What I have not put in Facebook status updates or tweets.

I was at a Barnes and Noble recently, looking through the magazine rack I noticed about half a dozen soccer magazines, none of which were there when I worked there six years ago. I know print has changed, but you know the subject is gaining in popularity.

During last month's storm, the gutter on the front of my house was partially ripped out and hung there in the snow and ice. No way I was going up there. No way a repairman was going up there. Luckily it hung on until the snow and ice melted and I was pleased to find out it was repaired yesterday afternoon. Yes, I have to pay for it, but it's peace of mind.

This last month has been a struggle. Grief is all around me, and it's hard.



I really do not give a shit about who has and who has not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year.

Hey, we've extended the deadline to apply to read at the 2013 Columbus Arts Festival. Poets, you have until January 28th to submit. You can do that here. It's quick, fun, and free. Showcase your work in one of the coolest venues the city offers you.

Still a story to tell

The remnants of Hurricane Sandy are blasting through Ohio today. That, along with the big storm that was already here are creating some high winds here. While I slept there were some snow flurries, nowhere near the foot that has buried parts of West Virginia.

So, we're good from the couch, unless the wind does some damage today.

My parents on Long Island seemed to fare the storm well. They did lose power for a short time, but it was back when I spoke to them a few minutes ago. It was quite windy, strong enough to blow over their gas grill.

As for Manhattan and some of the coastal areas, there's a lot of flood damage. Getting around is next to impossible, bridges and all of the tunnels save the Lincoln are shut down. Long Island is essentially cut off. The Southern New Jersey shore into Delaware and Maryland are in rough shape too, from what I'm reading and hearing.

Be safe east coast.

We are lucky

We had a nasty storm blow through Ohio during the late afternoon hours. The heat was in the upper nineties, the humidity was increasing just as a weak front came through.

We could see it coming.



About five minutes after this was taken the wind began to rage, the rain poured down and there was very heavy lightning. The heavy stuff lasted for about ten minutes. Ten very intense minutes.

The power and the cable flickered a few times, but for us, the power stayed on. A lot of the neighborhood still has no power. Friends of mine had a tree go through the roof of their house. Another lost a bit of his garden when a tree fell on it. It does not seem that anyone was hurt. There is a lot of property damage in the county, and state.

A branch from the neighbor's tree was knocked into the middle of the road in front of the house. I ran out to move it in the middle of the deluge.

Now I'm enjoying a martini.

Let me also give a big Thank You to all of you who stopped by here during the past month. June 2012 has registered a record number of page hits for this blog! I'm humbled by you, Constant Reader, and you, too.