Author: John Meola
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Diary – July 15
On Saturday afternoon, my wife and I went to a memorial service for her longtime friend’s dad. He died in May after a brief illness. My wife and her friend go back over forty years, to the early 1980s. None of us can believe that so much time has passed. That decade seems like yesterday,…
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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Last week for the Fourth of July, I made a peach pie with the last of the Georgia peaches we got from Ohio. The peaches were very ripe, which I thought would make for a delicious pie but turned the pie into a watery mess instead. The pie was good (I used a recipe found…
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Happy Birthday, America!
Today we celebrate our 249th year. This fourth kicks off the runup to our 250th birthday next year. It has already been 250 years since the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which led to the formation of the U.S. Army in April. (That was commemorated with a parade in Washington that upset certain factions in…
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Goodbye Old Friend
Well, an event happened today that I was hoping would never occur. I ended a friendship over politics. Actually, that’s a very over-generalized statement. I had to cut the person off (“cancel” in today’s lingo) because this person would send me several emails a month (he doesn’t use social media) expressing his views on the…
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Old Friends
One of things we can appreciate as we get older are those few friends who have been with us throughout the years. A good friendship is like a good wine; it ages over time. Like aging wine, friendships have peaks and valleys, ups and downs, over the years. But through it all you are together.…
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B&H Bild Expo
B&H, the photo, video, and audio superstore in New York, is having a giant exhibition at the Javits Center today and tomorrow. It’s packed with seminars, vendors, everything relevant for the photographer, videographer, cinematographer, and content creator. Very impressive. They also have various sets installed in the vendor area where you can practice your photography…
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Rosé Tasting
Rosé Tasting Last night my wife and I went to a rosé wine tasting at the Kindred Spirits & Wine location in Fairfield, Connecticut. Rosés are the perfect summer wine. Firstly, rosés are versatile. They can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes typically served in the summer: barbecue, grilled meats, fish dishes, and salads.…
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Jacques Tati — Les Vacances de M. Hulot
The other night my wife and I got to watch Les Vacances de M. Hulot, the breakthrough film by French mime and comedian Jacques Tati. It was the Criterion Collection version released on TCM. This version was a little different than earlier versions I had seen; it was the original ninety-eight minute release from 1953.…
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June
Hard to believe that June is now upon us! The sixth month of the year, meaning that we are approaching the halfway point of 2025 and we start to enter that proverbial back nine. Soon 2026 will be looming larger and larger. It seems the older one gets, the faster the years go by. For…
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Lawns
My change in life circumstances has led me to a new discovery. I actually like lawn mowing. For me, lawn mowing was always a boring activity. Melissa volunteered to do it after work, but with the free time I now have thanks to the Great Tech Layoffs, I have assumed that role here at the…