tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19272110943077012672024-03-13T22:26:07.268-07:00Things I Think AboutJust some words to describe what I think about.Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-83794715287181837682012-09-10T08:50:00.000-07:002012-09-10T08:50:04.833-07:00Farewell Tour...Life at 29,000 feetHere I am streaking across the sky at 29,000 feet living the good life in First Class! I splurged for First Class because I deserve the comfort and the special treatment not afforded in Coach. I am on my way to Las Vegas and then Sacramento. Actually, I am on my "farewell tour." You see, I don't plan on visiting Las Vegas or Sacramento again. I am checking things off my bucket list before the BIG move to NMB, SC. Last month, I said farewell to Stone Harbor, NJ. Last time there was extra special because my daughter and her family joined us for a week. In spite of the lousy restaurant food, it was a great week! <br />
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As for this trip,I have friends in Las Vegas and my sister lives in Sacramento. My friends will visit NMB in the winter, and my sister will return to the East Coast someday. I will travel West again when I go to Hawaii. Oh, I am thinking next year a trip to Europe!! First Class...for sure!Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-48629805633185128132011-04-24T08:20:00.000-07:002011-04-24T08:20:27.901-07:00Happy EasterToday is Easter Sunday, so a very Happy Easter wish to all! This is the one day in the liturgical calendar that really amazes me. It is considered to be the most IMPORTANT day! It makes sense when you think about it. If Christ can't raise Himself from the dead, then He really isn't God. OK, it's complicated and this isn't a discourse on the Trinity, but think about it...without resurrection there is no eternal life! We would just be fodder for the grass and the flowers once our bodies or ashes decay and get assimilated into the universe. I like to think there is a life after death where every day you can play golf, eat without gaining weight, have fun, and enjoy the presence of God. Whatever that is, I want to experience it. With that first Easter so long ago, I've got a chance! Thank you Jesus!Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-50201910708557410602011-01-05T06:05:00.000-08:002011-01-05T06:05:37.481-08:00Early January MusingsIt's early January and the late December snow is slowly melting as we await the next winter blast we are told will arrive at the end of this week. I can't control the weather any more than I can control the schedule of the men who plow our snow covered streets or pick up our garbage. I can't control the US Congress or the NJ Sate Legislature, even though I did vote in the last election. Is it me or are there others out there who are tired of the partisanship squabbling between the Republicans and the Democrats, oh, and now the Tea Party? If you read the news or follow it on TV, we are headed to Armageddon regardless of who votes for what and what comes up for a vote. Here are a few examples:<br />
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An op-ed piece in this morning's local paper (what a rag!) points out that baby boomers, the first of us turning 65 this year, will either have to keep working or bankrupt Social Security and Medicare. And this generation of Baby Boomers will in effect be reaching 65 for the next 19 years!<br />
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The republicans want to repeal the Health Care Reform Act. OK, but the Dems say that will cost significant dollars. I have no idea as to the economics of keeping it or repealing it, but there are some things in the law that are appealing. For example, coverage for pre-existing conditions. That sounds good to me. I guess that costs money. What did these people do before the law was enacted? I hope they did not suffer in this greatest nation on earth. The first vote for repeal is January 12th. Stay tuned.<br />
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Hopefully, there will be a spirit of cooperation among the parties and every once in a while even some compromise.<br />
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Now on to New Year Resolutions! As I have many times in prior New Year's, I am going to get fit and lose some weight. My goal in 2011 is to get to the gym at least 150 days this year and to weigh no more than 200 pounds when next the ball drops. My starting weight is more than 200 pounds. When I achieve my goal, I will look at least a little different I am sure. A few more goals: get out of NJ and retire! I may burden Social Security and Medicare, but I will do my best to live up to my part of the bargain between me and the Fed. One last goal, Peace and Love to my wonderful family and friends. And yes, if Jody comes knocking, I will answer.Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-74247710103614550742010-12-30T07:27:00.000-08:002010-12-30T07:27:47.340-08:00A Look Back at 2010With less than 2 days left in 2010, I am thinking about what has occurred this past year. Lots to think about, many good things, but a heck of a lot of bad things too. The good things include the birth of Ryan (my step grandson) on January 28, and the continued good health and development of my grandchildren, Braedon and Elliana. They continue to be a source of wonder and awe as well as the best entertainment available. The bad things center around health issues. My wife fell and broke her pelvis in 2 places and her coccyx in 2 places, I had knee replacement surgery over 6 months ago that is still rehabbing as I write this, and my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer and is currently undergoing radiation treatment. <br />
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Business was good this past year, but I am ready to retire. I am also ready to depart NJ. This state has so little going for it. Why stay here? We are thinking about moving to the South Carolina coast, culture shock for sure, but little, if any, snow and warmer average temperatures. We'll see if that happens.<br />
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On a sad note, I remain estranged from my son.<br />
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As I look back on this almost-done year, I am happy to see it end and am looking forward to its successor. A year from now, my high hopes for this new year may be dashed, but still there is the potential for so many good things! I remain grateful for my family and friends and hopeful that 2011 will be better than 2010.Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-9893044764816817322010-11-22T10:07:00.000-08:002010-11-22T10:07:48.554-08:00You, me and the TSAI haven't been on a plane in a real long time...at least 6 months. I used to fly almost weekly. That much travel is a great way to ruin your relationship with wife and children, but that is another posting at a later time. I am dreading the next time I fly commercially as I hear about all the horror of getting through security: body scans, pat-downs, and whatever else may be done. Here's what I think. First, I want to Maximize Security, that would be mine and yours! So, do what you need to do without worrying about my civil rights or sexually harrassing me. Now having said that, I am not sure how I feel about the extreme pat down for my wife or daughter or grandchildren. But, I still want them to fly with maximum security. There's the dilemma for me. Isn't there another way? I guess not, or some one would have figured it out. But wait a minute, why would I think someone can figure this out better than I can? Let's have everyone go through a total body scan scanner. Get over your embarassment of a few extra pounds, or what you think you look like to the inspector. Let's do background checks on the inspectors so we don't get sex offenders, child molesters, etc. And, if an inspector finds anything suspicious, then detain the passenger for a pat down or whatever. If they refuse, kick them off the flight and detain them. Take their luggage off the plane too. While detained, they can be interrogated and searched as a matter of law. Oh yes, let's get a law passed that allows for this process. If we are not terrorists, what do we have to worry about? If we are terrorists, well then the process will stop you from your misssion. That sounds like a good thing to me.Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-60995163666422059152010-11-06T08:36:00.000-07:002010-11-06T08:36:34.245-07:00Saturday MorningIt seems there are so many things to do on a Saturday morning that before I know it, it's Saturday afternoon! And this happens and I don't have children that need to be taken to sports activities, karate, dance, gymnastics, etc. It is now 11:33 and what have I done so far? Picked up dry cleaning, voted in the bergen County NAACP election, ran unending scans on my computer and did some online banking. What's left to do? Go to the gym, Mass, and some PBA function this evening. I guess with all that happens on Saturday, Sunday really is a day of rest!Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-64077303173370646052010-11-03T12:00:00.000-07:002010-11-03T12:10:03.605-07:00The day after...the 2010 mid-term election, has brought out all the pundits. So, why not me as well. We all know the GOP will now control the House and they are closer to the Dems regarding Senate seats (although at this moment, there are still 3 races to be settled). I am so happy that Christine O'Donell didn't win in Delaware, my home state. She is a little too far out there - like Pluto! Oh, that's not a planet anymore, but you know what I mean. In NJ, my current state, the GOP made gains in Bergen County and that's good. Believe me, the state is so corrupt that it may never really matter who's in office. Can you tell I am fed up with this place? So, what will the Republicans do? They will have the responsibility of doing "what the American people want." And that may not be easy. Will the Dem's block them? Will the GOP ram through legislation, like the Dem's did? You know, it's true: Be careful what you wish for! Let's see what the next 2 years bring. I will not be surprised if things are status quo in 2012. I hope the economy is better. We'll see.Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-90426038723555935472009-12-05T11:21:00.000-08:002009-12-05T11:23:19.952-08:00I Lost my Job! Again!!!For the 2nd time in my life, I lost my job. This time it was easier than the last time. The last time I was recently divorced and that made it more difficult.Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-10870295173297022562009-07-29T11:55:00.000-07:002009-07-29T12:05:59.941-07:00New OfficeMoving into a new office is fun, it's worrisome, and it's getting lost more than a few times. <br /><br />The fun comes in having something new to look forward to and the fun of playing in new space, full of promise and renewal. Promise and renewal come from a new office seen as a fresh start, a re-commitment to your work ethic. An examination of what you do and why you do it.<br /><br />The worrisome part is not knowing what you are going to get until you arrive on that first day. Will your office be decent? Will it be as nice as your peers? What about new furniture? Will everything you packed arrive? Will it arrive in good shape?<br /><br />Getting lost is to be expected. Personally, I couldn't find the men's room after the first morning, and it had not been moved. I took a wrong turn getting out of the complex on day 1. I missed the office parking lot on day 2.<br /><br />All in all, it's been fun, it's been a needless worry, and getting lost is part of the experience. I like my new office space and will work hard in it!Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-85478859318466882812009-02-19T12:47:00.000-08:002009-02-25T13:15:41.764-08:00Happy Birthday Darling Daughter<span style="font-family:arial;">Today is my daughter's Birthday. I wish I could be with her and the family to celebrate, but that will have to wait another week or so when I am next in town to visit. I am reminded of many things about her, things that really started the day she was born. I was the first non-medical person to hold her, and I thought she was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. I still feel that way. She was a perfect bundle of Joy! She is now a mature woman with a wonderful husband and two beautiful and delightful children, my grandchildren! I have had the good fortune to watch my daughter grow and mature. During that time, many memories have been stored away in my mind, all good memories of a wonderful daughter.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">She has always loved animals. She loved loved her dog, Max, and he loved her. Max was definitely her dog. In fact, when Max was around he would become agitated and bark whenever someone hollered at his mistress, or he felt she was being threatened or in some kind of danger. Once, when my daughter was a toddler, she wondered toward the street. Max, ever watchful, moved next to her and bumped her so she fell on the patch of grass immediately before the street. She fell onto her diapered bottom and was none the worse for her fall. Max then stood over her so she could not get up and move off. She laughed and smiled at Max thinking this was a new game. She could do whatever she wanted to him and he would just sit there as she crawled over him. It was hard for us to put Max down as he reached old age and became ill. After all, he was her dog. Today, she has a golden retriever and a cat, Dewey and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Shadow</span> respectively. She would have a house full of dogs and cats and God knows what else, if she could get her husband to agree.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">My daughter was always a good student. She came home from Kindergarten and had completed all the exercises in her book. She was disappointed to learn that there was no "new " book the next day. The book she had completed was for the year! She always did well in school and during her Junior year of High School, she announced that she was quitting school to go to college. She applied to 3 schools as I recall, was accepted at all of them and settled into an Honors Program. I was worried that if she ever left college, she would have no high school diploma and no degree. But, she graduated in 4 years with a double major, and earned her High School diploma based on her successful Freshman Year.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">My daughter was always independent. It seemed that nothing stopped her from getting what she wanted, or keeping what she had. Many years after her graduation from college, she related a story about her being arrested for possession of alcohol by a minor. It seems she was holding a beer in a local bar and an agent from the ABC saw her and wrote her up. She lost her driver's license for 6 months. As she was telling the story, I remarked that I don't recall her ever not driving her car. She told me, "Dad, they took my license, not my car." That was, and is, so like her.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">My daughter is a wonderful dancer, having started Ballet lessons when she was 5. She loved it and she was fortunate to have a very good and dedicated instructor. She eventually made it to dancing on point, toeshoes! She danced beautifully and I have the video of her performances to prove it. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Today, she is a mother and wife and career woman. She manages all that and still has time to talk with me once in a while. I always cherish the time we can spend together because memories come from those times. </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">I am very lucky to have such a wonderful daughter. My Darling Daughter!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-86432908989439704172009-01-13T08:31:00.001-08:002009-02-25T12:58:18.965-08:00My Best Buddy!Ever since my grandson was born, almost 6 years ago, I have had My Best Buddy! He is a typical boy with an unbounded interest in everything around him. Don't get me wrong, he can easily be distracted by other things going on. For example, he was playing in a T-Ball league this summer and while in the field, he could be noticed looking around at anything going on outside the lines. He doesn't miss much. When his father takes on a job around the house, my grandson pitches in to help. He approaches everything with the bright, clear mind of a child. Once his father was doing some yard work wearing work gloves. My grandson needed gloves too, but was quite content to wear a pair of his winter gloves. He knew that working with his father was the important thing, not the appropriateness of his gloves. Of course, that will change as he gets older, but for now he really gets the important things - in this case, helping his Dad.<br /><br />When I spend the night at my daughter's, I always remind my grandson to please wake me up in the morning, and he always does. His bright smile makes my day as he whispers, "Pop-Pop get up!" or as he pokes me gently. Then he usually climbs into bed with me and we talk for a few minutes. With a jump, he is up and out of bed announcing that it is time for "us" to shave. All he does is watch me as I lather my face and use the razor. I wouldn't trade these moments for anything. Some days we go to breakfast with his mother, father and sister. My grandson rides with me and we "race" to see who gets to the restaurant first. He watches for all the red lights and tells me when to stop and when to go. At breakfast, he fixes my coffee by adding the sweetener and the milk. He stirs the coffee and then asks me to tell him if it is good. He is ready to add more sweetener or milk if I tell him the coffee isn't good yet.<br /><br />My grandson loves to run, literally. He runs in the backyard, around the house, anywhere that running is appropriate. He always greets me with a smile and a hug.<br /><br />And, when I speak with him on the phone, he always asks me if I am coming to his house today. Unfortunately, I live about 2 and 1/2 hours away by car. So seeing him is not as often as I would like. But, when I do see him, it makes my day. Thank God I have my grandson, My Best Buddy!Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-28537333872776618422009-01-10T08:23:00.000-08:002009-01-11T03:40:36.399-08:00FamilyNo doubt, family is the greatest joy and asset I have. However, contrary to what Mama Corleone told Michael in <em>The Godfather II, </em>you can lose your family through death, divorce and estrangement. I lost my father this year. His memory is sometimes vivid, and I find myself at times thinking about what he said or how he would react. Like many I have gone through divorce. And, I am experiencing estrangement from an important family member. Estrangment, for me, is the hardest loss to deal with. The estranged is still alive (Thank God!) and still accessable. That is what makes it tough. How do I access them? A birthday card and a Christmas gift are the only access these days. There is no reciprication. There is hope that some day this estrangement will resolve, and we can be connected again. Until that time, all I can do is wait and think and evaluate what I have done, and what I might do next. If there is more, I am not aware of it. Perhaps someone else in my family will give me an insight. Offsetting these losses is the joy of family! My grandchildren offer in their beautiful smiles and their joy of life the hope that all is truly right in the world - at least in their world. And, I can escape into that world of theirs being led by those tiny hands. There really isn't anything like that. Not for me.Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927211094307701267.post-13170830621667679082009-01-09T12:39:00.000-08:002009-01-09T12:53:48.718-08:00What's this about?Blogging. I don't know what to say about blogging. It gives us a chance to write down whatever. Some folks have been doing it a long time. Others, like me, have just started doing it. Actually, I am motivated by my daughters blog, which I first read today (it's only a few days old). I didn't know she wrote so well. I will post her blog's url here if I get her permission. I guess the money spent on her education included some time spent in composition and grammer. Blogging is a formal process that takes our thoughts, ideas, etc. and puts them into words potentially seen by everyone. In my mind it is like a personal editorial page. I can editorialize on any subject I want. Now, that sounds like a really good thing. Of course, there is the need to have a subject to write about. Let me see...subjects. I have a lot to choose from: current events from politics, local news, sports, television, theater, movies, to family and friends, special occassions, driving in NJ, airport security, and the like. The preceeding is just a minute number of topics. I'll have to pick one, or another not listed, and get on it. So, that's what blogging is all about. Picking and writing. I contend that in the process of picking and writing, I am thinking, so I am true to the title of my blog. Actually, I will have to pick something, think about it and write, excuse me, blog about it! But now it is time to go home and see what adventures await on the Jersey highways this Friday afternoon. Hooray, I'm a blogger!Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790336866216244135noreply@blogger.com2