Speaking at UMass: It’s Always a Crapshoot
I’m heading back to UMass today for another opportunity to speak with students about writing. This is an old tradition, dating back 7-8 years, and it’s unpredictable whether the students will be interested in what I say or completely distracted. I remember one time when I came to this same […]
“Tell me the name of your company!”
“Tell me the name of your company,” coaxed architect Edward Roche, UMass Class of ’72, as we sat on a panel tonight in the campus center. We were here for the Distinguished Speaker Series, and on my right and left sat three accomplished men with stories to share and ideas […]
WRSI’s Meltdown: overwhelming, in a good way.
I joined what felt like everyone else in the Valley who has ever had children today at WRSI’s annual family fest, called The Meltdown. As I listened to a mom talking into her cell, I agreed…the word to describe the whole extravaganza is…overwhelming. But in a good way. The throngs […]
Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew: The Men Behind the Music
If you pulled back the curtain on rock and roll over the past four decades, there, hiding, would be Hal Blaine. I read a portrait of this man behind the famous “Wrecking Crew,” in the WSJ yesterday, and discovered that much of the music people think was performed by famous […]
Donald Sutherland: What I’ve Learned
At age 76, Donald Sutherland has earned all the cred he needs. He’s been in so many movies, he’s one of the icons; we would use his image if we were making a backdrop of what Hollywood looks like in 2011. He answered questions posed by Cal Fussman in this […]
Sometimes Staying Home Can Be as Tempting as the Trip
I have a mixed and sometimes turbulent relationship with travel. Some times, there is nothing more delicious than having an upcoming trip loom closer and closer, and getting ready by making plans, phone calls and reservations for exotic new places to stay and things to see. Or poring over an […]
New Zealand Is Ready for Travelers: Some of My Best Memories
This week an effort is commencing to help the economy of a country devasted by an earthquake. No, not Japan–New Zealand–which was hit by a huge quake in Christchurch a few weeks before and now their tourism-driven economy is taking a big hit. #Blog4NZ is the name of this effort, […]
The Anatomy of Female Arousal Explained…With a Map
Last night I extracted a promise from my sweetie after agreeing to go to an event of her choosing. “You owe me two Patriots games for this,” I told her. It was a talk at the Serius Community by noted sexologist Sheri Winston, whose book is entitled “The Anatomy of […]