Author: Vic Socotra

Ink

(Artist Frita Kahlo as a young woman in gentleman’s attire.) Rafael works his ass off. If you took his duties behind the bar at Willow as a full time job, he adds another as a pastry chef after the restaurant closes down at night, making the most extraordinary filled doughnuts. I have always liked him: […]

Kido Butai

    (IJN Akagi maneuvering, 1941) Sorry, this is late and I am still processing The Dream. I ought to be getting my butt in gear and doing something productive. I am not much for interpretation of these night-time things, and normally do not recall much about the dreams I am sure I have all […]

SOTU

I had every intent of watching the SOTU last night- I view it a duty of an informed citizen to know what sort of nonsense our rulers are spewing at any given moment. I was willing to even watch the rebuttal afterward, just to see what the inverse of the President’s opinions might be, not […]

The Cremation of Sam McGee

(Robert W. Service, January 16, 1874 – September 11, 1958). Gentle Readers, I have to be on the wrong side of the Potomac way too early, and the dog sled is not ready. Accordingly, I am not going to talk about how freaking cold it is out there, or the State of the Union address […]

Deep Freezer

No, this is not going to be about the next Polar Vortex that may- or may not- be coming our way. Nor is it about the Serious Action to Protect the Planet that the President may- or may not- talk about in the State of the Union address tomorrow. I was looking at the thermometers […]

Parnelli and Jim

(The Purdue University Marching Band with their giant bass drum prepare to kick off the 1963 Indianapolis 500. Dad had a gang of like-minded car guys who would go to Indiana for the Race, and sometimes to the time trials that set the position on the grid. When he did not go in person, he […]

What the Hell?

It was black when I got up and things didn’t get much better as the sky transitioned to a sort of depressing gun-metal gray. I went through the traffic and took the bad news like a man, whatever that is these days. I saw the Market dropped yesterday, big time. The Dow plummeted nearly 320 […]

Truth (and Consequences)

(Mac Showers speaks to an audience about the Battle of Midway at the 70th Anniversary in 2012. J2 RADM Paul Becker looks on. US Navy photo). Snow still on the ground, temps still barely climbing to the double digits. I am going to Suitland for a military retirement this afternoon, though I would prefer to […]

Islands and Owls

(Snowy owls- this one a female- are being spotted way outside traditional habitats. Which includes K Street in DC, of all places. Photo Wikipedia.). We may get up to the twenties today, so I am officially bored with the weather. I got to thinking about the Hawaiian Islands yesterday, what with the birthdays, and a […]

They Say It’s your Birthday

(Icebow at Barrow, AK, America’s northernmost city, north of the Arctic Circle and the same temperature as Blue Arlington this morning. Photo Wikipedia). You say it’s your birthday It’s my birthday too, yeah They say it’s your birthday We’re gonna have a good time I’m glad it’s your birthday Happy birthday to you. Yes we’re […]