The Night Before

The small memorial at Orange County Choppers. 

I have little recollection regarding the night before 9/11/01. I remember that the semester was just getting started and that I had class early the next morning. I know that I was preparing for a trip into the city for the ASVAB and that I was working on scheduling a meeting with the President of the college to discuss starting an ROTC partnership with Southern New Hampshire University (a partnership was later formed with MIT). I can also faintly recall hearing the sounds of the Giants’ Monday Night Football game coming from a dorm room a few feet away but there is little else that my memory possesses.

Overall, it was just another cool New England night with the biggest concern of those around me was starting off the year right and making sure that they got to class on time the following morning. When I woke up on Tuesday morning I didn’t hear anything out of the ordinary and I went about the early morning preparing for class and taking a slow walk to the Academic Building. It really was a beautiful beginning to the day with only a few thin clouds in the sky, a light breeze coming off of the bay, and the temperature remaining crisp and comfortable.

When I walked through the doors and glanced up at the television perched in the corner I could see that something was going on but didn’t really take the time to watch and process what was transpiring. I was running a little behind getting to class but managed to get there by 8:50am, there was little else on everyone’s mind and the conversation quickly lead to an early dismissal about 5 minutes later. As I retraced my steps back through the building, I once again looked up at that same television just as the second plane struck the South Tower.

This is when we all knew that this wasn’t simply an accident and as the news and speculation streamed across the screen I quickly pulled out my cell phone and called my dad to make sure that his meeting at the World Trade Center the day before didn’t carry over into the morning. Thankfully, it seems as though I was one of the last to place a successful call as cell phone service was nearly nonexistent by the time I got back to my dorm room and turned on the news. As Peter Jennings shuffled through the information we all turned up the volume of our televisions and walked outside to try and catch our breath. And as the fighter jets screamed above our heads low enough to read the warnings on the underbelly of the planes, we could hear the reports come in that the first tower had collapsed.

The rest of the week remains absent from memory as days seemingly condensed into seconds while minutes felt like weeks. Fifteen years later and I still have those memories etched in my mind. And I am sure that fifteen years from now they will remain as vivid as they are today.  

Firearms Friday: A Simple Question

As I mentioned previously, this past weekend we took a family vacation up to New York to attend a family reunion. Rather than stay anywhere near the city, we decided to stay a little further out and we found the perfect place in The Thayer Hotel. Now, because the hotel is on the West Point grounds, there is a security checkpoint that you need to pass through in order to get back to your hotel room. While this may put off some people I found it rather reassuring and enjoyed the quick conversations with the guards as we presented them with our identification.

One such conversation was rather amusing when we returned to the hotel a little later than we were expecting on Friday evening. While I had my identification in hand, my wife had left hers in the back of the car. When we stopped at the gate she got out and proceeded to the back of the vehicle. While she was opening the door and reaching into her bag, the guard turned and asked me “do you have any weapons or firearms in the vehicle?”

Okay, so that is not the amusing part. The look of surprise that he gave me when I responded is what gave me a little chuckle afterward. It went something like this, “Sir, while I have a concealed carry permit in my home sate I am a long way from Pennsylvania. While I don’t agree with many of the laws and policies in place in this country in general and this state in particular, I would be an idiot to try and carry any sort of firearm in this state and an absolute fricking moron to try and carry any weapon onto a military base.”

Right or wrong, that is how I responded… and honest and straightforward response. The look he gave me was the amusing part both for his appreciation for my position and slight shock that I actually said it but what he said reminded me of the sad cluelessness that has become pervasive in this country… “You would be surprised.” A response to so many different situations.

By the time our banter concluded my wife had retrieved her identification and we were being waved to proceed to the hotel. With a quick “thank you” we were on our way but clearly that moment has stuck in my mind. In the end, know where you are going and what the laws, regulations, and restrictions are in that place and at that establishment. It keeps you legal and it may even provide you with an amusing moment of honesty.   

Sunday Search: Another Reunion!

The family will understand the significance of this photo. 

While we have been planning this weekend for months we have been thinking about it for even longer. Ever since our son was born (especially given the circumstances around his birth) my wife and I have made a conscious effort to preserve our respective family histories that we can one day pass down all of this information to him. Part of this process is making sure that we attend the family reunions whenever we are given the opportunity to do so. Today, and this entire weekend for that matter, we were finally able to introduce our son to my mother-in-law’s side of the family up in New York.

While we have been sharing meals with various family members for the entire weekend, it was nice to have a larger group together for a short time so that we could learn a little more about the family, the different branches, and also the place where many of the roots still thrive. Much like the family reunion last summer, there were people we knew, some we recognized, and others to whom I was introduced for the first time. It was also a great way to introduce our son to an entirely new culture as these family members represented our son’s Italian and New York heritage.

After all, the stories are there, you just have to be there to listen. And when many of the family members weren’t playing with our son they would share their memories with us bringing to the fore both the rawness of recent memory but also appreciation of the time we did have with them. There really isn’t a way to describe that particular experience and that mix of emotions but, in the end, I am glad that we were there and that we are able to provide a connection to this part of the family not just for my wife and I but for our son.

Most importantly, while this was simply another reunion or gathering for some present, it was a means to connect with family for us. Family that shared stories with us that can’t be found in any book but that speak to the character of the family into which I was, once again, warmly welcomed. It was an afternoon and weekend that we will not soon forget and an experience we look forward to sharing with our son many more times in the future. However, next time I just have to remember to not eat for about three weeks prior.

A Weekend Upstate

Since we were already going to be attending my wife’s family reunion in New York on Sunday, it only made sense to tack on a few days and make a long weekend out of the trip. With this rough plan in mind we headed out yesterday morning and slowly meandered through Pennsylvania and into ‘Upstate’ New York (yes, completely avoiding New Jersey). We had already made plans for dinner on Friday shortly after arriving and lunch today, but there has been plenty of room in the schedule to add a few more things to the list.

It was a rather interesting experience when we first pulled up to our hotel as we had to show our ID’s in order to proceed past the first gate at West Point. Yes, you read that correctly, we stayed at The Thayer Hotel which is located at West Point (just beyond the first gate of course). The really interesting thing is that shortly before our scheduled travel north, my wife discovered that her mother had stayed at that exact hotel many times in the past when she was a student at NYU. I guess some things are just meant to be.

In addition to being very secure, the hotel was actually very nice both inside and out as the rooms were spacious and comfortable and the view of the Hudson River flowing behind the hotel was a beautiful sight. In fact, it was a pleasant backdrop to our buffet breakfast in the morning. Of course, being so close to the West Point campus, we had to take a tour while we were there and it was well worth it as we were not only able to enjoy some spectacular views but also explore some of the memorials erected on the property while being reminded of important role that the Military Academy has played in the history of this country.  

Shortly after we arrived on Friday afternoon we dropped out bags off in the room and headed down to Yorktown Heights to meet up with some extended family. Following a hearty meal and sharing stories, we drove around the neighborhood so that my wife could see all of the houses that she grew up visiting when her grandparents and other family members filled the neighborhood. It was great seeing her face light up when we passed those familiar structures.

The following morning we had a little extra time which allowed us to make a slight detour on our way to Connecticut. The detour in the opposite direction brought us to Orange County Choppers where there were surprisingly few cars in the parking lot. It was interesting seeing all the bikes that were built on American Chopper over the course of the show’s run and our son seemed to really enjoy seeing the bikes and exploring all the other new things around the showroom. If you watched the show you may remember some of these projects being built…

Today we were also able to spend time with some family members who will not be attending the reunion tomorrow which is what brought us over to Connecticut. It really was a great time and more great memories and stories were shared with us. And after another long day there is just enough time to rest and recuperated before the big gathering tomorrow and the drive home afterward. So, that is all for now, more about the reunion tomorrow!

Planning Our Summer Travel

Back to the mountains... again!

Every year my wife and I have numerous discussions about where we would like to go over the summer and this time around it is no different. While we don’t have any extensive plans like we did last year, we do plan on returning to our usual weekend trips around the state that we enjoyed so much in the past. Basically, now is the time to get the broad strokes down and we will fill in a lot of the other day trips as the season progresses. Plus, with all the things that usually occupy our weekends, being able to schedule this much is kind of surprising at this point.

The first trip that is on our agenda is a place that we have visited many times in the past the last drive up there being two years ago on our anniversary. Having introduced our son to the Strasburg Railroad a few weeks ago, we thought it was time to return to Jim Thorpe for a couple of days. Not only is it a place where we can relax a little and walk around but we can also take our son on the train through the valley. Also, it helps that it is only about an hour and a half away which affords us plenty of time for exploring. Of course, we might have to introduce our son to Country Junction while we are up there as well.

The second trip that we have locked into the calendar is a return to Gettysburg. With our son more mobile than ever and looking for a place that would allow us to explore both from in the car and by walking around, Gettysburg seemed to be one of the better options. Given the family history regarding the Civil War it is also important for me that we introduce our son to sites like this early on. And, as many of you know, no matter how many times you go to Gettysburg you always find something new every time you are there. 

In addition to a variety of local and regional events, I also have a number of locations on our calendar for later dates including Elizabethtown, Lititz, Ronks, Lancaster, Manheim, New York, Kennett Square, and a number of others. All of these are in various stages of planning and I am not sure if we will be able to fit them all in but there are some options beyond the scheduled items above. It certainly won’t be the busiest travel season that we have ever experienced and it won’t have some of the longer excursions like last year but it will give us all an opportunity to get out and explore a little this year. After all, our son wouldn’t want it any other way.

Firearms Friday: NRA Decals

And we all have the pin to match our car!

One of the interesting things for me when my wife and I lived in Bala Cynwyd was the looks on faces when people would see the NRA sticker prominently displayed in my window. While they may have been appalled and had their liberal sensibilities offended, I remained entertained by their hoplophobia and had to keep myself from chuckling at their wide eyed stares. Having moved out to the country, that is no longer an issue but there is another entertaining aspect to the proud displays around me.

These days, rarely will I come across a car without an NRA decal or some other means of supporting the second amendment. This lack of decoration is usually accompanied by a New York or New Jersey license plate. Actually, looking around the difference is much more drastic than those previous experiences. Now, there is a variety of NRA stickers on display and there is clearly a pecking order to the cars in the parking lot of the local Turkey Hill.

Seldom will I come across a car with a single, basic, sticker. It seems as though the basic rule of thumb is that one should put a sticker in their window for each year that they are a member of the NRA. I guess you could say that this is the hillbilly equivalent of a beach tag collection. Some have about half a dozen while others clearly don’t care about seeing out through the side windows of their car. That is your basic membership level.

From there you have a number of other options. I probably see more Life Member stickers than any other kind on a daily basis. This is usually the people that put a lot of miles on their car and need the visibility. At some point, we all look at the annual cost of membership and realize that it make more sense to wait for one of the discounts offered on life memberships.

The next level up is the Endowment Member. It is pretty much guaranteed that if you see a car with an endowment member sticker, the person getting out will be wearing some piece of NRA clothing. This is also where you find the Golden Eagle members. Basically, this is the double down category of NRA members where multiple levels of membership apply. The same basic trend applies to members at the Benefactor and Patron levels the primary difference being the base price of the car to which it is affixed. And, yes, I am one of these Endowment Members.  

In the end, what is important is that we all have our membership and support for the second amendment in common. We also all have the same look on our faces when that New York plate pulls into the lot for a cup of coffee. And, of course, we all have the same smile when that person gets out of the car with their wide eyes and their panties in a bunch. You’re not in New York anymore and I’m not on the Main Line anymore!

Firearms Friday: Taking Over The NRA?

It really isn’t a surprise, especially with the campaigns in high gear, that following another incident of evil there are numerous politicians taking aim at gun owners and the NRA. This has been a potent topic for years and was particularly prominent during the first Democratic debate this week with Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continuing to be a vocal proponent of gun control. Oddly enough, this was in direct contrast with Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders who has a long record of voting against such legislation. Of course, that kind of stance never lasts with a socialist leader so I don’t give much credence to his past performance. Basically it doesn’t matter who ends up being the nominee for the Communist party, the rights of ALL law abiding citizens will be a particular point of contention between the parties.

While all of this back and forth was happening on the national debate stage, there were also a few headlines being grabbed by a New York State Senator, Liz Kreuger, who is advocating her fellow rights abolitionists to join the NRA and force a change in stance on the issue of gun control from the inside. As was reported by the New York Daily News, “Krueger first raised the issue at a roundtable on gun violence issues hosted by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) after someone suggested meeting with the NRA to try to find common ground on a gun control law, the New York Observer reported.” Yes, this is how far and how demented their ideas have become.

First of all, as was noted in the same article, Thomas King, president of the state Rifle and Pistol Association and an NRA board member, “the NRA has more than five million members and scoffed at the suggestion there are enough "anti-gunners" to make an impact on the organization.” This is true, and those of us who are proud members would not stand for that kind of drastic “change” in policy… that is not why we donate our hard earned money. We choose to support and strengthen our rights be fighting those who wish to continue limiting our freedom.

Secondly, keep in mind that the same people who support this kind of radical action are the ones that would be filing suit if every Republican in this country were to register as a Democrat in order to change the party and support candidates that would oppose those policies that they currently hold so close to their empty hearts. Either action should be seen simply as perpetuating a fraud against those who support the basic principles of the organization. And what they are underestimating is that by proposing such actions they are actually galvanizing support for the NRA by the current membership (especially those of us who are life members), including me, which is why I have decided to join the NRA Golden Eagles. 

Firearms Friday: Definitions

Today there was an article in the Washington Post stating in the title that “There have been 204 mass shootings — and 204 days — in 2015 so far”. What the headline doesn’t immediately tell the reader is that the definition has been changed in order to satisfy the author’s agenda. Five paragraphs deep into the article the means of miscalculation is finally revealed:

“The Mass Shooting Tracker is different from other shooting databases in that it uses a broader definition of mass shooting. "The old FBI definition of Mass Murder (not even the most recent one) is four or more people murdered in one event," the site's creators explain. "It is only logical that a Mass Shooting is four or more people shot in one event."”

Buried even further in the fantastical story was this little gem: “There have been 10 in Ohio, 14 in California and 16 in New York.” Did you catch that? While the author may have glossed over those ‘statistics’ the reality remains… 30 ‘mass shootings’ occurring in the two states with the strictest gun laws. Put another way, excessive regulation had no impact as nearly 15% of these tragedies occurred in these liberal strongholds.

Of course, this is nothing new. Redefining terms is something that the left takes pride in… quite literally recently. From redefining marriage to media attempts to reclassify all semi-automatic rifles under a rather limited, by definition, term of assault weapons. It is because of this pattern that I wasn’t surprised to read such blather from an uniformed writer (sorry, can’t use journalist for this one).

And don’t think about doing the same thing if your views are anything but liberal. That would be racist, radical, homophobic, illegal, or just downright silly. Don’t try to reinforce current definitions either because that can sometimes be worse… you might be the devil if you do that. Unless you want to be labeled, you just have to sit back, take it, and watch as the nonsense continues to destroy the country.

Don’t watch a drunk driver careening down the highway hitting car after car and call it attempted mass manslaughter. Don’t read the news about knife wielding assailants and call it a mass stabbing. Don’t listen to the excuses on the radio and call abortion doctors mass murderers. You would be skewing the facts and that is just wrong… and somehow you would be a racist too.

And, G-d forbid, don’t speak up for the rights of all law abiding citizens to defend themselves. Don’t voice your support for the military and law enforcement. Don’t call out those who refuse to accept facts or responsibility for their own actions. You will certainly be deemed a radical homophobic racist or something else like that. But, you know what, that is fine with me. I know it’s not true. Just don’t call me a liberal democrat.

Three City Friendship

Our old lunch spot half a block from the office in New York City. 

After not having seem one of my best friends in nearly four years we have now had the chance, however brief it may have been each time, to get together twice in the mast couple of months. This time I was able to introduce him (and his welcoming parents) to our son who actually has the same name. It is still a little odd considering that we used to see one another nearly every day when we both worked for the same PR agency in Manhattan years ago. After having made the time on a business trip to Chicago in late March, he was in the Philadelphia area for a wedding this past weekend.

Since those days of long lunch breaks (mostly at Ben’s on 38^th Street) and lengthy conversations after work while we walked to the train there have been a lot of changes that have happened in each of our lives. And I’m not just talking about geography. It is really interesting to think about how our perspectives have shifted since then and the experiences that we have both had that have brought each of us to this point in our lives.

While my wife and I have moved around quite a bit finally settling back in the area where we grew up, my friend has done the opposite by moving away from family and now enjoying a successful career in the middle of the country. Since the day that we first met at the office we have each gotten married (and were groomsmen at each other’s wedding) with my wife and I taking the next step by starting a family and my friend finally breaking free from a wife that, to put it nicely, epitomized the greed and self-centeredness that seems to becoming more pervasive in the younger generations. While completely different journeys we are both happy with where we are now and what seems to be just beyond the horizon.

Even with everything going on, good times and bad, we have always remained in contact and did our best to keep things in perspective for one another. I can’t stress enough the importance of having a friend that offer this when you need it. We have each had some great times and some difficult times of the years and it has been nice getting together lately to talk about the positive changes that have happened and the optimism that is now part of our daily routines. Even when we shared a common company this was not always the case.

Hopefully, the visits will become less sporadic in the future as we continue to enjoy life and the different paths we chose to take. If anything, it is interesting to hear about the different turns and detours that life can take us on. Regardless, we will be certain to talk on a regular basis (not always a guarantee with me as many of you know) and keep one another up to date as to the great changes and experiences that come our way.

Keeping The Travel List In Perspective

As you may have read yesterday, I am finally at the point in the year when I am giving considerable thought to the places that my wife and I would enjoy visiting this summer. Of course, this is in addition to any business travel as well as the lodge related trips to Erie, Scranton, Philadelphia, and, probably, Elizabethtown that I will be making during the sweltering season. Interestingly, while I was thinking about summer travel and putting my list together I came across an email (thanks Vocus) about the top ten destinations as reported by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Talk about keeping things in perspective!

For those of you unfamiliar with Make-A-Wish, here is the summary of the nonprofit from their website:

Make-A-Wish^® grants the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition in the United States and its territories, on average, every 38 minutes. We believe that a wish experience can be a game-changer. This one belief guides us. It inspires us to grant wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve.

Not all wishes require travel, many of them do and the foundation is determined to make sure that distance is not a hindrance to the fulfillment of those dreams forming in a child’s mind. 

While my wife and I visit places to get away and relax a bit, for these kids, these are dream destinations, not just a simple means of getting away. However, these trips do offer some sense of escape from reality which seems to be why the destinations tend to focus on places where wish kids and their families can experience the excitement something different whether it is a big city, theme park, foreign country, or beach destination. Based on data from wish trips that occurred in 2013, the destinations most visited by wish kids and their families were:

1. Orlando
2. Hawaii
3. Los Angeles & Orange County
4. The Caribbean
5. New York City
6. San Diego
7. France
8. Italy
9. Australia
10. Alaska

It is an interesting and diverse list and something to think about when putting your own summer itinerary together. We constantly focus on the places where we are going and forget the reasons why we go. It is to spend time together and experience life together beyond the usual routine of life. For some of us all it takes is a day trip while others need a little more and need to go a little further to put their daily lives behind them. We all need a break now and then, some people just need more of a break than others.

Oh, The Places I’ve Been!

I was flipping through the channels on the television during my shift this morning and came across a couple of travel shows. I can’t remember the names of them but that is really unimportant at this point. Seeing the images roll across the screen began to jog my memory and I started thinking about all the places I’ve lived over the years and all the places I have seen throughout my travels.

The list remained as simply a thought and it may have stayed that way if I didn’t come across a similar discussion question in a networking group invite asking about where I have lived. I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to make it to the meeting so I decided to respond with some of the places I have called home over the years. That list quickly evolved into a joint venture with the thoughts already floating around in my head.

While I wouldn’t consider myself an extensive traveler, I have been to a number of places throughout the United States and a few places abroad. I have lived in a few places always trying to find somewhere to call home. And while I am not going to go into any details at this point I still wanted to share my list with you. So, here it is. Here are all the places that I can think of in my bleary eyed state.

UNITED STATES (19/50):

·         PENNSYLVANIA – Philadelphia, Longwood Gardens, Harrisburg, Gettysburg, Knoebels, Milford, Delaware Water Gap, Lancaster County, Kutztown (Crystal Cave), Jim Thorpe, Williamsport, New Hope, Gardners (Appalachian Trail Mid Point)

o   Lived In: Bryn Mawr, Chesterbrook, Bala Cynwyd

·         MASSACHUSETTS – Boston, Newburyport, Haverhill, Worcester, North Adams

o   Lived In: Beverly, Salem

·         VERMONT – Brattleboro, Montpelier, Burlington, Stowe

o   Lived In: Northfield

·         NEW JERSEY – Highland Park, New Brunswick, Teaneck

o   Lived In: Ocean City, Metuchen

·         NEW YORK – New York / Manhattan, Niagara Falls (supposedly, I don’t remember)

o   Lived In: Brooklyn

·         NEW HAMPSHIRE – Portsmouth, Nashua, Londonderry

·         ROAD ISLAND – Warwick

·         CONNECTICUT – Hartford, West Hartford

·         DELAWARE – Wilmington, Dover

·         VIRGINIA – Natural Bridge, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Winchester,

·         MARYLAND – Baltimore

·         GEORGIA – Milledgeville, Americus

·         FLORIDA – Orlando, Kissimmee / Disney World, Key West, Daytona Beach, Miami, Winter Park

·         TEXAS – San Antonio

·         ILLINOIS – Chicago

·         MICHIGAN – Grand Rapids

·         CALIFORNIA – San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ojai

·         WASHINGTON – Seattle, Bainbridge Island

·         MISSOURI – St. Louis, Fort Leonard Wood (Fort Lost in the Woods)

·         DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

·         NORTH CAROLINA

o   Drive through

·         SOUTH CAROLINA

o   Drive through

·         WEST VIRGINIA

o   Drive through

·         MAINE

o   Drive through

ISLANDS:

·         PUERTO RICO – San Juan

·         US VIRGIN ISLANDS

·         BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

·         NETHERLANDS ANTILLES

·         SAINT MARTIN

·         BERMUDA – Hamilton

·         ARUBA

EUROPE:

·         UNITED KINGDOM – London

·         GERMANY – Munich, Olympic Park

MIDDLE EAST:

·         ISRAEL – Jerusalem, Dead Sea, Tel Aviv

o   Lived In: Jerusalem

That is the simple list of the places I’ve lived in, visited, and driven through. As I said before, not huge but I also wouldn’t consider myself sheltered. Please let me know if you would like to hear about any of the places I’ve visited or lived in. If you let me know you’re interested I will be sure to write about it in a future post.

So where have you lived? What places have you visited? Do you have any favorites?