Best of the 'Burgh

Let's get this over with. Voting for Pittsburgh Magazine's annual Best of the 'Burgh is underway through April 20th. I'm honored to be nominated in the Local Writer category. Thanks to everyone for submitting my name as a nominee and thanks if you vote for me or for one of the other finalists in this category.

As many of you know, I live in Northern Virginia. While I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, I am not likely considered a "local" writer if Pittsburgh Magazine has a specific definition of local. I mean, I'm local to Pittsburgh compared to the Artemus II astronauts circling the moon but that probably doesn't count. With that written, many of my posts are Pittsburgh related or have Pittsburgh references. Not including this post, I have written 13 separate posts in 2026. Of course I'd like to write more, but that's a different topic for a different day. 11 of the 13 posts include some type of mention of Pittsburgh. The other two are about my youngest son participating in a spelling bee and about my passing the Brimley / Cocoon line. (For the spelling bee post, I included a story about how I participated in a spelling bee when I was in third grade. Although I didn't actually name the school or my teacher, that spelling bee occurred in Pittsburgh.) I think a spelling bee and reaching a certain age milestone are universal for residents of Pittsburgh and beyond.

If Pittsburgh Magazine and the Best of the 'Burgh voters want someone who lives in Western Pennsylvania, I understand. If they want someone to write only about local topics, I understand that too, though I believe that the great Hal B. Klein is the only nominee that meets this criteria. If it helps my candidacy as a local writer, I can write about very specific local topics such as why it's "sus" (as the kids say) that the longtime Woodland Hills High School Band Director and Director of the Spring Musical retired just a few weeks before opening night of Young Frankenstein at the auditorium named in his honor. Or I can write about two of my kids being in the background of a story filmed by WTAE last week. Is that local enough? Look, I haven't lived in Western PA for many years but Pittsburgh and the region will always be part of me. 

Passing The Brimley Line

As of earlier this month, I officially passed the Brimley / Cocoon Line. For those of you not familiar with arguably the fourth most famous line after (In no particular order) the Mason Dixon Line, the 38th Parallel, and Whose Line Is It, Anyway?, actor Wilford Brimley was 18,530 days old (50 years, 9 months, and 6 days) when the movie Cocoon debuted in theaters on June 21, 1985. This is a picture of Brimley from Cocoon from the Brimley/Cocoon Line Calculator website.

The premise of Cocoon is that a group of seniors swim in a pool with alien cocoons and regain their vigor and energy from their younger days. In the film, a 50 year-old Brimley easily passed as a senior citizen and someone at least 20 years older than his actual age. While I remember enjoying the movie, I was a kid when I saw it. I don't know how it holds up today, but more importantly, I don't think I had a concept of what "normal" 50 year-olds looked like then. I mean, the film had Brimley portray an elderly grandfather, not someone who was 50. 

To me, this is what 50 looks like in 2026.

I don't know if I look like a regular 50 year-old or not. I mean, I don't have much hair, but I've been balding for years. A colleague recently shared that they thought I was 43 or 44, so I'll take that as a win. 

Well, for some reason I feel like I should have some oatmeal now!

Sunday Links

With this post, I'm now a third of the way through National Blog Posting Month ("NaBloPoMo"). I hope that you're enjoying reading my posts on a daily basis. Here are some other links for you to check out.

I'm not the only Pittsburgh blogger participating in NaBloPoMo. [NaBloPoMo Pittsburgh Tumblr]

Congrats to Emily on her big news and announcement. [Emily Levenson]

Jeff Reed is on Twitter! [That's Church]

I found this video amusing.



h/t Deadspin

This Russian Steelers fan is just looking for love...in a Nate Washington jersey. [PSAMP]

Here's some fun Hollywood stuff. George Clooney is a year older than Wilford Brimley was when Cocoon was released. [Vulture]

Great piece by Tim Williams about how to become a professional blogger. [Pirates Prospects]

The end of Josh's Yaris. [Ngewo's World]

If you're looking for a travel agent, please contact my friend Paul. (Paul really is my friend and is someone I have known for years.) [Cusker Vacation Connection]

Finally, since I posted a cat video above, here is a fun dog video.



h/t Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Great Mustaches In History: Movember Rolls On

President Skroob


Stanley


Wilford Brimley


Phil Garner


Mario


Sean


My mustache will only be around for another week, so I hope that you consider donating to Movember by clicking on this link. The donations are tax deductible and go to a great cause. In addition, thanks to the folks who have already contributed!