The 'Miracle' Of Christmas In Baltimore

Welcome to the holiday season in my neighborhood! This is 34th Street in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore.

It's called the "Miracle on 34th Street" and it's an amazing all-street display, and my family is fortunate to live just one block over.

Although this wonderland is focused on 34th Street, in truth it spills over across the entire neighborhood.

The display draws people from faraway who want to see it. We have limosines that cruise around filled with light-peepers and all of this excitement draws street vendors selling kids holiday blinky-lights and cotton candy. Living in the midst of all of this, we are so lucky to live in a place with so much spirit. Living here, it's impossible not to be really festive this time of year.

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5 Things You Don't Know About Me

Editor's Note: Readers know this is not a personal-oriented blog. However, I was "tagged" for an Internet blog game called "5 Things You Don't Know About Me" by fellow blogger Paula Mooney.

Who am I to not go along, so here it is ...

1. I have a wonderful family here in Baltimore ... my beautiful wife Lisa, my age six-going-on-16 daughter Anna and stepson Steven. (Oh, and our Boston terrier Charlie and our bird, Sir Chirps.) We live in the Hampden neighborhood in a house that's 126 years old (and decades ago it was a funeral home).

2. I am a Buddhist. Several years ago I came to the Dharma and took Refuge within the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Practicing the Dharma today is very important to me and is part of nearly every aspect of my life. I am a student of Shamar Rinpoche. Living in Baltimore, I meditate and practice the Dharma at the Baltimore Shambhala center. Through meditation and the Dharma, I slowly come closer to the nature of mind and basic goodness.

3. I went to college at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., where there were no grades, tests or fraternities. Hampshire operates as an alternative, experimenting institution. It's very self-directed. No babysitting of students. You either succeed or you're gone. It was a great experience.

4. I used to write entertainment books. I wrote books on vampire movies, the rock group ZZ Top, the TV series Deep Space Nine and ... I cringe to admit it, but yes, the pop group New Kids on the Block.

5. I've loved being a newspaper reporter. You get to meet a lot of interesting people and see things most people, well, only ever get to read about. For instance, about 10 years ago I got called to a Hindu temple in surburban Maryland about a sacred statue that was drinking milk. Apparently, other Ganesh statues worldwide were also drinking milk. You don't see that everyday.


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