Goose, goose, duck!

On a blustery Eastwood stroll with dear Dogamous Pyle, aka Ellie B, we encountered two resting geese in Norwood Park. One quick bark later, they took flight on a beeline over our ducking heads. I plan to make photos that catch my interest a periodic feature on markbialczak.com. Let’s call it Syracuse through the ‘i’…

The Thompsons come up from Nashville to warm up Central New York Guitar League’s eighth anniversary meeting

Add a very cool father-and-son team to the list of acoustic string players who can absolutely make your jaw drop. Tim and Myles Thompson helped the Central New York Guitar League celebrate its eighth anniversary to open April at the Clarion just west of Syracuse. Dad Tim and son Myles took the drive north from…

At Toby Keith’s joint in Destiny USA, you’ll find a good bar, tasty food and promising music spot

The waitress was well-versed on the beer side of the menu at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill. Stella Artois, my dear wife’s order, was available in bottle. Fine for Karen, who prefers that vessel of beer delivery. For me, though, there was one and only one way that I was going to…

Rules today could have given Syracuse one last shot vs. Indiana

Syracuse meets Indiana tonight in the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. Thoughts of those of us old enough to have sat on the edge of chairs all over Central New York as Keith Smart’s corner jumper went through the net must go back to the matchup of the Orange and Hoosiers for the 1987 national championship.…

At mile 5, neighbors admire the speed, pluck and grit of the Syracuse Half Marathon

They went by in a blur. Our little knot of neighbors cheered. Sunday morning sure wasn’t its usual self in Eastwood. The Syracuse Half Marathon wound its way down our three blocks of Syracuse city living, and near the bottom of the hill, eight people and one amped-up Dogamous Pyle altered the routine to welcome…

A soul-mate with dazzling teeth could be around the corner

A silly, little TV commercial caught my ear yesterday. I’d seen it before but the true madness behind the ridiculousness escaped me until the, oh, fourth time around. Setting the scene: A woman is at a cafe. She’s apparently eligible because a guy across the room catches her eye. She decides: He could be my…

When spring knocks on Syracuse’s door with snowy morning, I grab my shovel

I saw it starting just as my dear wife, Karen, was pulling into the driveway after work yesterday. It stayed in the corner of my right eye from a window in our living room as we went about our evening ways. The weather guy on the 11 o’clock news talked all about it. When Dogamous…

Justin Bieber isn’t perfect! Calm down and tell your kids to be themselves

So they’re reporting about Justin Bieber’s wild streak over in Europe on “The Today Show.” Breaking news. Canadian kid turns 19 and squirms under the spotlight that’s been following him all of his teen years. He acts out. The magnifying glass of our world tells all. He sings and dances for thousands of young people…

I welcome Sammy into my life

Through two decades, I’ve been on the giving side of the Sammy. Up to the stage the smiling winners would march. I’d hand over the shiny, black Syracuse Area Music Awards trophy to the rightful recipient of the Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist, and all was right in my world. Heck, some years…

Inside my mind on a daily walk through our Destiny

The last couple of days, I’ve taken my daily walk inside, to Destiny USA. Before I jump in the car, I have to deal with the look of disappointment mixed with just a tinge of pissed-off from my dear dog Ellie B. OK, maybe it’s just my guilt over the fact that when I decide…