Wednesday - Quick Thoughts Before Heading Out to the Bronx

I have just a few minutes before I head out to Yankee Stadium for the final game of the 3 game series against The Twins. The Yankees won the first two games and have won 5 in a row and are now 10 games over .500 for the first time all season. They have tomorrow off and then head up to Boston for a crucial 3 game series against The Fucksox.

Had a great time at last night’s game even though my seat was in the upper tier. It was nice and breezy. The Yankee bats are more alive now and we won 8-2, bringing their record for games I have seen to 11-8. Had a very nice running conversation with the 40s guy seated to my right. He is a full season ticket holder and we spent a lot of time venting on how Yankee Management doesn’t give a flying fuck about non-Corporate ticket holders. The guy, Jeff, is a High School teacher who works in PA but has property in Riverdale, NY. He is an avid and knowledgeable baseball fan.

As I have written, my plan for today was to walk back to the apartment after the game but last night I scratched that because it just didn’t feel right. Not sure why, but it just didn’t and I felt the same way when I woke up this morning. Maybe sometime later ... who knows ...

Well, that decision meant I had nothing scheduled for this evening but that void was quickly filled when I went online and got a complimentary ticket to see “Perfect Harmony’ - “Perfect Harmony' is a new comedy about the struggle for truth, love and high school a cappella championship glory. During the course of the school year, perennial high school a cappella powerhouse, The Acafellas, and their female counterparts, The Ladies in Red, bare their dreams, hopes, and struggles to blend, as they battle to win Nationals and discover the true meaning of harmony.”

Oh, in closing and in response to several emails about the INTP posting ... no, the “You Are A Giant Dork” photo was not part of the original piece. I found it online and thought it was a perfect fit for me.

Now, it is time to head out to The Bronx, so ...

Go Yankees!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

Tuesday - Monday Night At Yankee Stadium - Awesome!!

I had just settled into my Loge seat for last night’s game, it was about 10 minutes before the first pitch at 7:05. The Yankees were playing the first game of a 3 game series against the Minnesota Twins, who have been red hot. I have tickets for all 3 games.

The guy seated to my left, who appeared to be in his late 50s or early 60s, asked me: “aren’t you the guy who use to live in Florida but now lives in New York ... a reverse something or other?” What the hell, thought I? Long story short - his name is Tom Kostecke, he is retired, lives in Rochester, NY, spends January, February and March in Ormond Beach, FL, comes down from Rochester every year to see 3 Yankee games, and last year we had sat next to one another for a game. Wow!! What a memory on his part and what are the odds that we would be seated next to one another a year later. But, it gets better ...

Seated in front of us were 5 younger guys, in their early 30s, that in my head I named “THE BAND OF BROTHERS.” Why this name? Well, they had been in the Marine Corps together but only one remains on active duty and he is stationed in Guantanamo Bay. The rest now live in different parts of the country, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Chicago and New York. None of them had ever been to Yankee Stadium, so they had planned this trip as a reunion and to see The House That Ruth Built in its final season. None of them are Yankee fans, but that didn’t matter. Tom and I had a nice running conversation with them during the course of the game and it was so obvious that these were 5 guys who genuinely cared for one another, were avid baseball fans and understood the significance of being in The House That Ruth Built for their first and last time. There was such positive energy coming from these guys and it made us all feel real good, even though one of them did get a bit loud and profane in the late innings, but it was in a funny way.

One of the guys couldn’t believe that Tom and I didn’t know one another and he said that he thought that Tom was my son. Hum ... not sure how I feel about that. Anyway, we kept explaining to him the randomness of our meeting but he never really bought it. It didn’t help matters that when Tom left in the top of the 9th he said: “Seeya later Dad.” But, there is more ...

To add to the evening - the early 50s guy sitting to my right grew up in the Bronx but now lives in Sarasota, FL, has a 20 game partial season ticket package like mine, and comes up from Florida 5 or 6 times during the season. He said he found my “Reverse Snowbird’ status to be “most interesting.”

What an interesting evening. When the game was over it got pretty emotional and we all shook hands first and then hugged and said goodbye. I haven’t been able to get the feeling out of my head, quite frankly.

Oh, about the game - the Yankees kicked ass and won 12-4 making it 4 in a row. Bad news - Jorge Posada is going on the Disabled List (DL) and will probably be out for the rest of the season.
THE BAND OF BROTHERS
The guy on the left is the one still on active duty. To his right is the most vocal of the group and the funniest. The two on the right are actually brothers. The 5th guy is not in the picture because he is now a New York City Cop and didn’t want to be photographed. He is also a White Sox fan.

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

Monday - What Is An INTP Myers-Briggs Personality Profile?

Portrait of an INTP - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving (Introverted Thinking with Extraverted Intuition)

The Thinker

As an INTP, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you deal with things rationally and logically. Your secondary mode is external, where you take things in primarily via your intuition.

INTPs live in the world of theoretical possibilities. They see everything in terms of how it could be improved, or what it could be turned into. They live primarily inside their own minds, having the ability to analyze difficult problems, identify patterns, and come up with logical explanations. They seek clarity in everything, and are therefore driven to build knowledge. They are the "absent-minded professors", who highly value intelligence and the ability to apply logic to theories to find solutions. They typically are so strongly driven to turn problems into logical explanations, that they live much of their lives within their own heads, and may not place as much importance or value on the external world. Their natural drive to turn theories into concrete understanding may turn into a feeling of personal responsibility to solve theoretical problems, and help society move towards a higher understanding.

INTPs value knowledge above all else. Their minds are constantly working to generate new theories, or to prove or disprove existing theories. They approach problems and theories with enthusiasm and skepticism, ignoring existing rules and opinions and defining their own approach to the resolution. They seek patterns and logical explanations for anything that interests them. They're usually extremely bright, and able to be objectively critical in their analysis. They love new ideas, and become very excited over abstractions and theories. They love to discuss these concepts with others. They may seem "dreamy" and distant to others, because they spend a lot of time inside their minds musing over theories. They hate to work on routine things - they would much prefer to build complex theoretical solutions, and leave the implementation of the system to others. They are intensely interested in theory, and will put forth tremendous amounts of time and energy into finding a solution to a problem with has piqued their interest.


INTPs do not like to lead or control people. They're very tolerant and flexible in most situations, unless one of their firmly held beliefs has been violated or challenged, in which case they may take a very rigid stance. The INTP is likely to be very shy when it comes to meeting new people. On the other hand, the INTP is very self-confident and gregarious around people they know well, or when discussing theories which they fully understand.

The INTP has no understanding or value for decisions made on the basis of personal subjectivity or feelings. They strive constantly to achieve logical conclusions to problems, and don't understand the importance or relevance of applying subjective emotional considerations to decisions. For this reason, INTPs are usually not in-tune with how people are feeling, and are not naturally well-equiped to meet the emotional needs of others.

The INTP may have a problem with self-aggrandizement and social rebellion, which will interfere with their creative potential. Since their Feeling side is their least developed trait, the INTP may have difficulty giving the warmth and support that is sometimes necessary in intimate relationships. If the INTP doesn't realize the value of attending to other people's feelings, he or she may become overly critical and sarcastic with others. If the INTP is not able to find a place for themself which supports the use of their strongest abilities, they may become generally negative and cynical. If the INTP has not developed their Sensing side sufficiently, they may become unaware of their environment, and exhibit weakness in performing maintenance-type tasks, such as bill-paying and dressing appropriately.

For the INTP, it is extremely important that ideas and facts are expressed correctly and succinctly. They are likely to express themselves in what they believe to be absolute truths. Sometimes, their well thought-out understanding of an idea is not easily understandable by others, but the INTP is not naturally likely to tailor the truth so as to explain it in an understandable way to others. The INTP may be prone to abandoning a project once they have figured it out, moving on to the next thing. It's important that the INTP place importance on expressing their developed theories in understandable ways. In the end, an amazing discovery means nothing if you are the only person who understands it.

The INTP is usually very independent, unconventional, and original. They are not likely to place much value on traditional goals such as popularity and security. They usually have complex characters, and may tend to be restless and temperamental. They are strongly ingenious, and have unconventional thought patterns which allows them to analyze ideas in new ways. Consequently, a lot of scientific breakthroughs in the world have been made by the INTP.

The INTP is at his best when he can work on his theories independently. When given an environment which supports his creative genius and possible eccentricity, the INTP can accomplish truly remarkable things. These are the pioneers of new thoughts in our society.”
--------------------------------------------
So, there it is, in much more detail than you could have ever wanted. God, it is so scary to see how accurately this describes me, even to me.

Entertainment and stuff will come a bit later.

Go Yankees!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

William S. "Moon" Mullon (1927-1998)

Ten years ago one of my dearest friends, Bill Mullon, died. I have just gotten off the phone with his wife, Sandy, and she said it was OK for me to post this email I sent to friends ten years ago. This is it in its entirety --
---------------------------------
RE: William S. "Moon" Mullon (1927-1998)

Hello everyone:

I was first introduced to William S. "Moon" Mullon in 1973 by Capt. Frank Cavandish, the owner of the Rod & Reel Pier, which is located diagonally across the street from the house I once owned in Anna Maria. Bill and I became friends and this friendship spanned 2 1/2 decades. Bill had just moved from Cocoa Beach where he had been employed with Boeing and then Tropicana. He had been a member of the City Commission there and a political activist in the Democratic Party.

In the ensuing years as a resident of Anna Maria Island Bill's career path took him from Tropicana to Manatee County government, where he was the County Purchasing Agent, back to Tropicana where he retired about 6 years ago as a Certified Purchasing Manager. He remained politically active in the local Democratic Party. I think the phrase "Yellow Dog Democrat" was coined with him in mind.

In 1976 I was asked to preside over the wedding ceremony uniting Bill and Sandy Gilmore. Sandy is a career upper-level manager/executive with HRS. Their vows were jointly written by Bill, Sandy, and Bill's eldest son, Bill, Jr., aka "Buns." The ceremony took place at daybreak in the surf adjacent to the City Pier in Anna Maria. Honestly, I doubt anyone in attendance expected that union to last more than a couple of years, if that. We were wrong - man, were we wrong. Sandy and Bill had a unique relationship, in that not only were they husband and wife, but also, they were truly best friends. They were a house divided on one issue, however. Bill was a Gator and Sandy a 'Nole.

Bill and Sandy lived in a series of places on the Island, each of which they named "The Digs," and finally settled in and purchased "Digs IV" in Holmes Beach. They were famous on the Island for their open hospitality with many many parties commemorated by special T-shirts designed by Sandy. Sandy is an accomplished artist.

I sold my Anna Maria house in 1991, however, shortly thereafter Bill and Sandy made the back bedroom in Digs IV available to me and I would guess that in the ensuing years, whenever I was in Florida, I would spend 3 out of 4 weekends with them. It was my home away from home away from home, it was my refuge. They became my best friends, my extended family, Bill the older brother I never had.

When the phone call came at 12:30am on Sunday morning, July 19th, that Bill had died, I called the airlines and was on a flight down to Anna Maria at 8:55am the same morning. I got there in the early afternoon.

Family and friends quickly gathered in support of Sandy and Bill's children by a previous marriage, Bill, Jr., Patrick, and Lynn, and their children. Moon was the consummate planner, so I was not surprised to learn that he had planned to the last detail how he wanted things handled when he passed away, I mean, he had scripted his wedding, why not his final memorial services as well? And that he did, down to naming the song to begin the services - "We Have Just Begun" by the Carpenters - and "Margaritaville," by Jimmy Buffett to end the services, which MUST conclude in one hour, max!!!!

The service was held in the Chapel of an Island funeral home on Tuesday evening, July 21st. The chapel was filled with photos and objects covering all aspects of Bill's life, including almost a dozen photo albums recording the social activities of 22 years of Digs Parties. The standing room crowd included local Islanders, executives from Tropicana, county officials, a local Judge, and just plain folks, all joined to remember, to cry, and especially to laugh. I was honored to have been asked to preside. In addition to me, others who shared their life experiences with Moon, were his sister Ann, his children Bill, Jr., and Lynn, Bradenton attorney Donald Hadsock, and Island resident Fred Adkins. As I said, Moon had directed (or perhaps ordered is the operative word) that the service last no longer than one hour, so, at the end of the hour, as the sounds of "Margaritaville" filled the Chapel, we all stood and sang along with Jimmy Buffett ......

When the song ended, I concluded the evening by saying ....

SO LONG MOON - WE WILL SEEYA LATER!!”


Yes, it has been ten years but in many respects it feels like it all happened yesterday and I still miss him as if it was yesterday. He will never be forgotten.

Bill
wanjr@aol.com

Friday - The Entertainment Pallet Remains Full

I have now pretty much completed my entertainment agenda for the next two weeks, yes, that is correct, for the next two weeks. This is pretty amazing for someone who has the Myers-Briggs Personality Profile of INTP.

What is the Myers-Briggs Profile, you ask? Well, in a nutshell:

“The purpose of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) personality inventory is to make the theory of psychological types described by C. G. Jung understandable and useful in people’s lives. The essence of the theory is that much seemingly random variation in the behavior is actually quite orderly and consistent, being due to basic differences in the ways individuals prefer to use their perception and judgment.”

Over the years I have taken numerous MB personality tests and the results have always been the same, INTP. When I was Chief Judge I had my fellow Judges voluntarily take the test and most of them did. It was very interesting. Why am I writing about this now? I really don’t know, but I think I will post a detailed report of the INTP personality profile later on just to have it on record. Why? I still don’t know, so ... just live with it.

Now, back on topic ... what the next two weeks means entertainment-wise:

Friday - 8:00 - “The Time of Mendel’s Trouble: A madcap musical of Biblical Proportions” - “When Mendel Moskowitz gets a surprise visit from The Burning Bush in his apartment in Brooklyn, his life turns topsy-turvy. Together with his new friend, Murray Schwartz from Miami Beach, they become the two prophets of the Apocalypse, and embark on a madcap spiritual journey that leads them all the way to Jerusalem for some miraculous end-time adventures. An epic musical excursion through the Book of Revelation, the show incorporates a Romeo & Juliet-type love story, political satire, comedy, tragedy, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil when Messiah finally comes to earth. The end of the world was never so zany!” (complimentary ticket).

Saturday - 8:00 - “What To Do When You Hate All Your Friends” - “Four Chairs Theatre Company presents the world premiere of What To Do When You Hate All Your Friends, an anti-social comedy written by award-winning playwright Larry Kunofsky and directed by Jacob Krueger. Matt is a guy who hates all his friends. Celia is a woman at the center of The Friends, a secret group that has perfected friendship through special rules and a rigid ranking system. Can a guy who hates all his friends and a woman who needs friendship to go by-the-book figure out a way to spend time together without going mental? Set in a world of secret hot tub parties, craigslist hookups, and the myriad of ways people try to control intimacy by keeping it away, this edgy and witty new comedy looks at how romance and friendship works -- or doesn't work -- in the way we live now.” (complimentary ticket).

Sunday - 5:30 - “Give Em Hell, Harry” - “This one man show features Bix Barnaba as former President Harry Truman. Written by Samuel Gallu, it offers a unique insight into the humor and bite of one of our most colorful presidents.” (complimentary ticket).

Monday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

Tuesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

Wednesday - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins. If the weather permits, I will walk back to the apartment. This time I am gonna do it!!!

Thursday - 8:00 - “Buffalo Gal” - “A.R. Gurney's comedy centers around Amanda, a once successful television personality whose star is now fading. Life imitates art as she returns to her hometown of Buffalo to star in Chekhovs The Cherry Orchard. Just as she is connecting with her roots - both on stage and off - she is called back to Hollywood for a role that could recharge her career. Will her love of theater be enough to keep her in Buffalo?” (discounted TDF ticket).

Friday - 8:00 - “The Lady in Penthouse B” - “Gossip columnist Lady Susan, the aging, raging boss from hell, and struggling actress Mel Mitchell, her downtrodden assistant, engage in a comic war of wills surrounded by a friendly choreographer, a vicious male columnist, an evil cat, a faithful dog and Mel's dead Aunt Maida. Find out why musical-comedy lovers are calling this tuneful laugh-fest "The Devil Wears Prada meets The Producers!" (discounted TDF ticket).

Saturday - 2:00 - “Flamingo Court: A Comedy in Three Condos” -“Flamingo Court is a Florida community of retirees that isn't so much a vacation destination as it is a last resort! Here, a zany cast of characters in the sunset of their lives do whatever it takes to grab hold of one last chance at love, at compassion, and even at revenge. Starring Jamie Farr (TV's M*A*S*H, Guys and Dolls) and Anita Gillette (Chapter Two, Russell Patterson's Sketchbook) in this touching and funny look at life in the golden years.” (discounted TDF ticket). I will either love or hate this show, that is my prediction. There will be no middle ground.

Sunday - open, at the moment (OMG!).

Monday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles

Tuesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles

Wednesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles

Thursday - July 31 - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Los Angles Dodgers

Yeah, I know, back-to-back-to-back ball games again. What can I say except that I made these decisions way back in December 2007 when I renewed by partial season ticket package.

Now, what about the events of the early part of this week? In brief form:

The Bon Jovi concert on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden was super-excellent and my seat was terrific. Terrific except for the trailer-trash big-hipped long-haired bimbo in front of me who stood up during the entire concert flinging her hair this way and that way. Oft times she was the only person in my section who was standing. Bitch!! Now, I feel better. Jon really knows how to work a crowd.

“Eh Joe” on Wednesday night lasted only 30 minutes and I have no clue what the author, Samuel Beckett, was trying to say. In fact, when I got home I did a bit of research online and found out that even the author’s post-production comments were unclear. The house was sold out.

“Around the World in 80 Days” was one of the funniest and best acted shows I have seen in a while. Most of the actors played multiple roles and the humor was very in your face. Loved it. May try to see it again if I can score another complimentary ticket.

I want to end this posting by wishing my long-time friend, Jack Davis of Bartow, FL, a speedy and complete recovery from his current physical problems. Jack fell and broke his hip and that brought on other problems. He has been in the Winter Haven Hospital for about 3 weeks and will be there until at least the end of the month. Jack, my buddy, I am so glad we could talk yesterday and I want you and Jeff to know that the two of you remain in my thoughts and prayers.

Go Yankees!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

The Second Quarter of 2008

Wow, it is hard to believe that the second quarter of 2008 has come and gone, and, as usual, it was crammed full of exciting entertainment and travel events for moi.

In reviewing my daily log (log, not diary - real guys don’t keep diaries) I find that in April, May and June I attended: 6 Broadway shows (Boeing, Boeing; Thurgood; A Catered Affair; Glory Days; Cry Baby; and, Cirque Dreams - Jungle Fantasy); 26 Off Broadway shows; 3 comedy shows; 2 rock concerts (The Eagles and Ringo Starr); 8 classical music concerts (mostly with The New York Philharmonic Orchestra); 9 baseball games; and, 1 movie.

During this time-frame I was able to spend some quality time in the City with: fraternity brother and mega-Bull Gator Stumpy Harris of Orlando; Granddaughter Gina Falletta, of Columbia, SC, and her friend Kelly; Gordon Warner of Tavares, FL, and his new significant other Carole; former Law School classmate Steve Gardner; student/bartender/manager Scott Reed and his boyfriend Ben Sears; and, my AA buddies (you know who you are).

On April 23rd I turned 74 (barf and double barf, I don’t like being old), however, this event was made special by Scott and Ben who kidnapped me and took me away, via a Mini-Cooper, to a wonderful lunch in Staten Island.

April also saw the birth of this blog, with the first posting on April 6th. During the 3 months I posted 28 times in April, 7 in May, and 20 in June. I have actually enjoyed the posting process but there has been a downside and that is - I am not as current in writing in my daily log as I should be. My bad.

I was out of The City a total of 25 nights, 20 for my awesome Japan/China adventure and 5 nights in Orlando to be with my son Bill while he was recovering from ear surgery. The number of days I stayed in the apartment without some entertainment event was 11, most of which were in April when the weather sucked.

When all of this is factored in, I remain at my goal of attending some entertainment event 9 out of 10 nights. Not bad for a 74 year old guy, not bad at all. Yep, this 74 year old guy just keeps on keeping on. I hope you agree.

I am indeed blessed - Thank You Higher Power!!!

Go Yankees!!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

Thursday - Thoughts About Laughter

1. When people are laughing, they're generally not killing one another. - Alan Alda

2. The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. - Ben Franklin

3. Nobody really cares if you're miserable, so you might as well be happy. - Cynthia Nelms

4. A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs, jolted by every pebble in the
road. - Henry Ward Beecher

5. At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. - Jean Houston

6. Laughter is the sensation of feeling good all over and showing it principally in one place. - Josh Billings

7. Nobody ever died of laughter. - Max Beerbohm

8. You can't deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants. - Stephen King

9. A clown may be the first in the kingdom of heaven, if he or she has helped lessen the sadness of human life. - Rabbi Baroka

10. Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. - Victor Borge

11. I want to make people laugh--so they will begin to see things seriously. - William Zinser

12. I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. - Woody Allen
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Thought I would post this as a change in pace. Over the years I have become convinced that the more we laugh the easier it is for us to deal with the stress and discomfort produced by things over which we have no control.

More to come later in the day.

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

More Tuesday - An Interesting Five Days Ahead

Well, now that I have taken care of the problem with my youngest grandson, Topher of Fleasburg, FL, it is on to talking about what an interesting time I have scheduled for the next five days, starting tonight with the sold-out Bon Jovi concert at Madison Square Garden. He puts on a great show and I am really looking forward to it. His recent free outdoor concert on the Great Lawn in Central Park drew over 50,000 fans.

For the rest of the time, well, I think you will agree that what follows is a very eclectic schedule of entertainment events (and one of the major reasons I love this City so much) --

Wednesday - 9:00 - “Eh Joe” - “Samuel Beckett's Eh Joe, originally written for television, is stunning in its ability to capture the richness of Beckett's minimalism without a word from the main character. Joe, played by celebrated Irish-born actor Liam Neeson, sits alone in a room, prodded into uncomfortable thought by Penelope Wilton's disembodied voice. A projected close-up of the tortured expression on his face is all the audience needs to understand the pain of a memory explored.” (discounted TDF ticket). Liam Neeson - wow - awesome!!!!

Thursday - 8:00 - “Around the World in 80 Days” - “The Irish Repertory Theatre and the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will present AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, adapted by Mark Brown from the Jules Verne novel. In England in 1872, Phileas Fogg is the most exact of men. Well-traveled, very wealthy and with no friends or relatives of which to speak, he keeps his days on the most precise of schedules and spends his evenings at the local Reform Club. After a newspaper asserts that traveling around the world in 80 days is a legitimate possibility, Fogg and his fellow Londoners debate whether becoming a globetrotter is indeed that easy.” (discounted TDF ticket).

Friday - 8:00 - “The Time of Mendel’s Trouble: A madcap musical of Biblical Proportions” - “When Mendel Moskowitz gets a surprise visit from The Burning Bush in his apartment in Brooklyn, his life turns topsy-turvy. Together with his new friend, Murray Schwartz from Miami Beach, they become the two prophets of the Apocalypse, and embark on a madcap spiritual journey that leads them all the way to Jerusalem for some miraculous end-time adventures. An epic musical excursion through the Book of Revelation, the show incorporates a Romeo & Juliet-type love story, political satire, comedy, tragedy, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil when Messiah finally comes to earth. The end of the world was never so zany!” (complimentary ticket).

Saturday - 8:00 - “What To Do When You Hate All Your Friends” - “Four Chairs Theatre Company presents the world premiere of What To Do When You Hate All Your Friends, an anti-social comedy written by award-winning playwright Larry Kunofsky and directed by Jacob Krueger. Matt is a guy who hates all his friends. Celia is a woman at the center of The Friends, a secret group that has perfected friendship through special rules and a rigid ranking system. Can a guy who hates all his friends and a woman who needs friendship to go by-the-book figure out a way to spend time together without going mental? Set in a world of secret hot tub parties, craigslist hookups, and the myriad of ways people try to control intimacy by keeping it away, this edgy and witty new comedy looks at how romance and friendship works -- or doesn't work -- in the way we live now.” (complimentary ticket).

About the shows I saw since the last posting on Thursday, in brief, OK?

The Strangerers - weird, a bit too long, but great acting.

Compose Yourself - a terrific showcase production from the songs written by Larry Grossman.

Stain - Oh My Gawd! Talk about a dysfunctional middle-class family: incest; child abuse; statutory rape of a male teenager; teenage angst; pot smoking; unwanted pregnancy; abortion vs. right-to-life; blackmail; lies, lies and more lies; divorce; and, alcoholism. I think the only hot button issues not touched would have been homophobia and AIDS. Acting was great, story? Well .... not very believable.

Bacchae - Alan Cummings camps up a Greek tragedy with lots of blood, gore and decapitation.

Damn Yankees - this has to be a highlight. Everything about the production seemed to be right on mark, especially the performances of Cheyenne Jackson at Joe Hardy and Sean Hayes as Applegate aka The Devil. I predict a transfer to Broadway.

A Night at the Operetta II - great songs and gorgeous voices.

OK, enough is enough, so ...

Go Yankees!!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

Tuesday -To Set Things Straight - Another Topher Picture

I have to admit that I was somewhat taken aback by the negative reaction by my youngest grandson, Topher Falletta of Fleasburg, FL, to last week’s posting of the picture of him taken shortly after his graduation from college. He didn’t mind the picture per se - what upset him was my characterization of it as depicting his major asset. This is an excerpt from his email --

“Beloved Grandfather - I guess the picture was OK, but, you really should remember that since I was a little boy I took greatest pride in my skills as an outdoorsman and an avid hunter of Bambi and her ilk. To set things straight, I have enclosed a recent picture of me taken by friends during a hunting excursion in The Ocala National Forest. This, in my humble opinion, shows your Topher at his best. Please post it to that wonderful blog of yours. With deepest love and affection - your grandson”

SO, GRANDSON-OF-MINE HERE IT IS:

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

Saturday - What the F**k Was Steve Jobs Thinking??

First off I want everyone to know that I am a 110% Steve Jobs/Apple/Mac person. I have always had a Mac, both lap top and desk top, and I have multiple iPods (Billi Pod, get it?) and a first generation iPhone, courtesy of my super-son Bill. I have always thought that Steve Jobs was a genius, but ... Friday’s debacle surrounding the highly anticipated release of the newest iPhone was something right out of the pages of the Windows “I’ve Got My Head Up My Ass” play book. Yes, Bill Gates has gotta be laughing his billionaire head off, and rightfully so.

As described in the New York Times: “For many people on Friday, the iPhone was the iCan’t. Apple suffered extensive network gridlock Friday morning, as many of the six million users of the original iPhone tried to upgrade to new software while the first buyers of the new iPhone 3G were trying to activate their purchases.”

For new purchasers, Apple instituted a policy that the phone had to be activated in-store in order to prevent a recurrence of the mass overseas exodus of modified phones for unauthorized cellular networks.

Well, all that decision produced was mass chaos, disgruntled customers and a huge PR faux pas.

To add to the PR problems, early performance reviews are highly critical of the lack of battery strength. Yes, the new wireless internet system is 3 to 4 times faster than the woeful AT&T Edge, but it comes with a price - it eats up the battery life, now estimated to be about 4 1/2 hours. And the battery is sealed inside the iPhone, meaning it cannot be exchanged, only recharged.

And what about us, the original iPhone users? Well, technically we can upgrade (when the system will permit) but the upgrade will not include access to the new and faster wireless 3G. Nice Steve, real nice. Thanks so very much.

OK, I have ranted enough. It will be interesting to see how Apple reacts.

Have two shows today. At 2:00 is the Off-Broadway dark comedy “Stain” and then tonight is Bacchae with Alan Cummings.

Gotta go - Oh, Yankee bats - wake the fuck up, OK?

Go Yankees!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

Thursday - The Weekend is Complete Now

Before I set out the entertainment details for the rest of the week and weekend I want to share with you yet another picture that depicts my true feelings about the now departed Fucksox. Yeah Man!!

Actually the Yankees are on a bit of a roll now. We have won 4 straight games and the one last night was a 10 inning nail-biter with the Yankees winning 2-1 in the bottom of the 10th. Mariano had another stellar two inning performance to pick up the win. This win made the record for the 9 games I have just seen: 5 wins and 4 losses. We are not out of the AL East race just yet but after the All Star Game it’s gonna take a pretty massive winning streak somewhere along the way if we are gonna make the Playoffs.

This morning I had my semi-annual appointment with my Urologist and he and I are most happy with the results. My PSA was 1.1 and the finger-up-the-butt went OK. I see him again in January 2009. Hey guys!! If you are over 50 you gotta have at least an annual PSA test WITH, REPEAT, WITH, a Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). The fact that you are paying someone to stick something up your ass doesn’t mean you are gay. You gotta do this!!

Now on to entertainment - I had a show this afternoon at 2:00 but I really wasn’t in the mood for it for a number of reasons, so I just picked up the ticket and then came on back to the apartment. This is something I very rarely do, but ...

Anyway, tonight I see The Strangerers (yes, the correct spelling) which I have previously described and I am really looking forward to the show.

Friday night is a show at the York Theater as part of their Musicals in Mufti series and it is called Compose Yourself - “If you enjoyed Goodtime Charley and our Summer Mufti Series, be sure to join us for the series debut of New2NY, New York premieres of musicals in staged concert performances! The series opens with a new revue of the music of Larry Grossman, Compose Yourself!” (discounted TDF ticket).

Saturday - 2:00 - Stain - “This dark family comedy by Tony Glazer centers on the quickly-crumbling life of Thomas, 15 years old, and the relationships he has with his father Arthur, mother Julia, grandmother Theresa, best friend George, and his much-older girlfriend Carmen. When family secrets are revealed, Thomas is confronted with a choice that will either save or mark him forever. This Choice Theatricals world premiere is directed by Scott C. Embler.” (discounted TDF ticket). Yeah, I know, yet another dysfunctional family show.

8:00 - Bacchai - “From the moment Scottish actor Alan Cummings provocative Dionysus is lowered onstage from above, it is clear that in this North American premiere of the National Theatre of Scotlands acclaimed production, playwright David Greigs interpretation takes the mask off one of the last great Athenian tragedies. A unique take on Euripides, this is a Bacchae for the 21st-century. Noted for his Broadway debut as the emcee in the Roundabout's revival of Cabaret, Mr. Cumming, cast in this timeless exploration of sexuality, according to London's The Guardian, proceeds to give us a Dionysus who, while of divine origin, has adopted a flirty, sportive, sexually equivocal human form. Backed by a gospel-singing female cult of Maenads, Cummings narcissistic Dionysus arrives at Thebes to claim godly recognition from a disbelieving, ascetic King Pentheus, opening the door to a sardonic, contemporary look at the battle between hedonism and repression.” (discounted TDF ticket). I have to admit that I have had misgivings about this show since the word of mouth and reviews have been in the Love It or Hate It category. It closes this weekend so I thought, what the Hell, I like Alan Cummings so I will give it shot.

Sunday - 7:00 - Damn Yankees - “The second of New York City Centers Encores! Summer Stars series, Damn Yankees is the story of ultimate baseball fan Joe Boyd (Cheyenne Jackson), who sells his soul to the Devil (Sean Hayes) for the chance to help his team, the Washington Senators, win the pennant race against the Yankees. The Devil is aided by the sexy Lola (Jane Krakowski), who seduces Joe, but ultimately helps him outsmart the Devil and return to his beloved wife. Songs include "Heart" and "Whatever Lola Wants." (discounted TDF ticket). The show was gotten decent reviews and has a very limited run.

Monday - 8:00 - A Night at the Operetta II @ Town Hall - “Experience the epic music that took Broadway by storm, thrilling audiences ever since the operetta! Join current Broadway stars as they breathe new life into the thrilling creations of Sigmund Romberg, Rudolf Friml, Victor Herbert and more! This stirring evening of classic Broadway show music will feature some of the most passionate and romantic music ever written peppered with host Scott Siegel's entertaining commentary.” (discounted TDF ticket).

Tuesday - 8:00 - Bon Jovi @ Madison Square Gardens. (full price ticket). My seat is excellent and I am really looking forward to seeing him again.

So there you are. I hope you will agree with me that it will be a diverse and, hopefully, interesting and fun, next several days.

Oh, in closing. The show I saw last night, 7 Sins, which I described in an earlier posting, was one of the funniest shows I have seen in a long long time. The writer/performer is doing 5 shows in Washington, DC, next week and then goes across The Pond to participate in the Edinburgh Festival.

Have a great weekend.

Go Yankees!!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

Tuesday - OK, OK - I’m Sorry Topher

Yesterday when I posted the picture of my oldest grandson, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Lex Falletta, I had no idea that it would stir up an avalanche of emails from family and friends who uniformly chastised me for omitting any references to my youngest grandson, Topher Falletta who now lives in Fleasburg, FL.

OK, I admit it, I should have posted something regarding Topher, so I searched my photo archives and found a picture taken last year, just after his graduation from the University of Florida, that more than any other picture I have portrays Topher’s strongest asset. I needn't say anything else because the picture speaks for itself and I am confident that family members and friends will agree - this is the Topher we know and love - at his best. It is at the end of this post. I hope all is forgiven.

Now, on to other things. I had a great time last night at [title of show], in very early previews. Since most Broadway shows are dark on Monday night the audience for this show was filled with lots and lots of younger theater-type folks who were very very loud in their response to the performance. I loved it and laughed a lot. The house seemed to be almost sold out. My TDF discounted seat was excellent, second row of the mezzanine. When the show was over the 4 person cast received a roaring standing ovation.

Interestingly, on some of the theater-related chat boards the audience response(s) are generating some negative reactions from some of the, in my words, “theatre elitists” who carp that the audience must be filled with shills. Not true you snobby butt-holes, the audience is full of people who enjoy the show for what it is, a light musical comedy, so get the fuck over yourselves already and go back to listening to your vinyl cast recordings of “Naughty Marietta,” or whatever.

Gosh, I feel better - now on to what I have scheduled for the next several days:

Tuesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Wednesday - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays (maybe a walk back to the apartment after the game, maybe).

7:30 - 7 Sins - "Comedian James Judd's hilarious true stories about trying to win his 5th Grade book report competition with My Search for Patty Hearst, and his careers as a forgotten employee of AT&T, a dot.com journalist (leading to an insane night in a Chinese bordello), and as an under-prepared criminal defense attorney.” (complimentary ticket). Sounds very interesting.

Thursday - 10:00 - semi-annual appointment with my Urologist so he can stick his finger up my butt. Oh, yes, lots of fun.

2:00 - East 14th: True Tales of a Reluctant Player - “What do you do when your mother divorces your father, then remarries a devout follower of "that religion," who takes you door-knocking at 7 o'clock in the morning? You escape and move in with dear old dad, of course. Problem solved. Until you discover your real pop is a real pimp...for real. East 14th: True Tales of a Reluctant Player is the hysterical one-man show chronicling Don Reed's true coming-of-age story in 1970s Oakland. From being forced to deliver the gospel door to door, to living on "Ho Row," Don Reed takes you down a road you'll never forget. At times moving and poignant, but always funny to the core.” (complimentary ticket). A very unusual time for a show, 2:00 on a Thursday, so I thought I would give it a shot.

Then, 7:30 - The Strangerer - “The Strangerer collides several of author Albert Camus' works with the first Bush/Kerry presidential debate in 2004. The formalities of the debate are overturned as Bush and Kerry struggle with the question not of if or why an innocent man should be killed (the man in question being moderator Jim Lehrer), but rather what is the proper manner in which to go about killing him. A fascinating and hilarious hybrid, The Strangerer is part political satire, part classical drama, and a murder mystery with the murderers in plan view.” (complimentary ticket). WOW!! What a way to end a very very interesting but different day, and, yes, that is the correct spelling of the title.

Now I've got things to do, so ...

Go Yankees!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com
TOPHER FALLETTA AT HIS BEST --

Monday - Baseball Overload

Well, I have to admit that 7 baseball games in 7 days is almost guaranteed to bring about sensory and emotional overload and it did, especially with the emotionally draining final two games with the Yankees winning on Saturday by a score of 2-1 and then winning in the bottom of the 10th inning last night by a score of 5-4 on the 2-strike 2-out clutch hit by rookie Brett Gardner off of Fucksox closer Jonathan Papelbon. In both games Yankees closer Mariano Rivera played a crucial role. Sunday’s game started at 8:00 and it was just past midnight when the winning run scored.

I won’t go into more details about the game(s) because if you are a baseball fan you already know that the wins evened the Fucksox series at 2 and 2. If you are not a fan, well, you could care less, so ...

But I have to admit, following my policy of truth and honesty in reporting, that scheduling so many games back-to-back was probably a mistake and, gasp, on Tuesday and Wednesday I have tickets to the two Tampa Bay Rays games, making it 9 games in 10 days. Wow!!

Tonight I am seeing {title of show} in its early Broadway previews. As I have written before, I saw the show twice in its Off-Broadway run and loved it. I hope it makes it on Broadway and can find an audience. The underlying story is about two guys who are trying to write and produce a musical and, among other things, they can’t agree on the title of the show.

In closing I want to thank my oldest grandson, Warrant Officer Alex Falletta, for sending me the pictures taken during his current training program in Arizona. I have taken the liberty of sharing one of them at the bottom of this posting. Way to go Lex!!

Go Yankees!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

Saturday - In A Funk

OK, I have to admit that I woke up this morning in a definite funk from yesterday. The back page in The News: “YANKEE NOODLES - A-Rod, Bombers all wet in loss to Red Sox.” The back page in The New York Post: “ALL TALK - Meeting yields only Yankee Doodle Dud.” Yep, that pretty much sums up how I feel.

To add to the funkiness - it was gray and nasty looking when I woke up and then around 1:00 it started to rain and now at 2:30 it is still lightly raining. The game is supposed to start at 3:55 and soon I will have to make the decision of whether to head out to the Stadium to wait to see if the game is finally played, or just sit here. What they will probably do is wait for a couple of hours so the crowd can spend more money on $8.50 beers and then call the game, probably to schedule a day/night doubleheader tomorrow. I keep checking the TV but no word. Fuck!!

I will head out to the game and keep my fingers crossed.

More later. Oh, I didn’t stand in the rain last night to watch the fireworks show.

Go Yankees!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com

KA-BOOM AGAIN!! The Fucksox 6 - The Wankies 4

At this point I need all of the help I can get to stay sane as I witnessed yet another example of dead bats and missed scoring opportunities. The game wasn't as close as the score indicates.

To make things worse, at the top of the 8th inning there was a 90 minute rain delay and the weather took care of my plans to walk back to the apartment after the game. It was 6:30 when the game finally ended, with the tying run at the plate. I did consider giving the walk a shot but the weather was nasty and I didn't want to risk getting caught in a rainstorm while in East Harlem.

So, maybe next Wednesday after the 1:05 Tampa Bay game. We will see.

Not sure whether I will join the 1,000,000 plus of my closest friends to watch the fireworks show at 9:00.; We will see.

Anyway, Happy Fourth of July to everyone.

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com