Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Bust a Move

"It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times."

I'm pretty sure that was Dickens' first draft.

It really isn't 'worst', but it is change, and if we have learned anything in life, it is that change is bad.

Monday, my mother moved into independent living. It's a big move for her. A huge one. In many ways.

My mother had been in her current house for 49.5 years. I swear that house behind that truck doesn't look 50 years old to me.

Emotionally I get that it's a difficult situation for her. For me, safety took precedent over sentiment. Let's just say my mother and I did not see eye-to-eye.

As much as I do for my mom, moving her was not one of them. I helped coordinating things remotely from my office, but since I had been out of town and just back to work, I couldn't immediately take off from work, as it was a hastily arranged transition.

That said, two of my sisters and their husbands did the heavy lifting - literally and figuratively.

In bigger news: two of my sisters stayed in proximal distance for 7-8 hours. I'm sure Guinness World Book of Records is looking into this phenomenon as we speak.

On moment's notice, they loaded a truck of some of her furniture and moved it into her new two bedroom one and a half bathroom place. The layout is nothing to write home about, but they made it look it extremely decent.


I heard that my mother cried a little when she arrived. I'm sure some were tears of sorrow and frustration, but the verbal was that it "looked like home".

So, now it the settling in period, so I'm expecting highs and lows. That's expected.

I'm hoping the socialization at meal time will help her. She's been alone in that house since my dad died - and the last year, it's been almost around the clock as it has not been easy to get out.  I think this will do her a world of good and someone will be nearby at all times.

It's on to a new chapter. We will see what this brings.



Song by: Young MC

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Hate on Me

Can someone tell me where the dipshit first daughter (no, not you Tiffany.......not this time) and her creepy automaton Jew of a husband have been holed-up for the last few days?

Let's pretend the pipe bombs to current and previous government leaders didn't happen (or that somehow mid-level 1990s Three Doors Down somehow didn't get dragged(?) into that scenario) or that some white guy shot black folks in a grocery store because he couldn't work a door at black church.

I would say it's harder to ignore 11 killed at temple. I'd say when it is the deadliest attack on Jews in the United States.

It should be said again:  THE deadliest attack on Jews in the U.S.  Ever.

News programs aren't really saying that. Here and there, but they're kind of burying that fact.

The media and the FBI called the mail bombs 'domestic terrorism'.  You can slap that this motherfucker in Pittsburgh too.  It's religious terror too.

The Anti-Defamation League logged a 57 percent rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the United States in 2017, compared to the previous year - and the largest increase since they started tracking 30 year ago.

Pop Quiz, hotshots:   What happened in 2017 that might allow for the meteoric rise in Jew-hating?   It may or may not have happened on or around January 20th.

BLOTUS' comment this not happening if the temple and it's members had just been armed themselves.


What. The. Fuck.


As someone on the interwebs said:  if the freedom to practice your religion requires a gun for protection, it's no long freedom of religion.

This rhetoric is nothing new for this shell of a 'man'......or anyone else in the NRA's pocketbook. Yet people buy it hook-line-sinker. Or enough of them do.

710 accurately said the other day - there is disbelief and no longer a call to action. There was plenty for a school in Florida just eight months ago - but where it is the outrage now?  Could it really be because it was Jewish related?  If so, I'm horribly sickened. 

So I'll ask again:  where is the faux-Heeb first daughter?  Where is that dweeb-heeb of a son-in-law? They're Jewish when it suits them, but not enough to stand up - publicly - to denounce this behaviour that her father won't. They don't dare not tow the line

No doubt the two of them will tag along on a trip to Pittsburgh - a trip the city and the synagogue don't want to happen - and make a display and mockery of themselves and their faux-caring.

While some Jews do not believe in Hell, Jared better hope one doesn't exist.......because if there is, they got a place waiting for him.  Ivanka too, but in the shiksa section.



Song by: Jill Scott

Monday, October 29, 2018

My Music Monday

So, I was O'Hare this weekend, waiting for my 09:00 flight. The gate was by the Goose Island brewery bar / stand.  Mind you, the flight was a 09:00, so this was like 07:50.  I'm no angel, but there were far too many people sitting at the bar consuming beer.

Yes. I judged.

Sure, I got in at 12mn from a party where I consumed all of three beers. Yes. I was NOT drunk when doing karaoke. Wonders do never cease.

Anyhoo......since Doug and I were deep into '80s tracks for our sing-a-long, maybe it was the fates, but standing near gate B1 was Oingo Boingo playing "Dead Man's Party",  which is possible I hadn't heard in, I dunno, 1988?

I didn't know there was a bad video to go along, but apparently there is.

Sunday, October 28, 2018

A Singer Must Die

What does one do when out of town on a Saturday night? 

Well, it's Halloween weekend (kind of), so you tag-along as a third wheel to a party that is centered around Halloween...and
karaoke.

Yes. You read that correctly.

Longtime friend, Doug, and his relatively new husband, Erik, really wanted to see me yet had plans. Their solution was to have me go. I kind of tried to beg off, but they were hearing none of it - with Doug even driving in rush hour traffic to get me.

It did beat sitting in my hotel room for another night with room service.

The party was costume related.  I went as out of town tag along who didn't know he was coming to a costume party.

Nailed it !!!

But they had a room - a ROOM - for karaoke.

Morty, Becky and Dith can attest to the first (and last) time I sang karaoke. I'm thinking 1992. This was not that.

It used to be you did it from a book of pre-selected tunes you'd not normally want to sing....or hear. Now, we have the intertubes with versions of ANY song. Some well done, some not so much.

Doug, seen there, kicked off the festivities with Bauhaus' "Bela Legosi's Dead" .  You don't get that song on most play lists.

Save Doug and Erik, I knew no one, though everyone was super nice. I had nothing to lose by singing.  I started with "Girlfriend in a Coma" by the Smiths. The pseudo host (it's a long story) had never heard it. He said to me afterwards, "there should be a lesson in Ethics with that one".

I joined in on a horrible version of Petty's "American Girl" and Doug and I dueted on Split Enz' "I Got You".  I took solo for "There is a Light that Never Goes Out".  I didn't suck.  There is no video (of which I know), so you can't say otherwise.

It was fun. But more fun hoping in an Uber not worrying about getting to point B.

Now it's time for bed.




Song by: Leonard Cohen

Saturday, October 27, 2018

I've Just Seen a Face

It's a short deck this week.  I haven't really been home - be it work, checking in on my mom, or this conference.

No worries, you know we'll rectify that in the coming weeks.

Giving Dad #2 affection. 
Dad #2 is loving it.

Shep at his most frequented place: the Solstice Steps

Animated Shep.
Apparently you have edit features now in FaceTime.  Who knew?



Song by: the Beatles

Friday, October 26, 2018

Windy City

I'm on the road. Kind of.

Chicago. For three nights.  And let's be clear, it's not 'the Loop' Chicago. It's the airport hotel Chicago. For a conference.    .......one that goes until 18:00......on a SATURDAY.

This is my first work travel since taking this job three years ago. As you know, my last gig, I was away more than I was home. I was so used to the airports, shuttles, etc, that I was numb to it all.

As I stood in line for group 4 to be called (oh, the HORROR!), I had a hard time remembering how I did it all and for so long.

The non-first class seat didn't help, nor did the person next to me with her 4" nails playing clips from her Facebook page - without headphones, thank you! - of people saying 'fuck' every three seconds.

I'm fine with vile language, but I wasn't getting this  - let alone on a plane. But it's a BLOTUS world now, so these are the kind of miscreants we walk amongst.

Day one - so far so good. 

Last night I FaceTimed with 710 and Shep. I'm 99% sure I haven't used FaceTime since my last travels. Petey was still alive then.

On one slight slight slight hand, I miss travel. I can pinpoint which part, but I do. Except for the fact that I want to be home nightly with Sophie, Shep and 710.

I stayed and ate in my hotel room, like old times but over the weekend, I plan to take the train into the city for dinner with friends - or even by my lonesome.

We'll see.................




Song by: Alison Krauss

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

the Kids are Alright

I don't usually promote tv shows.  Oh sure, once in a while I'll write about one here or there, but the chances of my attention span latching on to something is slim to none.

I guess the Kids are Alright latched.

I have zero brothers - and this is a family of all boys. So maybe it is the nostalgia of the '70s, though I don't think that's it at all.

There were previews over the summer and I figured - wrongly - that I'd never bother to watch. But then it was on and even with a remote I was too lazy to turn the channel.  I'm glad I didn't.

There have only been two episodes, but of the eight (?) kids, four are hilarious. Well, 3.5. The main kid, you know is the protagonist so he only gets a half star rating.

If you watched the Real O'Neals a few years back, it's kind of like that, though that main character was gay.  You're just kind of assuming this one is too, but it's the '70s and no one is saying that.  As I IMDB this thing, it made more sense that writers and producers of the Real O'Neals ran this show too.

That's a good thing, since I thought the show never got its due.

The Kids have made both 710 and myself laugh out loud.


Song by: the Who

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Love Hurts

I swear, this dog is costing me an arm and a leg. Or at least a knee. 

MRI results are back, and as I began to suspect from my continual pain was a tear of the meniscus. And that MRI I got last weekend, the results confirmed my self-diagnosis. 

The irony was, the two days after the MRI, while not perfect, my knee felt the best it had in weeks. 

Ruckiry (?) (not Jon's boss), the pain came back full force (no Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam), last Wednesday.  On Thursday, I still hadn't heard my results so I called the doc, who told me what I kind of already knew. 

The red arrow I provided shows where the tear is. 

I say 'ruckiry' because, if you're spending that much on a diagnostic test, you almost want to know you didn't get - "oh it's nothing", I mean, unless they were looking for a tumor.  I'm a weird guy. I get it. 

So the day after emailing the doc, I was in his office. Thank g-d he's cute. I don't mind the fees. Well, I do, but..........

Anyhoo......no surgery needed.  Physical Therapy - which I'd already started. A cortisone injection in the knee - which was done perfectly by he.  


And a knee brace. 

A fucking $900 knee brace. Yes, insurance covers it, but that's not the point. I'm sure had they given me the make / model, I could have gotten it at Walgreens or amazon for about $43.  Yes, there are intricate levers and straps, but you could say that about any gay man's play room.............I've heard. 

We never did say how long I had to wear it. He doesn't need to see me back again - to which I asked if his kids (I'm assuming he has them) didn't want to go grad school, as with my elbow and shoulder and now knees, I have to assume I've paid for their undergrad education. 

He laughed.  So it was all worth while. 



Song by: Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris

Monday, October 22, 2018

My Music Monday

I've reloaded my iPhone with music that had just been languishing in my music liberry.  So I'm rediscovering songs - some for better, some for worse - but at least I'm trying "new" stuff out.

The Go-Go's last studio album was in 2001. Yikes.

I mean, they're still out there plugging away - though they 'retired' from touring. They do one-off shows, because heroine is cheap but it ain't free, but they don't tour per se.

And they don't record new music, which I always found odd, because it's not like anyone is asking for another Jane Weidlen solo album, and there is only so much French vibrato (or worse - eastern mantra songs that sold probably 18 copies?) that one can take from Belinda Carlisle.  What DO they do with all their free time these last 18 years?

Sure, there is a Broadway show with their music, but it doesn't date past 2001 and they're not in it, so..that's not sucking up studio time.

So from their last album, G-d Bless the Go-Go's, which I thought was decent, but not great, I've discovered one of those songs I used to hit 'skip' on the CD player, "Apology".

Part of my rediscovery phase is to force myself to sit through all the songs, to see what, if anything, I missed. And I did miss really good parts of some fair songs.  And founds song that were good.

I'm really liking today's selection and I don't know what I missed the first time around. Written by bassist Kathy Valentine, who has always been one of the more interesting writers in the band, it has a good cadence and some interesting vocal runs - mostly with the verse "in the meantime / I live, I work, I wait, I hope, I still have faith / That what was mine / Can still be mine".   Valentine wrote it, but Carlisle makes it work.

I now find myself hitting 'repeat' instead of 'skip'


Sunday, October 21, 2018

There is Nothin' Like a Dame

It seemed like it would be fun, if not TOTALLY gay.

There was going to be one showing of Tea with the Dames, and I figured the Gosling / Moon movie will be around a few more weeks, and ugh, I suppose I'll have to do the husband a solid and see the Cooper/Gaga movie (though root canal sounds more fun).

Anyhoo - Dames Judi Dench (she's a national treasure!), Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright and Eileen Atkins allegedly get together a few times per year, and this one time they allowed cameras in.

On paper, it sounds fun. In reality, it had its moments, but it needed to strive for more.

710 has known my friends for decades and still he feels now and again, he's joined a conversation of which he's not apart. This movie was like that to a degree.

There were some questions for them to answer - what did they think of reviews?  how did they meet?  etc.  Dench, by far, was the one most howling with throw her head back laughter.

I know way more about Dench's and Smith's work than the other two. Honestly, except for being married Lawrence Olivier, I'm pretty sure I couldn't tell you a thing about Plowright. And I know Atkins from sight, but save the Crown,  I don't her work. I'd have to IMDB her.

But looking at their work, their paths crossed:  Dench and Smith in Room with a View and the Best Exotic Marigold Hotels. They were with Plowright in Tea with Mussolini.  And Atkins and Smith were in Gosford Park - which lead to Downton Abby.

Smith was hilarious about Downton. She's never seen an episode and while they've sent her a boxed set, she says she hasn't the time to "watch that wretched show".   They also picked on Dench, that she gets all the film offers first -and if they're in any, it's because Dench turned it down.

There were some great laugh-out-loud moments and some introspective ones too. I mean they are all in their 80s and single, some by choice, some by death.

All claim to be surprised at their movie careers and how terrifying it it to be in front of a camera every single day. They just assumed they'd be stage actresses only.

The movie was ok, but not as good as expected. There was far too much of repeating things to Plowright who had a bad hearing aid (and is seemingly blind).

We were by far the youngest in the theater........and the only two gays. Imagine, for Professor McGonagall and M - and only two homos.




2018 Movie Count / Goal:  14 of 12

Song by: original cast recording from South Pacific

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Family

Pet Porn: Family Edition

Shep at Horseshoe Lake.

Sophie stealing my breath.  As usual. 

Boomer.  I haven't seen him for months. He was so happy to see me and vice versa. 

Wally.  Honestly, I don't know why he likes this so much - but he does. 

Siggie.  A man with a mission.  
He is SO fricking cute. 



Song by: Rolling Stones

Friday, October 19, 2018

Killing an Arab

While it probably doesn't need to be said.......again........this Khashoggi thing is just fucked up.

......and I don't mean just his live dismemberment.  I'm sure that was horrific.

What kills me (well, and him) on that was, over a week ago there were reports of him being chopped up, but then the stories went back to, "he's missing" and "IF he's dead.....".    Now we are back to he was alive when they started cutting him up.

The first weird thing? pre-BLOTUS (though he was still a BL) purchased a $29MM yacht from one Saudi billionaire (a real billionaire, that is) Adnan Khashoggi.  He was a middle man for arms dealers. 

Maybe "Khashoggi" is the "Smith" of Saudi Arabia, but it's all very weird to me.

pre-BLOTUS renamed the ship the BLOTUS Princess, because, you know.......ego.

Fun Fact 1:   As the Princess would go up the East River, workers dangling from the Brooklyn Bridge while restoring it, would piss on the boat as it passed underneath.

Fun Fact 2:   the ship was repossessed by creditor, as pre-BLOTUS was $900MM in debt. 


I don't really believe in a world of coincidences, so the two Khashoggi thing is weird.

But the at-first, but then not again, faux concern from BLOTUS for a journalist was the big tell in my book.  Save Sean Hannity, when has this half a man ever cared what happened to any journalist (and I really don't mean to call Hannity one of those..........because he's not)?

That faux concern died a more peaceful death than Khashoggi himself. Then it was on to puckering up for the crowned prince of Saudi Arabia - I mean, weapons were involved.........and one-ninth of BLOTUS' earlier debt was at stake.

I think BLOTUS is seeing if Saudi Arabia can get away with this, just so he can see if he can do the same thing to Jake Tapper.



Song by: the Cure

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Tequila

Karaoke.

For.

The.

Win.



It's come to my attention that I don't have nearly enough 'nonsense' in this blog.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Disrespectful

I don't know who TI actually is - as I am, after all, a 50-something year old white man - but I think I love him.

He has a new song out, of which I've never heard (or even know the name of) to go along with a video I'm 99% sure I'll never see. No worries, it's still love.  Or at least, respect.

So - in his new vid, he shows BLOTUS leaving the White House, only to go into the Oval Office, or as new organizations have to specify: the "Oval Office, lest you not know that some stray black rapper just got access to the west wing office............oh....wait.  Awkward! *

Anyhoo........TI then sits behind the Resolute desk, smokes a cigar, while a Melanoma look-alike strips off her "I Don't Care, Do U?" jacket and dances nekkid in the room and on the desk.

PEOPLE ARE OUTRAGED!!!!

.....and by 'people' I mean the WH media center and Fox "news".   It's disrespectful - says they. She's the first lady, says they.



Yeah - KLASSY!!!!!  ....and so well refined!



Her thrice married, adultery-laden husband banged a porn "star" for $130 big ones and we're worried about a video being 'disgusting' and 'disrespectful'.


Spare me your faux indignation, you fucking hypocrites.


* for future reference when people come back to read these archives, some has-been name Yeeze, or Kanye went all 5150 at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.




Song by: Chaka Khan

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Indian Giver

Once upon a time, BLOTUS must have said somewhere, sometime that he called Elizabeth Warren, "Pocahontas" after (or during?) a number of Native Americans visited the White House.

Warren took offense. But she always seems to. Still I get it - if you're not white....and a male, BLOTUS has no respect for you. He doesn't even try to hide it and yet here he is, fat ass still being the Resolute desk.

According to 23 & Me, it appears that Warren has some Native American blood in her - 10 generations back. I'd say, "hell, who doesn't?", but I don't.

Allegedly, BLOTUS said he'd donate $1,000,000 to Warren's favourite charity if she could prove any Injun blood ran in her veins.  And she did.

BLOTUS' response?  "Who cares".


To be fair to BLOTUS - did Warren or anyone think he was going to pay a dime?  The folks who built his "luxury" hotels are suing him for non-payment. People who've worked for him everywhere are still waiting payment.

And to be really fair:  chances are he can't get his hands on a million buck. It'd doubtful he is liquid in any way other than water-weight.


Song by: the Ramones

Monday, October 15, 2018

My Music Mondays

Rosanne Cash has her first new album in almost five years coming out next month, She Remembers Everything.

Yes, I pre-ordered, as 2018 has been slim pickins for music. Honestly, when was my last Record of the "Month" entry?

I always have high-hopes for Cash. She rarely disappoints. If I'm being frightfully honest, the two songs they released with the pre-order were fair. Not horrible, but nothing great either.

I'll reserve judgment (well, kind of) on the entire disk until after it comes out.

She did release a third track at the end of last week. I'm back to feeling better about the disk.

"Not Many Miles to Go" is way more upbeat than the first two track. Cash, oddly, does upbeat well. The odder things is, while upbeat, the song seems to be about her husband and the passing of time and how life is becoming shorter, yet love still prevails.


Sunday, October 14, 2018

Are You Looking at Me?

I really know how to throw an outfit together, no?

My Shep walking fall still plagues me.  Or plaques me. Possibly both.

I have fair days and worse days. Currently there are no good days. I stopped anti-inflammatories two weeks ago as they do nothing for pain.

I'm 99% sure I tore my meniscus. My physical therapy guy - oh yes, I have "a guy" - who I would assume has seen more of this injury than I, shook his head in acknowledgement of my self-diagnosis.

My ortho guy - actually, I have TWO of those! - isn't in saying anything yet, but figgers I should have an MRI.  Yesterday was said day.  One day short of a month since the tumble.

The schedulers tried to put me off of a 07:15 appointment on a Saturday because it was so early. I'm up two hours before that. I took it.

What you can see from my pic, and what I didn't catch, but the tech did:   fitbit and ring still on.  I never have my ring off, so it never occurred to me to put it in my patient locker. It's all good, the magnets didn't rip them off my body.

26 minutes it took for the test.  I don't get the results back for a few days - but I'm already planning a surgery date in December.  I'm trying to have November plans - and I'm not going to let a surgery fuck that up.

I've gone this long - another 7 weeks isn't going matter, is it?

Well we'll see what the doc says in a few days.


I know it wasn't Shep's fault that I fell, but we were at that park to entertain him. Petey cost a ton of dough (and worth every penny) from his health issues.  Shep will make me broke from the MRI, potential surgery and my soaring petrol costs.

We fill up my tank weekly, which is new for me. 2-4 parks per weekend, plus my mother's house and 2-3 day care drop-offs/pick-ups, adds up.

Shep might land me in the poor house - but it will be worth every penny.



Song by: Colin Hay

Saturday, October 13, 2018

12 of 12

So I'm doing my 103rd 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.

Sorry - this supersedes Shep/Sophie porn.  No worries - you'll see them here. 

05:20.  Late Start

A.M. dog walk and it's 45 degrees. The day before it was 71. 

06:50.  Morning brushing

07:40.  Doggie Daycare Drop-off

08:05.  Picking up 2nd breakfast for later. 

08:55.  Working at Starbucks. 

Free wifi and bathrooms, you know.  Killing some time before.....

09:35.  ......I head to another hospital at which I don't work. 

Visiting my mother who was to have a procedure. 

12:30.  Using the Little Visitor's Room down the hall. 

14:30.  W.T.F. 

I moved next door to work so my mother could rest. The nurse was to let me know when my mother was going for procedure, before she went to it. I came back to find her gone. No notice.

14:40. Getting possibly the most uninspired lunch I have ever had. 

15:35.  Leaving the hospital. 

Mom was back to her room and resting semi-comfortably.

16:20.  Doggie Daycare Pick-up. 

Someone was very excited to see Dad #2

17:50.  I got a girl buddy to curl up with me after putting my buns to cushion


More 12 of 12 fun next month..........I'm assuming.

Friday, October 12, 2018

Cathedral

I missed Coming Out Day.

btw.......totally gay here.  Try to contain your shock and awe.

The bigger news than others being queer is the soon-to-be interment of Matthew Shepard.

It never occurred to me that he wasn't resting some place else. But it makes total sense that he is not. The protests around his death and funeral by the likes of Fred Phelps and the Westboro fundies.

It never occurred to me that folks like that would have desecrated his grave.

Now the National Cathedral in DC will hold Matthew's remains. It seems nice. It seems appropriate.

I've been to the cathedral. I didn't know they interred folks there, but apparently Helen Keller and Woodrow Wilson live there now........permanently.

As much as Shepard's death and aftermath were upsetting, I do have to say, I am just drawn to the Laramie Project - the HBO film version. It just amazes me each and every time.

But another video clip kind of cut to the core.......and it's from the West Wing.

While the characters are probably pulled from Shepard's parents - to a very distant degree - the scene, the first time I saw was so unexpected to me. We always pulled for the president and staffers on that show, as they usually did right.

Whether certain aspects of Bartlett were based on Clinton is suspect, but it's tough to deny this one.




Next time I'm in DC, I'll pay my respects.




Song by: Crosby, Stills & Nash

Thursday, October 11, 2018

How to be a Millionaire

2020. 

It is in our sights. Well, in theory.

Is Michael Bloomberg the perfect presidential candidate?  No.  But who is?

Is he even a candidate?  No.  But who is?

Bloomberg has re-registered as a Democrat as of yesterday.  Earlier this year he pledged $80 million dollars

Oh - and he also donated $100 MILLION dollars to help flip the House for the Democrats.  Let's hope he can flip the White House too.

Now, I'm not that hopeful - I mean, when am I ever?  The man is 76 now, so 78 then, should he run. That's the downside.

The positives are: 

  • He has more wealth than BLOTUS
  • His wealth is real / actual
  • He has more diplomatic skills
  • He's a better, more successful business man
  • He's a better politician
  • He's never grabbed anyone by the pussy - - that I know of
  • Bloomberg took a $1/yr salary for his time as NYC mayor. Has anyone seen the donation papers that BLOTUS said he'd donate or his presidential salary?  Yeah.  I didn't think so. 


In 2000, I "joked" that Gore would never be president because he chose Joe Lieberman, a Jew, for his running mate. America would never allow a Jew to potentially inherit that office, though I "joked" it would ensure that no one would ever assassinate Gore.

Now it's pushing 20 years later, and in this hate-filled climate, Bloomberg's age isn't nearly as limiting as his religion, BLOTUS & Friends have made fucking sure of that. Assassination is on the table here.  .....but in the name of religious freedom, of course.

I like Bloomberg and hoped would have run years ago, but that did not happen - and now look!

I know folks like Elizabeth Warren, but I want one person to tell me why.  Don't give me the bullshit line of her 'tough talk', because as far as I can tell, that's all she has. No action. No winning bills. No turning of tides. She makes video clips of internet shit, but that's it.  Granted, it's more than this current administration has got going for it, but is that what we want?  We already have it.

Other than possibly Warren and Bloomberg - who the fuck are the Dems gonna put up for this race that kicks off in 6 months?


Song by: ABC

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Bought and Sold

I love how women can be misogynists. Maybe my awe comes that no woman I truly knows is so self-loathing when it comes to other women.  Or themselves.

So, let's try to forget that Susan Collins sold out country, constituents and women for party.

I know.  I know.  There's no forgetting.   Sorry about that.

But now I'm thinking she has no functioning knowledge of how elections go either.  Or is just trying to be a mistress of rhetoric. Either way - it's not playing well with me.

Upon her deciding vote for Rapist Kavanaugh, folks across the country raised something like $3,000,000 for anyone opposing Collins in her 2020 re-election campaign.

Yes, the brains behind the fun raising said prior to the vote that if Collins voted for Rapist Kavanaugh, that they'd throw monetary support behind any candidate who ran against her. Nowhere that I have found, said that they'd fund her campaign if voted against Rapist Kavanaugh.   (I like the name change for "our" newest SC justice.)

So Collins' claims of quid pro quo and "buying votes" is misleading at best and an outright lie at worse, A complete misunderstanding of statements of fact are heinous.

But it's her quote that KILLS me.

"I think that if our politics has come to the point where people are trying to buy votes and buy positions, then we are in a very sad place".

ROTFLOL !!!!!!!!!!

Oh sugar tits (yes, if you can be dismissive of women, I can do the same when directed at you), you do know what at least a good chunk of the Mueller investigation is just about that of which you are so saddened, right?  Yet have done nothing but get on your knees and unzip BLOTUS' pants for him while knowing that he is probably guilty of buying votes and positions.

Fuck You, hon!



Song by: Neko Case

Tuesday, October 09, 2018

Hang On Sloopy

The song title is somewhat indicative of nothing, except for the fact that one Dr. Spo, MD (see Spo, that is a hyperlink!) went to University of Michigan.    .....and I did not.

It's fun to take jabs, hence my Block O shirt.

It has been 7+ year since I first (and last) met the good doctor and Someone. That time it was on their turf.  This time, it was on mine.

Back then, each of us was a lot less grey.   ....as  in Scarlet and.....

Spo and Someone came to Cleveburgh for the Orchestra. It's as good as any reason, considering they are world renowned. The two got to see a number of other things the city has to offer. And they seemed quite pleased with their findings.  The Land isn't what it used to be. There are few jokes to be had anymore - at least that don't date back 49 years.

On their last day, I had the opportunity to meet them for b'fast. I picked a place nice enough, and casual enough, to make it comfortable for all. And it was. There were no awkward moments - at least for me.

Spo did ask to take my picture, and with my permission post it to Facebook. He was looking to stir up some reaction from his brothers and friends about a rival college grudge. I'm a good sport, but for a team that looses so often to THE Ohio State University, with the comments about me, they sure are full of themselves bunch. I did take the mocking well.

We talked a lot about Cleveland and some weird coincidences of some of their other friends, who used to live a few doors down from where 710 and I reside. After that, we barely got to scrape the surface about some of our fellow bloggers and commenters. I'll leave that to your all imagination.

Spo is one of three bloggers I've met more than once.  Birdie (g-d love her!), was the first, and I still miss her so. Mike was the second (though he wasn't blogging by the 2nd time). And of course, Spo.

I was being a good friend, but a bad son, by ignoring my phone while we at and talked. I sent an unknown call directly to voicemail, assuming it was "Rachel, from card services".  A bit later, I noticed a two minute voicemail. "Rachel" doesn't leave those.  Turns out it was my mother - - calling from her room at the hospital.  oy.  Guilt!

Long story short - she's ok, as much as an almost 90 year old can be.  Still we finished up our convo and food and made our way out - me to the hospital, them to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I TOTALLY forgot to tell them about the Browns game that would be going on next door.

Here is hoping we can see each other gain - and maybe not wait another 7.5 years to do so.



Song by: the McCoys

Monday, October 08, 2018

My Music Monday

Yay - new music from John Paul White.  It's only three days old.

You might remember he was my number one album pick of last year - even though it was technically a 2016 release.  Allegedly, White will have a new disk out before year's end.  Here's hoping.

"My Dreams Have All Come True", is written / performed in a waltz time (one-two-three, one-two-three).  The title is positive, until you realize that not all dreams are good ones.

It took me a few listens to get into this song, but I like it. And I'm looking forward to his White's new disk - whenever it may arrive.


Sunday, October 07, 2018

Hell

I am no longer drunk...........for the moment.

While I had fun getting drunk - kind of - it was way too easy to get way that toasted. Golden Monkey really packs a wallop.

It was a work happy hour. I like my peers, and we tried not to talk about work.  My suggestion of 'Brett Kavanaugh' spawned depressing conversations - one of which did the 'should his life be ruined over something he did at 17' bullshit.  Of course, this guy has three daughters, so I just replied, ".......and if it was one of your daughters that happened to, you'd feel the same way?"

Crickets.      .....and then I ordered another beer.

I won't lie - I knew enough that I put yesterday's post together, but when I woke up, I did think to myself,  "did I just post pictures, or did I write a thing?".  It turns out I did - with typos. 

Yup. That drunk.

Oh - and I woke UP drunk. I literally stumbled to bed at 21:30 and still woke up around 06:00 drunk.  Thank YOU, Golden Monkey.  And then I promptly went back to bed for another 90 minutes.

I oddly bounced back fairly well.

Since it was a Saturday, then it was a Shep day. ......but aren't they all?  It means, hitting a park, or parks, to keep him busy.  Honestly, we like the hikes, but I'm not sure we'd do this many if we didn't have him.  Actually, I know we wouldn't.

This time it was a new place, Hell Hollow.

The trail was nothing at all.  The Hell comes in at the 262 stairs down into the hallow.  Actually, the Hell is the 262 steps back up. Or so I'd assume.

My knee is so fucked up right now,  we made it down maybe 34 steps and I looked into the gorge and thought, "what the fuck am I doing?".  We turned around and climbed back up and then took the little man to Canine Meadows to run.

I'm still almost a week out from my MRI and then meet with the doc. I think I'll have to find a brace in the interim just to make it to the MRI.

I really cannot take 40 more years of this.




Song by:  Foo Fighters

Saturday, October 06, 2018

From a Distance

Truth be told - I am stinking drunk.  With glasses I can barely see the screen.

All . I dan do to go upstairs and pass out.

Fall lake day. 

HER chair - no matter what Shep says!

Up at a picnic in Euclid Beach Park

Siblings .  from a distance. 

Passively waiting for his friend, Kooper, who completely ignored him{sad}




Song by: Bette Midler