The "Before Fulton Theatre saved, he went there for movies!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article posted in Lancaster newspaper's "I Know A Story" column.  The story was titled "Before Fulton Theatre saved, he went there for movies."  The story was submitted by Robert A. Martin.  It began with ..... In the 1950s, the Fulton Theatre was on its last legs.  Some people were ready to tear it down.  I went there as a boy to see old B-movie reissues.  For a quarter I watched Westerns with second-stringer heroes who didn't sing.  I saw 10-cent Saturday matinees with single episodes from old serials, and I occasionally watched imported "art cinema," with subtitled dialog and titillating flashes of female flesh.  There was a no-name soda machine in the lobby, which might have sold you a drink if you had the skill to hold the cup upright.  There was also a loud machine that dispensed the oldest popcorn in Lancaster, and a concession stand that sold petrified candy, if you could find the attendant.  Even as run-down as the place was, I thought it was a cool place that just needed a good cleaning and touch-up.  Boy, was I naive about how much that would take.  After graduating from McCaskey High School, I volunteered as a stagehand with several local theater groups, and we tried to keep the theater going by doing live shows.  Thank heaven the right people with enough money and influence were able to save this great, historic gem.  It came very close to becoming just another patch of black asphalt on the landscape, another victim of "urban renewal," which wouldn't have stopped downtown's slide anyway.  Its unique history would have been lost forever.  Well, I am pleased to report that the Fulton Theatre, now known as the Fulton Opera House, is still intact today!  It is actually one of the finest buildings on the 1st block of North Prince St.  I am so glad that they saved the building, since it is one of the most historical buildings in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I used to take Polaroid photos of various inside and outside locations of the Fulton so I could alter the polaroid to make it look like an old-time photograph or painting.  The owner of the Fulton would use the polaroids as gifts for the retiring members of the board of directors of the Fulton Opera House.  To this day, the Fulton still remains one of the best preserved buildings in downtown Lancaster.  I love to drive past it and view what is on the display board.  I want to thank everyone who worked to save this beautiful historical gem located right along the middle of downtown Lancaster.

One of my altered Polaroid prints

The "Sen. John Fetterman Calls For Creation of Mental Health Commission" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a bit more about one of Pennsylvania's Senators, John Fetterman.  Sen. Fetterman was born August 15, 1969 at Reading Hospital in West Reading, PA.  His family eventually moved to York, Pennsylvania where he and his father became partners at an insurance firm.  His parents were conservative Republicans.  John had a self-described privileged upbringing; he said he "sleepwalked" as a young adult while playing four years of football in college, intending eventually to take over ownership of his father's business.  In 1991 he graduated from Albright College, also his father's alma mater, with a bachelor's in finance.  He received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut in 1993.  For two years he worked in Pittsburg as a risk-management underwriter for Chubb.  While John was studying at UConn, his best friend died in a car accident; this

Sen. John Fetterman, D-PA

impacted his life and career.  Fetterman joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of America pairing with an eight-year-old boy in New Haven, Connecticut, whose father had died from AIDS and whose mother was slowly dying from the disease.  During his time as a Big Brother, Fetterman says he became "preoccupied with the concept of the random lottery of birth", and promised the boy's mother he would continue to look out for her son after she was gone.  In 1995 John joined the recently founded AmeriCorps, and was sent to teach Pittsburgh students pursuing their GEDs.  He later attended Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University, graduating in 1999 with a Master of Public Policy degree.  John began his corporate career working at an insurance firm.  He came to Braddock in 2001 to start an Out-of-School-Youth Program, helping local youth to earn their GEDs.  He moved to Braddock in 2004.  He ran for mayor of Braddock against the incumbent, Pauline Abdullah in 2005.   With backing from the town's young residents, he won the Democratic primary by a single vote.  Fetterman won the general election; he didn't face a Republican opponent.  In the 2009 Democratic primary for mayor of Braddock, Fetterman faced Jayme Cox who attacked him for failing to build consensus with the town council.  Cox also criticized him for abuse of power after he released non-public records that showed Cox was arrested in 2004.  Fetterman defeated Cox in the primary by a vote of 294-103 and was unopposed in the general election.  Fetterman handily won the Democratic primaries in 2013 and 2017, and was unopposed in the general elections.  On November 14, 2017, Fetterman announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, challenging incumbent lieutenant governor Mike Stack.  Fetterman was endorsed by Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto and former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell.  On May 15, Fetterman won the Democratic primary for lieutenant Gov.  On November 6, 2018 Wolf and Fetterman defeated the Republican ticket of Wagner and Bartos in the General election.  Fetterman was sworn into office as the lietenant governor of Pennsylvania on January 15, 2019.  An Associate Press review of Fetterman's daily schedule during his tenure as Lieutenant Gov. found he kept a light work schedule and was often  absent from presiding over the PA State Senate, an official duty.  In November 2020, he received national press coverage for saying Donald Trump was "no different than any other random internet troll" and that he "can sue a ham sandwich" in response to Trump threatening to file lawsuits in Pennsylvania alleging voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.  Biden won the 2020 PA election with Trump claiming voter fraud.  Fetterman responded by certifying that Pennsylvania had discovered three cases of voter fraud; two men had cast ballots as their dead mothers (both for Trump), and another had voted on behalf of his son as well as himself (also for Trump).   On September 14, 2015, Fetterman announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by Pat Toomey in the 2016 election.  Fetterman did lose that election, but in January 2021, he announced he was launching an exploratory committee for the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania.  On February 8, 2021 he officially entered the race.  Fetterman won the Democratic primary by a landslide.  In the general election he faced Republican nominee Mehmet Oz, a celebrity TV doctor.  In September of 2022, Oz called on Fetterman to debate him before early voting began in Pennsylvania.  Fetterman agreed to a single debate on October 25.  Although Fetterman led most pre-election polls, his debate performance helped Oz take a narrow lead before the election.  Fetterman won the election with 51.3% of the vote to Oz's 46.3%.  Fetterman took office on January 3, 2023 and at 6 feet, 8 inches tall is the tallest currently serving senator.  In my recent local newspaper, Sen. Fetterman has been open about his struggle with depression and wants to create a federal commission focused on mental health.  The commission would study coverage of mental health services, reimbursement rates for mental health care services, and workforce challenges in the mental health field.  In Fetterman's first year in office he checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in February of 2023 and stayed there for 6 weeks.  "Before I sought help for my depression, I was the biggest cynic - but it truly worked," Fetterman said.  He worried that his being open about his stroke would damage his career, but he was largely applauded by colleagues despite mental health often being stigmatized.  John is a member of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus.  His proposed commission has the support of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Association of Suicidology, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Children's Hospital Association, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  Best of wishes to John in his recovery and his attempt to help others.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.    

 

The "Thru The Eyes Of A Dog" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading my AARP Magazine and came across a great story that I just had to share with you.  Story was titled "How Scout Found His People (in His Own Words).  Sub-head read: "This hound had to run away to find his forever home."  So...are you ready? 

The question I'm asked most often is: How'd you do it?  How's you scale two chain-link fences at animal control, cross a busy highway in the middle of the night, and find your way into a nursing home a quarter mile away?  Let's just say I was born to jump.  And I've learned that to get what you want in life, sometimes you've got to break the rules.  But the bigger question is, why here?  What made me pick the Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility on that night back in 2017?  And when I was caught and returned to the shelter, what made me escape again and go right back?  And then once more the very same week?  The short answer is, Meadow Brook has an automatic front door.  

And a very, very cozy couch in their front lobby.  It felt safe, something I hadn't felt in a long while.  I don't want too get into my backstory.  I'd been through some rough times before I got here.  I've still got BB gun pellets lodged in my jowls.  Not all humans are kind, but the ones in this place are.  The nursing home's administrator, Marna Robertson, decided to adopt me after my third jailbreak.  I think she realized I'd just keep coming back till she did.  And the residents welcomed me like one of their own.  I know which rooms have snacks for me--I'm partial to Ritz crackers--and which residents don't mind being woken up at midnight with a wet Nose on their forehead.  Some keep treats on their forehead.  Some keep treats in the baskets of their walkers.  But I'm not a freeloader.  My friend Jenny Martinek, the household coordinator for the residence unit where I live, likes to tell people that I think I have a job.  I know I have one!  I do security.  

No visitor gets in or out without going through me.  And, I'm not afraid to bark.  I also make regular rounds to check on all the residents.  I'm excellent at opening doors.  I like to be where the people are--what can I say?  They've actually changed a few knobs around here because of that.  On my rounds, I give everybody attention, but I try to spend more time with people who are feeling poorly.  Jenny says it's like I was trained to give comfort to people.  It's not training, though; it's just what makes sense to me.  Because this is my family now.  And family looks out for family.  The world is unpredictable, and life isn't always fair.  But my story shows that if you find your people, you'll be OK.   So keep looking till you find them.  As told to Eric Spitznagel.    PS - According to DNA testing, Scout, 9, is a mix of many breeds, including Labrador retriever and chow chow.  He lives in Bellaire, Michigan.

And...if I ever have to go into a retirement home such as Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility...I want to have Scout as my daily partner.  Just have to love the dog!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  This story was posted in the AARP Magazine, April/May Issue.  It had no listed author, but the photos were by Kyle Monk.

The "Rockin' With "Flamin' Dick & The Hot Rods" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Carol and I had just returned home from watching Flamin' Dick and the Hot Rods perform at the Springettsbury Township Park Amphitheater which is located at 1501 Mt. Zion Road in York County, Pennsylvania.  Our friends Hal and Jeannie stopped to pick us up so I didn't have to drive through the heavy traffic along the Route 30 corridor.   Great band that features about a half-dozen musicians, most all of whom play a variety of guitars with one keyboard player, one drummer, and one sax player.  And...the songs they play are from my era of music.  Just love to listen to their music, and you can't miss hearing it due to the volume that emanates from their huge speakers.   And...I'm not the only one who enjoys their music.  We were part of a crowd of well over 300 people who filled the seats in the amphitheater.  Part-way through the show, I grabbed my camera and headed to the front of the stage to take a few photos of the individual performers.  Directly in front of the stage is an area for those how might want to dance to the music, and the area was packed with people of all ages.  Even saw a few residents of Woodcrest Villas, where my wife and I live, dancing to the music.  The show went on for about an hour and a half, without any breaks, and the band finally called it quits.  I loved singing along with the music as well as keeping the beat with my foot and at times beating on my leg with my hand.  When I was a young boy I tried to play the guitar, but was never successful at it.  I ended up playing the accordion for a few years, but that's not very well suited for rock and roll music, so I gave it up.  I still enjoy singing along with the band, but I have to be careful I don't sing too loud, or I disturb those around me, as I'm told.  The summer concert series will last all summer with bands playing throughout the summer.  We plan to make a few more visits so I can get my fill of good old rock 'n roll music.  And, I must remember not to sing too loud!  The most unusual part of the evening was not the music, but when the lady sitting next to me looked at me and said, "You know...you have two different colored eyes!"  She was very observant...so she was...as she was correct. Told her I was born that way and they never changed. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  Check out the photos that follow from the concert.

Springettsbury Township Park Amphitheater

 

 

    

The "And Yet, Another Story From "The Scribbler"

It was unordinary day.  Reading a story in my local newspaper written by my favorite columnist , Jack Brubaker, "The Scribbler."  His title for his column today read: "Matching wits with rascally - and smart - raccoons."  Jack is great at making you feel as if you are a part of his column and today I felt as if I was visiting with him and his raccoons in his story he was telling.  He began with... Raccoons can open 11 of 13 complex locks on one box in fewer than 10 attempts.  These locks include bolts, hooks, lift latches, levers and other devices that must be manipulated in a precise order to open a box.  Those are the extraordinary results of a lengthy study by the ethnologist H.B. Davis in 1907.  So it's no surprise that a securely fixed metal cap could be removed from a can of bird seed.  The seed was spread all over Jack's deck at his home.  The birds and squirrels must have had a delightful time as well as a merry picnic.  That is, after the raccoon stuffed himself.  Raccoons are the only animals in our woods with paws agile enough to unlock a metal can, turn it over and create havoc.  To prevent a repeat, they brought the can inside the house.  Well, their bird feeder is hoisted high in the air, several feet below the eve of their roof, to keep squirrels from staging raids.  This is a pulley system, with the hoisting rope coiled around a hook at the edge of the deck floor.  The rope that pulls the bird feeder up and down is extra long, since Mrs. Scribbler doesn't like to cut a good piece of rope, so they have a significant coil by the hook on the deck beneath the feeder.  One morning last week they found the coil of excess rope stretched as far as it would go, across the deck and a gravel path and down a few steps toward the Little Conestoga Creek.  Well, there could only be one reason for this...a dexterous, devious, devilish raccoon who decided to haul the rope as far as he could, hoping he would shake down some food.  The Brubaker's know where the raccoon lives, apparently with a small family in a nest in a cavity about 30 feet up the trunk of an ash tree about 30 feet from their house.  They just happened to see two of the masked bandits peeking out from the tree a few months ago.  The Scribblers live on a bluff overlooking the creek and are accustomed to watching a variety of wildlife wander through the nearby woods, along a tree-lined path that runs along the water.  Here they see a variety of creatures including, deer, foxes, groundhogs, muskrats, beavers, snakes and skunks.  Wasn't long ago that Jack and his wife spotted a mink.  It streaked from the woods, across a neighbor's yard, to the edge of the creek.  It was sleek and ultra-thin and stared at Jack.  

They traded stares for over a minute and then the creature dropped to the ground and scooted off into the water.  The mink was special, but the rope-tugging raccoon was the hit of the show.  It would be interesting to have a conversation with an animal that can open locks, pry lids off metal cans and tug ropes as far as they'll stretch.  Hey, why couldn't they write their own book, telling how everything in the woods is done?  It certainly would be an interesting conversation one could have with an animal that can open locks, pry lids off metal cans and tug ropes as far s they'll stretch.  And, I'll bet the raccoon would remember such a conversation.   Multiple studies have been done stating that raccoons can remember the solutions to complex tasks for at least three years.  So, It certainly would have remembered when it swipped all of "The Scribbler's" bird seed.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS. - If you don't subscribe to Lancaster's newspaper...you need to do so, just so you can read Jack's articles that he writes for the newspaper.  

The "How Would You Like To Have To Operate One Of These? Story

It was an ordinary day.  Driving past an Amish Buggy that has been sitting on the side of the road near my new home at Woodcrest Villas.  I have been meaning to stop and take a few close-up photos to share with you and finally pulled next to it and grabbed my camera.  The buggy has been sitting along the road for some time and attracts many a viewer who stop to take photos.  Naturally, there is no horse to pull the buggy, but it's still fun to stop and see what it might be like to have to use a horse and buggy for your method of transportation rather than an automobile or truck.  I don't think I could take a buggy out on the busy roads, being that I'm not sure I could control the horse if I had to.  Blowing horns and close-calls with automobiles may scare the horse and who knows what may happen to the horse and the buggy carrying people.  Amish drivers are so used to driving, or should I say steering, the horse-drawn buggy, that they know exactly what to do to control the horse.  I'm absolutely sure that I would panic if an automobile got to close to the horse and buggy.  Check out the photos that I took so you can see what the horse-drawn buggy is like close-up.  To keep warm in the winter you dress with more clothing and remove some of that clothing in the summer to stay cool.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Side-view of the buggy from the front.  Horse gets
fastened to the left end of the buggy.

Rear of the buggy showing reflectors and a tarp that can
be pulled up to open the rear of the buggy for loading and unloading.

Side view showing the black area where the people enter into the cab.

This view shows the front where the horses would be
attached to the buggy.  The windshield with wiper on it
is on the top.  Mirrors are on either side.

This shows the step into the buggy at the door.

close-up of wheel

Horsedrawn buggy with red warning sign on the rear.

Uncovered buggy with two young girls in the rear of a buggy.

The "Cam Gallagher....Will He Make It In The Big Leagues?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading in my morning newspaper about a young man named Cam Gallagher who had been a backup catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies.  Cam had spent nine weeks on the restricted list before he was finally released.  The 31-year-old catcher spoke in the past tense of his career in a recent telephone call with the Lancaster Newspaper.  He did leave the door open a crack, but only a crack.  He has spent 13 years in the pro ranks and parts of seven in the big leagues.  He now speaks of a future that includes marriage in November with hopes of a role in baseball as a coach or instructor.  "I wouldn't say I'm 100% done playing baseball, but I think at this point it's kind of unlikely that I would have a comeback."  Cam was a second-round pick of the Kansas City Royals in 2011.  He is the son of Glenn Gallagher, whom I had as a student when he was in high school.  Glenn, and younger brother Austin, both fashioned pro careers after going in the third round of their respective drafts....Toronto in 1981 in Glenn's case, and the Dodgers in 2007 in Austin's case.  Cam is the only member of his family to reach the majors, hitting .211 with seven homers and 46 RBIs while appearing in 227 games over his seven seasons...six with the Royals and the other one with Cleveland.  Designated for assignment by the Guardians in November 2023, he was signed to a minor-league deal buy the Phillies on Feb. 25 of this year and invited to major-league camp.  Less than a month later, he was assigned to minor-league camp.  He declined to report and was placed on the restricted list, where teams can stash a player who according to baseball-reference.com has left the club "without a valid reason" or one who "has announced his intention to retire but is still of an age or level of skill that could allow him to return to pro ball in the future."  Players also end up there if they are "unavailable to play for non-baseball reasons or if they run afoul of the law.  Salaries are withheld from those consigned to this purgatory, but the club retains their rights.  And, while the Phillies could have held him beyond Saturday, when the contract was up, they severed ties instead.  He came to camp with the Phillies hoping to compete with Garrett Stubbs for the backup role behind J.T. Realmuto.  If you have been following the Phillies, by now you know that Garrett has filled the back-up roll for the team.  "I just wasn't ready with going there and kind of being a filler.  He was hoping the team would release him in late March so he might have an opportunity too latch on elsewhere.  Didn't happen!  He than was hoping to be released in late March so he might be able to latch on elsewhere.  As of now, the Phillies do not have any official comment on Gallagher's situation.  In the meantime, Gallagher has returned to his home in Prosper, Texas, to "kind of take a reset."  He did get to go to the beach for the first time since 2010, in the summertime.  He holds no grudge, since he realizes their job is to win a World Series.  He and his fiancee, Bree Edwards have planned a wedding for Nov. 16, in Playa Del Carmen.  Beyond that, he plans to head down a path similar to that of his dad, who for years has run a baseball school in East Petersburg, PA, while also doing some coaching locally. "I think I have a lot to offer, a lot to give, whether that's coaching high school kids, whether it's coaching collegiately or maybe coaching professionally down the line.  It's just that I'm not in any rush to make a decision right now."  He has a few choices...but, which way will he turn? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS - If you follow professional baseball, you may know that J.T. Realmuto is scheduled for some repair work on his right knee.  So, the Phillies will be in need of another catcher for a few weeks.  Perhaps they might consider Cam for that position.  I'd love to see Cam on TV, playing for my favorite team...The Phillies.  Time will tell!

Cam Gallagher.  

The "So What If You Don't Think This Is Funny....I Do....And, That's All That Matters!

It was an ordinary day.  Reading my 25th Anniversary Commemorative Issue of "The Fishwrapper."  Found a rather short poem that I thought you "Old-Timers" may enjoy; titled of all things...

"Senior Citizen."   

I am a senior citizen.

I am the life of the party even when it lasts until 8:00 P.M.

I am usually interested in going home before I get where I am going.

I am good on a trip for at least an hour without my aspirin and antacid.

I am the first one to find the bathroom wherever I go.

I am awake many hours before my body allows me to get up.

I am smiling all of the time because I cannot hear a word you are saying.

I am very good at telling stories - over and over and over.

I am so cared for - long term, eye care, private care, dental care, etc.

I am not grouchy, but - I just do not like traffic, waiting, crowds and politicians.

I am sure that everything I cannot find is in a secure place somewhere.  

I am wrinkled, saggy, and lumpy and that is just in my left leg!

I am sure they are making adults much younger these days.

I am a walking storeroom of facts - I just can't seem tolocate the storeroom.

I am a senior citizen, and I am having the time of my life.

You do not stop laughing when you grow old; you grow old when you stop laughing.  

AMEN...So Be It.

Now...Who doesn't think this was funny?  And...where do you live....!

It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

                                      

                                   

                                        

The "They Can Do What??" Story

I was recently reading a story titled "Matching wits with rascally -- and smart -- raccoons."  Story was featured on Lancaster's Jack Brubaker's "The Scribbler" newspaper column.  Story began with ... Raccoons can open 11 of 13 complex locks on one box in fewer than 10 attempts.  These locks include bolts, hooks, lift latches, levers and other devices that must be manipulated in a precise order to be opened.  Those are the extraordinary results of a lengthy study by the ethnologist H.B. Davis in 1907.  His findings have been replicated in more recent studies.  So, it was not a big surprise to the Scribbler when, a couple of years ago, he found that a securely fixed metal cap had been removed from a can of bird seed.   The seed, what was left of it, was spread all over his deck.  The birds and squirrels must have enjoyed a merry picnic.  That is, after the raccoon had his fill.  Raccoons are the only animals in the woods with paws agile enough to "unlock" a metal can, turn it over and create havoc.  To prevent a repeat, he brought the can inside the house.  He also wrote that...his bird feeder was hoisted high in the air, several feet below the eve of our roof, to keep squirrels from staging raids.  This is done by a pulley system, with the hoisting rope coiled around a hook at the edge of the deck.  The thin rope that pulls the bird feeder up and down is extra long.  Mrs. Scribbler doesn't like to cut a good piece of rope, so they have a significant coil on the hook on the deck beneath the eve.  One morning last week he found the coil of excess rope stretched as far as it would go, across the deck and a gravel path and down a few steps toward the floodplain of the Little Conestoga Creek.  There is only one eplanation for that.  A dexterous, devious, devilish raccoon decided to haul the rope as far as he could, hoping he would shake down some food.  He knows where the culprit lives, apparently with a small family.  The raccoons nest is in a cavity about 30 feet up the trunk of an ash tree about 30 feet from their home.  They just happened to see two of the "masked bandits" peeking out from the tree a few months ago.  The Scribblers live on a bluff overlooking the creek.  They are accustomed to watching a variety of wildlife wander through the woods and along a tree-lined path that runs for about a mile along the water.  They see multiple creatures in that stretch, including deer, foxes, groundhogs, muskrats, beavers, snakes and skunks.  Just a few weeks ago, the Scribbler spotted a mink.  The animal streaked from the woods, across a neighbor's yard, to the edge of the creek.  Sleek and ultra-thin, the mink stood on its hind legs and stared at the Scribbler.  They looked at each other for at least a minute.  Then the slinky creature dropped to four feet and scooted off into the water beneath the debris of a downed tree.  The mink was special, but the rope-tugging raccoon beats everything.  It would be interesting to have a conversation with an animal that can open locks, pry lids off metal cans and tug ropes as far as they'll stretch.  And the raccoon would remember such a conversation.   Multiple studies indicate a raccoon can remember the solutions to complex tasks for at least three years.  So the animal would have no excuse not to recall a lecture about trying to steal bird seed.  Fantastic story by the Scribbler!  I enjoy each and every one of his stories and always look forward to the next one.  Keep up the great story telling!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The Cookie Thief Story - The Fishwrapper #1

The following is known as "The Cookie Thief."  I found it in the magazine known as "The Fish Wrapper" which is now celebrating 25 years of publication.  I thought the following, which could be considered prose or perhaps poetry, was rather humorous as well as imaginative.  Hope you enjoy it!  

A woman was waiting at an airport one night

With several long hours before her flight.

She hunted for a book in the airport shop,

Bought a bag of cookies, and found a place to drop.

She was engrossed in her book, but happened to see

That the man beside her, as bold as could be,

Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between,

Which she tried to ignore, to avoid a scene.

She read, munched cookies, and watched the clock,

As the gutsy "cookie thief" diminished her stock.

She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by,

Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice, I'd blacken his eye!"

With each cookie she took, he took one, too;

When only one was left, she wondered what he'd do.

With a smile on his face and nervous laugh,

He took the last cookie and broke it in half.

He offered her half, as he ate the other.

She snatched it from him and thought, "Oh brother!

This guy has some nerve, and he's also rude.

Why, he didn't even show any gratitude!"

She had never known when she had been so galled

And sighed with relief when her flight was called.

She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate,

Refusing to look back at the thieving renegade.

She boarded the plane and sank in her seat.

She sought her book, which was almost complete.

As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise;

There was her bag of cookies in front of her eyes!

"If mine are here," she moaned with despair,

"Then the others were his and he tried to share!"

Too late to apologize, she realized with grief,

That she was the rude one, the cookie thief!

Loved the poem!  Sounds like something I might do...since I love cookies so much, and my wife happens to bake the best chocolate chip cookies you'll ever eat!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Driving Isn't A Game" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article in my local newspaper about a young man who is a sophomore at Manheim Township High School where I taught high school at one time.  Seems that James Lorenzo, a sophomore at Manheim Township High School, created the design now displayed on a billboard along New Holland Pike.  Lorenzo completed the design as an entry in the annual regional "No Excuses Youth Traffic Safety" Billboard Design Contest sponsored by the Center for Traffic Safety and State-Farm Insurance.  For the 8-bit video game inspired image, Lorenzo won $100 and the school was awarded $1,000 by the agency.  The Center for Traffic Safety is a federally-funded agency that provides traffic safety education across Adams, Lancaster, York and Lebanon counties.  The annual contest selected winners from each of those counties, and Lorenzo is the Lancaster County winner.  An 8-bit video game is one of the earliest styles of video games, known for its heavily pixelated appearances.  Lorenzo's image reads, "Driving isn't a game" with three pixelated hearts - one colored in red, another half red-half black and a third colored in black - which references a player's health level in a game.  James worked on the design as part of an assignment in his graphic design class with teacher Cortney Hauer.  Students completed the design over 10 class periods, where they researched and identified key design elements used to effectively communicate on billboards.  The final product was designed using the Adobe Illustrator software program.  "When it was announced, James was in disbelief that his design won, but was very excited to have his design chosen for the contest, " Hauer said.  His billboard design has been on display since April 22 and throughout most of May, which is Youth Traffic Safety Month.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Fossil Find May Set Record" Story

It was an ordinary day. In 1811, a 12-year-old girl named Mary Anning discovered a fossil on the beach near her home in southwestern England - the first scientifically identified specimen of an ichthyosaur, a dolphin like, ocean-dwelling reptile from the time of the dinosaurs.  Fast forward two decades later....less than 50 miles away, an 11-year-old girl named Ruby Reynolds found a fossil from another ichthyosaur.  It appears to be the largest marine reptile known to science.   Now what are the chances of that happening?  Reynolds, now 15, and her father Justin have been fossil hunting for 12 years near their home in Braunton, England.  On a family outing in May of 2020 to the village of Blue Anchor along the estuary of the River Severn, they came across a piece of fossilized bone set on a rock.  "We were both excited as we had never found a piece of fossilized bone as big as this before," Justin said.  They took home the fragments of the 8 inch bone, and began their research.  A 2018 newspaper provided a hint at what they'd found: In nearby Lilstock, fossil hunters had discovered similar bone fragments, hypothesized to be part of the jaw bone of a massive ichthyosaur that lived roughly 202 million years ago.  However, the scientists who'd worked on the Lilstock fossil had deemed that specimen too incomplete to designate a new species.  Justin contacted researchers Dean Lomax, at the University of Bristol, and Paul de la Salle, an amateur fossil collector.  They joined the Reynolds family on collecting trips in Blue Anchor, digging in the mud with shovels.  Ultimately, they found roughly half of a bone that they estimate would have been more than 7 feet long when complete.  Several features of the bone's shape indicate that it came from an ichthyosaur's jaw. To further confirm its identity, the researchers collaborated with Marcello Perillo, a paleontologist with the University of Bonn in Germany.  Under a microscope, he found criscrosed collagen fibers, an ichthyosaur trait.  He also saw that despite the giant size of the jaw bone, the reptile hadn't finished growing when it died.  Taken together, the fossils from Blue Anchor and Lilstock offered evidence of something special.  Having two samples of the same bone that presented all the same unique features, from the same geologic time zone, and supported the identification that we've kind of toyed around with before - that it's got to be something new,"  Lomax said.  "That's when it got really exiting."  He and his co-authors of a paper describing the fossil in the journal "PLOS One" this month and named it Ichthyotitan severnensis, the giant fish lizard of the Severn.  Their estimates suggest Ihthyotitan could have been up to 82 feet long, rivaling the size of a blue whale and making it the largest marine reptile known to science.  It lived right before an extinction that ended the Triassic Period.  "Inevitably with the big extinction events, of course, it's the big thing that goes first, and in this case, literally the biggest things in the ocean wiped out, and this entire family disappears," Lomax said.  Erin Maxwell, a paleontologist at the State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart in Germany who was not involved with the study, said that the find sheds light on ichthyosaurs evolution.  "Before, there were hints that there were these giant ichthyosaurs approaching the TriassicJurassic boundary," Maxwell said, "but the amount of evidence is becoming incontrovertible at this point."  So...perhaps this young girl's fossil find really might set a record.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

Dean, Ruby, Justin and Paul

 

The "Ever Hear Of The USS Nevada?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story titled "It feels very lonely': After 80 years, just a few remain." Story began with...Dick Ramsey was on board the USS Nevada off the coast of France during the Allied invasion on D-Day, June 6, 1944 - 2 1/2 years after the battleship nearly sank in shallow water at Pearl Harbor during the infamous attack by Japanese airplanes.  Painstaking repair work had placed the durable Nevada, badly damaged by bombs and a torpedo, back into action.  Ten 14-inch, .45-caliber guns were used in the Allies' Operation Neptune on D-Day to bombard German artillery at Utah Beach as well as cannons and tanks miles inland, Ramsey said.  The USS Nevada was the only battleship to have fought on D-Day and was present at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii during Imperial Japan's attack on December 7, 1941.  Now 80 years after D-Day, Ramsey is one of only two living crew members of the Nevada.  The other, Charles Sehe, 101, the only person to serve on the Nevada both during the Pearl Harbor attack and on D-Day, is in hospice care in Minnesota, he said.  "It feels very lonely," said Ramsey, who at age 100 is talkative and spry.  "We're down to two people."  On Wednesday, one day before the 80th anniversary, Ramsey arrived at Normandy - his third trip there to celebrate D-Day - for the first of two days of ceremonies commemorating the attack agains the German armed forces.  "Eisenhower had requested some battleships with big guns," Ramsey said in an interview.  "So, they sent them the three oldest battleships in the Navy - the Arkansas, the Texas and the Nevada."  Outside Utah Beach, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Morton Deyo ordered the Nevada to open fire, Ramsey said.  "The Nevada had the honor of firing the first shot" Ramsey said.  So goes the story of one Mr. Dick Ramsey, one of the few remaining veterans of the USS Nevada.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Writing A Daily Blog Is A Real Pleasure! Hope You Enjoy Reading It!" Story

Reading a column in my newspaper that was written by Dr. Mike Roizen who offers medical advice in a weekly column.  Dr. Roizen is the chief wellness offer and chairman of he Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic.  To live you healthiest, visit shareware.com.  A recent column written by Dr. Roizen was titled: 3 signs that you aren't active enough.  It said that when it comes to the benefits of physical activity, the list stretches from A (for attitude improvement) to Zzzz (for better sleep).  Unfortunately, only about of 1/4 of adults gets the recommended minimum of 150 minutes or aerobics and two strength-building sessions weekly.  Do you?  I, for one, do not get that amount of physical activity, though I tend to stay active each and every day for most of the time that I am awake.  Cleaning, shopping, walking and even a few hours of table pool a day tend to keep me busy and out of my chair most every day.  But, I don't spend time doing aerobics, since my bad back limits me to certain physical activities.  There are certain signs that will tell you if you are getting enough physical activity on a daily basis.  They are:

1. You're feeling blue.  Being sedentary increases depression.  According to a 2019 study, if you replace 15 minutes of sitting with 15 minutes of running or an hour of brisk walking, you can decrease your risk of depression by 26%.  Because of my back I find it hard to run, but I do tend to get quite a bit of walking in during the week.  I live in a retirement community and I walk from my villa to the activity building where I play pool quite a few days a week for perhaps 2 to 3 hours a few days a week.  

2.  You can't fall asleep easily.  According to John Hopkins Medicine, lack of activity makes it difficult to fall asleep and enjoy good quality sleep.  But 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise can give you better sleep.  For me, I have no trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.  After a busy day of physical activity and helping around the house, I tend to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.  And, I tend not to awaken until the sun comes up in the sky the next morning.  Only time I awaken is when I find it necessary to make a bathroom visit.  

3. Your joints are achy.  Knees gotta bend, hips gotta extend.  But, many folks are sitting five-plus hours and are sedentary for almost 10 hours every day.  Gentle stretching and activities that move joints through their full range of motion improve flexibility and relieve discomfort.  The initial twinges you might feel when beginning to exercise will fade and you'll become more agile and have fewer aches and pains.  The reward:  increased healthy longevity - about nine years' worth for women; eight for men.  For more tips, tune into fitness info in LongevityPlaybook.com's free newsletter and check out iHerb.com's blog, "More Movement May Increase Longevity - Here's Why."  

If you are like me...I find it hard to sit more than an hour at any one time.  I just have to be doing something.  Even writing the blog stories that I post tend to get me moving from typing to stretching from time to time and heading to the fridge for something to eat or drink keep me active.  While writing this story I will probably make a trip to the fridge to get something to drink and maybe a dish of ice cream and then make a visit to see what our two cat might be doing.  If it is in the evening....I will be visiting the fridge for a snack and drink as well as checking to make sure the doors and windows are closed and locked and the lights are off in the garage, spare bedroom and porch.  And then there is that evening snack as I write my blog stories.  Always on the move.  Weekends always seem to find us traveling to visit friends and relatives as well as taking a trip to the local park or perhaps a relatives home.  I find I have no trouble with the numbered paragraphs at the start of this story.  Only problem I do have is when my Phillies play a day game or evening game.  I find it hard to pull myself away from the TV, but that is only during spring/summer time and not the rest of the year.  I tend to stay busy most of every day.  I try and help around around the house as well as play with the two cats we have.  But, since we have moved to a retirement community, I find I don't have to do the outdoor chores as I used to do.  But, I now seem to have more energy and don't have the pain in my back and legs that I used to have when living in a single family home that needed attention all the time.  I do try and get about 8 hours of sleep each night, but sometimes that doesn't happen since our two cats tend to want to play when they are ready and not when I am ready.  Even with a bad back, I do stay active as much as possible.  I'm not the type of person who can sit for hours at a time.  I must be doing something or I go nuts.  And....that's exactly why I began writing srories and writing this blog.  I have added at least 10 more words per minutes in the last 10 years while writing this blog.  Yeah, I might have a few more mistakes, but no one ever wrote to me about it.  So, I hope you can fine a few stories that you find interesting from time to time.  I most certainly enjoy writing them.  Yours truly, LDub.     

The "If Only All My Students Were Like Carolyn....." Story

It was an ordinary day.  Had just spent the morning at nearby Calvary Church celebrating this year's three Manheim Township High School Distinguished Alumni.  One of the three was a former student of mine from the class of 1975 by the name of  Carolyn Jones who graduated with the class of 1975.  She was a photography student of mine as well as my editor of the school yearbook, The Neff-Vue.  I spent the school year counting on her to do well in my photography class as well as making sure the School yearbook would get finished on time.   And...she never let me down!  I recently got a note from the Manheim Township Alumni Association telling me that Carolyn was going to receive one of three awards for the Distinguished Alumni Award of the Year and wanted to invite me to the Distinguished Alumni Award breakfast and award presentation.  Sent a reply that I would love to come to breakfast and see Carolyn once again.  The letter that invited me to the awards breakfast and awards presentation told me that Caroline certainly remembered me and credited me with encouraging her, you told showing her that a camera was a passport to a world of possibilities, and helping her to find a path forward into what has unlimatley been a tremendous, impactful career of visual storytelling.  Wow!  How could I not attend a breakfast and awards presentation when someone wrote that about me.  Carolyn was a fantastic high school student when I had her in my photography class.  She was the type of student that when you explained something to her one time, she understood it.  Actually, she would question me as to how and why some things worked and happened when taking photographs.  I needed to brush up on my lessons most days when I had Carolyn in class, since I knew she was going to ask me something that very few other students would have thought about when taking photographs and using their cameras.  Carolyn said that I showed her that a camera was a passport to a world of possibilities, and helped her find a path forward, into what has ultimately been a tremendous, impactful career of visual storytelling.  WOW!  It was humbling to read what she wrote about me.  Carolyn will always be one of the best students I ever had during my teaching career.  I have no doubts that if all my students were like Carolyn, I'd still be teaching today.  She made going to school each day fun for both she and I.  And...her coffee-table book titled "Living Proof" is a remarkable piece of photographic excellence.  It documents courage in the face of AIDS.  And to think I had a hand in her photographic development and instruction.  That's mind blowing!!  Without a doubt, Carolyn Jones is a remarkable photographer and person and one of the best individuals I ever had the chance to teach the fine art of photography!  I will forever cherish my book titled "Living Proof - Courage in the Face of Aids."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

Professional photographer Carolyn Jones

The "Get Ready For An Onslaught of Jorō Spiders!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  That was until I opened my computer and began reading about a flying, venomous spider that is trending on google as numerous outlets report that the invasive Jorō spider may be landing in New Jersey soon.  But, what about my home state of Pennsylvania?  Could the spiker also end up here?  Well, a Penn State extension paper that was published in 2022 said it's possible.  Right off the bat, the paper points out that while the spiders are venomous, they are harmless to people.  Yeah...Right!!  Joro spiders are reluctant to bite and the venom is weak....allegedly!   The spiders are native to east Asia, but they have gained a foothold in America's South.  They've been found as far notes as Maryland.  In short, researchers think the spiders could survive in Pennsylvania.  Should we ask them?  "In their native range, Jerō spiders can be found in relative cold areas - the average January temperature of northern Honshu, Japan, is 25-32 degrees Fahrenheit, similar to most of Pennsylvania.  So, it is likely that thy will be able to spread throughout eastern North America at least as far north as Pennsylvania and possibly further in warmer, coastal areas," The Penn State Extension paper states.  Adult female Jorō spiders have bodies that are up to an inch long, and a leg span of. up tp 4 inches.  "The opisthosoma (abdomen) is cylindrical, with bright yellow with  gray-blue pattern with a large red mark on the center.

The Jorō spider.  Neat looking insect, but we already have to many!

The legs are black with yellow bands," the paper states.  The male spiders are much smaller and duller in color.  Body lengths are typically about 3 inches.  Jorō slides used a technique know as "ballooning" to fly through the air.  This is one reason the spiders have been able to spread so quickly.  It's thought that the spiders were accidentally introduced, possibly through shipping containers or potted-plant material.  They were first found in thee counties in Georgi in 2014.  So.....what can we do about them heading in our direction in Pennsylvania?  I searched for an answer, but found none.  I searched my computer as to handle these spiders, but have found no answers!  Perhaps they will not arrive, but if they do, someone...or something will have to find an answer to get rid of them.  It's not like we don't already provide a good home for hundreds of other bugs and insects.  We don't want anymore!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Giant Panda Arrives In Washington, D.C." Story

It was an ordinary day.  Turned the page in my morning paper and was greeted by a photo of giant pandas who will soon be enjoying themselves at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C.  It has been a long and terrible six months without a giant panda at Washington's Smithsonian National Zoo.  But, the zoo has announced yesterday that two new fuzzy diplomats will soon be on their way to the United States from China.  The pandas, Bar Li and Quig Bao, will be flown over before the end of the year.  They are both 2 years old which is young for a Washington power couple.  Their anticipated arrival is after the departure in November of two other adult pandas, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, who are the grandparents of the male Bat Li.  The giant panda swapping has been a characteristic of a long-time pact between the Smithsonian and the China Wildlife Conservation.  At the diplomatic summit in San Francisco in November, Xi Jinping, China's leader, hinted that the pandas, which he called "envoys of friendship" between the two countries, could be returning to the United States.  As it turned out, the two zoos hammered out another agreement without the help of high-level diplomacy, according to officials familiar with the pact who were not authorized to speak publicity about such delicate matters.  The San Diego Zoo will also receive a pair of pandas the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China confirmed earlier this month.  The point of the agreement between Washington and Beijing is to help foster the breeding and care of the animals, and each panda birth is closely watched and celebrated.  If pandas of Washington's past are any indication, the two newbies, who will arrive aboard a special FedEx aircraft, will be touching down to much fanfare.  The new couple has Washington roots:  Bar Li's mother, Bay Bay, was born in the capital.  Michelle Obama attended a naming ceremony for her brother, Dei Dei, in 2015.  Newborn panda cubs are about the size of a stick of butter, and they are extremely fragile - tiny and pink, they can be bruised easily by human handlers or by the mother.  Since they are born nearly hairless, their body temperature must be constantly regulated.  When they urinate or defecate, human helpers must make sure their fluid and nutrient levels are healthy.  Under these closely watched confines - and a live panda cam, (but you probably knew that) - Bao Bao was a success story and had become a celebrity by the time she was sent to China in 2017.  While they lived in Washington, Mei Xiang and Tain Tian produced four cubs that survived beyond infancy.  Their eldest cub, Tai Shan, was born in 2005 and sent to China in 2010.  Fans in Washington mourned the bear's departure.  Mei Xiang  gave birth during the pandemic to her youngest cub, Xiao Qi Ji, at an age when scientists had thought she would no longer be able to have a baby.  The Smithsonian said the terms of the newest agreement were similar to previous ones.  Bro Li and Qing Bao, and any offspring they might have, are owned by China, and any cubs born in Washington will have to return by age 4.  The pandas are expensive to care for and study, and the Smithsonian has started a $25 million fundraising campaign to help bolster the program's budget.  I enjoy the pandas and hope that the United States will be able to continue talks with China in order to keep the Panda Bears in both countries.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Giant Panda at Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

The "A Rare Cicada Spotted in Illinois" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Late morning when the Morton Arboretum's senior horticulturist arrived at the Children's Garden with a special guest....a rare, blue-eyed female Magicicada cassini cicada, spotted earlier in the day by a visitor.  A lucky few saw the cicada Friday at the arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, before its release back into the world in suburban Chicago to join its red-eyed relatives, the more common look for most cicada species, as the 2024 cicada emergence gets underway.  As the enclosure opened, the blue-eyed lady took flight into a tree. The unique bug then flew down to land on the leg of Stephanie Adams, plant health care leader. Photos began to snap!  "It's a casualty of the job," said Adams, who frequently is decorated with the bugs.  Mr. Floyd Shockley, collections manager of the Department of Entomology at the Smithsonian Institute, said the blue-eyed cicada is rare, but just how rare is uncertain.  "It's impossible to estimate how rare since you'd have to collect all the cicadas to know what percentage of the population had been blue eye mutation," he said.  Periodic cicadas emerge every 13 or 17 years.  Only the 17-year brood is beginning to show so far in spots as far north as Lisle, where there different species are digging out of the ground, attaching to trees, shedding their exo-skeleton and putting on a show.  "The appearance of them on the trees, just the sheer volume of them, looks like science fiction,"  Adams said.  "It's definitely something to see.  I'd love to get to see one of these creatures.  Must be exciting!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The rare, blue-eyed Magicicada Cassini cicada

 

The "Biggest Tree Passes A Health Test" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story in my local newspaper about the largest trees in Sequoia National Park, California.  Story began with....High in the evergreen canopy of General Sherman, the world's largest tree, researchers searched for evidence of an emerging threat to giant sequoias: bark beetles.  They descended the towering 2,200-year-old tree with good news a week-or-so-ago.  "The General Sherman tree is doing fine right now," said Anthony Ambrose, executive director of the Ancient Forest Society, who led the climbing expedition.  "It seems to be a very healthy tree that's able to fend off any beetle attack."  It was the first time that climbers had scaled the iconic 275-foot sequoia tree, which draws tourists from around the world to Sequoia National Park.  Giant sequoias, the Earth's largest living things, have survived for thousands of years in California's western Sierra Nevada mountain range, the only place where the species is native.  But, as the climate grows hotter and drier, giant sequoias previously thought to be almost indestructible are increasingly threatened by extreme heat, drought and wildfires.  In 2020 and 2021, record-setting wildfires killed as much as 20% of the world's 75,000 mature sequoias, according to park officials.  "The most significant threat to giant sequoias is climate-driven wildfires," said Ben Blom, director of stewardship and restoration at Save the Redwoods League.  "But we certainly don't want to be caught by surprise by a new threat, which is why we're studying these beetles now."  But researchers are growing more worried about bark beetles, which didn't pose a serious threat in the past.  The beetles are native to California and have co-existed with sequoias for thousands of years.  But, only recently have they been able to kill the trees.  Scientists say they recently discovered about 40 sequoia trees that have died from beetle infestations, mostly within national parks.   "We're documenting some trees that are actually dying from a combination of drought and fire that have weakened them to a point were they're not able to defend themselves from the beetle attack," Ambrose said.  The beetles attack the trees from the canopy, boring into branches and working their way down the trunk.  If left unchecked, the tiny beetles can kill a tree within six months.  That's why park officials allowed Ambrose and his colleagues to climb General Sherman.  They conducted the tree health inspection as journalists and visitors watched them pull themselves up ropes dangling from the canopy.  They examined the branches and trunk, looking for the tiny holes that indicate beetle activity.  But, it's not possible to climb every sequoia tree to directly inspect the canopy in person.  That's why they're also testing whether drones equipped with sensors and aided by satellite imagery can be use to monitor and detect beetle infestations on a larger scale within the forests.  Tuesday's health inspection of General Sherman was organized by the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition, a group of government agencies, Native tribes and environmental groups.  They hope to establish a health monitoring program for the towering trees.  If they discover beetle infestations, officials say, they could try to combat the attacks by spraying water, removing branches or using chemical treatments.  Bark beetles have ravaged pine and fir forests throughout the Western United States in recent years,  but they previously didn't pose a threat to giant sequoias, which can live 3,000 years. "They have really withstood insect attacks for a lot of years.  So why now?  Why are we seeing this change? said Clay Jordan, superintendent for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.  "There's a lot that we need to learn in order to ensure good stewardship of these trees for a long time."  Here's hoping the forests will outlive many more generations of humans.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Researcher climbing General Sherman, world's largest tree.