About Me

Hey all.  Now living in Austin, Texas, as I was lucky enough to get a fantastic new job.  The picture is from Alaska, where I spent the last four years in graduate school earning my MFA in creative writing, and I hope to go back someday (Alaska, not grad school).  I'm here to show my passions, make some awesome lenses that hopefully help my parents' and their antique store out, and to learn about some marketing and making money on the side.

How to Start Freelance Writing

This lens is to help teach you how to be a freelance writer. Learning to become a freelance writer is difficult, but it is possible - maybe even more so today than ever before. I write full time for a company now  (I job I acquired through impr...

Sinclair Lewis Novels and Antique Books

This lens is about a great American author, Sinclair Lewis. Although not recognized today, he was a great American author who bridged the gap between Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway, and was one of John Steinbeck's greatest influences.  After th...

Negative Calorie Foods

This lens is to give you information and options regarding negative foods and the negative foods diet.  This helps to explain how these foods work, and how using this knowledge can help you lose a good amount of weight in a healthy manner withou...

Best Dystopian Novels

This lens is about dystopian books, which are among my favorite types of books. Most people automatically think of dystopia as a science fiction sub-genre, and while dystopian science fiction is common, not all stories about dystopian societies (or s...

Medieval Weapons

Starting with the major Medieval seige weapons and moving through the other common weapons of that historical era. Eventually this page will be a large resource for everything involving Medieval Weapons.

Poison Ivy Treatment and Overview

Poison Ivy is a weed like plant which can be found all around the US of A and also in southern Canada. It causes an infection of the skin which is named as poison ivy which affects nearly half the population of america. According to the American Acad...

My Squidoo Lenses

I needed some efficient way, or at least semi-efficient way, to keep track of all my lenses.  So why not start another lens?  My interests are all across the board, which works for me because I love to see myself as a Renaissance Man:) If so...

2008 NFL Draft Preview

Welcome to my 2008 NFL Draft lens! Here I'll be setting up a mock draft updated every couple of weeks until the real thing, at which point each team will be updated as they pick. This is also a great place to pick up memorabillia for your favorite sp...

Shaving Razors to New Zealand, Glass Chickens to Texas

Modern technology and the Internet allow antique dealers in small towns to make sales across the world--allowing both the isolated small town and the antique shop to prosper where maybe this would have been impossible before hand.  It's wonderfu...

Make Your Own Fly Fishing Lures - And Other Fly Fishing Advice for Beginners

This lens focuses on the excellent sport of fly fishing, with special focus on how to make your own fly fishing lures, as well emphasis on fly fishing for beginners. Enjoy!

Ways to Bind a Book

The craft of Bookbinding started long time ago. Back then all the books were bound by hand because machines were not present at that time. As a result less books were bound and made available. Today, it's completely different. With machines in our ha...

Upton Sinclair: The Jungle and Other Novels

Upton Sinclair was a great American author who was extremely prolific. He was known for investigating scandals, exposing wrong doing to the public, and as a socialist and later in life, and anarchist. While Upton Sinclair is famous for many works, h...

10 Books That Changed America

There are books that are revered because of their effect on art, and there are books that are remarkable because they literally change the very society from which they came. Here is a list of ten books that radically changed or shaped American societ...

Bear Spray | Bear Pepper Spray | Bear Deterrent

Bear Spray is a great defense against overly curious black bears or aggressive grizzlies. Bear spray and bear pepper spray will help protect you against bear attacks and are fantastic bear deterrents in the wilderness.

Freelance Writing Ebooks

There are many great Freelance Writing Ebooks out there, and this lens is set to reviewing all of them in one place so you can find the perfect writing ebook for you to get your online writing career going!

Snake Proof Boots

This page is dedicated to Snake proof boots that help protect hikers from the dangers of venomous snake bites. This includes Lacrosse snake proof boots, rattlesnake proof boots, chippewa snake proof boots, and any other protective snake hiking boot....

Top 10 NCAA Rebuilding Football Programs

This lens is dedicated to the Top Ten Rebuilding NCAA Football Programs as of 2007, and tells a little on the history of each, their current accomplishments, and what the future might hold.  Enjoy!

Main Street by Sinclair Lewis

Main Street was the novel that put Sinclair Lewis on the map. It was so popular that the first 10,000 copies didn't even last a month.  Over 20 printings had to be made over the first four months, and one publisher was quoted as saying, "Ke...

Iowa State Cyclones Football

Over time I'm hoping to build this into one of the best reference pages on the entire web about Iowa State Cyclones Football and ISU history, while keeping information on the present day program.  I know that I'll never top the job that Paul Cla...

Shane Dayton

Hey all, and welcome to a page about me :) I thought about making this a professional writer site, but I'm not an office person and hate being defined by my profession...even if it is as cool as living as a writer. Have a look around, and feel free t...

CD/DVD Box Sets

One of the better ideas of recent years is the CD Box Set. Instead of having to deal with one best of CD, now you can get most (if not all) of a band's work, and often with DVD bonuses and other extras that make the experience even better.

Free Air by Sinclair Lewis

This lens is dedicated to the early Sinclair Lewis novel Free Air, originally published in 1919.  This novel was about the possibilities of travel and adventure that the automobile opened up for all Americans, and was the last novel be...

Aunt Jan's Attic

This lens is for my Mom's antique store, named Aunt Jan's Attic in Belle Plaine, Iowa.  How a hobby and a passion have transformed into an online business, followed by a real brick and mortar store while the eBay store continues to thrive. ...

The Legend of Zelda Video Games

The Legend of Zelda video game series is one of the most successful video game series' of all time, spawning over 14 games on nearly a dozen different Nintendo platforms and spawning a world wide phenomenon that may only be trumped by Mario.

Writing Desks

This lens is about writing desks of all sorts. From antique writing desks to contemporary writing desks, from the simple modern writing desks to the fancy writing desks - everything you could want to know about the perfect home office desks and writi...

NCAA College Football Bowl Games 2007-2008

This web page offers information, previews, and predictions for every 2007-2008 NCAA Bowl Game.  How do the bowl teams match up?  How will your favorite bowl team do against its opponent?  Scroll down to find out, and enjoy the complet...

It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis

It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis is a great fictional novel that serves as a prophetic warning to the United States that shows the danger of Fascism that can creep up even in the U.S.  Published in 1935, it is considered Lewis's last great...

Travel Writing Novels

As someone who has had a life long love of travel, and who doesn't plan on staying a homebody anytime soon, this lens combines my love of travel with some of the best travel writing I've read and enjoyed, as well as some of my own travel stories.

We Hate Batman Begins

I'm sorry to offend, but I genuinely believe Batman Begins is one of the most overrated movies that has been released in quite a while.  There are several good actors, but this is a cliche filled script with Hollywood cheese that ends with a lot...

The Simpsons Video Game

I have loved many of the Simpsons Video Games and this one looks good enough that it may finally give Bart's Nightmare a run for its money.  I can't wait!

The Hammer Vampire Movies

Any major horror afficianado will be familiar with Hammer Studios.  While they had a large number of horror films, they are probably most famous for creating modern vampire films that were violent and bloody. Consisting of nine movies filmed over...

We Love Sweeney Todd

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have worked together quite often to produce amazing movies, and Sweeny Todd is no exception. This dark musical is one heck of a film and was one of the best movies of 2007.

Tennis As I Play It

Tennis As I Play It by Maurice E McLoughlin, is a novel about the then tennis champion of the United States.  Published in 1915, this novel was ghost written by Sinclair Lewis, who was still struggling to put together a career as a novelist duri...

Notebook Computers

This page is for laptops and notebook computers and accesories for the holiday season.

We Love The Boondock Saints

The Boondock Saints is a great movie, and the only movie, by Troy Duffy.  With a great cast, these guys deliver in a powerful film that shows an enormous amount of creativity with amazing characters, great music, and an unforgettable script.

Total War Video Games

It started with the classic game Shogun: Total War, which set you as a Shogun in feudal Japan fighting for survival and domination.  Then it moved to Medieval Europe, then the Roman Empire, then back with an all new game for Medieval Europe with...

Hike and the Aeroplane by Sinclair Lewis

This lens is dedicated to Hike and the Aeroplane, the first novel written by the great American author, Sinclair Lewis.  Written under the pen name of Tom Graham, this first work printed only 1,000 copies, and was the inauspicious beginning to a...

Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis

Sinclair Lewis's Arrowsmith is a classic novel, and one of the best from the American literary giant.  This novel was a fantastic insight into the American dream, looking at it as a satire, and not upfliting it as a good thing.  This n...

Richard Bachman

This lens is dedicated to the Bachman Books, written by Stephen King under the penname of Richard Bachman. The first four are often sold together as a collection simply titled "The Bachman Books." The photo is not of King, but is the fake author's ph...

Werewolves: Top 10 Werewolf Movies

It's hard to find good werewolf movies, in part because having effective werewolves is so much harder than vampires, zombies, or sociopaths. Still, there are some great werewolf movies out there, and this lens is dedicated to those movies that celebr...

Expensive Mens Watches

There are few gifts that are as good and pleasing for men as a high class men's watch. Stylish and functional, a quality man's watch is hard to beat!

Monteath's Horror Movie Lenses

I love horror movies and will continue to make many more pages on great horror films and themes. In fact, there's going to be enough pages on horror themes that I've decided to make a horror movie lens lensography in addition to my Full Lensography....

The Job: An American Novel, by Sinclair Lewis

The Job: An American Novel is one of the early novels written by famous American author, Sinclair Lewis.  This novel was one of the stepping stones towards Lewis's success.  The first edition was printed in 1917, and is now a very rare and...

The Trail of the Hawk by Sinclair Lewis

The Trail of the Hawk was the third novel written by American literary giant Sinclair Lewis, though only the second one using his real name.  This novel is subtitled: "A Comedy of the Seriousness of Life" and shows the young Lewis comi...

Mike Huckabee Vice President | Mike Huckabee History | The Case for Mike Huckabee

This lens is dedicated to Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a former Republican candidate for President before he lost out to John McCain. Still, I don't think the case for Mike Huckabee is dead at all, and he will reamin a viable candidate in the fu...

We Love John Carpenter's Vampires

John Carpenter's Vampires was an excellent modern vampire film starring James Woods as Jack Crow, the leader of a team of vampire hunters. They stumble into an ambush, and convinced that they were sold out, Crow begins hunting for answers as to what...

Shopping for Video Game Systems

Finding the perfect gaming system online can be difficult, and a lot depends on what you're looking full.  While the newest systems always see a surge, plenty end up dying off (see Jaguar, 3DO, Sega CD).  Meanwhile some systems, like the N-...

Travel: A Life Long Adventure!

I have always had wanderlust.  I've always loved geography, always wondered about that gravel road I never went down, that river I could never swim in, that mountain I couldn't climb.  I love travel, and despite a lot of financial hardships...

We love 28 Days Later

28 Days Later was a great independent horror film that introduced us to "running zombies," though being a horror geek, I jump in on the argument of whether these infected humans are really zombies or not.

Washington Irving

Washington Irving was the earliest American writer to gain international fame and support himself full time on his own writing. Some of Irving's most well known stories include: "Rip Van Winkle," "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," and "The Devil and Tom...

Mantrap by Sinclair Lewis

Mantrap by Sinclair Lewis wasn't Lewis's finest novel, but it immediately followed his trifecta of Main Street, Babbitt, and Arrowsmith, so it would be unreasonable to expect the next novel to be the same calibar. Mantrap is an escapist novel, talking...

Ann Vickers by Sinclair Lewis

Ann Vickers was a critically acclaimed novel by Sinclair Lewis that helped reinvogarate his career when it was flagging, and was wildy popular at the time (as well as controversial) as Lewis took shots at many of society's ills and wrote with the phi...

Our Mr. Wrenn by Sinclair Lewis

Our Mr. Wrenn was the second book published by Sinclair Lewis, and was his first attempt at serious work.  The full title of this novel is: Our Mr. Wrenn: The Romantic Adventures of a Gentle Man.  Only 3,000 copies were printed originally,...

Our Road Trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

About one of the best stops my buddies and I had during a once in a life time road trip--though we stay optimistic in hoping this will only be the first of many to come.  Canton down, Cooperstown next?? ;)  Please remember to leave a commen...

Dodsworth by Sinclair Lewis

Sinclair Lewis was an excellent American author, and Dodsworth is one of his finest novels and remains widely read even if it remains in the shadow of the big three.

Kingsblood Royal by Sinclair Lewis

This lens is about Kingsblood Royal, not a well remembered novel by nearly forgotten American literary giant Sinclair Lewis, but a book that still shows Lewis in top form, nonetheless.

Work of Art by Sinclair Lewis

Work of Art by Sinclair Lewis was a good yarn that really focused on the attempt of building a lasting story by focusing on a family through three generations as they struggle to serve, succeed, and finally find peace in their roles.

Green Bay Packers

Concentrating more on the new, but looking at general Green Bay Packers team information.  Going to fill in the history, facts, trivia, and keep adding to this in the months to come.

We Love Nosferatu

Nosferatu is a fantastic movie that was from the old era of black and white silent films. This movie was sued by the widow of Bram Stoker for plagirism, who won the case. All copies of the movie were supposed to be destroyed, but copies survived. Thi...

The Innocents by Sinclair Lewis

One of the last "early" novels by Sinclair Lewis.  He considered The Innocents a pot boiler, pulp fiction type of wok.  It originally appeared as a series of serialized stories in a women's magazine, then was compiled and edited i...

We love Stranger Than Fiction

Stranger than Fiction is my favorite Will Ferrell movie and is exceptional.  It's smart, funny, and a far cry from anything else back there, with a great metafictional feel.  This film is definitely worth watching!

We Hate Eragon

Eragon wasn't a great book--it was pretty mediocre, but the movie was absolutely god awful.  It was the epitome of a "formula" story.  Young boy discovers he is more, weak attempts are made on his life, he becomes stronger and def...

We hate Battlefield Earth

Even with Scientologists voting it up because of the L Ron Hubbard obsession, this still ranks on IMDB's list of one of the 60 worst movies of all time.

Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis

Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis, was the satirical novel that folllowed up the wild success of Sinclair Lewis's Main Street and guaranteed that Sinclair Lewis was in the American mainstream to stay.  This satirical novel challenging conformity and &q...

Swinhoe Soft Shell Turtles

The Swinhoe Soft Shell Turtle is one of the rarest turtles in the world: there were only 5-6 known alive, all of whom were in captivity until April 2008 when one was discovered in the wild of Vietnam.

Ernest Hemingway Antique Books

This lens is dedicated to American author Ernest Hemingway and to his work, all of which are collectible antique books now. Ernest Hemingway antique books are very valuable, and reflect the amazing respect readers still have for his amazing works.

The Man Who Knew Coolidge by Sinclair Lewis

The Man Who Knew Coolidge by Sinclair Lewis is a great book that is often overshadowed, in part because of unfortunate timing since this novel followed the three books considered Lewis's classics: Babbitt, Main Street, and Arrowsmith, and because of...

Graphic Novels

Graphic Novels have seen a huge surge in popularity in recent times, and are a great way of crossing great story telling with beautiful art. The surge in popularity of graphic novels have made some names like Frank Miller household names, and has led...

The Prodigal Parents by Sinclair Lewis

Fred Cornplow is the unlikely hero of The Prodigal Parents, a later book by author Sinclair Lewis, and follows the theme of a good man trying to be something great, but who has everyone around him trying to cut him down to fit into a comfortable ordi...

Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis

Sinclair Lewis's novel Elmer Gantry was one of his early works that was written shortly after the early runaway successes of Main Street and Babbitt, the novels which made Sinclair Lewis a household name.  This novel visited many of the themes t...