Unlike others, I tend not to engage in petty gossip and what-not. I prefer to spend my time creating stuff.

I mean, yes, I’m the odd “consumer” – where I spend time playing computer games and watching TV series/TV dramas – but I’m not one who gossips about others. I tend to do creative things with my time.

You know, I’m referring to those on the train, in coffee shops, etc. gossiping about and labeling others. So many times on the train or in cafes, I would be sitting in my seat or at my table, and the next seats/tables, etc. would have young women trashing their “friend” because, “oh, she’s so stupid to be doing blah blah,” or, “oh, if I were her, I wouldn’t STILL be living home at our age, blah blah.”

It’s like, people are constantly judging others, talking trash behind their backs. Or, equally bad, are those who have their face down when they’re walking on sidewalks or in public, texting or doing whatever they’re doing, without looking at where they’re going. Pay attention to where you’re going! (And, that’s not me labeling them; it’s me pointing out the fact they are oblivious to their surroundings and they might be obstructing others in their paths, for instance.)

Anyway, I prefer to spend my time, as I said, doing creative things. I write. I write about people who inspire. I write about those who are underappreciated but who actually inspire.

I’m proud – and will forever be proud – that I had Tom Candiotti’s biography published by McFarland & Co. even though I was never a journalist. It was through my own efforts in tracking his teammates down – and yes, I have to thank them for responding – and my own hard work in making the book happen.

And I can say I’ve had a “history” book published – since McFarland’s specialty is history books, mainly. (Okay, I say that as a joke about my having written a “history” book.)

I’m also proud that I was able to stay on task and finish “The End of the Montreal Jinx” – a book about the Canadiens-Bruins NHL rivalry. There were those who scoffed. There were those who tried to undermine me or wanted me to fail.

(Yes, I can give an example. At a certain company that I worked in, the “director” asked me to be in charge of personnel and yet was undermining me all the way. I was asked to give a test to employees, and I assigned them a spoken test to make sure they could describe the products VERBALLY because they are going to be doing so on the phone to customers and clients. Yet, on the morning of the test, the “director” suddenly asked me to change it to a written test. Later, IT presented me with a document which listed the messenger chat between the “director” and a certain “coach killer” (a cancer) where she told the “director” she didn’t want to do a spoken test. That’s why the “director” suddenly asked me to change it. The time stamps indicate that that’s what happened.)

There were those who pretended to be interested in what I’m writing, and they ask me so that they can determine how much money I make from books or they ask so they can scoff at me and tell me how bad my idea is. “Yeah, it’s the Dodgers’ 30th anniversary [of winning a championship], but SO WHAT?” All some people care about is attacking instead of being supportive or providing solutions.

There were those who would take what I say and twist it around (like they’re lawyers or something) or form their own opinions without asking me. As a joke, I’ve often said, “I’m 21.” A lot of people joke about that kind of stuff. But you’ll have peers or “friends” who will take that statement and try to analyze why I said “I’m 21.” Some would say things like, “Oh, you’re hung up on someone who’s 21 years old and that’s why you pretend you’re 21.” Excuse me? Instead of asking me, these people assume I have issues or whatever.

Anyway, there were those who would say, “I’m busy,” just because they have no time for you. Or, “I don’t care [what you have to say or what you’re saying].” Guess what? It works both ways. If they don’t care what I have to say, how seriously am I going to take them moving forward?

Getting back to that Dodgers comment from three paragraphs earlier, I succeeded – despite all sorts of negativity I had to listen to or deal with as I was writing that book. Well, I’m happy to say that Rowman & Littlefield is publishing that book celebrating the Dodgers’ championship team in August this year.

I just have to block out the negativity that I constantly hear around me. I’ve succeeded. Again, I’m proud that I have that book published.

And at the moment, I’m working on a biography about another ex-Major League Baseball player who, like Candiotti, also was nicknamed “Candy Man.” I’ve been working on this project since January 2018. It’s been going well.

Not only that, I’m also working on a book about a Stanley Cup champion from the past. And also another one about a former White Sox pitcher.

All of these stories are inspirational. And I want to write about their stories.

I’m still trying to track down a long-time pitcher who now works as a pitching coach in the minor leagues. Want to speak with him about the possibility of a book. And also a former big-league switch-hitter who had a marvelous but underrated career – one which saw him get snubbed for an All-Star Game.

Failing those two, there’s also a potential project on the horizon about an ex-Pirate, a former first-round pick, and a fellow who probably should be in the Hall of Fame.

Like I said, I’m a creator. I want to create inspiration. We need more of that in our world… not constant negativity and gossiping.