http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gCRDDf5-_4
I've been trying to reason out for myself, if there is a difference in being Italian, being raised Italian or being born into an Italian family. Some may say that they are all the same...........but just think about it for a minute.
Being born Italian, simply means beginning ones life with two parents of Italian decent. With that in mind, is one born Italian if .....say, one parent is Italian, who lived his entire life in America and one parent is Albanian, but lived only 1 year of her life in Italy.......? For all intense purposes, I have selected to say I was born Italian simply by having 2 parents of Italian decent. Correctly, I guess that really makes me an Italian American. This is, of course, argumentative in the eyes of some................but I certainly believe that everyone must have some kind of beginning.......so......I was born into an Italian family......making me Italian. Being raised Italian is a little more difficult to show. Being raised, in my mind, means from birth forward to 18 years old . Nothing, during this period, brings to mind anything to establish why my being in a one child Italian family established me as an Italian.
I was not, in any sense of the word raised Italian, unless of course, one considers eating pasta every Sunday with a family that for one reason or another spoke Italian or Albanian 3/4 of the time is being raised Italian. I for one do not consider this as being raised Italian. I have had my share of pasta, pizza, cannelloni, ravioli, lazanna ,tortellini, fettachini or any other kind of inies along with all the Italian meats, veggies, and WINE, OVER MY LIFETIME, but .......did not have grease in my hair, a pencil mustache, gold chains around my neck or any of that sort of Italian stuff.................admittedly, I do have hair on my back, stomach, legs and so forth. I don't look good in bicycle speados and rode a bike with fat tires instead of skinny ones and I don't talk like........"yo.....know what I mean" " tink a bout it"
So........what makes an Italian,.......ITALIAN.........I haven't the slightest idea. Growing up, I did have some questions on my being .......truly ..........an Italian. Only child in the family just was to much for me to comprehend.......the Italian part, but here I am, an only Italian child. NOW, if this makes no sense to you......just think how I feel!. It's this rambling on that is most annoying and confusing. The one thing this constantly brings to mind is how VITO, this Italian seems to bring something into the room. It's funny how just having this name and with people having the knowledge that I am an Italian brings a certain feeling of uncertainty into any room. I remember, attending meetings, how........as soon as I entered the room a sense of..........I KNOW NOTHING hushness came over the participants...............oh, I would say until they actually knew it was safe to talk in front of me,.......guess they all wanted to hear me speak in this low soft voice like having cotton in my cheeks. In fact a certain reputation had followed me to Seattle and being such a small airport at the time I originally arrived from New York, Just the first name was enough to have people question whether or not I was a member of an "international organization." Well, I took advantage of this by never giving a definite yes or no but only shrugged my shoulders and not speaking. "If this is what you want to believe,.......far be it me to say any different. As the airport grew, so did the name of VITO. Being Italian is great!!!!!.............and intimidating.
Last night Margot and I went to a Jazz concert at the local high school to listen to the high school jazz band. In all honesty, we went primarily to listen to the guest artist they featured, a Latin jazz musician by the name of Bobby Medina. Bobby happens to be married to a gal that once worked for SAS in Seattle. Bobby had not only performed with some big musicians throughout his career but also for some functions held by SAS. The concert, last night was somewhat of a kickoff to an upcoming concert for him and his band. His tapes are fantastic and if you enjoy Latin jazz, I strongly suggest you pick one up. You might want to contact him at bobmedina@jps.net
Hope you checked out the video at the start of this page.
4/3/11
WHY IS THIS SUCH A BIG DEAL??
Here is an article that you should read!!! (just click on the title)
Travel TSA defends privacy, safety of imaging machines Seattle Times Newspaper
Travelers are making such a big thing .............out of nothing. Now we have a Senator from Alaska refusing to go through an imaging machine........because she had a mastectomy. Something you may not know is that many, government officials DO NOT GO THROUGH a security check. I wonder if the TSA agents go through an inspection and if not......WHY? .....can they be eliminated from terrorist actions? Are they so level headed that they will NEVER want to due some harm to another person. OH excuse me, they must be level headed they are government employees.
Some government officials use government A/C paid for by the taxpayers and I would venture to say that all charge their travels to their offices..........paid by the taxpayers. So, if the taxpayers are paying for their travel and they work for us, the taxpayers. Why can't we deduct their costs off our income taxes????
Granted ...... I had some fun on a previous posting about the Airline Captain that apparently went into the mens room and vomitted after having to go through........a gropping.......by a male inspector. Would he feel the same way if it were a female inspector?..... Bet not!! I can understand the reason flight crews are reluctant to go through these checks, after all, just think .......... some may go through 2-4 checks per day depending on flight schedules. The one realistic reason is that we don't know for sure if the radiation needed can effect them as years go by.......and the government doesn't know either. Then again, I open and use my microwave at least 15-20 times a day, have I now been effected by this radiation? Is this the reason I am slightly overweight?
I still feel that the task of inspecting travellers can be transferred to the private sector........and that will help big time to reduce the deficit.........and in return can be just as effective. Just because you wear a government supplied uniform it does not justify that you are anymore efficient at your job.........or at least.......that's what the conservatives like to think.
Speaking about that. I, today, read an interesting article written by Paul Krugman, not only a Syndicated columnist but also a Noble prize winner of economics. He wrote , what I thought was a true ........but funny..... item and I want to pass it on to you. It was the result of a Republican report released last week at the Congressional Joint Economic Committee. It was called "Spend less, Owe less, Grow the Economy" They (the republicans) argued that slashing government spending and employment in the face of a deeply depressed economy would actually create jobs. I quote this so I don't get in wrong.
Here is the reports explanation of how layoffs would create jobs
"A smaller government work force increases the available supply of educated, skilled workers for private firms, this lowering labor cost. Dropping the euphemisms what this says is that by increasing unemployment, particularly of educated, skilled workers...in case you're wondering, that mainly means schoolteachers..we can drive down wages, which would encourage hiring. There is, if you think about it, an immediate logical problem here. Republicans are saying that job destruction leads to lower wages, which leads to job creation, But won't this job creation lead to higher wages, which leads to job destruction. which leads to....? I need some aspirin
Beyond that, why would lower wages promote higher employment?
There's a fallacy of composition here. Since workers at any individual company may be able to save their jobs by accepting a pay cut, you might think that we can increase overall employment by cutting everyone wages. But pay cuts at, say, General Motors have helped save some workers jobs by making GM more competitive with other companies whose wage costs haven't fallen. There's no comparable benefit when you cut everyones' wages at the same time
In fact, across the board wage cuts would almost certainly reduce not increase, employment. Why? Because while earnings would fall, debts would not, so a general fall in wages would worsen the debt problems that are, at this point, the principal obstacle to recovery.
Now, I need an aspirin also!!!!!! I basically stand by my own thoughts. If you have no incoming money......the result is .............you cannot spend.............therefore you have no budget...........this all leads to
1. you make money
2. you spend money
3. you borrow money...................but it has to be paid back..............to someone.................SSSOOOO
4. you make more money
5. you can spend more money, etc etc etc
6. If you stop ALL spending , you cannot buy anything so why make money. Lets all go on a .......FREE........... vacation.
Travel TSA defends privacy, safety of imaging machines Seattle Times Newspaper
Travelers are making such a big thing .............out of nothing. Now we have a Senator from Alaska refusing to go through an imaging machine........because she had a mastectomy. Something you may not know is that many, government officials DO NOT GO THROUGH a security check. I wonder if the TSA agents go through an inspection and if not......WHY? .....can they be eliminated from terrorist actions? Are they so level headed that they will NEVER want to due some harm to another person. OH excuse me, they must be level headed they are government employees.
Some government officials use government A/C paid for by the taxpayers and I would venture to say that all charge their travels to their offices..........paid by the taxpayers. So, if the taxpayers are paying for their travel and they work for us, the taxpayers. Why can't we deduct their costs off our income taxes????
Granted ...... I had some fun on a previous posting about the Airline Captain that apparently went into the mens room and vomitted after having to go through........a gropping.......by a male inspector. Would he feel the same way if it were a female inspector?..... Bet not!! I can understand the reason flight crews are reluctant to go through these checks, after all, just think .......... some may go through 2-4 checks per day depending on flight schedules. The one realistic reason is that we don't know for sure if the radiation needed can effect them as years go by.......and the government doesn't know either. Then again, I open and use my microwave at least 15-20 times a day, have I now been effected by this radiation? Is this the reason I am slightly overweight?
I still feel that the task of inspecting travellers can be transferred to the private sector........and that will help big time to reduce the deficit.........and in return can be just as effective. Just because you wear a government supplied uniform it does not justify that you are anymore efficient at your job.........or at least.......that's what the conservatives like to think.
Speaking about that. I, today, read an interesting article written by Paul Krugman, not only a Syndicated columnist but also a Noble prize winner of economics. He wrote , what I thought was a true ........but funny..... item and I want to pass it on to you. It was the result of a Republican report released last week at the Congressional Joint Economic Committee. It was called "Spend less, Owe less, Grow the Economy" They (the republicans) argued that slashing government spending and employment in the face of a deeply depressed economy would actually create jobs. I quote this so I don't get in wrong.
Here is the reports explanation of how layoffs would create jobs
"A smaller government work force increases the available supply of educated, skilled workers for private firms, this lowering labor cost. Dropping the euphemisms what this says is that by increasing unemployment, particularly of educated, skilled workers...in case you're wondering, that mainly means schoolteachers..we can drive down wages, which would encourage hiring. There is, if you think about it, an immediate logical problem here. Republicans are saying that job destruction leads to lower wages, which leads to job creation, But won't this job creation lead to higher wages, which leads to job destruction. which leads to....? I need some aspirin
Beyond that, why would lower wages promote higher employment?
There's a fallacy of composition here. Since workers at any individual company may be able to save their jobs by accepting a pay cut, you might think that we can increase overall employment by cutting everyone wages. But pay cuts at, say, General Motors have helped save some workers jobs by making GM more competitive with other companies whose wage costs haven't fallen. There's no comparable benefit when you cut everyones' wages at the same time
In fact, across the board wage cuts would almost certainly reduce not increase, employment. Why? Because while earnings would fall, debts would not, so a general fall in wages would worsen the debt problems that are, at this point, the principal obstacle to recovery.
Now, I need an aspirin also!!!!!! I basically stand by my own thoughts. If you have no incoming money......the result is .............you cannot spend.............therefore you have no budget...........this all leads to
1. you make money
2. you spend money
3. you borrow money...................but it has to be paid back..............to someone.................SSSOOOO
4. you make more money
5. you can spend more money, etc etc etc
6. If you stop ALL spending , you cannot buy anything so why make money. Lets all go on a .......FREE........... vacation.
3/22/11
HAVE A BALL!!!!!!
Since the new TSA rules went into effect regarding the new search procedures used at the airports, we had not made a trip. I listened very carefully to all this commotion about how the TSA inspectors were taking advantage of their new powers to search people. .....How the middle age lady thought the process was so disgraceful being touched by a woman or how the one Flight Captain, after experiencing the new method .......found himself in the men's room.......vomiting over being touched in private places. I wonder if he gave that any thought before he reached out and grabbed a hostess by her butt after she refused to have a drink with him. I find it rather amusing since I had never met a Captain that was this sensitive to being touched............... unless it was because the inspector was a man, which tends me to ask why men find it so EVENTFUL to watch woman ..........fondle ...........woman.
I sort of looked forward to this inspection during a recent trip we made to Hawaii. All I could think of the last week before leaving was how lucky Margot would be since it was 100% sure she would go through an extensive search since she has a Knee replacement and ALWAYS sets the buzzer off. I wanted to intentionally leave my belt on.......but just before I entered the scanner.....I was reminded to take my belt off. RATS!!! I already had my line picked out for when they told me to raise my arms and spread my legs and say "Do you mind if I have to go up your thighs?".......................... "NO PROBLEM.........HAVE A BALL!!" but I never got to use it. Guess Margot was relieved, since the rumor has it that anytime someone made any kind of unwanted comment they were thrown off the flight. Anyway, as I easily passed though the scanner with no sound, I took a look back and watched Margot getting her intense search. How lucky could she be. Guess, at our age, anytime some affection , of any kind comes along .........you just take it as.......................OK that wasn't so bad, I have had better.
Now, on the way back from Hawaii, the thought was that I would pull a Howard Stern shock spot, so I wore flip, flops, my bathing suit and a tank top going through security...........No problem.......what could they ask me to remove? Of course, just after security I would change into shorts, shirt and sneakers....... DAMN!!!! THE BUZZER just went off..................Why ME!!!!!....What am I carrying??. It seems that in walking through the terminal I stepped on a small paper clip that embedded itself into the soft flip flop It must have taken 20 minutes to discover what it was, meanwhile Margot had her intense search, a cup of coffee and came back to get me. Worst part was ................I just couldn't come up with anything!!!!! .that's strange to even admit...........and I was afraid to.
Now this reminds me about a trip I made to Sweden, some years back............about 6years. During the last day there, my belt had broken. Not having enough time to go out and look for a new one, I asked my host if they happen to have a belt I could borrow..........Well, I was a little overweight at that time and they just looked at me and laughed. The only thing they could come up with was a piece of green wrapping string. Well, as long as it held up my pants......I saw nothing wrong with it so, around the old waist it went.......twice ..........and then covered up by the broken belt to the point that you just could not see the string. Everything was going along OK, security in Sweden never asked me to remove my belt but just ran a hand wand over me after setting off the magnetometer. WALAA!!! passed that one. Now.........it's a different thing on my arrival into Seattle, after customs you had to go through a security check since the government agencies are located in a building that also housed domestic airlines. It seemed that since you had to go through security before going on domestic flights and even coming off an international flight you were still on an airplane that................could have.............passengers on it that did not pass through a security check point that was not approved by our FAA...................it's another long story..............but I can see what they had in mind. Anyway, there I was at the magnetometer.............with my belt on................so as I was told by the then.....................agent for a non government company (before TSA times) but controlled by the FAA ....to remove my belt. I tried to tell him my pants would fall................he would have nothing to say about that!!!!!!! just take off your belt................HEY! HEY! HEY ! WHAT;S THAT GREEN STRING!!!! where does it go. Embarrassingly, I tried to tell him my story..... but he was very insistent that I remove it in front of him (guess he though it was a fuse, heading down the front end of my pants and attached to a GIANT BOMB!!!! Well the funny part of the story is that everyone around me stood back with their fingers in their ears and watched as I gently untied the string and tried to hold my pants up at the same while doing my 15 minute standup act.................Now, that's embarrassment The new system of getting felt up is nothing compared to that.
Brings up a point about the TSA,...............established by the Bush Administration ........a result of 911 and the suspected reason that a BIGGER government can run a more efficient security. WRONG!!!! What it created was a giant department with over 125,000 employees of which less than 1/3 are inspectors, the rest is administration .........ALL EARNING big bucks!!!!!! Before them private companies had the chore of security PAID by the airlines BUT daily monitored by the FAA and weekly meeting with all of the security companies and airlines updating any new FAA requirements. Just think of the savings!!!!!!!!!my conservative friends who want to cut government!!!!!!! There is my suggestion........................!!!!! Get rid of the TSA and go back to the old system and save some big bucks. Seems that it will match what the GOP wants to do!!!!! OK! OK! Granted some procedures would have to be improve over what was done some 20 years ago.................but that's the easy part.
.
I recently read that the GOP leadership, determine to turn back the times of the Pelosi era .....has reinstated the use of styrofoam cups in the Capital cafeterias. Guess if they are given another term they will advance America by putting the lead back into the paint covering the walls.
I promised in my last posting that I would have our trip to Hawaii on film for you. Well, Margot has now given it her PG rating so here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aeqQonRlWw
3/11/11
SUMMER'S COMING ALONG WITH THE BIRDS AND SQUIRRELS......
If you recall, last year I mentioned how I was having difficulties with HERMAN, the squirrel and how he was able to climb the pole to the bird feeders and no matter what idea I came up with.................he would outsmart me....................until I finally gave up(Feb 2010 are you smarter than a squirrel). Well a friend of mine happened to pay special attention to my dilemma and sent me the attached video on how to fix the problem.................once and for all. OK, HERMAN............BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIbY_IWT3fk
I haven't seen HERMAN all winter ................but...........I know he's out there somewhere and is just preparing himself to meet up with me..........soon!!!! He has his direct contact with ACME, the same place Roadrunner deals with for all his ........."outsmarting tools." There are still peanuts buried in Margots flower boxes from just before winter and I know he will eventually wake up hungry. OOHH sorry, he's a rodent not a bear!!! however, if you see the mess he can make of her flowers looking for peanuts you would think he was a bear. Margot's not very happy about that..................but...................just doesn't have the (whatever) to make a squirrel hat out of him. The birds, on the other hand, really don't pay any attention to him................EXCEPT.................the enormous black birds who...................just sit and wait until Herman tries to cross the street in front of a car......................doesn't make it.........and BAM!!!!! they are down on him.
Anyway, Spring has begun to show it's little sign with the little shoots of flowers trying to push their noses up through the little snow that hangs around from our dumping of 3" well OK! make remarks about that but to me that 3" was equal to 3' when I was thinking about shovelling it...............so I dumped that idea and came in and made myself another cup of coffee.
I had to call the city, this morning to remind them that I live at the bottom of a hill and with 3" of snow, I can't get my car up the hill and that I feel like a hermit in the forest. I also added the fact that the power has gone out and since our house is total electric, I can't even make a cup of coffee and being old I need my TV to watch Judge Judy and Springer. Well, they were very concerned about the whole situation and the next day in the mail, came a letter from the young lady I spoke with apologizing for the bad snow removal service along with the power outage plus a $3 coupon for a Starbucks as soon as I could make it up the hill. Wasn't that nice!!!!!! I decided then and there not to call her back to advise her that the truck ....................missed my sidewalk.
Well , back to Herman, I just saw the little bastard, running from one pot to another looking for his nuts..............better get my squirrel relocater up and running.
Come late April, Margot will once again begin working on her flower deck and I will put some photos of it online in this blog..............just to show you what I have to put up with every year........but it does keep her occupied and away from shopping. Not that she's a big shopper but is quick to always say......."she doesn't have a thing to wear." My only question is why does she have three closets and I have only one????
Well, like they say in Mississippi..............or is it Louisiana................or perhaps Alabama. That's all for now. Come on back...............Y'ALL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIbY_IWT3fk
I haven't seen HERMAN all winter ................but...........I know he's out there somewhere and is just preparing himself to meet up with me..........soon!!!! He has his direct contact with ACME, the same place Roadrunner deals with for all his ........."outsmarting tools." There are still peanuts buried in Margots flower boxes from just before winter and I know he will eventually wake up hungry. OOHH sorry, he's a rodent not a bear!!! however, if you see the mess he can make of her flowers looking for peanuts you would think he was a bear. Margot's not very happy about that..................but...................just doesn't have the (whatever) to make a squirrel hat out of him. The birds, on the other hand, really don't pay any attention to him................EXCEPT.................the enormous black birds who...................just sit and wait until Herman tries to cross the street in front of a car......................doesn't make it.........and BAM!!!!! they are down on him.
Anyway, Spring has begun to show it's little sign with the little shoots of flowers trying to push their noses up through the little snow that hangs around from our dumping of 3" well OK! make remarks about that but to me that 3" was equal to 3' when I was thinking about shovelling it...............so I dumped that idea and came in and made myself another cup of coffee.
I had to call the city, this morning to remind them that I live at the bottom of a hill and with 3" of snow, I can't get my car up the hill and that I feel like a hermit in the forest. I also added the fact that the power has gone out and since our house is total electric, I can't even make a cup of coffee and being old I need my TV to watch Judge Judy and Springer. Well, they were very concerned about the whole situation and the next day in the mail, came a letter from the young lady I spoke with apologizing for the bad snow removal service along with the power outage plus a $3 coupon for a Starbucks as soon as I could make it up the hill. Wasn't that nice!!!!!! I decided then and there not to call her back to advise her that the truck ....................missed my sidewalk.
Well , back to Herman, I just saw the little bastard, running from one pot to another looking for his nuts..............better get my squirrel relocater up and running.
Come late April, Margot will once again begin working on her flower deck and I will put some photos of it online in this blog..............just to show you what I have to put up with every year........but it does keep her occupied and away from shopping. Not that she's a big shopper but is quick to always say......."she doesn't have a thing to wear." My only question is why does she have three closets and I have only one????
Well, like they say in Mississippi..............or is it Louisiana................or perhaps Alabama. That's all for now. Come on back...............Y'ALL.
3/4/11
WHO?? WHAT DID THEY SAY?? WHERE AM I??
The recent televising of the Oscars and before that the Grammy's have certainly been an eye opener for me.
Where did my world go? I always considered myself to be a little hip (just to prove that point, I do like the group Willy Nillie......or is it Nillies Willy ).... but when you don't know any of the people or the movies or the songs it leads one to immediately go to any of the everyday things i.e. crossword puzzles, sudoku, find the word, look for differences in pictures or whatever else there is to prove to one self that Ahlzeimers is not present.
To take this one step further, I turned on American Idol only to become more confused and concerned. Whatever happen to the gooooood
old songs like: I'm looking over a four leaf clover, Amore, Wheel of Fortune, Doggy in the window, I did it my way, Till, and my favorite....Lets do the twist!!! I now only hear a lot of screaming, gargling, and what sounds like coughing, I can't understand what words they are saying or what the melody really is. Besides all this the new singers are having problems dressing. Either the pants hang to low, slits in skirts to high, socks don't match or a long scarf hangs outside the rear of the pants. Tattoos appear all over the body, Tuxedo shirt studs are now located in the nose, lips, eyelids, and tongue, which by the way forces one to sing with a lisp, hair on girls short, hair on boys long. Did I become a modern day RIP VAN WINKLE and miss out on the past 20 years? Is my memory really leaving me? The worst seems to be coming faster and faster with the passing of each day. The world seems to be moving faster than the Lone Rangers speeding silver bullet.
are going. Why in the world would anyone
want to show their underwear, unless you
are going to a Halloween party as
Superman!! .........or trying to capture
the loving lust of that certain someone.
Granted, my mom always told me to
wear clean underwear.......just in case
I was hit by a car and the medics had to
see if my underwear was clean and
pressed, which I could never understand
the philosophy but never questioned Mom.
But I never went around showing them off.
However, I could understand people
wanting to see my Chartreuse argyle socks.
The one thing I do say thank you for is DANCING WITH THE STARS. At least they do have at least one.........old timer.......on the show, even though they may have a little trouble with the Texas Two Step slowing down to 2MPH or the Jive, where this little skinny dancing guy has to pick up and throw this older slightly overweight female star over his shoulders. One thing I never realized to now is that it is true that our reactions become slower with age. Even our timing!!!!! and especially our memory of...................THE GOOD OLD DAYS...................
OOOOHHHHH well, the important thing at the moment..............IS THAT TIME GOES ON!!!!!!
3/1/11
THINKIN' BACK!!
Recently, one of my close friends who has literally known me since school to this day.........boy that makes her really old....................asked me to give a comparison to the three big times of my life........school years......military years and my working years. WHAT THE HELL!!!!! Why would anyone want to know that for??? Well, I actually started to write about that but just ended up deleting a complete post about it. I just could not bring it to myself to make that comparison. After all, they were all totally different and each had good times and bad ...............most of all they all played a role in why I am so damn wonderful. My school years started out as usual school years do. I had visions of being abnormally bright, attending college with the highest expectations of spending at least 8 years in college to become a worldwide noted architect, diplomat,scholar, athlete..................no not one of the above................ALL OF THE ABOVE. Now, very simply put, I could see none of the above happening as soon as the 7th grade............ssssoooooo I had to settle for passing grade (slightly above borderline) and a job with part time college, which, by the way extended to the age of 60, but like my dad would always say................"YOU NEVER stop learning!!!! Boy, dad, you should have been a Nobel prize winner.......for COMMONSENSE. The real break came as soon as I graduated high school, got a summer job with the US Post Office earning $1.63/per hour and the big bucks simply burned a hole in my jeans and I couldn't resist earning all that money by wasting my time to go to school in the fall. Well, it wasn't until the spring of the next year when my new calling with SAS came to life along with a HEFTY raise to $1.83/hr. WOW!!!!! LOOK OUT WORLD. I'm on my way!!!! All that dough.......PLUS.......the chance to date all those hot Scandinavian chicks. Well, that wasn't as easy as thought out to be. Seems, the custom was to be introduced............but have no fear. The people skills I learned in high school were all in place and I was able to finally put them to use. The high school social life started to pay off.
Durning my early years at SAS, my Uncle Sam decided that he needed me to settle some minor incidents in the world so I had to leave my job and take up a calling, where within a short time I had helicopter duty flying over the nudest colonies of Germany to keep them safe. Perhaps, that's a little harsh, I'm not really going to expand on that!!!!! After the 2 years of active duty, I did return to SAS only to retire some 39 years later. Nothing, like keeping a job even through perhaps 5 layoffs and 5 offered retirement plans. Must have been my lovable personality I trained for in high school.
So now, you can see where I have a problem in deciding where I enjoyed myself the most between school, military or working. It's easy to say.................ALL OF THE ABOVE. I still continue to this day, to think of all my years on earth..............as if I've been anywhere else, but earth.......................and to try to separate parts of my life. Can't be done!!!! they are all melted together. Most of all I still remain that lovable person I was in high school, military and my working years along with now my retirement years................but still looking to lower that 18 handicap on the golf course. The one important thing that still remains the same. I still have contact with my very good high school friends, militay buddies and work friends.............FROM AROUND THE WORLD!!!!!!!!
One discovery I recently made was just where the RIVERDANCE was born. Michael Flattery would certainly not agree with me but I would challenge his interpretation!!!! Check this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0rrLdWLu_0
Did you have fun??
Durning my early years at SAS, my Uncle Sam decided that he needed me to settle some minor incidents in the world so I had to leave my job and take up a calling, where within a short time I had helicopter duty flying over the nudest colonies of Germany to keep them safe. Perhaps, that's a little harsh, I'm not really going to expand on that!!!!! After the 2 years of active duty, I did return to SAS only to retire some 39 years later. Nothing, like keeping a job even through perhaps 5 layoffs and 5 offered retirement plans. Must have been my lovable personality I trained for in high school.
So now, you can see where I have a problem in deciding where I enjoyed myself the most between school, military or working. It's easy to say.................ALL OF THE ABOVE. I still continue to this day, to think of all my years on earth..............as if I've been anywhere else, but earth.......................and to try to separate parts of my life. Can't be done!!!! they are all melted together. Most of all I still remain that lovable person I was in high school, military and my working years along with now my retirement years................but still looking to lower that 18 handicap on the golf course. The one important thing that still remains the same. I still have contact with my very good high school friends, militay buddies and work friends.............FROM AROUND THE WORLD!!!!!!!!
One discovery I recently made was just where the RIVERDANCE was born. Michael Flattery would certainly not agree with me but I would challenge his interpretation!!!! Check this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0rrLdWLu_0
Did you have fun??
2/20/11
HAWAII !!!!!!!!
Fed up with the snow, cold and freezin' rain? Say HAWAII!!!!! Arrived in the midst of a little low pressure area rain storm but was soon changing to a light rain and by the time we reached our hotel, the rain had stopped and the sun was making an attempt to peek through those clouds. We spent most of our time that first night thinking back over the 30 or 40 times prior that we visited this state........all fond memories.........but the one that really stands out happened about 45 years ago. We had attended a wedding and tried our hardest to find out where the bride and groom were heading to spent..................the honeymoon.......................WOW!!!!! how fortunate we were to find out that Hawaii was the destination and we had tickets to head that way also. How awesome it would be to break in on them in the middle of this ........alone time!!!!! Well Margot was up to it since we had been married some 5-6 months prior and our honeymoon was interrupted by some guy by the name of MONTEZUMA!!!!!!! Well we did give our friends a couple of days to consummate this marriage and then showed up at the hotel unannounced . What a surprise look on their faces but they, by this time needed some company and who better than the two of us. We sat and chattered about how the honeymoon was going and I guess in order to change the subject somewhat it was decided to take a walk to the International Market for some dinner. After dinner, I remember walking back to the hotel, our two ladies about 10 steps in front of us. Low and behold, before we could exit the market two sailors showed up on either side of our ladies and tried to make conversation. Wonder what the outcome would have been if our gals knew we were not 10 paces behind them. Needless to say, the sailors were........SUNK...........
I wanted to originally finish this entire posting while sipping Mai Tai's but.......unfortunately....one thing led to another and I found that ................beach time certainly outweighed..........writing time. Wanted desperately to bring home a tan that would make the neighbors just jealous as all hell. OH....how boyish!!!!!!! I actually carried my camera with me as much as possible. My intentions were to youtube a collection of pictures with music about the colors and shapes seen on Waikiki or around that area. Started out as a lot of fun but midway, I found that carrying that camera was just a pain in the butt so the few times that I left it back at the hotel, I could have probably have the best photos. We met up with 5 guys one night on the beach playing the best dixie land jazz I have heard from my days in Oleans, another preservation jazz band. These guys were all members of the United States Marine Corp, Pacific group band and the jazz they played was just outstanding. Guess we stood there for close to an hour listening to this music with about 50-75 other people. Now, all in all I have about 90 photo;s but If I do go the youtube route it will be strictly private for my blog.
At any rate, HAWAII is the right place to be just to hang back and relax. The only depressing scene is the amount of homeless street people there are that are beginning to show up sitting on street corners. Guess it's just the warm weather. It was funny to see the local Honolulu police show up with backup to move some of these unfortunate people from the corners of the big hotels on Waikiki to the lesser visited corners each morning only to have these unfortunate people back in their usual spot an hour later. They do not hurt anyone or harass anyone or even speak to anyone unless someone speaks to them first and they will carry on a very respectful conversion...............guess it's just the way they look with long hair, beards, no shoes, old clothes and usually an old plastic sack filled with tin cans or other collectibles...............come to think of it they look similar to a lot of beach bums............but without a surfboard. They actually sit for hours, some with little portable radio's talking amongst themselves. The very next morning here come the police, once again to move them to another corner ...............outside the view of us fortunate tourist. The other thing that has popped up since our last visit some 10 years ago are the amount of street entertainers..........anything from a Don Ho want to be to mimes...........who say nothing but move with ingenious simple moves.
Anyway, everyone takes photo's of the beautiful sunset or the beautiful colored flowers but few take photo's of anything else. Bikinis are a great subject...............who should wear one................and who should not wear one but who really cares. It will come out in my youtube.................as soon as I can get some hula music to insert. Meanwhile here is a sample.
We did find several nice drinking holes. One was the Banyan Tree bar at the Moana Hotel. Especially at sunset when the music starts. Great Mai Tai's @ $10.75 each but sip them slowly, also they can sneak up on you. A good restaurant was LuLu's at the Park Shore Hotel just at the north end of Waikiki and across from the park. Reasonably priced and has a good choice of foods. Of course the Cheescake factory is on top of anyones list located just south of the Moana hotel and across the street from International Market.
Stay tuned for more!!!!! ALOHA AND MAHALO
I wanted to originally finish this entire posting while sipping Mai Tai's but.......unfortunately....one thing led to another and I found that ................beach time certainly outweighed..........writing time. Wanted desperately to bring home a tan that would make the neighbors just jealous as all hell. OH....how boyish!!!!!!! I actually carried my camera with me as much as possible. My intentions were to youtube a collection of pictures with music about the colors and shapes seen on Waikiki or around that area. Started out as a lot of fun but midway, I found that carrying that camera was just a pain in the butt so the few times that I left it back at the hotel, I could have probably have the best photos. We met up with 5 guys one night on the beach playing the best dixie land jazz I have heard from my days in Oleans, another preservation jazz band. These guys were all members of the United States Marine Corp, Pacific group band and the jazz they played was just outstanding. Guess we stood there for close to an hour listening to this music with about 50-75 other people. Now, all in all I have about 90 photo;s but If I do go the youtube route it will be strictly private for my blog.
At any rate, HAWAII is the right place to be just to hang back and relax. The only depressing scene is the amount of homeless street people there are that are beginning to show up sitting on street corners. Guess it's just the warm weather. It was funny to see the local Honolulu police show up with backup to move some of these unfortunate people from the corners of the big hotels on Waikiki to the lesser visited corners each morning only to have these unfortunate people back in their usual spot an hour later. They do not hurt anyone or harass anyone or even speak to anyone unless someone speaks to them first and they will carry on a very respectful conversion...............guess it's just the way they look with long hair, beards, no shoes, old clothes and usually an old plastic sack filled with tin cans or other collectibles...............come to think of it they look similar to a lot of beach bums............but without a surfboard. They actually sit for hours, some with little portable radio's talking amongst themselves. The very next morning here come the police, once again to move them to another corner ...............outside the view of us fortunate tourist. The other thing that has popped up since our last visit some 10 years ago are the amount of street entertainers..........anything from a Don Ho want to be to mimes...........who say nothing but move with ingenious simple moves.
We did find several nice drinking holes. One was the Banyan Tree bar at the Moana Hotel. Especially at sunset when the music starts. Great Mai Tai's @ $10.75 each but sip them slowly, also they can sneak up on you. A good restaurant was LuLu's at the Park Shore Hotel just at the north end of Waikiki and across from the park. Reasonably priced and has a good choice of foods. Of course the Cheescake factory is on top of anyones list located just south of the Moana hotel and across the street from International Market.
Stay tuned for more!!!!! ALOHA AND MAHALO
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