We had an amazing night at Founder’s Field for Steel City FC vs. Pittsburgh Riveters. The state of women’s soccer here in Pittsburgh is strong! It was a great game — these ladies played with such intensity — and Adeline got the chance to see the action up close as a ball girl.
Letting go is often harder than hanging on. It’s natural to grasp tightly to the people we love, but releasing the hold at times is also natural. It’s hard to understand that sometimes. Letting go requires trust & belief that the love we’ve given over time will endure across any distance.
One chapter closes, another one opens. Proud dad over here.
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
My son is having a birthday and graduating from high school in the span of five days, so Jilly and I thought we’d do something special and get him a joint gift to celebrate both occasions. He’s very much interested in photojournalism and will be entering university in the fall to study communications. We thought a nice DSLR camera would be a the perfect gift.
I don’t know much about cameras or lenses, so I asked Claude for some help. My initial prompt:
I want to buy my son a DSLR camera for his birthday/graduation. You are an expert in photography and photography equipment. Could you help me select the right camera, lenses and bag? I’d like to spend about $X total.
Claude and I then chatted about my son’s photographic interests, his current level of expertise, and several of my purchase preferences/requirements. The output of this conversation was a tight list of three potential camera bodies w/ corresponding lens pairings.
I then asked Claude to find the best deals for two of the options and it returned the top three online retailers for both based on price, service and customer reviews.
After validating some pricing details, I made the purchase. In total, I estimate this approach saved me several hours of research and analysis paralysis, which I am known for when making purchases like this.
The camera kit arrived two days later, we gave it to him on his birthday and he used it for the first time last night to cover his school’s WPIAL title baseball game.
Note: This post is part of an ongoing series called How I Used AI Today, inspired by friend and former colleague Beck Tench who does something similar over on LinkedIn. I’m starting to believe the thinking and narrative around generative AI is becoming too binary. The intent of this series is to keep me publicly honest and intellectually responsible with my use of this emerging technology.
We had a boutonniere issue that required a few moms to address, but they got it figured out and the couple looked sharp for Prom 2025.
Sunday, May 11, 2025
We had a wonderful day honoring and celebrating Jilly. First, we made our way to the South Side to check out the Neighborhood Flea. There were tons of vendors and people out and about, largely due to the splendid weather. I scored some artisanal Ginger Beer and the Jilly scored some prints from a local artist.
Next, we took a ride on The Gateway Clipper. We’ve been living in Pittsburgh for 25 years and have never done it. It was fun, and again, the weather was absolutely perfect. As we were deboarding, we even saw a beaver on the river bank. All the years I’ve been running through the woods, I have never crossed paths with a beaver. But the first time I take an urban cruise, there he is. Super cool.
We closed the day with a fabulous meal at Nicky’s Thai Kitchen. Pineapple Fried Rice for me, Pad See Ew for Jilly and Thai Fried Rice for the kids.
Happy Mother’s Day Jilly! We love you.
It was a rainy morning for soccer, but Steel City FC played hard and tough to a 0-0 draw with Pittsburgh FC. Addie had a couple shots on goal but couldn’t get one to drop in.
We’re headed into Marathon Weekend here in Pittsburgh. I’m not running this year, but I’m thinking about my experience running it in 2023 and how it is my most memorable running experience to date. Good luck to everyone lacing up and toeing the line on Sunday. The hay is in the barn…go get it!
Going on 6 hours without power. Lots of trees and lines down in the neighborhood.
We are making lemonade.
Once the storms passed, we grilled out and played cards. School is already delayed for the kids, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re still without power come sunrise.
UPDATE: 4/30/25 7:00 AM We are still without power. Schools are closed. I went for a run earlier and there are still many roads closed due to wires and trees down.
UPDATE: 5/1/25 10:00AM Power is back for us, although schools are still closed today and many of our neighbors are still without electricity.
Quick day trip with the family to State College yesterday. We stopped by the Blue and White game at Beaver Stadium after Adeline’s morning soccer game and spent some time cruising around campus so Elliott has a lay of the land when he lands there this fall. Also: ice cream from the creamery!!
Elliott is nearing HS graduation and preparing to head off to college, so I feel like it’s important that he leave home with some cultural prerequisites. Lately we’ve been binging 1990s cinema together.
Last week we watched The Big Lebowski and The Usual Suspects, and last night it was Fight Club.
I just learned that Perfume Genius is playing in nearby Cleveland on Father’s Day. You’re damn right I’m playing that card and packing up the whole family for a roadtrip to the show.
Apologies to other uncles out there, but apparently I am the GOAT.
Let’s Go Pens!
Awesome day on the slopes with Elliott. High 20s. Bluebird skies.
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
My father would have turned 73 years old today. In July it will be 15 years since we lost him. Since then, I don’t think there has been a day that I haven’t thought about him.
Like many dads out there, he was one-of-a-kind. I can’t help but see parts of him reflected in the man I’ve become. Some things are obvious. The receding hairline and similar smile are easy to see. Other traits – the more important ones – I hope are evident to those people in my life that mean the most.
The term ‘lifehacker’ gets used a lot these days, but I think my dad hacked life long before that term existed. Whether it was dabbing our Space Derby rocket with a bit of liquid silicon so it was the fastest on the track or being able to talk himself out of any tricky situation, he was able to figure out angles on things and exploit situations in creative, non-malicious ways.
From my earliest memories, my dad was always my biggest supporter. We didn’t have a lot of money, but he did what he could to foster creativity and encourage me to pursue my passions. Early on for me, that was music.
He gifted me a secondhand guitar at the age of 8, which set off a lifetime of interest. I played that first Alvarez acoustic until my fingers were raw. Day and night, shredding in my room. My dad would come in and he’d just want to listen to me practice. I remember my first guitar instructor giving me a lesson that included an intricate waltz designed to improve the technique of my picking hand. It was called Sailor Dance. My dad loved that song for some reason and would regularly ask me to play it for him, even into my twenties.
I started my first band at 14 and booked my first gig shortly after. Scarlett O’hara’s in Bethlehem, PA. One of those pay-to-play joints where you needed to sell a bunch of tickets in order to get on the bill. A real hell hole. We sold our quota and got a slot on a Saturday night. Being underage and without a driver’s license, my dad offered to serve as van driver and roadie that night. Anything to get me on stage. He helped carry amps and stood in the back as we played a fine selection of Sex Pistols and Pantera covers. I still remember the wide-eyed smile on his face, even as the skinheads in attendance heckled us.
On the way home, we talked about perseverance in the face of obstacles and holding strong to artistic integrity, even when it’s not the most popular thing to do. He had a great way of connecting life back to learning opportunities. I hope that part of him is in me and I can do that for my kids too.
His level of enthusiasm was not entirely fault-free. One Xmas shortly after that first gig, one of the gifts under the tree for me was a frilly pirate shirt. Like the one from the Seinfeld episode. My dad thought I’d look good wearing it on stage. It was a very Fleetwood Mac vibe. I smiled and thanked him, never letting on that by then I was trying to look more like Kurt Cobain than Lindsay Buckingham.
I never did wear that shirt on stage.
I’m not sure why I’m writing this. Is it an act of remembrance? A subconscious documenting of the fact that I still miss him? A public, fleeting hope that I’ve become a fraction of the father he was? Probably yes to all of that. Maybe though, it’s nothing more than a simple birthday card sent into the ether where memory meets reality. Happy Birthday, Dad.
Achievement unlocked. I handed down a domain I bought decades ago to my son today and he will be using it for his portfolio site. Super cool to see the next generation of the surname URL taking shape! Will drop a link when it’s published.
Some white knuckle driving through snow and ice today, but we made it to Penn State’s admitted students day and toured the new digs. We also serendipitously got to see PSU lacrosse take on Princeton. Super cool to be on the sideline for the game (it was moved indoors due to weather).
Thursday, February 13, 2025
I’m posting today with some exciting family news: my son Elliott has been accepted to the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State University where he’ll study journalism starting in the Fall of 2025.
The timing of his entrance into the field of journalism and media couldn’t be more important. We’re living at a time when the very nature of information sharing is being reshaped by technology, economics and politics. That change is coming from all angles. While traditional newsrooms and media outlets are facing unprecedented challenges, the need for skilled, ethical journalists who dedicate themselves to telling the truth has never been more vital to society.
As Elliott gets ready to join the class of ‘29 at Bellisario, I’m thinking a lot about the journalists who helped shape our understanding of the world and how he might join their ranks - from Woodward & Bernstein, to the emergence of cable news networks in the ’90s, to the more recent work of born-digital outlets like 404 Media that are reinventing the industry through revolutionary journalistic operating models. Each of these examples require skilled journalists willing to dig deeper, ask tough questions, innovate in the face of obstacles, and be brave when telling truth to power.
The challenges facing modern journalists are daunting and real. Misinformation. Media silos. AI slop. Economic and political pressures. It’s going to be hard, but seeing Elliott’s passion for this field gives me hope and fills me with pride. I’ve always tried to leverage a mindset where challenges present opportunities, and I hope I’ve instilled that in him. His generation understands intuitively how digital information flows, and it’s exciting to me that a new guard will be equipped with tools, instincts and ingenuity to flip these current challenges into opportunities that will benefit society.
To all the current and future journalists out there: keep asking questions, keep digging for truth, and keep telling the stories that need to be told. The world needs the next generation of journalists and I’m so proud Elliott will be among them.
Rolling up to the party with some Philly Cheesesteak Sliders. Go Birds!
Daddy / Daughter bouldering date! This might become our new Friday night routine.
I suppose now is as good a time as any to let y’all know that he committed to Penn State. University Park next fall. Class of ‘29. #WeAre
The son and I are roadtripping to #Indianapolis today for the BIG10 championship game between Penn State & Oregon. Looking for a good spot for a pre-game dinner. I hear pork chops may be a thing in Indy? Recommendations welcome! #WeAre
Krampus nacht in Pittsburgh!
The 2024 Inscho family X-mas tree has been secured. It was very cold, but we got a nice one. We’ll decorate tomorrow.
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 →
IYKYK 🤙
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 →
Jilly and I have a tradition of taking off the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and grabbing a boozey brunch at our local watering hole (that flips their decor to full-on Xmas overnight), before heading home and preparing the house for hosting 20 guests for Turkey day. Cheers!
I got some amazing news yesterday. It’s not my news to share, so I can’t post details here, but it is a great reminder that sometimes the universe smiles on you. It’s hard to see sometimes, but there is still good in this world. Positivity never goes out of style. Actively choose to radiate it!
Let’s go Pitt!
I’ve been with my with my wife for 28 years today. It feels like forever and mere moments, simultaneously. That’s the sign of a great relationship I think. Here’s to 28 more.