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.
Pitch Clocks And Baseball? One Word: NO!
What are they doing to my game? Since you already know how I feel about the pitch clock, let me start this post with a story. I live and die with the San Diego Padres and have since their inception in 1969. I’m either watching a game, listening to a game, or at a game.
Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen!
When Neil Sedaka sang this song back in the day, I was a mere juvenile (but not a delinquent). Now, I’m pretty sure Neil wasn’t referring to the NCAA Basketball Tournament, but I am, because—wonder of wonders—two of our teams are still dancing!
“Madness! Madness!”
The title of this post is an actual line of dialogue—the last in the film, actually—from the much-honored classic, THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1958). It is shouted by a character called Major Clipton as he observes men destroying one another during a World War II battle and is a strong commentary on the madness of war. But hey, it’s MARCH, the month where MADNESS has another meaning.
A Pair Of 7s…Is That Lucky?
Well, I sure hope so, because I’m turning 77 today. Holy crap, how in the name of Zeus’s butthole did that happen!
Blimey, A British Royal Who Solves Murders?
Bestselling American author Elizabeth George published her first Inspector Lynley mystery, A GREAT DELIVERANCE, in 1988 to much acclaim. To date the series is still going strong both here and in the United Kingdom, with over twenty titles in print. And in 2001 the books spawned a highly popular BBC One crime drama, THE INSPECTOR LYNLEY MYSTERIES, with a two-part pilot and six seasons, which ran through 2008 and doubtless should have gone longer.
Myths And Legends: More Haunted Truck Roads
Learning about some of these spooky truck roads almost makes you not want to get behind the wheel. But drive we must, so here are a couple more that you might want to think twice about navigating.
It’s 60 Degrees Outside? Brr, Frigid!
On one of my daily walks last week—sun shining, 70° here in Southern California—I got to thinking about why I relocated to the San Diego area in the first place over fifty years ago. For sure, to be able to walk along the beach on a balmy mid-winter day had to be one of those reasons. So why was I bundled up like an off-season tourist in Barrow, Alaska?
The Dark Throne: Quotes From THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
As I’ve noted before with episodes VII and VIII in the Star Wars universe, THE RISE OF SKYWALKER—episode IX—does not nearly approach the plethora of memorable quotes from the original trilogy, aka episodes IV, V, and VI. I mean, some of them have become part of the vernacular, ones that we’ve all used.
Has Halloween Really Ended?
Don’t stress, I’m not talking about the merchandising-fueled holiday on October 31st. This is about the thirteen-film slasher series, now spanning over four decades, and more specifically, last year’s entry, HALLOWEEN ENDS. But does it end?
Murder And Mayhem In Quebec
Award-winning Canadian writer Louise Penny is the author of the popular mystery series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec police force, which services the sprawling province of Quebec from its headquarters in Montreal. The primary (fictional) setting, located in the rural Eastern Townships, is the seemingly idyllic village of Three Pines…a place where a whole lot of secrets are buried.
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