By Dom Cioffi Between the 17th and 20th centuries, the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire fought 12 separate wars. These wars make up one of the longest series of military conflicts in European history. Overall, these conflicts ended disastrously for the Ottoman Empire, which was stagnating as a world power. Conversely, the wars highlighted how Russia…

By Dom Cioffi I’m officially over Covid-19. In fact, I’m over the year 2020 in general. Admittedly, when this whole quarantine thing started back in March, I experienced a bit of mild excitement mixed with cautious trepidation. Most of the excitement came from the thought of working from home. I have long grumbled about my…

By Dom Cioffi Anyone who is into music will undoubtedly remember their first live concert. Mine was a doozy, setting the excitement bar for what would be a lifelong love of live entertainment experiences. My friends and I had just graduated from high school and were reveling in a summer of fun before we headed…

By Dom Cioffi I was 11 years old at the beginning of the summer of 1978. At that time, my world revolved around the local municipal swimming pool just around the corner, whiffle ball games in the street with my friends, and a small white radio that I listened to music on. The radio had…

By Dom Cioffi My son and I have reached an interesting crossroads: we both wear the exact same size in our clothing, shoes, and headwear. I imagine this happens to many parents, but I wasn’t prepared for the repercussions of this convergence. It started with the shoes. About six months ago we wandered into a…

By Dom Cioffi I just did something crazy. Well, initially I thought it was crazy, but then I changed my mind. I just flew on an airplane. Given the last few months of Covid and quarantine, flying seems like the absolute last thing that any rational human being would want to do. But life dictated…

Hey, Jack. I just wanted to fill you in on the last week. What a whirlwind! Everyone was shocked when you left – I mean everyone. You were the talk of the town. I know, you would have preferred being the focus of another big win on the courts, but this was next-level news. I…

By Dom Cioffi I lost a good friend this past week. In fact, a lot of folks lost a good friend as Jack Rogers touched the lives of countless people in his brief 51 years. I first met Jack on the basketball courts as a teenager. He played for a different high school in the…

By Dom Cioffi I received an email recently from a metropolitan arena where I’ve seen numerous concerts and sporting events through the years. At some point, they got ahold of my email address, likely for ticketing or venue info, and now they semi-frequently send me marketing materials to further entice me into returning. However, this…

By Dom Cioffi The last couple months of lockdown have certainly had an effect on society. For many, the loss of employment and underlying fear of sickness has been a constant source of stress and anxiety. I recently read a long-form magazine article, written by a distressed restaurant owner, that broke my heart. The author…

As the lockdown continues for most Americans, my son is growing increasingly irritated by his inability to socialize with friends. Most parents understand the need for social distancing, but the kids are having a much harder time since they live their lives believing they are bullet-proof from sickness. As I noted in past columns, I’ve…

The Movie Diary by Dom Cioffi The backyard of my property is framed in a thick cluster of trees that blocks almost any hint of other homes. I can hear voices and lawnmowers in a number of directions, but my visual range sees only greenery. Obviously, this is the case during the spring and summer…

By Dom Cioffi One of the things I’ve tried to do during the quarantine is to influence my son on a variety of topics. His school is doing a good job assigning projects and staying on top of his education, but I’ve opted to take this opportunity to steer him toward experiencing a few of…

By Dom Cioffi Nearly 10 years ago, in September of 2011, I wrote a review for the film “Contagion,” which is highlighted below. The film was an interesting composite of what might happen during a modern-day pandemic. I remember enjoying the film and also appreciating how realistic the plot seemed even though I believed the…

Having a Ball By Dom Cioffi At some point during my early teenage years, I decided that basketball was going to be my thing. I don’t remember there being an epiphany or single moment when this dawned on me. Rather, the sport slowly enveloped my attention until it was the most important part of my…