Billi Pod Says==>Goodbye 2012 - Hello 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE to each and everyone of my loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the morass known as cyberspace!!!!

It is bright and cold in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World==>30º @ 8:30am on this final day of 2012.

In response to your emails and texts ... no, Billi Pod will not be in Times Square tonight for the dropping of the ball, saying good riddance to 2012 and ushering in 2013 - been there, done that.

His entertainment event for tonight is ...

7:30==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall - New Year’s Eve Gala. The program is: “One Singular Sensation - Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch” --

“Over a nearly 50-year career he won three Oscars, four Emmys, four Grammys, two Golden Globes, a Tony and a Pulitzer. He penned hits like “The Way We Were,” scored more than 40 films and wrote the music for eight Broadway shows, including A Chorus Line.” 

“Now the New York Philharmonic and an all-star cast, including: Audra McDonald, Josh Groban, Kelli O’Hara and Raul Esparza, celebrate the life and music of Marvin Hamlisch, who died this year, in a New Year’s Eve concert like none other.” (full price expensive ticket)

This concert will be telecast nationally on “Live From Lincoln Center” on PBS stations @ 8:00pm.

This has become a New Year’s Eve tradition for Billi Pod. I have done this event for the past 8 years and it has always been a very enjoyable evening.

When the concert is over I will come back to the warm and cozy confines of PHC, grill a steak (with baked potato and grilled onions), watch everything on the tube and then toast the New Year with my favorite libation==>Fresca.

So, have a safe and sane time everyone.

Moving on ...

Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s entertainment event ...

VICTORS OF ST. GOLDSTEIN, the one  hour of sketch comedy, music, improv, funny voices, and spectacular wigs==>A

Very very funny, risqué and extremely well performed. The one-hour running time flew by. Just the kind of show Billi Pod was in the mood for.

OK, my loyal and faithful readers and followers, Billi Pod has to admit upfront that the upcoming week is gonna be primarily devoted to college football, leading up to the Sugar Bowl (Gators vs. Louisville) on Wednesday and then the BCS Championship Game (Notre Dame vs. Alabama) a week from today.

I love college football, as you know. I will, however, try to schedule some other stuff too, so ... stay tuned.

Oh ... before I close this final posting of 2012 ... can you believe it ... Billi Pod Blogs is approaching==>43,000 page views ... and ... 9,400 profile views!!!! 

This my loyal and faithful readers, followers and friends is==>AWESOME!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.53 miles (or, 9,898 steps)

Mileage for week==>31.24 miles (avg. 4.46 miles per day)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>965.64 miles 

Mileage remaining until 4/23/13==>113.36 miles

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Saturday==>Bowl Games

I am happy to report to you loyal and faithful readers and followers that the snow has ended but it is still very cold here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. At 8:30am this morning it was 28º but bright and sunny.

Yesterday, however, was a majorly nasty day with snow, then rain for most of the day and into the evening hours.

The nasty weather was a perfect excuse for Billi Pod to transition into his “college-football-couch-potato” modality and transition he did. Yes, he had thought about doing a movie but he just wasn’t in the mood for that ... so ... college football it was, with very mixed results ...

Armed Forces Bowl - Rice 33, Air Force 14==>Rice blows out Air Force in the second half.

Pinstripe Bowl @ Yankee Stadium - Syracuse 38, West Virginia 14==>played in heavy snow. ‘Cuse crushes the Mountingfears in the second half. Sorry Marty.

Fight Hunger Bowl - Arizona State 62, Navy 28==>didn’t watch.

Alamo Bowl - Texas 31, Oregon State 27==>very exciting game. Texas overcomes 10-point deficit to win.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl (Really? Has the NCAAF no shame ... Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl? WTF??) - Michigan State 17, TCU 16==>best game. Michigan scores 10 points in the final quarter and wins on a 47-yard field goal with 1:01 minutes left in the game.

Yep, this was Billi Pod’s “entertainment” events for Saturday. Now, please don’t be too critical. Yes, he knew that it was a Saturday in The Big Apple, but, folks, remember==>as a retiree EVERY day is a Saturday to Billi Pod ... so ...

I did, however, get a bit antsy in the late afternoon, so around 6:30pm I dressed warmly and headed over to the Port Authority Bus Terminal for some walking time. It was cold and nasty out.

I took the shuttle over to Grand Central Station and walked and wandered there (very very crowded), then took the shuttle back to the Port Authority and walked and wandered there, then came on back to the warm and cozy confines of PHC for more college football.

The walk and wander session took about 90 minutes and I clocked in a little over 4 miles on my WeightWatchers Pedometer. Yeah ... that was good.

OK ... moving on ... 

This afternoon I will watch some pro-football and then do a walk and wander session at the Port Authority and Penn Station.

For the evening Billi Pod has scheduled something a bit different ...

7:00==>VICTORS OF ST. GOLDSTEIN - “One explosive hour of sketch comedy, music, improv, funny voices, special guests, and spectacular wigs.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

This certainly sounds a bit different, doesn’t it? It is playing at a theatre on West 36th Street so I won’t be out in the elements for too long. 

There you have it my loyal and faithful readers and followers ... so ... 

HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE WEEKEND EVERYONE.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.37 miles (or, 11.742 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>961.11 miles 

Mileage remaining until 4/23/13==>117.89 miles

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

THE LAST SEDER==>C+

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the wastelands, hinterlands and boondocks.

It is gray and cold this morning as The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, awaits the arrival of a snow storm.

It is projected that the snow will began around noon and last for most of the afternoon and into the evening.

Oh well, it is Winter so what should Billi Pod expect since he lives up North, right?

Anyway ... let’s start this posting with Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s entertainment event ...

THE LAST SEDER, about four sisters who return to their childhood home for a final Passover meal with the father they are losing to advancing Alzheimer’s disease==>C+

Yes, yet another so-called “dramatic-comedy” about a mega-dysfunctional family. 

Each of the sisters has issues with life and with each other and I found none of them to be very likeable. There is a lot of barely hidden anger and jealously. Add to that way too much yelling and screaming and pretty soon you don’t care about any of them.

The story line is choppy and overcomplicated and, unfortunately, the climactic final Seder scene is forced and totally unbelievable.

The ensemble acting is acceptable, however, headed by Greg Mullavey, as the memory-challenged patriarch and Kathryn Kates, as his wife. This, frankly, saves the play from receiving a much lower grade.

I had really expected to like this show, despite its troubling story line, so I was majorly disappointed. I am probably in the minority in this instance, but it is my responsibility to you loyal and faithful readers and followers to "tell-it-like-it-is."

Remember==>Billi Pod only reports - you decide.

The show has been extended and runs through January 13th.

Moving on ...

So far nothing of any interest has shown up on my ticket services so it looks like Billi Pod will spend the afternoon in front of the tube watching bowl games with teams he could care less about and then, probably, a movie ... if it ain’t too icy and slushy to venture outside. Sooooooooooo ... 

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.11 miles (or, 9,001 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>955.74 miles 

Mileage remaining until 4/23/13==>123.26 miles

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

FALLING==>A

It is a bright and cold day here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, 30º at 9:00am. Heavy snow is in the forecast for tomorrow.

During the day yesterday I was finally able to finish up all of the things and stuff that needed to be done following my return from Christmas In Columbia. 

Then for the evening was an intense drama down in the West Village ...

FALLING, about a family dealing with an autistic 18-yr-old son==>A

It is an extremely difficult and emotional story line but Julia Murney and Daniel Everidge, in the roles of the mother and the autistic son, give incredible performances. I have to admit to feeling emotionally drained when the show was over. It is extremely intense during the entire 85 minute running time.

I am glad I finally got around to seeing it because it closes on Sunday after a very successful Off-Broadway run.

Both before and after the show I was able to get in some major walking time in various subway platforms. It was way too cold to spend much time out in the elements.

Tonight’s entertainment event also deals with what is to Billi Pod a difficult subject matter==>old age dementia.

8:00==>THE LAST SEDER - “In this funny and moving play about the joys and heartbreak of family, four women return to their childhood home for a final Passover meal with the father they are losing to Alzheimer’s disease.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show is playing in my ‘hood and has received mostly very favorable reviews.

At the moment the weekend is open because nothing of any interest has shown up yet on my ticket services.

Not to worry my loyal and faithful readers and followers, if nothing shows up on the services Billi Pod will be entertained with movies, LIFE OF PI and/or LINCOLN ... plus tons and tons of college and professional football.

So ...

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.25miles (or, 11,475 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>951.63 miles 

Mileage remaining until 4/23/13==>127.37 miles

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Billi Pod’s Much Anticipated Update

 

At 11:32am on Wednesday, December 26th, I opened the door to apartment PHC at 420 W. 42nd Street in New York City, The Greatest City In The World, ending a wonderfully awesome Christmastime adventure down in Columbia, SC, with my family, including my darling great-granddaughter Saylor Falletta.

Yes, it felt good to be “back home” so I quickly set about to get things back to normal for Billi Pod, including unpacking, storing and then heading out to the ‘hood grocery store to restock. It was really windy and cold, 28º with the wind chill in the upper teens.

Then it really began to get nasty. It started to rain lightly and then it got heavier. That was followed by snow and sleet and this continued on for the rest of the day into the evening hours.

Yes, I know, my loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the boondocks, hinterlands and wastelands, your favorite blogger did an awful job in keeping you up-to-date and all he can say is==>MY BAD!! 

Please forgive Billi Pod so he can rekindle the process of keeping you loyal and faithful readers and followers involved ... so ... why don’t we start with a summary, kinda, of his time down in Columbia, SC ...

Monday - December 24th - it was an overcast and basically blah weather day. Luckily, The Bill and Topher had arrived, together, the day before. Most of the daytime was spent preparing for our planned festive occasion, Christmas Eve Dinner with Alex, Gina and Saylor at their home in Elgin, SC, which is just north of Columbia.

We got there around 4:00pm.

What a wonderful time was had by all. As expected, Saylor was the centerpiece. She has just begun walking a bit by herself and is a teeming bundle of energy. Everyone took turns walking around the house with her.

Dinner was just terrific. This is the menu. Yes, we had tons and tons of wonderful food, featuring Dr. John’s legendary Beef Tenderloin.

After dinner we gathered in the living room and Great-granddaddy read “T’was The Night Before Christmas” to Saylor in what was, hopefully, the beginning of a Yuletide tradition. Then we opened our presents.

THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL OF THE THINGS AND STUFF.

It was around 10:00pm when we got back to Kathi and Dr. John’s beautiful apartment, which overlooks downtown Columbia.

It had been an AWESOME time, to put it mildly.

Monday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.03 miles (or, 8,814 steps)

Tuesday - December 25th - Christmas Day

As planned, Alex, Gina and Saylor, left early in the morning to head down to Florida for some holiday-time with Alex’s dad, David Falletta, who lives in Lakeland.

The Bill and Topher also headed back to Florida with The Bill driving Topher’s truck.

That left Kathi, Dr. John and moi and we just chilled and then in the mid-afternoon went to a movie ...

LES MISERABLES, starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe. This is the highly anticipated movie version of the mega-successful musical.

This was its opening day. Luckily I was able to persuade Dr. John that we should get to the venue early for the 3:15pm starting time because the house ended up being full. Because we were a bit early we were able to get great seats.

What did we think of the movie I know you are all asking your inner selves? Well, selves ... we three totally L O V E D it. Kathi cried during a good portion of the show.

Folks, this is a “must-see,” trust Billi Pod on this one==>you gotta see it!!

For the evening we again chilled and ate some of the wonderful leftovers. Nice!!

Tuesday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.18 miles (or, 9,142 steps)

Wednesday - December 26th

Dr. John dropped me off at Columbia airport around 5:45am. Then I had a first ... a full body grope at the TSA security checkpoint. Actually it was kinda nice ... NOT!!

Anyway ... my early morning flight left on schedule, 7:15am, just ahead of a terrible weather front that was moving into the Northeast. The regional jet was full.

We arrived at LGA on time. The weather had begun to get a bit nasty, windy and cold. Since the aircraft was a regional jet we didn’t actually get to the gate, rather we stopped out on the tarmac and boarded a shuttle bus. Yeah, in the elements ... yuck ... 

I had packed a carryon so I didn’t have to worry about baggage claim and that was nice, but ... LGA was swarming, and I mean swarming, with people. As usual I decided to take the express bus to The Port Authority, the cost is only $13 vs. $50+ for taxi or car service.

Man, the roads leading into Manhattan were jam-packed and it took almost an hour to get to The Port Authority, but the important thing ... at 11:32am I was back in PHC.

As I wrote above, it then began to get really ugly. I had done something I usually don’t do and that is scheduling an entertainment event for the night I get back from being out-of-town. 

Yes, as the snow was coming down harder and harder I mentally scolded my inner self for this decision since I really wanted to stay in the warm and cozy confines of PHC ... but ...

At the appropriate time I dressed warmly and headed out to my 7:00pm entertainment event, a Broadway show ...

THE OTHER PLACE - “A drama about a successful neurologist whose life seems to be coming unhinged. Her husband has filed for divorce, her daughter has eloped with a much older man and her own health is in jeopardy. But in this brilliantly crafted work, nothing is as it seems.” (Broadway - complimentary ticket).

Billi Pod’s report card==>B+. 

Laurie Metcalf gives a dazzling performance to material that is sometimes difficult to follow and often very upsetting. It is worth seeing.

So, my loyal and faithful readers and followers, this pretty much brings you up-to-date ... so ... let’s move on to today ...

Tonight’s entertainment event is ...

8:00==>FALLING - “A family drama about how 18-year-old Josh, who has autism, affects the lives of everyone around him. Family’s not the most important thing: it’s everything.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show is playing downtown in the West Village. All of my theater buddies have liked it and I am glad I am finally getting around to seeing it.

Thank God the weather is somewhat better, which will let me do some much needed/wanted walking and wandering ...

Oh, speaking of walking and wandering ... this week I hit another incredible milestone ... over 2,000,000 steps since July I, 2012==>AWESOME!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>3.77 miles (or, 8,254 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>946.38 miles (or 2,069,733 steps)

Mileage remaining until 4/23/13==>132.62 miles

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”