Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reminds the keeper and Phyllis that this Jan. 20, 2025 is a great day for many reasons, but the only one with any real meaning is that they are around to enjoy it. While some may celebrate the day as an exciting political occasion, …
Read
The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Emilia Perez”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo The Real Me: Film Review of Emilia Perez ★★★★1/2 By Geoff Carter The logline, or short description of a film, can sound ridiculous or completely unlikely. Try this one, “Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first person she meets, then teams up with three strangers to do …
Read
Kickass and Cold Weather Tips
Attribution: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along cold weather survival tips from the keeper and Phyllis: *Though authenticated cases of someone actually “freezing their ass off” are not all that common, do not take unnecessary chances by venturing out. *In responding to the question “Is …
Read
Dreamweaver: The Legacy of David Lynch
Attribution: David_lynch.jpg: en:User:Urbankayaker derivative work: Gobonobo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter The world of cinema lost one of its giants recently. David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker who brought us disturbing and eclectic works ranging from the nightmarish Eraserhead to the beautifully lyrical The Elephant Man to the fever dream Mulholland Drive to the simmering evil of Blue Velvet and the …
Read
Kickass at Sarah’s Campfire
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, notes the keeper and Phyllis joining part of the clan at Becky and Beau’s in Mazomanie for a bonfire celebration put together by Sarah to ironically mark her imminent return to fiery California. The event featured a big pot of Mike’s chili, grilled cheese …
Read
Kickass and Old Men
Attribution: Andreas Bohnenstengel, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, turns it over to the keeper on this Jan. 17, 2025, as he enjoys morning coffee with Phyllis, reads a bit of poetry and announces that he is happy to be here! John Wick, then in his 90s, rode his …
Read
Kickass and Coyote at Aldis
Attribution: Christopher Bruno, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper notes the news that a coyote is recovering at a wildlife center after being removed from the frozen food section of a Chicago Aldis grocery store. It is speculated that the coyote entered the store after …
Read
The Fog of Truth
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Mark Zuckerberg, the kingpin of Facebook, joined the other subservient members of the royal court last week, bowing down to the new American despot, Donald Trump, while proclaiming that Facebook will no longer fact-check content on the popular social media page, opening the door (even wider) for any …
Read
Kickass Talks to Chickens
Attribution: Kgbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Common By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, listens as the keeper reassess his lifelong relationship with chickens, prompted by his recent purchase of $5 eggs, and sends hens the following message. “Okay, ladies, what the hell is with the exorbitant price of your eggs? Obviously the useless roosters have …
Read
Kickass and Sarah and Mushrooms
Attribution: Jetman61, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper has yet another opportunity to be proud of a grandchild as Sarah has been officially cited as a “Wild Mushroom Identifier” and is now qualified to say such things as “Don’t eat that, Pa-B, It might kill …
Read
The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Wicked”
The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies
Illustration by Michael DiMilo
Kickass and Isabella POWS
Photo by Phyllis Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis were honored to host Isabella Lyste and her parents Lacy and Dave from the keeper’s hometown of Barron as part of Isabella’s UW Superior project of researching the history of German POWs in Wisconsin toward the end of …
Read