Cooking with Blobby

As we go on and on with our Shelter in Place, which I think will easily be extended past the April 6 timeline, we have more time to make meals and try new stuff.

Since our commute has been cut down to zero, we are 'home' earlier and can do better than throwing together our staples and stand-bys.

710 found a recipe for Sweet, Sticky & Spicy chicken. Honest to g-d, peeling the ginger was the most time consuming thing in the entire prep. The whole things comes together easily - though of course, in retrospect, we would have done things differently. I shall point them out along the way.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation:

Mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and hot sauce in a small bowl. Done!
The retrospect part here is: I know I used more than 2t of ginger, but I had already peeled and chopped it - why toss it? So into the sauce it went.  And the two T of hot sauce, I might cut back to one - as this has some burn to it when completed.

If you like 'sauce' we made the normal amount for half the chicken (we only had two breasts, not four). Complaints about the recipe in its original form was that it didn't provide enough sauce. In our estimation, neither did sauce for four, chicken for two. If you make four breasts, you might want to up the proportions for what's in the bowl above.

Lightly salt and pepper the chicken strips.

While it doesn't say to flour the chicken, we did for better browning. I suppose you can skip that step if you'd like.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken cubes and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.

The sauce would cover nicely and thicken up a bit. Maybe due to the flour?  Yeah. Probably.

A little rice. A little parsley. It looked and tasted great, but as I said, it had a kick and a burn that lasted. So the white rice helped.

Easy to make, quick clean-up. Everything was in our pantry or fridge, so it was easy-peasy.

Holes

I think April Fools came a month early and took up residence.  ...and it has overstayed its welcome.

So, save for my one April Fool's "joke" I played here a few years back, I am not very good at them. I feel people can see them a million miles away. And sometimes, I'm just not that clever.  Sad but true.

Instead, we'll go with 'butt humour'.  I'm coining the phrase for future royalties.


This one has 'me' written all over it. Almost literally.

My friends semi-piled on, but to be fair, I did send it to them so I set myself up. 

But this doozy of a headline popped up too. And while I know a few folks in the Boston area, naturally.....it fell to one person.

It turns out, Mike didn't really take the bait. 

You can take this anyway you'd like, but he's wiser than he looks.




Song by: Matt Berninger

Breathe

Everyone is so fucking worried about not having enough ventilators - which is a concern, of course - but no one in the medial or at those circus-like "presidential" briefings has asked the more basic questions than "how are we going to get more of ventilators"?

That question - or questions - these folk should be:

1. Who the fuck is going to intubate all these patients? 

Outside of a medical student's (or possibly a resident) rotation in Pulmonary Medicine or Anesthesiology (about a month each), most doctors never have to intubate a patient again in their career.

How many available pulmonologists and anesthesiologists do you think are going to be free for all of these planned patients? And if they're not, how do you think patient satisfaction medical complications will go with the dermatologist on call having to put a tube into your lungs? Or a gynecologist or psychiatrist?  Because, honestly, that is what we are looking at.


2. Who the FUCK do you think are going to look after all these patients once they're intubated? 

Critical Care nurses do this now. Most floor nurses have never seen a ventilator, let alone cared for a patient on one. Sure, they'll rely on Respiratory Therapy to help calibrate the machine, but the overseeing of these patients?

Most critical care nurses have 1-2 patients when they're on vents. 3 at most, depending on the acuity.

Sooooooo.......let's say we, as a nation need 100,000 vents. Let's say half are in use. That's 17,000-50,000 nurses (just for vent patients) per shift. More, with those other patients too. Oh - and these nurses are not trained to treat patients on these machines. Oh - and there has been a national nursing shortage for well over a decade.

I'm sure you, as a patient or concerned family member, wouldn't even consider holding the hospital after a patients death that was due to inadequate staffing, training or equipment.  (btw, my typing fingers are dripping with sarcasm.)


Yes, COVID-19 has disaster written all over it, in many ways. Just not the ways most American's are thinking. I would gather to say that extends to BLOTUS, Ms. Pence and even to a degree, Andrew Fauci. Ditto for each an every governor.

I can tell you - it's a concern at the hospital level. Right now it's not an issue, as there aren't enough ventilators to worry about the staffing and adequate training of said staff.

Those two above questions and my $0.02 answers might be enough for you to stay home, and wash your hands.



Oh - and hospitals still don't have enough PPE.  My health system is recruiting volunteers to sew 100,000 masks in a two week period.  Yes - THAT is where we are as a nation in terms of 'need'.

Good Luck All.  We're gonna need it.




Song by: Maria McKee

My Music Monday

It's been a while since I've seen or heard from Teddy Thompson.

While not a household name, as only one of his disks has ever charted (and not highly) in the U.S.

Teddy comes from the lineage of legendary parents - Richard & Linda Thompson, who had the seminal album, Shoot Out the Lights, back in 1982.  By all accounts, both parties said it was a match made in hell.  Still, they made an outstanding record.

Teddy has been putting out music since, the early 2000s. Some good, some ok. None of it bad, per se.

Like his parents, he sticks with guitar and a mostly folk approach. His new song, "Heartbreaker Please", is the title track from his forthcoming disk, is a little more pop-oriented, but not in a bad or sell-out way. His guitar work at the break is a bit Dire Straits-lite.

Thompson isn't breaking any new ground here, but he sounds good. And we can all use that these days.

App of the Month

Spo writes about a virtual dinner party. People on-line have turned to happy hour FaceTime, and such.

This is the world in which we now live.

Since many states are now Shelter in Place, our only going out time are dog walks. And the store, but separately, as we are limiting our vector, Victor.

And of course, similar to Dorothy, we always had the power to go home connect with our friends before this Covid stuff.  It's called the phone, and FaceTime.

Little did I know that you can FT more than one person at a time. Becky did it with me a week ago, after we couldn't seem to get Zoom to work properly. She successfully got Morty and myself on the phone for a beer and a few laughs.

As mentioned, the Zoom stuff is all over the place lately. It's been out for almost a decade but hasn't made a dent until a few months ago. I know businesses who are moving to it as their web-meeting space. My work is dipping their toes into it, but it's not that much different than WebEx and it's not built into my Outlook for meeting notices the way WebEx is.

But, we tried it. We could all see each other, but we couldn't hear Becky. So, FaceTime it was.

This last Friday - two days ago - we downloaded Houseparty because someone at work raved about it.

Rave is a strong review for this app, but it did work. Not easily - for me, but it did.

Downloading is easy - to phone and / or laptop. Getting it to work for me on the latter wasn't carefree. Let's face it, when Morty can get something to work technologically before me, I'm clearly the last in my class.  But Dith, Becca and Mort were on-line waiting for me. And wait they would.

While I finally got on, I had no audio, which worked to their advantage as they busted my chops, and I could only hold up my middle finger in response. Oh, it got laughs, but........  710 was laughing with them, laughing at me.

The phone was much easier for me, so the phone it was.

If we get three more people to join, it'll be just like the Brady Bunch opening.

Yes, there were technical glitches, but I think that's understandable when now thousands of people are using the app all the sudden and now we have four folks "together".   Now and then, people would freeze or their audio would drop for a few. Becky seemed to buffer slower than others at times.

But when it worked, it worked and we had a blast, if I can answer for the entire gang.

Most spouses and some dogs got brief airtime - even some kids. But 710 just smiled at how much we all laughed. I mean, we talked corona, but didn't drink them. Actually, only the men drank. While we didn't dwell on that, ya know, it had to be acknowledged as we are all affected by it.

More importantly than laughing and virtually hanging together, we knew when to end it too. No one wants to overstay their welcome.

I hope we do more of this. I'm trying to snag Jon into singing up and joining in.

Houseparty is a decent app. It's not a great one, but it is serving its purpose in these rapidly moving times. Maybe Spo can chime in on how virtual dinner went.

Oh - and Becky had fun trying to screen capture this.........

I'm Dith's beard. 

From Safety to Where

Week 2 of Shelter in Place.  Everyone is alive, so that is the silver lining, no?

Make out sesh during work. 

HR was none the wiser. 

Sophie interrupted by pre-bed reading time. 

Worth it. 

Lunch time walk. 

Geese were social distancing from Shep.

Sophie could be more productive at 710's office. 

....and my supervisor is just lazy AF. 

Spry cat. 

A neighbor has put up a sign of camaraderie. 

Shep agrees. Stay Safe. 

Song by: Joy Division

Site of the Month

I know I talk a big game, and while I wouldn't lose a second of sleep if anyone - and I do mean anyone -  associated with Trump & Co. got hurt, and badly, it wouldn't be from my hands.

However, at heart, I'm pretty much a pacifist. I've never truly been in a fight, nor do I even like to see it. I believe once or twice here over the last 17 years (!!!) that I once saw boxing live and it comes across as way more violent in person that is ever conveyed on television.

That all being said............

Of all my Sites of the Month, this months might be the most satisfying of them all.

Punch Donald

I mean, the site name itself is succinct, no?

They've beefed up the site a bit, I think due to popularity. I mean.........look.

Pushing 43 MILLION punches, and only 532 of them are mine.  ...and that's of 17:44 yesterday.

The more you punch BLOTUS, the more bruised and bloody he gets. But the beefed-up part now comes with audio, of him saying stupid shit. Or you know, just opening his pie hole. And it now also comes with random tweets he has sent out over the years.

All things that make you want to punch the fuckface.

BUT............as Secret Service is probably watching, me, you AND the site, there is a disclaimer:

I personally like the 'any resemblance to a real person....'.   That 'tard isn't a real person. Real people have hearts......and brains.

Please though.......punch to your heart's content.  I did. And am.

Boomer's Story

I don't know if any of you read my comments. Or, go back and read them, should someone write one later.

I got this little lovely comment the other day, on a Shep Porn day.

First off - totally love the uninformed.....or if I'm being nice, semi-informed.

As you'd guess, the person is too weak to actually pen their name to it, but that's fine. They seem a tad bit unstable, so, it's possible their lithium was out and couldn't remember their name.

There is nothing I love more than stereotyping, and with large brushstrokes at that, like our friend does here. Granted, stereotyping saves a LOT of time.

Since there is no back and forth, I can't actually ask him (I'm always assuming it's a him - one who wants me, but can't have me, so they act out like this) how much he's done to combat climate change. And I'd need data to support his words, or he's just lying, Of course, the anger on a kitty kat and doggie post really throws me. I'd kind of get it if were on a post I had about, oh say, climate change or covid19.

What the fuck did dogs and cats ever do to this guy?


I wonder if "he" goes on Gen X or millennial blogs and rallies against this girl's parents for giving her the virus.

Or do you think he thinks the boomer grandparents broke in during the middle of the night and coughed all over the kid, just to fuck with her? You know, cause......boomers !!

And naturally the Gen Zers at Spring Break not caring about a virus - including HPV - has the "if I get corona, I get corona"* attitude.  Crowded bars. Crowded beaches. Getting coughed on is the least of their worries. Then the invariable planes to the four corners, transmitting most anything they touched that week to countless others.

But sure: boomers.



I'd tell you to 'suck my dick', but I can't guarantee I wouldn't cough on you.........on purpose.

However, if he wants to have an intelligent discussion, I'd be open to that. But I think we all know THAT isn't gonna happen.





*actual spring breaker quote



Song by: Ry Cooder

Music Everywhere

Dare I say it?  Save Brokeback Mountain, I have never really liked Jake Gyllenhaal in a thing in which he's appeared. Even in that movie, Heath Ledger was the stand-out. Jake got lucky by association.

So, I did not expect him to appear on John Mulaney's Nexflix show, John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch.

The show is, well, odd. It has its moments, but then some of those moments can kind of go long. Too long. With kids. While the song about Grandma's new boyfriend, Paul, was left of center it made us laugh a bit and one or two others were ok.

Yes, with no cable and housebound, we are looking at a lot of different tv stuff.

So, the only known (i.e. listed) guest on the show was Richard Kind, we weren't expecting David Byrne or Gyllenhaal (both of whom would show up on SNL when Mulaney hosted a few weeks back).

Still, Mr. Music's (Gyllenhaal) number might be the best thing you see Jake in......ever.  ...and I think he blinks a total of three times in his seven plus minutes, so that's a little unnerving.  His singing might be better than his acting and it's funny when the words don't rhyme.

It is just a wee bit out there, and it might be the best thing you see all week.






 Song by: John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch ft. Jake Gyllenhaal

Shelter

As for 23:59 yesterday (just 8 minutes after publishing time), Ohio is on Shelter in Place.  Like New York and Illinois (if not others as well), all are to stay home, save non-essential businesses.

What is deemed "non-essential" is iffy at best. Healthcare and infrastructure I get. Well, healthcare, as long as it is not abortion-related. Ohio has demanded the stoppage of abortions during this time. It's an asshole-ish move, but one I doubt will be challenged, except when this ends. I will be a dollar, that Ohio asks for that demand to be carried forward.

Somehow, gun sales / shops are considered essential and will remain open. 

Tattoo parlors and our doggie daycare are non-essential. Shouldn't I balk at that first one?  If the second amendment remains in place for this, why not the first?  Can I not argue that getting inked falls under freedom of expression?

710 and I have, for all intents and purposes, been practicing this the last week. We go out with the dog, for walks, but distance ourselves from others, which isn't difficult. First, on the best days, few people hike. Currently, things are like a ghost town.

The title image is a major road into town. This was taken at 07:50 on a workday. Not a car to be seen in either direction. Normally, the downhill routes into the city would be jam-packed.

While this is challenging for those with kids, etc, it hardly impossible. I am glad my mother isn't still around for this. Besides her respiratory challenges, just not having visitors for weeks on end would have been spirit crushing for her.

Who I truly feel for are the homeless. Shelters are not shelter in place. They're being encouraged to find other places to stay !!!!   Thank about THAT for a moment, if you will.  And with restaurants, Starbucks, bars, parks, etc being closed down, so are their restroom facilities. The homeless have literally nowhere to go. Or to go.

I love that Wilmington, DE has put out a number of port-a-potties for this reason. So far, no town in Ohio has done the same - at least of which I know. I think think that is essential, and humanitarian.

But this whole thing has not been humanitarian driven.

Post 9/11, even if for a few weeks, had the country coming together. COVID-19? Not so much. It is every man for him / her self. It's quite sickening to see. I'd say it's a leadership style - and in a way it is. Bush was hardly a competent president, but he kind of held it together in the time after 9/11 (you know, before the made up evidence to go to war shit). Current leadership is fucking off. the. rails.

If not every man for himself, definitely every state for themselves. "He" has said as much. That is delegating, not leading. He is weak and he knows it.

The next phase is going to be the worst and possibly the end for us all - and that's not just hyperbole: it will be a national lockdown, even though BLOTUS says it will never come to that (run through the translator: coming in a week or less).  But the talk of the DOJ suspending certain constitutional rights (did they start that Jan 20 2017??), including habeas corpus. This would mean, YOU could be arrested and held indefinitely - no court appearance, no trial, no nothing.

Should they get this through, it will be like Delores Umbridge at Hogwarts, not so slowly stripping away right after right until there are none. The end one being: no November election.

You know I always say I'm a fatalist, and not a pessimist?  This is fatal.



Song by: Lori Carson

My Music Monday

In theory - I don't know I'd like a group like Asking Alexandria. Until the other day, I've never heard of them, but they've been around for 11 or so years, so that is on me, I suppose - or their PR person.

While I clearly have the mouth of a sailor - and not just because of all the long voyages at sea with no women around for months - yet oddly I can be taken aback by f-bombs now and then in music.

I don't know if I'm not expecting them or what. I'm not offended, just a little surprised.

Truth be told, when I heard "Antisocialist" on the "radio", I never heard the cursing, but I suppose they could have cut them out - though I heard no awkward spaces in music either.

Asking Alexandria seems to be a straight forward rock and / or roll band, which is fine - a little Linkin Park with a little Creed with a little Puddle of Mudd. I am going of an N of 1.  I don't know them but I'm assuming I could cherry pick songs here and there I might like.

"Antisocialist" is, in its own way, is a song for these days. It's all about social distancing. The "Please stay away from me" and "Don't fucking touch me" lyrics are so apropos for our Covid-19 era.

The verses are ok, but the chorus is - and forgive me for this - infectious.

Crush

It was just 10 days ago I posted about another crash (or was it two?) that came into the yard.

Another one happened a few days back. This time, I heard it. No screeching tires, no horns, just the crash, the crumple. Oddly, 710 didn't wake up, and while Shep had gotten up with me, he didn't bark. I fear we have inadvertently trained him to recognize crashes and run to the window nearest to the accident.

So at 04:40 the other day, we went for our walk to see the cops already there, which was amazing. From the time I heard the crash, to putting on clothes (and peeing) and getting outside, I'm surprised anyone was there - including the driver!.

We walked to the corner, the cop was out, driver was out and walking around, though rubbing his head. I was unsure if it was due to injury or to 'what the fuck did I just do?' .  Possibly both.

Technically, he barely got into the yard. As so many before him, Mr. Telephone Pole stopped him dead in his tracks. Well, stopped the car dead. You can't see but both front tires and axel were shot, but that probably happened coming over the cement island, before the street, before the sidewalk, before the pole.

I snapped the above pic and Shep and I skidaddled as the firetruck and ambulance arrived. While it'd be nice to see the would be (but never are) hot workers, my bigger concern would be the dog parking at them aggressively. It was a lot to take in.

But we did a short walk. Clearly, their services were not needed, as when circled back a few minutes later, only the cop and victim remained.

Naturally, I was annoyed later in the day to see they picked up none of the debris - again. So, I took care of it myself. 

Kind of.

I took it out of the yard, and deposited all this on the aforementioned island. Three days later, there it all sits. With each crash, I will just add to the pile. Maybe it will be a stark warning to the drivers.

Of course it won't. The speed limit at our house is 20 mph. WHILE the cop (flashing lights and all) and disabled car were there, cars scooted right next to them.........at 35-40 mph.

Whilst speaking with neighbors yesterday, one of them mentioned the horrific accident outside our house a week or two ago. "Horrific" is relative, of course, but clearly it turns out it was one that happened while we were still working at, well, work.

A cement truck came around the corner, lost control, tipped over, and landed on a mini-van, crushing and killing the mini-van driver.

Sure, THAT debris, they picked up!

Yes, I'm being glib. I have no idea who is tracking the volume of accidents here, if anyone. I'm sure that's due to three different jurisdictions responding to (or not) the accidents.

What was just majorly annoying is now just deadly.



Song by: Jennifer Paige

Home Again

So, that angst I said was better with yesterday's video (which was really taken the day before), is back. But I accidentally saw BLOTUS' briefing yesterday.

Like all those stock market gains that happened on BLOTUS' clock over three years - in which he wiped in two weeks - any gains I had in less stress are now soaring.

That said - it's still Sophie / Shep day............and THAT is what matters.

Work from home pics. Mostly.

Shep in his pied-à-terre  / my office. I am interloping in his space. 

He still got the window seat - keeping me safe from squirrel and mailmen alike. 

Last Saturday we did a purge of most everything on the third floor. Sophie "helped". 

Shep & Squirrel in 710's office / dining room. 

Cutie Sophie chillaxin' with Dad #2. 

Shep after our video shoot. 

I'm so glad he uses the office futon. I feared he was never comfortable up there. 

Sophie is a good co-worker, but sometimes whiny and vocal. 

Song by: Carole King

17 Again

One of those rare times I do a vlog entry.  The dreaded bloaversary.  17 years.

Last year I said it was 17. I kind of lost count. Today starts the 18th year. I think I misspoke 366 days ago.

One take. No script. Probably love of 'uhhh' or 'umm's.  I don't actually know, as I never actually previewed it. It's all about quality control here.





Song by: the Eurythmics

Anxious

I won't lie - I'm having bouts of anxiety.

Not all the time, but there are moments. My inability to sleep has increased......or is it decreased?  I'm sleeping less than usual, which at best was 5.5 hours per night beforehand.

Normally, I'm not prone to this kind of behaviour, but i I think we can all agree that these are not normal times.

While we did cut cable, news is hard to avoid, and in a way shouldn't be, but I don't yet know my own limits when I've hit sensory overload. That is, until it's too late. And then, well, it's too late.

Working in healthcare leaves no downtime on this subject. None. Though I dare say, I am guessing none of you are finding downtime on this topic either.

I believe, my angst comes from you know who, his cronies, his family and his network.

Honest to fucking g-d, if Kushner truly had anything to do with trying to secure the only coronavirus test and use it for his personal gain, I think he should be drawn and quartered. I haven't heard a definitive on if there is / was actual involvement, but honestly, SOMEONE has to know. Mother Jones is reporting it, but I want / need real validation. (not like I have any authority should it be true, but the media had better be ALL over that.)

It's the general angst of these douches x 100 when you hear something like this - coupled with BLOTUS' claim, he knew it was a pandemic before anyone else. It. is. infuriating.

I am trying my best with humour, but..........that only goes so far. But for you, I will try.

La Grande Jatte with Quarantine

Hooper, reimagined

ha!

My actual own creation. 

Someone's Day 6 of quarantine.  (I'm hoping it plays. Use sound.)

1984 ha!

....and the finally this.  Funny, yet, in a way, not. 

Song by: General Public

Record of the Month

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what I'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there!

Disappointing.

That is kind of my one word review for La Vita Nuova, the new disk by Maria McKee.(don't bother clicking, the site hasn't been updated since 2015!).

I'll assume the 'new life' of which the title speaks is McKee's semi-new revelation of her pansexual-ness, or just coming out, depending on who / what you read.

The reality is, save for a song here or there, McKee hasn't put out a full disk since 2007. Granted, her 2005 disk, Peddling Dreams was spotty at best, but I alway have high hopes for Maria, and always have since 1985.  Her Life is Sweet disk ranks as one of my top of all time.

Even in 2016 she put out a song on some compilation that was very good - a missed presence.

I'm not quite missing her with Nuova.

For the most part, it's McKee and either a guitar, piano or strings. Rarely are there multiple instruments. Even more rare is any rhythm section. In theory this could all actually work, but it doesn't.

In a way, the songs are promises unfulfilled - not by theme, just by fleshing out. McKee's voice is still fine, but I think the disconnect is in her songwriting - or with me.

To a degree, a percentage of McKee's songs are not your normal song structure. Verses don't have to rhyme, the chord progression might not continue throughout the entire song. Maybe all that was accentuated by fuller arrangements?  On Nuova, it just seems that McKee is just short of stream of consciousness / singing.

I've made it through the disk 2-3 x in the last week, but it's been a struggle. Few were more excited than I when I hard this was on the way. Maybe I'm one of the few who are let down, or maybe I'm in the majority. 

I'm glad McKee is back to making music, hopefully this is just a one-off on iffy songs.

Ireland

It's primary day here in Ohio, but also St. Patrick's Day.

Correction:  It was primary day. That got 86'd yesterday afternoon. They're moving it June, so our voice truly won't matter on the Democratic presidential thingy. And it's two more months of mailers - which you know these guys didn't budget........and we already voted.

Ruckiry (not Jon's boss), they cancelled the parade. That means less vomit and less bagpipes. Honestly, the vomit is the less offensive of the two. But perhaps this will get people to the polls instead of the bars.

But in honour of St. Patrick's Day, I'll just post an SNL skit from 2018. I was amused - especially at the punching Bono in the back of the head line.






Song by: Tori Amos

Closedown

You get two posts today.  Yay you.

In a way I get for the Ohio governor (who btw, is still an asshole), to close all bars and restaurants in Ohio as of last night.

Restaurants will still be able to prepare food for pick-up, but not eat-in service.

That's all well and good, except for the severe economic impact for which they are not planned.

For carry-out / delivery, you need a fraction of your staff. Great for the owner's bottom line, sucks to be the minimum wage (if that) worker, not working. Sucks to be your supplier who will not be paid in full, or timely, because you, the owner, aren't brining in enough revenue for supplies, let alone overhead.

And should your higher end place not really be set-up for carry-out?  Well, you're kind of fucked. Yes, you still have all those bills and zero revenue coming in.

.......and yes, save for 'workers can apply for unemployment.....", there seems to be nothing to keep anyone else - individual and / or business from going belly up for keep the creditors away.

Oh and btw........in Ohio, 'unemployment' is about 50% of what you would normally make. So, if you weren't making it on $650 per week for a family of four, good luck on that $325.

Ohio (or any state that follows suit.......Illinois!), needs to have protections in place. Not just paid leave, but credit protection for business owners...........and I'm not talking about McDonalds and Starbucks.

So, should you have the opportunity, pick up a pizza this week, from your local mom & pop place. Keep them going. Pizza Hut, Dominos and Papa Johns are kind of shitty pizzas anyway, so you have to eat, they need to live.



.....and in other / related news...........I swear I almost had an aneurysm with this.....

If you could have heard the tone in which is was delivered, I swear,.......    While I might be a fatalist at heart, I'm not an alarmist, but something in all of this with his weird combination of panic-inducing, yet, we just don't care THAT much, is beginning to frighten me, more than a little bit.

Now, just go back to the My Monday Music post and forget I wrote this just so my head didn't explode.




Song by: the Cure

My Music Monday

I'd like to saying I'm bringing you 'new' music - and it is, to me. To at least 79,329,965 others, not so much.

"What You Know" by Two Door Cinema Club actually dates back nine years - and I have never knowingly heard it.

It is wonderfully pop-rock. Something that would or should have happened back in 1981 or so with new wave pop.

It was playing on XM and I liked it.  It's light. It's fun.