Freeze frame...

It seems I have had a camera in my hands for a really long time. I may not be good, and I may not know exactly what I'm doing, but somehow, the moment was captured.

For the three of you who have been following this blog, you'll know that I have posted a few pix from the past. You also know that I joined Facebook back in September for a job-related reason. I was asked to learn the ins and outs of FB. So, I did. I may have mentioned this before, but through FB, I found a lot of old neighborhood friends. Recently, some folks I used to fly with have been joining. It is so nice to catch up with everyone, and yet it is funny how my life seems to be broken into segments of location.

The most important location has been that of my pre-teen years... or, as we called it, "Wilmont Turnpike". In 1969, my family, along with many others, moved to a new Levitt development on Long Island, fondly known as the "W" section. We were phase 2 of Strathmore East. We all came from different backgrounds, left our familiar schools and friends and merged in this magical moment of 1969. Together, we watched Apollo 11 land on the moon, and the phenomenon that was Woodstock play out on radio and TV news broadcasts. The Mets won the World Series, and we were turned on to Jethro Tull by Mr. T. ;-)

We erected tree forts and mud constructions, played in the foundations of the sections still being built. If our mothers only knew what we were up to... no cell phones, no SMS, no GPS... we were out there, on our own, and no one worried.

These days, it just isn't the same. As one friend said, this just doesn't happen anymore... it's Wii... PSP, iPhone, iPod.... iWhatever....

I haven't posted since President Obama's inauguration. (Yeah, I said, "President" Obama!) It's been just over a week since he has been in office, and there seems to be a trend to get back to basics. (Haven't I written about this before? [Yes.])

I just want to say, go build a tree fort with your kids. Take the time to share some music. Watch a ball game together. Plant some potatoes, carrots, root vegetables. (I wish I had a garden.) Slow down. The world is in a recession. As another friend said, "Eat pie."

This freeze-frame moment can't be wrong...