writing – Mitchell's thoughts, photos, etc.

QR Codes, Clean Bowls, and Hopes for a Trophy

From Camp “Willies” to the Elston Howard Field Throne

If you know me, you knew it was only a matter of time before I wrote a post about the willy. If you went to certain camps, you know what a willy is. If not, let me explain. A willy is the camp latrine. If you camped in the Brooklyn sites, you called the latrine the “willy.” If you were in the Queens sites, you called it the “Larry.” The other boroughs generally called it the willy.

My site had the last tip pan willy. That’s a classic, semi-automated plumbing system designed for heavy-use, multi-seat seasonal environments like mid-century military installations and summer camps. It was a five-seater with a trough for peeing. At the time, it was an all-boys camp. Some people spent their summers on their seats. One seat was blue and reserved for someone. These days, the camp has regular bathrooms. Boring.

A Holy Place and a New Free Throne

I recently did a photo shoot at Yankee Stadium. To me, it is one of the holiest places in the world. I hope we take home #28. After getting off the 4 subway line, I walked toward Macombs Dam Park and the bathroom. As I entered the park, I noticed a new free public restroom. I was at the Stadium about a week ago. The only outdoor lavatory facilities were in the adjacent parks.

My eyes lit up. It said free throne. All you had to do was scan the QR code on the door, and it would magically open. It said you had a ten-minute limit. With excitement, I opened the camera on my iPhone and scanned. A text arrived: “Send this message to the Elston Howard Field Throne.” The field in the park is named after one of our great catchers and the first Black person to don the pinstripes. I immediately clicked send. All of a sudden, the door started opening, and it welcomed me.

Is There Anything Better?

I have never seen a public restroom this clean. A urinal sat to the right—a small sink in the middle. The bowl was to the left. Rules were taped to the wall, and hand towels sat to the right of the urinal. When you were done, you could type “EXIT” on your phone. Or wave your hand in front of the door’s sensor. Either way, the door opens. Is there anything better? Other than watching the team hoist the trophy at the end of the pending World Series, probably not.

A parks employee was hanging out nearby. He smiled at me and said, “What’d ‘ya think?” I said, “Incredible.” But how will it survive during the playoffs and next season? How will they keep it clean? Will people try to flip it over? That’s possible. We chatted for several minutes about how people might be pigs. Especially fans coming in from out of town. Time will tell.

A Typical NYC Transit Disaster

4 Subway Station at 161 Street Yankee Stadium

I was so happy. I often get to the stadium at least four hours before game time. I walk around and pray. The park bathrooms leave much to be desired.

I did my photo shoot and took a look at the park toilets. They are the standard parks department bathrooms. Use your imagination. I completed my shoot. Now the train ride to the Stadium was a typical NYC Transit disaster. We sat between 86th Street and 125th Street for nearly 25 minutes. Then it chugged along until it reached 161st Yankee Stadium.

I did drink some water during my shoot. But I knew of my new friend not terribly far from the subway station. The same guy was hanging there. He smiled, and we said, “We need to win.”

Will AI Create Puzzles in the Tech Age Gap?

From “What is Word” to “What is AI?”

How many times have you heard, “I am too old for this technology. I remember when we did it like this.” This tech could refer to email, texting, social media, and countless other things, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or the Google Suite.

I am involved in many community activities and chair one of them. My responsibilities include creating and distributing our newsletter using Constant Contact, hosting meetings on Zoom, and managing social media across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, etc. To do most of this I shoot the images with a mirrorless Nikon Z, I use Adobe’s Bridge, Lightroom, and Photoshop. I write most of the material in Word and keep my spreadsheets in Excel or Google Sheets.

Here are three different tales.

Tale 1

At one point, someone was supposed to type reports for a committee. I sent back my edits in Track Changes in Word. He was very confused. He did send his report typed up in an email. He asked me what Track Changes was. I said it is Word’s editing feature. He said, “What’s Word? Is that something new?”

I said no, it was created when I was in the eighth grade, and the editing feature came out a few years later. Bear in mind this person was 71.

Tale 2

At the same time, I worked on a PowerPoint for a podcast I was coordinating with one of my heroes. He and I created the slides and ran the event in unison. He was 91 at the time.

A week ago, to help me with my newsletter, he sent me an amazing article totally ready to go. All I needed to do was insert it into Constant Contact and pick some images, which I shot and edited.

Tale 3

A week ago, a buddy of mine invited me to a baseball game. He was lucky enough to get field-level seats at the Stadium at no cost. He had to transfer my ticket to me via Ticketmaster.

That was the ride from hell. He tried and tried. Eventually, the ticket landed in my inbox, and I transferred it to my Apple Wallet. He’s only a few years older than me.

AI – The New Wrench

I can go on for several pages with similar stories. But you get the picture. Let’s jump ahead.

Now we have AI. I have been using it to do research and cut back on the menial tasks. I let AI do the work so I can focus on the bigger picture. When I bring this up with some of the people I just spoke about and others, I feel like I am scaring them. I mentioned new apps for them to test. Some have said that we are still learning email.

Yeah, I know someone who still goes to a teller and has never used an ATM. I remember using them in the 80s. I remember lots about that decade – great clothes, music, and leadership.

The Conclusion

Technology will keep offering us ways to make things better and easier. No matter what, there will still be people of all age groups who grasp it and those who do not.

AI and NYC Transit

Do They Mix? Which is Smarter?

Most of us use AI. We find it helpful. We might find it confusing. But we need it, and it makes things easier and helps our lives in countless ways. Now it’s time to discuss how AI interacts with public transportation. In my case, it is the NYC subway system. I am sure all of you can take your city’s public transit system and write your own dialogue. Do it and let’s compare notes.

A few days ago, a buddy I haven’t seen in a decade texted me to ask if I wanted to go to the next day’s Yankees game, v Houston. I immediately asked how much and where the seats were. He texted back images of seats in Field Level Section 110 right between first base and right field. We all know Judge has been out for too long. So, I wouldn’t get a close-up view of his plays.

Nevertheless, I jumped at the opportunity and was thankful. For the record, I miss Paul O’Neill in RF. I trust him more than Judge.

My real worry was the rain. I have been to a few games where Mother Nature was not my friend. The rain delayed the start of the game for only ten minutes. I am sure by the end of the night the Yankees wished the game had been delayed forever or forgotten.

I rarely go to night games. Getting home is not easy. Lately, day games, with all the subway changes, have turned into a trip from hell. I need to take the 4 line from 161 Street – Yankee Stadium and transfer to the Queens-bound R at 59^thStreet and Lexington Avenue.

What to do? The LIRR usually works decently. Yes, I could write an essay about it, too. I could transfer to it. But those trains run hourly. Sometimes late at night the subways run hourly. No, they are not supposed to, but they do. So, I used AI to check my options and checked the respective MTA service change sites and the individual line maps and schedules. Hell, the game was a disaster. I needed something to keep me entertained.

AI told me the R would be running its regular route in Queens. At night, the R doesn’t usually run all the way into Queens. It makes one stop, and you need to transfer to the E. That line is known as the hobo or public restroom train.

AI claimed it pulled this from various MTA sites. I checked myself and the information was mixed. Mixed up, that is.

With my head down after our loss, my friend and I exited the Stadium and walked to our respective subway lines. I took the 4 and decided to transfer to the Queens-bound R. AI told me it was gonna go to my stop. I boarded the R, and it ran it’s one stop, and I transferred to the E. I do have to say, the trains ran on time and didn’t have their usual delays. So, I was better off doing this v. transferring to the LIRR. Sure, I would have rather taken two trains than three. I wish I’d gotten better advice.

I do not blame AI. I blame NYC Transit. AI is getting there. NYC Transit is still trying to get us there.

Thank You, NYC Transit Part II

I thank those who read, “Thank You, NYC Transit.” I hope you enjoyed and thought of your own NYC Transit or other public transit stories. Every city has them. I have been lucky enough to ride the trains and buses in the following cities: Berlin, London, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Rome, St. Petersburg, Safed, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Tiberias and Vienna. I probably I left some cities out. Feel free to add your thoughts to the chat.

Annadale Station – Staten Island Railway

Since we live in modern times, our subway system has a website. It is supposed to tell us what trains have service changes during specific hours. Service changes mean they are not running, skipping stops, or facing significant route changes. For example, trains that normally travel into Brooklyn are not. They are going to Brigadoon. If only.

I check the website fairly regularly. Is it helpful? Sometimes. Often, the information is inaccurate. You get to your usual station or go to a different one thinking you had proper guidance, only to find out the site was incorrect. That means you either get on the subway where you are and transfer. Or exit the station, walk to another one and pay a new fare.

I once walked to a MetroCard agent and asked him if a certain train was running. The signs on the platform made no sense. Trains the signs said weren’t running stopped in the station. The ones the signs said were running did not.

The agent said that your best bet is to check our website. He continued to say it is never wrong. I said I just did and it was incorrect. He was dumbfounded. Then there are times when only certain train cars will open at a specific station. That is usually only relevant to the Long Island Railroad, Metro North and New Jersey Transit. But not always. You’d think the signs and website would publish this. Not.

I rarely ride public buses. I tried it many years ago from Staten Island to Grand Central Station. I used to get off feeling nauseous not far from Macy’*s and walked the rest of the way.

Anyway, what choice do we have? You really can’t drive into the city. So, we keep riding. See ‘ya on the platform.

Thank You, NYC Transit

Most New Yorkers get around via NYC Transit. Be it our “timely” buses or our ever “timely” and “clean” subways. We should not forget the Staten Island Railway. That’s like a trolley from yesteryear. But hey, today’s subway systems seem to be on that track. What track it is on no one really knows. It is unlikely we will ever know. For the record, I know all the lines. I have friends all over the USA. They often text me when they’re coming to the Big Apple and ask for train advice. I coach them as best as I can. But ‘ya never know.

Each time you ride, you can probably write a story. You need to take in the salespeople, preachers, drunks, crazies, tourists, and the performers. Today, I will focus on the quality of the service. No need to talk about the cleanliness of the stations, the trains, and the restrooms. That’s for another time.

Once I was on the R going to Cortlandt Street – World Trade. After City Hall, they just ran the train right to DeKalb Avenue. They didn’t tell us. Eventually it pulled into DeKalb. The tourists asked me what they should do. They were hoping to go to Ground Zero. I said we have to go to the Manhattan-bound platform and hope it goes there. Heck, we were at DeKalb. I should have just said, go to Junior’s, get a delicious burger, and a piece of its award-winning cheesecake.

Once I was going to see Paul McCartney at Yankee Stadium, I got on the D train. It is supposed to run to the Stadium when there are ballgames and other events, such as concerts. A packed train flew right by the Stadium and, unlike a cutter by Mariano, missed the strike zone. In other words, it didn’t stop. The conductor sheepishly announced that they forgot to program the train to stop at 161^st. He told us to get off two stops later and take the Manhattan-bound train to the Stadium.

Another time at the Stadium after a Yankees-Red Sox game, the station was packed beyond belief. The NYPD let everyone know they forgot to add the extra service they usually do during games. They were trying to catch up.

NYPD Boat – I know it is not an image of an officer at the subway station. But NYC Transit would not know the difference

Another day, I wanted to take the Queens-bound R to Queens. It wasn’t running. I figured I’d get an F. I went to the station and paid. They said the F wasn’t running. But they were running the E (a train that the Board of Health should condemn) through that station. But it may not go to the stop I wanted. The F wound up running through. I asked the conductor if that train was going where I needed to go. She said, “I don’t know. They didn’t tell me. Get on my train.” I did. It worked.

For a moment, let’s jump the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). A week or so ago, I saw Joe Jackson at the Beacon. I wanted to take the 2 or 3 from 72^nd to Times Square to get the E. The E was out of service. I could have walked over to the F. Or take the LIRR at Penn Station. Mind you, due to construction that has been going on for years at the Forest Hills Station, only the first four cars open when it pulls in. When will it be finished? Why ask? You know.

I got into what looked like the first car. I asked the conductor if I was in the right car. He said my train is stopping at Forest Hills. I asked again whether this car would open. He didn’t know. He never scanned my ticket. That happens on all the trains that have that payment procedure. I experienced that in Berlin, too. I always buy one. I am not willing to take the risk. But it does feel like I was wasting money. Or not. Honestly needs to count for something.

Then there are the nights that after games or concerts at the Garden several of the subway lines in Penn Station aren’t running and you have to walk to Herald Square or elsewhere. I have had interesting experiences on NJ Transit, PATH – Path to where is what you should ask and Metro North.

Despite all of this, it’s our way to get around and helps make NYC what it is. Keep riding.

The Match is Set. Or is it?

Alana, Anat, and Marc were hanging out at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George. Why did they choose to hang there? They loved Staten Island. They felt it was exotic.

Jay was on the incoming Newhouse boat. Christy A. was across the street from the terminal near Staten Island Borough Hall. She was relatively calm for herself. She had a couple of slices at the nearby pizza place. She quenched her thirst with water.

The boat docked, and the passengers got off. Some walked around to the section for the NYC-bound boats. Several headed to Empire Outlets, the bus stops, or the Staten Island Railway. It was a weekend. So, it was not running express. The fact that it was running at all is a shocker.

Christy was heading towards Empire Outlets. Jay was approaching the Old Navy outlet. His cousin was also approaching it. The good heroes split up. But were in sight of each other.

All of a sudden, glass was flying everywhere. Pieces of moldy bread were knocking it down. Some missed, and the glass hit people. Alana, Anat and Marc furiously texted each other. They wanted to wait before they jumped in. But didn’t want to see people get hurt.

Sadly, a piece of glass hit a little girl in the face. She started bleeding. She screamed. Her mother held her and started pressing herself against her to stop the bleeding. As she squeezed her child tighter, a piece of bread smacked her in the left eye. She fell.

The three had enough. Anat was standing on top of the roof of the Gap Outlet store. Dried fruit was deflecting the glass and bread. Alana raced out of the front door of the Guess outlet and began flooding the area with wine. From the Hagen Dazs store, pomegranates were flying. One nailed Christy A. in the head. Jay fell in a pool of wine. Christy tripped over a few raisins.

Apple seeds hit Jay in the eyes. Barley landed in his mouth. Apricots smacked Christy in the eyes. Some wound up in her nose. People were running to get away. Many jumped onto the departing Senator John J. Marchi boat. Pretty soon only the fighters were at Empire Outlets—those who didn’t get away sheltered in the stores. Anat jumped off the roof. As she landed, she kicked Jay in the head with her Timberlands. Marc pounced on Christy and poked her eyes with pomegranates. Alana kept the wine flowing.

Tipping and Other Scams at Restaurants, Entertainment Venues and Coney Island

Tipping is the standard for good service. Whether it is the server or bartender in a restaurant, the delivery person, super, barber, or a few other folks. I have always been a big tipper. I have a friend who does the same. Some do not believe in tipping.

There are the standard percentages of the bill to give, and thankfully restaurants make suggestions, and you plug it right in when you swipe your phone. But then there are the scams with tipping and other ways places try to unjustly and/or unnecessarily squeeze money out of you.

Last week, I saw Joe Jackson at the Beacon. I went downstairs where the lavatories are. Right outside is now a self-serve beverage bar. You can get beer, soda, water, and some other beverages. They have an employee standing near the fridge. The process is pretty simple: you walk up to it and pull out your beverage(s). You go to the scanner, place it in the middle, and tap your card. The employee is there to help you and check ID if you’re purchasing alcohol.

It is all pretty simple. I grabbed a water bottle, scanned, and swiped. It did ask me to leave a tip. I left nothing. I wish I could have tipped myself. I did see some people click on the tip section on the scanner. I am not sure why. They did exactly what I did. If the employee helped the person scan the item or pull it out of the fridge, you might consider giving a tip. But does this get into the craziness of everyone expecting a tip? Supermarkets and drug stores have tips jars by the registers. Fast food joints do. For decades, this was unheard of. It just seems like another way to squeeze money out of people. Plus, I am sure the vendors know that too many people like to click on everything they see. So, they don’t even think about when they add more money to an already overpriced bottle of water.

Then there are the other ways places try to rip you off. A few days ago, I was at Coney Island. I am a regular there. Nothing beats Gargiulo’s or Nathan’s. We all love a few rides on the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel. All of these places charge more than enough for their food and entertainment.

I went on Leti’s Treasure, the water ride in Luna Park. On a hot, sticky day, there’s nothing better. You get drenched. Normally, I keep whatever is in my pockets in them and hold my NY Yankees hat. July 12, 2017, it flew off my head while riding the Cyclone rollercoaster. I am sure it is somewhere under the tracks. Who knows what bit into it?

The Hat That Replaced What Flew Off My Head

Back to scamming customers out of money. Lockers are available at some of the rides. The Cyclone does it the right way: you hand it to an employee who places your stuff in cubbies and gives you a bracelet, then you get dropped. At Leti’s and other places, they charge $2 for two hours for the lockers. Truthfully, it is a great idea to have them. It protects stuff you do not want to get wet or fall out. But people, particularly a couple or mom and dad and the kid(s), can easily spend a few hundred at America’s Playground. Why not give people a break and let them have the locker at no charge for two hours? People would probably be thankful and spend more on rides, food and souvenirs.

Headphones at Coney Island and Elsewhere

I hate headphones. I remember when the Sony Walkman was introduced, and everyone got one. My dad took me to the now-shuttered Tops Appliance City in Edison, NJ, and I got one from a competitor. I worked fine. My friends and I would sit in our bedrooms every Sunday night and listen to Dick Clark’s Top 100 and other music countdowns on our Walkmans. We would report our thoughts and predictions to each other over our Radio Shack walkie-talkies.

I could not stand having the music blaring directly into my ears. I took the headphones and put them slightly above or below my ears. Usually below. I could hear “Eye of the Tiger,” “Don’t You Want Me” and “Beat It” just fine. I have never outgrown this habit.

During the countless Zooms we sit through, I do the same if I am in the office. If I am remote, I use the speakers on my MacBook. For the record, I have had several iPhones. I have never once used the AirPods. I am thankful people use them. Keeps things slightly more pleasant on our subways. Much better than when people blast their music on their mobile devices for all of us to hear. Hint: we do not want to hear it.

A few days ago, I did the “Meet the Sharks” tour at the NY Aquarium, Coney Island. Chance our tour guide handed out headphones. He mentioned that if you stay close to me, you might not need them. But several camp groups are visiting, and it can get loud. Plus, there are fans, and we are going into some areas with louder equipment. I did my best to stay close. But everything he mentioned made me put on the headphones. I had to place the headband over my NY Yankees hat and push the speakers just below my ears. All was well. I heard it all and learned a lot. Toward the end of the tour, we handed them back and walked into the touch tank. I got to pet several cat chain sharks.

I have always been fearful that they have not been disinfected. Sometimes they give headsets in plastic bags that you tear open and attach to the device. Usually, you can keep or trash those when you’re done.

I have taken many tours with the Tenement Museum, New York, NY. It has walking and indoor apartment tours. They give out headsets. I never use them on the indoor tours. The educator usually speaks loudly enough. As for the walking tours, I stay close. Occasionally, I have had to wear them my way. I am outside in NYC. It is loud.

Bottom line, headphones have a purpose. But between the sound directly penetrating your ears and my worries about whether someone has worn them before me, I will do my best to use them only as needed and in my way.

The Happiness, Toils and Tribulations of AI

How’s It Working for You?

AI is here to stay. The best thing to do is to embrace it. A few weeks ago, I wrote “What Does AI Really Know About You?” and “Is AI Really That Smart?”

Time to move on and discuss my latest findings. I have been on several Zooms, a breakfast (the bagels and lox were good, but not from Brooklyn), and conference calls about it. AI helps with streamlining basic activities. In the media relations world, it is great to research reporters and publications. I have found it more helpful than the pricey databases (Cision and Meltwater) we all use. Yes, those platforms are incorporating AI into their system. Like all things moving forward with AI, it is getting there. Remember, once there were three TV stations – ABC, CBS, and NBC. Look at where we are now.

Many people are using AI to draft emails and corporate memos and to create visual aids. Does it take the human touch out of things? Sure. It is cookie-cutter style. When I upload these blogs to AI tools to see what it thinks, it makes important corrections by catching typos and offer suggestions.

That’s great. But it takes the personalization out. I mentioned characters from “E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial” in “Keys” on Substack. I mentioned Keys, played by Peter Coyote, and went to stay with Gertie, played by Drew Barrymore, who is a better character. In my opinion its true. Most people probably remember her telling E.T. to be good in her tearful goodbye.

E.T. at the Museum of Moving Image, Astoria, NY

I was personalizing my post. AI told me not to. It seemed to think personalization would be distracting or not flow. Did I cut it out? No. I cleaned up my reference, and all of a sudden, AI loved it. Go figure.

The holy medicinal waters at Coney Island

The questions raised are: how creative can AI get? I took a few continuing education writer classes with the Gotham Writers Workshop. Highly recommended. We discussed this. Our thoughts came back to the standard thinking with AI as it grows – Use It and Verify. Don’t completely trust it. But learn how it will help you move forward. It can help your creativity. Just like seeing certain waves at Coney Island when you are shooting images of the Polar Bears.

Sounds like the rule of thumb for everything. It is all a learning experience that helps us get smarter.

Keys

We All Carry Keys – Are they the Keys to One’s Heart, Memories, Your Residence or Car?

When you think of keys, the first that probably comes to mind are keys to your house or apartment. Maybe for those of us who own cars, you think of your car keys. Of course, these days cars and many homes open electronically.

Perhaps you think of the keys to opening the heart of the woman you like, and she’d date you. I doubt you think of the character Keys, played by Peter Coyote in “E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial.” There are better characters to think of, such as Gertie.

I would think we all own a few sets of house keys in our lifetime. I remember when I got my first set of keys. I was about 8 or 9, and they were for the house my parents, sister, and I lived in on Staten Island. Eventually, I got the car keys to my first car. It was my father’s Caddy. It became mine. I loved that vehicle. It was fun to cruise Staten Island while playing the Cure or Depeche Mode. When I took it to college, it was easy to make friends when you were on campus with a car. I drove everyone around. I played the same music.

I got residence hall and off-campus apartment keys at SUNY-New Paltz, and eventually keys to the apartments I rented and the one I now own. I own it. But currently, the bank owns me. Soon enough, it won’t.

Years ago, after my father died, I had the keys to his Plant City, Fla., home. I sold it. The keys are gone. I don’t have the keys to my mom’s house anymore. I used to for many years after I moved out. Eventually, she got new doors that required different locks. At one point, I had the keys to my sister’s first apartment. We basically lived next to each other. Nor do I have the keys to my prior dwellings. Why would I keep them? They wouldn’t open any doors.

In addition to the Caddy, I have had two Nissan Sentras. I remember selling the third one. I still have one of the keys. Why? I have no idea. I doubt the car is still running. It was 2002. But maybe. I kept my second car from 1992 to 2002. It was in six figures in mileage.

There are the keys to opening the hearts of the people I like. Those keys do not fit the lock—nothing more to say.

I remember when my grandmother gave me the keys to her Brooklyn apartment. She kept giving me sets of keys. Eventually, one of the sets worked. She told me one might have been my grandfather’s set. He’s been gone for a while. Too long. One might have been the set she gave to a friend, and the list goes on. Eventually, I got the keys to her building and apartment.

Of course, half the time I visited her, I never remembered them. I had to call her when I got there to be buzzed in. She can’t really hear. So, I had to call a few times. A few weeks ago, she went into the home (nursing home). She is now 99 years old. I’ve visited. It is hard to see her there. My mom, my aunt, and my uncle cleaned out her apartment. It was a rent-stabilized unit. She’s been there since before I was born. I figure the building will put it on the market. When the apartment was empty, my mom returned the keys to the super. My sets are in my kitchen—doubt they’d open the door anymore. Weeks ago, while she was still living there and we knew she was leaving, I mentioned to my mom that I guess I could toss the keys into the incinerator. She said not yet. Sadly, I think the time has come. But still holding on to them.

While I may no longer have the physical keys to my cars, dwellings, or whomever it is I like, I will always carry the vaulted memories of what they opened or could have opened.