Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Last Day for New Year's Promotion for My New Book

This is the last day for the special New Year's price cut for my new book . Thank you to all of those who have already bought the book! Happy New Year!

'The Stranger from the Sea' is the story of Joanna and Anderson, She's a lonely Kindergarten teacher living near the beach in Montauk, NY. She has experienced a number of poor relationships, but one day she finds Anderson lying naked in the ocean. Joanna brings him home and helps him recover. They slowly fall in love despite her questions about who he is and where he is from. When a strange ship washes up on the beach not far from her house, a government investigation begins. Joanna starts to realize that Anderson is not just from beyond the sea but from out of this world.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0829BLGH5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0


Sunday, December 29, 2019

TV Review: ‘The Mandalorian’ – The Ultimate Space Cowboy






*This review contains spoilers regarding Season One.

The Mandalorian –the new hit series on Disney’s new Disney+ channel – proves that Disney can get a Star Wars story done the right way. Perhaps we cannot overlook series creator Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and executive producer Dave Filoni (of The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels fame). With their pedigrees, we would expect nothing less than what we get here – a slick, cool, and fast-paced spaghetti western (minus the Clint Eastwood signature squints).

Mando (played with stoicism by Pedro Pascal) – as he is called by other characters in the show – is a bounty hunter in the tradition of other Mandalorians before him like the iconic Boba Fett from the original trilogy. When he is given a 50-year-old target by Greef Karga (played by the great Carl Weathers), we assume it is just another day in the office for Mando.

Fortunately for us and unfortunately for Mando, the target is a baby that looks like Yoda from the films. It has been something of a cultural impact that has become a feeding frenzy. Many people asked for “Baby Yoda” items for Christmas (including my kids), but credit Disney for keeping the character a secret rather than cashing in on a big retail boom. This didn’t stop other companies from rushing nonauthentic Baby Yoda items into the market.

As people have been calling the character “Baby Yoda,” it is important to note that Favreau has come out and said it is not Baby Yoda. The character is noted as The Child in closed captioning, and since it only coos and sighs we have no idea about the origins of this creature as of now.

After acquiring the target, Mando returns to his ship and finds it has been stripped for parts by Jawas. Aided by a local named Kuill (Nick Nolte), he makes a deal with the Jawas to get them a Mudhorn egg (a huge beast like a rhinoceros) to swap for the parts. This is easier said than done, and just as the beast seems to be getting the best of Mando, The Child uses his powers to lift the giant creature, allowing Mando to kill it.

Now we know that The Child has nascent yet rather impressive power (He later Force chokes another character when he believes she threatens Mando). Mando makes the exchange with the Jawas, fixes his ship, and then flies off with the cooing and sighing passenger touching things in the cockpit as a baby would do. We have never known much about Yoda’s species – hopefully we are going to learn more now – but at 50 years old the species obviously takes its time to mature.

Mando brings The Child to The Client (played deliciously by Werner Herzog), but when he sees a Doctor Pershing (Omid Atahi) in the room (and some battle damaged stormtroopers), questions arise for him. He asks The Client what he is going to do with The Child, and is told it is none of his concern. When he returns to Karga, Mando asks him what The Client wants with the baby, and Karga claims not to know or care.

This is a pivotal moment in the series because Mando does care. The fact that he was once a child orphaned during the Empire’s Great Purge on Mandalore comes into play here. Flashbacks show his parents rushing him to a safe hiding place before they are killed. This memory no doubt influences Mando’s decision to rescue the baby.

Mando returns to The Client’s lair and battles the stormtroopers – they go down pretty easily and have been doing so since Star Wars: A New Hope. He takes the baby, declining to kill Pershing. As he tries to return to his ship, Mando has a shootout with Karga and other bounty hunters, and he is about to be defeated when rescued by a squad of his fellow Mandalorians.

Eventually, Mando gets The Child back to the ship and they depart. On the next planet he encounters Cara Dune (a terrific Gina Carano), an ex-Rebel trooper turned mercenary who is in hiding. Some of her maternal instinct is kicked up a notch when she sees The Child, but she doesn’t want anything to do with it. Cara gets pulled into action helping Mando fight to save the locals against raiders who are using an Imperial AT-ST (like a small two-legged AT-AT). Once that battle is won, Mando wants to leave the child with the villagers to have a normal life, but another bounty hunter has tracked him and tries to get The Child, so Mando knows the baby will be safe only with him for now.

The rest of the season sees Mando going from planet to planet, having to protect The Child, and each episode shows Mando’s deepening connection to it. Set five years after Return of the Jedi (and thus 25 years before The Force Awakens), The Mandalorian is in prime time for characters from both films to pop in somehow. This season featured the aforementioned stormtroopers and Jawas – and even a visit to Mos Eisley on Tatooine – so next season there could more of those Easter eggs that fans love.

Mando is trying to stay on the outer edge of the galaxy, but from the stae of things on the planets that he has visited it is clear that the New Republic is not going so well at least in these places. There are raiders, rogue stormtroopers, and then the hint of what could be the stirrings of what will eventually become The First Order. In the last two episodes the seemingly big bad guy emerges – Moff Gideon (played with panache by Giancarlo Esposito) – who comes in a TIE fighter and seems to be in charge of a hell of a lot more stormtroopers. His appearance hints at a broader movement against the New Republic.

There is also a tantalizing scene near the end of episode nine when Gideon crashes in his TIE fighter. As Jawas start stripping the wreckage, a familiar sound emerges from inside the ship. Gideon cuts his way out using a Darksaber. He stands upon the wreckage with the saber in hand, and this gets the adrenaline pumping for fans of The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. The Darksaber is an ancient Mandalorian weapon, last seen in Rebels and in the possession of Mandalorian leader Bo-Katan.

The Darksaber was created during the Old Republic by Jedi Tarre Vizla. As if the connection to the Jedi isn’t important enough, Gideon’s possession of the weapon seems tied to the Empire’s attack on Mandalore (depicted in Mando’s flashbacks to when his parents were killed). Could this mean that Bo-Katan was killed during the Great Purge, which Gideon vividly describes as the “Night of a Thousand Tears,” and is Gideon a Sith or not?

Season One of The Mandalorian shows what a Star Wars story can be when at its best. It has an engaging protagonist (who finally takes off his helmet in episode 8), The Child/Baby Yoda whose cuteness factor wins the day, great co-stars like Weathers and Carano, and guest appearances by the likes of Nolte, Herzog, Amy Sedaris, Ming-na Wen, Clancy Brown, Horatio Sans and more. 

Ludwig GÅ‘ransson’s music is vibrant and matches the fast pace of the series, and his opening theme for the show is a caliber right up there with what the great John Williams has given us for the films. The various alien creatures are inventive as always, and the directors have been awesome – most notably episode 8’s Taika Waititi – and have kept a uniform vision that keeps the series together as a cohesive whole.

I cannot help but to be excited for Season Two – due in late 2020 – and the possibilities for characters from the films and animated TV series to make appearances are tantalizing. My son and I talked about this, and the one person more than any other we would like to see back on screen is Ahsoka Tano. Last seen in Rebels, the former padawan of Anakin Skywalker in The Clone Wars certainly deserves her story to be told. 

I highly recommend The Mandalorian and praise Disney+ for not dropping the whole season all at once like it is done on Netflix. Some viewers may not like this, but I appreciate the anticipation of waiting a week and thinking about what is going to happen. Nothing is going to change Netflix's practices, but I hope Disney+ continues doing this for its new series content.

Until next time, May the Force be with you!



Saturday, December 28, 2019

'The Stranger from the Sea' New Year's Promotion




Due to the popularity and success of the pre-Christmas sale, my new novel, The Stranger from the Sea, will be on sale now through New Year's Day. The price is slashed for four days only. Thank you to all of those who have already bought the book! Happy New Year!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0829BLGH5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0

'The Stranger from the Sea' is the story of Joanna and Anderson, She's a lonely Kindergarten teacher living near the beach in Montauk, NY. She has experienced a number of poor relationships, but one day she finds Anderson lying naked in the ocean. Joanna brings him home and helps him recover. They slowly fall in love despite her questions about who he is and where he is from. When a strange ship washes up on the beach not far from her house, a government investigation begins. Joanna begins to realize that Anderson is not just from beyond the sea but from out of this world.

Monday, December 23, 2019

If Only in My Dreams – Wishing for a Christmas with My ‘Whole’ Family






If Only in My Dreams – Wishing for a Christmas with My ‘Whole’ Family

This is a joyous time of year for so many people. As I write this, the last Advent candle has been lit and the first Hanukkah candle was lit last night. Families travel far and wide to come together to celebrate, and last-minute shoppers hope to get those remaining few presents to check off their lists. While this all sounds like an exciting and fun time, it is also a difficult season for those who have lost someone or are alone.

In the years since the passing of my grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles, I have sometimes struggled to remain merry for the sake of my family. Sometimes a situation sparks a memory and I get a bit emotional, but I hold it together for their sake.

I had a dream the other night that reminded me of my Christmases past. At first all the faces were hazy but, as I began to focus, I saw my maternal grandfather, my father’s parents, aunts, and uncles all seated around the main table. Off to the side I sat with my sister and cousins at a smaller table. Everyone was laughing and drinking and eating. This was pretty much my Christmas Day every year as we celebrated at my aunt’s house.

The night before we had stayed up late at my house, celebrating Christmas Eve with deli salads, cold cuts (liverwurst was my favorite), and marinated herring, which was to be eaten at midnight for good luck. These were traditions from the German side of my family. For dessert, there would be cakes, cookies, and the traditional Christstollen. Stollen is a Christmas bread filled raisins, candied fruit, nuts, and covered in sugar icing. I was told to have a piece of that for good luck as well.

When I woke up, I felt melancholy thinking about how most of the people in that dream were gone. Only my cousins, sister, and I are left. Now we gather around the main table and our children sit off to the side. When the kids were younger, our parents were alive, but now they are all gone on my side of the family. 
Luckily, my wife’s parents are still with us, and it is a joy seeing my kids with them.

So, I had been thinking about that dream so much, and the next night I dreamt of a different Christmas. This dream was a wish fulfillment. Everyone from my first dream was there, but now all the younger generation was there too and sitting at the same table. Great grandparents were talking with the kids, and I sat there smiling and feeling like my whole family were finally together on Christmas Day.

Alas, when I woke, I realized it was a dream. The surreal beauty of seeing my grandfather talking to his great grandson, of seeing my maternal grandmother – who died before I was born – talking to my children, was definitely a wish fulfillment. Unfortunately, this will never happen, and I have come to terms with that.

Every family faces similar situations, and I know one day I will be gone, my kids will be sitting at the main table with their spouses, and their children will be sitting at the small table. It is the way of the world, but it still makes me wish if only that dream could have been real, even for just one Christmas.

As each year passes, the traditions keep changing too. Now my wife’s Italian traditions have taken over Christmas Eve, and the German food has been replaced by Italian food. I didn’t fight this change because I like Italian food, and my kids don’t really like or eat the stuff my mother used to serve. One year I went out and got bought herring and stollen, but both sat untouched by anyone but me.

I am grateful to be with my family again this Christmas Eve. It is some consolation knowing as the candles on the table flicker with a gust of air from apparently nowhere, that it is proof that my whole family is really together. They are all in the room with us and watching us continue to be together. Feeling their presence helps me get through the night and the next day.

My wish is that everyone can be with those they love this year. So, whether you are sitting down with 25 people or it is just the two of you, savor the moment as much as you savor the repast. And if you know someone who is going to be alone, why not invite them over to join your celebration. They will appreciate the offer more than you could ever know.

Happy Holidays to one and all!

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Movie Review: ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ – Rey of Light





*There are no spoilers in this review.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, directed by J.J. Abrams who also co-wrote the screenplay, is a fitting end to the 11-film saga (I’m including Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story here), just as much as Avengers: Endgame finished the MCU storyline for the Avengers series that began with Iron Man. Of course, Endgame got great reviews to go with a huge box office, but Rise is not getting as much critical respect and, while this is not merited, fans are going to flock to see this film anyway, and the true ones are going to love it.

Some people may see this film as a rebuke of Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi but, no matter how you felt about Episode VIII, it got us to the point where we needed to be to get this story told in Episode IX. The Resistance, still led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), is trying to regroup after being decimated at the end of Episode VIII. If you were worried about how they were going to incorporate the beloved late actress’s scenes, don’t be. It is achieved in seamless fashion using old takes from The Force Awakens.

At the heart of this story is Rey (Daisy Ridley), who has gone from lonely scavenger to a leader of the Resistance. Ridley is a luminous presence, and she effectively portrays this girl who has been overwhelmed by her abilities and yet is able to harness the Force in a battle against evil. There are several scenes where she seems to be gathering her power, and Abrams allows the camera to linger on her face, capturing that luminosity.

Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac), former stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega), Rose Tico (Kell Marie Tran), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), and Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o) are all back on team Resistance, along with droids R2-D2, BB-8, and new droid D-O (voiced by J.J. Abrams).  By now the newer (and younger) cast members have transitioned to being the faces of Star Wars, making Poe, Finn, and Rey the new Han, Luke, and Leia. Disney could easily take them into a new trilogy if they wanted to, but for now that doesn’t seem likely.

Of course, there are new faces like Kerri Russell’s mysterious Zorii Bliss, Jannah (Naomi Ackie), and General Pryde (Richard E. Grant). Each plays an important role in furthering the story, but the appearance of old friend Lando Calrissian (the great Billy Dee Williams) in a dangerous situation is one of the best moments in the film, and the way he appears will remind you of a scene in the Return of the Jedi.

The most important character is an old villain – the phenomenal Ian McDiarmid is back as frighteningly evil Emperor Palpatine, and his presence adds something that has been missing in this new trilogy.

The villain has always been a problem in the new trilogy. Kylo Renn (a terrific Adam Driver) is a Darth Vader wannabe, conflicted in his path between the light and dark sides of the Force. He wears a mask to emulate his grandfather, but he cannot rise to the level of gravitas that Vader possessed. It is enough to see Vader at the end of a hallway igniting his light saber in Rogue One to send shivers down one’s spine. Kylo Ren never reaches that place in these films.

The other villain in the new trilogy was Snoke (Andy Serkis), but Snoke got little screen time and no back story, so we knew that he was using Kylo Ren just as Palpatine used any of his “young apprentices” throughout the Original Trilogy and prequel films. With Palpatine back – I will not share the image because it is kind of a spoiler – there is a heft of darkness hanging over the characters, especially Rey.

So, what do you want in a Star Wars film? Light saber battles? Check! Space battles? Check! Weird and outlandish creatures? Check! Favorite characters in constant danger? Check! Everything that most fans want is to be found here, and I don’t believe that Abrams made this film to go against Johnson’s film, but rather tie up the loose ends and bring the saga to a satisfying conclusion.

John Williams’ score is as vibrant and refreshingly supportive of scenes as you would expect it to be. The use of “Leia’s Theme” is particularly touching in Carrie Fisher’s scenes and does bring tears to the eyes. The cinematography by Dan Mindel adds a capital B to breathtaking, capturing desert vistas, crashing oceans, and space scenes vividly.

Ridley’s Rey is the bright light against Palpatine’s encroaching darkness. Despite some fear that she has too much dark side in her – as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) feared in Episode VIII – Rey’s innate goodness seems as pure as Luke’s was when he went to face Palpatine on the Death Star, but will that be enough to defeat the evil emperor?

The Rise of Skywalker is a great film, and most fans are going to feel as if they got what they wanted. As for me, I am happy that questions were answered, the ending feels right, and the characters all got to be where they needed or had to be. Oh, and after the last scene you will understand the title of this film and what a fitting one it is.

May the Force be with you!





Saturday, December 21, 2019

Kindle Countdown for My Christmas Stories

My Christmas book, 'If the Fates Allow,' is now on Kindle Countdown. If you're looking for a Christmas gift for someone who likes to read, this will make a great gift, and you can't beat the price - it's just 99 cents right now. Thanks to all of those who have already bought the book. Happy Holidays to all!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0190P5DXO/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

If the Fates Allow: New York City Christmas Stories by [Lana, Victor]

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Promotion for My New Book 'The Stranger from the Sea'

Announcing a Pre-Christmas Special Sale!

From now until Christmas Day, I have cut the price on my new book - The Stranger from the Sea - from $9.99 to $2.99.

This is the perfect time to given an e-book to someone for Christmas. Take advantage of this price cut today. It is only for a limited time.

Happy Holidays to all!!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0829BLGH5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=victor+lana&qid=1575421092&s=books&sr=1-1

The Stranger from the Sea by [Lana, Victor]

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

New Book Published


The Stranger from the Sea by [Lana, Victor]



















Hello!  My new book, The Stranger from the Sea, just went live on Amazon. It will also come out in print shortly. 


Here is a brief synopsis of the book:


Joanna is a lonely woman living near the ocean in Montauk, New York, in the house she grew up in. One day she finds a naked man lying in the surf, and she takes him home to help him. She gradually falls in love with Anderson, but he has no papers or anyone to contact. Her sister is suspicious of him, and a mysterious ship is found washed up on the beach, causing a government investigation. Joanna begins to believe that Anderson may be from a place that is not just beyond the sea but out of this world.


Please click the link above to learn more or to order my book.  Thanks for taking a look at this and happy reading!

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Movie Review: ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ – The Reboot This Franchise Needed





Movie Review: ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ – The Reboot This Franchise Needed

Director Tim Miller’s Terminator: Dark Fate is a welcome addition to the Terminator franchise – in fact, you can say it pretty much saves it. After the last three progressively weaker Terminator films (Rise of the Machines, Salvation, and Genisys), Dark Fate ups the ante by bringing the story back to where it all began – Sarah Connor (a phenomenal Linda Hamilton).  

Working with a writing team that includes James Cameron (who also serves as a producer), Miller makes this Sarah’s cathartic story. Early on in the film (can’t divulge the spoiler) we learn that whatever has come before gets reset, so that what we remember happened is no longer the way things are. This is similar to J.J. Abrams’s departure from the Star Trek story line we had all become familiar with from the original TV series and the films with the original TV cast. Abrams invigorated that franchise by deviating from its established history, and Miller does the same thing here with impressive results.

We have to wait for it a long time – well into the second hour of the film – but when Arnold Schwarzenegger’s grizzled T-800 says the words “Sarah Connor,” it is worth the price of admission alone. It is a priceless moment, and the choice to go with these older actors instead of doing the CGI thing that ruined the third through fifth films in the series is a wise choice.

Hamilton is at her ass kicking best here, showing the same maternal instinct that fueled her actions in T2: Judgment Day when she did everything that she could to save her son John (Edward Furlong). She also displays some vulnerability like the young girl in the first Terminator who couldn’t understand why she was being hunted by a homicidal maniac. Hamilton’s current Sarah has been bruised, battered, and bloodied, and her face is a road map of what she’s been through. Yet despite all that, she is beautiful in her ferocity and integrity.

Her new charge is young Dani Ramos (a terrific Natalia Reyes), who is very much like Sarah in the first film. She is living her life one moment, and the next she is being hunted by a madman who is trying to kill her. This version of terminator is known as a Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna), and like those that have come before him (he is most reminiscent of Robert Patrick’s T-1000 in T2) he is a relentless killer that will let nothing stand in his way.

Of course, in keeping with the Terminator tradition, a protector is also sent back in time to save Dani, this time in the form of Grace (an outstanding Mackenzie Davis), an enhanced human warrior who can throw a punch almost as devastating as the Rev-2. Grace is as relentless a protector as Rev-9 is an attacker.

The advantage that Dark Fate holds over its predecessors since T2 is that the story here is engagingly human. Hamilton’s cranky, bitter, and angry Sarah has earned the right to be this way, and every word she speaks seems to carry the heft that she carries, a burden that cannot be assuaged by the fact that she saved billions of people from that judgment day so long ago.

Reyes and Davis also bring this humanity to their roles. Despite all the fighting and bleeding and shooting, it boils down to a sisterhood of Sarah, Dani, and Grace that is credibly formed and sustained throughout the film. Dani’s shock and disbelief that she – a self-confessed nobody – could matter so much in the future that someone would send this machine back to kill her is achieved with grace and dignity.

Davis’s Grace is tough as they come, but flashbacks provide her own origin story as to why she was the one sent back to protect Dani. They form a believable bond, so much so that each time Dani’s life is on the line, there is never a question about what lengths Grace will go to in order to protect her.

The fact that Arnold's T-800 is brought in late the game works in the film’s favor. In the first two films it was Sarah Connor’s story, but the T-800 loomed in the first as the main antagonist and in the second as her protector. Here he comes in to help the triumvirate in their battle against the Rev-9, but it’s Sarah’s reaction to him in various scenes that carries the most weight.

The rest is spoiler territory, but suffice it to say that there are enough battles throughout the film, and a dynamic third act that keeps up with the nail-biting endings of the first two films.

Beyond the characters that we come to care about, there are the bigger questions looming over the film. Why do humans, despite multiple opportunities to avoid destruction, continue to engineer it to happen again and again? Instead of making the protection of human life its highest priority, why do the powers that be continue to create increasingly more powerful and indestructible robots that will inevitably be the source of annihilation of the human race? The film asks these questions rhetorically, but they are disturbing enough and explain the expression on Sarah Connor’s face every time she looks at the T-800 or the Rev-9.

The pounding music, special effects, and the big bangs are all here for Terminator fans who have been waiting a long time (1991) for this franchise to get back to where it came from. This film deviates from the established story line, but in a way that not only makes sense but also redeems the franchise.

Terminator: Dark Fate is highly recommended and the best entry in the franchise since T2.   



Saturday, September 21, 2019

Greta the Great – Greta Thunberg Leads the Way on Climate Change







Greta Thunberg started out all alone, but she’s not alone anymore. In August 2018 the Swedish teenager stood alone outside her country’s parliament with her “Skolstrejk For Klimatet” (School Strike for Climate) poster, and she got some attention from fellow teenagers and eventually adults as well. Now she has lit a torch and millions of people around the world are ready to follow her.

As the father of kids who are also scared about the future of our planet and are inspired by Greta, I have listened to this young lady speak, and she has a wisdom far beyond her years. There is something about her demeanor and her direct approach that shows that she is serious about this and that no one should mess with her. It is particularly satisfying to see her speaking to the stuffed shirts in the U.S. Congress, and basically she is telling them off, in as polite a way as a possible. She told them, “Don’t invite us here to just tell us how inspiring we are without actually doing anything about it.” Though just 16 years old, it seemed in some ways that she was the only adult in the room.

Yesterday she spoke to a huge crowd in New York City’s Battery Park. The people in attendance kept shouting her name and, rather than bask in the glory of the moment, she spoke frankly to all. She said, “Our house is on fire; we will not just stand aside and watch.” Her words were met with cheers and thunderous applause.

Greta came to America in an unconventional way as well – on a sailboat – and has since taken the place by storm. They say looks are deceiving, and she seems unimposing and quiet at first, but once she begins speaking, she is like a lion roaring in the jungle forcing people to notice her.

It’s no surprise that my children and so many other kids are impressed with her and take notice of how she is making a difference. She is the voice of their generation, and she is saying honestly that adults have screwed this planet up for long enough. If adults won’t do anything, we will take the lead and get things done.

It is estimated that about 4 million people in 163 countries across the planet participated in yesterday’s rallies. So, what started as one young girl standing in front of an imposing parliament building has morphed into a worldwide phenomenon inspired by Greta. As she said at Battery Park yesterday, “This is what people power looks like.”

Now, there are those who are downplaying yesterday as nothing more than a stunt, and I’ve heard people saying, “She is just a kid!” since she came to New York on the boat. But they are missing the point – she is a kid, and she has the right to feel in danger and to worry about her future and the future of millions of other kids being in danger as well. Greta has given a voice to the voiceless; she has given a face to the invisible.

I remember being a kid during the Cold War and fearing a nuclear attack. My parents told me not to worry because they didn’t think it would ever happen, and in school we were told to hide under our desks during an attack. The black and yellow Fallout Shelter signs on my school walls did nothing to assuage my fears. I was scared – and many other kids were too – but adults just went about their business, so I understand how Greta and my kids and many other kids feel all too well.

All these years later, it is time that we adults take notice and do something, because Greta Thunberg is not going away, nor are the millions of people she has encouraged to speak out and call for change. Children are going to inherit this planet and they have a right to want it to be habitable and safe.

Greta will address the UN next week, and this will no doubt gain her more fans as she carries that torch onto the world stage. She has been nominated of the Nobel Peace Prize, and this forthcoming speech before the leaders of the world just might make her more than a contender for that honor. 

As she ended her speech yesterday, Greta told the crowd, “This is only the beginning. Change is coming whether they like it or not,” and when I heard those words I couldn’t help but to believe her.


Monday, September 2, 2019

Labor Day – Teachers’ Work Is a Labor of Love




Labor Day – Teachers’ Work Is a Labor of Love

On this first Monday of September – Labor Day – we celebrate all workers. Their efforts each day in all jobs ranging from janitors to executives make a difference in our daily lives. There will be ceremonies and parades to commemorate the day, and famous images like the iconic Men at Lunch will be flashed on screens as media cover the holiday. Unfortunately, a select group of people – teachers – are not usually included in the mix.

Teachers – from nursery school up through higher education – hold one of the most important jobs in our nation. Handed the mantle of educating our youth, teachers are given a sacred duty to transfer knowledge to children. It is an increasingly difficult job because parents, students, administrators, and the public expect more and more from them.

As an educator myself – I have taught in elementary school, high school, and college and have been a school administrator – I value and admire the work these unsung heroes perform on a daily basis. While you may come across one or two bad apples in every bushel, in my experience I have encountered a majority of teachers who do the job well and are dedicated to their profession and the students they serve.

One teacher can make the difference in a child’s life. I can recall those teachers who have made a difference in mine, and over all these years I understand why – it was love. It is easy to spot when someone hates their job – it is apparent when you encounter them, but it is also clear when someone loves their job. In those teachers who made a difference in my life, I witnessed a glow all around them as they taught – they loved what they were doing!

Something emanated from them as they stood in front of a classroom, and it was love – love of subject, love of students, and love of their chosen profession. Over the years I have seen this in teachers I have worked with or supervised. It is apparent in every syllable they enunciate and in their actions. It is visible in the way they maintain their classrooms and the manner in which they create their lessons. Mostly, it is obvious in the way they interact with their students. 

When I used to interview prospective teachers, I would ask, “Why do you want to be a teacher?” Amazingly some were totally honest and said that they wanted the summers off and vacation breaks. Though I valued their honesty, I knew they were in it for the wrong reasons. In many interviews the candidates would come out and say, “I love teaching.” Many didn’t have to say those words because it was evident in how they spoke, and they shared images from their portfolios of students’ work and their bulletin boards that obviously emanated that love.

There are many difficult jobs, and we should honor all those people who do them every day; however, there is one job where the lives of others can be influenced for the better now and in the future – teaching! The really good teachers know the heft of responsibility that has been heaved onto their shoulders, but instead of flinching they stand tall and rise to the occasion.

As school starts this week in many places across the country, please take into account the importance of the work that teachers do. If you have children and are bringing them to school, show their teachers respect and let them know how much you value what they do each day. First impressions are always remembered, so let them know in the very beginning that you appreciate their work.

So, happy Labor Day! You should be aware that while you may be enjoying a last barbecue, going to the beach, or swimming in a pool, teachers are getting ready and preparing for the first week of school. The most important thing to remember is why they do this – it’s a labor of love!   

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Back to School Shopping – Doing It the Easy Way This Year







It’s time for that rite of passage known as Back to School. While many parents look forward to the sound of the school bell as much as their kids dread it, there is another side to this season – back to school shopping. Armed with supply lists printed from school websites, parents have to schlep into stores pushing big shopping carts and prepare for battle.

This was the scenario that we participated in every year since our oldest started school 15 years ago. Like all the other people, we jostled in the crowds trying to get the marble notebooks, pencils, index cards, and glue sticks. Each subject required a folder with two pockets, and we couldn’t forget the ream of copier paper, the markers, and pencil case with sharpener.

In recent years this list has expanded to include – hand sanitizer, facial tissues, and paper towels. When all this is actually found and placed in the cart, it is usually overflowing. Then to add insult to injury and rub salt in the wounds, we would wait on insufferably long lines to check out.

This year with one child going off to college, we decided to say “Enough is enough!” Despite wanting to give our local stores the business – and this is something that we usually do – this year our shopping list included materials for a dorm room. That made us turn around and make the big decision to shop online. While this experience was going to still be expensive, at least we could shop in our pajamas in a comfortable chair with a cup of java.

This back to school shopping is extremely profitable for retailers. According to the National Retail Federation, families with children in elementary school and high school will spend an average of $696.70 – up $12 from last year. Parents like us who have a college student, will spend a whopping $976.78 – up $24 from last year. 

Judging from our online shopping bills, this is just about what we spent, but we may have gotten a little carried away with certain dorm items that pushed us over the average cost listed.

After the final click on screen, we just had to sit back with our ankles crossed and watch Stranger Things episodes. With free shipping thrown in, this is the ultimate no-brainer. When the packages arrived – in huge boxes – it seemed worth foregoing the dubious pleasure of pushing shopping carts around a crowded store.

Back to School sales now are now rivaling Christmas sales. Amazon announced that this year’s Prime Day – July 15 – was its biggest sales day ever, and much of this success was due to back to school shopping. Overall approximately $80.7 billion will be spent on back to school shopping this year. 

The other day I went to a local store to get copier paper, and the line of people waiting to check out wound up and down the aisles. I looked at their carts brimming with back to school items, smiled, and went back outside. No more of that for me.

So, if you’re a parent and you haven’t gone shopping for back to school yet, there are a few days left. My advice – skip the line and shop online. The stuff will probably come in a day or two, and you will have saved yourself a whole lot of stress and, more importantly, time.



Tuesday, August 13, 2019

My Summer Challenge – Finish Writing a Book







I have finished writing the first draft of my latest book – a novel (the title and subject I choose not to reveal) – and you would think that I am ready to pop the champagne open, right? Wrong! Because even though it feels wonderful finishing the first draft – what I call Phase One – I know the real dirty, hard work looms over me.

The way it happened is a usual process for me – I get all excited about an idea, sit down, and bang out a story. This is why I love short stories because my investment of time is minimal in comparison to working on a book. I do revise it a few times, but at 10-15 pages – the usual length of one of my stories – it is not all that time consuming. There is still work to it, but it is nothing like the time writing a novel requires.

Then, like most of my stories, I submit it someplace and then forget about it. Maybe it gets rejected or gets published, and if does get published I will go over it and think about ways I still want to change it. This has happened to me again and again over the years.

The original story that inspired this novel was submitted and not accepted, so I shelved it for about 15 years. I thought about the story one night in May while watching The Day the Earth Stood Still on television, and it made me think about the story because that film is something the characters in the story watch, so later on I pulled this story down from the shelf, brushed off the cobwebs, and decided that my original idea to turn it into a book was a good one.

Now I had my summer challenge. Since I am not teaching during the summer months, it is a perfect time to commit to writing a longer work. I had to set a schedule and stick to it. Since the kids are off from school, it would have to be earlier than they get up, so my target time was 5-8 in the morning. I started on the first day by going into my office and shutting the door, and I stuck to this routine all summer – except on weekends and vacation – and this worked for me.

There were some speed bumps along the way. One of the kids would get up early and want breakfast, or I had to go to the store because we were out of eggs or milk. But most of the summer I got my three hours in each day, and I found myself surprisingly awake and fresh and mostly excited when that alarm went off. Still, when those unplanned things happened, I looked at my picture The Distrest Poet by William Hogarth that I have hanging near my desk, took a deep breath, and carried on. Like the poet in the drawing, I wanted to write but life had other plans.

Every writer is different, but I am a visual learner and need to see the story. What I mean is that I must plot out the story on little storyboards and post them around my desk where I am working. They consist of an outline of exactly what (or will) happen in that chapter and characters names that appear in it. So, I started out with eight chapters – it would later grow to 14 – and each one was posted on a storyboard and was visible for me to see as I was writing.
If I am in the middle of writing chapter seven, and I forgot a name or an event in chapter two, it is very convenient to have the storyboard there with the information I need. Sometimes as I write a chapter it starts writing itself, and thus the story changes from what I have on the storyboard. I use pencil to make them up, so that I can erase some of the outline and plug in the changes if I make any.

Does this sound like fun? I know why many people hate writing – it is work – hard work. After a three-hour session, I am tired but exhilarated too. Then if my kids want to do something after breakfast – pool, beach, mall, movie, etc. – I can participate without feeling like I didn’t accomplish something that day, but I may yawn a few times along the way.

Besides the physical effort necessary for writing, there is an emotional toll as well. I get attached to characters and the story, and in one instance when two characters had to die – sure, I am the writer and can change it, but it was necessary for the plot – I felt real pain. Hemingway said, There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” All I can say is that I know what he meant, because my office looks like a crime scene.

Now that the first draft of the book is done, I must go into what I call Phase Two – the revising of the book. I started doing that this morning during my three hours, and I didn’t get out of the first chapter. There were several things that I didn’t feel worked, and now some pages are totally different. I felt like a movie director sending snippets of film to the cutting room floor.

Writing the first draft was work but it was joyful work. Revision is the heavy-duty work of writing, and it always takes longer than actually writing the first draft.  After I am finished revising the whole book – and judging from this morning it is going to take a while – I will then have Phase Three to deal with. That is the editing and proofreading stage, which is the hardest step of all. This sometimes takes even more time than the revision depending on the story, and it’s very tedious, but necessary work.

Of course, I go back to work in two weeks and the kids go back to school, so my wonderful 5-8 window will be gone. Inevitably, I will get the work done and have a book ready for publication, and then there will be happiness that it is over but also the despair of an empty nester whose baby has gone away.

For now, I am satisfied that I succeeded in my summer challenge and the book’s first draft is done. Usually, every summer I would say, “I’m going to write a book” and then never get to it. I did it this year, and felt the need to write about the process, so this article is the result of that.

Okay, enough already. Now it is time to get back to work.