"For knowledge, too, is itself a power." (Bacon)

.....RH+ is now about at the end of her very unpleasant experience with bronchitis.  That must be so because she and I adventured to Costco.  As for me, I felt that I was in the midst of an anthill. Not only did the people bump into you, but they also used their enormous carts to push you from the path they wanted to take.  I only witnessed people from "millennia".  Millennias tend to be as rude as it pleases them.  These are the people who walk around with their smart phones pointed in the air.  No wonder that they bump into you. I have black and blue marks over my body.  I will go to the nearest temple and pray that I remember never to experience Costco again.  I really don't know how these Millenias  got the way they are.  When I first came down here, I taught Shakespeare to 45 or 60 people from the Greatest Generation.  When I had registration now, three people signed up.  What fools these mortals be!

 

.....I wrote the above a couple of days ago because I didn't have the time to do this.  But finally I was able to take my sister and my niece out to dinner.  They both adore lobster so we went to the Bird Nest, the Chinese restaurant that sells lobster.  All four of us ordered the 2/14 lb-ers. That thing should be 2 and a quarter pounds but I don't know how to make it. Perhaps JR will send instructions. He's like Google or Bing when it comes to answering questions.  To continue: It seems rather strange that all the Chinese restaurants around here sell lobster which I don't believe is Chinese food at all.  Of course everyone ordered the lobster with sauce "on the side". I ordered it with black bean sauce, and they went for Cantonese sauce, the only thing Chinese on the table. I think my sister is still grieving over the loss of her Mickey--but she's beginning to accept it. As we all are.

 

.....I understand that no one has come forth with an "InHouse Show" for March of 2016. We have had one here for 30 years and I hate to see it come to an end. The problem is that the "Millennial" generation appears that they only like to go to the pool and talk about doctors, restaurants, partying and politics but at registration for the play I wanted to teach this year, as I've said, only 3 Millenials showed up. Didn't their parents tell them about education?  It was Socrates who said "The unexamined life is not worth living."  But I have a couple of ideas for a show. How about "An Evening with Cole Porter."? or "America's War Songs" beginning with songs of the Revolution?

 

 

"Men at some times, are masters of their fates" (Julius Caesar)

.....If police are being shot in Ferguson, the solution might be tried by giving Ferguson's police jobs elsewhere and leaving the protesters and cop killers without a police force.  I wonder what it would be like in that town without police?? I think it would be fun to see what happens. I wonder if the crime rate would go up??  Or down?? It might be worth a try.  OK. Bad idea.

.....A year or so ago, when the copyrighted musical that I wrote was violated, I sent four or five emails to Gigi Minsky (who was on the Board of Directors), seeking an answer as to why this "theft" was going on. Gigi was my friend for many years but I received no responses from her. I heard from Bob Fox yesterday, and received the following email from Bob, a former athlete and student of mine. 

.....Norman, always a pleasure talking with you. Gigi is the sister of Yvette. I introduced Yvette to her husband, Wes, over 40 years ago. Wes has been one of my closest friends because he's like you and me loving the active life playing ball, traveling and teaching. He's an accomplished magician, volleyball and basketball referee, and volunteers at the Moat in Sarasota giving nature tours. He was a science teacher in New Jersey for 35 years. I only know Gigi through my long friendship with Wes and Yvette. I see Gigi when Wes and Yvette come to Delray and Gigi joins us for dinner.I haven't spoken to Gigi about you or your situation with the play but I suspect she just didn't want to get involved. In my life as an educator and on various boards I was different. My philosophy was to always try and help and sometimes it did and sometimes I ruffled feathers. But I notice that in today's world more and more people seem to opt for passive responses when confronted with requests to get involved in anything they see that holds no benefit for them. I believe you and I are 'old school:' we see something that's wrong and we speak up and that isn't always wise in this world but maybe, just maybe, why our society might have been healthier years ago when teachers and citizens did go out of their way to help others, correct children when they were inappropriate, and work to make their communities a safer and more secure environment. You are a special guy, a fighter, a man with standards of personal excellence, and many of us have drawn strength from your example. Thanks and remember, I told you many of my classmates at our 50th reunion five years ago, upon hearing of my contact with you, went out of their way to tell me to say hello to you because you are remembered and appreciated for your teaching, coaching and leadership example. Bob

.....Like many other persons, (like Bob has claimed about me) I would like to leave a legacy so my great great grandchildren would know about me, and so I've had several different "careers" that I really really wanted.  I wanted to be a Naval Aerial Gunner in WWII--and I did that. I wanted to get a Ph.D.,--and I did that. I wanted to teach English Literature and Linguistics--and I did that for 30 years. I wanted to run a marathon--and I did that. I wanted to get on the stage and perform--and I did that.  I wanted to be a soccer coach--and I did that.  I wanted to write an autobiography--and I did that.  And I wanted to take off for a year and travel around the world--and I did that. And if this is the legacy I leave, so be it.  Who else has done it?

 

.....As you may know, today (3/15/2015) is the Ides of March, the day, in 44BC that Julius Caesar, the dictator of Rome, was assassinated primarily by dudes named Cassius and Brutus. Although many other Senators also got in a stab, but Casca was first to his discredit. Altogether, it is said that he was stabbed 23 times, which was somewhat more than was needed.  Marc Anthony retrieved his body.  Caesar need not complain about this event--he was warned by a "seer" not to go to the Roman Capital that day.  Perhaps we all ought to heed this advice.

 

"Valar morghulis" (All men must die)

.....Tpp (bad) that yoy weren't here a week later (or good). Unckle Mickey was buried yesterday and then everyone went back to Jaynees;s house for coffee and little sandwiches. RH+ stioooed at Dunkin; Donuts to pick up conta8pners 9f c9foffee. the "good" thing would have been that you would have gotten to see Nary Guruenm /sakkyl /firl , Sally Formanmm,, Sonnhy Weinstein, Aunt Betty  (who cried buckets and buckets), Jayne, David, Z, Mark, Sarah, Jake, Derrick, Phaedra, Shayne and husband, Ronnie and his wife who I haven't seen since Aunt Belle died,  I was happy to see all these people once again.  Brouht back many memories of when all of them were children growing up in East Meadow.  Too bad it was at the expense of mickey. Oh, yes, there were two soldier's there--one who blew taps and then both of then folded the flagwhich draped tha coffin and tave it to Betty.  If this is the extent of a military ceremony, then I don't want one. Huston and Brooks won't know too much, if anything about their Great Ganfather, anywhay. Except of course if I wrote of the more garish of my exploits in WWII which I have never told my own children or students.

 

.....In the story above, you can see the problems I have in writing this blog--me who once was able to type at 60 words per minute.  Now for a problem that RH+ is dealing with.  Ilana, her granddaughter, is graduating from Penn State and '''''''''''''''''''rRH+ will not be able to go. Never mind the air fare and the $350 hotel charge for sleeping in one of  their beds.  Besides the fact that she does not like the idea of my being alone for a few dys.hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

"THE DEAD ARE WELL" (Antony & Cleopatra)

.....If you haven't heard by now, my brother-in-law, Mickey, has died. Funeral services will be held in the Veterans' section of the Eternal Light Cemetery on Monday morning.  There was a three line notice in the obit section of the paper today.  There are four of Mickey's kids here and you would think they would at least recognize him as a WWII veteran with a Purple Heart.  How much more could it cost?  Anyway, I would expect to see Mary Gurien, Sally Forman, and Sonny Weinstein at the funeral on Monday. Mickey will be buried right across the street from where my mother was buried.  I wonder if there will at least be a military funeral for him. It doesn't cost anything.  Oh, if you only knew how difficult this was to type this and correct all the errors, besides the sad content involved.  Unfortunately, I cannot shake the memory of at least 100 funeral services many years ago.
.....The line of the title to this post is spoken by Cleopatra; the meaning is that the dead are well out of the world's suffering...or, if you prefer, the dead are well and in heaven.  The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind; the answer is blowin' in the wind.