Saratoga Irish

The Right Time and Place For a Parade

2012-02-08T16:21:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was the ritual ticker tape parade in New York City for the World Champion New York Giants. The parade went down the "Canyon of Heroe's", better known as lower Broadway in the financial district of Manhattan. Why you ask, does New York City host a parade for a NFL team that plays in New Jersey? A better question to ask is why is it still called a "ticker tape" parade when in actuality they toss shredded paper and confetti. Alas we will go back to the first question. Although they play their games in New Jersey, the Giants are still the New York Giants. The Buffalo Bills don't play in Buffalo, (Orchard Park, NY), The Dallas Cowboys don't play in Dallas, (Arlington, TX) and The Washington Redskins don't play in Washington DC, (Landover, MD). When The New England Patriots won their championships the celebration was held in Boston, not Hartford, CT, or Montpelier, VT. So you see, where the location of the parade is does not really matter. Now we come to a bigger question, should the taxpayers pay for a parade for football players? Please feel free to replace the words football players with any other sport. Again the answer is yes. The parade is not "for" the players but for the fans, the community, the people that live in the city. I'm sure everyone didn't just drive to down town NYC and find a parking place to just view the parade. Money was spent. Increase use of subways and buses, fines for parking tickets for those that did drive. Restaurants and shops had a banner day. So to all you nay sayers, a parade and celebration for a winning sports team is very good for the community.
Now the bigger question, is someone that can throw or catch a ball be called a hero and deserve a parade over, let's say, a returning veteran? Absolutely not. You must be out of your mind to think that but you are comparing apples to oranges. Not just sports "hero's" have been littered with confetti on Broadway in NYC, on October 28, 1886 an impromptu parade was held on the dedication of The Statute of Liberty (and no, Lady Liberty, was not paraded down the parade route). After that, some of the parades included, Admiral Dewey on his return from Manila in 1899, in 1910 Teddy Roosevelt on a return from a safari, General "Black Jack" Pershing in 1919 after WWI. The roaring twenty's had no less then 25 ticker tape (when they still used ticker tapes) parades for everything from visiting heads of state to our own Olympic athletes. Bobby Jones winner of the British Open (golf), aviators Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. The 1930's kept up the pace including Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan following his flight from New York City to Ireland in 1939 (he was scheduled to fly from New York to California). The 1940's were more for war hero's and leaders after 1945, the 1950's it seemed the only way to get rid of all your ticker tape was to toss it out the window with over 60 parades in the decade or about one every two months.Things started to slow down after the 1960's and a ticker tape parade became more of a event then just getting rid of excess paper. In May of 1985 a parade was held for Vietnam War veterans only about 10 years too late. Not as late as the Korean War vets had to wait, 1991. So you see, it is not just sports teams that get the paper tossed parades down the canyon of heroe's so don't get your knickers twisted up in a knot. Just sit back and enjoy.

What Were We Thinking (updated)

2012-01-30T16:48:00.003-05:00

A friend on facebook posted Kenny Loggins, Danny's Song last night. It's a great song and it had been a while since I had heard it. I started to search for some other songs from the 1970's and it started to become all to clear, what were we thinking with some of our music choices. The fact that Muskrat Love was a hit for one band is evidence enough but when you realize that two bands had hits with it is astounding. Now there are songs that are recorded by multiple bands, for example, I Heard It Through The Grapevine was first recorded by Smokey Robinson in 1967, Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1967, a signature tune for Marvin Gaye in 1968 and Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1970 (oh yeah, the California Raisins in 1986) but this is one of Billboard Magazines greatest hits of rock and roll, I'm talking about Muskrat Love. The folk music revolution of the 1960's gave us great songs of war protest and civil rights. The folk music of the 1970's gave us songs of relationships. Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, Loggins & Messina, Seals & Croft, Dan Fogelberg, it was a decade of sappy love songs. For every Bad, Bad Leroy Brown and Your Mama Don't Dance there are three or more, Longer, Return To Pooh Corner and We May Never Pass This Way Again types. What were we smoking? In today's world of Red Bull and Five Hour Energy drinks it's hard to think that there was a time when people would take drugs to mellow them out, you never hear about quaaludes anymore. Look at the music and you will understand. Now that the high school students of the 1970's are in their fifties and less prone to loud heavy metal music (I still listen but not as often) we do spend more time with easy listening music. When you mix classic rock with easy listening you get 1975 all day long. So sit back, turn on your lava lamp and sing along with me, Muskrat Suzie, Muskrat Sam. Do the jitterbug out in muskrat land. And they shimmy, Sam is so skinny (Bahahahaha how long will that stay in your head).

Since I posted this the other day people have been going out of their way to add songs to the list of bad songs of the 1970's. Here are just a few, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Elton John and Kiki Dee; Saturday Night by The Baycity Rollers (remember the pants) anything by Barry Manilow, You Light Up My Life, Debbie Boone, ABBA, need I say more, Jim Stafford's I Don't Like Spiders and Snakes, Eric Carmen's All By Myself. You see, the list grows and grows and I haven't even mentioned the BeeGees and if you can remember who sang Thunder Island you are doing better than me.

Go Big Blue

2012-01-23T17:18:00.002-05:00

Superbowl week has started, well to be correct, Superbowl two week has started. Yesterday the division championship games were held. The AFC Champion is the New England Patriots, or as I like to call them, the New England Football Red Sox, are again heading to the big game. Facing the Pats will be the New York Giants of the NFC. Both games yesterday were exciting right down to the end but were both a bit sloppy. Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff (not to confused with actor Billy Crudup, Almost Famous, Big Fish, Watchmen) did his best Scott Norwood imitation by missing a field goal in the waning seconds of a huge game. The Giants also were handed their win by the mishandling of not one but two punts by San Francisco 49er's punt return man, Kyle Williams. Now missed field goals and fumbles are just part of the game but when they happen on the big stage they just seem to stand out more, and are remembered forever (just ask Leon Lett, who's blunder in the snow on Thanksgiving day gave the victory to Miami ). Not withstanding Yesterday was a great day of football. I think that football is the kind of sport that you need to watch with a group of people. Super Bowl parties are the norm and places like Buffalo Wild Wings makes their living on football. The down side of watching football in a group is that there is always someone who knows more than the coach. Let me explain this, some moak who works for, let's say, the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, is watching the game and critiquing every play because he knows more about football then the highly paid professional coach.This folks is your sobriety check, if you are able to keep from smacking this loud mouth in the chops you're probably sober (this theory should not be usedas your defence in a court of law the same way the truck in the TV ad did not snowboard or do a barrel roll). This all adds to the fun of the game, at least if your team is winning. So all of you football fans out there, get ready, you have two weeks to study film, read charts and prepare yourself for the big game. I suggest you watch, Rudy, Any Given Sunday and The Replacements (come on football and stripper cheerleaders )so you can say all the right things before Joe Buck does and everyone will think you are the real football genius. And for all the baseball fans, pitchers and catchers are just four weeks away.

Songs in the Key of Life

2012-01-13T15:34:00.002-05:00

Why is it that some songs just fill your head with memories as soon as you hear the first note? What makes that song so special? The song above, you would think, would bring back those warm memories of a girl named Amy ( or Amie or any other way you want to spell it) but you would be wrong. Back in the late '70's ok the mid '70's we would all go to the Across The Street Pub, it was the local hangout and the SUNY kids stayed away. The song Amie played over and over on the jukebox there. So this song fills my head with the memories of youth and freedom. A time before marriage, kids, and responsibilities. There are songs that do bring back those warm fuzzy memories, Chris Issacs', Wicked Games for one and wait I'm enjoying those memories..............................OK, I'm back, another one is the Cars' My Best Friends Girl, (those started warm and fuzzy but ended much different). So, what is it about a song that changes the way you smile when you listen to it. Now are those songs ruined for further use? I mean, what if, hypothetically, you meet a person one night and hit it off, as you often do when you meet someone and booze is involved, and let's say, you dance and look longingly into each others eyes and the song playing is, for example, Van Morrison's Into The Mystic, the next morning ,right away you know you made a mistake, is that song gone forever in your memory? Can you re gift, so to speak, a song? Can you go to the same bar each week, play the same song and win the heart of a different lady? If you can't, then I may have wasted a few great songs on the wrong person. Now we are at the point of this posting. I was playing around on youtube looking for songs to post that fell into the mood I was in. I kept thinking that if I posted a certain song someone may see it and think I was doing it for her when all I wanted to do was share a good song with others. Maybe if I posted it with a disclaimer, "Mary, This is not for you" that might work. Then again Mary may hate me more than she already did, if that's possible. I'm sure I wouldn't be able to stop with just "It's not for you", I would ramble on and dig the hole I was in deeper and deeper, but that's just the way I roll, stupid to a fault. So, again, should we read more into a song then we should? If on facebook someone post a song do we over think the situation and hold an intervention or is it just that they like the song cocaine by Eric Clapton? If we used to dance or make out to Van Morrison's Have I Told You Lately, it doesn't mean I want to get back together with you, perhaps I have become a bit religious or maybe, just maybe, I like Van Morrison. So keep the memories to yourself and sit back and enjoy the music, but "Bill" (go back to Sept. 2006 for the meaning) I still think of you warmly when I hear You Don't Know Me, by Van or Ray.

Put Away Your Fancy Clothes

2012-01-11T15:51:00.000-05:00

So the Ancient Order of Hibernians have had another round of installations. The new officers for the five local divisions are set and 2012 looks like a good year. Way back in November of 2011 Schenectady installed Steve Mackey as the new chieftain of their Division. A wonderful diner was held and Steve was also named the Hibernian of the Year. In December, both Albany and Troy held their Installations. Liam McNabb is serving a second term in Albany and E. Richard Boland returns to the head of the table in Troy. Current Albany County President Kevin O'Reilly was named the Albany Hibernian of the year. Skipping the holidays and heading into January, The Watervliet division installed John McAvoy as their new President and Chris Bergman remains in charge in Saratoga.
All the Divisions are looking forward to a productive year and have very good men in the position to lead them. Check back here throughout the year to see just what the Irish in your town have planned.

Reality Sets In

2012-01-03T07:19:00.000-05:00

So, we made it through the weekend. Now it's Jan. 3rd and everyone is back at work, Oh yeah you had a smile on your face when you went in, the radio dj's were talking about resolutions and you are trying to keep yours but reality is setting in. On Saturday night and Sunday morning facebook was full of New Years wis hes of better times in 2012, how long will that last? Or have you all ready bitched out loud in the car about the guy who just cut you off. Did you go out shopping yesterday and complain about the lines? Last week people were still holding the door for a stranger, now we are back to real life. How can we continue to feel the warm glow of the New Year after the weekend is over? I'm thinking maybe set things for each month. I found out last night that my cousin Haley may be making her first trip to the USA this summer, now there is something to look forward to. The Giants made the playoffs so that keeps me happy for one more week. Pitchers and catchers report in February so that will be good (don't even try for a happy Valentines day for me eight weeks would be like four women away). March is always a happy time in my family, busy, but happy so I'm good through March. April, the baseball season starts with it's hint of the summer to come. May the nice weather arrives, June, the summer kicks in, the warm days the beach, vacation is close. July is set for picnics and my birthday, August the track is in full swing. September brings the beauty of the changing leaves and the sound of football once again. October is Halloween and November brings Thanksgiving and family. December brings us back to Christmas and the happy feelings of joy and good will to our fellow man, what? No Christmas this year? The world ends before Christmas! Dam Mayans just ruined my whole year and I was all set with that new resolution to be nicer to others but noooo, you had to end the world this year. Crap well there goes my resolution, at least I made it to Jan. 3, this year, better than the "lose weight" resolutions of years past.

Life Is A Roller Coaster

2011-12-28T17:23:00.000-05:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Charles Dickens starts the classic novel, "A Tale of Two Cities" with that line. Written so many years ago it some how sums up 2011 for me. I had some very high highs but also some very low lows. As I write this I find myself working for a different company then the beginning of the year, living in a different place from last year. Some of the choices were mine, some were made by others. I am here to tell you that I am better than I have been in years. I have seen the hard times and survived. I did not do this alone, and maybe that is the point to it all. When things seemed the bleakest people stepped up and told me it was OK. There is a poem by Mary Stevenson about footprints in the sand.“You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?” The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.” Well there were times this past year that there were only one set of footprints and I was being carried by friends. Friends that did more than anyone should ever have to do, and without hesitation. I find myself humbled by they way people have helped me this past year and know that I will never be able to fully tell them how much they all mean to me. Thank you are the only words to use and they don't seem to be enough. So no more of this serious post, let's move on and upward to 2012 but remember this, no man is a failure who has friends. Not bad, a short post and I work in quotes from Dickens and Frank Capra.

You Choose The Tune V

2011-12-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

Stress is getting to everyone by now so today a little humor. The 12 Days Of Christmas.Put your choice in the comments and enjoy.

You Choose The Tune, Thursday Edition

2011-12-22T07:14:00.001-05:00

Alrighty, here we are just a couple of days before Christmas. Today we have the song, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.I'm giving you six, that's right six choices, Amy Grant, Crystal Gayle, Carrie Underwood, Frank Sinatra, Luther Vandross and Kermit the frog. Enjoy and remember to use the comment section to leave your choice.

You Choose The Tune Day 3

2011-12-21T07:11:00.000-05:00

OK folks here's todays Christmas song. Choose the version you like best and place it in the comments section.Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison or Randy Travis singing Pretty Paper.

Winter Solstice bonus 2000 Miles by The Pretenders, K.T. Tunstall and Coldplay.

You Choose The Tune Part II

2011-12-20T07:20:00.002-05:00

Todays Christmas song is The Little Drummer Boy, by Bob Seger, Johnny Cash and Chicago, enjoy. Leave your choice in the comments.

You Choose The Tune

2011-12-19T07:22:00.002-05:00

For the rest of the week I am going to post two or three different versions of a Christmas song. You my faithful readers will choose which version you like better. Leave your vote in the comments section and please enjoy the music. Today, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), your choices are, Darlene Love, U2 and Bruce Springsteen.

Out With The Bad, In With The Good

2011-12-13T16:34:00.000-05:00

So you've had enough bad Christmas, here's some of the good songs. My reasoning for a good Christmas song is one that a) you want to hear over and over, b) you can sing it walking around the neighborhood and c) it doesn't make everyone in the room cry. The song that tops the list by far is Irving Berlin's White Christmas, sung by Bing Crosby.This is the Christmas song that all others must compare themselves to. There are many versions of White Christmas, some good and some very, very bad (Otis Redding but I'm not naming names), but Christmas would not be Christmas without the old crooner himself, Bing.
Some other songs that have one signature voice are, The Christmas Song, by Nat King Cole (even though it was written by the Velvet Fog himself, Mel Torme) and Blue Christmas, by Elvis.Some songs have been recorded by more then one person and they are both or all three good versions. Everyone knows Jimmy Durante's Frosty The Snowman from the TV special but I also like Leon Redbone and Dr. John's version.Winter Wonderland by the Eurythmics or Johnny Mathis. Andy Williams owns The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, even when Staples uses it in September.If you like All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey, check out the version from the movie "Love Actually" by Olivia Olson. I like Springsteen's Santa Claus Is Comming to Town and U2's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), but I like both of those bands so I'm a little partial. A lot of songs don't have a lot to do with Christmas but we have put them in that category anyway, Baby It's Cold Outside is one for example.I like the song and I really like the James Taylor, Natale Cole version, although The Norah Jones, Willie Nelson version I almost put on the bad list. I like Norah Jones but it was a little creepy having Willie Nelson trying to keep her from going home. Let It Snow? Except that we all shed a tear at the end of the movie "Holiday Inn" when it's snowing and Bing is singing White Christmas. The Pogues, Fairytale of New York takes place on Christmas eve (in the drunk tank) so that puts it on many Christmas CD's (at least by the Irish).
Two songs that have a lot of meaning this Christmas are Christmas In New York Again by Shilelagh Law and I'll Be Home For Christmas by pretty much everyone. Christmas In New York Again is a song to honor the people of New York after 9/11. The song takes place on Christmas in 2011 just a few short months after the attack when people started to live their lives again. I'll Be Home For Christmas is a World War II song of soldiers away from home and longing for home and hearth. This song has as much meaning today as it did seventy years ago. We need to remember those that are in harms way serving our country and missing their families.This is just my choices in music and I have only scratched the surface of Christmas music. So sit back and enjoy the Holidays and put on a CD or two, as long as one is Charlie Browns' Christmas by The Vince Guaraldi Trio.

Time For Those Bad Christmas Carols

2011-12-08T15:14:00.001-05:00

OK, so they started playing Christmas music around November 1st and there are only so many songs to choose from, what can a radio station do? They play bad Christmas songs that's what. Go to any department store and see racks of Christmas CD's from everyone and their dogs (dogs barking Jingle Bells). Some songs are nice, some are great songs done with a different flavor and some are just bad. Take for example White Christmas, no Christmas season is complete without Bing Crosby singing White Christmas.Many others have tried and done a nice version but it's still not Bing.Otis Redding, who's song Dock Of The Bay, is one of the great classic rock and roll tunes, butchered White Christmas.That's not to say that Bing didn't have his share of bad Christmas songs, who can, try as they might, forget Mele Kalikimaka and Christmas in Kilarney. Dean Martin loses me when he calls Rudolph, Rudy in his version of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.So here are just a few of the songs you should stay away from this year.
John Denver, Daddy Don't Get Drunk This Christmas
Destiny's Child, Eight Days Of Christmas
Bob Dylan, Must Be Santa
Cyndi Lauper, Christmas Conga
The Beach Boys, Santa's Beard
Cliff Richard, Mistletoe And Wine
Band Aid, Do They Know It's Christmas (at the time it was good but now try and name half the people in the video)
Big Bad VooDoo Daddy, Rockabilly Christmas
Michael Jackson, My Christmas Wish
Yellowman, Yellow Christmas
Billy Idol, Jingle Bell Rock
Justin Bieber, Christmas Love
Clay Aiken, Christmas Waltz
Michael Buble, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
[The last three were just because it was Justin Bieber, Clay Aiken and Michael Buble]

That's just the tip of the iceberg, but don't let it get you down, Christmas music is still good and sometimes you find a gem in your search. Coming soon, good music, for a sneak peek take a listen to Frosty the Snowman by Leon Redbone and Dr. John. [Just a side note about Dr. John. He is one of the icons of New Orleans music but every time I see him all I can see is the Muppets, Dr. Teeth]

On Your Mark, Get set, SHOP

2011-11-28T17:05:00.001-05:00

It's cyber Monday, and everyone should be back to work from their Thanksgiving rest. The weekend was great, Wednesday I went with John Cromie to Dalton Mass to hear Rakish Paddy, nice night, great music and met some very nice people. They are playing Friday night at the Albany hall if you would like to check them out. Friday night was my brother John's 50th birthday party. Kate did a great job and everyone had a fun night. The kids all got to see the family and Sara and Sean were my drivers for the night. Saturday night was Trivia night at the hall. Ish let me play along with them and at the end of the night they had zero points, don't blame me, we blew it all on the last question, (What decade did Bud Abbott die?). Two questions really bothered me that we couldn't get. Of the first ten Presidents of the US, how many are not named John or James? A team of eight good Americans could not name the first 10 Presidents, how embarrassing. On the same category, name the 14, 15 and 16th Presidents. We got two out of three.

The whole night was full of fun and laughter, the next Trivia night is in Feb. keep an eye out for it.

So here we are heading into December and the Christmas shopping melee. Thursday night is the Victorian Street Walk in Saratoga, a great way to shop in downtown Saratoga. So buck up and remember it's not the gift but the thought that counts, unless you are buying for me then it's the amount you spend that matters.

What I'm Thankful For

2011-11-22T07:21:00.001-05:00

      It's Thanksgiving week and it's the time we all think about what we are thankful for. Yes I know that it's cliche but I am really thankful for my friends and family. Don't anyone else think it, I have the best kids in the world. Growing up in a broken home is not the best environment for children but my kids have come through it wonderfully. They have made superior choices in their lives. Sean is a graduate of Colgate University, Samantha is a graduate of The College of St. Rose (a Catholic education ) Jack is a Freshman at Ithaca College. Michael didn't go to college, he went straight into life and I am as proud of him as I am his siblings. He moved away from home and found a job to pay his expenses, he is pursuing his goal of being a comedian and he is doing it without a lifeline home. They have also done very well in surrounding them selves with good people. I have a wonderful daughter-in-law Sara, Samantha's boyfriend Tom is all a father could wish for for his daughter. Michael's girlfriend Jess has added a whole new dimension to our family.
     As far as friends go, I couldn't ask for better. Belonging to an organization that has friendship as part of it's motto, you would think would offer many friends and it does. Some better than others. There are friends that I have had since high school, sometimes when we get together you would think we were 15 again, somethings never change. Work friends is the hardest part. I am not a person that tosses around the word friend, I believe that friends are an important part of your life and I don't take it lightly. Some people meet someone once and refer to them as friends, with me you have to prove yourself a bit. So at work you really have co-workers and maybe a couple of friends. Think about this, how many people that you work with do you see socially, when it's not a company function.I spent 25 years working for the Post Office and in that time, all the people that I have worked with, there are only two that I see out of work. facebook, the world of friends, lets you see the lives of others, your facebook friends. these are people that share a small part of your life but are again in a subsection like work friends. These two subsections are important, they fill your life but when the going gets tough, just how many of these people are you really going to be able to count on.
     Family other than my children, well there family, you have to be thankful for them. They were the people that helped shape your life while you were growing up. Your parents set the standards and the older children passed the standards on to the younger ones. I would not be the person I am today with out my sisters and my brother. I love you all very much. I come from a very large family, there were 12 kids in my grandfathers family and most of them came to America and lived close to each other. We grew up with many, many cousins. This also I am very thankful for. If I was to name everyone that I am thankful for I would surely leave out someone and I don't want to do that.

So this Thanksgiving, sit back and think of all the people that make your life complete and smile.Happy Thanksgiving everyone, eat a lot, load up on the carbs and hit the malls on black Friday.

Alive and Kicking

2011-11-14T16:07:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am still alive. I am currently living without the Internet and I really don't know how people do it. My only access is through my phone and it is only a smart phone or it's only as smart as me phone. This access does keep me somewhat up to date with facebook, my lifeline to the outside world. The good news about being without Internet service is that I am no longer homeless. After living six months with Chris and Amy I have moved into my own apartment. I can not begin to thank Chris and Amy for opening their home to me and letting me mess up their family life.Chris epitomises the motto of the Hibernians, Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity. He saw me at a very low point of my life and helped me through it.So now I am in the process of setting up a new home. When I was moving in April I had a few friends to help, only one with a small truck, now that I don't have aq lot to move I have friends with big trucks and a contactg with a local moving company. Saturday I went on a search of garage sales looking for an easy chair to rest my old tired bones at night, apparently the garage sale season ends with election day. I bought a chair from Wallmart for $19 and sat in it once, now I have to fiqure out where to throw it away. Life was easier when everything just went to the dump. So anyway, things are very good and as soon as I can I will go back to putting music on the blog.
Wow I did it, music, sometimes I even impress myself.

It's been awhile

2011-10-17T20:31:00.000-04:00

Alright it's been almost a month since posting. Should I have started that, "Bless me father I have sinned" sorry old Catholic habit. So why you ask, has it been so long. I am working, and I can't tell you where., but I am working a lot. This sometimes is a bad thing but for now I like my job, it still has that "new" job smell, so the long hours are a good thing. At my old job it was a chore to just get out of bed to get ready for work. Eight hours of misery. Now I jump out of bed raring to go. OK so I don't really jump, it's more like roll out of bed, knees cracking, moaning, well you get the picture. In the end I get to work. So what things have I missed telling you all about?
Baseball:
I love baseball. It is the greatest game there is. It is the only sport where the defense controls the ball. I am a Yankee fan, I know some of you have stopped reading at this point but let me go on, I am a Yankee fan and I like Red Sox fans. Old time baseball fans not the new "I'm a Red Sox fan because I hate the Yankees fan". just because you could not stomach all those losing years as a Royals fan, or Padres fan so you saw all the fun the Sox fans were having in '04 (I know '07 also, they don't let you forget that one) and jumped on the bandwagon. So without too much gloating let's talk about the collapse of the Sox. On September 1, 2011 the Atlanta Braves were sitting in second place in the National League Eastern Division and had an 8.5 game lead in the wild card race over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Braves tanked the end of the season and the Cards went on to the playoffs. The only saving grace for Braves fans was the fact that they didn't do as bad as the Red Sox. On that same September 1, the Red Sox had a half game lead over the Yankees in the Division race. By the 3rd, they were a half game behind New York but still had a nine game lead over Tampa in the wild card race, again, the Sox managed somehow to squander that lead and ended up watching the playoffs from home (here to make you feel better, five games later the Yankees were also home watching the rest of the playoffs). Still, if it weren't for the Red Sox the end of the season would have been boring. Baseball relies on the Yankee/Red Sox rivalry to boost revenue each year. If it were not for the rabid fans in New England and The metro tri state area no one would care. Yes Chicagoans you are great fans also.So now that the Red Sox are done and the Yankees are done, who cares who wins the World Series (Taxes Rangers vs St. Louis Cardinals, first game Wednesday night, just in case you wanted to know) it is now football season.
Football:
Going into week six of the NFL season, both Buffalo and Detroit were atop their divisions with just one loss for the Bills and the Lions were undefeated. I'll let that sink in for a bit. (cheesy elevator music ) Yes you read that right. The Buffalo Bills in week six brought their 4-1 record into Giants Stad, no I'm sorry, The Meadowlands Stad, again sorry, The Met Life Stadium. (side note, the Met Life Stadium, really, come on and for how long? There should be a rule that if you want to pay huge amounts of money to have your name on the stadium it should be for as long as Lambeau Field in Green Bay [named Lambeau Field in 1965 after Packer founder Curley Lambeau] or Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City [1972 -present] ) OK got that off my chest, no I didn't, really Met Life Stadium, ooohh the image of Snoopy on a blimp makes the opponents quake in their boots. It makes the Yale Bowl sound tough. Week six, the Giants improved to 4-2 with a win over the Bills and the fact that the Giants are 4-2 is a whole other matter. In Detroit at Ford Field (jeeze ) the 49ers beat the Lions to go to 5-1 and the Lions fell to second place behind Green Bay. What's the lesson here, keep the name of your stadium. No really it's that the season is now a third over and the games are getting more important as we approach the playoffs.
So I've bored you enough with sports, let me tackle the new TV season tomorrow.

I2K, A Parking Lot of Fun

2011-09-20T07:26:00.000-04:00

The parking lots at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds are not a paved lot like you would see at the mall or at an office building. The fields that are used for parking are anything but level. Since the festival moved from the Altamont Fairgrounds to Ballston Spa the Saratoga Hibernians have manned the lots. “We’re the first faces the people see when they get to the festival” says Division president Chris Bergman whose 30 member volunteer force moved hundreds of cars in and out over the two days. “We try to greet everyone with a smile” continued Bergman explaining his workers view on their job. “If everyone is happy and has a good time, the festival will be successful and we will be successful”. Although the festival is not associated with the Hibernians, many members are involved in the running of the event. The parking at the festival has become one of the Saratoga AOH’s biggest fundraising events of the year. The Saratoga AOH has used the profits made from events like this to donate to various charities over the past ten years.

I2K, A Family Affair

2011-09-18T11:55:00.000-04:00

2011 was the 15^th annual Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival. What started as the brainchild of a group of friends has become one of this countries biggest two day Irish Festivals. The group that came up with the idea was made up mostly of two families, the McSweeneys and the Nelligans, “If we were not related to each other it was something really close” says Festival Vice President Maura McSweeney-Tearno. McSweeney-Tearno along with her sister Sheila, brother Tim, Mother Pat teamed up with Matt and Brian Nelligan and their father to form the core of the group. Family has always been a focal point of the festival.”Family is the always at the heart of the Irish people” according to Festival President Matt Nelligan, “it is the center of all Irish life”. The Festival always caters to familys on Saturdays, this year featuring magicians, a bird of prey exhibit, pony rides and a Seanachai (storyteller). “If you don’t have storytelling” said Author and local Seanchai Bairbre McCarthy , “you’re missing out on an important part of the Celtic culture”. It’s not just in the planning and running of the festival that family stands out. Tucked inbetween the carts and trailers overflowing with carnival food was the Capital District Irish American Assocition’s tent, where you could get family style Corned beef and Irish, soda bread, “The best corned beef this side of Dublin” boasted CDIAA President Pat Hale, “the cows are lining up at the slaughter house just to be a part of it” Many of the bands are made up of family members including The Screaming Orphans (Four Sisters) and Celtic Cross (Two brothers and a sister). “When our parents came to this country they had no one else but their families” Kathleen Fee of Celtic Cross says, “We formed a band with my brothers and they are my best friends”. The Irish community embraces the family and opens themselves to each other for love and support. When someone dies they whole community is shaken. When founding member Pat McSweeney passed away last year after a long illness, the festival was missing something. This year they got it back by naming the pub stage where the local bands perform, The Patrica McSweeney Memorial Pub Stage. “Pat was a great friend and fan” said Frank Jaklitsch, “She pushed me into performing when I first moved to the area” Jaklitsch, who has played in all 15 festivals opened his set by being introduced by the McSweeneys and singing Bruce Springsteen’s No Surrender, a song the he played for Pat at her last birthday. Tom Flynn of the Brothers Flynn called it “an Honor and a privilege” to perform on the memorial stage. Kevin MacKrell also a 15 time festival entertainer, played on two different stages, one as a solo act and on the traditional stage with the band, Quackser Fortune has a cousin in the Bronx, summed it up by saying, “It’s good to have her back with us”.

Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival

2011-09-13T19:59:00.000-04:00

So it's time for Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival again. This will be my fourth Irish Festival of the summer, and yes it's still the summer. Friday night September 16, 2011 and all day and into the night on Saturday September 17, 2011, the Saratoga County Fairgrounds will be green with Irish. The Summer Festival season started on Memorial Day weekend in East Durham. The high lite of the Festival was the return of The Whole Shebang.

As you can tell from the video the crowd loved the show. There are about three things that make for a good Irish Festival and no, drinking is not one of them, it's all three. No, really, the things that make a Festival are good music, good friends and a good selection of food and venders. The East Durham Festival had all three. Besides the Whole Shebang they had Celtic Cross, Shilelagh Law, Black 47 and East Durham favorites, The Andy Cooney Band and the Kitty Kelly Band. The friends that were there were numerous but I must point out that Chris and Amy, Sheila, Trish, Michele, Tom, the immortal Billy Flynn and my text partner Maura all played a part in making East Durham a great Festival.

At the end of July I headed out to Herkimer for the Great American Irish Festival. I went out on Friday night with the Fighting 86's. I came home late Friday night and went to my 35 high school reunion on Saturday afternoon before heading back out to Herkimer. The bands at the Great American included,

The High Kings, Barleyjuice, Seven Nations and Hair of the Dog and Enter the Haggis. The usual group of Festival goers made the trip as well as NYS AOH President Mike McNabb and family. This past weekend I was in Syracuse for the Syracuse Irish Festival. This is set up a bit different. Instead of at a fairgrounds they take over downtown Syracuse and turn the Syracuse Orange to green.

The Fighting 86's showed that they were too large to play the traditional stage as they packed the street with fans, dancing and singing along. The other bands were Goitse, The Glengarry Bhoys, The Elders and The Causeway Giants. I spent time with some Syracuse Hibernian Brothers and again a good time was had by all. Now we are halfway to St. Patrick's Day and the Festival is in our own back yard. I2K opens at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds Friday night with a line up of, Seven Nations, Gaelic Storm and Enter the Haggis. On Saturday the great music continues with, Shilelagh Law, Celtic Cross, Screaming Orphans and Black 47. Check out the website for a complete listing at http://irish2000fest.com/ One change this year. In the past they have had a "pub" stage where the local bands play. This year they have renamed it, The Patricia McSweeney Memorial Pub Stage. Pat was a founding member and a force behind the success of the Irish 2000 Festival. The Festival sometimes doesn't feel the same without Pat but usually at some point you know that she is there.

So I am looking forward to this weekend and I hope you can come out and join in the fun,whether it's your fifth Irish Festival of the year or your first, you are going to have a good time.

September 11

2011-09-07T21:17:00.000-04:00

My mother is 92 years old, she is a part of, what Tom Brokaw calls "the Greatest Generation". My mother sometimes has trouble remembering things, but what she still recalls to this day is where she was when she heard the news of Pearl Harbor. On September 11, 2001 I was at work at the Post Office. We had just finished our weekly safety talk and were headed into the break room. On all the TV's the images of the World Trade Center shone and the reporters were telling of an airplane that had hit the midtown Manhattan tower. Then we saw in horror the second plane hit. We all knew at this instant that this was no accident. As my co workers and I looked on, the reports that the planes were hijacked prior to the crashes confirm our thoughts that we are under attack. Around twenty minutes to ten a report tells of a fire at the Pentagon. At 9:59 am the south tower of the world trade center collapses. Thirty minutes later, the north tower crashes too. The supervisors at the Post Office repeatedly told us to go back to work but we payed them no heed and continued to watch the televisions, when they were able to get us out of the break room and back to our work areas we never started our machines we all tried to find news on the radio and gathered in small groups. The information we gathered was all over the map. No one knew exactly what was going on and the news stations would give one story and then a few minutes later change the story. Then the fire alarm rang, we evacuated the building. Someone had called in a bomb scare to the Post Office. After an hour in the parking lot, they sent us home.
The difference between my mother's generation and mine is that, they had to wait hours to hear the radio reports of the attack while we watched it as it happened. I don't remember hearing the news of the Kennedy assassination, I do remember watching the funeral on TV. I will never forget September 11.

As the days passed and the horrible images continued to be shown on TV, my thoughts were , thank God I didn't know anyone in the towers. Yes, this happened to Americans, yes they were only 150 miles away, but it wasn't hitting home........yet. My mother and father didn't know anyone at Pearl Harbor but the coming years hit home for them. Many of their classmates from high school died in the war. Two of my mother's brothers served in the Pacific, my parents made the sacrifices at home to support the war. A week after the attacks on September 11, Martin Kelly, then the New York State AOH President, sent out an e-mail letting his friends know that he was alright. I had forgotten that he worked in the towers. What I didn't know was that his daughter and son-in-law did also. All three escaped before the collapse. When the names of the Fire Fighters and Police Officers that died in the attack was released, I found out that 18 of my Hibernian brothers were on that list. This was becoming a ripple effect. When you think that it didn't effect you personally, all of a sudden you find out it did. The video I chose for this post is my friend Mike Roche singing "When New York was Irish". Mike is not a professional musician, he is a good Irishman that will step up and sing a song or two when asked, and he does a fine job on this old tune. At the end of the song, Mike lifts his glass and says, as he always does with this song, "to Father Mike". Ten years after the attack and every time Mike sings that song, it's in honor of the memory of his good friend Father Mike Judge, FDNY Chaplin, who gave his life that day. The ripple effect. Even if you still think that the attacks didn't effect you, stand back and take a look around you, see the people you know who knew someone that died that day, take a look around you and see the people you know who have someone fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan as a result of 9/11. We were all affected and we will never forget. 343, 23, 37.

Why can't life be more like the movies?

2011-08-20T08:21:00.002-04:00

Based on a true story. How many times have we read those words in the ads for movies? Off the top of my head I can name five, Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind, Erin Brockovitch, All The Presidents Men, and The Wizard of Oz. OK so the Wizard of Oz wasn't based on a true story but a great many films are, the only thing is, when you say "based" it means you can change things a little. In real life you can't. Yes I know, you can make changes in your life, what I'm talking about is omitting things that the audience might be bored with. Like your life, for example. If you were God and could write out the script for your life what parts would you omit? Again, this is for the sake of argument, if you were God you wouldn't omit anything, so let's put it this way, if God handed you the script for your life how much would you ad lib? So what is my point here, does life imitate art or does art imitate life? I'm going with art imitating life, but only the good parts. If it was the other way around life would be easy. Or would it? What movies would you base your life on? It's not fair to take different movies and cut them up to make a wonderful life for yourself. You can only choose one, and that would be your life, based on a fictional story. Now that's what I would like to see on an ad for a movie, Star Wars, based on a fictional story. Our lives are very different but it seems that we like to think that we can see ourselves playing the part that we saw in a movie. If you fall in love with a woman and mess it up somehow how do you handle it, stand in her front yard holding up a boom box blaring music? Stand in front of her house and yell her name (works best if her name is Stella)? Stand in the middle of the Hover Dam in the pouring rain stop traffic? So as you can see, none of those things will help you in your love life so try not to imitate art in matters of romance. Really, "you had me at hello" is pretty cheesy in real life. Some other lines that worked well in film but will do nothing in real life, "Here's looking at you kid", "You're why cavemen chiseled on walls", "I know what I want because I have it in my hands right now, you". This doesn't mean not to quote movies, it just means that they may not work as well as you would like them. I know for a fact that if a beautiful women said to me, "I'm just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her" it would work, but then again I'm a guy, "To call you stupid is an insult to stupid people" would work from the same woman.

So write your own script, a little divine inspiration wouldn't hurt "we're on a mission from God", and live you own life, don't just act out what you see on the big screen.

a quiz on today's posting. Ten movies were cited in the post , name them. Bonus, what song was playing on the boom box?

Class of 76 reunion

2011-07-28T10:53:00.003-04:00

Wow, thirty five years. On Saturday afternoon the class of 1976, the Bi-Centennial Class, from Guilderland Central High School will gather for their 35th reunion. The song above was the number one song in the country as the graduates walked across the stage, set on the football field, dressed in red and white caps and gowns. Has it really been that long? This years reunion started last year on facebook. A small fire started as a few classmates decided to come back to Guilderland the same weekend. The fire spread to the many people that were still in the area, tours were set up in the Altamont Elementary School, the High School and the Farnsworth Middle school. After, a gathering at DeeDee's in Latham, why not, DeeDee was a classmate. The night was filled with fun and laughter, old friends and new stories.

This year, we are having a reunion, it is a clambake, picnic, steakroast what ever you want to call it. We are too old to do the Country Club thing anymore. We don't need to impress our classmates. We are what we are, shorts, t-shirts, sundresses, now that's the way to celebrate thirty five years of being an adult.

Over 500 graduates on that sunny June day in 1976 crossed that stage, we lost the first one a few weeks later, on Labor day weekend. The trouble with reunions is the loss of old friends, when you were 18 you were invincible, by the time you are 53, you know the truth. So to all the friends that have gone before us, we will lift a glass to your memories this Saturday and tell all the stories that used to embarrass you, you will always live on. See all you Dutchmen on Saturday.

How to become an Irish music fan

2011-07-24T09:47:00.003-04:00

When you decide to expand your musical taste into another genre, the easiest way is to just go out and buy as many cd's as possible. The downfall, other than the cost, is how do you know what to buy. Youtube is a great source for many different songs done by many different artist. Still you nee a little guidance. Two different people in the last couple of days have asked me about Irish music. So here is a little guide to becoming an Irish music fan.

Growing up in the Irish culture you first hear the songs being sung around a table at partys. When you can match a song with a type of music you like voila, you're a fan, (think Whiskey in the Jar, traditional song + rock and roll [Thin Lizzy or Metallica ] ). This doesn't happen often so most times you are left to the finding of a friend. The problem here is what if your friends taste in music is different than yours? So I will give you a few suggestions here to start you off on your way to becoming an Irish Music fan.

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

When the folk music craze hit the US in the 60's the Clancy's did the same thing in Ireland. Standing together in their fisherman knit sweaters and singing all the old tunes. This is a great place to start and it will give you a strong background.

Makem and Clancy

As the years went by so did the band. Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy went on to record as a duo, they still did the Irish favorites but added songs like, The Dutchman, and Eric Bogles song, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

Planxty

In the early 1970's Planxty emerged as a traditional music band. Jigs and reels where mixed with songs for a complete package of Irish music

The Chieftains

As far as traditional music goes the most well known band is the Chieftains. since there inception in 1962 the Chieftains have brought Irish music to the entire world. Six time grammy winners the band has recorded with many artist that you would never consider to be Irish music fans. My favorite album is Irish Heartbeat, with Van Morrison and next would be Another Country, recorded in Nashville with Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris, Chet Adkins, Willie Nelson and others. The Long Black Veil, was recorded in 1995 and featured artist like Tom Jones, Mick Jagger, Sting and Sinead O'Conner to name a few.

The Wolfe Tones

For over thirty years the Wolfe Tone brought there brand of rebel songs to America and beyond. The ballads and folk songs were mixed in with songs of rebellion from the 1916 uprising, civil war and through the troubles in the north. Songs like Kevin Barry, Boys of the Old Brigade, Men Behind the Wire and Rock on Rockall.

The next generation of Irish music

The blockbuster film, Titanic, exposed many people to a little know band at the time, Gaelic Storm. the steerage band playing An Irish Party in Third Class, brought them popularity and success. The band tours many Irish Festivals around the country (including the Irish 2000 Festival in September at the Saratoga County fairgrounds).

Flogging Molly this band mixes rock and roll and Irish into a whole new type of experience. This is the new Irish, that includes bands like Dropkick Murphys from Boston and New York City's Seven Nations and Black 47.

Irish Festivals are a great place to see different types of bands all at once. Most festivals give you a choice of traditional music stages and contemporary music stages. They also usually feature a local stage. Nice place to see the bands that play in your home town all year round.

Bands that you can see in the next few months that are just a short drive from Saratoga include,

Enter the Haggis, Prodigals, Shilelagh Law, The Screaming Orphans and Celtic Cross.

Don't forget our own local bands, Hair of the Dog, The Fighting 86's, Who's Your Paddy, The Brothers Flynn, and what ever form Kevin McKrell has put together.

So you see there is a lot to choose from if you want to dive into Irish music. Set aside a few hours and let your fingers go wild on youtube and enjoy.

The Irish are coming!!

2011-07-19T13:56:00.002-04:00

Last week while you all were waiting for up to date posts, I was down in Pearl River, NY at the Bi-annual New York State AOH/LAOH convention. The Hilton Hotel, very nice, so nice it cost $.49 a minute for the internet. Everyone knows just how slow I type so it would have cost me a fortune to post a blog from the convention. Besides all the Hibernian business that had to take place, there was some Saratoga things to do as well. Two years ago the Saratoga Hibernians decided to take a run at bringing the convention to our city. I started working with the Saratoga County Convention and Tourism Bureau. Together we set up a plan, Last week that plan went into action. The convention starts with an icebreaker dinner on Wednesday night. The Toga boys and I wore our kilts and Saratoga Irish shirts to dinner. We passed out as many of our Saratoga Irish pins as we could. That night we headed to the hospitality suites to campaign. I walked into the Nassau County suite, our foe for the week, and showed just how classy we Saratogians are. The whole week we never made any discouraging remarks about our downstate brothers and sisters. I told them that no matter the outcome, there would be a convention in 2013 and we would all have fun. On Thursday morning it was time for the presentations. They had won the coin toss and went first. They made some mistakes. They showed a slick video that showed all of Long Island. They said you could take a short train ride to Montauk (93 miles away, short?). When they were done it was our turn. I went to the podium with six members of the LAOH and a representative from the Convention Bureau and from the Holiday Inn. I invited them all to Saratoga, I explained that the last AOH Convention in Saratoga was a National Convention in 1906, and at that Convention a resolution was passed to form the Ladies organization, I invited the ladies to come back to their roots. I then introduced a video that, I told them the Hibernians had made to show them what to expect when they came to Saratoga Springs. Sometimes it's easy to get a laugh if you know your crowd, sometimes even if you know the crowd they don't laugh. As the photos of the Saratoga Battlefield came up on the video a voice over said, "The British came to Saratoga..............once, and with the help of Timothy Murphy.....we sent them packing!". The room broke out in laughter. We were on our way. The rest of the week we smiled, talked about the great city of Saratoga Springs and how much fun the people would have if they came. Nassau County was running scared, they couldn't keep up with us. Everything they did, they did second. The desk clerks were wearing Saratoga pins, they had to run over and give out I love Long Island buttons to them. We were unstoppable. On Friday night at the awards dinner the bagpipe band came in to play wearing our pins. The Ladies have a fundraiser every convention. Each county makes a basket to raffle off, the Saratoga men all bought tickets, wrote "Vote Saratoga" on them and put them all in the Nassau County basket. We waited anxiously as the tickets were pulled but to no avail, we did not win the Nassau County basket. That night I told the Nassau County women what we had done and one said, "I wish you had won, that would habe been the funnest thing ever". Saturday morning rolled around and we went to vote, now the waiting began. We headed off to lunch still not knowing. In the middle of lunch my phone went crazy, Saratoga wins. Saturday night was a great celebration. We could not have done this with out the help and support of the Schenectady LAOH, the men and women from the Albany, Troy, Watervliet AOH/LAOH our brothers and sisters across the state.

Now the real work begins. The Irish are coming to Saratoga Springs 2013.

It's Summertime

2011-07-07T08:11:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry but nothing says summer like the Beach Boys. OK, Jan & Dean, Surf City, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, Summer Nights, Chicago, Saturday in the Park, Don Henley, Boys of Summer. So I guess there are a lot of summer songs but still, when you hear the Beach Boys all you can conjure up in your mind is summer.

It's not even July 10th and the calender is filling up. Weddings, Class reunion, Music Festivals, it seems I'm now making plans for late August. Remember when the summer was so long and you had nothing to do but play baseball or ride your bikes and it got to the point that you wanted to go back to school. Now everything is planned and ridged and carved into stone; almost. So here is my July.

12-17 New York State AOH Convention. A week of meetings during the day and Irish music and culture at night. This year, the Saratoga AOH is putting in a bid for the State Convention in 2013. It has been a lot of work preparing for our presentation and we have to work the crowds all week for the vote on Saturday morning but I am looking forward to it.

22, Kids are coming into town and my cousin's daughter is getting married. Nothing says wedding more than a reception at the Canfield Casino, (it's haunted ).

23rd Open date?

29-31 Great American Irish Festival in Frankfort NY, that's just outside Utica. A great three days of music and fun.

30 Guilderland High School Class of 76 reunion. OK, here's the first of the double bookings. Do I stay out in Utica and miss the reunion or do I come back and then try to make it out for Sunday in Utica. This might just be a last minute decision.

So that's my July, oh and the track opens. August is filling up fast also, so now you can see just how hard it is to be a social butterfly. I think I'm going to sit back this weekend and listen to a little Beach Boys. Wait, this weekend I have a party to go to on Saturday and a Hurling match on Sunday that might turn into an all day affair. If these are my biggest problems then life is good and folks, right now..........life is very good.

Happy Birthday USA

2011-07-04T08:56:00.002-04:00

Happy 235th Birthday America. What a concept our fore fathers had and the desire for freedom. OK, it was a bunch of rich guys who didn't want to pay taxes and repayment of loans. America has become from the beginning, the greatest land in the world. Sometimes we forget this. We have had our growing pains, we were not the best and brightest in some areas, we had slavery, it took almost a hundred years to abolish this and another hundred years to give the decedents of slaves the civil rights that they, as Americans, were due. We are growing older and as a country we are changing to make sure that the words of the Declaration of Independence are still true today as they were when Jefferson wrote them. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." . To show that we are still growing as a people New York State has just passed a law allowing same sex marriage, not to get into a debate here but doesn't that say just what Jefferson said. Enjoy your holiday and I hope you like the music I chose.

Your 4th of July Playlist

2011-07-02T09:10:00.003-04:00

Thanks to my friend Maura (second fifer from left) for providing this clip of the Adamsville Ancients Fife and Drums. What's more Fourth of July than a fife and drum corp playing Marie's Wedding, Mountian Tea and other Irish tunes.

Ok, here we go. The cooler is stocked with cold beer, the grill is ready for the burgers and dogs and of course, Johnsonville Brats. What backyard party would be complete with out Johnsonville Brats. Yeah Meat. ( no, this blog is not brought to you by Johnsonville, but it could be. Anyone out there from Johnsonville or any other company that wants to sponsor this blog feel free to contact me and we could talk. You hear that Anheuser-Busch. "The cooler is stocked with cold Budweiser, and for this 4th of July try Bud in the Limited edition, Red, White and Blue Patriotic Cans. Budweiser will donate a portion of all sales to Folds of Honor, an organization that supports families of US Military personnel killed or disabled while serving their country") The guest are arriving and you need to put on the days music. So here is a list of songs for the Fourth of July.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, American Girl

Bruce Springsteen, Born in The USA

Ray Charles, America the Beautiful

The Guess Who, American Woman

Grand Funk Railroad, We're an American Band

David Bowie, Young Americans

David Lee Roth, California Girls

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sweet Home Alabama

Billy Joel, New York State of Mind

Mountain, Mississippi Queen

Ray Charles, Georgia

LeAnn Rimes, Blue Moon of Kentucky

Bruce Springsteen, Jersey Girl

R. Dean Taylor, Indiana Wants Me

Dropkick Murphys, Shipping up to Boston (what? you thought I was going to go with The BeeGees, Massachusetts )

Crosby, Stills and Nash, Ohio

Mark Lindsay, Arizona

Charlie Daniels Band, Texas

Kieth Whitley, Charlotte's in North Carolina

Bobby Sherman, In Seattle

Elvis, Viva Las Vegas

The Ventures, Hawaii Five-0

John Denver, Rocky Mountain High

Elton John, Philadelphia Freedom

Tony Bennett, Moonlight in Vermont

Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska

Merle Haggerd, Okie from Muskogee

Fats Domino, Kansas City

Johnny Horton, North to Alaska

Lyle Lovett, North Dakota

Woody Guthrie, This Land is Your Land

OK, that should get you started. What songs can you add to the list?

4th of July Movies

2011-07-01T09:01:00.003-04:00

So it's the Fourth of July weekend, picnics, fireworks, flags waving, the weekend we all are proud to be Americans. Based on my criteria for a holiday (movies and songs about the day), the Fourth of July is one of the top holidays of the year, (at least here in the good ole' US of A, take that England) so what are the top Fourth of July movies.

Yankee Doodle Dandy, The story of George M. Cohan staring James Cagney, Joan Leslie, and Walter Huston. It tells the story of one of America's greatest composer, playwright, actor, singer and dancer. From his start in Vaudeville to the bright lights of Broadway. Cagney sings and dances through the patriotic songs It's a Grand Old Flag, Over There and the title tune, I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy. A must see for the holiday weekend.

1776, The film version of the Broadway musical comedy set in the days leading up to July 4, 1776. The film stars Ken Howard (The White Shadow) as Thomas Jefferson, William Daniels (St. Elsewhere, Boy Meets World) as John Adams and character actor Howard Da Silva as Ben Franklin. Unless it's raining this weekend feel free to miss this one.

The Patriot, Mel Gibson bravehearts the American Revolution with the help of Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain, The Dark Knight), Jason Isaacs (Brotherhood, Harry Potter), and Chris Cooper ( Bourne Identity, American Beauty). This film didn't fare well in England, aparently they didn't like the ending as much as Gibson's earlier film Braveheart.

Stars and Stripes Forever, The biographical story of John Phillip Sousa, America's "March King". The 1952 film stars Clifton Webb (Titanic, Heaven Can Wait), as Sousa, Robert Wagner (It Takes a Thief, Hart to Hart), and Debra Paget (The Ten Commandments, Love Me Tender). The film features the Sousa marches, The Washington Post March, Semper Fidelis and of course the title march, Stars and Stripes Forever.

So there are four movies for you to see this weekend, but really, don't spend time inside watching movies. Go out, have a burger and a beer, run the flag up the flagpole. Show the world just how proud we are to live in the greatest country in the world.

Tomorrow, a playlist of patriotic songs for your holiday picnic but till then....

Good Friends, Good Times

2011-06-27T08:34:00.004-04:00

Once upon a time, in the tiny hamlet of Loudonville, stood a ramshackle little pub run by a ramshackle little man. Every night the little man would put on his colorful sweater and climb up on a bar stool with his guitar and sing out Irish songs. The people came from all over to hear the little man sing. One young man from a far away city came to see the little man sing. He had never heard Irish music before and the melodies and lyrics put him under a spell. The young man started to spend more and more time at the side of the little man and he learned all the tunes. One day, the little man told him, "You will play on Sundays". So the first Sunday came along and the people came to the ramshackle pub to see the little man sing but no, it was the young man singing. Magic happened that day as the young man invited people to join him in song. Soon everyone was coming on Sundays and joining in with the young man. A silver haired tenor singing , a young man playing bodhran, a fiddler, a little fellow playing tin whistle, a tin whistler blowing bubbles from his whistle, everyone was joyous and singing. Every Sunday the crowds got bigger and the music got better. One day, the ramshackle little man passed away, everyone was sad. The young man, now older and wiser, kept the Sunday music going. The people sang and sang, the music and the guinness flowed and the people were happy again. One night a terrible thing happened, the ramshackle pub burned to the ground, never to be again. Today if you go to Loundonville to where the pub stood a new bright and shinny building stands in the place of the old pub. But what of the music and song? The now older man has taken the songs on the road to nearby villages of Troy or Albany and the people have followed. Sunday afternoons are still filled with song and laughter and friendship.

This may sound like a fairy tale to you but it is true. Yesterday I went to the Hibernian Center in Albany to see and hear Frank Jaklitsch play. The funny thing about going to see Frank is that you never know who or how many friends are going to join in. The people that come to hear the music are almost a private club, but a private club that is open to anyone and everyone. All you have to do is smile and join the fun and the people will welcome you with open arms. Yesterday, joining Frank on stage were Amy Collins singing one of my favorites, The Dutchman, (You can see Amy at the Moon and River Cafe in Schenectady on July 14th, check out www.amycollinsmusic.com for more dates), Bill and Tom Flynn (The Brothers Flynn at Anna O'Keeffes on June 29th, www.thebrothersflynn.com has all their dates), Chris Gill, Mike Roche, Erin Harkes singing the Sally Gardens, (Erin will be at the Dinosour BBQ in Troy Friday July 1st. www.erinharkes.com has all her dates), Keith Barney and Steve Hrubin just to name a few.

So check out Frank's website at, www.frankjak.com for upcoming shows and join in the fun, everyone needs a little magic and fun on a Sunday afternoon.

Good-bye Clarence

2011-06-22T08:41:00.002-04:00

In September of 1975 the Guilderland High School newspaper, The Journal, issued the first edition of the school year. There under the heading of music review, was the new album by a relatively unknown band, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. The album was Born to Run. I went out, after reading a glowing review, and bought the album ( yes album, LP, 12 inch vinyl. Ten years later when I bought my first cd player, Born to Run was one of the first cd's I got.) before side one was over I was a fan. A lot is said about Bruce Springsteen, he is the "voice of a generation" and he was the next Bob Dylan, and although he is deserving of all these accolades, he alone was not what captured my attention. It was the band. The E Street Band had a sound that took us out of the disco era and back to rock and roll. In a year that featured number one hits by, Captain and Tennille, Love Will Keep Us Together, Glen Cambell, Rhinestone Cowboy, K.C. and The Sunshine Band, That's The Way (Get Down Tonight), and C.W. McCall, Convoy, the best the song Born to Run could do is 23 on the Billboard Charts. The 70's was a somewhat ugly decade for music ("see this scar right here on my wrist, that's from when I heard that the BeeGees were getting back together" Denis Leary) but the E Street Band continued to roll.

The band was made up of many different musicians the ones that have stayed the course and were at least part of the Born to Run album are, Bruce Springsteen, Vocals, guitar, harmonica, Gary Tallent, bass guitar, Max Weinberg, drums, Steven Van Zandt, backround vocals, and Clarence Clemons, saxaphone. Over the years others have joined and left the group. Weinberg was the bandleader on the Conan O'Brian Show, Steve Van Zandt was on the HBO series , The Saprano's, Clarence Clemons played with several other musicians and released a few solo albums. The band never reached the heights alone as they did together.

On this past Saturday, Clarence Clemons passed away from complications from a stroke he suffered on June 12, 2011. To say part of my childhood went with him isn't totally true. I was 17 when I first heard the band and for the next thirty five years they have held a spot very close to the top in my list of favorite music. I don't put together many playlist for my mp3 without at least one tune from the E Street Band. Born to Run is still my favorite followed by Thunder Road, I still smile and think of Sara when I hear Jersey Girl (only the line, "I'm in love with a Jersey girl" ) and I get to see a young Courtney Cox in the video of Dancing in the Dark.

I read the news Sunday morning of Clarence's death and felt like I had lost an old friend. Bruce on stage always did the intros right from referring to Clemons as "The Master of the Universe" to "I have seen the future of the whole f---ing thing and it's Big Man, Clarence Clemons".

I'm sure on the next tour the E Street Band will have a new sax player but the band will have a hole in their soul with out the Big Man. Thank you Clarence for all the fond memories.

Father's Day

2011-06-15T10:50:00.004-04:00

Father's Day is coming up, I know this because every ad on TV is what to get for your father. Lowes, Home Depot, Budwiser, The OutBack restaurants, doesn't matter, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. What do fathers really want for their day? They don't want gifts, this father would just like to spend time with his children. We, as fathers, don't think about what our lives will be like when the young ones have grown and moved away. Even the ones that are close by, have lives of their own to live. My wish for father's day is to have one more moment of walking into the house and the kids come running to me, excited that I was home.

You see, as a child you don't realize how important you are to the everyday living of your father. Only as an adult, when sometimes it is too late, you wish you had spent more time with dad. My father passed on in 1980. Hardly a day goes by that I don't think of him and miss him. I wish that he had lived to see my children. What joy it would have been for him. My brother and sisters now laugh and tell "dad" stories. Who lasted the longest learning to drive with dad before they pulled the car over and told him to drive. The late night ghost stories around the camp and dad would scare everyone. The day you walked in to a bar together and shared a beer.

I only hope that my grandchildren hear great stories about me when I am gone.

Until then, dad, I miss you.

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there and to my kids especially, I was only joking about the no gift thing.

FYI, as of this morning (Friday) no Canadians have read the post about Canada. Take off you hosers .

Saturday morning update. All it took was calling them out. One lone Canadian read the blog yesterday , apparently the rest are still reeling from the loss to Boston.

Sunday Morning Stats update

2011-06-12T08:32:00.005-04:00

I checked the stats page for this blog this morning and Germany has taken a nine reader lead over Russia. It still amazes me that people all over the world are reading this. I want to help out a little. Canada, our neighbor to the north still sits in the basement just like the Expos did for do many years in the National League. Maybe if I write about Canada, more searches will bring Canadians to this blog.

From Ottawa we have Dan Aykroyd, From Saturday Night Live and movies like, The Blues Brother's and Ghostbusters. The Pondarossa may have beeen his home on TV for over twenty years but Ottawa is also the birthplace of Lorne Greene. The man of a thousand voices, Rich Little and 1950's teen idol, Paul Anka both hail from Ottawa.

Celine Dion, Glenn Ford and are just three names from Quebec. You have to go to the other side of the country to find Alberta native Michael J. Fox and British Columbia born Ryan Reynolds and Yvonne DeCarlo.

Any list of Canadians from Ontario would be incomplete without, Jeopardy host, Alex Trebek , hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky and actor Alan Thicke.

The television series SCTV in 1977 opened our homes to John Candy, Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, Joe Flaherty and Rick Moranis.

Canada is much more than actors and comedians, It's also Molson country, the place for LaBatts Blue and Moosehead beer.

Toronto has two professional sports teams in American sports, the NBA's Raptors and in baseball, AL East, Blue Jays.

So, if you're from Canada, welcome and enjoy the blog. If you aren't from Canada it is a great place to go on Vacation, gocanada.about.com is a great place to start to plan your trip.

Com'on Canada, let's go to the blog.

Selling Saratoga

2011-06-10T08:43:00.002-04:00

OK, so I'm not a native Saratogian. I grew up in Guilderland, a suburb of Albany. When I was growing up, there was no Crossgates Mall, it was a horse farm with trails through the woods. Stuyvesant Plaza was made up of The Grand Union, Central Market, Woolworths, Western Auto and W. T. Grant. Guilderland was a nice place to raise a family back then, not that there is anything wrong with it now. In December of 1985 I moved to Saratoga Springs with my wife and small son. Twenty six years later there is no wife and my last of four childern is about to graduate from Saratoga Springs High School. I feel that Saratoga is my home and I love to live here. The education my childern received was outstanding. They have represented their city all over the country. My oldest was part of three Section ll Cross Country Champions and two New York State Championship teams. My daughter wore the blue and white as part of the girls soccer team. My two youngest both ran track and were members of the Drama Club. I have done my part as a coach in little league, rec soccer and the Saratoga Soccer Club. I am part of the Saratoga Springs Ancient Order of Hibernians. I'm telling you all this not because the Saratogian is asking for people to send in their favorite things about Saratoga ( Grasso's Italian Ice has to be one of them ) but because tomorrow I have to meet with eight members of the New York State Board of the AOH and the LAOH to pitch a convention for Saratoga Springs in 2013.

I think that this city is a perfect place for any group to hold their convention. After hours of meetings what could be better than to take a walk downtown to the shops and restaurants? You would think that this would be an easy sell, but you would be wrong. Saratoga Springs held the AOH National Convention in 1906, I guess at that time the people were used to walking places. This year when we travel to Pearl River for the 2011 Convention we have to give a presentation to convince the statewide membership to choose Saratoga Springs over Nassau County. There is nothing wrong with Nassau county, everything will be held in one, very nice hotel, and that's where everyone will stay for the four days, never leaving, never seeing anything else but the inside of a very nice hotel. We want them to come to Saratoga Springs and experience the entire city. When our meeting is over tomorrow it will be just in time for the Elk's Flag Day Parade and in the afternoon The Saratoga Arts Fest will be in full swing. What better way to show off our city. If you need to convince anyone to come to Saratoga Springs here are just a few reasons.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center

National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center

Saratoga Automobile Museum

Did you say Golf?

Saratoga National Golf Club

Saratoga Spa Golf Course

Airway Meadows Club

Saratoga Lake Golf Club

Music and Dining?

Way, way too many to name here. Just look down Caroline St. or Phila St. or Broadway, see what I mean.

How about a walk to the Beekman St. Art District or a stroll into Congress Park, don't feed the ducks but do take a ride on the century old Carousel.

Shopping is a must do item when you come to Saratoga Springs with Broadway packed with both national chains and unique one of a kind shops.

I guess selling Saratoga Springs is not a difficult task after all, wish us luck and I hope we can bring the convention here in 2013.

By the way, did I mention we have a casino and the greatest thoroughbred racing in the world?

My Italian is not that good but I believe they are voting for Saratoga.

Covers and Remakes

2011-06-07T08:06:00.002-04:00

Well I had a lot of fun with last Fridays post on road trip music. I got a lot of feedback and saw what other people want to listen to. Just a couple of personal notes here, Brian, listening to a road trip playlist of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and AC/DC, I think I would have a few speeding tickets. Matisyahu, (Cornershop, Morrissey, Elliott Smith, Jayhawks....) never heard of any of them.

Now onto today's posting. Covers and remakes. Just what makes a good cover song? First thing is you have to start with a good song. That's why there are so many great covers of Beatle (Rufus Wainwright, Across the Universe, Joe Cocker, With a Little Help From my Friends, Jackson Browne, Golden Slumbers ) and Bob Dylan songs (Ani DeFranco, Hurricane, Rage Against the Machine, Maggie's Farm). Sometimes it's the time between versions, for example, The Allman Brothers, Statesboro Blues in 1971, was a remake of Blind Willie McTell's 1928 hit. Sometimes it's who has a better fan base, The Cues and The Platters both released Only You in 1954. The best compliment, I think, is when you associate the remake as sometimes the better or more popular version. Janis Joplin, Me and Bobby McGee 1971, ( Kris Kristofferson, 1970 ), The Byrds, Mr. Tambourine Man, 1965 (Bob Dylan, 1964), Crosby, Stills Nash & Young, Woodstock, 1970 (Joni Mitchell, 1970 ).

I always like to find an remake of a great song. The late Warren Zevon had two, Back in the High Life Again, (Steve Winwood 1987) and Knockin' on Heaven's Door, (Bob Dylan 1973 ). I also like Ani DeFranco with the Indigo Girls, Midnight Train to Georgia, ( Gladys Knight & the Pips 1973). All of this is subject to your taste in music as always but keep looking out there, you never know just when you will find a hidden gem.

Top 10 Remakes (not mentioned above )

1) All Along The Watchtower Jimi Hendricks 1968 ( Bob Dylan 1967 )

2) Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar), The Doors 1967 (Kurt Weill 1930 )

3) Crazy Love , Marc Cohn & Jackson Browne (Van Morrison 1970)

4) California Girls, David Lee Roth 1985 (The Beach Boys 1965)

5) If You Don't Know me by Now, Simply Red 1989 ( Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes 1972 )

6) Mony Mony, Billy Idol 1987 (Tommy James 1967 )

7) I'm a Man, Chicago 1969 (Spencer Davis Group 1967 )

8) Wild Night , John Mellencamp 1994 (Van Morrison 1971 )

9) Proud Mary, Ike & Tina Turner 1971 (Creedence Clearwater Revival 1969)

10) For Once in My Life, Stevie Wonder 1968 (Jean DuShon 1966 )

not ranked in any order just ten good songs.

Now, what song will be stuck in your head all day?

Road Trip Music

2011-06-03T11:28:00.002-04:00

I'm taking a road trip tomorrow. Three hours each way, music is a must. With out having satellite radio you can not go on a long drive with out getting your music in order first.. I turned to the internet for help. It seems everyone from NPR to some slob with a blog (thank you) has an opinion about road songs. I think I have come up with a fine selection. The songs are in no order, just the picks that I made.

1.) Rascal Flatts, Life Is A Highway

kind of gets you in the mood for your long drive.

2.) Fiona Apple, Across the Universe

you can't go wrong with a Beatle's tune. As I was listening to this on youtube, they gave me a related video of Rufus Wainright doing the same song, either one works.

3.) Doobie Brothers, Rockin' Down the Highway

Old school style

4.) Lustra, Scotty Doesn't Know

From the soundtrack of the movie EuroTrip, this song is great anytime.

5.) Janis Joplin, Me and Bobby McGee

nothing needs to be said

6.) Roy Orbison, Pretty Woman

Why not feel free to insert Only the Lonely they both work

7.)Van Morrison, Brown Eyed Girl

because it's Van

8.) The Band, The Weight

Do I really need to explain some of these?

9.) Jackson Browne, The Load Out

Actually, the entire Running on Empty album works

10.) Marshall Tucker Band, 24 Hours at a Time

Getting a little Southern rockish here so we will wait for the Allman Brothers and go back to some rock and roll

11.) Train, Hey Soul Sister

Because I like it

12.) The Fratellis, Chelsea Dagger

Because it's a dam good song (pardon the pun)

13.)Shania Twain, Man I feel Like a Woman

One because she's hot and two I liked the commercial when the guy in the back seat sings this and at this point you need a laugh

14.) Bruce Springsteen, Thunder Road

It's a fast car, it's freedom, it's the highway

15.) Santana, Smooth

Carlos and Rob Thomas, it works

16.) The Blues Brothers, Sweet Home Chicago

Make it a mission from God

17.) Allman Brothers, Midnight Rider

because the road goes on forever

18.) Cream, Sunshine of Your Love

Because I'm a child of the 60's

19.) The Greatful Dead, Truckin'

20.) Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run

So there are a million reasons for this song but to put it simply, it's Born to Run

Well now that's a twenty song cd that you won't mind playing over and over on your trip. Happy motoring.

Festival Season has Started

2011-05-31T08:38:00.004-04:00

Saturday and Sunday East Durham held it's 34th annual Irish Festival. I can remember going to the Festival in the early 80's and each year seeing changes made and better accommodations. Now in 2011 they have it down. With music from bands like, Andy Cooney, The Prodigals, The Kitty Kelly Band and others, the festival was full of happy people. I saw Shileagh Law, Celtic Cross, The Whole Shabang and Black 47. Fantastic music for singing along with (with Maura, Eileen, Erin ) and dancing to (with Sheila ). The real fun was the time spent with friends. I went on Saturday afternoon which led into Saturday night. It was a day of laughter and hugs, carnival food, and beer. These festivals are fun for the whole family, kids of all ages were running around eating cotten candy, going on the rides and dancing to the music.

Don't be upset if you missed the Festival because this is only the beginning. Without driving too far from the Saratoga area you can go to

The Great American Irish Festival in Herkimer County on July 29 - 31. They will be featuring, Enter the Haggis, The Prodigals, Seven Nations and our own Hair of the Dog and the Fighting 86's.

The Bennington Irish Music Festival is on August 20 & 21. They pack the stage with, The Makem and Spain Brothers, Rakish Paddy, The McKrells, Hair of the Dog and...........Donnybrook Fair.

The summer ends with Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds. The September 16 & 17 lineup includes, Shileagh Law, Celtic Cross, The Screaming Orphans (one of my favorites), Gaelic Storm and Enter the Haggis, The Flynn Brothers and Kevin McKrell.

All three festivals have websites with all the information you will need for a great time.

If you can't wait for the festivals the bands all have sites with their schedules and play dates.

So go out and enjoy a summer of great Irish music.

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T08:05:00.005-04:00

The United States Government recognizes ten days a year as national holidays, days set aside to remember. All to often we, as Americans, forget the reasons behind these holidays. They become long weekends, just a day off from work. How happy are your friends when the 4th of July lands on a Friday or a Monday and it becomes a three day weekend. How many times have you heard the saying , keep Christ in Christmas? I think that Memorial Day has become a holiday that people forget the reason behind it.

We set aside two days a year to remember the people that have served our country, Veterans Day on November 11, ( originally called Armistice Day, the ending of World War 1, the war to end wars, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The other day is today, Memorial Day, to remember and honor those that did not return from war. More it has become the unofficial start of summer. This was posted on facebook today by the local Fox affiliate, "Coming up on FOX23 News this morning: Fly those flags and fire up the grill, it's Memorial Day". Should flying the flag and having a cook out be held in the same breath when it comes to Memorial Day?

If you do attend any of the parades or ceremonies today you will hear catch phrases for the day, "ultimate sacrifice" and "freedom is not free" are two of the politicians favorites. In my 52 plus years over 58,000 men and women died during the Viet Nam war, 293 during the Gulf war, and as of May 2011, 4454 men and women died in what they are calling, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom ( I guess if you don't call it a war it doesn't sound as bad ). So how has this affected me this memorial Day? I have two stories (yeah I know I always have stories).

A few years ago I took my sons on a vacation to Washington DC, we went to see all the monuments one day. At the Viet Nam memorial I started to walk along the wall. Most people that have been to the wall will tell you that it becomes a very eerie place as the wall becomes taller. Very quiet and solemn. I tried to read as many names as I could as I started to walk but soon the names fade into the wall and mostly you see your reflection in the stone. Now I remember the war as I was growing up but I didn't know anyone who had died. As I walked along all of a sudden a name popped out like it was larger than the rest, Peter McCardle. The name didn't mean much to me, I remember that my mom and dad had a high school friend named Pat McCardle but that was all and I only remember meeting Pat once when I was very young. When I returned home from vacation I called my mother to tell her about our trip. When I told her I went to the Viet Nam Memorial she asked (my mother has never seen the memorial in person ) if I saw Peter McCardle's name? Yeah I got chills.

My second story is about a friend of mine, Todd Clark. Todd is a career military man and has served more than one tour overseas. Last July the word spread quickly that he was severely wounded in Afghanistan. The Irish community came together in prayer and support of his family. Thankfully, Todd has recovered from his wounds. He was awarded the purple heart. The first time I saw him after he came home all I could say was, thank you, and it seemed such an empty phrase. Todd is a husband, father, son, brother and friend. Today he is lucky enough to be sharing Memorial Day with his family. So for the rest of us today, as you are enjoying your burgers and dogs in the back yard please remember the men and women that can't be here and the wives, husbands, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers for who this Memorial Day holds so much more meaning.

Who's reading this?

2011-05-26T09:03:00.006-04:00

I was looking at the stats page for my blog the other day and started to search where people were from who were reading this blog. The stats page shows how many people a day, week, month or all time, have read the blog. It also shows how people found their way here, the Saratogian, Facebook or right through google. It has a world map with colors for countries that readers live. It also list the number of people from each country. Now the largest group by far is from the United

States, that was a no brainer, but what I found surprising was second and third. Germany was third and second, right below the good ole USA was Russia. Yes, Russia, besides the US my biggest audience is from Russia.

Does this mean that all those e-mails from Russian women were real? Here I was joking and laughing about the lonely Russian women and they were really reading my blog and thinking ," Эй, это похоже на хороший парень, может быть, он будет хорошим мужем." (Hey, this seems like a nice guy, maybe he would make a good husband. ) Did I miss out on finding Mrs Right? Then I thought about the stats more, Germany was third and I had not e-mailed any German women, and where was The Ukraine in the stats log, many of the women I was corresponding with were from Ukrainian. Thoughts were running around my head all at once, maybe they really came here, is there a big room at JFK filled with Russian and Ukrainian women waiting for me to pick them up. Did the e-mails stop because they are stuck at the airport in a room without WiFi and not because I refused to send them money. I could be the cause for all the immigration problems in this country, ( my mind has a lot of room for wild ideas, it's not clogged up with a lot of knowledge). but then the stats page showed me my mistakes. I haven't written to any women in a couple of years and the stats they were giving me were recent. So all I can say is, Thanks for reading my blog and I hope you all enjoy it.

Спасибо за чтение моего блога, и я надеюсь, что вы всепонравится.

Danke fürs Lesen meines Blogs und ich hoffe, Sie alle genießen es.
내 블로그를 읽기위한 감사합니다 당신이 모든 그것을 즐기시기 바랍니다.
Gracias por leer mi blog y espero que lo disfruten.
感謝您閱讀我的博客，我希望你們都喜歡它。

Grazie per aver letto il mio blog e spero che tutti voi piaccia.

Tá súil Go raibh maith agat as mo bhlag, agus mé ag léamhmbainfidh tú taitneamh as go léir é.

Songs about dating

2011-05-15T20:45:00.003-04:00

All right, looking for help here. Friday night I spent time with two lovely unattached women. The discussion turned towards dating. Well it started out as a sharing of ideas about dating but soon turned into a swapping of information. What do women think of you when you approach them? That's right fellas, I was getting info only meant for women. Here's what I found out. Women are just as shallow as men. There it is I said it. Women are shallow. Men are shallow. I am shallow. Now I'm not going to say that women won't date unattractive men, I mean, I've had dates so I know that they do. What I'm saying is that women, just like men, make up their minds in about three seconds as to if you are worthy or not. So if you don't look like Brad Pitt you had better have a very good line, and make it short, remember you have three seconds.

I told them, yes guys I let them in on a few of our secrets too, When I was younger I would make it a point to hit on a girl who was between me and the men's room, because if she blew me off (most of the time) I could just keep on walking to the bathroom like nothing had happened. When I returned to my friends and they started to bust on me for being shot down, I would say"what? Her? nawww. I just said excuse me as I went past." Everyone knows it's a lie but it works.

"Oh yes, the friends" one of the women said in that tone of disgust. Now I know that I am speaking in generalizations here but guys will not hang around if another guy is doing well with a woman. The only reason for a wing man is to get in between the girl your talking to and her friend, who always thinks you are not good enough. Why must dating be so hard.

As for the being shallow part. People, for the most part get over that real quick. Good looks can only get you so far. It takes more then a pretty face and six pack abs. Liz Taylor, married eight times, Tony Curtis and Clark Gable both movie stars, married five times (not to each other), Brad and Jennifer became Bard and Angelina. Think back to that guy or girl in high school who everyone thought was so hot. Go to your next reunion and have your self a good laugh. Hair falls out, gravity takes over, we are what we are. So all you single people out there, good luck in your search.

About the title of this blog

Those of you that read this blog know I always try to add music to the beginning of the post. Something that relates to the topic. I'm sure most of you could have done better but I could not find a song about dating. Sure, lots of songs about being in a relationship or getting out of a relationship. Lost love, true love, puppy love, looking for love in all the wrong places. I thought that one would work but as I watched the video the guy already had found the girl. It's almost a confession of past dating not finding new dates. Lot's of sad songs of what could have been, silly love songs of what life will be now that you're together. This is one reason I need to have a girlfriend, because I have so many songs for when she dumps me. They range in anger from Ben Folds, Song for the Dumped to Ray Charles, You Don't Know Me (although I prefer the Van Morrison version). I want to end this post on an upbeat note, so here's the song that every man should sing or play to every women he falls in love with.

My First Resume

2011-05-11T18:02:00.000-04:00

So I wrote my first resume the other day. Back in the late 70's I did attend college.....sometimes....spent most of the the time at the Grove or the Brothers II. After two years of college they told me I needed to go another year and I told them, hey, you're a two year college. So we parted as friends. I started my working career with New York State. After a few years I moved on to the Federal Government with a job in the Postal Service. Now at age fifty something and it's something low. I find myself looking for work.

I attended a resume writing workshop and found it to be of no help at all for my situation. In twenty five years with the Post Office I acquired zero skills, or at least zero skills to find another job. Even if I had skills I don't want to work for another Post Office, you never know maybe Canada is hiring. So I sat down at my trusty computer and fired off my first resume. It looked something like this.

Employment History

1985 - 2011 United States Postal Service

Skills: ability to read letters upside down

Able to follow directions from unqualified supervisors

Can swallow anger as not to shoot any co workers

That was as far as I could go. I thought the one about not shooting people was pretty good but the woman at the workshop disagreed. I was going to have to become very creative.

Employment History

1985 - 2011 U. S. Government

Skills: ability toXXXXXXXX

Able to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Can XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Not creative enough. I have to work harder on my creative writing. So it came down to focusing on my volunteer history over the last twenty five years, anybody looking for a Hibernian girls under 12 soccer coach? With one season of little league experience.

I better practice this line, "Would you like fries with your order?".

One minute twenty of this clip could be me. Sid is not the only one with a plan.

more than cinco de mayo

2011-05-05T09:15:00.003-04:00

Just a wild thought here but are U Albany students planning a "Tequila and Taco" riot tomorrow? So even if your not Mexican but you are tossing back a couple of Dos Equis or Coronas lift one to the memory of Bobby Sands.

I was in Ireland in 1981 during the Hunger Strikes and saw on RTE the funeral of one of the heroes, but I can't explain it better than Mike McCormack, the historian of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Here is just part of what Mike wrote.

REMEMBER THEM

30 years ago, a five-year protest of Irish republican prisoners ended in one of the most pivotal events in recent Irish history. It began when the Brits withdrew Political status from Republican prisoners. In July 1972, Political Prisoner Status had been introduced after a hunger strike by 40 IRA prisoners led by Billy McKee. It meant being treated as prisoners of war and not having to wear prison uniforms or do prison work.

In 1976, as part of a policy of "criminalization", The Brits ended Political Prisoner Status. Prisoner's clothes were taken and prison uniforms issued. Refusing to wear convict uniforms and brand themselves and their cause as criminal, they wore nothing but a blanket through the brutal northern Irish winter in a cold stone cell.

In 1980, it was decided to embark on an age old Celtic method of redress - the hunger strike. There were no lack of volunteers but only seven were selected to match the number of men who signed the Easter 1916 Proclamation of the Republic. The strike ended after 53 days in December. In January it became clear that the prisoner's demands had not been met. On February 4, the prisoners declared another hunger strike. This one began on March 1, 1981 - the fifth anniversary of the withdrawal of political status - led by former commanding officer Bobby Sands refusing food.

Fully aware of the consequences, other prisoners joined one at a time at staggered intervals, to arouse maximum public support to exert pressure on PM Thatcher. A sympathetic public even elected Bobby Sands to the British Parliament during the strike, prompting media interest from around the world.Other prisoners ran for office and after two were elected, the Brits rushed through an Act preventing prisoners from contesting elections.

Bobby Sands was the first to die. Then one by one more young men had starved to death rather than criminalize Ireland's fight for freedom; it wasn't just about wearing jeans. Sand's funeral was attended by 100,000 people.

The strike was called off on October 3. Three days later the prisoners were allowed the right to wear their own clothes at all times and gradually all the demands were met, but without formal recognition of political status. In the final analysis, the Brits paid the price of having world pressure focused on what, until then, had merely been an internal struggle that they had been able to conceal from the world.

They were our bravest and best which is why they had to die, for because of them our cause was made sacred. As we prayerfully remember with love and pride the names of the martyrs of 1916, let us also remember the names of:

Bobby Sands (27), died 5 May after 66 days; Francis Hughes (25), died 12 May after 59 days; Patsy O'Hara (23), died 21 May after 61 days; Ray McCreesh (24), died 21 May after 61 days; Joe McDonald (29), died 8 July after 61 days; Martin Hurson (24), died 13 July after 46 days; Kevin Lynch (25), died 1 August after 71 days; Kieran Doherty (25), died 2 August after 73 days; Thomas McLwee (23), died 8 August after 62 days and Mickey Devine (27), died 20 August after 60 days.

"Our revenge will be the laughter of our children"

Bobby Sands

George, now you say "mission accomplished"

2011-05-02T09:23:00.004-04:00

My thoughts are changing as the minutes pass. What I felt an hour ago is gone and new feelings are running around my head, so I deleted what I wrote and can only replace them with this.

Osama bin Laden is dead, thank you to the Navy seals that finished the job that was started almost 10 years ago.

Please, please never forget those that have given their lives in that pursuit.

Never forget the Americans that died on that terrible September morning in NYC, Arlington VA, and the Pennsylvania country side. You are all our heroes.

Over 6000 servicemen and women have died since the fighting started.

Embarrassing '80's

2011-04-28T13:14:00.010-04:00

A friend mentioned today that he had the song Edge of a Broken Heart by the band, Vixen, stuck in his head all day. As bothersome as that is, I had to go to youtube to see the video for old times' sake. As I listened, I read the comments from parents that showed this video to their kids and were laughed at because of the hair and clothes. So I started to think (never a good thing), what if we saw these artist for the first time, what would we think?

So to start, think back to the 1980's and what bands were top of the charts. U2, Springsteen, Phil Collins were three but they were pretty mainstream, look to the fringes. Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna; they all had a great influence on the music and fashions of the time. What? you didn't have one white glove.

But even they were to become mainstream, and in Michael Jackson's case a bit whiter. How about Adam Ant, Siouxie and the Banshees, and Flock of Seagulls? They didn't stand the test of time but they were there and be honest, you remember them.

So the next time you see Lady Gaga in a meat dress or Adam Lambert looking more like Liza Minnelli then Liza herself, don't be so quick to judge, Just smile and think how embarrassed your kids will be in thirty years.

Easter Brunch with the Family

2011-04-25T12:55:00.004-04:00

We gathered together for Easter, on Sunday afternoon, at my sisters home. We span four generations. Although everyone could not make it, there was enough for the warm glow of family. Unlike Christmas when the gift giving sometimes becomes a little overbearing, Easter was just a day of relaxation. We watched as my sisters two grand daughters found their baskets while the rest of us could nibble candy from candy dishes,( the price of being a grown up ). The conversations around the room were warm and loving with a bit of python thrown in for good measure. I know it doesn't sound like much but it was nice.

So how was your Easter? Let's settle some things about Easter candy. Peeps. I saw on the news the other night at a home made candy shop, peeps being dipped in chocolate. Now dipping anything in chocolate makes it better but do peeps really need it? Peeps are so good that they even taste better when they get a little stale. Jelly beans, what makes the best jelly beans, spice, fruit, black jelly beans (did you know that you can buy whole bags of just black jelly beans. I don't think many people buy them because you always see them at 75% off three weeks after Easter). I don't like Jelly Belly jelly beans, I think because you eat them one at a time or put certain ones together to come up with a different flavor (way too much work, it's candy for God's sake). I like Russel Stovers jelly beans but pretty much any will do. Now, the chocolate bunny. Solid or hollow is it true Easter etiquette to eat the ears first? So enjoy your baskets folks and I hope you all had as good a day as I had.

Whiskey in the Jar for everyone

2011-04-19T13:47:00.003-04:00

Happy Tuesday everyone. for those that know me I started a new job yesterday. not making many friends, they think I'm a bit of a snob. I have a car and they have shopping carts but I'm not planning on staying long anyway.

My brother is the muse behind this posting. I was over at his house on Sunday and he played Whiskey in the Jar by Elvis Presley for me. this started a search that showed how many different people recorded this little Irish song. Of course Thin Lizzy made the song world famous when they released it in the early '70's. Up to that point it had been a folk standard with recordings going back to the '50's. In 2000, metal group Metallica won a Grammy for their version. Here are just a few for you to sample.

The King

,

The Grateful Dead,

The Dubliners,

Other groups to record the song are, The Pogues, The High Kings, The Killdares and to show you that everyone Irish knows the song here is the U2 live in Dublin,

So there it is, a wee Irish tune that goes world wide. As Sam said to me once, "That song you were all singing in the bar, you know Gin in the Box Daddyo"

alive and kicking

2011-04-11T11:09:00.002-04:00

I know that I am hard to pin down but to dispel any rumors, I'm still around. Quick update, Red Sox dropped first six games of the season while the Yankees won a few. The season is long and I'm not getting too excited yet, I mean Baltimore is leading the division and you know that won't last. So here's to the baseball season.
Rory McIlroy chocked big time on Sunday in the Masters but cut the kid a break, he's like 14 years old. Tiger had flashes of old but came up short on the final round. As much as St. Patrick's Day means spring is coming the Masters always seemed to me to be the proof that spring is here.
By for now, I will try to be better.

Opening Day

2011-03-30T11:13:00.003-04:00

Most of you know how much I love St. Patrick's Day, I written endlessly about it. Christmas is up there too, other days each year that mean a lot would be, in no particular order, my birthday (not as much as the years pile up) my children's birthdays, 4th of July, but tomorrow is a day that I look forward to every year. Opening Day. The day when everyone's team is tied for first. The expression , "Hope springs eternal" had to be about baseball. Before cable TV you could not see any spring training games and opening day meant that even if it was cold and maybe snowing outside, the boys of summer would be on the field playing the game we all love. All ready I've seen, and been part of, that love/hate relationship between Red Sox fans and Yankee fans. Although this goes on all year, tomorrow starts up the really hard core action. Tomorrow is the day that we all think back to those days when we could run and play baseball. It seems that we become better ballplayers in our minds as we age. That seeing eye ground ball becomes a line drive as we reminisce. that bloop double all of a sudden smashes off the wall in the gap. So here are some things you will hear starting tomorrow.
Can of corn.
Texas leaguer.
Baltimore chop.
Round tripper.
What other place could you use these terms and just what do they mean? Yeah I can't wait for tomorrow. If you don't think tomorrow is a special day go back to my post on holidays. Opening day fits all the criteria for a Holiday. It has movies about it, Pride of the Yankees, Bull Durham, Angels in the Outfield, Fear Strikes Out, Babe Ruth (at least 4 different movies), Field of Dreams (men can cry during this movie), just to name a few. Opening day has songs about it, Take me out to the ballgame, Talking Baseball, Glory Days, Tessie. So you see baseball and opening day are special. Sleep well tonight for tomorrow a new season begins.

TV Theme Songs

2011-03-25T12:14:00.005-04:00

I thought it was time for another top ten post, this time the subject is TV Theme Songs. This became harder than I thought it would be. First, there are a lot of songs to choose from, do I break down the category to cartoons and real people. Some of the best are from cartoons, The Flintstones and The Jetsons just to name two. The second problem was the breakdown of songs into categories. I think that there are three types of theme songs, one, the instrumental. Two, the narrative, and three the lyrical.
So let's start with the instrumental. What songs quickly bring back memories of a time in your life or just a great TV show.
Hawaii 50
Miami Vice
Bonanza
The Munsters
Peter Gunn
Mission Imposable
You see my problem, off the top of my head here are six great theme songs and that's just from the instrumental list.
The narrative, this is the one that everyone remembers, and can sing along with. I can give you the first line and you can name the show.
"Let me tell a story 'bout a man named Jed"
"Their creepy and their kooky"
"There's a hold up in the Bronx, Brooklyn broken out in fights"
"Here's a story of a lovely lady"
"Now this is the story all about how, My life got flipped, turned upside down"
"She was working in a bridal shop in Flushing Queens"
(Answers in the comments section)
Six more, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
The lyrical theme, it has words but doesn't tell the story of the show.
The number one has to be Cheers, when you hear it you know what show is on, so let's try the quiz again.
"Boy the way Glenn Miller played"
"Hey Baby I hear the blues a calling"
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, Sclemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated"
"Who can turn the world on with her smile"
Then there are the ones that have lyrics but don't use them, M*A*S*H, you know the tune and if you saw the movie you would know the lyrics to the song, Suicide is Painless.
Some shows used a combination like The Odd Couple it started with a narrative but ended with just music.
There are shows that used popular songs as the theme (this could be a chicken or egg situation)
Friends used I'll be there for you by the Rembrandt's
Happy Days started with Rock Around the Clock by Bill Halley and the Comets
Keeping with the 50's icons who else but the King, Elvis Presley for the theme to Las Vegas.
So these are just a few of the theme songs that rattle around in my head all day, I hope they bring back fond memories for you, so let's end this post singing,
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful ship.
That started from this tropic port,
Aboard this tiny ship........

It's not over till we say it's over

2011-03-20T12:16:00.010-04:00

It's 12:30 Sunday afternoon, March 20,2011. St. Patrick's Day is pretty much over, there are still people in Pearl River marching in their parade and a celebration will follow but by and large the holiday is over. This may seem strange to those of you that think that St. Patrick's Day is a one day event but for us Irish it's at least a week, or as I call it, the holy week.

St. Patrick's Day started for me on Friday March 11. I went to the Albany Hibernians to see the entertainer Danny Quinn. This was a pre, pre parade event. Emmett, Chris and Amy met up with Mr.Cromie for a fun night.

Saturday March 12, was parade day. Unlike the unruly mob in the early morning hours we waited till noon to start. Sean, Sara, Mike, Jess and I met up with Sam at the Ontario St parade headquarters. a little after one the girls headed downtown and the men bused over to central ave to await the 2pm step off.Although there was no rain or snow, a wind made the day a bit cold. Mike was the highlight of the Saratoga Hibernians, high fiving and wishing the crowd a happy St. Patrick's Day along the route. His good cheer was rewarded with good cheer and a cookie by the hugh crowds. After the parade we returned to the Hibernians to relax and enjoy food and drink, the girls and Tom joined us and the party was almost complete. We returned to Saratoga and made our way to the Irish Times to hear the Fighting 86's on what they were calling prat ice day. It was fun to see the other people that had been to the parade during the day extending the celebration into the wee hours.

Sunday, March 13, was the Saratoga Hibernian's Family Festival. Again the Saratoga/Wilton Elks opened their doors to us and a wonderful afternoon of Irish music, dance and fare were offered to the public. Jack and Margaret were able to make the party after missing the parade due to rehearsal of the Saratoga Springs High School play. Some of Jack's friends also joined in and got up to sing a few tunes. The Wild Irish Acres dancers performed and then went into the crowd bringing back people to the dance floor to learn a couple of Irish dances. John Cromie and Paul Quinn supplied Irish music as well as members of the Pan Celtic session players. Because of these talented people the day was a great success.

Thursday, March 17, St. Patrick's Day. The day started at 9am with breakfast at the Irish Times. The 86's played at noon. By that time seven members of the Saratoga AOH were together celebrating the day. Around 4pm I headed to Albany to meet up with some friends and the festivities continued into the night.

Saturday March 19. I headed to Delhi, NY for their first St. Patrick's Day Parade. I went with the Fighting 86's and we set up in the Shire Pub. The Schenectady Pipe Band marched in the parade and made their way to the pub. Here I was a two hour drive from home, enjoying a parade with some cousins. Iain, Bill, Dona and Conor.
As you can see it was a very long week and the best part was spending time with family and friends.That's the difference between the Irish and the want to be Irish on St. Patrick's Day

Kegs and eggs is not Irish

2011-03-15T10:12:00.002-04:00

I'm an American of Irish decent. I don't say that much, growing up I was Irish. It wasn't until I landed at Shannon Airport that someone said you're American and it hurt deeply. Not that I am not proud to be an American but all at once I lost my heritage. Here in the US we hold tightly to our past, it is what makes this country great, America is a mixture of every culture in the world. We embrace each others heritage, or at least we should. America gives us the freedom to say, I'm Italian, I'm Greek, I'm French and for me, I'm Irish.
Thursday is St. Patrick's Day, a day that the Irish in this country and around the world stand and show the pride for their patron saint and the land that they came from. To say that the Irish came to this country seeking a better life is to simplistic. During the 700 years of British rule in Ireland, yes, this country offered a better life. During the 1840's and the Great Hunger ( you may know this as the potato famine) the choice that people made was leave for America or Canada or stay and die. The Great Hunger was a genocide of the Irish people by the British government, while the potato crop was ruined by blight the country was producing food fro the rest of the British Empire. Shiploads of corn, barley, rye and other produce left Irish harbors every day but the landlords would not let the Irish people have any.The Irish have sung of this for years, in the song Fields of Athenry the line is
For you stole Trevelyn's corn
So the young might see the morn.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay.
Christy Moore is his song City of Chicago, sings
Eighteen forty seven
was the year it all began,
Deadly pangs of hunger
drove a million from the land,
They journeyed not for glory,
Their motive wasn't greed,
Just a voyage of survival,
Across the stormy sea.
I give you this lesson to explain a little why we are proud to be Irish.
Do we drink, yes. Do we carry on, yes. Do we do what you see in the video above, no.
Growing up we always said on St. Patrick's Day there are two kinds of people, Irish and those that want to be Irish. The drunken college students in the video are the wanna be's.
So who's fault is this disgrace? I as a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a fraternal order of Irishmen, will take some of the blame. We have perpetuated the stereo type of drunken Irish to a point, but that point is far from riot and destruction of the Kegs and eggs party. We, as Irish flock to Festivals that are sponsored by beer companies and we laugh at ourselves in TV ads for Guinness. We also have festivals, like the one Sunday in Saratoga, that are for families to celebrate St. Patrick, and while the Albany police were cleaning up the riot members of the Irish community were at mass. I lay a lot of the blame on stores like Spencer's Gifts that fill their shelves with St. Patty's Day merchandise like green beer bongs and shirts that say "Irish Drinking Team". Herein lies the problem, my children have been raised to have fun for St. Patrick's Day and on parade day, this fun includes drinking and dancing and singing the songs. If you are not Irish and don't have the background to know that it's St. Patrick's Day not St. Patty's Day and think the more you drink the more Irish you are, we end up with the riot.
When the Saratoga Hibernians left New Orleans a couple of years ago after a national convention of the AOH, one of the bellmen at the hotel said,"I've seen Mardi Gras, Super Bowls and conventions in my time but I have never seen a group of people drink as much as you people with out a single problem or complaint"
One last Irish lesson, St. Patrick drove the snakes and vermin out of Ireland. It seems to me that they ended up on Hudson Ave. on Saturday morning.
Enjoy yourselves on Thursday and remember to drink responsibly and have a good time.

a little snow doesn't stop us

2011-03-07T14:07:00.006-05:00

So what, a little snow. The weather outlook for Saturday is cloudy and 45, I've marched in worse.
It's St. Patrick's week. I went yesterday to Syracuse with The Fighting 86's to a fundraiser for the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day parade. The Event was held at Kitty Hoyne's in downtown Syracuse. First I would like to apologise to Sheila for not inviting her to join us. Secondly, what a great place, they were very generous to my son Brian's band. It started to snow west of Utica and snowed all day in Syracuse. Even with a call for 8-12 inches of snow, the Irish of central New York came out for a good time. The ride home took almost 5 hours but the promise of "it's only raining in Albany" kept the group on the road and between the rumble strips.
Looking forward to seeing everyone out this week and to get you in the mood here are some of the local music you can see over the next ten days.

The Fighting 86's will be at Irish times in Saratoga Saturday night

Who's Your Paddy

Flynn 529 will be at Beff's in Albany on Saturday

Hair of the Dog will have two shows at the Parting Glass on Saturday.

REMEMBER: PARADE ON SATURDAY FAMILY FESTIVAL ON SUNDAY

for more information go to www.saratogaaoh.com

see you all this weekend

Time to get you Irish on

2011-03-01T12:38:00.003-05:00

Before I get started here just a note from Division President Mary Simmons. The St. Brenden the Navigator Division #1 of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians are seeking new members. If you are a woman 16 or older and of Irish decent, Catholic or married to a member of the AOH, you are invited to join the Saratoga LAOH. Please Contact Mary Simmons @ (518) 538-2918

It's March, the long cold winter is about to leave us and to help push it out are the Irish. Let's get together to welcome spring and warm days. Over the next few weeks the Commodore John Barry Division #1 of the Ancient order of Hibernians have a few events planned.

March 12, 2011: The Annual Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade. Central Ave. in Albany turns green for the day as groups from Albany, Colonie, North Albany, Watervliet and Saratoga to name a few, step out to show their Irish pride. The parade is a great time for young and old.

March 13, 2011: The Saratoga AOH and LAOH are holding their 8th annual Family Festival at the Saratoga/Wilton Elks Lodge in Saratoga. The is a St. Patrick's Day party that is family friendly. The cost is $5 for Adults and children under 12 are free. Food and drink are available to purchase. The party goes from 3-7. Come out and enjoy an afternoon of Irish music and culture. A must for every Irish family and of course those that want to be Irish.

March 17, 2011: St. Patrick's Day. What more can be said. Enjoy the day with your family and friends. The Irish Times, The Parting Glass, Dango's, The Local, all great places to get your Irish on. In New York City, the 250th St.Patrick's Day Parade will keep 5th Ave. busy and green. Members of the Saratoga AOH will be marching up the Ave. passing St. Patrick's Cathedral, The New York Public Library, and Central Park.

What ever it is you have planned for the month don't forget to go and hear Irish bands. We are very lucky to have some of the best in the world right in our own neighborhood. Hair of The Dog, The Fighting 86's, Flynn 529, Who's Your Paddy. these lads will be working their butts off this month. They all have websites so check out the schedules and lift a pint and sing along.

If you are looking for a nice gift, try Celtic Treasures on Broadway in Saratoga. Owner Paul O'Donnell and his staff have the finest in Irish imports for you to choose from.

And last but not least, remember all of the above can be found on http://www.saratogaaoh.com/

Is it a holiday or not?

2011-01-29T12:57:00.002-05:00

So Wednesday is Groundhog Day, is it a holiday or not? I usually base my answer on this criteria, does it have movies about it? Does it have songs about it? I've never seen a movie about Arbor Day but it gets listed on calenders along with St. Valentines Day and St. Patrick's Day. Songs about Arbor Day? Not that I can recall ( I will give it Trees, a poem by Joyce Kilmer) so I think Arbor Day gets tossed aside as a non holiday. I guess all love songs are ok for Valentine's Day and there was even a movie call Valentines Day, so February 14th stays in the holiday pile. Don't even get me started on St. Patrick's Day, it makes it on all levels. St. Patrick's Day even can be called the high holy days. (notice the s, St. Patrick's Day is a week long celebration along the lines of Mardi Gras) so let's take a look at Groundhog day. Does it have a movie? Yes, Bill Murry at his best, a TV weather man who gets stuck in Punxsutawany PA. (home of "Phil" the official groundhog)and relives groundhog day over and over. Does it have a song? yes, I've never heard it but according to Songfacts, I"ll be gone by Mayday and the accompanying video Groundhog Day received over 2 million views a day after it appeared on youtube. Works for me Groundhog's Day is a holiday. So everyone have a great day and look to see your shadow. I can't wait for Hallmark to read this posting and start putting out Groundhog day cards. I wonder if I will get a royalty?

Happy Birthday Maureen

2011-01-26T13:05:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday Maureen!!!

Today is my sister Maureen's birthday. I won't say how old but last year we had a giant 50th Birthday Bash. This is a photo of Maureen dancing with our mother at the party. Maureen has had a great influence on our family growing up. We went through all the changes in special education over the 60's and 70's. From being taxied to a special class in Revena to finishing from the same high school as John and I (GCHS 3- Holy Names 2, we win). John learned to be tolerant of others as I was inclined to hit first, John would explain to the person and then hit them. Maureen has also been great for her nieces and nephews and now even grand nieces. I'm not going to say growing up with Maureen was easy, we saw way, way too many episodes of the Walton's and she does know when every airing of pro wrestling is on, but I would not have changed it for a million dollars.

So, the reason for today's posting is not just to say happy birthday to Maureen because I forgot to mail her a card (true) but Maureen knows everyone's birthday in the family. I have trouble with my four kids and Sara (I'm getting better thanks to facebook) but because Maureen is the best sister a guy could ask for.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow someplace else

2011-01-22T10:08:00.003-05:00

Three days of snow this week and one day added freezing rain just for fun. Now I know that there are people who love the snow, "Look how beautiful it is " but as the season progresses most people start to dislike, nay, hate the snow. We all know this and that's why Mother Nature has a PR Firm working for her. As we head into the winter season we all sing songs of the joys of snow, Winter Wonderland, White Christmas, Baby It's Cold Outside, and even after The Christmas season we have James Taylor singing,
Now the first of December was covered with snow
And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Now the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frosting

So you think that winter is the only season that people get tired of, but you'd be wrong. Mother Natures firm is hard at work for all the seasons. You see we are a very fickle creature. Spring is a bit different because we long for it. We even look to the groundhog to tell us what we already knew, that spring is still over a month away. Spring sticks it's head out in March but then come the April rains. So for Spring we dislike it right away so we tell rhymes of spring "April Showers bring May Flowers". Baseball season begins in April so sometimes we forget the so so days with a longing for our youth and a game of pitch and catch. Before you know it Summer has arrived. Now Summer can get hard, and we are warned about it, The dog days of August. So we have a few songs about summer,
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Autumn brings the end of summer and the changing of the leaves. How beautiful the woods seem under a canopy of orange, red and yellow. The time for strolls in the park and a light sweater, ah nature at it's best. Before long you are spending every free moment in the yard with a rake and after you rake the leaves from the trees in your yard and bag them and drag them to the street. You spend the next weekend raking the leaves that the wind blew from your neighbors yard because HE doesn't rake his leaves the lazy bastard, so it's bag and drag all over again. The only respite is that the baseball season is having the World Series and Football season has started. Don't think Autumn is without song, Autumn Leaves, Harvest Moon, Forever Autumn to name a few.
By the time winter returns we have been singing Winter Wonderland and White Christmas for weeks and can't wait for it to snow again. That Mother Nature is pretty smart.

Living in the stone age

2011-01-12T09:48:00.003-05:00

OK, so it's not the stone age exactly but I have been without cable and Internet for a week now. I am in the process of changing to just Internet service. I am opting out of cable due to the cost somewhat but more because working nights I miss prime time TV. I love TV, I am the television generation. I like dramas, sit coms almost everything they put out. I am turning my TV over to the net. I can see most of the shows that I want on sites like HULU and the network sites themselves. It just seems to be the thing to do for the future. I will get an antenna for my local stations and ta-da, I'm all set.
Living without cable for a week has been OK, I just pop in a dvd and get my fix but life without the net is tragic. The only access is my smart phone which is very limited. I can check up facebook and read this blog but writing the blog is out of the question and any web site that has photos and videos just shuts down the phone. I know that some people live with out the magic of www but they seem to be the same people that don't have a cell phone and don't seem to see the need for one. The other type of people without Internet are the paranoid group. "If I go on the web everyone will get my information". Like some hacker has been waiting just for you to finally join the 21st century. I give a pass to the older generation, my mother thinks she can't call me because she has a land line phone and I only have a cell. I told her it was a phone not a walkie- talkie but she doesn't get it. I use my phone as a watch, I text all the time. The one thing I do the least on my phone is talk.

So please excuse me if the post are a little scarce for the next week or so I am trying to get things back on track as soon as possible. [today's post is courtesy of the public library I need to type quick I'm running out of time]

Auld Lang Syne

2010-12-31T09:23:00.005-05:00

So out with the old and in with the new. As years go, 2010 was not my best. I think it was ten years in the making but for what ever reason I am looking forward to it being over. It was not all bad, there were some highlights. In March, we made our way to the big apple for a second year in a row to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade. This is a parade that should be on your bucket list along with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Tournament of Roses Parade. In May, Sam graduated from the College of St. Rose, just another reason I am so proud of all my children.

In June, a few of my facebook friends (great job Susan) put together a little reunion, complete with a tour of three schools in Guilderland, including the high school. After we gathered at a bar owned by a classmate (thanks D) for a night of fun and laughs.

Other than that the year was pretty lousy. It has gotten better the last six weeks or so and I am hoping the good times get better in 2011. I also wish you and yours the happiest of New Years and that 2011 brings everything you could want. Now to end the year; lunch with the best people in the world, my kids.

Tom, Michael, Jack, himself, Sara,
Sean and Samantha

2010 Deaths

2010-12-28T09:44:00.002-05:00

Ben Franklin is quoted as saying, "in the world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes". 2010 is no exception. Some deaths hit close to home this year, my sister-in-law lost her mother, a close friend did also. Most recently, my daughter-in-law lost her grandfather on Christmas eve. The following people may not have been related to any of you but I think they played a part in all of our lives.

In the world of entertainment we lost;
as Don Cornelius of Soul Train would have said "the mighty, mighty Teddy Pendergrass"
Best know as Adam Cartwright on Bonanza, Parnell Roberts
For over 45 years she was Alice Horton on Days of Our Lives, Frances Reid
I Spy, Robert Culp
He was both Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett, Fess Parker
The movie Airplane! lost both Peter Graves and Leslie Nielsen
The star of Designing Women, Dixie Carter
Movie icon, Dennis Hopper
Eddie Carroll, the voice of Jiminy Crickett
Different Strokes star Gary Coleman
He was Charlie in Charlie's Angels, John Forsythe
Music greats Ronnie James Dio (Black Sabbath) and Lena Horne (Stormy Weather)
Art Linkletter who showed us that kids say the darnedest things
From The Golden Girls, Rue McClanahan
We all sang along with him, Mitch Miller
Patrica Neal, newsman Edwin Newman, Character actor Harold Gould
Tarzan's son, Johnny Sheffield and the original Dano, JamesMacArthur
We lost the father from Happy Days and the mother from Leave it to Beaver, Tom Bosley and Barbra Billingsly
Movie producers Dino DeLaurentiis and Blake Edwards and movie star, Tony Curtis
Jill Clayburgh and from TV's Barney Miller, Steve Landesberg

The literary world lost;
J.D. Salinger, Catcher in the Rye
Eric Segal, Love Story
Dick Francis
Bob Guccione
Stephen J. Cannell

In politics;
Rep. Charlie Wilson from Texas, the inspiration for the movie Charlie Wilson's War
Senator John Edwards wife, Elizabeth Edwards, after a long public fight with cancer

Sports were not immune;
UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, the wizard of westwood
Oakland Raiders hitman, Jack Tatum
From the Rams, Merlin Olsen
Baseball greats Ron Santo, Robin Roberts and Bob Feller
Standing a mere 7'6" basketballs Manute Bol
He was know as "The Boss", New York Yankee owner, George Steinbrenner
Two of the greatest voices that baseball will ever know. The voice of the Detroit Tigers, Ernie Harwell and called "The Voice of God" for over 50 years the voice of Yankee Stadium, Bob Sheppard
He hit the shot heard round the world, Bobby Thompson
Quarterback and place kicker, George Blanda
Manager of the 1970's Big Red Machine Sparky Anderson
and now we can Turn out the lights, the party's over, Dallas Cowboy great and one of the original voices of Monday Night Football, Jeff and Hazel's baby boy, "Dandy" Don Meredith

first cousins, second cousins, third cousins more

2010-12-26T11:06:00.002-05:00

When my grandfather left Ireland for America almost 100 years ago, he landed in New York City. He then headed north to Albany where he had three sisters and a brother. Another brother and a few more sisters followed. They all raised families in Albany and all the cousins were close. As all the first cousins grew and married, they started having families of their own, second cousins abounded. This cycle repeated itself again. In my life growing up we would have a family picnic each summer or better yet go to Aunt Kit's (my grandfather's sister) camp in the stately Helderbergs. I have fond memories of the older cousins pushing the younger ones on the rope swing and running and playing games in the fields in front of the camp. To this day we never referred to each other as first cousins, second cousins or the confusing, cousin once removed, we were family and call each other cousins. This is the legacy of my grandfather, the love of family.

Yesterday was Christmas, I went to my sister Peggy's house. The age range of people there was a little over 90 years from my mother to her great grand daughters. My nephews and their wives, my sisters and my brother and his family. My children were represented by my daughter and her boyfriend and my youngest son. You would think that this would be enough for one day but it wasn't. After dinner I went to my cousin Eileen's house to see cousins and fireworks. Eileen's daughters were in town for the holiday and as the adults were leaving their friends started coming over. People on the outside may look at my family and call us crazy but we, the descendant's of John and Catherine Curran of Kilusty, Co. Tipperary, Ireland, know how to have a good time and it all starts with family

a few of the younger cousins

a party at a cousins house

[The hard to explain once removed. Start with your grandparents and write their names on a piece of paper. Under that write the names of their childern in a line from right to left. Under each name, write the names of their childern left to right, these are all first cousins ( you all have the same grandparents). Under this line, write the names of all their childern. The term if you go from one line to the next is once removed. What becomes confusing is that after the line of first cousins, the second cousin line is made up of groups of first cousins. The childern of my fathers first cousins are my second cousins, my childern and the childern of my second cousins are third cousins and so forth and so on. You can see why we just called each other cousins.]

Christmas wishes

2010-12-23T09:55:00.001-05:00

If you are reading this before Christmas we can assume you have finished with all the hustle and bustle and have found a little time for yourself, and me. So here are a couple of Christmas wishes I have. Yes they are too big for Santa and I will need a lot of help from others but I have faith.
First and foremost Peace on Earth. Now this one is tricky, just as President Clinton was able to squirm out of answers, just what do you mean by peace? I know that in our lifetime there will never be complete peace but how about a little. It's time to bring our troops home. We have too many of our young people in harms way fighting a war over what. It's been almost ten years if the people of Afghanistan and Iraq have not been able to set up a government by now, our troops won't make it go any faster. Let's not have our people miss another Christmas with their families. Immigration, I don't want to go into a big long debate on this issue, just a few of my thoughts. After all these are my wishes not yours. We have hundreds of thousands of illegal and undocumented immigrants in this country, why? are the laws too difficult to enter this country legally? They are building walls to keep people out. This is America, we are all born of immigrants, some broke free of chains to live free ( after years of indentured servitude) and some were put into chains to come here. So ether way, our ancestors came from other countries. The words on the Statue of Liberty are, "Give me your tired, your poor,/ Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free" not "No Vacancy". What defines huddled masses more than people willing to stow away in cargo containers or climb fences in the dead of night just to be in America.
My wish is for these things to change, let's show the world once more that we are the greatest country, open our arms and welcome the next group of immigrants.
Family and Friends. George Baily learned it the hard way and we have been able to see this over and over for the last fifty odd years. Remember the words of Clarence, "No man is a failure when he has friends". My wish is that we appreciate our friends and family more. They are the people who will rush to your side in your time of need.
So to all of you out there. I wish you a Merry and joyous Christmas and I hope all of your Christmas wishes come true.

Fairytale of New York

2010-12-21T09:36:00.008-05:00

Fairytale of New York, every Irish person I know adds this song to their Christmas song list. Shane MacGowan and the Pogues recorded this back in the '80's and it still rings true today. Everyone takes a try at this classic so here are a few for you to choose from.

Ronan Keating and Moya Brennan

Coldplay with the crowd singing along

The great Christy Moore

but nothing compares to the original. The Pogues with Kristy McColl.
If you look closely the cop taking Shane to the drunk tank is actor Matt Dillon.

Down the stretch they come

2010-12-18T18:02:00.004-05:00

I finished my Christmas shopping yesterday. This weekend is the last time you can get the gifts that you really want to give your friends and family. Over the next four and a half days, the ideas you had get thrown out the window and you get what's left. Every Christmas eve a local TV station will have a news story about a group of guys that wait until Christmas eve to start and finish their shopping. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to shop that way. What's on the shelf is what they have, you don't have to ask, "do you have this in blue?" they don't. Basically your are picking out something that someone will have to return.

Being at the mall on the last weekend before Christmas is always a total experience. From the time you settle into traffic approaching the mall, finding a parking spot, staying on the right side of the sidewalk (do shoppers in England and Ireland stay on the left?) Looking in a store to see if there is room for you to walk around or do you just move on. Christmas shopping is the best.

Why is Santa still at the mall? Really, think about this for a second. You've got all the toys bought and hid away back home and two days before Christmas little Johnny tells Santa he has changed his mind. Santa has been at the mall since early November, you can explain to your kids that Santa needs to be at the North Pole these last few days making sure everything is ready to go.

So enjoy yourself today at the mall as I stay home and watch football. Be careful, be happy and remember, just because there are long lines at the food court they haven't changed the menu, it's still the same fast food as before. Fa la la la la, la la la laaaa

Bud, this clip was for you, Merry Christmas

Picking out your Christmas cards

2010-12-16T09:15:00.008-05:00

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

As you can see I deviated from posting a video for this post. I am sure you are all are acquainted with Irving Berlin's famous carol and I just wanted to use the second verse. In 1940 when Berlin wrote White Christmas, it was easy to pick out your Christmas cards. Basically you had a nice Currier & Ives print on the front of a standard card

Merry Christmas to your friends with a homey winter scene.

Then came the photo cards. Just what makes the perfect photo card. In the late 50's and early 60's aluminium trees were all the rage. how about a nice photo of your tree.

As time past and photos became more and more inexpensive it seemed everyone was sending out a photo Christmas card. Just plop a Santa hat on one of your kids ( it helps if you use the cute one) and put them in front of a nice fireplace and voila, instant Christmas card.

Sometimes you try to use your personality more into your photo. A photo from your trip to sunny Florida is always nice to warm up a cold December. Or the family standing on the edge of the grand canyon is a nice back drop. I try to give Christmas a bit of a twist. Dickens had his Christmas spirits and I have mine.

But when all is said and done I think you should always go with what works best for you. The old tried and true. A photo that is sure to bring a smile and warm joy to all your friends. What better way to say Merry Christmas.

Who are these people and who cut their hair?

2010-12-15T08:47:00.002-05:00

I heard Band Aid's song Do They Know It's Christmas three times yesterday, once on the way to work, once one the way home on the same station. I changed the station and heard it again. It does bring back a lot of memories of the '80's but Three times in one day is a bit too much. Bob Geldorf, lead singer of the Irish band Boontown Rats, put together the group made up of some of the hottest UK and Irish rockers of the time. In the documentary film, Out Of Ireland, The Hit Songs and Artist of Irish Music, Geldorf tells of the making of the video. Bono, of a then yet unknown band, U2, reluctently joined in and Geldorf gave him his line in the song. Bono said that was the one line he didn't want but did it anyway. When the song was released it debuted as number one in Great Britin and two weeks later was number one in the US. Geldorf tells of going to Ethiopia after the song was out and one night at sundown, looking out over the plains the song was playing and Bono's line, "Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you" was perfect, just enough anger in Bonos voice. The songs popularity sparked an American version, We Are The World and also led to the Live Aid concert.
Now here's the big question, after watching the video, how many people can you name? The answer will appear in the comments section.

Gift Cards vs Gifts

2010-12-08T23:04:00.002-05:00

When did Christmas shopping become an inconvenience? I recently saw a commercial on TV for a local restaurant that said, a more convenient way to shop, in talking about their gift certificates. Now I am here to tell you that I have given gift cards or certificates in the past. Try and buy clothes for a teen age girl and you will know my pain. With that being said, I do feel that gift cards are very impersonal. I didn't know what to get you so, go out and buy something your self. Why hold them to one store. I didn't know what to get you so here's cash. A lot of Christmas spirit there. And how much do you spend? Does everyone have to have the same amount spent on them? Do you love one son more who needed new running shoes ($100) then the son who gets the Yankee hooded sweatshirt ($60)? [Sean and Mike this is not you] What if you went shopping and found the perfect gift for someone but it was on clearance and you spend under $10, do you need to find other gifts for that person to even out the totals?
What about home made gifts. A few dozen assorted cookies makes a nice gift. A scrapbook or photo album is nice or how about a collection of your favorite recipes. Everything doesn't have to break the bank each Christmas.
Before I get everyone upset about gift cards let me say this. A gift card is good for an out of town person who is not going to have time to return your gift if it's the wrong size ( or incredibly ugly) and my mother, who is 91, has been giving cash to us for the past few years. Honestly though, I have never used the money on something for me, it usually goes for groceries or a tank of gas because I spent everything on the gifts for everyone else.
So I am wondering if I am longing for a long ago, simpler time or if I just find myself broke this Christmas "DING" next batch of cookies is done. Just in case anyone on my Christmas list is reading this.....these cookies aren't for you (John, do your girls like peanut butter cookies?)
Happy Shopping.

John Lennon

2010-12-05T22:22:00.002-05:00

October 9, 1940 - December 8, 1980

I can't believe it's been thirty years

The most maligned Christmas Carol

2010-12-05T09:49:00.002-05:00

There was a time when The Twelve Days of Christmas was a revered Christmas Carol. Those days are gone. The original gifts that my true love sent were, 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping, 10 Lords a leaping, nine Ladies dancing, eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. Try and read that sentence without singing the last four. The list has been changed and changed. From Alan Sherman to Ozzie Osborne it seems that everyone wants to put their own touch on the gifts.
Here are just a few.
Jeff Foxworthy Redneck 12 Days of Christmas,
Frank Sinatra 12 Days of Christmas,
Bob and Doug McKenzie 12 Days of Christmas,
Andy Williams A Song and a Christmas Tree,
Twisted Sister Heavy Metal Christmas,

Some, like The Chipmunks and John Denver with the Muppets, kept the song in it's original form. Based on the original list, you will see each year, in the newspapers, (http://www.saratogian.com/ ) what it would cost to send your true love the gifts. The Irish take on this is Frank Kelly's Count down to Christmas, the thank you notes to his true love Nuala, for her gifts. You can imagine how quickly he went from happy to angry over the 12 days.

The other question, most often asked about this song is, what are the 12 days? Bob and Doug tried to explain that in their song. According to the McKenzie brothers the days are, Christmas and Christmas eve, boxing day, New years and New Years eve, two Saturdays and Sundays in there, and the other three days are the mystery days. (the real 12 days are from Christmas to the Epiphany)

So what ever version you want to listen to pay attention because there will be a lot of good ideas for gifts

Doug: Boy that song was a beauty. It moved me...
Bob: Yeah, I think it ranks up there with Stairway to Heaven

Bad Christmas Songs

2010-12-04T09:53:00.000-05:00

I grew up in the age of rock and roll, as a child, the Beatles were sweeping the nation. So apart from rock and roll, Irish music and Christmas music are my favorites. Although you can listen to Irish music all year, by February, Christmas music gets old. Each Autumn ( it used to be winter but some radio stations started playing Christmas music at the end of October) like an old friend we get to embrace our selves in Christmas music again.

While searching youtube the other day for an old favorite (Frosty the Snowman by Leon Redbone and Dr. John) I came across the video above, Bob Dylan singing, Must be Santa, and it dawned on me, there are a lot of bad Christmas songs. Although growing up in Catholic school we were taught to love the sinner, hate the sin, I believe that in this case it's Love the sin, hate the sinner. When Raffi sings, Must be Santa, to kids it's a good song, Dylan singing it to anyone, bad song. So here are just a few of the bad songs I found.

Cherry, Cherry Christmas is the tittle track of Neil Diamond's Christmas album. I'll write that again so you don't miss it, Cherry, Cherry Christmas is the title track of Neil Diamond's Christmas album. The first verse is,
Wish you a merry cherry, cherry Christmas
and a holly holy holiday too.
Underneath your tree may there always be
sounds of harmony, not a song sung blue.
Now Christmas may be something new to Neil, but Christmas songs should be about the birth of Christ or Santa, not a collage of all your own songs.

At least Tiny Tim kept Santa in his Christmas song, Santa's got the AIDS this year. I believe the title says it all.

Lou Monte's Dominick the Donkey, makes the list. If I was Italian I would really hate this song.

Snoopy's Christmas by the Royal Guardsmen is a song that has outlived it's humor. A funny sequel to the Guardsman novelty hit Snoopy vs. the Red Baron in 1966. It was a one Christmas wonder.

With all due respect to Michael Buble, Diana Krall, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis , Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and all the rest of the great singers that have tried to sing White Christmas, unless Bing is singing, it's a bad song.

Well there you have it, a few of the bad Christmas songs out there. I hope you find the songs you are looking for this holiday season and remember what Bruce Springsteen, Fred Astaire, James Taylor, Perry Como, The Jackson 5 and countless others have told you....Santa Claus is coming to town.

Christmas Movies and specials

2010-11-29T10:33:00.000-05:00

[Ed. note: I started writing this on Monday morning before work. When I got home from work Monday night, Scrooged was on ( the first of four nights in a row AMC) and tonight Rudolph is on, I have already seen Miracle on 34th Street and Elf. It's not even December yet, something is very wrong here]

Wednesday is December 1st so bring on the Christmas specials. Oh, I guess I'm a little late, they have been showing Christmas movies for a couple of weeks now. Here is my list of the must see movie and specials for Christmas.

The Classics

A classic doesn't have to be in black and white but some times it helps.

It's a Wonderful Life, The 1946 Frank Capra film tells the story of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) who his entire life puts the needs of others ahead of his own. When all seems doomed for George he finds out just who his friends are with the help of Clarence (Henry Travers) his guarding angel. Also staring, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore and Thomas Mitchell.

remade in 1977 with Marlo Thomas as a TV movie It Happened One Christmas. Pass on the remake.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947), is the tale of Kris Kringle (Edmond Gwenn) who believes he is Santa Claus. He is hired by Macy's and they find he has instilled the spirit of Christmas in everyone. He becomes friends with Macy's staffer Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) and her daughter Susan (Natalie Wood). The Walker's neighbor, Fred Gailey (John Pyane) a lawyer, has the hopeless job of defending Kris in court when the state wants him committed because of his beliefs. Remade for TV in 1959 with Ed Wynn as Kris Kringle and again in 1973 with Sebastien Cabot in the Kringle role. The film returned to the big screen in 1994 starring Richard Attenborough, again stick with the original.

White Christmas (1954), A successful song and dance team ( Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) team up with a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen) to save the Vermont Inn of their old commanding General. If this sounds a lot like the plot of the 1942 film Holiday Inn, you're right. Holiday Inn is the story of an Inn only open on holidays where a crooner (Crosby) and a hoofer (Fred Astaire) vie for the affections of a beautiful up and coming performer (Marjorie Reynolds). The song White Christmas is sung in both films. This is one of those times that the remake is better than the original but if you have the chance give Holiday Inn a viewing.

Scrooged (1988). Director Richard Donner's take on the Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. This comedy version stars Bill Murry and Karen Allen. A Christmas Carol has been done no less than 30 times, Ebenezer Scrooge has been played by actors ranging from Mister Magoo and

Fred Flintstone to Fredric March and Albert Finney. This is one of those things were you just can't go wrong with your choice. Sit back and relax and enjoy Dickens at his best.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) This animated special is a mainstay of TV. Lovable loser Charlie Brown wants the best Christmas pageant ever and all his friends, including his dog Snoopy, want glitz. Does anybody know the real meaning of Christmas? Charlie Brown's choice of the tiny neglected tree is the center point of the pageant and his friends come through in the end. (sorry if I spoiled the ending for anyone). A must see with your family.

Elf (2003) The story of Buddy (Will Ferrell) the adopted elf, on his quest to find his real father in New York City. Ferrell excels in the role of naive Buddy heading to the big city. Santa (Ed Asner) gives Buddy some advise for New York, "you see gum on the street, leave it there. It's not free candy" and "there are like 30, Ray's Pizza, they all claim to be the original. But the real one's on 11th"

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964) This stop-action animation special tells the story of the Christmas that was almost cancelled due to bad weather. The story is told by Sam, the snowman (Burl Ives) and includes the songs Holly Jolly Christmas, Silver and Gold and of course the title song, all sung by Ives.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) Chevy Chase and Beverly DeAngelo return as the Griswalds in the third film in the vacation series. This time the Griswalds stay home for the holidays and end up with a house full of obnoxious guests. Anyone who ever put up a set of Christmas lights will love this movie.

Honorable mention

The Homecoming The depression era story of John Boy Walton heading out into the snowy night to help his father get home for Christmas. This led to the TV series The Waltons

A Christmas Story. really, how many times can you watch that kid stick his tongue on the pole.

Little Drummer Boy another stop-action animation. What worked in the snows of the north pole doesn't do as well in the desert.

Die Hard My son Michael's favorite Christmas movie. It all happens at a Christmas party on Christmas eve.

Home Alone What happens when the family goes away for the holidays and leave ten year old Kevin home. More three stooges than Christmas.

Alright then, here's the list, I hope some of your favorites are on it, if not enjoy my picks.

What Happened to Thanksgiving?

2010-11-21T10:53:00.000-05:00

What happened to Thanksgiving? Some holidays are world wide, Christmas, New Years, and some that are American only, The Fourth of July, Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Now there is Canadian Thanksgiving, how'd that happen? Pilgrims from the Mayflower moved north and held another dinner? Who cares, give the Canadians Thanksgiving we don't want it anymore. If we do we sure don't show it.
What makes a holiday special? Songs, carols, Peanuts Special shown every year. What song is for Thanksgiving? To Grandma's House We Go, that can easily be put in with Christmas. So no songs or Carols, how about Peanuts? A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, so there is a Peanuts special, but it's the worst one. Even Halloween has a better Peanuts special.
But wait you say, Thanksgiving has football and the Macy's parade. You are correct but let's look a little closer. In the past few years the NFL has been putting games on Thursdays during the season making the Thanksgiving Day games routine. Macy's Parade ends with Santa so really it's a Christmas parade. think about it, the movie that starts with the Macy's parade is a Christmas movie. AH HA, you shout, what about Alice's Restaurant? I have to give you that one, Arlo Guthrie's epic song and movie contains the Thanksgiving Massacree and some people, and TV stations, seem to play the movie every Thanksgiving. So Thanksgiving has been reduced to part of an Arlo Guthrie song and the first two hours of the Macy's parade ( coincidentally that's the length of the song also).
I'm sure there are still a few of you who disagree but think about this, what do people talk more about, Thanksgiving or.............black Friday. I think most people would rather have the Friday after Thanksgiving off from work than Thanksgiving itself. Black Friday has become such an obsession in this country that it has moved to Wednesday. Watch the ads on TV, Black Friday sale prices starting Wednesday. How can you go shopping on the day before Thanksgiving when you should be baking all those pies. Think of what would be the present day Norman Rockwell painting of Thanksgiving, the family around the table or people fighting to get in the doors of Best Buy at midnight. Thanksgiving has become nothing more than a little speed bump in the way of Christmas shopping.
How did I become so cynical about Thanksgiving? I blame it on the Post Office. A day set aside by the government to be with family and to give thanks for the things in your life is just another day to the USPS. In my 25 years with the PO I have been forced into work on most Thanksgivings. The powers that be, think people really care that they get their mail on Friday. They think that people can tell the difference between the mail that they would have gotten on Thursday from the Friday mail had there not been a holiday.
It's too easy to blame just the Post Office. Americans themselves are to blame. Ironically, we as a society that over indulges in everything we do, has pushed aside the very day set aside to overindulge. So let's sit back a second this Thanksgiving, really think about what matters the most to us( family and friends), and enjoy the day. After all you still have thirty shopping days till Christmas (and that's a whole nother blog)

Oh you can get everything you want at Alice's restaurant
You can get everything you want at Alice's restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
Oh you can get everything you want at Alice's restaurant

Best Irish Ballads

2010-11-16T12:15:00.000-05:00

Recently, one of the bloggers on Irish Central.com posted 10 Irish Ballads that melt your heart. It's tough to argue with their list when they start with Mary Black's, Song for Ireland but as any list goes, it's open for others opinions. In this case mine. I would start my list with a song that I think is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. The Town I love so Well, Phil Coulter's love song for Derry. Although it has been recorded by many, when it is sung by Mr. Coulter himself you can really hear the emotion. A close second is Mike DeAngelis of Hair of the Dog. If you are at a pub or festival in the northeast and get a chance to hear Hair of the Dog and they sing this song, sit back and enjoy, you are about to hear something special.

The rest of the songs on my list are in no numeric order, they are just the songs I like and I hope you do too. Christy Moore's, City of Chicago. I like the live version best. The one where in the middle of the song he recites the manifest of a ship leaving Cork harbour during the great hunger. As millions of people were starving in Ireland, the British shipped out tons and tons of food to other parts of the empire.

Four Green Fields, Tommy Makem's ballad for Ireland. Tommy doesn't have the greatest voice in the world but again, when the person who writes the song sings it, there seems to be extra emotion and for a ballad that works.

Some of the songs on the list have been sung by so many people over the years that it is hard to settle on one version. Songs like Fields of Athenry, Isle of Innisfree and The Galway Shawl. Everyone one from The Dropkick Murphys to the Dubliners has recorded The Fields of Athenry, it's hard to find a bad version of this song (techno) so I have to go with what's on my ipod. Patty Reilly's version. I just heard Charlie Landsborourgh's Isle of Innisfree and it's pretty good but I still have to go with Tara Fox. Oh yeah you had to be at our Family St. Patrick's party to hear her so.....Bing Crosby, no, not after Who Threw the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder. How about John McNicholl. Jimmy Kelly gets the nod for The Galway Shawl because he recorded the version his mother likes and that earns you points from this blogger.

Two Kevin MacKrell songs are next. Donegal sung by Mike DeAngelis and I Miss the Rain sung by Kevin himself. Both songs are in the style of Clare to Here and Spancill Hill ( both are great songs and should be on many list) longing for home.

The Wolfe Tones song Boston Rose is a little different from the rest. It's the story of an Irishman who falls in love with a tourist and misses her when she returns to Boston. If any of you know Martin Kelly ask him to sing this song. I first heard him as a young teenager get up in front of a large group of people and sing and I was really entertained and I know you will be too if you get the chance.

The last song on the list has special meaning for me. I had the album for years and had heard this song over and over but never really heard the words. One day on a long road trip the words hit me like a hammer. I had to play the song over and over. It is now a favorite of mine, Frances Black singing Wall of Tears.

I know I left off a lot of songs but that's where you come in, what are some of your favorite Irish ballads?

Time

2010-11-14T11:15:00.000-05:00

Time, good or evil? They say that time heals all wounds, they being Chaucer ("As tyme hem hurt, a tyme doth hem cure") or Greek playwright Menander ("Time is the healer of all necessary evils"). So is time good or evil. In theory, If Money is the root of all evil ( Timothy 6:10 ) and time is money ( Benjamin Franklin) then time is evil. However, if time does heal then time is good. This whole question is a waste of time and do you care if you waste something evil, so time is good. Time is the bane of society it seems. We as a community don't have enough time in the day to do everything we would like. Are we overdoing it or are we just poor when it comes to time management? Play dates, I hate the word itself. Do we have so many things going on that we have to schedule time for our kids to play? I hate to look ahead and see that the next few weekends already have things planned for them. Where is that free time I was promised?

We our proud of ourselves when we multi task, aren't we wonderful we can work more into our 24 hour day. Screen in screen TV, watch two things at once. DVR, HULU or OnDemand, watch TV when you want ( notice they don't say " when you have time")

I guess the point of this is that we need to stop and smell the roses sometimes.

as far as time goes, we have:

Good times, bad times, hard times, fast times, if you are at Ridgemont High, down time, high times, New York times, time of your life, as time goes by, no time, time comes today, baby one more time, back in time, biding my time, wasting my time, prime time, olde time, signs of the times, time flies, time drags, one step at a time, time after time, take your time, the first time, the last time, the longest time and ain't it funny how time slips away.

times up.

2010-11-03T09:37:00.000-04:00

Election day is over, time to clean up all the mud.

The Republican wave, as they were calling it, crashed over the country like a tsunami. The Republicans found that the Teabaggers vote, what hurt the GOP in primaries was used to win House control over the Democrats.

The Senate on the other hand, stayed in Democratic control. Tea Party candidates running on the GOP line were not the best the party had to offer. In Delaware, TP/GOP candidate Christine O'Donnell was seen as a joke when ever she opened her mouth. Mountains of videos from her past appeared and the world got to see a side of the candidate that I'm sure she would have liked to have left in the closet, but the past is the past and we were all young and naive. So let's look at her on the campaign trail, during a debate with her opponent, in front of an audience of law professors and law students, she asked, "where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?". Her opponent, the now Senator elect from Delaware, Chris Coons, explained the First Amendment to her, she replied, "You're telling me that's in the First Amendment?". What amazes me the most is not that she is unaware of the Constitution and is a candidate from a party that one of it's fiercest principals is adherence to the Constitution but that this exchange was over the teaching of creationism in public schools. Creationism is a whole other blog.

So the Senate stays Democratic, let's look at the House. Fox news was all giddy last night as they reported the slaughter. Nancy Pelosi is out as Speaker and John Boehner will soon be in. The results pouring in last night, all the networks showing maps of the Country with blue representing Democrats and red the color of Republicans. Who ever came up with this has a dark sense of humor. The GOP, the people that shout family values, that crave the days when mom stayed home and vacuumed in a dress wearing pearls ( think June Cleaver), the people that think Mad Men is a documentary. The people that want it to be the '50's again have forgotten the biggest scare of the times. Better dead than red. The color used to represent the Communist of the world is now the color of the Grand Old Party. Ironic isn't it?

So now, with control of the House of Representatives in the hands of the commies, sorry GOP, color threw me there. With the House in the hands of the GOP, will they work with the President for the good of the Country or will they try to impeach the President like they did to Clinton? If that's the case and the Federal Government is going to grind to a halt for the next two years. I would rather have Christine O'Donnell in there talking about cavemen eating Brontosaurus burgers.

2010-10-30T08:52:00.000-04:00

Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox opening lines to her poem "Solitude:, first published in 1883. I think Ms. Wilcox knew what she was talking about. The question is, just what makes us laugh? From before the days of radio comedy was king. The golden age of TV gave us shows like Your Show of Shows with Sid Ceaser and Imogena Coca; Jackie Gleason's The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz ( the most famous Cuban of all time. Sure there's Castro but I can't quote him but give me a drum and I will sing bobalu).

Movies have always looked to comedy as a genre. From the days of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton to the Blues Brothers we go to the movies to laugh. It's still hard to find that one thing that makes you laugh. The basic is football ( baseball, basketball, hockey puck, fist, foot, stick etc. ) to the groin. Is it the misfortune of others that makes us laugh? Even comedy itself doesn't know. That's why there are different kinds of comedy. Slapstick, the heart and soul of The Three Stooges, make men laugh out loud while women just don't understand. Black or Dark comedy is hard to define. I don't think it should be considered comedy, you don't laugh out loud but merely shake your head. Black or Dark comedy isn't funny it's more humorous. Then there's the Romantic comedy, the way love should be. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, boy lies to girl, they fall out of love, boy begs forgiveness, they fall back in love. The romantic comedy also has a subsection, the Coming of Age film. The same thing but with younger actors. Satire, Parody, Deadpan, Screwball, Farce. Spoof, Lampoon, the list goes on and on. So how, with all these different types of comedy do you list the best comedy films of all time? The American Film Institute (AFI) did in the year 2000. After publishing their list of 100 movies and 100 top movie lines and 100 top American movies and the list of their lists goes on. In 2000 they gave us AFI's 100 laughs. The top 100 comedy movies, sitting at number one is the Billy Wilder classic, Some Like it Hot. Now I'm not going to tell you that this film doesn't deserve to be number one, it's a good choice, but what followed was strange, numbers 2-5 were: Tootsie, Dr. Strangelove, Annie Hall, and Duck Soup. If I was to make my list none of those four would have made the top five. As a matter of fact I think I would have to have had a five way tie for first. Animal House, Arthur, Blues Brothers, Caddyshack and Some Like it Hot. A tie for second with the Mel Brooks films, Blazing Saddles, The Producers (the original) and Young Frankenstein. Third place is Monty Python's The Holy Grail. How does my list compare with AFI's, other than Some Like it Hot, the only movie I choose to make AFI's top ten is Blazing Saddles at number six. The Holy Grail didn't make the list but their criteria was American films. So just what movie or movies do you put at the top of your list?

2010-10-23T09:40:00.000-04:00

Happiest day of the year in Boston and apparently Pittsburgh.

Go Giants, it's now football season

2010-10-22T10:51:00.000-04:00

This post is spinning out of control. My first thoughts were to write about Fridays. This is my last Friday off, my new bid starts tomorrow with my days off becoming Saturday and Sunday. My first conflict is only two weeks away. Jack's play runs Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 4-6. Now that I'm working Thursday and Friday, the only night I can see it is the 6th. Of course there is a concert I would liked to go on the 6th. Well that's the way things go. This was what I wanted to write about so I looked for a song about Friday's. Do you know how many songs there are about days of the week? Now the spinning starts.

This post is going to be about songs with days of the week in their titles. We'll start with Sunday, the first day of the week. Sunday, Sunday by Joni Mitchell, Pleasant Valley Sunday by the Monkees, Sunday was a Fine Day by Moby. Sunday, Bloody Sunday is about a certain Sunday and not just any ole day (yes, I'll argue with Bono. What's he know, he's only the singer, "This songs not a rebel song" my arse). Mondays have, the Mamas and the Papas, Monday, Monday, Manic Monday by the Bangles. Jimmy Buffet chimes in with Come Monday, not to be outdone by the Boontown Rats seen above. This is when the spinning got faster and faster.

Spending any time on youtube is fun. I find that I go from one thing to another and then another. It's like six degrees of separation. Don't let anyone tell you that youtube is not a drug. You get there and it holds you. How many times have people told you how they got caught up watching youtube for hours. This is how it went. I wanted to get the video for I Don't Like Mondays. I had a few to choose from. The live version from "Live Aid" plus cover bands and what not. Spinning, spinning.

After watching the Boontown Rats on "Live Aid" I had to watch U2, if you don't know or recall "Live Aid" it rocketed U2 to the top of the charts. "Live Aid"as a benefit concert held in London and The Medowlands simultaneously and aired live on TV. Phil Collins played at Wembley jumped aboard the concord jet and played again at Giants Stadium. Back to U2 during their set Bono climbed down off the stage during the song Bad, and with the help of security pulled a women to safety as she was being crushed by the crowd. Although the band couldn't see him, the TV camera stayed on him the entire time. The band kept playing, not knowing what else to do, until they saw him pop up on stage and finish the song and set.

So tell me, just how did I get from Friday's my day off to 1985 and "Live Aid"? What goes up must come down. Spinning wheel got to go 'round...

2010-10-18T14:04:00.000-04:00

Wow, I can post youtube to the blog. (Screaming Orphans above)

Let's get right to it, great weekend. Friday night I saw The Screaming Orphans at the Glass with friends. I have heard them on cd before but that's nothing like a live show, they were brilliant. The band is made up of four sisters from Bundoran, Co. Donegal. As much as they tried to say how much fun their hometown was Emmet summed it up by saying "it's like the New Jersey of Ireland". Two of the sisters don't say a word and the other two don't shut up. Even if they didn't sing a note the show would be great just to listen to their stories. If you missed them At the Glass or at I2K in September, you still have another chance. They will be playing at the Albany Irish Cultural Center on Nov. 6.

Saturday I started to put together a photo slide show for the Saratoga Hibernians. Ten years of events over 2500 photos. I ended up using 400 photos and it runs about 30 minutes. Took me longer to put it to music. Sure anybody could just play music while the slide show is playing, I just wanted the songs to match up a bit. I had to work my itunes in ways i never had before . making some songs shorter and trying to make 12 tracks into one long track. for a first time attempt I think I did pretty good. I sent it out to about ten guys who go to most of the events and asked them to view it and send me more photos that they think should be part of it.

Sunday the Saratoga Hibernians made their yearly appearance at the National Park and Battlefield. This was the 233 anniversary of the battle of Saratoga. The victory at Saratoga is considered the turning point of the American Revolution. The battle of Saratoga has been called the most important battle of the last 1000 years in world history. The victory secured essential foreign support and recognition of the patriot's cause. At one point of the battle, Timothy Murphy, a son of Irish immigrants, shot himself into history. Murphy, serving under General Daniel Morgan, was ordered to take out British General Simon Fraser. Murphy climbed a tree, settled in with his double barreled rifle and shot Fraser from a distance of 300 yards. Fraser fell from his mount and died the next day. With his next round, Murphy shot and killed Sir Frances Clarke, aide-de-camp to General Burgoyne. Seeing the two Generals fall, the British troops started to panic and retreat, thus ending this skirmish of the battle. The US Army list Murphy as the first know sniper used by the Army. In 1913, the Saratoga Hibernians erected a monument to Murphy and all the soldiers of Irish decent. The monument is between stops four and five of the tour. Please come and join us next October for our wreath laying ceremony.

So all in all it was a very social and creative weekend.

2010-10-15T09:55:00.000-04:00

Love is but a song we sing
Fears' the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry

Though the dove is on the wing
And you may not know why

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another right now

This is not a political blog. Politics is something that can come between friends. We, as intelligent humans should be able to calmly, rationally debate today's issues. Yesterday on The View two of the host walked off the stage in a huff ( they were back in a minute and a huff but it was still wrong) during what should have been a discussion but became a shouting match. This is why I am taking the time to turn today's post political.

It seems to me that people today believe that if you shout the loudest you are right. The only thing you are doing is being heard over your opponent. If you don't believe that your opponent has a viable point of view, why are you debating them in the first place. Let's go back to
The View, Fox Network's Bill O'Reilly, host of The O'Reilly Factor was a guest. The discussion revolved around the building of a Muslim community center and Masque near ground zero in New York City. As the debate became heated, O'Reilly said, "Muslims killed us on 9/11" (notice the quotation marks, I checked four different news sources including Fox, and watched the clip of the show and that is exactly what he said). This is the statement that ignited the walk off. Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar stormed off. Behar stated on her other TV show The Joy Behar Show that she considered what O'Reilly said to be "hate speech". O'Reilly, did apologise for leaving out the word "extremest" or "terrorist" but when he got back to his own show he did not back down from what he had said, saying, he did not want to insult Muslims but was, "tired of political correctness surrounding the 9/11 attack". So for me, the biggest question in this whole matter is, why doesn't Whoopi Goldberg have her own show?(Ok, I know, the questions from this debate are easy, does O'Reilly have the right to say what he said and should Muslims have the right to build a mosque anywhere they want. The answer is as simple as black and white [ at this point I think the paper used has turned yellow but the phrase is black and white] yes, to both. Read the Constitution, the Bill of Rights is there for a reason)
This shouting is not something new in our country, a small percentage of society with loud voices getting their own way is as American as apple pie. The 18th Amendment to the Constitution, Liquor Abolished. The only amendment to be repealed. Is a perfect example of this, but it did not start there. Let's go back to the Revolution itself. Most of the colonist were happy with the Crown. Maybe happy is not the word, how about content? It's probably apathetic but the loud voices of wealthier colonist pushed and pushed until we found ourselves in a war for independence. Knowing that the same thing could happen to them, they came up with the Constitution and it's Bill of Rights. The hardest thing about being a true American is defending the Constitution. If you believe in free speech then you must defend the right of someone else to say things that you totally disagree with. If you want freedom to pursue your chosen religion you must defend someone else religion. [ grammar police, else, find me the plural possessive form of the word. The Merriam-Webster on line dictionary was of no help. I found contradicting answers so what do you think?]
So let's all stop yelling, let's start talking, let's start to respect each other's opinions and let's start being better Americans. It's not easy but nobody said it would be.
Tomorrow back to the lighter side of things, I promise.

2010-10-09T09:47:00.000-04:00

I hear somthin' singin'

( Hooh! aah! hooh! aah!)
( Hooh! aah! hooh! aah!)

(Well don't you know)
That's the sound of the men workin' on the chain ga-a-ang
That's the sound of the men workin' on the chain gang

All day long they're singin'

(Hooh! aah! hooh! aah!)
(Hooh! aah! hooh! aah!)

Well here's a first for Saratoga Irish, a two part blog.
Today is my first day back to the salt mines since July 3rd. From what I have heard nothing has changed, hooray. One of the problems of depression is a thing called rumination, the habit of dwelling on negative thoughts, turning them over and over in your mind. Most people ruminate during their lives, especially after an upsetting event, it's perfectly natural. When rumination last for a short while it can help people see what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future. When it last for long hours, say eight hours a day, 40 hours a week, is when you are in trouble. My job has nothing but time to ruminate. We are paired up on a machine and talking to your co worked is frowned upon, strongly. I had a supervisor for a few years that would not put people together that liked each other. Her motto was, less talk, more work. She would have been a perfect character in a Dickens novel. So wish me luck and I will finish this blog after work.

Part Dux

Well it only took me four days to make it back to work, cut me some slack, one was a holiday. Saturday morning I got up and got ready for work. One of the meds the Dr. prescribed is an anti anxiety drug. I took an extra because as the time to leave approached I was getting a bit, I think the medical term is antsy. As I walked across the apartment it started to spin, whoa let me sit down, next thing I knew it was 3:30. So Saturday was shot. No excuses for Sunday, Monday was Columbus Day and well that left today. So I get in the car, put on a special cd I burned for the day and headed to work. So far so good.
I talk to a few people, put up with a few digs and I am ready to sort mail.........but are they ready for me. My boss tells me that the medical unit has not cleared me so off we go to the nurses office. The last clearance was Sept. 13, So, here I am. Wrong. I need updated paperwork. That means I go to the Dr's office tomorrow and if they fax the paperwork I will be cleared in time for Thursday, my day off. So Saturday is what I am shooting for. You have to love the PO, you didn't come in so now you can't come in. Well anyway, here's to Saturday.

The old town looks the same, as I step down from the train,
and there to meet me is my Mama and Papa.
Down the road I look and there runs Mary, hair of gold and lips like cheeries.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.
Yes, they'll all come to meet me, arms reaching, smiling sweetly.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

2010-10-06T10:09:00.000-04:00

People say I'm the life of the party
'Cause I tell a joke or two.
Although I might be laughin
Loud and hardy
Deep inside I'm blue

So take a good look at my face
You see my
Smile looks out of place
If you look closer it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears

Wow, eleven months since my last posting. It's almost like confession, Bless me father it's been eleven months since my last blog. So to my avid readers ( yes, both of you) I humbly apologise. You would think that after almost a year I would have some pretty great stories to tell. Well, you would be wrong.
I am suffering from a major depressive disorder, that's the precise diagnostic label, most people just call it......... (you should have heard, dum dum dum)...depression. For those of you who have never known someone with depression, the first thought you have is, snap out of it. So much easier said then done. First of all most of you who do not know someone with depression actually do. It is very hard to tell people that you have depression because of pride, shame, lack of knowledge of depression and many other reasons. You try to tell yourself to snap out of it, don't be a baby, man up, life sucks for everybody. All this does is make it worse. Under the right medication and therapeutic lifestyle change, depression can be controlled.
Let's take a look at TLC. In my vast reading of subjects (small print on the sides of boxes) regarding most of the things we like to do. The same few items always seem to appear. For example, have you seen the commercial for green tea extra, it melts belly fat!!! the ad shows peoples midsections with big bellies. To rid yourself of this and have a flat washboard stomach all you need to do is drink a cup of tea. Easy, right? wrong, check the small print, with diet and exercise. Jarred, the Subway guy, is now going to run a marathon. Is this because of subway foot longs? If it is, sign me up for Boston next April, I can live on a diet of meatball subs and out run those Africans (they don't have Subway). Alas it's not. Exercise is an important part of human lifestyle that most of us take for granted.
So as I jog across the room to rest on the couch, I know that my exercise regiment has started.
Another part of TLC is social support, so much easier than exercise and diet. Writing this today is one step for me in the right direction. I will try to update this blog at least once a week and I am trying to get out with people more. Some of the people that I have told have been great support and I thank them. So without further adu, till next time, keep smiling.
For those of you who read this regularly, I always start with a song (com'on boy, you know you got it in ya. That was for my brother) I started looking for songs about depression yesterday and it just depressed me more. I also like to add photos, I haven't done much but I will see what I can do.

2009-11-16T08:02:00.000-05:00

Any minute now, my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
I'll stand on the bow, feel the waves come crashing
Come crashing down, down, down on me

And you say, be still my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in
But don't you understand
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

Yes it's that time of year again when we think about everything we are thankful for. Are we honest or do we just say what we are expected to say? The other day on facebook ( yes, I'm on facebook ) a woman I went to high school with said, "I wish I knew at 17 what I know at 51".
So think about your life for a minute, If you knew what life had in store for you at 17, would you change anything? So that was a simple yes. I would have studied harder, exercised more, been much more healthy. You see it's a simple question. Let's make the question harder. If you make changes, you could lose what you cherish the most, in my case that would be my children. I think that it's still a simple question. Of all the terrible and rotten times I have been through I would gladly do all over again to keep my kids. I am a firm believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason.
Now, has my opinion been formed because of my age or because of my experiences? If I was 31 would I still feel the same way? At 31 I was still married, only 2 kids, things were good ( not that the other two kids aren't good, they are). The thought of being alone never entered my head. Now at 51, Sean is married and living in Maryland, Sam is living in Albany, Mike in DC and Jack is with me a couple of days a week. Would I like to change that, of course I would but they have to live their own lives not mine. So at 51 I appreciate my children more. Do I love them more than I did twenty years ago, no. It's just that now I know that the time we get to spend together is less, so don't take it for granted.
The same can be said for your friends. How many friends do you have? The best way to count them is to think of this, if you were to die today, who would be the pallbearers at your funeral? Would your family have a hard time getting six people? Take a look at pictures from twenty years ago, maybe a wedding album or big party. How many of those people have you not seen or talked to in ten years? I think that in this life if you have one good friend you are lucky. Maybe my deffination of friends is harsher than yours. Work friends? in 25 years at my job there are two people that I see outside of work. At the end of October 71 people retired, 71 people that I spent the last twentyfive years with. Half of my life, countless holidays, 40 hours a week or more. Of all those people I don't think I will miss more that two or three. I know that I won't go out of my way to see any of them but running into tham at the mall or a game I would stop and talk just to chach up.
Now am I different than anyone else? Are you reading this and saying, Steve you are a miserable old bastard, or am I being painfully honest? I think that I am honest. I think that when it comes to saying just what I am thankful for in this life it will always be the same, I am thankful for my children. Now are they thankful for me? That's a whole different kettle of fish.

2009-10-18T17:58:00.000-04:00

all the leaves are brown
and the sky is grey
I've been for a walk
on a winter's day

I'd be safe and warm
if I was in L.A
California Dreamin'
on such a winter's day

Ok, it's not winter yet but if you look at the fans bundled up in Yankee Stadium the past two nights, to them it felt like winter. So at this point the Yankees have a two games to none lead over the Angels but don't count them out. The Angels are a good baseball team and this could go six or seven games.

I know it's been a while since I last updated this blog and I apologise for that I have been busy but not busy enough to write. So here are a few of the highlights from the past few months.

In July we attended the NYS AOH Convention. By we, I mean 10 members of the Saratoga AOH. The convention was held in Albany and the usual good times were had by all. My packet that included three meals was split between three of us. Dick Nelson went to the Ice breaker and had a meal he is still talking about. Emmet Kelleher went to the Awards night for the steak dinner and I had prime rib at the banquet on Saturday night.

August proved to be busy for the boys from Saratoga. On August 5th we went to the track for Irish Day at the races. A beautiful sunny day for the members and their families. On August 8th we were given a tour of the Lexington Ave Armory in New York City. This is the home of the Fighting 69th.

At the end of the month I had my first trip to the new Yankee Stadium. Sean and Sara came up from Maryland and came to the game with Sara's parents. We got to meet Ron Blumberg, the first DH in baseball history and Oscar Gamble before the game. The Stadium is overwhelming and you can't see everything in one trip but if you do go, behind the left field foul pole is a stand that sells the best steak sandwiches in the world. $15 and worth every penny ( for god's sake it's $5 for a hot dog, $15 for prime rib is not too bad). The Yankees got beat but the trip was great anyway.

In September the Irish 2000 Music and Arts festival moved to Saratoga county and we maned the parking lots for the two day event. I kept my eye out but no Bill sightings. Hopefully the Festival will stay here and Bill, if you are reading this, I miss you.

Now it's October. The Division always have a day at the battlefield to place a wreath at the Timothy Murphy Monument. This year it was expanded to include a stop at the National Cemetery to honor the unknown soldier grave also. The elections for the new officers of the Division is in full swing. I am backing Brian Murphy for President, Brian is a friend and a great Hibernian and will do a terrific job.

So here are some photos from the summer. http://picasaweb.google.com/saratogairish/SummerRecap#

2009-05-25T10:19:00.000-04:00

Silver wings upon their chest

These are men, America's best

One hundred men will test today

But only three win the Green Beret

I know that I haven't posted in a while and today is memorial day. They say a picture is worth a thousand words so here are a few to think about. Remember to thank a vet, it's the least you can do.

Did they Beat the drum slowly,

did the play the pipes lowly?

Did the rifles fir o'er you as they lowered you down?

Did the band play The Last Post in chorus?

Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

2009-03-18T13:42:00.000-04:00

Patrick was a gentleman, came from decent people
Built the church in Dublin town, and on it put a steeple
His father was a Gallagher, his mother was a Brady
His aunt was an O'Shaughnessy, his uncle was a Grady
The Wicklow hills are very high, and so's the Hill of Howth, sir
But there's a hill much higher still, much higher than them both, sir
On the top of this high hill St. Patrick preached his sermom
Which drove the frogs into the bogs and banished all the vermin

The alarm went off at 3:15 am, yes you read that right. I was meeting Chris and Greg for the 5:10 train from Albany to New York City. We arrived in the city and walked out to the street from Penn Station and what is the first thing I see? The US Post Office building. The one with the motto carved into it. We walked over to Times Square and then to McNeill's pub for breakfast. I started with a cup of tea to warm me up a bit but when they brought out our Irish breakfast ( eggs, bacon, potato's, sausage and beans, black pudding and toast) I ordered my first glass of Harp of the day. We finished eating and had time to kill so we went downstairs to the bar. What a great place. Two fine bartenders, one from County Caven and the other from Tipperary. We drank and sang along with the music as we met other people celebrating the day.
Around noon we started to walk the few blocks over to 5th Ave. The Parade starts on 44th street and we were lining up on W46th. Crossing 5th Ave. was a chore, the parade had already started and barriers were all over the place. We had to walk up to 47th, cross there walk through the hundreds of firemen waiting on 47th till we got to 6th Ave then back down to 46th and past the police barriers. There were many groups waiting on 46th street. I was standing with Chris when I was bumped into by some guy walking past, he doesn't say a word. No excuse me or pardon me or anything. He takes a few steps past me and turns around laughing, it's Tim Ryan from Albany. We both laugh out loud and head into Mc Ann's Bar where Tim and his friends were. Greg had walked in there to use the men's room saw the Albany Limerick jacket on a guy and started a conversation. When Tim asked if Greg knew me he said, "Yeah, he's outside"
Well we stayed there for a couple of hours till it was our time to step off. The Parade is fantastic, it just goes on and on. People lining the streets in every kind of outfit you can imagine. We marched up to the end of the Parade at 88th Street. It was now around 4:30 and we needed a place to go. Off to the Kinsale Tavern on 3rd Ave between 93rd and 94th streets. This was a great place, good food, cold beer, a dj playing all kinds of music. A few of the crazies that had too much to drink but what can you do about that. It was now after work hours so people that had spent the day working were just heading out . The only downside to the Tinsale Tavern was, and it's hard to imagine I know, but some of the people from the County Cork group started to.......dare I say it......I must. They started to dance the electric slide to a Rolling Stones song.

I just wanted to give you time to let that sink in.

Chris had been in contact with a friend all day and she was at The Blind Pig with her friends so we decided to head there. We had no idea what to expect in a bar called the Blind Pig. We took a cap the seventy or so blocks and the place was packed. The reason for the big crowd was the band Celtic Cross. What a great band. Tim and his friends changed their plans and headed to Penn Station for the 8: 20 train home. Greg, Chris and I stayed till the 10:45 train. We arrived back in Albany a little after 1 am. By the time I got home it was two o'clock, just 23 hours after I had gotten up to start the day. All in all we had a fantastic time and are planning to do it all again next year. I hope we can talk some other people into joining us, it was fun.

here are some photos from the day http://picasaweb.google.com/saratogairish/NYCStPattySDay#

2009-03-16T11:07:00.000-04:00

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

We made it through the weekend. Sara, Sean and Mike left this morning heading back home. They came into town on Friday for the weekend festivities. We had dinner at my sisters Friday to help my mother celebrate her 90th birthday. Saturday was the Albany St. Patrick's day parade. Sean, Mike, Jack and myself, all kilted, met at the Albany Hibernian Center for a few pre parade pints. Soon it was onto the bus and off to the parade route. The weather could not have been better. Sunny, warm, unlike two years ago when the parade was postponed a week because of snow. Central Ave was lined in green clad people all the way to the end of the route. At the end of the parade we met up with Sara and Sam and a few of Sam's friends for the post parade activities. After a couple of hours in a Pearl St. bar we hailed a cap over to the Hibernians. Around eight, Jack and I headed north while the rest went to Sam's place.

Sunday we held our fifth annual Family Festival. Each year the Saratoga Hibernians try to give a sampling of Irish culture in a setting were you can bring your families. This year was a smashing success. The biggest problem we had all day was we needed to set up more tables. Now that's the kind of problem you want. We held the party at the Saratoga/Wilton Elks and I can't thank them enough for their hospitality. The Elk's had food and drink available so no one left hungry. The party is an example of many people helping out and having a good time. Here is a photo album from the day, courtesy of John Cromie http://picasaweb.google.com/saratogairish/FamilyFestival#
The entertainment for the day included The Pan Celtic session players, the Wild Irish Acres Dancers, and a trio of Pipers, well two pipers and a drummer. The day could not have been as much fun without the people that came and I thank you all. It was good to see the familiar faces and some that we haven't seen for a while. Mark your calendar for next years party it only gets better and better.
I'm resting today because tomorrow I am off to New York City to march in the Parade. I will let you know all about it. So till then have a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day.

2009-02-14T10:27:00.000-05:00

Cupid draw back your bow

And let your arrow go

Straight back to my lover's heart for me

Cupid please hear my cry

And let your arrow fly

Straight to my lover's heart for me

Ah, Valentine's Day, a holiday that was made up by Hallmark and FTD. For a little insight, today we have a guest blogger. I hope you all have a nice VD.

I think valentines day is the one day of the year that men don't mind the stereotype that they're slobbering idiots. In fact they love it because they can do anything no matter how small and women think its like they re-invented the wheel. You can draw a picture of a heart and boom "I made it just for you" The best thing to use on Valentines Day (or VD as I call it) a mix cd. Its perfect and it doesn't even really have to be love songs. there only has to be one song (two at most) that makes sense (Like the first song you danced to) after that you can just hit shuffle. When she asks why a certain song is on there its simple

"Because when ever I hear that song it makes me think of you."

"really? 'Black Dog'?"

"Well I know how much you love Led Zeppelin"

2009-01-14T09:57:00.000-05:00

She was beautiful

Beautiful to my eyes

From the moment I saw her

The sun filled the sky

She was so, so beautiful

Beautiful just to hold

In my dreams she was springtime

Winter was cold

I was out Sunday night with my new VP. We had a good day and were relaxing with a couple of drinks. I was on the club soda because I was driving. We had just left after spending some time with this type of Bambi.

When I ran into this type of Bambi.

I literally mean, ran into. Crossing RT9 in front of the old Weathervane restaurant were six or eight deer, walking across the road in a straight line. I couldn't swerve, there was no place to go. Now, had it been the first type of Bambi ,I would have driven into the snowbank or what ever needed to be done to stop. I hit this deer dead center, pardon the pun.

Now I'm waiting for the insurance company to declare my car dead as Bambi. I looked up the book value for the car, $850, I'm sue there is more damage than that. My mechanic is searching for parts from a junk yard. he asked if I minded if the replacements weren't white. It's a 1987 Buick, of course I don't mind if it's two different colors. It might even add a bit of class to it.

Coming soon, things to look forward to in 2009 with the Saratoga AOH

2009-01-01T13:22:00.000-05:00

I knew a man, his name was Lange

and he had a neon sign.

Mr. Lange was on in years

so we called it

"Old Lange's Sign"

Happy 2009 everyone. This update is presented via Michael's laptop. My computer has a virus and it has made posting very hard. I hope everyone had a great New year's eve. I stayed home and watch a movie, God, I'm getting old. I can remember when New Years meant getting loaded and ending the night making out with some random women. Aaahhh, those were the days. Now here I am spending the night alone in my apartment watching some crappy movie listening to the people next door playing "rock band". As far as I can tell Bon Jovi has nothing to worry about. For the past few weeks these guys and their friends have been playing , "Livin on a Prayer" and they suck. When the power went out at the wedding and the kids kept singing it was much better than the crap that I hear through my walls. I would complain but there is no one in the apartment on the other side and unless the people living under them complain they will know it is me. It's bad enough that they are having these parties almost every weekend but they also have to go out on the balcony so the noise is even louder.

So, did anyone make any resolutions for the new year? Don't worry it's not to late. What fun is it if you don't have a resolution or two to break. It's only for the winter, they never last till spring anyway. Sure the big one, to lose weight. How many people make this one and it's only to look good in a swimsuit this summer so by the time spring comes, warm weather, sexy clothes, resolution over. This is also a commentary on Americans, our attention span is only a few months at best. This is both good and bad. The good part is that we are resilient, something bad happens and we get over it quick. The bad side is that corporate America knows this as well and uses it against us. They get caught doing something wrong and after a few days or weeks we forget all about it. Watch the sales of SUV's go up again now that gas is under $2 a gallon. Remember when it was over $4 and we all wanted to know where were the hybrids or electric cars? the war, we all know it's wrong, we all know that it was a lie to begin with and we still don't care. Maybe if there was a draft more people would give a crap about what is going on, but hey, it's a holiday so stop thinking and go back to watching the Rose Parade (it's on four different channels for crying out loud). Happy New Year everyone, enjoy (see even my attention span is short)

2008-12-25T13:09:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!!!!

2008-12-24T19:00:00.000-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Ev'rywhere you go;
Take a look in the five-and-ten,
glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
Toys in ev'ry store,
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

It's Christmas Eve. The most magical night of the year. Everything happens on Christmas Eve. When did it start to snow in VT at that nice Inn? On Christmas Eve, just as Bing started to sing White Christmas. When did Scrooge get visited by the three ghosts? Christmas Eve. By the way, my favorite versions of the Dickens classic have to be Scrooged with Bill Murry and the classic Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. It was Christmas Eve when John Boy trekked out into the snowy night looking for his father in the Homecoming which turned into The Waltons.
So what are your memories of Christmas Eve? I think it's almost better than Christmas day. It is still a day that you can fight the shoppers getting their last minute gifts. The tree never looks better as all the gifts are sitting under it, which reminds me I still have a couple to wrap.
So I will cut this short and start to get ready for tomorrow. I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and I hope you get everything you asked Santa for. I would also like to wish Benjamin James Przedwiecki Merry first Christmas as he arrived yesterday in time for the fun.

2008-12-18T09:19:00.000-05:00

In a little while from now,

If I'm not feeling any less sour,

I promised myself, to treat myself,

And visit a nearby tower ..........

alone again.....naturally

I've lost my passion. Is it really something that you lose or does life beat it out of you? Either way, it's gone. What passion you ask, my need to write this blog? Work? Life itself? That last one is a dangerous one. Let's start with work. There are two ways you can earn a living in this world, one, have a job. The other is to have a career. They are one in the same you say, but you would be wrong. One you hate the other you love. I hate my job. The only bright side to my job were the people that I worked with and as the passion for work was beat out of me the less and less I liked the people there. After almost 25 years I am going back to the afternoon shift, it's not my choice. The powers that be in Washington sent out a directive to each plant to see if it was feasible to do all the work in two shifts instead of three. Seeing that I work in the land of the Emperor's new clothes, the plant managers all said, "YES". The Union on a national level said wait, you can't just shut out one whole shift with out consulting all the bargaining unions. National said, "It's not a nation wide plan. It's a plant by plant decision" With every plant headed by a yesman, you can see the outcome. The workers, who all see that the Emperor is naked, know that it will never work an that we will take all the blame for the outcome. Work sucks.

This blog. Not that I was passionate about writing but it was fun. This is my first update in six weeks. I've had nothing to write about. Thanksgiving eehh, Christmas, not in the spirit. Life in general, same old same old. On top of all that my computer has a virus. I have the antispyware pro 2009 virus. It's pest. It doesn't let you surf the net unimpeded. It wants you to buy it's spyware. I would be willing to pay the $50 bucks if I knew for sure it would work. In the meantime when my IT guy gets the chance he will stop by and see what he can do.

So, how have you all been?

Don't worry about me I'll get through this and win back my passion. Seeing all the kids next week will help, you see, I haven't lost my passion for them. Maybe dancing naked around the bonfire at Sunday's winter solstice pagan Christmas party will get me back in the holiday spirit, it's worth a try.

2008-11-03T10:09:00.000-05:00

He did the mash

He did the monster mash

The monster mash

It was a graveyard smash

He did the mash

It caught on in a flash

He did the mash

He did the monster mash

This past Friday was Halloween, it used to be one of my favorite holidays. When I was young and in Catholic school we always had All Saint's Day, November 1, off from school. We could stay out as late as we liked but make sure you are off Jean Lane before dark. Aaahhh urban legends. In college I won the best costume award ($50, which we spent at the bar down the street on 10cent beers. Every girl who came in the bar the bouncers sent over to us and we bought them a beer or two) for my "ballerina" costume. I wore my high school wrestling tights with a big pink t0-t0. When Sean was in college I always looked forward to the photos from his party. A word of warning, don't go in the Jug dressed like an Indian. The kids always went trick or treating when they were way too old but hey it's all good fun. I would spend more time and money in Halloween decorations for the house than for Christmas. One year we turned the garage into a haunted house. We would have so many kids that we would go through five or six bags of candy. Now, living on the third floor of an apartment building, no decorations and no trick or treaters.

I did nothing for Halloween. Jack went out with some friends and Mike, Sean and Sara were at the same party in DC. I haven't heard from Sam.

The best part of Halloween is the costume. You need to put a lot of thought and work into

what you are going to wear or not. One year I

stopped at home depot on my way home from

work, picked up a tylar jumpsuit. I put paint

and sparkle on it, shaved, drew on mutton chops,

put on the sunglasses and went to the party

as Elvis. I always like to see a costume that

makes you think about what it is.

This year Sean and Sara took the idea

or their costume from the newspaper. You guessed it, Joba Chamberlain and the cop that arrested him for DUI.

Michael and Jack on the other hand went Hollywood. Michael designed his costume as Patrick Bateman character in the movie "American Psycho" . This is Mike looking as psychotic as he can

This is the real character from the movie. You might recognise him as Christian Bale who plays Bruce Wayne in "Batman Returns"and "The Dark Knight"
Jack went more indie film, portraying the lead character from the movie, "Charlie Bartlett"

Does anyone else think it's odd that my sons think wearing a suit coat is right for Halloween? If you haven't seen either movie I recommend that you go out and rent them, they are both very good.

UPDATE: I still haven't heard from Sam but she posted a few pictures from Halloween. As you can see she and some friends went out as "girls gone wild". It looks like a great costume and very disappointing to all the guys that were in that bar.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween and remember to start thinking now what you want to dress up as next year.

2008-10-20T08:43:00.000-04:00

Do you remember the 21st night of september?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing.
As we danced in the night,
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in september
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

Okay, so it's been a while since I posted. There are a couple of reasons for that, one i wanted to keep the last post up so everyone could see it and I kept adding photos to the album as I was getting them. Two, it has been a crazy few weeks. In the sports world it is playoff baseball and the Yankees are not in it. I know it's hard to remember a year when the Yankees were not in the playoffs, we Yankee fans have been spoiled. Speaking of spoiled fans, any so called Red Sox fan who left Fenway when the score was 7-0 the other night should never be let back in again. Talk about crazy baseball, the World Series starts Wednesday and the American League team is the Tampa Bay Rays. I'll let that sink in a bit. Changing the name from Devilrays to Rays has lifted them from proverbial doormats of the east to the World Series. All you born again bible thumpers rejoice. The National League representative is the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phil's are making their second year in a row in the playoffs after the Mets made their second year in a row choke at the end. Go Rays.
The craziness continues in football. The Giants, last years underdog Super Bowl Champions, started the season as if they really were the reigning champs. A quick 4-0 start has led to the top spot in the best conference in the NFL. The Giants are sitting alone in that spot at 5-1 while the Redskins are 5-2 and the Cowboys are 4-3.
Getting away from sports the craziness continues. The election. Most elections don't grab my attention like this one has. Let's start on the local level. In New Yorks 20th congressional district Sandy Treadwell is trying to unseat Kristen Gillibrand. Ms Gillibrand is finishing her first term after toppling John Sweeney two years ago. Although campaigns are suppose to be about policy and what not, Treadwell has become the king of the mudslingers. In his ads he shows the worst photos of Ms Gillibrand. Now her ads are getting just as bad but only to rebuke what Treadwell has said....and a couple of jabs for herself. I want to vote for the person that found the photos. I don't know of any woman who would allow that many bad photos of her to exist. The State Senate and Assembly races are just as bad. On the National Level we have McCain. Sen. John McCain, war hero, distinguished member of the Senate. Choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate. Who? Sarah Palin, who in this race is as funny as Michael Palin. As the Governor of Alaska, she claims to be able to see both Canada and Russia from her house. This Tina Fey look alike, a self proclaimed, "hockey mom" is McCain's choice for Vice President? Now I know that the Vice President doesn't do much but sit and wait for the President to die and take over but in this case McCain is 72 years old and the wait may not be that long. In the latest debate with Obama, McCain looked like the old guy on your street when you were a kid. I thought at one point he was going to yell at Obama to get off his lawn.
I guess you can tell who I am voting for. One thing about Obama, he's black, in case you didn't notice. Is it time for a black president? I think the answer is, it's time to stop looking at people and putting them in categories. I don't need anyone to tell me Obama is black, I can see that. I will vote for a man or woman not because of their color of their skin but on the content of their character. I'm sure the Reverend King would not mind that I paraphrased his speech. A speech that he delivered in 1963, Barack Obama was two years old, John McCain was 27. I told you he was old.

2008-09-08T07:48:00.000-04:00

Here I am, rocked you like a hurricane
Here I am, rocked you like a hurricane
Here I am, rocked you like a hurricane
Here I am, rocked you like a hurricane
Rocked you like a hurricane

Hannah reared her ugly head and threw everything she had at us but we didn't care. What a weekend. Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Sean Curran. The first time it has rained on the Saturday after Labor Day in Sara's part of NJ in over 30 years and we partied through it. The boys and I arrived in Jersey on Thursday night and were treated to a very nice dinner at the brides parents home. The talk was of the upcoming days and how much everyone was looking forward to it. Friday, Jack, Mike and myself, lovers of the movie Dogma, left the hotel and drove to downtown Redbank to look for St. Michael's Church. We couldn't find it ( looked the movie up on the Internet and although some of the movie was filmed in Redbank and Asbury Park, the church in the final scenes is actually in Pittsburgh PA.). Sean came over to the hotel to drop off the goodie bags for all of the guest staying at the hotel and he stayed with us till the Rehearsal dinner. Rehearsal went well and off to dinner. When we returned to the hotel everyone came over to my room and we relaxed with a few beers and stories. Around midnight we looked out and the rain had started.
Wedding day. Very overcast with dark looming clouds, but no rain. People checking in and you could feel the excitement growing. People were coming from all over for this event.
4:45 and the groomsmen dressed in black tuxedos, gather in my room for a toast with Sean. Our first but not last Irish Whiskey of the night. At 5 o'clock sharp we get into the limo for the trip to the church and the rain starts. We arrive at the church and the photographer starts taking photos of the guys. By the time he was done people were starting to show up along with Hannah. The groomsmen did a wonderful job of storing umbrellas and raincoats as well as seating the guests. The rain let up just enough for Sara to get in the church, wet but not soaked. A very nice ceremony and we were off to the reception. There was enough time between the ceremony and reception for the out of town guest to return to the hotel for a shuttle bus to take them to the reception. The parents of the bride and groom, traveling in style in the back of a limo, killed a bottle of merlot between the four of them. We made a stop at the hotel to drop off some things and to steal a few pbr's for the ride (not to get ahead of myself but at the after party when my brother saw the Pabst cans in the cooler he looked at me and said,"Hey, is Dad here?" and I didn't think of it till then but yeah, dad was there). We arrive at the Shadowbrook for the formal photos with the wedding party. (here's the link to the Shadowbrook because I can't do the place justice by just describing it. http://www.shadowbrook.com/index2.html ) When the photos were done they announced that the bar was open to the wedding party. The bartender, Jerry, soon to be my best friend, served the ladies. Then he looked at me and asked if I was the grooms father. After that, all night long when ever I went into the bar he would stop what he was doing and serve me, others could wait I was the grooms father. A glass of whiskey with two, make that three a voice behind me added, of the groomsmen. Nate, Shane and Michael started off with Jameson's with me. The cocktail hour was to be outside in the garden but Hannah would have none of that and the party was moved indoors. No one seemed to mind, this was a hearty group of revilers. Soon it was time for the guest to take their seats and the wedding party was introduced. The Bride's parents, Judy and Bill, the grooms parents, Sandy and Steve. The groomsmen and bridesmaids, the Maid of Honor and the Best man. Now the moment everyone was waiting for, for the first time in public, Mr. and Mrs. Sean and Sara Curran. The couple danced their first dance to Ronan Keating's When You Say Nothing At All. Then Sara danced with her father to I Loved Her First by Heartland (if you know the song your eyes are welling up as you read this. If you don't know the song, here:

Look at the two of you dancing that way
Lost in the moment and each others face
So much in love your alone in this place
Like there's nobody else in the world
I was enough for her not long ago
I was her number one
She told me so
And she still means the world to me
Just so you know
So be careful when you hold my girl
Time changes everything
Life must go on
And I'm not gonna stand in your way

But I loved her first and I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
But it still hard to give her away
I loved her first

and that's only the first verse and chorus, if you are not crying now, you have no soul). Then Sean danced with his mother to Elton John's Your Song. At this point the DJ invites everyone to the dance floor, and everyone went. the music started and people were dancing like I have never seen at a wedding before. At one point the DJ had to tell people that the salads were ready but that didn't help. Finally when he said dinner was served people left the dance floor but not for long. The party rocked and Hannah kept pelting the windows with rain. The DJ started to play Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer when Hannah couldn't take it anymore and boom, out go the lights.

For most people this would have stopped the party but nay nay I say, who needs a DJ, the crowd sings the song themselves ( we are in Jersey after all). They follow it with American Pie and start up Springsteen's Thunder Road, when the music starts back up with the help of a portable generator. The only lights in the room are from the emergency lights and candles but the music was playing and this crowd was here to party. No a/c so off came the men's jackets and on went linen napkin do'rags but everyone stayed and danced. The only time people stopped dancing was when they tossed the bouquet, (nice catch Emily) and the garter. What can I say about Adam Forman, if you know him your nodding right now. If you didn't know him you were about to meet him. Emily is seated in a chair with Sean and Sara at her side as Adam approaches her stops, turns and does a sexy chippendalestic dance to Tone-Loc's Wild Thing, after a few minutes of this Adam turns and Sean tells him you have to put it on her leg. They could not have set this up better if they had tried. The party kept rocking, the booze kept flowing and the lights stayed off. As any good Yankee fan knows, at the Stadium when the game is over and the Yankee's win, you hear Frank Sinatra sing New York, New York. So with everyone on the dance floor in a circle doing the worst impression of the Rockettes you ever saw the final notes of the song ended and Hannah gave up. The lights returned. The shuttle bus took everyone back to the hotel and those that were able went to room 123 for the after party. I made it back to my room around 3:30. Best wedding ever. Or as Barney would say, "Legen........wait for it........dery"

here is a small album of photos. I will post more as I get them. If you were there please e-mail me any photos that you have so I can use them. http://picasaweb.google.com/saratogairish/Wedding

2008-09-02T08:52:00.001-04:00

Donnybrook Open September 13th. http://www.saratogaaoh.com/ for more

Is it really going to be that hard to beat these guys?

2008-08-31T08:35:00.000-04:00

September 13, 2008. For more got to http://www.saratogaaoh.com/

2008-08-24T09:04:00.000-04:00

"September morn
Do you remember how we danced that night away
Two lovers playing scenes from some romantic play
September morning still can make me feel this way."

I know it's been a while since I last posted but that was intentional. I wanted everyone to read about New Orleans. If you haven't, then please read the previous post after you've finished this one.
September is going to be a very busy month. It is so chock full that Labor day is on the first. So, here are the high lights of September.

Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of summer, is the Scottish Games at the Altamont Fair grounds. The games have been a end of summer event for as long as I can remember. A great day, or two if you are adventurous, of music and events. A pipe competition, live bands, dancers and cabor tossing, are only a few of the things to do and see at the games. Tickets are $20 on Saturday and $15 for Sunday, if you go to Price chopper you may still get pre sale tickets for a cheaper price. By the way if you don't know what a cabor is, think telephone pole.

September 6th is the wedding of Sean and Sara. The Curran clan will be heading to the Jersey shore for the nuptials. A full weekend of activities will be held and I'll be in a tux. All the kids are part of the wedding party so I'm sure their will be lots of photos and stories after.

September 13th, the Donnybrook Open Golf Tournament. The Saratoga AOH will be sponsoring a golf outing on Saturday September 13, there are still a few openings for you and your foursome. all the information can be found at www.saratogaaoh.com .
If you can't make the golf outing and happen to be in Johnstown. The 250th anniversary of Johnstown has been a year long event. On September 13 they will be having a parade to celebrate. The Division will be sending a small contingent (only small because so many brothers are going to be busy helping out at the golf) to march. So come out and see a great parade and any member that would like to join us just let me know.

September 19 and 20 are the dates for Irish 2000 at the Altamont Fair grounds. This day and a half music and arts festival has become a must do event for the entire region. Music, music and more music is the center of the festival. check out the web site at www.irish2000fest.com and see if you can figure out a way to see all of your favorite celtic music bands.
If you can't make it to Irish 2000 the West Side of Saratoga, Old Dublin, will be having a festival celebrating the rich history of Saratoga.

September 27. I don't know about you but I need one weekend to relax and recoup.

Don't forget the Division meeting on September 4 and for those of you how are sending off your children to school for the first time, congratulations and enjoy the quiet till the afternoon bus brings them home again.

2008-07-28T10:09:00.000-04:00

Guess who just got back today?
Those wild-eyed boys that had been away
Havent changed, havent much to say
But man, I still think those cats are great

"If you don't have fun here, you've got issues" New Orleans native

Well we survived. The Convention in New Orleans was fantastic. The election went well and everyone had a great time. So as they say, "Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez".
The trip started Wednesday morning as Chris and I entered the Albany airport. Already checking in for the same flight was the man himself, "Mr Second", Dick Boland. Our district director and his wife were also on the same plane with us. The first bump we hit was in Tampa when our connecting flight was delayed a few minutes, but soon we were in the air again and landing in the crescent city. Chris and I were staying at the Marriott on Canal St. as were the players, fans and officials for the Arena Football Super Bowl. Oh yeah, the cheerleaders too.
The first night festivities started with the Icebreaker. A buffet of jambalaya, white rice and beans, and many other New Orlean's favorites. My cousin Keri, who lives in New Orleans, joined us after the icebreaker the group hit the hospitality rooms. Walking into the New York room we ran into an old friend from Saratoga, our own division brother, Kevin MacKrell. Kevin was entertaining all week in the New York room. We went on a pub crawl that any geography teacher would have loved. We went to Michigan, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, a room that represented Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC. We didn't make the Ohio room until the next night. The Southern room, (The Carolin as, Georgia and Florida) was serving great bbq sandwiches. But we were in New Orleans, we needed to go to "the Quarter" and we had Keri as a guide. Our first stop was One Eyed Jacks, closed, then on to Burbon St. For those of you that have never been to Burbon St, one, it's seedy, really seedy and two, it's narrow. I always thought it would be bigger than life but in reality it's a 300 year old street that would be hard pressed to have two cars pass each other. That problem is solved by the police as they stop all traffic at night. I can't tell you about all the bars we went to, not because I was too drunk to remember but we all pledged the oath, what happens in New Orleans stays in New Orleans, but I assure you it was fun. We did got to Pat O'Brians and Keri talked the bouncer into letting us in for a very quick Hurricane as they were about to close. It really didn't have to be quick for in New Orleans you can walk down the street drinking. Every bar in the city has plastic cups on the bar in case you want to leave, pour it in plastic and off you go. I love the signs that say, drinks to go. They have these daiquiris bars that serve frozen drinks for take out. It's kind of like slushies with booze. Wednesday night ended around 3:45, this might sound early to most Burbon St visitors but with the time change it was really like 4:45 to us and we had gotten up at 5 am the day before to get to the airport, it was a long day.
Day two started for Chris and I with a walk into the Quarter and having breakfast. The place we ate in was very good and they have a guy out front drumming up business by saying, Mimosas' and Bloody Mary's to go. In the afternoon, Dick, Brian, Chris and I hit Burbon St. again for Brian's birthday. Around 7 we went to Harrah's Casino for a Hibernian night. Open bar and buffet with a band and, oh yeah, a casino. Harrah's lost money on me as I won playing craps. Harrahs lost a lot more on Dick as he drank as much of the free 15 year old Chevis as he could in three hours. Back to the Sheraton to gather up a couple of more people and off we went to Parasolsls (http://www.parasols.com/ ), Keri works there and we had a ball. What a great little neighborhood bar. We stayed there a couple of hours then back to the hospitality rooms.
Day three had us on a two hour tour of the city. Very interesting but no drinks. Back to the convention for the New York caucus. We made sure we all had our voting credentials and voted on the New York State endorsements of the candidates. Friday night I skipped the dinner and went out on my own. The boys went to the dinner so you will have to talk to them about it. I won't say much about my night except that one of the locals that we had met and spent some time with took me to a bar that was well off the beaten track. When we went in I recognized a few of the street performers sitting at the bar and the barmaid was more of a tender then maid.
It was like drinking backstage at the circus, I loved it. One note, every traval show about New Orleans shows the strip club on Burbon St with the feet coming out of the wall. I had to go in, now I know where old strippers go to die. Back to the Sheradon and met up with the gang for the rounds again.
Day four. The vote. All convention business on Saturday is the vote, once that is done you are on your own. Chris and I went and had something to eat then went souvenir shopping (and drinking). We finished in time to watch the Yankee/Red Sox game before the banquet. The main ballroom was decked out in New Orlean 's splendor as we enjoyed the open bar. the boys were dressed to impress and my date, Keri, looked fabulous. We went to our tables, somehow they decided to break up this group and Keri and I were at a different table from the rest. As we were eating our salad a siren wet off and two NOPD motorcycles entered the ballroom lights flashing and sirens blaring as we were treated to our own Mardi Gras parade in July. A brass jazz band led and floats with the President and Vice Presidents of the AOH and LAOH made there way through the ballroom. Behind the floats marched all the newly elected officers all tossing beads into the crowd. It was great fun and just an other example of the great job the Louisiana Hibernians did at this convention. As usual the night ended late in the hospitality rooms.
Check out. Chris and I were booked on a flight out of New Orleans at 12:30, we got to the airport in time for a bite to eat and found we were travelling with New York State AOH President Matt Nelligan and his father. Boarded the plane on time and we were off. First stop Birmingham Alabama. The plane arrived in Alabama 30 minutes early. As we waited for the next group of travelers to board we, I got to know one of the flight attendants. When the take off time came they tried to get everyone seated quickly telling us there were storms in Baltimore and we wanted to beat them. We didn't make it. "Sorry folks, nothing is landing or taking off in Baltimore, we're grounded for about 30 minutes." They opened the door and you could get up and walk off if you wanted. After 30 minutes they told us it would be an other hour. I got off the plane and called Sean. We were trying to meet up during my two hour layover in Baltimore. We finally took off for Baltimore after two hours on the tarmac still in time for our connecting flight. The flight to Albany was delayed about a half an hour but Sean and Sara had already gone home so we didn't get to see each other. We arrived in Albany about an hour later than we expected, not too bad for the day we had. Murph and Dick were delayed in New Orleans, re routed to Nashville then Tampa where they had to run to get to the connecting flight, that they were holding for them and then off to Albany. They held the flight for them but they didn't wait for there luggage. They arrived in Albany with out there luggage.
If you would like to see some photos from the trip click here, more photos will follow when Brian and Chris send me some. http://picasaweb.google.com/saratogairish/NewOrleans