For the love of Tennis

Happy Saturday Morning – Enjoying my Saturday morning coffee it’s still quiet and peaceful. It’s “the peaceful” piece that needs to be front and center.

It was Benjamin Franklin who, looking ahead at the nation he had just helped form, stated; “We have a republic, if you can keep it.” Hence, it’s the wisdom of that heavyweight of the founders of our nation, Benjamin Franklin, who peered into a future we should reflect on. While it’s peaceful I should add.

Dinner time last evening (and we’re high up in the basin where the ‘Nati sits) so while flooding was not an issue for us, a heavy rain made our roadway and sidewalk look like a fast-flowing river. It only took minutes before mobiles began to wail their Emergency Alert.

Most traffic ground to a halt. ‘All’ except for UPS and Prime, they kept on going, staying right on track.

A Guinness Record? – Two weeks from today Jason and I will be kayaking the Ohio River. The Ohio River Paddlefest is a Cincinnati tradition which has long been recognized as the nation’s largest paddling celebration with around 2,000 participants. This year the sponsors, Adventure Crew (a nonprofit organization that connects city teens to nature and each other through outdoors activities) is ‘hell-bent’ trying to get the event into the Guinness Book of World records.

The run is just shy of 10 miles and at one point passes downtown (great views). Luckily, we’re going westward – makes paddling somewhat easier.

Jason and I did Paddlefest several years ago when he went in his canoe along with Marin and I was alongside in my Kayak.

This year we’ll use the paddle to memorialize Marin and give thanks for the too short a time we had together.

Starship – Last evening I had the good fortune to tune in at the right time to watch the test flight 12 of the completely redesigned Starship.

The thrust has to be amazing so I checked with Ai (Grok). Using as a base point the Boeing 747-8 4-engine aircraft fitted with the latest locally produced here in Evendale GE GEnx-2B engines set at full takeoff power, and accounting for differences such as ‘sea level’, it’s comfortably equivalent to seeing 70 – 80 of such aircraft taking off simultaneously.

AMAZING!

Cincinnati Open — Last summer I was involved with both FIFA’s Club World Cup 2025 and the Cincinnati Open. Loved both! The excitement, the pace, and the people all made my involvement a lifetime memory. Again, this year I was offered a slot in the Hospitality Suites Tower which looks over both the P&G Center Court and the Grand Slam Court. Much of what’s involved is interacting with people and an occasional problem-solving minute. I’m practicing getting ready for it all; shaking hands wherever possible for starters.

The Cincinnati Open is the oldest U.S. tennis tournament still held in its original city. This year there will be 96 world ranked singles players for a total of 153 entries across the ATP and WTA Tours. With all of that, 38 different nations will be represented. You can see, mid-August I’ll be a busy lad.

Worldwide there are 4 Grand Slam events. Cincinnati does not possess official Grand Slam status, but we are immediately beneath that status ranking as an elite Masters 1000 event for men and a WTA 1000 event for women. Sitting directly below the four Grand Slams in importance, it makes this event a pivotal lead-up to the US Open.

If anyone has plans to attend, please look me up or make contact prior and we’ll catch up.

This week’s Interlude – Watching a performance by composer-songwriter-musician Kishi Bashi perform his breakout composition, “Atticus, In the Desert”, is where I was introduced to today’s featured musician. Kashi has performed at many venues including the Kennedy Center. The attached video is of him doing a warmup preparing for the SXSW (South by Southwest Festival) in Austin, TX. The soloist’s seen in the piece’s real name is Mike Savino.

Your question this week is to give Savino’s stage name; in the video he’s seen playing his “Banjotron 5000“. When not playing with Bashi he usually performs as a “one-man psychedelic indie-folk orchestra” (Wikipedia) under his stage name.

Now best get ready for the bronze, 3rd place, match of the current FIFA World Cup. Game between France and England at 5:00pm. Then tomorrow it’s the tip of the mountain game starting at 3:00pm between Argentina and Spain.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

You know that piece of common wisdom; ‘companies come and companies go’. It’s a fact that a high percentage of startups fail to stay in business for more than a couple of years. However, there are companies and their brands which have been a staple fixture in our nation’s ‘stable’ of well-known names for decades. In fact, one of the following brands has been around since Thomas Jefferson was our President. On this list, which is the oldest brand/company.

1. Jell-O
2. Ivory
3. Nike
4. LL Bean
5. Colgate
6. 3M
7. Fruit of the Loom
8. Red Wing Shoes.

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 8
Answer, this week’s Interlude: ‘Tall Tall Trees’ is Savino’s stage name, he solo’s with Kishi Bashi’s “Atticus in the Desert”

A/C but not Europe

Happy Saturday Morning – we’re back on track! This week Marcia and I joined ‘some’ people in their chase: the ‘some’ people line comes from the sage words uttered by ‘some’ anonymous wag:
“Some people chase happiness. I chase well-cooled rooms in July.”

Starting Tuesday morning, we felt the HVAC fan pushing out air that got warmer and warmer by the minute. It wasn’t all that long before the room temperature exceeded 80; that’s when I felt like a European.

By then I’d already received notification that a repair team stood at the ready – between the hours of 8 and 10 next FRIDAY morning. I tried a couple more ‘heat-hero’ companies and got similar stories. With careful window treatments adjustments, we did survive the 90’s temperature last week. Now, meaning as of the Friday morning’s fix, all is well!

By Friday afternoon Marcia was complaining that “it’s cold!”

Doing it Right – The company that came out for our A/C repair did it right. Twenty minutes prior to the tech’s arrival I received this text with an attached photo of ‘my’ tech:

“Hi Dirk Pastoor,
We wanted to let you know that G*** M*** is on the way.
G*** is a skilled HVAC Service Technician from Cincinnati, OH, who has worked at Thomas & Galbraith since June 2022. He proudly holds his Kentucky HVAC Journeyman License along with Nate, EPA and OSHA 10 Certifications. In his free time, he enjoys basketball and all other sports.”

On a more somber note, yesterday I got word that my French cousin, Guillaume (‘Jan Willem’ in Dutch), had passed. He lived his adult life in Lisieux Normandie. Apparently, he passed peacefully while asleep after having spent time with friends the previous evening. RIP Guillaume.

Guillaume with George, Sandy, and Dirk at Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant, Miami Beach

The Remains – mid-week it would have been Marin’s birthday. That very morning my mail contained a notice from Spring Grove Cemetery letting me know that that very evening there would be a live concert in their Rose Garden. On the stage would be the 1960s 70s and on music performed by a group going by the name of “The Remains”. They are local and first were seen nationally on The Ed Sullivan Show in December 1965.

Marcia chose not to go, Adrianne came over to chat with her mom, and I made it out to hear The Remains. In a sense it was an odd way to celebrate Marin’s birthday, but considering it all, it was the perfect way.

Screenshot

Being there by his resting place, listening to my favorite music on that special summer evening, made me remember this thought: music and laughter form the shortest distance between people who love one another, now and forever. Love you bunches kid.

“I know a bank where the wild Thyme blows where Oxlips and the nodding Violet grows”
William Shakespeare

Insight – Our Monty Python hero, John Cleese explains football versus soccer. This is because I understand that some of my readers are a bit unsure on the differences between the two sports. Hence, I am inserting this here now that the 2026 World Cup games are reaching their crescendo. Cleese, as is his usual style, makes perfect sense:

Now that you understand all of the football/soccer differences, here is an introduction to each of your 2026 Fifa cup favorite players. Sit back for 6 minutes and watch footwork ‘par excellence.’ Footwork like you’ve never seen.

Just remember that there will be two great games, one at 5:00pm & another at 9:00pm ET on Fox TV

Food Pantry – on the radio the Reds baseball organization announced that anyone coming to the game bring a nonperishable food item. This reminded me of Marcia’s Doctor’s office. There, once you reach a ‘certain’ age one of the social questions asked is whether or not your food needs are being met.

But it gets better!

Last Doctor’s visit while at the counter setting up a future appointment behind us the door to a walk-in closet was open. Staff there were busy working to restock a wide array of food items. Marcia’s Doctor’s office is also a food pantry!

They really take the “are you experiencing any food issues” question seriously. You gotta love it!

This week’s Interlude – During the 1970s and 80s there were probably a handful of songs which aside from being played over and over on radio, were on every stack of your player’s 45 singles, and sung – way too loud – driving car (no AC and arm out the window). This week we lost one of the members of that entourage. Your hint is the singer was born Gaynor Hopkins and not in the USA. The name and song title are found below. Complete songs can be found on Spotify and others.

Now I need to just stay calm and wait. Brother Art is traveling between California and Doylestown, PA. (it’s a long story). The plan is for him to stop by later today for a hearty meal and a hug or two.

Enjoy!
Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

Marketing is a huge part of how we navigate our day. Most of us understand that watching auto advertisements, hotel wonders, and the latest clothing trends gets us motivated in their desired direction. What we overlook is the degree to which grocery stores manipulate our food purchases. Here is a list of ways we’re being influenced. Which on this list is not normally a psychological strategy conducive to what you end up buying.

1. Last minute coupon release
2. 2 for $$, or any multiple items for a single price
3. Consolidate items like marshmallows with chocolate
4. No price change just a new, glitzy big, tag on the shelf
5. Needed items nowhere near the front
6. High-cost items always at eye level
7. Free Samples
8. Must have quick pick-up items near checkout.

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 7
Answer, this week’s Interlude: Bonnie Tayler “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?”

250

Happy Saturday Morning – Since this weekend is our nation’s 250th, I’ll kick it off by counting the period from the first of this year in a vigesimal counting manner. Ok, so in that fashion, I hope you’ll have a wonderful celebration, on this nine score plus 5 days. This is how President Lincoln would have expressed it.

Here’s some Black Coffee to get my (and your) morning started

GOOOOOOOOAL – I am still trying to gain my breath back from watching the team from tiny Cape Verde stay toe-to-toe with the reigning champions from the last World Cup, Argentina. !Wow

What I watched last evening had to be soccer’s version of ‘Rocky’. The way the contest is structured, there must be a winner and loser – no second chance. But sometimes the game itself is so good that to me and other spectators it was the game itself that was the winner.

Truly, it was the ‘Beautiful Game’ playing out.

“Pragtig” (as I would say in Dutch)

Psssst, Argentina 3 -2

Then, exactly one year ago I had the time of my life. Ah, for the memories.

A Reading – Today, for only the second time in 100 years there will be a public reading of the Declaration of Independence in downtown’s Washington Park. A great venue as you can see from this concert that I attended last year.

The list of readers is varied. You’d expect the perfunctory list of ‘blowhard’ politicos – and there are some. But how about Jeff Berding, co-executive director of FC Cincinnati our professional soccer team to Dr. Lakshmi Kode Sammarco, MD is, who since 2012 has been the Hamilton County Coroner and a board certified neuroradiologist. She is recognized nationally for her work, introducing the idea of “virtual autopsies” and who secured her office’s forensic investigation capability into a nationally recognized facility.

Then I must add, who my mother as a recent widow, babysat for a baby Lakshmi.

You gotta love this town.

Quotation – From an amazing elder statesman: “What exactly is your ‘fair share’ of what ‘someone else’ has worked for?”

and this
“When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear.”

Dr. Thomas Sowell, Economist, Historian, Social Theorist, who celebrated his 96th birthday this past week.

Cold Breakfast – We’re experiencing a week of ‘real-feel’ temperatures of higher than 100. Thus, the smart thing to do is enjoying cold breakfasts. It was our Kirstin who alerted me to the fact that Costco had an oats variant which is prepared by cold cooking – on Sale. Then this item is enjoyed with either a spoon or drinkable straight from its overnight place in the refrigerator.

Since summer heat has kicked in, I’ve been enjoying my morning oats. More importantly, I have implemented the perfect hack to get a perfect mix I enjoy and which avoids having to buy envelopes with a corporate blended mix. All it took was for regular rolled oats to spend 5 seconds in my coffee grinder along with some protein powder, cinnamon, and Chia seeds, then a night in the frig.

This week’s Interlude –

I am certain you’ll guess this singer’s name; the trick this week is to come up with the name of the song. Check if you’re correct. A hint, this is the perfect day to hear him sing it. The name and song title are found below. Complete songs can be found on Spotify and others.

Enjoy!
Life is AMAZING!

Dirk
BONUS POINTS:

This week was the start of the Wimbledon Championships classic in the UK. This tennis contest, around since the late 1800s also mandates all white clothing be worn as homage to its beginnings. Those early tennis balls were also white, and this was a concern to spectators and to the judges as they ‘disappeared’ against the all-white. It was Sir David Attenborough then with the BBC who suggested that dyed balls be introduced (Optic Yellow was selected). What was the year this changeover happened?

1. 1955
2. 1967
3. 1958
4. 1963
5. 1974
6. 1977
7. 1981

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 6
Answer this week’s Interlude: Ray Charles, “America the Beautiful”