The Write Angle: First Impressions...Lasting Impression

Recently, I got wind of a fledgling entrepreneur’s biggest surprise on the rough-and-tumble retail frontier. Navigating the highways and byways of the increasingly dog-eat-dog pet trade, she lamented the fact that the employee pool is in dire need of a booster shot of chlorine. Simply put, a responsible and committed employee is a difficult catch in its contaminated waters. Having a new staff member show up late for work every day during his first week on the job is a distressing harbinger of things to come, I'd say. First impressions...lasting impression.

And such behavior is hardly unique. When confronted about his habitual tardiness, the new kid on the block blamed heavy traffic for his recurring lateness. “So, you’re just going to have to leave earlier,” the young employee was told. “What am I supposed to do if I get here and the store isn’t open…sit in my car?” he replied. Well, yeah… Perhaps his next job, which he is now looking for, will be closer to home.

Without question, it’s a strange new world. Further evidence—albeit on a different front altogether— comes from an unhappy New York Rangers’ season-ticket holder. It seems that management of this professional hockey team has instituted tier-pricing. In other words, games against “big” teams—the chief rivals that generate more interest—cost more than games against the “little” guys. In some instances twice as much. So, an ever-loyal season-ticket holder—for decades—gets shafted along with everybody else. And we’re not talking about ten dollars versus twenty dollars here but one hundred versus two hundred, or three hundred versus six hundred for the better seats. And what’s the deal with a bottle of water at the concession stand costing $7.50! As my all-time favorite chef—from a local diner—would say, “It’s cri-min-aaal!” It's time now for some further observations and miscellaneous asides in this strange new world of ours.

Rumor has it that the next White House state dinner will be catered by 7/Eleven. By the way, the mannequin pictured above sporting fashionable 2019 glasses says a whole lot. Despite its mouth being sealed and sans a pair of arms, it imparts an invaluable lesson: Don't say anything and don't touch anything and you are good to go in the new year.

Throwing out the Christmas tree stand with the Christmas tree is akin to throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

Considering what some people I know have spent on therapy through the years—and their bang for the buck—I would recommend the beer as well.

The post-Christmas blues...

Exit stage left...

More post-Christmas carnage...

I was on the observation deck of the Empire State Building for the one and only time with my father's cousin from Italy and her young son, Alberto. The latter was about ten years old at the time and so was I. Simpler times and a decidedly different view from up above. Looking on the bright side of things, there is a lot less smog today.

Where there's a will there's a Way in New York City.

There's urgent talk now about upgrading the Big Apple's mass transit system. For starters, I would strongly recommend cleaning subway car windows every now and then.

Yoo hoo! Ah...an obscure popular culture reference from even before my and Alberto's time. Still, I was aware of it as a kid. Once upon a time, we knew about things before our time.

While improving the subway system is a top priority of the powers-that-be, it behooves riders all to avoid the blues and be ever-vigilant in the Land Down Under.

While I didn't think too highly of Two Boots Pizza in the Village, I'm nevertheless sad to see it go—yet another victim of the insatiably greedy landlords transforming the city landscape for the worse.