The LuLac Edition #238, June 3rd, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: THE PIEROGIE AS WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE IT AND THE COMMITTEE THAT HANDLED NANTICOKE'S MUSIC FEST THIS YEAR. THEY ARE; Shown above seated lt. To rt. Is Karen Dougherty, Yvonne Bozinski and Joan Prestash. Standing lt. To rt. Is Jim J.D. Verazin, Mayor John Bushko and Doc Halliday. Absent from the photo is Theresa Sowa, Eric Grohowski, Joseph Walters, Betsy Cheshinski, and Tony Margelewicz.

THE CONTEST

I always wanted to be in an eating contest. Being a big guy and one who loves food, I always thought that entering one of those contests might be something to do in your lifetime. Work commitments kept me out of hotdog eating contests as well as ponski (pre lenten donuts) contests. But when I found out that the city of Nanticoke was having a pierogie eating contest this past Saturday, I thought, "well maybe". So Saturday came and after much debate with myself, I decided that I would indeed make the trek to Nanticoke and enter the contest. I made no special preparations, I had a breakfast at Perkins that morning and a handful of bing cherries in the afternoon. I took a nap but that was because I had spent the night before not sleeping, choosing to work on some projects and then watching a fire on my street until 3:30AM. So I got to the city of Nanticoke by 3:40PM, found myself a parking spot and went to the contest center. I signed up and took my place at a table set for 20. My connection to Nanticoke has always been spotty. My favorite bakery is there, The Sanitary which I go out of the way to visit every few weeks. My 25th wedding anniversary cake, that had to be transported to Pittston came from Nanticoke. At the party I was asked, "Don't they have bakeries in Pittston?" "Not like the Sanitary" I repliued and after the person had a piece of the cake, they knew what I meant. I have an association with WNAK but that's because I know the Sales Manager and lend a hand once in a while on political ads. I've had few co-workers from Nanticoke and in my dating career, never "saw" anyone from there although I know a few fine looking women from the city. So, in a way I was an outsider at this party. Still, I was welcomed. As my foes gathered for the contest, all forms of bravado were exhibited. I just wanted to sit quietly and figure out what a competitive eater was supposed to do before the event. I chatted briefly with Councilman Joe Dougherty, a Dem who just won another term on Council. He was the judge and informed us we'd be getting the following, a. A tray of 20 pierogies, b. A bucket in case we had a "Roman incident", or in case we barfed, c. A big 24 oz. bottle of water and d. No forks. No forks????!!!!???? Now that was a curve. "How are we supposed to eat these?" I whined to the pierogie maker. "You eat 'em with your hands, like a man, ike an animal". That seemed to excite the teenager next to me in a Green Bay Packer jersey to no end, but to me, it totally took me out of the game. When the whistle blew, I gingerly put my left paw in the butter and pierogies. By the time the contest winner ate his 20 under two minutes, I had eaten 4. Had 16 to spare. WE were told we could take the left overs home if we wanted to. I did because I needed to show Mrs. LuLac something for my efforts. She was napping, and then showering when I came home from the event. On our way to church, she asked how I did. I told her there were no forks. She said that was a loser's excuse. The rest of the night, the 4 pierogies I did eat sat in my stomach as a reminder of the good city of Nanticoke. I realized those eating contests are more complicated than they look on TV too. I'm sure this will be my last event. Something about having people stare at you while you eat always freaked me out. Especially without a fork.

Anyway, the contest was just a small part of what's going on in the city of Nanticoke. The event was well attended, well organized and filled with happy people. Here's the link to the city's website: http://www.nanticokecity.com/ Forks not included.

PISANO PISANO PISANO

I want Tommy Pisano to be the interim County Commissioner filling out the term of Todd Vonderheid. Here's why, when Pisano was Controller, things were, to be kind, quiet. When he became Commissioner, things were, to be kind, silent. So I figure with that track record of, to be kind, "not much to say and therefore not much to account for" in his 6 year County elected career, he'd do the least. And when you do the least, you do the least harm. Yep, he's my guy. GO PISANO!!!!