I'm not old. Do you hear me?

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, Oct 28, 2017, @ 7:40 AM
#SecureThePorch: Accomplished? Yes! Overrated? No!
Although brother Rick and brother Tom had arrived just before I had, you don't get to use the hashtag #SecureThePorch. You hadn't even ordered breakfast yet so, save the disparaging looks. Maybe #EarlyOnceIsNotGoodEnough is more appropriate.
BK Guests: None

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"A man is getting older when he walks around a puddle instead of through it."
--R.C. Fergusan

I'm not old!!! Do you hear me?

I refuse to think of myself as old. Yes, I know, time cheats no man and all of that crap but I'm sorry; I can't do it. I won't do it. Even if the rest of the world thinks otherwise. The other day I was traveling into Manhattan by train and it was very crowded, standing room only. The early morning travelers were eager to get to their destination and start their day, I was well rested so it really wasn't too bad. After a few stops, the crowd started to thin out a tiny bit. An "older" gentleman was standing a few feet away from me and was visibly uncomfortable, shifting from side to side as one does when fatigue is taking its toll. Someone had offered their seat to him and he gratefully accepted. "What a nice gesture," I thought. It's always so refreshing to observe complete strangers showing compassion toward each other, especially towards the elderly.  A few more train stops went by, the crowd thinned out a bit more and then it happened. "Would you like to sit down", I heard someone say. Another nice gesture toward the elderly I thought. Maybe the world isn't going to hell in a handbasket. Again I heard, "Sir, would you like to sit down?" I turned around and realized the offer was for me. "You can't be serious," I thought. I'm not like that older guy. Just two weeks earlier I was hiking one of the high peaks up in the Adirondack mountains. I still go out drinking with my pals. I made eye contact with the "older" gentleman who took a seat a few minutes earlier and if I was reading his mind correctly, he was thinking "who are you kidding? You're as old as I am. Take the damn seat."...and if he was reading my mind correctly I was thinking, "you can kiss my ass. I'm not taking the seat.

I'm not old. Do you hear me?"

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Mike B. continues to shine in the football betting world. He seems to be the only member of the BK club that wins anything when gambling on NFL football games. Sitting around the breakfast table and listening to the conversations, one would think that the BK club is a gambling think tank of sorts. Everybody knows all the lingo; point spread, over/under, ol, tl, push, giving points, getting points, prop bets, etc. I only have vague ideas what these terms mean and I think Mike knows even less than I do...and I know that's debate-able. But Mike seems to be doing better than all of them. Week after week everyone goes on and on about if this happened or that happened it would have have been "free drinks all around" but it never happens. Everyone is always "this close".  The only one who ever wins is Mike B. Congratulations Mike!

 Jim W. - you picked a fine day to be taking in the fall colors while sailing up the Hudson. The forecast calls for blue sky and 70 degrees for most of the day. I hope you take some pictures and provide a recap for next week's blog.

Mike B. - Thanks for the books. You're helping us fight back time.

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Happy Birthday!

Sep 22 - Maria B.
Sep 26 - Laurie B.
Oct 18 - Pat W.
Oct 27 - Sue B.

Clear your calendar for the Christmas dinner. If my sources are correct, the date and place getting thrown around is Sat, Dec 9 at The Landing in Hillsborough. Hopefully, I am not wrong on this. If I am, keep reading the blog and eventually I will have the correct date and place.

BK Club of NJ - Getting our mojo back!

Arrived at Bagel Market & Deli: Sat, Sep 2, 2017, @ 7:30 AM
#SecureThePorch: Accomplished! #ValuePoints
Notes: Because of Labor Day, our normal meeting place was closed so we convened at another place across town. It does the trick when in a pinch but it's clearly not our home court like Bobby's is.

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It has been a while(2 months) since the last blog was published and a lot has happened with the BK Club...well, not really. I am starting to believe, we are simply not that exciting. We had a few of your standard vacations, a week down the shore, a few golf outings, a few trips up to the mountains, a trip out west, fishing, etc. Attendance was a bit thin during the summer, as is expected, and sometimes life gets in the way of fun. But the fall season is here. It;s time to get our mojo working. Pumpkin Spice is being served at Dunkin Donuts, Rutgers football is back and so is the Breakfast Club.

Our resident food critic didn't take the summer off.
Jim discovered another must-visit restaurant. The Star Tavern, located in Orange, NJ is considered one of the best thin crust pizza joints in the state. For a state like Jersey, which is noted for thin crust pizza, it's not easy to set yourself apart. I am a little suspect of any list that doesn't have Pete & Eldas/Carmen's Pizzeria in Neptune City, NJ listed somewhere but if Jim's recommends the Star Tavern, it must be good. Let's do it!

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"You Bosco guys are so full of yourselves", is what I heard while enjoying my breakfast on Saturday. It's not so much what was said that was bothersome but how it was said...with total disdain. I have heard this line before and I am certain to hear it again because this is how envy manifests it self. Experience has taught me that it is far better to return pity than scorn. Don Bosco had lost a game against a very good team in South Carolina and I had voiced concern over my beloved Ironmen of Don Bosco. We have a new coach, Mike Teel, after a rather public and disheartening separation with the last head coach, Greg Toal, who is certain to go down in history as one of the most successful high school football coaches in New Jersey. Although Mike Teel had a great career as a player at Don Bosco and Rutgers, he has limited experience coaching on the high school level. Of course, Coach Teel has our support but I am also certain he understands the bar is set very high at a place like Bosco. So, yes, I am a Bosco guy who is "full of it." I am full of a desire for excellence; excellence in academics, spiritual life, and athletics. It's a shame, not all my fellow BK mates aren't also "full of it."

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 That was some storm that hit Texas. Whew! I couldn't imagine the toll something like this would take on someone. It is very heart warming to see the extraordinary outpouring of support that the entire country is showing towards the flood victims. It is incidents like this that remind me that maybe race relations in America aren't quite as bad as what the media would have us believe. We have all seen or read countless stories of heroics, bravery, generosity, compassion, etc., with no regard for race, creed, color, ethnicity, or any other category....Whew!!! ok...I just had to get that out of my system.

Attendance has been an issue lately with a few of the BK members, which is very disheartening. Often times people form opinions before knowing all the facts. For instance, a few weeks back I missed the Breakfast Club because I was traveling to Georgia. The reason for my trip was to hand deliver some World War 2 medals earned by Paul Kemmerer, Cindy's Dad,  including a Purple Heart and a Legion of Honor medal awarded by the French government for Paul's contribution in the liberation of France. Yes, I missed a BK breakfast but I think it should count as an excused absence. As Paul Harvey use to say, "now you know the rest of the story."

While sitting at the bar of my local tavern, I asked a young female bar tender what was the name of the drink that two girls had ordered. The drink was served in a glass that had the shape of a white wine glass but was much smaller. She said, "It's called a xxxx xxx and you're supposed to drink it with your hands behind your back, I was totally verklempt! Without words! I guess I'm getting old. In my day, there were no drinks with names like that.

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Rutgers Record: 0-1

Next Game: Sat, Sep 9 @ 3:30 PM
Location: High Point Stadium(Rutgers)
Opponent: The Eagles of Eastern Michigan(1-0)
Opponents Last Game: Eastern Michigan beat Charlotte 24-7 Sep 1.


College Football Challenge 2017
Name/Total Points
Rick B/2
Tom R/1
Ed B/1
Patrick W/5
Zach W/0

BKWRP II - The fat boys are back!

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, July 8, 2017, @ 7:30 AM
#SecureThePorch: Accomplished! #ValuePoints
BK Guests: Micky Black, brother of Rick. It was great to see you Mick. Let me know what you think of the Heady Topper.

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The "fat boys" of the Breakfast Club have found themselves in need of another weight loss program. Following the last weight-loss contest, a few pounds have managed to find their way back home and it's time to banish these insidious invaders for good...well at least for a little while anyway. We lost one beauty contestant... "count me in during the winter...but not during the summer", and gained another ..."I'm in! I could stand to lose a few pounds." One contestant had to be a bribed with a 6 pound bonus..."It would be easier for you guys to lose weight than me. You have all put on 6 pounds or more since the last contest while I have maintained my weight since the last weigh in." We have one official scale and one unofficial scale being used to measure our progress. The unofficial scale was introduced as "what's the difference? It's all the same." I immediately thought of Sammy Sosa using a corked bat.
The same rules from previous BKWRP contest applies.

• $20 entry fee
• Winner take all
• Duration of contest is 10 weeks
• The winner is determined by who loses the most weight as a percentage of starting weight

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The summer is here and attendance at the BK Club has dropped off a bit. BK members should note that attendance is a key component of the value matrix. The "value matrix" will be explained in a later blog.

Some troubling conversations/comments I eavesdropped on.
"Where did Hagerty go?"
"He left 5 minutes ago. He was sitting across from you for a whole hour."...yes - we are all getting old.

"When you come here early, it takes a long time to be here."...troubling on so many levels.

"Do jockeys riding trotter horses get hit with shit?" ... I am without words.

A great quote..."Who will rid me of this mettlesome priest."

A few "Happy Birthday's" since the last blog...
Coach Connelly
Bobby Knoke

Upcoming BK Events
July ?? - Relocation dinner for...who else? Al & Bev DelPizzo, They do get a lot parties but if anyone deserve a lot of parties it's them...they have also given far more parties than they will ever receive.

The BK's Own is Honored

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, May 3, 2017, @ 7:30 AM
#SecureThePorch: Accomplished? Yes! Overrated? No!
Please note, had the porch not been secured at 7:30 AM, the BK club would be sitting at 4 nonconcurrent tables.
BK Guests: None

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On Saturday, June 3, the St Matthias Parish family came together to memorialize the life of the late Elizabeth Schrum-Cook with a cocktail reception in support of a scholarship fund in her name. Through the tireless efforts of Phil Cook and family, the Lubowicki family, and others (I apologize for not knowing all the names), the fund has been able to support many families committed to a Catholic education but have found themselves struggling economically. Each year, several members of the St Matthias family are honored for making contributions to St Matthias school beyond measure. This year's honorees include the BK's own Al DelPizzo, along with his lovely wife, Beverly, and Sister Maria Derecola, OSF. All honorees have consistently demonstrated a love of God, family, and community by constantly giving their time, talent, and treasure to those in need. They have all set a wonderful example for the rest of us on what it means to care, to give back, and to put others first. These honors are all well deserved. Of course, as a BK member, I am more familiar with Coach Al DelPizzo. Brother Al, favorite son of Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn, gets nominated for this award and the phone lines light up; from Connie in Brooklyn, to Joannie and Rob in Brick, to Aunt J and Uncle Vinnie in Naples, to North Jersey, South Jersey, and on and on and one. They all showed up to share in the honoring of brother Al and all that he does for others; be it coaching, working at the Franklin Food Bank, mentoring and being just about the best friend anyone could ask for. BK member Rick Black said it best in his introduction speech with his description of Al being a real friend... "when all hell is breaking loose, a true friend is someone who is walking in when everyone else is walking out." Al - you set the bar very high for the rest of us but that is what makes the Breakfast Club so special.

This is an event that is well worth attending in the future!!!

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The BK club received a very nice letter from Mick Black for our donation to Team NMC Pacers. Through their efforts, NMC raised the largest amount of donations for Imagine Walk, a charity event when family, friends, and community come together to show support for the children and families impacted by Autism. This year marks the largest money ever raised by NMC and it is their goal to surpass that year after year. Here is an excerpt of his letter to the BK Club:

"But while goals nourish the heart, it is a purpose that feeds the soul. That's what keeps me going every day. A dream and hope through your on-going support that one day our best and brightest in the medical field will find out what causes Autism. That is what makes dreams great; if you believe in them heart and soul, pursue them with laser beam focus, and do everything you can to make them come true, the end result will be a success."

Mick provides a great example of what it means to care about others and actually do something.

Please donate to:

The Autism Project
1516 Arwood Avenue
Johnston, Rhode Island 02919

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Upcoming BK Events

June 10 - Monmouth Racetrack
June 16 - St Matthias Golf Outing
June 23 - NY Yankee vs Texas Rangers
June 26 - Rutgers Golf Outing

Memorial Day - Honoring those lives lost in the fight for freedom

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, May 20, 2017, @ 7:30 AM.

#SecureThePorch: Accomplished BK brother's Rick & Tom

BK Guests: Not Reported

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Memorial Day - Wikipedia

The holiday, which is currently observed every year on the last Monday of May, originated as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868, when the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans founded in Decatur, Illinois, established it as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the Union war dead with flowers. By the 20th century, competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days, had merged, and Memorial Day eventually extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service. It marks the start of the unofficial summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

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This week's blog submitted by Brother Al.

Our lead security officer of the table was upstate fishing with his biological brothers and the Jersey Shore (as it does when the warm weather starts) had another two brothers getting their summer homes ready for Summer.  That said, that did not affect the 'liveliness' of the conversation this Saturday morning.  8 of the 9 brothers had participated in the 2nd annual Mt. St. Mary Golf event the day before so there was the usual trash talking along with tales of golf shots that rivaled the aforementioned brother Eddie's fish tales.  There was a rather disturbing challenge or dare I say rant by 'the other founding father' calling into question the 'effectiveness' of securing the porch and even challenging attendance record(s) of all members verses his own.  Cooler heads prevailed but the challenge is definitely still out there.  

With that ugliness aside, there ensued a lively discussion that included a little politics, the Preakness and some valuable and educational facts about bovine.  Did you know that you can get 5 or more Republicans together on a Saturday morning and not talk about our fearless leader, Pres. Trump?  Did you know that you can place 2 bets on the 2nd leg of the triple crown, bet the horses that finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th; and win $0?  Did you know that there are cows that give milk and cows that give us steak but they are not one and the same?   WOW!  As Yogi might have said; 'you can learn a lot just by showing up at Corner Deli on Saturday morning'.  And speaking of showing up, is there really an attendance bylaw?  And finally, thanks to BK 'kids' Katie & Brennan for picking up the breakfast tab!  That makes 2 'freebies' in a row!  Now if we can just secure a lottery win we'll be stylin'.  And sadly; all our hearts go out to the families and friends who lost loved ones this week in the UK. We lose a little bit of ourselves each and every time innocent souls are sacrificed due to hatred and blindness. May God have mercy on their souls and may our prayer today be that love triumphs hate in our lifetime.  And lastly, as we approach Memorial Day weekend; thanks for all the men and women who have sacrificed all for others.  Heroes all!  

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Addendum by Ed Bauer.
(Alexander Hamilton's grave and his wife, Eliz's grave in front)

Recently, while visiting my kids Mark & Carly in lower Manhattan, I took a walk on the grounds of Trinity Church. Located at the intersection of Wall Street & Broadway, Trinity Church has a rich history with roots dating back before the American Revolution. In 1697, shortly after the Dutch established a trading post in New York City known as New Amsterdam, a charter was granted by King William III. Buried on the church grounds are a number of notable and historical people such as Alexander Hamilton, his wife Eliza, and sister-in-law Anjelica, and his son Philip (also killed in a duel).

Alexander Hamilton tombstone inscription:
The patriot of incorruptible integrity.
The soldier of approved valour.
The statesman of consummate wisdom;
whose talents and virtues will be admired by grateful posterity long after this marble shall have mouldered into dust.

We could use Hamilton and his virtues today. But as the saying goes, "Be the change you want to see."

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Brother Al - On behalf of those present at the BK Club held on Sat, May 28, I am requesting the last Saturday of May to be designated as BK Founders Day. We don't need any additional approval because a whopping two-thirds present on Sat, May 28 have already approved the measure. Those present in favor of the measure were Jim Widdoss(Founding Father), and Ed Bauer(Founding Father). The only other BK member present was Tom Rooney, but his vote didn't matter because we already had two-thirds consensus.

Where Is?

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, May 6, 2017, @ 7:30 AM.

#SecureThePorch: Accomplished

This week, location security was handled admirably by BK's own Rick Black but it's just not the same without Eddie in the chair at the head of the table.

BK Guests: Not Reported

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BK Blog Entry respectfully submitted by Al D.

By the way, "where's Eddie?"

This was the refrain as the BK members and guests arrived for our weekly respite from the real world at Bobby's Corner Deli.  In the interest of full disclosure, Ed was given the day off to be with his lovely bride who is recovering from knee surgery.  Ed, like all BK members, recognizes that the way this thing called 'life' works is by making sure the needs of our better halves are taken care of first and foremost.  Get well soon Cin....... 

Happy Birthday to our own Mike Hagerty!  Mike is the newest member of the 60 yr and 4-month club.

Wait! What?

This week the conversations that flowed across the breakfast table started with the latest goings-on in our nation's capital where it was/is obvious that this circus continues to be totally detached from real people (like us) who are concerned with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  We also tried to name the #1 QB on the NY Jets depth chart and at least 2 Jet fans needed to look it up on their phones.  Now that speaks volumes!

By the way, "where's Eddie?"

By far the topic that took up the most table talk was the run for the roses.  Rick did his homework and passed around an 8-page single-spaced report on the 20 entries and Tom had come equipped with 20 tiny cut pieces of paper with horse name, jockey and pole position.  Big Jim also came ready to gamble some kitty money trying to defray the cost of a big BK birthday dinner scheduled for later Saturday night.  Happy 60 yr and 4 month birthday to Mike H! 

Surely Eddie will make it to Frisco's tonight; right?

All in all, it was a great day. Started with our weekly breakfast followed by 2 foursomes going at it hard for the $200 prize money at Quail Brook, and finishing with a 3+ hour food feast with the wives at the aforementioned Frescos.  Eddie will definitely stop by for a drink; right?

See ya next week.  Eddie will be there next Saturday; right?

ADDENDUM

Congrats to all of the golf winners of the inaugural Mike Hagerty Invitational BK Outing.  Congrats to Jim and birthday boy who split the prize for best score by a two-some with Steve and Perry.  Also to Coach Tom for the low net score.  And to Steve, Tom, Rick, and Perry for low score in the 4-man scramble.  And of course to Perry for the low individual score (26) for the middle 6 holes.  Mike B and Al didn't win any $ but a day with BK?  Priceless!!!

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Brother Al - Thankyou for writing the blog. Although I thought it was a bit harsh, you stepped up and did a noteworthy job. Regarding my truancy at last week's BK club and Mike's birthday celebration, my absence was punishment enough. I did not expect criticism from someone who spends half the year in Florida. Membership in the BK club is a lot more than phoning in your monthly dues, or lottery fee, or extortion fee or whatever fee we're calling it these days. It's about showing up most Saturdays and giving your best and that I do. Hey! Even the Babe missed a few games. Even DeNiro had few bad movies. But the totality of their work measured up. I will put my attendance record up against anyone else in this BK club. My back is straight and my head is held high because you can't ride a man's back if he's standing tall. 

Happy Birthday Jim! Us founding Father's have to stick together. There are only two and there are some among us who always trying to rewrite the past. I may not show up to every 60th birthday celebration but at least I recognize all birthdays. 

Rick - You must be very proud of your son Hunter. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Hunter on Saturday, May 13. It is not every day that I have such an engaging conversation; grammar, literature, sports, hiking, you name it, we covered it. ASU is lucky to have him. Big things lie ahead for Hunter.  

By the way, I will be fishing next weekend and will not be in attendance at the BK club. Does anyone care to do the following? 
#SecureThePorch
#WriteTheBlog

The BK Club and Fact Checking

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, Apr 29, 2017, @ 7:30 AM.

#SecuredThePorch: Accomplished
BK Guests: 

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Reminder:
On Saturday, June 3, BK brother Al and Beverly DelPizzo are being recognized for their community service at the Elizabeth Schrum-Cook Scholarship Fund cocktail reception. For a good time and a great cause... 

Saturday June 3rd
St. John Neumann Conference Center
146 Metlars Lane
Piscataway, NJ 08854

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Mike Haggerty - you were on your game last week going 2 for 2. You correctly identified the theme to 2001: A Space Odyssey and Jack Ryan as the main character in Hunt for Red October. This is a feat that is highly unusual at the BK club.  Long term memory recall is something that is becoming more and more challenging. It is fairly common for questions to arise at the BK club on Saturday's. These questions could be in any field: science, sports, politics, history, etc., and are usually met with blank stares. It is at this point that somebody, in an attempt to sound smart, provides an answer, known to be false, but cannot easily be refuted. Sometimes the guilty party gets caught by a little google fact checking. But, often times, they survive with a reputation a little greater than the previous Saturday. Of course, the error in all of this is believing the rare feats of knowledge and memory recall will be remembered for a few days or more and that is where this blog comes in...to capture and highlight those times when one of us exercises a degree of mental aptitude. So, Mike, you are definitely on your game but, remember, we are talking about the BK club.

You can't beat a good quote from the Great Generation. Rick Black shared a quote he often heard from his dad back in the day.

"Sometimes life is a shit sandwich and eventually, we'll all take a bite."
-- Joe Black

Cindy B. - Get well! A full knee replacement. Yikes! With your support staff, I expect you will breeze through rehab in flying colors.


Brother Al - Happy Birthday. Time has been very kind to you. 

Rob Sarosa - Happy Birthday! We haven't seen you in a while at the BK club. Please! Drop by.   

Patty Bets - Yes! That's correct. Patty Bets of PattyBets.com. I briefly heard bits and pieces of your golf injury: a swing of a golf club, contact, ball in flight, a ricochet of some sort, and a swollen cheekbone. Sounds interesting. Please share if you care to. Think of it as a public service announcement. You could be saving a member of the BK club. 

Check out PattyBets.com if you want some advice on sports wagering. This guy knows his stuff. There is rumored to be an industry leader in sports analytics behind this operation. I just don't know if it's Patty Bets himself or his anonymous partner. Maybe it's a true partnership like Lennon and McCartney, Shack and Koby, Marx and Engels or maybe Patty Bets is carrying his partner. I just don't know. It's a mystery to me.

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BK Book Review

Stephen King | On Writing - A Memoir of the Craft (reviewed by Ed Bauer)

This was such an unexpected and enjoyable read. The book is part memoir and part writing manual. Prior to being a successful writer, King had a rather routine and ordinary life while growing up in Maine and getting into the kinds of trouble that many young boys find themselves in. Many of his stories are hilarious and ended up being the seeds of his best works of fiction. One story was about Stephen and his older brother Dave playing in a wooded area they called the jungle. While exploring the area, Stephen asked his brother to take him home so he could "drop a load". After persistently being told "no", Stephen decided to do what the cowboys and Indians had done...squat down and let er fly. After completing the task, he grabbed a handful of green shiny leaves (poison ivy of course) and cleaned himself. "Two days later I was bright red from the back of my knees to my shoulder blades. My penis was spared but my testicles turned into stoplights. My ass itched all the way up to my ribcage."

 There are countless stories like this peppered throughout the book. I simply didn't expect Stephen King to be so darn funny.

Some of King's advice on writing:

1. The adverb is not your friend. "The road to hell is paved with adverbs. Avoid them at all costs and I will shout it from the rooftops."

2. Write in the active voice, not the passive voice. The passive voice is the voice of little boys wearing shoe polish mustaches and little girls wearing Mommy's high heels. Ex. "My first kiss will always be recalled by me as how my romance with Shayna was begun." 

Oh, man - who farted, right? A simpler way to express this idea might be "My romance with Shayna began with our first kiss." 

3. Read a lot and write a lot. If you want to be a writer, you must do these two things. King reads between seventy and eighty books a year... simply because he loves stories.

This is a very entertaining book on so many levels. I highly recommend this book.

Happy Easter from the Breakfast Club!

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, Apr 16, 2017, @ 7:30 AM.

#SecuredThePorch: Accomplished
BK Guests: We had a full plate of guests today with the Ballanco boys - Mike Jr and James, the Widdoss boys - Zack and Patrick, as well as Katie and Brennan.

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Easter is such a beautiful time of the year.

"Easter audaciously declares that the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth marks a reversal of what was thought to be absolute, a turning away from the darkness of midnight into a dawn of promise, a subverting of hatred with love and the abolishment of death. And it is this hope that an Easter faith asserts."

--Don Stevenson

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Clear your calendars! On Saturday, June 3, one of our BK brother's(and wife) is being honored. Al and Beverly DelPizzo are being recognized for their community service at the Elizabeth Schrum-Cook Scholarship Fund cocktail reception. This is a well-deserved honor for Al and Beverly with the proceeds going to support a scholarship fund named after Elizabeth Schrum-Cook. Beverly and Al are always involved in some effort that is benefitting others in our community; be it the St Matthia theater program, school lunch, Little League, the local food bank, etc. The DelPizzo's are constantly serving their community and making it better. For a good time and a great cause... 

Saturday June 3rd
St. John Neumann Conference Center
146 Metlars Lane
Piscataway, NJ 08854

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The BK blog has been on a hiatus of sorts due to my vacation plans. Over the last couple of weeks, I found myself in Vermont and Colorado eating and drinking the very best the states could offer.

Colorado - I know Rocky Mountain Oysters (bull testicles) doesn't sound very appetizing but you have to trust me. With a little tartar sauce, it's pretty tasty. Anything deep fried tastes good, doesn't it? When I explained to the waitress that I wanted the 'Oysters', she said, "do you know what they are?" Maybe my New York accent gave her pause but I was all in. I enjoyed them and would definitely have them again. My BK brothers seem to be split on whether or not this is suitable food for humans.

Vermont - With a weekend with no commitments, my brother and I decided to take a 6-hour beer run to Vermont. Burlington is ground zero in the east coast craft beer renaissance and is about 325 miles away. With a few bathroom stops, I can be there in 6 hours. We were able to pick some Heady Topper, brewed by the Alchemist Brewery and Sip of Sunshine, brewed by Lawson's Finest Liquids. These are two of the finest beers I have ever had in my entire life. Heady Topper was actually voted the best beer in the world a few years back and SOS is definitely in the same conversation. 

I attended a beer tasting this past weekend hosted by the Ballanco boys. It was arguably the greatest collection of craft beer ever assembled in one place. The breweries/state (beer) represented were the Alchemist/Vermont (Heady Topper), Lawsons Finest Liquids/Vermont (Sip of Sunshine), Bissell Brothers/Maine (Swish), Trillium/Massachusets (Fort Point), Two Roads Brewery/Connecticut (Road 2 Run), and The Answer/Virginia (Southern Bounty). This was an IPA fest of the highest degree. To my absolute surprise, the best beer I tasted was Swish from the Bissell Brothers. I didn't think Heady Topper would ever be dethroned but on this day, it happened. It will be a while before I can fully absorb and process this event. It was so overwhelming. 

Mike H. - I am sure you will make good use of the golf clubs the BK club gave you for your birthday. A mistake I made was asking why someone needs a new set of golf clubs. Whew! Apparently, this is the wrong question to ask while surrounded by a bunch of golfers. One golfer actually said it's the same as buying a new fishing pole. I didn't care to get into it but I catch world-class fish while all these guys do is chase after their balls around the golf course. This is what they tell me anyway. 

The Madness of March Continues

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, Mar 25, 2017, @ 7:30 AM.

#SecuredThePorch: Accomplished
BK Guests: None

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Beautiful - A trip back in time.
(Submitted by Jim Widdoss)

Do you want to spend an evening humming hit songs from the 60s and 70s to yourself? If so, then drop by the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on 43 Street in NYC and catch the matinee performance of “Beautiful”. For those of you who have been locked away for the last 4 years, Beautiful is the story of Carol King’s musical life. The play takes you from her beginning as a wannabe be song writer as a teenager in Brooklyn to her successful partnership with lyricist and later husband Gerry Goffin , through the tough years of family struggles ending with the creation of her master work “Tapestry”.

Several weeks ago I had the chance to see and more importantly listen to Beautiful with my lovely wife Pat, my good friend Mike Ballanco and the women now affectionately known as “Colin’s Grandmother”. If you go to this play, you won’t be able to get the music out of your head. Not just for the rest of the day but for days, perhaps weeks to come. If you are over 50 like me this play brings you back to the music of your youth. Several times during the performance I found myself closing my eyes and drifting off to the times when I first heard songs like “Up on the roof” or “You have a friend”. You know the words to every song in Beautiful. You are a kid again. What boy has not tried to sing along with the Righteous Brothers performing “Unchained Melody”, what girl hasn’t cried to “You lost that Loving Feeling . A good friend of mine, Allyboy DelPizzo put it perfectly. “For us Beautiful is the story of our lives.”

In conclusion, for me, Carol King’s story was interesting and something I hadn’t known before. Like everyone else I had listened to Tapestry, but never really connected the dots that the songs were about her life experiences. The actors and actresses do a great job of sharing Carol’s story and they all have wonder voices, the dialogue full of witty lines, the scenery is carefully done with action and great dancing on multiple levels of the stage at the same time but you don’t come to Beautiful for any of that. The clear star of the show is the music itself. To me it’s like going to a great steak house enjoying creamy mash potatoes and buttery vegetables to go along with a perfectly cooked juicy streak. There is no question, in Beautiful, the music is the steak. In this case the steak does not disappoint. Go see this play and you will find yourself doing “The Locomotion” out the door with a smile on your face.

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The Final Four has arrived and March Madness continues to be one of the most exciting athletic events in sports. The semis will have South Carolina vs Gonzaga and Oregon vs North Carolina. Three teams from the SEC made it to the Elite Eight: South Carolina, Florida, and Kentucky...Huh?  Villanova has returned to its usual pattern of exiting the tournament prematurely. Kittens and puppies have cooled off as have Bkwife and Colin's Grandma. Whew! The winner of the BK March Madness pool may actually do so without picking the tournament champion. Go figure! Is the BK Club losing their touch? Go Carolina Blue!

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Did anyone in the Breakfast Club have any money on the 2017 Women's World Curling Championship held in Beijing? The excitement in these curling contests rivaled what took place in the North Carolina vs Kentucky basketball game. Rachel Homan of Canada took home the gold by beating Russia's Anna Sidorova giving Canada its first world championship in nine years. Scotland's Eve Muirhead defeated Sweden 6-4 for the bronze in a tightly contested match. Muirhead is also an accomplished bagpiper, piping in four world championships. This is a sport that warrants more attention from the BK club.

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A big heartfelt thanks to Beverly Del Pizzo. While cleaning out her house, Beverly stumbled on a book that belonged to her dad Clarence "Skipe" Johnson. The book titled "The Art of Freshwater Fishing" has been passed on to me and I assure you I will put it to good use.  The author writes, in great detail, how and why fish behave the way they do while taking into account various environmental and atmospheric conditions. As your Dad and I know, fishing is a lot more than a bucket of worms and a six pack of beer. The more understanding one has about the environment above and below the water as well as the biology of fish, the better the fishing experience. I am honored to say your Dad and I shared the same passion for fishing and I will treat this book with the respect it deserves. My first fishing trip of the year is planned for mid-May at Black Lake in upper New York state and I will be employing many of the things I am learning from Skipe's book to land some Bass and Northern Pike. As I like to say, "Let's Kick Some Bass." 

Nancy B. - Happy Birthday this week!

March Madness is in Full Swing

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, Mar 18, 2017, @ 7:30 AM.

#SecuredThePorch: Accomplished (by brother Rick)
BK Guests: None

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We Love March Madness!

(Submitted by Team Widdoss)

If there is a better event in sports than the men’s college national basketball championship I don’t know what it is. I know we now have a national tournament for football but for me it doesn’t compare to the excitement or drama of March Madness. This is the only place you can see David meet Goliath and have a real chance to win. If you doubt that, watch what I think is the very best 30 for 30 ever made called “Survive and Advance”  the story of the 1983 North Carolina State National Champions led by Jim Valvano.

The story is about more than basketball, it is about what you can do when you put your mind to it and never give up.  About never giving  up. To quote Thurl Bailey “this story is about HOPE”. If you have not seen it, give it a watch.  Be prepared to feel a myriad of emotions from happiness and sheer joy to utter sadness but in the end be prepared to be lifted. Every time I watch it, I feel like I still have a chance to do something great. At one point in the show Valvano quotes Reverend Bob Richards (Olympic Pole Vault Champion) “Every single day in every walk of life ordinary people do extraordinary things “. Nothing is truer.   NC State and Valvano himself demonstrate that beyond dispute. Enjoy the games and dare to dream if you feel like it.

We at the Breakfast Club like to fancy ourselves of having a high level of understanding and expertise in the world of sports. You name it, we have it covered. The NFL, College Football, College Basketball, Baseball, Wrestling, Lacrosse, Olympic Sports...we're covered. So why are we failing miserably in March Madness? Here is our BK family & friends March Madness pool and I don't see anyone near the top. Our closest entry is coming in with a 5 ranking. Nothing personal but how are bkwife1, Colin's Grandma and 'kittens and puppies' faring better than the BK club? Jim, Tom, and myself - we are basketball guys. We are getting beaten by 'kittens and puppies'. Has it sunk in yet? I can't get my arms around that. This is why I have no business gambling. 

Mike - I can't thank you enough for the Bob Dylan book titled Bob Dylan - All The Songs. The book goes into great detail on the story behind all 492 songs Dylan has released from the early 1960's to 2015. The reader learns what led to the composition of the songs as well as what musicians were used on each of the recordings. As you know, I am a big fan of The Bob and have spent countless hours getting lost in his story telling. His voice can be challenging at times but his ability to paint images with words has no equal. A while back I stumbled on a homily by Fr. Matthew Kelty, a Trappist monk and confessor to Fr. Thomas Merton, who wrote the most extraordinary analysis of any Dylan song I have ever read. At the time, Fr. Kelty had no idea who Bob Dylan was and had never heard the song Desolation Row but was struck by Dylan's shrewd observations into the human heart. "What happens when we fail? We try and blame someone else. It couldn't possibly be us who live on Desolation Row....For Desolation Row runs right down the middle of Heaven. If it does not, then there is no Heaven."

It's worth a read: Desolation Row: A Homily by Fr. Matthew Kelty 

We have had a few BK members attend the Broadway musical Beautiful recently. So, how about a review? This is our chance to let people know that the BK club is a lot more than just cursing, politics, sports, and craft beer. 

Inspired by Inside, A PopUp Theatrics Production

A poetic journey through my immersive experience with  PopUp Theatrics. What is fact, what is fiction, and what lies between? Inside - a performance inspired by "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madelleine L'Engle. It was an experience like none other.

Because the experience had a certain rhythmic quality, I was drawn to poetry to try and capture it's essence.

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A dark and dreary New York night,
   walking towards the archway door.
She climbs the stairs with a welcome smile
   and the promise of something more.

Into the night the story unfolds
   walking slowly as a pair.
A frozen fountain, a fallen steeple
   Madelleine L'Engle and an heir.

Behind the church, we find ourselves
   with a wounded tortured soul.
In a room with a nurse
   and a mind as dark as coal.

Father, put the bottle down
   fairies moving everywhere.
On the table, around the room
   and out the window we did stare.

Down the steps, into the dark
   she held my hand inside my head.
A pheasant's feather a battered book
   "A Wrinkle in Time" from the dead.

The saxophone played soft and slow
   for the son of Minsk we pray.
You brought a smile, you touched my heart
   cancer, cancer leave you may.

The BKWRP Ends / Obesity Persists

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, Mar 11, 2017, @ 7:30 AM.

#SecuredThePorch: Accomplished
BK Guests: Chris Connelly

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The 2017 BKWRP (Breakfast Club Weight Reduction Program) came to an end this Saturday. It was ten long weeks of saying yes to celery and no to meatball parm, yes to salads and no to pizza, yes to steak and no to mashed potatoes. I went without a Bagel for ten long weeks and tomorrow that will all change. Following 7:30 Mass, I will head over to Kettleman's for a Bagel with Lox Spread and a medium coffee with milk thinking "where have you been my long lost friend?" 

Although we all lost weight ranging from 6lbs to 20 lbs, according to the American Medical Association, we are all still either at the low end of the obesity range or the high end of the overweight range. So we still do have some work to do. There is already talk of another weight loss program starting up in a few weeks to try and keep us on the straight and narrow and moving the right direction.

The two methods used in the BKWRP to lose weight seemed to be portion control and Atkins(low carb) and for some reason, the Atkins approach is not regarded as highly as other weight loss programs. I heard countless times, "the weight will come right back as soon as you go off the Atkins diet." I am pretty certain this applies to all diets. Go off the diet and the weight returns. Go to any Weight Watchers meeting and half the people there have been going to Weight Watchers on and off for a dozen or more years. Why? Because the weight returns when you go off the diet. It's not just Atkins. Aye Currumba!

Privacy rules prevent me from publishing who the winner is other than BC-3. However, I am at liberty to say, I am grinning ear to ear right now while I am sipping on one of my choice craft beer selections that I only break out on special occasions. Dr. Atkins, you're a genius. I look forward to the next BKWRP in a few weeks.

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March Madness has arrived. No games have been played yet but I've already heard too much from Jay Bilas. It's not just Bilas though. All the silly talk about what teams got in, what teams didn't, did the selection committee do a good job, is a particular team seeded correctly, etc. It all nauseates me. This isn't rocket science. Win your conference or rely on the whims of an imperfect selection committee. That's the way it goes. The tournament is idiot proof. No matter what, it is a great time of the year. It's actually the only time of the year for college basketball but that's another discussion.

The BK Club will have it's annual March Madness pool. An email will go out shortly with all the necessary credentials.

We had a guest visitor this week with the presence of Chris Connelly. Chris - the BK Club applauds you for your service. Chris is an active member of the Navy Reserves and does a lot of work with large defense contractors. Because much of the work he does is classified, he couldn't tell me exactly what he does. However, I did hear some exciting stories that took place across several continents. Chris appears to be a cross between James Bond and Indiana Jones. Good luck Chris! Be safe and drop a line to the BK club once in a while.

I know of two Broadway plays (Beautiful & On Your Feet) that various BK members and their wives have attended recently. Please - Give us a review. Let us all know how the experience was. No copying and pasting either. We want to know what the play meant to you. What was the play about? Would you recommend it? Would you see it again? Did you learn anything? Where did you go out to eat after? The BK club is waiting with bated breath. 

Come From Away

"Long may your big jib draw"

(A New Foundland colloquial expression meaning "may you have good fortune.")

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, Mar 4, 2017, @ 7:30 AM.

#SecuredThePorch: Accomplished
BK Guests: None

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On Saturday, Feb 25, 2017, my son Mark, daughter Carly, and I attended a play called "Come From Away" on Broadway.  It is about the town of Gander, New Foundland, Canada and how the local residents opened their doors and hearts to the passengers of 38 planes that were forced to land in Gander during the September 11 terrorist attacks. The term "Come From Away" is what locals use to describe out of town visitors. Gander, with a population of 10,000, became inundated with 6600 passengers in a matter of hours.

Without hesitation, the town sounds the alarm via local radio and word of mouth that these displaced travelers need to be fed, clothed, comforted and entertained for as long as the airspace is shut down. Emergency housing units are immediately set up and the travelers are provided with food and a place to sleep. Phone banks are provided by the local phone company free of charge and the local super market opens its doors and invites the travelers to "take what you need". With great effort and a deep sense of compassion, the people of Gander accept the challenge and set out to accommodate all the passenger's needs, such as baby food, diapers, medicine, dietary needs, dental and personal hygiene needs, etc.

During the play, we hear from the Gander Mayor, a local Policeman, a school teacher, an ASPCA worker, an American Airline pilot, and several others. All are faced with a variety of challenges (e.g., logistical, physical, emotional, fatigue to name a few), but through sheer will, effort, and a selfless need to provide for others, all are able to succeed. Friendships are formed between locals and travelers as well as travelers and other travelers. Irish Whiskey seems to sell well in Gander and is present in more than one scene.

Many "Come From Aways", as visitors are called, are welcomed to Gander at the local pub with a Newfoundland ritual called screech-in or kissing the cod; a traveler is asked to kiss a cod fish and down a shot of Screech Rum followed by the colloquial expression "long may your big jib draw", which translates to "may you have good fortune." Two travelers, who met for the first time on their flight to Gander, went on to get married. One traveler goes on a moose hunt with a local while many others are invited into homes for a meal and a nice shower and end up staying for days. A Gander school teacher befriends a woman from New York who is trying to reach her son who is a New York City firefighter. They both go to a local church to pray together. After leaving Gander, the woman returns to New York City to find out her son has died in the towers. Needless to say, this was an extremely emotional scene leaving the entire theater either sobbing or desperately trying to hold back tears.

In spite of the painful reminder of the horror that took place on September 11, 2001, the play left me with a very warm and positive feeling about humanity. The evil and darkness of the terrorist attacks were not able to dampen the love, spirit, and generosity of the people of Gander, New Foundland. I expect Come From Away to have a long run on Broadway which will give me ample time to see the play again.

Go see Come From Away and long may your big jib draw!!!

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The Rutgers men's basketball team took a big step forward with a win over the University of Illinois to finish the season with a 3-15 conference record and 14-17 record overall. This year marks the most conference and total wins for the Scarlet nights since joining the Big Ten in 2014. Improvement is coming incrementally but we are definitely trending in the right direction. Patience is warranted! Rutgers will play either Indiana or Ohio State in the Big Ten conference tournament on Wednesday, Mar 8.
Go RU!!!

We had a skeleton crew today with only 4 or 5 people showing up...a very low turnout for the BK club. But I must say, the conversation was very civil. Does that say more about those that were absent or those that were present? I really don't know.

The final weigh-in for the BKWRP is Saturday, Mar 11 at Bobby's. In the event a contestant fails to weigh in on Sat, Mar 11, the most recent weight recorded for that contestant will be used as the final weight.  An exception is being made for Rick B. His final weigh in will be Fri, Mar 10 because he will not be present on Saturday. This allowance is being made primarily because Rick provides the sanctioned scale.

A suggestion was made to extend the final weigh in one week. At first, I didn't have any objections; I try to go through life being flexible, but after I had time to absorb everything, I realized this didn't make any sense. I have been killing myself for 9 weeks, no bagels with lox spread, very little carbs and going to bed hungry most nights. Isn't 10 weeks enough time? Unless, the strategy is to push the final weigh in one week to Sat, Mar 18 in the hope that some people get boxed on St Patty's Day and forget to weigh in the next day. Nice try! I am DONE on Sat, Mar 11.

All BK members/family members - Feel free to provide reviews of any movies or plays that you attend.