Today Is ...

from husband Bill, August 6, 2026

I do not like root beer floats (vanilla ice cream in root beer soda). My preference is chocolate ice cream in orange soda.

from husband Bill, August 6, 2026

Personal Trivia: I am unable to wiggle the second toe of my left foot because several years ago, I had surgery to remove the joint. Also, in November 2025, I had the third and fourth toes of my left foot amputated as a result of a blocked main artery in my left leg, so it's a no-go with that. I also have peripheral neuropathy (numbness) in both of my feet, so wiggling is limited. TMI?!

from husband Bill, August 6, 2026

I do like the occasional IPA.

from husband Bill, August 6, 2026

from husband Bill, August 6, 2026

I really dislike taking my morning pills here at the hospital ... and injections of insulin, which I do at home, anyway, and most of the pills, too. I'm here with severe pneumonia, but I am getting better. I also am taking here at the hospital intravenous steroids, intravenous antibiotics, nebulizer treatments (inhaled medical mist, also at home) and use supplemental oxygen (also at home). I arrived at the hospital's emergency room late afternoon on the 4th, driven by my wonderful wife. The pulmonologist said this morning that I will probably go home either tomorrow (7th) or Saturday (8th).

Morning Selfie

from husband Bill, August 6, 2026

Morning Selfie (in hospital with severe pneumonia): This morning, I am receiving intravenous steroids; intravenous antibiotics (in right wrist, very painful); and a nebulizer treatment (photo). I am feeling better.

Freaky Clouds (Video)

from husband Bill, August 5, 2026

Do these clouds look freaky to you? (length: 25 seconds)

Freaky Clouds (Aug. 5, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/Ja90tcePDEI?is=cDrBrUndUYoxW2-H

1966: Revolver Released

from husband Bill, August 5, 2026

On August 5, 1966, my favorite Beatles album was released: "Revolver." The British version contains 14 songs. The United States version contains 11 songs.

Many years ago at an annual Beatles convention called Beatlefest, I met artist Klaus Voormann, the man who drew/created this album cover. You can see his name and a small photo of himself in the far-right center of the cover. He also created the covers for the three Beatles Anthology CD sets released in 1995 (Volume 1) and 1996 (Volumes 2 & 3).

Voormann was a good friend of the four Beatles. He played the bass guitar on George Harrison's first solo release (after leaving The Beatles) "All Things Must Pass" (1970) and on John Lennon’s early solo albums.

I was fortunate to have asked him a question during a question-and-answer session at the convention. I asked him if he played bass guitar on any Beatles songs. He said no. When I was a teenager in the 1970s, I would attend all three days of each Beatlefest in New York City every year, staying in the hotel where the convention was being held. I was living on nearby Long Island, New York, at that time.

Soon, the convention moved to a hotel in nearby New Jersey, but I still continued to go. As I got older, I went a few more times. I then moved to northern New Jersey, so the convention location in the early 1990s was always fairly close. (I was working in New York City at that time.)

Oh. Do you know the sound of the rumbling bass guitar at the beginning of Carly Simon's 1972 song "You're So Vain"? That's Voormann. Also, see if you can find the five members of The Rolling Stones band in the Revolver album cover. Hint: Voormann drew them. By the way, Mick Jagger, the lead singer of The Rolling Stones, is a background singer on Simon's song "You're So Vain."

Below is the "Revolver" album cover, plus photos of a younger and older Voormann.

Note: I read a theory long ago about this album cover. The interpretation is that it represents the start of a rift or at least a changing attitude between Paul McCartney (upper left) and John Lennon (upper right). It shows McCartney turning his back on Lennon, and Lennon thinking about doing mischievous things behind McCartney's back or possibly Lennon's paranoia. I guess that it's possible, but I'm not exactly sure if I actually believe that. I think that Voormann was trying to capture the personalities of each Beatle.

August 5, 2026

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, August 5, 2026

While I do NOT like raw oysters, I do like oyster stew, even though I have only eaten it once. That was in the early 1980s, when I was living in the spare bedroom of an older British couple's house while studying at Villanova University near Philadelphia. They invited me to dinner one night. We enjoyed her homemade oyster stew. It was quite good.

from husband Bill, August 5, 2026

While I have mildly experimented, I always return to tighty-whities (briefs).

from husband Bill, August 5, 2026

I have always worked hard, but I never found the holy grail. I did have many jobs that I loved.

From 1992 to 1996, I was a Reporter, Writer, Editor, and Researcher for an international weekly magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry, based in New York City (Manhattan).

From 2002 to 2011, I was an Editor, Proofreader, and Page Designer for the supermarket tabloids, specifically Star, Globe, National Examiner, and National Enquirer magazines, based in Boca Raton, Florida.

From February 2016 to February 2017, I was the Associate Editor (Reporter, Writer, Editor, Photographer, Sometime Photo Editor) for "Retail Environments" and "Insider," the two official monthly magazines of Shop!, which is an international nonprofit association for the manufacturers of components for retail store displays, including mannequins, display cabinets, signage, lighting, shelving, flooring, architecture, etc., based in Hollywood, Florida. The main office is in Chicago.

It sounds like I fabricated those jobs, but l didn't. I mean, I can't even believe that I worked those jobs, but I did. I assure you they are "weird," but they are true; I have lived to tell about them; and I love them the best, in that order.

from husband Bill, August 5, 2026

In Hospital, Again

from husband Bill, August 4, 2026

I am in the nearby hospital yet again, this time with severe breathing difficulty. I could not get air into my lungs or out of my lungs this late afternoon, so my wife called 9-1-1. My blood-oxygen level dropped to 78 (percent); normal is 93 to 99. I thought I was a goner. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance. I am much better now, after breathing treatments, supplemental oxygen, and, I think, intravenous meds, but I am still not well. I am being admitted to the hospital.

from husband Bill, August 4, 2026

*****

from husband Bill, August 5, 2026

MEDICAL UPDATE: After an X-ray and CT Scan, my pulmonologist's associate determined that I have a very bad case of pneumonia. I must remain in the hospital for 3 to 5 nights, with last night being the 1st night.

Cookie & Coast Guard

from husband Bill, August 4, 2026

I like chocolate chip cookies with walnuts. I think that I would also like them with cashews.

from husband Bill, August 4, 2026

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, August 3, 2026 

I enjoy watermelon with ground black pepper.

from husband Bill, August 3, 2026

My favorite nut for taste is filbert (hazelnut). My favorite nut for texture is cashew. Also, due to my Italian and Austrian heritages/upbringing, I love roasted chestnuts. I call them by their Austrian name (and Italian name): Maroni. In Italian, they are called castagne arrostite or marroni. What is your favorite nut?

from husband Bill, August 3, 2026

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, August 2, 2026

While not my favorite style of ice cream, I do sometimes like to eat ice cream sandwiches, especially Carvel's Flying Saucers.

from husband Bill, August 2, 2026

Hi, guys.

from husband Bill, August 2, 2026

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, August 1, 2026

My favorite hoagie is turkey, preferably smoked, and provolone cheese with mustard and mayonnaise with a dusting of ground black pepper. I will sometimes add pickled jalapeño peppers or pickled banana peppers.

from husband Bill, August 1, 2026

I like raspberries in pie, but I do NOT particularly like whipped cream.

from husband Bill, August 1, 2026

My paternal grandfather Giuseppe loved sunflowers. Also, I was a reporter, writer, editor, and researcher for a weekly international magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry based in New York City from 1992 to 1996. This included agriculture chemicals (fertilizers), petrochemicals (aromatics and aliphatics), pharmaceuticals, flavors, fragrances, plastics, paints, coatings, oils, fats, waxes, surfactants, and more. My first position there was titled "Oils, Fats, and Waxes Editor," so I occasionally wrote about sunflower seed oil used as an industrial lubricant.

from husband Bill, August 1, 2026

I have played Mahjong on an app on my cell phone.

from husband Bill, August 1, 2026

Respect your parents today ... and every day.

from husband Bill, August 1, 2026