sanitization. But to expand that knowledge, Brandon went to the Seibel Institute to learn more about the sciency stuff. Brandon has a lot of friends in this industry, so he’s been really lucky to train with some great brewers to get more experience brewing commercially. When he’s not brewing, he’s reading about brewing. Constantly expanding his knowledge so he can brew amazing beers.

What made you think of using Kickstarter as a funding project?

I am SO GLAD you asked this question because I don’t think we have addressed this enough. In this economy, banks are just not too keen on lending money to anyone in a “restaurant” type business.

Besides that, Brandon and I have been busting our asses for the past four years to eliminate our debt. The thought of starting all over again with a huge debt and new business was totally overwhelming. We are very hesitant to take on a partner because we don’t want to give up ownership. We’ve already spent so much of our own money and so much time developing this plan and setting up this business, we’re so protective of it. It’s like a baby.

We just don’t want to raise it with someone else now. When we started pursuing other options for funding, we read an article about Kickstarter. It took us a year to pull the trigger on it. At first it seemed a little strange to ask other people to just hand over money to help you start a business.

We didn’t want it to seem like we were panhandling. But we had several friends and family members offer to help, we thought Kickstarter offered a convenient platform where people could make donations in one location.

One of the most rewarding aspects of Kickstarter is watching a community pull together to make this happen. It has been a shocking, humbling and beautiful experience. But by no means has it been easy. It’s not like we are just sitting back watching the money roll in. We are working hard for it. We’re out their promoting this business, passing out flyers, talking to other businesses about what we will bring to the community. We still have full time day jobs, so it’s been exhausting. But it’s all for the greater good. And thank God almighty, it’s such a fun industry so we’ve been having a good time.

How successful has it been?

Well, to be totally honest, we weren’t really sure what to expect. I think we thought it would be easier than it has been? I don’t know. We’re both worriers by nature, so it’s been kind of stressful. It was slow going in the beginning, but every day we’ve been getting more contributions. And if people aren’t contributing, they’re retweeting or posting support on Facebook or offering to come help us paint and do construction on the location. We’re getting some attention from our local media and we’ve been invited to speak at some events for brewers. So regardless of the money, it’s been successful in getting our name out there. I am still 100% confident we will meet our $30,000 goal. Because I believe in this. I believe in us.

How have you planned for obstacles? What sort of obstacles do you think you’ll face?

Of course we have planned for obstacles. I don’t think you can create a successful business plan without thinking about what happens if everything doesn’t go according to planned. We’re following a plan that relies heavily on finding used equipment. That hasn’t been easy to find. But we just keep getting out there and making contacts and talking to people who know people who know people. And slowly but surely, we’re piecing it together. It’s not pretty, but it’s functional and that’s all that matters.

How have your family reacted to the Mischief Brewing Project?

This has probably been one of our biggest obstacles. Our families love us and care about us. They probably have more invested emotionally than other people do. So naturally there have been concerns that we could be getting ourselves into a situation where we could lose everything. We get that. We do. But it doesn’t make it less painful when the people you love most are not as supportive as you want or need them to be. We’re not going into this with our eyes closed. We have been researching and learning and studying and planning for years. We really believe this is our destiny. I know that sounds crazy, but there’s really no other way to say it. This is what we are meant to do. And we will succeed. But in order to succeed, we have to take risks.

Are you scared of failure? What are you scared of the most?

Of course we are! We’re afraid of letting people down, we’re afraid of letting ourselves down. But we’ve got so much invested in this already, failure isn’t really an option. We will find a way to make this happen. I think we’re also afraid that it won’t happen as quickly as we want it to.

Are you ready for success? What legacy do you want Mischief to leave behind?

Are we ready for success? That’s a really good question. I don’t know how to answer that. I mean we are hoping for success. We are envisioning success. But what is the measure of success? If we can just get this place opened and running smoothly and be able to pay our bills, I will consider that success. But the craft beer industry is BOOMING. I don’t see how we won’t succeed. We will be the only craft brewery on our side of town. I’m honestly worried we are going to outgrow our location faster than we can afford to expand.

A couple of weeks ago we attended the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego and we had the opportunity to tour a lot of big name breweries, like Stone and Lost Abbey. These breweries are huge. Enormous. Especially Stone. Rows upon rows upon rows of stainless steel. They have a 120 barrel system. We’re starting off with a 7 barrel. We would be able to fit our entire brew area in a 10x10 square. The thought of growing to be as big as Stone or even Lost Abbey with these gigantic warehouses is overwhelming. I don’t know if we would even want that. But who knows. 

And there we were, hobnobbing with these rock star beer guys. People we have looked up to and idolized for years, like Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head and Greg Koch from Stone and Vinnie Cilurzo from Russian River. It was surreal. I’m looking forward to hopefully not being starstruck by these people some day.

As for our legacy, we just want to be known for pushing the envelope. We’re already doing that by being the first independently owned craft brewery on our side of town. Brandon was born and raised in Peoria Arizona, it’s so important for him to bring this passion to this city. Local boy does good or whatever. We want to challenge what people think they already know about beer, and we want them to expect more for themselves. We just want to be known for putting an outstanding product out there and for making a contribution to our community.

What advice do you have for other people dreaming of doing something like this?

Quit dreaming, quit wishing. Just do it. Quit putting it off. Take the jump. Go for it. Study. Learn everything you can learn about whatever it is you want to do it. The more educated you are, the more you will believe you can make it happen. If you believe in yourself, other people will believe in you too.

Rebekah Brooks Sparks Ginger Commentary on Twitter

As soon as news of Rebekah Brook's criminal charges came to light, I knew this would happen - the inevitable "ginger" comments from Britain's slovenly class of bigoted mouth-breathers.

Update on ambitions...

Well, I'm not going to lie: I feel incredibly smug after having got up and gone running two days in a row. Only one mile, but it does make me feel great (if sleepy) for the rest of the day. I'm also poised to make some headway on the Cadillac today, so all in all there's a lot to look forward to!

Making a Plan

For more faux-retro photos, check out the Militant Ginger tumblr!

So life is officially crazy!

In fact, life’s been crazy for so long, I’ve kind of forgotten what it was like when it was normal!

In any event, I realized this week that I've veered slightly off my ambitious path a little - and it’s time I got back on track!

One of the reasons I’m writing this blog post is because a course of action is much easier to begin (and finish) after you’ve set it down on paper (or a blog, whatever.)

So here’s what I need to do:

Get the Cadillac sorted: I’ve had my beautiful 1978 Cadillac sitting on the driveway since December, and am still waiting on the title. This has got to end. Therefore, I’m going a separate route and I need to get my finances and paperwork in order to pull the trigger. I aim to be driving this beautiful beast by June 1st.

Get back to the gym: A new job, a new schedule and my wife throwing a paddy with the old gym means I’ve dropped from pumping iron five days a week to less than once. This needs to end! By hook or by crook, I need to get exercise back in my schedule again. I want to lift weights five days a week and do some serious cardio no less often. I’m going to aim to start doing this from Saturday onwards.

Go Veggie again: In January, I dropped a cool 10 lbs by not eating meat – and felt amazing. Since I’m looking decidedly porky from my lack of gym visits (and my accelerated beer consumption) a month or two of a meat-free detox would do me good. I need to get my head in the game again and make this happen. It’s not that I have any moral issue with eating meat – I just felt GREAT not doing so. I need to check the fridge, work out how much meaty stuff is left and then when that’s gone, not buy any more!

Lose the weight: I’m in good shape – but I want to be in great shape. I want to shed my body fat percentage to around 10% and that’s going to take some dedication and focus (and some of the things I’ve mentioned above.) Since we will all be stripping off for the summer soon enough, I want to aim to have myself 10lbs lighter by July 1st.

Only drink on weekends: I LOVE my beer. And my wine. But it’s horrible for my weight. Did you know just a single drink can stop your body burning fat for up to the following 8 hours? Taking a leaf out of Daniel Craig’s training schedule (he’s the fella who plays James Bond, and got thoroughly shredded for the role) I aim to stop drinking entirely during the week and I’ll just enjoy myself at the weekends. After all, to quote Daniel Craig himself: “What’s the point of a body like this if you can’t abuse it?” Since my in-laws are up, I think I’ll start this campaign on Monday.

Earn Lots of Money: If last year’s freelancing taught me anything, it’s that there’s precisely as much money out there as you feel like earning. This year, I feel like earning a LOT. I am going to embrace every freelance opportunity, every gig, every sideline that I can – as long as it doesn’t interfere with earning more in my day job. In any event, I want to be a fountain of abundance; and I know that the only thing stopping me is remaining focused on the task at hand. I’ll start today – fulfilling all the opportunities at my disposal to start earning money.

Write a book: I spent the first half of my adult life desperate to write a book. Now I have the means, the opportunity and the experience to make that happen. So I need to get it done. I have a feeling my authorship is like a floodgate. Once I crack it open - and actually get a book finished and in print - the rest of my ideas and opportunities will come pouring out so fast and so hard I won't know what to do with them (except capitalize on them, one hopes.)

These are my aims – fulfilling them is another matter entirely.

Yet over the course of the last year I’ve learned so much about achieving ambitions that I’m fairly confident I can start on the right track; especially since I’ve put my goals down on paper.

The trick, it turns out, is to concentrate on the process, not the outcome. Or, to put it another way, work out which direction you have to travel towards your goal and then focus on nothing but putting one foot in front of the other until you get there.

I will let you know how it works out!

Embracing the Social

Maman et Papa Militant are the very epitome of the term "Silver Surfers" - and are very much the early adopters of technology in our family; driving even their own kids to embrace the latest tools in international communication like Skype (albeit, in one case, very reluctantly.)

Yet one area they've yet to engage in is social media - largely because my sister would probably got into cardiac arrest if she woke up one morning to find our parents on Facebook!

That's sad for me, because the more I've moved my career towards becoming an authority on social media, the more certain media tools have served my broadcast needs (to the detriment of other social platforms - like this one.)

As a result, the blog you're reading right now is in dire need to refreshment, and my readers who aren't part of my digital circle miss out on some of my more interesting updates (including, for example, my parents.)

But no longer. It's taken me a while, but I've finally figured out an easy and seamless way to give folks like mes parents an effortless feed of my latest meanderings, while also giving myself the bandwidth to keep that feed updated; largely by tying into the way I use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram already.

The result is my new Tumblr feed - Militant Ginger in the City. It contains the gems of my daily social updates, and is all located in a handy space that doesn't require a password, profile or login to access.

If you're interested, go and check it out - I will be posting there daily with pictures and musings from my world; and I'd be flattered if you'd join me.

Go to Militant Ginger in the City now.

Words Cannot Describe The News. Memes Can

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King is available now.

A Day in the Life of Micro Militant, the incredible ginger baby!

Be careful what you wish for - Zombie Apocalypse in Uganda

Did obsessing about a "zombie apocalypse" make it come actually happen?

"Zombie" in Uganda. Image: CNN

I'm a big believer in the "Law of Attraction" - which states that which you focus on, you attract.

This belief had even led to me joking with people about the current fad for zombies in popular culture - "We spend so much time obsessing about a 'zombie apocalypse' the Law of Attraction dictates that we'll create one."

Well the joke's on me - because it sounds like we actually have.

Over in Uganda, a growing public health crisis has seen kids of nine to 13 years old stricken by an "illness which cripples children and turns them into mindless, violence-prone zombies." One mother reported actually tying her kids up when she leaves the house, because otherwise they shamble off aimlessly.

And it's getting worse.

As more and more kids get infected, people are growing concerned that the illness could spread to Europe, or even America. Would that mean that the "zombie apocalypse" that's so prevalent in popular culture at the moment might, horrifically, come true?


Read all about the zombie crisis in Uganda here.

Two Weeks in New York

Corner of Fifth Avenue and W. 35th Street

It's been a horribly long time since I updated this blog, and for that I apologize. My life has been completely crazy recently and I've hardly had time to do anything - I've barely been able to find time to meet my writing commitments, let alone find the opportunity to write anything else.

The reason for this is a shift in career - I'm now working in the heart of New York City. This is a definite change of pace for me, but something I should have pushed myself to do years ago. I've always had my heart set on working (or living) beneath the shadow of the Empire State building and I'd let the soft lure of suburbia draw attention away from where it should have been focused.

Anyway. Although I haven't had a chance to write about much since I started my new job, I have been avidly snapping pictures with my phone. Here's a brief run down of my first two weeks:

Every morning starts here - catching the 7:15am train to Penn Station

Climb the steps from Penn Station and you emerge here.

Penn Station is below Madison Square Gardens - a hustling hub.

Only Times Square has more going on this early in the AM.

On foggy mornings, the Empire State is shrouded in clouds.

The towering skyscrapers are always impressive.

This is my view from the 13th floor.

Even a few blocks west, you can't escape the towering Empire State.

Opposite my office is this stunning faded glory - the old Art Deco Hotel New Yorker.

Looking up the busy Eighth Avenue

This store is a few blocks from my office - and clearly named after me!

Another shot of Eighth Avenue - this is the heart of The Fashion District

Not sure, but I think that's the New York Times building.

A few blocks east and the Fashion District continues to sprawl.

This is the famous Fifth Avenue - two blocks from where I work.

And a block east of that? The famous The Ginger Man pub - always packed!

Family Resemblance?

But can gingers play sports?

Even realizing that British journalism is perhaps the basest example of the ignoble profession, one has to ask: Why does this article exist?

Ginger-Haired Football Managers - Is Everton's David Moyes The Only Successful One In England? 

by Dan Coombs Here Is The City 

Let's have a look at the ginger haired managers who have tried their hand in management in England and struggled... Read Full Article.

I wish I could say that this ridiculous article is indicative of everything that's wrong with Britain - but when quarterback Andy Dalton tried out for the NFL, some American wags expressed the same opinion: Are there any ginger quarterbacks?

The irony being that ginger haired Andy Dalton kicked ass this season.

I honestly don't know the answer; not that I've ever really been motivated to ask.

Perhaps the lack of famous ginger footballers comes down to the fact that my redheaded brethren are too busy making up a disproportionally significant percentage of world leaders to kick a ball about.

In any event, if Dan Coombs ever decides to take up real sports journalism I'll be fascinated to read it.

Best Foot Forward

Back to the Start

Just as you think the age of television advertising is dead, Burrito dealers Chipolte emerge with this truly spectacular commercial. Embracing a message of responsible farming practices, and accompanied by a famous British band's song covered by the inimitable (and ginger) Willie Nelson, this is truly a sumptuous feast for the senses; and I've bought into the Chipolte brand as a result. Well done.

Sir Cutie of Patootie

My Top Picks for Personal Growth: A Bookshelf

I've spent the last year reading a lot of books on personal growth and success. These are the ones I've found most useful; which include last year's picks, and some timeless classics I read a great many years ago.

The Gingermobile?

The ongoing search for the ultimate Gingermobile is in its final furlong.

Beneath this snow is a '78 Cadillac

On the one hand, I might have found it. In fact, it might be sitting in my driveway right at this moment (albeit covered in snow.)

In December of last year, I was given a 1978 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Custom Classic and it ticks pretty much every box that my prior "Gingermobile" front runner had (that was a 1978 Lincoln Contential Mark V.)

This is a truly stunning car - and features almost everything I am looking for in an automobile.

It's a luxury car - in it's day, as expensive as a contemporary Bentley or Rolls Royce. It's got four full seats - and they're beautiful two-tone leather. It has a gurgling 7-liter V8 engine and two long, low doors with windows ample enough to clamber in an out of - much like the General Lee (another inspiration for the Gingermobile.)

But today, while idly sorting through the classifieds on Craigslist, I saw something else that caught my attention; and captured my imagination. An Avenger. 

The stunning Avenger kit car

A kit car, modeled after the stunning Ford GT40, it remains one of the most truly stunning vehicles on the road - and one of the most affordable.

The model I saw today was just $3,500 with registration and inspection; but easily looks like a car that costs a hundred times that.

One of the most exciting things about an Avenger is the opportunity to totally customize it - from a paint job in keeping with the Gingermobile ethos (red, or maybe two-tone red and cream like the Hirondel) to a roaring V8 engine.

One model I've read about generated 720bhp. The one on sale today had a much more reasonable 90bhp flat four.

From a Gingermobile perspective, it ticked some of the essential boxes - including having a manual transmission and being a real head-turner.

It also delivered a practical 25mpg or more - as opposed to the 3.5mpg of a Lincoln Mark V. The mechanics - mostly VW Beetle derived - are also simple and straightforward enough for me to handle on my own.

The Locomotive remains the de facto Gingermobile

Yet I have some hesitations. Firstly, it's got only two seats (although an enormous boot) which means I'd have to keep The Locomotive on staff for ferrying the Militants about.

Secondly, a poised and nimble sports car is about as far from the rough and ready aesthetic of the General Lee or The Bandit as it's possible to get. 

Only time will tell which direction I end up going it. Getting the title for the Cadillac is turning into a bit of an administrative nightmare, so it will be a while before even that beast hits the highway - and by then, who knows what fate will have in store for us.

But one thing is for sure. This is the year the new Gingermobile is crowned. Stay tuned!

The SOPA Opera

Today has been a dark day for the Internet.

All across the Internet, website have been shutting down in "protest" to the Stop Online Piracy Act, which is in congress at the moment. It threatens to give a powerful minority unprecedented control over the Internet in North America; shutting down website and blocking links that they believe lead to pirated copyright material.

As you might expect, the Internet is ablaze with protest - but from my perspective it actually rings a little hollow.

You see, Internet piracy is a real issue. I mean it's a REALLY, SERIOUS issue. I will agree with protestors that SOPA is not the effective way to stop it, but in all this protest we've kind of forgotten the issue at hand:

The Internet has given people the unprecedented power to steal other people's stuff.

The Internet has given people the unprecedented power to profit off other people's stuff.

And in all this effort to protest SOPA we kind of ignored all that. We got so caught up in being high and mighty about censorship and Internet control that we completely ignored the fact that SOPA is about a very legitimate issue that impacts any and all of us who attempt to profit from stuff we create on the Internet.

Be it movies and music on bittorrent, or whole episodes of shows uploaded to YouTube, it's meant that copyrighted material that people have invested time and dollars into is available FREE for anybody to take and do with what they will.

And that ruins it for all of us.

So check out some ALTERNATIVE voices about SOPA today; so you don't just buy into the bullshit the pro OR anti camp are selling you:

The Exchange Coffee House

Renaissance Babes

Frank Turner - Wessex Boy (Official HD Video)

Considering I've spent the majority of my life traveling in the opposite direction of where I started out, I've never been able to relate much to those oh-so-sincere pop songs about how much your love your home town, or those tunes about going back to your roots (although I do love the Bon Jovi / Jennifer Nettles collaboration Who Says You Can't Go Home?)

That all changed when I heard that the song I've posted below was being played on Radio 1 - a folksy, acoustic number about being a "Wessex Boy" from my home city, Winchester!

It's a very cute song, and I like the video - filmed, of course, in the heart of the cathedral city. A big shout out to the talented Frank Turner for immortalizing the place of my birth into such a lovely song.