Caroline Calloway — Blog — Stay At Home Husband

Best Activity

Golf: Usually by this time of year, my golf game is sputtering to the end of the season. Weekend golf is catch-as-catch-can; they can take upwards of five hours, and they become more frustrating because playing golf once a week does no one any good. It’s too hard a game to play intermittently. I’m lucky if I play once a week in the fall.

Now, with my fall a bit more flexible, I was fortunate to play a few times this past week. Three different course. Three different groups of players. Last Friday I played Boston Golf Club in Hingham, the 87th ranked course in America (Golf Digest). It’s a 15 year old course that feels like it’s been around for much longer. Each hole feels a bit like an event as we stood on the tee box and talked about the design and where we needed to hit the ball. I was happy the greens weren’t too fast, because the greens are pretty wonky, with big slopes. It was the first time I played in a five-some, I was the fifth wheel and grateful for a splendid walk and to experience a top golf course.

On Tuesday, I got to play in a fundraising event. There are a lot of these events in September, and I’ve always had to say, “No, thanks. I’m working.” Not this year! The great part about this event was we played our own ball (usually the format is a scramble, where you play as a team.). The beneficiary of the event was Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin. It was run by a Holy Cross grad. In other words, I was with my people. I sat next to the 1983 World Champion in 5000 meters, Eamonn Coghlan. He held the world record for the indoor mile at 3:49.78 from 1983-1997 (he broke his own world record twice from 1979-1983). He’s one of the greatest Irish Athletes in history and a very nice man. As we talked at dinner he made the connection that he knew my dad, which was very random. It does not back up the stereotype that all Irish people know each other.

Finally, on Wednesday I got to play Concord CC with two men that work at Drumlin Hospital along with a family friend that invited me to tag along with the three of them. There’s nothing like being around a couple Irish folks. It reminds me of my summers and my family. It makes me think of my dad. It always makes me want to go back, especially when they say to look them up when I’m over there. Just the nicest people in the world.

It was a good week of golf and Irish people. Now I just need to find a way to blend those things over there.

Best Listen

The Sterling Affairs: This ESPN 30for30 podcast chronicles the Donald Sterling tapes that were leaked by his mistress, V. Stiviano. This lead to Sterling selling the LA Clippers and banned for life from the NBA. The recordings showcased an old racist without a clue between what is right and wrong. The podcast dives into racial tensions in the United States, the “plantation mentality” that exists within these franchises, the expectation of pro athletes to take a social stand, and life before the #MeToo movement (note: it was pretty icky…).

If you ever wondered what life would have been like if Donald Trump owned the Buffalo Bills, this might be the portal into that alternate universe (or it might be the portal back to the universe we were in before 2016…) both men are narcissistic, sad, entitled, fame-hungry. They both had their lineage erased by a name change. Sterling sought the comparison to Trump in the 1980s and 90s as he gained notoriety for owning swaths of land in LA, treating his tenants like garbage, and not renting to minorities.

You don’t really have to like basketball to enjoy this pod.

“Red Bull and Hennessy” by Jenny Lewis: I let my Spotify play through it’s algorithm one morning this week while I was working (probably because I was tired of eavesdropping on podcasts…you know, when it’s just on in the background and you’re listening like you would listen to people next to you at a coffee shop). Anyway, this song caught my attention. It’s off Lewis’ new album, On The Line, which is alright. Red Bull and Hennessy is great though.

Best Watch

The Sinner (season 2): The beauty of this show is you don’t need to have watched season 1 to know what’s going on. The one character that remains is Detective Harry Ambrose, played by the excellent Bill Pullman. The first season was good, but the second season is more focused. They cut the fat in their storytelling.

The real star of the show is the kid that plays Julian Walker, who is charged with a double murder. The actor is 14 year-old Elisha Henig. His IMDB profile reads, “Elisha grew up in Portland, OR. His love for acting was sparked at age 8 during a Shakespeare acting class, making his debut performance at the end-of-class demo as Richard III.”

Richard III?!?!?!?!

I’m not sure what’s more crazy, an 8-year-old attending a Shakespeare acting class (CLASSIC Portland, Oregon. Just Classic. He probably went to a coffee roasting class the day before…) or that 8 year-old choosing to perform as Richard III. That’s insane; Elisha steals the show in every scene he’s in. He’s creepy, believable, and dynamic.

The Man in the Red Bandana: I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention 9/11 here in some capacity. I was a senior in high school, about to turn 18, that Tuesday morning. I am now on the cusp of 36. It’s hard to believe I have lived half my life on one side of that day and another half on the other side. This video about the heroics of one man on that day, Welles Crowther, a former BC lacrosse player, is outstanding. Have some kleenex nearby.

Best Read

Hello From Harry Potter (New Yorker): If you read this letter, written by overbearing father, Harry Potter, and don’t get it, then you’ve never been a teacher. And that’s okay. The next goal: don’t be the parent that sends an email like this. It’s the thing that every teacher will talk about for weeks, until the next email like this comes into someone else’s inbox and the cycle begins again.

Caroline Calloway’s Ghost Writer (The Cut): Until yesterday, I was not privy (or cool enough?) to the life and times of Caroline Calloway. You could call her the Icarus of Instagram. She found herself IG famous, with 800,000 followers nearly seven years ago (that’s, like, totally, like, having 2 million followers now…), was awarded a $375,000 advance for her memoir, and then things came crashing down. Her friend, Natalie Beach, was a ghost writer for many of her charming, sophisticated IG posts, which were the inspiration, and skeletons, for the memoir book deal. Beach’s writing is wonderful and the her perspective is captivating. Beach, the ugly duckling, but skilled writer, latches onto Calloway, the “it” girl, only to feel used and abused. Like anything from one person’s perspective, you have to take it with a grain of salt. It’s worth the time to read.

Jane Goodall Interview (NYTimes.com): Jane Goodall is one of the most impressive people in the world. She’s 85, she’s a fighter, and this interview offered me a new perspective on her as a child of World War II (note: kids these days are soft…).

Best Eat

Corn Chowder: As a Stay at Home Husband, I am trying my darnedest to add to my cooking repertoire. I signed up for the NYTimes food section, which has endless recipes, tips, and reviews. I found a corn chowder recipe this weekend. It was incredibly simple, made days worth of soup for us, and it tasted delicious, if I do say so myself.

Tim Tams: On our trips to Wegmans, my wife enjoys scouring the international food aisle, in particular the British/Irish section. Usually some chocolate covered digestive biscuits will make an appearance in our shopping cart. However, this time, Tiff grabbed a new treat: Tim Tams. They are rich and chocolaty. These Aussie treats come in various flavors, we had the mint chocolate ones. Pick ‘em up and have them with a cuppa tea.

Best Drink

Water: The last few years, I have designated September as a dry month (with an exception for a beer or two to celebrate my birthday). It usually helped me transition back into teaching and, in 2017 and 2018, allowed me to train for marathons without feelings like trash on my long runs. I have found myself drinking a lot more water, especially out at social events. Now that I’m not in school, I have found myself in more situations where will power is important. Three rounds of golf this past week, a few dinners out. I have found once make that first non-alcohol order, it’s much easier.

However, I am always shocked (although I know I shouldn’t be) at how my body feels without alcohol. I sleep better, I’m more sound of mind, I’m more productive (yes, I do still need to be productive…), my runs are immeasurably better, and my mornings are more enjoyable. There’s nothing like a clear-minded weekend morning.

Funny story to wrap up: last Friday Tiff and some coworkers went to Black Rose to kick off the weekend. I wandered down to meet them. After my fourth or fifth trip to the bar to ask for a refill on water (which was really bugging the bartender), he looked at me and in his Irish accent yelled over the loud music, “Are ye runnin’ a marathon or somethin’?” Knowing I had a 16 mile run ahead of me in the morning I could honestly look at him and say, “Yes.” He frowned and nodded and said, “Well that’s a good answer.” He didn’t give me a hard time the rest of the night.

Have a great weekend and don’t be afraid to put your favorites from the week in the comments.