Tag Archives: activities

02

Sep. ’17

Rehash

Yes, I will rehash some old gripes and for good reason. Only a portion of the problems have been corrected and I don’t think most of the other problems will ever be. Reason being that the problems are with the residents. If they would only do the things that they should as if they had pride in this place and themselves. This is not the project housing area and it is not a rundown section of the city. For the amount of money they pay each month to be here it seems as though they would want to keep this place as clean and beautiful as possible. But, they don’t.

I guess you are saying ‘what’s wrong now’ and I am here to blow off a little more steam, vent is another way of putting it. Dog droppings everywhere, trash scattered all over the grounds and, of those that are still driving, they and/or their guests are speeding like there is no speed limit here. Now that I have vented on that subject again, I will move on.

Ron is back. Welcome back Ron (Activities Dept.) and we all are glad to have you back, all healed from your accident and here’s wishing you and deer never meet again (LOL). Can’t wait to have you back on our next ROMEO trip and your dessert is on me.

Activities had a good trip to Maryland Live Casino and I did okay. Came back with what I took with me plus a little more. Not bad considering the last time I lost my shirt. Oh well, that’s the way of the casinos. I’ve often told people to only take as much money as you are willing to lose and leave the ATM alone.

After this holiday weekend, my wife and I are going on a Mystery Bus Tour (Tuesday) for four days and return (Friday night) to rest up for another upcoming getaway. I have no idea where we are going but I expect it to be full of fun. I am recharging my camera battery to have plenty of pictures and stories to tell. The trip should give me more ideas for stories to write with the hope of them being chosen by a publisher. I have my fingers crossed. As far as trips go, we have our next cruise (twelve days) and round trip train transportation paid for therefore we are ready to go in December. There’s a couple more short trips (not counting the casinos) coming up but I won’t mention them now. As it’s said, it’s subject to change.

It’s fun being retired and have the time and health to go wherever the wind takes you. When I was talking to Ron, he mentioned how he now realize how being retired would be. He could not work and had two months with nothing to do. That’s when we talked about how terrible it was (not counting boring) to just sit around with nothing to do and not being able to get out. Most people around here do just that and I just don’t understand it. I realize their age, however, there is so much to do here and ways to get out, even if you need a little help. But the majority of the people here just sit around and gripe about there’s nothing to do. When there is an event, trip or townhall meeting, they don’t show up and participate. They are seen later and when asked why they didn’t show up, all they say is they didn’t feel like it. There is, actually, too much to do. I can’t participate in everything but I try for what I have time for. Being retired is fun and full of adventure, simply because there is plenty of time to do it.

Well, that’s it from here. Wish all a very happy and fun filled Labor Day Weekend. I am also praying for those that are in Texas and will have to get their lives together again. I wish them all the best and my donation is in. Every little bit helps. Here’s asking everyone that read my postings to chip in also because the next time could be you.

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02

Aug. ’15

Activities

It is getting to be more and more exciting at Imperial Plaza these days. Trips, parties, and just plain entertainment that goes over and beyond pure fun. Just can’t get enough White Squirrel on Tuesdays and the Summer Concerts in the auditorium. Let’s not forget the monthly Dinner Dance or the bi-monthly casino trips (I won a little again) and WII bowling. But, would you believe that I still have not named everything on the schedule and there are those that still say there is not much to do at Imperial Plaza.

The other day I talked and talked to a gentleman about going out with the ROMEO group (ROMEO stand for Retired Old Men Eating Out). He and his wife have been here a long time but I can’t convince him to join us or his wife to go out with LIFE (for the women). He is not the only one I have spoken to and I get the same reaction from them. Yet, there is nothing to do here. Unbelievable!!!!

The trip to the Cultural Heritage Museum in Stautan, Va. was really great. I wish we could have spent more time there in order to see more and also not be rushed. What made it even greater was the stop for lunch at Mrs. Rowe Diner. If you want good, down home, southern, fresh (not from a can) food with homemade buns, that is the place to go. The food was delicious!!!! I want to go back just to eat so I guess I will have to drive my wife and I back to the place. The trips are becoming so popular that, at times, a second bus have to be added to accommodate everyone. It’s about time more people started to take advantage of the opportunity to get out and about with very little cost involved.

I am going to miss the Director of Activities. She is leaving for another job. The other day, I told her that I couldn’t express how much she will be missed and I didn’t think someone from the outside could come in here and do the things she have done. I wish her well.

The bicycle races are a month away and they are still working hard on city clean up, etc. This is something that should be done on a continuous basis instead of whenever a larger than large event is coming to town. This is a Capitol City and should always be presentable plus there is always a large event in town. We are always swamped with visitors, yet, we are never ready and, to piggy back onto that, it seem as though the city’s monies flows into the wrong pots. This have been happening for years and the city government still have not learned from their mistakes. By the way, parts of the races will start at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens on Lakeside Ave. and come within a block of Imperial Plaza. Lakeside Ave. and Hermitage Ave. will be shut down during that part of the races. I’ll be out there watching and cheering the racers on. Join me!!!!

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03

May. ’15

Grumpy People And Other Things

There is a saying, “you can please some of the people some of the time but not all the people all the time”. That is a very true statement, especially around Imperial Plaza. Almost daily I talk to people that complain about a vast array of things but most just want to hear themselves speak, I imagine. I try to avoid those I know will complain about everything under the sun and I name them “grumpy”. These people also do not participate in anything but have something to say about everything. A good example is of one woman that always complain about the lousy food served in the restaurant and when asked if she have eaten there lately and the answer is “I’ve been here three years and have eaten there once. I don’t want that garbage.” There are many like her and she and others should keep there mouths shut unless they are involved with whatever they are complaining about.

There is a change that I spoke abut once before. This man ran all of our activities and is back from being repositioned elsewhere. He should never have been situated elsewhere and all I have heard is that it is great he is back. In my opinion, that was a bad move to start with. Why move the best you have and the one that really love the job? I guess the administration had to learn from a bad mistake. I just hope it does not happen again. We did not suffer while he was gone because he still did the job plus his new job. I asked him once if he got double pay since he was doing two jobs. He just smiled and said “no”.

The church is coming along slowly but surely. We still need membership but we have a lady (Evangelist) that comes and is looking for a new home. She sings and have made a CD of which she sang a couple of songs at last Sunday and this Sunday’s services. Her voice reminds me of Mahalia Jackson which put me in awe. I hope she stays. I was praying for a musician and she was sent and I am eternally grateful. The Lord said that if you wanted or needed something, all that was required was to ask. I asked and the result was last Sunday’s service. I am grateful and I am a witness of God’s word and promise. Last Tuesday night’s Prayer Meeting yielded more of what the Pastor and myself have asked for. We must now do what we have to do to finish what God have started.

The weather have finally turned to the better (warm) and, guess what, I came down with a head cold. This is the first one in two or three years. I normally don’t get colds and it normally does not last long but I feel terrible until it’s gone. I’m trying for it to not slow me down because I must keep plowing on and just keep blowing my nose as I do. Keep God in your heart and mind and I’ll holler at you the next time.

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08

Jun. ’14

Hear Ye – Hear Ye!!

This weather is beautiful and is just right for any outside activity.  Sure, there is occasional rain, here and there, and it is mostly at night when everyone should be sleeping or at least inside, out of the weather.  Don’t let the threat of rain or an occasional sprinkle bother you.  Like the shoe ad say….”just do it”.  Imperial Plaza had a cookout and the weather was perfect for that as well as for all other things going on at that time.

My wife talked me into playing BINGO and, lucky her, she won one and was really close on a couple.  I, on the other hand, wasn’t even close so you know what that mean.  Yep…..no more BINGO because I can think of other things to do with the time I spend at BINGO.  She still runs the twice weekly WII BOWLING and she is trying to get me into that also.  I show up, every now and then, and watch while having a beer or two.

There are a few things that have changed at Imperial Plaza and they are to talk about it at the next “Men’s Conversational” which will be with Cindy as the guest speaker.  Since she is from Corporate, she should have all the answers we want and then some.  The one thing I heard is that the name (Imperial Plaza) is changing to Brookside, the company that bought facilities across the nation.  This should be interesting because after calling a place by one name, it’s hard to call it something else.  I still say Mosque instead of Altria (those around Richmond know what I am talking about.  All others can contact me directly and I will explain).

Virginia is a place to behold.  They are so against gambling (years ago it was very hard to get lotto) that they not only repeatedly turned down casinos (the Indians wanted it like in other states) but now the only horse racing arena is going around and around with the state over some sort of regulations, etc. that there is no time for racing this year.  This state tries to be too puritanical and we all (the residents of the state) suffer for it.  This is not the 1600 or 1700 but we are into the 2000’s and things have changed.  Morality has changed all over the world yet Virginia refuse to change.

SEE YA LATER!!!!!!!!

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24

Jan. ’14

Ramblings

It’s wonderful and fun to be completely retired.  It is wonderful to just look out the window, relax and just look.  You don’t have to go anywhere unless you want to.  You don’t have to get up early unless you want to or your bladder calls for you to do it.  You don’t have to cook unless you want to.  You don’t have to go out to eat unless you want to.  You can either go to the café or restaurant or have it delivered.  Here at Imperial Plaza you don’t have to do anything at all except if you want to.  How great is that?  Tell me of another place that you can do this and it is forbidden to tip.

Remember I wanted to have a cup of coffee in my hand and look out at the falling snow and watch the cars being covered?  Well, it has finally happened and the feeling was as great as I expected it to be.  It may have been greater because I really enjoyed it.  My wife thinks I have lost it for good but I am completely sane since being here at Imperial Plaza.  It felt good not having to get up to shovel snow and salt walkways.  When it is too cold to walk the short distance between buildings you can walk the connectors and never get wet, cold or hot.  Kings should live like this (smile).  Don’t wake me, this is a dream I want to keep.

My wife and I went to the dinner dance this evening and, as usual, the place was packed.  This is the first dinner dance that I didn’t care for the food.  Everything was superb except the food.  At my table of four, I was the only person that almost finished the food.  I left some and I ate what I did because I was hungry.  It had a Japanese theme and décor but most of it was not my thing.  The wine, music and people were the only thing that kept me going.

My wife did not want me writing anything about it but I had to do it.  It’s not that next month will be the same because it will not.  I just want to vent.  Those of you that read this article please don’t fault The Activities Department.  Like in the military, they are only following the orders given to them.  I see Ron and Tracie have scheduled some good programs for next month, to coincide with Black History Month (February).  It should be great and I can’t wait to see what else is on the calendar.  Those two do a great job, over and beyond expectation, making the calendar.  They need more space and they need more help.  By that I mean help in distributing and in getting the calendar together.  So far, as I see it, No one needs the help more than the Activities Department.  Give them a long and loud round of APPLASE!

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