Geezers and gadgets redux By: J.V. Houlihan Jr. In my recent column, “Geezers and Gadgets,” I spouted laudatory praise for my current gadget usage. This geezer has made an alliance of a Kindle Fire HD, and an IPhone 6. These are great tools for a scribbler. Co-existing with these new-fangled writing tools is a longing […]Read Post ›
Geezers and Gadgets By J.V. Houlihan Jr. While sitting on my sailboat crunching out this column on a bulky old-school Dell laptop that was procured for short money several years ago, Larry David, the king of the curmudgeons can be heard yammering away with Jay Leno―on an Kindle Fire HD! In addition to the new Kindle […]Read Post ›
A Christmas Memory By J.V. Houlihan Jr. Back in the day when I taught at Narragansett High School, I directed “A Christmas Carol,” by playwright Israel Horovitz (the father of Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys). This play was a compressed version of Charles Dickens’s original script; however, it followed the narrative very closely. The […]Read Post ›
Peter Pan, live! By J.V. Houlihan Jr. “L’audace, l’audace, toujours l’aduace!” Napoleon and General George Patton shared this mindset. This translates to “Audacity, audacity, always audacity.” It’s a great way to look at life. Why not; no guts no glory, right? Charge! NBC was indeed audacious with the recent live performance of “Peter Pan.” The […]Read Post ›
An Officer and a Gentleman By J.V. Houlihan Jr. John Harrington grew up in South Providence. He attended Saint Michael’s, LaSalle Academy, and went on to study pre-law at Providence College. Then, as war was emerging on two fronts, he was called to serve his country. “I wanted to be a pilot in the Navy […]Read Post ›
The Dock Master By J.V. Houlihan, Jr. “This is the motor vessel Muggs, and we’re approaching the marina presently,” says an assertive voice. “Yeah cap, you’ll be making your portside approach to Dock C, please have a bow, spring and stern line ready, and your bumpers rigged. We’ll be at the dock waiting for you,” […]Read Post ›
The mystery of the Narragansett Rune Stone By J.V. Houlihan Jr. Everett Brown is a guy who I played music with for decades. He’s an outstanding musician, a sailor, and standard issue character. Moreover, he’s a good guy. On Father’s Day―he’d been out seeing his daughter’s family— weekend he came off the Block Island Ferry, […]Read Post ›
Turkey Season By J.V. Houlihan Jr. Upon returning from Turkey a couple of weeks ago, my bride called me at the dock to remind me of a play we wanted to see at the local theater in Wakefield. It was the last night of the run. All I had to do was scoot home after […]Read Post ›
“The Comeback” By J.V. Houlihan Jr. In the hit sitcom “Friends,” Lisa Kudrow plays a guitar in a coffeehouse, and sings, “Oh smelly cat, oh smelly cat, what are they feeding you, oh smelly cat oh smelly cat, it’s not your fault.” That’s all I remember of the show; wasn’t a fan—at all. Moreover, Lisa […]Read Post ›
An Irish Heartbeat By J.V. Houlihan, Jr. I met James Hackett eighteen years ago at the ferry dock. Over all of my years working at the docks, James is without question, the most memorable guy ever to cross my path. It is fitting to be writing this column on St. Patrick’s Day, in Newport, on […]Read Post ›
