ETC. INDEX

Ralphie would understand
I had a BB gun. And I did not shoot out either one of my eyes.

Days of milk and Esther
A recent obituary triggered a memories of an elementary school ritual.

Lashing out at losers
A tantrum by Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski reminded me of a similar incident at Solvay High.

Hotchee Botchee!!
Halloween has changed a lot since I was a kid.

Adventures in Paradise
Sandy Pond has changed a lot since my first visit, but memories linger.

Look! Up in the sky!
Charlie Major isn't the only family member who spotted a UFO.

Young and very lucky
A recollection of incredibly bad decisions.

A Game for One
You can tell a lot about a boy by the game he plays.

The Original Spin Doctor
He was Ethan Allen, who created my favorite board game.

Here a chick
One Easter my parents and relatives bought a bunch of chicks. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Chasing waterfalls
According to the TLC song, you shouldn't do it.

Sleeping with snakes
We had no choice when our power went out.

The Popcorn Master
As I recall, his was the best I ever tasted.

Musical odd couple
My first musical influences were Gene Autry and Frederic Chopin

"Radio Days" forever
Old-time radio programs still play inside my head.

Are nicknames extinct?
At the very least they are an endangered species.

The Pilgrim Estates Gang
It was Deja Vu when I moved into this neighborhood.

The Big Picture
• Major family reunion: 1930
• Otisco Lake vacation: 1917
• The French Fort
• State Fair ice cream stand
• Nana's mother-in-law

Veteran of losing battles
From the recent election to the latest in entertainment, I'm on the other side.

Blame right turn on red
If you want to trace the decline of our civiization, look no further than the highway.

Baldwin's Solvay connection
Two words: mother and Wegman's.

Pets and passwords don't mix
So look elsewhere in the war against hackers

Give me a simple car
Truth is, I'm afraid of smart automobiles

I'm just a low tech guy
Or why I'll never be abducted by aliens

Descended from space aliens
It's time we acknowledged we come from a galaxy far away.

An evil invention
Telephones are weapons for the Forces of Darkness.

Mom, you didn't miss a thing
It's a good thing my mother never had a cell phone.

Revoke some parenting rules
Especially those that encourage neediness.

Too many choices
Few tasks are more stressful than supermarket shopping.

Trash it? Are you sure?
If only your brain worked like your computer.

Coneys and salt potatoes
Our taste buds keep calling us back to comfort food heaven.

Have teasels, will travel
Skaneateles farmers once grew weeds on purpose.

Ride an elephant
It's something you no longer can do at the Syracuse zoo.

An offer I couldn't refuse
When being a Democrat gave me the inside track.

Rattlesnake Gulch
There really is such a place in Central New York.