Seacoast History Blog #133 
December 28, 2011

I know peanuts about prehistoric Native American artifacts, but that apparently makes me an expert around here. Because I grew up with a brother who went on to become a scholar of prehistoric Indians in the Gulf of Maine, I’ve always been interested in the topic, but perpetually confused on the details about stone projectile points, scrapers, gouges, plummets, etc. Archaeologists have so little to work with and, thus, come to so few conclusions, that it’s hard to follow along. But I try. And now and then I write something about what I’ve learned and post it online. And when I do, I get calls and emails from others who are maybe a shade more confused than I. Like the call I got from 82-year old Luke in Blanco, Texas last week. His son found something in 1969 and he’s still trying to figure out what it is. (Continued below)

Seacoast History Blog #132 
December 14, 2011

You’re right. I’ve been out of touch. But I have a note. I stand at this moment up to my waist in the quicksand of a new book. It’s revolutionary. It will blow your mind, or if you’re under 50, insert the latest version of that cliché here. And I have until the North Church steeple clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve to finish the manuscript. If I don’t make it, the whole book turns into a pumpkin. You wouldn’t want that to happen, which is why I come out of my office only for meals and the occasional nap. Yesterday I dozed sitting bolt upright at the keyboard. Don’t know how long I was out, but when I woke up, I had typed the letter “e” for six pages. (Continued below)

Seacoast History Blog #131
November 16, 2011

There were no surprises at this week’s public forum on the status of the First State House. The lunatics are still running the asylum. Despite a $250,000 federal grant to study the remains of the 1758 building that has been moldering in a trailer in Concord since 1990, those in Portsmouth who passionately want to bring the long-dead structure back to life refuse to give up. With no building site, with no money, with only 480 rotted internal timbers, and without even a clear idea what the building is for – they’re still giving the poor corpse CPR and zapping it with one crazy idea after another. You have to admire their persistence, if not their ability to read a death certificate. (Continued below)

Seacoast History Blog #130 
November 6, 2011

I missed the October 2001 launch of the $3 million Privateer Lynx in Rockport, Maine. It was an incredible event, I hear, with thousands of cheering spectators. I interviewed people who were on the scene for my brand new book AMERICA’S PRIVATEER. So you can be sure I wasn’t going to miss the launch of Little Lynx ten years later. It wasn’t quite as spectacular. Little Lynx is only a few feet long. And there were not quite a dozen of us in attendance at South Mill Pond last week. But the mini-schooner performed beautifully and struck out like she was born to the waves – or ripples. I took a lot of photos to commemorate the moment. (See photos below)

Seacoast History Blog #129 
November 1, 2011

TWO NEW PHOTOS ADDED

My neighbor has been working in his garage for months. He always has some wild idea in production. The ideas move through his brain like groceries on a conveyor belt at the check-out counter. There’s no stopping them. If he’s working on one project, he’s dreaming about six more. Making stuff relaxes him, he says, and he needs to relax, because all that thinking is exhausting. My neighbor’s name is Ed, and almost two months ago I stopped by his garage to see what his brain was turning out. He was making a giant paper mache hand.  (Continued below)

Seacoast History Blog #128 
October 16, 2011

My wife Maryellen and I have been like ships passing at sea. She’s meeting over here, I’m meeting over there. I speak to the Rotary one week, she speaks to Rotary the next. She handles the spotlight well, but I’m never truly comfortable unless I can see my house. Things have been hectic enough right in my own back yard (see upcoming blog) but every fall I find myself forced out onto the road and into the public, plugging books, selling ads, giving talks, and meeting people. I never see it coming, and I always intend to write things down. But the days fall like autumn leaves and pile up all around. So here is a quick behind-the-scenes summary of the last few days in the history biz. (Continued below)

Seacoast History Blog # 127
October 2, 2011

I finally did it. I sat down and put together a list of books about Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Mostly they are ones off my shelf, mostly history. Made myself stop at 150 title, but I hope to keep adding them. The super amazing part of all this is that you can see my list in seconds. I created it on WorldCat.org, the incredible database of every official book (those with ISBN numbers registered with the Library of Congress). I can update the list in seconds. You can search it, even print it in a variety of bibliographical styles on your printer. Now let me tell you why. (Continued below)

Seacoast History Blog # 126 
August 24, 2011

It’s not easy being a Segway tour guide, but it’s really not that hard. You’ll need a sense of balance. The smart wheeled machines can sense your slightest movement and respond. Lean forward to go. Lean back to stop. Okay, you’re qualified. The challenging part is being a guide. Any guide has to love people. You have to be a clear and patient teacher. You have to know your subject matter, which in the case of Seacoast Segway Tours means knowing your way around Portsmouth. You need to show up on time, follow the rules, keep your customers safe and happy. (Continued below)

Seacoast History Blog # 125 
August 13, 2011

I haven’t gotten a thing done in two days. Every time the Thunderbird jets pass over my home office I have to run out and see them. I can’t help it. I am compelled like a hypnotized man to see them flash by. I’ve taken dozens of videos, even though the tiny shiny triangles look like specs on the screen. But I’m not going to the Air Show this year. Never again. I got too close to the action last year at Pease AFB and my right ear has never been the same. Those incredible machines are dangerous, and not just for the pilots. Super loud noises can cause permanent hearing damage. I know. It happened to me. Why let it happen to you or your kids? (Continued below)

Seacoast History Blog # 124 
August 8, 2011

- Tuesday August 9; Newcastle Historical Society, 7pm 
- Thursday August 11, Portsmouth Rotary, noon 
- Saturday, August 13, Discover Portsmouth Center, 11 am 
- Saturday August 20, USS Albacore book signing

Nothing makes a writer shudder more than a week of talking in public. If it seems to come naturally, then the masquerade works. So imagine my surprise to find I’m the guy at the podium all this week. And it’s a killer combo. Two of the chats are extemporaneous and the third is the kick-off of this year’s latest slideshow lecture. Let me tell you how that happens. (Continued below)