a good new england man

"Freedom lies in being bold." –Robert Frost

how i ruined my triathlon training

One corn dog, with ketchup and mustard. One ear of corn, drenched in butter.

One donut burger (a beef patty in between two Krispy Kremes).

One ride on the Sizzler. Three deep-fried Oreos. Thank you, Indiana State Fair.

tick tock

A long time ago, in a far away land called Boston, I was hypnotized by the beautiful chiming of my grandmother's grandmother clock (smaller than a grandfather).

Nana always told me that when she passed away, this clock would be mine. She's still with us, technically, but her mind has left. The phone number to her nursing home is written on a post-it note by my desk. I look at it often; feel guilty; feel the need to talk to her; remember how last time she kept asking about my grandfather (who's been gone since 1999), remember how it ended with her abruptly handing the phone back to the nurse and me crying; I don't call, for selfish reasons.

When Dad last went up to visit, he took this clock from storage, wrapped it to sustain a nuclear explosion, and shipped it to Indiana. I love it. It's filled with memories. It fits perfectly in the corner of our dining room. I only wish Nana could make the trip out here to see it in person.

overheard 005

Waffle House waitress in Nashville, Tennessee:

"Don't make me give ya the Heineken maneuver."

study

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