The Call

I have noticed recently that my cell phone is rarely used for calls anymore. I get more texts and emails than calls. I do know why. This is the generation of being impersonal. Texts and emails hide many things. They hide your voice, your emotions and your personality. God forbid I heard happiness, sadness, or anger in a caller. I remember the movie " Doctor Strangelove". The President of the United States asks Larry Hagman to convey the emotions of the Russian President during a phone call after a Nuclear strike has occurred. Imagine that today. Sorry, Mr. President but the text is in capital letters. I'm not quite sure what that means. I am definitely "old school". I want to hear a person's voice. I want them to hear mine. Pauses in a conversation speaks volumes. Not so in a text. Happiness in a voice will never be replaced by a smiley face. Laughter will never be the same as "LOL or LMAO". Call me. Speak to me. Let me use my minutes with someone on the other end.

My Ten Most Memorable Smells

10. Garbage on the street

9. My horrendous stinky feet

8. Hot sidewalks after a summer shower

7. Cookies and Pies baking in the oven

6. Leaves burning in the fall air

5. Pine Trees anywhere

4. Popcorn popping

3. The Beach anytime, anywhere

2. A New Born Baby

1. The One You Love

Just a Kid

"Just a Kid" The universal excuse for bad behavior. Unfortunately, once a person gets to be a teen this excuse should cease to be used. I have learned from my many years that as one ages their behavior should reflect their maturity. A kid acts like he does because he is immature and hasn't experienced patterns of behavior out in society. Teens should have been taught basic rules of decorum and courtesy. Young adults, especially men, still exhibit some juvenile behavior but no excuse is available. People as they age and mature should show their ability to deal with situations. There is no excuse that comes to the rescue of adults, especially older ones. Just admit it. They're rude, ignorant individuals who haven't matured and didn't learn anything as they grew up. I'm sorry but "Just an adult" doesn't cut it.

The Find

My wife and I watched the movie "Letters to Juliet" last week. It takes place in Verona, Siena and Tuscany. It invoked memories of our honeymoon trip to Italy. We went for 15 days and stayed in private apartments in each of the four cities we visited. The trip was incredible and fulfilled one of my wife's lifelong desires. The flight from Philadelphia to Da Vinci airport was eventful as many are. One of the radars for transoceanic flights malfunctioned and after 30 minutes we had to turn around and return to Philly. When you arrive in DaVinci airport you still have to take a train to get to Rome. The trick was to find the correct train, board on time and actually arrive in Rome. We did it. Now the fun part was to find our apartment in the Piazza Di Popolo. It was necessary to take a subway from downtown Rome to the Piazza. We spoke very little Italian and the Romans knew we were Americans. The act of getting information was tedious at best. Once at the Piazza the real test came. We needed to find the street of our apartment. After having traveled, it seemed forever, and lugging luggage around we tried to read the street map in the dying light as night was approaching quickly. My wife led the way and we arrived to our new home. The stays in Siena, Monterosso and Venice were equally challenging. Italy was beautiful. We had a great time. The time spent finding our apartments was the best part of the trip.It was challenging and rewarding for doers like Lea and me. Of course the best find was my Vo!

My Uniform

I have never been as lucky as most kids. I grew up in a non sports environment at home. I was the only one interested in sports. I learned everything I know about sports by watching them on Tv. I would figure out the scoring of the sports by trying to keep score at home. There was no one to ask. I wouldn't show my ignorance to my friends by asking them. I remember trying out for a church basketball team in socks because I didn't have sneakers. Didn't make it. I did have a baseball glove, a black one. I loved and cherished it. I would play whiffle ball in the neighborhood and spent countless hours pitching, with that great pink ball, against the A&P supermarket back wall. When I was finally decent enough to try out for Little League team I didn't make that cut because most teams took younger players and not a 12 year old. So I never did get that elusive uniform. High School came and went. A lack of confidence and no support from home nixed any attempt at trying out for a sport. So I have been lucky enough to wear a team's uniform. Yes, even to this day I haven't forgotten.

I think this helps explain to me why maybe I am obsessive about having current Tennis clothes and shoes when I teach and play Tennis. These, are for me, my uniform. My elusive uniform that I was never to earn. Maybe in the next life!

Time Invested

Time invested is an interesting concept. It is used by many people to explain why they have stayed with someone, watched a serial TV program, stayed in a job, or played a certain slot machine.

Lost is a perfect example. Despite lasting six long years, having episodes that don't answer any questions and don't advance the plot at all, people have stayed with it. Why? Time invested! They don't want to feel that they have wasted precious time viewing the program. People stay with other people with whom they have should parted with long ago. Why? Time invested! Time spent together is more valuable than quality time? People stay in jobs hoping things will improve or they will advance as promised. Why? Time invested. People think that time with a company automatically equates to advancement. People gamble and stay with patterns or machines. Why? Time invested. They think if they change the next play will result in a win.

Profesional athletes have a different view of time invested. Time invested with a certain team is time well spent. They understand that professional sports is a business. Many athletes who have a spent most of their careers with a certain team, in spite of being traded or released, opt to be resigned for only one day to be retired with that team's organization and uniform. Some enter the Hall of Fame representing that team. Zach Thomas, Nomar Garciaparra, and Carlton Fisk, J.T. Snow and Luis Gonzalez are just a few of these athletes who considered time invested, time well spent. That time has a special place in their lives and hearts. How lucky they are.

I have been guilty of using time invested as an excuse. As I have aged I find that the time I invest is for different reasons. I invest time because I love how I live, I love the woman who's my wife and I love the place where I live. How lucky I am!

Almost an A-Hole!

Interesting expression. It could mean that I'm close to being one or that I was one and I have actually changed for the better. Well, not for the better but I still am one. I know almost only counts in horseshoes but when you're dealing with an asshole everything changes. I should know. I deal with assholes everyday. I deal with them at the gas pump, at the grocery store, at the stop signs in my development, and just about everywhere I go. Are there more assholes here in South Florida than In the Northeast. No, here we have richer assholes and in the Northeast we have better educated assholes. Which brings this back to moi. I do know that when I was younger I was indeed an asshole.I think most younger people are to so some extent. I know, from personal experience, it takes a long time to become a person that is not self centered. So if I am an asshole and who isn't at sometime still in their lives, at least now I'm only Almost an asshole. What is that. Progress!!!!