How Staten Island Makes You Stronger?

About two weeks before my eighth birthday, I was taken from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn to my new home in Arden Heights, Staten Island. I know, leaving Brooklyn is a sin. I had no choice. I left SI many years ago.

Before we knock Staten Island (aka “The Rock”) let’s talk about some cool things. It has an awesome Boy Scout program. I made Eagle on SI. Although, I credit my camp, Chappegat Hill, Ten Mile River Scout Camps, Narrowsburg, N.Y. for being the driving force in my scouting life.

Staten Island has the soon to be gone, Aquehongian Lodge #112. It is not really leaving. But in a few months the Order of the Arrow lodges from each of NYC’s boroughs will be merged into one. The best part of my SI life was being chief of the Lodge. I got my Vigil at Staten Island’s Pouch Scout Camp. My Vigil name is what this blog is named after, Alhaquot Aptonen, translated as “Stormy Speaker”. Sadly two Cub Scouts drowned during my induction weekend. I led the lost bather drill. Maybe, I’ll discuss in a future post.

So yeah, SI has some cool stuff. But then it has Tottenville High School. That place is a total dump. But let’s face it what is there to do on the Rock? Yeah, we have the mall. I was a mall rat. I’m not sure I had as much fun as T.S., Brodie and of course, Jay and Silent Bob.

As much as I was the crowned prince of the Rock, all I wanted to do was leave it. I spent many years working in the borough’s political machine. But I never concentrated on where I was. But always thought about where I wanted to be. My old master always said that was wrong. Not that I listened. I still don’t.

The problem with SI, besides it having nothing to do, is that it takes hours to get to the City, the Bronx or Brooklyn via public transportation. But I never let that stop me. I’d either drive to the Ferry or take the Staten Island Rapid Transit. That train is like an old trolley.

Perhaps this is why so many Islanders stay put. Not me. I would get up at the crack of dawn and take the crazy rides into the other boroughs. Or drive it. That sucked too. If something ended at around 11:00 p.m., I’d be lucky to be home by 2:00 a.m. The Ferry schedule is quite a challenge at night. Then I’d get up at the crack of dawn and start all over again.

It makes you stronger. The other day, I planned a gathering of old friends. Some were coming in from Conn., Jersey and Nassau. Although SI is closer, they have an easier commute midtown. But nevertheless, they all complained. I thought of my old days on the Rock.

I had wanted to go the Lower Eastside or Upper Eastside. I tossed out Brooklyn. They got scared. Not of the locations. But they were afraid of the travel. We settled on midtown Eastside. So we had a few people come in from the New Paltz area, a few from Nassau and East Harlem. A great time was had by all.

Bottom line, growing up on the Rock makes you stronger. You have some great youth activities and when you grow up and are ready to run you can. It just takes a little more to do that.

But life is about struggle and fighting to survive. SI can help you get through it.

Movies

In the wee hours of the other night, one of my closest friends and I chatted on the phone about movies. We struck a chord about what movies can do to one. We all know there are comedies, dramatic and action movies that take you on an adventure. There is just so much to choose from.

I own tons of them. Saturday night, I decided to stay home and pop one into the DVD player and let the surround sound take me away.

But the choice was do I watch something with ups and downs, i.e. “Chasing Amy” (an all time favorite) or something goofy but funny, i.e. Meatballs or Uncle Buck? But I chose to go deep. Did I need another Kevin Smith movie, i.e. “Clerks” or “Mall Rats”?

It was a long and spiritual day. I was with my extended family. Of course, as much as I love them the alone time was cool. It was needed.

So naturally, I went with a flick that depicts classic struggle. A deep movie in which a young leader had to deal with learning to control himself, care for his friends and how to survive a brutal fight with his father.

This is one of select movies that each time, I watch it I learn something new about the movie and myself. Does one can see oneself as young Luke as he struggles in the Dagobah system under Yoda’s watchful eye? Or does one see oneself as Vader? I know where I stand.

I so love the trips these movies give me.

But then there’s the need for “Girl Interrupted”. Yes it has Angelina and Winona. It doesn’t get much better. But there are thousands of reasons for the need to see this. I will never post my original reason for my love of this film. It has nothing to do with the cast or storyline. The book rocks too. That opens up it even more. It helps give me a better understanding of many of the people I’ve spent time with.

Do you ever think of memories around certain movies? What you learned from them? Or where they took you?

Years ago, I took a girl out on a first date to see “Home Fries”. Some people said, “You’re taking her to see a Drew Barrymore movie?” Those that know me well knew anything with her would be a winner in my book. We had a great time and wound up dating for a while.

On date with a different woman, said she wanted to see “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”. We all know the history behind this movie. Anyway, we were much older than high school kids. However, I felt like we were during this movie. She kept whispering in my ear during the whole movie and smiling. Funny thing there were some scenes where Brad was not wearing a shirt. Angelina was in a sports bra. You’d think she’d be talking about Brad. No she was talking about how hot Angelina is. She got no disagreement from me.

Then there are the fun movies that take you back to certain points in your life, such as WarGames, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Poltergeist. Oh and Brigadoon. I used to watch that on TV. I own it now. When I was younger, I used get the name of one of the character’s wrong. I still call him the name I did when I didn’t pay enough attention.

Bottom line, movies give you so much. Oh as for the ones that teach me something knew each time I see it. They include Episodes 1,2,3,4,5,6. Of course 4-6 are the best. Then there’s “Clerks”, “Mall Rats”, “Dogma”, “Chasing Amy”, “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”, “Clerks 2” and of course, “Rent”. But “Rent” is in a class of its’ own because of the original production at the Nederlander.

I’m off to the movies.