I was always Shupe but it took me awhile to become Shuper. It began to happen in my twelfth year. At that time, I was deep into reading...

thirty years ago, there was a raucous little party in a tiny seaside town the revellers all gathered to see you smile and laugh in your...

Dear Dad, I deeply apologize. I was part way through writing an emotional blog note to you expressing my gratitude for everything you...

A conversation with the same witty banter we had when she was alive. Dear Mom, Hi, It’s me. Sorry it’s been awhile since we chatted. It’s...

(Or how despite my best intents, my spouse refuses to become a nerd.) Sometimes events get too big for their britches. Or maybe I was in...

Number 11 Padua or Padova. It’s your choice! Padova is the Italian name for this fabulous town in northeast Italy. In English, it's known...

The following is a long post. There are only two kinds of people who should invest the time to read it. Those who don't like dogs. And...

Remember these are in sequence not rank order! (And if we were doing "rank" order literally, Marseilles would fill all ten top stops. ...

Last year was my busiest travel year ever because, you know, first year of retirement. I surely won’t be able to keep this pace as I went...

Two weeks ago I drastically reduced my online activities. I had to. Cause I caught myself watching a funny cat video. And then another....

(ADVENTURES IN THE KINGDOM OF PUNS) Me and Juliette down in the Courtyard (With apologies to Paul Simon) The Mama Capulet rolled out of...

Or how I learned Carmen was not about a Nascar Pit Crew Travel Humor, Italy, Verona The night begins. I am not an opera guy. I'm barely a...

Adventures through books, imagination, travel and health. Told with an off-beat sense of humor. REMEMBER THEY ARE NOT BOOING, THEY'RE...