Three Steps Down

It's the weekend.  You know what that means.

....it means the only reason you still tune into this blog.

Freed from his apartment, we waits for me to take him for his evening walk. 

Sophie and Shep

Shep and Kooper.  

They haven't seen each other for such a long time. They had such a blast. 

Sleepy Shep.  Sleep Blob too. 

Song by: Rosanne Cash

Thinking About You

You know, even as a fictional, extremely foul-mouthed, narcissistic, self-absorbed and wildly inappropriate president, Selina Meyer was still a better commander in chief than the one currently occupying 1600 Pennsylvania.

Like SCROTUS, she has a bumbling, inept press secretary. And a butt-load of advisers who give her nothing but bad advice for their own gain.

Unlike SCROTUS, Meyers has only been married once...and only one child from that marriage. She doesn't quite tramp around like you-know-who.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus couldn't be better for the role. I don't believe anyone else could have ever pulled that off. She deserves every Emmy, People's Choice and Golden Globe for which she's nominated.

Unlike SCROTUS - Louis-Dreyfus is a friend to the environment.......and the normal people.

The joke is, she might be almost as rich as Dump himself. With her father dying a few months back, Julia is now probably worth billions............with a 'b'. Not that she hasn't done fairly well on her own.

But with that money, you'd think one could get more like a SCROTUS........but not the tv kind.

Yesterday, JLD announced she had breast cancer. And while that is sad on any number of levels, it's how she announced it that makes all the difference between her fictional employment and the real thing.

Yes, in a time of a personal health crisis, Louis-Dreyfus doesn't think only about herself.

Granted, her character wouldn't have, but that is fiction. The problem is the real president doesn't think of others when it comes to health......or disaster.......or...........(fill in the blanks).

I take it back. If he got cancer, he'd think of others......and blame it on them. Crooked Hillary being the first. Obama being the second. And Comey being the third.  The list would go on and on.

Here's hoping JDL gets better, as there is no chance of recovery for Dump.




Song by: John Mellencamp

Nothing Man

I suppose if I gave a flying fuck about college basketball I could be all up in arms about Rick Pitino losing his job over some Adidas bribe thingy.........or something along those lines.

Wouldn't it be bigger news if collegiate sports didn't have monetary interference?

But I don't care.

Let's see.......Puerto Rico?  Nahh.  Everyone's got that covered.  Another blow to GOP healthcare? No, though it seems leadership waited two more days after everyone else knew it wouldn't pass before saying it was dead.

I could always expound upon the new Madea movie.....or Cher needing to do ads for the Gap. Times are hard, y'all.

I said I could.  I didn't say I would.

So it turns out I might have nothing to say today.  Well, I could have chosen any of those above topics, so I don't have nothing..........it is that I just don't care.

Truth is - I am tarred. So very tarred. Work has been ball-busting and at 11-12 hour days. I need to sleep more than I need to write.

I'm sure I'll be back with something clever and witty to say.



Song by: Bruce Springsteen

Song of the Patriot

The problem with Betty Bowers is anymore she doesn't really ride that fine line of Christian Conservative Woman and satirist.

There was a time that the religious right probably thought she was their advocate not knowing she was poking fun at them.

This last election and this presidency has changed all that. She pretty much calls them out, like in this new video. And she is spot-on, but I don't know it has the same subversiveness as it once did.

That said - the people of which she makes of fun wouldn't have gotten the subtlety. They kind of need a 2 x 4 to the head.........and for lots of reasons.





Song by: Johnny Cash & Marty Robbins

Grazed Knees

Oh for fuck's sake people - he's diverted your attention...........again.

And I mean, like all 330 million of you.....plus some Canadians.

Two fucking tweets and now we are like four days in of doing nothing but commenting about it, or commenting about the comments....or commenting about who or who did not kneel at the NFL games.

In the meantime - and in the West Wing - I'm just assuming evil is afoot and no one is watching.... again.

On the off chance that there isn't extra secret plotting, planning and scheming going on, my original post still pretty much stands.

Still there ain't a person not talking about it.  ....and of course by talking, I mean posting a lot of inane things on facebook and twitter.  I'm taking friends, "friends", sports figures, politicians, "celebrities" etc. Everyone has something to say.

The problem is, few have anything relevant to say......unlike, say, me!

The predictable right folks who trotted out veterans who thought it was horrible that they fought only to have the flag disrespected.  The predictable left trotted out veterans who said they served so that people could exercise their right to protest or express themselves. They cancel each other out in certain ways - though neither side is ever gonna buy the other's point of view.

The fireable offense is new.....and laughable.  Rape is fine (grab her by the pussy!). Attempted murder is fine. Domestic abuse is right on point. Dog fighting - awww....give the poor felon a second chance! Kneel instead of stand? Throw the bum out for life!

Yeah - that seems like a proportional response.

But logic and reason isn't really a thing now, so you just have to roll with the punches.....though I won't stop trying to bring some semblance of recent history to make someone scratch their head and kind of go, "ohhhhhhhh".

I'm just not wagering on it.

(Morty gets the credit for the title image. ....sending it to me, that is......not creating it.)


Song by: Snow Patrol

My Music Monday

I've been forcing myself to listen to my Sirius a little more often. For g-d's sake, I'm paying for it. I usually keep it on a handful of stations - mostly AltNation and First Wave.

Of course, there is almost nothing I haven't heard on First Wave, if anything I'll hear something I might not have come across in years. It's AltNation where I pick up a song here and / or there.

This week it's "Sorry" by Nothing But Thieves.

I stumbled upon it mid-song was kind of into it. I searched it out via YouTube and I have to say the beginning didn't grab me. But I let it play and soon enough  - but not immediate - it grabbed me again.

I don't mean enough for me to actively search out other output they might have done. Right now it's just for the moment....a car ride.

(and I still like the YoutTube feature of starting a video at a certain point for you folks. You escaped 24 seconds of nothing. Sure it seems like no time, but admit it, the 5 seconds you sometimes have to wait for a video to start is too long.  You're welcome!)

King for a Day

The reward of receiving an Oscar® might not be as prestigious as one might think.

Take the movie, Kingsman: the Golden Circle......please!

First off, way to incorporate the name of a failed mid-70s to mid-80's discount retailer into a multi-million dollar movie title.

Secondly, there are four - count 'em, FOUR - Oscar® winners in this film.   Four!

Granted, one of them is Halle Berry, so I guess you have like 3.15 winners here. And while Berry is stilted at best, Julianne Moore proves that doing Todd Haynes movies don't pay the rent, so she needed a franchise movie to make bank...........and. she. sucks. in this.  Just horrible.

I should back up. Our friend James (of David & James) texted to ask us to the movie. Granted, the selection was a better choice than It, but so would have Shoah.  I gracefully tried to change the option, saying we'd never seen the first one, but he came back with "neither have we".  So I'm all like, "it's like trying to catch up on Police Academy 3 when you haven't seen 1 or 2.  The Academy plots are so intricate, you'd never catch on.   (insert your mental eye-roll emoji now.)

So - we went to see the Kingsman. For the record, David was also not on board with the selection. This is one of those marriage compromises I keep hearing about.

Our local paper gave it a D rating. Knowing that David & James never read the local, I opted not to tell them until after the movie, which made them ROR!  D might be strong, but C- would be the very highest grade it should get.

That higher grade mostly goes to the quasi-lead played by Taron Egerton (pictured). He's cute, good accent, and isn't too hammy in a movie with the over-the-top effects, stunts and cgi that plague this movie.

Yes, I get it originated from a comic book or graphic novel or something. I have no affinity for those. But there holes in the story wherein Sherman tanks could drive through that could have been tightened, and they were just all over the place in terms of story anyways.....including a portion where Moore's character was keeping Elton John captive (or as the Plain Dealer said: he was a "parody of an old fat queen".  Nailed it!).

(There are spoiler alerts here, so turn away if you plan on purchasing a ticket for a C- movie.)

Soooooo much going on in the movie....and most of it not really relevant. Afterwards, I realized the premise for actual plot didn't even truly exist.

Let's pretend that, say, Moore's character ran an illicit, illegal organization for which the Kingsman weren't even looking, yet, said organization takes out all but three in the spy folk, which then now has to come looking for Moore's group.

Wouldn't it have made more sense to not bring attention on yourself and your ultimate demise? But then I suppose the movie wouldn't have existed.

And......and.......then we would have missed the scene where Egerton's character fingers a woman a Glastonbury.

Yes, you read that right.

Yup the tracking shot of his finger going down her torso down and into her panties. The four gay men were all "ah hahahahaha....and ewwwwww" all at the same time.

Still, the movie was almost worth it for Edward Holcroft (whom I only know from BBC's British Spy)

I can take or leave Tatum Channing....or is it Channing Tatum (?), but he's ok in this (and he knows how to wear a pair of dungarees). Jeff Bridges is not. It is one of the weaker performances in which I've seen Mark Strong  (see what I did there?).

The stunts and effects are over the top and super unrealistic, most notably the ability to find a parking space on a London street right in front of your haberdashery shoppe, without even the need to parallel park.  I can only suspend my disbelief so far.

Oh - and they blow up a dog, so I was totally not down with that.

With all the action, I can say my resting heart rate never went up one itoa. That's gotta same something, no?    (ok...ok....maybe when Holcroft was on screen. And as sexy as Mark Strong can be....he wasn't here.)

So in short: Edward Holcroft and a somewhat appealing Taron Egerton (how many managers did it take to come up with that name?) were not enough to save this movie.

I'd say 'maybe if we had seen the original'...... but I'm going out on a limb to say, if I saw the first one, it's doubtful I would have watched the second.

James and David laughed the entire way through at the absurdity of it all. James felt so bad for dragging us, he paid for dinner.



2017 Movie Count / Goal:  06 of 24


Song by: Thompson Twins

Long Live Rock

It's a Shep world.....we just live in it.

Most every day - a roll in the Welfly's yard. ...and only on the evening walk. Never on the morning one. Go figure. 

Kitchen. Always the place of peace and harmony. 

at Browns Stadium. The Dawg Pound.  

...the only pound this pooch is ever gonna see again. 

OMG.  THAT tongue. 

Gene Simmons could learn a thing or two from this man. 

More roly-poly....at bed time. 

Song by: the Who

Out of Time

Before the post, play the below clip.

Go ahead......do it.

What the clip leaves out (at the start) is a reference of Michael asking Lucille Bluth something or other about Jimmy Kimmel. What you see is her response.




This was when Kimmel first got his own televised talk show (as opposed to his radio show or that horrid tv show with Adam whatshisface).

Now, I'd alway laugh at anything Lucille had to say, but it was especially funny because Kimmel started off (for me) rather poorly. He has changed quite a bit - in terms of delivery, tenor, and content. He's funnier than the rest of the late nighters - though I'm guessing Anne Frank was funnier than Seth Meyers.

Like Colbert, Kimmel is spot-on with his take on the SCROTUS administration (it's been two weeks since I've had a semi-political post....and not by accident). Unlike their "peers" Colbert and Kimmel are not just about the punchline. There is commentary and thought behind what they say and how they say it.

Kimmel took it a step further and called Bill Cassidy - co-author of the new healthcare bill up before the Senate - a 'liar' on national television. Twice. On two separate broadcasts.  And had tape to back up the lie from a Kimmel broadcast where Cassidy was a guest.

As you'd expect, Cassidy said nothing, but Ms. Lindsey Graham stepped into to defend his honor. Then Cassidy spoke up saying that Kimmel knew nothing of the healthcare bill.  Which was kind of a mistake. Kimmel took to the air the second night and thrashed Cassidy again.

I'm hoping for a third night.

Jimmy speaks not just as an entertainer, but in the context of a father with a newborn who needed open heart surgery - and who will now have a pre-existing condition for life. He is aware he can afford the 'luxury' of paying for surgery for his child, but few others can - let alone the insurance to do it.....assuming a carrier would take on a high-risk patient.

Kimmel (and Colbert) are doing what the mainstream media isn't:  calling these hypocrites out on their lies, half-truths or shirking the questions all together. In that regard, they are fake news organizations.

I can only hope that others take this approach. It is the only way we can win.


So while I was totally with Lucille from the start, I've come around to Team Jimmy.



....and you have to love him just for ragging on Matt Damon nightly for the last decade (which is where I'm getting my post title reference).




(call your Senators about Cassidy-Graham.  it's fiscally irresponsible to move this forward with no CBO audit or projections. And let's not forget McConnell is only allowing 90 seconds - yes, that's right, seconds - for Senate debate.)




Song by:  the Rolling Stones

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!

I've noticed with their last three disks, that Arcade Fire and the National are on similar release schedules. Perhaps it is coincidence, perhaps not. I'd say it would be nice if they spaced out their disks so we'd have something new(er) to get to more than every 3-4 year.   ....I say that, and then I think of how bad the new Arcade Fire disk is.

The National fair much better with Sleep Well Beast.

Is it Boxer or High Violet?  No.  But it doesn't suck........and right now, that holds more weight than it should.

Like Arcade Fire, the band released four songs prior to the album release. Unlike Fire, these were not all misfires. And as I found out with Trouble Will Find Me, I have to spend time with a National disk (sometimes) to start to appreciate what might initially seem mediocre.

First off, Bryan Devendorf still makes me smile with his drumming. There is nothing over the top about it in the slightest, but it is possibly even more expressive than Matt Berninger's vocals.

The band straddles their standard approach with some experimentation, and with varying degrees of success. It took me a while to warm up to "the System Only Sleeps in Total Darkness".  I think Bryce Dressner really does some guitar work he hasn't attempted before. It works.

I wish "Turtleneck" had been half as interesting as its first 30 seconds, but it kind of falls apart. Berninger does hysterical (not ha-ha funny) angst, but it doesn't seem to fit.  "Walk it Back" works, with its spoken word and voice modulator stuff.

They certainly stretch a bit with "I'll Still Destroy You" and it's almost disconnected musical interludes that work around Berninger's singing. You don't think it would work, but it actually does.

I'm digging "Dark Side of the Gym", which actually has guitar work that is more than reminiscent 60's beach movie music (and it has Lisa Hannigan too!).  At first I thought "Nobody Else Will Be There" was too well timed....too understated. It took a while, but it is a great song, though not sure it's the song to lead off the disk (or open their concert), but they do. Don't know why, but love how Berninger phrases "hey baby" during it.

Their experimentation doesn't quite work with the title / closing track. There are times in their entire discography where Berninger sing/talks, but this is just talk/talk. The music is more adventurous than the vocal or lyric, but it's a song for an outtake album.

While many of their disks have used horns, there are more strings here than in the past. And piano / keyboards seem to be more prevalent as well ("Carin at the Liquor Store" which is good - even with the clumsy John Cheever reference). Still there is the familiar too keep the folks who need that:  I like "Guilty Party", "Born to Beg".

It could be wrong, and it might take time, but I don't see defining moments with most of these songs - no "Brainy", "Ada", "Conversation 16".......but Sleep Well Beast is a good album. And sometimes good is good enough.

Little Man

It's been a year and three days since this man came into our lives.

Maybe a little longer  - as we saw him before he acquired us.

A year.

It really seems so much shorter than that. It almost feels like 2-3 months since he's been crashing at our house.

The Little Man (one of my names for him), has come a long way in said year. He no longer tries to steal Sophie's fud - not that he can get to it.  He doesn't turn over area rugs or chew on them. He has somewhat access to our shoes, yet no longer eats them....or my belts....or his leashes.

His manners are better......though he has a way to go with jumping on folks. I wish he'd stop his-once-a-day lunge at Sophie. And I can do with out the wanting to get to deer and skunks. I'm somewhat ok with the squirrels and bunnies.

Shep's mouthing is a thing of the past too, as is his semi-aggressive behaviour when we used to tell him 'n-o'. We still use that word, but sparingly. We have other commands to get him to quasi-do what he quasi-wants.

I wish he were better with other dogs. He used to be. I want him to be. But anymore about 50% of the time he is just kind of a dick.

We cannot get within 300 feet of a small dog from down the street before he is just apoplectic. We haven't actually talked to Ken & Ron for months....as we cannot get near to them. And he's now taking on the Rhodesians.....so Suzanne and Dan time is extremely limited.  It's a bummer.

The dog walker says he's a big dog in a little body........and you just can't change that. I beg to differ - though I know I'm doubting the word of a lesbian.....and you really don't wanna fuck with those.

Shep is a super good sleeper. He konks out right between 710 and myself...even has his own pillow, because....well.....he's Shep. His 04:30 toss and turns and kicks have ceased, though he still rouses me around 05:00-05:15.  And instead of jumping down and doing lord knows what downstairs while I dress, he lies in bed until I'm done and summon him.

He makes us smile and laugh daily. He is so attached to 710 and vice versa....it is great to watch. I know he loves me too, but I'm just the 05:00 and the 17:30 poop-picker-upper-dad...and the dinner and breakfast guy.  Trust me, that's good enough for me. Whatever makes his life easier.

Shep has brought joy into the house and I love seeing how much of a "dog person" 710 has become. He was right that Petey was a good starter dog for us, and that helped us right to our Little Man.

Oh - and he burbs.  Like people burbs. Maybe he should be Morty's dog.  Wait.....no.  That's farts.



Song by: Sia

You Can't Win

For whom the bell tolls.  It tolls for.......(not) me.

Ok....ok......I drafted part of this before the televised event, so I had to use a strikethrough, though I could have just deleted.

The 'you' in the title refers to me, of course. I'm not sure how many more loses I can endure, though I think Mike seems to like keeping me around for this reason only.  ....and I buy the drinks.  Probably in the reverse order.

Probably.

The television academy has spoken, and folks.........THIS is what a virtual sweep looks like.

Drama Series - Blobby wins. 
Actor, Drama Series - Mike wins
Actress, Drama Series - Mike wins
Supporting Actor, Drama Series - both win
Supporting Actress, Drama Series - both lose
Comedy Series - both win
Actor, Comedy Series - Mike wins
Actress, Comedy Series - both win
Supporting Actor, Comedy Series - we both win
Supporting Actress, Comedy Series - Mike wins
Limited Series - Mike wins
Actor, Limited Series or Movie - both lose
Supporting Actor, Limited Series or Movie - Mike Wins
Actress, Limited Series or Movie - Mike wins     
Supporting Actress, Limited Series or Movie - Mike wins
Television Movie - Mike wins
Variety Talk Series - both lose
Variety Sketch Series - both win

Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuckidy Fuck Fuck. 

Mike and I chatted during the telecast, but it wasn't as lively as previous shows. I dare say, neither of us were as witty as usual, though I'm all sure he'd claim he was.  (pssssst........he wasn't.)

He took an early lead - two of the first three categories - and kept it. 

I know I said this contest was a game of chance, but even I have better luck at roulette. And I know that Mike's were all guesses as he didn't even know many of those shows for which he voted, and he is so short attention span (see, what I did there?) that he has never actually finished VEEP, Master of None, Little Big Lies (hell, I didn't even start that), or I dunno....Three's Company (though I hear he's an avid fan of the Ropers). 

That Mike is a kind soul though - so don't believe everything you read on-line about him. He says we can go double-or-nothing for the Oscars, so I don't have to pay up now. 

However, I did ask him what double amount of cookies looked like, other than diabetes and a 38" waist.   (though you know I will win the Oscar race only because that means I get the 'nothing'.  Balls!)

.....I'm still waiting on that response. 

Song by: Kelly Clarkson

My Music Monday

Honest that this is just coincidence.  I'm just semi-randomly picking songs for My Music Monday.

I've always been a fan of John Mellencamp's "Rain on the Scarecrow", the partial title track to his album Scarecrow.  I was so tired of his "Jack & Diane" and "Pink Houses", I found this a great change.  32 years later, it still holds up.

Back in 1985 when it was released, the album's theme of trouble in the heartland had taken hold. The intro in the video is no accident, but a well thought out and articulated piece by the folks who were being hit the hardest by Reagan's domestic economic policies.

It's also no coincidence that Farm Aid debuted that year - which was spearheaded by Mellencamp, Willie Nelson and Neil Young.  {Fill in the Blank} Aids were popular that year......after the success of the Live one.

Since it was the Reagan era, the only one not touted was AIDS, though allegedly said the word in 1985.

The coincidence to which I referred in my opening is that Saturday was the 32nd (!!!!!!) Farm Aid concert.

Mellencamp-Young-Nelson have not let this die. 32 years and counting they have been supporters of the American farmer. At least one of the three have been at every concert. Many-a-time, all three.

Untitled

I have little blog time it seems. It's been budgets all the time at work.........plus my every day duties. Yesterday was just a Shep day. All day......all the time. But I got good shots for next Saturday.

So, I'm just leaving you with a cartoon.  I mean, why not?

Walking Slow

It's the weekend. That means more dog and cat pictures.

a walk in the park with out Dad #2.   710 and Shep went out without me. 

a walk win the ravine with Dads 1 and 2. Shep was diggin' it. And he loved the brook. 

Ottoman for 2.25.  710 is the .25. 

A thousand places to sit and they all cram together.  Love it. 

Shep's second lobster.  Our neighbor gave us two - and this one we stowed away for later use. ....or so we thought. Shep found it and now he carries it all around.  Though the duck is still his fave. 

Song by: Jackson Browne

Play the Game

Somewhere between my third margarita and me Sammy Jo'ing his unfinished (too warm, he whined!) , and then the eventual beer, I somehow agreed to be Mike's (should I even bother linking a long forgotten about blog.....because he can't remember his password??) dessert enabler by doing the 2017 Emmy awards thingy.....no year...no trademark.

I'm not winning this one. I watch TV, but not Emmy TV.

While I know all contests (and friendships) are a game of chance, this one (the contest, not as much the friendship....though it is always on shaky ground) is a complete shot in the dark.

As mentioned, this is just a way for Mike to get dessert delivered to his door, because he cannot be bothered to go to 7-11 for his 3-pack of Suzy-Qs.

Like I said:  100% guesses.   .....maybe with some comments along the way.

DRAMA SERIES

Nominees: "Better Call Saul"; "The Crown"; "The Handmaid's Tale"; "House of Cards"; "Stranger Things"; "This Is Us"; "Westworld."   (because I "heard" it was good.)

ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES

Nominees: Matthew Rhys, "The Americans"; Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"; Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"; Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"; Sterling K. Brown, "This Is Us"; Milo Ventimiglia, "This Is Us"; Anthony Hopkins, "Westworld."  (I dunno. Because it's Hannibal?)

ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES

Nominees: Keri Russell, "The Americans"; Claire Foy, "The Crown"; Elisabeth Moss, "The Handmaid's Tale"; Robin Wright, "House of Cards"; Viola Davis, "How to Get Away With Murder"; Evan Rachel Wood, "Westworld."  (because she was good.  I wouldn't rule out Moss.)

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES

Nominees: Jonathan Banks, "Better Call Saul"; John Lithgow, "The Crown"; Mandy Patinkin, "Homeland"; Michael Kelly, "House of Cards"; David Harbour, "Stranger Things"; Ron Cephas Jones, "This Is Us"; Jeffrey Wright, "Westworld."  (because I didn't see any of the others.)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES

Nominees: Ann Dowd, "The Handmaid's Tale"; Samira Wiley, "The Handmaid's Tale"; Uzo Aduba, "Orange Is The New Black"; Millie Bobby Brown, "Stranger Things"; Chrissy Metz, "This Is Us"; Thandie Newton, "Westworld."

COMEDY SERIES

Nominees: "Atlanta"; "black-ish"; "Master of None"; "Modern Family"; "Silicon Valley"; "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"; "Veep."   (I wish Silicon Valley or Master of None would take it.....but I don't think they shall.  ....and is it just me or is Modern Family o-v-e-r?  Veep is still worthy.) 

ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES

Nominees: Donald Glover, "Atlanta"; Zach Galifianakis, "Baskets"; Anthony Anderson, "black-ish"; Aziz Ansari, "Master of None"; William H. Macy, "Shameless"; Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent."  (I'd like to see Ansari win, but one should never bet against a transgendered character.....ever.)

ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES

Nominees: Pamela Adlon, "Better Things"; Tracee Ellis Ross, "black-ish"; Jane Fonda, "Grace and Frankie"; Lily Tomlin, "Grace and Frankie"; Allison Janney, "Mom"; Ellie Kemper, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep."   (c'mon! It's fucking Selina Meyer.)

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES

Nominees: Louie Anderson, "Baskets"; Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"; Alec Baldwin, "Saturday Night Live"; Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"; Tony Hale, "Veep"; Matt Walsh, "Veep."   (I ain't bettin' against Baldwin's SCROTUS.)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES

Nominees: Vanessa Bayer, "Saturday Night Live"; Leslie Jones, "Saturday Night Live"; Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live"; Kathryn Hahn, "Transparent"; Judith Light, "Transparent"; Anna Chlumsky, "Veep."  (this is for the win, not the want. Still want Chlumsky to win.)

LIMITED SERIES

Nominees: "Big Little Lies"; "Fargo"; "Feud: Bette and Joan"; "Genius"; "The Night Of."  (because the camp of Bette and Joan can only take one so far.)

ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Nominees: Ewan McGregor, "Fargo"; Geoffrey Rush, "Genius"; Riz Ahmed, "The Night Of"; John Turturro, "The Night Of"; Benedict Cumberbatch, "Sherlock: The Lying Detective"; Robert De Niro, "The Wizard of Lies."   (because it's Ewan. And De Niro was blah.)

SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Nominees: Alexander Skarsgard, "Big Little Lies"; David Thewlis, "Fargo"; Alfred Molina, "Feud: Bette and Joan"; Stanley Tucci, "Feud: Bette and Joan"; Bill Camp, "The Night Of"; Michael Kenneth Williams, "The Night Of."  (because I just don't know.....or care.)

ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE     

Nominees: Felicity Huffman, "American Crime"; Nicole Kidman, "Big Little Lies"; Reese Witherspoon, "Big Little Lies"; Carrie Coon, "Fargo"; Jessica Lange, "Feud: Bette and Joan"; Susan Sarandon, "Feud: Bette and Joan."  (maybe Reese Withherfork can EGOT someday.)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Nominees: Regina King, "American Crime"; Laura Dern, "Big Little Lies"; Shailene Woodley, "Big Little Lies"; Judy Davis, "Feud: Bette and Joan"; Jackie Hoffman, "Feud: Bette and Joan"; Michelle Pfeiffer, "The Wizard of Lies."   (I adore Jackie Hoffman, but.......)

TELEVISION MOVIE

Nominees: "Black Mirror," ''Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love," ''The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks"; "Sherlock: The Lying Detective," ''The Wizard of Lies."  (I know Mike will pick Dolly, because well, he's a breast man, but....not me.)

VARIETY TALK SERIES

Nominees: "Full Frontal With Samantha Bee"; "Jimmy Kimmel Live"; "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver"; "The Late Late Show With James Corden"; "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert; "Real Time With Bill Maher."  (all are worthy - but Colbet's been more critical of Dump. That will by a lot of Hollywood votes.....and everyone knows girls can't be talk show hosts!)

VARIETY SKETCH SERIES

Nominees: "Billy on the Street"; "Documentary Now!"; "Drunk History"; "Portlandia"; "Saturday Night Live"; "Tracey Ullman's Show."  (I want it to be "Billy on the Street", but SNL had Baldwin and Melissa McCarthy)


The Emmys are Sunday night. Winner will be announced on Tuesday. 

Song by: Queen

Winning Streak

I have been hesitant to write this - and I'm about 86% sure this will be my downfall.

Yesterday, the Cleveland Indians won their 21st game in a row.

Actually, there should be exclamation points with that last sentence. A lot of them.

While we've been in first place in our division for almost all of the season, this is a real feat.

21 consecutive games is an American League record. "We" beat Oakland's 2000 record (as seen in the movie, Moneyball) of 20 games.

...but that's just the American League. The National League has 26.....with those stupid non-existent New York Giants.

To get the record record - "we" still have 6 more games to win.............in a row.

This is where writing about this, I fear I've jinxed it all.   Even the "fake news" NYT titled the win: "Ho Hum".  Maybe it was tongue in cheek, or maybe it was a big 'fuck you'. .....because that's what I'm saying to that failing paper.

As we are 14 games up (or possibly 13 1/2 if Minnesota wins), there is little (read: no) chance we are not going in to post season.  Yayyy for "us".

So, I'm happy with the 21 record. If we can make it 27, even better. If we can add to that a World Series appearance, totally excellent.  If we win that..........well, I can die.  Happy even.


I know............I've gotten ahead of myself.......again.




Song by: Glen Hansard

12 of 12

So I'm doing my 90th 12 of 12.

Normally it is 12 pictures taken on the 12th of the month. Since I only post once per day, you get my images the following day. All pictures taken with my iPhone. Click images to enlarge, if you choose.

Created by Chad Darnell and picked up from, what I can tell, any number of random bloggers who then link back to him and vice versa. Chad is no longer doing this, nor is successor coordinating the linking of other 12 of 12'ers anymore. Now it's just Erik and myself - that I know of.....as it's the only blog post he's still doing......for now.  

I still continue to do this, because of all my consistent post topics, I actually like this one the most.

05:05. Lighted leash. 

Not yet attached to dog. 

05:10.  Waning Half Moon. 

Looks fuller than it actually is. Just a shitty shot while walkin' the dog. 

06:20.  Brushin' before work. 

06:35.  Votin' before work. 

Primary - only thing on ballot was democratic candidates for mayor. 

09:40.  Pistachioin'. 

I'm still on my mid-morning nut eating kick. 

10:25. Headed to my monthly meeting with my bosses boss. 

13:23.   Bummer #1

But I SO want the iPhone X.  I'm just not sure I $1,149 want it. 

13:55.  Meetin' in the trailer. 

17:10.  Walkin' to the parking garage. 

17:40. Walkin' the dog. 

He likes it up on the wall. More squirrel potential. 

18:30.  Crud. 

Shirt I bought in Columbus still had the security tag on it. They said I could send it back - they'd pay for postage and reimburse me. 

19:05.  Bummer #2