Joes & Scribbling

from husband Bill, March 27, 2026

Hello Joe !!! (Being half Italian, I have many relatives named Joe. My maternal grandfather was named Joe, actually Giuseppe.) "Joe" is also slang for coffee, so this day suggests that you have a cup of Joe with someone named Joe.

from husband Bill, March 27, 2026

Mets Opening Day

from husband Bill, March 26, 2026

I just saw my dear friend's post about today being Opening Day for the New York Mets, so I had to post this very short clip from Family Guy. I still think it's funny.

https://youtu.be/okXhAC78d4Q?si=pSloAjvSQC2gLT0I

Returning Home

from husband Bill, March 26, 2026

I created and uploaded onto my YouTube channel this extremely short and blatantly random video of my wife and me returning home this afternoon. (length: 41 seconds) ... The introduction contains an excerpt of myself improvising on my digital piano from several years ago.

Returning Home (March 26, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/KzDWPl0cXjk?si=bQCHSIAS_f3EqIPi

Trump Sig On Dollars

from husband Bill, March 26, 2026

I absolutely LOVE this !!! This will definitely annoy the Trump Haters, especially when they buy something.

"Treasury to place Trump’s signature on paper currency to mark nation's 250th anniversary"

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/treasury-place-trumps-signature-paper-currency-mark-us-250th-anniversary

R I.P. Dash Crofts

from husband Bill, March 26, 2026

R.I.P. Darrell George "Dash" Crofts (August 14, 1938 – March 25, 2026) ... Long ago, I watched him play golf on TV.

(This photo is from 1975.)

Our official song for West Islip High School's Class of 1979 in West Islip, Long Island, New York, is "We May Never Pass This Way (Again)" by Seals & Crofts.

https://youtu.be/8Dw8R6kIKyw?si=iazJnAyAhSooN_qR

Our unofficial song was "Shattered" from The Rolling Stones 1978 album "Some Girls." Those in charge would not let us have "Shattered." Both songs were played at our prom by a live band. The leader of the band said, here is your official class song, and then played it. He then said, here is your REAL class song and played "Shattered."

What I thought was funny: Every table at our prom had a bottle of generic cola soda right in the middle of it. That was for the staged photos that would be shown to friends and family members. In reality, many of the kids were passing metal flasks filled with whiskey under the tables. (I did NOT imbibe.)

Language

from husband Bill, March 26, 2026

As a journalist and a linguist for many decades, I am fascinated by misunderstandings produced by the frailty of language. This short video is a funny example of that. I have been misunderstood for my entire life, so maybe that's why I fight for myself and others to be understood.

I have formally studied English, French, and German at high schools, at a prep school, and at universities. I have a minor in French from Villanova University (that was connected to my bachelor's degree in communications). I also have a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

On a personal level, I have studied Italian, as per my heritage and so that I could speak in Italian with my Italian family members. I studied German, as per my heritage and so that I could speak in German with my Austrian family members.

Also, on a personal level, I have studied Sanskrit, as per my Hindu religion.

I have sort of studied Tagalog. Long ago, I think in the late 1980s, I very briefly dated a Filipina. It didn't work out, partially because she hated the music of The Beatles, but mostly because she wanted me to become roommates with her ex-boyfriend, but not tell him we were dating. I didn't, because my initial thought was, "That's an interesting way to get myself killed." I also anticipated unnecessary drama. No thanks.

I took her to a Beatle convention in New Jersey, where she was far from thrilled. I did have one interesting date with her at a restaurant. Attending were she and I, and seven of her female friends: six Filipinas and one South Korean. I requested that the piano player play the song "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else," which absolutely horrified all of them ... but I digress.

https://youtube.com/shorts/nkzqaVFjUeo?si=eLe3Z1_Km7r3DM1o

Nougat & Spinach

from husband Bill, March 26, 2026

I like Torrone, which is an Italian confection of nougat and almonds cut into small blocks. Varieties include lemon, orange, and vanilla, all of which I like. (The photo below looks like Torrone, except with hazelnuts.) I actually have Torrone here at home, so I will enjoy it today.

from husband Bill, March 26, 2026

I particularly like Saag Paneer, which is a lightly spiced Indian dish with creamed spinach and cubes of soft cheese.

from husband Bill, March 26, 2026

Bagels

from husband Bill, March 25, 2026

This morning, my wonderful wife made yogurt-sesame seed bagels in our air fryer.

Piano Improv Part 2

from husband Bill, March 25, 2026

I created and uploaded onto my YouTube channel this short video of myself improvising on my digital piano. (length: 1 minutes, 3 seconds) ... My piano is at my mom's home nearby.

I like to sit at my digital piano and just start playing whatever is in my head at that time. I make it up as I go along. This is my method with all of my piano improvisational videos.

Piano Improv: Part 2 of 2 (March 15, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/J13eocuh0HE?si=gCUZUt1NFRmg2hG0

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, March 25, 2026

"Lobster Newburg is an American seafood dish made with lobster, butter, cream, cognac, sherry, eggs, and cayenne pepper. It is an elegant and classic dish enjoyed by many since the late 1800s. Debuting in 1876 at Delmonico's, a fine New York City restaurant, this dish was invented by sea captain Ben Wenburg, hence the name with a simple reversal of two letters." I have never eaten Lobster Newburgh. At least, I don't remember. Note: I lived in Newburgh, New York, but that's unrelated.

from husband Bill, March 25, 2026

I had a Radio Flyer wagon, when I was a young kid in the 1960s.

from husband Bill, March 25, 2026

Of course, we have manatees here in Florida.

from husband Bill, March 25, 2026

Piano Improv Part 1

from husband Bill, March 24, 2026

I created and uploaded onto my YouTube channel this short video of myself improvising on my digital piano. (length: 1 minute, 3 seconds) ... My piano is at my mom's home nearby.

I like to sit at my digital piano and just start playing whatever is in my head at that time. I make it up as I go along. This is my method with all of my piano improvisational videos.

Piano Improv: Part 1 of 2 (March 15, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/lOebzJzQ8Sc?si=km0RG4xqU73a7Ufu

Strange

As a retired journalist and former tabloid editor, I still like strange articles/headlines. This headline is one that I had to share with you because I never thought that I would ever encounter this headline. 

(From 1991 to 1998, I was a business/financial reporter, writer, editor, and researcher in New York City, but from 2002 to 2011, I was an editor and page designer for the supermarket tabloids: Star, Globe,  National Examiner, and National Enquirer magazines. The headline/story sounds like it would appear in one of our other magazines: Weekly World News, where the stories are seemingly true, but probably not.) 

"Quadruple amputee, professional cornhole player charged with murder after alleged roadside killing" 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/quadruple-amputee-professional-cornhole-player-charged-murder-after-alleged-roadside-killing

March 24, 2026

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, March 24, 2026

When I attended Villanova University (near Philadelphia) from August 1980 to December 1984, emerging with a bachelor's degree in communications with a French language minor, every Saturday for lunch in the cafeteria, we were served Philly cheesesteak sandwiches: Steak-umms (sliced beef), sautéed onions, and Cheez Whiz on a hoagie roll (a hero roll, where I'm from: Long Island, New York) ... NO green bell peppers.

Also, on various visits to Philadelphia, my friends and I would often go to Pat's King of Steaks, which we preferred to rival Geno's Steaks.

I took longer than four years to complete my bachelor's degree because of a severe change in major. I spent my first two-and-a-half years at 'Nova in the pre-med program, which was euphemistically called BSG (bachelor of science-general).

I would later earn a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia, graduating in May 1988.

I studied insurance and real estate between my degrees with the remote intent of entering into my father's businesses.

I was a journalist from September 1982 to April 2017. I retired due to medical issues.

from husband Bill, March 24, 2026

My favorite alcoholic beverage is Campari and orange juice. One time in an Italian chain restaurant, I ordered it, and the waitress said, "We don't have Powerade." (true story)

from husband Bill, March 24, 2026

My father liked chocolate-covered raisins. I never liked them, and I don't think that I will ever like them. When I was a kid, I sometimes would eat the chocolate and spit out the raisins. It wasn't very good because the chocolate had a faint taste of raisin. I did the same with rum raisin ice cream.

from husband Bill, March 24, 2026

I have been struggling with diabetes for many years. Every day, I not only check my blood-sugar levels by pricking my fingers, but also I inject insulin into my belly.

from husband Bill, March 24, 2026