snippets of the weekend 6.6.2023

Friday I meant to be finished by 3 and out running errands and doing some stuff up in the house before family arrived but alas I worked until fucking 7 and the thing I spent the five hours on never ended up being used but it's FINE. It's fucking fine. Jared arrived first, followed close behind by Dad & Carol then Stephen & Aubrey and the kids, little Stephen fresh off his pre-K grad. We missed the window to order dinner from anywhere and everywhere and ended up at Wawa. 

Saturday was cold AF! Dad & Carol made a big breakfast with an assist from Lola and we hit the boards, spending time in the arcade and at Wonderland when it opened. Hoo the final stretch walk down to Wonderland I was so fucking cold with the wind.  We saw some dog wedding guests on the way back. We tried Outer Banks Boil for dinner and it was good! 

Sunday was my brother's 40th. Him and my Dad & Jared left early for golf. Aubrey really outdid herself with the decor inside and out, so good. Carol got the coozies with a great photo. Lola, Carol, and I went and got Nauti Donuts. We packed sandwiches for the beach and it is decided I am not a good kid sandwich maker crust cutter offer. When they returned from golf we went to the beach for the afternoon. Taco extravaganza for dinner and strawberry pie for birthday singing. 

Monday I was off except I had a meeting in the afternoon. Girls hit Asbury to shop then we went to the beach - perfect beach day! Aubrey, Stephen, the kids, and Jared all left. We went and got slices from Angelo's and ice cream. 

weekending reels on Instagram - since I am now consistently not with it on weekend posts, this is my favorite weekend look back mode.

Yesterday was my BFF Kim's birthday - happy happy! Love you!

Today I looked for shore replacement dining furniture on SunPan, researched a moving company for work, and checked out some branding stuff on Ignite Digital. And packed up to return to Philly for a bit.

 

Snippets of the weekend 5.8.2023

Friday my car got serviced $$$$ woof, solid day of work, saw Dad & Carol off in the morning, and we had a family dinner for Rich's 70th (tomorrow) with a rainbow and Sadie joining from the living room. We got home at about 8:45 or 9 and then I drove to the shore. My second in the dark drive in a week. I talked to Kim for about 40 min of the drive which always makes it more bearable.

Saturday I checked out the completed shit pipe repair in the light, built a toilet paper wall, started assessing, sorting, organizing, ordering, and all that jazz for our summer rental supplies and linens. After that I did some of the spring block party real quick - hits this year were bags that have curses on them LOL and this homemade granola. 

MFD arrived later in the day. I took a solo walk to the beach and read a bit. Mark, Sarah, and Harry arrived later. Mark and MFD assembled my second go at a dining room chair replacement that is no good and being returned. I went to bed around 10. 

Sunday I woke up refreshed after a very good sleep.We went to Dog Beach for a while and everyone enjoyed.

Otherwise I got stuff out for Freecycle, pulled everything out from under the third floor beds and reorganized them, assessed what is missing/needs replacing and looked for quilts, MFD worked on cleaning the outside with assist from Mark. I read a bit on the porch. Sarah and I picked up dinner from the Anchorage which they grossly underestimated the timing of. We watched the end of the Sixers game and I was in bed reading by 9 - finished a book and started another. A good Sunday mix of productive and relaxing and social and not.

weekending reels on Instagram 

 

Today is Geege's birthday. He's been gone since September 2017 and I cried really hard about physically missing him just last week LOL. Happy birthday best good boy, I know you are still with me. 

snippets of the weekend 1.16.2023

Friday was a tough day to get through, gray and my head was extremely congested. I finished Prince Harry's Spare and went to bed. 

Saturday I started a new book, then got my shit together to head to Center City for Jagged Little Pill at the Academy of Music with Amanda & Krissy. Heavy shit, funny too, good use of music. I loved the cast & show and cried a lot in the second half. I felt 18 and 45 and 80 all at once. We had dinner at Alice Pizza after, and then I was back home at 7:30 and out the door again at 8:45. Chickies & Pete's then the old Palace Roller Rink to celebrate Aubrey's birthday. There is still a subculture of amazing roller skaters out there rocking out regularly at adult skate and that makes me really happy. They were so good! Aubrey is a really good skater. It was fun to watch. We were back home around 1 and I was up reading until 2:10.

Sunday I finished a book, went to get a few groceries, made deviled eggs, made veggie and parsley heavy soup with the pork bone I brought back from Stephen & Aubrey's on New Year's Day, watched The Northman and the entire third season of Succession, and went to bed around midnight.

weekending reels on Instagram 

Happily I did not wake up when MFD came back from his Code Blue shift in the middle of the night. 

No day off here today. If you are off, enjoy, and remember Dr. King was not a series of prop quotes: he was a radical who was assassinated for his push for a revolution of values in this country. Leave the quotes in the pile and instead try embodying his fierce love and commitment to justice, equity, and peace along racial and class lines; his rejection of imperialism and materialism; and one a lot of people out there struggle with mightily in full view of others: his value of people over property.

If you've never read it or need a refresher, today is a good day to read Letter from a Birmingham Jail or the full transcript for his I Have a Dream speech.

snippets of the weekend 10.31.2022

Friday I walked the beach after work, drove back to Philly and meant to go watch the Phillies at my brother & Aubrey's but lay on the couch and it was all over. I was up until 2 Thursday night trolling through Rome hotels and apartments, so I watched the game on my own couch and was up until after 1 again doing that and also uh looking again at more Rome hotels and apartments. 

Saturday I slept in, did nails (Zoya Charla), ran a few errands, did some veggie prep for the week, and MFD made dinner. We went to Mr. May's to watch the Phillies and I was up past 1 again. 

Sunday there was no sleeping in. More errands, laundry, house things, Eagles game, and couch sitting. My brother and Aubrey and the kids came over and we got Chinese and had cake for my dad's birthday. 

In addition to snippets here, I've been doing weekending reels on Instagram if you are interested. 

Today is the first Halloween without my uncle alive for his Halloween birthday, getting absurdly large pumpkins and handing out full size candy bars to gleeful children. Extra love and support to my cousins today as it is a hard first, made extra hard by the fact that usually when a loved one dies the entire country is not celebrating their birthday as a holiday and by Perry truly embracing being a Halloween child and leaning into it so it is hard to separate the holiday from him. Or from excessively large amounts of chocolate cake.

Have a safe & great Halloween and appreciate each other - we don't know how long we have together here.

GO PHILS. The World Series game schedule/hours/watch parties were much easier on the body when I was 31 in 2008 vs. now. 

Friday Five: Frank's Birthday Five

It's that special Friday again, friends! That annual treat for me and you - every year, Frank writes a birthday guest blog for me (see 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013), and today is that day!  
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Here we are again with my favorite birthday tradition, my yearly five. 44 has been quite the year indeed. I was back to work doing aftercare and substitute teaching in Haddon Township, student taught and graduated from Rutgers with a Master’s of Teaching, and I am now the new 2nd-grade teacher at James Stoy School in the Haddon Township school district. There have been so many people that have helped me get here but the number one person is my wife Amanda who worked so hard to support the family during these last two years. So in that vein, I figured I would write about the five things I have learned in my first full year in elementary school.

Kids are funny - I spent so many hours this year laughing and most of it was caused by the kids. They are often repeating the jokes and they soon get old but their timing and the things they say will make you crack up

Recess is life! - Even the meek and timid kids become savage warriors during recess. I don't remember games being so life and death when I was young but it gets more competitive than the super bowl. Days are made or broken depending on kickball outcomes.

Integrity is valued - Spending over 20 years in sales teaches you to win at all costs no matter who it hurts. Those with integrity are often stolen from, used, and thrown away when they no longer serve. In this field, it is the opposite. Your integrity is rewarded by the staff and the students. Kids have a large bullshit meter and they know when you aren't genuine. If you are genuine you will be rewarded with effort, kindness, and a bond that is pretty incredible.

People help if you ask - Even further they will help just because. Every educator I know has either done something to help me, offered to help, or advocated on my behalf. It is inspiring to receive all of that kindness and the only thing they ask in return is to pay it forward. For someone with my history, this was very strange and difficult at first. I now know that if you help people and put good things out there they come back to you. What a great lesson to learn at my age.

I have found my calling - This is truly what I was put on this earth to do. I am so lucky that my former career was thrown away because of Covid. I was highly successful, making great money, and was completely miserable. I am a rookie and I have a ton to learn but I am a teacher. I am completely addicted to helping my students learn and grow. It has been the most rewarding professional year of my life. I was great at sales and it never felt like I fit in. I am home, completely comfortable, and with people who are just like me. Not a lot of people get the chance to do what I have done at this age. I am so lucky to have been given this gift which was spearheaded by Amanda and Eva. 

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I am so proud of Frank for this beyond mid-life change, and Amanda for carrying a heavier load while he did that. I am really happy that Frank became a teacher, he is perfectly suited for it and we need more good people in education. We should also stop grounding the already good people in education down. All of us owe a great debt to our educators and school staff and some of this country has not shown that recently. Let teachers teach and treat them as the professionals they are, not the all-day babysitters some people have gotten twisted into thinking they are. And while we're at it pay them more for doing so. Get it together, everyone. 

Happy birthday Frank, thanks for doing your annual post which I love. See you tomorrow! Happy weekend all!

TWTW - the one with the birthday

Friday I eased into the day with some fall nail painting, worked, made krauty chicken for dinner, and took the dogs back to their beach for the first time since April 30. Dog on people beach season again. Aubrey and the kids arrived around dinner and my brother later and MFD after him. 

Saturday Happy sixth birthday to my niece! I had the best friends on the beach at sunrise and came back to a fully decorated house. Aubrey killed it. My brother got the requested donuts and we all hit the beach. Lunch for adults from The Farm Stand at 14th. We biked down to Wonderland and saw some tremendous surf along the way due to Sam churning off-shore. Rides were ridden, and I did the swings which I will not be doing again. Vom. Aubrey made delicious pot pies and salad, we had cake and did a pinata and watched the new Addams family movie. I was dead ass asleep by 8:37. It was great to spend the day doing Lola's chosen things for Lola's day.

Sunday I made mimi's breakfast muffins (excuse the icon, I was not remaking the collage) and my Dad and Aubrey made eggs and pork roll and bacon. It was another stellar beach day. Angelo's pizza for lunch. Mae even made it down for the end and Lola walked her all the way back. Leftovers and porch time before Stephen, Aubrey, and the kids took off. 

Monday I was off to come down from my five month project and had no agenda and it was glorious. Porch and reading and walking the South End with Carol and the best friend dogs, then a trip to the Marshalls and Aldi in Rio Grande with Dad and Carol and clearing the fridge dinner while MFD did his driveway pedicure. Hashtag shitmfddoes

Happy happy birthday to Aunt Carrie today! She is the best. 

Here we are at Tuesday and mine is jammed since I was off yesterday. Have a good one!

Birthday jam

Happy 44th to the person who gets up with the dogs, deals with animal poop the most, finds serenity in fishing, does the outside chores (that’s hosing down not peeing in that photo…carry on), has better hair than me, runs for political office twice without my approval, live carves a pumpkin in the driveway every Halloween, gets excited over Christmas gifts but lets them sit unused for months, gets his ass handed to him on patriarchal matters less and less as the years go on, accompanies me on numerous walks intending to get around the point at the South End even when he knows we will not complete them because of the wind or old dogs, meticulously brushes sand off of his flip flops before getting in the car, has taken over all my headbands, is always up for trying new things, makes the gravy, speaks a hybrid Chewbacca dog language, stops and poses for the picture with only minor grumblings, embraces silliness, is a doer of grand gestures, delivers cats, likes to surprise me even though I hate surprises, makes me laugh, annoys the shit out of me, still takes it right past the line after all these years, promotes the Moon Pod, will go out and get treats regardless of the hour or weather when there are none in the house we want, and makes most days interesting.

His birthday fundraiser for Advocates for Homeless & Those in Need is here if you are so inclined. 

Happy birthday to AJ and his brother Drew, Debbie, and Griffin too!

And happy first day of school to so many kids this week, but specifically today to my niece Lola Jean on her first day of kindergarten. 

Friday Five - Frank's Last Year Learning Curve

It's that special Friday again, friends! That annual treat for me and you - every year, Frank writes a birthday guest blog for me (see 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013), and today is that day!  
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Well here we are again celebrating another trip around the sun for me. This makes 44 and I am happy to say that things are a lot more settled for me than they were this time last year. Eva survived Hybrid learning 1st grade, Amanda has a new gig that she loves and I am a little over half way to finishing my Masters program. Nice to report good things even though it made it hard to come up with a topic for my annual five. While I know that Steph would love a list of the five reasons that the Beatles are the greatest band in the history of music, I figured that I would reflect on everything that I have learned about myself as a 43 year old who is back in college full time and learning a new profession. I hope you enjoy and thank you Steph for the opportunity.

It is strange to be the example -  Having gone through elementary school in the 80s where the way of the world was the “3 R’s,” (Readin writin arithmetic) I am often called on to explain how it was in those days. My fellow students listen to my stories as if I am telling fables of ancient times and I feel extremely old yet respected for having survived school in the days before google and cell phones.

I have great time management skills - I always considered myself to be a procrastinator but this last year has changed my perception. I managed to pass my praxis, take seven masters courses, help Eva with Hybrid learning, and build a Halloween and award winning Christmas display in my front lawn.

Elementary school is completely different - I am lucky to have a soon to be 2nd grader in my home to observe as I learn how to become a teacher. What I have learned and witnessed is that these children experience school way differently than I did. Forget the hybrid component, classrooms today are filled with activity, tools, and student interaction that provides them with experience. Eva is learning material that I didn't touch till I was much older due to this change in philosophy and classroom dynamic and I wish it was like that for me when I was her age.

I enjoy writing - When I first went to college in the 90s my roommate Brian Compton, a professional writer for the NHL, would wonder if I was ever even taught the English language in school. 25 years later, and in my third stint of college coursework, I find myself not only enjoying my writing assignments, I have even received compliments from my professors. I still spell like a dumpster fire but I have learned to convey my thoughts, have a voice, and provoke thought.  

Zoom Classes are torture - I give credit to anyone who tries to teach a class via Zoom or any platform like it. Between the technical problems, people who don't know how to mute themselves, and the lack of appropriate clothing (I'm not joking) it is almost impossible to run a proper lesson or class.  Kudos to anyone in the profession who has taught this way due to Covid.

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It is so great to know someone for so long like I've known Frank. You get to see all the versions of themselves your friend has been. I am super pumped for now loading teacher Frank and happy to see embraces writing Frank because he's pretty good at it in blog form at least, right friends? We love to see it. 

Beatles loving Frank can get to the back of the line with  AJ, Jimmy, Mark, MFD, and the rest of you.

Happy birthday Frank, thanks for doing your annual post which I love. Happy weekend all!

TWTW - the extra long one

Wednesday after work we hit the boards for dinner at Opa, go carts, some arcade games, and a nice night. I worked when we got back. MFD picked up Jared who flew up from FL as a surprise for my brother's birthday.

Thursday I was supposed to be off, but had a meeting in the afternoon so I ended up thinking about that before it and after it and come on. It was a nice beach day when I wasn't thinking it would be. We did apps for dinner and Aubrey, Stephen, and Jared took the kids to the boards while me, Dad, and Carol stayed home and Dad dressed up like Stephen and we were roaring laughing. MFD was back and forth to Philly for work. 

Friday My brother's birthday! National Donut Day! I picked up a nice dozen from Nauti Donuts and we did some heavy sampling. Aubrey's parents came down for the day and the ladies did some Asbury Ave. shopping, then we hit the beach. Aubrey made a big spaghetti dinner and a cake for Stephen and we sang multiple times. Boardwalk was out as it down poured for over an hour. 

The sun shower was cool though viewed from the porch, as was the resulting rainbow and sunset. 

Saturday was an amazing beach day. We were down by 10 and stayed down until 4. Jared and his brother were a huge help in the beach wheelchair, fetching and moving, and kid entertainment game. 

The driveway BBQ was not as smoky as the Great Smokefest of Labor Day 2020. Dad manned the grill and we had salads and hotdogs and hamburgers. MFD caught a big striper Tuesday and he did some of that on the grill and in the air fryer. The guys went up to the boards except for Dad and we stayed back and watched Raya and some dragon thing. MFD, Jared, and I took Baby Stephen, Bruce, and Ben to the bay for the sunset, then sat on the porch for a while. It was a lovely day and night.

Sunday I made Mimi's bacon breakfast muffins. Justin took off early to go the Sixers game and the rest of us headed to the beach while MFD went elsewhere to fish. We got Jared an uber to the AC airport, wolfed down some food, emptied the house, and Dad and Carol headed home while the rest of us headed to the boardwalk for some last rides. It was crowded as hell. Stephen, Aub, and the kids left and I slunk onto the couch like a shell of myself LOL. I painted my nails and toes, started a new book that I cannot even recall right now, and fell out. 

Happy happy birthday to my brother on Friday, and to my BFF Kim on Saturday. 

It was a great long stretch of time together and I'm glad we got to do it thanks to the beach wheelchair and the people who pushed it on the actual beach. 

Show Us Your Books tomorrow! See you here for that!