Back Where It All Began

My adventure almost started in the backseat of a police car barreling to Beth Israel Hospital in Boston sometime around noon. Fortunately for my mom, the police officer, and me, I held off my grand entrance until we made it to the clean birthing room. I guess I had a hankering for cleanliness right from the get go. Well, maybe not that clean when it came time to savor my first birthday cake!

Did I mention that the hospital is a Babe Ruth homerun away from Fenway Park?! It was love at first sight.

Baseball and hockey were my favorite sports during my carefree days of youth.

Bobby Orr was by far my favorite athlete and I was once lucky enough to get to see him play at Boston Garden! The greatest hockey player who ever laced them up didn't score a goal that night but what a thrill it was to hear, "Assist...number 4...Bobby Orr!"

As for the Red Sox, Yaz was number one in my book followed closely by Luis Tiant. As I get older I often find that I wake up crunched into a position quite similar to El Tiante's famed windup. I'm too old to be grounded, so I reckon I can finally confess to listening to countless Bruins and Red Sox radio broadcasts long after my bedtime.

Having grown up in the not so fashionable '70's, my fashion sense was scarred for life as the picture to the right shows. Yup, that's me at the tender age of 11 as I count the days until I enter 7th grade. Never has the beauty of the White Mountains been so compromised by plaid. I'm sure the fish bolted far away from my line. They were no doubt smart enough to know that nothing as colorful as my pants could exist in nature. Fortunately, the picture hides the rainbow striped zipper shirt that I stole from Greg Brady. As for the baseball uniform, at least it's not as ugly as the new Toronto Blue Jay uniform. This photo, which I titled, "Ode To Polyester", dates back to my days as a catcher, shortstop, and pitcher in Weymouth. I still have the glove, but, fortunately, I had to return the uniform.

I enrolled in the master's program at Boston College. Many tuition payments and countless sleepless nights later, I graduated with an M.ed in elementary education.

Teaching Time

One of the more exciting elements of middle school is the extra-curricular offerings. Over the years, I've been involved with starting the HMMS Video Team News and Video Team Yearbook with Mrs. Langmeyer and the HMMS Rock Band with Mr. Peacock.
The Video Team also produces a video yearbook that captures the highlights of the year. Click here to see the final clip of the 2007-2008 yearbook.

The annual talent show is another activity that I enjoy. Click here to see a clip from one show. Ms. Garino and I are always on the lookout for new talent! Start writing your ticket to fame today!

Introducing Jen

One beautiful backyard wedding later, the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Corey left on a honeymoon to the great Southwest.

Except for my stubborn horse that insisted on riding into trees and bushes in order to scratch the many not so splendid fleas, we had a splendid time. The helicopter ride into the Grand Canyon was a white-knuckle event, but no more than watching President Obama try to enact health care legislation. The majesty of the canyon walls was truly inspiring and humbling. We look forward to heading back someday to marvel at nature's wonders.

Lately, photography has become a hobby of Jen's and I'm proud to say she's won three ribbons including first place last year. This year's entry - a picture of brand spankin' new baby birds- will surely snag her a best in show ribbon.

We've been blessed with two amazing sons who still enjoy the Wiggles from time to time but now think iCarly is the reincarnation of Athena.

Favorite Books
Summer Reading 2010
Loved the sci-fi novel Flash Forward on which the sadly departed TV series Flash Forward was based.
I also greatly enjoyed a very strange book titled The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
I'm now reading Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon.

Summer Reading 2009

My favorite book halfway though summer 2009 is April, 1865, the gripping tale of the pivotal month in US history; a month that saw the death of Lincoln and the end of the Civil War. To follow up, I am now reading This Republic of Suffering - Death and the American Civil War by Drew Gilpin Faust.

My favorite books in 6th grade were Johnny Tremain and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. This gripping account of life in a Soviet prison camp was written by Nobel Prize author by Alexander Solzhenitsyn who passed away in 2008.

The best book I read a few summers ago was The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague In History. Roar through all 560 pages and one will know why we never lack for hand sanitizer in the Corey-Langmeyer Cluster!

The most impressive book I read the summer of 2008 was The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

Last summer, I also read Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester. I highly recommend this fascinating look at the most destructive and loudest volcano in recorded history.

Last summer, I also enjoyed Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum and I'm still eagerly awaiting the next Bourne movie.

Without a doubt, one the most entertaining children's book I read recently was Messenger by Lois Lowry. If you found that The Giver was a treat, be sure to read Messenger and The Gathering Blue by Lowry.

Noted author Christopher Golden visited HMMS three years ago and was a delightful speaker. I heartily recommend The Hollow series which deals with the monsters and mayhem behind the legend of Sleepy Hollow. My 2005-2006 reading class made a short movie based on scenes in the first novel, The Horseman.
Author Jennifer Anne Kogler vissted HMMS in the fall of 2008 to discuss her terrific book The Otherworldies. It's a funky tale of a girl who talks to her dog and battles a vampire. I smell a sequel and a movie and I eagerly await both.

Random Music Trivia

My First Five Concerts
My first concert was The Kinks at the Lowell War Memorial Auditorium in 1979. Some of the show is on a live Kinks record. If you listen closely you can hear me yell for "Celluloid Heroes". Later that year I enjoyed my first Grateful Dead concert. I didn't know many of the songs, but the beautiful anarchy of "The Other One," especially Phil's bass intro made quite an impression and sent me back for more. Early in 1980 I was lucky enough to see blues giant Muddy Waters open for Eric Clapton. Seeing both of these blues masters was just about enough to make me hang up my guitar and take up cricket. In February of 1980 the Jerry Garcia Band came to Boston's Orpheum Theater. Their wild instrumental version of "Eleanor Rigby" that was sandwiched by After Midnight was pure magic. A few months down the road Bob Dylan came to town with his all gospel tour. The songlist wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but I can still recall the utter conviction with which he sang, "I Believe In You". Concert #5 was the Grateful Dead again, but this time at historic Boston Garden. Some people may enjoy the Fleet Center, but for my money, nothing could top the energy and, of course, the grime and humidity of the Garden. From my perch in the first row of the mezzanine, I had a perfect view of the band and the PA was crankin' right in my direction. I knew a lot more of the band's songs at this show and was delighted to hear so many of them. My favorite concert of 2007 was the HMMS Rock Band show on May 15 at which the intrepid rockers played their first original, "Rock Band." In case you're wondering, "Rock Band" is now available at the iTunes store. Shop early! Shop often!

Leonard Cohen is certainly an acquired taste, and I'm happy to say I'm a convert. My wife finally realized a dream when we saw him perform at the Wang in May 2009. I was lucky enough to catch the unplugged and unwigged version of Spinal Tap in June and what a hilarious and righteously rockin' show they shared. If Tap is your cup of tea, then go to you tube as almost an entire show from Los Angeles is on line. Prepare to howl.

The best shows I saw in 2008 were Phil Lesh and Friends with Jackie Greene. Greene is a young singer-songwriter-guitarist-keyboardist with a Yoda like sense of the human condition. He also has a terrific singing voice and a knack for whimsical melodies. No recommendation can be overstated for this talented artist. There are rumors that the new lineup of Phil and Friends will record an album of new material. Keep your fingers crossed. Till then, you can download free concerts at archive.org

Favorite Bands

Top 11 Concerts I've Seen

Favorite Songs

Favorite Albums