Marc, who never wants anything out of the ordinary, is aching for change. This has nothing to do with Alana or the twins. He’d never change that. He loves them too much. He is just tired of the usual stuff. In other words, he’s getting bored.
His last battle with Christy A. was too easy. Jay is no longer a challenge. He knows they will meet again. But now, everything is in his favor. He knows they are tough. However, they are easily beatable. The Yankees’ defeat to the Rays was expected. But disappointing. That’s it. He’s tired of the disappointments.
He’d like to win again. He decided it was time to take the twins to the Holy Land. It has been a while since he’s been there. He figured Alana would wanna go. They would take the twins. They are quite young and small. But they need to see the place at this early stage in their growth and development. He texted Alana to take some time off from work and said he was booking a few El Al seats.
The Dead Sea
He wondered if he should ask Anat and Dan. They are now like family. But thought this should be a trip with just his immediate family. He did tell them they were going. They were wished well.
A few weeks later, Marc and Alana packed and explained to Sarah and David Benjamin where they were going. The infants looked at them with aimless eyes and smiled. They had no idea what was going on. Or did they?
The four of them went through security and boarded their jet in first class. The kids fell asleep. Marc and Alana opened their Kindles and started to read.
Hours later, they landed and took the sherut to the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem. They had breakfast, left their bags, and went to the Kotel. Marc’s eyes teared as he saw this precious site. He held his son in his hands. On the women’s side, while holding Sarah, Alana felt the same. For now, all was well.
Smart Tools, Confident Mistakes: Why AI is the perfect creative partner (until it tries to buy pizza).
The Joy and Hindrance of AI – It Is Growing
By now, everyone has used AI. Whether it is for organizing your day, drafting emails, or editing, it is both a joy and a pain. But the joys are quickly knocking out the pains.
I am not entirely sure what “age” AI is right now. Is it an infant, a toddler, a tween, or a teen? It’s definitely not a senior citizen. Depending on what you’re using it for, it could be anywhere from a newborn to a young adult.
How It Helps Your Creative Process
Let’s start with the joy.
Most of us who write—be it for academic, business, or creative needs—remember the old-school brainstorms. We’d sit in a conference room, lay out what we wanted to say, map out the bullet points, and then add the meat to the bones.
These days, many of us are sitting in our kitchens, living rooms, or, if you’re lucky, on a beach typing away. Sometimes we jump on a Zoom call to brainstorm, but most of the time we are completely on our own.
AI is a great partner. When I say partner, I mean just that. All the words in my pieces are my own, but AI steps in to proofread. It is incredibly hard to proof your own work; your brain automatically skips over your own mistakes. AI smooths things out, suggests alternative phrasing, and gives you ideas to consider. You can take its suggestions, or leave them.
It also excels at simple, everyday tasks. For example, Tostitos jars are always a pain to open. The vacuum-sealed metal lid is often way too tight. I asked AI for help, and it gave me six different ideas for breaking the seal. I tried two of them.
Seal broken. Chips dipped. Success.
Where It Gets Things Wrong
Of course, it isn’t perfect. It still suffers from “hallucinations” and confidently states falsehoods.
The Pizza Place: I was checking the online menu for my favorite pizza place (where I had eaten a few days earlier). AI insisted that, depending on which line you wait on, it is a cash-only establishment. I told the AI I had personally tapped my phone and swiped plastic on that exact line many times. The AI immediately backtracked: “I stand corrected. You’re right.”
The Baseball Timeline: Another time, I was writing a sports piece during the postseason when the Yankees were playing (and thankfully crushing) Boston. I was drafting this before Game 3 against Tampa, praying for a miraculous comeback. The AI insisted that the other games happening at the same time were already finished. They weren’t.
Yankee Stadium
When I explained exactly where its timeline went wrong, it noted I was correct and apologized. I love how the developers are making it feel so human.
The Bottom Line
AI is a fantastic tool, and frankly, we need it. But as it grows from a toddler into an adult, we need to monitor exactly how we use it and always double-check its facts.
From the Iron Horse’s Farewell Address (Mirrorless)
I Fed My Lens Collection Into AI. Here’s What Happened Next.
From the Iron Horse’s Farewell Address (iPhone)
I’ve wanted to do a photo shoot at Yankee Stadium for quite some time. A few days ago, I finally went. The regular season was done, there was no game that day, and the ALDS were about to start. I just finished a shoot at Lincoln Center.
The Fountain with the Opera House (Mirrorless)
Before I headed out to both venues, I thought a lot about the specific images I wanted. I knew what lens I wanted to use, thought about it for a while, and settled on my Nikkor 14-24 F 2.8. Then I plugged my thoughts into AI. It was a great brainstormer. I listed the lenses I own, and it told me exactly what to expect. I stuck with my original lens choice, knowing I could always switch to another. It also recommended where to stand to capture the images I wanted, based on lighting and crowds. I checked the weather and decided to go.
The Stadium (Mirrorless)
I spent about an hour or so at both venues:
Yankee Stadium (iPhone)
At the Stadium: Plenty of people were walking around. I wound up talking to a bunch of them. We shared our happiness about beating Boston, and our concerns and hopes about beating Tampa. I took plenty of shots at the Stadium, plus images of the subway station and Stan’s. They’re all part of Yankee lore. All are needed.
Fountain at Lincoln Center (iPhone)
At Lincoln Center: I took many shots of the fountain. I am obsessed with it. I really wanna jump into it. I wish they would do a fundraiser where you could donate money and get to jump in. Doubt it will ever happen. I also spent money on opera, NY Philharmonic, and theater tickets. Hope to go back and get ballet tickets.
The Fountain (Mirrorless)
When I got home, I uploaded my images and started working on them in Bridge, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Photoshop. I emailed and texted my shots to friends and family. In some of my communications, I asked whether they looked professionally shot. Two of my friends, who are both super smart and with it but very different in many ways, had interesting responses:
Stan’s (Mirrorless)
“I like it, but what do I know”
“They look good! I don’t know what pro looks like vs. a good iPhone photo.”
Yankee Stadium (iPhone)
These days, many people do not. I sometimes have trouble. But with a mirrorless or DSLR, you get much more range than your iPhone or other mobile device. You can do a lot more with the lighting and post-shoot edits.
Both cameras have their merits. I love taking my iPhone to concerts and to snap quick shots. I wish they’d allow me to bring my camera in. But I’m happy they don’t. I’d probably pay too much attention to taking pictures v. really taking in what The Cure, Depeche Mode, Morrissey, Peter Hook, or U2 are singing. That’s sinful.
Peter Hook at Brooklyn Paramount (iPhone with minor Photoshop edit)
But the reality is, with a traditional camera, I’d get the expressions on Robert Smith’s, Martin L. Gore’s, or the Moz’s faces and the tension of The Edge’s playing or Dave Gahan moving on the stage in his way.
The 4 Subway Line (Mirrorless)
Both are needed. But for higher-level and more carefully thought-out images, nothing is gonna beat a mirrorless or DSLR.
From a cardiologist’s hands to a $10 Bloomingdale’s score: Why I still wear a tie in a t-shirt world.
L-R: Bloomingdales, Milan and Palermo
Memories of a lifetime spent dressed up, from college pledging to Lincoln Center.
These days, most people no longer wear ties. I wear them for religious services and for shows at Lincoln Center. As a subscriber of the New York Philharmonic, I attend shows there and in other theaters at this venue.
I remember when I worked for the American Institute of CPAs’ media relations team and wrote the board report highlighting our news coverage. It was great because it was full of stories appearing in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Dow Jones newswires, and the key accounting trade rags covering the profession. All I did was hand it out in the boardroom. Sometimes I sat through a few sessions of the meeting. I always wore a tie. Some of the board members did; some didn’t. They used to tease each other and say CPAs don’t wear ties.
Anyway, because of that, a few of us on the communications team created “the tie game.” We wore ties to work every day—even though we didn’t have to. We made a chart documenting who was and wasn’t wearing them. This went on for nearly a year. I wore one every day and was crowned the tie champion.
When I pledged Tau Epsilon Phi (TEP) at New Paltz, we had to wear a purple tie and pique polo shirt almost daily. The frat’s colors are purple and white. We also had to carry and place a Raisin Man on our desks. It was fun.
Before entering college, I probably wore a tie fewer than ten times in my life. My father would tie it around my neck. I am still surprised he didn’t accidentally strangle me (he would never purposely do it). Not knowing what to do and worried about my pledge status, I called my mom, a nurse. She got me a purple tie and had the cardiologist she worked with tie the tie around his own neck. He took it off, handed it to her, and she mailed it to me at New Paltz. I put it on and became a member of the frat.
Years later, my office was across the street from Staten Island’s YMCA on Richmond Avenue. One of the kids who worked there was someone I knew from Scouting. Sometimes he’d stop by and say hi.
Once, he came in and was holding a tie. He explained he had an interview and had no idea how to tie it. I did it for him. He was thankful—so thankful that he came back a few more times for more help. I was happy to return the favor I once needed myself.
As for wearing ties, my birthday was a few weeks ago. I got my birthday reward card from Bloomingdale’s. I browsed its website and guess what I ordered? Yep, I am sure you guessed it. I bought a tie. The list price was $78. With birthday and other Bloomingdale’s rewards, it came out to just $10.10. I wore it two weeks ago, and again last Saturday.
A year or so ago, I spent time in Milan and Palermo. I found beautiful handmade Italian ties.
From Camp “Willies” to the Elston Howard Field Throne
Throne by the Stadium
If you know me, you knew it was only a matter of time before I wrote a post about the willy. If you went to certain camps, you know what a willy is. If not, let me explain. A willy is the camp latrine. If you camped in the Brooklyn sites, you called the latrine the “willy.” If you were in the Queens sites, you called it the “Larry.” The other boroughs generally called it the willy.
Macombs Dam Park Willy
My site had the last tip pan willy. That’s a classic, semi-automated plumbing system designed for heavy-use, multi-seat seasonal environments like mid-century military installations and summer camps. It was a five-seater with a trough for peeing. At the time, it was an all-boys camp. Some people spent their summers on their seats. One seat was blue and reserved for someone. These days, the camp has regular bathrooms. Boring.
Throne Room
A Holy Place and a New Free Throne
I recently did a photo shoot at Yankee Stadium. To me, it is one of the holiest places in the world. I hope we take home #28. After getting off the 4 subway line, I walked toward Macombs Dam Park and the bathroom. As I entered the park, I noticed a new free public restroom. I was at the Stadium about a week ago. The only outdoor lavatory facilities were in the adjacent parks.
My eyes lit up. It said free throne. All you had to do was scan the QR code on the door, and it would magically open. It said you had a ten-minute limit. With excitement, I opened the camera on my iPhone and scanned. A text arrived: “Send this message to the Elston Howard Field Throne.” The field in the park is named after one of our great catchers and the first Black person to don the pinstripes. I immediately clicked send. All of a sudden, the door started opening, and it welcomed me.
Throne Rules
Is There Anything Better?
I have never seen a public restroom this clean. A urinal sat to the right—a small sink in the middle. The bowl was to the left. Rules were taped to the wall, and hand towels sat to the right of the urinal. When you were done, you could type “EXIT” on your phone. Or wave your hand in front of the door’s sensor. Either way, the door opens. Is there anything better? Other than watching the team hoist the trophy at the end of the pending World Series, probably not.
Wave Hand to Flush
A parks employee was hanging out nearby. He smiled at me and said, “What’d ‘ya think?” I said, “Incredible.” But how will it survive during the playoffs and next season? How will they keep it clean? Will people try to flip it over? That’s possible. We chatted for several minutes about how people might be pigs. Especially fans coming in from out of town. Time will tell.
A Typical NYC Transit Disaster
4 Subway Station at 161 Street Yankee Stadium
I was so happy. I often get to the stadium at least four hours before game time. I walk around and pray. The park bathrooms leave much to be desired.
I did my photo shoot and took a look at the park toilets. They are the standard parks department bathrooms. Use your imagination. I completed my shoot. Now the train ride to the Stadium was a typical NYC Transit disaster. We sat between 86th Street and 125th Street for nearly 25 minutes. Then it chugged along until it reached 161st Yankee Stadium.
I did drink some water during my shoot. But I knew of my new friend not terribly far from the subway station. The same guy was hanging there. He smiled, and we said, “We need to win.”
Individual MVPs vs. Championship Grit: Why the Yankees’ biggest star leaves the Bronx yearning for the days of “The Warrior.”
Would the Yankees Be Better Without Aaron Judge? I know this is controversial. Rings have always measured the Yankee dynasty. Not individual MVPs. We know Judge has three. Our former captain, Derek Jeter, had none. But he has five rings. He led in the style of many of his predecessors: Mattingly (Donnie Baseball), Munson, Randolph, and the best of them, the Iron Horse (Lou Gehrig), led the team with class and grace. All but Donnie Baseball have multiple rings.
Yankee Stadium
Given a choice of right fielders of who I’d rather have at the plate or in the batter’s box in pressure situations, Paul “The Warrior” O’Neill or Judge, who do I put in? It is a no-brainer—the Warrior. Judge can fill up everyone’s cups with water from the water cooler before The Warrior destroys it.
The Soul of the Bronx Zoo
The Iron Horse
I became a fan when I was quite young during the so-called “Bronx Zoo” years of the Yankees, when #1 Billy Martin was managing them. We had all sorts of craziness—the words between Mr. October (Reggie Jackson) and Thurman Munson. Martin pulling people out of games and the fights. But we won. Then came Torre and Girardi. More rings.
The teams had heart and soul. Enter Judge. No question he is an amazing player. He has his moments. But he’s missed so much time. I remember during his rookie year (2017), when he won Rookie of the Year by a unanimous vote and should have been MVP (F Altuve, the cheater), I was in my sister’s pool. I was debating with her father-in-law whether he was the real deal. He was all about Judge. I was like, let’s see if he’s a flash in the pan. He said no. I said time will tell. He’s not. He has helped win games. In some seasons when he was healthy, we’ve won about 10 more games than when he was out.
Since 2017, he has missed 22 percent of all regular season games. This year he’s missing the Wild Card Series vs. Boston. Except for 2023, the Bronx Bombers have made the playoffs every year he was injured. [1]
The October Problem
His postseason record is pathetic. We all remember the 2024 World Series, when he dropped the ball at Yankee Stadium in the only game we were ahead. If we won, we would have had another game to face the Dodgers. But his error allowed Los Angeles to take the lead and the trophy.
The legends of the past—Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri, DiMaggio, Mantle, Berra, Rizutto, Munson, Jackson, Jeter, O’Neill, Posada, Martinez—were monsters at the plate and in the field during the regular season. They stepped it up in the postseason. Bear in mind, many on this list went straight from the regular season to the World Series. I wish we still followed old-school ball.
Searching for Grit
Judge, on the other hand, is a generational titan during the regular season. But has struggled at the plate and on the field in the postseason. But talent alone doesn’t parade down the Canyon of Heroes.
In terms of pure grit and intensity, The Warrior is the man. I remember years ago, way before Judge, I was at a singles night and met a woman. The first three things she told me were that she’s divorced and in love with Paul O’Neill (she played RF and wore his number (21) on her school’s girls softball team) and Harrison Ford. Not a bad mix: the Warrior, Han Solo, Indiana Jones, and now a shrink. She may have known more about O’Neill than he knew about himself. LOL. But the point is he was a gamer. He famously played through injuries. We know Mantle and Gehrig did. That’s the toughness I wish today’s players still exhibited.
Judge is a great player. But we need to find better. Tough, that is. But eyes need to be open. Let’s see where we go without him, whether we make the next round, and whether he plays and has Jeter moments.
I am lucky I got to see so many Hall of Famers play for the Yankees and lead us to the World Series trophy. Today’s generation isn’t as lucky. Share your thoughts.
We all go through changes as we age, get more educated, meet new people, and try new things. What matters is remembering where you came from and who you were before.
I am involved in many organizations—probably too many—including Scouting and religious organizations. I grew up Scouting and still chair the Ten Mile River Scout Museum in Narrowsburg, NY (visit us!).
At 25, I worked with teens to build a ceremonial campfire for an induction ceremony to initiate new Scouts. A gentleman who was never a Scout—but got involved when his kids did—decided he was gonna teach the teens how to build the fire and set up the council ring.
Big mistake. He meant well, but he was less experienced than the teens. Because he was older, he thought he would show us the ropes. He had no idea how to cut the wood, lay the fire ring, or run the ceremony scripts. I had to jump in and show everyone how. I may have been annoyed, but we got it done, and the kids had a great time. More importantly, many are now leading the next group.
Let’s jump to religion. Some people grow up that way, some leave, and some practice just the basics. Times change, and we decide to learn more. I can run services and have run sederim for Pesach. It is fun. Did I grow up that way? No. I took more upon myself.
But some people never did any of this. Then the bug bit them, they learned more, and decided to keep going. That’s great. But these folks don’t need to criticize those who didn’t follow this path or tell people at services what they are doing wrong. In most cases, nothing is wrong, and the “newbie” doesn’t grasp how many customs there are.
They often like to talk about how good they are now. I know a few die-hard Mets fans who said they gave up their TVs. It is killing them that they can’t watch sports. (For the record, there’s nothing to watch when it comes to the Mets. Watch the Yankees.) Anyway, they talk about how they used to see Broadway shows, concerts at the Garden, and Marvel movies, and now say it is wrong. They criticize others for doing so.
Their current lives are lifestyle changes and major transitions. But it doesn’t mean the old life was wrong. It is not like you were a druggie or an alcoholic and are now drug-free and sober. Enjoy your new life and remember where you came from.
Things were pretty chill. Marc and Alana were taking care of their kids. Anat and Dan were doing the same. Alana sent Marc out to pick up some groceries. He went over to Key Food to buy what he’d forgotten at FreshDirect. This was a usual occurrence.
Slowly walking down the block, Marc went through his head what he was supposed to buy. He walked around the construction on the block leading to the supermarket. All the usual people were out. Some were running in and out of stores. Some were standing on the street corner. All was well.
Marc didn’t need a shopping wagon. He had his FreshDirect bag to pack up the few things he was purchasing. He approached the store entrance and all of a sudden, he was nailed in the face with moldy bread. He took a few steps back.
He saw Christy on the roof. She was perched like a sniper. He launched barley and smacked her in the eyes. She fell back. But sprang up. She fired rye bread. Marc hates rye bread. The two volleyed back and forth. At this point, he was only fighting with barley.
Marc jumped on top of the delivery truck and clawed his way up to the roof. He did it on the other side of Christy. She was looking for him on the ground. As he got to the roof, he launched dozens of pomegranates. He didn’t miss. He nailed her in the head with both the seeds and the entire fruit. She screamed. She began to cry hysterically.
He walked over to her and stared her straight in the eyes. She started to shake. He unleashed a lot of barley. It got stuck up her nose. Her breathing slowed. He was wearing his docs. He put his foot on her head. He just smiled. She screamed at him to let her go. Her legs kicked. He added pressure. She tried to turn over. As she did, he belted her with all of his weapons and kicked her hard in the face. She fell over and was a bloody mess.
Marc jumped off the roof and landed on top of a truck. He jumped off, went into the store, and bought what Alana wanted.
The other day, I got a ticket. No, it wasn’t a speeding or parking ticket. Or one for not properly placing my trash cans at the curb. I don’t have to do that. I have the joy of an incinerator. I visit it many times a day. My grandfather would be proud. I did not get a ticket to ride.
I was at Lincoln Center for a photo shoot with my wide-angle lens. Before shooting, I went to the Metropolitan Opera House and bought a ticket for “Tosca.” I went to Vivian Beaumont Theater and purchased tickets for “A Few Good Men.” I finished my shopping by entering David Geffen Hall and renewing my New York Philharmonic subscription. I will be attending several concerts.
At David Geffen Hall, the ticket clerk looked up my email address (they did that at the opera house, too) and asked me what shows I wanted. I picked a few and tapped my iPhone to pay. I said, will my tickets be in my account? He said, yes or do you want paper tickets? I thought for a minute and asked which is better. Mind you, I have been a subscriber for about a decade and always had electronic tickets. You know, you download them, save them in your Apple Wallet, and scan them in at the theater.
Lincoln Center Theaters and Revson Fountain
He then said, “It does not make a difference. Do you like electronic things, or do you prefer paper?” I love electronic stuff. I said, paper. He printed them and stuffed them into an envelope. Keep in mind, at Beaumont and the opera house, they handed me paper tickets immediately. I didn’t get a choice.
As I was thinking about my e v. paper tickets. I was blasted back to the old days. Remember when we used to call Ticketmaster and wait on hold for what seemed like hours for tickets for The Cure, Depeche Mode, Yankee-Red Sox games, and U2? Sure, you do. Eventually you spoke to an agent, gave them your credit card number, and were told they’d mail your tickets. Of course, there was a fee for that – Standard postage or more for FedEx. For Broadway theater, I often went to the box office and got paper tickets.
Then the day came when you walked into the Garden, the Stadium, or the Nederlander. The person at the door tore your ticket, gave you the stub, and you went to your seat. You waited and hopefully made it to the top of the ninth with the Yankees ahead, heard “Enter Sandman,” watched Mariano save the game, and walked to the subway to “New York, New York.” Or you saw Robert Smith come out and sit in the dark while he played for nearly three hours. Fun times.
We are still doing that. But now they scan your phone, and you hope it works. The other day for a Yankees-Red Sox game, I had to scan the ticket many times until I got in. I did. We lost. I was back the next day; we won 16-1. The day we lost, I headed to Radio City Music Hall after the game, scanned my ticket, and suddenly, I was “Up the Junction”—in other words, I saw Squeeze.
To me, it doesn’t matter how I enter the venue. I just wanna be in. But I must admit there is something magical about the paper ticket. I always keep them. I have journals with tickets from my first Yankee games back in the day when number 1, Billy Martin, was managing, and from seeing The Cure in the 80s. And of course, “Rent” with the original cast.
There was something special about looking at that ticket. When I look at them in my Apple Wallet, it is not as special. I am just happy the transfer from AXS or Ticketmaster processed.
Lincoln Center, Coney Island, the South Street Seaport, the East and Hudson Rivers, and Yankee Stadium are among the most photogenic places in NYC, whether you’re out there with an iPhone or mirrorless camera.
For a long time, I have been thinking about a shoot at Lincoln Center. It is one of my favorite places. Many years ago, I did a shoot. But didn’t think it through enough. This time, I used AI to help me. I took all the shots myself with my Nikon mirrorless camera and did all the edits using Adobe’s suite.
AI Served as the Aide. Not the Photographer or Creator.
I did not create any of the shots with AI. But AI played a role. I told it what I was hoping to accomplish. It made lens recommendations. I have all the lenses it recommended. But to save myself from back pain and be able to walk freely without feeling weighed down, I chose a Nikkor 14-24 F2.8. These days when I go out, I rarely bring more than one lens. I still have visions of a vacation my mom and I took, and I brought all of them. I loved switching from wide to zoom to the “nifty 50 (50 mm f/2.8)”. But I spent too much time switching lenses and packing and repacking them.
The night before I went to Lincoln Center, I reviewed what AI told me. I know the layout inside out. I am there regularly for all it offers. Before the shoot, I renewed my NY Philharmonic subscription and bought theater and opera tickets. I can’t wait to see, once again, “Tosca.”
AI’s Advice
AI measured things out for me. In other words, it told me exactly where to stand and at what level to bend my knees or to stand on a bench to shoot the fountain. (Side note: I love that fountain. I so want to jump in. That’s much cooler than jumping into the Washington Square Park fountain. That happens daily. I wish Lincoln Center would take donations and let me jump in. Doubtful. That place is too classy. I hope it always stays that way.”
Revson Fountain
Back to AI. It told me where to stand near the Metropolitan Opera House to capture this majestic building best. Same with David Geffen Hall, the David Koch Theater, Beaumont/Newhouse Theater, and the library. It was also helpful for where to stand to capture a landscape shot of Geffen Hall, the fountain, and the Koch Theater.
Metropolitan Opera House
I spent under an hour shooting and captured what I wanted. AI served as a great coach or aide. I look forward to using it on my next shoot.
