Enter 2021
A friend’s email contained a lot of fun photos and quips. Here’s the one I liked best:
Now someone explain the sporty cars that constantly backfire loudly as they move along.
From an article at nypost.com, edited by yours truly: “Drug-makers… plan to raise prices on more than 300 drugs in the USA on Jan. 1. The pandemic has reduced doctor visits and demand for some drugs. Companies are also fighting new price cutting rules from the Trump administration, which would reduce the industry’s profitability.” When the president is gone, consumers will no longer have a high profile advocate to fight for them in this regard.
Love this headline from NYP: “Poopsicles: Meteorologist warns icicle eaters are likely licking bird feces.” Unlike Frank Zappa’s warning about yellow snow, it’s invisible.
Here’s a snippet from NYP sports media critic Phil Mushnick’s column: “You could almost smell the academic fraud stink surrounding this Army football team all season long, just by watching them play with a self-important swagger that betrayed the conduct of past West Point players.” Very sad. And here’s another sign of the times he mentions: “In Washington, DC, the William Hill sports gambling giant has launched a Bet-Mobile, similar to a Good Humor truck or a rolling library truck, that will book bets near the Capital One Arena.”
Here’s a newsmax.com headline that should surprise no one: “Israel Has Vaccinated 7 Percent of Population, Leading World.” And here’s a snippet from an article about a Gallup poll: “… 60% of the American public expressing little or no trust in the news media.”
Decades, channel 5–5 on ota’s in NYC, is running a Twilight Zone marathon through Sunday. I’ve already watched two episodes I had no recollection of. Gary Crosby, Bing’s son, starred in Come Wander with Me, written by Anthony Wilson, his only work for the iconic series. It first aired in May 1964.
The year-end returns for my literary enterprise are booked. Since the floating book shop was on hiatus for three months at the start of the pandemic, it brought in $800 less than last year. Business was better than usual in November and December, which closed the gap considerably. I sold only 24 of my works on the street in 2020, and approximately that much in Kindle and print sales on the web. The deficit is down to $356, but if the entire endeavor is counted I’m more than $25,000 ahead since I went full time in 2008. I don’t do it because I need the money but because of the psychological boost it gives me, and now also because I’m anti-lockdown.
My thanks to the two ladies who bought five books in Russian between them, and to the one who purchased five young adult novels. It was the first time I’d worked on New Year’s Day since 1981 when I was tending bar at Hedges Café on Staten Island. I really liked working there despite the temperamental pretty boy owner/manager. The waitresses, hostesses, cooks and staff were cool. It no longer exists. To my surprise, I failed to find a photo of it on the web. It’s not listed among Staten Island’s most missed restaurants.
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