Cyber Monday & Billi Pod’s Doubleheader

On this Cyber Monday Billi Pod wants to remind all of his Worker Bee friends out there in the vastness known as cyberspace that it is highly inappropriate to shift your focus from your menial jobs to the world wide web in an attempt to indulge in your shopping/spending fantasies.

Boys and girls, boy/girls and girl/boys and sexual-cyphers ... your responsibility is to work, giving 110% effort to your dead-end jobs. Nothing, repeat, nothing is allowed to interfere with your obligations to your employers and to your too often misunderstood bosses/supervisors.

Plus ... and you know this to be true ... most of you either don’t have the required credit/debit cards or you have already maxed-out your $250 credit limits.

I know this sounds harsh, but it is my responsibility, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting, to fulfill my responsibilities to maintaining the economy in this great country of ours, and in doing so, permitting we poor pensioners to eke out our existence(s) in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

And ... specifically... to ...

Worker Bee #1 - whose name rhymes with==>Peed - his job involves polishing celebrity shoes and serving coffee;

Worker Bee #2 - whose name rhymes with==>Beers - his job involves emptying colostomy bags and searching for lost keys;

Worker Bee #3 - whose name rhymes with==>Cypher - his job involves booking rooms at Motel 6 and forwarding mail; and,

Worker Bee #4 - whose name rhymes with==>Bris - who doesn’t live in NYC - his job involves collecting and packaging manure.

Just because you know Billi Pod does not, repeat, does not give you special privileges in The Worker Bee World ... so ... to you and everyone else out there ...

BACK TO WORK==>IT IS SO ORDERED.

Moving on ... like ... Billi Pod’s report cards on yesterday’s excellent doubleheader ...

MESSIAH: REFRESHED @ Avery Fisher Hall==>A<== a perfect way to start the holiday season.

The enhanced orchestration of Handel’s classic, supported by a full orchestra and a 175+ person chorus, filled the auditorium with gloriously beautiful sounds that transfixed the audience.

The performance, done with one intermission, clocked in a 2:45 but the time passed quickly.

Whenever I hear The Messiah I remember back to high school (Summerlin Institute in Bartow, FL) where I was a member of the Glee Club for 3 years. We performed The Messiah each season, but our version ended with the Hallelujah Chorus, omitting the final 4 numbers in the original format. I still like our format better, frankly.

When the show was over, as predicted, the weather was excellent, so I opted to walk back to PHC, a distance of a little over a mile. It felt great.

Had time for the usual fruit and cheese plate and then it was time to head out to The Playwright's Horizon (directly underneath PHC) for the second and final part of my doubleheader ...

MAPLE AND VINE, about a couple who exchange their modern lives for a controlled community (sect???) where everything, and I mean everything, is set in 1955.

The plot line in this show is difficult to describe and I think that is one of the reasons I left the theater when the show was over with very mixed feelings.

The concept is interesting, in that it shows how different the World was 56 years ago. It caused me to reflect on what was going on in my life in 1955 ... wow ... back then Billi Pod (not his name then) was married, with a daughter, stuck in a no-future job and contemplating enlisting in the Army (which he did).

I thought that the acting was stellar and the sets very impressive.

When the show was over I was confused about what the final message was, so I looked for my theater buddy, Marty, to get his thoughts, but ... alas ... he had fled the scene.

In my earlier FaceBook posting this morning I gave the show a B and I am going to stick with that even though I now know that Marty gives it a D-.

So, you loyal and faithful readers in the greater New York area ... give this show a shot and then let me know what you think.

Today, being Monday, will be Billi Pod’s errands and stuff day, including paying the first of the month bills. Barf!!

Then for tonight ...

8:00==>HORSEDREAMS - “Explores the breakdown of the family unit as a result of addiction. After his wife dies of an accidental overdose, Loman faces the harsh reality of raising their son alone.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This is not one of my favorite themes, but ... I am seeing this show with my theater buddies Dian, Vera and Marty.

Let me close this posting on a positive note and that is ...

TIMMY DID IT AGAIN!!

Yes, he did it again, leading the Broncos to an overtime win over the Chargers. They are now 5-1 with Tebow as their starting QB.

Neigh-sayers be damned. Eventually you people will understand that this guy is a winner!

BELIEVE!!

Billi Pod

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

ALEX-96

SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY @ Yankee Stadium.

Yesterday was an awesome day, one of the very best Billi Pod has had during his years in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World==>Sir Paul McCartney @ Yankee Stadium!!

John Scott Reed aka Fabson came over to PHC after he had gotten off work, a rather interesting workday for him since he some face-to-face interaction with Bradley Cooper ("The Hangover Part 2"). We did some catching up and then headed over to Shake Shack at 44th and 8th Avenue where Scott treated me to an awesome dinner featuring more food and calories than I would normally ingest in a week.

We got to the stadium a bit early because I didn’t want to run the risk of being late and missing any part of the concert. Our seats were excellent. There would be no opening act.

Sir Paul McCartney came on stage at 8:30pm and the sellout crowd went wild. He looked great. It is hard to believe that he turned 69 last month. The concert started with “Hello Goodbye.”

My loyal and faithful readers, Billi Pod has to admit that it was a surreal experience to witness this rock & roll legend and hear the songs that virtually everyone in the stadium knew the complete lyrics to.

To add to the almost mystical atmosphere, at about 9:00pm the full moon became visible, rising majestically over the stage. OMFG!!

Sir Paul had a nice ongoing banter directed at his adoring audience. Early on he took a good-natured poke at Derek Jeter when he said:

“And by the way - who is this Derek Jeter guy? Somebody said he’s got more hits than me.”

The crowd roared.

Near the end of the concert, during “Live and Let Die,” fireworks spewed from the stage, burying Sir Paul in a billowing cloud of smoke.

During the entire concert the sound was awesome and Sir Paul was in excellent voice, easily reaching the falsetto notes that brought back memories of the screaming masses of the 60s.

The regular program concluded with “Hey Jude.” There had been no intermission. Sir Paul returned to the stage for two encores. It was 11:00pm when he made his final goodbye wave and, frankly, Scott and I were emotionally drained, to put it mildly.

Leaving the stadium and getting to the subway station was quite a feat unto itself. It was after midnight when I got back to PHC. I spent the next 2 hours processing and absorbing what can only be classified as a Once In A Lifetime Experience.

I am so lucky to be where I am!!!

Tonight’s entertainment event is ...

8:00==>THE LEAK by Tony Drazan - “It is told in free associative bop style by the performer, leaking his own hilarious and haunting memories, taboo fantasies and secrets both real and imagined. (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket).

This is playing at Ars Nova, one of my favorite venues.

Oh, I guess I should comment on The Yankees==>they sucked again losing 7-1 to the Blue Jays, for two straight losses. Hopefully this afternoon our ace CC Sabathia will plug the wound and stem the flow of blood.

You know, John Scott Reed aka Fabson had quite a day==>Bradley Cooper, Billi Pod, and then Sir Paul McCartney. Not bad, not bad at all.

GO YANKEES AND 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.”

A Big Apple Walking Day & Report Card on TERRITORIES

Billi Pod did a lot of walking yesterday. As previously posted, he had a routine office visit with his heart doc, whose office is just about as far East as you can get in Midtown Manhattan.

When the very brief session was over I headed back to PHC, choosing routes that minimized the hordes of map-carrying tourists. The exception was the area around the Eastern entrance to Central Park, including the Apple Store.

I took my time and did more strolling than my normal ... “get the f**k out of my way asshole, can’t you see I’m more important than you?” ... New York style pace.

Taking into consideration the walking to and from the subway to get to the office I later calculated the total mileage to be 3 miles.

My show for the evening was down in Chelsea. I got there a bit early and just wandered around and then when the show was over I walked back to PHC and again calculated the distances, including the wandering, to be 2.25 miles, meaning ...

Total mileage==>5.25 miles for the day/evening ... not bad for a 77 year old guy ... or as some have said ... an old fart (yeah, you Topher).

But, of course ... I report - you decide.

And speaking of the show, well ...

I found both plays in last night’s TERRITORIES @ Atlantic Theatre Stage 2, to be totally incomprehensible.

That being said ... the evening was saved by stellar acting in both plays.

Yes, I could have left at intermission, as did about 25% of the audience, but I didn’t and that was totally due to the fine acting.

Tonight’s entertainment events are ...

7:30==>NO CHILD... - “An exploration of the New York City public school system, performed by Nilaja Sun, who transforms with rapid-fire precision into the teachers, students, parents administrators, janitors and security guards who inhabit our schools and shape the future of America.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show has gotten very favorable reviews and several of my theatre buddies have urged me to see it.

After the show I will meet up with Gordon and Carole Warner of Tavares, FL, at Joe Allen on Restaurant Row. They are returning from an awesome mid-European river cruise and are seeing THE BOOK OF MORMON.

As many of you loyal and faithful readers know, Gordon was married to my former wife Donna, who passed away four years ago. Over the years I am happy to report that Gordon, Donna and I maintained a very cordial relationship and I am very pleased that Gordon and I still do.

BREAKING NEWS==>Billi Pod is eagerly awaiting Friday. Why, you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well, tomorrow night John Scott Reed aka Fabson and I will head out to Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, for the 8:00pm PAUL MCCARTNEY concert.

Have excellent seats. The weather is supposed to be good. AWESOME!!

GO YANKEES AND 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’s Doubleheader Was A Mixed Bag.

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers. It is a bright but cold day in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World==>38º @ 8:30am.

How ‘bout them Gators!! Last night we beat UCLA 73-65 and advanced to The Sweet Sixteen. The Gators (28-7) will play BYU (31-4) on Thursday in New Orleans. GO GATORS!!

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting I have to admit that I find basketball, pro or college, a difficult game to watch from beginning to end, regardless of the stakes involved. I really only like the last 5 minutes. There - I’ve said it and I feel better. Please don’t judge me.

Yesterday’s entertainment doubleheader was a mixed bag, so let’s get right to it with Billi Pod’s report cards on --

THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT==>F<==terrible!! What a major disappointment. Chris Rock sucked. The characters were individually unlikeable and after the first 10 minutes the shouting, cussing, screaming etc got extremely tiresome. I found myself hoping that Act II would end in a mass suicide involving each of the 4 main characters.

But, I didn’t stay around to see if my wish would come true because I fled the scene at intermission. Yep ... I was outta there along with a number of other disappointed theatergoers.

Also, as a 21 year member of AA I found the underlying theme of a sponsor betraying his sponsee to be extremely disturbing. I will admit that perhaps on this issue I might have been a bit too sensitive, but, none-the-less, it is how I felt at the time.

I came back to PHC and watched the rest of the Gators/UCLA game.

Happily, the evening’s entertainment event was much much better --

THREE MEN ON A HORSE==>B+<==funny and very well acted. Yes, it is dated but it remains very laugh-inducing and the audience was really into it. I left the theater with a happy smile on my face.

Today is another entertainment doubleheader --

2:00==>MASTERWORKS FESTIVAL CHORUS @ Carnegie Hall - “Performing the world premiere of Festival Te Deum, with the New York City Chamber Orchestra.” ($9.00 TDF ticket)

My $9.00 ticket will be in the second level of the upper tier, which is excellent.

After the concert I will not come back to PHC. Instead, I will spend a couple of hours at The Museum of Modern Art until it is time for my second show, which is ...

7:00==>THE DREAM OF THE BURNING BOY - “Since the sudden death of one of his favorite students, high school teacher Larry Morrow has been falling asleep at his desk and dreaming and as his dreams intensify, a shocking secret is exposed.” (Off-Broadway - complimentary ticket).

Yes, I know that it sounds pretty grim but this show has been highly recommended to me by several of my theater going friends, so ...

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

It Is Tuesday In The Big Apple.

Good morning everyone from a bright but still cold Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

Last night’s ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK concert @ Carnegie Hall was wonderful. My comp. seat was awesome==>second row, center orchestra. It couldn’t have been better, both location and program. It was a great evening of Saint-Saëns, Debussy and Poulenc.

A bit of background on The Oratorio Society of New York ...

The Oratorio Society, composed of volunteer singers and musicians, was founded in 1873 and in 1891 helped inaugurate the concert hall that came to be known as Carnegie Hall. It has performed there ever since, with the exception of 1960 when the Hall didn’t accept bookings because of impending demolition (which, of course, didn’t happen).

Tonight’s entertainment event is --

7:30==>THE MILK TRAIN DOESN’T STOP HERE ANYMORE - “This revival of the haunting Tennessee Williams drama stars Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis as a wealthy American widow who has detached from the world in order to write her memoirs.” (Off-Broadway - Roundabout subscription series)

The show has received very mixed reviews, so ... we will see ...

Last night I added yet another Broadway musical to my upcoming itinerary==>MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. I have been wanting to see it, so when it showed up on TDF I immediately booked it. Will give the details about the show in a later posting.

So, in closing ...

Earth to Charlie Sheen==>SHUT THE F**K UP!!!

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

The End Of Musings From The Mind Of Billi Pod!

Yes, the end has come, but ...

First let’s start with Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s KIN==>B<==acting outstanding, but dammit, yet another yelling, screaming, crying, dysfunctional families drama. Getting a bit old folks.

I was seated next to a relative of the playwright and she silently cried most of the performance, for whatever unknown reason. Kinda weird.

Today is another entertainment doubleheader for Billi Pod --

2:00==>THE NEWARK BOYS CHORUS & THE NATIONAL FESTIVAL CHORUS @ Carnegie Hall - works by Vivaldi, Brahms, Bach, Monteverdi, and others. ($9.00 TDF ticket).

7:00==>APPLE COVE - “When newlyweds Edie and Alan move into the gated community of Apple Cove, they believe they have found a safe haven from the chaotic world outside. They quickly learn that nothing, not even electric gates, can keep nature out. Especially one's own nature.” (Off-Broadway - complimentary ticket).

This is the makeup performance for the one that was canceled on Friday, February 18th, due to sound system problems. The show runs 90 minutes so I will be back in PHC in plenty of time to see the important parts of the Academy Award Ceremony on ABC.

Alas, my loyal and faithful readers, what follows will be the last of the musings. To recap just a bit for those of you who aren’t daily followers - the musings came about late one evening, December 2, 2010, beginning around 11:45pm, as I was obviously in front of this ‘puter. They just came out in no particular order or sequence and I frantically typed them just as the thoughts were being formed.

The “session” lasted about an hour and then, suddenly, it was over. And, no, I hadn’t relapsed and/or gone on mind-altering substances. What I have posted on this blog and my FaceBook Wall are the exact musings in the order in which they were born. I only spell-checked and I have resisted the urge to “tweak” them in any manner.

The only omission was one of the early ones in which I made a super-slanderous reference to Bill O’Reilly’s mother. Scott Reed urged me not to post it and I didn’t, and he was right.

So, everyone, here it is, the final musing ...

Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress):

“Rodeo clowns are actually Mafia hitmen in training - WTF!! - my mind has been spewing out stuff like, you know, stuff like ... oh ... stuff it, will ya, for God’s sake. The End!!”

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

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 Tuesday Report

Good afternoon everyone!!

Since I have already blogged about my battle(s) with The Bieber Nation, I think that I will just give you loyal and faithful readers a short posting on Billi Pod’s activities for today.

Hold on now ... stop the applause ...

Report card on BROADWAY BY THE YEAR 1921 @ Town Hall==>A<==as in super-excellent, as usual. Scott Seigle stages another highly professional production with remarkable talent. It was a fun evening.

Billi Pod’s entertainment event for this evening is ...

8:00==>CURTIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA @ Carnegie Hall - works by Hindemith-Kozertmusik for Strings and Brass; Higdon (who?)-Violin Concerto; and, Shostakovich-Symphony No. 5. (complimentary ticket)

For your information, The Curtis Institute of Music was founded in 1924 in Philadelphia, PA, and some alumni are: Leonard Bernstein, Alan Gilbert (current conductor of the New York Philharmonic), Lang Lang, Yefim Bronfman and approximately 50% of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Billi Pod is more than happy to report that Spring Training arrived yesterday with the pitchers and catchers reporting for duty at the facility down in Tampa.

Most of the early news concerns ace CC Sabathia who dropped 25 lbs. in the off season and mentioned that he might opt out of his contract at the end of the season to explore free agency. I believe this to be merely a negotiating ploy, but nonetheless, it caused quite a headline fury --

“Sabathia Loses Weight and Keeps His Options Open” - New York Times

“CC’S CHANGE-UP - Hints he may opt out after this season” - New York Post

"CRUNCH TIME! - Source: CC Likely To Opt Out of Deal After Season” - Daily News

Oh the drama!!!

Will close with ...

Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress):

“Living organically means your organs can have multiple orgasms.”

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

Saturday In The Big Apple

Hello Everyone!

It is bright, sunny and cold in The Big Apple but no snow in the forecast and that is a good thing. Unfortunately it still can be pretty treacherous walking, especially at the slushy and icy crosswalks.

Had a nice lunch today with former Bartow, FL, residents Hank Campbell and his wife Susan. They now live in Valrico, FL, which is outside of Tampa.

We met up at Joe Allen and had a nice time just catching up on things and stuff, including lots of Gator talk.

Hank is a partner in a law firm in Lakeland, FL, and is the son of my former law partner Monterey “Buddy” Campbell, now retired after years of service on the Second District Court of Appeals. Hank’s younger sister Beth was in school with my son Bill III aka The Bill of Orlando, FL.

Hank and Susan are in The Big Apple for a whirlwind weekend visit. They are seeing DRIVING MISS DAISY today. I will see it on Wednesday, February 2nd.

So, guys, it was great being with you and have a safe trip home.

Billi Pod’s entertainment event for this evening is another classical music concert --

8:00==>ORPHEUS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA @ Carnegie Hall - featuring violinist Vadim Gluzman. Schumann’s Overture to Hermann und Dorothea; Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2; Pendericki’s Serenade; and, Brahms' Serenade No. 2 in A Major. (complimentary ticket)

The acoustics in this legendary venue are so good that it really doesn’t matter where my seat will be, and with a comp. ticket, it could be virtually anywhere.

And on this high note Billi Pod will close with the usual and now very highly anticipated ...

Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress):

“Carbon footprints only mean that someone was thoughtless, careless, barefoot and old like Larry King.”

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

Tuesday==>Another Damn Snow Day!!

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers. In The Greatest City In The World we had light snow flurries @ 8:30am this morning and the temperature was 28º.

Now three hours later the snow is coming down harder. All Billi Pod can say is that this is getting mighty tiresome and it’s only the end of January.

Yeah, yeah ... I know ... please no emails and/or texts ... I am here in the Northeast in the Winter by choice and ... yes ... If I wanted to, I could be somewhere else, in a warmer climate. All I can say is ... be careful what you wish for ... Billi Pod could end up sleeping on your couch for the rest of the Winter ... think about it before you send any snarky responses ...

Because it was so damned cold, Billi Pod stayed in yesterday during the day, meaning==>no errands and stuff.

It warmed up a bit in the evening (18º), so I met up with John Scott Reed aka Fabson for dinner at Joe Allen.

We had a great time and I am happy to report that he is enjoying his new career path as Director of Operations & Executive Assistant to the CEO, Lori Levine, of Flying Television, a talent booking and brokering firm.

Unfortunately for Billi Pod, the delicate and highly confidential nature of his professional responsibilities prohibit him from sharing even the smallest of “insider” details - dammit-to-Hell - and he won’t budge. Oh well ...

I hope the snow ends soon because I really have some things and stuff I need to do, including an overdue trip to the grocery store.

As might be expected there is a lot of ... woulda, coulda, shoulda ... stuff in the local papers over the Jets/Steelers game on Sunday.

Tons of second guessing. To all of this Billi Pod says==>Hey guys, the season is over, so let’s move the f**k on ... OK?

Kinda different entertainment schedule for the remainder of the week in that I have 3 classical music concerts on tap. Tonight is the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Thursday is the New York Philharmonic, and Saturday is the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

So, details about tonight --

8:00==>BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA @ Lincoln Center - Haydn’s Symphony No.102; Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major; and, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. (discounted TDF ticket).

Still snowing and it looks beautiful from way up here on the 41st floor in warm and cozy PHC. The snow flakes are huge.

I will close with the usual ...

Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress):

“Bright times depend on the amount of light at the end of the tunnel.”

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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