C.C. Chapman's Blog, page 12

A Puppy’s First Play in the Snow

Emotions are impossible to perfectly put into words.

The only reason we are able to even begin to encapsulate and share with others is because the human brain has experienced similar things before and can fill in the blanks for us to understand.

This morning I felt the most pure form of joy that I’ve felt in a long time.

Jaz has never seen snow before and we woke up to a little over an inch this morning. It still falls as I type this.

She watched as Dylan cleaned off his car and when he threw...

A Holiday Marketplace Comes to Boston

Millennial Exhibitions has high hopes for their European inspired holiday marketplace known officially as‘Boston Winter presented by Berkshire Bank’ at City Hall PlazaCity Hall Plaza.

Today, we were given a behind the scenes tour to see what is being assembled for all of New England to enjoy.

I’ve had the pleasure of walking through holiday markets in England and The Netherlands and have fond memories of them. The smell of sweets, the giggles of children and holiday cheer in every direction....

Work Doesn’t Get Done Unless I Do It

When Thanksgiving leftovers begin to be annoying is when I become reflective.

Looking back at the year that is beginning to end. Pondering over missed opportunities. Smiling at the memories that warm my heart. Wondering what might have been and marveling over what was.

The truth is, I learned some hard lessons over the course of the last eleven months.

The lesson learned is that while I don’t have a lone wolf mentality, I need to be the pack leader more often.

See, this year I put my faith a...

Legacy

Sunday morning I sat and watched Brad Meltzer speak to a packed room of english teachers.

He spoke of the legacy we leave and how we each leave one behind that we’ll never know.

The end of 2016 has been a life changing one for me that I know will have effects on my legacy that I can’t begin to contemplate yet.

I woke up to a nightmare election result, a friend died too young and I attended the National Council of Teachers of English annual conference in Atlanta.

Those three things have nothin...

One Last Rant For Bob

Friday morning I poured a cup of coffee, grabbed my phone, turned on the local news and plopped down on the couch the same as any morning.

Sip the coffee. Turn on the phone.

It is a process that happens most mornings.

My phone was full of messages and wiping away the night I quickly realized that things were not well.

A simple comment by someone on a friend’s Facebook wall had started a wave of concern. Was our friend dead? Was it a joke? Was it in reference to his last Facebook post about b...

I Hate

Human nature fascinates me.

I made a decision months ago to take the day after the election off. No matter who won, I knew that emotions would be raw and I didn’t want to be part of any of it.

I chose yesterday morning to post two simple words on my social profiles and then turned away from all live media for the day. Instead I watched movies, spent quiet time in contemplation and played outdoors with my dogs.

It was the best decision I madeand this morning as I scrolled through my feeds I ha...

Now The Work Begins America

I’m writing this on November 1, 2016 and setting it to go live the morning of November 9, 2016 when we will know who the next President of the United States of America is.

No matter who wins, our country has a lot of work to do.

This entire election was a mess of epic proportions.

On one side we have a party who was so hell bent on having only one candidate that they did everything in their power to make sure that was the way it was.

On the other side they couldn’t find a chosen one, but supp...

Relief Bed – Improving the World With Better Sleep

Products that are well made, serve a need in my lifeand make a social impact on the world are my favorite to own.

So whenRelief Bedoffered to send me one of their sleeping pads for review in exchange for a review, I instantly said yes.

The concept of a Relief Bed is simple. It is a bright orange sleeping pad made by Therm-a-Rest who make some of the best camping and backpacking gear out there and I’ve plenty of their products over the years as a happy customer.

But, here is where the company...

Lots of Little Things Rambling On

I’ve never been much of a baseball fan.

Going to games is a lot of fun and when the air gets colder and the playoffs begin, I’ll tune in if it gets interesting.

Last night watching the Cubs win was something special. Craziest game of playoff baseball I’ve ever seen.

What a great few hours to escape from everything else going on in the world!

This morning as I empty the coffee pot and ponder the hours ahead,Episode 2 of the Why I Write Podcast hit the feeds. I love this one because I got to ca...

The Woods Call

Every spring and autumnthe woods call for attention.

The bugs are gone, the tourists home.

The woods are emptier, more inviting and eager for those like me who wander.

The crack of gunfire echoes around me and I know that I have to choose wisely where I travel, but there are more than enough options.

Granted, the thought of fresh venison over an open campfire, under the cover of stars sounds damn near perfect to me right now.

The camera is charged. The boots are caked in dry mud.

The flask is...