Born To Be Wild!

     Get your motor runnin',  Head out
 on the highway!
     It's June 16th. This is "Ride To
Work Day!"
     And the ride of choice is a
Motorcycle or Motor Scooter!
     A fellow named Andy Goldfine
began pushing the day 22 years ago
to encourage people to ride their
cycles to work as a way to  reduce
carbon emissions and traffic congestion,
and make it easier for everyone – even car
drivers – to find parking spaces in crowded
cities.
    Of course we probably should note that
Goldfine is also the guy responsible for the
Aerostitch Roadcrafter riding suits that
many motorcycle drivers wear when they're
on the road! Maybe that's just coincidence? 
     I will not be participating in today's
observance....for several reasons.
     First, I don't work anymore. At least
not technically. I sill do a couple "jobs."
But nobody pays me for them anymore.
     Secondly, I did take my cycle to work
on a couple occasions a few years back.
      It's 90cc engine coupled with my 200
pounds (plus) weight did not work out well
when attempting to climb the hills along my
path!
       I didn't mind joggers that happen to pass
me by. But the sound of an approaching truck
often made me wish I was riding something
with a Harley rather than a Honda Street/Trail
Logo on its side!
      Of course downhill was a lot better, as
long as the other drivers realized I was not
just an illusion trying to share the road!
       Still, as Mr. Goldfield suggested, I did
little to pollute the air, only had to fill my
gas tank about every 4th trip, and never, ever,
had a problem finding a place to park!
       So, if you've got a motorcycle, motor
scooter, or even a good bicycle, saddle up and
ride to work today and join in the celebration.
       "Like a true nature's child, we were born
to be wild."
        Hope  you find some adventure "in whatever
comes your way," and that all your NEWS is good!

FATHERLY PHILOSOPHY

  I, like many of you, are thinking about
my Dad today. And when I do I can't help
but smile!
  A smile would definitely be part of
his legacy as those who knew him can
attest.
   Dad never got much of an education, in
school that is. He had to go to work after
his Dad passed away. But I can't remember
a problem he couldn't solve. And he usually
did that with common sense!
    After a short stint as a Breaker Boy my
Dad entered the world of entertainment.
He wasn't a "star." But he did his part to
make a few. He became a movie
projectionist!
    Dad showed the first sound movie in
Hazleton and eventually worked with a
few of the folks he had shown on screen.
    For several years he worked backstage
with road shows traveling with the likes of
Howard Keel, Hume Cronyn, Jackie Gleason,
and on Broadway with Steve Lawrence and
Edie Gorme.
     He left the big names and big stages when
my Mom became ill and could no longer
travel with him. His policy was "Family
First!"
     He came back to his home town
where, at the time, a new movie theater had
just opened. And he stayed there through
the years as the single screen theater evolved
into a duplex, then a 3, then a 4, and finally
a 5 screen operation.
      Movie star Jack Palance spent the
evening in the projection booth with Dad
when, after 68 years, he decided to retire.
       He passed away just a year later. But
left behind a Fatherly Philosophy highlighted
by that smile I'm remembering today.
       But that's not all.
       He lived his favorite song, "Young At
Heart", throughout his life and his photo should
be included in the dictionary under the word
"patience." 
       He loved our family's vacations in
Wildwood as evidenced by his answer in
"The Grandpa Book" when asked how he'd
spend a week if he could do anything he
wanted. He wrote "I'd like to be at the
seashore, get a boat, and go fishing with a
big $1.00 cigar and just relax."
       Funny thing is I remember fishing
with Dad at the shore. His rod in one hand
and a White Owl cigar in the other.
       The only time I ever saw him even
nearly upset was when he hooked a fish!
       He's admonish the fish for being
greedy and biting his bait, then remove the
hook, release his catch, take a puff on his
White Owl, and get back to relaxing!
       Great memories of a great Dad (and
Grandpa)!
       Hope you're young at heart and that
all your NEWS is good!

      
     
  
      

It's A Grand Old....Shortcake?

     If you're looking for reasons to celebrate
you can't beat June 14th.
     Most people know it's Flag Day.
     There's a chance some of you know it's
Strawberry Shortcake Day.
     Fewer know it's my daughter's Birthday.
     And I almost be willing to bet there's
nearly no one who knows this is "Pop Goes
The Weasel Day!"  Where have you been!
      President Woodrow Wilson was the first to
 issue a proclamation deeming June 14 as Flag Day.
 He selected June 14 because its the anniversary of
the day the flag was adopted by Congress as the
emblem of the Union,
      National Strawberry Shortcake Day honors a
dessert that's great for summer consumption. I've
got no idea why they picked June 14th!
      But you might be shocked to learn that some
food or food product is honored nearly every day
of the year. And some share the same dates!
      My daughter was born about 25 years ago.
      OK maybe it was longer than that. But it
couldn't be much longer...could it? Don't answer
that! Anyway Happy Birthday Cassie!
      And what child hasn't been serenaded
at one time or another by the lyrics (which
change from country to country) of "Pop Goes
The Weasel?"
      The original words date back to the 17th
century.........
"Half a pound of tuppenny rice,
Half a pound of treacle.
That's the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel."
      But what do they mean?
      I'm glad you asked! Pop means pawn and
weasel refers to coat. Poor people used to pawn
their Sunday coats on a Monday to get some money
then try to claim them in time for Sunday services.
       So don't just sit around today!
       Fly the flag. Have some Shortcake! Wish my
daughter a Happy Birthday. And sing a couple
verses of Pop Goes the Weasel for anybody
willing to listen!
        Hope you've ingested all this important
information and that all your NEWS is good!

Where The Girls Are.

   The Women's Fellowship group from
our church is very active. The members
meet on a regular basis and they're nearly
always working on some sort of project
to help people in need.
    Last night though they gathered at the
home of a couple from our congregation
who invited the gals to a cook out!
    The invite allowed the Women to add
the one thing missing from their fine
organization.........MEN!
     Yep! The husbands were included in
the bash which featured all kinds of home
made treats and Hamburgers and Hot Dogs
grilled up to perfection!
      Or hosts also have their own pond
which is loaded with fish.
      The prospect of landing the "big one"
prompted my grandson to borrow a rod
and a worm to cast his lot, or in this case,
his line, into the water.
      The women were deep into their
conversations as my grandson's line
sunk deep into the pond.
       Whatever grabbed his bait quickly
snapped the line! But the hook and bobber
stayed with the fish.
        Our host gave up his spot at the
grill and launched his Paddle Boat to
join my grandson in pursuit of the
bobber and the fish.
        The chase lasted for about a half
hour at which point the two finally
caught up with the fleeing fish, raised
the bobber and what turned out to be a
large bass just about into the boat when
it snapped the remaining line and headed
for the deep!
     None of the women saw or assisted
in this unique Fish story! I'm not sure
any of them appreciated what was going
on in the pond just yards away from their
gathering.
     Even so, I suspect after enjoying
the burgers, dogs, and the efforts of young
"Captain Ahab" and his shipmate, our
host Mark, most of the men in attendance
were pretty darned pleased with this
Women's Fellowship meeting!
      I wouldn't be surprised if some of
them apply for associate memberships!
     Hope they learn how to Knit first
and that all their, and your, NEWS is
good!

   

Graduation Day

   It seems like every 4 or 5th post on my
Facebook page over the past 3 or 4 weeks
involves an announcement that someone
has Graduated!
   They come from proud parents, grand parents,
aunts, uncles, and other family members. And
they have every right to be proud!
   But they have also prompted some personal
thoughts and memories which, although written
about before, are worthy, I believe, of repeating.   
    I got to thinking about how much has
changed in graduations since the time I, somehow,
made it through school. To be fair, in my case, it
was just High School. I never went to college. But
I did teach in two of them!
     These days kids graduate from everything!
     Preschool, kindergarten, Elementary School,
High School, and, of course, College.
     My Graduation was, appropriately, on "D-Day".
June 6th., 1960. That seemed just right since I had
to battle my way through school.
     We had specific instructions to follow at the
ceremonies. Most of them were designed to encourage
(in fact insist) on good behavior!
      They didn't have to worry about me! I was
not taking any chances they'd change their minds!
So I followed all the rules, wore my tassel on the
left as required and marched, in order, until they
called my name. It was a long ceremony because
there were over 400 students in my class.
       All that pomp and circumstance and I didn't even
get my diploma! Those were handed out, later, back at
the school. But only after we gave our cap and gowns
back!  It was, I suppose, our final math test! Twelve
years of education = One Cap & one Gown!
      After that most students probably headed
to parties..
       Me? I breathed a sigh of relief and headed
straight for the movies. Conquering the world
would have to wait at least one more day!
              Hope you'll "remember always, Graduation
Day,.....and that all of your NEWS is good!

Who's Calling?

    It was 8:30 last night when I got the
call!
    I said "Hello" and he immediately
responded with "Hi", then gave me the
good news.
    "Hi",he said, "This is Jonathan Tyler."
    (A quick confession here. I don't know
any Jonathan Tyler.)
    But he said he was coming to my
neighborhood and had 20 Home Security
Systems that he was going to give away
"Absolutely free!".
    I was so stunned by this twist of good
fortune  I had no response!
    Just an hour earlier I received a call on
my Cell phone informing me the FBI had
some alarming statistics on the rise of
home burglaries in the United States.
    I don't know how Jonathan Tyler could
have known about the other call. Could it
just be coincidence?
    But then, sadly, it became clear that
Jonathan Tyler wasn't actually speaking
to me. I mean, he was, but "he" was a
recording!
    According to my Caller ID he was
calling from Seagoville, Texas.That's
a very long way away!
    So I don't really know if he's really
coming to my neighborhood, or my house,
to give me one of those 20 Home Security
Systems.
    I suspect, even if he did, there might be
a catch. You know, like paying a monthly
fee to make the Security System actually
work.
    If that's the case I'm afraid I'd really have
a problem.
    You see, still earlier in the day, I received
my thirty first "Second and Final Warning"
that my Credit Card " might be at risk!"
Somebody doesn't count too well!
      You know I might be interested in a
Security System that would protect me and
my home...... against Sales Call Gimmicks!
       Currently I'm using the old system.
       I hang up!
       Hope you and your home are secure
and that all your NEWS is good!
    
   

A Good Day To Write...Right?

   Writing has gone through a lot of
evolution over the years.
    I don't mean "style." I'm writing
about the mechanics of writing.
    From drawings on the walls of
caves to the quill which penned our
Declaration of Independence.
    But one of the biggest revolutions
 in writing happened 70-years-ago
today!
    That's the day the Bíró brothers,
 László and György, got Patent
 # 2,390,636 for their invention....
the Ball Point Pen!
     It's hard to believe it was only
available to the wealthy initially.
     These days most of us have
lost or misplaced more Ball Point
Pens than all the quills that ever
existed.
     Many companies hand them out
as promotional items. Although
most banks still chain them to those
platforms where you endorse your
checks!
      Personally I favored the fountain
pen.....up until I ruined my 4th white
shirt with leaking ink! I believe it was
my wife who suggested I switch to a
Ball Point!
      I generally have about 3 or 4 Ball
Point Pens within ten feet. I use them
till they won't write anymore.
       Of course the advent of the Lap
Top has me doing most of my writing
on line these days.
        But when it comes to personal letters,
thank you notes, Birthday Cards and such,
I still turn to the Bíró boy's invention to
get my message out!
      Now if we can just find a way to make
sure there's one close by to take down a
message or number when someone's
trying to rattle off that stuff on the
telephone!
       Hope you've got one somewhere
where you can find it and that all your
NEWS is good!