http://ritzham.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Joseph Ritz en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:59:25 GMT 2010-01-05T12:59:25Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977970252 I turned 80 this year. It’s neither a surprise or a distinction today. It’s an age most of my friends have reached. In my youth I thought anyone who was 80 was old and feeble, . . . Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:04:49 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977970252 Joseph Ritz 2009-12-31T15:04:49Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977785119 My oldest granddaughter went to her first prom recently. She seemed to accept it as routine and I suppose it was. Children today begin dancing and dating in the seventh or eighth grade. It . . . Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:23:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977785119 Joseph Ritz 2009-08-23T23:23:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977777557   How did you get the nickname “rubberman” when you were in the army? The questioner was one of my grandchildren.   The fact is, I told him; “ I acquired two . . . Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:26:54 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977777557 Joseph Ritz 2009-08-17T22:26:54Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977768098 When I was a young boy in the 1930s our family always rode in a used car. My father worked in a steel factory at a time the United Steelworkers of America had little bargaining power. As a result, . . . Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:29:43 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977768098 Joseph Ritz 2009-08-09T15:29:43Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977743330   ‘”Memory is like a long broken night” — Graham Greene   I don’t find that so, but reading a recent biography of the author, The Life of Grahan Greene – . . . Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:32:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977743330 Joseph Ritz 2009-07-20T13:32:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977617753       A few years ago an elderly priest, a holy, kind and generous man, a man who has devoted his entire life to the service of God, confided to me that at funerals when he is . . . Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:20:51 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977617753 Joseph Ritz 2009-03-08T22:20:51Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977616763   As graduation time nears it’s time to ponder about college and graduation and our hopes. Well, anyway, it causes me to ponder. When I went to college it was affordable, a year’s tuition . . . Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:50:06 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977616763 Joseph Ritz 2009-03-07T15:50:06Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977606875  SNOWBALL     Book review by Joseph P . Ritz   Billionaire Warren Buffett has been the subject of books and articles since the public first became aware his investments . . . Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:49:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977606875 Joseph Ritz 2009-02-25T21:49:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977571374 I was long grown up before the arrival of today’s Service Economy, a term which is like calling crop harvesting a country vacation. When I was a child, we had pleasant-voiced women employed . . . Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:27:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977571374 Joseph Ritz 2009-01-22T16:27:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977565324 “Why do you always lie when you leave a message on the answering machine?” The voice on the answering machine belonged to my youngest daughter. “I’ve lived here long enough.  I know you’re . . . Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:38:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977565324 Joseph Ritz 2009-01-16T21:38:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977540999 The pastor during most of my school days was an authoritative Benedictine monk of Irish descent, Father Gregory, who patrolled the parish on Sundays looking for male parishioners who were dishonoring . . . Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:52:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977540999 Joseph Ritz 2008-12-20T16:52:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977479760 I judge candidates by their proposals, that is what they said they will do if elected. Of course no candidate is going to fulfill all his promises or see all his proposals become law, particularly in the . . . Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:45:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977479760 Joseph Ritz 2008-10-16T20:45:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977432758     I remember 2008 as the year my heart was stopped and I talked to God.     Well, it could have been God.  I thought it was. I was sure it was.  It . . . Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:25:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977432758 Joseph Ritz 2008-08-28T20:25:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977427186 Fifty  years is a long time to be married to the same person.  During that time we who have been married that long have changed significantly , both bodily and intellectually. Neither of us looks . . . Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:48:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977427186 Joseph Ritz 2008-08-23T00:48:58Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977402748 Ireland is a country of spell binding beauty.  Its people are deservedly  known for their friendliness and hospitality, but I'm convinced that a major reason its population is less than . . . Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:30:44 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977402748 Joseph Ritz 2008-07-21T02:30:44Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977239461 I had prepared a couple of lines of patter I was going to say at my 50th high school reunion. Standing in front of my fellow graduates and their wives and husbands, microphone in hand, I planned to . . . Fri, 25 Jan 2008 02:20:06 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977239461 Joseph Ritz 2008-01-25T02:20:06Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977228042 I was a private first class in  June of 1950 and planning to attend Seattle University, which was 60 miles from Fort Lewis. where the 2nd Division was based.  The 4th Regimental Combat Team, . . . Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:04:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977228042 Joseph Ritz 2008-01-12T22:04:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977220649 Those who think of the 1950s as dull and nearly sexless never lived through that tumultuous era. Those of us who were young then,  remember a  decade crammed with excitement, change, conflict . . . Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:39:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977220649 Joseph Ritz 2008-01-05T00:39:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977170566 Fado means fate in Portuguese.  It’s also the name of a particular kind of haunting music heard principally in small cafes and bars in Lisbon.   Spain has its foot stomping, fast-paced, . . . Wed, 07 Nov 2007 22:35:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977170566 Joseph Ritz 2007-11-07T22:35:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977138814 We didn’t have classes in sex education when I attended a Catholic high school in the 1950s. We learned about it from more knowledgeable boys.  Not only was there no sex education, there was . . . Sat, 06 Oct 2007 00:44:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977138814 Joseph Ritz 2007-10-06T00:44:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977055896 Vail, Aspen, the names summon images of skiers and snowboarders flashing down steep slopes of pristine, powdery snow, forests of trees covered with Christmas lights, pricey shops, tony restaurants and . . . Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:27:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977055896 Joseph Ritz 2007-07-14T12:27:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977021861 I like to tell stories.  I have ever since grade school when I found it was a way to get the interest of my schoolmates.  Most of my adult life I’ve told stories as a journalist. Now I’ve . . . Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:07:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977021861 Joseph Ritz 2007-06-06T15:07:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977019983 I was long grown up before the arrival of today’s Service Economy, a term which is like calling crop harvesting a country vacation. When I was a child, we had pleasant-voiced women employed to help . . . Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:08:15 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977019983 Joseph Ritz 2007-06-04T19:08:15Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977004449 I was born a bastard and I’ve remained one all my life. I became a journalist.” So begins  I NEVER LOOKED FOR MY MOTHER AND OTHER REGRETS OF A JOURNALIST. The book is a journey which . . . Sat, 19 May 2007 23:44:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977004449 Joseph Ritz 2007-05-19T23:44:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976994058     Today I received an email sent  to more than 100 other persons besides myself.  It’s not at all unusual today to  receive such group messages, even  from friends . . . Mon, 07 May 2007 14:54:27 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976994058 Joseph Ritz 2007-05-07T14:54:27Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976968909 Dog’s grow older sooner than we humans.  Watching them become cripled with arthritis and their eyesight begin to dim reminds us of our own inevitable deterioration as we age. And so as I watch . . . Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:53:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976968909 Joseph Ritz 2007-04-26T14:53:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976937063 Jeremiah O’Sullivan was dean of Marquette’s College of Journalism in the 1950s, when I was a student there. All those who studied under him and the faculty members called him simply, “the . . . Tue, 20 Mar 2007 22:20:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976937063 Joseph Ritz 2007-03-20T22:20:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976937038 Jeremiah O’Sullivan was dean of Marquette’s College of Journalism in the 1950s when I was a stuent there. All those who studied under him and the faculty members called him simply, “the . . . Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:57:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976937038 Joseph Ritz 2007-03-20T21:57:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976916223 For most of the years when I was growing up we had no telephone.  One reason for this was that for many years we couldn’t afford one.  Another reason was that my  mother had a poor . . . Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:33:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976916223 Joseph Ritz 2007-02-22T17:33:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976912666 2004 was the year my heart was stopped and I talked to God. My heart was stopped because I had to have my heart split open and a valve deep inside replaced. I didn't know if I would live. I was anesthetized. . . . Sat, 17 Feb 2007 20:42:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976912666 Joseph Ritz 2007-02-17T20:42:59Z