Floating in the dark

There was a moment that the water beneath me and the darkness above me became one thing. And then all of a sudden I was that same thing too. 

I know that sounds weird. But it is the truth. I probably should back up a bit. A few weeks ago, my cousin, Paulie posted something on Facebook about floating in a sensory deprivation tank. Out on Long Island. And I was intrigued. So I looked up  The Float Place and made a reservation to float in one of the pools. The Float Place has three rooms, two with float pools and one with a floating tank. I opted for the pool because it was slightly larger.

When I arrived at the facility, I was given a tour and orientation by one of the staff members. The place and the guy were both very chill. He brought me into the room where I would be doing my float and walked me through the entire process. Then showed me where people go after the float, to the tea room to have some tea or water just to get yourself back to normal after the float and before you jump in your car.

So after the tour, I got myself ready. I switched off my phone, which was relaxing in itself. 90 minutes or so of total radio silence. I took a quick rinsing shower and stepped into what sort of looked like an industrial freezer, but filled with Epsom salt infused warm water. I sat in the water and closed door. Like my guide had mentioned the salt level of the water would make the floating just happen and my feet were trying to rise up from the floor of the pool, It was about a foot deep. The two float rooms are filled with 300 gallons of water with 1400 pounds of Epsom Salt dissolved in it. I laid down and my body rose up from the water I was half submerged. I turned off the light from the inside. It was super dark, and then a few minutes later the lights from the staging area went out as well and I was in total blackness. There was no sound, it was like space.

The Float Place which has been in business since 2015, boasts two of the largest float rooms on the East coast.

While you are submerged everything that you are stressing about floats away. Anxieties drift off into the ether. I'm not sure if I was drifting in the ether as well. That was unclear. During your time you become both aware and unaware of your body at the same time. It was like you were just your mind. I tried to sleep, but I just couldn't. I was relaxed but just not tired enough to sleep. Perhaps I realized that I was in the water and my natural survival instincts didn't allow me to sleep. Though a lot of people according to the staff are able to sleep while floating and they say that an hour asleep in the tank is the equivalent to three hours of REM sleep.   Then from seemingly underneath you some soothing music comes on, that is you signal that your time is up. But they were very cool about saying take your time, and that the music wasn't an alarm clock. It took me a few minutes to find the light, and I stretched a little, some of my muscles were a little cramped from lying still for 90 minutes. I got out and cleaned off the salt from my body.

I unwound in the tea room and headed home. I had a smile on my face and was ready to take on whatever was ahead of me with a clear mind. And like the guy who worked there said I slept great that night.

The Float Place has two locations on Long Island, one in Deer Park and another in Patchogue. Taking a float or two is well worth the money, for the peace of mind you get and for the escape from everything.

Disclaimer: The Float Place provided me with a complimentary float to be used for writing this post. But as always all opinions are mine. -NV

Tabletop Tuesday- Build or Boom

We could hear the snow being whipped around tapping on our windows and skylight. The wind howled like a wolf. Looking outside the snow was piling up faster than it could be shoveled. Well, at least faster than I could shovel it. There was no use to shovel at this point anyway, as meteorologists forecasted for several more hours of heavy snow. 

With homework and studying done, and not wanting the kids to be little vegetables in front of the TV or iPad for what would turn out to be a four day weekend, we needed a plan. I had an ace up my sleeve. I brought the kids to the dining room table and took out a copy of Proto.Toys new game Build or Boom. From the get go the kids were very much on board. 

Build or Boom, is a building game where two players race against each other to build increasingly more complicated structures. And whomever finishes there building first can slam on a dynamite shaped plunger which blows up their opponent’s structure. I separated the game pieces into two identical piles and placed the first card on the holder and my kids went at it. At first it was difficult to place the pieces, a combination of adrenaline, anticipation and very smooth plastic makes it tough for anyone other than nerves of steel. But after a few moments everyone got the hang of it. My eight year old daughter, a whiz at building things, easily completed her structure and before she was able to blow up her 6 year old brother’s building he blew hers up. Was he finished? No. Did and argument ensue. Yes. Did a timeout happen? Yes.

So after I shoveled our stairs and walk way and the kids played in the snow for a while, we tried Build or Boom round two. This time it was a bit more civilized. The kids went through a lot of the stack of cards, some were very tricky and I couldn't even get them to stay in place. Throughout the weekend the kids would play a bunch more times, and there isn't a better sound than hearing some silence, followed by the sound of plastic pieces hitting a table and joyous giggles and coming from the other room.

The game is beautifully designed from the packaging to the play pieces themselves. It is for kids 4 and up, but I don’t think that a four year old would be able to build some of the structures that are on the cards. But I am sure they would like the BOOM portion of the game. 

Build or Boom is available from Proto.Toys’ website and costs $29.95. If the 30 cards it comes with are not enough there is now a 25 card expansion set also available. 

NOTE: Proto.Toys supplied us with a copy of the game to facilitate the review but all opinions are my own.

Spending the day with my little guy and the stars of MONSTER JAM

For the last few months my son has been acting up. Is it being nearly 7? Maybe. Is it dealing with me who is grumpy and tired all the time from my night job. Maybe. Combo of the two yes.

I know I get mad, frustrated and have a really hard time hiding that. And it has really affected the little guy, in a different way than my daughter. When she gets upset she lets it out. The little guy holds it in and then explodes. He is stubborn, impatient and doesn't want to give an inch. I'm glad he got some of my great traits.

A few weeks ago my wife texts me saying how nice and helpful the little guy has been recently. And asks if I have been doing anything differently. I told her I was being more patient with him. He is going to do things I don't like, but I stopped making a federal case about it. And it worked.

Along came an awesome opportunity for us, where we were given great seats to view Monster Jam. My son grew interested in seeing Monster Jam after seeing some pictures my brother posted with him and his son at a show near them. He was so excited.

I knew that we would be able to bond even more in what turned out to be a long long day at Monster Jam. We packed up our essentials, including some noise muffling earphones for him and some ear plugs for me. A change of clothes and rain gear since it was pouring as we left.


We arrived at Met Life Stadium soon before the gates were opening. And as if the Gods of Monster Trucks were revving their engines as they looked down on us, the skies began to clear. A light drizzle replaced the deluge. Having a few hours before our first planned activity, we went to the Pit Party.

All of the Monster Trucks that would be performing in that evening's show were out there with their drivers. You could take pictures and get autographs. We saw some dirt bike racers jumping over very very wet ramps. It was a celebration of everything Monster Jam. Took some pictures of some of the trucks including the world famous Grave Digger.

There were modified monster truck hayrides going on in the back of the pit party but the long line discouraged us from trying that out. The little guy did race around on a mini ride-on version of Grave Digger.


We ventured inside the stadium to get an up close look at the track. Unfortunately, the earlier bad weather made walking the track impossible but we met up with the course designer and I learned a lot of neat facts. The track takes about a week to construct, and a day to take down. There are other crews prepping events across the globe, the next night they would be in Madrid. The crew at MetLife Stadium would then be heading down to Nashville. My son was amazed at how big the stadium was and that it could 83,000 people in it.

They escorted us up to see some of the new toys and other products that are in stores now and will be in the next few months. I was blown away by the depth of their line. Everything from $5 mini trucks to a nearly $400 ride on Grave Digger with lights sound and steel suspension. Beyond actual truck toys, they have sneakers, home wares, video games, and glasses. Monster Jam is a multibillion dollar business. It's not just amazing trucks and their drivers doing amazing things.

Soon it was time for the show. The little guy and the other children we were sitting with were going nuts as the mini trucks (they were full sized just not Monster sized) raced around the track. This was the opening act. It sounded like a smarm of a million bees buzzing through the curves of the home of the New York football Giants and New York Jets.

Then a countdown appeared on MetLife’s giant screens. Then crashing through a wall came the stars of the show. These larger than life trucks came roaring out into the dirt track. They all took their spots and paired off on a single elimination racing tournament. The big star was a truck named Max-D.

Max-D looks exactly what a monster truck would look like if you asked an 8-year-old boy to draw one. Shiny and loud with spikes all over. Kind of like a four-wheeled personification of Judas Priest era Rob Halford.

Full disclosure we were in a luxury box, and as I always say if you have the opportunity to watch and event from one, by all means, do. So there was an inside room and seats outside. My son and the other kids were running all around. Did I scold him when marinara sauce got everywhere? No. It wasn't a big deal. The kids had kind of cleaned it up. Did he stay in his seat? No. But also no biggie. He was having fun. I was having fun. And we were watching something pretty cool.

Max-D and the others competed in three separate competitions, in the aforementioned race. The Two-Wheel Challenge, where the trucks had to do stunts on two wheels. Lots of wheelies, and donuts. The fans voted for the winner through an app. Then finally the main event, the Freestyle.

Freestyle is what everyone pictures when they think about Monster trucks. One on one they battled the course. Leaping over the ramps, seemingly defy all of nature's laws by flying through the night. Crushing some late model cars that were used as props, and for many of the cars doing front and back flips. The trucks used a special steeper ramp for their flips. As the zoomed over it fireworks would shoot out, as if a 10,000-pound vehicle safely flipping 30 feet above the field of a football stadium wasn't amazing enough. Max-D made his flip and landed on his roof, the crowd gasped momentarily as he revved his engines and somehow willed himself back onto his wheels on route to a victory lap. The little guy was beside himself as the competition continued.

The competition ended with Son-uva Digger (an offshoot of the Grave Digger team), who had already lost the roof of his car while jumping through the main portion of the track flipping and crashing on top of the firework launching area. The driver was ok. And though battered all the trucks would be headed for some repairs on their way to the next stop on the tour.

We soon headed back home. Thanks to the ear protection, our ears were not ringing and we talked about how cool and fun our long day at Monster Jam was.

The evening ended with us searching the mid-sixties along 1st avenue for some iced tea. It was nearly 11pm but that was ok. You'd be surprised how hard it is to find Brisk iced tea in that part of town.


Disclosure: We received complimentary passes to this event but all opinions as always are mine alone.

Bonding over muddy boots and hot coffee

“When is this coffee going to be ready?” A slim man who kind of looks like a shaggier Tom Skerritt, paces around a damp picnic table at Camp Alpine. He is wearing the same beat up Jets t-shirt and gray sweat pants he always wore on those Sunday mornings as we prepared to break camp. Soon he would take the blue enamel coffee pot off of the propane burner and pour himself what would be the first of many cups of coffee he would drink that morning.

My old scoutmaster Lee wasn't tired, he just loved the taste of a hot cup of coffee on a cool fall morning. Or a frigid cold winter morning. You get the drift. To him it was part of the camp experience. And for me it was a rite of passage. At home my mother was, and is, an enthusiastic coffee drinker. But I never wanted to drink coffee at home. But I could picture myself, standing around in muddy boots with the men enjoying a cup of coffee with the crackle of last night’s fire still audible.

We had a rule back then, and still do now, that only adults are allowed to drink coffee on Troop outings.

Soon after my eighteenth birthday, our troop was at the annual Trailblazer District Wint-o-Ree. It was cold with a little bit of snow on the ground. I was, and am, an early riser at camp. When I woke up, Lee was already awake making his morning coffee. He told me to grab a camp cup. He poured me some coffee. He had milk and sugar on hand, because he drank his coffee regular, and apparently so did I. Now, that I use higher quality coffee like Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend, as opposed to whatever we had left over from the pancake breakfast, I skip the sugar so I can enjoy the smooth yet bold taste.

Without the distraction of the boys and the day's competition. We talked about a lot of things. What he expected of me as an Assistant Scoutmaster. That morning I got so many words of wisdom that #shouldbeonacoffeemug probably enough to fill an entire kitchen cabinet with coffee mugs. And then we just shot the breeze, until he made a loud proclamation that the entire cabin could hear, about when was breakfast going to start. After that day, when a future marine would be dragged underneath a sledge that was being pulled by his fellow scouts as he yelled at them not to stop till they passed the finish line, my morning cups of coffee were just part of camping. I wasn't getting words of wisdom on how to be an adult scouter.

As the years went by and I rose in the ranks of our troop’s hierarchy, I remember many times sitting by the fire talking to a newly minted Assistant Scoutmaster and passing along my “wisdom” over a cup of coffee. For some it went in one ear out the other. Others took it to heart. It was in those moments that scout leaders become friends. No longer kid and adult, but two adults talking as equals. Just I like I was that morning with Lee.

Flash forward a few years, and I am that Scoutmaster impatiently waiting for a pot of Folgers Coffeehouse Blend to percolate in that same coffee pot, as the scouts slept, in their tents, leantos or in the cabin. Coffee at camp was never about getting a buzz or cstaying awake, it was about savoring the flavors and the moments. Those quiet moments when you can hear a woodpecker in the distance, or see a few deer walk by, you look at them, and they look at you.

These were the times that camping is perfect, and despite being a few minutes away from “civilization” you can be one with nature. You, your thoughts, and a steamy cup of coffee in your mug.

For more information and ideas on ways to enjoy Folgers Coffeehouse Blend be sure to follow Folgers on Twitter and like them on Facebook


This is a sponsored post on behalf of J. M. Smucker Company. I received compensation for this post; however, all opinions stated are my own.

Putting a New USB Charger into my Home with the DIYZ® app

Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with the DIYZ® app. All opinions of apps and companies that help me complete DIY projects are my own.

If you are like me and my family, your home is filled with all sorts of gadgets, tablets, phones, speakers and portable video game systems (just to a name a few.) And all those gadgets need a place to charge. But, there are only so many ports on the cable box and I know I can never find enough charging cubes. So with the help of the DIYZ app, I did something about it.

My plan was to install a new electrical outlet that has two USB ports, which would add to our capabilities to keep all of our devices charged. I read the step-by-step instructions, watched the video several times, picked up my supplies, drank a large caffeinated beverage and was ready to go. Confession time; I am not handy. Not handy at all. Doing repairs around the house gives me anxiety. I worry I will mess things up beyond my own abilities and then I have to make a call to a friend, or worse, a professional. Also, working with electricity scares me. I could burn down my house or electrocute myself, or both! These options seemed pretty likely, but I liked the idea of charging my iPhone from an outlet in the wall, so I gave it my best shot.

I went into the basement and flipped off the circuit that corresponded with where I was going to do the install. Since all the lights were out, I used a battery powered lantern to show me the way. The step-by-step instructions were spot on, until I came to an instruction that looked nothing like my project. There weren't three wires and the outlet fixture wouldn't come out. I decided to use the video-chat feature and speak with one of the DIYZ Pro Advisors. He was super honest with me and suggested I use another outlet, since from how I described it, the outlet fixture was very old and may be difficult to remove. The last thing I wanted was difficult. So I cleaned up my work area and moved on to a spot with much better light and went to work. Once again, I cut the circuit and used the voltage tester. This was much better.

Sweat was rolling down my brow as I twisted the wires around new fixture. The white wire, which should not have been dangerous, was still making me worry. When I came to the black wire, I called my wife and put her on speaker, just in case something bad happened. Within a few minutes, everything was secured. I got the power back up and checked it out. My tablet started charging instantly. Wahoo! Nothing makes you feel more accomplished than conquering a fear.

In addition to being inept at home repairs, I don't really know my way under the hood of my car. Sure, I can add wiper fluid, or jump start a battery, but anything more advanced than that…not so much. Recently, one of my headlights burnt out, which is dangerous – especially when you have to drive at night to work. Luckily, the DIYZ app also shows you how to do minor car maintenance too! So, after buying a ten-dollar light bulb, it only took me five minutes to install it. Good as new. Without the app, I wouldn't have had the courage to do it myself.

I never felt talked down to watching the instructional videos. I also really liked that you could order recommended tools and materials through Amazon.

The DIYZ app really empowered me to do these simple DIY projects for myself. In the past I would hire a professional or let it go and pray that it wouldn't get any worse. During the process, I discovered that I can change an outlet, or a car headlight, but there are things that I can’t just fix. For example, the very old electrical system that is powering our home. I’ll still be saving that job for a professional!

The app is free to download for both Android and Apple iOS devices. Better yet, the video-chat feature is also free, but only for a limited time.