I went out of town on vacation last week, and in my travels – all of them at least one time zone removed from the greater New York metro area – I saw a fair …

When I go home to visit my parents for the weekend, my trajectory when I first arrive at the house always follows the same path: from the back door to the front hall, where I …

A few days ago, a local TV newscast ran a story on the reaction of Italian Americans to Spike Lee’s latest “joint,” Summer Of Sam. According to the news piece, the film features as its …

Every once in a while, when my friends and I have a refreshing hops-based beverage in hand, the topic of conversation turns to what we would do if we won the lottery. It probably goes …

I still remember the day Ronald Reagan got shot. I don’t remember anything about school that day – aside from the customary wrestling with long division, I don’t think anything notable happened in Mrs. Arrouet’s …

The laundry room in my building has a little library. Some thoughtful soul tacked up a couple of shelves by the door, and residents leave books and magazines they no longer want so that others …

Last week, Big A and I spent an afternoon together taking pictures. Well, Big A took pictures, and I posed for the pictures, wearing as much black as I possibly could and thinking photogenic thoughts. …

If you have cable television, you probably have a “default channel” – the channel you check as soon as you turn on the television, the channel to which you return after fruitless flip-throughs and during …

I admire the actors and actresses in commercials. I frequently find them annoying, but I have to respect their ability to do and say deeply stupid things without betraying a hint of embarrassment or disdain. …

I recently finished reading a biography of Elvis. When I put the book down, I felt really sad about what happened to him, and not only did I not understand how all of his so-called …