No more celebrating- POEM

 

It is January,

It means,

no more,

celebration,

of holidays,

all combined,

is done

It looks beautiful,

around the holidays,

but now,

as we get closer to ending,

the holidays,

it is time,

un-decorate

the tree,

is always,

the hard part,

to dispose of,

is it fake,

or is it real

and with the end of celebration,

you realize,

someone you might know,

having a birthday,

in very early January,

are they screwed,

will they get a celebration,

aren't you tired of all the celebrating

It feels as if,

we are done,

decorating,

singing carols,

having Christmas music,

blasting at all hours,

It's time,

to turn,

Christmas,

off

Let's try to enjoy the year,

with Christmas,

in the back of our minds,

and going forward,

into a new year,

praying,

we make it,

to the next,

Christmas celebration

The end of 2024

 

   A year goes by so fast in a blink of an eye, you never know what happened this year. For me....I knew some things that happened. Some memorable. and some...we want to not remember. What happened this year? Well, this is one year...we're never gonna forget.

    A lot of things happened that we can't forget. The picking of a new president, the Summer Olympics and even some memorable stuff like a baby hippo being an internet sensation for a few weeks. Yes it's true...this year is full of strange things.

  Let's try not to forget what happened that day, but it seems a female president was not going to happen yet. Trump, again, is going to be our president. Shrug. He's also now a convicted felon. First in the presidency. At least Nixon had the courage to resign. Trump...we're doomed. (Bur if you voted for him for your own reason, I would not judge you...yet)

  A baby pigmy hippo became the center of attention. Moo Deng was its name and was born in a zoo in Thailand. He was the center attention for a while as people wanted to start buying baby hippos as pets. That's a no-no. You don't it when it's grown up...and it could kill you. Another pigmy hippo started taking center stage in Mid-December in Virginia just recently.

   The Olympics took place in Paris this year. From swimming to gymnastics and much more, USA had many gold medals, but not as many as China which had the most. There were interesting moments involving a shooting gallery with a man from Turkey making a viral sensation. A lot of things happened during then and Snoop Dogg seemed to be the center of attention through some of it.

 A lot of people were wondering about Jamie Foxx. He ended up sick around the end of 2023 and not much has happened about him. Around the new year, we feared he would be the first celebrity to pass away in 2024. Happily, around the middle of the year...he came back saying that he suffered a stroke and his daughter saved him.

   In April, a Solar Eclipse happened. It was so epic that even Bonnie Tylar performed "Total Eclipse of the Heart" to one of the cities that will view the entire eclipse. What did we get? Well....first off, it was raining and mostly clouds covered the sun, so we didn't get much. Plus, we would only see half of it. It happened...and well.... pathetic. But I think it was better if you got to see the whole thing.

   We lost a lot of celebrities this year, and a few have passed away just recently. James Earl Jones, Shelley Duvall, Shannen Doherty, Richard Simmons, Donald Sutherland, Liam Payne, Bernard Hill, Dame Maggie Smith, Bob Newhart, Greg Gumbel, and just now.... Jimmy Carter. Many more should be listed on-line, but let's just say it's been a sad year when it comes to life. It is...after all, short.

  For me...it was a big year. I turned 40. Yep, I am now four decades into the earth It's amazing that I turned 40 just a couple weeks ago, and I don't even feel it at times. I made many accomplishments in my life lifetime. Even if I'm not living by myself and with my parents, I don't care anymore. I'm happy where I am. Being a writer and helping out at my job...I'm still doing great even at 40

  So... what will the next year be like? I'm optimistic but fear it's not going to be a good one. First off, the New Year starts on a Wednesday. So... the year starts off W.T.F. If you understand what that term means, it means we might be screwed this year. But...it's only another year. Every year we wonder what will happen. All I know is.... we need to survive the next year like we did this one. Happy New Year everybody.

Five days to go

    Five days to go...until Christmas arrives. Have any of you done your shopping yet? I blink, and it will soon be here.

    Winter is here....and it will stay...for a long, long, long time.

   Does it mean the feeling of Christmas will stay with us, once it's gone?

   Shopping on-line is easier than going through an empty mall to find what you are looking for. Even last minute shopping.

   For me, having a birthday around this time...... a double whammy for me and others around this time of year.

 Back in my childhood, around the 90's, everyone ran into a crowed mall grabbing gift after gift of stuff people wanted or needed.

   We didn't have the internet yet, so malls were jam packed with people getting what they need last minute.

  Now....most malls are ghost towns and empty. Escalators still working, but no one inside shopping. Even the big chain malls are doomed to extinction in the future. On-Line shopping is the new norm and so are streaming sites for movies that are replacing theaters. 

    A lot of people working to deliver packages can't keep up the demands for every gift that might end up stolen before they get it at the front porch.

   Desperate thieves coming to steal packages; especially packages that have iPhones, iPads or any electronics that are expensive and easy targets for thieves.

   Five more days left, and some gifts...are gone. Why? Thieves that have no money greedy enough to steal someone's gifts because they have no money.

  Santa getting ready to deliver the gifts. By now, he must be nervous as we are to get everything ready for one jolliest day of the year. A day where schools, banks and certain businesses are closed. (Not all, but some)

   Blessed to be off, it feels as if it's never going to come, and then...flash.... it's gone.

  Five more sleeps till Christmas and children can't contain themselves. Busy workers getting ready for the one day...where family is the most important gift of all.

   Holidays will come and go, but it seems Christmas is in our hearts forever.

 Till then, shop for what you can, last minute or not, and remember the true meaning of Christmas once it arrives.

   Shop on-line, find what they need, and they will give you more than just a gift in return.

    Christmas is almost here, five more days to go, and before you know it.... it'll be a New Year.

Happy B-day to Eugene Levy

  

  Who is this comedian that makes me laugh every time I've seen him in a movie or TV show? His son is now famous, and he got his start in Canda. His name is Eugene Levy and today...is his 78th birthday. So....how do I know this comedian, and what has he done with his acting that made him still memorable today? 

      Eugene Levy was born in Onterio on December 17th in 1946. He didn't really get his start in movies till the 1970's. He mostly got his start on Canadian TV shows with Cahterine O'Hara, the late John Candy and a few others. In the 1980's, the first film I saw him in was a Tom Hanks in Splash. 

 

When Eugene was teamed with Catherine O'Hara, I can tell sparks are flying. Not romantic sparks but sparks of a friendship. They have started out in Canada together, but when Eugene made it to America, he never lost touch with her or anyone else he knew back then.,

    When it came to movies, he would always collaborate with Christopher Guest who I knew from Spinal Tap. He's teamed up with Catherine O'Hara in movies like A mighty wind where they were a couple that broke up after a kiss during one of their songs and he goes crazy. Best in Show where they enter a dog show as a couple, and it seems everyone knew Catherine's character.

 

   He's also been in other movies that many people would recognize him in. American Pie is one movie I would remember vaguely. It was a cult hit in 1999 where Eugene Levy plays a father who catches his son (Jason Biggs) and a pie. You can go from there what happens next. He later starred in other movies like: Serendipity, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, Night at the Museum...the Smithsonian one and many more.

    Around the 2010's, Eugene Levy, with his son Daniel Levy, made a tv show that went to streaming called: Schitt's Creek. Eugene's son did most of the writing in the show as well as acted. Even Eugene's daughter, Sarah, was also in it as a minor character. I loved this show about a rich family ending up poor and moving into a motel called Schitt's creek.

   Catherine O'Hara, of course, was the wife who tried her hardest fitting in as Daniel Levy played David who is gay (Which Daniel was in real life) At the end, he funds a life partner and marry.

Eugene's real family is doing really well. He has been married to his wife of 47 years and was also honored as a mayor in Pacific Palisades in LA. He's still acting and recently is starring as himself in Only in the building playing himself as Steve Martin's character.

Eugene still acting today with his son as well as a few other people he is with. Catherine O'Hara still collaborates with him on occasion, but he hasn't been doing many movies since Schitt's Creek ended. His recent film he starred in was Summer Camp and I don't remember that movie very well. Wishing him a happy birthday to an actor who made me laugh in a lot of his works. 

The New Voice of Milhouse

 

  Who am I talking about? Who's Milhouse? Well, like I said before.... I like the Simpsons. A show about a family with many interesting characters. The voice actress of that character, who is Bart Simpson's friend.... has retired from voice acting.

  Who is Pamela Hayden? Well, she's mostly known as voicing not only Milhouse Van Houten, but bully Jimbo and Rod Flanders (at times). The show has been going on so long, it amazes me that the show hasn't crumbled into a billion pieces yet. This isn't the first time a voice character has been replaced for certain reasons.

    This is the first time a Simpson voice actor thinks it is best to leave now before it is too late.

   Again, this hasn't happened before. They recently changed the voice acting in certain African American characters to be voiced by only African American voice actors. I was on the fence when this was happening. 

   Many people were disappointed. I was too. Hank Azaria (who voiced Carl and Lou and many more) was doing a great job. Harry Shearer was too. 

 With Pamela she chose to leave. So....who would be the best to replace Milhouse? Well, there are a few good female voice actors that would be amazing to replace and still have the Milhouse style of voice.

   There's:

    

   Grey Griffin- She recently became part of the Simpson Voice acting Family after long time voice actress Russi Taylor died of cancer. She now voices Martin, Sherri & Terri, Uter and many more Russi used to voice.

   She's amazing. She's been replacing voiced actors that have passed away since Mary Kay Bergman (who voiced Daphne Blake in Scooby Doo) sadly committed suicide. She still voices Daphne today.

   Tara Strong- a strong voice actress who has voiced many charters since the late 1980's. Voicing from Timmy Turner on Fairly OddParents to Bubbles in Powerpuff Girls. She's still voice acting today. She hasn't been known to replace many voice actors lately.

    I think she would be the best since some shows she has voiced have either ended or gone to hiatus. She does voice one of the ponies in My Little Pony.

   Elizabeth 'E.G.' Daily- Voice actress of Tommy Pickles to Buttercup, knowing Tara Strong as well, Elizabeth Daily has a great voice. Plus, she is a singer having a few albums out in the 90's and she was in a few movies back in the 80's.

    She also is known as Dottie 'Pee Wee's big adventure'. She has been busy with family lately, but she still voice acts from time to time. She would be a good pick.

 Pamela S. Adlon- Known as Bobby Hill in King of the Hill, Pamela Adlon is one of the top 10 I would select to replace Pamela Hayden. Why? Well, she has a gravelly voice and has performed with Louis C.K. (Before the tabloids hit about his sexual stuff)

    Although I don't know if she will be able to take the voice of Milhouse while she goes back to King of the Hill which is getting a reboot. I'll save that for the future.

   I read somewhere on-line that some people want Chris Pratt to fill in for Pamela. I pray this doesn't happen. I mean...if Milhouse was an adult, and Chris Pratt had free time on his hands...sure; but I don't think this is going to work out.

   Plus, we know the show isn't strong...but do we need to make it worse than it already is?  I don't think so. 

  We will miss you, Pamela, and you enjoy your retirement from voice acting. Sometimes it's a good thing when a voice actor retires. They can't stay in the business forever. 

  Harry Shearer's voice is getting worse, and he might be heading for retirement soon. I think, in my opinion, end the series this season...or the next. I think it's best we give the show a proper finale that it deserves.

40 years later- POEM

 

It's almost here,

my thirties...

coming,

and going,

in a blink of an eye

I'm happy,

yet,

why do I feel nervous,

anxious,

frightened,

will this be...

my last decade?

I don't think so,

I should be happy,

having another birthday,

come and go,

like that,

I'm only 39,

for a few more days

I'm not the only one,

turning 40,

Scarlett Johannsen,

LeBron James,

Kelly Osbourne,

and many more

Even certain movies,

like Ghostbusters,

Nightmare on Elm Street,

are now 

40,

I will soon,

be that age

I feel like,

I've aged,

like fine wine,

to perfection,

another year,

coming and going,

but this one,

is more enchanted,

than any other

It's my turn,

it's my time,

my becoming,

another age,

and I'm not afraid,

anymore,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Best Pizzerias I've ever been to

 

    Pizza and me...go hand and hand. I loved Pizza since I was little. Loved Cheese pizzas; went on to Margarita style as well. Stuffed crust.... once in a while and only homemade. But...when it comes to eating out at a pizzeria...which one was my favorite? Dominos and Pizza Hut do not count.

    Sorry, Shaq. I love you too...but I never was a fan of Papa Johns.

   I want to talk about one of the restaurants that is still here. They have been here ever since I moved to East Goshen when I was young. It's called Pepper Mill. I remember picking up a pizza after having breakfast with the family on Sundays. It was good pizza. However, it has been years since I have gone there.

  I've read they have changed owners, and the ratings are not as good as they used to be.

  Another pizza restaurant, not far from home, was Mike's pizza. I would always get a small size pizza, since getting a huge one...I wouldn't finish it at all. We also got sandwiches as well. What happened to Mike? Do I still eat there?

   Unlike Pepper Mill, it's been a while since I had a slice at Mike's. What do I think of it...I miss it and I wouldn't mind trying it again.

  Now....we're going down to the Outer Banks for a slice of Pizza. When I went there for summer vacations, the first night...we always had a pizza from Lisa's. I used to not like it at first because there was a better pizza (I will explain later) that I liked more. Last time I went, before Covid, I actually enjoyed it.

  Pica's Pizzeria is known very well in Upper Darby where I was born. Tina Fay, an actress who grew up in Upper Darby, always complimented on how amazing their pizza was. When it came to West Chester, I tried it...and I found it to be good. 

 Sauce on the top, cheese on the bottom. Somewhat like a Chicago style, but nothing like the taste of Chicago style.

  There's another Lisa's pizzeria. This one....is much better than the one in the Outer Banks. Not far from where my aunt lives, Lisa's pizza is really appetizing as well as mouthwatering. One slice isn't enough for me. 

   Usually, I would have this pizza when I see my aunt around the holidays. Haven't had it since Covid, but I bet it still tastes as good as it had before.

   Now, I wanna talk about some Italian restaurants that I've been to when I was growing up here. First one is Fiorello's cafe in West Chester. 

    The food is good, but real salty as I've once drank almost a whole gallon of water while wafting for my pizza. The food is good, not great, but worth having a slice of pizza there when I go out.

  Another Italian restaurant my parents and I are known for is La Locanda. An Italian restaurant in Edgemont that gives us Birthday cards for a free meal. We go there once someone's birthday comes up, or even New Years Eve. 

   The pizza....is excellent as well as the other food that is served. I'd give it a try if you're around that area.

   One more Italian restaurant that serves great pizza is Limoncello's Restaurante. Not only does it have amazing food, but the pizza is pretty good. The cheese or the mushrooms or the black olives...doesn't matter what kind, it's all good there.

   I usually get the Margarita one. I love sticking to an oldie but goodie.

   This pizza in the Outer Banks was considered the best place to have a pie. It used to be called 'Toppers' but changed its name to Gidget's recently. What do I think of it? Well....it's been a long time since I've had it.

   I would always beg someone to get it for me even though we would be in Waves/Rhodanthe, and the pizzeria was in Avon. I didn't care! I wanted it so bad that I even got a glass from the restaurant.

    One more pizzeria that I have come to love. Patelmo's pizzeria. Not too far from home, and you can get a personal size pizza so you wouldn't feel guilty for having a whole pie. Sometimes, I would get garlic cheese bread when I was feeling hungrier.

   Not all the time though. In Pennsylvania....for now at least, this pizzeria is considered the best place to go for a slice of pie.

 

    Recently, I've been making my own homemade pizzas, so I haven't had the pleasure to go out and purchase one. I guess my own is good enough, but if I have a hankering and I don't wanna cook...these are the pizzerias I would choose for a slice of pie.