Candy

Listen, save for Shep, I don't put too much eye candy in this here blog.

It's THAT day.  The big gay holiday. 

It's been a long time since I've dressed up for Halloween, and that's ok. If I were more creative, it might be more fun to do so.  For the most part, I am not. 

It's not like we get invited to costume parties - and that is honestly ok. 

I shan't dress up this evening to hand out candy either. The kids might like it if I do. Some of the neighbors might as well. One, Sam, says he has a new costume he'll be sporting when he takes his daughter out. Last year he was a jouster or knight or something.  The dude has a serious Pedro Pascal vibe going on and I'm down with it. 

710 got the candy this year. Most everything has nuts in it, which is great, because I won't eat it. Chinese food should have nuts in it - the rest of foods and desserts and candy, it should not. I get many don't see it my way, but I'm never eating your peanut M&Ms either. 

Last year I posted the below on FB......

Honestly, it has stuck with me ever since. I think about this a lot. 

At the point I got it, the question / post was probably rhetorical. But as I'm guessing I have a post of a post of a post, maybe at some time it was an actual posed question. 

In the original, I can only imagine the small-minded people who would argue such a point. But really - why don't we? 

I used to loathe the 17-19 year olds who'd come up and take candy. You know, if I have enough, what the fuck do I care? Please have some. I hope they enjoy it. I hope they have a good day

Still the above is an incredible life-lesson that applies to most situations in most parts of the world. We could all be more like this - and also be the beneficiaries of this as well. 

Song by: Iggy Pop 

My Music Monday

Oh it's Halloween-eve.  

I'm not a big Hallow-weiner, (see what I did there?) but now and then I play along.  ....and I'm always going to give out candy. 

Save "Monster Mash", I don't really know any other Halloween songs, though Kirsty MacColl has one called the name of the holiday, but it doesn't really fit and it hasn't aged as well as some of her other material. 

So, what the fuck - let's go with opening number from Rocky Horror Picture Show, "Science Fiction Double Feature". 

I first saw the movie in {gulp} 1980. (!!!!). While that was only five years after its release, I seemed way late to the party. 

At the time, you could only see midnight viewings and lord know how I got out of the house to see it. The movie wasn't playing anywhere near my small town, so my friend Tony and I trekked to the Heights Art Theater to see it. 

Ironically enough, I now live about five minutes from that. 

The "art theater" was anything but. All other times, it showed porn. Straight porn. Only on Friday and Saturday nights did they show Rocky Horror. 

I didn't know the songs. I didn't know the story. And was fully entranced by the whole thing.  

Of course, we had heard about (but didn't know) the audience participation. We had heard about the dressing up too - which we didn't do. It oddly seemed 'special' to us in the 216 when Janet (Susan Sarandon) covers her head in the rain with a copy of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. 

It takes very little to feel hometown pride. 

I would see the movie twice more before going to college, and only once more after getting there. Yes, I've seen it on TV, but it is not the same. I have no idea how, or if, the movie going audience has changed.   

And I'd get the soundtrack too. Richard O'Brien, who created the show and played Riff Raff also wrote a decent music show too. Oddly, everyone seems to know "Time Warp", which might be my second least favourite song on the disk, with Meatloaf's solo number taking the bottom of the heap spot 

But I love the song I selected (and what is the opening to the movie itself), and I still have huge affection for "Sweet Transvestite"  - Tim Curry was great. 

Happy Halloween, all. 

Record of the Month

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what I'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there!   

Honestly, until five months ago, I'd never heard of the Record Company, let alone they had three other disks. I'm not has hep as some people (or myself) would like to believe. 

I made their first single, "Talk to Me" a pick a while back on My Music Monday. I'd call it our vacation 2023 song.  You know, a song you hear more than others during certain trips?  This would be that.  ...and I can guarantee that "Talk to Me" will end up in my year-end song selection. 

Due to that song, I just went all in an purchased the album. Twice. One was for me; one was a gift to Morty, as he has a working turntable, I got it on vinyl for him. 

Blobby is not a blues-rock guy normally.  Sure, I have my moments - CCR, early Rolling Stones and a hodgepodge of songs here and there, but with the 4th Album (that's the title of the disk), it mostly all works. 

There are elements of both bands I mentioned here. One of the highlights for me is "Bad Light", which has a very Stones-esque sound. But I keep coming back to others too: "Dance on Mondays", "I Found Heaven (in my Darkest Days)" and surprisingly in a song called "Highway Lady".  On paper, it wouldn't be anything I truly listen to, but I do. 

As the order of the genre has blues come first, and there are true blues moments and songs on this disk. This is somewhat new to me. I mean, sure I've heard stuff before, but never really owned it. Or played it. Songs like that had always been a part of the background for me.  "You Made a Mistake" is the deep dive into this territory. 

There is some rockabilly elements here too, but not as much as you'd think. 

I'd say this is a very different disk for me, and maybe others too. But I'm enjoying it. 

Harvest

Busy busy week for me. I haven't even finished Wordle.....yet. I'm not sure the pictures are great, but they're ok. 

He looks nice, but he's gonna bite you. 

Back of the pack. 

This dog (don't know her name) LOVES Shep.  She always comes as closer to her invisible fence whenever he takes an evening walk. 

Greeted by these two cuties. I can't remember hers name, but the white & black dude is Tony. 

This white & black dude continues to explore. 

......or is ready to pounce. 

And Shep shows off his Autumn side. 

Song by: Neil Young

Jezebel

I think we can all agree, no one is calling me an 'optimist'.........ever .

Yet, every now and then I continue to suprise myself, but not in a good way. 

You've seen it here over the Shrub and BLOTUS administrations. There are times I think that the GOP and their ilk can't get / be any worse than they have been. 

.....and I am continually proven wrong. I'm not sure if that makes me an optimist or just a moron. 

Case in point with the new Speaker. 

Let's start off admitting I was wrong that they'd give the job to Jordan. They still elected a election denying, January 6th affirming, anti LGBT and anti abortion guy. Put a singlet on him and let him condone rape and you basically have Jordan.  Or any GOPer these days. 

Did the GOP even want this guy?  When you're on your fourth candidate, to save any kind of face, you have to elect someone.  ......so they did. Right or wrong. 

This above headline isn't even from the Onion. That satirical site isn't clever enough to come up with shit like this. Honestly. 

I dare any journalist to ask the new Douche du Jour to provide the data behind school shootings and abortion. Tie this together for me with facts. Show me anything in which to back up your proselytizing. But this isn't about facts. It never has been. It's about riling folks. It's all they got - like carnies on the midway. 

Let's forget the fact that the Maine mass shootings murder of yesterday were at a bowling alley, so........did abortion do that too?  I haven't heard a beep from that c-u-n-t  Susan Collins about the killings in her home state. She's gotta be torn on what to say and do. Either way she'll flip flop. 

In my head, these turds are actually disgusted that flags are at half-mast for shootings like this. I thinking they're thinking it shows us as being 'weak'.  But much like this new guy, I have nothing to back up that statement. 

I'm not even addressing the procreation piece in that headline. 

I will say, if you women just did your part, there'd be fewer school shootings.  This is kind of all on your watch. 

For shame!

Song by: 10,000 Maniacs

Runs in the Family

With Halloween upon us, the rest of the holidays are close in succession. I'm as ready for them as I care to be.........mostly because I don't care that that much. 

With my parents gone, our traditions have changed, but we really don't have traditions per se - as in new ones. Maybe those take time to establish; maybe they'll never come to fruition. As long as I can have Chinese with my cousin on xmas day, all is good. 

Yet, I do have another set of cousins. I love them, but there is some angst to be had. 

Last weekend, I surprised my cousin Tim as he was having lunch with his daughter. I hadn't seen him since his wife's funeral during the height of Covid. We had a nice, but seemingly uninformative time. We talked, but we didn't try to catch up about the last three years. It was nice and odd at the same time. 

I think it's coincidence, but a few days later, his sister texted me along with Tim's daughter. There were a semi-quick succession of 38 (!!!!) texts. My cousins are all older than me. Their kids are my age. Thats has nothing to do with anything really, but I'd thought I'd throw it out there. This is true on both sides of my family. 

But 38 texts about trying to get together around Thanksgiving. 

I have actually not clicked on a one. Should I, someone's gonna get a 'read' message, and I can't have that. 

Since my mother and her brothers are gone, if there has been any family get together, I haven't been invited. That's cool. Unless I'm doing the inviting, I cannot control the invitees. Hence my issue with this would-be Thanksgiving meet-up. 

I have no problem not seeing some of my sisters. I'm about 104% sure they're pretty good about not seeing me too. There's a 14% chance at least one of them is reading this now.  So, I'm not keen on getting into social situations where we would more than likely see each other. 

The part I'm not keen on is putting my cousins in a situation where I say 'no' or 'yes, but only if.....'. 

For years they ostracized one of their sisters, so they're not unfamiliar with lack of interaction. But I also had to see that sister sit alone at one of her other sister's funeral. More power to Judy for showing up, but still. 

As much as I'd like to see some of my cousins, other than at funerals, it's tough to navigate in bigger groups where certain people are or aren't invited. And to avoid the questions. 

For the moment, I'm just being a coward and ignoring the premise of a get together by ignoring the text chain. 

I did catch a partial text that popped up: something about me not answering and possibly running, where I'm not sure which one replied:  "........from his family".  

They're not wrong. 

Song by: the Roaches

Turning Tide

I'm stealing today's image from the Other Brett........who is kind of just Brett now. The initial Brett is no longer blogging or even following this blog.  To be honest, I'm not sure other "Other" Brett is either. 

So far, 4 of the 19 defendants in the Georgia election fraud trail have pleaded guilty with the contingency they testify at other trails.  .....that's assuming anyone is still standing by the time there area actual trial dates. 

Oh, I mean, BLOTUS isn't gonna fold, because.....well.....BLOTUS. 

Rudy can't. As I said before, the current Felon-elect has some kind of shit on that guy, or he'd have turned long ago. 

For the life of me, I don't know (or care?) if former Chief of Staff (I think BLOTUS has like 7 of them) Mark Meadows is part of the Georgia klan (yes, with a 'k'), but he's now doing tricks for the DOJ on a Federal level. 

Meadows has immunity.......contingent upon testifying at said Federal trial(s) on January 6th activity. 

And fuck if Michael Cohen isn't making BLOTUS squirm at a NYC trial as we speak. 

Sure, Cohen is scum, and BLOTUS bad mouths him, but he's bad-mouthed anyone who's ever been fired or quit - though he hired them originally as the "best people".  BLOTUS doesn't have a great track record and little to no intuition on staff he hires. The best people all turn out to be "losers". 

Neither he, nor the media, seem to pick up on this dichotomy. I saw one interviewer tee that question up not long ago, and BLOTUS answer was something else, diverting - successfully - the guy who never ever ever ever came back to the question.  

Fuck. BLOTUS may as well just said, "these are not the droids you're looking for". 

I don't know about the timing, or if it matters, but the walls are crumbling. Yet, I don't think BLOTUS or the RNC give a flying fuck. Ditto with the GOP voters. 

We are truly a fucked up bunch of people as a whole. 

Song by: Clannad

Contact

I am always on the hopes for a better world out there. I mean, depending on how the 2024 election goes, relocating to South America or Europe might not be far enough away. 

Last week astronomers caught a radio signal that took 8 billion years to reach earth. The signal was only a millisecond long - and whomever sent it is probably bemoaning the roaming charges when they realized where it landed.

FRB 20220610A actually lasted less than a millisecond, though I don't know what that really equates to. And yes, I know I ended my sentence in a preposition. 

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are allegedly quite common...........if you're Jodi Foster, I suppose. Current theories suggest FRBs such as the one discovered as part of the study may come from magnetars, a type of neutron star with a magnetic field a trillion times strong than the Sun's.  

I'm still not sure how they gather that data, or how they tell from how long it took to get here. But then again, I don't have a degree in astrophysics and did take Math 104 twice.  That wasn't really due to being stupid as much as it was from being drunk or hungover, and scheduling a math class at 08:00.  ......which is stupid, but just in another way. 

Somehow the bursts properties can be measured and tell us how the universe has evolved. 

I don't think they can do that with on FRB that is less than a millisecond, but a millisecond here and a millisecond there.........the start to add up, I suppose.

Scientists found that burst was made up of two or three bright clumps (whatever those are). This suggests that the blast might have emerged from a group of colliding galaxies rather than only one — a common event during the early days of the universe.  .....again, from something less than a millisecond long. 

Premature ejaculators - don't feel so bad. What you is like an eternity in comparison. 

Song by: Big Audio Dynamite

My Music Monday

This one seems out of place - and it is, and it isn't. 

AC⚡️DC has never been, nor will ever be, a go-to band for me.  I've been around long enough to know a handful of their songs, while never purchasing a-one. 

My testosterone was never going to be high enough to be a fan of their music. Or better, low enough whereas I had to make some boys think it was indeed higher. 

That said, their song, "Thunderstruck" is the on-going / semi-official theme of the Columbus Marathon. 

I'm 99% sure 710 had never heard the song before that morning. And I'm 99% surprised he "liked it. 

Again, it's nothing he'd go out and purchase, but he was (as was I) caught up in the adrenaline that was the start of the race. He also played it a few times on his Apple Music. 

The poor bastard is now going to get songs from Metallica, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Kiss thrown in his playlist. 

BTW, it sounds a lot more rousing played over huge / multiple speakers and surrounded by 12,000 other runners. 

Reproduction

It's voting time. 

In Ohio, this time around, there are only two state issues:  reproductive rights and legalized marijuana. That's it. 

Sure, there are some local stuff, but.......it's really about abortion........which you wouldn't need if you didn't get high and have unprotected sex!!!

I kid.  I kid. 

The right to even vote on reproductive rights was at risk for us this last August, but we had a majority vote on the vote to prevail. 

While our friends and ourselves live in liberal neighborhoods, as I go around town, I have yet to see more than one yard sign opposing our Issue 1. 

I do know our city prosecutor has vowed to NOT charge and prosecute people who get or aid abortions. I love him and don't even know him. I'm hoping come the day after the election it's a non issue, though I'm sure other crap will end up in the courts. 

I myself have a problem. Oh, I don't care how you see me vote. Yes, it's private, but yes, I'm voting to make sure women have a say with their own bodies.  

No, my mail-in ballot is defective. Well, not the ballot, but it's a two envelope return system. Both envelopes are to be sealed and untampered.......except that they're already sealed.........but my ballots on in either of them. The envelopes came that way. 

So I can't open them and tape them shut, as the Board of Elections won't accept my ballot. So now I have to try to get a new one, or vote in person, both of which might be cumbersome as the BoE already knows I have a ballot. 

I don't need to be implicated in some kind of Georgia vote fraud case, but I do need my vote to count. 

Song by: the cast of Grease 2

Basement

We don't have a lot this week. Being out of town three-ish days limited the photo shoots, as Shep was at boarding school. 

Still, it should be enough to keep you entertained a little. 

Simon discovers the basement.  ......and loves it. 

Shep is part of the posse. 

I have a feeling the doodle runs the group. 

Simon looking big in my home office window. 

Two bros crashing. 

 

Song by: Puddle of Mudd

Shock

To be honest, I am a little shocked that Sydney Powell pleaded guilty to.......well........anything. 

I just figured anyone aboard the USS BLOTUS would just go down with the ship, because, well....Jim Jones, but with less money and less taste. Kool-Aid was the only beverage on that cruise. 

She wanted a speedy trail and she got one. It was supposed to start today - and then.......well, it didn't happen due to pleading guilty to being a fraud on multiple levels. 

Not only that, Powell isn't even the first charged to plead guilty. Some other no-name already did that. 

On the surface, this cannot be good for the other defendants. And for that, I'm slightly optimistic. Yes....me!

I think six years probation was a super duper light sentence for this twat (will that get me a Blogger security check-in warning?). To be fair, it's a disservice to twats everywhere to lump her in with them. 

However, the there are few caveats to her sentence. Plea documents are make it clear she is to testify about her involvement - and those who were literally in the room with her:  Michael Flynn (yes!), the Overstock.com douchebag and Guliani. 

Honestly when is that last dickweed going to turn on BLOTUS?  No payments from his former client. Woefully in debt. Florida condo seized due to said debt. His ex-legal team suing him for payment. What the fuck else does BLOTUS have on this guy?  It must be something super big. 

Powell's attorney claims she was not the architect of this scheme, as some are portraying her and the evidence she presented to the prosecutors will prove that.  Here's hoping. 

This plea also put her and her co-defendants on the skids for some of the outstanding Dominion and other voting system law suits that are out there. 

Maybe six years probation isn't so bad if she doesn't have a dime to her name, but like Rudy. 

I only hope she's not falling on a sword for all the men in this trial. It wouldn't surprise me though. 

But here's hoping the rest start to fold like a house of cards. 

Song by: Psychedelic Furs

Two Time Loser

I won't lie - I'm glad Gym Jordan is getting fewer votes for Speaker. 

A friend said they liked he'd been humiliated, but I think this guy is beyond the ability for that. Immune at this point, really. 

I got poo-poo'd by folks when I said he'd be Speaker some day. That days is coming. 

I still think it will happen. There's no one ele attempting, and at this point the House has been in crisis mode. 

In media - both legit and social - continues harp on that fact. Eventually, the GOP will look weaker and weaker and will elect him out of embarrassment of not being able to rule. 

Like Jordan, the rest of the GOP is shameless. 

Oddly, he has BLOTUS' endorsement. This I truly do not understand. 

Yeah, he's got that vote of confidence, but truly name me a single time when that endorsement went well for the candidate. Any of them. 

Soon enough BLOTUS turns on him, 

This is tried and true and yet everyone who gets one thinks they're the exception. This could work our way come November 2024 - mid-terms and all. 

Perhaps George Santos should run. He's been Speaker 8-9 times. 

Song by: Little Richard

Hair

I've got little to give. 

The guy below keeps popping up on my IG feed. I don't know how, but why look a gift horse in the mouth, am I right? 

His name - allegedly - is Connor Patrick, and he is a hairy beast. I might be underselling both those words. 

From what little I've pieced together he was an overweight teen, who clearly got over that, and is also a nurse. Murse - if you will. 

And allegedly he's straight. 

I'm guessing he has as many gay men following him as he does women......if not more. 

But seriously, who has this much hair?  

I'm not complaining. 

Song by: the Cowsills

Bang a Gong

Over a month ago, in the comments on one of my running posts, David asked "when's the marathon?". 

He's an intuitive one, that man. 

Months ago, I signed up for the Columbus Marathon. While I won't say I immediately regretted it, I did feel I had overreached, and not by a little. One month before I signed up, I told myself I'd never do a full marathon.........and yet, here I was. 

I chose Columbus for a number of reasons:  One - I didn't want to wait until the following May to do Cleveland.  Two - Columbus is as close as I'll have to having a second home city.   Three - Morty, my bestie and biggest running champion, is in Columbus and is a race coordinator for the marathon.  Four - for the most part, the course is fairly flat. 

For my first marathon, that last reason was kind of vital to me. I'm doing better on elevation training, but in my head, I could not get a DNF, and I needed every advantage to completing the race. And truth be told, I couldn't bear to fail in front of Morty. 

Until the two weeks prior to the run, I was fairly confident in my abilities to finish, even with calculating (over and over and over again) my probable finish time. But tapering is as much about the mental wind down as it the physical aspect - though I didn't know about that part. The latter wasn't hard for me, but the former........fuck. I spiraled. Big time. 

The morning of the race, my first words to 710 weren't, "morning dear", it was, "I don't want to go". And I kind of meant it. Yet, I dressed, left the house at 05:30 to head to the event. I was as ready as I could be - ready or not, if you will. 

I met up with some of my running group who were also doing either the half or full marathons, and headed to my corral, where I nervously waited to start. My running wife (above) so had the same feeling of not wanting to run - it oddly made me feel better.  It was a chilly 47° but there I stood in shorts and short sleeve shirt.  And gloves (which I would eventually ditch at mile 18). 

The set-up, the crowd, the energy was just amazing. It puts Cleveland's marathon to shame.

I went out strong - stronger than I should have, but ultimately, while it would hurt me near the end, overall I think it helped. 

For the first half, the crowd engagement was plentiful and up-lifting.  I shaved 18 minutes off the first half marathon I did - though I still had 13 more to go.  The second half, save for a few pockets, crowds were almost non-existent.  To be fair, all the race info told me that up front. 

At the 17 mile mark a pacer passed me. Somehow I had been going much faster than I realized. This would not last, but it gave me hope. 

I have great friends though. Morty was such a help before, during and after. Becky showed up at mile 7 which was really nice, and she and her husband truly surprised me at mile 20. It was my first true stop (not counting hydration stations) as I hugged both of them. I was starting to die a little before seeing them and that helped me enormously. 

Race bibs had your first name on them - big enough for the crowd to see. At first it was uplifting to hear someone say, "You got this, Blobby!"........and while it was probably more me than them, as time and miles went along, it seemed to be aggressive and I became internally slightly annoyed. 

I heard the theme from Rocky played from people's houses more than I care to hear (read: ever!) and "The Final Countdown" twice. There were DJs and live bands along the route (thanks to Morty!), and they kept me entertained. I had music too, but it seems my watch playing music and tracking my run via GPS full time is a battery drainer. At mile 24 it died. I could no longer see my timing or splits. Part of it was horrible, part of it was great I was no longer tied to it all. 

After mile 20 mile, my back was tender, and I found myself going slower, yet I kept moving. At 25.5, a number of people from the running group was there to cheer the rest of us on, some who had already completed the half, some who just came down to cheer. I won't lie, it meant a lot. 

The crowd picked up significantly for the last 0.2 miles. I tried searching for 710 in the crowd, but it was useless. The amount of people and the noise, I'd never hear him call me, and near impossible to pick any one person out. 

I could hear them announcing some names as they approached the finish line. Then I heard mine. But it went on......and on. Effusively.  Telling everyone where I was from, and that it was my first marathon and to give a big cheer for me. This was more than anyone else was getting - and I was grinning.  

I cocked my thumbs back and me and yelled to the crowd "he's talking about ME!!!" !!!!    No one could hear me. Bastards. 

In a nano-second, or two, I knew it was all Morty's doing and I loved him even more (if that's possible) for that. 

As I was a few yards from the finish, I saw Morty waiting for me on the other side, as he had always promised he would. It took me a few more seconds to see that 710 was there too. Non-workers and non-athletes are not to be in that area. Again - Morty and his string pulling. 

Both men got vicious hugs - Morty first and then 710. 

As everyone would comment, I was upright, I was running and looked strong at the finish. I beat my expected time by 14 minutes. I was pretty happy with my performance. 

I got my medal and the swag - which was mostly chocolate milk (which was incredible!), banana, cookies et al.  But I got a mylar sheet to wrap around me to keep me warm, though I wasn't horribly cold until a while later. 

Pictures where taken avec medal. 

And I got to bang the White Castle™ PR Gong. That's 'personal record', not "Puerto Rican". Technically it was my first marathon, but also a personal record. And for the record, my first boyfriend was Puerto Rican.  So, somehow it all fits. 

It was a great first marathon. Weather. Course. Friends. Family. Friends (again!). Even the acquaintances that are the running group. Everything was on point. My running wasn't always pretty, but I was determined. 

Whether there will be a second one is yet to be seen. When it comes to running, I stopped saying 'never'. As it is, I have two more races in the next month or so - neither marathons. But as 2023 goes, that will probably be it for the year, though I'll continue to train. 

Song by: T. Rex

My Music Monday

I'd say in the last 40 years - give or take - there hasn't been a week where I haven't said the opening line to "Sharky's Day" from Laurie Anderson. 

The line: "sun's comin' up......like a big bald head". 

I most likely don't say it on grey or rainy days, but if there is a sun to be seen, those words cross my lips. 

I believe I have seen Anderson in concert more than any other performer. She just wow's me. I think the first time was at Mershon Auditorium at THE Ohio State University.  I went with my friend Jon. A guy sat in front of us wearing overalls and flannel. Jon turns to me and says, "do you think he thinks he's seeing Louie Anderson?".  Oh, we laughed. 

At another time, at Mershon Auditorium at THE Ohio State University, they put on a show about the history of music video. During, they played "O Superman" - all eight minutes of it. Jon and I loved it. When it was done, the guy behind us (or maybe in front) sighed and audibly says, "phew, I'm glad THAT's over". 

Last time I saw her, I went to Mershon Auditorium at THE Ohio State University and dragged Rebecca and Georty too.  Anderson was performing with the Kronos Quartet - whom I had never seen - in a piece about Hurricane Sandy, which wiped out everything Anderson had ever archived over her career. 

I have to admit, I was so psyched for my friends to see her and the show very much disappointed - at least me. 

"Sharky's Night" comes from her second disk, Mister Heartbreak. There is an official video for it, but meh - it was 1982 and it's just ok, though she had some ideas there that she'd incorporate to the tour to support the disk, which would become the movie Home of the Brave. 

From that concert is where I'm pulling the live version of "Sharky's Night" - and yes, you're required to watch the entire six minutes of it.  ....and if you have the chance, watch the entire concert film. 

Taking Off

I'd say I'm taking a 'day off', and I am, but yet here I am. 

We are away for the weekend and I am opting not to blog duing my weekend away. 

So today's and Monday's posts are pre-drafted and scheduled to post without timely intervention. 

Enjoy your Sunday.  I'm going to try to enjoy mine. 

Song by: the Cure

Save Me

We are a little Simon heavy this weekend.  I know many of you won't mind. 

Hangin' in the home office with Dad #1

Brothers napping. Or trying to 

Bailey - because, why not?

Simon is trying to learn to cuddle. 

When there is too much Simon, Shep takes refuge with Dad #1. 

He'll save Shep.

Song by: Aimee Mann

12 of 12

So I'm doing my 162nd 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.  

03:43. I'm up early. Even for me. 

I went and sat downstairs to do my NYT games. 

05:00.   Oh, "jazz". 

Nevermind. 

05:52. Post run stretching and exercise. 

06:37. 5. 

08:46. Dueling Zoom calls. 

I spread myself too thin some days. Like yesterday. 

11:53. Lunch. 

These Lebanese folks make a mean salad on Thursday only. I added my own protein. Their chicken doesn't have the spice palette I like. 

13:11. Mid-afternoon snack. 

16:04.  Left early. 

I had shit to do.

17:06. Pedi. It was needed 

18:15. Shep pick-up. 

He was excited as ever. 

19:32. Back from a Shep evening walk. 

No more p.m. walks in the light for the rest of the year. 

19:51. I got home late(r). 710 after that. 

Dog walk, then I started the grill. 

This concludes another look into my daily drudgery. 

Running

My Fall training group is over. 

It started in June (July?), but it's a 15 week training session for Fall races. There area a number of folks in my group doing Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, London and New York. 

I've mentioned, my winter / spring group - which were mostly all the same folks - were very cliquey. No one said 'boo' to me at all. 

This go-round, I went out of my way to connect, and to be fair, some of them did too. I'm not super close to any of them, but one or two women text with me now and then, and there are words of encouragement from some of the elites that I didn't even think knew I existed. 

Sure, they don't know my name or anything, but you know.....baby steps. 

Tuesday was our last run of 2023. I haven't decided on joining them in 2024, but I think I might, just for the structured runs.  .....and the ice cream. 

On our last run, we started from a new location, just so we could end back up there. We ended the run with ice cream. But you already figured that out from the last paragraph.....and maybe the photo. 

Yes, the group is a bit testosterone-lite. A few of the guys weren't there or didn't make the picture, but it's all good. Yes, it ruined my dinner for Tuesday night. 

Clearly people like ice cream. Tuesday at 18:30 and there was a line of 15 folks when we got there and at least another 20 came through after we all got ours. Does nobody eat dinner?

There is an email and FB group of these folks, so I might reach out in a general group message all to see if anyone wants to run on a Saturday or Sunday. Weeknights with daylight savings about to happen seems less likely. If they take me up on it - great.  If not - I won't take it too much to heart. I think a few will want to keep running. I know I do. 

Song by: No Doubt

Ad of the Month

Rebecca tells me HBO (?) is remaking the Harry Potter series.  I want to say "boo", but who knows. Allegedly each book will be a series / season, not a single movie. And allegedly, they'll get into more book detail that the movies left out. 

We all agree that while we like the original stuff, we are not ok with JK Rowling. So, I'm not sure I'll give the new one a go, maybe just because of her. 

And of course, I have a soft spot for most of the original cast. I can live without Ginny Weasley. No one ever blames her for ruining all the prophecies......though they should. 

Tom Felton did a great job as Draco. I mean, he made you love to hate him. That was his job. And he did it well. Personally, what little I've seen of him as not-Draco, he seems like an affable chap. 

Still, a boy's gotta eat, so a boy's gotta work. Financially, for as often at the Potter series plays on tv, I'm sure he's fine. Even Harry, Hermione and Ron still work, so why not Draco? 

Felton is in a new Uber Eats ad, that has Potter themes, right down to a look alike diner where the trio of good guys take refuge after Bill and Fleur's wedding. 

g-d, I'm a geek. 

It's Only Rock 'N' Roll

.....but I like it. 

I ran another race over the weekend. Sunday to be exact. 

Saturday was the regular running group. We were supposed to go 10-12 miles. I opted for seven, as I semi-impulsively signed up for the Rock Hall Half Marathon, 10K or 5K. 

I opted for the middle one. 

A woman I've been pacing with on both Tuesday and Saturday runs (who is not my running wife, though maybe she is too?)  had been vacillating about doing the half. She's been training but has had no actual races for either the Spring or Fall running groups. Harriet was worried about doing a half, so I tried to talk her into the 10K, and if she did, I'd run it with her. 

Turns out we both signed up, but she wanted to do the half. Great for her. 

The seven miler the day before was chilly, but sunny. Race day? Chillier, no sun and lots of wind. And I mean lots of it. 

I actually had a mostly decent run. The first half was some of my fastest I've done. The second half - not so much. I was moving, but so was that wind. 20-30 mph headwind, and then sidewind and back to head. It was unrelenting. And cold. That slowed me down a bit, especially on the last two miles. 

Even so, I had a personal best. Yeah, it would have been better sans wind, but what are you gonna do. 

I opted to try to wait around for some of the folks from my running group, but the weather didn't make it easy. I was warm enough-ish when I was running, but sweaty and wind and standing?  Brrrrrr.  And they were about an hour behind me. 

Still I stuck it out even with no real way to keep warm. 

I have never helped coordinate one of these things, but.....................

If you're having a Rock Hall race, I dunno, shouldn't you open up the Rock Hall - even the lobby to keep warm?  Or afterwards?  With your registration you get a free admission, but it kind of has to be open to use it.  I heard they eventually opened, but it was normal business hours - and I was already at home in a hot shower by then. 

And my second note:  the music. 

It is the Rock and Roll Hall O'Fame. I dunno - maybe play some music from the inductees? 

I got "Footloose" (at least twice), "You Spin Me Round", and I shit you not, an extended remix of "Don't Stop Believing" ,   

Neither Kenny Loggins nor Dead or Alive ware in the Rock Hall. Ditto with Michael Fuckin' Buble, whom they also played. I find it hard to believe they couldn't use music from any of the hundreds of inductees that wasn't upbeat for the event. 

But I waited. And I'm glad I did 

Yes, they're all women who ran. I'm the only dude from our training group that ran this. And I was the only one not to do the half-marathon. 

I'm good with it. 

Song by: Rolling Stones