Sunday

Its a week before Christmas. Got stuff done for Christmas and for our New Year's Eve party. I am trying to get a friend to come who lives in Philly. He thinks there will be uppty style folks like in University City or my friends friends who are doing quite well. We will see. Its nice and warm for putting up lights which I did on Saturday. The Eagles won today and have a good chance to make the playoffs. This is hard to believe if you saw them four weeks ago. Third Friday at the Arts Center was fun. There was a choir who sung in the atrium and folks saw the expanded gift shop.

FOG

The morning started began in a sad foggy fashon on this December day. There was a sense of sadness that hung and remained static all morning. It was heavy and tight and as I drove though it, I felt a deadend calm. It felt as white and flat as the fog that laid in front of me for many miles. Gradually the fog lifted and another day came.

Road Trip

On Sunday Dec 10th my friend Patrick and I went thru New York State to pick up a remote-control plane he bought from a seller on E-Bay. Pat did not want the plane to get
smashed on delivery so he asked me if I would drive him up in my 2003 Corolla and he would provide $$ for gas and toll and a tip. So off we went up the NE Extension to I-81 and then West on I-90 at Syracuse to Niagra Falls. The trip going there was easy since it was sunny and both of us got a good night sleep. Man New York state is pretty! After meeting the man and getting his plane we drank up the Red bull and ate at Roy Rogers and got back. Here are some photos

Center City Caroling

Today I participated in Christmas caroling with the Center City Neighborhood group and students from Silver Run School. Judy Kessler, Leslie Smith, Barbara Marrow were some of the organizers of this event. I was in caroling group #1 and we went up towards 6th Street and Vine. Folks enjoyed our singing including Dottie! Afterwards there was food and drink galore to warm up with at 1st United Methodist where Rev. Shuster and Mayor Quinn greeted the kids. It was a great event and quite fun.

Party Time!

Its holiday time again. Last year I not even mention the holidays. Shoot, I did not even put in one entry last December. This year will be different for sure. Saturday nite went to my first Holiday Party in Collingswood at my friend Mike's House. The house was in great shape and they had this moving piece on the wall. I wish I had a picture of it. It was real cool and a good ice breaker as well!! Saw my old buddy Wes (a rare sighting indeed) and met some nice folks. Most I met were from the wine club he is in. The 3 old men are Wes Mike and yours truly enjoying our time.

Monday 27 November

Hello
Back to the grind. Walked a dog then went downtown for an apt. Saw this charter school. Wonder what they teach there.
Geez that Swiss-Chez Eagles defense was embarrising!! More later

Lower Merion High 25th Reunion

Hello
It was held at the Hilton in Valley Forge Pa. Dinner was very good and those who showed up had a fun time. Here are some pictures. Thank you to Jeff and Rich for organizing this one. Hope we can do it again for number 30!

Penn Valley Choir 1976

In keeping with going back to the past, Here is a album from the Penn Valley Elementry School Choir in the year 1976. The choir director was Tom Flocco who had the choir tour like it was a band. He is the man on the right with the white leasure suit next to the gray-suited Congressman I was in 7th grade when this came out. My brother is on the 1st row 3rd from the left. I was in it back in 1975. The picture was taken in Washington DC along with the Congressman Larry Caughlin. In 1976 Frank L. Rizzo was mayor of Philly and the 1st Rock flick came out

Thanksgiving 2006

It was a mellow time. We ate the excellent turkey and fixins from Zelphy's. The pumkin pie was to die for! It had a nice molassas and cinnamon taste. We then watched the Cowbows THUMP the Bucs. One of the announcers was calling the Cowboys QB Tony Romo the best right as he was standing next to Troy Akman. It was obvious that Akman was tired of the over the top love-fest about Romo. We then came home and pretty much went to sleep. It was cool. Its now 8:30 and I think I will make some coffee. We were going to take my mother to Jim's on Main St in Millville but decided to save time and stay home. Its open from Columbus Day to Memorial Day then is closed " For the Season." Going to get ready for the Lower Merion 25th Reunion and leave for Wynnewood around 5 today.

It was 25 Years Ago

Its Thankgiving and its 4 days off of work in a row!! Having dinner early in Clarks Pond in Fairfield Twp with Densie and Jon. Tomorrow nite will be my 25 High School Reunion. Yup Lower Merion class of 1981. Thank God we have a group cause I would never go if it was just myself going. I mean 5 years ago alot of the folks REVERTED back to behavor from high school. It was fairly creepy and distirbing. I think so cause I was not Mr. Popular and did not hang with the spoiled buttheads. Some act like in high school but with kids and a gut. It will be a trip though. Hope to get some good photos of folks. Its in Valley Forge instead of Center City Philly but we are staying the night so it will not be too bad. The photo on the left is yours truly in the Summer of 1981 with my Step-Father Bob. We moved right after Graduation and I went to a College called Webster University in St. Louis. I lasted one year and had to get the hell out. More on another posting.

Dear Gov. Rendell

I think this letter says it all:

We the members of SEIU Local 668/PSSU and employees of the County Assistance Offices strongly urge you to increase staffing in our offices. During the past several years there have been considerable cuts in staff while at the same time the welfare rolls have increased. Additionally, we have worked very hard to decrease the Food Stamp Quality Control error rate and to meet the Work Participation Rate. The Office of Income Maintenance has attempted to deal with the staffing shortages by simplifying regulations and decreasing contact with our customers. They have also paid considerable amounts of the taxpayers’ money to consulting firms to devise projects such as the Model Office, which has been an utter failure.

Our members know that there are better ways to save money and cutting staff is not one of them. We strongly believe that increasing staff will lead to more of our customers leaving the welfare rolls by helping them to become self sufficient. Also, it will lead to eliminating fraud. The combination of less staff, simplifying regulations, including less verification of income, expenses and residence, and less client contact, can only result in an increase in fraudulent cases. Additionally, our union has proposed ways to help clients and to improve verification of income that have been mostly ignored.

You will be sending your new budget to the legislature in the coming months. We hope that you reverse this trend in cutting staff and instead increase the complement of the County Assistance Offices. We believe that doing so will be a benefit to both our customers and the taxpayers. Given the increase in the costs of Medical Assistance and Long Term Care it is essential that only those who are eligible receive benefits.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

VICTORY AT LAST

WOW!! The Senate and the House! Good bye Rick Santorum and Rumsfeld
This is unbelieveable
What a birthday present for me and our country a real 2 party govt.

Pizza Time

Hello.
I decided for my birthday to drive on down to good ole West Philly (e.g. Univ. City, the hood) to partake in a Pizza Tasting event. It was the 2nd one held. I missed the 1st one 2 years ago. Dan Myers ran the contest and Melini held it at her nice home. I think the one I like ended up being College Pizza. I thought it was Colonial Pizza since I lived on the same block 15 years ago. It was very fun. They even sang Happy Birthday to me as well. As this morning ELECTION DAY, no results have been posted. I did not see ANY Dibold's there so I feel my vote will not be shredded

45 and Feeling Alive

Yes, Its my birthday and here I am at the Arts Center after finishing painting the 2nd coat on the the pedestals behind me. We are going to eat at Zelphy's at 5:30 tonite. I then am off to Philly for errends and a pizza tasting contest. This is being run by folks on a listserv I am in. Go to www.purple.com and follow the instructions if you dare.
Lets hope for a SMASHING Democrat victory in 2 days!

Almost 45

Hello.
As I sit here with my cat on my lap and 30 min from my birthday. I think of how random life can be. One picture you see is the President of the University of Pennsylvania at her yearly Holloween party.
on Oct 31st. The man on left is a student who decided to dress as a suicide bomber. Its caused an uproar in Philly and on the Penn campus. Oh well, what can I say about this in George Bush's America.
On a brighter note. First Friday in Bridgeton was pretty cool. We went to Brenners Brew saw some art and hung out before going to gallery 50 an afterparty. Today, I painted several items at the art center and got some coffee and smoothies. YUM!! It was a mellow way to forget about my work drama. Good nite. Let us hope as I get older, I get wiser. Hope springs eternal! Right??

6 Days Left

This email is to formally state that I will resign effective today November 2nd 2006 as Assistant Shop Steward of Elmwood District of Phila CAO.

Due to the illness of Shop Steward ####, I have acted as the Shop Steward of

Elmwood District. During a shop council meeting held today, it was expressed in

strong terms that I did not have the support nor respect of sizable numbers of

our shop. Certain shop council members.

Without the support OR respect from fellow shop council member and other rank and file,
it will be impossible to have a united shop during this crucial time. I do plan to attend chapter board

meetings and be involved.

You will have to speak to Mr. C or Ms. R. They have been performing the

Duties of a shop steward.

If you wish to discuss you can call me at work or better yet on my cell 215 990 6254.


In Solidarity



Mark Krull

I am Mark and I Approved this Message!

I am sitting here drinkin...coffee and reading all about that unpatrotic VET John Kerry getting SLAMMED by chickenhawks who NEVER put on a uniform. These same folks want to make dissent unpoplar by creating fear of getting attacked
They have NO shame and this is how
they get away with it. The so-called liberal media is so afraid of them that they carry water for them.
I think Kieth Olberman said it best:

Thus the President will now begin the apologies he owes our troops, right?

This President must apologize to the troops — for having suggested, six weeks ago, that the chaos in Iraq, the death and the carnage, the slaughtered Iraqi civilians and the dead American service personnel, will, to history, quote "look like just a comma."

This President must apologize to the troops — because the intelligence he claims led us into Iraq proved to be undeniably and irredeemably wrong.

This President must apologize to the troops — for having laughed about the failure of that intelligence, at a banquet, while our troops were in harm's way.

This President must apologize to the troops — because the streets of Iraq were not strewn with flowers and its residents did not greet them as liberators.

This President must apologize to the troops — because his administration ran out of "plan" after barely two months.

This President must apologize to the troops — for getting 2,815 of them killed.
This President must apologize to the troops — for getting this country into a war without a clue.

And Mr. Bush owes us an apology… for this destructive and omnivorous presidency.
We will not receive them, of course.
This President never apologizes.
Not to the troops.
Not to the people.
Nor will those henchmen who have echoed him.

Union Time

I am now the shop steward for our office since the elected shop steward
is having surgury and will not be at work for seveal months. I got an
email which will sum up some of what my duties will entail

"It just sucks when people not only don't say thank you,
but play a game of what have you done for me lately."

It will be a job within a job but its for my coworkers and myself. 
I really liked this t-shirt
as well.

Eastern Standard time

Hello, I am writing tonite to say hello. It was a fun weekend to be in October. First off on Thurs night went to Carl and Liz house to hang out. The DiVinci galllery took its exhibit to at the Gallery at St. Asaph’s. Went to the Grounds for Sculpture and that was fantastic. Let the photos tell the rest cause I am cold and tired and just want to get warm and sleep.

Dumb Stuff

Good day one and all.
It has been awhile since I last said anything and for good reason.
Last week was a stupid week, you know where dumb stuff happens, like leaving the stove on and leaving the house. Lucky no damage done but still working on the smell. Then I got a stupid company called Moblesidewalk.com sending me 125 text messages in 2 days and calling me. I got my friendly customer serviceperson Rebecca on the case. Can you believe it VERZON can
NOT block calls! I have my text messaging turned off till Weds and we will see.
The Eagles just
LOST on ANOTHER last second field goal. It was 62 YARDS!! Again the Eagle did DUMB stuff, like 2 interceptions and a 30 year penelty in the 4th Quarter. And to finish this gallery of idiocy, I went to a Millville City Commisson meeting and well go to
Carl Johnson’s Website which says it best and if you want to read more go here.
Well, here is to a brighter week and good cheer for all :)

30 Years ago..

We were making changes to the living room. One of the changes is moving the computer to the 2nd floor. In the shed we were getting clothes etc when I found pictures from a long time ago. The photo on the left is at the Mayo's Halfway House on Rt 72 on the way to Long Beach Island in 1975. My parents just bought this EconoLine van. This is a Poloraid snapshot. Remember them?? Since then Mayo's has stayed around and its been awhile since I have been there. I had some fun times there. I remember a stuffed deer in an aquarium along the wall and the all the wisdom of hunters and fishermen. The beer was cheap and cold and it was very relaxing. I think now its a sports bar. Being in Millville it is not really on the way to LBI but I hope to go there someday.

Philadelphia Open Studio Tour

Hello There. This past Saturday we drove to the Philadelphia Open Studio Tour. It runs this weekend and next weekend. This past weekend it was studios west of Broad Street. I was impressed with how organized it was. It was obvious that this has been done for years in Philly. They had brochores, maps, and even big name sponsors. We started at 59th Street and ended up at DeVinci Gallery in South Philly. Along the way we met some new friends and old time friends as well. We walked June at Clark Park then stopped by at Sam's Place at 49th and Osage. The West Philly art scene has grown since I was livin there for sure. After attending the opening at the DeVinci gallery we went to Washington Avenue and had Vietnamese noodle soup. MMmm good for the hour ride back to Millville. It was a refreshing and enlightening trip to see art and to be in West Philly and NOT be at work.

Drivin

Good morning America. Its Tuesday morning in October. Going to be 80 degrees today. Should be a nice day NOT to be at work inside. Tonight is the Millville Commission meeting. I hope I remember to call the city about the yellow paint for my small driveway. I read an article from Kathleen parker that says that Sen Rick Santorum is getting a bad rap. HAH!!. Send her an email at kparker@kparker.com and let her know what YOU think. Gee she has own website. I bet its a hoot. So go to www.kparker.com and see for yourself. Got to commute now. The picture on the right is from the Maurice River last weekend. Today would be a fine day to float on the river. Be safe!

Pat Witt's Art Class on the Maurice River

Sunday October 1st 2006 will have to go down as a Fall day to remember for many..many years to come. Carolyne had a class with Pat Witt which was to be on a boat along the Maurice River. I was getting ready to leave when Pat said that could come along. Well, as the pictures will attest(to some degree),
mother nature was showing off!! We saw the Bertrum Farm, seveal eagles, and contrasting cloud formations. At around 7pm a rainbow was spotted as we were getting back to Millville. This rainbow was so colorful and vivid, it was like a set in a movie. Everyone on the ride enjoyed themselves and well, so did I. Thank
you Pat!!

A Jerk is blocking my Driveway

We were set to head out but a not so funny thing happened on the way out..A JERK from Sparta NJ decided that our driveway was a nice parking spot. We called the Millville police who gave the butt-head a ticket but they told us they could not have it towed since the car was "legal". A cool nighbor let us borrow their car to get to our destination. (Thank you!!). Its been over 3 hours and still this SPAZ LOOSER is still not around.
I am calling the city and getting them to paint yellow markers and thinking of getting an ordence to have cars TOWED!! Well, the 2 young punks tried to get out quickly..gave then some stuff and they left....bye

Monday That's All

Wanted to drop a line for the heck of it. It was a typical Monday with the am traffic and work was what it was.After work was pretty cool. Pat showed off his radio powered plane. It was neat how the plane picked up random radio signals. Alas the plane did not fly due to mechanical issures but it was fun escaping to Fairmont Park on cool fall afternoon. After making rice and Indian veggies for my lunch(love to bring that stuff to work!!). I watched the Phillies lose a close one to the Astros 5-4. Now only 6 games left. Went to Bojo's to have a beer and watch the Saints smother the Falcons. When I got home I got an email to START WEARING PURPLE. It was a song from a band I of course NEVER heard of called Gogol Bordello, "a multinational, multicultural explosion of a band whose new album is called Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike. The band mixes punk, ska, jazz, and the traditional Roma music of Ukraine" Well, good night for now!!

Babies and Poetry

Hey kids!! A fun Saturday was had. First off made a visit to old friend of mine who just had a baby girl Samantha.Congratulatons Wes!! He invited my brothers Mike and Dave. Stuart and Helen were there too. It was a mellow and casual day of converation, watching Penn State lose, bratworst and beer. Next we went back to Millville for an evening of poetry and decaf coffee at Windchimes (aka Bogarts' ) Several of the young folks were quite good I'd say. One went overboard on a certain topic that kinda got old. Overall had a cool time chillin. I think you out there in cyberspace will be able to decern the 2 events. Well, look out here comes October. Next thing you know it it will be time to put away the air conditoiners and buy a new filter the HEATER!!

September Shorts Film Festival at Zelphy's

Yesterday September 22 was the 1st September Shorts Film Festival. It was held at Zelphy's Liberation Center for the Performing Arts. It was a showcase for the latest independintly produced films. Bob(Sitarbob) Price brought over 17 independent flilms to Millville and it was a smashing sucess. My favorates were "Gargoyle" by Michael Cusack and "Guide Dog" by Bill Plympton. I liked "Shopping in the Afterlife" by Josua Cohen and Robert Yula which was very funny with a twist!!

Zelphy's was the perfect venue for this film festival and they were gracious hosts. The hot dogs were a perfect snack for the intermission. Here are some photos. ENJOY!!

Subject: Artists get together

A fun time was had by all on a cool fall night:)