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.
The Mystery Of The Ghost Blimp
I’ve written about ghost ships and ghost trains, but a GHOST BLIMP? This true story about an incident that took place during World War II ranks way up there on the Weird-O-Meter, I kid you not.
Throwback Thursday: Whole Lotta Shaking Goin’ On
When will the Big One hit? We Californians know that it’s not a matter of IF, but WHEN. This post first ran in 2018.
The Changing Face Of Baseball: A Woman Hired As A Manager!
Rachel Balkovec has broken through the domed ceiling of professional baseball in a big way. The New York Yankees had hired her in 2019 as their hitting coach, making her the first woman to hold that position full-time. And recently the Bronx Bombers promoted her as manager of their Low A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons, making her the first woman to manage a team affiliated with MLB.
Throwback Thursday: Dreadlocked Rodents And Elephant-Flies
Four years ago I revised and reissued the second book in my comedy/sci-fi series, THE ULTIMATE BIKE PATH. (A Retro Ride: Book Two.) Along with all his strange adventures on the other side of the numerous gates along the Path, cosmic cyclist Jack Miller encounters some weird riders on the mhuva lun gallee itself. Here are two of them.
Myths And Legends: The Ghosts Of The Dakota
“Your girlfriend lives in the corner penthouse of spook central.” Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) delivers that line to fellow Ghostbuster Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) in the 1984 comedy/horror classic, one of my all-time favorite films. The building Ray is referencing happens to be one of New York City’s oldest and most renowned structures, The Dakota.
Throwback Thursday: Films About Writers—YEAR BY THE SEA
In this, the era of #MeToo, when women are making it clear that they’re fed up with the bullshit to which they’ve been subjected from men since the days of the “goodwife,” the 2016 comedy-drama, YEAR BY THE SEA, is most timely.
“I Ain’t Got Time To Bleed”—Memorable Lines From PREDATOR
The sci-fi/horror film, PREDATOR (1987), made a ton of money, got great reviews, and spawned a franchise that continues right up until today, with one or two more sequels apparently in the works. It didn’t hurt that its cast included Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura, two future governors, and one of the most iconic “villains” in the genre, a trophy hunter from another world that can render itself invisible with a cloaking device.
Throwback Thursday: Guilty Pleasures—SEASON OF THE WITCH
The first time I watched the 2011 historical fantasy/adventure film, SEASON OF THE WITCH—starring Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman—I did so with no preconceived notions. The verdict: okay, I’d seen better movies, and for sure a whole lot worse, but I found it watchable.
The New Year Coming: Do Things Ever Change?
I first ran this post seven years ago, and a few times since. Does life change much? You be the judge.
Throwback Thursday: Yosemite—What Took Us So Long?
Yosemite is one of this country’s most amazing national parks. This post first ran in 2018.
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