Side Story: Why the “middle of the night” comments last month?

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

It has come to some readers’ attention that many of the comments I posted in September and early October bear a timestamp between 12 and 5 a.m. They wondered all sorts of things: was I suffering from insomnia, had I drunk too much coffee or been over-stimulated in some other way? Or what?

By Moristotle

Side Story: Why not have leap years every 20 years, or 40, or whatever?

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

Moristotle, your “Goines On: Before 1901, after 2099?” piece really did a thing on me yesterday. I would like to talk about it. —Paul Clark

Talk by Paul Clark

Side Story: A return to Tadpole Creek

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

Ed, Paul Clark’s “Philosophical Nightmare” about feral pigs prompted a suggestion that we might re-run your Tadpole Creek story “about the wild pigs in the bottom [you] had to pass through to get to the church on New Year’s Eve.” Thank you for generously reminding me what you say below. —Moristotle

Reply by Ed Rogers

Side Story: Alaska Bear Encounter Recorded on Video

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

Someone who didn’t identify himself emailed me a link to a story about a bear encounter in Alaska that was captured on video. I guess they sent it to me because of my moose story about encountering a bear. Apparently I’m not the only person who has incredibly great luck with grizzly bears. Do you know who might have sent it to me? —Paul Clark

Reply by Moristotle

Side Story: Moosies and Blackies and Brownies, Oh My!

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

If you are willing, please tell us more about your camping at Eagle River. I camped there on my way to Denali, and not far from Eagle River had the wonderful encounter with a sow grizzly and cubs that I relate in Part 3 of my moose chronicle. —Paul Clark

Reply by Roger Owens

Side Story: What exactly came of those 1960s protests?

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

Ed, your “Hippy vs Protester” was great, as always. Have you ever pondered why Richard Nixon might today be considered too liberal to be the Democratic nominee for president, much less be nominated as a Republican? What exactly happened to all that positive liberal change the 1960s protests were supposed to bring to this country? —Paul Clark

Reply by Ed Rogers

Side Story: You knew Hunter S. Thompson?

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

Paul, you or someone else said you used to know Hunter S. Thompson? There is obviously a story here. Tell! —Chuck Smythe

Reply by Paul Clark (aka motomynd)

Side Story: Performance art?

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

Paul, in your May 22 post on “Coronavirus Math & Russian Roulette,” you introduced a photograph of yourself with the words, “And I’m being very careful, just in case,” which I took to mean you were really locked down. The caption did puzzle me though: “Interpretive Art Lockdown Series, Quarantine Day 137: I AM SHEEPDOG!....” ??? —Moristotle

Reply by Paul Clark (aka motomynd)

Side Story: Why write political poetry?

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

A comment on Michael H. Brownstein’s poem “Spring” prompted a question relative to his two political poems, “Welcome to the Masquerade Party” and “Death by Indecision.” The question is: Why do you write political poems? —Moristotle

Reply by Michael H. Brownstein

Side Story: Word count’s bane

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

Paul, in a comment on April 20, you acknowledged that, “since I have worked as an editor and writer, sure, I have some thoughts to share on the subject of the importance of word count versus fully telling a story. And maybe I could even chare those thoughts in 250 or so words, or maybe a few more....”
    Please write those thoughts up, for another column in this informative and thought-provoking series, “Side Story.” (And be sure to accumulate your word count.) —Moristotle

Reply by Paul Clark (aka motomynd)

Side Story: Stalked by wild dogs

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

Ed, you commented that you were “stalked by a pack of wild dogs once,” but gave no details. Please tell us more. I’ve heard of people having horrible confrontations with wild dogs – and wild hogs – but so far I have avoided both. —Paul Clark

Reply by Ed Rogers

Side Story: You knew Paul Newman?

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

Paul, you or someone said you used to know Paul Newman? There is obviously a story here. Tell!
—Chuck Smythe

Reply by Paul Clark (aka motomynd)

Most people think of Paul Newman (1925-2008) as a famous American actor. I knew him as a race car driver. Preparing for the 1969 movie Winning, Newman took a driver’s course on the famed Watkins Glen road course in the Finger Lakes region of New York. From then on, acting may have made him rich and famous, but racing was arguably what inspired him.

Side Story: California versus Colorado

With apologies to the 1961 American
musical romantic drama directed by
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

What besides snow drove you from Colorado to California, Shirley Skufca? My wife and I both love Colorado.
—Chuck Smythe

Reply by Shirley Skufca Hickman