LONG WRITING DAY

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Yesterday was Sunday. Sunday is the day I write my KONK Life column.

I have wanted to write about the U.S. involvement in a war with Russia from 1917-1918. An interesting story. One few know about. The U.S. sent 13,000 troops.

The U.S. involvement was in a civil war. The Russian Civil War. The Reds/Whites battle.

We are involved in civil wars in the Middle East today. A lesson to be learned here. Ergo, I expanded the article to include civil wars and fighting wars to win. The Russian Civil War and today’s Middle East conflicts have much in common. Birds of a feather.

One problem. The longer the story, the longer it took to complete. Instead of finishing 3-4, I was at it till just after 6.

The time worth it. I was pleased with the final product. I hope you will be. The article publishes wednesday. The title: Stay Out of Civil Wars, Fight Wars To Win.

The extra time screwed up my sunday evening. I had intended to go to Kate Miano’s Gardens at 5. The sun broke late afternoon and it would have been perfect. There is always next week.

Rain. Heavy Rain. The last three days. Pours. Then stops. Only to return a couple of hours later.

The temperature is dropping also. The high today 71. 71 will be the highest all week. By weekend, the high will be down to 67. Long pants weather.

We have been lucky. December was terrific. We can handle a few weeks of cold.

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff had a tongue in cheek comment in a recent article. Something to the effect that if Trump wins, he will rename the White House Trump Palace.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are at each other’s throats. These Middle East wars are civil wars. Based on religion. It is the Sunni/Shia battle which has been ongoing since just after the Prophet Muhammad’s death. The issue is which sect will lead the Muslims. Over 300 hundred years and still not resolved.

We are crazy to be involved. We should get out. We have been involved steadily in the Middle East in one fashion or another for fifteen years. Not our war!

Read an interesting comment somewhere this week. Cannot recall which publication. I read constantly. In any event, the comment was to the effect that Americans should not fight each other so much. We are not enemies but Americans first. We help ISIS when we destroy each other.

Enjoy your day!

INTERESTING SUNDAY

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I live in Key West time. Words made famous by Howard Livingston. I go with the flow. Never quite sure what I will be doing each day. Never disappointed by how the day works out.

Yesterday was a Key West day. Knew I had to get the daily blog out. Then write this week’s KONK Life column. The column took me six hours. Controversial. I titled the column Muslim Refugees…..No. Not so much because of the terrorist thing. More because they want to take over once they arrive. Everything must be their way.

Guaranteed interesting!

It was close to 5. What now, I thought. Showered, shaved and headed out to Kate Miano’s Gardens. The best Key West venue early sunday evenings.

I only stayed a half hour. Enjoyed the music. Said some hellos. Suddenly, I was bored. I like to meet new people. Generally do at the Gardens. Last night, not.

Stopped at the Chart Room for a drink. Turned out to be a good idea.

Victor bartending. They say bartenders know everything. Victor does. He is an intellectual. For real. He gave me a political philosophy book to read several months ago. I could only get 50 pages into it. Too heavy for me. Not for Victor though.

Victor sent a comment/observation into the Key West Citizen’s Citizens’ Voice. It ran sunday. The first one listed.

Rents and rental property availability crucial issues in Key West today. Victor brought up military housing. Most military opt to live off base. When they do, they qualify for a housing allowance. Around $2,000 a month.

Victor believes the housing allowance amount is a contributing factor to high rents. The government setting the amount. He also believes that the military use of housing takes rentable properties off the market, thereby contributing to higher rents. Not enough rental properties available.

While chatting away with Victor and some tourists, a relatively young couple came in. Thirtyish. All over each other. The male said they were merely friends and were waiting for their spouses who were still upstairs. They then went to the bar along the window. I glanced over. The male was sitting on a stool with his legs open. The female with her posterior backed into his you know what. Laughing. Obviously enjoying themselves.

The spouses came in a little later. Beaming. Explained to all they were not married to each other. Their spouses the ones at the window bar.

What a country America! What a place Key West! I am 80 years old. This is the first time I have seen public swinging inference/activity.

Time to eat. Hot Tin Roof across the street. A couple of weeks since I had been there. Ate lightly. Mac lobster and cheese and asparagus. A healthy combination!

A new bartender. Matt. He reads my KONK Life column. I was thrilled! He especially enjoyed last week’s Sexual Tales of Old. The Julius Caesar part the best. He said he also enjoyed Hemingway’s First Love written several weeks ago.

Keep reading me, Matt! Love people who take the time to read what I write.

Weather looks good today. A bit cool this morning. Around 72 degrees. Wind strong. Twenty plus miles an hour. Palm trees bending a bit. Ocean water very bumpy and moving fast. I would not want to be out on a boat today.

The Studios of Key West is opening a bookstore. First floor on the corner of Eaton and Simonton. To be called Book & Book. Apparently a chain. My understanding is that Studios will own it, however.

I love book stores. Especially those with comfortable chairs. I hope Studios puts a few in. I loved going to Borders and reading a couple of hours some afternoons. Borders probably went out of business because people like me were free loading. I read much, bought little.

Enjoy your day!

 

LA TE DA HAS NEW BAR

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Key West is blessed with several excellent publications. One is Conch Color.

I was browsing Conch Color when I came across a La Te Da advertisement. A picture of La Te Da’s new inside bar. Beautiful!

I have not done a late night at La Te Da in months. Some night this week, I will. I am anxious to see what Christopher has accomplished.

My visit may be sad. I enjoyed the old bar for many years. Many memories.

Spent a long time yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column. Thought it was time for a change of pace. My writings have been on the serious side in recent weeks.

Decided on a sex topic. Wrote Sex Tales of Old. Stories involving Julius Caesar, Christopher Columbus, the early New England settlers, Ben Franklin, Pope Alexander VI, and Betsy Ross.

The column publishes wednesday.

Last night it was Kate Miano’s Gardens.

Kate present. She has not been recently. She was in France. Returned a few days ago. Still fighting jet lag.

Ran into Pati on the way in. We sat together and enjoyed Peter Diamond’s singing.

It was after six when I arrived. Dark. I could not see anyone. If I want to know who is there, I must arrive before the sun sets.

Stopped at Roostica on the way home. Sunday night dinner. Spaghetti with meatballs, sausage and pieces of pork. Covered in a thick red sauce.

Bobby calls it gravy. Some italians do. My people did not. In fact, I never heard sauce described as gravy till Bobby opened his Italian restaurant. I understand New Jersey Italians refer to sauce as gravy.

Bobby just returned from ten days in Rome.

Kate in France, Bobby in Rome. Key Westers know how to live!

Larry Smith entertains tonight at The Little Room Jazz Club. Larry Kripitz on the drums.

Read El Nino is going to cause south Florida aggravation this winter. The experts warn be ready for a wet and wild season. Happening because Pacific Ocean waters will be warmer than normal around the equator.

College student activity at Missouri U. and Kansas U. has resulted in much discussion. Concern, also.

Many have described the protestors as Fascists. For the manner in which they relate to those they oppose/do not agree with.

There was an interesting column in the Wall St. Journal this weekend. The writer discussed raising the voting age to 25. It is presently 21. His opinion was that students were not responsible to vote.

I disagree. I have disagreed also with the 21 voting age. My reason simple. If the under twenty ones can fight for their country such is sufficient reason to give 18 year olds the vote.

Kansas students have initiated a different approach. Instead of asking the school’s president to resign, they demanded that the top three officers in the Student Council resign. By friday. Their own people. Fellow students. If they fail to resign, they have been threatened with impeachment.

The crazies are getting younger and younger. I wonder how their grades are doing. The primary purpose of a university is education. Not displays of public wrath. Especially over bullshit issues.

This morning, I return to the anti-gravity treadmill. I missed all but one day last week. The machine was aggravating my ribs and left side. I still hurt. However, much less. I hope I experience no problems today. The treadmill has become a part of my every day life.

Enjoy your day!