Before COVID-19, I wrote about classic films and television anniversary stories, along with some history context under Napa Valley Register’s opinion former editor, Sean Scully. Sometimes, he’d add an old photograph from the film or television series to my article. It was fun.
A buddy of mine nicknamed me the Couch Guru, because I wrote about classic films and TV programs. In the April 3, 2020 classic film article, “The Diary of Anne Frank,” I referred to myself one time in print as the Couch Guru.
My last article, “The Andy Griffith Show Marks 60th anniversary” appeared on Aug. 3, 2020. I was planning on writing, “The Partridge Family 50th anniversary” when my XP computer broke down and couldn’t be repaired.
Since I’m a social security disability recipient, I didn’t think I would have money to buy another computer and became very depressed that year. However, my luck changed when I received a stimulus check and bought a new Dell computer.
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Nevertheless, I had difficulty learning the new computer programs and unfamiliar with its mechanics. I’m starting to get back in the groove and writing a Christian/Historical fiction novel that I’m writing on 1920s Foursquare Gospel evangelist — Sister Aimee Semple McPherson.
You may remember the 2015 article, “Remembering a woman radio pioneer.” She was the first woman to own a radio station. She transmitted her sermonettes from the third-floor studio from her church — Angelus Temple.
Sadly, however, I have some regrets about not writing “The Partridge Family 50th anniversary” that year. And yet, another article I wanted to write was about “The 40th anniversary of Friday the Thirteenth.”
However, a fundamentalist Christian friend told me that the horror movie anniversary article wasn’t appropriate with the pandemic on the horizon. I’m not sure if she was correct in her opinion or not.
Nevertheless, I’m no stranger to the horror movie genre. I’ve also written on two previous horror films, “Rosemary’s Baby 50th anniversary and Night of the Living Dead 50th anniversary,” which I’m very proud of.
Maybe someday, I’ll write about the classic television sitcom and horror film. However, it won’t be on their anniversaries, though. Of course, I have some regrets, but there’s one I feel I can correct with your help, readers.
On Jan. 3, 2018, my Napa Valley Register opinion article, “Remembering Laika, the Space Dog” appeared in print. I wanted to write a follow-up article on what inspired me to write about this sad historical event.
On a “Designing Women” sitcom episode, I first learned of the Russian dog’s plight. However, Laika’s story had very little meaning to me back then. Several years later by fluke, I came across Brian Dale Pope’s Amazon book, “Laika: Canine Sputnik Cosmonaut.”
It’s a tragic tale from the Russian dog’s point-of-view, questioning harmful animal research into the 1957 space age race. You can hear her feminine voice as she describes events up to her untimely fate to her audience.
“Be warned though; it’s going to be a rough ride,” Brian Dale Pope wrote on the back cover of his Amazon novel. This tragic Russian dog’s tale reminded me very much of Jack London’s masterpiece, ”Call of the Wild.”
Unfortunately, Brian Dale Pope’s novel, “Laika: Canine Sputnik Cosmonaut,” isn’t promoted very well on Amazon. Unless you type in the author’s name Brian Dale Pope or the book’s title you won’t find it. Just typing up the name Laika won’t direct you to this amazing book either.
Carl G. White
Napa
