Tag: Penn State Football

West Coast Philly-Cheesesteaks? Huh? by Art Smukler, MD, Inside the Mind of a Psychiatrist

by artsmuklermd, posted in MY NOVELS, Penn State, Psychiatry, Self Examination, Writing

I hope diehard Geno’s Steak aficionados don’t attack me too much, but I’ve developed a taste for cheesesteaks right here in Los Angeles. For those of you who aren’t from Philly, Geno’s is a South Philly restaurant credited with inventing the cheesesteak in 1933. 

I was so enamored with the greasy cuisine, that I had Joe Belmont, my main character in Little Italy, a psychological suspense novel, enjoy one just the way I like it. Geno’s is also on the cover.

Now, after decades of living in sunny California, I’ve completely turned the page (bad pun) and won’t streak to Gino’s when I visit Philly. 

Also, I have to admit, I’m whispering this, very softly, I care more for the Rams than the Eagles. Okay. Okay. I’m still a good person. Fly Eagles Fly!

On the other hand, Penn State football is still my Saturday obsession. It’s untreatable. Even Lexapro won’t work. Hail to the Lions! Since UCLA and USC are now in the Big Ten they’ll be out here playing and I can sit in the stands, wear my Nittany lions cap, and eat my LA cheesesteak from Jersey Mike’s. 

Who cares, right?

I do. 

Sometimes it’s just the simple things that bring us joy. 

Have a great day. Art

#Pennstatefootball, #Bigten, #Nittanylions, #Littleitaly, #Phillycheesesteaks, #Gino’s, #Collegefootball

THOUGHTS ON TIME TRAVEL, by Art Smukler MD, author & psychiatrist

by artsmuklermd, posted in Penn State, Self Examination, World events, a psychological view, Writing

My trip back in time started this morning, with an innocent glance at the sports news.

The Big Ten just closed a blockbuster, seven year, seven billion dollar TV deal, to start in 2023. That’s a lot of money! All college athletes, nomatter what their sport, will benefit, as will the individual universities.

From there my mind wandered to Penn State football. Two weeks and the new season begins.

And from there, I was transported back to the sixties – Vietnam, Joe Paterno, JFK, Bay of Pigs, LBJ, Marching against the war… The 1964 NYC World’s Fair.

My mind spun faster and faster and faster and I was tossed back to a time that I hadn’t thought about in decades – the middle of the Spring Quarter of my senior year.

I got the intense idea that I needed to escape.

I tossed my suitcase in the trunk of my old Plymouth Valliant and set out to The Big Apple. The fact that I only had a few hundred bucks didn’t seem to bother me. Nothing bothered me! Genetics, histology, and biochemistry would just have to wait until I got back.

It was a six hour trip from State College to NYC. Halfway there, I somewhat came to my senses. Where would I stay? How much was food? Gas didn’t cost much, but my car only got 10-12 mpg and I would quickly run out of money.

I remembered a girl who had an apartment in the The Village. At the next gas station, I called information. The operator got me her number, and she hesitantly agreed that I could stay with her. She made me promise that whatever I saw or did at her place had to remain a secret.

I 100% agreed. Her secret would never leave my lips. In all these years, it never did.

What was the secret?

Check out my next post, THOUGHTS ON TIME TRAVEL 2.

You can also check out, THE REAL STORY, a mystery.

Mysteries can be fun.