“Who Sings This?”

Posted inColumns, Family, Music

As we drove to my in-law’s for Mother’s Day, Maria flipped around the radio to find something she wanted to hear. At one point, she got frustrated.

“What is this, Stevie Nicks Day?”

I should have sympathized her because we kept finding bad songs. There was only one problem – none of them were by Stevie Nicks.

Well, one of them was, but that was a long time before she made the comment. We both cracked up because pretty much every conversation we have about music sounds the same.

Life and Death of a Cable Box

Posted inCable, Columns, TV

For a few moments, I felt as if I had lost a child.

I came home from work on Monday to an empty house. I had to stay late for an event at work, so Maria took Bridget with her to the PTO meeting.

I figured I would cook myself a small dinner, plop myself down in front of the television, and relax until they got home.

But something funny happened when I went into the living room to turn on the TV. The box on top of the TV was flashing some crazy numbers. I had no idea what was happening.

I did what any guy would do in the situation. I unplugged the cable box, then plugged it back in.

Big Cell Phone Decision

Posted inColumns

I remember when I bought my first cell phone. Maria was pregnant with Bridget, and I was working in downtown Baltimore.

Just in case the kid decided to come at an inopportune time, she needed a way to get in touch with me. So I headed off to the mall and picked out something cool, but affordable.

I remember looking at all the available calling plans. My instincts told me to pick the cheapest one, but I harbored odd fantasies of getting calls day and night from friends I hadn’t heard from in ages just dying to catch up now that I had a cool new phone.

Yeah, that never happened. In fact in the almost eight years I have had a cell phone, I have learned that I hate talking on the phone whether it’s in my house or can fit in my pocket.

Don’t Stop Believing in Good Music

Posted inColumns, Music

Normally, I have no problem entertaining myself with the many cable channels we get. For some reason the other day, I decided to explore some of the extras that come along with our Tivo.

They had some special feature featuring music videos which I checked out. I didn’t have a lot of interest in a bunch of the videos I found. Then, I hit the jackpot.

I had to share it with Maria. We sat down and watched, just amazed at the whole scene. I don’t care what anyone says, “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey still kicks butt.

Room Service, Please

Posted inColumns

I had to travel for work this week. I don’t get to do it often so I didn’t really mind leaving my wife and daughter behind for two nights.

Besides, I got to stay in a hotel room all by myself.

I don’t know why I get such a kick out of having my own hotel room. I probably have less room than I have in our whole living room. But I have everything right here just for me.

College Memories Return

Posted inCollege, Columns

When I started looking at colleges a bunch of years ago, I wanted a place where I could wrestle, use my writing skills and set myself up for a job after graduation.

I also one other very important criteria – distance. I wanted to move as far from Baltimore as I could.

That’s not entirely true because I didn’t ever consider moving to the west coast or anything like that, but I definitely wanted to get some distance from my hometown.

I had no problem with my family so that didn’t drive me away. I just wanted a fresh start. I didn’t have much of a social life in high school and wanted to go several hundred miles away to begin tha next chapter of my life.

I ended up in the northwest part of Pennsylvania at Allegheny College. I thought back to the whole process of ending up there the other night on my way to an alumni event the college held in Baltimore.

My Cha Cha Slide Debut

Posted inColumns, Dancing, Family

I try not to let too many rules run my life. I am somewhat set in my ways, but I like adapting to new situations as they present themselves.

I knew a lot of that would change when we started a family almost eight years ago. I had to watch my language in the house. I needed to cut back on yelling at the TV during sporting events. I might not get a chance to take a nap whenever I wanted.

None of those things really phased me. In order to be a good Dad, I knew I would have to make sacrifices.

I made the biggest one of all at the father-daughter dance for Bridget’s Girl Scout troop the other night. I participated in a line dance.

Start the Day Right

Posted inBreakfast, Columns, Food

The culinary world suffered a big loss the other day. Herb Peterson, the man who invented the Egg McMuffin, died.

In 1972, Peterson changed life as we know it by deciding that you could have a sandwich for breakfast. The greatest ideas seem so simple.

I didn’t plan on writing a tribute to Herb Peterson when I started out this week’s column. In fact, when I started writing, I had no idea who the man was.

All I knew was that I love breakfast, and I wanted to share that news with the world. Then Herb Peterson died and made me think even deeper about the morning meal.

Stick to What You Know

Posted inAmerica, Columns, Food, Things I Hate

Daylight Savings Time started on a very bad weekend for us. We had an morning commitment on Sunday, which meant we had to get up earlier than usual the day after we lost an hour of sleep.

To try and help everyone get through the day, I suggested a trip for coffee and donuts after church.

As we sat at Dunkin’ Donuts enjoying our breakfast, I heard something very strange as someone else placed their order.

They ordered pizza. Or a flatbread sandwich. I don’t know which, but I had seen signs advertising both in the store. That had totally flummoxed me.

What is the world coming to when you go to a donut shop for pizza?

Fit to be Tied

Posted inClothing, Columns

I went to work one day a few weeks ago in a Maria-approved outfit. I don’t always have my wife sign off on what I wear, but this particular shirt and tie combination worried me the first time I wore it, so I got her OK.

I had worn the same thing a bunch of other times without incident, but I happened to see some female co-workers at lunch. Let’s just say they found my attire less than acceptable.

“What are you wearing? Did your wife see you before you left the house?”