There was a debate recently, and in case you haven’t heard, there’s a presidential election coming up in a few short weeks. What are we doing to… Read more “Let’s Talk.”
Banking Made Simple, by Simple! Get to Love Your Bank.
Don’t you wish everything in the world was simple? Well, thanks to Simple Bank, it can be! Okay, almost. At least the banking portion of your life… Read more “Banking Made Simple, by Simple! Get to Love Your Bank.”
New England Has Heart All Autumn Long.
With visions of Autumn just around the bend, I’d like to introduce a few of my favorite autumn locations across New England. New England is home to… Read more “New England Has Heart All Autumn Long.”
Stop Copying Everyone! Discover Your Happy in Life One Memory at a Time.
What in our lives makes us all tick? That was a question positioned to me recently. I didn’t exactly know how to explain it. Would you? Let… Read more “Stop Copying Everyone! Discover Your Happy in Life One Memory at a Time.”
Adulting Done Right, Once You Figure Out How to Get Out of Bed.
Ah, mornings. You either love them, or you hate them. As you become a little older, you realize that, well, you just have to love them. You’re… Read more “Adulting Done Right, Once You Figure Out How to Get Out of Bed.”
Sometimes, All You Need is a Good Vacation.
There’s something to be said about a vacation that helps put your life in perspective. As I stated in my last column, I took a week off… Read more “Sometimes, All You Need is a Good Vacation.”
Have We Become Too Addicted to Social Media?
Raise your hand if you’ve become fixated on social media. I’m going to guess that many of you have raised your hand. Our lives have become a… Read more “Have We Become Too Addicted to Social Media? “
In the LGBTQ Community, You Have to Know Where to Draw the Line.
You know, at some point in our lives we have to ask ourselves a question. We have to keep considering, what exactly are we doing with our lives?… Read more “In the LGBTQ Community, You Have to Know Where to Draw the Line.”
Statement Regarding Orlando Events.
I am very proud to be a gay man. I am very proud of our community. After celebrating Boston pride yesterday and seeing the numerous faces from… Read more “Statement Regarding Orlando Events. “
Summertime Agenda: Live.
Summer is coming. What do you have on your summer 2016 bucketlist? Many people dream of long days on the beach, weekend getaways with the family, or… Read more “Summertime Agenda: Live.”
Love is a Battlefield
Don’t let love go. Why do we complicate the simple things in life? These simple things, are the ones we too often take for granted. We are… Read more “Love is a Battlefield”
Stop Swiping Left! Why Our Judgemental Society is Letting Us Down.
Prior to judging others, judge yourself first. It has been a interesting week in the single life of being Mike Valletta. It was the first week that… Read more “Stop Swiping Left! Why Our Judgemental Society is Letting Us Down.”
Don’t Rush the Love.
Have you ever sat and reflected on what is going on in your life? You know, took a little time out for yourself to recollect your thoughts… Read more “Don’t Rush the Love.”
Gay. Single. Weekend Warrior.
Weekends were made to set yourself free. It’s a Saturday night. Evening wear is out and ready to be steam pressed. Shower is on as a miniature… Read more “Gay. Single. Weekend Warrior.”
Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
I stumbled upon a book recently. It was a book I had purchased at a Starbucks exactly five years ago, and it had been kicking around the… Read more “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
Don’t Date Down!
You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with. Have you ever been on a date and sit there wondering what you’re even doing… Read more “Don’t Date Down!”
Kate Hudson is Making Us Pretty Happy.
You don’t have to be perfect. Pretty happy is pretty great. Kate Hudson has absolutely nailed it in her latest book approropriatey titled, Pretty Happy. A book geared… Read more “Kate Hudson is Making Us Pretty Happy. “
Never Stop Reinventing You.
Practice makes perfect. At least, that’s what we are told in life. As humans, we are bound to make mistakes over the course of our lifetime. It’s… Read more “Never Stop Reinventing You.”
The Gay Dating Game.
Grindr. Scruff. Tinder. These three magical apps are perhaps the most active on my phone these days. I use the term magical loosely. As a single guy,… Read more “The Gay Dating Game.”
A Singles Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is on its way. I would normally be jumping out of my skin at this point since I’m naturally a very generous person, especially around… Read more “A Singles Valentine’s Day.”
Get Massaged into a Better You.
Have you ever really been in need of a massage? I’m sure you have. After all, many of us live high demanding lives that causes an increased… Read more “Get Massaged into a Better You.”
In a Dry New England Winter, Killington Shines.
It’s no secret that this winter has been a dud here in New England. The lack of snow has caused many local skiers and snowboarders to flock… Read more “In a Dry New England Winter, Killington Shines.”
The Brand Returns.
It’s been a while. As I write this, I reflect back to the days I started writing. I was young. I was focused. My energy and passion… Read more “The Brand Returns.”
One World Trade Center Grows as America Grows Stronger
I make a lot of trips down to New York City. Living within a close proximity to it here in Connecticut, we’re often referred to as one… Read more “One World Trade Center Grows as America Grows Stronger”
Spring is in the Air!
I can’t say enough about the weather this week. As much of a skier as I am, this spring like weather has indeed hit a sweet spot with me. As if there were much of a winter around here anyways, right mother nature? I swear, she has really been some kind of mother this year, not much of one to me! I’ve been begging and begging for snow, dancing my legs off into extreme amounts of pain, only to get a mere few inches that’s gone the next day. Not exactly the kind of snow I was dancing there for oh mother of mine high in the sky!
I’ve made the most of whatever winter we did have. I skied endlessly up north most days in the northern Berkshires and in the Green Mountains of Vermont. This week, however, has made me start getting in shape for my next sport of choice; mountain biking. Yes, from skiing to biking, I’m all about conquering those mountains in some kind of form! I’ve been at the gym faithfully all week long working one on one with my personal trainer who’s getting me in shape for post ski season. There’s a specific line of workouts dedicated to getting you ready for the next season. As a professional skier, its important to maintain good shape.
Today, my personal trainer kicked me square out of the gym. With temperatures climbing close to seventy degrees, and noting that I had already been at the gym for little over three hours, I was kicked to the great outdoors to enjoy an afternoon of mountain biking around Burr Pond in Torrington. Ever been there? It really is quite the place this time of year. For starters, its not as busy as it during the summer months. The tranquility will really reel you in, and so too will those gusty winds kicking about. Burr Pond is one of my favorite Torrington destinations. You can’t beat bliss!
I drove around the entire park trail today which encompasses all of Burr Pond. Normally, this run would take me at least a good 45 minutes, today well over that considering we are in mud season here in the Berkshires! Mud is everywhere from the recent snow melt. Riding through the mud isn’t as bad as it sounds. In fact, its quite entertaining as you’re kicking up the mud and trying to dodge boulders at the same time. I believe I already painted the picture for you of just how entertaining it could be!
So, as all of us around here throw open the windows and gear up for spring, lets not forget to venture out to some awesome Litchfield County destinations to get in touch with the great outdoors again. After all, with the winter we had, we deserve it!
Discovering the “Y” in Yoga
“Stretch to downward facing dog!” snaps the instructor on my Gaiam Yoga DVD. “Bend farther down!” he continues to bark. “Now, bend even farther, and breathe.” he… Read more “Discovering the “Y” in Yoga”
The Cow Story: A Secret to Happiness
People often ask me, “Mike, why are you so darn happy all the time?”. I often come back with the response of “Why, should I be miserable… Read more “The Cow Story: A Secret to Happiness”
Explore the Great Outdoors, Indoors!
It’s cold. Period. There’s no question in my mind that the place to be is indoors, but am I really the type of person to just stay… Read more “Explore the Great Outdoors, Indoors!”
The Opportunity of a Lifetime: Covering The Dew Tour
This has got to be one of the best weeks of my life. Not only will I be making my way up to Vermont to check out Killington Resorts winter Dew Tour, I’ll also be covering it!
You see, it all started when an email came to my inbox last week asking if I would like to be a brand ambassador for AT&T at the Dew Tour. AT&T has this cool new tablet from Pantech called the Element, which is essentially like apple’s iPad but waterproof, and they’re looking for people who are social media savvy to give it a whirl at the hottest event in the east.
I just couldn’t say no. The opportunity was much too large to pass up. An all expense paid trip to Vermont AND I get to try out this awesome tablet? An opportunity like this only comes once in a lifetime, and I know I would be kicking myself if I turned it down. It’s like a dream come true!
I’ll be at Killington on the 19th and 20th covering the event live using AT&T’s Element tablet PC. While there, I’ll be using the tablet to capture pictures and video of all the hottest athletes in action, plus even get a few interviews with some of them!
I’m not exactly sure what to expect. It’s a huge deal. I’m eternally grateful for all of it. As they say, all good things come to those who wait. I’m a patient person, but I can’t tell you how much I just want Thursday to be here already!
Litchfield County Gets a Taste of Winter, Finally
Remember last year when we were buried up to our eyeballs in snow? We would often reference our homes to igloos as we mingled with other Eskimos… Read more “Litchfield County Gets a Taste of Winter, Finally”
Daffodil Hill Offers a Sea of Daffodils
Last night, I was watching one of my trusted news sources, NBC Connecticut, and as I was watching I happened to notice that they were airing a… Read more “Daffodil Hill Offers a Sea of Daffodils”
