The summer of 1984 was a fun time to be alive. Sure, we all thought the USSR was going to bomb the bejeezus out of us—and they were thinking the same thing about us—but movies like The Day After notwithstanding, there was more to life that year than the looming specter of World War III. […]
Real Life Lessons: The Designated Doofus Read More »
From 1989 to 1993, the NBC science fiction show Quantum Leap chronicled the adventures of good guy Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula), a physicist who created a time machine that allowed him to inhabit the bodies of others who lived within his lifetime. Each week, Sam would leap into a new character. Some of them were
With All Due Credit to the Good Dr. Beckett: My Quantum Leap Moment Read More »
Brando the Wonder Dog died peacefully in my arms at 10:35 PM (PST) on November 25th, 2011. He was 12-years old. The last words he heard were, “I love you, Brando.” Brando died from an overdose of barbiturates administered by a critical care veterinarian after he was diagnosed with cancer in his shoulder that had spread
First of all, I’m a Bad Robot fan, and I’m proud of it. For those who don’t know, Bad Robot is a film and television production company owned by producer, writer, and director J.J. Abrams. It’s been responsible for shows such as Alias and Lost and films like Super 8, Cloverfield, and the new Star
My dad toughed it out in North Dakota for two years after my mother died. But finally, even walking three blocks to the post office on Main Street became difficult. “Dad,” I said, “It’s time to come and live with us in Colorado.” He hired the auctioneer, and kept a stiff upper lip as the
The Journal: A Father’s Day Story Read More »
On a warm autumn afternoon a few years ago, a catenary of events forever shaped my impression of the new Spain. I had just settled into a sunny little room in a pension only a stone’s throw from the Parliament in the heart of downtown Madrid, and without a moment to lose, I asked Miguel,
Cervantes and the New Spain Read More »