ALLY AND I WENT TO THE NUTCRACKER

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After doing yesterday’s bog, things changed. Sick Robert did not mind it Ally and I went to the Nutcracker. Ally wanted to go. I wanted to take her. We went!

Ally was excited. This was her second visit to the Tennessee Williams Theater. Her school attended the Symphony there a couple of weeks ago. She thought the Symphony was in her words…..Awesome!

The Nutcracker was better! Had to be. All the lights, color and dancing. Ally thoroughly enjoyed herself. She sat on the edge of her seat taking in every movement on stage.

Ally is 7, however. At intermission, she thought the show was over. She was ready to go home, she told me. She was tired. The look on her face was priceless when I told her we were only at the half way point. She hung in there without complaint. The ballet second act blew her out.

I have seen many Nutcrackers over the years. This was the best! The show was reworked to give it a Key West flavor. Things like chickens, fish and the Atocha replaced the mice, etc. of the original show.

Joyce Stahl is responsible for Key West’s Nutcracker. A Key West icon, she is a former ballet artist herself. She has dedicated many years to the Key West production.

The show was first class. Perfection. Not one item or move out of place. No small town production. I was very impressed!

Key West should be proud!

I returned Ally home after the show. Visited with sick Robert. Though he was energetic while I was there. Read the Sunday newspapers.

During the Nutcracker, I was looking at the children participating. I could not get Ally and Robert out of my thoughts. The Newtown tragedy is with me. Ally is 7 and Robert 8. There but for the grace of God…..

Chilling!

Tomorrow the day! The morning the time! Seven to be precise. The first ever talk radio show by me. The Key West Lou Blog Talk Radio Show. Shortened, the Key West Lou Talk Show.

I am excited!

I appreciate 7 am is early. However, many are up at that time .Please join me. Call in and participate. We will talk about anything and everything.

The show can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com.

Not that simple, however. You cannot just click on the site and be there. More is required.

I spelled out in yesterday’s blog (12/16/12) the instructions as to how to get to the Show to (1) listen and (2) participate/call in. You must follow the instructions. Otherwise, you will never find me. Return to yesterday’s blog (12/16/12) and follow the 10 step program to arrive at the show.

Grab a cup of coffee and listen. Call in, if you like. Only one half hour. It will be fast moving and interesting. I hope!

My next blog will be after the talk show tomorrow morning.

Enjoy your day!

DIRECTIONS FOR BLOG TALK RADIO SHOW

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Before getting into anything else, I have to mention the weather. It is absolutely perfect this morning! Everything about it. Key West has experienced a cold front the past two days. It is now gone.

A cold front of course is an evening temperature in the low 70s.

Let the bands play and the drums roll. My first blog talk radio show Tuesday morning. Seven o’clock.

Disregard any directions/instructions I previously gave regarding how to locate the show. Following is a more simplified version. Follow it step by step.

1. The site is www.blogtalkradio.com.

2. In the upper right corner of the page that comes up, there is a box saying “Search blogtalkradio.com.” Delete the verbiage. Enter in its place Current Events

3. A new screen will appear.

4. About 2 inches down, there are a series of tabs. Click on Advanced.

5. A new screen will appear. On the left side of the page will be a series Advanced Search. Boxes beneath. You must enter key west lou in two places.

6. First, the box labeled All Key Words.

7. Then the box entitled At least One of the Words.

8. Then enter. A new screen will appear. There will be a series of shows and pictures. Mine will be there. Click on it.

9. You will have arrived! The new screen is the how to and to listen.Follow the final instructions on the page. A simple one or two step thing.  If any person wishes to call in, the instructions are there. It is simple. If you are calling from outside the U.S., use Skype telephone.

10. Sit back,  enjoy your coffee, and the show.

There is a quicker way. Through Facebook. I have not got it figured out yet. If you do before me, let me know. It is merely the click of one button. Everything above can be avoided.

There is another Facebook way also. Go to Key West Lou’s status page. The page where I briefly set forth each day what is contained in my blog. The radio show is being promoted twice a day there.  Separate boxes. Click on one of those boxes and you will gain immediate entry.

The blog radio show is a talk show. Call and discuss anything you like with me. We do not have to agree.

The Lighted Boat Parade was off Schooner Wharf last night. I talked to a few people already this morning who were there. Terrific as usual.  A bit cold.

This is Nutcracker week in Key West. There is an afternoon performance today. I wanted to take Robert and Ally. I took my three daughters years ago when they were small. Robert is sick. Temperature, sore throat, etc. I cannot take Ally alone. Robert would not be happy. So we are off to next year. Too bad because I would have enjoyed taking them.

I am having trouble finding a Santa Claus. For a Christmas eve visit to Lisa’s house. The one I have had the past two years seems to have disappeared. If you know of anyone, let me know.

The Newtown tragedy has rekindled the right to bear arms controversy. I want to share with you some brief information concerning guns and the Florida Keys.

Florida is a concealed gun State. Which means it is ok to carry a gun if it is properly concealed on your body. Before you get excited, a total of 49 States permit concealed carry. Forty four permit open carry. Which simply means on your hip as in the days of the Old West.

There are close to one million permits to carry hand guns in Florida. Key West and all the Florida Keys basically make up Monroe County. There is some additional area north of the Keys. Insignificant however for purposes of this discussion.

Monroe County has the second largest number of permits to carry hand  guns per capita of any county in the State. The population is 73,000. There are 5,600 permits. A big number! Concealed must mean concealed. I have never seen anyone toting a gun in any fashion in Key West.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

WHY?

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Why?

That is the question yesterday, today and for many days to follow.

The title to Devon Corneal’s blog in Huffington Post says it best: The “…right to bear arms is not more important than a child’s right to grow up.” In the blog itself, Corneal stated  children are not “…shooting galleries.”

After yesterday’s events involving the Newtown school shooting, everything else seems unimportant. However, forward movement is required.

My TV/Internet show the Key West Lou Legal Hour went well yesterday morning. I got the attention of the ladies with my comments regarding Michigan’s proposed restrictions to a woman’s reproductive rights. The ladies were aroused!

Tonight, the Lighted Boat Parade! An annual Key West Christmas event. Boats decorated to the hilt with lighted Xmas decorations. Most having a Key West slant.

I could have watched the parade from the Pier House deck with lovelies Stephanie Kaple and Jean Thornton. I declined. Too cold and too late for me.

Tuesday morning my first blog talk radio show! I am excited! One half hour. Seven in the morning my time.

Disregard all previous instructions given. Tomorrow I will have a new and simpler set for you to listen and/or call in. Call in! If not, I am going to feel foolish not having any one to talk with on a talk show.

One of the topics will be the Newtown school disaster and Second Amendment gun rights.

Enjoy your Saturday!

 

TV / INTERNET SHOW AT 10 THIS MORNING

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This is probably the shortest blog I have ever written. I am running late. I have to be at the TV studio by 9. The only thing I have time for is to invite you to watch today’s show.

One additional item added to the agenda. Michigan and a woman’s reproductive rights. Yesterday, Michigan’s Senate in lame duck session passed 3 bills knocking out availability of abortion in that State. House and Governor expected to concur next week.

This item has escaped the major news shows thus far. The Susan Rice saga has enveloped everything.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour is at 10 this morning my time. Carried on television throughout the Keys and Miami-Dade County on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Worldwide via the internet at www.tvchannel19.c0m.

A good show. Join me.

Enjoy your day!

WILL SANTA CLAUS TELEPHONE?

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I have played a game with my children and grandchildren over the years. The kids all participated till they became aware of the truth regarding Santa Claus.

I told them Santa Claus was my friend and that we talked on the telephone! And because of our friendship, he visited our home each year on Christmas Eve at dinner time to say hello to them. Santa was coached each year to tell the kids that Poppa was his friend. It gave credence to the relationship.

I was a big deal with all the children!

Now, there are only two left to act out this joyful charade. Robert and Ally. They still believe in Santa. With a fervor.

Yesterday, I  stopped at Lisa’s. Robert and Ally were home from school. I told them I had telephoned Santa that morning. They both got excited. Is he coming? I don’t know was my response. He could not come to the phone. He was in the factory with the elfs making toys. But…..he will call me back.

Last night, I worked till 10 finishing and fine tuning tomorrow’s TV/Internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. First time in ages I have been totally prepared a day early.

A good show. Watch, if you can. Every week more and more crazy things occur world wide. I am pleased I can share them with you.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour is at 10 in the morning my time. Airs via television on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19 all the way north through Miami-Dade County. It is available in 250,000 homes. The show also airs on the internet world wide. www.tvchannel19.com.

During the course of the evening, I also published an article on Amazon Kindle: Big Brother. In retrospect, it could also have been labeled Peek a Boo…..I See You. It is the story of cameras and microphones being hidden in television sets for third party viewing.

Walgreen and walking were my two big out of house activities yesterday. Had to wait 20 minutes at Walgreen to pick up a prescription. The Walgreen system sucks.

Key West is unusual in many respects. One is outdoor home Christmas decorations. The locals go crazy! More homes decorated than up north. And better decorated in many instances. I have always wondered why. I suspect it might be the lack of snow. Something additional is needed to contribute to the holiday spirit.

I get out of the house this morning. I have a 10 o’clock haircut appointment with Lori.

Enjoy your day!

 

BLOG RADIO TALK SHOW/ TV-INTERNET SHOW…..BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

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Blog talk radio not the easiest thing to put together. Wow!

Making progress, however.

For anyone to call in / find the web page – two different ways to gain access.

The first is www.blogtalkradio.com. On the bottom of the page is a SEARCH box. Runs the length of the page. Enter: Key West Lou or Key West Lou Blog Talk Radio. That will bring you to my page. There you can hit the appropriate button to listen and, if you so desire, to call in.

The other method is more simple. Facebook carries a Blog Talk Radio Show link. Click on it and follow the instructions.

If you have problems, let me know. It will not be the site’s fault. It will be mine. It make take a week or two to get the mechanical kinks out of the way.

If you wish to call in…..I went over this a couple of days ago. I do it again.

Two ways.

www.blogtalkradio.com  to the web site. SEARCH Key West Lou or Key West Lou Blog Talk Radio. Then telephone 646-478-56731. Your call will be placed in order as received. I will respond to the calls in the same order.

The other is to use Skype. Those outside the U.S. will probably go this route. It is free. There will be on my page a “Skype to Talk” button. Click on it. Of course, you need Skype installed on your computer in order to use it. Skype is free. Download and register a Skype account at www.skype.com.

Sorry to bore you with all the detail. Necessary, however.

Friday, I do old hat! The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning my time. On television from  Key West through Miami-Dade County via Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. For internet viewing world wide, www.channel19.com.

In addition to the topics set forth during the week, I am also going to talk about Putin and Russian  people who put money in off shore accounts so as not to pay taxes. Putin is after the off shore people. Putin claims $1 trillion is involved. I am confident that Putin and the Russian way of getting things done will remedy the situation a lot faster than we ever will in the United States.

Amazing. None of the big guys anywhere in the world want to pay taxes. From the United States to Russia to Greece to Italy and many more countries. It is difficult to run a government with out cash flow. No different than a business.

I walked yesterday. Home Depot, again. It was muggy. Muggy this morning also. Key West is enjoying unbelievably good weather for this time of year.

The diet is going well. Lost another pound. That makes 15 in 18 days.

I intended to go out last night. I needed to go out. I never made it.

Sloan came over at 5. We worked on  blog talk radio till 7. I was shot. Went to bed!

That’s it for today.

Enjoy your day!

 

DIET AFFECTING MY LIFE

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Dieting has its shortcomings. Really no fun. Gluttony must be corrected, however. Dieting becomes a necessity.

Success is keeping me going! I have been on the diet 17 days. Lost 14 pounds! Big! Easy to do. I eat next to nothing.

The diet affects my social life. Which in turn affects what I write here. Difficult to go out when dieting. At least for me. Temptation all around. I am weak and easily succumb. Which means…..I have little to report about exciting Key West. Sorry. I shall return.

Yesterday was hotter than normal. I believe the temperature hit 80 degrees. I needed to turn on the air conditioning for a while. The heat also affected my walking. I walked inside. Home Depot. Cool.

Home Depot was my only excursion out of the house yesterday.

I need to get out. I am starting to feel confined. Need people…..socialization. Maybe tonight.

I spent a good portion of my inside yesterday working on Friday’s TV/Internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Came up with some interesting topics for discussion. Such as the Florida python hunt, Congressman Darrell Issa the richest man in Congress / like $450 million, Italy’s Mario Monti to resign / will Silvio Berlusconi return?, the 73 year old man finally sentenced for killing a 7 year old in 1957, the Elizabeth Rudavsky story, the European Nation winning the Noble Peace Prize, Google legitimately avoiding $2 billion in taxes with a Bermuda banking account, a burglar who called 911 to save himself from a gun totting homeowner, and more.

The movie Lincoln has or soon will be opening in Key West. Key West is one of the last communities to get it.

I started last night reading a bit about the movie. All of a sudden I was deep into Lincoln and the Civil War. Too interesting to stop reading. Lincoln was wily crafty politician.  I spent four hours reading the article.

Enjoy your day!

KWL BLOG TALK RADIO…..WORKING ON IT

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KEY WEST LOU Blog Talk RADIO.

That is the name! Capitals included!

A lot to putting this show together. Surprising.

Today, I am going to put the cart before the horse. I am going to spell out how to call into the show to ask a question, make a comment, etc. Even before I advise how to find the show for listening purposes. The reason is I do not have the find the show info down pat yet..

The show is talk radio. I talk. You talk, if you so desire. There are two ways to call in.

The first is direct dial. The number is 646-478-5731. The other is via Skype. There is a “Skype to Talk” button on the screen during the show. Click on it and join the show as a live caller.

Skype is free. You must have Skype to utilize it, however. Ergo, if without, sign up for Skype. It is free. The free application is at www.skype.com.

American callers can use the direct dial or Skype procedure. Those outside the United States, Skype.

There will also be available a direct click button on Facebook. You can find the show that way. Perhaps on Twitter, also. Though I am not sure at this time.

The first show is Tuesday December 18 at 7 in the morning my time. I selected the time. Lets begin and see how it goes. I can always change to a later time and more time. The show at present will only be one half hour. I am crawling before I walk.

I encourage listeners to call in. It is a talk show.

A typical Sunday yesterday. A bit of shopping. Walgreen and Publix. A bit of walking.

I ran into Mandy and Tonto to at Publix. I have not seen them in well over a year. Not just nice people, great people! They have been a Key West two some forever. Mandy works at a mortgage brokerage house. Runs the shop. Tonto is a bartender. The last I knew she was working at La Te Da. We exchanged hugs and a Merry Christmas.

Seven years ago, I realized my Christmas had changed. I would now be alone, except for Lisa and her family. I always loved Christmas. I am the type that enjoyed all holidays and their celebration. I needed to create the Christmas spirit in my Key West home. To begin, I needed a Christmas tree!

To say I enjoyed the holiday is correct. However, not all aspects of it. I hated decorating the tree. Left the job to my wife and Utica grandchildren. It was obvious to me that a tree that had to be decorated was not in order. I researched through the various catalogues. Came up with a six foot artificial tree with over 400 lights on it. Top quality the ad said. Will last many years. The cost was around $450. I figured for that price it would last.

I have not been disappointed.

What a beautiful tree! I am impressed. The lights still work. I got what I paid for.

My Key West Christmas has moved from my home to Lisa’s. I really do not need the tree any more. My emotions of seven years ago are different today. Lisa now uses the tree. This is her second year. The family came over to get the tree yesterday. I store it well wrapped in the garage. Robert and Ally were all excited.

Enjoy your day!

 

FOG

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Dense fog this morning.

Fog is rare in Key West. Once or twice a year. I can hardly see the MTV house across the way. Just a shadow of Ed Swift’s. Nothing more. Not even the ocean.

Loved the swim meet yesterday morning! Robert and Ally competed.Tthey both looked good!

Four races each. Ally had 3 seconds. Robert a second and third.

I was impressed. This is their first year. I can see where they will continue with this program through high school. Denizens of the deep in the making!

Key West Christmas Parade last night. One of the finest parades I have ever seen. I say it every year. Because it is. Two and one half hours of pure joy. And at the end Santa Claus!

The floats throw candy to the children along the route. The kids scour for the candy. Robert and Ally included.

Egypt remains in turmoil. A simple reason. Democracy is hard to learn. It does not happen over night. After centuries of pharaohs, kings and dictators, one year is far too little to make the adjustment.

I still think we were better off with Mubarak. The reality of it is that it is not important what you or I prefer. It is what the Egyptian people want. As it should be.

Enjoy your Sunday!

SWIM MEET THIS MORNING

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Big morning! Robert and Ally are participating in their first competitive swim race. At the college. Lisa said they were up at 5:30 all excited. I will be there!

Yesterday, the show! The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Went well. I love doing the show and that may contribute to its success. I especially enjoy doing it live on television.

Two topics received the most post show comment.

One was the report that soon smart phones and tablets will be operated by the eyes. Impressive!

The other had to do with camera and microphones being built into TV sets. The purpose is so others can watch us as we watch TV. To help advertisers decide what we like. Beware! One major TV manufacturer has already dione it with certain of its 2012 models. Quietly and unbeknownst to the American public.

Yesterday was December 7. Pearl Harbor.

It bothers me that in recent years more is not made of the day. We cannot forget. We should not forget. The best tribute I could find yesterday was the movie Tora Tora Tora on Turner Classics.

Pearl Harbor galvanized America. It educated a generation that would never have seen college. Many your grandfathers and fathers. The education created a previous non existent middle class. Finally, the day eventually led to a prosperity the Nation had never known.

It was announced yesterday that the US Supreme Court was going to hear the same sex marriage issue. Finally.

I am concerned with the possible result. The Court has four conservative Justices and four Liberal ones. An even split in the anticipated vote. The remaining Justice swings both ways. Justice Kennedy. I have been saying for two years that I am fearful Kennedy will vote the wrong way. With the conservatives. Defeating same sex marriage.

I could be wrong.

The way around the problem is for one of the Justices to resign or pass on. Then Obama would get to name the replacement. Undoubtedly a liberal and a vote for same sex marriage.

Yesterday was a lot of nothing that kept me busy all day. A manicure with Tammy. A walk starting at Square One and going through the Southernmost and Reach and then back to Square One. Wrote next week’s article for KONK Life. Worked on my new radio show. The Key West Lou Blog Talk Radio Show. The radio show kicks off at 7 in the morning on Tuesday, December 18. Join me. A half hour talk show. Listeners can call in.

Directions as to how to find the blog radio show will follow soon.

Time to shower and head over to the college. A proud grandfather morning ahead!

Enjoy your day!