The DragonCast Chats it up with Chester Rushing

The Dragoncast welcomes stand up bro, Chester Rushing

Hey there. I had the pleasure of chatting it up with Chester Rushing during The Dragoncast Podcast this weekend and let me tell you, this guy, Chester, is a stand up dude. Chester is from Stranger Things fame (plays Tommy in season 1 & 2), is a musician, and does community work through Twitch streaming and music therapy for autistic children. Dude... how awesome is that?! 

Galagathon 2020

Galagathon!!!

Hey there. Retro gaming is awesome. There's just something about the simplicity of the arcade games of the 80's. For many, the concept is simple: Eat dots, avoid ghosts; climb ladders, jump over fire; shoot stuff, don't get shot. Even though the simple concept, they are extremely fun to play. So when an opportunity comes along to have fun and support a charity, you know that your pal Metallman is do his best to be there. And today, I found out about a charity that will raise money to support a local children's hospital through gaming. SIGN ME UP! And sign up, I did! I will be participating in the Galagathon 2020 to help support Riley Hospital for Children. 

Stair Climb for Los Angeles Sept. 19th, 2014

Hey there.  I've fallen a bit off the fitness wagon these past couple of months.  I haven't been able to work out as much as I would like and I haven't been able to participate in anything fitness related becase I've been working on some DIT yourself home projects.  But now, it's time to get back on that train!  And what better way to get started than with the Stair Climb for Los Angeles!

Make the Best of Summertime with Coastal Dog Swimwear

I participated in a Blogger Activation on behalf of Dad Central Consulting for Coastal Dog. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and to thank me for participating

Hey there.  I live in Southern California.  There's a running joke in our family that the weather in Southern California is "warm, hot, or hotter."  lol  Well, considering that it's been a warm Spring, I'm expecting it to be a pretty hot Summer.  Especially now so that I've moved into the Lancaster area.  From what I know, that's pretty close to the Mojave Desert.  So... what's a family of 6 to do to stay cool in the Summer near the desert?  BEACH AND POOL TIME!!!  We have family in Lancaster that has invited us to their pool anytime it gets hot and guess what... IT GOT HOT!  We grabbed our swimwear and were about to head out the door when my young one yells out, "WAIT!!!  DID YOU GET MY NEW BLUE SWIM SHORTS WITH THE DOGGY?!?!?!"  Why yes, son, we did grab your Coastal Dog swim shorts.

MPress Records Announces Hurricane Sandy Benefit CD

Hey there.  Hurricane Sandy devastated the Atlantic Coast last year.  So much so, that it was the second most destructive and deadliest of the 2012 season.  Many of those communities are still trying to get back on their feet and you know what... you can still help!  MPress Records has announced their next compilation CD to help raise funds to charities that are still out there helping out Hurricane Sandy victims.  New Arrivals Vol. 5: Artists for Hurricane Sandy Relief  is a compilation CD of up and coming indie artists that have provided their talents in an effort to help bring aid to those in need.  If you've noticed, this is volume 5.  MPress records have released 4 previous compilation CDs and each one was created to help raise funds for a recent natural disaster.  Vol 5. is geared to raised much needed monies to Hurricane Sandy relief charities such as The Red Hook Initiative, Project Hospitality Staten Island Hurricane Relief Fund, and Graybeards.  Check out the song tracks on New Arrivals Vol. 5.:

The PB+J Organization Helps Fight Against Severe Acute Malnutrition

Hey there.  I'm pretty big when it comes to letting people know about awesome charities.  Don't get me wrong, any organization that does charity work for the better of mankind is awesome.  Whether it be providing games for sick kids to play or provide resources for life saving research.  No charity is too big or too small for a shout out.  And with that, the organization that I want to bring to the forefront?  The PB+J Organization!

Purchase Couch Rebels and Help Give Water to African Communities in Need

Hey there.  Can you imagine a life without water?  We use water for soooooo many things.  We bathe in it, water our grass, clean the dishes, and most importantly, we drink it.  What if I were to tell you that there are many nations out there that do not have the water to drink?  Feels horrible, no?  We are fortunate enough to have water but let's be honest, not many people do.  That's why I love what the guys at CausePub and Blood: Water Mission are doing.  They have written a book that will go on sale tomorrow and the proceeds will go to help bring clean, fresh water to African comminities that need it.  How awesome is that?!  The book is called Couch Rebels and it is a collection of stories from people who had experiences that were outside of their comfort zone and how those expreiences changed them for the best.  An inspirational book for a worthy cause.

Support Breast Cancer Research by Voting for Super Smash Brothers Melee for EVO 2013

Hey there.  Who's going to attend EVO 2013 in Las Vegas?!  Don't know what it is?  It's one of the largest video game fighting tournaments in the US.  Gamers gather around and duel it out on some of the most popular fighting games out there.  The event is being held in Las Vegas on July 12-14 and they have announced that there will be 8 games that gamers will participate in for big prizes.  Those games are:

The Humble Bundle by THQ

Hey there.  I haven't had much time to write the past few days.  Sorry about that.  No worries though!  I have quite a few things lined up for the next few days and I can't wait to get that started.  One thing that I wanted to let you guys know about now is the Humble Bundle by THQ!  Brian and I touched on this bundle on our weekly podcast (which will be up soon) but I realized that the bundle is available for a limited time only!  As of this post, there is only 7 hours left to purchase the Humble THQ Bundle!  So why would you want to purchase it?  Well... let me tell you why!

Donating to Locks of Love

Hey there.  About 15 years or so, when I was in Jr. High School, I decided that I was going to let my hair grow out.  Once the hair grew out, I was one of those guys with long hair.  It was most in a pony tail or "bunny tail" as some of my band mates would call it, and I rocked that style for years at a time.  When I graduated high school in the year 2000, I decided that it was time to start the new millenium with a different hair style.  At that point, I haven't had a hair cut in years so it felt odd going into a barber/hair salon to get it cut off.  While in the chair, I remember the woman complimenting me on my hair (soft, long, beautiful, etc. etc.) and that I should seriously consider donating it.  Donating my hair... now there's an idea.  I asked about what organizations I can donate to and she promptly stated that if I wanted to, they can donate my hair for me to Locks of Love.  I wasn't all that familiar with the organization so I asked questions.  What do they do?  Who do they benefit?  Is the organization reputable?  Once she explained it to me, my mind was made up.  I was donating my hair to Locks of Love.

DO MORE for NO MORE to End Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Hey there.  See that button up there?  That is the official button of NoMore.org.  The awesome group behind a strong movement to stop domestic violence and sexual assault.  It's a great cause to get behind.  No one should have to go through something as painful and traumatizing as domestic abuse or sexual assault.  I come from a bad neighborhood in South Los Angeles and it was not uncommon to see or hear violence out in the streets.  On certain nights I would see a man and a woman yelling and fighting outside of their house.  I had friends that were sexually assaulted as kids and it took a great deal of therapy to help them get through that kind of trauma.  I've seen it first hand and during my school days, I helped friends where I could.  Now, as an adult, as a father, I can do more.

Dollar General Stores are Now in California

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dollar General for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hey there.  Who wants to saves some money?  I know us Californians do.  We haven't had the luxury of experiencing shopping inside a Dollar General Store for long but I am sure glad that you can now find the Dollar General in California.  Dollar Stores have recently made their way into Southern California and I've been wanting to check one out since they're pretty popular with all of my East Coast friends.  So what makes the Dollar General Stores so special?  Easy!  Where else can you get school supplies, apparel for the family, health & beauty items, and find some dog chow for Fido all at rock bottom prices from well name brands?

NerdyShirts Fighting Cancer and Diabetes with Dean Haspiel and Oliver Barrett

Hey there.  You know, I've contributed my fair share to charity.  I've played a small part in Toys for Tots and clothes that are no longer wanted go straight to the Salvation Army.  Even though it's a small thing, it makes you feel good, you know.  That's why I love it when an organization uses it's influence to help charitable causes.  That's exactly why I'm giving the good people at Nerdyshirts.com a big thumbs up!

Making Hickory Farms a Family Tradition

Hey there.  No matter what goes down in your daily life, at the end of the day, you come home to your family.  Always inviting, always waiting there for.  It's the best time of day, actually.  Well, at least for me it is.  After working hard all day, it's great to be able to spend some time with the wife and kids and dinner time is a great way to open up with each other and share the day's experiences.  It's a welcome change from the stresses of being a working parent.  And nothing makes the conversation better than an awesome meal from the wife.  But not just any meal, but a meal prepared using some Hickory Farms products.

Boosting the Kids' Immune System with Emergen-C

The breakfast of champions!

Hey there.  You know, as a parent, it's tough to make sure that your kids get the right nutrients in their body.  Especially when you have younger kids.  You make the healthy foods for them, but something is always wrong with it.  Phrases like, "I don't like this.",  "Was is that?", or "It's nasty, Mom." seem to be the norm whenever we decide to make a healthy dinner.  You would figure that after awhile, the kids will get accustomed to eating healthy and will soon stop complaining.  I guess kid DNA is configured to detest healthy foods.  lol  Anyways, I know that the kids are healthy and active, but that doesn't mean that they are getting the right nutrients or at least sufficient amount of nutrients in their system.  So when I received 3 boxes of Emergen-C Vitamin Supplement drinks, I was excited.

Breaking Out of This Writing Lull

Hey there. One of the worst things that can happen to a blogger is taking a few days off from writing. I did just that. I try to post something every day just to keep it fresh but I have not written a post since Saturday.  Blame it on the DTK loss, blame it on laziness, blame it on Final Fantasy XIII, or blame it on whatever you want.  I made it clear to myself that I needed to get on the ball and create more quality articles as opposed to small snippets of stuff because I don't have time.  I used to be able to get work done at night with the laptop, but since that's out of commission at the time, I'm regulated to work on the desktop computer and I'm not really feeling that.  Well, it's time to snap out of it.  I have plenty of great ideas that I'm working on and I have a few awesome reviews that are coming this way.  The giveaways are also a huge success and I have a few winners posts that need to go live.  I've been invited to events and would like to get those up as well.  Things are happening, people, and I need to let you guys know what's up!!!

It's happening, friends.  I'm evolving.  It's time to shed this skin and break out into bigger better things.  Stay tuned!  Later!

Southern California! Help Women in Need with The Cinderella Fund by MeatHead Movers

Hey there.  I appreciate the aspect of getting things done on your own.  I came from a single parent home and it was tough to come by some extra cash for school and what not so when the student athlete brothers needed some cash for school, they did what their bodies could do best, move stuff around.  They decided to start a small moving company and named it MeatHead Movers, a comical name taken from the moniker for big athletes that love to hit the gym.  They didn't think that it would be as big as it is today.

Donating to Charity

Hey there.  At the request of a recent cash prize winner of this site, I donated the cash prize to a charity of my choice.  Considering that it's a noble alternative to receiving the cash, I happily obliged.  My problem???  Many of the well known charities do not accept PayPal donations.  That's just plain crazy.  Millions of online transactions are done securely through PayPal.  It's a great alternative to providing a credit card or debit card when making purchases online.  I think it's great that PayPal will never provide your personal info when making purchases or payments.  With that being said, I am greatly disappointed that many charities have not added PayPal as a viable option to receive donations.  Breast cancer research... Nope.  Feed the hungry....  Nope. Lupus research...  Nope.  Cancer research... Nada...  It was upsetting that I couldn't find one... but then I did and I feel that I need to let everyone know that this charity gets it.

That's right.  Toys for Tots was the only reputable charity that I was able to come across that accepted PayPal as an option to give donations.  Now... their mission may be to accept toys for underprivileged children during the months of October, November, and December, but they accept cash donations year round.  The funds come in throughout the year in order to purchase gifts for the holiday season to combine with those that were accepted via toy drop off locations nationwide.  They get it.  They know that in today's world, you need to be a little more tech savvy and I'm extremely surprised that many of the other charities have not followed suit. Who knows how much charities are missing out on donations because they do not offer PayPal as a means to donate.  PayPal, having millions of verified users, should be offered as safe and secure way to donate.  If you are interested in donating to one of the rare charities that accepts PayPal, check out the Toys for Tots site and make your contribution.  Who better to receive help than the children and future of our nation.  Later!