Every time I take a look at my Ride Cincinnati fundraising page, I start welling up with tears.
I get teary-eyed because I’m so very grateful to the folks who have supported me. I started out with a goal of $2,000. Which I billed as “lofty” because it was. But it turns out that great friends will rally around a good cause. And I’m blessed with a lot of great friends. My Xavier homies, of course. Co-workers. Former co-workers. People I’ve met along my life’s journey who have become close enough that I feel comfortable hitting them up for a donation. (Not my strong suit.)
Actually, one of my Xavier friends, Jackie B., shared my fundraising efforts with more of the XU crew (her besties, the “PYTs” – Pretty Young Things), and they’ve contributed too! She turned my bike wheels into a flywheel.
I’ve revised my goal a couple of times. Onward and upward. Because the funds raised will support cancer research, education, and care in the Cincinnati area.
Which brings us to the other reason I start to get misty-eyed. My friend LJ. One of my Xavier homies. I met him freshman year… 43 years ago. That’s a long time to share the road. But I can’t think of a better travel companion.
LJ has benefitted from the cancer resources available in our area. One of which is Cancer Care Advisors, which offers second opinions on cancer treatment plans, and can help with care coordination, referrals, clinical trials, financial support, etc.
In LJ’s case, they told him and his family that he was doing everything right to attack his brain cancer. That reassurance helps immensely.
But his cancer isn’t usually the kind you can out-pedal.
We don’t know what’s around the bend. And that’s scary.
But the connection — knowing that there are other spokes on the wheel — provides both comfort and strength. To him. To me. To us.
Just keep pedaling. One foot, then the other. Moving forward. Living life. Which is so much richer when you have a caring crew to support you.
If you’d like to donate, and have the means (and haven’t already!), you can do so here. Thanks for keeping the big wheel rolling!
Here’s why I like to describe Cincinnati as the world’s biggest small town.
Yesterday afternoon, I posted about the Cincinnati Magazine Freekbass story, and mentioned the great photos from Devyn Glista. Yesterday evening, in a pickleball league that has 400+ participants, I was assigned to a court with four other players, one of whom was… you guessed it… Devyn Glista.
The editor of Cincinnati Magazine is John Fox, whom I know from my 97X radio days, when he was the editor of the alt-weekly Everybody’s News, and we’d feature him and other staffers on-air each week, highlighting things to do around town.
Each month’s issue of Cincinnati Magazine has a column called “Dr. Know,” penned by Jay Gilbert – I interned for his radio production company when I was at Xavier.
The cover story about great sandwiches features an ode to Izzy’s, written by J. Kevin Wolfe. Who went by “Doc Wolfe” when we worked together on Gary Burbank’s show on WLW-AM.
The other story called out on the cover is by Cedric Rose, a librarian and collector at the Mercantile Library. I met Cedric when I started hanging out at the Merc during my lunch hours (it’s such a magical place). Oh, and he lives about three blocks away from us in Mt. Washington.
The food stylist for the sandwich (photo) spreads? That’s Allison Hamilton, ex-wife of a photographer that I worked with during my Landor agency days.
I could go on, but I’ll stop right there. I didn’t grow up in Cincinnati, and the town has a rep for being rather provincial. (“Where did you go to school?” is a popular question, and it’s about high school, not college.) Yet I’ve made so many connections in my time here. You just have to be open to possibilities.
Of course, I’m no beefcake like Derek Zoolander. But my name is right next to a Chicken Parm and a Tuna Melt… that’s practically the same thing.
I’ve written a few things for Cincinnati Magazine over the past few years. But this was the first time I pitched a story idea to editor John Fox. I ran into bassist extraordinaire Chris “Freekbass” Sherman at my local Kroger, and he mentioned that he was now doing a livestream six nights a week on TikTok. I’ve known Chris since my 97X radio days, and our kids went to grade school and high school together. But I had no idea he was a bona fide TikTok superstar. I thought it’d make for a pretty cool story. John agreed.
Chris is a very sweet dude and easy to interview. And of course, I’ve been known to chat a bit about music, so it was a fun story to write.
I couldn’t make it to the photo shoot, but the shots by Devyn Glista are amazing, and really capture Chris’ sense of style and his on-stage persona.
The layout, the typography… *chef’s kiss*.
I’m thrilled with the way it all turned out.
Getting a byline on the cover and being featured in the contributors section were just icing on the cake.
Freekbass was pumped about the piece too.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kbw98WAY7WY
It’s not “my smilin’ face on the cover of the Rolling Stone“… but I can guarantee you that my face will be smiling all month long!
The internet rabbit hole is a time warp. And a mind-bender. One minute you’re reading an email about earning more travel points, the next, you’re bawling your eyes out. Or maybe that was just me.
I subscribe to Chris Hutchins‘ weekly newsletter that provides advice on “hacks” to save money and score travel deals and other savings. TBH, I don’t always read it. (So many emails, so little time…) But over the holiday weekend, I read his latest edition, which had this blurb in it:
Off we went, chasing the rabbit… Ben Carlson’s article linked above had a link to another post from Ben Carlson. And that post was decidedly less uplifting. It was about Ben’s older brother Jon. I won’t completely spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that lines like “He was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia just before heading into the 7th grade.” and “stage 4 pancreatic cancer” rarely lead to happy endings.
It’s sad. But also uplifting, because Ben’s brother provided some sage advice for his three kids:
Be happy with what you have, you don’t need as much as you think. Never leave anyone behind. Life is way better than a screen, go live it.
That advice doesn’t just apply to kids. All of us should take it to heart.
Sure, it’s a Monday after a long weekend. Getting going may be a bit of a slog. But if we’re blessed enough to have enough, to have friends, and to be on the right side of the dirt, then we’re lucky. Let’s live!
I hope you’re sitting down for this shocking (general) admission: I like going to concerts. A lot. It’s second only to pickleball in the list of ways I spend my leisure time.
Last year I made it to 43 concerts. That will probably be my all-time high water mark. But it’s not for a lack of trying. This last stretch of a week-plus has been quite a run.
Last weekend, it was the Nelsonville Music Festival, on a farm near Nelsonville, Ohio. Which is near Athens (Ohio), home of Joe Burrow. It’s about 2.5 hours east of Cincy. Three glorious (albeit extremely hot) days of music on three stages.
The 3-day event Billboard magazine calls “one of the best-kept secrets of the U.S. music festival circuit” offers a diverse lineup of 40+ national, regional, and local acts from a variety of genres in an intimate setting, along with camping, kid’s activities, unique artisan and retail vendors, local food, and more!
NMF is a production of Stuart’s Opera House, a non-profit historic theater and performing arts center in Nelsonville. All proceeds raised at the festival directly support Stuart’s Opera House, including its tuition-free Arts Education programs.
That Friday evening run – MJ Lenderman, The Bug Club, Waxahatchee, and Dehd – was as good as it gets. Waxahatchee’s set was note-perfect, literally and figuratively.
Saturday’s lineup wasn’t as suited to my admittedly-weird musical tastes, but Low Cut Connie always brings the energy, and I also enjoyed the sets from Gardener, Styrofoam Winos, and Being Dead.
Mrs. Dubbatrubba was taking one for the team by joining me that day. (It was our wedding anniversary – she’s a saint!)
You could count on… let’s see… zero… zero fingers… the number of artists she’d ever heard of, much less heard, so we cut out a bit early to grab a dinner at Little Fish Brewing Co. in Athens. (Thanks to the great reco from our friends Matt and Pam, who were at Nelsonville with two of their kids. Food and atmosphere were top-notch!)
On Sunday morning, I managed to sneak in a hike before heading to Nelsonville.
It was heat-advisory hot once again, but one of Nelsonville’s three stages has trees nearby, and another (Creekside) is in the woods, with “hammock zones” even! Very chill.
Garrett T. Capps & NASA Country and Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band were the undercard highlights for me. I really wanted to stick around for Taj Mahal’s set, but discretion is the better part of valor. With a 2.5 hour drive ahead of me after a full weekend of music, I headed for home around 5:30.
There’s no rest for the weary: last Tuesday, I saw Devo at an indoor show in downtown Cincinnati. I’d never seen them before, and always wanted to. Their set was exactly what you’d want from those wacky kids from Akron (who are now in their 70s!). I loved every second of it!
On Thursday, it was The Rush Tribute Project at Memorial Hall, a gorgeous Samuel Hannaford & Sons-designed 556-seat music hall built in 1908 and loving restored in 2016.
My buddy Craig and I were pretty much in seats 555 and 556…. the very last row of the balcony. But there truly isn’t a bad seat in the house.
I hadn’t planned to go originally. I’m such a Rush fan that part of me wanted to keep my memories of the countless concerts of theirs that I saw “pure.”
But Craig texted me the day before and I signed on. After all, Neil Peart isn’t coming back, and those songs still mean a lot to me.
Yes, the Rush Tribute Project is a tribute band, but they really nailed the songs, which is no small feat when you’re dealing with Rush’s complex arrangements and time signatures. And they gave fans their money’s worth – 27 songs over two sets.
My tour of tours wrapped up on Saturday, at a barn in Martinsville, Ohio.
The husband and wife who comprise the band Over the Rhine (they got their name from the historic district just north of downtown Cincinnati) bought a farm about an hour northeast of Cincinnati several years ago, and lovingly restored the barn on site to turn it into a really cool performance space.
Mrs. Dubbatrubba, our friend Heather, and I drove up to see Patty Griffin, one of our favorite singer-songwriters.
Over the Rhine did a short opening set too. Such a unique and soul-nourishing experience!
Now, it’s time for a bit of rest from the concert scene.
Although Steve Earle is doing an acoustic tour that’s coming through town on Sunday…
We’re alive because nothing bad happened to us. And nothing bad happened because a lot of good things happened. Vaccines. Food safety laws. Automobile and road safety regulations. Not sexy. Not headline news. Just life-saving.
Preparation, prevention, regulations, and safeguards prevent catastrophes all the time, but we seldom think or hear about it because “world continues to function” is not interesting news. We have to rely on statistical analysis and the expert opinions of planners and officials in order to evaluate both crucial next steps and the effectiveness of preparatory measures after the fact, and that can be challenging for us to pay attention to. So we tend to forget that preparation & prevention is necessary and discount it the next time around.
The big tree in the field at the end of our street didn’t exactly fall – it was cut down.
We live on a dead-end street, with a walkway at the end leading to baseball fields, the Mt. Washington Pool, Rec Center and Elementary School. “Big tree” was a massive oak by the entrance to the pool.
I am world-famous for not seeing texts in a timely manner. It’s not the worst thing in the world to not be attached to my phone, so I’m good with it. But I really wish I’d see this text from my friend Phil earlier this month:
I had no idea the City of Cincinnati was cutting down Big Tree. If I’d known, I definitely would’ve walked down the street that evening to pay a final tribute to a fallen friend.
I’m glad Phil was able to give it a hug. It deserved millions, for the decades of shade and natural cooling it offered, for the tons of CO2 it removed from the air. For the natural beauty it showcased. For the inspiration it provided.
Big Tree lived a long and fulfilling life of service… to Mother Earth, and to all of us. As you can see from the void in the middle of the trunk in the photo below, it was time for Big Tree to say goodbye.
Now there’s a void. Not just in the field, but in our hearts.
(Dog’s butt added to show scale.)
Time to fill that void by planting another. We need more trees, not fewer.
This past weekend, my friend Jay opened up Jukebox, a “beverage studio.”
Jukebox is America’s first custom sparkling beverage studio, where creativity meets refreshment. We mix premium ingredients, fresh flavors, and endless customization options to craft beverages that are as unique as you.
Jay and I worked together for many years. He left his VP gig in corporate America to start this business. He calls it a “quirky cocktail bar without the cocktails.” Think “dirty sodas” and flavored seltzers and slushies. (You can read more about Jukebox in Cincinnati Magazine and and CityBeat.)
I stick to water (“nature’s champagne”) for my beverage intake. (OK, sometimes it’s water with malted barley, hops, and yeast.) So I don’t fit the target customer profile. But Jay did the research on where to open his store. He also spent countless hours sourcing ingredients, testing flavor combinations, doing consumer research, refining the concept, the marketing plan, the social media strategy… all the million things that go into starting a business.
The odds are stacked against him, and against any small business. “If you build it, they will come” doesn’t always work outside of the movies. But I know Jay’s smarts, enthusiasm, and passion for getting it right will serve him — and his customers — well.
I also know he’s happier being his own boss. The safe route would’ve been to remain a cog in the corporate machine. But that’s not the route that brings him true happiness. And I’m happy that he’s able to pursue his dream, and add more flavor to his life. And yours!
If you live in the ‘nati, check out Jukebox. It’s at 5859 Deerfield Blvd in Mason, in the Deerfield Towne Center. (You may hear a familiar voice doing some promo breaks between songs on the in-house sound system… Morgan Freeman, watch your back!)
I’ve been known to enjoy a beer or two from time to time.
Back in my college days, I was known to enjoy a beer or two… or six… or seven…
It was stupid. I’m gonna blame my lack of maturity, lack of self-control, and not-yet-fully-developed brain. But after college, I learned about the miracle of moderation. I even went alcohol-free for seven years, mainly to prove to myself that I could walk away from it.
One of my college pals, Tim, wound up at the other end of the spectrum. Alcohol took control.
Hi, I’m Tim. I have seen the destruction and pain alcohol can cause. My addiction destroyed my family, the most loved and treasured people to me on this earth. All were innocent victims, especially my children, who were trying to grow up and find their way in life. I could see this happening, and no matter how hard or what I tried (I tried every option in traditional recovery), I could not stop drinking. My family and friends were there for me, but the only options they and I knew were traditional recovery methods. I was miserable and hopeless.
Tim tried the 12 steps. It didn’t work for him. But he found a path that did. And now he’s helping others along their journey.
Tim and I talked about his business (more of a mission, really) quite a bit at the last monthly “hoppy hour” that we typically attend with a group of our college buddies. (More on that in this post from three years ago.)
Yes, Tim still goes to bars. Here’s his FB post about our recent gathering:
What Homer Simpson said about booze is funny.
But we all know someone who has struggled — or is struggling — with alcohol issues. That’s no fun at all. Please pass along Tim’s info: https://onwardafcoaching.com/.
It can’t hurt… and it could save a life.
I’m hosting this month’s “hoppy hour” with the old college crew (accent on the “old”). I’m also going alcohol-free the entire month of June. Because Tim has shown me that I won’t be missing out on anything.
Last Saturday, I saw my friends Cereal Killers play a gig at the brewery down the hill from our house.
Tons of our friends were in the audience for that one.
On Memorial Day, I met up with my friend Ken at another brewery (if you’re sensing a pattern, you may be correct) for the countdown of the Inhailer Radio “Indie 500.” My friends Amy and David were there too. (David works at the same company where my son Peter works!)
Ken has a show on Inhailer, and several of their on-air folks were there.
(Ken does a great “sorority squat”…) They let me sneak into the photo because my friend Dave and I did some of the breaks during the countdown.
Dave and I both worked at 97X back in the day, and we met up with some other 97X alums at… yes, a brewery (the same one as Monday, in fact) on Thursday.
If you’re sensing a pattern, you may be correct.
Sandwiched in between those two outings, my friend Tom (a.k.a. “Freaky Tiki”) and I had dinner with our friend Felicity on Tuesday. Yes, it was at a brewery.
If you’re sensing a pattern, you may be correct.
Oh, and somehow I managed to squeeze in a quick road trip to Cleveland for a concert on Wednesday.
AC/DC was playing the stadium, but if you know me, you know I’m much more of a “bands at a small club” type of guy. Which is why I was at the Grog Shop to see The Tubs (my new obsession) open up for The Wedding Present.
Before the show, I met up with a bunch of college friends. At a bar.
If you’re sensing a pattern, you may be correct.
Last night I met my brother at Ramundo’s Pizzeria (where two of my sons were working) to watch Creighton (his alma mater) in NCAA baseball tournament.
If you’re sensing a pattern, you may be correct. If you’re thinking that the pattern is bars and breweries, you’re incorrect.
Those places are merely the setting.
The pattern is friendship. Band friends. Neighbor friends. Radio friends. College friends. Folks I’ve known for 40+ years, and people I’ve met in the last year or so. I feel blessed to know them, and lucky to call them friends.
I’m an old man who has no business going out nearly every night, much less driving back and forth to Cleveland in the middle of the week, but I draw energy from the connections.
And the Tuesday dinner was a sobering reminder of how fragile life can be. Felicity is the widow of my dear friend Ned. We lost him nearly two years ago. (I’ve posted about that here.)
It’s easy to stay glued to the couch and say “next time.” But there may not be one.
The older I get, the harder it is to get out to meet up with friends. Yet the older I get, the more I cherish the opportunities.
My friends are here, there, and everywhere. And that’s why I’ll be there too!
Kevin Sullivan on Life advice from a man who lived it: “A good one Damian. Bring our lens into focus after the long weekend or our long life journey.” Jul 7, 09:38
Thomas Kuhl on We’re alive, because nothing happened.: “That is why we should celebrate every day when our feet hit the floor. Another to enjoy and share with…” Jun 25, 04:33
Thomas Kuhl on We’re alive, because nothing happened.: “This simply explains why we should celebrate every day our feet hit the floor. Another day to enjoy and share…” Jun 25, 04:31
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