songbird's crazy world

I was invited to a really nice business function.  The firm rented a suite at Citi Field for the Mets-Marlins game last night. Got to see the Seaver statue when we arrived. Suites are above field level, just below the second deck.  There are seats in the front so you can watch the game, and a room behind the seats where you can serve food, socialize, etc.  Each suite has a television monitor, so you can watch the game as it is presented on SNY (or whatever network is covering the game that night), and there are space heaters built into the ceiling over the seats to keep you warm on a chilly night. Our view    Don’t we have great mascots? We were directly across from the Coke Corner    Citi Field, as you may recall, is thisclose to LaGuardia Airport.  Every 90 seconds another plane flew over the Coca Cola sign.  I wasn’t able to get a photo this time, but here are pictures of the planes from 2019.       Last night’s game tu...

 

Today’s ear worm  This version talks about all the traditions of the holiday. Tonight begins the observance of Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year.   Unlike the secular New Year, Rosh HaShanah is a solemn, contemplative holiday, part of the High Holy Days, observed with prayer and introspection. On Rosh HaShanah it is written, on Yom Kippur it is sealed. We are taught that on Rosh HaShanah, G-d determines who shall live another year, and who  shall die before the year is out. What fate awaits each of us in the coming year?   We ask G-d to write our names in the Book of Life and we pray that G-d preserves us in life for another year.  On Yom Kippur we atone for our sins through fasting and prayer.  Our fate is sealed on Yom Kippur. Rosh HaShanah means a family feast.  It means candles on the table, and wine, and a round challah to symbolize the unending circle of life.  We dip apples in honey for a sweet new year.  We go to synagogue...

 My term as a potential juror is over.  And I never set foot in the courthouse,

I was working from home yesterday when I heard the sound of fighter jets overhead.  It was a bit nerve-wracking. It’s not the first time there were fighter jets over this neighborhood.  I’m just a few miles from Jones Beach, where the annual Memorial Day air show always features either the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds, it’s common for a jet to fly over my head during the dress rehearsal or the show. And then, of course, there was the Covid-19 flyover, in April 2020, where both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds honored the medical community with a flyover from one end of Long Island to the other. But there was no planned air show yesterday. No flyby. So when I heard jets overhead yesterday — and I know the difference between fighter jets and commercial airliners — I was concerned.  Turned on the tv, flipped through various news channels … The UN General Assembly is meeting this week.  World leaders have gathered in NYC for the occasion, as they do every year. ...

 Yeah, I’m a bit obsessed. But today isn’t about my beloved Mets. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that other NYC team. Yeah, the Yankees are also having a phenomenal season.  They lead their division.  They haven’t clinched yet, but it’s almost certain they will have a berth in the post season.   Echoes of the year 2000?  Remember, that was when the World Series was played entirely in NYC.  Then-Mayor Giuliani was beside himself with glee, dividing his time between the old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and Shea Stadium in Queens.   We called it the Subway Series, because you could take the #7 train to Shea or the #4 up to the Bronx. I bought a t shirt for my father.  It looked something like this.    Well, we will find out in the coming weeks if we will see a repeat performance.  I would love an all-NYC World Series.  It the Yankees have a more immediate reason to celebrate:  Aaron Judge. Last night Judge hit a home ru...

 Happy fan here, the Mets have clinched a playoff berth.

 Family stuff going on right now.  Change isn’t always good.

 And today’s theme? In honor of Better Breakfast month, a musical acrostic: songs that spell out “breakfast.” Ok, I’m game. B — Bennie and the Jets    R —  Riders on the Storm   E —  Eyes Without a Face  A — Angie    K— Kokomo    F - Fame   A — All My Loving She’d Rather Be With Me   T— Temptation Eyes

 I do it every year.  I tell myself I won’t, but then … I get sucked into some documentary about 9/11.   I wasn’t in Manhattan on 9/11, I wasn’t supposed to be in Manhattan that day.  I’d recently landed a job on Long Island, and was driving to my office when the second plane hit.  But I’d spent most of my career in lower Manhattan, or commuting through lower Manhattan to Jersey City, New Jersey.  So I knew a lot of people who were at or near Ground Zero that day.  I knew two people who died in the towers (though I didn’t know them well) and I have two very good friends who came home covered in dust.   So when I watch a documentary, I see very familiar streets, and I look at the crowds to see if there are people I  know. And last night’s documentary brought back another memory. I work in the insurance industry.  Half of the insurance companies in the world do business in NYC, and many of them had offices in or near the Trade Center. ...

 How about some hits from The Cars?              

So…a story about my mother. When my parents were planning their vacation to Italy, my mother decided she wanted to learn Italian.  She never mastered the language, but she did pick up some words and phrases. She discovered that in Italy, most people don’t say “hello” when they answer the phone.  Instead, they say “pronto!” So she practiced answering the phone.  “Pronto!”   She practiced and practiced. “Pronto!” We got tired of hearing the word,  “Pronto!” And then they were in Italy.  They checked into their hotel.  And the phone  rang. Her moment had come.  She reached for the phone, picked up the receiver…and said “Hello.”

 I have been summoned to jury duty next week. In the New York State court system,  that means I am on standby.  I have been given a juror identification number. Every night I have to either call the court or check the court’s website to see if I have to report to the courthouse the following day. If my number is called, I have to report to the courthouse.  If it is not called, I get credit for serving even though I’ve never left my house. It’s a much better system than having throngs of potential jurors waste time in the bowels of the  courthouse when there is no need for them to serve. Years ago, lawyers were exempt from serving jury duty.  But that changed in the 1990’s, and so I must serve, just like everyone else, if my number is called.  But no one is ever going to choose me to be on a jury. The very first time I was called for jury duty was in the 90’s …I didn’t have to report…until the very last day of my service period … a Friday. There were fo...

So the other day, a miracle (of sorts) happened.  I had an appointment with my doctor.  I arrived on time.  The receptionist checked me in, and told me to have a seat in the waiting room.  But before I had a chance to sit down, the nurse called my name and brought me to the examining room! Afterwards, I drove over to Wantagh Park.  I love sitting by the water.  I’d brought  my lunch with me  — a can of tuna salad and some crackers.  I only ate half of the tuna salad, the rest was stolen.  When that yellow jacket landed on the can and crawled inside, I figured he could have whatever he wanted. I go to that park frequently, sometimes alone, sometimes with my friend J.  J told me she likes to feed the swans at the park, but I’ve never seen any swans.  Just seagulls, terns, geese … even  parrots .  But no swans. Until last week.  Then I saw 8 swans.  Yes, 8. They are beautiful birds, aren’t they?

 More sad news. Drew had his annual Labor Day barbecue Sunday.  His aunt and uncle were supposed to attend, but his uncle wasn’t feeling well.  Monday morning Drew’s aunt called, very upset.  Uncle was feeling worse, much worse. He passed away Monday afternoon.

 And today this baseball-obsessed Mets fan will talk about the intersection of music and baseball.  A few days ago I posted a video, without further explanation.  Today I re-post that video, but now I will explain. There are certain rituals at every baseball stadium. The game starts with the singing of the national anthem and a ceremonial first pitch.  The crowd sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch.  The team mascot entertains.   And then there is the music.  Bits and pieces of songs played to rev up the crowd.  Randomly selected songs, except … Whenever a member of the home team comes up to bat, the “walk up” song he’s chosen for himself is played.  Similarly, when a relief pitcher enters the game, his “walk out” music is played as he makes his way from the bullpen to the mound. In the fall of 2017, the duo Blasterjaxx and collaborator Timmy Trumpet recorded a piece called “Narco”. The following spring, pitcher E...

 A meteorologist will tell you that today, September 1, is the first day of fall.  An astronomer will tell you to wait for the autumn equinox, September 22.  As a kid I’d think that Labor Day was the last day of summer, since our school year usually began the Wednesday after Labor Day. The stores are full of fall merchandise, and you can get pumpkin spice lattes at the coffee shop, but … well, the weather still says “summer”.  And I don’t expect to feel an autumn chill until …well, until October. When do you think it’s really fall?