Omaha Beach at Normandy
October has been a great month for me with lots of highlights and surprises. Here are some:
Biggest ‘Aha’ Moment: Realizing that in 2025, I will have been practicing as a psychologist for 50 years. I graduated from the Clinical and Practice Program at Harvard 1975.
Most Interesting People I’ve Met: Filmmaker, and TV personality Greg Dunmore, and Dr. Melissa Pynnonen, an ENT physician at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Best Audiobook I Have Listened To In Several Years: The Wonder of Stevie by Wesley Morris. This book was so informative about one of my top three music artists, Stevie Wonder, who I first saw live at the Fox Theater in Detroit as part of the Motown review when he was 11 years old.
Best Sentimental Journey: Michael Cole driving me through downtown Detroit, which elicited so many memories for me and my many years spent in downtown Detroit.
Most Fun: Spending time with my grandchildren, Ada and Sammy in New York City, and Bodie, almost 3 years old, and Joni, one year old, in Ann Arbor. They are a joy and so much fun to be with.
Best Educational Experience: Visiting the beaches of Normandy and learning about the sacrifices made by thousands of young men fighting to save the world from fascism.
Best Service Ever: Taking the river cruise from Paris to Normandy through AMA. I can’t believe how well cared for we were by all the staff, who came from all over the world: Romania, Indonesia, Myanmar, France, the Philippines, just to name a few. It was an international education as well as a thoroughly enjoyable trip with our good friends, Donna Freund and Dave Ross.
Best Meal I Ever Cooked: Making filet mignon in a skillet following a recipe from the New York Times. The meat, purchased at Trader Joe’s, was from Argentina, where they grow the best beef in the world.
Most Anxious: Waiting for the results of the election and worrying about the aftermath.
Medal For Political Activism: Goes to my cousin Rena Pasick, who returned to her hometown of Bay City for six weeks to work on the election campaign of Elisa Slotkin. She and her husband Steve came to Bay City from the city by the bay, San Francisco. Another goes to my wife, Patricia, who has been working diligently on the election and will be a poll watcher in Detroit on election day.
A Memorable Sports October: Who would’ve thought the Tigers would be playing in October? I listened to every inning and watched many of the games on television. What a fun group of young guys who are so enthusiastic about playing. I also enjoyed the Yankees going down. I listened to the game and could only picture the Yankees making three errors in one inning. I take almost as much pleasure in the Yankees losing as I do when the Tigers win. I must give honorable mention to the Lions trouncing Dallas at home. The Cowboys are another team that I love to see lose.
Best Movie Experience: Watching Beetlejuice and Beetlejuice 2 with my granddaughters.
Best Recovery: I am seeing well again. After a two year struggle with glaucoma, I am now able to tolerate glare and see better. Thanks to the U of M doctors who have worked valiantly to get me back to normal.
Best Discussion: After visiting the Monet Gardens in France and learning about what an SOB Monet was, we had a great discussion about whether knowing about the person of the artist should influence our appreciation of the art they have created.
I Was Delighted To listen to two great albums this month.
1) Joni Mitchell from her archives sings about Vernors ginger ale in the song “A Case of You.”
2) On the album Talking Book by Stevie Wonder, which is considered one of the top five albums of all time, there is a choir from the Al Fann Ensemble, which I was part of in New York City from 1968 to 1970.
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