...it's on the Sirius Radio station here at Tanner's Coffee in Culver City, CA where I'm blogging - as we speak. Give a listen. Classic 50's doowop. I love this shit.
As I've mentioned on numerous blog posts, Justyna is my best girl friend from high school. We've known each other since we were 14. This was the first year in a while that we didn't spent time at her home in Irving Park (Chicago, basically) for the holidays. It was odd - that, and not being with my family as well. She gave me a great gift - the latest CD (an emotional and poignant one at that) from Lowen & Navarro, "Learning to Fall". I met Eric (Lowen) and Dan (Navarro) through Justyna a couple years ago and have seen them in concert twice.
Thomas Hapka, in collaboration with Erick and Adam Rolfson (the brothers who brought you bringbackbrett.com), put together this wonderful fan tribute to quarterback Brett Favre, called, "Letters to Brett Favre - A Fan Tribute". And my letter was lucky enough to be included in the publication.
Chapter 7 - Brett, You're Our Hero, Page 115
I found my quote - well, part of it anyway. I thought, "wow, they edited it and cut'er down". Which I thought odd because it was a great letter (well, I am a writer and I love Brett Favre) and there were tons of other letters that were multiple paragraphs. So I went exploring and found they HAD used my entire letter, but chopped it up into three pieces to use in three different chapters of the book:
Chapter 9 - Trouble in Titletown, Page 130
I've heard that Alzheimer's is a horrific disease. 26.6 million people were affected by it in 2006 - that number is estimated to quadruple by 2050. I know of at least two people who've suffered from it. And I know the loved ones of these people who have suffered from it as well. Recently I had my first direct, long-term contact with Alzheimer's' patient, and I can now unequivocally say that Alzheimer's IS horrific.
During the holidays, I spent four days housesitting for a friend. Part of our arrangement was that I check in on my friend's elderly in-laws who live nearby. I prepared their breakfast and dinner and kept them company for a bit.
"Jane" (as I will refer to her as) is suffering from Alzheimer's - it's just setting in. Seems like a cold way to describe it - "setting in". "Jane" would seemingly spend "hours" searching for breakfast food while I'm preparing dinner or looking for the butter in the refrigerator when I had already given it to her to place it on the table just a minute ago. One second she's recalling with great detail how she met her husband during WWII in San Francisco. The next minute she's putting ice cream in the cupboard and calling me "Thomas" - believing me to be her son.
I stated earlier that I was uncertain as to who suffers most from Alzheimer's - the patient or the those surrounding the patient. I can only imagine what's going through "Jane's" husband's mind...what he has to deal with 24/7. This is his wife, his lover and his friend. But he never made any mention of Alzheimer's to me, per se. He'd comment, "where is she off to?" or "there she goes again", but he never mentioned the word, "Alzheimer's". I can only imagine what her children are going through, seeing Mom slowly deteriorate the way she is.
Then I thought of myself, keeping "Jane" and her husband company a few hours at breakfast and a few hours at dinner for four days. I can't tell you the frustration on my part when "Jane" would suddenly morph into a funk, while my dinner is setting on the table getting cold. Or when she can't find her fork and yet there are two on the table right next to her and three others she just set out on the kitchen counter top. My frustration? How selfish, yet that's the reality of Alzheimer's. It's the outsiders who see the terrible toll this wretched disease is inflicting on their loved one. Early on, the patient has an idea of what's happening to them, but there's nothing they can do about it. They struggle, forget, hesitate and move on. That's all they can do. They have no choice.
It's easy to feel sadness toward an Alzheimer's patient. To think of what they used to be like - what their mind used to be like. But you can just as easily think how strong that person is for not giving up the fight - not just quite yet. The determination to try and push forward, to try and remember, to struggle but try and make sense of it. To try.
In the end, I realize that this disease will rob "Jane" of all her memory and, eventually, her life. So I will cherish those four days I spent with her and her husband. It will be my "lifetime of memories" that I will not forget.
I hope.
Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio hosts "The Herd", which I get on KSPN-710 in Los Angeles weekday mornings. He's hated or loved - nothing in between. OK, I like him. He does come across pompous-ish. But he made one comment this morning that I vehemently disagree with - and he's wrong.
Favre played under 4 coaches at Green Bay:
Mike Holmgren just retired from the Seattle Seahawks. Eric Mangini was just fired as coach of the New York Jets. Brett Favre - well, we don't know if he'll come back to NY.
What about bringing Holmgren to the Jets? One last hurrah or an effort in futility?
I say a resounding, "hurray, hurray!" (I'm giving my co-worker Robert Yu 75% of the credit for this idea, but had it not been for me bringing up a coaching carousel question, it may have never come up.)
Maria (the Maria and Donovan and Baby Grace that I'm always talking about in Tunjunga) is having regular contractions as we speak. Donovan is grabbing some last minute thingys and it's off to the hospital to see if my soon-to-be Goddaughter, Gwyneth, is ready to join our world.
Exciting, isn't it?
A Christmas card was delivered to work this morning - addressed to a Jason H. We don't have a Jason H. working for us. So I opened it up. $100 from someone in Hawaii inside. I go to 1st floor. No Jason H. there. Then I go to 2nd floor. They have a Jason H.
He wasn't in but I hope he's appreciative of my honesty. And I hope the good karma gods are appreciative as well. I could use it.
Heard on ESPN Radio in LA this morning on my drive in to work. I've questioned his coaching all season - even when the Jets were sitting pretty at 8-3.
Also, QB Brett Favre will have an MRI on his shoulder today. Whether he comes back to the Jets next year is unknown. I hope he does; it'll be his 19th year and I believe he and the Jets have can build on something great.
The Jets lost yesterday to the Miami Dolphins, 24-17. Miami wins the AFC East. Jets go home, and since Baltimore won, the New England Patriots go home even though they had an 11-5 record. Good.
Not this one - this is a Von's pie which we had for dessert a couple nights while I was preparing dinner for Bill and Marilyn Walker in Westlake Village (see post below).
In 1939 during his junior year at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, Bill and his schoolmate won 1st-place in a baking contest. They won with a lemon meringue pie.
I've been housesitting my bosses' home in Westlake Village since the day after Christmas Day. Part of my responsibilities include peeking in on his in-laws, Bill and Marilyn, who live just 5 minutes away.
Bill, 86 and Marilyn, 81, fend after themselves fairly well. It's just that their daughter felt a bit more at ease if I'd help them prepare breakfast and dinner. So we've had muffins and coffee and bacon & eggs, spaghetti & garlic bread, chicken & potatoes...it's been very nice getting to know a little about their lives. Bill's an ex-Navy man from Southern California who served in WWII and Marilyn is from Chicago. They met in San Fran during the early part of the war - Marilyn was working at a restaurant there and Bill came walking in and the rest is history. They raised four children and Bill spent much of his career as a newspaper writer.
Today, life's slowed down quite a bit for both of them. It's getting a bit more difficult for Bill to read the newspaper and remembering things isn't like it used to be for either one. But almost every time we've sat down to eat, Marilyn will turn to Bill and smile and say, "I love you".
So...some things don't change with age, do they?
Lovebirds after over 60 years of bliss - Bill and Marilyn.
I'm housesitting my for my boss who's visiting his family in Minnesota for the holidays. Nice - quiet. I'm also checking in on Bruce's wife's elderly parents who live about 5 minutes away. More on them later.
Welcome...come on in.
Getting closer. Don't be shy. Come on...
The Johnson's Christmas tree.
Jets have to win. And they're 1-3 record as of late doesn't bode well for the Jets at home. Plus, even if the Jets win, they'll need some help. If New England loses to Buffalo, Jets win the AFC East. If the Ravens lose to the Jaguars, the Jets win a wild-card.
But they have to win first. Honestly, I don't think the Jets will do it. My gut tells me so. And the shitty thing is even if they beat Miami, they'll need help from one other team to get into the playoffs.
Which sucks. At 8-3, the Jets were looking might fine and they let it all flitter away. And it's not just Favre at QB. It's the defense who've played maybe 2 complete games all year; it's the O-line for not protecting Favre consistently; it's the coaching staff and it's the receivers for not getting open and not catching balls Favre put right in their hands. Overall, it's the entire team that's been a let-down these last 4 games.
I can only pray for a Christmas miracle...
Animator Richard Williams won an Oscar in 1972 for his animated version of "A Christmas Carol", a childhood favorite of the Ircink's. I just recently found this on YouTube; it's only available on VHS and 8 millimeter and it ain't cheap. William's animation is superb, thus his Academy Award win. Click on READ MORE! to see more stills from this 1/2 masterpiece. Oh - Alistair Sim, who portrayed Scrooge in the 1951 film version (our favorite and unquestionably the best) performs the voice of Scrooge in this film.
The Ghost of Christmas Past.
Scrooge flying with the Ghost of Christmas Present.
Lost souls forever trapped between Heaven and Earth.
"Ignorance". Beware this child the most!
Jacob Marley and the chains he forged in life.
Old Joe surveys Scrooge's lot after death.
Coal miners singing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen".
When walking in the snow, watch before you step.
Always be alert for the Bumpus hounds - or any other hounds, for that matter.
Making up a convincing lie is always better than getting beaten by your mother.
No matter what happens, you are always loved.
If you know me or have read this blog, you understand what this means. Thanks, Mom (she feels the same way).
Melissa Aldecoa did some mission work in South America a couple months ago and brought back hats for my brother and I. Do you like?
Christmas Day at Mrs. Nowak's home in Santa Barbara. There's Mrs. Nowak opening a gift, Tom Nowak to the far right, Melissa Aldecoa and her brother, Mark, by the tree. Their dad, Mark, is out of the picture on the right, foreground.
Uncle Bob Nowak, Mike Nowak and Natalie Nowak. Another blurry indoor picture! I love my Nikon Cool Pix but I can't seem to master the art of indoor picture-taking.
This one's a little better. Laura (Nowak) Aldecoa - Uncle Bob's youngest sister (foreground) and my Aunt Ev (dad's youngest sister).
Another gift from my parents for Christmas. A year-round staple (but especially at Christmas) on my mother's side of the family - the Datka's.
Almost forgot...I passed this sign on the 101 headed up to Santa Barbara on Christmas Day morning. Heading back to Westlake Village the next day (I'm housesitting for my boss for a few days), I pulled off and snapped this shot.
Tom is my Uncle Bob's brother...and since my Uncle Bob Nowak is married to my Dad's youngest sister (Aunt Ev), Tom is not my uncle (I've explained this is previous posts concerning the Nowak family).
Anyway, here's his tree, complete with Santa's snacks and a rocker for him to rest in. Santa - not Tom. I spent Christmas Day with the Nowak family as my Uncle Bob, Aunt Ev and their two youngest - Mike and Natalie - traveled in from Grafton, Wisconsin to spend part of the holidays with Uncle Bob's mother.
Tom had this unique idea to hang Christmas tree ornaments from his skylight. It turned out pretty cool - whatdaya think? Here's two more views in case you can't see the aesthetic significance of Tom's art in the first shot.
As they say with many examples of great art, you really have to experience it first-hand to get the full effect. Bravo, Tom! Encore! Encore!
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