An apology

Posted on July 23, 2017 | Leave a comment

john heard

By now you’ve no doubt heard that John Heard died.

Yesterday my social media feed was full of articles about the actor, all attributing his success to Home Alone.

I know he’s not here to read this — and let’s face it, he wouldn’t if he could  — but I feel the need to apologize.

While the family comedy may have made the most money in his filmography, it certainly did not make the most of Heard.

If you’re interested and willing to do a bit more research than his obit writers, I encourage you to watch Heard in the gripping thriller Deceived, co-starring Goldie Hawn. He also played opposite Tom Hanks in the comedy Big (a great excuse to watch that again). And he was an excellent Arthur Dimmesdale in a TV miniseries version of The Scarlet Letter in 1979.

Let’s hear it for one of the great character actors. He will be missed.

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Movies, Television

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Home field advantage

Posted on July 22, 2017 | Leave a comment

Excited to see Kansas City highlighted in this Citi commercial that just aired during The Open on NBC:

Just one of the many great things happening in this little big city!

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Posted in Advertising, Business, golf, Humor, Sports, Television

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Too soon

Posted on June 17, 2017 | 3 comments

My hometown lost two of its own this week…

Two girls that I grew up with.

I say ‘girls’ because that is how I remember them — sunny, spirited teens…not as the moms, wives  and emotional centers of the families who mourn them

My hometown mourns them as well. When a community of less than 500 loses two  — especially two so very young — everyone feels the effect.

Of course, at times of loss, my hometown immediately rallies with signs, both large and small, of love and support. My family has been the beneficiary on more occasions than I care to count, and we are forever grateful.

And my hometown will rally again for our two girls, gone too soon, but never forgotten.

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Posted in Family, Friends, Life, Love, Relationships

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Cold case

Posted on May 29, 2017 | Leave a comment

We have had more than enough reasons of late to question our leaders and institutions. So, perhaps you’re not ready for yet another in your entertainment viewing.

netflix-the-keepersBut I still must recommend The Keepers on Netflix.

This seven-part documentary series examines the unsolved murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik, who was abducted and killed in Baltimore in 1969 at age 26.

The circumstances surrounding her death are just one element of the story. The apparent cover-up by the church and police is even bigger and more disturbing.

And the entire investigation of this ‘cold case’ was led by Gemma Hoskins and Abbie Schaub, retirees and former students of Sister Cathy at Archbishop Keough High School.

The information they bring to light is shocking and sad — even more so because it took this long.

Sister Cathy Cesnik — and all the students at Archbishop Keough — deserve justice.

 

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Posted in Commentary, documentaries, Entertainment, Religion, Television

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Hard to swallow

Posted on May 18, 2017 | Leave a comment

I loved grape soda as a child, and more than once have lamented the lack of diet options.

How about a liquored up one?

Hard-Grape-6pk_web

Henry’s Hard Grape is all grown up — 4.2 percent alcohol by volume, as you can see — with cool retro branding.

I appreciate both.

I was curious enough to buy a six-pack, and it’s pretty tasty. But my diet soda sensibilities are offended by the cane sugar.  To this day, it’s hard for me to drink anything with calories.

Those six hard sodas are gonna last me a good long time.

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Posted in Advertising, Dieting, Food, Humor, Life

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Graduation day!

Posted on May 3, 2017 | 1 comment

A big thank you to the Barnes & Noble in Nanuet, New York.

They featured my book You’re a Leader, Charlie Brown in their list of graduation gift recommendations,  and even tweeted out a picture. (Tagged me, too.)

I’ve never been to Nanuet, but it has suddenly made the short list of my future vacation spots.

Coincidence? Not even.

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Posted in Books, Comics, holidays, Humor, Travel, Vacation

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Too close for comfort

Posted on April 27, 2017 | Leave a comment

Did you read The Handmaid’s Tale in high school as I did?

The dystopian work of fiction was horrifying to my teenage self but far-removed — nothing I could realistically see occurring in my lifetime.

handmaidstale

Then Trump happened.

Now every event portrayed in the television adaptation that dropped yesterday on Hulu — only three episodes, quite frustrating for binge watchers like me — seems like a warning of things to come if we are not vigilant.

Women universally stripped of their rights to work and own property, then treated as property and debased. The LGBTQ community hanged for simply being. It is terrifying and dressed up as a return to traditional values.

I signed up for a free trial to Hulu just to watch this series. I think everyone should.

It’s that important.

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Posted in Commentary, Entertainment, Life, Philosophy, Politics, Television

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