Technology is doing more than just alienating us from one another

Damage in the Fort Walton Beach, Florida area caused by Hurricane Opal, which struck on Oct. 3, 1995. Image by Del Stone Jr.

On Aug. 5, 1995, and again on Oct. 3, 1995, something strange and wonderful happened in Fort Walton Beach. Hurricanes Erin and Opal had roared through the days before. The town was in a shambles – trees down, boats sunk,… READ MORE

Once, we lived and breathed in color. Now, thanks to the web, we live and breath in black and white

Image by Wikimedia Commons user Rock1997.

In “The Lost World” author Michael Crichton takes us on another hair-raising journey through The Land That Time Forgot Then Suddenly Remembered, a revisiting of “Jurassic Park.” Almost worth the price of admission by itself, however, is Crichton’s indictment of… READ MORE

It’s those cats!

Image by Del Stone Jr.

Note: This was an essay I wrote that later became the basis of a short story, “Aunt Edna’s Cats,” which was published in the Barnes & Noble anthology “101 Crafty Cat Capers.” — As I stand in my kitchen, hands… READ MORE

Eye of newt, hair of bat, and ‘100 Wicked Little Witch Stories’

[ Main image courtesy of SplitShire at Pexels by way of a Creative Commons license ]

The genesis of my story, “I Feel My Body Grow,” in “100 Wicked Little Witch Stories” was simple: I wanted to sell a story to “100 Wicked Little Witch Stories.” During the ‘90s writer and editor Stefan Dziemianowicz edited a… READ MORE

I know how Captain Kirk would have handled the overflowing toilet

Maybe it was Capt. James Tiberius Kirk, commander of the starship Enterprise, who said: “Into each life a little raw sewage must fall.” At least now I know Capt. Kirk’s middle name, thanks to the mobs who descended by telephone,… READ MORE

It was a ‘Wild Kingdom’ kinda day at the golf course

Image courtesy of Flickr user Dennis Church by way of a Creative Commons license. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dfc_pcola/

When I want to experience nature in the flesh NATURE’S flesh, that is, not mine – I don’t hike in the woods. I go to the golf course. Such was the case the other day when Scott, my golfing accomplice,… READ MORE

For Christmas, I want a painting … but not just ANY painting

Image courtesy of pxfuel.

Lately, torch-wielding mobs have been gathering at my front door, demanding to know what I want for Christmas this year. These mobs are in luck, because after thinking about last year’s very sad Christmas, when I received mere thousands of… READ MORE

I think I’ll color my hair. Then I’ll book passage on the Titanic

In this photo the author (left) greets a visitor to the Northwest Florida Daily News' booth at a local festival. As you can see, the author is overjoyed by the warm - make that cold - greeting the visitor had to offer, which probably resulted in even more gray hairs appearing in his head. Photo courtesy of the Northwest Florida Daily News

This morning I thought we would take an intimate look at eye crud, but a vastly more important issue has since arisen: Apparently I’ve reached that point in life when, in order to continue looking young, I must give Mother… READ MORE

Del and Mladen review ‘Pumpkinhead’

Image courtesy of MGM/UA.

“Pumpkinhead” Starring Lance Henriksen, Jeff East, John D’Aquino and Florence Shauffler. Directed by Stan Winston. 86 minutes. Rated R. Amazon Prime. Del’s take They had me at the cicadas. If I remember the South for anything it will be sluggish… READ MORE

Another home ownership benefit – you get to unclog the bathtub drain

Image courtesy of Quinn Dombrowski by way of a Creative Commons license. https://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/

As a homeowner, I have had my eyes opened to a range of marvelous new experiences, many of them requiring the absence of money. One such experience is a clogged drain. In the halcyon days of my youth, a clogged… READ MORE