By Dom Cioffi At least once every couple of weeks, my son and I head to the music store for an activity we refer to as, “tasting the cakes.” That’s when you walk into a musical instrument store and try out everything in sight. I’ve been “tasting cakes” since I was a teenager — roughly…

A week ago, I explained how I was sitting on the deck of a beautiful boutique hotel overlooking the pristine waters of the Caribbean while writing my column. This week, unfortunately, I’m back to my living room chair. It’s hard returning home after any vacation, but this one was especially difficult. The weather, people, food,…

I am presently sitting on the deck of a small boutique hotel in the Caribbean overlooking a tropical bay littered with yachts, catamarans, and sailboats of various sizes. Many of the vessels I see are moored together in groups of two and three with the passengers enjoying evening cocktails and revelry; the music is ubiquitous…

By Dom Cioffi I have been outspoken in my battle to rein in my son when it comes his time on digital devices, but some recent research has me especially worried. I hate to say it, but if I were to do it all over again – knowing what I know now – I’m confident I…

I woke up this past Sunday morning at my usual time, took note of the lack of light streaming into my bedroom, glanced at the clock on my cellphone, and then lay back down to contemplate the obvious change at hand. Daylight Savings Time (DST) has officially begun with the clocks moving ahead one hour…

My 16-year-old son has announced that his life is officially too complicated and, as such, things need to change. I chuckled when he brought this to my attention. My first instinct was to laugh hysterically, but I held back, knowing that would only alienate him and his feelings. Admittedly, we keep our son busy. This…

By Dom Cioffi I was out of town recently and had the opportunity to visit a mall that was open. I don’t think I’ve been to a mall since early 2020, so it felt a bit unusual. I put on my mask and wandered around, admiring the amount of people that seemed to be happily…

You know you’re spending too much time at home when going to the grocery store not only sounds like fun, but actually gets you excited. That’s the space I’m finding myself in after a year of working from home, not traveling, and spending my free time rummaging around my yard. The pandemic has worn us…

By Dom Cioffi Like most people, the year-long lockdown has worn me out. I know I shouldn’t complain since so many others have suffered truly life-altering experiences during the past twelve months, but I would be lying if I said I hadn’t felt an impact. The blending of days is palpable, as is the sense…

By Dom Cioffi Like many children across the country, my son has been learning remotely for the better part of a year. Unlike some kids who struggled with staying focused amidst the distractions of home and the ease of slouching off during Zoom meetings, my son’s performance in school actually improved. Of course, it didn’t…

By Dom Cioffi I saw an individual driving on the interstate the other day with a certain representation of the male anatomy hanging from the ball mount on their truck. As is the case in these moments, my curiosity got the best of me, so I sped up to get a look at the driver.…

By Dom Cioffi One of the downfalls of having an only child who is also habitually social is that he is in constant need of friend-time, which can often times disrupt the family unit. My wife and I have spent hundreds of hours planning and executing excursions for the three of us only to have…

By Dom Cioffi There’s an old saying that suggests that every decision we make is either based on love or fear. I’ve always found solace in that proverb and try to remember it when I am evaluating something in my life that requires judgement. How often do we say things or have an opinion on…

Well, there you have it. The worst year in recent memory is officially over. There seems to have been a collective sigh of relief around the world as 2020 gave way to an increasingly hopeful 2021. Like most others, I spent New Year’s Eve at home. My son slept overnight with a friend so that…

By Dom Cioffi I take great joy in decorating my house for the holidays. It’s a lot of work, but it’s all worth it when the lights are on, the tree is up, and the house is filled with Yuletide imagery. I decorate early (usually the day after Thanksgiving) so I can enjoy the atmosphere…