He also was one of my favorites in the role of Churchill, whom many have played, in HBO’s The Gathering Storm.

Current read is “The Game” by George Howe Colt about the 1968 Harvard-Yale football game, set against the backdrop of the social and political upheaval of the era. Colt is the author of one of my favorite books, “The Big House,” a memoir of the family beach house where he vacationed in his childhood...

We've got shelves of old books (pre-Kindle) gathering dust upstairs and one of these days I'll finally get around to boxing them up --- and --- ??? Same for the VCR carts and DVD discs. What are your experiences and/or opinions in this regard? Gary, many public libraries accept donations. We have g...

The Death of Santini, a memoir by author Pat Conroy, who wrote The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides and The Lords of Discipline, among others. A personal favorite of mine.

Sam, I got this one as a gift in a recent golf tournament. I have used it on a couple of trips and like the storage and versatility. Things are much easier to find than a standard Dopp kit, and being flatter, it seems to pack better. Ogio makes a lot of golf bags, along with duffels and backpacks. T...

Happy Thanksgiving to all, even those who can legally celebrate with weed but on a different day.

I’ve been buying whole beans from Bixby Coffee Co. by mail. They seem much fresher than anything I’ve gotten in a store. They claim to send it out the same day it’s roasted. The aroma when I grind those beans is heavenly.

I’m tired of the ads and the talk, but these midterms are the most interesting of my lifetime.

Wow, that’s fascinating stuff. Thanks for posting.

I’ve seen it on HBO lately. When they bring a movie back, you’ll see it a lot for awhile. I don’t know that there’s any significance as to timing.

Brian, that’s quite an installation. Battery technology is the missing link for greater adoption of renewable energy. I’m hopeful of a breakthrough that can help end our dependence on fossil fuels. I hope your new batteries aren’t too expensive.

We had two major hurricanes this year, Florence and Michael. We lost power for 48 hours during Florence. We’ve had two 100-year floods in the last two years (thankfully, our house is not in a flood-prone area). I got to thinking about the rising temperature in the Atlantic and decided to pull the tr...

Cool!

I like Amos Lee’s “Windows Are Rolled Down.”

Get a capo, if you don’t already have one. If you’re going to sing, you’re going to want to change the key from time to time. I like Kaysers.

Sam, the pinkie is an unruly child and the most difficult digit to train. Repetition is key. I love Marty and have learned a lot from him. Justin Sandercoe at justinguitar.com also has some great lessons and has updated his website and many of his older, non-HD lessons. Regarding the office, I keep ...

Bass is not glamorous, but the bottom end is like the glue holding everything together. Having played drums for decades, I can say that a solid rhythm section (bass and drums) is essential to a tight band.

Your fingering will improve with practice. Soon you’ll do with ease things that now seem very difficult. Playing AND singing is like a whole ‘nother skill, but you’ll find your brain begins to associate lyrics and chord progressions so that singing can actually help you play better. The real fun com...

Good for you, Sam! I took up guitar six years ago at about the same age as you. I thought it would be easier than it is, but it’s a journey, not a destination. One thing to keep in mind: the learning process is not linear. You’ll reach many plateaus and seem stuck for awhile, then you’ll break throu...

No reason at all to believe in the concept of a 'gateway' drug. That's just silly. As for any medical claim for any constituent of marijuana, just ask for the same level of evidence that is required for any drug that comes to market (and good luck finding it!) Sans evidence, don't claim you have it...