It’s always easy to focus on yourself. I know, I know—your situation is important and you don’t have time to think of anyone but yourself, or to ask about how I’m doing.
I’m re-evaluating most of my relationships. I remember a friend of mine from years ago mentioning that the “masses are asses.” My recent experience would validate his assessment. However, I’m trying to give people the benefit of the doubt and maintain a positive view of my fellow humans. Continue reading
Writing about food, just like almost everything else in our 21st century lives has changed. I don’t know what it is, but much of our current food writing seems to me to be carried out by writers that are more about the art of food, with less awareness about its preparation. Or, if the writer knows his or her way around the kitchen and kettle, then it becomes necessary to pull the “food snob” shtick, which I absolutely deplore.
It seems everyone these days is writing about lobster rolls. There’s the Lobster Gal, who has a new book out, and then, Yankee has another spread on the “best” lobster shacks in New England in their Best of New England issue. There are all manner of varieties of this common narrative—we get it—New England has lots of lobster “shacks.” Continue reading
“Can’t we all just get along?”
I’ve been married to the same woman for 31 going on 32 years. Long-term relationships don’t just happen—they require constant vigilance.
For the past six months, I’ve detected relationship drift. A set of patterns were developing and I realized it was time for some honest talk. An article about marriage caught my eye. I wanted to discuss it with the one who has been my best friend for the past three decades. Continue reading
Back when I had a BlackBerry, the first app I loaded after Dictionary.com, was Yelp. It’s been my go-to app ever since.
When Miss Mary and I hit the road for two weeks to catch up with Mark Baumer on his walk across America during July of 2010, Yelp never steered us wrong on food or lodging. Nineteen states and 4,600 road tripping miles is a good test of any apps mettle–Yelp passed with flying colors.
Yelp keeps your beer cold.
I’m still amazed by how many people I talk with who don’t know about Yelp. Come on people; get with the program!! Continue reading
We all want life to be easy. After nearly 70 years of unbridled progress and the concept of convenience being considered an American birthright, it’s hard for anyone to adjust to events that vary from the perfect script.
How does a culture step back from snack foods packaged in single-serving containers, microwave ovens, and phone apps that do everything except shield us from natural disasters? No one wants to voluntarily go back to a time when life was hard and involved effort to survive. But does our learned helplessness bode well for the future? Continue reading
For as long as Miss Mary and I have been married (32 years this summer!!), we’ve had a television-based guilty pleasure. Actually, we didn’t have a Tee Vee for our first four years of marriage.
Once we got one, we usually found a television drama that captured our attention once a week, often for several seasons. A few of the past ones were St. Elsewhere, Thirty Something, Homicide: Life on the Street, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, and The Wire. Continue reading
It felt good to run this morning. Yes, it was cold and I didn’t wear gloves. The cold, crisp October air, rushing into my lungs reminded me again that the road back from my accident in August has been slower than I anticipated. That’s when I tumbled off my bike and all the training that commenced back in January got put on hold.
I didn’t think it would take nearly three months to get back to where I was before I cracked a rib and punctured my lung on August 5th. It’s been a slow, uphill climb, but I’m really close to being able to do everything that I had been doing prior to crashing my bike that Monday night after work. Continue reading
After crashing my bike and getting knocked down a peg, I’m back on “the horse” and I’ll be riding the bicycle leg for Team Baumer in this morning’s REV3 Maine Triathlon 2013.
My wife, Mary, completed all three events last year. I was totally impressed at the way REV3 puts on a triathlon party. I caught the fever last August, and wanted to join my lovely wife in doing a tri. There was just one problem—I couldn’t swim. Not a problem. If you’re willing to humble yourself and believe that old dogs can learn new tricks, you can do amazing things. Continue reading
31 years is a long time. In terms of marriage, it’s a big deal.
We became a couple when we were both 17. A lot of water’s passed under that bridge since 1978. We’ve both changed, grown, matured and the great thing is that instead of pushing us apart, it’s brought us closer than ever.
You’re my best friend, Mary.
Happy 31!!!
Happy Anniversary!!
Heading out for the Pirate Tri, 2013.
On Sunday, I completed my first sprint triathlon. I’ve waited five decades to literally “take the plunge” and make this happen.
My wife, Mary, competed in her very first tri in 2010. Her coming out event was also the Pirate Tri, at Point Sebego Resort. I was a spectator at that one.
For the past few years, I’ve wanted to join her, but I considered the swim portion more than I could handle. I didn’t believe that something that I have never been very good at, could be brought up to a level where I could complete a 1/3rd mile swim, followed by a vigorous 15-mile bike ride, and ending with a 5k run. Continue reading