"Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all" (2 HVI)

According to Plato, statesmen have to have brains. Evidently a great portion of the American voters don't have any themselves considering the man who is in charge of the country now. So, it behooves all of us to ponder about the candidates who have tossed their hats into the ring; ergo Hillary, Obama, and McCain. They seem to be the leading candidates right now--but who knows? I believe that Hillary and Obama have the right stuff for the Presidency. I don't know about McCain; he was a POW which makes him fit for the oval office because in a way when you are President you are a POW--the President is always battling the media and Congress. But I don't think I will vote for him. I will vote for the guy/gal who is running on the Democratic ticket. I know that my retired Lt. Col. daughter leans toward the Republicans and I can certainly understand why. Daddy Bush mentions Robin in his book; Jeb made her the leader of the Florida VA; DW Bush made her Undersecretary of the VA and Robin's husband was an aide to the Sec. of Defense before he went to Lebanon. So what's so wrong about a little family diversion?

I was out to dinner last night with a good neighbor and the subject came around to Obama. Friend said that he couldn't vote for him and I asked why not? He had heard that Barack belongs to a church whose leader gave funds to Louis Farrakhan and Barack did not complain about that. Also he said Barack's middle name is Hussein. So what? My middle name, unfortunately, is Ralph. My neighbor claims his middle name is Wong. He is certainly entitled to his opinion and to his middle name under the First Amendment and there's nothing wong with that.

"The purest treasure mortal times afford is spotless reputation." (RII)

The other day I got a call from a former student of mine and a member of my soccer team. His name is Bob Fox and he graduated North Shore H.S. in 1960. He lives in Connecticut and is a very successful college professor. He happened to be in Florida yesterday on business or whatever and he said he would like to see me. I was amazed that after 48 years he remembered me. I can't remember any of my teachers from high school. They made no impression on me whatever. Anyway, we did get together at a local indoor flea market. He had some iced tea and I nursed a diet coke as we sat and discussed way back when, and how his life has gone. Bob was very short back in high school, but now he's 5'10"--he has sons who are taller. Bob wasn't treated very well by his schoolmates and he was known--according to him--as "dummy." In a number of ways his life since then has paralleled mine in that he was not expected to get through college--but I saw him differently. I knew what he had inside. Yesterday I reminded him to demand of his students ruthless personal standards of excellence. Bob recognized me as I drove up, but of course I could not recognize a 17 year old who was now 65. Bob is the only 65 year old I've ever met who looks like 45. Unbelievable. And, of course, I was flattered that he wanted to see me again. As we parted, he said I was a "giant". (I should have told him I'm a Marlin fan). Well, anyway, at least I have, in his eyes, a reputation.

"Strive for excellence, exceed yourself, love your friends, speak the truth, practice fidelity and honor your father and mother. These principles will help you master yourself, make you strong, give you hope and put you on the path to greatness."

"Women are angels, wooing." (Troilus & Cressida)

I've received a number of comments about yesterday's blog in praise of women. My #1 son claimed that Montagu chose a girl's name not realizing that Ashley was the true love of Scarlett in GWTW and that it is a boy's name. I checked it out on Google. And if you really think about it, women work much harder than men do throughout their lives. They bear the children, they raise the children, they diaper the children, they drive the children to soccer games, they read to the children, they do the shopping, they do the cooking, they do the laundry and the folding, they make the beds, they wash the dishes, and if they're not Jewish, they do the cleaning. Because of this, God has arranged for women to have sex on their backs so they can get a little rest.

Today, I was blessed by attending a City of Hope "Canister" luncheon. I have no idea why it has that name. I saw no canisters there at the posh Boca West Clubhouse. So I put my quarter back into my pocket. I had no breakfast this morning so I was looking forward to lunch; however, on my plate was a scoop of salmon salad inside of one tomato and a scoop of chicken salad peeking out of another tomato. I suppose no one told the chef that I don't eat either of those things, so I munched on a roll and butter and a cup of coffee. However, it's the first time in my life that I had a dessert of ice cream after an entree of a roll and butter. Since this was a COH luncheon, the President, RH+ made a short speech about how the COH is helping children with cancer. I was impressed by the entrance to Boca West and the lush greenery all around it. The Clubhouse was in the grand style and just the whole aura was indicative of how the well off segment of our society lives in retirement. Save your money.

"Do you not know I am a woman? When I think I must speak." (As You Like It)

Washington Irving wrote that there is in every true woman's heart "a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity." I read this over several times and I have come to the same conclusion that Ashley Montagu came to in his book "The Natural Superiority of Women (1952)" ; that is women are the superior sex and there is no doubt about it. Male scholars have pointed to the larger male brain, skeleton height, and muscle mass as clear evidence of the male's superiority, as in the view "might makes right". However, in a shift that seeks to include the overall performance of the anatomy and physiology of male and female, Montagu believes women come out on top.

Women apparently have a more powerful immunological system, which affords them greater protection against and better recovery from starvation, fatigue, shock, and illness. Also, although a woman's brain may be smaller than a man's, it has more neurons and is more highly developed structurally and functionally, and it is capable of thinking more soundly and intuitively than the male brain, Montagu says. The end result is that women are more insightful and have greater stamina and longevity--or in other words, women stand the test of time. Irving got it right.

In spite of the book's provocative title, Montagu insists it is not his intention to inflate the status of one sex over the other, but rather to bring the sexes closer together. Montagu believes that if we are to achieve social equality, men must be convinced that women are superior, and the male values of physical dominance, acquisition of material goods, and aggression give way to humane attributes and abilities. Women, being the truly superior beings they are, will of course not brag about their biological superiority over men, but will treat them kindly and gently. (And I do hope that Rh+ reads this).

So, as a result of my research of women, I am leaning heavily towards Hillary.

"A light wife maketh a heavy husband" (Merchant of Venice)

Here it is, football Sunday and I have a reason to watch the games. A couple of weeks ago I got a letter in the mail--snail mail--from "All Star Sports", an online "casino". Several years ago when I first got my computer I enjoyed gambling at that web site...always on sporting events and I did quite well until I got tired of spending too much of my time reading "stats" and odds and so on. So I stopped; that is, until I got this letter offering me $25 in betting money if I'd come back to them! What did I have to lose? Their twenty-five dollars, not mine. I decided to bet the whole amount on one game so if I lost they wouldn't bother me anymore. Unfortunately I won another $25, and now I had fifty. Last week I bet on a couple of NFL games and unfortunately I won another $25. Now, this weekend I decided to really gamble and so I bet a "parlay" that Green Bay, New England, and Indianapolis would win their games. If all three won, unfortunately I would now have over $100. Well the Packers and Patriots won, so if the Colts win today, I'll be stuck with all that free money and may have to continue in my wayward gambling ways. So now I'm forced to watch that game. (I may have to bet on the Giants, later).

I've recovered from my Library program on Friday. We did have a goodly crowd, but I couldn't persuade anyone to buy my book of poetry. I saw a few familiar faces from the days of my Shakespeare classes, but I was disappointed not to see some friends that I would like to have seen but who didn't show up. Never mind; I won't forget and at some point in the future I shall demand redress of my choosing.

Last night Rho and I went to the Boomers' Club dinner. Over 300 people were stuffed into our ballroom to dine on Philadelphia cheese steaks, potato chips, soda, twinkies, yankee doodles and coffee. (Just what is needed for 300 obese seniors including yours truly). For entertainment the Broward County Mummers performed in feathery costumes and played old tunes that made people clap and form long lines marching all around the room. I imagine many of these people are new to Huntington Lakes because in the last couple of years we've had a large turnover for reasons I hesitate to mention. At any rate, many of the crowd were from Philadelphia, and I've found that Philadelphians are the most lively and "folksy" of any of our community from other cities. Now I have to get back to Jewel Quest if you don't mind. Have a nice day.....

"I think nobly of the soul." (Twelfth Night)

This morning, as promised, I had a program in the Terrace Room for the Library Club. The theme was that poetry need not just come in the form of a "poem" but can be found anywhere in nature; the Florida full moon, Astaire and Ginger dancing, Gene Kelly singing in the rain, a newborn baby. One need only sharpen all the senses to make many things in life--poetry. Touching a loved one is poetry; smelling the aromas of a bakery is poetry; seeing a flock of birds in formation is poetry; eating a six lb. lobster is poetry; hearing Streisand sing is poetry. You have these extraordinary senses--use them and create poetry for your SOUL. Well, anyway I did an hour's worth of readings before an enthusiastic and spellbound audience of about three guys and twenty women. I could have done another hour's worth, but they refused to toss anything into the hat as I passed it around.

Now that that's over, I do look forward to my blogs. If I'm not writing something, I go mad. Otherwise I'm playing Jewel Quest on the computer, and that game alone is going to drive me to drink. Rhoda and I have reached an "upper" and more difficult level, and you can spend an hour on one "solitaire" hand and not be able to finish clearing all the cards from the "table". It's addictive, frustrating, but strangely enough--relaxing.

Tonight we are going to a "Boomers' Club" meeting in the Clubhouse, and they'll be serving Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches. I haven't a clue as to why they call themselves Boomers except perhaps they created them??? The real boomers I suspect are still working.

"The poet's eye in a fine frenzy rolling, Doth glance from heaven to earth; from earth to heaven." (Midsummer Night's Dream)

I am now proud to say that since Aug. 8, I have published 134 blogs. If you haven't read any yet, you better get started. Better yet, buy my book; it has 370 pages. I'll be bringing a copy of the Memoirs and a few copies of Shadows in the Sunset to the program I am giving Friday, Jan. 11 for the Library Club. For those who plan to attend and need a reminder, it will be in the Terrace Room at 10:30...not 10:00. And for those who are not privy to the HLI Newsletter, the title of my program is "The Power & Passion of Poetry & a Pot Pourri of Me." And the blurb goes: "Through reading and discussion of excerpts from some of the classic works of poetry as well as a selection of poems from his newly published books, ADDENDA and SHADOWS in the SUNSET, Dr. Norman Ross will attempt to show how to 'reinvent' yourself through the magic, the mystery, and the dynamics of great poetry--and to convince you that poetry is a part of your life."

By a "pot pourri of me" I simply mean that I will read a couple of my own poems to whet the audience's appetite. Bring money as I will be passing the hat around afterwards as did the bards of old. Processed canned food would also be acceptable. Of course, I don't mind giving my time for a good cause, but Friday I will have to wake at 8am in order to get to the program on time....or before. Since I find myself sleeping usually until 11:30 or noon, this will be a philanthropic deed of sacrificial proportions.

It may (or may not) be of interest to you, but my daughter, Bonny and my grandson, Sean will be coming here from California for a few days toward the end of the month. Bonny has celebrated the 20th Anniversary of her shop, "Dogs, etc.". And Sean is taking a hiatus from his painting. I'm looking forward to seeing them and having some fun.