Okay, I'll admit it. I'm one of those guys who, every two years, gathers myself onto the sofa, a Coke in hand, Cheetos by my side, and sits, mesmerized, by the Olympics.Track? I love it. The most universal and basic of all sports. (Or sport, as Mitt Romney would put it.)Swimming? Sensational, even though I, myself, ... Continue Reading

It's safe to say I'm not an avid outdoorsman. I've never hunted, I've fished a few times, and I've camped maybe a half dozen times in my life, never alone.Until this week. Actually I wasn't alone. I took my dog Lucy along on a one night, two day adventure around the Upper Peninsula--it was part of a writing ... Continue Reading

There are plenty of reasons to love dogs--their unfailing friendliness and loyalty, their ability to forgive almost anything and anybody, and their insistence on being happy. Even when they're sick, with their chin resting sadly on their paws, and their nose warm as a pancake just off the griddle, they give you ... Continue Reading

It's that time of year again: golf season.Someone once described golf as a walk in the park, ruined. Well, I've taken innumerable ruined walks in the park over the last few years, and yet I keep returning, desperately hoping that the results will change, but knowing, deep-down, that they won't. Ever.And sure enough, on ... Continue Reading

Earlier this month, I officially became an elderly snowbird for the first time in my life. I flapped my tired wings (actually drove my Honda) all the way down to Marco Island, on the Gulf Coast of southern Florida.I have to admit, I felt a little sheepish about it, suddenly fitting into this sad stereotype of a frost-bitten ... Continue Reading

Let me tell you about some pizza I had a few days ago in Atlanta. You know, Atlanta, the capital of the old South with all its antebellum charm, savory fried chicken, collard greens, and iced tea so sweet you can feel it carving cavities in your teeth before you even gulp it down.Well, actually, Atlanta has changed a wee ... Continue Reading

When I semi-retired seven months ago, I resolved to get in better shape and go to the gym at least five days a week. Part of the gym routine-- actually the best part--was the sauna.Well, here I am seven months later, not in noticeably better shape (maybe the over-consumption of food and drink has something to do with that) ... Continue Reading

I committed a theft last weekend. A flagrant, illegal theft. But first, Your Honor, before throwing myself on the mercy of the court, let me tell you the story behind the story.Okay, here goes: I went to a movie the night before my crime and bought a $7.50 bag of popcorn (total actual value: 45 cents). I was able to finish ... Continue Reading

We have three televisions in our house, all fairly new, all flat-screen. Yessir, we're on technology's cutting edge. The only problem is, two of them don't work, or at least they don't work for us.The TV on our top floor, a 32 inch Sanyo, shows me one of three things when I turn it on: 1) a "no signal" message jumping ... Continue Reading

Right off the top, let me make clear that I am not an official movie reviewer. I didn't attend film school, I haven't spent countless hours analyzing movies and the history of the medium, and I have only a cursory understanding of "method" acting.I have, however, gone to movies occasionally at the local cineplex, and I've ... Continue Reading