Tank birthday and I'm a Geezer

[Paul B]

I finally got my replacement copperband. I had to bring my wife for a procedure and she isn't taking it to well so I had to run in and run out of the LFS. He had 2 copperbands but one was a little larger than a quarter and one was about 2 1/2"

I was going to take both of them, but I opted for only the larger one because sometimes they don't get along and tear each other up.

I acclimated him for about 5 minutes and he is in my tank seeming fine.
I didn't even have time to look at him so I just told the guy to bag him.

They came in last night so I knew he wouldn't eat anyway but if I had time, I would have looked at him better.
He didn't have any other fish I wanted and I had to get my wife right home anyway.

I will take a picture when I get time.

 

[Paul B]

I went out just now on a foray for fish food. I was looking for LRS food in case they quarantine fish stores.

The first one I went to closest to my home, about 15 miles away is a huge place but not any good for fish. They had a figure 8 puffer, a scat, an anemic looking shrimp and a few algae and ich filled tanks and no food that I wanted.

So I went another 10 miles to a place with a leaky roof so I had to stand in the rain while I looked through the tanks. One advantage was they didn't have to top off their tanks as water was coming down everyplace.

I did manage to get some LRS food and this guy who I just felt sorry for.

 

[Paul B]

I am very happy with my tank now. I have quite a lot of the fish I prefer to keep which are all smaller, odder and a little more difficult to get like the Janss Pipefish.
I am going to try to list the fish but I am not near the tank.

Copperband
Hippo Tang
2 Rainsford Gobies
2 Possum Wrasses
2 Sunburst Anthius
2 Fireclowns
Perchlet
Fang Tooth Blenny
2 stripped cardinals
Black cardinal?
Janss Pipefish
Bluestripe Pipefish
Mandarin
Scooter Dragonette
Purple Psudo
2- 6 line wrasses
Yellow wrasse
some kind of stripped wrasse
2 Gecko Gobies

Red something and 5 or 6 other fish that I can't remember.

 

[Paul B]

I just stirred up my tank using my very old diatom filter.

paul baldassano - Yahoo Video Search Results

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And while I was doing that I decided to scrape the back glass to see if I could find some creatures that I haven't seen in a while.

I found my pistol shrimp which I have not seen in many months, maybe a year. I also found my two Gecko Gobies which I never see and didn't know both of them were alive.

I accidentally buried the pistol shrimp but I am sure he can dig himself out. I hope so anyway.

Today, my good friend who was in Viet Nam the year before me sent me this video of the unit we were both in. It's the "First Air Cavalry."
This is what we did every day but if you don't like war stuff, don't watch it or it will bore you to death and it has nothing to do with fish.
Maybe they will delete it, I don't know but it is not gory or anything.

 

[Paulie 069]

I just stirred up my tank using my very old diatom filter.

paul baldassano - Yahoo Video Search Results

The search engine that helps you find exactly what you're looking for. Find the most relevant information, video, images, and answers from all across the Web.

video.search.yahoo.com

And while I was doing that I decided to scrape the back glass to see if I could find some creatures that I haven't seen in a while.

I found my pistol shrimp which I have not seen in many months, maybe a year. I also found my two Gecko Gobies which I never see and didn't know both of them were alive.

I accidentally buried the pistol shrimp but I am sure he can dig himself out. I hope so anyway.

Today, my good friend who was in Viet Nam the year before me sent me this video of the unit we were both in. It's the "First Air Cavalry."
This is what we did every day but if you don't like war stuff, don't watch it or it will bore you to death and it has nothing to do with fish.
Maybe they will delete it, I don't know but it is not gory or anything.

Wow what a crazy look at what was going on cannot believe you were basically in the middle of all that crap if I haven’t said it before I’ll say it again thank you and to all the other men that were there with you whether they came home or not all great man and heroes in my book

 

[Paul B]

Paulie that was the First Cav which I was in. A lot of people have no idea how that war was fought except from movies which are not really correct.


On another note, Now we live out east on Long Island and it is not very populated out here. No one is worried about Lyme Disease any more from ticks so I am sure the ticks feel bad.

I baked some muffins this morning and put coffee in a thermos and we took it down to the beach to have breakfast. We stayed in the car because it is 32 degrees and very windy. But it was nice to watch the waves crashing on the rocks while we ate.

Then we took a ride out east and discovered some roads that led to the sea and a park we never knew was here.
I also found a lagoon where I may be able to collect amphipods but I am not sure if a road goes there. I can go by boat but my boat is on the other side of the north fork of Long Island and I can't really get there from here but I can put my inflatable boat back there and find the place.

My fish eating some live white worms.

 

[Paulie 069]

Paulie that was the First Cav which I was in. A lot of people have no idea how that war was fought except from movies which are not really correct.


On another note, Now we live out east on Long Island and it is not very populated out here. No one is worried about Lyme Disease any more from ticks so I am sure the ticks feel bad.

I baked some muffins this morning and put coffee in a thermos and we took it down to the beach to have breakfast. We stayed in the car because it is 32 degrees and very windy. But it was nice to watch the waves crashing on the rocks while we ate.

Then we took a ride out east and discovered some roads that led to the sea and a park we never knew was here.
I also found a lagoon where I may be able to collect amphipods but I am not sure if a road goes there. I can go by boat but my boat is on the other side of the north fork of Long Island and I can't really get there from here but I can put my inflatable boat back there and find the place.

My fish eating some live white worms.

Just so FN cool Paul I’m itching to make a huge tank,, like 225gal jammie I have the perfect spot to put it in there is a wall in the formal living room that connects to the garage I could blow a giant hole through the wall into the garage where I could assemble an extremely large stand with the tank all the plumbing everything in the garage and all you see in the living room it’s just the big front of the tank with old looking rope( kind ud see on a old boat) used to frame around it
Ahh dreams. This wall 14ft

 

[Mark_C]

...except from movies which are not really correct.

Paul,
During my USCG aviation career the movie 'The Guardian' came out.
I was stationed at USCG Airsta Cape Cod at the time, where the critical part of the film takes place.
Our control center was a white room with a desk, a whiteboard with flights out listed on it in sloppy ink, and a radio to keep track of aircraft comms.
A large group of us went to see the film.
We met it with reviews such as...
"Where the ^&%^ are they going to boot? We shoulda gone there.'
'How do they get off on the weekends during training?'
'How are they getting custom omelets on chow line?'
And, in seeing the giant Cape Cod satellite monitoring computer control room...
'Where are they hiding that, we should look for it when we get back.'

 

[LMG1974]

I just stirred up my tank using my very old diatom filter.

paul baldassano - Yahoo Video Search Results

The search engine that helps you find exactly what you're looking for. Find the most relevant information, video, images, and answers from all across the Web.

video.search.yahoo.com

And while I was doing that I decided to scrape the back glass to see if I could find some creatures that I haven't seen in a while.

I found my pistol shrimp which I have not seen in many months, maybe a year. I also found my two Gecko Gobies which I never see and didn't know both of them were alive.

I accidentally buried the pistol shrimp but I am sure he can dig himself out. I hope so anyway.

Today, my good friend who was in Viet Nam the year before me sent me this video of the unit we were both in. It's the "First Air Cavalry."
This is what we did every day but if you don't like war stuff, don't watch it or it will bore you to death and it has nothing to do with fish.
Maybe they will delete it, I don't know but it is not gory or anything.

Wow. I just finally got a chance to watch that video. When I was in the Navy in the early ‘90s I got to see a few interesting things because of what I did. But nothing compared to what you had to do. Thank you for all the sacrifices you made and for your service. My wife is still loving when you post your stories, and she’s gone crazy (well crazier than usual) over your lamps. We she’s decorated our living room in a steam punk theme, and we are doing some steam punk book shelves she designed for over the desk. Hopefully I’ll be able to share some pics with you when they are done.

 

[Paul B]

Mark I don't think I ever saw the movie "The Guardian" but I just saw snippets of it along with the scene with the helicopter. I can relate to that because I crashed twice in helicopters but not in a Huey or the Coast Guard helicopter like in the movie.

This one we crashed right after taking off from the top of a mountain Nui Ba Din (spelling?)



And this LOH that my friend Capt taught me how to fly. But I wasn't flying it then and I didn't know how to take off or land.



Neither of those crashes were a big deal or a ball of flames obviousely

 

[Paul B]

I built some cool stuff in Nam but I had little to work with as I never came out of the jungle. On this LZ I built this veranda out of bamboo that I cut down all around us and tied it together with commo wire. I got the tarp from the air force but I don't remember how or if I stole it or traded something although we didn't have anything so I don't know how I would do that. I know I had to go to Saigon to get a tooth pulled so maybe I got it there



The bamboo served as a blast wall for rocket propelled grenades. It would hit that and blow up so it didn't hit your sand bags behind it. Of course it would only work once.

Here I used mortor boxes filed with dirt in front of the sand bags for a blast wall. We were probably here a few weeks because we had a table, something I rarely saw.



Here at 19, I almost had a good a physique as Paulie. Almost, but not quite.
Obviousely we couldn't get hair cuts as there was no electricity or water.



I had friends.


All those pictures were taken on an LZ. Here is Firebase Ilingworth from the air. (A firebase is really the same as an LZ but usually a little bigger)



These are poncho's, we didn't have tents so this was monsoon season.

 

[Paul B]

My wife and I just got back from donating a couple of dozen bagels to the local hospital. We have great bagels here in NY and dozens of varieties.

The hospital put out an E Mail to the local residents that their staff of about 100 are working around the clock and can't go home because they are all quarantined due to taking care of virus cases. We have over 1,000 cases here on eastern Long Island and the staff can't get out to eat.

They are getting black and blue on their faces from constantly wearing the masks. Tonight I think we are going to donate pizza's because I feel for these people and I feel I want to do something.
I am lucky that I don't have to work any more so I don't depend on a pay check, but I know many people are feeling the effects of this.

Maybe the hospitals where you live could use something.

I also made us hand sanitizers as we can't get any. I just cut up a bunch of paper towels and put them in a small Tupperwear container with a cover and poured some rubbing alcohol on it. They stay wet almost forever if you cover it.

I don't have much rubbing alcohol so when I run out, I will use Vodka which I can still buy and just did.

Our Daughter called us to yell for us to stay home so we came home.

 

[Paulie 069]

My wife and I just got back from donating a couple of dozen bagels to the local hospital. We have great bagels here in NY and dozens of varieties.

The hospital put out an E Mail to the local residents that their staff of about 100 are working around the clock and can't go home because they are all quarantined due to taking care of virus cases. We have over 1,000 cases here on eastern Long Island and the staff can't get out to eat.

They are getting black and blue on their faces from constantly wearing the masks. Tonight I think we are going to donate pizza's because I feel for these people and I feel I want to do something.
I am lucky that I don't have to work any more so I don't depend on a pay check, but I know many people are feeling the effects of this.

Maybe the hospitals where you live could use something.

I also made us hand sanitizers as we can't get any. I just cut up a bunch of paper towels and put them in a small Tupperwear container with a cover and poured some rubbing alcohol on it. They stay wet almost forever if you cover it.

I don't have much rubbing alcohol so when I run out, I will use Vodka which I can still buy and just did.

Our Daughter called us to yell for us to stay home so we came home.

That is nice not having to worry about paychecks are used to be like that when I was wrestling and then when I retired from the ring I realized I spent what I made it’s a very large probably mine I have no respect for money is there to spend just go out and make more when you need it was always the way I live my life my wife says what your retirement plan I always tell her ,, Simple Death ,,, that’s how all fisherman retire

 

[Paul B]

Paulie everyone in my family had fish markets, in Sicily they fished. My Dad used to peddle fish across the Brooklyn Bridge with a bushel on his back. When he made enough money he bought a push cart and pushed that across the Bridge twice a day. That was about 1928 or so.
He died suddenly at age 47. I think he worked himself to death.
I worked on my last job as an industrial construction electrician in Manhattan for 40 years. After a certain age, you can't do that any more and I retired 13 years ago.

 

[Paulie 069]

Paulie everyone in my family had fish markets, in Sicily they fished. My Dad used to peddle fish across the Brooklyn Bridge with a bushel on his back. When he made enough money he bought a push cart and pushed that across the Bridge twice a day. That was about 1928 or so.
He died suddenly at age 47. I think he worked himself to death.
I worked on my last job as an industrial construction electrician in Manhattan for 40 years. After a certain age, you can't do that any more and I retired 13 years ago.

I think that’s so cool I have a jeep your history goes back into just Fish in general you’re saying your father sold fish, then when your father did the aquarium thing and you still do it and I don’t know,just amazing buddy

 

[Paul B]

Good Morning. I left my main squeeze sleeping and I went to a supermarket. (She gave me a list)
The Supermarket is open from 6-7:00 am for Geezers and Supermodels only.

Supermodels don't need much food and they can get by just with a few squirts of chicken soup in their face twice a day.

The Market opened at 6:00 sharp. The guy stood there with his hand on the lock as he looked at his watch. He must have been in charge of the Space Shuttle launches as we were all Senior Citizens anyway and weren't going to storm the place and run on top of the guy.

There were only about 8 people shopping anyway but there was also only one person working in the store besides the "technician" that opened the door.

Since the store employees were not working yet it was slim pickins but I got just about everything I wanted.
At the checkout there was this "older" guy in front of me and all I said was Good Morning.

He went on about how much he hates this and his stocks crashed. How he had a job in a sterile, temperature controlled environment in Manhattan in a computer room where there was no viruses and bacteria.
(In other words he spent his life in a cushy job)

He went on about how he watched the Trade Tower Fall, (as did I) But it was all Doom and Gloom.
And he wasn't a Veteran.

I couldn't wait to get away from this guy as I started out in a very good, happy mood but this guy was making me itchy even though he had gloves and a mask.

But everyone else was very nice and I only like happy, nice people. (Like the people here) ;Happy I even made the check out girl laugh under her mask.

I couldn't wait to get out of there

 

[Paul B]

You know ... time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware
of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just
married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it
seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that
I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my
hopes and dreams. My first girlfriend, my first real job, first car, first fish tank. I lived a good life, worked hard loved hard and traveled a lot.
But, here it is... the back nine of my life and it catches me by
surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where
did my youth go? With my hair I guess.

I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that
those older people were years away from me and that I was only on the
first hole and the back nine was so far off that I could not fathom it
or imagine fully what it would be like. Most people were older than me, certainly important people like Presidents and doctors. Now they all seem like kids to me.

But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray...they move
slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse
shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I
remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is
beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see
and never thought we'd become. We used to talk about skiing, SCUBA diving, going down the rapids, girls, the war we fought in and now much of our conversations are about operations we had or are going to have, Grand Kids, IRAs, reverse mortgages and Old Tank Syndrome.

And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all
the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do
things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that
though I'm on the back nine, and I'm not sure how long it will
last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...it's over. A new
adventure will begin! Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I
hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many
things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime. I still feel strong, but when I try to lift something that used to be easy, it is not so easy any more. I am a person that almost never asked for help with anything but now some things are just a little to heavy. I used to have no problem installing the outdrives on my boat, now I can barely wrestle them into my car. I think I am in good shape and I still swim every other day but aches and pains pop up every day and you wonder what you did to get them.

So, if you're not on the back nine yet...let me remind you, that it will
be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish
in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life
goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure
whether you're on the back nine or not! I lost many good friends in my life, some of them very young and some recently. Many who were very young in the war. As I get older and the people I know and love age with me I find myself going to a lot more funeral's than I used to. Almost all of the people who attended my wedding who were family instead of friends are gone.
My parents and all my Aunts and uncles I used to visit as a child are all just memories.

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so,
live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to
remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things
that you have done for them in all the years past!!


"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to
those who come after. Make it a fantastic one. LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY
TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY ! HAVE A GREAT DAY Remember "It is
health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. LIVE HAPPY
IN 2020!


LASTLY, CONSIDER THIS:
~Your kids are becoming you......but your grandchildren are perfect!
~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!
~You forget names.... But it's OK because some people forgot they even
knew you!!!
~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything that you were not good at before.
~The things you used to care to do, you aren't as interested in anymore,
but you really do care that you aren't as interested.
~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV 'ON' than in bed. It's
called "pre-sleep".
~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF"
switch..
~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"... ???
~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!

~Everybody whispers.
~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will
never wear.

~~~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of
all, OLD FRIENDS!!


Stay well, old friend, and let
them laugh in AGREEMENT!!! It's Not What You Gather, But What You
Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.


TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE,
SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

 

[diana a]

Such true words! Love ya personality Paul

 

[Paulie 069]

You know ... time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware
of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just
married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it
seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that
I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my
hopes and dreams. My first girlfriend, my first real job, first car, first fish tank. I lived a good life, worked hard loved hard and traveled a lot.
But, here it is... the back nine of my life and it catches me by
surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where
did my youth go? With my hair I guess.

I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that
those older people were years away from me and that I was only on the
first hole and the back nine was so far off that I could not fathom it
or imagine fully what it would be like. Most people were older than me, certainly important people like Presidents and doctors. Now they all seem like kids to me.

But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray...they move
slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse
shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I
remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is
beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see
and never thought we'd become. We used to talk about skiing, SCUBA diving, going down the rapids, girls, the war we fought in and now much of our conversations are about operations we had or are going to have, Grand Kids, IRAs, reverse mortgages and Old Tank Syndrome.

And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all
the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do
things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that
though I'm on the back nine, and I'm not sure how long it will
last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...it's over. A new
adventure will begin! Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I
hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many
things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime. I still feel strong, but when I try to lift something that used to be easy, it is not so easy any more. I am a person that almost never asked for help with anything but now some things are just a little to heavy. I used to have no problem installing the outdrives on my boat, now I can barely wrestle them into my car. I think I am in good shape and I still swim every other day but aches and pains pop up every day and you wonder what you did to get them.

So, if you're not on the back nine yet...let me remind you, that it will
be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish
in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life
goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure
whether you're on the back nine or not! I lost many good friends in my life, some of them very young and some recently. Many who were very young in the war. As I get older and the people I know and love age with me I find myself going to a lot more funeral's than I used to. Almost all of the people who attended my wedding who were family instead of friends are gone.
My parents and all my Aunts and uncles I used to visit as a child are all just memories.

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so,
live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to
remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things
that you have done for them in all the years past!!


"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to
those who come after. Make it a fantastic one. LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY
TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY ! HAVE A GREAT DAY Remember "It is
health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. LIVE HAPPY
IN 2020!


LASTLY, CONSIDER THIS:
~Your kids are becoming you......but your grandchildren are perfect!
~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!
~You forget names.... But it's OK because some people forgot they even
knew you!!!
~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything that you were not good at before.
~The things you used to care to do, you aren't as interested in anymore,
but you really do care that you aren't as interested.
~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV 'ON' than in bed. It's
called "pre-sleep".
~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF"
switch..
~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"... ???
~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!

~Everybody whispers.
~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will
never wear.

~~~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of
all, OLD FRIENDS!!


Stay well, old friend, and let
them laugh in AGREEMENT!!! It's Not What You Gather, But What You
Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.


TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE,
SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

That was uplifting and inspirational post Paul. Lots of wisdom and reminder to live love laugh and hump,, may I be so wise when I’m old like you. Lol

 

[Paul B]

Paulie, you are wise enough. I didn't write that entire thing myself. I found it and embelished it but I do like it and believe it.