Homework Assignment

Baseball....Thinking back over my life I can't remember a time that I didn't think about baseball, either wrapped up in the excitement of a  subway series or the founding of a brand new team.

My love of the game started very early for me, during the early fifties, of course my team was the good old Brooklyn Dodgers...this was a team that most New Yorkers felt very passionate about.  I can remember the feeling of being betrayed when they pulled up stakes and headed out to seek gold in them thar hills.  Pfft...they have never commanded the respect, admiration and love that they had in Brooklyn....it was a poor move.

I appeased my young ego with the New York Yankees and they became "my" team.  I have to admit though when it came to the start of a new team "The Mets", I felt I had to support them too. I attended many a game at Shea Stadium, enjoying the growth pains of a young team.

I never had the opportunity to play hardball, but I did play softball and yes, I threw like a girl! I decided it was more fun to watch the big leaguers.

Life interfered a little with my watching a lot of the games as I found myself in Tokyo married and expecting.  However, I was not totally baseball free over there either as they are fanatics on the game. I kept myself abreast of what was happening at home by listening to a US Army Radio Station every day...it was a link to home.

See, the pictures up above of that small adorable child? Little did I know that he would grow up with a love of baseball far exceeding mine.  We moved around a bit finally settling back in Queens. Kenji wanted to be in little league so badly, he tried out and got in.  He was in little league until he was 17 years old and he was one of the best pitchers they ever had. 

I can remember the day that a letter came for him telling him he had been picked to try out for the Met's.  He had been clocked before on his pitching and he threw at age 16 - 89 mph.  I was excited for him, but I could not go with him for the try out - I regret that to this day.  I was near term with my last child and under doctors orders - no travel, no exertion or else.  I know he did his best but he was not picked.  But not to worry...his other love was art.

Years later the two loves would come together and merge .... he has his dream job at Major League Baseball, promoting the game in all it's art forms.

He also plays on an adult team, still throws pretty good too.   So life comes full circle in this family at least with baseball.

Even Creeps Have A Right To Free Speech

I'm not real fond of President Bush.  However, he is our President, I respect the office of President, what the office represents..and baby, that's us!

So, when an evil despot, such as Chavez speaks before the world at a UN meeting and describes our President as "the Devil" referencing a "smell" of sulphur in the air....I think my claws need to come out. Besides this is not the first time he has thrown twisted barbs at us..the following is a direct quote:

Chavez's outburst at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday is not the first time he has aimed venom at Bush.

In a nationally televised speech March 19, he seemed as if he wanted to pick a schoolyard fight with the U.S. president: "You are ignoramus, you are a burro, Mr. Danger ... or to say it to you in my bad English," he said, switching languages with an exaggerated accent, "you are a donkey, Mr. Danger. You are a donkey, Mr. George W. Bush."

As his audience tittered with nervous laughter, he returned to Spanish. "You are a coward, a killer, a genocider, an alcoholic, a drunk, a liar, an immoral person, Mr. Danger. You are the worst, Mr. Danger. The worst of this planet. ... A psychologically sick man, I know it."

Let me address you personally Mr Chavez.  You speak only to hear yourself speak, there is no substance to your speech.  You have been skipping from one low life country to another trying to buy friends (fiends?) heads of state in China, Iran, Cuba, North Korea and other despotic spots around our lovely globe. Have you collected enough yet? Are you planning on doing an end run around the rest of the world?  Push your crummy values at the UN and other locales? 

Anyone with any common sense can see right through you and buddy I wouldn't believe a word you spat if your hand was on a thousand bibles.  In my book, you sir, come very close to fullfilling a long told biblical prophesy about the end days....which kinda shows which side the devil is on.

Now I do believe that IS sulphur I smell.

Is The World Hearing This?

"You infidels and despotic, we will continue our jihad (holy war) and never stop until God avails us to chop your necks and raise the fluttering banner of monotheism when God's rule is established governing all people and nations," the statement said.

The group said Muslims will be victorious and addressed the pope as "the worshipper of the cross" saying "you and the West are doomed as you can see from the defeat in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya and elsewhere ... We will break up the cross, spill the liquor and impose head tax, then the only thing acceptable is a conversion (to Islam) or (killed by) the sword."

Islam forbids drinking alcohol and requires non-Muslims to pay a head tax to safeguard their lives if conquered by Muslims. They are exempt if they convert to Islam.

The statement said that the Quran tells Muslims in many occasions that "jihad continues and should never stop until dooms day where this religion ends victorious."

Wow, it didn't take long for the madness to spread.  Remember when the world was so large that it would take a couple of weeks for bad/good news to travel the globe?   Well, now you can really reach out and touch someone instantly.  In some instances, such as this, I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

I don't know about you, but I find it highly suspicious that all these groups jump to the forefront immediately over slight provocation.  And yes, it was SLIGHT a quote, for God's sake, and I can think of many worse quotes to attribute to this fracas for all sides.  No religion is perfect.  Mankind himself is infallible, once man has touched it, shaped it, wrapped it around his id - it changes it.  The word of God has undergone a similar fate down through the ages..written and interpreted by man with all his frailties. 

Speaking of quotes, the start of this entry - I think that would be a quote...hell it falls right in with what was said centuries ago....has anything changed? I don't think so. 

For some reason I picture a group of men, hidden away, in an enclave affixed to their computers searching the world for any affront to their religion.  Once found, they jump into action calling their people around the globe to rally to the cause.  But this is not a call to prayer, reflection or forgiving your enemies.  One such call reached someone in Somalia.....the end result is a dead nun, shot four times in her back.    A woman who had devoted her life to helping mankind shot down as if she were a dog. 

But, hey, we are being told that this does not represent Islam...huh?  Say one thing and do another.  A sort of fast shuffle dance, where if they move their feet fast enough you won't notice just how much damage they are doing with their hands and mouths?  Until it's too late.   This is one back sliding Methodist who does not believe that any of this bodes well for our planet Earth.

 

Oops Shall We talk Religion?

I really thought that world news had reached an all time low during the past couple of years...what with actual real time beheadings shown live on newscasts for starters.  Women begging for their lives, people who only gave their all for the people they were helping. Airliners blown up.  Handicapped man thrown overboard.  To be repaid by violence, deceit and pain.  Yup, that religion really, really should not throw stones at any other.  You know what, I personally don't give a rat's ass whether you have one billion people in your group or not.

Numbers don't impress me, what would impress the world would be a rather large group of you standing up and condemning these brutal killings and terrorists actions.  You say your religion is against brutality?  Prove it.  Turn the terrorists in...if they haven't any support from the areas they are living in...it would be a quick method to catch them.

I am so sick to death of seeing beautiful souls murdered in the name of religion...and that goes for any religion. The murdered children in Russia..my God..how many? It goes on and on and never seems to stop. The almost 3,000 at the Trade Center? 

The Christian faith, the Jewish Faith all have had violence mainstreamed in their religions during certain years...most of it for political gain. Mankind's history shows violence at all levels, people seem to fight at the drop of a hat.  Look at Ireland...kill one another over whose religion is best? But, the terrorists want to outdo everybody for shock and awe..make it bigger more deadly. They are insane.

I don't know how many history buffs are out there, but early man was not a nice person...had no morals...lived by the eat or be eaten creed. Gave no thought to anyone else except for themselves to survive.  It took repeated applications of certain religions to civilize mankind...to instill some type of mental law within our beings...to make us, if you will,  gentler, kinder souls.  It was first implemented by fear...the Gods, The Deities that demanded sacrifice, blood...it was something that our ancestors understood.  We've come a long way since the Dark Ages, but it seems a darkness is spreading it's ugly wings once again...in the name of war.

I'm not Catholic but I have to defend the Pope's right to actually quote an historical viewpoint.  Evidently, no one is allowed to say anything, even quote anyone, that questions the Moslem faith.   I read his whole speech and his points are valid.   But hey, watch out for that billion...yeah, right when pigs fly.

 

 

One Way or the Other

Ever since Monday I've been having thoughts about different paths chosen in life.  I don't know how many of you have had close calls with life and limb in the past.  You know, you choose one way, and the way you chose kept you safe....not that you knew it would.

 

I graduated high school early at age 17 and immediately went to work for American Airlines.  I thought I was so grownup, dressed in navy blue suits and 3" heels (also blue)...I was assigned to working seat selection and actually enjoyed my job.  Well, within six months I was entitled to travel "free" anywhere American flew and that wonderful comp applied to my immediate family too.

 

My Dad had not seen his sister since she had moved out to Los Angeles many years before, so it was decided that my Mom & Dad would take a much needed vacation out there.  Also, that I would babysit my two sisters ages four and thirteen...no problem.  I can remember as if it were yesterday, Mom & Dad all packed, kissed us goodbye and left for the airport.    Because these are comp tickets you actually had to wait at the check in as Standby's in case the flight was totally booked.   I knew they were trying to get on the red-eye (last plane out) to LA.  Because of the time differences I knew I would not hear from them until later the next day.

 

Somewhere around 8:30 am the next morning my little sister wanted breakfast and TV cartoons.  I can remember turning the TV on, remember the old sets needed to warm up a bit before they came fully on...all of a sudden there is a news announcement stating that an American Airlines Flight had crashed on takeoff over Jamaica Bay first thing this morning.  I was numb...didn't know if they had made the flight before this one or not.   Our phone started to ring off the hook, with friends asking which flight my parents were on, we had the FAA calling because people had called them....it was chaos.  I just kept thinking to myself Oh My God please let them be safe.

 

Well, short story, they made the red eye flight...they were the last two people allowed on as standby.   But for those two seats who knows?

 

I had a good friend named Sal who was in the Marines in Viet Nam, he planned to visit my husband and myself in Tokyo on leave in 1965.  Where he was located he had to make two connections to get the flight to Tokyo...he missed the one connection and that particular flight crashed killing everyone on board.   Again I was frantic cause I knew the flight he was supposed to be on, we were scheduled to meet him.  He never did complete that trip but I know he made it back home to become a great teacher.    A roadblock saved his life.

 

I guess you just never know.

 

Oh, I really, really wouldn't shoot the duck...just thought it was funny

Things That Make NO sense At all

Well, this is my attempt at this weekend's homework assignment from Scalzi.

Actually there are quite a few things that make no sense whatsoever to me under God's blue sky.

Why are we humans so thrilled with stupidity?  Like that really stupid, inane show where we watch people throw themselves off moving objects...it's called (for good reason) Jackass!   I, personally, can't stand the show..it is so morally degrading, has no redeeming features whatsoever about it..yet, it's popular.  What the hell does that say for the American viewing public?

However, looking backwards in our entertainment history, nothing was bigger than the "Keystone Cops" or the "Three Stooges" so there must be some gene within our brain that just loves stupid. Don't get me wrong the "Three Stooges" are really campy and at least had a glimmer of sense....Jackass has none.

What really bites the big one is the fact that these stupid TV execs have cancelled really good shows...like Surface and other sci-fi shows - what to make room for garbage? Everybody loved StarTrek in it's many forms...so, of course, they cancel that....why stay with a winner when you can do Jackass!  Friggin morons. I have no faith in any TV program anymore..they do not even have the courtesy to end the shows the proper way...they leave you hanging/panting for more only to steal away in the dark leaving you with nada. 

Millions rush to the TV's to also bear witness to feats of "bravery" comprised of eating sludge, dead bugs, live bugs, bugs that sting, bite and do God knows what to your insides.  What is wrong with this? Yuck.  And the yuck factor is extremely high....all for money. 

Another reality show is having a group of people rush around the world, trying to outrace each other to the final destination....the first season it was novel, seemed interesting, saw different parts of the globe.  Now it seems very cut throat, kind of old and boring.

Not to mention that we now have dancing shows/wantabe hot shot shows/wantabe star singers/gulp...wantabe Martha Stewart show/last but not least....wantabe an arrogant Chef show. 

Last but certainly not least....."Survivor".   Now, I must admit, that  I did watch a couple of the shows. The first couple were unusual, gimmicky and sort of addicting. Now, to try to turn up the heat, they have decided to separate the races....I think it's white/black/Spanish and Asian.  You know what, it's just quirky enough that millions will watch the debut....and as much as I protest...I will probably be one of them...LOL

 

Five Years

I wrote this two years ago right after the report came out.  I still find  that I shed tears thinking about that day...although I did not lose anyone, I feel a great loss for our whole country...perhaps a loss of innocence.  A feeling that our "land" would never come under an attack such as this.  We, as a nation, still grieve....I think we will for generations to come. 

 

 

Yesterday, with the Commission's Report coming out, my emotions got the best of me and I relived the day of 9/11 over and over again.  Just couldn't get past the horror of it all.

My early working life evolved around the site where the "twins" would be built.  I worked for a Japanese Import-Export Company, Okura & Co. situated on Church St.  Our building was part of the area that was torn down to make room for the towers.  So we moved up Broadway near City Hall...still being able to revisit the area and watch demolition. 

I got married, left the country for awhile, moved back to another state...and finally in 1971 wound back up in New York..and the towers still were not totally completed.  I forget what year it was but a good friend of mine, Guy, worked in construction for years on the towers.  He arranged to take me on a tour of the not yet opened Tower I and it was awesome tour that I will never forget. He took me over to an area in the center that acted as a wind tunnel..partly blocked with wooden boards there was a squared off hole that when you put your face there you could hear a terrific howling coming up through the area.  Little did I know then peering into that howling darkness that this opening would contribute to the demise of both Towers, letting the jet fuel run it's course through the center of the buildings.

Later, in the 70's my ex's company relocated from Broadway back to their old area...and moved into the towers.  During those years I had to make the trip into the city many times to meet with him because of one thing or another...so I found myself quite familiar with the Towers and the underground maze of trains, shops, etc. 

After moving to Florida, on my trips back to New York to visit children & grandchildren, I hungered for the city skyline view.  I guess I still do, but now it hurts to look and not see those two majestic towers shinning in the distance.

I was at work, doing a bridal consultation with a young couple, when another employee said "oh! My God..turn on the TV..a plane just flew into the WTC, it was on the radio!"  I jumped up, said "excuse me" to the couple and ran for the phone...my older son and daughter work in the city.  My daughter works for a prominent real estate lawyer and had clients at the WTC..I really needed to know where both my kids were.  I was really lucky I was able to reach her husband. he's a NYC cop on his day off,  who didn't know about the situation because he had cartoons on for the grandchildren.  He grabbed the kids, jumped in his car and sped off after my daughters express bus.  He was able to stop the bus before it was caught up in the mess that ensued with people exiting the city.  John made sure his family was safe, then reported to his Station House to try to help.

My son was at work already quite near the Empire State Bldg. his company decided to send everyone home and clear the building, not that everyone could get home.  The mindset here was that no one knew what else could be targeted. 

After finding my children safe, I found myself very angry at an unseen enemy.  Someone had destroyed thousands of people without a second thought, wiped them out with a particularly horrific strike at the center of my world.  I cried for the people lost, for the children who would not know their parents, for the parents who would never know grandchildren, for lost friends and lovers.   I cried for myself....all my memories gone in a flash.\

My feelings today are whatever is necessary to combat this evil must be done.  We all have to watch each other's back...if someone acts suspicious well do something about it, let someone know.  The public is very fickle, it's concious mind holds on for only a brief time before jumping to a new subject.  We need to stop this mindset...we need to focus and not let the enemy win.

 

Dedicated to My Beautiful City that Never Sleeps

The elevator doors opened. That, in itself, was not a bad thing. What was awful was that they opened half-way between floors scaring the five occupants terribly. Considering that the elevator had come to a shocking stop with one jolt, the people contained within were not happy campers.

Five strangers, all trapped. Five hearts racing so fast you could almost hear the heartbeats.

"It looks we're stuck here, might as well introduce ourselves, I'm Linda," said a young woman with long blond hair.

A tall young man with dreadlocks, shook his head with a flourish saying, "I'm Sammy, I'm supposed to be delivering a package here."

 "Yeah, yeah who gives a crap who anyone is. Let's get this piece of crap moving, push a damn button or something",a heavy set middle aged man blurted out.

 "Now, that's not nice, introduce yourself the right way. This idiot is my husband Larry and I'm Barbara", she stated as she glared at her husband.

All eyes turned on the fifth occupant of the elevator a lovely dark haired girl, who was extremely pregnant and also in the throes of a massive panic attack.

The girl pressed her back against the wall, holding on to the brass railing that ran across the mid-section of the elevator. She held on so tightly that her knuckles were blanched white. Her breath was becoming more rapid with each passing minute and you could see the panic in her eyes. Looking at her you immediately thought of a deer trapped in someone's headlights unable to move even an inch.

Barbara moved slowly towards the girl, speaking softly as she moved, "Honey, just breathe easy now, everything is going to be fine. They'll have us moving in just a few minutes. What's your name sweetie?"

The girl raised a limp hand to her head, closed her eyes and started to slide down, Barbara and Sammy each grabbed one arm and let the girl gently down in a sitting position with her back against the wall.

Barbara felt the girl's pulse, which was returning to normal, saying, "She'll be alright, just a bit of a fright maybe she's claustrophobic. I was a nurse before I retired."

 

The dark haired girl was breathing a bit better.  She opened her eyes quietly watching everyone. "My name is Brittany and I'm very scared."

Linda knelt down towards the girl saying "Please don't be frightened, they must have people working on getting us out of here already, it will just be a short time, you'll see."

Larry was grumbling to himself, you could just catch some words, "Stupid, ridiculous, of all the crap that could happen, it had to be today". His wife was trying to calm him down also.

Sammy gave a huge sigh and asked,"What's up with him? Ain' none of us happy about this but no reason to carry on so."

"Well, today has not been a good day for my husband. He has been trying to get a patent for an invention of his for over three years now. Everyplace has him do more paperwork and then sends him somewhere else. It's very frustrating." said Barbara.

"Okay, well I've been run all over this town today, delivering one package after another. I'm still not done, have to be downtown before 9:30 A.M. and now I'm not gonna make it." Sammy said.

Linda looked up at the others, shaking her head making her hair bounce to one side. "I'm in a rush too, I have a job interview at ten o'clock, I can't be late. This is something I've wanted,something I've waited for, my dream job. How is it going to look if I'm late?"

Brittany had been sitting there listening to everybody speak, taking it all in. "If anyone is interested I was on my way to a very important appointment, one that would decide if I kept my baby or if I had found the right parents for him."

"Well, said Barbara, it seems that we all have our priorities in order. Maybe if we make a little bit of noise someone will answer us?"

Saying that, she proceeded to take her high heels off and using the metal end of her heel, started to tap out a rough SOS against the metal edging of the elevator.

Brittany had quietly started to cry, putting her head down on top of her arms so as to hide the fact from the others. Linda, once again, knelt down beside her and placed an arm around her, giving her a hug. "Hang in there kid, better days are coming!" she said to her.

 

Brittany looked up at her and said "I could see the look on everybody's face, you all think I'm terrible because I'm thinking of giving up my baby!"

"Hell, we don't even know you, much less know enough about you to judge you." Larry piped in. "All I want to do is get the hell out of here so I can keep my appointment!"

"Larry, you big ape, shut up and don't go yelling at this kid!" exclaimed his wife.

Linda said "Well, just think this over logically. Other people will want to use this elevator, there has to be a back up of people waiting for it to come down. So logically they should be aware of the fact that we are stuck in limbo. Unless someone has a cell phone on them?" Everyone shook their heads saying "No."

Sammy started to rummage around in his courier pack for something. He pulled out an old Walkman, turned it on, trying to get music. "I figured it might ease us up a bit, relax the moment."

The others nodded in agreement, the music even if it was Rap, it took their mind off their predicament. If only for a little while.

It seems like hours had passed, but it really had only been an hour since the elevator doors opened.

The music suddenly stopped playing, they were making some kind of emergency announcement. Something about a plane flying into the World Trade Building, a horrible accident?

"Please make it louder, if you can" asked Linda.

Sammy tried his best to readjust the sound and reception, finally getting it in the best he could.

Everyone in the elevator was stone cold silent. The impact of what they were hearing was beyond their ken. The news reporter only had sketchy reports at best, it seemed that chaos reigned at the scene of the accident.

Now the announcer was saying that a second plane had hit the other tower too, this wasn't any accident!

Linda slowly sank to the floor on her knees, crying softly as she did. "My interview was in Tower I on the 90th floor. This elevator saved me!"

The messenger, Sammy, shook his head saying "Dear Lord, I would of been there too, my next delivery was to Tower I, 91st floor."

Larry and Barbara looked at one another and grabbed each other. "That was where they had us going for the next step in patenting his invention!"

Slowly, they all turned their attention towards Brittany.  She looked up saying "I'm almost afraid to say that it was where I was headed. But, it's true. The lawyers office is on the 89th floor and I was supposed to meet the couple there."

Linda said I think I speak for all of us. "Dear Lord, thank  you for saving us and keeping us away from the awful danger that took place today, September 11th, 2001."

Everyone in the elevator was in a mood of quiet reflection.

 Everyone reacts differently to shock and this had shocked them to their core. The thoughts ran in unison, "I'm alive, I'm alive."


None of the pettiness that engulfed them before was even thought about, only life. Also the humble thought that in this huge city they should be the ones saved by fate?

All of a sudden the elevator gave a slight jolt and started to move downwards. The five people backed away from the open doors, waiting for the elevator to stop in a decent manner.

Five suddenly changed people exited when the elevator doors opened.

Trump is a Skunk

So I believe Trump has lost it.   Fire Carolyn indeed!  Mr. Trump....read my lips...You're fired!  I won't watch that show again if life depended on it.

I think he just pissed off a whole lot of women who watch his show.  This woman spends over ten years, doing his bidding, being a shinning star....his rising star...good enough to be on TV with him...touting her accomplishments.  What bullshit.

I think that Trump's head has gotten as big as some of the outlandish condo's that he is building, with an ego to match.  Let's make the show a total Trump family scene, bring in junior and his sis too - that should be real interesting.    The family Giotti comes to mind!

I, at least, hope that she has a good separation package from the creep.  I get so angry when good people get screwed...hope Trump gets his soon.

 

Dad

Time seems to pass too quickly.  My Dad just celebrated his 90th birthday and what an interesting ninety years did he have.

Some of you know from what I've written before that my Dad was the first rider of Seabiscuit and War Admiral.  He broke both horses to the bit and saddle.  So we have gotten stories about "the Biscuit" straight from the horses' mouth so to speak.

He told us that Seabiscuit was a wild looking mustang, smaller in statue than some of the other horses.  He also said that Seabiscuit loved nothing more than to take naps..laying down.  Most mature horses only lay down if they are sick or giving birth.  So his nature was unusual from the start.

My Dad says there was no way that Fitzsimmons willingly gave up Seabiscuit.  The lady that owned him overruled Fitz and since she was the owner that was that.

We all know that Hollywood takes license with real life stories and that was definitely done with the movie on Seabiscuit. 

If anyone is interested in his story...the St. Petersburg Times wrote an article on my Dad...it's called The Link Between Legends...google that and Charles Schick and it should come up.

Happy Birthday Dad.....and many more....