Letter to the Editor (Patch, 23 May 2012)

"What do Paul Assaiante, John Nimick and Hashim Khan have in common? Winning. Not Charlie Sheen-esque #winning and tiger-blood and other ego-related nonsense: Skill, persistence, perseverance and endurance. Lots of winners will be in the house on Wednesday night for the screening of Khan’s documentary/biopic Keep Eye on Ball: The Hashim Khan Story.

Why is this interesting? Less so, for many, the opportunity to see the story of one of the greats in the underappreciated professional world of squash, than to hear about the impact that one local initiative has on the community. RhodySquash, directed by co-founder Ross Freiman-Mendel and hosted at Newport Squash on Freebody Street, is a gem in Newport that few know about. RhodySquash works with kids from Thompson via squash and academic entrenchment.

Urban squash initiatives are few and far between but are highly successful. RhodySquash, in its infancy, is no exception. By focusing squarely on academics, community service and squash – and partnering students with dedicated tutors, teachers and coaches – RhodySquash fosters more than just academic and physical fitness: it fosters confidence, teamwork, individual success and provides the opportunity to excel.

So who are Paul Assaiante, John Nimick and Hashim Khan, and why are they interesting? Hashim Khan won the British Open and changed the sport of squash forever. John Nimick was a top-ranked professional squash player and formerly was the Executive Director of the Professional Squash Association. Paul Assaiante, squash coach at Trinity College, led his teams to 252 consecutive match victories and 13 straight national championships. That’s over ten years that Trinity went undefeated, and was the longest winning streak in collegiate athletics. Paul’s teams have records that will stand for a long time in NCAA history.

Please join Ross, Paul, John Nimick and many others Wednesday night at the Casino Theatre on Freebody Street for RhodySquash’s friendraiser. In conjunction with newportFILM, they are presenting a screening of the movie, but there will also be a wine reception at 6pm and a post-screening Q&A with the film’s producer, Beth Rasin. This is an event worth attending.
This is a great organization doing great good in Newport. Please spread the word!

Liz MacGillivray, Middletown RI"

Wisdom teeth removal

My stem cells are viable ... that's all you need to know. Let me explain. For the past few weeks, my mouth had been hurting me. Deep down I knew I had an issue, but was in profound denial. When I finally told my parents, the Xray revealed that all four -- not one, not even 2.5 -- but all four wisdom teeth were impacted, and it became clear they had to go! I traveled to NYC for the procedure.

Here's the best way to describe my experience: colonoscopy for teenagers. To a normal minded, non- anesthetized individual, the actual surgery would be unpleasant; who wants to get their teeth yanked out? But, after some Valium, Local, and Nitrous Oxide, the procedure itself was joyous. While my memory fails me, I'm told that I belted opera, lectured on Judaism, bit the dentist, flirted with the assistant, and cursed like a truck driver. Regarding stem cells, we made the informed decision to save the pulp from my removed teeth, so that we can store the stem cells they contain (knock on wood that I won't have to use them ...)

After all the drugs wore off, the pain began, and I became unbearable, which is to say, I was not a trooper, even on Lodine and Percocet.

Unfortunately, I looked like a gargoyle for a days to follow, but I am now proud to report that I am without wisdom teeth, eating semi-soft food, and average looking as ever!

J Roddy Walston and the Business

Well ... to say I was out of my comfort zone would be an understatement! On Saturday, Gabe, Andrew, and I drove to Pawtucket, RI to see "J Roddy Walston and the Business" in concert. To begin, I had never been to Pawtucket, nor ever attended a concert in a grungy, albeit atmospheric, bar. My muted outfit of jeans and a green tshirt (as opposed to shiny lime yellow) proved prudent, in light of Andrew's lecture on how to be inconspicuous. The band was great, but the music deafening -- so unbelievable and excruciatingly LOUD! Andrew seems to follow the band religiously. Whereas Gabe and I swayed timidly, Andrew at one point reached for a handshake from the lead singer -- typical, in the best sense of the word! After, we went to Thayer, and with the addition of Tom, Andrew's friend from RISD, we had the ritual and routine dinner at the venerable East Side Pockets.

The next morning, we had an uninspired brunch at "The Corner Cafe," BUT waiting in the queue ahead of, by pure coincidence, was Sheldon Whitehouse, Senator from the great state of Rhode Island. Who da thunk it?

Projo Video, Ron Paul Event

This video gives a sense of numbers, energy, etc

Ron Paul Town Hall, 18 April 2012

To begin, here are the striking differences from the Romney town hall:

• Huge venue; 1000s piled into the Keaney Gymnasium at URI
• Predominately young people
• Crazy, uncontrollable crowd, chanting at times "President Paul," "End the Fed," and "NoObama"
• No metal scanners, secret service in the audience, etc. For an event with 1000s, I spotted three uniformed Rhode Island police offers

In person, Ron Paul is incredibly cogent. I assume that his positions necessitate more that 60 second responses, which explains muddled debate performances. Barry introduced the man who eventually introduced Paul, but I think it was excellent exposure for him. Despite the fact that I had to rsvp for tickets and there was a huge line, my Dad and I literally just walked in upon arrival, with no regards for the 100s behind us. Though I've been away from DC for quite some time, the Rhode Island primary has reignited a lot of my interest in politics, allowing me to participate in our democratic system. It sounds lame, but for a politics junkie, it has been really exciting!

Mitt Romney Town Hall, 11 April 2012

Attending the Romney event stemmed from a series of serendipitous and lucky breaks. The morning of April 11, I, by complete coincidence, happened to turn on the radio when Fox news briefly mentioned that Romney would be in Warwick -- until then, I didn't even know Rhode Island was on his radar. By additional coincidence, Romney became the presumptive that day, adding to the excitement. All the RhodySquash parents were punctual at pickup, and I rushed to Warwick after practice, dismayed to find 100s in line 45 minutes before the event started. Romney clearly has serious security; all bags were hand checked, each attendee had to go through a metal detector, and once the event started, Secret Service navigated through the crowd constantly. On line, I met a lovely lady named Diane, and we socialized for 90 minutes, waiting for a coveted seat. Again, by pure coincidence, we were the last allowed entrance, while 100s behind us were turned away. In person, Romney is much more engaging, energizing, lucid ... and tall. The town hall itself was brief, with most of the time reserved for questions.

Passover extravaganza

What an evening! Our Seder last Saturday was easily the most memorable evening of my gap yah, exceeding all expectations. In addition to my immediate family, Mr. And Mrs. Goodyear, Jy, Gabe, John, Pete and Chris, Maddox and Mrs. Maddox, Gail, David and Ann, Barry, The Stoll Mesa's, and of course Sylvia and Bill were all in attendance ... That's 22 for the mathematically inclined! The dinner was sublime and the discussion spirited (though little mention of politics, unfortunately) -- for those familiar with the personalities present, just imagine the dynamic. Even designing a table large enough to accommodate the crowds was a feat in and of itself. And for the first time in the history of our Seder's history, we actually completed the service. Who would have ever thought that such a large, predominantly Gentile crowd would be so conducive to the pursuit of Judaism. I sure hope we all return as we pray for "next year in Newport."