NYEastsideEntertainment.blogspot.com

"We Always Find A Way" by JStergis L.E.S

2020-05-13T06:12:00.000-04:00

We Always Find A Way

By JStergis L.E.S

Every generation

Of every nation

Eventually faces a challenge or foe

That will forever define them so

And when darkness holds the day

We always find a way

A way to rekindle hope in the night

A way to bring back our soul to the light.

Every woman and man

Has to try to comprehend

When they must take a stand

When circumstances demand.

For fear will create unlikely heroes

And fear exposes those driven by weaker egos.

Yet when darkness holds the day

We always find a way

A way to rekindle hope in the night

A way to bring back our soul to the light.

My child hold up your head

Things are not hopeless or sad

As they may appear to be.

Remember good follows bad,

After the tears and blood are shed.

Just like the ebbs and flows of the sea.

Just keep your eyes focused

Every inch gained a better prognosis.

Remember when darkness holds the day

We always find a way

A way to rekindle hope in the night

A way to bring back our soul to the light.

"A Tree Grows On Long Island" by John S LES

2017-07-08T05:49:00.000-04:00

Painting by Long Island Artist Liv Larocca

*The artist Liv Larocca is just one of many very gifted artists here on Long Island. Click her link below her work and enjoy her Facebook page.

"A Tree Grows On Long Island" Part 1 of 3 parts

by John S LES

It's time to celebrate - and loudly so - the artistic talents on Long Island!

Five years ago this month, I wrote my first blog post here. Eventually I ballooned to creating and writing 10 different blogs altogether. I took a hiatus from this blog to write for my WhereDidOurLoveGo.blogspot.comand post photos for my Instagram and my Twitter accounts.

Just last May of 2016, I wrote that New Yorkers (specifically Long Islanders) should invest in taking more time support and celebrate Long Island's performing arts. Since then, I have visited, participated and observed a plethora of incredibly talented people here on Long Island. I am a born and raised New York City native. However, I am now a transplanted resident here on Long Island. My childhood views as a city boy was that Long Island was slow, boring and bland. I may have been correct about it being slower on Long Island, but I was wrong about it being boring and bland. There are many, many craftsmen, tradesmen and ethnicities of all types emerging on Long Island. And with these new, emerging cultural turnovers and trends, things are far from boring and bland. There are wonderful artists and opportunities to grow here on Long Island.

From dancers, to painters, singers, writers, and several cinema organizations here on Long Island, the fertile soil here is vast. Of the handful of cinema organizations here on Long Island, I have become the closet friends with the staff at the Port Jefferson Documentary Series. My experience with them these past seven months is that they have an outstanding warm and friendly staff, and showcase top notch documentaries just about every few weeks, which has ended this week. They restart in September. I have driven almost a full hour out to view Port Jefferson's exquisitely selected, and critically acclaimed documentary showings.

I am challenging all who read these words to join me here on my blog, my Facebook page, and my Instagram page as I introduce some of these gifted artists, cinephiles, filmmakers, actors and even some local fashion designers and models that work here on Long Island. There is a tree of talent and gifted people here on Long Island. Come get to know them. And while you do, you can watch as I transition from blogger, to free lance photographer and soon movie maker. Come back for parts 2 and 3!

"A Dream Whose Time Has Come"

2015-09-02T19:57:00.000-04:00

Like a dream whose time has come, it was inevitable that my blog here, the blog that started 9 others including WhereDidOurLoveGo.blogspot.com, a blog that has echoed social issues around the world, would have it's very own Facebook page. A Facebook page to help direct, steer and organize all of best articles from my other main blogs. But it was here, at this blog that I started it all. I encourage all who visit to stop by frequently. Feel free to email or post comments. For those who have written to me privately, sharing some of your thoughts, feelings and reactions would be a good thing for those out there who also share what you are experiencing.

Thank you to all of my friends, family and secret supporters.

Let The Show Begin...Again!

2015-04-28T02:37:00.002-04:00

Many thank yous to my loyal friends and readers who have been with me on this journey this past 2 1/2 years. For those of you who have been with me, you know that I have been writing and posting mostly poems on my Where Did Our Love Go blog the past 14 months. It was something that came from out of left field for me. My poems have touched hearts and helped engage minds on numerous discussions via emails, and chat room boards. All of my practice and preparation came from this original or "mother" blog. This blog helped me create all the others. I last posted hear back in October with the promise that things were going to be bigger and better than ever. I did not lie. My poetry writings have helped pick up many new friends and fans, from Twitter to Instagram, Facebook Chatimity and simple Google searches. I welcome you all. My other blog is doing so well with people, that I can now spend some time back here...where I started. So...sit back and let the show begin again! To all my new friends, readers...just scroll through the archives. There are plenty of fictional short stories, humorous bits, life stories, and even poems on here too. Soon you also will discover what others have known here for the past 2 1/2 years. This is my effort to entertain, educate and bring positive minds togther! Not only that...but the new stuff coming is going to be just as good!

Let the show begin...Again!

Sincerely,

John S LES

"Who I am" by Jenny Cando

2014-10-14T02:40:00.000-04:00

This brilliant and original poem was written by a reader who has now become a good friend the past several months. Here's another great poem for breast cancer awareness month. Please do enjoy.

"Who I Am"

by Jenny Cando

After my shower I got again depressed.
I need to tell this to get off my chest.

I don't like the reflection in the mirror.
Each time I see them, my pain becomes clearer.

This is not how my breasts are supposed to be.
They don't look like those on the magazine covers I see.

They are not full and plump, and they are not round.
They are not the perfect pink, tan or chocolate brown.

I worry they're not symmetrical or spherical
So I press them in a bra that promised some miracles.

For the lady on the magazine cover that bra looks fine.
But oh my God, not on mine, oh mine.

I put on a shirt big and that's nice and wide
Not because I like it, but so I can try and hide

These clothes that are suppose to make me feel...
feminine and desired...
Instead make me reel...their designers should be fired.

No matter where I look in the media I can only see
Those perfect breasts...they just keep haunting me.

Billboards, newspapers, movies or TV - society is so mean.
Even the on my phone and laptop - they shake and titillate on my screen

No, I don't look like that at all.
I'm not that poster on the wall.

The media is telling me how I should be
And if I am not, then do I need surgery?

But does all of that and all of this - make me who I am?
No. I'm so much more than just these two mammary glands.

Then who am I - no - WHO I AM?
Today I am a woman who is now taking a stand.

"Mirror Mirror" The Message That Will Change Everything For Women!

2014-09-30T15:50:00.001-04:00

Coming October 1st, 2014!

on WhereDidOurLoveGo.blogspot.com

So many of you who have followed me the past two years know the passion that I have for my various projects on my blogs. Many of you know that I have worked vigorously on my other blog www.WhereDidOurLoveGo.blogspot.com this past year as well as spawned four new others. Do not think that I do not love my audience here at NYEastsideEntertainment.blogspot.com. You folks who have read my work here have made everything that I've done on all my other blogs possible.

However, I have reached a point wherein I knew that I had to make signature writings projects for all who follow me. That is why I concentrated so heavily on www.WhereDidOurLoveGo.blogspot.com. It was through that blog that I could create some signature writings about love and our human condition. Well, my effort to create signature pieces has reached a milestone. I have created a poem entitled "Mirror Mirror" that will be posted up tomorrow, October 1st, 2014. As some of you may or may not know October, is breast cancer awareness month. This poem, "Mirror Mirror" deals with not only with breast cancer awareness for women, but it also deals with female body image issues. I strongly urge you all to tune into www.WhereDidOurLoveGo.blogspot.com and look for "Mirror Mirror". When you find it, share it - tweet it, text it, Facebook it, email it, Google it, Instagram it, or Vine it. Whatever you do - make sure every woman that you care about, reads it.

"Mirror Mirror" is going to deliver not only a message for all women, but also for all men. Look for it, enjoy it, pass it over to someone else. This is the one writing from NYEastsideEntertainment.blogspot.com that you do not want to miss.

Cellular Phone Etiquette 101: The Commuter Train

2014-06-27T12:03:00.001-04:00

Two Fridays ago I took the Long Island Railroad commuter railroad into New York City. I was going to see an off Broadway play. I sat next to a husband and wife, both in their late 40's and they were sitting across from one another. The train ride was only about 40 minutes long. I didn't have much eye contact with the couple sitting next to me outside of a our initial friendly "hello" when I sat down.

About halfway through the ride, a woman, in her mid 20's, and who was sitting behind us got on her cellular phone and called another female friend. She then began talking to this female friend, (rather loudly I might add) about the sale of Victoria Secret lingerie she caught online earlier in the day online. A female friend later advised me that Victoria's Secret had huge sale for that 3 day weekend, and that if you had coupons and shopped via the Internet, you really could have saved some serious bucks. However, with all of that being said - this young woman was indeed loud, indiscreet and was explicit about what she purchased, their colors and size and fit.

Initially she only mentioned the sale and her discounts. Which me and the wife of the couple I was sitting next to overheard and we both chuckled. It was slowly hitting us that we both heard the same thing. Then she mentioned more information about the VS items that she purchased, which now caused me and the husband to look at each other incredulously. Meanwhile his wife continued to quietly chuckle. Then the husband and I began chuckling too as the young woman began to talk more about the sizes and colors and how they would fit her hips. By now the three of us were building up to a quiet "guffaw" by this point. By the time the woman closed off the conversation with how she couldn't wait to wear them all (she bought about 15 sets if I'm not mistaken) we were all in tears trying to restrain ourselves as other passengers around us were also listening in and laughing.

I quickly posted the experience on Facebook for which one of my friends retorted "I guess Victoria's Secret isn't a secret any more." I was quick to share that hilarious, quick witted remark with the couple next to me, for which we all again laugh - but this time rather loudly. The young woman was clueless as she segued her conversation onto another topic. She then abruptly ended her conversation as she knew we were about 9 minutes from entering the tunnel and her cellular service would be interrupted anyway.

Later on Facebook, many of my other friends who commute via train or bus commented that this occurrence of people talking loudly on a cell phone while riding on a crowded train or bus has become more of a common occurrence than I knew. One friend said to me, "I hear about people's personal lives and their life issues while riding the train into the city." I personally haven't had to commute via bus or train in well over 25 years, so I wasn't aware of how rude people have become while talking on their cellular phones. But somehow or another, this has become "common".

Hey all of you fellow cellular phone users listen up and listen up but good! It is rude, stupid and embarrassing to loudly talk about all of your personal issues and business on a crowded train or bus. Keep a lid on it will ya??

Success! My New "Positive" Blog Is a Hit!

2014-06-13T13:25:00.000-04:00

For a half minute, I wondered if I was alone in creating a new blog about positive things. I didn't know if people would want to read about positive things or see positive pictures exclusively. But I went with my gut feeling and now it is clear that my new blog www.ElevateOurWorld.blogspot.com is definitely a hit. It has struck a cord in people. I would like to thank all of my family, friends and followers for making it a popular hit online. As I said, we get hit left and right with negative news and sad events everyday - it's just way too easy to knock us off of our daily positive grind. So I wanted to create a voice, a bell, a music tone out there - to help remind us all on how to get back on track and get through our day.

Once again, any of you who would like to contribute positive pictures or stories to that blog, please feel free to email me and do so. Heck you can even call my blog number and leave a short message. I Or Skype or Kik. Whatever it takes to get the message through.

Now this blog can go back to what I've done so well in the past. This blog can go back to entertaining you!

Smile everyone!

Why Does Hate Still Sell?

2014-06-10T17:49:00.000-04:00

In the middle of last summer, I had intended to write a column about racism and hatred. Putting that piece together took months and I'm really not even completely finished nearly a year later. What I will write about today is of how much "hatred" sells in our country and around our world.

When I was a younger man, I used to hear my mother and a few ultra religious parents refer to every negative incident, person or behavior as "the Devil at work" behind those things. Being a young and immature, I would at who she was talking about and say to myself - "I don't see any devil here, just mean people." I was too young, immature and unwise to understand the difference between the literal and spiritual meaning of what my mother and her friends were trying to say.

Mind you, I grown up to evolve further as a more wise and spiritual person. Not as religious practicing as I should be, but spiritual enough to know and accept Divine guidance and inspiration at different times. What I can finally say after 49 years of living is that now I understand what my mother and some of her "ultra religious" friends were talking about. The Devil isn't necessarily a "being" more than he is a living negative energy that can be fed by a paralyzing, dark space that is within all of us. This dark space can easily be ignited and infectiously ignited in others via nativity, anger, feelings of injustice or a false sense of superiority towards others.

In some of us, the equally opposing "bright" space inside us normally outshines that dark space. But for so many of us, once you remove some of the energy of the bright light within us, the darkness within far too easily overwhelms us. Nothing I'm saying here is even new. Having patience and being willing to endure things against you and keep your faith and/or your principles is as old as the example of book of Job in the Holy Bible.

However, even with such a fabled story of Job being thousands of years old, today we still easily fail at maintaining and improving the good within us. So many of us easily get snagged by the clutches of hatred, prejudice, sexism and superiority attitudes via the news headlines. We stumble at being at peace within ourselves and towards our fellow human beings. Whether we consciously, or unconsciously know it - we are continuously tricked into being "reactive" instead of "proactive" as we feed off this cycle of hatred. If we were more proactive, we could be extinguishing it. Thus, we become perpetuating instruments of the very same negative energy and evil that we wish to diminish.

Inscribed on the stone surrounding the monument of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are one of his most famous quotes, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that."

Again, not a new example, rather an old one. In the Holy Bible, Romans 12:17-21,
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by doing good.

Unfortunately it seems that the only time we can gather the energy to create positive changes to respond to negative behavior - is only after the prevailing negative issues reach a critical mass? Seems like only the immediate threat of life and death can motivate people to properly step in and do the right thing. In some instances, by waiting so late to step in, we sometimes allow the negative energy to take a repetitive and self-fulfilling life of it's own.

There are everyday slights against other people that go unabated or unchallenged everyday. We have people who are stigmatized, ostracized or minimized everyday because of their skin color, religion, sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic standing. Even some of the nicest among us seem indifferent to these behaviors and continued cycle of negative "little evils" towards each other. We only seem to jump up and attack each other only after one headline grabbing incident occurs. Then and only then everyone pours their pent up anger and differing opinions at one another like daggers instead of sharing food for thought. This only eventually displays greater weaknesses within that person.

The real truth is that our media is simply trying to grab our attention to read or watch their news service. That's just their business. However, the actual problems that we need to address are right in our everyday lives. We need to drive out the negative people, thoughts and deeds with positive actions and responsible behaviors. Not with more negative energy on top of the negative. There are still many of us, who by ignorance, inadvertence or by choice - continue to recycle the same negative karma that robs all of us in the first instance.

Yet here is another truth. We are all human. We all make mistakes. We all have both positive and negative people within all of our families, our different ethnic groups and religious dominations. You can even throw in our so called "racial" groups, but I believe we all belong to once race, the human race. That being said, I still imagine why we then waste our time jumping on a single inflammatory or divisive incident, when we all have "daily battles" to soldier and to help improve the soul within us and the world around us? Everyday we have the opportunity to elevate ourselves and each other. A smile and positive act does more to improve for the human brain and spirit than a frown and negative, reactive behavior.

So for the past few days, I have been on a mission to create a positive space here on the Internet. A space that is the combination of all that I have learned from the positive experiences that I have gained and learned from blogging for the past nearly two full years. I want to create a space to help educate my fellow adults as well as my children and their children. Even if you don't have children, certainly this space is worth building and creating for the next couple of generations behind us. This can be our legacy on this earth. If you have been following me for the past two years, then I will need your assistance now more than ever.

We can all do this together. We should do this not because it is safe, politically correct or popular. We need to create this space - BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO!

Welcome everyone to my new blog...in my NY Eastside Entertainment world. Welcome to ElevateOurWorld.blogspot.com!

The Best Way To Quiet The Critics...

2014-05-10T00:18:00.001-04:00

The chances we take as we walk through life. It's like walking a tightrope from high above without the benefit of a safety net. Sometimes the best way to quiet the critics around you is to simply do whatever it is that you do best. When success comes your way...the silence of your critics can be very pleasing.

Yessss I'm baccck! I didn't go anywhere folks. I concentrated my efforts mostly on my www.WhereDidOurLoveGo.blogspot.com as well as the newer blogs that I've mentioned in the past, in blog world. If you've been following me for the past almost two full years, then you already know what I've been doing. Even when I wasn't posting on this blog, some of you and (perhaps some new faces as well) still have visited this blog and read through some of my past posts. That is remarkable and I am humbled as I have kept track of the stats.

In addition to building up my other blogs, I also have been on a personal journey to get my body back into the great shape that it used to be in prior to me suffering a herniated disc in my back after being hit by a car. So...since the middle of September of 2013, I have lost 46 pounds and ran a half marathon just a week ago. Not bad for a 49 year old working man.

My newest blogs both have a couple hundreds of hits and my WhereDidOurLoveGo blog is now clearly established nationally and internationally as a complete art piece. The pictures and accompanying poems have stirred conversations among friends at work, home, and in chat rooms.

Thank you to all of my readers. Sorry if any of you felt that I had given up or completely stopped. Nope. I was just right next door working my other gigs. Go read and see what might be of entertainment, interest or insight to you. But, rest assured - I am back!

It's Been A While...Hasn't It? I've Been Expanding For You!

2013-11-20T00:13:00.000-05:00

To my fans, friends and family who have been following me...you've probably been wondering "Where did he go?"

Well...I've been right here! My next post will be about race relations in the United States 50 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream speech". It is a post that I have dedicated a lot of energy to writing collective thoughts from myself and from the life long experiences of others that I have read about. I could have made it a quick post, but I didn't want that. I wanted to create something that truly penetrated hearts and minds based on recent events the past few months.

So while I was preparing and honing that post, I also worked on my other blogs and have made contact with several other artists and new friends. To all of them, I truly appreciate your feedback on my work. I strongly encourage my readers to visit my other blogs:

www.WhereDidOurLoveGo.blogspot.com

(This blog's following has grown over 900 % in the last 10 months)

www.NYGenerations.blogspot.com

(This blog has attracted a stream of followers in just 4 1/2 months)

www.BigKidsGadgets.blogspot.com

(this is a blog to help brush up on smartphones, tablets, etc)

I also strongly encourage those who read my Private iTeam story to visit the now dedicated blog and re-post of The Private iTeam "Cop Killer". For those of you who awaited Part 5, buckle up! It's all here on this dedicated blog site!

www.ThePrivateiTeam.blogspot.com

I will be releasing an Amazon book based on the same characters very soon. That will be entitled "The Private iTeam - A Murder On Longbeach". It will be a completely different story but it is based on the same cast of characters in an even more exciting story! This blog will have all the informational background and tidbits to help guide any of my old and new readers through this swirling, roller coaster ride of Gio's Ferrari's private investigation team as well as the life challenges that he faces.

I'm also soaring to new heights in technology and science with my space thriller blog that's based 162 years into the future. Thanks to all my friends who have sent me pictures to help with the special effects!

www.EscapeFromTheOrionOffworld.blogspot.com

Lastly, I am exploring contemporary adult entertainment issues in a running fictional story with my very adult blog that has been getting heavy praise from women in social chat rooms who have read it:

www.PornToBeMe.blogspot.com YOU MUST BE 18 AND OVER TO READ

So as you can see, contrary to popular belief, I didn't go anywhere at all! I just took my time in making NY Eastside Entertainment a bigger family. Pick and choose your genre of interest. There's plenty to explore here...and I promise that there will be more to come!

My Son...A Chip Off The Old Block In Florida

2013-08-10T01:33:00.000-04:00

"My Son...A Chip Off The Old Block In Florida..."

by John S LES

I know that my personal life stories are among my most popular writings on this blog. That being said, I am quite happy to share yet another family story that occurred this past week while I was vacationing with my family in Florida. However, my next post will deal with some political revelations that I discovered while traveling across Florida.

So before we get to the political stuff, here's a humorous moment that occurred with me and the family while in a restaurant in Sarasota.

From the moment we landed in Florida, my son who is six years of age, kept bumping into things, tripping and falling at least once a day. However, it was on our 4th day in Florida that he out did himself. While my daughters, my wife and myself sat a table awaiting our lunch order, my son kept fidgeting on and off his chair. He would sit halfway on it, stand up, sit down, squirm, etc. We warned him several times to sit still in his chair, but he would only listen for a few minutes and then repeat his fidgeting. Well, on one of his fidgets, his behind did indeed miss his chair. To the surprise of us (and other patrons in the restaurant who happened to be paying attention to him) he does a head over heels, feet up in the air, Chevy Chase like pratfall. Now you see him, now you don't - as he fell backwards.

Although people around us flinched to see if he was okay, the rest of the family and myself took a more relaxed reaction to see if he was okay. We dusted him off, and checked him out and made sure that he wasn't hurt - and he wasn't. He was actually more embarrassed because he could see that people were now watching him. In addition, he was embarrassed because he thought we were going to yell at him for not sitting properly in his chair.

So he finally sat down properly in his chair with a sad face. I just couldn't help my self to try to seize the moment and highlight the fact that his restless, bad behavior was probably from his mother's side of the family. I proudly boasted to my wife and daughters that I was much a quieter and calmer kid when I was his age. I then began to recall the "bad things" that I did at his age, thinking to myself that they would pale in comparison to my son's behavior. So I continued with my declaration, "Let's see, when I was 4 years old, I helped set my mother's apartment on fire. When I was 5 years old, I foolishly ran up to the kitchen table, slipped and fell and knocked out my two front teeth clean out of my mouth (costing her corrective dental procedures years later). And when I was 6 years old, I put my grandfather's car in reverse while it was parked on the hill of the driveway at his house and nearly sent the car into a 10 foot ditch, some 80 feet away. Luckily a cousin ran out and jumped into the car and was able to put the car back in park before the disaster."

It was at this very moment that I had an epiphany and realized that if I were my own son, I would have killed myself by now. I then looked at my family sitting at the table. All eyes were still staring at me, but those eyes were also straining to keep from laughing at my ridiculous outburst.

I then looked over at my son and said, "So son, I guess you aren't so bad after all, because I was clearly a lunatic at your age."

About a half hour after our lunch was over, I called my mother and thanked her for not shortening my life for all the grief that I caused her in my first six years of living.

I did calm down by about age 8 or 9, and never really walked too much of a checked path after that. Reflecting back at those early stages of my life, made me truly appreciate the struggles my mother went through with me. God bless you mom.

More Views From Florida

2013-08-06T07:56:00.002-04:00

More views from Florida as we traveled across the state. The following picture locations are in reverse order. The first is from my balcony in Sarasota. The second picture was taken looking at downtown Tampa during a walk near the area. The third and last picture was taken during dinner at a restaurant in Orlando.

The breeze coming off the water was a little better in Sarasota, than it was in Vero Beach days earlier.

Downtown Tampa was actually very, very nice. So much water. So many boating things to do. Short walks or rides to just about anywhere and great food! I could get spoiled living in a city like this!

Two Floridian drinks to cool down our bodies in Orlando during a festive dinner. They also helped the parents with their aggression management among their kids. That's just a joke. Were the only two of four that we have had so far during this whole trip. The rest has been lemonades, smoothies, slushies and plenty of water. We're always conscious of setting a proper example for the kids.

Florida Vacation Trip

2013-08-04T14:18:00.000-04:00

So a vacation trip with the family the past few days has been filled with a lot of fun, a lot of Florida sun, as well as the Floridian humidity. The trip turned out to be a little more than I bargained for in terms of experiencing some things on a social level that are indicative of life just about everywhere. My trip has covered Vero Beach and Orlando so far with one more stop to go. Overall, Floridians have been extremely nice and in the resort areas - seem to have a world of life experience outside of the immediate area of Orlando. Here is a sampling of the pictures.

Universal Studios has been great. Everyone working there and attending have just been superb. This is actually my third trip into Disney with my kids. Each trip has been great. It is also great to see the progress of the overall themes.

Over in Vero Beach, I was trying to figure out why anyone would need a warning sign to tell them this...but...then again...people can be either forgetful, unknowing...or just plain crazy. So I guess this sign had to be put up.

A view from my hotel balcony. Nice view of the storms passing through over the Orlando area. It is beautiful and humbling at the same time, as you realize all the powerful natural forces that are constantly at work on our living planet.

Okay...that was just a sampling. I have been working on a more lengthy column to describe my driving experience from Orlando to Vero Beach and back. Hopefully I will finish it tonight. I hope all of my readers are enjoying this summer 2013 as well. Come back soon. There's more to come on this Florida trip.

A New Look!

2013-07-31T22:23:00.001-04:00

Over the next 48 hours, I will begin experimenting with some new looks for this blog - NYEastsideEntertainment.blogspot.com. I have long been telling you, my readers of the progress we've been making. However, do to the dynamic layout I was previously using, it was difficult for people to access the tab functions and see the progress that we have made together. Although it was easier to see stories that were previously written, it just was too difficult for some people to do the normal access. So we'll try it this way for now...as I stumble through these new discoveries.

Feel free to let me know if you like the new layout. There will be more tab functions to come. Everyday is a new experience as we share the positive notion that will all the negative around us in our lives, it is fear that is always our true enemy. Not hatred. Fear only fuels it.

Change is good. I am not afraid to grow. So...we grow together.

Introducing NYGenerations.blogspot.com!

2013-07-27T12:55:00.001-04:00

Oh yes...I have been a busy busy bee. I spent much of the week working on a neighbors virus infected computer, more cleaning out of my basement for some construction work and of course - working on yet another blog.

I will be posting my computer clean up stuff on my other blog over the next couple of days. It has been an adventure as the machine had close to 600 various infections and required the use of at least 3 different anti viruses to clean it up. That will be on my BigKidsGadgets.blogspot.com within the next 48 hours.

Then...today marks the debut of yet my latest idea. I call it, NYGenerations.blogspot.com. Simply put, it allows me, my family and friends to have some input in immortalizing some of the positive lessons that they've learned in life. I've improved my profile for all my blogs so that people can have access to reach out and contribute to this blog - or any of my other blogs. I have email, Skype, Twitter, Kik and, oh yeah...a phone number now listed in my profile. The contributions to NYGenerations isn't limited to those that I know. My blogs are visited from people from around the world and I welcome them to be able to add anything positive that they would like to add.

Well...this was my break. It's time to get back to business.

A Night Out At A Local Bar part 2

2013-07-20T23:03:00.001-04:00

Nothing like sitting at the bar and hearing a handful of women over 40 belly ache about their ex husbands. Oh yes ladies you are going to be quite the catch tonight.

I told my bar tender Ally that if I hear her talking like that in ten years I was going to punch her. She's in her early 30's, and divorced. She burst out laughing. She knew where I was coming from.

Just because you're divorced doesn't mean that you have to sound so bitter about life and men. Some of the men in the bar were not too much better. Some of them had their own women issues. Doesn't matter. The amount of ale I've had does sooth the brain from such negative emotional things. Spell check also helps me in sounding somewhat sober.

Hmm.... gotta correct that. Summer 2013. Hot, humid and hysterical. Bottoms up!

A Night Out At A Local Bar

2013-07-20T20:47:00.001-04:00

Umm hmm. I'm celebrating my year blogging in style. With the help of my bartenders Ally and Debbie...I'm letting my hair down and tossing a few cold ones down.

You can see and find out a lot of things about life in a bar. First, everyone is human and full of strengths and weaknesses. Second, it still is a great way to actually interact with people...provided that you're not completely intoxicated. Third, interacting with people is definitely an art form. Perhaps a lost art form.

And it's always nice to have a familiar face working there. My next door neighbor. Let games begin!

The Irrepressibility of Hope Aflame

2013-07-18T14:43:00.000-04:00

The Irrepressibility of Hope Aflame

by John S LES (originally a doodle from 1984 in my college notebook)

The burning zeal, captured in a candles heat,
It's crackling sounds resound in the night air
The sweet smell of it's waxy feet
Gives substances to what our eyes shall bare
And those magnificent people affected utter fourth it's name
It's the irrepressibility of hope aflame

Some question if it would be fair for the vigils to lose their beat
After blood shed from four hundred years
Which fueled the fire to it's crimson peak
Yet those magnificent people still utter fourth it's name
It's the irrepressibility of hope aflame

A gallant call from million of tears
People standing tall, born from the primordial progress of 10,000 years
Redressing the lies of history's pages, slavery, slaughter and low wages
The truth rises again, as it has throughout the ages

You must let my people go, when you form your new nations
for I am the Truth, and this - all around you is my creation.
Evil may star and steal the light of a single day...
But the truth will shine brighter and show progressive mankind the right way

So the People gathered in the dark or even the daylight
and said in one voice...
Freedom is inalienable birthright
to all men, it's God given, not a choice..

From every country side, to every mountain side
From every hamlet, to every big metropolis
From every nations' pride
No evil can ever topple this...

No tyrant or dictator can forever win the game
Not when you have the Irrepressibility of Hope...Aflame

New York City Monuments Aglow For Fourth of July 2013

2013-07-10T14:24:00.000-04:00

For the first time in 12 years, in the city that never sleeps...a city that if you can make it here...you can make it anywhere...the Fourth of July night skyline was illuminated by some familiar monuments: The Empire State Building and the new Freedom Tower. The first two pictures were taken from a center point southeast of Empire State Building and northeast of Freedom Tower.

These next four pictures were taken while walking up to Freedom Tower until I was finally right next to it. Just outside of the building and sort of in between Freedom Tower and the fully operational PATH station, there is a picture of a Calvary man seated on a horse. I have yet to find out what his symbolism is to the building, but I will look further in a day or so and update this post. Either way I took his picture, with the American flag flying next to him.

This last picture was taken with special camera effects to illuminate the picture. It's a night photography setting. This was my first time using this particular camera. I was a little challenged by it's over abundance of camera effects. But the building is beautiful none the less. Happy Fourth of July New York. May God watch over you and guide better men to find better ways to settle their differences around the world.

One Year Ago I Started This Blog

2013-07-06T23:27:00.001-04:00

Exactly one year ago, I was pushed by many reasons to do what I've always loved to do - to write and share my positive thoughts, humor, real life and fictional stories with other people via the Internet and this blog. Exactly one year ago I sat in a hotel room out of state and started a story of what it was like to be a traveling sports parent. Certain events drove me to stop fiddling around with my desire to write after a few failed attempts at screenwriting and manuscript writing in years past. Some real life events just pushed me emotionally to just stop wasting time and to get on with doing what I like to do.

12 months and well over 12,000 plus pageviews, plus 5 additional blogs later - I must say that this has been a fun and very rewarding experience. I have been able to share smiles, laughs, fictional drama, retrospective memories as well as some thought provoking discussions.

When I started this blog I had no idea that a major hurricane striking my area would push me to some thought inspiring writings on what our society might be facing to when we lose one of the most simplest natural commodities - oil.

When I started this blog, I had no idea Google would continuously prompt and push their products and dare me to switch this blog over to their Google Plus format - just so that myself and other writers could stimulate their new product. I am a hold out. I like this Google blogging format just fine. So I balked at changing from this format. I believed that with fresh ideas and challenging storylines - that this format was more suitable to people around the world and outside of the Google Plus format.

When I started this blog, I had no idea that one long time friend and a recent friend would get offended by my efforts to resource items, photographs to help push my writing. Whatever the case, right or wrong, they decided to end a friendship. Turned out to be just fine because others friends stepped in on multiple levels and helped me transform my ideas into a reality right from the ground up. They donated their time, resources, pictures, ideas - whatever I needed, and that they could give. They did not judge me. They waited to see what I would do with what they gave me. THANK YOU! That idea growth model then lead to similar approaches to other stories and ideas that I introduced in this blog. With 12,000 pageviews and private feedback from people from around the country and around the world. So in spite of the loss of friendships - I've gained so much, much more. I found out who my real friends are. I know who I can trust and who is willing to help push me to another level.

Their appreciation and commentary for the finished product is priceless.

When I started this blog, I had no idea that one of my other blogs: WhereDidOurLoveGo.blogspot.com would go from a meager 120 pageviews in nearly four months to over 600 pageviews in just two and 1/2 months after I interacted with a fascinating new friend in the Netherlands. Her thoughts on life, way of life and free energy inspired me to take my own emotional constraints off and fly free with my writings on love. From that day on - my pageviews on that blog soared. She knows who she is, and I thank her a million times over!

Not that my friend in the Netherlands, or close friends, work friends, neighbors who've helped me this year should be forgotten or overlooked. Nor can I forget a friend I made along the way down in FL, who I promised I'd send her my first company t -shirt when I get it started. I'm sorry darling, I haven't registered just yet, but I won't forget you. I keep my promises to all my supporters. One other friend who's name I'll just mention is Steve. Steve, you know who you are - thanks for your support these last 12 months. Printing up my fictional stories and making them into your own personal book is exactly the point I have been trying to make!

All of that being said, I feel like the glass is definitely only half filled. There is more that I wanted to do within the last 12 months, but couldn't get to just yet. More life stories, more fictional stories, more writings in some of the other blogs. Some days and mostly nights, I would sit at my laptop or desktop and simply be so drained from my regular life, that I didn't even know how I got through the last thing that I wrote. But it doesn't matter. When I do get to putting something out and I see the pageviews go up and up, it's instant acknowledgement that all of you out there are getting it.

It would be nice to turn a profit in all of this and help pay some of my life bills. But even if that never happens...all of you now and any future readers of my work...the 12,000 plus views (and growing) is a blessing. It's a momentary fraction of time that we are connecting, in spirit, across many, many miles. There simply is no way to put a price tag finding ways to connect with dozens, hundreds, thousands of people on a single positive thought. It is truly, truly priceless.

Recently, I found out that a coworker at my workplace has cancer and hasn't been given very long to live. He's a really wonderful guy, with one of the most positive outlooks on life. I hope that he can beat the odds. I will do what I can to help him. He's situation is a sobering reminder that we all will be leaving this life eventually. The last thing I wanted to do was to leave this life without having shared some of my positive thoughts, ideas and life stories with other people. The responses from all of you out there who continuously read this and my other blogs...tells me that I am accomplishing my life goal. Thank you!

Love Hurts

2013-06-24T12:12:00.002-04:00

I know it's been said before by others and myself...And no matter the time, place or circumstances there's never going to be a doubt about this one fact of life: Love hurts.

Please Call Me Sexy - Men vs Women

2013-06-23T23:46:00.000-04:00

In a recent conversation, a female friend of a friend stated that when a man (such man not being the woman's boyfriend) calls a woman "Sexy" it usually means he's on some level of interest of having sex with her. This female friend of a friend then stated that when the opposite occurs - namely a woman calls a man (who's not her boyfriend) "Sexy" it is usually meant in a slightly different way, and that doesn't necessarily mean that she wants to have sex with that man.

Ohh boy! This was right up my alley.

I replied to this woman that when I was a young man, if a girl called me sexy, yes it indeed made me feel confident, gave me a nice testosterone charged, chest pounding machismo for the day. I also said that such a comment could mean that she was probably attracted to me in some form or fashion. If I found her equally attractive - I knew that I was "in". Now as I'm just two years away from 50yrs, if a woman starts calling me sexy, I start checking for my wallet to make sure that it's still "in" my pocket.

To be fair and flip the topic matter the other way around, I must admit that when men start calling a woman sexy, we usually do want some kind of favor - or yes - sex! We certainly don't say it to a woman to give her a spiritual life? Nor are we usually trying to help her through some 12 step confidence building program. I usually call my wife "sexy" when the TV remote is out of reach, or I forgot to pick up my clothes from the cleaners, or I'm hungry and don't want to cook...

:-)

A Lost Cell Phone and This Younger Generation...

2013-06-16T02:09:00.001-04:00

Yesterday at work, I found a cellular phone. It was clear to me that it belong to a young woman probably in her late teens, early twenties. Being the good guy that I am, I take the unlocked phone and proceed to send text messages to three of her contacts explaining who I was, and where my office was and how they could tell the owner how to reach me. I sent that message to one of the parents listed and to two of the owner's friends.

Within three minutes one of her friends sent me back a text message: "So ~~Jane~~ I see that your phone was found by some guy and he left information on where you reach him. How funny is that? Lucky you!"

Needless to say, I was stunned to receive this message. But this female friend wasn't quite done in her cyber age faux pas. This friend then proceeded to send back a copy of the message that I sent out to her, through the phone.

It took all that I had to keep from responding back and asking this friend if she realized that her friend was not receiving her message, but that it was indeed me, the finder of this lost phone. All I wanted her to do was to find another way to email or word of mouth notify her friend of the location of the lost phone. Nope. There this friend was messaging me back as if I was the owner of the phone reading her humorous absorption of the situation.

Her parents did call and were updated. The young woman did stop by several hours later and retrieved it. But long after she was gone...I couldn't help but wonder what's happening to our younger generation...and their common sense...

There's No Place Like Home

2013-06-16T01:40:00.003-04:00

Yes, the doors to the crypt are opening and I get to share some humor with you.

My college aged daughter was filling out a job application earlier today. She read out loud one of the questions on the application: "Where was the best place that you ever received Customer Service?"

My immediate answer: "Home!"