Year: 2003

On Tuesday, November 25th, at 6 PM EST, 3 PM Pacific Time, I will be doing a live chat in the Star Trek book club section of www.startrek.com. All are welcome to attend.

PAD

[Note: questions can be mailed in advance to bookclub@startrek.com.]

Guys…I decided to just add these late night codas to the blog because I thought it would be funny. Like these bizarre words of wisdom you used to see on some stations before they signed off. And the reason I don’t allow replies is because I was afraid that you folks would either analyze them to pieces or try to show how clever you are by one-upping them, thereby sucking what humor there was out of them until there was nothing left.

So instead you’re either doing it on other threads or deluging me with e-mail about them.

They’re random silly thoughts. Read them, ponder them, stick them in as sig. lines, but leave it at that, would’ja, please?

PAD

PS–THAT INCLUDES THE #*@* WEBMASTER!!

Sales on “Stone and Anvil,” the latest hardcover “New Frontier” novel, have been so strong that Pocket has gone back to press. So thank you to all the NF readers for such a strong show of support.

PAD

Before some man put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp, the ram in the rama lama ding dong, the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop, and the dip in the dip da dip da dip, was it only bah bah, a lama ding dong, shoo shoo, and da da? If so, what exactly inspired him? And was it possibly the same individual who wrote the book of love, let the dogs out, got some gangsta šhìŧ, and was in my room last night?

PAD

[Webmaster’s note: Well, he had to do something after he retired from playing first base all these years… I mean, what was he supposed to do, get an accredited doctorate?]

Well, everyone has an off night. Unfortunately I picked the night of the Pro-Am to have it. One decent game of 198, the rest…echhh. I have never had that many dámņëd splits in my life.

Ariel fared better, with a 106 on her first game and two games both at 167, which is pretty good for a 12 year old.

Remember, next Sunday at 1 PM is the PBA Tournament on ESPN, and we’ll be in the audience. We’ll probably be waving a sign that says, “Got Wood?”

PAD

Can you be betwixt without being between? If not, why not? If so, what’s the purpose of being both? Should you be required to make a choice, or is there a philosophical conflict?

Think about it.

PAD

To the best of my recollection…I was only seven at the time…I was in school when I learned that President Kennedy had been shot and killed.

The main thing I recall is that I’d never seen adults cry until that point. My teachers were crying and when I got home, my folks were crying. I was more upset by that than by Kennedy’s death, because the presidency, death…these were ephemera to me. But adults crying…that scared me. I didn’t know they did such things.

When Johnson was elected, I remember watching the inauguration and asking when they would shoot him. My parents were appalled by the question. They didn’t understand that I knew Lincoln had been shot and that Kennedy had been shot. So I just figured that was SOP. You’re a president until someone kills you, at which point a new one is brought in. Oh yeah. I was a real Quiz Kid.

When I grew up, I did an internship at the Gannett newspaper chain. When the anniversary of the assassination came around, out of curiosity I checked the newspapers’ editorials before JFK’s death and the day after. I found exactly what I thought I would. The day before, the editorials were scathing. Critical of JFK, his policies, his every decision. The day after he was shot…180 degree turn. He was a president with vision, he was going to carry the country to greatness, etc. I just found that…interesting.

PAD