COLUMNS by JAMES MORABITO

COLUMNS By JAMES MORABITO

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LIFE WHAT A PARTY! by James Morabito

LIFE OH BOY! A NEW CAR! by James Morabito

LIFE DRIVING DOWN MEMORY LANE by James Morabito

LIFE DOUGHNUTS AND EXERCISE? WHY NOT? by James Morabito

CARS SPECIAL CARS ARE ALL AROUND by James Morabito

LIFE LYME DISEASE IS REAL AND SERIOUS by James Morabito

CARS SLOP BUCKET MOTORS by James Morabito

BUSINESS BETTER LATE THAN NEVER by James Morabito

BUSINESS REALLY, NO MORE SUBURBAN SPRAWL by James Morabito

LIFE I'M NOT THAT OLD, AM I? by James Morabito

LIFE WEAR YOUR GOOD CLOTHES by James Morabito

LIFE THE VERY OLD ARE COMING TO A PLACE NEAR YOU by James Morabito

LIFE IF YOU HAVE YOUR HEALTH by James Morabito

LIFE TIME: FRIEND OR ENEMY? by James Morabito

CARS MINIVANS MAKING A COMEBACK?

CARS FIAT: WHAT'S IN A NAME?

CARS TRACTION AVANT: FRONT WHEEL DRIVE

LIFE WHAT A PARTY!

By James Morabito

November 17, 2023

Last September, I was a guest at a really nice Labor Day party. The food was fabulous: grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, salads, chips, a veggie tray with dips, fruit snacks, stuffed olives, and, of course, pizza.

It couldn’t have been better. The ten guests ranged in age from their mid-fifties to mid-nineties. The conversation was bright, brisk, and full of laughter. When it came time for dessert, we had three choices. I had all three. Remember, I am a magician who can make good food disappear.

A party like that can really recharge your batteries. The conversation alone would have been a party enough, but obviously the food made it great. What a party! Oh, yeah, one more thing. Eight of us got covid.

Somehow we managed to get it. Within two days, we started having symptoms of lightheadedness, tiredness, coughing, runny noses, like being sick with a cold or flu.

We’ll never know how we got it. Did someone get it at a store or busy hairdressers’ a few days before the party? Or, did two guests, who flew in from Colorado, get it on the plane?

It is interesting that the Colorado pair, in their fifties, were the two who didn’t get sick. Were they “carriers” who didn’t get sick because their dry western air is different from our New York air?

Our doctors put all of us sick ones on a special medicine to reduce our symptoms. It worked for all of us, except for one guest who had to be taken off of it because of hallucinations that it caused. He was seeing patterns on the wall, like a neighborhood map of homes. He was so convinced that the outline was on the wall that he took pictures of it and tried to print the pictures out. The pages came out blank, of course.

I had to be isolated in our master bedroom for six days until I tested negative for covid. My wife didn’t want to take any chances, because she had a really bad bout of lyme disease, caused by deer ticks, the year before. So, I spent six days with a smartphone, pads of paper, reading material, and my various medicines. She delivered my meals to the outside of the door for me to retrieve.

Luckily, all the sick party goers got over it. Recently, most of us from that party got together again, for dinner. I said, “Well, what disease are we going to get this time? Scurvy? Rickets? Whooping cough?” Everyone laughed, but nervously.

My feeling about all of this is that having covid made some of the unknown known. Now we know what to expect if we get it again. Supposedly, we’re immune for a few months, at least. It is nice not to have to wear a mask, like people with all of my health conditions often do.

I can also say that anyone who is not suffering from a disease on a particular day is already having a great day. Nothing else is needed. Good health means so much. Let’s appreciate it.

LIFE OH BOY! A NEW CAR!

By James Morabito

July 28, 2023

When I was young, cars were so different from what they are today. Yes, they all had four wheels, and seats, and were used for transportation, but the experience in them was not like today’s.

My dad drove an early 1950’s navy blue Hudson. It looked like a big, long, rounded fastback blob, shaped sort of like a loaf of Italian bread. It was called a step-down design, where your feet rested below the car’s frame.

I remember the car being very roomy in the back seat. There was a big rope-like strap handle that back seat passengers could hold onto. It went along the back of the front seat, for help getting in or out.

One day, my parents told my brothers and myself that we were getting a new car. We jumped up and down for joy. “Oh, boy! A new car! When are we getting it?” “Today,” was the answer.

Later, Mommy said, “Let’s go outside. Daddy is here with the new car.”

We all leapt up and ran out the front door.

We looked in amazement and disbelief at our new car. It was exactly like our previous car, except for the color. It was a dark brown Hudson.

Yes, it was a new car, of sorts, but, even at the age of about four, I found it to be a little disappointing.

In another couple of years, we moved on to a Ford station wagon phase. My dad had a friend at a Ford dealership, and soon we were driving Ford Country Squire wagons with fake wood on the sides.

The station wagons were exciting, because you could open the tailgate and load things inside, or seat extra people in the back, etc., all things that were interesting to little boys like myself and my brothers.

Our family was growing, and my mother started to prioritize other kinds of spending over getting more new cars. One day, my dad crossed some invisible line, apparently, leading to problems.

He said, “Come, Dear. Take a look outside. I want you to see something.”

“Oh, no, you better not have…!”, she exclaimed. “I don’t want a new car!”

With that, she threw a thick, full, glass baby bottle, as they were in those days, toward my father’s legs. I never knew until then that my mother could have been a major league pitcher.

As for my dad, he hopped straight up in the air in order to avoid getting hit by the fastball bottle heading for his shins and ankles. I never knew until then that he, a big, solid guy, could hop up in the air like a ballet dancer.

My dad’s friend had made another sale, and my mother ended up going along with it. It was all more car excitement for us kids.

One thing that was different in that whole era was the idea of car safety.

There were no seat belts for anyone, and no car seats like today’s, for children. Sometimes people had little baby beds that you could put in the back or front seat, but often babies would just lie on the back or front seat.

Frequently, we little kids in the back seat would ride standing up, holding onto things like that Hudson rope handle or the back of the front seat. One of my little brothers, a toddler, would ride standing up in front of the front passenger seat with his little hands on the dashboard. We would never allow things like that now.

Somehow, even with occasional fender benders, we all survived, perhaps

miraculously. We had a really good time, though! Riding in the car then was fun and exciting for little kids!

LIFE DRIVING DOWN MEMORY LANE

By James Morabito

July 21, 2023

A few days ago, I was driving, on my way to visit my Aunt and Uncle in their new place, in a town where I lived many years ago. It was just a normal drive, really, but ended up being filled with many nice memories. There were so many places on Main Street that were meaningful.

The first place I drove by was a plaza where my Mom and I had a business for a while, one of our three locations in that town over time.

Then I went by my Aunt and Uncle’s old neighborhood.

Soon, I went by the first apartment that my wife and I lived in. The landlord had a hair salon, and it seemed that many of his other tenants were young women.

My Dad had a lot of friends. The former wife of one of his good friends had a lovely store on Main Street. My Dad’s friend had a very popular bar in another nearby town.

Another friend of my Dad’s was a clever, humorous little baked potato of a man. On Main Street, he had a soft-serve ice cream parlor, and a car wash in a renovated older building. The ice cream was wonderful. The car wash was good too, very handy.

He lived on the other side of Main Street with his second wife, and his step-daughter, whom one of my brothers dated for a while. She seemed like a lovely person. As for my brother, heh heh, no comment.

I had another brother who had a multi-unit piece of income property that I had found for him, just off of Main Street. Years later he sold it to the government for a public improvement project, and from what I understand, he did very well on the sale.

Then I went by a side street where I had had a multi-unit piece of property with commercial space, plus apartments. It was another hairdresser situation. I was doing my best to hold things together there, but one day, during a very heavy rain, the roof over the hair salon cracked right open and flooded everyone. Luckily, no one was hurt. Talk about a wash and a rinse: They all got rinsed.

I also drove by the Town Hall, where I had served on the Town Conservation Board, and the Town Master Plan Committee. I was just a young guy, but some of the other members were very prominent corporate leaders and pillars of the community. They were all very nice to me.

Then, just before arriving at my Aunt and Uncle’s new place, I drove by another of the business locations that my Mom and I had had, as well as the corner of a side street where a third location had been. My mother had requested of the powers that be to have the signage at that intersection clarified and improved so that customers could more easily find our side-street location. She discussed it with the town, then the state, since it was a state highway road. After all these years, the business is in mothballs, really, possibly to return in some form someday, but that street sign is still there, doing its thing, doing its job.

When I told my Aunt and Uncle of all of the memories I had thought of just by driving down Main Street, we had a lot of fun remembering people, places and things.

What is the lesson from all of this? That it is good to remember, and to share the memories with someone. If the memories are good ones, great. If some of the memories aren’t so pleasant, it might still be rewarding to discuss them.

Here’s my suggestion: Think of the Main Street or neighborhood where you grew up, or lived while in college, or as a young adult. I bet you will be filled, as I was, by a simple drive, with memories of things that you had forgotten. One memory leads to another, and if you get to chuckle a bit, good.

LIFE DOUGHNUTS AND EXERCISE? WHY NOT?

By James Morabito

July 7, 2023

I have a lot of brothers, one for every occasion. At any point in time over the years, it would be possible for someone to say that this one is the fat one and that one is the skinny one, or this one is doing something smart and that one is doing something dumb, or this one is the serious one and that one is the silly one, etc. The positions can change. Currently, I am the skinny one, because I walk every day, for an hour, for exercise.

Walking every day doesn't just happen. You have to make it happen. More than once, I have said to someone that I have to show up for my own walk. It isn't something that I can delegate, or have someone else do for me. I have to do it myself.

Recently, I began to wonder. I was thumbing through the internet, and just like some of the amazing things you can find online, I came across a website that made me think I really could have someone do the walk for me.

The headline screamed, "Tired of all that tedious exercise? Let our exercise experts do it for you! RESULTS GUARANTEED! $4.95 per month! Click here for your free trial!" Well, I was busy that day, so I figured, "What have I got to lose?" and decided to let the website do my walk for me. They suggested that customers should just relax with snacks like cookies or chips or doughnuts, maybe with a cup of coffee or tea, and just watch the video of their exercise being done for them.

I really like doughnuts. Any port in a storm, but if I had to choose my favorites, they would be jelly and Boston cream. So, as I sat there and ate doughnuts, the exercise happened online. They had me pick out someone of my body type, and describe the type of exercise that I wanted. I chose a one-hour walk. As an "ADDED BONUS!", I also clicked on doing 100 pushups or 10 laps in a swimming pool, things I never do.

It was wonderful. I did have to supply my own doughnuts. They assured me that I was accomlishing my goal of staying fit and healthy, in a convenient and satisfying way. The boost from the sugar in the doughnuts made me feel good, although as the days went on, I had less energy and wasn't sleeping as well. Also, my wife pointed out that I was becoming less skinny, and that my pants and shirts were looking tighter on me. How much longer would I be the skinny brother?

Obviously, I am just joking here, fantasizing about what it would be like to not have to do all of this walking myself. Once in a while, a break would be nice. The reality is, though, that a regular walk is wonderful for one's health, with obvious physical benefits. Walking can also entertain and reinvogorate you. It refreshes your thinking, attitude, and mood.

The skinny brother has been encouraging a couple of the less skinny ones to do something, anything, to add a little walking to their days. They should wait a couple of hours after eating before doing a big walk, but there are other ways to add walking. They can park far away in a parking lot rather than close. They can take extra laps around a big store before checking out. They can walk on their driveways or streets for 10 or 15 minutes. They can walk around their houses inside while watching tv. They can also take a nice, enjoyable walk two or three times a week with family members.

In other words, they have to show up for their own walks. They can't imagine them or delegate them, and expect to get the health benefits that walking can provide. I am happy to say that they are getting the message. "RESULTS GUARANTEED!"

CARS SPECIAL CARS ARE ALL AROUND

By James Morabito

June 23, 2023

Sports cars are everywhere you look these days. I see all kinds of people, but often forty-, fifty-, and sixty-somethings, usually men, having a ball driving their sports cars and collector cars in nice, reasonable weather.

Obviously, this is mostly a summertime phenomenon for those of us in the northeast. It is also something that happens like clockwork in the early spring, when people are getting out cars that they have had stored for the winter, and in the late fall, when they are enjoying one or two last special rides before winter comes.

Whether I am driving or walking for exercise, every day is almost a celebration of automotive rarities.

Think about some of the two-seaters, the roadsters. Who on earth remembers the Saturn Sky? How about the Cadillac Allante? I'll take your Allante and raise you a Plymouth Prowler, or maybe a Pontiac Solstice. How about a mid-engine Porsche 914?

Let's not forget the big buck eyefuls like Chevrolet Corvettes of all ages and eras, and the occasional Cadillac XLR or Mercedes-Benz 450SL.

It isn't just twenty or thirty-year-old cars that are out there this time of year. Some people have a very old Jaguar XK 120, or a Chevrolet Corvair, a Pontiac Firebird TransAm, a Ford Mustang Boss, or an AMC AMX. You might see a Mercedes-Benz 190 two-seat convertible, or a Mercedes-Benz 280SL four-seat convertible. Don't overlook a super rare 1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Limousine with a Park Ward interior.

Then you sometimes get an eyeful of older cars that aren't sports cars or exotic, sporty cars, but are just regular, well-preserved antique cars like a 1953 Buick Special four-door, a 1940's or 1950's woody wagon, or a 1950's DeSoto two-door coupe, or an original, perfect Volkswagen Microbus. You might see an old Nash, or an old Hudson based on a Nash, which people jokingly referred to as a Hash.

Old trucks in excellent condition are even more rare, because trucks are usually put to hard use. You might be lucky enough to see a really old Ford F-150 pickup truck, with two-tone red and white paint, or maybe a Willys Jeep truck in dark green.

Sometimes, when I am walking, if I see something really nice, and can do so in a safe way for all of us, I give two thumbs up, to show my appreciation for seeing what a cool, special car someone is driving. They always wave back, or toot their horn.

Pay attention, and you, yourself, will notice some special cars out there too. Or is it just me?

What do you think?

LIFE LYME DISEASE IS REAL, AND SERIOUS

By James Morabito

June 9, 2023

Somewhere in the past, most adults paying attention to the news have probably heard of Lyme Disease. You might remember vaguely that it involves some sort of bug bite, specifically, a tick bite. Ticks are very small, dark bugs that can get on people and family pets. Deer or other wild animals might be involved, etc.

Well, I can tell you that Lyme Disease is real, it is serious, and it should be avoided at all costs. It is not worth messing around with, that's for sure. It can have short term symptoms and effects, as well as long term effects, such as arthritis in joints, nerve problems, poor memory, and heart problems.

I know three people personally who went through some sort of Lyme Disease experience last summer, in early July. What follows is how I wrote about it at the time.

Patient No. 1 is a middle-aged woman who was bitten by a tick, developed a skin rash, became ill and nauseous. She was taken to an urgent care facility. The staff was so concerned about her extremely low blood pressure, that they immediately sent her to the hospital in an ambulance.

She spent about four days in the hospital, wearing a covid mask except while eating, getting intravenous antibiotics. Now, she is recovering at home, feeling fragile and weak, but getting better gradually. For the first few days at home, she never came downstairs even once. Her primary care physician told her that if she had waited one more day to get medical attention, she would have been a goner. Dead.

Patient No. 2 is a young professional man who was bitten by a tick, developed a rash, and is being treated with oral antibiotics. He is feeling a little tired and suppressed, but going about his normal routine. Like patient No. 1, he is not supposed to be in the sun while on antibiotics, and there are certain dietary rules about what to eat or not eat.

Patient No. 3 is a middle-aged professional man who knew a tick was on him, believes he was bitten, but has, so far, not developed any symptoms. He is frustrated that he has sought treatment that he hoped might prevent Lyme Disease. His medical providers have been reluctant to do that.

When I told one of my doctors about the people I knew who are dealing with Lyme disease, my doctor said he and his wife had young children and that they check them every evening for ticks.

If you live somewhere where you might brush up against bush leaves with ticks on them, or tall grass where there could be ticks, you might want to look into Lyme Disease and see how to prevent it.

Good luck. I hope you stay well.

CARS SLOP BUCKET MOTORS

By James Morabito

May 26, 2023

My car isn't very special. It is just a normal, boring car. I drive a Slop Bucket Rat's Ass, from Slop Bucket Motors.

For those of you unfamiliar with Slop Bucket's offerings, the three most popular models are:

1. Slop Bucket Buzzard, a full size luxury car, whose slogan is "The Choice of Emperors and Predators". I had a Buzzard once, an old used one.

It was very plush, with its "freshly tanned cowhide leather". I swear I could hear a "Moo!" once in a while when I went over a big bump in the road, or a pothole. I gave me the creeps.

2. Slop Bucket Root Canal, the midsize car. These are painful to look at, so I look away. The evil, slanted eye headlights make you wonder about its intentions. I don't need the nightmares.

3. The smallest one, the one I drive: the Slop Bucket Rat's Ass, formerly known as Slop Bucket Road Kill.

Slop Bucket had high hopes for that Road Kill name, but then marketing geniuses got involved. Surveys with focus groups, all the rage in marketing anything these days, said that the Road Kill name made people think of bad smells. Apparently the groups, particularly the women being surveyed, thought that the Rat's Ass name was cuter, and more suitable for what is, admittedly, a small car.

I like to support struggling auto manufacturers whenever I can. I have had to buy a lot of parts for my Slop Bucket Rat's Ass over the years.

I usually lose some part or fitting on my way to the Pig Too Fat To Wiggle Grocery Store. For example, a tail pipe, wiper blade or arm, a door handle, a passenger window, etc. Speaking of windows, the floor mats blow around and sometimes blow out of the windows. Sometimes I have to replace the transmission.

A limited edition, rarely seen, Slop Bucket car, imported for American consumers from some deep, dark place in an old European-Asian Empire, is the Slop Bucket NRT, which stands for Not Rushing Today. Perhaps, without pronouncing the letter g at the end, it refers to a big, bullying country in the news recently. It is a crude attempt at making an SUV, a sport utility vehicle. Its literature brags about its slow, plodding performance.

To most people, it looks like a wooden shed, or big, long outhouse, or a garage, with roof shingles, wooden park bench seats, knock-kneed rear tractor wheels, and a front "wheel" that is like a steam-roller barrel.

Because of the Federal Understanding Others While Trading program, which helps, among other companies, foreign car manufacturers from disadvantaged countries, it is exempt from safety regulations. You can get splinters just from running your hand across the driver's door.

Go to your local Slop Bucket dealer, and, thanks to Uncle Sam, they will pay you a big cash rebate to buy one. It is not recommended for young people, like high school or college students, or anyone who has their whole life ahead of them.

I'm thinking of selling my Slop Bucket Rat's Ass and moving up a little. Anyone interested in buying?

What do you think?

BUSINESS BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

By James Morabito

May 12, 2023

Gather around, dear readers. Uncle Jim would like to tell you a little story about investing. Actually, it is more of a story about not investing.

I really love newspapers. I like reading newspapers from all over, whether I am traveling or at home. It is one of the things that I do.

One day, about twenty-five years ago, I was reading one of my newspapers, and decided to share one of the stories with my wife. “Hey,” I said, “Listen to this. There is this guy, Warren Buffet, who is a Wall Street investor. He has a company called Berkshire Hathaway that is named after an old textile mill. He is a really successful investor, and he and his company invest in other companies or buy them, and he is doing very well. It’s almost like a mutual fund. Get a load of this: He has been growing his company for years, but they’ve never had a stock split, so one share of stock sells for $10,000.00! Can you imagine that? One share of stock for $10,000.00?!”

“He has a great track record. Apparently, he buys into companies that he believes in, and then supports the management of the companies to do what they do well. You know…, we could sell that double house that we have on West Elm Street and buy six shares of this company. It seems like a good investment.”

Now, we have all heard ridiculous stories from people who say they could have made a fortune doing this or that. The stories usually go something like this:

“My grandfather and Henry Ford lived in the same rooming house. They dated these twin sisters. One day, the two guys were fiddling around in the barn, and my grandfather had this idea of putting an engine on a wagon to see what would happen. The rest is history. My grandfather should have owned half of Ford Motor Company.”

Or, “Jeff Bezos, from Amazon.com, and I were roommates. He always drank my beer. Anyway, I lent him $500.00 to start his business. He wanted me to be involved, but at first all he was selling was books. I stayed out of it, because I don’t like books.”

Now, when I tell you that I considered the idea of buying the shares of Berkshire Hathaway, I am telling the truth. Today, those six shares would be worth, at about $270,400.00 per share, about $1,622,400.00. I can almost smell the money. Warren Buffett has obviously continued to be a master at business and investing. He and his businesses are still very highly regarded. GEICO Insurance is an example.

So, you ask, am I sorry that I didn’t buy the stock? Well, yes and no. Certainly I could have used the money. I guess I didn’t have the courage to sell a piece of income property in order to buy stock, but I did think about it. The way I was raised, income property seemed like a solid, reliable investment, but shares of stock, any stock, seemed more risky and speculative. In this case, time has proven that to be wrong.

Berkshire Hathaway now has Class B shares of stock that are selling for around $180.00 per share, and I am thinking about buying a few. I think the company will continue to do well.

There are lots of clichés that now come to mind regarding the lost $1,622,400.00 and the idea of buying Class B shares at this point. Take your pick: “Better late than never.” Or, “It is never the wrong time to do the right thing.” Maybe the best one would be, “Too soon old, too late smart.”

BUSINESS REALLY, NO MORE SUBURBAN SPRAWL

By James Morabito

April 28, 2023

It goes without saying that the suburbs in America are a spectacular success in terms of their appeal to the public and their attractiveness. Everyone wants, or, at least, a great many people want the lifestyle that the suburbs provide. Most people like safety, good schools, grassy yards, nice neighbors, etc. So far, so good.

Now, however, suburban sprawl includes shopping plazas eating up green space, little industrial parks, and more and more fast food restaurants. It is all getting out of hand, and the traffic is terrible. I happen to be a licensed real estate salesperson, and I have some ideas that might make things a little better as we continue developing.

1. No more big box stores, plazas or malls, unless they are built with railroad siding. The benefits are obvious if you think about it a little, but I will spell them out. Having big box stores and other big retail developments in areas that already have railroad tracks in them will improve the chances that the new big box store will be built on land other than desirable farmland. It will also get more trucks off the road, thereby making suburban life safer and more pleasant, not to mention more environmentally friendly.

2. No more development of undeveloped farmland for housing tracts. Another way to say this is to have a 25 year ban on building on vacant land and require builders to build only by tearing down existing houses. We will save a fortune on infrastructure, prevent the destruction of more natural land, and redevelop our older suburbs, many of which are starting to look tired and undesirable. This will stop the further outward spread of the suburbs which is currently making commutes longer and longer, and requiring so much money to develop the amenities in the outer suburbs that the inner suburbs already have. Newer outer suburbs require schools, post offices, parks, etc., and these things aren't free. Just because a builder can envision a new development on a beautiful piece of farmland doesn't mean that it is good for taxpayers to have to then build all of the other features that are required to have a true community.

No more plazas or malls. We have enough. We should also require full or near-full occupancy of the plazas and malls that we have. How, you say, can we require landlords to fill their empty stores, many of which have been empty for months or years, causing blighted commercial areas in many suburbs? Well, if you have a 25 year ban on new commercial developments in the suburbs, there will be more interest on the part of tenants to try to rent the spaces that exist already. Why build more up the street?

Also, anyone who has ever dealt with a large commercial real estate property company can tell you that for a variety of reasons they are very difficult to deal with. They are way too particular, they discriminate against local small business people, and they have too many rules for new, small, or local businesses. They often require their tenants to have hours that are too long or unnecessary for many local or small businesses. If they are forced to fill their spaces, they will find many local businesses who will be happy to be able to get an opportunity to be in a large plaza or mall. Maybe the landlord will have to rent for less rather than wait years for some big chain store to come in, but the community will benefit from the reduction in empty stores, and many small businesses will be able to have a chance, leading to improved local employment. If tax laws are encouraging empty plazas while newer ones are being built right up the street, maybe we need new or better tax laws.

3. Fewer drive-ups at fast food places. I can just hear the minivanners complaining about this. There is more than one way to skin a cat, however. Obviously I understand the appeal of the drive-ups, particularly if you have little children in the car and just want to get the food and go. Having cars just sitting there with their engines running is a big energy waster, however. Every single fast food place doesn't have to have the drive-up. Maybe some can have them, but not all. Another possible solution is to have customers park their cars in the parking lot and have car hops come out, take the orders and the money, and then bring the food out. That way, the food will be there just as quickly, and there will be less wasting of energy, less polluting, and a more relaxing experience for all.

There is plenty to say about suburban sprawl, but there is very little to say about it that is good. How many of us, when contemplating our suburban lifestyle or our choice of a new home get excited about 6- or 8-lane intersections, heavy traffic, and less and less of the beautiful natural scenery that we came to the suburbs for in the first place? Also, does it make sense for us to move farther and farther out every 10 or 15 years so we can enjoy a more beautiful environment and some peace and quiet?

Government policies enhanced the process of development in the first place, and government policies will have to address the problems that have come about. The residents have to come first. The builders, investors, speculators and businesses will easily adapt to any new realities or requirements that good planning will require of them.

LIFE I'M NOT THAT OLD, AM I?

By James Morabito

April 14, 2023

A few years ago, my wife and I were discussing some complicated family matters, and at one point she looked at me, almost in disbelief, and said, “You don’t get it, do you? We’re OLD now!”

I must admit, I didn’t get it then, and I really don’t get it now. I have some health issues, and some of the effects of aging to deal with, but for someone in his upper sixties to be able to walk an hour a day for exercise, I must be doing something right.

How old you feel is more than what that thing on the wall called the calendar says. It also involves your thinking, your attitudes, your interests, and your personality. In many ways, I am the same person as I was twenty or thirty years ago. A quote from writer Mark Twain sums up my feelings: “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

My exercise walking makes me feel, in some ways, a lot younger than when I was a lot younger. As a young couple, my wife and I would sometimes go out walking in the evening, and I was pretty winded trying to keep up with her. For work, she would walk several blocks to catch the bus, and I was sedentary, out of shape. Now, people who see me walking, tell me, occasionally, that my walking is inspirational to others, and that they wish someone they know would do that.

There are, however, the medical concerns and issues, and the fact that I feel vigorous from daily walking doesn’t change my genetics, health risks, medicines, and other factors. My dad, in his nineties, and his several siblings, who range from their seventies to nineties, are all doing well, feeling well, and enjoying life. With that generation leading the way, shouldn’t I feel young by comparison, rather than old?

On my late mother’s side, it is a different picture. One aunt is in her upper eighties, but that side of the family has never had, in recent decades, at least, what you could call a very old male. Health problems, lifestyle choices such as smoking, and other factors beyond their control, took them out well before the age of seventy. One guy made it to seventy-one.

Some things about aging just don’t make sense in our daily lives. I had a nice great aunt years ago, who seemed very old to me, as a kid looking at her. She was thin, with white hair. Looking back, she was actually just forty-eight years old when she died. Smoking probably didn’t help.

More is involved than just memories. Fairly often, now that I am reluctantly having to pay more attention to age, something happens that makes me wonder if my feelings or opinions are appropriate for someone my age. I still have aspirations for the future, and areas of interest in which I am a beginner, really. Should I keep reminding myself that time might be in short supply, or just carry on with the things I like?

My attitudes about family, fun, kids, education, etc., are the same as they were when we had young children. We had our kids pretty late, though, and when people do that, in some ways they fit the old joke that “they had their own grandchildren”. We were going through everything that young parents experience with kids, but we were ten or twenty years older than some parents were.

What I can conclude from all of this is that age truly is an individual thing, and that, within reason, every person is entitled to their own outlook and attitude about it. You, yourself, get to decide when you “feel” old, and when you “think” old, whether or not that nasty calendar says you “are“ old.

LIFE WEAR YOUR GOOD CLOTHES

By James Morabito

March 31, 2023

As I write this, I am wearing my red sweater. My red sweater? So what? Who cares? Well, it is the bright red, V-neck one, the one that I like so much, the one that looks so good, the one that I never wear.

That doesn’t make sense, does it? A nice sweater, my favorite bright red color, a very comfortable sweater that I really like, that I hardly ever wear.

I don’t wear it that often, because I am “saving it” for special events, nice occasions, and times when I want to wear something that makes me feel good.

I have been around enough people to know that I am not the only one who does this. Lots of people have their favorite hat, or shoes, or sport coat, or purse, or golf pants, etc., etc., etc. It is natural to like some clothing items better than others.

I am now at the age where I have realized that the time has come to wear my favorite clothes, and just enjoy them. It doesn’t matter anymore if something gets ripped or stained or damaged in some way. I now see having clothes that I don’t wear much as rather pointless.

Of course, there is a limit. I don’t think I will be buying tires wearing a tuxedo and cummerbund. I probably won’t wear nice shiny loafers while mowing the lawn or digging in my garden. You won’t see me painting a wall wearing a brand new shirt that was a birthday gift. Nevertheless, I am going to get a lot of my clothes moving in a way that I haven’t before.

The thing I wonder about is, why people like me like to “save” things for future use? Are you like that, too? Do you have clothes, or watches, or jewelry that is for some reason something that you like so much that essentially you never wear it? What about favorite tools?

Is this some form of insecurity, or planning for the future? Maybe it is based in frugality and wanting to get the most out of things that we value. In other words, I got these great pants on sale, they look good on me, and so I am only going to wear them on special occasions when they will be just the thing I want to wear.

It is time to face reality. If your number is up, most of your nice clothes with be put in a box, or given away, or thrown in the trash by someone you love. This is more of a factor for those of us who have cracked fifty years of age. Your nicer clothing items could literally outlive you.

Even for younger people, though, doing too much of this “saving” is a waste of time. You could get a job at the zoo, and the elephant could decide one day to sit on you. You could be driving your racecar around the bend, and go off the track. An airplane could land on your house. Holding on to favorite clothing too much doesn’t make sense for anyone over thirty-five or forty years old.

“Saving” other favorite items doesn’t make much sense either. It is time to get out you nice stationery or cards, and send someone an actual, physical note, with a stamp on it. It is time to get out your nice bakeware and make something special. Unless an item is a true keepsake, it is time to stop clinging to it and “saving it”.

It is also time to go to your favorite restaurant and stop waiting for a special occasion. Get going.

LIFE THE VERY OLD ARE COMING TO A PLACE NEAR YOU

By James Morabito

March 17, 2023

The needs of the old and very old are increasing, and there is no solution in sight. There is more involved here than the usual and troublesome topics of Social Security and Medicare funding, although those are obviously going to be difficult issues for society to deal with.

No matter what analogy one chooses, the sound of feet coming up behind you, or a steamroller, or a wave cresting, society is going to feel the increasing elderly population in very significant ways.

In that regard, in dealing with the effects of the increasing number of older people, the kinds of situations that I hear about are probably similar to the kinds of situations that most people hear about. What has stood out, recently, is how often the lives, problems, and situations facing the elderly are the center of conversation and concern.

I need to speak in generalities, in order to protect the privacy and dignity of those involved. Here are just a few of many examples:

A few weeks ago, a suburban man got a brief glimpse of a determined, angry appearing, older woman approaching his house. She began pounding on the front door, loudly demanding to be let in. He began to realize that it was a retired neighbor, whom he has since been told, has Alzheimer’s disease. She and her family have always been very good neighbors, and he hadn’t previously realized how much her illness affected her.

She sounded frustrated, but she didn’t know that she had the wrong house. Another neighbor, who heard what was going on, was able to get the woman, who walks on the block most days, home to her husband, also retired, and also very nice.

There have, since then, been more instances where this lady is seen wandering around that same neighbor’s front and back yards, in an area that has some steep hills. She is always very pleasant when assisted, and easy to lead home, but, naturally, the situation raises concerns.

One professional woman would get calls at work from her elderly mother, who would say that she, the mother, was upset and didn’t know where she was. After asking her mother to describe what she was seeing in the room, she would have to tell her mother that everything was okay and that she was in her living room.

Another situation involves the needs and desires of a gentleman in his 80s or 90s, whose family has been too busy with careers, their own families, various disagreements, etc., to take care of him in the best, most effective way.

The gentleman has siblings, children, and grandchildren, with lots of regular visitors, and yet, somehow he is sometimes not getting what he needs. He is quite intelligent, but usually very bored and idle, and has short term memory problems. Most observers would say that, ideally, he should not be left alone as he is much of the time, sitting in a recliner, staring out a window. In an emergency, he might or might not be able to dial his phone or cell phone, or remember to use the warning beeper around his neck. He falls in the home every few months, so far without bad consequences.

One often hears now of older people living alone, with no children or other relatives in the area or even in the state. One recent situation involved the needs of a nice, well-informed, retired executive man of about eighty, who lived alone. He fell down at home recently, and was apparently discovered by a neighbor, eventually, after a few hours. His children, advising him, apparently questioned the wisdom of his living alone, and he has moved into a senior facility. Many people in such situations might still prefer living at home, though, even if alone.

Increasingly, visits to shopping malls over the last couple of years, but especially the last several months, give one the impression that there seem to be more and more immobile, very old, helpless-appearing people being treated to a nice time out of the house. They are usually in wheelchairs or scooter chairs, accompanied by relatives or friends.

What does all of this tell us? It tells me that our society is woefully unprepared for the amount of eldercare that is going to challenge us all, due to the WWII generation, the rock-and-roll 1950s teenagers, and my very large baby boom generation. Our society, political system, and public budgets are going to be very strained in trying to come up with solutions for all of the problems that are coming.

There are the logistical and physical considerations of keeping older people safe at home, and able to go to doctor’s appointments and other places safely. There are also needs that must be dealt with regarding boredom, depression, and loneliness, not to mention dementia.

Also, quick, novel solutions that might work for younger people in the Internet age, will not work with older people. People can have groceries delivered to their homes, for example, but what about the elderly who can’t dial a phone, use a credit card, or even stand up for very long, much less put groceries away? I have heard of one older person who has trouble changing the channel with the television remote, or turning on the cable tv.

Car-riding services, such a Uber, sound nice for people who shouldn’t drive anymore, but what can be done about the elderly who need someone to literally hold onto them, just to get them in or out of a car? Also, you can’t let someone with dementia just order a car and go somewhere.

I realize that the situations I have described are anecdotal, and don’t qualify as facts or statistics. However, it seems we have not even scratched the surface of finding solutions to the eldercare issues that will overwhelm our families, our communities and our country.

LIFE IF YOU HAVE YOUR HEALTH

By James Morabito

March 3, 2023

Until about three months ago, I had been telling my doctors that I felt great. For a guy in his sixties, I had been saying that I felt like I was half my age. I was walking about an hour a day, I had lost about forty pounds, I had lots of energy, and I had nothing to complain about.

One day, in my brother’s office, I opened my mouth to talk, and everything that came out was nonsensical garbage, not even real words. At first, as he looked at me, my brother thought something was wrong with his hearing. “Wait: Are you trying to talk? Sit down. I think you are having a stroke.” He called my doctor, who told him to rush me to the hospital immediately, and not even wait for an ambulance.

It was a stroke. Intellectually, I knew that such things happened to people, obviously, but there is something very sobering about having it happen to you, yourself. You can’t help but feel older when you have a medical event most people associate with older people.

My recovery was quick and easy, and the holiday season went well. In January, something very unusual happened that was unrelated to the stroke. My pulse was about three times its normal rate. In order to solve the problem, I had what is called a cardioversion, during which your heart is shocked in order to stop it, and then shocked again in order to reset its rhythm. The procedure was successful.

The problem was that during the procedure itself, I kept waking up, and the doctors had to keep giving me more and more anesthetic in order to do what they had to do. As a result, I have been suffering from about several days of amnesia. I don’t remember the lead up to the cardioversion, the cardioversion itself, or the aftermath. To make matters worse, my wife had to rush me to the hospital for another suspected stroke, and I don’t remember any of that either. Now on new medicines, I have been light-headed for the last week or so, and yesterday I had a kidney stone, which is a very painful experience.

What is the point of all of this? Clearly, I am not feeling half my age anymore. The last couple of months have given me insight into the kinds of suffering and problems that people go through, and it has all been beneficial. I have more empathy for others, even more than I thought I had before.

The kinds of inconveniences and suffering that older people and the handicapped have on a daily basis mean a lot more to me now. A great many people need a lot of courage just to get through the challenges of their day. As my 91-year-old dad says, “It takes guts to get old.”

I think I was always a nice, friendly person, but now I make a point of saying sincere, nice things to people in public. I tell people that they look nice, or that they are doing a good job, or that their children are cute. I pay more attention to handicapped people, smile at them, and try to see if they are okay as they maneuver through public places.

There is some truth to the saying that “If you have your health, you have everything.” On the other hand, my recent health problems have made me a better person.

LIFE TIME: FRIEND OR ENEMY?

By James Morabito

February 17, 2023

Whether we want to admit it or not, time is a very important factor in our lives. The question is: Is time a friend or an enemy?

There are times when time is our friend. Spending time with a baby or a child, attending your child’s sporting events or concerts or just relaxing on the beach are examples of when the time spent is rewarding or satisfying. On the other hand, life on this earth is finite for all of us, and as one gets older, the limited nature of time can make one uncomfortable. Is this or that a waste of time? Or, do I have the time to do what I want to do?

When I was much younger, about 30 years ago, I wanted to be a writer – not just a writer, but a good writer. Writing had always been my strong suit in high school and college. In my work, my ability to write in a way that would connect with people was very important. I sometimes wrote advertising, appeared in commercials, etc.

I had two articles published in the original version of Buffalo Magazine. One was a humorous essay, and the other was a humorous story. I was published elsewhere also, and I was on my way as a writer. However, being a beginning writer is no way to support oneself, much less a family, so here I am, 30 years later, getting back to writing.

From my perspective today, the 30 years seem to have gone by very quickly. Did I pack enough living into such a big chunk of my life? Did I waste time? Was I efficient and ambitious enough in my professional pursuits? Was the time well spent? It is certainly gone.

I took care of my mother every day for a year and a half before she died. It was one of the best things I have ever done. We had so much fun. During that amount of time, a dedicated writer could turn out one or two books, but that would not compare to the satisfaction and rewards that I got by taking care of my mother.

Now, in my 60s, I have to decide if there is time left for me to do any of the things that I want to do. Is time my friend, or is it my enemy? There are real choices to be made. I want to write, yes, but that is not all that I want to do.

I would like to do some television. I would like to develop a public affairs show, “Upstate Goes National,” that will allow local people, experts as well as regular citizens, across upstate New York to express themselves on national issues and topics. Usually, local television covers local topics. I happen to feel that we are just as entitled to express our views on national topics as well. Or, I could do a show called “How’s Business?” It would give an up-close and informative look at businesses, and what makes them tick.

Can I do this and try to be a writer as well? How many good working years do I have left? Will trying to do both dilute my efforts?

I would never presume to give anyone advice regarding the subject of time. We are all in the same boat. Life will end eventually – sometimes sooner, sometimes later. I would say, though, as a suggestion, that once in a while it is good to take stock and consider time.

Speaking of stock, one thing to consider when buying a stock is how well it will do over time. If you would do that for an investment, doesn’t it make sense to consider how you yourself will do over time, and what you will do? Do you have time to go to graduate school? Is it too late for you to start a new career? How long do you want to live in that house?

The last 30 years didn’t tell me they were going to fly by. They just did.

CARS MINIVANS MAKING A COMEBACK?

By James Morabito

February 3, 2023

There has been some talk lately in the auto world about minivans making a little bit of a comeback. There are not as many choices out there as there used to be, but the ones that are left are pretty nice people-movers.

It is true that "popular opinion" seems to require that everyone has to buy an SUV these days, and that nothing else is cool enough or desirable enough to buy. Sedans are nearly extinct. Minivans have become much more rarely purchased than they used to be.

SUVs, sport utility vehicles, are obviously very nice. They are basically just stubby, high sitting station wagons with all-wheel drive. American Motors did that years ago when, with limited budgets and design options, they came up with the AMC Eagle.

Now, with the current situation of high gas prices, high inflation, and buyers dealing with all kinds of unusual stresses when shopping for lots of different items, one has to wonder if minivans will get a bit of a new lease on life.

Minivans have way more room inside, with the possible exception of really big truck-based SUVs, like the Chevy Suburban, which has been around forever, and the new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.

With the basic set-up of front-wheel drive on standard minivans, rather than optional all-wheel drive, they will save their owners money on gas. Front-wheel drive provides good enough traction for most drivers in most situations.

I happen to know a single guy who drives a nice looking Chrysler Pacifica. He is always moving stuff around in it. He is a taller guy, and must like the headroom and seating position while driving it. He has had Chrysler or Dodge minivans for many years. I see lots of people who are still getting a lot of practical use out of minivans. I, personally, miss the minivans that I used to have.

Here's the minivan question: Will Mommy and Daddy and Kiddie vans become more relevant and popular again, or is the horse out of the barn, with SUVs winning big time for years to come?

What do you think?

CARS FIAT: WHAT'S IN A NAME

By James Morabito

January 20, 2023

When someone says that a policy or decision was done by fiat, it means that the decision was arbitrary, or was just an order or directive, that didn't go through the usual or proper channels.

When you are talking about Fiat automobiles, then you are talking about the cute little cars made in Italy, and other places around the globe, that are part of the Stellantis Fiat Chrysler empire.

Stellantis was formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, an Italy-U.S.A. company, with France's PSA Group, which includes Peugeot, Citroen, Germany's Opel, and others.

Fiat stands for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, which is another way of saying Italian Automobile Factory of Turin. Fiat, is a lot easier to say than that mouthful.

Fiat is doing well enough in many countries, but they have been having trouble getting a toehold here in America for several years. Actually, they have been stubbing their toe a bit, but they are determined to continue and make things work here.

Part of their problem, I think, has been the names of some of the vehicles they have sold here. The 500 is the little two-door coupe that is shaped like a jelly bean and styled like the tiny Fiat 500 from many years ago. Fine, a retro-looking toy car to get attention with.

The problem was that they used that same 500 name stuff on the 500L, which is like a mini minivan, and the 500X, which is a nice looking SUV. It was all too much 500 confusion for buyers who were having enough trouble absorbing the Fiat idea to begin with.

The 500X really should be selling well, since it is really mostly just a more rounded version of the extremely popular Jeep Renegade, built in the same factory in Italy.

When Chrysler's previous partnership with Mercedes-Benz, called DaimlerChrysler made the awful mistake of discontinuing the Plymouth line of cars, the Chrysler group here was left with nothing for buyers wanting less expensive, affordable cars.

Fiat should be filling that space in America now. I thing Fiat should give a signal to customers in their showrooms looking for affordable cars by recycling some old, familiar Plymouth names.

Would you buy a nice small Plymouth SUV for yourself or your college kid called the Fiat Duster or Fiat Valiant, rather than the Fiat 500X? I think you might. How about a Fiat Fury? While I am at it, why doesn't Chrysler send the Chrysler Voyager, it's less expensive minivan currently only being sold brand new to fleet customers, and which has an old Plymouth name already, over to Fiat. Fiat could use it and build up some American sales figures. Fiat Voyager, anyone?

What does Fiat have to lose by trying this? Nothing, I think.

What do you think?

CARS TRACTION AVANT: FRONT WHEEL DRIVE

By James Morabito

January 6, 2023

Traction Avant was the nickname of a Citroen car in France in the 1930s that had "traction avant", which means "front wheel drive". Over the last 20 or 30 years, most cars sold in the U.S. have been front wheel drive cars. Now, a great many of them such as S.U.V.s, sport utility vehicles, have all wheel drive, which hold the road even better.

The idea with front wheel drive was to have better traction for the car. Having the weight of the engine over the front wheels would help the front wheels have better traction than you would have with a traditional rear wheel drive car, where all of that engine weight would not help the rear wheels grip the road.

So far, so good. The idea seems simple enough, even though it took decades for car companies and the public to embrace front wheel drive for regular, every day cars, sporty cars, and minivans.

Also, there are plenty of car enthusiasts who still want he handling and contol of rear wheel drive, as on the Dodge Charger and Challenger, and the Chrysler 300. Don't mess around with those three. They mean serious business on the road. You could say the same thing about the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and various other sports cars.

Well, then, there isn't much left to know, is there? More weight over the front wheels means more traction and grip for a front wheel drive car, for most drivers in most situations, right? Well, not everyone agrees.

There is this Dad, in Upstate New York, home of fierce winter weather, where you need good traction on ice and snow, and a Son, who don't agree about front wheel drive. They have been discussing a certain front wheel drive, compact car.

Son is a mechanical engineer, whom you would assume would know the last word about engines, mechanics, traction of motorized vehicles, f.w.d. front wheel drive cars, etc. Son is also and artist, and has a big, heavy slab of marble in the trunk of the car that he sold to Dad. The marble is still in Dad's "new" car.

Dad is concerned that the marble is making his traction worse by being at the back of the car, pushing the back of the car down, and lifting the front of the car up. That would be bad for traction, and, therefore, not helpful in winter weather.

Son disagrees, thinking that the extra weight, is distributed over the entire car's frame or chassis, which still helps with traction just by making the car a little heavier.

As a side issue, Dad is also concerned that in an accident where the front of the car slams into something, the marble will come flying through the back seat's seatback webbing and spring wires, and injure the occupants of the vehicle.

After their discussion of the marble and the car's traction, they seem to have agreed to disagree. Neither one has budged from his position or opinion. Mechanical engineers know more about machines, motor vehicle design, etc., than regular drivers do, but on the other hand, the father in this case thinks his opinion would make perfect sense to most people.

What do you think?

REALLY, NO MORE SUBURBAN SPRAWL

by James Morabito

July 14, 2022