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JON ZAL

Your front-row seat to my nervous breakdown

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I’m back … and I’m ready to handle it up!

December 14, 2012 26 Comments

While recently looking at my blog’s incoming-traffic data, I discovered that someone had arrived here through a translation link … which, when clicked on, led me to the Spanish version of my website shown above.

Ever since then, I’ve been wearing a mariachi costume, downing tequila shots and spontaneously shouting “¡Arriba!” at all hours of the day and night. So, you know, same as always. The big difference, however, is that I now am insisting that everyone refer to me as Papà Arañazos. Por favor.

Gracias.

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Filed Under: Inspiration, Life, Writing

Protected: Jayna: 7 years

December 13, 2012 6 Comments

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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Filed Under: Jayna, Jayna's Birthday Letters, Private

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

Guys, you will never guess who I went to see in concert on Monday night … unless, you know, you’ve read this blog before or been in my company for more than 30 seconds.

March 28, 2012 9 Comments

Click the partial image below to view this Featured Photo.
Guys, you will never guess who I went to see in concert on Monday night ... unless, you know, you've read this blog before or been in my company for more than 30 seconds.
Click the partial image above to view the rest of the photo.

Good news for those of you who are sick of my little obsession: I’m pretty sure Monday was the last time I’ll be

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Filed Under: Featured Photo Tagged With: Van Halen

Lay down your weary head, my son, and I will lull you to sleep with … a violent tale of death and dismemberment …?

March 19, 2012 34 Comments

Zan is almost nine now, and one of the great things about having an almost-9-year-old son is that the list of things I can do with him that I actually enjoy rather than endure has grown considerably since back in the days when he was a wee little tyke.

For example: Remember “Brown Bear” and “Goodnight Moon” and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “Miss Spider” and “Dear Sweet Christ, My Brain Is Melting From The Monotony of Reading and Re-Reading The Same Boring Shit Over and Over and Over”? Yeah, me too. Thankfully, we have graduated to less lobotomy-inducing fare, such as the “Hardy Boys” mysteries (granted, still awful … but I only have to read them once) …. and, more recently, “Harry Potter.”

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Filed Under: Parenthood, Zan

It’s been, like, at least five minutes since I mentioned Van Halen, right?

March 8, 2012 12 Comments

Click the partial image below to view this Featured Photo.
It's been, like, at least five minutes since I mentioned Van Halen, right?
Click the partial image above to view the rest of the photo.

I know what you’re thinking; you’re thinking, “Thank GOD he’s FINALLY writing about VAN HALEN again! It’s been WAY. TOO. LONG!”

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Filed Under: Featured Photo Tagged With: Van Halen

Live Review: Van Halen in Philadelphia

March 6, 2012 Leave a Comment

Photo by Jon Zal

Originally published on March 6, 2012 at SoundSpike.com

Only a complete a fool would expect the 56-year-old version of Edward Van Halen to play with the same kind of turbo-charged fury and mind-blowing complexity that knocked the rock world on its collective ass more than three decades ago. And yet, that is exactly what the guitar legend did in Philadelphia Monday night (3/5).

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Filed Under: Music, Portfolio, SoundSpike Tagged With: Live Review, SoundSpike, Van Halen

Just take the fucking medicine! A nursery rhyme.

February 1, 2012 43 Comments

Medicine
I know it tastes disgusting.
I know you don’t like it.
But look into my eyes; you’ll see
that I don’t give a shit.

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Filed Under: Parenthood Tagged With: Greatest Hits

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FEATURED POSTS

There must be a reckoning

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

An Open Letter of Apology to President Barack Obama

Is it November yet?

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.

Daddy Vader

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

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

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

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

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

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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Recent Comments

  • JON ZAL on 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.Thanks, Linda!
  • Linda Sutton (@LindaSu93798924) on 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.I really enjoyed that as well Jon. Very well written and extremely witty. I think I ( who doesn't really...
  • Shirley Maestas on There must be a reckoningAfter several years away from my blog I decided to check it out along with some that I used to...
  • Jon Zal on We did itThanks for the continued support, Robert. Always appreciate it! (And, yeah, meeting John Lewis will always remain an incredible memory,...
  • RUTH FEIERTAG on There must be a reckoningJon, I could not agree more. You point to two of the most dangerous aspects of the last four years:...
  • Jon Zal on We did itAgreed, Geoffrey. The Georgia win is huge. I didn't even let myself hope we'd get both seats. An unbelievably welcome...
  • Jon Zal on We did itI feel your pain, Christinne! Glad you found me. Thanks for writing! -JZ
  • Jon Zal on We did itHi, Ruth. Both the kiddos are very happy about the election outcomes, and horrified by what happened Wednesday. I share...
  • robertleepotter500 on We did itI so love that picture of you with Congressman John Lewis. What a lifetime memory! You are putting your words...
  • christinne on We did itI'm a newbie... So glad I found you!! Can't wait to read more but this has been/is the worst day...

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