"Fortune is merry, and in this mood will give us anything." (Julius Caesar)

Just got back from Applebees where I feasted on fried shrimp and french fried potatoes. I'm not fond of that restaurant, but Rhoda enjoys it. She had tilapia. Right now I'm taking a break from packing --a chore of which I am also not fond. How many socks? How many shorts? How many shirts, pants, jackets, underwear, shoes? And guesses are hazardous. But if I have my crossword puzzle book and Will Durant's "Story of Philosophy" I may never have to leave the stateroom. Room service is available 7/24 (or is it 24/7?). Oh, did I forget to say that we are leaving tomorrow morning for our cruise. You can read more about it in yesterday's blog, if I remember correctly. We'll be back on Dec. 16 so don't expect any more blogs from me until then. And at that time, I hope I have good news about our gambling fortune. But fortune is fickle.

Till then good friends, have a Happy Hanukkah. Don't forget to light the menorah.

"I love long life better than figs." (Antony & Cleopatra)

In my blog yesterday, I described the suggestion a reader gave me to buy a scooter as a "nudge". Then I realized that the word might be wrongly interpreted as a "noodge", the Yiddish word for a "nag". I meant nudge to be taken as a gentle urging which is what the reader meant, I'm sure. So, if he took it as a nag, I apologize. But it really doesn't take much work to go from nudgeing to noodgeing. Yiddish sometimes gets in the way of what you are really trying to say in English. Be careful out there. Another suggestion I received was that I should get a "Segway" and be the first at Huntington Lakes to have one. The Segway is one of those vehicles where the driver stands up on it and scoots along. Usually you see one of the security guards zinging along on it in the mall. The only problem I have with the Segway is that you can't sit down on it. Whatever. I do appreciate the concern and suggestions I am getting from loving sources. But meanwhile I'm in denial and under the delusion that my mobility will one day miraculously return. Then I shall return to the living.

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It won't be long now before Rhoda and I are off on our cruise to the Southern Caribbean with stops at Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Dominica, and St. Thomas. We are leaving on Dec. 6 and returning on Dec. 16. so there won't be any more blogs after this one until we get home. I like to cruise, but I keep thinking about the Titanic, and that we might also hit an iceberg what with global warming and all. One never knows, does one? At any rate, during the war, several wars ago, I had a parachute available in the plane, but never wore it; now on the ship, there will be a life jacket close by, but I'll look foolish wearing it to the dining room, so I won't wear that either. One problem with cruising on a ship that has gambling is how much cash to take with you. I always hazard a guess and find that I usually get lucky and take enough. I'm not a big drinker normally, but aboard ship I drown myself in Pina Coladas--knowing of course that I cannot be arrested for DUI.

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Now, good friends, I have to get back to playing my online game, Jewel Quest, which is driving both of us crazy because we are on Level 5-1 and cannot get out of it. It's a form of solitaire, and we've played this one about 100 times without finishing. I can't wait until Thursday when I won't be tempted to play it any more. Have a Happy Hanukkah.

"Though I look old, I am strong and lusty." (As You Like It)

The other day I received an email from one of my kids with a link to a web site that sells "scooters". Not the kind used by kids, but the kind used by handicapped people...mostly seniors who are not able to walk. Now, I am able to walk--but not very far--without pains in my hips. It's a vascular problem. Now this email, I take it, was a nudge to me to go out and buy one of these ubiquitous machines. Nowadays they are all over the place. Only the elite and chosen elders scoot around in them. The more sedate and lower echelon elderly simply crawl around leaning on their "walkers". And the lesser than the latter cane themselves around town accompanied by their Haitian "nannies". As for me and the "nudge", I just don't feel that I am mentally ready to join the prosthetic brigade, although I realize that physically I belong. When we leave on our cruise in the next few days, the bus leaves us a good distance from the ship, and I would find it to be a slow and excruciating walk. Thus, my spouse has surreptitiously arranged for a wheelchair voyage from bus to ship. I suppose that's a kind of "break-in" training trip as a precursor to the scooter phase of my life. I may have to write a sequel to my Memoirs book to include that chapter.

Cruising is something I never did until we moved down to Florida. It's hard to believe that I've been here retired for twenty-five years. I have thoroughly enjoyed these years, cruising, playing golf, performing in shows, eating out---eating out? We eat out a lot more than we eat in. When I came here I was a strapping youth of 58 looking a lot like Arnold Schwarzenegger, and weighing 162 lbs. of muscle. Now, because of the eating out part of retirement, I have gained a little over a pound a year and I'm now a flabby decrepit elder looking like Father Time. And why do we eat out so much you might ask? Well Rhoda is retired also and naturally doesn't care to cook as much as she once did--even though she is very good at it. I certainly don't blame her for cutting down, and if she doesn't feel like cooking--we go out. This way I will probably gain another pound-a-year so that in 2032 I'll weigh about 225 lbs.

On this cruise, then, I'll be off to a good start to that end, because besides gambling, the other thing you do on a cruise is eat. How can you refuse a juicy roll and butter and chocolate cake for dessert? And if you can't have chocolate cake when you're 83, when will you have it?

"With eager feeding, food doth choke the feeder..." (Richard II)

Went to Costco today for food and etc. and that is always and adventure. I've heard several people claim that they just go there for the hot dogs, claiming that they are the best. I don't agree with them but that doesn't make them bad people. I don't like big fat long hot dogs with a big fat long roll; my favorite hot dog is still Nathan's and always will be. I like them even better than Hebrew National or Ball Park dogs. In my teen days, we didn't get to Nathan's in Coney Island very often, so we counted on the corner deli. I used to eat six hot dogs with mustard and potato salad on them every Saturday night. With a Mission Orange, the whole deal came to 35 cents.

The whole experience in Costco reminds me of an overpopulated ant hill. People are pushing their loaded wagons around like ants schlepping crumbs. The entrance to the store and the exit are very close together, and customers are pouring in by the numbers and coming out the same way--like ants in and out of their hill. Of course the only difference is that ants do not have to use American Express to check out. This day we met several other ants--people from Huntington Lakes. It seems that every time we go there, we meet some ant--person we know. It's a small world, but a big Costco.

Tonite we are going to China Gardens with Sally and Irv Forman, Marilyn Silverstein (Eliza) and Dick, and Bev and Billy Berger from our building. Sally and Irv we know from East Meadow where our children grew up...that was about 50 years ago. Fast friends are good friends. Sally and Marilyn even bought my book. I'll sign them tonite.

"Time shall unfold what...cunning hides." (King Lear)

In a week or so, we'll be off to the Caribbean on the Princess something or other. The only ship whose name I can remember is the USS HIGGINS. Both RH+ are looking forward to this chance to get away from home and spend time on the high seas, if you can call the Caribbean that. I'll probably spend most of my time in the casino playing the slots or in the dining room eating and drinking Pina Coladas. We will not spend all ten days on the ship, however, since we have made reservations for some sightseeing at the stopover ports--some of which I've been to several times. It also helps to speak a little Spanish. Our next cruise will be next July when Rho and I will celebrate her 70th and our 25th Anniversary cruising the Scandinavian countries and Russia. Robin's travel agent is the one we are using to set up that cruise. Of course we'll have to fly to Amsterdam first. It'll probably cost more than what I spent in an entire year traveling around the world in 1976 celebrating the 200th Anniversary of America.

Speaking of America, only one year is left before we vote for a President. I spent the night thinking about which candidates looked and acted "presidential". I thought back to some of the presidents we've had--and I've seen a dozen of them. I only have read about George Washington, but he surely looked presidential. So did Lincoln, FDR, & JFK. I can't think of any others. Now, what about the current candidates in both parties? Is there a "Presidential Presence" in those groups? Hillary is in a class by herself; maybe not so much presidential, but rather more prime-ministerish. Obama? Secretary-of-Stateish. Edwards? Perhaps Vice-P. McCain? Sec. of Defense. Thompson? Law and Order. It's going to be a very interesting and historic year. Sit back and aggravate.

"To you your father should be as a God." (Midsummer Night's Dream)

JOEL'S COMMENT ON YESTERDAY'S BLOG:

JOEL:

I believe that your self-analysis of your interaction in a group greatly differs from the impression some others have of you. Speaking for myself (although quite a few others have agreed with me when the topic has arisen), I feel that rather than listening carefully and silently to the conversation around you, you generally "take over" the discussion, and often move it to focus on your own experience -- you thus become the center of attention. Perhaps this only happens when you are around family or close friends. I don't say this as a criticism in any way, just an observation that differs from your own observation. That said, I do agree that you are not garrulous at all.

RED BARON:

Well, he's probably right. But in my own defense, it would be difficult to "take over" a conversation if I were not "listening carefully". And I don't think I meant to imply that I couldn't avidly participate in a social gathering in a home or restaurant or wherever with family and long time friends with whom I feel perfectly comfortable. What I wrote was that I've always had difficulty making friends in the first place--and that cannot be denied because that has been my experience. And if I do tend to take over any conversation it would be because of my interest--without meaning to take it over. If that happens, then why doesn't someone else in the group--whoever they are--interrupt me and tell me to bug off? Huh? I asked Rhoda to read JRs comment and she said she agrees with him. Is there anyone out there who will come to my rescue?

Aha..."Anonymous" and "Robert" have commented on the comment:

Anonymous:

I will step up to the plate, if you will pick up the next check on our dinners out. Our eclectic conversations are well balanced with cogent remarks from each. I find it quite ludicrous to have read this accusation, since, in my opinion, I find you too shy to bear that guilt.

Robert:

I haven't seen or spoken with you in person for almost 50 years. If that doesn't qualify me as an expert I can't imagine what would. Expressing one's innermost feelings is just that. That is how you feel and what others perceive is another issue entirely. The sensitivity to one's own vulnerability and risk of being ignored or rendered insignificant is monstrous. I know, I walk around with it every day. And if I ever told that to my family, friends or students they would laugh. But I think I understand and a blog, if nothing else, is free expression of how one feels and that's the way Doc feels.

RED BARON:

I appreciate readers who take the time to respond to my daily musings. I do know who "Anonymous" is and the only Robert I know is one of my favorite all-time students and a super-athlete and a better person doesn't exist. I do not know any other Robert who would call me "Doc". Thanks Flash.

Incidentally, I "publish" every comment that comes in, no matter what is written, so I look for the comment after each blog and if it's not there, I just put it there. (And, Flash, please send me your current address so I can send you a copy of my book. ) TTYL

"He doth indeed show some sparks that are like wit." (Much Ado)

I've been thinking about it lately (and thinking is a good thing for the elderly) and I've decided that I am definitely not a garrulous person. In a social setting, I'm not very good company because I rarely get into the conversations, and when I do, people usually look askance at me, and then go on with whatever and whomever they were talking to...and about. Personally, I prefer listening to talking. I'm a very good listener, but a lousy talker...and probably one of the reasons I always found it difficult to make a friend. I much prefer to write, and writing is a solitary act. No friend can do it for you. I actually like being alone. To work in silence and with all one's heart, that is the writer's lot; he is the only artist who must be solitary, and yet needs the widest outlook on the world. At times, while I was writing my "Memoirs", Rho came marching in and started talking to me while I was "en medias res"--in the middle of things. Once, she spoke to me at the very moment I was about to write the great American sentence; a sentence so beautiful and full of passion and wisdom that the literary world would cheer, and the Nobel Prize people would have something to think about. When she left, I completely lost the thought and the chance for fame.

While most writers do their work in privacy, they nevertheless must move in the world, physically and mentally, reading the classics and their peers, accumulating experiences and insights, formulating a philosophy of life and death. They--at least the great ones--must articulate the universal truths of the heart. But even geniuses need social intercourse to fertilize their minds and connect with their audience. That is why God invented Starbucks, sidewalk cafes, saloons, faculty lounges, and early bird dinners. The danger of sociability, though, is that it can become an escape from that scary time when it will be just you and your writing instrument. So, whenever I find myself in a social milieu, I prefer to listen to other people, and when I speak it is usually to ask a question.

I therefore believe that my joy of performing on the stage where the words belong to someone else is an escape from my reticence to join a conversation. And my success as a teacher is another . So, if I don't speak to you, it's not because I don't like you. I'm just not a social animal; if I lived in the 15th Century, I would probably be a monk or a hermit.