About/Contact Ralph Zig Tyko, Blogga
“I have the right to remain silent. I just don’t have the ability.”
My name is Ralph Zig Tyko.
I am a political lefty, [cultural] Jew/Zionist.
I was born into a dysfunctional family, long before the catch phrase became popular.
I was raised in New York City where I graduated PS 148, Joseph Pulitzer Junior High School 145, and Newtown High School in Elmhurst.
I spent hot summers at Kittatinny Camp and joined the Air Force to escape the cold draft. After Basic Training and Tech School in Texas, I was stationed at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California.
After the service, I established roots in California and lived in Sacramento, San Francisco, and the East Bay Area. Over the years I’ve: sold insurance, owned and managed an insurance agency, wrote, performed and produced comedy. I was known as “The Unzipped Mind of Ralph Tyko,” from time to time was billed as Zig Zagman Jr., and also wrote and performed as Max Gornisht.
I was the West Coast Representative for Topps Baseball Card Company, covering the California and Northwest Leagues from 1983- ‘96. I produced and hosted a number of televised baseball interviews and the video documentary, “Portland Rockies Inaugural Year 1995.”
My most satisfying gig is co-raising my son, Phillip, with his motha, Diane Satin. I was “Mr. Mom,” the stay-at-home dad for his first five years.
I keep busy now as the executive director of People Care 4 Day Care, Inc.
For fun, I photograph and write about my surroundings. I’m an avid baseball fan/historian. I play tennis, chess, and pocket pool.
I live in paradise, Alameda, California.
You may contact me for any reason at: rtyko@pc4dc.org or at (510) 827-5837
And yes, I can spell unzipped.
Frederick Karp said,
March 1, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Zig,
Thanks for sharing this self-portrait that indicates that you’ve enjoyed life and being a person and have accomplished some significant things and continue to keep busy. At the same time, you have exhibited humility and humanity! Good Luck. Fred
Ralph Zig Tyko said,
March 1, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Fred,
Wow… Best of all, I’m blessed with dear friends like you!!
Z
Ralph Zig Tyko said,
April 7, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I recently received a email from an old friend who gets “it.”
Here are some excerpts:
“Nice website(s). Of course you still communicate with the world, you would never stop. it amazes me that almost everyone i know comes from a dysfunctional family yet most are loathe to speak of it until it just sort of comes up eventually after you get to know them well, say, 25 years later. but you just let it hang right out there, nothing hidden about being exactly what everyone else is all about. and yet i’m sure your message is unsettling to most, though their response to it is either a yawn, or an “oh gawd!” or an “oh, big deal.” These responses of course are by the most fucked up who have endeavored to keep that fact hidden from everyone including themselves, esp. in their own dreams/nightmares. And you don’t make funny about it. You just hang it out there in the introductory sentence. Go figger. At first it seems naive, self-involved, but then you realize it’s just such an important inyourface handshake. “My cobwebs are out of the way, hey.” Or are they? Are they ever? They also run into your face before anyone has a chance to ask or think anything else about you, about your skeletons, your pain, misery, your secrets, the real ones.
“You look g-r-e-a-t old man Scorp. Good to see you doing good work at the nonprofit. Philip looks very different all grown up than he looked at 4. Congratulations on the good job; he looks like a sound Mensch.”
Linda said,
April 26, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Ralph
The flying fickle finger of fate – it appears that after all these years you are probably still the same ol’ Ralphie. As for Phillip – handsome guy, when playing Mr Mom, hope you fed him more than mustard and Pretzels.
Linda
Ralph Zig Tyko said,
April 26, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Yes, the “same old me.” I’m taking that as a compliment. :-)
Pictures of your kids and grandkids grace this page, Linda [not Rinda]:
http://pushpull.wordpress.com/images-of-family-friends-acquaintances-fellow-alamedans-andor-loved-ones/