My Dad had a very good vernacular and a sharp wit when he was in his middle age years -- exactly where I find myself now. One of his better summertime sayings -- one he repeats to this day -- was that "youth is wasted on the young." In my own youth, I never understood just where he garnered that kernel of knowledge. I had no clue. That is until I began my own full-time working life. Then, it hit home. As this July 4 weekend kicks off, my mind returns to my own youth of the late 1970s and early 1980s, spending summer after summer at the nearby Jersey shore beaches with nary a care in the world…

I reached into the mailbox Tuesday afternoon and found one of the items most people dread. The jury duty summons. Immediately, a multitude of thoughts ran through my head. How long is it for? I have to tell the boss! Who is going to cover my work while I'm gone? What if it's a long trial? Can I get a deferral or even excused? But, upon further examination, the summons originated from Superior Court in Warren County, N.J., where I haven't lived since Dec. 2009. Now that's the perfect excuse! I hastily filled out the form and sent it back, chuckling at the Garden State's poor record of address …

Nobody loves a three-day holiday weekend more than I do. It's an excuse to spend time in New Jersey. If it's not a visit to Monmouth Park Racetrack and the Sitting Duck Restaurant in Long Branch, N.J. (highly recommended, by the way), it's a visit to the Bradley Beach, N.J. boardwalk (the site of my wedding) and my sister's home for a cookout. But, there's something about Memorial Day that makes me feel a tad of remorse for indulging in that type of merriment.  Memorial Day dates back to 1868 as a time to honor those who died in defense of the United States of America on battlefields across …

Primary voter turnout is usually low, but Tuesday's showing at the polls was one of the worst I can recall since I starting casting ballots in 1979. It's not as if people weren't told. Plenty of campaign signs dotted the landscape. Media outlets -- including Patch, local newspapers and television stations -- covered the races extensively. Maybe they chose to ignore it all. Maybe it's because Pennsylvania's primaries are "closed" to independent voters. Still, Republicans and Democrats turned out in very small numbers to support candidates. The sad reality is that November's general election …

My first recollection of voting came at about age three when Dad and Grandpa went to the voting booth in 1964, determined to cast ballots for U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater's presidential run. Dad wore a Goldwater button into the Brooklyn, N.Y. polling place and quickly warned by a uniformed New York City police officer that electioneering was not allowed. At all. That meant buttons, too. Dad took the button off and stepped into the voting booth. Goldwater lost in a landslide to incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson. Up until last year, I cast my ballots in New Jersey where the same ruled applied and …

One year of marriage, celebrated last month, went by very quickly. Tradition dictates that the first wedding anniversary is marked with a gift of paper. So, I complied by purchasing my spouse two pieces of paper -- round-trip airline tickets to Las Vegas. (Disclosure: Our honeymoon was spent in Las Vegas, so this was a return visit. We even got the exact same room, courtesy of our friends at The Orleans Hotel & Casino front desk. Last year's play earned us four free room nights out of six -- and we're not "high rollers" by any means.) Mrs. De Martini had already encountered some good luck …

This coming Saturday marks the first Saturday of May. That fact is meaningless to 99.5 percent of the American population, who will spend the first Saturday in May doing what normal people do -- shop, attend their kids' youth league games, browse yard sales and tend to their homes and gardens. However, as my wife has learned in a little more than a year of marriage, I represent the less than 1 percent of the American population who don't follow normal weekend pursuits on the first Saturday in May. I'll celebrate my national holiday -- by watching the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby. It's …

There's been a pretty hefty amount of distressing news in these parts over the last few weeks and months. A double murder in Alburtis. A slain pregnant woman in Lower Macungie. A tractor-trailer crushing a car in Lowhill Township. A fatal one vehicle accident claiming the life of a prominent area businessman. That's in addition to the fatal Allentown gas explosion in February. All shocking and saddening. However, believe it or not, there is one constant positive thread that weaves through all of these events. That's the amazing response, professionalism and dedication of our local law …

Last week, columnist Bernie O'Hare expressed his dismay at the behavior of people in the stands of a charity basketball game who had the temerity to boo fifth- and sixth-graders from the opposing squad. It didn't surprise me. I've heard vile things spewing from the mouths of people sitting in the bleachers for years while covering high school sports. It's inexcusable and  sometimes makes me wonder what these people think. Fortunately, these student-athletes have coaches. A vast majority of these coaches -- male and female on levels from middle school, junior high school through junior  …

Late last week, Emmaus Patch posed a vexing Mom's Talk question: Do you serve your children alcohol at home? This Dad's first impulsive reaction was that no parent would ever think of that in this day and age. News of adults running afoul of law enforcement in recent years by supplying alcohol to underage teens at parties immediately came to mind. No adult in their right mind would want that type of trouble -- or be legally responsible for teenagers getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol. My second reaction was how hypocritical my first thought was. I clearly recollect turning a …

Did you know that Tuesday, May 17 is primary day? Normally, primaries are a yawner and voter turnout is light. But did you know that at least 10 candidates are running for four open Lehigh County Commissioner seats? I'll gather you didn't. If you want to be heard on hot button issues including the county budget, tax hikes and other things that touch our community and our daily lives, I'd suggest you become educated about this race. Patch will be covering this race as it unfolds and we -- and I -- urge you to become informed. While I'm on the subject of elections, I believe there should be a …

I always wanted to appear as a contestant on "Jeopardy."  I even took the test and auditioned a couple of times. Never made the cut.  It was my grandmother's favorite game show until the day she died in 2006. Back in the day, Art Fleming hosted the show and Grannie's world stopped at noon when "Jeopardy," started. The woman ate lunch every weekday afternoon on a table tray in front of the television in her Brooklyn apartment while she watched intently. It was amazing how many answers she knew. My favorite category, of course, was Sports. But, I always enjoyed "Quotable Quotes." Over the years…

I was surprised – although I probably shouldn’t have been – when I sat down in front of the television Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. with my first cup of coffee. There she was -- the infamous blogging teacher of Central Bucks East High School -- appearing on a national television morning news show in order to state her case to the American public. And, who was sitting by her side? An attorney. Another shocker. Yes -- I know -- innocent until proven guilty and everyone is entitled to tell their side of the story before punitive actions are taken by employers. But, the infamous blogging …

Last Sunday in this space, I wrote a tongue-in-cheek but fairly accurate assessment of how generations of curmudgeonly bloodlines can affect one’s psyche several decades later. The piece was written for three reasons – to illustrate the cliche that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, to further illustrate what a saint my wife is for recently marrying me and for entertainment value. Since the story remained on the Upper Macungie Patch Top 5 Most Viewed list for a good portion of the week, we figured a follow-up was definitely in order. One again, these vignettes are true and recounted …

curmudgeon –noun: a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person. The above definition, as described by the dictionary.com web site, perfectly describes this editor’s at-home personality. In public and in my working life, I’m not able to show this side of my personality. I’m friendly, agreeable, approachable, good-natured, talkative, happy to meet and greet people. An all-around nice guy. I’ve actually heard people describe me in this manner. It’s not the full disclosure. Believe me. Ask my in-laws. My 50th birthday approaches and before I can probably stop the ball from rolling, someone in …

Three weeks ago, I did something that was once unthinkable. I voluntarily resigned from actively covering the sport of thoroughbred horse racing. I gave notice to the Kentucky-based publication and website where my race reports, feature stories and news items appeared for 15 years in print and on the Internet. I followed that action by voluntarily resigning from the National Turf Writers Association, the trade group representing racing journalists, after casting what was my last Horse of the Year ballot last month. This space is not the place to discuss why this decision took place. There …

My wife Mary, in addition to her art and theater interests, is a voracious reader. So, it was no surprise when she asked me to join her last Saturday at the Bethlehem Area Public Library’s semi-monthly book sale. It’s a cornucopia of used hard cover and paperback books at nominal prices to benefit the library’s operations. Used DVD’s and VHS movies are also available – I picked a few up for myself for a buck apiece. I also donated two boxes full of thoroughbred racing-related books in order to relieve some basement clutter. The well-attended sale is a great place to browse and pick up fresh …

The arts were never high up on my list of priorities throughout my formative years and during the majority of my adult life. Sure, I saw Yul Brynner in “The King and I,” on Broadway in 1978 on a high school class trip, mainly as a way to escape advanced calculus and physics for a day. Through the years, my interpretation of fine art was limited to the beauty of two Thoroughbred horses dueling down the stretch or a deftly turned double play at a baseball game. That held true until I met my wife Mary, who carries a Philadelphia Art Museum membership. Suddenly, I found myself attending – and …

Shoveling snow and spreading salt, as I did this morning, always brings back thoughts of my paternal grandfather. Grandpa didn't think much of snow. We didn't go sledding or build snowmen together.  My grandfather was a New York City Dept. of Sanitation borough supervisor. Therefore, his job in the 1940s, '50s and into the '60s, was to get rid of snow. Quickly. And he wasn't shy about it. We lived in a Brooklyn brownstone above my grandparents. The walk and stoop (stairs) were shoveled and salted before dawn. Grandpa would wake my father up at 4:30 a.m. on snowy weekdays, reminding him to "…