LISTS

Libraries Visited in NYC

One of my hobbies is visiting libraries throughout the United States. Here’s a list of libraries I’ve visited in NYC: As of 2/2019, I’m adding two more. which makes it a total of 16.

New York Public Library Main Branch
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
New York Public Library Science, Industry and Business Library
Columbia University Butler Library
Columbia University Health Sciences Library
New York Academy of Medicine Library
The Grolier Club Library
New York Society Library
New York Historical Society Library and Museum
Library at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research
NYU Library
Morgan Library and Museum
NYC Department of Records City Hall Library
General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen Library
Donnell Library
Frick Museum Reference Library

Twelve Major Historical Events in my Lifetime

Everybody who was over the age of 6 when President Kennedy was shot probably remembers exactly where they were when they heard the news. I was in the 7th grade, coming up the stairs from gym class. It came over the PA system. With the Challenger disaster, I was at a conference on pediatrics in Hollywood, FL. We were watching the launch on TV. At first, we didn’t realize there was something amiss.

JFK’s assassination
The Beatles arrival in America
Martin Luther King’s assassination
First man on the moon
The end of the Vietnam War
Challenger explosion
The fall of the Berlin Wall
End of apartheid
The death of Princess Di
Columbine
9/11
iPhone

Twelve of My Favorite TV Shows and Characters

Some of these are leftovers from childhood. Others resonate from adulthood.

Candid Camera – where a whole generation grew up thinking that the word “candid” meant “hidden.”
Leave it to Beaver – Eddie Haskell, Wally’s best friend, the insincerely polite, smart alec was unforgettable.
Dr. Kildare – the original version of Dr. McDreamy
The Ed Sullivan Show – the closest I ever got to the Beatles was to see them on that show until I broke into Paul McCartney’s house
The Fugitive – the older version of The Mentalist
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis – Beatnik character Maynard G. Krebs
The Patty Duke Show – loved the theme song
Queen for a Day – schadenfreude at its best
Saturday Night Live – Roseanne Roseannadanna “It’s always something” and “never mind.” Who couldn’t relate?
Friends – newer version of Happy Days
Seinfeld – sidekicks were the next generation of The Mary Tyler Moore Show with Elaine as Rhoda, Kramer as Ted and George as Murray.
ER- of course, my life’s career

Twelve Bad Ideas

Doctors giving sugar lollipops and balloons to their patients.
Having mercury in thermometers.
Selling candy cigarettes
Having no smoking sections in theaters, restaurants and airplanes
“New” Coke
The Edsel
In 1920 The Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees so that the manager could invest in the Broadway show “No, No Nanette” – big flop.
Asbestos in insulation, brake pads, etc.
Red dye #2
Leaded gasoline
Pay toilets
Olestra

Unique Celebrity Names – Update 2/12/19

One of my theories in life is that having an unusual first name increases your chances of becoming famous. Examples: Barack, Cher, Elton, Eminem, Madonna, Magic, Oprah, and Shakira, to name a few. Some are original names from birth; others were created. You know immediately who they are. The list started out with a few names and slowly expanded to 419 names as of April, 2017. Today February 12, 2019, I’m updating the list. Some names are new to the the scene like Cardi B, Lin-Manuel, Malala, and Stormy. Others, I just happened to overlook. The total as of today is 462 names.

Aaliyah

Adele

Adlai

Ahmad

Alanis

Alfre

Alicia

Alonzo

Amal

America

Anderson

Angelica

Angelina

Angus

Apolo

Aphrodite

Apollonia

Aretha

Arlen

Arlo

Armie

Arrianna

Arsenio

Arty

Ashanti

Ashton

Ava

Avril

Axl

Aziz

Babe

Balthazar

Barack

Barbra

Bat

Bebe

Beck

Bethenny

Beto

Beyonce

Bianca

Bindi

Bing

Birch

Bjork

Bjorn

Blythe

Bode

Bono

Boz

Bristol

Britney

Brooklyn

Bruno

Bryce

Busby

Busta

Buster

Busy

Buzz

Cactus

Callista

Cameron

Cardi B.

Carroll

Carrot Top

Cassius

Cat

Cate

Cedric

Cee-Lo

Celine

Chaka

Channing

Charlize

Charlton

Charo

Cheech

Cher

Chevy

Childish

Christoph

Chubby

Chumlee

Chyna

Clay

Clive

Cloris

Colette

Conan

Condoleezza

Conway

Coolio

Cornel

Crispian

Crystal

Cuba

Cybil

Cyd

Dakota

Damian

Dane

Della

Danica

Dannielynn

Demi

Denzel

Desi

Diahann

Dion

Dizzy

Dolly

Donny

Dolph

Drake

Dusty

Eartha

e.e.

Elia

Elijah

Elie

Ellery

Elton

Eminem

Emmitt

Emmylou

Engelbert

Estee

Eydie

Fabian

Fabio

Famke

Farrah

Felicity

Fergie

Forrest

Foxy

Gal

Garrison

Garth

Gay

Geena

Geraldo

Gilda

Giulianna

Glena

Golda

Goldie

Greta

Groucho

Gwyneth

Gypsy Rose

Halle

Halsey

Hammer

Harrison

Hayden

Heath

Hedy

Helena

Hoda

Holland

Hopalong

Hulk

Humphrey

Ice Cube

Ice-T

Indina

Iggy

Ima

Iman

Imelda

Isla

Ivana

Ivanka

Jann

January

Jay-Z

Jazz

Jean-Claude

Jeb

Jerzy

Jewel

Joaquin

J.Lo

Joely

JonBenet

Joss

Juanes

Jude

Judge

Julio

Justine

Kanye

Kareem

k.d.

Keanu

Keir

Keira

Kellyanne

Kelsey

Kenan

Kendall

Kendra

Keri

Kesha

Khloe

Kid

Kiefer

Kirstie

Kobe

Kylie

Kyra

Lady Gaga

Lainie

Laurene

LeAnn

LeBron

Leelee

Leif

Leonardo

Lester

LeVar

Liberace

Lin-Manuel

Lionel

Liza

Lolo

Lorde

Lorne

Ludacris

Lulu

Luther

Lyndon

Macauley

Mackenzie

Madonna

Mae

Magic

Malala

Maksim

Malia

Mamie

Manfred

Margaux

Mariah

Mariska

Marlee

Marlo

Marlon

Maya

Meat

Megyn

Mehmet

Melania

Miley

Mika

Mila

Milo

Mindy

Mischa

Mitt

Mitzi

Moby

Mo’Nique

Montel

Morley

Mos

Muhammed

Myrna

Nadia

Nastia

Natasia

Neve

Newt

Nichelle

Niecy

Nigella

Nilo

Nipsy

Norah

Olympia

Omar

Omarosa

Oprah

Orlando

Orville

Otis

Parker

Peaches

P. Diddy

Pee Wee

Pele

Penn

Perez

Pernell

Petulia

Picabo

Peyton

Pierce

Piers

Pink

Piper

Pippa

Portia

Posh

Prince

Prudence

Puff

Queen

Quentin

Quincy

Rami

Rand

Raquel

Raven

Reba

Rebel

Redd

Reese

Regis

Rex

Rhea

Rihanna

Riker

Ringo

Rip

Rock

Rodriguez

Roman

Rudolph

Rudy

Rue

Rush

Sade

Sailor

Salma

Salman

Saoirse

Sargent

Savannah

Scarlet

Scottie

Seal

Selenia

Serena

Shakira

Shailene

Shania

Shaquille

Shari

Shashana

Shecky

Sheena

Shia

Shiloh

Shinead

Sia

Siegfried

Sienna

Sigournie

Simone

Sinbad

Sissy

Skeet

Slim

Sly

Smokey

Snooki

Snoop

Solange

Soledad

Soleil

Sonny

Soupy

Spanky

Spike

Spiro

Star

Steadman

Steely

Sterling

Sting

Stockard

Stone

Stormy

Stubby

Sugar

Sully

Suri

Swoosie

Syd

Sylvester

Ta-Nehisi

Tab

Talia

Tallulah

Taraji

Tatum

Tea

Telly

Tennessee

Thurgood

Tiffany

Tig

Tiger

Tilda

Tiny

Tipper

Tippi

Tobey

Tonya

Topher

Topol

Trini

Truman

Tucker

Tuesday

Tupac

Twiggy

Tyne

Tyra

Uma

Usain

Usher

Vanilla

Vanna

Venus

Veronica

Verushka

Viggo

Vin

Viola

Wanda

Wavy

Weird

Wesley

Winston

Whitey

Whitney

Whoopi

Wilson

Wolf

Woodrow

Wynonna

Yanni

Yasmin

Yogi

Yoko

Yo-Yo

Yul

Yves

Zelda

Zero

Zooey

Zsa Zsa