Randolph Mase&#8217;s Weblog

My Novels:

Death on Broadway

Death Beneath the Streets

Death in Central Park

Death at The Cloisters

Death Inside Diamond Head

Death Under Jones Beach (now available!)

Nathan Hale

It’s Memorial Day – A Time to Remember Those Who Sacrificed

May 29, 2023

Many of us think of Memorial Day as another Monday holiday, another day off from work, and baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie. But the real purpose, as the name implies, is in memory of our men and women who died while in the military service.

This day originated in the late 1860s to honor those who lost their lives in the Civil War. Americans in many towns began decorating the graves of the deceased with flowers, so the day was originally called Decoration Day. It became the federal holiday of Memorial Day and was expanded to honor all people who lost their lives while serving in the US military. One tradition of which you may not be aware is a moment of remembrance at 3:00 pm local time. Please take advantage of that opportunity today. Pictured above is Michael John Callahan, a neighbor and close friend when we were in junior high school. At age 18, Mike was killed in Vietnam, fighting for our country. RIP Mike.

Randolph Mase, Fiction Writer

My Novels:

Death on Broadway

Death Beneath the Streets

Death in Central Park

Death at The Cloisters

Death Inside Diamond Head

Death Under Jones Beach (now available!)

Nathan Hale

Posted in Observations on the Strange and Unexpected and on Life Itself | Leave a Comment »

What It Means to Be a New Yorker

May 22, 2023

A while back I got an e-mail about New Yorkers, and one of the things in it was a list of the things you understand if you’re a New Yorker:

There is no ‘north’ and ‘south’. It’s ‘uptown’ or ‘downtown’. If you’re really from New York, you have absolutely no concept of where ‘north’ and ‘south’ are…and ‘east’ or ‘west’ is ‘crosstown.’
You know how to make an egg cream.
You ride in a subway car with no air conditioning just because there are seats available.
You take the train home and you know exactly where on the platform the doors will open that will leave you right in front of the exit stairway.
You know what a ‘regular’ coffee is.
It’s not Manhattan…it’s the ‘City.’
You cross the street anywhere but on the corners and you yell at cars for not respecting your right to do it.
You move 3,000 miles away, spend 10 years learning the local language and people still know you’re from Brooklyn, Long Island, or the Bronx, the minute you open your mouth.
You return after 10 years and the first foods you want are a ‘real’ pizza from Deninos of Joe & Pats and a ‘real’ bagel.
A 500 square foot apartment is large.
You are not under the mistaken impression that any human being would be able to actually understand a P.A. announcement on the subway.
You wouldn’t bother ordering pizza in any other city.
You get ready to order dinner every night and must choose from the major food groups which are Chinese, Italian, Mexican, and Indian.
You’re not the least bit interested in going to Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
Your internal clock is permanently set to know when alternate side of the street parking regulations are in effect.
You know what a bodega is.
Someone bumps into you and you check for your wallet.
You don’t even notice the lady walking down the road having a perfectly normal conversation with herself.
You pay ‘only’ $230 a month to park your car.
You cringe at hearing people pronounce Houston St. like the city in Texas.
The Presidential visit is a major traffic jam, not an honor.
You can nap on the subway and never miss your stop.
The deli guy gives you a straw with any beverage you buy, even if it’s a beer.
That’s New York, Baby! Ya gotta love it!!!!!!!!

That pretty much sums it up…

Randolph Mase, Fiction Writer

My Novels:

Death on Broadway

Death Beneath the Streets

Death in Central Park

Death at The Cloisters

Death Inside Diamond Head

Death Under Jones Beach (now available!)

Nathan Hale

Happy Mother’s Day!

May 14, 2023

Each year, we celebrate Mother’s Day here in the United States (and Canada as well) on the second Sunday in May. But do you know the history of this holiday? Actually, it depends on the country. For example, the United Kingdom’s version called Mothering Sunday actually started in the 16^th century, and occurs on the fourth Sunday in Lent. In South Korea, they celebrate Parents’ Day each year on May 8 (did you also know that we also have a Parents’ Day here in the US, signed into law in 1994 by President Clinton and observed on the fourth Sunday of July?). The Mother’s Day as we celebrate it in the US today was officially recognized in 1914 after years of effort by activist Anna Jarvis. And it’s observed by about 70 countries around the world. Although it is highly commercialized today (lots and lots of cards and flowers and meals), the original intent was to honor our mothers, living or not. This photo is my maternal grandmother, taken when she was about 18. To all mothers out there, I hope your special day is indeed special.

Randolph Mase, Fiction Writer

My Novels:

Death on Broadway

Death Beneath the Streets

Death in Central Park

Death at The Cloisters

Death Inside Diamond Head

Death Under Jones Beach (now available!)

Nathan Hale

Posted in Observations on the Strange and Unexpected and on Life Itself | Leave a Comment »

Enjoy Cinco de Mayo!

May 5, 2023

I think we’ve all heard of Cinco de Mayo, and probably associate it with Margaritas and dinner specials at Don Pablo, and that it means “5^th of May.” But you may not know the origin of the holiday (which, by the way, is apparently a minor holiday in Mexico, but celebrated widely in the U.S.), so I did some research.

The day actually commemorates the Mexican Army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. France had sent troops to Mexico over a defaulted loan, and the two armies clashed at Puebla, with the French finally retreating after the day-long battle. Although it was more of a symbolic than strategic victory for Mexico, it did bolster the resistance, resulting in France’s departure 6 years later.

Enjoy this day any way you can!

Randolph Mase, Fiction Writer

My Novels:

Death on Broadway

Death Beneath the Streets

Death in Central Park

Death at The Cloisters

Death Inside Diamond Head

Death Under Jones Beach (now available!)

Nathan Hale

Posted in Observations on the Strange and Unexpected and on Life Itself | Leave a Comment »

Celebrating May Day

May 1, 2023

When I was growing up, I never thought there was anything special about May 1, other than we had less than 2 months until summer vacation. But in many cultures, particularly those in the Northern Hemisphere, do in fact celebrate it, and the day is a declared holiday in many of those cultures. Many pre-Christian cultures regarded February 1 as the beginning of Spring, and May 1 then became the beginning of Summer, with cause to celebrate. In other cultures, it was regarded as the end of the unfarmable winter season, another cause for celebration.

What it seems to have become now is a celebration of culture. Here in the United States, it’s known as Lei Day in Hawaii, where it is now a celebration of the island culture and Spring.

Whether it’s a holiday or not where you are, enjoy Spring!

Randolph Mase, Fiction Writer

My Novels:

Death on Broadway

Death Beneath the Streets

Death in Central Park

Death at The Cloisters

Death Inside Diamond Head

Death Under Jones Beach (now available!)

Nathan Hale

Posted in Observations on the Strange and Unexpected and on Life Itself | Leave a Comment »

Questions to How Well Do You Know the Statue of Liberty?

April 24, 2023

Here are the questions to the Jeopardy! answers in the category “The Statue of Liberty” I posted last week:

The color of the statue comes from oxidation of this metal; the museum has a model of the foot, in its original color. – What is copper?
Broken chains lie at the statue’s feet; an early plan had her hold broken shackles in her left hand as an homage to this practice’s end. – What is slavery?
In 1916 operatives of this nation exploded the Black Tom munitions depot; the nearby statue was hit & public torch access ended. – What is Germany?
The statue’s internal flexible skeletal system was designed by this Frenchman, known for his iron work. – Who is Gustave Eiffel?
At the 1886 dedication, this president spoke of the statue “keeping watch & ward before the open gates of America.” – Who is Cleveland?

I got four of them correct; how did you do?

Randolph Mase, Fiction Writer

My Novels:

Death on Broadway

Death Beneath the Streets

Death in Central Park

Death at The Cloisters

Death Inside Diamond Head

Death Under Jones Beach (now available!)

Nathan Hale

How Well Do You Know the Statue of Liberty?

April 17, 2023

One of the categories on a recent Jeopardy! episode was “The Statue of Liberty.” Here are the answers; just come up with the correct question for each. I’ll give those questions in a future post:

The color of the statue comes from oxidation of this metal; the museum has a model of the foot, in its original color.
Broken chains lie at the statue’s feet; an early plan had her hold broken shackles in her left hand as an homage to this practice’s end.
In 1916 operatives of this nation exploded the Black Tom munitions depot; the nearby statue was hit & public torch access ended.
The statue’s internal flexible skeletal system was designed by this Frenchman, known for his iron work.
At the 1886 dedication, this president spoke of the statue “keeping watch & ward before the open gates of America.”

Randolph Mase, Fiction Writer

My Novels:

Death on Broadway

Death Beneath the Streets

Death in Central Park

Death at The Cloisters

Death Inside Diamond Head

Death Under Jones Beach (now available!)

Nathan Hale

Today is Easter, a Christian Holy Day

April 9, 2023

I wrote this post last Easter about my ancestors who were religious leaders. This Christian Holy Day is an appropriate day to repost it.

Reverend John Rogers 1506-1555 (shown above), 10th Great grandfather, charged with heresy by the Church of England for his Separatist beliefs and was burned at the stake during the reign of Queen Mary I (known as Bloody Mary)
Reverend John Lathrop 1584-1653 (shown above), 9th Great grandfather, also charged with heresy by the Church of England for his Separatist beliefs and exiled from England. He escaped with his family on a ship bound for America minutes before the Archbishop of Canterbury’s men arrived at his house to arrest him.
Deacon Richard Platt 1603-1684, 8th Great grandfather
Deacon Stephen Hart 1605-1683, 9th Great grandfather, arrived in Boston in 1632 then moved west and bought land at a low point of the Connecticut River which enabled crossing. The area was known as Hart’s Ford, later becoming Hartford.
Reverend Obadiah Holmes 1607-1682, 8th Great grandfather
Reverend Abraham Pierson 1609-1678, 9th Great grandfather, arrived in Boston in 1640 and later led his congregation to New Jersey, founding Newark in 1666.
Deacon Pierre Montfort 1616-1661, 8th Great grandfather
Deacon Willem van Couwenhoven 1636-1728, 7th Great Grandfather
Reverend Richard Henderson 1689-1769, 6th Great Grandfather

While I haven’t discovered any additional religious leaders in my family tree, I have found many more details about the men listed here. I’ve started my next writing project, a short book about my religious and military ancestors, calling it Bibles and Bullets. Thanks for your feedback and comments on my original idea!

Randolph Mase, Fiction Writer

My Novels:

Death on Broadway

Death Beneath the Streets

Death in Central Park

Death at The Cloisters

Death Inside Diamond Head

Death Under Jones Beach (now available!)

Nathan Hale

Posted in Observations on the Strange and Unexpected and on Life Itself | Leave a Comment »

It’s April Fool’s Day

April 1, 2023

Ah, April Fool’s Day, a day for pranks. I’ve been both a prankster and a victim over the years. And I’ve often wondered about the origin of this special day, so I did some research.

There are many opinions about its origins. One is that it began in 1582 France when the change was made from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar; those who were slow to adapt were called April Fools and were the subjects of jokes and pranks. Another places it in ancient Rome, where people dressed in disguises and mocked fellow citizens. Yet another ties it with the Vernal Equinox (first day of Spring) in the northern hemisphere, when Mother Nature fools us with unpredictable, changing weather. Personally, I subscribe to this last theory. Why? Four days ago it was 28 degrees with snow squalls here and yesterday it was 72. Whichever origin you prefer to believe, go ahead and play your (harmless) pranks, and maybe leave a comment about the funniest April Fool’s prank you’ve seen!

Randolph Mase, Fiction Writer