Condo Commanders

As I sit here in the comfort of my home I am still reeling from the effects of last night's Town Hall-style meeting at the Environ Cultural Center. A group of condo commandos, not even board members, decided to call this meeting to let the people of Inverrary know that they didn't want any more development in Inverrary.

Well, that sounds like a good topic doesn't it? Who would want more development in their neighborhood? We already have 19.000 people living in Inverrary which was built in 1971 as a retirement golf community. We already have problems with too much traffic on Inverrary Boulevard, difficulty getting in and out of the neighborhood when we want to get to work on time. If there were any more development it would have to be on the open space -- which used to be the most pristine, lauded golf courses in Broward County.

However, there is a document that was created in 1971 called a Covenant or a Deed Restriction. This piece of paper clearly states that the golf courses must always be used for recreational purposes. There is a long laundry list of the types of recreational purposes on that document. And the best part is that it was put in place for 25 years, which of course have come and gone, but the language clearly states that it automatically renews for an additional 10 years at the end of the 25 year and perpetually for 10 year periods. Of course, like any legal document, it can be amended, but it needs a 2/3 vote from ALL of the residents of Inverrary. Do the math! That would be about 12,600 people. Now when there is a presidential election barely 2,500 people get out and vote. So what makes anyone think that 12,000 would vote for additional congestion in their neighborhood??

Anyway, the real purpose of last night's meeting came to a head as this person, Bill Eisenberg, angrily and very sarcastically, tried to read the minutes of all of the Inverrary Association meetings and draw conclusions that Joel Leshinsky ran all the meetings illegally because he never had quorums and that maybe he had something to gain by allowing the developers to purchase the land and try to encourage the residents with enticements to allow the development of new housing in Inverrary.

The man, Bill Eisenberg, came armed with an overhead projector, slides of the minutes and letters that were written to lawyers. He brought two men from the Hills of Inverrary -- the development where we live. They each had the opportunity to speak and draw additional conclusions about how Joel Leshinsky might be conducting business for his personal gain. Of course they really never said that because Joel could sue them for defamation of character, but they kept saying things like, "draw your own conclusions folks, why else would Joel Leshinsky hold these meetings in the middle of the day when people are working? He didn't really want to have a quorum."

It was all so surreal. There were probably 200 people, maybe more in the room. Of course, they started to shout things out to Bill Eisenberg like, "What is your point?" "Who is Joel Leshinsky and is he here tonight?"

Well that is when Joel stood up. I stood up too and made Rachel and Adina stand up so that they could see who we were. I am very proud of my husband and for all of the time he has volunteered for the betterment of our community. It takes a lot of patience and dedication to do what he has done over the past eight years as president of the inverrary Association. Really, and truly, no one else wanted this position and hardly anyone attends the meetings. However, over the years Joel has held many Town Hall Meetings. he has invited City and County officials to come out and speak to the residents to let them know what is going on in their community and the larger community of the County. He also has invited state legislators to come to these meetings to let residents know what is going on at the state level that affects us.

The best part was when Mayor Richard Kaplan got up to speak. He had been taking notes on what Bill and all of the speakers were accusing Joel of. He spoke to each and every point speaking slowly and very clearly in layman's terminology. He spoke very highly of Joel. He didn't have to do that either.

Then Joel was allowed to stand up and speak. They only gave him three minutes to defend himself, but then again this wasn't a trial. He said that most of these facts were incorrect ant that there will be an Inverrary Association Town Hall Meeting in a couple of weeks and everyone is invited back to hear the facts. At that meeting will be Steve Weinberg, the Inverrary Association's lawyer who was denied access to last night's meeting by Bill Eisenberg because he told Steve it was HIS meeting and Steve was not welcome. Steve also brought with him a Land Use Attorney who was also denied access. Once Joel mentioned this fact, the meeting immediately broke up and everyone got up and left the building.

The meeting was three hours long. The folks streaming out were saying that it was a ridiculous meeting and there was no point made. A Sun-Sentinel reporter was there and taking notes and interviewing people as they exited the building. So I am sure there will be a follow up article in the paper.

We were totally exhausted and didn't get home until 10 pm. I felt bad that the kids saw how cruel adults can be to each other. Rachel was crying but Adina took it well. But they saw what their father does. And he does it completely on a voluntary basis so that the community will be a better place for them to live in. He also does it so that they understand the importance of volunteering and giving back to your community. And, obviously, we don't give in order to receive. We give because we believe in the cause.

And that is the point that Condo Commanders miss. They seem to have small lives and this condo business fills some void in their small lives and this is probably the most important thing that will ever happen. And that is so sad. Life is for living and volunteering should be a done for the cause not for personal gain.

My Head is Full of Nothing

Sometimes I feel like there is a whole lot of nothing going on in my head.

Yeah, I know that sounds cliche, but I have just come through a year of stress, a year where every moment was programmed with deadlines that had to be met. And then, the deadlines overlapped. There was no down time. Every moment had to count.

I learned, very quickly, how to get things done as efficiently as possible and to delegate what I couldn't possibly do myself.

Since January 25, I have had this feeling of unwinding -- different of course from unraveling which is a negative. But instead, I am learning to relax and let go. It is okay to read a book instead of reading email. It is okay to sit a glass of wine and put my feet up on the couch without feeling guilty that the laundry isn't getting done. I have been moving at a slower pace.

Then I realize that I am sitting in my car, on the trolley or standing in line somewhere and there is a whole lot of nothing going on in my head. No particular thought pattern. Just observing the world without judgement or though processes.

It is a good feeling. I have been able to let go a bit. The world will exist without me making lists and checking off what needs to get done.

Of course, I still make sure that the bills are paid, the laundry is washed and folded, the house gets cleaned, the girls get to wherever they need to be, I get myself to and from work and get the work done. That hasn't changed.

What has changed is the urgency inside me to make it all happen faster. There is no sense of urgency now.

I feel that I have more time, although in reality, no one has more time. It is just how well you manage your time in order to allow yourself the time to relax, or go to the gym, or to the beach.

So, for now, a whole lot of nothing in my head is a good place to be. Just in time for my vacation next week with the girls.

Another Successful Public Art Installation

Okay, so this time I didn't have the heartache, the worries, the involvement, the creativity or the responsibilities like I did with the Broward Light Project event, but as of two weeks ago, I was plunged into the heart of the dedication ceremony for the ArtsPark at Young Circle . . . along with two other staff members of the Broward Cultural Division. And, last night, we sat back and watched the event unfold in perfect harmony.

Two weeks ago Steve Glassman, Claire Garrett and I realized that the City of Hollywood was leaving the County out of the information loop. We weren't included in their press release proofing, we didn't know if our public artist -- who was commissioned with two-percent of the construction budget for the ArtsPark -- to work in tandam with the architect for this project, wouldn't be properly recognized. So we contacted the city staff, met with them and were thrust into the heart of the planning process.

The past two weeks were spent on countless calls and emails back and forth to assist in the coordination of communication. No complaints here, just facts.

The excitement was building, the informational emails were flying from the City and we forwarded them on to our lists. We sent out emails about Ritsuko Taho, the public artist from Japan who was commissioned to create a spectacular water sculpture called Millennium Springs that shoots plumes of water 20 feet into the air and moves in a pattern that was measured from the biorhythm of the Baobab tree in the park. She also created a Dreamwave-- also known as the "Tree of Life," and is considered to be a sacred tree and an inspiration for mythology and legend in West Africa and other regions of the world where it grows -- is a ceremonial rope that will be changed annually. And finally, an e-sculpture which consists of various webcams sprinkled throughout the park so that if you can't visit the park as often as you like, you can click onto your computer and take a peek everyone now and then, or perhaps make it your home page so that you can always visit.

The entire concept is unique and exciting. Something completely different than the Broward Cultural Division's Public Art and Design Program has done yet.

The evening began with a private reception at a restaurant adajant to the park. The glasses were clinking, the spirits were lifted, smiles were flashed. At around 6 p.m. we left the reception, were handed a complimentary blanket and we walked across the street into the circle. There were crowds of people entering the park. There was "Britto Central" set up in a tent selling original Romero Britto merchandise. Oh, did I mention that Romero Britto was at the event too??

There were musicians sprinkled here and there throughout the park playing various types of music. There were "living sculptures" standing frozen in the white toga-like costumes with their pasty-white makeup and moving just a fraction so that you realized that they weren't sculptures!

After checking in at a tent and receiving a huge ArtsPark button and a bottle of water and we were pointed over to the VIP area that had been "roped" off with red ribbons. There in the third row sat Joel and Adina, my sweet family had saved me a chair! Rachel was home not feeling too well.

Steve and Rande sat behind me. Claire sat on the other side of the audience so that she was closer to the Baobab tree because at the appropriate time she was going over to the tree to stand in front of the webcam to wave at Ritsuko, who couldn't be here because she was in Japan! But thanks to her e-sculpture she was able to be part of the ceremony.

The evening began with an acappella group singing and making sounds like guitars and drums. They were very good, but too long. Spero Canton, was the MC (I remember him from years ago when Joel worked at ON TV and he was at BellSouth). Commissioner Sue Gunzburger was next. Since Mayor Eggelletion couldn't attend, she spoke for both of them. Samantha wrote both speeches. The commissioner used both and added a bit of her own flair. She even had the Broward Cultural Council and Division members stand and she recognized each and every one of us. Okay, so she called Steve -- Steve Greenburger when she should have said Steve Glassman, but she corrected herself before she sat down. That was very personable of her.

The evening went on and on, each and every city commissioner came up to the podium and spoke, including the city manager, Cameron Benson -- who I remember as a kid fresh out of college coming into our office to visit Cathy Zaden back in the 1980s! Finally Margi Nothard, the lead architect, spoke and gave a "walking tour" of the park and artwork and a two-minute video was shown which featured the mayor of Hollywood and our public artist Ritsuko Taho.

The fountain was lit with lots of pomp and circumstance -- music and lasers, oohs and aaahs were heard from the crowd. The crowd was allowed to experience the movements of the water sculpture and watch the changing lights and were even sprinkled with droplets thanks to the very heavy gusts of wind that blew them in various directions.

Then we were asked to walk toward the Romero Britto sculpture which was wrapped in a very colorful parachute material. A firefighter was lowered from a lift truck -- way up in the air -- to hook onto the parachute material and then lifted back up very slowly to reveal the butterfly-shaped sculpture that Romero Britto donated to the City of Hollywood.

It was a dramatic moment.

A deep sigh. It was over. It was a beautiful evening. And -- this is only phase one!! There will be two more phases as this was only the dedication of the opening of the park itself and the artwork. Next will be the actual building of the facilities within the park which includes a cultural center where hands-on arts activities will take place, art exhibits, performances and more!

So, there is more to come . . . stand by!

Muscle Memory

I have read that muscles have a memory. Not really like a brain having a memory, but more like a rechargable battery. If you work out regularly, as a part of your life but then get sidelined by whatever . . . your muscles will "remember" where you left off. True, it takes a couple of weeks to get back into the shape that you once were when you stopped working out, but then the muscle remembers and suddenly it gets easier to work out.

Well, I was at the gym today. I was thinking about that, but then I got to thinking about why I do the exercises that I do. And, I tend to do those exercises in a particular order as well.

When I start to work out, I start by stretching -- trying to reach my hands to the floor -- hard at the beginning but then as I warm up it is easier. As I did that today, I heard Debbie Rodenski's voice telling me how to reach to the floor and to round my back as I rolled up slowly.

Wow, I hadn't thought of Debbie in a long time. She was my jazz dance teacher for about 15 years.

Then that got me thinking about the next exercise. I heard Pablo Malco's voice telling me to walk my hands away from my feet so that you are in an upside down "V" and then keeping my hands flat, walk my feet in place one and then the other. Then he would tell us to bend our elbows so that we were doing a sort of upside down push up. Pablo was my hip-hop dance teacher.

Okay, now this was getting fun.

Then I was sitting on the floor, feet flat against each other and knees flat on the mat. Now I heard Nancy Clouse telling the girls in the American Gymnastics gym in Margate to flap the knees up and down like a butterfly and then touch your nose to your toes! Nancy and I taught gymnastics together when I first moved to Florida.

Then lying on my back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor -- I heard Mrs. Schneider (Danny's Mom) -- telling me to raise my hips to the ceiling (she was my Yoga teacher in at the Y when I was in high school!

Then I had one foot flat on the floor, knee bent, the other leg bent with my foot on my knee and that knee facing the side wall (confusing I know). Reaching inside and around the leg and pushing with my elbow -- never mind too hard to explain -- I heard Kenny, another jazz dance teacher from the University Center telling us how to stretch out our hamstrings.

Well, you get the idea. But what really amazed me is that my routine is a compilation of all of the various activities I have done over the years. I have gathered the best of the best and repeated them to create my own workout. I suppose that is what most people do. But I remember and thank all of my teachers who have inspired me to keep going.

I am still a 60s Child

Something that will remain deep in my core is the fact that I am a product of the 60s. I can't help it so I just accept it. The values and beliefs that I have were formed at a time when the world was rapidly changing.

There was a war going on in a remote jungle overseas. A war that was invisible to me until my parents would turn on the evening news. Suddenly I was thrust into a world of daily body counts, blurry images of tropical forests with young boys squatting in the underbrush and firing their weapons at the "enemy." It was our first encounter with real time news.

Then the next set of images were right here in my own country. More blurry black and white images of dark skinned men and women calmly marching down main streets in the deep south getting pushed back by white skinned men in police uniforms welding fire hoses and aiming them at the wall of people peacefully demonstrating that they are not afraid to ask for equality.

The one image that will NEVER leave me is the day that my grandmother and I sat in her kitchen, surrounded by the familiar smells of her eastern European recipes bubbling on the stove and the fruit-patterned wallpaper of the walls. The man on the TV slowly removed his horn-rimmed eyeglasses with one hand and immediately swiped away tears from his eyes -- something that newscasters are never supposed to do (show emotion) -- and drew in a deep breath and announced, "President Kennedy has been shot and pronounced dead." Walter Cronkite was dazed and reflected the same confused look on his face that now appeared on my grandmother's face. I am sure that the entire nation felt exactly the same at that moment in time. Time stood still for me. At six years old my world caved at that moment. I realized right there that NOTHING was forever.

All of these events left an indelible mark on me. All of the follk singers of that era affected me even more. Pete Seegar, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Arlo Guthrie. Their songs spoke to my heart. I felt the world's pain. As I grew up I became angry about antisemitism, about predjudism, about war.

I couldn't understand why people had so much hate in them when we live in such a beautiful country. There are so many reasons to live and to love. Why waste so much energy on hate?

So when Arlo Guthrie came to town a few weeks ago, I took Rachel to see him. I was overwhelmed in how little he has changed. He still looks exactly the same. Same long, way hair parted down the middle -- okay so it is now white. Same pristine voice. Same long-winded stories that tell a lot about our history but also make you smile.

Then when the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival showed the Concert for Bangladesh I was once again in my glory. Watching George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell and Eric Clapton on the large screen performing songs from my youth was wonderful. And, I was actually at that concert at Madison Square Garden! I remember it well.

An era gone by, but not forgotten. It will be with me forever. And for that . . . I am glad to be a child of the 60s.

Volkswagon Bug

Who knew that a bug could create a family memory?

That's right, a bug. A huge (well maybe not that big), black, shiny, noisy bug made a family memory for the Leshinskys last night.

It all started at about 10:30 pm when Rachel and I were in my bed, all relaxed in pajamas -- the clothing of choice for this vacation -- watching Haunted Hotels on the Travel Channel (very exciting stuff here). I was almost sleeping when all of a sudden we hear this really weird noise.

First I think it is part of the TV show we are watching. But then I realized that the buzzing noise is in my bedroom. Then this thing starts flying into the TV screen! But it didn't have a normal pattern like a fly or a mosquito or even a moth. It would slam into the TV screen and bounce off and drop to the floor.

We really couldn't see anything because the lights were off and we had a couple of candles burning. So I flipped on the light and Rachel starts screaming and jumping under the covers!

So I get up (Rachel is now yelling out, "where are you going? don't leave me!"). I am not going to let this stupid insect scare me. So I went into the bathroom to get a magazine to swat this thing.

Then we sat on the bed to wait. And wait. And wait. Suddenly this huge thing flies up off the floor from under the furniture and starts flying toward the lamp then toward the ceiling and bounced off the ceiling and hits the window shade and falls down behind the bed.

Everyone once in a while it buzzed and flew up to the ceiling again and back behind the bed.

It was too fast for me to even get to. So I went downstairs to get Grace (our cat) while Rachel was whining, "please don't leave me alone with that thing!" I was giggling all the way downstairs.

Poor Grace was sleeping and was dazed when I carried her upstairs. We sat on the edge of the bed close to where we last saw this bug. But we eventually gave up.

Joel came upstairs, we were both tired and went to sleep.

I was in this really nice, deep sleep and suddenly Joel leaps out of bed and is making weird noises. I was sleepy and not sure what he was doing. Finally I found my voice and asked him. He said, "that Volkswagon bug was in my mouth!"

That is all I had to hear. I burst out laughing. I knew that was really gross and I would have been terrified if I woke up to find a bug in my mouth. But I couldn't help but laugh. I was laughing so hard that I had to share this information with Rachel. So I went into her room and told her to come into our room. I said, "Daddy has something to tell you."

So he did and we laughed even harder. Then Adina woke up and joined us and we told her the story. We laughed again!

This went on for about an hour. We were all cuddled together in bed, laughing and talking.

We never did find the bug, but it certainly is a moment in time that will stick with us!

Vacation Brain

There is definitely a different mind set when you are on vacation.

The pace of living changes. Time takes on a different meaning. Eating patterns change. Sleeping patterns change.

But then again, that is what vacations are for. To completely change your patterns so that you can regroup and recharge your batteries.

I completely enjoy staying home on vacation with my girls. We slept late every day. Everyday we cleaned up a different area of the house. One day it was the laundry room. Another day it was the pantry. Yesterday was Adina's bedroom. Wow, now that was a task that took six hours because we had to go through every single drawer and dump it out and get rid of whatever doesn't fit and then we did the same with her closet.

Once we finish, we get a fabulous feeling of accomplishment. It makes me laugh because these accomlishments are so simple but feel so wonderful.

So different than accomplishments at work. At work we expect to have milestones and check off the to do list from now and then and then at the end of the year we look back to see what we have accomplished.

But in our home lives, we don't usually think about milestones or to do lists. But if we did, we could look back and see all of the floors that we had scrubbed or the loads of laundry that we washed and dried. Not as impressive, but equally as or more important since it prepares us and creates the very foundation for the rest of our daily living. We can't possibly go to work in dirty or wrinkled clothing. We can't go to work hungry because we forgot to go shopping for food. So we do all this prep work at home. But when both parents work full time and have kids, the free time doesn't exist. Every moment matters. Every moment is programmed.

That is why I love the free time in my own home. If I don't want to get out of pajamas -- I just don't. If I want to watch TV until my eyeballs fall out -- I do. But the best part is that my two sweet girls enjoy doing nothing equally as much as I enjoy it.

So, my vacation has been a break from thinking in fast motion. Next week that will change, but I will be ready. I may not move as fast as I normally do, but I will be rested. At least for day number one!!

So for now, I am off to drift back into my vacation brain.

And So Another Year Comes To An End

As 2006 draws to an end, I reflect on what I have accomplished and what I hope to accomplish in the upcoming year.

As my friend Samantha suggested, I am drafting my personal goals here for what I want to achieve, independant of my job, my spouse, my children, my family. I have never done this before. Oh, I have made lists. In fact my entire life has been a series of lists. I LOVE to check items off of the list once I have completed that task. But I have never created a personal task list.

First, what have I accomplished this past year?

• Created and maintained a blog
• Traveled to Alaska
• Cooked Thanksgiving Dinner
• Gathered at least three times with my girlfriends to have a girls day to chat
• Abandoned my car and used Mass Transit to get to work
• Lowered and maintained my cholesterol

Okay, so what does this all mean? I have done something good for the environment, not to mention my soul by taking the Trolley to work. I don't deal with traffic or parking, and I have already read three novels. I did something healthy for my body by faithfully going to my doctor and monitored my blood levels. I did something for my mind by placing my private thoughts on digital paper and invited my family and friends to share these thoughts. I took time for Jody to rediscover who she is, not the mom or the wife, but the individual deep inside by talking with my girlfriends over glasses of wine. I proved to myself that I actually can cook if I want to and did it very well . . . with some coaching, but I did it! And last, but not least, I went 4,000 miles away from home and saw sites that were incredibly beautiful and completely unforgetable.

So what do I hope to accomplish this year?

• Establish a will
• Add funds to my retirement fund
• Start planning Adina's Bat Mitzvah
• Start taking dance classes
• Take Adina on a trip over the summer
• Explore photography more seriously
• Read one book a month

I may add to this list and I may edit it. It sounds ambitious at the moment. But it is a starting place. One thing that is bothering me is that it isn't completely about me. But that is the "Gloria" in me! I am always thinking of others.

Happy New Year. May we all find healthy, happiness and prosperity in 2007.

Happy Thanksgiving

Once again it is that time of year where we sit around and stuff ourselves with poultry and dressings and count our blessings. This year I am very thankful that I was able to cook dinner. At first I thought Joel was kidding, but when he told me that he had to work until 1 PM, I knew that it really was up to me.

Actually, it was supposed to be up to Rachel, Adina and me, but I was up at 6 a.m. drinking coffee and watching the news. So at that point I figured that I would just keep on going.

I started out by boiling water and sugar and adding in the three bags of cranberries. That took all of ten minutes. While that was cooking I stuck seven sweet potatoes into the microwave/convection oven for about an hour. Then I cut two butternut squash in half and placed them face down in about 1/2 inch of water and put that into the oven.

I started the pie. I had a pre-made crust and top, poured in the blueberry filling on one half of the pie and then chery filling on the other half of the pie and covered it with the top. That went into he oven with the squash.

Then I chopped up onions and celery and threw that into a skillet with oil and salt and sauteed that until the onions were clear. So far so good. No disasters yet!!

Then I browned the sausage in the same skillet. I poured the stuffing mix into the bowl and added boiling water, Bell seasoning, butter and the celery and onion mix with the sausages. When it was nice and moist, I scooped it into baking dishes and popped them into the oven to brown. When the butternut was cooked, I scooped them out, added in butter and pumpkin spices. That went into a chafing dish that belonged to Jill.

Then I sauteed garlic and minced almonds in a little bit of oil. I sauteed the green beans and mixed in the almonds. I peeled the white potatoes and boiled them. While that was cooking I scooped the sweet potatoes and mixed in a can of pineapple, just like my mom used to make. I set that aside for later. The marshmellos were waiting in the bag!

Everything was basically done. At this point of the day, I was hungry and Rachel was still sleeping and the Thanksgiving parade was still going strong! So I made some french toast with cinnamon and then woke up Rachel. Once we ate, I sent her off to clean the living room and Adina to clean the toilets. I really felt good about accomplishing this. I coordinated it all and it tasted great and looked good too.

At about 4 pm after I had cleaned up the kitchen and taken a shower, I sat down with a bottle of wine and read email. At 5 p.m. Yvonne -- my sweet Jamaican neighbor with the huge accent -- and my cousin Michael arrived.

It was a really nice evening. Later on Gary Gliboff and his son, Jonathan, showed up. Gary and Michael have been playing poker for years. Now that Michael is living in Florida, they miss each other.

So here I sit, it is midnight and I am way past tired, but Rachel wanted to watch Jaws -- but not alone. But my eyes are starting to slam shut. So, I am on my way to sleep, but knowing that I made a huge step today! I actually cooked Thanksgiving Dinner!

A New Era

My daughter is growing up and we are entering a new era. The teenage world has taken hold and we are deep into it now.

It started slowly. The preteen stuff like crushes on TV personalities and boy bands moved quickly into alternative music -- Say Anything, Deathcab for Cutie and Hello Goodbye. I am even impressed that I know the names of the bands and even one or two of their songs! Thanks to Sirius Radio and the Alt Nation station.

The cute little elementary schoolboy crushes have developed into dating. Do we let her get into a boy's car yet? NO! We make sure that we drive her to the location and pick her up too. It has created a whole new Saturday evening outing for Joel and me. We actually have to be creative to figure out what to do so that we don't end up driving massive amounts of miles.

One weekend we dropped Rachel off at the movies and then went to our friend's house and cooked dinner for her. Another weekend we dropped Rachel at her Homecoming Dance and we went out to dinner and then hung out at Border's under the dance was over. So this weekend we dropped her off at Revolution. A club where all of the alternative bands play. It was with a whole lot of trepidation that we did that. We walked across the street to the Las Olas Riverfront and went to the movies. Two actually. We saw "Stranger Than Fiction" (it was okay) and a Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival film -- "I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With" (this one was funny).

By this time it was time to pick up Rachel. As we walked towards Rachel and her friend, Andrea. I saw a spark in her eyes that I haven't seen since she was a little girl and set her eyes on the Christmas Tree and all the presents underneath. She was alive. She was hot and sweaty too, but she had such a great time.

It brought me back to the times that I used to go to the Nassau Colliseum to see Jackson Browne or Loggins and Messina or James Taylor or the Moody Blues. I used to feel that spark of excitement of seeing your favorite band of the month -- live, right in front of you! Okay, so the music was a lot different. But the premise was the same.

Yeah, my baby is growing up. She still has a long way to go, but it is fun watching the process.

Vinnie

When I heard the news, I was sad. Very sad that an era had come to an end.

Vinnie Pellizzi -- a man who enjoyed life immensely -- lost his battle with cancer this week. The funeral is today, in Queens. His family and friends will be there. My father will be there. I will not, but my thoughts are with him today.

When I first met Vinnie and Marie I was about to get married. That was in 1980. To me, at that point in my life, anyone who older than 30 -- was old -- and I didn't really pay much attention to what they did or what they were like as people. Or for that matter, I didn't even think that they too were young once and had hopes and dreams.

But meeting Vinne and Marie changed all of that for me. Vinnie was the first adult that treated me like an adult. He spoke to me on the level, not down to me. Marie, of course is another entire discussion. I love Marie and I could speak volumes about her. But today -- it is all about Vinnie.

Vinnie could instantly make my bad moods melt away. He would put a smile on my face with his incredible sense of humor, his silly jokes and his warm hugs. His stories were always relevant and fascinating. Even if he was telling me about his mother -- who came from as Vinnie put it, "From the Old Country."

We always would have our discussions over food. Whether it was a hearty Italian meal in a fancy, schmancy restaurant in New York or our dining room in Lauderhill, it was fun to watch Vinnie eat. He relished meals. And Joel's cooking . . . he adored Joel's cooking.

Once the girls were born, Vinnie would immediately become a child around my girls. He would sit on the floor and play games with them. Tell them stories. Keep them occupied so that I may eat my dinner before it got cold!

However, when Vinnie wasn't feeling well, he didn't want to be seen or see us. I guess he just didn't want us to worry or perhaps he didn't want to be seen as less than what he was.

So we haven't seen much of Vinnie in the past five years. But when we did, no matter how badly he must have been feeling, he always would dress impecably to take us out to dinner and put on a fabulous smile.

I will miss Vinnie, our discussions, our laughter, his stories. These are the memories that I will always treasure of Vinnie.

Hal and Gloria's Luncheonette

This was a short piece that I wrote for the Far Rockaway High School Web Site. Since I was thinking about my mom, I thought that I would post it here as well.
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This photo was probably taken in the late 1940s or early 1950s. This is Harold Schain (or better known as Hal). He was my father. He and my mom owned the luncheonette on Far Rockaway Boulevard from 1947 to 1957. I am sure that there are many FRHS grads that remember skipping a class here and there and getting a soda or malted in that store!! In August of 1957 my father met his untimely death at age 33 in a two-seater plane crash. His passion was flying. I was born in October of that year. That's when Ellie and Phil purchased the store from my mom.

It is with mixed emotions that I write to you today. Sad because an era has come to an end and happy because I am able to share some photos with you.

In February (2003), my mother, Gloria, passed away. She was a Rockaway resident since 1947 when she and my father, Hal Schain, were married and made that move from Brooklyn to Far Rockaway. They purchased the luncheonette on Far Rockaway Boulevard and 25th Street and it soon became THE hangout of teenagers and the morning stop before the commute to business in the big city.

I know that I had sent a really wonderful photo of my father in the store. But the photos that I found this time are truely priceless.

These photos show the faces of the individuals that patronized Hal and Gloria's luncheonette. It is a freeze frame of a moment in time. Maybe you recognize some of these faces? Maybe visitors to the FRHS website will recognize themselves.

I would love to hear from anyone who does recognize themself and tell me their memories of my parents. As I mentioned in my previous email to you, my father, Hal Schain, had a love for flying and unfortunately lost his life doing what he loved in 1957 two months before I was born.

So just hearing bits of memories from anyone is gratifying and will be added into a family tree for my children so they can know more about their grandparents.

Thank you Skip for all you do for Far Rockaway HS alumni.

Jody Horne-Leshinsky
FRHS
1975

Simple Pleasures

Sometimes we forget that the simple things in life give us the most pleasure. This week was a long week for me. First I was getting out of a real deep funk from last weekend, then I spent most of the week counseling and disciplining some of my employees, then the rest of the time was spent in fixing problems.

After all of that, I came home on my trolley, I got to read my book for a good 25 minutes. Just a few minutes lost in someone else's world. Simple pleasures!

Then I picked up Rachel and headed over to the restaurant. We didn't even order food, Joel just brought out whatever he thought would be best. Simple pleasures!

Rachel and I spent the hour at the counter working on the crossword puzzle and almost finished it. Simple pleasures!

Robert volunteered to drive. Simple pleasures!

Rachel was going to the Homecoming Football Game at Nova High School. Then I had to pick up Adina at her girlfriend's house in Hollywood. Along the way, Robert and I felt like tourists looking at things along the way that we just never noticed before because instead of taking all highway, we took miscellaneous roads that we don't normally drive on. Simple pleasures!

Once we picked up Adina I suggested that we go to Jaxon's. Robert was floored at my suggestion because that would normally be a suggestion from Joel, not me! Once seated we chatted with the waitress and I found out that we shared the month of October with our birthdays and the sign Libra. So she brought out my ice cream with a sparkler as a candle and they rang the siren normally reserved for when someone orders the kitchen sink. Simple pleasures!

On the way back we picked up Rachel and headed bacl to the restaurant to pick up my car. Joel was STILL there cleaning up and rearranging stuff. Being alone in the restaurant, walkng down the long hallway where the restrooms are, I peek up at the photo of my mother in her uniform at the luncheonette in Far Rockaway (circa 1947). She is so young and innocent and not a wrinkle in her skin. Then I remind myself that today is her birthday. She would have been 80. Simple pleasures!

I am sure she is watching over me. Simple pleasures!

Moods

What affects a mood? Sometimes I can wake up in a great mood and it sticks with me all day. Other days, I can wake up in a great mood but an event, a comment or a stray glance can immediately affect my mood -- sometimes to a negative result.

Why am I so sensitive? I have always been this way. Even as a child, I was supersensitive to everyone around me. I see those same characteristics in Adina.

I have to work very hard at overcoming the emotions that come along with the swing in my moods. Sometimes I just give in to them and wallow in the negative emotions. It is these times that I just need to be alone to regenerate, relax and regroup.

We eat to nurish our bodies. We take vitamins to preserve our health. We take medicines to cure and prevent illnesses. So why can't we just take a mental health moment to heal our raw emotions?

When I take time for myself, I try to pamper myself in some way. A hot shower, comfy pajamas, scented candles, a glass of wine and a movie that takes my mind off of whatever it is that triggered my mood swing in the first place.

That is what I did last night. The best result is that I fell asleep at 10 pm and woke up feeling like a new person. I look back now and wonder why I felt the way I did. Where did those strong emotions come from and why did they affect me so deeply? Now it seems trivial.

But today, I can face the day with more energy, do whatever chores need to be done for the week and give my family the attention they need. If it means a mental health day, then I will just have to give in to those moments and heal myself.

Forever?

When we say, I do" I always thought it was forever -- for better and for worse. But the older I get, the more I see marriages fail. I remember that after a holiday party that we threw last year, we talked about how we were the ONLY couple at the party that hadn't been divorced, separated or remarried. It was a rude awakening.

Yesterday I recevied another jolt. I was teasing someone in my office about not wearing his wedding band -- something he does quite often -- and he responded with, "Haven't you heard?"

Well, the last time someone said that to me, the result was a horrible, horrible truth. The hairs on my neck stood up lthat time and told me that something bad had happened. The voice on the phone cracked and then announced that her husband had been in the first plane that entered the World Trades Center.

So you can only imagine what flashed through my mind before my office mate told me his truth. He had separated from his wife.

I really couldn't believe it. They seemed to be a perfect couple, living the suburban life with two cars and three kids. Wow. What a shock that was to me. But he said it is for the best for both of them, and so I told him good luck. My theory is that he is going through a mid-life crisis because he seems awfully happy-go-lucky about the situation. I can't imagine his wife is feeling the same, but one never knows. I believe it is ALWAYS the children who suffer the most.

So, I started to observe others yesterday. Thinking about their situations. Many people in my office are either single with no kids, divorced with no kids, married with no kids, gay but in long-term relationships or kids themselves. Out of 30 employees, there are only two that are married, together and have children, and I am one of the two!

Wow, those statistics are amazing. Are we a slice of society? Or are we the exception because we are in the arts?

Who knows. It doesn't really matter. What matters is that we are always true to ourselves and our feelings. We have to make sure that we are satisfied with our choices because life is WAY too short to make sacrifices that compromise our happiness.

Later in the day I had to attend a workshop at a museum that is located at the Hard Rock Cafe on the grounds of the Seminole Indian Reservation. My office mate and I decided to grab a beer before the workshop. As we sat there at the bar, his eye were wandering from female to female. Then back to me as though he was seeking approval. It was a weird moment, but hell, it is his life. So I told him to go for the classy one. But he just laughed it off and said no, not today.

So is love forever when we state our vows? Perhaps life clouds our true vision. Maybe we weren't truly in love because we were too young to know true love. Or perhaps we will ALWAYS have that love but need to fulfill other needs different than just love.

Whatever the case, I am happy that my forever hasn't worn off.

My Life is a Sit-Com

How can I describe my life? It is basically a sit-com. Like something you might see on television.

The things that happen in my life -- unless you were a part of my life, you just wouldn't believe it. I mean, it is okay, but I definitely have to have a sense of humor, otherwise I would be going batty.

I mean just yesterday there were several events that took place that you couldn't write to make them funny. They just WERE funny.

Like yesterday morning. I am sitting at my desk, talking on the phone and in walks one of my employees. So very proud of himself that he remembered that it was my birthday. There was a beautiful bag of gifts that he placed on my desk and since I was on the phone he decided to come back in a few minutes. While I was finishing the call, I was staring at the yellow mums peaking out of the shiny gift bag. I was trying to concentrate on the call, and the person on the phone was being VERY difficult. But I finally made it through.

So, when I was finished with the phone call, Jose came back. As I said, he was VERY proud of himself and he wanted me to open all the presents. Which I GLADLY obliged! I pulled the beautiful flowers out. Then there was a bottle of wine -- Cabernet Sauvignon to be exact -- very nice Kendall Jackson. That will be savored one evening after work as I settle down on the couch in the living room. Then a candle in a jar with a sweet scent called "Raindrops." He reminded me that there was a card in the bag.

I dug deep into the tissue paper to find the card -- as I opened it, I think my blood pressure went up a few notches (not really). It said, "You're Turning 50!"

I laughed really loudly. Jose, of couse thinks I am enjoying the joke on the card. little did he know that the joke was on him! I finally stopped laughing long enough to tell him that I am NOT 50 yet! I know he was disappointed because of all the cute sayings he wrote inside the card! Things like: You are exactly twice my age; and when you were married I was just born."

Oy vey, they really LOVE to rub in the facts! They don't have a clue how quickly it all goes. I was just their age yesterday.

Anyway, that wasn't all. Later in the day, I was sitting on the trolley heading home. My new-found buddy on the trolley, Gwen who works at Broward Community College, asks me if I know all the other people on the trolley. I said, no but I do recognize their faces. With that, Gwen announces REALLY LOUDLY, "EVERYONE . . . this is Jody and it is her birthday today. Let's say happy birthday and tell her your name!"

I really didn't want her to do that, but it was funny and sweet at the same time. So everyone yelled out, "Happy Birthday," and they all introduced themselves, one at a time. Suddenly I felt like I was in the TV show, "Cheers."

Then, even later in the day, I was sitting on the couch, waiting for Joel to come home. I still wasn't sure where we were headed for dinner to celebrate my birthday. So I just sat there with Rachel, playing guitar. Joel called about three times. Once to say happy birthday, he would be home soon. Once to talk to Rachel (I figured they were conspiring something). And the third time to cryptically tell me that he was trying despirately to ditch our neighbor so that we could have a family dinner outing.

Well, by 7:30 p.m. Rachel and I were still sitting on the couch. I was getting cranky and Joel had tried for three hours to get Robert to leave. Oh, if I didn't mention, Joel was at the restaurant finding "busy" stuff to do to try to buy time and get Robert to catch on that he was busy.

Robert just didn't get it. So, he came along. Now I felt like I was in the sit-com "Seinfeld."

No, we couldn't write these situations. They just happen to us. They make us laugh or they make us crazy.

It is much better to laugh.

Birthdays

Birthdays for me have always been special. I always look forward to October 6 with anticipation. It is the same feeling as Christmas morning (yeah, I know I am Jewish and not supposed to celebrate that one, but too freaking bad, I enjoy celebrations and if I choose to celebrate the Pagan holiday with the gift of giving . . . that is just my prerogative!). Anyway, back to my birthday!

I have always felt the excitement build as the days of the month of September slip away. The days get a little shorter, the rays of the sun are a bit dimmer in the late afternoon as I am on my way home from work and the mornings are darker and even a bit cooler (yes, even in South Florida folks!). And suddenly it is October. It is almost here!

Then the celebrations begin. Privately, in my head, I have been preparing myself by practicing the new number. That new number that will be my age for 365 days. So for 364 days I have been telling myself that as of October 6, 2006 I will be 49 years old. So when October 6th actually arrives, I won't be so shocked at the realization that I really am that old!

But the numbers aren't so important anymore. It is the decades that become significant! When I turned 20, 30 and 40 -- those numbers where critical. Next year -- 50 -- I will celebrate in a special way, not sure how yet, but I am planning to do something spectacular.

As a kid though, the numbers were extremely important. When I turned three-years-old, I remember it very, very well. I work my pink sleeveless dress with a pink satin sash tied at the back and a crinoline undergarment that made the skirt portion of the dress stick way, way out so it was like a ballet tutu! I wore my black patent leather Mary Jane shoes with the rounded toes and my four-leave clover gold charm on a gold chain around my neck. My hair, my signature hair, pulled way back into a very tight pony tail, so tight that it felt like a face lift (sorry Mom, but that is how you used to make my pony tail!!). I was sitting in a high chair at my Mom's step-sister's house (Marcia) in Brooklyn surrounded by my Mom, my Mom's step-mother - Grandma Norma, and some cousins -- Marsha and Dennis, sweet Dennis (how I miss him). The cake -- as always -- was a chocolate blackout cake straight from Ebinger's mmmmmmmmm. The best cake in the world for chocolate lovers. It was three, sometimes four layers of chcolate cake with frosting in between each layer and then all around the entire cake and then the frosting was sprinkled with some of the cake crumbled up. They always placed the plastic "Happy Birthday" thing on the top of the cake with the obligatory number of candles, with one to grow on!

Don't know why this memory is so ingrained in my memory, but it is.

But that is probably why I love celebrating my birthday so much. It is such a happy memory for me. Joyous times. It is a reminder of life and birth and family coming together.

So now, fast forward to 2006. The week of celebrations have begun! I now celebrate for more than just one day. I celebrate with friends. I celebrate at work with co-workers. I celebrate at home with my family. And, why not. It is just something fun to do. It isn't about presents. It is about the memories that are created in the process of celebrating. It is about the foods that we create to devour in honor of the celebration. It is about the photos that are snapped as a reminder of the good times that were had. So happy birthday to me! Thank you for celebrating with me!

My Favorite Day of the Week

It's Friday! YAY! Friday has always been my favorite day of the week. When I wake up on a Friday, I realize, wow, I made it through the week. I have accomplished a lot and now I am about to be rewarded with 48 hours of time for my family and myself.

As the day progresses, I secretly think about what I will be doing on the weekend. I am sure that I am not alone, but who cares. These are my thoughts and my words for now!!

I remember as a kid when the last bell of the school day on Friday rang, it was a total and complete relief. Whew! We are done. Hopefully there wasn't a mound of homework. I would be able to get out of my uniform (yeah, I was in a private school for a few years and we had to wear crisp white shirts and navy blue skirts that weren't too short-- fingertips had to touch the bottom of the skirt -- white knee socks and really ugly shoes that made my feet feel like elephant feet!). So the second I got to my bedroom, the uniform hit the carpet and on came the bell bottom jeans, ribbed knit shirt, earth shoes and thick, cushy socks. It meant the beginning of the weekend.

Of course, there were some Friday nights that my parents insisted that we attend West End Temple in Belle Harbor. Then I had to switch from the jeans to something a little dressier. At least until after temple. Then of course we had to mill around and I always ended up in the corner chatting with my cousin Roger. Back then it felt like he was such a little kid. Now, I feel younger than him! Sorry Rog!

But Friday always marked the beginning of something. I always spent Saturdays and Sundays at the Hartman Y with my friends, Susan and Laura and Lauren and Cindy. We were all members of the Hartman Y Players a local theater group. We learned about the creation of art, theatrical art. We learned how to sing, dance and act. We learned how to apply theatrical make up and wigs. We learned about stage lighting and creating costumes. My friend, Laura, was our pianist and she was GREAT at it.

We performed in "Fiddler on the Roof," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," "Little Mary Sunshine," "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," "Guys and Dolls."

Our director, Jeffrey James, dedicated his life to the kids and this theater group. To this day, I really don't know how he did it. He gave us a huge love and respect for the Great White Way. And, he looked EXACTLY like Fred Astaire and he knew it and he danced like him too! He actually was an extra in one of Woody Allen's movies that was filmed in Far Rockaway.

So Friday back then meant that I had an entire weekend to spend with my friends, rehearsing and then performing our roles. Then we would end up at each other's houses for cast parties. Those were wild and fun. Never any drugs or alcohol, just pure fun. And that is how I met and got to know Joel. At these events. In fact, Joel was Tevya and I was Chava in Fiddler! So technically, he was my father?? Now how weird is that?

Anyway, way, way off the subject.

Today, Friday means that I can put on my black tank top and my flannel, plaid pants that tie at the waist with my sweat socks. Out come the contacts, off comes the make up, on go the glasses. I get to flop down on any available comfortable couch or bed and watch a movie or type away on this computer. It is my pleasure to unwind this way.

Of course, I am not a total shut in. I do get out with the kids and Joel. We go to the movies or shopping or sometimes I take the girls to the beach or pool. But mostly it is about have the choice to do nothing if I want.

So that is why Friday is my favorite day. It gives me the freedom to choose to do nothing!

Emotions

What triggers an emotion? A smell? A sound? A look? The human being is such a complex animal that we really have no clue when these emotions are going to hit us, or why.

I observe people on a daily basis to see what feelings are being emoted and how people interact with each other. Today I asked a question about emotions. I wanted to know why women sometimes (me especially) get so overwhelmed by an emotion that instead of being able to express the thoughts I am having in a calm and rational way, we (I) end up choked up and crying. Why? Why do I get so overwhelmed by my emotions that I can't talk?

It isn't too often, but when it happens, I feel so out of control. It is almost as if I have been transformed back to when I was a kid because the feelings rise up inside of me like a tidal wave and the more I try to contain the feelings, the more my voice trembles, the tears well up in my eyes and I can't concentrate on the words coming out of my mouth.

I was trying to explain today that it feels like another person is taking over the control of my body and I am stuck inside watching this all take place, almost like a serious, dramatic play and all I can do is let it all come out and then I can take over once again and be myself.

Why is it that men don't normally act like this? Is it hormonal? Is it just the way females are made? Are we supposed to emote like this? i suppose we are, because once the feeling has come and gone, it is like it never happened and we move on with where we were before.

It is a release of sorts.

Perhaps that is why women, in general, live longer than men? We don't bottle it all up inside and stress our bodies as much as men might be doing.

Well, that is my thought of the day. Nothing profound, just another random thought.

Mass Transit

I finally did it! I parked my car at the corner of Oakland Park Blvd. and 441 (there is a shopping plaza there), boarded the Sun Trolley, put on my headphones and cracked open the morning newspaper.

Instead of driving to work, I sat back and let someone else bother with the traffic. I didn't have to deal with seeking a parking space on the sixth floor of the parking garage and then walk two blocks to my office. I was dropped off on the corner of Andrews Avenue and SW 2nd Street, directly across the street from the Main Library.

I could actually enjoy this. The BEST part??? The Sun Trolley is absolute FREE! This is a pilot program of the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association in conjunction with Broward County Mass Transit. I don't know how long it will continue to be free, and I don't know how often I will choose to take the trolley to work, but for now, I like the idea of it.

Now the downside . . . The trolley has wooden benches and is not THE most comfortable ride. The five or six people on the trolley all know each other and chat really, really loud all the way to work and home (okay, not a bad thing, it is kind of sweet that they have created this warm, fuzzy commuting environment. I am just not in the mood to talk that cheerfully at 7:20 a.m.). Once at work, I don't have a car and if I needed to leave fast, I would have to depend on someone to pick me up, so I would have to plan carefully in advance so that I don't NEED my car.

But, the cool thing is that it reminds me of when Rachel and I travel to other cities, we ALWAYS use their mass transit. We like to compare the cities we visit to the mass transit that is available. We want to get into the feel of the city and the only way is to surround ourselves with REAL people. REAL people use mass transit.

In Boston, EVERYONE uses the T (that is how they lovingly refer to their trains). It is a very simple system (check it out for yourself http://www.mbta.com/traveling_T/schedules_subway.asp). Also, EVERYONE riding the T is also reading a book.

In Manhattan, the subways and buses make commuting a breeze. Yeah it is cramped during rush hour, but you can get wherever you want. New Yorkers are not only reading, but they do it high tech! I saw a very orthodox man reading on his Palm, standing up and holding the hand strap with his free hand.

In Chicago, we stayed in the suburbs because we couldn't get a hotel room downtown. But we had fun taking the commuter trains. They were more like the Long Island RR. Cushy chairs, double decker cars, extra newspapers that everyone shared with each other. Rachel taught me all about how to read the baseball stats that summer! But the best part was connecting to the El trains and I felt like we were in Chicago Hope or ER!! We also took a train out to Salem and spent the day there. We loved the fact that we didn't need a car.

In Washington, DC it was a little more difficult. We stayed in the Adams Morgan area and had to walk about ten blocks to the Metro. When we took the trains, they were very easy to use, very, very clean and safe, however the stops were incredibly far apart and we did an amazing amount of walking. Cabs were necessary now and then for our very tired feet. But, we were able to get around very easily. Boston was still our favorite city with mass transit.

So back to mass transit here in Broward County . . . it isn't great, it isn't even good yet. But it is a beginning. At least they are trying. And at least they have convinced me to try it too! They have quite a long way to go. They have to convince 1.9 million people that it is okay to leave your car at home and interact with other residents. We are so used to leaving our air conditioned homes, to jump into our air conditioned cars complete with our satellite radio, cell phones, GPS and other gadgets that further isolate ourselves from our fellow Broward Countians to then go to our offices and plug ourselves into our telephones and computers and reverse it on the way home.

We have to learn the art of conversation, the art of looking into people's eyes when we talk and saying hello to our neighbors. Perhaps it all has to begin with mass transit?