My Great Ghastly Garage: Gaps

Slow but steady. During spare time from work, I managed to create open gaps so I can actually get around inside the garage. This is a huge step forward...


Okay... sure, I just dragged most of the clutter into the driveway to do it, but it's still some kind of progress right?

My Great Ghastly Garage: Grim Groupings

A bin of Halloween gravestones...expected.
This many mismatched mannequin legs...unexpected.

Join me on a frightening journey...

into the darkest, most vile part of my world...the great ghastly garage.

For more than a few years I have attempted to turn it into a decent work space. It's come close on occasion with fitful attempts at cleaning and organizing. I usually end up just making a section usable as I'm surrounded by junk. Most often it's my "catch all" and remains a shameful secret.

I'm going to make the new attempt to transform it public as a series here on the blog. My hope is by making the process a journal, it will actually force me to really do it right for once. Along the way I'll share any treasures I uncover, lessons learned and maybe, just maybe inspire others who share my plight.

Be warned, this may get worse before it gets better...

My Junk Stash "What Tha?" Find Of The Day

When did I aquire a large bag of tiny compasses? Boy, I really hope there aren't hundreds of little ships lost at sea right now needing these.

Goodbye STARLOG Magazine

It's old news, but I just found out STARLOG has published it's final issue. Although I 've not read an issue in 20 something years, it makes me a bit sad. I truly loved that magazine. For a kid like me in the late '70s and early '80s, it was the only source I had for sci fi fan news. I'm especially nostalgic because of this "Fanboy Tale of Old"...

A long, long, long, long time ago, I made my usual 2-3 times a month trek to downtown Scarsdale, NY and visited a favorite little corner grocery/everything store seeking my regular comics and dorky magazines.

I had learned a valuable skill in those days. I could scan the numerous racks of layered magazines and single out my favorites by just a visible hint of their cover logos. On this day, very high up, I could see a new issue of STARLOG! Reaching for it, I then read the small teaser banner across it's top...


I was startled. I pulled my hand away scared that what I was reading would not be real. Empire?! Photo section?! Excitement took hold. I was living for this movie in those days. It was still a few weeks away. I had yet to see any images from it. I reached for the new issue again. I wondered if the cover picture could be from the movie. That thought actually made me a bit shy and awkward, kind of "star struck".

I took hold of the magazine by just two fingers. I pulled it from behind the others, very slowly, letting the image become visible much like the opening scroll in Star Wars. I saw Vader begin to appear...


Every image, still frame, set, prop and location from the first Star Wars was burned into my memory. I could tell by the small portion revealed, Darth was not standing in the Death Star or anywhere seen before! In a flash, I took the magazine down and held it in both hands, like a holy relic. I stood staring at it with a huge grin on my face. This was it! My first glimpse of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK! It was real! I was hypnotized by the cover...


I took in every detail...those feet...on the ground! Who is it? Luke? Han? My brain was about to pop out of my head. I wanted to enjoy what other surprises there might be at home. So I bought it without peeking inside. I rushed out the door and started to speed away on my bicycle.

I only got 10 feet before I had to stop, I couldn't wait. I found a nice big rock to sit on, in a shady spot, along the nearby Bronx river close to the train station and started reading! One of the best spring afternoons I can remember.

My Sunday Night Highlight

I poured numerous cans of Hershey's chocolate syrup into a 5 gallon bucket and pulled a rope on cue. Click here.

By the way...did you see that giant lever I made in the previous post? There might be a Kardashian sister connection on the BRAVO network when the "A- List Awards" airs April 15th.