Can you believe I really don’t listen to the words of a song? Talk about being one dimensional! What’s more, I don’t read books. I listen to them. As a consequence of this unusual quirky combination, I recently heard Dylan’s lyrics of The Times They Are-A Changin’ for maybe the very first time. Here’s how it happened. I’m listening to a very re …
Whenever a difficult situation presents itself I am heard to say “Up is down and down is up.” So much so that people that know me oft times say it before me. I can’t really say where I got it from (maybe it's because I’m left handed and think on the unconventional side of my brain), so I did some (Google) research and learned that in “1984“ Orwel …
Last night Gotham held its first Virtual Gotham Battle of the Bands (BOTB) competition sponsored by Jason Greenberg and The Phoenix Adjusters Group, Inc. and the Winners were: Tara O’Grady-First Prize($2000 and Show Case at Cafe Wha?), Parkway South-Second Prize ($1000) and Sound Judgment-Third Prize ($500). It was the first Virtual BOTB and ho …
Last night the North of 25A Book Group hosted a Zoom discussion with Pulitzer Prize winning author Dave Barry. Our group had read his wonderful, humorous and poignant 2019 book, Lessons From Lucy. Lucy is his dog :) Having been turned around/converted about dogs 8 years ago by the advent of my beloved Charcoal, the book resonated especial …
As I continue to keep on living my Forever Young fantasy, I realize that, however I may really look, my countenance is naturally masked by my beard. Quite an advantage males have in this respect!Is my face sagging, do I have aged lines? I have no idea, as my face is grown over. What’s more, a smile is quite an umbrella :)Yes my mask is silver, bu …
Gothamites Mitch Tobol, Odey Raviv and I belong to the North of 25A Book Group (pictured) and on Saturday we hosted long time Gotham member Tony Celano for discussion of his latest book, The Case of The Cross Eyed Strangler. Rather than sitting on his laurels, Tony's "encore" comes in the form of Detective Story author. It was Tony’s second Book …
On Tuesday we returned to a perennial favorite Saloon. We were excited to go and we were welcomed by the familiar staff. On the eve of Cuomo’s loosening of restrictions, no table seated more than four and they were well spaced along the walls with no seats at the bar and no tables in the middle of the room. As we eagerly approached the Saloon ent …
Events Chairman Norm Spizz and our Golf Committee (Brad Scherer, Corey Bearak, David Perry, Fred Morante, Jayne Latz, Laurel Scarr-Konel, Matt Plociak, Neal Berman, Reliable Ray Walcott, Shelley Simpson, Steve Reisner and Vincent Derogotis) are hard at work preparing for our October 7th Bob Formica Golf Out at Engineers Country Club where we got ou …
If you have been vaccinated, I believe you are on the right track. What’s more, once vaccinated you receive a proof of vaccination card and it’s a keeper, as you may need it for various purposes. As such, you need to maintain it in decipherable condition and what better way than lamination. I pondered where can I get my vaccination card laminat …
We’re Home! Home to the real World! Home to Family! Home to our day to day responsibilities (and to commuting)! Home to Spring (in time to plant our garden)! Home to new experiences! You can always come home again! There’s no place like Home Sweet Home!
Last Saturday I went sailing with my friends David Berger and Guy deBoer (pictured). If the name Guy deBoer is unfamiliar to you, mark it well as he will be world famous at the end of next year when he (and his boat Spirit) will be the first American solo sailor to win the around the World Golden Globe Race which starts in France. David and I ar …
If you’ve ever telephoned or Zoomed with me lately you’ve probably heard the chickens. Well, Key West is over run with chickens. Legend has it that once cock fighting was banned they were released and the rest is history (there is early morning crowing and chicken poop everywhere as they run free). After a while one becomes inured to them (for b …
I recall my last pre pandemic hand shake with my Mate Andrew Ambrose. Since then I have religiously refrained from doing something which comes so naturally and can mean so much. I even wondered if the ritual would go out of style and be relegated to the rubbish heap of history. Then we got vaccinated and the thought cropped up. Would I shake h …
My birthday was Tuesday. Years are the mile markers of life! Thank you Erin McKenna (and Guy deBoer and Joanne) for allowing me to mark another year (pictured-Erin McKenna photo). My goal is to, at least, reach Key Largo and who’s to say? With Juice Plus (Shelley Simpson), Tequila (5:30 with Bergers), massage (Jill McFadgen), before Pilates Pila …
I never think of myself as a snob, but then I got to thinking about biking. I flat out love biking on my basic 1950s era “2 wheeler”. The type on which I learned to bike ride way back when. My problem is that where I am everyone bikes, but many pedal tricycles and the sight of a man wearing a helmet tooling along smoking a cigar on a tricycle …
Fridays With Fred
A perfect way to send you into your weekend