Entry 0004 - Friday, August 21st, 2026
It is nearly 10:00am here on the prairie where I sit at my desk with luminously overcast Purgatory Creek just over my right shoulder. In this fourth entry, I will keep things pretty brief and just mention a few things about the current state and charted course for MOPC:
On Tuesday, the 18th, we had a fun shoot (Take 0011) with Rockin Rob, the Rad Researcher, who shared a couple bourbon-based recipes (and a whole lot of hot science-y knowledge) with yours truly, Simple D, and my gracious cohost, the Dapper Drew. Look for it to be out soon (we let our guests review their appearances before posting them for the three or four viewers we might have) as Rob will hopefully get to check it out and sign off on it soon!
We are hoping Nick starts working with us to bring some MOPC content to the social medias and maybe even to help us start Memers Only Posters Corner!! (More info as available)
Looking to get the one and only Ballpark Frank to join us for an episode centered around blended dessert drinks as we all know how much veteran bartenders like him enjoy using blenders and also scooping ice cream and getting their hands and workspace all sticky!
My nephew drafted us a dope coat of arms for the show (Members Only Players Coat) and we hope to be bringing it to the fronts of tshirts and hats so that we can sell em and people can buy em and rock that MOPC Swag (aka Members Only Players Confidence)!!
Well, that is about what I got for all you Members and Players and MOP-Curious out there! Until we meet (also even if we never meet), stay thirsty (in moderation)!!
Simple Dan, naive bartender and blender-phobic fella.
Entry 0003 - Tuesday, August 18th, 2026
It is nearly 9:00am (the third hour) here on the prairie as I sit down to write out today’s entry. There is much on my mind: troubles at work, an MOPC shoot at noon today, finances, the summer cold with which I’m contending, work tonight (where the trouble is), this, that and other things (#whelmed = overwhelmed by the anticipated trials x underwhelmed by the associated likelihood of desired results → `whelmed’), Nevertheless, it is upon us members and players to lean into the fact that a life well lived is often lived hand in hand with such circumstances; therefore, permit me to share one of the first lessons I learned as a `baby bartender’ (see Nina in Cape Fog episode) from a veteran bartender → slow down to speed up.
When a bartender is `in the weeds’ (no end in sight and urgent tasks in front, on either side and probably behind), it is upon them (should they desire to be their best) to maintain their equanimity. While it may seem like equanimity implies a static and stable state, experience tells us that we as people are always in motion: to and fro, forward and backward, side to side, woo woo woo (love P). So, when the world around us gets faster and faster, the veteran bartender finds ways of slowing themself down (leaving the drink ticket printer to print uncontrollably in order to take a drink of water, eating an olive from the fruit tray, or just taking a deep breathe with empty hands and recognizing that sooner or later the printer will stop printing and the guests will stop hollering).
Additional tips and tricks for bartenders and servers seeking to maintain their repose and equanimity include but are not limited to: keeping some candy handy, if a bit of chocolate can help Harry Potter recover from a dementor attack then perhaps some sour watermelon gummies can put enough of a smile on a weeded bartender’s face to inform the rest of their person (and mabe calm the folks from whom demands are the primary stressor #feedbacksystems and #multifactoroptimization (Rolo)), doing a whipped cream popper, shotgunning a redbull, etcetera (woo woo woo)…
As the third hour approaches and I must be about things other than writing today’s entry, I bid all members, players and MOP-Curious a good day.
Cheers!
Simple D, bartender who stay calm in da weeds
P.s. dont forget to keep an eye for the episode of MOPC which we will be shooting today with xtra special guest Rockin Rob the Rad Researcher!
Entry 0002 - Monday, August 17th, 2026
It is twelve minutes past the third hour on this sunny and cooling morn on the prairie. I had planned on using today’s entry in this little blog to holler at one of the original members and players and speak of his virtues and the lessons I’ve learned from being his companion here and there on this long (and often lonely) road we call `life’; however, as there are only forty-five minutes remaining until I must take the elevator down to the ole salt mine and serve my community, I will save my thoughts on my friend JP and those MOPC themes which he has helped bring to life in the spirit of this naive bartender. For now, then, permit me to share what I recite before every shift of mine as it both serves to display the spirit of MOPC and complete my readying routine:
may I be blessed (happy);
may my shift be blessed (happy):
may the work of my hands be blessed (happy): may it be steady and purposeful;
may the words of my mouth be blessed (happy): may they be gracious and kind;
may the movements of my heart be blessed (happy): may they be tender and vulnerable;
may the expressions of my form be blessed (happy): may they be meek and gentle;
may my guests be blessed (happy): even the troublesome and stingy;
may my coworkers be blessed (happy): even the troublesome and stingy;
may my managers be blessed (happy);
may my owners be blessed (happy);
may my community be blessed (happy).
It is 9:20 now and I have yet to embark on the colloquial `triple-S’; therefore, I bid all members and players and MOP-Curious a blessed (happy) Monday!
Cheers,
Simple Dan: naive bartender and Cuba Libre expert
Entry 0001 - Sunday, August 16th, 2026
We are halfway through the eighth month of the Julian year, here on a sunny morning overlooking Purgatory Creek where this `royal `we’’ sits, writing this first entry for the Members Only Periodical Column (aka the MOPC Blog). I (we) hope to keep this short and sweet as we (I) are prone to overdoing things or not doing anything under the oppressive burden of overdone designs; and, so, we will share a bit of what has been, what is, and what we hope is to come:
The spirit of MOPC has been tugging at our heart and niggling at our mind since we can remember (we love people and community and celebrating, stories and knowledge and comedy). The name `Members Only Players Club’ was first heard about a half decade ago and we instantly fell in love with it (though we knew not what with it to do): we tried finding other members and players with whom to open a little watering hole of our own under this name, and we tried writing short stories about a little watering hole with such a name, and we tried to start this little podcast-centered project with folk here and there. Now, five years or so is a long time to wait for something so near and dear to one’s heart (and, of which, the non-realization thereof, chafes one’s mind); thankfully, (though we cannot say when - and this is something about which I (we) must write else when) my cohosting member and all-around-player, the Dapper Drew, was gracious enough to explore this avenue with us (Simple Dan).
So, here we (all members and players) are: we have a little show with some footage available on the podcast page of this site, and we have this little site (on which you are reading this little blog entry), and we have each other (us members and players) and the hope for a little watering hole of our own (whatever it may look like). Oh ya! and we have `the Text’ (which I should rather be working on rewriting)!!
May our shows be entertaining and uplifting! May all members and players and MOP-Curious be blessed (happy)! May our little community grow in health (if not in size or wealth)! May Our Purpose Cometh!
Sincerely, Simple Dan (naive bartender and rum’n’coke expert)
P.s. is what you get if you remove the `q’ and the `r’…
P.p.s. my nephew is kindly working a Members Only Players Club coat of arms (or MOP-Coat)!!