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As a writer, I view censorship as a negation of what I do. The  idea that someone could cancel someone else by censoring their work is  simply abhorrent. If you grew up in the United States, you’ve enjoyed  the freedom of speech your entire life. It’s a right that’s enshrined in  the first amendment to the Constitution. And yet, as we’re learning  from the past policies of Twitter (and likely other social media) as  exposed by Elon Musk, censorship was a part of their everyday life. Most  awful is how many people are OK with it. I saw a congressman  interviewed who said it was “much ado about nothing.” Nothing? Why not  burn a few books while we’re at it? I don’t often get political in my  posts, but this is not about politics, it’s about freedom. If people  feel it’s OK to cancel the voice of others, then they don’t believe in  freedom. All voices should be heard. Then let those who hear those  voices decide to listen to them or not. Anything else is tyranny, and  has no place in America. 12.10.22 

Seven Days of Covid. My wife, Beverly, got it last week and it seemed to follow the usual trajectory of a bad cold. On Monday, I noticed a sore throat and achy body. On Tuesday I was tested positive for Covid, went on prescription Paxlovid.  But it wasn’t really that much of a cold so I did my usual day’s work. On Wednesday, I was feeling fairly normal and thought “What’s the big deal?” I even taught my online screenwriting class on Wednesday night. Lost my voice near the end, but made it through. Thursday I was much worse – bad body aches and constant cough. On Friday I hit the wall. Friday night I hit bottom. My lungs were wheezing, and I couldn’t lay down without the wheezing getting worse. Constant junk (without getting too specific) coughing up. The only way I could breathe at all normally was to sit up and lean forward. That’s how I spent all Friday night. Saturday, I spent the day in bed, recovering from Friday night. Sunday, the sun seems to be shining. I feel like myself again. Still weak, still achy, still coughing but I think the worst is over. I think Covid affects different people differently. If you get it, take it seriously.  07.10.22

Really sorry to read about the death of comic book artist Neal Adams.  When I was a kid, I was far more drawn to DC Comics than to Marvel, and Neal Adams was the reason.  His drawings were not only more detailed than any other comic art, but they were filled with incredible movement, mood and action.  Neal Adams was the DC artist who rediscovered the strength of Batman and remade him into the powerful image we have of him today.  So, back in the 1980s, when I was running my advertising agency, Wilkerson Advertising, it was a real thrill for me to be able to hire Neal Adams for a series of ads we were doing for our client, Roland Corporation and their division, BOSS Products.  We somehow came up with the idea of using comic book art in our ads, probably to deal with a good product with a goofy name – the Dr. Rhythm.  It was the kind of name that the Japanese market (where it was made) really liked, but didn’t exactly “play” in the USA.  We knew we had to come up with a way of making Dr. Rhythm somehow cool, otherwise we were sunk.  The answer was to hire Neal Adams to do the artwork which was simultaneously outrageous fun and imparted a kind of “cool factor” to the product.  The four ads that Neal Adams drew for us were really well received, and, most importantly delivered sales for our client.  I know we are merely a footnote to the work of a great comic artist, but I’m glad to be part of that footnote.  04.30.22.

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