Four years of Weblogs. Can you believe it?

When I started this 'thing' my goal was to simply to keep in touch with the hundreds of contacts I had made over the years. I had just been furloughed and was applying for jobs and investigating becoming a consultant. All I knew is that I didn't want to be forgotten and irrelevant.

Thanks to the loyal readers, that goal was achieved and exceeded, and it gives me great pride to publish this 'best of' issue.

Listed below are the Top 10 Weblogs, some have appeared more than once. Many of you will read the title, smile and move on. But if you are a new subscriber, you can catch up with ten good stories, best enjoyed with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

Note, Trilogies, including Dancing with the Stars, and the Smuttynose Half-Marathon are NOT included here because they are multiple part weblogs.

10 The Kid with Leg Braces

A perfect season: not a single victory. An AAU league in Memphis, Tennesse, a packed gym, a thoughtful crowd, and another loss. But the fans and the kids won't soon forget the experience of playing basketball with a kid with leg braces. Inspirational

9: Clean up on Aisle 12

Supermarket behavior is interesting. Especially the way people return their carts, or don't. Plus, food shopping can be very confusing for someone who is inexperienced. When I was young, there was no hummus or organic vegetables. Do we really need them?

8: The Day You Were Hired

The day you were hired, you were hired to do one or more of three things. You are tasked to generate revenue, direct others, or solve problems. How well you do at each one determines your future. It is that simple.

7: We Sang to Shania Twain

Cincinnati's Riverbend concert venue was the site of a dream come true, when my family attended a private party for country music star Shania Twain before her concert. This is the story of a food drive, the loyalty of a friend, and a song with smiles.

6: A Little Red Towel

Fenway Park, 1977. The best usher in Boston and I began a beautiful friendship. It is a story about enthusiasm, wisdom and appreciation. The story is told annually in advance of Red Sox Opening Day, and people say it is worth re-reading every year.

5: The Toughest Doherty

This is the story of Joseph Edward Doherty, my son, and his welcome to the world. He is the toughest Doherty as anointed by his grandfather, Edward Doherty. You will learn more than you want to know about things you didn't know.

4 An All Nighter with Larry Bird

More than 1,300 views of LinkedIn make this the second most popular Weblog. Yes, I was with Larry Bird all night while shooting his very first TV commercial. I can tell you, he is even more authentic in person.

3: Fraternity- A Four Letter Word

There are stupid things going on in fraternities. But not all of them. There are great Greek organizations that contribute to the growth of men and society. As a fifteen year Advisor to my old fraternity at the University of Massachusetts, I am not an expert on the current generation or the real story, but I do know something about the right way to do fraternity.

2: Two 50-Year-Old Cocktail Napkins

This story reached the top three because it had close to 1,300 views on LinkedIn. It is the story of a first date, one without a kiss. It revolves around two cocktail napkins, some promises, a missing restaurant, and some hamburgers. The two kids on that date will celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2024.

1 Damn Proud

More than 5,300 views on LinkedIn make this the most popular Weblog of them all. It is the story of running a 47-lap Boston Marathon around the outside of Fenway Park, raising thousands of dollars for the Boston Bruins Foundation.