DINGED

By Tommy Greenwald

Yes, I know we aren’t currently in football season (except for those of us who believe it is always football season), but this is such a great book I just couldn’t wait to share it with you.

Caleb Springer is a freshman quarterback who is, unbelievably, a starter on the Walthorne Wildcats varsity football team. Caleb has an innate gift – quarterbacking is instinctive to him. It’s not just his superb athleticism; those split-second decisions required of a quarterback are intuitive for Caleb. He dreams of playing in the NFL and the Super Bowl, just like his dad. Caleb has a couple of the greatest best friends ever, an amazing girlfriend and a team captain who hates his guts.

Caleb’s girlfriend, Nina, is beautiful, smart and talented. She’s into photography and plays bass in a band. Her band – Fluffy Pillow – is really good and plays local gigs to standing-room-only crowds. She knows how much Caleb loves football and how talented he is, but doesn’t really understand how someone could choose to play the game, considering the documented connection between repeated concussions and early-onset dementia. Nina cares enough about Caleb that she braves sharing her concerns with him, whether he wants to think about it or not.

Caleb’s dad is Sammy “Dinger” Springer, who was a famous NFL wide receiver. He has instilled in Caleb the belief that athletes must always behave with dignity, take responsibility when you lose, never behave like you’re better than others and never ridicule your opponent when you win. Sammy Springer is Caleb’s hero, but lately he’s been forgetful, acting odd and will escalate into a fit of rage over the tiniest things. It’s easy to explain away those instances, but lately they have begun happening much more frequently.

This was truly a wonderful book. Enjoy!

Believe it or not, when it comes to selecting a movie or TV show to watch with my husband, we occasionally achieve the impossible, we agree on something! For us, the magic of comedy binds us like superglue. We revel in the absurdity, the slapstick and the sheer silliness that brings tears of laughter streaming down our faces. And in the pantheon of comedy gold, “Dumb and Dumber” stands as an undisputed champion. One of my favorite scenes is when Harry stumbles upon an old newspaper clipping framed in a bar. And with wide-eyed wonder, he spots the headline and triumphantly declares, “We’ve landed on the moon!” It’s a moment that perfectly captures the film’s offbeat humor and reminds us of the hilarity that unfolds in every scene.

As I delved into my research for the monthly article, I chanced upon the Moonwalk cocktail not long after enjoying the movie. A smile crept across my face as I recalled that amusing quote, and instantly I knew I had discovered the perfect topic to explore in my writing, the Moonwalk cocktail!

In the summer of 1969, the world held its breath as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took their first steps on the moon. Upon their return, the astronauts embarked on a whirlwind world tour, embracing their newfound status as global icons. And as they began this extraordinary journey, a special drink awaited