A cut, a trim, and regular friendly conversation at Hairy Notions

Some men get haircuts when they can’t stand the sight of Shaggy staring back from the mirror any longer. Some men get their beards trimmed when birds and other little animals start to hover too closely. I have my Vanity Appointment every four weeks, without hesitation. My tradition of haircut and beard-trim is so deeply…

The winter season car wash has many believers

There are certain winter season days in Central New York where cars line up with a resolute purpose. No, not those panicked rushes to the supermarket to buy milk and bread when the forecast calls for a big snow. People know enough to keep cans in the cupboard and bottles in the fridge, in case…

We did find ugly for the big holiday theme party

The invitation came by Facebook a couple of weeks ago, a call for my dear wife Karen and I to join friends for a festive holiday party. The theme for this particular soiree: ugly sweater. We talked, checked our social calendar — wide open — and RSVP’ed to the positive. Saturday we will savor a…

Now that’s a big hole in your house

The neighbors across the street appear to be having a little work done on their house. Yesterday morning, that resulted in one humungous hole. In fact, it looked like the whole front wall was gone. Nice living room furniture you’ve got there. Smart to drape drop cloths over the couch like that. What a window…

Judy Dench should get Oscar talk rolling for role in ‘Philomena’

If you were too busy eating, drinking and being merry with family and friends this past weekend to see “Philomena,” don’t miss the second wave for this marvelous telling of the true tale of a woman who searches for the son she was forced to give up a half-century ago. Judy Dench is quite marvelous…

So what’s the story inside this Alaska car in Syracuse, N.Y.?

As I pulled up to the red light and eased to a stop one block over from my house Sunday morning, the car right smack in front of me afforded a sight that I can call a first in my 30 years living in Syracuse, N.Y. The weathered Mercedes 3000 Turbo Diesel was adorned with…

A month of daily writing goes by like a short paragraph

Well, NaPoBloMo is over. If it was the good, old days, I would say: Writers, put down your pens. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned during the past month of blogging every day, it’s this. I’ve come a long way from my good, old days. And I like it. When I first read the…

Are you a frontrunner or do you like going to the game?

Later this afternoon, my dear wife Karen and I will head off to the Carrier Dome to witness the Syracuse University football team’s final game of this 2013 regular season. The Orange needs to beat Boston College to even its record at 6-6 and become eligible for a bowl bid. We will be rooting. Us…

Five choices for post-holiday movie-goers

If it’s Friday, that means my movie advance blog is up on the Syracuse New Times site. This week, there are five new movies on the big screen near you. You can read all about them at the click below. http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/five-films-new-syracuse/ My dear wife Karen and I will be taking one of them in on…

A quiet holiday morning in the neighborhood, thank you

I would say happy Black Friday, but that’s one American holiday I don’t celebrate. In fact, this is one day that you definitely will not find me amid the bargain-hunting madness. Instead, I will share one more tale from a happy Thursday: It sure can be calm on a Thanksgiving morning, even in the middle…