Hey Mondo

Many people know me online as heymondo. Funny thing is, it was such a nano-second name I came up with when signing up for a Delphi forum discussion group. I wanted to think of a logon I could remember, but one not really identifiable. For some reason at the time, my old friend Armando popped in my head, and I remembered how we used to get his attention casually: "hey, Mondo'. So I used that.

Fast forward a couple years. The discussion group I initially signed up for was an anti-ICC group (a quasi-cult conning it's way into the hearts, minds, and pocket books of other people like myself not immediately recognizing the dubiousness of the group for too long). After I had enough sense to figure out the big con (and feeling like an idiot), I used that board to effectively (my opinion, of course) get people to see the fallaciousness of their current condition, even if in small subtle steps.

Well, as people got to know and respect me there, the name grew on me, and I have forever used it. Funny how such a quick and relatively meaningless decision has stuck with me.

The above clip is of my old friend Armando at his current NY improv theater. We grew up together, and while I recognize I got more out of that friendship than he, I'd like to think he had some good times and growing up philosophical discussions along the way too. I am genuinely happy for him, as he seems to not only have found his niche, but seems to be enjoying life, and that's wonderful.

Hey, Mondo! 8) We still talk a couple times a year, yet I still very much miss seeing my old friend on a regular basis. He's a good guy.

Help Me Find a Sci-Fi Book Title...

So I was on Facebook, and enjoyed doing the Top 5 Sci-Fi Books list that I have enjoyed. Tea from an Empty Cup and Robots of Dawn are in a class by themselves for me.

Anyway, in doing this, I was trying to remember a book I read as a youngster that I remember really enjoying, but I can't remember the darn title. I am not sure if it is a well-regarded book or it is viewed as junk. I think the book, at least when I read it, was yellow-ish and vaguely remember some greenish as part of either a character in the book or just in general. Here's the thing - as much as I remember liking it, the plot details are sketchy at best.

I can't remember if it was an alien or a robot, or generic creature, but the main character guy had to help him get to caves or mountains or something (no, it's not Escape to Witch Mountain). I remember a save-humanity from themselves kind of theme, and he was a guardian-ish type.

I do remember the last 'scene' a bit better, but not well. The 'guardian' makes it back in time to 'retire' or something along those lines, and the main character sees a wall of others just like him, waiting for their time to protect humanity.

Any ideas, pleeeeeeeease?