One Monday in October...

Not just any Monday, but the day my first child was to come into the world. Yes, it was on Monday the 21st. day of 1974 that Jennifer Marie was born. I remember vividly that morning. My sister and Mom were going about their normal routine. They were getting ready to go preaching. I was still in bed when Janet cried out that her water bag had broken. We called my mother down by us and before you knew it, we were on our drive to St. Mary's hospital in the north side of the city. We lived in the southwest side at that time.

Well, there we were at the hospital. Jan was admitted since there was no doubt she would have the baby on that day. My mother and sister waited for a while and then they left. I stay, of course. After a couple of hours the Doctor came and told me that there was a problem. I still recall the sinking sick feeling that came over me. Was my wife, my girl who I loved so very much, in danger. Was she going to die? Was our unborn child in danger? Was I going to lose one or both of them? All these thoughts ran through my head at 100 miles and hour. I did not want to lose either one of them, but I felt so small, not knowing what to do. The Doctor then proceeded to tell me what the issue was. Jan was not dialating properly, hope I spelled that word correctly. Anyway, if things did not improve soon, then Jan would need a "C-section". Boy was I scared! Jan was also, as you could imagine, very frightened. We loved each other and we wanted to be together, and we wanted our baby to be born ok. Well, it seemed like time was standing still while at the same time everything was happening so quickly.

Well, the dreaded moment came. The Doctor came and told me that they could not wait any longer without placing the baby in danger. So, I signed the papers so that they could perform surgery. I tried to keep a calm look for Jan's sake, but we knew each other so well, she knew how I felt.

It seemed like an eternity and all those crazy thoughts ran through my mind over and over. Finally, I was told that my baby was born. She was a girl. I was so happy but still worried since I had no info on Janet's condition yet. I soon heard she was fine. of coursse she would need to go to recovery. I remembered the Nuns rolling my little girl to the nursery. I wanted to hold her so bad, but rules were much different back then. I could not even be in the same room until much later.

We named her Jennifer, after the girl in the movie love story. All my prayers to God had been answered. Not only did I get to keep Jan in my life, but now we had a daughter. She was as beautiful as her mom and they shared the same green color in their eyes. They were the greatest things to happen to me in my youth....

Today's weather...

Rain, wind and cold. How I remember as a child waiting for the bus on a corner in weather like today's. As you may already know, there were no bus stop shelters. The most you could hope for was a phone booth with all the glass still in place. Store owners were not likely to allow folks to wait inside unless they were actively shoppin. I recall going to the store with my mom and just thinking of the moment the bus would arrive and we could get warm, and a little dry. This was the way it was back then. I am sure that for some today who do not own a car the situation is similar.

Getting home was great. I would get out of my wet clothes and stand by the floor vent to warm up. Getting home and feeling safe made it all worth it.

You know that as I think of it all, such times help you to appreciate how far we have come and how much further we can still go....

Hatitude....

Think I am kidding? Go to Google, or any search engine, and type in hatitude. It is here to stay! I am sure for some people it has always existed, but it is now being embraced by many.

What is it? Well, it is something different for each individual. It applies to both men and women. Some adorn a favorite dress, outfit or suit with a certain hat. Others just wear any hat cause it makes them feel good about themselves. Some may want to copy the past hat weare's, such as Sinatra, Bogart and the Mob. Others of us, however, enjoy the mystic feeling which comes with owning and wearing a vintage hat. When I put on my fedoras I wonder where each one has been If they could talk what a story they would tell. I also wonder how proud the original owner was when he bought and wore this particular fedora. For some of my hats I do know a little about their past, but for the majority, I just know the age of the hat. One of my latest finds is a black Richmond Brothers fedora which was purchased in 1954 by a lady for her husband. This hat came with a red feather, which it still has, and the husband felt it was to loud. So he left it in the box and never wore it. There daughter was cleanig up after the mom died and she came across the hat, She asked her father if he still wanted it and he said she could have it. She did some research and found it to be vintage so she put it up for auction on EBAY. I won that auction. She sent me the hat and it's original box which still had the tissue paper inside. I gave the box to my dad with a different hat inside. You may think that anyone can come up with a story to sell something, and I agree. However you cannot put the gold lettering inside the hat or the year on the box. Oh yeah i ALSO got the original price tag inside the hat. i don't consider myself a collector, I just enjoy owning and wearing my old hats. It is my hobby.

While I do have hatitude, I won't wear a fedora which has a brim larger than 2'. All my fedoras have a brim of 2'' or less. I guess just how that man felt out of place with the red feather, I feel the same about wide brims.

Hatitude, yes i HAVE IT AND i INTEND TO WEAR IT PROUDLY. wHEN THE GLAMOUR AND FAD WEAR OFF FROM ALL THOSE WHO HAVE JUMPED ON THE BAND WAGON OF WEARING FEDORAS, THOSE OF US WHO WEAR THEM FOR THE WAY THEY MAKE US FEEL ABOUT OURSELVES, WILL CONTINUE TO WEAR THEM WITH HATITUDE....

Do times change or do we?

As the years go by, I notice many changes in my life. No, not so much regarding my physical make-up, but rather my mental and emotional being.

So, have times changed or have I? I think times have changed because I have changed. If I still felt, thought and acted the same as I always had in the past, well then times would also be the same. It would be as a routine. Is change good? Well, that depends if your change makes you a better person or not. It would be easy for me to say that my changes have been for the best, but that is my opinion and yours may differ. It would be nice if we could always make changes which improve us as a person, but that is not always the case. Many times people make changes only to find it was the wrong choice. Choice, that is what it comes down to, what we choose to do or not do. Many won't make changes because they are afraid to make the wrong choice. How will you ever know if you just sit there and do nothing? Of course one needs to analyze ones reasons for wanting to change and research the options carefully, thereby minimizing the chace of failure.

Are any changes really needed? That is a question only one can answer. In my case I felt that definite changes were needed. Don't confuse well thought out changes with those forced upon us by the actions or inactions of others. Those changes come about without much of our input or preparation. But, even those can be good if we have the right attitude and don't allow them to ruin us. You see, we can't control what others do, but we can and must control how we deal with the situation.

What I have found interesting and enjoyable about this whole thing we call life, is the fact that we are never too old to change. We are never too old to improve ourselves and our outlook. What the hell, we are here so why not make the best of it...and enjoy the ride!.

Well, I guess it's not a fad...

I often wonder how many people in the world are like me. No, not in every aspect, just in some. For example, ever since I was a child I would have these times where my focus was on one thing, and that one thing, whatever it may have been, would take up most of my time and effort. After a while, with few exceptions, I would reach a point where I was no longer interested in that item, event or whatever. I guess some would call it a fad, while others might call it A.D.D. Well, I don't want to label myself as that, but I have been known to loose interest quickly. My mind is always moving, I am always thinking. There is not one moment in my day where I am just blank. Are all people this way? Or are some people able to empty their minds of all thought? That is rather scary to me, just the thought of not having anything on your mind. I guess some who practice yoga are able to do this. Is it better to always be thinking or not? I don't know, since I have never been able to do so.

Anyway, I kind of got off track. I was originally going to right about how I am still very much involved in purchasing, wearing and learning about vintage fedoras. I was at one point wondering if this also would become one of those things I lost interest in. Well, it is going on 2 years now, so I think this qualifies as a keeper, not a fad. I think, there I go again, it is because it was something I always wanted to do, that is, own a quality fedora. I would as a child see older gentlemen, such as my grandfathers, wear nice hats. As a kid I always wore baseball caps and newsboy caps, but my longing was always for a fedora. I was too young for one, or so I thought. I have through my research found that fedoras wher also worn by young men at one time in history. Ok, maybe not a kid, but a young man.. Well, better late than never. I am now a proud owner of 20 vintage fedoras which I wear proudly. I actually own 26 fedoras, but I don't count my straw fedoras as vintage because they are not. I among does straw fedoras, own 2 Panama hats from Ecuador which I thought I would like when I originally ordered them, but I really was dissappointed in them. I guess for some they are fine, but I find that the brim is way to big. I don't like fedoras with brims longer than 2 1/4'', actually under 2'' is more my style. I have learned a lot about fedoras and their history. I own fedoras as old as 65 years old. I often wonder, if these fedoras could talk, what a story they could tell. Not only are my fedoras vintage, they also come from all over the U>S.A. and I also own two fedoras which were made in Italy and made it to the U.S.

So, You see, I can,focus on something for longer than a day or two.....

Just thinking out loud...

I have not posted in a while. It is summer and I try to keep busy around here since before you know it will be cold again.

I however was reading a post from one of the email forums I belong to. This one is Blind Talk of Il. I was reading a post from a mom of a blind girl. Her daughter has been blind for a year now, so blindness is all new for them. They are doing all the right things with the proper attitude. She wrote about going to a historical site with her son while her little girl was attending school. She heard one of the artist at the site mention that a class was being arranged for children 6 to 11 years of age. In this class they would learn to make molds of their hands. The mom thought her little girl would probably enjoy this activity so she inquired about it. She happened to mention her daughter was blind, and instantly the artist said, "Well, your son is welcome to the class, but it is too dangerous for a blind child." Well, mom was not happy,, but she did not want to make a scene. She has no interest in either of her children attending this class, but she wanted to vent on this forum and she asked what would we have done and what response would have been appropriate.

Well, I think she did right by not making a scene and upsetting her little boy. it does show however how much ignorance there is out in the world about the blind.

I am not saying people are ignorant in general. I am saying when it comes to understanding what blindness is and is not, many are ignorant, or shall we say 'In the Dark.' I am open to freely helping anyone who cares enough or is just curious to understand what a blind person, young or old, can and cannot do. In simple terms, we can do just about anything a person of our age in the "normal" world can do. In some cases we can do more and some we can only do our best. But, is that not the case for "normal" adults and children? It is not realistic to expect everyone to be able to be as successful or as good, if you will, as his or her counterpart. We are just normal people who can't see with our eyes. however
we are very able and capable to accomplish just about anything we set our minds to.. Yes I agree that their are some blind folk who aren't able to, or just don't want to do much of anything, but isn't that the same with many normal folk with no impairments? If you are reading this, please don't assume a blind person can or can't do something just based on the fact they are blind. There are many other factors to consider.

Really Upset...

I figured the best way to deal with how I feel is to write about it. What I am really upset about is how that little boy in New York lost his life. An 8 year old little boy walking home for the very first time gets lost and trust a friendly adult only to be murdered by this animal. It is horrible! The parents will blame themselves for the rest of their lives. It is so sad, they had even walked the course with him so he would know how to get home. I am sure they were waiting for him with much excitement, being his first time on his own. Things like this should never happen, but they do. We as parents and grandparents need to be mindful that there are horrible people out there. I will also suggest that if we hear or see someone acting strangely or too friendly around a child, no matter who he or she is, we should act if we deem it necessary.. No, I am not saying we should be suspicious of everyone, but it pays to be cautious. We as current or past parents know that gutt feeling we get when something does not seem right. Go with that feeling! It is far better to be safe than to be sorry...

May God be with the parents of that family and with our children.

I am learning...

Yes, I am still learning at the age of 55. The difference now is the way I look at things. I can honestly say that I know myself better than I did a few years ago. I know much more clearly what my breaking point is and I am better equipped emotionally to handle situations. In my personal life I know what I can control and what I cannot. Among the things I cannot and will not control are other peoples actions. Whether their actions, or for that matter inactions, have an effect on my life. I cannot control what people say or do, and I really don't want to anyway. I much rather spend my energy becoming the best person I can be, not only for myself, but for those around me who may look at me as an example in their lives. I have five granddaughters who I love very much and who love me in return. I am their grandpa and I know they look up to me and I WILL NOT! let them down as long as it is in my power. My youngest son is 24 and pretty much on his own, but also with him I am careful not to effect how he looks at me as his father. I hope to help him in anyway I can so he reaches his full potential. My other 3 children have made their own lives apart from mine and I am very proud of them, and I am very blessed that even though they have lives of their own they have allowed me to be a part of their lives and family.

People still do things which shock me and even hurt me, but I have a different way of handling those situations. I try to be as objective as possible and I try not to judge. I may not agree with certain things but I know enough to keep my thoughts to myself. If their is one thing I have learned in life it is the fact that you can speak to a person about anything at all, and if they choose to ignore you that is their choice, regardless of the cost. I would say one can speak til they are blue in the face and if the other person does not want to hear it, then you wasted much energy on nothing. That is where the difference has come in my life, I still try to help those who want or ask for my help, but I no longer volunteer my help or viewpoint when not asked to do so. It actually has made me a stronger person. I am much more in control of my thoughts and actions. I decide what is best for me, I no longer allow others decisions or lack there of, to affect how I will act. It is a work in progress, I must say, since I am often faced with situations which are not your normal life ones. Especially on those occasions do I need to be extra mindful of my reactions, since I know others are waitin to see how and if I will act. I have found that many times the best thing to do is to do nothing. If it is not something I can or care to control, it is best not to even try. This especially holds true when it comes to bad decisions or poor judgement on the part of others, this can be very touchy and it is best not to volunteer opinions or even to express "would haves" and "should haves." As I said, I am stronger and smarter now. I strive to live and let live. I am happy with my decisions and hope to continue on my course to self-improvement and I hope that with them I also reap peace and happiness.....

The Cubs?

Yes, I am a Sox fan, However, i had never been to Wrigley Field and when presented with the opportunity to go, well I just could not pass it up. My Son Anthony got some tickets and we watch the Cubs and Yankees play. The Cubs lost, but that really did not dampen the experience for me. It was really cool. All the people, close to 42k, were there to have fun. Since it was Fathers Day, there were many Dad's with there children, I was one of them. Now I can officially say I have been to a Cubs game.

I enjoy doing things with my children. Yeah, I know they arn't children anymore, but to me they always will be, and I will always be their Dad. I just hope I can live up to that title.

My time with them is unique, even if it is simply going shopping or for a ride. They are a part of me and I hope to always be a part of their lives. I know I talk a whole lot, and I even repeat myself a lot, but for the most part we have very intellectual conversations.

Anyway, I did enjoy the game and truly enjoyed being with Anthony. Today I come back to reality and I am once again a Sox fan. Interesting though how today the 20th. day of June, the Cubs and Sox are playing at The Cell. Oh, yeah I did...root for the Cubs!

Our quest for happiness...

I am by no means an expert on this subject, however, it is something I feel like blogging about. Anyone who knows me is aware that I do believe in love and I can be a romantic person. I say this because our quest for happiness most of the time involves love or a romantic encounter. What I have found is that many times we look in all the wrong places for the answers to our quest for happiness. Sadly we or someone else gets hurt. Sadly, this hurt is often times more than a physical pain. It is an emotional one which really tears us up.

I have found that while it is a beautiful thing to be romantically in love with someone, when it is not possible to be in a relationship with that person because they are involved with someone else, or simply don't want anything to do with us in a romantic way, we can and and should find happiness in our lives by seeking out those who do love and want to be with us. Granted this does not involve romance, since most of the time this happiness is found in our children or, if we are so blessed, in our grandchildren. But we can fill a very large void in our hearts if we reach out to those who love us back without conditions. We owe it to ourselves to find such genuine love. If we spend all our lives, especially if we are in our later years of life, looking for love and magical romance we may wake up one day and find that we let treasures in our life just get away because we were too busy in our quest for happiness in all the wrong places and with all the wrong people. Sometimes the one that can bring us true unconditionnal love has been in our lives the whole time, we just refuse to admit or accept it...

There is a difference...

As life goes on we learn many new things. Some we learn because we want to and others we learn from our mistakes. I have found that some of the best things I have learned are things I have learned and discovered about myself as a person. I thought I new myself pretty well, but I have noticed some attributes I have which I am just beginning to discover.

I however worry a little that some may view some of these as weakness instead of strength. But no matter what others may feel or think of my actions, it is what I feel which really matters.

There are situations in life where we can react with anger and hate, or with calmness and unerstanding and love. I know that there is a place for anger and hate but there is a fine line where we need to consider each situation as unique and not bunch all things together. For example, if someone I love is hurt by another person, intentionally that is, I feel anger and hate. If on the other hand someone wrongs me, I calmly think about the matter and weigh the pros and cons of my reactions.

I find that we can be of help to others, especially those we love, if we are calm and understaning and don't judge and demand answers. Odds are that under such situations much more is accomplished when discussed in a later occasion when all have had time to reflect and objectively think of what should and could be done to avoid such bad situations from occuring again. When we love someone we want to help them, not destroy them. Yes, I know that at times some need to be jerked back into re ality when they are on a road to self-destruction. But even then we can actually alienate that person if we aren't carefull and then our chances to help them and to demonstrate our love for them is hampered, if not totally destroyed.

I feel at peace with myself and I believe that is helping me to cope with the pain and anger I have. I am only human after all. I will continue to do my best to grow as a person and hopefully I can be of help to those I love and to good people in the world who may need my help and understanding.
May God Bless us all, and bring vengeance against those who are evil....

When I was younger...

When I was younger let's say about 10, I used to believe that the world was going to end soon. I never thought I would be here at the age of 55. I did not know that anyone alive then would still be around. I should qualify that by saying those who weren't of a certain religion, would not be around. I was not baptized into that religion yet so I did not count myself among the survivors of a world destruction. I took care of that when I turned 11 by getting baptized into that religion. It sure was a lot for a kid of 10 years of age to worry about, but I was taught to believe and accept such things.

I did learn many good things which protected me from harm, but I also lived a very sheltered and scary childhood. I was guilty of raising my children in a similar way. I was not however, as strict as my father was. My oldest two got the toughest part of it. I did allow them to have friends and to have fun. I tried not to scare them into getting baptized. My oldest daughter did see the need to get baptized before entering High School. My oldest son did not get baptized and that is fine. My younger two got it much easier since my thinking was changeing with every year that went by. I still wanted my children to have a solid foundation but, I did not believe that only by being a member of a certain religion could this be achieved. And I was right! My four children are great adults who have good principles and beliefs. They do believe in a God, but in their own way, not one dictated by me or other men. I am very proud of my children and I thank God for giving me the wisdom to do a good job, along with their mom, to raise pretty sound adults.

Well, the world is still here and so am I 45 years later. I hope to be around much longer! I love being alive and I love people. I love people of all colors and backgrounds and beliefs. I believe in a God who loves all people and views us all as his children. I have reached a part in my life which I hope will stay with me forever. I am at peace with myself. I am not perfect and I have made mistakes and sinned many times. But as a father I also believe my Heavenly Father loves me and will forgive me and help me to extend a hand to someone in need or provide a smile to brighten someones day. I only ask that I am blessed as I have been for the rest of my life....

Chance...

Chance is the name of my new dog. No, I did not give him that name, his original owners did. But it turns out to be a great name. You see I adopted him from Illinois Doberman Rescue and I had adopted a Doberman from them about two years ago and I returned him to IDR, and their policies are pretty strict so they drop you from the approved list when you return a dog after the two week probation period. I did not know I had been dropped until I expressed interest in Chance only to be told I was not on the approved list any longer.

While I do understand rules I did not fully agree with them and in a very kind manner asked them to reconsider my qualifications. They did and decided to give me a second chance, now with Chance.

He is pretty cool. He is a blue dobe. His color is actually a silver-blue with the normal tan markings of a dobe. He is one and a half years old. He is very gentle and listens well. He is not as hyper as Baron my other dobe was. He is a big boy at about 70lbs. He is really good in the house and outside. I hope he works out. I have always had a weakness for large dogs and Dobes and Rotts are my favorite.

I new from the get go that this guy had a great temperment. When my granddaughters met him it was as if he knew them all his life. He shows no aggression toward people or other dogs. My MinPin Summer, growls at him and took all of his bones and he just lets her get away with it.

He has a great bark and he will bark at people who come to the front door, but once they are inside he is calm. I think he is going to be fine with me. He reminds me of our Rott Oso.

Joy in my World...

You know I have not written much lately but I feel the need to record the latest happenings in my life.

There has ben a mixture of sadness and happiness. I will start with the sad. My granddaughter Lauryn fractured a bone in her leg when a kid fell on her during gym. She is in a cast and expected to make a full recovery. I however hate when stuff like that happens. I don't want any of my babies to be in any kind of pain. Then my other granddaughter, Malaya, also fractured a bone in her arm when she fell while playing at school. She had to go to the hospital to get it snapped into place. She is also in a cast and will make a full recovery. I hated the thought of her having to deal with such horrible pain. May God Bless my babies and help them recover quickly.

Now for some good news! Naomi and Melecio, my daughter and Son-in-law got a home of their own. it is in Bollingbrook. IL. It is a real nice home with enough rooms and space for their family. The yard is big and Private. No it does not have a privacy fence, but there is no alley, for me that is privacy. and one less thing to worry about. I know they will do well there cause it took a lot of work and effort to get the home, so they will do all it takes to keep it.

My son Anthony filled all our families weekend with joy when he proposed marriage to his beautiful girlfriend, Irina. We are all so very happy and proud. We all want the best for Anthony and Irina is the BEST! I really love that young lady, and her family are great people. Her mom Marina, dad Gene, and brother Vitali,are special people. They are as loving and kind as their daughter. Her grandma Luba, is a beautiful woman who displays warmth and love. Leon her husband is a super kind person also. I have not known many Russian people in my life, but Irina, her family and friends are definitely the Cream Of The Crop. They are the kind of people I could spend hours with for hours at a time and not get bored or lose interest. They are so genuine. God Bles them all.

We all met at an engagement party my son had for all of us. It was beautiful. The people, as I mentioned, were the best, the food was the best, and my son and future wife were and are the best!!

Decisions, decisions....

Which would you say are the hardest decisions to make? The ones which only involve you, or the ones which outcome affects others?

It is not as easy as it seems to answer that question. At least it is not for me. When I am the only one who will feel the pros or cons of a decision I make, or for that matter don't make, I would say the risk are easier to take, But, there is the problem, unless we live in a cave or and island all by ourselves, very few things we do affect just ourselves. I do know some people who don't subscribe to that idea or belief and perhaps they are wiser than I am. Many I believe will make the best decision as they see it and let the chips fall where they may. I on the other hand make every decision a big one, perhaps even bigger than it deserves to be, thinking of how it will affect those around me. If the effect could always be a positive one, then the decision is a given, but when that outcome is not as clear...

Sometimes we have no choice but to make a decision and hope for the best outcome for all involved. Those decisions however, are not easy or hard as it were, since we don't have more than one option or choice in that particular matter.

Am I making things harder than they are? Maybe.

Don't worry...

It is easy to say but one of the most difficult things in life to do, or better yet, not do, that is to worry. We all worry about different things but the outcome of our worry, or the final results are very similar if not the same.

We worry until we make ourselves physically sick and our worry did not put a dent in our problem at all. Or was it a problem? Many of us worry about things that have not yet happened, or will ever happen. We worry about things not even knowing if the outcome of a certain situation might not be a positive one for us instead of the horror we think it will bring.

I know that there is nothing I can say to stop you from worrying, but I will try to help you see how planning ahead can help our worries to become less frustrating. If we plan ahead for a situation, when it comes, if it ever does, we will be better equipped to meet it head-on. You see all the worry in the world without any positive action on our part will accomplish nothing at all, while a little planning can, and often does, bring a positive solution to our problem.

One thing I have descovered through the years has been that some of the things I've worried about never happened, and many of the other things did happen, but with a much better outcome than I could have ever hoped for.

So Think about it...what are you worrying about today...wil your worry change it on little bit...

Superman?

I am going back to when I was about 8 or 9 years of age. As you know by now I lived on the West Side of Chicago. I was thinking of this old man who owned a shoe repair store on Roosevelt Rd. This was, and still is, a main street in Chicago. Well The street I lived on shared the same alley with Roosevelt Rd. I would occasionally vist this shoe store just to watch while he made shoes look like new again. I guess it was cheaper back then to re-sole or to have new heels put on a pair of shoes instead of going and buying a new pair. I was thinking of one day in particular. It was early summer. It was about 2:30 in the afternoon. I remember the time because Clark Kent would come on tv as Superman. This was the black and white version of Superman. I always watched this show. On this particular day I recall hearing a lot of sirens close to the back of our house so I ran outside, as everyone else did. I ran to where the crowd was gathered just to find out that the shoe man and his wife had been robbed and shot to death. I remember wondering how great it would be if Superman was real and he could come and find the person or persons who had done this horrible thing. You see, he never allowed anyone in to the shop unless he knew them, that is why I was allowed to go there. Since the police did not find the door broken, they figured it was no stranger who did this. I don't remember if anyone was ever caught. It was pretty sad since these people were part of our neighborhood. You see back then most of the store fronts had an apartment in back or upstairs where the owners of the shop or store would live. This old man and his wife lived behind the store. I want to say his name was Joe, I can't be sure. He was a white man, Jewish I think. He would always let me buff some of the shoes before the customers would come to pick them up. I did not get paid for this but I enjoyed doing it and I enjoyed being in his shop and watching everything he did. He was a master at his job!

So anyways Superman never payed my neighborhood a visit.

I'm back...

Well, I could talk about the Bears loss to the Packers, but enough said. Not much has changed with me. I am still wearing my fedoras and I think this is a permanent part of me from now on. I am not buying anymore for a while. I want to wear the ones I own.

I have learned a couple of new things, one of which is that I now know how to rip and burn cds. The other thing I learnd is where to get free music. This however, will remain my secret.

2011 is no longer new. It has been here for almost a full month now. The winter in the Midwest has been a rough one. I am glad at times like this that I no longer have a guide dog. Winter snow and cold are just too much to deal with when it comes to traveling as a blind individual with a guide dog. I know many people do it every day, but they would lie if they said it was easy.

Another thing that has changed with me is that after almost 6 years with US Cellular, I moved to Cricket. I got a much better deal for my money and the service has not skipped a beat. I am waiting to go downtown to see how it works there. I also came across a toll free number which is great. The number is: 1-800-555-8355, when you call this number, you can ask for a weather report, local news, top headlines, cheap gas, time and you can have it look up a number to a store or whatever for free. They will not only send you a text with the info, but if youwish, they will also connect the call. All for free! Not bad if you ask me. Yes, I know you guys with the crackberries can get the same info. But I have it all read back to me. I don't know who provides this service and I really don't care, as long as they keep providing it. Years ago when I had Sprint, I had this service available to me at a cost of $5 a month.

I heard from ZoomText, my screen-reader software provider, that they are going mobile. They did not expand on that. They said other emails will have all details. Maybe they have come up with a screen reader for the common cell phone. I know there are some products oth there, but if this company has something in the way of ZT, it will be great since we are so familiar with how it works. We really would not need to much time to get adapted to it. We shal see.

Well, I think that is about all for now.