EDITOR’S NOTE: Happy birthday to NEIL! who turned 21 on Saturday. Birthday shots on me next time you are in town!
Yesterday was a great day.
There are times when a day surprises you out of the blue. Yesterday was one of those days. Surprisingly, it was the best day out of a very busy weekend.
After getting to bed at about 3:30am, I woke up around seven to start cleaning for my open house. Yesterday was my second open house. My realtor doesn’t really believe in them because she thinks that people who attend open houses are just window shoppers and that serious buyers will make an appointment.
My next task was to drop my friend Mike off at the airport. Mike is from the Bay Area and stayed at my house for the SoSH debauchery this weekend. After dropping him off, I was driving through the Ted Williams tunnel and I got pulled over. I took the Ted instead of the usual Sumner Tunnel because I was emailing behind the wheel and missed the turn.
(As an aside, I played soccer for the first time in like 25 years Friday night. We had such a great time that my friends and I are now looking around for an indoor, co-ed soccer league we can join.)
While I was driving, I saw the cop but didn’t really slow down because he had a “Transit” police car. Before yesterday, I really didn’t consider them “real” cops. I didn’t think anything of it as I blew by him. His first question to me was, “How fast do you think you were going?”
I had no idea, so I guessed 55mph. He politely informed me that I was doing 65 and then asked me if I knew the speed limit in the tunnel. I had no idea that it was 40mph (of course). After checking out my paperwork, he comes back and says:
“You caught me on a good day. After looking at your record, I can see you are no stranger to speeding (I smiled to myself here). However, you’ve been clean for five years and I don’t want to ruin that for you. Next time, slow down – especially when you see a police car.”
Phew. I thanked him and went on my merry way.
During the open house, my plan was to take Miley to Sheepfold. After grabbing a coffee, I remembered that my cousin Michele was having an addition put on to her house and I drove my to check it out. Michele lives here in Pleasantville, but I’m always surprised that I don’t see her more often. This is my fault as she (and her husband) is usually busy with her daughter and has a bun in the oven as well.
As I was leaving Michele’s house, my iPhone buzzed. I always talk about how the iPhone changes lives and yesterday it changed mine. An email came in from my friend Tats and it was regarding my friend Carrie and Che’s cookout. I had totally forgotten about it because of all the SoSH festivities planned for the weekend. Carrie was surprised that I forgot because she said I was the first person to RSVP.
At that point, I turned the car around and headed to Carrie and Che’s house. I had Miley in the car, but figured that I could leave her in there and at least make an appearance. I’m so glad my iPhone reminded me because I had the best time at the cookout. Carrie told me to let Miley out and Che gave me a rope to tie her to a tree. She was pretty well behaved and only knocked over one kid in her usual over-excited state of being.
The other day, I posted about how I don’t get to see my high school friends enough. The cookout was all high school friends and their kids. Our dynamic has changed. We went from watching each other run around and act crazy to watching our (well, their) kids run around and act crazy. Add in some reminiscing and cornhole and a really great time was had by all. If it wasn’t for my phone, I would have spaced on the cookout entirely. Life changed.
Lastly, the open house went really well. We had 9 visitors in 90 minutes and two of them seemed really interested. I think September will be the month in which my house finally goes (*knocking on wood*).
These are the type of days that I live for. Everything fell into place and it was an unexpectedly great day.
Regarding my definition of the meaning of life, the crux of making your life perfect has a great deal to do with your passion(s).
It is people’s passions that not only make them tick, but make them interesting as well. All interesting people have a certain joie de vivre that keeps them going. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and asking them questions to try and figure out what their passion is. You never really know someone until you know what moves them, what drives them, and what makes them smile.
When someone speaks about their passion, they become excited and their face lights up. That excitement spreads easily and reminds us of our own passions. Years ago I was working at a company I didn’t like in a job that I didn’t like. One day, I was talking to a co-worker about the Red Sox and he said to me, “The only time I see you excited is when you are talking about the Red Sox.” Passions do that. They can make a miserable place seem palatable.
It is fitting that I am writing about passion today. This weekend is our annual SoSH Bash. The festivities began yesterday at a few bars, continue tonight with a soccer game (yours truly will be in goal, believe it or not), a Red Sox game tomorrow with about 150 people in attendance and conclude with a beach party on Sunday. The majority of these people will be traveling over fifty miles to attend, some coming from as far away as San Francisco and Vancouver. I will be making multiple trips to the airport today to get some friends to their hotels.
Through my association with SoSH, I have been fortunate enough to meet some of the most passionate people around. It takes a true passion and love for Red Sox baseball to post about it on an internet messageboard. I began reading the site around 2002 and became a member in early 2004. We have forums on everything from gardening to politics to music and the vast amount of information on that website never ceases to amaze me.
From this constant exchange of ideas, thoughts and jokes, real life friendships have been made. I’m not ashamed to say that I have met some of my closest friends through SoSH. The best part of SoSH is not the baseball/sports talk, but the community that has been derived as a result of its existence. It is also why I click on that site every day. I love reading articulate people articulate about their passions.
As for me, my main passion is the people in my life. As people who really know me can attest, I make it a point to share in their passions. I take a vested interest in the things that interest my people. Whether it be driving down to Providence on a random Wednesday night to watch a soccer game, going to dance shows, or rushing back from an important family trip to support a friend in a road race – no matter what it is; If it is important to someone who is important to me, I will always be there.
Never let the minutia of everyday life stand in the way of you and your passion(s).
In the end, they are all that really matter.
Have a great weekend everyone. Make the most of every day!
A true sign of getting old is when deaths of people you never met start to affect you.
My friend Lou (a staunch Republican) called me yesterday just to see if I was doing OK with the news of Ted Kennedy’s passing. He made me chuckle when he said, “I figured you’d be down in Hyannisport paying your respects.”
Louie’s call made me realize that yesterday was the first day in my thirty (or so) years as a Massachusetts resident that Ted Kennedy wasn’t my Senator. Driving around, every flag at half-mast was a constant reminder that Kennedy’s thirty-seven year run as U.S. Senator was over.
My lasting memory of Ted Kennedy won’t be his many achievements during his service to our country, but the great family man he was. He was a true patriarch in every sense of the word. I only hope I can be half the man to my family as he was to his.
Out of everything I’ve read about Ted Kennedy over the past twenty-four hours, this quote from Senator John McCain resonates the loudest:
Ted Kennedy comes as close to being indispensable as any individual I’ve ever known in the Senate because he had a unique way of sitting down with the parties at a table and making the right concessions.
Rest in peace, Senator.
The Commonwealth won’t ever be the same without you.
One of the many joys of trying to sell a house is house showings. I have compounded this joy by hiring a realtor who really doesn’t believe in open houses (my second one is Sunday, btw). She thinks that the people who go to open houses are just window shoppers. In her words, serious buyers will make an appointment.
In that vein, I made it a personal goal to never refuse a house showing appointment request. I’ve only refused one request and that was because it was smack dab in the middle of my cookout. Some friends suggested to go ahead with it and just let the potential home buyers join the party. Fun in theory, but probably horrible in practice.
We’ve done pretty well with the house showings. I wish I kept a list, but I’d say I’ve probably had between 30-35 appointments (and two offers) in the nine weeks my house has been on the market. Considering the fact that it is summertime (which usually is a slow season for real estate sales), this is pretty good. I’ve even had a few multiple showing days, including yesterday. Because of this, I’ve remained really optimistic on the prospect of selling my house. My prediction is that it will go next month.
House showings suck, but are a necessary evil in this process. I usually get a phone call and a few hours notice to straighten up the place and get the dog out. I’ve gotten the whole thing down to a science. I have kept the house is “show me” state by keeping it cleaner than it has ever been and actually making my bed once in a while. Also, after thirty-six years on this planet, I’ve finally learned to put stuff away in drawers and remember where it is.
In her own special way, Miley has added to the fun of this process. She hasn’t had an accident in the house since has gone on the market. Killing time during a house showing with a dog limits your options – especially one who isn’t exactly responsive to voice commands. She also likes to bark at every dog or person we see and I can’t exactly take her into stores. Because of all this, I’ve learned all the “Miley friendly” areas of Pleasantville (ie. mostly fenced in areas that are usually dog or people free).
Usually, one of my first stops on a “kill time during the house showing” mission is Dunkin Donuts to grab a small coffee. As I’ve posted before, I always get a small because it tastes better in paper cups (just trust me on this one). The kind folks at the Pleasantville DD have taught me how to properly order my coffee the way I like it. I used to say small hot coffee, “sweet and light.” I have now learned (or been instructed) to say “small coffee, extra extra” which has made the DD employees happy enough to give Miley dog treats every time we go.
As an aside, “sweet and light” is also the way I like my women (apologies to all the Dutch/Asian ladies), but that’s another blog entry all together.
We mostly go to the Pleasantvile common and walk around. She knows (and has probably eliminated on) every square foot of the common. Locals, if you drive by there, chances are good you will see us walking around it at any given hour. Another thing we like to do is go Sheepfold (an off leash dog park in Stoneham). It helps socialize my crazy canine and lets her run free as she loves to do. If we’re lucky, Michelle from Pupperiffic will show up with a pooch posse of about 15-20 dogs. Miley loves that.
Hopefully, the house sells soon. If it doesn’t, Mischievous Miley and I are prepared to keep going to the common and ordering those small coffees….
The captain has turned off the “normal standards of TAM decorum” sign and the stream-of-consciousness blog will commence in 3, 2, 1…
- I think one of my greatest weaknesses is the ability to ask for help when I need it. I don’t know why it is so hard for me, but I’d much rather struggle through a problem than ask for help. We all need help sometimes.
- I think the Tampa Bay Devil Dogs are a bigger threat than Texas. The Rangers will fade like an old t-shirt in September.
- I really want 98.5 The Sports Hub (the new sports radio station in Boston) to do well. The blowhards at WEEI need to be taken down a peg.
- It is really scary to me that the Pats haven’t signed Vince Wilfork to a contract extension. They are on the verge of locking up Nick Kaczur, but not Big Vince. Get it done, Mr. Belichick.
- Speaking of Belichick, I love his interviews. He has an innate ability to speak without saying anything at all. Love that.
- “Hard Knocks” on HBO is one of the best sports TV shows going.
- I still think the Red Sox are a playoff team. I think Beckett will pull it together in time for October and the Sox will be a tough out for any team that faces them.
- I’m surprised at how excited I am that my brother signed up for Facebook yesterday.
- After seeing his reaction to winning the PGA Championship, I was happy that Y.E. Yang beat out Tiger. I have a soft spot for weeping Asians.
- I tried watching The Big Lebowski again. It is a movie I want to like because many people rave over it. Verdict? Still not funny.
- I went to a friend’s birthday party in Providence Friday night. Just when I thought I had seen it all, I learned that a Providence late night tradition is going to Haven Brothers. Haven Brothers is a diner made out of a trailer or some sort. The cheese fries were excellent, btw.
- The only thing funnier than Brett Favre unretiring is watching people get annoyed by Brett Favre unretiring.
- Steve Burton is my favorite sportscaster like, ever.
- If I were a punter in the NFL, I would purposely try and hit that obscene scoreboard in the new Dallas Cowboys stadium. Every time. If it isn’t moved, the Cowboys should be assessed a five yard penalty every time it is hit during a game.
- Speaking of obscene video boards, I never thought I’d see a bigger screen than the one in my friend Phil’s condo. Phil, you’ve got nothing on Jerry Jones.
- Speaking of Phil, I think out of all my friends, my high school friends are the hardest to get together with. The irony is that we have so much fun when we are together. Go figure.
- Last week, I had people over my house on about six of the days. Each day, Miley got more and more excited upon their arrival. She’s not a very good host, even for a dog.
- John Smoltz dominating yesterday shows how big of a disparity there is between American League lineups and National League lineups. To be honest, I’m rooting for the guy and hope he does well.
- Speaking of Smoltz, my friend Kevin is a huge Cardinals fan and I am enjoying his texts about Smoltz.
- One the things I’ve noticed on my drives up to Maine is that it seems like all the aggressive drivers have Massachusetts license plates. I love that, actually.
- I love how Yankee fans get all excited about regular season wins. It’s funny how the tide has turned.
- Speaking of wins I can get excited about, I can’t believe it is almost fall.
- Speaking of summer ending, I won’t miss this humidity.
- I’ve found the best sushi in Boston and thy name is Douzo. (Thanks G2!)
- I’ve been suffering from a serious case of writer’s block lately. Every time I get writer’s block, I realize how hard it is to write every day.
I really don’t read enough. I’ve got a stack of books that I want to read, but I never seem to pick them up and start reading. It’s quite rare when I find a book that I start reading that I cannot put down. The latest book to achieve that status with me is Waiter Rant by Steve Dublanica. My brother recommended (and lended) it to me and I really enjoyed it.
“Waiter Rant” is an inside look at the trials and tribulations of a waiter in an upscale Manhattan restaurant. Dublanica started out as a blogger and eventually moved to writing a book (hmmmm…). His blog is a good read and I’ve also added it to my blogroll along with a friend of a friend’s blog called All Eyes on Jenny.
I don’t recommend many books, but “Waiter Rant” is a must read for anyone who goes out to eat.
Before Michael Vick signed with the Eagles, Miley asked me if she could help out with the bills and take part in a photo shoot. I was in total agreeance. Why not have the dog pull her own weight around here?
QUICK NOTE: After I saw the movie Saturday, I realized that I had lost my debit card. We went back inside the theater and thankfully someone had returned it to lost and found. There is definitely something to be said for good karma.
I’ve developed a highly non-scientific theory on dating and how women order their steaks. Since I’ve been divorced, I’ve been on a bunch of dates and have seen this first hand. I am the world’s best authority on dating vis-a-vis steak ordering and am feeling generous enough to share my theory with you.
My theory is this:
When out on a date, you can tell a lot about a girl by how she orders her steak.
First off, if a girl orders a steak on a date (especially dates 1-3) she is (more than one could apply here):
A) A freeloader looking to get the best meal she can out of you.
B) Pretty confident in herself and orders what she wants when she wants.
C) Feels pretty comfortable in your company.
Hearing, “I think I’m in the mood for some steak tonight” should elicit Bobby Brady-esque fireworks in your head. You have just been granted a quick insight/limus test into your date’s soul. This will probably save you a lot of time in the long run.
CAVEAT: As baseball statistic nerds like to say, this theory has been derived on a “small sample size.” There are exceptions to every rule and as with everything in life, your mileage may vary. These are only to be used as a guideline. To my single guy friends, do not (under any cirumstances) go marrying the first girl you date who orders her steak medium rare.
(if you do happen to do this, please shoot me an email/text/tweet/carrier pigeon or facebook message)
CAVEAT DEUX: As highly important as it may seem, the way a girl orders her steak is only a barometer. It certainly isn’t as important as other matters such as: Is she a football fan or not? Does she own any clothing (bonus points if she owns a jersey – hot) with the logo of a sports team on it? What are her thoughts on the movie Juno?
CAVEAT TROIS: Keep in mind this is just for fun. I can’t think of anything better to write about before “Entourage” comes on.
Without further ado (drum roll please)….
Mike’s soon-to-be-copyrighted “Theory on Dating and Steak Ordering”
I have listed these in order of preference from least desirable to most desirable:
Well Done – Check please! This girl is most likely high maintenance, picky, and certainly not worth your time. Furthermore, as a service to cows across America, she should probably stop eating steak in public places.
Vegetarian – I don’t think I could ever produce offspring with a vegetarian. I’d be so worried that my kid wouldn’t get the required protein from his/her host organism eating rabbit food all the time. A bit far, you say? Isn’t dating all about finding the right mate? Of course it is.
Rare – Stay away. I’ve never actually seen or heard this, but this girl is probably good for nothing more than the best one night stand ever (which may or may not be so bad depending on your point-of-view).
Medium – Beware. You may be entering the “boring” date category. This girl is a middle-of-the-road type gal. She most likely will never stand out in a crowd. She certainly won’t stand out in my mind as a potential partner who will nag you all day fifteen years from now.
Medium Well – Interesting…. This is someone to watch close. She’s not a boring “medium” orderer, but also doesn’t like to see pink on her steak. She is probably creative, independent and is not afraid to take a stand on any subject. With apologies to Jack Nicholson and his portrayal of the Joker, “You’ve got a live one here.”
Medium Rare – Pat yourself on the back my friend, you’ve hit the motherload. Don’t be a typical guy and screw this one up. She might be a keeper.
Don’t tell anyone, but I am a sucker for a good chick flick.
When I heard that “The Time Traveler’s Wife” was being made into a movie, I got nervous. I read the book and really liked it. No movie will ever live up to the book, but this is the best book-to-movie adaptation I’ve seen. It is also my favorite movie of 2009 (so far – sorry Anvil).
Fellas: Worst case, you make your girl happy and you can gawk at a theatre-sized Rachel McAdams for two hours. She’s easily one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood today and lights up the screen whenever she’s on. Win, win and well worth the $10 in my book.
A true sign of getting old is when deaths of people you never met start to affect you.
I really don’t read enough. I’ve got a stack of books that I want to read, but I never seem to pick them up and start reading. It’s quite rare when I find a book that I start reading that I cannot put down. The latest book to achieve that status with me is 
