themightyten.com Blog » Ohio

A Night at the Circus

George C. Hartman — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 01:51:20 +0000

Route 76, Somewhere in Pennsylvania, daybreak.

Let’s walk into the dark fields of uncut grass. Into the heart of America, the midwest laughter and red white and blue explosions in the sky. Feeling the immediate sowing of a yellow hook moon in my heart. Another journal into the depths of space. The ending of the pain from my headaches….( a blood pressure concern)
I’m in the wrong century again, damn it! I miss the sepia skies and the angles singing. The black and white streets, crowds of busy people and the gaslights glow.

Dark pub and a lost soul from the future.

This is where I met him many years ago. A disco in the seventies. The drinking age was still eighteen. We were deadheads drinking shots, dressed like slobs and making fun of the music. The women were beautiful with big hair and attitudes. Annoyed at the hippies laughing in the dark corner. I had too much, as usual and it always seemed to hit me earlier then the other guys. I was never meant to be a drinker. I threw up all the time and I had diarrhea. Other guys could just drink, pound them down and play quarters for 24 hours straight and get up and walk a straight line home. (at the moment I am writing this, I am experiencing a severe case of Déjà vu) Now this crazy looking guy from across the bar is staring at me and I feel a vomit coming on so I ease over towards the bathroom and this guy is suddenly waiting there. I ignore him as I feel for the mens room in this dark hallway….I mean really dark….”Hey listen…..hey…hey George.”
So who the fuck is that and how do they know my name. The room is spinning. The music is thumping “Funky Town” by Lipps I think, I could almost taste the vomit…”Hey George” he giggles. He is right next to me. Suddenly I feel better. I feel better than better. I feel great. I am sober, I think. This guy is staring at me in the dark with this big smile.
“Hey George” he half whispers.. “I know you. I’m from the future.”

It's not easy being green

This really happened to me. A disco in 1979. A strange dude that told me about cell phones, 9/11, the Giants winning a Super Bowl in seven years, financial hardships, computers taking over, marriage, divorce, winning the lottery, drugs, drinking, sex, death, miracle cures, war, typhoons, tornados, tsunami’s, torture…
Hey you freak what are you saying. What are you putting in my mind. What the fuck is a cell phone? What kind of crazy pants are you wearing….disco boy….fag….leave me alone. Oh my head hurts from you. Get out of my life. Get out of my mind!!! Now forever making cameo appearances in my freaking dreams. Do you believe me?

409 Downing Street Westfield New Jersey

Dad’s Root beer
Our dads home when he was growing up. His teen age years. Meeting mom. Having dinner with Geraldine his sister and William his brother. His mom and “Pop” sitting in the living room waiting for him to go through that front door again and join the marine’s….or get married….or help Pop out at the store on East Broad street….not too far away. Westfield was a different place then, but it hasn’t changed much since. The biggest disappointment most recently is that they tore down “The Leader Store” They still have real live cops directing traffic during peak hours. The Westfield Sewing Center, our Grandfathers and then our dads place of business is long gone. People don’t sew their own dresses, curtains or make crafts anymore. Everyone is too busy on the cell phone or watching reality TV on the tube. We are all in front of mini-monitors, TV, computer or phone…taking commands and giving them. One of the things my dad passed on to me was growing tomatoes. It is an art to grow them…actually an easy art. Tomatoes are very hardy plants and even a seed from a tomato on a sandwich can fall in the crack of the sidewalk and if you let it grow, YOU WILL harvest a tomato or two. The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous. It has been the Summer of dreams….long days, hot skies, cold oceans, simmering spaghetti sauce, ribs and tomato plants wilting in the endless ninety degree days.
There are few gifts greater than offering your friend your home to stay. The other night we lay by the windowsill telling stories of our days, current and past. The Summer had been so hot, we were worried about the flowers. But as the darkness grew in the fading day a cool breeze had reached on the window sill. A small rumble of thunder. A flash of lightening and finally ……..rain. We listened, watched and talked. I am very grateful for that moment of time. To be protected from the storm but to be so close to it. To be able to listen to someone and have someone listen to me. To be able to smell the rain. To be able to call something “home” is a great gift. To have the blessings to share a meal with the one you love. To sit on the back deck and watch the day slowly turn into night. The candle on the wooden table splashes yellow puddles on your face. These are the moments of that you live for. The quiet unnoticed ones. I wouldn’t have them if it wasn’t for you. Thank you.

A night at the circus

A moment of time forever etched digitally on a blog deep in space. Perhaps not for eternity but it is there only because I thought it was worth digging in my pocket for my camera. We were cutting through some woods towards a wooden roller coaster. The yellow spot lights giving off an eire glow. Party balloons abandoned. My kids way ahead of me because I was keeping company with my stupid camera. Somewhere in south Ohio, July 4, 2011, the United States of America. Earth.

On the road with ‘Becca

George C. Hartman — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 20:36:32 +0000

The death of Lima Beans

George C. Hartman — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:28:59 +0000

Some upcoming New Jersey Road Trips:
Brooke will be in NJ June-18th thru 21st.
Becca will be in NJ August -14th – 21st

My sponsor called me up
“Where the fuck have you been asshole?”
“I love you too”
“No really, this ain’t no fucking game!”
“I never said it was…I just…I’ve been busy.”
“BULLSHIT”
*click*

Gil Mercado, 25, Paterson New Jersey comes home

The war rages on and do we really notice? Unless we have somebody over there, what does it matter? Did we win or did we lose? President Obama cleared away an old Bush law saying photos of coffins from the war were banned. So welcome home Gil Mercado! Paterson is probably one of the toughest places to live in New Jersey. It is a war zone of drugs, guns, corruption slums and sleaze. Gil was probably thinking, “Hey, what do I have to lose. I’ll join the Marines to get the hell out of this God-forsaken hell hole of a New Jersey city life. 25 is too young, my God to die for any cause.

If I lived in my car, I would be home by now.

NORTH JERSEY: My new existence? It’s pretty new to me anyway. I was born and raised in central NJ, married and had kids in south NJ (Da Shore) and somehow came back to central NJ then migrated to north NJ. New Jersey has always been broken up into three parts. They are all extremely different from each other. My experience in north NJ has been so far incredible. It is truly the melting pot OF THE WORLD Never have I seen so many different ethnic communities blended together so finely. Northern New Jersey was the site of some of the earliest European settlements in what would become the United States of America. The Industrial Revolution in America started by the founding of the northern New Jersey town of Paterson. PATERSON NJ is an amazing city. Driving through main street on any Saturday afternoon is an open-air market experience that rivals only Disney World on it’s best day. If you speak about Paterson NJ to most people they cringe at the homicide and car theft rate and will tell you that they wouldn’t be caught DEAD there! This past week marked the EIGHT YEAR anniversary of moms death. May 1st. Her mothers name was May. Has it really been that long already? Beverly will be gone TEN YEARS this August. Brenda two years. Is it official yet? Do you think that Becca has any memories of her mother at all? To me that is a tragedy that I can never comprehend. But at least she had some time with her and Brenda had known her for a short while anyway. It was only 100 years ago that it was a crap shot that the mother, child or both survived the birth process. Giving birth was just a risky medical procedure and it truly was a miracle if everything went smooth. Not everyone may know it but mom had a miscarriage in between Beverly and me.

Annual death rate per 1000 total births from maternal mortality in America (1850-1970)

In New York City there is a bar with sawdust on the floor and everything is large and made of oak.

(212) 473-9148 - 15 E 7th St, New York, NY

They serve salami sliced on a cutting board, mustard, ham sandwiches and beer. Nothing else. It is a famous bar with tons of history and bursting at the seams with character. I never cried at moms funeral. I don’t know why. I really thought I should have been balling my eyes out but I didn’t. This isn’t hard for me to say and the past is the past. Besides trying to get me back into an even keel of fellowship and meetings, my sponsor told me to get my head out of the past. (or maybe he said to get my head out of my ass, I’m not sure).

DEATH is a very hard thing to figure out. Throughout the world, death and the rituals that surround it are steeped in taboos. Death is celebrated, embraced and feared. It is the only thing that scientist here on earth or any other planet will ever NEVER totally figure out. It is that great mystery that creates such grief and or wonder. What is our connection with the other side? The third dimension of puffy white clouds, serenity and potatoe chips on the couch. Nobody could imagine heaven or hell, although allot of people claim that we are living hell here on earth. What could possibly suck the life out of something so young, so small, so cute? All the tears and grief for this little doggy and I have filled seven suitcases with guilt that I never cried at my mothers funeral (or my dads) yet, when I experienced the loss of a friend that I had known for a short time, I cried for months……and the loss wasn’t even death!!! It was just a goodbye. So what does this say about me as a human? Do I remember Mom? Of course I do. I was just thinking the other day, how she loved to cook Lima beans as a vegetable. They were almost like eating wax. So I mixed them all up in my mashed potatoes and smooshed them and guzzled them down with my grape Hawaiian Punch and yet today I miss them. Nobody cooks lima beans anymore. No restaurants. No place. No where. No body. They shouldn’t even grow them anymore. I miss lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus) but I don’t miss mom.

Everybody is always “going”:
Where are you “going”? How is it “going?” I’m “going…” Let’s get “going”
In the news: The sole survivor of a plane crash is a 9 year old Dutch boy. 103 people died including his mother, father and older brother. Thankfully, he doesn’t remember the crash. He hasn’t been told yet that he lost his family. He only said this:
“I don’t know how I got here. I just want to get going…”

There was an episode of the Little Rascals when the gang built a “fire engine” out of wood and raced it down a very steep street. Stymie was driving the back and Spanky was driving the front. The fire engine was so long that as they were going down the steep hill, the “fire engine” bent in half. Eventually the back of the “fire engine” caught up with the front of the engine. At this point Spanky the front driver yelled over to Stymie the back driver:
“Hey Stymie, where ya going????”
and Stymie replied,
“I don’t know, but I’m on MY WAY !”
That pretty much sums up life for me.

WHERE DO DOGS GO when they die? Damn it, I wish I knew! Actually, where does everything, everybody, every animal goes when they die?? It is that they just GO, that HURTS u so much. It is so final….so “never again” that the tragedy of it sometimes takes months or even NEVER to heal.

I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, you found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
“It’s me, I haven’t left you, I’m well, I’m fine, I’m here.”
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the milk
You were thinking of the many times your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at my grave today, you tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I’m not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said, “It’s me.”
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair
I tried so hard to let you know that I was standing there.
“”It’s possible for me to be so near you every day
To say to you with certainty, “I never went away.”"
You sat there very quietly, then smiled; I think you knew…
In the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over… I smile and watch you yawning
And say “good-night, God bless, I’ll see you in the morning.”
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I’ll rush across to greet you and we’ll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out… then come home to be with me.
~Author Unknown~

Goodnight. Sleep tight.

“Parting is all we know of heaven, and all we need of hell”?

James Fredrick Gill answers “The Twenty Questions”

George C. Hartman — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:11:19 +0000

Jim has always been very athletic and competitive.

Remember the 20 questions? They were devised by Ann Hartman 4 years ago and everyone answered them except Gregory. Well here is Big Jims go at it:
What is your memory of Mom/ Aunt Joan?
Sitting at the table on Whitman Street smoking a cigarette!

2. What are three words that other people use to describe you?
Big, happy, intelligent

3. Who was better Elvis or the Beetles?
Elvis…Beetles…Elvis…Beetles…
It should have been between The Rolling Stones or The Who!

4. What is your favorite song and why?
Anything Van Halen (with David Lee Roth) or off Boston’s first album; vintage ELO as well.
I know that doesn’t answer your question…I guess Desperado by The Eagles…but I really don’t have a favorite song.

5. What is your favorite movie? Can list up to three titles.
Shawshank Redemption and Godfather 1

6. What are you afraid of?
Heights.

7. Do you have any pets?
Cats and a dog

8. Do you wear glasses dentures or a hearing aide?
Glasses only if I want to see the TV, where I am driving at night or anything from a distance!

9.What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever occurred to you?
Pulling the wrong way in junior high; the play went left and I went right…the only one ON FILM that went right!

10. What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you?
They would have to do with flatulence!

11.What color is your bedroom?
Lavender but it’s Tammy’s bedroom, not mine!

12. Which room do you eat dinner in?
Living room.

13. What is your favorite meal?
A hardy Breakfast.

14. What do you do for a living?
Recruit professionals for manufacturing, engineering, accounting and human resource positions.

15. What do you wish you did for a living?
Early in life? To play quarterback or catcher for a professional team.
Now that I have grown up? A teacher and coach for a middle school.

16. What is your favorite subject in school? Do you still like it?
Math first; English second.
Love them both today!

17. Do you know how to drive a stick-shift automobile?
Yes!

18. What is your favorite candy bar?
Snickers!

19. Do you bite your nails?
Used to; don’t now!

21. What is your favorite cereal?
Captain Crunch Reese’s flavored.

22. What is your favorite cereal as a kid?
Don’t know that I had one…Frosted Flakes?

23. What is your nickname?
Now? Don’t really have one…see below.

24. What was your childhood nickname?
Bluegill!

25.What is something we didn’t ask but would like others to know?
In 1978 I spent 33 days in Europe as a People-to-People Student Ambassador.
We visited communist Russia, Belgium, Germany, France, England, Holland, Denmark, and Sweden – great time!

26. Which sibling would you like to get to know better?
I would have liked to have known all of you better.
I know my sisters very well.

27. What shoe size do you wear?
11 ½ – 12

28. How was growing up in a large family better than a smaller family?
When we visited? I always had a ‘brother’ to play football with!

29. What is your proudest accomplishment?
Running a ½ marathon; raising 2 kids, making it on my own; surviving whatever life has thrown at me!

30. What would you like to change about yourself? Why?
Nothing now.
Growing up…I would have liked to have been 4-6 inches taller and more dedicated as an athlete.

31. What is your favorite childhood memory?
Traveling to Grandma’s house (my Mom’s Mom) for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

32. If money were no object where would you like to go?
Travel everywhere. Visit all stadiums throughout the U.S.

33. What is your favorite book?
Anything by James Patterson.

34. How did you meet your spouse/companion/best friend?
On E-Harmony!

35. What is the one thing you would like to do in your life before you die?
Retire and do whatever the hell I want, whenever the hell I want to and not have any worries!

36. End this with a quote:
Be happy and don’t take life too seriously.

Peanut butter and jelly on toast

George C. Hartman — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:21:13 +0000

James Gill and girlfriend Tammy are coming to New Jersey

As I look forward to our meeting once again, I have thought about all that has gone on with everyone since 1970ish.

My memories of ‘The Mighty Ten’ and during our visits, The Mighty Thirteen, are nothing but good memories.
The pool (that 20 minute rule after eating has turned out to be BS by the way), the football, the wonderful bagels after church (where did we get those?), the peanut butter and jelly toast that Dad so patiently made for everyone on Sunday after church, ‘Hands Across The Water’, Jolly Ranchers from some store
in Carteret, the drive of ‘never-ending excitement’ from Ohio to New Jersey, the Pennsylvania tunnels, Legos (have you seen Legos recently – a little more than what they used to be, eh?), Johnny Cash, Jimmy McSherry, Kenny Gidder, the house that must have been huge but seemed so much a ‘home’ with everyone there – there always seemed to be enough room even with 13 of us…everything so fresh in my mind and so positive.

From that last visit to my upcoming visit, so much has changed. From alcohol to sobriety, freedom to jail, life to death, happiness to sadness, love to hate…so much changed except for one thing; my memories of our visits to see my 10 cousins.

Maybe it is a good thing that I lost touch? I don’t know George but I do know I’m looking forward to a new good memory.

See you soon and feel free to post this on The Mighty Ten site.
(I will certainly get Tammy back for the ‘GhostBuster’ picture…or is that the Big Black Penis picture?)

Remember to stay happy and positive and not to take life too seriously.

Soon,

James F. Gill
Recruiter
Superior Search Group
www.superiorsearchgroup.com

Mother and son.

George C. Hartman — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Around April I made it a mission to find Grandma Gill and Brothers grave. Earlier last year, Barb and I had unsuccessfully attempted to locate it and the office was closed on the weekend we were there. When I came back I tried on my own to find it and finally gave up and went in the office. They gave me an almost exact location and I STILL couldn’t find it.
I was looking for the two trees. The landmarks of the grave for the past 50 years. Planted by Grandpa Gill after his wife May was buried.
I finally found to stone but to my dismay, the TREEs were GONE! I couldn’t believe it! I was very upset. How do you just “take down trees”? Without asking or for that matter HOW DO YOU JUST KILL TREEs. Trees with much sentimental value.
Not only were they missing but the holes in the ground were never properly taken care of. Not filled in enough or at all! As a result of this inconsiderate action, the stone has begun to shift.
I went back into the office and complained.
They told me that they NEVER take down trees unless they are dead or “unrecoverable”
I believed them.
From what I did understand (please correct me if I am wrong) is that Grandpa Gill planted Japanese Maples
I remember it had red leafs. Very beautiful. Very very slow growing. Hardly a tree to survive for a long time in this area.

My idea is to replant trees here. Hopefully the same kind. I would like to do it if any or all of the Gill family happens to stumble into New Jersey sometime.
To the Grandmother I never met: I heard you were a very good woman. It is too bad you lived such a short life. I don’t know why your husband and father of three children didn’t want to rest next to you. He was a strange bitter man sometimes but a good generous man.
Grandma May, you would have loved your many many grandchildren. We would have loved you and your wonderful smile.

Photos That Make You Think August 2009

George C. Hartman — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:16:17 +0000

Multiple heads and thoughts from this months Photos That Make You Think

To the best of my knowledge from what my mother told me: There was a neighbor that was an amateur photographer that came around and took photos of the Gill children. For the years that some of these were taken (the mid 1940′s) he is using some very high end equipment of the time. I found an envelope of negatives and from my best guess, he used a Browning Camera.
This photo of Fred Gill (Brother) is a pure classic. The photographer captured a moment in time that could thrill even non family members.
Just look at Brothers eyes! Doesn’t take much to thrill children this age. Innocence reigns!
My mother told me that Brother had this doll for many years. Took it with him wherever he went and as you can see by the look in his eyes, he absolutely adored this thing. As beat up and dirty as it got, he loved it even more, his sister Joan said.
Photography really took off in the 1940′s and was a huge but expensive hobby for many people. Family Ties will be revealing much more of these Austin Street gems in the future. Some of them need some work. This Photo Album was rescued from the heat and humidity of Florida just in time.
This photo had a pencil scribble in Brothers hair that I painstakingly removed. But when I thought about it, the pencil scribbles are acually part of the history and heritage of this awesome photo.
So here is the original, making us all wonder, WHO might have been the artist from such a long time ago.

About Aunt Pats glasses: What can I say? It was the EARLY 1960′s. Batman was a popular show on TV Saturday nights. Catwoman was his hot villian. Was Aunt Pat inspired by Catwoman? Who knows? Actually, who cares???

BONNIE and PAUL are having a Boy

George C. Hartman — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:40:48 +0000

For Paul is a veteran of this whole “baby” thing and having boys is nothing new for him, it’s just another day at the races for him. This will be number 12 of “Our Children” unless of corse there are some court ordered DNA tests that number could easily double.
Bonnie we are there for you. What are your special cravings? How will this new baby be named? If anybody has any suggestions, post them here.
My name suggestion is: Wolfgang Paul Axelson.

COMING IN AUGUST FAMILY TIES
The complete reunion photos from Bernadette, Bonnie, Jim, Mindy and Krystal
PHOTOS from Becca, Brooke and Bernadettes NEW JERSEY TRIP
UPDATED PAGES: Brooke. The Twins.
NEW PAGES: Working on a Dedication to our sisters Beverly and Brenda.
Working on a new PLACES and EVENTS page. (these may take sometime)
MORE ART coming soon.

Please, please please, as usual always feel free to write me and give me a BLOG POST with or without photos. I will post it ASAP. ANY suggestions, requests, ideas, artwork is always welcome.
I would really love to do more with Jim, Deb and Mindy and their children, have them answer the 20 questions. Create pages for them. We are and always have been ONE family.
peace George

Hands across the water….(water)

George C. Hartman — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:22:55 +0000

In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future. -Alex Haley

I believe more than anything that the closeness of our mother Joan to her only Brother, Fred was the amazing gift that they had left us. It wasn’t just a weekend get-together, or a quick holiday but when the Gills came over it was for THE SUMMER. It is those long hot innocent Summers of childhood. It is the memories of ALL the senses (like I spoke about in my last post 1969) that come back. The overly chlorinated pool, Uncle Brothers overly buttered and salted popcorn. Listening to Paul McCartneys “Hands Across the Water” and all of us singing in union.
I have recollections of many people I have met, friends, coworkers, casual conversation…and they have shared with me; “Oh I don’t talk to my sister anymore.” or “I have no need to to see my family.” or “Screw my dad, he’s a jerk.” One day you will wake up and realize how short this journey of life is.
Maybe I am over emotional and way too deep (as I have been told) but when I was on the phone with my cousin Jim last week, I cannot express the feelings that came over me to hear his voice again. To hear him as a father and a husband AND a Grandfather! He wasn’t just my cousin quarterbacking our touch football team down for a score on Whitman street.
And when we finally had to hang up, I told him something I never told him before. “I love you” and it came from the depths of my heart and soul.

The first of many; Gill-a-mania

George C. Hartman — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:51:35 +0000

Our cousin has outdone us again, he is a Grandfather; Kaylynn Marie Hilton

[caption id="attachment_456" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Trish, Jims daughter !"][/caption]

This kid is HUGE; Jim Gills son; Jeffrey

Bernadette and Bonnie traveled to Cleveland today to meet up with our cousins. I started getting photos over my phone at noon. The first one was Cleveland Stadium where Jim just HAD to mention, it was where the Browns beat the Giants recently.