How ya doin'?
Some time ago, albeit gradually, I started taking the "How ya doin'?" greeting more literally.I know it's basically a perfunctory greeting. To which you're supposed to respond: "Fine. How are you?"...
View ArticleFinished: Robert B. Parker's 'Bye Bye Baby'
This is a continuation of the late RBP's Spenser series but written by Ace Atkins, chosen by Parker's estate to do so. This is Atkins' tenth and he does a really good job of keeping the characters and...
View ArticleWhen the ban isn't really a ban ...
I'm against book bans, but let's not over-hype the problem. Here are some interesting findings from a couple researchers who looked into claims of censorship.As it turns out, almost three quarters of...
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In the game of life, be a Tom, not a Bill
You've probably seen the news where a U.S. Senator has led the charge for it to be an even uglier place. They've dropped the dress code of suits and ties and now allow shorts and sweatshirts on the...
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Finally, a responsible adult, kinda
It's usually not a big deal when somebody buys a new vehicle, but it kind of is in my household; as I'm the guy that buys one and drives it until a tow truck has to pull it from my driveway to the...
View Article35 years, uff da
Today is my 35th wedding anniversary. Kind of a big deal, mostly due to the fact that somebody has been married to ME for 35 years. I wrote kind of a long, sappy deal but wasn't happy with it so...
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Speaking of the ol' ball and chain ...
My celebrity crush has alway been Jennifer Love Hewitt. Her smile, her curves, her personality. If I had a hall pass it would be with her. (If my wife had one it would be Herb Dean, go figure.)Anyway,...
View ArticleFinished: Ryan Howard's '56 Days'
At first glance I thought this book was written by former Phillies player Ryan Howard but I guess not. It was good anyway. Nice job, Catherine Ryan Howard.It does the flashbacky thing quite a bit,...
View ArticleChris or Jamey? Who ya paying to see?
Chris Stapleton is coming to my neck of the woods for a concert this spring. I'm not trying to be contrarian here, but I haven't bought in (especially at 200 bucks a ticket) to all the hype. For my...
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From the bookshelf ...
What I'm reading: An Ed McBain 1969 novel "Fuzz: An 87th Precinct Mystery". Only 95 bucks at AbeBooks, but I got my paperback edition for $4 at my bookstore.What I'm reading next: The great Larry...
View ArticleThe Old Curiosity Bookshop
What wonders they hold as they vanish.Read this, then go buy a book.
View ArticleSince we're talking music
Let's talk about the greatest: Prince.And his impact on that gal Travis Kelce is dating.“Swift seems to have studied Prince and learned some invaluable lessons.”
View ArticleBoys not being boys
Jonathon Haidt is increasingly worried about boys. From American Institute for Boys and Men:Boys are in trouble. Many have withdrawn from the real world, where they could develop the skills needed to...
View ArticleAnd, let's hear it for the girls
Xochitl Gonzalez wonders: What Did Hip-Hop Do to Women's Minds. From The Atlantic:I’d heard these songs hundreds of times over the years, but that day—as a woman in her 30s making a playlist for a man...
View ArticleAnonymous quote I ran across ...
"I'd rather be the oldest guy in the gym than the youngest guy in the nursing home."
View ArticleI'm c'raven' more House of Usher
Wifey and I are about halfway through the Netflix series, The Fall of the House of Usher. My wife screams about three times per episode.It's not going to be for everyone - gory, gruesome, scary,...
View ArticleMeanwhile, in the world of rock n roll ...
This is a cool story: Rock Gods Call Him When They Need a New Thunderbolt“He’s very enthusiastic,” Jagger said, “to the point of being too enthusiastic, sometimes.” At one of their earliest meetings,...
View ArticleThe latest scores
Here are my most recent reads - very average (as the Haugenometer score below them indicates. But a couple quotable quotes I enjoyed:"The Big Bad City" by Ed McBain (1999)6"The End of the Night" by...
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The Haugen holiday newsletter
Welcome to the annual Haugen Holiday missive in which I give an electronic run-down of the parole status of the various Haugen hooligans. (You richies who mail your Christmas cards and own private...
View ArticleThe books gifted this year
Per usual, the old man gifts the kids and their significant others a book each Christmas. Quite a bit of thought goes into this as some are bigger readers than others. So, to get some to read the...
View ArticleFinished: 'The Devil Takes You Home' by Gabino Iglesias
I finished reading my 34th novel of 2023 a couple hours before midnight. It was almost as bad as the Vikings' performance against the Packers. "The Devil Takes You Home" by Gabino Iglesias is one of...
View ArticleI interupt my hiatus with this doozy
I’d argue that we have become so sad, lonely, angry and mean as a society in part because so many people have not been taught or don’t bother practicing to enter sympathetically into the minds of...
View Article"Book ban" trope has officially become a joke
Anti-Censorship Bookshop Took 3 Days to Start Censoring BooksI have to admit that while I haven't much of an opinion about RuPaul one way or another--he seemed benign enough given what little I...
View ArticleFinished: 'The Bad Weather Friend' by Koontz
Like the much discussed absence of Princess Kate from public view, social media has been abuzz (not) with speculation of my where-abouts.To quote the great Johnny Cash, "I've been everywhere man." But...
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The sexiest woman in country music history is ...
Driving home from a meeting in Kadoka, SD, the other night, a song came on the Willie's Roadhouse channel of Sirius/XM that got me pondering the question of who is the sexiest woman in country music...
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