What Is Magic Times (mikemaginot.com)?

Updated

Magic Times (mikemaginot.com) is the personal blog and journal site of Mike Maginot, described on the site as "Blogging Before There Were Blogs." It collects long-form personal writing and commentary across memoirs, film and video, film school, book reviews, and presentations, with content copyrighted from 1999 to 2022. It is a reading site, not a service or store.

What you'll find there

The site's own navigation and headings point to these content areas:

  • Magic Times Journal and 2020 Vision — journal-style entries
  • Nouveau Blog — a newer blog section
  • Mark Time — a recurring column or series
  • Projects: In a World of Menus and Sidebars — a project page
  • Memoirs — personal recollections
  • Film and Video Views, Film School, and Short Takes — film criticism and film-school material
  • Book Reviews — reading commentary
  • Presentations — talk or presentation material
  • Give It Your Best Shot and Film vs. Reality: Depression Era Theatre In the Foothills — standalone essays or features

The site also links out to a YouTube channel, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account, so video and social updates may live off-site rather than in the blog itself.

Who it's for

This is a good fit if you want to read personal essays and film writing from a single author over more than two decades, or if you're looking for a specific piece you remember from the site. It is not a news outlet, a database, or a subscription product — the page evidence shows no pricing, login, or payment signals, so treat it as an open reading archive rather than assuming any paid tier.

Practical notes

  • Start with the section that matches your interest. If you came for film writing, go to Film and Video Views or Film School; for personal writing, the Journal, Memoirs, or Nouveau Blog.
  • Expect an older-style layout. The site describes itself as predating blogs, and the navigation reads like a hand-built index of sections rather than a modern feed.
  • Check the off-site channels for newer material. The copyright line ends at 2022, and the YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter links are the places to look if you want activity beyond what's archived on the site.
  • Cite with the date range in mind. If you reference a piece, note that the archive spans 1999–2022, so undated pages may be old.