RANDOM THOUGTS
Understanding and Belief
Many years ago, I had a computer store. Every so often, a Rabbi named Balfour came in to have his computer serviced. Whenever he did, he always wanted to discuss religion. I told him, “Frankly Rabbi, you’re wasting your time with me.
Loosies and the Price of Eggs
I went into a supermarket where the price of eggs not too long ago was around a dollar a dozen. I was stunned that the price of a dozen was eight dollars and there was a limit of four per person. Limit of four? I could barely afford one dozen and would hope something would bring the price down.
Skiing
I started skiing in my late twenties. Some of my friends, having recently returned from military service decided to ski and I, knowing nothing about it except seeing some in newsreels, decided it might be fun. At the beginning, it wasn’t.
THE PLANETARY LINEUP
I got interested in astronomy as a kid about seven years old. My grandfather, who lived in the same building as we did, got the first volume of the Wonderland of Knowledge, an encyclopedia which was being advertised in the NY Daily Telegram.
Winter Thunderstorms and the Colonel
My dog, who is panicked by thunder was hiding in my office this New Years Eve. She has learned that my office, with no windows, mitigates the thunder claps. Winter thunderstorms are rare but it reminded me of my meteorological past.
Find Old Friends
I emphasized not to wait too long or you’ll find their obituaries instead of making contact. Time has a way of flying by. Some time back, a close friend sent me this poem which I’ll pass on in the way of encouragement not to put it off. It’s called “Jim Died Today” and was written by an American writer Ken Nesbitt.
The Police and Drivers
I understand the dangers of driving. I’ve been driving for 75 years. But in my opinion, the police are altogether too preoccupied, almost obsessed with speeding and downgrading the other violations. Driving 35 in a 25 mile zone is not as dangerous as not stopping at stop signs, pulling out of driveways without looking, not using directional signals and let’s not forget the leaves.
Black Friday Deals and Other Crap
There must be too many people out there with money they don’t need. Richard Pryor once said that drugs are God’s way of telling us we have too much money.
Thanksgiving Homage To Arlo Guthrie and the Late Officer Obie
My wife and I lived in Stockbridge MA for over 30 years. When we moved to New Jersey, we had left some stuff in storage. Eventually, time had come to get rid of the stuff and the cost of the storage box. So, a couple of years ago, my son Peter and I went up […]
Research Your Meds
Since I was diagnosed with prostate cancer six years ago, I have discovered just how sleazy the drug companies are. And doctors, unintentionally, are complicit in big pharma’s intent to make money. Doctors are too busy to read what they have to and believe what the drug companies tell them. After being treated with a […]
NJ Symphony with Renee Fleming
Three numbers actually brought me to tears. The first was Curtis Green’s “Red Mountains Sometimes Cry” followed later by John Kander’s “A Letter from Sullivan Ballou” a love letter from a Union soldier to his wife written before he is killed in his first battle at Bull Run.
Get Rid Of It
My wife said to me the other day (again) “What am I going to do with your stuff when you die.” At age 91, she has a point. The problem is that I don’t know what to do myself. Between old files that you can’f throw out, heaven forbid, and stuff like boxes for things […]
Photography and the Evolution of Confusion
Be careful with stuff you don’t even wish for. Back in an earlier life, I was a serious photographer, amateur, but serious. I bought a Rolleiflex while in the Air Force. Then getting involved with 35 mm color, I bought a Canon SLR which I used so much, I practically wore it out.
Sports and Me
I’m a jock and have always been one. Yes, even at 91, I play ball. They jokingly say that you can keep going forever if you do today what you did yesterday. Usually the joke is about sex but it applies more realistically about ball playing. When covid hit, our basketball game broke up and […]
Phishing Is Not Phunny
This is just a few words on Phishing which is people trying to scam you on line, and how to deal with it. For example, I received an email telling me that my Sirius XM subscription has expired and if I click below, I can extend it for 3 months free. First of all, my […]
Learning a Foreign Language
Years ago, more years ago than I care to mention, my wife and I with two sons ages 8 and 6 moved to Italy to live, specifically to Milan in the industrial north. I was offered a job to work for an Italian engineering company which was looking for an American manager for their infant […]
Heat Wave
The last two years of atmospheric temperature have amazed and frightened me. Back some 70 years ago, the US Air Force sent me to school to get a masters degree in meteorology. I worked as a weatherman for the Air Force for years and then for a bit at TWA before joining IBM. I also […]
Dangerous Advertising
Once upon a time in 1953 there was a book, there still is, called The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard. It introduced the reader to the psychological approach to advertising. It described the customer’s needs that advertising aimed at to sell products. In the 70 years since, this psychological and subliminal approach to advertising, compounded […]
Locating Old Friends
One of the tragedies of growing old is that you lose friends. I guess it’s either them or me. Sure there are new friends. Life goes on. But the old friends are linked with memories you don’t have with the new ones. I recently lost my closest friend of some 70 years and I miss […]
Breaking The Smoking Habit – Permanently
Most of us remember significant dates in our lives, birthdays, anniversaries and so on. Some dates are universal like December 7th, Pearl Harbor or June 6th, D-Day. A date very significant for me is June 5th which is my fathers birthday. Why is that so important for me, you may ask? That was the day […]
CATEGORIES
Understanding and Belief
Many years ago, I had a computer store. Every so often, a Rabbi named Balfour came in to have his computer serviced. Whenever he did, he always wanted to discuss religion. I told him, “Frankly Rabbi, you’re wasting your time with me.
Loosies and the Price of Eggs
I went into a supermarket where the price of eggs not too long ago was around a dollar a dozen. I was stunned that the price of a dozen was eight dollars and there was a limit of four per person. Limit of four? I could barely afford one dozen and would hope something would bring the price down.
Skiing
I started skiing in my late twenties. Some of my friends, having recently returned from military service decided to ski and I, knowing nothing about it except seeing some in newsreels, decided it might be fun. At the beginning, it wasn’t.
THE PLANETARY LINEUP
I got interested in astronomy as a kid about seven years old. My grandfather, who lived in the same building as we did, got the first volume of the Wonderland of Knowledge, an encyclopedia which was being advertised in the NY Daily Telegram.
Winter Thunderstorms and the Colonel
My dog, who is panicked by thunder was hiding in my office this New Years Eve. She has learned that my office, with no windows, mitigates the thunder claps. Winter thunderstorms are rare but it reminded me of my meteorological past.
Find Old Friends
I emphasized not to wait too long or you’ll find their obituaries instead of making contact. Time has a way of flying by. Some time back, a close friend sent me this poem which I’ll pass on in the way of encouragement not to put it off. It’s called “Jim Died Today” and was written by an American writer Ken Nesbitt.
The Police and Drivers
I understand the dangers of driving. I’ve been driving for 75 years. But in my opinion, the police are altogether too preoccupied, almost obsessed with speeding and downgrading the other violations. Driving 35 in a 25 mile zone is not as dangerous as not stopping at stop signs, pulling out of driveways without looking, not using directional signals and let’s not forget the leaves.
Black Friday Deals and Other Crap
There must be too many people out there with money they don’t need. Richard Pryor once said that drugs are God’s way of telling us we have too much money.
Thanksgiving Homage To Arlo Guthrie and the Late Officer Obie
My wife and I lived in Stockbridge MA for over 30 years. When we moved to New Jersey, we had left some stuff in storage. Eventually, time had come to get rid of the stuff and the cost of the storage box. So, a couple of years ago, my son Peter and I went up […]
Research Your Meds
Since I was diagnosed with prostate cancer six years ago, I have discovered just how sleazy the drug companies are. And doctors, unintentionally, are complicit in big pharma’s intent to make money. Doctors are too busy to read what they have to and believe what the drug companies tell them. After being treated with a […]
NJ Symphony with Renee Fleming
Three numbers actually brought me to tears. The first was Curtis Green’s “Red Mountains Sometimes Cry” followed later by John Kander’s “A Letter from Sullivan Ballou” a love letter from a Union soldier to his wife written before he is killed in his first battle at Bull Run.
Get Rid Of It
My wife said to me the other day (again) “What am I going to do with your stuff when you die.” At age 91, she has a point. The problem is that I don’t know what to do myself. Between old files that you can’f throw out, heaven forbid, and stuff like boxes for things […]
Photography and the Evolution of Confusion
Be careful with stuff you don’t even wish for. Back in an earlier life, I was a serious photographer, amateur, but serious. I bought a Rolleiflex while in the Air Force. Then getting involved with 35 mm color, I bought a Canon SLR which I used so much, I practically wore it out.
Sports and Me
I’m a jock and have always been one. Yes, even at 91, I play ball. They jokingly say that you can keep going forever if you do today what you did yesterday. Usually the joke is about sex but it applies more realistically about ball playing. When covid hit, our basketball game broke up and […]
Phishing Is Not Phunny
This is just a few words on Phishing which is people trying to scam you on line, and how to deal with it. For example, I received an email telling me that my Sirius XM subscription has expired and if I click below, I can extend it for 3 months free. First of all, my […]
Learning a Foreign Language
Years ago, more years ago than I care to mention, my wife and I with two sons ages 8 and 6 moved to Italy to live, specifically to Milan in the industrial north. I was offered a job to work for an Italian engineering company which was looking for an American manager for their infant […]
Heat Wave
The last two years of atmospheric temperature have amazed and frightened me. Back some 70 years ago, the US Air Force sent me to school to get a masters degree in meteorology. I worked as a weatherman for the Air Force for years and then for a bit at TWA before joining IBM. I also […]
Dangerous Advertising
Once upon a time in 1953 there was a book, there still is, called The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard. It introduced the reader to the psychological approach to advertising. It described the customer’s needs that advertising aimed at to sell products. In the 70 years since, this psychological and subliminal approach to advertising, compounded […]
Locating Old Friends
One of the tragedies of growing old is that you lose friends. I guess it’s either them or me. Sure there are new friends. Life goes on. But the old friends are linked with memories you don’t have with the new ones. I recently lost my closest friend of some 70 years and I miss […]
Breaking The Smoking Habit – Permanently
Most of us remember significant dates in our lives, birthdays, anniversaries and so on. Some dates are universal like December 7th, Pearl Harbor or June 6th, D-Day. A date very significant for me is June 5th which is my fathers birthday. Why is that so important for me, you may ask? That was the day […]
