Author: Alex Diaz-Granados
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Music Album Review: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Shines in Kiri Sings Kern
Kiri Sings Kern (1993) Label: Angel/EMI Records Genre: Crossover/Standards Artists: Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano), London Sinfonietta (Orchestra), Jonathan Tunick (Conductor/Arranger) Release Date: March 16, 1993 Jerome Kern (1885-1945) remains one of the most influential composers in American popular music. Alongside legends like Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Richard Rodgers, the New York-born Kern…
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A Lazy Saturday Afternoon in Miami…December 28, 2024
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Computer and Video Games, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Miami….Again, Life in South Florida, MicroProse Software, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile AgeAfternoon, Saturday, December 28, 2024, Miami, Florida Wow. Here I am, on a cloudy Saturday afternoon in Miami, Florida, December 28, 2024, with my blinds drawn closed. It’s nearly 2 PM, and half of my Saturday has slipped away, all thanks to my late-night escapades that led to a lazy morning. Now I’m feeling a…
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Old Gamers Never Die: In Harm’s Way at the Straits of Hormuz in ‘Sea Power’
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm’s way. – John Paul Jones Back in 1989, while I was studying journalism at Miami-Dade Community College, I proudly owned an Apple IIe computer. Besides writing, my limited social life meant I spent countless…
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‘Twas the Day After Christmas, or: In The Holiday Mood, Part III
Afternoon, Thursday, December 26, 2024, Miami, Florida ‘Twas the day after Christmas, when all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The manuscript lay still, with no progress in sight, For the writer was weary, after a long, restless night. The morning had come with the sun’s early rise, Yet…
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In the Holiday Mood, Part II
Afternoon, Wednesday, December 25, 2024, Miami, Florida Well, fate has a funny way of bringing us full circle, doesn’t it? Just a year ago, I was decking the halls in snowy New England, and now, here I am, celebrating Christmas in my sunny, sandy hometown of Miami. It’s a bit surreal, to be honest. I…
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Old Gamers Never Die: A Perfect Victory in Sea Power’s ‘Hair Trigger Scenario’ Kicks Off My Christmas Celebration
Midafternoon, Tuesday, December 24, 2024, Miami, Florida Since I am not working today, I decided to play Hair Trigger, one of the shortest – and easier – scenarios in Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age. Today the developer announced that a couple of new patches for the game had been uploaded in time…
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In the Holiday Mood
Afternoon, Tuesday, December 24, 2024, Miami, Florida Hi, everyone! Well, it’s the 24th of December, and I’m trying to accept that this is my first Christmas in Miami since December 2015. It’s also my first Christmas in Florida since I left my previous domicile in the Tampa Bay area a year and 12 days ago…
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Echoes of Reunion
In the tapestry of life, woven tight, Jim Garraty’s journey comes to light. From high school halls with youthful grace, To college lectures, an esteemed place. A scholar’s path, both tried and true, With shadows of the past in view. In Reunion: Coda, we see his quest, Balancing knowledge and memories repressed. A student’s spark,…
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Old Gamers Never Die: Learning New Things…and Re-Learning Things I Already Knew
Early Afternoon, Sunday, December 22, 2024, Miami, Florida I’ve been diving into Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age ever since Triassic Games and MicroProse launched it in Early Access this past November. And let me tell you, even though it’s still a work in progress, I’m thoroughly enjoying this simulation of late 20th-century…
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It’s the Shortest Day of the Year…and I Managed to Oversleep…..(So Here Are Some Music Videos Instead!)
Afternoon, Saturday, December 21, 2024, Miami, Florida Greetings, Constant Readers! I apologize for the post-noon ramble, but let’s just say I hit the hay at around 3 AM and woke up – for good, anyway – close to 10 AM on the shortest day of the year. Thanks, winter! As you can imagine, I’m feeling…