A sample of light-hearted summer vignettes, after-the-jump ….
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After all the goings-on in recent times: some light-hearted stories for summer.
Last Saturday I took part in my local Humane Society’s annual Walk for Animals fundraiser. As I had a temp job there six years ago (that kept me afloat when I was in-between jobs) it has a special place in my heart. Seeing a few old co-workers, we spoke about how so many pets these days have “people” names, rather than the traditional ones (such as Spot, Rover, Lassie) which some news reports verify— that it’s nearly 50-50 these days. Which reminded me of a laugh I had last October.
I took a ferry from Bridgeport, Connecticut to my native Long Island on a chilly day: so that few passengers ventured out-on-deck. Instead, most were in the interior: with one fellow sitting on a bench, with his poodle sleeping (in a pod) underneath — out-of-sight, out-of-mind.
Except that one young fellow was walking his Weimaraner around the interior cabin … who went ballistic barking at the poodle. “No, Stephanie: don’t do that” said the fellow, leading her away.
I wouldn’t have remembered that … except that over the next ½ hour, that fellow tried walking around again .. twice. And despite trying to shield the dog’s vision: “No, Stephanie: don’t do that” …. and on the third “No, Stephanie: don’t do that” … I had to suppress a laugh. I think he finally brought his dog out on-deck. People names, writ large.
This year’s Walk for Animals: with very little barking
I have written before about my high school principal (Father John Rowan) who was a role model for me (a Pope Francis of his time) — and one often saw him in the hallways (sometimes walking his Irish Setter, seen in the diary photos).
And after graduating from a community college I attended an urban campus (Pace University, across the street from City Hall in NYC). The campus has expanded enormously in the intervening forty + years, but back then: it consisted of just a few towers. The main campus tower had some dorms, classrooms and all of the administrative offices. Thus, it wasn’t unusual to see the university president (Ed Mortola) in the elevators — never formally met him but we’d smile, nod our heads and say good morning. He oversaw much of the expansion that exists today.
President Ed Mortola (1917-2002)
Recently, I read a story about Suffolk County Community College: reminding me of its old enigmatic school president during my time as a student there (in-between the schools above) from 1974-1976.
Unlike the schools noted above: this was a laid-out flat campus, and its administration building had no offices that an average student would utilize: registrar/bursar was in a different building, student union another, and so on.
The school president was named Albert Ammerman, and I never saw him in my two years there. He was mentioned in the school newspaper often (Dr. Ammerman did “x”, Dr. Ammerman said “y”) … yet usually without a photo. Indeed, even though he retired in 1983 (seven years after I graduated) I had trouble just now searching for a photo of him that wasn’t on a PDF (or very grainy). To paraphrase Austin Powers, Dr. Ammerman was a “Suburban Man of Mystery”.
It turns out he was truly the founder of the school in 1960: which hosted its first classes being taught in a high school (while the campus was being built on the site of a former sanatorium, opening in 1962) then overseeing construction of two additional satellite campuses (on one the western end of the county, and the other on the eastern end). Yet we students knew almost nothing about him then.
I wish I had saved the student newspaper (The Compass) from one week in 1975 — but it contained a story that I loved (and even classmates noted).
For one day, a student walked into the administration building and asked his executive secretary if he could meet the school president. No appointment, just said he wanted to see … if there really was a Dr. Ammerman?
His secretary was nervous, walking in to see him (yet afraid he might be upset). Instead, he was overjoyed: “Please, send him in!” And the school newspaper had a story about their conversation, with him saying he tended to avoid the spotlight, yet wished he had more time to get around (meetings were his bane, as I recall).
Dr. Ammerman (1914-2008)
He died in 2008 at the age of ninety-four — and today the administration building that student wandered into … has been renamed the Ammerman Building.
Administration building, Selden N.Y.
Finally, in watching CBS Sunday Morning on Boston affiliate station WBZ: in recent weeks, they have featured testimonial advertisements for those who have found a career in the plumbing business — sponsored by the Plumbers & Gasfitters Union:
Alas, whenever I hear the identifier of this particular union … those of-a-certain-age might well recall this cartoon promotional ad w/Boris Badunov:
“Unfair to Local 12”
Let’s close with an appropriate song sung by Louis Armstrong, with music written (and played on piano) by Dave Brubeck and lyrics written by Dave’s wife Iola.
In my own diary about badges: in a week full of obnoxious news, this thread made the tech team very happy, beginning here from Besame ... and culminating in this masterpiece made by alx9090. (Editor’s note) — I want one like Barney Fife’s “I’ve got a BADGE!”
And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........
In today’s News Corpse offering — read the whole diary, numerous zingers … one that I liked was this made by ProfPupDog.
Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful (and now eternal) *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment featuring that photo.
TOP PHOTOS
June 29th, 2022
(NOTE: Any missing images in the Quilt were removed (a) were from an unapproved source that somehow snuck through in the comments, or (b) it was an image from the DailyKos Image Library which didn't have permissions set to allow others to use it.)
And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
