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

Today Is ...

From husband Bill, April 30, 2026

The main reason why I have had such little success with women in regard to romance is that I would never lie to them. I just prefer honesty. In fact, my only regret in my entire life is that I did NOT lie to women when I was single.

Regarding Billy Joel's song "Honesty," before Joel decided singing the word "honesty," in rehearsals he sang it as "sodomy."

From husband Bill, April 30, 2026

While my dad served in the U.S. Navy for 22 years, and my mom worked for the Navy, I do NOT consider myself to be a military brat. I was and still am just a generic brat.

From husband Bill, April 30, 2026

Bugs Bunny is one of my favorite cartoon characters. My other favorites are Pepé Le Pew and Ignatz (the mouse). Bugs Bunny was almost called "Happy Rabbit."

From husband Bill, April 30, 2026

I somewhat enjoy bubble tea.

From husband Bill, April 30, 2026

I sometimes eat oatmeal cookies, but I do not enjoy them all that much.

From husband Bill, April 30, 2026

Please don't call it a "rescue" dog unless you saved it from a burning building or saved it from drowning by jumping into the river with all of your clothes on (as comedian Bill Burr says).

From husband Bill, April 30, 2026

Re-Uploaded Left Improv

from husband Bill, April 29, 2026

I re-uploaded on YouTube my left-handed piano inprov video with a different thumbnail.

Left-Handed Improv

From husband Bill, April 29, 2026

I decided to visually enhance one of my older piano improvisation from November 2021. (1 minute, 4 seconds)

Left-Handed Piano Improv (from Nov. 21, 2021): visually enhanced (April 29, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/QLcAZfHz0NI?si=NAfxydaF2zr9lLN9

Scampi & Zippers

From husband Bill, April 29, 2026

I enjoy Shrimp Scampi.

From husband Bill, April 29, 2026

Those who have had open-heart surgery, like me (quadruple bypass in March 2022), are said to be in the Zipper Club, named after the zipper-like piece of plastic strip that is glued to the chest to hold the wound together.

From husband Bill, April 29, 2026

Today Is ...

From husband Bill, April 28, 2026
I do like blueberry pie, especially with chocolate ice cream, which is the same way I enjoy all fruit pies, specifically cherry, apple, and peach.

From husband Bill, April 28, 2026

Today is National Superhero Day. When I was a kid in the 1960s, Cuckoo Man was my favorite superhero, and he still is my favorite superhero. He was part of the cartoon series "The Mighty Heroes" that ran for only one season in 1966, when I was five years old. I loved that show. The other superheroes in this coalition were Strong Man, Rope Man, Tornado Man, and Diaper Man.

Here is a link to the opening that introduces these superheroes:

https://youtu.be/KldhX_loq18

(Many of you are probably not surprised by my choice of favorite superhero.) 😉

From husband Bill, April 28, 2026

I have written more than 300 poems since 1986, many of which have been published in national anthologies, mostly in the 1990s, including with The National Library of Poetry (in the Library of Congress).

I am (still) in the preliminary stages of self-publishing a book of my best and favorite self-penned poems. I am also (still) writing an autobiographical novel.

I am a lifetime Performing Member of The Port Jervis Poetry Society in Port Jervis, New York, although I live in Florida. In February 1990, I performed (acted) two of my original poems on stage at our televised anniversary show in Port Jervis. I moved to a different town shortly after this show, so I never performed poetry on stage again.

Some of my favorite poets are Rainer Maria Rilke, Arthur Rimbaud, Tristan Tzara, and Charles Simic.

From husband Bill, April 28, 2026

Today is Workers' Memorial Day. Almost all workers who die on the job are men.

From husband Bill, April 28, 2026