FRANK(EN) OBSERVATION

To me the irony & cynicism of Al Franken's resignation is that it was forced by political calculation, rather than staking out a moral / high ground. It was short term thinking and I'm not convinced -- even for a moment -- that Al Franken's unfortunate departure elevates the Democrats to a higher moral level any more than Bill Clinton brought them to their lowest moral ground. Al Franken's departure only changes the intellectual quotient in the Senate at a seminal time in this country's history.

A MOMENT OF REAL PRIDE (FORGIVE ME.....BUT IT IS MY BLOG)

Dear J. R. 

On Jan. 3 2014, I signed paperwork for retirement from ABC. Thanks to you, I have had the pleasure of going not to work but to have fun. What you have given me is the greatest gift ever when you asked me in1976, "would you like to do the show?".That was the beginning of something wonderful that lasted the next 36 years and I love you for it. There is not a day that goes by when don't think of you and rate every subsequent director by the high bar that you set at GMA. You were and will always be the man in my book. Love to you and Carol. Adrian

My response: Adrian, I don't know what to say. That was the best compliment. You were/are a wonderful human being and I was lucky you said "yes". When I see you with a mini cam, I remember those early days getting you all out of the studio into the field to tape your own field stories for GMA. I'm so very happy you have enjoyed your time at GMA; it was a special time for me, too, albeit for a much shorter period. Enjoying one's work is a great prize & if I had something to do with that, I'm happy as hell. I saw Joannie & Karen Steckler not too long ago. Both seem to be doing fine. Hopefully I'll get to see you, too, one day. I miss all of you. Your friend, Jan.

RE-POSTED FROM A THOUGHTFUL FACEBOOK GROUP

QUESTION: Does anyone else find that they're having a hard time handling Trump's election on an emotional level?

JAN RIFKINSON: Yes. I'm disturbed & concerned on a national & personal level. 

On a national level, I'm very disturbed by all the anger. On a personal level, I detest braggadocio & un-truths.

I'm conflicted because I want to respect my POTUS and, at the moment, I am finding that to be a very difficult proposition. 

I hope this changes.

FACTS OR NOT, A PROBLEM FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?

Honestly, folks, here's a problem I have & I ask for your thoughts on the matter. 

DJT has made & continues to make statements that are FACTUALLY untrue when taken literally. 

The PETUS & his spokespeople have stated in multiple settings, multiple times, during the campaign and after the election, that what the PETUS states is not necessarily what he means. It may be a symbolic statement, not a factual statement. And the MSM takes his statements literally but "the people" understand what he really means. 

Does this mean that every time he makes a statement, I should interpret it instead of listening to it? Should I believe the PETUS's statements or not? So, for example, when he says "Stop It" looking into the camera on "60 Minutes", does he really mean STOP IT! or is it really a wink & a nod to proceed? 

What I'm trying to noodle out is how to weigh what the PETUS and soon-to-be POTUS says going forward. It strikes me is that if I'm constantly "interpreting" what he really means instead of listening to what he states, I could get into a lot of trouble intellectually. 

What's your take?

This is a social experiment

Does anyone recognize this beautiful young woman, circa 1968, Location NYC, Central Park, Bethesda Fountain? 

This photo was taken w a 300mm lens. She knew I was shooting her & smiled that little smile. 

I fell in love, returning to the fountain many times but never saw her again. I placed ads in the local paper. I had the photo enlarged to life-size & glued to the back of my rent controlled apt door so I could see it every day as I left for work (a bit creepy, I know). 

Recently I found the original black & white photo (Tri-X film) & decided to share this unrequited social experience with all of you.

Maybe you'll recognize her or she will recognize herself. 

Hopefully you will share this with all your friends. 

What a story if it comes full circle. 

Thanks. 

Year End Thoughts 2014

Each year I am less interested in obits & year end programs & try to avoid them. It only reminds me of the inevitable which gets closer & closer. Too soon I will be w/o my bride & Bouviers, friends, books & gardens. My father lived until his 98th year so maybe there's more time than I think is probable. Could I be depressed? Maybe. The truth is that reality can be so. I try to ignore those feelings which pass over me @ times. 

Ruminating after the RNC

I watched all coverage, speeches & commentary on MSNBC, starting at 7pm every night of the three nights of the convention culminating with Mitt Romney's speech last night. 

New to me was the sense that -- FINALLY --  there was a great crop of young and varied potential GOP leaders on the horizon &, IMO, this is a good thing for the party. I thought the women were especially impressive; women like Condolezza Rice, Nikki Haley & Mia Love. But the guys -- Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio & Paul Ryan -- were nothing to sneeze at either. 

Putting the political red meat aside, my take away was that (except for Clint Eastwood) the convention was very well orchestrated & inspirational but there were few (if any) details about what's going to change going forward. Having said that, I don't think any convention is meant for wonkiness or policy details so what are we really left with? 

Hope & change? :-)

This personal evaluation doesn't automatically put me in anyone's political column but I think this showing of young turks is important because I, for one, am tired of hearing from the same old white guys on both sides of the aisle. 

Obama was the first to offer a real choice in that department which is why I think he won the election in '08. I don't yet know about '12 but I think new people with new ideas & new energy is what we need in BOTH parties so the thinking electorate can have a real choice. 

This is such an election & I am looking forward to the debates for a change. 

Going forward, I will be watching an equal amount of coverage & commentary of the DNC on the Fox News Channel and expect a similar takeaway but we'll see. 

I'll update this blog entry at the end of next week. 

I think independents are more likely to be swayed one way or the other after the debates. 

I'd be interested in your takeaway which is why there is a comment box below. Post as anonymous if you must. 

40 years ago today > August 19, 1972

I love you even more today

Relaxing in the second decade of the 21st century

It was a beautiful day & I decided to visit my favorite cheese shop for a Parisienne sandwich (on a baguette) to be accompanied by a bottled French blood orange seltzer drink. 

With lunch in hand, I walked to a small patio area -- under two extremely old and tall white pines -- where there are a few tables with blue umbrellas. No one was else was around.

There was a gentle breeze & the grasses surrounding this little sitting area moved with the wind.

I took out my smart phone (a Samsung S3), clicked an icon, leaned in and said to the phone "listen to BB King". 

"Ding" it replied within seconds and presented me with five choices where I could listen to B.B.King. I selected the Spotify Radio service which immediately began broadcasting a B.B. King tune. 

I propped the smartphone up against my eye glasses which were on the table and listened for a few moments, then un-wrapped my sandwich, set it on a white napkin on the white table. Next I twisted the cap off the blood orange / seltzer drink & set that down next to the rest. 

And I sat for a while just listenting to the blues,  feeling the breeze. 

After a while I started munching on my sandwich, interspersing it with a few sips of red/organge colored drink. 

Half way through lunch, the music faded, an incoming phone call replacing it. It was the service center announcing that my car was ready for pickup. 

"Thanks", I said and ended the call as the sounds of B.B.King returned.

Carol called to say "hi". 

With lunch digested, 2 calls completed and a B.B. King radio concert under my belt, I was ready for the afternoon. 

I did feel the absence of Stella Bella & Sophie, my Bouv girls who are usually with me. This day I had to leave them home & I missed them. 

I had fun times working with her in the early years of GMA

Is There A Dream Doctor in the House?

Office Scene: There are several people besides me in the office; co-workers. 

One is a white woman, who like me, is of indeterminate age, two are East Asia Indians, one woman, one man. Both are in their twenties. 

It is not clear what my function is in this office, nor that of the white woman, nor that of the East Asia Indian man who is slightly effete. 

The young woman, however, is a weathercaster who is prognosticating, presumably to an audience, altho no transmission equipment is in sight. She finishes her report & walks off the non-existing set, strides past my desk, while all the while talking about the weather, i.e. "the trees are swaying back & forth, the sun is coming up..." 

Then she stops, turns around & returns to her non-existent set where she retrieves and puts on her wool, calf-length, front buttoning overcoat and starts to walk out, again past my desk. 

There she is stopped (not physically) by the East Asian young man where the two engage in conversation that I cannot hear even though they stand  right next to my desk. 

After a short while, they both exit the space even though there is no door. This is odd. Also odd, is that it's not winter, i.e. there's no reason for an overcoat. 

I decide to leave the office too; not to follow them or anything like that. I just felt the urge to leave the office. But I was only wearing socks so I began searching for my shoes. There were quite a few scattered around my desk area but I couldn't find a like pair. This was frustrating & the anxiety increased as I continued the search through the scattered shoes. Turns out there was no like pair among them. 

I woke up.

Sophie > Diary of a Southern Belle at the Races

Stella was lame in one paw so it was only the Soph & I who went to watch Carol race in the "Run Like a Mother" event here in Ridgefield on Mother's Day. The 3.1 mile route was to wend its way through town streets, ending up in the very pretty Ballard Park which is in the center of town.

It was a very festive, exceptionally beautiful day as Sophie & I set out. As usual, she was very excited to go on another adventure. I opened a small window so she could stick her head out to feel that rush of air as drove into town. She was clearly enjoying herself.

We found a parking space, & I got out, moved the front seat forward to make room for the Soph to dismount. She waited patiently for me to attach the lead to her collar & then waited for permission to exit the car.

We crossed the street and started down the sidewalk. She pulled ahead on a loose lead with some anxiety but I talked her into slowing down. Soon we entered Ballard Park to find it populated by fathers, children, photographers, balloons, food vendors and more. And the announcer on the loudspeaker trying to rally the crowd. Music was playing, little kids and dogs ran around. Sophie was very steady on her lead.

A lot of people stopped us, asked if they could greet Sophie, commented on how pretty she was and asking about her breed. We heard "Look at the big black dog, daddy" many times over. Sophie put up with the petting without much reaction from adults & children alike but I gently held her muzzle when little kids came over as I don't know her entire background. She was a real trooper & I was proud of her.

As we wended our way to the finish line, Sophie was very busy, looking left and right. There were too many people coming from all sides for her to re-position herself between them & me so she was a bit anxious.

Finally we were at the finish line, I asked Soph to sit which she did immediatly while I extracted the camera from my backpack. Every once in a while -- as I got organized -- I'd praise her & slip her a tiny biscuit. She semed totally calm. Eventually, she lay down on her own.

The time keepers tested the timer mechanism which emitted a shrieking sound but it didn't bother Sophie & I decided to test my shots w the early runners. As the crowds cheered & urged those women on, more people rushed to the finish line where we were. Some of them stepped over Sophie as she lay at my feet. She was a cool customer.

Then I saw Carol, took my pictures of the final few feet and went to give her a congratulations hug. Sophie calmly joined in the fun.

Carol announced she was off to the 'mamacita' zumba class so Sophie & I departed the park. On the way out, the Soph became a bit anxious, scanning the crowds in our path but I felt her anxiety was to be expected at this stage of her socialization with me, four months into our love affair.

Back into the car, we went for a capuccino & croissant & Soph got her share of croissant w a water chaser. She was a great Bouvier companion under VERY fluid circumstances. Never once did she panic. Never once did she yank on her lead as I took pictures or as people ran by. I was so proud of her.

Next: meeting other Bouviers. Ta.Ta......

Sophie - Diary of a Southern Belle - Week 3

Sophie has learned 'gentle', 'me first', 'go around','later', 'wait', "paw", sit until released to eat. She now asks permission to come up on the sofa. She is reticent to 'down', get groomed, have her nails done or to stay home.

She talks, plays & is extremely communicative using her paws to grab an arm for a scratch, barking to be let in.

I am now 100% convinced that this is a good match with the ever retiring Stella Bella.

Where once upon a time, Sophie thought she could eat from Stella's bowl if she was there or not, Sophie now voluntarily walks away from the eating area until Stella is finished and has walked away from her dish before re-approaching the bowls for her water or a final lick.

While Sophie is content to be inside, she frequently likes to sit by the window to see what's going on. Her bone is constant enjoyment & I am now going to try to interest her in the food Kong as I think she might learn to play if she knew she could.

I can get her to play with my hand, she starts wriggling, barking & jumping around. It's clear she is playing with me. A welcome distraction both of us. However, the other day, while playing rough house with her, I must have crossed the line for because she flopped on her back in surrender in the middle of the lawn.

Stella, on the other hand, has become a little more active (remember she is 13). It's funny to watch the two of them run in tandem, Sophie on those loooong slender legs & Stella on her stubby little tree trunks. But it's all good & Sophie keeps track of Stella's whereabouts when they are out together.

While Sophie seems to yawn a lot, she is no couch potato.She gets exicited when she sees the leash & sits for it to be attached or if let out on her own. She's still not totally comfortable in the car but learning that she can lie down on the seat but is not confident enough to do that when we're moving.

While on the property, Her recall is getting better & better. I want to take her to a fenced area -- like our local dog park -- let her go & while she's playing & try it there.

The Soph is doing better in town. The cars don't activate her prey drive. She is watchful of people, allows strangers to pet her but doesn't get involved in the process, i.e. she'd walk away in a nano second if I asked her to. In offices or stores, if it's a prolonged visit, she will lie down despite foot traffic.

Walking down the sidewalk is another story. She seems over stimulated, sometimes to a point of not listening well. She's not totally overcome but it's close. But if I sit down on a bench, she sits quietly or lies down & watches people, cars, fire engines, children, dogs walk by without much reaction, i.e. she seems calm. I haven't figured this out yet but I'm working on it.

In the house, she now checks out all the rooms on her own if she hears a strange noise or if called. This may not seem like much but in her prioor life, she was allowed access only to one or two rooms & (from her actions) I surmise she was struck/beaten if she entered any other room.

She is beginning to guard under door frames & is actively tryingt to make friends with Stella. She kisses/licks her when she allowed but I'm not sure if she is cleaning stella's eyes or ears of some yummy stuff or it's affection. In either case, it's better than the alternative.

The following has happened twice now so I know it's a routine. Around 3:30pm if I'm in the office with the girls, Sophie comes close to where Stella is sleeping, sits down & stares at her from the foot of the sherpa bed. That NEVER works so Soph walks around to the front of the bed & puts her paw on the bed itself. Stella thoroughly ignores this.

The first time Sophie tried this, she started to prance around & made a mistake of nudging Stella with her nose who gave her what-for with some teeth. Nothing serious, no sound. Sophie tried again. This time Stella escalated & just missed a bite.

So Yesterday, Sophie -- who learns VERY fast, went through the first two steps & then just lay down right next to Stella's bed -- on the floor -- patiently waiting for Stella to rise from her nap.

My guess is that she's trying to get Stella up so we can all go get something to eat as I try to feed them around 4-4:30pm.

Sophie is providing us both with much pleasure & laughter. Watching a 120# Bouv try to make herself invisible as she slinks towards a squirrel is funny to watch. She moves in slooooow motion, first one leg.....then another.....then another as she inches forward before the final dash. When the squirrel finally sees the black Humvee closing in, it scrambles up the tree at which point Sophie sits under the tree & patiently waits.

We continue to give her things to learn & she does. Meanwhile, she is familiar with the family routine & is becoming more possessive of the property & us.

Upon returning to the house -- having left Sophie behind -- she greets me so very excitedly that I feel guilty/sorry because she seems grateful that I haven't abandoned her. I have to find a way to assure her that I am hers & she is mine.... forever.

Is there a dream doctor in the house?

This dream takes place in a restaurant.

Carol & I & another (nameless) couple are having dinner. Everyone orders appetizer servings of various dishes including fruit balls. There must have been 20-30 dishes covering the table (Russian style) but there were no plates to eat off of.

I was annoyed that everyone was eating out of the food dishes and passing them around. The waitress appeared & Carol asked her for 5 checks (odd since there were only 4 people present).

I left the table to fix the check issue, i.e. I was going to pay for the whole thing since I felt dividing it by 5 was (A) a lot of trouble for the waitress & (B) it was tacky. I also wanted to get plates to eat off of. 

I followed in the direction that the waitress had taken. 

I found myself in another room. While waiting for the waitress, the establishment's manager -- who had been sitting at the bar with a male friend -- stood up & got snarky with me. He put his finger in my face & I did 3 very fast karate-type moves, knocking the finger out of my face, followed immediately by a 'pulled' punch directed at his nose & a circle kick which hit him in the ass -- but not hard. These were meant as 'warnings'

While the manager stood there speechless, his companion 'started up' with me. He was smirking & had a toothpick in the corner of his mouth. I woke up (not really) feeling firm about my reaction to these "threats". Then Sophie actually woke me up. I was calm.

My Marie > Fifty Two Years Later

When I was a very, very young and lucky fellow, I dated a dark haired, ravishing, buxom beauty named Marie (accent over the 'e'). We were inseparable at school, after school, movies, sandwich shops, parties and so forth. It was a very serious affair for a pair of 16 year olds.

Finally I thought I'd better bring Marie home to meet my parents just in case we decided to get married. She was okay with this but understandably nervous.

Marie, a dresser as well as a looker and sex goddess, donned one of her finer outfits: a beautiful but modest blouse with a full skirt maxed out by all the undergarments of the time, did up her hair and makeup in demure fashion, to prepare for this august occasion.

When I saw her, I was both pleased and relieved by her appearance. And so I took Marie home to meet my parents. 

We arrived and the folks met us outside on the front lawns along with our boxers Junior and Cleo (as in 'patra'), Rita, the pet black white goat and the mini-dachshund, Chiquita.

And there stood Marie, hand outstretched, greeting first my father (whom I think she momentarily flirted with as this was her way) and then my mother, the Empress.

It was a very warm day and I was sweating it but everything seemed to be going well as I watched the expression on my parents' face for a sign.

Meanwhile, one of my faithful Boxers (it was Junior) ambled up to Marie, walked between her legs, stuck his head under her crinolines, looked straight up and started panting.

For a moment, Marie tried to be 'cool' and ignore it, thinking it was a momentary aberration which would disappear on it's own. But Junior didn't move and the seconds seemed like hours.

It must of been dark under all those crinolines so I don't know what he was doing but Marie was finally forced to step back and gather herself and her skirts, thus utterly destroying this important teenage moment.

Of course everyone apologized for Junior's bad behavior except me as I couldn't blame him for reading my mind.

Anyway, the following year I was away at boarding school and Marie ended up with a different guy.

Last I heard, which was many years later, she was married with five kids.

I've never seen her again.

December 2011

A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney (Written before election day when I lost my bid for a seat on the Board of Selectmen, when it snowed & the lights went out...... for 8 days)

From The Ridgefield Press November 10, 2011
Written by Jan Rifkinson 

Win or lose, I wanted to use this space to thank everyone who gave me a few moments of their time, who worked on my campaign, who signed my petition to get me on the ballot, who voted for me. And to congratulate my opponents who were re-elected.

But this weekend another kind of outage interrupted the campaign. Andy Rooney died & I want to write about the few minutes Carol & I spent with him & how we remember him.

Andy Rooney was a principled man. He made his living writing as a member of the Writer's Guild of America. When CBS technicians struck, he was one of the few who refused to cross their picket line.

After an editorial spat, he left to PBS for a few years but then returned to the CBS family. We all respected these things about him.

I worked with Andy & Harry Reasoner on television specials with titles like "Essay on Doors", "Essay on Women". Andy & Harry were good friends. Andy wrote for Harry & Harry -- also an excellent writer -- read Andy's words beautifully.  Both had old Mercedes diesels .

Years later, Carol's office was opposite Andy's. She was working on a program called "West 57th" and Andy was doing his "60 Minutes" gig. Frequently, Carol & Andy walked to the garage together & chatted about the day's events.

And many, many years later, Carol & I were strolling through an antiquing warehouse in Stamford & we spotted Andy shuffling along.

"Mr. Rooney" I called out. He ignored me (he despised notoriety).

"Mr. Rooney", I said again, introducing myself & Carol. "I worked with you & Harry on the Essay Shows." He stopped & we reminisced for a few moments. Then he shuffled off.

That was the last we saw of him.

He was a principled man.

Six Degrees of separation or one strange day

The other day I attended a senior lunch at the Ridgefield Community Center, also known as the Lonsbury House. It's a beautiful place,  built by former CT governor, Phineas C. Lounsbury, in 1896. It's right on main street, Ridgefield.

Before lunch was served, I sat down on a rocking chair on the front porch next to a gentleman, also in his 60's. I introduced myself & discovered that we shared a common denominator. His mother was Puerto Rican & I was born in Purto Rico. So we chatted on about Puerto Rico.

As we moved inside for lunch, we found a table with two  ladies. already seated. Soon, several others joined the table. Joe sat to my left. I introduced myself to the senior woman to my right. Her name was Ginny. And I reached across her to introduce myself to her friend, another senior lady, named Carol.

After a few seconds I looked at them both & said, "I will never forget your names. The first love of my life was a beautiful girl named Gini. The second love of my life was a girl named Carol to whom I've been married for 39 years."

We all had a good laugh.

So you tell me, is this what is meant by six degrees of separation?

Thanks to all my FaceBook friends

OMG. So many of you came out of the woodwork of my life last week to wish me a happy birthday. I was (1) touched & flabbergasted & (2) sick w a bad chest cold, exacerbated by asthma so I didn't enjoy the day much, nor the following 5 days.

But I hijacked some of your wonderful karma & applied it to my  chest & am crediting that with getting me out of bed & out of the house about a week earlier than similar events normally take from my life. 

So I thank all of you for your good wishes AND MY GOOD HEALTH. This is my first day back to eating & breathing somewhat normally. And with everything going on, I forgot that I got a year older.

When we returned from our wonderful time in Costa Rica, we found we needed a new car (Carol), a new clothes washer (Carol), an extensive & expensive veterinary visit (Car...er..Truman) & I got a cold so you can see the balance of power in our household. Truman is fine, BTW.

The euphoria of Costa Rica was balanced out by the realities of Ridgefield life which is not an all together bad thing.

Although our driveway is literally still a sheet of ice, I think Our Zhivago days of icy waterfalls connecting the roof to the terrace are on the wane, the lesser icicles have all but disappeared & the leaks are drying up. The new car & clothes washer are working great. Truman is sleeping on his new fleece bed. Stella needs another haircut & I need to trim my beard. Carol is fabulous.
 

So thanks so much to all of you for taking the few seconds to wish me a happy birthday. It's birthdays & revolutions that make Facebook so outstanding.

Ridgefield

February 16, 2011

For all you detail oriented people out there.

So there I was, smug in my personal blogisphere, diddling myself with some pseudo intellectual drippings from my scattered mind & I receive the following note from a person I hadn't seen in 30 long years.

Just noticed a misprint on your blog...I believe it's "piqueing" not "peaking". [...] the "offending" word is right below the tital on your blog.

So I looked and sure enough under that majestic title of JAN RIFKINSON'S UNIVERSE, I had painstakingly written:

"Items peaking my interest. Videos, links to interesting or topical stories, my movie & book reviews, essays, commentary, humor and photos."

It really pissed me off because it took me a long time to come up with that line. I wanted to explain my blog in a single line, no word wrap.

By nature I'm a pretty anal person -- no, no -- I mean I'm very detail oriented so this was a thunderbolt that struck me both in head & heart. BUT I respect accuracy more than embarrassment so, in shame, I jumped back into Google's Blogspot > Edit layout & started fiddling again. So now the line reads:

Items that pique my interest. Videos, links to interesting or topical stories, my movie & book reviews, essays, commentary, humor and photos.

Please note that I've use both an ampersand and the word "and" in the same sentence. Lest you think I was not paying attention, you're WRONG. I had to do that so it would fit on one line, i.e. no word wrap.

So Peter Brinkerhoffenswine, you turned out to be more anal than I am but now I'm even more satisfied that I took you on a re-doubled bet in backgammon 30 years ago.  Yeah !!

A must read > "Topic of Cancer" by Christopher Hitchens