Guest Photo Post for Robin O. Cochran

Robin O. Cochran writes her blog with a folksy touch from Delaware County, Ohio, finding funnies to share on the Internet. As a mom and grandmom, you can tell she wants to make the world smile. She discovers worthwhile historical dates and important people to point out every month, because as a former teacher, you…

Discovering a new angle of an old friend

When my dear wife Karen and I settled in to eat bodadcious barbecue Sunday night before Castle Creek took the stage at Upstairs at Upstairs at the Dinosaur, two friendly faces asked if two chairs either side of us were taken. Peter Allen and his wonderful wife Sherry joined us. We’ve been friends through three…

A story about the passing of longtime film critic gets me thinking about the art

Charles Champlin was a couple of letters, a few decades and the opposite side of the camera away from a film legend. Nevertheless, the man who shared an industry and initials with Charlie Chaplin earned major stories in the Hollywood Reporter and Los Angeles Times upon his passing at the age of 88 this week.…

Three weeks in, what’s up, Nano Poblano?

Officially, we’re one day away from the three-week mark of NaBloPoMo, or, as we’ve been calling it around our houses, Nano Poblano. I decided to throw in this team check up today, though, because for the first time since a few days before Nov. 1, when I woke up today, I saw no views on…

A granddaughter pitches in about my Polish memories

The Polish in Me bubbled out in May when I wrote about a great spot in my memories, a resort in the Catskill Mountains my father Frank reveled in taking our family. I poked around the recesses of my gray matter from more than four decades ago to bring back that time when I was…

The Head gets around, unbeknownst to this body

The adventures of my Gravatar continue. Or, if you prefer: The Head Will Roll. Novelist Rachel Carrera got a kick out of my Sunday post showing off how other WordPress blogging friends have interpreted the photo I’ve used for my Gravatar since I started this site in early 2013. Writer Rachel is also wedding photographer…

A rocking party to celebrate a special album

Many of you took the time to comment about my Friday review of Castle Creek’s new recording “The Only Life,” so I thought you might like to share the vibe of the duo’s Sunday night CD release party at Syracuse’s cool room Upstairs at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. I had my iPhone 6 warmed up and…

So, a Hollywood love story doesn’t have to be sappy

There is still room in Hollywood for a big love story. Gina Prince-Blythewood proved it to me with “Beyond the Lights.” I have to admit I was a little gunshy after taking in my first Nicholas Sparks movie ever a while back with “The Best of Me,” but I chose this first-run drama and music…

Of Mr. Met, BlogHead and Captain Poblano

Way back in spring 2013, I had my best friend KP snap a shot of me at the golf course during our first round of the season. You bet I was a happy guy. I decided to use it as the primary head shot for this here blog of mine, what with my black straw-ish…

Football, basketball and a signed book for Christmas

The college basketball season started last night. Around here, Syracuse walloped a team from Kennesaw State, 89-42. If you’re interested, you can find a report about the game here. College football cranks up again today. Most teams have three games left in the regular season, then conference championship games before the first-ever four-team playoff to…