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…

The flag still flies …

Walking around the Liverpool Public Library to survey the effects of Storm Stella last sweep, my breath escaped my chest when my eyes hit upon our American Flag. Something’s not quite right, I thought from afar. It was still flying high. It still looked proud. But a walk closer confirmed my suspicion. The winds had…

Savoring the green, green grass of spring … training

It’s bracingly, frighteningly, stubbornly cold still in Syracuse, with snow on the ground. March can be a bear. And so when my TV guide tells me that my New York Mets are being beamed from a spring training game in Florida, I will land there for a moment. The Mets are playing a Saturday contest…

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, but I won’t parade around this year

Today’s the day to celebrate all things Irish. And green. They got together for the annual St. Patrick’s Parade in downtown Syracuse last Saturday. My dear wife Karen and I did not attend this year. Too cold. Our local ABC affiliate, WSYR-9, broadcast three hours of the parade, as per custom. They started at noon…