July 22, 2004 Back at St. Peter's College to give y'all another update. It was a wonderful visit by Jessica and Brandon from Texas. They rode with me out to Columbus, Ohio to see their cousin Joshua graduate high school, as well as to see their Aunt Dolly, Uncles Mike and Dean, cousins Jacob and Michael, Jr., and grandmom Lois and grandfather Jack. Following a bar-b-que on June 4th at Dean's and the graduation on the 5th, Josh, Jessica, Brandon and I returned to New Jersey. After a night in NewYork City, we headed to Ocean City, the childhood home of all three of them and the current home of their Uncle Joe, Aunt Mary, and cousins Nikita and Sierra. They also got to see my lifelong friend Michelle, her daughter Mandy, Michelle's siter Tracey, her husband J.D. (AKA "Chef Bluz") and their new son, David James. What an excellent time with family. Speaking of which, for seven years now I have had another extended family member that most of you have met, Evan Junior Rodriguez. Matched in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program on June 27, 1997, we have spent almost half his lifetime together sharing unforgettable memories. On July 19th and 20th I visited him at his "summer home," Camp Cedar in Casco, Maine. There he was competing in his final basketball tournament as a member of the Camp Cedar 15 and Under basketball team. On the 19th he led the team to victories over Camps Indian Acres, Wildwood, and Takajo. I took him to dinner that night and he spoke about being nervous about the next day, which included a possible Finals match-up with mega-Camp Androscoggin. They have size across the front court like no other team and one particular agitator that has talked trash to him the last few games they played against one another. I advised him to remember he will be being watching by the entire camp, including an awful lot of young admirers throughout the games and that he needs to remember he is a role model at this stage in his camp career. On the 20th, after a spirited victory over Camp Winaukee (which included a gravity-defying baseline jam), Cedar was indeed matched against Androscoggin for the tournament title. Evan's first two points were on a breakaway slam that ignited the local crowd. While steadily involved throughtout the game, he did miss a series of free throws and open jumpers. As the 4th quarter got underway, Androscoggin took their first lead, 41-40. By then, Evan's nervous energy was long past. He hit his next four free throws, a series of mid-range jumers, and grabbed just about every rebound available. After a 24-10 run, Cedar won the game going away, 64-51. Evan collected tournament MVP honors, while posting 26 points and 24 rebounds in the deciding game. I could not have been happier for him...not just because he won, but because he faced a difficult situation where the world was expectected of him and he delivered. That will certainly help this young man's confidence. November 7, 2004 A day after Evan scored another two TDs in the Bruins romp over Snyder. They will play Morristown High School next Saturday at 1 PM. I was scheduled to be in Washington DC from next Wednesday to the following Monday, but I have decided to cut my training with a travel company short so I can see his second State playoff game. I will need to take the train home late Friday so I am ready to head out to the game early on Saturday. What an exciting time of year! I was in DC last Monday for an introductory dinner with USA Educational Adventures, a new company for me to work for next season. It was a wonderful meal at the Phillip's Flagship seafood restaurant on DC's waterfront, Maine Avenue. With the three tours I have already agreed to do for them, I am now booked for over 114 days on the road next year covering 20 tours. And I still need to book tours with at least three more companies before I consider my schedule pretty much set. By the way, after a long delay, I have signed on to work the second Inauguration of President George W. Bush, when I work with Julian Tours. Tomorrow I will have the chance to see my mother for a nice lunch as she and my stepfather Jack will be driving through NJ on their way home to Rhode Island. I am working on a very special gift for her come this Xmas...details to follow :) Two weeks from today I will be running my 7th Race To Deliver in Central Park, a fun 5k run to raise money for God's Love We Deliver, a not-for-profit organization serving nutritional meals for homebound AIDS patients in NYC and Northen NJ. What a great service they do to some of our area's neediest people. Peace to all! February 6, 2005 Super Bowl Blues...for about 30 years I have staunchly supported MY Dallas Cowboys while detesting the hometown Philadelphia Eagles. However, tonight I actually was rooting for them, so the city of Philly could finally, again, taste the sweet thrill of a championship. After a while, I guess reality starts to set in...Philly and winning are not to be seen in public together. The Flyers have lost 5 straight Stanley Cup Finals since 1976. The Phillies have lost two straight World Series, in 1983 and 1993. The Sixers are without a title since 1983. And the Eagles...those sad sacks of the NFL, without an NFL title since 1960...will have to wait another year. Pats 24 Birds 21. I KNEW my support would be useless! The 2005 tour season has begun and I have already led NYC and DC tours. Those are just two of the 28 tours I have booked for the season (Jan-Oct). After a somewhat busy first season on the roads of America, I am back for year two of TOMMY TOURS, one that should be much more lucrative AND challenging than year one. Within my 10 months of travel I will go though one 6-week stretch (March-April) without a day off, and later in the year do seven, 8-day tours of Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, and the Rocky Mountain region over 10 weeks. Once I hit the last of my three weeks of Fall Foliage in mid-October, it will be time to unwind and watch Evan finish up his Junior football season at North Bergen. Evan suffered a high-ankle sprain in a pre-season hoops tournament in late December and missed nine regular season games. He has since played in the rest and the team is 14-4. Recently his play has lacked intensity and enthusiasm and, for the first time in his young and successful sports life, he was sitting at crunch-time the other night. Nothing affects a player more than the subtraction of PT, or "playing time". I can only hope the new Coach's tactics work for Evan. There are just two regular season games remaining before the County playoffs and the Bruins could certainly use an inspired contributor such as Evan. As expected, Mary's life savings ran out as the calendar year changed, and after a 5-day stay in the hospital for congestive heart failure, I was able to move her out of Sunrise Assisted Living (where she lived since May 2002) and into a local, state-run, nursing home. This was our only option since, once your life savings are gone, Medicaid has to pay for your care. The best homes don't often take Medicaid. So into the much-more "institutional environment" of a nursing home she went. While the transition has been predictably tough, she now seems aware this is her last and only option. In Januaury I had the pleasure of training with two separate companies, one in Orlando and the other in Detroit. While in Orlando I had the chance to see my sister Sheryl, brother-in-law Ray, and nephew Cayman for a few hours. It was the second time I was down in eight mnonths and I hope to see them again soon. July 8, 2005 This is the last night of my 8-day training tour with CARAVAN TOURS...we've visited Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, the old gold mining town of Deadwood, Wyoming, witnessed July 4th fireworks in Billings, Montana, walked the streets of Buffalo Bill's own town, Cody, Wyoming, basked in the natural habitats of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, retraced the original the Oregon trail, and finished up in the home of the Mormons, Salt Lake City. This is the beginning of a long four months of 10 total, 8-day tours. I am happy to have the work and excited to begin my first Midwest tour with Caravan tomorrow. I am flying from Salt Lake City to Rapid City, SD tomorrow to meet my new group. I will finally get home in the middle of the month, before turning around to come back out here for more of these tours on July 23rd. I had the pleasure of training with a wonderful and sharing Tour Director for the past week and I'm ready to get going! I'll report on the trip when I get a chance. Evan had the good fortune to attend Penn State's football camp from June 26-29. He had a good camp and certainly turned some heads as he will certainly be closely monitored as his Junior season takes shape. However, first up will be his first summer school session, which he needs to attend due to low math scores. I wish him the best and hope he understands, before he throws away this awesome opportunity. |
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| Peter R. Intermaggio February 24, 1924-April 5, 2002 |
| Peter is gone three years and more but never will never be forgotten at 1704. |