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File photo by Raymond Janis

BESS systems still in dispute 

A meeting was recently held at the Sterling Woods condominium in Port Jefferson Station to discuss the impending proposal for an 8.75-MW lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). According to the New Leaf Energy Senior Director of Business Development, this 8.75-MW BESS “can power 8,500 single-family homes for 4 hours.”

This raises a very interesting question: what is the meaning of the phrase “power a home?” Does this imply that all (100%) of the power used in the home will be provided?

New Leaf Energy presents a plan for a 8.75-megawatt project on Feb. 20, 2025. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

Or will the BESS provide only a small percentage, e.g., 20%, of the total power required by each home? If the BESS provides 8.75 MW of power to 8,500 homes for 4 hours, the average power delivered to each home is 1,029 W. For a typical home in Port Jefferson Station, surely a more realistic measure of the required power consumption would be about 5,000 W, rather than 1,029 W. Thus, for this case, the BESS will be providing approximately 20.9% of the required power, and not 100%.

Clearly, the remaining 79.1%, which is 3,971 W, will need to be provided from some other (unspecified) source, if 8,500 homes are to be fully powered with 5,000 W each. Realistically, a single 8.75-MW BESS might be able to provide 5,000 W of power for 4 hours to each of 1,750 (rather than 8,500) homes. Alternatively, a total of 5 BESS units could be configured to fully power 8,500 homes. 

Another subject of discussion at the meeting was the hot topic of thermal runaway in the lithium-ion battery cells. This was said to be “caused when the cells are interfered with or abused and are unable to regulate normally,” While this is correct, it should also be mentioned that “abuse” does not necessarily have to be mechanically induced, but can also originate as a malfunction in the electronic control circuitry, including the charging and cell balancing circuits, and the software that controls them. This can lead to unintentional overcharging of one or more cells, which can lead directly to thermal runaway.

George Altemose

Setauket

Read more about the topic here or visit https://tbrnewsmedia.com/port-jefferson-station-residents-question-battery-storage-proposal-at-sterling-woods-meeting/

WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation. 

Email letters to: [email protected] or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

 

 

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Those of us who don’t have to justify the job we’re doing or get fired are fortunate. We know that and we don’t envy those people who have to make a solid case for keeping a job that may only provide a marginal level of satisfaction.

Apart from whatever I print on a weekly basis, it occurred to me to list some of the intangibles of various levels of my job and, perhaps, my life, recognizing that whatever I write is on the lighter side compared to the serious business of asking strangers to put them in the “okay to stay” pile.

Chit-chatting. Many of my conversations are one sided. I ask questions and then, based on the answer, continue to ask more questions. People generally like to talk about themselves, which makes the process enjoyable for both of us. I’m looking for information and they’re sharing it. More than that, though, I’m keeping the relationship open. No, I’m not in relationships with all these people, but I am helping them feel connected and, in turn, am feeling connected to them.

Gathering back stories. Everything I learn doesn’t go in the paper. That, however, doesn’t mean it’s useless. I might find out a tidbit that grows into something bigger, like a few flakes of snow that stick together. Over time, those flakes may take shape and become, say, a snowball, a snow angel, or a snow globe.

Helping people feel important. Just by reaching out to people to ask their opinions and listening to the answers, I may be giving people the peace of mind that someone is listening closely, or, in some cases, at all, to them. And, for those people who feel disenfranchised, I could also provide them with the opportunity to say, “no, go away, I don’t want to talk with you.” That, in and of itself, is empowering for them, even if it’s not exactly improving my chances of doing my job better.

Supporting all kinds of companies. I talk on the phone, I text, and I send emails. Sometimes, I even try telepathy, although that doesn’t work through a conglomerate or a telecommunications system. All these efforts are propping up the economy, making shareholders wealthier and helping sustain jobs. Oh, and I also shop at the supermarket regularly, where I talk with people who can sometimes tell me to go away, which makes them feel better, and I gather the kinds of pieces of information that might lead to a story.

You see where I’m going with this, right? I’m helping the economy, gathering information for future stories, improving the overall mental health of my community while picking up dog food, vegetables and chicken for dinner, all at the same time. How many jugglers could do all those things at once?

I’m reading other stories. Journalism, as they’ve been saying since I entered the field decades ago, is a difficult and challenging business. By reading the material that other people write, supporting some of my fellow journalists through online subscriptions or, in a few rare cases, hard copies of papers and magazines, I’m supporting an industry that includes me. You see? And, I’m staying in touch with parts of the world, our culture and the infosphere that extends outside my small circle of knowledge.

I’m pursuing my passions. No, wait, hear me out here. You see, by following the latest developments with, say, the Yankees, I’m able to talk with other people about hobbies and then I mix in that information to keep people on the phone and gather more information. It might not seem like it’s critical to know about the injured list for the Yankees, but it’s important to many fans and it helps form the bridge that leads to chit chat, information and, eventually stories.

Not just a journalist. When it comes to writing about anything, say, medicine, the environment, living my values, sharing knowledge and information, it’s helpful to be a consumer, a thinker and a reporter all at once. I write about medicine and I go to doctors regularly, I write about science and I observe squirrels in my backyard, and I write about parenting and I deal with the challenges and accomplishments of my children, sometimes within minutes of each other.

Like baseball players who alter the outcome of a game with one swing, I sometimes also strike out along the way, which makes it possible for me to search for that perfect pitch. No, I’m not perfect and not everything I do provides a linear progression from effort to accomplishment, but much of it, even actions that appear disconnected, provide value. You just have to look hard enough and be ready to understand and believe it.

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Image by Alexandra Koch from Pixabay

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

As more teens learn about artificial intelligence, more are using ChatGPT in doing their schoolwork. According to K-12 Dive, an industry newsletter, between 2023 and 2024, the number doubled. What has also increased is the way in which students can cheat on assignments.

Like every new invention, there are pluses and minuses. Using ChatGPT as an aid can be of help by providing new ways to view information. It can create a metaphor or write a synopsis and offer a different perspective. It could also complete the homework in a false manner that deprives the student of real understanding, much like copying someone else’s notes, even if he or she gets a good grade.

And with so much pressure for good grades, some students may find it easier to cheat, especially in this way that is harder to detect, than to actually learn the new material. Of course, the person they are really cheating is themselves. While AI cheating may offer an academic pathway for short term success, if misused it undermines intellectual growth and also challenges students’ moral and ethical development.

Cheating, of one sort or another, has always existed in academic circles. One way I can recall, when I was in college, was to use Cliff Notes to summarize a plot. These were intended to enable a term paper on Tolstoy’s “War & Peace” or Dickens’ “Bleak House,” for example, without the student having to read the actual thick book. The student may have made it through the class but at what price?

Other forms of cheating included hiring someone to write that term paper for the student, or even hiring another student to take a final. We all knew in school that cheating, in various ways, existed.

So how can cheating be prevented?

The answer is, it probably can’t. But according to the K-12 Dive Newsletter, it can be minimized by creating “a culture of integrity” within which to dissuade cheating.

I can tell you how my college did so in the early 1960s. There was an Honor Board made up of students elected to that position for one year. Anyone accused of cheating or any other improper act could be brought before this jury of peers and either found innocent or, if deemed guilty, appropriately sentenced. Trials, which were few, were held in private, as were verdicts. Innocent until proven guilty was the mindset, and integrity was valued.

That said, I am sure people still cheated without getting caught.

As for catching those misusing ChatGPT, teachers are urged by the Newsletter to read assignments and consider them in light of what they know about each student’s abilities. Testing with pencil and paper in class is revealing. AI use for homework won’t help on a class test.

“Noting the absence of expected concepts or references used in class or the presence of concepts and references not taught in class,” is a giveaway, according to K-12 Dive.

And further advocated in the Newsletter is the idea that students will be less likely to cheat if they understand the moral principles at play, as discussed in the school.

Let’s applaud ChatGPT for what it can do. It can prove to be a helpful tool if used transparently. Students should be taught how.

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METRO photo

Upon waking up in the morning, the first thing most of us do is open the weather app, reservedly hopeful. It feels as if winter should be over as we enter March, but as the weather for the day appears on our screens or televisions, we are greeted with a little cloud icon. Again. 

Despite lengthening daylight hours and sporadic days of sunshine, Long Island enters March under cold and cloudy conditions. The low temperatures keep many inside clutching a hot beverage. In the summer, there would still be plenty of daylight hours to still take advantage of: a comparison that we can’t help but indulge in.

There are some days where our only outdoor time involves walking from the car to the front door; this lack of exposure to the sun as well the inability to pursue hobbies such as hiking, playing sports, swimming or gardening can cause seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

SAD is characterized by oversleeping, overeating and social withdrawal in addition to decreased energy, loss of pleasure in hobbies and difficulty concentrating or making decisions, to name a few. 

While many don’t experience the impacts of the season drastically enough to have a SAD diagnosis, the lack of time outdoors and under the sun undoubtedly has an effect on our behavior and outlook. 

On a chemical level, researchers theorize that vitamin D, which we produce when we are exposed to sun, plays a role in the production of serotonin, otherwise known as the “happy chemical.” According to the National Institute of Mental Heath, the lower levels of vitamin D are common in people who suffer from SAD. 

Furthermore, fewer daylight hours can cause the body to begin producing melatonin earlier, leading to oversleeping. 

The uncomfortable weather understandably keeps us indoors, away from our hobbies, leaving us feeling unfulfilled. The days seem to pass faster without activities to break up the monotony of being indoors. 

Luckily, we can take vitamin D supplements to compensate for our lack of sunlight exposure. While this can abate the chemical impacts, it is important to pay attention to how the season changes our lifestyle choices and to try to mitigate that or supplement it with something else. 

Perhaps, instead of gardening outside, we decide to devote ourselves to a collection of houseplants. We can invest in some hand-warmers and warm weather clothing  to continue hiking and walking without becoming uncomfortably cold. Or, we can take up a new engaging hobby like painting, knitting, or rock-climbing. Moving our body in some capacity is also important to make sure we stay in shape and boost our endorphins, which can decrease symptoms of depression, stabilize our mood, and help us manage stress. 

As we enter the home-stretch of cold-weather, we should check in with our personal and physical needs.

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Photo by Raymond Janis

Sugar kelp farming is a win-win 

Suffolk County has a unique opportunity to lead in sustainable aquaculture by adding seaweed farming to its existing lease program. Seaweed cultivation offers immense environmental and economic benefits, including improved water quality, carbon sequestration, and the development of innovative industries such as sustainable plastics, animal feed, and biodegradable materials.

Non-profit organizations like Lazy Point Farms and its partners have demonstrated their commitment to supporting this industry through research, infrastructure development, and community education. The Town of Brookhaven is committed to collaborating with organizations like this to build sustainable practices, and we have a chance to help pioneer a robust model for providing critical resources to local growers. This initiative will not only create new economic opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs but also help New York catch up with neighboring states already thriving in seaweed production. 

The opportunity is clear: there have been numerous inquiries from businesses for our locally grown seaweed, but not nearly enough supply to meet that demand. Seaweed production is truly a win-win, because as it generates revenue, it also helps drive the development of sustainable products and helps improve water quality in our bays and harbors. 

Concerns about potential conflicts with boating and visual impact are addressed by the seasonal nature of kelp farming, which occurs outside peak boating months. Additionally, kelp farms enhance marine life and mitigate harmful algae blooms, benefiting all who rely on our waters.

By supporting this initiative, we can position Suffolk County and the Town of Brookhaven as leaders in sustainable aquaculture: creating jobs, protecting our waters, and strengthening our local economy. For more information, check out lazypointfarms.org or do some research on sugar kelp harvesting. It’s an effort worth supporting!

Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich 

(D-Stony Brook)

WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation. 

Email letters to: [email protected] or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

 

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A collection of yellow snapper. Photo by Daniel Dunaief
Several needle fish. Photo by Daniel Dunaief
A stingray. Photo by Daniel Dunaief
A trumpet fish. Photo by Daniel Dunaief
A sand diver. Photo by Daniel Dunaief

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Nature rocks!

I know that’s not such a startling revelation, particularly to those people who go hiking, snorkeling or scuba diving.

It’s just that the world around us, and perhaps a flight away, puts the one we’ve created in perspective.

My wife and I recently took a vacation without the kids gasp!— for the first time in over two decades. We didn’t leave them home with a babysitter. They’re both grown up and out of the house, so we left our empty-ish nest, which still had two cats a dog and a vibrant and active bird feeder, to travel to a Caribbean island.

Yes, I know. These vacations can make just about anyone feel rhapsodic. You step off the plane onto a tarmac that’s invitingly warm and bright, you hear Bob Marley music, you feel the refreshing wind on your face, and you tilt your head back, feeling the tension ease out of your muscles more rapidly than if you were on a massage table.

While all of that is amazing, the time we spent communing with, appreciating, observing and feeling genuine awe towards nature were among the most remarkable and enjoyable moments of our travel.

Nature is the currency of communication in our household. Years ago, we were on long drives with children who wanted to know how much longer until we got wherever we were going and we’d see a fox scurrying across the road. We’d pull over and watch for a while, forgetting, for the moment, that we hadn’t arrived and feeling as if we were exactly where we should be.

So, yes, all four of us delight in the opportunity to observe, interact with, or appreciate nature, whether we’re far away or taking a walk through the neighborhood. On my morning walks with our dog, I often take pictures of the hawks that land nearby and the worms that wriggle on the sidewalk after a rainstorm and send them to my wife and children.

Anyway, my wife and I rocked back and forth on a boat that was taking us out to a coral reef, reveling in the pristine air and marveling at the pelicans that glided inches above the water, following their beaks to the next fish meal.

Even before we arrived, we saw turtles swimming near the boat, sticking their colorful heads out of the water so they could take a long gulp of air.

As we prepared to exit the boat, I was delighted to put on my prescription dive mask. Typically, I use a regular mask and try to connect the vague shapes I see at the bottom of the reef with the clearer images we have on our dive card.

This time, as soon as I looked down, I could see the white sand eight feet down and the contours and colors of the fish and the technicolor reef below.

As we made our way along the reef, we searched for the usual striped sergeant majors, green and blue parrotfish, multicolored tilefish, red squirrelfish and orange and white tobacco fish. Each of these residents of the reef contributes to a vibrant scene.

For a while, we tracked a stingray my wife spotted. We also spied the magnificent and svelte barracudas, with their conspicuous underbite and their shimmery silver sides.

Even though we went snorkeling at the same site several times, we witnessed something new with each visit. We watched a sand diver as it stopped on the bottom and perched on a rock, the way a movie studio might envision a mermaid preening on a rock near shore.

The snorkeling instructors required us to wear yellow flotation belts to keep us at the top of the water. That made diving to the bottom challenging, as these belts counteracted my efforts to kick myself closer to the reef. I secretly took mine off, handed it to my wife, and got a close up of the sand diver, which looks like a cross between a lizard and a fish.

On one of our days away, we took an excursion to a nearby island, where we watched an improbably large hermit crab slowly make its way across the sand, dragging its enormous shell. Nearby, lizards of different sizes chased each other as they searched for food or perhaps a preferable place in the sand.

While stepping away from work, concrete sidewalks, cooler air, and various responsibilities in and of itself was refreshing, immersing ourselves in nature offered transcendent peace.

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Geraldine Ferraro with Ivan and Leah S. Dunaief. Photo courtesy Leah Dunaief.

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

Frankly, we are concerned. The tariffs on Mexican and Chinese goods are worrisome. But especially for the print journalism industry, the one on Canadian imports could be deadly.

We get much of our newsprint, on which we send you the local news, from Canada.

We have already endured a significant increase in printing costs because our old printer closed shop and new printers, with whom we have no seniority, are considerably more expensive. So we have not been our happy selves. 

That is until Tuesday evening, when I had the good fortune to see a documentary film called “Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way” at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook.

Now Geraldine Ferraro was the first female to be a Vice President nominee on a major national party Presidential ticket. She ran with Walter Mondale in 1984 against Ronald Reagan, as the Democratic candidates for the top offices in the land, and while they lost, she was an inspirational leader.

She inspired women to run for political office. She also inspired men and women to believe their dreams were achievable. She was a true trailblazer.

Her story is told by her older daughter, Donna Zaccaro, a filmmaker in her own right, and Andrew Morreale, talented editor. It was produced in 2011, the year Geraldine Ferraro died. Before reaching that pinnacle, Ferraro’s life  began with a hardscrabble childhood after her father died when she was 8. Encouraged by her mother, she went on to become a lawyer, then District Attorney in Queens, followed by election to Congress, to her eventual nomination for Vice President.

She changed the way people thought of the role of women in American politics at a time when Women’s Liberation was beginning to roar.

It is a moving tribute by not only her daughter, but also commentary by leading political figures. They included President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush, Vice President Walter Mondale, President Bill Clinton, Secretary Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator Barbara Mikulski, Senator Olympia Snowe, Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, ABC reporter Cokie Roberts, former Wall Street Journal reporter Al Hunt, Republican campaign consultant Ed Rollins, and Eleanor Smeal, President Feminist Majority Foundation. The list reads like a Who’s Who of political operatives of that era.

Geraldine Ferraro was the keynote speaker at the 1985 New York Press Association Convention, and we got to know her a bit then. We marveled at her ability to connect to each person. This was the 40th anniversary of her run for vice president, and her struggle for women’s rights is as pertinent now as it was then.

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Stock photo

It could be a text from a co-worker, addressing you by name and asking for a favor: Could you please go pick up a gift card for them? They will pay you back. It is urgent, the unknown sender will tell you, using the name of a trusted friend, boss or co-worker. 

Using information online, “smishing” scams, a play on the acronyn SMS and the word “phishing”, can exploit existing workplace relationships and take advantage of the anonymity afforded by technology to potentially scam you out of hundreds of dollars. 

Scammers targeting workplace relationships attempt to take advantage of a person’s sense of occupational duty and responsibility to coerce them into making decisions they otherwise would have been skeptical of. For instance, an employee here at TBR News Media recently got a suspicious text, ostensibly from a coworker who works remotely. The text was urgent — the coworker was in a meeting and couldn’t talk on the phone, but needed, for some reason, a gift card.

This type of request is odd, but under the right circumstances, it is tempting to ignore the alarm bells ringing in our head and to simply comply. It is natural to want to be helpful, especially in work-matters and the texts, hectic, confusing and vague, puts pressure on the receiver to assent. 

This type of smishing scam preys especially on new employees—they are unfamiliar with the customs of the company and more likely to excuse bizarre behavior, they may be hesitant to turn down their boss or coworker as they want to make a good impression, and they don’t yet have the contact information of their coworkers, so the impersonation may not be detected immediately. 

The older generation, less versed in technology, may have a harder time discerning what is a “normal” text and what is abnormal. Younger generations that grew up with technology are more adjusted to its customs and still fall prey to scammers. Older generations are at a disadvantage, making them especially vulnerable. 

Luckily, there are a series of measures we can take to safeguard both our personal information and our finances. 

•Do not click on any unknown links you receive from an unknown sender. The link could be corrupt.

•Do not respond. 

•Verify the identity of the sender by contacting them in an alternate way. 

•Delete the texts. 

•Trust our instincts. If something seems strange, we should hold off on responding. 

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Transitioning to solar power 

If we are to transition from our conventional fossil-fuel electrical power plants to units based on solar power, we must have at least a reasonable forecast of the number of solar panels that will be required, along with the land area that will be needed to locate them. At the present time, Suffolk County uses an average continuous power of approximately 1,233 MW. If we are to produce this power using solar panels, let us assume that each panel can provide 400 W of power, when bright sunshine is available.

If this sunshine were available continuously, the number of panels required would be approximately 3.1 million. However, at our best, this sunlight is available for only 8 hours of each 24-hour period, or 1/3 of the time. For this reason, we will require 3 times the number of panels, or 9.3 million, to provide the average power necessary. During each 8-hour active period, these panels will generate 3,720 MW, of which 1,240 MW will be used to power the grid, and the remaining 2,480 MW will be charging the battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities, which will power the grid during the next 16 hours, when sunlight is not present, and the solar panels are not active.

To estimate the area required for the installation of these panels, let us assume that the area of each panel is 10 square feet. Therefore, the required land area to support the 9.3 million panels will be 93 million square feet, or 3.3 square miles, which is slightly more than twice the area of the SUNY Stony Brook college campus.

On those occasions when we have one or more consecutive days with cloudy or overcast skies, an additional 9.3 million solar panels will be required for each day without sunlight, if we are to prevent power blackouts. Thus, for one day without sunlight, 18.5 million panels will be needed, on land space of 6.6 square miles. For two consecutive days, 27.7 million panels will require 9.9 square miles. And for three overcast days, 36.7 million panels will need 13.3 square miles. It should be noted that these are “ballpark estimates,” and a number of factors may serve to increase, or decrease, the number of panels required to avoid power blackouts.

To reduce this number, power may be contributed from other sources, possibly windmills or other venues, such as Nassau County or Connecticut. However, we will also need to consider likely significant increases in projected power requirements, including power for memory banks for artificial intelligence, increased use of EVs, expanded electrification of the Long Island Rail Road and numerous other applications, which will lead to a need for greater numbers of solar panels, and more land space on which to mount them.

George Altemose

Setauket

Congressman LaLota’s vote to cut Medicaid

Despite repeated reassurances on social media that he would “protect” Medicaid, Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1) joined his Republican colleagues in voting to advance the House Budget Resolution, which calls for $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next 10 years. Mr. LaLota claims that he does not support deep cuts to Medicaid, however, his support for this bill says otherwise. He has made multiple references to disenrolling undocumented immigrants from Medicaid despite undocumented immigrants already being ineligible for federal Medicaid funding with the exception of emergency care. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986 all hospitals with an Emergency Room must provide emergency evaluation and care to anyone presenting to the ER, regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay. Emergency Medicaid is a lifeline for hospitals and allows them to defray the cost of providing necessary care.

LaLota’s support for work requirements likewise is projected to save approximately $110 billion over the next 10 years, while simultaneously cutting health care for thousands of CD 1 residents. Additionally LaLota levies accusations of waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid, but fails to support this claim with any data. Medicaid fraud by recipients is rare. Most fraud is perpetuated by unethical providers; however, there is no evidence to suggest that there is $770 billion worth of fraud. It is also worth noting that many times the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services deems payment to providers as inappropriate; however, upon receiving further clinical documentation the decision is reversed. As a Medicaid provider I am subject to routine audits of my work at the county, state and federal levels. Medicaid reimbursement rates are so poor that many providers do not participate. Medicaid recipients already face a limited network of providers.

Elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients disproportionately account for program expenditures. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation individuals with disabilities account for 21% of Medicaid enrollment but 52% of Medicaid expenditures. The only way for House Republicans to reach their stated goal of $880 billion dollars in cuts over the next decade is to target these expenditures, which include medications, rehabilitation, congregate care and medical devices.

Everyone deserves access to high-quality, affordable health care. LaLota just made it more difficult for his constituents to do so. Furthermore, he helped lay the groundwork for the most vulnerable among us to lose access to lifesaving care.

Kathryn Twomey

Port Jefferson Station

WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation. 

Email letters to: [email protected] or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

 

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

I went to the bank to deposit a check recently. My daughter, of course, doesn’t do any such foolish activities. She knows how to deposit her checks without leaving her apartment.

Yes, technology is wonderful, but I still like to go to the bank and get a receipt that I promptly add to the pile of random papers that is almost as tall as I am.

Several hours before the bank closed on a Friday, the stories and queries about weekend plans were all the rage.

“What are you doing this weekend?” one teller asked excitedly. She smiled so broadly that she could easily be in the finals for a game show hosting competition or, at the very least, win extra points for customer friendliness.

“I’m having such a great day,” the teller offered before I could muster a noncommittal reply.

“Why?” I asked, as I glared at the machine that seemed to be refusing to take my check. A hint here: machines don’t care if you glare.

“Well, my manager made nachos today and she brought in home baked cookies,” she said. “They were amazing. I was planning to get a salad but this is so much better.”

“Sounds great,” I said, as I willed the machine to take the check. “I’m not sure how many of those I could eat in a day and get away with it.”

She looked me up and down and laughed.

“Yeah, well, I’m young and I still can’t get away with it,” she suggested.

Yup, I’m older. What gave it away? My gray hair? The fact that I’m depositing a check at the counter? The wrinkles? The indulgent impatience blended with a need to check off the next errand box?

“My daughter is having a sleepover,” one man sighed. “I’m going to grill for them. My wife is going to handle the rest, but…”

Yes, but you might need to take on some responsibility. And who knows how late they’ll stay up. And, of course, who knows if they’ll break any of the rules they promised to uphold before your and your wife agreed to allow this party.

Like my parents, I was never a huge fan of sleepovers. The sleep part often didn’t materialize, making the kids grumpy and surly the next day, sabotaging any quality, hah!, family time or even household peace.

Another person at the bank planned to travel with her daughter for a cheer competition.

“If I knew then what I knew now, I’m not sure I would have encouraged that,” she grinned.

I couldn’t help smiling at that.

“You know,” I said looking away from the machine that still refused to take my check the way a young child refuses to open his mouth when you’re giving him medicine, “It kind of doesn’t matter what activities your children choose. Once they’re in, you’re along for the ride.”

I ticked off all the sports our children did. 

“So, which was your favorite?” she asked.

“Volleyball and soccer,” I said, picking one from each child.

“Why?” she grinned. The machine had started to make some promising coming-to-life noises that were the electronic equivalent of the groans my dog makes when I get him up too early.

“Volleyball is amazing because a player can mishit the ball twice in a rally and the team can still win the point. It’s a forgiving sport, unlike baseball or softball where one ball might come to a player per hour.”

“And soccer?” she asked.

“Oh, that’s easy,” I shrugged. “I knew nothing about the sport, so I wasn’t tempted to be an annoying judgmental over the top father who needs my children to be the absolute best player on the field. Not that he wasn’t, of course, but I could honestly offer him encouragement without being even mildly tempted to provide advice.”

At that moment, the check finally went through. 

With that, the cookie-making banker handed me my receipt, I waved to everyone and wished them well with their weekends.

Some Mondays can’t come soon enough.

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