Freud's Last Session

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the founder of psychoanalysis was born in Austria. He eventually fled to England. Freud has always been of considerable interest to me since much of my career I was a psychotherapist. I have a collection of many of his books translated into English before I was born. I do not subscribe to all of his concepts but acknowledge the foundation he created for much of what therapists do in the present day. Freud regarded God as an illusion based on the infantile emotional need for a powerful father/family.

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) was born in Ireland and was writer and a professor at Cambridge. He is best known for his work The Chronicles of Narnia. He was an Atheist who one day had a revelation and converted to Christianity at age 33. He wrote much about his Christian beliefs in such books as Mere Christianity and the Four Loves. His books have sold millions of copies and continue to be read and loved to this day.

Playwright, Mark Germain wondered what a conversation between these two men would have been like. He speculates that the clash between the two would be classic. Apparently they never actually met but after Mark’s exhaustive research he speculated on the nature of interactions during a meeting between the two men. He transformed his speculations into a remarkable stage play which I was treated to for my recent birthday.

Of course, as one would expect, the primary subject on the play starring Mark Dold as Lewis and Martin Rayner as Freud, was Christianity versus Atheism. This led to a wide ranging spirited discussion between the two that embraced many related areas. The list of subjects that I gleaned from the 90 minute play included myths, suicide, war and its horror, politics, music, anti-Semitism, fear, trauma, facing pain and death, father’s love for daughter, homosexuality, sexual energy, the psychoanalyst’s couch and its role, humor and its role and intellectualism as an avoidance of emotion. I’m sure this isn’t an exhaustive list but hits the main topics.

Sitting in the first row of the New Worlds Stages on 50^th Street in Manhattan, we felt as if we were actually sitting in Freud’s office during an intimate, revealing and spirited discussion. One might expect that it could be dull but a combination of the script and the acting brought it alive and made it riveting. Freud was dying of mouth cancer at age 83 brought on by years of cigar smoking which he had not given up. Freud’s pain and his blood were graphic and Lewis, 41 at the time, attended to him with caring. 

It is not clear who won the debate regarding Christianity and Atheism. Neither convinced the other but it seemed as if they had respect for each other’s position at the end. I am reminded of an old Blood Sweat and Tears lyric: “I swear there ain’t no heaven and pray there ain’t no hell.”

A short time after their meeting, Freud took his own life with morphine provided by his doctor. C.S. Lewis went on to write his well known books. In spite of his popularity, his death on November 22, 1963 did not receive much attention. It was the same day that John F. Kennedy was killed.

Freud’s Last Session was slated to run 15 sessions. Due to its popularity it has now been performed more than 500 times and still going. Woody Allen had a session with Freud and of course one who really might need it, Alec Baldwin.

Stan the Man     

Mind-boggling Canstruction

On a recent weekend my youngest son Tim, who lives in Denver, visited New York City. In reality, he’s not so young anymore and he was celebrating another birthday. Are any of us so young anymore? At any rate he had two things he wanted to do while visiting, besides of course spending quality time with his dad and stepmom. Number one was to visit Ground Zero and the surrounding developments that have taken place there. This led us to the World Financial Center. It provides some great views of Ground Zero, the Memorial and the new towers going up. It was cold and Tim was wearing shorts which made the inside environment more comfortable.

In the common area of the World Financial Center we discovered a mind-boggling exhibit. Structures were on display that had been constructed entirely of canned food that would later go to the needy. They called it the Canstruction Exhibit. What the participating teams were able to accomplish was mind-boggling (see some at the right). I have to say my personal favorite is the replica of the Brooklyn Bridge. It is almost entirely constructed of cans of Spam. I love Spam. Yes I know, disgusting. I learned to enjoy it in Hawaii.

The second thing Tim wanted to do was to go to Times Square. We took the subway up there the next night. Times Square on a Saturday Night just before the holidays is a trip. We had an enjoyable evening with the other 10,000 people and ate ah nice dinner at an Irish Restaurant.

Overall a nice time, almost like a reunion with Tim.

Stan the Man

Mind-boggling Wildlife in the City

Fall grinds on into winter. Temperatures drop then rebound but only temporarily. It is a downward trend. We know what’s coming and it won’t be pretty unless you enjoy snow and ice. Leaves turn brilliant then let go and fall to the earth leaving bare branches braced for the first snowfall.

At the same time the wildlife is more active and makes its presence known. Yes, there is wildlife in Battery Park. Squirrels scurry about gathering their winter sustenance and begging for treats from tourists. Migrating ducks and geese stop to rest and forage. With Thanksgiving coming one would expect the turkeys to hide out. But no, with unabashed courage, at least one resident prances around the park providing photo ops for all.

Meanwhile up the street at Zuccotti Park the wildlife has become extinct through the actions of NYPD. Occupy Wall Street demonstrators were forcefully moved out at 1AM last night. There court order may help them recover. That remains to be seen. Oh, now I hear they are allowed back but without tents and sleeping bags. Brrrrrr!

I’m packing for my evacuation in a couple days. South Florida here I come. Eighty degrees and sunshine sounds delicious, especially on the beach. It will be a great environment for Thanksgiving.

Stan the Man 

                                                                                                                                                                                          

Mind-boggling Productions

Feature movies, documentary films, TV series episodes are constantly being shot in New York City. There isn’t hardly a day that I walk in Manhattan that something isn’t going on in that realm. Take yesterday for an example: I’m walking up Broadway lost in my own thoughts which can be dangerous in New York. I should have known better. I wound my way through a gaggle of people, stepped over cables on the sidewalk and noticed some unusual lights sitting there. Then a loud voice yells, “Background.” This was followed by the same voice yelling, “Action.” I stopped, turned to see what was going on just in time to see an attractive lady in some kind of short trench coat, displaying a gun in her holster on her hip. She marched directly towards me and beyond with a cameraman following her closely. Apparently, I had stumbled into one of those TV crime shows being filmed. A guy came up to me and asked me if I was part of the “background.” I answered in the negative and stated, “Just observing.” When I got out of the way, they did the scene all over again.

Last week we were enjoying a Sunday afternoon glass of wine in a historic Lower Manhattan watering hole when the waitress told us excitedly that if we would follow her to the back window we could see the Batmobile. Yes, there it was. Later outside we stood in the freezing cold wind. It had snowed the day before. Sure enough the film crew was getting ready to shoot a scene for the newest Batman movie that will be coming out sometime in the future. See the picture to the right. Mind-boggling! It will be interesting to see the movie when it’s released.

The mind-boggling thing about these scenes is they last all of ten seconds or maybe a minute.  But it takes a huge crew of men and woman along with trucks, lighting equipment, cameras many hours to set everything up and get ready for what must only be a small piece of the finished product. The expense has got to be astronomical. One can begin to understand the incredible cost of these endeavors. It also sheds some light on why it is necessary to make a lot of money off advertizing and movie tickets to even break even. It is providing much needed employment for many.

In fact the Mayor’s Office reports that the film production industry in New York City provides over 100,000 jobs and generates more than $5 Billion every year.  Many actors make their homes here. Matt Damon and Michael Douglas are among them, from what I hear.

Stan the Man

  

Who Can You Trust? Mind-boggling Corruption.

Who can you trust? Can you trust “New York’s Finest?” That’s the New York Police Department. Can you trust doctors? Can you trust Unions? Can you trust politicians? Apparently “no” is the emphatic answer to this question. I do concede that the examples below don’t represent the whole (hopefully) but it does make one stop and think.

Most recently 16 NYPD officers were indicted for fixing traffic and parking tickets of friends and relatives. These indictments came as a follow-up to the investigation of Officer Joe Ramos who was indicted for making a heroin buy and delivering it in a patrol car while on duty.

Making the above corruption worse, reportedly, 500 members of the police union showed up outside the courthouse while their partners in crime were being indicted. They held a demonstration in support of the accused and were apparently quite rowdy with applause and cheers for the accused. They displayed placards saying, “NYPD culture, Not a Crime.” According to one report they then turned their ire on a line across the street where welfare recipients were waiting to report to their caseworkers. They also left a mess of discarded coffee cups and other garbage that the folks at Occupy Wall Street would never even think of.

A few months ago two NYPD officers were accused and went to trial for raping a young woman who had asked for help getting home from a celebration after she had been promoted.

 NYPD officers accused recently of illegal smuggling and sales of guns.

An officer of NYPD, against procedural rules, used pepper spray on several Occupy Wall Street participants. His punishment as announced is the loss of five days of his accrued vacation.

Last week it was announced that the Long island Railroad has many employees or former employees on disability. Some are receiving as much as $100,000 per year. The problem with this is that doctors who examined them to determine eligibility were filing fraudulent reports and getting kickbacks. The union was apparently knowingly involved in this fraud as well.

Twelve people, including three medical doctors, were arrested in Queens and Brooklyn just yesterday for allegedly taking part in a nearly $100 million Medicare fraud scheme. Members of the ring allegedly posed as patients to de-fraud the Medicare System. No wonder our healthcare system is so expensive. This isn’t the first such scheme uncovered around the country in the last year.

Finally, there’s Herman Cain who hasn’t yet found his way to the truth regarding his sexual harassment history.

Again I ask, “who can you trust?”

Stan the Man   

Mind-Boggling Change of Season

It is autumn in NYC again. The rate with which it arrives from summer is mind-boggling. How do we know it has arrived? We take a walk around lower Manhattan. Among the signs of autumn are:

The changing colors of the leaves in the parks. There are a few trees, believe it or not, in this concrete jungle.

The hot humid, smog filled atmosphere has been replaced by blue skies, clear air and a chilly 30 mph wind from the northwest racing down the Hudson River. The dirty brown water froths with white waves.

Increased tourist traffic is everywhere. It seems that the fall colors of the northeast and the cooler weather rejuvenate the tourist trade.

The lines to board the tour boats to the Statue of Liberty are several blocks long. They are urgent visitors who only have until Oct. 28^th when the Lady will close for a year during her renovation.

The beautiful display of Geraniums in Battery Park is gone. Park crews have taken them somewhere and are busy mulching and trimming for the winter.

The clothes of the throngs on the streets and sidewalks have transitioned from t-shirts and shorts to fleece jackets, sweatshirts and topcoats. The garment colors of summer are gone with the advent of fall. Everything worn is black.

The Weather Channel is reporting a foot of snow in Denver this morning that will be arriving in upstate New York tomorrow with rain and flood warnings elsewhere in New York. Temperatures are in the 40s and 50s instead of 70s and 80s.

Halloween shops and goodies are available everywhere.

Turkeys are hiding out, not wanting to be part of our upcoming Thanksgiving feast.

New car models for 2012 are out and being promoted. On display on Broadway yesterday was the new little Fiat 500. We’re trying to decide between a Mazda and a MINI or if we win Powerball maybe a Maserati.

And a sure sign it is autumn and that winter is coming quickly: We are dreaming of Florida, California, the Virgin Islands, Hawaii or Belize. Which one will it be this winter. Thanksgiving will be in Florida, we know that much.

A mind-boggling surprise this fall is that the demonstrators down the street who are Occupying Wall Street are still there in force after more than a month. We didn’t think they would last that long. There is no sign yet that the weather will deter them.

Another mind-boggling sign of fall is that the World Series is underway and the Yankees are on vacation. The Giants and the Jets are playing but where are the Knicks?

Finally, so-called progress continues as 1 World Trade Center continues its climb to the sky, adding at least one new floor every week.

Stan the Man & Katherine the Great

Mind-boggling Occupation on Wall Street

Returning from Florida to New York City we find that the “Occupy Wall Street” demonstration, movement or whatever we should call it now is surviving and well. Anybody who watches the news or reads newspapers is well informed about what’s happening. We have a window on Zuccotti Park which is a block from Wall Street. This is the birth place of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. Yes, I think that’s what I will call it. Of course it all started here one month ago today and has now spread throughout the country and has gone global. These folks have been expressing their message in primarily peaceful demonstrations and marches. In Rome, I understand things got out of hand and became violent with demonstrators doing an estimated $1.4 million dollars worth of damage to property. That is unfortunate and certainly has not been the mood or intention here in New York City, at least from my observations. I walk among the “occupiers” and feel no threat of violence but rather a sense of persistence that comes out of real commitment to their causes. When the owners of the park and the City stated they would have to temporarily vacate to allow the area to be cleaned what happened? They gathered brooms, mops and other cleaning utensils and cleaned it themselves. They were not forced to leave.

The “Occupy Wall Street” folks are growing in number daily. Over this last weekend they moved their occupation to Times Square. Several thousand participated peacefully. Yesterday (Sunday) we walked through the park. There must be close to a thousand camped there with others milling around. The conservatives of our country would have us believe they are simply a bunch of young hippy types. That is not true by any stretch of the imagination. Spend a little time with them and it becomes obvious. Yes, the main issue is what they call the greed of Wall Street Banks and Corporations but there are many other causes. There’s an 87 year old veteran of World War II who opposes the current wars we are engaged in. There’s a 57 year old retired teacher who is there with her daughter, an engineer. They want to set an example for emerging democracies. There’s a 23 year old homeless man who simply see’s a need for unity. There are seniors who want to insure that Medicare and Social Security are maintained. People of all ages that fear the loss of their jobs and retirement are there as well. This could be the seeds of revolution

According to the New York Times, Wall Street Bankers generally dismiss the protesters, saying they are gullible and unsophisticated. Not many are willing to say this out loud for fear of drawing public ire. According to the Times, one hedge fund manager stated, “Anybody who dismisses them is putting a bulls-eye on their back.” I’d say, apparently the “Occupy Wall Street” movement is working if it has initiated that kind of fear amongst the Wall Street Bankers who have never really been challenged in any meaningful way before now.

I had wondered why there had been no marching in the streets, no demonstrations. Just a month ago I wondered if any one cared about the condition of our economy, unemployment, the right-wingers threatening to take over and much more. I found it mind-boggling that nothing was being done. There didn’t seem to be any resistance. Now the “Wall Street Occupation” has energized and focused the resistance. More power to them!        

Stan the Man

A Mind-boggling NBA Lockout!

I have been a mind-boggling basketball fan for as long as I can remember. I played guard on my grade school, junior high and high school teams and loved every minute of it. I remember sitting at the dinner table talking with my family when my Dad looked at me and said, “Is basketball the only thing you can talk about?” He meant please shut up about it. Basketball and fishing were my life.

Later I pursued a degree in history and coaching. In those days you had to teach history or math in order to coach at the high school level. Somehow I got sidetracked and became a psychotherapist. In spite of that I coached high school summer leagues and boys club leagues. Continuing my basketball career, I played at every opportunity for years and still would if an opportunity arose.

I remember watching the Boston Celtics on TV as they won nearly every NBA championship in the 1960s. Then the Seattle Sonics came along and became my team. I was there for every game at the Seattle Kingdome in 1978 when the Sonics lost to the Washington Bullets in the NBA championship series. I cried after game seven when it was all over. But then I was elated the following year when the Sonics beat the same Bullets in 5 games for the championship. In 1996 I watched every game of the championship series between the Sonics and the Chicago Bulls on TV from Arizona, Montana and Mexico. Michael Jordan won it for Chicago in game 7 of course.

Some business tycoon from Oklahoma City came to Seattle and stole my beloved Sonics away. He took them to Oklahoma and re-named them Thunder. Boo! That happened the year I moved back to Seattle. I would have bought season tickets. I am still angry and disgruntled about that theft.

There are many more disgruntled basketball fans these days. Yes, I am referring to the current state of affairs: The mind-boggling NBA Lockout. The Billionaire owners and the Millionaire players can’t agree on how to split the financial take from the fans. In the process they are losing fans, dollars and further damaging our economy. One or the other or both have to give in. We need basketball.  Not only for the opportunity to watch superb individual and team efforts but many businesses in NBA cities rely heavily on the games for income during the 84 game season. 

In the Miami area, where I am currently, the Heat fans were looking forward to the NBA season. Having lost out in the finals last year they wanted to see LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh come through this year. Also disappointed are many local hotels, restaurants and bars that have already cut staff, lost income and face more of the same.

Four thousand fans were able to see a benefit game last Saturday night…but when will it start for real? The benefit was at Florida International University where the head basketball coach is Isiah Thomas, former NBA star. Proceeds from the game went to Isiah’s foundation that serves disadvantaged youth and families. The teams were made up of NBA players. Miami Heat players actually played against each other. Also playing were such greats as Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks. Also playing was Kevin Durant of the Thunder. I wish I had been able to get tickets but no such luck. Dwayne Wade’s team won 141 to 140 in overtime. I presume the focus wasn’t on defense. The point is these guys love to play basketball. Fans love the game and seeing them play. Come on Commissioner Stern. Make it happen!

But no, instead the Commissioner of the NBA, David Stern on Monday canceled the first two weeks of the NBA season that was slated to begin on November 3^rd. The preseason was already canceled. That’s mind-boggling and crazy. It’s all about money. If this keeps up I might lose interest and turn to something else like fishing perhaps. After all, a day of deep sea fishing out of Miami Beach is about the same cost as going to a game at Madison Square Garden or Miami.

Stan the Man

Mind-boggling Experience

Mind-boggling food, service, ambiance and prices. That sums up our experience at Delmonico’s Restaurant at 56 Beaver Street in the Financial District of Manhattan, NYC. As previously mentioned it was Katherine’s 60^th birthday (I’d swear she doesn’t look a day over forty). She picked Delmonico’s for her special birthday dinner. We had walked by the restaurant many times and thought we would save it for a special occasion. I had actually thought of having lunch there once but Rachael Ray was on-site filming her cooking show and I didn’t want that kind of exposure. We have enjoyed Delmonico’s Spiced Apple Marinade and Chipolte Steak Sauce which is sold in a few local grocery stores. You can also purchase these and other items including their special steak knives on line.

Katherine, Adam and I all ordered steaks. They offer other fare such as Chicken Al La Keene ($28) or Seared Atlantic Halibut ($33) but since Delmonico’s, we had heard, is renowned for their steaks we opted to go that route.  Adam ordered the Delmonico’s signature rib-eye steak ($44), Katherine chose the Filet Mignon ($44) and I went for one of my favorites, the New York Steak, medium rare ($43). These steaks come with nothing on the plate except the piece of meat. We ordered sides of grilled asparagus ($14 per plate.)

Next, the wine list.  It provided pages and pages of wines. It was most impressive. I think the wines ranged in price from about $50 to $1500 a bottle. I like wine but the list was overwhelming.   We settled for the only Washington State Wine listed. It was a wonderful Cabernet at $54.

Many places we have eaten in New York City are so noisy it is impossible to have a reasonable table conversation. Delmonico’s was like an oasis in the city. The dark wood, the elegant paintings and the fact everyone isn’t crammed into small spaces together creates an ambiance that is quiet, staid and subdued. The effect on us was very relaxing. The service was excellent but not overbearing or intrusive like some restaurants I have experienced.

The steaks were perfect I would say. Succulent, cooked to perfection as ordered and with wonderful flavor. The price, for our budget, was astronomical but for another celebration I would go back just for another one of those steaks. Maybe the Double Porterhouse ($90) next time.

Unless you are one of the millionaires on Wall Street you probably would not be eating at Delmonico’s on a regular basis. But I would recommend it for a special occasion dinner every 10 years or so. Maybe to celebrate Katherine’s 70^th.

There is a lot of interesting information on the History of Delmonico’s and stuff to buy on their website. Check it out @ delmonicosny.com

Stan the Man             

Mind-Boggling Tidbits

Our President says he is the underdog? The Republicans despise him, treat him with no respect which our president not only doesn’t deserve but impedes his ability to carry out his national and international responsibilities. The President of the United States of America should never see himself as the underdog nor should he be made to feel that way by anyone. It only damages our country’s image and thus all of us.

Amanda Knox is acquitted of murder charges in Italy and is on her way home to West Seattle, our former home. I’m glad to hear it. I also hope she is actually innocent.

Chris Christie says “no” to running for president. He was thought to be a heavyweight for a few days but backed out. He still looks like a heavyweight. Good for him. Mitt Romney is leading the Republican presidential polls????????????? Not impressive but then who else is there?

The “Occupy Wall Street” movement is getting bigger here in NYC and I understand it is spreading across the country. Police arrested 700 trying to cross the Brooklyn Bridge. This seems to energize the participants rather than discourage. Their numbers are growing and they are becoming more assertive.

My young, beautiful, talented  wife, Katherine turned 60 years old on October 3^rd.  We both qualify for senior rates now. We took advantage of that new status by seeing Moneyball last night. We enjoyed the movie and the ticket prices. We’ve actually celebrated for several days since it is a milestone birthday. The birthday celebration will culminate tonight with a dinner at Delmonico’s Restaurant with Adam, Katherine’s son, who will be here from Philadelphia. Delmonico’s is a historic and famous restaurant just off Wall Street. Rachel Ray does her show from there at times. Stay tuned for our impressions of quality, service and price.

It has been chilly and wet in New York City. Fall is here and winter isn’t far behind. Tomorrow I fly to Ft. Lauderdale to enjoy warmth, sunshine and the beach at Bal Harbour. Katherine will join me on Saturday.

Stan the Man

  

A City of Un-Rest.

New York City is known as the “big apple”, “the city that never sleeps”, “Gotham” and is the largest city in America. The city is also known as the financial and real estate center of the earth. It is the home of the Knicks, the Jets and the Giants. Then there are the Mets and the soon to become the Brooklyn Nets.   Now it appears it has become the “Demonstration City”. It’s mind-boggling to see how many activities and additional people can fit into this City.

We have front row seats to some major demonstrations here in our neighborhood, also known as the Financial District of New York City. It has made for some interesting times as well as an opportunity to learn about the issues. We have learned about police brutality and how the media can make or break these kinds of activities depending upon whether they choose to cover them or not.

 Mayor Bloomberg predicted two weeks ago that there would be rioting in the streets if the economy, jobs and poverty aren’t dealt with effectively. President Obama encouraged people to quit whining and get their marching shoes on. Considering the state of affairs the lack of activism and revolutionary like tactics has been mind-boggling to me. Perhaps what we are seeing now is a beginning.

The “Occupy Wall Street” group has been occupying Zuccoti Park (they call it Liberty Park) just around the corner from Wall Street now for 11 days. They state they are a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing they all have in common is “We are the 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.” Take a look at their website for a lot more information. Click here. Recent supporters on site include Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon.

One of the groups that is participating in this occupation is the Granny Peace Brigade.  Check out their website by clicking here.

Yesterday, September 28, 2011 also saw over 700 United and Continental pilots marching on Wall Street. They marched in an orderly, single file (in contrast to the Wall Street Occupation group) around the financial district all morning and then had a rally in Battery Park. It seems they took a 40% pay cut in 2006 and have been working/flying without a contract ever since.  Like the one pilot I talked with said, “Our offices fly at 500 miles per hour so we think we deserve a decent wage.” The pilots converged on New York City from all over the country on their days off. They believe that Wall Street Financiers must take steps to improve the economy.

Meanwhile in another part of the City there are demonstrations at the United Nations. I don’t know much about them but they are concerned primarily with the Israel-Palestine issues being dealt with or not. There are a few other groups up in arms which I don’t know enough about to comment on at this point.

So currently New York City is a laboratory for the political and economic issues of our times. It is mind-boggling!

Stan the Man     

Okay. I’m blaming my mind-boggling absence from this blog on several factors but particularly my inability to focus lately. There has just been too much going on. There have been too many distractions in the outside world as well as way too much going on in my own head. The net result is the inability to focus sufficiently to write something that might appear coherent. The fact that I’m writing now doesn’t mean I have resolved the focus issue.  Expect some lack of focus.

We had Hurricane Irene. We had Tropical Storm Lee. Then we had the 10^th anniversary of 9/11. That event was accentuated by a supposed terrorist threat on bridges and tunnels of New York City and Washington DC. This threat of further terrorist activity resulted in a mind-boggling ramping up of security. The traffic was impeded by multiple check points. Crowds of tourists as well as New Yorkers were herded and watched carefully by heavily armed NYPD cops. They were everywhere. We decided to leave during these “festivities.”

Flying to Ft. Lauderdale and driving to our Bal Harbour apartment we were immediately struck by the contrasts with New York. Where was the traffic? Where were the people? Where were the uniformed cops on every street corner? We gazed at an open sky rather than towering skyscrapers. We were greeted by moderate humidity and 80 degree temperatures. Perfect! The perfection didn’t last. Upon our arrival at the apartment where we hadn’t been for 60 days we were confronted with mold. Yes, mold had attacked our clothes and other belongings. It seems one must have the air conditioning running even when not present in Florida. Otherwise it is considered an invitation for mold to move in and take over.  We had been unaware of this, being from much less hot and humid climes. This mold is dangerous to breathe in so we spent several nights in a beach front hotel while the professionals cleared out the mold. That wasn’t too bad of a result but certainly not what we had planned. More money out the window.

Meanwhile, the mind-boggling politics of Washington DC became even crazier, weirder and more disgusting.  In addition, the Republicans jockeying for the right to run for the US presidency continued their 8 ring circus. I have never known so much about politics and wished so much I didn’t.

During all this and more I kept reading my Nook which I have taken on as my new friend. I love it. Just a mention of the latest Nook book I read: It’s called Rules of the Tunnel and was written by Ned Zeman who is a journalist. He has written for Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, the New Yorker and then for Vanity Fair. This is his personal story of suffering from depression and anxiety. It’s not pretty but I recommend it. Depression and other mood disorders, which 1 out of every 7 Americans suffer from under normal conditions, must be an even greater malady today with unemployment and the recession impacting so many. Recent research indicates an increase in child abuse since 2008 which could well be related to stress and depression. Isolation and rumination are key contributing factors. I will probably write more on these subjects in the future.

Getting focused?

Stan the Man       

Irene Comes and Goes

Mind-boggling destruction all around us but we sit high and dry. Its old news now but Hurricane Irene has come and gone leaving flooding, beach destruction and major power outages from North Carolina to Canada. Here in Manhattan we were concerned and prepared for the worst. One block from the mandatory evacuation zone we didn’t know how safe we would be. We prepared ourselves. Water, food, taped the windows, got batteries for flashlights and a new radio. Not much happened to us though. Oh yeah, the wind blew, it rained 7 or 8 inches but none of our preparations proved to be necessary. We experienced no loss of power, no windows blown out, and only minor flooding.

This, of course was not true all around us. Power outages for thousands persist; flooding continues to be a dangerous problem and more than a thousand homes were destroyed. Farmlands, shopping malls and roads are under water. We were lucky we were where we were when Irene arrived. We were lucky Irene had weakened before she arrived. Since living in Manhattan we have experienced and survived a historical snow storm, Nor-Easters, an earthquake and now a tropical storm/hurricane. Let’s hope that’s the end of these sorts of mind-boggling phenomenon.

Irene did bring Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel to our neighborhood for periodic TV updates nationally. We enjoyed seeing him in locations we know well and then in person. I walked miles the day after Irene looking for damage but found nothing except a few small branches blown down in Battery Park. The sun was out and so were the tourists and shoppers. New York gets back to “normal” very quickly.

Stan the Man  

Mind-Boggling Irony

Yes, mind-boggling irony. We have an apartment in Miami Beach. A week or so ago I was lying in bed worrying about what might happen to that lovely place as Hurricane Irene was approaching that area. I called our caretaker in Miami to make sure everything was ready. He said he would take care of it. Sweet relief from that worry.

Then Irene turned a corner to the north and started up the East Coast coming into North Carolina, Virginia and has taken dead aim at New York City where we are living. We are one block from the mandatory evacuation area along the waterfront. We debated whether to stay or go but decided to stand pat and rough it out in our second floor apartment. The predicted 8 foot storm surge and 12 inches of torrential rain shouldn’t come this high. Biggest worry is our very large 15x5 foot windows without coverings that could potentially blow out. We will see what happens. We’ve got plenty of food, water and other essentials. I have no pictures to add to this post but perhaps I will after the storm on Monday.

The ultimate irony is that the owner of our place we were so worried about on Miami Beach a week ago is named Irene.

Wish us safety and luck.

Stan the Man

Mind-Boggling Yankees and Yankee Stadium...

The New York Yankees are mind-boggling. No question about that. They have won the World Series 27 times and won the American League pennant 40 times. No other major league baseball team comes close to that record. Back when I was in high school in the 1960s most every September/October was spent listening to the Yankees on the radio in the World Series. Classes were suspended at times for us to listen. And we lived in a small town in Washington State (no one had thought of the Mariners yet). Again, the Yankees are leading the American League East standings this year.

Now I am living in New York City. This is probably my last summer here before we move on. To be perfectly honest about it, I’m not much of a baseball fan anymore but come on, I’m in New York. For old time’s sake my wife and I decided we at least needed to go to Yankee Stadium once. After all we did go to Madison Square Garden for one Knicks game. So last weekend we attended a game between the Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. We went by subway, the number 4 train, which took us from our doorstep to just across the street from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The trip took about 30 minutes.

Now this Yankee Stadium is the new Yankee Stadium. The original was built in 1923 and then replaced by a much improved replica right across the street from the old stadium. Every effort was apparently made to insure the exterior of the stadium looked like the original. Of course a lot of New Yorkers liked the old stadium better than the new but that’s the way New Yorkers are it seems. The new stadium opened on April 2, 2009. It cost $2.3 billion with $1.2 billion in taxpayer subsidies. The capacity of the new Yankee Stadium is 52,325 along with 56 luxury suites and 4300 club seats. The Yankee clubhouse features 30,000 square feet of space. That’s 2.5 times what the old stadium housed. There are many concessions along with a sports bar, a Hard Rock Café and a steak house.

The Yankee shortstop, Derek Jeter was honored prior to the game for getting his 3000^th hit as a Yankee. The actual game provided a few moments of interest but baseball sure does seem to move slowly. There’s an awful lot of standing around on the field waiting for something to happen and a lot of drinking and eating being accomplished by the fans. We lasted until the 5^th inning when the Yankees got a grand slam home run and took a 7-0 lead. I saw the last out on TV after we arrived home. The Yankees won 9-2. An interesting experience but my interest in baseball was not enhanced.

Stan the Man   

Nobody but you....

Well, there’s so much going on in the world it’s hard to know what to write about. It’s a mind-boggling time isn’t it? Perhaps I should write of the stock market rollercoaster, 30 Navy Seals killed in Afghanistan, out-of-control crowds in London, the finger pointing, criticisms of President Obama or the muddle of potential Republican presidential candidates. No, I think I will ignore those happenings. I’ve had enough. Instead I will share a poem by one of my favorite poets, Charles Bukowski who passed away in 1994:

nobody can save you but yourself

and you’re worth saving

it’s a war not easily won

but if anything is worth winning this is it

think about it

think about saving yourself

your spiritual self

your gut self

your singing magical self

don’t join the dead in spirit

maintain yourself

with humor and grace

and finally if necessary

wager your life as you struggle

damn the odds, damn the price

The poem entitled, Nobody But You, carries a good message of what’s important for us all in these times including those in our government who purport to represent our best interests.

Also I need to give credit for the Peace design in the photo to the right. I simply took a photo of a bottle of wine from the Peace Family Vineyards in Southeast Australia. The wine was great and we love the label.

Stan the Man  

Mind-Boggling Imagination

I read somewhere recently that we are living in the “imagination age.” If one can imagine something it can probably be done through the internet, a website, a start-up company or some other high-tech approach.

But what if we could imagine into existence a world without anger and hatred? Yes, a world where shootings, killings and crime didn’t have a place. Could we imagine a world in which the 6PM news didn’t consist of sensationalized reports of these events by insensitive talking heads. Perhaps we could imagine a world without lies, without fraud, without self-serving financiers whose behaviors border on criminal activity and often cross that boundary.

Try to imagine the United States of America with a government of the people and for the people. Imagine a government that puts the welfare of the people before their own selfish zealot ways. Could we conjure up through our imaginations a country where the unemployed, ethnic minorities and those living in poverty are seen as equals who deserve support, acceptance and opportunities? Are you able to imagine a country where rigid, dogmatic politicians are not driven by their own biases and hate one another to the point they can’t work effectively for the people and the country? Imagine a world without bias and prejudice! Try it.

While we are at it, lets try our best to imagine that we live in a country which values peace more than war? Could we imagine a country that communicates, negotiates, and strives to understand before it wages war in other countries? Yes, I mean a country that doesn’t always think it is right and everyone else is the evil bad guy. Imagine that!

I imagine a world in which Google, Netflix, Amazon and many more don’t read my mind and put me in a little box based on my habits or past behavior. They wouldn’t be attempting to finish my thought before I even know what I want or need.

Can you imagine such a mind-boggling world?

Stan the Man

What is Happening to Our Country?

What’s happening in this country of ours is truly mind-boggling. The official unemployment rate is 9.2%, about 14.1 million Americans. The New Yorker magazine estimates the actual rate is 16.2% if those who have given-up, run out of unemployment compensation etc. are counted. That’s nearly 1 in every 6 Americans without a job. Further layoffs announced in June totaled 41,432. So far announced for July are another 23,000 jobs going away. Goldman-Sachs plans on 1000 layoffs before the summer is over. On top of these figures, 142,000 employees of governmental entities have lost their jobs since the first of the year. These are not just numbers. These are people and families who are hurting.  They are hurting in many ways. Poverty hurts!               

 Recent figures indicate the financial gap between the well-to-do population in America and the rest of us is greater than it has ever been. The financial gap between the white population and the Hispanic and Afro-American populations is mind-boggling and that gap is growing wider all the time. Something has to change. We are a country (I thought) that values all of our citizens and that feels we have a responsibility to support those in poverty and those with special needs. Why, at a time when unemployment is high, more and more people are losing their homes, going hungry and living in poverty is our Congress looking for more ways to withdraw much needed services. Now would be the time for the rich folks and corporations to step forward and take some responsibility. But no, they want more tax breaks and more wealth. What has happened to our compassion?   

 In Washington DC they argue on. They avoid addressing the real issues in our country. We need a re-assessment of our values and to behave consistent with those values. When will we truly address unemployment? When will we acknowledge the inequities in our country being that are being furthered by the fanatical Republicans and the Tea Party? Even the Democrats are failing to provide strong leadership which would move us towards addressing the real issues we must face.

Meanwhile, the two wars the U.S is involved in grind on and on. Latest figures show that 4,465 Americans have died in Iraq. With 11 more reportedly killed this last week in the Afghan War, that’s 1663 servicemen lost there so far. When does it stop? When do we become peaceful abroad and start focusing on re-building our own country? We could well be on the brink of disaster if our direction doesn’t change.

Stan the Man  

Embracing Technology

I’m always struggling to keep up with the latest mind-boggling technological advances. My efforts aren’t always successful but I keep trying. Some years ago I did a series of trainings encouraging people to be cautious of techno-stress. I was saying, “It’s not all good. We need balance in our lives.” Now I think it was too early in the tech revolution. Not many people were ready to hear my message. Now I think 2011 is too late. Everyone has embraced the multiple technologies that rule our lives. Like I say, “I try.”

Yes, I have a BlackBerry, a cell-phone, multiple e-mail systems, write posts on this blog, store my writings on the Dell laptop that travels with me everywhere I go and on and on. Now I have taken another step that I never thought I would take. I love books. They are one of my greatest possessions even though the number has dwindled as we move from place to place. I won’t ever give up books, real books as a major contributor to the richness of my life.

But I bought a Barnes and Noble NOOK. It’s like Amazon’s Kindle. Electronic books, downloaded instantaneously. Mine is in color and came with 100 Classic books, free. These 100 books range from Moby Dick to Edgar Alan Poe’s best stories to the Odyssey. The photo to the right shows my old fashion pen next to the “chip” that holds all of the classics. Yes that’s correct. That dinky little thing has 100 classic books on it. The Nook will hold over 3000 full length books. You can read easily in the dark, the sunlight or anywhere. It is truly mind-boggling.

I only hope I’m not contributing to the eventual demise of books and bookstores. As I mentioned they will always be important in my life. The experts say there are enough book fanatics like me to insure bookstores with hard copy books will survive well into the future.

I have read Visit From the Goon Squad, Room and Star Island as my first three Nook books. Now to start on the Classics.

Stan the Man

Random Thoughts Can Be Mind-boggling. Can't They?

Random thoughts represent the condition of my mind these days. I seem to have lost the ability to focus. However, I have little doubt that my mental acuity that makes it possible for me to focus will come back from vacation soon (I hope it hasn’t retired). In the meantime I will, as they say, “Just go with it.”

 The man in the picture to the right is being observed from our Manhattan apartment window. That’s quite a lunch he’s eating, a New York pretzel. Do you think he can eat the whole thing? Yep, he did. Right down to the last crumb.

Item from the New York Times: Three American Soldiers killed in Afghanistan. They were a 22 year old, a 24 year old and a 28 year old. No details of how they died or if they had families or anything like that provided. They are simply statistics. And a total of 1,640 American service members have died in the Afghan war so far. Actually I believe several more have died since the Saturday paper. What a waste of young human lives.

Meanwhile the wrangling goes on in Washington DC. The Democrats, the Republicans and the Tea Party folks are arguing and arguing about what to do about the national debt. Should we raise taxes? Should we cut expenditures? Should we raise the debt ceiling or default? And on we go as billions and billions of dollars are spent on what appear to be useless wars. There’s never any discussion of the military on the table.

Just another random thought: What ever happened to the idea of a paperless society? Computers and other technology were supposed to do away with the need for hard copies. Then why is one of the most common trucks I see on the streets of Manhattan those that promise to shred your paper for you. Today I saw one that is labeled, Information Destruction Systems?????

Who would ever guess the challenges one can face traveling up and down the East Coast of the USA by air. I left Miami International on a flight back to New York LaGuardia Airport. It is typically a three hour flight. We left Miami about 45 minutes late, then over North Carolina we were put in a holding pattern. We circled Raleigh-Durham for over an hour. It was not a smooth ride so we were told to stay in our seats with our seatbelts fastened. That pretty much determines I need a bathroom run. No fun. Next we are told we are running low on fuel and we must land in Raleigh-Durham to re-fuel. We spend over two hours on the ground waiting for clearance to go on to New York. Apparently we were waiting for thunderstorms around NYC to clear. I had arrived at Miami International at 10:30AM and finally arrived in New York City at 8:30PM. A three hour flight turned into a 10 hour endurance experience.

One last random thought: Phillip Roth is a mind-boggling author. His novels demonstrate his mastery of irony. I recommend you read something by him. His most recent book is Nemesis. I just finished The Anatomy Lesson. Great read! He also wrote Goodbye Columbus and Portnoy’s Complaint.

Stan the Man

  

John Wanamaker's Vision; A Mind Boggling Organ!

The Wanamaker 100^th year anniversary was an unexpected celebration of both the largest pipe organ in the world and my son’s 33^rd birthday. As an organist, and being nuts about Bach, the pipe organ has held me spellbound ever since my dad, the church “Mr. Fixit” would let me tag along while he tinkered with the technical components of the Mueller organ at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Kennewick, WA.  What an opportunity to play the organ, an extension of the years of piano lessons already…just add feet! Going into the organ chamber to see the mysterious workings, and ranks of pipes, I wondered how the music reached from the keyboard console several yards away to these pipes.  In another room the old “squirrel cage” blower, usually the weakest link, whirled and wheezed air to be funneled into each pipe played.

Who would have thought this grand Wanamaker organ, which was built for the Festival Hall at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, would now be the center place show at Macy’s in Philadelphia?  While my son shopped for shoes one day he heard the daily noontime concert wafting Bach throughout the departments. He was awestruck!  The following weekend he invited us down, took us on casual stroll, giving us a ruse about having to shop at Macy’s. Marvelous! Stan the Man and I were surrounded with the sweetest flute notes of a Bach Fugue. Now, once again, with great joy we heard beautiful music as, Peter Richard Conte, the Wanamaker organist, played multiple celebratory venues. Then to top it off, we toured the organ chambers with knowledgeable organ technicians, and guides. The size and scale is mindboggling…the 32 foot pipes vibrated the floor and traveled the entire length of our body, while the smallest pipes were the voice of a songbird.

I invite you all to go to the website www.wanamakerorgan.com to take a virtual tour and click on the Hear Music icon if you can’t go in person.  The grand Wanamaker organ has had an incredible history on its journey through time.

Writing from beautiful Bal Harbour, FL for the 4^th of July Holiday,

Katherine the Great!

Climbing to the Sky

It is truly mind-boggling to sit in the living room of our Manhattan apartment and watch the rebuilding at Ground Zero. Yes, the site of the terrorist attack on 9/11 that left only rubble is just down the street from us. Now one of the replacement skyscrapers towers above us. It seems it grows each day. It wasn’t so long ago that it first jutted into a corner of our view. Now it dominates. It climbs closer and closer to scraping the sky. As I sit here, at this moment, a huge crane is lowering the structure of one more floor into place. Tomorrow it will be another and then another. The first replacement tower is to be completed in time for the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 on September 11, 2011.

Conde Nast Publishing with its 3000 employees is the first tenant to sign a long term lease in the initial replacement tower designated as One World Trade Center. Many more tenants are anticipated. Also being constructed on the site with a completion date of September 11, 2011 is the 9/11 Memorial with fountains, pools, and trees.

Perhaps the two photos to the right will provide a small representation of this mind-boggling construction process. More information is available at the port authority website.

Stay tuned to this blog for an account of our trip to Philadelphia to see and hear the Wanamaker Organ…the largest organ in the world.

Stan the Man    

Mind-boggling Transitions

We have all had many transitions in our lives. I’ve probably had more than most. Yes, a mind-boggling number of transitions. A number that’s overwhelming when I begin to count them. Some go un-noticed others are marked with ceremonies and special events. Transitions always mean an ending of one chapter and the beginning of another: Weddings, divorces, changes in jobs, changes in place of residence and many more.

But this is the time of year for another type of transition: graduations. There are probably thousands of them across this country. Graduations from Middle School, High School, Undergraduate college graduations and graduations from graduate schools just to name a few. Each one is a transition for the graduates. It marks the end of an era and opens the door to the next, sometimes more difficult and often mysterious until the next transition is upon them.

In the last month Katherine and I have had the opportunity to attend and participate in the celebrations around two such transitions. The first was Katherine’s son’s graduation from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He received his Master’s Degree. He had 12,000 fellow graduates. The keynote speaker was the author, Toni Morrison. It took place in the Rutgers football stadium in a pouring rain. Umbrellas and ponchos were the garb for the day. Now he is into the next chapter of his life looking for a job in a difficult employment environment.

Secondly, we traveled to Spokane, Washington for the graduation of Katherine’s granddaughter. She graduated from North Central High School with 250 classmates. That graduation took place in the Spokane Opera House with a brilliant but cool sun shining outside. In the fall she will be transitioning into her new chapter. She will leave home and enter a college in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In this day and age reaching those transitions and moving into the new chapters that face them is a mind-boggling accomplishment. We congratulate them both and wish them the best in their future pursuits.

Stan the Man    

A Mind-Boggling World of T-shirts

With the advent of tourist season in New York City I have become intrigued with t-shirts. I realize it isn’t only the tourists wearing them. Tourist season is actually year around here but t-shirts increase drastically with improving weather. It is hot in New York City this, the first week, of June. Coats and sweaters have been shed by everyone who is able and t-shirts rein. They are everywhere. They stroll along the Hudson River, they rush up and down Broadway, they clamor for Broadway tickets, they inundate bars and restaurants. It’s truly a hay day for a student of t-shirts. Of course, it is not about the t-shirt itself but rather about the message they put out into the world.

What I don’t understand is the willingness of people to serve as walking billboards for clothing companies. Why would anyone pay good money to buy a t-shirt that is emblazoned with Old Navy or Abercrombie & Fitch or North Face or Eddie Bauer just to name a few I see regularly on the street? There is also Nautica, Hilfiger, Timberland and Pink? Folks pay big bucks to own these garments then become not only free advertizing for the retailer but they paid for the opportunity to advertize for them. There just seems to be something wrong with this picture. Now the subtle hint of Nike indicated by a small slash doesn’t seem so intrusive but “Old Navy” seems like I’m being screamed at. Oh yes, then there are the “I love (heart) New York” t-shirts that are the big rage for tourists. What a great marketing ploy. You give me $15 and I’ll give you the opportunity to advertize my product, in that case New York City. Also popular since 9/11 are NYPD and FDNY who of course were the first responder heroes.

In my younger years I was a runner. I ran in many 5K and 10K races and eventually worked up to half marathons. A t-shirt was always given to the participants. I had many and wore them proudly. It signified an accomplishment. I still see a few of those and admire them even though mine have all gone the route of the rag bag. T-shirts for causes like the Diabetes Walk or the M.S. Bike-a-thon, I can see. They advertize a worthwhile cause and an accomplishment of the wearer. It still is mind-boggling to me why people are willing to use their own hard earned money to be a sign board advertisement for corporate America.

I do have to say, some t-shirts are entertaining. I want to read the ones some women wear but am embarrassed to stare at their breasts long enough to read the message. The best one I have seen lately was wore by an older man stating: “I am old enough to have seen it all, heard it all and done it all. I just can’t remember any of it.” I also enjoyed this one: “I’m not totally useless. I can be used as a bad example.”

These I can identify with.

Stan the Man  

Mind-boggling Numbers!

They come from all over the U.S.A. From the West Coast, the East Coast, the Southwest, the Midwest. From the Deep South, from the Northeast and even from New Jersey they flock. All parts of the Earth are represented. They travel from Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia. China and Japan are represented by large numbers. The courageous ones travel individually, others come in school groups or in families and multitudes come in tour groups. They speak strange languages. They bring money with them and leave billions of dollars here every year. They obstruct the pedestrian flow as they meander about looking in store windows and up at buildings that scrape the sky. They crowd onto buses and steal the available cabs. They seem to enjoy the opportunity to stand in lines for hours waiting for an opportunity to take a tour boat to the Statue of Liberty or an elevator to the Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building. Broadway productions are another of their favorites. Usually, hanging from their necks are expensive cameras for taking pictures of their companions adorning the Wall Street Bull and much more.

Yes, if you have guessed I speak of tourists, you are correct. Last year a mind-boggling 48.7 million of them came to New York City. This City of some 9 million residents is already crowded with barely enough breathing space for those of us who live here. Still we make room for them and encourage them to come and to stay until every last penny they have is spent. Mayor Bloomberg’s goal is 50 million tourists for the current year and judging by the crowds already, I’m sure we’re well on our way. It appears that the tragedy of 9/11 has added numbers. Everyone wants to see ground zero. Tourism is a major industry here. It provides much needed assistance in climbing out of the financial hole caused by the bankers on Wall Street. Of course they are already out of their hole, judging by the enormous salaries and bonuses they report.

Orlando, Florida, the home of Disney World, out-did New York City last year with a reported 5.1 million visitors. That’s a challenge New York City can aspire to: Surpass Orlando! Los Angeles had a measly 23 million.

It’s mind-boggling to experience the hordes, to attempt to go about your everyday business while they take over the city but we love them. Come and visit, we need your money. Take a look at the photos to your right for a glimpse into New York City tourism.

Stan the Man

Media Frenzy

Dominique Strauss-Kahn of France was the head of the International Monetary Fund. He was thought to be a leading candidate to run for President of France. That all changed rapidly. He was accused of the attempted rape of a New York City hotel maid and arrested as he was preparing to fly back to France. He spent some time in jail, resigned his position with the IMF and is now out on a million dollar bail. He is on house arrest, armed guards, leg bracelet AND he is living in our building in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. He and his attorney state he is innocent. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 6^th.

Now it is a media event, or better said a media circus right outside the front door of our building. According to the press our building is the newest tourist attraction in New York City. “Tourists and the media have been flocking to 71 Broadway. Tour bus drivers point out our building, school groups pose in front of our now famous building.” It has been mind-boggling to see the media folks and their staying power just waiting for something to happen. All of the network’s trucks, the freelancers, photographers, reporters etc. have taken up residence on our sidewalk. This is their fourth day. Strauss-Kahn wanted to be on the Upper Eastside where the well-to-do folks live but they rejected him. Nobody even asked me if it was okay to have this circus move in to our neighborhood. Oh well, it’s an interesting experience.

This guy hasn’t been found guilty of the accusation but it still brings the question to my mind: “What is it with the rich and famous? Why do they keep getting themselves into these messes?” Most recently, there was Arnold Schwarzenegger before that there was Tiger Woods, John Edwards and of course Bill Clinton as well as others I won’t mention right now. Is it their money, power or popularity that makes them think they are immune to this stuff ruining their lives as well as those of their families? Maybe we just know about these guys because of their high public profile….perhaps everyone is out doing this stuff. That would be mind-boggling and hard for me to believe or at least accept. 

Stan the Man

Geronimo: Mind-boggling

We recently toured the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian at One Bowling Green in New York City. The museum lies at the foot of Broadway in a wonderful old building that was originally constructed as the U.S. Customs House. They have an exhibition there, demonstrating the historical and continuing special relationship between Native Americans and horses. One of the famous Native Americans who is part of the exhibit is Geronimo.  This reminded us of our years owning and operating a small guest ranch in Arizona. Our ranch wasn’t far from the Apache Indian Reservation. History told us that Geronimo, with his braves, had ridden across our property as they fled south. Geronimo is a much admired hero of the Apaches. It was a special place to many, including us, due to its history.

Of course, we needed horses on our ranch. We ended up with two for our personal use. One was an Arabian named Cittana and it just so happens that the other horse I bought off the reservation was a mustang who came with the name Geronimo. Geronimo was a headstrong horse but loyal and we became a great team. I don’t know what we would have done without him. We explored miles of desert and mountain terrain, the same terrain that the original Geronimo had rode. I led the way on Geronimo with Katherine on Cittana bringing up the rear. We came to love our horses and the location. Eventually our ranch became the stopping off point for dinner, stories and a good night’s sleep during the Geronimo Ride which was an annual event organized to commemorate the original Geronimo’s ride south.

We were two upset people when it was announced that Geronimo had been killed. Not the original Geronimo but now Geronimo was the code name for Osama bin Laden. The terrorist, the bad guy, the evil guy we have been hunting down since 2001. What does this say regarding how we still feel about the American Indians? We stole their land, their way of life and much more. Now we are stealing their hero and using the name in this way. Somebody should be ashamed of themselves.  I know, now we are getting new versions in the same way we got new versions of how bin Laden was killed and disposed of. Interestingly, the original American Hero, Geronimo wasn’t killed but captured and eventually became a Christian.  He was no bin Laden. Either was my horse that I trust is still alive and well in Arizona.

Stan the Man

   

Bal Harbour, Florida

It is truly mind-boggling how easily a new and different location gains power over me.  Bal Harbour, just north of Miami Beach, Florida has the power to detour my efforts and intentions in unexpected directions. Yes, gazing at the ocean, walking on the beach, sitting in the warm sunshine and generally becoming familiar with new and exotic surroundings. All of this and more has the power to dissuade me from my good intentions. Therefore it has been beyond a week since I have posted anything new on this blog. It is time to get to it. Tomorrow I return to New York City along with the throngs of New Yorkers who come here and make the Miami area simply an extension of New York City. Of Course it is a lot more than that. The weather is consistently perfect. Oh, there are brief tropical showers but the sun quickly chases those away. The beaches of beautiful sand and rolling blue surf are incredible with the water temperature running around 84 degrees. Along the beaches there are walking trails without crowds. In fact there are only occasional runners and walkers. Not nearly enough to obstruct your path. This contrasts with New York City, where walking requires one to navigate an obstacle course through crowds of humanity as they hurry somewhere, anywhere.

I know there are important things going on in the world. I won’t comment since without a television or newspaper I know little. I’m fine with that for right now. I don’t think I will like knowing more anyway. Instead I will post several photos to the right to provide you with a sense of the surroundings here. You will see the beach, palm trees, the unoccupied trails lined with tropical plants. Until next time….

Stan the Man

Mind-Boggling Demise

In the 1920’s, the roaring twenties on Long Island, New York there were a number of large mansions owned by the well-to-do. It was the prohibition years. Drinking, sex and dancing were prime pastimes. One particular mansion was the most sought after party place to get an invitation to and many attended without actual invitations. Winston Churchill and Groucho Marx were known to have frequented the parties. This mansion was the setting that inspired one of the greatest American novelists, F. Scott Fitzgerald, to write The Great Gatsby. It is the story of Gatsby, his heyday and his demise. Every time I read that novel I am struck by not only the story but the method with which it is written. The economy of words is remarkable, and not one word could be left out. Each word is essential to the story.

Now, the mind-boggling is happening. The current owner of that formerly beautiful mansion is tearing it down. He states he can’t afford the $4000/month upkeep. If you see recent pictures of it, it’s obvious that not much upkeep has been done in a number of years. It is a true landmark of an American classic, a great writer and of a historical time for the area. More mind-boggling is that it will be replaced by 4 or 5 large homes on a couple of acres that have no historical meaning. More of what we think of as progress. Couldn’t it have been spared? Too late, it’s a goner.

Stan the Man

Mind-Boggling Coming of Age

Just a brief not: Last night on the NBC news Brian Williams was reporting on the United States debt which has reached $14 trillion and is currently a huge political issue. He referred to that amount as being "mind boggling". More and more I am hearing this term applied to things around us by people in the know. Stay tuned here for our mind-bogglings and don't miss the post just below which is new today as well.
Stan the Man

Mind-Boggling Islands

The Virgin Islands are mind-boggling. What more can I say. I had been on those tiny rocks in the Caribbean many years ago. They did leave an impression but I’d never thought much about going back. Then we received an invitation to join Katherine’s daughter Kim and her friend Deven in a beautiful home they had rented for a week. We couldn’t resist and just returned from a wonderful getaway on St. John. American Airlines got us to St. Thomas from New York in just over 3 hours. After an interesting taxi ride through the hills we climbed aboard the ferry to St John and landed 15 minutes later in that tropical paradise. We quickly discovered Verizon wireless service was non-existent and so were disconnected for our time there which helped make it a real vacation.

The mind-boggling aspects of these islands begin with the weather. Sunshine and comfortable temperatures in the 80s are the rule. The beaches are numerous and pristine white without huge crowds. The water is crystal clear and provides beautiful color schemes of greens and blues. The largest part of St. John is a national park, protected from any development. It is crisscrossed by many beautiful hiking trails ranging from short and easy to long and difficult whichever one prefers. The mountainous terrain outside of the park is dotted with homes valued in the millions of dollars as well as much cheaper. The views are mind-boggling.

Whether you prefer open air, funky beach bars or classy restaurants or perhaps something in-between you have many to choose from. Or if you have your own cooking facilities, as we did, there are several grocery stores that stock just about anything one could desire. Coming from a New Yorker, there are no lines. What a treat! My impression is that the grocery prices on St. John are very competitive with New York City prices. Right now I’m having a difficult time coming up with reasons not to pull up stakes and move to the Virgin Islands. Instead we wish Kim and Deven luck in making their dream come true. We also thank them for their great hospitality during our time together on St. John.

It’s mind-boggling to decide which photos I took on this trip should accompany this post. I will arbitrarily place a couple to the right that may capture some of the scenery of St. John.

Stan the Man  

Expanding Horizons

In most cases museums and art galleries are not things that will encourage me to go out of my way to experience what they have to offer. But, there is something mind-boggling about overcoming your innate resistance and going for it. It often expands your horizons. I thought it was time to experience the Metropolitan Art Museum on 5^th Ave. in New York City. It boggled my mind. In the first place, 5^th Ave. was lined with police officers. I asked one of them, “What’s up?” he says the President will be coming through here within the hour. I did hear on the morning news that President Obama would be speaking at the United Nations and then doing a $3000/ plate fundraising event in Harlem in the evening. After making my way through the fortress I arrived at the front steps of the Art Museum, found my way to the cashier at the entry and was told, no cash is accepted. Out comes one of my many credit cards and I’m in at a senior rate of $15 for the entire day. Unfortunately, I don’t have all day but only 3 hours before the basketball game at Madison Square Garden.

The Metropolitan Art Museum is truly overwhelming or if you will allow me, mind-boggling. In the first place it is huge. It covers several acres on multiple levels. I can’t be specific since I only scratched the surface as I wandered around the place for three hours. Finding one’s way through the myriad of exhibitions is a mind-boggling experience. As I attempted to find my way there was never a lack of incredible pieces of art. From the most ancient Greek statues to exhibits that approached my level of understanding. Okay, I don’t pretend to be able to understand or analyze much of what I saw but now I am motivated to learn more.

I can tell you the exhibit which I searched for, gave up on finding and then stumbled upon was Paul Cezanne’s Card Players. He was a French artist who lived from 1839-1906. A quote from him as part of the exhibit states: “Alas, even though I am already old, I am only a beginner and if I may say so, I believe I do understand.” At any rate, his paintings on display of three card players are mind-boggling. They capture the essence of peasants in France in those days, their character and seriousness about the game. It made me want to know so much more about each of those men and their lives. The exhibit also includes Cezanne’s pencil drawings, the first steps toward the finished product. Along with those are individual drawings and paintings of Cezanne’s models, individually, prior to being integrated into the final painting.

The Metropolitan Art Museum is mind-boggling. Do not miss it if you ever have a chance. I will go back many times until I see it all and then start over again. That’s what it will take to comprehend that which I have seen.

Stan the Man