Tuesday, February 28, 2023

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! 



It's actually been a few months since I did one of these. 2022 wasn't spectacular for my purchases. 2023 already has a half dozen releases slated to be released in the next few months. Including this month. 

Last week, Iris DeMent released her first disk in eight years with Workin' on a World

If you have never heard of her, you've never heard her. To say her voice is unique would be an understatement and it probably takes some getting used to. If you ever heard her, you'd remember - the voice is that distinctive. Raised in Arkansas, she brings out the Ozarks like no one's business. I've been listening to her for over 30 years. 

DeMent always has something to say. Her songs are not frivolous. They have meaning, they have weight. She sometimes ask questions for which she has no answers. 

The work evokes spiritualism yet without g-d. It's the voice. It's the upbringing. DeMent has always brought a sense of that in her music and it is no different here. Much like earlier works ("The Way I Should" or "Wasteland of the Free"), she challenges social standings - be it guns or police brutality. 

Workin' is a long disk. Over an hour of music and the songs are longer than her usual fare, but worth it. 

She writes great music and her voice conveys it. I get, at first, it's hard to listen to. It takes some getting use to. If you stick with it and listen to what she's singing, you'll get how she sings and why the two work together. 

So far, 2023 starts with a good disk. At least in my eyes.......and ears. 

Monday, February 27, 2023

My Music Monday

I wasn't 100% sure how to end out the month. It really came down to choosing between a few new songs that are out there. 

The selections kind of came down to two - both very different. 

I've opted to go with a group I've never featured here, Gorillaz.  No doubt you've heard a song of theirs over the years on the radio (ohhhh ohhhh....on the radio), but if you're looking to me for titles, you've come to the wrong place. 

The band is actually made up of two folks, though to be confusing, they have a virtual band, which is different than their touring band. Gorillaz is about animation, if you see their albums or videos. Actual folk aren't to be seen - hence the 'virtual band'.  They're just cartoons. The two guys do all, or most of, the work. 

Anyhoo - they have a new disk out as of three days ago. I somewhat enjoy their title track, "Cracker Island", which was pre-released months ago. 

The band is all about collaboration. They've done a lot with other artists and bands, and this disk is no different. What might be is some of their selections, including the one on today's song, "Oil". The song features Stevie Nicks. 

Honestly, I thought this would be terrible. Not to be ageist, but she is 73. Her voice hasn't been remotely the same since she was in her 40s.  Drugs, smoking, hard living has given her a three note range. That said, with the right arrangements, she's made it work here and there..........and I'm being generous. Actually, others have made it work for her.

The win here is, she is "harmony" and has no actual lead vocals. Her voice is there, and distinctive enough, that you know it is her, but she does nothing to ruin the song. Her vocal isn't buried in the mix either, it just compliments the lead vocalist. Her contribution is neither outstanding or displeasing. 

The song itself is semi-interesting. Probably not enough for me to purchase it, but I wouldn't change the radio channel either, should it come on. 


Sunday, February 26, 2023

Not That Funny

Dibert is dead.  Long not live Dilbert

You may or may not know (I did not) that Dilbert creator went off on a fucking racist rant and has been 86'd by our paper. 

Effective immediately. 

I've never thought higher of the Plain Dealer.  I mean, that's a sad statement, however true. 

Adams was a douche with which to begin. Yes, being a science denying, election denying, faux voter fraud liar and MAGA fan and participant make you a douche. Being a racist is just part of their starter-package. 

I'd say "it's science", but what good would that do?

One of Adams' rants was:  "the best advice I'd give to white people is to get the hell away from black people". 

The Plain Dealer defended their move - which they said was not difficult - by addressing "cancel culture".  They said the paper is not a home for those who espouse racism and that they will not provide them financial support. 

BINGO. 

That won't stop people writing into the paper. And I so fucking hope they do, sign their name and get their letter printed exposing themselves as racists - or at very 'best' condoning racists and racism. 

I also hope that every other paper drop the bastard. I mean, sure southern states won't.  You know.....racists. And yes, I'm generalizing, but no state in the north has a lynching museum. But it they want to get him where it hurts - Hallmark stores (and the likes) have to stop carrying mugs, calendars, cards, etc with the comic strip crew. 

I was never a real fan of Dilbert. I get it's view of cube life, but it was fairly one-note. Honestly, save Bizarro and Speed Bump, I don't read any comics anymore. 

So now, for the time being, there is a grey box where Adams strip used to reside. Good riddance. 



Song by: Fleetwood Mac

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Walk

It was a so-so week. At least for work. Physical Therapy went well. Running went well-ish. I'm reading a new book. 

The weather has been so-so too.  It's either unseasonably warm or like yesterday - bitter to the bone. Today, I think we are getting both. But I'll be running in the bitter cold. 

Still, pet picture must be had, mustn't they? 

Headwind. 
And the ears become wings. 

Apparently cats are not the only ones who find a ray of sunshine in which to sleep. 
He's adorable. 

Bailey in a great picture  - mouth wide open. 
It was my sister's first dog walk on her own since knee replacement surgery. 

710 took this great snap on one of the warmer days. 
He and Shep sat outside getting Vitamin D. 



Song by: Foo Fighters

Friday, February 24, 2023

Drink the Water

Such a fucking publicity stunt. All that's missing is a line of script from Erin Brokovich

DeWine & Co drink the water in East Palestine, OH to "prove" the water is safe. The same water where some 42,000 wildlife died since the train derailment. 

A regular commenter, I believe, tried to take me to task when I made fun of Florida. I stand by my statement. Our governor and one senator was called out, I'm assuming on my alleged hypocrisy. 

Yes, Ohio has JD Vance and Mike DeWine, but as of yet, they haven't stopped people from saying "gay", or stripped away the rights of corporations who chastised them for trying to. They haven't taken over the board of education - though they're trying. And they haven't stripped away the ability to teach AP classes that have to anything to do with Black History. Nor has our state paid to have refugees brought into our state only so we can pay for them to be bussed elsewhere for some kind of fucked up statement.  They haven't taken over the state college curriculums to white wash whatever "woke" item of the day might be. *

Let's be clear, all red states are taking their queues from what memes are calling Nazi Germany with Amusement Parks.  

So yes, I stand by my anti-Florida comments - past and future. But you're not seeing me boast about Ohio either. 

The problem with Florida - and what is to come of other states is:  no one is stopping these motherfuckers. Rick DeSantis seems to be untouchable by his own state. To be fair, the majority of their residents voted for this turd, so they're on board with what he's doing........clearly.  No one is really trying to stop him. 

But the Vance / BLOTUS visit to the crash site (well, the town) is perfect. I mean, East Palasteen (as they pronounce it) is made up of about 99.8% white republican anyways. There is no losing here.  BLOTUS can't provide any relief because he isn't in charge. Vance has actively campaigned for less fedearl aid to places he now needs money in which to go - which is so fucking typical.  Yes - I'm talking to you DeSantis and your friend Rafael Edward Cruz. 

Yes, there is no active FEMA aid - stop bellyaching about it. Technically - right or wrong - it doesn't meet the standards for emergency relief. The same would be true if fat ass #45 was in office. But he's not. He lost.  LOST.  DeWine preemptively applied for aid in case it does meet standards eventually. Though this is how it's being spun:  "he applied and got not funding" They're just leaving out a bunch of the in between shit for their own gain. 

The same train, a short time before the derailment passed right through Cleveland. On tracks where we once considered living. We opted not to because at the time trains came through a minimum of 49 times per day. 

The reality is, DeWine would have acted quicker and with more gusto had the incident been in a populated area where he might have garnered more votes - a la Guiliani after 9/11. 

Tragedy for political gain.  It never gets old. 



*btw - that is just DeSantis' actions in the last year.....or less. So far. 



Song by: Jack Johnson

Thursday, February 23, 2023

Red Skies at Night

Old. 

Not just how I feel. 

The Webb telescope keeps finding shit to blow our minds. Well, you know, should one believe in science and not that cavemen roamed the earth with dinosaurs 6,000 years ago, after g-d created "man" out of mud and clay. 

The Webb just found six potential galaxies that are what could be closest to the Big Bang (not the show!) - being created some 500-700 million years after said Bang. 

Now to you and me - but you know, not Joan Collins - 700 millions years is a LONG time. But the Big Bang is 13 BILLION years ago.  So these galaxies are basically some of earliest galaxies ever formed. They aren't not oldest, but they are the largest. 

It is throwing everyone in the astronomy world a cosmic curve ball.  That's a sports-related metaphor. 

The bright red light of the galaxies indicate old light,. They believe that each galaxy has were also huge, harboring tens to hundreds of billions of sun-sized stars worth of mass, on par with the Milky Way.

Honestly, think about that. 

It still bolsters my theory of intelligent life elsewhere. Of course it exists - but the question would be: how could it possibly find us.  We are a speck of a speck of a speck..........and so on. And if you've seen what goes on in Florida, anything / anyone is more intelligent than that. 

Anything. 



Song by: the Fixx

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Keeping Pace

Hi. My name is Blobby and I'm a "runner"*. 

It's been two weeks since my last actual post on running.  Mostly, because that was the last time I ran. If you remember, I lamented on what a horrible run it actually was.  And it was. 

It also landed me in physical therapy. 

Yet my running group continued without me. Bastards.  I mean, no one knew my name or anything, so I'm not sure they noticed I was missing, but still...........

PT is going well. And I do my exercises and stretching several times per day, but I was truly missing running. The few times I hit the treadmill it didn't last long and no one would call it running - Mr. Magoo without his glasses included. 

I did check with my the rapist on Friday if I could run last Saturday. I got semi-clearance with some stipulations. I knew early Saturday morning it was not going to happen. So I set my sights on Tuesday. 

I gave the head's up to the coach and provided my fears of the rest of the group moving on ahead of me - literally and figuratively.  She sent back a nice message about inclusion and getting me to where I needed and told me to just do partial - and turn around if I needed. 

But Blobby is an idiot. 

No no..........it's true. 

I did have every intention of running half of the 4 mile route. There's a lot more to the story, but it wasn't clear where I might turn around and go back on my own. And then there was the 'going back on my own'.  Guys are such dicks when it comes to pride. 

So instead of running 2, I ran the full 4.  And I ended up doing decent time. Not great. Sure it was a LOT better then two weeks ago, but not as good as a week before that.  Deep down I know I need to build myself back up. 

I'm secretly pleased that I made the four. No stops - and I did my inhaler before leaving. I needed it at the 3.5 mark, but opted to power through.  Mostly because I couldn't get into my pockets with my gloves on and I couldn't get them off and honestly, I didn't want to stop and lose time. 

Like I said, guys are dicks. Stupid ones at that. I'm not even generalizing. I'm stating it as a fact. 

Two good take aways?  Three maybe. 

1. I finished and did not suck. 
2. Two people talked to me - albeit barely - but called me by name! Progress. 
3. ....and my brain left me. I honestly cannot remember the one I really wanted to write about. I guess I'll save that for another day. If I remember. 

Onward and upward. 


*the jury is still out on that. 



Song by: Dan Hockman

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

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!  

Technically, this is Gifting with 710.  ....and yes, it's another running item. 

My December holiday gifts from 710 were mostly running related - and all appreciated. 

Seriously, a headband to catch about 87% of the drippings from my Dr. Bunsun Honeydew noggin was possibly the best of the season. Yeah, I look like a douche in it, but I'm not going for glamour (obvi) or trying to get a date at 05:00.  Sorry - "date". 

He also got me a new device in which to play music. 

Last year, he got me the new AirPods and I really like them. The sound is amazing. They look good too. And for running on the treadmill they stay in. For most of my workouts they stay in. But not all. 

Laying back on a weight bench is almost guaranteed to have at least one fall from your ear and bounce 8' away.  It's 100% when you're on an inclined bench or doing certain ab crunches.  And as I found out, why they won't even remotely stay in during outdoor running baffles me. Clearly running indoors vs out differs on just about every level. 

Oddly, or not, as a gay man, there are certain openings I don't want things slipped into me. Ears, oddly or not, are second on that list. Honestly - the nose is #1. 

Actually, now that I think about it, after my cystoscopy, the peehole is #1. Nose 2, Ears 3. 

Sure sure......I have used earbuds for the last decade. In the Walkman era, they were foam covered speakers that went over your ears. And I honestly think I might not be the target audience for the over the ear noise-cancelling cans. 

710 got me bone conducting "head phones".  I'm kind of digging them.  Kind of. 

As I learned when I temporarily lost hearing a few years back, you hear with the bones in / around your ear than that drum thingy. 

As you see, the device goes behind my head and over my ears - which secures them onto said Honeydew Head. And the listening devices sit in front of the ears onto the bone. 

Since they are outside the ear, one might think others can hear their Sister Sledge playing for all to hear. You'd be incorrect. We tested them out when I got them and no one could hear a thing, save the person wearing them. 

There's a slight adjustment period to them, for sure. The volume levels are not where you'd want them to be, so I basically turn it to 11. I feel somewhat better at that range, which just sounds the normal loudness, that it's not directly into my ears. 

The buttons are not intuitive, at least to me. I've found myself doing almost nothing with them other than power on / off. I don't advance songs, or repeat them. I almost only use them at the gym or for running, so I don't need to pause to chat with someone, as I try not to talk to folks in the gym. 

Yeah, when you're inverted, they slide a little so the sound muffles a bit, but it's not a deal breaker. 

You can take calls on it, not that I have. We tested it, but again:  05:00....gym......no one is calling me. 

My big issue - and maybe I just don't know my way around it yet - is there is seemingly no Siri response. "She" isn't getting the message when I talk like I do with my AirPods. I'm guessing it is some mic setting? But I have had others where it's just not an option. I hope these are not that, but I'll find out eventually. 

Mort has told me not to listen to music while running outdoors due to safety, and I totally get that, I notice many folks in my running group with something on, but so far I have not. Right now, it has just been for indoor running. 

Monday, February 20, 2023

My Music Monday

I said it years ago, but do we think Depeche Mode said to themselves when they started that they thought they'd still be around 43 years later?  I mean, the fucking Beatles didn't make it 10. 

Yet, here we are, 43 years after formation and 42 years after their debut album release. And come March, they'll have a new disk - their 15th, if you don't count greatest hits and live albums. 

Depeche Mode is now a duo. Andy Fletcher passed away in '22 and Alan Wilder left the band years before that. 

As one might expect, at least their lead single, "Ghosts Again" seemingly focuses on loss and death. The video certainly does. But Fletcher was a founding member and while not at the forefront of the band, he was integral to their sound. 

Most of the lyrics aren't overtly morose or even implying death, it just has a shadow throughout the entire song. 

The band has always been synth-oriented, though now and then they have their guitar moments, and at least here they are still very synth heavy. But you know, it's them, it works. 

Martin Gore is two years older than myself - and while the lighting, make-up and such in this video might be for dramatic affect...............yikes. He looks like he's 89.  David Gahan has let himself go grey (I mean, he is 60).  He pulls it off. 

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Habitat

I was going to write about the shitty week I had, but have opted to go into a different direction. Even I don't wanna hear about my week again, let alone anyone else for the first time. 

I would rather reflect on Jimmy Carter - while he's still with us. He has entered into Hospice and I wish him well along the rest of his journey.

Politics, at the best of times, is a horrible horrible career choice. Maybe at some point, someone went in thinking they could do some good. I'm guessing you're in office 3.5 hours before you realize all you can do is navigate the savagery of the infrastructure of horribleness. Most, I believe, don't go in for good, but for self-gain.  Jimmy Carter was none of these people. 

There was always focus on his presidency - and rightfully so. He was a president, it should be a focus, but for Carter, not THE focus. 

For his four years in office, Iran is going to be the thing for which he's known, and how it could it not? He had a crap economy with which to deal and had to follow Nixon and Ford and the debacle the former had left. Not to mention a post-Vietnam era. 

Carter brokered the Israel - Egypt agreement, which oddly wasn't the reason for his Nobel Peace Prize. 

444 days of Iran did in any chance of a second term. We like to put the blame on Reagan for the state of our current system (and he's largely to fault for heading down that road), but we can thank the Ayatollah for bringing us Reagan. 

Here is where Carter flourishes though:  post politics. 

He truly went on to the life of service he thought he could be bring as Commander in Chief. Diplomat. Philanthropist, and quite possibly the closest thing to an actual Christian who held this office. 

I mean, I don't care as much about that last part, save the others claim the same beliefs but clearly don't act on them, let alone in such a way that exhibits what they say.  Still, he practiced what he preached.....literally and figuratively. There is a lot of merit in that. 

Carter just seems like a decent man. I don't think there is a lot, if any, you can say that about who has been president. I'd lump Obama in that category.  Maybe Polk.  Just kidding on that last one.

I had read once - and cannot find it - that Carter preemptively banned BLOTUS from his would-be funeral.  Fuck I hope that is true. It would make my week..........not that I want Jimmy to die just to off-set my bad week. 



Song by: Mos Def

Saturday, February 18, 2023

Hearts

A decent animal week. I mean, there was a holiday, so you know my sister was gonna dress Bailey up somehow; someway. 

He's low the the ground, so he has clean-off rubdown  - sometimes several times per day. 

Back from Valentine's Day Care. 
Yes, it looks like he's blowing Raspberries. He was not. 

Valentine's Bailey I

Find a dog who will look at you the way Shep looks at me. 

Tried to get him to pose with his treat bag. That would be a pipe dream. 

Valentine's Bailey II

Valentine Posse in their kerchiefs 


Song by: Marty Balin

Friday, February 17, 2023

Shooting Star

It has been a very topsy-turvy week at work. There have been mids, lows and very lows.  No highs. None. I'm opting not to work from the office tomorrow. I'll find another location from which to work. After the gym, I will actually kick off my day with Physical Therapy. 

So, the Muses (or someone like them) have not really presented themselves to me. I fairness to them, I've been distracted enough that they might have been right in front of me and I just missed them completely. 

And while it's not great video, I love that Asteroid SAR2667 entered the atmosphere a few days ago and broker up (and maybe hit?) somewhere around the English Channel. 

It seems at least three people were up at 03:00 and caught it on video. It looked cool. 

If you haven't seen one, it's quite a site. We caught one by surprise (aren't they all?), and we were just at the right place / right time.  





Song by: Bad Company

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Kill Yourself

Good!

While I have had suicide touch my life and you know, I don't advocate for it necessarily, I still say "good" for this douche, 

Actually, and I think I speak for many, we thought / hoped / wished / prayed it was the guy to his left who off'd himself. 

I think of that tiki torch toting twat more than I'd like. The face. The hate. The vile.

I hope that image follows him all his fucking life. Job interviews. Dates. Meeting his future in-laws. Neighbors. And yes, his kids. 


Of course, he'll surround himself with folks who are as repugnant as he. The gun-toting Karen of a wife. The Aryan Nation children. But I hope work - whatever he does* - is a constant source of liability for him and whatever company might hire him. 

But if the theme song from Baretta has taught us anything, it was if you can't do the time then do not do the crime. 

Ironically, even Robert Blake didn't take heed with that one. Nor this torch wielding guy. He was afraid to do the time, so he took the easy way out.  

Pussy. 

Hell, he was afraid he might do the time. But clearly he knew he was guilty and AP and that photo made sure to let everyone on the jury know he was there and participated willingly. 

Maybe the dude never saw Oz. Prison is flooded with white supremacist. He'd have been safe(r) than some of the population. But that protection comes at a price and I don't know how much vaseline costs in the prison commissary. 

So, thank you D-bag #2. Save us the trial and your possible faux remorse. Save the tax payers your three-squares and a cot.  Go fucking rot in hell. 

.....and take your friend with you. 


*he probably has a future in tiki torch sales, if he wasn't already their top employee before this. 



Song by:  Timbaland

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

How Much More?

I don't really have anything.  And if I write about the shootings at Michigan State, I'm kind of making myself out to be a big fat liar, as I said I was going to write about shootings in the U.S. 

I mean, I am two of those things, so may as well just round it out. 

Oddly (not really) there were two other events happened close in timing. 

1. 710 had 'active shooter' training yesterday. In person. 

Seriously, I said, "show the 'Run, Hide, Fight' video everyone else does for safety training".  He said, they did. I said, "it's on YouTube", and replied - "thats how they played it." But the actually brought in two police officers to conduct this training. It doesn't seem like time well spent. 

2. Where I work is affiliated with, and adjacent to, a university. Apparently Monday afternoon, as many people left work, there was an "active shooter" situation at said university. It's unclear if it was just a gun that was seen, or one that was used.  For this writing, I'm not sure it matters. 

Hundreds of people, myself included, were leaving around that time. But not notification of anything going on. My work has a safety app that pushes messages. There were to be none. 

Yesterday there was an email from our COO, stating, we should download the university's app to get messages.  WTF?  Out police force knew about - and nothing. Apparently keeping staff and patients safe is less of a priority than - I dunno - bad word of mouth? 

I'd say, "I need another app like I need a hole in the head"........but you know............

BTW - the note on the rock in the image?  The question is rhetorical. 


Song by: the Go-Go's

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Precious and Few

Ahhhh.  Valentine's Day. 

The most nothing of holidays, next to Arbor Day. 

Seriously, not one of you has planted a tree for Arbor Day, so shut your pie holes. 

We have literally have never done anything for Valentine's Day.  Ever. Even when one of us was being courted or wooed. 

After 30 odd years, you really don't give a fuck about the day. I've said it before and will probably again: if you need a special day carved out to tell someone you love them, then you might need to reevaluate your relationship. 

Don't get me wrong, I like chocolates. I want them. But I don't need them. Cards?  Almost never keeping them. Dinner out? On Valentine's Day?  Maybe if we had nothing in the house and the stores were closed, and Grubhub stopped delivering. 

I get there are hear-shaped cookies to be had, and you can send them my way. That is more of my love of sugar than of 710. I mean, if he gave them to me, of course I would appreciate it....and them. But for the most part, we aren't gift-givers for the Hallmark holidays. Even our anniversary - either the actual one or our marriage one - comes and goes only with a 'happy anniversary'. You know, at the 50th, sure.....I'm sure we'll do something. 

Honestly, I don't know anyone - other than one niece - who celebrates Valentines Day. Do any of you?  And if so, how?  I am curious. 



Song by: Climax

Monday, February 13, 2023

12 of 12

 So I'm doing my 154th 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.

03:59.  I had to get up to pee, so I thought I'd start Spelling Bee before trying to go back to sleep. 
I got the pangram first word out. 

07:29.  First Breakfast. 
Which now consists of Naproxen. I'm not good about taking pain meds. I'd be a lousy opioid addict. 
But I have to be good about this to try to lessen my discomfort. 

08:47.  Gym time. 
It wasn't crowded, which made me happy. 

09:36.  Shower time. 
So. Many. Products.  But I can honestly count on one hand the number of times I've showered at home since joining the gym. I shave in the shower. Do the a.m. toothbrush thing at the sink and then moisturize. 

11:10. Grocery time. 
Honestly, for Super Bowl Sunday, I thought it would be packed. 

11:38.  Putting said groceries. 

14:21  Hiking Time. 
This former landfill is now getting all back to nature. Lots of marshes and bogs. And antennas. But it was a clear day, and warm-ish day (for February).  Almost 50. We ate outside....at this same park!

14:53.  Dog Treat Time. 
Our Doggie Daycare does Valentine's Day. Instead of cards, each dog goes home with a bag of exchanged treats. I got those, so 710 can take them in tomorrow avec Shep. 

15:33.  Car Wash Time. 
The car was filthy. And it was purdy out. AND there was no line. And Shep doesn't get freaked out i there. 

15:46.  Ugh. Laundry Time. 
Actually, I'm fine with it. It's Taking Clothes out of the Dryer and Folding Time I hate. 

17:37.  Zoom Time. 
4 out of the 5 were there. And yes, without filters, gauze and vaseline on the lens, that is what Paula Abdul looks like. 

19:00.  Dinner Time. 
Air fried pork chops. 



That's it. Another one in the bag. 

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Everybody Hurts

It's a set back. Hopefully a small one. 

A day after my seemingly great Saturday / 12º run I felt a bigger twinge in my left hip more than I had in the past. It was a problem with the Tuesday run where I said I failed miserably. Yes, some was due to not finding my breath, but the pain was there too. 

I have not run since then. 

I'll rephrase. I can't.  I've tried, but it hurts. 

Good / Bad News scenarios. 


Good News:  I saw this coming and got out ahead of it. For two weeks, I used YouTube exercises from physical therapy sites. But when that wasn't enough,  I called my orthopod and he got me into PT without even making me come out to see him. He's a mensch.  

Bad News:  it would take PT 3+ weeks to work me in.  The doc said "nooooooooo.......", 

Good News: so I found another location that was not convenient, but who could get me in. I got in Friday and maybe I'm on the road to recovery. 

Bad News is: I stumped the poor Physical The Rapist. 

As she took me back for my assessment, she clearly had to notice I was favouring a side (she did). We did a few things to assess my pain - balance on my left foot and hop 5 times.  I hopped once and said 'nope', we're dong with that.  Ouchie!!!!

Then she manipulated the fuck out of me in every position. Most of the time, I had no pain. Which is where I stumped her. Places / things / times of what she was doing, we both thought I'd say "ouchie", but they were few and far between. 

I'm not 100% sure she knows, but she did limit it to muscular and not joint pain. 

I think (?) that falls in the "Good News" section?

I have 59 year old joints. I don't want new ones that are manufactured in some hell hole a like Terre Haute factory that is owned by a faceless corporation who also makes bio-hazard materials, dry cleaning chemicals and chicken processing plant.  .....at least I don't want them yet.  And I don't want them now!

She says it is my IT bands at the hip.  And my hamstrings are SUPER tight. And my glutes are not.  In running, it should be the other way around - and it's not. So we have some stretches and training to do to get me reverse engineer this. Apparently it's all in the clench for the glutes, which I now do anytime I think about it. 

I have a 59 year old gay ass. Clenching the butt is counterintuitive................except near the end. So, now I gotta go relearn all that. 

So, for the next four weeks, I'll be seeing the rapist.  I am hoping to be pain free enough to run with the group next Saturday. I know I'll be skipping this upcoming Tuesday, but I'm not liking this. At all. 

I already feel like I'm behind but you know, I literally cannot run today, so I have to suck it up and make the most of it. I don't know what that means or how to achieve that, but............maybe I'll figger it out. 

I'm thinking Cortisone injections. I wonder what my doc would think of that. 



Song by:  R.E.M.

Saturday, February 11, 2023

I Lie Around

Yeah- I forgot. to write an intro.  This is how my brain is working this week.  Pets. Dogs.  No cats this week.  I need to work on that. 

Stretching with Shep. 
Apparently, you cannot get on the floor to stretch without someone thinking it's an invite to play. 
Worth It!

My sister had surgery near the start of the year. She just started being able to take Bailey on walks. 
But for this one, we did. She was jealous of Shep getting 710's attention. 

A day earlier, Shep met Cosmo and Cosmo HAD to meet Shep 
Tales wagged the entire time Cosmo was incredibly cute 

We had a record high the other day. 68F.
The dog would not come in. 

....and a lot more Bailey barking. 



Song by: Paul McCartney & Wings

Friday, February 10, 2023

(They Long to Be) Close to You

There is probably an entire generation who only knows Burt Bacharach from the first Austin Powers movie. 

Me? From the Carpenters. Yes. I'm showing my age. 

Poor Burt is dead now - at 94!

Is it just me, or are there a lots "celebrities" kicking the bucket these days?

In my head, I made assumptions that Karen & Richard covered a lot of Bacharach and Hal David. They did - and didn't.  The blog post title on their second disk and a medley of multiple songs a few disks later. That's about it. 

Still, even now, it's impossible to escape the legacy that the two songwriters provided multiple generations. He's written for, or with (depending) for Jackie DeShannon, Christopher Cross, Herb Albert, Dusty Springfield, BJ Thomas (hehehe.....BJ) and of course, the Singing Skull Dionne Warwick. 

Many of their songs were covered by the above, but many were written specifically for Warwick herself. I would have bet money they wrote her arguably best song, the theme for the Valley of the Dolls (which is actually the title of the song!), for her, but I'd have lost that bet (André Previn....go figure!  You know, Soon Yi's adoptive dad........before Woody Allen). 

Still while there were a few notable songs written without David, most of Bacharach's success was a collaboration. 

The duo certainly did define an era - even one that coincided with bands from the Summer of Love. They launched a thousand bands who probably played at every airport Ramada lounge in the U.S.. But the music works. 

I cannot find the clip anywhere, but in Tracey Ullman's first season- back when Fox only had four shows -  she played a lounge singer, who was breaking up with her boyfriend who was the other person in the band, and yes, they played "Close to You".  Tracey's character sang the line, I still use to this day, "on the day that you were born, then angels got together and they threw a bunch of crap in a bag and called it 'Steve'!". 

Still makes me laugh. And Burt probably got a few cents that one time it aired. 




Song by: the Carpenters

Thursday, February 09, 2023

Funny

I am wicked tired.  Gym. Running group. Work. It's been a lot. 

I missed the green comet.  I skipped the State of the Union. Chinese spy balloon?  Nope.  So, I'm going with the subtitle of this blog........stuff & nonsense. 

Loved this Bizarro. With this blog entry, it works on multiple levels.    


 well.............maybe two. 








Song by: Rob Thomas

Wednesday, February 08, 2023

Nothing


Honestly, I have nothing. 

It's after 21:00 and it's only 15-30 minutes before bed. And I forgot about a blog entry. 

Yesterday was my second running group event.  It did not got well................for me. 

I "chatted" with 2-3 more people, and that went fine, I suppose. The run itself did not. 

Saturday it was 12 degrees and I had an amazing run. Yesterday it was 50 and dark and I struggled. Maybe it was after a 12 hour day. 13, if you include the gym time, but I couldn't keep my pace up. At all .

I didn't come in last or anything, but I didn't feel good about it. 

I know it one day. One 3 mile run. But in four days, I went from, "this is GREAT" to "what the fuck are you doing???". 

I guess we'll see how Saturday goes. 


I'm going to bed. 



Song by: Depeche Mode

Tuesday, February 07, 2023

Wedding

In theory it seemed like a good idea. 

In another theory - it seemed like it had all been done before. 

People We Hate at the Wedding - an amazon prime movie - is a pretty much paint-by-numbers wedding movie, down to the estrangement of siblings and parents and children. Even the "will you be my date, even though I don't know you, to the wedding fiasco" is in play. 

Like I said about my dinner the other night:  they can't all be winners. 

But you know, Allison Janney and Kristen Bell. I clearly saw them as the, "well if they're in it, maybe it's better than the rest that have already done this".  

It's not. 

Like Statler & Waldorf, on the Muppet Show said about a skit about a psychic:  they rated it 'a medium' because it is not rare and it wasn't well done. 

Oddly, for me, the mundaneness isn't what is in the story, but what's not. The estrangement origin isn't revealed to well close to the end of the movie and it is all something that, while I'm sure personal, could have been resolved with one phone call. Or an email. Possibly even a text.  So something blown so far out of proportion for the entire premise of the movie in the first place - you think you'd put more thought into that while doing the script. 

Script. Ha.  I saw this was adapted from a book !!!  You know when people say the book is better than the movie. In this case, I'm assuming it to be true.  I am not going out on a limb to say it's probably a good book though. 

Janney and Bell are fine with what they're given. Ben Platt?  Eh, he has his moments, but he's no better here than he was in the first Pitch Perfect movie. The phrase "Oscar winner", is never going to precede his name. Ted, the veterinarian from Schitt's Creek, is the would-be-would-you-be-my-wedding-date character and possibly the most formed one at that in the entire movie. 

Even the bride - a half-sister of Platt and Bell - has that slight cringe in her first scene, silently showing a hint of doubt on the wedding. And the tried-and-true 'the bride is missing, so let's go to the people who haven't seen her in years, in a town in which they don't live, to find her...................and they DO!' scene. And with product placement!  While Bridesmaids did something similar, at least they didn't have a fast food tie-in. 

Even with the movie title and a discussion while being held by the police, the main characters seem to get 'they'll be talked about later', but never seem to realize they are the ones who are hated at the wedding. 


2023 Movie Count / Goal: 04 of 15



Song by: Psychedelic Furs

Monday, February 06, 2023

My Music Monday

...speaking of the National........

Ok we weren't really. They just happened to be last week's selection. 

But at the gym, a song pops up by some group I've never heard and never heard of, EL VY.  I was going back and forth on machines, often times with just the music playing but not paying attention. Their song, "Happiness, Missouri" made me stop and listen. 

Overall, the actual music seems very rudimentary. The vocals are good, but the vocal arrangement on the chorus - which kind of oddly starts the song - has a cadence that really grabbed my ear. 

The vocals themselves are a little mush-mouthed, so I don't know all the words, but I'm getting some of them. The song is all of two minutes and two seconds. It's not going to cut into your day in any significant way if you hit 'play' below. 

As I looked into EL VY, it turns out they have one record, this one, that was released back in 2015. So I'm only eight years late to this party. They are just two guys, but the vocalist is the vocalist for the National. 

Matt Berninger sounds different enough here, that I didn't catch that it was him at all. It works though. I might have to explore the rest of their disk. 

And I'll save you the time - no, there doesn't seem to be a real place called, Happiness, MO.  I've already looked.

Sunday, February 05, 2023

Run Baby Run

Running Club started yesterday. 

It started in a taco bar. There are two groups - east side and west. Every Saturday both run. Tuesdays are regional. 

The run was tough. Not physically, exactly. It started out at 12º .  That doesn't include the wind. 

We had the option of running a 3 mile run or a 5.4 route. Even the seasoned runners were debating the shorter path. 

Right or wrong, I chose the longer version. 

Right away, at the bar, it was awkward. It was all very cliquish. Everyone seemed to know most everyone else. I was the cheese that stood alone. Literally. Seinfeld was right about the making friends things. Maybe. 

The run was kind of freeing. I was on my own. 

Once again, an inhaler would have been nice. I gotta remember to bring one on the cold days. 

But the run went well. It went through the streets of Cleveland, past the Rock Hall (where "Running Up That Hill" was blasting on the outside PA system). Lot of bridges, rivers, headwinds. Cold cold headwinds. After I got going the cold didn't bother me too much. 

My new thing was: no music. 

I thought there'd be conversation between runners. Maybe there was - but not with me. And as I was told, running with earbuds is not safe - you know, if there is traffic and such. Which I get. So, I was left alone with my own thoughts.....which is a dangerous, dangerous place to be.  Mostly it was, "I can't do this!"  x 1,397. 

As we got to the last stretch, I caught up with a woman who had been near me the entire run. But she was walking. Taking a break, as it were.  I strode up beside her and said, "let's finish this together.  Let's be each other's motivation.".  She agreed and we ran the last 3-4 blocks. 

My time was pretty eff'ing good. Again, I have no concept of pace when not running on a machine. I thought fur sure I would be last (I wasn't). I thought for sure it would take me an hour (it didn't). And I was sure I'd be sore (I am). 

Back at the bar, there were bagels, coffee and well.........beer.  The last being for purchase. Since it was before noon, even I declined. I had water, as I don't drink coffee. 

I did meet a married couple who is in the eastern running group, so in theory, I should be seeing them on Tuesdays. 

Let's see how this goes. 


.....yes, you got no running picture. It was too cumbersome to pull my phone out and take a picture of the city while I ran. As it turns out, I didn't take notice of most things as I ran. So in a way, I was focused, which I'm taking as a win. 

But this was out near my car after the run. 



Song by: Sheryl Crow

Saturday, February 04, 2023

Staying In

As you read (or might have) yesterday, this last week was a weird one. I'm not one who must live for the TGIF or the weekend, but I'm ok not being at work. 

But as you know, pets make it all better. 

He just looks so happy and engaged most of the time. 

These two greeted me at daycare. 
They're too small to be Benson and Henry, but I think they're siblings. Adorable!

....and on the way to the car, I got a greeting, after a peeing. 
I like how he's in the beginning of leaping. 

I got to play ball with my Olive - my friend Bob's doggo. 
I think I'm her boyfriend. She is SO loving. And like all retrievers, loves to play ball. 

13° means Shep got to play hooky from 'school'; because 710 decided to work from home. 
His - Shep, not 710 - lazy ass seemingly barely got off the sofa, of which he took every inch. 




Song by: Juliana Hatfield