Random Thought of the Day - July 1, 2025

• It is hard to believe that 2025 is half over.  Where does all this time go?
• If it is July 1, it is Bobby Bonilla Day. He will collect a check for $1,193,248.20 from the New York Mets, as he has and will every July 1 from 2011 through 2035. His contract was restructured as the Mets had financial problems during the Wilpon era
• The Mets have lost 13 out of their last 16 games, but are only two games behind Philadelphia in the NL East.  Hopefully, they will turn things around soon.
• It is July 1, and NJ Transit is raising its fares 3%.  When I feel blue, I am grateful I never have to ride any of their trains again.
• Yesterday, I received yet another chat request on Telegram from a young lady.  She was offering me the chance to make a lot of money working from home.  The first sign of a scam is that if it is too good to be true, it is.  There are too many scams on social networking sites.  I politely told her I wasn't interested, but she was persistent.  This time, I ghosted her.  How come only younger women try to contact me?

 

Three Definitions of Catfish with a Bob Dylan Reference (of course)

 

Catfish are a diverse group of ray-finned fish known for their prominent barbels (whiskers).

Jim "Catfish" Hunter was a major league pitcher for the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees.

• SABR Biography
• Statistics from Baseball-Reference

Here is the Bob Dylan reference.  Catfish Hunter was the only baseball player who was the subject of a Dylan song.

Catfishing refers to the creation of a fictitious online persona, or fake identity (typically on social networking platforms), with the intent of deception, usually to mislead a victim into an online romantic relationship or to commit financial fraud.  When I meet new people online these days, I don't know if they are real or catfishing.  In any event, they turn into ghosts within a few days.

What Happens When a Nice Jewish Girl from Brooklyn Meets a Nobel Laureate from Minnesota

 

Barbra Streisand released a new album titled “The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two,” is that breath. It's a cozy, comforting audible hug from a parade of familiar friends, including Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Josh Groban, Sting, Ariana Grande, and Mariah Carey. Even Bob Dylan hopped aboard this love train.

Dylan and Streisand sang The Very Thought of You, a duet with Streisand and Dylan.

The song was first recorded by Ray Noble and His Orchestra with Al Bowlly on vocals for His Master's Voice in England in April 1934.  I am surprised they chose an adult standard rather than a Dylan composition.  For more information on this song, please visit Wikipedia.

Another Chatting "Relationship" Ends Abruptly

 

Here we go again. Facebook regularly provides users with friend suggestions, typically based on shared friends. Lily and I had one common friend, an oldies enthusiast, so we friended each other.  She lives in Southern California and appeared to be about 30 years old, so obviously, I can't date her. She emigrated from Germany about 5 years ago.  We had a nice chat for a few days on Facebook Messenger.  After a while, she suggested we move the chat to WhatsApp.  She began discussing Bitcoins and cryptocurrency. After I told her I wasn't interested in that, she abruptly ended the chat.

I inferred that she wanted me to invest with her and "gave up" on me as a potential client.  Thankfully, my finances are in good shape, and I am not interested in any type of investing.  If I were going to invest, I would do it through a reputable organization, not through an online "acquaintance".

I am aware there are many online scams on social networking sites, so I am careful.

I sense my chat with younger women are a substitute for dating.  They are just a waste of time since they all end abruptly.  All but one were with women hundreds of miles away.

I was ghosted again.  Oh well.

 

Mets 7 Braves 3

 

After the Mets lost 10 of 11 games, I was hoping that Lee and I would bring them some luck.  Over the course of 162 games, any team will have peaks, valleys, and plateaus.  Everything will even out by the end of the season.  The Mets' problem appears to be their inability to hit with men on base. The bottom of the lineup has been especially unproductive. Their bullpen has faltered recently since the pitchers are overworked.

The highlights of the game were two home runs by Juan Soto and another homer by Rony Mauricio.  Soto has now hit 10 home runs in his last 23 games.  Still, is any athlete worth $51 million/year?

Game Recap

The Bobby Sherman - Bob Dylan Connection - One Too Many Mornings

 

June was a very bad month for recording artists, as it was announced today that Bobby Sherman passed away at 81.  He revealed earlier this year that he had stage 4 cancer.  I best remember Bobby for his appearances on the TV show Shindig in the mid-1960s.  Leave it to me to find a link to Bob Dylan as Bobby covered One Too Many Mornings.

Random Thoughts of the Day - June 24, 2025

• Today is Primary Day in NYC for mayor and other city-wide offices.  I am just tired of seeing the incessant TV commercials for the various candidates.  I predict that Andrew Cuomo will win the Democratic primary for mayor, given that he has invested a significant amount of money in commercials. I will not rank him, but more voters will "forgive him" for his indiscretions as NYS governor. If Trump can be elected president despite his actions, Cuomo can be elected Mayor.  The election for mayor in November will be Cuomo (Democrat), Sliwa (Republican), and Eric Adams (independent)
• My stove has not been operating well lately.  The burners and broiler work, but the baking does not work properly.  A repairman is scheduled to come between 1 PM and 4 PM.  It is so hot, so I may as well stay home.  Perhaps it just needs a thermostat.  If I need a new stove, so be it.  I had this one for about 18 years.  No product lasts forever.
• Lee's bus came 2 1/2 hours late today.  Better late than never.
• I see statistics for Bruce's Journal from Blogger.  I just don't know how many are real hits and how many are from robots.