Reinke Faces Life

Went to M’s play last night.

(I’ll skip over the obvious Socialist education messages. “Wishing we could change ancient laws that are just wrong.” Yeah, I know me, and my tin foil hat, see Socialists and Big Gooferment subliminal advertising everywhere in the Gooferment Skrules!)

The entrance was manned by a “welcoming committee”. With water, apples, and shopping bags. (Shopping bags? Courtesy of the local school improvement cooperative.) Adults were asked if they’d like to register to vote. (School funding?) And, if you said that you were registered, they offered you, what I would call, a “wake up service”. They gave you a form to fill out and some one from the collective “would call and remind you when it was time to vote for better schools”. (I swear. No joke. I listened very carefully. I couldn’t make this up.)

But this isn’t about politics!

Interesting idea. Give children and adults apples as refreshments. But no paper towels? Obviously a well-thought out plan to have sticky hands and a lot of people holding cores. (Being a fat old white guy injineer, I immediately look for paper products but couldn’t find any. And, being a bit of fanatic, I wasn’t sure if they were washed so I declined. Algar? Wasn’t that the greenies’ scare that ruined the Washington apple industry until sanity resumed to people who asked for evidence that we were all going to roll up and die eating it. If unwashed, should folks have been keeling over in the aisle. Maybe humans, like pigs, can eat anything and survive?)

After the obligatory “welcome” by one of the less senior Gooferment Skrule Bureaucrat. Complete with “rules”. (Do they think that they are dealing with “large size children”.) And, an urging to “support our schools”. They got organized.

Wish I could rescue all the children from, as Rush says, “having their little minds filled with mush! But wishing ain’t gonna make it so.

Tough night.

At various spots in the play, I saw flashes of enthusiasm and happiness on many little faces. Surprisingly, even M looked positively joyous at one point. I wish I could have had a picture of that.

There were no child prodigies. No Andrea McArdle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfvxYTL7EkM (I saw here on Broadway. Fantastic! Always inspiring when you see someone in their bliss. In the zone. Reaching their potential.) But there were some introverts, some extroverts, some with raw talent, some with what would be be characterized as “enthusiasm”. At several times in the play, usually in the group songs, the cast really put their hearts and souls in the song.

Interestingly one of the non-singing points were I saw enthusiasm was in the “magic carpet ride” scene. Even those in the chorus, who were sitting quietly, were somehow happily transfixed on the actions — perhaps dreaming of escape on a magic carpet with a beautiful price or princess.

(Do kids really believe this stuff? They are so hard to communicate with. It’s difficult to determine what they believe. Other than I need a puppy. My assistant photographer and ipad game playing best bud again put his pitch in that I need a puppy so I’m not lonely. I patiently re-explained my “one dog, one wife, one house” policy. He just nodded knowingly.)

The other time the children were really happy and excited was at the end of the play (Me2!) when they recognized and gave a gift bag to each one of those that helped. Big cheers and instance for the Student Teacher to come out. But more about that later.

The “big honcho” Gooferment Skrules Bureaucrat came out to close. He reminded us that these were just little kids who had put in 96 hours of time and more than 20 rehearsals. (First, did any one think they were on Broadway? Or that these were just small adults. Second, maybe this is as good as they could be, but may they needed more time or talent. Or better Gooferment Skrules Bureaucrats?) He again gave us more rules and 15 minute deadline before the children had to be at their cast party.

Then the children passed around the mike for the recognizing those helpers and give their gift bags.

(Couldn’t catch the names, the children were so excited. They become almost non-verbal. But their actions said volumes. You could sense who was really loved and who was just an obligatory “ty”. That was infectious. But those called out from the audience were really embarrassed. But the children insisted.)

The teacher, the music guy, some lady who did something, and M’s Mom got applause. (I left my audience participation noise meter at home, but clearly to this fat old white guy injineer the Student Teacher was the most beloved. And humorously the most embarrassed. (Thought that was cute, and the children were most animated. The young woman obviously had touched their hearts and souls. That was nice to see.)

Then the cast was free. Adults were up to the stage taking pictures. Some girls got flowers. Some of the children looked like they were lost in a busy train station. By my eye M had the most flowers. And seemed pleased with the attention.

M’s brothers were ready to go home. (Me2!) They had just sat through their second viewing since they had seen it that afternoon. My assistant photographer’s only comment was “It was better the first time.” From the mouths of babes. Things usually are.

So I was trooper and represented Frau Reinke at this family event. About mid way through, I was very sad that she missed it. She would have loved it. She was always happy any time she saw someone “hitting their stride”. In basketball, even if her girls lost, as long as the played their best and had fun, she was happy. (Of course, she liked to win. But that wasn’t the only thing.) She’s have been positive that the children were beautiful and the production was one step from Broadway. (I’d say a LONG step.) But, I’d agree that the children had fun and at times hit their bliss. So on that scale, it was a hit!

However, I couldn’t get to sleep until about 3AM thinking about all she had missed.

Donna Nobis Pacem.

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What happened to let’s make a deal this morning?

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I have a double special connection to Saint Patrick’s Day.

Frau Reinke’s maiden name was Mahoney. An she had the Irish wit.

And, I have a religious connection to the Old Sod.

It is embarrassing that a bunch of fools get wasted in “celebration” of Saint Patrick.

I’m certainly not against having a good time, and I love Irish music. But those boobs wrecking a perfectly good car in Albany, how is that having a good time.

In all things in moderation!

HSPD.

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In late January, the largest WMS WAP jackpot ever, totaling more than $4.9 million, was won on THE WIZARD OF OZ™ RUBY SLIPPERS™ penny slot game at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Atlantic City, N.J.

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Aghhhhhhhhhhh!

That should have been mine. Wrong time.

On 1/21/11, I dropped $300 in that machine. (Don’t have a cow, I was winning! Finished the trip up about 700$ after splitting. My life was all good that day. But it could have been infinitely better!)

Why not me?

Argh! Square.

(Maybe Luddite shouldn’t have told me, in my fragile emotional state.)

ROFL.

Time for an appropriate quote from “CHURCH 10●19●62”?

“If she mourned anything, she mourned that. It might be terrible to say. But, she felt as she would imagine the lottery winner who can’t find the ticket to cash.” — character “June” in CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 2 Page 189

I guess I don’t feel as bad as that. I never had the tickets. And, Our Girl always said that I was unlucky. She was wrong. I won her in life’s lottery. That was enough luck for one lifetime. Imagine all the folks who never find their soulmate?

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Frau Reinke wanted to go to AC so of course we went. We had dinner at the main buffet since drinking for me is now out of the question. I have to be in full control of my senses to help her get through this time of trouble. Yesterday, I played better on a Penny. Following some of my Zen, I walked away with 100$ profit which I split with Ev. I played for a long while on her card.

Interesting. A lady sat down to play next to me. She was very concerned with how I was doing. I was playing max bet max lines on a low progressive slot. Buck and a half a spin. And, was doing pretty good. I was trying to be the Penny Zen Master and not get caught up in the “feeding frenzy” of push push the button as fast as you can.After all I had two hours to kill and the Mac Book Air only runs for an hour on the battery. (That’s why I don’t recommend it and if I had known that I would not have bought it.) So so I was following my “timing the machine” strategy. (Three deep breaths between pushes. Being mindful of “speed kills your wallet”. Letting it count out all pay offs. “Respect the machine”. Calculate the eventually total of what ever I’d win with what I had. Setting stop limits. Being calm. Being in the moment.) So this lady goes to sit next to me. She bumps me hard. Mumbles something. Starts playing with a voucher from another machine. I could help but notice she started with 80$. But, I was in the moment with “my own” machine. I was hitting a lot of small stuff. And I noticed she was very interested in how I was doing. That usually is a giant turn off for me. I am superstitious had believe it brings you bad luck. Like an evil eye. Completely irrational I know. But that my feeling. Conflicts with my new belief — Zen of Penny Slots – Point #10 – It’s a random number generator — and I’m trying to master my emotions at the slots. Any way, I’m not doing badly. I played off my “free” money and put in my planned stake. Two spins in I hit the free spins. Usually I would avoid this kind of game since you have to pick in a “concentration” style bonus game. I am usually a terrible picker. So I used my “randomizing technique” of taking the top bill in my wad and using the digits on it to pick. (Hey, the casino has a random number generator; why can’t I? I probably should print a card of random digits from 0 to 9 at home. I’m not sure those bill digits are that random.) In this case it was my innermost twenty. Good old Andy Jackson. So I plunk out the numbers and sure enough I get top number of spins and top multiplier with a wild card for five additional spins. Now this machine is imho notoriously stingy in the bonus round. But I am the aspiring Zen Master of Penny Slots. And it’s just a random number generator. Any way, bout half way thru, it hits big. 70$ or so. And, the lady next to me is going nuts. She stops play and starts watching me. When I notice this, my machine stops hitting and the bonus round ends. Up about 90$. Normally I’d be pissed and move on. But not the new ZMoPS. I just calmly sit there as it pays off. She says to me: “How did you get so much?” DUH. Now usually I be all in a snit. Say something real nasty, but I’m now the new ZMoPS. So I reply: “Just dumb luck. Besides you shouldn’t be too concerned with what I win. You need to win.” She obviously didn’t like that answer. So she resumed playing and watching. Her husband sits down and she laments on her fate of a “bad machine”. And, tells him I keep winning and winning. With a thick Russian accent. She starts playing again. Stupidly imho. She’s tells hubby: “She’s varying her stake to bring out the luck.” I feel like yelling at her: “No, Grasshopper, that leads to the dark side.” I really wish her the best. Don’t you know she hits the bonus, picks max spins, with max multiplier, with 5 extra, … … with a minimum 30¬¢ bet. Argh! She goes nuts. Meantime, she focuses back on me. I’m still waiting for it to count out my win. But she doesn’t know that so she thinks I’ve hit again. Starts muttering under her breath and yelling at the husband. To which he says: “Lats go eat.” She says something. He walks away. She’s going nuts. Any way I continue to play with a new stop point set of 150$. I hit some more. Get the bonus a few times. Use different bills. Nothing big. My stop keeps edging up to to two hundred. She goes nuts and eventually puts more money in and finally busts out down about 300$ by my eye. So naturally, I start bouncing in and around the 210 to 225 range. At 230, my stop would move to 210. Can’t seem to get up to 230. Eventually the machine “turns cold” and I hit just under 200$. 199.12. And like the ZMoPS I am, I cash out. Thanking the Universe for a nice hour and ten minutes of fun. It was “fun”. Split with the old lady. And I can come another day. I didn’t ever indulge in schadenfreude at my “companion’s” loss. But it did teach me that I’m on the right path to control my losses at the casino.

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http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/news?slug=ap-ncaa-rutgers

Rutgers snares a No. 7 seed in NCAAs

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP)—Rutgers women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer wasn’t exactly thrilled with her team’s NCAA tournament draw.

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I think they did pretty well.

The committee stuck Notre Dame in UConn’s bracket. RU dodged Baylor’s and Tennessee’s brackets. All in all, I can see RU getting to the Final Four if they play well.

Out in the first round if they play that funky “pass the ball around until we turn it over” style that seems, like a recessive gene, to come out when one least expects it. All her teams have had that. Perhaps it’s the coaching?

I’d expect that the hardest thing for a coach is to infuse the players with intensity.

And, RU hasn’t had a legitimate 5 since Sue Wicks left.

Now there was a woman with intensity.

It’s hard to see RU advancing without a traditional 5 for rebounds and points in the paint.

But then what do I know? I’m only a fat old white guy injineer. And this was the first year without season tix to RU. Among other things I am without.

Time to see RU pull a rabbit out of the hat, or put some intensity in the sneakers. That’s what winning is all about.

Raw naked desire!

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UPDATE: FROM A COMMENT ON FACEBOOK, MY RESPONSE:

We’ll see. This was my wife’s “team”. Subway alumni. Had season tix from the mid-70s until last year. I think when ever she watched them that she wondered what might have been. Her common phrase was “I was born two decades too soon” and after the women would play badly “they have no idea what gift they have to play at this level”. Not in criticism, but a wistful sadness.

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http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/03/14/mars-needs-moms-may-be-one-of-hollywoods-biggest-bombs/?blog_id=120&post_id=64261

MARCH 14, 2011, 7:00 AM ET
‘Mars Needs Moms’ May Be One of Hollywood’s Biggest Bombs
By Anthony Kaufman

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Disney’s latest 3-D animated film “Mars Needs Moms” may be one of the biggest box office bombs of all time.

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A smart ten year old told me all I needed to know about this stinker.

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