Tuesday

This morning I went to Manhattan (again) to see my doctor. This time it was legitimate because I really did have an appointment. The appointment was for nine o'clock and right on the dot I was ushered in to one of the many examination rooms the doc had.

As far as they are concerned everything was on schedule!

The fact that the doctor didn't come into the room until ten o'clock is not being anywhere recorded. I am convinced that there is a course in medical school on hot to totally disregard patients' comfort or convenience.

Right now I do know a few doctors who are not associated with each other but all do the same thing as far as punctuality or observing appointment times. And they didn't even go to the same medical school. So, I guess it is in the general curriculum.

But, when they eventually do come in they all provide excellent care. Meaning I shouldn't complain.

At the end of my visit I left very happy because my doctor told me that there was nothing to worry about, my kidneys are fine.

Now who would not like to hear such good news.

On the way back to the subway I got sidetracked because I went in to the New York City Public Library on Fifth Avenue and Forty Second Street.

I have been living in New York for 57 years and I passed the building many many times but never ever went in. So today it changed. I did go in and was not sorry at all.

Spent about an hour in there and saw only a fraction. I got bogged down in one room where family history for American and foreign families were documented. Naturally I was not able to find anything even remotely connected to my family name but it was still interesting.

Maybe one day I'll go there like a tourist and spend some real quality time and get to know the place.

After the Library I decided to go to Times Square and get a feel for what it would be at New Year's Eve. Since the weather was good the place was almost wall to wall people. Tourists mainly, speaking all kinds of different languages. This last one doesn't make one a tourist since a good percentage of New Yorkers speak other than English, unfortunately.

But to me it was interesting and at that point I had enough of it and went home.

Appointment

I am usually a pretty well organized person. If I have to go somewhere important the next day I usually prepare what I will wear, set the alarm clock and put out papers I have to take with me. This is not an old person's idiosyncrasy, this just the way I am.

I rarely forget anything important.

Except today.

I got up at seven in the morning, got ready, took the subway into Manhattan and proudly walked into my urologist's office at nine on the dot. Last week I had the kidney scan and today he was supposed to give me the results so I was a little apprehensive.

Something didn't look right because when I walked in there was nobody in the waiting room and that what was unusual. The lady behind the window looked at me and asked what was I doing there. I told her I had a nine o'clock appointment with the doctor.

No you don't she replied. The doctor is never in on Mondays.

I thought I was going nuts. Got up early, go into Manhattan and then find out I misinterpreted the appointment.

Anyway the lady and I agreed that this was to be our secret and she gave me another time for tomorrow at nine in the morning (I think).

I decided that I'll keep on going in until one day it will be my time, that's all.

A Sunday

A funny thing happened to me on the way to...

Several years ago, I don't remember when I only know that my mother-in-law was still alive, because my Wife and I were going to her house on Easter Sunday for dinner.

My Wife wanted to stop at a neighborhood church for Easter Sunday Mass that was held at noon(ish). I was not against it, always liked the pomp and the people there. So there we were all dressed up in the church taking part in the nice mass. We were sitting in the back, close to the entrance because the plan was that as soon as the sermon is over we would leave and head to Manhattan.

I was sitting right by the aisle and She was next to me.

To understand the meaning of this Holiday, they celebrate the resurrection of Christ who according to some was killed because of the Jews.

Why did I give this explanation? You'll see.

So, the service goes on and everything is really nice. That was a very nice, large Catholic church, really impressive.

Before the en, a guy comes up to me and asks that because there were not enough ushers would I help with the collection of the donation. I politely declined telling him that we would shortly leave.

Now why was this interesting and ironic?

Here is this large Catholic church celebrating the Resurrection of Christ who according to some was killed by the Jews and they approach me, most certainly the only Jewish person in that church to help with the donations.

I should have taken the donations but instead of bringing it to the altar take it with me and send back a thank you note on behalf of the long abused Jewish people.

Diet

I think I mentioned it before that dieting is being suspended during the holiday season.

The first question that arises is just how long is the "holiday season"?

It starts with Christmas and supposed to end with New Year Day. But in respect to our friends in other parts of the world we can go as far as Ukrainian or Russian Christmas that is on January 7, 2015.

I'm sure Putin will appreciate it and it will also ease our minds about eating all those goodies. Also, by that time we will probably finish all that need to be finished.

However, and there is always a however. There is are extenuating circumstances in my case. I have a document in my possession that permits me to indulge a little longer. And, that is my birth certificate that notes that I was born on January 9, meaning I can indulge longer, at least until the end of my birthday week.

But then one of my dearest friend's birthday is on January 31. Now, if we use the pretense of Russian Christmas as a target date I for one can not let my friend's birthday forgotten. It is just not being done, he is too good a friend.

Bottom line is, serious diet will start on February 1, 2015. And that's final.

But in all seriousness the holiday feast until now is fabulous. We are doing almost an eating orgy. Every day we all find excuses for more good stuff. There is a Hungarian dish that is jellied pig's feet in aspic. In Hungarian it is called kocsonya. The English translation doesn't even come to close what the stuff really is. It is a popular dish during the Christmas holidays. My friend made some that is so good that I hope the poor pig went to pig haven for what good it did.

I have some at home and I really can't stop eating it. I really don't need an excuse why, I just eat it.

Speed

It is very interesting (and annoying) to see how people observe the new and totally idiotic speed limit in New York City. As of sometime last month the illustrious mayor of this fair city reduced the speed limit to 25 miles per hour. His claim was that if people are hit by a car travelling at that speed it would not cause fatality.

I don't know, I certainly wouldn't want to get hit by a Hummer going at 25 miles per hour!

Anyway, I travel enough in the City to see that drivers are struggling to observe this speed limit. I live in a suburb of New York City where we have many main roads that are multi lane and nice and wide and I noticed that even when there is plenty of room ahead of the lead car nobody jumps out to get ahead or to go faster.

This is very commendable but making driving that much more difficult because it forces people to watch the speedometer instead of the road. 30-35 is about the accepted speed that most of the people drive except a few morons who keep the 25 mph limit. Unfortunately the 30-35 mph speed on a long stretch still makes the drive unnecessary long.

But as I said before hats off to most of the drivers who really go along with this and are forced to drive with the lower speed.

When there is rush hour traffic there is no problem because traffic is not moving but when the roads are empty like on a holiday night it is real pain to go that slow. That's why I love to go out of the City whenever I have the chance because out there they don't have an idiot for mayor and people can drive normally with normal speed limits.

Maybe I should emigrate to Long Island.

X-mas

As I mentioned yesterday we had a very lovely X-mas Eve dinner to usher in the holiday. The fact that we were all Jewish didn't bother anybody because my friend and I always celebrated Christmas with gift giving. We never celebrated it for its religious significance because as far as I am concerned that was lost, at least here in the US a long time ago.

We simply celebrated it because it is a good time to show to those around us that we care!

This country and unfortunately many others are following it has a great talent to turn any holiday into a commercial endeavor. Commercial Christmas starts in October the latest and goes on until the end of the year. Then it is on to Valentine's day and then on and on. It's a never ending cycle.

Religion has absolutely no meaning at all.

Staying on this last subject, last night I stayed up late watching the Midnight Mass. In New York they broadcast from St. Patrick's Cathedral and every year I watch this.

I find very interesting the pomp, the presence of the politicians, the Cardinal and the entire bally-ho.

If this is a joyful celebration for the Catholics I would hate to see a sad event. The mass was long and extremely boring with very depressing choral numbers. I can really not see how they can celebrate a happy event such a way. By the way I also watched the one from Rome with the Pope and that was even more somber. The pope was probably thinking that he would rather be in bed at that late hour than doing that stuff.

The Pope is worse than Cardinal Dolan because he mumbles, I think in Italian and nobody can understand him. The Cardinal at least speaks with a clear audible voice.

While watching these ceremonies I always wandered if these intelligent people, the participants, really believed all that stuff or they are just doing it because that is their job or obligation or calling.

Now I know I will go to hell for this!

Christmas Eve

Today is Christmas Eve and traditionally the world stops. Except where it does not stop.

Here in New York most of the work places close early, the stock market close at 1 pm, many department stores and other stores have early closing times. When I lived in Budapest even in the darkest Soviet rule on Christmas Eve everything and I do mean everything was closed. Even public transportation stopped running early.

Now, that was a real holiday observance.

I can not imagine that magnitude of stoppage simply because people would complain. While most of the people want to get home early to be with family those same would be the first to complain if the bus driver or the train operator would want to have the same privilege. That's pretty democratic, right?

Then when one goes to an orthodox Jewish neighborhood one can find all businesses operating with normal hours. Both on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. The unfairness is that all the low paid people working in these places are poor Hispanics who all happen to be Christians and not Jewish. They were probably all told that if they did not show up they can say goodbye to their jobs. Pretty democratic, right?

Today my friends and I went to very nice Italian restaurant for Christmas Eve dinner. The dinner was superb, the company superber! After dinner the four of us drove around in Queens to look at houses decorated for the holidays. We saw some real breathtaking homes that looked really gaudy and we saw some that were tastefully decorated.

Some people obviously hire professionals to do the stuff just so they may be the best in the neighborhood. But hey it is their money not mine. Tomorrow is Christmas Day and I will be having dinner with family and friends and I am really looking forward to it.

And I do hope everybody is having a nice Christmas!

Tuesday

It is not that I am overly occupied with myself it is just that somebody has to be and might as well it should be me. How is that for being full of myself?

Today again, I woke at the crack of dawn and headed into Manhattan with the working people. This time I took the subway which turned out to be a very pleasant experience. I guess because of the holiday there were very people on the train and that meant I immediately got a seat.

Just to explain, I had a 9 am appointment for a CT scan of my kidneys since the doctor at my last visit noticed a small cyst. So, I got there earlier than I planned but the place was already packed.

I walked in and as usual in a place like this headed to the receptionist being ready to hand over all the necessary information about my life. But, she directed me to a terminal behind me where I was supposed to do the entire checking in. Honestly, checking in on a flight at the airport is a lot simpler than this thing was.

I was working on it for about ten minutes but at the end it all came together. This stuff tremendously impressed me.

After a short wait and gulping down four cups of water I was called in to the CT scan room. And they did the thing I came for.

My Wife had this done to Her every two months and never ever complained. That was what I was thinking of when the needle jabbing hurt.

They injected some dye into me and that gives a very peculiar sensation. I suddenly got very warm from head down to the end of my fingers. I knew what to expect but still when it happened it was weird.

The whole scan lasted about ten-fifteen minutes and then I was out of there. Now I just wait for the verdict. Next Monday I am going to my specialist to hear it.

I got back on the subway and went home. The subway cards allow free transfer up to two hours. So when I got back on my homebound train I was still within the two hour limit thus my trip home was free.

Great country, isn't?

Doctor Monday

It is Monday afternoon and I feel good. One reason is that I woke up this morning, looked in the mirror, saw myself and realized that I didn't die from that terrible sickness called the COLD.

The other reason I feel good is that I saw my doctor this morning and she told me that I was in a very good condition. There was nothing wrong with me, physically that is, that was worth her concern. One can not imagine how good is to hear such a verdict. But reading between the lines I understood that whatever I have is caused by age and I just have to learn to live with it because there is absolutely nothing anybody can do about it.

So, I walked out of her office relieved that I can look forward to a long and healthy and maybe happy life (I hope).

Now if my money holds out I'll be o.k.

My Wife and I have been going to this doctor for over twenty five years and we both loved her very much. She is a very decent and caring person. Came to the hospital to visit mi Wife and also came to her funeral.

I hope she doesn't think about retiring because I really don't want to lose her. She is also Hungarian so we have many things in common. The problem is that we both like to talk and not always about medical issues.

When I am in with her I can single handedly turn the daily schedule upside down. We can easily spend an hour and a half just talking. Today her office manager called in that some of the patients were getting restless. But we just talked.

When she does that with other people and I am out in the waiting room I do get annoyed but eventually I do get my chance and we just talk. Eventually she also examines me and also does a little doctoring. I wouldn't change her for anything.

Sunday with a Cold

I used to complain when we stayed home. Not that I didn't like the environment it was just kind of boring. I figured we had the car why not to go somewhere. So while my Wife was fit and up to going out we always went somewhere. Most of the times to stores "just looking" and always buying some critical item that we just had to have.

Now that I am here alone I am very happy to stay indoors and not going anywhere. It is not for the lack of where to go I just don't feel like to get ready and go out. I am not depressed, that is not the reason. I really don't know what the reason is. Maybe I am just lazy and missing somebody to push me into action.

There are so many things to do around the house, at least that's my excuse but in reality very little of that gets done. This way I can always say that there are so many things to do.

I can not imagine that there will ever be a time when there will be nothing to do. The chores are still connected to getting rid of things and that is a painful chore. Maybe that is why I keep postponing it.

I also have the bad habit not to throw out anything like bills, statements and other trivial items. As a result wherever I look I have old documents in packages sorted by years. Maybe one year I get rid of those too. But I'm sure the minute I throw them out I will be forced to prove something that happened way back then.

Monday morning I will have to get up at the crack of dawn because I have an early appointment for my semi-annual checkup with my doctor. I know she will not be able to cure my cold but maybe she will prescribe something to make my life easier.

Anyway, today is Sunday and I am home babying my cold and feeling extremely sorry for myself. NOBODY ELSE IS!!!!!!!

Ailments

There are many serious and terrible illnesses in the world. Some are curable some are not. The incurable ones might end in the ultimate way or just simply run their times and eventually cure themselves.

This last group I want to discuss. There are incurable ails that simply stump science but there is nothing that can be done about them. We catch one and we have to suffer through them.

The common cold is the main culprit I am thinking of. This is the time when people catch colds left and right.

Men are a strong bunch. We are macho beyond belief. We tolerate pain, we don't complain, we tolerate discomfort. But when a man catches a cold he will immediately become a whimpering baby.

And that is where I am now. I have cold and I feel miserable. There is nothing I can do about this thing. I drink teas and other liquids, I take stuff with vitamin C, I eat chicken soup and I still feel I might not make it until tomorrow.

The fact that I am alone makes it different only the way that I can whine just to myself since there is nobody here to hear it.

I remember when my Wife had a cold which either She caught from me or eventually I caught from Her She carried on so gracefully. Not I. I sniffled, sneezed and whined all the time. But at time I had an audience and somebody feeling sorry for me.

Now I feel sorry for me and that's it.

The peculiar thing that I don't commune with too many people. Not like years ago when I went to work every day using public transportation. Now I am mainly home or just meet a few of my friends. So, I really don't know how and where I caught it.

I know this thing has to run its course which might take four or five days but while it is in me I feel like I am ready to leave this world even if I am nor yet ready.

Friday

It is almost 1:45 am that I sat down to write this blog. I am still up and actually I just go home from a night out. I visited my elder friend in the afternoon and spent a few very pleasant hours with him talking. Actually he was talking and I was listening. But it was still pleasant.

Then in the evening I went out to dinner to a Bavarian restaurant with a friend where we had a great time. After that using the fact that traffic in New York is pretty sparse late at night we drove in to see Times Square. Parking was easy and getting there was no problem either.

On Times Square they put up a billboard that is humongous. It is one city block long and it wraps around at the corner. I have to admit it is very interesting. I don't know how much light it used but it seemed it lit up the Square.

It is unbelievable that on a cold night at midnight how much is still going on there. Not only that all the nut jobs are out but the street vendors and the tourists are also out there. It was interesting.

After this side trip we drove back to Queens where I dropped off my friend and came home.

And now it is late, I am tired and going to bed.

Cars

The other day I went down my street and went out to the boulevard, meaning I walked. I live on a one way tree lined street with cars parked on both side.

As I walked I was looking at the cars as any men would. There was nothing interesting on the street that would have dominated my attention. So, I am looking at the cars and came to the conclusion.

Nobody really buys American cars. I did not count the automobiles I just looked and they were an combination of Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Lexus, Nissan. These were the majority of the cars. I probably saw three Chevrolet but I'm not a hundred percent sure. There were no Buicks or Chryslers. Oh, there was one Jeep.

If this cursory survey represents the condition of the American auto industry then all I can say is that they are in a very sad shape.

When I drive on the roads I can see more Bentley or Maserati than Buick. I don't even understand how Buick survives. Buick is now a rare thing.

But seriously, this microcosm represent the general state of the American auto industry. People just don't want to buy American cars.

Back in the 1990s I had a Ford Tempo. At that time it was lauded as one of the best cars on the market. I had more problem with that car than with all my other cars combined. Every week I took it back to the dealer for repair. Some warranty some not. Even the service manager noted that anything that could have gone wrong with that car did.

After two years I got rid of it and decided if that was the jewel of the American auto industry, thank you very much I don't need it.

From then on I bought foreign cars with the exception of a few Jeeps.

Now I am on my third Korean car and I just love it. I just do not trust the Detroit auto makers. And it seem that the majority of the people feel the same way.

Today is Wednesday

Not that I am counting it but the computer keeps tab on how many blog articles were written. This one is the 450th. It is a nice accomplishment even if I venture to say so.

Anyhow, I just thought I'll mention it.

Today is the ten month anniversary of my wife's passing away. Time really flies but to me it still seems like it was all just yesterday, even though so much happened in this previous ten months. I had a couple of visitors from Hungary, I went away for two weeks to "my Caribbean hideout". Summer happened and then Fall. Meaning that life does go on no matter what catastrophe befalls us.

I am very grateful to my friends who really are a tremendous help with my life. They don't let me vegetate and just plainly exist. They make sure I eat well (boy, do I ever!), they make sure I keep busy, they keep in touch with me and they keep the memory of my Wife alive. So life is not that quiet, and I appreciate every single gesture even when it appears overwhelming.

I try very hard not to become a decrepit old man an wallow in my sorrow. I try to be active and physically fit. Who know what life has in store for me. That's why I try to go to the gym a couple of times a week. O.k. this time I haven't been to the gym for about two weeks but just like my diet. It is the holiday season and I have no time!

That gym thing is also one of my New Year's resolution?!

This afternoon I am going to the bereavement session at Sloan Kettering where I have been going to since March. I don't know how much longer I will attend these get-togethers because we were told that there is really no rule about how long one feels the pain for loss of a loved one. We were told that we would know when there is no further need for such attending such a gathering. In reality the pain will never go away and neither the memories.

They just move a little bit to the back of one's mind. They just stop being an all encompassing heartache that nobody would appreciate or even trying to understand.

But as I always believed, unless life as we know it ceases to exist tomorrow the sun will come up and there will be another day.


Ps: If the sun comes up tomorrow and there is another day, I will have to clean house!

Skinny

Dieting is such a difficult thing to do. Ever since I remember I was on some kind of a diet. Not on any specific one just not eating everything and anything I wanted.

But in my prior life it was a lot easier because there was always somebody next to me who raised the question like: is that absolutely necessary? But now that I am alone this thing is very difficult. I am not as strong as I am trying to make myself believe.

First of all every social happening is connected to food. Whenever I meet someone that occasion involves eating. Like yesterday. I met my friend and his wife in a place where we had a nice leisurely lunch. A big lunch. So I decided that if whenever I have a big lunch I will not have any dinner on that day.

I came home around six o'clock and have been eating little things all evening. I really don't know how to overcome that urge for food.

The other day I even honestly believed that some of my pants shrunk until I realized that they were not the pants that shrunk it was me who expanded.

The trouble is that I always find an excuse for whatever I am eating. Right now I weigh more than I ever weighed in my life and that is not a very comfortable feeling.

The peculiar thing is that one's girth can expand in a matter of days but it takes a regimen of rigorous exercise of many months to reduce it. Now this is a scientific peculiarity, right?

Well, this now is the holiday season and one must eat if for no other reason just to be polite! At least that is what we all believe. With that in mind I will start my serious diet in the New Year!?

Busy Monday

Today I had a very busy day which I really do not mind because it is a lot better than just aimlessly loaf around. The only negative, well one of the negatives was that I had to get up at the crack of dawn. At the ungodly hour of seven a.m.

I took an eight o'clock express bus into Manhattan because I had a 9:15 a.m. appointment with my urologist. The appointment went fine and I was out of his office by 11. The negative thing was that he found a small cyst on my kidney. I think I had that before but I just forgot to tell him. Anyway, next Tuesday I am going to a radiology place for a look see, then back to him a week later for the verdict. I hope there is nothing wrong!

After I finished with the doctor I decided to take a nice leisurely walk up Fifth Avenue. You see I was at 42nd Street. So, I started walking uptown. I went to see the Christmas windows at Sachs Fifth Avenue which to me was no big deal even though the crowd front indicated otherwise. Then I went to Rockefeller Center and checked out this year's Christmas tree.

It was a shame to cut it down! That would have been better off remaining where it was. This tree is anything but majestic. Short, stocky and to me it looked frumpy. But again, the people loved it. There was really a fairly large crowd there even in the ice skating rink. Maybe the weather explains it. It was sunny, pleasantly cool and that do bring out the people.

Before getting to Rockefeller Center I took a short stroll into 47th Street where the jewelry/diamond centers are. It boggles one's mind how much wealth is in those windows. Unfortunately there were more people in the street than in the stores. I don't know how these people make living with that cut throat competition.

I for one wouldn't buy anything from them because I don't trust any one of them. They are worse than car salesmen.

After all these I took the subway home and after resting for about a half an hour went to meet my friend and his wife for lunch. The lunch was great, we sat in the restaurant from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. and talked. Boy, we can talk!

This was the kind of place where they really don't care how long one sits around. And we took full advantage of that.

By the time I got home it was almost 6 o'clock and I was exhausted. It is very tiring to be charming all day long!

Sunday

When I was a little boy I remember seeing my grandfather, who was retired by that time, at home polishing his shoes. This thing stuck in my mind that retired people, when they have nothing else to do polish their shoes. I guess in those days that was how retirees were noticeable: they had polished shoes.

So today, being home and have a few things to do but still time left on my hands, I decided to polish my shoes.

That is not a small job! I polished four pairs of brown shoes and one pair of black shoes. Now my place smells like a shoe shine parlor. But at least my shoes will look great when I will go out in them. The other thing is that with this wet weather upon us I was told the good polish or cream will protect the leather from getting thoroughly wet which happened to me the other day when there was torrential rain here.

But still, now that I am done it feels good. I will not do this frequently but should be doing it once in a while.

Something else.

I have a cousin, first cousin, living in Budapest. Week after next is his 80th birthday and I want to send him something. I do know what he likes and I am desperately trying to find it. It is a Christmassy Hungarian pastry with poppy seeds and walnut filling that every self respecting Hungarian pastry shop make and every Hungarian loves to eat.

If anybody thinks that is easy to find an establishment that would deliver and accept my American credit card that person is wrong. I probably would find a place much easier in outer Somalia than I can find one in metropolitan Budapest, world capital! I checked probably around fifty places by now and not a single one advertises that credit cards are accepted. They are so provincial while they are trying to maintain this worldly image.

But I am confidant that I will eventually succeed.

Animals

I like all kinds of animals. I like four legged ones two legged ones even ones without legs. I like birds, fish and anything in between them. I do not kill animals. What I do is I give them a chance to live if that comes up. If I catch a bug in my apartment I do not squash it but pick it up, throw it in the toilet bowl and flush it down. This will give it a crash course at swimming!

Years ago a neighbor lady asked me come in to her apartment because there was a tiny mouse in her bathtub. The little thing got in but because of the slippery sides couldn't get out. I "stunned" it with a broom and then threw it down the incinerator chute. I was convinced that the fall wouldn't kill it and it could live a long and happy mouse life.

But I am not a vegetarian. I love meat, any kind of meat. I do believe that certain animals were put to earth with the purpose of feeding mankind. I am pretty sure that chicken don't like to retire. And neither do pigs and cows.

Now why am I writing this little thing about animals?

I like birds. I like canaries, parakeets, parrots, sparrows even seagulls and I have not much against pigeons. And I also like all the other birds that I can not name because I really don't know them.

But I hate with a passion the bird that crapped on my car on Friday. I parked under a tree while getting my hair cut and when I came out of the store there was the stuff on my beautiful new car.

Not just in one spot, but that miserable thing must have been airborne because the stuff covered the entire car from one end to the other including both sides.

There is not much more disgusting than looking at bird dropping right front of one's eyes on the windshield.

So, today I had to take the car to be washed in order to be nice and sterile. That miserable flying dirt bag cost me $11 for the wash. Probably a lot more than that flying thing was worth.

I hate that whatever that was.

Dentist

I realized why I am so smart!

On Wednesday I had my semi-annual dental checkup which included cleaning that I hate and a visual checking of my teeth for any pending or future problem. I was happy to learn that there were no problems of any kind. That's what I like to hear from a doctor. I know he can not make a living off people like me but hey, that's not my problem.

Anyway, just before leaving I asked my dentist if I have or I don't have my wisdom teeth. The subject came up because a few days before my bro in law and I were talking about that.

The doctor checked all four and told me that I still have one of them.

And that is the reason why I still have a smidgen of smart left in me!

Something else.

Today I went to visit my elder friend. We had a nice afternoon of talking and reminiscing. He has no computer and now he is very sorry that when he had the chance he didn't take advantage of it. Obviously, it is too late for him to start now but he does realize what he is missing from the world of technology.

Sometimes I wonder if I wouldn't be better off without this pain in the butt! But when a few years ago after a heavy wind storm we lost our cable service for about three days we all felt like the window to the outside world just shut front of us.

Maybe if one never had it is different but when one had computers for years losing it even just for a short time is really a traumatic experience.

Thursday

Today I had a good day. Thanks to me I live in a very clean environment. And that is because I clean house like a maniac. I am terrified of the fact that if I miss a week the place will be overrun by dust, dirt, bugs and who know what else. Maybe I just got used to living in a clean and orderly place.

I found that it is a lot easier to keep a place neat than let it go for a long(er) time and put things in order then. And that is why Thursday is my home day. That is the day I spend putting my home in order. The good feeling is at the end when I look around and see that everything is spic and span.

If I drop some food on the floor I can pick it up with the knowledge that the floor is clean, all right.

Anyway, by 1:30 pm I was done with the housework and started sitting on my laurels. But then I realized that I should be working on my godforsaken computer. So, I did.

And I am proud to say that some of the remaining problems I did solve. Not all of them but some of them. Still have a few outstanding mysteries to eliminate but I am confident in myself that eventually I will accidentally push a button that will straighten out all the remaining things. The problem remaining is that once I push a button and something works I will not remember what I did so if anything like that happen again I will have to start from scratch.

But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Wednesday

Today all day it was Wednesday. There is really nothing ever interesting about Wednesdays. Wednesday is in the middle of the week and probably the boringest day of the week. Unless, a holiday falls on it but even then people will still have to go back to work for two more days.

Well, today was an exception. We had our first real snowfall. It was raining most of the day but late afternoon it changed over to snow. I went to my friend's house for dinner around 5:30 pm and the snow was coming down and sticking. When I left her house at 9 pm all the grass and the parked cars were white.

What a dumb luck. We have two more weeks until Christmas and at that time we will probably have 65 degree heat. That's o.k. Christmas is Christmas no matter where in the World we are. Anyway I don't think there was much snow in Bethlehem way back then about 2100 years ago. There were palm trees and olive and orange groves in that climate.

Snow is only for the composers so they can dream of a white Christmas.

Something else.

I am still suffering with this miserable technology. Every time I try something on my computers I find them not responding. I am totally stumped because I really have no idea what to do and how to fix it. I keep reading all the help line writings but the problem is I don't even understand what they are talking about. Like if it was a different language. Well, it is. It is the language of the computer people.

But I am stubborn, I don't give up and eventually I will prevail!

Tuesday

As the title implies today is Tuesday. I was planning to have fairly busy day but at the end nothing happened. Well, things did happen just not what I planned.

In the morning there was torrential rain and wind in New York. Usually these things don't bother me because life does not stop just for the rain. But little after 9 am my dentist's office called and asked if I did mind if they were to cancel today's appointment and make it for tomorrow. After checking my overloaded social calendar I agreed.

But since I had no pressing social engagement for today I stayed in my pajamas for quite a while but then I came to my senses, fixed up myself and decided not to go out of the house today at all. And that was a very wise decision.

First I sat down and finished writing almost all of my Christmas card. Maybe one or two are remaining and some unexpected ones. But then the most frightening thing happened. My computer lost its Internet connection.

For me that kind of stuff is extremely frightening. Mainly because I have no clue as to what to do. I was pushing buttons here and there and nothing worked. I even called the cable company because I thought due to the bad weather something might have happened. But nothing worked. I was really pissed and desperate.

But then I had a vision or brain surge and I started doing things and lo and behold here I am. Don't ask what I did because for the life of me I can't remember. But I think it worked and that's enough for me.

But it seems that when I did this stuff I also erased some good things. Now I lost my Microsoft Office that I bought for real money and downloaded a few weeks ago. It's gone for now and I will really have to do some heavy thinking to be able to recreate it.

Bottom line: I hate this technology!

Monday

Prior to this blog I have written 440 articles. Now that's an accomplishment even if I say so myself. I wander how thick it would be if it could be made into a book. Too bad that it is not that interesting that it would worth the effort. Oh, and also the expense.

That's enough self adulation, let's get rolling.

Today I got up early and got ready to go into Manhattan because I had several things to do. The foremost was a doctor's appointment at 12 noon. I got there on time and there were about nine people ahead of me. During the next hour the number "dwindled" to five before me.

Now, I am as patient as a lamb. I can wait forever for anything as long as it is worth it. But I was slowly losing my patience mainly because I had to be somewhere else around two o'clock. So, the first time in my life I got up and told them to reschedule the appointment because I couldn't wait any longer and left the office.

There was no trouble rescheduling and the new appointment is next Monday early in the morning. This way I'll have the entire day to wait if it is necessary.

In case anybody is wondering what was so important that I would cancel a doctor's appointment here is the answer: I was meeting my bro in law at the Hungarian restaurant for a late lunch.

I think that justifies the cancellation, right? We had a very good lunch. I had Hungarian bean soup and veal paprikash with dumplings (nockerle) and sauce naturally. And for appetizer Hungarian palacsinta filled with apricot jam. Palacsinta is like crepe suzette but better. A lot better!

And then we sat around and talked for over two hours. Over all it was a good day.

Instead of driving today I took the subway into the City. When it comes to that the subway is the best mode of transportation. It got me there and it also got me home and cost a lot less than taking the car, paying tolls and looking for parking place. Actually, using my senior citizen discount the subway is almost free.

This morning it was really cold. 27 degrees Fahrenheit. I was looking at the people how they were dressed to protect themselves against this cold. It's an interesting mix and match with very little match.

Some people give the impression that the cold caught them unexpectedly and they just pulled stuff out of the drawers with their eyes closed. Some other people think that covering their heads, putting on warm gloves will allow them to go practically barefoot. I saw an obvious white collar worker who had a coat on that was warm but was about three sizes too small. And he thought he was cool.

All I can say it was an interesting experience.

Saint Nick

Just a little more on yesterday's Saint Nicholas Day thing.

At least in Hungary the story little children were told that the presents at Christmas were given out by little Jesus. And also we used to give the presents on Christmas Eve and not on Christmas Day.

I think the way it was that the Christmas tree was set up in an adjoining room with all the presents around it and later in the evening, usually after supper the parents opened the door and there was everything in its majestic surroundings. And, that's when the story was told that little Jesus was there and delivered the gifts.

St. Nick or Santa Claus was and probably is not known and not observed. I don't know if it is a European or American invention but we certainly don't believe in it. In my circle of friends and family we still give the presents on Christmas Eve.

If the American businesses could make another holiday out of Saint Nicholas Day they would drop good old Santa like a hot potato.

In the days leading up to December 6 the candy stores and pastry shops in Budapest were all filled with Saint Nick figurines in all sizes and in all types of sweets. But that stuff disappears before Christmas. Actually they can be had on discount!

Something else.

Today I got into a nostalgic mood and called a friend in British Columbia. We were classmates in school in Hungary and used to be best friends. But because of the peculiar turns our lives took we went on our separate ways and did not see each other as frequently as we should have. But today I came across his telephone number and decided to call him before it is too late.

We had a great and very long conversation. Thanks to my long distance calling plan it will not cost an arm and a leg, only an arm. But it was worth it. It was nice to relieve some of our past events. It is too bad that he is so far away and so difficult to get to. It is not a distance where I can just get in my car and drive over as much as I would like to see him.

Actually, he has family in Toronto and we agreed that if he ever comes over there he'll let me know and I drive up to see him. Toronto is only a hop skip and a jump compared to British Columbia.

Saint Nicholas Day

Today is December 6 and it is Saint Nicholas Day. That by itself is not a holiday but in Hungary and I guess in a lot of European countries where St. Nick is not associated with Christmas this day has a little more meaning.

I have no idea who Saint Nicholas was and why his name day is being observed but honestly, I couldn't care less as long as it was being noted.

When I was a little boy I was told that the night before St. Nicholas Day (Mikulas in Hung.) children put their shoes in the windows of their home. Next morning when they awoke if they were bad children they found birch twigs or coal in their shoes. However if they were good kids they found chocolate or other candy in those shoes.

Nobody knew how and when that stuff got into the shoes and how did old St. Nicholas knew how the children behaved. But anyway those were exciting times for us. Every year the night before December 6 I put my shoes in the window and in the morning lo and behold, there was candy in them.

And I did that until the last Saint Nicholas day I spent in my parents' house before leaving Hungary.

It was very moving. I was almost twenty years old and as a joke I put my shoes in the window on the night of December 5, 1956 before going to sleep. Waking up in the morning of December 6 my first look went towards my shoes and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was candy in them.

It didn't matter that I was almost twenty years old, to my Father I was still his little boy whom He loved very dearly and for whom He kept this tradition going.

Driving

Lately I drive a lot. Not great distances but enough within a thirty mile radius. A lot of that driving take place on parkways with 55 mile per hour speed limit. Now, these roads do not post minimum speed limits which they should and a lot of people decide to take supposedly faster roadways to drive excessively slow.

They are convinced that if they drive at a 40 miles per hour speed on a 55 miles per hour road they drive safer than anybody else. They are idiots! they don't realize that by forcing people to pass them they create more dangerous conditions.

These are, most of the times older women and men and people who can not see clearly or people who are just afraid to drive.

But if that's the case why don't they just take side roads instead of the faster roadways? They are apparently not in a hurry to get to wherever they are going. They probably just want to piss everybody off.

It is worse when they get in the middle lane and just don't want to move.

I hate these people. I hate them with a passion. They should not be allowed on the roads.

Here is another scary occurrence.

I went to a restaurant one day. I saw an elderly man who walked very slowly with the aid of a walker. Walking was a very general description of the way he moved. He had serious problems dragging his feet behind him. It was visible that he could not stand on any one of them.

But the scariest thing was yet to come. Later when I was getting into my car I saw him getting into his. And guess what, he was getting into the driver's seat. It appeared that while he was not able to walk he was able to drive.

I can not fathom how come such handicapped people are permitted to sit behind the steering wheel.

Today I got into a loud argument with my elderly friend because he insists that he can drive. He is having balance problems, he can have mild seizures. Yet he says he is able to drive.

I told him that if he takes his car out and gets into an accident it is not that he might kill himself but he might kill other people, too.

Could not get through to him because that is not how he sees himself. And I guess it is the same way with all these other people.

Very scary to be on the road!

Skagen

I love watches or any kind of timekeeping pieces. I have several wristwatches, an antique clock and some others including a cheap kitchen wall clock. And, I like them all.

I also have about two wristwatches that need to by wound up every night. I used to do it but lately I became lazy and they are just resting in my jewelry box. But once in a while I wind them up and so far they were working like a charm.

I am in seventh heaven when the time changes in the Spring and Fall. I can go over all my timepieces and adjust them. That includes naturally also the microwave.

The problem I'm having now is that one of my "babies got sick". I have a Skagen very sporty and cool looking wristwatch that I really like and the other day its battery died. That would have been no problem because I know how to replace it but the problem was that once I replaced it it still didn't work. I called the company and now I have to send it off to Texas for repairs.

Three years ago when I sent my then Skagen for repair they couldn't fix it and they gave me a brand new watch. So this one is only three years old. It remains to be seen what will happen at this time.

Just a note. Remember this one is three years old and is going to service.

I have an old Doxa wristwatch I got from my Father, I think, in 1951. That watch is 63 years old and is working perfectly. Naturally, I have to wind it up every night but I don't mind. That watch has phosphorescent hands and when I got it I thought it was so cool that I could tell time in the dark.

The Skagen is modern, up to date and battery operated with no real moving parts inside. All electronic. The Doxa is all moving parts, not complicated and working perfectly.

I would hate to own a $10,000 Rolex where even more things can go wrong!

1957

In 1957 December there was a major snowstorm in New York City. I really don't know how big it was and how much inconvenience it caused but I do know it was a big-big snowstorm.

Now, how do I know that, one may ask.

Well, since it was asked I will tell. I was in the middle of it, that's how I know it.

December 4, 1957 was the day I got married the first time. We were in this country about five weeks when we decided to get married. Our wedding was at the Manhattan City Hall with my aunt and her friend as witnesses.

We were both working and our employers "graciously" permitted us to take the day off. I was not yet 21 years of age and I needed a parental permission from my Mother in Budapest.

Back in those days prospective couples needed to have their blood tested. Now, nobody care anymore.

But we had all our documents in order and with the exception of the snow storm everything went o.k.

The only inconvenience was that since we didn't understand English we were not aware of the snow storm and we couldn't dress accordingly. But even if we knew about it we didn't have anything appropriate to wear. Anyway, who goes to his and her wedding dressed in a snow suite? Maybe an Eskimo.

My wife had a pair half open high heel shoes on and I wore a pair of regular black dress shoes. Naturally, our feet froze off because of the cold and snow. But the good news was that eventually they grew back!

After the ceremony my aunt took us to an area restaurant for lunch and then we parted company. She and her friend lived in Manhattan, we at that time lived in Brooklyn. We took a very unceremonious ride home on the subway and life continued like nothing ever happened.

Except that maybe we were a little happier.

Two weeks later when we both got home from our jobs and exchanged our daily stories we found out that we were both let go at the same time.

That was our first real welcome to America.

Nostalgia

I know I wrote about music before but this I have to mention. As I noted before I have Sirius Radio in my new car for a ninety day period for free as a promotion. After that I will get stuck with a dud button that will do nothing because I will certainly not subscribe to that thing.

Anyway, at the beginning of the dial there are several stations that broadcast pop music. They start with the forties and works themselves up to the 2000s. I really enjoy the music of the 40s and the 50s but not the later ones.

But what I wanted to mention is that it is interesting to hear how music evolved from the 1940s. Back then music was music. The lyrics were clear, they were understandable, made sense and were pleasant to listen to. The musicians were artists in their own fields and didn't need electronic amplifications. But as the years progressed the performers started to holler and scream and bark louder and louder while the lyrics became more and more obscure and idiotic.

Maybe I am just a conservative old man stuck in the old days. But whenever I have the chance I do listen to those old tunes from the 40s and the 50s and I really enjoy them.

In the 40s those artists were real artists. Both the musicians and the singers. In the 50s there were the one hit wonders the ones we never heard from in later years but then later on, well I don't really care much about the later ons. Maybe there were a few good ones in the 60s but after that forget it!

Anyway, this is my opinion.

Something else.

For a while I wanted to buy a clock radio for my bedroom but was not very successful finding one that I liked. I didn't want CD player, I didn't want I phone charger I just wanted a plain clock radio. No such luck finding any until now.

Today I figured that the stores are putting out all the junks for the unthinking Christmas shopper why not to be one of them. With that thought I went to Best Buy and found a pretty good one. But then I said to myself why not to try Walmart, they probably have even cheaper ones. So, I went to Walmart end was successful finding one for les than ten dollars.

I immediately bought it and that was my Christmas present to me.

It remains to be seen how good it will work! But then what can one expect for ten dollars!

Friendship

I am sure I mentioned it before that I have an elderly friend who lives alone. I have known him for over fifty years and as far as I am concerned I still like him. The poor soul lost his wife of over thirty years about ten years ago. No children, no family he lives here in New York all alone. In addition to that he is not well.

He has difficulties with balance and because of that falls frequently. Very hard for him to go out of the house, walks with a walker so life is very difficult for him.

He has a nice woman who comes several times a week to take care of him, physical therapist visits him and just about that's it.

Lately I have been seeing him on Fridays and I am sure he is looking forward these visits. Actually, when he had problems before he asked the woman helping him not to call anybody just me.

Don't misunderstand, he is not a burden and I will help him whenever I can.

I am very grateful to him and his wife because they introduced me to my wife thirty six years ago. I will never forget that.

But that's not the reason I am keeping in touch with him.

I have to add that years ago he had many friends but by now most of them are just as old as he is or older and equally not well or even worse because they are not around any longer. Still there are several former friends still alive but unfortunately they all seem to have selective memory as far as he is concerned.

What I mean is that he is alone. Nobody thinks it would be nice maybe to visit an old friend once in a while. Nobody thinks it would be nice to ask if there was anything anybody could to for him. Some of them call him very rarely and just like in with me all they want to hear that he is all right.

Is this what friendship is all about?

People are good and acceptable as long they are useful, entertaining, sociable or for a few other reasons. But as long as those reasons do not exist anymore all the so called friends disappear and don't want to be bothered any longer. The minute somebody becomes a problem people don't want to get involved, and that is the sad truth.

Apparently these people confuse the definition of friendship with acquaintances. The difference is that friends stick around through thick and thin and are reliable and are there when needed. Acquaintances are just that and nothing more.

I don't believe in this kind of attitude and that is why I stay with my friend as long as I can and as long as it is necessary. Hell with everybody else!

Clean Sunday

I am not a neat freak but I do like cleanliness. I hate house cleaning and I hate any other kind of housework. I would just love to sit around and be served and have everything done and taken care of for me and naturally living in a clean environment.

But it is not possible and if I don't do it nobody else will. I am not a millionaire, I can not afford to hire a staff to handle all my affairs. So, what is remaining is that I have to do everything that needs to be done. And, I am doing it or at least trying to do it on schedule. Ok, once in a while I cut corners to make things easier for myself but most of the time things do get to be taken care of.

Today is Sunday and because of last week's hectic schedule the few chores I had scheduled slipped and today was catch up day.

That means I was cleaning my simple abode. It was not absolutely necessary but my conscience was bothering me. Even though all my windows are closed and the apartment opens into a closed hallway it is amazing how much dust collect in one week's time. So, I was dusting.

Earlier in the morning I made all kinds of decisions for what I was to do today but I got on the telephone, I got on the computer and as time went by my list of do things gradually shrank to a very few manual and necessary chores.

Anyway I did them all and now I feel satisfied. The place gives a clean feel and I can sit on my laurels for a job well done.

At least I can sit on those laurels until Thursday when the "official" cleaning day arrives.

Speeding

I wrote earlier that I don't like young people because of the their lack of gray hair. I am expanding that definition to also include school kids.

Why do I have to look out when I am driving in a school area as not to hit a kid? Aren't these kid getting some kind of education that would teach them not to run under a moving car? Don't their teachers tell them to look left and right before stepping off a curb? What the hell are they learning in school? How to shoot, how to be discourteous and rude with adults and basically just how to be stupid?

The reason of my outburst is that today I got in the mail a $50 ticket for speeding in a school zone. It seems that I went ten miles over the posted speed limit (actually it was eleven miles but I am not picky) and their camera caught me. These cameras are so accurate that there is really no room left to argue. Without a doubt it was me.

But had there been any children on the street I certainly would have slowed down.

Something else.

In the Jewish Arab war there was an Israeli tank in hot pursuit of an Arab machine gunner mounted on a truck who was trying to destroy the tank with his machine gun but his bullets were unable to penetrate the steel walls of the tank. He was jumping all over the place with his truck but the tank just kept on coming. Eventually he ran out of ammunition. He then realized that there was nothing he could do but stop and wait for the inevitable end.

After a while the tank also stopped its top opened up and the Israeli solder emerged.

Hey, stupid Arab, you ran out of bullets?

Allah, Akbar, yes I did.

With that the Israeli reached back to the tank, grabbed something and asked the Arab:

Do you want to buy some?

Thanksgiving Parade

Yesterday for a while I was watching the Macy's Parade. It is so lame that only a five year old can enjoy it and I gave up after a short time.

People get up early in the morning to go over there and a have good vantage point. I don't know if anybody care that the whole thing is really made for television. They only need people as props and background. It is rushed because it has to be finished right on time so the stupid dog show may start. Because of that performers are not allowed to finish their numbers because they are being pushed to move on.

Singers are lip singing because they will not take a chance with their voices in the cold weather and that is understandable. All their performances are towards the TV cameras meaning that people who are sitting on the bleachers at Herald Square only see their backs. What is the fun in that?

Some of the floats and other performances are same year after year and if one remembers those they can be quite boring.

I usually don't watch TV in the morning but just because of tradition I turned it on yesterday. I'm sorry that I did.

The media is making such a big thing about this Santa Claus craze that is not funny anymore.

Wednesday when the New York Stock Exchange closed Santa and his helpers rang the closing bell. I can't imagine that those serious traders on the floor of the Stock Exchange who are only concerned with making money really cared about that bearded old man on the balcony. Santa is for the kids and that's where he should stay.

But yesterday turned out to be a very nice day after all. I had dinner with family in a very nice French restaurant in Manhattan. Regardless that it was a French place I still managed to have turkey as it is the custom at this time. O.K. I had escargot for appetizer but that was permitted. I don't know if the pilgrims had escargot but the French settlers surely had.

My family consisted my brother in law and my sister in law and we really had a good time. We drank, we ate then we drank some more then we ate a little more but at the end we all felt fairly comfortable.

The whole thing was nice because there was no traffic going into the city and there was none on my way home either and parking was pretty good, too.

Now, one event down one more to go then the year is over.

Thanksgiving

This is a little morbid and sad thinking out loud from my part. I would understand anybody if they decide not to read any further.

Thanksgiving is an American holiday that dates back to the days of the pilgrims. They gave thanks for whatever they were thankful for. I guess not to be killed by the Indians.

As it was handed down from generation to generation the custom stayed that people sitting around the dinner table gave thanks for all the good that happened to them during the previous year.

Up to last year I kind of believed in that and also gave thanks but my feeling is now changing.

This year I am not thanking anybody for anything except whoever is paying my dinner.

I have absolutely nothing to be thankful for since nothing good happened to me and to my loved one. Last year was one of the worst I experienced in my adult life. The love of my life was taken away from me and I can find no logical explanation to what happened.

Well, logical explanation I can find but I refuse to believe it and associate it with what people believe in. They say everything is happening for a reason. I can find no reason as to what happened. We both prayed and hoped for help that never arrived. So what's the use for being thankful.

To whom?

God, Buddha, Allah, Jehovah and everybody else turned away from us and didn't think it was important enough to offer their help. So, as far as I am concerned they can all sit around the table and have a good laugh at our sufferings.

Because of this, on this Thanksgiving I am not grateful and thankful to anybody and anything and I have a feeling that I will remain this same cynical person for a very long time. Actually, I will not even call Thanksgiving Thanksgiving anymore just plain turkey day. Come to think of it turkeys should be the last to call this day Thanksgiving.

Skinny and Gray

I came upon a prize winning solution as to how to lose weight without much starving.

Yesterday I paid a visit to my podiatrist because it was due and also I had some foot problem. He did what he was supposed to do then took a sharp (I hope) knife and cut a corn out of its nice warm nest.

Today I went to visit my dermatologist who also took a sharp knife (I hope) and removed some more stuff that was not supposed to be there. Actually this one cut and burned things off me.

Therefore, by all logic I should have lost some weight because these two doctors removed stuff from body that were previously there and thus added to may "previous" weight.

I figured if I go to a few more doctors in the near future and they all remove things from me I might become a slimmer person.

Right now I have appointments for December to see my dentist, urologist and family doctor. The only one I can't see what might remove is the urologist!

Something else.

Every time I watch TV I see these young male actors either acting in a role or just showing up as "civilians" to have that unshaven face. I guess that is now the style because a lot of young men are imitating that same unshaven appearance.

To me there is nothing stylish about it. It reflects a unkempt appearance that I absolutely not find attractive.

However my comment could be sour grapes, and I will explain why.

Since I now live alone and do not have a rich social calendar there are days when I find no reason to shave. So I just skip those days and let my face get hairy. Never more than three days though.

The reason I can not look stylish with my hairy face is that all my facial hair is white. Even though my hair is not all gray my facial hair is. So no matter how much I wanted to show I can never look the same as those young hulks. I would much sooner look like Santa than a stylish man, at least with my beard.

And just because of this I hate every single one of them! No discrimination, I hate all young men who are not yet gray.

But to my satisfaction, they will be!

Drinks

I love a good drink. But, I only drink mixed drinks. Nothing straight up, no wine. All these years in this country and never ever developed a taste for whiskey. Can't stomach it.

But I do like mixed drinks primarily with vodka but basically any mixed drink is fine. So the other day when I was in the supermarket I bought a bottle of cranberry juice and a bottle of V8 juice. The latter the spicy variety.

Adding vodka to cranberry juice makes a good refreshing drink with a little zing to it. Vodka and V8 and some other "my secret" additives make a great Bloody Mary. And unfortunately, I love them both.

Right now as I am sitting front of the computer and writing this I am also sipping my freshly made Bloody Mary. And since I haven't eaten yet it tastes even better.

So now with the holidays upon us I am in training as far as drinking goes. I make me a good drink in the afternoon just to get in shape. Is that training equivalent to going to the gym?

However with V8 one has to be very careful because my doctor told me that it is high in acids and that is very bad for the stomach. It seems that not the alcohol that is bad but the tomato/vegetable juice. So I will restrain my enthusiasm for that drink.

Maybe just plain vodka is the answer.

When we go to Mexican restaurants which now a days is happening fairly frequently I drink Margaritas. As many a restaurant I have visited until now they all have different kind of Margaritas and they all claim that these are their specialties. I can't seem to find one that I like more than another because they are all different and I like them all. Also by the time I leave these restaurants I certainly don't remember what I drank.

That's O.K., this makes going out more interesting.

I don't drink wine only if there is nothing else. I never developed an appreciation for good wine which means any good wine is wasted on me. I only like sweet and fruity tasting wines, the ones a serious wine drinker wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Like during the Jewish holidays I drink Manischewitz wine because they are sweet and fruity.

I wanted to say like me but, stopped because only half of it is true. I am sweet but nor fruity!

Monday

I don't think I have amnesia but there are certain things I just don't remember. So farI have written 426 articles in this blog, some probably boring, some I hope interesting. And, I am sure there are certain subjects that I am repeating. If I did I am sorry, it was done simply because something peaked my interest and that is why I wrote about it.

Here is another subject that I might have written about a while ago.

This morning I was driving to the gym to ease my soul about my current habit of eating when listening to the radio I heard hospital and doctor advertisements.

Years ago this was unheard of. Doctors, lawyers, hospitals did not advertise. I guess their code of ethics was changed because now a days whenever one turns on the radio all it can be heard is their advertisements.

For a simple person like me this can be very confusing. Every hospital that I hear claims to be the best in a particular field and insinuates that any mortal person is committing a grave by not bringing his or her problems to them.

The way I am running my life and that's the way I always had it was that if anything critical happened that needed hospitalization I relied on my doctor's advice on where to go and did not follow any lame advertisings. My doctor is affiliated to a good New York hospital and if needed that is where I go (hope it will not be needed).

I don't even know if one can just walk in any hospital and ask to be cured simply based on their advertisings.

The hospitals and doctors are pushing their services so hard that I wouldn't be surprised if they would offer Black Friday specials just so we would bring them our businesses. I wonder if people can take competitive bids from various institutions on how much they would charge for the cure.

But you know, nothing surprise me anymore.

Sunday

Today I had a very good day. Sundays I am usually home without any real plan to go anywhere or do anything useful. So when the opportunity came to meet with my best friend and his wife I really grabbed it.

Not because it would have been a long boring day but because I love the guy and I am always happy to see him.

This time they came to New York for a brief but necessary visit to a relative and I just grabbed the chance to spend some time with each other. We had lunch all of us together then they came over my apartment and some nice conversation.

The relative they visited I knew. We used to be friends about fifty years ago but then drifted apart due to peculiarities of life. It was very interesting (and sad) to see someone again after such a long time. But that's life. We all change except some of us don't want to accept it.

When we got alone we talked about our planned trip next year so all in all it was a very pleasant day (at least for me).

Like I said at the beginning Sunday usually is a quiet day for me with not much to do. One reason I don't go anywhere is that I have nowhere to go, the other reason is that Sunday every place is more crowded than during the week. As long as I am retired and have all the time in the world might as well take advantage of the workweek quiet. People are at work thus there is less traffic and stores or eating places are less crowded.

Anyway, tomorrow another week starts. When I worked I used to like this week because it was always short due to Thanksgiving and we always got the next day off.
It was easy to work until Wednesday and get paid for the whole week.

Now it doesn't make any difference for me because there is not much variety between the days. Except maybe that on Thanksgiving we are going out to eat.

As far as Thanksgiving goes I certainly feel that I have nothing to give thanks for!

Music and Antiques

Many years ago I was watching some band playing on TV and they also had somebody singing. I noticed that many of the characters had something looking like hearing aids in their ears. I thought that those people had hearing problems and that's why they were having hearing aids.

Later on I was informed and thus educated that all musicians and singers were wearing these "hearing aids" while on stage for a reason. I asked around and found out that it seemed they could not hear their own voices, their own music without these aids because of the other outside noises.

This is completely idiotic!

Recently I was watching a small group of musicians playing and in my opinion they all must have had degrees in computer science because every instrument was electronically connected to computers, tablets or some similar gadgets and that also included the singers.

I went to theaters here in the US and in Europe and most of the time the performers had some kind of microphone attached to their foreheads or the sides of their faces regardless how small was the theater.

Whatever happened to good old fashioned music where the singers belted out songs and the bands played non-electrified instruments? When they sang in those large auditoriums, theaters, operas they did it without any mechanical help, relying only on their voices and talents. I guess those days are gone because in today's technology singers can give concerts without emitting any sound and by mouthing the words they are relying on the talents of the engineers and not on their own.

Oh, where are the good old days when talents were really talents!

Something else.

A while ago I went to a coffee shop in Brooklyn where they decorated the walls by displaying antique items. I looked at those "antiques" and realized that if they are antiques then I must be antique, too.

Amongst those things there was an old typewriter, an old coffee grinder, an old charcoal heated iron and some other items that I recognized from my childhood. We had those things when I was growing up and today they are displayed as antiques. Boy this made me feel really old.

Wednesday Part 3

I don't want to dwell on this subject too long because it might become too monotonous to some people even if it is what I am living with every day and every minute of those days.

I call this Wednesday Part 3 because Wednesday's get together at Sloan Kettering awakened some things in me.

Tomorrow, Saturday the 22nd of November is my Wedding Anniversary. Thirty four years ago on that day we promised each other that we would be there for better or worse, through sickness and through health. And we were true to these promises and we were there for each other. And, we loved each other every day of these almost thirty four years.

Thirty four years ago we were full of hopes for a long and happy life ahead of us that was to be spent together. Little we knew what was waiting at this end!

Now I am left with the memories of those bygone years and the beauty of it is that I have no regrets. We had a great time together, we loved each other and we were getting along fantastically.

Actually, the one and only regret I have is that She is no longer here with me!

Wednesday Part 2

Just a little follow up on yesterday's subject and here I am referring to my visit to Sloan Kettering. The young lady who was really the main speaker/advisor was a psychologist who seemed to be well versed on the subject. And naturally the subject was how to deal with the loss of a loved one on holidays or in actuality on any other days.

For one, my problem was that she was very young. As you know I expressed my feelings in earlier writings that I have a major antipathy with young people in any kind of advisory position. May that be psychological, financial or any other subject. When I take my car to the shop for repair I would much prefer an older mechanic versus a young one. And, our souls are like a broken engine that needs fixing. It does not need a young whippersnapper but an experienced older person.

Even though this person was well spoken, seemed to understand the problems surrounding us, the "mourners", and she appeared to have answers to all the questions that were brought up, still it seemed to me that they were nothing else but textbook responses that somebody who just came out of school would give.

I know there is no magic solution to our problems but she still lacked the experience and for me also my confidence in her responses. Maybe if she were 25-30 years older and had a few more years experience behind her I might have given her more credit. But as it was she didn't say anything I didn't already know.

No psychologist or pastor or textbook can describe the pain a person feels when a loved one is lost unless they experienced it. The emptiness, the aimlessness, the lack of purpose of life is overwhelming. And nobody except another person in the same shoes will understand this. There is no psychologist or pastor who can reasonably provide any solution to this problem. This is not a pain that a Tylenol can fix. This is a pain that is deep seated and it permeates through every pore in one's body.

We function during the day, most of us socialize but when we are alone at home or wherever the pain hits with full force. The memories burst forward and there is nothing one can do to prevent it. But really, I don't think we would like to prevent this occurrence.

There is no solution and that's the sad reality.


Ps: I wrote psychologist several times and I am very proud of myself. It is not an easy word to write without screwing up the spelling!

Wednesday

Today is Wednesday and it looks like winter made an early show. Well, at least with the temperature. Last night when I was leaving from my friend's house it was 25 degree over there that's Fahrenheit). Not in the house but outside and on the way home it pretty much stayed at that same temperature. Thanks for the technology the inside of the car was nice and comfy.

This morning it was again very cold in New York but thankfully my apartment is nice and warm at least for now. I hope it will stay that way. I am exposed to the whims and desires of the building management as far as heat is concerned. They are cheap and they have a crappy boiler system meaning breakdowns are not uncommon except that unfortunately the boiler breaks down mostly in the Winter and not in the Summer.

But by the time the real Winter arrives we'll get used to its ups and downs.

Something else.

This afternoon I went to Sloan Kettering for the usual monthly bereavement meeting. I am kind of looking forward to these little get togethers. Today it was different. Today's subject was how to deal with the holidays. There was a woman pastor and a very young woman psychologist in addition to our usual own counselor.

There was a very large turnout because it seemed they combined other groups into today's session. Nothing was said that would lessen the pain or make it go away.
We were told the dangers of depression, how to deal with the sadness of loss and a few other things that we were all aware of. They were busy telling and discussing how to get smaller children involved with the mourning process.

Since I have no children of any size I was really not much interested in that part of the conversation. If by any chance somebody will show up and claims to be my "long lost" child that person will then just have to deal with my problems. But this happening is very unlikely!

Tuesday in New Jersey

Today I had a long but very satisfying day. Actually, I got home around 11:30 PM and was thinking that since nobody out there care about me, maybe I just don't write anything today. But then I also said hell with that, I write for me and I am here eager to read what I have to say.

So, here it is.

A little after 10 AM I left the house on my way to New Jersey to visit a very dear and longtime friend. She lives almost a hundred miles away, lives alone and we usually commiserate together. The drive took almost two hours but once I left New York it was very pleasant. Good driving weather, no traffic, 65-75 miles per hour speed for fairly extended time. What else can a man ask for?

Last night I decided to try my new GPS and I programed her address in the system. Well, that alone was a major accomplishment from my part. This morning I put the sound on and once I started the drive I started to argue with the voice because she directed me the way I didn't want to go and I knew it was not the best route. Eventually we made up and now she is my girlfriend.

At my friend's place we had a great time (at least I did). We talked, we laughed, we ate (she is a great cook). I really don't go to see her because of her cooking, I go there because she is a good friend and I like her. We came from the same city, we were together after we left Hungary and we came to this country almost at the same time. Meaning, we do have a lot in common.

Also, she has an extremely friendly and cute dog. If that friendliness and cuteness could be canned my friend could be a very rich woman.

I left for home around 8:30 PM and since again there was no traffic I got home just a little before 10:30. I programmed the GPS to take me home even though I knew the way and after a few adjustments in her planning she did take me to my garage entrance with no problem. This second programming didn't go any easier than the first one. And, I know that since I will not use the GPS too frequently I will definitely forget how to use it by the time it will be need it again.

But, since the car is on a three year lease I have three years to learn these gadgets.

I Am Back

Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah! I (think) I am back.

I lost contact with my blog for all these days. I don't know what happened but suddenly it was just not there.

I used this blog on this same computer before and then next day, nothing. No response. And funnily when I tried to go through whatever help mode or step they were suggesting I always wound up at the same place where I started from. It seemed like I was going around in a circle. Felt like an idiot.

But now I just hope this works.

I was quiet for three days and I was really moved by the outpouring of care of my "faithful" readers. With the exception of ONE good friend who inquired about my well being nobody really gave a rat's ass that I went quiet. Thank you my adoring fans!

News

It is unbelievable how news programs live or rather thrive on panicking the public. If it is a slow news day they will find something that will definitely create apprehension if not panic. They can find the smallest no news item and blow it up to create problems. And all done under the pretense that the public has the right to know.

No, it is not the public it is the nosy news people, the nosy reporters who have to stick their noses everywhere even if it does not belong there.

Today all day long, every four minutes there was a weather forecast on an all news radio station because they were anticipating snow. Just before noon they announced that the Sanitation Department declared a snow emergency, whatever that means.

Actually what that means that a bunch of sanitation drivers throughout the City will be sitting in their warm sand trucks all night long drinking coffee and collecting overtime pay. A few more nights like that and Christmas will look pretty good for them.

I came home tonight around nine o'clock and it was raining with no trace of any snow. The funny thing is that these news stations cover such a large area that if it snows anywhere they can claim the "we told you so". I think if it snows in Colorado they will claim credit for it.

Unfortunately when a real tragedy strikes these news people are in seventh heaven. The more people die the more they like it.

I don't know which is better: be totally informed and live in constant fear or live being oblivious to anything that's happening in the world?

Each has its advantages. Individuals should decide which format they prefer.

Sirius Radio

I took possession of my new car on September 19 of this year. One of the gimmicks they have is a three month free subscription to Sirius XM Radio. Hyundai takes this so seriously (not Siriusly) that permanent buttons are in the dash front of the driver.

After three months the radio goes silent unless I subscribe to it.

For those who don't know what Sirius XM Radio is, that is a subscription radio system with over 200 channels providing every kind of programming under the sun. Since it is like the cable TV the programming do not fall under FCC rules. Meaning, adult themes, language are free to be used.

I don't have anything against normal vulgarity. Some jokes are really funny when they are described the adult way and in this radio system there are channels that do just that.

Anyway, I like the 40s music, the Elvis channel, the Metropolitan Opera channel and a few others.

My free subscription will expire on December 19 and from then on I will be pestered by these people to subscribe. I had this on my two previous Hyundais also and never subscribed to it.

One time I told a very pushy sales person that if he gives me a $1 per month subscription I will sign up. He hung up!

I don't drive that much that I should pay for special radio programs. Maybe if I would be on the road hours every day I might take advantage of it. Otherwise AM and FM radio is perfectly satisfactory for my needs. And they are free. No way, no how will I pay for listening to the radio. Bad enough that television is no longer free since the cable system was introduced.

I have another four weeks to go and I will enjoy them until then. After that time I will just gaze at those buttons until my lease period is up.

Trip

We finally took the first step towards our planned European trip. As I mentioned it before my cousin and I are planning a trip next year back to the Old Country.

I was there in 2008 the last time and back then the trip was pretty simple. There were non stop flights between New York and Budapest and we always took advantage of that. However, in 2012 Malev Hungarian Airlines went into bankruptcy and dissolve itself. Thus all non stop flights stopped existing. Now it is a little more complicated since it is necessary to change plane in some European city.

We decided that since neither of us have seen much of Europe we would find an economical (meaning cheap) flight and wherever we change plane we would spend a few days before continuing on to Budapest. Well, that's the plan but we didn't settle on any particular location yet.

Since our trip is planned for the end of May 2015 it is too early to buy our tickets just yet.

But we already reserved our place to stay in Budapest. Being two grown up men we really don't want to sleep ion the same bed and we didn't even want to sleep in the same room. We are all passed middle age (not by much) and we both have our bad habits that better stay private. So we found a (hopefully) nice two bedroom place with available parking in a nice part of Budapest. At least it sounds nice in their advertisement.

With this reservation we made the first serious commitment.

I told my cousin that we would have to go to some kind of a training camp to get in shape as far as being able to eat the good food we are hoping to find. It is not that easy to look at the menus over there and see that every single thing on them is a favorite. How does a person select in such case?

It is like being led into a harem and told that chose any one of the beautiful women. But only one!

This statement right now is academic but I just mentioned for comparison.

But like I wrote yesterday, I probably would still chose solet!

Solet (Cholent)

Now you will think that my life revolves around food. That's not entirely true but at my age there are not too many earthly pleasures that are still available. However food is one of them. And while I am vigorously trying to stay healthy I do occasionally immerse myself in the pleasures of eating.

There is a Hungarian/Jewish/Yiddish bean staple that goes by the name solet in Hungarian or cholent in Yiddish (I think). This is a primarily baked bean with a whole lot of think added to it. I think the kosher version had goose legs or other meat and eggs placed in the pot and when the whole think was prepared it was slow cooked overnight.

I remember my Mother used to have me take the pot down to the neighborhood baker who then placed the pot in his oven where it stayed until next day. By then it was baked all through and ready to eat.

I really love this thing. I could live on this probably forever or at least for days. The beauty of it is that every household make it differently and mostly they are all good.

The really good ones have pork in it. They are probably Jewish pigs that grew up in Jewish households. The ones with pork really taste good.

A friend who makes "world class" solet made me some and right now I have two great portions in my freezer waiting to be eaten.

Today we had some business to do in Manhattan and after that we went to the one and only Hungarian eatery in the City. On their menu they had this solet. And theirs is with pork. Naturally that simplified my food selection since they had two of my favorites: goulash soup and the already heralded SOLET.

Man, I was in seventh heaven! It was a good thing that we parked about two blocks away and that way we walked off the calories (I hope).

There is a well known kosher restaurant in Budapest that has a fairly extensive solet menu. Until going there I never realized that this food comes in so many varieties. On my next trip there visiting this restaurant is a must!

I love this food so much that if I would have to chose between very attractive young lady giving me a lap dance or the solet, I am pretty sure the solet would win!

Saturday

Yesterday was Saturday and as such I and we returned to our regular schedule of "events".

I bought gas, went to the supermarket and then went to eat. But before all these exciting things we made a stop at a JC Penney where earlier this week I saw that they had the kind of polo shirts that I was looking for. Polo shirts are all over the place except what I want. What they have are short sleeved with collar or long sleeved and no collar. I want long sleeved and collar and cotton or Marino wool.

Why is life so complicated? Why do they have to tell me what I want and not giving me what I want? The stores are filled with short sleeved polo shirts. For crying out loud it is November, winter is coming with blizzards and subfreezing temperatures. Why in the world would I buy now something for next Summer?

I guess I'll never understand the minds of the faggoty fashion designers. They also think they know better what I want instead of leaving the decision to myself.

Anyway, I found what I was looking for and bought three nice shirts. Originally priced for $35, yesterday they were priced at $14.99 and since I had a $10 coupon I did pretty well even if they were not a 100% what I wanted. Money talks!

After all the shopping was done we went to a late lunch early dinner as we always do on Saturdays. This time we selected a rib restaurant since we both like ribs. I had a full slab of baby back ribs without any smear, they called it naked. I thought it was to be served naked but the waitress was fully clothed and it goes without saying that I was totally disappointed!

But the food was really good. We both had a nice large Margarita to drink before dinner so we were pretty happy (and full) by the time the meal was over.

What puts my mind at peace about these large meals is that we usually park the car a little distance away so after eating we can walk off the calories. This time was no exception.

We parked at least twenty steps away and it was a considerable effort to get to the car!

Sport

This evening I was watching a peculiar sports program, mainly because there was nothing interesting on TV. I don't care about college football and tonight wherever I looked that's what was shown.

The program I started watching was the Trampoline and Tumbling World Championship from Daytona Beach Florida. There are a lot of stupid sports going around and this one is right up with the leaders.

They are jumping up and down on trampolines sometimes in pairs and synchronized and that is what they call the sport and that is what is now having a world championship. I can't imagine a little girl telling her parents that she will want to be a famous trampoline jumper when she grows up.

They keep coming up with more and more idiotic sports in recent years. It was so simple back in ancient Greece when they only had running, long jump, discus throw, javelin throw, running, some horse races and wrestling on the Olympic agenda. And they did it in five days!

Now every year they are inventing newer sports and hope to make them Olympic numbers. If rhythmic dancing is an Olympic number why ballroom dancing is not? That takes just as much grace and coordination as any similar sport.

I think finger wagging should be a sport. There are several ways one can wag his or her fingers. I will probably start the US Finger Wagging SC. and look for some sponsors. They will have a chance to dress up the fingers with all their advertisements.

How about drinking? Like in any other sport the winners will be the best man and women at the end who is still standing. Now what's wrong with this? Another thing, just like in any other sport it will be very easy to be a professional in this field. And it is a lot easier to find training areas in any city or town than to find a gym, and it is a lot easier to find good athletes in this field than in any other.

I'll keep thinking to see if I can find some good candidates for new sports for the future. maybe somethings for us older people, like sitting on a chair without moving or something like that.

Friday

I have a very dear friend whom I know at least for fifty-five years. Unfortunately his wife passed away bout ten years ago and now he lives alone. He is over his nineties and trying to manage life on his own.

Well, there are problems with that. He has some kind of balance problem and because of it he occasionally falls. Every time he falls, ambulance takes him to a nearby hospital from where he goes to a rehab place. There he stays for about three or four weeks then returns home and unfortunately the cycle repeats itself. Does not want to hear about going into a home, at least not just yet, because he wants to keep his independence. He has a car but can not drive it anymore since he is too week to stand and keep his balance.

He has no family, no offsprings the only thing he has is his friends and memories.

I try to visit him every week and it feels like it is becoming "Tuesdays with Morrie". But I love the guy, we have been friends for a very long time and this is the least I can do for him. I feel extremely sorry for him. He lives alone, I live alone and this way we can commiserate together. Even though we have a little of an bit age gap we still share a lot of memories.

So, I was with him this afternoon and had a fairly pleasant visit. The only sad thing is looking at him and thinking ahead and asking myself: is this what's in the wings in the years to come?

This is a terrible and sad way to finish one's life! My original hope was a lot better. Be in a plane crash and get things over with quick and fast!

I know I sound a little morbid but I can't help it. Visiting somebody like that leaves me in a psychological dungeon. But I guess I better get used to it.

Thursday

Today is Thursday and I had a and good eventful day. The first thing was that I cleaned the house. It sounds crazy but I really look forward to doing it mainly because at that time I feel really useful. And at the end I have that good feeling that I achieved something good.

It is very easy to postpone things, forget to do things or just plain not to do things. But I keep telling myself that there are certain things I must do in my life and this is one of them. So, there we go, cleaning is done for a week.

The other good thing was that I had a great diner tonight.

There is an event here called Restaurant Week when many upscale restaurants drop their prices and make it possible for poor slobs like me to visit them without leaving one's shirt there. This week is Long Island Restaurant Week and because of that my friends and I visited a very nice and good steak house in Long Island. I was there years ago and the place is really expensive.

But the food is great, service is impeccable, parking was available so it was worth the money. Because of this promotion they drop their prices on certain menu items which we took advantage of.

Bottom line is we all had a great steak dinner, good drinks and fantastic company. It was really pleasant and I am looking forward to the next such event.

I wrote so nicely about these two things that I really don't know now which was the winner. The steak dinner or the house cleaning?