NOTE: The piece below was originally published just after the remastered album’s release in 2010—when I was still writing an online music column for B-Metro Magazine. Hope you enjoy it. I vividly remember where I was, the first time I heard two albums as a child. In fourth grade, maybe fifth, I was in Hal Smyer’s … Read More
Why Daylight Savings Time Should Be Postponed Until June Attention, DC-area politicians: Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that your office hours begin at 8 AM. NOW: First thing in the morning, when you roll into the office at what should be 7 AM… >Ask yourself how it feels to be at your desk just minutes … Read More
Almost true story: It’s the first day of kindergarten for Brian Giattina’s son, and his turn comes to introduce himself. “I’m Gus. My dad runs a meth lab and an extortion ring.” Horrified, the teacher pulls him aside. “Gus, your father is a good man. Why would you say something like that?” “I didn’t want … Read More
When I grow up, I want to be like Calvin Morris. If you’ve ever passed the Publix shopping center on Green Springs during weekday lunch hours, Calvin is the guy dancing on the sidewalk with the Firehouse Subs sign. In my entire life, I have never seen anyone bring more joy to his work. Calvin … Read More
## The following “Farewell” column was written by Thomas Spencer for the 10/26/03 issue of The Birmingham News. It remains one of my all-time favorite pieces from that fine and venerable publication. ## Lord Baltimore Gin was his balm and pork his passion. Virtually every evening after work, Franklin Headen would hold court from a … Read More
REMEMBERING TECH’S COOLEST CONTROL FREAK. It’s six days after Steve Jobs’ death, and I interrupted my work flow this morning to click on a melodramatic story headline about the biological father he never knew. Needless to say, I can’t ever remember being so endlessly fascinated by a company CEO—which is why, at the 11th hour … Read More
(A true story, by Bob Carlton) NOTE: Bob wrote this column for The Birmingham News August 6, 1999 . If you asked me, it’s still just as good 12 years later. I have seen the Blair Witch. It was right outside my tent. But first some background: Last week, I interrupted my annual baseball vacation … Read More
If you asked me, Pete Townshend’s classic line has a lot more to do with attitude than age. First, make no mistake: When it comes to lifestyle, nobody’s older for his age than me. At 25, I married the perfect excuse to stop going out on weeknights. Six years later, we gave birth to the … Read More
Voilà a few raisons why I-yam hooked on Le Tour. I used to hate July. With fall practice still a month away, and national signing day a distant memory, July represents the low point of the year for people who (like me, once upon a time) have no life outside college football. That was Before … Read More
People are stupid. I should know. I’ve been one for over 50 years. The headline of this month’s column comes from an email I received more than a decade ago, which was entitled “Children’s Books We’ll Never See.” The sub-head is something I often say to remind myself that, deep down, I was born with … Read More
