It’s a January, Saturday morning in central Maryland and I’m out walking with my dog. The temperature with the wind chill is about 17 degrees Fahrenheit (-8.3 c). The wind is right on our noses. Speaking of my nose, it’s running like a faucet and my eyes are watering even though I have sunglasses on…
I grew up in Pittsburgh and remain a Steelers football fan. Although I have not lived in the ‘Burgh in a long time, I have roots to the city that run deep. Living in Maryland for more than 20 years has not changed my affinity for the Pittsburgh sports franchises. My boys are different. I’ve…
We can all get by with less stuff. The reality is that what we all consider necessary has changed over time. Stripped down to its core we need food, water, clothes and shelter. Everything else is varying degrees of want. In my lifetime alone many things like cars, cell phones, internet, cable TV, and oh…
I’ll admit it. I love the sound of an internal combustion engine sports car. The visceral feelings evoked from shifting, the smells and the rattles are transportive. Yet, this is not why I have no interest in electric cars. I’m all for having a light touch on the planet. If electric cars are better for…
Before the pandemic, I took our dog (Flash) for a walk around the lake near our house a few days per week. Not long into the lock downs, the walks turned into five mornings a week. The habit has stuck and has provided more physical and mental benefits than I can count on two hands….
One of the earliest teaching moments we all share is learning from our circumstances. Did your parents encourage you to learn from life’s good and bad deals? I bet they did. By no means have I perfected the art of life’s takeaways. But, in the midst of the pandemic, a few lessons have bubbled to…
My car fascination began in the spring of 1982 at the wide-eyed age of 12. It all started with a trip to the American institution of 7-Eleven. I grew up in a house that sat one lot removed from a cul-de-sac (the turnaround). The turnaround was the neighborhood play area. My street had little traffic…
The first few months of 1988 were rough. For the most part, my hair had grown back after the boot camp buzz cut from the previous September. It had been a whirlwind from Air Force basic training to tech school to being stationed in Miami, Florida. For an 18-year old kid that had barely left…
Fifty! How the hell did I get here this fast? I guess I’m not alone. Generation X as a whole is getting old and registering for AARP cards. Well, not registering but are of age to register for their old age discount cards. To be sure I am in no hurry to be a card-carrying…
I’ve always liked watches. My earliest recollection of owning a watch was a Swatch back in the mid-1980’s. From a fashion standpoint, Swatch watches were all the rage in the 80’s. Like most other fashion conscious teens, I had a black and white skinned Swatch. Now that I think of it, I recall having a…
My wife and I have dodged dog pleading for what seems like a long time. Thus far, our middle son, Chase, has been the most vocal about getting a dog. This is the same son that, at three years old, cried for days about taking motherless ducklings to a rescue center. Of our three boys,…
I am a winter enthusiast. There, I said it. I still wake up excited to see snow. There is a good chance that I am more excited for a snow day than my three school-age kids. As a kid, I spent most winters outside soaking wet and sled riding. At 14, I learned to alpine ski…