As I’ve written before, I don’t make resolutions. What I did this year was take a “day off” each week, and not worry about life’s little travails. That has helped me improve my attitude about life and people and the world I live in. Even when I was enjoying my “pre-retirement” I would take one day and relax and not worry about things. And when I went back to work, I continued that practice and it’s helped my mental outlook immensely.
And although I don’t make resolutions, I do like to say that if I don’t learn something new every day, it’s a wasted day. So I wanted to write down some of the things I learned this past year. Some of them are mundane and some of them are uplifting, but at least I can say I’m not wasting my days.
1. Working for a living beats the alternative. I think it’s the feeling of being productive.
2. Not working beats the alternative. You get to do the things that you enjoy, you just don’t get paid.
3. I miss reading as a past-time. I used to do a lot more of it when I was commuting on the train, but I’d never go back to riding the train. What a unenjoyable experience that has become.
4. Living near friends and family is better than making a lot more money and living in a strange place.
5. Big snow storms no longer fascinate me.
6. Living close to where you work helps your mental outlook immensely.
7. Getting older is better than the alternative.
8. The Mummers parade is not as entertaining as it used to be. Maybe it’s because the city shortened their leash, or maybe because it’s gotten too outlandish and can’t even be held outdoors anymore, but the parade has lost its luster.
9. The Beatles were wrong: if you love the right person the love you take is ten times more than the love you make.
10. The Phillies are a class organization – from the way they treat their players, opponents, fans and employees to the terrific team they’ve assembled, they’re a top-drawer club.
11. Left to their own devices, sports fans will do and say stupid things. Sometimes having a watch dog around is necessary.
12. I’d rather spend 80 days at Citizens Bank Park than 80 days at Lincoln Financial Field. Maybe it’s a size thing, but CBP has a better feel about it than the Linc.
13. Not all young people are slackers. Some are honest, upright, hard-working, responsible people. I’m lucky to know a few.
14. One thing I’m still trying to figure out: why is it when you have the time, you don’t have the money, but when you have the money, you don’t have the time.
15. Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with people. It can also be a big waste of time. Once in a while you have to turn off your computer and go out and talk to real people.
16. Although I could never live in Florida, too many old people, ya know, I could spend the month of March there for spring training. Talk about an attitude adjustment - to go from freezing cold to warm climes and baseball. I’ll make that trade any day.
17. Soccer is a great sport, but it will never catch on in this country. In order for people to enjoy soccer they have to be emotionally engaged and passionate about a team. I saw non-fans rally around the US team during the World Cup matches, but after US got knocked out their attention moved elsewhere.
18. About twice a month we are treated to world-class sunsets here in Philadelphia. The best place to view them is behind the Art Museum.
19. Women have too many alternatives which is why they like to shop. Sometimes their heads are filled with so many details that they miss living their lives.
20. The trouble with men is they never grow up. The trouble with women is that they do.
21. A baseball stadium filled with like-minded fans cheering for their home town team is as close to heaven as we get here on earth.
22. I’ll never pay full price for a Broadway ticket again. There are so many half-price ticket opportunities both in NYC and here in town, that it’s silly to pay full price.
23. And speaking of New York, a well made Manhattan is something to be searched for.
24. I thought I was retired; then I realized I was just unemployed.
25. To paraphrase John Lennon: In front of every brilliant woman is a complete idiot.
That’s all for now. One week to go before the big day. If I don’t write again, have a Merry and Blessed Christmas and the happiest of New Years.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Christmas Kerfuffle
So Your Center City Correspondent has been on my new job for six weeks. Thanks to everyone who’s asked me how I like it. Let me say that it contains the four things I was looking for in a new job:
1) Working with people I know
2) Doing something I’m familiar with
3) For a local organization, and
4) Close to home.
So with all those good things going for it, I have to like it.
However, when somebody who works for the same organization as me makes a bone-headed decision, I’ve learned that it reflects on me too, both internally and externally. When a higher-up decided that we don’t need a “Christmas Village” here in town and ripped down the word “Christmas”, I heard about it from my friends and acquaintances, like it was my decision. I could not get into the local without being hooted at – it was good-natured, but had a ring of truth about it. And for those who really know me, they know that this situation was ripping me up inside. Previous to this job, I would have fired off letters and phone calls to everyone I know trying to get this decision overturned. But in my current position, I thought prudence and reticence were best for me. Luckily, the decision was reversed and Christmas was brought back to Center City Philadelphia.
Returning to work has provided Mrs. CCC and me the opportunity to stretch our legs and go to shows and movies. We saw “Putnam County Spelling Bee” last week at a theater in town. It’s a lighthearted look at teenage angst through the eyes and voices of spelling bee contestants. We saw it at a theater on Broad St., and if you get there 2 hours before show time, you can get tickets at half-price. More and more of the theaters are doing this, and it’s a cost-effective way to see Broadway shows. You should give it a try sometime. Each theater is different, so check with them before trying it.
Christmas is in full swing in town. We did a little shopping yesterday and caught the light show at Macy’s. It’s always a treat. It’s shown on the hour mark, and get there early to get a good spot.
And something is happening for the first time next week. All three of the CCC’s are going to the Army-Navy game. Mrs. CCC and Young CCC are attending the game, and I’m working it. It is always a spectacle and an honored tradition. You should become part of it.
All for now. Christmas is only 20 days away – I better get busy!
1) Working with people I know
2) Doing something I’m familiar with
3) For a local organization, and
4) Close to home.
So with all those good things going for it, I have to like it.
However, when somebody who works for the same organization as me makes a bone-headed decision, I’ve learned that it reflects on me too, both internally and externally. When a higher-up decided that we don’t need a “Christmas Village” here in town and ripped down the word “Christmas”, I heard about it from my friends and acquaintances, like it was my decision. I could not get into the local without being hooted at – it was good-natured, but had a ring of truth about it. And for those who really know me, they know that this situation was ripping me up inside. Previous to this job, I would have fired off letters and phone calls to everyone I know trying to get this decision overturned. But in my current position, I thought prudence and reticence were best for me. Luckily, the decision was reversed and Christmas was brought back to Center City Philadelphia.
Returning to work has provided Mrs. CCC and me the opportunity to stretch our legs and go to shows and movies. We saw “Putnam County Spelling Bee” last week at a theater in town. It’s a lighthearted look at teenage angst through the eyes and voices of spelling bee contestants. We saw it at a theater on Broad St., and if you get there 2 hours before show time, you can get tickets at half-price. More and more of the theaters are doing this, and it’s a cost-effective way to see Broadway shows. You should give it a try sometime. Each theater is different, so check with them before trying it.
Christmas is in full swing in town. We did a little shopping yesterday and caught the light show at Macy’s. It’s always a treat. It’s shown on the hour mark, and get there early to get a good spot.
And something is happening for the first time next week. All three of the CCC’s are going to the Army-Navy game. Mrs. CCC and Young CCC are attending the game, and I’m working it. It is always a spectacle and an honored tradition. You should become part of it.
All for now. Christmas is only 20 days away – I better get busy!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
How to Survive Unemployment
Here’s a post I’ve been waiting to write for a long time. I was offered and accepted a position with the City Treasurer’s office as an Assistant Treasurer and I start on October 25th. That’s about 16 months unemployed. I believe I survived fairly well and I’d like to give you a few tips in case you’re ever in that situation.
1. Get yourself the second-best spouse you can find. You won’t be able to find the best because I married her. She has been a constant source of support and inspiration without being pushy or a bully. She’s been nervous at times, but we were always able to see our way through any rough patch together. She has been a great sounding board and listened as I talked about my job search. Work together and you can achieve whatever you set your mind to.
2. Before you lose your job, save as much money as you can. Every spare nickel and dime should be put into a ‘contingency fund’ so when the contingency strikes, you’re ready for it financially. Every raise, bonus, refund, rebate, dollars found on the street should be put in the fund. The old adage about saving six months worth of expenses is outdated; get a year’s supply of expenses on hand. And don’t forget to file for unemployment benefits as soon as you’re eligible. The more financially sound you are, the better the experience will be for you.
3. Network, network, network. Talk to everybody you know and ask them how they are doing and what’s new in their business, and do they know anybody else you can talk to. And oh, yeah, ask them if their company is hiring. If nothing else, it gets you away from your computer for a while and speaking to a real human being. I’m a terrible networker, never joining clubs or associations, but I have built up a number of colleagues that I talk to on a semi-regular basis. You never know where a lead or an insight might take you.
4. Enlist the services of an executive counselor. Not an employment agency, but a fee-based counselor. They are up-to-date with the latest hiring practices and will tailor your resume, cover letter and yourself to think in terms that employers want to hear. They build up your confidence in your abilities and interviewing skills. The gal I signed up with is worth every penny.
5. Get a part-time job that has some fun in it. As most of you know, I usher at both the Eagles and Phillies, and found these jobs to a release of tension rather than a source of it. If you can find something like that, without it distracting you from your real goal, it’s a real blessing.
6. And speaking of blessings, prayer helps too. They say that God answers all our prayers; I’ll let you decide that for yourself. But what prayer does is focus our own efforts on what we think is most important to us until we achieve them. Sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
7. Stay positive and stay focused. I can imagine it gets easy to lose your way when you are sending out dozens of resumes and getting no response. When I first started looking I knew that any job I saw on a job board was also being viewed by thousands of other people, so the chances of my resume hitting the top of the pile were low. When you start with low expectations, it not easy to get disappointed or demoralized. See item #3 for a better method of searching for a job.
8. Define yourself by who you are and not by what you do. When someone asked me what I do for a living, I used to say “Banker and accountant.” Over the years, that has changed. I no longer define myself in those terms. Now when they ask me I tell them, “Husband, father, baseball fan.” Which phrase do you think will be on my gravestone? So find out who you really are and remain that person. You can always change jobs, but you can’t change who you really are.
This post certainly is long-winded. I guess when you’re out of work for 16 months a lot of thoughts come to mind. If you’re in this situation, good luck on your job hunt. Give me a call and we can hit someplace for lunch or for a drink.
I’m sure that those within the sound of my voice know that the Phillies have advanced to the National League Championship Series against the San Francisco Giants. They begin play on Saturday and I’m sure the ballpark will be rockin’. Then on Sunday there’s a day-night doubleheader: Eagles at 1 PM and Phillies at 8 PM. The Eagles will be getting over just about the time I have to report to the Phillies across the street. Wish me luck. Don’t call on Monday; I’ll be sacked in. GO PHILS!!!
1. Get yourself the second-best spouse you can find. You won’t be able to find the best because I married her. She has been a constant source of support and inspiration without being pushy or a bully. She’s been nervous at times, but we were always able to see our way through any rough patch together. She has been a great sounding board and listened as I talked about my job search. Work together and you can achieve whatever you set your mind to.
2. Before you lose your job, save as much money as you can. Every spare nickel and dime should be put into a ‘contingency fund’ so when the contingency strikes, you’re ready for it financially. Every raise, bonus, refund, rebate, dollars found on the street should be put in the fund. The old adage about saving six months worth of expenses is outdated; get a year’s supply of expenses on hand. And don’t forget to file for unemployment benefits as soon as you’re eligible. The more financially sound you are, the better the experience will be for you.
3. Network, network, network. Talk to everybody you know and ask them how they are doing and what’s new in their business, and do they know anybody else you can talk to. And oh, yeah, ask them if their company is hiring. If nothing else, it gets you away from your computer for a while and speaking to a real human being. I’m a terrible networker, never joining clubs or associations, but I have built up a number of colleagues that I talk to on a semi-regular basis. You never know where a lead or an insight might take you.
4. Enlist the services of an executive counselor. Not an employment agency, but a fee-based counselor. They are up-to-date with the latest hiring practices and will tailor your resume, cover letter and yourself to think in terms that employers want to hear. They build up your confidence in your abilities and interviewing skills. The gal I signed up with is worth every penny.
5. Get a part-time job that has some fun in it. As most of you know, I usher at both the Eagles and Phillies, and found these jobs to a release of tension rather than a source of it. If you can find something like that, without it distracting you from your real goal, it’s a real blessing.
6. And speaking of blessings, prayer helps too. They say that God answers all our prayers; I’ll let you decide that for yourself. But what prayer does is focus our own efforts on what we think is most important to us until we achieve them. Sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
7. Stay positive and stay focused. I can imagine it gets easy to lose your way when you are sending out dozens of resumes and getting no response. When I first started looking I knew that any job I saw on a job board was also being viewed by thousands of other people, so the chances of my resume hitting the top of the pile were low. When you start with low expectations, it not easy to get disappointed or demoralized. See item #3 for a better method of searching for a job.
8. Define yourself by who you are and not by what you do. When someone asked me what I do for a living, I used to say “Banker and accountant.” Over the years, that has changed. I no longer define myself in those terms. Now when they ask me I tell them, “Husband, father, baseball fan.” Which phrase do you think will be on my gravestone? So find out who you really are and remain that person. You can always change jobs, but you can’t change who you really are.
This post certainly is long-winded. I guess when you’re out of work for 16 months a lot of thoughts come to mind. If you’re in this situation, good luck on your job hunt. Give me a call and we can hit someplace for lunch or for a drink.
I’m sure that those within the sound of my voice know that the Phillies have advanced to the National League Championship Series against the San Francisco Giants. They begin play on Saturday and I’m sure the ballpark will be rockin’. Then on Sunday there’s a day-night doubleheader: Eagles at 1 PM and Phillies at 8 PM. The Eagles will be getting over just about the time I have to report to the Phillies across the street. Wish me luck. Don’t call on Monday; I’ll be sacked in. GO PHILS!!!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Afterlife
This is a special time of year in these parts. Eagles fans are happy that the season has arrived, the long, hot summer is on its way out of town, and for me, the pennant race is in full bloom here in Philadelphia. Your Center City Correspondent is really excited about the current pennant race between the Phillies and the Atlanta Braves. Right now the Phils are in first place by a measly game, and they’ve been playing well. They have to continue to do so because they can’t count on the Braves folding like the Mets have done in the recent past. I’m really looking forward to the final homestand of the season, 9 games in 10 days against the Nationals, Braves and Mets.
These games will be as close to heaven as a fan can get here on earth. If heaven is truly a place of perfect happiness and contentment, then for a fan a crowded ballpark full of like-minded fans cheering for their hometown team to win the pennant is heaven. Plus you get to do it night after night after night. And in my version of heaven, you kinda remember that you were here the night before, but it doesn’t matter because you’re enjoying tonight’s game. And you go home basking in the reflected glory of another win. Forget the clouds and harps and wings; give me a baseball diamond any day and every day.
Of course, if you’re not a fan, than that scenario is your hell – nothing but baseball games for all eternity. As for purgatory, you have to watch minor league games every day.
All for now and GO PHILS!
These games will be as close to heaven as a fan can get here on earth. If heaven is truly a place of perfect happiness and contentment, then for a fan a crowded ballpark full of like-minded fans cheering for their hometown team to win the pennant is heaven. Plus you get to do it night after night after night. And in my version of heaven, you kinda remember that you were here the night before, but it doesn’t matter because you’re enjoying tonight’s game. And you go home basking in the reflected glory of another win. Forget the clouds and harps and wings; give me a baseball diamond any day and every day.
Of course, if you’re not a fan, than that scenario is your hell – nothing but baseball games for all eternity. As for purgatory, you have to watch minor league games every day.
All for now and GO PHILS!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Busman's Holiday
After the Phillies ended a disappointing homestand, they headed west for 7 games. This gave your Center City Correspondent and Mrs. CCC a chance to get out of town too. Did we head for the shore? No. Did we head for the mountains? No. We head for more baseball games. We took in a game in Harrisburg and another in Reading and in between we checked out some breweries and brewpubs.
I can give you two recommendations. The first is if you’re ever in Harrisburg and see that the Senators are playing, take in a game. Their park is on an island in the middle of the Susquehanna River, maybe one of the most picturesque sites for a ballpark in the country, and it’s a relatively low-cost deal. Then when the game is over, stroll back across the bridge and take in the bar scene that’s sprung up along the river.
The second recommendation is a longshot: if you’re ever in Pottsville, take the Yuengling brewery tour. It’s free and you can see how they make one of the best local beers in the country. It is a small operation, making only about 450 barrels of beer a day, and it’s topped off with a visit to a small bar downstairs where you can sample their products. A pleasant weekend trip, but I was happy to see the Center City skyline once again.
I can give you two recommendations. The first is if you’re ever in Harrisburg and see that the Senators are playing, take in a game. Their park is on an island in the middle of the Susquehanna River, maybe one of the most picturesque sites for a ballpark in the country, and it’s a relatively low-cost deal. Then when the game is over, stroll back across the bridge and take in the bar scene that’s sprung up along the river.
The second recommendation is a longshot: if you’re ever in Pottsville, take the Yuengling brewery tour. It’s free and you can see how they make one of the best local beers in the country. It is a small operation, making only about 450 barrels of beer a day, and it’s topped off with a visit to a small bar downstairs where you can sample their products. A pleasant weekend trip, but I was happy to see the Center City skyline once again.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Civics class
One of the joys of living in the city is that every once in a while you get called to jury duty. I’ve lived in town for 43 months and I’ve been called 3 times. I lived in Bucks County for 30 years and was called only twice. I was originally scheduled to attend back in July but I had other pressing matters, so I rearranged it to last Monday. If you’ve never attended jury duty here in Philadelphia, it’s not as bad as you might think. It’s one day or one trial, so if you don’t get picked for a jury you get to leave at the end of the day. Both previous times I was released at noontime which wasn’t bad. This time, as soon as I got there I was put in a panel of 50 people for a trial that was to begin that day. I was #42. So they took us out of the assembly room and brought us up to an unused court room where we proceeded to spend the rest of the morning until we were taken to the actual courtroom where we were sworn in and the judge explained the process and asked us a few questions about hardships, physical limits, etc. He said the trial could last 3-4 days. We were sent to lunch and when we returned the judge questioned us individually as to our capacity to be jurors. I missed that part because by the time they got to #42, they already had seated the jury and two alternates, so I got to go home at 4 PM. I dodged a bullet there. Hey, I did my civic duty and responsibility for the year.
We’re in the middle of a 10-game Phillies home stand and my knee is holding up pretty well. Plus the Phillies are getting hot at the right time so it could be another Fall to remember.
All for now. Enjoy your weekend. Go Phils!!
We’re in the middle of a 10-game Phillies home stand and my knee is holding up pretty well. Plus the Phillies are getting hot at the right time so it could be another Fall to remember.
All for now. Enjoy your weekend. Go Phils!!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Sojourns
I don’t have to tell my readers how much I enjoy living and working in Center City. But every once in a while, Mrs. CCC and I have to escape the concrete confines of town and sojourn to greener places. Especially in the month of August when the heat builds up and the air gets so thick you have to chew it first before breathing. A lady friend of ours invited us to spend some time with her in Cape May. It’s been 40 years since I was last in Cape May. One reason for that is that I always thought it took so long to get to the shore. I think the last time we went down there we took the Delsea Drive. But we went on a late Monday morning and it only took 1.5 hours to get there on the high speed roads. We had a delightful time, doing the touristy things and sampling the food and drink offered. Great seafood and blue drinks! Thanks so much to Kay for her hospitality.
After being home for a few days, Mrs. CCC wanted to get out of town again. She wanted to go to someplace where there was grass and flowers. Naturally I thought of a baseball park, so we checked the schedule and off we went to beautiful Camden, New Jersey to see the Riversharks play. Campbell’s Field is nestled below the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, right by the Delaware River. So when you lose interest in the game you can be distracted by the many forms of transportation visible from your seat: cars, buses, Hi-Speed line on the bridge, boats churning along the river under the bridge, and planes flying over the bridge. We also got to watch a beautiful sunset behind the bridge and Center City, and as the clouds drifted away, a nice quarter moon appeared in the evening sky. After the game, we were treated to a fireworks display, and then kids get to run the bases. Don’t ever tell me I can’t show a girl a good time.
Have a good week and Go Phils!!
After being home for a few days, Mrs. CCC wanted to get out of town again. She wanted to go to someplace where there was grass and flowers. Naturally I thought of a baseball park, so we checked the schedule and off we went to beautiful Camden, New Jersey to see the Riversharks play. Campbell’s Field is nestled below the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, right by the Delaware River. So when you lose interest in the game you can be distracted by the many forms of transportation visible from your seat: cars, buses, Hi-Speed line on the bridge, boats churning along the river under the bridge, and planes flying over the bridge. We also got to watch a beautiful sunset behind the bridge and Center City, and as the clouds drifted away, a nice quarter moon appeared in the evening sky. After the game, we were treated to a fireworks display, and then kids get to run the bases. Don’t ever tell me I can’t show a girl a good time.
Have a good week and Go Phils!!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Summer Weekend
So after all the hoopla of July, with the World Cup, the Tour de France and the British Open, along with all the church things, your Center City Correspondent had to think up a few things to keep him and Mrs. CCC busy this weekend. Luckily the weather cooperated so we were able to do just about anything we wanted.
On Friday we strolled over to the Art Museum and saw the Late Renoir exhibit. He used beautiful colors along with pleasant models to celebrate his life and the world around him. His paintings are accessible and don’t scare me the way some modern artists do. The exhibit covers his work from about 1890 to his death in 1919, and at the end of the exhibit, after seeing all these beautiful paintings, there is a short film clip of him at work painting. He suffered from arthritis which made his hands all gnarly. Try to imagine painting with your hand in a ball and the index and middle fingers in a V and your thumb at a 90 degree angle to them. Then stick a paint brush in there and try to paint. He truly suffered for his art. Afterwards we hit the local for a lunch and a few drinks, then home to plan the rest of the weekend.
We had originally decided to go to NYC on Saturday, but instead Mrs. CCC suggested we go see the Philadelphia Union play. As you probably know, the Union is the new soccer team in town, except that their stadium is in Chester, PA. So we drove down there, and I must report that that the stadium is a gem, in a beautiful riverside location, with the Commodore Barry Bridge running almost overhead. Very scenic. The game was interesting, ending up in a 1-1 tie against the New England Revolution. I realized as I drove home that any sporting event that I can’t reach by subway may be too much of a hassle for me.
After the excitement of the last few days, we stuck close to home today and watched the Phillies avoid a sweep against the Washington Nationals in DC. It seemed like more than half the fans attending the game were Phillies fans; at least they got to see a win.
A quick note about my recovery – I worked the last Phillies home stand as a ticket-taker to spare my knee the steps. It went pretty well. I just needed to ice my knee a few days to ease the pain and I was fine. This Friday when they return from their road trip, I’ll be back in the sections, hiking up and down the steps. Wish me well. I want to thank the Phillies for being so accommodating and bringing me back. If I wasn’t able to do that it would have been a real shame.
All for now. Enjoy your week.
On Friday we strolled over to the Art Museum and saw the Late Renoir exhibit. He used beautiful colors along with pleasant models to celebrate his life and the world around him. His paintings are accessible and don’t scare me the way some modern artists do. The exhibit covers his work from about 1890 to his death in 1919, and at the end of the exhibit, after seeing all these beautiful paintings, there is a short film clip of him at work painting. He suffered from arthritis which made his hands all gnarly. Try to imagine painting with your hand in a ball and the index and middle fingers in a V and your thumb at a 90 degree angle to them. Then stick a paint brush in there and try to paint. He truly suffered for his art. Afterwards we hit the local for a lunch and a few drinks, then home to plan the rest of the weekend.
We had originally decided to go to NYC on Saturday, but instead Mrs. CCC suggested we go see the Philadelphia Union play. As you probably know, the Union is the new soccer team in town, except that their stadium is in Chester, PA. So we drove down there, and I must report that that the stadium is a gem, in a beautiful riverside location, with the Commodore Barry Bridge running almost overhead. Very scenic. The game was interesting, ending up in a 1-1 tie against the New England Revolution. I realized as I drove home that any sporting event that I can’t reach by subway may be too much of a hassle for me.
After the excitement of the last few days, we stuck close to home today and watched the Phillies avoid a sweep against the Washington Nationals in DC. It seemed like more than half the fans attending the game were Phillies fans; at least they got to see a win.
A quick note about my recovery – I worked the last Phillies home stand as a ticket-taker to spare my knee the steps. It went pretty well. I just needed to ice my knee a few days to ease the pain and I was fine. This Friday when they return from their road trip, I’ll be back in the sections, hiking up and down the steps. Wish me well. I want to thank the Phillies for being so accommodating and bringing me back. If I wasn’t able to do that it would have been a real shame.
All for now. Enjoy your week.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Pomp and Patriotism
Your Center City Correspondent spent the weekend either at the pool, or watching the sporting events on TV, or at church. Between the Phillies, the British Open and the Tour de France, there was enough sports for everybody. Let’s hope the Phillies start playing better than they have so that we have a pennant race this fall. The British Open was won by an unknown (and unpronounceable) name, but St. Andrews is always a treat to see. And the Tour de France is heating up, with the riders traveling over the Pyrenees and into the last week of the race where it finishes in Paris next Sunday.
Mrs. CCC and I were invited to attend the installation of our new pastor at the Cathedral on Saturday evening. This is a highly ritualized ceremony that takes place in the middle of Mass. Cardinal Rigali celebrates the Mass and performs the installation. I can imagine that it is quite a burden on the new pastor, Msgr. Rogers; not only is he responsible for our immortal souls, he is also the caretaker of the Cathedral building which requires a lot of work and attention. God bless him. Afterwards we attended a reception held at the Rooftop ballroom of the Sheraton across the street from the Cathedral and of course, our crew closed the place down.
So what happened to our old pastor, you ask? He got transferred to St. Matthias parish in Bala Cynwyd, and we were invited to that installation also, on Sunday afternoon. Because of his new role, as both pastor of the parish and Vicar of Montgomery County, dozens of priests from all over Montco also attended this installation. More pomp and ceremony, a lot of it similar to the night before, but different enough to keep it interesting. This was followed by another reception, and I had the opportunity to say hello to Cardinal Rigali. I’ve been in his company a few times, but this is the first I actually said hello. He’s a nice enough guy, but kinda intimidating – he’s one step below the Pope, ya know, who is only one step below God! So you don’t mess around when you’re talking to him.
Afterwards, we adjourned to the local for some refreshments and food, then home to watch the Phils drop another one to the Cubs. I hope all the fans who made the trek to Chicago this weekend enjoyed themselves despite the outcome of the games. Chicago is a great town with plenty of things to do.
A note about two young men who serve our country and community. Kevin Livewell, the brother of a friend of mine, is a Philadelphia cop who was shot in the leg on Thursday night. I wish him well, and hope that he’s back on his feet quickly. Like I told my buddy, Kevin must have gotten the looks in the family. Another young man, Nick Lumi, a lieutenant in the US Navy is being deployed overseas to a combat zone this week. He’s my cousin’s boy, and I know that he has made his mother and father very proud and now apprehensive. I wish Nick well and am confident that he will return home safe and sound to his wife and family. God bless both these men.
All for now. Enjoy your week.
Mrs. CCC and I were invited to attend the installation of our new pastor at the Cathedral on Saturday evening. This is a highly ritualized ceremony that takes place in the middle of Mass. Cardinal Rigali celebrates the Mass and performs the installation. I can imagine that it is quite a burden on the new pastor, Msgr. Rogers; not only is he responsible for our immortal souls, he is also the caretaker of the Cathedral building which requires a lot of work and attention. God bless him. Afterwards we attended a reception held at the Rooftop ballroom of the Sheraton across the street from the Cathedral and of course, our crew closed the place down.
So what happened to our old pastor, you ask? He got transferred to St. Matthias parish in Bala Cynwyd, and we were invited to that installation also, on Sunday afternoon. Because of his new role, as both pastor of the parish and Vicar of Montgomery County, dozens of priests from all over Montco also attended this installation. More pomp and ceremony, a lot of it similar to the night before, but different enough to keep it interesting. This was followed by another reception, and I had the opportunity to say hello to Cardinal Rigali. I’ve been in his company a few times, but this is the first I actually said hello. He’s a nice enough guy, but kinda intimidating – he’s one step below the Pope, ya know, who is only one step below God! So you don’t mess around when you’re talking to him.
Afterwards, we adjourned to the local for some refreshments and food, then home to watch the Phils drop another one to the Cubs. I hope all the fans who made the trek to Chicago this weekend enjoyed themselves despite the outcome of the games. Chicago is a great town with plenty of things to do.
A note about two young men who serve our country and community. Kevin Livewell, the brother of a friend of mine, is a Philadelphia cop who was shot in the leg on Thursday night. I wish him well, and hope that he’s back on his feet quickly. Like I told my buddy, Kevin must have gotten the looks in the family. Another young man, Nick Lumi, a lieutenant in the US Navy is being deployed overseas to a combat zone this week. He’s my cousin’s boy, and I know that he has made his mother and father very proud and now apprehensive. I wish Nick well and am confident that he will return home safe and sound to his wife and family. God bless both these men.
All for now. Enjoy your week.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
World Cup Sunday
On Sunday afternoon, Mrs. CCC and I strolled down to the local bar to watch the final of the month-long World Cup soccer tournament. Spain and Holland were the two survivors. Neither team has ever won the tournament before, so there were high hopes on both sides. After both England and the US had been beaten in the first knockout phase, the WC took on more of an academic feel for me; I really didn’t care who won, as long as we were treated to good games. The final game wasn’t pretty, neither team got into a real good rhythm, and the game went into extra time tied at 0-0. Spain broke through with a goal with about 5 minutes to go, and held on to win the championship. I’m sure there was celebrating throughout the country that night, culminating in a huge parade in Madrid on Tuesday. Well done to the Spanish boys. Now we have to wait four more years for the next WC tournament to be held in Brazil.
The patrons at the bar were equally split, not between Holland and Spain, but between the soccer game on one TV and the Phillies game on the other. Cole Hamels was sharp and the Phils held on for a 1-0 win to sweep the Reds heading into the All-Star game break. (Isn’t it odd that both games ended 1-0? I’ve always enjoyed low-scoring baseball games because every at-bat, hit and pitch are meaningful. Maybe that’s one reason I like soccer – every score is meaningful.) The Phils are in third place in the NL East, 4.5 games behind the Braves. Let’s hope everybody gets and stays healthy, and the Phillies have the success they’ve enjoyed in the second half over the past three seasons to play their way back to the playoffs.
For those who’ve asked, my leg and knee are coming along fine via therapy and exercise. I expect to go back to work with the Phillies on 7/23, barring any other misfortunes. Thanks for asking.
The patrons at the bar were equally split, not between Holland and Spain, but between the soccer game on one TV and the Phillies game on the other. Cole Hamels was sharp and the Phils held on for a 1-0 win to sweep the Reds heading into the All-Star game break. (Isn’t it odd that both games ended 1-0? I’ve always enjoyed low-scoring baseball games because every at-bat, hit and pitch are meaningful. Maybe that’s one reason I like soccer – every score is meaningful.) The Phils are in third place in the NL East, 4.5 games behind the Braves. Let’s hope everybody gets and stays healthy, and the Phillies have the success they’ve enjoyed in the second half over the past three seasons to play their way back to the playoffs.
For those who’ve asked, my leg and knee are coming along fine via therapy and exercise. I expect to go back to work with the Phillies on 7/23, barring any other misfortunes. Thanks for asking.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The World Comes to Philadelphia
People ask me where I’m going for the 4th of July. Going? Why would anyone want to leave Philadelphia, the place where it all started, the place where people travel to from all over the country and the world, the place where the best celebration is held?
Your Center City Correspondent can tell you from first-hand experience that people clamor to come to Philadelphia for the 4th, and that a lot of them come right to my neighborhood for the parade, the exhibitions, the concert and the fireworks show. Walking around the neighborhood on Sunday afternoon, I can tell you that there was not an open (legal) parking spot between Green St. and Brown St. A tip of the cap to the nice couple who invited us to their party on Brown St., nice home, interesting people and good food – and all just a stroll away.
Later on Mrs. CCC and I walked over to Pennsylvania Avenue for the fireworks – the city puts on a great display after the concert at the Art Museum. The streets were jammed with pedestrians and cars. There were a lot more people at the show this year than last. All of us were craning our necks to see the show, and we were not disappointed. After the fireworks, the show continues as they all try to drive home – thousands of cars on roads designed for horses and buggy traffic. I sit on my front step nursing a cold one and once again thanking my lucky stars that I live right here in Center City.
The final of the World Cup soccer tournament is this Sunday. Holland and Spain, probably the two best teams coming into the tournament, meet to decide the world champion for the next 4 years. They both employ an attacking style of play, so I doubt that it will be a 0-0 snoozefest. It’s on ABC, so give it a try.
All for now.
Your Center City Correspondent can tell you from first-hand experience that people clamor to come to Philadelphia for the 4th, and that a lot of them come right to my neighborhood for the parade, the exhibitions, the concert and the fireworks show. Walking around the neighborhood on Sunday afternoon, I can tell you that there was not an open (legal) parking spot between Green St. and Brown St. A tip of the cap to the nice couple who invited us to their party on Brown St., nice home, interesting people and good food – and all just a stroll away.
Later on Mrs. CCC and I walked over to Pennsylvania Avenue for the fireworks – the city puts on a great display after the concert at the Art Museum. The streets were jammed with pedestrians and cars. There were a lot more people at the show this year than last. All of us were craning our necks to see the show, and we were not disappointed. After the fireworks, the show continues as they all try to drive home – thousands of cars on roads designed for horses and buggy traffic. I sit on my front step nursing a cold one and once again thanking my lucky stars that I live right here in Center City.
The final of the World Cup soccer tournament is this Sunday. Holland and Spain, probably the two best teams coming into the tournament, meet to decide the world champion for the next 4 years. They both employ an attacking style of play, so I doubt that it will be a 0-0 snoozefest. It’s on ABC, so give it a try.
All for now.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
The Sun Also Sets
Your Center City Correspondent is a sucker for redheads, big churches and sunsets. The less said about redheads the better, I’ve already written about churches, so this must be about sunsets. Mrs. CCC and I have traveled the globe to witness sunsets; two of our favorites we’ve seen are from the Eiffel Tower and at the beach in Naples, FL. But let me clue you in to the best-kept secret in Philadelphia – we have beautiful sunsets here too. I guess it’s an Acres of Diamonds thing. The best place to view the sun going down is at the Water Works behind the Art Museum. The sun sets downriver, behind Fairmount Park, and with the Waterworks in the foreground and Boathouse row off to the right, it’s a real pleasure on a summer evening. Give it a try some night.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
World Cup fever strikes out
The USA team lost today to Ghana 2-1 and exited the World Cup finals. That is the same scoreline that Ghana won by in 2006 to send the USA home then. The bar was packed, the emotions were high, but the US could not respond to the overtime goal by Ghana. If psychic energy counted for anything, the US would have scored two goals in overtime to win the game and advance to the quarterfinals. But no such luck. The US has to move away from playing X’s and O’s and play more on instinct in order to win on the international level. This is not a wait till next year proposition. We have to wait till 2014 when the next World Cup final is held in Brazil.
Friday, June 25, 2010
World Cup fever strikes
As most of you know, your Center City Correspondent is an avid soccer fan. He follows the English Premier League most of the time which runs from August till May. But this summer soccer fans get a month-long smorgasbord of games, namely the World Cup. 32 national teams have qualified to play in the WC finals being held this year in South Africa. The United States is one of those teams, and I’ve seen a huge surge in interest in the US team who have done well so far. In the first couple of games the US sort of putzed around and came up with two ties, meaning they needed to win their third game in order to advance to the next round. They waited until very late in the game to score the winning goal which catapulted them into the next round. It was a moment of rapture and high-fives all around. They play Ghana on Saturday at 2:30 PM. From now on it’s win or go home. The US must have payback on their minds because in the last WC, Ghana beat them 2-1 to send them home early.
All these games are on TV, most of them on ESPN or ESPN2, so you could sit at home and watch them. But the real fun is going to a bar to watch the games with fellow fans and newcomers. During the long stretches of time when not much is going on, it’s fun to chat up the other patrons. Once in a while you find another fan and the conversation can go on for a long time. But most of the time the questions from the new fans come flying at you, especially when there’s a bogus call by the referee, which seems to happen a lot. These new fans are starting to understand the passion as well as the frustration that the sport engenders. When you are emotionally engaged with a team, the game is a lot of fun. It’s just a shame that their passion will end when the US gets knocked out.
So get out to a bar in your neighborhood on Saturday afternoon and enjoy the atmosphere and the game.
Go USA and Go Phillies.
PS. Why did I write this whole post in the third person?
All these games are on TV, most of them on ESPN or ESPN2, so you could sit at home and watch them. But the real fun is going to a bar to watch the games with fellow fans and newcomers. During the long stretches of time when not much is going on, it’s fun to chat up the other patrons. Once in a while you find another fan and the conversation can go on for a long time. But most of the time the questions from the new fans come flying at you, especially when there’s a bogus call by the referee, which seems to happen a lot. These new fans are starting to understand the passion as well as the frustration that the sport engenders. When you are emotionally engaged with a team, the game is a lot of fun. It’s just a shame that their passion will end when the US gets knocked out.
So get out to a bar in your neighborhood on Saturday afternoon and enjoy the atmosphere and the game.
Go USA and Go Phillies.
PS. Why did I write this whole post in the third person?
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Late night conversations
Your Center City Correspondent wants you to know that one of the biggest differences between living in town and living in the suburbs is the number and volume of late night conversations that you overhear. In the classic marital dilemma, your CCC is a windows-open guy, that is, he likes to sleep with the window open. Fresh air and soft breezes coming through the window are so much better than stale air conditioning. And with the window open, you overhear so many late night conversations coming from the sidewalk below. In the hinterlands, you might hear a kid once in a while, and you just tell him to keep it down. But here in town there are just so many and of such a variety that it is worth it to eavesdrop on them.
There are at least two main types: bar groups and lovers’ quarrels. With a bar at the corner and another one two blocks away, we hear a lot of the first type. People on their way to the bar or on their way home, and obviously, on the way home is much more lively and louder. And everybody agrees that it’s the girls who make most of the noise. You can hear them approach like a flock of pigeons with their chattering and laughing, then get very loud as they pass by, and then fade into the distance. It gets really bad around the end of school, or the start of school, or any holiday, or if there’s a big game, like this evening’s Flyers game. Of course, if the home team loses, the crowd is much more subdued, not that I’m wishing ill on the Flyers. The timing of these conversations is anywhere from 1:30 to 2:30, that's AM.
Some of my favorite conversations I’ve overheard over the years:
Girl #1: Why is the sidewalk all wet?
Girl #2: Because it’s raining, silly.
Uncontrollable giggling.
Numerous voices: Chattering and laughing
Girl #1: Geez, I wish I was down the shore.
Boy #1: Well just close your eyes and pretend you’re there.
Numerous voices: More chattering, etc. getting closer
Girl #1: Eek! Muffled sounds.
Boy #1: What happened?
Girl #1: I closed my eyes and tripped on the sidewalk!
Boy#1: Hey Bill!
Bill: What!
Boy #1: I’m going to the Green Room. Want to come?
Bill: Dude, you just got tossed out of there. They don’t want to see you anytime soon.
Boy #1: Oh.
Or my favorite:
Boy #1: Charlie. Charlie. Hey, Charlie!!
Me (from the window): What do you want?
Boy #1: We were just passing by and thought we’d say hello.
Boy #2: It wasn’t we. It was you.
Boy #1: Ok. Charlie, what are you doing?
Me: I’m trying to sleep.
Boy #1: You want to go to St. Stephen’s?
Me (after pondering the question for about a second): No thanks. Maybe tomorrow.
Boy #2: I told you he wouldn’t.
Boy #1: OK. See you later.
Voice from bed: Would you please close that window!
The lovers’ quarrels usually come later, after 3AM and they can range from short, sharp spats to long-winded discussions about the other person’s heritage, parentage or sexual practices. I try not to listen to them too closely, they can be kinda scary. Once in a great while, the cops show up and try to restore peace. Then the two lovers turn on the police and settle their differences quickly by taking them out on the cop.
Some people think these late night conversations are nuisances. I find the humor in them, and one of the things that endears me to the city. If I ever moved back out to the hinterlands, I’d have to hire a few people to stand outside my window and make some noise, just so I’d feel more at home.
Go Flyers and Go Phillies!!
There are at least two main types: bar groups and lovers’ quarrels. With a bar at the corner and another one two blocks away, we hear a lot of the first type. People on their way to the bar or on their way home, and obviously, on the way home is much more lively and louder. And everybody agrees that it’s the girls who make most of the noise. You can hear them approach like a flock of pigeons with their chattering and laughing, then get very loud as they pass by, and then fade into the distance. It gets really bad around the end of school, or the start of school, or any holiday, or if there’s a big game, like this evening’s Flyers game. Of course, if the home team loses, the crowd is much more subdued, not that I’m wishing ill on the Flyers. The timing of these conversations is anywhere from 1:30 to 2:30, that's AM.
Some of my favorite conversations I’ve overheard over the years:
Girl #1: Why is the sidewalk all wet?
Girl #2: Because it’s raining, silly.
Uncontrollable giggling.
Numerous voices: Chattering and laughing
Girl #1: Geez, I wish I was down the shore.
Boy #1: Well just close your eyes and pretend you’re there.
Numerous voices: More chattering, etc. getting closer
Girl #1: Eek! Muffled sounds.
Boy #1: What happened?
Girl #1: I closed my eyes and tripped on the sidewalk!
Boy#1: Hey Bill!
Bill: What!
Boy #1: I’m going to the Green Room. Want to come?
Bill: Dude, you just got tossed out of there. They don’t want to see you anytime soon.
Boy #1: Oh.
Or my favorite:
Boy #1: Charlie. Charlie. Hey, Charlie!!
Me (from the window): What do you want?
Boy #1: We were just passing by and thought we’d say hello.
Boy #2: It wasn’t we. It was you.
Boy #1: Ok. Charlie, what are you doing?
Me: I’m trying to sleep.
Boy #1: You want to go to St. Stephen’s?
Me (after pondering the question for about a second): No thanks. Maybe tomorrow.
Boy #2: I told you he wouldn’t.
Boy #1: OK. See you later.
Voice from bed: Would you please close that window!
The lovers’ quarrels usually come later, after 3AM and they can range from short, sharp spats to long-winded discussions about the other person’s heritage, parentage or sexual practices. I try not to listen to them too closely, they can be kinda scary. Once in a great while, the cops show up and try to restore peace. Then the two lovers turn on the police and settle their differences quickly by taking them out on the cop.
Some people think these late night conversations are nuisances. I find the humor in them, and one of the things that endears me to the city. If I ever moved back out to the hinterlands, I’d have to hire a few people to stand outside my window and make some noise, just so I’d feel more at home.
Go Flyers and Go Phillies!!
Friday, May 28, 2010
An eventful Thursday
Bonk vt (from the bicyclist’s dictionary) To suffer a period of severe lassitude due to not eating or drinking sufficiently while riding.
If you’ve never experienced this, to bonk while riding, you don’t know how suddenly and without any warning your body shuts down and you cannot pedal your bike any more. It only happened to me once, riding up Philmont Avenue about 20 years ago. I could not go any further and I wound up sleeping next to my bike on somebody’s front lawn. When I woke up, I had something to eat and drink, and I was able to continue my ride. I vowed never to let that happen again.
Until yesterday, that is. Yesterday was the day I had surgery on my right knee to fix the problem I caused a few weeks ago in an act of stupidity at the ballpark. Before surgery, you’re instructed not to eat or drink anything from midnight on. I had to be at Hahnemann at 7:30 AM. I arrived on time and I was brought back into the surgical unit promptly. By 9 AM I was in the OR and I did not feel or see anything until I woke up in recovery at 11:30 AM. The operation went well, and now I have 3-4 days of recovery and 3-4 weeks of rehab before I’ll be able to go back to work. The folks at Hahnemann could not have been better, dealing with me and all the patients with professionalism and compassion, what they call good bedside manners.
On the way home I wanted to stop at the bar to let the folks know that I hadn’t forgotten them and for some lunch. Mrs. CCC dropped me off and parked the car. I went in and the place was crowded so instead of sitting at a table, I sat at the end of the bar and ordered drinks for myself (soft) and Mrs. CCC (hard). She came in and we ordered lunch. But before lunch arrived, I felt the evil clutches of bonking; I felt very light-headed, and all I could do was put my head between my knees so I wouldn’t pass out. When I lifted my head, it only got as far as the edge of the bar, where I sat until Mrs. CCC brought the car around and she and Drew, the bartender, got me back in the car for the short ride home. She and I sat in the courtyard and ate our lunch, which gave me the strength to make it up the steps. I probably won’t be going back down the stairs until I feel much better than I do now, so give me a call or drop me a line so I know you’re all OK. Trust me, I’m in good hands. Mrs. CCC could teach Florence Nightingale a few things. God Bless her.
Enjoy your holiday weekend. And Go Flyers and Phillies!
If you’ve never experienced this, to bonk while riding, you don’t know how suddenly and without any warning your body shuts down and you cannot pedal your bike any more. It only happened to me once, riding up Philmont Avenue about 20 years ago. I could not go any further and I wound up sleeping next to my bike on somebody’s front lawn. When I woke up, I had something to eat and drink, and I was able to continue my ride. I vowed never to let that happen again.
Until yesterday, that is. Yesterday was the day I had surgery on my right knee to fix the problem I caused a few weeks ago in an act of stupidity at the ballpark. Before surgery, you’re instructed not to eat or drink anything from midnight on. I had to be at Hahnemann at 7:30 AM. I arrived on time and I was brought back into the surgical unit promptly. By 9 AM I was in the OR and I did not feel or see anything until I woke up in recovery at 11:30 AM. The operation went well, and now I have 3-4 days of recovery and 3-4 weeks of rehab before I’ll be able to go back to work. The folks at Hahnemann could not have been better, dealing with me and all the patients with professionalism and compassion, what they call good bedside manners.
On the way home I wanted to stop at the bar to let the folks know that I hadn’t forgotten them and for some lunch. Mrs. CCC dropped me off and parked the car. I went in and the place was crowded so instead of sitting at a table, I sat at the end of the bar and ordered drinks for myself (soft) and Mrs. CCC (hard). She came in and we ordered lunch. But before lunch arrived, I felt the evil clutches of bonking; I felt very light-headed, and all I could do was put my head between my knees so I wouldn’t pass out. When I lifted my head, it only got as far as the edge of the bar, where I sat until Mrs. CCC brought the car around and she and Drew, the bartender, got me back in the car for the short ride home. She and I sat in the courtyard and ate our lunch, which gave me the strength to make it up the steps. I probably won’t be going back down the stairs until I feel much better than I do now, so give me a call or drop me a line so I know you’re all OK. Trust me, I’m in good hands. Mrs. CCC could teach Florence Nightingale a few things. God Bless her.
Enjoy your holiday weekend. And Go Flyers and Phillies!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Memorial Day in town
Memorial Day is next Monday, May 31st. Most of us know it as the unofficial start to summer, when picnics and vacations and trips to the shore are all planned. But your Center City Correspondent would like you to take a moment and reflect on what Memorial Day really means. There have been hundreds of thousands of men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to preserve, protect, and defend our freedoms. Without their sacrifices, I don’t know if we’d be living in the comfort and relative security that we do in this country.
There are a number of memorials in Center City which makes it easy to remember our heroes. The two biggest are the Vietnam Memorial and the Korean War Memorial which are located at Front and Spruce Streets. Services are held at these two memorials every year on Memorial Day. Other monuments include the Colored Soldiers and Sailors Monument and the WWI Aviators Memorial, both located across the street from the Franklin Institute. And right down the street are the Civil War monuments which straddle the Parkway. At 2nd and Spring Garden is a monument to the soldiers of WWI, the doughboys of the nearby neighborhood. Philadelphia has done a nice job in erecting and maintaining the monuments. I’m sure your hometown has a monument too; take a moment to find out where it is. Those memorialized will be glad you did. Say a prayer for those you know who died in service of their country; and say one for all the others who did too.
Have a pleasant holiday and a great summer.
RIP Neil Weintraub and Bob Weidle.
There are a number of memorials in Center City which makes it easy to remember our heroes. The two biggest are the Vietnam Memorial and the Korean War Memorial which are located at Front and Spruce Streets. Services are held at these two memorials every year on Memorial Day. Other monuments include the Colored Soldiers and Sailors Monument and the WWI Aviators Memorial, both located across the street from the Franklin Institute. And right down the street are the Civil War monuments which straddle the Parkway. At 2nd and Spring Garden is a monument to the soldiers of WWI, the doughboys of the nearby neighborhood. Philadelphia has done a nice job in erecting and maintaining the monuments. I’m sure your hometown has a monument too; take a moment to find out where it is. Those memorialized will be glad you did. Say a prayer for those you know who died in service of their country; and say one for all the others who did too.
Have a pleasant holiday and a great summer.
RIP Neil Weintraub and Bob Weidle.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
May is the prettiest month
OK, so now your Center City Correspondent is officially annoyed. I try not to kvetch in these pages, but every once in a while I feel like I’ve been handed lemons and all I can make is piles of lemons. On a beautiful sun-kissed day, the Phils played the Cubs in an afternoon game, and I had to sit and watch it at home. They left it late, scoring the winning run in the eighth, and then holding on for the win, just my kind of game. When I started working at the Phillies, this was just the type of game and weather I envisioned. Being cooped up here on the third floor is not a lot of fun, but I have to be patient until the surgery next week. That drumming noise you hear are my fingers on the desk.
So not much to report from Center City, except that my son is leaving Florida and returning to Philadelphia. This news is making Mrs. CCC ecstatic. I guess he wants to get his life back on track and this is the best place to do it, around his family and friends who can lend him support and guidance. He should be back around the 1st of June, so if anybody knows of any job openings for a young, industrious guy, let me know. Where he gets a job will determine where he lives. If he’s learned nothing else from his old man, at least he’s learned that.
Be careful out there. Maybe that should be my new motto. Go Phillies!!
So not much to report from Center City, except that my son is leaving Florida and returning to Philadelphia. This news is making Mrs. CCC ecstatic. I guess he wants to get his life back on track and this is the best place to do it, around his family and friends who can lend him support and guidance. He should be back around the 1st of June, so if anybody knows of any job openings for a young, industrious guy, let me know. Where he gets a job will determine where he lives. If he’s learned nothing else from his old man, at least he’s learned that.
Be careful out there. Maybe that should be my new motto. Go Phillies!!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Life lessons
As some of you may know, your Center City Correspondent has been laid low by his own stupidity. I was at the ballpark before a game the other evening, clearing my section before the fans arrived, and I hopped over the seats in row 3 and landed in the ER at Hahnemann. So now I’m on the DL, hobbling around on crutches, and waiting to see an orthopedist to find out what needs to be done to get me back on my feet and back on the job. In the past, an injury like this required arthroscopic surgery, but that was 20 years ago. I just hope there’s something still in there that can be fixed and I don’t need a whole new knee! And the Phillies are playing so well on this home stand, and I’m missing them. So when I go back to work, no gymnastics for me. I’m going to act my age. And a huge tip of the cap to Mrs. CCC – she has been so helpful through all this, ferrying me around, fetching and carrying for me. I’m certainly a lucky guy to have someone as sweet as her by my side, not only through these trying times, but every day of the year.
So now I get to sit around the house and catch up on my reading. It’s not often that your CCC cries, you know, it’s not a manly thing to do. But a book I’m reading caused tears to well up and roll down my cheeks this morning. It’s entitled “Think No Evil” by Jonas Beiler. It tells the story of the ten Amish schoolgirls who were shot by a neighbor back in October, 2006, five of whom died. For some reason, this shooting affected me more than all the other violence that has occurred in recent times. How could anyone single out the Amish to exact any violence or vengeance on? They lead such simple, Christian lives, who would target them? Mr. Beiler does not answer these unanswerable questions, but rather, he focuses on the part of the story that is equally inexplicable. That is, the forgiveness shown by the Amish community and the families of the dead girls towards the shooter. In our modern society, vengeance and hatred and retribution are the normal responses to such a shooting. But the Amish profess to be forgiving people, and they demonstrated it for the whole world by forgiving the shooter and his family, even attending his funeral and offering their condolences and forgiveness to his widow and children. How many of us could do that under similar circumstances? Forgiveness, not retribution, is bred in them from an early age, and to not forgive would mean that they are not Amish. I admire them for their simplicity, their Christianity and now for their compassion towards others and their capacity for forgiveness. We could all take a lesson from them, anytime hatred or anger invade our lives. Remember the little girls from Nickel Mines and the shining example that their families and relatives have shown us.
That’s all for now. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there. Where would any of us be without you? God bless you all and Go Phils!!
So now I get to sit around the house and catch up on my reading. It’s not often that your CCC cries, you know, it’s not a manly thing to do. But a book I’m reading caused tears to well up and roll down my cheeks this morning. It’s entitled “Think No Evil” by Jonas Beiler. It tells the story of the ten Amish schoolgirls who were shot by a neighbor back in October, 2006, five of whom died. For some reason, this shooting affected me more than all the other violence that has occurred in recent times. How could anyone single out the Amish to exact any violence or vengeance on? They lead such simple, Christian lives, who would target them? Mr. Beiler does not answer these unanswerable questions, but rather, he focuses on the part of the story that is equally inexplicable. That is, the forgiveness shown by the Amish community and the families of the dead girls towards the shooter. In our modern society, vengeance and hatred and retribution are the normal responses to such a shooting. But the Amish profess to be forgiving people, and they demonstrated it for the whole world by forgiving the shooter and his family, even attending his funeral and offering their condolences and forgiveness to his widow and children. How many of us could do that under similar circumstances? Forgiveness, not retribution, is bred in them from an early age, and to not forgive would mean that they are not Amish. I admire them for their simplicity, their Christianity and now for their compassion towards others and their capacity for forgiveness. We could all take a lesson from them, anytime hatred or anger invade our lives. Remember the little girls from Nickel Mines and the shining example that their families and relatives have shown us.
That’s all for now. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there. Where would any of us be without you? God bless you all and Go Phils!!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
He's everywhere!!
I was out for another walk on Wednesday. I headed for Boathouse Row, bypassing the Art Museum. So who did I bump into? That's right. Another Phillie Phanatic! Mrs. CCC might be right; we might be hallucinating. This one was pretty tame compared to some others we saw. But there were two interesting aspects of this new one: the first was the detailed skyline on the front and back of his shirt. The second thing was the name of this one: High Hopes. This was the signature song of Harry Kalas, long-time beloved announcer for the Phillies who died last year. The Phillies have adopted it as their victory song. We sing it at the end of every home win. It's worth waiting around for. Here's a few pictures of this one.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Strolling around town
Your Center City Correspondent wants you to know that that he survived the first week on the job as an usher for the Phillies as well as the first week of Mrs. CCC’s unemployment. She was laid off from her job after nearly 13 years. So now we get to spend more time together than ever before. Wish us luck.
As part of my regimen to stay in shape to walk up and down the steps at Citizens Bank Park, I take regular strolls around town. Most of the time I head towards the Art Museum so I get to walk up and down the Rocky steps. The view from the top of the steps is towards Center City with the tall buildings on the right and the Swann Fountain and City Hall directly down the Parkway. For out-of-towners, I’m sure that is a nice picture. But for my money, the better view is around the west side of the museum. On that side you can see the Water Works with its ornate buildings, the Schuylkill River, the dam, Boathouse Row, Lemon Hill, and on nice days, the Zoo balloon. For me, the west view is for Philadelphians, and the east side is for tourists. If you ever get a chance, take in a sunset from the Water Works; occasionally they rival anything seen in Florida or Hawaii, and they are a lot closer to home.
A long-awaited event happened the other day in the neighborhood. The statue of Joan of Arc was returned to its spot at 25th and Pennsylvania Avenue, right across from the Art Museum. She had been removed last fall to repair the pedestal she sat on, and while it was down, they refurbished and re-gilded her. She looks gorgeous, probably better than when she was first installed. The Philadelphia Public Arts Commission is owed a big thank you from the neighborhood, Joan really classes up the area. The statue is a replica of the original which stands in front of the Hotel Regina in Paris, right across from the Louvre. So if you’re ever heading out of town on the Parkway and the Kelly Drive, tip your cap to Joan. She’s hard to miss.
On another stroll into town, Mrs. CCC and I bumped into another Public Arts exhibit. This one is a bit more sublime than Joan of Arc. 15 artists from around the city were commissioned to decorate statues of the Philly Phanatic. I’ve seen three of them, the original at the ballpark, Spaceman Phanatic in an orange spacesuit in front of the library, and Cosmic Phanatic with galaxies and (baseball) stars all over him in Rittenhouse Square. The Phanatic is a local treasure and the artists spent time and effort to recreate him in their vision. I can’t wait for the exhibit to be over and they bring all 15 to the park; it will freak him out. It freaked Mrs. CCC, she thought she was hallucinating, seeing him all over town in different colors. She's going to cut down on the margaritas.
All for now. Enjoy your weekend and Go Phils!!
As part of my regimen to stay in shape to walk up and down the steps at Citizens Bank Park, I take regular strolls around town. Most of the time I head towards the Art Museum so I get to walk up and down the Rocky steps. The view from the top of the steps is towards Center City with the tall buildings on the right and the Swann Fountain and City Hall directly down the Parkway. For out-of-towners, I’m sure that is a nice picture. But for my money, the better view is around the west side of the museum. On that side you can see the Water Works with its ornate buildings, the Schuylkill River, the dam, Boathouse Row, Lemon Hill, and on nice days, the Zoo balloon. For me, the west view is for Philadelphians, and the east side is for tourists. If you ever get a chance, take in a sunset from the Water Works; occasionally they rival anything seen in Florida or Hawaii, and they are a lot closer to home.
A long-awaited event happened the other day in the neighborhood. The statue of Joan of Arc was returned to its spot at 25th and Pennsylvania Avenue, right across from the Art Museum. She had been removed last fall to repair the pedestal she sat on, and while it was down, they refurbished and re-gilded her. She looks gorgeous, probably better than when she was first installed. The Philadelphia Public Arts Commission is owed a big thank you from the neighborhood, Joan really classes up the area. The statue is a replica of the original which stands in front of the Hotel Regina in Paris, right across from the Louvre. So if you’re ever heading out of town on the Parkway and the Kelly Drive, tip your cap to Joan. She’s hard to miss.
On another stroll into town, Mrs. CCC and I bumped into another Public Arts exhibit. This one is a bit more sublime than Joan of Arc. 15 artists from around the city were commissioned to decorate statues of the Philly Phanatic. I’ve seen three of them, the original at the ballpark, Spaceman Phanatic in an orange spacesuit in front of the library, and Cosmic Phanatic with galaxies and (baseball) stars all over him in Rittenhouse Square. The Phanatic is a local treasure and the artists spent time and effort to recreate him in their vision. I can’t wait for the exhibit to be over and they bring all 15 to the park; it will freak him out. It freaked Mrs. CCC, she thought she was hallucinating, seeing him all over town in different colors. She's going to cut down on the margaritas.
All for now. Enjoy your weekend and Go Phils!!
Friday, April 16, 2010
South Philly summer
Your Center City Correspondent has been spending a lot of time in South Philadelphia lately. In addition to working at the Phillies games, I worked a Philadelphia Union soccer game at the Linc. They won 3-2 over DC United. Unfortunately I didn’t see much of the game, I was taking tickets at the gate. The crowd was delayed getting into the stadium because Joe Biden was attending the game and every fan had to be searched by the Secret Service before entering. That is an arduous, time-consuming process which always is a drag for the fans. After Biden left, the Secret Service stopped too and the fans got in much quicker, but had missed most of the first half. There were about 30,000 people there and they saw a decent game, and they cheered enthusiastically. I hope the team performs up to the level of the fans’ enthusiasm and support. If they do, they will do well.
As part of my time at the Phillies, I’m keeping a journal, just to keep track of my feelings as the season progresses. I don’t know what format it will take, whether it will be part of CCC or if I’ll start a new one. Here’s an excerpt from what I have so far:
The deep green of the grass shimmers in the light. The contrast between the brown infield and the grass magnifies the richness of the green. The magic that is the sight of a baseball field is something you never overcome. The wizard that creates that magic is never exposed, the curtain is never pulled back. No matter how old you are, or how many times you go to a ballpark, the sight still stirs your soul, a mixture of envy and awe. You impulsively hurry the last few steps to catch a sight of the field. No matter what activity is happening on the field, your eyes and psyche are drawn to the grass, and when you see that, no matter what is happening in your life, the ballpark is the same as when you were a kid, and that gives you a comfortable feeling. As the light fades from the sky, it is replaced with the metallic light from the overhead standards but the green remains the same; magic.
All for now. The Phils wrap up their homestand this weekend against the Marlins with their new acquisition, Roy Halladay on the mound. Should be a good one. Bon giorno, South Philly.
As part of my time at the Phillies, I’m keeping a journal, just to keep track of my feelings as the season progresses. I don’t know what format it will take, whether it will be part of CCC or if I’ll start a new one. Here’s an excerpt from what I have so far:
The deep green of the grass shimmers in the light. The contrast between the brown infield and the grass magnifies the richness of the green. The magic that is the sight of a baseball field is something you never overcome. The wizard that creates that magic is never exposed, the curtain is never pulled back. No matter how old you are, or how many times you go to a ballpark, the sight still stirs your soul, a mixture of envy and awe. You impulsively hurry the last few steps to catch a sight of the field. No matter what activity is happening on the field, your eyes and psyche are drawn to the grass, and when you see that, no matter what is happening in your life, the ballpark is the same as when you were a kid, and that gives you a comfortable feeling. As the light fades from the sky, it is replaced with the metallic light from the overhead standards but the green remains the same; magic.
All for now. The Phils wrap up their homestand this weekend against the Marlins with their new acquisition, Roy Halladay on the mound. Should be a good one. Bon giorno, South Philly.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Baseball fever strikes
Your Center City Correspondent has been away for a while. Mrs. CCC and I spent six days in Florida recently. We took in a few spring training games and visited our son in Naples, FL. He joined us in Sarasota, Clearwater and Fort Myers where we saw the Orioles, Phillies, and Red Sox play. Then we took in the delights of Naples with the restaurants, shopping, beaches, and sunsets. It wasn’t exactly beach weather, cool and breezy and the water could turn your ankles blue in a minute. But oh my, the sunsets were gorgeous; beautiful yellows and pinks and purples. But a word of caution if you go to Naples during the season – beware of the drivers. They will stop whenever they want to, turn from any lane they are in, and just make a nuisance of themselves. It’s like they think they are the only ones on the road. And you have to drive everywhere which makes me crazy. Naples is a big place, and everything is spread out. I could not wait to get back to Center City so I could walk anywhere I wanted. It’s been a week since we returned, and I’ve yet to drive the car. But if you’re a baseball fan, you owe it to yourself to go to spring training. It’s delightful and you’re surrounded by fans – who else would spend hundreds of dollars and travel over 1,000 miles to see an exhibition game?
And speaking of baseball, as some of you know, I start a new adventure tonight. I signed up to be an usher at Citizens Bank Park. They had over 1200 applicants and they chose 90 people, so I’m glad I’m one of them. I guess my experience at the Linc helped me. We get to work all the games, and Mrs. CC is a bit miffed because she won’t be able to share my company at the games. So, if you have an extra ticket for a game, give her a call, she’d love to go with you. She doesn’t eat or drink much and she stays in her seat and watches the game. She’s a big Victorino fan. Stayed tuned for my ruminations about CBP.
Happy Easter to all. It should be a glorious weekend so go out and find some easter eggs.
And speaking of baseball, as some of you know, I start a new adventure tonight. I signed up to be an usher at Citizens Bank Park. They had over 1200 applicants and they chose 90 people, so I’m glad I’m one of them. I guess my experience at the Linc helped me. We get to work all the games, and Mrs. CC is a bit miffed because she won’t be able to share my company at the games. So, if you have an extra ticket for a game, give her a call, she’d love to go with you. She doesn’t eat or drink much and she stays in her seat and watches the game. She’s a big Victorino fan. Stayed tuned for my ruminations about CBP.
Happy Easter to all. It should be a glorious weekend so go out and find some easter eggs.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The Hawks Are Back
Yes, that’s right folks, the hawks are back!! I don’t know where this registers on the Bizarrometer, but your Center City Correspondent is more than slightly bemused by this story. Mrs. CCC just thinks I'm weird to be so interested in this.
One morning about a year ago, I was walking to work and there were two guys standing on the sidewalk outside the Franklin Institute looking intently at something. As I got closer I saw a large bird of prey, a hawk, on top of the biplane model, tearing at something he (she?) had clutched in his talons. I mean, he was really ripping at it with guts all over the place. The plat du jour was pigeon (I thought that was odd because that’s exactly what I had one night in Paris, honest). A bunch of smaller birds were squawking at him; all he had to do was spread his wings and the little birds backed off. One of the bystanders told me that it was a red-tailed hawk and that a pair of them has taken up residence on the window sill on the second story of the Franklin Institute. The sill wasn’t quite big enough for their nest and it kept toppling down to the sidewalk. So some industrious people at the Institute built a platform on the window sill and replaced the nest. The adults seemed OK with the addition, and they completed their nest in time for Momma hawk to lay her eggs. About a month later the blessed event arrived and the chicks were hatched. For the first few weeks they could not leave the nest, and had to be fed by Mom and Dad. So they scoured the surrounding neighborhood for grub, and I can tell you there was not a mouse or pigeon to be seen for blocks around the Institute. For the next few weeks, as the chicks developed, they could be seen hopping around the nest or on the sill. They could not fly much, just a little flutter now and then, but as they quickly matured, they would fly and hop around the roof and ledges of the Institute. One of them tried to fly and landed in the middle of 20th Street and had to be rescued by folks from the Animal Shelter. He was back in the nest in 24 hours. After about a month, the chicks were flying around the area and at about two months old, they had flown the coop. These are impressive animals that do two things well, hunt and procreate. Their hunting technique is to sit in a tree or building scouring the landscape and when they spot prey, they do a power dive directly down, spread their wings at the last moment to stop their dive and grab the prey with their claws. Very efficient hunters and killers.
Their story was picked up by the local press, and I made it a point to hang out on the corner with a few of the Hawkaholics, and we were treated to a lot of activity almost every day. Activity in the nest was captured by a webcam that the Institute had set up and is available online at the link below.
So the adults are back and a few days ago the first egg was laid. I guess we’ll have another spring of the red-tailed hawks. So why is this bizarre? I lived in the suburbs for over 50 years and never saw a nest of hawks. I come to the city and I’m treated to a nature show, right in my own neighborhood. Weird, huh? Kudos to the Institute for the home makeover and the webcam. Check the camera over the next few weeks. Right now they’re just incubating the eggs but in a few weeks there will be hungry mouths to feed and flying and hunting lessons to be learned. Stay tuned.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-franklin-institute-haw-cam
One morning about a year ago, I was walking to work and there were two guys standing on the sidewalk outside the Franklin Institute looking intently at something. As I got closer I saw a large bird of prey, a hawk, on top of the biplane model, tearing at something he (she?) had clutched in his talons. I mean, he was really ripping at it with guts all over the place. The plat du jour was pigeon (I thought that was odd because that’s exactly what I had one night in Paris, honest). A bunch of smaller birds were squawking at him; all he had to do was spread his wings and the little birds backed off. One of the bystanders told me that it was a red-tailed hawk and that a pair of them has taken up residence on the window sill on the second story of the Franklin Institute. The sill wasn’t quite big enough for their nest and it kept toppling down to the sidewalk. So some industrious people at the Institute built a platform on the window sill and replaced the nest. The adults seemed OK with the addition, and they completed their nest in time for Momma hawk to lay her eggs. About a month later the blessed event arrived and the chicks were hatched. For the first few weeks they could not leave the nest, and had to be fed by Mom and Dad. So they scoured the surrounding neighborhood for grub, and I can tell you there was not a mouse or pigeon to be seen for blocks around the Institute. For the next few weeks, as the chicks developed, they could be seen hopping around the nest or on the sill. They could not fly much, just a little flutter now and then, but as they quickly matured, they would fly and hop around the roof and ledges of the Institute. One of them tried to fly and landed in the middle of 20th Street and had to be rescued by folks from the Animal Shelter. He was back in the nest in 24 hours. After about a month, the chicks were flying around the area and at about two months old, they had flown the coop. These are impressive animals that do two things well, hunt and procreate. Their hunting technique is to sit in a tree or building scouring the landscape and when they spot prey, they do a power dive directly down, spread their wings at the last moment to stop their dive and grab the prey with their claws. Very efficient hunters and killers.
Their story was picked up by the local press, and I made it a point to hang out on the corner with a few of the Hawkaholics, and we were treated to a lot of activity almost every day. Activity in the nest was captured by a webcam that the Institute had set up and is available online at the link below.
So the adults are back and a few days ago the first egg was laid. I guess we’ll have another spring of the red-tailed hawks. So why is this bizarre? I lived in the suburbs for over 50 years and never saw a nest of hawks. I come to the city and I’m treated to a nature show, right in my own neighborhood. Weird, huh? Kudos to the Institute for the home makeover and the webcam. Check the camera over the next few weeks. Right now they’re just incubating the eggs but in a few weeks there will be hungry mouths to feed and flying and hunting lessons to be learned. Stay tuned.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-franklin-institute-haw-cam
Great and Glorious St. Patrick
Your Center City Correspondent begs your indulgence as he mounts his soapbox. Your CCC wants you to know that he’s a big fan of St. Patrick. Not St. Patrick’s Day, with the needless drinking and carousing, but with the saint himself. St. Patrick was born in 389 AD in England and was spirited to Ireland when he was 16. There he served as a shepherd for his pagan master’s flock, but he never forgot his Catholic faith. He escaped back to England six years later and was told in a dream to go back to Ireland and teach the faith. He entered the seminary and was ordained a priest in 417. It took until 431 for him to return to Ireland where he assisted the bishop there to expand the church. Upon the death of the bishop, he was elevated to that post. Two popes, Celestine I and Leo the Great both encouraged him to continue his work and he established monasteries all over the Emerald Isle. He died on March 17, 461 at the age of 72, quite old in those days. His legacy continues today as Irish priests and monks travel all over the world preaching the faith to millions.
One priest at the Cathedral is from Nigeria and he told us today that he was taught the faith by Irish priests and that they had a great influence on his country, in fact, many Nigerian babies have Irish names, such as his, Kieran.
The one thing that sustained St. Patrick during his life was the primacy of the Gospels, that they should be the centerpiece of our lives. I’m sure he’d be appalled that his name and feast day are used as excuses for public drunkenness here in the United States and especially in Philadelphia. I wish the revelers would spend one minute thinking about St. Patrick and his good works rather than hours of partying. It demeans him and makes them look stupid.
OK, I’ll put my soapbox away for now. If you want to read more about St. Patrick, follow the link below.
http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-patrick/
One priest at the Cathedral is from Nigeria and he told us today that he was taught the faith by Irish priests and that they had a great influence on his country, in fact, many Nigerian babies have Irish names, such as his, Kieran.
The one thing that sustained St. Patrick during his life was the primacy of the Gospels, that they should be the centerpiece of our lives. I’m sure he’d be appalled that his name and feast day are used as excuses for public drunkenness here in the United States and especially in Philadelphia. I wish the revelers would spend one minute thinking about St. Patrick and his good works rather than hours of partying. It demeans him and makes them look stupid.
OK, I’ll put my soapbox away for now. If you want to read more about St. Patrick, follow the link below.
http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-patrick/
Friday, March 5, 2010
Picasso comes to Fairmount
Finally a nice day here in the city. Your Center City Correspondent and Mrs. CCC took a stroll up to the Art Museum to take in the Picasso exhibit. The show included a lot of Picassos early works and other avant-garde painters and artists. I was never a big fan of Cubism, the art movement that Picasso started. Deconstructing people and scenes and still lifes to rectangular shapes is not my cup of tea, but it was the way these artists saw reality. They were either drinking some bathtub wine or smoking some hellacious dope. What was surprising was that most of the exhibit came right from the museum’s own collection; they did not have to scour other museums for this show. I never realized they had so many Picassos, they must keep them in the attic and only bring them out for special occasions.
A lot of the artists “are influenced by” or “emulate” other artists. If their forte was writing instead of painting, they’d all be accused of plagiarism and their work discredited. A couple of times you’d be looking at a painting thinking it’s one guy, and voila, it’s somebody who “worked in the same genre.” One guy who did impress me was Ferdnand Leger. He came later than Picasso and his works showed an urban vitality which I liked. I guess I like a sense of place in my artwork. That’s why I like Cezanne, he painted the same mountain about 50 times, so you get to see it all seasons and moods. The show was jammed for 11 AM on a Friday morning – doesn’t anybody work anymore?
Afterwards, we walked up Fairmount Avenue and had a nice lunch. It’s been two weeks since the last snow storm, and it’s 50 degrees out, and the big topic of conversation was how much snow is left in the neighborhood. Some streets haven’t seen a plow since the Goode administration. So not only can’t they move their cars, but the trash trucks can’t get down the street, so the snow might melt but it will be replaced with mounds of trash. One guy said he carries his trash around the corner where the trash truck can get to. We’re lucky we don’t live on any of those streets.
All for now. Enjoy your weekend.
A lot of the artists “are influenced by” or “emulate” other artists. If their forte was writing instead of painting, they’d all be accused of plagiarism and their work discredited. A couple of times you’d be looking at a painting thinking it’s one guy, and voila, it’s somebody who “worked in the same genre.” One guy who did impress me was Ferdnand Leger. He came later than Picasso and his works showed an urban vitality which I liked. I guess I like a sense of place in my artwork. That’s why I like Cezanne, he painted the same mountain about 50 times, so you get to see it all seasons and moods. The show was jammed for 11 AM on a Friday morning – doesn’t anybody work anymore?
Afterwards, we walked up Fairmount Avenue and had a nice lunch. It’s been two weeks since the last snow storm, and it’s 50 degrees out, and the big topic of conversation was how much snow is left in the neighborhood. Some streets haven’t seen a plow since the Goode administration. So not only can’t they move their cars, but the trash trucks can’t get down the street, so the snow might melt but it will be replaced with mounds of trash. One guy said he carries his trash around the corner where the trash truck can get to. We’re lucky we don’t live on any of those streets.
All for now. Enjoy your weekend.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
A stroll through time
It’s Thursday afternoon, and your Center City Correspondent is watching the snow fall once again. This time it’s falling sideways and not reaching the ground. Odd storm.
Last Friday, Mrs. CCC and I took a walk to the Philadelphia Art Museum. When we moved into town we became members which allows us to enter the Museum anytime it’s open without paying. Even the special exhibitions like Cezanne last year and Picasso this year are free; we just need to pick a day and time to go. Living so close makes it easy to go for an hour or two without disrupting the whole day. We especially like the Impressionists, Monet, Manet, Pissarro, etc. and the Museum has a nice collection of them. Renoir’s portraits are at the top of our list; he makes his subjects appear so life-like, it’s like they are standing in the room with you. Mrs. CCC likes the still-life pictures with fruit, food and bottles. They make me hungry. But last week, I wanted to feel like a kid again so we found the Japanese Tea House that resides in the Asian Art section on the second floor. I remember this exhibit from when I was a kid and we’d come down to Fairmount to visit my grandmother and aunts and uncles. My cousins and I would go to the Art Museum and would walk in for free on Sundays. Even as a youngster I remember being impressed with the size of the place and the beautiful and valuable art work that I was able to see for free. One day I got separated from my cousins and stumbled upon the Tea House. Here was a whole house inside the Art Museum! I had trouble getting my head around that. It was like I had stepped in a hole in the ground and came up in Japan. It is a place of serenity and calm. Seeing it again brought back memories of growing up and being with my cousins, which are always good memories.
I usually don’t comment on current events, but the brouhaha in the Lower Merion School District over the webcam spying merits one comment. The more I read and hear about it, it has the smell of balloon boy all over again. It looks like the family is in it for the money. Why would a family that, obviously, values its privacy hold a news conference in their driveway with all their kids in full view of the cameras? Seems odd, doesn’t it?
And one final note. I praised a young couple a few posts ago who we visited at Christmas. Their bundle of joy arrived the other day, Abigail Ann. Congratulations and best of luck to the new parents. May she bring as much joy that you two brought your parents. God bless you all.
24 days till Spring. It can’t come soon enough.
Last Friday, Mrs. CCC and I took a walk to the Philadelphia Art Museum. When we moved into town we became members which allows us to enter the Museum anytime it’s open without paying. Even the special exhibitions like Cezanne last year and Picasso this year are free; we just need to pick a day and time to go. Living so close makes it easy to go for an hour or two without disrupting the whole day. We especially like the Impressionists, Monet, Manet, Pissarro, etc. and the Museum has a nice collection of them. Renoir’s portraits are at the top of our list; he makes his subjects appear so life-like, it’s like they are standing in the room with you. Mrs. CCC likes the still-life pictures with fruit, food and bottles. They make me hungry. But last week, I wanted to feel like a kid again so we found the Japanese Tea House that resides in the Asian Art section on the second floor. I remember this exhibit from when I was a kid and we’d come down to Fairmount to visit my grandmother and aunts and uncles. My cousins and I would go to the Art Museum and would walk in for free on Sundays. Even as a youngster I remember being impressed with the size of the place and the beautiful and valuable art work that I was able to see for free. One day I got separated from my cousins and stumbled upon the Tea House. Here was a whole house inside the Art Museum! I had trouble getting my head around that. It was like I had stepped in a hole in the ground and came up in Japan. It is a place of serenity and calm. Seeing it again brought back memories of growing up and being with my cousins, which are always good memories.
I usually don’t comment on current events, but the brouhaha in the Lower Merion School District over the webcam spying merits one comment. The more I read and hear about it, it has the smell of balloon boy all over again. It looks like the family is in it for the money. Why would a family that, obviously, values its privacy hold a news conference in their driveway with all their kids in full view of the cameras? Seems odd, doesn’t it?
And one final note. I praised a young couple a few posts ago who we visited at Christmas. Their bundle of joy arrived the other day, Abigail Ann. Congratulations and best of luck to the new parents. May she bring as much joy that you two brought your parents. God bless you all.
24 days till Spring. It can’t come soon enough.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Center City wedding
Your Center City Correspondent had a great weekend (how many posts have started that way?). However, before it got started, we were reminded of one of the pitfalls of living in a home that’s about 160 years old. On Saturday morning, we were watching a soccer game and we both heard a drip coming from the corner of the room. We looked up and sure enough, melting snow from the roof was leaking into the ceiling. We caught it early, and to show you what a great gal Mrs. CCC is, she told me I could wait till the end of the soccer game to fix it! So I had to climb up on the roof that’s four stories from the ground. I had to shovel piles of snow off the roof, chop the ice up, clear and salt the drains, and keep my fingers crossed that was enough. I’m loving this snow more and more every day. Fortunately I did not break my neck or my back, and it looks like we fixed the problem.
This all happened about 1-2 hours before we were due to be at a wedding. Luckily the wedding was held at the Cathedral, just a short walk away, and the reception was at the Franklin Institute. We did not have to go out of the neighborhood (and lose our parking spot), and it was really nice to show off my church to my family. At the Institute, they set up tables and the bar around the big statue of Franklin, dim the lights and project stars on the blue-lit domed roof. It was a very nice affair from top to bottom. The bride and groom made a lovely couple; good-looking, talented and polite. The bride is my cousin’s daughter; she is a PHD candidate at Vanderbilt. The groom is from Raleigh NC, and most of the people on his side came from down south, so it was interesting to listen to them and their impressions of Philadelphia (snow, cheesesteaks and the Rocky statue). He is a musician who has released a few albums (see the link below) and one of the highlights of the evening is when he serenaded his new bride with a few of his songs. But what knocked me out is that the married couple are fans of the Boss, Bruce Springsteen! Their first dance was to “If I Should Fall Behind”, the groom sang a rendition of “Tenth Avenue Freezeout”, and there were other Bruce songs throughout the night. So to recap, leaky roof fixed, neighborhood wedding and party, and a solid dose of Bruce. Pretty good day, huh?
Sunday was Valentine’s Day, and the fourth straight day without snow! I got to spend the whole day with my Valentine without picking up a shovel. After Mass, we came home and relaxed and read the paper. It took me most of the day to recover from Saturday’s shindig. Mrs. CCC made a nice dinner and we turned in early. Like I said a great weekend.
Get out your ashes and don your sackcloth! It’s Lent! For those so inclined, Ash Wednesday is February 17th, the beginning of Lent, the season of repentance and suffering. Some faiths have a Day of Atonement. We Catholics spend 40 days atoning for our sins. I guess we need more forgiveness than others.
All for now. Enjoy your week and give James a listen.
http://www.jamesdunnmusic.com/
This all happened about 1-2 hours before we were due to be at a wedding. Luckily the wedding was held at the Cathedral, just a short walk away, and the reception was at the Franklin Institute. We did not have to go out of the neighborhood (and lose our parking spot), and it was really nice to show off my church to my family. At the Institute, they set up tables and the bar around the big statue of Franklin, dim the lights and project stars on the blue-lit domed roof. It was a very nice affair from top to bottom. The bride and groom made a lovely couple; good-looking, talented and polite. The bride is my cousin’s daughter; she is a PHD candidate at Vanderbilt. The groom is from Raleigh NC, and most of the people on his side came from down south, so it was interesting to listen to them and their impressions of Philadelphia (snow, cheesesteaks and the Rocky statue). He is a musician who has released a few albums (see the link below) and one of the highlights of the evening is when he serenaded his new bride with a few of his songs. But what knocked me out is that the married couple are fans of the Boss, Bruce Springsteen! Their first dance was to “If I Should Fall Behind”, the groom sang a rendition of “Tenth Avenue Freezeout”, and there were other Bruce songs throughout the night. So to recap, leaky roof fixed, neighborhood wedding and party, and a solid dose of Bruce. Pretty good day, huh?
Sunday was Valentine’s Day, and the fourth straight day without snow! I got to spend the whole day with my Valentine without picking up a shovel. After Mass, we came home and relaxed and read the paper. It took me most of the day to recover from Saturday’s shindig. Mrs. CCC made a nice dinner and we turned in early. Like I said a great weekend.
Get out your ashes and don your sackcloth! It’s Lent! For those so inclined, Ash Wednesday is February 17th, the beginning of Lent, the season of repentance and suffering. Some faiths have a Day of Atonement. We Catholics spend 40 days atoning for our sins. I guess we need more forgiveness than others.
All for now. Enjoy your week and give James a listen.
http://www.jamesdunnmusic.com/
Friday, February 12, 2010
Mother Nature targets Center City
I want you to know that your Center City Correspondent realizes he leads a blessed life. He has a wonderful wife and son, a terrific family, and some charming friends and acquaintances. Since moving into town, my whole outlook on life has improved immensely. And now with more time on my hands, I’m able to try new things, accomplish new things and meet new people.
But one thing that I’m having trouble adjusting to is this year’s snowfall. Hopefully, not every year is going to be like this one. 23 inches in December and 45 inches this week is about all I can stand. We finally got rid of December’s snow two weeks ago and we’re clobbered with two winters’ worth of snow in four days. There’s no place left to put it, and still be able to navigate on the streets and sidewalks. To ward off the effects of cabin fever, I took a walk around the neighborhood yesterday to assess the situation. Most of the streets have been plowed and most neighbors have shoveled their sidewalks, so walking around wasn’t bad.
The most notable item besides the piles of snow at every street corner was the number of branches and trees that were knocked down on Wednesday night, damaging cars and blocking streets. Green Street is blocked at 17th and 19th Street is blocked between Green and Spring Garden Streets. It’s almost like Mother Nature is trying to keep us in the neighborhood. And I was told it would take at least two days and as many as 5 days to get them removed. So the car is parked until we absolutely need it, probably not till Tuesday when Mrs. CCC returns to work. We’re going to a wedding on Saturday, and luckily it’s at the Cathedral which is a short walk or cab ride away and the reception is at the Franklin Institute. I’m glad that a lot of my family is coming to the affair, it’s just a shame that the city is buried under a 3+ foot layer of snow. What did we ever do to piss off Mother Nature?
All for now. We’re off to happy hour and swap snow stories with the rest of the crew
But one thing that I’m having trouble adjusting to is this year’s snowfall. Hopefully, not every year is going to be like this one. 23 inches in December and 45 inches this week is about all I can stand. We finally got rid of December’s snow two weeks ago and we’re clobbered with two winters’ worth of snow in four days. There’s no place left to put it, and still be able to navigate on the streets and sidewalks. To ward off the effects of cabin fever, I took a walk around the neighborhood yesterday to assess the situation. Most of the streets have been plowed and most neighbors have shoveled their sidewalks, so walking around wasn’t bad.
The most notable item besides the piles of snow at every street corner was the number of branches and trees that were knocked down on Wednesday night, damaging cars and blocking streets. Green Street is blocked at 17th and 19th Street is blocked between Green and Spring Garden Streets. It’s almost like Mother Nature is trying to keep us in the neighborhood. And I was told it would take at least two days and as many as 5 days to get them removed. So the car is parked until we absolutely need it, probably not till Tuesday when Mrs. CCC returns to work. We’re going to a wedding on Saturday, and luckily it’s at the Cathedral which is a short walk or cab ride away and the reception is at the Franklin Institute. I’m glad that a lot of my family is coming to the affair, it’s just a shame that the city is buried under a 3+ foot layer of snow. What did we ever do to piss off Mother Nature?
All for now. We’re off to happy hour and swap snow stories with the rest of the crew
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Old Man and his dreams
One of the things that helps your Center City Correspondent get through the winter months is attending the Philadelphia Auto Show. It’s held every year in January or February over the span of two weekends. In the past when our son was around, he and I would go down on the first day of the show right at the opening and spend hours there checking out the shiny new cars and trucks. He especially liked the bazaar where he would pick up two or three new model cars every year. We would leave when it started getting crowded, gauged by how long it took to get into a car. If you had to wait for two or three people before you got in a car, it was time to leave, loaded down with all the brochures we had picked up. We’d stop at the Reading Terminal for lunch and then head home. A great day to bond with the boy.
After he left for the warmer climes, Mrs. CCC would take pity and go with me so I could get my fix of new chrome. But this year she said she did not want to go, so I took it upon myself to go by myself, and I found it to be a new experience. I went on Thursday afternoon and was surprised to see how many people were there. Then I noticed that most of them were my age or older, so it must have been retirees’ day at the Car Show. I did not have to share my time with somebody who wanted to look at muscle cars or simple sedans while I waited to see the cars I came for. I’m always impressed by the fashion models who describe a vehicle while spinning around on a turntable. Just watching them makes me dizzy; and there’s nothing sexier than a pretty young lady talking about horsepower and foot-pounds of torque!
In about 2 hours I was able to see all the (car) models I wanted. I was impressed by the Buick LaCrosse. For your CCC to endorse an American car is rare. GM has worked hard to design and develop a car that by the looks of it can compare to European and Japanese family sedans. The fit and finish rivaled if not surpassed other similar cars, and if the price tag is believed for about $5000 cheaper than the others. Another car that I liked was the Audi S4, a supercharged 4-door sedan that would make driving fun again. Hey, a guy’s allowed to dream, isn’t he?
The Auto Show closes on Sunday 2/7, so if you want to go better get there fast.
All for now. Going to go oil up the snow shovels for the cataclysm that’d about to descend on us. Can’t wait for spring to get here. 12 days till pitchers and catchers report to spring training!
After he left for the warmer climes, Mrs. CCC would take pity and go with me so I could get my fix of new chrome. But this year she said she did not want to go, so I took it upon myself to go by myself, and I found it to be a new experience. I went on Thursday afternoon and was surprised to see how many people were there. Then I noticed that most of them were my age or older, so it must have been retirees’ day at the Car Show. I did not have to share my time with somebody who wanted to look at muscle cars or simple sedans while I waited to see the cars I came for. I’m always impressed by the fashion models who describe a vehicle while spinning around on a turntable. Just watching them makes me dizzy; and there’s nothing sexier than a pretty young lady talking about horsepower and foot-pounds of torque!
In about 2 hours I was able to see all the (car) models I wanted. I was impressed by the Buick LaCrosse. For your CCC to endorse an American car is rare. GM has worked hard to design and develop a car that by the looks of it can compare to European and Japanese family sedans. The fit and finish rivaled if not surpassed other similar cars, and if the price tag is believed for about $5000 cheaper than the others. Another car that I liked was the Audi S4, a supercharged 4-door sedan that would make driving fun again. Hey, a guy’s allowed to dream, isn’t he?
The Auto Show closes on Sunday 2/7, so if you want to go better get there fast.
All for now. Going to go oil up the snow shovels for the cataclysm that’d about to descend on us. Can’t wait for spring to get here. 12 days till pitchers and catchers report to spring training!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Top 40
As many of you know, your Center City Correspondent is an avid reader. One of the only advantages of living in the hinterlands was being able to read on the train ride every day. During the 25+ years I commuted, I read hundreds of books which might have been the only thing to keep me sane while subjected to Septa's "hospitality." A while back I distilled all those books down to a list of 40 that I enjoyed or changed the way I thought or lived my life (no exaggeration). If you had asked me before I compiled the list, I would have told you that there would only be about 5-10 novels and the rest non-fiction. To my surprise the majority of the books on the list are fiction, which probably says something about the conflict between the right and left sides of my brain.
Some of these books I would wholeheartedly recommend to any reader (The Things They Carried and Catcher in the Rye), but others I would merely invite you to read because they are tough to get through (Moby Dick and Les Miserables). The book that changed my life is An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. I identified with Clyde who discovers too late the perils of dissolute living. The book made me re-examine my life and make changes for the better (I started listening to Mrs. CCC).
And speaking of Mrs. CCC, it’s been gratifying that she now enjoys the non-fiction books that I recommend for our book club. There was a time that she never would have read anything I did, but now we share a lot of books.
So here’s the list, in no particular order, and even though the list is 10 years old, I only made one change today. So they have withstood the test of time. I’d be happy to hear about books that you enjoyed. I’m always on the hunt for a new one, either for me or the book club. Drop me a line at cjones1216@mail.com.
All for now. Make sure you have a book or two on hand to weather the upcoming snowstorm.
Fiction
1. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
2. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
3. Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) by Victor Hugo
4. Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
5. Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
6. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
7. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
9. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
10. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
11. Henry V by William Shakespeare
12. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
13. Paco’s Story by Larry Heineman
14. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
15. The Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner
16. The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat
17. Skinny Legs & All by Tim Robbins
18. Jaws by Peter Benchley
19. Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney
20. Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
21. The Essential Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
22. Dubliners by James Joyce
23. Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
24. Time’s Arrow by Martin Amis
Non-fiction
1. Liars’ Poker by Michael Lewis
2. The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes
3. Against the Gods by Peter Bernstein
4. House of Morgan by Ron Chernow
5. The Bible
6. A Civil War by John Feinstein
7. Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
8. To Every Thing a Season by Bruce Kuklick
9. It’s Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong
10. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
11. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
12. In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
13. Joan of Arc by Pernoud and Clin
14. Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby
15. The War Poems by Wilfred Owen
16. The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
Some of these books I would wholeheartedly recommend to any reader (The Things They Carried and Catcher in the Rye), but others I would merely invite you to read because they are tough to get through (Moby Dick and Les Miserables). The book that changed my life is An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. I identified with Clyde who discovers too late the perils of dissolute living. The book made me re-examine my life and make changes for the better (I started listening to Mrs. CCC).
And speaking of Mrs. CCC, it’s been gratifying that she now enjoys the non-fiction books that I recommend for our book club. There was a time that she never would have read anything I did, but now we share a lot of books.
So here’s the list, in no particular order, and even though the list is 10 years old, I only made one change today. So they have withstood the test of time. I’d be happy to hear about books that you enjoyed. I’m always on the hunt for a new one, either for me or the book club. Drop me a line at cjones1216@mail.com.
All for now. Make sure you have a book or two on hand to weather the upcoming snowstorm.
Fiction
1. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
2. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
3. Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) by Victor Hugo
4. Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
5. Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
6. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
7. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
9. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
10. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
11. Henry V by William Shakespeare
12. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
13. Paco’s Story by Larry Heineman
14. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
15. The Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner
16. The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat
17. Skinny Legs & All by Tim Robbins
18. Jaws by Peter Benchley
19. Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney
20. Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
21. The Essential Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
22. Dubliners by James Joyce
23. Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
24. Time’s Arrow by Martin Amis
Non-fiction
1. Liars’ Poker by Michael Lewis
2. The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes
3. Against the Gods by Peter Bernstein
4. House of Morgan by Ron Chernow
5. The Bible
6. A Civil War by John Feinstein
7. Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
8. To Every Thing a Season by Bruce Kuklick
9. It’s Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong
10. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
11. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
12. In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
13. Joan of Arc by Pernoud and Clin
14. Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby
15. The War Poems by Wilfred Owen
16. The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Downtown winter weekend
What a wonderful weekend your Center City Correspondent had. As most weekends do, it got started with drinks and dinner at home. I make the drinks and Mrs. CCC makes the dinner. I’ve wanted to see a show that’s been playing in town, so on Saturday afternoon we took the bus, had lunch at the Oyster House, and then went to the Wilma Theater where we saw Becky Shaw. It’s a comedy of manners, 21st century style that tells the intertwined stories of 5 unlikable people. When we left the theater, snow had started falling in the twilight which gave a Rockwell feel to the center city environs.
Somebody might say that you don’t have to live in town to enjoy that type of day. That may be true, but one of the benefits of living in town is that the theaters are so close, you can take a chance on getting half-price tickets a half hour before show time which is what we did. Even if we had got shut out, we hadn’t wasted a lot of time, and there was another theater right across the street where we could have gotten in. So it was time-efficient and cost-effective, two things your Center City Correspondent loves.
After Mass on Sunday, we came home and watched a great soccer game as Manchester United ran rings around Arsenal, one of their arch-rivals, winning 3-1. We then relaxed with the Inquirer and ended the weekend with more drinks and another fine meal by Mrs. CCC. A very nice winter weekend. I wish you the same.
All for now. Enjoy your week.
Somebody might say that you don’t have to live in town to enjoy that type of day. That may be true, but one of the benefits of living in town is that the theaters are so close, you can take a chance on getting half-price tickets a half hour before show time which is what we did. Even if we had got shut out, we hadn’t wasted a lot of time, and there was another theater right across the street where we could have gotten in. So it was time-efficient and cost-effective, two things your Center City Correspondent loves.
After Mass on Sunday, we came home and watched a great soccer game as Manchester United ran rings around Arsenal, one of their arch-rivals, winning 3-1. We then relaxed with the Inquirer and ended the weekend with more drinks and another fine meal by Mrs. CCC. A very nice winter weekend. I wish you the same.
All for now. Enjoy your week.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Heroes
Do kids have heroes anymore? When your Center City Correspondent was growing up we all had heroes, whether they were baseball players, actors in westerns, or my favorite, astronauts. It was easy to pick a Richie Ashburn or Mickey Mantle and follow his career, mainly through the newspapers and wish you could achieve what they had. Fan favorites also included Roy Rogers or John Wayne shooting their way through cattle rustlers or Indians. And when I was about 10 they picked the original 7 astronauts for the nascent space program; I knew all about them so when they went into space, I felt I was flying along with them. As you get older, hero worship fades away as you come to realize that they are merely people like everyone else and they have clay feet too. In the current day, it’s harder to have heroes because you find out all too fast that they have their foibles too (ala Tiger Woods). So what’s a kid to do nowadays? Who do they have to look up to – juiced baseball players, basketball players packing heat, tantrum-filled tennis players? You might ask how about our politicians, the ones who run our country? When they are not bamboozling billions from the kitty, they’re flying off to foreign countries for weekend dalliances. Not much choice there.
Last week I realized I still have a hero – someone I can look up to and emulate, and hopefully follow their footsteps, if I’m able. In our book club we recently read a few books about Joan of Arc, my favorite saint. She was a peasant girl in the 15th century who grew up to become the savior of her country; in fact she might be considered the first person to realize that there was a country to be saved. She was very successful at first, but then through political trickery, she was captured, tried as a heretic, and martyred. Her story is fascinating and resonates down through the ages; almost 600 years later we still read and care about her. She truly is a hero for all time. So don’t despair, if you need one there are still some people left that can qualify to be a hero for you. Keep looking; sometimes the journey is more illuminating than the arrival.
Last week I realized I still have a hero – someone I can look up to and emulate, and hopefully follow their footsteps, if I’m able. In our book club we recently read a few books about Joan of Arc, my favorite saint. She was a peasant girl in the 15th century who grew up to become the savior of her country; in fact she might be considered the first person to realize that there was a country to be saved. She was very successful at first, but then through political trickery, she was captured, tried as a heretic, and martyred. Her story is fascinating and resonates down through the ages; almost 600 years later we still read and care about her. She truly is a hero for all time. So don’t despair, if you need one there are still some people left that can qualify to be a hero for you. Keep looking; sometimes the journey is more illuminating than the arrival.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
A Day Off
At the beginning of a new year it is customary for some people to make resolutions in order to improve their lot in life. Some of these are to lose weight, drink less, go to the gym more, get a job, be better _______ (fill in the blank). Your Center City Correspondent is not one of those people. He usually takes what life gives him and is happy about it. So no need for me to make any resolutions. Nope, not me. Besides, they usually are too general to be any good, and when you slip up, it just causes you angst.
But an overheard conversation in the bar sparked a memory that I’m going to try. I’m going to take a “day off”. That is I’m going to pick one day out of a week and not do the things that cause me grief. I’m not going to worry about anything, or get in an argument with anyone, especially Mrs. CCC, or swear, or get frustrated, or drink. If we can take two days off from work, why can’t we take a day off from the frustrations in our lives? I tried it the other day and it worked pretty well. I was very mellow, content and at peace. I’ll keep trying it on a weekly basis and let you know how it’s working out.
I want to give a shout-out to two of my readers in the hinterlands. If anyone is troubled about the youth of America, you should meet this young couple. They are terrific people; polite, smart and employed, a credit to both of their families. I know it’s a little outside my normal bailiwick, but we visited them last week and went to dinner in downtown Boyertown. We all had a great time and I wish them the best of luck when their bundle of joy arrives next month. God bless you both.
New Year’s Day was a treat here in town. We started the day with Mass at the Cathedral then we met some friends for lunch at the pub. Unfortunately, the pub was more crowded than church. Are the Flyers and Penn State football more important than their souls? I hope not. We walked over to Broad Street and caught some string bands playing in front of the Union League. I wonder if the Mummers know that most of them wouldn’t be allowed in the front door of the Union League. Mortimer and Randolph couldn’t have feathers and sequins all over the rug! I hope the Union League donates a lot of money to the Mummers for the front door entertainment. We finished up our travels at our local and toasted the fine day with some friends and acquaintances. All in all, a pretty good day.
Enjoy your week, and I hope you’re enjoying these ruminations. Drop me a line and let me know. You can reach the CCC at cjones1216@mail.com.
And remember to take a day off from your worries.
PS. Mike Tyson stopped by and he’s angry. He wants his tiger back.
But an overheard conversation in the bar sparked a memory that I’m going to try. I’m going to take a “day off”. That is I’m going to pick one day out of a week and not do the things that cause me grief. I’m not going to worry about anything, or get in an argument with anyone, especially Mrs. CCC, or swear, or get frustrated, or drink. If we can take two days off from work, why can’t we take a day off from the frustrations in our lives? I tried it the other day and it worked pretty well. I was very mellow, content and at peace. I’ll keep trying it on a weekly basis and let you know how it’s working out.
I want to give a shout-out to two of my readers in the hinterlands. If anyone is troubled about the youth of America, you should meet this young couple. They are terrific people; polite, smart and employed, a credit to both of their families. I know it’s a little outside my normal bailiwick, but we visited them last week and went to dinner in downtown Boyertown. We all had a great time and I wish them the best of luck when their bundle of joy arrives next month. God bless you both.
New Year’s Day was a treat here in town. We started the day with Mass at the Cathedral then we met some friends for lunch at the pub. Unfortunately, the pub was more crowded than church. Are the Flyers and Penn State football more important than their souls? I hope not. We walked over to Broad Street and caught some string bands playing in front of the Union League. I wonder if the Mummers know that most of them wouldn’t be allowed in the front door of the Union League. Mortimer and Randolph couldn’t have feathers and sequins all over the rug! I hope the Union League donates a lot of money to the Mummers for the front door entertainment. We finished up our travels at our local and toasted the fine day with some friends and acquaintances. All in all, a pretty good day.
Enjoy your week, and I hope you’re enjoying these ruminations. Drop me a line and let me know. You can reach the CCC at cjones1216@mail.com.
And remember to take a day off from your worries.
PS. Mike Tyson stopped by and he’s angry. He wants his tiger back.
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