the Lion's Share

I got nothing.

It's been a tough week and I still have a day to go.

I sit here - sleepy, but listening to some oddly crisp thunder approaching. Shep got me up early to walk yesterday, and going back to sleep never materialized.  Three-quarters through the walk it started to rain. I wasn't prepared for that.

Now it's been raining (or pouring) on and off all day.

And now thunder.  Oh.....and just law lightening.

There might be thunderstorms today too. March 1st was uneventful in many ways, so maybe we'll be going out like a lion, as we certainly did not come in like one.

Work-wise it is going out like one too......but not in a good way. I hate when month close comes on the last day of the week. It's not that I have to work on weekends to see how we ended up financially, as I could do that on Monday, but I know I won't.  I'll be checking and running reports just so I know how to (or not) respond to higher-ups at the beginning of the week.

But for now, it's bed time.


Song by: 10,000 Maniacs

Private Eyes

So......what's up in SCROTUSVille (population: 1)?

It looks as if Dump will be signing away yours and my rights to internet privacy.  Yayyyyy.

Now, to be fair, I haven't assumed in forever that there is any actual internet privacy. But let's say there was some: Congress had the wherewithal to strip what few curtains there was and revealing all.

Now, you would think the last people who would want web privacy to go bye-bye would be the GOP. You have your Oklahoma senator meeting under aged boys on-line looking to pork them in a Motel 6 less than 1,000 feet from a church!  You know that tryst wasn't set up with two coffee cans and some string.

There's the Mark Sanford trails and tails (and tales) of his Argentinian lover - tracked down via e-lectronic mail.

Then there are all the hookers, politicians wearing diapers.....it goes on and on. Oh, and Dump getting pissed on by Russian hookers. Because that came via the web too.

Yes. the Dems have their issues too, but they had the sense to vote against this.

If someone wants to read my browser history, have at it. You're going to find a lot more Peter Griffin clips than Colby Keller ones. But for full disclosure, you will find some of those.

I scrolled (and scrolled) down CNN (online), NYT and other sources to find who is truly covering this repeal of privacy. Only found something on Washington Post - - and that was way way way down the screen.....below the electronic fold, if you will. In the Cleveland paper, a small article appeared......on page 6.

Again with the distractions of Ivanka getting a government job - - one for which she's not qualified and probably couldn't pass the civil service test to get had she been someone off the street. But while we talk about that - and the papers write about that - while the administration passes shit like this and coal production / fewer environmental concerns as you're looking at that whore daughter (no....not you Tiffany. It's never about you. Ever.).

I don't think it's coincidence that SCROTUS just switched from Android to an iPhone either. Though Tim Cook is probably going "fuuuuuuuuuuuuucccckkkk no!"

Remember how hard it was to hack after those San Bernadino killings a while back? Dump was allllllllllll about Cook and Apple taking the helm to do that hacking too - to which they refused. So, now that privacy is harder to achieve, SCROTUS wants to take less risk.   Oh, the irony.

My lord, I hate that man.



Song by: Daryl Hall & John Oates

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!

Honestly, back in the mid-80s, if you had suggested that Depeche Mode would still be recording music 30+ years later, I'd have rolled my eyes at you. Or at least behind your back. Yet at least 33 years after purchasing my first DM record, they have just released their 14th disk, Spirit.

I wish I could say that Spirit is a winner, but they can't all be, can they?

Oh, the album has its moments for sure. The opening number "Going Backwards" is stellar.

Allegedly, the album was conceived, written and recorded well before the U.S. 2016 election - but Martin Gore's writing takes in the tenor of the world, if not the United States. ...and "going backwards" I've read reviews where people are wondering "why so much on politics".  I don't mind that, assuming the songs are good. Much of the mid to late '60s music was based on the political climate.  It can be an outlet for change.

The U.K. has it's political issues, but Depeche Mode seems to focus on the U.S.  .....or at least that's my take. And we've made ourselves an easy target.

I like "Poorman" too. It's never a song that is going to hit radio, but it has a hypnotic quality and I like the "heys". It's a little heavy-handed lyrically, but I can get past that.

I can probably do without the drudgery that is "Poison Heart". The remix (if you get the deluxe version) doesn't make the song any better.  Ditto with "Fail".  And while I like "So Much Love", the remix is a total disaster.

"The Worst Crime" isn't the worst, but it feels like it has been done before.

Actually, that is the worst thing about this disk: they HAVE done it all before. There is almost nothing new. Playing the Angel (2005) might have been their last disk that the band had an edge.

Oddly, I feel like they still have potential.  You hear something like "Going Backwards" and think, "I really enjoy them again".....but Spirit doesn't sustain that momentum. It could.....it just doesn't.

Le Femme Accident

You know how the other day I was talking about 'the new normal' when it comes to politics? And how we shouldn't just accept the behviour and its aftermath as the way it is.

While this isn't about politics, I nonetheless recognize the irony in trying not to be so blasé about things necessarily shouldn't.

So, picture it.........

A lazy Saturday afternoon. There is no sleeping in on Saturday morning when it comes to Shep. While I love him being on a routine during the work week, he isn't one to grasp the concept of a weekend. So out of bed at 05:15 (or so) it is for me for our morning constitutional.

So by the time the daily activities started winding down, I started dozing off, whilst sitting up. I finally just called it and went horizontal. That lasted all of three minutes before Shep jumped up. As I finally finally closed my eyes, he took off barking. Howling even.

Then I heard the words from 710:  "there's a car in our yard".

Again.

The new normal.

I jumped up, threw on my shoes and headed out while 710 called the police. Oddly, they kept putting him on hold to take 9-1-1 calls. Those are separate lines than just calling the police station, no?

As it turns out, when they came back to him, they thanked him but said there had been several 9-1-1 calls already for this accident. Did I mention, depending on the time of day we live on a busy road?

I trekked across the lawn as another neighbor approached from a different direction. She lives a street away and heard the crash.

It looked bad. The worst one yet - - and that's saying something. I heard no moans, I expected to find the worst when I looked into the car.

What I found was................nothing.

Two deployed airbags, some personal affects......but not bodies. No people. No pieces-parts of people. Perhaps it was the Rapture.  More likely it was a stolen vehicle.

I was shocked for all of .0028 seconds that the occupants were gone. Fled, as it were.

I guess this is what I'm fighting against - in theory. That this type of behaviour is normal now. That people steal (allegedly), crash things, and run away.  And it's normal that I shrug my shoulders and just go, "that's the way it is!".

The folks really did a doozie on this vehicle. It took out two directional signs - the one you see in the title image and this one......

Yes, coming close to puncturing the gas tank and also starting to wrap around their rear wheel. I said to 710 about the dent: "they're never going to be able to buff that out...."

When you went around to the other side, you saw this.

Usually they somehow miss the trees and telephone pole. Not this time. And this time that telephone pole had a streetlight that came down in pieces in our yard, on the sidewalk and in the street. The street portion got caught under a passer-byes car, to the point they couldn't go forward or reverse off it.

Paramedic's and fire arrived in under five minutes. None of them seemed that surprised at the scene or the lack of victims (though tons of people driving by stopped to see if "we" were ok - and a number just stopped to take pictures).  The cops showed 10 minutes later - or longer.  While they took a little info, they really just directed traffic.

Things got blocked off due to the sagging and downed power lines. We went inside - as there was nothing to see (not a cute cop, firefighter or paramedic to be had!  Where are my tax dollars going??).

Hours later the wrecker came by - complete with flood lights - to rip the SUV from hillside, of course, leaving a big gouge, and taking even more ground cover. Naturally, they ended up leaving about 60 lbs of junk - bumpers, glass, headlights, car parts and worst of all, a Nelly CD.

710 and I spent part of Sunday cleaning all that crap up.

Once again, we contemplated what we could do to take us out of harm's way. The city won't do a thing until someone is injured or killed, this we know.

In a weird way, it keeps us entertained. It's now pitch black out there, as not only is our streetlight off (read: gone), but so are all the connecting ones. If someone doesn't have another accident before those are fixed, it will be a miracle.



Song by: Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark

My Music Monday

Two of Irelands bigger musical exports gets together for no apparent good reason, and in actuality, it doesn't suck. 

"When the Stars Go Blue" could have easily been an unmitigated disaster - had it not been for careful marketing, A&R teams and the help of what I'm guessing was four dozen exec men looking to promote.......well......something.

You all know I'm ok with estrogen-filled music, you've seen it here plenty of times. However, the Coors weren't one of those artists that appealed to me.

And at whatever stage this was, Bono isn't nearly as annoying as I normally find him. Yes, Erik and I said no U2, and technically it is not - though it is difficult to separate him from them (and vice versa).

I almost did Clannad and Bono from 1985, but he was right on that edge of being the self-righteous twat he'd end up becoming. While I loved the song.......32 years ago!.......I wouldn't put you through that.

With "When the Stars Go Blue" both the lead singer of the Coors and Bono are fairly understated. Their vocals work well together - more than one would expect.

....and thus concludes the Irish theme....at least for me.

Fail

I'd laugh at the epic fail of SCROTUSCare™, but you know - I'm kind of waiting for that other shoe to drop.

First off - can you call it a failure when it didn't even come up for a vote?  Oh trust me, I get why it didn't come up for a vote, but still........

See, Dump can still blame the democrats for their lack of support (and he is). If the healthcare bill went up for a vote, he'd have to look to his own party......because the count would be right there for all to see. Since the GOP has the majority and they still couldn't pass the bill, well.............it ain't all the democrats.

And yes, of course the democrats didn't go with Dump on this one. What the fuck is he thinking?

Also, if they actually voted on this: it would be actually be a SCROTUSFailure™.  In pulling the vote, Dump can "claim" he didn't lose. It's all in the details, isn't it?  And that claim he knows the art of the deal, clearly has misrepresented himself.

I have two concerns from this entire event - neither of them minor.

First is SCROTUS himself. His actual ballsy move to say, "I never said I would replace and repeal OmambaCare quickly". 

He knows video exists, right?

Part of me thinks he does not.

My problem (well, to a degree) isn't that he said it. It's that I think he actually believes what he's saying. That whole thing of, "if you say a lie enough times, it becomes the truth".  I believe his "followers" believe it too. I believe all these outrages, all these jaw-dropping moments, are the new normal.

My other problem, of course, is the media. Play the clips (multiple!) where he said he would repeal and replace and call him on it.  Say he is "lying".  Not "mistaken.  Not "an inaccuracy".  Even Pinocchio would be slapping his own forehead in disbelief at this guy.

He. Is. A. Liar!

You know how 'experts' used to say that violent video games have desensitized kids?  These kids are now Dump voters. They're Clinton voters too.  And the problem is if they just go "eh" on his claims time and again, we are all totally fucked.

The second issue is that Tim Price remains in charge at HHS. He has power. He is the biggest detractor to the ACA.  He still can make limits, make it difficult for folks - and he doesn't need Congress to do approve any of it. They gave him that power when the Senate confirmed him as Secretary.

Still, I like this chink in this administrations foundation. Even David Gergen - who has served five presidents (only one a democrat) - speculates this is the worst first 100 Days of any administration. And that includes James Polk's and Millard Fillmore's ..........and most people don't even know they were presidents!

I keep hearing 'rurmours' that Dump will resign "in the near future".  It's a nice thought - if improbable. And even if it were true, that means Pence would be in the Oval Office.  So....if you think we're fucked now......just wait.

Could this have been the bigger plan B, post-nomination?



Song by: Depeche Mode

Better Days

Saturday. Doggie Day. Kitty Day. Best Day.

Creature Comfort. 

Emphasis on the 'creature' part. Such a long tail. 

Shep and Soph awaiting 710's arrival home. 

Shep the cuddler. 

This used to be Sophie's chair. Then Shep took it over. 

In a moment of defiance, Sophie has restaked her claim. 

Shep and his friend Eleanore.  

Her brother, Oliver, no longer gets along with Shep - and / or vice versa. It isn't aggressive play any longer, it's downright hostile. Dan and Suzanne had to put Oliver back in the house. But he and Eleanore played for a while. 

Song by: Guy Clark

I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing

Do you want to know how fucked up this SCROTUS administration is?

It is so fucked-up, that I'm actually rooting for the Koch Brothers!

Never in a kerjillion years (it's an actual timeframe) would I ever consider saying something positive about them: other than, "well, I'm glad they died in that horrific outhouse accident". 

See? I said 'glad' - that's positive, n'est–ce pas?

Seriously, in what world would one ever imagine the Koch Bros. being not just a voice of reason, but using their significant - if usually misdirected - power to oppose the repeal and GOP's replacement of the ACA??

You keep hearing the 'arm twisting' of Dump on the Hill, outwardly stating that he'll "come after" those who don't vote for his health plan.  Then the "joking; not joking' routine.

The Koch's are doing one better - though it's more carrot than stick: they vow to stand by and help fund the campaigns of GOP members who vote against the bill.

In what world does one side with David.....and ummm.....whatever the other named Koch?

Normally, I'd say "never", but if I did, then I'd have just proven myself a liar. So, I'll say "very very very rarely".

Mind you - there is probably evil afoot with those two in ways that have yet to be revealed, but for one shining moment, two men are taking on SCROTUS & Co. Sadly, right now, they might be the only two who can.

Perhaps they'll buy one (or 47) of those House Reps a backbone.

I don't believe all support the Cheeto Prez, but at this point they know he's unhinged and capable of anything - all of it lies, but as we now know has been eerily effective for him. And they're scared of him - which they should be.

We all should be.

Does someone need to start a GoFundMe page for the Koch's?



Song by: the New Seekers

Cooking (?) with Blobby

I can probably count on one hand any advertisement on television (or in print) that has made me want to actually purchase something.

And yet with the advent of the DVR, it's rare I actually see a televised commercial - so the chances are even slimmer for that connection to happen.

Yet Stouffer's had me in intrigued by their 'season wraps'.

Yes, it sounds exactly like what it is: a parchment like paper that has seasoning adhered to it with some palm and sunflower oil.

It becomes like cooking, but not really cooking. You don't quite prepare anything. But it's more than microwaving something.

It's like you're Sandra Lee, without the moronic dinner themes, or the made-up boozy girl-drink she concocts to mask her own alcoholism.

710 came back from the store with two different kinds - so we opted to try the Italian Countryside version. I have no idea if it's northern or southern Italy.

Four "papers" come in a pack - which is good because I had four breasts. 

The chicken breasts must be about 1" in thickness (that's what she said). You can buy them that way or pound your meat.  Yeah - I went there. 

Over low-medium heat, in a skillet you cook for 10 minutes. 

No oil is needed, as the palm and sunflower oil on the parchment is all you must have. 

Flip and cook for another 10 minutes. 

Actually, I thought 20 minutes for such a thin piece of chicken would be overkill - and it was. We stopped early and it was still at 180F - instead of the 160 it should have been. 

The chicken had nice colour and aroma. You can see the herbs came off the paper nicely, infusing the poultry with flavour. 

It plated up nicely.  It seemed just fine - with out all the prep work of seasoning the bird yourself. 

I will say, it felt like we 'cheated' making dinner, but oh well - these last few days I've been back to 12 hour days at the office. And while you save no real cooking time, you do save the prep part - and there's something to be said for that.

If Mike and Peter ever come to Ohio, I'll make them this as dinner and pass it off alone as my own.

Batdance

It was a movie two-fer this last weekend.

We eventually got around to go seeing the LEGO Batman Movie.

Meh.

To be fair, the first time I saw the LEGO Movie, I didn't think much of it. But with repeated (and repeated and repeated) showings on HBO, I found the movie had some charm and it had a story - - even if you have to endure real-life Will Farrell.


The probable highlight in that movie was Will Arnett as Batman.

So when they announced he'd helm the follow-up, it all sounded so promising.

Can I just say, for the first time since I was a toddler at a drive-in, I fucking fell asleep at the movies.

It didn't help that it was a theater with recliners that went all the way back. And it didn't help that the movie didn't truly engage me ever.

Yes, there are LEGOs, but it could have been anything. Unlike the LEGO Movie, until the end, and for only the briefest period of time, do they do anything LEGO driven.....not that it all has to be about the toy......except for the name and the brand.

The story itself was weak and not nearly as clever as the last. And in what universe do you have Ralph Fiennes as the voice of Alfred, and have Voldemort as a character in the movie, yet have it voiced by Eddie Izzard?  Hell - even Laura Kightlinger had multiple character voices.   Oh - and you had Voldemort right there!!!

And is it a little sad that Siri had a bigger role than most everyone but Batman?

Sure the movie had a few funny moments - almost all (if not all) were Arnett's. But I expected way more.

If the folks on Facebook are to be believed, this was a great movie. It's not.

I guess I can reassess after it hits HBO in eight months and when I've seen it 19 more times.



2017 Movie Count / Goal:  04 of 24


Song by: Prince

14

Vlog time.

I'm not sure I've had a video since vacation last August!!!

This is for my 14th Bloggiversary.  Oy.

I think in my blog, I state this vlog is at least take two. Take three, now that I think of it. The first one was great, if I say so myself........except that somehow the mic on this Mac is for shit all of the sudden.

So I played with iMovie to try to adjust sound, but it only marginally helped.

Then I switched to my iPhone and was in the midst of a good recording and my boss called....so the video automatically stopped.

Third time is a charm, or so they say.






Song by: Paula Cole

My Music Monday

It turns out I don't know many Irish bands / musicians.

Wait. Correct that.

It turn out I don't know many Irish bands / musicians that I'm down with enough to put them up here.

When it comes to the Cranberries, I can take them or leave them. A decent song can border on the annoying in their hands. They fail, as far as I'm concerned, much more than they succeed.

The one song I truly don't mind is "Promises". I'd like to tell you why, but I honestly don't know. If I had to guess, I'd say it's the guitar work. It's not horribly innovative, but it just does something right.

a Movie Script Ending

Looking at it now, I should have stuck with a more reasonable number when it came to our 2017 goal. A lesser man might rejigger the numbers and change the goal. I am not that man.

If I fail, I fail - and considering we are only at our third movie of the year, and first in over two months, I'm not horribly optimistic. It hasn't helped that it's been a seemingly weak movie selection time too.

Yesterday we saw the Sense of an Ending.

Whilst you know, I rarely read reviews before seeing a movie, but usually I've heard of the movie or seen a preview. Nada with this one. I just saw Charlotte Rampling, Jim Broadbent and Michelle Dockery Lady Mary, and figured, "eh, how bad can it be?"

It was a book, one I didn't read, so I cannot comment on how it compares, or if it does.

Short review: it's good, not great.

The story technically takes place over a few week period of time, but on another level over a few decades. The director does a good job at playing with time - be it introductory scenes that get played back, only to fill in gaps. Or a brief shot here or there that then gets explained much later in terms of story. Or even a conversation that happened in a class that takes the form of reality later on.

It's really that one conversation that much more subtly spills into later life that, for me, drove the film. I won't say it was adequately addressed, but I won't rule out that I was off base on what the direction truly was.

Broadbent, as always, does a great job. I like Rampling too, though like she was in London Spy - she is cold and has little emotion. Oddly enough not only was Broadbent in London Spy, but so was Edward Holcroft - who played Rampling's character's son.  It seems like there are 37 actors in Britain and they all just cross over into everything.

Matthew Goode is in the movie too - but again, he's one of the 37. But he's always good(e).

I'm sure it is the theater we chose and the times of day we go to the movies, but honestly, we were at least 15 years younger than anyone else.

The Sense of an Ending, as I said, is ok. I wouldn't suggest the need to run out and see it in the theater.


2017 Movie Count / Goal:  03 of 24


Song by: Death Cab for Cutie

Excited

It was an iffy week for animal pics. I had long long hours, so my time with them was limited, and when it even happened it was 05:00 or later at night. I did what I could - though I never did capture one of Sophie.

Like Pete, Shep is the dog who wouldn't let me take a great pic. 

He was rooting around in the snow with his nose. It was great, but you can't truly see it. 

First thing he does after coming home is to grab his favouite toy (which is saying something, given the number of them): Arnie the Armadillo.  well, that's what I've taken to calling him. 

Shep takes him everywhere!

He grabs Arnie and brings him up to the dressing room. 

...and he brings him up to the sofa to sleep with him. 

I did snag a quick video of him when I got home and freed him from his crate. It's not his most excited, but it's still fun to watch. 

Song by: Bad Company

the 2nd Law

So there is a story of an Oklahoma GOP senator (state, I'm assuming, no congressional) who was busted in a sleazy motel with an underage boy.

Yawn.

First, things like this happen so often, it borders on cliche.

He'll (I didn't get a name and cannot be bothered to even toggle over to Gooooooogle it) confess he strayed from the Lord, he's sinned, he's been forgiven by Jebus and be welcome back to his house and his job with open arms.

It's a Republican story as old as time.

I feel bad for the kid. Not that he had sex with an older man - I mean, what gay soon-ish to be coming of age kid doesn't have sex with an older man?   What?  It couldn't have just been me, right?

I'm more condemning his choice of man. I haven't seen the kid, but you gotta figure he could do better than that.

So no, none of that part of the story even raised an eyebrow from me.

The (state) senator (and yes, I'm minimizing his importance by saying he's just a state senator, from Oklahoma no less) has broken three laws:  engaging in child prostitution, transporting of a minor for prostitution and the only thing that did raise said eyebrow:

"engaging in prostitution within 1,000 feet of a church"

Seriously.

First off, you can't swing a dead hooker without hitting a church every 1,000 feet in Oklahoma. So by that standard, there should really be a lot more arrests in the area of sex-for-money in the Sooner state.

Don't even start me on the sex inside the church......by men......with boys. But to be fair, the law is within 1,000 feet of a church.....not in it.

Admittedly, I haven't read details on this, but the word 'prostitution' comes up a lot - and in each of the charges.

I'm assuming, that the state senator, wasn't the one selling, but the one buying. Which means, the kid was..........selling. Or time sharing. Or leasing his space. Good for him for having an entrepreneurial spirit.

His business model might be off a bit, but assuming he wasn't human trafficked into doing this, he clearly knew what he was doing.  ....and how to make a buck, though it seems doubtful this time that he ever got paid - even up front.

I'll be honest - I think the whole thing wouldn't have hit the lame stream media had it not been for the church angle.

To quote SCROTUS:  "Sad!"



Song by: Muse

I'm Gone

The Muses are not really here today - or last night, I guess.

They might be here, but I'm not listening. It's been a weird three days of work. A weird two weeks, actually. I'm not normally the optimist - and while it is clearly going to be a rough few months.....or half year....but I'm hoping it brings some new blood into what I'm doing.

I'm hoping the old guard who isn't really interested in producing changes their tune or moves on.

As it is, I'm all business-planned out.  I've done nothing this week that didn't involve revenue enhancement, looking at CPT codes, volumes and work relative value units.

....and you didn't think my job was glamourous.

I guess the joke is on you.


Now I'm off to eat some Girl Scout Cookies.



Song by:  Shawn Colvin

Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of

In the ever on-going quest to be pain free, I'm attempting eastern medicine.

Perhaps it's futile for a 50-something man to be pain free. Perhaps this is just my life from here on out.

Remember that time you thought you were young and invincible?  Yes - four Tuesdays ago.

My how time flies.

While I have not eschewed Western medicine to help quell my aches and pains, I have added an Eastern component: acupuncture.

Work has offered eight Mondays of acupuncture and / or massages. It's in a public and group setting, so massage is out for me. It is only a chair massage - and that is the only kind I've had, and even that I don't want it public.

Acupuncture, however, intrigued me. It didn't seem that invasive and I figured - what could it hurt?

For the 21 needles that went into me - most were in the ears......as you can see.  That is not old man hair growing out of there................yet.

In the title image, if you look past the sheen of my scalp, you'll see one or two needles sticking out of the top of my noggin.

The rest were in my arms.

The needles were place in accordance to my concerns of my 'tennis elbow' and my shoulder impingement. But it seems that everyone got needles in the ears - regardless of their malady.

One or two in the ear really smarted upon going in, but other than that, it was all good.  For 45 minutes, I closed my eyes and meditated as much as one can in a sectioned off area in a hospital lobby.

Time didn't drag or fly with this. I was just in the moment - not even truly wondering if it would help me in the slightest.

Austin took out my needles at the end of my time and asked how it was. I didn't have a true answer - it all seemed fine, but I had nothing definitive to say about how I felt.

As it turns out - my arm would end up feeling better for the next 10-12 hours. I have zero idea if it was a placebo-effect or if it actually worked. Austin told me it would get better and that I'd see better results with more treatments.

Monday was round 2.  I had PT the following day and they asked. Monday felt good, Tuesday I had screaming pain, but I do believe that was temporary and due to cleaning snow off the driveway earlier in the morning.

We will see how it progresses. After the 8 week trial period, and I seem to get results, then hell, maybe I'll do a few in-office acupuncture sessions. I'll let you know.

Just stick with me.



Song by: U2

Mockingbird

Oh......you know, I was all ready to write a completely different post for today.  But as I do most days, I come home to see what pearl that the Dump administration might give me - all while trying to avoid the news.

Cleary, they love to be mocked.

How can they not?  Isn't that what Kelleyanne is getting paid for?

But I go back to this:  DISTRACTION.

They tote out "Ms" Conway to say something completely moronic - such as microwaves as camera shit - while hoping you miss the story on Dumpcare, where in 14 MILLION people will lose healthcare in the first year.  24 million over the next ten.

Considering there are roughly 22 million people on the ACA, that is pretty much most everyone. I honestly don't know how they'll love an additional 10 million over the next decade, when it seems like no one can, or will be able to afford, to sign-up for the new plan.

Sure the new plan will save $337 billion - and why wouldn't it?  When the government is not assisting for people to be covered, there is no cost - that all falls to the hospitals, as the patients will be self-pay, which means no pay.

So Dumpsters - still happy you voted for the twat?

I think that absolute best part of the Dumpcare story is the ACA's biggest opponent, the new head of Heath & Human Services discounts the CBO report - even though the head of the CBO is a Republican appointee. I like how HHS says, the CBO was wrong about the ACA, so they're wrong about this.

Meaning, HHS claims that the CBO said there'd be 8 million more people signed up for the ACA than actually did.  So............then maybe they are wrong this time

True.

Maybe Dumpcare won't save $337M.....and only save $100k. Maybe it won't drop 14 million folks......maybe it will be 20 million.  Hey. The CBO was wrong before, why would it not be wrong again - just not in the GOP's favour.  But no one is asking that question.

But the voting public has an attention span of a gnat. Not only are they easily distracted, they get bored easily. They don't realize what affects them until it's gone, and by then it's far too late. I'd say that's sad, but I'm thinking they get what they deserve.  They went for flash over substance.

For a man who cares more about his ego than his actual job - any of them, not just his current one - one would think he'd put a better face on his administration that he wouldn't have such buffoons being allowed to talk to the media.

But, then I guess you can't distract with people spouting..........truths!

So, people will mock these folks........and rightfully so. Just don't let them pull the wool over your eyes.   Again.




Song by: Carly Simon & James Taylor

12 of 12

So I'm doing my 84th 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. 

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

And it's a dual post day - as it's Monday, so I also have a My Music Monday entry as well. 

'

06:35.   Or body-clock: 05:35. 

Shep wanted up.  710 offered to take him for his morning walk. I stayed in bed for a while longer. 

07:45.  Putting on clothes.  It's cold out....and in. 

07:50.  Honey Nut Cheerios b'fast. 

Just like almost every single day.

08:30. Watching the clothes go 'round

 9:30.  Flow time.  ....well, in 15 minutes. 

 11:25.  Target.  Floss and Jock Itch Spray.......because, I'm a jock!

11:45. Hot chocolate on a cold day.  19 F. Feels like 11. 

12:20.  Dog Walk. 

I got out of the a.m. one, but not the noon one. 

13:40.  Roasting Chicken. 

Actually to protein for my lunch week - to put in salad. 

17:45.  Salt. 

Adding it to my mother's water softener. 

18:05.  Nana the Treat Lady. 

Shep is on his best behaviour with her. 

19:20  Sunset. 

710 actually took the pic. I was driving. Coming back from my mother's house. 

...and now your Baker's Dozen.....

20:20.  Salad. 

Making my lunch for tomorrow (today). 

That's it for March 2017.

My Music Monday

Why haven't I done this before?  A Monday song on Monday.

While sticking with Erik's theme of Irish music - sans U2 - why not go with the Boomtown Rats (lord, they have a website....that also links to Bob Geldof's ebay page.  Anything for a buck, eh Bob?).

Sure "I Don't Like Mondays" is the super-obvious choice, but it wasn't my first one.

I was going to do "Up All Night" which used to be a favourite......but when I queued it up, I kind of went, "wow.....was this song always this annoying?"  I fear it was, but I chalked it up to youth, being perpetually drunk and a very short attention span.

I actually had the 45 for "I Don't Like Mondays". It was the single version. I liked the album version better - and this is allegedly it, though it's been years since I've listened to either rendition.

Ad of the Month

Oh this month, we have a local ad to bring your way.

I'm no fan of the local car commercial, but at least in Cleveland more of them than not, have their stinking kids or grandkids in them.......some of them singing.  UGH.  I'd never walk through their doors based on that alone.

But this ad came on a few weeks ago. Now there are different variations, but what you really need to see the super gay-acting guy in it (usually in the upper left of the screen).

I say gay-acting, because part of me doesn't think he's queer at all.  Then part of me wants to be that homo that I'm not and yell, "yaasss queen!"

I know I should be more accepting of our brethren, but sometimes they make it so difficult.

Honestly - the stance!  The hands on the hips. The hand gestures. The combo of the two.


.....and I still wouldn't walk through their doors.

Barking at the Moon

Shep Day.  Sophie Day. Saturday.

Blurry tail. Wags.

Someone is jonesing for dinner. 

I worked from home yesterday. 

Someone kept me from doing all I could do, as he thinks he is a lap dog. Which he, of course, was.

Bonding time.  Kind of. 

Another work from home photo. 

Blobby getting yelled at.  Continually. 

Shep's new favourite toy.  Or as 710 calls it:

Donald J. Warthog. 

Shep takes it everywhere. It's so cute to watch. 

Song by: Jenny Lewis