‘Tis the night after Christmas. I’m flat on my back. The holidays were exhausting, and I’ve hit the sack. I’d wrestled a raw turkey at six in the morn’. No time to ponder the day Jesus was born. Didn’t know there were so many ways to cook that beast. Everyone has their method to prep …
Holiday Herald: The Night After Christmas Read More »
It’s been nearly a week since the Steelers lost in the Super Bowl, and you might say it’s just a game, but I’m not quite ready to give up on finding out precisely where to lay some serious blame. …
First Person : Maybe it’s my fault the Steelers lost, but I blame Jerry Jones Read More »
Today is our son Chas’ 19th birthday. He’s out doing what he wants to be doing — hiking the Appalachian Trail.
A year ago Chas decided to do what the British call a gap year — a year off between high school and college. He wanted to study music, guitar in particular, achieve his Levels 1 and 2 snowboard instructor certifications in Canada — and hike the Appalachian Trail. …
The Next Page: And he’s off … on the Appalachian Trail Read More »
I like to write articles from personal experience that make people laugh. So when my son got swine flu this past week, I was thinking to myself, what could I write about swine flu that is funny. The conclusion I came to is that there is nothing really funny about swine flu. …
Sunday Forum: Swine flu hits home Read More »
I was a stay-at-home dad for 10 years, when the kids were little. It didn’t seem so simple at the time. I remember the drill:
Get up early, get our three children ready for school, find all the parts to their school uniforms, make breakfast and pack lunches (one for a vegetarian), pick up some other neighborhood kids in the carpool, drop them off at school, …
Local Dispatch: Father knows stress Read More »
East End – Geek’s End Spring 2007 In its first issue of 2007, Wired magazine ranked Pittsburgh seventh among the “10 Top Tech Towns,” citing Carnegie Mellon University’s computer science school and Google Pittsburgh’s new Oakland office as the two primary reasons. Perhaps the ranking should have more specifically gone to “Pittsburgh’s East End,” where
East End – Geek’s End Read More »
The last place I wanted to spend a year was Hong Kong.
I’m sure that comes off as being spoiled, but I cannot speak Chinese, don’t like overcrowded cities, prefer to breathe clean air and think Chinese food is a great take-out option, but only in moderation. …
Every day was an adventure during family’s year in Hong Kong Read More »
On holiday from Hong Kong, my family and I had just celebrated Christmas in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The next morning we were met by local friends who had offered to take us to the tropical beaches at the island’s southern tip. The day’s bright, sunny skies were typical of Sri Lanka’s “winter.” We were happily anticipating two days of relaxation and water activities at the Unawatuna Beach Resort, just past Galle on the narrow two-lane coastal road. …
First Person: Face to face with the tsunami Read More »
Do you know what time of year it is? Well, yes, it’s tax time, but it’s also when colleges start sending out the thin letters of rejection or the thick letters of acceptance. My daughter is just moments away from being notified by the various colleges she has applied to.
Hearing from them will actually be a relief, because families (i.e., parents) with college-bound kids are obsessed with the topic. …
First person: College daze Read More »
I was busy minding my own business one morning last week when a front-article in the Post-Gazette on the sexual practices of 12-to-14-year-olds caught my attention. “20 Percent Have Sex Before 15,” the headline blared.
The first very interesting thing I learned is that 12-year-olds are now considered teenagers. …
First Person: On not talking The Talk Read More »
