And We're Back...

I think it was Shakespeare who wrote, "the nature of bad news infects the teller" and that is certainly apt in my case. The amount of bad news that has befallen me since my last appearance here is difficult to believe - and even harder to explain. As my time away grew longer and longer, I felt the need to offer a more in-depth explanation for my absence before resuming my rants and ridicule. Unfortunately, this led me to put off composing this post until I had more time to devote to it, which in turn led to more time away. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Fortunately, in a moment of serendipity, I came across a long-forgotten passage by Robert Frost:

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.

Which is when I knew I needed to return to this space - not for the three or four people who used to read it, but for me. Humor may be a rubber sword for some, but it is my shield. And in that spirit, I hope you will indulge me as I recap some of the lowlights from the past few months before I add posts more in line with this blog's original purpose - whatever that is.

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John Marzano Dies at 45 (April)



Nothing I could write about John Marzano could possibly capture or adequately communicate the joy I felt when I listened to him talk about baseball and the Philadelphia Phillies. Sure, we agreed on many things (in my notes from his last appearance on Daily News Live was the comment "preaching to the choir"), but that wasn't the only reason he held a special place in my heart. It seemed like every morning Johnny Marz put life in a full-nelson and squeezed as much joy as he could out of every minute of the day. And if he couldn't make you smile, then you had bigger problems than Philadelphia sports.

Case in point was his last appearance on DNL on April 17, 2008, being broadcast live from the Wachovia Center as Flyers fans were filing in for game four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Washington Capitals. Even though he was there to discuss the Philllies, after nearly every comment, he would turn to the crowd and yell, "Let's go Flyers!" causing them to erupt. After only a few of these, the background noise rose to a level where it threatened to drown out the broadcast, prompting this exchange:

Marzano: I love these guys! These are my boys from Philly!!

[panel laughter]

Marzano (to crowd): Johnny Marz says Flyers in five!!!

[crowd roars]

Michael Barkann (jokingly): You have lost your mind.

Marzano [laughing]: We're having a ball. That's what it's all about.

That night the Flyers won the game 4-3 in overtime (and eventually the series in seven games). Two days later, Johnny Marz was dead.

The day before, I turned 40. The day after, I was at Citizen's Bank Park for the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball game against the New York Mets. After a few adult beverages, I couldn't stop randomly shouting "Johnny Marz!" every so often. As best as I can remember, someone echoed the call each and every time. Whether it was the pain of the loss, the sudden sense of my own mortality given our proximity in age, my choice of refreshment, or a combination of all three, when the entire stadium fell quiet for a moment of silence in his memory, I began to cry.

If you spend any time exploring what Major League Baseball makes available here about Johnny Marz, then you will too.

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Mrs. tmmullen Cleans Out Her Office (June)



Did you ever spend all morning building a sand castle on the beach only to have a sibling come along and knock it over? That's kind of what happened to my wife. After more than 15 years with the same organization, during which she nearly single-handedly built the department that she would ultimately supervise, her employer decided to, well, let's say, "restructure" and, in doing so, eliminated her department. By the end of the month, she was unemployed.

I tried to cheer her up by quoting Mother Theresa, "What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway." She tried to kick me in the nether regions. I guess it was too soon for the philosophical introspection of a 40-year-old dad who a few weeks earlier faced his own mortality. That's the bad news. The good news is that she's doing much better now and considering starting her own agency. I've never been prouder.

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Scandal at TerMime-X (July)



Twelve current and former TerMime-X executives, including my supervisor, were indicted by an investigative grand jury for a variety of offenses. When we heard the extensive details of the alleged illegal activities, mrs. tmmullen said, "So much of the last five years makes sense now." I agreed. Plus, in the interest of full disclosure, while I was served with a subpoena and ultimately testified before said grand jury, to the best of my knowledge and recollection, I did not break any laws. And that's all I have to say about that.

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It occurs to me now that I have yet to apologize for abandoning this space - so, for that, I am sincerely sorry. Given the gravity of these events, I am confident you will forgive me for losing my way the last few months. Still, some good things happened too. Mrs. tmmullen and I took Paige to the Wildwood boardwalk for the first time. We celebrated her fourth birthday with a big pool/beach party in our backyard. My brother and his wife had a baby boy.

Life goes on.

And so will this blog.

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