7 Best Pieces of Advice From My Dad

June 15, 2017Leave a comment

Last month, I wrote a blog post about the best pieces of advice I’ve received from my mom for Mother’s Day. And since Father’s Day is right around the corner, I decided to dedicate this post to the one & only, JoeJaws.

My dad is by far one of the strongest, most intelligent & truly amazing people I know. He has a very deep understanding of life & his family is consistently his first priority, over everything. He’s hard-working & easy-going at the same time–his favorite place in the world is probably on our boat, beer in hand. He’d always have these nuggets of wisdom for my sister & me growing up, and it’s only recently that I’ve truly appreciated them. Here are some of my favorites.

JoeJaws, the man, the myth, the legend.

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Dreary Fall Day, featuring L.L. Bean Boots & Apple Cider

October 11, 2016April 13, 2017Leave a comment

My mom & I have an autumn tradition. Ever since I was little, every October we’d go to this tiny cider mill called Hacklebarney Farm. Once a year, I get to savor an afternoon full of crisp fall weather, apple cider everything & spending time with the fam. This annual Hacklebarney trip has become so ingrained in my year that ever since I moved out, I pick an October weekend to celebrate my bday at home…and go to Hacklebarney.

This year was no different. My mom and I picked last weekend as the annual Hacklebarney trip, and I actually counted the days until it arrived. When Hurricane Matthew threatened to bring rain up the east coast, my mom and I were a tad worried about our outdoor outing, but damnit, we were going to go to Hacklebarney no matter what.

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Once a Wildcat

April 5, 2016April 28, 2016Leave a comment

“Great moments are born from great opportunity.”

Alright, so I stole that quote from Herb Brooks and the inspirational sports movie Miracle, but I feel like it perfectly describes Villanova basketball, the 2016 season and the fairy tale ending of the NCAA tournament.

I don’t think any one of us will ever forget how we felt when Kris Jenkins (“Big Smoooooth”) hit that game-winning buzzer shot. It’s pretty hard to erase the memory of bursting into tears in a bar of screaming Nova fans.

…But there was another moment right before all the confetti and the excitement that solidified my intense love for Villanova. With 4.7 seconds left, Nova was getting ready to inbound the ball, and I made myself look around. The bar was packed wall-to-wall with die hard Nationers, and every single one of us was staring at the game like our lives depended on those last 4.7 seconds. Continue reading →