Friday Faves 1/10: Friends, Milkshakes, Cookies, and Internet Detectives

Best Activity

Catching up with Friends: A few years back, some of my college buddies started trying to meet up on Tuesdays for a drink and to catch up. We thought Tuesday was the most available day (who is doing anything on a Tuesday?) and a bi-monthly gathering would make the most sense.

Needless to say, the bi-monthly part has not worked (even though my Google calendar alerts me that we let another Tuesday slip by without a meeting). However, last week four of us managed to meet and have drinks. We’ve all been friends now for half our lives, considering we met freshman year, which is astounding and a mathematical fact I can’t wrap my head around.

This gathering with friends was the last thing I did before heading to Ohio, sadly, for a funeral. Tiff’s grandmother passed away last week, a day following her 77th birthday. She was a force of nature. A kind matriarch who was always welcoming, asking questions, telling stories, and laughing. At the memorial, I met a couple of her friends, some of whom she had known for more than 50 years. Another mathematical fact that’s tough to wrap my head around. They told some stories about causing a little bit of trouble in their younger days, but ultimately just having a grand old time. It was a tough evening, it’s never easy losing family and friends, but it also made me grateful for the friends and family I have.

Go call someone you love this weekend.

Best Watch

Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs: This is an incredibly fun weekend of football, probably the best of the season. Toss in Monday night’s college football championship between Clemson and LSU, and that’s a great three day stretch. It’s the first time since 2010 that the Patriots aren’t playing, so I am looking forward to stress free viewing (at least that’s what I’m telling myself to feel better about last week’s loss.).

Don’t F**k with Cats: This three part documentary is stranger than fiction. It starts with the posting of a horrendous video online and ends with an international manhunt. In between, a cadre of amateur Facebook investigators keep the flame lit as they communicate and hunt for a horrible man who could be anywhere in the world. It’s tough to watch in some parts, but a fascinating story.

Best Read

8 Ways to be Kinder to Yourself if 2020: The resolution self help stuff is always popular this time of year. I particularly liked this one; it has simple ideas and mindsets that are actionable. NYTimes.com

Best Listen

Ms. Lauren Hill - MTV Unplugged: We were in an Uber this week and Lauren Hill came on the radio. I played her MTV Unplugged album from 2002 the next day. It’s really good. Spotify

Making Sense with Sam Harris: Sam Harris’ podcasts are a very good listen, this one with Megan Phelps-Roper is really interesting. Phelps-Roper was a born into the Westboro Baptist Church. She’s pictured with horrific signs as a child while she and her cult protested whatever pissed them off that week. She recently wrote a book called Unfollow about her experience growing up in the Westboro Baptist Church. Spotify

Best Eat

Peanut Butter Cookie: We were back in Columbus, Ohio this week and headed to a spot called North Star for lunch. It’s a fantastic spot. One of those places where you order at the counter and then grab a seat. They bring the food to you once it’s ready. After a mornings worth of flights and driving, Tiff couldn’t resist one of their massive cookies and ordered a peanut butter cookie. It was delicious, and the most intriguing part of this lunch dessert was that it was covered in peanuts on top.

Best Drink

Chick-Fil-A Milkshake: The Cleveland airport has a Chick-Fil-A and Shake Shack right next to each other. It wasn’t a hard choice, but it’s a great one to have to make. What a time to be alive. I had one of their vanilla milkshakes for the first time in my life. They top if off with whipped cream and a cherry… but be careful, if you’re not careful you might get some of it in your beard and walk around in public for a bit.

Friday Faves 1/3: 90 Day Fiancé, Skillet Breakfasts, Happiness, and Holidays

Best Activity

The holidays are always full of good stuff. Here’s a few things that I enjoyed over the last two weeks.

Clifton Mills: This place is an electrician’s nightmare. Millions (yes, millions) of Christmas lights cover the entire property out in southern Ohio. The mill is still active, and in the holiday season thousands of people pay their $10 admission fee to walk through a covered bridge and into a Christmas wonderland. There’s a light show every 30 minutes to the tune of TransSiberian Orchestra’s “Carol of the Bells.” Between light shows you can check out the miniature model of the Clifton and the surrounding towns, full of flashing lights and sounds and even a flying Santa Claus on a string. It’s rather impressive. They serve some damn good hot chocolate with legit whipped cream (any more whips and it’s ice cream. Just delicious).

Last year, Clifton Mills won $50,000 on ABC’s “Great Christmas Light Fight” in the heavyweight division.

December Hike: We were blessed with some really nice weather in Ohio, so we decided to stretch our legs one afternoon and go for a hike in Yellow Springs. The Glen Helen nature preserve has the actual yellow spring, where minerals turn the water and some rock a yellow-orange color. It was a lovely day, and even though we weren’t quite dressed for a muddy hike, it was very pretty, and I’d imagine the other three seasons have their own charm in those woods.

Flying on Christmas: We travelled back to Boston early Christmas morning, and it was rather delightful. The airport was quiet, and even though we had a layover in Baltimore, it was stress free. If you’re even thinking about flying on Christmas, I suggest doing it.

QuipLash: We spent our seventh straight New Years Eve with our friends Lindsay and Dean. We alternate trips, so this year we drove down to see them in New Jersey. We were all introduced to an incredibly fun game called Quiplash. It’s a little like “Cards Against Humanity” but you use your phone to actually create your own answers that everyone else vote on using their phone. Every round, you get two prompts. You answer them however you’d like. One other person in the room gets the same prompts as you, so you’re going head to head for everyone else’s votes. The winner receives the most votes over the three round game. It’s exceptional, and if we didn’t have to worry about the midnight ball drop, I think we might have played it for a couple more hours.

Best Watch

90 Day Fiancé: This TLC guilty pleasure was introduced to me by my sister and reintroduced over the holidays when we were looking for something to watch one night. The premise of the show is couples have 90 days to marry their non-citizen fiancé from another country. The K-1 Visa allows them to enter the country for 90 days, if they marry in that window, the non-citizen receives a green card. The season follows a bunch of couples who all have crazy stories bordering on the absurd. But they have real stuff to deal with before deciding if they really do want to get married. The images that some of them have of America are incredible… just watch this clip of Robert and Anny in a second-hand store.

Best Listen

Bachelor Party: This Ringer Network pod is a weekly during the Bachelor season, but over the last month, the pod has ranked every single Bachelor/Bachelorette season from 1-39. The top ten, which is broken into two parts, is exceptional. Chris Harrison is the guest and he is honest and tells some excellent stories. #6-10 Pod and #1-5 Pod

Best Read

Is Anyone Happy Anymore?: Written from the west coast of Ireland, this quick NYTimes article takes a look at what happiness means to us and how we try and find it. Of course, an old Irish guy from across the street delivers the Earth shattering quote at the end. NYTimes.com

Best Eat

Sunrise Skillet: There are three things I expect when we travel to Ohio: Polite people, long conversations with strangers, and a trip to Bob Evans. To give you a sense of how omnipresent the delicious chain restaurant is, as we drove to Bob Evans with Tiff’s second-cousin, an 8-year-old, they were debating which of the three Bob Evans in the town was the best. THREE BOB EVANS!? I wouldn’t mind if midwest shared some of the deliciousness and sent some of Bob’s food this way (We’ll trade you a bunch of Dunkin’ Donut stores…). I tried something new this time around, the Sunrise Skillet, basically an open-faced omelet with sausage gravy, home fries, and cheese on top. It’s um, amazing. A once a year type treat, but perfect for the glutinous holiday season.

Irish bacon and sausage: Another staple of home is my mom opening the freezer before bed and pulling out the bacon and sausage to thaw. This used to be a more rare tradition when there wasn’t a British store down the road that my mom could drive to. We used to have family in Ireland ship the stuff to us. If you’ve never had Irish sausages, you’re missing out. They are miles better than the American version. The bacon isn’t quite Canadian bacon, but it also isn’t your typical strips of bacon. My mom’s homemade Brown Bread tops the whole thing off. I like to slice the sausages the long way, splay it open on the bread, and dig in!

Pavlova: If you like meringue, then this is the dessert for you. We’ve coined this fluffy, fruity dessert the “Pope’s Pillow.” It’s a meringue base, topped with whipped cream, and then whatever fruit you can get your hands on. This has been a Christmas tradition in our house for a while, along with an Irish Pudding that you pour whiskey over and light on fire before serving. Pavlova is delicious in any season.

Best Drink

Irish Coffee: I can’t remember the last time I had an Irish coffee, but as I sat sitting at home last week, my sister looked up from her computer and said, “I think I’m gonna make an Irish Coffee.” Well, Irish Coffees we did make. My mom, who has never drank any alcohol (except for the desperate Hot Toddy when a cold gets really bad) has these glasses that give you the proper proportions of whiskey, coffee, and cream. The key is pouring the cream into the coffee using the bottom of a spoon so it doesn’t go to the bottom. We used bourbon for the whiskey, so we just didn’t add any sugar.

After reflecting on the last two categories, I am realizing I need to take it easy this January…

Best Plugs

The Random Division Season Finale: Tiff and I wrapped up our Decade in Review with a recap of events and people of the decade. iTunes (rate, review, subscribe, tell you friends!). Spotify (Follow!)

The Bachelor kicks off with a three hour episode on Monday night. Follow our IG handle for some live updates during the show! @TheRandomDivision. We’ll be podding too, but probably not until later in the week.

My Ohio State Fandom was confirmed: Last Saturday the Ohio State Buckeyes lost a heart-breaker to Clemson. It really bugged me. More than it should have. My fandom application is now complete….

Friday Faves 12/20: Themed Yankee Swaps, Gingerbread Coffee, Jason Mesnick, and Dal

Best Activity:

Holiday Party: This weekend, we hosted a holiday party. It’s become a bit of a tradition at this point. We hmm and haw over the date starting around Halloween, wanting to pick the one that will be best for the most people. Some years we’ve had small groups of 7 or 8 and other years, like this one, we have about 20 people crammed into our apartment.

Over the years, we’ve streamlined the prep for the party. Food is easier, we’ve dialed in the booze purchasing so we’re not left with a year supply of beer the next morning.

This year’s party had some new additions, either people that we’ve befriended in the last year or folks that could finally attend. Much like a wedding, it’s always gratifying to have people from various parts of our lives come together and get along. We had a Yankee Swap this year with the theme of “hometown” which could be interpreted in different ways. We all gathered around, opened, and exchanged gifts. The theme was clever (and, naturally, Tiff’s idea), but the unintended consequence was it offered everyone a chance to explain their gift and where they’re from. It was a great excuse to have everyone in the same room for 30 minutes to hang out, joke around, and learn about each other.

Best Read:

Decade in Pictures (and some words…): Some stunning stuff in here to remind us all of the good and bad of the last decade. NYTimes.com

What the Digital Revolution Really Did To Us: From Joseph Bernstein at BuzzFeed… sadly, the toothpaste is out of the tube… “Comparing the coming changes to the Enlightenment, Katz lauded an ‘interactivity’ that ‘could bring a new kind of community, new ways of holding political conversations’ — ‘a media and political culture in which people could amass factual material, voice their perspectives, confront other points of view, and discuss issues in a rational way.’ Such a sensible, iterative American public life contained, Katz wrote, “the … tantalizing … possibility that technology could fuse with politics to create a more civil society.”

Best Watch:

Collateral: A British four part mini-series that zooms around London following the murder of a pizza delivery man. The murder sparks inquiries about drug deals, immigration, and honesty. We’re two episodes in and it’s very good, you know, like every British TV show. Is it the accents? The storytelling? The cityscapes? Outside of the modern Sherlock series, this is the first British show we’ve watched that is set in London, usually we’re out in the countryside or an industrial town. Find it on Netflix.

Bachelor on Netflix: Last week, Jason Mesnick’s season of the Bachelor was dropped on Netflix without any marketing. The season aired in 2009, and if you like the series this show is a great reminder of what it was like before the Instagram/influencer angle swept through the contestants. If you don’t know how the season ended, it’s amazing. It’s also a much smaller time commitment. Fewer shows (I’m on episode 5 and there are five women left) and no commercials.

Best Listen:

Reading Adventure: I have been in the final phases of working on a massive writing project. The “Reading Adventure” playlist on Spotify has been superb to listen to. It’s a list of instrumental songs from epic TV shows and movies. You can find it on Spotify’s “focus” channel. Put it on and it will make doing the laundry feel like your hero’s journey

Best Eat:

Ritz Peanut Butter Cookies: Tiff makes these, and they were a hit at our holiday party. She makes ritz peanut butter sandwiches and then dips them in melted white chocolate (milk chocolate would work, too, I’d imagine). My friend Eliot said they tasted like a homemade Butterfinger.

Cannoli Dip: This Wegman’s pre-made dessert was insane. Basically it’s all the good parts of a cannoli without the challenge of eating a tube of cheese. This ricotta dip was served with cannoli chips (the shell of a cannoli). The cannoli “chips” were delicious on their own and stayed good for a few days after that they went well with hot chocolate later in the week. Add this to your shopping list.

Masoor Dal: This red lentil dish was incredibly simple to make and fed us for two nights this week, with enough left over for a lunch portion. While I love sweet potato, chopping it into small pieces is always a bit of a pain. But that’s the only chopping you’re doing aside from an onion. We had it with some white rice I dug out of the back of the cabinet and some naan I bought at the store (I’m not a bread maker…).

Best Drink:

Gingerbread Coffee from Trader Joe’s: The season is running out, but this flavored, affordable, coffee is one of the best I’ve had. It doesn’t smack you in the face with gingerbread; I dare you to throw in a little maple syrup or, if you’re feeling feisty, some eggnog. I’d imagine this flavor will be replaced with the January/February blend of “I hate the winter" very soon.

Best Plugs:

The Random Division: Tiff kicked me off the pod for the week in favor of Lindsay so they could talk about musicals and theater of the last decade (I would have been a horrible cohost on this one…) It’s a great listen; even if you’re not a big musicals person you’ll learn something and definitely see the crossover between theater, television, movies, literature (Moby Dick: The Musical is coming….) and (duh) music. Listen on iTunes (subscribe, rate, review!) or Spotify.

The Imperfect Game: In the fifth installment of our Past and Present series, Both and I talk about Sheffield Wednesday. This one has everything, match-fixing, crosstown rivals, stadium tragedies, and modern-day financial shenanigans. iTunes (subscribe, rate, review!) and Spotify.

Friday Faves 12/13: Planners, Presidents Cup, Slangria, Couscous, and Music of the Decade

Best Activity:

A new planner: During my time as a teacher, I became dependent on my daily planner and a Moleskin notebook. They kept me relatively organized, although sometimes meetings would slip through the cracks… The planner was made for our school. Each student used one, it had events specific to the school on it (overnight field trips, the start and end of breaks, holidays, etc…) and it only covered the months of September-June. The summer was “plannerless.”

Now that I don’t have that planner anymore (I’d be lying if I didn’t think about asking a friend to grab one for me) I started looking around for one. I stumbled upon a “Bullet-Point” planner and started to use it this week. As far as dates, it’s completely blank, so I settled in on Sunday and filled in the entire thing with the dates for the next year. It was strangely gratifying to fill out all those dates. It reminded me how long a year is and how quickly it can go by all at the same time. When I arrived at December 2020 I started to think about the future version of me sitting down to reflect back on the year and fill out my 2021 planner. Considering my professional career is in limbo and I’m not sure what life will be like in a year, it was a little nerve-racking. Once I got over that feeling, it was exciting to imagine the possibilities that lie ahead.

The thing I like about this planner is it actually has pages every three months that act as a “quarterly” reflection for achievements, things I learned, things I’m looking forward to. The individual weekly pages are also simple. There’s a place for appointments, but also for a meal plan, To-Do List, priorities, and a theme.

As we head to 2020 and you’re trying to find a fresh way to organize your life, a new, different type of planner might be a good start.

Best Read:

Lovers in Auschwitz: “The first time he spoke to her, in 1943, by the Auschwitz crematory, David Wisnia realized that Helen Spitzer was no regular inmate. Zippi, as she was known, was clean, always neat. She wore a jacket and smelled good. They were introduced by a fellow inmate, at her request.” -NYTimes.com

Best Watch:

Presidents Cup: This international golf team competition started on Wednesday and will continue through this weekend. This tournament matches Team USA against an International team that includes every country outside of Europe. If you like golf (or the USA) and are interested in golf architecture, this is worth watching. Royal Melbourne is the host club, which was designed by Alastair McKenzie, who designed Augusta National. The US has historically dominated this competition, winning ten of the twelve past events. The USA finished strong on Thursday night’s session, capped off by Justin Thomas hitting a huge putt on 18 and celebrating with Tiger Woods. That putt could very well be remembered as the one that turned things around for the Americans.

Best Listen:

Pure Heroine: Lorde’s debut album hopped back on my radar this week as I spent some time sussing out my favorite albums of the decade for a podcast with Tiff. Hard to believe it came out in 2013. So many great songs on here: White Teeth Teeth, Buzzcut Season, and World Alone are some of my favorites. Not a skippable song in the bunch, I say.

Best Eat:

Spiced Seared Eggplant with Pearled Couscous: This was a delicious one-pot recipe we made this week. Tiff and I had to tag team to make it because I had a phone call scheduled. I got it started and she finished it off. It was easy (read: not much slicing and chopping) and, like I said, required just one pot; that’s always a bonus. The dish was filling, had some interesting flavor combos, including cinnamon, which I rarely eat in a dinner. If you wanted to add a bit of protein, I would imagine something decadent like steak tips or simpler like grilled chicken would be good additions.

Best Drink:

Slangria: There’s a brewery out of Cincinnati called Rhinegeist. It’s probably the only thing you’ll hear my wife get excited about that comes out of Cincy (oh, and Sky Line Chili). I’m not entirely sure how it made it’s way out to Massachusetts in such volume, but Rhinegeist (and Cidergeist) can be found in most stores around Boston. Slangria was a new brew that Tiff found at Total Wine and Liquor. I’ll let Rhinegeist give you the lowdown: “Pomegranate, blueberry and lime collide in an effervescent blend of ruby red refreshment. Luscious, slightly tart and full-bodied, Slangria sows scarlet seeds of juicy delight.”

I was surprised at how much I liked this. It’s like a gateway beer into sours, too. It’s tart, but not too much. A good beer to bring to a holiday party if you’ve got a few to attend this weekend. If you’re really creative, it’s probably something you could use as a mixed in a punch.

Best Plugs:

The Random Division: This week, Tiff and I talked about music of the last decade. Tiff has another “Get off My Lawn” moment, we rank our five favorite albums from the decade, and give some other artists a shoutout that we enjoyed listening to. iTunes (If you listen to us here. We’d love a rating or review. We’ll read your review on our next show!). Spotify (If you listen to us here, click “follow” and then go to iTunes and rate and review!).

Imperfect Game: For our fifth installment of this Past and Present series, Both and I researched at Sheffield United, one of the oldest soccer clubs in England. Sheffield United is newly promoted and making waves in the Premier League with their risky, and pioneering play. Their manager is a former Sheffield United ballboy and player. Some interesting info on Sheffield United’s home stadium and the city in here, too. iTunes (If you listen to us here. We’d love a rating or review. We’ll read your review on our next show!). Spotify (If you listen to us here, click “follow” and then go to iTunes and rate and review!).

Sport!: I wrote about my favorite English soccer team, Manchester United, this week. They have a star player that I think they need to sell.

Friday Faves 12/6: VW Van Tours, Pizza of the Day, Musicals, Family, Duck, and Punch

Best Activity:

Touring San Fransisco in a VW Bus: For Thanksgiving we travelled to Berkeley. My brother is in the musical “Tales of Despereaux,” an adaptation of the Kate DiCamillo book. The theater group he formed with his buddies, PigPen Theatre Co., wrote the musical and are performing in it, too. The life of a stage actor means that the holidays are a busy time, so we went to him this year because he’s not able to fly back for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Tiff, as she always does, dug up a cool experience for us while we were in Berkeley. We drove down to San Francisco on Wednesday morning and drove around the city in a VW bus driven by our tour guide Josh, who was awesome. The tour weaved in and out of the different neighborhoods, Josh had a playlist for different spots (including Jimmy Hendrix’s “Red House” when we drove by the actual Red House and the Full House theme song when we pulled up to that iconic row of houses.). We hopped out at particular spots for pictures, much to my mom’s delight… As we drove around, we were also a photo-op for others, especially as we weaved down Lombard Street.

If you’re going to San Francisco, make sure to a) wear flowers in your hair and b) book a tour with Painted Ladies Tour Company.

There were a lot of highlights from the trip. The views from our AirBnB in the Berkeley Hills, lunch at Chez Panisse, dinner at Cheeseboard, a trail run (with my head on a swivel for mountain lions), Thanksgiving dinner, and (duh) seeing my brother perform on stage on opening night in front of a packed house (I’ve seen him perform a ton of times in various cities and venues. It never gets old. So much fun. So much pride).

Best Watch:

“Tales of Despereaux”: If you live in the San Francisco or Berkeley area, this is a show you should see before it’s gone in the beginning on January. There were a ton of kids at the show we saw, and while it has some scary bits, the 2.5 year-old behind us was all smiles at the end.

The DNA of Murder: This show is probably not for kids. Paul Holes, made famous for cracking the Golden State Killer case, has cashed in on his popularity. He’s got a podcast and a TV Show. The show is really good. Each 60 minute long episode on OWN has Holes consulting on a cold case that might have some DNA that can be used to find the killer (or in Holes’ words, “the O-ffender”). If you’re interested in forensics and you don’t mind a show ending without closure (hint: not everything is solved during the show), then I’d recommend this one.

Best Listen:

Tim Ferriss Show with Adam Grant: Ferriss’ podcasts are typically very long, a conversation between him and some intelligent, successful person. Adam Grant was a fascinating listen as he discussed his methods at improving as a college professor and how he sets boundaries to increase his productivity.

Best Eat:

Mushroom Pizza from Cheeseboard: Cheeseboard is a very different kind of pizza experience. Every day, they make one type of pizza, that’s it. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. The pizza changes everyday, and a long line forms around the corner. The beauty of the place is that even with the long line, it moves quickly because they’re just pumping out their pizzas. You get to the register and ask for a slice, a half, or a whole pizza. By the time you pay, your pizza is ready. There’s a few small tables to sit, and on this particular a jazz band was playing too. We had a mushroom and goat cheese pizza. It was amazing.

As we were eating our pizza outside, with a beer, and a cool chill in the air, a lady pulled up in her car, on a busy street, and asked through the window about the pizza. She was quite concerned about onions, but it just showed how popular the place is and how different the concept is. This lady was willing to cause a small traffic jam (or a rear-ending) to ask some strangers about the pizza of the day.

Duck Confit at Chez Panisse: If you’re going to be in the Berkeley area, make sure you book a table at Chez Panisse. This restaurant is one of the best in the country, it’s kinda fancy, but it’s still in Berkeley, so it’s not THAT fancy. We couldn’t book a dinner reservation, so we dined in their upstairs cafe for lunch. Between the five of us, we ordered five of the six entrees. I got the duck confit because, heck, we’re in a French restaurant, so I’m gonna eat duck! It was amazing, served on the bone, the meat came clean off without the use of a knife. It almost had the consistency of pulled pork, with delicious crispy skin. The celery root puree served with the duck was amazing, and I forced everyone at the table to try it. It was like mashed potatoes, so much so, that I thought it was mashed potatoes with some celery flavoring until I looked back at the menu at the end of the meal.

Best Drink:

Holiday Punch: One of our Thanksgiving guests brought an amazing punch to the house. It disappeared quickly, and left many of us rosy cheeked. It probably has many variations; as we head into the holiday season, if you’re hosting or heading to any holiday parties you should consider making it.

Here’s the simple recipe: Spiced punch (wassail) from Trader Joe’s, vodka (a flavored vodka could spice things up a bit), and a cup of lime juice. Ratio is 1:1 punch and vodka and 1/5 lime juice.

Best Plugs:

Movies of the Decade: Tiff and I gave out or five favorite movies of the decade. We talked about the award winners, highest grossing movies, and movie candy, too. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts… (Rate and review and subscribe!).

Leeds United Past and Present: In the third episode of this series, Both and I talk about Leeds United. It’s an incredible story. The podcast even has a stamp of approval from a Leeds United podcast called “Leeds That.” Check it out on Spotify… or Apple Podcasts (Rate and review and subscribe!).

And, as always… sign up for my newsletter!

Friday Faves 11/22: Social Media DeTox, Leeds United, Farro Soup, PB Cups, and Coldplay

Best Activity

Social Media Detox: On Sunday night I deleted twitter and Instagram from my phone, to ensure that I spent the week social media free, I asked Tiff to change my passwords. I was locked out. The result was a Sunday through Friday morning social media freeze. I have to be honest, it was glorious. I was finding myself getting lost in the crappy parts of twitter more recently. Instagram is just a time suck. It’s the place I go when I have a few minutes or if I’m bored. This weekly freeze is something I’m going to continue to do. I feel better; I was more productive, and I honestly didn’t miss it all that much. There was a muscle memory that I noticed the first day: I’d open up my phone and my thumb would hover over the spot that Instagram used to live. After a day, that habit disappeared. I highly recommend forcing yourself to take a similar type of break from social media.

Best Watch

Daybreak: This new Netflix show is a fun watch. It’s set in post-nuclear-bomb, apocalyptic Los Angeles, but the kids all survived and the adults were turned into zombie-like monsters. Just like high school, the kids have formed cliques (the jocks, the nerds, the outcasts, etc…), controlling different parts of the city and fighting with each other. The show follows “tweener” Josh, who was new in town before the bomb hit. He’s handsome, he’s “weird” (he’s really not, though), he’s a Canadian survivalist, and he has to find the love of his life: Sam Dean. The show is over the top, and, like many of these Netflix shows, targets kids; however, the language and general themes of the show are pretty mature. Maybe that’s an old guy take, but it’s not a show that I’d want a middle school kid to watch. If you’re older than a middle schooler, check out Daybreak (if you’re a middle schooler, I’m not sure how you found your way here, but welcome!).

Matthew Broderick plays the dull headmaster. Ah, Nostalgia.

“Take Us Home”: Leeds United has crashed into my conscious this past week due to my podcast with Both. We researched Leeds United for our latest episode, (coming next week), and the club has captured my attention. Between reading The Damned Utd. and watching this show, I have enjoyed learning about Leeds. “Take Us Home” is a docu-series following the club’s 2018/19 campaign as they rise from near financial ruin to fighting for promotion to the Premier League.

Best Read

The Damned Utd: I wrote about this book on my Book Club page. It’s a great book about 1960s and 1970s soccer, and Leeds United more specifically. Here’s the link to my longer thoughts.

Seeing Red. Boston’s Traffic Problem: Now that I’m working from home, the time I spend in a car has dipped dramatically. It’s glorious and many times when I do have to drive, getting back into the city is maddening. Charlestown is basically an island with three ways to get into it. With a casino on one side (and a horrible rotary), it can take a long time to get home. Wanna go 2 miles during rush hour? Better set aside an hour, pop some blood pressure meds, and download a good podcast (or just walk and skip the blood pressure meds… it’s probably faster to walk).

Best Listen

Everyday life by Coldplay: Ok, so I have to be honest. I am tossing this your way without having listened to it yet. It was just released this morning and my headphones are dead; I’m not super keen on trying to play it on my laptop while sitting in a coffeeshop. Some people might, I am not one of them. But considering I’m in a bit of a music/podcast groove, I don’t have much new to share. Oh… except for…

The Daily: This shortish podcast gives you one important story of the day. During this week, it was a great way to check in on the Impeachment hearings, especially considering I did'n’t have Twitter to scroll through. Beyond the hearings, this is a good one to listen to every day.

Best Eat

Trader Joe’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups: We rarely shop at Trader Joe’s, but when we do, there’s always a few standout snacks that we find. Tiff went this weekend and found these little delights. They come in a small bucket, they’re bite-size, they’re delicious. It’s a miracle we still have some left, that’s probably because they’re in a cabinet, not sitting on the counter ready to be raided every time I enter the kitchen.

Tuscan Farro Soup: I made this on Monday, and it was super easy to make (read: limited chopping and a lot of “dump and simmer”). It lasted us most of the week. Hot tip: add some Wegmans Parmesan Garlic Bread as an accompaniment.

Best Drink

Wine Tasting: This could have gone up in the best activity section. On Saturday, Tiff and I went down to a wine shop in Boston called The Urban Grape. They had a pretty serious wine tasting, which was focused on Thanksgiving dinner wines. They had three tables with five wines each (from different distributors) and then one table with liquor. I’m not a big wine person, I like it; I don’t really have a grasp on all the nuances though. I do know I should swirl and smell before drinking, that’s about it.

Best Plugs

The Random Division: In our third episode about the this decade, Tiff and I talked about fashion. From Athleisure to hombres, nothing was off limits. We’d love if you followed the podcast on whatever pod app you use (and write us a review if your an iTunes person) We’re also on Instagram if you wanna follow us there, too. We’d love to hear from you on IG or in our email: TheRandomDivisionPod@gmail.com

The AFC East sucks at football: I crunched some numbers in the NFL from the last 16 seasons. The AFC East deserves a lot of the criticism it gets for allowing the Patriots to dominate for nearly two decades.

The Imperfect Game: I can’t speak highly enough about these deep dive pods I’m doing with Both Long. We have a Leeds United episode on the way, but if you haven’t listen to the other two pods we’ve done about Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United, check them out.

Friday Faves 11/15: Marathon, Pastries, Slow Burn(out), and movies

BEST ACTIVITY

Marathon: If you’re thinking, Sean had a pretty awful week if running for almost four hours was his best activity, you’re wrong. On Sunday morning, Tiff and I drove up to Manchester, NH so I could torture myself. The morning was wonderfully brisk, a perfect temperature for a marathon (sneaky challenge when running a marathon is how to dress for the day. It can be maddening.). Having experienced a marathon like Chicago as a runner, and New York as a spectator, the value of being able to park near the start (and finish) line and just go run as invaluable. I will never forget the lonely, pained walk from the finish line of the Chicago marathon to our “meeting point.” I was dehydrated and didn’t realize it. The meeting spot Tiff and I decided on was probably a mile from the finish line, I think it took me 45 minutes to get there, which included a 10 minute rest in the grass with an ice pack on my head staring at the sky wishing it would stop spinning and trying to cool down. I remember stumbling down the street and being stopped by a homeless gentleman selling newspapers. He said to me, “Can you help me out.” I was so exhausted and, frankly, sick, that all I could muster up was a curt, “I just ran the marathon. I can barely help myself.”

Alright, back to Manchester. The course wasn’t great. There were long, lonely stretches through some barren spots in the city. The most satanic portion of the course was when I ran past the finish line at mile 24, only to run out a mile and then back to the finish line. Just an awful way to finish a marathon, the temptation to just make a u-turn and cross the line was there, trust me. However, I was grateful that miles 17-21 were on a trail because my knees were howling. I found the pacer for my goal time and tried to stick with him as long as I could. I settled in behind him and another runner named Peter. The pacer’s name was Ryan. He glided along for 26.2 miles, chatting away at Peter, a first time marathoner. Ryan was out for a Sunday jog — saying “Good Morning” to every single volunteer and thanking them for helping out — while Peter and I trudged along. I figured I’d struggle to keep up with Peter and Ryan at some point around mile 20, but I just put my head down and watched Ryan’s feet and tried to match his cadence as best I could, one mile at a time. I stuck with him and I managed, after losing him during the last mile, to catch him in the final dash to the finish line. I thanked him and he was genuinely excited for me to finish.

Every marathon comes with a bit of learning. This one reinforced something that I had already known: find someone who is better than you and try to keep up. This has always been true in golf, I love playing with people better than me (although my wallet doesn’t always love it...). You can learn so much. On Sunday in Manchester, Ryan, who could have run the race in under three hours if he wasn’t volunteering as a pacer, made me run my fastest marathon.

So yes, I could barely walk on Monday and Tuesday (the balcony at TDGarden was NOT fun). But it was still the best activity of my week.

The final steps with my running buddy for the day, “Ryan the Pacer.”

BEST LISTEN

Slow Burn: This podcast is in its third season, but I just found out about it. This Slate pod covers one news story per season. The first season is all about Watergate. The second season is about the Bill Clinton Impeachment (timely…). Naturally, the third season follows up with a deep dive into the Biggie-Tupac murders. I have just started season 1, but I’d recommend jumping in on any of them based on what people have said and also on what I’ve listened to so far.

BEST WATCH

BOOKSMART: This movie is splendid. It follows two academic overachievers, Amy and Molly, who decide to let loose the night before their high school graduation. Hi-jinx ensue, friendships crumble and are reborn, the weirdness of high school is on full display. Here’s the NSFW trailer…

Death of Dick Long: We watched TWO movies this week, like we’re Baby Boomers or something! This movie is about a death in a small Alabama town. It pokes fun at stereotypes, has a hilarious soundtrack, and the acting is very good. It’s like watching how people would try to cover up a death in real life: stupid choices, strange coincidences, and a lot of cringe. Here’s the trailer.

BEST READ

Witch Elm: Tana French is probably one of my favorite authors. Aside from JK Rowling, I imagine I’ve read more books by her than any other author. This week I finished her latest book, Witch Elm, which is about Toby Hennessy and his run of bad luck. French’s Dublin Murder Squad books are exceptional and were just turned in a STARZ series that just debuted on Sunday. Witch Elm is the first book I’ve read by Tana French that isn’t part of the Murder Squad Series. I wrote about Witch Elm in in my Book Club… here’s the link.

The Burnout Generation: I’m not sure how I went nearly 11 months without this essay finding me, but it did this week. The essay discussed the burnout that Millennials are feeling and dives into why it might be the case. It’s long, it’s well-written, and it’s thought-provoking. A worthwhile read this weekend as you avoid all the chores you should be doing....

BEST EAT

Pumpkin Turnover: There’s a spot in Cambridge called Sofra Bakery that makes delicious food. This week I had a school visit down near Sofra and decided to make a little detour for lunch (I had the spinach stuffed flatbread). I perused the bakery case for a treat to bring home. The pumpkin turnover was calling my name. It was an amazing pastry filled perfectly (Paul Hollywood would have been proud) with a pumpkin apple filling. It’s one of those things that makes you curse your former self for not buying two of them.

BEST DRINK

Mighty Squirrel’s Cloud Candy: I very good IPA. It doesn’t quite fit into the cold season vibes that you might be looking for. But if you pump up your heat and are looking for an, “I’m on deck after a long day and would like a beer to break this summer humidity” then this one might be for you. It’s on the sweeter side. I’m also a sucker for the name of the brewery, as we have a squirrel we’ve named “Ralph” that chills out on our deck (and attempts to turn our grill-cover an acorn hideaway).

BEST PLUGS

Soccer Podcasts: Two more this week… Both and I talking about last weekend’s soccer in the Premier League, especially the Liverpool v. Manchester City Game. Our other pod is a deep dive into West Ham United’s club history.

Time Capsule: In episode 2 of our “of the decade” series, Tiff and I talk about technology of the last decade and the effects it has had on our lives.

It would be swell if you told your friends to check out these pods, and it would be sweller if you followed/subscribed on whatever podcast-listening-tool you use!

Finally… sign up for the newsletter to get all my writing from the week sent to your inbox every Friday.

Friday Faves 11/8: French Onion Mac and Cheese, Derry Girls, Scary Pods, and Cover Songs

Best Activity

Seeing Friends: For the first time since June, I returned to the school where I used to work. I had promised myself I’d go to watch the boys soccer team play before the season ended. I spent an hour or so before the game wandering the halls and saying hello to everyone. It was great, and it gave me a sense of why I left, but also why I miss it. There’s no replacing the energy of a school. 400+ people buzzing around before 8:00am, ready to seize the day (or just survive it…). It turned out there were four home games that day, so there was a bunch of activity on the fields, which was great. It was one of those picturesque days that admissions directors dream of putting in a brochure. Low fall sun, packed sidelines, competition, smiling faces.

Part of the reason I walked away from teaching, or at least being in a school, was my role as Dean of Students. I have told people that being a Dean of Students has the same life span as an NFL running back. You get beat up for 3-5 years and look for something else to do (and the ones that do it longer should be in a Hall of Fame someone). When I started working with kids at summer camp in high school, it just came naturally. I got along with kids (maybe it was the match in maturity-level…). When I started teaching, I felt the same way. Once I became Dean of Students, I transformed into the Grimm Reaper, I was asked more times than I’d like to admit, “Am I in trouble?” It sapped my energy, I couldn’t just talk to a kid about last night’s NBA games or the Patriots win or their essay. There was a constant static between me and the kids. That’s no one’s fault, it’s just how it was.

I was glad to return without the static. I was also glad to return and see the plethora of really great colleagues I had over the years. It’s the thing that everyone misses the most when they leave. I don’t think there are many places with such a close-knit, positive, fun group of teachers. It definitely filled my bucket getting back and seeing them on Wednesday.

Going back was fun, and it gave be a sense of what I missed and didn’t miss about being in a school environment. My new existence is a much quieter one. There’s more time to think, less reacting and putting out fires. I have to work a lot harder to get my 10,000 steps in without a going for a run. I have to work a lot harder to get that human contact. Maybe that’s part of the reason I like starting my day in a coffee shop, it feels the same as a hallway in the morning. The promise of the day bubbling up in everyone, the coming and going. The excitement.

On top of that, last Saturday, we had our annual “Friendsgiving” which started when we all found women that were organized enough to organize us. It is so hard to get a bunch of us together, and this afternoon is one of only a few where the majority of us can hang out. I miss the days when we could walk down the hall (or even just hop on the T) to hang out for a day or weekend. We do a potluck and all catch up with one another. I believe there are “High School people” or “College people” when it comes to friends we keep. I am, for the most part, a college person. My high school friends scattered and I’ve found that even after my Holy Cross group has scatted, we have stayed in touch through email chains and gatherings like this one.

Best Read

Dopamine Fasting (NYTimes): The world is full of stimuli. Just like with a drug, our body craves more dopamine over time. Our bodies become unimpressed with the dopamine hit a 10 likes on instagram gives us, so we chase 20 likes. There are \some guys in Silicon Valley who have started dopamine fasting, making an effort to limit stimuli for a day. They think this lack of stimuli resets (or at least helps) how their body reacts to dopamine. This helps them appreciate the little things again. No screen time, no human contact, no music. Nothing that might spike those dopamine levels. While it’s kinda whacky, I think it’s also interesting.

Best Listen

Knifepoint Horror: This narrative podcast will give you the creeps, so if you like that kind of thing, give this podcast a listen. The most recent episode called, “Three for Halloween” starts with a creepy tale that’s about 8 minutes long. If you like it, keep listening. If not, at least you tried.

Fake Plastic Trees by Tramples by Turtles: This Radiohead cover came across my Spotify discover playlist. Trampled by Turtles is a great band, and this cover is excellent.

Best Watch

Derry Girls: I’m not sure how this show hasn’t been on Friday Faves before. It’s an Irish comedy set in 1990s Derry (or Londonderry, depending on what side you’re on…). The show follows a group of teenagers who continuously find themselves in trouble with school, their parents, and various religious leaders. It has an incredible sound track taps into the great Irish music of the time, particularly Ace of Base and The Cranberries. I’d recommend watching it with subtitles… it’s tough to follow sometimes between the speed they speak and the slang.

Chelsea v. Ajax: This game was incredible. I found myself standing in my living room for the last 25 minutes as Ajax held on for dear life with 9 men against Chelsea’s 11 men in London.

Best Eat

French Onion Mac and Cheese: This NYTimes food recipe was our contribution to “Friendsgiving.” This is a baked mac and cheese, however, the recipe adds onions and the classic French Onion gruyere cheese along with slices of bread on top, just like the soup. It was delicious. Buy the cheese grated, it makes life a lot easier.

Best Drink

Nuun: I’m running a marathon on Sunday, so I’ve been trying to drink as much water as possible. Last year, we discovered Nuun tablets, which turn water into a flavorful beverage packed with even more nutrients. They have a ton of flavors and they also have a different purposes. You can purchase ones with caffeine or ones that offer more vitamins. They are low (or zero) calories and aren’t gross and sugary. They’re perfect in that first glass of water in the morning or if you’re looking for a little pick me up in the afternoon but can’t bear to walk into a holiday adorned Starbucks for a cup of coffee. They come in a great little case that you can stick in a bag and bring with you!

Best Plugs (my stuff from the week)

It’s too early for Holiday decorations, right?: I wrote this post early this week, and on Thursday when I walked into Starbucks I felt validated AF. It was like the place was visited by elves. The typically black menus were replaced with bright red ones, advertising peppermint mocha and and gingerbread lattes. The bakery case had a gingerbread load; I guess the pumpkin loaf had to skip town. Strands of lights lined the menus and I had to drink my coffee from a holiday cup. This all came after I left my wife on the couch watching a Hallmark Christmas movie to start her day.

Soccer Podcasts: Both and I spoke for about 90 minutes this week about soccer. I broke it into two different podcasts. First, a 30 minute podcast that covers the current events in English soccer. Second, Both and I did some research on Wolverhampton Wanderers and reported back our findings. I looked at the long history of the club and Both dove into the club’s present day management and how they have turned into a solid, effective English club that’s found it’s way back into European football. This was a blast to record and we’re planning on doing a bunch more of these so we can learn about various clubs in England.

Digital Time Capsule: The Random Division is back with Season 2! Tiff and I will be releasing an episode every Friday between now and January breaking down the world of pop-culture over the past decade. In the first episode we talk about TV and rank our five favorite shows of the decade. Please subscribe or follow on your podcast apps.

Link to The Random Division on Spotify

Or just sign up for the newsletter every Friday…

What's Really Behind The (Way too) Early Start of the Holiday Season?

It’s hard to believe, but it’s happening. Reds and greens are starting to infiltrate our color palette just a little bit more, candles dot neighborhood windows, parents are dusting off their elves for some shelves, cars are wrapped in big red bows, companies are rolling out new seasonal flavors, leaving pumpkin behind because, after all, pumpkin is sooo August.

It’s November 5.

On Facebook this weekend an article started dotting my newsfeed that stated the act of putting up holiday decorations makes us happier. It was backed by science. Well, duh. We are built to anticipate fun events; it’s called synthesized happiness, and it can play tricks on us. It can often make us think experiences will be better or worse than they actually are. The experience of looking forward to something exciting can help us deal with tough times. Just ask anyone who has clicked “submit payment” for a flight to Florida as you’re hunkered down during a January snow storm.

Personally, I don’t need the immediate rush of early November gingerbread lattes or holiday music on the radio or cheesy movies on Lifetime. There’s a time and place for that, and it lives in December between Thanksgiving and Christmas (bah humbug!).

This desire for more holiday cheer has bled into other parts of the year. Last week, everyone in the world posted pictures of themselves, their children, and their dogs in Halloween costumes. Not just on Halloween, no no, that wouldn’t be enough. The weekend before, the day before, and the weekend after are now all fair game for Halloween costumes and trick-or-treating. Schools have parades and kids have multiple costumes. Towns have different nights for trick-or-treating, allowing people to spend more than one night collecting candy.

At this point, you could go from October 1 to January 1 celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas (or Hanukkah), and the New Year without a single day off. That’s three months, which is all followed by the long, cold, dark months of January and February, when everyone takes an inventory of their lives and resolves to eat better, exercise more, sleep longer, and tweet less.

After working through my “back in my day we celebrated Christmas for six minutes, uphill both ways!” I wondered why this is all happening. One easy answer is that the corporations inundate us with marketing that makes us want to be festive and show it off (all those “likes” on IG for that epic costume or light show or tree-cutting adventure is quite the motivator). Another answer is that it’s a ton of fun, and in this day and age the more fun the better. Aren’t we all just immune to those small doses of dopamine anyways, now that we carry those little slot-machines in our pocket 24/7? Why should we have to wait? Why can’t I go from trick-or-treating to Christmas-list-making in the blink of a night? After all, the rest of the year sucks and we just had daylight savings end on Sunday, so the evenings drag on forever. It’s dark, it’s cold, so what’s wrong with passing the next eight weeks watching Love Actually on repeat (this might be a tradition I could get behind…)?

Honestly, there’s nothing wrong with it. It you want to do it, swell. Knock yourself out.

But I’d posit that a big reason for all this festiveness is the ease at which it distracts us from everything else that’s going on in our world. It pokes at our nostalgia nerve and allows parents to make their kids happy, which in turn makes parents happy. It provides parents with a big carrot at the end of the stick. Imagine Halloween ruling a kids’ behavior for a whole month (you can’t go trick-or-treating if…), and then suddenly Hanukkah or Christmas is coming (you better watch out…).

This all seems like the perfect foil for any sort of mindfulness. We’re constantly looking ahead; we need to grab the holidays by the horns and shake every ounce out of it because on the actual day we fear it will fall flat of what we hoped. We might get in a political debate or our siblings might be bickering or we might have to be reminded of a lost loved one. That’s not what the holidays are about (or is that exactly what the holidays are about?). The holidays are now about the build up to the holidays. The build up has grown longer and longer and more and more expensive.

I am writing this on the first Tuesday of November, 2019. In one year’s time, millions will be voting for the next president. There are going to be a lot of moments where we want to run and hide during 2020. We will be faced with nasty, negative rhetoric that will continue to seep into the culture. We’ll most likely have to deal with violence and debates around guns and immigration and hate (how badly are you jonesing for a holiday cookie right now?). That’s going to make people want to escape more than ever, our entire country will be experiencing the Fight or Flight phenomenon at once.

Yes, I’ve managed to mix holidays and the upcoming election (and the current tension in the country). I do think they are connected: dress up as something else for a night, surround yourself with festive lights and decorations, listen to holiday songs, and eat holiday treats.

It’s all about escape to a different time and different place. If that’s what people need to survive and maintain sanity, I guess we’ve got bigger problems than blow up snowmen on the lawn, reindeer on the roof, and Mariah Carey wanting us for Christmas.

Friday Faves: 11/1: Dinner at home, Hot Sauce, Pinegrove, and Pammy's

Best Activity:

Celebrating a big birthday: This past Saturday we celebrated my mom’s birthday. It was a big one and we decided to do something different. We had a chef come to my mom’s house and cook dinner for nine of us. It was an insane five-course meal, soup, salad, app, entree, and dessert. Usually when the whole family gets together my mom is cooking us dinner, no matter how many times we ask, “What can bring?” “Can we pick something up on the way over?” The answer is always, “No, I think we’re all set.”

It was worth every penny to watch my mom just get to hang out on Saturday with the rest of us, watching college football, talking, joking around. Usually she’s in the kitchen whipping up something delicious.

If you’re ever looking for a break from the “let’s go out for a nice dinner” routine for birthdays or special occasions, I can’t recommend hiring a chef enough. We used Bistro-at-Home. Chef Ryan is a magician in the kitchen. He brought everything he needed (pots, pans, silverware, dish ware, cutlery… every. thing.). When he left, the kitchen was spotless. Our overstuffed bellies were the only evidence of his visit. Ryan had an assistant who delivered each course to us, so it really was like we were eating in a restaurant.

Best Watch:

Hot Ones: This Youtube show has been around for a while (200 episodes!). The concept is simple: hot sauce, wings, questions, and celebrities. Sean Evans is the mastermind of this show. Over the course of 25 minutes, Sean and the celebrity eat 10 wings (the wings are of their choosing… vegans are welcome…). Each wing is dapped with hot sauce, each wing gets a little bit hotter. While it’s entertaining watching people struggle through ridiculously hot sauces, the questions Sean asks are superb. They’re thoughtful and catch the celebrity off-guard, particularly as the hot sauce heats up. It’s like a truth serum. The Paul Rudd episode was my first introduction to the show… so watch it below if you’d like… beware, it’s a deep rabbit hole…

The Witch: I’ve decided the more people I watch a scary movie with, the less scary it is. On Saturday, four of us watched The Witch, a New England Folktale about a family banished from their village. They moved to the edge of the woods which are haunted by a witch. The movie is set in the Salem Witch Trial era, it’s beautifully shot, it scratched the Halloween itch we all had. My brother and his girlfriend were watching it for the second time, and they said they enjoyed it more the second time around.

Best Listen:

Ryen Russillo’s Monday Podcast: If you’re an NFL fan, this is an excellent, honest, and interesting weekly review of the weekend’s game. Former NFL player Chris Long joins Ryen. Long is open and shares great stories every week about his life in the NFL. The two guys have been friends for a while, so their chemistry is great.

Skylight by Pinegrove: Pinegrove is a band I forgot about for a while. They returned to my radar this week when Phoebe Bridges’ album ended and Spotify started playing whatever the heck it wanted. The song “Rings” is what caught my attention. If you’re looking for a solid, low-key band that writes interesting songs with a leader singer who has a distinct voice, then these guys are for you.

Best Read:

Kyrie, KD, and the Nets Culture: I am thoroughly enjoying the start of the Brooklyn Nets season. Kyrie Irving is scoring a bunch of points and the Nets are allowing even more, leading to a 1-3 start. It’s magical and this ESPN article came out four months earlier than I expected. Kyrie was always gonna be weird, but he blasted through that first date/honeymoon phase to stealing-your-email-password crazy real fast.

Best Eat:

Everything Ryan Cyr cooked for my mom’s birthday: Golly, this was delicious. Here’s what we had on our menu (which was selected from a myriad of choices on his fall/winter menus):

Hard Cider Pumpkin Bisque (10/10), Wedge Salad (7.5/10), Scallops with risotto (8.5/10), Filet mignon (13/10) OR herb encrusted chicken (9.5/10), and tangerine creme brulee (9/10).

Bolognese at Pammy’s: My sister is working in Boston this week. She’s allowed to expense her food. So we went to Pammy’s in Cambridge, which is an incredible restaurant. We sat at the bar because you can’t go to Pammy’s on a whim, you have to plan weeks in advance and make a reservation, even on a Tuesday. Their menu is small and rotates weekly. Some items are staples, the “Lumache” is one of them. It’s a bolognese that includes a hint of Gochujang, adding a bit of spice. The bar scene at Pammy’s is great, the bartenders are very nice, they whip up delicious cocktails. Tiff got some crazy fall spice type old fashioned.

After Saturday and Tuesday, I might have gained 10 pounds… it’s a good thing I’m running a marathon in 10 days…

Best Drink:

Homemade Grapefruit Shandy: Buying beers for a group of people is tough. I went super basic and bought a Sam Adams mixer: Octoberfest, a sour beer, and Sam ‘76. We added some grapefruit juice to the Sam Adams sour to make a little shandy. It was really good, and an excellent brunch drink if you aren’t a bloody mary or mimosa person.

Best Plugs:

Read my Atomic Habits Book Club post here.

Read “The Unintended Quiet of Playing a Vinyl Record” here.

Read my quick thoughts on the Celtics-Bucks game from Wednesday night here.

Listen to Both Long and I talk about Arsenal’s captainship problem and the power dynamics in English football clubs on Spotify here. Or on apple podcasts here. Please follow, subscribe, rate, and review!

The Unintended Quiet of Playing A Vinyl Record

Our record player sits in plain sight next to our TV. It rests quietly as we play music or podcasts through Spotify on wireless speakers. It is, mainly, a conversation piece, getting played every now and then when I’m tired of the same old stuff on my streaming service or I can’t watch any more TV or I’d just like to sit and listen while I read.

The funny thing about so many of my listening habits now-a-days is the bottomless pit of sounds we can access and the ease at which they can continue to play. I sat in a coffeeshop this morning, typing away with a piano “focus mix” ringing through my ears. It was delightful. It dulled the bustle of the coffeeshop, but still allowed me to be present in that space. I could still hear baristas calling out the names of customers ( I’m blown away by the amount of Seans in Charlestown. I probably shouldn’t be, huh?). When I deemed my work done, or my time up given all I bought was a hot coffee, I closed my laptop, shoved it in my bag, and wandered down the road back home. All the while, artists tickled the ivories in my ears. I barely noticed they were there, but the music continued. If I wanted, I could have bathed in piano noise all day without ever having to even think about making a choice. Spotify would make the choices for me.

This feels like the sonic equivalent of scrolling through the endless feeds of Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. I pull out my phone in public as a reflex when I am alone and I’m trying to distract from being alone. My wife goes to the restroom and my thoughts go to “what’s happening everywhere else.” It’s a knee-jerk reaction. There’s a game on and I want to check the scores. I posted something I want to see if people reacted to it (they probably didn’t…). Did someone text me?

When I push that impulse aside and just sit, I feel ridiculous, but that’s fine. It’s how we’re supposed to feel surrounded by strangers in public, right?. I’m self conscious so I assume someone is nitpicking something I’m doing. Am I eating in a weird way? Probably. Am I looking at the TVs too intensely? Most likely.

Last evening I was home alone, Tiff was off at a work thing (that’s what we all call them right? “Work Things.”) and I had grown tired of looking at my computer and my phone. Even the process of finding something to listen to has turned into a Netflix-ian task, scrolling and searching for that perfect thing to watch. I decided it was time to use the record player. I sifted through my choices (my beautiful, limited, personally procured choices!) and went with Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. It was an Irish kind of night, misty and the air seemed to have grown its teeth for the upcoming winter. In continuing with the Irish theme, I opened up my newest book, The Witch Elm by Tana French (she’s Irish…). I sat on the couch and started reading, Van Morrison in the background, replacing the pianos from earlier.

As I was sucked into the first pages of The Witch Elm, the music faded away, just a low hum. I’d venture to say the feeling of getting lost in social media is the 3rd cousin of getting lost in a book. I felt warm and relaxed, it was splendid. It struck me after a while that the apartment was completely silent. No Van Morrison through the speakers anymore, the first side of the record was done and the needle had retreated to its home. There was no “Van Morrison radio” to continue the tunes. If I wanted more music, I had to get off my butt and flip the record. I thought about it and decided to sit in the silence and continue reading.

That accidental silence made me realize how much sound I have in my life and how easy it is to fall into the trap of constantly listening to things over the course of a day. The peace and quiet that came between the two sides of Astral Weeks was, in some respects, part of the album itself. It creates a break in the action, and as the listener, we can decide how long we want that silence to last. If you’re dialed into the album and listening intently, you might change it immediately. If you’ve found yourself invested in something else, you might accidentally enjoy the unintended quiet that exists between those two sides of a record.

My experience with Van Morrison might begin to make our TV a tad jealous, as it sits blankly next to that old fashioned tool that offers two options: music or silence.

Friday Faves: Atomic Habits, Big Mouth, Breakfast, and Music Nostalgia

Best Activity

Crumpin Fox: This golf course had lived on my Massachusetts bucket list for quite a while. On Thursday, with the weather looking dynamite, I made a tee time and took the two-hour drive out to Bernardston for a round of golf. I am glad I did. The foliage was on its last legs, but the golf course was a lot of fun. I was paired up with Jeff and Matt, who were two friends taking advantage of a presentation at UMASS-Amherst as an excuse to play some golf before heading home. Jeff and Matt were good guys to play with. They were fun, didn’t talk to much, and didn’t sweat the small stuff. Inadvertently, I didn’t realize that today was parent conferences at my old job. It felt pretty sweet to be enjoying one of the last wonderful days of the fall instead of peering longingly out a window as the sun sets.

Rhode Island: For Tiff’s birthday, we spent the weekend in Narragansett, a sleepy town about 8 miles from Newport (as the crow flies, NOT as the car drives….). We stayed in, undoubtedly, a haunted inn along the water. The inn had an interesting background, especially as a speakeasy during prohibition.

We had two good dinners in Narragansett (TRIO and Coast Guard House) and spent Saturday in Newport (see: Best Eat). We stumbled upon the Seafood Festival and also did some celebrity seeking (not really) because Jennifer Lawrence was getting married in one of the mansions. Newport in October is pretty swell. It’s a little quieter, the weather is still great. We perused a flea market, walked Thames Street and window shopped, had a couple outdoor beers, and listened to some live music.

Best Watch

Big Mouth: This pubescent cartoon is one of the greatest things on Netflix, dare I say on all of TV. I am not a cartoon person, at all. I’ve never really watched The Simpsons or South Park. We were drawn to it initially because two of our favorites, Nick Kroll and (especially) John Mullaney voice a large number of characters in Big Mouth. The show is about middle school and borders on the vile and disgusting at times. If you don’t notice a sex joke every 9 seconds, then you missed one. Hormone monsters, shame wizards, pillow girlfriends, and jealous cell phones send the characters on insane, ridiculous adventures. Having experienced life in middle school for 13 years as a teacher, there’s a lot in here that I imagine strikes a cord with them. The nostalgic exists in here for the older folk, while the younger viewer can relate to a lot of the modern day problems.

Give it a watch and then decide who would have voiced your hormone monster.

Best Listen

Continuum by John Mayer: Last week, while visiting friends in Hoboken, we started talking about John Mayer. My friend, Dean, loves John Mayer, maybe a little bit more than is comfortable. He’s seen Mayer in concert numerous times and we got to talking about his albums. Dean believes, deep down, without a shadow of a doubt, that Continuum is Mayer’s best album. I scoffed. Room For Squares was always my favorite, probably because it wasn’t tied to any big expectation like his other albums. I listened to Continuum this week, and I really enjoyed it. It was a great reminder of my anticipation at the album coming out in the first place, songs like “Waiting on the World to Change” left me disappointed the first time around, and, frankly , it did when I listened this week. However, if you skipped track one and started the album with “I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You)” you might find yourself not skipping a single song, the stretch of “Vultures” “Stop This Train” and “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” is my favorite.

Viva La Vida by Coldplay: We’ve all seen the 40 Year Old Virgin scene, but I don’t care, I love Coldplay. I have seen them in concert more than any band outside of PigPen Theatre Co. This past week I decided to listen to Coldplay from soup to nuts while I wrote. Golly, Parachutes, A Rush of Blood to the Head, and Viva La Vida were great (X&Y has some great songs, but just doesn’t fit into the top 3 albums from Coldplay). Viva La Vida is just excellent. “Lovers in Japan” “Viva La Vida” and “Strawberry Swing” are my favorites, but I just really enjoyed going back and listening to this album.

Best Read

Atomic Habits by James Clear: After finishing Range last month, my friend Paul asked if I had read Atomic Habits. I hadn’t, and he urged me to read it. When the book arrived, I started in on it right away. The book sucked me in right away with a nail biting anecdote (Hi, I’m Sean and I bite my nails… and my cuticles, and kind of my skin, too) I have found myself snapping pictures of passages in the book to send to friends, particularly my teacher friends. The book immediately made me change how I think about a lot of things I do and how I do them. From writing every day to how I use the “snooze” button on my alarm to making the bed in the morning to how I avoid social media and my phone, the ideas are laid out in simple terms and each chapter has a summary at the end with bullet points, which I will surely return to in the future for refreshers. If you want a hint at what James Clear is like, check out his website.

Best Eat

Irish Egg Burrito: Cru Cafe is a spot we visited in Newport this past weekend. It was a delightful discovery just behind the Tennis Hall of Fame. This burrito filled me up for most of the day. It was heavy enough to replace a medicine ball (but more delicious, for sure). It was stuffed with eggs, Irish sausage (not that shriveled up American garbage), home fries, and (drum roll, please…) corned beef. Was it too much? Yeah probably. Was it the perfect breakfast following a 20 mile run to kick off a weekend escape? Absolutely.

Cru Cafe as a whole was a great experience. Tiff ordered the Newport Benedict, which included crab cakes. Their menu has all the breakfast things and cool specials (like the two items we ordered). We also shared a apple cranberry hand pie, which was a great little late afternoon snack after walking the streets of Newport and checking out Seafood Fest down on the pier.

Breakfast Sandwich at Crumpin Fox: Sausage, egg, and cheese would be delicious if it was served on the trunk of a tree. However, the sandwich at Crumpin Fox is instead served on a potato hamburger bun, wrapped in foil, ready for the walk to the first tee. It wasn’t messy, it wasn’t too hot, it was just perfect. I’m not sure why we get so bogged down in English muffins and bagels for our breakfast sandwiches (burritos and tacos have a different, and very special place in my heart). I have decided that a hamburger roll, potato bread of course, is the best way to deliver egg, cheese, and your choice of protein.

Best Drink

Awake by Night Shift: Just a solid coffee porter. It’s just about this time of year when the beers get a bit darker (I have found myself ordering more Guinness as of late too.). I particularly like this one because it isn’t too high on the ABV%. This past weekend, Tiff was looking for one in the fridge, but I drank the last one. She was bummed and said she was craving an iced coffee, but didn’t want the caffeine. If that isn’t a ringing endorsement, I don’t know what is.

How was your week? Toss some of your favorites in the comment section.

Friday Faves 10/18: Hot Apple Cider, Spy, Romulus and Remus, Grilled Cheese

Best Activity

A quick New York road trip: Last week, Tiff was working in NYC on Thursday and Friday. She took the train down and I followed her on Friday in my car. On Friday afternoon, I met my buddy Dean at Bethpage State Park for a round of golf at their Red Course. We stood on the first tee, bracing against an insanely strong wind, and I was having my doubts if we were going to have any fun. I was wrong, it was a blast. The wind howled most of the day, but the golf course was perfect for a windy day. Not too long (we didn’t play the tips…) and all the greens allowed for low punch shots because of yawning openings at the green.

We spent the night in Hoboken with Dean and his wife, Lindsay. Hoboken is a great city and combined with a sunny day, a delicious Cuban brunch, and a trip into Manhattan on Saturday night, it was a fun weekend (minus the extremely annoying Yankee fans screaming after each pitch).

Best Listen

The Road Taken: This is a new podcast from The Ringer featuring CT and Baio of Vampire Weekend. It’s really interesting. They have three episodes so far, and each one features a different artist. Right now they have Patrick Carney of the Black Keys, Winston Marshall of Mumford & Sons, and Laura Marling.

All Mirrors by Angel Olsen: Olsen is really great. Her sound is different, but also falls into the tangential world of pop. I have been listening to this album all the way through, no real skippable tunes on this one.

Phoebe Bridgers: You know when you’re listening to an album on Spotify and it wanders into the “radio” setting once the album is done? This is how I stumbled upon Bridgers. Her song “Smoke Signals” caught my attention a couple times this week when it came on due to the Spotify algorithm. Then a friend of mine tweeted about her. I decided to give her album Stranger in the Alps a listen, and I really enjoyed it. “Motion Sickness” is my favorite, which puts me in the majority. As I tend to do when I find new music, I asked my brother if he had heard of her, he said he had and then suggested her album Better Oblivion Community Center with Connor Oberst (of Bright Eyes fame).

I’d say both Bridgers and Olsen both fit into the fall/winter vibe. Slow, methodic, early sunset music.

Best Watch

Spy: It’s hard to believe that Sacha Baron Cohen is capable of playing a serious spy in the 1960s, but he pulls it off. The show has a great balance between those crazy spy scenes where a character is breaking into an office for confidential papers and real-life relationships. The tightrope that Cohen’s character, a spy in real life, had to walk is incredible.

Best Read

The Greek and Roman References in Succession: A Holy Cross professor wrote about the Greek and Roman references in HBO’s Succession. When we finished the season finale this week, we started looking a bit further into the Romulus and Remus story. There’s a whole lot of connections highlighted in this piece.

A Course Called Ireland: I wrote about this book last week here, but then added it to my book club section this week. Here’s the link to read more…

Best Eat

Grilled Cheese with Apple and Apple Butter: This was a perfect chilly evening dinner this week. It was super simple and we paired it with a tomato soup that Tiff made over the weekend. I look forward to being skilled enough to not smoke out the kitchen while trying to make grilled cheese in a skillet.

Best Drink

Warm Cider: Our furnace has been broken for the last three weeks, leaving our condo a tad chilly at night. Nothing a few blankets, hoodies, and thick socks can’t solve. Warm cider (bourbon optional) with a touch of cinnamon is another great solution to the cold night. I fired up my first cup last night, and, along with my first pumpkin spice latte (bae-sic) earlier this week, I rang in the fall season. It’s here.

Friday Faves 10/11: Sinclair, Stew, Chili, Ireland, Zodiac, and a Guest Writer

Best Activity

Golf for my dad: This Saturday a group of friends and family gathered for a round of golf to remember my dad. I wrote about it here…

Shaed at The Sinclair: Boston is not lacking for concert venues; however, most of them are rather flawed. My favorite place to see a concert is The Sinclair in Harvard Square. It’s a small spot, but they’ve had some cool acts come through over the years (it also has a delicious restaurant attached to it). It has the feel of a small House of Blues. It’s all general admission, with a simple balcony and very small bench seating. Drinks are affordable, especially compared to House of Blues or the TDGarden or anywhere else in Boston.

On Tuesday morning, Tiff texted me and asked if I wanted to see Shaed at the Sinclair that night. Tickets were cheap (18 bucks at the door) and she had just discovered them the pervious weekend. We decided to go and it was a lot of fun. The group is comprised of a lead singer, Chelsea Lee, and identical twins, Max and Spencer Ernst (one of which is married to Chelsea). Max and Spencer play bass, guitar, keyboard, electric drums, tambourine, and anything else that makes noise. Apparently they were all friends in middle school. Check out their pop sounds here. Trampoline is their big hit.

We caught the opener, Absofacto, for the last couple songs. They were pretty interesting, too.

Best Listen

WHOOP Podcast on Alcohol: #SoberOctober is sweeping the nation (I’d like to think I was ahead of the curve with Sober September…). WHOOP is a device that is built to track sleep and other stats and recovery. It’s popular with athletes and teams are using the tracker. This particular episode covers the effects of alcohol on our body, mainly our sleep and recovery.

MONSTER Zodiac: You thought we’d go a week without some horrible murderous podcast to listen to? I loved Atlanta Monster (which was also a major topic in Netflix’s Mindhunter). This Zodiac series is 15 episodes and covers the Zodiac murders that started in the 1960s. It’s really well done and it made me want to rewatch the movie Zodiac from 2008.

Bon Iver i,i: This album has been out for a while, but I just got around to listening to it this week, mainly at my brother’s urging. Bon Iver is playing TDGarden next week, and I am considering getting some last minute tickets. The album is right down the Bon Iver alley, atmospheric and playable all the way through. It fits in with the cold weather that is descending upon Boston this week. “iMi” and “Hey, Ma” are my two favorites after a few listens this week.

Best Read

A Course Called Ireland: A golf trip to Ireland is on most golfer’s wish list. Tom Coyne decided to take it a (crazy) step further. He decided to play all 40 seaside links courses in Ireland. However, he wanted to walk the roads of Ireland, almost like he was playing one huge golf course. The five month trip, where he walked to and from each course and B&B (no cars allowed at all), was insane. Due to his walks, he stumbled upon places he might not have seen if he was zipping around in a car. Coyne is an excellent, humorous, and humble writer. He brings Ireland to life and I enjoyed visiting it with him, especially the courses and towns that I have been to myself.

Best Watch

Gary Gulman HBO Special: I think the argument can be made that the northern corridor of I-93 in Massachusetts (and just over the border in NH) has created some of the best comedians over the last generation. Gary Gulman, born in Peabody, MA, is part of this cadre of hilarity. Gulman’s newest special tackles his struggles with what he calls “The Great Depresh.” He was buckled by depression four years ago and has just really foudn his way back to square, but it’s always a battle. The special is clever as it goes from classic stand-up to some interviews with Gulman’s mom and wife.

Best Eat

My mom’s Stew: It’s that time of year, warm rib-sticking food is back on the menu! This weekend, I was out at my mom’s house and she made stew. It was a staple of my childhood winters, we’d get home from church on a Saturday evening and have stew. My mom, in true Irish fashion, serves her stew with a side of potatoes. You know, just in case…

Homemade Skyline Chili: When you marry someone from southern Ohio, Skyline Chili is going to find you. Tiff made a batch this weekend for us. If you’re really looking for the authentic experience, eat it over spaghetti. Some claim it isn’t even chili because it has no beans. Those people are wrong.

Best Drink

Dram CBD Seltzer: (We have a guest writer! Here’s Tiff!) I’ve been drinking the Dram Apothecary Gingergrass CBD sparkling water nightly for over a week now, and have noticed a substantial difference in my quality of sleep. Dram describes these beverages as “cheerful and aromatic”, and I have to agree- I’m definitely more cheerful when I drink these.

I have no idea what “adaptogens” are, but I like whatever they’re doing. These do not make you sleepy, or really change your mood at all... they just somehow enable you to power through the BS (Editor’s Note: As far as I know I am not the BS…). Maybe it’s placebo and good marketing, or maybe there’s something to the mix of herbs and Colorado-grown Hemp CBD.”

Toss your favorites in the comment section.

Friday Faves 10/4: Sturgill Simpson, Maradona, Oatmeal, and Tea

Best Activity

Open Houses: I moved into my apartment in December of 2009. Over that decade (where did the time go?!?) I’ve dreamed of moving far away (this usually happens while I’m shoveling out my car or standing outside during a recess duty in subzero temps). This past Sunday, Tiff and I, along with another couple, decided to hit up some open houses in our neighborhood. While a move within our little neighborhood wouldn’t solve my seasonal depression, it is fun to wander through other homes to nitpick, oggle, and check out roof decks with the understanding that there’s no way, even with our four bank accounts, that we could afford them.

As the lone non-midwesterner in our group of Open House crashers, there is also the required comparison of house prices in Boston to Ohio or Michigan (We could buy a five bedroom on 35 acres for this much!). We left the second Open House last week and already promised to do it again soon.

Best Listen

Sturgill Simpson’s Sound and Fury: This album is unlike anything I’ve listened to in a very long time. It’s amazing. There are so many great songs and Simpson tries a bunch of new stuff on here, he sounds like The Black Keys (“Sing Along”) and then dips his toes into funk/disco (“A Good Look”) and then you’re listening to another song where he’s back to his country roots (the first ten seconds even has Alex Jones as a radio skims through stations). In the wrong hands, those sounds can just be distracting and annoying, luckily Simpson is the perfect guy to handle it. There’s also a Netflix special (or extended music video) to go along with the album.

Best Watch

Diego Maradona Documentary: I double dog dare you to watch the first four minutes of this new HBO documentary and decide to stop watching. Yes, it’s about soccer, but the story runs so much deeper. It tackles racism, drugs, sex, poverty, nationalism, regionalism (is that a thing?), loyalty, and fanaticism. I knew how incredible Maradona was in his prime, but I wasn’t old enough to really watch him. I only got to see the fallout of his drug abuse and then his brief return to the game as a manager.

The documentary is all old footage. No cut aways to talking head interviews; any interviews they do have are just voiced over the footage. The soundtrack is superb. If you think sports fans in America are insane, just watch the reactions Maradona gets in Naples, both as a Napoli superstar and as the Argentinian villain during World Cup ‘90 when he beats Italy (in Napoli’s stadium) in the semi-final. I’m getting goosebumps just writing about it…

Brian Phillips at The Ringer wrote a piece about Maradona that’s worth a read, too.

Tourist Sauce in Ireland: I’ve written about these guys before. They just released the first episode of their golf trip to Ireland.

Best Read

Range by David Epstein: I wrote about this book on Wednesday. You can read about it here. It’s an excellent, quick, thought-provoking read about generalists who tend to find their way to prominent roles due to their lack of specialization. It’s a book about having a wide range of perspective, both within individuals but also within groups of people, to solve problems creatively.

One anecdote that I didn’t write about in my Book Club post: In an experiment that Epstein found, the majority of people would not read an article that presented an opposing view of a personal opinion they held, even though they would have been paid to read the article.

If that doesn’t sum up where our country is right now, I’m not sure what does.

Best Eat

Oatmeal: On Thursday in Boston the high temperature did not exceed 60 degrees. This feels like the right temperature for a few things that people have jumped the gun on around here: vests, aggressive fleece, winter hats, and pumpkin flavored things (more on that in a moment). Oatmeal is one of those fall/winter breakfasts that I find myself really enjoying. Usually, it is a weekend affair; now that I am not running off to work with a cup of coffee and banana for breakfast, I have started to have oatmeal during the week as I settle into my morning work-from-home routine. A little brown sugar and cinnamon, along with a cut up banana (fruit flies be damned!) is a great way to start the day.

Noosa Pumpkin Yoghurt: During my trip to Wegman’s on Monday I stumbled upon this seasonal flavor and couldn’t turn it down. I was intrigued. I love Noosa Yoghurt anyway, so I didn’t feel like I was taking too big of a risk. This stuff is delicious, even though it is a little decadent. A couple spoonfuls is really all you need. Some creatives could find use for this delicious yogurt in some deserts or smoothies.

Best Drink

Tea: With Sober September over, I am left with a new habit that is dying hard, a cup of tea at the end of the night. This is one of those moments where I realize I am turning into my parents (My mom sticks three tea bags into her tea pot in the morning and just fills it up throughout the day, ultimately drinking hot water at the end of the night). The tea provides a good filler for my night time drinking (along with a Tim Tam or two…) instead of a whiskey (this is where I begin to sound and feel like an alcoholic.). It also helps me sleep, rather than the opposite.

At some point this winter a Hot Toddy will be on this blog, but until then, just the tea, please!

Best Plugs

The Random Division Pod: Tiff and I wrapped up the first season of our podcast by planning a Bachelor in Paradise dinner party. Our guests were picked from the cast of Bachelor in Paradise, and we whittled it down to 6 guests that we both agreed on. Season 2 on The Random Division will be a series of podcasts focusing on the past decade of pop culture and entertainment.

The Imperfect Game Pod: I had Matt P. on to talk about the upcoming NBA. We dive into how stars are covered and treated by the media, and then dive into some team talk. Blazer, Clippers, and Lakers take up most of our time.

Cleaning out my Kyrie Irving Closet: I watched and then reacted to Kyrie’s first press conference. Full disclosure, I reacted to it like a crazy 1980s Italian soccer fan…

Cleaning out my Kyrie Irving Closet.

Over the course of the last 18 years (half my life) I have been a spoiled sports fan. I root for Boston teams and have a fandom trophy case that’s bigger than yours. I am not entirely sure if my rooting intensity has waned with age or with winning. I love sports and watch a lot of them on TV and consume them online. However, loses don’t ruin my days (or weeks) and victories (and championships) don’t leave me euphoric. The Red Sox World Series last year was exciting, but didn’t move the needle for me like past wins did (and the 22 year old inside of me would hate me for it). Likewise, the Bruins game seven loss last year was not earth shattering. Both playoff rides were fun and it’s always great to have local water cooler talk.

While that above paragraph is true, there is one team in my life that does leave me frustrated enough to contemplate lodging my remote into my TV, nervous enough to pace my living room, and joyful enough to wake up my neighbors with a scream.

The Boston Celtics are that team.

(Full disclosure, I am a season ticket holder.)

On Friday, a player that I defended far more than I care to admit had his first press conference for the Brooklyn Nets. Kyrie Irving was a Celtic for two seasons and he was a pleasure to watch but a pain to listen to. I gave him second, third, and fourth chances. Some of my friends thought I was crazy and wrote off Kyrie as a team killer and crazy person.

I was hopeful that Kyrie was going to mature. He was only 26. He was too talented for us quit on. He’ll figure it all out by the playoffs. He can turn it on when it matters. Don’t you remember what he did in 2016?

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Often (maybe even too often) people love to compare the sports fan experience to dating. In this case, Kyrie was the crazy girl that many of us have dated. She might be hot. She might be a good time. But she also picks fights and hates all your friends. You find yourself defending her to your friends when they voice their concerns. She sucks the air out of the room in social situations and has a propensity for saying some borderline weird stuff. She definitely has plenty of cringe worthy posts on all social media platforms.

Sometimes that girl returns to your life again and again and the allure is so strong that you might find yourself texting her late at night. You run into her at a bar and you just can’t say no. You keep hoping maybe, just maybe, she will change and get along with your friends. Maybe you can get her to log off social media, just for a little bit.

I realized watching Kyrie’s Brooklyn Nets press conference on Friday that I would never be in danger of him luring me back in. It’s like when the girl shows up at the bar with a new boyfriend and he just looks as unhappy as you were. She starts talking nonsense and you realize you don’t have to listen to it ever again. She’s not your problem anymore and you can move on and be happy. No. More. Drama.

Here is Kyrie’s full interview from Friday. I have earmarked some moments that I think are worth watching and offer some of my own commentary…

2:16 - “NBA has been full of ups and downs of mental capacity things that' I’ve dealt with, injuries, you know, and just dealing with with this whole hoopla thing as well it’s just getting used to this and really igniting different things in an industry and a business such as the NBA. It’s been incredible, so I’m glad - I’m grateful to see it unfold today, you know, and be here, and just really talk about how gracious I am to be here.”

What in God’s name is her talking about here? Is this his “company man” answer. “Igniting different things in an industry” are the words of a firework salesman.

Also, can we appreciate the fact that he misused the word gracious? It’s grateful! Gracious, in the context of Kyrie Irving, makes a lot more sense, if you ask me. Yes, Kyrie, how gracious of you to be here.

3:30 - Kyrie talks around player tampering. He made a new friend at All Star weekend who happened to play for the Nets!

I hope Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are playing this Spencer Dinwiddie stuff on a loop. What a jab at two former teammates who, potentially, could have better numbers than Dinwiddie this season.

3:42 - Kyrie must be watching as many crime dramas as I am. He gives a very specific time (4:16am…) for when he, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan started talking about free agency and joining the Nets.

I love that DeAndre Jordan is getting lumped into the Brooklyn Nets hype machine. I hope he plays so many minutes and arrests Jared Allen’s development. Please let it be so because Jared Allen is awesome. He’s everything I want Robert Williams to be for the Celtics.

4:02 - “They made us feel like All Stars, they made us feel like we were supposed to be treated fairly from the media component, from our teammates, from the first class service they give here, concierge (what??), and most importantly for me was the family atmosphere here. They reached out to my family as soon as I committed. And it felt like they were very inclusive with everything that they had going on here. And it was just like a step away being away from home. And they made me feel as comfortable as I could as well as reaching out to KD and DJ and as well as other guys on the team to make sure they know whats going on.”

I want to know what “first class service” looks like in the NBA compared to what Kyrie was getting in Boston and Cleveland. Also, super nice of the Nets to tell all the other players what’s going on…because the pain train is coming for all of you. This next quote really gives us a glimpse into Kyrie’s mind…

“This is for the future. We’re here to build. We’re not saying we’re a championship team right now. We’re not gonna say this is what it’s gonna be going forward. We’re just here to observe one another, care for one another, and then be here to enjoy playing basketball. But first and foremost is our family and I feel like sometime that can get confused in this league about who we are as human beings. So I’m always gonna be an advocate for that. And they are advocates that we’re humans first and then we’re basketball players.

I am so glad we got that straightened out. Humans, first. Basketball players, second. I think that’s going to be on the Space Jam 2 movie poster.

Kyrie is also working extremely hard at limiting expectations while his more talented, taller, and more accomplished buddy gets healthy. The New York media is going to be laser focused on this team considering how bad the New York Knicks are. He’s going to be, again, in the limelight and answering for any bad moments the team has. He’ll be quick to throw the young ‘uns under the bus.

6:30 - This is where it becomes clear that Kyrie is never going to be really happy. He’s part of the NBA machine. He continues to speak about the business and the “fairness” in how the “NBA product” works. So coming home (Brooklyn is not his home. Just so we’re clear) is going to fix everything (whispers… it isn’t…).

7:40 - “For me, I just wanted to come in with that mentality like, ‘hey, I’m just going to be honest about who I am and what I’m doing going forward and my goals for myself’ and then apply that into the environment here that we have in Brooklyn.”

This is a troublesome quote, isn’t it? Those two sentiments don’t completely match. Kyrie wants to be himself, have his own goals, but then mold them into the Brooklyn environment. What happens when those two things don’t align with each oth-

ohhhhhhhh, that’s right, he complains and starts blaming others for failures.

9:20 “He was out 31 days and we put him on a national stage in The Finals, to end up selling a product that came before the person, Kevin, and now I’m here to protect that. I’m going to be a protector of that all throughout the year.”

Kyrie blames the world for KD playing in the NBA Finals with an injury that ultimately led to his achilles tear. The funny part about that is that KD said that it was completely his call to play and no one else was to blame. The best part about this is KD said it six weeks ago. Super cool for Kyrie to speak up on his behalf, though.

10:30 - The Boston Globe sent Adam Himmelsbach to ask about why Kyrie promised to stay in Boston and what went into the decision to leave. Kyrie says he had no affiliation with Boston (yet, he made a Nike commercial talking about his connections to Boston). Kyrie doubles down on his “youth doesn’t win championships” argument:

“Some of the actual knowledge that needed to be had in terms of being a championship team takes more than just two years. It takes more than just an environment that you feel just comfortable in.”

Kyrie is correct here. It does take more than two years. Sadly, he seemed very unsatisfied with what was going on in Boston, and instead of working through it and sticking it out. He left. Even after announcing he’d stay.

12:55 - “I barely got a chance to talk to my grandfather before he passed, from playing basketball. So you tell me if you would want to go to work every single day knowing that you just lost somebody close to you doing a job every single day that everyone from the outside or anyone internally is protecting you for. Like, ‘hey, just keep being a basketball player.”

Kyrie just described the experience of nearly everyone on this entire planet at one time or another. We all deal with loss and death. We all have to keep moving forward. It sucks and it’s really hard.

However, it doesn’t seem fair for him to blame the NBA or the Celtics for his inability to go and see his grandfather. I have a hard time believing Brad Stevens would tell Kyrie he can’t go see his sick grandfather. In 2016, Stevens himself missed a game to visit a former player, Andrew Smith, who was in the hospital and ended up passing away.

15:05 - Kyrie again making sure his free agency timeline is clean… “Mid-June… Late June… 4:16 in the morning.”

16:03 - “Kyrie the NBA Scout” claims he knew Joe Harris was going to be special when Harris arrived in Cleveland as a rookie. He just wasn’t good enough to play on those championship teams… now they’re teammates! Yay! Kyrie goes on to say that the decision to play for the Nets with KD was “spur of the moment on that day.” Suuuurrrrreeeee….

18:00 - Kyrie the NBA (or ABA) historian…

18:37 - “I grew up playing in some of these parks. I popped up at a Brooklyn park the other day, not really realizing that I’m still not normal (you’ve got that right…). So when I go outside then I see all these kids leaving a bunch of courts. I’m like, ‘I just came here to shoot with my dad.’ It’s cause that’s where I grew up, outside, playing basketball, having that attitude to really prove people right, that I’m the next one meant to take over this league for the next few years.”

And with that I just have to say, good bye, Kyrie, and good luck to the Brooklyn fans.

Friday Faves 9/27: Newsletters, Honeycrisp apples, The Hottest Takes, and RFK

Best Activity (more just a quick story this week… about an old activity.)

September has always been a special month in my life. It happens to be the month I was born. Pair that with the start of the school year, and September would unofficially mark the beginning of a new year for me.

September, as I got older, also became an important month for another reason. It’s the month that I met my wife, who came to my apartment when she answered my roommate posting on Craigslist. I was presented with quite the quandary, allow this very pretty girl to move in or tell her “no, thanks” while trying to keep her around somehow (that story will wind up here another time…). Three years after that first meeting, I used another date in September to propose in the apartment where we met (we still live here, so it wasn’t some weird apartment invasion… but that would have been a good story!).

Now, seven years after that ridiculously fortuitous first encounter (thanks, Craig!) we are finishing off another September together. Thankfully, she’s less angry now than she was during the end of that first September when I told her she couldn’t move in…

Best Listen

RFK Tapes: If you enjoy history, conspiracy, and the Kennedy family, this might be the podcast for you. It delves into the assassination of Robert Kennedy in 1968, just months after Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. Before listening to this, I couldn’t have told you that RFK was shot the night of the California primary. I have not listened to this all the way though yet. However, the storytelling is compelling and there is a bevy of real sound from newscasts and speeches. It’s a great window into a time of history that I wasn’t around for.

The Hottest Take: This is a low stakes, quick listen from the world of The Ringer. Each episode is 7 minutes. One person puts a ridiculous take on the table, and the group of rotating talking heads hashes it out. They cover things as trivial as reordering the alphabet to stuff as serious the very real prospect of a different first president of the United States.

Best Watch

Unbelievable: You might read that title and wonder if there’s an EMF documentary covering the ‘90s one hit wonder. Not yet. Instead, “Unbelievable” is the true story of a serial rapist in Colorado and Washington. The title comes from the first victim’s experience, which was deemed unbelievable due to the lack of evidence. I’m realizing as I do these weekly recaps that I consume a lot of shows like this. I am not sure what it says about me or my life.

Maggie Rogers and Pharrell: Imagine sitting down with a person at the top of their industry and sharing something you created. Maybe you’re sitting with Mark Zuckerburg and have a new way of destroying democracy (you probably got to this website via Facebook, didn’t you?). Maybe you’re reading a chapter of your new piece of fiction to Stephen King. Well, Youtube has a video of Maggie Rogers playing her song “Alaska” for Pharrell. I’m not entirely sure the background of how all this came to be, but it’s a great 10 minutes.

Best Read

Email Newsletters: Why comb the internet when other people do it for you? I have three newsletters I receive that I really enjoy and I think you should subscribe to. Here they are:

1) Next Draft: Dave Pell calls himself the “Managing Editor of the Internet.” His daily, afternoon newsletter is full of punny headlines, some editorial commentary and links to the top ten news stories of the day. Here’s a link to subscribe.

2) 3 ideas, 2 questions, 1 quote: James Clear’s weekly email is a punch of inspiration, and I have found myself forwarding it to people every time I receive it on Thursday. Clear is the author of multiple books, most recently Atomic Habits. If you’re looking for some thought provoking, habit changing ideas, this newsletter is for you. Here’s a link to subscribe.

3) SPORTS STORIES: A brand spanking new weekly newsletter that mixes history and sports, with some beautiful illustrations too. Here’s the link.

Best Eat

Honeycrisp Apples: It’s the season of delicious apples, and the honeycrisp reigns supreme in my apple power rankings. I thoroughly enjoy a good apple, toss in some peanut butter (and a dash of honey if you’re feeling adventurous) and it’s the perfect mid-afternoon, hold-you-over-before-dinner, snack. I have a vivid memory of my dad eating apples every weekend on our ride to church. He’d be driving, crunching on an apple as NPR voices purr through the speakers; he’d typically eat the whole freaking apple, core and all. He’d roll the window down and toss the tiny remaining stem out. It was astounding.

The Great British Baking Show is a soothing, must watch on Netflix.

There is a regal white tent out in the middle of the English countryside where the best of humanity spends its weekends. It’s a place where the people are kind, supportive, and creative. It’s a place that smells of sugar and spice and everything nice.

The Great British Baking Show is, by far, my favorite competitive food show, and it would also rank as one of my favorite shows, period. Recently, Netflix released a new season of the show, but it’s happening the old-fashioned way, one new show every Friday. No binging on sweet treats this time…

So what makes this show so wonderful?

First, the competitors on the show are unlike any group of people you will ever see. They are not competing for any money, but instead the prize at the end of this very long journey is a bouquet of flowers and a cake stand. That’s it. This final prize might be part of the reason the competitors are so incredibly kind to each other; the stakes are low. But maybe kindness courses through every single baker’s blood. Tears are shed at the elimination announcement each week. Oftentimes, the bakers will even help each other out when an extra set of hands is required, like putting the blades on a bread windmill or balancing the final cake at the top of a four cake tower. They’ll even share ingredients, and if competitors arrive at the same idea for a flavor combination, there is no whining, just maybe some good natured joking and depreciation that the other baker will probably do it better. They even cheer for each other, high fives and applause abound when someone get a good review from the judges.

Over the course of the show’s filming, the bakers return home each week. Yes, this show is filmed one week at a time. They are not holed-up for weeks on end, after two days, they go home, knowing what the next challenges will be. This means they are able to practice their skills. All while holding down steady jobs or going to school or running a household (or even some combinations of those things). That means the bakers who reach the final are competing for 11 weeks. I can barely manage my life when I have back-to-back busy weekends! It’s rather impressive.

As opposed to so many of the reality shows in the U.S, we are really not thrust into the lives of the bakers. We get a quick intro to where they live, what they do, and who is in their family. There are no clever chyrons, in fact, there are no chyrons at all. So it takes a bit of time to learn the names of the bakers. We learn about them mainly through what they bake. They all bring some form of inspiration with them to the tent, whether it’s regional flavors, a grandmother’s old recipe, or a family favorite.

The predicability of the show is comforting; it consists of three different baking challenges each week that all focus on one specialty or skill (bread, biscuits, chocolate, cake, etc.). Two of the week’s challenges allow for practice at home, but the middle challenge is a “technical” where the two judges, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, alternate in choosing a challenging, often unknown, bake for the competitors to muddle through with limited instructions. Each technical bake is judged blind. The “showstopper” allows for a lot of the folks to show off their insane imaginations and creativity.

Like any good show, there needs to be a villain, and Paul Hollywood, the silver haired, barrel-chested, baron of bread, is an excellent foil to all the revelry. He challenges contestants on their thinking, planting seeds of doubt (especially during bread week). He’ll prowl around the tent, hands shoved into pockets, seeking out missteps in order to hand out a fatherly, “I told you so…” Prue and the hosts, Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding, all balance out Paul’s energy with jokes and ribbing, mostly at Paul’s expense.

The thing about Paul, though, is that the bakers all crave his approval. It’s like the tough teacher in school, praise from them means a whole lot more than praise from a teacher that doles it out all the time. Paul’s handshake is the ultimate stamp of approval, and if you get it during bread week, well then you might as well be knighted.

The goodness that reverberates through the show is soothing. There is no loud music or harsh cuts back and forth that leave the heart racing. It’s an hour of television that transports you away from the hustle and bustle (you know impeachments and stuff…), teaches you a little bit about baking, and shows you that, yes, there are good people out there, and they love to bake.

Friday Faves 9/20: Succession, Long Runs, and Keebler Cookies

Best Activity

Long Runs: I remember as a kid hating to run. It was something my dad loved to do and he’d push me to run in order to get ready for soccer season. It was a miserable activity, and I’d push back at every turn. Now here I am training for my fourth marathon, with a fifth one coming in April. While the long runs are starting to stretch out to 18 and 20 miles, I enjoy the time outside and I feel very lucky to have the Charles River running trails so close.

I was speaking to a friend that is a much faster runner than I am. He had a bad accident recently and couldn’t run for a couple months. He said it was really tough, both mentally and physically when he couldn’t run. Running has turned into that for me, too. If I go a few days without running, I can start to feel stir crazy and irritable. I love starting my weekend with a Saturday run. It clears the decks for the rest of the weekend and puts me in the right mindset.

Best Listen

Lumineers “III”: I can’t quite put my finger on what I like about this group. They’re somewhat generic, they aren’t super interesting as a whole, and a lot of their stuff sounds the same (what a sales pitch, right?). Typically, though, a few songs on their album rope me in, and then I just find myself letting the album play all the way through as I read or do work. The first song on this album is one of those songs, it’s called “Donna” and it’s a great start to a good album.

Zach Lowe Podcast: The self-proclaimed niche NBA podcaster will every now and then dip into other fields. He recently interviewed David Epstein, the author of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialize World. They discuss Epstein’s research for the book and the conclusions he makes. It’s a great listen for parents, educators, and folks who might feel like they’re on a long, windy path that doesn’t seem to be leading to what they truly want.

Best Watch

Succession: Following the first four episodes of this series, Tiff and I would look at each other unconvinced. The slow, plodding plot with unlikeable characters just wasn’t sticking, but we decided to give it another couple weeks. Boy am I glad we did because it took off. It’s now one of our favorite shows, and one of the few shows that we watch on a weekly basis (usually on Monday evening). The plot is simple, a massive media company led by Logan Roy (played by Brian Cox) is thrown into turmoil when Roy has a serious and sudden medical scare. His children would all like to be the heir-apparent, but they are all fatally flawed. In my mind, the company Waystar Royco is analogous to Fox, even down to the conservative news arm called ATN. This season has a great plot arch where Waystar is trying to acquire another huge media company, which is pretty much a CNN/NYTimes combo called Pierce. The dynamic of dumb, entitled Waystar employees who can’t even name a book they’ve read against the well-read, doctorate chasing folks at Pierce is really well done.

If you’re not watching Succession on HBO, do yourself a favor and watch it.

Audrie and Daisy: I was sucked into this documentary because a chunk of it happened in the town of Saratoga, CA, where I lived for five years as a kid. The movie covers two girls that were sexually assaulted at high school parties. One lived in Saratoga, Audrie, and the other girl, Daisy, lived in Maryville, Missouri. Again, it’s a sad statement on how society handles these cases, but important for people to watch. A lot of victim blaming and “boys will be boys” nonsense. The Missouri sheriff even made a very Trumpian statement, blaming both boys and girls for these types of encounters. When he was pushed and told that the boys were the ones that were found guilty in this case he scoffed and said, “were they?”

Best Read

There’s More to Antonio Brown’s Story (Sports Illustrated): It has been a strange two weeks for New England Patriots fans. They signed Antonio Brown on September 7. One day before their Week 1 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yes, he shot his way out of Oakland and had showed signs that he wasn’t the best guy during the summer. On Monday, September 9 news of a civil suit centered on sexual assault hit the news. The Pats decided to play Brown anyway in their Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins. Then this past Monday, Sports Illustrated released an article with some more stories about Brown’s behavior, some of it is icky and other parts are confusing and other parts pure, concentrated entitlement. I found myself reading some of it aloud to Tiff because it was so ludicrous. On Thursday night, more news dropped about Brown; one of his accusers in this article released text messages that Brown sent her after the article came out. They are a bit intimidating, and said she was chasing money. He even included pictures of the woman’s children in the text exchange. Hard to believe he’ll be playing this Sunday…

Best Eat

Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies: Last week it was Tim Tams, this week is another delightful partner to a cup of tea. I picked these up on a nostalgic whim this week and don’t regret it at all. Just be careful, you might find yourself eating two or three rows in a sitting. I’ve heard this from people.