Monthly Archives: February 2015

Bad Weather

We have had some really rough days here at Imperial Plaza but not as bad as the people in the northeast. Extreme cold, rain, snow, ice and, mixed in it, sun. I finally had my chance to do what I threatened to do; stand in the window with a cup of hot coffee and look out at the weather. When I got rid of my house and moved to Imperial Plaza, that is what I said I wanted to do during the worst weather.

When a person (man) have a house, bad or good weather doesn’t mean anything. Yard work, repairs and beautification must be done, each and every day. That mean rain, shine, hot, cold, daylight or darkness. The work never cease and that is just the outside. Remember, after it’s all said and done outside, the inside awaits attention (which does not include the “honey do” list).

This is the reason I “Love” Imperial Plaza, work only if you want to. I now have everything done for me and that is why I took on many other things I had been neglecting or wanted to do. This even left time to take on the responsibilities of the Church. In my younger life, I had been very active in the Church but drifted away. Now I am back and, believe it or not, have a better vision about what is to be done at the new Church.

The six o”clock news showed a film clip of a fire at the place where I have a part-time job. Luck was with the place by having no injuries and minor damage. This is the season for that sort of thing happening everywhere because people love to use space heaters and will sleep while they are on. I am glad it has not happened here but the other day we had a sprinkler pipe burst and cause water damage. A few residents had to spend a couple of days in a hotel as the cleanup people did their work.

Last week all outside activities and excursions were canceled because of the weather. It is the first time “ROMEO” (retired old men eating out) did a cancellation. We did do the WII bowling and a few other things but the weather kept things to a minimum. Hats off to the support people for, first, getting here through the cold and snow and, second, doing a fine job taking care of all of us. Thank You and I wish I could do more than to say……. Thank You. I am dry, warm and thankful for being able to stand in my window, drink my hot coffee and look out onto the bad weather.

One other thing to smile about is many churches closed due to the bad weather, that is, except for the church I am a part of. If they close of presumed bad weather, what are they going to do when the weather is really bad? Never presume, act only when needed. In other words, don’t jump the gun.

Busy In Retirement

The past couple of weeks have been busy with more to come.  Since retirement, I have been busier than when I was working full time and owned my house.  Now I am retired, working part-time, don’t own a house anymore and live in a retirement community.  I find more things to do, to get involved in and I wonder how I got myself into this.  I really don’t know but it sneaks up on you and before you know what happened, there are more things on your plate than you have room for.

It is said that activity keeps your heart pumping and keep you in good shape.  I don’t know about all of that but it is so bad I find myself looking at my pocket calendar two or three times a day to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything and should be somewhere else instead of relaxing.  Here I am relaxing and writing this blog and I know I have a group of other things to do.  Alas, to tell the truth, I love it and really can’t give up the activity.

My son-in-law is a preacher and started a new church four Sundays ago and I was there each Sunday except for one, so far.  Now, I have accepted the position as Deacon and will be officially seated on the twenty second of March by the Bishop.  I started being busier than ever this week because I have to be at Bible study, be busy after Sunday service and other things for the church.

My wife and I went to Maryland Live Wednesday and I gave back the money I won at Hollywood Casino in West Virginia a couple of weeks, or so, ago.  Oh well, it was fun and we had a good time.  It is fun to just get away, even if it is only for one day.  Then it is back to the grind with smiles.   The traffic wasn’t bad because I left Imperial Plaza at ten in the morning and left Maryland at seven at night.  This way I miss the working people traffic in and around Washington D.C.  The trip is one hundred and thirty three miles one way and it took me two hours each way.  Of course I was carefully speeding (smile).

We got back to Imperial Plaza and, I should not have been surprised, there is only one elevator again although the Otis elevator people were here the day before.  The elevator was out of order a week but, as usual, one of the two is always down.  When there is a move, it gets really bad because of the backup of people trying to go up or down the elevator.  I pray to God there is never an emergency and the elevator is needed.  From what I have been told, someone was stuck on one of the elevators for more than twenty minutes.

Wish me well on me becoming a Deacon and I invite all to my ceremony.  Contact me and I will give directions.

Just Thinking

“History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives”, Abba Eban 1915-2002 (Israeli Diplomat and politician).  I add this, “Things change when a lucrative job is at stake.”  It is copiously true concerning what is happening here.  Most people learn important lessons by observing others.  They will see what they do and the consequences bestowed for that action.  Then there are those that see bad actions, bad consequences and never learn that lesson.  They are of a mind that say, they can get away with it.

These actions not only occur here but have occurred elsewhere in the past and will continue into the future.  Humans are creatures of habit and creatures of “trying to get the upper hand and trying to get away with it”.  These people also think others will roll over and take it.  They don’t believe they will run into resistance and they can go about life doing whatever.  However: “Habit is necessary; it is the habit of having habit, of turning a trail into a rut, that must be incessantly fought against if one is to remain alive.” (Edith Wharton, American author 1862-1937).

This is something I have been trying to get many others to see.  Seniors are inherently resistant to change and will fight tooth and nail against it.  This living in the past is passed on from one generation to another.  Since I’ve been living here at Imperial Plaza I generally attend the live music performance.  This is when musicians play for the residents.  A couple of times modern music was featured and the attendance was very low.  When dated music was featured, there was a large attendance.  I can give example after example of things like this but some people still don’t get it.

When I think of habit, another example really caused  uproar.  Every Holiday an employee’s child freehand draw and paint pictures on the mall corridor windows.  These pictures are very pretty and the child is very, very good (plus it’s free).  Many residents will sit in the chairs, along the corridor, and watch.  We all have looked forward to it.  Now it is forbidden and no one knows why.

Habit and expectation of the habit continuing is human nature.  It is a comfort zone that humans do not want to evacuate.  The five senses kick in and a person is sent back to happy times within their life.  It’ll bring memories of things long forgotten.  As you grow older, especially if a significant other is no longer around, these memories, in most cases, are all that is left.  I and others are hard core against change without a heart to heart discussion of why it is a good thing for me.  This goes back to another article….communication, not dictated to.  I will and have changed (ask my wife) but tell me why I must before the change is made.  It’s easier to swallow and, I’ll tell you no lie, others are just like me.

The Condo

I have noticed the new viewers that I have acquired on the site and I say “Welcome” and I hope you like what I write about and continue viewing. Spread the word and have others follow also.

I have a part-time job and it is at a high rise condo building that is home to quite a few of the “old money” people of Richmond. An example of one is a woman that live in the building and have another condo in Florida. She own quite a bit of commercial and rental property in Florida, therefore she spend a lot of time there. She also own quite a bit in Petersburg, Richmond and the surrounding areas of both cities. People that live in the building I part-time for are not poor or middle class. There is a top Virginia Delegate and a recording producer/writer, just to give you another example.

These people, looking at them, seem like, talk like and act like ordinary people and they seem to know most of what is happening all over. Many times I am asked about Imperial Plaza and what is going on (this was before some of them started to read my blog) and they seem very interested. I try to answer their questions truthfully but not to the point of stomping on Imperial Plaza’s good name. There is no point in beating a horse that has stumbled. I believe Imperial Plaza will right itself and walk tall again.

In talking with these people, I am mindful of their power in the area and elsewhere. It is said that money know money and nothing gets done or gets past the people that have money. It is fascinating how similar the people at the condo sit around in a group and gossip like it’s done at Imperial Plaza. I’ve observed them talking about everyone and everything and if they really don’t like something, changes are miraculously made.

I’ll take a stab at how this is done. The majority of the people are elderly (I’ll get to the young ones shortly) and the adult kids, power players, will do anything for mom, dad, aunt, etc. because they hold the money and/or got them to wherever they are now. They are dedicated to these people. Sometimes they will talk to whomever at the synagogue or one of the other super large Richmond church.

There are a handful of young adults and most don’t even have a job. Their parents will do anything for them, no matter what it is. One guy, I know of, don’t have a job but have the expensive condo, expensive car and all he does is go out every night and party, including in the condo.

I said all of that to say this. Imperial Plaza is being talked about and I hope it’s name remain in the good graces of the people at my part-time job. They wield a lot of power.