Thoughts, experiences and adventures from a resident of DelSo aka Delaware Avenue South in Albany, N.Y.
The dawn of a new decade of living is something I’ve celebrated with gusto for my entire life. Turning 60 was no different, at least not when it came to enthusiasm. The setting (my favorite Cape Cod house ever), the crew (a collection of friends from distinct chapters of my life) and the vibe (80s … Continue reading Where do I start?
In what feels like the blink of an eye, the ten years of my 50s have flown past and I’m facing the dawn of a new decade. That was fast. Replacing that 5 with a 6 will probably take a little getting used to, at least in a literal sense. Mentally and emotionally, though, I’ve … Continue reading Reflecting on my 50s – some feats, foibles, fails and facts.
I often complain that I hate owning a house because of the unpredictable responsibilities that come with a 115 year-old property. I imagine the freedom I’d feel without the constant worrying about the correct prioritizing of maintenance and improvements and try to decide where else I might live… But, for now (and the last 30+ … Continue reading Leaving the nest
The title of this post comes from the way I misremembered the title of an essay in Rebecca Solnit’s book No Straight Road Takes You There. For the record, the actual title of the short work is “On Not Meeting Nazis Halfway.” Similar things, negotiating and meeting halfway, n’est pas? Now, I haven’t yet read … Continue reading Upon not negotiating with Nazis
In 1996, I was settling into the home we had recently purchased, preparing to start a new permanent professional position and getting ready to start a family. Having all three of those major life milestones occur within a six month window of time, reflectively, seems crazy but, at the time, I was completely unfazed to … Continue reading Declaring (personal) independence
May’s trip to Maine gave me a new and sincere appreciation for Maine, a state I had previously considered to be too far, for too little. Additionally, I received a more tangible item from our quickish stop in the outlets in Freeport: a new pair of Levi’s. This new edition of a classic cut, the … Continue reading The genes of my current favorite jeans
One of the highlights of last month’s visit to Ireland was a Sunday afternoon gathering of family in Dublin. If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know the story of my making contact with my father’s family for the first time in 1989 when I was 22 years old. If you … Continue reading Descended from a king, traveling with a prince
