Helen Mirren in Prime Suspect. Trumpet player Christian Scott. Ultra-Marathon running and the pain they inflict on themselves. Spicy mezcal and Lord Hobo for home drinking. Funfetti cookies.
Read MoreAnother week is behind us. I'm playing video games to get my sports fix, but I also finished another book this week! I think I'm out on pulled pork but I an IN on Annie's toaster pastries. Also, I never want to piss off a Sunderland fan.... or Dennis Wise.
Read MoreAfter another crazy week, I try to put some of my favorite together. Running has certainly calmed me down during the quarantine. Hans Zimmer has a Spotify playlist and The Karate Kid has a podcast. We made dinner at home each night because, well, it's really the only choice we have.
Read More
Photo by Dino Reichmuth on Unsplash
This quarantine experience has felt a bit like a road trip. At the start, there’s that moment in the car when everyone is feeling positive and upbeat. Someone created a playlist on Spotify, someone else scouted out a great lunch spot, and someone else organized snacks. The music is blaring, folks are singing along, and the landscape is zooming by. There’s no traffic on the highway. Smoooooooth sailing. The anticipation is high and it’s bursting with positivity. This is how the beginning of last week felt. People were energized to fight this virus and win. We’re all in this together. We’ll stay inside for as long as we need to. Heck, our forefathers stormed beaches for our sake, the least I can do is binge “Tiger King” and “Love is Blind.”
Like any road trip, that initial burst of energy wanes. The snacks come out, some folks drift off to sleep, others chit-chat and try to maintain the excitement around the destination. Making plans and such.
Currently it feels like we’re in the third phase of this road trip analogy, the “Are we there yet?” phase. We all know how this phase goes. No matter the age of the traveller, there’s the itchy feeling of being in the car for a little bit too long. A quick gas stop and large coffee doesn’t quite feed the soul, and as you pile back in the car, maybe changing the seating arraignment, you dread the thought of more hours on the highway. The end almost feels further away than it did at the start of the ride.
It seems as if this week people were starting to feel like they just wanted to get out of the car, road trip be damned. Unfortunately, the loudest person asking “Are we there yet"?” is our driver, the President, who seems interested in picking a different destination, one much closer than the original choice (think “World’s Largest Watermelon” instead of Disney World…), because one or two folks in the back are yelling loudly enough “ARE WE THERE YET!!!??” (these are the types that would fart with the windows up and punch fellow riders in the arm…).
The difference between this pandemic and a road trip is two-fold. First, this pandemic is scary as hell, especially for those on the frontlines in hospitals. Second, we don’t really know where this road trip is going to end. We don’t know the destination and we don’t know when we’ll arrive.
Think about all the times you have preached patience and perseverance to a child or a co-worker or spouse. Consider the “self-improvement” work you’ve done and the books you’ve read over the years. We’ve done the prep for this, and we have to remember that, yes, this is the worst road trip ever, but we’re not there yet, and it might be a bit longer. So stop farting and punching your brother in the arm!
I just hope the driver doesn’t threaten to turn the car around. That would be bad.
Ford v Ferrari - It was great watching Batman and Jason Bourne work together to build Ford race cars! This is a really great movie if you love cars and competition and good old America! I know nothing about cars, but the story is incredibly interesting and Christian Bale and Matt Damon are superb. The racing scenes are great, and I found myself moved by the scenes between Christian Bale’s character, Ken Miles, and Miles’ son Peter. Really touching stuff.
Little Fires Everywhere - This show is based on the novel of the same name by Celeste Ng. It stars Reese Whiterspoon and Kerry Washington as two moms raising their kids in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The show focuses heavily on the high school experience of four kids, and given the show is set in the late 1990s, there’s some great nostalgia baked in.
There are currently four episodes available on Hulu.
What About Bob: It has been along time since I had seen this movie, but it might be my favorite Bill Murray performance (yes, even better than Carl Spackler in "Caddyshack and his role in “The Man Who Knew Too Little”). The opening ten minutes are incredibly timely given his debilitating germaphobic and agoraphobic behaviors.
It’s free on HBO right now…
Roy Keane interview- I stumbled upon this 2 hour interview (filmed in front of a live audience) on Youtube. It’s from last September, and it offers fabulous insight about English soccer. Roy Keane is brutally honest and sometimes delusional, but he’s a riveting character. I had this on in the background as I worked, and found myself laughing out loud enough times that Tiff asked me what I was listening to. Here’s the full interview.
Here’s one section where Keane is speaking about being suspended for the Champions League Final in 1999 and how much he enjoyed the free time in Barcelona with fellow suspended teammate Paul Scholes.
Music Festival Fantasy Draft: Who knows if we’ll ever have music festivals again… this podcast is three guys building their own individual music festivals in the form of a draft. Once a band is picked, they can’t be picked again. I listened to this on Sunday during my run when I was in a real grumpy mood with all this coronavirus stuff. It turned me around.
Iconic Shirt Numbers: Michael Cox of The Athletic is a must read if you love soccer. He started a series about two months ago where he writes about jersey numbers, which are traditionally connected to a position on the field. I was learning about a famous #6, Bobby Moore of England and enjoyed reading the history about the #6 shirt. Here’s his article about #6.
That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief: Thanks to my friend Tung for sharing this article with me. It’s a really helpful way to think about what’s going on right now and how to think about our anxiety and grief during this pandemic. Harvard Business Review.
Tiff’s Almond Cake: Good golly, this was downright delicious. I’m not a big almond flavoring person, but this might have changed my mind. It had the consistency of a pound cake and it joined me a few times for my afternoon coffee. It’s a good thing that she was kind enough to deliver a chunk to our neighbors.
Notch Left of the Dial: I was really feeling good about my alcohol distancing over the months of January and February. Now, though, a beer or two in the evening helps me wind down a bit. I don’t think I’m the only one that’s self medicating with some drinks. Left of the Dial is a great one because it’s very low alcohol, so it doesn’t leave you feeling crappy in the morning (the whiskey does that…). It’s a local brewery up in Salem, so I like to tell myself I’m helping out!
The Imperfect Game - Last Friday, I spoke with my cousin, Jerome, who lives in China. We talked about his experience in quarantine for the last two months and the potential reboot that he was starting to see.
Both and I also recorded a podcast this week. We decided it would be fun to research a hero and villain in various English clubs.
Photo by Rebecca Freeman on Unsplash
It feels as if we’re in the midst of a massive “Marshmallow Test.” The famous test offered children a choice: eat one marshmallow now or wait and get two marshmallows later. Each child was left alone with the tempting marshmallow to make their own decision. Some kids ate the marshmallow and some waited.
In our case, one marshmallow is the choice to stay home now and delay the temptation. Avoid taking advantage of quiet bars and restaurants (if they’re open at all) and leaving the house for the sake of leaving the house because we just can’t take it anymore. It might feel good to make frivolous trips to various locations (I need MORE toilet paper!!!) or to hang out with groups of friends because, well, there’s nothing else to do!
If we all avoid eating the marshmallow, we’ll all get out of this situation much faster. We’ll all be able to return to work and our normal routine. We’ll lighten the load of those people who are going to work in hospitals right now, too.
However, if more and more of us decide to eat the first marshmallow (like those Spring Breakers down in Florida), we won’t return to some semblance of normal for quite a while. No sports, no restaurants, no concerts, no parties with friends. No summer.
We’ve been cooped up for six days in our place. It’s maddening, for sure. Tiff and I spend most of our days in the house working from home. But the lack of freedom mixed with the constant static of news and fear has distracted me more than ever. I find myself worried about the health of my family and also the health of our economy.
For the sake of everyone, leave that marshmallow on the table. It will help us all get two marshmallows much faster.
The Dawn Wall: If you’re itching for the great outdoors while cooped up inside for most hours of the day, The Dawn Wall should be on your watch list. The documentary is about two men, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson, who decide they want to free-climb the Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. People have climbed various sections of El Capitan over the years, but The Dawn Wall has never been scaled because it’s so hard. The climb was broken into 32 pitches that are around 150 feet each. They climb in tandem, alternating turns. If one of them falls, they go back to the start and rest while the other tries the pitch. I started the movie not realizing that the climbers would be living on the wall for more than two weeks, sleeping in port-a-ledges, which are basically tents you hook into the wall (and my personal nightmare) The story is inspiring, especially in our current time. Tommy and Kevin supported each other and met immense challenge on the wall. The perseverance and grit required is immeasurable.
Paddy Whacked by T.J. English: This book covers the underworld of Irish-American mobsters over the last 160 years. It’s well-researched and, even with the horrible topic, an enjoyable read. Some of the characters and stories take place in my backyard and surrounding areas, but they stretch to New York (duh, Chicago (double duh), and New Orleans (who knew?). There’s a riveting section about John F. Kennedy and his family’s connection to bootlegging and the mafia which blew my mind. Amazon
The Hare’s Lament by Ye Vagabonds: My brother sent me these guys on St. Patrick’s Day, and I played it through three times over the course of the day. It’s a really excellent album. The two guys harmonize beautifully and some songs are sung in Irish.
Outback Steakhouse: Before quarantining ourselves, we went to Outback Steakhouse on Saturday afternoon. I have no memory of going to an Outback in my life. It was good! I ordered a NY Strip Steak (when in Rome…) and a baked sweet potato. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, and am sobered by the fact that it might be the last meal in a restaurant for a very long time.
St. Patricks’s Day Guinness: It wasn’t poured from a tap, it wasn’t in the proper glass. But it was still a Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day. That’s enough for me.
I’m betting you’ve all seen the penguins wander the aquarium (hilarious). Here’s a clip of Boston Celtic Grant Williams compare his teammates to the members of the Tune Squad.
.@Grant2Will is making great use of his time right now with these Looney Tunes comparisons. We can all learn from him. pic.twitter.com/xC7ixSLf7N
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) March 14, 2020
The Random Division: Tiff and I took this week off from podcasting, but if you’re looking for some good listening material that might help you pass the time while you’re hanging out at home, check out our “Best of the Decade” Series. Our TV episode is embedded below!
Also, take the time now to follow us on Instagram: TheRandomDivisionPod
We’d also love it if you wrote a review or ranked our podcast on iTunes (you know you have two minutes to spare…)
The Imperfect Game: This week’s pod covers the five best games that our Past and Present Series teams have played in. We dug through a combined 1000 years of history to pick our favorites. Both picks his five and I pick my five. If you want some videos to highlight some of the games, click on “The Imperfect Game” above. The show notes have clips from the games embedded! Nothing like watching men warm-up in 1966 before an FA Cup Final.
Head over to iTunes and give this one a rating and ranking, too (I know you have two MORE minutes to spare…)
Golf in Time of Corona - The last couple weeks, the weather has slowly warmed up in Boston to unseasonable temperatures; it started to feel like we might have escaped the winter unscathed. The pessimistic among us always punctuated the conversation with a statement like, “We’ll probably get some massive storm in March or, god forbid, April!” Unfortunately, I think this years version of winter is disguised as a pandemic. After perusing the aisles yesterday in search of some canned goods and other non-perishables, Tiff said it felt like the entire country (even the world?) is preparing for a huge blizzard (There’s a joke hiding in here about spot savers and shoveling, but I just can’t formulate it…)
I cancelled a trip to Las Vegas next week. Golf and March Madness were the siren songs for my friend Phil and I. We had spent a few years threatening to plan a trip somewhere to play golf and hang out (he lives in San Francisco). In order to tune up my game, I went to an indoor golf facility to hit golf balls for an hour. The repetition of hitting balls is therapeutic, just like clicking off miles during a run. There’s a rhythm to it, there’s constant feedback spinning in and out of your head. Both are beautifully individual but also a form preparation for something bigger like a tournament or a road race.
As this coronavirus pandemic sweeps through the world and cancels everything in sight, I hope everyone finds some way to release some stress while staying safe and healthy. It’s the only thing that will keep us sane.
I Am Not Okay With This - This Netflix show is a fun watch. It follows a teenage girl who is slowly realizing she has some sort of super power. It’s set in what looks like a Pittsburgh suburb (Penguins t-shirt, rust belt vibe, etc…). The end of the first episode was jarring, not for any cliff-hanger or plot twist, but because it didn’t feel finished. Why? The episode it was around 20 minutes long and I was settled in for a 45 minute pilot. The producers of Stranger Things are behind this one too, and captures the same vintage aesthetics, but it’s set in modern day.
The Bachelor Finale - It’s too late, it’s over, you’ve missed the boat. If you were there for the last two episodes, I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. I don’t think we’ll ever see a performance like the one Peter’s mother gave in the last 20 minutes. It was like Walter Payton, Hall of Fame in such a short amount of time. To add salt to the wound, Peter and Madi announced on Friday morning they were breaking up.
Parasite: I finally got around to seeing the Best Picture of the year, and it was, unsurprisingly, incredible. I thought I had a bit of an understanding of the plot from the trailer, but I didn’t. It had the feeling of a folktale told in modern day. Yes, there is some violence, if you’re not into that kind of thing, but it comes in a very small dose. If you still have a chance to see it in the theater do it (if it’s still open and you’re willing to go outside…). The subtitles weren’t a distraction, but they were tiny in the version I watched and sometimes blended in with the background.
You’ll probably be cooped up for the next week (or more?). This is something you should watch.
A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again - This is travel writing at it’s most hilarious and wonderful. David Foster Wallace is exceptional. I had never read this essay/story about his first cruise experience. Harper’s Ferry asked him to write a review, and he also put together this recap of the trip. It’s laugh out loud funny in many parts and incisively perceptive in so many others. He writes the truth and tells you things you knew but couldn’t dredge up into words.
A Lockdown Diary: A simple, well-written illustration of life in Italy right now. - NYTimes.com
Get a Grip Podcast - The name of the pod could make you think it’s talking about the coronavirus, but it’s not. This pod is co-hosted by Shane Bacon, a golf commentator, and Max Homa, a PGA TOUR winning. They’re really great to listen to each week. Max offers some great insight into the life of a pro athlete earning a paycheck week in and week out. He’s honest and self-deprecating while Bacon asks good questions and they banter well back and forth.
HAIM’s “Now I’m In It” - I love HAIM and have been listening to them a bunch the past couple weeks. I find myself starting with this song every time.
Pastrami Reuben Hash - Imagine a hot skillet with chunks of pastrami, onions, peppers, Swiss cheese, TWO poached eggs, with a side of rye bread in front of you… that’s what Monument has concocted. On Sunday, I went down and found a spot at the bar to watch the Manchester United v. Manchester City soccer game. This meal was my companion for most of the second half. It was incredibly delicious and I didn’t have an appetite for the rest of the day. The pastrami was cooked perfectly, big chunks of it just falling apart and mixing in with the rest of the ingredients. Pair it with a Downeast cider and a Manchester United win; you can’t go wrong.
Frozen Waffles - I’m training for the Big Sur Marathon in April right now. It’s up in the air if it will even happen. Good times! One of the challenges hidden challenges when you start running marathons is fueling up before a long run. Running 20 miles takes hours; if you don’t eat properly before the run, you’re screwed, and you’re probably screwed a long way from home. I typically like oatmeal or an english muffin. I’ll add peanut butter and a banana to both of them. Recently, I rediscovered my inner-fat-kid infatuation with the frozen waffle. Two of these puppies an hour before a run with some peanut butter and maple syrup is perfect. I also find them delicious when I’m not going for a run (with butter and honey…). English muffins and oatmeal have been ruined for me because of the connotation they have with running and pain and misery. I’ve been eating the Wegmans brand and the 365 brand from Whole Foods. I haven’t tried any of the flavored ones… yet.
Florida Man by Cigar City Brewing - A really good Double IPA that I came across at Blackmoor on Saturday. The name and description were enough to pique my interest. Here’s the blurb about the beer from the website: “A modern Double IPA with a tropical expression from the blend of American hops including Pacific Jade, Galaxy, Azacca, Lemon Drop and Simcoe is balanced by delicate peach esters from a unique Double IPA yeast and a dash of Canadian honey malt.” - CigarCityBrewing
NYTimes Writing Prompts: This week I randomly picked some writing prompts from the NYTimes list of thousands… This is something I’ll be doing more regularly.
Here are the first three;
Have You Ever Been Told You Couldn’t Do Something Because of Your Gender?
What Do You Remember Best About Being 12?
What Food Would You Like To Judge In a Taste-Off?
The Random Division - The season is over! We have our Mondays back! What a ride it’s been. Tiff and I do our best to process and wrap-up Peter’s disastrous season that ended with him being verbally cooked by his mother on live national TV.
iTunes: We’d love if you subscribed, wrote a review, gave us five stars, and told your friends!
Follow us on IG: TheRandomDivisionPod
The Imperfect Game: Both and I try to spend $120 million on a starting line-up for our imaginary soccer club; however, we’re only allowed to pick players from the ten teams we have researched over the past few months. It was much more challenging than we thought it would be and compromises had to be made.
iTunes. - We’d love if you subscribed, wrote a review, gave us five stars, and told your friends!
Porter Square Books Cafe
Porter Square: On Friday evening we went to Porter Square for dinner and then attended a book reading by the two Porter Square Book writing residents.
We had dinner at Christopher’s, which is right in Porter Square. It’s a really great spot, dark wood, fireplace, long bar, tons of beers on tap. A cozy warm place with a Cambridge vibe. Their food was good, and even just a few miles outside of Boston the price changed dramatically.
I’ve written about book stores on here before, I love them. One of my first dates with Tiff was in a book store before seeing a movie. Friday night was my first time at Porter Square Books. It’s delightful, and I left wishing there was a place like it somewhere closer to Charlestown. It had a cafe inside of it (picture above. Try the hot chocolate!), great book displays, cards, and puzzles.
The reading was really good. One of the authors wrote for young readers and the other one wrote for adults. It was an inspiring hour listening to them read their drafts. I was jealous of the young reader author because she beat me out for the residency, so really this entire trip was to check out the competition…
Barkley Marathons: I shared a link to an Outside Magazine article about this race last week, and this week I watched a documentary about the race. It’s an insane test of the human spirit. Lazarus, the founder, is a quirky dude. The application fee for the race is $1.60. If you’re a first-timer (they call them virgins), you have to provide a license plate from your state or country. The other payment is whatever Lazarus wants. The year this documentary is filmed the fee was one flannel shirt because Lazarus needed some shirts. He’s asked for socks in the past or white shorts. The race is like nothing I’ve seen before and Lazarus offers some incredible insight into the human spirit.
The Town: I moved to Charlestown just a few months before The Town came out. On Saturday night we popped some popcorn and gave it the old rewatch. The movie is great, highly entertaining. It also might be one of the most hyper-local movies I can recall seeing. The shots of Charlestown, the references, the shooting locations all make Charlestown. The movie also highlights some of the gentrification in Charlestown. Old Sully’s, a very local bar where they shot a bunch of scenes was turned into into condos a few years back. This was also Tiff’s favorite movie of the decade…
Sgt. Pepper: It had been a while since I listened to this album. I don’t have much to say about it other than the fact that it’s probably my favorite Beatles album.
Delphi Murders — Down the Hill: It's been too long (two weeks?) since I wrote about some morbid stuff for my best listen. This new podcast covers the murder of two teenage girls in Delphi, Indiana. This unsolved murder has some maddening evidence, including the voice of a man, the possible killer, on one of the girl’s snapchats saying “Down the hill.”
Emergency Goalie Wins NHL Game: This is a really cool story about David Ayres, a zamboni driver, that played, and won, an NHL game this week for the Carolina Hurricanes. Yahoo.com
WikiLove: I used to have a love/hate relationship with Wikipedia as a teacher. It was the easy place for students to find info, but it also offered what I thought might be the worst of the internet: people-powered-info without much oversight. Over time, I realized the value of it as a quick way to begin the research process, and now it’s a site I visit every day. Wired.com writes about what makes Wikipedia so great in an internet filled with garbage. Wired.com
LEGEND! 84-year-old Mary Ann Wakefield sunk this 94-foot putt to win a new car 👏
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 23, 2020
(via @OleMissMBB) pic.twitter.com/Rkq2GDD8yk
Slow Cooker Chicken Verde: This might be the easiest recipe on the planet. You dump boneless chicken thighs, a can of verde salsa, garlic cloves, and some spices into a slow cooker. You can make it a little fancier by making your own salsa verde, but a good pre-made version will do you just fine. We tried our hand at making our own gordita crunch with the chicken as the filling.
Bacon Jammy Pizza: Sunday Funday takes on a different vibe when your friends have kids. They rarely occur anymore because, well, kids. However, this past Sunday we did a grown-up version of the responsibility defying day: we visited two Charlestown Open Houses with some friends and their 14 month-old. After perusing places we couldn’t afford we went to Brewer’s Fork for a snack and a beer. The four of us split the bacon jammy pizza. It’s a simple pizza: bacon jam, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Between the weather, the beers, and the pizza, it was a solid Sunday.
Bowls: No, not a bong, it’s 2020. Just get some edibles. Seriously though, this past week I had some different versions of a bowl: Rice, grain, salad, burrito. All of them were delightful.
Sloop Brewing - Juice Bomb: I was the envy of the table at Brewer’s Fork when I ordered this beer; admittedly, I stumbled into the order based on the ABV. Brewer’s Fork has a knack for finding very strong beers and charging a lot of money for them. I was looking for the opposite, so the 6.5% was the best of the bunch. Everyone at the table took a sip of this NEIPA. It wasn’t hoppy, but had that hazy, cloudy look that most beers of their ilk have these days. If you live in the Hudson Valley near East Fishkill keep your eyes peeled. If you live anywhere else, figure out where you can drink it and go get it.
The Random Division: Fantasy Suite week is always entertaining, throw in a “soft-ultimatum” from a virgin contestant, and it gets very interesting. Tiff and I recorded this pod from the couch because we’ve got a giant puzzle on our table (Porter Square Books purchase…). It made for a punchy episode, probably the best one of the season. iTunes.
The Imperfect Game: Both and I have now researched ten English soccer clubs. So we decide to build our “Dream Club” using only the ten teams we learned about. We pick a city, stadium, fan base, manager, and more. We could only use each club once, so it made for a fun conversation, and some debate, between us. iTunes.
Last Friday, Tiff and I ventured to Cambridge for a Valentine’s Day dinner at Pammy’s. I’ve written about Pammy’s before, but it is amazing. It’s impossible to get a reservation on a normal Friday, let alone Valentine’s Day, so we got there early and stalked the bar scene. They had a prix-fix menu, four courses, two choices for each course, so we ate every on the menu for the night, sharing each course. Biggest upset of the night was Tiff’s fear of red snapper and then liking it more than the chicken dish that was served along side it.
The highlights were the the Taglierini with Wagyu Oxtail, chocolate, and horseradish. It’s a regular on the menu, but was part of Friday’s menu, too. It’s so so good. The best new dish from Friday night was a chocolate Torte. It had this insanely delicious crust on the bottom and an sorbet with whipped cream that tasted like a creamsicle.
I’ve said it here before, I’ll say it again. If you live in or are visiting Boston, you have to make time for Pammy’s. Get to the bar early or make a reservation weeks in advance.
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood - What a fantastic movie. I am not a huge Quentin Tarantino fan, but this movie gripped me for the entire two hours and forty minutes. The old time western aspects of the movie were amazing, and watching actors pretend to be actors is always a strange universe to step into. There’s a scene where Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothy Olyphant are shooting a scene in a western movie. It’s actors pretending to be actors and actually acting. It’s inception level stuff.
I didn’t know that the Charles Manson murders played a role in the movie, and it added a creepy edge to the story. The ending, which was gruesome in a classically Tarantino manner, was great and satisfying. Oh, and Brad Pitt was superb the whole way through; he’s slowly morphing into Robert Redford.
Knives Out - Another fantastic movie (two in one week!). A witty Who-Dunnit that is well-paced and kept me guessing the entire time. Daniel Craig sheds his James Bond skin and is wonderful as the New Orleans detective hired to crack the case when well-known murder mystery author dies suspiciously.
“Ten” by Pearl Jam: Maybe it was Starbucks osmosis, but on Tuesday, as I searched for something to listen to, Pearl Jam popped into my head. I have never listened to “Ten” or any Pearl Jam album, for that matter. I just missed the Nirvana and Pearl Jam grunge-band fervor of the early 90s. I have to say, I enjoyed the album; obviously, I was familiar with a lot of the songs, but just hadn’t listened to them in the order Pearl Jam intended (and about three decades late, too).
Peter Kostis interview: Hell hath no fury like a scorned lover or a fired golf commentator. Peter Kostis was fired by CBS this fall and he joined Chris Solomon to air some grievances, inform the listener about the challenges of covering golf on TV, and label Patrick Reed as a dirty, rotten cheater…
Meet Lazarus Lake, the Man Behind the Barkley Marathons: I read this article when it came out nearly a year ago, but returned to it this week because I saw a trailer for a documentary about the hardest race in the world. Over the last 25 years, only 10 people have even finished the race. This is a profile of the man who dreamed up this insane race through the woods in Tennessee. Outside Online.
If you skimmed over the “Best Activity” section, go back for some of my favorite foods of the week… any other week, these were stand-outs…
Cheesy Gordita Crunch: Our favorite Charlestown spot, Monument, does a Taco Tuesday every week. Every couple months they roll out a very special Taco Bell Tuesday and remake some of the Taco Bell favorites that every college kid and pothead enjoy. The place fills up so quickly that we arrived at 4:55 to get a seat. It was a little over zealous, but by the time we left at 6:00, there wasn’t a seat available in the restaurant.
The Cheesy Gordita Crunch is a hard shell taco with ground beef. However, wrapped around the edge of the hard shell, and secured with cheese, is a soft tortilla. If given the choice, hard shell taco takes last place in my taco hierarchy. I’d even place it behind a taco bowl. But when you add the soft shell wrapper, it keeps everything together, and the hard shell provides a satisfying crunch.
Easiest Chicken Noodle Soup: This is one of Tiff’s favorite NYTimes cooking recipes. It calls for ground chicken; the egg noodles are delicious even though they soak up so much broth that the leftovers need either more broth or an open-mind to eating a pasta dish. Soup season is dying soon as spring approaches, so get on this one soon!
Cadbury Chocolate Mini-Eggs: These delightful eggs might be the best holiday themed chocolate in the world. Listen, I’m not talking about the Cadbury Cream Egg. Those are weird. I’m talking about the small, candy covered chocolate eggs that make M&Ms run and hide for a few weeks. I bought a bag at CVS last week, and while it might have been the greatest choice I made all week, it’s something that can’t become a habit.
Book Club on Midnight in Chernobyl: Did a little write up on Midnight in Chernobyl, an excellent read about the Chernobyl disaster and cover-up. Here’s the link.
The Random Division: Hometown dates were last week. Give our podcast a listen to catch up or relive the families and fights! iTunes. Follow us on Instagram! TheRandomDivision
The Imperfect Game: I was back with Both Long to talk about Blackburn Rovers. This was a special one, as Both and I did it in person at my apartment. iTunes.
Chili Cook-off 2020… Slow Cooker Army
Chili Cook-off: Last Saturday, Tiff and I drove down to Hoboken, New Jersey for a chili cook-off hosted by our friends Lindsay and Dean. Chili is this funny food that has so many different interpretations, some of which can be polarizing (see: White chili and Skyline chili).
Like all good ideas, it has grown slowly. This year’s battle had nine chilis and the apartment was packed. The theme changes each year. Year one had an Olympic theme, so winners received medals and the mood was rather patriotic. Last year it was hosted on President’s Day Weekend, so it had a presidential tilt to it. This year, it was the Oscars. There was a red carpet welcoming the guests and the three winners received Oscars. The tasting is all blind, so each contestant picked from a list of best picture winners over the years to label their chili, which made it sound like we were talking about the pot: The Gladiator was really good. Oh, I haven’t had My Fair Lady was delicious.
If you don’t have a friend that hosts some sort of food-focused contest/party, be that friend and start one yourself. Mac and cheese, soup, chili, and dip all have a place in the world of competitive cooking.
The Pharmacist: This show is so captivating that when I put on the first episode, Tiff was winding down for bed and she literally stopped in the living and stood transfixed throughout the entire show. The docuseries is based in New Orleans and a nearby parish called St. Bernard. The main figure in the show is a father whose son was killed at age 23 in the lower ninth ward of New Orleans trying to score some drugs. The four episodes move quickly and it wasn’t at all what we expected, every episode is different. It begins with the father, Dan Schneider, trying to find out who killed his son. Once that’s done, he moves his attention to the opioid addiction sweeping the area. He is an actual pharmacist, so he’s watching people come in for Oxycontin and starts to ask questions. He’s basically an amateur private investigator. The show builds to the point where Purdue Pharma, the maker of Oxycontin, goes bankrupt.
It’s an excellent four episode docuseries. I particularly liked that each episode had one focus with the through line being Dan Schneider trying to make the world a better place.
The Chain: After a few long, intense reads, this was a perfect February beach read, without the beach. The story is set on the North Shore of Massachusetts, an area I have spent a lot of time. It’s a true page turner about a kidnapping ring that sustains itself because once a loved one is kidnapped, the only way to free them is to pay a ransom and kidnap someone else yourself. If you break The Chain, you and your loved ones die. That simple. The book is fast-paced and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it turned into a movie at some point soon. Amazon.
Let’s Be Friends by Carley Rae Jepsen: “Let’s be friends” could be a phrase used a lot today as people shoot their shot with a crush on Valentine’s Day. Jepsen’s new song has a break-up anthem that will probably find it’s way into most dance parties this spring and summer. It’s bitter and angry but still has that Carley Rae pop sound that weasels it’s way into your brain that you find yourself humming later on the in the day.
Seared Scallop Pasta With Burst Tomatoes and Herbs: This NYTimes cooking recipe is dynamite and incredibly easy. If you’re not a scallop person, or they intimate you, or you don’t like the smell of fish in your apartment (like someone I know…) you could substitute scallops with shrimp, salmon, chicken, or.. nothing. From “First chop to first bite” it probably took 35 minutes.
Brewdog’s Hazy Jane: This was a new one for me this week. I had it in Hoboken, and then I proceeded to have a couple more (hey, it pairs nicely with chili…). It’s on the sweeter side as far as IPAs go, but as someone that likes Pepsi over Coke and Bud Light over Miller Lite, I seem to have a taste for more sugary drinks.
Should We Really be Worried About Tom Brady Leaving?: I’m not sure Tom Brady returning to Foxboro is the best thing for the Pats at this point. I tried to put my emotional hedge into words… here’s the link.
The Random Division: Tiff and I were at it again this week watching The Bachelor and then talking about it. I firmly believe if you don’t watch the show, you could hop in right now and thoroughly enjoy the next four Mondays of viewing. In fact, after 30 minutes you might know the four women as well as Peter does. Just a disaster of a season. We can’t get enough of it.
Follow our show on Instagram… TheRandomDivision
I also tweet up a GD storm on Mondays during the show on my personal Twitter… BostonHomer.
iTunes link (rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends!) and we’re on Spotify…
The Imperfect Game: After a short hiatus, Both and I are back talking English football. This week’s club is Southampton F.C. A club without many trophies, but a load of homegrown talent that they have sent all over England and Europe. A fantastic academy and scouting program have helped Southampton F.C. stay stable, but has never pushed them to the top of English football.
Sometimes the best activity takes up an entire day or weekend. This week, it was a ten minute chunk of time on Wednesday. I had a bit of time to kill before a meeting in Concord. I was feeling a bit sleepy so I grabbed a coffee and headed for the Concord Bookshop, which is one of my favorites around. There’s not much better than wandering a bookstore: the smell, the quiet, the crack of a book as you skim through a couple pages. The Concord Bookshop has creaky wooden floors that betray your every move to the employees, and the old-town vibe that gives me the sense that I went back in time.
Bookstores also remind me of my old man, who would drag us into them when he had time to kill. Walden books in the mall might have been kept open a couple extra years because of my dad. He always had a pile of books at his bedside, but they seemed to be a in a constant rotation, never gathering too much dust. I was not a big reader growing up. At least in the classical book-reading sense, but every Christmas, my dad would give us each one book and he’d be sure to write “Merry Christmas, Dad.” He’d include the year. My mom’s house and my bookshelves in Boston are littered with books, and many of them have those little notes from my dad in them. It’s a tradition we’ve carried on since he died, we all buy books for each other for Christmas.
The Circle: This Netflix show gives me the heebie-jeebies, but I can’t stop watching it. The premise is that eight strangers are put in a house, kind of like the Real World; however, they don’t ever see or speak to each other. Each person is sequestered in their own apartments and interact with each other using “The Circle.” Every episode the contestants play games, group chat, solo chat, and manipulate and rank each other. The top two people are made influences and have a “meeting” to decide who to “block.” You’re blocked and you’re out for good, replaced by a new person. The most interesting part of the dynamic between these people is that some of them have created personas and are catfishing the group. For example, one guy is pretending to be his girlfriend, so any pictures that he posts are of her and if there’s ever a “girls chat” he is invited because everyone thinks he’s Rebecca.
Midnight in Chernobyl: This book will get a deeper write-up in my Book Club section, but I just finished it this week. My sister gave it to me for Christmas because I loved the HBO series. The book is incredibly well researched (the last 20% is notes, acknowledgments, and sources) and dives deep into the mechanisms that allowed for such a disaster to happen and then get covered up. The Soviets were good at it.
The Billion-Dollar Disinformation Campaign to Reelect the President: I don’t think this is a novel idea, but this article’s writer created a brand new account on Facebook and took a deep dive into the world of Donald Trump… even the smartest people can start to doubt things when they’re inundated with slated or misinformation. TheAtlantic.com
Lord Huron: I love this band and put them on this week while I was working. I’m just gonna leave one of my favorite songs by this band right here… give them a listen…
Accused: This podcast is in its third season. We listened to the first season a while ago. It covered an unsolved murder in Oxford, Ohio. We didn’t listen to the second season, but the third season has been a great listen, albeit, really scary. A man disappeared in Ohio and they believe his body was found in a uranium plant completely burned beyond recognition. They have no idea what happened, and this podcast tries to figure it out while also dipping into the world of water contamination, nuclear energy, and cover-ups. It’s well produced and on the heels of reading “Midnight in Chernobyl” I am haunted by the nuclear power wave and the risks it entails.
Here’s the trailer for Season 3;
Everything at Casa Verde : Casa Verde in Jamaica Plain was a new joint for me this week. I visited my friend Pat, who is on paternity leave, and we grabbed lunch there. They make an insanely delicious cacahaute salsa, which is a peanut salsa/dip. I had never had anything like it before.
I also ate two tacos: carnitas and rock shrimp which left me full because they didn’t skimp on the filling. Pat had a fried chicken torta which didn’t make me jealous, but it made me want to come back.
Chicken Wings: I don’t make chicken wings all that often, but I make a point to cook some up during the Super Bowl. The last couple years I have followed (roughly) a recipe from SeriousEats, which also has an amazing cookbook called “The Food Lab.” The best technique I have learned is the double fry. I used the oven this year to fry them the first time, then I let them cool for an hour before pan frying them. I tossed half of them in a hot sauce and the other half in a Korean BBQ sauce.
Hodad by Fiddlehead: This beer was introduced to us by the bartender at our local spot Monument Tavern in Charlestown. It’s a delicious American Porter. I had a couple during the Super Bowl. It’s probably a two beer max type of beer. It’s very rich, and if you like coconut and chocolate, give this one a whirl.
Mookie Betts: It was a bad week for the Boston Red Sox. They traded Mookie Betts to the Dodgers for what feels like 50 cents on the dollar. They are receiving a player in return, Alex Verdugo, who was caught up in a sexual abuse story a couple years ago and seemingly got pushed under the rug.
All this happened because the Sox were not terribly responsible with their money the last few years and “can’t afford” Mookie (they can…). Here’s a quick and dirty look at some of the bad contracts the Red Sox are on the hook for: Farewell Mookie Betts and Hello Bloated Salaries
Random Division: The Bachelor had five hours of shows this week. There isn’t a show that makes me more tired than this one. Tiff and I went ahead and recorded two podcasts. They are both only on Spotify right now because I messed up our iTunes feed and it isn’t back up and running yet.
On Monday I received a call from my former school, they were looking for a substitute teacher for the week. A former colleague, and very good friend of mine, was out of town and needed coverage. I said yes. I am glad I did. From Tuesday to Friday I dragged my butt out of bed a little earlier every morning and made the auto-pilot ride up Route 1.
In many respects, it was just like riding a bike. I love being in the classroom and around kids. I especially loved returning to a place where people knew me, so I could just jump back in. I felt like the fun uncle, I dropped in for a few days with very few responsibilities (a far cry from when I worked there full time) and then got to pack up at the end of the day without any grading or planning to do. It was glorious!
Most importantly, it gave me some great insight to my mindset the last couple years as a teacher. I was lucky enough to be involved with every grade in the school, most of the 400 kids knew who I was (and some of them hated me due to my role as Dean of Students). Returning to a place I worked to see it running smoothly helped me see that while we may think we’re vital to an institution, things will be fine when you move on. It also made me realize that sometimes, maybe a lot of the time, I took myself too seriously in those last few years. In some respects, I lost the joy of being at a school and around smart kids and wonderful colleagues.
It’s also pretty cool to have a 6 year-old see you from a distance and remember you by name. They can barely remember what they ate for breakfast.
1917: For the first time in my life, I went to see a movie by myself last week at the new Arclight in Boston. In the last year, we have gone from having one theater within walking distance (Boston Common) to having three within walking distance. I mistimed my arrival at the theater and found myself in an empty cinema 30 minutes before the showing with a small popcorn and an ice coffee. It was rather eery, and I was actually nervous I was in the wrong theater, even the screen was turned off. I did enjoy the experience of seeing a movie in the middle of the day, and I plan on doing it more often. There’s a lot of good movies out there right now.
Okay, let’s talk about 1917. It’s spectacular. The critiques I have heard are centered around a lack of story, and I would say that’s a fair thing complaint. If you’re looking for a plot-driven, dialogue laden movie, then this isn’t where you should be looking. If you’re looking for a movie that’s going to offer amazing cinematography, sweeping views, tension, and fun cameos (Richard Madden, Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, Andrew Scott, and Mark Strong) then 1917 should be on your list. The main two actors are really excellent, the movie doesn’t drag on.
I’d put the first 30 minutes up against the first 30 minutes of any movie ever (I’m looking at you Saving Private Ryan).
The Outsiders: This new HBO show has aired three episodes so far. It’s based on the Stephen King novel, so when we started it we should have known it was going to veer off the true crime path into the supernatural. The story is about the small town murder of a boy, but the main suspect has a rock solid alibi but was also spotted at the scene of the crime. Hilarity does not ensue; the town, and lead detective, is left trying to figure out what the heck is going on. The cast is excellent, led by Jason Bateman and Ben Mendelsohn, from Bloodline. Do yourself a favor and watch the first three episodes this weekend.
Becoming a Man: A moving essay about transition, family, and manhood. P. Carl is an exceptional writer, and I look forward to reading his book: Becoming a Man: The Story of a Transition. NYTimes.com.
No Laying Up with Lanny Wadkins: Any golfer will love this interview. Wadkins played in the 70s and 80s and is now a golf analyst. He shares some great stories and insights. The interviewing just gets out of the way and lets him run wild. Spotify.
Cannellini Bean Pasta with Buerre Blanc: This was a NYTimes winner this week. Listen, I know I post a lot of NYTimes stuff on here. If you don’t subscribe, you should. It’s dynamite. Tiff found this one and made it, and she added Swiss Chard. If we weren’t ravenous that night, we would have had leftovers.
Marcus Mariotta: If Tom Brady leaves the Patriots, Mariotta is a possible replacement. He was benched this season in Tennessee, but has come up in conversations about what the Pats might do next at quarterback. He’s an incredible guy with plenty of talent, and this clip of him cheering up Ryan Tannehill, the QB that replaced him, is amazing. This is what a good teammate looks like.
Marcus Mariota is seriously the best dude on the planet. pic.twitter.com/Th8ExKzxNv
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 22, 2020
The Random Division: We’re three episodes into The Bachelor and Peter is in love with all the women. Here’s our latest episode where we wrap-up ChampagneGate (thankfully) and open up a new feud. iTunes.
The Imperfect Game: Nothing new this week, but we can an episode in the can that’ll be out on Monday about Blackburn Rovers. If you haven’t listened to any of our Past and Present pods, you should. iTunes
This week had a lot of action. Sitting courtside at a Boston Celtics game was just the start. Champagnegate on The Bachelor should have everyone watching episode 3 and beyond. Quinoa bowls are delicious and The Outsider is worth watching.
Read More
Catching up with Friends: A few years back, some of my college buddies started trying to meet up on Tuesdays for a drink and to catch up. We thought Tuesday was the most available day (who is doing anything on a Tuesday?) and a bi-monthly gathering would make the most sense.
Needless to say, the bi-monthly part has not worked (even though my Google calendar alerts me that we let another Tuesday slip by without a meeting). However, last week four of us managed to meet and have drinks. We’ve all been friends now for half our lives, considering we met freshman year, which is astounding and a mathematical fact I can’t wrap my head around.
This gathering with friends was the last thing I did before heading to Ohio, sadly, for a funeral. Tiff’s grandmother passed away last week, a day following her 77th birthday. She was a force of nature. A kind matriarch who was always welcoming, asking questions, telling stories, and laughing. At the memorial, I met a couple of her friends, some of whom she had known for more than 50 years. Another mathematical fact that’s tough to wrap my head around. They told some stories about causing a little bit of trouble in their younger days, but ultimately just having a grand old time. It was a tough evening, it’s never easy losing family and friends, but it also made me grateful for the friends and family I have.
Go call someone you love this weekend.
Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs: This is an incredibly fun weekend of football, probably the best of the season. Toss in Monday night’s college football championship between Clemson and LSU, and that’s a great three day stretch. It’s the first time since 2010 that the Patriots aren’t playing, so I am looking forward to stress free viewing (at least that’s what I’m telling myself to feel better about last week’s loss.).
Don’t F**k with Cats: This three part documentary is stranger than fiction. It starts with the posting of a horrendous video online and ends with an international manhunt. In between, a cadre of amateur Facebook investigators keep the flame lit as they communicate and hunt for a horrible man who could be anywhere in the world. It’s tough to watch in some parts, but a fascinating story.
8 Ways to be Kinder to Yourself if 2020: The resolution self help stuff is always popular this time of year. I particularly liked this one; it has simple ideas and mindsets that are actionable. NYTimes.com
Ms. Lauren Hill - MTV Unplugged: We were in an Uber this week and Lauren Hill came on the radio. I played her MTV Unplugged album from 2002 the next day. It’s really good. Spotify
Making Sense with Sam Harris: Sam Harris’ podcasts are a very good listen, this one with Megan Phelps-Roper is really interesting. Phelps-Roper was a born into the Westboro Baptist Church. She’s pictured with horrific signs as a child while she and her cult protested whatever pissed them off that week. She recently wrote a book called Unfollow about her experience growing up in the Westboro Baptist Church. Spotify
Peanut Butter Cookie: We were back in Columbus, Ohio this week and headed to a spot called North Star for lunch. It’s a fantastic spot. One of those places where you order at the counter and then grab a seat. They bring the food to you once it’s ready. After a mornings worth of flights and driving, Tiff couldn’t resist one of their massive cookies and ordered a peanut butter cookie. It was delicious, and the most intriguing part of this lunch dessert was that it was covered in peanuts on top.
Chick-Fil-A Milkshake: The Cleveland airport has a Chick-Fil-A and Shake Shack right next to each other. It wasn’t a hard choice, but it’s a great one to have to make. What a time to be alive. I had one of their vanilla milkshakes for the first time in my life. They top if off with whipped cream and a cherry… but be careful, if you’re not careful you might get some of it in your beard and walk around in public for a bit.
The holidays are always full of good stuff. Here’s a few things that I enjoyed over the last two weeks.
Clifton Mills: This place is an electrician’s nightmare. Millions (yes, millions) of Christmas lights cover the entire property out in southern Ohio. The mill is still active, and in the holiday season thousands of people pay their $10 admission fee to walk through a covered bridge and into a Christmas wonderland. There’s a light show every 30 minutes to the tune of TransSiberian Orchestra’s “Carol of the Bells.” Between light shows you can check out the miniature model of the Clifton and the surrounding towns, full of flashing lights and sounds and even a flying Santa Claus on a string. It’s rather impressive. They serve some damn good hot chocolate with legit whipped cream (any more whips and it’s ice cream. Just delicious).
Last year, Clifton Mills won $50,000 on ABC’s “Great Christmas Light Fight” in the heavyweight division.
December Hike: We were blessed with some really nice weather in Ohio, so we decided to stretch our legs one afternoon and go for a hike in Yellow Springs. The Glen Helen nature preserve has the actual yellow spring, where minerals turn the water and some rock a yellow-orange color. It was a lovely day, and even though we weren’t quite dressed for a muddy hike, it was very pretty, and I’d imagine the other three seasons have their own charm in those woods.
Flying on Christmas: We travelled back to Boston early Christmas morning, and it was rather delightful. The airport was quiet, and even though we had a layover in Baltimore, it was stress free. If you’re even thinking about flying on Christmas, I suggest doing it.
QuipLash: We spent our seventh straight New Years Eve with our friends Lindsay and Dean. We alternate trips, so this year we drove down to see them in New Jersey. We were all introduced to an incredibly fun game called Quiplash. It’s a little like “Cards Against Humanity” but you use your phone to actually create your own answers that everyone else vote on using their phone. Every round, you get two prompts. You answer them however you’d like. One other person in the room gets the same prompts as you, so you’re going head to head for everyone else’s votes. The winner receives the most votes over the three round game. It’s exceptional, and if we didn’t have to worry about the midnight ball drop, I think we might have played it for a couple more hours.
90 Day Fiancé: This TLC guilty pleasure was introduced to me by my sister and reintroduced over the holidays when we were looking for something to watch one night. The premise of the show is couples have 90 days to marry their non-citizen fiancé from another country. The K-1 Visa allows them to enter the country for 90 days, if they marry in that window, the non-citizen receives a green card. The season follows a bunch of couples who all have crazy stories bordering on the absurd. But they have real stuff to deal with before deciding if they really do want to get married. The images that some of them have of America are incredible… just watch this clip of Robert and Anny in a second-hand store.
Bachelor Party: This Ringer Network pod is a weekly during the Bachelor season, but over the last month, the pod has ranked every single Bachelor/Bachelorette season from 1-39. The top ten, which is broken into two parts, is exceptional. Chris Harrison is the guest and he is honest and tells some excellent stories. #6-10 Pod and #1-5 Pod
Is Anyone Happy Anymore?: Written from the west coast of Ireland, this quick NYTimes article takes a look at what happiness means to us and how we try and find it. Of course, an old Irish guy from across the street delivers the Earth shattering quote at the end. NYTimes.com
Sunrise Skillet: There are three things I expect when we travel to Ohio: Polite people, long conversations with strangers, and a trip to Bob Evans. To give you a sense of how omnipresent the delicious chain restaurant is, as we drove to Bob Evans with Tiff’s second-cousin, an 8-year-old, they were debating which of the three Bob Evans in the town was the best. THREE BOB EVANS!? I wouldn’t mind if midwest shared some of the deliciousness and sent some of Bob’s food this way (We’ll trade you a bunch of Dunkin’ Donut stores…). I tried something new this time around, the Sunrise Skillet, basically an open-faced omelet with sausage gravy, home fries, and cheese on top. It’s um, amazing. A once a year type treat, but perfect for the glutinous holiday season.
Irish bacon and sausage: Another staple of home is my mom opening the freezer before bed and pulling out the bacon and sausage to thaw. This used to be a more rare tradition when there wasn’t a British store down the road that my mom could drive to. We used to have family in Ireland ship the stuff to us. If you’ve never had Irish sausages, you’re missing out. They are miles better than the American version. The bacon isn’t quite Canadian bacon, but it also isn’t your typical strips of bacon. My mom’s homemade Brown Bread tops the whole thing off. I like to slice the sausages the long way, splay it open on the bread, and dig in!
Pavlova: If you like meringue, then this is the dessert for you. We’ve coined this fluffy, fruity dessert the “Pope’s Pillow.” It’s a meringue base, topped with whipped cream, and then whatever fruit you can get your hands on. This has been a Christmas tradition in our house for a while, along with an Irish Pudding that you pour whiskey over and light on fire before serving. Pavlova is delicious in any season.
Irish Coffee: I can’t remember the last time I had an Irish coffee, but as I sat sitting at home last week, my sister looked up from her computer and said, “I think I’m gonna make an Irish Coffee.” Well, Irish Coffees we did make. My mom, who has never drank any alcohol (except for the desperate Hot Toddy when a cold gets really bad) has these glasses that give you the proper proportions of whiskey, coffee, and cream. The key is pouring the cream into the coffee using the bottom of a spoon so it doesn’t go to the bottom. We used bourbon for the whiskey, so we just didn’t add any sugar.
After reflecting on the last two categories, I am realizing I need to take it easy this January…
The Random Division Season Finale: Tiff and I wrapped up our Decade in Review with a recap of events and people of the decade. iTunes (rate, review, subscribe, tell you friends!). Spotify (Follow!)
The Bachelor kicks off with a three hour episode on Monday night. Follow our IG handle for some live updates during the show! @TheRandomDivision. We’ll be podding too, but probably not until later in the week.
My Ohio State Fandom was confirmed: Last Saturday the Ohio State Buckeyes lost a heart-breaker to Clemson. It really bugged me. More than it should have. My fandom application is now complete….
Holiday Party: This weekend, we hosted a holiday party. It’s become a bit of a tradition at this point. We hmm and haw over the date starting around Halloween, wanting to pick the one that will be best for the most people. Some years we’ve had small groups of 7 or 8 and other years, like this one, we have about 20 people crammed into our apartment.
Over the years, we’ve streamlined the prep for the party. Food is easier, we’ve dialed in the booze purchasing so we’re not left with a year supply of beer the next morning.
This year’s party had some new additions, either people that we’ve befriended in the last year or folks that could finally attend. Much like a wedding, it’s always gratifying to have people from various parts of our lives come together and get along. We had a Yankee Swap this year with the theme of “hometown” which could be interpreted in different ways. We all gathered around, opened, and exchanged gifts. The theme was clever (and, naturally, Tiff’s idea), but the unintended consequence was it offered everyone a chance to explain their gift and where they’re from. It was a great excuse to have everyone in the same room for 30 minutes to hang out, joke around, and learn about each other.
Decade in Pictures (and some words…): Some stunning stuff in here to remind us all of the good and bad of the last decade. NYTimes.com
What the Digital Revolution Really Did To Us: From Joseph Bernstein at BuzzFeed… sadly, the toothpaste is out of the tube… “Comparing the coming changes to the Enlightenment, Katz lauded an ‘interactivity’ that ‘could bring a new kind of community, new ways of holding political conversations’ — ‘a media and political culture in which people could amass factual material, voice their perspectives, confront other points of view, and discuss issues in a rational way.’ Such a sensible, iterative American public life contained, Katz wrote, “the … tantalizing … possibility that technology could fuse with politics to create a more civil society.”
Collateral: A British four part mini-series that zooms around London following the murder of a pizza delivery man. The murder sparks inquiries about drug deals, immigration, and honesty. We’re two episodes in and it’s very good, you know, like every British TV show. Is it the accents? The storytelling? The cityscapes? Outside of the modern Sherlock series, this is the first British show we’ve watched that is set in London, usually we’re out in the countryside or an industrial town. Find it on Netflix.
Bachelor on Netflix: Last week, Jason Mesnick’s season of the Bachelor was dropped on Netflix without any marketing. The season aired in 2009, and if you like the series this show is a great reminder of what it was like before the Instagram/influencer angle swept through the contestants. If you don’t know how the season ended, it’s amazing. It’s also a much smaller time commitment. Fewer shows (I’m on episode 5 and there are five women left) and no commercials.
Reading Adventure: I have been in the final phases of working on a massive writing project. The “Reading Adventure” playlist on Spotify has been superb to listen to. It’s a list of instrumental songs from epic TV shows and movies. You can find it on Spotify’s “focus” channel. Put it on and it will make doing the laundry feel like your hero’s journey
Ritz Peanut Butter Cookies: Tiff makes these, and they were a hit at our holiday party. She makes ritz peanut butter sandwiches and then dips them in melted white chocolate (milk chocolate would work, too, I’d imagine). My friend Eliot said they tasted like a homemade Butterfinger.
Cannoli Dip: This Wegman’s pre-made dessert was insane. Basically it’s all the good parts of a cannoli without the challenge of eating a tube of cheese. This ricotta dip was served with cannoli chips (the shell of a cannoli). The cannoli “chips” were delicious on their own and stayed good for a few days after that they went well with hot chocolate later in the week. Add this to your shopping list.
Masoor Dal: This red lentil dish was incredibly simple to make and fed us for two nights this week, with enough left over for a lunch portion. While I love sweet potato, chopping it into small pieces is always a bit of a pain. But that’s the only chopping you’re doing aside from an onion. We had it with some white rice I dug out of the back of the cabinet and some naan I bought at the store (I’m not a bread maker…).
Gingerbread Coffee from Trader Joe’s: The season is running out, but this flavored, affordable, coffee is one of the best I’ve had. It doesn’t smack you in the face with gingerbread; I dare you to throw in a little maple syrup or, if you’re feeling feisty, some eggnog. I’d imagine this flavor will be replaced with the January/February blend of “I hate the winter" very soon.
The Random Division: Tiff kicked me off the pod for the week in favor of Lindsay so they could talk about musicals and theater of the last decade (I would have been a horrible cohost on this one…) It’s a great listen; even if you’re not a big musicals person you’ll learn something and definitely see the crossover between theater, television, movies, literature (Moby Dick: The Musical is coming….) and (duh) music. Listen on iTunes (subscribe, rate, review!) or Spotify.
The Imperfect Game: In the fifth installment of our Past and Present series, Both and I talk about Sheffield Wednesday. This one has everything, match-fixing, crosstown rivals, stadium tragedies, and modern-day financial shenanigans. iTunes (subscribe, rate, review!) and Spotify.
A new planner: During my time as a teacher, I became dependent on my daily planner and a Moleskin notebook. They kept me relatively organized, although sometimes meetings would slip through the cracks… The planner was made for our school. Each student used one, it had events specific to the school on it (overnight field trips, the start and end of breaks, holidays, etc…) and it only covered the months of September-June. The summer was “plannerless.”
Now that I don’t have that planner anymore (I’d be lying if I didn’t think about asking a friend to grab one for me) I started looking around for one. I stumbled upon a “Bullet-Point” planner and started to use it this week. As far as dates, it’s completely blank, so I settled in on Sunday and filled in the entire thing with the dates for the next year. It was strangely gratifying to fill out all those dates. It reminded me how long a year is and how quickly it can go by all at the same time. When I arrived at December 2020 I started to think about the future version of me sitting down to reflect back on the year and fill out my 2021 planner. Considering my professional career is in limbo and I’m not sure what life will be like in a year, it was a little nerve-racking. Once I got over that feeling, it was exciting to imagine the possibilities that lie ahead.
The thing I like about this planner is it actually has pages every three months that act as a “quarterly” reflection for achievements, things I learned, things I’m looking forward to. The individual weekly pages are also simple. There’s a place for appointments, but also for a meal plan, To-Do List, priorities, and a theme.
As we head to 2020 and you’re trying to find a fresh way to organize your life, a new, different type of planner might be a good start.
Best Read:
Lovers in Auschwitz: “The first time he spoke to her, in 1943, by the Auschwitz crematory, David Wisnia realized that Helen Spitzer was no regular inmate. Zippi, as she was known, was clean, always neat. She wore a jacket and smelled good. They were introduced by a fellow inmate, at her request.” -NYTimes.com
Presidents Cup: This international golf team competition started on Wednesday and will continue through this weekend. This tournament matches Team USA against an International team that includes every country outside of Europe. If you like golf (or the USA) and are interested in golf architecture, this is worth watching. Royal Melbourne is the host club, which was designed by Alastair McKenzie, who designed Augusta National. The US has historically dominated this competition, winning ten of the twelve past events. The USA finished strong on Thursday night’s session, capped off by Justin Thomas hitting a huge putt on 18 and celebrating with Tiger Woods. That putt could very well be remembered as the one that turned things around for the Americans.
Pure Heroine: Lorde’s debut album hopped back on my radar this week as I spent some time sussing out my favorite albums of the decade for a podcast with Tiff. Hard to believe it came out in 2013. So many great songs on here: White Teeth Teeth, Buzzcut Season, and World Alone are some of my favorites. Not a skippable song in the bunch, I say.
Spiced Seared Eggplant with Pearled Couscous: This was a delicious one-pot recipe we made this week. Tiff and I had to tag team to make it because I had a phone call scheduled. I got it started and she finished it off. It was easy (read: not much slicing and chopping) and, like I said, required just one pot; that’s always a bonus. The dish was filling, had some interesting flavor combos, including cinnamon, which I rarely eat in a dinner. If you wanted to add a bit of protein, I would imagine something decadent like steak tips or simpler like grilled chicken would be good additions.
Slangria: There’s a brewery out of Cincinnati called Rhinegeist. It’s probably the only thing you’ll hear my wife get excited about that comes out of Cincy (oh, and Sky Line Chili). I’m not entirely sure how it made it’s way out to Massachusetts in such volume, but Rhinegeist (and Cidergeist) can be found in most stores around Boston. Slangria was a new brew that Tiff found at Total Wine and Liquor. I’ll let Rhinegeist give you the lowdown: “Pomegranate, blueberry and lime collide in an effervescent blend of ruby red refreshment. Luscious, slightly tart and full-bodied, Slangria sows scarlet seeds of juicy delight.”
I was surprised at how much I liked this. It’s like a gateway beer into sours, too. It’s tart, but not too much. A good beer to bring to a holiday party if you’ve got a few to attend this weekend. If you’re really creative, it’s probably something you could use as a mixed in a punch.
The Random Division: This week, Tiff and I talked about music of the last decade. Tiff has another “Get off My Lawn” moment, we rank our five favorite albums from the decade, and give some other artists a shoutout that we enjoyed listening to. iTunes (If you listen to us here. We’d love a rating or review. We’ll read your review on our next show!). Spotify (If you listen to us here, click “follow” and then go to iTunes and rate and review!).
Imperfect Game: For our fifth installment of this Past and Present series, Both and I researched at Sheffield United, one of the oldest soccer clubs in England. Sheffield United is newly promoted and making waves in the Premier League with their risky, and pioneering play. Their manager is a former Sheffield United ballboy and player. Some interesting info on Sheffield United’s home stadium and the city in here, too. iTunes (If you listen to us here. We’d love a rating or review. We’ll read your review on our next show!). Spotify (If you listen to us here, click “follow” and then go to iTunes and rate and review!).
Sport!: I wrote about my favorite English soccer team, Manchester United, this week. They have a star player that I think they need to sell.
Touring San Fransisco in a VW Bus: For Thanksgiving we travelled to Berkeley. My brother is in the musical “Tales of Despereaux,” an adaptation of the Kate DiCamillo book. The theater group he formed with his buddies, PigPen Theatre Co., wrote the musical and are performing in it, too. The life of a stage actor means that the holidays are a busy time, so we went to him this year because he’s not able to fly back for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Tiff, as she always does, dug up a cool experience for us while we were in Berkeley. We drove down to San Francisco on Wednesday morning and drove around the city in a VW bus driven by our tour guide Josh, who was awesome. The tour weaved in and out of the different neighborhoods, Josh had a playlist for different spots (including Jimmy Hendrix’s “Red House” when we drove by the actual Red House and the Full House theme song when we pulled up to that iconic row of houses.). We hopped out at particular spots for pictures, much to my mom’s delight… As we drove around, we were also a photo-op for others, especially as we weaved down Lombard Street.
If you’re going to San Francisco, make sure to a) wear flowers in your hair and b) book a tour with Painted Ladies Tour Company.
There were a lot of highlights from the trip. The views from our AirBnB in the Berkeley Hills, lunch at Chez Panisse, dinner at Cheeseboard, a trail run (with my head on a swivel for mountain lions), Thanksgiving dinner, and (duh) seeing my brother perform on stage on opening night in front of a packed house (I’ve seen him perform a ton of times in various cities and venues. It never gets old. So much fun. So much pride).
“Tales of Despereaux”: If you live in the San Francisco or Berkeley area, this is a show you should see before it’s gone in the beginning on January. There were a ton of kids at the show we saw, and while it has some scary bits, the 2.5 year-old behind us was all smiles at the end.
The DNA of Murder: This show is probably not for kids. Paul Holes, made famous for cracking the Golden State Killer case, has cashed in on his popularity. He’s got a podcast and a TV Show. The show is really good. Each 60 minute long episode on OWN has Holes consulting on a cold case that might have some DNA that can be used to find the killer (or in Holes’ words, “the O-ffender”). If you’re interested in forensics and you don’t mind a show ending without closure (hint: not everything is solved during the show), then I’d recommend this one.
Tim Ferriss Show with Adam Grant: Ferriss’ podcasts are typically very long, a conversation between him and some intelligent, successful person. Adam Grant was a fascinating listen as he discussed his methods at improving as a college professor and how he sets boundaries to increase his productivity.
Mushroom Pizza from Cheeseboard: Cheeseboard is a very different kind of pizza experience. Every day, they make one type of pizza, that’s it. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. The pizza changes everyday, and a long line forms around the corner. The beauty of the place is that even with the long line, it moves quickly because they’re just pumping out their pizzas. You get to the register and ask for a slice, a half, or a whole pizza. By the time you pay, your pizza is ready. There’s a few small tables to sit, and on this particular a jazz band was playing too. We had a mushroom and goat cheese pizza. It was amazing.
As we were eating our pizza outside, with a beer, and a cool chill in the air, a lady pulled up in her car, on a busy street, and asked through the window about the pizza. She was quite concerned about onions, but it just showed how popular the place is and how different the concept is. This lady was willing to cause a small traffic jam (or a rear-ending) to ask some strangers about the pizza of the day.
Duck Confit at Chez Panisse: If you’re going to be in the Berkeley area, make sure you book a table at Chez Panisse. This restaurant is one of the best in the country, it’s kinda fancy, but it’s still in Berkeley, so it’s not THAT fancy. We couldn’t book a dinner reservation, so we dined in their upstairs cafe for lunch. Between the five of us, we ordered five of the six entrees. I got the duck confit because, heck, we’re in a French restaurant, so I’m gonna eat duck! It was amazing, served on the bone, the meat came clean off without the use of a knife. It almost had the consistency of pulled pork, with delicious crispy skin. The celery root puree served with the duck was amazing, and I forced everyone at the table to try it. It was like mashed potatoes, so much so, that I thought it was mashed potatoes with some celery flavoring until I looked back at the menu at the end of the meal.
Holiday Punch: One of our Thanksgiving guests brought an amazing punch to the house. It disappeared quickly, and left many of us rosy cheeked. It probably has many variations; as we head into the holiday season, if you’re hosting or heading to any holiday parties you should consider making it.
Here’s the simple recipe: Spiced punch (wassail) from Trader Joe’s, vodka (a flavored vodka could spice things up a bit), and a cup of lime juice. Ratio is 1:1 punch and vodka and 1/5 lime juice.
Movies of the Decade: Tiff and I gave out or five favorite movies of the decade. We talked about the award winners, highest grossing movies, and movie candy, too. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts… (Rate and review and subscribe!).
Leeds United Past and Present: In the third episode of this series, Both and I talk about Leeds United. It’s an incredible story. The podcast even has a stamp of approval from a Leeds United podcast called “Leeds That.” Check it out on Spotify… or Apple Podcasts (Rate and review and subscribe!).
And, as always… sign up for my newsletter!
Social Media Detox: On Sunday night I deleted twitter and Instagram from my phone, to ensure that I spent the week social media free, I asked Tiff to change my passwords. I was locked out. The result was a Sunday through Friday morning social media freeze. I have to be honest, it was glorious. I was finding myself getting lost in the crappy parts of twitter more recently. Instagram is just a time suck. It’s the place I go when I have a few minutes or if I’m bored. This weekly freeze is something I’m going to continue to do. I feel better; I was more productive, and I honestly didn’t miss it all that much. There was a muscle memory that I noticed the first day: I’d open up my phone and my thumb would hover over the spot that Instagram used to live. After a day, that habit disappeared. I highly recommend forcing yourself to take a similar type of break from social media.
Daybreak: This new Netflix show is a fun watch. It’s set in post-nuclear-bomb, apocalyptic Los Angeles, but the kids all survived and the adults were turned into zombie-like monsters. Just like high school, the kids have formed cliques (the jocks, the nerds, the outcasts, etc…), controlling different parts of the city and fighting with each other. The show follows “tweener” Josh, who was new in town before the bomb hit. He’s handsome, he’s “weird” (he’s really not, though), he’s a Canadian survivalist, and he has to find the love of his life: Sam Dean. The show is over the top, and, like many of these Netflix shows, targets kids; however, the language and general themes of the show are pretty mature. Maybe that’s an old guy take, but it’s not a show that I’d want a middle school kid to watch. If you’re older than a middle schooler, check out Daybreak (if you’re a middle schooler, I’m not sure how you found your way here, but welcome!).
Matthew Broderick plays the dull headmaster. Ah, Nostalgia.
“Take Us Home”: Leeds United has crashed into my conscious this past week due to my podcast with Both. We researched Leeds United for our latest episode, (coming next week), and the club has captured my attention. Between reading The Damned Utd. and watching this show, I have enjoyed learning about Leeds. “Take Us Home” is a docu-series following the club’s 2018/19 campaign as they rise from near financial ruin to fighting for promotion to the Premier League.
The Damned Utd: I wrote about this book on my Book Club page. It’s a great book about 1960s and 1970s soccer, and Leeds United more specifically. Here’s the link to my longer thoughts.
Seeing Red. Boston’s Traffic Problem: Now that I’m working from home, the time I spend in a car has dipped dramatically. It’s glorious and many times when I do have to drive, getting back into the city is maddening. Charlestown is basically an island with three ways to get into it. With a casino on one side (and a horrible rotary), it can take a long time to get home. Wanna go 2 miles during rush hour? Better set aside an hour, pop some blood pressure meds, and download a good podcast (or just walk and skip the blood pressure meds… it’s probably faster to walk).
Everyday life by Coldplay: Ok, so I have to be honest. I am tossing this your way without having listened to it yet. It was just released this morning and my headphones are dead; I’m not super keen on trying to play it on my laptop while sitting in a coffeeshop. Some people might, I am not one of them. But considering I’m in a bit of a music/podcast groove, I don’t have much new to share. Oh… except for…
The Daily: This shortish podcast gives you one important story of the day. During this week, it was a great way to check in on the Impeachment hearings, especially considering I did'n’t have Twitter to scroll through. Beyond the hearings, this is a good one to listen to every day.
Trader Joe’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups: We rarely shop at Trader Joe’s, but when we do, there’s always a few standout snacks that we find. Tiff went this weekend and found these little delights. They come in a small bucket, they’re bite-size, they’re delicious. It’s a miracle we still have some left, that’s probably because they’re in a cabinet, not sitting on the counter ready to be raided every time I enter the kitchen.
Tuscan Farro Soup: I made this on Monday, and it was super easy to make (read: limited chopping and a lot of “dump and simmer”). It lasted us most of the week. Hot tip: add some Wegmans Parmesan Garlic Bread as an accompaniment.
Wine Tasting: This could have gone up in the best activity section. On Saturday, Tiff and I went down to a wine shop in Boston called The Urban Grape. They had a pretty serious wine tasting, which was focused on Thanksgiving dinner wines. They had three tables with five wines each (from different distributors) and then one table with liquor. I’m not a big wine person, I like it; I don’t really have a grasp on all the nuances though. I do know I should swirl and smell before drinking, that’s about it.
The Random Division: In our third episode about the this decade, Tiff and I talked about fashion. From Athleisure to hombres, nothing was off limits. We’d love if you followed the podcast on whatever pod app you use (and write us a review if your an iTunes person) We’re also on Instagram if you wanna follow us there, too. We’d love to hear from you on IG or in our email: TheRandomDivisionPod@gmail.com
The AFC East sucks at football: I crunched some numbers in the NFL from the last 16 seasons. The AFC East deserves a lot of the criticism it gets for allowing the Patriots to dominate for nearly two decades.
The Imperfect Game: I can’t speak highly enough about these deep dive pods I’m doing with Both Long. We have a Leeds United episode on the way, but if you haven’t listen to the other two pods we’ve done about Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United, check them out.
Seeing Friends: For the first time since June, I returned to the school where I used to work. I had promised myself I’d go to watch the boys soccer team play before the season ended. I spent an hour or so before the game wandering the halls and saying hello to everyone. It was great, and it gave me a sense of why I left, but also why I miss it. There’s no replacing the energy of a school. 400+ people buzzing around before 8:00am, ready to seize the day (or just survive it…). It turned out there were four home games that day, so there was a bunch of activity on the fields, which was great. It was one of those picturesque days that admissions directors dream of putting in a brochure. Low fall sun, packed sidelines, competition, smiling faces.
Part of the reason I walked away from teaching, or at least being in a school, was my role as Dean of Students. I have told people that being a Dean of Students has the same life span as an NFL running back. You get beat up for 3-5 years and look for something else to do (and the ones that do it longer should be in a Hall of Fame someone). When I started working with kids at summer camp in high school, it just came naturally. I got along with kids (maybe it was the match in maturity-level…). When I started teaching, I felt the same way. Once I became Dean of Students, I transformed into the Grimm Reaper, I was asked more times than I’d like to admit, “Am I in trouble?” It sapped my energy, I couldn’t just talk to a kid about last night’s NBA games or the Patriots win or their essay. There was a constant static between me and the kids. That’s no one’s fault, it’s just how it was.
I was glad to return without the static. I was also glad to return and see the plethora of really great colleagues I had over the years. It’s the thing that everyone misses the most when they leave. I don’t think there are many places with such a close-knit, positive, fun group of teachers. It definitely filled my bucket getting back and seeing them on Wednesday.
Going back was fun, and it gave be a sense of what I missed and didn’t miss about being in a school environment. My new existence is a much quieter one. There’s more time to think, less reacting and putting out fires. I have to work a lot harder to get my 10,000 steps in without a going for a run. I have to work a lot harder to get that human contact. Maybe that’s part of the reason I like starting my day in a coffee shop, it feels the same as a hallway in the morning. The promise of the day bubbling up in everyone, the coming and going. The excitement.
On top of that, last Saturday, we had our annual “Friendsgiving” which started when we all found women that were organized enough to organize us. It is so hard to get a bunch of us together, and this afternoon is one of only a few where the majority of us can hang out. I miss the days when we could walk down the hall (or even just hop on the T) to hang out for a day or weekend. We do a potluck and all catch up with one another. I believe there are “High School people” or “College people” when it comes to friends we keep. I am, for the most part, a college person. My high school friends scattered and I’ve found that even after my Holy Cross group has scatted, we have stayed in touch through email chains and gatherings like this one.
Dopamine Fasting (NYTimes): The world is full of stimuli. Just like with a drug, our body craves more dopamine over time. Our bodies become unimpressed with the dopamine hit a 10 likes on instagram gives us, so we chase 20 likes. There are \some guys in Silicon Valley who have started dopamine fasting, making an effort to limit stimuli for a day. They think this lack of stimuli resets (or at least helps) how their body reacts to dopamine. This helps them appreciate the little things again. No screen time, no human contact, no music. Nothing that might spike those dopamine levels. While it’s kinda whacky, I think it’s also interesting.
Knifepoint Horror: This narrative podcast will give you the creeps, so if you like that kind of thing, give this podcast a listen. The most recent episode called, “Three for Halloween” starts with a creepy tale that’s about 8 minutes long. If you like it, keep listening. If not, at least you tried.
Fake Plastic Trees by Tramples by Turtles: This Radiohead cover came across my Spotify discover playlist. Trampled by Turtles is a great band, and this cover is excellent.
Derry Girls: I’m not sure how this show hasn’t been on Friday Faves before. It’s an Irish comedy set in 1990s Derry (or Londonderry, depending on what side you’re on…). The show follows a group of teenagers who continuously find themselves in trouble with school, their parents, and various religious leaders. It has an incredible sound track taps into the great Irish music of the time, particularly Ace of Base and The Cranberries. I’d recommend watching it with subtitles… it’s tough to follow sometimes between the speed they speak and the slang.
Chelsea v. Ajax: This game was incredible. I found myself standing in my living room for the last 25 minutes as Ajax held on for dear life with 9 men against Chelsea’s 11 men in London.
French Onion Mac and Cheese: This NYTimes food recipe was our contribution to “Friendsgiving.” This is a baked mac and cheese, however, the recipe adds onions and the classic French Onion gruyere cheese along with slices of bread on top, just like the soup. It was delicious. Buy the cheese grated, it makes life a lot easier.
Nuun: I’m running a marathon on Sunday, so I’ve been trying to drink as much water as possible. Last year, we discovered Nuun tablets, which turn water into a flavorful beverage packed with even more nutrients. They have a ton of flavors and they also have a different purposes. You can purchase ones with caffeine or ones that offer more vitamins. They are low (or zero) calories and aren’t gross and sugary. They’re perfect in that first glass of water in the morning or if you’re looking for a little pick me up in the afternoon but can’t bear to walk into a holiday adorned Starbucks for a cup of coffee. They come in a great little case that you can stick in a bag and bring with you!
It’s too early for Holiday decorations, right?: I wrote this post early this week, and on Thursday when I walked into Starbucks I felt validated AF. It was like the place was visited by elves. The typically black menus were replaced with bright red ones, advertising peppermint mocha and and gingerbread lattes. The bakery case had a gingerbread load; I guess the pumpkin loaf had to skip town. Strands of lights lined the menus and I had to drink my coffee from a holiday cup. This all came after I left my wife on the couch watching a Hallmark Christmas movie to start her day.
Soccer Podcasts: Both and I spoke for about 90 minutes this week about soccer. I broke it into two different podcasts. First, a 30 minute podcast that covers the current events in English soccer. Second, Both and I did some research on Wolverhampton Wanderers and reported back our findings. I looked at the long history of the club and Both dove into the club’s present day management and how they have turned into a solid, effective English club that’s found it’s way back into European football. This was a blast to record and we’re planning on doing a bunch more of these so we can learn about various clubs in England.
Digital Time Capsule: The Random Division is back with Season 2! Tiff and I will be releasing an episode every Friday between now and January breaking down the world of pop-culture over the past decade. In the first episode we talk about TV and rank our five favorite shows of the decade. Please subscribe or follow on your podcast apps.
Link to The Random Division on Spotify
Or just sign up for the newsletter every Friday…
Golf for my dad: This Saturday a group of friends and family gathered for a round of golf to remember my dad. I wrote about it here…
Shaed at The Sinclair: Boston is not lacking for concert venues; however, most of them are rather flawed. My favorite place to see a concert is The Sinclair in Harvard Square. It’s a small spot, but they’ve had some cool acts come through over the years (it also has a delicious restaurant attached to it). It has the feel of a small House of Blues. It’s all general admission, with a simple balcony and very small bench seating. Drinks are affordable, especially compared to House of Blues or the TDGarden or anywhere else in Boston.
On Tuesday morning, Tiff texted me and asked if I wanted to see Shaed at the Sinclair that night. Tickets were cheap (18 bucks at the door) and she had just discovered them the pervious weekend. We decided to go and it was a lot of fun. The group is comprised of a lead singer, Chelsea Lee, and identical twins, Max and Spencer Ernst (one of which is married to Chelsea). Max and Spencer play bass, guitar, keyboard, electric drums, tambourine, and anything else that makes noise. Apparently they were all friends in middle school. Check out their pop sounds here. Trampoline is their big hit.
We caught the opener, Absofacto, for the last couple songs. They were pretty interesting, too.
WHOOP Podcast on Alcohol: #SoberOctober is sweeping the nation (I’d like to think I was ahead of the curve with Sober September…). WHOOP is a device that is built to track sleep and other stats and recovery. It’s popular with athletes and teams are using the tracker. This particular episode covers the effects of alcohol on our body, mainly our sleep and recovery.
MONSTER Zodiac: You thought we’d go a week without some horrible murderous podcast to listen to? I loved Atlanta Monster (which was also a major topic in Netflix’s Mindhunter). This Zodiac series is 15 episodes and covers the Zodiac murders that started in the 1960s. It’s really well done and it made me want to rewatch the movie Zodiac from 2008.
Bon Iver i,i: This album has been out for a while, but I just got around to listening to it this week, mainly at my brother’s urging. Bon Iver is playing TDGarden next week, and I am considering getting some last minute tickets. The album is right down the Bon Iver alley, atmospheric and playable all the way through. It fits in with the cold weather that is descending upon Boston this week. “iMi” and “Hey, Ma” are my two favorites after a few listens this week.
Best Read
A Course Called Ireland: A golf trip to Ireland is on most golfer’s wish list. Tom Coyne decided to take it a (crazy) step further. He decided to play all 40 seaside links courses in Ireland. However, he wanted to walk the roads of Ireland, almost like he was playing one huge golf course. The five month trip, where he walked to and from each course and B&B (no cars allowed at all), was insane. Due to his walks, he stumbled upon places he might not have seen if he was zipping around in a car. Coyne is an excellent, humorous, and humble writer. He brings Ireland to life and I enjoyed visiting it with him, especially the courses and towns that I have been to myself.
Gary Gulman HBO Special: I think the argument can be made that the northern corridor of I-93 in Massachusetts (and just over the border in NH) has created some of the best comedians over the last generation. Gary Gulman, born in Peabody, MA, is part of this cadre of hilarity. Gulman’s newest special tackles his struggles with what he calls “The Great Depresh.” He was buckled by depression four years ago and has just really foudn his way back to square, but it’s always a battle. The special is clever as it goes from classic stand-up to some interviews with Gulman’s mom and wife.
My mom’s Stew: It’s that time of year, warm rib-sticking food is back on the menu! This weekend, I was out at my mom’s house and she made stew. It was a staple of my childhood winters, we’d get home from church on a Saturday evening and have stew. My mom, in true Irish fashion, serves her stew with a side of potatoes. You know, just in case…
Homemade Skyline Chili: When you marry someone from southern Ohio, Skyline Chili is going to find you. Tiff made a batch this weekend for us. If you’re really looking for the authentic experience, eat it over spaghetti. Some claim it isn’t even chili because it has no beans. Those people are wrong.
Dram CBD Seltzer: (We have a guest writer! Here’s Tiff!) I’ve been drinking the Dram Apothecary Gingergrass CBD sparkling water nightly for over a week now, and have noticed a substantial difference in my quality of sleep. Dram describes these beverages as “cheerful and aromatic”, and I have to agree- I’m definitely more cheerful when I drink these.
I have no idea what “adaptogens” are, but I like whatever they’re doing. These do not make you sleepy, or really change your mood at all... they just somehow enable you to power through the BS (Editor’s Note: As far as I know I am not the BS…). Maybe it’s placebo and good marketing, or maybe there’s something to the mix of herbs and Colorado-grown Hemp CBD.”
Toss your favorites in the comment section.