BUSY…..BOOK SIGNING AND PODCAST

Yesterday, busy. Today, busy. Adrenalin flowing. Ready to go.

Today, the Irma and Me Book Signing. Tonight, my podcast Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Both required preparation. Especially the podcast.

Yesterday was get ready time. Began at 5:30 am.

Got an early start on the day’s blog.

Then an hour getting things ready for today’s book signing. Finding a bag to carry the books, a box to hold cash, a bank run for a roll of nickels and different cash bills, prepare tonight’s Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou show, and I don’t recall what else.

Finished all by 4. I was ready. Almost, still needed today’s blog which I am doing at the moment.

Out for the evening. Needed a drink. Enjoyed one at Catherine’s when I picked her up. Felt better.

First stop was Aqua’s for Dueling Bartenders. Terri performing. Would not have missed it.

Bear greeted me. Getting bigger. He was with George and Art.

Lynda and Bob Frechette at the bar. I went over leaving Catherine at the other bar. Who are you with, Lynda asked. I could not remember Catherine’s name. I was doing good.

Lynda and Bob will be at the book signing.

Dinner afterwards at Antonia’s bar. Nicole bartending. She made my day. Not only is she stopping by the book signing, she has already ordered the book via Amazon.

Finished the evening early. I was tired. Dropped Catherine off and went directly home intending to hop in bed. Changed my mind. Instead prepared notes for the blog I am presently writing.

I received a call from Jean Thornton during the day. She called to wish me well at the book signing.

Jean is an integral part of Irma and Me. It was at her and Joe’s home in Birmingham where I stayed for 12 days having escaped Irma. Louis, six other humans, and three dogs.

The book signing will be sort of a reunion. Five of the others have e-mailed and told me they will be there. The sixth, McKee, also e-mailed. He will not. He is on a cruise somewhere.

Neither will Jean and Joe. They leave from Birmingham today for a one month European cruise. Sounds exciting. Fly to Barcelona and get on a ship. Their home for the next 30 days. Primarily Scandinavian countries. Twenty different ports.

The Irma and Me book signing noon to 3 at Andrews Inn. Located at Zero Whalton Lane. A street running perpendicular to Duval between Truman and Olivia. Across from Viva Cafe.

Tonight at 9 my podcast Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. All done and ready to go. Some interesting topics. Only two involving Trump. I try to get away from Trump in my talks. We get too much of him otherwise every day.

Topics include visits to a few old time Key West bordellos, a discussion concerning Florida beaches which are no longer public, a transgender vote by the people rather than elected officials in Anchorage, the caravan, Syria, and more.

A fast moving half hour. Interesting. Sometimes provocative. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

My blog for today done! And it is only 8 am rather than 11 am. Last night’s prep helped. I have nothing to do till 11 when  I leave for the book signing.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

SPRING BREAK STORY

Spring break was not for me during my college days. Who could afford it!

My education however did provide many “spring breaks” world wide later in life.

Several years ago, I experienced a sort of spring break. Reported the story in my blog at the time. An amusing episode.

This has been spring break week in Key West. It brought a Key West spring break experience to mind. Several years ago, a couple were visiting. We were out on Duval one night. Took them to Irish Kevin’s. A young people’s place. This old man especially liked it because the young ladies were often induced to take to the stage and expose their breasts.

The place was crowded with spring breakers. My friends my age. We worked our way to the bar and ordered drinks. The college students were pleasant. They engaged us in conversation. One asked what we were doing in Key West during spring break? What were we doing in Irish Kevin’s?

I lied. I did not tell them about the bare breasts. Instead, I responded, “We’re retired senior citizens who returned to college to get our degrees…..Decided we should do spring break, also!”

We were the heroes of the night! Could not buy a drink. Spent three hours with the kids having fun. Just college students hanging out together.

Another good sunday yesterday.

Spent the afternoon watching the PGA golf tournament. Tiger Woods was playing. His best performance in recent years!

He came in second. One stroke behind. His putting failed him. Otherwise, he would have won by several strokes.

The man who went years without missing a putt under 5 feet, missed a few yesterday. Two from 5 feet. Two more from 2-3 feet. His age? He is 42. Or, does he need to work at it more?

Interestingly, he sunk 2 or 3 putts from the 20 foot range.

Later in the afternoon to Hot Dog Church. Pastor Lauri as usual presiding. George, Art, Donna, Terri, and Bear already at the bar.

Glad I went! Met two former Syracuse University people.

First, Stacey Veeder. She took the empty seat at the bar next to me. My last name sounded familiar to her. Not from Key West. Where? From the recesses of her mind. She spent most of her career working in administration at Syracuse University. I was active with the University during certain of her years.

She was married. To a man. Surprised me. Hot Dog Church is a lesbian gathering. I was there by special invitation.

Married if I recall correctly 37 years. To Steve Wexler. Steve was a professor at the Syracuse College of Law for 21 years. Beginning in 1979.

She telephoned Steve to come over so we could meet. We did for a short time. We had not met during his teaching years. I graduated in 1960. However, I was a member and then chairman of the Law School Board of Visitors for many years. There was much we could talk about.

Hopefully, I will run into Stacey and Steve tonight at Dueling Bartenders.

Terri sings tonight at Dueling Bartenders. Tom, Rick and Terri will blow the walls out with their powerful renditions of yesterday tunes.

Speaking of Syracuse, the team made it to the NCAA Tournament. The listing announced last night. Sixty eight teams invited. Syracuse #68. Who cares? We made it! That’s enough!

I was surprised. Still maintain we do not belong. God was good however and snuck us in.

He will be even better if He permits us to make it to the Final Four.

Dinner last night was at Donna and Terri’s. George, Art and I enjoyed Chinese take out with the ladies.

For the past two years, I have frequently written about robots. Always lecturing they are coming and we are not preparing for them.

Flippy was introduced to Pasadena hamburger lovers as Flippy the Burger Flipping Robot recently. He can cook 2,000 burgers a day. He was introduced by the Cali Group that operates several hundred fast food burger places.

Flippy lasted two days. He did his job. The support staff did not. They could not. I refer to the humans who prepare the patties for the grill and those who pile on lettuce and other fixins’.

The humans could not keep up with Flippy.

Flippy is on leave while experts look the situation over to decide how humans have to function to keep up with Flippy.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt communicated with citizens via a method which became known as a fireside chat. No television back then. Only radio. The President would speak to the nation in comforting tones and keep them updated on what was happening. His first  fireside chat on this day in 1933. A time of serious economic distress. Thirty percent unemployment. People scared.

Trump’s rallies are Roosevelt’s fireside chats. In form only. Not substance.

Trump rants and raves, demeans, criticizes, swears, etc. Far from Presidential. Not in the style of real leaders like Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson and Reagan.

His bully tough guy performances clear evidence the man lacks Presidential qualities.

Irma and Me doing well. I am impressed with the sales. My first book was a disaster sales wise. Those of you who have not yet ordered the book, please do so. You will enjoy!

Irma and Me is available through Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES COME WITH GLITCHES

I am not technologically adept. A generational thing.

During my Holly wood trip, I purchased a computer monitor. Thirty two inch screen! A few days before in Key West, a new keyboard. All put together on 11/24. My guru TV person Tim Reynolds working with me from Tampa. He hooks up and can operate my computer from Tampa.

I have noticed minor problems the past two days. Need Sloan to correct. She will be here Wednesday.

A major problem today. It may have encumbered your ability to read this blog on Facebook.

I have two Facebook accounts. Key West Lou and Louis Petrone. The blog is supposed to come up on Key West Lou when I direct it from WordPress. The past two days, it has shown on Louis Petrone instead.

Sloan told me on the phone how to temporarily correct it. I hope it works this morning. Whatever, everything will be fine by Wednesday evening.

There is nothing for you to do at your end. I have to perform at mine.

If I fail and it does not come up for you, merely enter www.keywestlou.com.

An excellent weekend food wise. Important because I start a major diet tomorrow.

Dinner Friday night with Barbara at Berlin’s. Sean and Gage bartending. The wonderful Bria singing.

I continue to live and learn. A conversation at the bar involved hurricanes. Turkey vultures have returned to Key West. All over our skies. Someone mentioned that the return of the turkey vultures is an indication the hurricane season is over.

I hope so. We have had a few post hurricane season storms over the years.

Thanksgiving dinner last night at Donna and Terri’s. My second Thanksgiving dinner in as few days. I need the diet!

Donna is a superior cook. The meal magnificent! The company as good.

George and Art joined the festive occasion. Their business strange. They make what they describe as self sculptured art. Stuffed animals. Bears, dogs, octopuses, etc. Anywhere from 6 inches to 26.

Not cheap. A world-wide market. George just returned from a sales trip to Beijing and Taipei. He described their product as having a niche market.

Considered one of the best if not the best movies ever is Casablanca. Starred Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. A touching weepy love story.

Casablanca premiered in New York City this date 1942.

My recently published book Irma and Me mentions a day at the Thornton’s in Birmingham when my other evacuees and I watched Casablanca.

I was stunned. The women all cried throughout. Two knew the lines perfectly and said them at  appropriate moments.

Definitely a woman’s picture. I have seen it many times. Enjoyed. Never cried.

December 7, 1941 a despicable day. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

On this day in 1941, the Japanese aircraft carrier strike force left Japan for Pearl Harbor. A 12 day trip to Pearl Harbor. Too bad no cyclone/hurricane arose during the trip.

Another live and learn item. One which took too many years to become evident.

MIT released the results of a recent study. Electric cars are not green. Pollute more than petrol and diesel cars. The reason being that a majority of the energy which charges the batteries of electric cars comes from national grids. Many grids use fossil fuels such as gas and coal. All at an environmental cost.

A similar study was released last year in Norway. The study did not receive as much attention as I assume the MIT one will.

Donald, oh Donald. I know not where you come up with things.

Yesterday, Trump announced that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was bad for the banks: “Financial institutions have been devastated.”

So wrong. The Consumer Bureau works to reign the banks in from wrong doing. They oversee such things as mortgages, credit cards, bank accounts, and student loans.

Never forget banks are whores. They gave us the 2oo8 recession. Millions lost their homes because of devious and improper mortgage dealings.

Most recently, a major bank such as Wells Fargo devised another illegal approach to increasing profits.

In each event, the banks paid huge fines. Nothing compared to the money the banks made far in excess of the fines paid.

Since 2008, I have been consistent in saying send the CEO’s of these banks to jail. It will only take a few incarcerations to stop the improprieties. There is a problem, however. Our government refrains from arresting and charging any higher-ups.

The failure to arrest/jail will continue under Trump. One way will be to do away with the Consumer Bureau that oversees the banks.

My recent book Irma and Me is available. The story of how Irma chased me through several States. The book is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and KoboBooks.

Enjoy your Sunday!