A Pirate on the Prairie

Been there and done that. “The Smithereens - Blues Before and After” https://youtu.be/AO4C70gfQ3g

She didn’t need a gun to grievously wound me. 😏 “The Smithereens - Blood And Roses” https://youtu.be/vqML7WbOun8

I learned today that a military science fiction writer whose work that I have enjoyed passed away back in 2023 following a Parkinson’s disease announcement in 2019. David Drake was an accomplished writer who served with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (the Blackhorse Regiment) during the Vietnam War. He was drafted and pulled from his studies at Duke University’s law school to serve as an interrogator. After the war he returned to the classroom, worked for a time as a pract

Those of you that remember Robert Carradine primarily from his role as Lewis Skolnick in the Revenge of the Nerds films or as Sam McGuire on the Disney Channel series, Lizzie McGuire , may not be aware of his first film appearance alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys as “Slim” Honeycutt or his role as WWII infantryman, Private Zab, in Samuel Fuller’s The Big Red One . If so, you are also probably unaware of his role as the love interest in the music video of The Motels’ song,

“Roger Creager - I'm Missing You - Official Audio” https://youtu.be/H2qjfxJ5lDs

Have you ever really been in love if you haven’t thought entirely too long about killing someone? Of course, I am kidding. Well, I am sort of kidding. Relax. I didn’t actually try to murder someone. 😉 In all seriousness, this is a good song. “Roger Creager - She Chose You - Official Audio” https://youtu.be/i7iw5IZ-9As

“Roger Creager - I Loved You When - Official Audio“ https://youtu.be/dLqO-FTUCMQ

I have previously shared on this blog my renewed interest in tabletop roleplaying games and my experience to date with solo tabletop roleplaying games. Here in early 2026, I am feeling pretty excited by the prospect of returning to the gaming table on a somewhat consistent basis via both solo gaming and more “traditional” gaming as part of a group, online or in-person. I expect that I will play the solo “Alone Against the Flames” adventure found within the Call of Cthulhu Sta

“TESLA - Gettin' Better (Five Man Video Band)” https://youtu.be/UMRt3qSDqCM

If hurting me was an Olympic sport, you would have been a perennial contender for the gold medal. 😏 “We're No Good Together” https://youtu.be/vDX2NmDSLHQ

“WATCH THE MOUNTAINS!” — Anthony Edwards as LTJG Nick "Goose" Bradshaw in Top Gun I first watched Top Gun back in 1986 and to this day it is one of my favorite movies of the 1980s and of all time. Two of my biggest disappointments in life have been my inability to serve in the military and my inability to fly or to serve in an aviation-related position in the military due to my being asthmatic. The closest that I have been able to get to flying a fighter or an interceptor has

“Bon Jovi - She Don't Know Me” https://youtu.be/omLgJe9cnCw

“Ray Charles | You Don't Know Me (Visualizer)” https://youtu.be/d6s9a-CBHXY

Say what you will, but Budweiser can bring a commercial that tugs at one’s (patriotic) heartstrings. That’s true even though the company is now owned by AB InBev, a Belgian multinational company. 🇺🇸🦅 🐴 🥲 “Budweiser | Super Bowl LX Commercial 'American Icons'” https://youtu.be/a_mh-v02-Tw

“Hurricane - I'm On To You (Official Video) (1988) From The Album Over The Edge” https://youtu.be/SA744u6DqmI

“Whitesnake - Fool for Your Loving (Official Music Video)” https://youtu.be/8Tp0K9YiTPE

Okay, twist my arm. 😉 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO https://youtu.be/DSqp-W1pWoU

“Cherry Bomb” https://youtu.be/JxVdAZqjRfA

One of the things that I miss the most following my decades of living on the Southeastern North Carolina coast is the abundant, readily available, and delicious seafood that I enjoyed eating when I lived there. There was certainly no shortage of excellent and good seafood restaurants when I lived in the Wilmington area. My family moved to North Carolina before I entered kindergarten. My father had been stationed at Fort Bragg as a member of the vaunted 82nd Airborne Division

This is going to be the year (Lord willing) that I FINALLY get my “big, stompy robots” and other instruments of future warfare painted and on the field of battle. I happen to own the BattleTech Alpha Strike box set in addition to other BattleTech box sets and related wargame and roleplaying game products. Click on the link below for a 2023 Goonhammer review of that particular product. “Battletech Alpha strike: The Goonhammer Review” https://www.goonhammer.com/battletech-alpha