I can still remember my last day of school in eighth grade at what is now known as Blessed Sacrament Academy, on Euclid Avenue in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. This would have been in June 1973.

I’ve been doing a lot of things with all the free time I have now that I’m retired. Bought a couple of new guitars. Bought a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Founded the Guilderland Guitar Group.

Though I buy online like everyone else, I try to shop locally whenever I can. I like the idea of supporting my friends and neighbors. When they do good, their business does good.

So much going on in my new-found world of music. Let’s have an update.

When you put your all into something — when you really try your hardest — you want very badly to succeed. I think we can all agree this is true.

When you put your all into something — when you really try your hardest — you want very badly to succeed. I think we can all agree this is true.

After 50 years of either going to school, working, or going to school and working at the same time, I’m finally retired.

Growing up, my oldest daughter loved birthday parties. We tried very hard to make them fun and exciting for her.

When I was a kid in Brooklyn, some of my wise-guy friends — comic wise guys, not criminal “wiseguys” — would often tell stories that would get you going, only to have them say, “only kidding, haha”

After 50 years in the workforce, I’m finally approaching retirement. It took a very long time for me to get comfortable with the prospect of not having a place to go on Monday mornings.