NYC Journal

[Calzone]

I took note that my balls shrank. I am turning into a little boy again. I use to have big balls, the kind sometimes I sat on by accident. The fem-out continues…

Only 11 more radiation treatments…

It’s 10:00 AM and I can have my first coffee.

On the home front food prices are a big contributor to today’s report of wholesale inflation. They say this is where inflation often first shows up. Of course wholesale inflation then gets passed onto consumers.

Here at our home “Maggie” and I will step up our gardening next year to help ensure our food supply. Don’t forget that tariffs for Mexico have not been enforced yet and that Mexico is a big exporter of fresh produce, fruit and nuts to the U.S.

We intend on getting a green house to get a jump on the growing season, we plan on expanding the garden, and intend on using fencing to at least protect from rabbits which have colonized our property.

This year all our strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries were consumed by animals and birds.

I saved mucho clear plastic egg cartons that can be used as micro green houses to start seedlings.

Maggie is going to walk to the downtown to meet-up with Regina, the Editor of the Peekskill Herald. I’ll have an opportunity to plug in and make some noise.

I learned from a video from a studio musician from Nashville that too much treble, too much bass, too much distortion, and overuse of reverb or digital delay hurts tone. A guitar is mostly midrange, and that is its voice.

Speaking of voice, my singing is kinda midrange, and it is rich and warm in a distinct way. BTW singing is not easy.

Singing and playing at the same time is a demanding multitasking and a huge challenge.

Cal

 

[Prest_400]

It’s 10:00 AM and I can have my first coffee.

On the home front food prices are a big contributor to today’s report of wholesale inflation. They say this is where inflation often first shows up. Of course wholesale inflation then gets passed onto consumers.

Cal

I was reading some European news about flight connectivity and basically the point was that Spaniards were no longer vacationing in the US because of the brutal difference in expenses now compared to years ago.
Also was enjoying some film flickr photo browsing and saw some NYC foodstand picture with prices; less than $1 for a coffee, $5 got you a plate of some meal.
Interestingly I remember comparing that a decade ago, a roll of good film cost the same as a meal in my uni's canteen: 5.50€. Btw, Fuji Acros so right smart to have stocked up when they discontinued the mkI and before the pandemic and inflation kicked it.
And well, having moved countries but still, a roll of film costs about a good meal. Nowadays a lunch anywhere averages at least $12 up here.
The other day I had a "have I spent what used to be a month's grocery expense in just 10 days?" moment, but truth so is that food prices have increased a lot.

About the food, I found that there is quite some value in vacationing in Asia and it is fun as a photographer. As you guys mention Chinese food, there are some interesting recipes I want to eat which anyways are available in the neighboring countries and through their Chinatowns.

Singing (badly) is at least the most accessible of the musical instruments. I always appreciated music but stayed away from actively participating.

 

[Calzone]

Jorde,

Interesting to note the inflation and fallout in the Eurozone.

There are similar analogies where the cost of a loaf of bread and a gallon of gas were the same, but that is no longer true: gas here in the U.S. is cheaper.

It is an easy jump that immigration policies will cause a labor shortage and this too will effect food production and food prices.

I learned a lot by moderating treble, bass and gain of an amp while “Maggie” socialized.

Regina, the Editor of the Peekskill Herald stoped by, and now I have an assignment to edit the parts of this thread for the Cancer sections. There are over 300 pages, but the Cancer story begins around page 146 or so.

So I have quit a mess to sort through. Pretty much a “Dan’s Basement” of sorts. LOL.

I also have a deadline to do a cut and paste into a Word Document to establish a timeline and a gathering of information to edit down.

My messy life just got messier…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Around June 12th 2024 things started with a MRI because my PSA fluxuated and was a bit elevated.

It is a slow beginning, and here I am a bit more than a year later diagnosed with Stage 4A Prostate Cancer undergoing “Salvage” treatment because my Cancer metasticised and is outside the Prostate envelope.

A PSA after having my prostate removed a second PET scan revealed Prostate Cancer in a nearby pelvic lymph-node.

Now hormone and radiation treatments.

I started going through the thread and it begins on page 149.

In my mind it all is a blur.

Cal

 

[pyeh]

Cal, your diarization of your cancer diagnosis and treatment is an education for me. I appreciate your candidness and detail. I can see it's tough going.

 

[Calzone]

Pete,

I have a Stage 4A Cancer, but the prognosis is good. There are difficulties, but I am told the side effects in my case are minimal.

There is a lot of turmoil that involves struggle. I imagine others that have chronic diseases or other difficulties suffer immensely.

I think/believe there is a great public service here, and to publish what is chronicled here for a wider audience is an even greater public good. It also would be a recognition and grand thank you for this small hospital that is part of a really big and famous hospital for kinda saving my life.

I know that patients from Dutches and Putnam Counties come to my hospital because the best of care is here in Peekskill. No need to go to NYC for treatment.

I really lucked out by moving to Peekskill.

This Inhibitor that costs $30K a year had a huge out of pocket cost, but somehow I was eligible for financial aid that covered my out of pocket that is many thousands of dollars. This is a life saving drug for Prostate Cancer that spread.

What I’m going through now is a “Salvage” therapy because surgery did not remove all the Cancer. This is a secondary treatment, the radiation therapy, the hormone therapy, and especially the Inhibitor which kinda “starves” the Cancer.

I just hope next year when I have to reapply that I get the same financial aid. If I remember correctly the out of pocket per was $5K per year.

Genetic testing indicates I have no family history of Cancer, yet I have an aggressive Prostate Cancer that was caught just in time. My PSA was elevated and not really high. In my case the PSA was not a reliable Cancer indicator.

I am also lucky I can afford all the other out of pocket expenses. For many families this debt burden would bury them.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The filtering of tariffs causing inflation is becoming evident at the wholesale level, next is at the consumer level. Someone has to pay this new tax, I mean tariffs,

Traders are betting on a quarter point rate cut this fall, but it also seems evident that not only is the economy slowing down (less jobs), but also inflation is increasing. Seems like stagflation is underway.

In Japan they suffered a deflationary spiral that lasted more than 2 decades. Here in the U.S. we had stagflation from about 1974 through 1982. Point here is that these slowdowns and conditions can last a very-very long time.

When stagflation gets entrenched it is hard to escape. Pretty sure whatever the FED does will not really change much, and perhaps a rate cut is a waste of ammo. The markets are counting in a rate cut, and stimulus only fuels more inflation. Not good.

Mortgage rates seem to be down, but I read this as the Banksters are thinking that rates will get cut as well as Wall Street. Perhaps a collapse is on the horizon, so holding mortgages is a good deal if U.S. bonds are not offering good returns.

So my bet is that inflation will get fostered, but meanwhile gold is down below $3.4K again.

Oil stockpiles are larger than expected so oil prices are on a trend lower. Less oil demand and a building stockpile points to a slowing economy, but the markets are making higher highs and people are buying into the dips. FOMO is in the headlines, and the term bubble is around.

Am I giving you a headache? Are you confused? Me too…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Enjoyed working in the yard at a measured pace.

Only 10 more radiation treatments. On the 29th of August is the last one.

Audi wants me to trade in my A4 and purchase a new A5. My A4 has been paid off for a few years and it only has 56K miles. Still fresh. Why would I bite?

Time for dinner…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

There’s a new Thai restaurant in Peekskill in the downtown on Main Street that has been getting a lot of buzz, and we had lunch there today.

Mucho great… Kinda made my day.

I’m starting to merge singing and guitar playing. Seems like I have great pitch. If I can advance this I might have something interesting.

Today I tuned one of my guitars, and when I did the “D” string I heard the first note of the Yardbird son “Heart Full of Soul.”

Then I remembered a REM song that must be in the same key.

Kinda crazy these jumps in my brain.

Something profound is happening.

Also I’m thinking of using 11 gauge strings on more of my guitars…

Cal

 

[Bolo Kukus]

Regina, the Editor of the Peekskill Herald stoped by, and now I have an assignment to edit the parts of this thread for the Cancer sections. There are over 300 pages, but the Cancer story begins around page 146 or so.

So I have quit a mess to sort through. Pretty much a “Dan’s Basement” of sorts. LOL.

I also have a deadline to do a cut and paste into a Word Document to establish a timeline and a gathering of information to edit down.

My messy life just got messier…

Cal

Two was to look at this. Maybe a mess, yes. Or a new door opening for you. The Buddhists go for the latter. When you close an old door and open a new door, you walk into a new room with other doors. You select one and open it. It what is in the new room isn't to your liking, you can go back and open another door to another room.

The possibilities here are endless.

Now for some other more earthly thoughts from an old newspaper journalist.

Make sure you are paid for what you write for publication. Don't do it for nothing. Consider doing it as a book. Then let the local rag serialise it if they are still interested.

Also properly copyright everything you write before it gets published. Easy to do, instructions are all on the internet.

Protect your legacy.

 

[Calzone]

For the past few days, I have been waiting for this Saturday so I could upon wakening go downstairs and brew a coffee.

Because of the yard work yesterday, I stayed up late, and then slept well.

Counterintuitively aerobic exercise fights fatigue, but strength training wipes me out. Hmmm…

Did I tell you that this coffee is so good. I think I’m kinda anxious to have my life back again. I think I want to ride my bike rather than go to radiation treatment. Only 10 more sessions left.

Then is there is a County Fair in Rhinebeck this weekend. There was suppose to be rain today, but now the prediction is for sun and clouds. I would say rain is more sporadic this year, but when it does rain many times it is a violent storm. Our garden suffers from the extremes of wet and dry.

Monday is likely the custom pickup delivery. When I plugged in on Thursday I didn’t mind the brightness of the Pine Caster, I actually enjoyed it. Fact is I could of lived with the kinda compressed tone and the pureness of the clarity that leads to vast articulation. A really nice clean sound.

So the new pickup is a wander-lust of sorts. Kinda like eyeing a pretty woman, maybe just lust and exploring intimacy. Oh-well… Still a man even without a prostate.

Boy, this coffee is great. I love being alone with my coffee. Real peace and I don’t have to get ready in a precisely rigid timely manner that kinda takes over my day. Coffee, a bladder irritant feels great, while guzzling 45 ounces of water offers no pleasure.

Time for my second cup…

Truly I am a lazy-slacker…

Cal

 

[Prest_400]

Did I tell you that this coffee is so good. I think I’m kinda anxious to have my life back again. I think I want to ride my bike rather than go to radiation treatment. Only 10 more sessions left.

A couple friends, mind you we all are just 30-31, had gotten herniated disks this last couple years. Might or might not be related due to training hard and the usual academic school plus office work sitting down.
One of them told me that being stuck most of the summer was very tolling. 2 months with limited movement.

Cancer is such an overwhelming brutal disease, that I reckon you do well.

Coffee: The dang substance tastes so good!! After a week of RV roadtrip in which breakfast was always with coffee I returned with a coffee dependency. It got much better last month as I bought instant decaf (aka double heresy for many) but that quenched my wants for it; Mostly really like the taste. However, lately I have been waking as late as possible and sluggish so I have a normal dark coffee around 10 AM as well.
If I drink after 13-14h, my sleep gets wrecked. Probably am quite sensitive to caffeine. And I actually do not appreciate its diuretic effect.
Late here, and just made another cup of decaf before sleep.

Edit: Not a coffee addict to the level of my friend, it really surprised me during a trip. He really needed a fix of coffee in the morning and it was like two different personalities.

 

[Calzone]

Instead of going to the fairgrounds we went to Fishkill Farms. It turned out to be sunny and humid.

Put in about an hour of yard work and it was easy to become a sweaty mess.

My custom pickup got delivered today, early, it was expected Monday.

Cal

 

[Bolo Kukus]

Two was to look at this. Maybe a mess, yes. Or a new door opening for you. The Buddhists go for the latter. When you close an old door and open a new door, you walk into a new room with other doors. You select one and open it. It what is in the new room isn't to your liking, you can go back and open another door to another room.

The possibilities here are endless.

Now for some other more earthly thoughts from an old newspaper journalist.

Make sure you are paid for what you write for publication. Don't do it for nothing. Consider doing it as a book. Then let the local rag serialise it if they are still interested.

Also properly copyright everything you write before it gets published. Easy to do, instructions are all on the internet.

Protect your legacy.

I forgot to add. A most important point. A legal one. I'm playing amateur lawyer here. From heaps of experience in this area, a lot of it bad.

Get everything in writing from the newspaper. Do they automatically own all the copy you would be providing for them to publish? Many publishers do, they insist on it as a basic condition but they sneak it into the deal quietly, as a given.

What about resale and repro rights? In other words, can they sell your work on and keep the profits?

Will they want photos from you? If yes, who will take those, who will own them, and just as importantly, how much for each image?

AI is another big elephant in the room here. A new can of worms about to open and spread its nasty wrigglies all over the literary world.

Get that editor to write you a proposal letter. If she is honest she will do this without hesitating. If she hedges on it, well - you surely must know what that will mean.

So there are things to think about before you start editing your cancer memoir. 'Maggie' has surely been thru the grist mill with all this and she will be an invaluable source of help to you. Lucky man, you are, with a woman like that in your life...

 

[Bolo Kukus]

A couple friends, mind you we all are just 30-31, had gotten herniated disks this last couple years. Might or might not be related due to training hard and the usual academic school plus office work sitting down.
One of them told me that being stuck most of the summer was very tolling. 2 months with limited movement.

Cancer is such an overwhelming brutal disease, that I reckon you do well.

Coffee: The dang substance tastes so good!! After a week of RV roadtrip in which breakfast was always with coffee I returned with a coffee dependency. It got much better last month as I bought instant decaf (aka double heresy for many) but that quenched my wants for it; Mostly really like the taste. However, lately I have been waking as late as possible and sluggish so I have a normal dark coffee around 10 AM as well.
If I drink after 13-14h, my sleep gets wrecked. Probably am quite sensitive to caffeine. And I actually do not appreciate its diuretic effect.
Late here, and just made another cup of decaf before sleep.

Edit: Not a coffee addict to the level of my friend, it really surprised me during a trip. He really needed a fix of coffee in the morning and it was like two different personalities.

Coffee addiction? Count your blessings, junior!! Far too many of my generation wash down the first morning brew with a shot of vodka. And they feel and certainly look like they do that...

Let me say that I do not indulge in such silliness. For me two strong black Kalosi Torahs do the job as well as anything Smirnoff can produce.

As for the red wine, well, let's not go there, please. But not before the sun sets over the yardarm.. And not in SE Asia where most of the pukey $5 reds I happily pass on in the Aussie grog shops go for $40-$50, so no thanks.

Cal's is by far the best option. Good coffee, yes. Alcohol, no way. A fine example to follow.

 

[Calzone]

A big update is the once abandoned corner house on my dead end is being flipped. Pretty much a Home Cheapo Special that was purchased for $317K and is now available for $499K.

The house was built in the 1950’s and this is likely the first remodeling/update ever. New roof, new stoop, new replacement rear porch. This house when purchased unlikely was purchased without a Certificate of Occupancy. I heard rumors of possible mold due to roof leaking.

There was some talk of this cottage might be a tare-down, but someone ended up buying the property as a project, then things deteriorated further and pretty much it resembled an abandoned house.

One big selling point would be the Hendrick Hudson School District subsidized and built up from the taxing of Indian Point the nuclear power station that now presently is undergoing a decommissioning. Peekskill Schools are not highly rated because it is an immigrant community and ESL is a big factor bringing down scores. Hendrick Hudson is one of the top 100 school districts in New York.

Another selling point would be the location that is kinda private, in a neighborhood that is a maze of dead-ends that is kinda remote, but also convenient. 2 miles to the downtown, a strip mall that includes a grocery and CVS a few blocks away, and the 1500 acre Blue Mountain Preserve also blocks away.

Bang for the dollar though the price is high for a house under 1500 square feet that lacks curb appeal and still needs spending more money to make it not the worst house on a street of 13 houses.

Understand that almost 5 years ago this house was so run down that it was a good reason why our house was so cheap. Understand that our Baby-Victorian is likely the “cutest” home on our street because of curb appeal, the yards, the landscaping, and the gardens.

Our Craftsman Victorian is likely the first house built on the street (1912). “Maggie” thinks it was the model home for the development. I kinda think she was right. Our house kinda stands out, but know there are other nice houses, some huge American design “Four-Square” homes that have mucho space and big Add-DICKs.

Let’s see how this cottage sells, and our new neighbors…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

A surprise was that today there was an open house for the flipper.

As I ate lunch (a second breakfast really) I saw one young couple do a quick flyby that was about 5 minutes. I figure they saw that it was a flipper, and overpriced.

I saw a rather large family, and my thought that this sub 1500 square foot house would be too small for them, but perhaps it was just the parents looking with their kids.

Anyways there was a flurry of interest.

I see more value in other homes in Peekskill at that price point. Like I said, it really only has a good school district and a sort of remote privacy.

This is a Home Cheapo flipper that is priced high.

Today I continued weeding the side-yard under our white pine trees. Stoop labor and sweaty.

I also saw a video about a 1966 C-10 that was being restored into a “wok truck.” The guy had a lot of skill welding and fabricating body panels, but he also used a lot of re-po panel parts. It was done as a time lapse.

In the end he talked about the cool ratty look, and he mentioned that an original patina would be even cooler. I’m glad that I don’t have to do all the restoration work. My body needs a power wash and then a clear coat and I’m done, except for replacing the rotted out wooden bed.

I dug in, and the original wooden bed used southern yellow pine. Pretty much not really available anymore unless salvaged. Oh-well. A newer re-po pine bed would be soft pine. There is an upgraded oak version also.

The original finish was a Tung oil mixed with lamp black to stain it.

Last night installed the new custom pickup into my Pine Caster, I plugged in and set a preliminary pickup height. The Alnico 2 magnets in the new pickup tamed the brightness I don’t need. Some more tweaking needed…

The removed pickup I think I will recycle into the Snakehead. EZ-PZ.

The pickup out of the Snakehead will go into a guitar named “Woody.”

Sometimes guitars go through evolutions…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Had to deal with a family emergency. Everything is stable at the monent.

Only 9 more radiation treatments…

If I’m somewhat absent, don’t worry, I’m doing fine.

Thanks for the understanding.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I’m home now. The father of our grandkids had an accident that involved an ax and his leg. Everything is stable and he will recover fully.

Been busy taking care of the kids.

This week are the last 5 radiation treatments.

More caretaking this week…

Cal

 

[MrFujicaman]

Glad to see you're back. Do your mental health a favor and take the the son-in-law's ax away from him and buy him a cordless Sawzall.