The Writer's Life 10/31 - Unsolved?

From an article by Stephanie Nolasco at foxnews.com, edited by yours truly: One of the most famous unsolved murders in American history is that of aspiring actress Elizabeth Short, 22. Her body was found in January 1947. The case became known as The Black Dahlia and has inspired many films and books. The owner of a drug store said male customer called her that. Retired LAPD detective Steve Hodel believes he knows the identity of the killer - his father, Dr. George Hodel, who skipped town without his family in 1950, ending up in the Philippines, where he lived for 40 years. The retired officer gained access to a three-page letter written by an undercover informant 69 years ago, which was discovered by his 62-year-old granddaughter. She knew nothing of the case and researched it on the internet. That's how she found Hodel, who has written several books on the subject, the most recent Black Dahlia Avenger III. The letter is included in the Afterword. In it, the murderer is referred to as G.H.. Dr. Hodel lived until the ripe old age of 91. Unfortunately, the case will not be solved definitively unless written material emerges with more conclusive evidence, same as the JFK assassination. Here's a pic of the lovely victim:

Fox News' October ratings were higher than CNN and MSNBC's combined. Is that an indicator of the coming elections? It will be solved next Tuesday. The suspense builds.

I don't recall so many trades being made in season in the NFL. The most interesting one involved Green Bay. On Sunday, with his team trailing by two points, return man Ty Montgomery defied the coaching staff's order to down the ball if the kickoff reached the endzone. He chose to run it out and fumbled, costing his team a shot at victory over the undefeated Rams. He was swapped for a seventh round draft pick. How refreshing to see a player suffer consequences in this era when so much bad behavior is overlooked. Then again, in terms of football, going to the Ravens is a lateral move, as both team's have as many wins as losses, GB 4-4, Baltimore 3-3-1. Of course, it's still a big hassle for the individual, especially if he has a family.

My thanks to my constant benefactress, who donated  a trough of non-fiction and DVD's, and to local porter Robert, who delivered a bag filled with books on history, including a beautifully illustrated one on the Medicis; and to the woman who bought a pictorial on dogs; and to the gentleman who purchased the DVD of Notes on a Scandal (2006); and to Ira, a retired tailor who selected the Mayo Clinic's Guide to Alternative Medicine. I asked about the jacket he was wearing, which he said was ultrasuede. Burnt orange, he broke it out for Halloween. I was unable to find the exact color, but here's the style:

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The Writer's Life 10/30 - Season of the Witch

One week until the most interesting election ever. Why do I believe that? Because I didn't think President Trump had a chance in hell in 2016, so it was only mildly interesting. I'm as sure the Dems will take the House as I was two years ago that the witch would lead the nation. I just hope the shootings haven't tilted the senate left as well.

Hundreds of witches, warlocks and wizards paddled along Oregon's Willamette River last Saturday. The event is called the Standup Paddleboard Witch Paddle. Participants donated new clothing and coats to a charitable organization. Here's a pic from oregonlive.com:

When you're up at 4:30 AM you need quiet occupation. Fortunately the computer provides it. Proof-reading doesn't create any noise that might disturb sleeping neighbors. Two days early, I've begun the second of three scheduled washes of the novel I intend to self-publish in January. The first chapter, 20 pages, didn't require much work. I may add a passage along the way. Speaking recently with a high school teammate who's a significant part of my second novel, Adjustments, he mentioned that an incident from our senior season, 1966, is not in the book. I was certain he was wrong. Well, I still have the file and I ran a search. It's not there. I'm so pissed. How in the world could I have omitted such a happy and humorous event? Fortunately, that idiocy may be remedied. This morning it occurred to me that I might be able to squeeze it into my current project, as the protagonist often works as a substitute at his alma mater, where he has been an assistant coach. It would have been a better fit for Adjustments, but it would be lunacy to go back and add it there. I think it will work well in Inside Out. I won't say anything to that teammate, who was our captain, until I'm confident the passage works seamlessly. I will suggest he not buy the book when it becomes available, as it's salacious and he is very religious. 

My thanks to the retired Romanian super, who donated a box filled with about 15 hardcover books in Russian in excellent condition, lugging them several blocks, cigarette between his lips. My thanks also to the woman who donated several others, and to the elderly woman who bought two, and to the younger one who purchased six while speaking on her cell phone during the entire browse and transaction. Finally, my thanks to Frank, who selected The Deceiver by Frederick Forsyth, the session's only sale in English. My back was aching when I lugged everything back to the car, even though it was less than 15 yards away. It's okay now, three hours later.

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The Writer's Life 10/29 - Art & Money

I came across the following a few days ago. It's too interesting to let fade. A painting done by artificial intelligence recently sold at auction at Christie's for $432,500. The AI used algorithms and drew on a cache of 15,000 portraits in the period from the 14th to the 20th century to create Portrait of Edmond de Bellamy. A 17-year-old West Virginia boy created the code that made it all possible. He generously uploaded it to a sharing platform so others could learn from it. The money went to an art collective based in Paris. I hope they gave the kid a cut. As for me, I wouldn't have bid a dollar for it, but, as is often said, the market is always right. The rest of us have the option not to buy, so it's all good. Here's the work:

In the next to the last chapter of the novel I will self-publish in January, the protagonist runs in the 1980 NYC Marathon. I did it in 1978. Last year a Fenchman ran in the event and wrote a book about his experiences. It has been translated into English. Here's the cover of My New York Marathon by Sebastien Samson, a teacher:

The Fast Takes column in today's NY Post reports this troubling though unsurprising stat: In 2016 judgments and settlements topped $429 billion in the USA, by far the most on the planet, 150% more than the Euro-Zone paid out.

My thanks to Cabbie, who bought The Quickie by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge, and to the woman who purchased How to Succeed with Women by Ron Louis and David Copeland, which is erroneously listed as non-fiction. My thanks also to the two women who donated three books in Russian, and to Herbie, who donated a thick work of non-fiction for which the display had no room until the woman took the aforementioned book, which she got for her shy younger son.

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The Writer's Life 10/28 - Great Night

What a night! An alum of Lafayette High School's class of '67, I was invited to the 50th reunion of the class of '68. Since it was at Gargiulo's in Coney Island, a seven-minute drive from where I was parked in Sheepshead Bay, I was happy to attend, although I had no idea how many people I would know other than my football teammates. I was quickly greeted by Frank G, who recognized me from Facebook. He was one of my first street sales, back when I was peddling only my first novel, Close to the Edge. Soon, to my amazement, Ralphie Rac strolled in with his lovely wife Joanie. He is not only a fellow LHS alum but a Commodity Exchange one as well. If we had ever discussed our common neighborhood bond, I do not recall. That's him in the photo above lecturing the Urso brothers, Charlie '68 and Tommy '67. Soon I was approached by Gail P.. I recognized her immediately. When I worked as an aide at John Dewey in the late '70's, she often subbed there. Later in the evening I summoned the resolve to ask if she was still in touch with Peggy, whom I was literally crazy about. Peggy once sent me a short story she wrote. Years later I reworked it, dubbed it Chaos in Alphabet City, and included it in Billionths of a Lifetime collection - without telling her. Gail was kind enough to offer to deliver a copy. She later did a great solo dance, lip-synching to a Liza Minnelli song played by the DJ... Several of my teammates who were seniors on the '66 team showed. Ralphie, our captain, is about to retire after 31 years in the discount store business. Branch is still piling up dough in his insurance property title biz, enough for an apartment on Riverside Drive and a house in the Hamptons. Ira and Carmine are retired. Michelle still looks incredible. And from '68 it was great seeing Lombo, Joe P., Stevie F. and Bobby G, who flew in from California. He was nice enough to buy copies of Adjustments and Rising Star, the latter for his buddy Lombo, with whom he's staying this week. I have a great memory of him in a sandlot church league that wasn't great at the time it occurred. He was a lefty pitcher for Our Lady of Grace. I batted cleanup for St. Mary's - LOL. With runners on, I hit a wicked one hopper that he made a blind stab at and snared. I was so pissed - then. Had the ball gone through the middle, I would probably have forgotten the event. I now laugh every time I think of it - the look on Bobby's face. Despite all that great stuff, the highlight of the night for me was meeting Shirley F.. I did not remember her at all. Even in gazing at her picture in the 1967 Legend this morning I was unable to recall having ever crossed paths with her. There were more than 5000 students at LHS in those days, the height of the baby boom. She was lost among the multitude of other pretty girls. For some reason (envy, jealousy, hangups, who knows?) I never attended any of the shows put on by students, something I deeply regret. She was a big part of them. She went on to become an original member of Dean Martin's Golddiggers. According to the official web site, her time with the group culminated with a trip to Viet Nam (she's my new hero) and the Around the World with Bob Hope tour. She subsequently worked with Gene Kelly in Las Vegas, where she met her husband. While raising their two children, she starred in the Cincinnati Music Theatre production of Irene, performed her dream role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl with the St. James Players of Cincinnati, and appeared in industrial shows and charity benefits. She's been married 48 years. I had the privilege of meeting her lucky husband. Of course I asked her about the aforementioned celebrities, whom she dubbed "Dolls." I was not surprised. I was unable to resist the temptation to ask if she'd ever met Old Blue Eyes. She said: "Sinatra is Sinatra." Here's a pic of her from back in the day:

My thanks to the kind folks who bought books today in Park Slope.

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The Writer's Life 10/27 - What Do We Do Now?

A retired NYPD officer who stops to chat at the floating book shop recommended a film, The Death of Stalin (2017). I watched it last night courtesy of Netflix. It's an imagining of the machinations and backstabbing that went on behind the scenes upon the death of that monster responsible for the murders of so many. It is satire, broad black comedy that probably has little basis in facts but likely nails what the government of the evil empire was like. I doubt all the members of the Central Committee were as base as its head, but that doesn't excuse their behavior any more than a Nazi saying he was only following orders. They went along to get along, to survive, always looking over a shoulder, wondering if he/she would be the next to disappear. Still, they were guilty of high crimes. The dialogue is first rate. No wonder the project attracted such an excellent cast. Jeffrey Tambor steals the show as an ultra careful minister. Simon Russell Beale is outstanding as the ambitious homicidal heir apparent. Rupert Friend scores as Stalin's ego-maniacal drunken son, as do Jason Isaacs as WWII hero General Zhukov, and Michael Palin as a minister, almost unrecognizable from his Monty Python days. And in the role of Nikita Khrushchev, there is the odd casting of Steve Buscemi, who gives the part all he has. No one employs a Russian accent, which bothered me, although it is better than only some using one. Another quibble I have with the flick is that the tone is almost lighthearted despite the horrible proceedings. I didn't laugh once. Most of the violence occurs off-screen, gun shots sounding frequently. I was surprised to discover the piece is based not on a book or play but a comic by Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin, who received screenplay credit along with director Armando Ianucci and two others. Ianucci may be of Italian descent but he is listed as a Scotsman at IMDb. Although his credits are extensive, this was my first encounter with his work. Most of the cast has done a lot of BBC TV. 48,000+ users at IMDb have rated The Death of Stalin, forging to a consensus of 7.2 on a scale of ten. The flick brought in $24 million-plus worldwide. I was unable to find how much it cost to produce. Those offended by profanity and violence should pass, as should Soviet apologists. Conversely, those who hate communism would probably love it. It runs 1:46 and moves briskly. Thanks, Marty. Here's a still: 

I'm disappointed that GDP growth was only 3.5% in the third quarter, although many are celebrating that figure. The economy is definitely doing better than under the previous administrations, but I wonder what will happen once the positive effects of the tax cuts fade. As I've said before, there were blips of solid growth in consecutive quarters during the Obama years. If the fourth, which has the benefit of holiday spending, is not good, I will be even more bummed about the political situation than I am at present. I fear the bomber has ruined any chance of Republicans holding on to the House of Representatives, and I hope he hasn't wiped out the gains projected in the Senate. Even an intelligent op-ed piece by David Harsanyi failed to boost my spirits. In it, he lambastes the phrase "The most important election in history" and cites how many times it has been said going back to 1856. Although I don't know if it's the most important, it's the most interesting, although the bomber may have ruined that aspect.

I've completed the tedious task of taking out the dead air in the file of the novel I will self-publish in January. There was a space after every paragraph. I had to do it manually, as I was unable to figure out how to do it in one shot, although the instructions seemed simple. Anyway, the manuscript shrunk by 33 pages to 352. Since the larger a book is, the more it costs the consumer, I also changed the font from 12 to 11 point. That shrank the count to 304. I'd be surprised if grows, as I've made just about all the additions I'd intended, and I expect to trim it in spots.

Even the scaffold cannot keep out the effects of a Nor'easter. As frustrating as the results of the floating book shop have been lately, I hate being sidelined.

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The Writer's Life 10/16 - An Imbecile, An Activist & An Artist

Cesar Mayoc, 56, is the prime suspect in the mailed bombs. He is a registered Republican and Trump supporter. The damage he has done to the cause will  not be determined until election day. Until then, expect the mainstream media to run with this 24/7.

A man knocked on my door yesterday evening and handed me a flier on the candidate he was touting, a Democrat. I handed it back and said: "Appreciate it but no. Thank you." His jaw dropped as if it were a complete surprise. He gazed at the clipboard he was carrying, and I wondered if my name were on it and how it got there. I've never voted for a Democrat and probably never will now that the party has gone insane collectively. Of course, me being me, I spent the night feeling I'd done something wrong and telling myself I hadn't.

I'm lame when it comes to Italian culture and last night this was manifested in a big way. The Lounge Sound streams standards at itunes. It played Stornelli Amorosi, which I was certain I'd never heard. Released in 1959, it was largely unknown in North America until the appearance of the film Big Night (1996), which I've seen. Listening to the beautiful ballad - which is not operatic - I was certain the singer was female. Wrong. Born in Rome in 1926, Claudio Villa (real name Pica) recorded over 3000 songs, sold 45 million records, and appeared in 25 musicals. He succumbed to a heart attack at 61 in 1987. Here are the lyrics and a line by line translation by someone named Bruno, posted at soundtrackcollector.com. It is followed by an audio clip of the recording:
E' SCRITTO NEL TUO CUORE
It’s written on my heart
IL MIO DESTINO
My destiny (My destiny is written on your heart)
ANCHE SE L'ESISTENZA M'AVVENENO
Even if my existence poisons me
ANCHE SE L'ESISTENZA M'AVVENENO
Even if my existence poisons me
VOGLIO RESTARE SEMPRE A TÈ VICINO
I always want to be close to you
PER QUELLA BOCCA ROSSA
For that red mouth (crimson, ruby lips)
E PROFUMATA
And that scent
CI PERDO VOLENTIERI LA MIA VITA
I voluntarily lose my life
CI PERDO VOLENTIERI LA MIA VITA
I voluntarily lose my life
PER POTER DIRE AL MONDO L'HO BACIATA
To be able to tell the world “I’ve kissed her”
SE TU FOSSI REGINA 
If you were a queen
ED IO REGNANTE
And I king (the reigning king)
TI COLMEREI DI PERLE DELL'ORIENTE
I would lavish you with pearls from the orient (adorn, decorate)
TI COLMEREI DI PERLE DELL'ORIENTE
I would lavish you with pearls from the orient
IN CAMBIO DEL TUO AMORE AFFASCINANTE
In exchange for you fascinating love
SON COSE BELLI IL SOLE COLLA LUNA
Beautiful things are sun and the moon
SARANNO BELLE È PURE LE SIRENE
Mermaids are beautiful and pure (sirens)
SARANNO BELLE È PURE LE SIRENE
Mermaids are beautiful and pure
MA BELLA COME TE NON C’È NESSUNA
But as beautiful as you there are none (there is none)
PERDONA I MIEI SOSPIRI
Forgive my sighs
E I MIEI LAMENTI
And my laments (moaning, weeping)
MA IL CUORE MIO NON VIVE CHE DI I CANTI
But my heart doesn’t live if not for songs (singing of my hopeless love)
IL CUORE MIO NON VIVE CHE DI I CANTI
My heart doesn’t live if not for songs
E IL NOSTRO AMOR LO CANTO A I QUATTRO VENTI
And of our love I will sing to the four winds (for all to hear)
DA QUANDO L’AMOR TUO
From the moment your love
IL CORE M’ACCESSE
Touched my heart (accessed, got a hold of, lighted)
STÒ COLTIVANDO VIOLE, GIGLI E ROSE
I’ve been cultivating violets, lilies and roses (planting, growing)
STÒ COLTIVANDO VIOLE, GIGLI E ROSE
I’ve been cultivating violets, lilies and roses
TI CONDURRÒ AL ALTARE A FINE MESE
I’ll conduct you to the altar at the end of the month (bring, lead)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeXPJn8pYeM&list=RDHeXPJn8pYeM&start_radio=1&t=0
And here's a pic of the singer/songwriter.actor:

My thanks to the gentleman who purchased a lovely pictorial on cats, and to the woman who bought a book in Russian; and to Bad News Billy, who selected 100 Ways to Live to 100 by Charles Inlander; and to Lou, who helped the time pass by schmoozing with yours truly.

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The Writer's Life 10/25 - Creativity

I hardly ever glean anything from Cindy Adams' gossip column in the NY Post. Today she closes with a gem, graffiti seen on Queens Boulevard: "Political pros don't grow on trees. They swing from them." Her closing tag has always been: "Only in New York, kids, only in New York." Unfortunately, I was unable to find a pic of the quote on the web.

From Fox News, in my own words: Jack Devaney, 24, has an interesting livelihood. The British taxidermist makes earrings and refrigerator magnets out of dead mice. He has also made a toaster out of a rabbit, and has used intestines to make key rings. The earrings are selling for the equivalent of $15.50 American. Here are examples of his work:

My thanks to the woman who bought three romance novels in Russian, the only sale of the session. About a year ago, Lev donated approximately 400 books, 300 of them in Russian. I had about six left, two on pregnancy and four sci-fi, when a woman donated seven as I was closing shop. That part of the inventory needed variety. My thanks.

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The Writer's Life 10/24 - Postings

Suspicious packages have been mailed to liberals - let the rush to judgment begin.

There's a fun article by Joe Tacopino in today's NY Post. Here are excerpts, edited by yours truly: Scientists have announced the discovery of the world’s oldest intact shipwreck — a 2400-year-old Greek trading vessel resting more than a mile below the surface of the Black Sea. Roughly 75 feet long, it was found about 50 miles off the coast of Bulgaria. It dates back to about 400 BC. Remarkably, it has defied decay because of a geological quirk of the Black Sea that creates pockets of oxygen-deprived water inhospitable to the microorganisms that normally munch on shipwrecks. The boat likely held 15 to 25 sailors. No bodies have been found. They may be buried under sediment or have decayed over time. The Archeology Project doesn’t yet have the money to crack open the wreckage and catalog its treasures. I'm sure the funds will quickly be found. Here's a pic, followed by a map of the area:

Also in the Post, reworded by YT: Here are troubling stats from a brief blurb: While deaths from opioid overdose fell 2.7% in the twelve month period through March, cocaine related deaths soared 22% (14,205) nationwide. Despite the drop in opioid OD's, 46,665 people died in that manner in the time frame.

And in an article highlighting Democrats who are running for office unopposed in the liberal enclave that is NYC, here's a fact that might make one laugh, weep, or do both at once: Queens Rep. Gregory Meeks has no challenger despite the fact that he has repeatedly been voted "one of the most corrupt members of Congress" by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

My thanks to the gentleman who bought Hustle: The Myth, Life, and Lies of Pete Rose by Michael Sokolove, Inside the F.B.I by Norman Ollestad, a former agent, and Pet Sematary by Stephen King; and to the other, who purchased a book on dogs and Star Trek: The Eugenics War, which has a picture of Khan/Montalban on the cover; and to the local home attendant who selected Slow Cookers, for which I would never have patience. I enjoyed my usual Wednesday fare, chicken over rice and vegetables from Waj's food truck. As far as I'm concerned, the best cooking is done by someone other than me.

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The Writer's Life 10/23 - Comings & Goings

A new edition of Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls will include three rarely seen short stories: The Monument, Indian Country and the White Army, and A Room on the Garden Side. The latter was published during the summer in The Strand Magazine, which is a revival of a famous British publication that ran from 1891 to 1950. Based in Birmingham, Michigan, it began in 1998 as a quarterly. It has published the fiction of the likes of John Mortimer, Ray Bradbury, Alexander McCall Smith, Ruth Rendell, Colin Dexter, Edward Hoch, James Grippando, and Tennessee Williams. (Facts from Wiki) For Whom the Bell Tolls plays a large part in my novel Five Cents. The protagonist chooses it for his Masters explication. Not only is it a great book, it's a clinic on the corroboration of theme. Here's of a pic a first edition copy and its inscription, valued as follows according to modernfirsteditions.net: Very Good $500-$700, Fine $2000-$2500. Signed copies generally sell for between $5000 to $16000 depending on the importance of the inscription.

I couldn't resist this one from the NY Post's Weird But True column, reworded by yours truly. A Kansas man accused of car theft was released from a Topeka jail and proceeded to immediately swipe a car from its parking lot. The brazen act was caught on security cams. He was re-arrested hours later. Is it a lack of impulse control or a desire for months of free room and board? Who knows how some people think?

With the midterm election polls seemingly having turned against them, do you get the feeling the left is hoping there will be bloodshed at the border and that President Trump will be blamed for it? These are scary times.

My strategy of using Google Docs to edit the file of the novel I hope to self-publish in January has worked out for the most part. Only one problem has emerged so far. There is a space after each paragraph, which adds unnecessary length. It looks like I will have to close each manually. When I tried to do it as a whole, it didn't work, despite the simple instructions. It's always something.

My thanks to the gentleman who purchased Lucy & Desi: The Legendary Love Story of Television's Most Famous Couple by Warren G. Harris, and to Ira, who bought Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff, a book on healthy living, and a beautiful pictorial on the space program. I received donations on three fronts, at least 50 books. The inventory has reached another all-time high, and more is expected tomorrow. My constant benefactress showed up with about 20 works of non-fiction, each marketable; Marie dropped off seven just as good; and the guy facing eviction dropped off another big bag's worth, of which I left about ten in the lobby of the co-opp. His latest job feeler didn't pan out. Bummer.

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The Writer's Life 10/22 - Bling, Blang, Blung

While I don't ignore modern pop culture, a lot of it eludes me, as fascinating as it often is. This morning I learned there are vending machines that dispense jewelry. A brief item in the NY Post informs of a robbery of one at a Brooklyn hotel. The thief used bogus credit cards. The machine carried locket necklaces and silver link chains ranging in price from $165 to $1588 - when you just got to have some new bling. Here's a pic - as far as I know, it's not the one that was hit:

According to ESPN Stats and Info, Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens has been the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He'd made all 78 of his field-goal attempts from 33 yards or less in his career. He'd never missed an extra point. That adds up to 300 straight conversions from 33 yards or less. So yesterday when his team scored with 24 seconds left in its game with New Orleans, OT seemed a lock. He missed, sending shock waves throughout pro football. I was unable to find definitive stats on overall extra point percentage in 2018, but in watching highlights of games on youtube it seems an awful lot have been errant. The league added a lot of drama when it increased the distance in 2015. It was a great move. 

Good thing I broke out my heavy coat, as the brilliant sunshine the weatherman predicted didn't materialize. My thanks to the gentleman who bought Tom Stoppard's Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and to Boston-born Barry, who, giddy about the Sox and Patriots, overcompensated me for Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums and the Evergreen Review Reader, a collection of pieces, many by Beat Generation writers, published in the literary magazine from 1957-'67. Founded by Barney Rossett, publisher of Grove Press, it continued until 1973 and included the work, besides Beat authors, of the likes of Jean-Paul Sartre, Samuel Beckett, Jorge Luis Borges, Albert Camus, Bertolt Brecht, LeRoi Jones. Jean Genet, Günter Grass, Harold Pinter, Susan Sontag, Tom Stoppard, Derek Walcott, Malcolm X, Norman Mailer, Henry Miller, Pablo Neruda, Vladimir Nabokov, Edward Albee and Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas. Michael O'Donoghue of SNL fame was one of its illustrators. The zine was  revived in 1998 in a web edition edited by founder Barney Rosset and his wife Astrid Myers. The online version ceased publication in 2013 and was revived in March 2017 by John Oakes as publisher and Dale Peck as editor-in-chief. (Facts from Wiki)

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The Writer's Life 10/21 - Whoa Nellie

Three facts in today's NY Post grabbed my attention, although none was a big surprise. Analysts have found that 25% of NYC job applicants have failed drug tests. It's not surprising because our society has become more lenient regarding usage... Florida and NY have similar populations. The budget of the former is $88 billion, the latter $168 billion. It's not surprising because liberals have a stranglehold on Empire State politics... NYC worker compensation payouts have increased 109% since 2008. It's not surprising because so many people are looking to cash in... And here's the end quote from Richard Johnson's gossip column, which sort of fits the narrative. It's by Bruce Littlefield: "It appears that the only ones not living beyond their means are homeless people."

From the Post's Weird But True column, reworded by yours truly: 100 years ago an Englishman, Vic Stead, got creative to convince his girlfriend, Nellie, to marry him. He joined two trees into the shape of an N. It worked. The site has since become popular for marriage proposals. Locals refer to it as the "Love Tree." That beech has now been named Tree of the Year. Here's a pic: 

After an opening day loss to Notre Dame, which is undefeated, many in the sports media, including me, speculated that University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh would be fired in season. Since then, the Wolverines have won six in a row in convincing fashion. The question now is whether a fourth straight loss to arch-rival Ohio St. will doom him.

From Yahoo Sports, edited by YT: Last night Denver Nuggets' forward Nikola Jokic, 23, led his team to victory with a near flawless performance: 35 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists. The 6-10 Serbian was 11-for-11 from the field, had zero turnovers, and added three steals and a blocked shot. His only blemish was a missed free throw. He was 10-for-11 from the line. The triple-double puts him in rare company. The only player to have one of more than 30 points and no missed field goals was Wilt Chamberlain. As kids say: "He's no joke." Kudos.

Also from YS: Army beat Miami of Ohio 31-30, improving to 5-2. The Cadets scored all those points without benefit of a completed pass! They attempted only two. Their offense is based on the triple option, which they use because no QB with pro potential is going to enroll at West Point, where a hitch in the Army follows graduation.

My thanks to the elderly woman who bought a book in Russian, the only sale on this blustery day.

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The Writer's Life 10/20 - 200 Years Old

Looking for something to do in NYC? There's a cool exhibition at the Morgan Library & Museum: It's Alive, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus at 200. The full title of the novel is rarely used. In Greek mythology, Prometheus was the Titan who created mankind at the behest of Zeus. Published in 1818 when Shelley was 21, it's estimated that the author's creation has sold between 80 and 100 million copies worldwide, and it has been reinterpreted by movie folks umpteen times. The museum is located at Madison Avenue & E. 36th Street. The hours are: Tuesday through Thursday: 10:30-5 ; Friday: 10:30-9; Saturday: 10- 6; Sunday: 1-6. Closed Mondays. Admission: $20 Adults, $13 Seniors (65 and over), $13 Students (with current ID). Free to members, and to children 12 and under, who must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is free on Fridays from 7 PM to 9 PM. The exhibit will run through January 27th. Here's what the outside of the place looks like:

And here are examples of what's available inside. First, a lithograph poster of the 1931 movie classic directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff and Colin Clive:

And here's the cover of a comic from 1910:

My thanks to the elderly woman who bought a paperback romance by Susan Mallery, and to Bay 37th alum Lorraine, who purchased Dean Koontz's Dragon Tears; and to the lovely woman who selected Phillip Margolin's After Dark; and to the young Chase employee who upon leaving work spotted Jerry Seinfeld's Seinlanguage.

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The Writer's Life 10/19 - Bath Avenue Then & Now

Memories are bittersweet, running the gamut of emotions. For the most part, I'm not one who believes the past was better than the present. This morning while working on the novel I will self publish in January, I came upon a passage about a regular past occurrence, a fond memory followed by a sad one. The time is 1980. The four people involved, three adults and a child, have just gotten off the Cyclone, the famous Coney Island rollercoaster:

  "Do they still have the fireworks Monday nights," said John.
  "I don't think so," said his wife. "We'd hear them."
  "Remember that? I wish ya coulda seen it, Joey. People'd be standin' at the corner on Grandma's block, eatin' spumoni an' Italian ices, lookin' over the roof of the bus terminal. There was a candy store there then. Ya could see people up an' down Bath Avenue under the streetlights. The fireworks were far away, but ya could see 'im 'cause there were no apartment buildings in the way back then. An' the noise!"
  "Was it your mother who was afraid of it, Vin?" said Patty.
  "My mother and sister. It reminded them of the war, the bombing of Messina. God, it's great remembering this stuff."
  For the first time in his life he realized the terror his mother and sister must have suffered. He'd always reacted to the story as if it were no big deal. How easy he'd had it growing up compared to so many. How dare he ever feel sorry for himself.

Here's a pic of the corner mentioned, where Bay 37th St meets Bath Av.. The houses were not built until sometime in the '60's It was a vacant lot back in the day:

The NBA has taken a step in the right direction, offering 18-year-olds, who are ineligible for its draft, $125,000 to play in its developmental league. This should eliminate the campus presence of a lot of kids who have no business in college.

My thanks to the young woman who bought thrillers by Tom Clancy and Barbara Michaels, and to the other who purchased a sci-fi novel; and to Janet, who selected Hoyle's Rules of Games and Escaping the Holocaust by Julian Padowicz, issued by Scholastic books. Although she is of Polish descent, she did not know that the Nazis overran Poland in 1939, the official start of WWII. In this case, the fault of her lack of knowledge cannot be attributed to the educational system, as she was a dropout. She's 25 but looks 40. She once told me she was bullied in high school. I wonder what percentage of high school grads knows that simple historical fact.

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The Writer's Life 10/18 - The Return

With the temperature in the 40's and a strong wind blowing along Avenue Z, it would have been dumb to set up shop at my usual nook under the scaffold, in the shade that's so advantageous in warm weather. I needed to be standing in the sunshine, so I headed to Bay Parkway. I encountered a problem there. There is space for four to five cars in front of the Chase bank. The first 20 yards has mailboxes and a large trash barrel curbside, which makes setting up the display problematic. That leaves three to four spots. Today they were occupied by three large SUV's. I waited about a half hour. Since each vehicle had its driver side rear-view mirror folded in, I suspected the owners wouldn't show for a while. They must have fed the meter the maximum amount. The last spot across the way was open. I didn't want to make a U-Turn and back into it, so I decided to drive up to 86th Street, make a right, then another at 21st Avenue, and one more at 85th Street. I expected the spot to be taken by the time I got to it. Fortunately, it wasn't. And that later proved fortuitous when a dream customer bought seven sci-fi novels in Russian. Thank you, sir, and also to the gentleman who purchased a collection of classic poetry, and to the eagle-eyed young woman who doubled back for a paperback of Three Short Novels by Joseph Conrad. And the luck didn't end there. A huge white van parked about 20 yards into 85th Street. The driver waved. I assumed it was a Meals on Wheels employee I frequently encounter in Sheepshead Bay. To my surprise and joy, it was Occupy Jack, whom I hadn't seen in months. He recently returned from a 13-state swing of the midwest, where he set up shop weekends, selling his self-made posters and T-shirts. Although he had to pay a fee of $25 for each session, he did okay, enough for gas and food. He slept in the van. Other areas of the country are not like NYC, where guys like us can get away with hawking wares on the sidewalk as long as we stay away from commercial areas. He's back in town, he said, to keep an eye on the election, to see if any voting shenanigans occur. His home base these days is Florida, where he finds the conditions very tough for outdoor sales, as it is always hot. He is a one-of-kind-maverick, independent, without health insurance. Although he's a Socialist, he supports Donald Trump. I miss not seeing him regularly. He'd often gone on beer-fueled verbal jags that had me in stitches. I found two pictures online of him holding up a sign at a demonstration. Unfortunately, each was plastered with a copyright warning from Getty Images. To my chagrin, I don't recall the title of his website. Here's a pic of how the one cop who hassled me in the past ten years said a sidewalk display should be set up, tables, no boxes. I guess I'm just a hardcore criminal.

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The Writer's Life 10/17 - Personages

How disappointing that President Trump resorted to name-calling in his battle with Stormy Daniels. He had her down on the mat - metaphorically speaking. She won this latest round.

Artist Jeffrey Koons creates balloons worth moons. Here's one that sold for $58.4 million:

An article in the NY Post informs that personal items of Marilyn Monroe will soon be auctioned. One is a Jewish prayer book. She converted before marrying playwright Arthur Miller. The opening bid is $4600. It is expected to fetch as much as $12,000. Here's a pic. The address is the temple at which Miller worshiped:

From the Post's Weird But True column, edited by yours truly: Preston Edwards tends goal for London's Dulwich Hamlet FC, which is in the sixth tier of English football. During a recent match there was an announcement that a car faced towing. It belonged to Edwards. Fans began shouting: "... move your car... move your car." A fan moved it for him.

A literary problem was solved during my morning walk. At one point in the novel I plan to self-publish in January, the woman learns her lover is a guitarist and asks him to play a song. I left it unnamed. Somehow I got to thinking of Joni Mitchell and it occurred to me to use Help Me, a natural fit because of the line: "We love our lovin' but not like we love our freedom." And it lent more fodder for the blurb, to which I will add: "Can a person love and be free?"

My thanks to the gentleman who purchased three books, among them The Gulag Archipelago by Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Souls on Fire by Elie Wiesel; and to the sweet elderly woman who bought bios of Moshe Dayan and the young Golda Meir, which she plans to donate to a shul; and to the Frenchman, who chose a collection of six short American novels... Just about every day the floating book shop is passed by the new owner of the Chinese bakery from which I buy two hot dog buns each Wednesday. He always says hi. I think he feels sorry for me. This morning he included a mini pastry to my purchase at no charge. Xie xie ni, sir.

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The Writer's Life 10/16 - Karma & Irony

A short NY Post article had me chuckling. A federal judge has tossed a defamation suit brought by Stormy Daniels against the President - and ordered her to pay Trump's legal fees. The case stemmed from Daniels' claim of being threatened on behalf of Trump, and the composite sketch of the man who allegedly confronted her. In a Tweet, Trump dubbed it "a total con job." The judge deemed that normal discourse. This morning radio talk show host Mark Simone weighed in on the issue, noting the irony that those who contributed to Daniels' GoFundMe account are now, in effect, giving that money to Trump. Karma. Hilarious. I doubt this is the end of the sage, though.

From Yahoo's Odd News, edited by yours truly: A 47-year-old Massachusetts man who went by the nicknames Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Man has pleaded guilty to 60 charges stemming from a string of thefts of ATMs. He faces eight to twelve years in prison. More than $300,000 in goods and cash were stolen in four states. Authorities dubbed the investigation Operation Golden Ticket in reference to the pass needed to gain entry into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

There's an interesting op-ed piece by Joe Nocera in today's Post. It's about the demise of Sears and the creative destruction of capitalism. To illustrate his point, he cites the original Fortune 500 list. 90% of the once powerful companies on it no longer exist. As Sears has been supplanted by Walmart and other companies, someday the latter may also be on the losing end.

For the third straight session the floating book shop had only one customer. My thanks to Ira, who bought a history of the I Love Lucy show and an instructional on casino gambling; and to my constant benefactress, who donated about 20 works of marketable non-fiction and one novel. Tomorrow's customer will have a lot of great stuff to choose from.

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The Writer's Life 10/15 - Found Money

It's a TV staple, usually in crime shows - valuable stuff found in a storage unit. It happens in real life too. A Manhattan gallery owner took a chance, acquiring the contents of one in New Jersey for $15,000 - and hit the jackpot. It belonged to a woman who passed away in 2009. She'd inherited the stuff from her husband, an art conservator. Inside were a cache of paintings by famous artists, including Dutch abstract expressionist Willem de Kooning, and Swiss/German Paul Klee, simply an expressionist. de K's Untitled XXIII recently sold for a million bucks, a second of his works brought in 60 G's. Klee's Vorhang 129 went for a measly $26,000. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a pic of it. Here's the big winner:

NFL: If Pittsburgh spotted Cincinnati 21 points, the Bengals would still find a way to lose. Bettors must have made a tidy sum on that matchup the past five years or so... Wonder if Jon Gruden regrets having left the easy money of the broadcast booth to coach the Raiders. What the heck's happened to that team, which seemed on the verge of greatness a year-and-a-half ago?... All those who thought New England was finally in decline have had their hopes crushed... The Chargers seem to have finally shed their yearly early season doldrums... After last season's stellar campaign, the Jaguars appear to be in complete collapse... J-E-T-S - Jets! Jets! Jets! Fans finally have hope.

From Yahoo Sports: Mike Scioscia managed the Angels for 19 years. Candidates to succeed him will face a two-hour written exam that tests analytical, interpersonal and game-management aspects of the job. I can't help but wonder how someone like Billy Martin would have reacted to this. Will an A+ insure wins? I doubt it, but big money is at stake and management obviously wants to do all it can to find the right man. The media grades them, often harshly.

Here's a puzzle only residents of Sheepshead Bay may solve. The bus shelter pictured below is near where I set up shop each day. It will soon undergo repairs. I noticed an oddity involving the yellow tape. Don't rack your brains trying to figure it out. I don't know if abstract is the right word, but it's along those lines. Answer below:

The alternative language used is Spanish -  Cuidado. In this area, it should be Russian. 

The floating book shop was again saved by the scaffold, which easily kept out the light rain. The returns were paltry but nonetheless found money. My thanks to the guy who calls me Irv, who segued from the liquor store, which he visits each day, and bought three more sci-fi paperbacks.

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The Writer's Life 10/14 - Thunder

In a fun article in today's NY Post, Reed Tucker touts a new book on the origin of popular phrases: Watch Your Tongue: What Our Everyday Sayings and Idioms Figuratively Mean by Mark Abley. Of the eight examples he highlights in the piece, the following is my favorite: In 1709 London playwright John Dennis came up with an innovative way to mimic thunder in his production Appius and Virginia. The show folded quickly. The author was later startled to find his technique used in a production of Macbeth. Allegedly, he said: “Damn them. They will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder.” (Edited by yours truly.)

A Post blurb about the results of a poll shows that most Americans don't share the paranoia of many environmental zealots. 84% believe the air quality is good. 86% believe the same about water. I don't doubt that drinking water is safe. I'm more concerned about what it picks up in the pipes, many of them decades old, that deliver it. That's why I don't drink from the tap, although I wash dishes and rinse my mouth with it - after letting it run a while.

I took the show to Park Slope today and the results were disappointing, not clearing nearly enough room for this week's expected donations. My thanks to the young man who bought three pictorials on the work of specific photographers. One was Alfred Kane, who often shot celebrities. He passed away in 1995 at 69. Here's one of his pics:

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The Writer's Life 10/13 - Brilliance

Except for certain scenes here and there, most movies are not worth a full second look except to cinephiles and those in the business. In Bruges (2008) is an exception. Martin McDonagh wrote and directed this exceptional downbeat crime drama, leavening it with occasional humor. It is the story of two hitmen sent to the Belgian city, pronounced Broogs, that has preserved its medieval look. They are portrayed brilliantly by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, and are matched by Ralph Fiennes as their angry boss. The dialogue is first rate, perhaps too clever at times for such characters, but that's what writers, including myself, do. It is not an action film, although it contains violence. It is an examination of criminal mentality geared to adults. 350,000+ users at IMDb have rated it, forging to a consensus of 7.9 on a scale of ten. I would go higher. Although it was not a box office smash, it was financially successful, returning $33 million worldwide on a budget of $15 million. I bet it has raked in loads of cash in DVD rentals and sales, and streaming. Those offended by profane dialogue, political incorrectness, and bloodletting should pass. McDonagh does not have an extensive resume. He has directed only three full length films. I look forward to Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), which was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and soon should be arriving in my mailbox, and I've added Seven Psychopaths (2012) to my Netflix list. This Londoner seems a major talent. Here's a still from In Bruges:

RIP NFL Hall of Fame FB Jim Taylor, 83, who played for the Packers during the Vince Lombardi era. He was a member of four championship teams with Green Bay, including the first two Super Bowls. In five straight seasons, 1961-'64, he gained more than a thousand yards, leading the league in '62. In nine seasons, the last with the Saints, he averaged 4.4 yards per carry and had 83 TD's. Awesome, sir.

My thanks to Monsey, who bought Symptoms: The Book That Answers The Questions: Am I Sick? Is It Serious? Should I Call My Doctor? by Isadore Rosenfeld M.D., and Dealing With People You Can't Stand by Rick Brinkman and Rick Kirschner; and to Sasha, who selected two books from the Young Adult section with the approval of her grandma, who chose Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain and Alexander Solzhenitsyn's The Gulag Archipelago; and to the woman who purchased Danielle Steel's Answered Prayers; and to the elderly woman in the company of her attendant, who picked out three books from the Russian sector; and to the woman who bought Philippa's Gregory's The Queen's Fool and The Other Boleyn Girl. This put a little dent in the inventory. I hope tomorrow's session will make more room for the deluge I'm expecting beginning Monday.

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The Writer's Life 10/12 - Minor Matters

I consider my computer skills to be a bit above intermediate, but sometimes I wonder if I'm giving myself too much credit. I transferred a copy of the PDF file of my next novel to google docs, hoping I'd be able to edit there without any of the problems I've been having with Word. The transfer wasn't perfect but has been easily amended so far, as I experimented with the title page and the About the Author blurb. One aspect troubled me. There was no down arrow on the page. Clicking bit by bit on the side was taking me past the desired point. I searched the FAQ's for help and, sure enough, the solution was simple - the down arrow on the keyboard. Duh! I'm so encouraged I have to fight to not to begin the next phase immediately. I think it's best not to rush.

Amazon is merging Create Space with KDP, which previously handled only Kindle books. I made the transfer last night. One aspect puzzles me. I was told to select distribution channels and didn't find anything on either site to address the issue, even after entering the phrase in each search box. I sent out an email but have yet to receive a response. I bet they're being bombarded by people like me at present.

I visited the doctor this morning. Good news: my cholesterol is 225, not high enough to warrant medication. Bad news: I'm 180, five pounds overweight. Smaller portions on tap, especially of my dinner time soda fix. Everything else is fine. I have the paperwork to set up the dreaded colonoscopy, which I will schedule for winter.

Since I was in Bensonhurst, I set up shop on Bay Parkway, which enabled me to dodge any book donations that may have come at my usual nook. I'm way overstocked. My thanks to the gentleman who bought five thrillers in Russian, and to the woman who selected another; and to the woman who purchased Nora Roberts' Hot Ice and another novel; and to Mr. Conspiracy, who purchased a book on the basics of electricity. I hope he doesn't short out his whole house.

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The Writer's Life 10/11 - Squeeze 'em

In The Godfather Part II (1974) Nevada Senator Geary says to Michael 
Corleone: "I intend to squeeze you." As everyone knows, a lot of that 
happens in every walk of life.

If anyone needed any more proof that America was wise to pull out of the 
Paris Climate Accord, Stephen Moore provides it in an op-ed piece in
today's NY Post. Here's a summary: In 2017 the country that reduced its 
greenhouse-gas emissions the most wasn’t Canada or Britain or Germany 
or Australia or France. It was the USA. That’s right — the one country that 
pulled out of the phony Paris Climate Accord reduced its carbon emissions 
by 0.5%, the most of all major countries. President Trump predicted other 
nations would cheat and all the costs would fall on the U.S.. He was right. 
According to a 2018 report from Climate Action Network Europe, “All EU 
counties are failing to increase their climate action in line with the Paris 
Agreement goal.” Only five of the 25 major nations have even managed to 
reach 50% of their pollution-reduction promise. Moore concludes the piece 
with: "If we have to depend on the United Nations and global politicians, the 
planet really is doomed." Amen. 

Here's a telling headline from Yahoo Sports about a budding superstar 
3B: "Kris Bryant turned down $200M extension from Cubs." What a 
country.

The scaffold did the trick again today for the big squeeze that is the 
floating book shop. While the side at the curb got wet, the one close 
to the building stayed dry. My thanks to the woman who bought a 
thriller in Russian early in the session, which I was sure would be the 
only sale; and to the gentleman who pulled up on his bike and found 
three to his liking from that same box; and to the guy who calls me Irv, 
who purchased an entry in Dee Henderson's sci-fi The Protector series; 
and to the guy who donated his fourth large bag of books this week, 
which included a lot of marketable paperbacks and non-fiction; and to 
Barry, who overcompensated me for two from that batch, a collection of 
short stories by Jewish writers and Yiddish Wisdom: Yiddishe Chochma 
by Kristina Swarner.

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