Last week I took my car for its first oil change and at the same time I told them that my right front tire was losing air. They found a nail in the tire and after removing it the tire was fixed. That should have been the end of my air losing saga.
Two days ago the little red light went on indicating that the pressure in one of my tires is low. I got a little annoyed at this constant red light warning.
Yesterday I went to my neighborhood gas station where they have an air pump that is free (the only free one in the area) but because of the recent snowfall the pump was totally buried. So, I took a chance and used the car as it was.
This morning I got up at the "crack of dawn" and went to my Hyundai dealer's service. Even though I had no appointment they took me and checked out my problem.
Well, wouldn't you know? Another nail! It appears that I somewhere I went through a nail field. But this time they said the nail was close to the side wall and it could not be fixed.
The result is that now I am $204 poorer.
I am getting fed up with these high tech monitoring devices. Life was a lot simpler in the old days. When the pressure went out of a tire and one drove on the rim then it looked like there might be some problem. And most of the time there was. But now every time a red warning light goes on I get scared or annoyed thinking: now what?
Oh yeah, and what it will cost me!
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Friday, January 30, 2015
Clean Thursday
This is now Thursday. And Thursday is cleaning day in this household. Regardless if I do it alone or with help it must get done. And thanks to my fantastic girlfriend I don't have to do it alone. She helps me, directs me and points me in the right direction. This way cleaning is not a chore but fastly becoming fun.
I work so hard at this that I don't feel guilty now eating all those good foods that she cooks because the calories just roll off me during the house cleaning time. It is almost as good as going to the gym except this is more fun!
They are talking about more snow by the end of the week. I certainly hope so because the old one is getting dirty pretty quick and it needs a new cover.
If the weather does not deteriorate I plan to go skiing next week on Wednesday. This would be my first time in two years. As I wrote it before I am really anxious to go. Miss that activity including the fresh mountain air.
Just a little aside.
There is a very nice man in the bereavement session I attend who lost his wife some time ago. Last month he told us that he started dating and at yesterday's gathering he told me that he is dating (two women) and decided that life must go on. Actually he started going out before I did but I found that he was already in a better frame of mind than before.
That just proves my theory that no matter what tragedy befalls a person the sun will come up the next day and life will not stand still.
I work so hard at this that I don't feel guilty now eating all those good foods that she cooks because the calories just roll off me during the house cleaning time. It is almost as good as going to the gym except this is more fun!
They are talking about more snow by the end of the week. I certainly hope so because the old one is getting dirty pretty quick and it needs a new cover.
If the weather does not deteriorate I plan to go skiing next week on Wednesday. This would be my first time in two years. As I wrote it before I am really anxious to go. Miss that activity including the fresh mountain air.
Just a little aside.
There is a very nice man in the bereavement session I attend who lost his wife some time ago. Last month he told us that he started dating and at yesterday's gathering he told me that he is dating (two women) and decided that life must go on. Actually he started going out before I did but I found that he was already in a better frame of mind than before.
That just proves my theory that no matter what tragedy befalls a person the sun will come up the next day and life will not stand still.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Wednesday
My girl friend and her daughter stayed over my house last night because I did not want them to drive home in that crazy weather. Besides the daughter wasn't feeling too well and I volunteered to baby sit for her on Tuesday.
She is 12 almost 13 and honestly she was a perfect lady. This was one of the few times I ever baby sat in my adult life and I tell you it was a very pleasant experience. She is polite, well behaved and very intelligent. She is in a middle school honors program.
I'm not saying this because she is my one and only girl friend's daughter, I am saying this because it is the truth. She speaks perfect Hungarian as well as English and now learning Spanish and Hebrew.
This little girl grew up in Florida an never saw real snow until she came up to New York which was only about seven months ago. So yesterday, when we went to the park to see beautiful white snow in close up that was a real experience for her.
Aside form having this charming guest in my house today not much happened. Except maybe that I made the final arrangements for our upcoming European trip. Meaning that I bought all our tickets so now the only thing remaining is going there.
The final plan is that we fly direct from New York to Stockholm, spend two nights there then fly to Budapest. After two ans a half week in Budapest we fly back to New York via Copenhagen (I think).
Later today I went to Sloan Kettering for the monthly bereavement get together. Since there are new or first time attendees at every gathering it is always very interesting and this time was no exception. It is always interesting to hear how other people go through their pains and losses. Not that it helps but it is always interesting to touch base with others.
I have been attending these gatherings since last year and considered a "veteran". And since my life is now making a changeover I told them that in my opinion there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Don't despair but hope for a positive change.
She is 12 almost 13 and honestly she was a perfect lady. This was one of the few times I ever baby sat in my adult life and I tell you it was a very pleasant experience. She is polite, well behaved and very intelligent. She is in a middle school honors program.
I'm not saying this because she is my one and only girl friend's daughter, I am saying this because it is the truth. She speaks perfect Hungarian as well as English and now learning Spanish and Hebrew.
This little girl grew up in Florida an never saw real snow until she came up to New York which was only about seven months ago. So yesterday, when we went to the park to see beautiful white snow in close up that was a real experience for her.
Aside form having this charming guest in my house today not much happened. Except maybe that I made the final arrangements for our upcoming European trip. Meaning that I bought all our tickets so now the only thing remaining is going there.
The final plan is that we fly direct from New York to Stockholm, spend two nights there then fly to Budapest. After two ans a half week in Budapest we fly back to New York via Copenhagen (I think).
Later today I went to Sloan Kettering for the monthly bereavement get together. Since there are new or first time attendees at every gathering it is always very interesting and this time was no exception. It is always interesting to hear how other people go through their pains and losses. Not that it helps but it is always interesting to touch base with others.
I have been attending these gatherings since last year and considered a "veteran". And since my life is now making a changeover I told them that in my opinion there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Don't despair but hope for a positive change.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Tuesday and Snow
This is a continuation of the supposedly worst snow storm in memory. First of all it was "cry wolf" syndrome. Yes, it snowed a lot and they succeeded scaring everybody to stay indoors but no, it was not as bad as they forecasted it. At least not In New York and not where I live.
I was in snow storm where I had to leave my car in the middle of the street because couldn't drive it any further. In this one my street was cleaned pretty quickly.
But one thing was very interesting. The City declared a travel ban at 11 pm Monday night, meaning absolutely no cars on the streets anywhere, and also stopped all public transportation.
I looked out the window around midnight and it was eerily quiet. Where my window look is never quiet. There is always traffic there including city buses. But this time there was absolutely nothing. It was like in a sci fi movie where the aliens come and make the people disappear. The streets were quiet and only the snow plows were moving. But give credit where credit is due they were moving front of my building all night long.
I have been living in this city for almost sixty years but I have never seen anything like this. Absolutely no traffic. It was unbelievable. And since there was no public transportation there were no people either.
Today, just after lunch time we ventured out for a drive. I have a four wheel drive and I claim that my car can tackle any snow mound that might happen. So, we went out.
Well, this was another experience. Because most of the cars that parked on the streets were buried in snow, traffic again was almost non existent. It was a real pleasure to drive around. We went to a nearby park where kids were sledding down a little hill and we walked around in the nice fresh and clean snow and had a good time.
Now, the storm is over and the digging out remains. But whatever happens remember what a very wise mountain man once said:
Don't eat the yellow snow!
I was in snow storm where I had to leave my car in the middle of the street because couldn't drive it any further. In this one my street was cleaned pretty quickly.
But one thing was very interesting. The City declared a travel ban at 11 pm Monday night, meaning absolutely no cars on the streets anywhere, and also stopped all public transportation.
I looked out the window around midnight and it was eerily quiet. Where my window look is never quiet. There is always traffic there including city buses. But this time there was absolutely nothing. It was like in a sci fi movie where the aliens come and make the people disappear. The streets were quiet and only the snow plows were moving. But give credit where credit is due they were moving front of my building all night long.
I have been living in this city for almost sixty years but I have never seen anything like this. Absolutely no traffic. It was unbelievable. And since there was no public transportation there were no people either.
Today, just after lunch time we ventured out for a drive. I have a four wheel drive and I claim that my car can tackle any snow mound that might happen. So, we went out.
Well, this was another experience. Because most of the cars that parked on the streets were buried in snow, traffic again was almost non existent. It was a real pleasure to drive around. We went to a nearby park where kids were sledding down a little hill and we walked around in the nice fresh and clean snow and had a good time.
Now, the storm is over and the digging out remains. But whatever happens remember what a very wise mountain man once said:
Don't eat the yellow snow!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Snowy Monday
It looks like the for today predicted snow storm is slowly becoming a reality. At the time I am writing this, around 3 pm the snow is coming down pretty hard and what's more it is staying. Driving is already hard and the streets are all covered with the white stuff.
I happen to know this because I just returned from Manhattan about an hour ago. I had a lunch get together with two of my former colleagues whom I know for over forty years. It was very nice to see these old friends and go down on memory lane.
Two of us are totally retired the third is still fully employed. Being the only real money maker we made him pick up the check. Our lunch was in Midtown in the same area where we spent most of our professional lives and we ate in a very nice Chinese restaurant.
When I left home there was already a lot of snow on the ground and walking was kind of slippery but the city was almost all clear, no traces of the white stuff. But when we left that's when it really started to come down and when I exited the subway station here at home I could barely see past my nose. Beside the wind was blowing it smack into my face so I was pretty happy when I got inside my apartment.
Since my G.F. lives in a fair distance away from here I offered for her and her daughter to stay with me in my apartment until the storm blows away and driving will become less hazardous.
I happen to know this because I just returned from Manhattan about an hour ago. I had a lunch get together with two of my former colleagues whom I know for over forty years. It was very nice to see these old friends and go down on memory lane.
Two of us are totally retired the third is still fully employed. Being the only real money maker we made him pick up the check. Our lunch was in Midtown in the same area where we spent most of our professional lives and we ate in a very nice Chinese restaurant.
When I left home there was already a lot of snow on the ground and walking was kind of slippery but the city was almost all clear, no traces of the white stuff. But when we left that's when it really started to come down and when I exited the subway station here at home I could barely see past my nose. Beside the wind was blowing it smack into my face so I was pretty happy when I got inside my apartment.
Since my G.F. lives in a fair distance away from here I offered for her and her daughter to stay with me in my apartment until the storm blows away and driving will become less hazardous.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Sunday Cooking
Today was Sunday and it was just a very nice day. My G.F. and I stayed home all day and spent the time very pleasantly. There was really no reason to go out there was no place we really wanted to go so we just decided to stay in.
Actually a lot of time was spent in the kitchen cooking. She is a fantastic cook who is convinced that I don't eat well and she is now on a mission to correct it. Today she made the world's best goulash soup.
It was done with love and everything that is supposed to be in it was in it. That soup was just the way I remembered way back when I lived home with my parents.
Me, being the attentive host and boyfriend helped her in the kitchen with whatever was needed to be done and at the same time used my culinary knowledge to make the work easier.
She took a bunch of celery, carrots and parsnip. Washed them, cut them up and put them in a glass bowl. Took the remainder of the stuff, placed them in a plastic bag and put them away. Now, I am watching all this like a hawk so I can learn the secrets of the kitchen.
She gives me the bowl that sounded (to me) like wash out the bowl. So, I very expertly drained the water out of the bowl, threw out the vegetables and washed out the bowl.
Suddenly she turns to me and says now we can put the vegetables in the soup, where are they. Me, with total honesty replied that they were in the garbage bag where I was supposed to throw them.
Apparently this was a total misunderstanding and since in this house even the garbage bag is spic and span clean we fished the vegetables out and after washing them down again placed them in the soup.
Regardless of my faux pas the soup turned out great and made a superb stand alone meal.
This little affair proves that as talented as I am I have zero talent for cooking. And I will just leave it at that.
Actually a lot of time was spent in the kitchen cooking. She is a fantastic cook who is convinced that I don't eat well and she is now on a mission to correct it. Today she made the world's best goulash soup.
It was done with love and everything that is supposed to be in it was in it. That soup was just the way I remembered way back when I lived home with my parents.
Me, being the attentive host and boyfriend helped her in the kitchen with whatever was needed to be done and at the same time used my culinary knowledge to make the work easier.
She took a bunch of celery, carrots and parsnip. Washed them, cut them up and put them in a glass bowl. Took the remainder of the stuff, placed them in a plastic bag and put them away. Now, I am watching all this like a hawk so I can learn the secrets of the kitchen.
She gives me the bowl that sounded (to me) like wash out the bowl. So, I very expertly drained the water out of the bowl, threw out the vegetables and washed out the bowl.
Suddenly she turns to me and says now we can put the vegetables in the soup, where are they. Me, with total honesty replied that they were in the garbage bag where I was supposed to throw them.
Apparently this was a total misunderstanding and since in this house even the garbage bag is spic and span clean we fished the vegetables out and after washing them down again placed them in the soup.
Regardless of my faux pas the soup turned out great and made a superb stand alone meal.
This little affair proves that as talented as I am I have zero talent for cooking. And I will just leave it at that.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Saturday
Well, they finally got it right. When I woke up this morning there was the white stuff all over. It snowed all night an successfully covered up all the dirt in the streets. The snow plows worked and cleared the streets but still there is enough of the beautiful white stuff around.
I am saying beautiful white stuff because I don't have to go outside and shovel. I am just standing at my window and enjoying the fifth floor view. It seems that my building staff don't have to go outside because there is nobody outside doing any clearing. I guess they are waiting for Mother Nature to do her thing since it supposed to turn to slush later.
By the time we'll go out for shopping my poor car will be dirtied up so much that I won't be able to see through the windshield. But still, I do like snow and as far as I am concerned the more the better.
Speaking of snow, I am dying to go skiing but my active social life forbids it. I am so busy that just can not take a day and drive up to the mountains. Like next week I have things to do the first three days of the week.
And, I have the habit of skiing only on Tuesdays or Wednesday. I don't know why but those are my days, I am used to them. Anyway, February is just around the corner and hopefully I'll have more opportunities.
Don't misunderstand, I am not complaining. I am very happy with my life right now and wouldn't change it for anything, but a little skiing would be nice, too.
Come to think of it, February is just around the corner. Boy, time is rushing by. Just recently we celebrated the New Year and now is almost February. What is the hurry?
I used to work for someone who always said by the end of the first week of the month that for our work planning purposes that month was already gone. Now that was rushing things a little. But then I was only 26 years old and it didn't matter to me.
Now at this age I really don't want to rush time. I am enjoying life as is and I am not in any hurry to go ahead fast.
I am saying beautiful white stuff because I don't have to go outside and shovel. I am just standing at my window and enjoying the fifth floor view. It seems that my building staff don't have to go outside because there is nobody outside doing any clearing. I guess they are waiting for Mother Nature to do her thing since it supposed to turn to slush later.
By the time we'll go out for shopping my poor car will be dirtied up so much that I won't be able to see through the windshield. But still, I do like snow and as far as I am concerned the more the better.
Speaking of snow, I am dying to go skiing but my active social life forbids it. I am so busy that just can not take a day and drive up to the mountains. Like next week I have things to do the first three days of the week.
And, I have the habit of skiing only on Tuesdays or Wednesday. I don't know why but those are my days, I am used to them. Anyway, February is just around the corner and hopefully I'll have more opportunities.
Don't misunderstand, I am not complaining. I am very happy with my life right now and wouldn't change it for anything, but a little skiing would be nice, too.
Come to think of it, February is just around the corner. Boy, time is rushing by. Just recently we celebrated the New Year and now is almost February. What is the hurry?
I used to work for someone who always said by the end of the first week of the month that for our work planning purposes that month was already gone. Now that was rushing things a little. But then I was only 26 years old and it didn't matter to me.
Now at this age I really don't want to rush time. I am enjoying life as is and I am not in any hurry to go ahead fast.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Friday
Today I started to put together my 2014 Income Tax back up details or more accurately my allowable deductions. In order to find everything that was spent and record it accurately is a trip down memory lane that I am not very keen on doing.
But IRS is merciless and so is my accountant so I had to do it. Some of this recordkeeping is easy some of it is really tedious. Even though I have been doing it for years it still instills fear in me just in case I omit something or I include stuff I shouldn't.
I am not brave enough to do the returns by myself even though they have good web aids, I rather go to an accountant and let him have the satisfaction, and my money.
In the older days when the forms and my financial status was a lot simpler I prepared all the returns but with the tech age and my "further ahead age" came caution. And that introduced me to the world of the accountants.
Even though somebody else is preparing it it still seems that I have to do a lot of work before it gets to the preparation stage. But hey, if the end results are good then it was energy well spent.
Something else.
It is around midnight Friday now and they are forecasting, again, the first real snow storm to begin shortly. All afternoon and evening that was all they talked about on radio and TV. It was like we never ever had any snow in this part of the country. Like it was a natural phenomena. For crying out loud! This is New York and it is winter. What else can we have if it is not snow?
I would laugh like crazy it this was just another cry wolf thing. They did it already a few times this winter. And the sanitation people are laughing all the way to the bank because they are getting big bucks for just sitting in their nice, warm trucks all night and drinking hot coffee.
I wish I can have a nice job like that.
But IRS is merciless and so is my accountant so I had to do it. Some of this recordkeeping is easy some of it is really tedious. Even though I have been doing it for years it still instills fear in me just in case I omit something or I include stuff I shouldn't.
I am not brave enough to do the returns by myself even though they have good web aids, I rather go to an accountant and let him have the satisfaction, and my money.
In the older days when the forms and my financial status was a lot simpler I prepared all the returns but with the tech age and my "further ahead age" came caution. And that introduced me to the world of the accountants.
Even though somebody else is preparing it it still seems that I have to do a lot of work before it gets to the preparation stage. But hey, if the end results are good then it was energy well spent.
Something else.
It is around midnight Friday now and they are forecasting, again, the first real snow storm to begin shortly. All afternoon and evening that was all they talked about on radio and TV. It was like we never ever had any snow in this part of the country. Like it was a natural phenomena. For crying out loud! This is New York and it is winter. What else can we have if it is not snow?
I would laugh like crazy it this was just another cry wolf thing. They did it already a few times this winter. And the sanitation people are laughing all the way to the bank because they are getting big bucks for just sitting in their nice, warm trucks all night and drinking hot coffee.
I wish I can have a nice job like that.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Thursday
Today for several hours my good friend and my G.F.'s son who happen to be one and the same worked trying to recover my lost computer program. I just sat there in total amazement watching as he took control of my set and flew from one thing to another attempting to correct what I did.
As far as I understood this was not an easy task because the program is a very large file and recovering it was not simple. In the process he also cleaned up the computer of all the stupid and unnecessary things I loaded upon it.
At this point everything is working even though my lost program was only recovered and usable until sometime next week when it will be downloaded from a disc and should become the permanent feature it was meant to be.
I really can not fathom how an ordinary person is expected to be able to do such a thing, how an ordinary person should know all the steps one needs to take when faced with such a problem.
And then that sleazy Microsoft begs off and denies any help just because they are convinced that they are better than anybody else!
Actually the day was not a loss and I was not sitting around mesmerized front of the computer screen. My G.F. and I cleaned the house here while her son was working on my computer from and in Florida.
Weird world we live in but surrounded with nice people.
As far as I understood this was not an easy task because the program is a very large file and recovering it was not simple. In the process he also cleaned up the computer of all the stupid and unnecessary things I loaded upon it.
At this point everything is working even though my lost program was only recovered and usable until sometime next week when it will be downloaded from a disc and should become the permanent feature it was meant to be.
I really can not fathom how an ordinary person is expected to be able to do such a thing, how an ordinary person should know all the steps one needs to take when faced with such a problem.
And then that sleazy Microsoft begs off and denies any help just because they are convinced that they are better than anybody else!
Actually the day was not a loss and I was not sitting around mesmerized front of the computer screen. My G.F. and I cleaned the house here while her son was working on my computer from and in Florida.
Weird world we live in but surrounded with nice people.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Thursday
I am writing this early Thursday morning for Wednesday. I just got home from my active social engagement and realized that I didn't yet have a chance to write Wednesday's thoughts.
Actually I was home for the better part of the day, only went over to my G.F.'s house for dinner late afternoon. But I didn't waste the day at all. I did laundry in the morning hours then I spent hours and hours trying to fix my computer.
What happened was that when I bought this new computer it came with a 30 day free trial of Microsoft Office 356. This program has Excel, Word and a bunch of other stuff. And I do need Excel and Word. So I took advantage of the free trial. But the catch is that if one wants to use it it has a monthly fee. However if one wants to buy Microsoft Office one can at a lower price then "renting" it year after year.
So I bought one for around $130 and installed it and started using it after the 30 day trial expired. It worked fine for a while until one day I had to reset my computer for it initial setting. At that time the 30 day trial showed up and I started using it. This past Saturday the free trial expired and I am unable to restore the Microsoft Office that I purchased and used.
I called Microsoft and they told me I have to remember the e-mail address I used when I installed it and they also said they were not capable to take control of my computer and fix it. Bunch of useless bums!
So here I am with no Office program, don't remember the e-mail address I used and not knowing what to do.
Until my G.F. told me that her son might be able to help because he is an IT person. I have a telephone date with him for Thursday morning and I will give permission to him to hack into my computer and just fix that damn thing.
And once it is fixed I will tell Microsoft that they should learn how to treat a costumer.
Actually I was home for the better part of the day, only went over to my G.F.'s house for dinner late afternoon. But I didn't waste the day at all. I did laundry in the morning hours then I spent hours and hours trying to fix my computer.
What happened was that when I bought this new computer it came with a 30 day free trial of Microsoft Office 356. This program has Excel, Word and a bunch of other stuff. And I do need Excel and Word. So I took advantage of the free trial. But the catch is that if one wants to use it it has a monthly fee. However if one wants to buy Microsoft Office one can at a lower price then "renting" it year after year.
So I bought one for around $130 and installed it and started using it after the 30 day trial expired. It worked fine for a while until one day I had to reset my computer for it initial setting. At that time the 30 day trial showed up and I started using it. This past Saturday the free trial expired and I am unable to restore the Microsoft Office that I purchased and used.
I called Microsoft and they told me I have to remember the e-mail address I used when I installed it and they also said they were not capable to take control of my computer and fix it. Bunch of useless bums!
So here I am with no Office program, don't remember the e-mail address I used and not knowing what to do.
Until my G.F. told me that her son might be able to help because he is an IT person. I have a telephone date with him for Thursday morning and I will give permission to him to hack into my computer and just fix that damn thing.
And once it is fixed I will tell Microsoft that they should learn how to treat a costumer.
Tuesday
Today, Tuesday, I took my car for its first oil change but it was done at the dealer. I usually don't go to the dealership because my neighborhood car wash does it just as efficiently and plus I get a free car wash. But when I received this car I got a year free oil change.
In my life the word FREE has great prestige and importance!
Anyway the car was done, it was checked and just like its master it was found to be in good health.
After the dealer I drove over to New Jersey because I planned to go to the Crematorium to visit where my Wife's ashes are. This I do every month.
New Jersey is known for its low gas prices. At least low as far as New York is concerned. In New York they steal your money every which way possible. So when I know I will go to New Jersey I economize and try to fill the tank over there.
As soon as I got off the New Jersey side of the George Washington bridge and saw the first gas station I immediately knew I was in the right place. Actually I was stunned because it was many years that I saw gas prices this low. Everywhere regular gas was posted below $2 a gallon. That was a sight to behold.
After I finished what I was planning to do and before returning to the land of the robber barons I filled my tank at $1.85 a gallon.
Taking all the tolls into account for crossing over it is not worth the trip just to fill up. But once in a while it is a good reminder of what the good old days were like when they were not trying to rob you at every corner.
In my life the word FREE has great prestige and importance!
Anyway the car was done, it was checked and just like its master it was found to be in good health.
After the dealer I drove over to New Jersey because I planned to go to the Crematorium to visit where my Wife's ashes are. This I do every month.
New Jersey is known for its low gas prices. At least low as far as New York is concerned. In New York they steal your money every which way possible. So when I know I will go to New Jersey I economize and try to fill the tank over there.
As soon as I got off the New Jersey side of the George Washington bridge and saw the first gas station I immediately knew I was in the right place. Actually I was stunned because it was many years that I saw gas prices this low. Everywhere regular gas was posted below $2 a gallon. That was a sight to behold.
After I finished what I was planning to do and before returning to the land of the robber barons I filled my tank at $1.85 a gallon.
Taking all the tolls into account for crossing over it is not worth the trip just to fill up. But once in a while it is a good reminder of what the good old days were like when they were not trying to rob you at every corner.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Ghetto
January 18, 1945 was the day the Soviets liberated the Budapest ghetto and that was 70 years ago yesterday. There were some remembrance ceremonies in Budapest in the Grand Synagogue since the people liberated were all Jewish. As I read the news account it said there were not too many survivors present since it happened such a long time ago.
Then I remembered that I was there on that historical day. It was one of those days that I will never ever forget.
My Mother, my Grandparents (Her parents) and I were in the Budapest Ghetto for quite a while by that time but luckily survived intact that terrible ordeal. We had some close calls with the Arrow Cross (Hungarian Nazis) thugs but my family was not hurt.
Since our apartment house was right at the entrance of the ghetto we were probably harassed the most.
On January 18 we woke up to a kind of peculiar quiet. It was peculiar because to that time we were constantly hearing the noise of the battle that was going on just outside of the ghetto walls.
Because of the constant bombardment we were all in the basement of the building in the air raid shelters. Eventually some brave souls ventured up and outside and came up all excited telling us that the doors in the ghetto walls were open and all the guards were gone. One by one we all came up and started to wander out and around.
We were dirty and hungry and scared. Eventually a truck puled up close to the ghetto walls. It was a Soviet military truck loaded with loaves of those funny looking brick shaped Russian breads and the soldiers started to give them out to us. That's when we all realized that we were alive and we survived!
My Mother took me back to our ghetto apartment and started to pack our belongings in anticipation of going back to our own apartment when suddenly the apartment door burst open and my Father came in. Up until that time we had no idea if he was alive or not since for a long time he was in hiding. I can't describe he happiness that we felt at that time.
We started our way back home that was not really far but was outside of the limits of the ghetto. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of us leaving that place of horror.
At one point there was a line of Russian soldiers standing across the road with knives in their hands that really looked scary at first. But as we approached we realized that they were cutting off the red star of David we all had on our coats because if we didn't we could have been shot. They did shoot people for a lot less in those days.
When they cut off those discriminative markers everybody really accepted the reality that now all that we went through the years were over!
In short, we went home and in a week or so we got our apartment back, my Father went back to work and I never again had to be afraid that I would be spat upon because of my religion.
Whatever the Soviets did after the war is another story. Some people argue that the Soviets did not liberate Budapest but just brutally overran it. They don't admit to the fact that in the process they saved the lives of 70,000 to 100,000 Jews. As far as I am concerned, I am not afraid to say that I and my Family can thank our lives to the Soviet Army liberating the Budapest Ghetto on that day!
Then I remembered that I was there on that historical day. It was one of those days that I will never ever forget.
My Mother, my Grandparents (Her parents) and I were in the Budapest Ghetto for quite a while by that time but luckily survived intact that terrible ordeal. We had some close calls with the Arrow Cross (Hungarian Nazis) thugs but my family was not hurt.
Since our apartment house was right at the entrance of the ghetto we were probably harassed the most.
On January 18 we woke up to a kind of peculiar quiet. It was peculiar because to that time we were constantly hearing the noise of the battle that was going on just outside of the ghetto walls.
Because of the constant bombardment we were all in the basement of the building in the air raid shelters. Eventually some brave souls ventured up and outside and came up all excited telling us that the doors in the ghetto walls were open and all the guards were gone. One by one we all came up and started to wander out and around.
We were dirty and hungry and scared. Eventually a truck puled up close to the ghetto walls. It was a Soviet military truck loaded with loaves of those funny looking brick shaped Russian breads and the soldiers started to give them out to us. That's when we all realized that we were alive and we survived!
My Mother took me back to our ghetto apartment and started to pack our belongings in anticipation of going back to our own apartment when suddenly the apartment door burst open and my Father came in. Up until that time we had no idea if he was alive or not since for a long time he was in hiding. I can't describe he happiness that we felt at that time.
We started our way back home that was not really far but was outside of the limits of the ghetto. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of us leaving that place of horror.
At one point there was a line of Russian soldiers standing across the road with knives in their hands that really looked scary at first. But as we approached we realized that they were cutting off the red star of David we all had on our coats because if we didn't we could have been shot. They did shoot people for a lot less in those days.
When they cut off those discriminative markers everybody really accepted the reality that now all that we went through the years were over!
In short, we went home and in a week or so we got our apartment back, my Father went back to work and I never again had to be afraid that I would be spat upon because of my religion.
Whatever the Soviets did after the war is another story. Some people argue that the Soviets did not liberate Budapest but just brutally overran it. They don't admit to the fact that in the process they saved the lives of 70,000 to 100,000 Jews. As far as I am concerned, I am not afraid to say that I and my Family can thank our lives to the Soviet Army liberating the Budapest Ghetto on that day!
Monday, January 19, 2015
Saturday Show Day
As I mentioned in yesterday's blog we went to see Mamma Mia on Broadway. In short it was fantastic. This was the fourth time I saw it in the past fourteen years but it never ceased to entertain me.
The first three productions I saw in the Winter Garden Theater this one is now in a new and smaller location called the Broadhurst Theatre.
I am sure the theater and stage is smaller but still the production was really good. At the end the people were standing and dancing to the tunes it was so overwhelming. And that was the way it was at all our previous visits. ABBA's music is just great!
The flip side is that the seats are small and cramped. And since the theater was filled to the gills there was absolutely no place to stretch. It is really not worth wearing any decent clothes because we were so cramped in into our seats that our clothing just wrinkled itself up. No wonder people were in jeans and sweaters.
I don't think I'll see it a fifth time anytime soon, at least it is not planned yet.
After the show we went to Ellen's Stardust Diner for a bite to eat. Now that place is a show by itself. The thing about this eatery that the wait staff are all aspiring singers and dancers and all young and attractive.
All night long until past midnight they sing show tunes almost without interruption. They take turns in performing and several times it is a duet or three or four singing together. Very-very entertaining. These young people are waiting to be discovered or given a job in a Broadway show. Without exception they are all very talented.
It's very interesting to see the person who just minutes ago brought out your burger to stand there and belt out a popular Broadway tune in a voice that can stop the breath in you.
My girl friend and I had a great day together!
We drove into the City and street parking was really no problem at all and that made the whole thing that much more pleasant. By the time everything was over and we got to sleep it was almost 3:30 Sunday morning and it was just a very lovely day.
The first three productions I saw in the Winter Garden Theater this one is now in a new and smaller location called the Broadhurst Theatre.
I am sure the theater and stage is smaller but still the production was really good. At the end the people were standing and dancing to the tunes it was so overwhelming. And that was the way it was at all our previous visits. ABBA's music is just great!
The flip side is that the seats are small and cramped. And since the theater was filled to the gills there was absolutely no place to stretch. It is really not worth wearing any decent clothes because we were so cramped in into our seats that our clothing just wrinkled itself up. No wonder people were in jeans and sweaters.
I don't think I'll see it a fifth time anytime soon, at least it is not planned yet.
After the show we went to Ellen's Stardust Diner for a bite to eat. Now that place is a show by itself. The thing about this eatery that the wait staff are all aspiring singers and dancers and all young and attractive.
All night long until past midnight they sing show tunes almost without interruption. They take turns in performing and several times it is a duet or three or four singing together. Very-very entertaining. These young people are waiting to be discovered or given a job in a Broadway show. Without exception they are all very talented.
It's very interesting to see the person who just minutes ago brought out your burger to stand there and belt out a popular Broadway tune in a voice that can stop the breath in you.
My girl friend and I had a great day together!
We drove into the City and street parking was really no problem at all and that made the whole thing that much more pleasant. By the time everything was over and we got to sleep it was almost 3:30 Sunday morning and it was just a very lovely day.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Saturday
Well, this time they hit it right. It snowed all night and when I woke up this morning everything was nice white. I am saying nice white because I don't have to go outside and shovel. I look out from my fifth floor view and admire the scenery. But it looks like the building staff don't have to go out either because there is nobody out there cleaning it.
Since the temperature is above freezing this white beauty will not last long. It will turn to dirty slush and by the time we go out and go shopping there'll be dirty slush splashing on the car.
I am dying to go skiing but my busy social calendar makes it very difficult. Next week I have things to do for three consecutive days and with that January is over. Maybe I'll be luckier in February. It's not that I'm lazy to go it's just I have no free time. And I am peculiar about my skiing days. I like Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Those are the two good days that I like to ski. Don't know why, just is.
Like I said February is just around the corner and maybe that will be a better month as far as skiing goes.
Come to think of it that February is just around the corner. Isn't time flying by? Just now we celebrated the New Year and it is already February. What's the rush?
Early in my working life in this country I worked on the construction of the 1963-1964 World's Fair in Flushing New York. I worked for a construction superintendent who used to have a saying when we were planning the upcoming work activities. By the beginning of the second week of the month as far as he was concerned that month was gone. Now, that was rushing time.
Right now I am very happy where I am and I am not in a hurry to speed up my life.
Besides at this age what's the point speeding it up?
Since the temperature is above freezing this white beauty will not last long. It will turn to dirty slush and by the time we go out and go shopping there'll be dirty slush splashing on the car.
I am dying to go skiing but my busy social calendar makes it very difficult. Next week I have things to do for three consecutive days and with that January is over. Maybe I'll be luckier in February. It's not that I'm lazy to go it's just I have no free time. And I am peculiar about my skiing days. I like Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Those are the two good days that I like to ski. Don't know why, just is.
Like I said February is just around the corner and maybe that will be a better month as far as skiing goes.
Come to think of it that February is just around the corner. Isn't time flying by? Just now we celebrated the New Year and it is already February. What's the rush?
Early in my working life in this country I worked on the construction of the 1963-1964 World's Fair in Flushing New York. I worked for a construction superintendent who used to have a saying when we were planning the upcoming work activities. By the beginning of the second week of the month as far as he was concerned that month was gone. Now, that was rushing time.
Right now I am very happy where I am and I am not in a hurry to speed up my life.
Besides at this age what's the point speeding it up?
My Life
I am going to change a definition I have been using until now. I was continuously referring to my current relationship as my lady friend. To me a lady friend sound very old. Old men and women are lady friends. They go together for early dinners, bingo games and who knows what else.
I may have the number of years but my friend certainly not. She is young, attractive and makes me forget those numbers. And we do not go to early dinners and bingo games!
So, from here on I will be referring to her as my girl friend. Because that is what she is to me. We are together a lot and we always have a great time at whatever we do.
One of the things she does well is cook. She does not want to kill me with the food but I just love her cooking. Some things she makes the old fashion way, the way I already forgot the taste of. But it is still very yummy to my palate.
We don't eat like that every day, only maybe a couple of times a week and that is permissible by any of the diets I might believe in.
The only problem is that she likes my paunch and no matter what I say she does not let me work on reducing it . It is not a beer belly but it's not a washboard either. She says it's cute as is. Who am I to argue cute?
Anyway, right now I am having a great time and enjoying life. Seriously hope that 2015 will be better than 2014 was!
Today is Saturday and tonight's program is theater in Manhattan. We are going to see Mamma Mia on Broadway. I did see it a few times but I love the music and don't mind seeing it again.
Maybe next month we go to the Opera since we both like that genre and I haven't been to the Metropolitan Opera in ages. We'll see.
I may have the number of years but my friend certainly not. She is young, attractive and makes me forget those numbers. And we do not go to early dinners and bingo games!
So, from here on I will be referring to her as my girl friend. Because that is what she is to me. We are together a lot and we always have a great time at whatever we do.
One of the things she does well is cook. She does not want to kill me with the food but I just love her cooking. Some things she makes the old fashion way, the way I already forgot the taste of. But it is still very yummy to my palate.
We don't eat like that every day, only maybe a couple of times a week and that is permissible by any of the diets I might believe in.
The only problem is that she likes my paunch and no matter what I say she does not let me work on reducing it . It is not a beer belly but it's not a washboard either. She says it's cute as is. Who am I to argue cute?
Anyway, right now I am having a great time and enjoying life. Seriously hope that 2015 will be better than 2014 was!
Today is Saturday and tonight's program is theater in Manhattan. We are going to see Mamma Mia on Broadway. I did see it a few times but I love the music and don't mind seeing it again.
Maybe next month we go to the Opera since we both like that genre and I haven't been to the Metropolitan Opera in ages. We'll see.
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Billionaires
I heard on the news this morning that the US has the most billionaires in the world and their numbers are increasing every year. This is a very encouraging news. It means there is still hope in this life.
According to Forbes there are 1,645 billionaires in the world and about 2/3 built their own fortunes. This is a very important fact because the way I interpret it all I have to do is find something nobody thought of and voila, I'm a billionaire. Simple, no?
But there is a small problem. Everywhere I look somebody already invented something either recently or a long time ago. So, how one finds something that was not invented yet?
At one time the Whiteout seemed like a gigantic invention. What a smart way to correct typing errors, right? Now one can not even give it away for free. I just hope those people didn't spend all their monies because I'm sure they are not getting too much royalties now.
The other small problem is that most of the inventions (the simpler ones!) are hi tech related. You get a 15 year old kid, he thinks of something that is not wildly used, develops it and he is a billionaire. And he didn't even graduate from high school yet.
It is very hard to go into competition with such tough opponents. I succeed just by turning my computer on. That is about as far as my hi tech knowledge take me.
The other way to get rich is the stock market. But the way it has been acting lately it is a humongous risk. One can get rich but on the same page can become a pauper. I don't think it is knowledge, it is more the question of luck, be at the right place at the right time kind.
That's not for me either. My knowledge of the market is limited to see the numbers go up or down, and that's all.
Then what is left?
Maybe inventing the Pet Rock. But I have a feeling I missed that boat already.
According to Forbes there are 1,645 billionaires in the world and about 2/3 built their own fortunes. This is a very important fact because the way I interpret it all I have to do is find something nobody thought of and voila, I'm a billionaire. Simple, no?
But there is a small problem. Everywhere I look somebody already invented something either recently or a long time ago. So, how one finds something that was not invented yet?
At one time the Whiteout seemed like a gigantic invention. What a smart way to correct typing errors, right? Now one can not even give it away for free. I just hope those people didn't spend all their monies because I'm sure they are not getting too much royalties now.
The other small problem is that most of the inventions (the simpler ones!) are hi tech related. You get a 15 year old kid, he thinks of something that is not wildly used, develops it and he is a billionaire. And he didn't even graduate from high school yet.
It is very hard to go into competition with such tough opponents. I succeed just by turning my computer on. That is about as far as my hi tech knowledge take me.
The other way to get rich is the stock market. But the way it has been acting lately it is a humongous risk. One can get rich but on the same page can become a pauper. I don't think it is knowledge, it is more the question of luck, be at the right place at the right time kind.
That's not for me either. My knowledge of the market is limited to see the numbers go up or down, and that's all.
Then what is left?
Maybe inventing the Pet Rock. But I have a feeling I missed that boat already.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Wednesday
Wednesday night I had dinner at my lady friend's house. I have to write about this because this was such a wonderful fare that I just have to talk about it.
She is a wonderful cook and I already had several dinners there but this one stood out because it was so good, tasty and very Hungarian. At least as far as my taste buds go.
This was a one course meal but the way it was put together it was just fantastic.
This was the menu.
There were thin fried chicken cutlets, there was cooked kielbasa (Hungarian sausage), there was Hungarian blood sausage (hurka in Hung.), and to top it off the side was home made potato chips which she fried in oil right there (rosejbni in Hung.).
We topped it off with some good wine and the meal was just greeeaaat!
My only problem was that I had to eat everything because it was such a good meal but at the end I was literarily pushing the food down. Leaving it on my plate was not an option that even occurred to me.
For dessert that we ate much later she made strawberry pudding topped with whipped.
The whole dinner was made with tender loving care.
Now what else can a man ask for?
She is a wonderful cook and I already had several dinners there but this one stood out because it was so good, tasty and very Hungarian. At least as far as my taste buds go.
This was a one course meal but the way it was put together it was just fantastic.
This was the menu.
There were thin fried chicken cutlets, there was cooked kielbasa (Hungarian sausage), there was Hungarian blood sausage (hurka in Hung.), and to top it off the side was home made potato chips which she fried in oil right there (rosejbni in Hung.).
We topped it off with some good wine and the meal was just greeeaaat!
My only problem was that I had to eat everything because it was such a good meal but at the end I was literarily pushing the food down. Leaving it on my plate was not an option that even occurred to me.
For dessert that we ate much later she made strawberry pudding topped with whipped.
The whole dinner was made with tender loving care.
Now what else can a man ask for?
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Advertisements
Many-many years ago we subscribed to TV Guide. That was before there were eight million channels on TV and we were able to see what was on our local programming. Then TV Guide changed to some generic scheduling and it was impossible to find out what was on the telly. Well, immediately after that we canceled our subscription.
But while TV Guide was coming I started a one man war against their advertisers. Whatever ads were attached to the magazine in the form of an insert or any page that had ads on both side I ripped out. This way the magazine became quite thin and a lot more manageable. Also it was a lot more satisfying to handle.
I kept up that war. Until today any publication I receive get the same treatment. First I tear out the inserts then I check the pages with ads on bot sides and out they go. It is surprising how much more civilized these magazines become.
Just like in the movie Network"We're as mad as hell, and we're not going to take this anymore". Today I received two magazines in the mail and the first thing I did was to remove these ads. I know they support these magazines but that's not my problem!
I really can not understand the advertising industry. They spend gazillions of dollars on stuff people do not really care about or they have no proof that the stuff was bought because of the ads. To me that money that big companies spend on their advertisings can be spent somewhere else a lot better.
Lately I watch more sports than before and I noticed that athletes dress up like billboards. Some uniforms just don't have enough room for all the product names they place on them.
Adidas or Izod or Ralph Lauren think that people will run to the sports stores and buy their stuff because some very high priced athlete wears their stuff? I really don't believe it. The athlete wears it because he or she is getting paid for it and he or she is getting free equipment.
For myself, I buy things that are economically reasonable and equipment that is good and not because some snow bunny uses it and it looks good on her!
But while TV Guide was coming I started a one man war against their advertisers. Whatever ads were attached to the magazine in the form of an insert or any page that had ads on both side I ripped out. This way the magazine became quite thin and a lot more manageable. Also it was a lot more satisfying to handle.
I kept up that war. Until today any publication I receive get the same treatment. First I tear out the inserts then I check the pages with ads on bot sides and out they go. It is surprising how much more civilized these magazines become.
Just like in the movie Network"We're as mad as hell, and we're not going to take this anymore". Today I received two magazines in the mail and the first thing I did was to remove these ads. I know they support these magazines but that's not my problem!
I really can not understand the advertising industry. They spend gazillions of dollars on stuff people do not really care about or they have no proof that the stuff was bought because of the ads. To me that money that big companies spend on their advertisings can be spent somewhere else a lot better.
Lately I watch more sports than before and I noticed that athletes dress up like billboards. Some uniforms just don't have enough room for all the product names they place on them.
Adidas or Izod or Ralph Lauren think that people will run to the sports stores and buy their stuff because some very high priced athlete wears their stuff? I really don't believe it. The athlete wears it because he or she is getting paid for it and he or she is getting free equipment.
For myself, I buy things that are economically reasonable and equipment that is good and not because some snow bunny uses it and it looks good on her!
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Gym Selection
I love to work out and for many-many years I have been going to various gyms. When the last one U used to belong to went kaput, because the owner stole the equipment I searched for another place and found one that I really like.
It is a very large national corporation but the gym is well equipped, not too far for me and there is ample parking there. So I signed up and have been going now for the third year. Ok, I don't go as frequently as I should but I do go and that's what counts!
Last week I was given the name of a company through which I can sign up to almost any health club and through them my health insurer will pay the cost of the membership.
I checked it all out and was pleasantly surprised when I saw my health insurer on the list of affiliated companies. According to this company I can sign up to almost any gym or health club and they are covered.
Now I am stumped. Never liked too many choices because it makes decision making a difficult process.
Yesterday I went to my gym and on the way home I stopped and checked out LA Fitness a national health club. The place is ginormous. It has everything one can think of including a large pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and all the machines under the sun. Plus a basketball court and a few racquetball courts.
Then in my neighborhood there are a few little more upscale gyms that I might be able to attend for FREE. The ones closer to me have serious parking problems so very likely they will be eliminated.
But selecting the right ones is not an easy thing to do. Mainly because I do belong somewhere and it is totally inexpensive. But hey, for a pensioner like me every penny counts!
It is a very large national corporation but the gym is well equipped, not too far for me and there is ample parking there. So I signed up and have been going now for the third year. Ok, I don't go as frequently as I should but I do go and that's what counts!
Last week I was given the name of a company through which I can sign up to almost any health club and through them my health insurer will pay the cost of the membership.
I checked it all out and was pleasantly surprised when I saw my health insurer on the list of affiliated companies. According to this company I can sign up to almost any gym or health club and they are covered.
Now I am stumped. Never liked too many choices because it makes decision making a difficult process.
Yesterday I went to my gym and on the way home I stopped and checked out LA Fitness a national health club. The place is ginormous. It has everything one can think of including a large pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and all the machines under the sun. Plus a basketball court and a few racquetball courts.
Then in my neighborhood there are a few little more upscale gyms that I might be able to attend for FREE. The ones closer to me have serious parking problems so very likely they will be eliminated.
But selecting the right ones is not an easy thing to do. Mainly because I do belong somewhere and it is totally inexpensive. But hey, for a pensioner like me every penny counts!
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Gossip
One of the meanest thing in the world is gossip. Gossip is spread either by people who are vicious and want to cause harm to others or by people who are just plain stupid and don't bother with the facts but just interpret things the way their chicken brain absorbs it.
I am a responsible adult who just recently went through a life shattering shock. Almost eleven months ago I lost my wife of 35 years and suddenly found myself alone in this world without my partner. Nobody is prepared for something like that. People to whom something like that happens feel abandoned and lost in the sea of life.
I am a single man with no family but thankfully many friends. Currently I am trying to put my life in a semblance of normality so I may live trouble free from here on. I have absolutely no responsibility and I do not owe answers to anybody for my acts and decisions. I have no children and no blood relatives who might question my doings. It is my life and I live it anyway I like it!
Well, that is MY life policy.
As I mentioned in earlier writings, recently I did get involved with a very nice person whom I like a lot and who is making me very happy! We do get along nice, we are both easygoing and our times together are very pleasant.
In this process I might have inadvertently hurt some other people for which I really feel very bad but not bad enough to end my current relationship.
What really bothers me is the stupid gossip that is being spread about me by a person who seem to be too simple minded to bother with the facts and whose only concern is that she may appear to be the only one who has all the information.
I got aware of my life's story as was told and I was stunned by the viciousness and inaccuracies of the descriptions. But then a gossipmonger never bothers with the facts. That person just want to appear as the best informed all around. And it seems I am now the target of these gossips.
But the flip side of it is that I really don't care a bit. I do not socialize with those people, I do not mingle with those people and if this makes their dreary life more colorful, well then let them enjoy it.
I certainly enjoy mine!
I am a responsible adult who just recently went through a life shattering shock. Almost eleven months ago I lost my wife of 35 years and suddenly found myself alone in this world without my partner. Nobody is prepared for something like that. People to whom something like that happens feel abandoned and lost in the sea of life.
I am a single man with no family but thankfully many friends. Currently I am trying to put my life in a semblance of normality so I may live trouble free from here on. I have absolutely no responsibility and I do not owe answers to anybody for my acts and decisions. I have no children and no blood relatives who might question my doings. It is my life and I live it anyway I like it!
Well, that is MY life policy.
As I mentioned in earlier writings, recently I did get involved with a very nice person whom I like a lot and who is making me very happy! We do get along nice, we are both easygoing and our times together are very pleasant.
In this process I might have inadvertently hurt some other people for which I really feel very bad but not bad enough to end my current relationship.
What really bothers me is the stupid gossip that is being spread about me by a person who seem to be too simple minded to bother with the facts and whose only concern is that she may appear to be the only one who has all the information.
I got aware of my life's story as was told and I was stunned by the viciousness and inaccuracies of the descriptions. But then a gossipmonger never bothers with the facts. That person just want to appear as the best informed all around. And it seems I am now the target of these gossips.
But the flip side of it is that I really don't care a bit. I do not socialize with those people, I do not mingle with those people and if this makes their dreary life more colorful, well then let them enjoy it.
I certainly enjoy mine!
Monday, January 12, 2015
Sunday
Today I had a very lovely day. It was Sunday and such I did not plan to do anything useful. However my brother in law and his wife invited me and my lady friend to a birthday brunch in Manhattan which we gracefully accepted.
This was the first time they met my friend so naturally she was a little apprehensive but the whole thing went very smoothly, we had a great time, we had good drinks, good food and a lots of very warm conversation.
Even though this was a French restaurant the food I had was not really French. I had chicken paillard that I don't know what means but it was still good. The only French thing that I had was liver pate as appetizer. And, the others had no French food either but we still enjoyed the ambiance.
So we tried to order everything with a French accent.
The rest of the day before and after brunch I spent with my friend which was very pleasant.
Something else.
In the past few days I have been working on fixing our accommodation in Budapest during our upcoming Spring trip. We made some arrangements before but recently I was given a great website and that was very helpful in finding better places. So we eventually decided on one place, contacted the owner, received some information and today we finalized the deal.
In accordance with the contract we had to pay a deposit and that through PayPal. I think I might have used PayPal once in my lifetime but it turned out I did have an account. So I used my credit card which was already on file and forwarded the payment. There is nothing unusual about this because millions of people are using the PayPal method.
But what was good that after I submitted the payment I received two phone calls from PayPal. One automated and one from a live person. They just wanted to verify if my transaction was real and it was really me who made it. The security of this system made me feel pretty good. I was glad that somebody was looking out for my money.
This was the first time they met my friend so naturally she was a little apprehensive but the whole thing went very smoothly, we had a great time, we had good drinks, good food and a lots of very warm conversation.
Even though this was a French restaurant the food I had was not really French. I had chicken paillard that I don't know what means but it was still good. The only French thing that I had was liver pate as appetizer. And, the others had no French food either but we still enjoyed the ambiance.
So we tried to order everything with a French accent.
The rest of the day before and after brunch I spent with my friend which was very pleasant.
Something else.
In the past few days I have been working on fixing our accommodation in Budapest during our upcoming Spring trip. We made some arrangements before but recently I was given a great website and that was very helpful in finding better places. So we eventually decided on one place, contacted the owner, received some information and today we finalized the deal.
In accordance with the contract we had to pay a deposit and that through PayPal. I think I might have used PayPal once in my lifetime but it turned out I did have an account. So I used my credit card which was already on file and forwarded the payment. There is nothing unusual about this because millions of people are using the PayPal method.
But what was good that after I submitted the payment I received two phone calls from PayPal. One automated and one from a live person. They just wanted to verify if my transaction was real and it was really me who made it. The security of this system made me feel pretty good. I was glad that somebody was looking out for my money.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Post Birthday
The day has passed, another year is beginning. Suddenly at midnight last night I became a year older. Funny feeling but it's mine.
People don't have too many things that they can really call their own but birthdays are one of them. We all have one and that is one thing that should hold us together. We were all born on a particular day and particular time and that is ours and ours alone.
We can use it as a remembrance day to remember back our lives or just forget the whole thing and go about our business like any ordinary day. But somehow we all keep in our minds that particular day when we came to this world. And we all celebrate it in a different way.
My day yesterday turned out to be very nice. Even though I did write about that day I usually don't make it a big thing. I had a lot of birthdays and I'm kind of used to them. But this year's was made very special for different reasons.
One, that last year at this time my Wife gave me such a lovely card that I cried when I re-read it yesterday morning. Then She was here with me and we were happy and totally clueless of what the future had in store for us.
But things happened and now I am trying to normalize my life. I had an outpouring of love from my friends in the forms of greeting cards and telephone calls and every single one was greatly appreciated.
I also have a new person in my life who greatly contributed and continues to contribute to my all around well being. She is a very lovely young lady who for some unfathomable reason thinks a lot more of me than I do myself. We see each other a lot and enjoy being together. We laugh, we joke, we banter. And at this time my spirits are soaring.
If this means to be therapy it is working. If this is just sheer luck from my part then I am now a very lucky man. As I noted before she is a pretty young lady and being with her makes me feel young again and that is one of the greatest feeling one can have.
People don't have too many things that they can really call their own but birthdays are one of them. We all have one and that is one thing that should hold us together. We were all born on a particular day and particular time and that is ours and ours alone.
We can use it as a remembrance day to remember back our lives or just forget the whole thing and go about our business like any ordinary day. But somehow we all keep in our minds that particular day when we came to this world. And we all celebrate it in a different way.
My day yesterday turned out to be very nice. Even though I did write about that day I usually don't make it a big thing. I had a lot of birthdays and I'm kind of used to them. But this year's was made very special for different reasons.
One, that last year at this time my Wife gave me such a lovely card that I cried when I re-read it yesterday morning. Then She was here with me and we were happy and totally clueless of what the future had in store for us.
But things happened and now I am trying to normalize my life. I had an outpouring of love from my friends in the forms of greeting cards and telephone calls and every single one was greatly appreciated.
I also have a new person in my life who greatly contributed and continues to contribute to my all around well being. She is a very lovely young lady who for some unfathomable reason thinks a lot more of me than I do myself. We see each other a lot and enjoy being together. We laugh, we joke, we banter. And at this time my spirits are soaring.
If this means to be therapy it is working. If this is just sheer luck from my part then I am now a very lucky man. As I noted before she is a pretty young lady and being with her makes me feel young again and that is one of the greatest feeling one can have.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
January 9
I don't know when a newborn baby opens his eyes the first time and when he does, does he register the world around him. But regardless to these events the point is that 78 years ago today this baby came to the world, opened his eyes and probably thought in Hungarian, oh shit!
But anyway, all day today when I am writing this I am celebrating my birthday. This morning when I woke up I gave myself two kisses. One in each cheek (face that is)!
But seriously, I received a bunch of Birthday cards, phone calls and other stuff. And they all felt very good.
As Sally Field said when she received the Academy Award: somebody out there like me!
But really 78 years is a hell of a long time to be on this earth. But regardless, I have no plans to leave just yet.
In this past 78 years I did go through a lot. I'm not comparing it to anybody else because countless people went through lot more and lot worse but still this is my life I did go through a lot.
If I would ever sit down and try to write my life's history with all the ups and downs I would probably be the only buyer for that book but the bottom line or the evidence would show that somebody or something is looking out for me.
I survived so much horror, sadness and unhappiness that I even surprise myself that like a good Timex watch I keep ticking. In line with what I always say no matter what happens the next day the sun comes up and there is a new day beginning.
With that in mind I keep my life going, refusing the number value of my age and looking forward to the next day. Because as they say 78 is only a number. Or as Jack Benny said I am 39 twice.
And I advise all my younger friends who are in the same ballpark and the same age and model as I am to think the same way!
Happy Birthday to me with all my love and hope!
But anyway, all day today when I am writing this I am celebrating my birthday. This morning when I woke up I gave myself two kisses. One in each cheek (face that is)!
But seriously, I received a bunch of Birthday cards, phone calls and other stuff. And they all felt very good.
As Sally Field said when she received the Academy Award: somebody out there like me!
But really 78 years is a hell of a long time to be on this earth. But regardless, I have no plans to leave just yet.
In this past 78 years I did go through a lot. I'm not comparing it to anybody else because countless people went through lot more and lot worse but still this is my life I did go through a lot.
If I would ever sit down and try to write my life's history with all the ups and downs I would probably be the only buyer for that book but the bottom line or the evidence would show that somebody or something is looking out for me.
I survived so much horror, sadness and unhappiness that I even surprise myself that like a good Timex watch I keep ticking. In line with what I always say no matter what happens the next day the sun comes up and there is a new day beginning.
With that in mind I keep my life going, refusing the number value of my age and looking forward to the next day. Because as they say 78 is only a number. Or as Jack Benny said I am 39 twice.
And I advise all my younger friends who are in the same ballpark and the same age and model as I am to think the same way!
Happy Birthday to me with all my love and hope!
Friday, January 9, 2015
Cold Thursday
I woke up on Thursday morning to a "brutally" cold day. The word brutally is not my definition, it is what the media says. I had the radio on and all they were talking about how cold it really was.
Somebody who is not from this area could think that such a weather is unusual around here yet we go through his every single winter. I mean come on! We are not living in Savannah, Georgia where this cold would be unheard of, we are living in New York City where this should be the norm at this time of the year.
Yes, it is cold. At nine o'clock it was 11 degrees Fahrenheit, that's about -12 degrees Celsius. That is brisky! But six months from now they will be crying about how hot it is. It is never satisfactory. The media don't seem to find anything interesting to talk about so they panic the people about the ill effects of these extreme weather conditions.
What's the solution? I have one.
Let's do like the American Indians or the ancient Mongols used to do. Pack up our belongings, put them on top of our cars and move en mass to a warmer climate in the winter and a cooler climate in the summer.
Oh, wait a minute. I think people are already doing that. They are called snowbirds. At the beginning of winter they go to Florida and when the warm weather returns in the Northeast they come back North.
So, here is an idea. At the beginning of winter, late fall the entire New York City moves to Florida leaving only a caretaker crew here. And while the city is empty they clean it thoroughly, fix the potholes and make it livable by the time we return.
And when Florida empties out they do the same down there including disinfecting it after the Northerners. Just like hotels do after each guest leave.
Somebody who is not from this area could think that such a weather is unusual around here yet we go through his every single winter. I mean come on! We are not living in Savannah, Georgia where this cold would be unheard of, we are living in New York City where this should be the norm at this time of the year.
Yes, it is cold. At nine o'clock it was 11 degrees Fahrenheit, that's about -12 degrees Celsius. That is brisky! But six months from now they will be crying about how hot it is. It is never satisfactory. The media don't seem to find anything interesting to talk about so they panic the people about the ill effects of these extreme weather conditions.
What's the solution? I have one.
Let's do like the American Indians or the ancient Mongols used to do. Pack up our belongings, put them on top of our cars and move en mass to a warmer climate in the winter and a cooler climate in the summer.
Oh, wait a minute. I think people are already doing that. They are called snowbirds. At the beginning of winter they go to Florida and when the warm weather returns in the Northeast they come back North.
So, here is an idea. At the beginning of winter, late fall the entire New York City moves to Florida leaving only a caretaker crew here. And while the city is empty they clean it thoroughly, fix the potholes and make it livable by the time we return.
And when Florida empties out they do the same down there including disinfecting it after the Northerners. Just like hotels do after each guest leave.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Wednesday
I can not get over how sophisticated technology is. Maybe it is not that sophisticated but I am naïve or unknowledgeable. But still every day I am stunned at things that I discover.
Yesterday I had to contact my internet protection company because I lost their program and the computer was unprotected. Since I am a subscriber there was no problem for them to install it again.
I was talking to this nice guy in Madras, India and he did what was needed to be done. What amazed me and it does amaze me every single time was that how he took over control of my computer and did the entire work from that faraway place like if he was sitting here in my apartment. I was just sitting there watching the mouse go all over the screen under his control without me lifting a finger.
The flip side of this is that if he can do it what stops others from doing the same thing to anybody's computer? This guy was asking permission from me, he went the legal way. But that is just a formality to protect them. What about somebody who just doesn't care the legality and protection and does this without permission? Thinking about it, it is scary.
One of the things that amaze me is what can be found on YouTube. That is a fantastic site. Not that everything American can be found on it but I was dreaming up old Hungarian movie titles or show people and everything just pop up.
This afternoon I was watching old comedy sketches in Hungarian from comedians who were big in my time. Surprisingly many of their acts are preserved on YouTube. I don't know who has the patience, time and energy to do the preservation for posterity but whoever it is I am grateful for it.
Yesterday I had to contact my internet protection company because I lost their program and the computer was unprotected. Since I am a subscriber there was no problem for them to install it again.
I was talking to this nice guy in Madras, India and he did what was needed to be done. What amazed me and it does amaze me every single time was that how he took over control of my computer and did the entire work from that faraway place like if he was sitting here in my apartment. I was just sitting there watching the mouse go all over the screen under his control without me lifting a finger.
The flip side of this is that if he can do it what stops others from doing the same thing to anybody's computer? This guy was asking permission from me, he went the legal way. But that is just a formality to protect them. What about somebody who just doesn't care the legality and protection and does this without permission? Thinking about it, it is scary.
One of the things that amaze me is what can be found on YouTube. That is a fantastic site. Not that everything American can be found on it but I was dreaming up old Hungarian movie titles or show people and everything just pop up.
This afternoon I was watching old comedy sketches in Hungarian from comedians who were big in my time. Surprisingly many of their acts are preserved on YouTube. I don't know who has the patience, time and energy to do the preservation for posterity but whoever it is I am grateful for it.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Tuesday
Yesterday I received an e-mail from my Wife's niece from Budapest. As always I was glad that she wrote and after I finished it I was really and pleasantly surprised.
She is a very nice young lady who visited here last year for about four and a half weeks two of which we spent in lovely St. Maarten.
This young lady is a gastro writer which means she writes about food generally and coffee specifically. While here in New York she visited countless small coffee houses and upon returning to Budapest wrote and made presentations about them.
She is good, well known and is in demand about her critiques.
It seems that one of the websites asked her to write about diners. Not dinners but diners. When she was here we visited a few but not enough to form some kind of a picture about them.
Knowing that I dabble in this blog she asked me if I would write something about this subject. Well, if it has anything to do with eating and New York count me in!
I naturally eagerly agreed and feel very honored that I was asked. I started to write yesterday and at this time I am almost done with my masterpiece. I write in English mainly because that's how I think and it is a lot easier for me to put things down.
I don't know how well I write but aside from that I like writing. Don't have much imagination so I can not write a book but have no problem with short stuff.
I can't make a living from it but it's hobby now. And it is a harmless hobby.
She is a very nice young lady who visited here last year for about four and a half weeks two of which we spent in lovely St. Maarten.
This young lady is a gastro writer which means she writes about food generally and coffee specifically. While here in New York she visited countless small coffee houses and upon returning to Budapest wrote and made presentations about them.
She is good, well known and is in demand about her critiques.
It seems that one of the websites asked her to write about diners. Not dinners but diners. When she was here we visited a few but not enough to form some kind of a picture about them.
Knowing that I dabble in this blog she asked me if I would write something about this subject. Well, if it has anything to do with eating and New York count me in!
I naturally eagerly agreed and feel very honored that I was asked. I started to write yesterday and at this time I am almost done with my masterpiece. I write in English mainly because that's how I think and it is a lot easier for me to put things down.
I don't know how well I write but aside from that I like writing. Don't have much imagination so I can not write a book but have no problem with short stuff.
I can't make a living from it but it's hobby now. And it is a harmless hobby.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Monday
Last night and this morning there was news item about a 70+ year old man, who was some kind of a hedge fund manager found being shot to death in New York City.
This on its own would not make the news but where it happened did. It happened on Beekman Place which is a very ritzy Manhattan neighborhood by the United Nations.
This person who was murdered was no slouch. He lived in a six or eight room apartment and being a hedge fund manager I'm sure was well off. As it turned out his thirty year old son was the culprit and as I heard he was already arrested.
Reporters interviewed people in the area about this and that was what got me irked. One person was going on and on saying what a good neighborhood that was, that things like this do not happen in their area. I really got pissed at that uppity jerk.
Why, they can only kill in Bedford Stuyvesant? He made it sound like that in the other parts of town people can walk around with guns or knives in their hands and kill anybody they wish but on Beekman Place these things do not happen.
I got news for him. His s..t smells just the same as the ones in Bedford Stuy.
I hate these Manhattanites who think they are better than the rest of us peons who live in the burbs.
Something else.
Today the first time in several weeks I returned to the gym for a good morning workout. It wasn't very easy but I think I managed it and at the end of it it really felt good. The holidays are almost over and I must start my mea culpa to my body. We'll see how far this thing will go!
This on its own would not make the news but where it happened did. It happened on Beekman Place which is a very ritzy Manhattan neighborhood by the United Nations.
This person who was murdered was no slouch. He lived in a six or eight room apartment and being a hedge fund manager I'm sure was well off. As it turned out his thirty year old son was the culprit and as I heard he was already arrested.
Reporters interviewed people in the area about this and that was what got me irked. One person was going on and on saying what a good neighborhood that was, that things like this do not happen in their area. I really got pissed at that uppity jerk.
Why, they can only kill in Bedford Stuyvesant? He made it sound like that in the other parts of town people can walk around with guns or knives in their hands and kill anybody they wish but on Beekman Place these things do not happen.
I got news for him. His s..t smells just the same as the ones in Bedford Stuy.
I hate these Manhattanites who think they are better than the rest of us peons who live in the burbs.
Something else.
Today the first time in several weeks I returned to the gym for a good morning workout. It wasn't very easy but I think I managed it and at the end of it it really felt good. The holidays are almost over and I must start my mea culpa to my body. We'll see how far this thing will go!
Monday, January 5, 2015
Sunday
All day today it was Sunday. True to my "tradition" Sunday is a day of rest. Rest means there is nothing useful being done. And why change a good old proven system?
The day just rolled along and by the time I noticed it was time to write and kind of finishing the day.
Didn't go out all day, just stay in and since there was a pretty crappy day outside nothing in my body wanted to go out.
In the past couple of days the tire pressure light on my car's dashboard lights up. Since the middle of the week I had to twice put air in the right front tire. According to the book it needs 34psi pressure and when I check it it is down to about 24psi.
I visually can not see anything but that doesn't mean that there is no nail or something else in it. This thing ticks me off. It is a brand new car and I certainly don't need this. The car has been standing in the garage all day today and I am a little concerned of what will I find tomorrow morning when I plan to take it out.
Actually I do have an appointment for a week from Tuesday for my first service which will only be an oil change but I wanted to stick it out until that time.
Every gas station that I know charge money for the use of their air pump but there is one nice station close to me where the air is free as it should be. Now I am becoming a frequent visitor there.
One thing people do not want to see in a new car: red lights lighting up in the dashboard. All we want is a piece of mind. But this is New York and why shouldn't there be stuff in the streets that cause damage to automobiles?
The day just rolled along and by the time I noticed it was time to write and kind of finishing the day.
Didn't go out all day, just stay in and since there was a pretty crappy day outside nothing in my body wanted to go out.
In the past couple of days the tire pressure light on my car's dashboard lights up. Since the middle of the week I had to twice put air in the right front tire. According to the book it needs 34psi pressure and when I check it it is down to about 24psi.
I visually can not see anything but that doesn't mean that there is no nail or something else in it. This thing ticks me off. It is a brand new car and I certainly don't need this. The car has been standing in the garage all day today and I am a little concerned of what will I find tomorrow morning when I plan to take it out.
Actually I do have an appointment for a week from Tuesday for my first service which will only be an oil change but I wanted to stick it out until that time.
Every gas station that I know charge money for the use of their air pump but there is one nice station close to me where the air is free as it should be. Now I am becoming a frequent visitor there.
One thing people do not want to see in a new car: red lights lighting up in the dashboard. All we want is a piece of mind. But this is New York and why shouldn't there be stuff in the streets that cause damage to automobiles?
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Saturday
Today is January 3, 2015, midday and it is snowing. There is nothing peculiar about snow since it is winter and snow should be a natural thing.
The interesting thing about this that last year, January 3, 2014 it was also snowing. We woke up in the morning to a considerable white blanket because it started during the night and continued almost all day. Same day, same type of weather.
True to form the radio news programs are having verbal orgasms about the snow. Like if it were in June or July. They don't seem to grasp that it is winter and snow is a winter event.
I happen to love snow and cold. I am impatiently waiting when conditions are just right for me to go skiing. Yes, I still want to ski.
Last winter for reasons known I did not go at all. It was my choice and I do not regret it. But life goes on and this time I want to rekindle my love affair with the white stuff, the mountains and cold weather.
Naturally, since I am two years older since my last incursion into the snowy world I am a more cautious person but just getting dressed up, drive up into the mountains, put my skis on my feet and go up to the top of the hill and look down is exciting and I can hardly wait for it.
Getting down to the bottom of the hill in one piece is another challenge and it is not all excitement it is more on the scary side. But I'll try to manage it with grace and style befitting a senior citizen.
Anyway, right now I will be going to the window and watch the snow coming down.
The interesting thing about this that last year, January 3, 2014 it was also snowing. We woke up in the morning to a considerable white blanket because it started during the night and continued almost all day. Same day, same type of weather.
True to form the radio news programs are having verbal orgasms about the snow. Like if it were in June or July. They don't seem to grasp that it is winter and snow is a winter event.
I happen to love snow and cold. I am impatiently waiting when conditions are just right for me to go skiing. Yes, I still want to ski.
Last winter for reasons known I did not go at all. It was my choice and I do not regret it. But life goes on and this time I want to rekindle my love affair with the white stuff, the mountains and cold weather.
Naturally, since I am two years older since my last incursion into the snowy world I am a more cautious person but just getting dressed up, drive up into the mountains, put my skis on my feet and go up to the top of the hill and look down is exciting and I can hardly wait for it.
Getting down to the bottom of the hill in one piece is another challenge and it is not all excitement it is more on the scary side. But I'll try to manage it with grace and style befitting a senior citizen.
Anyway, right now I will be going to the window and watch the snow coming down.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Time Square
New Year's Eve we and a few other people were watching ABC TV broadcast from Times Square in New York. The main attraction was the dropping of the ball at midnight. But to me the main attraction was watching the people freezing their asses off while waiting for the big event.
It never ceases to amaze me how much people are willing to put up with for a small amount of entertainment and a slim chance for being on live television. People can complain for the smallest change in their everyday life is that change creates discomfort. But they are willing to stand in the cold for hours, pee in a coffee cup if needed for a chance to see the ball drop.
As far as I know some people were there as early as 8-9 in the morning. The rule was if anyone left their "corral" they were given a hard time upon their return for the sake of security. So, what did they do when nature called. Because in all those hours and cold temperatures nature definitely called I'm sure.
It was interesting to see that about twenty minutes after Midnight Times Square almost all empty. I guess people couldn't wait to get out of there. Then why bother to go?
We watched it on Television from the comforts of a nice warm home. And couldn't understand what was the magic of being there and freeze at the same time.
Maybe all those people -few millions of them- were lonely people who had no place to go and figured Times Square was as god as any place.
We had a lovely party. I was with my friends in their friend's house were there was an abundance of food and drinks. We didn't eat or drink ourselves silly but still managed to have good time.
We discovered that conversation is good entertainment, also. We were there until past one am and by the time I got home it was about 2:15 in the morning. But this was not important. The important thing was that this was the first time I was out at New Year's Eve in about ten years and I enjoyed myself immensely.
Maybe I'll celebrate Chinese New Year so I can have a party.
It never ceases to amaze me how much people are willing to put up with for a small amount of entertainment and a slim chance for being on live television. People can complain for the smallest change in their everyday life is that change creates discomfort. But they are willing to stand in the cold for hours, pee in a coffee cup if needed for a chance to see the ball drop.
As far as I know some people were there as early as 8-9 in the morning. The rule was if anyone left their "corral" they were given a hard time upon their return for the sake of security. So, what did they do when nature called. Because in all those hours and cold temperatures nature definitely called I'm sure.
It was interesting to see that about twenty minutes after Midnight Times Square almost all empty. I guess people couldn't wait to get out of there. Then why bother to go?
We watched it on Television from the comforts of a nice warm home. And couldn't understand what was the magic of being there and freeze at the same time.
Maybe all those people -few millions of them- were lonely people who had no place to go and figured Times Square was as god as any place.
We had a lovely party. I was with my friends in their friend's house were there was an abundance of food and drinks. We didn't eat or drink ourselves silly but still managed to have good time.
We discovered that conversation is good entertainment, also. We were there until past one am and by the time I got home it was about 2:15 in the morning. But this was not important. The important thing was that this was the first time I was out at New Year's Eve in about ten years and I enjoyed myself immensely.
Maybe I'll celebrate Chinese New Year so I can have a party.
Friday, January 2, 2015
English
This past Tuesday I was in Manhattan as I already described in a previous writing. I used the subway for my mode of transportation which I think is the best way to get around the City. I am not in love with the system but as far getting somewhere the subway is the best mode of transportation.
So there I am sitting in an almost empty subway car and kind of enjoying the trip when a Hispanic mother and her teenage son get on the train. She had an Apple smart phone in her hand and dressed pretty fairly. Mother and son were conversing in Spanish.
She suddenly turned to me and asked if I spoke Spanish. I said no but the lady sitting next to me sais she did. Long Spanish conversation ensued and finally she got off at the next stop.
What happened was the she wanted to the Grand Central Station in Manhattan. Unfortunately she was travelling in the opposite direction and getting further and further away from her destination. It seemed she had no idea how to get to where she wanted to go and neither did her son. Getting off the train and changing travel direction was the remedy and I hope she eventually found Grand Central Station.
Why did I write this?
Because this person was not a tourist, she didn't look like somebody who just got in this country or city. So how come a person as young as she was can not speak the language of the country she is staying in?
People live in New York for decades never learn English because they live in their on enclaves, work with their own nationalities or just don't want to learn the language.
I feel absolutely no sympathy for these people whenever they get in the bind. I would never dream of settling in let's say Finland and not learn Finn so why other people get away with it?
It is just plain wrong. I came from another country, didn't know any English went to night school and made every effort to learn the language.
Learning English is an equal opportunity possibility.
So there I am sitting in an almost empty subway car and kind of enjoying the trip when a Hispanic mother and her teenage son get on the train. She had an Apple smart phone in her hand and dressed pretty fairly. Mother and son were conversing in Spanish.
She suddenly turned to me and asked if I spoke Spanish. I said no but the lady sitting next to me sais she did. Long Spanish conversation ensued and finally she got off at the next stop.
What happened was the she wanted to the Grand Central Station in Manhattan. Unfortunately she was travelling in the opposite direction and getting further and further away from her destination. It seemed she had no idea how to get to where she wanted to go and neither did her son. Getting off the train and changing travel direction was the remedy and I hope she eventually found Grand Central Station.
Why did I write this?
Because this person was not a tourist, she didn't look like somebody who just got in this country or city. So how come a person as young as she was can not speak the language of the country she is staying in?
People live in New York for decades never learn English because they live in their on enclaves, work with their own nationalities or just don't want to learn the language.
I feel absolutely no sympathy for these people whenever they get in the bind. I would never dream of settling in let's say Finland and not learn Finn so why other people get away with it?
It is just plain wrong. I came from another country, didn't know any English went to night school and made every effort to learn the language.
Learning English is an equal opportunity possibility.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
New Year
Today is the last day of 2014. By the time is published it is next year but I am still sitting in the "Old Year".
Man, this year went fast.
For me it was one of the worst year of my life. It was not the worst but one of the worst. My life took a dramatic change because of the loss of my Wife early this year.
It is over ten months ago that She passed away. Her memory didn't dim at all. She is in my heart and in my soul. At this time I am trying to put my life on the right track meaning I am trying to get back to a normal existence. It is not easy but I am doing my best.
As far as I am concerned this year there was no greater event than the loss of my loved one. I had no health scare, I had no financial scare and that's just about it. What else can a man at my age ask for?
I will not go on and on because I have a New Year's Eve party to go to.
In short, I wish everybody who read this a Very Happy and Healthy and UNEVENTFUL New Year in 2015.
Man, this year went fast.
For me it was one of the worst year of my life. It was not the worst but one of the worst. My life took a dramatic change because of the loss of my Wife early this year.
It is over ten months ago that She passed away. Her memory didn't dim at all. She is in my heart and in my soul. At this time I am trying to put my life on the right track meaning I am trying to get back to a normal existence. It is not easy but I am doing my best.
As far as I am concerned this year there was no greater event than the loss of my loved one. I had no health scare, I had no financial scare and that's just about it. What else can a man at my age ask for?
I will not go on and on because I have a New Year's Eve party to go to.
In short, I wish everybody who read this a Very Happy and Healthy and UNEVENTFUL New Year in 2015.
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