Pandora's Other Box

It had been some time since last I had a chance to visit the East coast version of this wondrous ode to a mouse… Disneyland and Disney World (the east coast version) are an ode to all that is fantasy, imagination and a desire to dream and to believe this dream can and will come true… For a dreamer like myself, these thoughts and feelings are at the very core of what living is all about. I indeed believe and, as I see these childhood stories come to life in all the parades, the rides and the general feeling that emanates from the park’s heart ( if it can be said this is possible ) there is a sense of inner peace and joy that lasts... well, until you go to any of the stores or kiosks and are asked to pay twice what the “outside” price is for anything you consume within the Wonderful World of Disney… Hmmm!!... At $3.50 for a small bottle of water, the illusion quickly fades to a grim reality. On we go!!! Frontierland, Adventure Land , Main Street , Tomorrowland… and all o...

The holidays march on to, as we receive the new year, their fiery firework finish and many resolutions are being made… In fact, these are probably the same we have made year in and year out, hoping that, somewhere along the way, we will actually be able to complete one or two of them. According to those in the know ( whoever they may be but, “those”, seem to be in the know about most everything!! ) the most common one is that perennial one about losing the extra 10-15 pounds gained over the course of the year just ending. The only problem is that after several years of not actually working on this particular goal, we are probably more than 30 pounds overweight. And gaining… And then there is the one about “Improving my lot”… don’t we all wish we could… Usually, when someone proclaims this as one of their goals, my immediate questions are: “what lot?”… “What do you mean by improving?”… “How much do you actually plan to improve?”… “Is there a specific place you want to get t...

This week’s postings will be on a “catch as catch can” basis. Away from home and working with an iffy connection, it is not an easy task. There has been reaction to the last posting, and this has been good. Most people who have contacted me either through emails or by phone, just wanted to remind me that friendship and love will, in the end, win out over sadness and pain of loss. And this is completely right, of course. I am now looking forward to a future in which much will be accomplished, and some of it will be in memory of Eric, tackling those areas which were dear to his heart. Through my step daughter I am now entering a phase of “grandparenthood” which I find somewhat difficult to manage… mentally, that is. Through my own children, it seems that there will be few opportunities to experience this so, I will embrace my “step-grandson” ( this nomenclature sounds horrible, no?) as just plain grandson, and dedicate whatever time I can to him and aid in his growth… phys...

When this particular Christmas was fast approaching, my feelings were certainly not defined… Too many happenings, too many bitter moments in much too short a time. And indeed, the day was bittersweet; one of those celebrations when the façade shows a smile that is just a little brighter than the feelings inside, a little more conducive to shield one from any questions which a well meaning friend or relative will always ask, releasing anew a delicately contained flood of feelings, from a widely reopened gate. A couple of weeks ago I had a chance to speak with my friend Marc ( France ) who, by nature, tends to be a bit negative at times. After I told him what had happened to my son he went on a rampage, as I had expected. His feelings are true and honest, there is a good friendship between us and I knew he would be deeply affected. Especially since his only child, a beautiful young lady, is openly given to her bike and to ride the French roads on it, feeling the flow of air and...

Every year, right about this time, the same cry is heard from all quarters… It doesn’t make any difference whether one wishes to hear it, or partake of the overall noise and cacophony. It will come. Like the proverbial fly of the locust, the noise keeps on getting louder and louder, after the dishes are put away following the Thanksgiving dinner… It is a noise that often becomes deafening, a headache producing, collective cry and yell which, at times could actually make one dizzy; very repetitious also. Most people don’t realize just how annoying it can be to have a total stranger come up to you, smile a broad, teeth baring smile and, while pumping your hand with enough force to bring water out of a barren well, say it not once, but over and again. ARRGHH!! How long will it take for an otherwise normal, quiet individual to put aside these lunatic like ravings and uncontrollable urges, and resume a normal life.  ...   ...   ... “… Oh My!!” … “I...

Every day, our actions as humans continue to raise questions regarding our ability to function on, with the billing as the top animal in the long bio feeding chain. Usually, the political arena is one into which my thoughts and actions will not willingly go. There are too many, and a constantly growing number of, existing interests and too many mirrors and smoke screens in place; each is designed to take our prying eyes and our questioning attitude into a different direction, away from the realities of the games being played. A couple of days ago, the war in Iraq was officially declared ended by governmental decree. The same type of decree that started it some 10 years ago. And from the look of it all, there really was no coherent reason for the many years this particular war went on … and on. To my limited understanding, no major inroads were made against the Taliban from Iraqi soil and  no stranger than normal weapons were found as a result of this prolonged and costly...

Starting many years ago, more than I can remember, and creeping into my latter years, some non thinking decisions … those that just happen along the way … changed the course of a life … mine. By the time my Army discharge came around, I was already married to my first wife, had a child (from her first marriage) and responsibilities. She carried her end of the financial load by doing medical transcription, a field where she had 4 years experience by then. In fact, she was very good at this; she was so fast at the typewriter that she wore out a couple of balls from the Selectric typewriter, IBM’s then brand new model.  They could not believe this until she did a demo for them at a blazing speed of some 115 wpm. After seeing this, they gave us a supply of new balls … Like many who find themselves in the same situation, we had bills to be paid and money to be made. My sales experience had begun at age 18 in Puerto Rico , when I was trained to go door to door to sell magazines...

This time of the year, with all the meanings it conveys and carries, is sometimes a difficult period to manage for me; especially when recent issues and happenings will carry the emotions at fingertip level… I have to go back to childhood years to understand the full meaning of this season; no, not the fact that we who call ourselves Christians profess to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, whose existence and passage in and into our history was a rite of rebirth and understanding. My lack of current commitment perhaps goes more into what the history of the season has been for me. In posts written at other times, the usual get together in my grandparents’ home has been alluded to. Yes, we had the big dinner ( on the 24 th , not the 25 th ) as well as the midnight mass and the celebrations. More than anything else, there was this incredible spirit of family; that celebration which went beyond the palpable aspect… more the feeling of overabundant joy and kinship. Perhaps it wa...

Today is a mark of some sort... Normally on the weekends I let you rest a bit from these uneven ravings but... last night we went over 3,000 "reads" ... several are repeat readers and my gratitude goes to you. Also my admiration for your patience and reticence... I realize that this is not a huge number as some more celebrated blogs go ... but for an idea that took shape because 4 friends wanted "something to read"... that is not a bad number... To celebrate, we will double the pleasure. How? The new version of Pandora's Other Box will come to life this week, with a twist... It will be called "La Otra Caja de Pandora" and will be a Spanish version... Several requests have been received from friends in South America and Spain; friends who feel much more comfortable in this language than in English so... There will now be two versions of the blog for your pleasure!!! Again, Thanks for your loyalty; your blog will continue on!!!  A Never Endi...

That one made for a good name for a restaurant that cropped up sometime in the late 70’s… Then it became simply "T.G.I.F" ... Eventually the name was shortened and became “Fridays”. That is how we now know this chapel to the gods of deep frying and cholesterol. Indeed, today is Friday. For most of us, it signals the end of a work week and the beginning of an all too short weekend. Sometimes it is “payday” and a time to relax, "drink" worries away and, in doing so, often create new and heavier ones… Yeah… today is not a bad day… nor is it Monday, a poor fellow which has all the negative implications of the world … the beginning of a work week, the end of the “carefree” weekend, the renewal of those phone calls reminding us that there are bills still unpaid… for parents of small children, the routine of the early mornings, the in house rush hour just before going into the street version of the same, so that we can get to that place where the workweek begins ...

The above title opens up a plethora of directions which could be pursued … If only I knew which to follow!!! This morning my ESL class students were, as usual, late for the show. In a regular school this would not be well received. However here, when each participant eventually “drags” in, their tired early morning faces tell the story. For the most part they work jobs which keep them up until late ( or, better yet, early ) hours and their coming in to the early a.m. class is an effort. And it is an effort which makes me work a little bit harder to give them the basic understanding they need in order to get by in their day to day struggles. After class, a little bit of talk time was spent with the owner-teacher; we have become good friends over time and, actually, at present it is just “she and I” facing the ESL world, since the third teacher is on vacation. She is taking on an added risk: moving the school to a different locale come January. Where we are now there is little,...