Hey folks!
Sorry it took me so long to update. The start of the semester is upon us here at Stonehill which has made me very busy. Well, that and the fact that I did not have the internet for three weeks!
Anyway...BIG NEWS!!
WE ARE MOVING!!
I will no longer be updating this site. Stonehill created a brand new page for me and we are taking our show on the road.
www.stonehillblogs.org/mgorman
Set your bookmarks now!
Don't fear though. This blog will still be here and you can look back at all the cool things I've done over the last year on this very site.
Take care and I'll see you at my new home!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Wedding Bells
Hey there folks,
Right now the sun is setting on a balmy August afternoon and I figured I would look back and tell you all a little bit about a big happening in my family from last month.
Frequent followers of the blog may know my cousin Eddie and his fiance Ashley from my time down in D.C. They live in Virginia and I was a often in there apartment watching Yankee games or spending my last day in a snow-covered capital.
Well after ten years of dating (all the way back to junior year of high school) and six months of engagement, the day had finally come for them to tie the knot! They got married in their hometown of Wappingers Falls, NY. I was also very fortunate to be asked to be a groomsman in their wedding party.
My duties as a groomsman commenced with a bachelor party in June held in none other than Seaside Heights, NJ. Come mid-July however, it reached it's pinnacle with the big day.
The wedding was set for Friday evening, but I made the trek from MA to NY early for the rehearsal dinner. They decided to hold it at my uncle's (Eddie's father's) house. Complete with deck, pool, and enough room to crash, it had everything we were looking for. Once back from the church, the wedding party wasted no time in sampling the caterer's hors'doeuvres.
The groomsmen were also sure to do one thing immediately: empty their pockets. With the combination of 20-something men and an in-ground pool, it only meant that sooner rather than later we would get our turn touching the bottom of the pool with our dress pants and polo shirts. One by one, the groomsmen would shoot looks to each other planning which unsuspecting soul that would get next. I eventually fell. Before the night was done, all the members of the wedding party except the bride would find their way in the pool.
After we dried ourselves off, we went inside for the wedding party gifts. While the bridesmaids got necklaces, the groomsmen received engraved wood baseball bats to mark the occasion.
The next morning was a case study in gender differences. The women woke up around 7:30am, ate breakfast, got their hair done, got their makeup done, set up the bridal suite, took pictures, waited for the limo, yada, yada, yada...
We groomsmen awoke around 10:30 or 11am, realized what time it was, went back to sleep, woke up an hour or so later, had some lunch, and swam in the pool. Around 2:30, we started getting dressed and climbed in the limo (complete with suicide doors for that Back to the Future look) and made our way to the church. Here we are recreating our best Michael J. Fox pose...
After a brief ceremony, we were back in what was now a very crowded limo for a ride to the picture location: a park along the Hudson river. We took a few pictures and spied an empty shipping vessel docked and climbed aboard for some action shots. We then made the short ride to the reception, which was a tent overlooking the Hudson and Mid-Hudson Bridge.
The wedding party camped out in the bridal suite enjoying the drinks and hors'doeuvres that the wait staff kept bringing us. I was starving, so this was a welcome surprise. When I had devoured all I could from the suite, we were all introduced and the party was officially kicked off.
It would not be a wedding without ridiculous dancing...and this was no exception. It seems that we are all given immunity from looking like fools. Whether it is my cousin's husband Rob stinging guitar solo during 'Don't Stop Believing", my cousin's boyfriend Chris channeling his Darwinian past through his crocodile nose and gorilla thumping, or my trademark "crypt walk" during "Beat It", it seemed like we are were serial offenders that night.
Here's to another great family wedding in the books!
Congrats Eddie and Ashley!
Take care all!
Right now the sun is setting on a balmy August afternoon and I figured I would look back and tell you all a little bit about a big happening in my family from last month.
Frequent followers of the blog may know my cousin Eddie and his fiance Ashley from my time down in D.C. They live in Virginia and I was a often in there apartment watching Yankee games or spending my last day in a snow-covered capital.
Well after ten years of dating (all the way back to junior year of high school) and six months of engagement, the day had finally come for them to tie the knot! They got married in their hometown of Wappingers Falls, NY. I was also very fortunate to be asked to be a groomsman in their wedding party.
My duties as a groomsman commenced with a bachelor party in June held in none other than Seaside Heights, NJ. Come mid-July however, it reached it's pinnacle with the big day.
The wedding was set for Friday evening, but I made the trek from MA to NY early for the rehearsal dinner. They decided to hold it at my uncle's (Eddie's father's) house. Complete with deck, pool, and enough room to crash, it had everything we were looking for. Once back from the church, the wedding party wasted no time in sampling the caterer's hors'doeuvres.
The groomsmen were also sure to do one thing immediately: empty their pockets. With the combination of 20-something men and an in-ground pool, it only meant that sooner rather than later we would get our turn touching the bottom of the pool with our dress pants and polo shirts. One by one, the groomsmen would shoot looks to each other planning which unsuspecting soul that would get next. I eventually fell. Before the night was done, all the members of the wedding party except the bride would find their way in the pool.
After we dried ourselves off, we went inside for the wedding party gifts. While the bridesmaids got necklaces, the groomsmen received engraved wood baseball bats to mark the occasion.
The next morning was a case study in gender differences. The women woke up around 7:30am, ate breakfast, got their hair done, got their makeup done, set up the bridal suite, took pictures, waited for the limo, yada, yada, yada...
We groomsmen awoke around 10:30 or 11am, realized what time it was, went back to sleep, woke up an hour or so later, had some lunch, and swam in the pool. Around 2:30, we started getting dressed and climbed in the limo (complete with suicide doors for that Back to the Future look) and made our way to the church. Here we are recreating our best Michael J. Fox pose...
Cue the "Here comes the bride..."
After a brief ceremony, we were back in what was now a very crowded limo for a ride to the picture location: a park along the Hudson river. We took a few pictures and spied an empty shipping vessel docked and climbed aboard for some action shots. We then made the short ride to the reception, which was a tent overlooking the Hudson and Mid-Hudson Bridge.
The wedding party camped out in the bridal suite enjoying the drinks and hors'doeuvres that the wait staff kept bringing us. I was starving, so this was a welcome surprise. When I had devoured all I could from the suite, we were all introduced and the party was officially kicked off.
It would not be a wedding without ridiculous dancing...and this was no exception. It seems that we are all given immunity from looking like fools. Whether it is my cousin's husband Rob stinging guitar solo during 'Don't Stop Believing", my cousin's boyfriend Chris channeling his Darwinian past through his crocodile nose and gorilla thumping, or my trademark "crypt walk" during "Beat It", it seemed like we are were serial offenders that night.
Here's to another great family wedding in the books!
Congrats Eddie and Ashley!
Take care all!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
We're Back!!!
Here's another YouTube video courtesy of Brian and I. This time we tackle the SpoCo...
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Good Food, Good Weather, and E Street Radio...
Hey folks,
The title says it all. It is the story of my vacation.
We started out Friday morning. My parents came and got me at Stonehill, pulling up in a grey Chevy Malibu. I instinctively piled in the backseat, ready to relax with my earbuds and a fully-charged iPod. Then my mom dropped the A-bomb:
"You're driving."
"Oh, C'mon!"
"We got satellite radio..."
Done.
You may or may not know that my one of my favorite things in this world is XM/Sirius radio. It is awesome. I am constantly amazed at all the options and, of course, the all Bruce station E Street Radio. We don't have it in any of our cars, so whenever I get a chance to use it, I jump at it!
There I was, rolling down Route 6 blasting "Badlands" and ready to start my vacation. We got into our hotel around 4 and I took the liberty to plop myself down on the bed for a much-needed nap.
Upon waking, I hazily turned to A&E for the Criminal Minds marathon. Before I was able to get too invested in Hotch and the team, my mother hurried me along to get ready for dinner. The Lobster Claw in Orleans awaited the hungry Gormans.
As we took our seat in booths that made a school bus seat feel comfortable, I promptly ordered and soon devoured the swordfish and a side of scallops. After we were done, we stopped over at the Eastham Post Office to mail the postcard that was given with our check and spied a Christmas Tree Shop. A good hour and fifteen minutes later, we were finally out of the store and on our way to the next stop of the night: a Cape Cod League Baseball game!
I love going to Cape League games. Unfortunately, the real MLB names like the Mets, Athletics, and Cardinals have been replaced by the likes of the Harbor Hawks, Anglers, and Firebirds. You still get to see some great players and just enjoy a cool summer evening. We stayed in Orleans for a home game, dodging rain drops as we sat in our lawn chairs.
We left the game a tad early and cruised around Route 28 for a bit. I stopped at a store that smelled like old incense and browsed the selection of Springsteen posters and Dylan records. In the end, as is the sign of a great night, we ended up at an ice cream shop next to our hotel.
The next morning came quite quickly as we caught the mid-morning ferry to Nantucket. I had never been before, so I did not know what to make of the farthest point in the eastern U.S. My parents and I browsed the shops and side-streets and stopped into the likes of Vineyard Vines, Murray's Toggery, and the Black Dog. After our walking, we crashed near the docks and ordered drinks and appetizers at a local restaurant.
To escape the heat, we booked tickets aboard a tour bus so that we could get a better sense of the island. The bus took us all around and we were able to see Sankaty Light-the island's lighthouse and tried to decipher an incredibly convoluted story on the island's origin. Upon disembarking on our tourist-infested adventure, we walked over to American Seasons, our restaurant for dinner.
The ambiance was really something. It felt like we were eating in a garden terrace. Our family, as usual, did not disappoint when it came time to order, as we shared two appetizers as I dove right into the flat-iron steak.
With our ferry approaching and our time on the island finished, we got ready for day of travel and family. By early afternoon, we were on the road once again. This time heading to Narragansett, R.I. to visit my cousins and my uncle and aunt who flew up from Florida. Momentarily pausing from the Bruce-tunes, we heard on the radio that a 2 mile back-up awaited us on the Sagamore. Upon conferring with a trusty Cape sherpa, we were instructed to find a mysterious "service road" that may or may not end at Hogwarts. Pressing on, we found the traffic report to be...totally false! Maintaining 65 the whole way, we made it across the Pell and Jamestown bridges and into Narragansett in short order.
Arriving at the house, we were greeted by my Aunt Eileen and my Uncles Joe and John as well as their kids, my cousins Joey and Erin, with her husband Greg. Of course, I can't forget Joey's son A.J. and Erin's daughter Isabella. We caught up with each other and stayed late into the night eating and drinking. With the little ones running around, it was also anything but boring. It was really great to see them all.
And with that, my vacation was complete. We drove the sad drive back to Easton on Monday morning and I prepared myself for work the next day. All in all, the three ingredients above made for one heck of a vacation.
Coming soon: a brand new YouTube video and wedding bells in the family...
Take care!
The title says it all. It is the story of my vacation.
We started out Friday morning. My parents came and got me at Stonehill, pulling up in a grey Chevy Malibu. I instinctively piled in the backseat, ready to relax with my earbuds and a fully-charged iPod. Then my mom dropped the A-bomb:
"You're driving."
"Oh, C'mon!"
"We got satellite radio..."
Done.
You may or may not know that my one of my favorite things in this world is XM/Sirius radio. It is awesome. I am constantly amazed at all the options and, of course, the all Bruce station E Street Radio. We don't have it in any of our cars, so whenever I get a chance to use it, I jump at it!
There I was, rolling down Route 6 blasting "Badlands" and ready to start my vacation. We got into our hotel around 4 and I took the liberty to plop myself down on the bed for a much-needed nap.
Upon waking, I hazily turned to A&E for the Criminal Minds marathon. Before I was able to get too invested in Hotch and the team, my mother hurried me along to get ready for dinner. The Lobster Claw in Orleans awaited the hungry Gormans.
As we took our seat in booths that made a school bus seat feel comfortable, I promptly ordered and soon devoured the swordfish and a side of scallops. After we were done, we stopped over at the Eastham Post Office to mail the postcard that was given with our check and spied a Christmas Tree Shop. A good hour and fifteen minutes later, we were finally out of the store and on our way to the next stop of the night: a Cape Cod League Baseball game!
I love going to Cape League games. Unfortunately, the real MLB names like the Mets, Athletics, and Cardinals have been replaced by the likes of the Harbor Hawks, Anglers, and Firebirds. You still get to see some great players and just enjoy a cool summer evening. We stayed in Orleans for a home game, dodging rain drops as we sat in our lawn chairs.
We left the game a tad early and cruised around Route 28 for a bit. I stopped at a store that smelled like old incense and browsed the selection of Springsteen posters and Dylan records. In the end, as is the sign of a great night, we ended up at an ice cream shop next to our hotel.
The next morning came quite quickly as we caught the mid-morning ferry to Nantucket. I had never been before, so I did not know what to make of the farthest point in the eastern U.S. My parents and I browsed the shops and side-streets and stopped into the likes of Vineyard Vines, Murray's Toggery, and the Black Dog. After our walking, we crashed near the docks and ordered drinks and appetizers at a local restaurant.
To escape the heat, we booked tickets aboard a tour bus so that we could get a better sense of the island. The bus took us all around and we were able to see Sankaty Light-the island's lighthouse and tried to decipher an incredibly convoluted story on the island's origin. Upon disembarking on our tourist-infested adventure, we walked over to American Seasons, our restaurant for dinner.
The ambiance was really something. It felt like we were eating in a garden terrace. Our family, as usual, did not disappoint when it came time to order, as we shared two appetizers as I dove right into the flat-iron steak.
With our ferry approaching and our time on the island finished, we got ready for day of travel and family. By early afternoon, we were on the road once again. This time heading to Narragansett, R.I. to visit my cousins and my uncle and aunt who flew up from Florida. Momentarily pausing from the Bruce-tunes, we heard on the radio that a 2 mile back-up awaited us on the Sagamore. Upon conferring with a trusty Cape sherpa, we were instructed to find a mysterious "service road" that may or may not end at Hogwarts. Pressing on, we found the traffic report to be...totally false! Maintaining 65 the whole way, we made it across the Pell and Jamestown bridges and into Narragansett in short order.
Arriving at the house, we were greeted by my Aunt Eileen and my Uncles Joe and John as well as their kids, my cousins Joey and Erin, with her husband Greg. Of course, I can't forget Joey's son A.J. and Erin's daughter Isabella. We caught up with each other and stayed late into the night eating and drinking. With the little ones running around, it was also anything but boring. It was really great to see them all.
And with that, my vacation was complete. We drove the sad drive back to Easton on Monday morning and I prepared myself for work the next day. All in all, the three ingredients above made for one heck of a vacation.
Coming soon: a brand new YouTube video and wedding bells in the family...
Take care!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Stonehill Eight, Stonehill Nine...
The second day began with a whimper...
I was tired and getting sick, but still had one more day left. We woke up early once again to a breakfast of french toast and scrambled eggs. Soon after breakfast was done, we made sure the incoming students got right off to their advising meetings without delay as the PM's enjoyed the sun and caught up on the first day of Orientation. With the echo on "Piano Man" on our minds, we simply laid in the grass and waited for the half-hour to be over.
Once the meetings ended, the shuttling began. With rotation sessions once again filling the morning, we did little more than make sure everyone in our group got out. Once Dunkin Donuts opened, we had our fill of watermelon coolattas and iced coffees to get us through the day.
With lunch came burgers and salad, but also a surreal feeling that the end was sadly, close at hand. We went back into our groups for a final group time to reflect on the day and a half that was, play some final games, and say our goodbyes for the summer.
I took my mark on the steps of Donahue Hall and stood among the Peer Mentors welcoming the incoming class up the steps and to college life. A member of our group read in front of all a statement that encompassed the characteristics of our group and where we stand in the greater Stonehill community. I blew my vuvuzela, which by now had become a trademark in our group, and just like that, the students went home and our job was done.
We stood on the steps, took pictures, and hitched rides on golf carts back to the Commons for our wrap-up meeting. After the meeting, we all received our paper plates to make our "Paper Plate Awards" for our partner. Each year, we design and decorate paper plates to give our partner that highlight an certain aspect of their personality.
This year, I gave Nicole the "Ribbon 'round my Finger Award." For some reason that week, I simply lost everything that I had. From binders to books, bags to cowbells, she was the one who reminded me where everything was and made sure I didn't worry.
We presented our awards later that night at a banquet held in Alumni Hall. We are given a nice dinner and an ever nicer slideshow remembering the week that just passed. The night is filled with laughter and tears.
Around 7pm or so, every member of the Orientation team gets up and presents the paper plate award to their partner and says a little about what the experience has meant to them. These can go on for a loooonnnnngg while and this year was no exception. At around 12am and a venue change, we finally had all the team members say their peace. The hugs and goodbyes continued well into the night.
Jeff and I were hungry so we decided to take a ride over to the Brockton Burger King for a little Whopper action. Though the sustenance couldn't mask my tiredness, I finally called it a night around 3am. I had to drive to Seaside Heights, NJ in the morning for a Bachelor Party and needed at least try and rest.
As I look back on Orientation, I realize it was the "First of My Lasts". The beginning of my closing chapter here at Stonehill. Never again will I experience the excitement of a Day One Breakfast in Cleary Dining Room, or the thrill of running into the Sports Complex yelling and screaming, or the pride at the end of the second day as the group ascends the Donahue Stairs. But I can say this: if this week and a half was any indication of my remaining time here, it is going to be one helluva year...
I was tired and getting sick, but still had one more day left. We woke up early once again to a breakfast of french toast and scrambled eggs. Soon after breakfast was done, we made sure the incoming students got right off to their advising meetings without delay as the PM's enjoyed the sun and caught up on the first day of Orientation. With the echo on "Piano Man" on our minds, we simply laid in the grass and waited for the half-hour to be over.
Once the meetings ended, the shuttling began. With rotation sessions once again filling the morning, we did little more than make sure everyone in our group got out. Once Dunkin Donuts opened, we had our fill of watermelon coolattas and iced coffees to get us through the day.
With lunch came burgers and salad, but also a surreal feeling that the end was sadly, close at hand. We went back into our groups for a final group time to reflect on the day and a half that was, play some final games, and say our goodbyes for the summer.
I took my mark on the steps of Donahue Hall and stood among the Peer Mentors welcoming the incoming class up the steps and to college life. A member of our group read in front of all a statement that encompassed the characteristics of our group and where we stand in the greater Stonehill community. I blew my vuvuzela, which by now had become a trademark in our group, and just like that, the students went home and our job was done.
We stood on the steps, took pictures, and hitched rides on golf carts back to the Commons for our wrap-up meeting. After the meeting, we all received our paper plates to make our "Paper Plate Awards" for our partner. Each year, we design and decorate paper plates to give our partner that highlight an certain aspect of their personality.
This year, I gave Nicole the "Ribbon 'round my Finger Award." For some reason that week, I simply lost everything that I had. From binders to books, bags to cowbells, she was the one who reminded me where everything was and made sure I didn't worry.
We presented our awards later that night at a banquet held in Alumni Hall. We are given a nice dinner and an ever nicer slideshow remembering the week that just passed. The night is filled with laughter and tears.
Around 7pm or so, every member of the Orientation team gets up and presents the paper plate award to their partner and says a little about what the experience has meant to them. These can go on for a loooonnnnngg while and this year was no exception. At around 12am and a venue change, we finally had all the team members say their peace. The hugs and goodbyes continued well into the night.
Jeff and I were hungry so we decided to take a ride over to the Brockton Burger King for a little Whopper action. Though the sustenance couldn't mask my tiredness, I finally called it a night around 3am. I had to drive to Seaside Heights, NJ in the morning for a Bachelor Party and needed at least try and rest.As I look back on Orientation, I realize it was the "First of My Lasts". The beginning of my closing chapter here at Stonehill. Never again will I experience the excitement of a Day One Breakfast in Cleary Dining Room, or the thrill of running into the Sports Complex yelling and screaming, or the pride at the end of the second day as the group ascends the Donahue Stairs. But I can say this: if this week and a half was any indication of my remaining time here, it is going to be one helluva year...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Stonehill Six, Stonehill Seven...
Hey there folks!
We are back to orientation after a short break in posting. I'll promise I'll wrap this up soon and there'll be plenty more to tell about my vacation and a wedding in the family.
But let's get back to Orientation Session 2.
I awoke early yet again on Thursday morning. I finally began to feel the effects of orientation. My voice was hoarse and my throat was throbbing. But this was a special opening: I was assigned to an entrance!
The entrance, in my opinion, is the best assignment for PM's on the first day. You are the first person to see them as they drive into campus. We try to be as energetic and ridiculous as possible while, inevitably, the incoming freshman cower in the back as their mom or dad honks the horn at our signs.
I was posted at the Route 123 entrance. So I grabbed a vuvuzela (those annoying horns from the World Cup) and a sign ("Honk if you're awkward!") and made my way to the entrance with the rest of the crew.
We got some great reactions from both incoming students and Stonehill staff alike. But soon the time came to head back to the Sports Complex and do our famous run-in and cheer! It was weird to know it would be the last time I'd ever do it, but armed with my whistle and cowbell I knew at least it wouldn't be half-hearted.
We met our group soon after and began, once again, all that is orientation. It was another beautiful-yet slightly hotter-day so we moved some games inside and made sure to take a few more water breaks. We found that our group loved a game we had recently learned called Ninja. It's a pretty fun game and involves so bobbing and weaving. It was a perfect antidote for the usual early awkwardness.
At night, it was once again time for PlayFair. Nicole was lucky enough this time to be able to head to W.B. Mason Field early, while I made head-counts and made sure everyone got there on time. It turned into another beautiful night for my last PlayFair. It was our turn also to leave early, so just before the famed "Rock, Paper, Scissor Showdown" half the team had to leave their posts and help set up the Commons Activities. This included filling up cups of water for the thirty post-PlayFair students and getting the makeshift bingo hall ready for use.
The dance took on a special meaning for all the seniors. We made sure to dance throughout the night as much as we possibly could and enjoy being on the that stage one last time. Once "Piano Man" came on, there were very few dry eyes in the place. The seniors formed a smaller circle surrounded by a larger contingent of PM's and we swayed to the melody before eventually breaking up to find a partner to finish the song with.
It was at this time that the end of Orientation felt all too real. Only one more day was left...
We are back to orientation after a short break in posting. I'll promise I'll wrap this up soon and there'll be plenty more to tell about my vacation and a wedding in the family.
But let's get back to Orientation Session 2.
I awoke early yet again on Thursday morning. I finally began to feel the effects of orientation. My voice was hoarse and my throat was throbbing. But this was a special opening: I was assigned to an entrance!
The entrance, in my opinion, is the best assignment for PM's on the first day. You are the first person to see them as they drive into campus. We try to be as energetic and ridiculous as possible while, inevitably, the incoming freshman cower in the back as their mom or dad honks the horn at our signs.
I was posted at the Route 123 entrance. So I grabbed a vuvuzela (those annoying horns from the World Cup) and a sign ("Honk if you're awkward!") and made my way to the entrance with the rest of the crew.
We got some great reactions from both incoming students and Stonehill staff alike. But soon the time came to head back to the Sports Complex and do our famous run-in and cheer! It was weird to know it would be the last time I'd ever do it, but armed with my whistle and cowbell I knew at least it wouldn't be half-hearted.
We met our group soon after and began, once again, all that is orientation. It was another beautiful-yet slightly hotter-day so we moved some games inside and made sure to take a few more water breaks. We found that our group loved a game we had recently learned called Ninja. It's a pretty fun game and involves so bobbing and weaving. It was a perfect antidote for the usual early awkwardness.
At night, it was once again time for PlayFair. Nicole was lucky enough this time to be able to head to W.B. Mason Field early, while I made head-counts and made sure everyone got there on time. It turned into another beautiful night for my last PlayFair. It was our turn also to leave early, so just before the famed "Rock, Paper, Scissor Showdown" half the team had to leave their posts and help set up the Commons Activities. This included filling up cups of water for the thirty post-PlayFair students and getting the makeshift bingo hall ready for use.
The dance took on a special meaning for all the seniors. We made sure to dance throughout the night as much as we possibly could and enjoy being on the that stage one last time. Once "Piano Man" came on, there were very few dry eyes in the place. The seniors formed a smaller circle surrounded by a larger contingent of PM's and we swayed to the melody before eventually breaking up to find a partner to finish the song with.It was at this time that the end of Orientation felt all too real. Only one more day was left...
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