On Finding Your Next “Thing”

Having a “thing” is great. It’s probably one of my favorite parts of being a sentient being. But what is a “thing”? Well it’s kind of like a hobby, but it can be much broader, much vaguer than just a hobby. It’s something that you’re thinking about during the middle of a work day. Something you’re excited to do, or watch, or just think about more over the weekend! One of the beautiful things about…

Ratzo and the Mutt

The tubercular character created in 1969s “Midnight Cowboy,” Ratzo Rizzo was as repulsive as he was unforgettable: a hacking, limping, confused miscreant struggling to survive amid a jungle of cement, conmen, and car horns.      In 60-Truck, an FDNY firefighter named Jack Rizzi was well groomed, mannerly, and so honest that you could play craps with him over the phone.  Because these two men were total opposites, the brothers Christened Jack Rizzi, “Ratzo Rizzi.”   The…