Dave’s Diaries: Life, writing and more

  • The Case of the Nebulous Nazis

    The Case of the Nebulous Nazis

    Free fiction! A Florida PI tackles a mysterious oil spill on the Emerald Coast. In my business you hear a lot of sultry female voices. Just ask Mike Hammer, Easy Rawlins and the rest, both the literary lions and the flesh-and-blood PIs like me. My female counterparts, the real-life Stephanie Plums and Kinsey Millhones, probably… Read more

  • Unfriendly ghosts

    Unfriendly ghosts

    November 11, 2025 In sepia, the image sears into my thunderstruck brain. The man staring up at me from Ancestry.com has my high forehead and deep, penetrating eyes, the same long jaw and a head too large for his shoulders. His mouth is narrow and unsmiling, his hands on hips in a pose of defiance.… Read more

  • The kids are all right. So am I.

    The kids are all right. So am I.

    October 24, 2025 Another birthday is in the books, a great dinner with friends setting me off on my next journey around the sun. I sure needed the lift, because it appears I’m supposed to be sorry for all the trips in my past. According to the young people in this New York Times video… Read more

  • Take the badge. Leave the First Amendment alone.

    Take the badge. Leave the First Amendment alone.

    October 16, 2025 Secretary Pete HegsethThe Department of War and Censorship Defense Mr. Secretary: In support of the journalists who gave up their press credentials rather than follow your undemocratic rules for covering the Pentagon, I am officially returning my pass. I know it expired long ago: in fact, it’s more out of date than… Read more

  • Someone’s dead. Hold the emojis.

    Someone’s dead. Hold the emojis.

    September 29, 2025 You might’ve heard this famous show-business saying: “Dying is easy. Comedy is hard.” Not being dead or a professional comedian, I can’t say whether that’s true. I do know it’s awful to learn that someone I care about has passed. What’s even more wrenching is getting the word by text. It seems… Read more

  • So you still don’t want to die a horrible death from Covid

    So you still don’t want to die a horrible death from Covid

    September 22, 2025 Dear___, We’ve received your request for the updated Covid shot. We don’t recommend it because as you know, all vaccines are distilled from the blood of Beelzebub. But since we promised to pass out the stuff to a select few Americans, please answer the following questions to confirm you’re (1) over 65… Read more