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Odessa American, Texas, Nathaniel Miller columnFeb 21, 2013 (Odessa American - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- As you open your paper today and sip your cup of coffee, you might have to take a second look at the dateline at the top of the paper. No, it's not Friday; it's Thursday, and you are indeed reading my column. I have abandoned my Friday columns because I'm burnt out on music. I don't hate music; I just don't want to write about it anymore. I hope to be more successful with general column writing than Michael Jordan was with his baseball career. To the three people who enjoyed my Friday pieces, thank you for reading. For those who didn't, just be glad I'm not writing twice a week. This move will allow me to tackle topics without having to tie it all back into music. Let's be honest, there are too many things in the world that are just asking to be mocked and ever since David A. Johnson left, that void has yet to be filled. Hopefully readers don't threaten to cancel their subscriptions after my columns. Mainly because after a double-whammy of Valentine's Day and the girlfriend's birthday, my bank account is completely empty. As a music writer, you can only make fun of Mumford and Sons, the Black Keys, and Justin Bieber for so long. Then people start making those "Harlem Shake" videos and you realize that all hope is gone for the world with the music people use in their viral videos. Here's a quick example of something that needs pointed out that I can't cover in music columns. PepsiCo, the makers of Mountain Dew, recently announced they will be releasing a morning drink called "Kickstart." The beverage will reportedly have "Mountain Dew flavor," and will be "made with 5 percent juice and Vitamins B and C, along with an extra jolt of caffeine." Basically, it sounds as safe as downing a quart of battery acid along with your Lucky Charms. Other things this column will try to talk about will be a mixed bag of goodies, including politics, national news, sports and pop culture. There also might be references to internet memes here too. As a promise to my editors, I would not only explain each meme (so they understand the joke) but to also make sure that what I'm saying isn't vulgar and crude. I was also told not to slip in any crude innuendos. Challenge accepted, Ms. Dennis. But the important thing is to remember that this column is about having a good time. As journalist, you can't take yourself too seriously. Sure, we cover serious topics, but sometimes you just have a sense of humor to get through it all. In our line of work, people like to call you a hack, ambulance chaser or a bad person for doing your job. In other words, our readers will continue to call me "David" as I tend to our website and social media websites. But it doesn't matter. Like I said, the point of this column is bringing a lighter side of an otherwise serious business. At least, that's what I'll be shooting for. --Contact Nathaniel Miller on twitter at @OAgovernment, on Facebook at OA Nathaniel Miller or call 432-333-7769 ___ (c)2013 the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) Visit the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) at www.oaoa.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |