There is no easy way to say this…

We are all idiots. All of us.

Falling repeatedly into the media traps with misleading headlines, click bait articles, things that sound promising but never turn out to be what we expected…

It does not have to be this way.

Sure, social media and the interwebs are our lifeblood at this point – it is the easiest way to communicate with family and friends, to announce new additions to the family or post pictures of various celebrations.

It is also the easiest way to put a target on your back by making a simple comment that seems harmless (or rather quite intentional) at the time. You become a villain to others just because of having an opinion that APPEARS to contrast with theirs, and it draws lines in the sand where they should never exist (seriously, when did our wellbeing start to depend on people unfriending/unfollowing us?).

For example: you use the phrase “all lives matter” because you genuinely believe those words in the context that you take them to be in. However, to someone reading them who has seen persecution in a way that you could never relate, they cannot fathom that to be true when their life experience has shown that to be the opposite. Saying that you have amazing friends, even best friends, who happen to be a different skin color (as I am certainly guilty of in the past) is not your get-out-of-the-argument-free card when it comes to this discussion.  

Another example: you claim to be “pro-life” in the sense that you believe life should be sacred and valued from conception to natural death. However, to someone who has seen horrendous tragedy in their lives and may not have been raised in the same moral code as you – it is outrageous to them that you would tout yourself as “more righteous” than them just because making those major decisions in life has come a lot more naturally for you. Moreover, if you use that phrase and follow it up with a statement that attacks those trying to immigrate to a new country or those trying to fight their way out of extreme poverty… you, by not showing the mercy and forgiveness bestowed on you by the Creator, are a hypocrite.

One more example: you claim to be “anti-marijuana” while trying to vote for farmer’s rights and supporting tobacco lobbyists in each state, when little did you know that it is becoming the one crop that can save their small businesses in the states where it has been legalized. While actively stating your opinion on this “drug” that has now been proven to tackle some of the most complicated health issues our existence has seen, you try to seek sympathy from others when someone close to you loses their addition battle to a pharmaceutical that could very well have been avoided. There is a better way through the madness, and it starts by admitting (and feeling) fault one way or another.

Without empathy and compassion on both sides of each topic in a conversation, the opportunity for progress between each other is non-existent… and for some of you/us, it might require admitting that the lack of compassion has really been a one-way street for quite some time. Resorting to terms that the media shoves down our throats rather than using our OWN words to describe our OWN feelings gets us nowhere.

Be better. I promise I am trying to do the same.

Stop the nonsense.

You, the one shaming your friends for sharing information they came across online in one form or another. You, the one “threatening” to unfriend people you at least somewhat care about because something they posted may have inaccurate data to go along with it. EVERYONE IS FRUSTRATED. EVERYONE WANTS ANSWERS.

What is this righteous horse you sit on? Instead of making fun of others or calling them terms that accomplish nothing, why don’t you take the time to educate them with what you know? Not a single one of you has the solution, but is quick to the draw with a meme or snarky comment as someone is trying to get to the bottom of why we are in this mess. People are collapsing mentally all over the world, and all we can do is fight over when and how is “appropriate” to give everyone a source of income once again after volunteering their livelihoods as a means for limiting the spread of COVID-19.

It doesn’t matter if what they share sounds ludicrous – there are far more bizarre truths in this world that people are afraid to admit (perfect example: how the two party system is antiquated for our needs). It also shouldn’t matter to you if they didn’t take the time to thoroughly vet the credentials of the people in the interview they watched and shared, because you can’t pretend for two seconds that you do the same with everything you put on your personal profile. For crying out loud, this is simply some of society’s plea to have the right kind of conversation looking for the light at the end of the tunnel (and to hold those accountable for wrongdoing in the event there was any).

If one of your friends or family chooses to share content that you find misleading or inaccurate, do the responsible thing and educate/inform with valuable information that may let the conversation dive deeper. Belittling our neighbors is the MOST irresponsible thing we can be doing at this moment in time (and trust me, I remind myself all the time not to join in). Show respect and love in each interaction, and maybe – just maybe – we will have a chance at keeping hope for humanity alive in this mess.

End rant.

Political Homelessness.

I came across this term the other day during the constant quarantine scrolling, and it really struck a chord with me. There isn’t much that seems to properly define my views when it comes to our chaotic world… but it is a safe assumption to say that I feel politically homeless.

Our society has continued to evolve and expand throughout the years, and yet for some reason our “fearless leaders” continue to convince us that the two-party system actually represents our best interests at heart. They are quick to spend the necessary resources to convince those around them to disregard Libertarians, Green Party members, Tea Party believers, and anyone else who is willing to sacrifice their time and money to challenge the status quo. I don’t know about you… but it is starting to feel like an awful amount of suppression is being applied to our friends and families.

Well, let us dive deeper into the emotions of Ben for a second. Ben believes that marijuana in every form should be legalized – something members of both parties struggle with at times because of their lobbying interests, in addition to their feelings about those who are incarcerated for that type of crime. Ben believes in the sanctity of life from conception until natural death – choosing to help and care for someone no matter WHAT phase of life they are in – which breaks up into multiple arguments, which of course have several sides and stories to compliment each. Ben believes that everyone has the right to arm themselves… but that doesn’t mean automatic weapons should be in the list of options for individual home purchase. Ben believes that the process to become American should be one that every immigrant should go through when they’re ready – but that it is our neighborly duty to care for others when they are often coming to our country to escape an evil from the place they used to call home.

As you can probably determine on your own – with each statement several of you desired to high five me in one half of a sentence, then you probably lowered your hand as I finished the same train of thought – and vice versa. I (very openly) voted third party in 2016 for President, and created a state/county/city ballot that mostly resembled the color of purple by the amount of times I crossed sides. I’m voting for a person to fit the assigned role, not the party and the nonsense they try to shove down our throats. The parties are corrupt, flawed, and in desperate need of a generational overhaul – this applies to BOTH the Republican and Democrat parties, so don’t flatter yourself if you think I’m attacking just one side here.

From what we have seen this week, it is apparent that our “only” options for the coming election are to put one of two gentlemen (using that term loosely) in the White House for 4 years because the skewed format of our politics demands it. If you think my conscience will be clear voting for either a businessman who only puts himself first with each thought, or a man whose demeanor implies that he’s been through enough hell and is ready to be moved into a nursing home… I can’t say that I’m going to sleep well at night knowing that the country I love so much prefers one or the other as the leader of the free world. As Americans, we have a duty to each other to challenge when something isn’t right… and this is my simple way of stating just that. As a God-fearing individual, I take on an additional moral code that obliges me to speak up for those who may not have a loud enough voice in their fight.

Please do not be afraid to speak up if you share some of the same feelings. If the statements made here are enough to unfriend/unfollow, I get it – not everyone has the guts to say what they truly think when most of our content posted these days is the perfectly filtered shot of whatever we want others to be consuming. My suspicion is that I’m not alone in this, and that with enough effort (all we have right now is time, right?) we could make a dent in the current operation that constantly disregards our best interests.

Regardless, I hope this gives everyone some food for thought as we try to figure out this thing called life together. Don’t forget that I love each of you, and will always strive to do what is best for all of us.

A decade.

Last night, the end of another week in quarantine, the fiancee and I stumbled across an old football game being replayed on TV – one I distinctly remembered watching with old roommates at a crappy bar back in 2010. The memory came roaring back like it was yesterday, and sent me down a path of reflection of how the last decade turned out in life.

2010 – I graduated college, and immersed myself in all things Charlotte. Being newly single after a relationship that lasted all of undergrad, I had a bit more time on my hands to explore what I was supposed to be doing with my life. Having to settle for a job at first was alright in my book, mainly because I was able to live and work with several close friends I had made over the previous few years.

2011 – This year showed me how high risk could reap high reward. What started out as a kid looking for his big break (and actually using his degree) turned into running the floor of the hottest nightclub in town, where everyone who was someone (or trying to be someone) would pull up to each night. I was shown the value of a confident appearance, being told to “get a credit card, go buy a new suit and a nice watch… and see what happens next.” (spoiler alert, I got the chance to go back to work for this individual later on)

2012 – Approached by a team looking for someone to help propel their brand, I slid over to a concept I found incredibly unique – part hookah bar, part cocktail lounge, part small plates/desserts. As the DNC brought traffic into Charlotte, I found myself continuously surrounded by all kinds of influential types as the small business atmosphere in Charlotte shone bright for all to see. This venture allowed for my relationships, personal and professional, to grow exponentially with the amount of networking and opportunity that opened up for me as a result.

2013 – My climb up the ladder in hospitality seemed to reach a high point that summer, taking over the operation of two locations in Charlotte that touted another unique environment – part barbershop, part speakeasy. As fascinating as this was, it was also a bit before its time in a town that was still trying to find its own identity. I also learned in this venture that not all employers operate the same way, and there are some who I fundamentally disagree with… which led me to question whether or not the world of small business / hospitality was the one for me.

2014 – I took getting laid off for the first time in my life as a sign that it was time to change direction. At the encouragement of many saying “you are already doing sales, it simply isn’t part of your title,” I went through the lengthy process of becoming a specialist in the software world and began traveling extensively outside of NC. This opened my eyes to a completely different side of ambition, as it hit me that I had never really had the chance to use my work as a means for going and exploring more of the country. An epic party happened in the fall, which I’ll dive more into later, and then the next few years became a chapter of their own.

2015 – Packed up and moved to Austin, Texas… I’m sure my family thought I was crazy, but it seemed like the perfect amount of crazy to pursue at the time. Met an incredible new group of friends, co-workers, and customers alike as I completed my training at the top of my class and started taking offers from regions on which territory I should move to and sell in (since a vet had unfortunately taken the Austin territory right before I became eligible). The one year as a Texas resident was action-packed to say the least, and the appeal of that area (not just queso, tacos, and BBQ) has gotten me to come back and visit as often as I have been able to.

2016 – The New England team was rather convincing (work team, not the damn Pats), and I drove halfway across the country with barely any stops to set up shop just outside downtown Boston. I started driving 3-4 hours a day visiting clientele in states I had never set foot in before, learning along the way that sales needed its own demeanor and confidence in order to break the barriers customers would have in place. With some growth, I became one of the best when it came to CRM products – and naturally, began taking every store visit as an opportunity to find new local hotspots, tourist must-sees, and scenery that makes any magazine jealous it can’t capture the full essence of.

2017 – The true definition of “new year, new me” as I found myself single again after a lengthy relationship – this time, in a city where I had few friends and no family. For some bizarre reason, I saw that as an incredible opportunity to do some self-discovery and moved to a different Boston neighborhood to start all over. By the end of the year, after a variety of trials and tribulations that need a book of their own, I had a badass apartment and adopted a badass cat to keep me company. On top of that, I met a girl who I couldn’t stop thinking about… and the irony was, she lived back in Charlotte.

2018 – The year of depression. I realized after some time that I needed to go through the proper channels of therapy and coaching to truly recover from the previous relationship, as well as determine what should come next when it came to work. While it was a fun few years of challenges with R+R, I took a different sales role with a smaller territory in Boston to confirm the suspicion of whether or not it was still something I wanted to do. As I began doing that, I also helped consult with a local sports bar that needed help remodeling and then selling… and realized just how much I missed the energy and passion of food and beverage. By the summer, I cut ties with software sales altogether to dive deeper into the world of Boston bars – bartending here and there and becoming extremely self-sufficient with every side hustle in the book. As our relationship grew, I knew that the next step was to move closer to Chelsea (as well as my family), so I started exploring a variety of options closer to home.

2019 – Interviews came and went, and I was a little frustrated that while I often got to the final round with a group… something would be said and/or done that would make me question the integrity or mission of the company – and I would respectfully bow out of consideration. Ironically, one group wanted to take me out to dinner to talk numbers after several meetings and assessments – and after giving them a list of options in Charlotte, they elected to go to a restaurant that an old mentor operated. Sure enough, at the end of dinner – I spotted him at the end of the bar, and we caught up for old times sake. That apparently sparked the fire that needed to happen, because a few days later I was in the corporate office hearing their pitch about their concept that they would like my help with. After all these back and forth conversations with new companies and offerings, imagine my surprise to find such comfort in conversation with old friends who I had worked with YEARS ago (the ones who challenged me in 2011, that is). For the next year, living Uptown and walking to work enabled me to see family more frequently, hang out with old friends once more, and especially develop my relationship with Chelsea to the point where I wanted to propose.

2020 – Here we are, in the midst of a pandemic that no one knows how to handle appropriately, and all I can do is reflect on all the crazy things that have happened along the way. Now, as you can clearly tell, I left out a lot of important details for the sake of summarizing each year.

In 2010, I was devastated when I had my heart broken at graduation… and if it wasn’t for the close friends surrounding me at the time, I’m not sure I would have had the motivation to press on the way I did. From 2012-2015, I lost 3 of my grandparents – something that is inevitable for all of us, but I hope that each of you are ready for that day to come and make the most of your time with them until then. In 2016, I had to give up my pets for adoption by a family back south after a strange living predicament put us in that situation. At the end of that year, I found out that my trust had been violated in the worst way, and that I would have to go through the awful process of divorce / annulment / starting all over. In 2017-2018, after letting the dust settle on everything that had taken place, it took a variety of antidepressants and counselors to get me through the process and back to who most know me to be on a regular basis.

You never know what can happen in one year, or ten. The struggles and smiles are equally worth it, as they all help mold you into the person you are for the long run. This last decade for me was filled with epic trips, incredible opportunities, and people I will cherish for life. I don’t know about you all, but I can’t wait to see what I get to talk about in 2030.

How did we get here?

As in – how did we end up relying on this group of people to represent our interests at the highest political level? All their names are in the news for delaying this, vetoing that… why can’t bipartisanship reappear among their ranks?

For starters, we’ve allowed these people to remain in the same positions their entire careers without questioning whether they are still the proper representation of the districts in which they live. The absence of term limits is finally rearing it’s ugly head for everyone to see, as a result they reside comfortably in the biggest houses on the block while several of us are in the unemployment line.

They continue to manipulate us, regardless of party, to pursue the interests of their own class. In case you can’t tell by now, they don’t actually care about you and me. All these delays and negotiations are attempts to display/exercise power in a moment when all we need is actual help. As observed in the news, this class of people – whether designated as conservative or liberal, right or left, red or blue – would rather make profits for themselves first before even remotely acting like it is a priority to save American lives and jobs.

I hope you all remember this when November rolls around. These people deserve consequences for their actions, not us. Do whatever you have to in order to be able to vote this fall to be the change we do desperately need.

We make it so much harder than it needs…

To make the world a better place, the recipe has always been relatively simple – love, whether or not you receive it in return. Whether you’re religious or not, spiritual or not, most can agree in some form of “karma will always come back around”, the golden rule, etc. as a quality way to choose how to act on a regular basis.

People can be awful at times. They will, consciously or not, decide to lie / cheat / steal from those they claim to love, often with no regard to potential consequences as they pursue the immediate gratification that comes with their choice. There can be justification for rash responses, but often that idea of retaliation / revenge comes from the same part of the soul that your counterpart is still battling with themselves. Choosing to be the bigger person in that moment can feel like an insurmountable mountain to climb, but the long term mental health benefit is much too great to ignore. 


When someone posts something online that you inherently disagree with, it shouldn’t motivate you to assault them with a barrage of unfair insults and degrading comments. Often, their willingness to post publicly about it comes from a place where they are looking for a constructive dialogue on how to face an issue together, not on how to divide us more. Our national media outlets do a great job of that already – anyone who even mentions CNN or Fox News immediately gets labeled “one side” or “the other side” in most minds, because of the stereotypes these outlets are willingly embracing for the sake of causing a scene (AKA creating more content).

As things continue to unfold the next couple weeks with this strand of coronavirus, I humbly plead with everyone to remember that there are so many unique ways to show love of neighbor. One day, it might be helping a coworker who can’t afford the babysitting cost to be able to come into work that day. Another day, it might be having a geniune conversation with a homeless person, who isn’t actually looking for a handout but is looking for the right resources to get on the right path… but isn’t aware of what is around because they are new to town. 


Even still, some of our more vulnerable neighbors whose immune systems aren’t capable of handling going out and grocery shopping… it takes such a small amount of effort to grab an extra bag or two at the store for them, and yet in their lives you are making a difference of incomparable value. Instead of the online badgering and commenting that gets us nowhere, constantly be looking for the potential to be of true value in the conversation and activity at hand.


“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” – Sun Tzu

Why so hostile?

I get it – there are political views that we all get fired up about, and there is no fault in being passionate about something you firmly believe in. That being said… when you listen to a politician speak, I ask that you do something to help the world around us in a small way. Remember that this person is stepping up to the podium out of a desire to help our country (at least, the majority of the time) become better than we currently are, and are subjecting their families and loved ones – not just themselves – to the constant scrutiny of the media and any of us who find fault in something they do or say.


Take a moment and examine how you would feel if your child came home from school in absolute tears, having been bullied because someone made a meme of you from the debate the night before and it managed to go viral overnight. How would you react if you found your spouse melted into the couch sobbing after someone defaced their vehicle while they were at the grocery store shopping for your family? The things that are encouraged by so many of our neighbors as gut reactions to the political climate continue to do much more harm than good, and we need to be vocal about the need to address it.


We love to jump behind the walls of our computer screens that we think exist, but the way we react to the actions and statements of politicans tell society just as much about ourselves as it does the ones starting the conversation. Instead of rushing to use hurtful words that we may not necessary mean (i.e. someome is racist, something-phobic, etc.), take the time to listen with your individual compassion with just as much effort as your intellect. More than likely, the person running for office has a stance on that issue because of something personal that happened to them – and if that isn’t the case, I hope they are honest with themselves and with the general population in how they logically came to their conclusion. 


This request of mine comes from the mindset of mine that the two party system in our country is doing much more to separate us rather than unite us. We are better than this current state of affairs, and we can show that – one charitable response at a time. Taking the time to fully listen and process before responding has gone out the window in dialogue today, but that doesn’t mean it can’t make a comeback. Empathy is a beautiful thing – it doesn’t mean that we are going to convert everyone to our opinion, but it will help foster an environment where people feel more comfortable both opening up about how they truly feel and making positive suggestions as to how we can improve our world together.

My wish.

Christmas is such a bizarre time of year. We spend so much of our time trying to plan ahead for gifts and meals and gatherings – only to wish at the timing of those events that we had more time to spare with the ones we love the most. No matter what the factors are, we never seem to have enough time to plan ahead and are always playing catch up in a moment when we should be enjoying every spare second with those we treasure the most.

I have a simple wish for all of us this year – that we don’t take a single thing in our lives for granted this week. As years pass, we learn that friends and close ones often spend these holiday seasons alone, either due to fallouts with family/friends or true loss of loved ones. While the traditions of watching classic Christmas films should never be abandoned, it can never hurt to incorporate a quick call or message to that friend who may not have the family members nearby to go watch Chevy Chase or Jonathan Taylor Thomas make fools of themselves together.

I wish for all of us to seriously consider the opportunity we have to care for the neighbors around us – this could be the person in line in front of us whose card isn’t going through for a present for their young child, or even someone living further away who we aren’t as close to now who we found out is in serious need of resources in this season. If I asked you to prioritize what was more important – someone in the extended family getting a video game they probably won’t spend much time on, or an old friend struggling to make ends meet between jobs while expecting a child – I would hope that the answer will often result in the latter.

This season, I hope we all check ourselves as we prepare for the birth of our Savior – and everything that comes along with it. The spirit of giving is one that can be powerful throughout the year – be it spending time at a local food bank helping sort donations, volunteering to babysit your friend’s toddler so they can have a desperately needed date night… the ways to give are endless once you let your creative juices flow.

I wish everyone a very merry Christmas, and hope you all know I’m only a call/text away for anything you may think you need in this time. If I’m not able to help for some reason, I can only pray that someone in my network can step up at that moment and deliver something life changing to the ones who need it the most.

Glad tidings to all.

Finding happiness.

I was blown away the other day when an old friend came up and told me point blank “the way you write is so real – I can actually relate to it, compared to everything else I find online.”

I felt that compliment – in a major way. Something has been a massive cloud of writer’s block over my head lately, and I felt like sharing about it may do some good for everyone… and might just get me out of this writing funk.

My younger brother (though his beard would imply otherwise) suggested the other day that I write something about the concept of happiness. It certainly seems to be a state of mind that we all have trouble consistently reaching these days – with the world at our fingertips, how is that possible? Some people may try to imply that with all the self-help and motivational resources out there… that there isn’t any excuse to not be all smiles each day.

Some days, it is crippling debt holding us back from what we deem necessary for us to be content. Other days, there are difficult memories of past experiences getting in the way of the pursuit of new ones. For each of us, the walk towards peace and joy is a tumultuous one… even after setting positive intentions for the day, starting out with stretching and breathing exercises, and eating healthy (or binge eating a craving).

I have to admit, being diagnosed with depression a year and a half ago was one of the most powerful starts to a chapter of life yet. It required me finally admitting that whatever was going on internally, that it might be somewhat beyond my control to resolve. As a passionately optimistic person for most of my life, facing this was not on the top of the priority list. However, as it started to interfere with my ability to perform at work and affect my interactions with friends and family… I realized that I was willing to do whatever it would take to find that “normal” abundance of positivity once again.

God has blessed me with great health for most of my life, so the first obstacle to overcome? Taking a daily antidepressant. It may sound simple, but I’ve never had to take anything more than antibiotics for a few days to reset the system. It wasn’t that simple either, because I now had to explore this world of side effects that then forced me to be continuously open and share with doctors when some effects (cue anxiety, irritability) were not worth staying on certain meds.

I spent a ton money on both therapy and coaching – therapy to focus on the grieving of a past relationship that I apparently never finished (and was revisiting while going through the process of an annulment) and coaching to tackle my daily routine as I worked on becoming my best self with each task and discipline. Several months of constant self-evaluation may not sound enjoyable to most, but becoming more transparent with unbiased third parties about what’s happening turned into a form of clarity I never knew I misplaced along the way.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this – for those feeling like you’re in a rut, any combination of these things may be the way to go. It requires the ability to be honest with yourself, the willingness to suck it up (difficult conversations, revisiting hurtful memories, etc.) and spending a LOT of energy/time/resources along the way. 

That being said – it is worth every penny and every second to feel like you are well on your way to becoming your normal self once more. Nothing is perfect, and you shouldn’t let social media or any other exposure to someone’s life imply that – but to be heading a direction with true purpose and intent along with the encouragement and support of several around you? That’s a genuine recipe for trying to find happiness.

I wish you all nothing but the best in the pursuit of being happy with each day we have.

Oh, Beantown.

As I prepare to go back to New England for a true summer weekend, some thoughts from the past couple years continue to creep back into my mind… so naturally, I thought I would share them with my peers.

Friends and foes alike loved asking the question “why not move home” as I started a brand new life on my own again in Boston in 2017. Having only been there a year and facing a daunting task of filing for an annulment from several states away, I certainly couldn’t have been blamed for going back south to be closer to family and friends. That being said – looking back, I’m so glad I grew stubborn in my response to stay put and reinvent the wheel in an area I was only starting to get to know. The challenge of truly applying myself in the city was a welcome one, and I embraced the idea of making new friends while overcoming different challenges I wouldn’t have the chance of experiencing back home.

Unlike the ever-evolving landscape of Charlotte, Boston’s identity has been established for a long time – and honestly, that applies to much of New England as a whole. As you enter each suburb, there isn’t much of a secret in terms of the history of the people who live there and how you might expect them to treat you. To the “outside world”, they can be perceived as cold and heartless… and when I first arrived, the lack of knowledge when it came to the different terms used regionally as well as not knowing proper pronunciation of the towns… we can safely say that I was getting all the looks an outsider should have.


However, as I worked my territory in software sales, I came to realize that most of the crowd was putting up a wall out of instinct until they knew what to truly expect from someone. As long as you approached them with honest intentions and didn’t beat around the bush (things other parts of the country are clearly very well known for), they would drop that wall and extend the olive branch to you to potentially create a loyal bond for life. From Medford to Belmont to Waltham, my residences each year gave me a chance to befriend citizens from all walks of life, and really appreciate the different definitions of family and friendship that others in the same ol’ US of A call home.


The concept of being far away from family and friends in a challenging time scares a lot of people away from even entertaining the idea, and I get it. Some need that support structure there physically, and I’m not saying there weren’t moments when I craved the feeling of home. Thankfully, there were several people who became integral to my success daily in the Boston area, who weren’t afraid to give it to me straight while motivating me to reach my full potential at the same time. I will forever be grateful for having spent three quality years in a region that constantly inspired me to put my skills and creativity to the test daily and prove my worth in any given area. To experience career and relationship changes in an unfamiliar place is a thrill ride I won’t encourage everyone to get in line for… but just know that it most definitely continued to mold me into the positive and optimistic person I strive to be.


If you haven’t gotten the chance to go up to New England for a weekend, don’t just take my word for it. From Portlane, ME to Burlington, VT – Newport, RI to Cape Cod, the options for an amazing experience (to be fair, I would encourage timing it between April-October for weather purposes) are essentially endless if you wander outside of Boston. While that might intrigue you… the foodie in me craves pasta freshly made in the North End, a massive steakbomb from Bob’s, straight out the boat sushi from Monkfish, late night stuffed rice balls from Bova’s, hazy juicy IPA’s from the local watering holes… and plenty of sights to take in around town to walk it all off.


Boston – from getting me to enjoy the energy of slinging drinks again to playing music with some of the most talented people I have ever met, trying every kind of cuisine to jumping out of a perfectly good plane – you may always have the most entertaining chapter of my book.