Tag Archives: dinner dance

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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10

May. ’15

What’s The Problem

I hope all the women had a very Happy Mother’s Day and that everything went well. I hope all of you got the glorification that all of you deserved for without any of you, there is no life. Again, a belated Happy Mother’s Day to you all.

I was watching TV, at the destruction caused by the tornadoes, and wondered about the sanity of most of the people interviewed. I wondered why they are surprised about what happened. I wonder why they always ask why it happened to them. It is the mid-west and tornado alley and stuff happen, all the time. Like the floods, it is coming every year and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Why be surprised? Why cuss God and anyone else? I guess it is me not being sympathetic for these people but it was coming. Just like here in Virginia..a major storm may not hit this year but it will hit. No doubt about it. In the mid-west, it’s each and every year. May be not their town this year but it may be next year or so. It is coming. Find an area of least resistance and there they should stay and pray the weather patterns won’t change to include that area.

In the military I learned to roll with the punches and, another saying, suck it up and keep pushing. At times the military was hard but it taught a person how to adjust to the circumstances around them and keep on pushing without slowing down. The military was harder then than it is now and we all, at one time or the other, learned some really hard lessons with the main one being, adapt. People today do not adapt. They want everything given to them on a silver platter with no work or consequences involved. I learned years ago that it is a give and take thing. In order to receive something you will have to give something up. That’s life and it’s a hard pill to swallow.

That brings me to Imperial Plaza and the way some residents think here. They want what they want when they want it the way only they want it. Then they still complain about it even though an attempt was made to satisfy them. For example, a resident was complaining to me about the dinner dance. This wasn’t right, they didn’t like that and so on. I simply said….for $10 you sit at a linen covered table, have a three course meal, all the wine, beer or other non-alcoholic beverage you can drink, with a live band included plus you’re waited on while giving no gratuity. What more do you want? Where else can you get all of that for that price? They walked away and didn’t say anything.

So you see, you look at your circumstances and, if you don’t care for what’s happening, change it. If you can’t change it, move somewhere that you like better. If that doesn’t fit your purposes, suck it up and live with it. There are always ups along with the downs and life has always been like that. Live life to the fullest and give God the glory that you are still able to enjoy it.

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02

Mar. ’14

Warm Weather Is Coming

This week has been a really good week in that I have been very busy.  Imperial Plaza has had a lot of things going on but I have had to cut back because I have crucial deadlines coming for my writing.  I hate to cut back but either I have a lot of external fun or I have my writing fun.  However, I must continue what I have started until it is finished and then I can get back to other things.  That also means writing this blog once a week instead of twice a week.  I guess some of you have noticed that I have already begun this and not by intention but by accident.

I am also looking toward the future in that spring is almost here and the weather will be warmer and more conducive for being out of doors.  I have made plans to get a new bicycle and restart my bike riding all over the place.  What places?  Well, Bryan Park and all over Lakeside or I may go to the baseball park and back or who knows where else.  I will just go riding to where ever.  But that will also take away other things which mean I will have to make critical decisions on which things to bypass and which things I will maintain.  I really enjoy getting out with the Imperial Plaza people but first things first.  With so many outings scheduled on Wednesdays, I will have to keep Wednesday open as much as I can.

The Dinner Dance was great with good music and food.  The band Second Floor is always great and they kept the dance floor full.  Being that I was already inside, because I helped get things ready, I took the table in front of the band and reserved a seat for my wife, who was coming later.  When the doors opened, there was person after person coming to the table to get a seat and to reserve the rest of the seats for friends who were not there yet.  When I said the chair beside me was for my wife, I was asked to move to another table and that they were always at the front table.  When I said no, they got a little angry but moved to another table.  I finally was situated at a table of eight with only five of us there, up front and right in the middle.

I had already talked to some of the people that were setting up the room, about how people show up early and reserve seats at tables for other people and that most reserve seats are for people that don’t show up for the event.  The others, which were setting up, also mentioned that they knew who would be at which table.  So, I upset the applecart by being at a table I shouldn’t have and by refusing to move.   Sorry about that but isn’t it first come first served?

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