A mad dash: Feb. 27

The math wasn’t going to work.

It was 10 years ago, in March 2012. Suzi’s father and I picked her up at the train station, from where we were going to the University of Rhode Island to see the UConn women play an NCAA Tournament game.

But the math wasn’t going to work. We were going to get there late — maybe five minutes late, maybe 15 minutes late — but we were going to get there late.

Hello there … I was hoping I wouldn’t see you again

Get outside, Suzi said, or else I’d regret it.

The balmy-for-February temperatures beckoned, but there was work to be done, deadlines to be met.

That was why I was working at home in the first place, to give myself the extra time that I would have otherwise been commuting, and then some.

Gone, just like that: Feb. 20

Completely out of the blue, I learned the other day that the college I attended has ceased to exist.

It’s the place where I learned so much (and not just in the classroom), made amazing friends made enough memories to last multiple lifetimes (seriously, tons of them) and generally just did a ton of growing up.

From a place I never imagined going to because I literally hadn’t heard of it to a seminal part of my life … up to and including being the basis of one of my Twitter handles and personal email addresses … gone.

Back to the monastery

I’m on vacation.

Well … not now I’m not. I’m actually not on vacation for another five months.

But I’ve requested and approved time off for a vacation, which counts for something.

Stretching the legs, unclenching the brain: Feb. 13

The easy explanation for getting out is that the weather was finally good.

And it’s true. At this time of year, there’s usually not a lot of day left when I get home from work, and cold, snow and rain on the weekends aren’t much motivation to get out.

So when temperatures push 60 in one of those classic New England false spring days, it’s a great chance to take a walk and get some fresh air.

It was different for kids back then: Feb. 6

I’m pretty sure the answer to this one is no.

The Captain’s Quiz 7: Well, that’s new

A new year means new opportunities, a clean slate, a fresh start.

And since’s Paul’s first quiz of 2022 is about the new, the fresh, the just beginning, it’s a chance to improve on my not-very-good form of recent efforts.

I do hope things get better soon. It’s cold here in the basement, and the food isn’t very good.