Goodbye, 2025!

I allowed negativity to overwhelm me this year.  Negativity from the world, from my country, from my town and from the voices in my head.  

My poetry and some of my reviews reflect this negative vibe slithering beneath my skin.  Even my most viewed post is a bad review of a new film.  In my defense, WEAPONS really isn’t very good.  

However, 2025 wasn’t all doom & gloom.  I released the DARK EXCURSIONS ebook series and STURGEONS (the complete serials) as audiobooks through Audible. 

There was also a new e-book, paperback and truly amusing audiobook release!  I wrote Whasome’s Dreck (a short parody) a long time ago.  After unearthing this gem, I felt the world needed my satirical take on Dawson’s Creek.  Not sure if the world agrees. 

I also managed to release a few videos for The FreakOptic Files.  They still make me laugh, which is my ultimate goal.

As for the coming year, I hope to write more.  There are poems to compose and crazy films to review, including a couple of recently found lost Andy Milligan titles, if Severin releases them in 2026. 

Thank you to anyone who has read or listened to my words in 2025.  I am forever grateful for your encouragement and support! 

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S.  After releasing Whasome’s Dreck, I decided to give the John L. Harmon literary completists a gift by finally releasing Bubba’s Truck (a short story) as a paperback.   

2024 (or the year I met Julie Brown)

2024 has been a long year of ups, downs and all arounds, but I want to focus on the ups.  There is still plenty of my New England Adventure I haven’t blogged about.  This is due in part to a decrease in a desire to write, but that’s not what I want 2024 to be known for.   Rather, as the title of this post suggests, this is the year I met a singer/actress I’ve admired for a long time. 

Did Providence guide me to Providence or was it just Dave?

When Dave of My Gay Opinion, who invited me to the East Coast specifically for the Rhode Island Comic Con, and I were in line to meet Julie Brown, my hands started to sweat.  There she was, only a few people away from me.  My 16 year-old self was bouncing off the walls because he would’ve never imagined getting to meet the star of JUST SAY JULIE and the singer of THE HOMECOMING QUEEN’S GOT A GUN!  Was this really happening?  Did I hop on my first commercial flight and travel halfway across the country to meet Julie Brown?  Yes, it was really happening and yes, I flew way out of my comfort zone just for this moment!  

Masked for my protection against people!

Disappointing there was no gremlin on the wing!

During Dave’s turn, he broke the ice for me by mentioning to Miss Brown that I flew here from Nebraska, so it was easy to slip into a conversation with her as she autographed my CD of TRAPPED IN THE BODY OF A WHITE GIRL.

I hope you’re totally jealous!

I stayed relatively calm as I told Julie Brown how she has creatively inspired me and how I was probably the only teenager who watched MTV with a parent.  As I told Miss Brown, my mom enjoyed JUST SAY JULIE and said Julie reminded her of Lucille Ball.  Then I got my picture taken with Miss Brown and I look like the big fanboy who was totally geeking out.  I’m sure if 100 pics could have been snapped, I would’ve looked unapologetically over the moon in all of them! 

A freakboy and his idol!

After the photo, Julie Brown and I talked a bit more.  She was truly surprised I came all the way from Nebraska.  I told her how Dave and I were planning to hit New York City the next day and how amazing my trip had been already.  Then Miss Brown said she had to give me a hug!  I wasn’t gonna refuse, so we hugged!  Yes, Julie Brown and I hugged!!!  My 16 year-old self was less of a hugger than I am, but I knew he was freaking out in the best way possible.  After that sweetly surreal moment, Miss Brown was then polite enough to give Dave a hug, but I’ll never let him forget Julie hugged me first! 

My New England Adventure could’ve ended there and I would’ve been satisfied.  However, meeting Julie Brown was really only the beginning and I’ll try to blog more about it in 2025. 
Thanks for reading my blog this year.  I appreciate your support. 

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. click a pic ⤵️ for more about my New England Adventure… 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Click the pic ⤵️ to experience the most viewed tale of 2024…

4 things I don’t totally hate from 2023…

I’ve been going through the “everything I write is 💩” phase again.  This feeling comes and goes and will hopefully pass soon.  Until then, here are 4 things I don’t totally hate from 2023…

(You know the drill…click the pics ⤵️ to read, watch or whatever…)

1…  I released STURGEONS  (the complete serials) and now there are over 50 copies in the hands of readers around the world.  

(Photo courtesy of The Dobson Family Archive)

2…. I was inspired to write a poem by a freaky doll in the window of a local auction house and I still dig its dark humor. 

(Photo courtesy of The Demonic Auction House)

3…. I purchased a new pair of shoes and ended up creating a video which has been called my best. 

(Poster courtesy of The FreakOptic Files)

4…. I was interviewed by a local newspaper reporter about my books and chunk of vision loss.  I still appreciate that the article appeared on the page opposite the obituaries. 

(Article courtesy of Custer County Chief)

Thank you for your support of my creative endeavors in 2023 and I will half-see you in 2024.

I don’t totally hate this selfie

Freak Out, 
JLH 

 P.S.  One more thing from 2023… I experienced the script to what could be my favorite Andy Milligan film if a print is ever found. 

Flushing away 2022…

2022 hasn’t been complete crap, but there’s been plenty of it, both personally and worldwide.  So here is a New Year’s card I made for my sister (and others) at the end of 2003.   

My sister and I unearthed this 19-year old relic during the process of moving this year and it seemed appropriate.  So, have an un-crappy New Year and thanks for visiting.  I think my blog has finally earned its name this year and hopefully I’ll continue to open up a bag of freak on all of you in 2023! 🤪

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S.  Click the pic ⤵️ for my most viewed tale of 2022…

2 0 1 9

I didn't live up to my self-designated theme song for 2019, "Wig in a Box" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, but I initially tried.  Releasing VISION BENT (half-blind poems) was the best way that I've found to be the best you've ever seen.  Then being interviewed by a fellow blogger was like tasting a hint of fame or, at least, notoriety.  ( To experience my 15 minutes...http://www.mygayopinion.com/3178/john-l-harmons-vision-bent/ )   

I faltered through the remainder of the year.  I could blame life, but I throw the responsibility onto my own shoulders.  I allowed a negative perception of myself and my surroundings to eat away at me and what I accomplished early on this year.  It was a deep rabbit hole that I'm still crawling out of. 

Guess that's why I feel "The Jig is Up" by Jill Sobule is the song that ultimately sums up my year.  Especially the lyric...Maybe I'm just in a bad mood and I need to change my attitude.  The final lyric also speaks to me...The story needs another twist and I have had enough of this.  Hopefully any twists in 2020 will be positive or at least I will hopefully be able to find the elusive silver lining.

I'm not going to make a ginormous, insurmountable New Year's resolution for 2020.  I just want to go for more walks, listen to more e-books and focus more on writing, with concentrated effort on this blog and A STUDY IN ORANGE.  

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words. 

I will see you next year...so to speak. 

Freak Out, 

John L. Harmon 

P.S. A post from this year that I'm kind of proud of because my words may have changed the minds of a few people...

https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2019/10/freakboy-on-film-childs-play-2019.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My books & blogs...

http://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-collective.html

freakboy muses music: HAVE YOURSELF A SCARY LITTLE CHRISTMAS (Tales from the Crypt)

'Twas the fright before Christmas 

And all through the crypt 

Not a creature was stirring 

'Cept those being whipped 

('Twas the Fright Before Christmas) 

1994 

              (The Right Stuff Records}

For someone who doesn't really celebrate Christmas in a traditional way, I seem to have lots of Christmas traditions involving films, television and music.  Being a fan of E.C. Comics (even though I can no longer read them), who also enjoys potentially offensive festive offerings, this Christmas album was destined to be in my life.

The Crypt-Keeper 

a self-promoting cadaverous whore after my own decaying heart.

TALES FROM THE CRYPT was a notorious 1950's horror comic book that would, several decades later, be turned into an HBO anthology television series.  The Crypt-Keeper, literally a decaying corpse, would bookend each episode with morbid puns and ghoulish fun.  In hindsight, it's no stretch of the imagination that a sly, clever, gruesome Christmas album would happen.  

          Lizzie Borden lost her folks 

          Gave'em 40 whacks 

          She wants a brand new mom and pop 

          And, of course, an axe 

          (Christmas Rap) 

HAVE YOURSELF A SCARY LITTLE CHRISTMAS finds The Crypt-Keeper singing festive, ghoul-tide ditties to lift your holiday spirits from the dead.  That old bag of bones charms us with songs about decorating with body parts, poisoning his family, a horror-filled wish list and a New Year's Eve party for the recently and long-ago deceased, to name a few cheerful tuneful topics.  It's a heartwarming album for the entire Manson family and yours, if you're not part of the P.C. Police.  

Stockings stuffed with ears and fingers 

Fa-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la 

           Chopped from all those caroling singers 

Fa-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la 

(Deck the Halls with Parts of Charlie) 

This album is not for overly sensitive 21st Century ears.  Consider this your five-alarm trigger-happy warning.  With a few Santa fat jokes and one sly cross-dressing jab at J. Edgar Hoover, there is plenty of material for internet bots to be outraged over.  I could get on my soapbox in the town square to rant about how the human race is censoring itself into oblivion, but it's cold outside.

Anyhoo, before I bury my blog six feet under....Have a Merry Cryptmas and Horrific New Year!  

The champagne flows 

And bubbles pop 

Capote hugs Babe Ruth 

While Lincoln does the bunny hop 

With actor John Wilkes Booth 

(Should Old Cadavers Be Forgot) 

Thank you for reading or listening to my potentially offensive half-blind words.

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. Ho Ho Ho...

~~~~~~~~~~

DARK EXCURSIONS 

(a modern take on gothic romance) 

The perfect gift for the soap nut in your life! 🎁😉 

https://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2018/03/dark-excursions-complete-set.html