I’M LOSING IT

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No one can deny Syracuse basketball is big in my life. So how did I miss that Arizona lost saturday?

When I walked into the Sports Pub last night to watch Syracuse/Notre Dame, John Lukas yelled out a Congratulations! For what, I asked. Syracuse is #1. How? Syracuse was voted in #1 ahead of Arizona because of the Duke win?

No, Arizona lost to California saturday night.

I live on the internet. Including the sports sites. I read the newspapers. Sundays, the Key West Citizen and New York Times. This past weekend, I failed to read the Times. The Citizen rarely carries little of national importance. There was no Arizona lost in the sunday paper.

I felt like an ass. I thought…..Louis, you are really slipping!

Then Skaneateles Dan showed up to watch the Syracuse/Notre Dame game with me. I told him how I did not know about Arizona losing. He said I should not feel bad. He had just learned that morning (monday).

Maybe its the weather in Key West.

I did not expect a Syracuse blow out last night. Syracuse had to be dragging after Duke. In addition, it is hard to get up for the next game after a big one. Syracuse won. That was all that was important.

It was a big night at the Sports Pub for Syracuse fans. Met a whole new bunch. Bob from Rochester. Shawn originally from Saquoit which is like one mile from Utica. He also was either a Town of Paris legislator or County legislator or both. Steve and Lynn from Sidney, Ohio. Snowbirds. Six months in Sidney, six months in Key West. Finally, Kathy from Ohio. She proudly showed me a picture of her and Boeheim which was taken during the Big East last year in New York.

Turns out Steve reads this blog religiously. Thank you, Steve. Hope to get to know you and Lynn better since you spend so much time in Key West.

Tonight, my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock. An interesting and revealing half hour of current event chatter. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight will include Iceland’s 4 per cent unemployment, Mexico surpassing Japan as an auto exporter to the United States (thank General Motors for one), sport commissioner salaries similar to those of bank presidents, increasing police brutality, and more. The more is always interesting. Things will happen today that will tickle me and I will discuss them in the evening. The show evolves till show time!

Enjoy your day!

 

COMCAST SCREW UP

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It was Super Bowl Sunday. Key West rose in anticipation of watching the game early in the evening. For many, it was not to be. Comcast was down. TV and internet wi-fi connection.

For me it meant I had to get over to Lisa’s to do this week’s KONK Life column which was due yesterday. The game did not bother me. I could watch it at Don’s Place. He has all those extra expensive hook ups.

To further compound the disaster, my cell phone would not work.

I piled my computer, phone, and electric hookups into the car and headed to Lisa’s. I could do my column there.

As I walked in the door carrying all my communication equipment, Lisa said forget it. Our Comoast is down. It stayed down till I left around 4. Lisa was on the phone with Comcast. They said that everything was ok. Lisa said not here! A repair man is coming today.

I suspect many, if not all, in Key West were affected to some degree by the Comcast shut down.

I went home. I was gong to shower again and head back to Don’s Place. Lo and behold, my computer was working. So too was my TV. Plus my phone which had nothing to do with Comcast. I called Lisa. She still was without.

By the time I finished the KONK column, it was Super Bowl time. I decided to watch the game from the comfort of my bed.

The game was a shocker! I thought Denver would win. Peyton Manning would not be denied. What a beating! Seattle is to be complimented.

The KONK Life column is about the flu epidemic of 1918. Affected 500 million worldwide, killed 50 million. Bad! A noteworthy comment I read was that the 1918 flu bug killed more people in 24 days than AIDS did in 24 years!

Before Lisa’s, I stopped at the Plantation Coffee House. Skip was there.  Met him a couple of weeks ago at the Chart Room. I did not recognize him. Sorry, Skip. He is now living in Key West and doing a radio show.

Syracuse basketball again tonight! I have yet to recover from the Duke victory. Syracuse plays Notre Dame at the Carrier Dome at 7 this evening. Syracuse is a 15 point favorite. I plan on watching the game and eating at Lukas’ Sports Pub.

Tomorrow night my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me at 9 for a fast moving half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The Key West Citizen in it’s This Day in History section this morning made mention of Willie Shoemaker. Shoemaker was a great jockey. Perhaps the best of all time. On this day in history, he rode race number 40,350. His final one.

I make mention of Willie Shoemaker because I knew him. Back in the early 1970s, I had a condominium at Miami’s Jockey Club. One of the members and residents was Willie Shoemaker. Many the evening we shared a drink at the bar.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

THE GREAT FRENCH FRY COOK OFF

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The Syracuse / Duke game was everything last night. While I watching it, Don and Herschel were in a french fry cook off. Cutting the potatoes, cooking them and sampling them all around.

Who won? Don cut his larger and cooked them in peanut oil. Herschel’s were a bit smaller. He cooked them crispy. He cooked them in lard.

The lard made the difference. Anything bad has to taste good! Congratulations Herschel! Don, you live to fight another day.

Now for the game.

We were watching the game outside behind the outside bar. Skaneateles Dan and Lisa were with us. They own a restaurant. They paid special attention to the way the fries were cooked.

Don is a gentleman. He knew how important the game was to me. He had all four TV sets tuned into the Syracuse game. Together with audio!

It was a game of games! Syracuse by 2 points. 91-89. You had the feeling you were viewing a Final Four Championship game. Two different basketball styles. Two different ways of playing. Two big time coaches. A WOW!!!

Even Dick Vitale spoke well of Syracuse last night.

We play Duke in two weeks again at Duke. Another knock out game in the making.

Syracuse is now 21-0.

I am in a hurry this morning. I have to get out of the house. The realtor is having an open house.

If you have not bought my book yet, please consider doing so. I know you will enjoy it. The World Upside Down. The title alone should be enough to tweak your curiosity. The book is available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your Sunday! Enjoy the Super Bowl tonight!

SYRACUSE / DUKE BASKETBALL

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There is nothing more important today than the Syracuse / Duke basketball game. Big time! Syracuse undefeated. Duke has lost 4. However, Duke has played strong in its last six games.

The morning line is Syracuse by 4 1/2 points.

I have no prediction. My heart will be in my throat the entire game.

Change of venue! I will not be at the Sports Pub watching the game. I will be at the outside bar at Don’s Place.

I enjoyed an early afternoon manicure at Tammy’s. Love that girl! Yesterday was the Asian New Year. We exchanged Happy New Years. She explained to me the celebration (7 days), what people do, etc. A big party! Male oriented, however. The men do much of the partying, eating, and drinking. The women stay home. She and her husband are Vietnamese. Sounds like the husbands are southern Republicans!

Researched a bit for my next book Growing Up Italian. You will love it!

I am doing some minor house repairs. Things I have let go too long. Jimmy and John were over yesterday painting. Keith and Jennifer working, also. I have the house up for sale. No, I am not leaving Key West. Would like to move into town, however. Tomorrow there is an open house. I have some further things to clean up on my own today. Getting ready for the open house is a pain in the ass!

Stopped at Don’s Place first last night. I was late. Usually I am out around 5. It was after 7. I had a good time. Enjoyed the company of Don, David, Jimmy, Hershel, Erika, Tom, Nancy, Tony, and Rob. Don convinced me to watch the Syracuse game tonight at his place.

The Chart Room was next. Emily noted it was not my usual arrival time. Lots of tourists. They came in and out in droves. Met Mike and Kathy. Never met them before. They live in Key West. Mike is one of John Lukas’ partners in the Big Ten Sports Pub. A couple came in. Only to buy drinks and run off with them in hand. In plastic, of course. They were all excited. Properly so. They were having dinner at L’Attitudes.

On the way home, I stopped at Publix to pick up a few things. Met a very nice lady. At the cold cut counter. She was working behind it.

Her name is Ann. She kept looking at me. Do I know you, she asked. What is your name? We finally figured it out. She reads KONK Life and my columns. Not religiously, but frequently. She was also aware of my book The World Upside Down.

I liked Ann. Not because she read my column, though it probably contributed. I may be buying cold cuts more frequently just so I can talk with her.

I have to move my ass. Sloan will be here soon. We are having audio problems with the blog talk radio show and are speaking directly with blog talk and doing test runs this morning.

Enjoy your day!

QUIT YOUR JOB AND MOVE TO KEY WEST

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It was the dentist at 2 yesterday afternoon. I now have teeth again. Thrilled I am! The best fit ever!

When you get on in years, you will understand.

Had to test the new teeth immediately. A toasted bagel at the Plantation Coffee House. They worked!

I had some time to kill. Checked out the local books for sale. David Sloan is a famous Key West author. I saw his book Quit Your Job And Move to Key West. I read about a third of it before returning the book to its place on the rack. A fine work! It was obvious why Sloan’s writings are highly regarded. Buy the book. You will enjoy.

One of Sloan’s comments in the book…..Key West consumes more alcohol per capita than any city in the U.S. A fair statement. Correct from my perspective. The comment might suggest to some considering retiring to Key West that they should buy a bar rather than
do nothing.

Stopped at Don’s Place. Chatted with Joanie. One of the happiest people I have ever met.

Then to the Chart Room and Emily. I was the first customer. Sheila came in. The three of us commiserated. Peter, aka Captain Peter, has left Key West. After 20 years. He upped and moved to Melbourne. Just like that. A Key west icon. He will be missed.

Had to try the teeth out some more. Stopped at Outback for a prime rib. Everything worked!

You have to appreciate what I have gone through the past three years. These marvels of modern dental science cost me $35,000. I have had one problem after another the first two years. This last visit merely had to do with might be described as a mechanical tune up.

Selena Gomez. I know little about her other than she is a lovely young lady and a star. I read some where yesterday that she is keeping company with pop star Austin Mahone. Gomez is 21, Austin 17. The significant detail in the article was that Mahone lives part time in Key West. I was not aware.

Big game tomorrow night. Syracuse/Duke. This game is similar to the Villanova and Pitt games. A test for Syracuse. The game is at 6:30. I will be watching it at John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Pub. With Dan, I hope.

Enjoy your day!

A NOTHING DAY

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It was stay at home for Louis yesterday. Without teeth, I wanted to see no one.

Eating was no problem. I blended everything. Even apple pie! By mid afternoon, I had a desire for apple pie. There was a new one in the refrigerator. Threw it in the blender with some fruit and chocolate milk. Heavenly!

I am waiting for the dentist to call this morning so I can return to normal.

I was surprised I was able to get the Syracuse game last night. It was on FSN. Comcast channel 39.

Syracuse beat Wake Forest by 10. 67-57. The game was close till the last couple of minutes. Then per its usual custom, Syracuse pushed ahead. Saturday is Duke. A very big game!

The Key West Citizen reported that the Islamorada Outback was closing. It was in the Hampton Inn. the H?ampton has been sold. the new owner and Outback apparently could not make a deal.

Periodically, I run away to Islamorada for a few days. Only 1.5 hours north of Key West. Yet another world. I enjoy my leisure time there. I tried the Outback once. Food was the same. Atmosphere horrible. The restaurant decor went back to the 1950s. The place was old and grungy. Not the typical Outback. I am glad it will be gone.

Every now and then, I pontificate on how wrong the U.S. government is in not having permitted the banks to fail nor in prosecuting bank officials. Iceland did. Threw the bankers in jail.

Iceland was confronted with the same problems as the United States. High unemployment being one of them. Today, Iceland’s unemployment is at 4 per cent. Iceland says it will be down to 2 per cent in two years.

Will we ever learn? Iceland’s people went after the banks and refused to let the banks control them. I question whether it will ever happen in the United States.  Not as long as the banks control our halls of government.

I am going out tonight!!!

Enjoy your day!

A GLORIOUS SUNRISE

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A glorious sunrise this morning!

I was up early for a dentist appointment. As I leave my home, I drive towards the ocean. Fo

ur homes ahead is open water. As I approached the open water, the sun was breaking over the horizon. A bright orange ball!

The drive home gave me another beautiful viewing. Involving the water once again. I was driving up Southern Boulevard with the Atlantic on my right. The sun caused some sort of mist on the water. Like a light fog. Beautiful!

I needed a new tire on the Volkswagen. I had shopped around. The usual places such as Sears were extremely expensive. Someone told me about a business that comes to your home and changes the tire. I was further told that the price would be relatively cheap. I was not disappointed. I made a telephone call on Friday. Put in the order. I was told they would be at my home 10 o’clock monday morning. They were on time. It took 15 min. to change the tire.

The company is called Pit Stop Tire Shop. The owners name is Junior. The telephone number is 305-414-3992. The price was $100 cheaper than was quoted anywhere else. Do business with these people!

I did my blog talk radio show last night at nine in competition with the President’s State of the Union message. Such is life! I hate cannot wait to see the numbers. I am interested in how many listeners I ended up with.

I was advised this morning that the same audio problem I had last week occurred last night. We thought we had it beat. We will be working with the blog talk radio people this week to correct the situation.

Tonight is Syracuse basketball! Wake Forest the opponent. Nine o’clock. Syracuse an 8.5 favorite on the Vegas line.

I need to watch the game from my bed because of the teeth situation. I am not leaving home. I do not know if the game is televised. Someone help me. What is ESFC and can I get it on TV.

I stopped at Publix yesterday afternoon to pick up some liquid food. I will not be able to eat solid food today. Hopefully, I will lose a pound or two.

This week in driving up and down the Boulevard, I noticed that Checkers was closed. I figured they were either out of business because of the Boulevard construction or had closed down for remodeling. Turns out Checkers will be no more in Key West. The Checkers lease runs out February 1. Starbucks got in competition with them for the new lease. Starbucks out bid Checkers. Ergo, there will be a new Starbucks on the Boulevard. A good spot and size for a Starbucks.. The only other Starbucks in town is in the La Concha Hotel. I never stop him because it is too small. I’m sorry to see Checkers leave. They made a terrific cheeseburger.

Enjoy your day!

STATE OF THE UNION / TUESDAY TALK WITH KEY WEST LOU

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I can’t win. Tonight at nine is the State of the Union address. My blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West L is at the same time. How can I compete with the President! 30 million people will listen to the President. Overwhelming in comparison to the 2000 that would normally listen to me. Actually, I expect everyone to listen to the President. I am sorry I will not be able to do so because of the show.

As far as my audience is concerned, it is not that bad. The interesting thing about blog talk radio is that the show is archived. It is available for listening at any time during the week following the show. What happens is that a handful of people listen to the show at nine on Tuesday evenings. 99% of my listeners are those who listen to the archived version during the week. Interesting.

For those who will listen at some point in time to my show, I will be discussing issues including the disclosure that a majority of working age Americans are on food stamps for the first time,  Ukraine out of control, the miss distribution of wealth, Monsanto’ and toxic toxins purportedly killing human embryo cells, JP Morgan’s CEO Dimon receiving a 74% raise to $20 million, Huckabee’s stupid statement about a woman’s libido, and more.

Kelly Mc Gillis continues to leave her impact on Key West. The star of  Top Gun settled at one point in Key West. She became owner of several restaurants  with her husband Fred Tillman. They are since divorced. She has no current relationship with any of the restaurants. One still maintains her name, however. Kelly’s. Mc Gillis has not stayed away. She sponsors an annual  flag football team competition for women. Called the Key West Classic. A three day event. It was held this past weekend with its usual success.

My day yesterday started with a visit to the dentist. I am back! The implants were getting loose. It was to be expected. I thought whatever was involved would only include tightening up some of the sockets, etc. However a portion has to go to the lab for  some type of adjustment. Which means that from eight o’clock tomorrow morning to eight o’clock Thursday morning, I will be without teeth. Comforting! I will not leave the house nor will I see anyone during those 24 hours!

Dan, I will not be watching the Syracuse/Wake Forest game with you at Don’s Place tomorrow night as a result.

Pete Seeger died. The American folk singer. No question about the label fitting him. Not only was he a great singer, he also was a political activist. Amongst the songs he is best known for are Where Have All the Flowers Gone? and If I Had a Hammer.

I’ve said this before. As I get older, I feel I have been a part of history. Seeger was during my time. Though a little older than me. Every time someone from my past, whether directly or indirectly related, passes on, I feel a special loss.

I started last night at Don’s Place. Had to talk to Jimmy for a while. I chatted with David. Met Roberta. Roberta is David’s new lady friend. We had a nice talk. She knows Lisa well.

Then it was to the Chart Room. Glad I went!

Charlotte was there! Charlotte from North Carolina! I love her! She visits Key West every three or four months.

Charlotte will be coming down to Key West more frequently,  she told me. Her boyfriend, who I met some three months ago, has obtained employment in Key West. He is a radio announcer. He has a show on 104.9 BX. Charlotte is all excited. This means in due course she will be moving to Key West permanently.

It was fraternity reunion night! A group of fraternity brothers were celebrating their 20th reunion. Fraternity brothers of Delta Sigma Phi. They were here with their lady friends and wives having a great time. They told me they have gotten together every year for 20 years to celebrate. God bless them!

I was driving home and decided I was hungry. I did not want to eat too much. I stopped at the Chinese restaurant in the Sears Shopping Center for a bite.

My recently published book The World Upside Down came up in conversation twice yesterday. First with my dentist. He reads my KONK Life column religiously every week. He asked where the book could be purchased. I told him on the Internet. Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com. The book came up again last night with Charlotte. She was not aware it had been published. She will be ordering it.

Enjoy your day!

BEYONCE AND THE BEATLES

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What a beautiful morning! Nothing moving. Zero wind. No clouds in the sky. All is peaceful and quiet. I cannot even hear the water.

The cold spell is gone. Today will be 75. The rest of the week 75.

I watched the Grammys last night. Not a show I normally would watch. However out of deference to my yet lingering cold, I stayed in all day. First time I viewed the Grammys.

Beyonce is lovely and talented. Her butt incredible. Not for national television however. Call me a prude, but I thought her dancing was too seductive. As I understand it, Beyonce has a huge teen following and I am sure they were all watching last night.

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr excited me. My generation. I recall seeing the Beatles the first time they appeared in the United States. It was on the Ed Sullivan Show. They were an instantaneous hit.

My afternoon was spent writing this week’s KONK Life column. Homosexuals Lost In History. It publishes wednesday. You will find it interesting.

Apparently the Fantasy Fest nudity laws are to be changed again. Before I go any further, there is no inconsistency on my part. The Grammys went world wide into homes with teenagers and children. Fantasy Fest is an adult party where there are few if any young ones.

I enjoy seeing bare ass women or almost completely nude women. I find nothing wrong with Fantasy Fest. It is advertised as an adult party. That is what it is. People come to Key West to express themselves as they do not back home.

Key West has a handful of religious fanatics who are vocal. They are the squeaky wheel. They are heard every few years. This appears to be one of the years. New laws will be passed. They may be violated. Generally unintentionally. There may be arrests. A furor will arise. In the final analysis, justice will be done and the charges dismissed.

Tomorrow night my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. I understand there were audio problems during last week’s broadcast. Sorry. I did not know. I have no way of knowing while the show is being aired. Hopefully the problem will have been rectified by tomorrow night’s show.

Enjoy your day!

A KEY WEST SYRACUSE DAY

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My cold is better. Just a tinge left. I only went out for the basketball game yesterday afternoon. Afterwards, came home and went to bed. Slept from 4 to 8. Up to eat. Back to sleep at 10 till 7 this morning. My body apparently was in a healing mode.

A typical Syracuse game. Tough on the heart! Syracuse was winning by 18 ten minutes into the game. We were going to kill Miami, I thought. With 8 minutes to go in the game, Miami was one up. Syracuse won by 12 points 64-52.

Syracuse knows how to win. This was the seventh close game they have played tight with minutes to go and went on to win. It cannot be done all the time. There will be a first defeat. I wonder where it will come.

Next game is Wednesday at 9 against Wake forest. I will be watching the game at Don’s Place. Saturday is Duke! Could be the  one. I hope not.

Dan and Lisa were at Lukas’ place to watch the game with me. They brought David and Judy from Orlando. Dan and David were born and raised in Auburn, NY. David and Judy moved to Orlando 26 years ago. He is in the import/export of sea food business.

David and Judy were very likeable people. Much like Dan and Lisa. Hope I meet them again.

It is interesting. Both Dan and David grew up in Auburn. They left to make their fortunes elsewhere. Dan in Skaneateles and David in Orlando. I occasionally tried lawsuits in Auburn Supreme Court. My recollection of Auburn is a sad one. I thought the city was depressing. Uniquely so. It hit you in the face as soon as you entered the city limits. I am originally from upstate New York, also. Utica. Some 65 miles from Auburn. Utica was and is old.For whatever reason, the depression factor is not as evident in Utica.

The problem is these cities are all part of the northeast rust belt. The mills left 60-80 years ago and these communities continue to find it difficult to dig out.

Lest I forget. David told me he was reading my book The World Upside Down. Made me feel good! Dan told me that he especially liked the last essay. The one having to do with Greece and the rise of a present day Nazi Party.

Traffic driving into Key West was atrocious. It took me one hour to get to Key West itself once I entered onto US 1. The Bone Island Triathlon was going on. The participants were at the last stage. The bike riding one. Right down US 1 into Key West. My usual 5 minute drive turned into a long one.

Bone Island is the English translation of the original Spanish name for Key West. It was called Bone island because the Indians would bring their captured persons to Bone Island to cook and eat. The Indians were cannibals. They left the bones strewn around when they returned to their homes on a different key.

John Lukas is the owner of the Sports Pub. There was an article in the Key West Citizen a few days ago telling of a tourist who went to six different places to eat and drink  in one day and left all without paying. John was one of the ones hit. The bill was something like $66. The thief must have been entertaining.

This weekend is the Key West Craft show. Always an interesting and exciting event. It is on Whitehead by Truman Annex. Art, wood work, jewelry, clothes, etc. All good stuff. No junk. White tents for several blocks from whence the merchants sell their wares.

Jack Baron is one of the finest persons I have met in my lifetime. Smart, also. He died six years ago. I used to visit his art studio in Square One. There were several of us who would gather mornings to chat. We solved world problems.

Though I admired Jack’s work, I never bought one of his paintings. I did not want to get involved with local art. Jack’s forte was black women. He worked with acrylics. He had painted a black Madonna and Child. I loved he painting! It had been unsold for a year. Jack knew I wanted to buy it. But if I did, it would have been contrary to my decision to avoid local art.

At the Key West Craft Show 15 years ago, I came upon Jack’s white tent. His featured painting and the one having the most prominence was the Madonna and Child. I became excited. It was my painting! What are you doing, I asked. Selling it, he said. I have to eat! I bought the painting on the spot. Jack was laughing. It was a gotcha moment.

I ended up buying  a total of twelve Jack Baron paintings. Most hang in my dining room. The dining room is all Jack Baron. The Madonna and Child hangs in the living room in its own special place.

Enjoy your Sunday!