Raise High the Roofbeam, CarpentersRead more »

“I hate poetry,” or so I said to my friend Matthew Huddleston one morning walking to the cold showers at Beijing Foreign Language Normal College. The college administration had decided to clean the 100+ year old hot water pipes by running hydrochloric acid through them.Read more »

My neighbor Attila is a nice guy – he plays guitar, tries to support his kids (with ex-wife), is trained to drive fork lifts and as a stone mason, and is is honest and reliable. The only problem is that he lives in Borsod County, the poorest region in Hungary, and cannot find a job. Of course, it does not help that he is gypsy – it doesn't help at all. Attila has been cutting my grass with a scythe for almost seven years.Read more »

I managed to finish the Balaton Swim in 2:08:43, finishing 1155th, putting me in the top 12% of the 9299 participants who started in this year's event. The participation statistics are as follows:Read more »

Rapidly approaching 42 and frustrated with knee and back injuries every time I just begin to get into shape, I buckled down the last 5 months and started going to the Read more »

Everytime I come back from the village, back into Budapest, I pass by the Vidam Park (amusement park) and think I should make a visit. I celebrated a birthday there several years ago, the highlight of which was 20 people on the merry-go-round horses singing the theme from Bonanza (see below for lyrics).Read more »

After learning about the Derenk Bucsu from our neighbors in Perkupa last weekend, we returned to Borsod County with high hopes of a fun if not enlightening time.Read more »

Down at the house this weekend with Jeroen and Lennard, we were finally able to give something back to our friends in nearby Perkupa.Read more »

I had the best intentions Thursday  night to take notes on all of the wines, but you know honestly, I just got distracted by conversations with all the lovely women that attended. But, what the hell, that is what Bitch Moan and Wine is all about: good wine, good price, good conversation in a laid back atmosphere. There was a very good vibe last night.Read more »

When Simon Saunders, formerly director of Gold's Gym in Budapest, found out Kevin Jackson and I were doing the Balaton Swim on July 25th for charity, he offered his personal training services. I used to be a championship swimmer in my youth with the Hockomock Hammerheads (now Hay Lightning), but that was 30 years ago and my knees and back are feeling the years.Read more »