In New York, we are currently on a “Pause.”ย That means non-essential businesses must have their employees work from home, and that some services and luxuries must remain closed – all to stop the spread of COVID-19b from person to person.ย The most recent deadline, as set via executive order from Governor Andrew Cuomo, was…
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So there’s supposed to be an April Fool’s Day post here…
I had an April Fool’s Day post scheduled for today.ย I really did.ย I worked on it for weeks. And to be honest, it was a masterpiece. Yesterday … I shelved it.ย Maybe I’ll re-run it in 2021, maybe I’ll delete it from my incomplete blog pile. COVID-19 has claimed another bastion of normalcy. Background.ย …
Read MoreAn empty glass full of water
There is the old Zen koan about a drinking glass that contains half of its internal volume in water.ย Is the glass half-empty?ย Is it half-full? Sometimes, there are days when that glass could be filled to overflowing, and I’d still swear it was empty. And this is something that, even at 56 years of…
Read More50
Ten years ago, I wrote a blog post about a car accident that critically injured my baby brother Allen.ย I wrote about the anger and confusion my six-year-old mind went through on that day. It’s been fifty years since that horrifying car accident.ย And in the cold of a February afternoon, it still haunts me.…
Read MoreLife is not promised
“There’s a news report that’s been floating around on Twitter, I don’t want to repeat it until I’m sure it’s true.” That’s what I heard when I was monitoring an NBL Canada basketball game yesterday.ย The announcers were not their usual jovial, excited selves.ย I’m not sure what they were talking about. Then I flipped…
Read MoreA revitalization at the Root Glen
Last Monday was Veteran’s Day, the day when we celebrate those who served.ย But for me, I was the one that needed a recalibration of my soul.ย I was in a very dark place, both mentally and emotionally. For me, that means only one place.ย One place to be by myself, to scream and cry…
Read MoreThe end of the climb
Imagine, if you will, someone visiting the sacred flame at the gravesite of John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery, and then the visitor pulls out some graham crackers and marshmallows to make some s’mores over the open flame.ย That would be disgusting and offensive. Imagine, if you will, someone visiting the Sistine Chapel –…
Read MoreFor the fallen
Please remember these men and women today in your thoughts and in your prayers. Aamoth Jr., Gordon McCannel – 32 – Manhattan, NY – World Trade Center Abad, Edelmiro – 54 – Brooklyn, NY – World Trade Center Abad, Maria Rose – 49 – Syosset, NY – World Trade Center Abate, Andrew Anthony – 37…
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The “Ladies’ Entrance” sign on North Lake Avenue is gone.
Background. Last year, my friend Muse posed in front of the side entrance to a long-forgotten tavern in Albany’s Pine Hills neighborhood.ย As you can see, this tavern once had a “Ladies’ Entrance” that allowed the fair sex to enter the tavern through the back door. Take that into consideration when you’re talking about far…
Read MoreThoughts while wrapping film at 3 in the morning
I couldn’t sleep.ย So I took a pack of old Kodak Instamatic 126 film into my dark room (which also doubles as my bathroom after midnight), cracked open the Instamatic cartridge, and rolled the film into some medium format backing paper.ย I’ll use this for a future photo shoot, somewhere down the road. But while…
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Chuck The Writer 
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