Items of local interest to the four-state area (Western Md, Southern PA, Northern VA, and Eastern WV).
I have some friends who recently became grandparents, and they have been proudly showing my wife and I pictures of their new grandson (who, truth be told, is a cute little fart). As I look at the pictures, I can’t help but reflect on my own kids, and the job my wife and I have done as parents. We raised our girls to be smart, independent young women, and now that they are both young adults, they are out in…
I don’t know how long it’s been since the last time you went out to eat at a casual dining chain, but the landscape sure has changed – and not for the better. First off, I’m going to do my “old man” rant on QR codes. Now, I do technology as a profession, so I understand that it does help in some cases. I also understand that the younger generation has no problem adapting to these advances, but I’d like…
As of today, I’ve only got 176 days left of work until I pull the plug and retire from the normal 9-to-5 of the world of work. I’m walking away after 35 years of regular employment, at the rather young age of 57. I get lots of comments from friends and co-workers when I share this information. After the formal “congratulations”, there’s always the upturned eyebrow, along with the slew of questions. “Aren’t you a little young to retire?” “What…
This week marks the 248th anniversary of the Continental Congress adopting the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It’s a big day in our nation’s history. But it’s not the only significant event in our nation’s history that has happened on that day. If you’re really in the mood to celebrate (or somberly remember), here are some other things that also happened on that day (all of these events are listed on the history.com and Britannica.com websites, in case you’re wondering):…
Well, I hope all of you summer fans out there are happy. It’s not even July yet and we’ve already hit the mid-90’s on several days here in June, the corn is already rolling up from heat stress, and as usual, there’s hardly a drop of rain in sight. July and August haven’t even reared their ugly heads yet. It’s shaping up to be a brutal summer. Welcome to the new normal. This past week, the thermometer touched 95 degrees…
If you’ve ever worked a job for any period of time, every now and then you run into a person of the opposite sex who becomes a friend. mentor, confidante, and colleague – all at the same time. In “the biz”, these folks have a name. The work wife. Now, ladies, before you start making signs and marching outside of my house, understand that this goes both ways. There are work husbands, too, but for the sake of argument (and…
Early June means a lot of different things here in the four-state area. The kids are getting out of school for summer vacation, farmers are busy planting their corn crops, seasonal farmer’s market sales moving into high gear, and one other annual tradition gets kicked-off for the summer months. The local carnival. Every summer, each small town or municipality features a week where the carnival comes to town. It’s a cavalcade of food, arcade games, questionable rides, and musical entertainment…
On a hot summer night, sometimes the last thing anyone wants to do is turn on the grill or oven and prepare dinner for the family. These days, there’s another option that is quick, easy, and can also be creative and fun. Charcuterie. Whoa, slow down there, Maurice. I’m not eating any weird pig’s stomach or cast-off chicken parts. Not to worry. While “charcuterie” is a French word (which actually deals with the art and science of preserving meats), the…
While spending these longer evenings on the front porch, my wife and I routinely bounce business or invention ideas back and forth off of each other, trying to come up with that “million dollar” business idea. Sometimes we’re serious, sometimes it’s all in good fun (one of her great ideas was a cat food that was just canned broth, named “Auntie Leigh’s Happy Lappin’ Cat Gravy” – just the name alone was worth seeking a copyright, in my opinion). I…
As a kid, I always thought that one day, when I grew up, I’d have a job where intelligent adults collaborated on interesting projects and treated each other with respect and dignity. HA-HA-HA! I almost got it out without laughing. WHOOOOO! Stop it, my side hurts. In all seriousness, I’m sure you’re busy at your job and place of work. I know I am. You know what one of my pet peeves is? Having to stop what I’m doing to…