Category Archives: Stuff Joe Likes

The $17 Time Machine

Posted on July 1, 2026 by Joe_Williams

For $17 I bought a genuine time machine: a 1978 high school yearbook.
Perfect reference for the story I’m writing—real 70s hair, clothes, awkward expressions, and gloriously weird homecoming floats, including one based on Logan’s Run and another celebrating Star Wars.
Pure nostalgia gold. Continue reading →

Posted in Blast from the Past, Curious Clutter, Stuff Joe Likes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

If They Ask Me, I Would Write a Book…

Posted on June 24, 2026 by Joe_Williams

Well, nobody asked me, but I’m writing anyway. It may become a book. It may be an illustrated story. It might even end up as a comic. Whatever form it takes, I’ve made a habit of throwing words down on … Continue reading →

Posted in Computers, Joe's Garage, Stuff Joe Likes, Technique | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Reclaiming My Creative Life With Vintage Macs: The Maltese Mac Mini Stack

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Joe_Williams

My second cigar box mini-stack is now complete. Like the first one, it pairs a vintage Mac with a modern one — a 2010 Mac mini running Snow Leopard and a M1 Mac mini running the latest macOS. They share … Continue reading →

Posted in Computers, Joe's Garage, Stuff Joe Likes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Great Movie, Terrible Soundtrack — In Space No One Can Hear This Record

Posted on October 2, 2025 by Joe

This is a switcheroo from my usual post where I highlight terrible movies that have great soundtracks or musical scores. Today, I am looking at a great movie that has a less than memorable soundtrack album. Alien (1979) directed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Blast from the Past, Curious Clutter, Musical Cruelty, Stuff Joe Likes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Terrible Movie, Great Soundtrack: The Unlikely Brilliance of Casino Royale’s Music

Posted on September 25, 2025 by Joe

Back in the day, I stumbled across a song that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. It was on WPEN, a Philadelphia “easy listening” station that’s long gone, catering to the Geritol set with its smooth, unhip vibes. I’d heard … Continue reading →

Posted in Blast from the Past, Curious Clutter, Stuff Joe Likes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Frugal Review • The Pen+Gear Sketch Diary

Posted on September 23, 2025 by Joe_Williams

When my wife and co-host of this fabulous site, Tina, calls about a cheap sketchbook she’s found at a big box store, I’ve learned not to question her. I just say, “Buy it!” She’s got a knack for spotting art … Continue reading →

Posted in Doodle Tuesday, Illustration, It Came From the Sketchbook, News, Pixels Versus Pigment, Sketch, Stuff Joe Likes, Technique | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Cheapskate Strikes Back!

Posted on September 18, 2025 by Joe_Williams

I was in an art supply store recently to pick up some gift items for a friend, and I thought I would pick up a smallish, mixed media, sketchbook for myself. I was thinking a 7-inch by 10-inch sketchbook would … Continue reading →

Posted in Curious Clutter, Illustration, It Came From the Sketchbook, Sketch, Stuff Joe Likes, Technique | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Terrible Movie – Great Soundtrack

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Joe_Williams

Back in the late 1970s, John Williams must have been the hardest working man in show business. I doubt if he took a day off since crafting the iconic soundtrack for Jaws in 1975. If there was a major movie, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blast from the Past, Curious Clutter, Stuff Joe Likes | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Keeping Good Habits

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Joe_Williams

This is the thin 3-ring binder I bought from a dollar store near work and filled it with 97¢ worth of looseleaf paper in order to work out the story of The Teenage Beast. I am writing an outline for … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Design, Illustration, It Came From the Sketchbook, Sketch, Stuff Joe Likes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment