Working the system By Dom Cioffi My 15-year-old son came home from school last week and announced that he had an important assignment to complete. Apparently, his Spanish teacher told the class that they had to go out to eat at a Spanish restaurant and then write a food review. I told my wife that…

by Dom Cioffi Here we go again! Another year at the movies has come and gone, leaving us with the inevitable year-end review of the season’s best pictures. I go to the theater once a week so that gives me the opportunity to see roughly 50 films a year. Obviously, I don’t get the chance…

Signed, sealed, delivered The holiday season is filled with countless traditions. Some, like decorating your house with lights and putting up a Christmas tree, are observed by millions of families across the country. Other traditions are trendy, like incorporating an Elf on the Shelf or placing blow-up ornaments on your lawn. And then there are…

Upping the competition Ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll tell you I have a highly competitive streak. I don’t deny it. In fact, I point to it as a contributing factor in the many successes I’ve had in life. When I was very young, I had a hard time losing at anything. It wasn’t…

Gone, but not forgotten by Dom Chioffi News travels fast… I was sitting in my living room watching football last Sunday night when a text arrived. I glanced at my phone and saw it was from a high school friend that I’ve remained in light contact with over the years. I assumed he was just…

A whiter shade of pale by Dom Chioffi For the last 30 years, I have witnessed the effect that the word “sale” has on my wife. For as far back as I can remember, that four-letter noun as lured her into countless purchases that she never needed. Many times, she doesn’t even want the item…

Tour de Force I drove my family into the Blue Ridge Mountains this past weekend for a little rest and relaxation before the holiday season officially kicks off. We stayed at a beautiful establishment called the Grove Park Inn, which has been around since 1913 and has hosted everyone from presidents to sports heroes to…

Band on the run This past weekend while I was sitting in our living room watching a football game, my son came bouncing down the stairs and then flopped onto the couch. He glanced over at me and in an upbeat voice asked, “How’s it going, dad? How’s your day?” Now, as most parents know,…

If I were a rich man We should all look at jury duty as an honorable civic exercise that plays an integral role in our nation’s democratic process. However, it almost always feels like an insufferable burden. That was the case for me last week when I was required to show up bright and early…

By Dom Cioffi My son is playing in a couple of spring basketball leagues over the next few months. He has games on Tuesday and Thursday nights and two on Saturday afternoons. It’s nothing serious, but it gets him playing and helps keep his skills fresh. He’s always loved to play basketball and would easily…

By Dom Cioffi In the last year, my son has grown an astonishing amount. This is evident not only in the aches and pains he’s experiencing from rapid growth, but also from the surprised looks of friends and family that haven’t seen him in a while. I don’t notice because I’m with him every day,…

By Dom Cioffi I’ve just returned from a week vacation in the mountains of Colorado. My wife, son and I journeyed to Aspen where we stayed at a beautiful hotel at the base of the main mountain. In fact, the gondola that takes you to the top of the hill was literally a few steps…

By Dom Cioffi My family and I are currently on a ski trip in Aspen, Colorado. It’s funny, just writing those words sounds entitled. Saying you’re on a ski trip to Killington is one thing, but a ski trip to Aspen is a whole different animal. The fact is, I could never afford a vacation…

By Dom Cioffi There is a small plaza exactly one mile from my home. It has a grocery store, a pizza joint, a donut shop, a dry cleaner, and a few other typical neighborhood establishments. It’s a very convenient location, not just for me, but for the hundreds of other people who live around the…

By Dom Cioffi Testosterone is an interesting thing. The hormone, found in all humans, plays an important role in the body. In men, it’s thought to regulate sex drive (libido), bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells and sperm. It also has a profound effect on an individual’s mood.…