The Square Bottle

Both guest blogger Paul Curran and I were both on a more comfortable Saturday schedule this week. So you lucky readers are back to the regular early Sunday start for his weekly Cuppa. Take it away, my Canadian friend. Welcome to the weekly coffee and tea garden. My name is Paul, I’ll be your barista…

Climbing the store ladder, literally and figuratively

I’ve put two weeks in at the paint department. I’m learning a lot at the store. I have to be good at climbing the ladder. For stocking, they keep big things up high. Early on, my boss told me to deal with garbage cans. The store sells a good variety, from humongous to very large…

Stephen Douglas Wolfe celebrates We’ll Live

My good friend Ulf Oesterle sent over a note about a show in downtown Syracuse featuring Stephen Douglas Wolfe. And when a musician catches the ear and wins over the heart of Oesterle, it’s time to take notice. I know that from the years he pointed me toward cool sounds when I toiled as the…

Maryland, Syracuse get to play for elite March Madness status

No way I predicted this. Maryland plays Kansas tonight in the Sweet Sixteen. Syracuse takes on Gonzaga tomorrow night with the same chance to advance to the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament’s Elite Eight. Hover over either gallery photo (Getty Images) for a description. Click on either for an enlarged slide show. My alma mater…

Too big for easy picking?

Usually when something of any value of all is put out to the road here in our Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood, it’s picked up by this urban hunter or that. We’ve had a king-size mattress disappear from in front of the Little Bitty, much to our joy. Yeah, it was a comfortable bed, but…

Away with the clutter, ahhhh

I knew my mess was spreading too far and wide in the Little Bitty I share with my dear wife Karen in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood. I saw it every moment I sat writing in my recliner/work chair. The wide ottoman that we’d bought because it serves as seating-in-the-pinch had become completely covered…

Abused to Death for Sexuality

A combination of a late Saturday shift at the store here for me and a spot of illness up in Canada for our esteemed guest blogger conspired for a late publication of this morning’s Cuppa. Much apology from the Little Bitty in Syracuse. Mr. Curran is here for his weekly turn, nevertheless. Take it away,…

An unappealing task

There are some things in life you know are not in your wheelhouse. I can’t dive. At the end of the tip-toe down the ladder or along the sand/rocks, I’m not the best swimmer. I much prefer the long-necked lighter over matches to ignite a grill. Dear wife Karen, it’s time for the new car…

I’ll miss new words from the great Pat Conroy

Thank you, Pat Conroy, for all the hours of wonder you gave me. Through all these decades, you shared precious chunks of time in my life. In my 30s, 40s and 50s, I’ve spent stolen moments gripping your novels, wordlessly turning the pages, my mind transported to your beautifully crafted, realistically flawed, undeniably entertaining people…