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A Souvenir of My Year So Far, Before the Memories Fade Away

1 Jul

1H 2019 highlightsIn Billy Joel’s 1974 song “Souvenir,” the Piano Man sings about how “every year’s a souvenir that slowly fades away,” suggesting that we should do all we can to savor our time before it’s gone. He cites postcards, folded ticket stubs, play programs, and vacation photographs as the little things we all save to keep alive the memories of our good times.

At just two minutes long, “Souvenir” is a nice, short song. Definitely a lesser-known gem in Billy’s catalog. And he’s right — though I do take issue with the idea of time “slowly” fading away. Maybe time moved more slowly in the mid-’70s, because here at the end of the 20teens (or whatever this decade is called), it’s more of a blur. I mean, it’s only July 1, and yet it feels like an entire year has gone by since New Year’s Day. Hell, it feels like an entire year has gone by since last week!

But all kidding aside, here we are at the halfway point of yet another year that’s moving a bit too quickly. If you’re anything like me — and Billy Joel, apparently — you’re a collector of memories. Continue reading →

Let’s Not Forget These Early Days of 2018 (The Good Ones, Anyway)

29 Jun

It’s hard to believe, but it was just last week that James Corden shared his awesome “Carpool Karaoke” video with Paul McCartney with the world.

Less than a month and a half ago, we were all fighting about whether we heard “Laurel” or “Yanny.” (It’s Yanny. No question.)

Two and a half months ago, Desiree Linden won the Boston Marathon women’s race, by more than four minutes — even after stopping just over an hour into the race to wait while Shalane Flanagan went to the bathroom.

Less than three weeks before that, Brandon Victor Dixon’s performance blew us away in the live TV production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Black Panther, easily the best movie so far this year, came out just four months ago.

And a month before that, we were all cheering when the Minnesota Vikings staged an incredible comeback in the last minute of an NFL playoff game. (Unless you were a New Orleans Saints fan, that is.)

Yes, all of that happened this year. Continue reading →

My Niece Is Turning 10 Years Old Today. Why Can’t She Stay Young Forever?

4 May

On a recent visit to New York, it got to be that time, and my sister asked my niece, Abby, who she wanted to put her to sleep that night. With minimal hesitation, Abby responded, “Uncle.”

So up we went, and after a bit of her customary procrastination — she had to rearrange her stuff, she had to check out her fish, she had to put stuff away, she had to change from shorts into pants, then change back again, etc. etc. etc. — she got into bed. Continue reading →

2017 … No, Really. Where Did the Time Go?

30 Dec

We’re all pretty much in agreement that 2017 was not a good year.

But I’ve gotta be honest: At the risk of sounding like Taylor Swift, I actually had a lot of fun these past 12 months. From the #SocialRoadTrip weekends in Austin and Boston, to a couple Red Sox games, to Memorial Day Weekend in New York City, to concerts, to my vacation in Nashville, to milestone celebrations (like weddings, bat mitzvahs, and baby showers) with good friends, to a week in Chicago for work and play, to a few visits with my niece and nephews, and so on, I had a lot to smile about this year.

And that’s a big reason why 2017 seemed to zoom by faster than a lot of other years have. Continue reading →

Thank You to Everyone and Everything That’s Made Me a Happy Person So Far This Year

30 Jun

View of Boston from Look Out rooftop bar at the Envoy Hotel

Photo credit: Martin Lieberman

I don’t know how it happened, but somehow, we’ve already come to the midpoint of 2017. Holy crap, did time fly.

Usually at the end of the year, I like to look back and take stock of all that happened, and celebrate the good times I had. This year, there’s been so much going on that I didn’t want to wait till December to do that. Continue reading →

Don’t Forget All the Good Times We Had in 2016

31 Dec

2016-videoMuch has been made about how sucky 2016 was. And for good reason: For the most part, it was a pretty bad year.

But dwelling only on the negative does a disservice to all the good times some of us had. Continue reading →

Chicago, I Love You

5 Jul

It’s official: I love Chicago.

I mean, I love Boston a little bit more.

But in a head to head competition, these days I may have a tough time picking between the two cities.

If I ever left Boston for good (and I have no plans to do that), I’d make a beeline to Chicago. That’s just how I feel after a fantastic long (and yet still too short) weekend in the Windy City.

It was my annual July 4 trip to Chicago, which means I also spent time in Michigan City, Indiana. Combined, it was just awesome. Continue reading →

Only One Word to Describe It

6 Sep

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, but if you ask me, there’s only one word that comes to mind when I see this photo: Happiness, both in front of and behind the camera. Continue reading →

Summer in Michigan City

6 Jul

Growing up in suburban New York, I never thought that one day I’d get really excited about spending July 4 in Michigan City, Indiana.

But after going there last year and having a great time, that’s what’s happened. So that’s why I went to Chicago this weekend.

Thursday and Friday I wandered around town (about 6 miles of walking, in fact), took a day trip to Evanston to see Northwestern (just for fun), checked out two of Chicago’s leading cupcake places (Molly’s and Sweet Mandy B’s — both of which were tasty, but not as good as the hype), had some custom-made rapid-frozen ice cream at a place called iCream (really, that’s its name), and finally got to meet my friends’ daughter, who is totally cute.

But spending the weekend in Lake Michigan was the highlight of the trip. Continue reading →

Sightseeing with Flat Stanley

6 Apr

Thought I’d share something fun with y’all.

At the start of the school year, my friend’s 8-year-old son, Sam, informed me that he had chosen me to represent the state of Massachusetts for a class project. Later in the year, I’d be asked to host his Flat Stanley and take him around to various places of my own choosing. At each place, I should take pictures. For months I waited while Sam’s classmates (who were responsible for two states each) covered the country, and finally, it was my turn. So, these past two weekends, I took Stanley around, showing him all the important sights you’d want to show a cardboard cutout. We went to Fenway Park, Faneuil Hall, the State House, the Freedom Trail, Harvard Square, Cheers, Copley Square, MIT, Sugar Heaven, and more.

I have to admit, it was good, albeit slightly awkward, fun for me. Every time I’d take Stanley out of the envelope, someone with a kid would walk by and yell, “Hey look! He has a Flat Stanley!” or something like that. When I stood next to a Duck Boat to take a picture, multiple people on the tour commented on what I was doing and laughed.

But that said, it was amazing to me how many people knew exactly what I was doing because they’d either done it themselves or had seen someone else doing it. And some were really nice about it. A guy at Fenway let me park in a no-parking zone so I could get a quick photo. One of those Revolutionary War soldier guys on Boston Common posed for a picture with Stanley. And a woman at the Coop in Harvard Square didn’t just refrain from laughing when I asked about putting Stanley in one of the tshirts — she went and got me some tape so he’d stay still.

Anyway … the photos from Stanley’s tour are amusing, so I thought I’d share. Anywhere else you’d have gone?

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