The Emerald Rose

m.youtube.com/watch

Irish Pub Ambient Noise

I grew up in the 1960’s, and was also in the US Navy from September 1964 -1970. John McCain was 6 years older than I was in the beginning of our terms of service in the Navy. He was a graduate the Naval Academy in Annapolis, and I had a nomination to the Academy but turned it down simply because I was told I would graduate and become a “black shoe”, (Navy slang for an engineering Officer) and spend most of my career on smaller ships like Destroyers, bobbing like a cork and being below decks keeping all the engines and other systems working. YUCK!! Not that that is by far a noble career,….but not what I wanted to do.

I wanted Aviation and did not know you could opt for Aviation AFTER you finished the Academy. So I joined the Navy Reserve and was accepted to join an old reserve Squadron that flew the P2V aircraft in March of 1964. But. About three months later I had been taking Navy Correspondence courses, for “Airman Apprentice (E-2), learned quickly and got that designation by September of 1964. It put me in the “career track” that I wanted to be, and went down to the recruiting office and joined the regular Navy for a six year enlistment, Four on regular active duty and two more in the Reserves.

Because I had already earned the “AA” Airman Apprentice rank that allowed me to go directly into that “sector” of the Navy. So after swearing in, I was on my way to Brooklyn New York for “further classification” (n.b. Note no Boot Camp except my “Navy Reserve two week Boot camp which I had already fulfilled, so I was flat “in the grinder” for a specific career path,….an aviation ratings, hence Brooklyn Naval Shipyard for all the actual testing and evaluations to be sure I had found an “Aviation” career in the Navy.

By November of ’64, it was determined that I would best “serve the needs of the Navy”, as an “Aerographers Mate” or “Weatherman”. I’d have preferred Air Traffic Controller but I was ok with it because it was definitely an “Aviation Billet”.

I became aware of John McCain as a “Jet Jockey”, (Jet plane fighter pilot). While I didn’t intentionally follow his career, when he got :shot down” over Hanoi, and was “exhibited” as a POW (Prisoner of War from the U.S. Navy, and his history and loyalty to both the country , and more importantly, the principles and tenants of my country, it’s patriots, and for it’s people, “..up and to the final check” I became a “kindred spirit”.

As , God rest his soul, Charles Krauthammer once said,…” …in our youth, everyone is a Democrat, but eventually, they become Republicans, …and ultimately,…Conservatives.” Not to even try and “up stage” Charles,….BUT as I pass 70, (actually 74) I am leaning more to “liking” the Libertarian concept! But that’s a whole other blog!!

Call me an “indecisive kid!’, but I AM exploring my life, and the “life” of the world I live in, contributed and by my votes tried to make a good selection for all of us,since I’ve been born! And now, …. I am working on setting up a “PODcast” which I’ll tell you , the where, and when it will be available for you, for FREE!!

One of my friends asked me “Why do you want to do “a Podcast’ at all?” The real answer is pretty simple, a) because I can, and , b) because I love to talk, and I have a very good speaking voice, thanks to about 6 years of professional elocution lessons, and recitals from my parents. I’ve been on both radio and TV, (radio was far better for me, and a lot more “exploratory” in terms of my particular “gifts”, a/k/a speaking, not “appearing” , and I have never been able to get “visually” excited, for a video audience! And finally because it is a GREAT way to enter your twilight years, because you can mix your life experience, your life’s learning, and whatever you’ve spent all those years developing and DOING!!

We, because I’ve been married 54 Years, and I love my wife ’til death, it’s not my experience, it’s a “collective” WE”, and I have not a single regret!!) have an entire “life experience” at 74 years old, you name it we’ve more than likely experienced it, and the rest of you (below my 74 years) have probably NOT experienced it, maybe you have, and if so you are a “comrade in arms” who can appreciate “it”!

Truly the old mantra from the 60’s Woodstock culture (albeit not a lifestyle, but an ‘age of discovery, fun, freedom, regrets, and memories,…but), they said it better, “….sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll!” The “mantra” for that early generation was “turn on, tune in, and drop out”, ergo the birth of the “chemically enhanced lifestyle” . However, being who we were, we never succumbed to the long term evils and life-long addictions of them, at least not much I hope!! But in retrospect it seems we enjoyed it enough that those that followed us are FAILING our Country, their obligation to it, and that of those who will follow us!!

Our parents all had “idiosyncrasies”, or “quirks” and “fears” that we either experienced in our lives, or were so deeply ingrained in us that we can instantly recognize them when we see, or HEAR them. Books, …Blog’s, …and Podcasts will, and already are, the “Oral history of OUR Society, and it’s confusing generations today”. And I dare say, the same type of future generations, as were the prior generations of our time, …..and we never readily, really realized it, until TODAY !

The past few weeks I’ve spent dozens, if not hundreds of hours trying to develop an effective “Podcast Title” for my project. After all that time I keep coming back to the same thing!! Here’s where I am on that, and I WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS.

Of all the businesses, projects and other “ventures” that I’ve done in my lifetime, the little Irish Pub I envisioned and actually “willed” into existence, despite no money, no expertise, and just having been a part time bartender for years, that summer of June 1993, in Dover New Hampshire was my favorite, and the most rewarding venture I’ve ever done! Not particularly profitable, ….but never the less “profitable” in my world, (some call it delusional,….but,……)

It provided both agony, pain and suffering, and a myriad of crisis and problems, both as a business and a personal experience, and a learning curve you can only experience , by living through it. It HURT me financially, and in terms being a father and effecting the lives of our youngest, and last remaining “at home” child we had at that time! (I’ll outline those factors later, but for now it was a 125% commitment by both wife and I, but “when and if, the next venture will solely be mine,….she paid her dues and spent her time in HELL, and I don’t want to subject her to this new one.

( In all honesty she told me if my next venture was another “Pub” she really hoped it had at least a bedroom on the second floor, since I would have to live there! Believe it SHE IS SERIOUS!!).

So that has extended the “search” for the next “perfect dream business”, so of course SHE is my wife, and I will share anything this Podcast reaps 50/50 with her, simply because I still love her to pieces, and she has been my only partner through all of the ups and downs of being a “serial dreamer”. If this is successful it is in fact “OUR RETIREMENT OPTION”! I always believed the expression, ‘If it’s to be, it’s up to ME!”

Therefore the title of the new PODCAST will be “LIVE from The Emerald Rose”, ….a memorable tradition, a window on life, an experiment that worked , and a memory for thousands who were part of it all!

I am planning on the first production being up and on the Internet by Memorial Day 2019, You are the first to know!!

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Details as to where, how to access, etc. coming in APRIL 2019!

April 1, 2019 (THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOLS DAY PRANK!! STAY TUNED!)

At 74 I am beginning to “wind down”, essentially my “life: is done, I’d like to say I am “happily married”, but I would be lying,let me explain a bit further.

Years ago (1967) when I got married, I promised to love, care for and cherish the girl I was marrying. After the vows it was essentially a “crap shoot”. I was in the Navy, and that was over in 1969, (still had two years of reserve duty, until a full “Honorable Discharge”.) It was my impression THAT counted for something, which in 1969 it really didn’t!! Being “Honorably Discharged” used to be a “badge of Honor”, your country, and it’s people recognized that you put YOUR life on hold, and “signed the check” for up to and including your life.

I had to think long and hard as to what to do, but the process was only “minutes” long, by that time we had a son, going on two children,Years old,and a daughter going on one year old. So what do you do?

The right thing to do was lean over, and suck it all up and do whatever you had to do to provide for them! Was it the career or the “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow, or was it plain and simply,….standing up to the responsibility of having a wife and family. That meant doing whatever it takes to feed, clothe, and shelter all of them, that’s what I did!!

No it was not a “me alone” situation” as my wife went back to work at a local Department Store where she had worked before we got married. Sounds like it’s an easy situation, but there is no way, particularly for me! She had both children since they were born and I was like an “Uncle Da-Da” because I was working so many hours plus a part time job as well. Amidst all of that I was trying to great a bunch of roots and “stepping” stone for growth for my family.

I will be the first one to tell you my wife was a REAL soldier, she handled both kids, made sure they were properly fed, clothed, and turned out as great as they did! (One is now 50, the other 48). She got little sleep the first few years, and “going out to dinner” was a trip to the local MacDonald”s and the ride to and fro’.

As they grew we got into camping, first with a tent, then a “soft-top” pop-up, and then a full pop up with slide out double beds, a pull out kitchen, and a “tent” top to cover all of us from the weather. Was it comfortable and easy after 45-50 hours of work in a city , then the committee home which involved busses, trains , and driving cars. Of course not!!! But I did it, and she “handled” the kids for five or six years as well. I used to take them on Saturday, usually I drove them around and took the to parks over looking the harbors, (Salem and Marblehead, in Massachusetts) to watch the sailboats going out, coming in, and “racing” in the weekend races: despite what Doctor Spock says they did learn, they knew “sloops” from “yawls”, and “port and Starboard”,….but more importantly they grew and LEARNED how to learn about things, life and the important things in your life!

Raising children is a whole different story, for another day, let’s deal with the “What happens when they’re gone” section , assuming you get to that point without killing each other!.

This is where the rubber meets the road and you meet life,…..HEAD-ON!

In fact allow m to continue this next time, ( at 74 it becomes increasingly harder to try and write your “life memories and thoughts” in sequence and totally.

Stay with me, it will all pay off.

Part 1

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April 16, 2019

Ever wonder how we got to this point? We are obviously probably the #1 country in the world in technological development, in Medical advancement, in business, and attempts at “educational development”, (not to be confused with “TEACHING OUR kids!) But the question is a blunt one,….why are we failing in the world! Do me a favor and look at the “WANTED Ads” in the Newspaper, ….now tell me do you know what the JOB is about? Do you understand the “Goals and Objectives” of what the employer expects?…..oh and do you know what the pay range is???? A lot of them sound like “WANTED- advanced Nuclear fission mechanic, skilled in integrated component coordination design and installation”?

(DUH!! Ok you want some one to design and make advanced components for a nuclear detonation device, (nuclear BBQ starter, …or Bomb?) Oh hell guy, can I make a nuclear bomb go off,….why not, I’ve used firecrackers and cherry bombs , what’s the difference Dude!!)

If you think that’s a “little vague….”, try reading the job descriptions themselves, OH, and remember as an employer/advertiser in the Want Ads section of the news paper you pay either by the letter, or “column inch” advertising rates! Now look at On-line help wanted ads under the Computer job openings programs, like “Indeed”, the “Glassdoor” and the myriad of others, (key difference the computer has NO restriction on length, number of words, let alone the “circuitous, net zero vacuum of millennial speak, or “say Wha’?”)

Militarily we are #1, (or so we are led to believe) but we are virtually as corrupt as Rome was, just before the real decline and fall of the Empire! (Point of fact 50% of the Congress of the United States are in fact legitimate MILLIONAIRES! BUT, by the way ONLY 1% of the population of the United States are millionaires!!!

Remember “Taxation without representation” ,………”Hey kids wake up, we’re here!!! We are the 99% of the “Populace” that is really being represented, and “controlled” by 1% of the actual PEOPLE representing them!!!! FACETIOUS COMMENT COMING: ask any “Twinkies” who are yours to leave the room before you read on! They will object, of course, and tell you garbage like “I have a degree in Anthropology from Harvard University you don’t think I can understand what you re going to say?” (My advice, say something really “pithy” like, “….by the way is you’re bedroom in the basement cleaned up?”

Back to the title, we need to understand, simply stated, we don’t know what the hell our kids are doing, what they are learning, and what they think! We don’t think of “Friday night sex” as simply a “diversion” (because there’s nothing on TV on Friday nights!) .

Guess I qualify as an “old fart”,….so live with it! But please think about it!

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March 25, 2019

Most people have never heard of “Drum & Bugle Corps”, (or call them “Bands”), but they are both historical, a sign of our passage of a number of critical skills and understandings from the WWII generation, (our Fathers, mothers and aunts and uncles),……but that was then, but what about NOW?

It was the transition of the Veterans, literally, and the wives who sacrificed SO MUCH during the War. When the mean came back they were “hardened”, and if it were not for the disciplines that were established by the wives, in the children, in the manner of living and growing as a family,…….THAT is all brought together to establish the “baby boomers”! But it continued through the education systems, teachers and schools as well.

I personally believe that because most husbands and “fathers” were away at war, and frankly when they got back it became the largest “culture shock” imaginable for them. Most of them survived it, BUT after years of battle, military lifestyle, and just plain “doing what had to be done”, they were ill-equipped to handle it well,….but the majority rose to the occasion.

I think the entire “Drum and Bugle Corps” era was totally the contribution they made to “create the next generation”,…. but like everything else in life it grew and evolved, not necessarily for the “good”, but for money, elitism, and why we look around today and say “What the hell happened, and how did we get to this mess we are in today?”

What were those of returning soldiers, sailors, and airmen? They learned to “follow orders”, march and maintain organization, and “make things happen”, but they also learned being “hard”, being “demanding”, and “accepting no shortcomings or excuses”.

As new Parents, they needed a way to transfer those skills, therefore they created a “shadow pseudo military” structure for their children. It was done with love, with concern and caring,….but it was basically imbuing in them what it is to be a FREE American, and not a fear ridden new society, and with beliefs and absolute personification of the love of each other, our Country, and a GOD and framework of unique opportunity and success as AMERICAN’s!

Here is prima facia evidence of that NEW spirit they passed on and nurtured through their and others children. It was never given with a “bad word”, or personal criticism, but in a frame work that we are ALL in this together, DO YOUR BEST FOR EVERYONE!

Read the following comments I recently read on an Internet page about Drum & Bugle Corps, but more importantly the LESSONS learned, and the SACRIFICE made for others that made AMERICA GREAT!.

I rest my case,….isn’t this the result we all want as parents, friends and neighbors and more importantly AMERICANS?

They passed on to us what we needed to know, how we depended on each other and to the “third string” little guys who had just joined the Drum Corps, they needed our help our support, and our joint brotherhood to be what we need to be in this world.

A personal reflection, In my first Drum Corps, we had a young man named “Rocky” and Rocky was a DEAF MUTE, but wanted to be in “the corps”. A few of the drummers and the instructors worked with him and taught him drumming by drumming the part and the song on his BACK,….and guess what after a month or so you could not pick him out of the drum line as anything other than a drummer with the other 7 drummers, there was no difference!!

Everything is possible if we really want to take the time and patience to help everyone learn to be a member of “The CORPS”!!

Who did you help out today?

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March 20, 2019

“Just a huge and humble “Thank You”, to everyone who sent Birthday wishes. I wrote something yesterday, but I guess with age the memory of fundamental Facebook operations decreases,……it went something like this;

“When I think about being 70 years old I am almost startled at what I’ve lived through in my life thus far,….for example,

1. That’s 7 decades, two different centuries, and two different millenniums that I’ve been here on this “Big Blue Marble”,..called Earth PLUS how about these,….

2. Seven Catholic Popes,

3. 13 United States Presidents

4. The assassinations of JFK, MLK, and RFK (President John F. Kennedy, Reverend Martin Luther King, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Death of “Ted Kennedy” the last of the Kennedy Brothers, of brain cancer.

5. While I lived the following folks lived and walked the earth as well, Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, “FDR”( Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ho Chi Minh, The IRA (Irish Republican Army), the “Weathermen” (no they weren’t the TV folks on the Weather Channel! And saw a Billionaires daughter rob a bank on live camera footage!

6. I was alive BEFORE Word War II ended, lived through the “Korean Conflict” (and it was a lot like MASH the TV Series, The Bay of Pigs failed invasion to liberate Cuba from Fidel Castro, (and his Coup of Cuba and it’s army and rulers in 1959-1960, The subsequent “United States and Russia ICBM (Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles) blockade of Cuba” (the ULTIMATE game of “Chicken” with the Soviet Union , between Nikita Kruschev, and President John F. Kennedy on LIVE TV, The capture of Francis Gary Powers, shot down by the Russians in one of our first “U2″ spy planes”, a couple little WARS in El Salvador, and one between Great Britain and an Argentina set of Islands called the “Falklands”, The Vietnam Nam War, The War in Iraqi, Afghanistan, the ORIGINAL establishment of the United Nations, the CREATION of a little Country called Israel, the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) , the end of Auschwitz, Dachau, and dozens or other horrors in and to Humanity , and dozens of more atrocities.

7 I served my country for 6 years of my life, some of which was a “hitch” on a US Navy Aircraft Carrier that was THREE years older than me, the USS ESSEX, survived WW2, (I was also privileged to ride her out of Commission in 1969.

8. I worked a full time job, a part time job, and went to college nights on “the GI Bill”,

9. I’ve been married to the same Loving woman for 48 years (53 now) have had three great kids (our youngest passed at 40 from Spinal Meningitis, two charming Granddaughters, one 26, the other 10, and one Grandson, age 3, and at this age (74 now) am the “Patriarch” of the Family name.

10. Have been using “TM Transcendental Meditation” twice a day since 2011,

11. Had Triple By-pass Surgery over 10 years ago, still go to the gym ( a late bloomer to “exercise”),

12. …..and many other things to list without “breaking” the Blog

But the bottom line is , you ever wonder why us “old farts” to bed early and get to be “”curmudgeons “?

But a sincere thank you ,….and just think about your own life,…..it’s really an awakening experience, …..and YOU lived it!!!

If you look at the top of this and every blog you will see a “tag line” after the title, mine is simple and a good thing to remember,….”…you are not responsible for luck, ,…but you are for YOUR life!!”

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March 18, 2019

About 5 years minus one day, because the 22nd Of February was my 70th year on this “big blue marble” we call the earth, and I was going back through old blogs and I came up with one from February 23, 2015, which I wrote as a response to all the birthday well wishes I had received on my Facebook page that past week.

As I re-read it even I was astounded at what I had written. It was basically a chronicle of the major things that had gone on in my life since I first breathed life, after the proverbial “smack on the butt” by the Doctor. It was like a personal observance of events that I was literally “there for”, but not a true witness to but, a simply a bystander for them.

So maybe I should start writing five year updates since then for every four or five years the good Lord allows me to hang out here on the “marble”. Hope you enjoy this, the past four year update.

My only real “regret” is that I waited until I was 70 to start doing this, life is “,…..water under the dam”, and we live it, but in retrospect it is truly epic. I urge everyone to start this habit, but start at 25 or thirty! It represents a full multi night documentary for your family, friends and anyone who reads it! Besides which it is YOUR life recorded for posterity, for better or for worse. Not what “YOU” did, but what was going on in the world, the country, the city r town you live in! Enjoy yourself and let me know if I can help you any.

I’m preparing to start a “Podcast” in the coming year so that by this time next year you may be able to listen to this on iPhone Airbuds, or whatever is around then! Good Luck,….and remember your truth of your life is really what you experienced and what was meaningful to you, at ALL levels since they are YOUR levels,not mine, not my children, not my grandparents,…..but YOUR’s be true to it,….and I’ll still be smiling!

And as the “tag line” on my blog (www.guinness222.com) says,…”you are not responsible for your luck,….but YOU are for your life!!”

Keep you posted on the “podcast” but I am getting excited! ” From me, to world events, political, sports, people and what is going on ,…..it’s my take on it!!”

First question! Why do a few have so much or so many dollars, and seem to be so lucky?

First Answer: because they were smart, not “Lucky” enough to know these three things,

a) They did not know everything,

b) They Only knew what they already knew,

c) They needed to surround themselves with advisors and mentors with more knowledge, more experience, OR someone who could chart their trip to success and a great business for them!!

Obviously number three is the MOST CRITICAL factor in business development to make the business REALLY work, grow, and be successful for them. No offense by that statement, BUT understand that is the REAL DIFFERENCE between just being a “business”, and “running a real business”!

It’s the critical difference between being a “wannabe” and a “Successful Business Owner”. Sure you know how to “DO” what your business is about, and YOU may even be good at what you “DO”. BUT all that means is YOU know, and can do what your business needs to DO, but how do you leverage it, and replicate it a thousand, or ten thousand times more that just YOU DOING it?

Find a sincere, (keyword!), “TEAM”, who are willing to basically work for nothing, become your “brain trust” , and are working for basically the self satisfaction of r$ on their successes to you and your company, for a free lunch and a full day to spend with you perhaps twice or three times a year. They must be willing to listen to you and your “Key Staff”, CFO, Marketing manager, Advertising folks, and all the other key folks who will keep your firm “going” on a united path, and direction toward an achievable goal with benchmarks and adjustments that the “Company NEEDS” to accomplish to survive and grow!!

One of my best jobs was working for two Harvard Grads, and their third partner who was into design and Art for Album covers and sundry other Graphic Arts projects.

As I said they were both young Harvard students who, aside from the obvious Harvard aura and famed “B” school was producing some of the greatest entrepreneurial leaders of the 20th Century, which had yet to come at that time. Anyway, I digress, but they realized they needed expert advice to build a simple idea they had to fill a void , BUT did not want to “give away the store” for it! So they sat down and, while I’m sure it came from Harvard in it’s “PRIME DAYS”, decided to create an advisory panel of PROVEN local businesses that had succeeded, and ask their owners to be on their fledgling “Board of Directors/Advisors”. Rather than be the “ceremonial Director” on “famous name to assure bank loans” etc. They set up a pretty rigorous “Board”, while the President and Treasurer had COMPLETE control of the company, they met quarterly with their “Board” for an entire day. The dates were picked, the times agreed to , but it was a “non-negotiable” that a WHOLE DAY WAS MANDATORY. At first I thought it was “a little clever”, but previous experience had shown me that unless it was a really serious setup and was worth the “Directors time” it would fall apart of simply become a “whatever” concept.

But they were VERY serious! I spent a LOT of time following and studying the process and it’s results, but as the “Director of Administrative Services” or the “fix it and clean it all up and make it all hum like a well oiled machine” I was not privileged enough to be able to ask innocuous questions and their trust in me provided answers for me, that I could piece together myself to see what was happening!

It was a simple process, all calls for the President, the Treasurer and Controller (my direct boss) were to be held and there were no interruptions to happen during “the MEETINGS”! Lunch was a simple affair, sandwiches, soft drinks or water, that’s it! No Lobster, Prime Rib, or anything else,…..because the objective was chart the company and how it grows,….and create that surety to continued growth and profit. There was constant coffee, tea, bottled water and that was it! Really the model of what business meetings should be, disciplined, thorough, and all in an 8am -3pm period.

The President of the Company would discuss what they had done, based on what they had previously agreed to, then “postulate” on the next steps they should take and how and why. Then the Treasurer would go through all the numbers that had transpired and were projected in the next six or eight months, based on their cash flow, and the other needs and requirements. The President would then do a presentation on the “new things” they wanted to implement, or accomplish and the various processes that had to be implemented and their operational input and results to date, plus a six month outlook to their effect for the future operations. The Treasurer and ,my boss the VP of Finance, would then provide assessment on the costs and necessities required to make it all happen and well as the entire “risk assessments”,…..the other “Directors/Advisors would ask questions, get answers then provide their opinions and comments, as to the “path” presented for the next six months.

After a 30 minute “break” during which “one on one” time and the break would allow them to raise any questions or specific items they had in mind. They would all then get back together render their opinions to the President, the VP of Finance, and the Treasurer, and it would conclude with a path plotted, or understanding as to changes that needed to be made before proceeding,…..or a “hold Status” pending future discussions, or additional information being provided. And the Meeting Ended.

Here comes the “commercial” for me!

As Frank Sinatra once sang, “I’ve been a puppet, a poet…., a pawn and a king, …..I’ve been up and down, and over and out,…but I know one thing. Each time I fall the only thing,…is to get up and do it all over again! That’s life, that’s what all the people say,….”

In my 74 years and over 55 of being in various businesses I must say it worked phenomenally. Then the routine “execution” of all the plans and processes were subsequently integrated, adjusted, and made actionable.

That is what 95% of all the businesses I’ve ever been involved with NEED to do, but to do it you need a person to pull it all together and make sure all the cogs are working smoothly to insure it happens. It CANNOT be done on the strength of the players I’ve already discussed, ….there need to be an “Ombudsman” to insure it is being smoothly and effectively integrated and operating at all levels,…….guess who? MOI!!

I’ve filled all of those slots and owned several companies,…it’s all the same from the local Deli (I wonder if there are any left?) to General Electric. We just “lost” sight of the principles that make them work RIGHT!!

End of rant,…but my options are writing a blog (soon to be a podcast) or pushing carts in the super market parking lot until “the big one” gets me!

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March 16, 2019

For the many years that I have Been a bartender at Fraternal Organizations, Weddings,Fund raisers, and at my own Country Western Club, and my Irish Pub, “The Emerald Rose”, I thought I’d heard it all,…..BUT I haven’t even scratched the surface when I chat with other fellow bartenders, or as is my hobby now in “in quasi retirement”, I never cease to be even more amazed. Just sitting at the bar with a “Pint o’ Guinness”, and my iPad!

So what about it? Well this past weekend my wife and I went to our local “Emerald Coast Theatre Company”, to see a limited engagement of a one woman play called ” Bad Dates”. To the summary, first it is OUTSTANDING, full of energy, action, AND the time flew by,….it hits all the buttons, for both men and women, and the “sassier” the actress the better the play. And I was still smiling after we got home, (and chuckling in my sleep), I”m sure.

The thought that struck me as we were walking to the car was, “Boy! Just like a confidential chat with the bartender’s and their patrons minds, (or lack thereof!) They see it all and they hear it all. You don’t have to write a word of fiction,…..just the real life observations of “the bartenders”. It is fact NOT fiction!!

The next day the concept was still rolling around in my head (kind of like a loose marble in the A/C ducts)! What if “IT WERE A ONE MAN SHOW TOO! Ooh-oh, I felt like an “evil” little thought invaded my head,……but a BIG smile broke out on my face, and the little voice in my head said “TRY IT!!”

FACT: as I am writing this idea, the two guys next to me, both construction workers are having a discussion with the bartender about the way their Fathers kept them on the straight and narrow, one guy made mention of a mistake he had made, and his Father wanted to discipline him so he would remember his mistake for a long time. So he put a 12″ piece of duct tape on his right arm, from the elbow down, and said “You think what you did was alright”, as the guy told him “I told him it was just a joke.”, and his Dad pulled the strip of Duct tape off his arm! It was when he was first beginning to grow hair on his forearm!! Everyone laughed at him, including himself. Lesson taught, Lesson earned,….FOREVER!!

I started thinking about the “staging” of the play. I wanted the Bartender to be the Primary actor , talking to the audience, but not disrupting the “customers” ( who are reduced to a “mumbling background” while the “Bartender” is speaking to the audience).

All it would take for staging is a typical bar lighting (but bright enough for the audience to see clearly) , and a “mike” on the bartender, that could be adjusted to an increased volume over the rest of the folks in the bar. When the bartender wanted to “talk to the audience” the floor behind the bar would raise the bartender up about 12″ to 18″ so he would be highly visible and a spotlight on him, and a diminished light level on the rest of the patrons and characters.

The play should focus on the bartender, his injected thoughts, his need to acquiesce to the patrons opinions and thought “preserve the peace, make drinks and manage the folks who have a tendency to get out of hand.

A whole act about handling the level of booze the patrons are consuming, the eccentricities of each, (since the Bartender has to know “how much” is enough for every one of the patrons,…..or the place gets “busted” for over serving, and the restaurant or bar as well as the bartender get fined or penalized for “over serving”.

A whole range of characters, stories and outcomes is a very fertile field upon which to “plant the seeds” of a great crop of “self written” variations to keep the play fresh and new for the audience.

Love to hear your comments,…..but I’ve already begun to write the first version of my play, called “Conversations at the Pub”!

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March 11, 2019

Tom Corcoran a/k/a “Mr.Guinness”