A Little Talked About Sign of Aging

Here’s the thing. My best features come from my Romanian roots. I’ve always enjoyed having dark hair and blue eyes. I am psyched that my “gray” hair is silver, some people pay big bucks for that. Dracula was Romanian, and by most accounts was a particularly handsome man-thing.

That being said, we Romanians are a very hairy people. My beloved Grandpa not only had follicles growing out of his ears, but in his later years his lobes looked like small woodland creatures. My stunningly gorgeous mother had quite the collection of… CONTINUE READING >>

Here’s the thing. My best features come from my Romanian roots. I’ve always enjoyed having dark hair and blue eyes. I am psyched that my “gray” hair is silver, some people pay big bucks for that. Dracula was Romanian, and by most accounts was a particularly handsome man-thing.

That being said, we Romanians are a very hairy people. My beloved Grandpa not only had follicles growing out of his ears, but in his later years his lobes looked like small woodland creatures. My stunningly gorgeous mother had quite the collection of… CONTINUE READING >>

Life After Kids

When Veronica and I began to think about our life after raising kids one of the first things we did was Google “empty nesters.” We wanted to see if anyone else was looking at this the same way that we were. With a feeling of “isn’t it great that the kids have moved out, and we’ll have life to ourselves again?” CONTINUE READING >> 

When Veronica and I began to think about our life after raising kids one of the first things we did was Google “empty nesters.” We wanted to see if anyone else was looking at this the same way that we were. With a feeling of “isn’t it great that the kids have moved out, and we’ll have life to ourselves again?” CONTINUE READING >> 

A Look (and Walk) Inside an Active Volcano

At Hawaii Volcanoes National Park we got the chance to go beneath the earth’s surface inside a volcano’s network of lava tubes. Yes, we were technically inside of an erupting volcano! If that sounds a bit intense, it is… CONTINUE READING >> 

At Hawaii Volcanoes National Park we got the chance to go beneath the earth’s surface inside a volcano’s network of lava tubes. Yes, we were technically inside of an erupting volcano! If that sounds a bit intense, it is… CONTINUE READING >> 

The Best? (Worst?) Funniest. Family Portrait. Ever.

Every family has ’em.

Piles of throw-away snapshots that you can’t bear to throw away. Before digital cameras, our generation put every picture — no matter how bad — into a photo album. After all, they were precious – and we shelled out big bucks to have them developed.

Then there are the CLASSICS. The ones you should have thrown away, but instead you frame them. This one is ours.

Think about it, we thought we were sitting for a lovely family portrait. Clearly, all heck is breaking loose and none of us could… CONTINUE READING >>

Every family has ’em.

Piles of throw-away snapshots that you can’t bear to throw away. Before digital cameras, our generation put every picture — no matter how bad — into a photo album. After all, they were precious – and we shelled out big bucks to have them developed.

Then there are the CLASSICS. The ones you should have thrown away, but instead you frame them. This one is ours.

Think about it, we thought we were sitting for a lovely family portrait. Clearly, all heck is breaking loose and none of us could… CONTINUE READING >>

It’s No Sacrifice, Visiting the Volcano Goddess of Hawaii

The best place to see incredible geologic activity in action is Volcanoes National Park, where Kīlauea has eruptions so often that the name means spewing in Hawaiian… CONTINUE READING >> 

The best place to see incredible geologic activity in action is Volcanoes National Park, where Kīlauea has eruptions so often that the name means spewing in Hawaiian… CONTINUE READING >> 

The Hippest Public Bathroom in the USA

Jackpot! A flush with greatness!

Shiny and adorned in black and green art deco (including the toilets and urinals) this luxurious loo boasts a shoeshine station and a vintage phone that calls up the front desk – just in case… CONTINUE READING >>

Jackpot! A flush with greatness!

Shiny and adorned in black and green art deco (including the toilets and urinals) this luxurious loo boasts a shoeshine station and a vintage phone that calls up the front desk – just in case… CONTINUE READING >>

That Time I was Smote by God

On a blustery New York City morning, I executed my first face plant.

The sun had just peeked out after a torrential rain and began to form those bands of brilliant, glorious Jesus Rays streaming through the clouds.

Next thing I knew, I lay prostrated before a church in that special kind of pain that only landing square on one’s schnozz can bring, surrounded by scattered partyware glistening in the sun like a golden calf.

But I probably deserved it… CONTINUE READING

On a blustery New York City morning, I executed my first face plant.

The sun had just peeked out after a torrential rain and began to form those bands of brilliant, glorious Jesus Rays streaming through the clouds.

Next thing I knew, I lay prostrated before a church in that special kind of pain that only landing square on one’s schnozz can bring, surrounded by scattered partyware glistening in the sun like a golden calf.

But I probably deserved it… CONTINUE READING

The Birds of St. Mary’s, Newfoundland

On the far southern tip of Newfoundland live so many birds it was actually shocking.

Bird Rock is a massive dome, covered with nesting gannets and penguin-like auks, jutting out of a huge canyon with vertical sides that fall more than thirty stories straight down to the sea.

Spectacular!… CONTINUE READING >>

On the far southern tip of Newfoundland live so many birds it was actually shocking.

Bird Rock is a massive dome, covered with nesting gannets and penguin-like auks, jutting out of a huge canyon with vertical sides that fall more than thirty stories straight down to the sea.

Spectacular!… CONTINUE READING >>