So Much to Say

New York, NY

To say the last few months have been a whirlwind would be a gross understatement. This was the time of non-stop movement. Travel, weddings, funerals, parties, and a tremendous amount of work in-between. I honestly can't remember the last time I was so exhausted. However, and at Lindsey's suggestion, I've decided not to take on any new projects. (Well, there is one, but I'm contractually obligated not to divulge it ... yet.)

Now that I have a few moments to sit down and write a proper blog post, I thought I'd give some recommendations. It's been awhile.

• Shake Shack - I can't believe it's taken me so long to recommend this. I eat here so frequently that Lindsey has asked that I reduce my intake to just once a week. So far I haven't strayed the course. But the late-night cravings do kick in...
• The Hangover - I was sure I'd hate this movie. I didn't.
• Palmetto Bluff - Upon arriving, I remarked how much like the Truman Show it was. We were so pampered - they actually thought for us.
• Pier I Cafe - If the crowds at the Boat Basin are getting to you, head south a few blocks enjoy the sunset on the pier.
  
• YesButNoButYes - Yep, I still write for them. I get paid to write for them. My latest article is Top Ten Cars That'll Get You Laid, though no actual research was attempted.
• 3 Chords and the Truth - We're still taping them and they're getting MUCH better.

And, because I've had a few of these photos sitting on my work computer, I thought I'd share for you non-Facebook people.

When you get outside Manhattan, you can see these things called "stars". Quite amazing really.

In the South, they have this thing called "porching" which requires you sitting on your ass, playing Scrabble, and drinking lemonade and eating homemade chocolate chip cookies. So civilized.

Lindsey thought she looked like a 50's movie star or Jackie O. Her mom saw the photo and thought she looked like a terrorist.

Linds runs after her well hit ball.

Wedding season has begun. Crap.

Does it look like I know what I'm doing? Because, honestly, I have no fucking clue.

This is Dufton. Trust me when I say he's one of the most badass dudes I know.

Tim's comment: "I'm sure you reached the fairway with this one."

A Weekend of Laughter

New York, NY

"If I knew someone who lived the life I did, I'd be jealous."
-My Grandmother, Virgina Ferguson

Surrounding yourself with love and laughter is the best way to cope. And that's just what we did this past weekend. Having all the Ferguson cousins (all five of us) in one spot is a rarity. Our Grandmother's memorial service brought us all together. And despite the passing of our grandmother, you'll notice something similar in all these photos - we're smiling in every single one. It was a weekend of laughs, captured exquisitely by my brother's lens.

Virginia Ferguson

New York, NY

The image that's been playing over and over in my head for the past five days is me as a three year-old, running into the arms of my grandmother. This was taken on my grandfather's 8mm film camera, and represents the earliest moving picture of me. And in those few seconds of celluloid, there is pure happiness. Both from me and my grandmother. And that's really what our relationship was based on - love and joy at being around one another.

After my grandfather died, my grandmother moved to Palm Beach. She found relaxation and comfort in the sub-tropical air, and daily walks on the beach collecting seaglass. On one of our many trips down, we stood near the pool at night, with the warm (and constant) ocean breeze dancing around us. She pointed to a star hanging low in the sky and said that was her husband looking over her, making sure she was alright. And I believed her. She said it with such gravitas, and such compassion, that it was impossible not to.

My grandmother rarely laughed. This isn't to say she wasn't a happy person, but to actually make her laugh was a challenge. And even if you were to get a laugh out of her, it would be nothing more than a light chuckle. Blink and you'd miss it. A few weeks ago, I made a trip up to Connecticut to see her. Somehow, despite her confinement to a wheelchair, and the series of tubes that ran from her body, I was able to make her laugh. (Suggesting we tie her wheelchair to the bumper of the car and drag her around the parking lot seemed, oddly, to do the trick). In that moment, we shared, again, that love and joy once more.

Tonight, if you find yourself beneath a cloudless sky, look west and close to the horizon. You might see two stars burning brighter than you'd ever seen before.

3 Chords & the Truth

New York, NY


A few weeks ago, my friend, former roommate, and former co-worker, Johnny, asked if I wanted to put together a video podcast for YesButNoButYes. We hashed it out over lunch one day, which is to say, we said "let's talk about stuff and see what happens." We started shooting them a few weeks ago with the aim to keep them under 5 minutes. (This didn't happen, in fact they've become increasingly longer.) But I think with the last one, we finally found our stride.


There are still some things to be worked out, like the strange black line on the side of some of the videos, no doubt due to differing aspect ratios. But I hope you enjoy them! If nothing else, you'll actually be able to hear me talking on this blog, which I'm not sure has ever really happened before.


Episode 3, Part I





Episode 3, Part II





Episode 2





Episode 1

The Twits of Twitter

New York, NY



I promised myself I wouldn't buy into all this Twitter madness. I opened an account a year ago and managed to eek out 4 "tweets" before I lost all interest and realized no one would care about my random exploits in 140 characters or less. I honestly thought no one would care about what anyone ate for breakfast, let alone what I ate for breakfast. (Of course, upon further investigation, I realized this blog was just that.) So with all this Twitter madness of late, I thought I'd give it another shot. I'm making it easy for you, while you could hop over and "follow" me here, you can also see my "Twitter" on the sidebar of this very blog! I'm not sure how long this will last, and it's truly in the experimental phase. So check it out, tell me what you think about me telling you what I think.

The Reading List

New York, NY

Too busy/dumb to read a whole book? Trying to kill time at work? Why not read some of my articles at YesButNoButYes.

• Such as a Kite - What else are you going to do in Amsterdam?
• Commuting Suicide XXXI - Yes, I'm going to Hell.
• The Drug Mule - It isn't illegal to smuggle drugs back into the country, right? Right?
  
• The Deal Breakers - Because a man wants what a man wants.
• An Open Letter to the Restaurant That Gave Me Food Poisoning on Friday Night - Yeah, it was just that bad.
• Commuting Suicide XXVII - I finally figured out the reason why New York always smells like piss.
• Cast Into the Pit of Hades III: Not Above Stealing From a Friend - I use a public forum to rant about things I hate.
• While the Cat's Away... - What would you do if you had free time and keys to your girlfriend's apartment?
• Hobo Decorum - Seriously, can't we all agree that we hate homeless people?
• Expelling Flatus - Sadly, hot chicks fart too.

Celebrating 30 Years on Planet Earth

New York, NY

The worst part about turning 30 years old is once the celebrating is over, you actually have to deal with the fact that you're old. Luckily, the celebrating continued into a second week as Lindsey threw me a dinner and party to remind me that I'm still young at heart. And with friends who came from far (Miami), sort of far (Vermont), and not so far (Connecticut), I hope the party was worth it.

Mitch, having left the wife and kid at home, relived his past days at the Late Show.

Lindsey proving, once again, that she is not 30 ... yet.

Erin happily sent me several e-mails over the past few weeks reminding me that I'm 30 and finished each one with "sucka". She will not be invited to my 31st.

I know 2 of the people in this photo.

The former roomies.

You'd have disdain too if you dressed alike ... unintentionally.

And there you have it. Another year, another celebration. Thanks to everyone who came out. There's a swath of people missing from the photos, something I attribute not to my lack of appreciation but to the photographer. (Lindsey) Thanks again to everyone, especially Lindsey for busting her ass and organizing the whole thing. It really was a fun night!