Joyce DiCamillo comes back to Syracuse to jazz up her alma mater

Joyce DiCamillo won’t put Syracuse in her rear view mirror. The noted jazz musician and educator will mix both pursuits once again when she comes back to her alma mater to preside over a Master Class and then collaborate for a concert as part of Syracuse University’s Jazz Day this Saturday, April 1. DiCamillo was…

Heading to the home stretch on the bowling lanes

We’re coming down to the final few weeks in the Thursday Night Men’s League at Bowling Green. And when we reported for action a week ago, our Limp Lizard squad stood in fourth place out of the 12 squads. I could hardly believe it. Then we went out and lost our first two games to…

I’m set for a warm head, thanks to my crafty daughter

My wonderful daughter Elisabeth texted while I sat in The Cobblestone Saturday, sharing a lunch and good conversation with buddies KP, Tater and Nolan. She had something to give me, she said, and she and terrific significant George Three were chasing Pokemon over in Onondaga Lake Park. When our foursome was done with the pizza,…

Hail, hail, Mr. Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry died last week, and I of course bowed my head to a major man of my musical past. Before my time, certainly, this guy who rightfully took his place as one of the first inductees when they openedthe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, for helping shape that form as well as R&B…

I can help figure things out, Dooley noted

The question came from my Syracuse-area blogging friend Ermine. She wanted to change things around on her too-dormant WordPress site. She didn’t want to change the whole domain and lose the followers she’d built. Could I help? I’ve made enough alterations here since starting markbialczak.com in February 2013 that I agreed. So she came over…

No, I didn’t get an invite to this one

When we walked into the corridor to see Office Christmas Party at the Regal Cinemas’ franchise at Syracuse mega shopping, dining and entertaining complex Destiny USA, my dear wife Karen caught the photo-op backdrop for the movie. And told me to pose. Yes, I listen to these requests. No poster possibilities here. What’s is the…

Coming clean about a trip to Manlius Art Cinema

The owner of the quaint little Manlius Art Cinema likes to greet his patrons before the film rolls. When my dear wife Karen and I visited his narrow little joint to see Jackie during its exclusive run, Mr. Nat Tobin went up to the front and got some stuff off his chest. He’s had to…

My Terps won’t win the big prize, and neither will I

My beloved alma mater bowed out of March Madness in the first round. Bye-bye, Maryland Terrapins, to this campaign that began with so much promise. Now that 20-2 record carved by junior guard Melo Trimble and the trio of surprising freshmen – Anthony Cowan, Kevin Huerter and Justin Jackson – is nothing but a historical…