Tuesday

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

As far as they are concerned everything was on schedule!

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

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

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

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

Now who would not like to hear such good news.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Appointment

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

I rarely forget anything important.

Except today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Sunday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now why was this interesting and ironic?

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

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

Diet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speed

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maybe I should emigrate to Long Island.

X-mas

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

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

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

Religion has absolutely no meaning at all.

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

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

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

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

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

Now I know I will go to hell for this!

Christmas Eve

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

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

Now, that was a real holiday observance.

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

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

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

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

And I do hope everybody is having a nice Christmas!