Movin' Out and Other Friday Randomness

  

"And if that's what you have in mind
Then that's what you're all about
Good luck movin up cause I'm movin out"

Well folks, I will be taking a short 4 or 5 day break from blogging to move and get settled in the new home. I will miss all of you, but I'll be back on Wednesday better than ever. I am sure I will have some fun moving stories for all of you.

On my way to work today, I saw the lifeguard chairs being washed and getting prepared to be put on the beaches, that's how close we really are to summer!!!

I heard that the building of the "Freedom Tower" which will be built on the World Trade Center site, will get started in the next few days. It's about time! Five years with nothing but a hole in the ground on that site has been nothing short of a disgrace! NY politics at their finest.

Brucey boy has been away for a few days with my parents. I miss that dog so much. My parents tell me he has been very depressed and withdrawn without me. I can't wait to spoil him all weekend. It's been strange without him all week.

You truly don't realize how much stuff you accumulate until it's time to pack! Can anyone say garage sale soon?????

I really wanted to get out and get drunk Friday night, but I have too much work to do, perhaps I will anyway......

Everyone have a great weekend! I will catch up with all of you next week!

Closing Doors

  

They say when one door closes, another one opens. I am not one who really believes in these cliches or sayings. I do know, however, that when we close a door, it is usually for a good reason. We find out later on in life whether another one opens for us or not. We close doors in our lives and move on to other things for various reasons. Sometimes it is out of selfishness, sometimes to pursue happiness, for the sake of change, or because we are unhappy, etc.

I moved out of my parent's house back in 1991. Since then, I have lived in 4 different houses/apartments. Next week, I will be moving on to house/apartment #5. I've put a lot of myself into every place I have ever lived. I enjoy the tranquility and the coziness of "home." My first two apartments were places to live, but never felt like a "home" to me. When I moved to Long Beach a few years back, I felt the first sense of that "home" feeling for the first time since I left my parent's home back in the early 1990's.

The house on E. Beech Street was great. Two bedrooms, two baths, a large living room, kitchen, a long hallway, hardwood floors, a yard, a patio, two blocks from the ocean. When Joyce and I went to look at the house, we begged the landlord to let us have it, even though they already had deposit checks from 8 other people. They fell in love with me and Joyce, perhaps it was her crystal blue eyes and smile that lit up any room she entered, perhaps it was my silly humor and shmoozing. Whatever it was, we got the place and moved in a month later. At that point Joyce and I had been together for a few years. About six months later, I knew that she was not "the one" and as much as it saddened me to say goodbye, we did. She left about a month later.

A friend of mine, named Doug, told me his brother was looking for a place. I met Alex and we got along great. I decided to let him move in and we became close friends right off the bat. We shared many great conversations, he was one of the first guys I ever met that actually expressed himself very well. We had some great times and confided in each other about so many things. We constantly had music on, as we were both huge music fans. We talked music, played music, wrote music, and just had a great year together in that house.

Alex wanted to move to NYC late in 2003. I knew then, that my time was up in that house. I knew I would not start another roommate search, that the place I called "home" I would have to leave. It was one of the toughest days of my life.

Alex had left on Wednesday, I moved out on Friday. I remember that day well. It was a damp, raw, and cloudy day. I remember taking one last walk into each room. My footsteps echoed on the hardwood floors as I made my way into each room.

I started in the living room. I thought of all the conversations I had in there. Conversations with Joyce, with Alex, with girls I had dated. I also remembered the "dance floor" we had in there for parties when we'd move the furniture along the perimeter of the room and pump up the stereo. I remembered our New Year's Eve 2002 party and I remembered a first kiss or two I had in there with a girl I dated, and the conversations we had over wine and music. I remembered the Soprano's/Curb Your Enthusiasm Sunday Night after dinner gatherings in there...and so much more.

I then went to Alex's room, which used to be the room I shared with Joyce before Alex moved in. I thought of all the chats Joyce and I had in there, the work/painting we did in there with the help of her sister and brother in law, and our movie nights in there. I also remembered helping Alex unpack the night he moved in and just sitting in there and talking with him for hours about girls, music, and the fun times that were ahead.

I then went into "my" room, an empty shell of what it once was. I remembered all the good times I had in there. The late nights staggering in from the local bars with LW after we'd bartend. LW was a girl I met in bartending school who I dated for a while. The only time we got to see each other on the weekends was after 2am, so after a night of drinking, we'd head to my place and chill. I remember the nights I would sit in there alone and write my songs. I remember the highs and the lows I experienced that year and the nights I'd lay in bed mulling over what was taking place in my life.

I then walked down the long hallway towards the kitchen. I thought of the drunken frozen chicken bowling night with MV. I remembered the baby powder hockey games, the wheelbarrow races, Alex falling every time I'd wax the hardwood floors with Pledge, and the hallway full of people the night of Alex's birthday party.

The kitchen. I thought of all the nice meals prepared in there, Joyce's successful attempt at a homemade chicken pot pie that took her 4 hours (we ate at 11pm that night), the Sunday meals I'd cook for about 12 people. I still don't know how we all fit in there. I remembered the Saturday morning bagels with Alex each week, the dinnertime TV watching and chatting about current events, watching he start of the Iraq war on that little kitchen TV, and so much more.

After visiting each room, with tears in my eyes, I knew it was time to say goodbye. I remember pulling that door closed and realizing that part of me was being left behind. The memories that took place in that house, the amazing times, the hurtful times, the dramatic times, will all stay with me for the rest of my life.

When I moved into this house shortly after that, it was different. It had a different feel. I never felt the closeness or the feelings I had living on Beech St. I never felt like myself, or that I could be myself. I am leaving this house in a few days, not for Bruce, not for my girlfriend, not for any other reason other than to find that piece of me that was left on Beech St. almost 3 years ago. Sure Bruce will have a yard, Tiny A and I will grow closer, new friends will be made, old ones re-established, etc. But most of all, I will find that peace of mind, that spirit, that feeling, that enthusiasm, that recipe for happiness if you will, that I locked away three years ago. This is one door I am looking forward to closing.

So come the next few days, there will be no house tour, no memories, no nostalgia, and no flashbacks. I will take my belongings, my dog, and my peace of mind to an open door that is waiting for us. A door that will open up new fantastic memories, new stories to tell, and new happiness for me. I hope you all continue to follow me on that journey.

Underwear

  

What's your summer underwear policy? Do you wear them or forget about them? I can see a woman going without underwear in the summer, but it's not really something a guy should do. I mean, our boys need a home.

I was telling Sugar V, Mrs. Sugar V, and Tiny A on Friday Night, that I wear a snug pair of boxer briefs under my bathing suit sometimes, for support reasons. That little mesh netting in those bathing suits don't really offer much in the way of housing.

I tried wearing jeans without underwear a few times, not very comfy. I have fears of a zipper catch like in "Something About Mary." I don't want to spend a night in ER or on ER getting detached from a pair of Levis.

I think once a guy hits 12, the tighty whitey briefs should cease, don't you? There's nothing worse than seeing a man parading around a locker room in a pair of white briefs. Ewwwwwww. I am a boxer brief man myself. The support of a brief, with the style of a boxer.....that's the way to go.

Women have much more variety/choice when it comes to underwear. I think underwear can make or break the attractiveness of a woman. There's nothing worse than a hot chick taking off her pants and sporting granny underwear. What a bummer! :(

I would say 75% of women between 18-35 don't wear underwear the majority of the time in the summer. Is that an accurate number you think? What's your underwear policy?

I Scream For Ice Cream

There's Something About That Bell...... 

Well, NOW spring is officially here. Sure we've had 70 degree temperatures here in NY, baseball started almost a month ago, and the flowers have started to bloom. Tonight it became official as I saw the ice cream man pass the house for the first time this year. There's something about that music or that ringing bell that lures us from whatever we are doing.

Remember when you were a kid? The Ice Cream Man was like a living legend. You suddenly developed a bionic ear and could hear him about four miles away. Everything came to a halt when you heard that bell, baseball games, kickball games, hide and seek, you name it. As soon as that bell rang or music was heard, kids scattered in every direction to head home for money. The ice cream man is a kid's version of a crack dealer. People go ape shit for ice cream. In my house growing up, we ALWAYS had a freezer full of ice cream, yet there was something about getting it from the ice cream man that was special. Suddenly the five gallons of ice cream in the freezer at home was not good enough. The shitty stuff the ice cream man sold was suddenly better.

The ice cream man was usually an older dude. He at least wore something that said "Good Humor" on it. Now the ice cream man is like a 20-something dude in jeans and a wife beater. What the hell is that all about? The prices are insane too. A chipwich is like $5 now. I love the Chipwich, by the way.

I used to love to torment the ice cream man. The standard abuse was to yell "STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" at the top of your lungs out your bedroom window when he'd pass. He would jam the breaks, not knowing where the voice came from. His truck would buck and come to a stop, where he'd sit patiently and wait for his $1.00 sale, but I'd never go out. I would test him to see how long he was willing to wait. As he started to drive away after the four minute wait.....I'd yell, "STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!!!" again and the moron would stop and wait again until he finally caught on that we were fucking with him. Those were the days. I may actually try that again this year from my deck...just for old time's sake.

The Weekend: Right on 'Target'

  

Wow, the weekend went fast! I can't believe it is back to work already! The weekend was fun, Friday Night dinner with Tiny A, Sugar V, and Mrs. Sugar V. We had great food, great chat, and a ton of laughs, most of which were at MY expense!

Saturday I had a lot to do at my house, since I am moving in a week. Later in the day, Tiny A and I went on a shopping spree at Target for tons of stuff for my new house and some stuff for her home as well. We had a lot of fun shopping and we had a bunch of laughs. At one point, I needed to backtrack to get something I forgot and Tiny A said she's meet back up with me. Well, about 20 minutes go by and we could not find each other. My cell rings and it is her telling me that she is "by the summer stuff....you'll see me." So I head towards the sporting goods/toy area where I saw a bunch of summer stuff, I circle and circle, no Tiny A. At this point, my cart was so full, that stuff was falling out of the cart. I "pull over" and call Tiny A. She says, "I am by the summer stuff!!!" We both start laughing until we cry because I could not find her, I am yelling out "I need Lo-Jack on my ass!!!" Finally, as other customers were laughing, we find each other. The Target we went to her was "her" target, so she knows the layout...I needed a compass. Tiny A's house is like a warehouse right now with all my new stuff. Thanks for everything! :)

Later that evening we went to dinner and chatted, then I headed home to Brucey boy....

Sunday was Brucey's birthday! Can you believe I have him a year already? Time sure flies. In the morning I drove to Tiny A's and she drove us into NYC for brunch with her friends. We had a nice time in the village at a French Cafe sort of place. It was nice. After brunch, we stopped in an "adult store" where we were parked in front of and saw Sugar V's birthday gift..."The ASSMASTER." I was laughing so hard at this thing. It was this long black motorized stick that rotated....I was really laughing and swore I was buying it in November for his birthday. Speaking of birthdays, after NYC, I went to Tiny A's with Bruce where she spoiled him as usual with treats, chicken, and a birthday frosty paw. We all watched "The Sopranos" to close out the weekend.

Next weekend, I get the keys to the new beach house and I am so excited and so relieved to be out of this "hell" I've been living in for a while......onward and upward!

C-Mac's New Laws

  

There are so many foolish laws on the books and not enough practical ones. In many states, "blue laws" still exist which force businesses to close early on Sundays, prohibit alcohol sales on Sundays, and other foolish laws like that. If I were "in charge" here are some new laws I would enact:

* Senior Citizens who are retired would be banned from traveling on roadways during rush hour. 6am-10am and 3pm-7pm Monday through Friday would be the times I would choose to keep them off the roads. Nothing pisses me off more than having to get to work and driving behind them at 20mph because they have all day to get to their destination. Force them to travel and buy their prune juice while we are all at work.

* No more Taco Bell/Pizza Hut combo restaurants, no more Taco Bell/KFC combos, no more Dunkin Donut/Baskin Robbins stores. The food quality blows even more when they have to multi task. The food is bad enough when they only have to focus on one type of "cuisine." You want to combine stores? Sell hard liquor at my local supermarket, replace the gum and candy at the registers with Grey Goose and Bombay Sapphire.

* Every price should be negotiable and the barter system should be permitted everywhere. If I want to trade the gas station attendant something I don't need/use anymore from my garage for 99 cent gas, that should be my option.

* No more check writing/acceptance at supermarkets. We are in the debit age. Anyone caught tying up a line at a supermarket writing a check should be thrown off the highway overpass in their shopping cart.

* Speedos for men banned on all beaches and in public places.

* Open toed shoes banned in all restaurants for men.

* Scales placed outside fitting rooms or at checkouts in department stores. If you are a fat chick, no belly shirts, short shorts, thongs, or bikinis.....period.

That's enough for now....what laws would you enact?

Games From Back In Da' Day

  

With the weather warming up a little more each day, I don't like being inside at all. The nine hour work day indoors is torture when it's beautiful out. Today my boss bought a huge bbq grill and a huge picnic table for us to use on our lunch break. The 30 minutes or so that we all sat outside eating and chatting was amazing. It made me think of recess at school when I was younger and the games we used to play outside....or games outside at home.

Kickball was a crowd favorite. Basically the same rules as baseball, only you kick a red rubber ball. Kickball was a "kick" ass sport as a kid. I miss it!

Dodgeball was another great one. Throwing the ball at other kids' heads full force. It's a shame the little fat fuckos would be thrown at first and knocked from the game, but what can you do? I took great pride in my dodgeball skills.

Freeze tag was another good one. Remember freeze tag? Simple......but fun.

Manhunt. Another word for outdoor hide n' seek.

Slip N' Slide!!!! I am buying one of those again this year!

Street Hockey. This kicked ass either on foot or on roller skates. The bright orange ball instead of the puck that left welts all over your body when it hit you.

Wiffle ball. I still love wiffle ball! I need to get a new wiffle bat and ball.

Frisbee, I still love playing this on the beach!

Apple Juice pong....now substitute beer! :)

Remember those cheap wood paddles with the rubber band string stapled to it that had the little rubber ball on the end of the string? I think it was called "paddle ball." Not sure what made me think of it, but my mom would always buy us those and they would break in like 2 minutes......that cheap ass staple.

Bubble blowing! Remember the jars of bubbles with the wand? We'd spend hours outside blowing bubbles. My dogs would chase the bubbles and pop them.

What outdoor games did you enjoy most as a kid?

C-Mac's Summer To-Do List

  

Sure it is April, sure my life is packed in 70 boxes in my garage, and sure it's still only 60 degrees, but I have summer on the brain. In less than two weeks I will be living not a few blocks from the beach like I am now, but a few STEPS from the beach. With the thoughts of what may very well be the best summer in years just a few short weeks away, I started making a mental list of things I MUST do in the summer of 2006. here they are in no particular order:

* Eat dinner on the beach at least once a week with Tiny A.
* Help my softball team at my new job make the PLAYOFFS.
* Wine tasting weekend with Tiny A out East.
* Get Heather and The Muse to come visit for a long weekend.
* CMACAPALOOZA IV.
* Spend a lot of time with Sugar V and Mrs. Sugar V.
* The Restaurants of Long Beach review here at "The Beach."
* Play lots more with Bruce now that he will have a fenced yard.
* Tear up the dance floor at Tiny A's nephew's Christening.
* Get back to running 5 days a week, including 10+ mile runs on Saturdays.
* Bike ride with Tiny A.
* BBQ at least 4x a week.
* Buy a new camera and get into photography.
* Go out "on the town" in Long Beach every weekend now that it is all in walking distance.
* Go to Montauk with my Mom.
* Drink lots and lots of alcohol.
* Read more. Yes, books!
* Go to at LEAST 10 Yankee Games. (1st one in a couple of weeks!)
* Make new friends (Linda H is already one of them!)
* Get back in touch with some old friends I lost touch with.
* Go to at least 2 Jones Beach concerts
* Most of all, take time out to appreciate where I am and reflect on where I've been. I feel like I am at a crossroads, and I am excited about not just the summer, but beyond.

What's on your summer agenda?

Warning Labels

  

Perhaps it's because of all the frivolous lawsuits that take place daily, perhaps the average person is really that stupid, but I have to laugh at some of these "warning labels" I see on products on a daily basis.

The most common one, because of the famous McDonald's lawsuit, is the "Caution Coffee is Hot." Really???? Coffee is served hot? Thanks for giving me that heads up. I may have tried to suck it through a crazy straw had you not posted that warning.

I also like the warning labels on the box of garbage bags or any plastic bag that comes in a box of something that says the bag is "not a toy" and that kids can suffocate. Other than maybe Britney Spears, I really can't see anyone handing their child a plastic bag and saying "go play!!!!"

I've seen warning labels on garbage can covers that say "not to be used as a sled/sleigh." Hahahahaha. Like I am going to slide down a hill on a filthy smelly garbage can lid.

Let's face it, if people still smoke despite the warning labels on the pack, do warning labels really work????? I think the only warning label anyone takes seriously is "dry clean only." Someone will be chain smoking 4 packs a day, but will panic if someone tries to put their "dry clean only" garment in the washer.

What's your favorite "warning label?" Mine is "Do Not Remove this tag, under penalty of law" on the mattresses. People actually think it applies to them when they buy it. Like the police are coming if they tear it off......

The East End

  

My love for my hometown of Long Beach has been well documented here at "The Beach" since I started this blog. There is something really special about this town. But, there is a mystique about the East End of Long Island that is unique and unlike anyplace else I have ever visited.

Most people in America know of "The Hamptons" out on Eastern Long Island. It's where all the millionaire celebrities have their beach homes, where the "in crowd" hangs out, and where the paparazzi have a field day. But there is so much more to the East End. Whether it be our world renown wines out on the great north fork, the shopping Mecca that is the Tanger outlets, Splish Splash, one of the top rated water parks in America, the quaint fishing village of Greenport, the farming communities and roadside stands, or the beauty of Montauk, the East End has something for everyone.

On my drive to see my parents for Easter, who have lived on the East End since 1993, I took in the beauty and tranquility. Once you drive past exit 64 on the Long Island Expressway heading East, it's like you arrive in a different state, in a different period of time. The East End starts with the protected pine barrens region, runs right through farms, wine vineyards, and ends on Orient Point, the rocky end to the north fork, or Montauk Point, and the majestic lighthouse on the south fork.

I have spent so much time out on the East End over the years. I hope to revisit some of the greatness this summer and autumn. While the rest of Long Island is forever changing, the East End stays the same amazing place we have all grown to love. If you ever take a trip for a week to NY and get tired of the city, be sure to rent a car and drive out to Long Island's East End, you'll be glad you did.

Friday Points To Ponder

  

The holiday weekend is upon us! I hope you all have a great time.

Why do men's bikes have the bar going straight across and the women's bikes have the bar on the slanted angle? I think it should be the other way around, don't you? After all, we are the ones with the balls that could get seriously injured if we fell on that bar. It's something I have always pondered.

Why is today called "Good" Friday? Shouldn't the nailing of someone to a cross be considered bad? Bad Friday is a bit more appropriate I think.

Churches are tax exempt. They don't pay any taxes to fund the local schools, police, fire departments, anything. So, if I were a fireman and got a fire call in the middle of the night that a church was on fire, would I hurry to go put it out, or think, hey, they don't contribute?.....

I wonder why the last few cheerios always seem to gravitate to each other and form a little pack instead of floating individually.

I wonder how long my commute would be by pogo stick.

I wonder if the Flintstones ever eat that big rib that tips over their car.

I hope you all have fun this weekend!

A Natural High

  

If you ask the average person what makes them feel great or the greatest, they will probably say sex. Trust me, sex is amazing with the right person, a person you are really into...but isn't that a given? There are dozens of other things that make each of us feel amazing, things that give us a natural high. Today let's all name things that made us feel amazing in the past, make us feel amazing in the present, and things we know will make us feel amazing in the future......here are some of mine:

* Stepping into Yankee Stadium. Just knowing the history and feeling the passion I do for the Yankees makes a visit to Yankee Stadium a truly amazing experience, each and every time.

* Making others laugh. With a group, or with just one other person, I love to make someone laugh, really really laugh. It is definitely a high.

* Playing baseball/softball, especially in front of a crowd. When you make a great play in the field or come through with a big hit, sometimes you can't feel your feet on the ground, it is amazing. (My first practice of the season is tonight!)

* Enjoying a nice meal. Whether I cook it, whether someone cooks for me, or whether it is out at a restaurant, the whole experience of a long/great meal complete with great conversation is fabulous.

* Hearing a song that I love. Feeling the emotion of the lyrics and the music puts me in a trance.

* My dog Bruce greeting me after a day at work. Priceless.

* Catching up with an old friend. Nothing like it.

* A nice road trip. The feeling of the wind in your face, the radio up high, and great company......

* The anticipation (butterflies) when you know you are going to see someone you really like. Like the feeling I get when Tiny A and I have plans.

* The way my body feels after a long 6 mile+ run. It's really a high.

* That warm and toasty feeling, just as you start to get buzzed on alcohol.

* Knowing the best days in life are yet to come.

What gives you a natural high?

The Healing Power of Food

  

Remember when you were a kid and got upset about something? The first thing you got to "make you feel better" was some sort of food or treat. Hamster died? Here's a popsicle. Fell and scraped your knee? Here's a Hershey Bar. Kids made fun of your sweater on the school bus? Here's an ice cream sundae. Food was always associated with love and affection in my home growing up, perhaps it is an Italian thing.

My Mom would yell like crazy at us if we did something bad. We'd get screamed at, sometimes hit, but about an hour later, my Mom would yell out, "Come on, we're having ice cream." Like that was going to soothe my ass from the ass kicking she just gave me. Food was like a peace offering. If only life were really that simple. Imagine wars from history ending by one side offering the other side a sweet treat?

Food was and still is used as "medicine." I managed a "Discovery Zone" years back where hundreds of kids would come to play. If a kid fell and got hurt, the first thing people would do is give the kid an icee!!! A fuckin' ICEE!!!! Like that was going to pop the bone back into the kid's leg, like there was something magical in that raspberry syrup. I never understood that....don't get the first aid kit, grab an icee.

Growing up, my Mom and Dad never really played favorites with my brother, my sister, or me. BUT, if me and my Mom went to an ice cream place to get stuff for the family, her and I would always have ice cream there and "not tell" anyone when we got home then have ice cream again like we didn't just have it when we were out. It was like a secret ice cream society that you had to be tight lipped about or you'd be banished from that extra treat for life.

I find myself doing the same thing with my dog now. When I am going out and I feel bad about leaving him alone, I load him treats and bones because I feel guilty. That's why Brucie has a belly!!!!

Food, a healer, a peace maker, a sign of affection.....and so much more. Let's hear your food "healing" experiences.

Hold The Door!

  

Do people, especially women, feel they don't have to thank you for holding a door open for them? The absolute least someone can say is thank you when you hold a door open for them, yet many find this difficult.

What's worse is when you hold a door open for someone then like 5 people show up behind them out of nowhere and you feel like a doorman just standing there holding the door for the parade of people. It's annoying. I want to go on a non-door holding streak. F them all!

Why is it that businesses always keep one side of the double doors locked? The doorway is obviously designed for one side to be the "in" and the other side to be the "out" yet 90% of businesses keep one side of the door locked. It's just stupid. At my last job there was this huge double door in one of the hallways, yet they only open one side. So if someone was coming towards you and you met at the doorway, one of you would have to stop to let the other pass...it was annoying.

Then there's the "revolving door" that you find on city buildings. You can always spot a country or suburban person by how they negotiate that door. They usually get caught up in it or whacked with it.

I am a big fan of the automatic door...except when some douche nozzle tries to go out the in and fucks up the whole door. Then you can't get in until the asshole moves off the sensor. Even AFTER they move, the door is still f'd up...and you have to nudge it with your shopping cart to get in.

Anyway, I was having computer issues, but I am back. Thanks to Nick at work for fixing things, works better than new now!!!!

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Hoooooney!!!!

TGIF! Another long-ass week in the books. Let me preface my post by saying that my dog Bruce absolutely loves Tiny A....which is a great thing. He gets so excited when he sees her and she is always so loving and good to him.

Last night, Tiny A and I went out to dinner and I showed her the new house I will be living in as of May 1st. She picked me up around 5:45 to Bruce's delight because he got to see her for a few minutes. Upon our departure, he was in the window howling down at the street for her and I to come back. After a night of great conversation, good food, a walk on the boardwalk, and a nightcap at the local Starbuck's, she dropped me at my house where Bruce was perched in the window waiting for our return. As we pulled up in front of the house, Tiny A rolled down her window and yelled "HIIIIIIII HOOOOOOONEY!!!!!!" up to Bruce in the window. Just as she was saying that, a guy was passing her vehicle on foot and looked over at her to see who she was because he thought she was hitting on him. So, Tiny A says to him, "No, No, not you, the dog!!!" That was freakin' hilarious. I went up and got Bruce and brought him down to say bye to Tiny A. Bruce was trying to hop in her car to go home with her. Some loyal dog, huh?

In other news, Sugar V has issues. On many occasions I will tell him about a conversation Tiny A and I have at dinner about a funny, serious, or general topic to get his opinion or take on the subject. Rather than getting deeply involved in the subject matter, he focuses on what we ordered for dinner. He needs a team of Austrian doctors, very quickly.

Tiny A, Sugar V, and Brucey Boy, three of the greatest things in my life...all in one post. :)

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I will be packing for most of it. T minus 23 days and counting until the move! :)

Wasted Talent

One of my favorite movies of all time is "A Bronx Tale" because of the message it sends. It's main message is "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent." I couldn't agree more.

As I was getting ready for work this morning, I heard on the radio that Whitney Houston is back on the pipe again. This saddens me so much. There is one of the best voices of our generation just wasting away and wasting her talent. I've heard people blame it on Bobby Brown, her husband, but that's just an excuse in my book. Sure, people can be a bad influence on other people, but you have to allow it to happen.

It got me thinking of other people in "the spotlight" that have wasted their talent. Baseball players Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry immediately come to mind. Both of them were guaranteed first ballot hall of famers who threw it all away to drugs. It is sad.

Even those in life who don't throw their talent away to drugs, alcohol, or anything of the sort sadden me. People who have a talent, or a passion, that don't pursue them. My sister is a great example. She is so talented with art but never took a chance. She loves it, but was always afraid of failure, so she never really gave herself a fair shot at it.

I suppose I could look at myself as well. Granted, I think I have done pretty well for myself, but I don't think I showcase my talents or passion on a daily basis either. How many of us truly do?

My 'ROLE MODEL'

  

role model
n.
A person who serves as a model in a particular behavioral or social role for another person to emulate.

Growing up, I was like any other little boy. I admired and emulated my favorite baseball players, rock n' roll singers, and other "stars." But, the person who I always looked up to, respected, and wanted to be like was my grandfather. It was 19 years ago today that he passed away, that day still stands as the toughest and saddest day of my life.

It's really hard to believe that NINETEEN years have passed since he left us, and yet not ONE day has gone by where I did not have him in my thoughts. He was a strong individual, with a magnetic personality, a tremendous sense of humor.....a kind and generous man who would do anything at all for you. I miss him today and every day.

there are so many memories and so many things we did together. What I remember most are the Saturday mornings we spent together. My parents worked Saturdays and would drop my brother, sister, and I at my grandparents house for the day. We would always have our morning bagels while Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, and some of the other greats played on the radio. We were too young to appreciate that great music and would always talk my grandparents in to putting on the "rock" station. I remember the sound of that old percolator coffee pot brewing on the counter, the smell of the coffee, and the sound of the laughs and chats we would always have at breakfast.

After breakfast, my Grandmother would be working in the kitchen while my Grandfather would watch cartoons with us. He was like a big kid. He would laugh so hard at The Smurfs, The Flintstones, Scooby Doo, and all the other cartoons. After cartoons, I would always go outside eor in the garage with my Grandfather while my sister and brother did things around the house with our Grandmother. My Grandpa and I would bond and do yardwork, work on the car, and do stuff in the garage.

Later in the afternoon, my Grandpa and I would drop my siblings and my Grandmother off at the stores to meet up with my mom. I would continue the day with Grandpa. He had friends in every store in town. We would make our rounds to Italian butcher shops, hardware stores, gas stations, and many other stops where everyone knew and loved him. We would talk about times when he was younger, talk baseball, talk about how I was doing in school and a ton of oher things. I looked so forward to those Saturdays and really missed them when he passed.

It was April 5th, 1987 when he passed. I remember the time leading up to it and the time right after he passed. It was like my life stood still. Each time I would go to visit him in the hospital in his final weeks, the song "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House would be on the radio. It was a really popular song at that time. Each time I hear that song I think of him and that time period. Last year I mentioned that to my mom, how that song always reminds me of him and that time period. She told me it was strange that I mentioned that song because she was with him when he passed and that particular song was on the radio in the hospital when he passed away. A sign? Perhaps.

I could not find the original "Don't Dream It's Over" video, so I will leave you with the remake in memory of this day.......

DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER (Sixpence None The Richer)

Something To Believe In

  

"Early morning, April 4 shot rings out in the Memphis sky. Free at last, they took your life. They could not take your pride."

It was on this day back in 1968 that Martin Luther King Jr. was killed by an assassin's bullet. Here was a man who made the ultimate sacrifice for a cause that he believed in. A cause that would change the history of this country.

When I look back in time, I am amazed about people like Dr. King, Robert F. Kennedy, John Kennedy, Gandhi, and so many others who paid the ultimate price for what they believed in. These people who gave the weak and the oppressed a voice. People who gave so much to make the world better. I wonder how much more they would have given and what direction this country and the world would have gone in had they lived longer and not died so tragically.

Had Robert Kennedy not been killed in 1968, he just may have won the Presidency later that year. Would Vietnam have ended sooner? How many of the 56,000 that died in Vietnam would have lived and where would they be now? Watergate would have never happened, the whole direction and history of our nation would have been different.

Had John Lennon not been murdered in 1980 how many more great pieces of work would he have given us?

It makes you wonder doesn't it? My question for all of you today is....what cause or belief would you pay the ultimate price for?

Opening Day!

Put me in coach, I'm ready to play! Baseball starts today for most MLB teams. There is something about this day that has always been magical for me. Baseball to me is very comparable to the cycle of life and the seasons......Baseball starts in spring when there is a rebirth of everything beautiful like the flowers, the leaves on the trees, and everything else nature offers us. Baseball also ends in the fall, as everything starts to die and it starts to get cold outside.

I can remember being a kid in middle school and high school and smuggling a "Walkman" in my book bag to sneak a listen to what was going on with the Yankees on opening day...as the games usually started at 1pm when school was still a few hours away from ending. I can remember passing the word around that the Yanks were either winning or losing. It would spread like wildfire throughout the class and I'd keep the other kids posted on who was at bat, who was on base, and what was going on pitch by pitch.

I can also remember going to bed as a kid with a small handheld radio under my pillow. My parents were strict with bedtimes on school nights, but I'd always sneak that little radio and listen to the Yankee night games ever so quietly. I can remember wanting to cheer when a Yankee made a great play and yell out in anger if my Yanks were losing. But, I had to keep my little secret to myself or risk being cut off from that radio and those Yankees.

Yesterday as Tiny A., Bruce, and I walked the streets of Mineola after a great day outdoors, we passed a baseball field with kids playing. I heard the crack of the bat and told Tiny A what a great sound that is for me. I wanted to run on the field and grab a glove. All in due time, my first practice is on Thursday Night this week.

With the first pitch on it's way, Spring, and all the beauty it brings, is truly underway! Enjoy it, no matter what team you like!