Thoughts of a Common Man

  We’re going to California. As usual, we booked the trip with our usual idiocy. “I’d love to go,” Kathy said, “But it’s a long flight and I just don’t think I can handle it. So, it looks like you’re on your own.” So, I took it like a chore - a simple business trip. I booked my flight and the hotel - the ceremony is at the hotel - and I casually mentioned it. “Did you book my flight too?” I referred her to the above statement that she made just hours before. “I was thinking that I should be there, though. It’s kind of a big deal.” Yeah. The beauty of marriage. “Well, it’s in California. You can’t just decide to go the week before.” “Do you not want me to go?” She asked. “Of course, I do, but YOU decided not to go.” “I’ll go.” I laughed. A few hours later, we were fully booked, and then the ideas started flying. Griffith Observatory, Santa Monica Pier, Catalina Island, Bus tour of the stars homes, Melrose, Beverly Hills. “What do you think?” “I don’t know. I have to make a speech at...

I simply don’t understand how people can just ignore straight up lies that are being told by this administration. “The economy is doing great!” According to a recent interview. “Gas is under $2 a gallon in a lot of places.” Those are simple lies. But they’re said in a press conference and no one says anything. The simple truth about the economy is that unemployment is up, prices are up, wages are down and there was negative growth for the first time since the last time the current president was in that chair. Anything else is a lie. Then there is the long forgotten ‘assassination’ attempt. The ‘doctor’ who once said that fatty mcfat shit was the most fit President to ever hold the office - explained that part of his ear had been blown off by a bullet from a high-powered rifle. Have you seen the ear? Ears don’t grow back. How was that story simply swallowed? Think of it…. …we know nothing about any of that day. Epstein files? They haven’t been released. Musk posted about that when they ...

It wasn’t easy, but I listened to all of the 83 songs that Bruce released yesterday morning. I’m not sure anyone has ever dropped that much music at one time, and it’s a true treasure chest for Springsteen fans. There are 2 rock records, a record between Nebraska and Born in the USA that has a mix of both sounds. There’s another album centered around the border troubles, and no one has handled that subject with more compassion or heart. There’s another album that could’ve been released by Sinatra or Andy Williams in the ‘60’s. There’s gospel influences, instrumental tracks, and there’s great guitar, some E-Street band appearances and some great lyrics. So, I’ve been in a fog. Coincidentally, my books arrived yesterday - the new release - “The Crime” and I also booked my flights and hotel for my trip to Los Angeles for the Awards Ceremony for a festival where I won. Staying at the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard- a hotel that hosted the first Academy Awards and a place where Mari...

My nephew has been texting me every morning, doing the daily countdown. “Do you think it’ll be released at midnight?” Johnny asked. What is being released today is 7 albums that Bruce made and set aside between 1983 and 2018. 84 songs - probably 80 of which no one has ever heard. To make the wait even more agonizing, a song a week has been released over the last six weeks. The released songs showed us what the albums were like. There’s an album made with loops and drums. A straight up rock record. A storytelling album much like his “Ghost of Tom Joad” record and an album that is supposed to be a companion piece to “Western Stars” which is my favorite record from him since the 1980’s. Yet, the best part of it all is the enthusiasm that my nephew has for the release. “It’s so amazing to me that his texts are exactly what I would’ve been getting from Jeff,” I mentioned to Kathy. “He’s a little obsessed about it?” She asked. “Yeah. A little!” And this morning, my library will be full of Sp...

Do yourself a favor and skip the press conferences being held regarding the Iran bombing situation. As important as it is to stay informed, there’s absolutely no way to get information from this administration. Between the lying and the rage, and the complete lack of trust in their motives… …we’re left in the dark. I tried. I saw a clip of the president yelling: “They don’t know what the fuck they’re doing!” in response to a reporter’s question. I heard Hegseth berate and cry about ‘fake news’ as he tried to dispute the intelligence that has informed the world that the bombs that were dropped did little. Normally, back in the old days, before America collectively lost their mind… …we were free to go about our days believing that our leaders had our best interests in mind. Mitch McConnell, who looks like the lead character on ‘The Walking Dead’ explained that Americans who lose their healthcare due to Medicaid cuts will: “Have to get it over it.” Not sure we are going to be able to get ...

I absolutely refuse to bitch about the hot temperatures, but by 6:00 last night I was on my third shirt. I hit sites and soaked the first shirt, changed it when I got home, and then mowed the lawn.  There went shirt two. Mowing the lawn is different with Ollie. He brings the ball and figures out where I’m going to move next, and he drops the ball there - I throw it for him, do a swipe and he brings it back. We do that about thirty times as I mow the back yard. Then he chases me from inside the fence as I do the side yard. But back to the weather…. …I find that guys are a little more irritable on the job sites. I saw a guy 18’ in the air without fall protection. I called him down. “What’s your problem?” He asked. “You can’t do that,” I said. “You need fall protection.” “Says who?” “Ever hear of OSHA?” I asked. “Ever hear of getting your ass kicked?” He responded. I almost couldn’t believe it. Then I was pissed. Then it hit me. “Dude, you just lost your job.” He was still indignant. ...

 Look what I found! They’re selling “Reggie” bars again. Of course, Reggie hit three homers in the ‘77 World Series to close it out in six games and secure me 2 crisp dollar bills from Big Al. Before the next season, the Reggie bar made its debut and the Yankees opened the season by handing them out before the first home game. Reggie - who never missed a big moment - homered in that game and New York fans littered the field with the Reggie bars. Now, I recall buying and eating a Reggie bars back in 1978, and my memory was that it was good. There wasn’t any way I wasn’t buying one last week. I ate it, and realized that my memory was correct. It’s good! Reggie was one of my favorites on those teams because he was a great power hitter, and because he was cocky as hell. I also loved Thurman and Billy too, but there was a problem brewing because Thurman and Billy didn’t care for Reggie who declared: “I didn’t come to New York to be a star. I brought my star with me.” He also claimed tha...

We are no longer following the constitution. Haven’t been since January. People are being kidnapped off the streets regardless as to legal status. I read a story about a kid who was a soccer star. The day after he graduated, he was pushed into a van and sent to his home country. A place he hadn’t been in since he was 4 years old. His paperwork was in order. His parents weren’t sent away with him. They’re devastated. They followed the letter of the law. They assimilated. If the kid wasn’t great at soccer he might’ve flown under the radar. Now, his life is ruined and just might be over as he is being returned to a hostile land that he doesn’t know. Not American. On Saturday night, bombs were dropped on Iran. What’s insane about it is that it is being sold as a good thing because it puts a stop to Iran developing nukes. There had been an agreement in place to stop their march towards nuclear capability, but it was ripped up because Obama negotiated it. A president can’t just drop bombs. C...

I should’ve been out last night have drinks to celebrate my brother Jeff’s birthday. He should be golfing with me today. And it doesn’t matter how many years pass by, the pain of not having my brother around, doesn’t ever go away. Of course, he will be golfing with me today. I’ll carry him around the course with me, knowing that if I leave a putt an inch away he’d be there to say: “Ahhh, that’s a shame.” I told a story the other day about our trip to Titusville when I scolded Jeff on the way to the course to behave so we wouldn’t get thrown out before we had a chance to play. He emphatically showed me that he didn’t listen by writing: “Cliff is a fat bastard” in the sand trap, using the rake. Through the years what I’ve missed most is the laughter, and the never not knowing what might happen next. And the meals! Some day, off in the distance, there will be an answer to why we were all cheated out of time that could’ve been spent laughing. Until then. Happy Birthday, brother. Help the p...

I enjoy when the old writing life wakes up a little. The Los Angeles Beach Book Award. Stephen King’s new book, “Never Flinch” is nearly read (should finish it this morning). My new book, “The Crime is available to order on Amazon and I will receive my copies this week. And Springsteen is releasing 7 albums of unheard material on Friday. Quite a little tidal wave in June. As for “The Crime” I received 3 advanced copies. I handed one to one of Kathy’s oldest friends and I returned home about 8 hours later to a text to me via Kathy: “This is the best one yet. It should be a movie. I read it in one sitting!” No small feat as it’s a big book, and in all my life, I’ve only read one book - ever - in one sitting - “Misery” by Stephen King. I vividly recall that day - was a very good day! And that’s the entire goal of writing… …to have one person have one day like that. I’ve always said that I write things I’d like to read because reading has brought me so much pleasure. It’s just wild that pe...

“Are You An Idiot?” was a fun book to write. I wrote it very casually as we watched television, and about halfway through it kicked in that I could have some laughs while also trying to make a point about not taking yourself so seriously, and enjoying your life. All who’ve read it have been very generous with their praise, and I don’t take that lightly, but I have to admit that I was a little surprised to see the Beach Book Festival announcement. First place is pretty great. Just as I’m getting ready to promote “The Crime” which is a completely different sort of story. Validation of your work is a warm feeling. Both titles are available at Amazon.com or shoot me a message and I’ll sign one for you. A cool day.

One of my longtime clients called me at six in the morning on Monday. My first thought was “Uh-Oh!” “Wanna’ golf on Thursday?” Of course, I turned down the offer because I have to try and work every day, but he mentioned that it was a tournament for a former Bills charity and that Thursday is a Federal holiday. “I’ll send you the invite. Come on, play!” Now, I’d golf with almost anyone… ….there’s one fat, orange, cheater that I’d decline… …so a couple hours later, I texted back: “I’m in.” “Be ready,” he answered. “Going to be some athletes and ex-athletes there.” “And a decrepit old man who hits it down the middle,” I said. He laughed. Should be fun.

I was sent a video clip of an excavator tearing into the side of Wherle Hall on the Gannon University Campus and my mind did that little trick it does. Suddenly. It was a late August night in 1982, and I was the petrified 17-year old boy in the top bunk of a room in Wherle Hall. Thinking: “I want my Mommy.” Yeah. I was scared and I thought my roommates were weird (they were). I didn’t have any friends on campus and only knew one guy - Chris Miller - who went to the rival high school. I didn’t like him, and he had given me the finger in the dinner line just hours before. I had no clue that as I stayed in the bed that night, on the verge of tears, that in a mere 24 hours I would meet a half dozen guys who would remain great friends (including Chris) for the next however long I’m here. Gag and I played thousands of games of backgammon in Wherle Hall. I was one of the only guys who had a high enough GPA to escape the dreaded curfew - so I made a lot of runs to Mickey D’s. We played Pass-Ou...

I don’t know a whole lot about Senator Mike Lee, other than he’s a boot licker for MAGA and that he tries to say the most hateful things he can possibly think of about people he thinks are his political enemy. In other words, just one of those guys who puts God and Christian and Spiritual in his bio and then just spews pure hatred. Over the weekend there was a horrible double murder in Minnesota and Lee wanted to make sure that he got out in front of it by trying to blame it on a Democrat, even though the shooter was most certainly an unabashed MAGA fanatic who was targeting, and hunting Democrats. Lee posted a photo of the suspect and very cleverly wrote: “Nightmare on Waltz Street,” as he tried to call out the governor. He had a half-dozen of those witty, putrid responses. I read the comment on Twitter and I had one thought: “What is wrong with you?” Two couples were shot. Two people, in the prime of their lives, were slain. Horrible stuff, and this self-proclaimed, deeply spiritual,...

Woke up to the news that a MAGA fan murdered political leaders in Minnesota on a day when I was hesitant to even open social media. I simply do not want to see tanks on American streets. The devil will arrive wrapped in the flag and thumping a Bible that he doesn’t believe in. We have that current administration in power. I didn’t want anything to do with the birthday parade so he could fulfill an ego rush. Still feeling a little under the weather, I took the day off - I put on ‘Monk’ and watched one episode after another, only taking breaks to play catch with Ollie, and prepare dinner. And then I started getting texts about the protests that were happening all across this great land. “America is awake,” I thought, and for the first time, in a long time I felt something strange. Hope. The protests were in California, Massachusetts, New York and San Diego. But there were also protests in Tennessee and Idaho and Florida and Iowa. Red states that were marching to protest ICE raiding busin...

I’m thrilled to announce the release of my next effort - “The Crime”. This is one from the vaults, written way back during Covid times - which seems like a hundred years ago! I’ve mentioned it a hundred times but one of my guilty pleasures in life is reading John Sandford’s ‘Prey’ books. Sandford’s work is front and center in my main bookcase and donating any of my books is hard because I don’t want to part with any of my Sandford’s. “The Crime” is an effort in the Sandford vein. Like Sandford I wanted to create good guys who were more than one dimensional. Sandford uses Lucas and Weather and Virgil and I swear if one of them walked into the room I’d recognize them immediately. I also wanted to create evil characters who live from moment to moment, not caring about anything other than providing for their appetites. Yet even pure evil has moments that we recognize in ourselves. Then it’s about pace and ‘what happens next?’ I asked myself that question a thousand times while writing this...

I rarely get sick. But when I do it’s normal in the warmer weather. Woke up this morning with congestion. It didn’t matter because my phone rang at 6:15 and I was on the road by 6:45. That’s one way to cure an illness. Just work through it! And of course, the fact that I am fond of saying: “I never get sick.” Is always lobbed back at me when I get hit with a cold. “I thought you were too powerful to get sick,” Kathy said. (The longer you’re married the less sympathy you get). “I still put in ten hours,” I said. “And we are all in awe of your power,” she mentioned. Yeah. A summer cold. And I have a feeling that if I want chicken soup I’ll be making it for myself.

  I hate to make blog posts about political garbage, but I am truly worried about our future, and I sit down after another day of work and I try to read about what is happening. This is a verbatim quote. He was asked about why troops were being sent to L.A. This is his detailed response. He’s a moron.

“Anyone who protests the military parade on Sunday will be met with very heavy force.” Read it again. A threat of military force against American citizens for protesting. See anything wrong with that? First off, why are we bringing tanks through the city streets? Secondly, what does it mean when this is said: “There are going to be troops everywhere to stop protests all across the country.” Watch the interviews. Read the comments. Then say the pledge of the allegiance to yourself and see how any of this fits into the plan that the founders had for our Democracy. “What a weird time to be alive,” my 28-year old son said. He followed that with a question. “Is our Democracy over?” Using military force to silence protesters? “It might be,” I said. “Then what happens?” “Nothing good I’d imagine,” I said. “I don’t know. It’s always been a Democracy as far as I remember.” I have a question of my own. Where is Congress? Where are the Americans who believe in “We the People”? It appears that MAG...

Lost a dozen friends today. ICE raided a job site about five miles from my home on Saturday and removed a dozen guys who’ve been here for more than a decade. On work visas. As they were supposed to. Doesn’t matter. The rules are out the window… …”Where are they?” I asked. “Might they come back?” The answers were: “Who knows?” And “I doubt it.” Meanwhile, the Marines are on the streets in California beating down American citizens who are protesting ICE for going into communities and ripping people away. And of course, I know the argument for the non-American acts that are now taking place. Immigration is an issue that has been talked about for decades. It’s used to divide us. The problem being that the current moron in charge has deported LESS people than Biden or Obama. Yeah. LESS. But the fact that it’s now being done cruelly is what makes it attractive to everyone. The more nasty the better, right! Because we are all enraged! I can tell you, the 12 guys who were removed from our work...

  Sixteen has turned sixty-plus. When we were in high school we’d head up Shirley Road, make a stop at Carolyn’s house and buy a few balls that wound up in their yard from the course next door. I parred the first hole. Hit all kinds of shots in the middle of the fairway, and enjoyed every second of our round. Couldn’t help but think of some of those rounds from long ago when we were trying to figure out our lives. Years ago, we spent a lot of time talking about the girls we were dating back then. We miss those girls now, but we have lived lives that have brought us years of happiness. But now we aren’t thinking about how we’re going to go about living decades… …but how we are going to get out of the rat race and enjoy ourselves a little on the way out. The game certainly hasn’t changed much… …the Grape Apes hit some bombs and I just kept hitting it straight, keeping it in the middle of the course. I hit the same tee shot about 15 times, and irritated my buddies. Pops scared me a li...

Saw a post that stated that only 30-50% of people have an internal dialogue going on in their heads. Good Lord! My idiot won’t ever shut up. I can’t imagine not hearing my inner self going through the damn checklist in my head. What do people who don’t hear a voice do? There’s no plan???? Of course, it’s the number one battle in my life. “What’s going on tomorrow?” I’ll ask. “Nothing.” “Don’t you have the doctors?” “Oh yeah, two o’clock.” “And weren’t you planning to drop stuff off to Sam?” “Yeah.” “When?” “I don’t know.” I’m starting to think that my wife doesn’t have an internal dialogue. Now, she says that she does, but it’s not the ‘to-do’ list that ricochets through my mind… …it’s more like a storm. But I’m very interested… …what do the 50-70% of people without inner dialogue do to live an organized life? I can’t imagine running through my days without that voice telling me what’s up. To be honest, I wish the dude would shut the hell up every now and again. Damn nuns. They put tha...

It’s strange, but I’ve never been great at relaxing. Problem being, when I hit Saturday morning my body simply aches from climbing and walking and being on the run all week. I’ve tried to relax a little and through the winter and the eternally lousy spring, I watched ‘Modern Family’ reruns. Until last night… …when I found Monk! All eight seasons! I’ve heard that I love the show because Monk and I have some shared quirks in personality. Of course, Kathy may not share my joy in finding all 8 seasons. “Monk?” “He’s the best.” Now I can relax on the rainy, cold mornings when my body aches. Beats checking out the news.

News has broken. Musk and the fat, orange wanna’ be king are fighting. Oh boy. This will be something. Musk has already fired some shots - telling us that the Epstein report hasn’t been released because Shitler is in it. SHOCKER! There are only a thousand photos of them together, and he was on that plane log about fifty times. Bannon - who should still be in jail - but he was pardoned along with the rest of the crooks - chimed in and said that Musk should be deported. This is going to be a battle. Alien versus Predator. And sorry if I’m excited about it, but it might be what saves us. Both ‘men’ have huge egos and they will fight to the death. All we need is Musk to tell the truth about the computers and election night. Or the truth about the assassin who no one knows. In any regard, I’m popping some popcorn and for the first time in months I’m looking forward to scrolling on X. A fight to the death? Maybe it’ll be like Rocky and Apollo where they both hit the deck. Hoping neither one ...

We caught a commercial the other day that showed a supposedly real couple. Vicky and Courtney. The man’s name was Courtney. I haven’t heard that name often for a man. “Courtney is a bad name for a man,” I said. “That has to hurt coming from a ‘Clifford’,” my loving wife said. Which got us thinking about names. My grandfather, Clifford, had two brothers - Gordon and Seward. I’m thinking I got the best of that trio. Who would name their kid, ‘Seward’? John Wayne’s real name was Marion, which is also pretty uncommon for a man. “Did you hate being ‘Clifford’?” Kathy asked. “No!” I said. “I liked my grandpa and I was glad to be named for him. Of course, most people call me ‘Cliff’, but I also get a number of nicknames. “Clavin”. “Big Red Dog.” “Sam isn’t happy with his name,” Kathy said. “Or he wasn’t when he was young. He couldn’t figure out why his name is ‘Salvatore’ and we call him ‘Sam.’” “It’s an Italian thing,” I said. “He knows that now, but some people also call him ‘Sal’ and he di...

Of course we all spent the day yesterday sending along June the 2 messages to each other. Since I was a kid, we have shared the June the 2 joke and it’s funny, but Italian-Americans all over the country are in on it… …so it’s legendary. My Uncle Jim was the June the 2 guy in our family. No matter what date you’d ask about he’d answer: “That’s on June the 2.” As we got older, we called one another to wish each other a happy June the 2. What’s funny is that a girl that I knew about 30 years ago was lucky enough to have June 2nd as her birthday. Through the magic of Facebook, we say ‘Hi’ to one another every few months. I shot her a birthday message, saying, “I’ve always remembered your birthday!” She surprised me by answering: “How could you forget? You’d always say ‘it’s June the 2.’” So, yes, confirmation that I’ve celebrated the day for a lot of years! I now use the day as a memorial to lost loved ones… …including Uncle Jim. He loved pork chops too. June the 2. Chops on the menu.

I had a vivid dream. I was in the back room of a crowded restaurant, and the first face I saw was of my college roommate, George. He was drinking a beer, and he raised his bottle to toast me. Suddenly, I wanted a beer. I turned in my seat and saw Diane, and then Kevin, and Lisa and Rosie, Rick and Fluffy. College friends all gathered in that room. I saw the beer in their hands, and deep in my dreams, I craved the taste. “What’s going on?” I asked. “Everyone you knew from college is coming,” George said. Brian and Chris and Tony walked in. I thought of the girls all gathered together. “This could be troublesome,” I said. “Relax,” George answered. “We’re only toasting the good times.” I looked around at the gathering of faces. Mac, and Pomeroy and Guy and Carmen. Everyone was still just 19 years old. Gag and Terry slapped me on the back. Chris came by with Marie and they made fun of me. “This is awesome,” I said. And then…. …my dog jumped up in my bed and stirred me awake. I could still ...

Buffalo is a friendly place. Yet, lately, I’ve found it troubling that people don’t seem to be quite as friendly as they used to be. Maybe it’s a small sample size, but I was walking on a city street and there was a middle-aged woman coming the other way on a quiet sidewalk. As we passed I said, “Good morning.” She didn’t respond! Which is a tad irritating. “I’m fine and you?” I asked. She kept walking. Whatever.  Perhaps she was having a bad day. Thankfully there was a man heading towards me. “Good morning,” I said. NOTHING! ‘Maybe it’s me,’ I thought, but it kind of stuck with me all day long. Were people nicer years ago? Are we all afraid of one another now? Not quite sure… …but I’m never going to be too busy to say ‘good morning’ to someone who passes me by. Maybe I stink.

The current president of the United States posted a meme that stated that Joe Biden died back in 2020 and that the Democrats used clones and deception to get through Biden’s presidency. A Republican rep, when asked about people losing their healthcare, mentioned that we’re all going to die anyway. The big, beautiful bill will add trillions to the deficit, following an attempt to cut waster to reduce the deficit, but we need to do it because the wealthy are suffering, evidently. We are lost. For the first time, I don’t think it’s going to be all right. Now, it’s been building for a long, long while, but it’s hard to realize that the game might try be over. Couple things happened to give me the down vibe. First, I thought about 1976 and the bicentennial celebration in my hometown. I’ve been blessed with a great memory, and I not only remember the parade and the grand celebration back about 50 years ago, but I also remember the lead up to the event, and what a huge deal it was. America wa...