Howbeit

Happy Saturday morning. This morning nearly 2,000 paddlers are underway in Kayak and Canoes heading the 10-miles down the Ohio. This year I am not among them. However, last evening I was at the pre-paddle party at the river’s edge – and had a great time. Reason for not paddling? My boats are in Canada & the rental ones kill my back. Ok, coffee is ready, back in a flash.

Have any of you been hooked on watching the TV series, Only Murders in the Building? If not, it stars Steve Martin, Marin Short, and Selena Gomez, and is hilariously funny and captivating.

The reason I mention it, this week the series could have been shot in “Our” building. Not a murder mind you, but just about everything else. Marcia said she got beat just sitting in the sunroom watching.

Here are a few titbits; I sat with a home health nurse while she felt up one of our resident’s calves. The fire department with their ‘equipment’ knocked down a resident unit’s door. A resident was wheeled away. I ended up running to a nearby grocery resulting in me making someone a Turkey sandwich with a side of Mango juice (for my homie).

And, with most all our wine bottle cork removers either broken or missing, I managed to remove the cork from a bottle of Malbec (needle-nose pliers are amazing) – Marcia needed a glass after all the above.

Getting ‘old’? – Here are a few reminders that time and age continue to grind on. I came across these. Feel free to submit your own:

Someone said, “30 years ago”, and my mind went to the 1970s, but they meant 1994.

“I just learned that the cast of Friends is now the same age as the golden girls when they started.”

“1981 and 2024 are as far apart as 1937 and 1980 were.”

A child will ask why we say, “hang up the phone”?

I can remember having to pay 10 cents per text message.

Ok, who too can explain what this is? Hint, it’s not a printer (hint #2: I’ve dragged one of these on business trips as far away as Brazil and Singapore).

Remember when Netflix started, they used to send you DVDs? And unlike the competition (Blockbuster & later on Redbox – now both defunct) these did NOT have to be returned in 3 days.

Ask a 10-year-old what “Burning a CD” is. Observe the blank stare.

Do NOT ask a recent College graduate; “how did you feel when you heard the news” relating to 9/11. They weren’t around.

Remind yourself that there is no ‘trip-tik’ app for your mobile. Actually, a highschooler will ask what is a “trip-tik”?

Viewing the Future – this is a must see update as Elon Musk on the Neuralink. This is not an in-the-weeds explanation but is in common understandable language. It’s a where Neuralink is now, where it’s projected to be soon, and what the vision is for decades away. Powerful and fascinating short dialogue.

A Tolling Rolling Bell – 182 years ago an industry leading Bell manufacturer The Verdin Company was established here in town. About a year ago I sat in on a presentation by one of Verdin’s managers. Add to that having seen several amazing Church Carillons and bell configurations in both The Netherlands and Germany earlier this year has me take note of anything bell related.

Across the river in Newport, Kentucky sits the World Peace Bell. It was cast in 1998, weighs 66,000 pounds, and was inaugurated on January 1, 2000 with the first swing. Now, it’s being relocated, after first being placed in storage for a while.

This week, the scope and management of just moving it became a work of ‘art’ in itself.

Screenshot

BLINK 2024 – Requires that you clear your calendar the days of October 17 through 20, 2024. BLINK is truly a spectacle to be seen, heard, and savored. It’s an unforgettable four-day, 30 city block, outdoor art experience that unites street art, projection mapping and light-based installations. Back in 2022 it drew 2-million people.

The Olympics and our town – The US Olympic Woman’s Eight crew is coxed by a Nina Castagna, a young lady from Dinah’s rowing club and who also attended the same Highschool as Dinah – Walnut Hills.

This morning the Women’s Eight Final was held at 4:50 a.m. EST. However, since I am preparing these Ramblings I haven’t had opportunity to discover the outcome – so no ‘spoiler’ worries.

Weekend Highlight – Yes, I did make it to the annual Goetta Festival last weekend in Newport, KY. While there I bought four pounds of the stuff and twice this week fixed a Goetta and egg lunch. As Billy Crystal was wont to say; “mahvelous, absolutely mahvelous”

You know, my father used to say to me, ” ‘Nando, don’t be a schnook.
It’s not how you feel, it’s how. You. Look!”
He was mahvelous!
But you, dahling, hmmmm, you look mahvelous!
Absolutely mahvelous!

Life is AMAZING!

May Peace prevail! Shalom.

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

What is the total hiking distance (in miles) of our State’s Buckeye Trail?

1)    937
2) 1,444
3)    248
4) 1,299
5)    773
6)    469

Give up? the answer is at www.Buckeyetrail.org