Good morning everyone, today is Saturday March 6, 2021. It seems like a pleasant day out albeit it is cold though, I think only about 30 degrees so we have to dress warmly again.
Yesterday I was looking at some old books I have, it is very hard for me to get rid of books. Part of me believes someday I will need some information in one of them or I will read it again, funny because I never make a practice of reading a book more than once. Authors to me are amazing and Lucky people. The authors and poets I have met along the way have always held my interest when they spoke, it always felt like a great manuscript was imerging, and I wished I could write and tell a story the way they did through prose or poetry.
secondly, they are immortal their words will live on long after they are gone for future generations to read and you know how I feel about that. They have been given a great gift.
When I taught writing and I would give an assignment many kids would say Mr. G. What do I write about I don’t know what to say. I would tell them write about your own life, an experience you have had. I would also encourage them to write about how they came to America because many were new arrivals. Most people do not have that knowledge so use it.
I believe as I have said before we learn through experience and we celebrate triumphs and happiness along with sadness and disappointments through our written words. I also believe part of the writers experience and soul are in that book no matter how much they say it is a work of fiction. I know even when I directed, community theater part of me was imbedded in the characterizations I gave.
In years to come people will write about this pandemic and the way the world reacted. There will be many primary sources who lived it and secondary sources who lived during it but are to young to remember like Dario and will only remember what they have been told. So in the future some books may have a very dour theme.
As you can see writing and reading has always been important to me and that’s why I worry so much for this generation whose lives have been so interrupted. But I guess when you look back on history there have been many events that altered the lives of the people and it survived and moved forward just as we will again.
Today is Saturday and you know my rule, it is the weekend and you deserve some enjoyment in your life, so we have these 2days every week given to us just to be happy. So I like you I will try to find happiness today and enjoy it. Til Tomorrow .

Good morning everyone, today is Friday March, 5 2021. Wow another week coming to a close. These days just seem to fly by, before we know it it will be summer again, thank god. But for now we have to settle for March that comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. This lamb is really roaring the last two days , it is cold out there, at least the sun is shinning but don’t be fooled if you go out today, dress warmly. Again I apologize for interrupting your day yesterday it just felt like something I wanted to share because in my mind it did go along with what we are struggling with today.
Yesterday Governor Lamont of Connecticut said as of March 19 he will end the restrictions in his state, however, the mask and social distancing will still be in affect. I guess as more and more people become vaccinated, New York and New Jersey will follow suit. So I guess we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
From the beginning of this ordeal we have heard the coin phrase the New Normal, what is the new normal actually going to look like, I wonder. Do we just return to the ways of before COVID and forget it even existed, I don’t think so, I think we will see many different things. I don’t feel most people are the same anymore , they have become cautious and solitary and would rather be alone than in a group. I feel the days of greeting with a hug and a kiss may also have seen it’s day. A handshake may be questionable. What will children be like? I also feel this generation will suffer the affects of the past year for a long time to come. We will all just have to wait and see and adjust our lives to it. We have done it before and we will do it again.
My culinary skills took a hit this week also, the other night I wanted to try a recipe I have been reading about, roasted Italian sausage with grapes in a balsamic sauce. When I presented it everyone looked at it and said what is that. I knew I was in trouble when everyone said please no sauce on mine.the sausage was not bad, what could ever be wrong with sausage, one of my favorites, but the hot grapes really were not to our liking. So I felt like my grandfather , another story, and threw it along with recilpe in the garbage. I think one bad meal in over a year is not bad. So tonight I will be back at the stove with something better I hope or I might loose my job as head chef and have to hang up my apron but I think I will prevail.
Okay it is Friday the weekend is upon us, so we have to have some enjoyable activities planned, start to think about it. Again it is cold so take the precautions you need to stay warm and enjoy the day ahead. Til tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, hope all is well. Today is Thursday Marcus 4,, 2020. Forecast a little colder than yesterday so dress warmer when you go out. Yesterday’s adventures took me all over Essex county finally ending up in Summit where I took a nice walk. I have really never taken the time to see all the stores there. It was very nice. As usual I always find a place to buy something for Rocco and Dario, I found a small candy store and just fell in, a likely story. Hell I went in to purposely buy a treat but I was amazed at all they had. I selected 2 chocolate lollipops. It gives me great pleasure to spoil them, I feel it is my prerogative as a grandfather to give them what I want. Is that the right attitude, I don’t know it’s just the way I am. I was that way with my wife and my children and they don’t seem so bad. Let that be the worst thing they can say about me, is that I spoiled them. In the movie “ The Godfather” when Don Corleone is in the garden with his grandson and they are picking the tomatoes is one of the best scenes to me. It just invoked such love to me. I love the movie “The Godfather “ and go from scene to scene and line for line and still could not pick out the best but it does show the love the loveItalian families have for each other but it also shows a much darker side of Italians. Hollywood has made millions on movies that dipict italians in an unsavory way. Which brings me to my post today, yesterday we spoke about the racism and stereotyping by wearing black face. How completely wrong and insulting such a thing is. But stereotyping , make no mistake is alive and living among us everyday. Right now we are seeing the governor of New York’s career in jeopardy. I am in no way condoning anything he has done, it is wrong and he should resign if in fact it is all true. What has me upset is I heard a conversation between 2 young women maybe 35, I was was easdrpping
which maybe I shouldn’t have done but when I heard where the conversation was going I couldn’t stop, they were discussing Cuomo and his situation even before the sexual harassment allegations came out and one said what do you expect he’s a mobster, he used intimidation to get what he wants. Threats, like all Italians do , who would even want to be Italian that’s all they are. Now it 2021 and people still believe things like that.that is stereotyping to the enth degree. Make no mistake , around dinner tables across America Italians are still considered mobster and garlic eaters. Every time I feel that is not true any longer it sort of smacks me in the face again. I once had coffee with a very influential man and he said to me if you and I watch movies such as The Godfather or shows like the Sopranos we see it one way because we are Italian but middle America just catorgorizes us as all gangsters. When I was much younger I got a new car and some one said to me dou you book, I asked what and said are you a bookie to afford that car. I was insenced that someone should ask me that question , I have said hear how hard I worked from a young kid sometimes 3 or 4 jobs at a time to be insulted like that. Stereotyping is hurtful and degrading. For years my wife and I have belonged to an organization to prevent this treatment of Italians. Once Ragu had an ad for a new tomatoe sauce. It was all women yelling and caring on it was insulting this orghad the ad pulled and redone.
For years I have said education is the key to end bigotry. So that is what we must do. That’s why heritage is so important to me, the immigrant experience also important. Children must be taught what contributions Italians have made to the world in the last 3000 years. That is why I created the blog page to post relevant things, poetry , quotes and other things. Please truly and read it not just the post the other articles there it makes us think. I posted this before on refections of a life but I am going to put it on again today. So we can really see what Italian Americans have done.
It’s chilly today so be careful, it’s an Emily Day enjoy it Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, I hope all is well with everybody. Today is March 3, 2021, Wednesday already hump day, I checked the forecast today and we might hit 50 degrees, so there is no excuse for us not to venture out of the house. We need to get oxygen in our lungs and open them up after being cooped up in the house. So let’s find something enjoyable to take us out even for a few minutes.
Last night, I was prepared to watch “ This is us” on television but it turned out not to be on so I picked up my phone and started to work on my blog when an invitation to join the Wilson Ave. Alumni page, popped up now I was not an alumni but I did teach there for over 30 years, so I think that qualifies me as an alumni.so I filled out the entrance form and was accepted. For the next two hours I enjoyed picture after picture, and names that will never be forgotten posted before my eyes. These were children I taught at the time , 12, 13 years old and I realized they are all grown up adults with probably children of their own. However, to me they are the same age I last saw them and with that I still feel an obligation to them. An obligation to still give advice if I can, care, be proud of their accomplishments, be happy for them. Just to remain a part of their life. For years sometimes I was faulted for caring too much, that I was not their parent, that’s a parents job. I never believed that, maybe in 1950 or 60 that might have been true but when I became a teacher the world was changing, Civil Rights, The liberation of women’s movement, the sexual Revolution and many other events of history. So I felt my role was to introduce these new ideas in a way that they could build their lives in this new society. So I was not their parents but I centainly had an obligation to help build the best citizen. After all they were the leaders of the future. There was not a day I didn’t enjoy doing my job. I still enjoy it through my daily posts and my blog. So you never really get rid of me, I’m like a bad penny that keeps showing up.
As a teacher something upset me yesterday. Purim is a Jewish holiday, some say it is not but regardless of that people still celebrate. To celebrate anything brings happiness and joy to people. Part of this celebration is to wear a costume, it is a reference to the Bible where Queen Ester disguises herself to save her people. Today children and some adults I guess wear costumes for parties and such. This year some children dressed in black face, it is 2021, I want to know the person who would ever think this would be acceptable. 100 years ago when people did it it was in bad taste and had no place. I remember seeing a clip of Al Jolson singing Mammy when I was a child and I thought what a stupid way to perform, what was the purpose.1 day after celebrating Black History month where we enlighten the minds of children about the contributions African Americans have made to society. To outwardly insult people like that. It only shows how far we still have to go. Again no I was not a parent but I taught this was wrong but obviously some fool parent allowed this to happen. This kind of bigotry has no place in decent society or in any part of our world today. The only way to stop this is through education. Hatred and prejudice of any kind must be eradicated in our world for us to all exist together. Teachers just add that to your list. All I have said today I feel mirrors all teachers, I don’t have the corner market on it. I’m sure most teachers feel as I do.
Now I’ve said a lot today as I usually do , so I will close today with the hope you will have a great day and enjoy yourself. Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, how is everybody on this fine morning. Today Is Tuesday March 2, 2021. I say it is a fine morning because when I looked out I saw pink sky that to me means a beautiful day. As I opened the blinds , I can’t stand having them closed or shades down I need to see outside. Off to the west the moon is still out then blue sky finally the pink through the trees, it gave me a good feeling so I did my morning exercises with that view and then sat down to talk still admiring the sky.
As you know at night I have my glass of wine and watch tv as I read or write or do something but I’m always half listening to the show on the television. Last night we streamed last weeks episode of “ this is us “ I like that show sometimes the characters get a little whinny fo r me but I still enjoy it. The episode was about having children and bringing them home for the first time. This caught my attention and I didn’t do anything else but watch, because to me that was a very scary event being alone with the baby for the first time. I admire women for being mothers I feel it is one of the hardest jobs there is, this little child has grown in you for 9 months, so it is really an extension of you and a bond is formed really never to be broken. That’s why I feel when your mother leaves this earth a part of you also does.
Now as a man, and we all love our fathers to death for the most part but to me the role is different, you also must realize I am a product of a whole different generation and I was caught in the changes that we see in the fathers role. Another favorite show “ call the midwife” shows in the 50’s and 60’s and hundreds of years before there was no place for the father in the birthing procedure, he had to wait in an outer room or waiting room and many times heard the screams of his wife. I don’t think I could have withstood that. It was hard enough being there and watch her go through that ordeal. As I mentioned the other day for Amanda’s birthday when I saw her I know I had to support and take care of this baby and for centuries that was the role of fathers to provide for their families as a child that is what I was taught then the 70’s brought changes but that mentally is ingrained in my generations head. Last night brought tears to my eyes, one , the nurse when leaving the hospital tells Randall the baby has his eyes, later while talking alone to the baby he says so you have my eyes, and someday in children and grandchildren those eyes will appear again. Now that hit home to me because Rocco has my eyes, the same color blue, so this assures me they will show up again in another generation and you know how I feel about that. The second scene Kevin heard the twins crying when goes to the room he sees his dead father who he admired above all holding the babies , they talk about fatherhood and Jack the father says I was also afraid of being a new father, I was afraid I would be a lousy father like mine and you are afraid you will not be the father I was . But you have to be who you are and you will be a good father. As a father I accepted the new ways I went to every appointment, there for the delivery I wanted to be part of everything and I was and still am , they can’t get rid of me that fast. When Justin was born the hospital suffered a blackout for the night so the fathers had to stay all night and help in the morning when I was leaving I met Dr. La Conti , the pediatrician in the hall we talked about the night , as he said goodbye , he said to me I’m going to circumcise the baby now do you want to come. Now I know in the Jewish faith they have a bris and it is a beautiful tradition and celebration and I had attended them but I never stayed in the room. But I said yes, as he performed the procedure I held that little hand that is something I will always carry forever, that private moment. Now I don’t know if I was the best father but I tried to do the best I could. Seeing them I think I was okay. Fathers today are lucky they can be in all parts of their child’s life don’t not do it. Don’t ever be afraid to hug too much, spoil too much, kiss too much, play too much, give to much, praise too much. After all they are an extension of you. Love them the best you can, you will reap benefits for generations to come.
Now it is nice out get out and get air in your lungs, enjoy something and have a great day. Til Tomorrow!