Happy Holidays from Oscars Tavern!

Hi!  Happy Holidays!!!

How are you?  Thought we’d take over Oscars personal blog to bring you up to speed on the going’s on here. Yes the Tavern still exists!  Well its moved, but not ready yet.  That picture is near where we’ve decided to move the Tavern.

Pull up a stool! Mind the mess…

What can I get you?

Todays Special is Three Olives Cherry Vodka!    Its one of our new bartenders favorites! She likes it with Diet Coke.

We’ve been so busy lately with life that we just haven’t had the time to sit and put words down here. Oh certainly a lot of ideas. But they come when I’m not by a PC or iPad.

Charlene is currently down in the Sunshine State. Visiting family.  She’s been a busy gal.  Our newer bartender Elaine has been filling in. She’s a beauty. Melts all the guys with just a look.  LOL   She definately shakes things up here in this rusty saloon!

I went through a brief bout of illness recently. Came unexpected. Just when you think you’re still a spry guy, life reminds you that you are over 50. (not much)

Christmas here was a nice event. No big parties like we usually do. With me under the weather and Charlene away, it was quiet but enjoyable. Just a few of us were together. We had a nice dinner and enjoyed each others’ company.  Probably the way it should be.  How was yours?  Leo came by and we celebrated Channukah as well. 

I’m taking this week off to relax. My goal is to be ready to kick some butt for the new year.

I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year!   Let’s hope its a great year full of promise, hope and health!

See ya soon!

Ciao!

>WE NOW RETURN YOU TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED POST<

Hi!  Merry Christmas!  Happy Channukah!  (Ok what is it…Hannukah or Channukah?)  I buy (C)Hannukah cards for my Jewish friends and they have both as well.  Sorry for the late wishes. But as a friend explained to me, Christmas is 12 days. (ie: 12 Days of Christmas)  So it’s still Christmastime.  We end our festivities with Three Kings Day.  Makes sense.

Having been to Florida so many times this year, I am continually getting more and more tired of cold weather.  Especially snow.  I figure I should live in a warm climate, and “visit” cold when I want. 

“Cris-cross.  I’ll kill your wife, you throw momma off the train”.

 This is why Oscars Tavern is being re-located to the Gulf coast of Florida.  We’re gonna change it up a bit. It will be completely different but still have its…”charm”….LOL.   

During my hospital stay (4 days) I was victim to daytime television.  DO the networks really think we are that stupid?  I was so glad the hospital had WIFI.  I had my iPad brought to me. There was one good program I found. The local New York News for CW/PIX. They have this perty anchor woman. Jodi Applegate. She made the normal news interesting.  Plus she has this odd sense of humor.  So now I watch that when I can.

I’m relaxing this week. Getting myself back in shape.  Walked 2 miles yesterday and today. They’re raising a house a couple blocks away. I will walk again to see how they’re doing.  Stuff like that is interesting to me.  Thats what they do here in my neighborhood. They remove the old small houses and put up McMansions.

I realized yesterday my registration for my truck and my drivers license both expired. Should fix that.

Hope you all are enjoying this holiday season.

Thanks for reading!  I’ll see you soon!

I am a closet Fairyland Player

Ssshhh! I am! I use my grandsons account and play Fairyland on Facebook. Ok. My cousin from L.A. Got me into it. To me it has really not much to do with faries. I just like planting the garden and am vowed to beat her in the game! Ssshhhhhh!

This is an ipad post. Not pretty. I told a Friend I’d write a post while I’m here in the hospital getting test. Oh no worries….

Thanks for reading! Insert snoopy here. ————————->.

Unlike playthings, a living creature cannot hide himself on an island

Oh Man.  December already. Seems yesterday I was in Florida relaxing at Holmes Beach near Bradenton with a cold Corona and a book.

Well you all know I hate cold weather. If man were meant to be in cold weather, he’d have covered us with hair like animals! As Yukon Cornelius says, “Not fit for man nor beast!”     (lick lick lick – eh.. nuthin’)

Yes its Rudolph time as well.  A staple here.  I actually have a small book on my desk with the entire dialog of the Rankin-Bass Epic Cinematic Wonder!   The show was broadcast the other night on CBS and I saw my daughter-in-law put it on for my grandaughter.  So I sat and watched as well, mimicking the dialog as it began.

On our television we have an option from Verizon that shows who’s calling on your screen.  During Rudolph it popped up, “Survey blah blah blah”  I grabbed the phone and said, “You NEVER call during Rudolph!”  The woman said laughing, “Oh I’m sorry, I’ll call again”.

Where were we….   “didn’t I ever tell you about Bumbles?  Yukon asked…  Bumbles Bounce!

Thanks for reading – brief – I know…

Safari’s and Tickles

Ok.

Safari – Well I’ll tell you by the time I finish this post.

Sorry as always – I’m just gonna stop apologizing as you all know I’ve just been so busy.  My faithful 6 followers.  Eventually when the clouds disappear I’ll be more frequent.

As you know professionally I speak to people all over the world. A funny event happened recently that had us all wanting to bust but we couldn’t.  During a teleconference a woman from Brazil was having difficulties speaking as she had a “Tinkle In her throat”, so she said….    I wrote her a note afterward explaining its usually tickle.  Now when she clears her throat or anything like that we giggle like children.

I was in Florida recently for my birthday week, (Oct 31st) spending time with my daughter and family.  I always look at real estate there, I still love it.  Almost had a chance to meet the “Geezer”.   The voice of Sandy from Sandy says.  I was supposed to be in his area one day and I reached out to him. He was doing a book signing and told me to come on by!  Unfortunately plans changed. But next time I’ll be sure to make it there.  I understand he had Sandy with him.  Nice. He writes a great blog and is a published author. An interesting guy.

My friends looked at me oddly yesterday when I told them I painted my great room Oatlands Subtle  Taupe and Smoked Oyster.  Another friend thought it was an appetizer.

I am really enjoying Miranda Lambert’s new CD “Four the record”  Here’s one of my favorite songs!

Well thought I’d just say hi and wanted my little fan base to know I’m still here.

Thanks for reading, I’ll see you soon!

Oh BTW – I used Safari browser instead of Explorer to write this post – It worked!

October Already?

Time just flies faster and faster these days.  Yes, we’ve all said that a few hundred and 47 times.  I’ve thought about why time seems to pass.  Especially as we age. What is it?

Being an engineer, I applied some of my knowledge of systems to a theory.  C’mon inside my head. Wear a helmet and gloves.

Watch that wire there, I’m working on a USB port to transfer things from my brain to a PC.   My dentist said he couldn’t implant bluetooth.

Ok.   We all know that your senses bring your world to your brain.

Your brain takes in images, sounds, smells, sensations and other external stimuli.

Like a PC it processes input at a set rate. (we’re assuming the brain is digital) Lets call that our human sample rate. (HSR)

Let’s think about this for a minute.  Making up numbers, lets say that watching a television show takes 200 billion samples. During the newscast, your brain took in all of these samples consecutively and provided your experience. Like a film movie you have many still frames presented at a set speed consecutively, giving you the illusion of motion. On a television or monitor the time between each image is known as your refresh rate.

Got it?  Many images presented contiguously to simulate motion, or in this case life.

(Put down that joint, this is not that forum)

It is a fact that children are most receptive to learning from about 6 months to 8 years old. Somewhere around there.  My grand-daughter absorbs flash cards like a sponge.  She is 2.

Her refresh/sample rate is high.

It is so fast that it stays up to rate with life.  Her environment seems to be forever.  She doesn’t want to go to bed!

As we age, our HSR gets slower.    So we essentially “miss” time as our brains weren’t refreshed.  Thus, time seems faster. The images accepted within the time frame are connected, eliminating the gaps.

But wait Oscar!   Why is it when you are having fun it seems faster as well?

Ah!  good point!    Your HSR is still reduced, but your focus is on the moment.

Low HSR reduces focus as well, but interest or excitement enhances focus. Which over-rides HSR.

What?

Moral of this?

Keep your life interesting.  Keep yourself healthy. If it’s interesting you’ll retain focus. If you’re healthy, your HSR will maintain at a high level.

What?              I don’t know – sounds good to me.  Just a theory….

It sounds better in my head, and I’m still studying.

Thanks for attending this seminar, I’ll see you soon!

The Poop Deck

My youngest is home for the week and brought this with her.

Who seems to think the meaning of “Poop deck” is this….

No Zoey. 

In naval architecture, a poop deck is a deck that forms the roof of a cabin built in the rear, or “aft”, part of the superstructure of a ship. Not a place for you to poop. 

  I carried her off the deck and placed her on the grass. She stayed there and sniffed.  Good, I’ll go inside and wait for her by the door.  I hear her yip by the door and let her in.  Looked out on the deck and a fine little pile of dog excrement was beautifully place center square on the poop deck.

This little animal also loves to pick up her stainless steel bowl by her teeth, jump on the sofa and drop it on the floor. “Bayang yang yang yang yang…” as it spins to a halt – Causing us to almost replicate her deck sculpture.

She is a rambunctious “Puggle” puppy who has enough energy to provide 20 years constant megawatts to the NorthEast grid.  Did I tell you her bark or scream is worse!?!?

“Aw, grampa, you don’t love Zoey….”

I do.

When she’s at YOUR HOUSE!

Now I must point out that during my search for the proper definition of Poop Deck, I did stumble on this educational tid bit …..

  <————click on the picture.

Well O-kay then.

Where’s that dog…..

Thanks for reading!  I’ll see you later!

Zat Time again….

Hurricane Irene didn’t stop me.   Ok  delayed by 3 days.  But here we are again at the Official Oscar’s Tavern Summer Wing ding…   A nice sunrise – ok I missed it..

;lets see…  what else…

Nosey neighbors..  did I say “neigh”….

Thanks for reading.. ok looking…   See you soon..

There’s a sangria waiting,,,,,

yeah I know….

1262 EWR SJU

1262 EWR SJU                        This was written last week.

Babe..baby baby I’m gonna leave you. I said Baby you know I gonna leave you, leave you in the summer time. leave you when the summer comes a rollin’ leave you when the summer comes along…

Led Zeppelin.   I once counted how many times Robert Plant sang the word “baby”. I forget but it was a lot.

Spoiled traveler I am in coach. Upgrades didn’t work today.  I wasn’t even on standby.  Its a good flight. 7:15pm lands in San Juan 11:30. Go to hotel, check in, go to bed. Full day tomorrow.

Not adjusting well to the Continental funeral. That is United’s merger with them.  It was fine as Continental from my perspective. Now they are slowly wrecking it. Hey, when you fly as often as I do, its important.

I should complain…  I spent the last two weeks in sunny Florida working from my daughters new home on the gulf coast.  But I DID WORK!  And actually got more done.

This week in Puerto Rico, then a week back in the office, then a week on the OuterBanks of North Carolina. 

I’m fortunate.

My work is complicated. It’s global. 90% of my work is out of the continental United States. Hmmm.  98%.    50% is politics. The rest is experiance. Knowing how to make things happen.  I’m on the phone at least 40% of the time. To people all over the world. I take calls at 6:00am, 9;00pm.  Different hours from my tasks at Oscar’s Tavern. My goal.

So I did come to realize recently that a condo may not be so bad. I already pay someone to take care of my lawn, driveway and other outside stuff.  I visited some really nice 3 unit condos near Anna Maria Island recently. Harbour Isle. They were like homes. Three of the sides of the unit have windows. Two face the sound. Have breakfast and you will look at the water. No I can,t have a garden. I can hang tomatoes on my Lanai…   Relax more, less outdoor work. I won’t, have to worry about google Earth showing my green pool everytime anyone browses my neighborhood.   Oh thats a real fear! I am proud to say that when you Google or whatever my home, my pool is blue. These past two weeks with all the rain in the northeast, the pool needed attention. Someone….. forgot to add algecide and chlorine. Backwash the filter…   The condo’s have 3 pools and a beach. I don’t have to maintain them. PLUS they have a marina. I can put my boat in a slip. Yeah, I have to buy one first but this is a concern. Oh by the way they plan a resturant with a bayside bar… hmmmmm  this could be my gig. Has god sent me this?

WAIT  I don’t plan on retiring yet. Five more years.  Will they hold the unit soundside with the second level, unit and third floor reading room!!!? My breakfast nook view of the sound with the bridge going up and down and boats putting by!!!!

LESSON:  Don’t look at any real estate until you are ready.
I torture myself everytime I visit Florida. I think often that its because I want to get away from the same old same old so badly.         I could get involved in the complex management society.  Then Mayor of Anna Maria Island. Thats all, just Mayor, no further…  I’m too concerned for everyones well being to go any higher.

“Mayor Oscar, your favorite table is ready for you and the fine lady”.

Then there was this home on the Terra Cieia Bay. Brand new dock, gorgeous sunsets, great fishing they say… The house was junk. But I could renovate, or better yet demolish and take the plans from that sweet home in Bradenton I saw and build it there. The salesman said they’d build it where I wanted.  He did!

BUT I’M NOT READY!!!!!!!!

OK.   I’ve worked since I wa 14.  I paid my own way though college, my parents couldn’t afford it. I bought a cape cod style home in th eighties and added 150% to it. All by myself.  I worked hard, worked at times 2 jobs to support my family and put my kids through private school.  It’s my turn isn’t it?  I’m 54!   what…   I just did my stuff quickly…

Right?  They’re all old enough to be on thier own… right?  I can finish settling and sell.

The condo had an elevator!  Two car garage, workshop area…. I could walk to the bridge and fish, or cross it to my favorite beach. Tend at the marina bar, keep my 24 foot skiff 100 horse Merc tied close by….

Guess I want my cake and eat it. In my case it would be my pie.

Go to work Oscar.  Nap till you land.  Busy day tomorrow… Stop daydreaming.

“you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…” – some famous hippie rock star from the 70,s.
Oh, the windows could withstand 150mph winds and kept solar heat out!  Blazing sun on them and they didn’t get hot!  The hot water system has green heat pump technology! The model living room had dual angled fans! They were so cool!  I truly absorbed every word that Penny, the knowledgable young attractive saleswoman told me.

But she was right.  Wasn’t she?  Yeah.. she was.

I kept thinking “Penny!  knock knock knock…Penny!  knock knock knock”
(Big Bang Theory reference)

I was supposed to stop after the dreamer stuff…  I wonder if Jessica at the hotel will have a Medalla ready for me when I arrive. I hope its not too late.

Maybe forget all of this and just quit my job and work like Fred Flintstone at a quarry like my dad did.  Whistle blows and I go home to Wilma and that yappy Dino. Then tell Mr. Slate I’m quitting.  No wait….. He did the whole Florida thing, home near the beach, covered pool, boat.. and died in a year.

$#it.

Maybe I have ADD.
nah. Just a lot on my mind lately.

Condo had a dumb waiter too!  Paver driveway!  Nature path!  Kayak launch….  Maybe I’d get tired of the path. Kayaks are fun but every day…?  Can only go so far, and I have that skiff….
Mayor Oscar….   From the “Wild Party”‘   Two Bottles of Johnny Walker Blue in every garage….

Maybe move to an apartment and then become Mayor. Learn about all the good land deals before they go public….   Start a company there in November….   Consulting…   resource management..  asset management….    Buy 5 homes more inland and rent them. I could rob them easily from forclosures at like 85K a pop.

I could be the new Trump.  No hair.  Your fired!

Learn to repair outboard motors.  Big cash!

Oh we’re on approach….

Back to reality.

Thanks for reading!  See you soon!

UPDATE since this was writtten:  Looks like Hurricane Irene and I have a date with the OuterBanks. We both arrive the same day.    That Biotch!

I’m an Artist alright…

A few people have been asking about my “Painting”

While I was in Florida, I painted this.

Thanks for stopping by – See you soon!

Working from Home – In Florida

Howdy Blog fans, this is your ol’ pal Oscar.  Remember me?

As always, life has been pretty busy.   I’m actually working at home in Florida. No I don’t live in Florida, but I am proverbably “Working from home”.  We can do that on my job if we are productive and don’t have any face to face committments. My oldest daughter recently moved from one home to another locally and in the middle of the move she had foot surgery. So I am here, “working”, so I can help her out.  I’m actually getting a lot done. I schedule my teleconferences early in the morning – easy because a lot have been with India and the time difference works.  Then I take the local calls.  I work from 6:30am to noon.  Enjoy the afternoon with the family, then after dinner-ish I do some “deskwork”.   It’s working! 

Now I may be taking some breaks occasionally, and a beer usually isn’t part of my work routine, but its all been good!

One afternoon I began a painting.   My daughter occasionally paints with the kids.  We all had our acrylics and canvasses.  I’ll show you when its done!

Brought my dog with me. She needs insulin shots twice a day so Its easier for me to bring  her than worry about someone doing it. She was good on the plane. 

More later!

 

 

Thanks for reading!  See you soon!