Attribution: Muhammad Mahdi Karim, GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, gives the floor to the keeper as he recalls the Thanksgiving feast at Grandma Helgeland’s when “Hitler” came to dinner. It was the concluding months of WW II and Hitler was the global monster that everyone hated. Hitler was also the …
Read
Kickass and Dead Battery
Attribution: Wtshymanski at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper has a message on this foggy morning for the student who parked in the lot next door and trotted off to classes leaving his/her vehicle lights on: “Dear driver: “No matter what happens in …
Read
The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Anora”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Sweet and Sour Dreams: Film Review of Anora ★★★★1/2 By Geoff Carter Seth Baker is a filmmaker whose singular focus on the forgotten, the misbegotten, and pariahs of society—specifically sex workers—addresses issues of class, dignity, and compassion. His movies Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket, and his newest, Anora, chronicle the discrimination and contempt …
Read
Kickass and Thanksgiving Bird Chants
Attribution: Marie-Lan Nguyen, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper has been approached by the National Order of Turkeys–“NOT,” to do something about the traditional Thanksgiving Day menu as well as the dispiriting grey-day November weather. Response from AI suggested eating sparrows for Thanksgiving feasting as …
Read
Kickass Talks to Deer Hunters
Attribution: English: NPS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, endorses the keeper’s message to Wisconsin deer hunters at 6:45 am on this opening morning of Nov. 23, 2024: “Deer hunters: “Good morning to one and all out there in the blaze orange brigade. It looks to be an overcast …
Read
Kickass Gets Ready for the Hunt
Attribution: National Archives at College Park , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper’s dilemma in waking up with the strong sensation that he must spend the day preparing for something, but it was not clear just what that was. Finally, it dawned on him that this was …
Read
Kickass and November 21, 2024
Attribution: NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper burdened with a question as he views today’s cold, slush-covered wintery landscape: within the strict dictates of evolution was there a connection between the humans’ inclination to “hunt” which means tromping around in the snowy woods …
Read
The Elephant in the Room
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Yep. Despite the lies, the invective, the rambling, the dancing, the incoherence, and the lunacy—a big faucet in California that turns the water on and off? Immigrants eating cats and dogs? Really? Despite the January 6th coup attempt and recommendations to drink bleach and shine light inside the body …
Read
Kickass and Political Weather
Attribution: Phoenix7777, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and Phyllis as they anticipate the weather forecast for the season’s first snow which has been predicted to be “sporadic, temporarily covering the colorful fall landscape and then melting into a slushy mess as an unpleasant harbinger of …
Read
Kickass Looks to Relocate
Attribution: Wilfred Thesiger, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along an update of the keeper and Phyllis’s efforts to relocate given their discomfort with the US’s incoming flat-earth leadership. While Phyllis’s Canada relatives did not issue a flat “no,” there was not what could be called untethered enthusiasm …
Read
It’s a Long Time Coming
The Pen in Hand Blog featuring Mark Mamerow
Illustration by Michael DiMilo
Kickass Gets Dream Help
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along the keeper’s appreciation to Larry W and DuWayne G for their responses in helping interpret the keeper’s recent puzzling dream of getting lost on Chicago streets while chasing two dogs that had upcoming theatre obligations. In the AI sources they cited, the …
Read