Swords, Specters, & Stuff
Welcome to My World
I started this blog in January 2012 for one simple reason: I love to write. I named it “Swords, Specters, & Stuff” because I especially love to write about writing, about books and movies in my favorite genres, about authors that mean a great deal to me. But there’s more to it than that, which is why I included “Stuff” in the title. It is “Stuff” that gives me carte blanche to write about anything, which is why you’ll see stories about special trips to Cooperstown, Sedona, and other places; about getting older; about baseball; about the otherworldly way in which I met my soul mate; about the loss of good friends, and so much more. Enjoy! And feel free to leave a comment.
Cult Classics: One Person’s Opinion
A great philosopher (either Plato or Frank Zappa; I’m not sure) once said, “Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one, and they all stink.” With that in mind, I’ll reference an article that I read last week about twenty-five movies that, while considered “cult classics,” are not worthy of such adulation.
Throwback Thursday: Outrageous Film Teasers
I had forgotten about this post, which first ran in 2020. To reiterate my warning from back then, don’t be drinking anything when you read some of these crazy film teasers. 😊
The Saga Of Greasy Neale
Elly de la Cruz, the exciting rookie, had just stolen three bases in the same inning, a rare feat that had occurred only 47 times in the history of Major League Baseball. As for the Cincinnati Reds, the last player to accomplish it did so in 1919, over a century ago. That player’s name: GREASY NEALE.
Throwback Thursday: Blowing Shit Up: The Final (I Hope) Rambo Film
Well, I haven’t heard anything about a new RAMBO film, and that’s probably a good thing. This post first ran in 2020.
A Story’s “Setting” Can Also Be A “Character”
Indeed, I strongly believe that statement. Think about it: what would Tarzan’s life be like without the challenges of the beautiful but deadly jungle? Or the scientists and staff in John Carpenter’s THE THING without the starkness of Antarctica’s ice and snow? Or LAWRENCE OF ARABIA without the vastness of the blistering desert? Settings such as these play key roles in so many stories.
Throwback Thursday: “A Wizard Is Never Late”—Memorable Lines From THE LORD OF THE RINGS
I absolutely love THE LORD OF THE RINGS, both Tolkien’s classic novel and the sprawling epic film series of Peter Jackson. There are countless memorable lines from the latter, which makes the following, from a 2020 post, merely a small sample.
A Bold (Dumb?) Prediction
As I write this post, my beloved—but maddening—San Diego Padres have reached the halfway point of a 162-game season with a record of 37-44. I’ll say that again: 37-44! How in the name of Zeus’s butthole did that happen?
Throwback Thursday: And This Week’s Guest Star Is…H.G. Wells?
MURDOCH MYSTERIES is now in its sixteenth season (and counting) since I first presented this post a few years ago. That’s over 260 episodes! Quite a track record.
Using Fiction To Make A Statement
My four-book comedy/science fiction series, which began with BICYCLING THROUGH SPACE AND TIME, depicts the mostly outrageous adventures of mountain bike rider Jack Miller along the cosmic tunnel called the Ultimate Bike Path. But “outrageous” occasionally turns to “outrage…”
Throwback Thursday: Guilty Pleasures—THE HURRICANE HEIST
Negative reviews? Crummy box office? Oh yes, the 2018 action/disaster film, THE HURRICANE HEIST, is definitely a world-class Guilty Pleasure. Some critics even agreed that it was the “Best/Worst” movie of the year—which likely makes it a Guilty Pleasure even for them.
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