The 2021 BK Year End Gala

Event:    The 2021 BK Year End Gala
Date:      Fri, Dec 17, 2021
Time:     1900 Hours
Place:    Undisclosed location
BK Attendance: Ed & Cindy B. Perry & Sue B. Rick & Maria B. Mark & Diane C, Jim & Pat W,    Tom & Kim R, Steve & Nancy B. Mike & MaryannH, Mike & Laura B.
Bk Members Absent: Al & Bev D. (It's just not the same without Bev & Al)

It's always a fun time when the BK get's together for dinner. It hasn't happened in a while due to Covid but we figured Christmas was a good time to get out and celebrate. Thanks to Jim & Pat for making all the arrangements. The open bar, hors d'oeuvre's, main course, and dessert were all up to the high standards of the BK Klub. There has been some discussion on how the credit for planning such a nice event should be distributed between Jim & Pat. Should it be 50-50, 25-75, 10-90...I just don't know.

The Lottery update was provided by the Lottery Chairman, Mike B. There were a lot of numbers in the presentation, money invested, winnings, winning %, Mega Millions, Powerball, the Multiplier, whew! I was not sure what to make of all the numbers but we had enough winnings to pay for the appetizers. That's a lot of pigs in a lot of blankets. We were all assured if we maintain our trust in the chairman and his vision, we will all be swimming in riches. Mike B. is the first Lottery Chairman who actually established the BK Lottery Guiding Principals....and they are;

1. You've got to be in it, to win it
2. Go BIG or go home
3. We're playing the LONG game

Mike - there will always be some grumbling. Stay the course and we will see who is grumbling when they are called down to the NJ Lottery office to pick up their check.

Like any organization, there is always some dispute or controversy and we certainly have our share. For one, there has always been a question on the plumbing skills of one of our members.

Well, I hope we can finally put this to rest. Without any forewarning, I asked Mike B., a legacy plumber going back generations, a question that only a seasoned, accomplished, and well respected plumber would know. Any plumber worth his weight in porcelain toilets would know who invented the modern toilet and Mike came through with  flying colors. The inventor of the modern toilet is none other than Thomas Crapper...No joke!!!  I actually have the book. Mr Crapper was an extraordinary business man and plumber born in 1836 and died in 1910. He changed the course of history with nine of his patents. He is credited with inventing the modern toilet. In 1880, he improved the S-bend plumbing trap with the U-bend. He had a patent for the Self Rising Toilet Seat (patent # 11,604) which did not sell as well as he hoped. His explanation for its demise was "old ladies objected to the likelihood of a smack on the bottom due to bad timing".  Will this put an end to the constant questioning of Mike's plumbing skills?...I doubt it! 

The high light of the evening was, no doubt, the awards ceremony for BK Man of The Year. It really is quite a prestigious award here in New Jersey. There always seems to be a lot of mystery surrounding the criteria for the award as well as the selection process. I'm not even sure who is on the selection committee. Questions about the Bk Man of The Year are usually met with a shrug of the shoulders or some undecipherable groan. I was once told that the qualities for BK Man of The Year are a lot like pornography, that is, it's hard to describe but you know it when you see it. There are only nine of us in the BK Klub but mystery abound. However, please know the mysteries surrounding the selection of the BK Man of The Year do not diminish, in any way, this year's recipient. Congratulations Mark Calafiore! Mark is our youngest and newest member of the BK Klub but since day one, has always demonstrated all the qualities one would expect. 

Kindly provide a caption in the comments section for these two photos.

Upcoming Dates of Interest

Jan 8 - Mark C. birthday

Jan 8 - BK Weight Reduction Program commences

Jan 8 - BK dues (I believe it went up 25% to $25)
Jan 23 - Steve B. birthday
Feb 17 - Mike B. birthday

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the BK! 

Be good! Be safe! Stay healthy!!!

The BK is Back!!!

Arrived at Jacob's: Sat, April 4, 2020, @ 7:30 AM
#SecureThePorch: Accomplished? No! Overrated? No! Moved to an undisclosed location.
#LetsKickTheCrapOutof2020, #WhereIsAl, #TheBKIsBack, #COVID-19CanKissMyA$$
BK Attendance: Ed B. Perry B. Rick B. Mark C, remote: Al D, Jim W, Tom R.
This week in history: April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated.

Yes! The BK is Back!

Yes - it has been a while. What can I say? Sometimes life gets in the way.  I believe the last time the BK blog was published was back in January of 2018. For the longest time, I thought who in their right mind wants to hear from the BK Club? Come on now...a couple of cranky old guys on the far side of middle-age living in the heartland of New Jersey. I still don't have an answer. Over the last two years, we've had many highs and we've had many lows. Some of us have lost aging parents, which is not unexpected but hurts none-the-less. One of us has lost a child bringing sorrow beyond description and another lost a sibling, bringing extreme sadness. I don't believe this type of heartache, grief, and pain can ever be diminished but hopefully, the love and support of each other can at least make us aware that we are not alone. On a lighter note, the pool of grandkids has grown and should continue with all the weddings that have either taken place or are scheduled. We are all a little older(definitely), a little wiser(doubtful), battered(yes), bruised(yes) and bumbling(yes). But we are still here. Some of us have retired, some are nearing retirement and others are starting to talk about retirement. But make no mistake about it, the BK has not gone away. We are back on the interweb, celebrating whatever we feel like celebrating, criticizing whatever we feel like criticizing. We are 'stronger' than ever, still meeting every Saturday.

Corona Virus Update

In response to the CVID-19, we formed the BKCVCMT (BK Corona Virus Crisis Management Team) to address the health needs of our members. The team was assembled from the following sub-agencies within the BK.
BK Office of Management & Budget - Tom R.
BK Sports Information Department - Rick B,
BK Executive Finance Committee - Perry B.
BK Founding Father - Ed B.

The BKCVCMT meets every Friday at an undisclosed location to discuss what measures should be taken by all BK members. As we are without any enforcement authority, our measures are only recommendations. However, we are in complete alignment with Dr. Fauci and his guidance.

The BK at-large has been meeting every Saturday, at an undisclosed location, and has been operating with strict adherence to social distancing and with the assistance od ZOOM.

At today's meeting, we also had Mark C, in attendance, and Al D. and Jim W. on Zoom.

With the exception of Mike H., we are all healthy but struggling to maintain our own mental & physical well being. Mike H. had to undergo surgery for something other than Covid-19 and thankfully, all went well. We continue to pray for Mike H.

Regarding prayer...I was hit with some irony a while back when I was entertaining some rather unorthodox positions. If we can pray to God asking for a 'favor' of some sort, does that mean we can affect change in divine outcome? Of course, prayer to God and the saints is a fundamental pillar of Catholicism. Shortly after I was sharing my thoughts with some of my BK members, I lost my job.  I am taking that as a sign from God and I am back on the prayer train. So Mike, please know, you are and will continue to be in my prayers... and in the prayers of the entire BK.

What we are watching during the pandemic?

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness (Netflix)

Possibly the freakiest freakshow in the whole freaking world. Yes, I know I used the word 'freak' too much but it is so freak'ng appropriate in this freak'ng case. Its a FREAK SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ozark (Netflix)

This show has everything...a 'loving' family, money laundering, violence, drug cartels, hillbillies and more. A Financial Planner moves his family to the Ozarks after a money-laundering scheme for a drug cartel goes south. New schemes are spun up to launder money leaving a trail of debris, death, and destruction behind. Some critics believe this show is approaching Breaking Bad territory in terms of quality.

Rutgers Sports

Rutgers Men's Basketball - Overall; 20-11, Conf: 11-9, 8th in the conference
Rutgers had a great season this year being ranked as high as 24th in the AP Top 25 poll. Yes - you read that right. This was the first time in 41 years Rutgers was ranked in the top 25. Rutgers Basketball is trending in the right direction.

Rutgers Football 0-0 (undefeated)
We now have Greg Schiano as Head Coach. He is assembling a coaching staff worthy of note and recruiting is beating all expectations. Rutgers Football is trending in the right direction.

BK Tailgate 0-0 (undefeated)

What are your thoughts?

Give me the good, the bad, and the ugly!!!

You Have to Believe (in cryptocurrency)

Arrived at Bobby's: Sat, Dec 23, 2017, @ 7:20 AM
#SecureThePorch: Accomplished? Yes! Overrated? No!
#WhereIsAl, #FoundingFathers, #BKManOfTheYear,
The Saturday before Christmas is always a special day for the BK Club but it just wasn't the same without brother Al; your "retirement" is starting to piss a lot of people off!!!
BK Guests: None

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Yes, it's true.  You have to believe! Believe in something. Believe in the magic of Christmas with the same faith and conviction of a child. Believe in Santa Clause, Mrs. Claus, the sound of the bell(Polar Express), the beauty of nature, the power of love, the power of forgiveness, the flavor of scrapple, and yes - you have to believe in cryptocurrency. OK, I got a little out of control towards the end there but it's not easy talking about cryptocurrency. But don't worry, the Breakfast Club is all over it. As a matter of fact, the Breakfast Club is possibly the first business in New Jersey to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment. Starting with the first Saturday in January 2018, I plan on paying for a year's worth of BK dues with one Litecoin. This measure has been approved by the Founding Fathers at the annual BK Founding Fathers dinner, which was attended by all Founding Fathers and approved. The details can be hashed out at the Sat, Dec 30 meeting. Stay tuned for all things crypto,


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The annual BK Christmas party was held Sat, Dec 9 at the Landing in Hillsborough, NJ. It was a great time had by all and, to be honest, it's hard not to have a good time with this crowd.

The food was excellent, the drinks kept coming, the service was attentive, we told some stories and shared some laughs. The waitress asked if we made a mistake on the tip because it was on the high side. Brother Al told her "look, we can't count but we are very generous so just take it." He then squeezed her cheek, like only a guy from Brooklyn can do, and walked away.

Everyone was dressed in their Christmas best, The woman were all wearing elegant Christmas attire with plenty of bedazzlement and the men were...well, we did our best. But I believe if we had an award for best Christmas outfit, it would have to go to Jim...hands down. His sweater had all the customary Christmas colors - red, green, white, and blue, and a red Christmas themed bowler hat. But what set him apart were the blinking lights positioned around each of his nipples. Nothing says Merry Christmas like blinking nipples.You reminded me of a Master of Ceremonies of an annual talent show put on by a Las Vegas bordello.

I have no idea why we have two Christmas pictures separated by gender...we are a bunch of dorks!!!

We also honored Mike Ballanco as the 2017 BK Man of the Year. The BK Man of the Year is thought to be the equivalent of the Heisman Award because all the attributes that go into winning the Heisman are also found in BK Man of the Year winner(s). I.E. Leadership, mentorship,  hard work, plumbing skills, gutter cleaning skills, wine connoisseur, literary philanthropist, a flair for the spectacular, etc. These are only a few of the skills Mike has demonstrated and is why he won the BKMOTY award by a wide margin. The only thing stopping Mike from repeating in 2018 would be if he were to voluntarily recuse himself, 

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Happy Birthday to:
Tom Rooney Dec 21
Mike Hagerty Dec 25
Jesus Dec 25

Misc:
Sat, Jan 7 - 2018 BKWRP (Breakfast Club Weight Reduction Program)  begins. $20 entry fee.
Sat, Jan 27 - Mike Hagerty Top Golf outing

Oh yeah, I almost forgot...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Breakfast Club!

Lets kick the crap out of 2018!!!

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