Vessel

We were lucky enough to get tickets to the Vessel - an MC Escher-like structure - in Hudson Yards back when it opened in March 2019. 

Oddly, it had only been open two weeks, but we got our timed tickets and climbed and climbed. 

What we didn't do was jump. 

And it seems we might some of the few who haven't. 

Ok - a slight exaggeration. But at least four people, including a 14 year old, have jumped to their deaths since the Vessel opened to the public. And apparently, other architects had warned the designer and builder of this probability at least three years prior. 

At the beginning of the year, the NYC attraction closed for months due to the other three suicides. The 14 year old took his life at the end of July, two months after the site reopened - that allegedly had new safety measures. The Vessel is now currently closed. 

Part of those safety measures if having a buddy. No one could come alone. And now there is a $10 entrance fee, which I dare say, make me chuckle a bit. 

I mean, if someone is really intent of killing themselves, I don't think the idea of parting with a sawbuck is going to be the thing that makes them go....."huhhhh.......better not.......".  And for the record, the 14 year old was with his family - so the buddy thing did not work, and they were still out 10 bucks. 

Yes, I am being flip. 

Architecture might provide opportunity, but it's not the impetus. If not the Vessel, then jumping in front of the F train might have been scenario #2.  

On the 8th - and top - floor of my work parking garage there are vague signs on calling for help if you feel distressed. It doesn't mention jumping, but it's inferred.  Floors 5, 6 and 7 have no such signs, and it's just as easy to jump from there and I'm not physicist, but I'm thinking the fall from there is no less lethal. 

Sign, nets and phones placed on the Golden Gate Bridge. I don't know if those cut down on people jumping - and if so, by how much - or if it's just a liability loophole for the city.  I think if people have the notion, they'll find the means. 

The bigger issue, we as a country has, is mental health resources. Lack of. And lack of access to. It is so prevalent and such a stigma that it just seems to perpetuate itself until there is seemingly no alternative - other than killing oneself or taking out a bunch of strangers with a semi-automatic rifle. 

I enjoyed my time at the Vessel. It wasn't an outstanding experience. I wouldn't even classify it as great art, but it was present and it intrigued me. 

I'm 100% certain I will never experience this again. Either it will be closed, dismantled or modified so much for safety it won't be what it was in the first place. 

I get it, and yet I don't. 

Song by: Nine Inch Nails

Toys

No text. Just pics. 

He is a well hydrated man after daycare. 

Someone wants treats for dinner. So someone got treats for dinner. 

Shep found the big bag of toys we packed away when we moved. 

I LOVE the first three he picked (out of dozens) were his favourite - including the toy which came home with him from the shelter. 

At the museum of art. 

Getting yelled at during dinner. Sophie has been CHATTY lately. 

Two kids vying for Dad #1's attention. 

Never Dad #2. 

Song by: Spandau Ballet

Cooking with Blobby

It seemed like an easy enough dish - and it was. It seemed like a light-ish dish for a warm summer evening dining.  And it kind of was. 

Six ingredients - and that includes salt, pepper and olive oil.  The recipe - Eye-talian (ish), at that, and it did not call for garlic or cheese. 

What the what???  That's unpossible. 

Don't get me wrong, we still added freshly grated parm. I'm not an animal!

But in theory, after you boil the water and cut the onions, you're talking 15 minutes........tops. And you can chop those while the water boils, so add 5-7 -and it's 20 minutes from prep to table. 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

1 12 ounce package fully cooked sweet Italian chicken sausage links, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices 

2 medium red onions, thinly sliced 

8 ounces whole-wheat orecchiette pasta or pasta shells 

½ teaspoon salt 

¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

Step 1 Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Slice onions thinly, cut sausage.

Step 2 Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onions; cook, stirring often, until the sausage is browned and onions are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. 

Step 3 Meanwhile, add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta. 

Step 4 Add the pasta to the pan with the sausage and onions. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Add more of the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed, until you reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

 ....and then of course, serve. 

It's not the most colourful meal. The presentation isn't gonna be a crowd pleaser.  But it tastes good. The onions are only slightly caramelized. And the sausage it a little smokey. 

I am sure we will do this again. 

What a Difference a Day Makes

...........and we're back. 

To masking. 

To the absolute surprise of no one, Covid numbers are climbing in Ohio. I mean, they're climbing most everywhere, but I don't live most everywhere. 

Monday Covid Numbers in Ohio (reported on Tuesday)

Tuesday Covid Numbers in Ohio (reported on Wednesday)

Quite the jump in 24 hours. 

Whoopee.......and he keeps going up for this morning's news cycle. 

All the counties around us, save one (tick tick tick), is back to mandating mask wearing indoors. 

While I say 'good', I'm waiting for the foot stomping, the throwing on the ground with the tears and tantrums - while their three year old looks on. 

At work yesterday, we got the email saying we are going back to masking, which isn't really a huge huge change. It's a frickin' hospital. We were never allowed to unmask in patient care areas or public areas. Just in administrative areas where people had to prove to be vaccinated and in small groups.  

Honestly, the extent of my unmasking was to walk across the hall to go the bathroom, where one might argue is where I should have worn it....................if you know what I mean. 

The biggest thing of the memo was the timing. Usually it is, "on such and such a date we will be....", but this one was, "effective IMMEDIATELY............."

I still wear my mask in all stores and would have continued to do so, regardless of county regulations. 

I am waiting on our fucked-up governor, who was so strong in the beginning, and just kowtowed to the right legislature, as now he is in fear for his job due to his mandatory masking and sheltering in place orders. Honestly, if he had not, these dipshits opposing him would have been dead months ago......so he was a little short-sighted. 

We will see how compliance goes. We will see how it will affect businesses. But you know, a dead consumer spends no money.  ....maybe that's what they should consider. 

Song by: Sarah Vaughn

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.  

This might only be of interest to folks from the Land of Cleves, and even at that, a certain faction. 

There is a deli in Cleveland, well, Beachwood, call Corky & Lenny's.  Most Friday nights, I'd end up there with my parents. None of my sisters ever went. I mean - ever. I suppose they had lives, though knowing them, I know this to be false. 

If there wasn't a table to be had - and it was ALWAYS packed - we'd sit at the counter. The same waitress always served us. Chinese with Crystal Gayle hair. I was totally amazed by her. Years later - hell, decades later - she was still there, but with short greying hair. 

The food was good, though my father never altered a meal. If he could get an open faced turkey sandwich, the man was set for the week. To me, it didn't matter what was the on the menu, or my plate. I was there for the bowl of pickles they put at every table. 

Oh, I'm 99.99999999% it was completely unhygienic, but it didn't stop me one little bit. The garlic was overpowering - which is probably where I got my love of garlic in the first place. I'd easily finish off the entire bowl before food actually arrived.  I'm not even sure I went there for the pastrami. The chopped livers, yes.  The pickles - way yes. 

Anyways, after a health inspection and a temporary brief shut down, Corky & Lenny's was never the same, as the pickles weren't put out the same way. I still like the place, but.........it was different. 

When buying pickles though, I do try to stay away from the Vlasic. So on a whim, I bought these Grillo pickles at a local grocery store, Heinens.  

OMFG.  It's Corky & Lenny's in a cheap ass, leaky container (after you open them) - only cut into chips. 

Hunks of garlic.Bunches of dill. A great brine!

Some people are transported back to their childhood by the likes of something like Rock Candy or some such nonsense. THIS is it. The ultimate. 

I'm not ashamed to say I've eaten three containers in as many weeks. It would not be uncommon for me to come home from work, go to the fridge and eat like 5-6, even before saying hello to the husband. I mean, the dog greets me at the door, so he gets a 'how do ya do' before the pickles do.  Of course, I eat the garlic too. 

If there are some left over, they might make it onto a sandwich or a hamburger.  Maybe. 

I see that they're sold at Costco, so for you mega mart shoppers, pick 'em up.  Cookie - you might have a local-ish way to get them. Tell me I'm wrong after you have them.........I dare ya.

Around the World

Saturday. evening, 710 got some message that the International Space Station was flying over the 216 later that night. 

Actually, a few times this week, each later than the last. But this non-school night it was at 21:51 and would / could be seen for eight minutes. 

We made the plan to trek up to the top of the street where there is a school and open field where we would have a more open view and better chance at seeing the ISS. 

We left, in my opinion, far too early. 10 minutes. It takes two to get there. But I was fine. I was probably a bit cranky as I am usually in bed before 21:51. 

As we get to the end of our driveway, dragging Shep with us, we ran into a young neighbor couple (Zach and Lauren) were walking their dogs. We told them where we were headed and why - their response was funny and weird:  "no it's NOT!  .....you're making that up!"

Aging Gay Space Nerds are not telling tall tales. 

We both went on our way. 

Like clock work - as I do believe NASA has this down pretty pat - the ISS comes over the tops of the trees at exactly the point they said it would.  It was awesome. 

It moves at roughly 17,500 mph, so it kind of trucks across the sky. 

We had a clear night, which was great. I have missed celestial events as of late due to clouds. Saturn being so close. A comet whizzing by, etc.  

I barely saw some blinking lights on it, and yes, it is that bright dot in my picture. We didn't think enough to bring binoculars. Perhaps next time. 

Not the next day, which was the next time - as that came by after 23:00. I can no longer do that easily, let alone on a school night. 

But Sunday morning while walking Shep, I ran into Zach and Lauren again. Both thanked us for the 4-1-1. They went home, checked out wild claim to find it to be real - and went out to watch themselves. 

If in their backyard they didn't get the full expanse of sky, so Lauren did go, "that was NOT eight minutes!".  Trust me, NASA has done the math. 

Song by: Neil Young & Crazy Horse

My Music Monday

I don't really have a theme, but maybe I can make one. 

Maybe, songs inspired by other people? I'll think about it as the week goes on, but I'll start here on the off-chance this happens. 

With the ZZ Top guy dying, it was easy to miss that Chuck E. Weiss died at 76. 

Weiss was blues musician, songwriter and club owner in Los Angeles, where he was also a friend of Tom Waits. But he was also, for a time, the boyfriend of Rickie Lee Jones, who immortalized him in her first hit, "Chuck E's in Love".  Yes, folks, it wasn't "Chuckie's in Love". 

I go through peaks and valleys with this song. I either love it or am fine with never listening to it again - depending on my mood. I blame '70's radio on that. They played this song to death! I hope it made Rickie a fortune. 

But the song did bring Rickie Lee Jones into my world, and her second  / follow-up album, Pirates, is still one of the finest albums out there. 

Still, why not give a nod to Mr. Weiss just for that. 

Money For Nothing

If you want to feel a tad bit old(er), it should be noted that MTV launched 40 years ago today, with the Buggles video, "Video Killed the Radio Star". 

Actually, MTV killed the video star. 

While MTV has been on for four decades, I think they gave up on videos after 11 years. Then came the Real World, which deteriorated into Bevis and Butthead, which deteriorated into Jersey Shore, which deteriorated into Teen Mom 2. 

The only non-video thing to come our of MTV was a game show, whose name escapes me and I just don't care enough to look up. The game show kind of launched "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" and my favourite category, "Dead or Canadian".  What it really did was launch the host of the show:  Jon Stewart.    ......and like it or not, Colin Quinn. 

I do remember, before my town got cable, and before I could afford it, that we'd go to BW3 for $0.10 wing night (Tuesdays, don'tcha know) and they had QUBE, which had MTV.  I believe my first music video to see (via that medium) was Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey". 

It was unfair, actually. Gabriel had a great song and good visuals. Not all (read: most) artists did. It's like getting the good heroin first, and then when you just keep trying it to get that good high again, that will never come.................I've heard. 

Honestly, there were more Aldo Novas than there were Duran Durans. There were more Jermaine Jacksons than Michael Jacksons. More Martikas than Madonnas. There were more RATTs than there were Poisons. 

...ok, that last one doesn't hold up, because, it's quite possible they were the same band. 

MTV must have put the hairspray industry into incredible profit margins - at least for a while. SOOOOO many hair bands - none of them good......all forgettable.  Yeah, I'm talkin' about you, Cinderella (who probably has a URL listing their county fair tour dates). 

Still, for a while, MTV ruled an industry, until the industry struck back. Almost (read: none) black artists were played for two years. Sony / Columbia told the network they would not allow any of their artists to be played, due to the fact that Michael Jackson was not considered someone their demographic wanted to watch.  Clearly MTV was incorrect - in a racial aspect and what they thought their public cared to view.   .......so eventually, you had to endure the better Jackson ("Beat It") till you finally deteriorated to "Black or White". .....which yes, is different than "Ebony and Ivory", with which one also had to deal. 

Early days, when we got cable in 1984, it was still 22 songs that played on continual rotation. If I never hear John Waite's "Missing You" again, I'll be just fine. Ditto with many Tina Tuner, ZZ Top, Hall and Oates and Chicago songs. Oh - and Phil Collins / Genesis / Mike + the Mechanics. 

It wasn't all bad, of course, they kept those few key ones you hope and wanted to see. Most of them, for me, stemmed from their 120 Minutes segment.  Yes, two hours, every SUNDAY, at 01:00 (or some such nonsense), they played "alternative" music.  Well, two hours minus 1 hour and 18 minutes of commercials. 

I'd be hard-pressed to name five videos that MTV played that truly captured my attention. It's not that there are not five, but as good as my memory is, sometimes, it's clouded with stuff like this. This would not be five of my favourite songs - that's not this. And I can't say the videos were 'impactful', just memorable. 

But it can be audience participation time. Name five that you enjoyed. 

In no order...........mine are......

New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle

Duran Duran - Rio (I get "Hungry Like the Wolf" was more popular, but I saw "Rio" first")

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill

Smiths - Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before

Peter Gabriel - Shock the Monkey 

But Julie Brown's parody, Medusa: Dare to be Truthful hit the nail on the head of the early '90s. 

MTV is Medusa TV...............and you know it, don't ya MTV? 

Song by: Dire Straits

Cats and Dogs

I think I look forward to doing these posts as much as you do. They're a good respite for me, and perhaps for you as well. 

We are a little Sophie heavy this week. I think a number of you won't mind. 

Sophie has been spending time with me in bed before I go to sleep. 

She usually leaves before I doze off, but I love her being there. 

Apparently, lunch with 710 wears them out. 

I don't know the background of this. 

Wally can hold his own, but Bailey might have chased him up there. 

Sophie might be too close for Shep's comfort. 

The sofa is his!

Bow Wow Beach pack. 

My ottoman girl.

Song by: the Head and the Heart

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!  

First off, for the most part, I love Garbage. Maybe now, I like the idea of them more. 

They're last album, Strange Little Birds, was kind of a clunker, yet I pre-ordered No G-d No Master without hesitation. I really probably shouldn't do that anymore, with any album, as so often it kind of comes to bite me in the ass. 

I'll start off with that Garbage is still a very talented band, and Shirley Manson is a great vocalist. The musical skills are good. Better than good. 

"Dark" is the adjective for which I use for this disk - in sound and tone; in music and lyrics.  It's not that the band has been sweetness and light, and granted the time between disks saw some troubling times - political (BLOTUS), social (#metoo).  As much of it was recorded before Covid, that doesn't quite play into it, but you get it. 

Garbage was always good a balancing the dark mood with some hooks, and that happens here, but far too infrequently. There are a few songs I like - or came around to like - "Creeps", "No Horses", "Flipping the Bird", "Waiting for G-d".  But the rest are kind of a drag. 

As I am apt to do, I went and got myself the DEE-Luxe version. It has some stand alone songs that Garbage had put out since 2013 including a few covers - a slightly uninspired "Starman" and "Because the Night", which I featured back in 2013.  

I'm sure I'll come back to No G-d No Master, but not for full-through listens. I'll be selective. 

I'll Tumble 4 Ya

Good for Simone.  And good for her sponsors - most of them. 

Simone Biles was smart enough, and strong enough to know when was when. At least a day at a time. 

While she claims no physical injury, she's trying to avoid one from what has to be a completely unnerving situation. 

Best. Best. Best. Best. Best. Best. Best. Best. 

How many times can you hear that over and over and not let it effect you?  No one is equipped to handle such pressure time and again. It's not even the eye of the world on you - it's worse.  It's the most asshole-ish U.S. audience who thrives on the build up and inevitable tear down. 

The media has gotten it all right and all wrong. 

Local news coverage, of course, tries the 'mental health' angle and saying all the 'right things'......and then the commentator ends with, in and upbeat but disappointing, "and she really the hope for ALL of team U.S.A." - basically saying, 'she let down the country'. 

No wonder Biles stepped away. She should have ran. 

All but one of her sponsors supports her choices. United Airlines - at least of this writing - is the only one not to say a word. They're a shitty airline, so it's no surprise. At least they're consistent. None are dropping her - though.........shitty United, so......who knows on that one. 

I'm glad Biles is reassessing on a day-by-day basis. I'm glad she's strong enough not to bow the pressure of performing. 

It's not like gymnastics has been a positive place for women. You know, their team doctor assaulting 300 women. The gymnastics association knew of - or allegedly knew of - and did little to nothing......even after the fact. They don't have the best interests of their members at the top of their list. 

My - tights, mats and a rapey team doctor?  Did Jim Jordan work for the U.S. Gymnastics Association? 

Yeah - Simone should have run away. 

Song by: Culture Club

Delta

I'm tellin' ya - Sandy Duncan, Peter Falk, Sammy Davis Jr and Miss Cleo could have seen this coming. 

It's not that Miss Cleo has (well, had) one eye, she was just a scamming 'fortune teller' - but even a broken clock is right twice a day. 

It was less than two weeks ago when I said I told ya so about rise in Covid cases. In 2-3 days it went from 20,000 to 24,000.  Now it's 60,000+ per day.......and the Delta, and now, Lambda variant (seen above), is allegedly infecting some people who've had the vaccine. 

Oh, and there is now modeling that has 4,000 deaths PER DAY, by October.   So.........yay!  Roughly 120,000 per month. ....on top of the pushing 700,000

The Alabama governor wench is blaming the unvaccinated on the rise.  Wow.  MENSA material. But she also hates blacks and gays, so............I don't really give a fuck what she thinks, even if she is correct on this. Naturally, Alabama has the lowest vaccination rate in the country. 

Not surprisingly, only a few states other than Alabama voted for BLOTUS in bigger % of numbers. Yes, there is a direct correlation from unvaccinated rates to that orange turd. 

But the CDC is recommending at all school children K-12 wear masks in school. They're also encouraging masking of all folks in the highly infectious areas.  I'm still fine with masking, but I think it will be a long hard road to get people back to doing it pre-re-opening up of things over the last few months. 

So, yay, we get to live the death, anxiety and uncertainty of April - December 2020. And we thought 2021 was gonna be our year!

Song by: Crosby, Stills & Nash

Love Shack

One would think I'd have learned my lesson. 

You're probably thinking 'which lesson?', as I forget the past so often on so many things. 

When my mom died, I went to the app, Let Go to well, let go of some of her stuff. For free, I might add.  It did not go well. 

We tried again when we moved from our old house. 

Not only was it more of the same, but in the middle, Let Go got bought out by something called Offer Up and all of my postings went away, with them telling me to re-enter everything. I tossed shit in the trash instead. 

But as we got ready to redo the backyard, 710 wanted the Rubbermaid shed gone. I could take it or leave it, alas, he could not. It was offered to a niece, but they didn't want it. So, Offer Up, it went. 

I did some research, but not a ton.  Bought new, these things run $999.99.  I thought $300 was a reasonable price for someone to haul it away. My research didn't extend for what others might be selling the same product. 

I posted pics of it in the current state. I posted a diagram from Rubbermaid that had ALL the dimensions. I posted a pic from Gooooooogle Shopping that showed the retail value.  Like everything else - I stated clearly, 'no delivery' 'bring others to move it'.   Blobby isn't into moving this crap too. 

......and then the loons came out. 

The lowballer:  I'll give you $100 for it. 

The unable to read:  when can you deliver it?

The passive-aggressive guy: what is the lowest you'll go. 

The uncommited: let me think about it and I'll get back to you

The no GPS: how long does it take me to get there from 130th? They neglected to say E or W. 

The creep: can you just give me your address?   (no offer to buy a thing - so......no)

As we had to get ready for the landscapers and the thing wouldn't fit down the driveway without breaking it down, 710 took it apart and expertly bagged all the parts and downloaded and printed off the assembly instructions for whomever would buy it. 

I took a picture and posted it in it's deconstructed state. 

"I have to come out and see it first".   Um....there is nothing to see. Slaps leaning up against a garage wall. 

But one man - no quibbling about price. Said if he left now he's be there in 47 minutes. And he was......to the minute. With cash. The full amount. 

Sure, he's probably going resell it for twice what I sold it, but it's not my problem nor is it languishing at the house. 

With the app, you mark it as sold and rate the buyer.  It also notifies anyone who was in the big process. 

.....and then the loons came out. 

Instead of just 'letting go', they piled on.  I was vilified for selling to another, apparently. I so wanted to respond, but realized this isn't the Seinfeld message board back in 1992 where 'flame wars' would break out. 

So, I just stashed the 300 big ones and shut down the app. 

Song by: the B-52's

My Music Monday

The last of the second banana series. 

Joy Division begat New Order, which begat Electronic. When Peter Hook left New Order, he also has performed with Revenge, Monaco, Freebass and Peter Hook & the Light. 

While Electronic had Bernard Sumner, New Order bandmates (and life mates) Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert formed the band, the aptly named, the Other Two.

There is nothing  revolutionary about their style. Some of the music, it almost note for note rehashed New Order - not that I'm complaining, as I do like the band. Gilbert takes lead vocals and she's ok, but she is not the strongest singer. 

Songs like this one, "New Horizons" is good for background or driving music.  ....you do have to wait almost a minute to get to vocals though. 

 

Guardian

David from Adventures of aTravel Penguin axed me yesterday (in a comment) my thoughts on the name change for the so-called local sports team.  .....and then Cookie over at Doing Hard Times in Shaker Heights beat me to the punch.  

Much like a Cleveland sports team, I just can't win!

As for naming rights, I was hopeful, and I was not denied. This would be a first for me and a Cleveland baseball team.  .....as they have denied me so very very often. 

The Cleveland Indians have a new name.  The Guardians. 

No. NOT of the Galaxy. Named for - or with homage to - the Guardians of Traffic sculptures on the Lorain-Carnegie Hope Memorial Bridge. 

It's true that bridge connects Carnegie Ave and Lorain Ave, but the Hope is for Bob Hope's (yes, THAT Bob Hope) father, who was the craftsman for the sculptures. 

A number of team names were bandied about: Spiders. Rockers. Crows (why?). And those were the good ones. I assumed / hoped (pun!) that it would be the Guardians, as the bridge leads right to the baseball stadium. ....and I'm always amazed at them. 

I won't lie - my whole life it's been the Indians. There is a sadness in seeing that go, but I get it too. Chief Wahoo is hardly how I think of Native Americans, but I'm not one of them, so I can't say how they feel. I suppose it is like some straight person thinking it's ok to call me a 'faggot'.  

So move one me must. And should. And honestly, thank you George Floyd. 

After decades of opening days with Native Americans protesting at Municipal Stadium or Jacob's Field, the front office was not swayed to make a change. Only with Floyd's death and the subsequent protests that turned out not to just be about Black Lives Matter, but the many tentacles of racial misappropriations that Cleveland and the Washington Football Team got the appropriate pressure to move forward. 

It must kill Derek Chauvin that with is murder of Floyd, sparked changes in this country that he never wanted to see come to fruition ever and might never have come if not for him. But I will not thank Chauvin for that. However, enough of the American people - not the Karen's or Chad's of the world - got movement behind all of this. 

So, next season, we will be the Guardians. I just have to believe if what I'm guessing was the 17 years old they got to create the new logo had just taken an extra 20 minutes, it would have been a better design. 

Song by: Alanis Morissette

Ray of Light

ROUGH work week - to say the least. I don't have to worry about my job, as they would be hard-pressed to find anyone who actually wants it.  So......on to doggies and kitties. 

Best things we ever bought this man. A traveling water bottle / bowl. 

Sophie doesn't come up into bed often anymore, so, I made sure to give her all the attention. 

No idea who this guy/gal is.  But honestly, it's all about the hot dog in the right corner. 

The dog does love the stop, drop and roll. 

Ray of light. 

It might look weird. But you know the 'live' pictures. I got the licking of a lifetime when picking him up from daycare. Took a pic for 710, but this is the screen capture that was left. 710 loved it. 

Yesterday morning I had to maneuver through these two on the landing just to get to work.

Trouble, I tell ya. 

Song by: Madonna

So Sorry

Dudes and Dudettes - 

I got nothing. It was quite a work day - nothing that I care to relive here, or that would even be of great interest to any of youz guyz. 

I am glad it is Friday. I don't say that much, but I'm ok for the week to end. 

I'll regroup, maybe throw a few back with the Muses and see what happens. 

Peace Out. 

Song by: Feist 

Out of Time

As any modern man can see........it's not 30 days from March 8th............yet here we are. 

Well, here the neighbors are, as "Nottinghill" isn't even our street. 

For the life of me, I can never remember its name, so I have dubbed it "Morning Glory" - and that's the name that stands. 

We are closing in August 8th, not April. 8th......and the road isn't done. Nor is an adjoining street. 

I will say, tearing up two streets, taking down dozens of scraggly trees, putting in tons of new sewers and water drainage systems, 30 days seemed ambitious at best. 

Clearly, this is the first go-round for the project manager. It might be his last?  I'd say - at the very best, they're two weeks away from completion, and that is if they were ready to start repaving......and they're not. 

It only seriously interrupts our Shep walks on rainy days, or post rain days - as that route is messy. And part of it is dangerous. 

I do just chuckle - silently - as I pass that sign a few times per week. I think they should leave it up a few months after they're completely finished. 

Song by: the Rolling Stones

Up and Down

As interested as I am in space, I could not be less interested in Richard Branson or Jeff Bezos going there. 

Truth be told - and yes, I'm a HORRIBLE human being (tell me something I don't know) - I didn't care if either of them made it back from their journeys.  

Elon Musk is a douche for sure, but he hasn't quite made it all about him when it comes to Space X. 

And Bezos giving $200,000,000 to two people to do with it what they want?  What kind of fucking dick passive-aggressive move is that?  So if Van Jones doesn't use it to feed every needy school kid in the U.S., somehow now it's his fault as opposed to Bezos, who could have just provided food to every needy family in the country along with adequate housing. 

I'd kill for Jones to use that money to fund the unionization of amazon workers. 

But since Bezos can clearly afford anything he fucking wants and it's his ride (!!) - what was the point of auctioning off a seat in his rocket for twenty something million dollars?  Fuck - take an underprivileged kid who can only dream of going to space. Take a girl who wants to be in a STEM program. Do fucking something that isn't for the greenback dollar.  Do something that shows you're not a complete douche. 

Bezos did none of that - except the douche thing. He's got that down cold.

.....and whomever designed his rocket has a major inferiority complex. .....and is quite possibly Jewish. 

Song by: the Cars

Alive

It's alive.  ALIVE!!!!!!!

You must say it like Frankenstein or even Young Frunkenshtein. 

I know you've been all on the edge of your seats, but Hubble is back. 

After more than a month in safe mode, engineers (choo choo!!) got a glitch in some protection circuit fixed and things are back up and running. 

As of yesterday, the telescope is even sending back pictures. Naturally, it's of three-armed spiral galaxy ARP-MADORE0002-503 and ARP-MADORE2115-273.   Those two are such photo whores. All over Instagram, I'm sure. 

Glad we have this back and operational. Let's see what it brings us before that new alleged telescope launches later this year. 

Song by: Pearl Jam

My Music Monday

Second Banana is the theme of the month. 

When it comes to the Go-Go's, most people I would assume thinks of Belinda Carlisle, as she is the singer and center person. 

But most of the songs were written by Jane Wiedlin and / or Charlotte Caffey. And really, how good is a band without a decent song? 

Near the end of the band's heyday, Wiedlin was upset at not being able to sing lead vocal on her song "Forget the Day" from the disk Talk Show. Caffey was a full-blown heroin addict. While the disk didn't tank there are a number of forgettable songs on there. And it was better than Vacation. 

Both writers went onto other projects (besides rehab) - Wiedlin with a song from Spark ("Cool Places") and two solo disks, which I bought (that's on me!) - that brought the semi-hits "Rush Hour" and "Blue Kiss" and very little else. She was also in the movie Clue, as a person who delivered a singing telegram. 

As it turns out maybe Jane didn't get lead on the Go-Go's vocal because......well, the voice. It's just a bit too helium. For a song here and there it's fine. For full albums.......again.......that was on me. 

Caffey's post Go-Go's career was more about songwriting than performing, though her immediate follow-up was another all girl band, the Graces, that included Meredith Brooks (who sang that horribly overplayed song, "Bitch" five years later). 

The Graces had one disk in 1992 called Perfect View.  One so-so disk, though the opening and initial release, "Lay Down Your Arms" was strong.......and featured here. Carlisle would use this song on a later disk, as well as another, "Should I Let You In". 

Change

We've been in our "new" house about 14 months.  Instead of making some immediate changes - not there is much we need or want to do (which was part of the move impetus), some yard work needed to be done. 

The front yard was mostly cosmetic, as things had gotten wild, even before we moved in. The previous owners started divorce proceedings and moved out about 6 mos before we bought the house. Grass was taken care of......and that's about it. 

The back yard is another story. The big storm of 2019 did some semi-major damage to the property when a big-assed tree came down (crushing the fence and at least one of the neighbor's cars). The previous owners fixed the fence and got rid of most of the tree, but some of the base and roots remain. Mainly the earth and yard was upturned and never fixed. 

There are also drainage issues.  And parts that are overgrown. 

That starts getting fixed next week. 

We knew it had to be done and it's not cheap (I haven't axed 710 for the amount - as I don't think I want to know). But we contacted a number of companies for estimates and quotes. Some came out, but never provided quotes. Some just never came out after making the appointment. Some never bothered to even call back to set something up. 

Before

The bush on the right is HUGE. The hydrangeas on the left (blocked by the tree) were out of control too. 

After

The house looks way bigger. The mulching around the trees is nice. 

'Tis the backyard for which I am truly waiting. I'm sure there will be that update too, but maybe in pieces.  While it's not a huge yard, after the drainage, digging, cleaning up and new plantings, the grass will have to grow back.  Full effects in before / after might take a while. 

Song by: Tracy Chapman