I used to have trouble with the periodic polygraphs associated with the career I enjoyed all those years. The guy- or worse, the gal- with the Box would ask if I had ever given secrets to someone not entitled to receive them. “Of course,” I would say. “I am an intelligence officer. That is what […]

I am sunburned and a bit woozy from the hours in the sun at College Park for the opening game of the season that pitted the Terps against the Richmond Spiders. The fact that it is the first serious burn indicates I have been better than usual in the struggle against melanoma, but the duration […]

(Holly is back behind the bar at Willow after an absence to pursue other opportunities. She is posing with the salt and pepper grinder that we regulars at the bar believe is more useful- and talented- than NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Photo Socotra). Sorry about dwelling on the astonishing nature of the threats to our […]

I was tinkering with some common threats this morning and the time quite got away from me. I really wanted to be writing about pastel cars or something practical, but this one has been bugging me. There are only a few things that are more dangerous that major weather events, which can create short-term paralysis […]

(1957 Dodge Custom). The Fifties were an exuberant time. Space-age atomic styling was the rage- we have talked about “Googie” architecture before- all teardrops and bold elliptical shapes in drive in restaurants and other projects that connected America on wheels to a glittering future. America was thriving in its post-war recovery, so unlike the sclerotic […]

(Palmyra’s Temple of Baal in better days. They hung the 80-year-old archeologist/curator of the site from one of the columns to the right). I was a small part of one of these deals before, and it is a little eerie. It was during the Gulf War. The first one, that is, or more precisely, the […]

I am back Up North after checking in on the equestrian trials at Rosmarie’s Summerduck Run Farm just up the road from Refuge Farm. The ten-year-old Russian Princess is jumping her chestnut gelding and there was a opportunity to view the newest resident of Culpeper County, and adorable baby girl who has joined the clan […]

It got sloppy out last night. We had to watch carefully as one of the regulars navigated across Fairfax Drive on the way out. He was fine once he actually found the crosswalk, though the start of the transit was a little sloppy. Or maybe that was the night before; it was going to be […]

Well, you know that is complete nonsense. But the sun appears to be coming up in the East this morning, and if our retirement funds are a couple dozen thousand dollars lighter this morning, oh well, easy come, easy go. It was easy enough to get sidetracked on the awful events down in Roanoke yesterday. […]

I am left speechless.   (Image courtesy of WDBJ7 Television, Roanoke, Virginia). They were broadcasting a story about local tourism. Have we collectively taken leave of our senses? Copyright 2015 Vic Socotra www.vicsocotra.com Twitter: @jayare303