Several weeks back, I used this space to cavil over what’s known as “three dot journalism,” a columnist’s method of turning a number of short items into a more-or-less coherent piece by separating each item with an ellipsis (also known as “suspension points,” “periods of ellipsis” or “dot dot dot”). Credited to Herb Caen of the San Francisco Chronicle and done to inadvertent parody by Larry King in USA Today, the technique always seemed to be a way to make a statement on a multitude of topics without offering any case for or against any of the opinions. It was less a cogent set-it-up-and-knock-it-down argument being presented than a rambling collection of muttered non sequitors.
Then I thought, oh, why not …
I don’t know what’s worse in Kenmore, a vacant storefront or a demolished storefront … the charming gourmet chocolate store in the old Kentucky Fried Chicken building and the dogfood-and-coffee shop, both formerly of Delaware Avenue, are gone, and the old Jeep dealership down the street has been razed … name another community with a Dollar General store 50 feet from a high-end nail salon … since trodding icy sidewalks is a part of everyone’s Western New York experience, why doesn’t anyone practice walking on ice?
You want action, thrills and entertainment, check out the Queen City Roller Girls, weekends at North Tonawanda’s Rainbow Skating Center … .I’ve gotten five speeding tickets in my more than 40 years of driving (none since 1986), and four of them were in the Village of Kenmore. You’d think I’d have learned …
WNED-TV re-ran the fascinating “Our Town: Kenmore and Tonawanda” program on Sunday evening, a love letter to our part of the world presented by 15 residents armed with video cameras. Each chose a local topic, shot the video and added commentary; WNED-TV did the editing, and the result was a look at how busy and beautiful our communities are, especially in summer …
Every time I see Cellino and Barnes on television, it’s a reminder to me that I watch too much television …
I do not understand why Bert Blyleven is not in baseball’s Hall of Fame, and I won’t take the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seriously until Warren Zevon gets inducted …
If you need a jolt of nostalgia, roll down Sheridan Drive while listening to the oldies as presented by WJJL (1440 on your AM dial), the Ricky Nelson, Bobby Vee, Lesley Gore-era oldies, and ponder the mom-and-pop pop stands that once lined that street …
I wonder if Keanu Reeves ever thinks of us …
Tim Hortons had a one-day sale on its coffee this week, 85 cents for any size cup, and the lines at the drive-ups seemed no more severe than usual. People aren’t choosing that excellent stuff on price …
I am regularly in Kenmore’s many houses of worship, and note the parishioners typically are older, grayer and fewer in number than in the past, except for the Catholic churches, where attendance seems strong and entering with kids in strollers is evidently encouraged …
Delaware Road in the summer is so pretty and so dense with foliage, it rivals the desirable streets of Lewiston and Niagara-on-the-Lake …
The only Kenmore politician who amounted to anything, in terms of higher office, was Frank C. Moore (1896-1978), who began his political career as counsel to the Village and its school board, circa 1927, and was elected lieutenant governor of New York state in 1950. Makes you think that public service in Kenmore is all about serving the public and not one’s own ambition …
One of life’s little annoyances is waiting in line, but I can think of no line I’d rather be in than the one at the Dairy Queen on Elmwood Avenue, on a hot summer night after the game in the park is over, unless it’s the line of cars awaiting a spot in Premier Liquor’s parking lot on the eve of a holiday …
And one of life’s pleasures is witnessing an accomplishment, followed by a ceremonial acknowledgement of it. One such ritual occurred last weekend when Tonawanda’s Colin deGuerhey stepped into the “Circle of Honor” after attaining the rank of Eagle in the Boy Scouts of America. However you feel about the Scouts, their concept of ceremony is laudable, and the event at the Kenmore Presbyterian Church included pledges, candles, parents, tears, laughter and no lack of honor. Nicely done …
A new resident of Kenmore recently asked me what the locals call themselves — “Kenmorites,” perhaps? No, it’s “Kenmorons,” something I learned from former mayor John Beaumont …
Next week I’m going back to the narrative form …
Ed Adamczyk is a Kenmore resident whose column appears weekly in the Record-Advertiser. Contact him at EdinKenmore@gmail.com.
