Ever since the United States reestablished tourism to Cuba, my husband and I talked about going. Our dream became a reality when we booked a cruise with friends to Havana out of Tampa for this September. That dream came crashing down this week when the United States government banned cruise ships from docking in Cuba. Within a day of the announce …
Last week, I lamented the lack of free (and low cost) shows this summer. This, by no means, indicate a lack of quality shows to attend; it just means parting with many, many pennies to access them. My intended lineup of summer shows remains in flux. But, a schedule of sorts appears to show some promise. Vacation plans may impact the ability to ca …
A few weeks ago Fred blogged about his version of “ Afterlife.” The subject fascinated me . And so I’ve decided to put pen to paper and investigate this concept with a deeper dive . Fred , Paul and I have been touching on it superficially over the last few weeks . So here we go . Indulge me if you choose to . We are talking about that period f …
One of the very very special things in my Afterlife is the weekend ritual of having batting practice with my 51 year old son David and his 20 year old son Jackson, my Batman teammates (pictured), at the local school yard. We bring a box of balls, take turns as one hits, one pitches and one shags. There are muscle memories and eternal memories being …
The hotel is losing its soul. The building hasn’t changed. Rooms are as nice as ever. But people have left. Others may be leaving. The friendly welcome at reception is not what it used to be. The people whose smiles greet us are not happy and we feel it. The soul of the hotel is the people. The soul is leaving.
I used to get in trouble for talking in class when I was in grade school. In high school, my German teacher gave me detention for talking too much in class. Although she said, we could talk as much as we wanted, as long as it was in German. She lied. In college, I taught aerobics and kickboxing-now I was shouting for an hour straight! Maybe talkin …
It was one of those crazy commutes this morning. At every turn, something went wrong – and I had to be at a meeting at 10 am. I hate those pressure filled kind of mornings. First, my line on the LIRR was pretty much just down. [Did you know that I hate the LIRR? Are you my Facebook friend? If so, you would know for sure.] After fixing that f …
As I sat down to write this blog, I had no idea as to what I would write about. I started surfing the net for inspiration but found much of the news, especially that out of Virginia Beach, upsetting and depressing. Just as a goof, I googled "happy news stories." Up popped the website Sunnyskyz.com. I clicked on it and immediately smiled. The m …
As Summer approaches I traditionally look forward to posting a list of free concerts by originals artists. I viewed the Long Island listings and found a bevy of cover bands, many in rock genres I enjoy. At this time, I remain unready to lock in dates the way I might if I bought tickets for a show. I see no reason to list shows and possibly lock in …
It's a sign of acknowledgment, a job well done or a friendly expression of love. If you need one you might want to head over to Ireland where more than 800 students at an Irish school gave each other pats on the back to break a Guinness World Record. 824 students from Willow Park, Blackrock College, and St. Andrew's College formed a chain on the …
Sometimes my eyes open in the predawn hour and I sample the silence and as I lay there I hear a chirp and then an answer and the silence is sweetly broken. Soon our dog Charcoal stirs as if on signal and the first cracks of dawn emerge and the sweet chirping increases. It is an ordinary, but highly over looked (or slept through), sensual experience …
Over the years, I’ve seen several iterations of the highway message warning people that driving and alcohol don’t make for a good combination. The messages range from the relatively mild “Don’t Drink and Drive” to those which suggest the penalties that may be inflicted for a violation. I wonder who composes the succinct words and decides the precis …
Since I am writing on Monday evening, I am reflecting on the phrase of our day -- “thank you for your sacrifice.” Today we remembered those who gave their lives for our country and served to protect us all. Today we express gratitude for acts of courage of so many over so many years that resulted in the loss of their lives. We hear so many sto …
With Memorial Day upon us both me, and my fellow bloggers, are all thinking about bar-b-que. So my queries on this Memorial Day are simple, hotdog or hamburger? And mustard or ketchup? Personally, I am a hotdog person. Most often with ketchup (sacrilege?) but sometimes with mustard and sauerkraut. Happy Memorial Day Gotham!!
The week that passed includes a few challenges and this commentator still needs to handle some matters; this includes setting up my deck for seasonal enjoyment. With help via Gotham the biggest concerns became much less stressful. We took in a show at My Father's Place as the work week ended. Shelly posted a pic on Instagram calling it "Corey's …
