REALLY

What if I actually wanted to write a real blog, and keep it going and add things to it every day?  I've often thought about doing this, but what if no one read it?  Worse, what if I bared my soul and put down things that I really feel, and everyone read it?  I know I have lots to say; God knows I'm always thinking stuff, and some of it comes out of my mouth at the most inopportune time, and I end up with my food in my mouth, up to my knee.

So, I googled "best blog sites" and came up with a short list. After getting excited, I looked further, and found out that the blog pages that are most recommended require having a website with a dedicated web address.  Well, I've always wanted to have a website too...I need a website for my photography, so the research continued.  At $3.49/month it seemed reasonable, and I began the setup process.  Of course the $3.49/month turned into an up front payment of $181 with real monthly payments closer to $20/month.  Still not bad, but, now I had to ask myself if I really needed a website in order to have a blog.  And, did I really want a blog page?  Would I really keep it up?  Would I really write every day with the hopes that someone would (or wouldn't) read my posts.  And, do I really have that much to say?  And  do I really want people to know what I'm really thinking?  And should I really be telling people what I really think, or should I mind my own business and let them live their lives in blissful ignorance?

Now, my brain hurts, and I have to think about what is real and what isn't.   To be continued....

EASTER PARADE 2014

A lovely stroll down Fifth Avenue on Easter Sunday.  I thought there would be only a few people strolling along with their Easter finery and a few hats.  Boy was I wrong!

 We had followed this beautiful hat all the way to Fifth Avenue.

It soon became apparent that there were more than a few people and more than a few hats.

Expecting the old fashioned "women's hats", we were fascinated with the creations worn by men.

 There were homemade hats.

There were dancing children.






 There were hats that went with costumes.

Easter Themed Hats

Spring Hats

Hats For All!

Smorgasburg- Opening Day

April 5, 2015

We set out to sample the sights and tastes of Smorgasburg, one of the "Brooklyn Fleas" held on every Saturday during the summer in Williamsburg.

 There were vendors there, to be sure, but the fierce wind kept everyone from enjoying the day to the fullest.  Popcorn blew away, jars and bottles blew out of the displays and people had to hold on for dear life when the worst gusts blew.

 Gila and I decided that it was safer to walk into town, away from the water and find a warm place to sit down and eat.

We found Mike Lee's Corner....

And Mikey's Hook Up

And then we came to Sea...a Thai restaurant on N 6th St.  The food was great and we stayed warm.  

And watched the flower boat float around the pool next to our table.

BLIND EYE

What were Penn State officials, including Joe Paterno thinking? Time and time again, they were approached by credible witnesses who presented evidence that there was one person in their midst who, by his actions, was harming both the institution they represented and one or more innocent victims. Victims, who, because of the authority that the figure of Jerry Sandusky wielded, were being hurt, maybe irreparably. Time and time again, these officials expressed their "party line" that they didn't exactly know how to handle it, or were afraid that it could hurt Penn State's image. It was easier for them to turn a blind eye.


How often, in day to day life, do we run into this situation? How many of us will follow what the other members of a group do, even if we know it is wrong, just because we don't want to stand out, or be the only one standing up for what is right. How often have we participated in a group decision just because it was easier to go along and not make waves. Are we really more comfortable turning a blind eye to a situation we know we should do something about? Apparently we are because we see it time and time again.


But, more importantly, how many of us have been the victim of this kind of situation. It doesn't have to be as serious as that of being molested. It could be anything from a simple case of "schoolyard bullying" to a more difficult case of a person in power deciding that they don't like someone who is subordinate to them, and making their life a living hell. How many people are the victim of a workplace coverup, being bullied by a person who has the power to make or break their reputation in the workplace and not being supported by those above that person because to do so would cause them embarrassment or shame?


The government has enacted laws to protect those suffering discrimination because of age, sex, disability and several other "protected" reasons. Even whistle-blowers are protected by the law. But the law has no provision to protect a person from an official or a boss who has just taken it into their head to dislike them. It's not illegal for a person in power to harass and bully a person, to humiliate and embarrass them in front of their peers and others just because they don't like them. There is no protection for that person unless they can prove that it was done for one of the protected reasons. But we all know that this is not always possible. Those with the real authority find it easier to turn a blind eye.


We know how hard it is for a victim to come forward when they feel they have been wronged. But it is even harder for those victims who have seen that time after time the persecutor is supported by those who should be stopping the reprehensible behavior. Jerry Sandusky was able to commit wrongs against young people for years because no one protected those children, even though it was known they were being hurt. We need to stop protective behavior of those who are obviously and clearly hurting other people. Yes, one person may be a fluke or a false accuser, but when others come forward, all with enough matching threads in their stories to make them plauseable, those in authority must not turn a blind eye, but act decisively to look into the situation and put a stop to the harmful behavior.


Penn State, their football team, their fans, their students, their future students, and their entire school would be in a much better place if the officials who were entrusted with the monitoring of abusive situations had not been afflicted with a blind eye.

iPhone5 Mania at 5am

What in the world was I doing?  In the first place, I was never really sure that there was a 5AM.  I had heard about it; some of my friends told me that their alarms set for it, but I didn’t really believe them.  But, having lost my i-Phone4S to WW and having had to deal with the ancient technology of the iPhone3G for four weeks, I found myself on the way to the nearest Apple retail store at 5AM to get in line for the newly released iPhone5. 

As I swung out of my driveway, at 4:56AM, three cars surprised me by passing me.  I was sure they were on their way to get their own iPhone5, and would somehow end up in front of me on line and get the last available phone.  I was patently aware that I had left the house without having coffee, but now that there were others out there, I had no time to stop.  It was amazing to me that anyone else was on the road.

I don’t like crowds and I don’t like lines.  I had never waited on line for concert tickets, and had taken advantage of previous “pre-orders”, or just waited to buy other Apple products I own.  People who camped out for days to be the first in line to buy something mystified me.  I had watched with disdain all the newscasts showing customers setting up tents, sitting in the rain and camping out for days in order to ensure that they were the first to be able to buy what was being sold.  Yet, here I was, lawn chair in trunk, at the UNGODLY hour of 5AM, driving 45 minutes to buy a phone.  I was sure I would be the oldest person a line of geeks and nerds and techie teenagers.  I wasn’t even sure the mall would be open for the line to form outside the store, but I was prepared to wait the hours until the 8am release.

At 5:45am, the line stretched from the front of the Apple store, across the top floor of the mall, and down the other side of the walkway.  I set up my chair, sat down, took out my book and started to read.  The two men in front of me on line, Bob and John, were talking to a dark haired, chubby woman named Betty, who wore black tights and a black chiffon ballet skirt that resembled a jester’s collar.  “I work there,” she announced nodding toward the Apple store, “but I’m on line for my parents.  They will be coming in a few minutes, but I’m only buying one phone, honest.”   Right.  As they talked, it became clear that this odd looking girl had a deep knowledge of Apple products.  She assured us that the supply of phones would not run out before our end of the line, which is what every one of us was worried about. Why else would we be there at 6AM? (Another hour that I see as little as possible of) I got up to start counting where I was on line, and Bob told me we were about 43 people back.  Not bad.

I became aware that the line had filled in considerably behind me when Barry, behind me, asked the security guard if there was anyplace open to get coffee.  He offered to buy me coffee if I would save his place.  I would have done anything for coffee at that point, and, even thou no one actually challenged me, I fiercely protected his spot on the floor next to me while he was gone, thus earning the precious black liquid.  Barry has been on line for every release of every Apple product that has come out.  He is a retiree who has a consulting company for financial planners that he works at two days a week and is selling his home in Westchester to move to Connecticut to be closer to his married kids.  Bob and John are developers who write programs for apps and invent other software and games.  They drove in from Pennsylvania because there are no Apple stores near them and they didn’t want to wait on the New York City lines.  Evalyn, behind Barry, was there to get the phone for her son’s birthday, today.  He thinks she is on her way to the city for work. OK, so, where are the geeks and nerds? These were all nice, normal, friendly people.  As I looked down the line, I calculated the average age of the crazy iPhone5 fanatics to be 50.  There were a lot of us old people on the line.

Sipping my coffee, I returned to my book.  “Would you like a bottle of water?”  I looked up to find an Apple Specialist offering bottles of water to the crowd.  The line was peppered with them; Specialists who would be selling us our phones in an hour, mingling with the crowd, giving out refreshment and answering questions.  There were questions about the new phone, which they had seen, but not been allowed to purchase unless they were waiting on line like Betty, questions about servers, iPads, MacBook Pros, programming, and a myriad of other topics.  Before they go on the floor to sell, staffers are given a full month of training on every Apple product ever released.

I was beginning to be impressed with the level of consideration for me, the customer, when the coffee cart appeared.  OK, so, now I’m very impressed.  Coffee and tea for a line of geeks, nerds, techie teens and old people, was a service that didn’t need to be provided, but added a level of respect that I had not expected.  I was now standing, my book forgotten, conversing with intelligent people about subjects that ranged from computers to children. I wasn’t on a line…I was at a party!

Suddenly, the line was moving…it was 7:57.  Folding my chair into its carrying case, I was moving closer to the front of the store when applause broke out.  The 30 (or more) Specialists in the store had opened the doors, and were applauding the customers who were waiting on line.  We were important!  We were big shots!  The applause continued for a full minute as the first, then second and third on line walked into the store, each greeted by their own personal Apple Specialist who would stay with them until they had selected their product and were satisfied that their phone was set up, and they knew and could use all the new features.  By 8:16, I was next in line to go in the store.  A Specialist took my lawn chair, promising to guard it, and I was greeted by Joan, my own personal shopper!  By 8:30, I had selected my phone, had my number and contacts transferred over.  I was on my way to the tech table to learn all the new features when I got my first text message.  My husband, who had pre-ordered his new iPhone5 from the phone company, and was promised delivery on the release date (today) had been notified that his phone would not arrive until Monday. 

Let them all laugh at me! I have my phone in hand, I met some fun people and I had a great experience.  Maybe, if the Rolling Stones come to the Garden, I’ll try to get some tickets…I guess learning that there is a 5AM wasn’t so bad after all.

Who's Paranoid?

paranoia |ˌparəˈnoiə|nouna mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically elaborated into an organized system.

I used to live on Long Island.  The biggest hospital on the Island was Pilgrim State Psychiatric Hospital.  It was a large complex composed of many out buildings that housed what we politically un-correctly referred to as "the mentals".    When we were bad, our parents threatened us with being left there for a night. I had a picture in my mind of what the inside of a ward might look like, with people cowering in corners or under tables, afraid of anyone who looked at them, shrieking and running away insanely  if anyone approached.  The halls were dark, the rooms small and dingy.  Thank God the mentals were locked in there and could do not harm to us.
What I didn't realize at the time, is that they are not all locked up and getting the care they need.  In fact, they live among us.  They don't always cower in corners or under tables; they hold jobs, walk the streets and hide their crazy. That doesn't mean that they aren't dangerous.  It seems to me that the higher up on the food chain some people go, the more paranoid they get.  Let's take the "exaggerated self-importance" piece of the definition.  After attaining a top position in a company, a paranoid will proceed to micromanage those below him creating the impression that by doing it all, they are even more important.  Usually, however, they don't know what they're doing to the point of incredible incompetence.  Does that stop them?  Absolutely not, in fact, it spurs them on and drives them forward.  It's as if a person building a house dictated directions to the electrician, plumber and sheet-rocker with absolutely no knowledge of any of these crafts.
Delusions of persecution are common and subtly exhibited.  A reserved "Parking for CEO" sign may suddenly be with a "Reserved Parking" sign, indicating fear of revenge for some deed being taken out on the CEO's car. A department, operating as a well oiled machine, with a top team, may be seen as a threat with possibilities of a conspiracy and dismantled person by person until nothing but chaos remains. A friendly conversation between two friends turns into an evil plot-hatching session where information is exchanged that will feed the enemy and ultimately bring down the ruling regime, which happens to be lead by the paranoid. 
The "unwarranted jealousy'" would be comical to behold if it weren't so pitiful.  Most experts agree that extreme jealousy usually stems from insecurity.  It is really fear of abandonment that leads a man to become so jealous of his partner that he ultimately destroys their relationship with his mistrust.  Often, the object of the jealousy is just a pour soul whose only fault is that they are comfortable in their skin, and actually poses no threat to the aforementioned relationship.  This is usually the case with the CEO who is more worried about being excluded, and sees the well functioning team as a threat to their authority, and seeks to destroy it.  Watching a CEO take apart such a team rather than let it be a reflection of his leadership, actually presents the real picture of that CEO's leadership, or lack thereof.
Arranging these traits into a well organized system is usually made easier for the paranoid because he is skilled at flattery and deceit. Pitting one employee against another or painting a manager with the "incompetence" brush is easy because he is able to use his position to hint at favors being curried in exchange for support.  These persons will flourish when there is weakness or stupidity above them in the food chain or they are physically attractive enough to "bat the eyelashes" to get what they want.
We must all be aware of these people and how dangerous they are, and do what we can to protect ourselves.  Make sure the information flows around them and not through them.  Believe nothing that they tell you, especially if the statements are accompanied by fluttering eyelashes.  Watch the antics, but don't get close enough to participate or be touched by them. Remember that knives ALWAYS come out of a back with blood on them.  Don't let it be yours.

Wildlife in the Backyard

I was recently talking to a friend who complained that there was no longer any wildlife in his backyard.  "We used to see turkeys, deer, fox and all sorts of things.  But in the last three years...Nothing!"  As I lay in bed the next night, listening to the coyotes (or "coy dogs" as Bob from Vermont calls them) howling on the mountain behind my house, I thought that my friend might want to come to my backyard.                 

We have our share of birds and insects.

However, it is the families that seem to take over our yard that might interest my animal-deprived friend.

I guess you just have to have the right kind of food for the animals to come!!!