The Heat of the Moment

Mr. Bile and Venom (remember him?) was complaining a few weeks ago about the recent hipster love of 80's rock hits. We were at a bar that was playing some terrible monster hit from the 80's and he couldn't take it anymore. While some great bands can pull off a fun homage to the rock of yesteryear, I'm not quite sure if I'm into the whole ironic love of crap songs that is going on right now.

I don't mean to deride folks who sincerely enjoy a little "Working for the Weekend" (myself included) now and again. I just don't enjoy the fact that so many bars have a constant rotation of these songs to prove how hip they are. These are the same people who wouldn't have been caught dead listening to these same songs ten years ago.

A few days ago, I was at an amazing barbeque hosted by an extremely knowledgeable music fan/ indie label owner. He had his iPod on shuffle. When a great Malkmus song came on, he rushed from the grill to change the song to an Asia song. Asia? Really? I have no doubt that he truly enjoys Asia now and forever but coming on the heels of Chris commenting on this 80's trend, I chuckled to myself.

Still, maybe there isn't really anything to complain about here because as long as we're going to be stuck in the 80's, maybe the long awaited Huey Lewis revival might be finally near. We can only hope.

It Seems Like Just Yesterday

But it has already been close to a year. Some say that you have a year to buy a wedding gift. Using that rationale, I gave myself a year to post some of the pictures from the event on the internet. I sifted through over 1,500 digital pics to finally be able to present you some of the finest.



There are pictures in here from many different sources -- professional and otherwise. They aren't in any particular order. And for the record any misspellings are not mine!

If these pictures don't excite you, maybe the fact that today is the 19th anniversary of my bar mitzvah might.

Near the Gowanus

Just Back From a Week of Baseball Games -- In Enough Time to Go to Yet Another One

It is nights like this that make me realize that the people who refuse to go to Yankee Stadium are the smart ones.

Think About the Children!

From today's NY Times magazine article about anti-gay marriage activists.

In their own words:

''My concern is for the children -- for the future.''

''The marriage issue is waking up alliances that never existed. Abortion was never like this.''

"It's unfortunate that homosexuals have taken the moniker 'gay,' because their lifestyle and its consequences are anything but. Look what has happened in the decades since the sexual revolution and acceptance of the gay lifestyle as normal. Viruses have mutated. S.T.D.'s have spread. It shows that when we try to change the natural course of things, what comes out of that is not joy or gayness.''

''If you have a same-gendered union, you have no natural, biological way to propagate your philosophy. We have to recognize that they have a strategy to propagate their lifestyle. Think back 10 or 20 years ago, when you had the first openly homosexual person on TV. It was shocking to a lot of people. Now it's the norm on television, so you don't have the shock factor. Then they had two men with a passionate kiss on TV. That's the road they're heading down. They have a strategy.''

''They are attempting through the public-school system to teach not only that homosexuality is O.K. but that it's normal. And now they are going as far as teaching children how to engage in the act. I find that appalling and absolutely unacceptable.''

''You'd be amazed how many people in the floral industry are homosexuals. And that's where I became curious. How do you put it together, that they've chosen to do something that I have such an aversion to, yet I'm finding I can see them as real people? As a Christian, that was a welcome development. Around the same time, a close friend told me he was struggling because he was attracted to men. Over the next two years, I had two other people confide the same thing to me. For some reason, God was putting it in my path. I took a psychology course, and ever since I've seen it as part of my ministry to counsel these people. I tell them that is part of God's challenge to them, and those temptations have to be fought off with spiritual weapons.''

''People feel liberated. They feel like we don't have to go along with this stuff anymore, the idea that we're repressed backwater religious zealots just for wanting a decent society in which our children can thrive. It's O.K. today to say that marriage is between a man and a woman. Saying so does not make you a hater or bigot.''

''My concern is the health issue. I want to get these people away from AIDS, out of that unhealthy lifestyle.''

''The ex-gay movement is a very important part of the story. I've had quite a few opportunities to counsel people who were in a homosexual lifestyle. They have generally found themselves in a desperate place. They know that Christ promises an abundant life, but that promise was made with some restrictions. These people have tried to find fulfillment in ways that are against God's principles. So you don't want to further the error by allowing gay marriage. Most of these folks have had an abusive situation that goes back to childhood. You want to heal that. You want to hold back the tide and not let such a high impact issue harm the whole society.''

''The threat to traditional marriage will affect our society more than any other issue that's come up.''

''To put it succinctly, the institution of marriage represents the very foundation of human social order. Everything of value sits on that base. Institutions, governments, religious fervor and the welfare of children are all dependent on its stability.''

''The homosexual community would have us believe that marriage is simply about loving one another. I say it's about two human beings who are wired completely differently, one with estrogen and one with testosterone, living together in love but with the purpose of procreation. It's a lot deeper than love. So I can't see how someone could look on a same-sex marriage as marriage at all.''

''When marriage can mean anything, it means nothing. Why bother to get married at all?''

''I bet a dollar against a doughnut that if they get gay marriage, one day a bisexual is going to show up who says, 'I want to marry a man and a woman. It's going to open the door to polygamy.''

''Once you start this, you could have a 45-year-old man wanting to marry a 9-year-old boy. That could be O.K. in 20 years. That's what you get with relative moral truth. Whereas with absolute moral truth, what was O.K. 50 years ago will still be O.K. 20 years from now.''

''The purpose of the hate-crime legislation seems to be just to silence those of us who oppose homosexuality." As to the medical-decision-making bill, she added, ''We know it's a back-door way for the homosexual activists to get gay marriage.''

The article is a fascinating read about how these people will take any sort of half-truths or their own religious beliefs as fact. I highly suggest reading the entire thing. Basically, the argument still goes that if gays can marry, all society will crumble. How that will exactly happen isn't exactly clear but it just will, damnit!

These two quotes really struck me:

''Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh'' -- and then goes on to add, ''With those 22 words, God announced the ordination of the family, long before He established the two other great human institutions, the church and the government.''

''Marriage was defined thousands of years ago and has served us well,'' said Rebecca Denning, a retired secretary in southern Maryland who volunteers alongside Evalena Gray. ''I think marriage is about procreation and families. And I think we're getting into something that we don't truly understand what the ramifications will be.''

So by this argument, married people who choose not to have children or can't have children or people who choose never to get married are just as bad as the gay sinners who "choose" a hedonistic lifestyle. Not only do these people tell me that I will be going to hell because I'm not part of their club, they are now telling society at large that even if you don't want to be part of their club, you're ruining it for them. Who gives a shit if everyone except for them is going to hell anyway?

People say the darndest things!

Get the Fountains of Wayne CDs Ready Because Stone Groove is Hitting the Road

Today I embark on the first annual Stone Groove / Summer Dan baseball trip. As you all know, I go on a baseball trip every year. This year's trip will be in August as a number of us will be descending on the West Coast. But this year, I've convinced my dad to come on a mini-trip. I couldn't get him to travel too far so we're taking it easy.

A few of my older colleagues at work have commended me for being such a good son and going out of the way to take my dad on a trip. But, believe me, I am not doing this to do the old man any favors. I feel lucky that he has finally decided to try this and that my mom let him out of the house.

The official start is tomorrow and I don't even know if he will go to tonight's game. I have convinced Marc and his parents as well as Mitch and his parents (at this writing, they are still not completely in) to go but Stone Groove is concerned that this is too much baseball for him. Pish posh! He said he'll call me while I'm en route and I have a good feeling he'll come.

The schedule:

Sat 18 Baltimore
Orioles vs. Rockies
with Balgavy, Handwashings, and hopefully a multitude of parents

Sun 19 Baltimore
Orioles vs. Rockies
with Stone Groove

Mon 20 Pittsburgh
Pirates vs. Nats
with Stone Groove, Jack and a friend of his

Tues 21 Pittsburgh
Pirates vs. Nats
with Stone Groove, Jack, and Kara

Wed 22 Philadelphia
Phillies vs. Mets
with Stone Groove, Aunt Rosemary, and Uncle Brian

Thurs 23 Philadelphia
with Stone Groove

Fri 24 Washington
Nats vs. Blue Jays
with Stone Groove

And then back home for Chris Larry barbeque (or he threatened last night), recently graduated 4th graders rocking out at a block party, and the New Pornographers and the Sadies at Prospect Park! All hail summer.

So Check It

Along the lines of this post and this post, I need to state that I continue to learn new things about Youthlarge.

Recently, I learned that I am married to a woman who buys dental floss on eBay.

I e-mailed her and asked her if it was okay if I mentioned this on my blog and she immediately sent back this gem:

yes, you can tell the world i bought floss on ebay, but make sure you mention what a great deal it was lest someone makes fun. so check it, i got like a dozen things of glide floss for $15 postage paid. these are normally $3.50-$4 each.

and then i got a 5 pack of oral-b cross action vitalizers for $5!!! i think postage was 50 cents. these are normally $3.50-$4.50 each!!! and it came with 20 bonus brush-ups, those things you use to wipe your teeth when you don't have a toothbrush handy.

Let's Play Two!

Over the overpass I went. Along the way I passed abandoned air conditioners and large colorful plastic siding. Walking to Red Hook can be an odd walk if you don't take the right way. I passed a man banging brick walls with a hammer. I passed a burned out car. Through the projects. Girls jumping rope. To the field for some softball.

My first softball action in two years. I warmed up. I shagged some flies. It felt good.

I played right center for awhile without anything happening.

I grounded to short in my first at-bat. Wow, I haven't used those muscles in awhile.

In the 4th, a single to me! I scooped it up and threw it into second.

In the 5th, I smoked a line drive to third -- for a loud out. My team was losing 4-3. I went back out to the field and couldn't understand why my stomach muscles hurt.

In the 6th, I fielded another single cleanly.

In the 7th, we had our last chance trailing 6-3. I was due up 5th. By the time I was up, we had scored two runs and had one out. There was a runner on first. I singled to left (my first hit in two years!) but the runner on first was thrown out going to third. With two outs, I was the tying run on first base.

The next two hitters walked. I was now the tying runner on third. My first game back was exciting! The next hitter went to a full count before striking out and leaving me at third base.

Three and a half hours later and I am mighty sore. My legs, my stomach, my left arm. I would have never have thought that I would get to the point that a game of softball would leave me feeling so awful. Still, if i could play a doubleheader tomorrow, I'd be there. Alas, I am a fill-in, a replacement, an afterthought to teams that might need help - and they ever rarely do. I need to start my own team next season.

Soon to Be Retired

For those who know me, this is old news. For those who don't, feel free to steal my brilliant ideas.

For years, I have had a process for "retiring" CDs. What the hell does it mean to "retire" a CD, you might ask? It is simple -- I must know a CD well before it gets filed away into the vast collection of music that I have. I found out fairly early in my music listening career that once a CD was filed into the collection at large, then it often times disappeared into the abyss. Imagine the 1989 Listmaker missing out on an important Lightning Seeds or Material Issue discussion because he had accidentally filed a CD away before its time and then forgotten about it.

Of course, once a CD has been retired, it can make repeat appearances but it isn't in heavy rotation the way that newer CDs in the new "featured" section are. One of the major sticking points of my marriage is that I have yet to fully integrate Youthlarge's vast music collection into mine. I mean, sure, I have merged our doubles, but the music that she has that I don't know that well will eventually need to be listened to, dissected, and then retired into the larger collection -- just like all CDs that find their way into my vaunted collection.

And I have even added a new feature -- the on deck shelf. That is right, there are a few CDs (box sets, music by a band that I already have another CD of in the "to be retired" section, etc.) that now have to wait for the right time to even be called over into the listen pile.

Recently, Youthlarge has been coming home with many CDs. I haven't been listening to nearly as much music the past few months because of all the baseball that is on. My "to be retired" section has taken over the entire designated shelf. In fact, I had so many CDs in this section a few days ago that they were spilling out and needed to be stacked on the CD player below the shelf.

This kind of thing (along with an overflowing DVR to worry about clearing, too many movies to see, too many fantasy teams to manage, so on and so on) is an example of the kind thing that keeps me awake at night and clearly must make it quite difficult to be married to me. Is there a medication to make a person less of a listmaker sort?


Music: A Source of Pleasure And a Source of Much Consternation

The Magic Begins in Less Than 72 Hours

Should Summer Dan

A. Grow a Fu Manchu?
B. Dye his hair black?
C. Shut the hell up and start partying?
D. All of the above

The 1980 Me Is Disappointed in the 2005 George Lucas

Revenge of the Sith, Revenge of the Sith, Revenge of the Sith! For some reason, I feel super pumped to have finally seen it. I feel like that great line from Mr. Show - I saw the shit out of it. I'm feeling punchy and wished that I had truly loved this movie. Alas, it is impossible to love.

Some thoughts:

It was jokey and silly. We've gone from great lines like "Would someone get this giant walking carpet out of my way?" to slapstick routines of Yoda knocking over guards. Come to think of it, that was pretty funny.

It looked flat and dull and too crowded all at the same time.

Yoda's sentences were way too long for the convoluted way that he speaks. Ridiculous.

There were shots in it (the white corridor of the ship to look like the beginning of Star Wars --I refuse to call it "A New Hope", and Luke's uncle on Tattoine looking out onto the horizon) that were supposed to make us reminisce about good movies.

George Lucas continues to prove that he doesn't know what he's doing. There is no suspense at all in this movie. Everything seems to be in a rush to do nothing.

The scenes of Darth Vader becoming Darth Vader were supposed to remind us of Frankenstein, but instead reminded me of Young Frankenstein.

We are supposed to believe that Anakin goes from "Oh no, what have I done?" to "I will do whatever you tell me master" within three seconds.

How amazing was the birth scene when Natalie Portman is handed her babies and immediately names them? And then promptly dies because she has lost the will to live? Tom Stoppard is a genius!

I loved the scene when Darth Vader starts screaming out "NOOOOOO" when he finds out his wife is dead.

Youthlarge cried when the Wookies were killed. I couldn't quite believe that anyone could find any real emotion in this film.

At one point, Youthlarge asked me to clarify a certain plot point. I responded, "I kind of stopped fully understanding all of this stuff in 1983."

I did truly like some of Natalie Portman's costumes -- from the Princess Leah look to the Buck Rodgers thing she had going on. Lovely.

I didn't really mind the silly little ways to tie this film into the next episode -- "We must wipe out the droids' memory" or Yoda saying, "I will go into exile until the time is right." However, I was struck by how little I gave a shit about characters that I once cared about -- Chewbacca, R2D2, etc. In a strange way, I felt a similar feeling when I was watching the first episode of this season's Six Feet Under. That show seems so over, so lifeless, so limping along to the finished line after one listless episode.

All in all, I wasn't really disappointed by this film. It was what I thought it would be after sitting through the first two episodes. The whole endeavor seems like a wasted opportunity. Lucas clearly is a good idea guy and as Chris Larry pointed out, a great special effects person as well. Star Wars was not perfect but it was fun, inspired, and it had a human pulse. The Empire Strikes Back is a great film -- good screenwriting and great direction from Irvin Kershner - a director who was used to directing small character driven films. This film easily has the best performances of any of the six films. Return of the Jedi is pretty bad but at least it had Harrison Ford.

These last three films are so drab. The first three films all felt like new worlds and creatures were being introduced to us. The last three all feel too computer generated and blue screened out for my tastes. I still can't believe how Lucas has gone back and screwed with the first three films. I wonder if his next project is to digitally add souped up T-Birds to American Graffiti.

If the fact that I didn't really like this movie makes me like Anthony Lane, then so be it. But I wish that Lucas had franchised these three films out to different directors. The Alien films are not all great, but all four have their own look and feel to them because each one had a talented young director in charge. Even the Harry Potter franchise is going to have different directors after the first two films. I haven't seen the last two films, but from what I understand, the third one is definitely the best one. A good director can make such a big difference.

Obviously, Lucas thinks that he can do these films better than anyone else. He has made his millions on them but does anyone really truly love these films in the way that a generation ago loved the franchise? Maybe, but in my opinion, they are kidding themselves if they think these films are good.

However, if Lucas changes his mind and decided to bring back Ford, Hamill, and Fisher for a seventh episode, I'll be as excited as anyone else -- at least until I see how boring it all turns out to be.

He is Like 30 and He is Mad

As I have previously written, I have shown my class some different movies and television shows this year during occasional lunch times. One of the things that I showed the kids were some episodes of Pee-Wee's Playhouse. I also showed them Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin films. I even took them on a field trip to see the Harold Lloyd film Speedy which has amazing footage of New York in the 1920's and a guest appearance by Babe Ruth. I always end the year by showing my class the incredible 1950's film Little Fugitive about a boy who runs away to Coney Island after being tricked into thinking that he has killed his brother.

I asked them to write their thoughts on Pee-Wee and on who was their favorite silent film comedian of the three they had seen. Here are a few highlights of what they had to say.

On Silent Films:

I like Harold Lloyd the best because he does a lot of physical humor. My favorite Harold Lloyd moment is from "The Freshman." He tied a football to a string and when a opposing team member jumped for the ball, Harold pulled the ball away with the string.

I liked Buster Keaton the best because I like the way he never smils. My favret part is when buster looks for the girl.

I like Buster Keaton the best because he is more cerieus then the others but also funny.

I like Harold Lloyd because he is funy and he directs his own movies wich I think is cool my favorite movie is speedy my favorite part in speedy is when he has a taxi.

Chalie Chaplin he has a funny walk And he has more funny things in his moves

I like all of them and I can't choose wich one I like best. I like Harold because he is funny, afectionet, and a good actor. I like Charlie because he is odd, obliviouse, and sweet. I like Buster because he always has a strait face.

I like Buster Keaton The Best. His face looks realy funny. And his charether is very funny because he is very stupid and slow Plus he bearly ever does anything by him self.

I kind of dis-like all three because it's just not my taste. I don't really like that kind of comedy. it Just dosn't get my interest.

On Pee-Wee:

I don't really like Pee-Wee's Playhouse because I think it's a little baby-ish. I think by now I've grown out of that stuff.

I LOVE! Pee-Wee Playhouse because of the guy who says "I going door to door making a incredible offer!!! Then Pee-Wee screams Ahhh!

I like pee wee because it is so stupid its funy my favorite part is when the sales man comestothe door and penyslittleshow.

I did not like Pee Wee's Play hous It is too babyesh. Plus his laf is weard

I sword of like Pee Wee because it's sword of funny and sword of babyish.

I LOVE!!! Pee-Wee's Playhouse because it's sooooo stupid it's realy realy realy realy realy realy realy FUNNY!!!!! I like the part when Pee-Wee Turns invisable and then he moves the chocolate cake and that fat lady is chasing the chocolate cake.

I like Pee Wee because he does alot of stupid things and that makes the show funny. My favorite part in Pee Wee is when that salesman came in every episode.

I like Pee-Wee because he is like 30 and he is mad. I can't believe that he can afford all that stuff. My favorite part of every Pee-wee is when the guy with the big head says "I'm going to make an incredible offer!" And Pee-wee screems "Ahhhh!"

Yes I do like pee wee's playhouse. I'v bin waching pee wee sins I was 3 years old. My favorite part is when Pee wee Show a penny cartoon. Penny always has storys that don't make sans. Peewee is funny and chilledish.

I like Pee Wee's Play hous!! My favret Pee Wee omeint is "I'm going door to dorr to mack you a uncrdabl ofer"

I love Pee-Wee becuse he has a wierd laugh and he always has a different theem.

I do not like PeWee's Play house because you said it is not babyish but it is just stupid to me and the only Part I like is When he gets on his bike and goes bye bye.

The Month in Pedro

I can't get enough Pedro. He has been as entertaining as he has been dominating. So I present to you my first installment of "The Month in Pedro."

May 19

Kazuo Matsui is famous for his colorful clothing, so when Pedro Martínez walked through the clubhouse yesterday in an orange suit paired with blue sneakers, the ensemble looked as if it could have come right out of Matsui's closet.

The Mets have begun calling Martínez's oversized outfit the Rally Suit, in part because they have won the past two days he has worn it, and in part because whenever he puts it on, he starts squeezing an orange pillow and screaming that the Mets need to score some runs.

Matsui took one look at the rally suit yesterday and put orange back en vogue. With the Mets down by a run in the seventh inning, he delivered a two-run homer that shushed anyone who had been jeering him and sent the Mets to a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. If Matsui had not come through, there is no telling what Martínez might have worn today. "Am I exciting or what?" Martínez said.

May 22

Pedro Martinez didn't hear many "Who's Your Daddy?" chants, and jokingly noted that he saw "less middle fingers" and heard "less hate words" than he had grown accustomed to while starting against the Yankees.

May 26

Still wearing his Marlins uniform, pinch-hitter Lenny Harris stormed into the Mets’ clubhouse after Thursday’s game to complain to manager Willie Randolph about being taunted by pitcher Pedro Martinez and coach Sandy Alomar.

Opposing players rarely enter another team’s clubhouse, but Harris, a former Met, was incensed that Martinez and Alomar yelled “Watch for the bunt!” as Harris batted in the seventh inning.

“They’re screaming out of the dugout, I’m thinking I’m still back in high school. I thought it was hogwash,” Harris said before Friday’s game.

The incident actually started on April 21, when Harris bunted for a single against Martinez in a 10-1 Marlins loss at Dolphins Stadium. That day, both players could be seen laughing at each other on the field after Harris reached base.

“I thought that was the end of it,” Harris said. “But they’re screaming, ‘Watch out for the bunt! Watch out for the bunt!’ and I’m thinking, ‘It was really bothering them.’ I told Willie I didn’t think they’d take it that seriously.”

Harris was so distracted that he stepped out of the batter’s box and yelled back, “Are you done?” before striking out.

“There’s a time to play, but when the game starts it’s serious business. You know a fan is going to heckle you — I don’t mind if it’s a fan — but if its a ballplayer, then I want to find out what’s the problem. It kept going on. I thought they took it too far.

Randolph dismissed the situation. “Just chit chat,” he said.

May 27
Petey referred to Mike Piazza as Michael. I'm not quite sure why that is so amusing to me, but it is.

June 2

It is early, of course. But Pedro should be given credit for reinventing himself without losing his identity. In one 10-minute conversation yesterday, he was pure Pedro, flitting from one topic to the next, talking about the disclosure of Deep Throat - "it was better as a secret, a mystery," he said - and his gardening escapes at his home in Westchester County.

"I loved being able to garden with my mom growing up," he said. "That was a special time. We talked to the flowers. You have to talk to the flowers. It makes you feel like the flowers are part of you."

At one with flowers, exactly how does that work?

"You know how they give the fake babies to kids, and you have to pick them up every time they beep?" he said. "That's how flowers are. Everything needs love."

June 3

"Since the first day, I've noticed that people here really love to see my face . . . and the people are just looking for me to do something crazy," Martinez said. "New York is fast, a little crazy and they expect me to be out there because I guess they see somebody that identifies with them."

Pedro talks about the sprinkler incident - when the infield sprinklers myseriously came on in the middle of an inning while Pedro was on the mound.

Typically, Martinez also found the situation humorous, leaning his head back for a drink and dancing through the drops until the grounds crew shut down the system. It was reminiscent of his reaction at the home opener, when Martinez gyrated on the dugout steps after realizing the malfunctioning blacked-out batter's eye in center field was frozen with an advertisement featuring his likeness.

"Water is a blessing, so I guess I got wet," said Martinez, who remembered a similar sprinkler incident happening to his brother Ramon in Atlanta earlier in his career. "I got wet, but I made it fun and we won the game."

Last night, he claimed that he didn't even know that he was throwing a no-hitter until the 5th inning when he glanced at the scoreboard while standing on second base.

In Flushing, however, Martinez appears completely at ease. Even last night, in a normally tense situation in which most no-hit seekers are left alone in the dugout, Martinez was boisterous.

"He was screaming, saying stuff," Mike Cameron said. "I'm like, Good Lord, this guy's crazy."

This Sunday, when I go to Shea, I'll get to see the incestuous couple AND Pedro on the mound.

Hot

You'd think that a school that charges close to $20,000 tuition per student would figure out how to fix the fucking wiring so all the classrooms can have AC. So that some teachers other than prettyboy Mondale can have AC. I'm hot and grumpy.

It is 85 degrees of sticky, humid air in my classroom.

Be Good One Day!

Mr. Jong left this amazing gem of a comment about yesterday's Field Day post:

From web phing while doing, you blow it will be wrong, it discovered. You thinks probably is which country person it does not know well but when probably it is not an American, one which is Great Britain well! is same. It is a former Korean. When it sees from the photograph, the bedspread which is also the Orient woman. When it sees from the photograph, food carrying the bedspread which does a same game. Also the knife company bud does, the swing the batted ball bedspread. Re-miss it is a spectacle. Be good one day!

Wow! Who wants to try to translate that? Youthlarge got some pretty strange translations when she was trying to have the Italian from the article about my grandfather translated into English. The South Korean Mr. Jong must have stumbled onto my blog somehow and had his Korean translated into English to create the poetry above.

But it leads to a number of questions. Is Mr. Jong a friend of Youthlarge's dad that has became a fan of Listmaker? How did he know that Bowles was British? What is a knife company bud?

He's even linking to a picture of Mondale and me riding swings on his blog! Youthlarge says that he wrote "I've never seen swings like this in Korea with adults riding them."

Only Two More Days!

If you live in New York, you have two more days to see one of the best films I've seen in a long time -- The Two of Us. The film is about a nine year-old French Jewish boy sent to the countryside to live with the parents of a family friend. The man of the family is kind of like a sweet version of Archie Bunker -- very bigoted but adorable. Of course, he has some choice words about Jews and he has no idea that the boy under his watchful eye is Jewish.



The film is unbelievable. It is heartwarming, bittersweet, and incredibly touching without being cloying. I have never seen any of Claude Berri's other films but I need to soon. Michel Simon as the old man creates one of the most memorable movie characters ever.

I left the theater exhilirated to have seen such a great film. It also plays with a fifteen minute short film that is well worth seeing as well. If you don't see this in New York, add it to your Netflix account. Make sure to watch the trailer on the link above.

Field Day

Who cares what the kids did when you have incriminating photos of Mondale running relays with food stuffs?


Mondale With Bagel


Mondale And Pizza Box


Mondale Stumbles

A Saturday in June

The 7th Inning Stretch: Youthlarge and Handwashings Style


Time for some fruit on 4th Ave.


Ice Cream!


Star Wars at Prospect Park

Wounded In Action

With Memorial Day just a couple of days ago, I've been thinking about my grandfather quite a bit this week. Since his death in January, not a day goes by that I don't think about him. I miss him tremendously.

Every Veteran's Day I called my grandfather to wish him a happy day. Not only did he fight in World War II, he chose to make a career in helping veterans. Recently, every year, I also told my class my grandfather's war story in the hopes that I could interest them in history and perhaps even call a veteran in their family.

While I mostly agree with a cynical take on Memorial Day, I can't help but be moved when I think of how much being a veteran mattered to my grandfather. He was against the war in Iraq, but that didn't stop him from putting up a sticker that he received from somewhere that stated, "Freedom Isn't Free" with an American flag emblazoned on it. Upon seeing that sticker a few months ago, my immediate thought was "What? Does he support Bush?" Of course, he didn't. But for him, this wasn't a partisan statement, it was a way of saying that he loved our country.

Today, I really missed my grandfather. So I decided to finally type up a piece of his writing from 1950 about being wounded in Italy.



Wounded In Action

On December 14, 1943, the 2nd Battalion of the 504th Parachute Infantry lay in position on the highest peak of Mount Sammucro in Italy. Towering high above the San Pietro, the cliffs and massive ridges of this mountain proved extremely important in the enemy's defense of the "The Winter Line." We hoped to break this line in spite of the enemy's stubborn resistance. On this day, information reached us that the Germans held a hill west of our position and were directing murderous fire on our troops who were attempting to move forward. We received orders to capture this hill.

Shortly after midnight on this cold, dark, and gloomy night, our battalion started forward with my company in the lead. Halfway to our objective, a flare, shot up by the enemy, revealed our positions, and we were caught in heavy machine gun and mortar fire which pinned us down. The bare slopes of the hill offered little concealment. In a split second, I fell flat on my belly, hugging the ground for dear life. My heart pounded and, as always in battle, I became scared and shook all over.

I could hear the "bur-rup, bur-rup" of their automatic pistols, the Song of Death. Shells began bursting all around us and then I heard the terrifying screams of my wounded buddies. The flare had long since died and darkness enveloped us once again. I aimed and fired my rifle at the flashes of the German weapons. The cries of the wounded around me became intensified. I knew that escape from being hit would be a miracle. I gritted my teeth and dug my face deep in the muddy ground and waited. I kept repeating, "Oh, God, please save me." Seconds later, I felt as if a red hot knife had severed both of my legs. A blood-curdling yell escaped my lips. Thas was it! As I had feared, I was hit by fragments of a mortar shell.

I felt no pain after that, but my legs felt numb all over. Several minutes later, a medic dressed both of my leg wounds and gave me a shot of morphine. I soon felt myself fading into space unknown. I regained my senses the next morning and I shall never forget the sight before my eyes on this battlefield. Among the fallen gear of those who escaped, numerous men of my company lay mortally wounded. I tried to crawl, but was prevented from doing so because of the intense pain of my wounds. "Why, oh, why don't they come and get me?" I groaned. Down the slope I saw the movement of our bitter enemy. Above me, over the ridge, I saw some of the faces of our troops. I soon realized why our medics couldn't get to me, for at this time both sides began firing. Here I lay, in the middle of it all and couldn't do anything. I heard myself saying "Dave, you're at the end of your rope." Yes, I began praying for my loved ones at home.

For two days and two nights, I lay there between the fighting, only the bitter cold winter air stopping the flow of blood from my leg wounds. Late on the second day, there came a lull in the battle and the most beautiful sight in the world appeared over the ridge of the mountain. I saw a squad of medics, led by an officer, each one holding and waving a large white flag with a bright red cross. God had answered my prayers! A temporary truce had been arranged so that each side could pick up its dead and wounded. I was picked up and put on a stretcher. As I was being carried down the other side of the mountain, I could hear the fighting resume once again. I closed my eyes in an effort to drive the thought of this cruel war out of my mind.

On Christmas Eve, at the 300th General Hospital in Naples, the doctors discovered a deadly and serious infection in my right leg called gas gangrene. Quickly and frankly, they told me that I must sacrifice the loss of my leg in order to save my life. The pain felt unbearable but I managed to whisper, "What are we waiting for?" From then on, everything was a blank to me until I remembered opening my eyes and seeing a nurse at my bedside. Through my thick, dry lips I muttered, "Merry Christmas." The nurse seemed shocked out of her senses. She ran for the doctors and the chaplain who soon appeared, surrounding my bed. Seeing the puzzled look on my face, the chaplain explained that as soon as my leg was amputated, I began sinking fast and that he had been asked to perform last rites as I had been expected to die the following morning. During that Christmas day, the chaplain white faced, kept coming back, each time patting me on my shoudler and repeating the words now immortal to me, "My son, be forever grateful."

How could I ever be ungrateful? If God had not answered my prayers, I would not live on this earth. Moreover, I often think of my buddies who made the supreme sacrifice for our country and those who are more seriously disabled that I am as a result of their war wounds. My only prayer is that the sacrifices my buddies and I have made in the cause of preserving our American way of life has not been in vain. Now that we are on the threshold of another war, I wonder?

David Pogoloff
December 1950


I was struck by a couple of things upon rereading this today. My grandfather never really spoke much about religion but it clearly played an important part in his life. I still love the fact that the Army sent a chaplain even though my grandfather was Jewish. I guess you take what you can when you are on the verge of death and/or unconscious.

And I love the last two sentences. Just five short years after the sacrifices of World War II, he is openly questioning the necessity of fighting in yet another war. Or am I misreading what he is saying? I wish I could call him to ask what he meant.

In December 2003, Youthlarge and I went to San Pietro where we met the town historian. We gave him the copy of this story which he published in his latest book.

My grandfather really lived up to his ideals from this writing. He was the most grateful person I have ever known. He took such pleasure in every small detail of his life. Even as he was in his last few days, he took so much pleasure in having a chocolate milkshake. He was and will always be what I aspire to be.