"Fauxbama?"

The doubts and criticisms arrive on a daily basis.   I've even had my own!   But then I reflect on how many turds the previous occupant left on the doorsteps of the White House and I'm good!   Everyone has their personal opinion and priorities of what the President should put at the top of his agenda.

(Personally...I don't know if it should have been health care...I don't even know what's in it...and 2000 pages is a bit much!)



But...when you look at all the turds "W" left behind...it's more than overwhelming.   I still believe President Obama is a man of change...and history will reflect that.   He promised change...and I believe he will deliver on his promise against insurmountable odds.   It can't happen in 11 months...but it WILL happen!

Below...in no particular order, is what this man has inherited and is being hounded about.

• The Economy (Deficit)
• Afghanistan ("W" started this...and...I'm not in favor of war of any kind!)
• Iraq (aka...weapons of mass destruction???)
• Unemployment
• Climate Change (I gotta get to the Maldives...real soon!)
• DADT (Don't Ask Don't Tell...America...get over it!)
• North Korea
• GITMO
• Iran
• and...it goes on and on!!!
  

To all you doubting Thomases...I say he's been stepping in the turds for 11 months!   The previous occupant was there for 8 years...and what did he ("W") achieve for America?  What?  If you have an answer...please let me know!

Terry Noel

Happy belated birthday Terry.   For over 50 years, I thought it was today.   I called your brother, Jack, today and through my tears, he told me I was 2 days late...December 8th was your big day!   I will not make that mistake again! I can't begin to tell you how much I (we) miss you.   You'd never believe how often you enter my dreams.

You are one in a million (zillion) ...and you were taken too soon!   August 2nd, 1967...a lot changed that day.   The days that followed are a blur to me....but like I said, a lot changed that day....I lost more than you (if you can believe that) and I've never been the same.

I've written here before about "no buts" people...and that was definitely you!   I love you Terry Noel...and I always will!   Happy Birthday...belatedly!

Imagine...again!

Imagine...it's been 29 years!   John Lennon was slain on this date...29 years ago.

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

World Aids Day

According to NPR, "almost six thousand people died of AIDS today.   An even greater number became HIV-infected, though most of these men and women won't know this for months or even years.   As far as we know, today wasn't any better or worse than any other day in this regard.   That it happened to be World AIDS Day was almost incidental."

Afghanistan...

30,000 more troops to Afghanistan!   Why?   What's the objective or the criteria for success?   To contain/defeat the Taliban?   I don't know?   Withdrawal in 2011?   How many more lives?   I'm sick of war...have always been!   I think history tells us that damn near every war was fought because of religious differences or the control of land.   Is this one different?   Please...someone convince me that it is...cause right now...I ain't buyin' it!


Still not sure? Check out HBO's "Section 60".   Called "the saddest acre in America," Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery is a burial ground for U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, a place that epitomizes the honor of service and the cost of war.

I watched "Section 60" this weekend and wept!   And...I'm an Obama fan(atic)!!!

Thankful!

It's Thanksgiving Day in America.   If you're fortunate enough...it's a day of family, friends, food and fun!   I am indeed fortunate (and thankful) because that exactly how it turned out!

I'm just sayin'...to each...his (or her) own!

• According to the bible, the earth is only 6,000 years old!
  
• One third of Americans believe the bible is literally true!
  
• A Catholic bishop in Rhode Island has banned Patrick Kennedy from receiving Communion because of his support for abortion rights.
  
• Pope Benedict makes it easier for Anglicans to convert to Catholicism because of their discontent over the ordination of women priests and homosexual bishops.
  

I'm just sayin'...to each his (or her) own!

Artist, Uncle Linc, "works" the fabric!

Our lifelong friend...we're talking many decades here people...is having a one man show at the Central Library, in Atlanta Georgia starting December 3rd and running through January 29th.


If you're in the area check it out.   If not...check out Linc's website...and buy some art!   Linc's another one where you can say...I knew him when... And he's been on TV no less!   Check this out.

Why Prescious Matters: Fiction As Witness

You know I'm a big fan of Matthew Goodman author of  "Hold Love Strong"!   Well now, Matthew has been written up on the   Huffington Post's website.   This is an incredible accomplishment.   The article was written by Nina Sankvitch.   Nina has a more in-depth review on her website.




The Huffington Post article includes Matthew's "Hold Love Strong" in the same breath as the recently released movie "Precious"...thus the title of this entry!   I've said it once...I'll say it a thousand times...go buy this book.   Don't ask me to borrow my copy! That doesn't increase sales!   BUY and read the book!



You won't be disappointed...and when it hits the big screen...you'll be able to say...Wow!   I know this guy...or I know someone who knows this guy! Trust me....this is going to make it to the big screen!   It's just that "Precious" beat us him to the punch!

Friday the 13th!

Didn't see any black cats...nor did I break any mirrors.   It really turned out to be a "feel good" day!   Got a better grasp on some financial options and tied up some financial "loose strings".   I will sleep better tonight.

Veterans Day in America

I'm a veteran.   A lucky one.   Although I served (was drafted) during the height of the Vietnam War...I was not put in harms way...like my older brother.   My overseas assignment was to Geissen, Germany.

War?   War?   It's male testosterone on steroids.   There was an article in the New York Times a few weeks ago titled..."An Iwo Jima Relic Binds Generations".

It's the story of an American soldier, Frank Hobbs, now 85 years old,...who had never seen a dead person before.   Before Iwo Jima that is!   7,000 Americans died on Iwo Jima, 20,000 more were wounded, and more than 21,000 Japanese died.

Hobbs happened to stumble across the body of a dead Japanese solder.   He found an envelope on the dead soldier's body.   That envelope contained a child’s colorful drawing — of youngsters lined up for an air-raid drill with buckets and padded garb — and a photograph of a baby.


“It seemed to me it was a terrible waste for just that little island,” Mr. Hobbs said in an interview at his home in Chestnut Hill, Mass.   “I also realized how terrible war is, and how people die for really not a heck of a lot.”

Almost 64 years later...he met the baby in that Japanese photo.   And yes Mr. Hobbs...damn near all wars are a terrible waste...and people die for really not a heck of a lot!

The Wall

Twenty years ago today, it came down!   Like millions of others, I watched in excitement...overcome with emotion.



That excitement wasn't fueled by world politics nor did it have anything to do with then President Reagan demanding that Mikhail Gorbachev "Tear down this wall".

More than anything else, I was moved by seeing the hundreds of thousands of young folks (on live TV!)...their excitement and celebration of what the future could offer as they swung at the concrete and danced on its upper edges for all the world to see.   Then there was the stream of Trabants making their way through the wall to West Germany.   It was awesome.

At the time, my oldest daughter was 12 years old.   I'm sure she didn't fully understand the significance of this nor its place in history.   Ten years later, while at college in California, she just happened to meet a young man from the other side of that wall.

It's a long story...but on June 3rd of 2008, they became husband and wife.   That was another day I will never forget.   Many from that side of the wall, were invited...and attended to witness their union.   For many, it was their 1st trip to America!   It was his grandmother's first trip on an airplane!

On their wedding day...that wall never entered my radar screen.   It was the last thing on my mind!   Today I relive that moment and rejoice in the fact that it is gone...or at least a thing of the past.

OPKs...other people's kids

Trust me on this...it's ill advised (taboo) to provide your honest opinion on the behavior of your friend's children...even if asked by their parents!

Not that this has happened to me...but if it should...I need to remember to zip the lip!

Did You Vote Today?

If not...we're not speaking anymore!   Sure...perhaps this year doesn't have all the hubbub/excitement of last year's Presidential election (or for that matter any Presidential election)  BUT...it's not just about a President.

School Board?  Town Clerk?  Local propositions?  Mayor?  Equally as important as who is leading this country is...who/what will bring about positive change at the local level.

Sam Tsui & Kurt Schneider

This may be old news for some of you internet savvy folks.   These kids have been all over YouTube; on the Bonnie Hunt Show; and I just saw them recently on the NBC Nightly News (Channel 4 in New York).   A combination of talent & technology!



I'm addicted...and I've already viewed several of their YouTube videos.   Don't believe me?   Check this one out!   Beyonce's "Halo"!



These Yale students are going places!   You haven't heard the last of them.   Trust me on this!

I gotta feelin'...Joy Rising!

Somehow I missed the Black Eyed Peas performance on Oprah's fall season kickoff show.   Last week...Oprah revisited this moment on one of her "favorite things" show.   A member of the audience, who attended the Black Eyed Peas event, summed up his experience as..."It was Joy Rising"!



Wow!  Wish I could have been there!

All I Really Need to Know...

I Learned in Kindergarten

This is the title of one of my all time favorite reads (aside from "Hold Love Strong"!).   My oldest daughter recommended it to me several years ago.   You could almost say it's my bible.   I just checked and see that the author, Robert Fulghum, has a 15th Anniversary Edition as well as several other books.   Given how impressed I am with "Kindergarten", I can't wait to read ALL the rest!

Here's a partial list of all you need to know...according to Fulghum (so true!):

• Share everything
• Play fair
• Don't hit people
• Put things back where you found them
• Clean up your own mess
• Don't take things that don't belong to you
• Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody
• Wash your hands before you eat
• Flush!
• Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you
  
• When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together

It's an amazing and insightful read...not to mention that the above and a few other simple lessons he describes...are truly the basis for all you really need to know!   Enjoy!

Balloon Boy!

OK...enough already!
I saw this story last Thursday (if you live in America you couldn't miss it). Weather balloon gets away...and supposedly there's a 6 year old in side. When I 1st saw...I thought...how distraught the parents must be and switched channels! Later that evening...I hear the kid was not in the balloon but reappeared from the family's attic! Great! Go to Bed!



I wake up the next morning and every TV station in America is interviewing this family! NBC's Today Show interviewed the family at the top of the hour for almost 20 minutes!!!

Have we lost our marbles. We're into two wars; there's the Israeli-Palestinian situation, the whackos in Iran & North Korea, hundreds of kids dying around the world every day, the economy & health care...and American TV devotes all this time to this story?

Forget that this was a hoax! The fact that the "news" media know the American public will watch this crap...which is true...and at the same time...is very discomforting!

Republicans in Congress!

Wow! I just don't understand it..and perhaps I never will!


More about each of them in future posts!

• Joe Wilson - South Carolina
• Louie Gohmert - Texas
• Mark Kirk - Illinois
• John Shimkus - Illinois
• Michele Bachmann - Minnesota
• Randy Forbes - Virginia
• Bill Sali - Idaho
• Steve King - Iowa
• Lynn Westmoreland - Georgia
• Lynn Jenkins - Kansas
• Virginia Foxx - Virginia
• Stever Buyer - Indiana
• Trent Franks - Georgia
  

Myers-Briggs...Personality Test...INFP

My wife mentioned the Myers-Briggs test last week during casual conversation. I understand it may be widely used in corporate America. Basically...it's a personality test. You are asked to answer 72 questions...it takes about 10 minutes or less to complete. Depending on your responses...you are categorized into one of 16 different personality types. I took the test...and the resulting summarized personality assessment were on point! I'm an INFP! I found the results to be so true that I may get those letters as a tatoo! The Mrs. is an ESTP and my best friend (JW) is an ENFJ. I read their summaries...and was again blown away!   Take the test and let me know your results!

Here's a piece of my personality assessment...INPF!

"Usually gentle and kind, they are intense and passionate about their values and deeply held beliefs, which they share with trusted friends. Because of their discreet manner, their enthusiasm may not be apparent. They are sensitive to others' pain, restlessness or general discomfort and strive to find happiness, balance and wholeness for themselves in order to help others find joy, satisfaction and plenitude. They are deeply empathetic."

I'm good with that!

National Assocation of Free Clinics

The National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC) is the only national non-profit whose mission is solely focused on the needs of free clinics and the populations they serve. They understand that it is frustrating when you need medical assistance and have no where else to turn.

No medical insurance???

Free clinics are volunteer-based, safety-net health care organizations that provide a range of medical, dental, pharmacy, and/or behavioral health services to economically disadvantaged individuals who are predominately uninsured.

Locate a Free Clinic in your area.

Donations

• Keith Olbermann of MSNBC recently donated $50,000!
• Michael Baisden (radio talk show/DJ) also donated $20,000!
• My best friend (JW) donated...and so did I.

Please help...and give what you can (as little as $10)...to help those without medical insurance!

The Noble Peace Prize!

The Noble Peace Prize goes to President Barack Obama "for his extraordinary efforts to straighten international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

Already there are those questioning why President Obama? What has he accomplished to garner this prestigious award? If you're one of those...I give you the words of Matthew Goodman...author of   "Hold Love Strong."

Matthew is an incredible young man...if you haven't bought/read his book...you are doing yourself a disservice!

Here is the entry from Matthew's blog!

Any criticism of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama must only be addressed with one simple question: in the last nine months, what have you done or tried to do, or what conversation have you had to make the world better? If the answer is something that indicates an insular, domestic approach to the world, or if the reply is that you have done some sort of good act for someone you already know and love, a family member, a friend, a coworker, etc than you have no right to question or criticize. This is quite simply because this is the twenty-first century, not the twentieth or nineteenth or seventeenth or any other century for that matter; and we have now entered a stage in the world’s history where there is no excuse or reason not consider ourselves, and to champion the need for us all to be global citizens, and to take action as such. Barack Obama, more than any leader in the history of the world, is leading this charge. His outreach to friends, foes, and those on the fence about his presidency is as unprecedented as it is a moral imperative. If he is successful at bridging the divides he is working on, or if he is only successful in bringing them greater attention, then we will be pushed closer to a world in which physical, cultural, economic and religious boundaries are of less importance and eventually, hopefully, nationalism will be replaced by humanistic pride.

I speak of this from a very personal perspective. In writing Hold Love Strong, and after working in egregiously disadvantaged conditions of the worst of New York City’s public school programs and with men and women returning home from prison for nearly a decade, and after spending close to eight years working on a novel highlighting the conditions of the aforementioned peoples’ lives in an effort to understand, to communicate, and to spur action in the name of their plight, and in an effort to prove that we, as human beings, have the capacity to understand each other far beyond what we accept, the novel has been treated by numerous authors, artists, so called liberal educated men and women in a manner that amounts to foolish prejudice and shallow, forsaken pride. I can’t tell you how many people I have reached out to that have not responded with even a brief email; and I can’t express how disappointed I was when recently I was told that a certain head of a large, progressive nonprofit did not wish to meet with me because, without reading a single word of Hold Love Strong, he was offended that I wrote such a book. In addition, a friend recently shared with me a blog run by an ivy league educated, liberal woman that said I should stick to writing about myself and what I know as if the last decade of my life, the people I know and love and who I have little doubt know and love me, are insignificant and thus not apart of my personal development and foundation.

Perhaps I am naïve, but I believe that the purpose of writing, the purpose of having a voice, of speaking out—be one a leader or a humble member of a larger chorus like myself—is that of citizenship to the utmost and most honorable degree: not self-promotion but the promotion of us. Thus, I am proud that the Nobel Peace Prize went to Barack Obama. It is deserved for it supports the efforts of each of us who continue to believe in our ability to overcome preconceived differences and the rhetoric of limited, self-obsessed thinking. Today is a day that not only recognizes and celebrates Barack Obama, but it is also a day that celebrates us: naïve, eager and idealistic as we are. To the rest of the world, well…. please join us in the 21st century where it is not too hot, and the breeze is cool.

Good Hair!

It's a female thing!

"You Talk Like a White Girl!"

Mama Obama! You Go Girl!

Where I've been!

Perhaps I should have posted this info into my profile ...but here are just some random thoughts about me...that I expect to post here....one of these days! I'm grateful for what I've experienced thus far in my life...and remain excited about what may be "around the corner"!

Here it is in a nutshell...major milestones/impacts on a boomer's journey through life!

• 1339 Prospect Avenue (DAyton 8-6615) - my childhood & teenage years...in the South Bronx...in apartment # 4B!
• My Mom..."Tip Toe through the Tulips!" Look up the word Mom in the dictionary...
  
• My Grandfather...a man before his time!
  
• St. Augustine's Church - it's influence on me.
• Camp Bohatom - an innocence of youth?...and total escapism!
• Junior High School #127 - Castle Hill Avenue - Totally Alone!
• James Monroe High School - The United Nations of the Bronx!
• Dubuque, Iowa - How did a kid from the South Bronx...wind up in Dubuque, Iowa.
• The University of Dubuque...an experience I'll never forget!
  
• Terry...you were taken away...too young...too soon!
  
• Corporate America - An Introduction!
• Uncle Sam Wants You! - Why Me?
• Bachelorhood! - Whatever that means!
• Marriage - Wow!
• Fatherhood - Wow Again!
• More Corporate America.
• Tokyo Japan! - How did a kid from the South Bronx wind up in Tokyo, Japan?
• Pete...I miss you more than you'll ever know!
  
• Back to American Reality & Corporate America
• You can't keep them on the Farm...where do we relocate?
• Where are we now...and who gives a crap!
• A daughter is a daughter...
• A grandson! Wow!
  
• Places to see before you die! Aka...the bucket list!
  
• Whatever else comes to mind...we'll see!
  

Meet Your Ancestor!

Yesterday, scientists told the world what they know about Ardipithecus ramidus..."Ardi" for short...the oldest pre-human species yet found. Ardi lived 4.4 million years ago in what is now Ethiopia.

A partial skeleton is believed to be the oldest link in the evolutionary chain!

Adri is not the long-sought "missing link"... the ancestor that scientists say humans and apes have in common...but comes close. And it helps show that both human beings and apes have evolved from something, about six million years ago, that did not look much like either!

Made it home!

Back from Frenchman's Cove last night...without airline (or airport) incident..amazing! Great time was had by all...in spite of grim happenings back stateside...not the least of which is listed below! Thanks again J&J for a great time!

A funeral...not a future!

One Step Foward!

A positive image/perception of American people-of-color has made slow, but steady progress over the years...recently capped off with the election of this nation's 1st black president. The Oprahs, Huxtables, Powells, Tigers and a multitude of others have also helped to boost this perception/acceptance(?) of an American minority not only in this country...but around the globe. Who would have ever thought...

Two Steps Back!

A young life is savagely taken in Chicago...and the savagery is there for all the world to see! Not only did these "Ns" (more about that in future posts) murder one of their own...but they took it to a new level. They didn't shot him or stab him (not that either is less repulsive) but they beat him to death with 2-by-4s and then finished him off with lethal kicks to the head! Barbaric...sub-human. Left to die on the street...an innocent young honor student with a future ahead of him. Left to die for all the world to see (you can find it on youtube.com). It makes me sick!

In this country...one is considered innocent until proven guilty. I don't see any innocence here! Not only should they be held liable...we should incarcerate the parent(s) as well!

Once I heard this story...I thought if that were my child left to die on the street...I would seek revenge...an eye-for-an-eye. Given the chance...I would sneak up behind any one of the four suspects with a baseball bat (or better yet...a 2-by-4)...and would have given them what the gave that young man! The idea that I'm even thinking of this sickens me even more...but I don't think I'm by myself on this!

A future denied! Rest in peace...Derrion Albert!

Frenchman's Cove

We are the guests of Mr. & Mrs. JW at their Frenchman's Cove timeshare on the island of St. Thomas. Mr. JW, my best friend of over 20 years, and Mrs. JW...extended the invite a few months ago. It was an offer we couldn't refuse!

Frenchman's Cove is part of a Marriott resort complex that also includes Frenchman's Reef (a hotel), and Morningside...a collection of beach bungalows. It's a beautiful resort located just a few miles outside of Amalie. The shot below is of Morningside's beach...just a short walk from Frenchman's Cove.

Life is a beach!

They don't have sunsets like this back home!

Thanks for inviting us J&J....and...

Happy Birthday Mrs. JW!

zerosixnine's aircraft rules/regulations

Below are a few simple thoughts for you (and yours) to consider to ensure that zerosixnine enjoys his flight with you...should we wind up on the same aircraft!

• once you board the aircraft...if your seat assignment is in row 27...please don't start looking up at every number posted above each row...as you work your way from row #2 to row #27! It's simple math! If I need to explain this to you...you really shouldn't be flying!

• if you can't manage to place your carry-on baggage in the overhead compartment on your own (without the help of others)...it's really not carry-on baggage...is it?

• if you can manage to place your carry-on luggage in the overhead bins...please do so without blocking the aisle so that the rest of us can proceed to our designated seats. Not sure? Just look over your shoulder and if you see one or more persons standing there...you're blocking the aisle!

• if you have a toddler traveling with you, don't consider it "cute" to watch said toddler wobble up and down the aisle...with you a few feet behind it...admiring how cute it is! If you can't control said toddler now...your in for big trouble down the road!

• within 30 seconds (a minute...max) after your infant/toddler starts screaming/crying, please escort said infant/toddler to any available restroom until it is no longer screaming/crying.

• upon landing and the flight attendant announces..."please remain in your seats, with your seatbelts fastened, until the captain has turned off the fasten seat belt sign"...please don't be one of the half dozen or so a**holes who ignore this announcement!

• once the captain has actually turned off the "fasten your seat belt sign" and you're not seated in 1st class, there really is no reason for you to jump up out of your seat and start grabbing your carry-ons from the overhead bins (assuming that you were able to put them up there on your own in the 1st place!) Relax! You're not going anywhere for at least another 10 or 15 minutes. This is especially true if you're located in row 15 or higher!

• finally...the baggage claim area. How many black bags do you grab off the conveyor belt...only to put them back on...after you realize that said bag is not yours! This really annoys me, especially when said bag is MINE! (The one with the red ribbons on one handle and the yellow ribbons on the other!)

Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to flying with you in the near future!

10 minutes of attitude!

Thursday, Sept. 24th.

4:00 AM
Alarm goes off! Destination...St. Thomas, USVI via American Airlines flight # 1165 with a connection in Miami to join our good friends, J&J, at their timeshare.

6:10 AM

We make it to JFK in a record 40 minutes...and arrive at the long term parking lot. Jump on the next Airtran (airport monorail system)...destination...terminal #8. Considering the time of day, Airtran is fairly crowded with travelers! As we arrive at terminals #1 through #4...a few passengers get off. We arrive at terminal #5 (jetBlue) and almost 2/3 of the remaining passengers get off! (Is there a party at terminal #5 and we were not invited???)

6:30 AM

Arrive at terminal #8. Once inside, we approach a uniformed AA employee (AAE) and ask for assistance. There are about 50 to 60 passengers in the domestic area (less than the number that got off at terminal #5). We tell AAE our destination and flight time...and AAE immediately points us to the AA queue manager (AAQM) who is at the front of the check-in line (because we can't use the automated kiosk for St. Thomas). We approach AAQM and AAQM yells out "Miami...7:30! waits for an open counter...and then directs us to proceed to counter #21.

Counter 21 - ticket agent (TA) - "Name and identification please"
Me - (handing over requested information and placing two bags on the check-in scale) "we're on flight # 1165 to Miami"
TA - "I know...you're late!"
Me - (politely) "Isn't this a domestic flight (to Miami)? I thought we needed to arrive an hour before flight time."
TA - (without looking up) She looks at her watch. "It's 50 minutes before flight time! You're late and your bags still need to go through x-ray" (Perhaps she got up earlier than 4:00AM?)
Me - I start to wonder if I'll ever see my bags again.
TA - "That'll be $30."
Me - "$30?"
TA - "Yes - $15 per checked bag"

PS. We made it to the departure gate as others were boarding...and our bags actually made it all the way to St. Thomas. I wonder if I would have received a $30 refund if they didn't?

Epilogue:
American Airlines (AMR) closed at $8.02 with a total market capitalization of $2.2 billion. They were formed almost 80 years ago and are the world's largest airline ( in terms of mileage flown). They serve 265 cities with 655 aircraft.

jetBlue (JBLU) closed on Friday at $6.01 per share with a market capitalization of $1.8 billion (just $0.4 billion short of AMR). jetBlue started in 1999 (just 10 years ago) and currently flies to 59 destinations (excluding St. Thomas) in 12 countries. jetBlue doesn't charge anything for checked baggage!

No more good-byes!

Saturday, Sept. 19th
Just prior to his departure...we were in the kitchen talking about all the incredible....wonderful...happy things that had happened over the previous three or so weeks. A wedding...that we all thought would not happen (visa complications)...but did, a new addition to the family (aka...my grandson, Romell), multiple gatherings with family, friends, food, drinks and laughter...and another new addition to our extended family (aka...Mikael)! It was truly an awesome and eventful couple of weeks!

So there we were...my soon-to-be departed son-in-law (SiL) heading back to Munich, Germany, his wife...my oldest daughter (MOD), my youngest daughter (MYD)...her newborn son (Romell)...me & The Mrs.

I don't recall who came up with the initial thought, but it was unanimously agreed that we would no longer use the word "good-bye" whenever it came time to leave one another. "See ya' later" was a much better option! The latter just left us all with a feeling that we would see each other soon thereafter (maybe Xmas?) rather than...God knows when?

There were hugs and kisses, then we loaded the car and SiL, MOD and I left for JFK Airport.

SiL checked in for Delta flight 81 to Amsterdam with connecting service to Munich. The three of us proceeded to the security clearance area. SiL gave me a hug...and reminded me of our pact. We hugged each other and he hugged/kissed his wife (MOD). I got a little "va-klept" (I'm not your basic alpha macho male)...SiL came back and gave me another hug and we said, "See ya' later!...he went through the security clearance...looked back and gave us another "See ya' later" wave...and then he was gone.

Sunday, Sept. 20th
Now it's MOD's turn to leave. LGA to Philadelphia...connecting service to Frankfurt, Germany and then on to Nuremberg. MOD and I leave for LGA...with a stop at the local supermarket...to pick up some sushi for her to eat en-route to the airport. MOD pays for said sushi.

We arrive at LGA. I drop off MOD on the departure level...park the car and return to departure area. MOD is checking in...and chatting with ticketing agent (TA).

MOD - "Will my luggage transfer all the way through to Nuremberg?"
TA - "Yes."
MOD - "Great!"
TA - "Is this your Dad?"
MOD - "Yes."
TA - "Sir, would you like to accompany your daughter to the gate area?"
Me - "I can do that???" (been traveling for mucho years...didn't know this was an option!)
TA - "Is your car just outside on the departure level?"
Me - "No...I'm in the the parking lot."
TA - "Great!" (TA passes me a "complimentary" boarding pass...to get me through security) WOW! (being nice doesn't have to be hard!) Many thanks TA...I wish I would have gotten your name!

MOD and I take off shoes, belts, keys, (me...flip flops) etc. (thanks to Mr. Bin Laden!) and pass through security and proceed to departure gate. MOD sees news/book kiosk and mentions she'd like to get a crossword puzzle book with the added benefit that I can pick up my Sunday New York Times! We proceed to cashier. MOD goes into her jumbo pocket book...I tell her "Don't worry...I've got it". We leave kiosk!

MOD - "Dad?"
Me - "What's up?"
MOD - (Still digging through her jumbo pocket book)..."I can't find my wallet!" (she had used her passport to get this far through the airport security complexities!)
Me - "Let's find a table...and you can empty your (jumbo) bag."
MOD - "Uh oh!"
Me - "What?"
MOD - "I think I left my wallet in the car." (15 minutes to boarding time!) You remember the sushi purchase!

We run back to the security checkpoint and explain the situation to the security folks. They tell me once I retrieve the missing wallet (left in the passenger door-side pocket...of all places!)...I can return to the security check-in area...and they will then pass the wallet to MOD. Knowing that they will not let me back in (past the security area), I bear hug MOD and say "See ya' later!"

Once again...I'm va-klept! Run to car! Wallet is there. Return to departure/security area. Pass wallet to security person...she runs it through security conveyor belt and hands it to MOD. MOD and I wave to each other from afar (she's on one side of security and I'm on the other).

I yell out..."See ya' later!" She gave me two thumbs up...I return to the parking lot.

Epilogue:
Had that Ticket Agent not given me that complimentary pass...I would not have known that MOD had left her wallet in (the door pocket) of the car. Even if MOD realized her wallet was missing...prior to boarding...she couldn't call me...because...yours truly...left his cell phone at home! Thanks again Ticket Agent (TA)! It's not hard to be nice!

No more good-byes!

Some of my best friends are Southerners!

Former President Jimmy Carter says racism plays a major role in opposition to President Obama



2008 exit polls indicated that 43% of whites, nationwide, voted for Obama.

• Alabama........10%
• Mississippi....11%
• Louisiana......14%

According to a poll conducted by dailykos.com, southerners were asked if President Obama was born in the United States.

• Yes.............47%
• No..............23%
• Not sure....30%

Percentage of the (American) population with less than 9 years of education!

Percentage of a county's residents (in America) in poverty in 2000.
....but is there a pattern here?

Text of Kennedy's letter to President Obama

By The Associated Press (AP)

Text of a letter Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., wrote before his death to send President Barack Obama, as provided by the White House.
___

May 12, 2009

Dear Mr. President,

I wanted to write a few final words to you to express my gratitude for your repeated personal kindnesses to me — and one last time, to salute your leadership in giving our country back its future and its truth.

On a personal level, you and Michelle reached out to Vicki, to our family and me in so many different ways. You helped to make these difficult months a happy time in my life.

You also made it a time of hope for me and for our country.

(read the complete letter here)

Welcome to the Tea Party!

August 18, 2009
"Our hope for this tour", said Mark Williams, birther, FOX News contributor, and featured speaker on board the Tea Party Express, "is that patriotic Americans will be encouraged by these rallies, and realize that there are millions of people out there supporting this cause. Contrary to what Katie Couric will tell you," continued Williams, "we are neither fearful or ignorant, we are the soul of this nation"

September 14, 2009
And now from the soul of this nation..."Obama is an Indonesian Muslim!"

Changed the Blog Title

Went from one blog title to another.   It was..."Don't Quote Me on This".   It's now..."Don't Get Me Started!"   I like the latter better!

A belated Happy Birthday...Mr Darwin

February 11th, 2009 was Charles Darwin's 200th birthday. Somehow I missed this and didn't know it before today...but I stumbled across some little Darwinian tidbits during my foray into the world wide web today.   Charles Darwin shocked the world by declaring humans and apes are related – an idea Leonardo da Vinci had 350 years earlier

Compliments of the Gallup organization:

• One-third of Americans believe the Bible is Literally True. There is a high inverse correlation between education and belief in a literal Bible.

• Only 39% of Americans believe in Darwin's Theory of Evolution. There is a strong relationship between frequency of church attendance and education in the belief in Darwin's theory.
  

• The majority of Republicans doubt the Theory of Evolution...and more Americans accept the theory of "Creationism"
  

The Divas & A Dude

I went to a book club gathering today…my first.   It was a wonderful few hours with incredible people, great food & wine, and great conversation.

Background…a few months ago, I sent an e-mail to several dozen friends lauding the merits of   "Hold Love Strong" and its’ author…Matthew Goodman.  Jack N., my lifelong friend, is a member of that book club…and was a recipient of that e-mail.

Jack recommended the book to his club…and extended an invite (to me and the author) to come to their monthly gathering.  I couldn’t commit until the last minute…but boy…was I glad I did!

It was great.  I met Beverly, the hostess (and quite the cook) of this month’s gathering and other club members...Phyllis, Karen & Pat.

Each…incredible/accomplished women in their own right…with a love for reading, travel, politics…and on and on….and all in possession of Kindles!   I’m also told that each…along with Beverly & Jack…can throw together some mean meals!

All agreed that Matt...and his book..."Hold Love Strong" were awesome!

I don’t get to read as often as I’d like, but this was definitely an incentive!  The original name of the group was…The Divas of Diversity!   Once they extended an invite to Jack to join the group, they changed the name to…The Divas & A Dude!

The Bible Belt

Aside from the quickie-divorce Mecca of Nevada, no region of the United States has a higher divorce rate than the Bible Belt. Nearly half of all marriages break up, but the divorce rates in these southern states are roughly 50 percent above the national average

9/11

My youngest daughter was attending Cooper Union. That morning I dropped her off at the local Connecticut Metro North train station...business as usual...around 7:45AM...destination Manhattan. Cooper Union is 2 miles from the WTC complex.

The planes hit...the anxiety was overwhelming. My baby was in Manhattan! Finally, the phone finally rang at 11:30AM. She was calling from a pay phone (you remember those) from the basement of Cooper Union. Hardly anyone knew of this pay phone because, at the time, all the other students had cell phones...except, of course, my daughter! Cell phone service was out!

She saw the south tower fall.

I asked her to call me every hour and I would give her updates...based on the latest news from CNN & MSNBC. She said she wanted to leave...but I begged her to stay put!

Around 3:00PM she called to say she was going to walk the 50+ blocks to Grand Central Train Station. I was reluctant and anxious. Train service was restored around 4:30PM and she caught the 1st train out! I met her at the platform. It was a reunion I will never forget!

In New York City...2750 people lost their lives that day.

What do Ecuador, Peru, Jamaica, Germany & Mexico have in common?

It's Sunday, Sept. 6th... the day after the wedding (see below)...Labor Day weekend in America. My youngest daughter (mother of Romell...see 1st entry) calls to see how the wedding went and what we were doing. Two months earlier...knowing that her due date was too close to the wedding date... she checked "Will not attend" on the rsvp card. We shared some of the wedding details with her...but not all the excitement...because we didn't want her to feel that she missed a lot (she did!).

Anyway...she tells us we're invited to her in-laws for an impromptu backyard BBQ. The Mrs. makes her newly discovered "international" potato salad (recipe forth coming...maybe?), and her infamous baked beans. I make 2 gallons of my newly discovered/created...rum punch (recipe forth coming).

Best friends of my daughter/son-in-law are also invited. They bring their newborn son. He was born one week after Romell. He is one week old...Romell is two weeks! Pictures are taken...babies side by side. A bunch of oohs and aahs!

Midway through the evening...we're all on the back deck...drinks in hand watching the fire in the fire pit. There are about 16 of us in all....aged one week old to an aging baby boomer (me)! The Mrs. makes a statement..."Wow" she says. We all look at her. Huh?

She says "take a look around"..."I was born in Jamaica". She then points out that our youngest daughter's mother-in-law is from Ecuador and her husband is from Peru. My daughter's/son-in-law's best friend is from Mexico...and his wife is from from Columbia. My oldest daughter's husband (German) smiles. I smile (my grandparents are from Bermuda). A good time was had by all.

IMAGINE!

The Wedding

Saturday, Sept. 5th...2:30PM.   Wedding invite says...2:30PM

2:30PM - We arrive at church...Son-in-law and I change into wedding gear (suit, tie, "dress" shoes, cuff links, etc. in church parking lot).   Not sure the Mrs. is thrilled about this...never-the-less...

2:40PM - We enter the church and take our seats.   First time my son-in-law sees his Mom & Dad since their arrival from Dresden, Germany.   Also first time he sees his sister and her boyfriend since they arrived from Frankfurt, Germany.   Hugs and laughter...and stories about JFK Airport!   More guests arrive.   It's readily apparent that this is an international affair!   A stream...a rainbow...of people from all corners of the earth...continue to fill the pews.   All here to celebrate the union of two...who are also from different corners of the earth.   Parents of the bride and groom are in the receptacle area greeting guests as they arrive.   Bride's parents are dressed in traditional Nigerian wedding attire.   Many entering the church are in similar attire.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

3:05PM - The minister announces the bridal party has finally arrived.   Parents of the groom entered the sanctuary followed shortly thereafter by the mother of the bride....in all her Nigerian finery.   Shortly thereafter...the organist cranks up the pipes and in enters the bride on the arm of her father in his traditional Nigerian garb.   She is beautiful...radiant...it was awesome...like a fairy tale!

From Nightmare to Fairytale

The nightmare began about seven weeks ago at the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany...but more about that later.

Set the clock back 6 years. They met (saw each other) at a bus stop near Dartmouth College (in New Hampshire)...both working on the final stages of their medical degrees. New to the area...he asked her if this is where to catch the bus to the campus.

He...a young (soon-to-be...American certified) anesthesiologist born in Dresden, Germany (before the fall of the wall). He...the older brother of my son-in-law. She from Nigeria, completing her studies in obstetrics & gynecology (OBGYN).

I don't know when it actually happened, but somewhere along their journey...they knew that they wanted to be one. There were cultural differences to overcome...not of their own making...but of their circumstance.

Fast forward 6 years...education completed...medical residencies completed! Cultural differences accepted and respected. Parental blessings bestowed! A commitment to be one! In April, a Nigerian wedding ceremony...including gifts to the bride's parents and other Nigerian traditions. From his side...only his parents were able to attend. An American wedding date is set...Sept 5th, 2009! 100+ invitations sent to family & friends around the world!

A job for her...a job OFFER for him!

The Nightmare!
Notice the word offer! He was in this country on a student visa. To work in this country, he needed a work visa. To get the latter...you need to show proof of a job offer in this country along with other details (of which I know very little). Once you have the job offer (and related details)...you need to leave the United States... and officially apply for the work visa (while outside the United States). Once the work visa is granted...you're allowed to re-enter...and begin work.

Under normal circumstances...there is probably a week to ten day wait. At least this was his (our/every one's) understanding. Most applicants who need to meet this (exit/entry) requirement usually go to Canada/Mexico, have their paperwork processed and return...with little, if any, problem. (I'm taking creative license here...but that's what I'm told). He opted to go back to Germany...to visit his parents/friends during his expected week to 10 day stay. He packed his bag accordingly...a small carry-on.

Shortly after his arrival, he went to the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt to secure the work visa. He handed over the paper work and his passport and was told...pretty much..."don't call us...we'll call you!" This is early July. Wedding date set...Sept 5th! A few days pass. Anxious...he called the embassy...got the generic voice activated response. (You know the one...if you are calling about blah blah...press one, about other blah blah...press two...and so on). He tried several attempts to speak to a real person (especially the one who worked with him on that 1st visit)...to no avail.

He tried daily. Finally, miraculously, he got a real person. "Sir...there appears to be a problem/exception with your visa request. Since you are changing status from student to work visa...it is my understanding that you may need to remain outside the United States for anywhere up to two years!"

Early to mid August...his mom arrives in the U.S. from Germany (and stays with us) to be followed by his Dad later that month. Of course...this is under the assumption that there will indeed be a wedding! Her parents arrive from Nigeria. Several e-mails & telephone calls back to the groom regarding visa status. No new news! The clock is ticking...anxieties begin to swell. Mid August...letters to Senator & local congressmen...followed up with calls to the local immigration office. Still no visa. Ongoing calls back and forth to their lawyer(s). Still...no visa!

Friday...August 28th...reality sets in...bride loses all hope and starts to contact people to tell them "this is probably not going to happen". She will call church, caterer, florist, etc on Monday to cancel. I call my daughter (also living in Germany...she and her husband (groom's brother) are coming regardless. Can't afford penalty of canceling tickets and extremely difficult to change vacation plans with his employer. We will make the best of it, but still...it was an ugly weekend. Flights were canceled, e-mails were were sent, tears flowed. What was supposed to happen on Sept. 5th was not going to happen!

The Fairytale!
Monday, August 31st
A call from U.S. Consulate. Visa is approved! "Please arrange to pickup your passport on Wednesday at the U.S. Embassy in Frankfurt!" Text messages fly, phones ring, e-mails sent! Twitter is twittering! Wedding is on...in FIVE DAYS!!!

Groom's sister and her boyfriend arrive at Newark airport mid-afternoon. Picked up by her Mom & family friend (Mom is now staying in New Jersey with said friends). Boyfriend's 1st trip to America. They too decided to come not knowing whether or not there would be a wedding. Expensive and difficult to change plans with their employers. Upon arrival...they learn that the wedding is on!

Wednesday, Sept. 2nd
Groom travels to Frankfurt...no surprises! Picks up passport. Alerts bride that he actually has the passport in hand! Books flight! More e-mails, text messages, twittering, etc.

Thursday, Sept. 3rd
Plan is to pick up son-in-law at JFK via Amsterdam (KLM flt# 3081) at 1:00pm.

Flight is codeshare with Delta flight #81. Website states flight is on time and will arrive at Terminal #3, gate B20. Park in parking lot #3...got to arrivals area. It's deserted. Go upstairs to departure area and ask someone "official looking" about KLM#3081. Am told that I'm in the domestic arrivals area and need to exit the building...travel along and exterior walkway...to the rear of terminal 3 for international arrivals. I hike the recommended route to the rear of terminal 3. Look up at the arrivals display and sure enough KLM 3081 is at the gate...at Terminal #4!

But...I digress!

Groom's father to arrive at JFK via Frankfurt later that evening. Will be met by wife, daughter & daughter's boyfriend. Boyfriend is designated driver. Did I mention that this is his 1st trip to America! Have you ever been to JFK Airport??? Have you ever tried to figure out how to get out of JFK Airport??? A nightmare!

Plan to pick up daughter...LaGuardia Airport at 9:30PM (US Airways flight 703...originates in Frankfurt; connecting flight via Philadelphia). Flight from Frankfurt arrives early in Philadelphia. Daughter calls...can catch an earlier flight...arriving at 7:00PM. $50 extra...done deal! Father & daughter back home before 8:00PM.

Groom arrives at Newark Airport at 10:00PM. Exhausted by his ordeal...not to mention the 6 hour jet lag. Met by bride. (Boy...that must have been some reunion!)

Friday, Sept. 4th
Get marriage license. Get fitted for tuxedo. Final fitting for wedding gown. Wedding rehearsal...rehearsal dinner (ended around 11:00PM...and yes...groom is still awake. (Unbelievable..it's 5:00AM back in Germany!)

Saturday, Sept. 5th
Sometime around 4:00PM, in front of 100+ guests from Africa, Germany, Italy, Mexico, England and across America...an incredible mix/blend of races, religions, nationalities... the bride and groom are pronounced husband and wife. Applause & tears!

Nigerian parents and German parents hug and embrace the bride and groom. Nigerian parents & German parents then hug and embrace each other. More tears & smiles & applause!

No doubt...this will be talked about for decades to come. A story for their children and grand-children...and all the family and friends who lived through this with them. Fairytales do come true!

IMAGINE!

Imagine!

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

As I mentioned on my August 26th post...
I was/am never one for lyrics...not much
of a big Big Beatles/John Lennon fan/follower either,
but this hits home. It's over the top! Gotta check out his other lyrics!

Paulisms

After I posted @shitmydadsays, my youngest daughter reminded me of sh*t I always say!

Here ya' go!
- "I ain't got no money, but f**k it"
- "I know I'm repeating myself but..."
- "Whatever makes you happy!"
- "But that's just my opinion..."
- "If I get like that, just shoot me"

A few others...
- "Nobody will screw you like your own!" (Thanks Jack!)
- "Don't give advice...unless asked!"
- "Keep right...pass left" (See Wednesday, August 26th!)
- "If you don't have anything good to say...don't say anything at all!"

No "BUTs" about it!

When you describe someone you know | love | hold dear...to someone else...do the positives that proceed the word "BUT" far outweigh the negatives that follow the word "BUT"? (see BUT entry below)

When describing my Aunt Helene...there are definitely no BUTs about it! She's a kind, giving, loving person. She was a nurse at Bellevue Hospital in New York City (for decades); volunteered at soup kitchens; donated time & money to so many worthy causes...we've lost count. Absolutely no "BUTs" about her! All who know her...love her for the great person that she is! We need more Aunt Helene's in this world!

My Mom didn't have any "BUTs" about her either. Although some may say..."BUT"..."she tiptoed through the tulips". But...what's wrong with that? I'll take that any day to take my mind away from this often crazy world we live in.

Bring on the Tulips!

Consider youself fortunate if you have any people in your life that have no BUTs!

BUT

but [buht; unstressed buht]
–conjunction
on the contrary; yet: My brother went, but I did not.
–adverb
only; just: There is but one God. (more about this one later)
–noun
buts, reservations or objections: You'll do as you're told, no buts about it.
—Idioms
but for, except for; were it not for: But for the excessive humidity, it might have been a pleasant day.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME buten, OE būtan for phrase be ūtan on the outside, without. See by, out

The "N" word!

I could go on about this forever! Consider this a placeholder...more to follow!

@shitmydadsays

A 28 year old lives with is 73 year old Dad! He's got a twitter account and writes down what his Dad says! It's a hoot! I cracked up! Here's a sample entry....

"My flight lands at 9:30 on Sunday...You want to watch what? What the fuck is mad men? I'm a mad man if you don't pick me the hell up."

Thanks Jason...and Jeff!

Michael Jackson...RIP

The words below are from Matthew Goodman (the author of "Hold Love Strong"). Matthew's words blew me away...as did his book. I was never one for lyrics...but now I am! Matthew wrote this shortly after Michael's death...but I'm a procrastinator!

From Matthews blog...

The saddest thing about Michael Jackson’s death is not only the ravenous reporting on his human failings that have followed his passing, but also that we did not and still do not follow his lead. If we listen to his songs as directives, or if we read them as commandments than we can’t help but see how his mission as a musician was to address our failure to love, respect and cherish each other as simultaneously unique and like human beings. This message, the celebration of each other, our innate, equal and essential humanity and self-dignity should not only be his belief system and ours, but it should also be our practice. As with all of us, I am sure, Michael Jackson had numerous vices, phobias and isms. But what he, unlike any other person in America, had was a lifelong birds eye view of what the world is with regards to what we create and consume domestically and what we export, and what is created and exported by other countries as well. Not only should we be dancing to his music now, and not only should we be paying our respect to him, but we should also study his music, in schools and universities as well as independently, as the meditations of a visionary. We should pay heed to his teachings. Let this, his doctrine of universalism, be his legacy.

Hold Love Strong!

Hold Love Strong.
Buy this book!
Read this book!
Tell all your friends about this book!
I bought it and read it.
I couldn’t put it down.
I laughed and I cried! Yes I did!
I related!
It blew me away!
Trust me…it will eventually be recognized by Oprah!
Trust me…it will wind up on the New York Times “Best Seller List”!
Trust me…it will be in a movie theater (I’ve already thought about the casting!)

It doesn’t hurt that the author is the son-in-law of our good friends!

Keep Right - Pass Left!

If you're driving in America...please consider the following:
- Keep right, Pass left!
- If someone passes you on the right, you're in the wrong lane!
- On a 3 lane highway...the middle lane belongs to the truckers!
- There's a reason they put rear view mirrors in cars!
- Rear view mirrors are especially important if you're in the middle lane!

A War For Your Soul

Bill, a lifelong friend since college, sent me this link to A War For Your Soul.   It's a 19 minute video produced by Erisai Films in partnership with the Speak the Dream organization.

The video was created with the intent to inspire young at-risk African-Americans (more about that later) not to fall prey to some of the problems they face in society.

It's powerful...and I'm grateful that I have friends like Bill who thought I should see this!

What's this all about?

Good question!   I don't know where I'm going with this.   I know where I've been and I've got opinions (like everyone else)!

My intent is to express my opinions/views (along with some facts) on everything!   Politics, religion, race, everyday life, arts, entertainment, stupid stuff, funny/amusing stuff...via the eyes/mind of a first wave baby boomer.   I'll see where this goes...and I hope to have fun.

I'm fortunate to have some amazing talented/interesting/opinionated family and friends...and I hope to have them provide some guest "editorials"

We'll see!

I could write a book on this!

I've said this many times! My daughters often kidded me about it. I always express my opinion on things...whether asked or not! Once asked, my typical response is..."I could write a book on this!"

So...two years ago, my oldest daughter took me up on my rantings and gave me a book on blogging for my birthday. I repeat...two years ago! See entry below regarding procrastination!

Since my middle name is procrastinator...I guess I just needed something to get me jump started. That something happened yesterday. His name is Romell.

Procrastinate

[proh-kras-tuh-neyt, pruh-]

- verb (used without object)
1. to defer action; delay: to procrastinate until an opportunity is lost.

- verb (used with object)
2. to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.

Origin:
1580–90; < style="FONT-VARIANT: small-caps" href="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=pro-&db=luna">pro- 1 + -crāstināre, deriv. of crāstinus of tomorrow; crās tomorrow + -tinus suffix forming adjs. from temporal advs.); see -ate 1

Someone new to love!

Someone new entered my life today.   His name is Romell.   He is my grandson!