In The Rearview

Working on this one, 'bout three weeks into it. Probably come in at about 5500 words. Maybe more. Maybe less. And you see that bad boy, '69 Firebird 400 up there? A main character of ITR in it's own right. Guys and cars, right?

I come from a long line of car nuts, me being the lesser nut of the cluster. Still, I jones. I got a '69 'bird up in Kansas which needs complete restoration. If I can get it down here, I'll get to work on it. If not, I'll probably have to let it go. No, it's not a 400, but the potential is still there and I love the lines.

My dad and brothers all go deep in the well for cars. My dad has a '64 Buick Riviera with a 465 Wildcat engine in it. Probably doesn't mean much unless you're a gearhead, but that's some serious beef under the hood. He also has a pristine '72 Chevy Custom Cab pickup and a '54 Chevy pickup we lowered down and dropped a V8 in years ago. My little bro' had a '72 Corvette and my older brother had a '72 El Camino he dropped down, put a blower on...the whole shebang. I had a '69 El Camino through high school. Ahh, the memories.

It's been years since I've gotten under the hood. I mean really gotten under the hood. Yeah, I change the occasional alternator and that biz on my commuter car. Not the same thing. So, I'll cross my fingers, see if I can't get that '69 down here. We shall see.

See ya on the flip.

Eclectic Freak Show: The Reading Edition

I gotta slow down. Books are stacked all over the joint. That 8'x8' gorgeous bookcase I built a couple of years ago- jam packed. Who knows how many reads I've gotten started. And I read them all, little by little. Some I get a little more hooked on than others, but it's all about mood. Where am I at this minute? Where am I at this second?

If your game, below is a small sampling of what I'm tearing through.

The Razor's Edge- W. Somerset Maugham. A beautiful piece of writing.

The Blue Hammer- Ross MacDonald. What can I say...I'm a MacDonald nut.

Revolutionary Road- Richard Yates. Too realistic sometimes. Look in the mirror; those people are you.

The Blackboard Jungle- Evan Hunter. You've probably seen the movie. Read the book and dig a little deeper. Warning: It's a little talky, but not bad.

The Score- Richard Stark. Parker has no regrets. A runaway train who's always, always in control.

The Frontiersmen- Allan W. Eckert. Hard men living in hard, hard world. But free.

Anatomy of a Murder- Robert Traver. Just picked this up and remember the old movie well. Here's hoping the book delves deeper into the violence and sex- that's what this boy's talkin' 'bout!

Not what you'd call your "who's who" of crime fiction, but fuck that. I like writing that provokes something in me, helps me see things in a new light. Don't be a chump. Don't tie yourself down. Read outside the box and then go write your best work ever. You only spin around this globe once.

See ya on the flip.

One creepy ass fricken movie

Not a horror fan per se. I watched this one again the other night though: Vampyr- Der Traum des Allan Grey. Highly, highly, highly recommended. Just keep in mind it was filmed in 1932 and it is a foreign film. Still, the itentional use of darkness and shadows is simply amazing and the subsequent effect is flat out freaky.

Watch it with the lights out.

Bangin' Away

Still here. Blogging for this ol' boy is straight up Squaresville so I'll be keeping it to a minimum. Been working hard, if only in my noggin most the time, and I've got some doooozies percolating- keep your eyes peeled.

To my pards out there who've be gracious enough to check in from time to time...well, you know how I feel about all that.

See you on the flip side, amigos.

That Time of the Year

Working out this morning sounded like a drag- ixnay. I rolled into work early, juiced up my computer and strolled through some of my favo' blogs. Can definitely tell it's the crazy season. Summer is on the way out. Cat's are fried, nervous systems sayin' "it's you or me, pal". Time off for some muchachos I know- well deserved and we'll be here, waitin' for ya.

Then you got David Barber and his big ol' brass one's holding a big ol' tarantula. You are a better man than I, DB.

Me? Had some mind flashes last night and this morning- much needed.

See ya on the flip.

Valhalla Rising- The Movie

A few weeks ago, bored out my ass, I was flipping through movies on demand. Crap and more crap. I wanted- needed something different. I saw this Indie flick. Looked dark, matched the mood. Couldn't possibly be worse than another romantic comedy or yet one more cop movie based in, and sorry for this New Yorker's, New fucking York.

I was skeptical. The preview talked about Vikings. When I think of Vikings, I think of twenty-first century nerds wanting to be Vikings. Don't ask me why...it's one of those people with webbed feet things; nothing wrong with 'em, just keep 'em to yourself.

Valhalla Rising. I watched it with a freind of mine- Ezra Brooks- and tripped. Those first thirty minutes- as brutal and vicious as anything I've seen on film in a long time.

The film stars Mads Mikkelsen as One Eye, an imprisoned Norse warrior who lives a horrendous life, a marginal existence consisting of fighting to the death. Eventually he escapes his captors and travelling with a boy called Are, hooks up with some Christian Vikings and heads to the Holy Land. Only they never make it to the Holy Land.

Along the way there are some dry spots to endure due to lack of dialogue and action, but if you can allow yourself inside the head of One Eye there is a payoff.

And that's my review. Yeah, it's a lame critique because I think movie summaries are best left to the end viewer. And, although it's cliche, I'll add that Valhalla Rising will be one of those movies you either love or hate. Film junkies will dig the cinemetograpy if nothing else. As for all you psuedo tough guys saying "Vikings are for pansies"...to you I stick my tongue out in condescension and make a fart sound.

On that note, I'll sum up as thus: if you don't mind a journey into the strange, and you're ready to step outside your comfort zone then Valhalla Rising just might be the beverage you're thirsting for.

Ezra Brooks is optional. Recommended

Release

Sometimes a man just wants to disappear. Right now, on the brink of another season, nothing sounds better than taking my Marlin 336 and walking for hours, days, through a lonesome pasture or hill country. Live alone. Eat simple. Write and read on my own clock. Unload the working class monkey.

Exist for the day and the moment with only myself to rely on.

But life takes over, reminds me. Commitments. Loved ones.

As a remedy I’ve delved into the past. Digging into my family history which is murky, shady and rarely mentioned by others in the clan. Reading books about a bygone time when people lived by the heels of their boots and the strength of their backs. And writing about the same. I do not mind straying from a path, not always knowing where I’m headed.

Sooner or later, we always get to where we are supposed to be.