Brian the Blogger!

The television screen flickered as the news came back from a commercial. News anchor Stone Phillips was the picture of poise and professionalism that won him rave reviews from critics. At this moment, his face betrayed a softer side to him that most of the viewing audiences were not privileged to see. “We end tonight with this news that just came in. Tyler Wilcox, the Red Sox pitcher that was quickly becoming a fan favorite in the world of baseball has died. He was twenty-six. He was struck in the head yesterday during ball practice and was rushed to the hospital where after several hours of surgery, the doctors declared him brain-dead. There is no official word from the Red Sox team, but his family is reported to be planning a private memorial service. The entire baseball community is saddened by this tragic loss.”  The sun hung high in the bright early August sky. Twelve year old Kyle McDaniel was riding his bike toward his favorite park near his house. A bright, lanky b...

Movies have been part of American culture since the first silent black and white film.  Everyone has that one movie that sticks on their mind long after they see it.  Folks who know me know that Star Wars runs in my blood.  But, I will say that one movie for me personally is Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.  In the next few paragraphs, I will explain my fascination with this classic film and give some give insight into one of greatest suspense films of all time. In case you are one of the rare breed that hasn't seen this film, Psycho opens in Phoenix,  Arizona. Marian and Sam having an affair outside of wedlock in a hotel during Marion's lunch hour.  After Sam vents his anger at having the lack of funds because of his alimony and his late father's debts, Marian returns to her job as a secretary at a real estate agency.  A client is closing a deal on his daughter's house with forty thousand dollars in cash.  Marian is entrusted to deposit the c...

I had not planned on posting a blog for a bit as I am writing other things at the moment.  After what I experienced in church this morning, I felt compelled to get this down to share my story. Paula, Sarah and I, along with John-Phillip (JP) sang this morning on a Praise Team.  Brian and the Hoffettes (what I affectionately nicknamed the team, much to everyone's annoyance).  We had several awesome songs that we were slated to sing.  "Your Grace is Enough", "Lead Me To the Cross", "We Are", "Soul On Fire", and "Glory to God Forever". To back this up a few days ago, Paula has an eye appointment and she found out that the pressure in her right eye was abnormally high, signaling the presence of Glaucoma.  Her maternal grandmother had Glaucoma, and so the odds of Paula developing it were higher.  Well, now she has the start.  The eye doctor told her it was when, not if she will start to lose vision in her eye.  This whole proces...

Hey everyone!  First of all, I want to say to all my loyal readers that have asked over the last few months when I was getting back into blogging.  That means so much to me knowing that you guys like reading my posts and asked for more.  It's been a busy few months and I've been tied up in other things, one of which I will get into at a later time.  Trust me when I say working on Tarzan was an absolute blast!  That's a story for another post. Of all the things I would have ever thought my girls would want to do, cheering was not on the radar.  Why, you ask?  First of all, neither Paula or I were cheerleaders (please...we'll have that discussion about male cheerleaders for another time.  I am all for it, so save your fury for something else.)  Music and acting dominated the Hoff House, and Sarah seems to have taken a liking to music.  Hannah has too, but she has turned her attention to cheering. You know, now that I think about i...

Hey guys.....this post is for you.  If you are anything like me, then you know that there is nothing better than a great haircut.  However, that seemed to be a fools errand trying to find a place where I was happy.  For years, I have bounced around from salon to salon, looking for a good cut.  There are a plethora of shops around town that are geared for men that offer sports on television, a neck/shoulder massage and mediocre haircut.  You know the kind:  a cut you wanted something a little different and new.  Then after a week or maybe two, you are stuck with an uneven cut that looks like all the others you have gotten in the past.  I was in that position for many years.  I would find a place that I liked and for a while I would be contented.  Then the shop would raise the price and I would be right back where I started. One day, one a whim, I asked my buddy Adam where he got his hair cut.  He told me about a place called Cen...

Hello Everyone!  I trust that you all had a wonderful Christmas and a safe New Year!  I have been a little lax about posting regularly, so there is no time like the present.  I am sipping an iced coffee (Caribou blend...yummy) and listening to Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring with a live orchestra on Youtube.  So I am ready to write! I have a new passion for wet shaving.  As my wife often points out to me that there is a fine line between passion and obsession.  She's right; I have had my toe on that lines many times!  That being said, I am sure that some of you have never heard of this concept and some of you said "Yup, been there and done that."  If you have, then terrific.  You know the splendor of wet shaving.  If you are unfamiliar with this, let me enlighten you. For many years, I have shaved using a muti-blade cartridge and used goo from a pressurized can.  Why?  Because that is what I saw my Dad doing.  S...