829 Southdrive

829 Southdrive

A New Jersey state of mind



Monday, December 31, 2012

Until Next Year......




Photo Quiz: What is this photo of?

A. The men's room
B. Swamps of Jersey
C. A sight I'll not see for the next seven months





10 pounds of stew beef: $32.50
1 bottle of two-buck Chuck Cabernet: $3.00
Carrots, potatoes, baby corn: $3.00
15 of my closest tailgate friends standing and eating a steaming hot
bowlful of beef stew on a freezing cold day before the last game
of the season: Priceless





Captions anyone?  





Although we ended the season with a win, we left somewhat
disappointed knowing there would be no chance for a playoff
run.  Now begins the winter of my discontent.  I know it's only
a game, but it's a game that makes us happy and I'm stickin
with that.  I'll sign off this year with the hopes that the NY Giants
will represent the National Football Conference in the 2014 
Super Bowl, in this very stadium!  Now wouldn't that be nice?

Happy New Year to all of my blogging friends, authors and readers
alike, who continue to check in to this humble site whether or not
there is anything half worthwhile reading.  Be safe tonight
and see you next year!



Sunday, December 30, 2012

If We Are To Go Forward


Miracle in the new Meadowlands. This cannot happen tomorrow.


Okay, here's the scenario for NYG to make the playoffs:

Big Blue must beat the Filthadelphia Eagles in Metlife stadium, 
something they haven't been able to do since our house
opened two years ago.  Go Big Blue.

The Detroit Lions must beat da Bearse.  Mathew Stafford has
the ability and nothing could be finer than defeating the Monsters
of the Midway on Sunday.  Go Detroit.

The Pack need to beat the Vikes, who have enough motivation
with Adrian Peterson closing on the single-season rushing record.
205 yards is no small task.  And if the Pack win, they get a first-
round bye.  Sufficient inspiration for victory.  Go Green Bay.

Last but not least, the Cryboys must beat the RG3s.  This, I think,
may be the biggest task.  These two divisional foes have become
way better as the season has progressed. Winner gets the 
divisional crown.  Go Tony Romo. 

Think of us tomorrow.  And pray for the men from East Rutherford.



Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Trimmings




I want a Big Blue Christmas





Here we come a waddling





Grandma got run over by a shortboard


Always Runnin At Someone's 'Eel




Wish he were there tonight.  His mates stole the show.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Ziggy and Harry





I absolutely was watching TV when this originally
aired.  I knew at that exact time who the dude was 
with Bing!  He could lick 'em by smiling, he could 
leave 'em to hang. 

Friday, December 7, 2012

Crew Trophy or Trophy Crew?


I've still got most of my crew trophies, made from silver, pewter, wood,
cotton, and this one which has actually gotten the most mileage by far.
 It's spent time in my garage, bookshelf, and summers down below in Bay
Rhumb. Sometimes your least conspicuous possessions
carry the most weight, and this piece is no exception.


Dad and I had a few good years, actually a few really good years
racing the Penguin together before I plain just got too big for the
boat.  Here I am, 11 years old and no doubt big for my age but
still shorter than my Dad.  Three years later, I would be almost five
inches taller than him, and a bit heavier.  From 1969 through '72, we 
raced all the BBYRA races, as well as Toms River Fall and Spring
 Series, Bay Head Frostbites, New Years Day on Long Island and 
Staten Island, a few memorial regattas, Downer regattas, 
Metedeconk River Yacht Club Labor Day Handicap Races around 
Herring Island. Gibson Island, Tred Avon, Severn River, Miles River,
 Choptank, Packanack Lake, Carnegie Lake for God's sake, Gobbler 
Bowl, Turkey Bowl, the frickin' Schuylkill (with Carnegie, two of the 
most God-awful places to race sailboats, but the best to row boats),
Cooper River, the Delaware, the Potomac (with a thermos of hot
buttered rum for the skipper)  Region IIs, ACs, Nationals, and one
Internationals in Babylon NY.  A local sailor, Mel Reid, won with
 South American sailors in the next few spots.  I remember being
glad that an American won, and I'll never forget the trophy 
presentation.  Somebody put one of those fake rubber puddles
of vomit in the silver bowl that Mel was presented.  One of my
most vivid memories.  I was 10.  Maybe that explains things.



Gibson Island, home of Penguin legend Len Penso.  I clearly remember
sailing there, but maybe we didn't do so well, hence the generic no 'place'
designation on the 'trophy'.  I chuckle to myself when I think what may have
been the reason that I, as an eight year old, got custody of this ashtray.
It's clear that this trophy has also gotten some serious mileage.
There may have been some foresight involved in the decision.

Following are some of the duties expected of the crew.





The crew must procure the donuts at the registration table he has
 been thinking about since 6 a.m.  Jelly and cream-filled are 
priorities. Arrival time dictates whether
 or not they will be obtained. 


The crew must fend other boats while skipper sails boat without
rudder secured in gudgeons due to the shallow water.

The crew must pull string during tacking to twist the mast so it is 
pointing toward the wind.

The crew must hike in a puff and get the hell down in a lull.

The crew shall be seen and not heard.




The crew shall not point one's finger in any direction, so as not to 
give any trailing boats a hint as to what crew's boat may do next.  

The crew shall make sure no lines are dragging overboard, so as not
to slow the boat down.

The crew shall not drag one's hand in the water as a result of being 
bored to death in light or no-wind races, so as not to 
slow the boat down.

The crew shall not move suddenly or jerkily, so as not to alter the 
course of the boat, or slow the boat down.

The crew shall be seen and not heard.





In my garage.  The two championship banners I grabbed from my
Old Man's house after he died.  The rooster and qualifier flag I got
as well.  These represent the 'cotton' trophies.  I was a part of the
two big banners, the rooster came after I got too big, and the '53
flag came when I was but a twinkle in my Dad's eye.  That one may
have been the very first year he sailed in the BBYRA.  I knew then, 
that may be one worth grabbing. 





Monday, December 3, 2012

Another Chance Acquaintance




Sean Wilentz allowed me to snap this photo on one of the last days
of Lahiere's existence.  He, among so many others, made the extra
effort to have one last meal in the place across Nassau Street from
New Jersey's most famous and one of the world's most respected 
institutions of higher learning. He's always been, like several other 
PU personalities who've come down Witherspoon Street to eat,
so gracious, so humble, so interested in hearing what someone like
me was thinking.  He, as well as at least one hundred other guests, 
showed up some nine years earlier on Tuesday evening, 
September 11th, 2001.  I clearly remember standing outside the front
door and rehashing with him the events of that day, and how we lost 
a common acquaintance; his former next door neighbor 
and one of our regular customers.

He brought with him to the restaurant some rather influential beings,
and I will always remember watching some of the VP debate of
2000 in the hallway of our main bar, while Arthur Schlesinger sat
on a wooden wine crate next to me.  Sean and George Will had a 
long lunch one Saturday while sitting at Einstein's table.  And one 
night years ago, he had to rush back to campus to introduce a
guest speaker for one of the lectures he was responsible for 
sponsoring.  Bill Clinton could not be kept waiting.  

The one thing I find most interesting is his friendship and access
to one of America's most well-known musicians, Bob Dylan.
As you may have read, Sean was from very early on exposed
to Dylan's music,  and he managed to penetrate Dylan's inner circle
and write an unparalleled account of the musician's career. 

I'm sure there are a couple of my readers who would be interested
in knowing this, and they would also appreciate this clip. Did you
 remember to bring your foul-weather gear home from the boat?