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JON ZAL

Your front-row seat to my nervous breakdown

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We interrupt this embarrassingly prolonged silence to bring you an actual blog post

June 20, 2012 9 Comments

“Hello? … Yeah, this is him. … I have a what? … A blog? Oh, shit, that’s right.”

Ahem.

Hey, you guys! How’s it going? Me? No, I didn’t die; I’ve just been trying desperately to make the minimum monthly payments on my Mt. Everest-sized pile of debt … and since my mad website-building skillz currently pay more than my mad blogging skillz, I’ve been focusing as of late on the former endeavor … which explains why I currently am in Boston attending An Event Apart, a conference for people who build websites.

The best part about attending the conference? My employer is paying for it. The second best part about attending the conference? I got to hit last night’s Red Sox game with my Dad.

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Filed Under: Life, Private, Red Sox

In a while …

September 14, 2011 5 Comments

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In a while ...
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I’d love to tell you a good story about this photo. About how I crawled on my belly, through the weeds and the mud

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Filed Under: Featured Photo, Private

Maybe he’s just sleeping

September 23, 2010 20 Comments

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Maybe he's just sleeping'

my wife takes the kids to a fair this past Saturday while I’m home pretending I know how to do home-improvement projects (and I should probably end this story right now, because…

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Filed Under: Featured Photo, Private

Belly up

January 11, 2010 10 Comments

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Belly up

I love me a nice bar … and this one here…

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Filed Under: Featured Photo, Private

Home again, home again, jiggety jig

March 22, 2006 Leave a Comment

Embed from Getty Images

When last we spoke, I was about to depart for a supposed “secret” Beastie Boys concert. I’m making those little air-quote thingies with my fingers around the word “secret” because, when I showed up outside the venue about an hour and 15 minutes before the gate opened, the line already stretched around the block.

(If you need the visual, and feel like clicking “Next” 21 times, check out photo 22 of 59 in this photo gallery.)

Said the Austin American-Statesman newspaper:

The biggest surprise acts, such as the Beastie Boys at Stubb’s on Thursday, were swarmed by badge-danglers and wristband-wearers.

Well, kids, if being a badge-dangler is wrong, then I don’t wanna be right, for ’twas my dangling badge that got the K-I-D into that swarmed Beasties gig, whereupon my badge-dangling was surpassed only by my rump-shaking.

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Filed Under: Music, Private

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FEATURED POSTS

Van Halen (or, The Band That Ate My Life)

No, really: This job-search thing is like shooting fish in a barrel

Take Me Out to the Therapist… Take Me Out to the Shrink…

An Open Letter of Apology to President Barack Obama

Zombie Dinner Party … with your chef, Dr. Hannibal Lector

Gene Simmons on stage

Dear Gene Simmons of KISS, a.k.a. My Childhood Hero: I think there’s been a terrible misunderstanding. Either that, or you’re an overly sensitive dick.

Is it November yet?

Turns out I have a bright future ahead of me ... in a field about which I know nothing

Man, this finding-a-new-job thing is going to be easier than I thought

Hell hath no fury like white-male privilege threatened

Daddy Vader

If not for The Force, Darth Vader would have totally gotten his ass kicked, because that suit? Not very practical.

Don't miss a thing!

Sorry for yelling. Just trying to generate some excitement. Anyway ... enter your email address and you'll get a notification when I publish a new blog post. (I will never spam you.)

ABOUT ME

Jon Zal @ The Massachusetts State House, Boston

I was born in 1970, raised just outside of Boston, and now live near Philadelphia. As a child, I thought I was going to be…
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TWITTER

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jon_zal avatar; Jon Zal @jon_zal ·
8 Mar 1633596279757639680

Guys, no need to worry about rising energy costs here in Pennsylvania; Big Electric is looking out for the common folk.

I will try to not squander my new monthly windfall.

Image for the Tweet beginning: Guys, no need to worry Twitter feed image.
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jon_zal avatar; Jon Zal @jon_zal ·
10 Feb 1623836552982851586

When you impersonate Taylor Hawkins and do drumeoke with the @foofighters.

Image for the Tweet beginning: When you impersonate Taylor Hawkins Twitter feed image.
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jon_zal avatar; Jon Zal @jon_zal ·
17 Jan 1615495856526094336

53.
Cheers.

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Cheers. Twitter feed image.
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jon_zal avatar; Jon Zal @jon_zal ·
25 Dec 1607047694270484485

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays, everyone. Wherever you are, whomever you’re with, I hope you’re feeling safe, warm & loved.

Image for the Tweet beginning: Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays, Twitter feed image.
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jon_zal avatar; Jon Zal @jon_zal ·
11 Dec 1601783691688435712

The only football game I look forward to each year, and this year’s was the best I’ve ever seen. Way to go, @ArmyWP_Football!
#GoArmyBeatNavy

The only football game I look forward to each year, and this year’s was the best I’ve ever seen. Way to go, @ArmyWP_Football!
#GoArmyBeatNavy
U.S. Army @USArmy

Army Wins!

Incredible game and effort by both teams! Proud of @WestPoint_USMA's @ArmyWP_Football, and we salute the @NavalAcademy for a hard-fought game.

#ArmyNavyGame #GoArmy #BeatNavy @CBSSports @NavyFB #USArmy #GoArmyBeatNavy

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jon_zal avatar; Jon Zal @jon_zal ·
9 Dec 1601292680784277505

Can confirm. Mail in the greater-Philadelphia area continues to be a complete and utter clusterfuck ever since Trump hired DeJoy to dismantle the USPS and disrupt mail-in voting.

Can confirm. Mail in the greater-Philadelphia area continues to be a complete and utter clusterfuck ever since Trump hired DeJoy to dismantle the USPS and disrupt mail-in voting.
ChesterCtyRamblings @ChesCoRamblings

Hey @USPS @USPSHelp @OIGUSPS @USPSNewsHQ @CareersUsps @USPSbiz WTF? Why don’t you try to help your individual post offices instead of trying to destroy the Postal Service day by day? @washingtonpost @nytimes @PhillyInquirer FIRE DEJOY ! @POTUS @WhiteHouse

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jon_zal avatar; Jon Zal @jon_zal ·
9 Dec 1601200554180415489

tl;dr: “I crave attention. The 51-seat majority gave me less of what I crave, so now I’ve found a new way to get it.”

tl;dr: “I crave attention. The 51-seat majority gave me less of what I crave, so now I’ve found a new way to get it.”
Kyrsten Sinema @kyrstensinema

In a natural extension of my service since I was first elected to Congress, I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington and formally registering as an Arizona Independent. 1/3

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jon_zal avatar; Jon Zal @jon_zal ·
9 Dec 1601200554180415489

tl;dr: “I crave attention. The 51-seat majority gave me less of what I crave, so now I’ve found a new way to get it.”

tl;dr: “I crave attention. The 51-seat majority gave me less of what I crave, so now I’ve found a new way to get it.”
Kyrsten Sinema @kyrstensinema

In a natural extension of my service since I was first elected to Congress, I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington and formally registering as an Arizona Independent. 1/3

Reply on Twitter 1601200554180415489 Retweet on Twitter 1601200554180415489 22 Like on Twitter 1601200554180415489 81 Twitter 1601200554180415489

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When the @celtics & @nhlbruins both have a playoff When the @celtics & @nhlbruins both have a playoff game on the same night. 🙄 (Might put the @redsox on my iPhone after I post this.) #BostonStrong
The kind of Type-A madness that compels me to hang The kind of Type-A madness that compels me to hang 700 lights on a tree of this height and size is both a curse and a blessing. Love having this spectacle in my yard & spreading the holiday cheer. Enjoy! 🎄
We did it! The last time I ran an official 10K ra We did it!

The last time I ran an official 10K race, I was 18 and in Basic Training/Military Police School at Ft. McClellan, Alabama. Let's just say I'm a bit longer in the tooth and wider in the waist than I was then. 🥵

Proud to have legged it out with my boy yesterday to support @travismanionfoundation. Thanks to all who donated. (FYI: Donation link, which is in my IG bio, remains open through the end of the year.)

Official time: 55:28

#RunWithTheMarines
#MCM10K
The last time I visited the Marine Corps War Memor The last time I visited the Marine Corps War Memorial with my son, he was in utero. 😳 This Sunday, I’ll visit it with him again after we cross the finish line at the MCM 10K.

I’m running in honor of my late grandfather, Finn, a Marine who fought on Saipan, Tinian & Iwo Jima with the 4th Division during World War II.

My son and I are are also running to support the great work of the @travismanionfoundation. If you would be willing to help me reach my fundraising goal, I’d really appreciate it. Link to my fundraising page is in my bio. Thanks!
Took over the State House in Boston today with my Took over the State House in Boston today with my sis, @repjamiebelsito!
Insta vs Real Life: How I looked 20 minutes after Insta vs Real Life:

How I looked 20 minutes after finishing yesterday's 5K vs how I looked immediately after finishing yesterday's 5K. 🥵

Happy to have my boy home for the weekend ... except for the part where he passed me mid-run, did the Steve Rogers "On your left" thing & finished two minutes ahead of me. 😜

Him: 24:17
Me: 26:21

Glad we did it.

#911 #neverforget
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