nelson mandela and the great eclipse caper
… my needle therapy had barely begun when the topic of the “Mandela effect” came up. Before that day, I had never heard of such a thing…
snow daze
It’s been a week or so since the big snow hit town. When I say, “big snow,” I’m talking big for Nashville. We saw about eight inches where I live, an amount that evokes ridicule from my friends back in Western New York. But here, eight inches might just as well be the end of days.
profane or profound?
Where to begin? I think I’ve had several variations of this conversation over the years, but to this point, I have no resolution. That’s right. At the ripe old age of 53 years, 9 months, and 3 days, I’m still not really sure why swear words are swear words.
free to move about the country
I travel much more for this job than I thought I would. And while I don’t really love all the nonsense that comes with air travel these days, I have to confess it has some advantages. No, I’m not talking about frequent flier miles. Although those don’t suck either. I’m talking about observing the human condition.
asscam 2023
I started age-appropriate procedures about 7 years early, at 43. And while the result was good, the experience was significantly below average. So, when my doctor advised we go back to the well at 53, well... let’s say I was less than excited.
winning at costco
I know what you’re thinking. Costco is a store. A big store. You don’t win at a store. You go there. You buy things. You go home. There’s no winning. No losing. That’s where you’re wrong.
touchscreens just aren’t my type
I’ve often told people using a touchpad or those imaginary on-screen letters & numbers feels a lot like typing with mittens to me. I can’t make the cursor go where I want it to go and my fingers always manage to touch two keys at once. That would be okay, but why does my screen always—I mean always—choose the wrong key?
a collection of random observations
So, I looked on the wall in my kitchen—that’s where I keep Jake’s recipe—and went to work. I chopped up the vegetables with my fancy new knife. Just about everyone who knows me at all knows I have a bit of a fascination with good knives. And Wusthof makes great knives.
the definitive analysis of condiments
Summer has officially begun, which means we’re also into grilling season. Even in a socially-distant barbecue, you have to have your condiments straight. Enter me, with the only post you’ll ever need about which condiments to include on your picnic table, even if you’re the only one sitting there.
the battle of the pauls
This isn’t some contrived Ric Flair versus Hulk Hogan thing where depending on the organization, you know which one will win. There’s no babyface versus heel thing here. Both Pauls seems to be genuinely good guys. Both have histories littered with awards, accolades, admiration, and adoration. Both played lead roles on their teams and have successful solo careers. But in this writer’s humble opinion, one is clearly superior. I’m speaking, of course, of the Pauls, McCartney and Simon.
from under a rock: episode ii
Sometimes it takes a while for things to sink in. So, I decided to wait 18 months before writing a second piece about the music I’ve missed while my extensive CD collection and I were resting comfortably under a rock.
cupcakes and juice boxes with a twist of lime
I should probably start by saying this will likely make some of my dearest friends… cranky. But please leave the knife in the cheese (unless you want some cheese) and play along, okay? Okay.
I’ve really been trying to avoid writing about politics. Mostly because there are people I care deeply for with very strong views on both ends of the spectrum, even if some of them believe they’re moderate. And partly because I’ve actually been enjoying some political discussion—the texts and conversations I have with my son during the Democratic debates.
the russians are meddling with my website
I find it somewhat bewildering and often amusing when I clean out the spam filter on my site. The Russian stuff is pretty new, but I guess it could be related to all this Mueller report hullabaloo. Won’t they be disappointed when they figure out how few people actually read my blog?
this food bully’s reign of terror must be stopped
There’s a new villain in kitchens across the world, and it’s even more nefarious. This one isn’t just drowning our food. It’s a flat-out bully and it needs to be stopped. No, I’m not talking about ranch dressing. Ranch dressing is certainly among the assholes of the food world, but it’s no bully. The bully in question isn’t even a condiment. Or a sauce. Or a goop of any kind, although I suppose you could make a really disgusting bully-pudding out of it if you wanted to. The bully I’m talking about is the evil red onion. Mmm. Red onion pudding. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it?
what’s on your playlist?
I’ve done a fair bit of travel for work, fun, and family over the last few years. Admittedly, much of my travel was in my car or a Penske rental truck, which is why you get to hear about my musical stylings, as well those of the folks kind enough to give me a ride in exchange for money. Also because I love music and I often find myself writing about it. All good reasons, yes?
hug a millennial
It’s possible I’ll get some backlash over this, but in my experience, Millennials are huggers. I am neither a Millennial by birth, nor a hugger by nature. I’m a Gen-Xer who often feels at least a twinge of angst when confronted with the notion of hugging a stranger. So, I confess that I’m a little jealous of the ease with which I see my younger counterparts navigate social situations. Not all of them, of course. You can’t paint an entire generation with the same brush, which is really what I want to talk about.
there’s not enough red hot to make crow taste good
Now that I got that out of the way, I guess it’s time to end my year of near-bliss. It was probably inevitable. I mean I’m supposed to be a professional communicator, after all. That means people pay me to write stuff, but it doesn’t necessarily mean I’m good at it. That’s really up to you. Either way, I should probably be accessible on social media. More than just LinkedIn, I mean.
from under a rock: episode one
I’ve always loved music. That’s not exactly a grand reveal, is it? I’ve blogged about everything from Canadian hard rock of the 80s to Barry Manilow. And now I’m doing it again.
Over the years, I’ve evolved from the teenager locked in his bedroom blaring Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Grim Reaper at top volume into someone who truly appreciates people who are good at their craft. It may be the Nashville effect. You can’t swing a dead cat in this town without hitting a super-talented musician.
everybody loves barry, so raymond can suck it
Barry Manilow and I are pen pals. Well, not exactly. I mean who uses pens anymore or even writes actual letters? Be honest. Other than signing a birthday card, when’s the last time you used a writing utensil to send a message to someone? Post It notes don’t count.
freeeedommm!
It’s official and final. Well, I guess it won’t be “officially final” for another week or so. They give you a little grace period in case you change your mind. Kind of like a free trial, but in reverse. To see what kind of withdrawal symptoms show up. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s all over. I don’t expect any compulsion to reverse course. Not anticipating night sweats. No 20/20 hindsight. No turning back.