When it comes to homework in my house, I’m never the 1st choice when one of the girls needed help. I’m the go to guy when the project is due tomorrow kind of Dad…code red….no farting around …break glass and get the thing in the can regardless of how deep the tide of tears has …
The (Donut) Hole Story
New Englander's love doughnuts (donuts) almost as much as ice cream. The Smithsonian reported that back in the mid-19th century Elizabeth Gregory, a New England ship captain's mother made a “wicked deep-fried dough” that used her son's spice cargo of nutmeg and cinnamon and lemon rind. Legend has it that she made it so …
2017
2017 is fast upon us and I’m mulling over this blog for the New Year. I think a less preachy approach is in order with a more daily observation kind of focus…hopefully funny ones. It seems that life’s various stages are circling around me as the year ends…. My older daughters are giving birth to …
Life is Change…
The Only Thing Constant in Life is Change…Heraclitus This is the time of the year when most people join a gym and prepare New Year’s resolutions… the aim is to promote change…. The amazing reality is; change will come anyway…. ready or not. In fact change is constant. Which makes me wonder what am I …
VIP Night
I’m standing in the Times Convention Center, New York City … positioned directly in front of the courtesy wine bar… waiting for the Premier viewing of NBC’s Ironman World Championship 2016 Broadcast to start. The event is jam packed with Ironman legends … world class pro athletes and age groupers….. then there is me. I …
CHICKED lately? get used to it….Time has come…
So what does it mean to get chicked... CHICKED: -verb. The act of getting passed by a female athlete. My wife and I have this running argument over the athletic prowess of men and women. My stand is …given equal training, age, physical make up, etc.….females are as equally athletically capable as are male physically …
Continue reading CHICKED lately? get used to it….Time has come…
Growing Up
Thinking back I realize that growing up Catholic had its benefits. We possessed "The Kiss" also know as "kiss it up to God” power …. I don't think any other religion had that as part of their playbook of powers. Kiss it up to God... is the power to purify anything that falls on the ground. If something …
Stuck Emotions….
Ever find yourself going off the hook about something you later realize you really don’t give a crap about? What is it about hot button issues that can make us go from 0 to 60 in a millisecond? In retrospect I realize that spontaneous angry rants are really just outward expressions of stuck inner frustrations. …
Politics is a Reality Show
Bigotry, Intolerance and Tolerance Whenever I get wrapped up in one of "my reality shows" Abby, my wife feels compelled to ask " you know this is not real , right?" I suppose I do but, that doesn't prevent me from getting all caught up in the emotion of it. So it is with this in mind that I say to …
The Neighborhood Candy Counter
I grew up a few houses from Al’s grocery store in my neighborhood. The neighborhood grocery store was an important place back then... and every few blocks had one Zarkies (Pearl Street), Joe Savatos (Pleasant), Magazine Spa (Corner of Prince), Matties (River), Red Tumenellies (Pearl and Allston), The special thing about Al’s was the candy …
Playing in the streets of Cambridge
I was sitting with my mother one evening listening to her reminisce about her childhood on Marcella Street in East Cambridge. Something about getting older clarifies the long term memory as it muddies the short term stuff. She wondered out loud … "Why is there so much violence with kids these days?" She could not …
Need to know what to do in the off season? Go with rocket science.
October in New England is that part of the season typically my “off season or down time”. From now until after Thanksgiving is the time I go easy and start thinking about next year’s goals. After my last race I decided to use this time to get my run game back. I started out as a …
Continue reading Need to know what to do in the off season? Go with rocket science.
Dormouse said: Feed your head, feed your head
Lately the world news is a bit overwhelming (elections, world news, social unrest)… I find myself feeling helpless and angry at what appears to be a generally a bad situation that is getting worse. My mind plays the lines from Jefferson Airplane’s song “Go Ask Alice” over and over in my head… "When logic and …
Continue reading Dormouse said: Feed your head, feed your head
Superstitions and Maiden Voyages
Living in a port town you get too hear about all about the superstitions that surround a vessels 1st time out to sea. One such superstition is no bananas on board ship???….. I think the rationale behind it has to do with the fact that fermenting bananas can let off a lethal fume; and that spiders who …
Lucille is here….and the world is right again.
What kind of man drives into the garage with his carbon road bike Cervelo S5 strapped in the roof rack…??? I did am I'm so sorry.... sorry Lucille... Everyone knows the best surgeons in the world are in Boston... so I had hope even in my darkest hour. Dr. Marty and his staff of surgeons …
Continue reading Lucille is here….and the world is right again.
The Face of Pure Joy
My Granddaughter - Reminds me what Pure Joy is....Uncomplicated, Stress less, Excited to experience the day, Simple in nature, Eager to begin a new journey .... Thank You Grampa Don....
I lost my Lucille today…..but I’m gonna get her back……..
My favorite way to tune out the world’s problems is with BB and Lucille (his Gibson guitar Model E355) playing “The thrill is gone” or “Need to pay the cost to be the boss” Back in 1949, when King was in his early 20s, he performed at a nightclub in Twist, Arkansas, in the dead …
Continue reading I lost my Lucille today…..but I’m gonna get her back……..
Sleep-laughing has a funny name it’s called Hypnogely
In general I don’t remember my dreams very often but last night I remember having a dream and big laugh that really felt good. Typically, dreams that make us laugh are odd, bizarre or even unfunny to the person when they awake but while asleep they seem so hilarious. Nevertheless, my nighttime chuckle fest left …
Continue reading Sleep-laughing has a funny name it’s called Hypnogely
The difference between Tri and Triumph is a little …..umph!
I read once that if you recognize that life is hard, things seem to go much easier. So what makes “The Hard Things” we do in life? For me training for and competing in Triathlons is hard and something not many in my circle of friends do. Races always scare me. I get anxious before …
Continue reading The difference between Tri and Triumph is a little …..umph!
Racking Up Your Race Karma
Have you ever had that sense that something is not going well and your Spiderman (Spidey) senses warn you of impending danger? That's what it was like for me on Sunday around mile 33 during the Rev3 Williamsburg Half Iron bike leg. A group of four riders were jockeying around for position and generally being unsafe when …
Peeing in the shower – Pro or Con
The question is simple enough…it has to do with what you do in the shower. Do you or don’t you? …I’ve wondered what women talk about on a “Ladies night out”… But, I would never have imagined that peeing in the shower would be high on that list, although it seems last night this was …
I’m in the Hot Seat (updated)
I’m in a tailspin, off the rails, unfocused and lack significant motivation….. I was supposed to be racing my season opener this past weekend however, when I showed up for early packet pickup I found that I wasn’t even registered…What? Hold on, you are kidding right??? You don’t have my name down? WTF! Hold on …
Exhale – 2016 1St Open Water Solo Swim
It’ is 05:30 AM and about 57 degrees on a very cool misty New England morning. Today will be my 1st open water swim of the season. I’m nervous…. but I’m nervous every year on the 1st day… The parking lot is empty of course, what nut-bag in his right mind would be at …
For me..Its about the Cake
We learn things growing up that stick with us into our adulthood. I grew up in a house full of boys who loved to eat…. We ate a lot and often. Financially I don’t know to this day, how a single mother ever managed to afford feeding five growing boys. She cooked large quantities of …
Surrounded by beautiful women.
In a man’s world of honors there are not many titles that can beat “Dad”… until you get a field promotion to the rank of Grampa. I now have my third star promotion to Grampa-Don same pay as before, but I get to work remote. Many guys brag about the tough things they have done… …
