NYC Marathon Finishers Show Toughness and Courage

Posted on November 8, 2010 | 4 Comments
Chilean Miner Finishes NYC Marathon

Chilean Miner, Edison Pena

This year’s ING New York City Marathon featured thousands of runners with heart-warming stories, “never-give-up” mentalities, and notable achievements to benefit great causes and foundations.

There was Edison Pena, the 34-year old Chilean miner, whose incredible survival story made World Headlines, when he was trapped for more than two months more than 2,000 feet underground.  His willingness to live and his appreciation of God for allowing him to live on motivated him to finish a 26.2 mile race among the mass of more than 40,000 runners at one of the world’s most renowned sporting events.

There were countless runners who ran in support of fundraising campaigns for countless charities and foundations, like the American Cancer Society, the Boomer Esiason Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis, and St, Mary’s Hospital for Children.  In all, about 7,400 runners from a field of 43,000 ran for charity in yesterday’s marathon.  Boomer Esiason, whose son, Gunner, has cystic fibrosis, said on the “Boomer & Carton Radio Show” on WFAN-660 in New York that over $500,000 was raised for his foundation and two runners raised over $20,000 by themselves.

A classmate of mine at Wilton High School raised over $5,000 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation and also ran in honor of our classmates that have since passed away due to tragedy.  His campaign was called ”Once a Warrior, Forever in Our Hearts.”  He talked about reaching out to the families of the Wilton kids who have left us far too young and he also considered each and every one of them as his “teammates” as he journeyed through the boroughs of New York City on a grueling 8 minute/mile pace.

For me, when it was all said and done, the sunny but brisk November day was filled with awe inspiring reverance, as millions of spectators like myself watched in amazement as the masses of runners conquered the streets of the city, determined to finish a race that such a small percentage of people will ever get the chance to run in their lifetime.

Here are the results of the people that I was tracking during the race, including my brother, friends, and celebrities whose results I were able to find (All pretty impressive times I might add!).

Family / Friends / Celebrities

Rob Bailer 4:16:45
Mark Donoghue: 3:30:48
Gene Karaffa: 3:27:32

Amani Toomer: 4:13:45
Al Roker: 7:09:44
Meredith Vieira: 5:59:00
Edison Pena: 5:04:51

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Posted in Exercise, Fundraising, Lifetime Achievement, Marathon, New York City

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Bring Adam Richman to Harry’s Bar & Burger

Posted on October 11, 2010 | Leave a comment

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Attention Food Network: Adam Richman of the infamous show “Man vs. Food” needs to come to Harry’s Bar & Burger on North Main Street in Providence, RI. here’s why:

1. The food: To start with, sloppy fries could provide for the au devoirs of Adam Richmond’s challenge. These awesomely complex jalapeno and cheese fries would wet the appetite of any food conoisuer.

2. The Boots: For Mr. Richman to offset the heavy taste of either the sloppy fries or a main course of burgers, he needs to sample the unique craft beers in the size of a 68 oz.”Boot.” According to one local gentleman, a novice could finish a boot beer in less than 32 minutes

3. The meat: Burgers come in the form of sliders, a tangy, juicy combination, topped with pulled pork. These deliciously sinful meat patties are small enough to be bite size, yet filling enough to be part of a food challenge.

Here is what I propose to Mr. Richman: Come to Providence and try these bite size specialties and let’s make it into a competition:

Mr. Richman needs to eat at least 12 of the Best Burgers in Rhode Island and one whole beer boot for this to be even considered by the Travel Channel.  Bring it on!!

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Posted in America, Food, Restaurants, Rhode Island

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The Truth About Online Dating

Posted on October 11, 2010 | Leave a comment

Here’s the scoop about online dating from a guy’s perspective:  the raw, unedited truth to put behind all misconceptions and pre-conceived notions of what online dating is all about.

I have been at this online dating thing for about six months and it has been more difficult to get a date then trying to get one by showing up at a bar wearing jean shorts, 80′s tube socks, and a pink singlet.

I have tried multiple sites, including Match.com, the site that says “More dates, relationships, and marriages than any other site.”  For me, it has been more unread e-mails, winks, and viewed profiles than responses.  I mean, do these people on the other side even exist?  Are they real people? What am I doing wrong here?

I could second guess myself about techniques, strategies, approach, pictures, to wink or not to wink, what to say in an e-mail, what not say in an e-mail, etc.  The fact of the matter is that I am not getting out of it what I am putting in – Why is that?

Not to over-inflate myself, but I am not a bad looking kid: I am 6’1″, athletic looking.  I have a college degree and a steady income.  I look presentable in photographs and I have a good way about me.  Is that not what the average 23 or 24 year old female is looking for?  Have perceptions changed that I am totally unaware of? 

If anyone has had more success at online dating than Jared Fogle losing weight on the Subway diet, please let me know….I hear the success stories, see the commercials of romance and love, the ones that found their sole mate.  To put it in baseball terms, perhaps online dating just takes time to get several clutch at bats in a row…Right now, I would be happy with just a pinch-hit home run like Kirk Gibson, if you know what I mean!

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Posted in Baseball, Online Dating, Romance, World Series

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Simple Weddings are the Best Weddings

Posted on September 27, 2010 | 1 Comment

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the wedding of one of my friends from my high school.  I don’t usually get too excited about weddings, but this one had a special feeling to it.

When it was all said and done, I will probably remember this wedding more so than any other I have been to, for reasons other than lavishness, excess, and extravagance.  It was a simple, yet tasteful celebration of two lives coming together to form a union of true love.

There was no over-the-top wedding cake, or expensive table settings (food was served a-la-carte).  There was no jazz band or pianist, no lavish flower decorations or chocolate fondue fountains.  However, there was laughter and joy, smiles and tears.  There was a warm, peaceful feeling of celebration and unity.

When it was all said and done, I left the wedding with a strong sense of family and purpose.  I realized that love isn’t about gift registries or catering companies, colorful bridesmaids and expensive gowns.  It’s about the people that surround us and the wonderful memories we create in their presence.

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Posted in Family, Weddings

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Giving Back to Charity

Posted on June 9, 2010 | 2 Comments

The other day I got a notice from Delta Airlines that I could redeem my frequent flier miles for magazine subscriptions.  I had already done this once before with U.S. Airways and I really didn’t want another subscription to ESPN the Magazine or Sports Illustrated.

Looking for an alternative way to use my miles, I ventured off to the Delta Airlines website, http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_miles/.  There, I discovered several alternatives than simply redeeming for more magazines.  Delta has partnered with a number of different charities, such as Make-a-Wish, American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, Children’s Miracle Network, and several others to give frequent fliers the option of donating their miles to the charity of their choice.

Although I am not a real big traveler, I had accumulated a few miles here and there from trips to Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Cincinnati when I was in college.  These added up to about 7,000 miles, not nearly enough to earn a free trip on Delta, but certainly enough to donate to the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the American Cancer Society (minimum donation required is 1,000 miles).

In the end, I am not sure how these charities will use my frequent miles (perhaps they get converted to tangible assets such as cash for the charities to use.  However it works, I felt good about my donation to charity, especially those two charities.  I felt like I had at least given back a little something to kids who have been dealt an unfortunate set of health circumstances and to those fighting cancer.

In Hebrew, the word for charity is tzedakah, which is based on the word tzedek, which means righteousness, fairness, or justice.  In Judaism, it is seen as a religious obligation to perform the act of tzedakah.  As a member of the Jewish faith, you are expected to give back regardless of your financial standing.  According to the Torah, “It is not sufficient to just give to anyone or any organization, rather, one must check the credentials and finances to be sure that your Tzedakah money will be used wisely, efficiently and effectively” (Proverbs 22:22).

I am not sure if donating miles will be as effective as writing a check or paying by credit card, but I believe “It’s the thought that counts!”  So, thank you to Delta Airlines for providing me with the opportunity to at least perform a small act of tzedakah.  My Jewish mother would be proud!

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Posted in Charity, Judaism, Travel

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Avi Schaefer Z”L: This Post is For You

Posted on March 13, 2010 | 1 Comment

Avi Schaefer

To be honest: I didn’t think I was going to write any more posts on this blog.  I was worried about the stresses of a new job and the time it would take away from my writing.

Then, I met Avi Schaefer.

Actually, I met his parents at Brown University Hillel, the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life on campus while attending a service known as Chavurah, where like-minded Jews get together on Shabbat to share life experiences while observing the Jewish day of rest.

You see, Avi was killed by a drunk driver back in February.  He was only a freshman in college, 21 years old and fresh out of the Israeli Defense Forces, where he served three years after making Aliyah, in which he moved to Israel from California after completing high school.  On the night of Friday, February 12th, exactly one month ago, Schaefer was struck by a drunk driver at the intersection of Thayer and Hope Streets, near Brown’s campus.  He was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

So, one month later, friends and fellow classmates at Brown, as well as Schaefer’s parents, gathered at Hillel for a Friday night service and dinner.  It just so happened that I wanted to join in a Friday night service and I couldn’t have picked a more meaningful night.

As Avi’s fellow students shared thoughts and interpretations of the Torah portion for this week, called Vayak’hel-Pekudei,it’s almost like Avi was right there with them.  When, the service transitioned into the chanting of prayers such as Shalom Rav, the prayer for peace, I was moved to tears.  You see, I didn’t even know Avi, and I could fee that the young man embodied and wanted to live for peace in the world.

According to Brown University president, Ruth Simmons, “Avi was working with a Brown professor and a Palestinian undergraduate to establish a new course on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizing the importance of dialogue.”

He also wanted to help the Providence Police Department use some of the defense tactics he learned in the army, a mandatory three-year service for Israeli young men and women.

What’s terrible is that Avi was taken away from us too soon.  He was a promising young student, who had a breadth of experiences to empower him in his life, to create the change he wished to see in the world.

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Posted in Brown University, Israel, Providence

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Moving Northeast to New England

Posted on February 10, 2010 | Leave a comment

Moving Northeast

Goodbye Big Apple.  Hello New England!  As of last week, I am now officially employed in the great state of Massachusetts.  Perhaps, I should re-name this blog “Bean-town according to Andy?”

The truth of the matter is I won’t be blogging as much now that I am focusing in on my career in sales with a company specializing in the distribution of print and output management.  Thus, I won’t be able to review restaurants or talk about local happenings in Boston or Providence.

I hope that my blog has provided you with at least some degree of entertainment in the light reading category.  It was fun to write down my thoughts and voice my opinions and I appreciate all of your feedback and support.

Any questions or comments?

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Posted in Leaving New York, Moving to New England

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