My Personal Blog

As a Penn State alumnus from the class of 2010 and a lifelong Penn State fan living in Mercer County, I've been thinking about something I believe the community could use:  a regular social gathering for Penn State alumni, former students, fans and friends right here in Mercer County. I'm not talking about another formal meeting or a singles group.  I'm talking about getting local  Penn Staters together on selected Saturdays when the Nittany Lions are playing a home game. Imagine meeting at a local Mercer County venue a couple of hours prior to kickoff, enjoying some food, talking Penn State football, meeting other local Penn Staters, and participating in some Penn State-themed activities before watching the game together. Why Mercer County? There are plenty of Penn State fans and alumni in this area, but I haven't found a regular social gathering specifically designed to bring them together. That's an opportunity. Rather than expecting Mercer County Penn Staters to...

Nearly 20 years ago, I attended a dinner theater in Sackets Harbor, New York that left a lasting impression on me - but not for the reasons anyone would hope. I went expecting an enjoyable evening that combined a meal with live entertainment.  Instead, I left feeling disappointed and overlooked.  My experience that night made me feel that many attendees were not included in the meal service, and even when I asked I could get something as simple as nachos because I was hungry , the answer was no.  I went home wondering why the evening had turned out that way, and I was so upset that I cried myself to sleep. For a long time, I kept these feelings to myself.  It has taken me nearly 20 years to break my silence about why that experience affected me so deeply. The lesson I took away isn't that every dinner theater is the same.  Rather, it's that hospitality matters.  When people attend an event, they should feel welcomed, valued and included.  No one should...

While I was messing around with ChatGPT following the conclusion of the season of Jeopardy! Masters on Tuesday night, I asked how would my Jeopardy! tournament champions Melissa Eaton, Beth Work, Nick Cerroni, Derek Work, Cody Work and Peyton Columbus compare to the six players who participated in Jeopardy! Masters (Yogesh Raut, Victoria Groce, Andrew He, Paolo Pasco, Long Nguyen and Juveria Zaheer). ChatGPT told me that my six champions would make up a Mercer County All-Stars team going up against the very top tier of televised Jeopardy! champions.  It is a fascinating comparison, especially with my tournaments having a different purpose and structure. My very first champion Melissa Eaton would be compared to 2024 Masters champion Victoria Groce.  Like Melissa, who has earned one each of gold, silver and bronze in my tournaments, Victoria has done the same thing in Jeopardy! Masters. Beth Work, the winner of the Summer 2013 Tournament, would compare to Juveria Zaheer. Nick Ce...

What an end to the 2026 season in the Lawrence/Mercer County Church Softball League! Once again, the Covenant Speed/Power dominated the league and remains the league's kingpins, winning its tenth consecutive Chet Cameron Memorial Trophy.  The team only lost one game and only allowed one home run all season. Covenant's ability to prevent runs is their defining strength even against more explosive offenses.  Opponents rarely beat the Speed/Power with the long ball in a league where home runs can often change a game quickly.  It's the kind of season people who follow the Lawrence/Mercer County Church Softball League will likely remember for years, much like an undefeated or one loss championship team.  What Covenant did in preventing home runs forced teams to string together multiple hits instead of scoring with one single swing.  Covenant's defense turned a lot of hard-hit balls into outs.  In a one-loss season, Covenant was strong in reliable pitching (Eric ...

The recent reports this week out of Cromwell, Connecticut have the PGA Tour having the desire to play tournaments in major cities across the country. A Facebook page called Fried Egg Golf suggested courses in cities such as New York City, Washington DC, Denver and the like where they should go and where they'll likely end up. If the PGA Tour does a tournament in Pittsburgh, where should they go?  Simple:  Oakmont Country Club.  But where will they likely end up?  There's Sewickley Heights Golf Club, Quicksilver Golf Club, the Club at Nevillewood, Southpointe Country Club and Nemacolin Mystic Rock.   If they do a tournament in Hampton Roads, where should they go? I can only think of the River Course at Kingsmill Resort.  But where will they likely end up?  Virginia Beach National, Sleepy Hole, Greenbrier Country Club, or Bide-A-Wee.   If they do a tournament in Cleveland, where should they go? Easy.  Canterbury Golf Club.  But where ...

There has been a lot of discussion in recent years about the Class of 2020 and how many young people lost milestone experiences such as prom due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Ever since then, I have occasionally wondered whether the Shenango Valley could support a different kind of community nostalgia event - something along the lines of a cross-generational 80s/90s throwback formal night for adults. I'm not talking about a literal recreation of high school prom, but a relaxed and welcoming evening built around the fun atmosphere people remember: music from the 80s and 90s, dancing, balloons, retro decorations, prom-style photos, colorful lights, and the kind of upbeat energy that defined those eras. In many ways, it feels surprising that Mercer County has never really developed a signature event catered around that kind of nostalgia.  The area already has banquet halls, DJs, community venues, and people who clearly enjoy retro-themed gatherings and music from those decades. The ...