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Too Much Time To Think
Sometimes I just like a quiet evening at home alone. Doesn't always happen, and, in fact, I'm happy about that. But sometimes it's just nice to sit at home alone, wear out the remote control batteries and just think about the crazy things that go on in the world.
No phone. No important baseball games. No rings of the doorbell. No drama to deal with. It's those nights when I have time to consider what other topics I might throw out into the blogosphere. Sometimes I might have too much time to think.
Isn't it crazy that Martha Stewart and Paris Hilton will have served jail time and bad ol' OJ Simpson hasn't?
I have always enjoyed talk shows, and nowadays, if I'm home, I like to check on Bill O'Reilly and Hannity and Colmes and Geraldo Rivera, just to see what topics have them cranked up for the night. Do you remember the days of Morton Downey, Jr. ? He surely disappeared in a hurry. And where are Phil Donohue and Sally Jessy Raphael?
Remember when Nat Lash sat in that big chair shaped like a hand in the Town & Country Furniture television ads?
And remember Channel 3's Tony Adams saying, "Good night and good sports"? Or was it, "Be a good sport"? Whatever ... I miss him! He was inducted into the Vermont Broadcasters Hall of Fame and in that group I found the names of several Hall of Famers that I'd almost forgotten about. Do you remember George Cameron of WVMT Radio, and Mickey Gallagher, Ken Greene and Stuart Hall, also from WCAX-TV Channel 3? Our beloved Bird Berdan was also inducted into the Vermont Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
I'd like to see a comeback reunion by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. I wonder if he can still "Wooly Bully" and "Ring Dang Do."
Owning a cat can be a pleasure. But my cute little kitten Lily has grown into a more-than-one-year-old cat. A long-haired cat, leaving clumps of cat hair for me to pull off my carpet and furniture. Am I breathing in all that excess cat hair? If cats get hair balls, are the owners also in danger of that malady?
Shouldn't kidney beans be re-named? I figure too many kids think that the vegetable is made from some animal's kidneys, instead of being named for the shape. Call that darned thing "funny bean" and kids will eat it by the can.
Remember the days of Happy Herbie's and the Crest and the Tradewinds? The go-go girls and dancers? Plattsburgh sure was a wild town in those days.
Not that I care, but 90% of practicing nudists are over 35 years old. I don't even go out in public in summertime shorts, so you can bet I'm not in that group.
How come whenever I drink wine, I want to marry everyone? Oh, well, it's nothing that a pound of shrimp and a bottle of Ken's Cocktail Sauce won't cure.
Yes, indeed, sometimes I just have too much time to sit and think.
Comments
Sorry to see thta you are promoting Fox News network. I'd like to recommend that you check out Bill O's fast rising rival @ 8pm. "Countdown with Keith Oberman" on MSNBC. You will be hooked on "The Worst Person in the World" segment.
Is Carver setting himself up to have the PR ask him to do a Blog?
Posted by: art V | June 6, 2007 9:17 AM
Foxy,
Your blog matched my thoughts and feelings lately almost to a tee. Within the last 2 months I got in touch with a friend of mine whom I hadn't seen or spoken to in almost 20 years. ("My Space" can be a wonderful thing) We have been comparing past memories and laughing ourselves silly.
It has definitely made me think back and remember places and people from P-burgh that I hadn't thought of for some time. It makes me sad to think that I might never see these people and places again so I am redoubling my efforts to plan a trip back to the burgh soon.
Thanks for keeping me informed, through your blog, and please know you will definitely be a stop on my trip.
(Foxy's note: Kathy, sure would be great to get you back in the North Country for a visit. We'll stop by and say hello to Jim Murray over at Legends Sports Bar.)
Posted by: Kathy | June 5, 2007 10:08 PM
Foxy,
Did you checkout the "carver's" time when he blogged in? I didn't realize he worked the night shift. Or maybe he did it just before his early morning jog. I seemed to miss a few of the bloggers the other night although I've learned to keep my visits short and sweet. Interesting to note that the young Flynn girl became a whiz at Lacrosse at Potsdam after never playing it before she got there. Pretty talented all around though her singing voice had to come from the maternal side. I've heard all the men sing and even though Mike felt Renata Booth thought he was good, he was just there for window dressing. The word was though that Casey had Natural Rythym on the dance floor. Listen, Foxy, things getting too busy here, can't even complete a sentence. Later.
Bullet
Posted by: Bullet | June 5, 2007 3:52 PM
Hi fox, you bring up some good points, and some mind twisting flashbacks, loved Tony Adams."good night and good sports" saw him a few years back working as a volunteer at fletcher-allen hospital, nice fella.
Did you know that Mickey Gallagher was the brother of our favorite dear departed local basketball guru Eddie Gallagher?
It's been rumored, though never been invited to see, that the Mayor now has that hand chair of Nat Lash's in his office ! (speaking of which, they ever gonna fix that big hole in the street across from you??).. who the heck is your alderman these days and why isn't he on that!
Hey maybe we could use the hand chair to tie up some of these pit bulls terrorizing the city ?? or maybe you could use "the hand chair"when you open that outdoor cafe' you're thinking of opening in front of your house... won't need barriers that gapping hole will be protection enough..
loved Sid Spiegel when he used to do play by play at the Lake Placid Bobsled Run - "thru zig,thru zag, thru zig-zag"
Happy Herbie's was quite a spot gave a whole new meaning to the old favorite summer drink..".hop-skip and go naked"
glad to see Mr Mannix back in the mix
sad to see the passing of Harold Bates, I also had him as a math teacher and his bark was always bigger than his bite, he was a great teacher and also used to take photos of our high school games and just give them to us, in fact still have a few
Gordie Coryer too, hell of a nice guy, who did so much for the little league kids...I had the pleasure of being his batboy back in the mid 60's when he played for the mighty foxes.
will also miss the other fox.. "Fox" Fountain and his ever present smile....such a friendly man. I miss Fountain and Lucas' store!
and speaking of wine!...
It was nice to see you out and about the other night at the local watering hole, hangin out with your "street gang" (probably setting up that tractor race???) noticed quite a few other bloggers in attendance too, thought I saw "Bullet", "Vin Scully", "old timer", "the Donald, ""smell " and many other friendly faces, good time had by all!
...haven't heard from "zonebreaker "in a while, is he OK?
(Foxy's note: Thanks for all the input, "the carver." Lots going on in the neighborhood, but I'll get to work on the hole and the lawnmower races. Maybe we can revitalize the old neighborhood challenges: have the Saratoga Court champ take on the Montcalmers champ, etc.)
Posted by: the carver | June 5, 2007 3:58 AM
Foxy, I miss the Orange Julip that was on Margaret St. I used to bike to the City Beach every (non-raining) day in summer and always wished I had some cash to stop at that place. It looked so cool. It WAS so cool! When we talked about tossing helicopter seeds in the air during our book interview (thanks again for that, it turned out great), I realized I how much I missed doing that. So, when I was out walking on Saturday I passed a maple tree with tons of seeds on the ground. I looked around, no one in sight, grabbed some seeds and threw them up in the air. It made my day. When I drink wine, which I do pretty much daily, the crick on the right side of my neck goes away from the stress of the day. I'm pretty much well-preserved at the age of 46. Self-preservation is a very important thing as we age.
Posted by: Rebecca Leonard | June 4, 2007 5:07 PM
When I have free time, I quite often relect back on my interactions with those people who had an impact on my development - those who quite often served as role models - I try to emulate them today. There are many such people - but quite a number of them are teachers I had in school. Phyllis Barnard, Tony Breyette, Veronica LaBombard, Maynard Jubert, Wilfred Bordeau, Merit Clifford, and Clara Otis come to mind - along with my 2 best coaches, John Nicotera and Lefty Wilson. I was saddened to notice the obituary of Mr. Harold Bates today, my 9th grade mathematics teacher. I didn't know that Mr. Bates was a Naval Aviator during WWII - serving 2 tours of duty as a carrier-based dive bomb and fighter pilot out in the Pacific Theater of operations. Wow - this man was tough and I salute him.
(Foxy's note: Thanks for the comments, Miney. I had the pleasure of working with Tony Breyette, Maynard Jubert and John Nicotera at the beginning of my teaching career.)
Posted by: Miney Rowlson | June 4, 2007 3:01 PM
Foxy: Its always nice to hear from Mike Mannix on your blog. As I read the blog daily, the memories and friendships keep popping up! I have one more year of commitment to Florida State Elks Association! I will take the DDGER oath in Charlotte N.C. at Elks National Convention! I just ending my District VP year! After my term is completed God Willing, I intend to travel and visit my home town next summer! I think of the enduring Friendships!! St Peters School & Church! M.A.I. City Softball! Plattsburgh Boys Club Boxing Team! Y 'Sports&Dances! Michigans Hot Dogs, Arnie's Pizza! High School Football Games at Bailey Ave under the lights! Great Memories! I Guess Too Much Time To Think of the Simple life we all once new! Lenny
Posted by: Lenny Smallacombe | June 4, 2007 9:07 AM
Free time is a luxury for many folks these days. Family, friends, jobs---everyday things take up our days. I was lucky to have a Mike Mannix call all our ballgames while in high school. He knew all the names and numbers on the uniforms. To this day he meets you and mentions your uniform number.
I can hear the "marching around the table" as if it was yesterday. As we all become older, we remember the good thoughts and hope we have time to take a breath and enjoy some quiet moments.
Posted by: The Donald | June 3, 2007 7:46 PM
Foxy:
Do you remember getting up listening to Chet Bosworth and Miss Lonely Hearts and the March Around-the-Breakfast Table songs? Gordie Little and News of the Day with Sidney J. I was usually in by 4:30am recording an early morning sports show and then off onto the highway to sell meat for Tobin Packing Company (First Prize Meat Products). Covered 1,000 miles a week from Ticonderoga to Rouses Point region and all of the Tri-Lakes, job last 11-years before I replaced Sid Spiegel at WIRY and stayed there until 1983 when I left to become the Executive Director of the United Way and continued to broadcast sports over at WEAV until 1990 when I hung up the microphone except for an occasional fill in for Ducky Drake when he needs some assistance because of a backlog of events. Talk about nostalgia, I would love to get Lenny Smallcome and Fred Forkey together and we can talk about the Old Horicon Hose Building at the top of Montcalm Avneue where Buddy DeCarlo, Lenny, Bobby Smart, Pat Malloy and Paul Savabue all trained under the tutelege of Frank DeCarlo. What memories.
(Foxy's note: And we really did march around our breakfast table, Mike, when Chet played that tune!)
Posted by: Mike Mannix | June 3, 2007 6:03 PM
Morning, Foxy!
Like you, when I find the time to take a few hours off for my thoughts - wearing out batteries on my TV remote - I do remember my old life and wonder how in the world I ever survived!
When I worked at the PR, I had the chance to "hit" Burlington to get ads for our Vistas summer mag that went into English speaking Montreal. I laugh when you mentioned Nat Lash. Can't remember the name of the store but I did get to meet Nat and the "hand chair" in person. What a culture shock. It looked cheap and was made of a tan plastic. (Could have been leather, but it fooled me),
And, yes, the Tradewinds. Met my second husband there. Should have better spent my time with Physics and Calculus! No more wine for me.
I miss Bird Berdan ... he told me that as he worked in his yard, people would drive by and yell at him for the bad weather that day. Sort of like blaming Reagan and Bush for global warming and all the ills of the world since the Black Plague.
Time to get my first cup of coffee, read the local paper and wake up my brain with the crossword puzzle.
Tally **, Foxy ... have a great day!
Lynda
Posted by: lynda (Bouyea) Bevins | June 3, 2007 11:21 AM