My most recent Xcargo postings

My Candles At Work

Hey Everyone!

There's been a lot o' stuff happening in my life, and so, alas, I've not be posting here as much as I should. 

Anyway, here's what's been on my blog the last few weeks:

Dec 13, "The Art Of The Wax," https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/the-art-of-the-wax

So, as you know, I’m in the middle of one of my infamous multipart series, this one on making candles, which is the hobby I sort of picked up during lockdown and I was bored to the proverbial tears. Or even tears without proverbs. Which is worse, I’m sure. ‘Cause you know what they say. A rolling English major gathers no moss when there’s a dog in the apple a day and it’s always late than better. 

I’m sure they say that. Heard it a million times.

Okay, today’s the day I’m going to talk about working with wax.

Which is really kinda…strangely enough…a lot of fun.

And sort of artistic.

Dec 20, "Wax, Wicks, And Shapes," https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/wax-wicks-and-shapes

Okay, last time I talked about doing color and wax and candles. Today, I’m going to talk about shapes and wax.

It’s gonna be fascinating, I’m sure.

Okay, maybe I’m not sure…but, heck, we can all pretend, can’t we?

 

Dec 27, "Merry (belated) Christmas," https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/merry-belated-christmas

So this is just a belated Happy Holidays message. I wasn’t able to post before now because, as you know if you read my social media, I became a grandfather for the second time last week. We’ve been down visiting the kids and their kids in Austin over the last few days.

Anyway, I wanted to announce the birth of Miles Tillman Tucker, who joins his big, three-year-old sister Hazel Muir Tucker, on the planet Earth as of December 21, 2021. 

 

Jan 1, "Happy New Year!" https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/happy-new-year

Happy 2022 everyone! Have a great time tonight, but be safe! No drinking and driving, and avoid Covid. I haven't got that many friends, and I sure as heck don't want to lose any of you!

 

Jan 3, "Okay, I Can’t Help It. I’m A Political Animal," https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/okay-i-can-t-help-it-i-m-a-political-animal

Yes folks, I tried to lay off politics in my personal blog. But, alas, I just can't help it. I'm a political animal. 

Stay tuned! More to come!

~mjt

 

To Wax Eloquent…or at least to pour it

Some of my candles in operation...

I forgot that yesterday was Monday, and that my current blog posting was going up. Sorry. But, better late than never.

This week's column is all about pouring hot wax, and getting some charming little wax burns in the process. Grand time was had by all. You betcha.

Did you ever spill hot wax on some very sensitive part of your anatomy? Say, while you’re using an oven mitt that isn’t nearly as heatproof as you’d think a oven mitt would be and you are picking up a metal container (full of wax) and you are trying to schlep the damn thing across your deck, and you discover that a flower pot has mysteriously appeared in exactly the spot where you intended to put your left foot?

Please don’t answer that question.

Some things are just too painful to share.

https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/to-wax-eloquent-or-at-least-to-pour-it 

Melting Away Again In Margaritaville …

 Some of my candles...

My current blog posting, all about melting candle wax, preparing candle wax, and spilling candle wax on very sensitive places. Great fun for everyone...

Okay, back to candle making!

Time before last, I talked a bit about wicks and made many very stupid jokes about being wick-ed and so on. This time, we’re going to get around to actually melting wax. Yes, it’s going to be a hot time in the double boiler tonight.

As you’ll recall, I got into candle making out of sheer boredom. It was lockdown and there wasn’t much to do, and there’s only so many times you can order delivery from The Pit Barbecue or Fortune Garden Chinese and pretend that you’re eating out. So, I turned to candles for, ah, a spark of life.

I had a bunch of used candle stubs left over from various times and places, and I had some other wax from one place or another, including some “curse-reversing candles” that I’d gotten, kinda as a joke, but which proved to not reverse many curses that I’ve seen, and, truth, given how dimly they burned, they weren’t really that great as candles, either. But maybe I’m being too harsh. And, honestly, once I get the incantation right, and sacrifice a few small furry animals by the light of a full moon, I’m sure they’ll do just fine.

Anyway…

https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/melting-away-again-in-margaritaville

Fire Safety While Working With Candles

Here's my most recent blog posting. It's on fire safety if you're working with wax. And, believe me, if you have any plans to make candles, you need to be careful.

https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/fire-wax-and-safety

A Wick-ed Good Time

 

My current blog posting. All about wicks. Lots of dumb stuff follows:

For example: "...a whole bunch of my early efforts ended up with their wicks off-center. I mean, way off-center. As in the poor things looked like a cross between an inebriated tiki torch and Lon Chaney as Quasimodo. During an earthquake. On springs."

Football, Sports, High School…My Fury

We don't need more of these...

This week's blog posting. It's all about how furious I am that schools are using windfall Covid funds from the government to pay for...more sports. Not education. Sports.

Argh.

https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/football-sports-high-school-my-fury

“One Meatball…” and other weirdnesses

 In which I explore a silly song...and the hard life of a musical genius.

https://www.michaeljaytucker.com/post/one-meatball-and-other-weirdnesses