Today Is ...

from husband Bill, May 4, 2026

One of my favorite candies is chocolate-covered orange peels. (I also like chocolate-covered marzipan.) I typically order Orange Tofu from Chinese restaurants; I love eating the small pieces of orange peel in it.

from husband Bill, May 4, 2026

My favorite alcoholic beverage is orange juice with Campari over ice. Back in the 1980s, I used to drink Harvey Wallbangers (orange juice and vodka, with Galliano floated on top).

from husband Bill, May 4, 2026

Since I was quite young, my favorite bird has been the puffin, although I have never seen any in person. I also like "Chippies," many of which I have seen. My paternal grandfather called them that when I was very young. The regular name for them is Chipping Sparrows, and by coincidence, they are shown in the photo below.

from husband Bill, May 4, 2026

Kudos go to my friend Tim, who was/is a firefighter for many years in upstate New York. He participated in New York City after the 9/11 attack.

from husband Bill, May 4, 2026

I try to renew myself every day. Some days are easier than other days.

from husband Bill, May 4, 2026

To and from school in the 1970s, I either took the bus or I walked with Andy Flower, the neighbor kid who constantly talked about the weather in semi-technical terms. He was so proud to have been born in the 1950s, but just barely: December 31, 1959.

from husband Bill, May 4, 2026

Happy Birthday, Scott

from husband Bill, May 4, 2026

I changed my mind. I would like to humbly wish my cousin, the best man at my wedding, and an overall great guy a happy birthday (yesterday). I was going to retain my wishes between us, but I decided this morning to share them with you.

Scott Arthur Mathies

Delicious This

from husband Bill, May 3, 2026

My wonderful wife made this for dinner: ground beef, onions, corn, green beans, gravy, ground black pepper, olive oil, and garlic-Parmesan seasoning, and Israeli couscous.

Today Isf.

from husband Bill, May 3, 2026

I like the chocolate frozen custard at Carvel. I grew up with it in the 1960s and 1970s, and I have often enjoyed it since.
from husband Bill, May 3, 2026
During my time as a journalist (September 1982 to April 2017), after I moved to southeastern Florida in May 1998, I was a hardware salesman at Sears; and a haberdasher (men's clothes and accessories) and a textiles salesman at Macy's. For add a few weeks at Macy's, I sold maternity clothes and kids' toys.

Animal Greetings: AI

from husband Bill, May 2, 2026

Just for fun, I created and uploaded onto my YouTube channel a brief AI video of greetings by random animals in different languages, in order: English, Italian, German, and French. (51 seconds)

Animal Greetings: AI (created May 1, 2026; uploaded May 2, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/H13xZvXuj7Y?si=dX38JD57ZRqWYpBm

Today Is ...

from husband Bill

As the first Saturday in May, today (May 2, 2026) is National Free Comic Book Day.

I became a big fan of Jughead Jones comic books (digests) in the early 1990s, when I was in my early 30s. During that time, I was writing, editing, and researching for a weekly, international magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry based in New York City, and I needed to read something simplistic for a change, so I chose Jughead.

Jughead Jones and I are very much alike. He's lazy, awkward, clumsy, and a free spirit, plus he likes to eat, especially hamburgers, and is not popular with the ladies. He is just kind of ... "there," being somewhat superfluous.

I have been a fan of Jughead since I was a kid in the 1960s. I enjoyed the comic strips, which I still do, and The Archies Show cartoon TV series that aired for one season in 1968, when I was seven years old.

from husband Bill, May 2, 2026

I particularly like raspberry-chocolate truffles and orange-chocolate truffles. I am also quite fond of marzipan-filled truffles.

from husband Bill, May 2, 2026

My father owned and operated an insurance agency for decades. He specialized in automobile insurance and "property and casualty" insurance. I studied insurance (and real estate) in 1985 between my two university degrees, regarding the possibility of taking over my dad's businesses. (My father also owned and operated a real estate agency, and my mom operated our travel agency.) I ultimately became a journalist, working from September 1982 to April 2017.

My dad employed a guy who just handled life insurance. I went to a Paul McCartney concert with him at Madison Square Garden in December 1989. 

from husband Bill, May 2, 2026

Taste Taste: Greek Yogurt

 from husband Bill, May 1, 2026

I created and uploaded onto my YouTube channel a (very short) taste-test video for Chobani Creations Greek Yogurt, flavor: Orange Cream Pop. (47 seconds)

Taste Test: Greek Yogurt (May 1, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/a52RO3niQ80?si=-LZ9_KQwX_YUd6W4

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, May 1, 2026

I'm as loyal as an old hound dog.
from husband Bill, May 1, 2026
"We celebrate Silver Star Service Banner Day on May 1 in recognition for the sacrifices of American service members have made for our country. This day is for Americans to remember service members who have been wounded in combat, are sick, and those who are dying." - from Day Calendar
from husband Bill, May 1, 2026
Long ago, I had the desire to become a newspaper ombudsman. I ended up becoming a journalist (writing, editing, photography, page designing), mostly with international trade publications (corporate insurance; chemical industry; futures and options trading; home building; retail store displays) and international gossip magazines (Star, Globe, National Examiner, National Enquirer).
"A newspaper ombudsman (or public editor/reader representative) is an independent internal advocate who investigates reader complaints, ensures journalistic accuracy, and maintains ethical standards. ... A law degree is not strictly required to be a newspaper or media ombudsman, but it is highly valued and often preferred due to the legal complexities involved in media, such as defamation, privacy, and ethics." (from Google)
from husband Bill, May 1, 2026
They look quite good.
from husband Bill, May 1, 2026
When I was a kid in the 1970s, I was friends with John, the son of my school's assistant principal, Mr. Loudon, at Bayview Elementary School in West Islip, New York. (Hey people from West Islip, fact check on this.) I only attended Bayview for the 1972-1973 school year. My parents and I moved to West Islip from nearby Babylon during the summer of 1972, when I was 11 years old.
from husband Bill, May 1, 2026
When I was a kid in the 1960s and 1970s, I was interested in astronomy and astrology.
from husband Bill, May 1, 2026