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LOOKING FOR GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN?

Address: 1231 Taft Hwy, Signal Mountain, TN 37377

Phone:(423) 886-6943

Hours: Open today · 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

DO YOU WATCH THE BIG BANG THEORY?

You should, it will improve your self-image!

This is an award Forgotten NY won, so it must be good!

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

PUTTING SOME BITE IN MY PROTEST

"Open wider." requested the dentist, as he began his examination of the patient. "Good God!" he said startled. "You've got the biggest cavity I've ever seen - the biggest cavity I've ever seen." "OK Doc!" replied the patient. "I'm scared enough without you saying something like that twice." "I didn’t!" said the dentist. "That was the echo."

Last year I started some dental work. Since I’m so old I decided to get some bridgework instead of posts since I don’t think I’ll live long enough to outlast bridgework, and it is cheaper. Yes, when it comes to myself I’m cheap! In the process the dentist puts on temporary caps while the bridge is assembled for weeks later. I so happened that the temporary cap of one tooth came off and I had to go back in an emergency to have it put back on. Things like that happen, no big deal.

I am in the midst of another bridge, and what do you think? I bite into a piece of cheese and out pops a temporary crown, dethroned once again! I don’t panic, I say: “OH $#!T!” I remember the dentist saying to come right down if the caps were to come off. So with crown in bag off I go to the dentist office.

“I have to see the dentist, my crown fell off!”

“The doctor is with another patient, you will have to wait.” (I already paid for the bridge!)

“How long will it take?”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Appointment? No! It just fell out!”

“Well the doctor can’t see you, he has a patient, you will have to wait.”

“How long?”

“About a hour and a half, maybe more. Please have a seat.”

I sit for about a half hour and grow madder by the minute, after all, I expect his work to stay where it is suppose t be, an he did tell me if it came out to come right down.

I get up from my chair and ask if they could at least inquire for me how much longer it will take.

“At least another hour and a half!” I am told, after they do inquire.

Then give me an appointment as when to come back, I can’t wait and waste any more of my time.

Not to be misunderstood about how dumb they can be the receptionists looks up her calendar and says: “I don’t have an opening until June!”

Here it is, I have an emergency, my nerve is exposed and they are telling me that based on their shoddy work, they can’t get to me until another month, meanwhile I’m supposed to have a root canal done in a week and a bridge put in the following week all with the month they can fit me in!

“I can’t believe it! Here I am spending thousands of dollars and you treat me like this? GET ME AN APPOINTMENT NOW! I WANT IT VERY SOON!” They go scurrying back to the dentist who says he will come in tomorrow before hours to take care of me.

I’ll take it, and plan for another doctor in another location.

LOOKING FOR GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN?

Address: 1231 Taft Hwy, Signal Mountain, TN 37377

Phone:(423) 886-6943

Hours: Open today · 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

DO YOU WATCH THE BIG BANG THEORY?

You should, it will leave you with a toothy smile!

Tuesday, May 05, 2015

AND I’M OFF!

A young executive is working late one evening. As he comes out of his office about 8 PM he sees the Big Boss standing by the shredder in the hallway, a piece of paper in his hand. "Do you know how to work this thing?" the older man asks. "My secretary’s gone home and I don’t know how to run it."
"Yes, sir," says the young executive, who turns on the machine, takes the paper from the other man, and feeds it in.
"Now," says his boss, "I just need the one copy."

I finally left Albany; but a little sad. Years ago when I first joined the NYSARC Board of Governor’s and came to Albany, the city was in a depression, shops were closed and very little was happening in the commercial sector of the city. There were few places to eat and nothing to do but go to the hotel bar at the then Concord Hotel. The fall meetings were dreary and the spring meeting rainy, it was an old and run down place. Then within the last three years, it has made an amazing transformation, utilizing all its assets and with the help of then Governor Pataki, building started to bring the city to life. Today with its charming old world appearance, beautiful of history and stunning new architectural achievements, it is a city to behold!

But I had to leave for a n important symposium about Guardianship and the new laws and legislation that is coming out of the state and the federal government that was being discussed in Saratoga Springs.

The Gideon Putnam Resort was a product of the FDR Administration and the WPA, built in about 1934, it has retained most if not all its classic look and charm, the fitting going back over 80 years ago. The bathrooms, although modern to some extent, keep you thinking you are reliving history by their design. The rooms are airy and bright, with old-fashioned doors and except for the furnishings, it too is in accordance with its old world charm of the 1930’s.

The grounds are stunning with open fields of grass and woods to put you into the countryside it was 80 years ago. Secluded from the main roads you think you are in an English countryside 150 years ago. The dining room and catering hall both have distinct looks, one is old and homey and one is open, bright and beautiful with windows that surround three quarters of the room. There are passageways and reading rooms, with thick leather winged back chairs that invite you to sit and watch the world go by, or just gaze upon some beautiful prints that seemed to ber made just for that atmosphere.

It even has an old-fashioned phone both.

LOOKING FOR GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN?

Address: 1231 Taft Hwy, Signal Mountain, TN 37377

Phone:(423) 886-6943

Hours: Open today · 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

DO YOU WATCH THE BIG BANG THEORY?

You should!

Monday, May 04, 2015

I NEVER KNEW THAT!

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A group of previous kindergartners were trying very hard to become accustomed to the first grade. The biggest hurdle they faced was that the teacher insisted on NO baby talk!
"You need to use 'Big People' words," she was always reminding them. She asked Chris what he had done over the weekend.
"I went to visit my Nana."
"No, you went to visit your GRANDMOTHER. Use 'Big People' words!" She then asked Mitchell what he had done.
"I took a ride on a choo-choo." She said "No, you took a ride on a TRAIN. You must remember to use 'Big People' words." She then asked little Alec what he had done.
"I read a book," he replied.
"That's WONDERFUL!" the teacher said. "What book did you read?"
Alec thought real hard about it, then puffed out his chest with great pride, and said, "Winnie the SH*T."

Having to spend Sunday in Albany by myself is not such a bad thing on spring day. The morning found me finishing up a delicious breakfast in the hotel restaurant and off I went to spend some time at the New York State Museum.

The walk from the Hilton Albany to the Empire State Plaza Convention Center and past the large reflective pool to the museum is a very interesting architectural tour. The pool separates the museum from the State capitol building, and is surrounded by some modern skyscrapers that rival NYC and are very beautiful. You couple this with the ancient old world European charm of the surrounding neighborhood and you see something marvelous.

Once you find your way into the museum, the first thing that makes you happy is: it’s FREE!!! Yes, since the state built it, they made it free.

Touring museums has been a thing I’ve done since my college days, but this tour is the most interesting I’ve ever taken by far. At every turn, there is something teaching you, at every turn there is something I learn. Never have I taken the time to read some of the smaller exhibits and information bits that are offered in museums like I did this one, it is truly a great and remarkable job, teaching; culture, history, design, archeology, architectural design and civilization from the beginning of time.

There are things like the Shakers having so much impact on the State, the 9/11 exhibit, moving and the emotion can flow if you are not careful, the subway exhibit taking me back to my childhood.

At one point I decided to sit and rest for a while and discovered I was outside of a replica of Delmonico’s the historical restaurant that impacted the culinary world, while it catered to the rich. Two ladies wandered by and were looking into the window of the remade restaurant, and I couldn’t help but have a little fun. Sitting outside the entryway I stated to them: “there’s a 40 minute wait.” They laughed.

If you ever get to go to Albany, take in the Museum, you will be glad you did. There were things in there I never knew, a surprise around every corner. In fact, take in all of Albany, and the autumn is the best time to go. There is nothing up there but beauty, history and culinary delights everywhere.

LOOKING FOR GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN?

Address: 1231 Taft Hwy, Signal Mountain, TN 37377

Phone:(423) 886-6943

Hours: Open today · 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

DO YOU WATCH THE BIG BANG THEORY?

You should, you'll learn something!

Sunday, May 03, 2015

NOBODY GOES THERE!

A lady fixed her husband a special meal for his birthday. After dinner she fixed him a pitcher of martinis then poured him a drink. Then she left to pick up his favorite dessert from the local bakery.

When she returned from her errand she found her husband, drink in hand, prancing about the living room wearing her bra, panties and high heels.
"What is going on?" she exclaimed.

Her husband got a quizzical look on his face and said, "What? You asked what I wanted for my birthday and I told you. I wanted to eat, drink and- be Mary."

OK, enough of bad jokes for today.

When I worked in Manhattan, there was a writer named Bob I worked with who had a rather successful career, hawking dictionaries, and getting a percentage of everyone he sold. He even had a full-page mail order ad in the New York Times that made him rich from this deal; it was a lot of money.

He had another talent and that was to amuse himself by poking fun of the city of Brotherly Love: Philadelphia.

He once convinced me of a joke by first making it serious sounding. We sat in the conference room one morning and we were looking at the prize roster for a sweepstakes we were doing for Ladies Home Journal magazine. In his hand was the sheet that came from a company called Ventura Associates that did all the work for the prizes including any legalese we needed.

In front of me was a note pad and a small sketchpad where I would create rough sketches of what I saw needed to be showed or illustrated.

Bob peered at the write up and said to me: “First prize is a week in Philadelphia!” I thought that a strange prize since we usually dealt in the hundred thousand dollar range up to millions. I suspected something, but Bob was a professional near retirement and I was just starting my journey in the field.

“Second prize is TWO weeks in Philadelphia!” A smile cracked his craggy face and a soft muffled laugh emanated from deep in his chest. This started him on a roll: “What’s worse than crash landing in Philadelphia? Crashing while taking off!” and his favorite: “No one goes to Philadelphia, they leave it!”

Well I’m in a hotel right now as I write this in Albany, NY. Albany is a beautiful city, filled with wonderful historic buildings and sites, as well as some of the most exquisite architecture made in this country. In some ways it mirrors San Francisco, another beautiful city, even down to and up again the hills the cities are built on.

However, there is one problem with Albany, YOU CAN’T ENTER OR LEAVE IT WITHOUT GETTING LOST!

There are more approaches and turns, exit and entry ramps, cutting under roads and bridges, tunnels and rivers to make you once you enter, go to one of their fine bars and stay until you die!

LOOKING FOR GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN?

Address: 1231 Taft Hwy, Signal Mountain, TN 37377

Phone:(423) 886-6943

Hours: Open today · 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

DO YOU WATCH THE BIG BANG THEORY?

You should, you'll never get lost!

Saturday, May 02, 2015

AUTISM, YOU’VE HEARD OF IT

But do you really recognize it?

Recently at a convention I attended during April is National Autism Awareness month: a self-advocate got up to give some insight into what autism is and how it affects those who suffer and those who live with autistic people.

As she was introduced, no mention as made of her condition. She is a beautiful young woman and I thought this would be a listening process from another advocate, but it became even more. As she approached the microphone on the dais, she began to become uncomfortable, as if she was in some kind of pain, and her voice quivered as she began. Suddenly she began to fidget, almost sweating visible.

Her speech was somewhat challenged and she stood there, afraid to face her audience, as she began her address. It swept the audience in a silent gasp of recognition of a key fact: she was very brave! This woman was facing her fears head-on and because she was a self-advocate, she needed to state her case, loudly and very clearly for all to hear.

Maybe I am a fool, but I think that courage like that should be recognized and admired, this valiant woman stood for all who suffer autism, for all the parents and siblings who advocate for it, for those who suffer now and perhaps for those who will suffer yet, both the born and the unborn.

I witnessed a hero, and she will always be embedded in my mind for her valor.

Friday, May 01, 2015

ON THE ROAD

The owner of a drug store walks in to find a guy leaning heavily against a wall. The owner asks the clerk, "What's with that guy over there by the wall?"
The clerk says, "Well, he came in here this morning to get something for his cough. I couldn't find the cough syrup, so I gave him an entire bottle of laxative."
The owner says, "You idiot! You can't treat a cough with laxatives!"
The clerk says, "Oh yeah? Look at him, he's afraid to cough!"

Recently I had a business trip to upstate New York, stopping at Albany, and Saratoga Springs. When you think of Albany you can’t help but ask yourself why, since it is an ancient city, with beautiful buildings and historical landmarks, it doesn’t get enough play as a tourist attraction. Probably one reason is the fact that if you are flying in say from Europe, other than the Netherlands,why would you go there when NYC is just a few hours south with a real airport or two.

Across the street from me is St. Peter’s Church. Note: This brief history was borrowed extensively from "Historic Albany: Its Churches and Synagogues," edited by Anne Roberts and Marcia Cockrell. We are especially indebted to articles by Charles P. Richardson and Warren E. Roberts.

!st church

In 1609, Henry Hudson sailed the "Half Moon" up the river that today bears his name, and a few years later the Dutch established Fort Orange at the site of present-day Albany. In 1664, the Dutch colony of the New Netherlands came under British control and became New York. Although British tolerance brought an end to the predominant influence of the Dutch Reformed Church in Albany, it was not until the turn of the eighteenth century that the Anglican presence in New York expanded. This was primarily the result of increased British migration and the creation in 1701 of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (S. P. G.), an arm of the Church of England whose primary function was to spread Anglicanism in the colonies. It was an S. P. G. missionary, The Rev. Thomas Barclay, who established Albany's first Anglican parish in 1708 and eight years later oversaw the opening of its first Anglican church, Saint Peter's.

So the history of Saint Peter's begins with the arrival of The Rev. Thomas Barclay, whose task was to aid in establishing friendly relations with the powerful and warlike Iroquois — the dreaded Confederacy of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Tuscarora and Seneca nations — and to bring sobriety and restraint to the 200 men and officers garrisoned in the British fort at Albany.

2nd church

In 1714 the governor acceded to Mr. Barclay's request and granted his license for the collection of money to build a church. The response was gratifying. Governor Hunter himself gave all the stone and lime required, in addition to money. The townspeople of Albany gave 200 pounds. Every single soldier in the Fort responded, as did "every inhabitant in the poor village of Schenectady . . . excepting only one poor person."

The Governor of the Province also assisted in the selection of a site for the building. In October 1714 the petition for a plot of ground in the center of Yonkers (now State) Street, at the foot of the eminence on which Fort Frederick reposed, was granted and a patent ordered to be issued. The little church under the shadow of the fort was the first house of worship of the Anglican Communion north of New York and west of the Hudson River.

In 1768 King George III granted a charter of incorporation to the parish. The formal charter was signed in April of 1769. Following the American Revolution, the parish was reorganized in 1787 and in 1789 by special act of the state legislature. The original charter and grants of Saint Peter's were confirmed, and its legal title changed to that which is has since borne: "The Rector and Inhabitants of the City of Albany in Communion with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New York."

Today

The site of the present edifice was deeded to the parish in 1790 by the City of Albany in exchange for the site on which the first church stood in the middle of State Street. In 1802, the last year of the ‘rectorship’ of The Rev. Thomas Ellison, the second edifice, designed by Philip Hooker, was built. It, in turn, was demolished in 1859 during the ‘rectorship’ of The Rev. Thomas Clapp Pitkin.

The foundation stone for the present structure designed by Richard Upjohn was laid on St. Peter’s Day, the 29th of June 1859. A classic example of Gothic architecture, it is listed in the National Registry of Historic Landmarks. Inside the sanctuary, historic flags of the original colonies, plus others of relevance to our history are hung above the tall columns on either side of the center aisle. The stained glass windows on all four sides of the church are from the finest American and English studios from the late nineteenth century. The mosaic tile floor throughout the church is a fitting early twentieth century addition to this truly historic building.

For more information on St. Peter's Church, visit the State Street Stories website sponsored by the University at Albany's University Art Museum.

LOOKING FOR GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN?

Address: 1231 Taft Hwy, Signal Mountain, TN 37377

Phone:(423) 886-6943

Hours: Open today · 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

DO YOU WATCH THE BIG BANG THEORY?

You should!