Focused at Fifty

BART So a while back, I went to a Starbucks at the tail end of a head cold, just wanting some good coffee. I placed my order and the barista asked my name. I said Marc and in her cheerfully effervescent voice, she exclaimed my drink would be right up and to pick up my coffee at the end of the counter. I went down to that area and waited. I picked up my coffee and on my cup was written "Bark."  YUP, as in tree BARK. Like someone would be named BARK?? Wouldn't you even question it??? Like, "Sir, did I hear you correctly, is your name Bark?"  I mean i know I had a very stuffed nose and my "M'"s sounded like "B'"s but geesh! Way to give a guy a complex!! I guess I should be happy she got the "K" on the end, even though it's actually a "C". Another Starbucks, another coffee and on my cup was written "Bart."  There is NO "T" in my name!!! UGH! BERT Fast forward to a week ago and ...

The other day, I saw an internet meme about the gym. It basically stated that the next time you go to the gym and make fun of someone overweight who is working out, you should realize that at least they are there making an effort. We shouldn't bash someone for trying! The newbies at the gym are (at the very least) realizing that they need to be healthier and doing something about it. And we should all be supporting each other whether it's doing the 50 day push-up challenge, day '1' at the gym or day '365'!! I have realized that this should also apply when I sometimes see someone walking very slowly on the treadmill or moving slowly on the elliptical machine. I don't know what their health issues are or their training capacity is. I need to give them props for just being there. When I had my surgery in December 2015, I took 4 weeks off from the gym. I got back into it slowly. I didn't want to overlift or overdo it with cardio for fear of (ICK) rippi...

source I like watching NCAA college basketball. I don't watch the NBA. Totally dislike it. When I watch COLLEGE hoops, I always root of course for my alma mater , Rutgers University. Yes I know, Rutgers isn't in the NCAA Tournament this year. In fact, they haven't made an appearance in the Tournament is a long long .... long long ... very long time. But I still love my Rutgers! I don't usually do the brackets though. I know it's based on stats, teams standings, player ability, etc. Just don't have the time to figure it all out. I do appreciate the passion others have for it. I got passion, just not for brackets. I did attempt to do brackets twice before. I was convinced by my buddy to have some fun and try it. We used to hang out at a bar called the Central Tap in Fleetwood, PA. We did the brackets about 8 years ago. I had no idea what the heck I was doing. So I was buzzed and figured I'd pick them based on my favorite mascots. Now I didn't tel...

Love the film noir look! One of the biggest issues in this recent election is that America is mad! They are tired of government, tired of being politically correct. You've heard it on CNN, MSNBC, FOX, etc. ARGH! Everyone is so mad mad MAD! Forget calling someone an ass, forget calling someone a #$&%*, forget using the forbidden words. Oh my God, I can't even type the forbidden words as an example for fear of the Internet backlash! I know what I'll do! When I want to use a curse or a forbidden word, I will substitute the word "bunny." Nah, that won't work. All the Easter bunny followers will have my head. Even though guess what... the Easter bunny is NOT REAL. And neither is Santa, nor the tooth fairy, nor the Hanukkah man! OK OK, I digress... Well I have the perfect solution for America. Our insults are so boring and predictable these days. We hear them on TV and the Internet all the time. "Lying Ted, Little Marco" (Shut up Donald!) Peo...

A couple months ago, an acquaintance I'll call Karen invited me to a gathering at her home. We were never that close but were friendly enough. We just never truly clicked though. It's neither a negative nor a positive thing. It's just a part of life. Now I appreciated being invited by Karen but I hadn't even seen her in the past year and then it was only for a couple minutes the previous Spring. I really didn't want to go to her party but felt almost obligated because a number of other mutual acquaintances were going. How could I politely decline the invite and what would my reason be? My close friend Jackie was attending but raised a good point:  unless you are family or good friends, you don't really owe them an explanation. You definitely owe them a reply, an RSVP, a response. But other than "Thanks, I'm very sorry but I can't make it", you owe them nothing more. If it were my sister, or my friend Jackie, I'd owe an explanation ou...

Pic from Hotpockets.com   After reading this you may say, somethings are better left forgotten. Well, I disagree because this 10 second memory always makes me laugh and shake my head in silliness. The other day I was on the couch flipping through channels and a commercial came on for Hot Pockets microwave sandwiches. You know the ones, the end with the ever so catchy jingle "Hot Pocket!" I laughed as I immediately thought back to a Hot Pocket memory of my own. It was back in 2005 or so when I had just began working at Montgomery County Domestic Relations as an enforcement officer. I had an addiction to eating Hot Pockets for lunch, couldn't get enough of them! I think I would buy 10 boxes at a time of the different varieties and make a box each day for lunch. One Friday at work, I decided on a whim to have lunch with some coworkers and went out to dine instead of eating my usual Hot Pockets. As I was leaving work that day, I remembered the Hot Pockets were in th...

http://www.riversideodds.com/ I decided this year to make an effort to do things outside of my comfort zone. There are things which give me a certain amount of angst. I have never done them before or just not in a long while. Certain things I will not do, including bungee jump or sky jumping. No thanks. :)  Others ... maybe with just a little bit of a push I will. My buddy Darren Walbridge, as I've stated in previous blogs, is the drummer of the Philly punk rock band, the Riverside Odds. It is a speed punk band with (off of their website) RW Griswold on lead vocals, Matty Terror on guitar/backing vocals, Tim Griswold on bass guitar/backing vocals, Dan Neswick on lead guitar, Darren on drums, and the classic beer PBR for inspiration(!). How awesome is that?! My punk experiences were in the 80s and early 90s listening to bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Smiths, the Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Violent Femmes, the Cure, the Ramones, Fishbone, and Meat...