Ridley Jones says...

We are not our parents. We're not. You've probably heard all your life that the traits you've found so annoying in your mother or your father will eventually manifest themselves in your own personality. Maybe you even believe it. Personally, 1 think it's bullshit. It's a cop-out, something people tell themselves to feel better about not taking responsibility for their lives. Maybe if you go through your life without examining yourself, without dealing with your issues, without consciously deciding what to bring forward and what to leave be¬hind, or if you can't take responsibility for your own inner happiness, then perhaps it is likely that you become the drunk, the abuser, the cold and distant judge your mother or your father was. But I believe you have a choice. I believe we all choose our lives, that our existence is the sum of our choices—the little ones, the big ones. We don't always choose what happens to us, and we don't choose where we came from, but we do choose how we react to the events of our lives. We choose to be destroyed or to grow wiser. Nietzsche (whom I always thought was a bit of a psychopath) said, "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." I cling to this philosophy; I need to believe it.

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Ridley is a character in "Sliver of Truth" by Lisa Unger

We're not scared

The Red Sox lead in the American League East is again down to 7 games but the pundits keep saying not to worry. "Who would have thought they'd be up by 7 in July 20?"

But it's the nature of the RedSoxNation to worry, given the team's history and the mediocre play of late. The history has two important parts: they don't hit with runners in scoring position and they fade in the second half of the season.

You'd think that after 65 years of rooting for them, I'd be able to retire.

On a more positive note, I did something I never though I'd be able to do: give up salt! I noticed that my right ankle was swollen and pointed it out to the doc when I went in to get my ears cleaned out. He suggested that I cut back on salt to see if that helped. Well, I didn't think I could cut back so I just cut it out. Some things actually tasted better but others -- salads, particularly -- needed a healthy (pun unintended) measure of Mrs Dash. Yesterday, I succumbed and bought a low sodium salt substitute to see if that would suffice. But I'll try to use no salt at all on most food as long I can. In the greater scheme of things, giving up salt is a small thing but those of you who know me know how large a "sacrifice" that is.

Was in a "discussion" about Michael Moore the other day. Here's where I'm at: Michael Moore has exposed some very serious ills in his works but I don't understand why he needed to use lies, exaggerations and innuendo when there were so many facts to back up his claims. Can anyone explain that?

What a gas!!

As a child, did you ever wonder what it would be like if the balloon you were holding took you up into the sky?

Well, this guy did it!!

An unexpected pleasure!

This past weekend was one that we had planned to go to Boston, but we had to cancel because of the kitchen renovation at TASK. Turned out that this permitted Alan, Alisa and Sara (and Erica) to attend the Simon Family picnic in north Jersey on Sunday AND come to us on Saturday!!



There are pictures of everyone including Bill and Drew who came for brunch on Sunday. At least one picture was taken by Sara herself!!

Sara and Cathy slept in the guestroom on a "sleepover" and Sara (and Cathy) loved it.

And Alan brought me the DVDs for the first year of "House"!!

What a nice weekend!!