JHS 118 , Bronx, N.Y.

This is how I remember JHS 118 back in 1988-'89 where I attended the 9th grade. I believe that it no longer has a ninth grade curriculum. I still have my autograph book where classmates, teachers, friends and others wrote their good luck messages.It was our last year of middle school, graduating, which meant getting a little closer to the real world and time to start thinking a little bit more of what we wanted to do in life. I sure have so many memories. How can I forget how diverse our school population was? And what about the "clicks", the mean girls, the nice girls, the bad boys, the cute guys, and so on. Those were the days.

The night sky.........

Have you ever took the time to really look up at the night sky? It's incredibly peaceful. I often sat outside on my balcony or porch just to admire the sky and the stars.Or I would sit on the hood of one of the neighborhood cars parked along the side of the street and just stared at the endless pitch black sky, then  trying to count as many stars as I could. I would hope and think that for sure I would spot something truly amazing. It seemed as though I could so easily shut out every sound around me if  I tried hard enough. Still today, I think the night sky is one of the most beautiful things out there.

Sitting on my porch..............

As I think of quite some years ago, I was remembering the year 1988. To me that year just happens to bring back a lot of nice memories. Of course there are so many though. But It was at this time when I began to write a diary for the first time.I remember sitting on my porch one morning, as I did everyday writing in my diary all about the events or happenings of the day before. I had just moved to a 2 floor home on Bathgate ave in the Bronx with my family.I thought the neighborhood was "cool". And it really was, it was home. So I wanted to keep a journal of everything that was going on every single day. Across the street were other houses and a unique individual caught my eye as he waved to me without knowing who I was. I say unique as after getting to know him he sure was. One of the most down to earth, nicest person I ever met. He was not afraid to be himself, to shake it to the rhythm of  reggae music and walk down the block with his boombox radio on his shoulder. I haven't seen a single soul in years hit the streets with a boombox. I was able to catch up with him again in 1993 back on Bathgate ave and it was so exciting to see him, just as it was years before and reminiscing about the earlier times. A  good friendship remained but unfortunately time and years went by and people move away and grow and continue their journey in life. I wrote so many pages and several diaries worth of my daily life. Sad to say that those diaries, with the moves, and through time, were some how lost , never to be found again.

Very Funny.....you gotta read this........

I just needed to share this as I was in need of a few laughs and someone at work forwarded this to me. I thought it was too funny.....enjoy! 

A WOMAN'S WEEK AT THE GYM

If you read this without laughing out loud, there is something
wrong with you. This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get
into a regular workout routine.

Dear Diary,

For my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear)
purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for
me.    Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader
43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a
try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named
Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and
model for athletic clothing and swim wear.

My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club
encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

MONDAY

Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it
was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda
waiting for me.

She is something of a Greek goddess - with blond hair,dancing eyes and a
dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!! Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the
machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her
aerobics class after my workout today.

Very inspiring!

Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already
aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a
FANTASTIC week-!!

TUESDAY

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.
Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air
then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I
made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel
GREAT!!

It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the
counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in
both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I
parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.

Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other
club  members. Her voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and
when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt
when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why the
hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete
by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life.
She said some other shit too.

THURSDAY

Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her
thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a
half an  hour late, it took me that long to tie my shoes.

Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I
ran and hid in the restroom. She sent another skinny bitc.. to find me.
Then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.

FRIDAY

I hate that bitc.. Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any
other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic,
anorexic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without
unbearable pain, I would beat her with it.

Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And
if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the damn barbells or
anything that weighs more than a sandwich.

The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition
teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir
director?

SATURDAY

Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly
voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her made me want to
smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use
the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather
Channel.

SUNDAY

I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and
thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter
(the little shit) will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root canal
or a  hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would
have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

A ride down memory lane......

I was thinking of a few things today: You know, sometimes it is easy to overlook and bypass certain things in life, simple things that you learn later on how meaningful they come to be as you reflect on them .Anything from your first or last something, a place, person, an event an occasion.No matter how little it is you will remember as clear as day. This list is really a never ending one as there is TOO MUCH that I would love to list so It will be a "to be continued":

• Orchard Beach (most popular beach, the best family picnics and get togethers till the sun came down)
• City Island and Coney Island (just cool fun, great food )
• Grand Concourse and Fordham Rd (endless shops)
• Italian icees and giant pizza slices( I could eat that every single day)
• Alexander's Dept Store (everything in one place, shopping and shopping there all the time)
• Leow's Paradise Theatre (enjoyed all the latest attractions, I remember seeing Amityville Horror: The Possession- big mistake to watch at that time......I left the theater halfway through movie.... but still, good old memories )
• Menudo( I'm afraid so...c'mon.... they were hot back in the day)
• Hot chocolate and donuts at he near by Dunkin Donuts on the weekends with my dad.
• Ringling Brother's Circus (went every year...remember when they brought in "a unicorn")
• Sixteen Candles (every teen girl's favorite movie)
• Christmas at Rockefeller Center (lighting of the Christmas tree and the ice skating)
• Skate Key (man.......now that brings back the greatest memories of all times)
• New Kids On The Block (Oh yeah, what else can I say)
• PS9, IS 137, JHS 118 (awesome)
• Earthquake in New York in the mid 80s(I'm not sure the year but that was the first time I ever experienced one, I thought it was a dream but it was actually real)
• Trick or treating around my block....and my brother actually getting candy snatched once...shame on you whoever did that)
• Watching one of the greatest Broadway shows in history: CATS (that was awesome)
• A person that I nicknamed "Cat"....just because he reminded me of one.(Wherever you are....I wish you the best....you were always a good guy)
• MTV- (when they actually ran videos all day long, what happened??)

Good old comics......

I think comic strips will forever live on. Reading the different comics on the Sunday paper were one of the simple good old things I used to look forward too. Some funny, some kind of dry I must admit, some even gave you something to think about in a strange way. I have quite a few favorites, all classics of course.This is just a couple from "That's Life" from 2002 I believe.

 

Favorite band of all times.....

One of my favorite bands of all times was Europe. Back in the day I thought Joey Tempest was the hottest man alive. It's funny how things have changed, but at that time in the 80's as I remember, we just couldn't get enough of the big haired bands, the guitars and their flashy outfits which only THEY could have pulled off. If I could go back in time........ I would be in the front row seat of a Europe concert watching them perform on stage just like in this video, to one of my favorite songs: The Final Countdown

9/11/01: A Day I Will Never Forget.....watch a video dedication......

Today, it has been nine years since one of the world's biggest tragedies in history. Although we will never forget that day , it hits us every time another year passes by. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing on that day when I heard and saw the news. I think everyone does too. I dedicate this to the memory of all the innocent people who lost their lives, to their families and loved ones and to all those who risked their lives for others. Life is so precious..... Let us Never Forget. Here is a video dedication.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9LxUISLL5o

I remember that morning very well. It started out as a typical work day for me. I was working at the VA Hospital here in Florida as an RN. Things certainly took a whole different turn as news started coming in about the tragedy ocuring at that same moment. I watched the news in disbelief of reports about planes crashing into the Twin Towers/ World Trade Center in New York City and terrorists.WHAT!
I heard one coworker say "what if they target us?" And I could see how she too was trying to hold back the tears. It was a time where so many thoughts flashed through our minds. I could also see how many of our patients were affected in one way or another as they watched the news reports in their rooms. One of the most heartbreaking things that I heard on the news were the voice mail recordings that passengers from the different flights left their loved ones as they tried to reach them during the chaos. Some passengers not even knowing  what was going and those who knew that those would be their last words. And so recording after recording was played. As I learned more about the events that day and seeing the horrific scenes and images, I could only say, "This ....you only see in the movies". And for a moment it seemed as though time stood still. Then slowly beginning to absorb the fact that this was all real life. And the fact that some time ago, I strolled through those streets of  New York and as a kid, I was one of those who looked up at all the tall buildings with such amazement and felt so tiny in the middle of the city. I could only hope that something like this doesn't  happen ever again.

From The Big Apple..........

It's been quite a while since I left my hometown. From The Big Apple to The Sunshine State is quite the drive.But no,  I didn't do that, but I'm sure it would be fun. So I've been living here in Florida for sometime now. It's been a journey.When I first moved from the Bronx, it was in the 80's. It was not my choice but my parent's choice. And being a kid, a young teen, I wondered and asked, why the move? why do I have to leave my school and friends? why do I have to leave all the things I know and I'm used to? Of course these questions I basically asked myself. And so starting over is hard at first, new place, new city , new people. But it gets better with time. Doesn't it seem as if so many people you know, anywhere, end up moving to Florida at some point?So as I mentioned before it's been quite a journey, I've moved a couple of times until finally landing here. I do plan to go back someday to the Bronx where I grew up. The question is only when will that be.There are so many memories, experiences and events throughout the years as I look and think back. It's great to reminisce as pictures flow through the mind from years before then fast forward to a different time, then rewind again to another time and treasure the moments.

Labor Day Recipes...

I remember when growing up, Labor Day was all about great food, the get togethers and spending quality time with the family.I found these delicious recipes on Eating Well website which I hope you enjoy. Easy and Healthy Labor Day Recipes .And of course we can't forget why we celebrate Labor Day in the first place as it is dedicated to the American workers and their achievements as well as their contributions to our country.

Like a zombie....

Today like many other days I just stood in my closet doorway staring into the air and trying to decide what in the world I should wear.You know there can't be any more truth to the fact that you dress according to your mood.So today I was feeling pretty good mentally, I mean my mind was relaxed, no work till next Tuesday, no constant phones ringing and all that good stuff. But I was like a zombie,physically drained after another busy week at work.So today my colors and patterns weren't exactly...coordinated..But I said, "who really cares".