Chapter 3

What's New

I have the strangest work hours.  I love them, but others may think is a bit strange.  I work from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM give or take.  I got into these hours because, to make a long story short, over time I came to realize being awake during these hours reduced to almost zero, the number of migraine headaches I get.  If any of you get migraines, you know what I mean.  And an added benefit is that my team is in Poland and India.  It's like working their hours.  The whole project benefits.

In my last blog, I talked about my cruise to Aruba and Curacao.  It was definitely relaxing, and I needed it.  Interesting is that I got my first taste of Curacao liqueur.  Awesome!!!  My new best friend is the rum raisin flavor. 

I was cleaning up around the house, and I came across my day-times from twenty years ago.  It's one of those paper types you keep in a leather jacket pocket.  It looks like I may be able to tell you what I did any month for the last twenty years. Before you go through this, remember that for many years, I was a consultant in the computer business.  So much of what you'll see is following up on contract opportunities. In a sense, What's New is what's old.  Here is January for 20 years:

• 1993 -- 35 separate calls, appointments, interviews for various consulting positions.
• 1994 -- Working
• 1995 -- Working.  Attended technical training and started looking for a new home
• 1996 -- Working.  Taught a class in Lotus Notes and went to Gainesville to see my daughter at the University of Florida
• 1997 -- Celebrated Fyllis' birthday.  Fyllis is my (again a long story) life partner
• 1998 -- Working and played racket-ball twice a week (Maybe that's why I now have knee problems?)  Got a great contract with John Deere in Moline, Illinois
• 1999 -- Still at John Deere.  Started listening to classical music while working.  As I mentioned, my love of classical music has increased 100-fold since then.  It seems like the initial music was Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.
• 2000 -- Flew from Times Square for the Millennium to my home in Florida and stayed for my older daughter, Adriane's wedding on Jan 16th.  Then, back to Moline on Sunday, January 23rd.
• 2001 -- Working at new contract in Dallas, Texas.  Imagine how a Philadelphia Eagles fan feels working in Dallas.  (If you don't know the rivalry, you won't know what I mean.)
• 2002 -- Attended several auctions and started making contacts for my next contract
• 2003 -- I had a procedure done that everyone over 50 should have done.  Suffice it to say that in preparation, I took a lot of laxatives.  'Nuff said.  Working at Citibank in Jacksonville.  Flew home once; took Greyhound once.
• 2004 -- Still at Citibank.  Spoke to cousins I hadn't talked to in 20 years.  After we spoke, it was clear why it was 20 years.  It will probably be another 20 years before we talk again.
• 2005 -- Several dozen contract contact and interviews.  Awarded contract in downtown Miami
• 2006 -- Working full-time at BankAtlantic
• 2007 -- Still at BankAtlantic.  Worked on my "mechanic's special" Mercedes.  Piece of junk! 
• 2008 -- Still at BankAtlantic.  Cut demo disc for our musical, State U.
• 2009 -- Still at BankAtlantic.  Went on a cruise.  Went to a shower in Tampa
• 2010 -- Still at BankAtlantic.  Spent a great deal of time trying to resolve our Homeowners' Association issues with our attorneys.  They weren't doing their job unless we "goosed" them along.
• 2011 -- Working at BankUnited.  Picking up my grandchildren every Tuesday
• 2012 -- Working back on contract.  Hosted our friends from Denmark, noted every song that I liked while listening to Internet streaming classical and jazz      

In summary, dozens of professional contacts, several contracts, 1 full time job, saw much of our magnificent USA, and had life events of a wedding and grandchildren.  It brings up an interesting point.  From now on, I will list only “important events” and be more specific about the date it occurred.

I wonder what surprises February has...

One other item for this issue -- I have decided that in January and July, I will mail all the cards for the six months that follow.  I'll note on the envelope, Open on your Birthday, or other relevant note.

Now for...

My Story

My father was a pharmacist in Coatesville, PA.  It was a true Norman Rockwell-esque pharmacy.  A soda fountain, Breyers Ice Cream, red counter swivel stools, and real 1930's Coke-style.tables and chairs.  The address was 24 North Third Avenue.  I still have the chairs.  Is the store still there?  I don't know.  I do know that I have sworn I will not go back to the area.  I don't want my wonderful memories of a long-gone simple and innocent era to be ruined by reality.

We lived in Coatesville until I was 5.  The home was on South Eleventh Avenue.  One day all the car horns were blaring.  I was frightened, until my mother calmed me down by saying, "The war is over!"  World War II had ended!

One other incident to relate -- Every kid had a pen-knife.  I was playing with mine and stuck it in a telephone pole in front of the house.  Somehow a policeman came and warned me I could make the pole fall.  I thought that was ridiculous,  but of course, I didn't tell the cop. 

Then we moved to Downingtown.  More on that in future chapters. 

Log Lines

Here is Chapter 3's log line idea.  It is actually partially true.  I won't tell you which part(s).  Check it out in loglines titled Obsession.   The log line is:

A gift from a dying friend becomes an obsession.

Feel free to contribute.  Let's see if we all can team up to create a helluva story!

Chapter 2

Here it is, one month to the day, for making my second blog post.  I've been thinking about how to organize the blog.  At least initially, I will have at least two sections for each post, and possibly three:

1. What's New -- A log of my experiences since the previous entry, and
2. My Story -- A paraphrased portion of my autobiography
3. Log Lines -- Story ideas about which I may be writing.  Your suggestions are welcome and helpful.

The second item needs some explanation.  After Bill Clinton left office, he began his own autobiography.  In an interview, when asked why he was doing it, he responded that everyone should do it, for their children, for their grandchildren, and for posterity.  It made sense to me.  So I began own My Story.  Each blog posting will have a section paraphrased from it.

 

 

What's New

 

This month has had its ups and downs.  As they say, "I've got good news and I've got bad news."  I'll start with the bad news.

 

This month, we learned that my younger daughter's father-in-law was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer -- A vicious, nasty type of cancer that ravages its victims is extremely short time.  And it is almost always fatal.  In about 1.5 weeks, he went from apparently OK to pneumonia, confusion, and breathing difficulty.  I feel bad for Jon (my son-in-law) who is very close to his father. I am helpless.  (I know about these things; I went through something very similar with my own father.)  The only advice I can offer is: 1) let nothing be unsaid between father and son: feelings of love, closeness, happy times, sadness, all of it.  Say it now because you won't be able to say it later;   2) attend to the business issues, bank accounts, passwords, wills, etc.  It may sound ghoulish, but it must be done.

Now, it's just waiting........  I am so helpless.  So much I would like to do; so little I can do.

Update --> Today is December 29, 2012.  More bad news. The pancreatic cancer finally won.  My daughter's father-in-law passed away this morning -- Twenty-three days from diagnosis to death! Time heals all wounds.  Both of my daughters and I have been fortunate to have excellent relations with all the in-laws. It is rare to have good relations with one set of in-laws -- but to have excellent relations with all in-laws -- extremely rare! Awesome! Kudos to you!  And it is important during these emotional events.

 

In contrast to the bad news, there was some good news.  I was on an 8-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean.  Ports of call were Curacao and Aruba.  Aruba wasn't too exciting, but Curacao was very quaint.  In fact, it closely resembled Amsterdam in the Netherlands.  But Duh... Curacao is part of the Dutch West Indies.

 

My Story

 

For my first entry from My Story, I want you all to know that I have come to believe in reincarnation from the Latin word, caro or carnis; meat. (Do Jews believe in reincarnation?  I don't know.  Is kosher involved in any way?  Can a non-Jew reincarnate as a Jew?  So many questions, so few answers!  But, no matter, I digress.)   I didn't come to the reincarnaton conclusion easily, but I can find no other explanation.  Here's the story; you decide.

 
 

The time is Summer, 1940, in London.  The Battle of Britain is in full rage. To refresh your knowledge of history, the Battle of Britain was the fire-bombing of London by the Nazis in the early days of World War II. 

It is nighttime.  Two of us are running for the London Underground used by Londoners to escape the nightly bombings.  The girl in front of me is wearing a wide paisley dress (petticoats?) and I am behind her.  I am looking down as I run; I see my pin striped suit with cuffs and wing tip shoes.  We are running; then there is nothingness!

... Fast forward 30 years ...

 

It is the early 1970s.  I am on my first trip to Europe.  I want to emphasize "first:"  First time in Europe, first time in England, first time in London.  I was walking for over an hour through several neighborhoods in London.  I turned a corner and was suddenly overcome with an intense feeling of "coming home."  If you've ever lost anything that you loved, and found it years later, you'll know exactly what I mean. That was the feeling.  I looked around, and within a block was an entrance to the London Underground. The homes on the street were relatively new, having been rebuilt after their destruction during the Battle of Britain.

That is my story.  You can draw whatever conclusions you like.  One other thing: I have viewed uncountable WWII movies and documentaries.  I have yet to find that scene in any of them.

 

Log Lines

 

Here is a story idea I had.  Check out Guilt in my log lines blog.  The log line is:

 

A widower with no children squanders an opportunity to be the father he always wanted to be.

 

Feel free to comment, suggest, or update as you like.  Be sure to enclose your pen name.  If it ever gets published, your nom de plume will be included.