Thursday, February 28, 2013

Bras and Bros

My job is never boring.

I meet so many new people every day and travel to interesting places (... sometimes even Land O'Lakes, Florida ) to visit friends and alumni of USF. Often, I have the pleasure of breaking bread and chatting about what these fine folks do for a living.

The other night I was at a dinner seated next to a woman who was a CEO of a bra company. I learned that 70% of women didn't know if their bras fit correctly. I found this most interesting from a guy's perspective ... I know when my boxers don't fit IMMEDIATELY.

A couple of weeks ago. I reconnected with a friend that I grew up with in New Orleans and hadn't seen in years. He's done quite well for himself, bought and sold a few sports teams and is a serial entrepeneur. He and I compared notes about about long lost friends. Loved this ... "So Joel ... How's your mom and dad? I remember your dad's name on that carpet store on Veterans and your mom never let us wear shoes in the house .... she didn't want scuff marks on the plastic runners on the carpets." That was my mom.

Talked to an interesting guy this morning. He told me that he needed $2.75 to get gas for his car that his wife and kids sat in a few blocks away. I offered to follow him down the street but anazingly he just ran away. You know I thought about that ... might be a great fundraising idea.

He did a nice job on the sign. 

Sunday, February 24, 2013

The Happy Couple and A Little Sammy Humor

Hey ... did I tell you my daughter got married?

That's right, she married a guy named Steve Cohen. Great guy ... great family ... what? No he's not Jewish. I know ... maybe there's a Jew in the closet. Who knows?

This is the stuff great blogs are made of ... beautiful setting: Charleston, beautiful bride: sure I'm prejudice but she's my daughter, drama: the wedding planner vs. just about everyone except Nikki, big payout: I won't be retiring soon.

That's all I can tell you without having to kill you.

Seriously, it was a wonderful wedding and we couldn't be happier for Steven and Nicole.


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By the way ... Two important family members were not able to attend ... Nikki's grandfathers. So we are going to have a special get together at our house to show pictures and celebrate.

Speaking of Sammy ... He calls a lot lately ... actually about three times a day and each conversation starts like this:

"Joel ... this is your dad. Yeah ... I just wanted to see if this phone is working. You think it is?" 


Here are some of his other latest gems:


"I need some socks. I don't like nylon, I like black." 

"I got a lot of paperwork in that drawer but there are no pants."

"Some biscuits are wonderful ... like Red Lobster."

"You know ... people walk back and forth here. I don't know what they do."

"Joel ... what do you do? Do you have a commercial life?"

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Going ... GOING ... GONE!

I know ... I've been a real slacker.

My blog entries have gone from periodic to rare. And I've really got lot to talk about ... like my daughter's wedding and The Grammys and Sammy ... and More Sammy.

So ... I'll start with the Grammys (because I don't have all the pictures from the wedding just yet).

Deb and I bid on a great package at a Cancer Society fundraiser last year ... a weekend at the Grammys including airfare, hotel. the show ... and an after show party. Cool huh?

The bidding was interesting. Started as an idea for a shared trip with another couple. I was chosen as the official "bidder". We got to a reasonable amount and I looked at the group ... higher? Sure ... so I raised it ... higher? Sure ... still not too bad for two couples ... going once ... going twice .... sold! Whew

"That was a trip to LA and TWO TICKETS to the GRAMMYS!"

"What? ... TWO TICKETS ... oh no (I cleaned it up) ...

Needless to say we were the reluctant high donor at the event but we had the primo package. The tickets only go to members of the music industry so it is a bucket list thing (better be) and we were thrilled (pissed off) to have bid on them and knew it was going to a good cause (I think we might cure cancer for what we paid) but I'm not one to complain (damned auctions ... WHY do I do these things) and Debbie was thrilled (after the paramedics revived her).

There she is holding the tix in the lobby of the Staples Center before the show.

Here are a few of the other members of the music industry ... maybe these were the ushers ... who knows ... everybody looked like that.

... and here were our seats ... can you see Elton and Beyonce and Justin ... no? Me either.

Okay ... I have to admit the show was fantastic and the seats were actually pretty good (once the binoculars adjusted) ...

... and the after party ... was spectacular. Unbelievable food, circus acts, great music ...

... can you see Elton now? Me either.






Seriously though ... it rocked!

The next day, we got a personal tour through the Grammy Museum and it was very very cool. Michael Jackson's coats to Les Paul's guitars, Clive Davis music auditorium,  and an interactive music production sound system that could be adapted to whatever form of music you wanted ... sing with Whitney ... change the pitch ... you name it.

Can't remember this guy's name ... he was about 12 feet high and toured with some Metal band and sits on the stairway ... reminded me of Debbie a little when she found out how much I spent on these tickets!

Stay tuned for wedding pics.

Ballad of the Big Prostate

Here’s a little country tune I wrote just yesterday to commemorate a dark day in my history. I don’t have a tune but realized you can use an...