The English Language - Say What???

Yes, it is time to take a break from reporting my entertainment comings and goings in The Greatest City in The World and give you, my loyal and faithful readers, the benefit of some of my online research. I can’t claim credit for the following but I can claim credit for finding it, so ...

“You think English is easy - Say What???

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce .

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present .

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

16) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

17) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

18) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

Finally - why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick’?”

So, my loyal and faithful readers, enjoy and ponder while Billi Pod works on another posting regarding the English Language.

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.”

PS: In response to the emails - Yes, I was at Yankee Stadium last Friday night when Jeter broke Gehrig’s team hit record.

Beware and Be Alert. You are Warned!!

Good afternoon my loyal and faithful readers. I hope each of you and your families and friends had a wonderful weekend, I know that I certainly did, and I will post about that later on.

First of all, however, I want to call your attention to one of the dangers of the internet and the potential for loss of freedom that occurs occasionally to those of us bloggers who are willing to share our experiences and thoughts etc. with the world out there in cyberspace.

What am I talking about you are doubtlessly breathlessly asking? Well, this is it for those of us living in The Greatest City in The World -- there is a government-supported agency who monitors blogs such as mine in order to intrude on our daily comings and goings. This is the complete text of an email I received last week:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“Dear Sir:

It has come to the attention of the "So He Thinks He Can Call Himself A New Yorker" committee than no session of the U.S. Open Tennis is included in your current schedule. In particular a Night session. Please rectify this situation immediately and re-submit your application to us. Thank you.

MFPCB chairperson”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OMG!! I was stunned by this email for several reasons: (1) I had no clue what MFPCB stands for; (2) Why was a government agency monitoring my blog; and, (3) I had already filed the necessary disclaimer papers with City Hall.

Double OMG!! Was this an indication of a return to the Rudy Giuliani era??

I immediately shot off the following email response --

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“Dear Sir or Madam:

Thank you for calling this “alleged” omission to my attention but I need to remind you of the provisions of Section 235(2)(z)iii which states: “If attending an event is likely to cause the attendee to experience discomfort akin to self-circumcision or a root-canal without anesthesia then the attendee may opt not to participate after filing a NOTIFICATION OF NON-PARTICIPATION." I have previously done this regarding any and all events tennis in nature.

Thank you so very much, however, for your concern.

Billi Pod”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I would have thought that this response would have ended it, but did it? No. Their “Chairperson” sent the following snarky response --

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“Okay but did you have to rain out the final weekend of The Open?

XOXO The Committee”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I guess the bottom line is, my loyal and faithful readers, you never know when and where big government is lurking, so beware. But, never fear - Billi Pod will continue to write about things and stuff in The Big Apple on a fair and impartial basis. I will report and you, dear readers, will have to decide.

Much more to report later.

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.”

OMG!! - What a Baseball Night!!

Yep, the picture pretty much says it all - with 3 hits last night Yankee Captain Derek Jeter tied baseball immortal Lou Gehrig for the most hits in the franchise history, 2,721, and Billi Pod was there in Section 217, row 20, seat 21, to witness this historic event. Since I have tickets for the next 5 games I will also be present when Jeter breaks the record.

If you are a baseball fan you have already read the news stories about the game and the fan reaction each time Jeter came to bat, if not, then I know you could care less, and that is all right too. Jeter is a class act and has been a leader on this team since his arrival in 1996. Personally, I am still charged as I write this posting on Thursday afternoon on a brisk day in The Greatest City in the World.

The game itself was very exciting with the Yankees winning 4-2 on a 3 run pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the 8th inning by Jeter’s best buddy Catcher Jorge Posada. Jeter came to bat in the bottom of the 8th for the 5th time in the game but drew a walk, which was met by boos and groans from the standing fans, who were all praying for the record to be broken in our presence. Oh well ...

A couple more comments about baseball before I move on to other things and stuff - the Yankees are really playing excellent ball and they exude the aura of confidence and of never being out of a game, regardless of the score. They are a lot of fun to watch (if you are a Yankee fan, I guess) and I am looking forward to the remainder of the season and then the post-season march toward The World Series.

Let me bring you up-to-date on what I have been doing since the last activities posting on September 1 --

Tuesday - Sept. 1 - 7:00 - “9 to 5” - Broadway. “From multiple Grammy Award-winning songwriter Dolly Parton, a humorous story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era. This all-new Broadway musical comedy based on the hit movie features the popular title song plus a new score of 18 original numbers.” (discounted TDF ticket). I actually found this show to be a lot more entertaining than I had anticipated and I am glad I got to see it before it closed.

Wednesday - 2:00 - “A Lifetime Burning” - Off Broadway. “If you had the power to revise your past, what would you change? Who would you be? A trust fund darling Emma imagines what her life would have been like had she come from a less privileged background. Trouble is, she chronicles her alternate life in a new tell-all memoir that was sold for a hefty advance. When Emma is exposed, will her sister, Tess, stand by her? Or will Emma's deceit destroy their already fractured relationship? This dark comedy brings up questions of legacy, loyalty and what it means to belong.” (complimentary ticket). This show had gotten very good reviews and I found it to be OK but not as good as I had anticipated.

Thursday - 8:00 - “Ghosts of Provincetown” - Off Broadway. This is the press blurb “Set against the untamed shores of turn of the century New England, these two short one-act plays, Ile by Eugene O’Neill and The Game by Louise Bryant, debut in New York City as a double bill, fully realizing the intentions of their legendary authors, whose torrid love affair was immortalized by the Academy-Award winning 1981 epic, Reds. These two American masterpieces explore the games we play regarding life and death and the games Life and Death play regarding us.” (discounted TDF ticket). In the last posting I had predicted that this would be a love-it or hate it experience and it basically turned out to be a tie because I hated the O’Neill play, set on a whaling ship, and really enjoyed the Bryant play about a game between Life and Death.

Friday - This was an very interesting day that started with my 10:00 appointment with my eye Dr. Dina Weintraub, who is a loyal and faithful reader of this blog. At 8:00 I saw an Off-Broadway show called “Race Music,” with a complimentary ticket, about a young music lover who cannot land a classical radio job because he is black. When the show was over I raced up to 50th Street to see the 10:30 show of “Naked Boys Singing,” again with a complimentary ticket, about, TADA, naked boys singing.

Saturday - 8:00 - “The Retributionists” - Off Broadway - “Spring 1946. The plan was simple: a German for every Jew. Its execution would be swift, clean, its impact undeniable. In this new romantic thriller inspired by actual events, a band of young Jewish freedom fighters attempts to avenge a society's wrongs if they can keep from tearing each other apart in the process.” (discounted TDF ticket). This show is playing at the theater right next door to 420 W. 42nd and I had pretty high expectations, but the show just didn’t work for me. I had no feelings for the characters and/or the plot.

Sunday - meet up with David Huddleston and his wife Sarah Koeppe. This will be the highlight of the entire month, without a doubt. David came over to PHC around 4:00 and we had about an hour to catchup on things and stuff before Sarah and her friends arrived. David is a wonderful storyteller with a great sense of humor and we play well off of one another. Sarah and her friends, Randy Adams and Joel Elins, arrived around 5. They have been friends for about 25 years, having worked together with a theater company in Virginia. Randy is the Producer of the soon-to-open Broadway musical “Memphis,” and Joel is a veteran stage manager for Broadway and touring shows.

We had a nice visit in PHC and they all seemed to really like my new pad. A lot of time was spent with theater-related talking and stories, which I found to be absolutely fascinating.

Then around 7 we all headed over to the Eastside to the very popular restaurant San Martin, on 49th Street, where we met up with Kate Cronkite, who is Walter Cronkite’s daughter. Kate and David had worked together professionally years ago. I don’t think I have mentioned that David and Sarah were in town because David had been invited to the memorial service honoring Walter Cronkite at Avery Fisher Hall on Wednesday, September 9th.

It was Sarah’s birthday, so that added to the magic moments of witty conversations, memories of things past and discussions of things in the future. I felt very honored to have been included.

Monday - Labor Day - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay (extra full price ticket) - Yankees win 4-1; 7:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay (make-up game from June 5) - Yankees win 11-1. I, of course, stayed in The Bronx between games and just wandered around.

Tuesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay (season ticket package) - Yankees win 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th when Swisher hits a home run.

Wednesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay (extra full price ticket) - Yankees win 4-2 to sweep the 4 game series and Jeter ties Gehrig’s Yankee hit record.

Now, this is what the future looks like --

Thursday - 7:30 - “In the Daylight” - Off Broadway. “A darkly comic tale about a well-known writer and his homecoming to a family that he has been avoiding for many years. As the play unfolds, we discover the true reasons for his extended absence and the dark secrets his family has been keeping.” (discounted TDF ticket). I know, I know - the phrase ... darkly comic ... usually means very very dark and only slightly comedic.

Friday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles (season ticket package).

Saturday - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Baltimore (extra full price ticket);

8:00 - “Emily: An Amethyst Remembrance” - Off Broadway. “By the time she was 30, Emily Dickinson had so isolated herself from the world that she never left the house and rarely accepted visitors. Many have hypothesized why, suggesting madness, scorned love, or secret homosexuality. EMILY looks at the events and relationships in Dickinson's life, and presents these as possible pieces to the puzzle. It offers Emily's poetic voice as a glimpse of her true self: her passionate spirituality, vigorous intellect, courageous sense of humor, and wounded heart.” ($9.00 TDF ticket). This is at a theater next door to PHC.

Also, Happy Birthday to my oldest grandson, Alex Falletta, who lives in Elgin, SC. He is the Apache Helicopter pilot.

Sunday - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Baltimore (season ticket package);

7:00 - “Two Unrelated Plays by David Mamet: Keep Your Pantheon and School” - Off Broadway. This is what the press notes are about this show: “A NY Premiere and a World Premiere. Founder David Mamet returns to Atlantic Theatre Company with this new farce that follows the fortunes and misfortunes of an acting troupe in ancient Rome. An impoverished acting company on the edge of eviction is offered a lucrative engagement. But through a series of mishaps, the troupe finds its problems have actually multiplied, and that they are about to learn a new meaning for the term "dying on stage."

Mamet's world premiere play School is a brief comic discourse on recycling, poster design and the transmission of information.” (discounted TDF ticket). I am really looking forward to this.

Monday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. LA Angels (season ticket package - make-up for rain out game).

Tuesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Toronto (season ticket package).

Wednesday - 7:30 - The Opening Night Gala by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra @ Avery Fisher Hall. The program is: “EXPO” by Magnus Lindberg (world premiere); Messiasen’s “Poemes pour Mi” (with Renee Fleming); and. “Symphony Fantastique” by Berlioz. (extra full-price ticket).

This day will also mark the 6th year since my dear friend Ray Coker of Lakeland, FL, left us.

OK, OK, my loyal and faithful readers, I know this has gone on for way too long, so I will end it now with the comment that I have now booked some entertainment event/activity from now through the end of September.

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.”

“Holy Cow,” says The Scooter, “It’s Almost Post Season.”

“Holy Cow,” to borrow a phrase from Yankee legend Phil Rizzuto, I got online information this morning about the Yankee post-season ticket availability for season ticket holders and ... Holy Cow!!

What do I mean, you loyal and faithful readers are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well, it went down like this --

As I said, this morning I received online information about tickets for the post-season games. Now, let’s not get tied up over whether the Yankees will make the post-season or make it all the way to The World Series. This is the part of the season where all teams who are even remotely in the post-season race give their season ticket holders the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the post-season.

One of the advantages of my 41-game partial season ticket package is the right to license the same seat location for each of the home post-season games. Incidentally, my seat location: Main Level, Section 212 Row 5, Seat 17, is in the best section available for non-full season ticket packages. The face value for regular season tickets is $90 but for my package the price is reduced to $70.

One of the main topics of conversation with my seat mates has been how badly we were going to be f**ked-over by ticket prices for the post-season. Recently there had been some news items to the effect that the proposed pricing schedule was going to be substantially less than everyone was predicting. To this we all said ... yeah, right.

Well, to make a long story short, this is what the ticket prices are for my seat location for each of the post-season series:

AL Division Series - $66.00 (3 home games)

AL Championship Series - $116.00 (4 home games)

World Series - $156.00 (4 home games)

OMG!! I could hardly believe it. Holy Cow!! This is awesome, meaning that - assuming the Yankees have home field advantage for the ALDS and the ALCS (the American League has home field advantage for the World Series) - the cost for the 11 games will be $0,000.00, well, you do the math. About 1/2 of what I had mentally predicted. Holy Cow!!

I immediately paid my invoice online so I am all set. If the Yankees don’t make it all the way then I will have the unused ticket cost(s) credited to my 2010 season ticket package.

Oh, it has also been reported that if all of the season ticket holders exercise their options and with the 12,000 seats per game required to be made available for MLB, the players and the press, only about 1,000 tickets per game will be available to the general public. That also gets a Holy Cow!!

The Yankees are playing very good ball, having won 2 out of 3 against the Blue Jays, with one more game up there tomorrow afternoon. Then they return to Yankee Stadium for a 10 game home stand and I am happy to report that I have tickets for 9 of the games - the only one I will miss is the final Toronto game on Wednesday, September 16th.

This means, my loyal and faithful readers, that I will be present in Yankee Stadium when Derek Jeter ties, and then breaks, Lou Gehrig’s record for most hits by a Yankee. The record is 2,721 and Jeter now has 2,715. That will be a Holy Cow too.

Lots of other things and stuff to share with you but will post this now and then hopefully do an update later tonight after my show.

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.”

August 2009 - OUTSTANDING!!

It is a wonderful day today in The Big Apple - bright, sunny and a bit breezy with temperatures in the upper 60s, low 70s. There is definitely a feeling that Fall is just around the corner.

As soon as I post the stats for the month of August I think I will head over to the river and take advantage of the outstanding weather.

Speaking of “outstanding” I have to admit that the summary of all of the things and stuff I did in August can be titled “outstanding.” Actually I really wanted to say “AWESOME” but as several of you loyal and faithful readers have commented, I use the word AWESOME way too much in this blog, so ...without further ado, this is what Billi Pod did during the OUTSTANDING month of August 2009 --

After checking my daily log (log, not diary - real guys don’t keep diaries), I find that during the month I saw/attended/did the following:

1 Broadway show (the outstanding revival of “South Pacific” @ Lincoln Center); 9 Off Broadway shows; 11 shows at the NYC Fringe Festival; 10 Yankee baseball games (their record for those games - 8 wins and 2 losses); 1 game at the new Citi Field to see the dismal Mets get their butts kicked; and, 2 movies (“District 9” and “Taking Woodstock”).

The highlights of the month were: the visit to NYC and PHC by Sandy Mullon of Anna Maria, FL. - during her all-too-brief visit we did a lot of things and stuff and it was all a lot of fun; face-time twice with student/bartender/manager Scott Reed (breaking news - that designation may soon change - stay tuned for further details as they develop); seeing the opening performance of “The Boys Upstairs,” produced by my young friend Justin Allen Pifer at the Fringe Festival; and, being in Yankee Stadium for each of the games in the 4 game sweep of the Boston FuckSox, including the awesome 15 inning win.

I posted 12 times to this blog.

When all of these activities are counted I discover that I only had one day’night without attending some entertainment event, an OUTSTANDING fact when you consider that the weather was pretty bad during most of the month and I am, ahem, 75+ years old.

It is also amazing for me to report that most of the month of September is already booked - as of today only 6 day/nights remain unbooked. Wow!! I am looking forward to seeing my friends actor David Huddleston and his wife Sarah Koeppe, who will be coming to The Big Apple and I will meet up with them on Sunday the 6th. As might be expected, baseball will take up the majority of my time in September since the 2009 season is coming to its conclusion. I have tickets for 13 games. I anxiously look forward to the playoffs, with the Yankees advancing to the World Series. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2009/10 season opens on Wednesday, the 16th, and I will be there, of course.

I am looking forward also to the beginning of the college football season and as a part of The Gator Nation I have high expectations for The Gators to repeat as National Champions and for Tim Tebow to win his second Heisman Trophy (he should have won again last year).

Happy Birthday in advance to: my sister, Ann Parker, on the 6th, and my oldest grandson, Alex Falletta, on the 12th.

This is what my schedule looks like for the next two weeks in The Greatest City in the World --

Tuesday - Sept. 1 - 7:00 - “9 to 5” - Broadway. “From multiple Grammy Award-winning songwriter Dolly Parton, a humorous story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era. This all-new Broadway musical comedy based on the hit movie features the popular title song plus a new score of 18 original numbers.” (discounted TDF ticket). This show opened to very mixed reviews and is scheduled to close shortly. I thought, what the Hell, a Broadway show for $35, I gotta give it a shot.

Wednesday - 2:00 - “A Lifetime Burning” - Off Broadway. “If you had the power to revise your past, what would you change? Who would you be? A trust fund darling Emma imagines what her life would have been like had she come from a less privileged background. Trouble is, she chronicles her alternate life in a new tell-all memoir that was sold for a hefty advance. When Emma is exposed, will her sister, Tess, stand by her? Or will Emma's deceit destroy their already fractured relationship? This dark comedy brings up questions of legacy, loyalty and what it means to belong.” (complimentary ticket). This show has gotten very good reviews.

Thursday - 8:00 - “Ghosts of Provincetown” - Off Broadway. This is the press blurb “Set against the untamed shores of turn of the century New England, these two short one-act plays, Ile by Eugene O’Neill and The Game by Louise Bryant, debut in New York City as a double bill, fully realizing the intentions of their legendary authors, whose torrid love affair was immortalized by the Academy-Award winning 1981 epic, Reds. These two American masterpieces explore the games we play regarding life and death and the games Life and Death play regarding us.” (discounted TDF ticket). This is going to be a “love-it or hate-it” event.

Friday - open at the moment

Saturday - open at the moment

Sunday - meet up with David Huddleston and Sarah Koeppe.

Monday - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay (extra full price ticket); 7:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay (make-up game from June 5). I will, of course, stay up in the Bronx between games.

Tuesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay (season ticket package).

Wednesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Tampa Bay (extra full price ticket).

Thursday - 7:30 - “In the Daylight” - Off Broadway. “A darkly comic tale about a well-known writer and his homecoming to a family that he has been avoiding for many years. As the play unfolds, we discover the true reasons for his extended absence and the dark secrets his family has been keeping.” (discounted TDF ticket). I know, I know - the phrase ... darkly comic ... usually means very very dark and only slightly comedic.

Friday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles (season ticket package).

Saturday - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Baltimore (extra full price ticket).

Sunday - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Baltimore (season ticket package)

Monday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. LA Angels (season ticket package - make-up for rain out game).

Tuesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Toronto (season ticket package)

OK, now my loyal and faithful readers, you are up-to-date, with probably way more information that you ever wanted, so ...

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.”

Who won out? The answer follows --

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers. Today is a much nicer day weather-wise than yesterday, that is for certain.

And what about yesterday you are doubtlessly asking? Who won the inner battle? Did I brave the nasty weather and dismal forecasts and head out to Yankee stadium for the 1:05 White Sox game or did reason and rationality prevail?

Well, my inner fan prevailed. Yep, right after posting I gathered my rain gear and headed out to the Bronx and the game. I got semi-soaked just walking to the subway. When I got to the Bronx it was even nastier than I expected but it wasn’t raining as hard as I had anticipated.

When I got into the stadium I located my seat, which wasn’t in my usual section, and was relieved to discover that the seat was in an area protected by an overhang. Wow, what luck!!

It lightly rained during the first half of the game but then it cleared up and actually the sun peeked through the clouds by the 8th inning. It was a great game with the Yankees winning 10-0 and our pitching limiting the Sox to only one hit.

So, thank you my inner fan for making me get my butt out to the Bronx.

When I got back to PHC after the game I had time to change clothes, have a snack and then it was time to head out to my final Fringe Festival show, “Sorority Queen in a Mobile Home,” a very well written and performed comedy/drama about, tada, a former sorority queen who is divorced and living in a mobile home. The show started at 7:30

The show was over about 9:15 but that didn’t end Billi Pod’s entertainment for the day. Oh no, I wasn’t through. When I got back to 42nd Street I went to the movie theater and got a ticket for the 10:00 showing of the just-opened movie “Taking Woodstock,” starring the comedian Demetri Martin and directed by Ang Lee.

The movie is excellent. It is based on a true story about a young man who is instrumental (no pun intended) in bringing about the 1969 music festival that rocked the world.

At 12:15am I was back in PHC eating a slice of pizza and thanking my Higher Power for yet another amazing day/night in The Greatest City in the World.

As soon as I post this I will get ready to head back out to the Bronx for the 1:05 Yankee/White Sox game. After this game the Yankees go on the road so my next game isn’t until September 7th when it will be a day-night doubleheader against Tampa Bay.

Oh, over the weekend all three of the local papers have given massive and extremely favorable coverage to The Gators, Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer.

Go Yankee 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 Gloomy and Rainy Day in Gotham City

This is what it looks like out of my window at PHC at 10:50am on Saturday morning. It has been lightly raining since yesterday afternoon, virtually without stop.

It was really unpleasant weather-wise at last night’s game. It lightly rained the entire game. Unfortunately, my season ticket package seat is in row 5 and is not covered by the upper deck overhang. I had accidentally left my rain gear on the table in PHC. Damn!! Dumb!! Luckily I was able to find a protected seat out of the elements. I was there until the end and it was worth it because the Yankees won in the bottom of the 10th when Cano hit a 3-run walk-off homer.

And, of course, I have a ticket for this afternoon’s 1:00pm game and the forecast is for rain, rain and more rain. I feel confident that management will make every effort to get the game in because it will be difficult to schedule a makeup game this far into the season.

You know, part of me is saying ...”Hey BP, don’t be a nutcase - the game is going to be called, so don’t waste your time going out there”... and the other part is saying ...”Hey ass-wipe, you are a Yankee fan, right? Who cares if it rains. Get your lazy-ass out there, N O W!! ...

Who will win this argument? Only time will tell.

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

My Non-relationship with Dominick Dunne

"Famed crime writer and socialite Dominick Dunne died on Wednesday at his home located at 155 E. 49th Street in Manhattan. He was 83 and lost his battle with bladder cancer.

Dunne was known for his articles in Vanity Fair, where he worked for more than a quarter century.

He was best known, however, for his coverage of the murder trial of OJ Simpson and his TV appearances thereafter." (from various news sources)

What is my connection to him you loyal and faithful readers are breathlessly asking? Well, here goes ...

My first sublet in New York City was during the summer of 1995 at 155 E. 49th Street and I remember being thrilled to learn that the penthouse was owned and occupied by Dominick Dunne, who was deep into reporting the OJ Simpson trial and its aftermath.

I was introduced to Nicky (as his closest friends called him - he was always Mr. Dunne to me) by the building Superintendent, who told him that I was a retired Judge. I remember Nicky looking me right in the eye and saying something like ...”well, that’s very very interesting. It’s nice having you in our building...we should visit ...”

I immediately took that to mean that there was a possibility that we could become friends and that I could provide him with, among other things, a fair and unbiased look into the operations of the Judicial System.

Time passed and I saw him often, on the elevator and coming and going, but he always seemed a bit distant, so several months later I took things into my own hands and sent him a letter written on my Senior Circuit Judge letterhead. In the letter I offered to be a confidential advisor on any matters or area of his choosing, with no compensation or acknowledgment of any kind. I even offered to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Several days later I got the nicest hand-written response from Nicky saying that he appreciated my offer and interest and that he would contact me if and when he ever needed my services/advice.

And that was the last I heard from him in this regard although we would often run into each other in the building. At one point he actually introduced me to Mark Fuhrman, who was a key witness in the Simpson trial
.
In 1999 I had to give up the apartment I had sublet from my friend, Actor David Huddleston, when the co-op board decided to withdraw permission for sublets in the building.

However, my apartments from then until this summer were in the same ‘hood and I would run into Nicky from time to time and you know what was funny - when it was just he and I, he would be very distant, almost aloof. But, when either he or I were with someone else, he became effusive, acting as if we were the best of friends. He would always refer to me as “The Judge” and would make an effort to always call me by my full name. In fact, I remember one time when he asked me how my son in Orlando was doing and I had absolutely no recollection of ever telling him anything about my family.

The last time I saw Nicky was about 6 months ago as he was about to enter 155 E. 49th. We just shook hands. He looked ill and very frail.

So, RIP Nicky - I regret we never became BFF.

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

A Reality Check and Stuff

Well, the start of this somewhat overdue posting is a reality check for those of you loyal and faithful readers who are also Yankee fans and it is specifically directed to my seat mates in Section 212, rows 4,5,6, seats 15-19, at Yankee Stadium, several of whom claim to be readers of this blog. Hey guys (and 2 gals) the season ain’t over yet, not by a long shot. Stop talking about where you are going to be in the Canyon of Heroes to witness the parade honoring the Yankees as 2009 World Series Champions and focus instead on what the Hell is going on in front of you!!! Now listen the fuck up --

Our so-called “stellar” starting rotation and bullpen has just given up 39 runs in the last 4 games, yes, do the math, 29 runs in the series against The FuckSox and then 10 runs last night in the 9-10 loss to Texas. Joba has sucked in his last two outings, pitching like a pussy and completely unable to throw first pitch strikes. AJ Burnett has been unpredictable, claiming and then denying that he has “issues” with Jorge Posada. Andy Pettitte can only pitch 5 innings. The Savior in the starting rotation has been CC Sabathia. The only two pitchers in the bullpen who are reliable are Mo, of course, and Phil Hughes. Thank God for them.

Yes, our hitting has saved the day, game after game, but never forget that the key to the post-season is pitching. Say it again - pitching. Say it one more time - pitching.

And yes, the Yankees will win our Division and probably the League Championship to advance to The World Series against, I predict, The LA Dodgers. But guys and gals, it ain’t a done deal. Let’s hope the team remains focused on each game without looking into the future as so many of their fans are doing. Hint hint wink wink!!

Damn, I feel better. See you guys and gals tonight.

I have completed my bookings in the Fringe Festival, making the total number of shows I will see to be 14, which is the same number, I think, as I saw last year.

This is my schedule for the remainder of the week --

Wednesday - 7:05 - Yankees vs. Texas (season package).

Thursday - 4:15 - “Devil Boys from Beyond” - Fringe Festival; 7:00 - “Dirty Stuff” - Fringe Festival; 9:15 - “666” - Fringe Festival.

Friday - 3:00 - “Tales from the Tunnel” - Fringe Festival; 7:05 - Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox (season ticket package).

Saturday - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox (full-price extra ticket); 7:30 - “Sorority Queen in a Mobile Home” - Fringe Festival.

Sunday - 1:05 - Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox (season ticket package)

Since the last posting I saw the following Off-Broadway shows:

“Songs of a New World” - “Songs for a New World is a powerful song cycle (no linear plot, all thematically linked) about the moment after you make a mistake. It's about redemption and renewal. The author transports his audience from the deck of a 1492 Spanish sailing ship to a ledge 57 stories above Fifth Avenue to meet a startling array of characters ranging from a young man who has determined that basketball is his ticket out of the ghetto to a woman whose dream of marrying rich nabs her the man of her dreams and a soulless marriage.”(complementary ticket). This was very well performed and was very interesting.

“Another Person’s Poison” - “Success, juxtaposed with the fascinating backdrop of prime time television. When Frankie Masters, a struggling comedian, gets the opportunity to have his own network television show in 1970, his imminent stardom threatens to reveal the hidden conflict and mounting turmoil of his personal life. Taking place prior to the celebrity tabloid when exposés were the norm, it takes a close look at lives intertwined--where each character confronts personal sacrifices that will forever impact them.” (complimentary ticket). Well written and performed.

“Leaves of Glass” - “The ensemble performs Walt Whitman’s epic text – as chamber theater meets dance theater meets congregation meets celebration – without irony or clothing. A nude chorus of multitudes reciting, “I contain multitudes.” Wouldn’t Walt Whitman be tickled? Whitman, who in this poem exclaims, “If I worship one thing more than another, it shall be the spread of my own body, or any part of it.” Each succeeding line, passage, turn of phrase celebrates the bare human form as an intersection of nature and industry.” (complimentary ticket). Well, I have to admit, as required by fair and unbiased reporting, that what caught my eye (no pun intended) was the phrase ...A nude chorus ... so I booked the show. Thank God the running time was only an hour because it was a pretty dreadful show and the performers where, ahem, somewhat less than photogenic.

I just don’t know how to discuss the next topic because it has to fall under the heading of gossip, which I have promised to avoid in this blog. It seems that a certain young friend of mine, who I have described in previous postings with the introductory title of: student/bartender/manager, has made several references in recent conversations to his “interest” in a certain celebrity whose identity he masks with the initials “AC.” He has alluded to the fact that he and “AC” may have become gym buddies and perhaps more. Well, you can imagine my surprise when I read the following “item” in Page Six of today’s New York Post --

“Sightings ... ANDERSON Cooper in a baseball cap and jeans riding his bike on West Ninth Street with "a very muscular man in a tank top."

My student/bartender/manager friend coyly refuses to either confirm or deny whether he is the “muscular man in a tank top.”

I promise you, my loyal and faithful readers, I will continue my investigation and then I will report and then it will be up to you to decide.

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.”

PS: Oh - Happy 23rd Birthday to John Scott Reed!!!

Thursday - A Belated Update on Billi Pod’s Activities

Errrrrrrrr ... hi, my loyal and faithful readers ...Errrrrrrrrrr.... I know that I owe you an apology for failing to keep you up-to-date on my activities for the past 9 days in The Greatest City in The World, and I have no legitimate excuses, no, not even one. My bad and I am soooooooo sorry. I wish I could say that it won’t happen again but that would not be fair and unbiased reporting, the compact that has driven this blog since its inception in April 2008. So, having said all of that, let us move on, OK? Right!

Since the last posting I have done so much that I will just have to report most of the activities in a semi-summary form.

First and foremost was the wonderful time I had with Sandy Mullon of Anna Maria, FL, during her visit from August 11 - 14. She was my first out-of-town guest in PHC and she seemed to love the apartment and especially the awesome views of The City. We did a lot of things and stuff, including: the Guggenheim Museum; the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); SoHo; 3 shows (“Sweet Storm” and “Our Town” both Off-Broadway and the awesome Broadway revival of “South Pacific” at Lincoln Center); and dinners at Angus McIndoe, Theatre Row Diner and Josephina at Lincoln Center. Actually one of the highlights of our time together, at least for me, came on Sandy’s final night here, after we had seen “South Pacific.” The show was out a little after 11:00pm and she surprised me by announcing that she would like to walk the 20+ blocks down 9th Avenue back to PHC. Of course I said YES!!. The weather was awesome and the walk-back was a wonderful way to end a great evening and our all-too-short time together.

I am now in the midst of my usual August Off-Off Broadway frenzy due to the annual New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC). Let me give you a bit of background - “Fringe NYC is the largest multi-arts festival in North America, and runs from August 14 - 30, 2009. This year, the festival will offer performances by 201 of the world's best emerging theatre troupes and dance companies. Invited performers represent 7 countries and 20 U.S. states. The festival presents works covering a wide range of disciplines including drama, comedy, dance, performance art, children's theater, outdoor theater , spoken word, puppetry, improv, and multimedia.”

Each show runs for only 5 performances. Tickets cost $15, or $10 with my Senior Discount.

I have seen, or will see, 9 shows, thus far, which I will identify by title without wasting your time on a summary, with one major exception, later: “ The Jungle Fun Room;” “John & Greg’s High School Reunion;” “Victoria and Frederick for President;” “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry;” “How Now, Dow Jones;” “Vote;” “Abraham Lincoln’s Big, Gay Dance Party;” and, “The Boys Upstairs” (twice).

The major exception is “The Boys Upstairs” - “Sex, Dating, Friendship, and all the blurry lines in between...this New York story invites you upstairs to the fabulous living room of city boys who handle relationships, careers, and the city with style, scandal, and specialty cocktails!” This show is being produced by my young friend Justin Allen Pifer and I am happy to report that not only is the show very funny and well acted, it is also receiving favorable reviews and a lots of show-business “buzz.”

I posted the following on the theater-related chat board “Talkin’ Broadway - All That Chat”, in response to a very favorable review --
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“I saw the show on its opening night and laughed and laughed and had a good time. So much so that I am taking two friends to see the Tuesday night performance.

If you are in the mood to laugh, to watch excellent acting, to see some nice looking guys, and perhaps to identify with either the characters or some of the scenes, then this is the show for you.”
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As I said, I saw the show on its opening performance and then again with student/bartender/manager Scott Reed and his friend Jeremy. Hopefully the show will find a life after The Fringe.

I anticipate seeing 5-7 additional shows between now and August 30.

Wednesday night I made my first trip out to Citifield, the new home of the struggling Mets, located in the foreign country known as Queens. You get to the stadium via the #7 subway line, which is no problem if you can catch an express train, which is only 7 stops. Luckily, I expressed it out to the stadium.

My purpose was to see the new stadium and I have to say that it is a very impressive structure but not nearly as impressive as the new Yankee stadium, of course. The Mets were playing the Atlanta Braves, who kicked butt, beating the Mets 15-2. Barf! My seat location was excellent, very similar to my seat location in Yankee stadium. I had gotten my ticket through one of my ticket services with a 50% discount. I spent most of the time wandering around the stadium just checking things out. I had no intention to stay for the whole game, so I was outta there at 9:00. OMG!! I was forced to ride a local train back into Manhattan and that took F O R E V E R because there are 19 local stops before you finally reach The Port Authority Terminal.

Speaking of baseball - I am certain you, my loyal and faithful readers, are aware that the Yankees lead The Boston Fucksox by 7 games and they play a 3 game weekend series in that fetid bandbox known as Fenway Park. I must admit that my upcoming Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be built around being glued to the TV for each of the games. I know, I know, but ... I am a true Yankee fan, so what do you expect? So, on that happy note I will close this out.

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.”

The Yankees Sweep the F**kSox

Tonight’s game was a nail-biter from the very beginning with both starting pitchers, Pettitte for the Yankees and Lester for the FuckSox, pitching well. Pettitte pitched 7 innings of no-run ball, leaving the game with a 1 run lead on an A-Rod blast. To this point Boston had not scored a run in 31 innings.

The FuckSox scored 2 runs in the top of the 8th to take a 2-1 lead and for the first time the FuckSox fans had something to cheer about, but it didn’t last long because in the bottom of the 8th, with 2 outs, Damon and Teixeira hit back-to-back homers and then later in the inning 2 more runs scored on a single by Swisher. Yankee Stadium went wild. The Yankees had a 5-2 lead and enter The Sandman in the top of the 9th. Mo closed the game and the Yankees swept the FuckSox in 4 games, extending their lead to 6 1/2 games.

The game was over at 11:10 and I was back in PHC at 12:15am, tired but very happy. I can honestly say that I got my money’s worth for these 4 games.

I am almost in baseball-overload, however, since I have a ticket for the game Monday night against Toronto. Anyway ...

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.”

Three in a row!! - Go Yankees!!

In many ways last night’s game against the FuckSox ... oooops ... sorry about that, I meant the F**kSox, was as intense as the 15 inning marathon Friday night. Last night there was tension in the air as everyone waited for the F**kSox bats to break out of their slumber. As scoreless inning built upon scoreless inning the unease among fans of both teams became more palatable.

Yankee fans were inwardly wondering when Big Papi was going to crush one over the right field wall and F**kSox fans were praying that somehow their team would finally manufacture a run any way they could.

Well, you know the results if you are a sports fan - The Yankees won 5-0 as CC Sabathia and the bullpen combined for another scoreless game, meaning that the F**kSox have gone 24 innings without scoring a run. That is awesome.

Tonight’s game starts at 8:10 and it is being carried on ESPN, meaning the game will last f o r e v e r. Of course, I will be there until the end. regardless of the score. Really hoping for a sweep.

Speaking of Big Papi -

does anyone believe his explanation regarding steroids? This is the opening paragraph from an article in this morning’s New York Post:
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“In place of the jovial, joking “Big Papi” sat an apologetic, confused David Ortiz at a 30-minute Yankee Stadium press conference yesterday in which the Red Sox star denied ever using steroids.

Nine days after a report linked Ortiz with a list of 104 drug tests from 2003 seized by the government, the 33-year-old tried to clear his name and salvage his reputation.

“I never buy steroids or used steroids”, Ortiz said”
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Yeah, everyone who believes that raise your right hand.

Anyway, this afternoon at 2:00 I have scheduled a show called “Negatives” - “When Dad dies a family secret is revealed about a connection to the Kennedy Assassination. Playful sibling banter turns serious when there is disagreement as to how to proceed.” (complimentary ticket). This show is in a theater next door to 420 W. 42nd.

Have a lot more to report about the upcoming week and the activities Sandy Mullon and I have scheduled, but will save it for a later posting, so ...

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.”

OMG!! The Yankees win in the bottom of the 15th!!

What a ball game. The Yankees won in the bottom of the 15th inning when A-Rod hit a 2 run home run, beating the FuckSox by a score of 2-0. The game started at 7:05 and A-Rod hit his HR at 12:42am. It was 1:45am when I opened the door to PHC.

The Yankee pitching was awesome. They gave up only 4 hits in 15 innings. The losing pitcher was Junichi Tazawa, who was making his major league debut.

With this win the Yankees now lead Boston by 4 1/2 games. The game on Saturday is a day game but it doesn’t start until 4:10. Thank God! I am tired, so ...

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.”

YANKEES 13 - F**KSOX 6 - Oh, Yes!!

The score says it all. We now lead them by 3 1/2 games.











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.”

YANKEES VS. BOSTON F**KSOX - Bring It On!!

Tonight begins a 4 game series and I want to extend a warm and personal welcome to the Boston F**kSox and their fanz.

I have tickets for each of the games. I know that the Yankees come into this series with a 0-8 record against the F**kSox but that is in the past. The future is what is important, and we have a 2 1/2 game lead at this point. I need to also call attention to the fact that 10 games remain to be played, 7 in Yankee stadium and 3 in that cesspool bandbox known as Fenway Park.

I know that some of you otherwise loyal and faithful readers may be F**kSox fanz, so before you begin to get all hot and bothered, let me remind you of the following, presented because of my responsibility for fair and unbiased reporting --:

WORLD SERIES:

Yankees 26 - F**kSox - 7

PENNANTS:

Yankees 39 - F**kSox 12

100 WIN SEASONS:

Yankees 18 - F**kSox 3

MVP'S:

Yankees: 20 - F**kSox 10

Ah…yes - it is great to be a Yankee fan ... always was ... always will be!!!!

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