Wednesday, March 31, 2021

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!   


This is my first album purchase from the band the Hold Steady. I knew of them, but mostly from lead singer Craig Finn's solo work.  Their new disk, Open Door Policy was released at the end of February. 

Somewhere between Bruce Springsteen and the National lies Open Door Policy.  

Maybe that's not a surprise, as the disk is produced by National-affliated Josh Kauffman (who also produced singer's Craig Finn's last three solo disks). Still, the bar band has been taken out of the bar to a degree and they incorporate more melodic, though still independent music ("Spices"). While released in 2021, OPD was recorded in 2019, about the same time as lead singer, Finn's, third solo disk. 

There is no doubt there is some crossover from that solo work to the band effort. The Hold Steady has even incorporated horns ala the National (and Finn's solo disk). 

Not unlike Finn's solo work, these are more stories than songs, but that's fine. He's never going to be confused as a trained vocalist ("Family Farm", "the Feelers")

"Hanover Camera", musically, is quite the homage to Steely Dan and / or Fleetwood Mac (albeit, Christine McVie Fleetwood Mac), though it has a hefty dose of Finn's solo work when you focus on the lyric aspect. 

Finn has seemingly brought his two female background singers with him.  It's fine. 

The album has grown on me, but I totally get it's not for most folks.  I like the story-telling aspect. These were never meant to be general radio fare, but there is a place for it and it's good long distance driving music.  But if you're looking for sing-along stuff - this isn't what you'll want. 

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

In My Time of Dying

On Saturday, we watched a documentary, Dick Johnson is Dead

Dick Johnson is real and plays himself. And he wasn't dead. 

Kristen Johnson is the director and daughter of the subject of the film. As she deals with her aging father, she helps transition her would be future grief into filming her father dying over and over again in different ways - accidental ways. Dick Johnson is a willing participant.  Kind of? 

Well, that's the way it is sold. 

What it really deals with is Dick Johnson's decline into memory care and brain health issues, which follows the path of his late wife, and Kristen's mother. There are parts that are incredibly nice and part that are incredibly sad. 

.....and a lot of it is self-indulgent art for the sake of self-indulgent art. 

I think Johnson (Kristen, that is) could have made a compelling documentary on a first (or second) hand perspective on coming to grips with a parent in decline. The idea of killing off her father multiple times in multiple ways could have been interesting, but they were just set-ups and not incorporated into the story - not really. Certainly not effectively. 

But it was 90 minutes long - and still not as bad as Melissa McCarthy's Superintelligence


2021 Movie Count / Goal: 08 of 15



Song by: Led Zeppelin

Monday, March 29, 2021

My Music Monday

John Wesley Harding has a new covers disk coming out. 

Oh - he's not doing the covers, others are doing them of his songs. 

Harding is his stage name, as he took it from a Bob Dylan album title. 

But I've enjoyed some of Harding's stuff and I never thought it'd be a thing that artists like Marshall Crenshaw, Marti Jones, Don Dixon, Rosanne Cash and Graham Parker would be included in such a tribute / cover disk. Still - I'm interested in hear it. 

But today I'm pulling an original from 1991:  "the Person You Are" from his disk the Name Above the Title.  It is a nice pop ditty about betrayal and drinking.  In 1991, I could relate to some of that. 

30 years later, I still enjoy it. 

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Shopping with Blobby

Yet another installment in the drudgery that is everyday shopping. The camera-phone makes it a bit more fun - though I get looks whenever I take pics of products. Like I care what people think. 

Oh my. I have not had a Shopping segment in 2021. Dear me!

This actually is 710's find.  I cannot - and will not - take credit. 





Oh yes, Purrdy Paws Soft Cat Nail Caps - rainbow edition.  I didn't feel the need to hyperlink. 

We don't really order from Chewy, but we use it to compare prices - mostly on cat and dog fud. So, 710 gets emails from them with products we have never bought - and never will buy...........like cat nail caps - rainbow or not. 

Allegedly, these protect your furniture and guests (I love that part!) from scratching, the humane way. Oh and for the low low prices of $14.99 (before your $2 discount!), you get 40 caps and two - count 'em  - TWO tubes of glue. 

W.T.F. 

Honestly, I should look for a YouTube video of how one might get one of these on a cat, let alone on all of the claw.  I'm assuming only front ones, but who the hell knows. And you just know such a YouTube video exists. 

Now, poor Sophie doesn't have front claws. For those newer to this blog here - Sophie was born with some deformed pads and claws. The vet suggested and thought it best to declaw her. So we did. Even with that though, she's not much of a phantom clawer. She doesn't really try to sharpen the claws that no longer exist. 

Even if she did have them, and did claw, I could not imagine ever thinking about putting these on - let alone buying them.  

I don't find gluing things to cats nails to be 'humane'.  But no doubt some crazy cat lady buys these. I mean, they wouldn't make / sell / market these if there weren't some consumers stupid enough to purchase. 

Saturday, March 27, 2021

Talk to the Trees

Long long work week. Unfortunately, not a ton of new shots, but I think it will turn out ok

Squirrel. 

He got people who were passing in cars to point and chuckle at his dog antics. 
The varmint was always safely on the other side of the fence. 

On tired kitty cat. 

One tired doggie - who found the sun. 

No privacy. 
Pry open the door and plop down to make sure I can converse with her. 

Another weekend. Another trip to the lake. 
He is a very very well traveled dog. 




Song by: Snow Patrol

Friday, March 26, 2021

Lucille

 Oh no, Lucille I has passed. Poor Jessica Walters. Poor us. 

 It is a shame of course, but I'm not sure I would have guess she was 80.  

If you have not seen Arrested Development - and it is a show that is an acquired taste, and you really have to watch for content. There are no pauses for laughs, no laugh tracks and jokes / storylines that come back from episodes or seasons later or before. 

And while everyone on the show was integral, Walters really made the show. Her Lucille (I) was caustic and hilarious. 

FYI. Lucille II, was her next door, vertigo-impaired neighbor played perfectly by, believe it or not, Liza Minelli. I've only seen Liza in like three things  (though I'm not sure she's been in much more - and yes, the Sex in the City movie does count..........and yet it doesn't), but is the best thing she has ever been in. 

Here are some of the clips with Walter from Arrested Development

I personally like the Banana one, the Jimmy Kimmel one and the SeaWard (read: C-word) one. 

  



Song by: B.B. King

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Reason to Believe

Lord.  This cunt. 

Yes. I said it. And no, I'm not sorry. 

No, not Rudy. He's kind of a cunt too, but this isn't about him........yet. And you know it's only a matter of time. 

I'm talking Sydney Powell........the non-BLOTUS lawyer lawyer, possibly not. 

The twat who went to any and every hearing regarding election stealing / fraud and claimed election stealing / fraud. How the voting machines were rigged. How BLOTUS one the election due to the defective machines............blah blah blah.  You know the drill. 

Then she got sued. 

Dominion voting systems wants $1.3 BILLION (with a 'B') from this chick, and I'm guessing she's not even good for HALF of that. 

It's her defense that is scary. .....and on so many levels:   “No reasonable person would conclude that the statements were truly statements of fact,” argued lawyers for Powell (who, btw, is not Rudy G.).

First off - I love that a lawyer needs a lawyer. She must be great at her craft if she truly can't even defend herself. 

Secondly: "reasonable person". 

Well, let's see what that standard is (and yes, I know I ended that sentence in a preposition - sue me!  ha! get it?).  And now let's cross reference that with the fucking loons you took with you to places like Michigan (again, still not talking about Rudy). 

And the folks who used that info to take it all the way to Washington DC on January 6th.  Fuck, let's take it all the way to BLOTUS, who also repeated your claims. 

Are you, "Miss" Powell ('s lawyers) saying the people who stormed the Capitol, and the from "President" are "not reasonable"?  Are you saying the folks at Fox "news" who repeated and repeated and repeated your bytes and such are "not reasonable"?

Because that is EXACTLY what I'd be asking you on the stand and in depositions if I were Dominion's legal counsel. 


......and speaking of Fox..........

Here is why this twat might win: Tucker Fucking Carlson. 

I know, right? 

He and Fox won some lawsuit because Fox lawyers actually (successfully) argued: no 'reasonable viewer' takes Tucker Carlson seriously. 

So.......my takeaway then: I'm reasonable. I sure as fuck don't take Carlson seriously. 

This is going to have to be a judge trial for sure, because 12 jurors?  She's either gonna get the fucks who thought her statements were real and call them unreasonable, or she's gonna have 12 reasonable ones who see her for the lying sack of shit she is. 

g-d, I hope this is on CourtTV.............though I'm 90% sure that no longer exists. 



Song by: the Carpenters 

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

White Mansion

I'm not even surprised or shocked by another mass shooting. Let alone right after one less than two weeks ago. 

Clearly, I'm not shocked or awed that the shooter - or shooters - were white. 

Yeah yeah, you might get a suicide bomber in the middle east, but it's rare  - if ever - that you get a person of colour shooting multiple people, or dozens. 

They are always white. And they're always taken alive, usually without incident. 

Naturally, 'mental health' has been brought up. And his possibility of being Muslim. And he might be, but you know, he's White-Muslim. So, the authorities are going to have a harder time selling that without some olive in his skin. 

Should he be Muslim, of course they'll vilify him - and he should be, but for the murder, not his background. If he were christian (small 'c'), he'd just have had a 'really bad day'. 

And that folks, continues your day's lesson on 'white privilege' and 'systemic racism'. 


Song by: Prince

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

a Shot in the Arm

As you know - I got my two Moderna vaccines a while back.  Yay me!

Getting vaccinated to save my life (potentially) is now the second best thing to come out of the inoculation process. 


Of course, the year is now almost a quarter over, so I feel I've been cheated out of about 90 doughnuts.  


Song by: Wilco

Monday, March 22, 2021

My Music Monday

During the friend's drinking Zoom we have each weekend, someone mentioned a song title in reference to something else. Somehow it got to the Tubes' either "She's a Beauty" or "Talk to you Later". 

My first Tubes (while I won't link them, they do have an active website still!) song that I would have known would have been "Don't Touch Me There".  Somehow that took us to how the Tubes when they found success were like J. Geils-lite. 

Still anytime I heard, or hear of, "Don't Touch Me There", there is a string that takes me from that song to Michael Nesmith's (yes, from the Monkees) "Cruisin'".......even though they're three years apart in release dates.  You might know the song with title "Cruising (Lucy and Romona and Sunset Sam)". 

While just a shell of a musician on the Monkees, Nesmith was a guitarist, songwriter and performer in his own right. He wrote Linda Ronstadt (and the Stone Ponies) hit, "Different Drum". 

But he was also a visual artist - as he won the first ever Grammy for long form video with 1982's Elephant Parts. He's also go on to produce videos for Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie. 

And yes, his mother sold the rights for Liquid Paper to Gillette for $46 million dollars, so I think he might not be hurting for dough. He can do what he wants artistically with no financial worries. 

But as on our phone call, I opted to use "Cruisin'" as today's music. 


Sunday, March 21, 2021

Eighteen

It's not that I forgot yesterday was my 18th blogging anniversary, it's just that I had a doggy and kitty to show you. 



Song by: Alice Cooper

Saturday, March 20, 2021

Back Door Man

 With 12 of 12 last week, you didn't truly get a Sophie / Shep posting. 

Let's fix that right now, shall we? 

a dog and his dad

always something to say - so naturally she's a part of this family. 

Sophie is the gatekeeper to the back hall. She let Shep pass. 

Shep has taken to napping in our bed until bedtime - then he meanders to his own king sized bed down the hall. 

Most mornings, 710 will find the three of us here (though I'd be next to Shep). We all hang until he gets up, then I go to work, and the three of them chill together. 

Prettiest cat in all the land - if I say so myself. 

the boy does love to run free - as long as the area is enclosed by a fence from which he cannot escape. 


Security Fail. She wasn't at her post in time. 


Song by: Sarah McLachlan

Friday, March 19, 2021

Racism

While I can't say I'm a fan of CNN, they are like the Verizon of cable news.  You see, I believe it was Consumer Reports that called Verizon the best of the worst when it came to cellular carriers. 

So it was disappointing, but not surprising, to see the featured story (to your left) on their website. 

Quick math will show you how systemic racism works - even at a network that concurrently was 'printing' stories about how Asian hate is a thing. 

Mathematically, let's break this down for CNN:

8  - Deaths
6 -  of those were Asian
2 - the number of victims featured in their story
0 -  the number of them who were Asian

I think the scary thing is - probably few even noticed. Certainly not their editors. 

This behaviour is so engrained and even tolerated that this comes across as acceptable. It is no wonder that police and the judicial system have (and probably will) let the the murderer get off with nary a slap. 

News has to be better than this - but we know they're not. Beholden to ratings and advertising dollars leaves little room for facts, integrity and the complete lack of investigational journalism. I think the last five years have confirmed that - though it was certainly a problem before BLOTUS. 

Let's hope things change. Because sure as hell, I sent that photo capture I snagged and sent it to CNN. 



Song by: Janet Jackson

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Real Bad Day

What can one say about another mass shooting by another white domestic terrorist disturbed young man? 

Well, if you're the Atlanta police chief, you just say the poor wittle boy was just having a "really bad day". 

What. The. Actual. Fuck. 

If the suspect weren't white (shhhh......read: black!), he wouldn't even be arrested. He'd be dead. 

Also, you'd charge the shooting as a hate crime, not a sex one. 

There are special rules for white folk when it comes to "justice".  Ask RAPIST Brock Turner (oh yes, I'm saying his name, and linking his legal wiki, so every employer or potential date he ever has that Gooooogles him his sordid past shows up). 

I won't lie - I didn't the anti-Asian theory seriously at first. My initial thought was anti-female. I guess it doesn't have to be one or the other. And the last year has been very anti-Asian. Why don't you ask the same fucking Atlanta police chief...............



It is no wonder he'd not going to go hard on a white, Asian-hating, woman-hating killer. At this point, I'm guessing the police chief is feeling down in the dumps because he didn't get to pull the trigger himself. On the women, that is - not the killer himself. 

I would love to say I hope the prosecutor is better at his job, but A. it's Georgia, so........ and B. history does not support actual (let alone, equal) justice for white males. 

Perhaps this the case that will turn the tide, but I don't see that happening - see A and B above. 



Song by: Taj Mahal

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Death at One's Elbow

I won't lie. I was a little miffed at the lack of response my last Facebook post received. One like.  ONE!  Not even a 'love. I post so little - compared to most - that when I do, and I think it's funny, I like to semi-resonate. Bother. 

While some people use the platform as VagueBook, I try not. I post funnies mostly - or at least things I THINK are funny, but I try not give the folks lobs I do want them to think about it, even for a nanosecond. 

Two days ago was the one-year anniversary of our shelter-in-place order, and nothing was the same again. One thing being: no more handshakes (which I do NOT miss). But I thought of our now 'elbow greetings' - or my faux elbow greeting (show my elbow from six feet away, but still no need to touch me!)

But I thought of Young Frankenstein and posted the above .gif with:  I cannot believe that for an entire year we all haven't been saying: "Taffeta, Darling"........."Taffeta, Sweetheart".

I know my demographic. These people wouldn't (or shouldn't) be associated with me if they didn't get the association.  

Oh wait - I just got a laughing thingy. Yay me!

Well, in the meantime, enjoy Madeline Kahn. 


Song by: the Smiths

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Cooking with Blobby

I haven't really done one for a while. Lately, we've been sticking to our tried and trues with a little change up here and there. I will be happy when it's a little warmer to do more grilling. 

You know, I rarely use my slow cooker. But when at the grocery, I picked up a pork loin, whereas we might usually just do chops. I figgered the loin was less pricey in certain ways (i.e. leftovers). Now, I just needed an inventive way to cook it. 

Slow cooking seemed to be the most practical answer - just not during the week, as it would take hours, but inconvenient hours at that. So it was a weekend meal. 

Here we go...........

SPICE RUB
  • 2 tsp EACH paprika, thyme 
  • 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , optional
  • 1/2 tsp pepper 
  • 2 tsp salt

HONEY BUTTER SAUCE
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup butter , unsalted
  • 5 cloves garlic , minced 
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper , each

THICKENER
  • 3 tsp cornflour/cornstarch mixed with splash of water
Combine all ingredients for the spice rub.

With a teaspoon of oil coating the loin, then put the rub on all sides of the meat. 

With a teaspoon of oil for the pan, sear all sides the meat, but not long enough where the spices burn. 

Concurrently, make the honey butter sauce. 

Melt the butter. Add the garlic, letting it cook for 30 seconds, then add the honey, vinegar, salt and pepper. 

Pour the sauce over the meat.  Cook on low for 3.5 hours, or until the meat is 145F.  
I should have checked earlier but didn't. at 3.5 hours, ours was at 180!


Put loin on platter, cover with foil and let rest 15-20 minutes. 

...but in the meantime...........

Put the sauce from the slow cooker into a large sauce pan. Add the cornstarch slurry. 

Bring to a simmer and whisk for six minutes. The sauce will get silky, but looks very fatty. The recipe does not say to skim the fat off the sauce, but we did. Since it is SO much butter, we thought, after the fact, that maybe it was not supposed to be skimmed. 

Even with overcooking, the pork came out great. Sliced up nicely. 

We made rice and put the sauce on the pork, which paired nicely with the rice too. 

The flavour of the sauce was reminiscent of something you'd get at an asian restaurant, but I think that was the honey - like honey sesame chicken.  The pork, wasn't overcooked at all and very tender, though I can't say the rub was prominent, but everything tasted great. 



I can totally see doing this, or something like it, again. 

Monday, March 15, 2021

My Music Monday

No theme. Just random, new-ish music. 

I do know from the group the War on Drugs, but not their 2017 song, "Pain". 

Maybe it's the lyrics, or the music - or both, but I am loving the song. It flows, it moves and it just there without overstating anything or overstaying its welcome. 


Sunday, March 14, 2021

PMS

Last night, on our weekly Zoom / Happy Hour call we went over our hour time limit.  I think no one but Morty went over the two drink number, but hard to say. Had I not had to walk down two flights have stairs, I might have had another. 

BTW, we switched to Saturday nights, because Sunday nights backed us up to a school day. 

During these calls we discuss many things - and we've known each other so long, no topic is off limits. I mean, yesterday some of it was about vaccines, fashion schools, our mutual dislike for Billy Joel and power bottoms. Not necessarily in that order. 

I was going to tell you how the topic of the video below came up, but you know, I'll forgo that. 

The video is from David Letterman's first David Letterman's Film Festival (I think he only ended up having two). A series of artists made a 5-10 minute 'film' - one being Bette Milder, one Diane Sawyer and the one below by Catherine O'Hara and Andrea Martin.  

The film's title?  PMS

I have a feeling I featured it in the blog before, but I'm honestly that lazy to not go check. And if it turns I did, then I got nothing for today. And in reality, none of you remember in the first place, and in second, I'm pretty sure I have a few new readers who haven't read 5,922 posts. 

Enjoy the film. 


btw.........the guy playing Andrea Martin's husband is actually Catherine O'Hara's brother.  Fun fact. 


 



Song by: Mary J. Blige

Saturday, March 13, 2021

12 of 12

So I'm doing my 131st 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. Erik is back and I think he's picking up 12 of 12 again.


05:10.  Sophie needs fed. It's not ALL about Shep. 


05:20.  Doing dishes. 
Had to do them before the cleaning lady came. Yes, we're THOSE guys. 



06:02. Morning brushing. 

06:28.  Self-Screening. 
Every morning, I have to re-enter data about my general health related to Covid. The e-pass expires every 18 hours or so. I have to show the 'CLEARED" version when I walk through the doors. 



09:01.  First Zoom call of the day. I opted to not turn on my camera. 

13:08. Lunchtime graveyard walk. 
Pretty out - but it was a chilly 50. 

13:21. Back at the office. 
I'm official enough to proceed beyond that point. 

15:33. Last Zoom of the day. 
The camera doesn't hide the eye rolls of some people. 


17:32.  One last stop before leaving the office. 

17:48. Doggie Daycare Pick Up. 
Loving on this little pooch - whomever she / he was. 

18:26.  Dog Walk. 
Honestly, what dog gets an after daycare dog walk? 

21:10. the Princess lounges at my feet. 


That is all until next month. 

Friday, March 12, 2021

Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad

I don't know from elsewhere in the States or the world, but here in Ohio, things are finally kind of moving in terms of getting Covid vaccinated.  

We seemed forever stuck on vaccinating 70 and up. That was mostly due to lack of vaccine - not an inordinate number of senior citizens.......though to be honest, I haven't done the research on that. 

Just 10 days ago they opened it to those 60 and up and a week later to 50 and up. 

710, my sister and brother-in-law got their first shot a week ago.  "My" posse are starting to get them this week. 

One Cleveburgh mega station is prepared to do 8,000 shots per day. And thankfully, they are doing it in a part of town that is underserved for minorities and people of colour. It's right at a major bus changing station and the city will also provide ride vouchers for people to get there. We are finally doing something right. 

My place of work has given out close to 50,000 vaccines.  50,000 patients. More vaccines.......because most of them have been two shots. We finally got the J&J (one shot) in the last week, but the majority are still Pfizer. 

But I'm realizing the new intro line to people isn't "hey baby, what's your sign", it's "hey baby, which vaccine did you get?".

Discussion now centers on one or two shots?  If two shots (and one, I suppose - though know one I know has gotten the J&J one), what was the side effects for each dose and the severity of each.  The humble brag that comes with the "I had no issues at all" - the people who hate them behind their back.  I kid. 

I'm amused at the vaccine shopping. I never ask for which brand are they hoping. Is it so they only take one shot that is 73% effective, or do they want the 94% one - which requires two? Without knowing - or asking - I remind them that flu shots are about 35% effective, so take what you are offered. 

710 and I are a little excited. At some point in a little over a month we can see my sister and her family. And hopefully we can get together with our Columbus friends.   .....and some Cleveland ones. 

I still foresee being safe, but with a little bit of comfort knowing we've all been vaccinated. 


Song by: U2