All right winter, I've had enough

Winters in New England are cold. No question about it. And maybe we say it year after year, but man, this one has been brutal.

A common scene of downtown Providence, R.I. 

From early November, at a time we were outside taking photos for our annual Christmas card, the finger-numbing chill was already settling in. I can remember many Thanksgivings with some snow on the ground, and some with pleasant sunshine. But this was sign of things to come.

This winter we endured storms such as “Hercules” and became familiar with the word polar vortex. Polar may be a little too soft of a term. I’m thinking more of a “Siberian Vortex” would be better, but that’s just me.

Snow is fine, it’s nice around Christmas and sledding and building snowmen is what winter’s about. But there really wasn’t a day that one could go outside and enjoy. Frigid temps in the single digits and the seemingly never-ending gusts of wind, was more suitable for a polar bear or eskimo. Maybe.  

As November rolled into December followed by January and February, we welcomed the flip of the calendar into March anticipating warmer days ahead. Experience tells us to be patient in the first week or so and not to expect balmy weather to reappear in a flash. Not to put away the winter gloves and boots just yet.

But as we enter the last week of the month, yet another blast from the arctic descended upon us, with more single digits and an icy breeze that made it tough to even walk straight.

Hopefully it was Mother Nature’s last laugh.

Remind me to never complain about it being too warm.  Ok?

Television Killed the Basketball Star

Just after the stroke of midnight on August 1, 1981, a new music channel was born:  MTV.  And prophetically, the first music video to be shown was appropriately “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. Music videos and advanced technology was expected to hurt the radio industry, and while there have been many changes, radio still exists today. Though not quite like it used to be.

My seats for the Syracuse-Pitt Big East tourney game at MSG. 

Why would I bring that up?  It was about that time that the Big East Conference, a new seven-school league based out the Northeast was starting to gain traction.  Thanks in large part to the birth of another new fledgling channel: ESPN.

The television deal gave the Big East the springboard it needed to become one of the most powerful conferences in the country in basketball. Conference teams were playing on national tv and the more ESPN grew and the more households the cable company entered, the Big East grew as well.

The excellent 30-for-30 documentary “Requiem for the Big East”, on ESPN of course, took the viewers through a wonderful journey, from the conference’s founding in the back office of a Providence advertising company, to the move of its members from on-campus gyms to NBA arenas, including vision of moving its conference tournament to Madison Square Garden in New York, to 1985 when three of the four Final Four teams were Big East members.  

The league continued to thrive, with additions of new teams, national titles, but times were changing and the one big elephant in the room was football. While ratings and fan interest in big-time basketball huge, football, is in another atmosphere all together.

Consider that a Friday night, non-conference football game in September between Marshall and West Virginia drew higher ratings than a Syracuse - Louisville basketball game later in March, pretty much sums it up.

The Big East saw the potential and dollar figures that having football would bring in terms of maintaining itself as a power conference along the likes of the Big 10, ACC, SEC and Big 12. But internally, the marriage was struggling. Big East schools with football programs: Boston College, Syracuse, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Miami, were not interested in sharing revenue with the schools that did not play football: Providence, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Marquette, DePaul, Creighton, Xavier, and Georgetown and Villanova (who play football a level lower).

The football schools would eventually depart for conferences to align themselves with bigger football programs and television contracts.  So a league built on television, eventually was torn apart by the very same technology more than 30 years later.

The Big East still exists, despite what many media members want to believe. Going back to its roots with a basketball focus and a new television partnership with the fledgling Fox Sports 1.  

There’s nothing wrong with that. It was inevitable. There’s no going back to the “Good ‘Ol Days.”  As Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who was excellent in the documentary with great insight and reflection of the history of the Big East, accurately put it, “those days are long gone.”

Did video kill the radio star?  No, not really. Radio still exists and while it is certainly different than a few decades ago, it’s finding its legs in today’s world, just as the Big East is doing today.

Where did everyone go?

Call it the sign of the times. Businesses come and go. Operating in one of the worst economic climates in decades, it's understandable to see a new business struggle to gain ground and survive the tough times.

Upper Wickenden Street during Christmas.

A recent stroll through some of my favorite neighborhoods in Providence, I've noticed a few more empty doorways and the depressingly dark neon signs that once warmly welcomed patrons in on a cold, snowy night.

A pizza joint and tremendous BBQ joint on Ives, a convenience store on Wickenden, and the comings and goings taking place in Wayland Square.

Maybe, it's the brutal un-friendly business climate that the state of Rhode Island imposes on the small mom-and-pop shops trying to just do business, only to be unjustly suffocated by tax after tax after tax.

For years, I've always tried to support as many local businesses as I could. I have always had my favorites and places that I still frequent (if they're still open), but even some of these places are starting to lose their touch. Mostly restaurants where special Burger Nights at the Rue have disappeared and items promoted in email alerts are no longer even served. What's happening?

Still love the Coffee Exchange. I't always a favorite. However, while making strolling down Wickenden Street after a rather "chilly" lunch at Duck & Bunny, I poked my head into the window of the Z-Bar. A perfect restaurant in a prime location and good drinks. A place dear to my heart with great memories of Ziti and Bass Ale with my wife after work and celebrations for graduations and family gatherings, and the great customer service from manager Steve to the best waiter, Pablo, refilling our drinks.

But sadly, on this cold and blustery spring day, the interior is still decorated for Christmas collecting dust on the perfectly set tables and stacked wine glasses.

A sign of the times. I wish it wasn't.

So what was my first job, that's easy

Pork Fried Rice ... 

Well, kind of. Trying to think back to my first job some many years ago, the years kind of stick together and it's hard to separate. I know roughly the time frame which is why I have to go with pork friend rice.

I was a sophomore in high school and my basketball friend hooked me up with a dishwashing job at the Waikiki restaurant in town. Nothing glamorous, nothing difficult.  Just clean the dishes as they came in, load them in the dishwasher, take them out of the dryer and restock out in the dining room.

The extra cash helped with paying for gas considering I was one of the few with a car at the time, thanks to my grandmother, and buying concert tickets, yes, many concert tickets.

But the real benefit came at the end of the night. The excellent main cook, known in the back as "Grandfather" always made sure I had enough food to bring home each night.

He was amazed at my love of pork fried rice with duck sauce, but there was nothing better.

I can remember vividly watching the NCAA Final Four that year when freshman Derrick Coleman of Syracuse and freshman J.R. Reid of North Carolina squared off.  That would be the last spring that I worked at the Waikiki, guessing it was around 1987, as I would eventually move down the road to Shaw's Supermarket.

First as a bag boy and eventually moving up to stocking shelves. I worked hard, learned a lot of valuable lessons in management, people skills, and the rewards and doors it can open. I worked some late night shifts, weekend shifts, days of scolding heat and retrieving carts through ice and snow. Years later, I can look back and say it was worth it.  Plus, pretty hard to beat the free pork fried rice though.

Ellen's Oscar Tweet

The power of twitter is amazing.  160,000 retweets in just five minutes since posting. Of course, hosting the Oscars and live-tweeting will do that, but in any event, just amazing.

If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars pic.twitter.com/C9U5NOtGap
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2014

Thank you Luke

The sobering news came via social media. It's the downside of getting older.  Social media keeps us connected to our families and friends and even as the distances may continue to grow, we can follow all the good that takes places in others lives. Just like the old neighborhood. 

Let's go back to that old neighborhood. Browning and Tennyson. Like a story of one's childhood right out of a script from Hollywood. 

There were plenty of kids in the neighborhood. Some older, some younger, but most all enjoyed doing things that, well, kids liked to do: street hockey, building forts, riding bikes, staying out late, and of course, trying to stay out of trouble. But we were good kids.  

It was me, Sully (or Scruff, Sulloo, or Sull) with the red hair always dribbling a basketball. There was Jason Chagnon (Chag), the blond speedster who would beat just about everyone in a race and Leon "Lee" Shaw, the big guy who for some reason, loved the Lakers. Glen "Lew" Lewis, the hockey standout who always seemed to host the best street hockey games in town.  

And then there was Brian O'Halloran, affectionately known as "B.O."  His mother would disagree with the nickname, and technically she was correct, as it should have been BO'H.  But he was still B.O. to us and a truly great friend. 

We grew up together. From elementary school, catching the yellow school  bus at the corner of Henry Law and Tennyson.  To walking to junior high school, since we supposedly lived too close. Those cold winter days sure made it feel like it was more than the mile minimum. 

Then on to high school where we would finally enter the work force. Little jobs to earn some extra cash. From cleaning floors together with Lee's dad, to running the Happy Wheels Skating Rink as skate guards and disc jockey's.   

I can thank Brian (B.O.) for teaching me how to spin the records good enough where Saturday night's at the rink was my main slot.  Not to mention, he showed me how to quickly fix the needle on the second turn table just in time before the song would end. 

But when we were looking to earn a little extra cash, the three of us worked summers for Allied Movers.  The local warehouse was run by Brian's dad, Luke. 

We were high school kids and Luke took great care of us. The moving business can be quite demanding and the hours can be long, depending on the move, whether it was a local, distance, or the always fun -- office move. 

Luke never pushed us hard, but saw to it that we were paid pretty well and always the first in line to get in on some of the better jobs when we showed up at the crack of dawn. Jobs that paid well in tips and would require as much heavy lifting ... though we did have our fair share. 

Luke watched over us "boys" during the summers of 1987 and 1988, and I think in 1989.  He told great stories, hilarious jokes during the quiet times around the warehouse when other crews were out on jobs. 

The small office where he ran the show had a couch and an industrial looking coffee maker.  One thing was sure, each morning over the summer, there was a strong cup of coffee waiting for the crew's arrival.   

Luke passed away this past Monday.  News I heard through a social media message from Brian.  A message that made me stop and reflect of all the good things he was a father to one of my best friends, and the important impact he had on me in my life. 

Thank you Luke. Rest in peace. I'll make another cup of coffee. 

Looking Back at '13

A few days into the new year, I thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at some of the important moments from 2013.

While glad it is over, 2013 was an important one. 

Celebrating Birthday No. 4
After a fun birthday party during our family vacation in Narragansett in July, a party that included kids, grandparents, and farm animals, we officially celebrated Liam’s fourth birthday party in August. Hard to believe how much he has grown in just four years, but they have been fun every step of the way.

Anniversary No. 10

In July, Cheryl and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. The past 10 years have been full of adventure and travel and welcoming a beautiful boy into our family, but most of all, these 10 years have been the best of my life spending each day with my beautiful wife.

The PR Machine

In August, I was lucky to once again take part in my eighth Falmouth Road Race. With some solid training through the streets of the East Side and Blackstone Blvd, I was able to smash my previous best personal record with another solid race over the 7.1 mile course from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights, eclipsing my previous best time from 2011. 

8.       2013       58.33

7.       2012       59.11

6.       2011       59.04

5.       2010       1:03.40

4.       2009       1:04.29

3.       2008       1:04.38

2.       2007       1:08.27

1.       2006       1:09.18 

Finally Closed

The end of June was an emotional and in particular, very draining as we finally sold our condo we had lived in for seven years. With the addition of Liam, we certainly needed a little more room, but trying to sell real estate during one of the worst economic periods in history, was quite the challenge. After three years, coming close several times with finding a buyer, we finally completed the transaction. But it was truly a miracle that we got to the closing table as the amount of red-tape and dealing with city codes and regulations and seeing first-hand how the city operates, was simply agonizing. But we got it done, and now ready to find a good home for our family. 

I can't wait.