ITEOTWAWKI: New and Improved

As the glow of the 30th anniversary celebration wore off, we got news from REM HQ that the band had headed back into the studio to work on the next album. They had started work last year on some demos,…

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Draft Time?

I did not realize until a couple of days ago that the NFL Draft starts tonight. Since they start talking about it and arguing over everything before the bowl games, it didn’t seem like the seriousness had risen. Todd McShay…

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Taking the Plunge

I didn’t make my decision until the last minute. In fact, I didn’t even mention it to anyone until I announced I was going. Last month, I auditioned for a part in the play “Lost in Yonkers” at the Hanover…

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Book Review: You Couldn’t Ignore Me If You Tried

I really don’t have any musical talent. Thirteen years of Catholic education only provided me with the knowledge of how to sing hymns. Or how to pretend to sing hymns. I did try playing the guitar in junior high, but…

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Movie Roundup

For some reason, I haven’t taken the time to review some of the movies I have seen this year. So let’s knock them all out in one post. Valentine’s Day – We actually saw this on Feb. 14 in a…

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The Case of the Indestructible Travel Mug

Things started out pretty well last Wednesday. Maria and I both got moving a little earlier than usual. Before I knew it, I was all ready to leave for work 10 minutes before usual. I putzed around the house a…

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Happy Birthday, R.E.M.

Something remarkable happened in a very unremarkable fashion 30 years ago tonight. A young woman named Kathleen O’Brien threw herself a birthday party. From all reports, she wanted it to rival any party that Athens, Ga., had ever seen. She…

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A Good Trip

The stars recently fell in perfect alignment – my daughter’s Girl Scout camping trip coincided with opening night for Hot Tub Time Machine. I knew from the moment I saw the first trailer, I would at least get a kick…

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A New Kind of March Madness

I think everyone who went to college had a rich buddy who never listened to anyone. He had enough money to make his mistakes negligible. Wreck a car? Dad will get him a new one. Trash his apartment during a…

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