Modern Post

FIRST PERSON I THINK OF WHEN I THINK “SUCCESSFUL”

When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?

My daughter Susan. She started working as a telemarketer, then got her first real job as the Administrator of Operations of a small, private airline company. After six years of working there, she worked on her resume, accentuating her skills with computers, knowledge of all Microsoft Programs, typing 55 wpm, excellent communication skills in person, texting, email, and telephone. Today she is a senior administrator of a ten story building next to the local metropolitan airport, working for the city she lives in.

GOOD NEIGHBOR

What makes a good neighbor?

A good neighbor is one who gets to know you better and ask if you need anything, just ask and they will gladly help. If you or they receive misdirected mail, you or they will come over to hand the mail to you directly, if possible. Otherwise you can leave the misdirected mail in their mailbox.

You can invite them over for lunch or dinner, and they can do same. They don’t have to bring anything over and you should expect not to bring anything over when they invite you over for lunch or dinner.

And you can keep an eye on their home when they are away on business or vacation. And they can keep an eye on your home when you are away on business or vacation.

FAVORITE TYPES OF FOOD

What are your favorite types of foods?

My favorite types of food are cheeseburgers with French fries, fried rice, potstickers, mashed potatoes with gravy, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, fresh tossed salad, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, udon noodles, miso soup with rice, calamari, spinach, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, peanuts, cashews, red and white onions, and bacon and eggs.

LIFE WITHOUT MUSIC

What would your life be like without music?

I would be very unhappy 😞. I grew up listening, singing, and playing my organ to music since I was 3 years old. I was in my high school marching band (1968 Tournament of Roses Parade), 1 year of American River College marching band, and singing Church hymns. As a Metropolitan Archbishop, I sing the Kyrie, Responsorial, and Antiphon at the Traditional Latin Mass, saying all of it in English, as most Catholics today do not speak, read, or write Latin. It’s a shame.

WALK OR RUN

How often do you walk or run?

I only walk these days because I have Parkinson’s Disease. I use a wheeled walker and walk several blocks, starting from my house and returning after walking 4 blocks that covers approximately 1 mile daily. I also do Physical Therapy at home, using various PT exercises that I keep in a binder. PT lasts approximately 1 hour daily.

THIS EVENING

What are you doing this evening?

I will be preparing myself for colonoscopy tomorrow at 12:30 pm at the local hospital near where I live. I will be drinking GaviLyte-C, 240g , containing Electrolytes. A Flavor Pack is included. I will drink the first half- gallon starting at 5:00 pm today and drink the second half-gallon at 7:30 am tomorrow morning, and then nothing to drink for 3 hours before the colonoscopy procedure begins at 12:30 pm.

It’s going to be a long day today and especially tomorrow. 😁

ONE WORD I WOULD GIVE UP

If you had to give up one word that you use regularly, what would it be?

“Aight”. That word I use too much without realizing it. It’s “alright”, the proper and polite word to use. My late mother, a grade school and later high school teacher in the 1930s and early 1940s taught her students to always use the proper words when speaking to someone. And she would use each student’s full first name, not an abbreviated or short version of their name. Even when she got married to my father and had me, the oldest son, and 13 months later my younger brother, mom continued to address everyone by their full first name. It was the proper, dignified form of speech back before I was born and continued for the rest of my mother’s life. She lived to be 97 years, 7 months, and 12 days old when she left this life to rejoin parents and younger brother and numerous nieces and nephews in heaven. And yes, I believe heaven exists as well as hell, for the unrepentant sinners. I’m a consecrated Metropolitan Archbishop, so no surprise there, sorry. I read the Scriptures every morning and pray that sinners may repent before they die, because then it’s too late to repent when you are deceased. Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa. AMEN 🙏

FURTHEST TRAVEL

Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.

I traveled to Turkey on PCS (Permanent Change of Station) orders while I was on active duty in the U.S. Air Force in January, 1980. I was there until I PCSed back to my original Air Force Station, here in California. My tour of duty was for 13 months. I returned in February, 1981. It was my only overseas trip during my entire career in the U.S. Air Force. It’s been over 43 and a half years ago now. I was 27 years old when I left and I was 28 years old when I returned. I am now 72 years old. My, how time flies! I retired as a Technical Sergeant (E-6) in 1989.

IDEAL HOME

What does your ideal home look like?

My ideal home would be well-insulated, HVAC, solar panels, copper pipes throughout the house, ignitionless start for both the HVAC and water heater, dual-pane, reflective windows, hardwood floors for entire home, tile walls and flooring in two bathrooms, one with a shower for the master bedroom, and a combination bathtub/shower in the other bathroom. Single story home on a concrete slab, reinforced with rebar. Sidewalks around the house, good sized backyard and front yard, large garage, full laundry room, and a large driveway. Finally a nice-sized swimming pool. Shade trees both front yard and backyard, local schools nearby, and a mailbox out on the front yard by the driveway. Fencing around the front yard and backyard, alarm system with cameras already installed. Front door will be made of steel with dual locks and a Ring-Wi-Fi Video Doorbell.

TOP TEN FAVORITE MOVIES

What are your top ten favorite movies?

The Alien and its sequels, the Terminator and its sequels, Die Hard and its sequels, The Wizard of Oz, Gone With The Wind, White Christmas, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Deadpool, The Santa Clause, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Christmas Carol in all its many versions of the 1930s through the 1990s, Bruce Almighty, all the many versions of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the Matrix movies, the Harry Potter movies, and the Lord of the Rings movies.

LAST THING I GOT EXCITED ABOUT

Tell us about the last thing you got excited about.

My oldest granddaughter’s graduation from CSU East Bay with a BS in Police Science. I was very proud of her commencement, but there were a lot of graduates and it seemed to go on forever! 😆. It was very hot 🥵 but worth tolerating, to see my granddaughter in her cap and gown 👩‍🎓 process to the stage to receive her diploma.

TV SHOWS WATCHED

What TV shows did you watch as a kid?

I watched Howdy Duty Time, Captain Kangaroo, Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, The Mickey Mouse Club, The Wonderful World of Disney, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Speedy Gonzalez, and many more. I also watched The Ed Sullivan Show and Lawrence Welk Show and so many other 1950s shows, that if I tried to list them all, we’d be here for a VERY long time! Those were good shows. Oh, I almost forgot Your Show of Shows and Jackie Gleason. Of course they were all in black and white!

MY NAME

Where did your name come from?

My first name came from my father (Earl), my middle name came from my mother’s father (Lewis), and my last name came from my father (Frazier). My father’s family came to America in the late nineteenth century, and they spoke English as well as High and Low German. My father never taught my brother or I how to speak German, but it came in handy during WWII, when my father would interrogate captured German officers for any useful information, such as troop strength, artillery emplacements, and troop movements in the area where the Allied Forces were. My father also found the local wine cellars and stocks of bread and cheese. This he shared the information only with his platoon. He was a Master Sergeant/1st Sergeant during the Battle of the Bulge and earned a Bronze Star. He also earned a Master Marksmanship Badge in both handguns and rifles. I am very proud of his service to our country in WWII. He served from June 1940 to December 1945 when he was mustered out. In 1941-1943, he taught Army Basic Training at Fort Hood, Texas. Then he went with his Company Commander when they received orders to head to England in 1944, and from there to the beaches in Normandy for the invasion of Germany.