CRYPTOQUOTE
When I was a ninth-grader, I devoured books--often completing a book a day, if not more. Of course, as was my practice, I didn't always...
The Popular Song: AM I BLUE?
Recently I screened a 1929 film musical titled On With the Show and was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of a wonderful song that I...
FLY PAPER
When I taught my Cinema Studies elective classes, I would always devote time to one of Buster Keaton's masterpieces--Sherlock, Jr. Early...
THE MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM
Every generation has its own music, and as a child of the 60s, I feel very fortunate to have grown up with the Beatles, and Bob, and...
WORDSWORDSWORDS#12 (Sike/Psyche/Psyche)
Even though I am a prescriptivist when it comes to the English language, I readily acknowledge that language is always evolving and I am...
CULTURAL SHIFT
There are elements of the past I find far preferable to elements of today. What crotchety old person doesn't feel that way?! But there...
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
The following is all true. These events took place in the mid-1970s. When I was a first-year teacher of students in 8th-12th grades at...
THE ROYAL VIKING
My first job was delivering Newsday, Long Island's tabloid paper, on my bicycle in the afternoons. My second job was tending to fifteen...
ALTERNATIVE FACTS
I'm having a little fun with this blog post title alluding to the "alternative facts" touted by Kelly Ann Conway when she was challenged...
BIG RED
The greatest athlete of my time...was a horse. I have followed many sports--my beloved baseball, football (college and professional),...