Who Am I?

Grim fandango croppedAllow me to introduce myself. I’m Fandango, which, for the purpose of this blog, is my pseudonym. My real world identity will remain a mystery.

So I’m Fandango, but not as in the Fandango app that you use to check show times and to purchase movie tickets. Oh no. I’m Fandango, for those of you who are Queen fans, as made infamous by the lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody:

“I see a little silhouetto of a man,
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning,
Very, very frightening me.
Galileo, Galileo, Galileo Figaro,
Magnifico-o-o-o-o.”

That’s my picture at the top of the page. Well, that’s the image I picked to go with my pseudonym, anyway. Very, very frightening, right?

But I digress. I have no particular niche for this blog. It is about “this, that, and the other.” And as my tagline suggests, my posts reflect my personal observations and perspectives on life, society, and politics. I try to infuse my posts, even those that cover deadly serious topics, with humor when I can. I occasionally throw into the mix some flash fiction.

As to who I am, I am a septuagenarian. I am retired, liberal, practical, pragmatic, and, at times, cantankerous. And yes, I can be somewhat pedantic (i.e., fussy) when it comes to grammar, spelling, and usage.

Finally, in the interest of full disclosure, this is not my first trip around the block, blog-wise. I’ve been blogging on and off since 2005, although it had been off since April 2015. But I retired at the end of 2016 and with the catastrophic election of Donald Trump to POTUS, I felt the need to start blogging again. So here we go. One more time!

All that said, I hope you enjoy reading my blog and I would be delighted to read and respond to your comments on my posts.

Best regards,

Fandango

239 thoughts on “Who Am I?”

  2. Elouise July 20, 2017 / 8:49 am

    Pleased to meet you right here, in your own words–and to see you showing up on my blogsite! 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  3. rugby843 August 8, 2017 / 8:04 am

    How can I miss that icon? Very funny and that’s not the least of it! Enjoy reading your posts. Don’t stop. There’s a joke there somewhere…

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
      • Fandango August 8, 2017 / 8:29 am

        And I did conduct an exhaustive search for the perfect icon to reflect who I am. Thanks for noticing.

        Liked by 3 people

        Reply
        • kpizz4shizz August 24, 2021 / 12:14 am

          I really hope, Fandango, that you have played the computer game that your profile picture comes from. The character you have chosen is actually called Manny Calavera, and he’s a down-on-his luck Grim Reaper, stuck between the lands of living and dead in Grim Fandango, which is possibly the most beautiful computer game ever made. A must-play if you haven’t already!

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply
          • Fandango August 24, 2021 / 6:53 am

            Actually, I have never played it, but I love the image.

            Like

            Reply
  4. melanielynngriffin September 2, 2017 / 9:45 am

    Thanks for visiting my blog! Your’s looks excellent. (I just put that apostrophe in there to annoy you.) I look forward to exploring it.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
    • Fandango September 2, 2017 / 9:46 am

      Ah, you have quickly discovered one of my pet peeve’s. Ha! Did you see what I did there?

      Liked by 6 people

      Reply
      • melanielynngriffin September 2, 2017 / 9:48 am

        I have the same peeve. I try not to be judgmental, but when it comes to grammar and punctuation, I’m not a nice person. 🙂

        Liked by 3 people

        Reply
          • Matt Valentine July 21, 2019 / 8:53 pm

            how exciting

            Like

            Reply
        • annieasksyou September 6, 2019 / 7:49 pm

          Hello—

          I am new to this site, but the grammar/punctuation issue called to me. One thing I’ve noticed is that the MAC folks seem to have a default apostrophe mechanism that can catch the writer who fails to proofread carefully. So the unsuspecting soul who types “were” may find it appears as “we’re.”

          If you’re interested in why the correct plural of octopus is octopuses, not octopi, I invite you both to visit my blog and read the beginning of my post “Can I Really Get My Arms Around This Animal?”

          Cheers!

          Liked by 3 people

          Reply
      • Robert Chernin August 2, 2022 / 4:36 pm

        Deer Grammer Nazis.
        Im playcing this hear to spacifikally distroy you’re intire day.
        May koreckting this commint be the onely thing you thinck abought, all weak.

        (I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself)
        😂😂😂

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
        • Fandango August 2, 2022 / 5:38 pm

          Yikes! You’re killing me here! 🤣

          Like

          Reply
      • lifelessons April 14, 2023 / 7:06 pm

        That is also Forgottenman’s pet peeves. I, too, put one in every once in a while just to keep him busy. (At least that’s what I tell him.) Its and it’s is my usual error. Yes, I know better. Just do it to keep from being annoyingly perfect. I must ask one question, though. You are a man, right? That’s not narrowing the field too horribly much.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
        • lifelessons April 14, 2023 / 7:09 pm

          Oops, scrolling back in comments I see I am repeating myself. Another annoying habit but blame it on age and forgive, please.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply
        • Fandango April 14, 2023 / 11:32 pm

          Yes, last time I checked, I am a man. 😉

          Like

          Reply
  5. bikurgurl November 7, 2017 / 11:48 pm

    Love it! Thanks for joining us in our writing community and challenges! Always a breath of fresh air ❤

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
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  13. Jina Bazzar May 10, 2018 / 10:47 am

    alright, got it… Pleased to meet you, fandango, though i can’t say i don’t think of food when i read your name.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  14. Embeecee June 4, 2018 / 11:35 am

    Pleasedtomeetcha. I’m dreadfully sorry I mistook you for a woman initially, will teach me to READ FOR CONTENT, won’t it? I’m really enjoying your prompts and your remarks. This could be fun. 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  16. lifelessons June 8, 2018 / 7:16 pm

    I put in apostrophe errors every once in a while just so forgottenman can have the pleasure of finding and correcting them. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. They are actually my pet peeves as well, except I am dyslexic concerning its and it’s. I certainly know which is which but I get in a hurry and just don’t pay attention. Well, that and giving forgottenman a thrill. My other pet peeve is using “Him and me” or, even worse, “Me and him” in the nominative position. Everyone does this now. Shame on them. Picky picky. I’m a reformed English teacher, but not reformed enough.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
  17. Laura Ehlers June 25, 2018 / 8:29 am

    Ah Fandango, a foolish act….and also a wonderful movie… I am hoping, being a Parrothead and sailor at heart, that this will become the beginning of a beautiful friendship…..

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
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  20. Susan August 11, 2018 / 1:09 pm

    Even though we are acquainted via Flash Fiction, I thought it was time for me to get to know you a little better. You have a very interesting profile and a fine wit. As Hannibal Lector would say, you would be the sort of person I would like to know in real life.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • Fandango August 11, 2018 / 1:28 pm

      Thank you, Susan. That’s very nice of you to say. I have sometime thought about what meeting someone I know through blogging in real life might be like, but I haven’t yet done it. Something about maintaining my anonymity, I suppose.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • Janis October 13, 2020 / 11:56 pm

        Have you met any of your blog friends in person since writing this comment in 2018?

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
    • Fandango August 12, 2018 / 9:54 pm

      Thanks, Henry. I’m not exactly a big comic book fan anymore, but I will go check out your blog.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • Henry Chamberlain August 13, 2018 / 12:30 am

        I end up writing about a lot of things beyond comics, which I think is the best way to go to keep it fresh.

        Liked by 2 people

        Reply
  22. unexpectedincommonhours August 14, 2018 / 4:52 pm

    Thank you for the follow! As you can tell by the fact that I comment on your posts, I’ve been following and enjoying your blog for a while now. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
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  25. mariexceline September 9, 2018 / 5:45 am

    Found you via Renard’s World – now have Bohemian Rhapsody stuck in my head haha!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
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  28. Tim Willow October 2, 2018 / 6:37 am

    Well I’ve followed for a while, now officially saying hello:) only a very recent blogger, 2-3 months officially. Nice to be noticed by an expert!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Fandango October 4, 2018 / 12:13 am

      I’d hardly say I’m an expert, but I appreciate your somewhat off-kilter wit. It’s fun.

      Like

      Reply
  29. Tandi Tales October 19, 2018 / 9:20 pm

    Great blog! I find it “Magnifico-o-o-o-o.”
    Now I’m off to listen to my old Queen CDs.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
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    • Fandango November 5, 2018 / 4:30 pm

      Yeah, I saw that. Thanks Rory. I just posted my answers to your questions.

      Like

      Reply
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  34. Stitch @ LoopholesOnLife.com November 23, 2018 / 9:23 pm

    As Grim Fandango holds the honor of being one of the first “3D computer graphics overlaid on a pre-rendered static background”, so too does Blog Fandango create depth on top of the every day one-dimensionalism of society.

    Late to the welcome (back) wagon, but I’m just getting back as well – so welcome!

    Alas, while I’ve always appreciated the poetry of words — I’ve never slowed down to face the grammar! Hard to toe that line when your mind is dancing triple-time! 😉

    If I could look past the perfect grammar, I would really enjoy everything you’ve written.

    And I can, so I will continue to read and enjoy more, as long as you let me begin and end sentences with And!

    -Stitch

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • Fandango November 23, 2018 / 9:56 pm

      I am known to break the old “never start a sentence with a conjunction” rule. And I will continue to do with great abandon! Welcome.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • annieasksyou September 7, 2019 / 8:30 am

        An alternate part of speech adage was Winston Churchill’s reported response to a clumsy attempt to avoid ending a sentence with a preposition: “This is the sort of English with which up I will not put.”

        Cheers from your new virtual friend and follower (though I dislike the latter term, which implies sheeplike behavior not evident in the bloggers of my acquaintance.)

        Annie

        Liked by 2 people

        Reply
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