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You Fired Who… AND WHO?

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This is one of my favorite stories of all time. The story is originally found in Harpo Marx’s autobiography Harpo Speaks.

Here is the background of this classic story:

As the Marx Brothers were growing up in New York City, they, of course, looked for ways to make a few dollars. They each had a variety of odd jobs. For a while, Chico Marx found employment playing the piano at beer gardens, nickelodeons, and the like. Chico was a pretty good piano player by this time.

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Two Presidents, One Regiment

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“Are you alright Mr. President?”

“I’ll be fine, Mr. President.”

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My Favorite Western Movies (So Far)

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I have always had a soft spot in my heart for watching a good Western.

Over the last few years, I’ve been watching some of the classic westerns, catching up on movies I have always wanted to see, but never had the time.

By no means am I an expert on ranking movies, but I figured I share the titles of the most enjoyable westerns that I have viewed (to date).

I didn’t rank these films, rather, it’s simply an alphabetical list of the Westerns I have enjoyed.

  • Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
  • A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
  • For A Few Dollars More (1965)
  • The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
  • The Gunfighter (1950)
  • Hang ‘Em High (1968)
  • High Noon (1952)
  • Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
  • The Lone Ranger (1956)
  • The Magnificent Seven (1960)
  • Man of the West (1958)
  • Once Upon A Time in the West (1968)
  • Open Range (2003)
  • Pale Rider (1985)
  • Stagecoach (1939)
  • Tombstone (1993)
  • True Grit (1969)
  • True Grit (2010)

Years ago, I remember watching and enjoying Dances With Wolves, Gunfight at the OK Corral, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Shane, Young Guns, Silverado, and a made-for-HBO western titled Draw. I remember enjoying each of those films, but, since I haven’t seen any of them in decades, I didn’t include them in the list.

The Greatest Story Ever!

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Did you ever wait in great anticipation for a new movie or a new book?  You wait and you wait and you wait – and then finally the day comes. The book arrives or you head to the theater.

And then, it all ends too quickly.  

It’s over before you know it.  

I feel that way reading the Bible.  

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Loss & Sadness and God & Jesus and Hope & Faith.

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Yesterday they buried my brother-in law- and my best friend, Mark. After a beautiful service, we drove to the cemetery, prayed during a brief graveside service, placed flowers on the casket, and said our goodbyes. We then returned to our cars and went to a repast.

And then life goes on.

Or it’s supposed to.

And it will, of course, but it’ll never be the same. It can’t be. How can anything be the same when a huge part of one’s life is missing?

I’ll turn to see Mark, and he won’t be there. I’ll think of something funny to share, but he won’t be there to share it with. I’ll think of his unqiue sayings and instead of laughing, I’ll feel am emptiness inside because I’ll never hear those words, from Mark at least, ever again.

We’re supposed to move forward – and we do. But it’s never the same.

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BOOK TALK – January 14, 2024 (Florham Park, NJ)

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On January 14, 2024 – at 2:00 p.m., I’ll be at the Florham Park Public Library.

Looking to make 2024 a fantastic year?

Noted writer, speaker, educator, marathoner, and podcaster, Dr. Paul Semendinger, will be here to help everyone kick off the new year in a most positive way!

Author of the  motivational book, Impossible is an Illusion, Dr. Semendinger will share ideas about excellence, setting and reaching goals, and much more as he shares his positive outlook on life.

We can all achieve more than we might think. Who knows, greatness might be just around the corner!

My Favorite Books from 2023

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I love books! I read and read and read some more. In 2023, I read 45 books. 

Here, in brief, were my favorites. These are listed in the order I read the books, they aren’t ranked, except for the fact that I put the Bible first:

The Holy Bible – My goal in 2023 was to read the Bible. I did it. It is an amazing and wonderful book (of course). I learned so much. I am so glad I read the Bible. Of course, it is a very complex book and there is a great deal in there, so, in 2024, I’m reading it again. I think this will be something I do every year going forward.

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Thinking of Roman Times…

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There was this idea trending a few weeks ago that men think about the Roman Empire on a daily basis. Many found this to be an amazing thing. Many wondered, aloud, “What could these men possibly be thinking about related to the Roman Empire? Why would people think about the Roman Empire today?”

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The End(y) Was Just The Beginning

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When you write your own stories, you get to tell the stories the way you want them to be told.

And, because this is my site, and my story, I’ll tell the story the way I would like it to be remembered. (But, because I always strive to be accurate and fair, I will tell the whole story… it’ll just be shared the way I want it told.)

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The Best Books I Read in 2022

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I love to read. My goal (a modest goal to some and an impossible goal for others) is to read 30 books each year. I figure that two books a month (and then a few more) is reasonable.

In 2022, I actually made it to 45 books, but, then again, well, a whole collection weren’t all that scholarly (as you’ll soon see).

Here, now, are the books I most enjoyed in 2022:

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