I asked Santa for slippers. He sent me two pair.
I have to be careful however since the idea of being in slippers all day long scares me.
I was careful not to fall into the sweatpants syndrome, tying a knot at my waist instead of a belt.
Now I have to make sure that slipping into my footwear doesn't start me down the slope of the unshaven and not taking a shower first thing in the AM.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Sunday, December 30, 2012
7 is the new 5
When I was gainfully employed as a teacher and then administrator I'd get up at 5:00AM. This actually dates back to kindergarten and always being an early riser. I was legend and it was the reason why my friend John called me at 4:30 one morning to tell me he had skidded through the Greenwich toll on the Merritt Parkway on the driver door of is snappy Fiat Convertible. His first question at that time was , "Hi, John, What are you doing"?
Now that I have no budgets to approve, no evaluations to write, no weekly newsletters to send to staff, I find that my ETW, estimated time of wake up has been slipping to 5:30 to 6 and today 7:00! Slacker. I have not had to pay attention to time since June 22 but I have noticed that approximately every 2 months my wake up time has been pushed back by 30 minutes or so.
This new normal will take some getting use to as I have always prided myself on waking early and making the most of the day. Most would say that 7 is still early enough to catch the worm, but I can't help but feel guilty that time has passed and I wasn't awake to experience it.
Now that I have no budgets to approve, no evaluations to write, no weekly newsletters to send to staff, I find that my ETW, estimated time of wake up has been slipping to 5:30 to 6 and today 7:00! Slacker. I have not had to pay attention to time since June 22 but I have noticed that approximately every 2 months my wake up time has been pushed back by 30 minutes or so.
This new normal will take some getting use to as I have always prided myself on waking early and making the most of the day. Most would say that 7 is still early enough to catch the worm, but I can't help but feel guilty that time has passed and I wasn't awake to experience it.
Friday, December 28, 2012
The Last Friday
Those of you who were raised as Catholics know there is a special deal and an insiders plan to get to heaven. You need to observe the first Friday of each month for 9 months straight, go to mass, receive Communion and you will assure yourself a place in heaven. Good deal.
Today is the last Friday of 2012 and I for one can't wait until this year is over.
While I did retire this year and was totally touched by all the best wishes and special events surrounding my hanging up the chalk and eraser, and we did reelect Barack, and my granddaughter celebrated her third birthday and is simply a joy, and my wife continues to flourish after very extensive surgery, and we thoroughly enjoyed the AC my wife installed for hot summer days, and I am learning to speak Italian you might wonder why so anxious for the year o end.
Well there was the storm of the century, and the school massacre in Newtown. There is also a paralysis in the country as the politicians cannot agree to anything and they hold us hostage as we contemplate going over the financial cliff.
If only the slate was wiped clean each December 31 and a new year started with no residual effects from the year before.
Maybe Mitt's people were right and we could all avail ourselves of an etch-a- sketch experience.
Today is the last Friday of 2012 and I for one can't wait until this year is over.
While I did retire this year and was totally touched by all the best wishes and special events surrounding my hanging up the chalk and eraser, and we did reelect Barack, and my granddaughter celebrated her third birthday and is simply a joy, and my wife continues to flourish after very extensive surgery, and we thoroughly enjoyed the AC my wife installed for hot summer days, and I am learning to speak Italian you might wonder why so anxious for the year o end.
Well there was the storm of the century, and the school massacre in Newtown. There is also a paralysis in the country as the politicians cannot agree to anything and they hold us hostage as we contemplate going over the financial cliff.
If only the slate was wiped clean each December 31 and a new year started with no residual effects from the year before.
Maybe Mitt's people were right and we could all avail ourselves of an etch-a- sketch experience.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Yes, Tree Can
As you know this year we tried a new experiment by creating our very own outdoor Christmas Tree a la Rockefeller Center. We secured the tree to the new porch, strung lights and hit the switch and it looked great.
The tree has withstood 2 major wind storms and today when I looked outside it was still standing. Tall and honorable in the mist of a chilly and windy morning. The longer the tree stands outside the closer I feel to it. It has come to represent more than an excuse to have more floor space and fewer pine needles in the house. It has stood tall, shone brightly through some intense storms and shed light on the porch and throughout the neighborhood this holiday season.
Well done little tree.
The tree has withstood 2 major wind storms and today when I looked outside it was still standing. Tall and honorable in the mist of a chilly and windy morning. The longer the tree stands outside the closer I feel to it. It has come to represent more than an excuse to have more floor space and fewer pine needles in the house. It has stood tall, shone brightly through some intense storms and shed light on the porch and throughout the neighborhood this holiday season.
Well done little tree.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
On the outside, looking in
This year we decided to place our Christmas tree outside on our new porch. The shiny white railings are decorated with soft white bulbs and they give off a wonderful soft glow through the night.
As 60 somethings with no kids to slide down the banister at 6:00 in the morning on Christmas, we decided to try placing the tree on the porch. We can see it thought the full glass doors on the sun porch. With the help of our handy-boy, turned man, Ciro Jr. we, I mean he bolted the tree stand to the porch floor. He was careful not to damage the new floor planks, he is very good that way.
Te tree is a larger than usual 7 footer, nice and full. We placed it in the stand and miraculously it has withstood some significant wing gusts over the last week.
I strung the lights, at least 3 times as the male and female plugs needed to match and despite my visualization they did not.
I set the timer and as dusk fell, the lights came on HOORAY!
While this was tree display eliminated the pine needle in the house problem, it is a bit sterile looking at the tree outside through glass doors. It also made for an uncomfortable Christmas morning as we had to run outside in our pajamas to get the presents that were around the tree.. just kidding!
As 60 somethings with no kids to slide down the banister at 6:00 in the morning on Christmas, we decided to try placing the tree on the porch. We can see it thought the full glass doors on the sun porch. With the help of our handy-boy, turned man, Ciro Jr. we, I mean he bolted the tree stand to the porch floor. He was careful not to damage the new floor planks, he is very good that way.
Te tree is a larger than usual 7 footer, nice and full. We placed it in the stand and miraculously it has withstood some significant wing gusts over the last week.
I strung the lights, at least 3 times as the male and female plugs needed to match and despite my visualization they did not.
I set the timer and as dusk fell, the lights came on HOORAY!
While this was tree display eliminated the pine needle in the house problem, it is a bit sterile looking at the tree outside through glass doors. It also made for an uncomfortable Christmas morning as we had to run outside in our pajamas to get the presents that were around the tree.. just kidding!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
It was 40 yeas ago today
With apologies to the Beatles and the Sargent Pepper tune, 40 years ago was the last time someone from the US walked on the moon. It was the year my dad died, I married my first wife, my 2 best friends got married and Americans walked on the moon. It was the end of several eras.
When I heard this reported this week, I thought when was the last time we did something great as a nation. I'm sure I am wrong but was it 40 years ago? I hope not!
As we sit on the cliff, mourn how could anyone kill innocent children in a school, honor teachers for helping kids live, by getting themselves killed, and watch the world suffer through several wars that we win because we say WE WON, Mission accomplished, I wonder where the 40 years has gone and if we will ever be great again.
I hope that as we end this year our newly elected President will muster the strength to be BOLD. But then again what have I done to make a difference.
When I heard this reported this week, I thought when was the last time we did something great as a nation. I'm sure I am wrong but was it 40 years ago? I hope not!
As we sit on the cliff, mourn how could anyone kill innocent children in a school, honor teachers for helping kids live, by getting themselves killed, and watch the world suffer through several wars that we win because we say WE WON, Mission accomplished, I wonder where the 40 years has gone and if we will ever be great again.
I hope that as we end this year our newly elected President will muster the strength to be BOLD. But then again what have I done to make a difference.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Say it isn't so
Well here we are on the last day of the world, perhaps.
As I look out the window the rain is pouring down, perhaps a flood of biblical proportions?
The wind is howling, perhaps tornadoes of an unforeseen magnitude?
The sky is dark, perhaps the sun has gone away and will be replaced by perpetual darkness?
Only 16 hours to go to see if the Mayas got it right or wrong.
My guess is as bad as it looks and sounds out there, this was yet another false alarm. Good thing I did most of my Christmas shopping.
As I look out the window the rain is pouring down, perhaps a flood of biblical proportions?
The wind is howling, perhaps tornadoes of an unforeseen magnitude?
The sky is dark, perhaps the sun has gone away and will be replaced by perpetual darkness?
Only 16 hours to go to see if the Mayas got it right or wrong.
My guess is as bad as it looks and sounds out there, this was yet another false alarm. Good thing I did most of my Christmas shopping.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
My first subway ride....
in 35 years!
Last weekend we spent time in NYC. We went to get a good dose of the City at Christmas and we were not disappointed. the lights, the stores, the hustle, and even the quiet streets as we were staying in the outer boroughs, otherwise known as East End Avenue.
We walked a lot and the exercise was great but after a full day of walking we decided ton the next day to take the bus and train to our Chelsea destination, Eataly.
Now to get on the bus you must have correct change or a Metro Card. In our case we had to deposit $2.25 in quarters for each of us to ride from East End to Lexington ave. Not such a great deal at .45 per block. Then we took the subway. Here you could buy a ticket from a real person provided that there was a real person at the booth. So few stations have real person booths now a days. Sp for another $2.25 you can ride from 77st Street to 23rd Street. But that was one way and the same expense would have to be incurred coming home.
The train was efficient and brought back memories of the #6 train that both me and JayLo would ride in our youth. However her youth came about 30 years after mine! This was the train I'd board to go from the end of the line in the North Bronx to Brooklyn and St. John's College. An amazing bargain in those days for about $.50. Tokens were available with the Y of NYC die cut out making for a very cool coin. Of course the trains were filthy, graffiti ridden and dangerous but hey it was the late 60's in Sin City.
Cleanliness come at a cost, but the ever present danger of being thrown onto the tracks....priceless.
Last weekend we spent time in NYC. We went to get a good dose of the City at Christmas and we were not disappointed. the lights, the stores, the hustle, and even the quiet streets as we were staying in the outer boroughs, otherwise known as East End Avenue.
We walked a lot and the exercise was great but after a full day of walking we decided ton the next day to take the bus and train to our Chelsea destination, Eataly.
Now to get on the bus you must have correct change or a Metro Card. In our case we had to deposit $2.25 in quarters for each of us to ride from East End to Lexington ave. Not such a great deal at .45 per block. Then we took the subway. Here you could buy a ticket from a real person provided that there was a real person at the booth. So few stations have real person booths now a days. Sp for another $2.25 you can ride from 77st Street to 23rd Street. But that was one way and the same expense would have to be incurred coming home.
The train was efficient and brought back memories of the #6 train that both me and JayLo would ride in our youth. However her youth came about 30 years after mine! This was the train I'd board to go from the end of the line in the North Bronx to Brooklyn and St. John's College. An amazing bargain in those days for about $.50. Tokens were available with the Y of NYC die cut out making for a very cool coin. Of course the trains were filthy, graffiti ridden and dangerous but hey it was the late 60's in Sin City.
Cleanliness come at a cost, but the ever present danger of being thrown onto the tracks....priceless.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Sorry Wrong Number
With the advent of the caller ID we have been able to screen our calls pretty effectively. We do not answer 800 calls, any call from Oregon, I don't know anyone in Oregon, my alma- mater or any that come up as Private Numbers.
Last week a call came in from Safe Step Tubs, at first I did not recognize the term and then my wife told me it was the Safe Tub company looking to interest me in keeping me safe as I bathe. I guess that having joined the retired set, my name is out there and I can expect calls from Robert Wagner and his reversed Mortgage scam, the I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up folks, a representative from Chair Lift ( and I don't mean a ski resort) Company, Mind Your Business, a memory enhancing drug company, and countless calls from senior residences in the Sun Belt.
Thank heaven for caller ID!
Last week a call came in from Safe Step Tubs, at first I did not recognize the term and then my wife told me it was the Safe Tub company looking to interest me in keeping me safe as I bathe. I guess that having joined the retired set, my name is out there and I can expect calls from Robert Wagner and his reversed Mortgage scam, the I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up folks, a representative from Chair Lift ( and I don't mean a ski resort) Company, Mind Your Business, a memory enhancing drug company, and countless calls from senior residences in the Sun Belt.
Thank heaven for caller ID!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Oh What a Night
The opening line form the 4 Seasons hit of so many years ago is appropriate as we recently saw a production of Jersey Boys.
Not my first or 21st choice but in this partnership all movies and Broadway plays must be Fun with a capital F. Nothing heavy, thought provoking or deep. Boy did this fit the bill!
I blogged about the outrageous fees charged by Broadway.com for the privilege of buying 2 tix, over $80 in fees. The seats were quite good. Well actually the seats were cramped but directly in the center of the first mezzanine.
The audience was truly from Jersey, each and every exit of the Turnpike and Garden State. Many arrived at their seats with cocktails, a double red wine, in a plastic Forbidden Broadway and Bloomberg cup size for $28.00.
The show opens with a caged in set, similar to the set of the ill fated play by Paul Simon which we saw many years ago. All the singers, were miked. While this is done to project the songs and voices, it is a bit phony and like Photo Shop not authentic. But hey that is what the people want. The audience got into the songs with sing along girl in E109 and Yo guy, in seat F115 making the play an audience participation event. Karaoke for the masses.
At one point I looked around to see all audience members of a certain age, mine. I turned to Joyce and said we are just one step removed from a PBS 50's Doo Wop Fundraiser.
Everyone left humming along, singing their favorites, critiquing the "performances", but hey, nobody got hurt.
And then on Friday, children went to school.
Not my first or 21st choice but in this partnership all movies and Broadway plays must be Fun with a capital F. Nothing heavy, thought provoking or deep. Boy did this fit the bill!
I blogged about the outrageous fees charged by Broadway.com for the privilege of buying 2 tix, over $80 in fees. The seats were quite good. Well actually the seats were cramped but directly in the center of the first mezzanine.
The audience was truly from Jersey, each and every exit of the Turnpike and Garden State. Many arrived at their seats with cocktails, a double red wine, in a plastic Forbidden Broadway and Bloomberg cup size for $28.00.
The show opens with a caged in set, similar to the set of the ill fated play by Paul Simon which we saw many years ago. All the singers, were miked. While this is done to project the songs and voices, it is a bit phony and like Photo Shop not authentic. But hey that is what the people want. The audience got into the songs with sing along girl in E109 and Yo guy, in seat F115 making the play an audience participation event. Karaoke for the masses.
At one point I looked around to see all audience members of a certain age, mine. I turned to Joyce and said we are just one step removed from a PBS 50's Doo Wop Fundraiser.
Everyone left humming along, singing their favorites, critiquing the "performances", but hey, nobody got hurt.
And then on Friday, children went to school.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
The Chanukah Table
For all the years I have been with my wife, who is Jewish, we have had to manage the mixed marriage thing of holidays. Passover/Easter, Christmas/ Chanukah how to commemorate and celebrate while giving each tradition their due.
The C/C conundrum is especially tricky. Jews will tell you that their holiday is no big thing while Christians honor the birth of Christ with solemn songs, lights, family, and recently Black Friday sales. This year Black Friday morphed into Thanksgiving night. As Jon Stewart said, Christmas is so big it has eaten Thanksgiving, and he is right. Perhaps the essence of the moment was captured by a you tube video of a guy telling fellow midnight madness revelers to "Step the F*%# back or I'll kill you M*^&#$ F@$%^&!"
The other day we were in an art supply store that realized it cannot exist on art supplies alone, so they have gone into all kinds of related and unrelated stuff to make ends meet. In this large store named after the Jewish owner were all kinds of Christmas supplies and stuff no one needs. Candles, reindeer, wreaths, green ones, gold ones, large and small ones. Plastic flowers of the season, stockings hung on the fake mantle stuffed with other stuff. Chocolates, cards, wrapping paper, fat Santas reminiscing a time long ago, reindeer antlers for people. Just a storehouse of stuff that has very little if anything to do with the true meaning of Christmas. We needed to purchase a dreidel for our granddaughter who is fascinated by the one we have in the house. What better place to find one than at the store owned by the Jew. We asked about Chanukah supplies and were directed to the front corner of the store. And there it was a card table with a sorry looking display of some things Chanukah, mostly paper goods, napkins and notes, but no dreidels or menorahs. It was obvious that in the Christian world of the U.S. where from Thanksgiving to December 24, we honor Kors, Coach, Apple, XBox, Juicy and Victoria Secret, Jews have give into the mantra, if you can't beat them, join 'em.
The C/C conundrum is especially tricky. Jews will tell you that their holiday is no big thing while Christians honor the birth of Christ with solemn songs, lights, family, and recently Black Friday sales. This year Black Friday morphed into Thanksgiving night. As Jon Stewart said, Christmas is so big it has eaten Thanksgiving, and he is right. Perhaps the essence of the moment was captured by a you tube video of a guy telling fellow midnight madness revelers to "Step the F*%# back or I'll kill you M*^&#$ F@$%^&!"
The other day we were in an art supply store that realized it cannot exist on art supplies alone, so they have gone into all kinds of related and unrelated stuff to make ends meet. In this large store named after the Jewish owner were all kinds of Christmas supplies and stuff no one needs. Candles, reindeer, wreaths, green ones, gold ones, large and small ones. Plastic flowers of the season, stockings hung on the fake mantle stuffed with other stuff. Chocolates, cards, wrapping paper, fat Santas reminiscing a time long ago, reindeer antlers for people. Just a storehouse of stuff that has very little if anything to do with the true meaning of Christmas. We needed to purchase a dreidel for our granddaughter who is fascinated by the one we have in the house. What better place to find one than at the store owned by the Jew. We asked about Chanukah supplies and were directed to the front corner of the store. And there it was a card table with a sorry looking display of some things Chanukah, mostly paper goods, napkins and notes, but no dreidels or menorahs. It was obvious that in the Christian world of the U.S. where from Thanksgiving to December 24, we honor Kors, Coach, Apple, XBox, Juicy and Victoria Secret, Jews have give into the mantra, if you can't beat them, join 'em.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Some Service!
When I retired from my job one very special gift was a certificate for $300 for a Broadway show. A wonderful gift that I knew we would enjoy. Yesterday we decided to cash in and take in a show. It is hard to decide what with so many to choose from. While we hate to consider ourselves tourists in a city that we have visited hundreds od times, the reality is that we still gawk at the tall buildings, stop and gaze at the Christmas tree and window shop on Fifth Avenue which as become an open air mall with all the mall stores, on steroids.
To support this idea that we are in fact tourists we decided to get tixs to Jersey Boys. A long time hit, it tells the story of 4 guys from Jersey who became The 4 Seasons singing group. Maybe it is my age and the whole nostalgia thing as I do find myself listening to more 60's music of late.
So I went on line to order the tickets only to find that there is a service charge for each ticket ordered. No big deal, everyone has to make a living, but $41. 00 per ticket! and for what. I never spoke to a person, all was done via internet. The tickets were not put on hold for someone to ask me for my name and picture ID when I arrive at the theatre, I printed out the tickets, so no one had to go and find an envelope and a stamp, $82.00 or the price of 2 off Broadway tickets for "service".
To support this idea that we are in fact tourists we decided to get tixs to Jersey Boys. A long time hit, it tells the story of 4 guys from Jersey who became The 4 Seasons singing group. Maybe it is my age and the whole nostalgia thing as I do find myself listening to more 60's music of late.
So I went on line to order the tickets only to find that there is a service charge for each ticket ordered. No big deal, everyone has to make a living, but $41. 00 per ticket! and for what. I never spoke to a person, all was done via internet. The tickets were not put on hold for someone to ask me for my name and picture ID when I arrive at the theatre, I printed out the tickets, so no one had to go and find an envelope and a stamp, $82.00 or the price of 2 off Broadway tickets for "service".
Thursday, December 6, 2012
The morning after
Inflatable reindeer and Santas have taken over for the plastic ones of my youth.
When I was a kid nearly everyone on my street had some kind of lit, larger than life, well at least my 8 year old life, lawn or door ornament to highlight the season. There were Santa faces that would light up the front door, reindeer in perpetual motion on the font lawn ( as much as there was a front lawn) in The Bronx. Usually the reindeer had a red nose. Of course back in the 50's-60's there was the Nativity scene on several lawns. Today you'd be hard pressed as there seems to be no room at the inn or anywhere else for the Stars of Christmas.
With the advent of inflatable santas and the like lawns come alive at night with snow globes, sleighs, and of course Rudolph, but in the morning the spirit of Christmas in the 21st century shows its true colors. Just a lot of hot air, deflated and lifeless on the lawn.
Even the traditional Pelham Parkway Christmas house has been transformed into a faux wax museum with Micheal Jackson statues, a Marilyn Monroe look alike complete with white mink stole and fake boobed mannequins with fake boobs! Jesus now is around the back on top of a lawn shed and the winged angel is a cross between Fabio and every androgynous guy named Vinny who spends way too much time in the gym. Well after all it is The Bronx in the 21st century.
When I was a kid nearly everyone on my street had some kind of lit, larger than life, well at least my 8 year old life, lawn or door ornament to highlight the season. There were Santa faces that would light up the front door, reindeer in perpetual motion on the font lawn ( as much as there was a front lawn) in The Bronx. Usually the reindeer had a red nose. Of course back in the 50's-60's there was the Nativity scene on several lawns. Today you'd be hard pressed as there seems to be no room at the inn or anywhere else for the Stars of Christmas.
With the advent of inflatable santas and the like lawns come alive at night with snow globes, sleighs, and of course Rudolph, but in the morning the spirit of Christmas in the 21st century shows its true colors. Just a lot of hot air, deflated and lifeless on the lawn.
Even the traditional Pelham Parkway Christmas house has been transformed into a faux wax museum with Micheal Jackson statues, a Marilyn Monroe look alike complete with white mink stole and fake boobed mannequins with fake boobs! Jesus now is around the back on top of a lawn shed and the winged angel is a cross between Fabio and every androgynous guy named Vinny who spends way too much time in the gym. Well after all it is The Bronx in the 21st century.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Taking stock
After a strong first quarter and reached 2000 hits I have noticed a drop off in the number of hits to my blog. Not quite sure why but if we re going to finish the year with a bang then you guys are going to have to step it up. I suppose some of the fault lies in the fact that I cannot generate any comments, at least those that I can see and respond to. I need to work on this aspect of my blog and open it up to a much larger audience. Now true we have readers in foreign countries and includes the 2 hits from Poland. I am happy to know that tales of my retirement and the "adventures" that I experience from day to day are being shared with the world.
Moving forward my new years resolution is expand my blog, get you all to respond and open up a dialogue complete with helpful hints for a fruitful retirement.
Moving forward my new years resolution is expand my blog, get you all to respond and open up a dialogue complete with helpful hints for a fruitful retirement.
Monday, December 3, 2012
It's a jungle out there
Over the weekend I came upon several animals in distress or worse.
In less than 1/2 mile on the I-95 turnpike I observed 2 dead deer. How anyone can go fast enough on the traffic clogged road to hurt anything is amazing. The stretch between Greenwich and Norwalk is constantly jammed with cars, too many cars, too little road. But there they were two deer obviously struck dead by cars. The deer in the headlights phrase surely applies.
Later in the weekend on Hope Street, a local but well traveled road in Stamford I witnessed a wild turkey trying to navigate the double line, a screaming, well intentioned woman, obviously trying to scare the bird who even without her, was doing the the turkey's version of deer in the headlights. Unlike the deer, the bird was able to escape the traffic, jumped over a wall and back into the "woods" of CT.
You would think by now both species would have received the memo that they are not welcomed in these parts and that their life was in danger, so adapt. Time to get out of town and head for the calmer, quieter confines of ugh, ugh,ugh..... Greenland?
In less than 1/2 mile on the I-95 turnpike I observed 2 dead deer. How anyone can go fast enough on the traffic clogged road to hurt anything is amazing. The stretch between Greenwich and Norwalk is constantly jammed with cars, too many cars, too little road. But there they were two deer obviously struck dead by cars. The deer in the headlights phrase surely applies.
Later in the weekend on Hope Street, a local but well traveled road in Stamford I witnessed a wild turkey trying to navigate the double line, a screaming, well intentioned woman, obviously trying to scare the bird who even without her, was doing the the turkey's version of deer in the headlights. Unlike the deer, the bird was able to escape the traffic, jumped over a wall and back into the "woods" of CT.
You would think by now both species would have received the memo that they are not welcomed in these parts and that their life was in danger, so adapt. Time to get out of town and head for the calmer, quieter confines of ugh, ugh,ugh..... Greenland?
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