Monthly Archives: March 2021

time passages

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Time Passages by Al Stewart.

It was late in December, the sky turned to snow
All round the day was going down slow
Night like a river beginning to flow
I felt the beat of my mind go
Drifting into time passages
Years go falling in the fading light
Time passages
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight
Well I’m not the kind to live in the past
The years run too short and the days too fast
The things you lean on are the things that don’t last
Well it’s just now and then my line gets cast into these
Time passages
There’s something back here that you left behind
Oh time passages
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight
Hear the echoes and feel yourself starting to turn
Don’t know why you should feel
That there’s something to learn
It’s just a game that you play
Well the picture is changing
Now you’re part of a crowd
They’re laughing at something
And the music’s loud
A girl comes towards you
You once used to know
You reach out your hand
But you’re all alone, in these
Time passages
I know you’re in there, you’re just out of sight
Time passages
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight

Al Stewart. My husband and I both love his music. He is one of my earliest music memories. As in I liked to listen to him. My tastes were somewhat eclectic. I didn’t like the Doobie Brothers (and a friend’s cousin was a roadie in the 70s), and as sacrilegious as it sounds, I never got The Grateful Dead. I think the first time I heard Al Stewart was down at a friends house in Bethesda, Maryland. These two sisters who are still my pals had two older brothers, one of whom used to take us to Kemp Mill Records in Georgetown (Washington, DC). I loved that music store more than any other I was ever in. They always were playing the most fabulous music, and no disco biscuits need apply. Now to those in my peer group who were devotees of Plastic Fantastic and Mads Records, this will come as a surprise, but there was nothing better than Kemp Mill Records in my opinion.

So this morning I had an earworm when I woke up and it was Al Stewart’s Time Passages. Hence the post title. And how does it tie to this post that is most definitely a ramble? It just does.

We all have music that evokes memories. Al Stewart reminds me of first Kemp Mill Records along with The Little River Band. Later on, Al Stewart would remind me of The Point in Bryn Mawr. The Point was where the original Main Point was, and Al played there when I was too young to be allowed to go there. But I made up for lost time when The Point opened up in the same spot as the original Main Point.

The Point ran in Bryn Mawr circa 1998 to 2005. Al Stewart was there often and other musicians I loved like Shawn Mullins and Sophie B Hawkins. The original Main Point began circa 1964, and closed in 1981 the year I graduated high school.

So I have been thinking about time passages. This year is my 40th high school reunion from Shipley, and thanks to COVID-19 no reunion. I remember 1981. Back then, almost 57 just seemed so very far away, yet here we are.

Mini Term, Spring of 1980

I have a nice life. I am blessed and am where I am supposed to be, with the person whom I am supposed to be with. Added bonus? He knew and remembers my younger self. I think that makes me really lucky. And I know I am loved. I can’t say that about everyone I know.

The past year with COVID-19 has taken many of us on mental road trips. My stepfather, who is British by birth, remarked that over the past year he had many memories of his childhood in England, including World War II float to the surface. He said that he found it interesting that these memories are still intact and that we needed the quiet of life imposed upon us by a global pandemic to allow them to float back into our consciousness. It’s kind of true.

Life and time march on no matter how we try to stop it. I see women who look fabulous, but haven’t figured out those really short skirts and impossibly high heels they are still wearing in defiance of the aging process would be better suited to their nieces and daughters. They remind me of this woman I remember from the Main Line when I was in my 20s. She liked frog statues in her garden and had a killer figure….but she would wear pantyhose and hot pants and summer heels and sandals for summer shopping. Especially memorable? Her patriotic July 4th hot pants. It always made me feel a little sad that she wasn’t taking aging well. Now I guess she might have been approaching some point in her 40s back then. But every time I see one of my own contemporaries or slightly younger struggling with the aging process, I think of this woman.

A friend of mine turned 60 the other day. I can’t believe it. I remember when her son used to ride a scooter through our old neighborhood when he was a little guy. Now he’s a grown up, out of college, with his own life.

One of my closest friends oldest child just took his SATs. He totally rocked them. He smiles at me when I tell him I remember when he was hatched. But I do. I remember him so clearly as an infant. And another one of my close friends has her daughter graduating from college. Another kid I love and remember as a little girl. Now she is this beautiful young woman. Even my niece of whom I have these memories of her and her little fashion shows changing her outfits multiple times a day is now a college freshman.

Sometimes I just sit here and think about where time has gone and what it took for us all to get here. And I marvel. Another friend and I were facetiming recently and we were talking about remembering when our parents were the age we are now. And all of the stores we used to love to visit in Bryn Mawr when we were kids like Katy Did and that marvelous book store next to it. And all of the antiques stores and Eskil’s Clog Shop. And of course, wanting to be old enough to go to the Main Point without our parents freaking out.

Volunteering (in costume) at Historic Harriton House in Bryn Mawr 1970s.

The memories of a more innocent time. And a lot of them have resurfaced in the time of COVID-19. And just like my stepfather noted, the memories are still here, we just need quiet to visit them again.

Lots of memories of my late father. He’s been gone since 2005. But I have had all sorts of memories resurface. Like him helping a neighbor plant either azaleas or rhododendrons in a seersucker suit one time when he came home from work. Or running around the day of my sister’s wedding (which was held in my parents’ house) touching up paint because caterers and florists and whomever had marked a couple of walls. Or the little girl memories of going with him on a snowy December night to the rail yards in his red VW bug to get a Christmas tree. Or going shopping on 9th street (Italian Market) with him and visiting all the merchants he had been going to since he was a kid in some cases.

Other things I am remembering of late? Fabulous garden parties in amazing gardens in Philadelphia. I do not remember which non profits benefitted (Philadelphia Parks Alliance, PHS, or a garden club ?) from all of them but I remember how lovely they were. No artifice and beautiful gardens. I think one was at Ernesta Ballard’s house in Chestnut Hill. I remember Thatcher Longstreth’s wife Nancy was there. She was in wheelchair.

Other memories? Shipley Mini Term the spring of 1980. I did an internship in the City Representative’s Office in Philadelphia. My godfather was the late Dick Doran, and at that time he was the City Representative under Mayor Bill Green. Bill Green and Dick Doran knew my father from St. Joe’s Prep. When I was growing up they were around a lot. Dick Doran gave a wedding toast at my parents’ wedding. And I remember when Dick was Chief of Staff to Milton Schapp. I remember that in particular because my father was not a fan of Harrisburg, and I was really little and didn’t know where Harrisburg was.

Perhaps it was that internship while I was a junior in high school that made me interested in observing politics…but never having a desire to run for office. But I remember it was a fascinating time. Ed Rendell was the District Attorney. I remember Thatcher Longstreth taking me to meeting with him in CIty Hall, although he was not a City Councilman again until after I had graduated from high school. He was the nicest man.

That was kind of a golden time in Philadelphia City Hall. Much like the era of Richardson Dilworth, who was not only a beloved Mayor of Philadelphia, but grandfather to one of my oldest childhood friends. However even with the golden time, there was political infighting and even a messenger in City Hall who believed in aliens, and yes had a few tinfoil hats.

Other memories that have floated up to the surface was of all things a plant sale my mother used to work on when I was little. The plant sale at The Hill Physick Keith House. They would stage the plants in the side walled garden that had a gate out to Cypress Street.

The Hill Physick Keith House holds a lot of memories. I remember playing quietly as a very little girl in the curtains in the room with the big desk and beautiful inkwell when my mother was a volunteer there. I actually have a pair of antique drapes that once hung in the house. I do not remember why they were removed, only that when I was little they were going to be thrown out, so my mother adopted them. For a while they hung in our house in Society Hill which had windows of a similar scale to those in the Hill Physick Keith House. Now they live in a blanket chest. I have no reason to keep them, but so many why as to not let them go.

Yes the drapes from the Physick House.

So here we are, It’s 2021. My hair is turning gray and white but is still mostly brown. I gave up the idea of color when I was diagnosed with breast cancer almost 10 years ago. There is a link between hair dyes and breast cancer. So when I heard that I was done with the semi-permanent color I used to use back then. Now when I look in the mirror sometimes I see my father’s mother which kind of freaks me out that I can so clearly see her face in my face at times.

Soon I will be getting my second COVID-19 shot. But I still am keeping it close to home with the COVID-19 of it all. But it also means I can keep on gardening.

I will close with was this where my teenage, childhood, or young adult self though I would be? I am not really sure because after all, within this life we live, we actually live several lives as we go throughout our life. So yes, I definitely can’t answer that. I only know I am home and grateful for my life, and each stage of it.

Thanks for stopping by.

what’s up west whiteland?

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Soooooo…do the folks in the upscale Malvern Hunt development know about this proposed Uber Cram Plan next door in West Whiteland?

Because if this development happens combined with the crammerific townhouse development next to East Whiteland‘s Bacton Hill Park, “Malvern Crossing”, it sure is going to impact their lives right? And everyone else around here? Wow, just imagine the traffic alone, right?

Would West Whiteland Township care to let us in on what’s specifically up with historic Pickwick, also known as the John Kent Kane Jr. House? Will that historic house be preserved?

But back to the meeting in September that went by with nary a sound and why? For real 344 houses? Adult in description, so essentially another Hershey’s Mill type project? Really “by right”?

That’s a lot of additional development for Swedesford considering the development already in either direction…..

https://www.westwhiteland.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152020-848

https://www.westwhiteland.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152020-849

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickwick_(West_Whiteland_Township,_Pennsylvania)

And let’s think about all of the other development happening all over, okay? Lancaster Avenue in East Whiteland, West Whiteland, points west, points east.

For West Whiteland all the development coming to either side of SS Philip and James, either side of Ship Road and development just keeps marching west?

In Chester County east, west, north, or south- development. Think about it, are there any municipalities without development of some kind? I mean I am sure there are, only I can’t think of any.

But back to whatever this is that will replace the rotting ghost houses on Swedesford Road. That’s a LOT. A LOT more stress on infrastructure, first responders, hospitals, schools and so on and so forth.

Just putting it out there. It’s public record. Just pick a municipality. When does it end? When do residents in Chester County stand up and band together and say enough already to development? When do we even just hit a freaking pause ⏸ button?

Thanks for stopping by.

push push push

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I make no secret over the fact that I am completely over the push push push of realtors/real estate investors of all forms soliciting business since COVID19 hit.

First you have the slimy ones that send the postcards announcing they’ve been trying to reach you 95 times by postcard but they can’t find your phone number.

Or they are robocalling you via off shore call centers with heavily accented individuals reading from a script. And whether it’s postcard or robocall they all have friendly names like “Dan” or “Steve” or “Brian”.

Next come the regular residential realtor variety from the various and sundry companies you recognize. Like today’s solicitation which came addressed to both our name and “occupant“.

Dear occupant and she wants our business no less?

Of course there were other amusing things about today’s postcard from someone at Compass in Devon. Like for example it says it’s from their “Upper Main Line” office and lists a phone number. I tried to call the phone number on the postcard listed as the main office number because I want to be put on a do not solicit list. Only the number on the postcard isn’t a valid general office number and you get the recording from the phone company that this number doesn’t exist.

Now that’s just sloppy marketing and lack of proofreading, which if I was in the market for a new home or a realtor, this would knock this person out of the running right then and there. Details matter.

Then there’s the house that’s on the front of the postcard that says “just sold“. It’s one of the McMansions crammed in off of 352 on Shirtz Farm Lane…. which once upon a time was an actual farm. I made no secret of how I loathe farm to development conversions.

I guess our comparables are all going up in the area because this woman claims to have sold this house which is on a postage stamp sized lot for over $1 Million. And again…if you saw where it was it’s right there on 352 after the railroad underpass! It’s a marvel, those prices.

This is a development that once it finally got started if you blinked, you missed the houses going up. And it’s still got piles of dirt everywhere, it’s rather unattractive. Million dollar Lickety Splits.

Just so we’re clear, I have quite a few dear friends who are realtors whom I respect immensely. They don’t send out things like this. And they would never refer to someone in a mailer by name and then occupant because that’s just kind of insulting. If you need a realtor I’m happy to refer you to one of the many fine individuals I know. And they are actually truly local to Chester County and live here.

As I have said on other posts I have written about the sleazy real estate investors (house flippers) sending postcards to buy your house for cash, this is one of the byproducts of the COVID-19 global pandemic. As happened the last time there was a pandemic at the turn of the 20th century, it made people want to get out of cities and move into suburbia or less populated areas. Only I think circa 1918 they weren’t bombarding people with post cards.

I appreciate that realtors I’ve never heard of or are not particularly local love our area. I just wish they would stop soliciting me. Obviously I love where we live that’s why we’re here.

Happy weekend!

one year later: covid shot confusion

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https://www.vaxxmax.com/

https://vaccinefinder.org/search/

https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Vaccine/Pages/Vaccine.aspx

https://vaccinatepa.org/counties/Chester_County

https://www.chesco.org/covidvaccine

PHASE 1 A:

Phase 1A is the first vaccine distribution step. The vaccine is currently being distributed to:

Long-term care facility residents
Health care personnel including, but not limited to:
Emergency medical service personnel
Nurses
Nursing assistants
Physicians
Dentists
Dental hygienists
Chiropractors
Therapists
Phlebotomists
Pharmacists
Technicians
Pharmacy technicians
Health professions students and trainees
Direct support professionals
Clinical personnel in school settings or correctional facilities
Contractual HCP not directly employed by the health care facility
Persons not directly involved in patient care but potentially exposed to infectious material that can transmit disease among or from health care personnel and patients
Persons ages 65 and older
Persons ages 16-64 with high-risk conditions:
Cancer
Chronic kidney disease
COPD
Down Syndrome
Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
Pregnancy
Sickle cell disease
Smoking
Type 2 diabetes mellitus

PHASE 1 B:

People in congregate settings not otherwise specified as long-term care facilities, and persons receiving home and community-based services
First responders
Correctional officers and other workers serving people in congregate care settings not included in Phase 1A
Food and agricultural workers
U.S. Postal Service workers
Manufacturing workers
Grocery store workers
Education workers
Clergy and other essential support for houses of worship
Public transit workers
Individuals caring for children or adults in early childhood and adult day programs

PHASE 1 C:

Essential workers in these sectors:
Transportation and logistics
Water and wastewater
Food service
Housing construction
Finance, including bank tellers
Information technology
Communications
Energy, including nuclear reactors
Legal services
Federal, state, county and local government workers, including county election workers, elected officials and members of the judiciary and their staff
Media
Public safety
Public health workers

PHASE 2:

All individuals not previously covered who are 16 and older and do not have a contraindication to the vaccine (note that at this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech product is approved for those age 16 and 17)

-All data from https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Vaccine/Pages/Vaccine.aspx
A shot in the arm - ND Cartoons

It is still about as clear as mud and somewhat contradictory depending upon where you register. I had my first shot a week ago as a 1A active cancer patient. It was a total fluke that I got it, but it happened. And that is the biggest problem I see here is the fact that getting a shot IS a total fluke it feels like most of the time.

We registered our son. He is in the food service worker category because he works while he is in college locally. His classes are online and he’s here with us as opposed to a dorm right now. As a college student, living with parental units during a global pandemic is not so much fun, but we are grateful he is here and safe. I know of people who have kids in other states whose college students are supposed to stay on campus and abide by the rules set by their schools yet all they do is sneak off campus. And if they get caught it’s buh byes college student, yet they persist so it begs the question why did they go to school in the first place? If they didn’t want to be there, on campus, why not stay home and take classes online? I also see photos of college kids on spring break which completely blows my mind.

Like many families, we have a full complement of elderly relatives, and I live immunocompromised so our son has to be extra careful, and is. But common sense would dictate that he since lives with at least one 1A category person and he is exposed to the public as a food service worker, that one would think people in food service categories would be getting shots by now. But they aren’t. So he is kind of registered and signed up for when his eligibility arrives, but not yet vaccinated.

And then there is my husband who is phase 2, or who is left over in the world at that time. I am 1A, we have elderly relatives whom he helps with all sorts of things. So while not a traditional caregiver, he is still a caregiver. Yet he is literally the bottom of the barrel.

And then there are the people who jump the line. Like the 22 year old non-medical worker who founded Philly Fighting COVID, go a City of Philadelphia contract, and gave shots away to equally young friends like party favors. So what exactly will happen to Andrei Doroshin who is just part of the belly of corruption in Philadelphia as far as I am concerned?

Philly Fighting COVID as a scandal is a perfect example of how messed up the COVID shot distribution is in Pennsylvania. The City of Philadelphia flat out seemed to ignore red flags with Philly Fighting COVID yet look how far they got? Where is the Philadelphia City Council accountability because do we really think they would have gotten shoved up the food chain without the ever problematic Philadelphia City Council?

Listen to Scam Goddess: The Crazy Covid Caper

SPOTIFY Home of Scam Goddess Podcast.

MARCH 13, 2021

‘Scam Goddess’ podcast lampoons city’s Philly Fighting COVID scandal

Allie Miller Headshot

BY ALLIE MILLER
PhillyVoice Staff

Philly Fighting COVID, the company’s CEO Andrei Doroshin, and the city’s leadership all become comedic fodder in a recent episode of the podcast “Scam Goddess.”

Philly’s vaccine distribution scandal, which received national attention and resulted in the resignation of the city’s deputy health commissioner, gets roasted for about 25 minutes in the episode released Tuesday, and it probably deserved more given the embarrassment of the situation at all levels.

“So Andrei (Doroshin) is a 22-year-old Drexel graduate. He has a degree in psychology from Drexel. Can I just say, psychology, great scam tool. If you really wanna get into the fine art of chicanery … psychology,” Laci Mosley, host of “Scam Goddess,” tells the co-host of the episode, Jason Concepcion…..

Mosley and Concepcion crack up recounting the details of Doroshin laying out his plan to vaccinate Philadelphian’s against the coronavirus, a pitch that was made to about a dozen people on the rooftop of an apartment building near Temple University. The hosts indulge in Doroshin’s use of Powerpoint to deliver a presentation laden with tech-focused, entrepreneurial language – he even invoked Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX – that the company had no chance of living up to.

“These are buzzwords. The only thing that he left out was the black turtleneck,” Mosley says, a reference to the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

And the very Philly-flavored icing Doroshin’s want to spread to coverup all the imperfections of his overdone cake: a marketing plan that enlisted Meek Mill to encourage people to get their shots.

PhillyVoice https://www.phillyvoice.com/scam-goddess-podcast-andrei-doroshin-philly-fighting-covid/

How the world's political artists are depicting the covid-19 pandemic - The Washington Post

Pennsylvania is definitely FUBAR on COVID shots. My mother, who is in her 80s and was 1A got a shot on a fluke. As in they showed up at their local hospital and just walked in….after wondering how they were going to get an appointment because they hadn’t been able to get an appointment. Another senior I know got a shot because they drove someone else to get a shot.

People are driving hours to places like Altoona, Carlile and Jim Thorpe to get shots. I even pulled up Erie as a shot location. All eligible but because Southeastern PA is like the Bermuda Triangle of COVID shots you either eventually get lucky or have to drive hours to get a shot. Other people are going deep into Lancaster and Lehigh Counties. I know people who don’t live in states like Delaware, yet drove there or NJ for a shot. It’s ridiculous.

I guess you can say this is government bureaucracy at work? Or is Governor Tom Wolf punishing Southeastern PA for something? And John Fetterman sends out he’s running for US Senate junk mail and actually expects people to vote for him when the state can’t even get sufficient shots to our area, yet underpopulated by comparison areas get more shots than they need?

I mean OH COME ON ALREADY!.

Do not misunderstand me, I am grateful that I lucked into getting my shot, but it should NOT have been so difficult. And so many who are 1A like me can’t get one. Random act of cursing here but it’s utter bullshit.

And people who should be essential aren’t essential so they can serve us our food, bake our cakes, deliver our food, deliver our mail, repair things in our homes, and so on are still hanging out there? People I know who moved to other states got a shot where they moved to almost immediately. And then there are the people with vacation homes in other states who hopped planes to go get COVID shots there….and didn’t exactly wait before hopping a return flight back to primary state of residence, AKA Pennsylvania the Bermuda Triangle of COVID shots.

Sign me befuddled by our government at work. And oh yeah, if Trump had taken this more seriously a YEAR ago, would we all be better and more safely positioned in our global pandemic universe. Love how he got his almost secret shot and is now suddenly encouraging people to get their shots….

Life with COVID19 one year later is irritating, infuriating, and fascinating.

Be safe out there. Wear a mask. Living in the Bermuda Triangle of COVID19 shots is like a giant constant game of dodgeball meets Russian Roulette

jesus doesn’t love creepy letters in mailboxes

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All over social media people are starting to post about letters like the above. They are from the Jehovahs Witnesses. I guess due to COVID-19 they can’t go door to door anymore so they’re reaching out with creepy letters instead.

My problem with these letters is that people are reporting they’re being sent to their children. It’s bad enough to get a creepy Jesus letter as an adult when you have your own religion, but it’s unacceptable that they are sent to children.

I am always polite to the Jehovah’s witnesses when they come door-to-door. But I will admit that I tire of them pushing every time they show up. I politely say to them I prefer no solicitation of any kind, and most importantly I have a religion and a relationship with God that doesn’t need to include Jehovah’s Witnesses.

On NextDoor where I saw one of the conversations about these Jesus letters some woman remarked that we were losing our humanity and christianity. These letters have nothing to do with humanity or our sense of christianity, they are creepy. And sending letters to people’s underage children, as in legal minors, is not just creepy it’s most probably not kosher legally. They shouldn’t solicit children and they need to stop.

These letters are being hand dropped in to peoples mailboxes. They are not coming through the U.S. mail. A lot of them are appearing right now in the West Chester area which makes sense because there is a Jehovah’s Witness Hall I think on Phoenixville Pike.

I know some are going to read this and say I am anti-religion. I am not. But I am in fact anti-inappropriate contact. And I think these letters are creepy and inappropriate because they are not merely targeting adults in a household. I don’t like that they send them to people’s children.

So Jehovah’s Witness Hall in West Chester and elsewhere? Y’all need to up your marketing game. I understand outreach is part of your movement, but with all due respect, you need to respect the religious beliefs of the people you are soliciting. You also need to respect the laws with regard to soliciting minors. Perhaps you are buying mailing lists which don’t indicate age of residents, but y’all need to figure it out.

And you can leave my mailbox alone.

People out there, if your children are under age and receiving these letters, it is my humble opinion you should let authorities know. Thanks for stopping by.

why is the devin nunes campaign calling me?

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I actually had to look him up. I keep getting these phone calls from Devin Nunes and his campaign.

I knew he was a politician but I knew he wasn’t from around here. So I looked him up.

Why is the campaign of a California Congressman robo calling me in Chester County, Pennsylvania?

Even more importantly after I have requested multiple robo call numbers that say Nunes on it to put us on the do not call list, why hasn’t that happened?

News flash GOP: not a good look. Especially not a good look given what I have read about Congressman Devin Nunes and it’s not flattering. in every article you get a whiff of a skunk and I don’t mean Pepé Le Pew, either.

So Congressman Nunes do you get it now? Does your campaign get it? Stay in your lane. I live in Pennsylvania and am not interested but I sure hope someone votes you and your robo calls out of office.

oh goody! yet another sell your house, get rich quick postcard solicitation!

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These postcards. Straight from the edge of hell and sleazy real estate. Kissing cousins to the “we buy houses” signs you find nailed to telephone poles.

In the COVID-19 world in which we live several things have been on the uptick like these postcards, solicitation calls, and online gambling commercials on television. Sociologically, it’s fascinating. From a personal preference I would prefer seeing less of both.

It kind of makes me sad because there are a lot of desperate people out there who have been completely knocked down by a global pandemic and the shaky economy which has followed. There are so many people who are barely hanging on due to reduction in salary/reduction in force (layoffs) that there’s definitely a market for these predators. And I find these people to be predatory.

It doesn’t matter how many times your request to not be solicited in anyway by these people they don’t pay attention. So I just started having fun. I block my number and I call the number on the postcard. Today I had some guy outraged named “Alex“.

“I can’t talk to you.” He says.

The number on this postcard I got today leads to some VoIP line somewhere. The company is “Problem Property Pals” and what an ACME Scam Company Looney Toon worthy company name, right? It doesn’t even sound respectable does it?

“Why not?” I replied

“You have a blocked line. Why do you have a blocked line?” He says (sounding slightly outraged.)

“I block my line because I can.” I replied.

I then proceeded to tell my new friend that I found them to be the slezoid pimps of real estate. I told them it doesn’t matter how often you ask to be on a do not solicit and do not call lists, they ignore those requests so essentially, they deserve obnoxious phone calls as penance.

Then like magic, I ended the call. Petty yes, but I enjoyed it. They prey on the vulnerable and desperate to make money. In my opinion that’s horrible.

I have taken to looking up these companies to find out who they are and where they are from. I traced the address on the postcard back to a ReMax in either Northern Liberties or Fishtown. Newsflash to them: some people will fall for their sleazy crap, but most people want a realtor close to home they actually trust to sell their home. And I don’t quite believe no fees and no commissions, do you?

Now it’s time for the circular file for this latest postcard.

shot #1 done!

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Hello everyone and greetings from West Chester University!

Yes….. I JUST GOT MY FIRST COVID SHOT!

It has been a perfectly crappy day full of babysitting adult toddlers in Facebook groups so this is the highlight of my day.

Truthfully today is the highlight of 2021 so far.

I was beginning to wonder if this day would ever arrive.

The registration process was pretty seamless and the people here are so nice!

I am on the 30 minute post-shot wait and so far I just feel a little warm and somewhat thirsty. I can be shot reactive so I sit for 30 minutes while most everyone else sits for 15 minutes. There is a paramedic sitting with us in the post shot room.

I was surprisingly emotional when I got my shot.

I feel like I can breathe again.

This has been a hell of a year since we all entered the COVID19 world in which we now exist.

east or west, less development would be best

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Last night I attended the virtual East Whiteland Historic Commission Meeting. One of the people presenting were representatives of the Great Valley School District.

You see, they are now faced with supersizing the elementary school campus. But nooooo of course it’s not due to wanton development in the area. Since the meeting occurred on St. Patrick’s Day I guess it was leprechauns just not being nice to them or something. Sorry not sorry for the deep sarcasm.

Anyway, the reason they were there as they want to tear things down and build new things and so on. But the district representatives did not like when I commented on the fact that school districts everywhere seem to do this following large swaths of new development in various communities. They will basically tell you it’s not true and everyone knows it’s true.

Of course I also commented that all those school districts are autonomous from municipalities, it’s still somewhat of a codependent relationship and I never for the life of me will understand why school districts won’t be honest and say “hey that’s too much development for us to handle.”

Again, sorry not sorry pointing out the truth.

I had to go out to Exton at the beginning of the week for a medical appointment. As I went up Route 30 from Malvern, I was again struck by the sheer volume of development I saw just there along that road. Every square inch that can be developed is being developed.

People are talking about the Ship Inn being for sale. Now that makes me sad because that is a very historic place. That used to be one of my landmarks years ago when I was going to a friend’s house further west. It was always this cheerful beacon on the road and so pretty and historic. Hopefully it survives.

But right where it’s located is at the vortex of a development tsunami. It’s West Whiteland and they are definitely one of the municipalities that can’t say yes fast enough to new development. Once upon a time I found these historic photos of Exton before all the development started. Night and day.

But it’s not just one municipality it’s more like pick a municipality. Look at East Whiteland. Do we really think the school district would be considering expansion if they weren’t out of room because of all the influx of people due to development? I mean come on let’s get real.

Go a little further east and you look at Tredyffrin and Eastown. Is the school district there not experiencing the same problems and need for expansion? It’s because of all the development, right? It doesn’t matter if it’s single-family McMansions, fake carriage houses, town houses, apartments, condos whatever you want to call them they are bringing people into our districts. The interesting thing is I still don’t necessarily believe that the economy is following the people so I wonder about the long-term sustainability but that’s another conversation for another day.

Go to other areas in Chester County and look at other districts. The West Chester Area School District is a monster it’s so big now. Owen J Roberts is huge, and so is Downingtown. And when you get out to areas like Elverson the kids actually go to school in a dual county district . This school district is Twin Valley, and it services two counties and like seven municipalities.

If you go east out of Chester County down to the Main Line, look at Lower Merion School District. The nasty eminent domain battles and fights because why? Because there are so many people coming into that district they needed to build another middle school. Now that middle school is going to be right on the border of Radnor Township which also has development worries of its own and only has one high school which is pretty crowded from what I’m told these days.

Of course in the case of Lower Merion School District and the location of their new school I have to ask what volunteer fire company is going to be responsible for that big complex? Especially when fire companies are going to be faced with the ongoing super sizing of both Bryn Mawr and Ardmore? So will that necessitate an additional fire company being built? Where would that go? And maybe it’s time for all fire companies to consider more paid staff because I think the volunteers are spread a little thin don’t you?

When are municipalities going to wake the hell up and realize the songs and tales of the Pied Piper-like developers and the Emperor’s new clothes they strew about are ruining our communities?

These developers are marching through our communities leaving overcrowding in school districts and stressed municipal services and infrastructure in their wake. And the Municipalities Planning Code ( aka the MPC), the Bible on which local development and zoning is based, allows all of this. It also allows all of the crazy zoning overlay districts which allow developers to get more and more into our communities.

The MPC was created at the end of the 1960s and I think it was signed in to being in 1970. It contains the extraordinarily outdated definitions of suburbs and exurbs that are still fueling all of this development today. And it’s got to stop. There needs to be a comprehensive update. And that update needs to contain language that actually protects our communities from over development. It needs to contain language that has more meaningful historic preservation and land preservation.

No matter where we live we are drowning in crappy new construction. And people don’t like when I say that because you know they’re reading this post from their McMansion. Well talk to me in 20 years and see how your house endures time and wear. I mean look at all the people alone who have had to remediate stucco in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

These developers roll into communities, they make a lot of money, they offer municipal rabbits the tiny baby carrots of ratables and they just move onto the next project. Or they will say to a municipality that they really care about the community in which they want to over develop because they live there? What do they really care about: the community or how much money they’re making?

Oh wait? What is that I hear? Oh that would be the chorus of I hate all development coming from some of you reading this post. I don’t hate all development but I really dislike the volume and lack of quality of the development we are seeing today. Why on earth do developers think that here in bucolic Chester County we want to see things that look like fake industrial?

And then there are the developers who basically take the same design and apply it to projects in multiple municipalities. Do they really think the public is that stupid? I mean maybe the local politicians are but not necessarily the people that live in these municipalities. Do we really want to live in developer created Stepford Land?

I have seen development in other areas, even urban areas that are clever and they actually have architectural design to them. Or they’re wonderful examples of adaptive reuse. My favorite recent example is something in Philadelphia called The Gotham. It was originally The Gotham Silk Factory, as in stockings. This project is amazing. It pays homage to its past yet it’s modern and new. It’s really cool. It proves you can meld old with new and come up with a good product.

But people, we have to start taking back our communities. We need to hold elected officials accountable. And even if they tell us there is nothing that they can do we still hold them accountable. And we need to find better replacements from within our communities and move these people out.

If you change the face of who governs you you can start to enact change in communities. But if it’s just the same old people sitting there year after year we are just going to keep on getting more of what we don’t like where we call home. That’s not just with local municipalities that’s with state representatives and state senators as well. So far with regard to the newbies in office on the state level I’m not really impressed. And there are some who skated in for additional terms riding on the coattails of others and they never impress me at all.

These are our communities. We deserve more of a say. But in order to have more of a say we all have to become more proactive within our communities. that starts with attending meetings. While they are all virtual, it’s much easier, so please take advantage of it. Pick a meeting and participate.

Be the change you want for where you live.

Thanks for stopping by.

radnor commissioners be like rock em sock em robots…

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So recently there was this major kerfuffle at a Radnor Township Board of Commissioners. This board has been devolving for a few years but the recent commissioners meeting was painful. ( See around 3 hour 48 minute mark)

These are grown ass adults who are elected to serve Radnor Township residents, right? Only some of them are turning their meetings into a sitcom meets a three ring circus.

Anyway, Commissioner Sean Farhy has a beef with Commissioner Jake Abel. Farhy is a Democrat and Abel is a Republican. So because it’s Radnor, it’s super political too when Commissioners beef. It’s painful to watch.

The problem between Farhy and Abel? Abel blocks Farhy on Twitter. Rich Ilgenfritz from Main Line Media News reports:

📌At a board meeting this week, Radnor Commissioner Sean Farhy, a Democrat, proposed the board censure a fellow commissioner, Republican Jake Abel, for blocking him on Twitter….“The blocking of both public officials and/or private citizens is a violation of the First Amendment which he swore to uphold when he took his oath of office. The Board of Commissioners should formally distance themselves from this type of unethical and immoral behavior which has now been deemed by a U.S. Federal Court as unconstitutional and illegal,” according to a portion of the resolution that would have censured Abel….According to Farhy, since Abel disseminates township information over his Twitter account, blocking someone is a violation of the First Amendment.

“All I’m asking is you unblock anyone that you’ve blocked on your Twitter account, which you use to disseminate government information,” Farhy said.

Although Abel admitted to blocking Farhy, he said he did not know of anyone else being blocked.

“This is the first I’ve heard of any resident being blocked, and if somebody is being blocked, they can reach out to me. I’ll have my team look at it, but I’m not aware of specific people being blocked,” Abel said in response.📌

Umm Jake Abel, I discovered this evening that you block ME. I found that damn amusing because I do not recall ever interacting with you. Did I? Have we met?

So Jake Abel who is your “team” (sounds super pretentious) and how MAGA paranoid are you? So Jake Abel was I following you on Twitter? I did not recall doing so although I follow plenty of local and national politicians. I guess blocking me is a preemptive strike because I am a blogger? That’s totally lame, but truthfully, I don’t care. You don’t matter in my world. However Jake Abel, baby politician, I totally do not buy you don’t know whom you have blocked.

Now I do think Abel actually can block another politician like Farhy because he isn’t a constituent. But it’s not good politics and turns the boardroom at Radnor township into Romper Room.

Anyway get out the wammmmbulance…then they were hurling accusations at each other (read article, watch YouTube.) Accusing each other of photographing each other…rock ‘em sock ‘em robots who wouldn’t know Roberts Rules of Order if it bit them on their asses.

File under stupid politician tricks.