Rant #3,838: Hold Tight

I tried to get the police report for the accident I had, but it is like pulling teeth.

The police gave me a number to call, but you cannot speak to anyone there. You simply have to go to an outside site to obtain the report, or you can directly contact the police via email for the report ...

But in either case, it takes weeks. 

And yes, there is a fee.

You can also go to the county's police headquarters in person, but it is, at the very least, 40 miles away from me, and there is no guarantee that they will have the report 

As far as the woman getting a lawyer, if it gets that far, I was told by my lawyer friend that my insurance company will provide me with my own lawyer.

Nice of my own insurance company to not tell this to me.

I took a few pictures at the site, but I think I am going to have to go back and take pictures the same time and day as when I got hit to really be able to show the essence of the area at that time of day and what happened to me.

And no, I have not heard from the repair shop about my car 

So right now, the gecko knows more than I do about where this accident stands and how my car is doing.

I am actually cutting short the story about the latest information related to this incident by a lot, because I have only touched on several points. 

i really have not delved that far into how technology has only hindered me in my quest for information that should be readily available to me, as well as the total and complete incompetency of my insurance company, a company that I have been with for decades.

What to do next?

If I don't hear about my car by Friday morning, I will give the repair place a call.

I don't really think I can do much more about getting the actual police report. I have put in my requests, and now, I just have to wait 

I have those pictures to take, too.

Otherwise, I am in a real holding pattern.

I don't like being in that holding pattern, but there isnt much else I can do about it 

So I will just have to sit tight ...

And continue to worry about something that was not my fault.

Happy holiday season to me!

Rant #3,837: To Cut a Long Story Short

Well, I received the damage estimate on my car, and a timeframe for getting the car back from the shop.

And of course, weirdness entered the fray again, and it seems I can't escape this pall no matter what I do.

I was in the middle of doing some work early yesterday afternoon after attending a work meeting just slightly before.

I received a call on my phone, but it was under "Spam," so although I don't usually answer these calls listed as spam, I did this time.

In a recorded message, the insurance company introduced itself to me right at the get go--

But then, went into Spanish, all Spanish, and nothing but Spanish!

I hung up the phone, and then called them myself.

This time, it was in English, all English, and nothing but English, and I eventually spoke to someone, in English.

To make a long story short, she believed that the call was directed mistakenly to me, rather than to the woman who hit me, who, as I mentioned earlier, didn't seem to speak any English and had to call someone to help her understand the language.

Anyway--and yesterday was three days after the accident--her insurance company had not yet contacted my insurance company--

Leading me to wonder if the woman actually contacted her insurance company after the accident, like I did and like you should when you have an accident like this.

The police even told me to do it right when I got home; I knew that already, but I assume they told her the same thing.

Which brings out the worry wart in me, and makes me wonder what is going on on her side--

Does she even have insurance, or even a license?

On the report the police gave me, it says she has insurance--or at least the car does--but the driver and the car owner are different.

Hmmmm ...

The police took care of me first, and told me to go home, so I was not there afterward, not even there when her car was towed because she hit me so hard that she blew out at least one tire on her car.

Thus, therefore, ergo, I have no idea what transpired afterward, which is probably why the police told me to leave when they saw my car was drivable.

My insurance company has all the information they need, so I did the right thing, but the woman who hit me ...

Who knows?

And then right after I hung up with my insurance company, I received an email saying that my damage estimate was ready to be viewed.

I received the same email yesterday, but even though I clicked what they said and did what they said on the app, it was not working, and I could not get this information.

Today, it took a while, but I actually found where they had this information stored on the app, and I found out that my worst fears were true, that there is plenty of damage and that I won't have my car for about two weeks.

And I am responsible, at least right now, for the deductible, which I reiterated with my insurance company that they were going to try to get that from the woman's insurance company because she was fully at fault, but--

Why has she not reported this to her insurance company?

Who knows what I am dealing with here, and more importantly, who I am dealing with here.

I thought that by law, both sides of an auto accident have to report the incident within 24 hours. I reported mine like 24 minutes after it happened, but she has yet to report it?

Something fishy here, wouldn't you agree?

Is the cup half full or half empty, and am I worrying for nothing?

Well, not for nothing, as I have a pricey deductible that I am going to have to pay, so there is something tangible for worry about on my end.

I do have all of her information on the aforementioned report, and she should have all of my information on the report they gave her.

But what happened after I was told to leave is another story--

At this point, another story for another time.

Then, later on in the day, I spoke to my insurance company again, and she finally did contact them, or at least her lawyer did.

Yes, she retained a lawyer, because she claims she was hurt in the crash, so now I am in a real pickle, and I really don't know what to do.

I do know that I need a copy of the actual police report, which is not easy to get, but I have a number to call to try and get it.

I better start taking pictures of where this all happened, to prove my case.

I contacted a lawyer friend, so I will speak to her about what else I should do.

What a kerfuffle!

I just want to put all of this behind me, and drive away with my repaired car.

But the way it is going, that seems to be a long time off.

Rant #3,836: Give Me the Keys (And I'll Drive You Crazy)

After I brought my damaged car into the shop, I went to get the loaner car early yesterday.

I asked them for a small car, because that is what I am used to.

They brought out a Mitsubishi Eclipse, which is not a small car.

But that is what they had available, so I took it.

It is the first car I ever drove that starts with a push button, and I had several other questions for the attendant that got me the car, because my car's dashboard and controls look so old fashioned compared with this car.

Heck, I couldn't even figure out where the control was to open the gas tank.

It has automatic headlights, which I don't like, and if I can figure it all out, I will disable as soon as possible.

The attendant helped me with the radio, and I actually showed her how to plug in a flash drive to listen to music through that device.

That I could figure out almost immediately.

Then I drove home.

I have driven my wife's Jeeps numerous times, but rarely for long distances.

I had to drive home, it wasn't really a long distance, but it gave me a little time to get used to this car that I am going to have for at least a couple of days, if not more.

Bigger cars handle differently than smaller cars, and I believe that you have much more control with smaller cars, but that could be just me, since that is all I have really ever driven--save a couple of weeks decades ago, when I had no car, and I drove my father's old Checker cab for a spell.

But that was years and years ago, so I had to get used to this loaner car.

There is no telling when I am going to get my car back from the shop, so I better get used to it quickly.

In the shop, the mechanic told me that since so much plastic was involved in the accident, there was no telling when it would get done.

He said he would call me later this week with any details he could give me, so I will be waiting with baited breath.

Funny, the repair place is on Baiting Road, so I guess I will have to wait with baited breath for my car to be fixed on Baiting Road.

How appropriate.

Some guys have all the luck ...

I get a Mitsubishi to drive for a day, a week ... who knows how long.

I am going to sound like a baby now, but I want my car back!

Whaaaaa!

But who knows when that will be.

Hopefully sooner than later.

Your car almost becomes your baby the longer you drive it, as you know all of its nuances like you know your own.

But when you get another car to drive like my situation is, it just isn't the same.

It is a nice car, but it is not MY car.

In the meantime, hopefully, my insurance company can get back my deductible from the woman's insurance company, because I am absolutely not at fault here.

But with New York State's No Fault laws, I end up being at least partially at fault just by literally being there at the moment of impact.

So once again, I do everything right and it turns out wrong.

It all makes my head spin.

Let's see how long this takes.

I would love to drive my own car as we get closer to the end of the year.

Whaaaaa!

Rant #3,835: You've Got Your Troubles, I've Got Mine

How was your Thanksgiving?

Mine was good, gathering with family and friends for a good, old fashioned Turkey Day.

How was your Black Friday?

Mine was good, as I got up early to attend the annual Black Friday Record Store Day, where I bought a couple of things and called it a day.

How was your Thanksgiving weekend?

Well, it started off pretty well, catching up on some TV and doing some other things, but then Saturday night came ...

As I do every Saturday night, I went out to a local fast food place to get my family and I something to eat. It gives my wife a little break from cooking, and I really enjoy going out and getting our dinner from the local places around town.

For my wife, I got her a chicken salad from a place that she likes that features pretty much nothing but chicken. It is a local chain, and I must go there to pick up Saturday dinner for her about once or twice a month.

Then I went to the local Taco Bell just down the road, where I go through the drive-thru to get meals for myself and my son, who had Saturday off from work.

I have noticed that Taco Bell has raised their prices dramatically during the past six months, and they are no longer the place to go to stretch your dollar (Burger King is, at least right now).

Anyway, I gave them my order--they use an AI tool which is annoying at best--picked it up, and pulled away.

I went to the exit, waiting to make a right turn. The light was red, but the car in front of me on the road left enough space for me to make a right turn onto the main road ahead of him--

Which I proceeded to do, but then--

SMASH! BANG! POW!

A car came out of nowhere, going way too fast into the turn lane, never saw me, and hit me on the driver's side in the front by my headlights.

This driver--a young girl--hit me so hard that she blew out her tire and caused other damage to her car, and mine.

I got out of the car, not too happy, and as I was as hot as could be, I asked her for her paperwork. 

She did not provide it to me, and went on the phone, where she was speaking nothing but Spanish.

I gave her some time, and she did not approach me or give me anything, as I had my registration out in my hand to give to her, as is customary.

But she was taking her time, speaking nothing but Spanish, so I thought I needed the police to come here--my first thought was that she was driving illegally, had no insurance ... yes, I admit I thought she might not even be here legally--but to protect myself, I called the police.

They came, and in the meantime, some guy came to the scene--evidently who she was speaking to on the phone--and he spoke English well, although the two of them were conversing in Spanish until the police came.

"How are you doing?" asked one officer as he got out of the car. 

"Not too good," I responded.

"Well, if I were a Yankees fan, I wouldn't be doing too good either," the officer replied, as I was resplendent in my Yankees winter jacket.

I wasn't laughing, but he told me to back my car into the parking lot, which I did, he took my information, and I waited for the police to run my information through their car computer.

"Scott?" they asked. Myself and the man and woman looked at each other--

No Scotts here, although it almost immediately dawned on me that they got that name from my middle name.

"My middle name is Scott, but that is not my first name," I told them.

They made a print out, but it only had my middle name and last name on it--God knows why--so they had to run everything through their car computer again.

When they gave me the correct printout, with "Lawrence" and my last name on it, I noticed that yes, indeed, the woman had insurance, so I took a deep sigh of relief.

The police asked if my car was drivable--which incredibly it was, with even both headlights going on brightly even though the left one was pretty damaged--and they told me to drive home and call my insurance company, which I did.

As I said, the woman was going so fast, entering the turn lane way before its markings on the road, that she at least blew out a tire, and had to wait to be towed.

So I left, happy that my Kia once again saved me from another crazy driver--neither one of us was injured, thank goodness--and drove home, called my insurance company, and have to bring it into the shop today, so as you are reading this, that is where I am.

They arranged for me to get a loaner car, so my car is going to be in the shop for a while--and I have a $500 deductible on collision, so I am going to have to figure out a way to pay that, but the damage will be much more than that.

And after I did all of that, I finally was able to eat--only to find that the fast food place gave me--

The wrong order.

So I ask again ...

How was your Thanksgiving weekend?

And my reply is ...

I hope it was better than mine was. 

Rant #3,834: Let's Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving is almost here, and we are going to celebrate the holiday at my wife's brother's house.

It should be nice.

Every year, I watch "March of the Wooden Soldiers " on TV, and this year will be no different.

In the past here at the Blog, I have posted my own list of the best music to listen to on the holiday.

This list isn't necessarily made up of songs that were directly written with Thanksgiving in mind, but they all fit right into the holiday theme--

Not snuggly for some of them, but for others, there is no better time of the year to listen to these tunes than Thanksgiving.

Here is my list, in no particular order:

Raiders: "The Turkey" 

Raiders: "Birds of a Feather"

Trashmen: "Surfin' Bird"

John Lennon: "Cold Turkey"

Arlo Guthrie: "Alice's Restaurant Massacree"

Yes, i know it is a very short list, but even if i think really hard, I just can't come up with any other songs to put on the list--

Until now.

I got to thinking, and I just knew there had to be some other pop, rock and/or soul songs that needed to be added to this list--

And, miraculously, I actually came up with a new addition:

Little Eva: "Let's Turkey Trot"

This song reached the #20 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962, and while it didnt hit the top spot like the singer's "Locomotion" did, it still has its own charm.

It was written by Gerry Goffin, Jack Keller and Carole King, and I think it tried to revive the old "Turkey Trot" dance of generations earlier--

Meaning that it had absolutely nothing to do with Thanksgiving, other than the "turkey" portion.

But beggars can't be choosers, so I am adding it to the list.

The song might actually be best remembered as being on the film soundtrack of "Easy Rider," not  on the actual soundtrack LP, but in the movie itself.

I hadn't heard this song in eons, but it does fit on the list.

But knowing how I get on Thanksgiving, I probably will eat so much that I doubt I could actually do the "Turkey Trot" even if i wanted to.

Have a great Thanksging, a super Black Friday, a stupendous holiday weekend, and i will be back here at the Blog on Monday--

Fully stuffed.

https://youtu.be/SKRmoIDLxNU?si=SG6pxdpfuTCi8wKl

Rant #3,833: Time

Yesterday, my son completed his psychological assessment. We hope to hear what the findings were sometime before Christmas.

It will be interesting, because we have never really gotten a pinpoint, accurate reading about what exactly his disability is.

Yes, we have had several tests done on him, and the diagnoses really run the gamut of what these disabilities actually are, but these tests really haven't shed too much light on this subject.

They are truly all over the place, and this is precisely why I don't think his public school education was very good.

He is supposedly not autistic, and the schools have a habit of dumping every student they can't figure out into the autism "barrel," because, in my son's case, they simply didn't know what to do with him--

From kindergarten through 12th grade.

He has certainly exceeded every touchpoint and milestone as far as his progress is concerned, starting when some imbecile doctor relegated him to "R" status.

He has a high school education, he has worked since he was 15 years of age, and for someone supposedly with "motion" and "movement" problems, but you would never know it--

His job, as a parking lot attendant, is very physical.

He plays both basketball and bowling on a weekly basis.

He has made himself into quite a bowler--

This past Saturday, he bowled a 167 and a 174, and I wish that idiot doctor was around to see that--

And choke on her words ...

I do mean really choke.

So let's see what the findings are.

My wife and I really need to know, and so does our son.

He is 30 years old, and I think the time has come.

Rant #3,832: Razzmatazz

The world saw it all unfold on late Friday afternoon.

News is usually buried on late Friday afternoon, but you had to be buried under a rock to not have heard about it.

President Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City, staged such a feel-good news conference together after their well-publicized meeting that it really made you feel like you had to puke.

The mayor-elect, standing, and the commander in chief, sitting, put on a news conference that was so disconcerting, and so vulgar, that if you didnt at the very least shake your head, you had to wonder exactly what was going on.

Sure, we weren't in with them when they actually talked between themselves, but the President seemed to be little more than a guest at his own news conference, and didn't answer a single question related to anti-Semitism.

He said he knew nothing about the Coast Guard's determination that the swastika is not a symbol of hate--which they have since walked back--and the only wars they spoke about were wars that were "soft" in the presence of the mayor-elect, including those in the Congo and in Ukraine.

Every mention of Israel and Jews was bypassed.

We live in a bizzaro, sick world, and if you needed proof, this news conference was IT.

Somebody was playing the other like a fiddle, but it is unclear which one had the bow in his hand.

The absolute low point of Trump's second term as president ... and don't be surprised if when this garbage runs for his second term as mayor, they roll out portions of this news conference, where Trump said he has a chance to be "a great mayor."

And can you trust either of them after this fiasco? This press conference will have tongues wagging for a long time. Trump is becoming a "politician," and that is not good for anyone.

And let's not forget that he said that he and Bernie Sanders "actually agree" on many topics. This was an absolute fiasco, nothing less.

Maybe they are two very good actors, or maybe they decided to put on a very good face in the midst of numerous disagreements.

Maybe they decided behind closed doors to leave the animosity right there, and put on a happy public face with one another.

But whatever the case, the president seemed to be a monkey to Mamdani's organ grinder, and if anything substantial was accomplished during this meeting, you would never know it by this press conference.

The president, who has previously presented himself as a staunch defender of the democratic principles that make this country great, came off as a Socialist groupie, and the mayor-elect came off as the humanitarian he isn't.

I cannot fathom what good came from this meeting, as it made Trump look, at best, foolish.

And I think this got back to him.pretty quickly, as he back peddled the very next day, stating thst he would not hesitate in bringing federal troops into New York City to regulate crime if necessary.

But the President and the mayor-elect pussy footed around powder-keg questions directed to them by the press.

Maybe they were simply putting on a show for all of us, but honestly, these two--who had literally been at each others' necks for months--came out as kissing Queens cousins--

And one thing I will give them is that they surprised everyone with their performsnce.

But I have to say it was disappointing at best, the low-poont of Trump's presidency, and a total embarrassment for his administration to clean up.

But the garbage is already out of the bag, and let me tell you--

It is going to be hard, if not impossible, to put the trash back into the dumpster.

Rant #3,831: All I Want For Christmas

Don'tcha think they started advertising for Christmas earlier than ever this year?

I don't know about you, but I saw holoday-related TV ads starting in mid-October--

Even before Halloween.

It is pretty obvious as to why the advertising is coming earlier than ever.

It is because the competition is greater than ever.

Brick-and-mortar stores have plenty to fear from online retailers, and the competition to get your money is incredible.

Holiday shopping is a multi-billion dollar industry, and everyone wants a piece of that pie.

Me, if I buy anything for the holiday, it is gift cards, and I only buy for a few people, so my holiday list is never very long.

This year, my son wants an electronics item that includes Bluetooth connectivity, so I have already looked around on the Internet to get a feel for what is out there and available.

Next month, I will probably go to a few stores and see what is available that would fit the bill and I could buy right then and there.

If I can't find the right thing, it is back to the Internet.

Otherwise, it is gift cards, and that is that.

And this year, Hanukkah begins at sundown, December 14, and ends on December 22, so there is absolutely no overlap of the holidays this year--

Which is great, because while most people will be scurrying around to get their gifts right before Christmas, Hanukkah will already be over, so there isn't any rush this year.

Last year, the two holidays were literally on top of each other, and since Hanukkah 2024 went into the early days of 2025, this year is one of the few years in my memory that had two Hanukkah celebrations.

Happily, that won't be happening this year as we go from 2025 into 2026.

But let's look further back in time ...

Two years ago, my life was in real turmoil, and what made it worse is that I didnt know if I would ever walk again.

But with a lot of hard work, I got through that.

In 2025, my holiday gifts to myself will be to get my eye in better working order, and to put my kidney stone and prostate problems in the rear-view mirror.

Thise are holiday gifts that you simply cannot put a price on.

Have a great weekend, and I will speak to you again on Monday.

Rant #3,830: Let's Work

Retired.

Something I am not, and I'm afraid, something that I will never be--

But something I still aspire to, even though i know it isn't happening.

If I fully retired. I just don't know if I could exist on Social Security alone, and I do believe my family would suffer, too. 

It is not an option for me.

I truly wish it was.

Pretty regularly, i have nightmares which I believe are directly tied into not being retired.

This is almost going to sound comical, but more often than not, these dreams feature me without pants and without my car.

I can't explain it.

When i first lost my job, I thought these nightmares were directly related to that unfortunate situation--

Me not wearing "the pants in the family" anymore, and no car, so no mode or avenue to get another position.

But the dreams have persisted through losing my job to the current time, where I am semi-retired, but I wish I could just give it all up and be fully retired.

However, I cannot look a gift horse in the mouth.

I am darn lucky to have this remote editing/writing position that I have, and without it, I would be a goner.

I just wish that when I lost my final full-time position, I could have done it on my own terms, and be actually retired.

As it is, I kind of have one foot in "retired" and the other foot in "still working," and it doesn't sit well with me.

I think this continuing nightmare vividly reflects that.

I know that there is nothing i can do about it, and i also know that I should be careful what I wish for.

Both my father and his father--my paternal grandfather--worked well into their 80s. My maternal grandfather, after a long career with the post office, worked at an Army/Navy store through his 60s and very early 70s up until his passing.

I guess that the fruit isnt falling far from the tree for me, because I cannot envision ever not working.

But at least I have hope that when my son's retirement time comes decades from now, he can actually be fully retired.

I probably won't be around for that, but i just hope that he can do it, mentally, physically, emotionally, and, of course, financially.

Me, I have to get to the grind again.

"Work, work work--

"Idle hands are the devil's playground."

Rant #3,829: Are You a Boy Or Are You a Girl

I have to tell you--

There are things in this world that confuse me to no end.

I guess I am getting older, and I see things that really spin me for a loop.

And watching television, I see things that ... well ... I do believe need an explanation.

Here is one of these.

Perhaps you can elucidate me.

Has anyone seen the Cobenfy commercial on TV? I believe this is a medication used to combat schizophrenia.

Anyway, the main actor in the commercial--the person with the long hair and wool hat--is that a male or a female?

As the camera gets closer, it looks like a female, but when the actor speaks, it sounds like a male voice.

I am sure this person was chosen specifically for his/her androgeny, but I have seen the commercial many times since it came out--maybe once a day, at least--but my wife and I can't figure it--the person--out.

No politics here, just want to know if this is a male or female.

It won't change my life one iota, but is this person a man or a woman?

I posted this on Facebook some time ago, and let me tell you, I didnt get any response for some time--

Which leads me to believe that I am not the only person who is confused about all of this.

To this date, I have received a total of three responses, all from women.

One was simply a like--I guess they are happy that they aren't alone and not the only ones on the planet with this question--and the two others were as follows--

1) "It's a guy," one confidently proclaimed.

2) The other said, "Like you, I couldn't tell, but male or female, they are as cute as can be, beautiful smile with really cute dimples."

OK, I wasn't going in that direction, but I guess androgeny can be "cute" in some people's eyes.

(It worked for David Bowie during his "Ziggy Stardust" period, so-- )

Me, I just want to know if this is a male or a female, a boy or a girl, a man or a woman, or a guy or a broad?

Have any feelings on the subject ... or does your door "swing both ways" on this, and you are as confused as I am?

https://youtu.be/_hhrY3bQpWk?si=8_pA_VgkUeT1kVBs

Rant #3,828: Chip Off the Old Block

Coke vs. Pepsi ...

The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones ...

The Yankees vs. The Mets ...

The Democrats vs. The Republicans ...

We all have our favorites, and I have another one to add to this list--

How about Dipsy Doodles vs. Fritos?

I love corn chips. It might be my favorite chip-type snack, even more so than potato chips.

To me are least, corn chips go with just about any food, and if you like tuna fish like I do, there is nothing better than a tuna sandwich with corn chips on the side--

Or even as part of the sandwich itself.

And they are great to munch on alone, too. 

I think the first corn chip i ever had was Fritos.

It was certainly the most available, being part of the Frito-Lay brand family of snacks, and originally developed in the 1930s.

It had a nice catch-phrase, "Munch a bunch of Fritos Corn Chips."

And if you are my age, you f8ndly remember the advertising campaigns centered around "The Frito Bandito" and a W.C. Fields-inspired character, "W.C. Fritos."

Then we have Dipsy Doodles ...

This is a Wise Snacks product, but was originally produced by Old London Foods.

I don't remember any major ad campaigns with Dipsy Doodles, and i think a lot of people look at it as a "poor cousin" to Fritos.

Funny, but I like Dipsy Doodles better than Fritos.

Always have, always will.

I think I like them better because they are a bigger corn chip, making them chewier, and the ridges really make the chip.

Fritos are generally smaller--I often think their Scoops variety was Frito-Lay's response to Dipsy Doodles--and they don't have the ridges.

Fritos are a bit heavier, a bit greasing, and Dipsy Doodles are lighter on your stomach.

There are many kinds of Fritos--like Flamin' Hot-- but the only variety of Dipsy Doodles other than the original that I know about is barbecue.

Don't get me wrong; I like Fritos too. But if I had to make a choice, it woukd have to be Dipsy Doodles.

You can get Fritos and any Frito-Lay products in just about every supermarjet and convenience store there is, but Dipsy Doodles ... you better grab it when you see it, because its availability is not as wide as Fritos.

My wife and I shop in a couple of supermarkets, and they always have Fritos--

But they might have Dipsy Doodles twice a month, and that's it.

I am down almost to the crumbs of my latest bag of Dipsy Doodles, and I will eat it down to the nub, because I know I might not be able to get it the next time we go shopping.

And when I see it, yes, I grab it, and I will do it again the next time we go to the supermarket.

That's how the corn chip crumbles.

Rant #3,827: Blowin' Away

Yesterday, it was really windy outside--there was a gale warning for the entirety of the day in my neck of the woods--and I have what I think is an interesting story related to the wind.

On Sunday morning, I went to get gas on the way to a local record show, one that I had not been to recently.

The show always features vendors that overprice their merchandise, but I go there to look for the scant bargains that sometimes can be found there, and I did find two 45s that were priced right, so I bought them, and left the venue to go to the pharmacy.

I had a prescription to pick up, and I almost always go to the drive-thru window to get my pills.

I did the same yesterday, which I thought was a good idea, with the wind really picking up.

The attendant couldn't hear me clearly as I said what I was there for, and when she finally heard me, she told me the price of the prescription--for some reason, it is my only prescription thst isn't free--amd I proceeded to put the $7--one five and two singles--under the roller in the drawer at the drive-thru.

There was a heavy gust of wind, and as I put the money under the roller, the attendant hesitated for a split second, and the gust of wind took the three paper bills and whirled them away.

I ran out of my car looking for the bills, but they were gone--to parts unknown.

I looked by other cars, in the grass, and throughout the parking lot,  but the bills were nowhere to be found.

I went back to the car, told the attendant that i had not found the bills, and I also said I would not repay for the prescription--

And she gave me my prescription for free.

I thanked her, and drove away, still searching for thr bills as I exited the parking lot.

That had never, ever happened to me before, but the attendant's generosity led to a happy ending.

Those bills blew out of that drawer at incredible speed once the gust of wind got to them.

Eventually, I am sure someone will find ome or all of them under a car or mixed in with fallen leaves that were all around.

And maybe, the bills will be found by someone who really needs the money.

God often works in strange ways ... maybe thst was my "donation" to someone needy during the holiday season.

I would sure like to think that, at the very least.

Rant #3,826: Over and Over

Well, the government shutdown is over ...

For now.

Each side can blame the other all it wants for this month-and-a-half stalemate, but the fact of the matter is that both sides were and are WRONG. 

Something like this should never happen, and the amount of Americans it impacted really is astounding.

Whether losing their jobs and/or losing needed benefits, people suffered greatly during the 43 days of this shutdown.

And the callous way some people were treated during this mess--namely those getting SNAP and WIC benefits--was reprehensible.

These people were characterized as work shirkers, illegal aliens, and people who don't deserve such benefits, but let me tell you, nothing can be further from the truth.

These are generally people who absolutely, positively need these benefits to eat and to exist, and sure, there are people who take advantage of the programs, but you can bet thst 99.9 percent of people getting SNAP  and WIC are doing so legitimately and for a good reason.

Several years ago, my son, as soneone with a disability and unable to find a job, got about $20 a month in SNAP benefits.

Once he was able to find a job, that ended, as it should have, although making $200 a week or so didn't give him much wiggle room, but he was lucky, because he lived with myself and my wife.

He was fortunate; most people getting these benefits aren't, and to have these benefits stopped--because these two sides simply couldn't get together--is both a travesty and a tragedy.

I believe the average payoff from SNAP is $257 each month, and you can bet people getting this amount had to tread water while these bull heads pointed fingers and did little else.

And finally, let's not forget that the current agreement is simply a temporary one, and we all go back to square one at the end of January.

Hopefully, it won't take these imbeciles in Washington another 43 days to put what amounts to amother Band-Aid on this situation, and will agree that this situation should never, ever happen again, and settle this thing once and for all.

Have a good weekend, and I will speak to you again on Monday.

Rant #3,825: The Hair On My Chinny Chin Chin

I went another week without shaving.

I finally shaved it all off this morning.

Usually, I shave every Sunday and Thursday each week, but I haven't been on that schedule since my family's vacation.

I never liked to shave, and after more than 50 years of shaving, my views haven't changed one bit.

I don't know who I take after in my family as far as the need to shave is concerned.

My father needed to shave about once a week, and I am happy to say that my son doesn't have to shave very often either.

Me, I really could shave every day, but even when I was working full time, I shaved three days a week.

Now, I have semi-retired my razor as I am semi-retired myself, but I still have to do it twice a week.

Why haven't I been doing it on schedule lately?

The vacation we had actually is a good excuse--I think during our 12 days away, I must have shaved four or five times--but I also think there are other things involved.

Nothing much of any special circumstances has happened to myself and my family lately, other than my nephew's engagement party two weeks ago, so I have just given my face a rest from shaving.

Honestly, I would have shaved yesterday if my family and I had gone out to a restaurant to celebrate my wife's birthday, but we can hopefully get out tomorrow.

We weren't able to celebrate on her big day because of the work schedules my wife and our son have, so I figured we could push it further into the week.

And let's be honest about it--

When it comes to shaving, I can be very, very lazy.

I shaved this morning because, honestly, it was itching, and I couldn't take it anymore.

I don't look too good with a beard, so it was probably better off that I didnt let it go any further.

And happily, I am not one of thise guys who feel that their body should be completely hairless.

Even though I don't have too much hair on my head, it would take me like an hour a day to shave the other hair away.

Oh, how I wish that hair would grow in my head!

No such luck.

If I had a penny for every time I have shaved in my life ...

I figure i would have about $28,000 or so based on all the years I have been shaving and the amount of shaving I have done each year since I began to shave when I was 15 years of age.

"Just a penny for my thoughts"--

But with pennies, as of yesterday, not being made anymore, it makes that saying even more pricey.

"Just a nickel for my thoughts" ...

It just doesn't have the same ring to it ... but boy, if I had a nickel every time I shaved ...

I would have five times the amount I had for a penny a shave--

And maybe i could actually retire ...

Then, I wouldn't have to shave at all.

Rant #3,824: Potpourri

I remember on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," the writers created a running joke out of the word "potpourri," with the emphasis on the "P-O-T" of the word, pronouncing it like you would say 'pot,' which wasn't the intention or meaning of the word--

But it got past the censors, all right.

The definition I am going for here is "an amalgam of things," and that is what I strived to do on Veterans Day.

Let me explain.

Yesterday, we honored all of our veterans on Veterans Day, and we owe our fighting men and women quite a bit--

Including the freedom to do pretty much what we want to do when we want to do it.

Yes, "freedom" is the word here, along with "potpourri," because due to the gallantry of our past and present warfighters, I could do what I wanted to do--

I had the freedom to do a potpourri of things on this day.

Among them were--

I took my son back and forth to work yesterday, but in between, I did a lot of other things to bide my time.

I did have a little work to do, which i got out of the way as quickly as possible.

I spoke to my aunt over the phone for a substantial amount of time, with each of us catching up on the other one's recent activities.

I digitized a record I had been wanting to do for some time, a double album from 1970 that features 30 hits from that era.

It was put out by Post Records in unison with WSAI, then a top-40 radio station which still broadcasts to this day from Cincinnati, Ohio.

The LP, "Command Performance," features everything from "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne to "Something's Burning" by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition to "Jean" by Oliver and everything in between, and it was fun digitizing the 30 songs to listen to in my car at a later time.

Waiting in my car for my son, I listened to a good part of two LPs by the comedy team of Marty Allen and Steve Rossi.

Allen and Rossi were a clear cross between Abbott and Costello and Martin and Lewis, and they were an extremely popular act on TV and in Las Vegas in the early 1960s through the early 1970s.

What they did that both Abbott and Costello and Martin and Lewis didn't do on a regular basis was to put out comedy LPs.

Allen and Rossi put out, I think, seven such LPs from the early 1960s through the latter part of that decade, and I happen to have a few of them in my collection.

I recently digitized what I have, and I finally got a chance to listen to them in the car.

The comedy is very basic, but it is eternally funny, even 60 years later. 

And it is clean, although there is some mild innuendo thst doesn't ruffle any feathers.

After listening to these LPs, I have another comedy record lined up--

This is a Woody Allen LP, when he was actually funny--

In fact, as I remember it, it is one of the funniest comedy albums I have ever heard, so I can't wait to revisit it.

Woody Allen ... what happened to you?

So, those are just a few of the things I did on Veterans Day.

I did a true "potpourri" of things, and it was fun.

And most importantly, all day, I thought of my late father, a very proud Marine.

Talking about proud, i am, to this day, very proud of him and for his few years of service during the Korean War, and afterward, being the male leader of our family.

And that is really what Veterans Day is all about.

I really miss him.

Rant #3,823: The Family Stone

First, happy birthday to my beautiful wife.

Her birthday was yesterday, on a tough Monday, when we had to wake up early and go to my retinologist.

She was born on the Marine Corps' birthday, and her father was a Marine, and she celebrated her latest birthday on what was the 250th birthday of the Corps.

We had gifts and cake and all the usual stuff associated with her birthday, and honestly, I wish I could give her more.

But our son and I did what we could.

Otherwise, the last couple of days have been a whirlwind for myself and my family.

On Thursday night, out of the blue, I experienced terrible pain on my left side, I had trouble walking, was throwing up, and my wife took me to the hospital.

I have kidney stones, and I was experiencing a major flare up. 

My wife drove me to a local hospital, and I was still feeling a lot of distress when we arrived there.

They did a lot of tests on me, hooked me up to different machines and gadgets, and after about six hours, I was finally put in a room, and pretty much conked out.

Friday morning, I was feeling much better as I was pumped up with morphine and other painkillers.

I could not eat, just in case I would have needed a procedure to remove the stones, but it was determined that I had a flareup that did not need surgery, and that I possibly could pass the stones myself--at home.

It was actually one stone in particular that was in question, but by 3 pm on Friday, I was discharged.

I was told that the flareup could have been exacerbated by the tough week I had had; let me tell you, you don't even know the half of it, as I experienced what was probably the toughest week that I had in 2025.

So basically, I went home, with a game plan:

To really take it easy ...

Or actually act like I am actually retired.

I did nothing over the weekend; a little driving, but nothing else.

On Saturday morning, I felt a little strange but not sick, and I went to the bathroom--

And I might--or might not--have passed the stone, or a partial stone. I won't get into how I know, but if you have had this yourself, you kind of just sort of know.

Let's hope i am correct.

I still feel a little strange--not sick but not myself--but I am OK.

And did it mention that the hospital mixed up the medicine that they prescribed me with someone else's?

I had it out with them over the phone, but let's just say they sent me on a wild goose chase--

Not good when you just spent about 18 hours in the hospital, without eating, further stressing me out.

But now, I feel a bit strange, but not ill, so I think that this was an omen, one telling me to take it easy.

Some of that is out if my control, but I just have to take it down a notch or two or three.

I don't feel that I am old, just that I am not 25 anymore.

And on Monday, at the retinologist, I was told that in December, I will need a procedure to repair a partially torn retina.

Just what i need during the holiday season.

i went through this with my left leg a couple of years ago during the holiday season, and now i am going to have another surgery right before the holidays, but it has to be done, so that's that.

On Facebook, an old friend from Rochdale Village put up a bar mitzvah photo from 55 years ago, and there I was, with a full head of hair.

I had never seen the photo before, and it got me to thinking ...

Yes, that is me, but I was just 13 years old then.

Physically, I am the same person i was back then, but mentally, physically and emotionally, I am a completely different person.

And at age 68 ... well, I am not 13 anymore.

If I knew then what I know now ...

But it would have taken all of the "fun" from the ensuing 55 years.

Happy birthday to my wife.

That is "fun."

That is the type of "fun" I really need.

Rant #3,822: Boo (5)

I finally finished the stories I had to write up related to the national convention my work had this week.

No, I am not used to 16 hour days at this point in time, but this week was virtually rubbed out by this event.

I finally finished yesterday afternoon, and that was a real burden off my shoulders.

And no, I am not going to go on and on about what happened in New York City on Tuesday.

I think that short Rant I put up on Wednesday pretty much said it all.

But I will post a warning, based on what I am seeing.

People are fed up.

No matter what good President Trump has accomplished, the latest debacle--the government closure, into its record-breaking fifth week--might be the situation that breaks the president's--and the Republicans'--back.

Trump promised plenty that had to do with our pocketbook when he ean again, but as of now, he hasn't delivered.

Prices are way up on everything, people are losing their jobs, and people are going hungry.

Sure, the shutdown is both the Republicans and the Democrats' fault.

But the president shows no "immediacy" to get things settled.

And with people losing their jobs, and his reluctance to continue funding the SNAP/WIC program during the shutdown, it sends out a very bad, callous message--

Especially when he is building a new ballroom in the White House.

It is a modern retelling of "Let them eat cake," but in this case, many of us can't even afford that cake.

If nothing else, the government shutdown is bad P.R. for the president and the Republicans, and remember: Trump might be a popular president, but he can't run again--

And he is making it pretty impossible for whoever runs on the Republican ticket to gain the confidence of Americans.

The very reason he was elected--people's pocketbooks--has seemingly been forgotten, and if I were a betting man, I wouldn't put my money on any mass Republican wins anytime soon.

Look what happened in New York and New Jersey the other day--

Could this be foreshadowing things to come?

Anyway, I will, once again, not be st my usual perch on Monday. 

I have to go to my retinologist in Monday to check on the condition of my right eye and its partly detached retina.

It hasn't gotten any worse, nor has it gotten any better, so we are just going to have to "see" where this takes me.

So, I will "see" you, hopefully, on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend, and wish me well!

(And there is more to this story, but it will wait until next week.)

Rant #3,811: Boo (4)

I am in the middle of the heavy workload that I described to you the other day, but I had to find the time to write about what happened in New York City yesterday.

Here is what I posted in Facebook, and i am going to leave it at that, because in its brevity, it says it all.

"It is now time for the good people of New York City to leave the city for good.

I predict an exodus today like the so-called "White Flight" of the early 1970s, when people saw whst was happening in the city and started to get out, moving to Long Island and elsewhere.

And for my fellow Jews ... get out, and get out now! You have an avowed anti-Semite for your mayor ...  a supporter of Hamas. How can you survive in such an environment?

The city is dead."

Rant #3,810: Boo (3)

I have a hell of a two days in front of me today and tomorrow, as I have to cover full-day, eight-hour meetings the next two days.

So today is going to be a reading day, and i don't know about tomorrow.

But before I present the next chapter of my unpublished novel, let me put this thought out there for you to ponder.

The NBA's New York Knicks just put out their theme game schedule, and while groups like Fillipinos and Frechmen have their own nights, there is one glaring omission.

No Jewish American Heritage Night ...

If you look at this list, it is quite evident why Jews are not being celebrated at the Garden.

Of course, if you know your NBA history, there would be no NBA without Jewish players, coaches and those in the front office.

It is a complete and total insult, because the team's greatest coach, Red Holzman, was Jewish.

More anti-Semitism in places thst you might not think it would exist in.

And that is why today is such an important day, in particular in New York City.

A vote for garbage is a clear vote in favor of anti-Semitism, anti-Jewish and anti-Israel.

As a society, we cannot condemn these attitudes.

GET OUT AND VOTE!

I will let you think about this for the time being, and I will speak to you again later this week.

36

Abraham Lincoln Panim read the plaque over and over to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. After a few minutes of doing this, he heard a door open, and saw his mother come out of the room.

The nurse went over to her, as Mrs. Panim looked clearly distressed, crying and shaking as the nurse led her to the couch to sit down.

“Can I get you something, m’am, maybe some water to calm you down?” said the nurse to Mrs. Panim.

 “No, no,” Mrs. Panim said through tears. “I will be OK.”

 “I pretty much expected your reaction. Mr. Panim is pretty sick, and he has been that way for awhile,” the nurse replied. “If you need anything, let me know.”

Abraham Lincoln Panim rushed over to his mother, but the nurse stood between him and his mother.

“It is your time to see your father. Are you ready to see him now?” the nurse asked.

“Yes, yes,” Abraham Lincoln Panim said, as he put his hands through his hair again.

“Do you have a mirror? I need to make sure—“

“This is not a beauty pageant,” the nurse replied. “Go in like you are.”

Abraham Lincoln Panim followed the nurse to the door, and as he did, he instinctively pushed up his scarf over his face, exactly as he had worn it when he had a rat face.

The nurse opened the door, and Abraham Lincoln Panim entered. He looked to the left, and his father was lying on what looked like a large hospital bed, with tubes and nozzles coming out of seemingly every part of his body.

With all the machinery covering his father, he could barely see his father’s face, and barely could see his eyes.

“Abraham Lincoln Panim, please come closer to me so I can see you,” his father said, and his son moved closer to him so he could see him better.

“How are you doing dad?” Abraham Lincoln Panim asked.

“I can barely hear you,” Mr. Panim said in a very breathy voice. “Why do you have that scarf over your face?”

“Well—“

“Please take it off. Your mother told me all about it, and I know all about what you look like now.”

“Abraham Lincoln Panim almost ripped the scarf off his face, and it dropped to floor, exposing his full face to his father to see.

“So dad, what do you think?”

“What do I think about what?”

“What do you think about how I look? Aren’t I—“

“That is not important now,” his father said, followed by numerous coughs. Abraham Lincoln Panim was ready to go out to get the nurse, but the coughing stopped.

“I’m doing as good as I possibly could be, with all of these things coming out of me,” his father said. “Now tell me about you.”

“Dad, you still haven’t told me how I look.”

“Well, I will answer that when you tell me how I look.”

His father then started coughing again.

When the coughing stopped, Abraham Lincoln Panim asked his father, “Why did you leave--”

“I was a coward,” his father said through more coughing. “I saw you as me, going through a good part of your life with a rat face. I remember what I went through … I just could not do it again.”

“So you just left us? I never knew you, but do you know what you did to mom?”

“Yes, I do. I really do. And I was sorry, I told her so today. You don’t know how many times I wanted to come back to the two of you, but I just couldn’t. I was scared, I was a coward. I thought that the money I sent each month made up for me not being there, but I was a fool. I missed out on so much.”

“And we missed out, especially mom. Do you know we used to walk in the park when I was a kid, and I always thought she was looking for you when we were there. You said in your letter to us that you often saw us from afar in the park. Why didn’t you ever come up to us, contact us … I mean, you were so close.”

“Yet so far,” his father said, followed by more coughs. “In my mind, I was thousands of miles away from you, even though there were times I was just a few feet from the two of you. I am just so sorry for what I have done to both of you.”

There was a pause in talking, and then Abraham Lincoln Panim said, “Now dad, what do you think about me … your are ‘impressed,’ aren’t you--?”

“Look, I know that you became a teacher. Mom says that you are a good teacher. That is really what I am concerned about. You became a—“

Before his father could finish his sentence, he began to cough uncontrollably, and the nurse came into the room, walking over to Abraham Lincoln Panim.

“I am sorry, but his health is very bad,” she said in a whisper. “I can only give you a few minutes with him. He is weak. I can’t give you any more. Please say your goodbyes and meet your mother in the foyer.”

Abraham Lincoln watched the nurse go back out the door, and when she left, he said to his father, “Dad, what did I become? Please let me know, what did I become?”

The nurse peaked her head through the door. “Young man, you have to leave now.”

“But dad did not finish what he was saying—what did I become dad, what did I become?”

The nurse came over to Abraham Lincoln Panm, put her hand firmly and forcefully on his shoulder, and tried to lead him out of the room. He resisted.

“I just want to know what my father said I had become. That is all I want to know.”

“Look, I am sorry, you must leave now,” the nurse said. Mrs. Panim, much more composed than before, came into the room, and she had to lead her son out.

As they left the room and the nurse closed the door, Mr. Panim, still thinking his son was in the room, said in almost a whisper,

“A success.”

Mr. Panim coughed some more, and then closed his eyes.

Abraham Lincoln Panim and his mother never heard what Mr. Panim said, as the door had closed behind them when he answered his son’s question.

“What was I, what was I?” Abraham Lincoln Panim continued to scream out as his mother put her hand on his shoulder.

“Keep that thought. Maybe the next time we visit, your father will answer you,” she said to her son.

The nurse turned to them as she showed them out the door.

“If there is a next time,” she said, as Mrs. Panim and Abraham Lincoln Panim walked out the door and walked home.

They didn’t say a word between them.

Rant #3,809: Boo (2)

How was your Halloween?

Mine actually begins today, when the association I work for has their annual three-day national meeting.

It is being held in Virginia, and I will cover it remotely.

Today, we do a test to make sure everything is copacetic, related to visuals, sound, etc.

Tomorrow and Wednesday, it gets down to the real nitty gritty, as I have daily eight-hour meetings to sit through, and then, write about.

It really isn't easy to do, pretty much puts me out of commission for at least three days, and it greatly impacts what I do here each day.

But it is my job, so I gotta do what I gotta do.

And one of the main topics of discussion is going to be the continuing-and-seemingly-never-ending government shutdown.

This cataclysm is greatly impacting Americans in so many ways, and our elected legislators do not see that compromise will be the tonic for the end of this nonsense.

Both sides are at fault, and it really is hurting the little guy the most.

Put these legislators in a room, lock them in, and tell them that they can't get out until this thing is settled.

And take away their salaries and health benefits until they begrudgingly come to an agreement.

And with Election Day tomorrow, maybe it is time to use the power that we have and get rid of these completely inept lawmakers once and for all when their terms are over and done with and they run again.

Ridiculous ... it is beyond comprehension that this situation has gone on for weeks now without resolution.

One side says the other side is at fault, and at this point, nobody cares.

Just settle this thing!

Hopefully someone will listen, and this thing will get settled--

Which would be great for a number of reasons, including that I won't hear about it much at the meeting I am covering the next few days.

More on all of this tomorrow.