Sunday, November 1, 2026

Random Thoughts of the Day November 1, 2026

 


  • Only one group of kids came to my door last night.  I have about 1/2 bag of Kit-Kats that Lee and I will have to eat.
  • More frustration with the dating apps.  It seems you start a short chat with the women and they just ghost you.  You never know when there is just a break in the chat or if you are being ghosted.  I am sorry I tried again.  Sometimes investments don't pay off.
  • I will be happy when the election is over on Tuesday.  I am tired of seeing the political TV commercials.  Many of them are from congressional races that only cover part of the TV stations' viewing area.  Those commercials must cost the candidates a fortune.
  • Best wishes to Mary Ellen, the partner of a radio friend, for a full and speedy recovery.
  • I hate this time of the year when it is dark by 5 PM.

Saturday, October 31, 2026

Season of the Witch from Super Session

 Season of the Witch is a Halloween song that was originally recorded by Donovan,  I have featured that in this journal.  An 11 minute version was featured on the Super Session album that included Al Kooper, Stephen Stills and Mike Bloomfield.


Thursday, October 29, 2026

Today is National Cat Day

 National Cat Day was  founded in 2005 by animal advocate Colleen Paige to raise awareness about shelter cats and encourage adoption.  I never owned a cat, but in the 1980s my sister-in-law had two Siamese cats named Tasha and Jenny. When she went on vacation Karen and I would cat sit for them.  The obvious song for today is Year of the Cat by Al Stewart.

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

The New York City Subway Began on October 27, 1904

 Since I retired, I only take the subway about once a week on the average.  I only remember a few bad delays over the past 9 years, but I encountered many over my years of commuting to work.  I have discussed many of them in my companion blog that I stopped when I retired.  With that thought in mind I a featuring Don't Sleep in the Subway by Petula Clark.

Sunday, October 25, 2026

Friday, October 23, 2026

Baseball Comments of the Day - October 23, 2026

 


  • The World Series starts tonight with the Milwaukee Brewers facing the Tampa Bay Rays.  I will be watching, but I have no preference for either team.
  • I am watching because I don't know how long I will have to wait to see Major League Baseball again.  It seems almost certain there will be a lockout on December 1.  The question is how long will it last.
  • The consensus of fans and baseball journalists is that the season will resume on or before Memorial Day.  Too much money will be lost if the entire season is cancelled. Lessons were learned from the 1994-95 lockout when the World Series was cancelled.
  • Out of a sense of loyalty to the Mets I renewed my 20-game package for 2027.  They are already billing for the plan.  If games are lost they will have to give refunds.

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

My 9 Favorite Movies

 


Notice, that they are all about the Beatles or Bob Dylan.  I will have to give some thought and pick other movies not musical in nature.  Since the College Point Multiplex closed in 2024 I have seen relatively few movies.  As I have discussed before, the mainstream movies are not aimed at the baby boomers.

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Forest Hills High School Class of '67 Reunion on June 6, 2027

 


It is hard to believe that it will be 60 years since I graduated from Forest Hills High School.  I will be going to this reunion as it is so close to home.  I thank Shelley Gabel Dinstein and Helaine Unger for organizing this.

Sunday, October 18, 2026

Recording of Last night' Bob Dylan Concert in Oslo, Norway

 


Where there is a will, there is a way.  The concert was recorded by John Dillon on an Apple Watch.  I guess they can't put watches in a Yondr pouch.  It was remastered by BennyBoy.  I'll have to find time to listen to it.  My friends the Dylan scholars are excited over new lyrics to Tangled Up in Blue.

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour Resumes in Oslo, Norway

 


Dylan is 85 years old and keeps on going,  The set list has been posted on Bill Pagel's site:
Louisiana and Dublin Blues are songs that he has not performed before.  Tangled Up in Blue has made a return after 8 years.  As of Saturday evening there are no reviews of the concert.  I wonder if he is still  hiding behind a hoodie.  He won't be playing at the Beacon Theater in November this year

Oslo, Norway
Spektrum

October 17, 2026

1.To Be Alone With You (Bob on electric keyboard)
2.Man In The Long Black Coat (Bob on electric keyboard)
3.Crash On The Levee (Bob on electric keyboard)
4.Tryin' To Get To Heaven (Bob on electric keyboard)
5.Early Roman Kings (Bob on electric keyboard)
6.I Can Tell (song by Samuel Smith) (Bob on electric keyboard)
7.Tangled Up In Blue (Bob on electric keyboard)
8.Share Your Love With Me
(song by Alfred Braggs and Deadric Malone) (Bob on electric keyboard)
9.Louisiana (song by Randy Newman) (Bob on electric keyboard)
10.When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob on electric keyboard)
11.I'll Make It All Up To You (song by Charlie Rich)
(Bob on electric keyboard)
12.Crossing the Rubicon (Bob on electric keyboard)
13.Soon After Midnight (Bob on electric keyboard)
14.Dublin Blues (song by Guy Clark) (Bob on electric keyboard)
15.Under The Red Sky (Bob on electric keyboard and harp)
16.I've Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You
(Bob on electric keyboard)
17.Goodbye Jimmy Reed (Bob on electric keyboard)
18.I Shall Be Released (Bob on electric keyboard)
 (encore)
19.You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Bob on electric keyboard)




Thursday, October 15, 2026

Reflections on 21 Years of Bruce's Journal

 


On October 15, 2005 I wrote my first blog entry and kept going.  Essentially, it is a vanity press for me after 5518 entries.  I try to write something on most days.  Whenever I have writer's cramp I just post a song.  Many of the YouTube videos that I posted are now gone.  Perhaps, I should update those entries, but it would be a very time consuming task.  Some of the topics:

  • The Golden Oldies
  • Bob Dylan
  • Baseball (especially the New York Mets)
  • Memories of growing up
  • Frustrations about the world situation
  • Museum trips
  • Vacations
  • Obituaries of friends
I rarely write about politics since I hate it so much.  Medical issues should be private so I don't mention it in this journal.

I always wonder who reads this journal since internet surfers are anonymous.  Some have found specific articles by Googling.  I am only aware of a few who read it regularly after I post my latest entry.  Blogger indicate 12 million hits, but I am certain the overwhelming majority are from Bots.

I always like to keep my entries relatively short, so I'll close here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, October 11, 2026

October 11, 10/11, is WCBS-FM 101.1 Day

 


Today's WCBS-FM is not the station that was my favorite in the 1980s and 90s that played the oldies of the 50s, 60s, and 70s.  Today it plays the hits of the 80s, 90s and beyond as it tries to appeal to listeners in the 25-54 age range.  They don't want baby boomer like myself who are not desired by advertisers.  They made a terrible mistake in 2005 when they flipped to the dreaded Jack format.  They learned their lesson and became a "Greatest Hits" station in 2007.  Since that time they gradually phased out the 60s and 70s music.  All of the radio personalities from the oldies era are gone.

I listen to the station just once a week on Sunday mornings.  They have a Yacht Rock show from 7 AM - 10 AM.  There is no radio personality nat that time.  Audacy, the company that now owns the station, is trying to save money,

9 of My Favorite Albums

 


It was very hard to pick 6 of my favorite albums.  I did this off the top of my head.  I avoided Greatest Hits collections and only picked 3 Bob Dylan albums.

Saturday, October 10, 2026

10/10 is 1010 WINS Day

 


With the demise of WCBS News 880 1010 WINS is the only all-news radio station left in NYC.  It became an all news station on April 19, 1965 and began a simulcast on 92.3 FM on October 27, 2022.  This move was done since the AM dial has lost popularity in recent years.  Today, most people get their news from their smartphones and are less reliant on radio.  I listen to WINS a few times a week.  I remember listening to Murray the K back in the early 1960s when WINS was a top 40 station,

Thursday, October 8, 2026

So Trump is Giving Roger Clemens the Medal of Freedom Award - Mike Piazza and Other Hall of Famers Deserve it as Well

 


USA Today reports that President Trump will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Roger Clemens who has been denied election to the Baseball Hall of Fame because of his involvement with steroids.  Hall of Famers including  Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente*, Stan Musial, Ernie Banks, Frank Robinson, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, and Mariano Rivera have received that prestigious award but numerous other Hall of Famers have not.

I have hated Clemens since he beaned Mike Piazza on July 8, 2000.

 

In the second game of the 2000 World Series Clemens threw a piece of Mike Piazza's bat at him.

I feel Trump's award the medal to Clemens is a stunt to get Republican votes in the midterm elections  Hopefully, the next president will award it to Mike Piazza.

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Random Thoughts of the Day - October 6, 2026

 


  • The Yankees are one game away from being eliminated in the ALDS.  The hitting has not come through for them.  If Aaron Judge were playing, would it made a difference?
  • From 2023-2025 the Chicago White Sox lost 100 games.  Now they are one game away from beating Cleveland in the ALDS.  Is there hope for the Mets in 2027?
  • A wooden fence was built around Whitestone Lanes and its parking lot.  Other than that there has been no other work done.  I guess the affordable housing at that site is at least a few years away.
  • After 40+ years nothing has been done at the site of the RKO Keith's Theater at Northern Blvd. and Main Street.  The lobby of that theater has been deemed a landmark, but how can something be a landmark if it has not been seen in over 40 years?
  • Whenever I drive around Queens, I always encounter construction.  I guess the work has to be done.

Sunday, October 4, 2026

My Comments about the News Media

 


I have always felt that very often the news media creates the news rather than report it.  Over the years there have been many high-profile stories that predominate print and electronic news sources.  They often drag on for months and even years while they don’t affect our daily lives.  Let me give a few examples:

·       The British Royal Family – Should Americans care about what they do or say?  The most import Royal, King Charles III, gets less attention than anyone else while he is the most important.

·       The rape case at Cornell University.  Must the public be advised of all the details?  It is unfortunate as it affects the university community. Will” applications to Cornell University declinw? Does it have bearing on the general public?

·       Luigi Mangione.  There are thousands of murders in the country every year, but why does this one get so much attention?  Do we need to see a video of how he was arrested?  Do we know who called the police in Altoona, PA?  Do we know much about Brian Thompson who was murdered.

·       The Lindsay Clancy trial.  It is so sad that 3 small children were killed.  Do we know the details of the legal proceedings.  Does this situation affect our daily lives?

·       Celebrity romances.  I couldn’t care less.

I guess it is part of the “media culture” that unusual situations are reported and blown out of proportion.  Maybe I am the exception for objecting to this.

To me, the weather forecast is the most important item in the news as it affects everyone.

 


Friday, October 2, 2026

The Beatles Rubber Super Deluxe Box Set is Released Today



I remember buying Rubber Soul at Alexanders record department in Rego Park in December 1965.  I guess the record company wants to make more money from the Beatles, so they have produced  this boxed set.  It includes alternative takes of the songs and also distinguishes between the American and British versions of the original release.  I bought it from Amazon.com and am awaiting its delivery.

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

For National Coffee Day - The Coffee Song by Cream

 


In other years I featured One More Cup of Coffee by Bob Dylan on September 29th.  By searching YouTube I found this obscure track from Cream.

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Random Thoughts of the Day - September 27, 2026


  • Today is the last day of the regular baseball season.  The Mets finished last in NL East while the Yankees will enter the playoffs as the #1 wild card in the AL.  The question is who will go and who will stay on the Mets for 2027?  Hopefully David Stearns will not make any bad trades or free agency signings in the offseason.  We also have to worry about a lockout if the owners insist on a salary cap while the player don't.  Will a lockout cancel all or some of the 2027 season?
  • As I am writing this we are in the middle of a nor'easter.  It is a drag to have to stay in the apartment all day.  Yesterday, there was a break in the storm for about 5 hours so Lee and I were able to go to the grocery store.
  • I still have crazy dreams about encountering people I have not seen in years.  Last night I dreamed about sitting in a classroom as my former boss walked in.
  • I always wonder how many hits to this journal are from real people and how many are from bots.  Are the people acquaintances or strangers?

 

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

History of New York Mets Managers

 Yesterday, Andy Green was appointed the 26th permanent manager of the Mets after serving as interim manager after Carlos Mendoza was fired in June.  Andy was given a 3-year contract.  Whenever anyone is appointed as manager, he will eventually be fired.  The manager is always the scapegoat when the team falters.  The chart below was taken from Baseball Almanac.  It includes a few interim managers.

New York Mets Managers | 1962 - 2026

Mets Managers & Finishes

196237Casey Stengel40120.25010th60½1962
196337Casey Stengel51111.31510th481963
196437Casey Stengel53109.32710th401964
196537Casey Stengel3164.32610th471965
51Wes Westrum1948.284
19669Wes Westrum6695.4109th28½1966
19679Wes Westrum5794.37710th40½1966
54Salty Parker47.364
196814Gil Hodges7389.4519th241968
196914Gil Hodges10062.6171st+81969
197014Gil Hodges8379.5123rd61970
197114Gil Hodges8379.5123rd141971
19728Yogi Berra8373.5323rd13½1972
19738Yogi Berra8279.5091st+1½1973
19748Yogi Berra7191.4385th171974
19758Yogi Berra5653.5143rd10½1975
51Roy McMillan2627.491
197655Joe Frazier8676.5313rd151976
197755Joe Frazier1530.3336th371977
9Joe Torre4968.419
19789Joe Torre6696.3896th241978
19799Joe Torre6399.3896th351979
19809Joe Torre6795.4145th241980
19819Joe Torre4162.3985th / 4th18½1981
198231George Bamberger6597.4016th271982
198331George Bamberger1630.3486th221983
55Frank Howard5264.448
19845Davey Johnson9072.5562nd6½1984
19855Davey Johnson9864.6052nd31985
19865Davey Johnson10854.6671st+21½1986
19875Davey Johnson9270.5682nd31987
19885Davey Johnson10060.6251st+151988
19895Davey Johnson8775.5372nd61989
19905Davey Johnson2022.4762nd41990
3Bud Harrelson7149.592
19913Bud Harrelson7480.4815th20½1991
4Mike Cubbage34.429
199210Jeff Torborg7290.4445th241992
199310Jeff Torborg1325.3427th381993
46Dallas Green4678.371
199446Dallas Green5558.4873rd18½1994
199546Dallas Green6975.4792nd211995
199646Dallas Green5972.4504th251996
46Bobby Valentine1219.387
19972Bobby Valentine8874.5433rd131997
19982Bobby Valentine8874.5432nd181998
19992Bobby Valentine9766.5952nd6½1999
20002Bobby Valentine9468.5802nd12000
20012Bobby Valentine8280.5063rd62001
20022Bobby Valentine7586.4665th26½2002
200318Art Howe6695.4105th34½2003
200418Art Howe7191.4384th252004
200512Willie Randolph8379.5123rd72005
200612Willie Randolph9765.5991st+122006
200712Willie Randolph8874.5432nd12007
200812Willie Randolph3435.4932nd32008
53Jerry Manuel5538.591
200953Jerry Manuel7092.4324th232009
201053Jerry Manuel7983.4944th182010
201110Terry Collins7785.4754th252011
201210Terry Collins7488.4574th242012
201310Terry Collins7488.4573rd222013
201410Terry Collins7983.4882nd172014
201510Terry Collins9072.5561st+72015
201610Terry Collins8775.5372nd82016
201710Terry Collins7092.4324th272017
201836Mickey Callaway7785.4754th132018
201936, 26Mickey Callaway8676.5313rd112019
202019Luis Rojas2634.4334th92020
202115Luis Rojas7785.4753rd11½2021
202211Buck Showalter10161.6232nd02022
202311Buck Showalter7587.4634th292023
202428, 64Carlos Mendoza8973.5493rd62024
202564Carlos Mendoza8379.5122nd132025
202664Carlos Mendoza3447.420----2026
70Andy Green *------
202770Andy Green----------2027
202870Andy Green----------2028