Good morning everyone, or I could say top of the morning to you because today is March 17, 2021, St. Patrick’s Day Wednesday. The weather will cooperate today and reach almost 50 degrees but cloudy. Today is a special day we celebrate one of the most revered saints in the Catholic Church if you are religious, but on a secular level we celebrate the culture of the great Irish people and today we become honorary Irish, because today everybody is Irish and if you don’t celebrate it you miss out on a wonderful experience of life.
St. Patrick’s day has always been special to me as a child we drove to Jersey City to watch the parade, my uncle was a captain in the fire dept. so every year it was our tradition to go there, my aunt was Irish , another family legend for another day. And have corned beef and cabbage. To a child it seemed like there were a thousand people in that house with all the relatives some I knew and most I didn’t. When you ate and could eat no more you went out on the stoop,there’s a word for people my age. From that stoop right in front of the house stood The Statue of Liberty. Little did I realize then looking at the statue here were two immigrant groups who had very prejudicial feeling for each other in the beginning of the century celebrating together, as it should be in America.
So , today I will decorate the house with all the green I can get, plates , cups, green bagels, and shamrocks abound and of course corned beef and cabbage. one great thing I had at Wilson Ave was the Soda Bread competition, many people would bake it and give me a piece, so I decided to I would judge the best, we enjoyed this small thing. Truth be told they were all the best and I enjoyed everyone, and what I wouldn’t give to do it again with all those special people. Today I buy it from different stores and judge myself.
If I don’t do these things Rocco and Dario will miss out on a great time of life and eventually it will all be forgotten, maybe I go on and on about traditions and celebrations and maybe I do but to me they are the backbone of our lives, if we don’t have them and celebrate them we are nothing but human beings surviving. So today you have no excuse not to enjoy yourself even for ten minutes, if you don’t everything that goes with today sit and have a cup of tea. The great Irish saying is “ May all your dreams come true except one so you have something to strive for. “
Til Tomorrow.

Good morning everyone, today is Monday March 15, 2021. The weather today is promising to be sunny but cold. I guess that’s why sometimes it’s called fickled March, it doesn’t know what it wants to do yet. So I guess we will just bundle up again. I hope everyone had a nice weekend and did some fun things. Now we are back to the workweek and the drudgery of everyday life. Today is called the ides of March, a name that dates back to Ancient Rome, basically it just means March 15, on that day however Julius Caesar was assassinated by his friends and trusted advisors over 40 of them. So the date has taken on the connotation of being a day of bad luck. Truth of the matter it was only bad luck for Caesar. When I thought about that day growing up and reading plays, and books on the subject throughout my life one feeling or word would come to mind Trust. To me that is one of the most important of human attributes we have. Throughout our live we relie on trust. Trust of ourselves and the trust of others, it is a basic element to life and it starts the moment we are born, as an infant we trust that our parents will take care of our basic needs, we must relie on them for everything. As parent we trust that we are doing the best for that baby. Most of us do it fine. As we grow we begin to trust other in our lives, teachers, coaches, clergy, doctors. And as parents we I trust our children to these people, that’s why they must be beyond reproach. That’s why I always believed as a teacher, I was not their parent but their parents had enough trust in me to leave their most prized possession in my care. Sometimes people fail at these jobs and we begin to learn the word distrust whiich to me is devistating to us all. As we age however we take that knowledge to make judgements in our lives about the friends we want, our jobs, our mate, most of the times it works out but other we get hurt by trusting the wrong people or ideas. Me, I am a very trustworthy person I believe, this was the way I was taught when I say I am going to do something I do it, and I expect the same in friends. Many times I have made the wrong decision about people and you do ultimately pay for it, but no matter how old you are it is still a learning experience. So in life we have to use our instincts and our prior knowledge ( teacher friends I never forget the terminology) to trust we make the right decisions. Being sick you realize just how important trust is , you must have faith in your doctors and trust they are doing the right things for you, again god prevailed for me and I was lucky. I’m still here to bother you every day.
So today being the Ides of March many people actually celebrate it with big parties, I never knew that but what the heck let’s celebrate, have a glass of wine and toast Cesar for his accomplishments, or even eat a Cesar Salad. Let’s have a little fun with it.
Now remember it’s cold so dress appropriately and enjoy the day, remember the phrase
Vini, vidi Vince, we came, we saw , we conquered . If I was back in high school I would still fail Latin, which I once did and spent the summer paying for it.
Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, today is Sunday March, 14, 2021. It is a little chilly right now but promises to be fifty later and then turn windy. It’s March what can you expect but everyday is different during this month, that’s what makes it interesting. Today is Sunday, remember it is a day god gave us to relax and enjoy ourselves so take advantage of his generosity. I hope you all got my message yesterday and turned you clocks ahead.
You know on Saturday night is of great importance to me, to attend mass. To me my religion is very important, now I am not a holy roller or so devout that nothing else matters, that is far from the truth. But religion is important to me, I feel in ways it defines who we are, it gives us another purpose in life. It also gives me comfort to know that the loved ones who have departed this earth enjoy a heavenly life. I do not feel this way only because I am catholic, I feel the same way about all religions, what you believe in no matter what that religion is, is a part of who you are. As you also know that I enjoy to learn and appreciate the customs of all religions, how else can I accept people and enjoy life with them. I know it is part of growing up to question your faith, we have all done it. Even the Amish have a period , I’m really going to mess up this spelling , a reichspeller or something like that where they encourage young people to go out and see the world and then make their decision if the Amish way of life is for them. However, at some point we do begin to see religion is an important part of our life. Every one chooses the way the way they want to practice. From a small child maybe because I went to Catholics schools for 13 years of my life I have believed god has looked out for me, in my worst of times , as Aunt Jean used to say he will open another door for you, and he always did. I also enjoy the feast days and holidays of the Catholic Church, this week will will be celebrating 2 of the biggies Wednesday St. Patrick’s day, the patron saint of Ireland, the world will turn green that day like the beautiful country it is, and we will all become honorary Irishmen that day to celebrate this great man. Friday, we will celebrate the feast day of St. Joseph the patron saint of the entire Catholic Church. I have a special place for him obviously. And over the years I have come to realize we all celebrate these feast days whether you are catholic or not. If you don’t try it you miss out on a way to further bring and accept diversity to our lives. The same way I will buy matzoh and eat it during Passover and enjoy everyone, or have a special dinner of Tiki Masala on Holi the Indian feast day or General Taos chicken on the Lunar New Year. And who among us has not had a margarita and fajitas on Cinco do Mayo. No matter our religion and how much we believe and love it. We must come to the realization we live in a secular world and if we can’t appreciate each other’s customs we are doomed for another generation of racism and predjudices. Yes this week will be very exciting for me, it is a week of celebrations. And you know how happy that makes me. So we will do it all virtually together until we can all be together in person. I have already gotten my corned beef but I feel we need to get another so I’m off to get it today, and I can figure out where to get the best soda bread without making it myself. So I’m preparing and enjoying every minute.
Again have a great day, enjoy Til Tomorrow.

Good morning everyone, today is Saturday March 13, 2021. As I am sitting here I am watching a beautiful blue sky with pink over the horizon. That always means a nice day, however much cooler temperatures than the last few days. That’s okay because it is March.
I’ve been thinkinking about things I hear on the news and most of it is quite disturbing, they rarely report good things that happen. As you know most of you I taught in the city of Newark for a good part of my life and in all those years I was in 3 schools. My first position was at Rose Terrace, I don’t even think it exists anymore, but I graduated in June and in September I started there, it was a school for socially and emotionally maladjusted boys 13 -18. Now I was a fresh teacher and arrived with my brand new briefcase ready to change the world. What I found was a school more like a prison all the students had been in the youth house or Jamesburg a youth penitentiary at the time. I tried very hard to teach but everyday there were incidents with knives and axes. I soon realized this was not for me but I had nowhere to turn. About 3 weeks in, I also worked for my soon to be father in law. I walked into his office and told him of my situation, I think that was one of the lowest points of my life , I felt like a complete useless failure,
. He said to me everyone makes mistakes if teaching is not for you, you could work here we always need you. Don’t ever feel embarrassed by your choices. I said it was not teaching what I was doing, I love to teach but this was being a warden, he called Abalu in, the big guns, he said walk out. Then he said you have sick days use them til we figure this out. Stay here til we do. 3 weeks later I was At Helen Keller a School for the blind. I loved it there and then it closed and I left teaching for many years. When I returned it was to Wilson Ave. 7th grade and there I stayed in that grade for about 17 years. So I saw many adolescent boys over the years, then I was asked to do an after school program at the Ironbound boys club with a special class for high schoolers again I had many boys pass through. I mention only the boys for a reason and you will see why. In our discussions and health class and group meeting the subject of that age group always turned to girls. My advice was you must always have respect for the girls because someday you will want to marry one and spend your life together and you have to have mutual respect to make it work. Another piece of advice and many might not agree but I would tell them leave the girls alone do not touch them, they are not playthings and if you are inappropriate and get in trouble no matter what the situation is they are going to believe the girl so do put yourself in those situations. I don’t know how many listened or took that advice but I do know that was always and is the way. When I had to deal with girl my advice was the same stay away and leave the boys alone, they many times will misinterpret what you are doing. Finally I get to the news part maybe someone should have given Governor Cuomo that advice and he wouldn’t be fighting for his political career right now. Look there are always three sides to a story so we very rarely know the truth but this is a story as old as time with men and there behavior. That’s why when Mike Pence once in an interview said he didn’t go anywhere without his wife I agreed. To me I always wanted her near my side, because she is the only one that mattered. But power gives people a sense of intitlement and they feel they could do as they please and then there are others wou take advantage of that to get what they want. So, I guess if we had respect for each other maybe this wouldn’t happen time and time again. We will never know the true story but I think it is belittling to both men and women of good character.
It is cooler so on your quest for enjoyment bundle up. Enjoy this beautiful day. Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, today is March 12, 2021. Friday, yes we are at the end of another week. I have already been outside in a tee shirt and I is about 60 degrees , actually it was quite pleasant. So I am looking forward to another good day. Yesterday March 11, 2020 has been Assigned as the first day of the pandemic. We have lived through one year of this nightmare. A situation that will effect our lives forever, maybe not the young but people of my age, this year will have some effect for the rest of my life. I think it has affected me in countess ways, as it has many others. But it also shows the resilience of the human spirit. We lived through it , unfortunately many were not so lucky and their loved ones will pay for a long time to come. We are not out of the woods yet but we can see a bright meadow ahead. So we must still be diligent and we can’t let our guard down. But now we at least have hope. The last few days have been beautiful maybe even Mother Nature is saying thank you for all that we indured and showing us what to look forward to.
Now everyday I ask you to find some enjoyable moment in your day. Something to make you happy even fo a few minutes. I think that is a nice wish for all but I think some people think it’s intrusive and I should mind my own business but the way I feel, you are all my friends and I love you all and only want the best for you. So if that is intrusive so be it, I’m guilty.
The thing I enjoyed yesterday was joining my two little guys at the park. I enjoy a park to sit and watch kids play and have fun, it is relax full sometimes I will walk around the lake, when Dario was an infant I would take him now he also wants to play so Bebop does it alone. Yesterday as I watched all these children play together I saw how this time of their life will be easily forgotten, however to see them all with masks on did bother me, but parents will not forget so easily as I walked Dario in the stroller a little boy not much older than him maybe 2, 21/2 came up to us and said baby, he’s a baby . I answered yes he is and you are a big boy, he was so proud of himself, of course the mother was there in a flash as he went to touch Dario’s hand she grabbed him away and said we never touch people now that is sound advice and I was going to say something if he touched more than his hand . But was that a life lesson of not touching other people or was it fear. Biden yesterday said he wants all schools open in 50 days. I commend him for that, and I feel that is the best thing that could be done, on the other hand I worry for the teachers and students safety. Many of these schools were a mess before, what has been done to upgrade them. Cleanliness will have to be of utmost importance and are the custodial staff properly trained. Look everyone knew eventually schools had to reopen it ludicrous to think differently, I just pray it is done correctly.
Now take advantage of the gift we are given today and enjoy, I will try my best. Til Tomorrow!