I was culling books in the attic Saturday

Oh the things you find.

Four copies of Volume I, number 1 of "Parnassus" the literary magazine of Northern Essex Community College, from 1966 or so. Why four copies I hear the yowl? Well, (sheepish shuckens ensues) there are several chunks of juvenilia from Yrs Trly, and I was on the staff of the mag. We invented it. Was fun. Also on the staff was Tom Sexton, well known poet, professor, and former Poet Laureate of Alaska (honest). Knew Tom well, he was a hoot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Sexton

Also in the rummagem, lots of Christie, and incredible array of miscellany, a copy of the "War Log" of the USS New Jersey from WWII, my dad's ship, and his copy of Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle, inscribed "To George from Greta, Christmas 1925."

No idea who Greta was but apparently Little George was doing ok at 14 back there in Leominster.

Did you know that TASER (that ray gun that reduces the perps to yowling jelly on "Cops") is an acronym? I always figured it was, but it stands for "Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle." That's what I've heard, anyway - you could look it up. I may have to read that book.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taser