Arroe Collins View From The Writing Instrument

I’m always asking questions.  The fun begins when you start researching for answers. Such as…   Why do only a few amount of people find it to be extremely important to spell correctly?  Plus…can bad spelling ruin a person’s chances of growing inside a business?    I’m Arroe…  I am a daily writer.  A silent wolf.  I stand on the sidelines and do nothing but watch, listen study then activate.  I call it The Daily Mess.  A chronological walk through an everyday world.  Yes, it’s my morning writing.  As a receiver of thoughts and ideas, we as people tend to throw it to the side and deal with it later.  When a subject arrives, I dig in.  It’s still keeping a journal!  By doing the research the picture becomes clearer.  This is the Daily Mess…    

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The band is ecstatic to be included in ProgDay.
“There’s a motivated energy in the band,” says Refestramus leader/drummer/songwriter Derek Ferguson. “ProgDay is exactly the kind of listener-first crowd this band was built for.”
Refestramus’ sound leans on vintage rock hardware—Hammond organ, distorted guitars. The lyrics pull source material from Bulgakov, Kurosawa, Orthodox iconography, and Slavic folklore, all of it delivered with a refusal to take itself too seriously. For fans of Kansas, Styx, Van der Graaf Generator, Crack the Sky, and Flying Colors.
Their latest album, “Morri’s Rock Boutique,” produced by Ian Beabout, features guest appearances from David Jackson (Van der Graaf Generator), Joe Deninzon (Kansas/Stratospheerius), Rick Witkowski (Crack the Sky), and members of Octarine Sky. Ferguson says 'Morri’s' was “created to be heard at ProgDay,” as the album continues to grow in the rock world.
Progressor.net calls the album “a blast from beginning to end.” Prog writes that “Morri’s Rock Boutique” has “a smile on its face [that] is infectious.” Music Street Journal adds: “Unique and innovative… entertaining.”
Refestramus members performing at ProgDay include Ferguson, along with Mitch Lawrence (saxophone), and Octarine Sky’s Jan Christiana (lead vocals, bass) and Dyanne Potter Voegtlin (keyboards, vocals), plus Rocket Scientist and Interdiscipline (Crimson tribute) guitarist Bob Wolkotte.
Founded in May 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Refestramus’ catalog also includes “Decoupage” (2021) and “Intouríst” (Melodic Revolution Records, 2024). The band made its European debut in November 2025 at the HRH Prog 15 Festival in Great Yarmouth, UK, with David Jackson joining them on saxophone—a set Festivals For All called “a superb Chicago band… almost Gong-esque.”
The group is celebrating their song “Hell or NYC?!” included in ProgUK’s current Melodic Revolution Records’ 20th Anniversary sampler and this weekend’s Immersive Audio Release of “Morri’s Rock Boutique.”  progday.net/Bands-Refestramus.html

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The worst drought in the south since 2008. The land is so hard that it's reminding me of the sandstone of Montana. My worries sit within the soil, what's going on with the roots of all living things? How can we as humans learn from this natural behavior?

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The critics called it Disco.  Mainly because of the firest ever use of a new electronic drum machine.  Fans labeled it Punk.  Oh really?  Cuz the band was hoping for Reggae.  

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In a world of labels being placed on people, one father and one son were determined to break that tag, even if it was one of autism. This is their story. In a world quick to label, judge, and box in people, one father and son stood firm and refused to be defined by an autism diagnosis. If you're channel surfing and happen upon Leland Vittert during his nightly national cable show on NewsNation, he comes off as a poised journalist prying nuggets from guests. If you watched him for years as an anchor at Fox News Channel, you saw him on the battlefields of the Middle East, the anchor desk, and the White House North Lawn. No one, including friends and co-workers, has ever known his full life story and how miraculous it was to get to that point.Leland was a socially awkward boy who didn't speak for years, and when he finally did, teachers and leaders declared him "weird." His unique behavior and inability to connect with his peers made him a frequent target for bullying and exclusion. In one particularly harsh moment, a school principal bluntly told his parents, "The people here think Leland is pretty weird. I guess I do, too." Those words felt like being shot with an arrow, as his parents sat in stunned silence, grappling with their own fears and uncertainties for their son's future. From a young age, Leland showed signs of being Autistic, a term rarely used at the time, struggling with social cues, communication, and behavioral norms that came naturally to other kids. The diagnosis didn't deter his father, Mark. He knew the world wouldn't change for Leland, so he quit his job and began changing Leland for the world. He became a full-time parent-coach, training Leland and teaching him the skills he needed to navigate in society. Simple concepts like eye contact, understanding humor, and instilling motivations had to be taught painstakingly. From hundreds of pushups at age 7 to toughen him against bullies, to coaching him through complex social interactions, Mark's relentless dedication changed the trajectory of Leland's life. Born Lucky offers an intimate look into their inspiring journey. Leland lays bare his experiences of the crushing bullying during middle and high school, the sting of rejection continuing into college, and his ultimate transformation into an esteemed journalist. But above all, this book is a love letter from a grateful son, who despite his diagnosis, trusted his father and defied all odds. It offers hope to every parent and every child who is grappling with their own unique challenges, to be inspired to break labels, tear down the walls that society builds, and create a better future.


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I’m always asking questions.  The fun begins when you start researching for answers. Such as…   Is there a difference between judgements?  When you tell someone they suck versus telling them they blow.  Which is worse?  Blow or suck?  Plus…what’s the new average age for kids to fly the nests, to break free of the parents?   I’m Arroe…  I am a daily writer.  A silent wolf.  I stand on the sidelines and do nothing but watch, listen study then activate.  I call it The Daily Mess.  A chronological walk through an everyday world.  Yes, it’s my morning writing.  As a receiver of thoughts and ideas, we as people tend to throw it to the side and deal with it later.  When a subject arrives, I dig in.  It’s still keeping a journal!  By doing the research the picture becomes clearer.  This is the Daily Mess…

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-view-from-the-writing-instrument--1023245/support.

From the creators who helped redefine family-focused unscripted television comes an inspiring new series that invites viewers to slow down, settle in, and experience a more intentional way of living. More than a home and lifestyle series, “Jep & Jess: Beyond the Bayou” is a weekly destination where purpose, faith, meaningful work, enduring relationships, and authentic community take center stage.Leaving behind the Louisiana bayous that first made them household names, Jep and Jessica are building a new life in Texas, transforming Comanche Moon Ranch into a thriving community rooted in craftsmanship, hospitality, and legacy. Along the way, viewers will witness the joys and challenges of creating a place where neighbors become family, love grows deeper, and every project serves a greater purpose.Whether it’s gathering around the table, tackling ambitious ranch projects, welcoming new neighbors, or celebrating life’s everyday blessings, “Jep & Jess: Beyond the Bayou” offers viewers refreshing reminders that happiness is found not in keeping up with the world, but in building a life worth coming home to.  

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-Missed Opportunity- I love sharing conversations.  Hosting requires show prep.  My podcasting platforms feature thousands of guests.  What you don’t have access to are the missed opportunities. The show prep was completed.  The conversation didn’t happen.  I keep all my notes! Paths will cross again.  Let me explain Missed Opportunity.  It’s my questions and statements without their answers.  I’m leaving open enough space at the end of each question hoping they’ll download the talk and insert their answers.Missed Opportunity is a lost piece of history.  Like a message in a bottle tossed out to sea. I hope to locate a destination…
  This week we’re putting focus on my missed opportunity with singer songwriter Bryan Olsen. Missed Opportunity.  A lost piece of history.  You know the questions.  Let’s locate the reactions.  The door is always open.  If you are or know Bryan Olson reach out to me at arroec@gmail.com that’s arroec@gmail.com Be brilliant!

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When solitude reaches back to bite us. Those places or moments that invite so much love for our inner soul and they come with a twist in the plans. Are we being selfish with nature when we refuse to walk in the rain?

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In her acclaimed series of mysteries set in and around Glacier National Park, Christine Carbo explored the perilous intersection between humans and the natural world. In her new standalone thriller, THE CONFESSION ARTIST (Thomas & Mercer; May 5, 2026; $16.99 Paperback), Carbo shifts her focus from the remote Montana wilderness to a vast and virtually inescapable landscape rife with threats from anonymous monsters: the digital world.     It began with a pencil sketch of a middle-aged, bearded man. Someone unknown had posted it on several untraceable accounts across social media. Below the photo, in yellow block text, all caps, was a command: CONFESS, OR DIE. YOU HAVE SIX DAYS. At first, few people paid attention. About a week later, a reporter who had been intrigued by the random posts wrote that a man resembling the sketch had been fatally shot just outside of Seattle. Police denied a connection, but the accounts generated a ton of new followers. A month later, a second sketch, paired with the same chilling demand, was posted. It went viral. This time, the sketch was of a woman. By the end of that week, a female mirroring the drawing was found murdered in Santa Monica, California. When the third sketch—another male—dropped, it got global attention. Law enforcement agencies across the US, especially in the West, went on high alert. But after six days passed, no one turned up dead. Had the man fessed up and been spared?        A first-year PI in the Flathead Valley, Crosbie Mitchell yearns for something more exciting than tracking down cheating spouses. Still, she has little interest in all the buzz surrounding the killer dubbed “The Confession Artist.” Boredom aside, she doesn’t regret her decision to quit the force. Being the lone woman cop in her precinct was tough even before her coworkers saw her as toxic for reporting sexual harassment. And after Jess, her sister and only family, was raped, she needed to be there for her. The real reason, however, is something Crosbie can barely think about without feeling… slimy, or worse. Yes, Crosbie has skeletons shoved deep in her closet. Yet, she’s knocked for a loop when a fourth sketch goes viral and Jess gasps in horror: “It’s you.” Brushing it off, Crosbie insists:  “I’m a nobody from Montana.” Then, her ex-boyfriend calls with a significant detail: the woman in the sketch is wearing the same dangling earrings, in the shape of a feather with a round stone in the center, as the handcrafted pair he gave her. You have six days to confess or die. Crosbie’s heart pounds at the thought. What should she confess first?
Keeping the tension building, THE CONFESSION ARTIST follows Crosbie as she digs into the identity of the online killer and evades a stalker. Before the sketch made her a public figure of wild speculation, Crosbie had been hired to investigate the suspicious death of a Native American journalist about to expose the shady and environmentally destructive practices of a local oil and natural