Spring may be a little late, but that's okay

Enduring a good old long New England winters, the arrival of spring in Providence is a welcomed site. Even it if feels like its arrival is long overdue.

Corner of Cooke and George Street in Providence, RI

The last few weeks of March, typically comfortably warm where only a sweatshirt was necessary, and for a good portion of the month of April, resembled more of how late February and early March.  Bitter cold, whipping winds, and frigid temps had local folks mumbling and asking if spring would ever get here.

And perhaps that's the beauty of living in New England. Surviving through a cold winter with the visions of warmer days ahead, helps those who live here truly appreciate the warm weather when it gets here.

And the change of the season can be seen, not by glancing at whatever the calendar may say, but rather taking a glace around at the beautiful purple and white blossoms and vivid colors of the tulips lining the treelined streets around Governor and Wickenden Streets.

It seems like everything is in bloom, which, of course, will lead to the inevitable allergy season, it's still refreshing to feel the warmth and enjoy the beauty as we bid winter adieu at least for a few months at least.

Will the last one out, please turn off the lights

Good night Superman

Former Bank of America building in Providence, RI

It’s light’s out for a landmark in the skyline of Providence as Bank of America officially packed up its business and vacated the old Industrial Trust building downtown.

Built in 1927, with 26 floors, it is the largest building in the state, and easily one of the most iconic. The art-deco style appearance was believed to be the inspiration for “The Daily Planet” building of Superman fame, but actually wasn’t.  But the resemblance was close enough, and the name kind of fits.

The night time skyline of Providence is really quite beautiful. The new glimmering office building surrounding Water Place Park and the now Omni Hotel (formerly Westin) tower reflects a vibrant energy happening in a town of just under 200,000.

As the building goes dark, however, it also reflects the difficulty this state has endured to grow in terms of business and development. The leaders of Rhode Island have lacked leadership and a vision for the future with heavy taxes on local businesses and poor decision-making keeping the state behind the rest of the country that is currently rebounding nicely from the recent recession.

But with challenges comes opportunities. An empty building may be a symbol to some of the current climate, but there’s room to grow.

Perhaps one day we’ll be able to light up the Superman building and showcase it’s beauty yet again.

Trying to make sense

A few thoughts as I still try and move on from one of the toughest weeks on the heart and the soul.

(Fred Somers photo)

I’m not sure why, but for some strange reason, I can remember the name Lenny Skutnick without hesitation.  I was in the third grade when an airplane, taking off in Washington, D.C., crashed immediately into an icy Potomac River.  A rescue helicopter was struggling to connect a life raft to a frostbitten woman from the frigid waters as she was unquestionably too cold to grasp the cable. 

A passerby observing the daring rescue that was going no where, understood that it was a race against the clock in terms of survival. Without hesitation, he did what he thought he should do:  he dove into the water.  The first blast of the icy water must have felt like thousands of needles pinching the skin, but I am sure the pure adrenaline was what drove this hero. 

He almost came out of the corner of the tv news broadcast.  But there he was, swimming some 50 yards through rippling waves from the helicopter overhead, the gasoline and oil pooling on the surface, and of course, the blocks of ice that broke apart where the airliner when down.  But there he was, reaching the woman just in time to get her hooked onto the cable and saved her life.  Lenny Skutnick: a name I’ll always remember.  

It was a tragedy that gripped the nation, including me. And there’s been others. I can remember being touched by the Oklahoma City bombing that claimed the lives of so many, including young children. I remember the feeling I had visiting the memorial site a few years following while traveling with our school’s basketball team.  The chill of seeing an erected statue of Jesus Christ overlooking the site with the words “… and Jesus wept” scrawled underneath.

I remember the feeling of how time seemed to come to a halt with the 9/11 attacks on the United States.  The images were just too horrific and sad to even look at. 

Senseless attacks and loss of life in Aurora, Colorado and Sandy Hook, Conn. have hit me just as hard a decade later. And there have been others. Important moments I certainly don’t want to diminish. But now that I am a parent, the attack at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. last December ripped my heart out.

As the father of a beautiful boy, I struggled to come to grips to what had happened, and still do. 

Now, with spring upon us, the hope for renewal, for warmth and beauty after the cold, gray winter, the tragic events of the Boston Marathon brought me right back to that deep, dark struggle internally to find answers once again.

Innocent lives changed forever. More than 100 injured, many critically, and the lives of three spectators and one law enforcement officer taken from us.  

The bravery of the first responders helps me attempt to heal the very deep injury to my soul and faith. These men and women ran towards danger while others’ instincts were, understandably, to run away.  They ran to help those in need, not knowing if more attacks were in front of them.  Just like Lenny. They saved lives and I salute each and every one of them. 

Though as I try to understand and move on, I am left with the hopeless, empty feeling of sadness for the loss of 8-year-old Martin Richard. The images of this beautiful boy, holding a sign for peace, followed by one showing pure enjoyment of being at a Bruins game, being a regular, happy little boy, just tears me apart.

I know time will heal, but I have a feeling that I'll alway remember Martin Richard. And I’ll remember his simple message to the world:

“Stop hurting people.  Peace.”

So close

I was there in Anaheim.  I saw it with my own eyes and felt it in my stomach. I still do from time to time as the memory is as vivid as if it was only yesterday.  Watching this year's Frozen Four and the heartbreak of coming up just short made me think back to a first hand account of finishing as a runner up.

It was 14 years ago (1999) when my alma mater, the University of New Hampshire, came within inches of winning the NCAA Division I hockey national championship. And when I say inches, that may be exaggerating a bit.  A fraction of an inch may be more precise.

UNH had reached the NCAA's Frozen Four at The Pond (now Honda Center) in Anaheim, and since I was working on the West Coast, I figured I had to make the trip down to Southern California to cheer on the Wildcats.  Even if it was about a five hour drive from the Central Coast.

A convincing win over Michigan State in the semifinals sent the Wildcats to the championship game where they would face, who-else, but long-time rival and nemesis -- the University of Maine.

What little thoughts I had of not returning to Anaheim were quickly vanquished at the thought of seeing the Wildcats potentially parading around the ice with the national championship trophy held high. I was going.

My wife and I got back in the car and headed back to Anaheim, nervous, but excited. Perched in the front row of the upper balcony, we had the perfect view of the entire rink, and the UNH net directly below us (more on that shortly).

I was a nervous nut. I couldn't eat, I couldn't drink, I just sat on the edge of my seat hoping what the several thousand UNH fans in the arena, and many more back home in Durham, wanted to see, a UNH win.

Maine scored first and held a 2-1 advantage before UNH stormed back to tie the game and force, ugh ... overtime. Midway  into the extra period, UNH had a tremendous opportunity at the far end of the ice.

Hobey Baker award recipient Jason Krog sent an absolute rocket from just inside the blue line on the right side that clanked off the post by the Maine goalie, Alfie Michaud. The dreadful sound could be heard throughout the arena, but that ringing sound would soon change to a different, even worse sound.

The puck caromed around the dasherboard and led to a Maine break-a-way.  Coming right at us, we could see the whole play develop.  UNH netminder Ty Conklin would make the initial save on the Maine rush, but couldn't corral the rebound as the next thing I saw was the puck pop into the net over a sprawling, helpless Conklin.

It was rough, but sometimes games like that can put things into perspective and keep one humble. Life goes on and it's only a game.

It was a memorable ride. One that came so close to ending with the storybook national championship.

Less than an inch to be exact.

India Point Park in Providence

Having a dog allows the great opportunity to explore.  If it's a dog that like to walk, like mine certainly is.  One of our favorite places to visit in Providence is India Point Park in Providence, R.I.  An old metal scrap yard along the upper reaches of the Narragansett Bay, India Point Park has been converted in a wonderful and relaxing park.

Serene evening at India Point. twitter.com/jasonsullivan5…
— Jason Sullivan (@jasonsullivan5) April 9, 2013

It's the perfect place to catch some sun, read a few chapters of a book, relax on the grassy hillside that protects visitors from the busy hum of near Interstate 195, or watch the boats come in and out of the Port of Providence. Or even just walk a dog.

For me, it's a little bit of everything, including a great place to see the beauty of nature.  Here are a few of some of the favorite recent images captured using my iPhone while taking my dog for a walk.

Trying to recall my first trip to Fenway Park

As I sit in my office with the 101st Fenway Park Opening Day on my television, I get a little nostalgic thinking back to my first ever visit to Boston to see the Red Sox.

My memory is usually strong, but I'm going to have to take a guess that it was roughly around the spring time of 1977. Our minor league baseball team was embarking on the annual Fenway Park trip into Boston to see the Red Sox.  It was something that was on the schedule every year for all of the minor leaguers to go along with their coaches and parents.

For me, this was the best.  I loved playing baseball and the opportunity to see the Red Sox in person was just the greatest moment.

The best career advice I ever received

Heading out on your own into the "real world" can be a real eye-opening moment in one's life. Four years of college life is certainly fun and memorable as we begin slowly begin the transition from youth adolescence to a responsible adult.

Soaking up the moment before a game at the Hartford Civic Center.

But as the date of graduation starts getting closer and closer, the fear of what is next on the horizon can be very scary. During those short years of being an undergrad, there's isn't really a sense of urgency and no need to focus on career plans. Graduation is way off and once I get that degree, a job will find me. 

That's certainly not the case and I've witnessed several who have come to me looking for career advice and jobs with only a month to go before graduation. The time to start planning is the moment you step onto campus.