Apple Tree

My wife and I planted this apple tree in the front yard of our Thurber St. house. We planted it in 1999, to replace the huge pine tree that we lost in the 1998 Labor Day tornado/derecho. We had only lived in the house for 3 weeks before the storm, so the plantings that next spring were really the first touches we put on our house–other than the fence we put in for the dogs the first week we moved in.

Unfortunately, two recent severe thunderstorms damaged the tree beyond survival–and we were forced to take it down. My wife and brother-in-law were the brains of the operation–I pulled camera duty and lugged fallen branches to the curb.

There’s A Syracuse Walk of Fame?

Who knew? It was started and discontinued years ago when Frank Malfitano was the director of the Landmark Theatre. Supposedly, there are even stars on the sidewalk down there on S. Salina. Well, the newspaper decided to start up a conversation about the 100 most famous Syracusans. You can see the list by clicking on the hyperlink.

I have a lot of questions about the list–and all of them boil down to a few basic questions:

Social Media Is Stronger Than Any Bully

Renee, who writes the Bendiful blog has done a lot for blogging in CNY–in addition to her blog on fitness, parenting and other issues, she has helped organize the CNY Bloggers Group helping folks who toil in the virtual fields to come out of the shadows of their monitors and meet up in real life.

Unfortunately, Renee’s blogging opened her up to a horrendous case of bullying recently. Yep, bullying isn’t just for the schoolyards anymore. Some bullies grow up and start gyms and try to continue their bullying ways.

Read the hyperlink for Renee’s experiences. I’m asking bloggers in CNY to add their comments to her blog post in support of Renee–and to point others in the same direction. As is usually the case, Mitch Mitchell from the I’m Just Sharing blog is leading the way on this–with both a blog post and video!

Oh, and by all means–tell everyone that the owner of Saltfit gym in Skaneateles is a completely arrogant punk and that no one should ever patronize the establishment.

Blogging In Syracuse 2013: The Gems Among The Ishikoro

In the past, I’ve posted about the decline in the number of bloggers in Syracuse writing about our community (as opposed to national politics, Justin Bieber or “10 ways to get rich quick.”) The Japanese refer to abandoned blogs as ishikoro–pebbles.

Since 2010 and the near-death experience of losing NYCO’s Blog, the acknowledged hub of blogging about issues and life relating to our community, we’re reaching an equilibrium in the CNY blogosphere–different than before, but somewhat encouraging.

Despite the ease and simplicity of posting fluff on Facebook and Twitter (and I’m guilty of these crimes too!) there are interesting, well-written and rewarding blogs out there in the CNY blogosphere. Here are my favorites:

Life List

I just created a new page on my blog: my life list. I’ve noticed a few of the folks on my blogroll have what they term “bucket lists” on their sites. It seems like a good way to prioritize your thinking and (as I know from being a veteran keeper of to-do lists) if you don’t write something down, it’s probably going to be forgotten before it’s accomplished.

I don’t like the term bucket list. I’d rather focus on the accomplishments that will enhance my life as I live, rather than on a desperate list of things to check off before I die. Besides, I really hated the movie with Nicholson that popularized the term.

So, life list it is.

Facebook Follies

The ramifications of speaking your mind on social media and what happens when others interpret these musings (or how I almost lost my job.)

On November 9th, I posted to a link on Facebook to one of my personal blog postings.

College 2.0

I’m back in school! Yep, at UPenn. I’m taking Greek & Roman Mythology with Professor Peter Struck.

No, I haven’t quit my job and moved back to Philly. I’ve become part of the grand experiment that many universities are collaborating on– free, mass-market education via the internet. I’m part of a 1.35 million student body that is taking courses from interesting professors from some of the most highly competitive brick and mortar universities. My mythology class has nearly 50,000 students.

Philip Henry Becker

Awhile back my aunt sent me a copy of a poem that my grandfather wrote when he was 10 years old. I find it hard to imagine myself at 10 years old writing anything coherent, much less this accomplished. Fifth grade.

Punk Rock As Community Development

There were no jobs in Boston then–this was before nearly twenty-five years of nonstop economic growth changed the face of the city . . . Boston was different then. Everything was gritty and worn. There was broken glass everywhere. The sidewalks outside every bar were stained with vomit. There were no yuppies. Boylston Street was abandoned at night. Punk rock still had a chance.

Bill West, R.I.P.

West-Case Scenario
James MacKillop Syracuse New Times 5-2-12

Bill West, the culture polymath who died at age 74 on April 24, left a wide wake. There’s scarcely anyone on the local arts scene who was not touched by his infectious enthusiasm and good humor.