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.
Myths And Legends: The Jersey Devil
Did a woman named Deborah Leeds give birth to a spawn of Satan in 1735? According to the folklore of the forested Pine Barrens region in the southern part of what is now New Jersey, she sure as heck did.
One More Inspirational Baseball Movie That You Probably Missed
The 2019 drama, BOTTOM OF THE 9th, initially drew me in for two reasons. First, it’s a baseball movie, and if I haven’t seen every single one ever made, I’m pretty close. Second, much of it takes place in The Bronx, where I spent the first 21 years of my life. But ultimately, this powerful tale of redemption kept me engrossed from beginning to end.
Columbo Would Have Loved Vera
She’s old; she’s short; she’s disheveled; she’s irascible. She’s also brilliant. She’s Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, head of the Major Crimes unit of the (fictional) Northumberland & City Police.
Report From The Quarantine Cave 2.0
It’s July already, and this freaking coronavirus shows no sign of letting up. Truth be told, it’s only getting worse, and with no vaccine in sight it appears that we’re in this for the long haul.
Dual Guilty Pleasures Depict Nasty Alien Invaders
I don’t usually write about multiple Guilty Pleasures in one post. But the sci-fi/action films, BATTLE: LOS ANGELES (2011) and BATTLESHIP (2012) have much in common, so this seemed to make perfect sense.
Murder In Kiwi Land: The Brokenwood Mysteries
Spending most of our time indoors these days, my bride and I have discovered a number of great shows from around the globe on some of the streaming services. One of our absolute favorites (on Acorn) is the detective drama, THE BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES. The only negative I can say about it is that there are only twenty-four episodes, and we’ve seen them all. Waaaa!
The Fly: An Exercise In Barf-Baggery
Until recently I had not watched the excellent 1986 remake of THE FLY in many years. This is my excuse for forgetting that I should not have viewed the film so close to dinnertime. Appetite gone!
Guilty Pleasures: The Mummy (2017)
This Tom Cruise-fueled reboot, THE MUMMY, is a serious contender for the guiltiest of my Guilty Pleasures. It lost a chunk of change for the studio, and it has an anemic 16% rating on Rotten Tomatoes due to its brutal reviews. And if that’s not enough, the film garnered eight Razzie nominations, with one win for Worst Actor—yep, Tom Cruise.
Curious Possessions III
With seven-plus decades in the rearview mirror I’ve had plenty of time to collect a whole lot of “stuff.” Here is a look at some more “Curious Possessions” floating around my domicile.
The Lord Of The…Dust Bunnies?
Report from the Sirota Quarantine Cave: Jacqueline and I are doing fine. We’ve both been “sheltering in place” since she got back from a trip to Utah in mid-March. I suppose we’re more cautious than most, but hey, when they refer to “high-risk groups” they’re talking seniors (check) and people with underlying health conditions (double check).
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