Category Archives: Around Town

About places I’m going today.

Richard Chamberlain, March 31, 1934 – March 29, 2025

I just found out that Richard Chamberlain has passed away.

Richard Chamberlain as Aramis in the 1973 "The Three Musketeers"
Yes, that’s the formal uniform of an Imperial Swordmaster.

I never brought it up, because I had no room, but the character of Swordmaster Corin, Jey Corbeau’s sword teacher, was in part based on his portrayal of Aramis in the 1973 film of The Three Musketeers.

Richard Chamberlain as Archie Leach in Leverage
Can you believe he’s 78 here? Other than the hair, I’m not sure I can.

He’s also going to be the mentor of another character in a different book, where he plays the Chairman of the High Council of the Organization of Pilferers, Rogues, Enforcers, Assassins, Conmen, and  Highwaymen – better known on the streets and back-alleys of the cities as just the Organization or the Business. (For you fantasy readers/gamers, yes, it’s basically the Thieves Guild.) If you’ve watched the show Leverage, you saw Richard Chamberlain as Archie Leach. (That’s the part he plays in that book: a somewhat retired gentleman thief who can still outmaneuver and out-think the younger crew.)

Rest well, kind and noble sir; your gentle humor and smile will be missed.

Transgender Things: Reporting Some Excellent News, For Once.

I’m a little late on the Trans Day of Visibility, since it was March 31, and it’s now a week later.  But I just recently got some very awesome information to show. 

I am a proud scion of the state of New Jersey, and on the Transgender Day of Visibility, the governor of the state, the inestimable Phillip Murphy, declared it in an executive order as a sanctuary state. This means that if you prescribe trans health care, then move to NJ, or you’ve moved to NJ from a transgender-hostile state that bans trans health care, they won’t lift a finger to help you get extradited.

In addition, about the same time, the state opened a site at https://transgender.nj.gov/ to give a central point for transgender people to get information on the laws, processes, and resources in New Jersey they can access.

This is incredibly good news, and there’s the possibility of crossing the river again. So we will see…

And now, a bit of music that may be a little relevant.

Click to continue reading.

Some quick notes

  1. I’m going to try to start writing some stories more often – move to every other day, then to every day after I get in the swing of it. So expect more content soon.
  2. I’m still job-hunting.
  3. I don’t think I’m up for a Patreon kind of thing, but I set up a ko-fi account for a little spare change, if you want to send me a little something.

Today’s travels – 9/17

Later today I’m going to be heading with my wife and my parents to a German festival. There will be food and a traditional German band. I’m going to try to get some photos – not sure if the phone or the Good Camera yet – but I’ll let people know what’s up when I get in (or, if it’s the phone, on the way — welcome to the magical world of the Future, where I take a photo of a bratwurst with spaetzle and let everyone know about it ten minutes afterwards, along with a review of the food).

Did I ever mention I like German food? Well, some of it. I don’t do much with mushrooms, don’t really go for Limburger cheese, and never quite got the taste of currywurst, but man, a good bratwurst or weisswurst and I’m a happy, happy man.

Meditations on changing tastes.

A number of years ago, I tried chicken tikka masala at a restaurant outside Philadelphia. I was repulsed, horrified, and in general turned off from Indian cuisine. It tasted like it had been soaked in a combination of peanut butter and sriracha, and I could not finish it. Since then I’ve been a disliker of Indian cuisine. When I would go to a place in Seattle I know people like, Saffron Grill, I’d get a gyro instead. (And let’s not talk about the Scottish-Indian restaurant. Please.)

Fast forward to this past winter, when my beloved Emma suggested Indian, and I demurred based in my past experience. And she presented to me the idea that I should try it again. (She was right. I really should have.) She picked, and got me lamb saag. “Spinach and lamb, two things you love!” she said. I began eating, a bit dubiously.

I finished it. Devoured it.

Then at the food court at Westlake Center, I had it a couple times at the stand there.

And this weekend, after messing up my knee, neither of us were up for much cooking. We looked at a few places on 2go Services and I said something that kind of stunned her:

“How about this Indian place?” We’d been talking about trying a place again, but this time I actually suggested it. And it was good. (The restaurant is Indian Curry Palace in Tukwila.) I tried Tandoori Chicken, and loved it. The lamb saag was excellent. And the paneer pakora was amazing (they put spices in the middle, which is apparently a big unusual, but I liked it).

I kind of wonder what else is going to change in my tastes soon… But this is an interesting change.

(This has been edited. Initially I said that Emma could “talk me into anything”. She doesn’t – she presents ideas to me. And quite honestly, she’s been right every time.)

Meditations on being married… at the six month point.

It’s been six months since I married Emma.

In those six months, she’s moved across the country with me. We’ve had ups and downs. We’ve hurt each other’s feelings and made each other stunningly happy. We’ve both found work, and while it’s not the best work, it’s work, and we’re at least keeping our heads above water.

And to be honest, it’s really been amazing. I’ve learned so much. I feel that I’ve grown a lot.

And every day, I fall a little more in love with Emma. Something different every day that I find out about her. It’s been an incredible process, a time that I don’t want to ever end. We’re building something wonderful here, her and I, and I want it to keep going, keep being built, keep being created, forever.

It’s wonderful. I’m the most genuinely… not happy, because I am, but that’s not the word for it. No, the word for it is…

Content. What we have is something that fills me, makes my soul feel completed.

I’m married, and I think it’s the best damn thing ever.

I love you, Emma.