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Red Helmets!
The Buffalo Bills donned their 1990s era red helmets today for their game against the New York Jets. A lot of silly hype about protective headgear? Sure. A shameless nostalgia play? Yes. A merchandise-motivated cash grab? Definitely. Did it hit me square in the feels and take me back to all the good times I Continue reading
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Snow
My hometown got namechecked on ABC News the other day because of the weeklong snowstorm we’ve been experiencing. Not much happens in this burg, but we do have a history of national news outlets reporting on our blizzards. I guess it’s better than being one of those cities that only get news coverage for persistently Continue reading
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75 in ’26
On New Year’s Eve, Goodreads informed me that that I had read 70 books in 2025. The number shouldn’t have been a surprise to me as I track everything I read on the platform, and it does provide a running count throughout the year. I just wasn’t paying all that much attention. (Goodreads also provided Continue reading
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First Day Hike: 2026
In recent years, my family and I have followed a tradition of taking a New Year’s Day nature hike. These organized “First Day” hikes are sponsored by parks throughout New York State, so we had various options to choose from this year. There was an intriguing one at Fort Ontario in nearby Oswego that was Continue reading
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Scenes From a Yellow Wood
It was a crisp October Sunday. One might say it was the Platonic ideal of a fall day in Central New York — the kind of day that makes me feel a little guilty if I don’t spend at least part of it outdoors. If Mother Nature is going to provide an autumnal paradise, you Continue reading
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Birdland
Near the entrance of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, you can grab a little cheat sheet (see picture above) telling you where to find all the exhibits and artifacts relevant to your favorite team. The folks in Cooperstown know that while many of their visitors come out of a broad love of Continue reading
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A Museum You Can Ride On
My previous posts covering exhibits at Fenimore Farm & Country Village ranged from goofball Americana (The Cardiff Giant) to a high-minded attempt to convey the history of the region in a tangible, interactive way (The Otsego Herald). Occupying the intersection of those two concepts is another Fenimore Farm exhibit: The Empire State Carousel. The carousel Continue reading
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The Otsego Herald
If I ever got transported back in time to the 18th or 19th century, I wouldn’t last long. I just don’t have any of the necessary skills needed to make a living in early America. I know nothing of farming. Jobs like stevedore or lumberjack would be way too strenuous. Despite the nautical pretentions of Continue reading
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National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
This past weekend, I travelled to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown. I could go on and on about my history of visiting the Hall of Fame going back to childhood or wax poetic about the place of baseball in the fabric of America. Or I could just share some photos Continue reading
About Me
Researcher. Marketer. Teacher. Father of adult children and dogs. 20th Century holdover. Central New York native. Long-suffering Buffalo Bills fan. History nerd. Traveler. Vintage advertising enthusiast. Hat wearer.
a.k.a. V.J. 