Outside

It's a Shep day.  What can I say? 

At least he's adorbs!

the man does know how to get my attention. 

That's a lot of pounds per square inch he's exerting. 

First real snowfall of the season. 
It is earlier than usual. And not that welcomed. He's enjoying it though. 

Styling in his outerwear. 

The temps dipped into the teens, so out came the Carhartt. I still love it on him. 

a dog and his boy. 

Daycare pick-up, on a way to a walk. 

Song by: George Michael

Cooking with Blobby

No new recipes were invented here. 

I've done variations before, but to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld - sometimes you post with the content you have; not the content you want. 

I had 1.23lbs of ground chicken in the fridge and asked Gooooooogle what I could do with it. 

It came back with a lot of options that sounded good, but I didn't have some of the ingredients at home - and since was in the teens (temp, not Epstein girls age) I was not venturing out again. 

I'd say I made 'meatloaf', but honestly, isn't it 'chickenloaf'?  Which the word does not make it sound appetizing. 

Ehhhhh.......enough ketchup and Worcestershire, and save for the colouring, you'd never know the difference. Except maybe it is not as dense. Which is not a bad thing. 

Making this is as easy as can be. Dicing the onion took the most time, only slightly more than peeling the onion. Well cooking took the most time, but in terms of prep it was the onion. 

Ingredients: 

1 lb ground chicken 

½ cup breadcrumbs 

1 egg 

¼ cup milk (I forgot to put it in the pic atop) 

½ onion, finely diced 

2 tbsp ketchup 

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

For the Glaze: 

¼ cup ketchup 

1 tbsp brown sugar 

1 tsp mustard Instructions: 

Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a loaf pan or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, mix ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, onion, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Shape the Loaf: 

Transfer mixture to the baking sheet and shape into a loaf. 

Make the Glaze: Mix ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard. 

Brush half of the glaze over the meatloaf. 

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove, brush with remaining glaze, and bake for another 10 minutes. 

Rest and Serve: Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Meatloaf obvi is darker in colour, so it looks different, but tastes great. Like I said, it was lighter than meatloaf in density too. 

I paired it with the traditional sides - green beans and homemade mashed taters (with chives!). 

710 loved it. I loved it. Shep loved the bite he had. It was great for a cold almost winter's night. And we have leftovers!

Computer Love

It's not an exciting post or anything. 

Just one written on my new MacBookAir.

It migrated a day ago, but I never looked at the new desktop until earlier yesterday. Then began the arduous task of re-signing into everything. 

Blogger. Amazon. Gmail. NYT. all of it. 

I get it is a safety feature, but I'm sure I'll be stumbling over things I forgot to do and have to keep making adjustments along the way. 

One thing I did do was start to weed out my contact list. It was far far far too long. 

That list goes back jobs and jobs and jobs ago. Co-workers, friends, family who have passed away were still languishing there. I kind of get it - so one doesn't forget them, but in reality, I'd have to scroll to see them, which I never did. 

So far a good 150 people are gone. Some names I don't even remember. Me!  Some names I did and would say 'why?'. With some info I only had phone numbers or email addresses. Nothing that could help me identify how I might have known them. 

I did leave in some people who died - my parents for starters. I don't know why. I really don't. 

But the computer is fast. I'm getting used to the responsiveness of the keyboard. Home Row seems to be a slight slight slight move to the right, so I've been hitting 'caps lock' a lot. 

Given my relctucance to upgrades and change, it'll be a little while before I'm fully on board, but I'll get there. 

Eventually. 

Song by: Kraftwerk

I'm Not in Love

I'm somewhat being lazy today. 

I cannot bring myself to write about anything political and such. And I spent a good part of the day digging ourselves out from a "decent" amount of heavy snow. Then I went over and did it for my sister-in-law. 

I'm kind of taking the easy way out. 

ANYHOO.........

Back in - ugh - 1975 / 1976 I purchased the 45 of 10cc's "I'm Not in Love".  I just loved that song back then. It was like nothing I had really heard prior. 

I'd come to appreciate other songs from the band as well. Members Kevin Godley and Lol Creme would enter the video age as pioneers in the concept and directing fields. 

What a 12 year old me - and subsequently an aging me - never thought or considered was how innovative 10cc had been. 

There is this video series which breaks down songs, many times just asking if you can guess them from a bass line or a drum loop or some such thing. But they also do deep dives into songs, which for a nerd geek like me that loves to know about process is just a rabbit hole. 

But the host breaks down "I'm Not in Love" in an 8 minute (+) segment. 

I don't know you need to stick with the entire thing, but just the first few minutes of the vocals are kind of amazing in their concept and execution with technology that is now 50 years old. 

Should you be inclined - hit 'play'. 

Song by: 10cc

Some Girls are Bigger than Others

These are the same size - give or take. 

At least according to Apple. 

On the left is my new MacBook Air - 13". On the right, my old old MacBook - also 13". 

I suppose the one on the right might be considered a "Grindr 13". Or the one on the left does not have working knowledge of a tape measure. 

As I mentioned last week, when I broke down and had to get a new phone, I also knew I'd had to breakdown for a new laptop. I also mentioned that the helper at Apple told me to wait until November 28th, as I'd get a gift card upon purchase. $175.  ....and I'm cheap, so I made that plan. 

Still, if you remember the post, I also kind of had an anxiety attack in Apple. It was still on my mind and the idea of going back there - between Black Friday and Cyber Monday - was more than I could process. 

Via Morty, I found out that Costco was selling the same model at $250 off from Apple. I no longer had a Costco membership, so that wasn't helping me - and it's not like Costco wouldn't make me have a meltdown too. 

Come to find that amazon and Best Buy are also selling the model for $250 cheaper. And where Bezos doesn't need my money, the idea of having it delivered to my door where I have to deal with no living being seemed a reason to sell part of my soul. 

And $250 off is more than a $175 gift card. 

As always with me, eager to get, less than eager to set-up. But (!!) I opened the box in the first 24 hours, which might be a first for me. And I started setting it up yesterday and hit a blockade with our Time Capsule. My old one is all backed up - always is - but the TC isn't really responding. 

So tech support - 710 - can help me later to see if we can start migrating it over.  I'm drafting this somewhat early so I can just hopefully let the two synch. 

According to Morty, the new model is quick and takes almost no time for him to get to PornHub the London Financial Times. 

I also remember when the MacAir was lighter than the MacBook. Not so much. Not this one. 

Oh, and I got 'sky blue' - though it looks like light silver. The 'midnight' one looked real sharp, but the OCD side of me could never abide by the fingerprints and skin oils it would show. I've enough mental hurdles that I don't need to add that one to the mix. 

Hopefully tomorrow's post will be drafted on the new box!

Song by: the Smiths

My Music Monday

I know I did a Rosanne Cash song a few weeks ago, but today is not just My Music Monday, but also World AIDS Day....and there is no reason to skip my post for that. 

There has been some promising movement on the HIV and AIDS front. Some of it being in terms of gene therapy.

Johns Hopkins reported back in June 2025 that "a molecule within HIV itself can be manipulated and amplified to force the virus into long-term dormancy, a state in which HIV does not replicate. "

I could get into all the complicated detail surrounding this, but then I'd just sound like a White Paper and you already know I just did copy / paste. But for those interested, you can read about the research here. 

There are also injectable HIV medications, instead of pill form. Some are monthly, some every six months. These are for folks who already have their HIV under control with oral meds. But it would make patients more compliant and not have them miss a dose or two. A side effect is potential weight gain of 6-10 lbs. 

An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, for which there is no cure or vaccine, and 4,941 people in the U.S. die each year from AIDS, the disease caused by HIV, according to HIV.gov. Worldwide, there are 39.9 million people living with HIV, and 630,000 deaths from HIV-related illnesses each year, according to the World Health Organization.

Honestly, 40 years in we are still looking for ways to decrease HIV. Covid, sure, let's get three different kinds of treatment within weeks and months. It tells me there is still a huge stigma around HIV - this one being funding for it, as some populations are less equal than others. 

And it wouldn't be a Blobby's Blog post without trashing this administration. 

FUCK. THEM. 

As for the song, I'm going with Cash doing "I Want a Cure" from her highly acclaimed 1990 disk Interiors. It's also the disk that killed her as a country artist. 

I've used the song title here before for a World AIDS Day post. I've just never posted the song. It is not about AIDS. It's not about disease per se. Interiors was all about transition for Cash. Divorce. Depression. Moving on. 

The song is very well written, produced and performed. My opinion, of course. 

When Will I See You Again

A while ago I posted an entry regarding my search for new glasses and frames. 

While I want to believe on-line is the way to go, it has been very hit or miss. More misses than bullseyes. Almost all have been ok, with one or two clunkers that I just never wear. 

Arguably, they are much cheaper than an optician brick & mortar. So, in a way I can "afford" to make mistakes. It would just be nice if I didn't. 

It usually always comes down to size.  ......and yes, that's what she said!

Usually I find the lenses to be too big. The height and mostly the width. 

I really wanted to like my new frames. No, I wanted to really like them. They're fine. Period. 

710 says said I look good in any frame. When I got these he said nothing.  N-O-T-H-I-N-G.  Not even the cursory, "oh, you got new glasses".  Even with crickets after that sentence I'd know what he thought. But nothing?  Well, then I'm not just imaging it. 

In Ghostbusters, Dr. Peter Venkman says to Janine, the secretary:

Good job, isn't it? Type something will ya, we're paying for this stuff, and don't stare at me you got the *bug eyes*. 

Every time I see myself in the glasses, I think of that exact scene. 

Yes, I know I placed them on my face like Annie Potts did, but it really doesn't look that different when I don't. 

Oh, and of all my back and forth about which site to purchase these frames - these things are light as a feather and it seems a strong wind could break them. Every time I clean my lenses, I'm waiting to snap the frames in half. 

So I did what I normally do - order yet another pair. I was meticulous about the height and width thing, going smaller and smaller as long as it would support my pupillary distance and prescription strength. 

I found some at a different site and for half the fricking price. 

I think I finally got it right. 

Not a great pic, but you get the idea. 

Song by: Lord Huron

Gold

One cat sighting this go-round  YAY.  The rest are dogs. 

But as we move into the holiday season, we are coming upon my annual blog-reader's pet picture post. 

Yes, your pets get to be the star of the post coming on Saturday, December 20th. Maybe the 27th. I suppose it doesn't have to be BEFORE xmas. It just always has.

During the last few years, I have kind of hurried to get this together and I'd rather not do that. So the earliest you can get me your pics - along with names of the cats, dogs, iguanas and ferrets - the better. I'll start crafting the post as I get the pics, so there will be no last minute rushing around. 

As always, there will be an in memorium section, so if you've had a loss of a loved one, we should honour that as well. 

On with this week's show!

The last photo shoot before we got snow. 

Winter has unofficially begun. 

Apparently the magic words are "drop it". 

Olive was not giving up the ball. Allegedly her favourite toy. 

Shep sneaking onto our bed. 

He really has no restrictions on where he can go, he just normally doesn't go into our room let alone onto our bed much - and almost never alone. 

In the last few weeks I've just found him here napping. It's fine with me. 

Golden City. 

THAT is a lot of Goldens. I'm sure it's not even all of them. 

Same day, different angle. 

I don't know his guy/girl - but yes, say it with me: I love them. 

SIMON!

It might as well be Nessie or Sasquatch for the rarity we've seen him. Dining Room is a Cat Room. 

Really - aren't all rooms cat room? 

I got a text from 710 as I was coming home from a run: Shep has been waiting for you. 

Along with this picture. It kind of broke my heart. 

Song by: John Stewart

Impossible Germany

"Oh Fuck!"

Those were the words out of my mouth as I read my email upon coming home from yesterday's Turkey Trot. 

I was simultaneously scrolling through unread emails whilst giving 710 the lowdown on my Thanksgiving run when I happened upon the the email line in the post photo in the upper left corner here. 

Maybe it's just me, but most emails are just delete-able. How I got on some Norwegian Cruise Line list is anyone's business, but it's several per day. They REALLY want me to take a cruise. Unsubscribe then NCL starts showing up. 

.....but I digress. 

710 replies to my statement: "what? what's wrong??"

"I got into the Berlin marathon!"

This is big on three levels: 

• I've never gotten into any marathon by lottery
• I've never gotten into what they consider a 'major' marathon
• International travel to run 26.2 

710 knew I applied for NYC Half (I got rejected - didn't write about it) and the 2026 Chicago Marathon (no word until December on that). He didn't know that on a whim I entered the Berlin drawing. 

Why should he? I "never" get selected. It was a whim!  A whim I tellz ya!

It was a stomach drop / heart in throat moment. I'm so used to rejection and unworthiness I wondered if I just thrived on it. I think my shrink thinks the same thing (you can go back to the semi recent underwear post). 

The race itself, barring any injuries, I'm sure I can do. A major isn't that much different and it's only slightly bigger than the Marine Corp one. Yeah, going abroad is a lot of logistics, but nothing insurmountable. 

Right?

Throughout yesterday there were a lot of heavy sighs from me - just for decompression. I forewarned 710 soon I would be overwhelmed and probably shutting down. His response: "yeah, I know you". 

That he does. 

I've said before - about Chicago anyway - that it never occurred to me I wouldn't get in. And I think that's true. For Berlin, I never thought I would. But the concept of being chosen is just so weird to me, I don't now how to process it. 710 says he hopes I take time to enjoy it.  

Same. I just need to figure out how. 

Yes, it's 10 months away. But I have to pick a hotel very soon, as things will book up. We can plan the rest of our trip around the marathon date, but I do need to secure that soon-ish. 

Should anyone know Berlin, hit me up for some info. 

I did send the friend group the message almost immediately. Morty went on to tell the others how big of a deal this is. And in his 147 years of running* he's only known one other person to get into the Berlin marathon lottery. 

So Europe awaits. And I'm knocking one Major off my list. I can't say Berlin was in my top 3, but London, New York and Chicago** don't want me. 

Oh - the Turkey Trot went well. Snow held off (no longer though) and it was c-o-l-d, but I had a great run, and I almost never say that. It was close to a PR but not one. But considering so many people are walkers, dog people or stroller people that I came within seconds of a PR is nice to know. 

*give or take. might be a slight exaggeration

**I might have an MI if I now get selected for 2026 Chicago. It's three weeks after Berlin, and technically I'll be fully trained. 

Song by: Wilco

Thanks

I'm drafting this earlier than I normally would. 

Thanksgiving weather here looks possibly bleak. 

Snow advisories (blah blah blah). Something about 3-14" of snow. I'm guessing 1". 

Winds winds winds. Big ones, apparently. They barred "high profile vehicles" from the Ohio Turnpike. 50 mph gusts. But steady 20-30 mph just going on.  FYI trying to get the remains of the leaves seems silly now. 

I am zero ashamed of this. I read that quote to 710 and he goes......"yes.....tractor trailers". Apparently they mean "high" (height) "profile" (from the side). Or vehicles that tip. Not Maseratis and Porches, like I assumed - which I didn't understand why they'd be not allowed on the road. 

Running friend Joe has already cancelled on me for the Turkey Trot that is to run today. "Running in wind chill in the teens is not my jam" he texted. Man, what a pussy.  I'm thinking I'll win my age category just by showing up. 

We have a fridge full of food. I gassed up the car. Snow brush is now in the backseat. Snow blower ready to roll out if needed. As SpongeBob might say, "I'm Ready". 

I'm mostly worried about power. High winds meeting power have never been great here. 

BTW - this is all being written earlier on Wednesday, on the possibility that we will lose power and I can't write later. 

That all said - everyone have a great Thanksgiving.   Thanks to all of you for continuing to stop by and humour me. Have a great holiday, and I'll see you back here tomorrow.

.....assuming we have power. 

Oh, and it's just the two of us for today. But I would KILL to be at a Thanksgiving with Leslie Jones. 

Song by: Shelby Lynne

Black Leaf

Let's be honest - it gets pretty boring around here when I have to write about leaves. 

Maybe I should have just done a nothing post. 

My father instilled in me the "importance" of having a clean driveway during winter, a well cut lawn in summer and a leaf-less lawn in autumn. 

I'm not saying my father caused my OCD tendencies, but he certainly didn't help them. 

Moving five years ago has helped me greatly in at least one of those things. While our yard is so much smaller, I no longer cut the lawn and I'm ok with it. We outsource it. 

Honestly, I'd do it if we had room in the garage FOR a lawn mower, but it just won't fit unless one of us doesn't get to park in said garage. So I no longer fret about lines and patterns and such. 

The other two....well..............

The front yard is no problem now for leaves, since we had to have three huge trees taken down. The majority we get there are from neighboring trees. And it's also 20 feet from the house to the tree lawn where they get collected. 

The back yard is teeny too, but with a lot more trees, plants, neighboring trees and I can't mention this enough: short shrubs that catch the majority of leaves at their base, making getting a rake in there impossible and a blower that will only loosen maybe 20%. 

Our new noise reduction electric blower seems nice. I got to do the inaugural use. The battery lasted 14 minutes. 14 !!!!!!!      It takes three times as long to charge for another 14. 

Fuck That. 

I ended up doing the back mostly by rake.  Greater noise reduction, save my cursing. 

Above was as good as it got and yes, those few leaves bother the ever loving fuck out of me. 

The joke is: yesterday was to be the last leaf collection of the year - and they never showed. BUT, it also rained all yesterday, so now I have more leaves down than I did before clean up two days ago. 

Bother. 

I suppose if it's dry-ish enough tomorrow and they don't come at the crack of dawn, I can do yet another last clean up. 

Other than that there is not much to be done. I'm gonna have to let it go. 

Song by: John Paul White

Relay

This past Sunday I did my possible / probable second to last race of 2025. 

And it was my very first relay event. Ever. 

The races on Sunday were a 5k, a half marathon or a half marathon relay (or 6.55 mi for each runner). 

My running partner for this, Steve, is from the Old Man's Running Group and a podiatrist. 

Honestly, if you have to befriend someone in your running group, make it an ortho doc or a podiatrist, right??

Anyhoo.....months ago Steve asked me to partner with him for this. Me! Years out of elementary, middle and high school and I was finally picked first for a team. 

I was probably too eager in accepting. My desperation was showing.

The Fall Classic is my most oft run race. It was my first 5k back in 2022. It was my second half marathon ever. And last year I ran the 5k without getting physical therapy clearance after just coming off my cane. 

Half marathons are all the rage, according to just about any sports magazine. Even the Washington Post had an article on it earlier this year. A lot had to do with Covid and people taking up running (guilty!) when they couldn't go into a gym. And while a huge accomplishment, 13.1 is also doable distance, that can even be walked.

I see half marathons sell out sooner than full ones. And I see more and more half marathon events period. 

Since the Old Man's Running Group is the organizer of this race, I keep my piehole shut about the course. It's fine for 6.55, but you have to run it twice to get the half designation. It's not great - or good enough - to run twice in a row. They've had it for 49 years, they're not going to care what I think. 

Steve asked me to be the lead, which is fine. Sitting around for an hour to take the (metaphorical) baton would have driven me nuts. 

I'd like to say I started out slow, and I felt that I did. Kind of. I wasn't feeling like I was pushing it and the run came pretty easily. Easy enough I bypassed the water stations. However, when my leg was done, I had officially done an 8:51 pace. 

I won't lie. I was proud. Amazed for sure, but proud. The last mile was a little slow which means for much of the run I was closer to 8:30 - which is just unheard of for me. 

I knew Steve wasn't as strong a runner as I. We are the same age but on our Saturday morning runs, we leave together, but then I'm always ahead. He did closer to an 11 minute pace, so our combine pace was 9:46 - which wasn't bad. 

Still we came in middle of the pack.  16 of 32 relay teams. 

Just for fun, I went out a few hundred yards from the finish line waiting for him to come in. When he did, I just jumped in and ran it in with him. 

I get the appeal of the relay. I don't know many races that do it - two are all of which I am aware. Still, you can have a strong performance for yourself and the team without having to run the entire thing on your own. 

Song by: the Who

My Music Monday

I am going back about a decade and a half for today's selection: "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men. 

It just seems to be one of those songs that has always been hanging around the fringe forever. Maybe it had its place and time in the bigger picture, but I don't remember that. 

For a while I had "Little Talks" on a running playing list, but it never quite fit in. But I like the song. I know the group had other songs, but I cannot say that I really know them or know of them. 

With a number of songs from the early 2010s you get that "HEY" thrown in quite a bit. Yeah Lumineers..........I'm talkin' about you. 

Drink to Me

While I'm far from regretting the decision to delete some 7,000 images from my iPhone, I'm just saying there is a method to my madness for having so many pics. 

<-------  Case in point. 

I took this photo back in 2015 (!!!) and have been holding onto it ever since. I knew - just knew! - someday it would come in handy. 

That day is a decade later. 

As it happens, I have not worked back to the 2010s for image deletion. At least not yet. Even if I had, this one wouldn't have made it to the trash file. I even remember not just taking the pic, but turning the car around after passing the street so I could snap the image. THAT is how committed I was. Am. 

You're welcome. 

Theres is a reason for all of this. I promise. 

First off - I don't want to be the bearer of sexual explanation per se to the unexpected public. So I'm just gonna link Urban Dictionary here for any of you who might be educated on the term/s "Felch or Felching".  Happy to steer you to it, but not man enough to spell it out for you here.  Just click the hyperlink. 

Serial cheater / Brain Worm Landlord / Dead Bear Trafficker / Whale Head Decapitator / Opioid User / Alcoholic / Secretary of Health and Human Services  RFKKK Jr has allegedly been sexting some woman. Had he been doing it from the bathroom of a Chili's ToGo he'd have been SextMexing. 

Out of all of the above, the sexting piece is still the least disturbing.  

Cheryl Hines denies it - as any serial denier might - but the other woman has receipts it seems. You know - the actual texts. And now the sextee's ex is in on the low down. 

Ewwwwwww.  On multiple levels. The least being the actual 'act'. 

First, you can say, "well, it's the New York Post". They are sensational for sure, but they are also VERY right leaning. So make of them publishing this what you will. 

I did not go further than the image that someone posted. No word on if RFKKK Jr likes to slurp his own after the act, or maybe that of another man. Maybe both.  

You know - let's go with both. 

If we are going with sensationalism, let's go all the way. And since this administration doesn't really care about "facts", I don't care if it's true. Just spread it like it is. 

That's what they'd do. 

Song by: Johnny Cash

Driver's Seat

I am kind of piecemealing (it's a word!) together today's post. 

I opted to activate my new phone last evening and well, things are going semi ok, just s-l-o-w.  

For this blog - or potentially because of it - I take a lot of images. Ones I might use, but probably never will. I'm not great about getting rid of them. But before I backed up my old phone, I wiped out - wait for it - 7,000 images (!!!!)  I'll never use. Or have used and have no need for anymore. 

I'm thinking I can probably 86 another 2,000. 

But things had to back up to the cloud (done) and now it needs to repopulate my new phone. All my apps (not that there are tons of them), my Apple Wallet, etc. I fully expect it to get everything on there and then me having to manually enter passwords et al one at a time. I don't feel confident it will just happen. 

Anyhooo.....I have no easy access to my photos on my phone. So I'm pulling the few I sent to 710, his sister or mine in the last week. It's sparse, but it's there. And almost all are Shep.  Save one. 

That was long winded, but now you have context. 

Fall is getting more and more monochromatic. 

Unimpressed with my daycare pick-up. 

Everyone's a critic. 

This guy was in the driver's seat at the bakery after last Saturday's run. 

He looked adorable. 

Willow and Pippa in one place at the same time. 

Just not facing the camera. 

This tree has been down since 2019. He never paid attention before. 

I'm guessing some life form is now living in there. 

Song by: Sniff 'n' the Tears

Age of Anxiety I

I do not like when anxiety rears its ugly little head. 

Unfortunately for me, that running tumble I took in April really did a number of my phone. Granted, it was getting up there in years, but it never quite fully came back to life after they "fixed" it. It had finally gotten to the point I could not ignore replacing the damn thing. 

Yesterday was that day. 

There was a time when I loved going into the Apple store. 

I'd go in just to look, knowing I needed and wanted for nothing. Maybe that part was key. Going because you want to versus you must might make all the difference. 

710 has also been pushing me to get a new laptop, as the one I'm typing on doesn't really accept all OS updates due to its age. I kind of mentally shut down when he brings it up, even as a helpful suggestion. 

But yesterday. Ugh. I got to Apple ok. Well, the parking lot. And I sat there for 10 minutes psyching myself to go in. I put on my big boy pants and walk in knowing I'd be accosted. And I was. No less than five times just before and at the first table. 

At least at our Apple store there are probably one customer service rep or "Genius" for every 2.4 customers. It becomes claustrophobic and suffocating.  .....at least for me.  

"I'm just looking" passed my lips so often I lost count. Not so deep down I knew which phone, storeage size and colour I wanted, but I felt the need to see it and touch it - so yes, I could have just ordered it onlne and had it shipped.  ....but I didn't. 

I could have been out in 10 minutes had I just ripped off the band-aid and let someone help me. But not....I moved on to the laptops..........with a barrage of people asking my needs. One, Peter, not leaving my side and I pretended to look through the specs and pricing.  Peter was annoying me. 

I finally just went to look at a wall of cases I'd never buy just to get out of it all. Lo and behold the one Apple rep in a ortho boot was sitting behind me, craning her neck to see if she could be of assistance.  

AGGGGGRRRRRRHHHHHH.

Biting my lip and tongue, I walked right back over the phones and told the Apple employee what I needed. 

Swear to g-d:   "let me see if I can find someone to help you". 

Are you fucking kidding me?  

Why not you? Or one of the 173 employess within spitting distance. 

Oddly, I caught Peter's eye all the way over in laptops and he came over the assist. He had to pass at least a dozen other reps standing around. I'm not even sure he could do phones, but what the hell. He helped. 

As we moved through the process my anxiety was less than before, but still palpable. At least to me. But he helped me spend an inordinate amount of money - which I know is part of the anxiousness - on a phone that is orange. 

I did ask him one laptop question as we waited for the device to arrive from somewhere in the back. He emphatically told me not to get one today - phew - as if I waited until the 28th, I'd get a $175-250 Apple gift card, depending on the model I'd want. 

Part me me just wanted to get it now and never ever ever have to come back. The other part of me was thrilled I could just leave.................and I'm cheap so $175 bucks is $175 - even though you can't use it on that purchase, which seems silly. Just knock that off the price. 

So I got my new phone and went back to the car where I sat for 20 minutes. Just sat. 

The phone remains in the bag. It was too much energy getting the phone. I did not have the mental capacity to try to move everything over. I will try to do that this weekend sometime. 

Baby steps. 

Song by: Arcade Fire

Fortune Teller

As he has done in the past, on or around Halloween, Dr. Spo will read one's tarot cards. 

I believe this is the third time he has done so for me. 

I'm just getting around to posting about it now. 

Which each posting of this, I provide the disclaimer that I don't really believe in Ouija boards, crystal balls, psychics and I suppose tarot cards. 

They all seem to be as vague as the horoscopes they print in the daily paper and could apply to just about anyone. Ha. "Print"!

Below (well and in picture form above) are the three cards drawn for moi along with the good doctor's assessment. 

• Temperance: self-explanatory; a time or place of balance 
• World: a groovy card of harmony 
• High Priestess; Another groovy card of wisdom esp. from within 

Yours was one of the more positive readings, all major cards. They suggest despite how you feel you have your act and assets together and this will continue. Please trust yourself. You are a fortunate fellow with good energies.

Trust myself???   I am a classic overthinker. The good energies are mostly manufactured by the good folks at GlaxoSmithKline. 

To dive deeper, I went to a random tarot website - which is always wise - I get some other info. And yes, I'm cherry-picking it as I go. 

Temperance

It also references balance.

Temperance is also a gentle reminder to remain patient – allow things to work out the way they need to. Rather than trying to force an issue, go with the flow. If you are making any major decisions, weigh your options carefully. 

Trust myself AND remain patient?   Why these cards don't know me at all!  But I get it. Again, weighing one's options kind of applies to all. Or should. 

World 

Congratulations – you have successfully completed a major cycle/mission or lesson! Your journey is now coming to a conclusion and you’re getting ready for the next chapter. A feeling of elation and completion.

Now elation? Hmmmm. I certainly hope to have completed a mission or lesson, but I'm not sure I have. Or of which I'm unaware. Next chapters sound nice. 

High Priestess

The High Priestess is all about trusting that killer instinct you have within yourself. Got a hunch about something? Go with it. This is time to really listen to your gut.

This seems to be counterintuitive to 'weigh options carefully'. I suppose two things can be true. 

I'm glad Spo thinks my cards are groovy. 

Song by: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

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! 

Is it really possible I haven't done a Shopping post since October of 2024???  That seems unpossible, yet I can't seem to find one. 

I think we all know by now that I am notoriously frugal. ....except for maybe running shoes. 

And when it comes to things like underwear I'm no different. I'm usually fine getting whatever is discounted at TJ Max. Yes, sad, but true. Mine are all mismatched, while 710 is all the same brand, just two different colours. 

Funny story. True story. A decade (plus) ago, I went into lululemon because my cousin told me they had free yoga. I was 90% sure he said on Saturday. It was Sunday, but I showed up on a Saturday with my mat. I felt so guilty trying to get a free yoga session out of them, I made the smallest purchase I could to assuage my conscious.  A pair of underwear:  and it set me back $18 !!!!!!!!

I have never worn them. ....and they have turtles on them. 

This has been a discussion with my psychologist believe it or not. An example, if you will, of a broader discussion.  $18 is a lot of money for one pair of underwear - or so I think. So in my mind, I'm not good enough, or worthy enough, to wear them. This is true with many clothes of which I own but have never worn. 

At least he didn't come back with, "get some confidence, stupid!".....though he probably thought it. 

Somewhere in my discount shopping, I did find a pair / brand I like. Enough so that I'd be ok tossing all I have and just going the 710 route and go one brand. And I found them on amazon and I'm just trying to justify $28 for a 4-pack. 

However, while on amazon the algorithm also suggested the above pictured pair: BKIEO. 

Cooling Nylon Trunks with Odor-Control Spacious Pouch. 

The last four words had me!   (BTW, a 3-pack is $44!)

My lord. Men are so fragile. Like Magnum condoms they could never fill up, I'm sure these same men think they need this:

If the Elephant Man was only elephant-like in 'that way' even he wouldn't need something so large. It just looks so comical, no? 

I didn't even rotate the photo, that's how amazon shows them!

Still, men are men........and men are idiots. They have a ***** rating (out of 5), but only one written review...which I will share. Must share!

The pouch is "not big enough".  Oh, honey!

Ooooookay "Trey", who really must be the ghost of John Holmes, I'm assuming. 

It makes you "feel like you're wearing nothing at all" because your peen doesn't (and can't) come close to touching any of the material.  ....or you're the ghost of a dead porn star. 

For the record, I did NOT write that review under another account name. Though it would have been funny to do so. Maybe Trey submitted the rating tongue-in-cheek. 

Also for the record, I'm not parting with $44 for underwear. I'll just have to see if I'll give up $28 for the aforementioned 4-pack. 

Baking with Blobby

Today I'm tackling what I consider a big one: a double layer chocolate cake. 

Ina Garten's Beatty's Chocolate Cake. I don't think it's named after Warren..........but you never know. 

Honestly, I was looking for a reason to make a cake - this cake - but I just couldn't justify having a big cake sitting around. 

However, yesterday was our 15th wedding anniversary. We really never do anything special, though 710 said he'd bring food in for dinner, so. I thought I'd provide dessert. 

15 is traditionally the 'crystal' anniversary, but since none of us collect figurines or Waterford, I got us something we can both enjoy: pre-diabetes. 

Fifteen years later and I still tease 710 about not having Georgetown cupcakes on our wedding day. To be fair, while our wedding day was beautiful it poured late in the afternoon when we would have gone to get them. And for me, the only reason I got married was for cake. 

People swear by how good Ina's Beatty cake is (and how good I am) - so let's try it out, shall we. 

Cake Ingredients

1¾ cups all-purpose flour 

2 cups sugar 

¾ cups good cocoa powder, such as Valrhona 

2 teaspoons baking soda 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 cup buttermilk, shaken 

½ cup vegetable oil 

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee 

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows) 

Procedure 

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans (for cupcakes, see note). Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans. 

Step 2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. 

Step 3. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. 

Step 4. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. 

Step 5. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. 

Note: For cupcakes, reduce bake time to 25-30 minutes. 

Step 6. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. (Not to worry; the top will sink a little in the center.) 

Turns out we have two 9" rounds, but only one 8" round. There were notes saying not to use 9", as the layers become too thin. I really wanted to follow this to the letter. So I had to bake one at a time. What a time suck. 

This would ultimately be a downfall for me. I should have done 9" at the same time. I'm not good at eyeballing equal amounts of batter 45 minutes apart. The second one would have more, it would cook over the edges and into the oven itself. ...the second layer ultimately breaking cracking in two. 

.....but honestly, you make it the lower layer and add enough icing and who the fuck is gonna know???

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (frosts one cake, or 12 cupcakes) 

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona (see note) 

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1¼ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar 

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules, such as Nescafe 

Procedure

Step 7. Chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl over a pan over simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature. 

This worked well. I have tried a double boiler in the past with bad results. I was ok with this. 

Step 8. Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 

Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. 

Step 9. Dissolve the coffee in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake. 

Step 10. Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top only. Place the second layer on top, flat side up, and spread the frosting evenly first on the sides and then on the top of the cake. Cut in wedges and serve at room temperature.

If you go by Ina's recipe she has this all in two steps: the cake and frosting. It's all accurate, but seemingly easier sounding her way. I am more realistic on what a 'step' is. 

Blobby is winning no cake decorating contests any time soon ever. It looks homemade, because it is homemade. 

Note: I use Valrhona Le Noir 56% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate. You can use also use a good bittersweet chocolate but don’t use chocolate chips because they have stabilizers in them.

Ina is def fancier than I. And my store doesn't carry Valrhona in bar or powder form. So, I'm already off to a deficit. And my buttermilk was low fat. The price you get for shopping on a Sunday. 

710 cut the cake, right at a crack / patch place. So the slice above isn't the best shot. Still, it's about taste - and for that, we were on point. 

The coffee in the cake and the icing came through. I know Ina says it just enhances the chocolate, and it does, but it's not like that coffee flavouring just goes away. While I don't drink coffee, I'm fine with the flavouring. 710 loved it. 

The cake was light and moist, it was good cake to icing ratio. Taste was an A. Look I'll give it a B-. 

While in the last few years I have done more baking, but this was probably the most intricate. It worked and it didn't.  I just needed to pay more attention to my surroundings and my gear.