"God has placed no limit to intellect." (Bacon)

.....One day years ago, while I was teaching a class, in the middle of doing Hamlet's soliloquy in Elizabethan English, in walks a young lady, whom I presume had transferred from another class.  I haven't lost touch with her since.  From the moment I first saw her, I sensed that she was something special; and she was then, and she is now.  I received the following email from her and I will publish it for two reasons. 1) I'm continuing to do what Mark Twain suggested; namely print whatever comes to mind in a day of your life and damn the consequences, and 2) This girl's feelings are indicative of having a teacher who may have more of an impact on a student's life than a parent has.  It happens all the time.  It happened at North Shore H.S. with Phil Bergovoy whose influence with many students of his is incalculable. It happened with Bob Blitz and Al Haulenbeck and Bruce Mooney, and with countless others all over the country.  Don't underestimate the value of a good teacher,  and I don't mean in $s. Without tenure, students will be in danger, for any board member or administrator could fire a good teacher to be replaced by a friend or relation. Tenure is the price a school has to pay in order to insure the classroom presence of the good teacher.

.....Doc I have never seen a DVD of any of your shows, and would LOVE to have a copy of one of your favorites. I will never forget how you brought Shakespeare, as well as many of my favorite poets to life for me (Auden... Pound... Eliot... Oh, there's still never been a poem to surpass "Prufrock," in my humble opinion!).  That first day I walked into your classroom --- in the temporary building off of what, if I recall correctly, was the "J" wing -- you were in the middle of reciting some Shakespearian tidbit (long since forgotten) in that perfect Elizabethan tongue. I was your captive from thence forward!

I may have forgotten what play you were reciting from, but I'll tell you this: Although you never required us to memorize anything, I was so inspired by that class (I was a sophomore at the time), that during those few weeks, I (knowing absolutely nothing of Shakespeare prior and being pretty much a slacker in all other subjects) committed to memory the famous soliloquies from Hamlet and MacBeth, respectively, "To Be or Not to Be," and "Tomorrow, and Tomorrrow and Tomorrow." All you, Doc.

Oh, and long after those days, William Faulkner became one of my favorite authors. My first reading of the" tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury" (this was years after I left high school, but before I began college) brought me back to that classroom once again.

If I never get to say it enough, know that you have been one of the greatest inspirations in my life.

Love, X.

.....I thank you, X, and "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" is at the top of my list as well

"I would that my tongue could utter the thoughts that arise in me." (Tennyson)

.....I just got hold of a copy of Mark Twain's autobiography from our library. It has been on the best seller list for awhile. But I was stunned to see that this volume had over 700 pages, which I suppose is OK, for Twain had a long life--but the text is in Times Roman font of about 9 pts.--which is very, very small and just about unreadable for me. And this is only the first volume! There are three volumes altogether. When did this guy have time to write "Huckleberry Finn" and "Tom Sawyer"? But I found that Mark Twain wrote his autobiography in about the same way I am writing my blog; that is, in no particular order and only when some subject or idea popped into his head. As he put it in June 1906 he had finally found the "right way to do an Autobiography" was to "start at no particular time of your life; wander at your free will all over your life; talk about the thing which interests you for the moment; drop it the moment its interest threatens to pale, and turn your talk upon the new and more interesting thing that has intruded into your mind at the meantime."  Now, if this isn't a pretty good image of a blog, I wouldn't know what is. I call mine a "journal", but it is really a kind of autobiography.

.....So, now that I have found something that I have in common with Mr. Clemens, there is something that we do not have in common. He opted not to publish his autobiography until 100 years after his death--which is now. And his reason is quite logical; "...A book which is not published for a century gives the writer a freedom which he could secure in no other way." This made him free to express unconventional and controversial thoughts about religion, politics, and "the damned human race" without fear of hurting anyones feelings or of ostracism. "None of us likes to be hated, none of us likes to be shunned," he wrote. I, of course, have expressed my opinions and thoughts as has he, but I have ruffled some feathers and bent others out of shape, no doubt. Perhaps I should have waited 100 years before publishing my blog?  Well, I can't wait that long. I feel free enough at the moment to say what I feel. I don't have too many years left, so I need not carry the burden of hurting someone's feelings. That includes Sarah Palin and John Boehner, Becker and Huffington...and who knows; perhaps a reader or two--but hopefully not a friend.


.....But I cannot write too freely with this blog open for anyone to read at any time.  I would have to create an entirely new web address for a new blog and not advertise it. But then, if I do that I would draw the ire of my current readers who would be deprived about not having a blog of mine to read at breakfast in the morning. However, if I publish the new hidden blog 100 years after my death, they could read it then. Thanks, Mark.

"The friends thou hast...grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel" (Shakespeare

.....Just received permission from Ruthie to publish her response to RH+'s letter.  Since it is quite interesting in learning how an Englishwoman goes about having some fun.  I, for one, did not know that besides her literary talent, she also plays an instrument.

Dear Cuz Rhoda

Thanks for your lovely long email, and for your kind concern for my health.  I'm very pleased to report that at the moment it's improving, and the clouds are lifting.  I only hope it stays that way!

Golly gosh!  You do sound an energetic lady!!  You get so much done in the course of your normal life that I just want to creep away and hide in shame. 

Yes, I did know about the gated senior community in which you live.  For some reason, it was my mother (Mrs Bertha Sokoloff) who told me about it.  How she got to know, I'm not sure, but I expect that one of the Baron's kids told her all about it at the famous Washington Marcovici Reunion.  You might have heard about this great event that took place over a decade ago: Joel and my first cousin Peter Martin discovered the family link and set up the meeting for us all.  There I met the famous four offspring of the Baron, and your predecessor, Thelma, to whom I am related, and heard so much about the Baron that interested me that I was moved to write to him and ask him to be my penpal.  That's how it all started: probably you know most of that already.   It is absolutely the case that the Baron and I have never actually met, and likely as not never will meet.  But we have forged a strong friendship, as you know.

Yes, you do sound as though you lead a very energetic life.  I have no talent or inclination whatsoever for home improvements and interior decor, and I very much envy people who can hack it.   The view from your home to the lake sounds marvellous, however.

As for this marvellous organisation of which you are President - what can I say?  Your work is exalted and very necessary, and all credit to you for doing it.  I just potter along in a more humble way.  I was doing some voluntary work for mentally ill people for a while - conversation and singing songs with them and playing the piano.  I can put in extemporary chords for all sorts of music, mainly by ear.  People say it's clever, but it's really only practice!

Since I started this email, I've received your next email, which was about the Lady Grey tea.  So glad you are enjoying it!  And it's been wonderful to be able to spread the word.

Anyway - back to activities. Last night I felt well enough to go to a folk music session in a pub, and it is good to be back on the scene even though I'm not fully recovered.  Again, I'm on keyboards, and others play guitars, violins, mandolins, and all manner  of instruments.  And we all sing along. Great fun!  Where there is no keyboard, I take my concertina and play chords on that.  To take a keyboard anywhere takes a whole team of roadies, but a concertina you can just throw over your shoulder and get to where the action is on the bus.

We have very good public transport in the city where I live, so it is like a different world from the US where you really need to be able to drive.  I can drive, but my current medication precludes me from doing it, so I don't run a car and I use public transport a lot.  And here in England, it's free of charge for senior citizens.  Free transport - can't be bad!!

I'm so glad you don't have to cook any more!  I still have to do quite a lot: my husband and my youngest son Manny (who lives with us) seem to need quite a lot of feeding, and don't seem to be able to feed themselves.  At Xmas I roasted a turkey, and at New Year, a goose.  Roast goose is yummy: have you ever eaten it?  I wouldn't say roasting a goose is difficult: it's just a bit nerve-wracking as it's very expensive, so it's more of a heartbreak if things go wrong. (Which hasn't happened for many years, you'll be glad to hear!)

Well, tomorrow there is a folk music session at a different pub, and if I feel OK I'll go.  They have a real piano there, so no need to bother with either an electric keyboard or a concertina. 

The big fave activity to which I really would love to resume is writing - poetry and prose.  But, when I'm not well, there is no inspiration and there is no power for execution of the work.  But here's hoping that in time they will return.

With many thanks for your kind correspondence:  stay well!

Cousin Ruth

"As the purse is emptied, the heart is filled." (Hugo)

.....It seems that Ruth Grimsley and RH+ somehow managed to e-mail each other so that they could gossip and chat as women are born to do.  I thought that the letter I'm posting today relieves me of having to describe all that is going on here.  I would love to post Ruth's letter to RH+, but I would not do that without her permission.  So here it is--enjoy it.  At least any comments would be about this new relationship and not about anything that I write.  But incidentally I wrote a letter to the editor of the Sun-Sentinel and was printed in today's paper.  All seven of the letters I wrote were printed and all three lengthy articles as well. 


On 21 January 2011 23:17, Rhoda Ross wrote:

Dear Cuz Ruth,

I so enjoyed receiving your answer to my letter.  Now we know a little about each other and we are penpals.   I am busy with one of my many projects to re-do the apartment that we live in.  Norman hates when I start a project, because it is not just one project, it grows and grows.  Several months ago, I decided to re-do the den.  New flooring, painting, window treatments, etc.  Our living room became a furniture warehouse and we had no where to go except to the bedroom or kitchen.  When the den was finished, we were very happy people and just love the way the room looks.  Very comfortable and a good hideaway for me, when Norman is not on his computer.  A quiet place for me to just relax and read(one of my favorite things to do). Well, I decided to clean up the deck.  This is a screened in area off the living room where we can sit, read, etc and it overlooks a lake, very comforting.  Don't know if I told you, we live on the 4th floor of an apartment building, in a gated community of people 55+. We have a wonderful "jack of all trades" man who is doing our work.  Anyway, he put down a tile floor, built a storage closet, painted and now I can start putting things back in place.  He will also install a light with a fan to keep the area cool when it gets warmer here.  Once again, the living room looks like a storage closet.  Anyway, hopefully by the end of the weekend everything will be back in its place and I'll have another place to relax.  I love these projects, but I don't like living with a mess.  It is also very noisy, when the worker, Tom , is using his various electrical machines to cut wood, etc.  As you can see, I do like my private time.  A time to "recharge" my batteries.

What else keeps me busy....Well, for the past 4 years I have been President of an organization called City of Hope.  This is a charitable organization with many chapters around the country.  The main office is in Duarte, California, where the Doctors, scientist and researchers are developing cures and treatments for Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS and stem cell research.  We raise funds for this research by holding various functions (card parties, theatre parties, trips, etc.).  We are an organization of approx 300 women & men and we meet monthly for a lite lunch, discussion and entertainment.  This coming Monday, we have our annual paid-up membership luncheon.   This is held in our clubhouse, we serve a full lunch and have a local high school theatre group come to entertain.  Always a successful meeting and pleasant way to spend an afternoon. I have even gotten Norman involved.  We publish a bi-monthly newsletter and can you guess who is responsible for proofreading the copy before it goes to the printer.  He has to earn his keep some way.  I also bowl once a week, keep up with friends via e-mail and phone and cook, every now and then. I use to love to cook, but now I really don't have the time.  No more elaborate meals, just simple meals.   Things have changed.

I do miss my granddaughters.  The girls, Ilana 17 and graduating high school in June, and Allyson, 13, and in 7th grade are great kids.  They usually come down to visit in February, but I don't think they will be down this year.  What with Allyson's Bat Mitzvah and Ilana getting ready to go onto to college, money is tight.  Maybe, I'll try to come up with the airfare to bring the girls down, without the parents.  Now that would be fun.  I'll have to speak to my daughter about that.  We shall see.

Anyway, just wanted to touch base with you.  I do think about you often.  Take care of yourself and try to do something fun everyday.

"Fortune and Love befriend the bold" (Ovid)

......Recently, in Tucson, while Congresswoman Gifford lay on the ground after being shot with a bullet that pierced her head, one of her assistants ran to her aid in order to stop the bleeding.  That act apparently saved her life, and this man was hailed as a hero.  No doubt he was--he saved a life.  At the time-- the gunman had been killed-- so it wasn't as if this man ran through a hail of gunfire to get to Ms. Gifford.  Now, who has the right to have earned the title of "hero"?   According to Aristotle, a hero is not one who is fearless in the face of danger, but one who overcomes his sense of fear in the face of danger and meets the the challenge in spite of his fear. The firemen and policemen who entered the towers in 9/11 were certainly not without fear--if not for themselves, then for the people whose lives they were attempting to save.  I'd like to think that my father, Michael, was a hero; he went on a very dangerous mission in WWI. As was I in WWII, he was attached to a flight squadron, the 27 Aero Squadron. Mine was Fleet Air Wing 7.


..... A note written in Nov. 1933 by LtCol Harold E. Hartney, the commander of the 27th Aero Squadron during WWI (my father's commander officer) certified that Michael had contracted a medical problem (poison gas canisters) during a mission behind enemy lines in 1918. This certification allowed my mother to obtain compensation from the Veterans' Administration before my dad's death  in 1933. The pension amounted to $100 a month.


.....My son, Joel, did a little research, and here is where it gets interesting: Hartney, it turns out, was a Canadian who was assigned to train/lead the American squadron after the U.S. entered the war. He eventually became a U.S. citizen. In 1940, he published a memoir, "Up and at 'Em," that details a lot of action during WWI. Anyway, in the letter he had written in 1933, he said that my dad had gone on a mission in July 1918 to locate a few missing pilots, including Capts (or Lt.?) Elliott and Wanamaker. In the book, Hartney says that Elliott was shot down and killed on 2 July 1918. On this exact day, 15 years after coming into contact with the gas, Michael died. Here's something even more interesting, Joel continues, whom do you think shot Elliott down? It was none other than Hermann Goering, who went on to become the head of the Nazi Air Force during WWII ! Wanamaker was shot down that same day by Ernst Udet, Germany's no.2 ace, but he was captured and survived the war. Hartney previously had been shot down and was seriously injured by none other than the original Red Baron himself, Manfred von Richthofen! Now I am the official Red Baron Zorro, and I did some shooting down myself--but this time it was Germans, not Americans. My father lost both of his legs and his left arm as a result of the poison gas in his system. He died when he was 33. He was a hero.

"You can't go home again." (Thomas Wolfe)

.....My bookcase is getting rather crowded.  When I published "Memoirs" I thought that it was the bees knees--as Bonny would say.  Now, however, I have a few more that I had not counted on.  It's just that when The Blog got too big and to the point where I did not want it to be lost if something happened to the computer, I thought it would be a good idea to publish what I had.  Not that I believed anyone would ever buy it; it's just a matter of some history of what it's like to retire to Florida and for posterity. Perhaps one or two of my descendants would be curious about how their gggggrandfather had lived and thought.  And I do believe if someone who never read my blog would read "Pater Noster in Condoland" they would find it quite interesting.  But now I have Vol I, II, III, IV and V!  Not only that, but also The Blog grew like Topsy to "Fires in the Heart" volumes I and II and then the latest, "Condo Credo".  It's really a journal, or call it a diary, dating from August 2007.  They are books that deal with a pot pourri of events in the Baron's life.  I might even start reading the books myself.  So, counting all the books including the book of poetry "Shadows in the Sunset", there are ten on the shelf.   I don't know when it will stop.  I tried to quit writing Homeoftheredbaron.blogspot.com-- but had to continue because my readers were pissed.... Thank you.


.....Speaking of my life, I was stunned to get a call the other day from a very good friend whom I know from my salad days in the Bronx.  His name is Al Oran--changed from Oransky.  Al was one of the Bronx boys in our gang.  We were known as the "Apaches" and we all wore shiny green satiny jackets with the gang's name on the back.  The Apaches used to play stickball against other teams from other neighborhoods.  We also had a cellar club in one of the buildings and Al and I used to bring girls down there where we would dance to the tunes of Glenn Miller and try to get around "the bases".  We just about got to first base...if we were lucky.  And sometimes we were very lucky.
Al was a good looking guy and he married a good looking girl named "Sheina".  Al now lives in Clifton, New Jersey.  The other guys in our gang...er club were Bernie Lerner, Jack Richman, Aaron Fried, Leo Hartman, Normie Davidson, & Billie Lerner.  I believe that Al and I are the only guys left.  Unfortunately, I don't know what became of the cellar club, the green jackets, and stickball.  Those were the days my friend; we thought they'd never end.............

"Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius." (Doyle)

.....I've been going to rehearsal for the "in-house" show scheduled for the end of March.  I was supposed to do "Trouble" from "Music Man" and "If I Were a Rich Man" from "Fiddler on the Roof."  However, "Trouble" has been cut from the show, and they are trying to get "Rich Man" down to three minutes. There is no way in hell to get that song down to three minutes without sending Tevye to the Poor House again.  There are several other solos in the show, and I imagine the point is not to let the show go beyond an hour and a half...or perhaps two; I'm not sure.  I've already cut two verses from the song, and it's still decent.  However, if the pianist or the director or whoever insists on cutting more of it, I will have no objections, but the show will have to get along without me.  There are a couple of people doing two songs, and if the idea is to keep the show moving it seems to me that a logical solution would be to take a song away from each one of them.  Then my solo can go the extra mile.
.....And another thing: I don't need to rehearse this song; I know it very well; I sing it in the shower and in the elevator where the acoustics is/are marvelous!  Well, we'll see what happens on Tuesday next. Stay tuned.


.....Speaking of in-house shows, there is a kind of show going on in our house and before it gets good reviews, it is at present getting bad reviews.  RH+ has decided that the "look" we have, after 27 years, is outdated.  So, we've had wood put on the den floor instead of carpeting and it looks very 2011; especially with the white shutters on the window in place of blinds.  Now, the 27 year old green "astroturf" we've had on the terrace is gone and tile has been laid down there.  And she just bought a ceiling fan to cool her off while she is reading from her kindle on a lounge chair.  But at the moment nothing is completed and everything we had on the terrace is now in the living room and it is impossibe to watch TV there.  Tom, the guy who is doing all the work, can do anything at all for a house or apartment.  He's a pure construction genius, no doubt about it.  He carpents, he paints, he tiles, he builds closets, he moves furniture, he electrics...in short he does everything but write a blog.  I don't get paid for writing this blog, but he gets paid very well for whatever he does.  Why couldn't I have his talent instead of mine--which is worthless. I'm just a poet; and RH+ is a Baroness with free Reign--or is it rein?

Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be. But when?

.....So, the return of Baron Zorro has inspired people to write poetry for comments. Amazing! I even received a comment from Bob Fox who writes one infrequently, but I know he is out there--finally retired, and who will be here next month, possibly, and we'll go out for breakfast or lunch. Well for him it will be lunch, for me breakfast--which I usually have at 1pm. Before that Z is busy whipping his sword around. And for the first time, ever, my grandson, Adam, wrote a comment--or rather a poem...not a bad one either. Says he doesn't want to be known as a bad poet, not knowing yet that it's not possible for bad poetry to pop up in the Family Ross. It's in the jeans. I was surprised that Adam reads the blog, but I'm happy that he did. I wonder if he reads it as a daily part of life??  Problem now is--Adam claims in an email that he didn't write it!! Says it must be a different Adam. Then I get an email from JR saying that he really wrote it and put in Adam's name by mistake!! I guess mistakes, unfortunately, are in a Ross jean back pocket. What better way is there besides reading this blog to open the day and solve a mystery over a spot of tea and crumpets?? Eh??

.....I also received a comment from Cuzzin Ruth...a poem, actually. And I'm honored because she's a professional poet who has promised to write me a poem on my birthday. Ruth did ask Ellin Jaeger (nee Bliss) to explain what she meant by "fried rice" as a game, and how it is to be played. Perhaps it wasn't fried rice--maybe white, which if so would be a different game entirely. As for me, I play solitaire games on the computer and I prefer lo mein to rice.

.....Last night RH+ and I went to the Boomer's Club event in our clubhouse--a mock wedding. (We actually are members, but hardly Boomers). I had to wear a suit and a tie. Well, I managed after 15 minutes of trying, to button the top button on my shirt, and I tried to make a knot in the tie, but I could knot do it. It has been so long since I wore a tie that I forgot how to do it! I tried to look it up on Google, but no luck there. Finally, Rho interrupted putting on her lipstick and she came out of the bathroom and tied it for me.  How embarrassing! Zorro forgetting how to put on his tie. Well, he can hardly be blamed because he usually wears a guitar around his neck.

.....Well, the wedding was a "black tie" affair as you may have guessed for my having to wear a suit--but there were lots of guys there who wore tuxedos and the women wore gowns. The groom was a gal, and the bride was a guy. Both arrayed accordingly. We brought them a gift from the Dollar Store where they had a registry. We had a buffet with hot meals including chicken francaise, eggplant something, broccoli, etc. I don't eat any of that stuff so I stuffed my plate with baked ziti. To conclude, the affair was hilarious and we did have a good time. Hey, I'm sleepy and I want to take a nap before the football playoff game. Talk to you soon. (WHY AM I DOING THIS???)

"The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang oft a-gley" (Burns)

.....29 comments?  Incredible! Seems as though you are all just milling around like chickens in a coup.  I am forced to write this blog out of guilt, and it will give you all more room to write comments.  I feel quite honored that you have deigned to feel that something was missing in your lives--primarily the ruminations of Baron Z...ergo a blog to read. So, here it is...but kind of mixed up like porridge in a pot.  The Theatre Arts class is not going the way I expected it would.  I believe the class should concentrate on teaching people how to act and to have skits that they would perform. But all summer, and even now, 95% of what is done in there is to read monologues...and they are mostly done very badly.  Half of them simply read the piece instead of putting some dramatic meaning into it...and when they are dramatic, they fail to project, and their diction is quite sloppy.  The two leaders of the class often fail to offer suggestions as to how the performer may improve.  Once in a while they call on me, and those whom I critique are grateful for the help.  I try to get them to become the character in the monologue and to forget who they are.  Johnny becomes Hamlet-- or Johnny remains Johnny reading Hamlet.  I'm out of there.

.....Another disappointment is the poetry class I wanted to teach. It was fully advertised in the Huntington Lake's newsletter.  One person out of this whole community registered.  Since there are about 5000 people living here I thought the odds were very good that at least 12-15 might register.  You would think there would be a goodly number of educated residents who would enjoy discussing poems, and perhaps writing or reading some of their own poetry, but the thought perished flatly like Priapus without viagra.  

.....The  next disappointment was the loss of the House by Democrats.  Do the people of this country really want the Health bill to be repealed?  No president before Obama was able to accomplish this attempt to provide health care to anyone in need of it in America. Was the passage of this bill really a reason to put the Republican party of No into power?  And the President's speech in Tucson last night was inspiring.  At least to me it was.  And  the someones out there who do not believe that this terrible tragedy was politically motivated is naive.  Is there also someone out there who can speak as eloquently and meaningfully as Obama can?  And why was the bill to allow immigrants born in this country defeated?  There are kids who know no other country, kids who would like to serve this country in the military, kids who are college graduates, kids who would like to vote.  Kids with ideas that would benefit all of us.  Ah, well--what is, is, as it is said.  I learned this on Tweeter, or whatever it's called.  

"The moving finger writes, and having writ moves on,,," (Omar)

Hi friends...I know it's been a week or so since I last posted on this blog.  Looking back, I have posted at least 600 of them since 2007, and over 2000 pages which have turned into 8 books.  I'm kind of burned out at his endeavor,  and I have to turn to some other form of amusement...move in a new direction.   I know that along the way since the beginning I may have rattled some nerve endings and curled some hairs and lighted some fires--but it's been fun and those of you who have read this blog and written comments, I thank you for your kind attention to what I've had to say.  I am I Don Quixote et Le Baron tambien.  Love to all and to all a Very Happy MMXI...