Olympic Obsession
I think my obsession started with the “Guinness Book of World Records.” We always had one lying around the house when I was a kid so you could check the distance of the longest grape toss which someone caught in…
Book Review: Eating the Dinosaur
I came to know Chuck Klosterman through his appearances on The B.S. Report, a podcast by ESPN columnist Bill Simmons. I might have read some e-mail exchanges between the two before I heard the first podcast, but I definitely first…
Say It, Don. SAY IT!
I have not had this feeling for two or three years. I don’t have an episode of “Mad Men” awaiting me. I didn’t get into the show until a few years ago and slowly worked my way through the catalog….
Better Red Than Dead
We have certain traditions on my family’s annual beach vacation. We always have a cornhole tournament. One night features a crab feast. In recent years, we have added a scavenger hunt for the children in the family. This year, one…
Book Review: Page from a Tennessee Journal
I added a new folder to my Kindle a few months ago. I named it “Started and Hated.” So far I have moved two books in there, too stubborn to delete them, but eager to get them out of my…
Give the Kids a Chance
This is my weekly column, but I have been writing on this issue for a few days over at www.livinginhanover.com. I remember going to see the musical during my sophomore year of high school. I don’t really remember why I…
I Lost My iPod
Growing up, I used to think the phrase “you’d lose your head if it wasn’t attached” was developed just for me. That’s how often my mother said it to me. I can’t imagine what she’d say to me now if…
Another Wedding Miscue
Some recent weddings in my family produced some embarassment for me. I’m not talking about making a fool out of myself on the dance floor because I have enough company in that area. I have had, for lack of a…
Happy Father’s Day
I have had a good Father’s Day. I got a nice present from my daughter. My wife made an amazing breakfast for me. Later today, my father-in-law will come by for a visit. All in all, pretty good. Sure, I…
Baby Stepping into the Present
I have a complicated relationship with technology. Whenever something new comes out, I really, really want it. I inherited that trait from my late father. But over the years a few factors – namely reality and my wife’s love of…