New Commitments (a poem)

The decisions we make
Reverberate through time
We take vows; we make promises
They bind us together
Life comes at us quickly
Throws us off-kilter
Time passes and
We don’t see the hourglass empty
How we live each day
Is how we spend a lifetime
And if the vows we make
Aren’t strong enough
We fortify them with new
Commitments, each minute,
Hour, day, and eternal now

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Nico Ready for Some Football! (a photo)

I never thought I’d be the type of person who dresses up their dog. But, alas, here I am.

We’ve recently bought Nico an Eagles and Phillies jersey – the football and baseball teams of our city, Philadelphia. Our neighbors love his little outfits and they show off Nico’s Philly pride.

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Hopeful Flame (a poem)

Her smooth skin is an illusion:
Inside, she’s tough like leather.
I don’t mean this cynically.

She’s seen catastrophe:
Yet, she persists.
Carrying a torch with a hopeful flame
That never dies out.

I don’t understand this.
She studies genocide,
Yet, she tells me everything
Will be okay.

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Summer Fun Down the Shore (a photo)

Photo taken in Ocean City, NJ, in summer of 2021.

My family and I recently spent a long weekend in Ocean City, NJ, soaking up the sun on the beach. In the Philadelphia and New Jersey area, we call this going “down the shore.”

Growing up, my family usually went down the shore every summer. I have some great memories of being at the beach, on the boardwalk at night, and discovering new music at the record stores in town.

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Nico Loves his Treats! (a photo)

Photo taken in Philadelphia in spring of 2021.

Every Saturday, Rachel and I walk over to a coffee shop in our neighborhood. It’s become a nice weekend ritual for us. The place has great coffee and crepes and the added bonus of giving us free treats for Nico! Dogs are so smart – Nico seems to sense we’re heading for the shop and knows the treats are coming.

Lately, he’s been struggling on the walks because it’s been so hot. So, we need to take some water with us so he can take a drink every so often. Anything to get him his beloved treats!