2018
Ok...PHC has been on hiatus for a little while, but its great to be back. I cant think of better person to feature after such a long break than Mr. Clark. First of all...just look at him. He is 88 years old today and he is such a cool dude. I could write a whole blog about what an awesome guy he is but to make a long story short, he has been a customer of ours at Tesla for a few years and a nicer, more respectful and easy going guy you will not find. In a sea of otherwise challenging customers, Mr. Clark is an island of everything that is the epitome of class and courtesy. I am in awe of his patience and good nature. A great customer, a good man and all around pleasant person...believe me when I tell you they just don't make 'em like this anymore.
2016
Summer
The summer 2016 Hug Club member is the super fun Hanna. A friend former Hug Club Member "Terri", I just met her a few days ago and the first thing she did when we were introduced was give me a big hug. That was pretty cool. Then we got to hanging out and found out that not only does she have a great personality, but she likes to laugh and is really happy go lucky. Oh, and she speaks 3, THREE different languages fluently which is awesome. Thanks to Kim who took an awesome pic of us in front of the CN tower in Toronto; A great gal on a great day in a great city. "Kitos!"
So after a little time off PHC is back on track in 2016. Featured hugger/hugee is the one and only Karla. A fellow Tesla employee, Karla was the very first person I saw when I walked into work on my very first day. Normally, I am always crowing about how nice all of our members are, but Karla is really one of a kind. Ironically, the reason I like her so much is because she insists that she hates people. The truth is that under her tough exterior, she really is sweet as pie. She has a great sense of humor, a great laugh and is not afraid to swear. I think I got on her good side because when she was pregnant last year I kept a steady stream of donuts, brownies, cookies, Pauls famous banana nut muffins, Burger king, Virgina peanut clusters, Icelandic chocolate and M & M's supplied and I fell in her good graces. "FOH Karla...and GFY!" LOL.
2015
SEPTEMBER
The best month of the year deserves one of the best members of the Hug Club; Mrs. Golian. Other than my Mom, I have easily known Mrs. G. longer than anyone else. We were neighbors when I was just a lad way back in the 70's before I was even in Kindergarden. Our familes are still friends to this day. They are responsible for my first time skiing, our first dog, first time kayaking, first time body surfiing, whitewater rafting, going to Dogfish Brewery and the list goes on. She is generous as can be and has a great heart. We recently caught up at my Mom and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary party and she gave me a super great hug.
JULY
We are happy to introduce the very first business into the hug club...Pierogies On Wheels. I like to call them "POW"! This is the best food truck around. Many of you don't know it but I am 50% Polish so for me pierogi is roots. Normally, I was only able to have them a few times a year on special occasions. But now whenever I hear that the POW truck is going to be in the area I make a point to head over for a plate. It's an awesome authentic Polish treat. Here I am at the Two Roads Brewery in Stratford with a nice young lady who was as sweet as pie(rogi). She was tattooed, her tounge was pierced and she smoked (+ 3 for that). While I didn't actually get a hug from her she did give me a high five (so I'm 1/2 way there).
JUNE
Ok, so we are moving in the direction of having a Hug-ee every quarter instead of every month. But have no allusions, popularity of PHC is at an all time high. It's just that we have decided to make membership more exclusive. Hence, Ann. Like Jerry and Elaine, we are friendly exes. We met while working at Fairbanks Photo in Darien circa 1991. Back then we took lots and lots of pictures (and actually made prints!). At one time, I think she had the smallest apartment in Boston, but who needs square footage when you live on Commonwealth Ave. in the middle of everything. We met up recently and when I asked if she would be in the Hug Club she chuckled and said yes because she knows I can be a little nutty (bars). FUN!
FEBRUARY
For reasons beyond our control, Pauls Hug Club did not have a member for Jan. but that is ok because the Feb. Hug-ee makes up for it; thus Angela. Angela is my new mate at my new job at Tesla. She is cool for a lot of reasons...she drives a Tesla (so she knows a lot about the car), she is from England (and knows everything about tea, James Bond and Downton Abbey) and likes good music (including Taylor Swift). We saw each other at our sister store in Milford CT recently and she came up to me and gave me a big hug. I am positive that when the CT govt. officials hear her British accent they will green light Tesla sales in CT!
2014
DECEMBER
Ok, So I am getting this in JUST in the nick of time. The Hugee of the month for December once again is Thor. Please enjoy this fun XMAS picture. I must admit that Thor is not the best of huggers but when he does give it his all he really does a great job. He will put his head back and lean in and get all hugged out. He is a good guy.
NOVEMBER
Not Everyone likes to have their picture taken. But you can still be a hug club member. Case and point...Kim P. I worked next to Kim at BMW and it was always fun sitting next to her (below is a pic of her desk). She loves kids and is a great Mom. She was hesitant to join the hug club but mostly becasuse she didnt want her picture taken. So meet the first "unknown" hugee. She doesnt have a widespread hug auidence, but that is ok. At PHC we like to adhere to the adage...Think Globally, Hug Locally. Good hugs start as a grass movement.
OCTOBER
I am going to forgo the intro and go right into "crowing" about how great this months Hug-ee is. Mrs. Zeman is straight up the epitome of everyting that is Paul's Hug Club. Believe me when I say that she is sweet, nice and just geuinely a good person. She smiles so much that she is always on the brink of laughter. All you have to do is spend 5 minutes around her and you just feel good. When I asked her if she would be in the Hug Club she was thrilled. Then, she gave me THREE super awesome solid hugs; what a way to start the day! And not only that, she was even happy to have our picture taken at 7:00 AM without even thinking twice. Mrs. Z might be at the end of the alaphabet, but she is certainly first in my book.
SEPTEMBER
Ok, NOW the Hug Club is getting somewhere because this month please meet, the one and only, Christi. One of the best things about where I work is the people and she is certainly among my favorites. She is so much fun to be around because she has a GREAT sense of humor (she does at least 4 spot on impressions) and is always up for one of our famous "Breakfast Parties" (Yay!!! BREAKFAST PARTY!!!). I can honestly say that I have ever seen her show up for work in a bad mood. We are all lucky to have her as a co-worker and even more lucky to have her in the Hug Club.
AUGUST
It has been an unusually cool August so I am featuring an unusually cool cat for this months hugee. Normally, I am NOT a cat guy, but here is Simba (I like to call him Squimbice) and he is one bad mother jumper. One of the reasons he is so cool (aside from the gloves off street fights he gets into) is that he is like a dog; he loves seeing us when we get home, he is super affectionate and he doesnt have the typical "go F yourself and feed me" cat attitude that is so annoying. For a cat, he rarely vomits and he is a real charmer. AND, he used to sleep next to me in Brandys absence...what can you say about a guy like that.
JULY
Keeping it real and kicking ass all the way through the summer; check out the newest member of PHC...Keith. He and I go way back to the 90's and is hands down one of the best drummers I have ever heard play. We used to play loud music together in our band called Shovel Full of Dirt. A gap of more than 20 years separated us from our last meeting but when we recently met up in NYC for a thowback punk rock show it was like old times. We had "bro" hug and it was great seeing him. We are much quieter these days but are still youg at heart. A real rock and roller, and a super awesome drummer. Roots.
JUNE
Paul's Hug Club does not play favorites at all and there are a few other members that are in the queue but this month, THOR is cutting the line. He is our new puppy and right now his cuteness factor is through the roof so his membership is very timely. A little bit Jekyl and Hyde being good and bad, he is a charmer nevertheless even when he is a handful. Sometimes a little quiet and other times a little crazy he is a textbook puppy. I am sure there will be lots more hugs once he is through his teething phase.
MAY
Paul's Hug Club is reaching new heights (literally) for the month of May. Why? Because this pic was taken at the top of The Empire State Building with the Hug-ee of the month; Eila (say "A"-Luh). Another international member, she is from Finland and, other than passing through, she had never visited NYC before. She loves to fly planes which continues the "new heights" theme for this month. A very cool lady and a perfect addition to the hug club.
APRIL
For April, Paul's Hug Club is getting into the throwback craze seen all over social media. We are hopping on the bandwagon with a a fun departure from the regular "Hugee" of the month AND upping the ante with a double shot (a.k.a. two-for-tuesday). Sharing the circle below are two super hug club members; Judy and Bernadette. I wish we all still worked together because we used to have so much fun at work. Back then the hugs were regular and plentiful. Here we are at a mini reunion of sorts. Hugs over lunch on a nice sunny day.
MARCH
I have been working in Darien CT since the 90's and there are a handful of people that I have become friendly with who I am STILL in touch with. Rita is one of those people. She has been a customer of mine for about 20 years, beginning at Fairbanks Photo and currently at BMW of Darien. It is so cool that now I can help her with her car after years of helping her with her photos. Easily one of my favorite customers, I really like her because she is genuinely sweet and a true "local" to Darien. Sometimes I accidentally call her Mrs Gadsden even though she insists on being called "Rita". AND, out of the 1,000,000 + pictures I saw while working in the photo lab, I only asked to make a copy of ONE; taken by Rita and it is hanging in my living room. So she is really one in a million. Cool.
FEBRUARY
PHC has such a nice group for the Hugee(s) of the month for February; the P.A.W.S. volunteers (from the Pet Animal Welfare Society in Norwalk, CT). What makes them even more special is because, for 4+ years, the entire group of volunteers took care of the most hugged member of the hug club by far, Brandy. Brandy was beloved by everyone that met her and she sadly passed away recently. However, the hug club is a happy club which is why we very much want to showcase the great people and the great work that everyone at the shelter does every day. This is a wonderful orginization that does a fantastic job and I will forever be in their debt for allowing Brandy to come into my life. There will be a significant shortage of hugs without Brandy around anymore, but we have only happy happy memories of her.
JANUARY
PHC keeps on keepin' on into another year. Its 2014 and we are looking forward to a super exciting year. Kicking off the fun for January is easily one of my favorite people at work; Sue. Sue is a bit of an underground celebrity in the BMW world and has been working at BMW of Darien for lots (and lots) of years. Everyone knows her because she is one of the best coders in the country but I just know her becasue she has always been nice to me. She is cool because she is not afraid to tell you what she thinks...good or bad. Some days are tougher than others to get through and it is nice to have someone around to say aloud what everyone else is thinking. Even if we are having a bad day her personality is always positive. I definatley like her.
DECEMBER
Its been a great year for the hug club and we are going out on a high note with the December Hug-ee; Val. I am going to go ahead and call her my personal stylist because she has been cutting my hair for years and she does a great job. She loves LOVES to dance. She's been doing it for years and is still at it which is awesome. For Val Cutting Hair and dancing = happiness which is probably why she is smiles so much. When I asked her if she would be in the Hug club she was very excited and confessed that she loves hugs. AND she said that her Hug Club button was going to be her good luck charm...Aw shucks.
NOVEMBER
It is only fitting that Novembers Hug-ee of the month is someone who I very much admire; my doctor, Dr. Vadel. She has been taking great care of me since 2006 and I can't say enough good things about her. She is a great doctor not just because she is smart and know all kinds of medical stuff but mostly because she loves her job and she is super nice. I never dread going to see her because she is always smiling and she doesn't even get mad at me when my cholesterol is high...Haha. Everyone should be so lucky to have a doctor like her. So, don't forget to GET a flu shot and GIVE a hug in return.
OCTOBER
Pauls Hug Club is rocking October with the coolest chick around Laura. Laura is very happening and as some of you might already know, is an awesome model. She has helped me with lots of photographs over the years and never once complained about being covered in fake blood. What do you say about a girl like that! We recently attended The Anthrax reunion show in New Haven and had a blast. Even though she is a cool Mom with great family, she is still very rock and roll, wears Vans and is the perfect addition to the Hug Club!
SEPTEMBER
My favorite month of the year and who better but Jeri as the Hug-ee. Back in 2011, Jeri impressed everyone by hiking the Adirondak Trail from start to finish. And not only did she hike it, but she did it BY HERSELF. At the time she was a fledgling member but she wore her Hug Club pin the entire way. So she is really awesome. In her off hours she loves to watch "Murder She Wrote" on the couch under a blanket with fellow hug-ee Brandy, who she loves very much. She will be giving (and getting) lots of hugs in a few weeks when she gets married to a great guy and one of my best friends, Ben Kriskey. Congrats!
AUGUST
In keeping with the "roots" theme going on for the last few months I am proud to introduce Jenna. She and I go way back. We were friends in High School and we still stay in touch. Jenna is an awesome actress and she has a great voice. Everytime I see her she always has a big smile and a big laugh to match. AND she is super photogenic!
JULY
This entry for the Hug Club is slightly off topic; July 2013 is notable because my friends and I started the band Shovel Full of Dirt 25 years ago this day. During that time there have been long breaks and a number of different members but our most notable gig was playing at the legandary club The Anthrax. We recently re-united after a 14 year hiatus and, although we were a little rusty, it was very cool to be back together. Here is a pic of 3 of the founding members in a "Bro-hug".
JUNE
Ok so everyone knows Paul's Hug Club is about happiness but another cool thing about the club is that some of our members have tenure that long exceeds the club itself. Meet Mrs. F. Now we call her Cathy but I have known her since the 80's and then I called her Mrs. Fortin, of course. We recently caught up and she was thrilled to join; you can tell from the pic. We dont see each other as much as we did back in the day but that is ok because she has a lifetime membership.
MAY
We had a little hiccup with the Hugee of the month for May but not to worry...everything is all straighted out. In the meantime, we have the first "encore" member; Brandy. Of course Brandy by far gets the most hugs from me on any given day week or month so, like Bob Hope on The Tonight Show back in the day, she is able to walk on or in to any month she wants to. Here we are just a couple of weeks ago.
APRIL
It's April and Pauls Hug club has a new member; Evelyn. The interesting thing about her is that I have nver met her. BUT, my Mom (seen here on the left) recommended her as a Hug-ee. So, this is our first "recruit", if you will. It only stands to reason that as our membership grows that we will have more people looking to join so we are trying this to see how it works out. My Mom inducted her, gave her a pin and took a pic so she is as good as "in". Hopefully I will make it to Flordia soon to personally christen her with a hug.
MARCH
Normally, guys are members of Paul's "knucks" club; reason being is that there is such a short list of men that are included in the regular hug rotation. BUT, I am proud to introduce the first male member of PHC. Welcome Bert. He is my father in-law and he is quite a guy. Back in the day he used to be a builder and he also was in the US Air Force stationed in Greenland. These days he is a modest guy who likes to drink coffee and eat cookies and he LOVES Brandy (the charter member of the hug club). I give him a hug everytime I see him.
FEBRUARY
This month we have a brand new member of the Hug Club. Her name is Bernadette but we all call her "Bernie". She gives me a hug everytime I see her. The thing I like best about her is that she is always wearing a fun outfit. She likes to wear bright colors and I always look forward to seeing her. Even in February when it is cold and everyone is wearing black, Bernie is sporting the pastel stripes. AWESOME!!!
2013!!!!!!
JANUARY
We are kicking off the new year with Giana! She is the nicest little girl you would ever want to meet. Sometimes she can be a little shy but when I asked her if she would be in the Hug Club she said yes immediatley. What a cutie! She has a very pretty smile, loves to draw and is happy to give a hug. I only see her when I visit NYC, but I am looking forward to lots of hugs from her all year long.
Ok, UNFOURTUNATLEY, Pauls Hug club is not featuring a Hugee of the month for November 2012 on account of hurricane Sandy. We were without power for almost a week and I just didn't think it was fair to deny any single member one full week in the hug spotlight. So we are skipping directly to December; meet Karen. Karen and I sit next to each other every day at work so she is always close by. She is fun to joke around with, she is a great sport and she has a great sense of humor. It is nice to get a weekend hug from her and at this time of year she is definatley good for any given "holiday hug" so I will be expecting at least a Christmas and New Years hug before 2013.
Fall is here which is the best time of year for hugs. Thats is where Ming comes in. I used to work right next door to her and she always always always ALWAYS gives me a hug when I come and see her. Whats extra cool is that she is a fixture in town and the Darien Launderette is the definition of a Mom and Pop store. What a TREAT it is to have her in the Hug Club (get it..."treat" because it is October; haloween; trick-or-)!
The hugee for the month of Sept is my newest co-worker and friend, Judy. We see each other every day at work where she is always smiling and friendly. She surprised me one day with an enthusiastic good solid hug with. Plus, on a technical level, she is tall so it was a nice evenly matched hug with no leaning or reaching. AND..she is also a future member of the soon to be established "Paul's Candy Club". I can honestly say it is nice having a fellow PHC member at work because in the case of a hug emergency, she is always close by.
August: featured this month is Diane. We are good friends and she loves Pez so she is ok in my book. At first she was a little hesitant to join the club but with a little convincing she agreed and locked in a nice solid hug with good contact. There is no reason to resist Paul's Hug Club. We welcome everyone with open arms (no pun intended). Hugs=happiness. Just look at us here.
Hugee for the month of July is OLIVIA! Some may know that Olivia and I are fellow filmmakers and since we found out we both like making movies, we really hit it off. She is always good for a big loud hello and a big hug to boot. Always happy and up for anything fun, Olivia is a real firecracker!
Hugee for the month of June is Jung Soo! I can honestly say that Jung Soo can easily kick my butt when it comes to running (but I still like her nevertheless). She is AWESOME at running marathons and I am hoping to run a race with her one day (if I can keep up!). A few years ago she came up to me and gave me a hug so hard I thought I was going to have a bruise around my middle...so that made her a lifetime member! She is definately an expert level hugger.
Hugee for the moth of May is Mrs. Groo! I have been getting hugs from her since the 80's and they are just as good now as they were back then. Always happy and always smiling (and always good for a hug!).
The April Hugee of the Month is no joke...let's all welcome Denise. She has been an unofficial member for years so when the club first started she was on the short list for membership. She usually starts off a little timid but delivers some definite solid contact before she lets go. Just look at how happy she is here...I am thrilled that she is a member.
Hugee of the month for March is Christine! Dont let her goofy antics here fool you because she is really very serious about hugging. I don't see her as much as soome of the other HC members but whenever I do she accepts a hug like I just saw her yesterday.
2012 continues to roll on strong for February with Renee. She is a Hug Club Member in good standing. We are all proud to have her as Hugee of the month on our one year anniversary.
2012!!! Nice! PHC charges into the new year with a new hug club member; SYLVIA!
Representin' the west coast (from Seattle), she is proof positive that it doesn't matter what coast you are from. PHC members rise above any east coast/west coast rivalry. All hug club members adhere to a strict code of ethics; "Hugs"...that's it.
2011
Hug-ee for the Month of December is my mother-in law Terri (Terttu). She is the very first international member of the Hug Club. Here we are in Helsinki Finland visiting for her 75th Birthday!
Honoree Hug-ee of the month for November is Siouxsie Medley of the band Dead Sara. I was lucky enough to get an impromptu hug from her on Nov. 14th at their show in Hartford CT. The show was GREAT and the hug made my day! UNFOURTUNATLEY, I did not get a pic. :( You will just have to take my word for it.
Hug-ee of the Month for Oct....Beth. Beth is a real cutie and if you can rate hugs, I honestly give this one a perfect "10". She is always in a good mood and even let me use this pic of us in my movie "Resolution". She snuck this one in on me and it was a a definite ringer.
Hug-ees of the Month for Aug/Sept....Hayen and Sophie!
Hug-ee for July is Margaret.
Hug-ee for June is Susan M.
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Hug-ee for May...Mern.
Hug-ee for April...Kim.
Hug-ee for March...My Mom. :)
Hug-ee for Feb..BRANDY!
