RONNIEISMS

THE JAYHAWKS
The Jayhawks football season has ended, just the opposite from how it started at 5 and 0, ending with 0 and 7. Everyone is asking, "what happened?" We had a great returning squad with a great quaterback and two outstanding receivers. Our number one rusher was injured and didn't play but we did well without him. Then all of a sudden, fumbles, interceptions, lousy defense, it created 6 straight losses. Our last game, won by Missouri, could have gone either way. I think the Jayhawks played better but the decisions made on their last possession lost the game. Congratulations to the Tigers, great game and congrats to you too, Bernard. My depression lasted well into the evening but by this morning, after my lox and bagel, it was forgotten.
Now the basketball season takes over my psyche until the March madness ends it all. I'll try again not to miss a game either by radio or TV while trying not to consume an overdose of valium. My body automatically moves with every play. I jump left, right and up in hopes of helping the ball through the basket. That movement is my total exercise regimin along with my strict diet. I actually think I'm addicted to Jayhawks Basketball even though I've never been to a game in Lawrence. Maybe this year I'll accept one of the many invitations I've been turning down.

The team is so overloaded with talent this year that I hope their heads don't become too big for their jocks. Bill Self's coaching of such a talented bunch of young men will face the dual challenge of playing the right starters and making sure that the surrounding players learn from his experience. Rock Chalk Jayhawks....

RONNIEISMS

THANKSGIVING

This is a day for us to give thanks for many things, but how do I find a starting point? Naturally, we're all thankfull for our families, for our friends, the weather,and most of all our health. We're also thankfull for Medicare, something at our age we can't be without. Something a little less important in the chain of thanks is Skype, that magical program that opens your computer to a whole new world that allows you to bother your closest friends with your picture while looking at your screen so they can see the top of your head. We have to figure out a way to put the camera smack in the center of the monitor. I shouldn't complain too much since my bald spot isn't as bad as it's going to be. Being able to speak with your friends across the country without paying for a long distance call, that's real progress. Thanks to my family for the love they bestow on Norma and me and for not moving out of the city. We're so thankfull that they all live within a 30 minute drive and save us all that money of flying across the country to see them. I'm thankfull for the sound of hearing my grandkids laughing and screaming (maybe not so much for the screaming) and the little shows they put on for us. I'm thankfull for our children and their spouses (those that have) that all love each other and the playfull banter among them. How lucky I am to have all this. What more can a person want? Happy Thanksgiving to ALL.

RONNIEISMS

THE SUPPER CLUB

EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR THE LAST TWENTY OR SO YEARS, A GROUP OF US GOES SOMEWHERE FOR DINNER. WHAT STARTED OUT AS TWO COUPLES HAS GROWN TO 13 OR 14 PEOPLE INCLUDING SOME SINGLES. WE INITIALLY TRIED TO GO PLACES THAT HAD COUPONS FOR DISCOUNTS, TWO FOR ONE, ETC. THESE SUPPERS ALL HAVE THAT FEELING OF FAMILY AND TOGETHERNESS. SINCE OUR WHOLE GROUP'S AVERAGE AGE IS IN THE 70s WE TRY TO ENJOY EACH MEAL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. A FEW OF OUR GROUP ARE NOT WELL BUT THEY CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE WHICH I BELIEVE IS SOMETHING THAT THEY ENJOY.
A FEW YEARS AGO WE TRIED TO FIND A NAME OTHER THAN "THE BELCHERS" BUT AS YET HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING ORIGINAL THAT WE COULD COPYWRITE.

IT'S ALWAYS FUNNY TO HEAR THE BANTER AND THE CONTINUAL "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" FROM SOME OF THE GROUP. IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE SO LOUD ALTHOUGH SOME HAVE HEARING PROBLEMS BUT MOST JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S BEING SAID. NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOSEY (HA,HA)  BUT THEY  WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS AND WANT TO BE SURE THAT IT'S NOT THEM THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED.
MOST OF THE WOMEN PLAY CARDS OR MAHJONG TOGETHER DURING THE WEEK SO THE GAMES ARE PART OF THEIR CONVERSATIONS. THE GUYS FOR THE MOST PART TALK SPORTS SINCE WE'RE ALL EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT.
ALMOST ALL OF US ARE MEMBERS OF OUR CHIEF'S FOOTBALL GROUP SO THE LAST GAME OR THE PERSON WHO WON BECOMES THE MAIN SUBJECT ESPECIALLY IF THEY'VE WON MORE THAN THEIR SHARE.
 I GUESS YOU CALL IT JEALOUSEY OR ENVY BUT THAT'S NORMAL  REGARDLESS OF AGE. WE'RE A FUN GROUP THAT ALL CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER AND ALWAYS THERE IN TIMES OF NEED. A FEW OF OUR MEMBERS ARE NOT FEELING TOO WELL SO OUR PRAYERS ARE PRETTY CONSTANT FOR THEIR WELL BEING. WE ALSO TRY NOT TO FORGET THOSE OF US THAT HAVE PASSED AND TO KEEP THEM IN OUR MEMORIES.
WE'VE LOST A FEW OF OUR ORIGINAL FOOTBALL MEMBERS DUE TO MOVING TO THE WEST COAST OR  LIVING IN ST.LOUIS BUT WE STILL FIND TIME TO TALK ABOUT THEM.
WHAT'S REALLY FUNNY IS THAT EVERY AND I MEAN EVERY MEAL THE SAME THING IS HEARD FROM ALL. "I'M SO FULL, I CAN'T EAT ANOTHER THING" OR "THE FOOD WASN'T VERY GOOD TONIGHT".
 I FEEL THAT OUR BEING TOGETHER, PATTING OUR BELLIES AFTER STUFFING OURSELVES AND A FEW BELCHES, ARE PART OF THE ROUTINE. I LOOK FORWARD TO THESE EVENTS AS LONG AS THE FARTING IS KEPT TO A MINIMUM.

RONNIEISMS

I THOUGHT SHE WAS GONE

SHE ARRIVED IN FLORIDA SAFE AND SOUND AND ALL WAS WELL. A SCRABBLE GAME VIA COMPUTER CONTINUED, AND A MORNING PHONE CALL, THINGS WERE GOING SMOOTHLY EXCEPT FOR MY NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE WAY. HE DIDN'T SMILE AS MUCH AS WHEN SHE WAS HERE, HE WALKED AT A SLOWER PACE AND HE SAID "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" MORE THAN ONCE. THEN ONE MORNING I AWOKE TO THE SOUND OF HER VOICE COMING FROM THE LIVING ROOM. WHAT THE HELL, HOW DID SHE GET HERE? I JUMPED OUT OF BED TO FIND HER AND MY WIFE SKYPEING. WHAT AN INVENTION. YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY PUT ON MAKEUP OR FIX THEIR HAIR, WHAT A REVALATION!

I'M STILL IN AWE OF TELEVISION AND MEN ON THE MOON AND NOW, THROUGH THE COMPUTER YOU CAN MAKE A NO CHARGE VIDEO CALL ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

CAN WE GET A HEALTH CARE BILL THAT PLEASES EVERYONE? CAN WE FIND A CURE FOR CANCER? CAN THERE BE PEACE IN THE WORLD? CAN RELATIVES EVER SAY "I WAS WRONG, CAN YOU FORGIVE ME?"

HOPEFULLY I'LL STILL BE UPRIGHT WHEN ALL OF THIS COMES TO PASS BUT IN THE MEANTIME I WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SMILES TO THOSE I MEET ON MY MISSION OF "MAKING HAPPY".

RONNIEISMS

SHE LEFT US!
Something had to be calling her. We left town only to return and find her gone and a neighbor in deep depression. This summer was really special to my wife and me. We were always in the company of our closest friends which compliments our life. We're a lucky couple to be part of a community of close friends and when one of them leaves for somewhere far away (it's really not that far) , the only thing left is to talk about her. We can now say things behind her back because she's our special friend.

In a few months we'll be heading south to join her in her island shack and to bring her news of the north. It was noted in last week's Chronicle that 5 card groups will be folding up, all because of her absence, very inconsiderate. Sure, she has the hard job of going on a cruise, with none of us to protect her. I'll have to plug in my Skype just to keep an eye on her. I wonder what time she's in the shower. So, in order to keep her in our mind I'll have to download the rain cap photo.

RONNIEISMS

MY LIFE AS A CAMEL
IT ALL STARTED WITH OUR VISIT TO LOS ANGELES FOR MY GREAT NEPHEW ISAAC'S BAR MITZVAH. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT I HAD BEEN CHOSEN. I GUESS MY NIECE JILL HAD HEARD THAT I HAD ONCE WALKED A MILE SO THE CHOICE WAS EASY. THIS EVENT WAS LIKE NO OTHER. IT'S THE FIRST BAR MITZVAH I'VE ATTENDED WHERE NOT ONE PERSON FELL ASLEEP. IT WAS DONE AS A THREE ACT PLAY STARRING ISAAC AS THE BIBLICAL ISAAC. SINCE IT TOOK PLACE IN THE DESERT THERE HAD TO BE CAMELS, I WAS ONE OF THREE. THERE WAS SAMALE, WAYNEALE AND RONALE. WE WERE THE FIRST OF THE TALKING AND WALKING CAMELS. THIS WAS A VERY UNIQUE WAY TO PRESENT SUCH AN EVENT. WE HAD CANTORS, A RABBI AND THE TRADITIONAL READING OF THE TORAH PORTION IN HEBREW WITH FAMILY PARTICIPATING. IT WAS AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL EVENT. THE CHILDREN IN ATTENDANCE SAT ON CUSHIONS AT THE FRONT AND PARTICIPATED IN THE SING A LONG PORTIONS. THE ADULTS WERE ALL SEATED BEHIND THE KIDS AND SINCE I WAS FACING THE AUDIENCE I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THE SMILES ON EVERYONE'S FACE. ISAAC DID A FANTASTIC JOB BOTH AS AN ACTOR AND IN HIS TORAH READING.

THE SHAPIRO TRIBE AND THE ELKIN TRIBE WERE IN ATTENDANCE AND THE TOGETHERNESS OF BOTH TRIBES MADE THE EVENING EXTRA SPECIAL. AS I'VE SAID IN MANY OF MY BLOGS, FAMILY IS VERY IMPORTANT. TO ATTEND A HAPPY EVENT SUCH AS THIS IS SUCH A MITZVAH WHERE WE ALL ENJOYED EACH OTHER AS WE SPOKE ABOUT OUR PARENTS THAT WERE ALL PRESENT, IN OUR HEARTS AND MEMORIES. THANKS TO JILL AND BRUCE FOR A WONDERFUL WEEKEND.

RONNIEISMS

I want to talk about luck. There's bad luck and there is good luck. Bad luck is when the team you bet on loses. Bad luck is when the company you own or work for goes out of business. Bad luck can be when you have four of a kind and get beat with a straight flush, but there is always the bad beat, which in poker is usually good luck. Some people are prone to having bad luck, possibly caused by the little black cloud that floats above them, like the old cartoon character Joe Btifslik. Some people bemoan their bad luck but don't realize that they probably created it themselves.
Good people usually make their own good luck, some by being in the right place at the right time and others when they win the lottery.
The first of my good luck was the birth of my two children. The second and probably the most notable of my lucky streak was when I married Norma. I inherited a great family that added to my own. We have  five wonderful children, eight grandchildren between us, and now a great grandchild, another grandaughter by way of marriage and another great grandchild by that marriage.
My good luck is our family, what more could a person want.

RONNIEISMS

For those of you that read my blogs you've probably noticed that I write about family quite a bit. Last Sunday my wife and I had lunch with my Grandson Brad, his wife Tanya, daughter Alicia, my Great Grandson Connor and my son Mike. Connor has grown a little since we last saw him about two months ago. Since they moved to the north side it's become a little harder for them to drop over our place as they did quite often. It's unbelievable how I feel when our four generations get together. I stare at Connor and think about how my Mother, if she was still with us, would try to hug him so tight that he would possibly scream or how my Dad, himself a hunk of a man would hold him while trying to stiffle the tears running down his face.
I remember so well when my Mother came to visit me before I left for Hawaii, with Bradley, Connor's dad, on her lap and couldn't stop smiling as she stared into his eyes rembering out loud how she held Michael when he was born. The memories and thoughts of those that are gone are both sad and happy. Happy that our family continues and the Shapiro name carries on.

On Halloween, Connor wore a costume that when you see it, you cannot help but smile. Unfortunately, one of Connor's great grandparents will not enjoy his dimpled smile, what a loss.
Look at that prominent jaw line, is that Batman or not? The other photo was taken in 1981 in Hawaii with Brad in my arms.

RONNIEISMS

Many people say that a son in law is very different than a son.  In fact I was guilty in saying the same thing over 30 years ago. I thought my relationship with my then father in law was that close but was proven wrong. One of my stepsons is celebrating his anniversary today. I can honestly say that I could not love him anymore if he were my own. He, his wife and two beautiful girls are almost the perfect family. By this I mean they do things with their children rather than shuffling them off to sitters or family members. When their children are older their memories of good times will include their parents. I'm sure that if they log onto this blog both he and his wife will be embarrassed by what I have written but I felt good while expressing my love for them both and wishing them the same love my wife and I share. He's calls his Mother just to see how things are going and everyone is feeling and he treats me the way any stepfather would hope to be treated, with respect and love. Congratulations Kathy and Hal. 

RONNIEISMS

Facebook is really a wonderful way for families that live far apart to catch up with each other. In the last week I've heard from a first cousin that I haven't seen or spoken to in probably 50+ years. His family moved west when he was a child and the communication between his Father and mine discontinued. There was no e-mail back then and I guess other than traditional mail or telephone it was up to one or the other to keep in contact and I guess neither thought it important enough. I remember my Dad giving me fatherly advice to "Never burn your bridges", one of many he bestowed on me. I guess he didn't exercise his own advice about keeping in touch with family, something I truly try to do.

It's nice just hearing from him and possibly in the near future we'll be able to connect a little bit more via e-mail. I'm going to LA in a few weeks for a family Bar Mitzvah and I'm looking forward to seeing as many as I can. Our last clan get to gether was a Chicago affair with my Mom's side of the family. Thank goodness my sister and I still love each other and try to keep in touch as much as possible. I could never understand why some families hold grudges and  see each other at funerals only to realize how petty their arguments that kept them apart really were. Hurt feelings is something that can easily be corrected if one of the parties involved wants to take the first step. I usualy take the TEVYA approach, "But on the other hand" which sometimes upsets my wife. Life is too damned short to hold grudges between family members. So take it from the oldest cousin, smile and call someone today.