“Call me Ishmael” is the iconic opening sentence of the classic novel “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville. It’s the story of one man’s obsession, leading to his ultimate destruction.

In high school, I was introduced to three books that changed my life. They are all of the genre known as “dystopian fiction.”

I’ve been having a rough time of it lately. Truly, my moniker “Cranky Frankie” is getting a workout these days.

There was a great TV show in the 1970s called “Kung Fu.” It was about the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine, a Chinese “Shaolin Priest,” or monk, played by David Carradine.

I remember in grade school having that special three-lined paper to learn penmanship and cursive writing. Often the paper came in booklet form.

I thought that when I carried a firefighter down a ladder during training from a second-story window without dropping him or falling, that that would be the highlight of my volunteer firefighting c

How about we get a couple of pints of Ben & Jerry’s “Cherry Garcia” and a bottle of “Skinny Girl” Merlot, then just curl up on the couch and watch a Hallmark movie.

Almost 100 years ago, Dr. Ralph C. Smedley had the idea of forming a club to train young boys and men in public speaking, social skills, and leadership.

One time, I got stuck in a doctor’s office with a paucity of reading materials while I endured the inevitable wait to be seen. So I picked up a bridal magazine. Beggars can’t be choosy, haha.

I learned about Boy Scouts while growing up by seeing them on TV shows or reading about them in books.